Chapter 15

 

Early the next evening, just after the sun had dipped beneath the horizon, Professor Abbacus returned to the Nightmare Games arena to question President Connifer. He was standing and waiting, with his hands on his narrow hips, when Connifer reduced in size and returned to human form. Scarcely had the President finished pulling his fingers through his bushy hair and straightening his long leafy gown when Abbacus gave a loud, impatient “harrumph!”

Connifer nearly jumped a metre into the air and whirled around in a temper. He glared down at Abbacus. “What d’you want?” he growled. He’d never been able to handle evenings and preferred no-one come near him until midnight or so.

He especially didn’t appreciate Abbacus’ presence on the spot where he’d been rooted.

“What’s going on with the increased levels of Magick energy?” Abbacus growled. “All the plants in the area are going crazy. If you don’t believe me, check out Professor Florana, running around with that sprout Eiche!”

For a split second Connifer was gobsmacked, unable to figure out how Abbacus had caught wind of his mighty plan. Then he realised. Abbacus knew nothing. All the plants in the area were rejoicing in the heightened energy levels. That didn’t mean anyone actually knew what was going on.

“Icarus, Icarus,” He stepped towards Abbacus with his hands spread wide, a huge disarming smile on his face, “Increased Magick energy levels are perfectly normal.”

Abbacus did not appreciate being called by his first name by someone who so avidly didn’t like him. “Normal? All the plants in the area are going nuts.”

“Then there must be a lot of nut trees around!” Connifer laughed just a little too long and hard.

Professor Abbacus folded his arms and did not look amused. “Explain!” he grated.

President Connifer took a deep breath. “This is the last round. In fact, this is the last day of the last round. This the most intense, knuckle-whitening, nail-biting period of the Nightmare Games. Everything has been ramped up, enhanced, pushed to the absolute limit. The last race of today – the Open Race – will be the final clincher, the race that decides who is the best of the best of the best. In order to do that some serious Magick has been put into play, to make sure the competitors are challenged to the absolute best of their abilities. Unfortunately it has a little side-effect – of causing plants to … how did you put it? ‘Go a little nuts’?”

Abbacus was not convinced. But how could he gainsay Connifer? This was his first Nightmare Games, and his sole responsibility had been to get all the cameras connected and working through the sub-botanic matrix. He’d not had a huge input into the actual construction of the place. He glared at Connifer, but the President continued to smile and look like nothing in the world was worrying him.

Then Professor Abbacus swore, turned in a swirl of his long black leather overcoat, and stomped off. He didn’t see President Connifer sag behind him and exhale a cloud of oxygen in relief. Then the ancient tree spirit spun in a whirl of his own leafy coat and practically ran to his little observation box, where his nearly-completed rune was ready and waiting.

He’s close, he’s really close, Connifer thought as he settled into his wooden chair. He’s knows something’s wrong.

But he doesn’t know a thing about the Rune of Plantagenesis, whispered the soft voice of Connifer’s consciousness. He never will. So don’t stress. Today will go ahead as planned.

Connifer took another deep breath. Slowly he calmed down and directed his attention to the rune glowing softly in the corner. The rune only needed three more lines to complete it. It was glowing very brightly now, almost like a little sun. He was glad Abbacus hadn’t come up here to confront him. He probably would have worked out that the rune was actually a very complicated Magick sigil.

 

Professor Abbacus retired to his own observation box and telepathically contacted Harley, who was still sprawled in his chair and in communication with the mainframe. While the Nocturnal Academy’s denizens slowly bestirred themselves from their various beds and staggered downstairs for breakfast, he ran some more diagnostics and algorithms to try and work out what was going on.

Each one came out negative. He growled in frustration, pounding his fists against his head. How could he keep coming up with nothing? There was something happening, something really bad! He had to know!

 

After Alice had crawled from her own bed, gobbled down a greasy breakfast, and was making her way, along with the rest of the spectators to the arena, she actually stopped at her entrance and looked up at the tall, earthy sides rising up into the night sky. While other students filed in around her, she took note of all the roots twisting through the giant structure, the branches sprouting from the thick trunks holding the structure together, and the many, many diverse flowers that had, during the day, turned their multicoloured blooms towards the sun. The wildlife hadn’t flourished this intensely before.

As she stepped through the door into the structure she experienced a subsonic hum that she felt in her bones rather then heard with her ears. All the hairs stood up on her arms. When she glanced at the other non-competitors as they took their seats around her, she noticed a lot more curly hair than usual. The two bunches Nancy wore on top of her head were particularly fluffy. The hair on some short-haired kids stood straight up. Longer-haired kids found their hair sticking to the walls. Amala and Delilah grumbled about their immaculate hairdos being ruined.

Like a massive static charge, Alice thought. She felt odd, like the pressure in the area had increased. Her ears blocked up and she had to yawn to clear them. She glanced at James Adamson, the pine tree spirit, and noticed that he too was looking particularly green and leafy today. In human form, he had quite a lot of pimples on his face.

She sat down beside him and he looked at her in surprise. “What’s up?” he asked.

“The Magick,” she said in a low voice. “I’m sure you can feel it.”

“Oh yes.” He scratched at one of the pimples. “My skin was clear until a few days ago. Now look at me! I’m a pizza face!”

“It seems to be affecting plants most of all. How do you feel?”

“Pretty on edge, actually. I feel torn in two directions. On the one hand I want to race down there into the arena and take part in the games, and on the other I want to take root and make the biggest darn tree I can!” He laughed ruefully. “Pretty weird, eh?”

“Oh yeah.” Alice glanced out across the arena towards Professor Abbacus’ box. Was he in there now? Could she reach him telepathically from here? Did her power work out here? Only one way to find out. She fixed his image in her mind and sent; Sir? Are you in there?

What, Dribble? came his usual surly reply.

Did you talk to President Connifer this morning?

I did. He assured me that the increase in plant Magick was perfectly normal. Normal my eye. Only he didn’t say “eye”. It was a different part of his anatomy he referred to. Trees are going crazy all over the place!

Yes sir. I’ve just spoken to James in my form – he’s all jumpy. His hair is particularly bushy with pine-needles and he’s got big fat zits all over his face. She explained what he’d told her.

Very disturbing, Abbacus responded. All I can suggest is that you keep on your toes. Do you know any spells that protect against plants?

I know one that will protect me against fungus and spores and pollens. It lasts about twenty four hours. But I don’t know anything that will protect me should a giant ent decide to stomp me into the ground.

I don’t know of any spell that will protect you from that. Cast up the fungus one. You just might need it.

At that moment Mrs Flickerton appeared, surrounded by the competitors who were still in the game – now only half of the original eighty. “Welcome to Day Five of the Nightmare Games!” she boomed. “The last, final day of events! As you can see about half of the original competitors remain. Today will see that number reduced even further, and only a handful will make it out of the final Open Race! But this handful will be the ultimate champions of the 312^th Nightmare Games!”

The audience applauded. During the convenient distraction Alice cast up her protection spell. Although she knew by the end of all this everyone in her school would realise that she could do Magick.

Almost immediately the odd sensation of pressure and static eased and Alice felt almost normal.

“Let us commence with the Flying Race!” shouted Flickerton, raising her hands in the air. She sent two balls of fire leaping into the air to more applause. This time the rules were even stricter. Anyone who flew from the area’s boundaries was immediately out. No second chances. Anyone who touched the ground was also out. And getting swallowed by the pterodactyl was a definite disqualification.

Competitors began to appear in the student gallery, some gobsmacked that they’d been removed so easily, others loudly complaining about the injustice of it all. Even Eddie and Riley appeared near Alice.

“That was totally rigged!” Riley cried. “I only touched the water with one toe!”

“That’s all it took,” said Eddie gloomily.

Only two vampires out of the original bunch made it out of the flying race; Dailan and Milly. The winner was a celestial spirit.

“That was pretty harsh,” Alice agreed. “But at least we’ve still got Milly, Toby, Carla, Jamie and Grizzer in the last race. That’s five students from our school who are still in. Some of the others only have one or two left.”

“Yeah, I suppose.” Riley pouted.

The phase relay that followed thinned out some more of the astrals and celestials, who’d managed to get through the flying race without losing any of their number.

“And that’s it for the morning’s activities!” called Flickerton. “It’s now time for lunch. This afternoon will commence the final race for the Nightmare Games!” She gestured towards the exhausted competitors assembled around her. There was barely a third of the original group left now. “Are you on the edge of your seats? It promises to be a real nail-biter of an event!”

Everyone headed off to the dining hall. Those who’d taken part in the morning’s events soon perked up after an enormous meal of chicken stir fry. The buzz of conversation was tense and excited. Toby, Carla, Milly and Jamie were fired up and raring to go, the strange Magick still affecting them even here. Jamie had even forgotten the rule about keeping in human form in the dining hall, and was in his half-rat shape as he gobbled down his food. No-one chastised him. Then Grizzer jumped up on his table, transformed into full bear form, and gave a mighty roar that shook the walls.

Everyone clapped and whooped. There was cheering, table thumping and uproarious laughter.

“Another display like that, Munrow, and you’re out of the Open Race!” shouted Madam Nocturna.

“Sorry Ma’am,” he apologised. “Just excited.” He slunk down into his seat in human form.

Even Toby and Carla were fidgety.

“Just be careful, for goodness sake,” Alice warned them. “The amount of Magick power going through that arena is pretty damn high.”

“Yeah yeah,” Toby agreed, a little too quickly.

Alice sighed.

 

Back at the Nightmare Games arena, Professor Abbacus sat at his computer and watched his algorithms continue, searching for an answer that continued to elude him. If something out there was affecting plants he had no idea what it was. Both aspects of his nature – his affinity for machines and his undead status – were in direct opposition to the vegetation realm. He had some experience with plants, otherwise he would never have been able to connect with the sub-botanic matrix, but it was not a school of Magick that came to him naturally.

And now Professor Florana knew he was undead he wasn’t cooperating. Oh, sure he’d agreed to stay at the Australian Academy, but only because he was far too old to move. Some of the other plant spirits on staff still communicated with him, but they didn’t have anything like the knowledge Florana had.

The algorithms continued to tick over, revealing nothing new. Abbacus swore and got up from his computer. The time had come for action. Florana couldn’t ignore him any longer.

Leaving Harley alone in the booth, still slumped in his chair, Professor Abbacus headed out. He passed by President Connifer’s box without looking up at it. If he had, he might have seen the odd green glow coming from inside it.

He tried the dining hall, but Florana wasn’t there. He must have finished his meal and gone out, Abbacus thought. He noticed Malcolm gobbling through a large plate of chicken and rice and stomped over to him.

“Can’t talk, eating,” Malcolm answered with his mouth full.

“I don’t need you back yet. I was just wondering if you’ve seen Professor Florana.”

“The VP tree?” he said and giggled at his rhyme.

Abbacus felt like slapping him. He was in no mood for any jokes today. “Yes, the VP tree.”

“He just left with his girlfriend.” Malcolm pointed.

“Alright. Thank you. Make sure you’re back in our booth by one.” Abbacus turned and headed out.

He found Florana and Eiche out the front of the school, standing in the moonlight, holding hands and gazing adoringly up at each other. Abbacus might have left them alone before, but now he marched right up to them and said loudly; “Ahem!”

The two teachers sprang apart. Florana looked furious but Eiche just looked guilty. “What d’you want?” Florana growled at Abbacus with uncharacteristic gruffness. His eyes almost seemed to glow.

Professor Abbacus drew himself up, but Florana was still a good thirty centimetres taller than him. “Put aside your issue with me for a few minutes and hear me out. This is important!”

Florana’s anger faded. He was a professional after all. “What?”

“Don’t you think all the enhanced plant Magick is a little out of the ordinary?”

Florana stared down at him. “I suppose, but it has given me a new lease on life.” He glanced at Miss Eiche, and she gave a smile and blushed.

“You’ve been to other Nightmare Games – were they so enhanced?”

“Now that you mention it … no. But I did ask President Connifer about it, and he said everything’s fine.”

“Of course he would,” Abbacus grumbled, more to himself than Florana. I’m sure he’s behind the whole thing, whatever the hell it is, he thought to himself.

“It’s just the nature of this particular arena,” Florana continued. “It has a lot of plant activity – a high level of Magick is required to keep it moving.”

“Our new Oval Jungle with all its levels has more crammed into it than this entire arena!” Abbacus retorted. “But it doesn’t send all the plants into a sprouting frenzy!” He sighed loudly. “Alright. Fine. But keep on your toes. Something’s up.” He waved his human hand. “Go back to doing … whatever it was you were doing.” He turned and hurried from the area.

Miss Eiche looked up at him, and her large green eyes were sad. “Finnegan, it is only temporary, isn’t it?” she asked miserably.

“I’m afraid so, Kelly.” Florana looked sadly down at her.

“So when all this is over you’ll go to … how you were before?”

“I hope not, but…” he tailed off. “No matter what happens, I’ll still remember.”

He hugged her.

 

President Connifer sat in his private box and admired his rune, now glowing brilliantly, almost blinding in the small space. All it needed was one more line and then it would be complete. And then … one more tiny little thing had to occur before Plantagenesis would actually activate. After the Open Race started, Connifer would make sure this last thing took place. He could have done it now, but he didn’t want any chance of anyone figuring out what he was up to. He would only do it at the last possible second.

 

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