The Shadowseeker - Victor Kloss Page 0,13

Chapter Six —

The Apprenticeship Test

Ben opened the door slowly, his body tense. He was half-expecting to face a flaming fireball or some axe-wielding maniac, but to his surprise and relief, the room was almost empty. It was small, and dimly lit by a chandelier that floated just below the ceiling. There were no windows or doors except the one he came through. An ornate table and a single chair were placed in the middle of the room. On top of the table was a large hardback book and a plaque that stood upright.

There was something strangely familiar about the room and its set-up that tickled Ben's memory. Perhaps it reminded him of some movie? He discarded the thought and spent another moment making sure the room was completely safe, before approaching the table. The book that lay on it was a work of art. The outside was leather of the deepest red, titled with the words Royal Institute of Magic in a flowing yellow script. Beneath that, cast in silver and fastened to the centre of the book, was the Institute's coat of arms. It was shaped like a shield and cut into four quarters. Each quarter alternated between a picture of a lion and a peculiar flower.

Ben opened the book. Or at least he tried to. The cover wouldn't move. Ben frowned. Was it glued together? He tried picking it up, but it was stuck to the table. He couldn't open or move it at all.

Ben stepped back, hands on hips. It was then he noticed the plaque again. Now that he was this close, he could see a message scrawled on it.

“Dear applicant,

“Congratulations on making it this far. Should you wish to proceed with the Initiation Test, place your right thumb on the centre of book, in the centre of the coat of arms.

“I wish you the best of luck.

“Elizabeth.”

Ben sat down on the chair and rested his arms on the table, either side of the book. He was beginning to think this was not going to be a physical test. Ben placed a thumb on the coat of arms, right in the middle of the four small quarters.

Nothing happened. Ben pressed a little harder, until his thumb went red. Still nothing. Was he doing it wrong?

Something sharp pricked the underside of his thumb.

“Ow!” Ben exclaimed, instinctively pulling his thumb away.

A trickle of blood started flowing down the coat of arms. Instead of dripping off the book, the blood flowed around the small coat of arms, until the small trickle surrounded it.

The coat of arms started to glow, as if the blood had connected a circuit. Ben leaned down, placing his hands on the book, to inspect it closer. His hands began to tingle, so Ben quickly removed them – or tried to. His hands wouldn't come off the book. He tried harder, but they wouldn't budge. They were stuck to the book, just as the book was stuck to the table.

Ben cursed. Now what? He stood up and tried moving the table, but it was too heavy, or perhaps stuck to the floor. After several tugs, he leant against the table, panting. If the test involved getting out the room, he was in trouble.

His deflation lasted only seconds. There had to be something he could do. He sat down, wracking his brain, examining every inch of the room.

Suddenly, the temperature dropped. Ben was so busy trying to concoct a plan he only noticed when he spotted the hairs on his arms standing up. The temperature kept dropping and he shivered. His breath was starting to mist up.

The lantern above flickered and then went out.

Darkness, total and complete. Had he been able to wave a hand in front of his face he wouldn't have seen it.

The Initiation Test must be about to start, but Ben was still stuck to the book. For the first time, anxiety crept in; not from the test, but of the possibility of failure. How could he possibly do anything while stuck to the book? His plans to make a career at the Institute, and more importantly find his parents, would disintegrate before they had even begun.

A breeze in the room disrupted his thoughts. A white mist began to form just behind the table. From within Ben saw a shape appear. At first it was nothing more than a white blob, but as the mist continued to solidify, a female ethereal figure took shape. She had auburn hair and a strong nose. Her posture