A Life Beyond by Mark Church (ebook reader web TXT) 📕

said as she tugged at his robes 'Dan….something doesn't feel right!!'

'What are you talking about sis??' he replied

'I...I can't put my finger on it..but I'm getting the weirdest feeling something bad is going to happen...can we not go to this meeting thing??' Lillie was visibly upset now, her whole body beginning to shake with fear,

'Look Lils...I'm sure it's going to be fine, let's just go to this and then go back to the Dormitory afterwards and you can relax and forget about whatever it is you're feeling ok?' Daniel said as he placed a hand on her shoulder trying to reassure her that everything was going to be ok but Lillie wasn't feeling reassured, everywhere she looked felt wrong for some reason but she couldn't quite put her finger on it,

'Please Dan...It's like I have some sort of new sense..I can feel evil in every part of the Castle and it keeps calling to me!!!' Lillie tried to pull Daniel backwards out of the line but he was having none of it,

'Lillie please. While I'm here nothing will happen to us, especially with the King around...do you think he will let anything harm us...his family??, you're worrying too much!!' replied Daniel still hoping Lillie would see sense,

'I get that he will want us safe but this feeling is stronger than anything I've felt so far and I'm just really worried!!, we might be safe but what about the other children who aren't related to him??, maybe this was what Garin was talking about after all!!' Lillie said all of a sudden as if something clicked in her head,

'Garin??' asked Daniel ' what do you mean?, what did he say then?' replied Daniel

'Well that talk we had outside was him trying to reassure me that I didn't have to worry about what had gone on in the last class, he said that my strength might lie in another area and I'd know when I felt it...oh I get it now!!!' she smiled broadly at her brother,

'Maybe Garin was just trying to be nice….as he could see you were upset sis' Daniel said as the line got closer to the rear entrance of the Arena which was being protected by two of the Castles finest guards as this was an important meeting,

'Look Dan...Please let's just give this a miss!! I'm begging you again, I don't know what's going to happen if we go in there and I'm scared!!' said Lillie as she couldn't free herself from Daniel's grip on her arm,

'I promise it will be ok….It's my turn to look after you sis, we are family and need to stick together, we need to go to this meeting thingy as it's supposed to be mega important. According to Tobias' Daniel said as he led Lillie closer and closer to the doors as scores of children filed past the two guards who stood there as still as statues, some of the children trying to get the guards to break concentration by blowing raspberries at them and poking their legs as they walked past but nothing fazed them,

'Daniel….please, I need to keep u safe and I don't think this place is very safe, we can apologise to everyone later when this is all over...I beg you to follow me..' said Lillie just as Lord Casborn appeared as if from nowhere,

'Is everything ok here children??' he asked

'No problems on my part but Lillie is acting a bit strange' Daniel replied, Lord Casborn turned to Lillie and smiled warmly,

'What is the matter then?, you do seem a little strange, I can feel it'

'I can't figure it out...sir' she said 'but I feel like something bad is going to happen but I don't know what it is and don't know how to stop this, I just wanted to leave but Daniel wouldn't let me',

'Lillie I assure you that you are in the safest of Arenas that are spread throughout this land, nothing from the outside can cause harm to those inside. We are protected at all times by higher powers' Lord Casborn said,

'Yes. But…' she said trying to explain,

'No buts my dear girl…' Casborn replied 'come with me and I shall take you to the front, you are safe with me, now please trust me' he smiled as the children walked inside and the door shut behind them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Twenty-Nine

As The Dust Settles….

 

As the children were led to the far end of the Arena the excitement level grew even more as they were split back into their classes, each row of children excitedly talking about the impending announcement and what was going to happen next,

'I'm so excited!!!' shouted Tobias as he spotted Daniel and ran over to him, jumping on his back and knocking him forwards slightly,

'Owww watch what you're doing Toby!!!, that blooming hurt!!!' shouted Daniel as he staggered forwards with the whole weight of Tobias on his back,

'It's Tobias...how many times do I have to tell you Daniel!!, and any way I'm too excited to care about you calling me that!!, I can't wait to hear what is going to happen next' he shrieked with excitement as the volume grew to almost deafening levels all around them,

'Think my eardrums are going to burst!!!' shouted Daniel as he dropped Tobias on the floor and covered his ears, then just as he felt slight relief from the shouting a huge roar filled the Arena as the children began clapping and shouting,

'Here they come!!!!' said one voice,

'Oh wow...they look so huge' said another voice, Tobias was jumping around behind Daniel as he was struggling to see who it was that had arrived,

'Daniel…' he said 'can I get on your shoulders please, I can't see what's going on'

'As long as you don't hurt me!!, otherwise I'll drop you on the floor like a stone!!' Daniel warned Tobias as he crouched down and he got onto Daniel's shoulders, 'jeez you're heavier than I thought' laughed Daniel as puffed his cheeks out to lift him up,

'Oh wow….they are all here!!!' clapped Tobias excitedly as his moving caused Daniel to sway from side to side,

'Stay still Tobias...I'm going to drop you otherwise!!' he said as he steadied his feet, Daniel managed to catch a glimpse of a group of smartly attired men standing up on the platform ahead of them, their armour glistening in the morning suns and capes bustling in the breeze that whipped around the Arena floor and danced around the feet of the children,

'Who are they??' asked Daniel as he was being blinded by the sun bouncing of the groups stunningly polished armour,

'Really Daniel??.. You really don't have a clue who they are, where have you been hiding all this time!!' laughed Tobias as he clapped his hands with excitement,

'I've been in a cave all this time!!!' said Daniel 'but before that I have no idea!!' said Daniel as he squinted his eyes to get a better look,

'That group up there are the most feared soldiers in all the land. They are ‘The Circle’, oh I so wish I would be the one to join them!!, I have waited my whole life to be even this close to them!!' Tobias said as he stared deep into the eyes of one of the soldiers who caught him staring and smiled and waved back at him,

'D….did he just wave at me??' asked Tobias 'oh wow...my life is finally complete!!' as he slumped down into Daniel's shoulders this caused him to slide backwards off of Daniel causing him to lose his balance,

'Whoa!!!!' Tobias said as him and Daniel ended up lying on their backs in the dirt,

'Oh well done you numpty!!!' said Daniel 'now look what you've done to my robes!!, they are dirty!!', as he dusted himself down another cheer filled the Arena as more and more voices shouted out in excitement,

'There he is!!!' one shouted

'It's all three of them!!!, wow all in one place!!' said another,

Daniel lifted his head up and put his hand to his eyes to see what the fuss was all about and was greeted by the sight of his father, Lord Casborn and the King walking up the platform towards the front closely followed by Garin who was doing his best to stay sort of in the background, as the King stepped forwards he was helped slightly by Lord Casborn who knew his father wasn't looking or feeling at his best today, the King leant against the small altar that had been placed at the front of the platform so as not to draw too much attention to his ailing condition, he smiled a huge smile as he looked out over the Arena floor to be met with hundreds of happy smiling faces looking back at him in eager anticipation, the King composed himself and raised himself up onto his arms as Lord Casborn and Garin looked on nervously, the King inhaled deeply before addressing the gathered crowds, a hush descended across the Arena floor as the King began to speak,

'My children….' he started 'firstly welcome to the Arena’s main staging ground, a place so secret and so well guarded that no one apart from you all know this area exists. Now as you all know there is a double competition going on this year, firstly the schools Inter Class Cup, which as I'm told is progressing nicely so far with a few surprises coming through, and secondly we once again are hosting the Tri-Yearly-Night-Games, and as many of you have seen that all the competitors are training hard to be the one who comes out on top and joins ‘The Circle’, now I must ask you to please respect the competitors and their privacy this year as we cannot afford a repeat of what happened at the last tournament which resulted in the loss of the school pet, Clovis, after some un named boys decided to mess with someone's wand and set it to explode!!'

'Ohhhh that sounds bad!!!' Tobias said as he held his chest with one hand,

'Sounds blooming funny if you ask me' laughed Daniel as he thought of some animal type pet being blown to smithereens, he could hear Harvey's cackle too as the King said what had happened causing them to turn to face each other and snigger,

'Shhhh' said Pontus to Harvey as he nudged him in the back 'I'm trying to listen'

'Ooooooo sorry!!' replied Harvey as he chuckled to himself still 'just found the thought of that thing exploding hilarious'

'Well considering that when it happened the King was in close vicinity of it as he was watching the competitors, he wasn't best pleased I can tell you!!' replied Pontus 'now please be a bit quieter, the King is still talking!!'.

As the King continued his speech not a voice could be heard, it seemed he had an amazing connection with all the children this year especially, something just felt good and more like family than it had ever done before,

'Now children, as we progress through this wonderful activity filled first school year you will come across many challenges that will test you, but they are all aimed at showing us how you will react in certain situations which gives us a good idea of which path you will follow later in the school year.' the King paused briefly so he could get his breath back before addressing the children once again,

'now I have it on good faith that some of the children are having a stand out few days so far and are looking very strong but there are a few boys and girls who shall we say…..require extra help. Now I do not want any of you to take this schooling for granted as it is a huge opportunity for each and every one of you children to fulfil your potential here, that is why we hold the Inter Class Cup every year to assess how our students are doing as they look to reach the top and stand out amongst the whole school', the King paused for a few seconds as