Colin opened his eyes. He was staring straight up at a green and blue cloth ceiling of a tent. He turned his head to his right and saw Eliza lying in a comfortable looking bed. She was sound asleep. Careful not to wake Eliza, Colin sat up in bed. He was wearing a pair of dark green pajamas with black buttons. He stood up and padded over to the door flap. Pushing it back, he stepped out into the light. Around him was a circle of tents exactly like the one he had just exited. All of the tents were in a circle of twelve in a room with a tall ceiling. The tents were held up by ropes from the points of the roofs connected to the ceiling.
Colin listened hard. Coming from almost all the tents, he could hear breathing. He walked over to a tall, arched door set into the wall. Quietly, he pushed open the door. Suddenly in a blue lighted corridor with four other doors along it. At the end of the hall was a spiral staircase that was spinning. Taking notice of the (what he thought was the best) Magyk, Colin walked over and stepped on, forgetting that he probably wasn't allowed to go wandering around. Then it struck him. He was in the Wizard Tower. How did he manage to end up sleeping here? Suddenly all the excitement from last night rushed back to him and he smiled. Now he needed to find Septimus Heap.
The stairs were on their way up, going at an ideal speed. Up and up, Colin went. Soon, he became dizzy and he had to close his eyes. After a few seconds, when he opened his eyes, a girl of about fourteen was standing three steps above him.
"First time?" she asked.
Colin nodded. Around her waist she wore an apprentice belt, fastened around a short woolen, green tunic. She had on green leggings and boots lined with fur. Her hair was fashioned into a thin, straight braid that hung down her back.
"I just got on from the Sick Bay. I'm Tod by the way. TodHunter Moon." She smiled. "You?"
"I'm Colin," said Colin quietly.
"Oh." Her smile faded. "You're The one who fainted last night. Onto Septimus. You and another girl."
Colin's face burned. He was so embarrassed. But he just nodded.
"Hey. That's okay. I totally understand." Tod laughed. "I'm going up to the ExtraOrdinary's rooms. You wanna come?"
"Yes please," blurted out Colin a little too eagerly.
A few seconds later they were marching up to a huge purple door. When the door noticed Tod, it swung open immediately, revealing an impressive spectacle. A commodious room waited beyond the door. In the middle of the room was a plush sofa on which an odd looking man that Colin had never seen before slept. In front of that was a huge fireplace with blazing flames that warmed the whole room. Several windows around the room allowed the blinding winter light to be let in. Doors led off to different rooms on the opposite wall. Tod and Colin walked over to the sofa. One of the doors along the wall burst open and a striking man in heavy purple robes appeared. His straw colored wavy hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail. Around his neck he wore the astonishing Akhu Amulet―a teardrop amulet of gold and lapis worn by all ExtraOrdinary Wizards.
"Colin. Do you normally fall into people?" he said happily.
Colin blushed and looked at the floor. I'm such an idiot, he thought.
"It's okay, really." He laughed. Suddenly stern he turned to Tod. "Tod, you must inform me where you go in the morning. Dandra had to send one of the Sick Bay Wizards to tell me where you were."
"I'm sorry," said Tod.
"Colin please come in and sit down." Septimus motioned into the doorway he had just come out of. Colin obeyed and walked nonchalantly into the door, trying to make up for hus glorious fall last night. Colin had just walked into the kitchen. Lining the wall was a counter with a stove. In the middle of the room was a long table where the ExtraOrdinary Wizard and his or her Apprentice dined. Septimus pointed to a chair at the table as he walked over to the stove. Tod sat beside Colin and smiled. Septimus returned with a tray of hot chocolate.
"How are you?" Septimus asked as he sat down.
"I―I'm good. This place makes me feel...weird," said Colin, cradling his warm cup in his hands.
"Good weird or bad weird?" Septimus asked.
"Good."
"That's good," said Septimus.
"Good," added Tod.
"Um. Mr. Heap?" Colin asked nervously. He didn't think it would be this hard to tell him.
"Please, calk me Septimus."
"Oh, okay. Septimus?"
"Yes?" Septimus smiled.
"There's these people that are coming..." Colin trailed off.
"Oh, yes. I know. Queen Jenna and Marwick told me last night after you and Eliza had been put to bed."
Colin felt relieved. He didn't think he was brave enough to tell the ExtraOrdinary Wizard that someone was about to attack his Castle. Colin finished off his cup of hot chocolate. He looked down into the mug. Along the sides, the last few minutes of chocolate was stained.
"Also, I see you met my Apprentice, Tod." Septimus looked to Tod. She smiled at Colin again.
"I've only been you're Apprentice for two years," said Tod.
"Yes, but that doesn't mean you're not the best and most helpful," replied Septimus. "Okay, then. Let's go down to the Great Hall, shall we?"
The trio stood up and walked out of the room. Out in the hallway, the purple door closing silently behind them, they rushed to the stairs. It was still going the same, perfect speed. This time, Colin tried not to get dizzy. He wasn't going to close his eyes in front of the ExtraOrdinary Wizard. Farther and farther they went, down the stairs. How could any building be this tall, Colin wondered. But soon, they arrived at the blue lit corridor that led to the tents. Still, they went down farther. Immediately after that floor had passed, the next one was so bright that he had to close his eyes. He squinted at the room that they had just entered. It was a huge vaulted area where seven tall columns reached up high to a point on the blue ceiling. The ceiling was scattered with different constellations and stars, all twinkling brightly. But as they went down, the blue sky faded into a pale green. Suddenly, the green turned into brightly colored pictures.
Septimus saw him looking and said, "Those pictures show scenes from the history of the Wizard Tower. Cool, isn't it?"
When they reached the bottom of the stairs, they stepped off onto the sandlike surface of the floor. Multicolored Magyk words on the floor spelled out Good morning, ExtraOrdinary Wizard. It was soon followed by Good morning, Apprentice. The floor finally contorted into Good morning, Colin Well.
Colin smiled. What he had thought was a dream from last night―the floor greeting people―was actually real.
Across the hall, they heard a scream. They looked over and saw Eliza standing by a door with a shadow over her. A tall mass―ten feet tall―of orange hair stood over her.
"Get it away," she screamed.
Septimus rushed over and grabbed Eliza's shoulder. He pulled her back to Tod and Colin. One look from Eliza, Colin could see that she was confused. It's fine, he mouthed. Eliza's eyes were wide. How could this be fine, she wondered.
Septimus smiled casually at the orange mass. "Fair Grula-Grula. I pray that you follow me?"
The Grula-Grula nodded―if someone could say that a Grula-Grula can nod. It suddenly began to shimmer. With a loud whoosh, the creature became a man in a suit with spectacles. Septimus led the Grula-Grula over to a pair of tall silver doors. Mumbling the password, the doors swung open, letting the chill of the winter morning in.
"I bid you a very good day, Fair Grula-Grula." With that, Septimus left the Grula-Grula standing out in the cold. The silver doors swung back closed and Septimus turned to Tod, Colin and Eliza. Outside, the Grula-Grula set off in the direction of a nice cloak shop that he was so very fond of, but he had no idea why.
Inside, Septimus turned to Eliza. She was expecting a stern comment on her wandering, but instead the ExtraOrdinary Wizard said, "I just hope the Grula-Grula doesn't get into too much trouble."
The silver doors swung back open and a boy of about eleven came rushing in. He had on green apprentice robes with thick black boots. His hair was a red brown color. He ran up to Septimus. Catching his breath, he stood up straight and said, "Septimus Heap. I've returned with a message from Marcia Overstrand. It is as follows: Septimus. I need you to come to my Keep. I have a problem with the Ways and I'm not going to do anything unless you're here. Come immediately. Message ends."
Septimus, thinking that this boy reminded him of a message rat, sighed.
"Bother," said Septimus.
Ten minutes later, Septimus, Tod, Colin, Eliza, and the Apprentice boy―whose name was Marston Farstray, we're standing outside in the bitter winter chill, staring at a purple chalk outline of an archway drawn onto the side of the steps on the Wizard Tower. Colin and Eliza had rushed back to the Apprentice Dorms to get dressed.
"Tod?" asked Septimus.
Tod nodded. "It's okay to go in."
"It's a Hidden arch," explained Septimus. "One of the Ancient Ways. They're Ancient Magyk archways that lead all over the world. Very hard to navigate. Not if you're Tod, though." He looked down at Tod. She pulled out a blue box and opened the top. Inside was a small pointer with an arrow at one end on the other was a dome of lapis. There was also a leather pouch with an onyx sphere and a curve of silver.
"It shows me how to travel the Ways," explained Tod.
Colin and Eliza nodded in wonder. Archways that led all over the world. They could go anywhere.
"But we won't need it just going to Marcia's Hub." Septimus motioned for Tod to put the object―called a Pathfinder―away. "Okay everyone. Let's go. And Tod, I know it probably won't happen, but grab Colin's hand so we don't lose him. And Colin, grab Eliza's."
Colin tried not to blush as Tod grabbed his hand and held it tightly. Suddenly, he saw Septimus step back from the Way as it began to glow. He nodded and together, Septimus leading, they walked through the Way.
In her keep, Marcia was in distress. All the Seals on the Ancient Ways were disintegrating away. Every time she tried to replace a few of them, they disappeared. She had an Apprentice at her Keep from the Wizard Tower. He was running errands and Marcia decided to use him to tell Septimus about the problem with the Ways. Frantically, she had sent the boy back through Way VII.
While she waited in the Hub for Septimus to arrive, she thought it over. Some Magyk more powerful than hers must be controlling the Ways. Marcia wasn't aware that was something a person could do. It would take a lot of Magykal energy to control a whole Hub.
Only Claudius Drummin was in the Hub to keep her company. Lucius and Fabius were somewhere else in the Keep, tending to other things. Marcia enjoyed having the Drummins around. Drummins are humanoid creatures that Marcellus Pye had created in the Great Chamber of Fyre underneath the Castle. As Claudius settled down on the steps leading out of the Hub (the Hub was underground), Marcia remained standing. She paced back and forth in the circular Hub. Surrounding her were twelve Ancient Ways. All had tunnels leading about twenty feet into the wall, and then they stopped. Each one had a white mist at the end―the Vanishing Point.
While pacing back and forth, Marcia noticed a movement in Way VII. Suddenly, Septimus appeared, followed by Tod, a familiar looking boy, a girl, and the Apprentice boy who she had sent to fetch Septimus.
"You took your time, Septimus." Marcia put her hand on her hips. Her multicolored cloak was very comfortable.
"Ah, yes. I'm sorry, Marcia." Septimus nodded. "What was it that you wanted to show me?"
"This." Marcia walked over to one of the Ancient Ways―Way XI. "All the Seals disappeared on every single one of the Ways." She stopped. "Septimus, I see you brought Colin from the Port along with you."
"Yes. And his friend, Eliza," said Septimus.
Marcia smiled. "It's very nice to meet you all," she said.
"It's good to see you again," said Colin, trying to be social.
Marcia nodded. "Yes, yes. We need to figure this out." She walked right up to Way XI. "When I try to replace the Seal, it doesn't work. See?"
Before it even happened, Colin knew that something bad was about to occur. Marcia lifted up her hands to place the Seal on the Way. When she did, there was a flash of light and Marcia was thrown back against the stone floor hard.
"Marcia!" cried Septimus running over to her. She sat up, holding her head.
"I―I'm okay. That's never happened before on any of the other Ways when I've tried to Seal them."
Septimus helped Marcia up. Tod looked frightened.
"I've never seen a Way do that before," said Tod shakily.
Marcia brushed off her cloak. "Well, whatever's through that Way isn't good. And we're going to figure out what's behind it."
YOU ARE READING
Colin Well: The Wizard
FanfictionAll Rights to Angie Sage ________________________________________ Colin Well is stuck selling bread for the rest of his life with his obnoxious stepfather, until one day, he finds out a terrible secret and his adventure begins―meeting new people and...
