Academt Of Five Peaks

Chapter 14- Travel

Chapter Fourteen

Elle awoke to the sound of bells. At first she lay on her back, letting the noises roll over her as she slowly awoke. Blinking Elle heard someone knock on the room’s door, thumping too vigorously for such an early time.

‘Yes…?’ Elle swung her legs out of bed, padding softly across the carpet to the door.

‘Elle, open up now,’ Mr. Yuko said from the other side.

‘Oh, sure,’ Elle quickly unlocked the door, swinging it open to see him standing there.

‘What are you doing?’ He said rather loudly and rudely, looking Elle up and down. ‘Why aren’t you dressed?’

‘Dressed? It’s like six in the morning,’ Elle rubbed her eyes, still feeling the after affects of sleep.

‘The bells my dear. Didn‘t you hear the bells?!’

‘The bells for what?’ They were still ringing, far away in Candival but managing to reach the whole place.

‘Just get some clothes on, I’ll explain,’ Mr. Yuko pushed into the room. ‘The bells of Indus signal a breach of the demon gate or an omen to come. The high council has been sent word from the East, where one of the great gates lays, that something is coming through, something so large they cannot stop it. Around the country the sighting of demons has come to a climax because they too know something is on its way. The high council has dispatched an emergency message; any Hunter who is fit and healthy must go out onto the field.’

Elle quickly got changed out of her pajamas behind a door, slipping into something comfortable. ‘You mean we’re going to fight?! I only became a Hunter yesterday; I don’t know what I’m doing.’

‘Pack your things quickly,’ Mr. Yuko helped her. ‘And do not worry about loss of training, the only reason they are bringing new Hunters out with them is for the numbers. You shall not be fighting, you’ll be placed in the safest position, your only point is to scare the demons with our numbers and hope that that is enough.’

Elle hurriedly threw her possessions into a rucksack. ‘Where are they taking me? Are the others coming too?’

‘You have been dispatched near the north gate because that is the smallest and oldest. No demon dares go through it because of its age, its power too weak to sustain a transport between the worlds. The other students from the academy are coming as well; they are being brought down now.’

Elle finished her packing and slung the bag over her shoulder, slouching slightly under the weight. ‘And you? Are you coming also?’

‘The high council has asked me to accompany you, as a protector and teacher. You will be safe at the north gate, there are at least a hundred Hunters stationed there,’ Mr. Yuko ushered her out of the room, leading her down a hall.

‘Do you know about warlocks? Is that what you’re going to teach me?’ Elle asked.

‘I may not be a Hunter but I am one of the few left alive who know information of worth about the Warlock’s. My grandfather was the very last one, until you of course, and I carry with me his book of conjuring tricks. I shall be teaching you on the way, though it seems from my observations when you fought the demon that you already know some things,’ Mr. Yuko frowned. They passed a couple of people, all hurrying in different directions or yelling to another person.

‘How will we be getting to the North gate? It’s at least a day trip on the train,’ they’d made it outside, where even more people were.

‘We’re taking horses,’ Mr. Yuko said without a pause.