Yellow Sun Academy

Hothead:

"Fingers crossed," I repeat, holding up my crossed fingers. "Fingers crossed. Finger crossed."

I keep my eyes on the clock at the front of the class. I watch every tick of the hand as it moves closer and closer until finally, it reaches the number 12.

"15 minutes," I shout, shooting my hands into the air. "The Professor is 15 minutes late!"

Everyone in the classroom, including my own teammates, looks at me as I shoot into the air.

"Okay," Jump says. She looks at Renee and Alodia before looking back up at me. "So?"

Rolling my eyes, I sit back down on my chair and lean in.

"Don't you guys know," I ask. "About the 15-minute rule?"

"15-minute rule," Renee repeats.

"That's not an actual rule," Alodia says, looking at me rolling eyes. "That's just something slackers like you came up with to ditch class."

"It is a rule," I say. "A real rule. If the teacher or professor has not arrived after 15 minutes since the class is supposed to start, then we students are allowed to leave with no fear of being marked absent."

Slamming my hands down on the table and pushing myself up, I look around the classroom.

"I don't know about you," I say with a smile on my face. "But I am going to sleep. Wake me up if something happens."

As I grab all my books and papers and dump them into my backpack, I waste no time and head for the door.

"Is anyone coming," I say, looking back at everyone. "Or am I going by my--Ahh!"

While I'm talking, the door opens and hits me. I scream and stumble back.

"Hothead," Jump yells. She and Renee rush to catch me before I fall over. "Are you okay?"

Blinking at first, I shake my head and look around.

"Ouch," I answer. I shake my head again and look up. To my surprise, I see the Professor standing before us.

"Oh my," Professor Hadley says, now also rushing to my side. She pulls a small silver orb from one of her coat pockets and throws it into the air. A propeller pops out from the top while a mini flashlight pops out from the bottom. "Sulien. I'm sorry. I didn't see you. What are you doing?"

"15 minutes rule," I answer, turning my head when the small orb blinds me. "Can you please get that out of my face?"

Professor Hadley shakes her head while taking the flying orb and putting it back in her pocket.

"You know that's not true, right?"

"I told him that," Alodia yells from our table.

"But in this case," Professor Hadley says, standing back up. "It is. Apologize but class is canceled for today."

"What," Alodia, along with a few other students asks. "Why, Professor?"

Professor Hadley doesn't answer Alodia right away. Instead, she hears beeping and reaches into her coat pocket again. She pulls out her holo-display and looks over it.

"Uhh, no reason," the Professor says, putting her holo-display away. "At least, no reason for now. Please, students. Get back to your room and stay in there."

"Go back to our rooms," I repeat, Renee and Jump helping me back onto my feet. "And stay in there. What in the world?"

Looking back at Renee and Jump after they helped me, I look down at my arms.

"You can let me go now."

Renee and Jump nod their heads and let me go.

"Thanks. Now, Professor Hadley. What is going on?"

Shocker:

"This is a private matter," Professor Purdue answers. "Private academy matter. I cannot discuss it with any of you at the moment."

"But Professor," a student says.

"No," Professor Purdue shouts. "Enough talking! This is not a discussion. This is not for debate. All of you. Back to your room now!"

Professor Purdue puts his holo-display away and walks to the classroom's door. He opens and holds the door for us. I look around the classroom and see a lot of confused faces. Though we're confused, we all get up and head for the door. The second the last student is out, Professor Purdue closes the classroom's door.

While all of us are heading back to our room, I pull out my holo-display and type in a message.

"Something is going on," I write.

I show the message to Clementine, Chadd, and Honey.

"You think," Honey says. "Why did Professor Purdue just kick all of us out like that?"

"I don't know," Chadd answers, "But whatever the reason is, it must be serious. Look over there."

Chadd points somewhere with his fingers. We all follow his fingers and see other students walking out of their classrooms. All of the classrooms.

The hallways quickly filled with students all walking back to their bedrooms with their team. As I walk with my team, I look to my left and right and see all the professors closing their doors. They all seem to have the same face as they close their doors.

"Narrowed eyes," I start, making a list. "Furrowed eyebrows. A look of uncertainness. All the professors are worried about something. But what?"

As I make the list, I hear familiar voices and turn around.

"Shocker," Hothead yells. He and Jump are pushing their way through the crowd. They reach me in a few minutes, with the rest of their team closely behind them.

"Hey," Jump says.

I wave at the two of them.

"Anyone know what's going on," Hothead asks. "Why are all of us being told to go back to our rooms? I mean, I'm not complaining but still."

"The professors are worried about something," I write before showing it to Hothead and Jump. "Did your professor get a message too? Before kicking you out."

"Yeah," Hothead says with a nod.

"Yes," Jump adds.

As soon as I pull back my holo-display, the lights above all our heads turn from white to red. A few seconds later, a siren echoes throughout the crowded hallway.

"Oh my god," Renee yells, dropping to his knees and covering his head. "What's going on?"

"Bad news," I write.

"Bad news," Hothead yells.

The siren stops and we all hear a beep.

"Attention all students," Headmaster Noah says through the speakers. "This is not a drill. I repeat, this is not a drill. Please get to your room as soon as you can. Do not go outside!"

We hear a beep again and the siren turns back on.

"Come on," Renee says, standing back up. "Let's go!"

"Yeah," Hothead says, pulling out his sword. "Let's go!"

With that said, Hothead runs down one of the hallways.

"Hey Sulien," Renee shouts. "Our rooms are this way!"

"Hothead isn't heading to our room," Jump says.

"If he isn't going to our room," Alodia starts, pointing at Hothead as he runs away. "Then where is he going? That hallway leads to the outside."

Typing as fast as I can, I clap my hands and grab the attention of both teams. When I have it, I flip my holo-display around and show them all.

"You just answered your own question," I wrote.

Headmaster Noah:

"Headmistress Amaya," I start, turning my head to look at Amaya. "How close are they now?"

"Ten miles and closing," Headmistress Amaya answers after bringing up her holo-display.

"Is everyone ready," I ask.

"Yes," Headmistress Amaya answers. "All students are safely back in their rooms and all the professors are armed and ready."

"Let's hope it doesn't come to a fight," I say.

Turning around, I push a button on my desk in my office. The middle section of my desk flips over and a whole control panel made up of buttons and switches reveals itself.

"Activating Yellow Sun Academy's shield," I say, pushing a button on the control panel. I turn around after pushing the button.

Looking out the window, I see whole sections of the academy's outer courtyard opening and tall white towers coming from the ground. A spark starts at one tower before jumping to the next and then to the next. In only a few seconds, thousands of sparks jump from tower to tower, circling the academy. A few seconds later, beams of light shoot up from the towers and meet in the sky. They all collide before quickly falling back down and covering the whole academy.

"The shield is up," I say.

"Yes," Headmistress Amaya says with a nod. She brings up her holo-display before then stops. "Wait, what's going on with the shield?"

"What?"

I turn around and see the transparent shield sparking. It sparks and fizzles before flashing on and off.

"What is going on," I ask. I turn around and look over the control panel. According to the screen on the control panel, the shield is malfunctioning but I can't figure out why.

"Headmaster Noah," Amaya shouts, pointing behind me. I look behind me back out my officer's window. "Sir! It's too late now! The swarms! They're here!"