Marc Arden and the Siphilon Academy

- The Academy (Part 1)

The next few days, Delaneira rushed herself back and forth between various Elders in Middenheim to the concealed house, raising awareness for the problem at hand. She warned Marc, Scarlett, and Rose that they expected a fight any time now.

The three Siphs to attend the Academy that day were delayed two more extra days. "Safety first!" Was their constant reminder from Delaneira.

All they could do was practice sessions in the training hall, Marc was careful not to extend himself. They strictly had to board up the entire house as Delaneira traversed between various people. Many times, Marc was told that some elders wished to bring him into custody.

Finally came the day for the three students to attend their first day of Siphilon Academy. Delaneira had brought back two sets of uniforms for Marc and Scarlett. The uniform for females was a long, light blue dress, with dark blue collars and sleeves, and a hem that just skimmed the floor. The Academy badge was stamped upon the breast pocket. Additional to that, the girls were required to wear a one-piece, white scarf in a way a poncho is draped over the shoulders.

Marc took this all in, then sized up his uniform.

He had to wear light blue pants and a light blue shirt with dark blue collars and sleeves. He also had a white tie and a dark blue blazer. The Academy badge was stamped upon his pants pocket.

Overall, he thought the Academy's uniform looked silly on him. But Scarlett, Rose, and his mother looked mighty impressed as they fawned over him.

They received a set of textbooks and the Academy rule book. The latter was quite boring to go through until Marc got to the part where it specified Diochetes for graduates only.

His mind drifted to the Diochete he purchased from Mr. Rodrigo, safely laying inside his closet drawer.

His other textbooks seemed interesting enough. He was excited to start Combat classes. The more elements a student had control of, the more classes they'll be taking.

They were expected to arrive at the Academy at eight in the morn.

Delaneira had woken up early that day and fixed up a great breakfast, as usual. Marc was the last to wipe his plate clean, savoring every mouth of food.

He rose to meet the day, draping his blazer around him and slinging his bag upon his shoulders. The girls did the same, fitting their scarves comfily.

"We're late!" Marc fussed, taking a glance at the giant clock hanging over the kitchen entrance. "It's twenty to eight!"

Delaneira hastily washed the dishes and hurried out of the kitchen, pulling her coat on.

"I'd better drop you off then, better safe than sorry!"

"We'll be fine, mum! It isn't likely for the Offbendi to ambush us in the middle of the city!" Marc replied. He'd started calling her 'mum' a few days ago. Something that brightened her very much.

"Oh, I think it's highly likely for that to happen. No objections! I'm taking you to Academy myself!" She humored with an air of forced authority.

Marc decided not to continue the argument. He just didn't want other students gaining the wrong first impression of him.

Scarlett and Rose were talking about the kind of extracurricular activities the Academy had to offer.

"...personally are the Flagback practices. Oh and every year we play against the Hirean Siph Academy at The Torpízo Games." Rose was saying, "At least we get to change into the stretchy combat suits, rather than staying in this uniform all day..."

Delaneira went over to cease their chatting, bringing them into the entrance hall. She took a minute to unlock the unique doorlock.

With a click, they left the house in unison. Marc took a deep breath, giving the house a scanning last look, wishing Dom was there with him, to give him some much-needed advice on experiencing schooling at the Academy.

He left the house, shutting the door behind him. The door automatically whirred to life with a series of locks. He adjusted his tie, nervously, then followed his mother to his very first day at Siphilon Academy.

* * *

They reached the front steps of the Academy with five minutes to spare. Delaneira gave them clear instructions on how to check-in, even though Rose knew it off the top of her head. With a hug to all three of them, she left them standing there, and hastily hurried off to get ready for her next meeting with the Council of Elders.

The Academy stood out with ten prominent pillars – five on either side – as tall as trees. The oak door entrances were half as tall as the pillars, standing strong and impressively to accept students with grandeur into the halls within.

The walls of the building were made with pure Crystal, flashing ethereal reflections in all directions. The pathway leading to the front steps was positioned between wide, flat, green turf, bearing benches and bushes. Marc spotted that the Academy had a second-floor tower, that looked much like a short backrest of a throne seat.

Rose started up the steps, calling out a Lorenzic greeting to other students she knew. Marc chanced a sideways glance at Scarlett, who looked back at him so nervously. He smiled reassuringly and offered her his arm. She swatted it away immediately and furiously looked around for any onlookers. With Marc grinning to himself, they followed Rose towards the Academy's front office.

Marc sensed many students staring at him, and because he never attended a school before, he didn't know what to do. He settled for memorizing as many faces as he could.

They entered the office and lined up in front of a desk. A cheery administrator smiled up at them, accepting the three files Rose handed her.

"Good morning students!" She quickly ran through the files. "Welcome to Siphilon Academy, Marc Arden, and Scarlett Elizabeth! And welcome back Rose Arden! I take it Scarlett is attuned to Water and Wind?" She asked Scarlett politely.

Scarlett nodded her head, paying the administrator her full undivided attention. The administrator smiled at her kindly in return.

"And I take it Marc is attuned to Fire?" She asked Marc. He nodded in uncertainty, leaning over to glance at his file. His mother hadn't written 'Sun element' for some reason.

"Thank you for your cooperation! My name is Professor Potts and I am the Deputy Headmistress at Siphilon Academy! Please remain inside the Main Hall until the Headmaster Professor Sofos arrives for the entrance speech."

Marc almost laughed out aloud once hearing the Headmaster's name.

Professor Potts grasped Marc's intentions and smiled even broader.

"You need not worry, Marc! I certainly did laugh once hearing his name the first time myself."

They all shared a pleasant laugh and left the front office through a back door and entered the Main Hall. Hundreds of students sat at rows of long benches that took up most of the Great Hall's space. There were many windows and the ceiling lit up with streams of Light.

Rose pointed one of her palms at a beam of Light and made it flash brightly. Nearby students whooped and clapped.

Just then, a group of boys erupted in laughter. One of their boys was pointing at Rose, saying something, when all the boys around him double up in mirthless laughter.

Their laughter died down low enough for Marc to hear the word 'mummy's girl' when they erupted in laughter yet again.

All students in the vicinity stared at Rose, then at Marc, who stared back at them pointedly, until they hurriedly veered their gaze to Scarlett, who looked sick from claustrophobia in the sea of students.

"What's up with them?" Marc asked Rose, glaring at the group of boys as he shouldered his way through a cluster of friends.

"That's just Loveren and his cronies." Replied Rose, effectively ignoring them. "Expect a lot of insults your way, he's in the same class as us."

"Well too bad for him." Countered Marc, cracking his knuckles.

He locked his eyes with Loveren, lighting his index finger on fire and drawing it across his throat. Loveren's smile faded, he immediately started discussing Marc's revelation with the rest of the boys.

"Great, that should spread the word around," Marc said in an undertone.

He assumed there weren't many Fire benders about.

"What do you think you're doing?" Hissed Rose. Marc shrugged, searching for a place to sit down.

There was a bench on his right with enough room to seat three people. He pulled Rose and Scarlett down with him. The latter hadn't said a word since leaving the front office.

Marc sat next to a sandy-haired boy who looked to be a year or so younger than him. Scarlett slipped in next to Marc and Rose took the other side of Scarlett. Rose immediately struck up a conversation with a girl next to her.

Scarlett sat silently, glancing at everyone around her. Marc awkwardly remained next to the boy, until he said,

"Hey, my name is Theodore Lemar, but you can call me Theo, nice to meet you! I haven't seen you before, are you new here?"

"Hi Theo, I'm Marc Arden. You may know my sister, Rose. She's been here longer than I have." Marc replied a little too formal.

Theo smiled,

"As a matter of fact, I do know her, top of the class. She's the only one from around here who's able to get under Professor Freed's skin. He's our Combat master and happens to be more tiresome than Loveren and his cronies."

Marc muttered, "Great…" Jotting down a mental note of Professor Freed.

Theo laughed at his reaction,

"Not all Professors are that bad. Professor Wallclimb - our Weapons master - is quite friendly."

Marc chuckled at the mention of Professor Wallclimb, "What is up with all these Professors' names?"

Theo laughed again but decided not to comment. He brightened up and asked,

"What are you attuned to? I'm a Sand bender, by the way. I can start mini sandstorms for about ten seconds and compress sand into glass shards."

Marc was about to answer to Theo when a tall, old man strode into the main hall from an adjacent room. He wore a cloak that resembled the school colors, with plain white pants and shirt. A bushy white beard covered his chin and jawline. All the students fell silent, looking up at a podium. Two lecterns stood on either side of the podium where the old man stood.

He cleared his throat once, before launching into his speech.

"I warmly welcome all the newcomers to the Elbendi Siphilon Academy, for the start of your first year! For the older students, I have always been yours truly, Professor Sofos, the headmaster. Before we proceed to begin classes, our new students have to be sorted into their school houses. We have a list of names that will be called out for each specific student to be sorted!"

He stepped down from the podium stood by one of the lecterns. Professor Potts immediately rushed out of an adjacent room - Marc presumed it was the staff room – unrolling a piece of paper. She handed it to Professor Sofos and stepped back, smiling at all the students enthusiastically.

Professor Sofos cleared his throat once again and announced,

"There are four school houses. Efséveia, Dýnami, Pnévma and Filía. Each of you will walk up here once your name is called, and stand still, allowing me to place my Diochete on your back. Whichever color my Diochete glows, that respective house is yours to make proud of! Therefore, without further ado, I call upon… Judy Moncada!"

A confident girl stood up and walked assertively towards the podium, holding her chin up high and glancing at everyone who looked up at her. She had black hair and dark brown, curious eyes.

She reached Professor Sofos, who gave her an appraising smile. He placed his Diochete at her back, and a few moments later, her back glowed green.

Many students around the hall clapped as Judy shook hands with Professor Sofos, then returned back to her seat with an aura of authority around her.

"Judy Moncada to Pnévma. The school house of intelligence, wit, and wisdom, may you serve your house well!"

Professor Sofos announced quite a few more names – every one of them were either sorted into Efséveia or Filía: The house of piety, humbleness, and righteousness; and the house of friendship, companionship, and trustworthiness, respectively – before he looked down at the name list yet again to call out,

"…Scarlett Elizabeth!"

Scarlett exhaled sharply and rose. She walked towards Professor Sofos, her head tilted down. Professor Potts tried to flash Scarlett another smile to no avail.

She reached Professor Sofos and turned her back to him, who flourished his Diochete and placed it on Scarlett's back. A few seconds later, a crimson glow gleamed onto Professor Sofos' face.

"Scarlett Elizabeth to Dýnami. The school house of strength, bravery and valour, may you serve your house well!"

Scarlett nodded to Professor Sofos, then walked back to her seat. She looked to be oblivious to all the clapping around her.

Professor Sofos waved his hands and all students stopped clapping. He glanced at the list, then scanned the crowd of students.

The moment Professor Sofos' eyes landed on Marc, he smiled and called out,

"Marc Arden!"

Marc accepted Rose's reassuring smile and left the table, heading straight for Professor Sofos.

He felt all the students' eyes follow his every move and his legs suddenly felt like lead. He reached Professor Sofos' side, eyeing his Diochete warily.

"Relax, Marc." Said Professor Sofos quietly with a twinkle in his eyes. Professor Sofos was a member of the Hall of Elders and had grown accustomed to Marc's presence instantly.

Marc took a deep breath, before presenting his back to Professor Sofos. A few seconds later, he felt the Diochete's strands of silver touch his back.

Marc watched the other students, trying to figure out what was taking so long. Professor Sofos' Diochete hadn't lit up yet.

Suddenly, Marc felt the Diochete vibrate softly against his back and for a fraction of a second, a pleasant gold light shined around him.

The light faded into scarlet red. Just then, Professor Sofos clapped a hand on Marc's shoulder and announced to the school, his voice ringing out in Marc's ears.

"Marc Arden to Dýnami. The school house of strength, bravery and valour, may you serve your house well."

Rose and Scarlett were the first to clap, followed by the rest of house Dýnami and a few other students as well. Marc walked back to his seat in a daze. Theo clapped him on the back as he sat down.

He distantly watched another new student named Chris Vronti being sorted into house Dýnami.

Professor Sofos handed the list back to Professor Potts before clearing his throat once again and facing the students.

"That is all an old, senile man wants from a group of young, enthusiastic minds. You are free to head over to your classes. For the new students, I must rely on my amazing team of tutors and the prefects to make sure you are caused no inconveniences on your first day at Siphilon Academy. Good day to you all!"

He bowed before the entire hall with a graceful flourish, before turning and striding into the staff room.

Loud chatter and pleasant talk filled the hall. Professor Potts had a quick discussion with a group of young adults - the prefects - before dispersing them into the crowd.

A tap on Marc's shoulder interrupted Marc's observation. Rose had stood up and was standing behind Marc.

"Hey, Marc! Looks like you didn't disappoint after all."

"What do you mean? Why did my sorting take so long." Was Marc's response.

"Take it easy, that was just your Sun element reacting to Pulsium, the way it did in the training hall. Mama did tell me you would be sorted into Dýnami, our family house, but I was so sure you'd go and get yourself into a lame house like Pnévma or Filía." Rose chimed in with a grin.

Marc raised his eyebrows at Rose. Just then, Theo stood up and joined their conversation.

"Congrats on your sorting. I'm in house Filía though." He pursed his lips.

Rose caught Theo's eye and nodded, before tapping on Scarlett's shoulder to get her attention and striking up a conversation with her.

Marc searched the halls as Theo talked with round eyes,

"Didn't I mention Professor Sofos too? He's one of a kind. Tutors only Prefects and Warriors!"

Marc was about to give his views on Professor Sofos to Theo when someone bumped into his shoulder aggressively.

"Ow! Who's th-" Theo's voice faltered. Marc turned around to face the stocky boy, Loveren. Theo grimaced at Loveren's threatening face and hurriedly left the hall.

"Hey Fire-boy! What's up with Flash-girl over there?" Loveren glanced at Rose, who ignored him. He looked more interested in Marc anyway. Up close, Marc got a good look at him. Short, buff, and hairy with eyes reduced to slits and a gigantic nose disfiguring the center of his face.

Marc looked around and realized that there weren't any teachers around. He rose to his full height and crossed his arms, staring straight at Loveren.

Marc was a few inches taller and way musclier than the other boy, yet he still insisted on causing trouble.

"Flash-girl? Man, you really need to get better at the whole nickname calling…Stock-sock lump of phoenix food."

Loveren turned red and threw a punch at Marc, who easily caught it. He heated up his palm clamped around Loveren's wrist until the boy started breathing heavily.

"What are you, a slime bender?" Marc increased the heat slightly. Loveren cried out angrily in pain. Marc laughed out loudly without any humor and let go of Loveren's tanned wrist.

The boy cursed, flapped his hands to rid himself of the heat, and blundered away. A few students lingering in the hall were watching the commotion, some of them turned away the moment Marc looked around. One girl whooped in delight and approached their table.

Rose finally looked up from the idle conversation she was sharing with Scarlett. She spotted the approaching girl and immediately stood up.

"Cader! Chairetísmata sýntrofos! You look incredible! How are you?" Rose greeted the girl jovially.

The girl blushed and replied, "I'm fine Rosy. I'm glad to see you too!"

Rose and Cader embraced each other in a hug, breaking apart after many seconds passed.

"Everyone, meet Cader Tarvin! She's a great friend and human being."

Marc and Scarlett smiled at Cader, who smiled back with a tiny wave. Rose beckoned for Cader to join her at the bench. They started reminiscing about their previous year at the Academy.

Marc realized he had been standing and hurriedly sat down next to Scarlett, inspecting her closely. She frowned at him,

"What?" She asked.

Marc stayed silent.

"What?" She insisted.

"Somehow I feel like I should be asking you that." Marc finally replied.

It was Scarlett's turn to stay silent. She waited for him to continue.

"What's going on with you Scarlett? You seem to be hyperventilating." He reached out to place the back of his hand on her forehead. Surprisingly she let him.

"I- I've never been good around people and I've never gone to school, even when I was young. I'm just overwhelmed I guess."

Marc smiled and held out his hand.

"I need you to do something for me, I need you to promise me you'll give this a chance. We both need to. We never got the opportunity to study at an Academy like this, can't you see how much fun it is?"

Scarlett wistfully overlooked Rose and Cader laughing pleasantly. Marc insistently frowned at Scarlett,

"Uhhh, earth to Scarlett." Marc insisted.

"Okay, Marc. I can't guarantee I'll be good at it, but I'll give it a try, I promise. And no, I don't do handshakes."

Scarlett stuck out a tongue at Marc, just as the bell rang loudly overhead.

Rose and Cader jumped out of their seats too, and beckoned Marc and Scarlett to follow them. They hurried out of the hall and onto a hill of stairs leading into the east wing of the building. An enormous chandelier hung over the middle of the hill of steps, illuminating a massive portrait of a woman. An inscription on a metal label had the name 'Lady Eleanor Alva de Bettencourt' across it.

Marc slowed his pace until Scarlett caught up with, then walked alongside her, a few paces behind Rose and Cader.

They reached the east wing and walked down a corridor when Theo suddenly joined Marc's step from an adjacent passageway.

"Hey Marc! I hope Loveren didn't cause you any trouble."

"Nah, I handled it okay, I think. Where are we headed?"

Theo craned his neck around Rose and Cader ahead of them.

"We are nearing our classroom. Oh! There goes Professor Sutton Bulb. Good day, Professor!"

A petite little man walked down the corridor in the opposite direction of them. He was messily dressed in a cloak and a woolen scarf and carried many various glass vials and silver objects with his arms

Professor Bulb nodded at Rose and Cader as he was walking. He glanced at Marc carelessly, but his gaze returned back, which slowly slid onto Scarlett, then Theo. He stopped and smiled.

"Giving them the tour around I see, Theo?"

Theo smiled back politely,

"No sir – Professor. Just leading them to the classroom."

Professor Bulb's eyes glazed over. He just stood still for a while, before jerking slightly and saying,

"Good, good! Welcome to Academy, new ones. I sure will be waiting for you to attend my classes. Good day, Theo!"

Professor Bulb nodded curtly and left with the swish of his cloak and skirt.

Marc, Scarlett, and Theo jogged the length the corridor to catch up with Rose and Cader. They passed under many ornate wooden brackets holding torches of light that cast a dim glow to the stone brick wall, enhancing its shadows. They came to a stop outside a classroom door.

"What does he teach?" Scarlett asked Theo.

"Huh?"

"What does Professor Bulb teach?"

Theo looked over at Professor Bulb's back. "He teaches Foretelling and Elemental vision reading. Has a load of interesting pieces of junk in his laboratory."

Rose shushed Theo from speaking any further, then twisted the classroom doorknob and disappeared inside. Cader followed her, then Theo. Scarlett glanced briefly up at Marc before following after Theo.

Just as Marc was about to shuffle into the class after Scarlett, he noticed a dark figure of a woman winking out of sight at the corner of his eye. Deciding he imagined it, he blinked his eyes out of its distorted clarity.