Chapter Roisin

The morning sun shone on the tall blue towers of Ishtall, the sea lapped upon the white sands, and cars made their way along Ocean Drive, as the hotel’s neon lights buzzed away. Air-carriages flew over the city. The Crystech building stood tallest of all, surrounded by a large compound.

In the far side of the town, not too far from the shore, in the leafy green suburbs, sat the Luna household. In the room facing the sun, laid Roisin, still fast asleep. The sun crept over her eyes and she slowly awoke.

“Gimme five more minutes!” She groaned as she blocked out the sun with her long brown hair. She waited for the sun to reply, but of course it didn’t, it’s a giant ball of gas. “Fine” Roisin rolled her eyes as she got up.

As she stood up, she heard banging on the door.

“I’m awake!” Roisin yelled.

“Just making sure you’re awake!” A young teenage boy’s voice laughed.

“Aren’t you supposed to be in school, Petyr?” Roisin sighed.

“I’m doing work placement at Crystech, remember?” Petyr said. “Dad told me to tell you ‘Don’t be late’” He chuckled, as his footsteps could be heard walking down the stairs.

Petyr was Roisin’s cousin, he was two years younger than her, having just turned 14. He looked up to Roisin, and her older brother, Syl, and wanted to eventually go to the Academy too. Roisin got ready and headed out of her bedroom door and down the stairs, where she saw Petyr watching TV, on the dining room table sat a ‘Happy Star’s Chocolate Bonanza’ chocolate bar, her favourite. She smiled to herself.

“Hey, Roz” Petyr looked over.

“Hmm?” Roisin looked at Petyr.

“Have a nice first day, and call me tonight and tell me how it went” Petyr smiled.

“Will do” Roisin nodded. “I gotta go now, enjoy your cartoons” She said, as she walked past him and ruffled his hair. She opened the door and headed out into the suburbs. A few blocks away, sat the local Air-Carriage port. It was surrounded by scaffold, and a big picture hung from the scaffold, showing a Crystech airship.

Unlike most cities in Crystalla, Ishtall was still using Air-Carriages, which were old wooden ships, propelled by two large balloons and two rotating propellers behind the wooden cabin. Crystech were in the midst of updating Ishtall’s transport, after the city of Raryst, home to Pyre Academy signed a new treaty with Ishtall.

Roisin approached the Air-Carriage Port, and made her way up the ramp, while finishing off her chocolate bar. As she reached the platform, it was filled with dozens of Wynd Academy students, ready to return for another year, as well as newcomers too. Roisin stood at the back, next to a slightly taller girl, with light blonde hair.

“Hey! I’m Roisin” Roisin smiled. The girl looked at Roisin and shrugged before looking away. Roisin gave the girl a confused look, before noticing the sigil of Disceath on her bag. Disceath was an icy island off of the coast of Wryss, more commonly known as The Eastern Continent. Disceath was home to the Glacial Academy, this girl must have been a transfer student.

The people of Disceath were known to be slightly reserved, due to the island staying out of the politics of the mainland. Roisin shrugged to herself, and soon enough, the Air-Carriage came into view, as it made its way toward the station. As it docked, the dozens of students made their way aboard the wooden cabin of the ship, creaks could be heard as they boarded. Roisin was one of the last on, and she had to head to the back of the cabin to find a seat.

As she sat down, she looked at who she was sat next to.

“Oh gods, give me strength” The blonde girl rolled her eyes as she noticed that Roisin had sat down next to her.

“Is it your first day too?” Roisin asked.

“No, I’m a second year” The girl responded.

“Awesome! I so can’t wait to learn how to control my Crystalliam, my tutor tells me I’m one of the best he ever trained!” Roisin gleefully told the girl “Oh yeah? Who was your tutor then?” The girl smirked “Dr. Egealburn, he is so cool! He was the one who first saw I had the gift” Roisin nodded.

“That old fuddy duddy? I wouldn’t take his word on that” The girl grinned and looked away.

“What a cow” Roisin thought to herself and checked her watch, the Aircarriage set off and began its journey to the Academy.

When the Aircarriage began nearing the Academy, Roisin could hardly believe what she was seeing, giant chains held the floating island in the sky, almost as if keeping it from floating away, water poured from a seemingly impossible river, and the Academy stood tall like a mighty old fortress. Roisin had obviously seen it in the books, but seeing it with her own two eyes was a completely different experience.

The Aircarriage landed and Roisin ran straight off and onto the Academy grounds, and stared up at the building in amazement, the blonde girl pushed her out of the way, and she fell to the floor.

“Ow! Was there any need for that?” Roisin shouted, her brown eyes turning red as she stood up “Huh?!” The blonde girl backed away “Calm down... I was just messing with you...”

“Whatever” Roisin said through her teeth as she thrust her hand forward and knocked the girl flying into a nearby pond.

“Ugh! I’m soaked!” The girl shouted as she charged at Roisin.

“STOP RIGHT NOW” A loud voice bellowed.

Roisin and the girl looked at the source of the voice.

“Headmaster Wynd?!” They both exclaimed, Roisin felt her heart sink. What a first impression to make.

The two students had been taken directly to the Headmaster’s Office.

“The year hasn’t even began and already I have to deal with some trouble makers...” Headmaster Wynd signed, he was a middle-aged man, wearing a green suit, white shirt and tie, he had a slight stubble and a pair of glasses, with brown shoulder-length hair framing his angry face.

“She started it!” Roisin began.

“Ms. Roisin Luna, I don’t care who started it, I only care that you don’t repeat it.”

“Yeah, know your place, first year” The girl smirked.

“Indeed, first years should know their place” Wynd laughed “Which is why I’m putting you back a year, Ms. Ashe Summers.”

“No!” Ashe shouted.

“I did warn you after the incident in the kitchens last year” Headmaster Wind smiled.

Ashe gave Roisin an evil look “In fact, you two will be sharing a class, I expect you two will become best of friends”

“Unlikely” Ashe sighed.

The Headmaster ushered the two out into the corridor, as they did, Roisin got a text.

It was from her brother, she gasped “Hmm?” Wynd looked at Roisin as she gave him a look of fear, and sadness “What is it? Your favourite boyband broke up” Ashe laughed Tears streamed down Roisin’s face as she looked at the two, and tried to force out what she needed to say before she broke down “It’s my brother... he says Una Academy has fallen.”