Destiny of the Elf
by
R.M. Wolf
* * * * *
SMASHWORDS EDITION
C.A.M.P. Phoenix – Destiny of the Elf
Copyright 2010 by R.M. Wolf
This is the first book in the C.A.M.P. Phoenix series. Look for the other books in the series at Smashwords.com
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.
This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
*****
Table of Contents
Chapter_1 - Summer Camp
Chapter_2 - The Ferry
Chapter_3 - Phantom Island
Chapter_4 - Destiny
Chapter_5 - Key Tags
Chapter_6 - Introductions
Chapter_7 - Locker Connection
Chapter_8 - Initiation Ceremony
Chapter_9 - INET Netpads
Chapter_10 - Meeting Destiny
Chapter_11 - Phoenix Karate
Chapter_12 - Camping
Chapter_13 - Underwater Panther
Chapter_14 - Canoeing
Chapter_15 - Ghost Captain
Chapter_16 - Slipping Lab
Chapter_17 - Instant Fame
Chapter_18 - Familiars
Chapter_19 - Jacob's Shadow
Chapter_20 - The Cave
Chapter_21 - Old Bones
Chapter_22 - Midnight Ceremony
Chapter_23 - Archmage Visits
Chapter_24 - Axios Ascent
Chapter_25 - Archmage's Birthday
Chapter_26 - Ghost Story
Chapter_27 - P.R.E.P School
Chapter_28 - Pointy Hats
Chapter_29 - Field Day
Chapter_30 - Obstacle Course
Chapter_31 - Victory
Chapter_32 - Going Home
*****
To David and Susan
I bow down to all the Teachers, those who wish to benefit living beings.
*****
Tyler was hiding in the tree of his grubby front yard when the mailman walked up. He knew his mom would be home from work any minute. She always got home right after the mail came and she expected him to be washed and ready to help her with dinner when she got in.
When he stayed very still he could hear Mikey and Zach calling to one another and laughing. He couldn’t hear exactly what they were planning, but he knew they were coming his way and he didn’t want to be seen.
Tyler dreaded summer break. All he had to look forward to was spending every day either alone inside his empty house or hiding from the neighborhood bullies whose favorite game was picking on him. They chased him, pushed him around and called him names. They even threw sticks and bits of trash at him. He was watching the mailman continue on up the street so he didn’t see the boys come through the neighbor’s yard. Tyler darted for the mailbox to retrieve its contents.
He pulled the envelopes from the mailbox and sprinted for the front door. Mikey and Zach jumped out in front of him but Tyler seemed to pass right through them. Once he was safely inside he tossed the mail onto the desk and peeked out the window. The two boys were standing with their mouths hanging open. They glanced toward the house and then ran like they had seen a ghost.
Tyler sighed and felt a surge of relief. He didn’t know how he managed to slip by them. He didn’t know what to do when they surprised him. He just squeezed his eyes shut and ran. His only thought was a wish to be invisible. Whatever happened, he was glad Mikey and Zach decided to just leave.
He let the curtain fall back into place as he stepped away from the window. When he turned his own name caught his eye on one of the envelopes. “I never get mail,” he said aloud to the empty house. He quickly snatched it back up to examine it more closely.
His entire name was spelled out in that fancy lettering you normally see on important documents like the Constitution of the United States. It looked very important. He wondered who sent it. There was no return address. Instead, there was just a star. He turned it over. Whoever it was had melted a thick circle of hard purple wax with a design pressed into it over the edge of the envelope’s flap.
Tyler quickly opened the envelope and pulled out the letter that was inside. Another smaller paper slipped out and fluttered to the floor. He picked it up but turned his attention to the letter, which had the words “C.A.M.P. Phoenix” sprawled across the top of the page. He read the letter.
We are pleased to announce that Tyler Noah Brown has been chosen to attend C.A.M.P. Phoenix this summer for a period of twelve weeks.
Every year a few select children from across the country receive the enclosed certificate, which covers all expenses including uniforms, equipment, food and travel.
To accept this offer please sign the certificate and present it to the C.A.M.P. bus driver upon boarding. The bus will pick Tyler up at the corner of Ash and Main at eight o’clock on the morning of June first.
There is no need to pack equipment or clothing, everything will be provided. Only one bag containing personal belongings is allowed. I look forward to seeing you soon.
Yours truly,
Lady Orlaith Albright
C.A.M.P. Phoenix Registrar
He turned the paper over but there was nothing else there. The other paper had his name on it as well. It was the certificate and he saw that it had a place for both his and his mother’s signatures.
He wondered if his mom would let him go. Then he remembered that she’d be home any minute. He quickly stuffed the papers back into the envelope. If he wanted to have any chance at all of spending his summer doing something other than hiding from the neighborhood kids, he’d have to get moving and be washed and ready to help in the kitchen when she got home.
He hurried into the bathroom and washed his hands and face. This should make her happy, he thought as he assessed himself in the mirror. His grey eyes were staring back at him. They were the only feature he liked about his appearance. His hair was a mess so he quickly pulled a comb through the tangled locks. He wished it would decide whether to be curly or straight. It wasn’t quite either. Just like me, he thought, not quite white or black. This made him a target for all the neighborhood kids. He just didn’t fit in. The black kids picked on him because he was too white. The white kids picked on him because he was too black.
He couldn’t figure out why it mattered to others what color someone’s skin was. He wondered what the kids at C.A.M.P. Phoenix would be like. He hoped that they at least didn’t care about his skin. Before he was able to worry that he’d be picked on there too, he heard his mother open the front door and call his name.
He hurried out the bathroom and found her at the kitchen sink already washing her hands.
“Well, look at you!” she said in mocked surprise. “You even combed your hair! What’s up?” she added squinting her eyes and looking at him more closely.
“Nothing, what’s for dinner?” he asked, smoothly changing the subject.
He helped her with dinner and while they were eating he waited for the right moment to bring up the letter about the camp. He really wanted to go and felt that his best hope would be to sell her on the idea right away.
“What did you do today?” she interrupted his thoughts with her question.
“Oh, uh, mostly hid in the tree out front,” he said. His mind was on the camp so he couldn’t think fast enough to make something up.
“Hmmm,” she replied. “I wish I didn’t have to leave you alone all day this summer.”
“Oh, that reminds me,” he said jumping lightly to his feet recognizing that his window of opportunity had just opened up. He sprinted to the desk and returned with the letter. “This came in the mail.”
He handed her the torn envelope. Its contents were sticking out of the ragged opening. The envelope looked like it had been chewed open by some animal. She noticed this and looked at him the way she always did when she couldn’t quite understand why he had done something.
“What’s this?” she asked as she took it.
“It’s a letter about a camp,” he said excitedly.
She looked curiously at the envelope and then carefully read the letter. When she turned her attention to the certificate he decided to ask.
“Can I go?” he said in his most endearing voice. “Please?” he added staring at her with what he hoped were irresistible eyes.
Knowing better than to push things too far, he clenched his jaw. He knew she didn’t like it when he begged but the more he tried to keep his mouth shut, the harder it was to keep still.
He watched as her face went all dreamy and her eyes looked like they were focused on something very far away.
She finally looked at him and said, “This is just perfect! Do you really think you’d be all right being away from home for twelve weeks? That’s the entire summer.”
“Sure!” he said hoping he sounded more confident than he felt. What’s the worst that could happen, he thought, he’d end up hiding from kids there instead of here? But aloud he said, “I’ll have a chance to make some friends. Everyone in this neighborhood already hates me so there’s no chance of that here.”
This made her sigh and look sad for a moment but then her face shifted into a smile. She had made her decision.
“All right then, you can go,” she said. They cleaned up the dishes and spent the rest of the evening talking about summer camp.
“I wanted to go to summer camp when I was your age,” his mother said. “I’m very excited for you. I can’t believe our good fortune. We’ll need to pack your toothbrush and toothpaste and a jacket just in case it gets cold on the bus.”
“I’ll take my backpack,” Tyler offered. “It's big enough to hold all that and I’m used to carrying it around.”
His mother consulted the letter again. Tyler noticed that her face got that far-away look every time she thought of a question and looked at the letter for an answer. He couldn’t figure out why she kept looking for more information in it. There wasn’t much there. She should have it memorized by now, he thought.
At last she said, “It’s late and I have work in the morning.”
He headed upstairs to brush his teeth while his mom turned out the lights and made sure the door was locked. He heard her come up the stairs as he was climbing into bed.
“Goodnight,” she called out.
“Goodnight Mom,” he called back. He settled under the blankets and starred off into the darkness, too excited to fall asleep. He was going to spend the summer at C.A.M.P. Phoenix.
*****
The next two weeks seemed to drag by. Tyler thought June first would never come but finally the last day of May was almost over. By the time his mother came home from work he was so excited he didn’t think he’d be able to eat his dinner.
“Tomorrow’s the big day,” his mom said as if he needed any reminding at all. “Are you getting nervous about going?”
He thought for a moment before answering. He didn’t want her to worry about him but he also didn’t want to hurt her feelings by seeming too excited about leaving. That would only remind her about how miserable he was at home.
Just a little while ago, he was daydreaming about C.A.M.P. Phoenix while he was getting the mail and didn’t notice the others until it was too late. Zach and Mikey were always finding new ways to pick on him. Today they tried to run him down with their bikes.
They would have managed too, except that both of their bikes seemed to hit something that stopped them so fast that the boys flew over the handlebars and onto the sidewalk.
Tyler didn’t wait to find out happened and only looked after he made it inside, slamming the door behind him. He watched out the window as they were getting up. Their hands and knees were scraped and when they limped back to their bikes, Tyler could see that something was wrong. They didn’t get back on the bikes to ride instead they pushed them up the street.
“I can’t wait to go,” he said at last, carefully avoiding sounding either too happy or too worried. He stopped telling her about the things the other kids did to him. There was nothing she could do about it so it only made her feel bad, too.
“This will be your last home cooked meal for awhile, so eat up!” she said when she noticed he was only picking at the food on his plate. When they finally finished their meal he helped her clean up the dishes. As usual, she was washing and he was drying.
“It’s going to be so quiet around here while you’re gone,” she said rinsing a plate and passing it off to him.
“Well, you like it quiet,” he reminded her. He was rubbing the plate dry as he spoke.
“And I won’t have any help with the dishes,” she said flicking the sudsy water off her fingers in his direction.
He easily sidestepped the oncoming sprinkle and threatened to retaliate with the towel but she grabbed it from him to wipe her own hands. When she looked down at him her face got sad.
“I’m going to miss you,” she said and then caught him up in a very tight hug.
When he climbed into bed that night, he was still wide-awake. He was so excited he didn’t think he’d be able to sleep. At some point he must have drifted off because the next thing he knew, he woke with a start, fearing that he had missed the camp bus.
He knew an instant later that he hadn’t. The sun wasn’t even up yet, but he jumped up and got dressed anyway. Then he grabbed his backpack that was sitting by the door. It had been packed for over a week waiting for this day. He carried it into the bathroom where he brushed his teeth. Once he finished he added his toothbrush and toothpaste to the bag. He combed his hair and threw the comb in too. Then he went downstairs. He ate a bowl of cereal and even washed the bowl and spoon and put them away. He still had to wait for over an hour for his mother to get up.
They were early for the bus because Tyler had rushed his mother out the door. She pulled up and parked along the curb to wait. She was expecting a regular bus stop with a bench or shelter but it was just a plain intersection along the main street of town. Of course the camp bus would not have a regular stop she chided herself. It will come into town twice, once today and once twelve weeks from now when it drops Tyler off.
They heard the bus before they spotted it. Tyler jumped out of the car and opened the back door to retrieve his backpack. His mom came around and gave him a big hug.
“I’m going to miss you,” she said and he saw tears in her eyes.
“I’ll miss you too, Mom,” he said. “But I’ll write as soon as I get there. Don’t be sad.”
“Write every week, I want to hear about everything you’re doing,” she said.
“I promise,” he said as he rolled his eyes and smiled.
At precisely eight o’clock the large silver bus pulled up and the door opened with a hiss. He walked the few steps to the door – turned and waved – and then climbed aboard. His mother was straining to see him through the tinted windows. The doors closed and the bus began to roll slowly down the street. She kept waving until the bus was out of sight. Then it rounded a corner and was gone.
As soon as he stepped onto the bus Tyler handed the certificate to the driver. He saw that he was the only one on the bus. “Yes!” he whispered to himself. The cool kids always sat in the back of the bus so of course he never got to. He chose the very back seat, placing his backpack in the seat next to him. He hoped it would serve as a hint to others that the seat was taken. The bus was already moving when he turned and looked out the back window. He waved to his mother but was pretty sure she couldn’t see him. She appeared to shrink as they moved down the street and once they turned a corner he could no longer see her.
Before long he felt the bus slow to a stop. Tyler was startled to see that the scene outside the window had changed a lot. He wondered where they were. A girl boarded next. She waved out the window too and then settled into a seat about halfway down the isle. Each time the bus stopped it would pick up another child about his age.
He noticed that the scenery outside the window seemed to change randomly. One moment it would be sunny, the next overcast. Sometimes it looked like a city and at others times it would appear that they were in the middle of nowhere and there never seemed to be much time between stops. He tried to watch out the window but that wasn’t very helpful. Things just blurred by and it made him feel a little dizzy.
The bus was filling up but everyone chose to sit alone. No one was talking so it was pretty quiet but Tyler didn’t mind. No one was bothering him and he was going to camp! The kids in his neighborhood would have to find something else to do this summer because he wouldn’t be there for them to pick on. The thought made him smile.
Then he felt the bus coming to a stop once more but this time it was pulling off the road. He looked out the window and saw water. The bus doors opened and a woman climbed up the steps.
“Hello campers!” she called out in a cheery voice. “My name is Lady Albright. You may recognize my name from your invitation letter. Please collect your belongings and follow me.”
She turned and went back down the steps. Tyler shouldered his backpack and began walking up the isle. He followed the others off the bus. Once they were all standing around outside Tyler could see that there were a lot more kids than he had realized, many were older than the ones he saw getting on the bus. He wondered where they all came from.
He and the others were all huddled together on a small stretch of beach. The sand was coarse and crunched beneath his shoes. Tyler heard the seagulls calling as they flew overhead. In order to have a reason to ignore his fellow travelers, he allowed his gaze to follow the birds’ flight path. They flew over a long two-story building and then out over the water where a beat-up looking boat was tied up to a stretch of equally beat-up looking wooden dock that jutted out into the water.
Where did that boat come from? He shook his head. It had to have been there all along, how could he have missed it? The dock was almost directly in line with the door of the bus. He decided that the other kids must have blocked it from his view.
Lady Albright called over her shoulder, “If you’ll follow me, we’ll be taking the ferryboat across to the island.” This is getting better all the time, Tyler thought to himself as he hitched his bag a little higher onto his shoulder. They moved as a pack in the direction of the old rundown ferryboat floating on the crystal clear water.
As he looked around he noticed things he didn’t see from the bus. There was a small sign near the boat, which might offer a written clue as to where they were. The place smelled moist and earthy with a hint of foods being fried in oil. The sun seemed too bright and was reflecting brilliantly off the water. The road behind them was lined with trees in several shades of green. Some of the trees looked like they belonged in a cemetery or a horror movie. The kids were whispering to each other now. A girl next to him asked, “Where are we?”
Tyler just shrugged. He didn’t care what the place was called, but he was sure it was not C.A.M.P. Phoenix, that must be on the island they were heading for. The group halted and Lady Albright stepped up to speak with an old man near the dock. She turned and looked in the direction that he was pointing but Tyler couldn’t make out what was being said.
“All right everyone. Watch your step. The ferry will be taking off as soon as we’re all aboard,” she said as she motioned for everyone to step onto the ancient dock.
Tyler noticed that the Lady kept looking in the direction that the old man had pointed and wondered what was over there. She seemed a little less cheery to Tyler, too. He was in front of a group of older kids that seemed to know one another and were chatting and laughing together.
Lady Albright stood to one side and seemed to be counting them as they stepped aboard. When Tyler reached the dock he was surprised to find it solid under his feet. I hope the boat is in better shape than it looks, too, he thought.
Lady Albright was the last to board. She walked over to the only other adult Tyler could see said, “Everyone’s accounted for Captain.”
“We’ll be underway in just a few minutes Lady Albright,” came his gravelly reply. He moved off toward the front of the ferry. Tyler watched the old man on the dock untie the rope that was holding the boat in place. The engines began to rumble more loudly, which caused the boat to vibrate beneath his feet.
There were benches all along the sides of the boat. The rail that ran along the top was covered in layers of chipped and peeling paint. The kids were dropping their bags and finding places to sit. A bell began to toll as the boat pulled away from the dock in a series of small lurches. There were still a few birds wheeling overhead, screeching to one another.
Tyler dropped his backpack and nudged it under the bench before sitting down over the spot where he stowed it. He squinted into the sky watching the birds. When they became just tiny specks he got up and turned around to kneel on the bench so he could look over the boat’s edge like some of the other kids were doing. He looked down into the water and was surprised at how clear it was.
Tyler could overhear someone talking to Lady Albright nearby.
“Where are we going?” the girl asked.
“To Phelipeaux Isle, the home of C.A.M.P. Phoenix,” she replied.
“How long does it take to get there?”
Tyler realized this was the same girl who had spoken to him earlier. She asks a lot of questions, he thought.
“It takes exactly one hour,” Lady Albright told her and then she moved off.
Tyler noticed too late, that the girl was heading his way. He tried to look invisible, hoping she’d pass on by.
“Hi,” she called to him.
Tyler slowly turned around and nodded in greeting.
“I’m Abigail,” she said.
“I’m Tyler,” he replied. He couldn’t think of anything else to say. He usually never got this far in a conversation.
“I can’t wait to get to C.A.M.P. Phoenix,” Abigail said. She dropped her bag onto the deck and scooted it under the bench just as Tyler had.
He eyed her casually, trying to detect any hostility in her actions. Abigail was smaller than he was, but not by much. She looked tanned and her hair was very black. He liked how shiny it looked in the sun.
“Do you know what kind of things they do at the camp?” she asked sitting down next to him.
“No,” he said.
“My sister went to tennis camp before …” she stopped abruptly.
“I don’t know what type of camp this is,” he admitted. “Do you?”
“No idea,” she said shaking her head. He liked the way her hair moved, even when it was being blown around on this windy boat, it managed to fall neatly back into its curve around her face. Tyler smiled. He liked her. She turned to kneel on the bench beside him. Together they watched the water rush by as the boat cut its way through the liquid crystal.
“I saw a lighthouse from the bus,” she informed him.
“I couldn’t see anything from the bus,” he replied. “Every time I looked out the window, I got dizzy.”
She laughed and he quickly stiffened. Waiting for the taunts to come but they never did. “Do you think we’ll be able to see its light from the island?” she asked.
“I don’t know maybe we could look one night,” he suggested. She didn’t laugh at him this time. Perhaps before when she did, she just thought what he said was funny. He was enjoying talking with Abigail. Well, she talked, he mostly listened.
It didn’t feel like an hour had already passed but everyone began pointing to a ghost of an island slowly appearing on the horizon.
“Is that it?” Abigail whispered in awe.
*****
They watched the island rise up out of the water as they drew near. Abigail gasped. Tyler saw that everyone else on the ferry was watching, too.
By the looks on their faces he guessed that they were seeing the same thing he was. The island ahead seemed to be rising up out of the water. He wasn’t sure what was happening, but it was still pretty cool to watch.
“That’s why they call it Phantom Island,” a voice called out over the excited chatter.
They all watched as the ferry pulled up along another wooden dock. Lady Albright called out, “May I have your attention? Everyone, please gather your belongings and prepare to exit the ferry.”
Tyler quickly retrieved his backpack from under the bench and hurried to join the crowd lining up behind Lady Albright.
The older kids were laughing and elbowing their way into line. The younger ones hung back joining the back of the crowd. Lady Albright stepped onto the dock and moved to the side to watch as each of the children stepped off the ferry.
Tyler was following behind a tall blond boy with a cast on his arm. He was impressed by the way the boy stood and walked so boldly. Tyler was looking around trying to take everything in at once so he didn’t notice that the blond boy had stopped short in front of him. Tyler slammed right into the boy’s back.
“Watch it, you little flea!” he snarled and brushed his shoulder like he was trying to flick off an insect. He looked down his long straight nose at Tyler. Somehow the tall boy didn’t look nearly as impressive to him anymore.
“Sorry,” Tyler muttered but the boy had already moved on, following the other children off the ferry. They were walking along the length of the dock, which deposited them onto a pebbly stretch of beach where they stood facing a wall of dense green trees.
A man in a cloak appeared looking very much like a large bat flapping toward them. He was coming from the direction of a small cabin, which was the only building Tyler could see. The older kids were disappearing into the trees but Lady Albright stayed with the newcomers awaiting the arrival of the man in the cloak.
“Welcome to Phelipeaux Island,” he said. “C.A.M.P. Phoenix is a short hike through these woods. If you would, please follow Lady Albright and I will follow you.”
Then Lady Albright said, “Come this way. It’s best if you follow single-file. Please stay close and do not wander from the path.”
She turned and walked toward the trees. Tyler was the last child to step into the woods. He knew the man was supposed to be right behind him, but he barely made a sound. Tyler was too afraid to look back to see if he was still there. He just kept his eyes forward and thought about how hungry he was.
They soon exited the trees and found themselves standing in a clearing. A wall of stone stretched out before them, extending as far as Tyler could see in both directions. Their path led up to an iron gate fitted into the wall. The bars of the gate were twisted and curled, forming a pattern and with a large golden bird attached to the center.
“C.A.M.P. Phoenix can only be entered by invitation,” the man spoke slowly and softly. It was as if he had spoken directly into each of their ears. His rich deep voice was impossible to ignore.
Suddenly dogs began barking inside the walls. They sounded huge and hungry. “The dogs you hear will not harm you.” Tyler heard this as a whisper in his ear.
He tried to imagine what they looked like and was not convinced they wouldn’t harm him. A shiver ran through the group. Then without anyone touching them, the gates swung inward making an eerie sound of metal rubbing against metal. “I’m glad we arrived in the daylight,” a girl said in a shaky voice, but no one else said a word.
When the gates opened Tyler saw that the two halves of the golden design split apart like two wings of a bird. And then it struck him – it must be a phoenix!
Lady Albright lead the way through the gate and the rest followed. They passed under an archway made out of that same twisted metal the bars were made of. Only instead of a pattern it spelled out two words. They looked like “Entheos Entelechy.” Tyler wondered what that meant. He and the man were the last to pass through the gate. When they did so – it screeched back into position – closing with a loud clank.
“The dining lodge is directly ahead,” said Lady Albright. “We’ll be stopping there first for lunch. After we eat you’ll be given your Bunkhouse assignment. Until then, you’ll have to keep your belongings with you.”
They followed her into a massive building constructed entirely of logs. As soon as they entered, the aroma of cooked foods greeted them and Tyler’s stomach growled loudly. He gripped it tightly to muffle the sounds.
There were rows of tables in the center of the room. Overhead the ceiling stretched to a peak following the line of the roof. Along the entire length of the far wall was a counter filled with every type of food Tyler could imagine.
Lady Albright was leading them around the outer edge of the room. Just before they reached the food she stopped and pointed out a table piled high with plates, bowls, forks and spoons. The others in line ahead of them were familiar with the self-serving process. They filled their plates and found their seats at one of the tables. Tyler noticed that no one was eating.
“Start here and proceed through the line. Once you have made your selections, find a seat at one of the tables. Do not begin eating until you are directed to do so,” the lady instructed.
Tyler was the last of the kids to pass through the line but he was followed by a group of adults who had entered the dining lodge and had formed a line behind him.
He filled his plate as full as he dared and walked to the back of the room looking for a place to sit. He saw Abigail scooting over to make space for him. He squeezed in beside her. The girl on his other side smiled and said, “Greetings, I’m Emma.”
“Um, hi,” he said. “I’m Tyler.”
When the adults finished filling their plates they took their seats at the head table. They sat along the far side of the table with their backs to the serving line so that they were looking out over the children. An ancient man stood at the center of the head table. When he spoke it was with a youthful voice, “Let us give thanks for the safe arrival of all and for the food that we are about to partake. You may begin eating.”
At once people started talking while forks clanked against plates. The two girls talked across Tyler as he stuffed his mouth as full as he could. He was hungry and the food was delicious. But his plan was to keep his mouth full so the girls wouldn’t be tempted to talk with him.
He found it difficult to figure out what Emma was saying. Abigail was just as full of questions here as she was on the boat. Before long he knew all about Emma. She was from New York where she lived with her father who was a chemist. She knew how to cook and do laundry but mostly he learned that she used more big words than anyone else he knew. Which he had to admit, made her sound as smart as she looked with her glasses and mad-scientist hair.
Tyler saw that some of the kids were going back for seconds so he got up to follow suit. They placed their dirty plates on a cart where they suddenly disappeared. Clean plates appeared in a stack on the table. Tyler wished he could do the dishes like this at home. He picked up another plate still warm from being washed and headed through the food line again.
When everyone had finished eating and the dirty dishes had disappeared and reappeared all neatly stacked and ready for the next meal, Lady Albright stood and called for their attention.
“It is my pleasure to introduce the head of C.A.M.P. Phoenix - Gawain Odin,” she said and gestured to the old man at the center of the table. He was dressed in a stiff looking shirt and black cloak. In fact everyone at the head table was dressed similarly. Tyler wondered when Lady Albright had changed. The last time he saw her she was dressed normally and now she was wearing what must be the staff uniform.
The men wore black pants and the women wore long black skirts and everyone was wearing a cloak over a black shirt with an odd collar. The one exception was the woman at the end of the table who wore a white dress under her cloak. The old man stood and Lady Albright took her seat as everyone applauded.
“I would like to welcome you all to the Conservatory for the Advancement and Mentoring of Potential,” he said in that cheerful, too-young voice, “which we usually shorten to C.A.M.P. Phoenix. I hope you will enjoy your stay.”
*****
“I know that you first years have never heard of us but that’s to be expected,” the old man said. “The wizard doesn’t choose to come here – the C.A.M.P. chooses the wizard.”
He paused and waited for his words to sink in. Everyone was starring at the first years now. Tyler looked up at the sandy-haired boy across from him whose green eyes were growing wide with wonder. Then beside him Abigail shattered the silence with her question, “We’re wizards?” A boy across the room said, “You’re joking, right?”
Then the whole room erupted into applause. They were just kidding, Tyler thought smiling and trying to look as if he had not been fooled. But for one thrilling moment, his heart lurched in his chest at the thought of being a wizard.
But the adults and older kids were still clapping and smiling encouragingly. He heard others call out, “You’re not joking? We are wizards? Really?”
Then the old man held up his hands for silence. It became quiet at once. “Everyone here is a wizard of some type,” he said. “Really. We are not joking. I am the Archmage, Gawain Odin.”
No one was laughing now. He had everyone’s rapt attention.
“I would like to introduce the rest of my staff. To my right, C.A.M.P. Deputy Head Mage Kalidas Black.” Mage Black nodded curtly to a round of applause.
“Mage Lexicon Logos,” he said indicating the man next to Black.
Archmage Odin continued down the line, pausing after each introduction for applause. “Lady Cerridwen Galen, Mage Proteus Nagar, Mage Casper Baltazar, and Shaman Demeter Laurel the C.A.M.P. nurse.”
So that’s why she’s wearing white, Tyler thought. The Archmage gestured to the people on his other side while continuing the introductions saying, “And to my left, Lady Orlaith Albright the C.A.M.P. Registrar, Mage Prometheus Boyle, Lady Rhiannon Goodfellow, Mage Luke Thomas, Lady Hecate Bast, Mage Augustus Lugh, and Rutherford Mifflin the C.A.M.P. Quartermaster.”
He allowed the applause to die away before addressing the children. “Those of you who are new to C.A.M.P. please remain seated. The rest of you, look for your requisition form before you leave. You’ll need to present it to the Quartermaster for your supplies. Once you have changed into your uniform and stored your belongings you will be free until the call for dinner.”
As soon as he finished speaking many of the Ladies and Magi at the long head table lifted their arms and flicked a wand each uttering something unintelligible. The students around the room began to chatter excitedly. They were all picking up the pieces of paper that appeared on the table in front of them. Then they rose and filed out of the dining lodge. After a few moments the hall was quite a bit emptier. The only children that remained were the first years and they were seated among a few back tables.
The Archmage called out, “Would you mind moving up to the front tables?”
While they were moving forward Lady Elder walked around the head table to meet them. Her mousy hair seemed to have a mind of its own. It looked to Tyler as if she had tried to tame it by gathering fistfuls of the curly stuff and affixing it here and there to her head. But the attempt was unsuccessful because much of it seemed to have escaped and was curling wildly about her face. She seemed a bit timid but she spoke in a pleasant voice. “Before we can do anything else,” she said. “We must first determine your destiny.”
Tyler starred at her in surprise. How does one go about determining one’s destiny? Then Lady Elder swung her arm up and drew an imaginary circle in the air with a wand. Suddenly a piece of paper and a pencil appeared on the table in front of him. He looked around and saw that they appeared in front of everyone else as well. This is great, he thought as some of the kids gasped or squealed in surprise.
“Please turn your attention to the printed chart at the top of the paper in front of you. Note that the letters A through I are in a line across the page. Next to each letter there is a number. Below that are the letters J through R numbered in the same manner. In the third line are the letters S through Z numbered one through eight.” As she said this she pointed with her wand again and a large poster appeared and hung there in the air with the same chart printed on it.
A1 B2 C3 D4 E5 F6 G7 H8 I9
J1 K2 L3 M4 N5 O6 P7 Q8 R9
S1 T2 U3 V4 W5 X6 Y7 Z8
“Please print your full name across the paper. Spell it exactly as it appears on your birth certificate,” she instructed.
Tyler had never actually seen his birth certificate, but he knew what she meant. His first, middle, and last names. So he carefully wrote TYLER NOAH BROWN across the page beneath the chart. On either side of him the girls had written ABIGAIL ROSE MARTIN and EMMA ASHLEY LITTLETON. He looked at the papers across the table but he couldn’t really read them upside down. When everyone had finished writing, the Lady continued.
“The name your parents gave you at birth is actually a cipher that will reveal your Destiny,” she was explaining.
“What’s a cipher?” a redheaded boy whispered. The girl next to him said in a very superior manner, “It’s a coded message. Now hush, I’m trying to listen.”
“My name is a coded message?” Tyler said without meaning to say it so loud. Then he realized he had interrupted Lady Elder and felt his cheeks grow warm.
She smiled at him without any sign of irritation for his rudeness and said enthusiastically, “yes!”
Then a girl at the end of the table raised her hand. Lady Elder called on her saying, “What is it dear?”
Tyler remembered the girl from the ferry. She had a round face and long black hair with straight bangs. She spoke so softly Tyler could not make out what she was saying.
“Yes! A very good question!” Lady Elder praised. “This applies to those of you who are adopted as well, as long as your adoptive parents gave you your name within the first few weeks from your date of birth. Now, if there are no other questions –”
Another hand went up. “Yes?” she called on the boy.
“Do I include junior?” he asked.
“Oh, another good question. No you do not include junior, or the third or anything else. Just your name.”
“Shall we continue?” she asked looking around to make sure there were no other hands in the air. “Very well. Next, write the corresponding number below the letters of your name.”
Pencils began scratching against the papers again. Tyler wrote a number below each of the letters in his name according to the chart.
T Y L E R
2 7 3 5 9
N O A H
5 6 1 8
B R O W N
2 9 6 5 5
When he finished he looked up and noticed the poster in the air suddenly had his name spelled out along with the numbers, just like his own paper. Everyone else looked in amazement at the poster as well. He was surprised that she had chosen his name for the example. Then the thought occurred to him that he would be able to recheck his work so he quickly compared the numbers on his page to the floating poster.
She waited until everyone was finished writing before going on. Some people must have had very long names because they were still working long after he had finished. He noticed that the round-faced girl had four names written across her paper and he was suddenly thankful for his short name.
“Now add the numbers of each of your names,” she continued. As she said this, the numbers on the poster hanging there in the air added themselves.
T Y L E R
2+7+3+5+9=26
N O A H
5+6+1+8=20
B R O W N
2+9+6+5+5=27
When he finished, he looked up and compared his calculations to the poster. Lady Elder continued, “If the sum of you name is a two-digit number, add those two numbers together. If that answer is still a two-digit number add those. Our goal is to reduce each of your names to a single digit.
“Once you have gotten a single digit for each of your names – add those numbers together until you get a single digit as well. In the end you should have one single digit number.” As she spoke the poster proceeded to do the math.
T Y L E R
2+7+3+5+9=26 - 2+6=8
N O A H
5+6+1+8=20 - 2+0=2
B R O W N
2+9+6+5+5=27 - 2+7=9
8+2+9=19
1+9=10
1+0=1
You are a 1.
She walked around the table checking everyone’s progress. Tyler finished and compared his work to the magic poster. His paper showed the same thing. He was a one.
He noticed the others were checking the poster as well. Math wasn’t his best subject and he would have been embarrassed if he had added something wrong. By having his name as the example he was able to double-check his work and avoid embarrassment.
Lady Elder came back to the poster and said, “Now that you have your Destiny number you need to know what it means. By now you might have guessed that each number has a corresponding Destiny.”
As she said this she waved her wand and the poster wiped itself clean. Then it began to list the numbers one through nine down the left side. Words began to appear next to each number.
1 – Elf
2 – Metamorph
3 – Apothecary
4 – Alchemist
5 – Sorcerer (Witch or Warlock)
6 – Vampire
7 – Werewolf
8 – Dragon
9 – Firebird
As soon as the words appeared everyone gasped. “I’m an elf?” Tyler thought to himself.
“I’m a metamorph?” Abigail whispered next to him.
Across the table Tyler saw the boy with the sandy hair grab a fist full of air and yank it down saying, “Yes! I’m a vampire!”
After the initial wave of excitement had died down Lady Elder smiled as she said, “As you can see, C.A.M.P. Phoenix is no ordinary summer camp. It is a Conservatory for the Advancement and Mentoring of Potential for wizards of each of these nine Destinies. The only way you can find yourself sitting here is if the magic inside of you has been awakened. C.A.M.P. Phoenix was established to help facilitate the emergence of one’s Destiny in a safe and supportive environment.
“We believe that with the early guidance and training that you will receive here, you will be able to avoid many of the pitfalls and agonies that can befall young wizards. C.A.M.P. Phoenix provides everything you need to develop to your full potential. At this time I would like turn you over to Archmage Gawain Odin.”
She waved her wand and the poster disappeared. She returned to her seat as the Archmage rose and walked over to the first years. When he moved his cloak flowed impressively around him almost as if it were alive.
He was very tall and stood very straight. At first the Archmage looked old with his long silver hair and beard but he walked with the purpose and power of a much younger man. Seeing him up close Tyler realized that it was impossible to guess his age.
“I would like to extend my personal best wishes to each of you,” he said. “As Lady Elder pointed out, you are quiet special to be sitting here today. When you’re finished here you will be paying a visit to the Quartermaster. He will issue your uniforms and other equipment that you’ll need.
“But first, allow me to explain that your Destiny is the area of your focus in your studies; in a sense it is your birthright. The circumstances in life that trigger the emergence of magic are often quite tragic. Know this – you are not alone. You will never have to face the frightening and sometimes painful aspects of being a wizard alone. You have found your true family here.
“In a moment, you will be assigned a bunkhouse and it will remain yours throughout your years with us. The other members of your bunkhouse will become like brothers and sisters to you. Each bunkhouse will be made up of one member of each of the nine Destinies. At times this will seem to be the cause of dissention and strife. But over time you will begin to see the wisdom of this; for there is power beyond the ordinary when there is balance within the nine.
“As you begin your studies you will see that regardless of your Destiny, the foundation of your training is the same. Our own divisions between the Destinies may be clear but the magic they rely on knows no bounds.
“The three bunkhouses to be filled this year are the Boar, the Snake and the Rooster. So without further ado, I shall call on the Registrar to read the names for each of the houses.”
“It is my honor to do so,” Lady Albright said. The Archmage returned to his seat as she rose from her chair and walked to the spot the Archmage had just left.
She turned to the head table and asked, “Would the bunkhouse heads please take your positions?”
Lady Galen and Magi Baltazar and Black rose and walked to the front of the head table.
Then Lady Albright addressed the children saying, “When I call your name please form a line in front of your house head.”
Speaking directly to him she said, “Magus Black, I entrust to you the following members of the house of Boar.”
He stood very straight and waited for her to continue. She proceeded to read from a scroll calling out the first name, “Elf, Tyler Brown.”
Tyler gulped and looked up at Mage Black. Unsure of the proper procedure, Tyler simply grabbed his pack and walked over to the imposing figure and stood facing him. This must have been sufficient because the lady continued to read from the scroll, pausing briefly between names. As she called their names, each child grabbed their belongings and took their place in line.
“Metamorph, Abigail Martin. Apothecary, Jacob Wilson. Alchemist, Emma Littleton. Witch, Lyric Rosenburg. Vampire, Connor Sullivan. Werewolf, Madison Ross-Thompson. Dragon, Aidan Quinn. Firebird, Brandon Rasmussen.”
Tyler noticed that the Archmage leaned forward in his seat when the last name was called. He seemed to be quite interested in the stocky boy who rose and quickly joined the back of the line. Tyler was tempted to turn and look to see what was so interesting, but he didn’t dare do anything that might offend Mage Black on his first day here.
Turning and speaking directly to Tyler and the others, Lady Albright said, “Mage Black is the head of your bunkhouse. You stand together as the house of Boar. You are now entrusted to his care.” And then to Mage Black she said, “Please see to their needs.”
He turned to her and nodded and said, “Thank you Lady Albright.”
He then spoke to the group saying simply, “Follow me.” He walked past them and headed for the door. They turned and followed him. Once again Tyler was the last in line. They had to almost run to keep up with the Mage’s long strides. When they exited the lodge they turned to the right and headed toward the neighboring building. It was also constructed entirely out of logs. Tyler and some of the others had to jog to keep up as they entered the building.
Once they were all inside Mage Black headed toward a neatly groomed man sitting stiffly behind the counter. Tyler remembered that he was the man the Archmage introduced as the Quartermaster. Mage Black approached him and said simply, “I bring you the members of Boar house. I have their requisition form here.”
He handed over a paper that Tyler was sure was not in his hand a second ago. The Quartermaster examined the document through half-glasses. He looked very closely at the paper. After several seconds he looked up over the top of his glasses and said to Mage Black, “Everything seems to be in order.”
Then he picked up a clipboard and snapped the paper into place. He walked around the desk and said, “Drop your bags by the door and line up.”
There was some muffled thumping as the bags hit the floor and the kids started shuffling about not knowing exactly where their line should form and trying not to be the first one it in.
Tyler looked to Mage Black for a clue as to what to do and was surprised to see that he was suppressing a smile. He seemed to be enjoying watching the Quartermaster intimidate the newcomers. Somehow the fact that Mage Black was not concerned gave Tyler an odd sense of relief.
Without fear clouding his senses Tyler was able to think clearly. He watched as the Quartermaster stepped over to an expanse of wall that had markings and numbers on it. There he stood poised with his clipboard. It was clear to Tyler that he was waiting for them to line up in front of him.
He walked over and stood facing the old man. Abigail took a position behind him. The others took the hint and lined up behind them. The Quartermaster grunted in what seemed like begrudged approval. Then he nodded to Tyler, “Stand here and place your back against the wall.”
He did as he was told.
“Arms out!” the Quartermaster ordered and then asked, “and you are?”
“Tyler Brown, sir,” he answered.
“Your Destiny?” he continued in his curt manner as he peered intently at various places on the wall and floor.
“Um, elf,” Tyler replied.
He made some notes on the paper and dismissed him saying, “That will do, next!”
Tyler stepped away from the wall and walked toward the door to retrieve his bag. He watched as Abigail stepped up and spread her arms out to her sides. She caught on quickly so when he asked her who she was, she replied, “Abigail Martin, metamorph.” Tyler could see that they were being measured. It only took a few minutes for the Quartermaster to complete the process for the whole group.
“That’s you finished,” the Quartermaster said. He held the clipboard out to Mage Black.
Black produced his wand and carefully touched it to the bottom of the page saying, “Thank you, Rutherford.” Then turning toward the door he said to the group, “Follow me.”
The kids followed him out the door and saw the next group heading their way. They were trailing behind a tall, slender man whose cloak was flapping at his sides as he walked. He had a beak-like nose and piercing eyes. Tyler thought that they looked like a flock of baby chicks following a prehistoric chicken.
He had to run a few paces to catch up with his group. “They’re not big on explanations, are they?” he heard Emma say to Abigail as he came up along side them. Tyler had the impression Mage Black heard her too because just then he said, “We are headed to your bunkhouse located on the other side of the dining lodge just beyond those trees.”
Mage Black stopped when the path turned sharply to left and waited for everyone to gather around. “These walkways can be followed throughout the grounds. They lead to the bunkhouses as well as the Destiny cabins where you’ll receive your specialized training. Please stay on the paths as you learn your way around. It would be unwise for you to wander about in the forests, even though they are inside the C.A.M.P. walls. Now if you’ll follow me we shall enter Boar house, which will serve as your home for the next twelve weeks, and every summer thereafter for the next three years. I hope you find it comfortable.”
Tyler gulped. That last part sounded as if he knew it wouldn’t be comfortable at all. They followed the path through a stand of pine trees, which lead them directly to a large structure made of wood. Tyler thought the term cabin would have referred to a much smaller building. This one was quite large with a steeply angled roof. This building, like the other two they had visited today, appeared to be constructed out of whole logs. The pathway ended at a door painted bright red with a large symbol in the center.
It looked like a Chinese symbol, Tyler thought and guessed that it was the symbol for the Boar.
Mage Black opened the door and stepped back to allow the others to enter the building. Tyler was last to step into the cabin. The room they entered was quite large with a high vaulted ceiling. There were doors along the walls and a hallway that led to a back exit. Each door had a symbol in the middle of it about eye level. Mage Black pointed out what each symbol meant.
Starting with the one to the left of the front door he pointed, “The symbols on the doors are Destiny symbols. You will soon come to recognize each. But for now, pay attention to the one that matches your Destiny. When I point out yours, feel free to go over to it.”
He pointed to the symbol on the first door and said, “The five-pointed star is the symbol of the elf.” Tyler stepped over to his door.
Then Mage Black indicated the door next to it and said, “The six pointed star is the symbol of the metamorph.” Abigail hurried over to her door.
He pointed to each door in turn, “The knot of eternity is the apothecary symbol.” Jacob sauntered over to it.
“The last door on the left bears the dot in the circle, the symbol of the alchemist.” Emma rushed to her door.
He gestured as he continued, “On my right, the sun is the symbol of the firebird.”
“The yin yang is the symbol of the dragon.”
“The crescent moon is the symbol of the werewolf.”