Rising Shards

Razmus looked down and saw Dr. Diast.

“Oh,” Razmus said, turning off the random weather and landing in front of us with a plop. “It’s you.”

Diast wasn’t impressed by the display, muttering something about a waste of a good Cani fire gift. Razmus looked us over as he stroked his long beard. He wore what looked like silk pajamas with a galaxy pattern on them, with a cloak with drawings that looked like a map of a city drawn for babies.

“It’s ridiculous to say you’re a wizard, any Cani with their fangs in and basic control of their gifts could say they are,” Diast said.

“You’re just jealous because you don’t have a cape.” Razmus said.

“Oh, I so have a cape,” Diast said. “I just can’t have it out after that school board meeting!”

“I don’t want to talk to you anymore, Dr. Diast,” Razmus said. “You’re mean, and you figure out all my tests and puzzles too quickly. Did you bring Caya with you?”

Caya stepped forward and waved.

“Miss Caya…how’s that marriage treating you?” Razmus asked. “Cuz I said yyyyikes when I saw that pairing. Not on my ship list.”

“Like all things, it has its ups and downs, but we make it work,” Caya said. “That’s not why we’re here though. Our students would like to challenge you to a game.”

Razmus laughed.

“Excellent!” Razmus said. “I am the wizard of the Weird Zone! Dare you step forward and play me, seven versus one? As long as there are more survivors than me, I will grant three secrets to thee. But be warned, I’m rad as all get out and I’m ready to beat you up with my knowledge.”

“I could take you,” Kalei said.

“Yeah, I doubt it brain wise,” Razmus said. “I’m not talking fist fighting; I’m talking my wizardry of knowing things. And you seem really stupid.”

“Hey!” Kalei said.

“Hey yourself!” Razmus said. “Dr. Diast, tell your little bloodhound the rules, no violence, remember? Those fangs are looking sharper on her than the others.”

Diast sighed.

“If you hit him or do anything violent, you get ejected from the Weird Zone. Believe me, I’ve tried.” Diast said.

“Dr. Diast is a meanie, like I said,” Razmus said. “Always punching her way through things.”

“Yeah, like punching my way to a doctorate unlike you,” Diast said. Diast held her hand up waiting for a high five. “I will take sympathy high fives.”

Aira high fived her.

“My friend is looking for her cat.” I said. “Have you seen a cat around?”

“Ah! I can’t answer that unless you play my game, you recalcitrant girl!” Razmus said.

Razmus twirled his hands and brought a chalkboard before us.

“The rules of my game are very simple,” Razmus said. “I will give you tests and puzzles, and you have to solve them. You may be eliminated for a number of reasons, violence as mentioned, but also if you get questions wrong and stuff. You have to make it with at least two peeps or no secrets for you! And I know a lot of juicy secrets. Like sub sandwich juicy. I’m talking like soggy sub sandwiches.”

“Nobody wants their subs soggy, Razmus,” Diast said.

“People who don’t like juicy subs are idiots like you and her,” Razmus said, pointing to Kalei.

“I didn’t even say anything that time!” Kalei said.

Razmus suddenly held the bridge of his nose while Diast sighed loudly.

“Can we just start the game already?” Diast asked.

“Wait, hold on,” Razmus said. “I just…gotta recalibrate.”

Diast rolled her eyes. She mouthed “I warned you,” to us.

“Like one second!” Razmus said.

We all waited as Razmus shut his eyes and hummed for a few minutes.

“Wait…yes.” Razmus said. “OK, let’s begin! Question the first—”

Kalei ran up and punched Razmus in his gut. He wheezed and dropped to his knees.

“Kalei!” I said.

“Ow, that like really actually hurt!” Razmus said. “You’re super eliminated!”

“Sorry,” Kalei said. “I’m sure you guys can win without me!”

“MOM!” The Test man shrieked.

A door appeared out of nowhere, and an elderly woman stepped out of it.

“Mom, take her back to the school,” Razmus said. “You know my game.”

“Oh, did you make some new friends, Raz?” The wizard’s mom asked.

“Mom, please don’t bug me in front of my new friends.” Razmus said. “Just take the people I eliminate away! Like this girl!”

The old woman led Kalei to another door behind us. Inside the doorway we could see the front gates of Rising Shards.

“See you guys when you get back!” Kalei said. “Hopefully the coupons are there!”

The doors vanished after Kalei walked through, and Razmus caught his breath.

“We’re down one already, that’s not good, is it?” Aira asked.

“I’m honestly surprised Kalei lasted as long as she did there.” Diast said. “I’m pretty tempted to join her.”

Razmus howled and pointed at Dr. Diast as he stomped around.

“Yeah, you know what, Dr. Diast?” Razmus said. “I’m real sick of your attitude. You probably told her to sucker punch me! You’re eliminated too!”

Razmus’ mother returned as I started to object, but Diast ignored us.

“Fine! I hope all my students and Caya punch you!” Diast said. “Caya’s stronger than all of us combined so it’ll really hurt!”

“Double fine! Caya’s eliminated too!” Razmus said.

“Dr. Diast!” I said.

At this rate she was going to get the entire team eliminated. Oka and I tried to calm her down while Lillia sighed. Aira looked mortified at how the game was going so far.

“Triple fine! I trust these four to either all hit you or win your stupid game and I really don’t care which!” Diast said.

Caya pulled Diast aside and somehow managed to calm her down.

“Caya…can we win without you two?” Oka asked.

Caya looked a bit concerned, but possibly more relieved to get Diast away from Razmus.

“Maybe,” Caya said. “Good luck.”

Diast gave a very rude and un-teacherly gesture as she stepped through the gate back to the school with Caya. It was down to me, Oka, Aira, and Lillia, and the game had barely started.