I'm giving the One Shot book another try... Last one was kind of a disaster, so I'm hoping this one will be better. I may repost some of the good stories but for now... Just assume it's gone. Requests are open, but if it's any sorts of stories with characters or OCs I hardly know, don't expect it to happen right away, or anytime soon. That being said, let's get into this!

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All the new Mages lined up in front of the Training Hall entrance. Lord Galenia and Lord Caspiel stood in front of them. 

"Remember..." Galenia spoke loudly and clearly to them. "Using the Training Hall is a privelege. If you abuse this, we can always just find a clearing outside of the Empire to practice."

The Mages nodded quickly, someone next to Darius elbowing him gently.

"Lord Caspiel looks super pissed off.." The red haired kid would whisper, nodding at the stiff second-in-command.

Darius would glance at the blonde Mage, who was glancing over all the Mages, eyes glittering slightly, his form tight and rigid. Darius would quickly nod, not wanting to say anything, afraid of being caught.

"Alright...." Galenia would nod at them all. "Follow me..."

She pushed the doors open, and walk into the chamber, followed by Caspiel.

Darius glanced around, eyes wide.

The room was lit brightly bu lights hanging near the top of the slanted ceiling. There were footholds and handholds  scattered around on one wall, for people to climb up. When  it reached the ceiling, there were bars and ropes that you could grab onto, and climb around up there. Mats, swings, bars and other miscellanious items were scattered around the place, each having a specific training purpose.

Galenia would lead them over to two spring boards neatly parted quite a few metres from each other, a mat in between.

She'd nod at the Mages to line up, and all conversation immediately ceased.

"Today's exercise..." She'd begin. "Will be about using your intillect to accomplish difficult feats. Before you, you see two spring boards. Your goal is to get from one to the other. You may use any method availible."

The Mages would murmur to each other, some planning, some excited, some just plain worried.

"You will line up..." Galenia spoke louder, and everyone fell silent again. "At the spring pad to my left.." She'd nod at it. "Do not push or shove. You will each get a turn."

The Mages dashed over to the spring pad, and, despite Galenia's warning, there was a bit of pushing and shoving.

Darius, having not been the strongest, got shoved to the very back. He didn't mind though. It gave him more time to observe and decide what he was going to do, since he, at the current moment, had no idea whatsoever.

Most of the Mages were tilted slightly to the side so they could see the person in the front.

The person was a small girl, with long, floweing auburn hair, pulled back in a ponytail. She'd take a deep breath, looking at the gap in between the two spring boards. She'd glance around, before backing up a few paces, sprinting forwards, and jumping off the spring board with a breath. Except she didn't aim towards the other side. She aimed towards a rope off to the left a bit. She'd hold onto it tightly, leaning towards the other side. She would let go of the rope, and tumble onto the board, rolling onto the mat behind. She'd shakily get to her feet, grinning slightly.

"Good job..." Galenia would smile, nodding. "You may take a seat."

The girl would walk off the mat, and sit cross legged on the ground, grinning.

The next few students would go, displaying a multitude of different techniques. Some would actually manage to just jump across, whilst others used different methods, such as swinging, or using magic. One person managed to create a bridge to walk across, to which everyone clapped. Even Lord Caspiel raised an eyebrow.

Darius got closer and closer to the front, getting more nervous every second. So far everyone had made it one way or another.

What do I do?! I can't just jump or swing across, I don't have that kind of strength.... But.... Magic.... What would I-

"Darius.." Galenia's polite tone would break through his train of thought. "It's your turn..."

Darius blinked, realizing the person in front of him was gone, sitting down in the audience. He gulped, glancing around for something he could use.

Galenia would watch him carefully, smiling encouragingly at him.

Darius took a deep breath, looking across the gap.

If only I knew a propeling spell.... He'd take a few steps back. I can't just wait forever...

He'd wince at the distance, before dashing forwards and jumping, closing his eyes, trying to imagine landing on the other side.

He'd hit the mat with a thud, getting the breath knocked out of him.

He heard a few chuckles and snorts, slowly opening his eyes, his body aching.

He had fallen short, having landed on the mat. He hadn't made it. He wasn't even close...

He slowly got up, face flushed with embarassment, his cheeks hot. He slowly  rejoined the group, eyes fixated on the ground, not looking up for a second.

Everything around him passed like a blurr. He vaguely heard Galenia say something along the lines of <<It's alright>>, but he wasn't listening. He plopped down at the end of the line, barely holding back tears.

"Alright..." Galenia would speak over the noise. "That's all for today. Remember, the dining hall is open at five to six, so you should come around that time if you want to eat. You are all dismissed."

The Mages would get up, rejoining their friends, chatting happily as they exited.

Darius would slowly, numbly get up, only to come face to face with Galenia.

"L-Lord Galenia!" He'd gulp, bowing quickly, shameful.

"Darius..." She would smile gently, green eyes sparkling with compassion. "I assume you weren't exactly... Satisfied with how things went today..."

"No...." Darius would murmur. "N-Not exactly..." He'd sigh, scuffing his feet against the floor.

"Well.... There's always next time..." She'd grin softly. "And... Maybe it would help if I told you... The training room is open late... If you want to give it another go..." She would wink at him, before striding away to meet Caspiel at the door, and then walked away.

Darius sighed, scratching the back of his head. He glanced at the two spring boards, and slowly walked back over to the start.

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"ACK!" Darius screamed, as he hit the mat hard.

It was way after the assigned dinner time, and he was still practicing, without any success so far. He'd quickly get up, and walk to the start again.

It's literally two spring boards seperated a few metres from each other.... He'd grumble in his head. Why is it so hard to do?!

"Galenia told me you might want something to eat..." A voice spoke softly from the doorway.

Darius would quickly glance around, and saw Lord Caspiel standing there, a tray filled with food in his hands. He'd slowly, stiffly walk over, his eyes shimmering slightly.

"O-Oh..." Darius looked embarrassed. "Y-You didn't have to-"

"It's nothing..." Caspiel would interrupt, setting the plate down... On the opposite side of the leap.

"Th...Thanks.." Darius would murmur, jumping off the platform, walking towards the tray.

"Wait a minute..." Caspiel would wave a hand, lifting Darius in the air. "I don't believe I said you could just come and eat...." He would snap his fingers, Darius reappearing at the beginning. "Once you make it across..... THEN you can eat..."

Darius's eyes would widen, then his face would get this sort of determined look on it. He'd growl, dashing for the trampoline and jumping.

Once again, he was nowhere close, but the second before he was about to fall, Caspiel snapped his fingers, making Darius freeze inches before he was about to make another breathtaking tumble onto the mat.

"No no no..." He'd sigh, snapping again, making him reappear at the start once more. "It's obvious you don't have the physical capabilities to make the jump on strength alone... You need to work with what you HAVE.... Not what you WISH you had... Now try again..."

Darius would sigh, glancing around. He would consider his options.

You can't use telekenisis yet, and you can't create objects out of thin air... Bridges are out... Um...

Darius glanced at the ropes hanging near the side, and jumped for those.

He'd grab for one, but slip off, and once again, before hitting the ground, he was teleported back to the start.

"No..." Caspiel would sigh. "Don't you see...? No matter how much you wish you had the physical strength to get acros, you DON'T..."

"B-But..." Darius would protest. "I-I don't know any good spells yet and-"

"Oh, so you're blaming it on your mentors...?" Caspiel would raise an eyebrow, grinning.

"N-No!!!" Darius would exclaim, eyes widening, as he waved his hands in front of him. "Of course not! B-But I'm not that advanced in magicks yet..."

"All the others didn't have problems with using magicks to get across..." Caspiel stated crisply. "Are you saying you cannot meet the standards? Because it's not too late to-"

"No! But... Other Mages are gifted in different areas! Areas that help them reach impossible distances..." He'd sigh, flopping down onto the mat.

"So, what are you good at..?" Caspiel would ask, raising an eyebrow.

"S-Summoning fire..." Darius's voice would come out muffled, his arms covering his mouth. "Shield spells..."

"Alright.." Caspiel would nod. "And may I ask what shield spells do...?"

"They deflect things..." Darius murmured.

"What sorts of things..?"

"Large things..." Darius was sort of frustrated, it showing in the tone of his voice. "Things you don't want hitting you..."

"Precisely..." Caspiel would nod. "What do you not want to hit, to accomplish the task at hand..?"

"The... The mat...?" Darius tilted his head, looking up.

"What needs to reach the other side...?"

"M-Me..?"

"And what do you need to do to deflect yourself away from the mat...?"

"A-A shield...?" Darius would perk up, Caspiel nodding, smiling slightly.

"Work with what you have, Darius." Caspiel grinned, eyes shimmering knowingly.

Darius would nod slowly, shakily getting to his feet, eyes glimmering with newfound determination.

"B-But sir..." He'd pipe up.

"Yes...?"

"I-I need my hands to cast the shield..."

"So..?"

"So if I'm focused on the other side.."

"Figure it out..." Caspiel smirked.

Darius twitched in annoyance, glancing at the gap.

I need my hands facing the mat to cast the shield.... So..

He'd smile, knowing what he had to do.

It was the first time today that he had actual full confidence in what he was doing, and it felt... Good.

He took a deep breath, gaze fixated solely on the gap in front of him. He would dash forwards, and swan dive towards the mat, bracing himself. At the last second, a shield would appear over the mat, pushing him forwards, himself doing a flip as he was propelled over. He hit it with a thud, blinking.

He would have landed only a few feet away from the spring pad, only a few feet away from his destination. He was excited that he had gotten closer than ever, but still disappointed, letting out a soft sigh.

"Well, did you expect for it to work the first time...?" Caspiel tilted his head. "Get up and try again."

Darius would nod quickly, feeling energized. He would get up, dash back to the start, and try again.

He would fall and fall and fall again, and each time he would get closer and closer.

"Go..." Caspiel ordered. "Again!"

Darius would rub his back, groaning, walking back to the start slowly, hunched over.

"The food is getting cold, Darius..." Caspiel would call, smirking at him.

Darius would growl, eyes both now twitching. They would glow a faint orange, getting brighter every second. His eyes were locked on the goal, as he dove forwards, sprinting.

Caspiel grinned in satisfaction, as Darius leaped off the pad with a scream, his entire being flaring a bright orange color, flipping around when he hit the shield, landing roughly on the other side, panting.

"Good job...." Caspiel grinned, shoving the plate towards him, slowly getting up. "Make sure you control your anger next time..."

"N-Next time..?" Darius tilted his head, twitching.

"Yes, next time..." Caspiel raised an eyebrow, as if surprised. "Your technique was sloppy, and you must keep your emotions to yourself. You can't guarantee it will work every time just because you did it once...."

"R-Right... Th..Thank you, Lord Caspiel." Darius bowed quickly, sitting down next to the tray.

"Now... I suggest you sit down, eat, practice a few more times... Then sleep... You've worked hard today..." Caspiel would glance at Darius as he walked towards the door. "Oh... And I suggest trying the pastries... I hear they're really good...." He would exit the room, the closing door echoing behind him as he went, leaving Darius alone to eat in thought.

I... I think I'm going to like this place... He'd smile faintly, taking a bite of the pastry, glancing around the room, a new sort of pride expanding in his chest.

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So... That was Training Hall! I really made it for two main reasons... One, to show a bit of character developpment I made for Darius and Caspiel, and two, to do a bit more behind the scenes work on the lives of our characters quite a few years before the Haunted cast steps into their lives... I eventually want to work my characters into a story of their own, and that's the main reason why the second book is so delayed, because I really want to work out all the kinks and such, as well as get to know my own characters a bit more... I also want to post something before I'm going to be away for three days... And I wanted to apologize for being so lazy... So I'll say this... SORRY SORRY SORRY for not getting out a chapter in a while.... The reason, I think I made clear but... I probably should have explained more clearly... So sorry... You guys don't deserve this... Truly.... Now... That's all, I believe. Hope you enjoyed this! (Also, sorry if there are any spelling errors, my computer is acting up, and every word is highlighted as wrong, so.... Ehhh....) ~Dream

---(Picture was made from a base, I do not own it, but couldn't find the original artist. If someone finds him/her, please tell me. The hair and clothes, however, were mine, as well as coloring the eyes a different shade.)---