The Rogue World Of Dostira

The Auctus Appraisal

Audrey's sense of comfortability slowly faded as she awoke to feel exhausted and confused, she lay in Charlie's lap as he rested his hands awkwardly by his sides. She slowly opened her eyes and saw his face above hers, chuckling and talking out of his open window but her ears struggled to make sense of what was being said. As she shuffled in his lap to lift herself up, his attention shifted to her and he lifted her chin while lowering his neck to meet her eyes.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" He asked in a hushed voice. 

She shut her eyes tight and opened them to see Charlie's face more clearly, she felt more exhausted seeing him so full of energy and refreshed. 

She coughed and cleared her throat gently, "I feel fine Binko, just a little tired but I'm okay". 

She looked outside the car window to see the car parked out the front of a large castle-like building, it looked ancient with grey stones but mesmerising. As she turned in her seat, she saw that the large building was surrounded by beautiful gardens as the perfect green grass and large square hedges almost hurt her eyes to look at. The large castle that was in front of her had a hallway within it and as she squinted her eyes she could see a floral garden within it surrounded by archways corridors and hallways. 

The large fortress had two castle towers within it and a stone balcony that wrapped around the outside of the front of building, and as Audrey looked closer at the balcony she could see students walking along it with some disappearing in and out of four archway doors.

"Audrey, are you ready to head in now?" Charlie asked as he opened the door.

"Yea Binko, why didn't you just wake me up when we arrived?" she asked as she shuffled to the edge of the car to step out. She saw two students walking away from the car with their faces turned towards Charlie, they were saying something to him that she couldn't understand. But as Charlie waved back at the two boys they turned away and walked towards the hallway ahead, talking amongst themselves and disappearing into an archway. 

"Well, Mr Harkness said I shouldn't wake you" Charlie replied as he helped her stand up once she was out of the car. 

"Oh speaking of that guy, where did he go?" Audrey asked as she rubbed her eyes and stretched a little.

"That guy is ready to welcome you to Dostira Miss Larson" Mr Harkness said as he appeared walking down the hallway that was within the stone castle, he was wearing a navy jacket that matched his pants and held his walking stick with one hand while the other held a polished silver pocket watch.

She felt a tinge of embarrassment as she stuttered to fix her mistake, "Um sorry, I meant Mr Harkness". 

She knew Charlie had a grin on his face without needing to look over him as she watched Mr Harkness approach her.

"Now, before you can take a look around the place and purchase your books, there is something that needs to be done" He said as he looked at Charlie and gave him a slight nod. He turned around and walked back down the hallway placing the bright silver watch back into the pocket of his pants, Charlie motioned for Audrey to follow him as he walked beside her. 

"Listen to me, this test is not going to feel good. Although it's a final check to make sure you're a prodigy, it more importantly tests your powers to see the extent to which they can be trained and if they have any future limitations." Charlie said in a hushed voice as he stayed close to her, she was listening to him but part of her mind wandered off in awe of the castle. 

"Audrey I can't come in with you, you have to do this alone" he continued. 

Those words snapped Audrey out of her slight day dream as she looked him with unease, she felt her heartbeat quicken as they stopped outside of a wooden door with Mr Harkness leaning his arm against a stone wall that was to the left of it.