“Come on Zach, It won’t hurt I promise.” Sofia said for the 100th time. A week had passed after Conner had spent the night at Zach’s little abode and during that week Sofia, Conner, and Gus had been hanging out with Zach. Every chance she got, Sofia tried to get Zach to agree to see if the connection had been established within him and every chance he got he had refused.

“I’m fine with the life I have now.” Zach said.

“All they are going to do is ask you some questions, test your creativity, and have you do the trials, that’s it.” Sofia pressured.

“Fine! If it means so much to you, I will agree. But on one condition, If I do this for you then you don't pester me about enrolling in the Academy if the Connection was established in me. Deal?” Zach said.

“Deal!” Sofia confirmed.

Sofia dragged everyone to the Academy and had one of the administrators direct Zach to a small and bland room. It had a wooden desk with three chairs, one on one side of the desk and the other two on the other side. Zach sat down in the one chair and waited. It was not long before four men walked into the room. Two of them sat down in the two chairs and the other two stood behind the ones that were seated.

“Hello Zach,I am Mr. Rook” The man to the right of Zach said.

“We hear that there is a possibility that the Connection was established in you. Do you care to enlighten us?” Rook asked.

“To be honest Mr. Rook, I don’t much ponder the subject.” Zach said gardely.

“You have nothing to be concerned about. We are just here to ask you a couple of questions.” Mr. Rook said smiling.

Zach told them about what happened and they took notes. When he got to the part where he gave Conner the advice, all four men stiffened. “How long has it been after you observed this behavior?” Rook asked.

“All my life Mr. Rook.” Zach answered.

They asked Zach some more questions, stuff like how long had he been living on his own and what he does for a living. Zach answered the best he could and elaborated on something when asked. After the questions they gave Zach a glob of clay and told him to sculpt various animals from memory. When he was finished with the detail on a hedgehog, Rook gave Zach a damp washcloth to wipe the remaining clay off of his hands. “Ok Zach, we have one last task for you, follow me.” Rook said.

Zach followed Mr. Rook out of the room, through the halls, and down a set of stairs. The stairs lead down to a door that opened up to a hexagonal room. Within the room was a pit. The pit walls were painted black and a rope connected to a bell dangled down into the pit. “Zach do you know what the three forms of energy the Connection inhabits?” Rook sasked Zach.

Zach shook his head. “The three forms are Drayparin, Ciroono, and Tinrith. Drayparin is red energy, it gives you a physical ability like strength and speed. Ciroono is blue energy, It gives you a mental ability like telepathy and telekinesis. Tinrith is yellow energy, it gives you the ability to create solid energy called luxin or an ability to change the environment around you like growth and invisibility.” Rook explained. “This pit is designed to ‘see’ what color balance you might have.” “So I just climb down into the pit and it somehow reads the ability I might have?” Zach asked. “Yes. exactly that.” Rook said, pleased.

Zach climbed down and stood there. “What now?” Zach called up to rook. “Just wait there, If it gets too much for you to handle, pull the rope and we will stop the trials. Don’t worry it is just a precaution.” Rook said.

All of a sudden fog filled the pit, Zach couldn't see anything. Just as quickly Zach was in a large underground cavern and the fog had materialized into a form on the opposite side of the cavern. As he walked closer to the figure he saw that the figure was Mr. Avner, but in his prime. “M-Mr. Avner?” Zach said. Avner lunged out at Zach with his scythe. Zach quickly dove to the side and rolled to his feet. Avner made a Beeline to Zach and bore down on him with his scythe. Zach had no other option other than block the attacks with his arms. Avner came down on Zach with an over hand slash but it was a faint, he brought the handle into Zach’s face. Zach hit the ground hard, getting to his knees Zach looked up at Avner only to see the scythe coming from the side in a movement meant to lop Zach’s head off and It was at that moment when he felt it.