The walkway opened up once she passed through the doorway, and the light improved, bouncing off the pale gray limestone walls. Allyra was momentarily dazzled by the light, her vision exploding in bursts of white light. Suddenly dizzy, she reached out a hand against the wall to steady herself.
With her vision clearing, Allyra found Master Mabaso watching her. “The Shadow Causeway links the Great Colleges. For those who have not mastered the art of Evanescence, it is the fastest way to travel. But an immense amount of power is required for the Shadow Causeway to manipulate the distance that separates the Great Colleges—you will always feel the Source on entry and exit of the Shadow Causeway. It can be disorientating if you’re not expecting it.”
Allyra nodded, hurried to catch up with Master Mabaso’s long, swinging strides, and then resumed her questioning. “So, the Training Grounds are part of the Elemental College?”
“Of course not. The Five Finals have representatives from all five of the Great Colleges. It would be unfair to hold it at any one college.”
From her lessons with Laureline, Allyra had learned that each of the Great Colleges was located on different continents. The Elemental College was nestled in the Hex River Mountains within the Cape region of South Africa. The Terra College hidden in the great redwood forest of California, the Atmospheric College lay in the lofty heights of the Atacama Desert in Bolivia, and the Inferno College floated on a tiny island formed in the Pacific Ring of Fire in Asia. Finally, the Oceanic College was placed deep in the frozen depths of Antarctica.
The distance between the Great Colleges was immense, separated literally by oceans. It was clear that the magic of the Shadow Causeway was as old and powerful as the Source itself.
“How?” Allyra asked in wonder.
Master Mabaso shook her head briefly. “I can’t answer that. If you want answers, ask High Master Zhuang of the Terra College. He’s made a study of the old magic.”
Master Mabaso led the way confidently through the twisting passageways, choosing specific paths where one split into many. She glanced at Allyra. “You’ll soon learn the way. You will need to commit the paths to memory. The Shadow Causeway is valuable, but lose your way in here and you can lose your life.”
Allyra nodded. As with everything in the Gifted world, the Shadow Causeway was magnificent and deadly, in equal measure.
* * *
It took less than fifteen minutes for them to walk from the Elemental College to the Training Grounds. They arrived at another doorway formed from roots, and Master Mabaso nodded for her to walk through. “I’ll leave you here. Someone will be waiting for you on the other side.”
“Thank you,” Allyra replied.
Master Mabaso turned to walk the way they’d come, but before she did, she gave Allyra a rare smile. “Good luck,” she said curtly and then strode away.
Allyra walked through the doorway and found herself in a cavernous entryway. The ceilings towered above her, and the walls stretched away, deep and rounded. The room was empty, clear except for the eternal Wellsprings all clustered together in the center. Four Wellsprings, one for each element, powered by the boundless energy of Source. As an Elemental, Allyra could feel and see the power in each one—the yellow threads of the Air Element, the flickering red of the Fire Element, the flowing blue of Water, and finally the sturdy green of Earth.
Behind the Wellsprings stood four more Cleaners, silently waiting for her. As she approached, they dipped their heads in a synchronized bow before turning away wordlessly. She followed the four cloaked figures through a warren of corridors. The Cleaners paused briefly to show her a dining area filled with long trestles and benches, a common area with comfortable couches and walls filled with shelves of books, and finally a massive room that appeared to be the actual Training Ground.
It was a yawning space, at least the area of two football fields and perhaps three stories tall. At the far end, it was filled with equipment that looked like scaffolding or an adult version of a jungle gym. And on one wall, every possible type of weapon was hung—from crossbows to swords and scythes to axes.
The Cleaners didn’t allow her much time to linger, leading her through a central corridor into a smaller side one. At the last door in the corridor, the Cleaners handed her an ornate and heavy key and gestured for her to walk though.
The key fitted perfectly in the lock, but the door was already unlocked, and it swung open silently. Allyra walked through to find herself in a large airy room. Like every other room she’d been shown, it was without windows, leading Allyra to conclude that the Training Grounds were located completely below ground.
A screen divided the room into two halves with a large bed in each. A separate doorway led to a shared bathroom. The room was luxuriously appointed with furniture that was a curious mix of both modern and old. It was also filled with every amenity, making it clear that Allyra would want for little during her stay. However, the person lounging on one of the beds gave her pause.
Jason reclined elegantly on the bed, reading a book with his long legs stretched in front of him, not bothering to look up as Allyra came to an abrupt stop in the doorway. She
