All in
Benestam
Jasper Hu
All in
Benestam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxJJF0uUB3E
About The Author Hi! I’m Jasper Hu, a 4th year English major student currently studying in Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages. This is my first time writing a novel, which is assigned by my English writing teacher, Smith. The story combines with a lot of ideas I got from adventurous stories I have read and heard in the past.
Hope you would enjoy my story.
Have you ever thought your life at school would be changed because of a rumor? Or have you ever thought one of the people around you might be a wizard in disguise? I had never had the thoughts above until they all happened to me‌
Contents Chapter 1
The Rumors------------------------1
Chapter 2
A Competition---------------------9
Chapter 3
A Tragedy in the Past-----------16
Chapter 4
The Riddles-----------------------25
Chapter 5
The Truth-------------------------30
Chapter 6
A Real Fight----------------------38
Chapter 7
The Final Answer----------------45
Words checked = [4124]
Words in Oxford 3000™ = [93%]
Chapter I The Rumors “Mom, I’m home!” “I received your score report from Benestam High School today, Hastings. You did a good job again!” My mom shouts from the kitchen. Yeah, again. I’m fed up with being at the top of my classes all my life. “Um-hum.” I reply, then go watch TV on a sofa. As she finishes household duties, she comes forward sitting next to me. “So, how’s everything going with Viola? You didn’t mention of her 1
these days.” she asks. Viola has been my best friend since I was five. We play and study together almost every day. She’s at my age, a couple of inches shorter than me, and has a great figure. However, she’s the most mature and rational person I have ever seen. “Uh, I don’t know.” I drop the words, leaving my mom doubtful, and immediately go upstairs to my room. I definitely don’t want to discuss this topic by now because it reminds me of my regrets. *** 2
Here’s how things happened. Two months ago, I was just a transfer student at Benestam High School, a private campus which had a long history in Phoenix. My life in this new place started off well in the first few days. I loved the environment, had new friends, and participated in my favorite club, the sword-fighting club, in which I got my favorite teacher, professor Su. He has been my favorite teacher at Benestam since I enrolled. He was around 70 and covered his face with a gauze mask all the time. Despite 3
his age, he was surprisingly sophisticated in sword-fighting. That was the main reason I admired him. However, there’s something weird about him. He always brought a cane with him everywhere, at any moment. Nobody knew why. Rumor had it that he was a wizard, but I thought that was too hilarious. No matter what, he gave me a practicing sword when we first met, but told me not to use it unless it was an emergency. I didn’t get it. Until one day, while having history class, I heard two girls sitting behind me speaking in a 4
low voice. “He’s returning to school this year. Can you believe that?” “Who’s returning?” “That evil wizard… ” “You mean the wicked wizard who once tried to destroy Benestam a hundred years ago? Of course, I do. It scares me to death, and professor Su is quite suspicious.” “Come on,” I think to myself. “You’re almost adults, how come you take that fairy tale serious?” 5
Soon, the bell rang. I rushed to meet Viola at a cafeteria. “You’re not gonna believe what I just heard.” I told her while we were having lunch. “Keep saying.” She answered with delight. “My classmates said there’s an evil wizard coming back to Benestam, and that’s professor Su, wasn’t it silly?” Viola said nothing. “Viola, are you listening?” “Uh, yeah. I’m afraid they are right.” “Are you kidding me? That sounded like a fairy 6
tale!” I replied with surprise. “No, I’m not! I’ve heard it since I enrolled here two years ago. This year is the year.” She claimed. I giggled, “You sound just like a kid.” “Don’t call me like that,” She called out. “If you don’t believe me, go have a look of the statue in the center of the fountain beside the gym. It tells the story of that wizard.” “Sorry, I can’t stop laughing.” All of a sudden, Viola put down her fork. “I’ve had enough. I’ll find the evidence on MY OWN 7
and prove it to you.� Then she walked away. Since that day, I haven’t talked to Viola. It was the first time I saw her being so tough. *** I lie on my bed thinking about her words, and determine to figure out what she exactly meant, but not so soon. Tomorrow will be a big day for me.
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Chapter 2 A Competition The next day, I run to school as fast as I can. It’s not because I’m late for school, but there’s a sword-fighting competition which is a traditional game in Benestam. Two of the best students in the sword-fighting club will be the competitors in the fight. It’s a bit embarrassing to mention, but I still have to say I’m one of the participants in the game. The other is Lawrence, my biggest opponent in the high school. 9
He’s a year older than me and has a gorgeous appearance. Also, his sword-fighting skills are way better than mine. One thing odd about him is that he seems to dislike me, ONLY. As I arrive at the gym, there’s already a crowd been waiting outside, so I hurry to the preparation room. Reluctantly, I have to meet Lawrence there. “Look who’s here.” Lawrence calls out with irony. “I’ll show you what I’ve got.” I reply. Lawrence holds his fist intending to punch me on 10
my face. “Wait and see how I knock you down.” “You wish!” I show no fear. We quickly finish dressing up, and can’t wait to have a real fight, with swords of course.
“Welcome to the biggest event in Benestam,” claims the referee. “As usual, the prize of the winner is to be a year-free buffet. Now, give a big hand for Hastings and Lawrence, and let the competition begin!” I move forward to the center of the gym, and expect to see Viola show up in the crowd, but she 11
doesn’t. Instead, on both sides, a large amount of students is holding their breath to watch the competition. Lawrence and I bow first. “Go!” The referee declares. The crowd goes silent. In the beginning, Lawrence shows me pushes and shield blocks the hard way. With every swipe, I got battered and a little bruised. I keep my guard up. Whap! Whap! I try to fight back. “Not bad” Lawrence takes my attack. His eyes 12
narrow down, and he starts to press me with more force. Just as I feel so hopeless, I glance at the crowd, and
see
professor
Su,
the
instructor
of
sword-fighting club, swaying the cane he always brings with him. Then something strange happens. I can feel a warm flow in my body. I block down Lawrence’s charge, and swipe my sword at him. Still, he takes my attack, but seems surprised I can be that skillful. Soon, I find his defense down, I swipe hard on 13
his shield. It cracks. The audience exclaim with excitement. As Lawrence trying to fight back, I swipe on his sword again. It snaps into two pieces. This time, the students are frightened. So AM I!
“Okay, apparently, the winner is Hastings!” The referee announces. Everyone is speechless. Suddenly, the crowd goes wild and calls out my name. Lawrence seems to be pissed off, and runs out of the gym. “Maybe I need some explanation from professor 14
Su.” I think to myself when I’m back to myself. “Does he really have some connection with that so-called fairy tale?” Viola, I need your help!
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Chapter 3 A Tragedy in The Past At the moment, all I can think of is the statue Viola mentioned before. So I rush directly to the fountain
beside
the
gym
right
after
the
competition. It’s just like Viola said. A statue in the form of a wizard is standing in the middle of the fountain. In addition, there’s cuboid stepped by that wizard. I can see some writing on it, so I walk closer to have a look. “The notorious wizard, being temporarily defeated by the president on 1903. If 16
he returns, TEAR DOWN BENESTAM!” It says. I feel shocked after seeing the writing. “So that wizard did exist! If he returns… What exactly does it mean? And tear down Benestam?! In what way could we tear down such an enormous place?” I have so many doubts in mind. Soon after, someone taps me on the shoulder from behind, I turn. “Viola, it’s you! I have a bunch of things need to ask you. You were right. Professor Su…” She interrupts me as I call out in delight. “I know what was going on with professor Su, 17
and I guess you would come to check this statue, so I’ve been here waiting for you. Also, I bring someone to tell you something.” Viola says calmly, making me have more questions. Several meters away, I see Lawrence coming toward us. “Lawrence? Will he do us any good?” I whisper to Viola agitatedly. “You’ll see.” She responds while Lawrence is approaching. Before I say anything, Lawrence speaks first. “Hastings, I think you have already felt that 18
there’s something wrong with professor Su.” “That’s true, but aren’t you supposed to be mad right now?” “I apologize for all the things I’ve done to you. The only reason I hurt you was to protect you.” “Protect me? How come? You’re confusing me.” “To tell the truth, professor Su indeed is the wizard that’s returning, and you’ll be the only one to stop his conspiracy!” Lawrence affirms. He seems so firm that there’s no way I don’t believe him, even though I’m totally confused with what he’s telling me. “But why is it me? 19
What’s his conspiracy?” Lawrence takes out a book covered with dust. “The president on the writing was actually my grandpa.” “Are you kidding me? That’s insane!” I shout. “I mean it.” Lawrence continues. “My dad gave me this book which is written by my grandpa’s secretary. It said that several decades ago, the infamous wizard came to Benestam to find an ancient sword. The wizard believed that it was the only one thing remained on earth that could break his powerful scepter.” 20
“What could he do with his powerful scepter? Was it like a magic wand?” I ask. “Yes, but a much more powerful wand. He could do anything with his scepter, including creating fire, flood, or even tornado. The first thing he came to Benestam was to find the president, intending to know exactly where the sword was. However, the president told him that the sword was the treasure of Benestam, he could never take it away. Later on, the wizard became furious and started to burn down a lot of building by swaying his scepter.” 21
Viola and I are stunned by Lawrence’s words. “And that was not the worst. The president was so terrified that he tried to grab his scepter, but he failed. Then the wizard turned to him and cast a spell on him, but the president quickly took out a mirror to rebound the spell, and it did work. Though the spell still passed through the mirror and killed my grandpa, but the wizard became fragile. Due to his weakness, he lost his power for a period. Yet, he made one last effort to see things from a crystal ball, in which it showed that in the future, there would be a transfer student at 22
Benestam, and he would be the one to discover the sword and defeat him.” I turn out to be nervous after hearing all this. “So we have to stop him right away!” “Don’t forget to count me in. I’d like to have revenge for my grandpa.” Viola interrupts. “Hey guys, I do not want to spoil your passion, but there’s still one thing left unsolved.
What
does
BENESTAM’ mean?”
23
’TEAR
DOWN
24
Chapter 4 The Riddles As we are wondering how to solve the riddle on the cuboid, a piece of old paper falls from the book. “Look! What’s that on the ground?” I shout. Lawrence picks up the piece of paper. “What does it say? Read it out.” I tell him. “Okay.” Lawrence seems doubtful. “You can tear down anything, literally.” He can’t help but frown. “So it’s another riddle. Maybe the two are 25
connected,” Viola says. “But how?” Three of us become quiet, staring at the paper, and thinking hard to figure out the meaning of the two riddles. Suddenly I break the silence. “I’ve got an idea. In the paper it mentions ‘literally,’ perhaps we can indeed tear down something, such as a word.” “I don’t get it.” Viola sounds confused. Lawrence suddenly sighs. “Sorry, I’d like to find out the answer with you, but I just remember that professor Su asked me to meet him after the competition. I have to go.” 26
“By now? But we’re almost there.” I reply. Lawrence seems reluctant. “I totally understand, but the appointment has been put off for too long. I told him I would congratulate you in person if you won the competition. He might already have had some doubt on me.” “Fine, then go meet him as soon as possible.” I respond. Viola and I watch Lawrence running away with his book. “Never mind,” I tell Viola. “What I want to say is that do you remember the first riddle ‘TEAR 27
DOWN BENESTAM’?” “Yes.” She replies, still with confusion. “Then tear down ‘Benestam’,” I say in delight. “We can get the letters B-E-N-E-S-T-A-M.” We look at each other and here’s another silence. “M-A-S-T? No. N-E-S-T? No.” I murmur, trying my best to combine the letters. “Wait a minute!” I shout.
“I
think
I
have
the
answer.
B-A-S-E-M-E-N-T, basement. It’s basement!” “Wow, you’re a genius!” Viola is surprised to hear the answer. “Hurry, we need to get to the basement right away, before professor Su get the 28
sword!” “Is there a basement on campus?” I ask. “Sure. It’s under the gym. Follow me.” Viola guides me instantly.
You can tear down anything, literally.
29
Chapter 5 The Truth Though the night has already fallen, Viola and I still rush to the gym. It is fortunately left unlocked, so we get in easily. Obviously, the gym at night is unlike the one in the morning. It is empty, and no one else is around here. “Over there, in the corner! There’s a trapdoor, and down under is the basement! ” Viola shouts. As we are getting closer to the trapdoor, both of us become more and more nervous. Thud! A loud noise comes from the basement. It’s 30
like someone is breaking the walls. I run toward the trapdoor. “Look! The door has been opened. Professor Su must be down there.” “AHH!” This time, a man’s yelling comes from the trapdoor. “Hurry up! Someone is in danger!” I cry out. Viola and I go downstairs without hesitation.
The further we go, the darker the place is. As we’re in the basement, what comes into my sight is nothing but darkness. I feel that I have kicked 31
something, and I think it is Viola. “Sorry,” I whisper. “But could you take away your foot stepping on mine?” Viola sounds surprised, whispering. “What? I’m not stepping on your foot. I’m still behind you.” “Whoa, it’s creepy.” I tell Viola. “Wait a second. I think I find the switch.” She says. Then, the dim yellow lights are on. I still can’t see things clear, but the basement is about 79 square feet. There are a lot of cobwebs on the walls. Also, plenty of old books are piled up and 32
scattered everywhere, but I can’t see anyone around. I look down on my foot. “Hey, isn’t this the book Lawrence showed us today? He might be in danger now.” I pick it up and give it to Viola. “Yes, but…” She takes over the book and goes through it quickly, but she seems doubtful. “It’s weird. Only three pages are about the story he told us. The others just have some doodle on them.” “Let me have a look.” She hands it over to me. “It is quite new, and the handwriting, it’s written 33
by Lawrence himself. I’ve seen his before. Why we didn’t find it earlier? He has been lying to us, all the time, from the very beginning! We should have known it!” I look at Viola. “We need to find the sword, RIGHT NOW!” Suddenly, there comes Lawrence’s voice, a lower voice with laughter, but still, I can’t see anyone. “You’re right. I am the wizard. And I set all this up. I cast a spell on Viola to make her mad at you, so you two would in fight. As for the competition, professor Su is nothing but a scapegoat. He has his cane all the time. Everyone knows it. So 34
when you glanced at him, I cast a spell on you, to make you skillful and powerful.” Viola and I are too shocked to speak. “And everything went as I want. I successfully made Viola mad at you, and you became suspicious about professor Su.” “How could you? Then what about the story in the book?” I respond angrily. “Just a book I pick up from here, and I wrote on it. I never thought you two would be so innocent to believe a REAL enemy. Ha! Ha! Ha!” “But why did you give us the paper, to help us 35
know the secret place was here?” Viola asks. “It wasn’t in my plan, so I had to get away before you solve the riddle, but it’s not that necessary now.” “What do you mean?” I shout. As I finish my words, someone shows up from the back of a bookshelf. It’s Lawrence, with a much older look, and in his hand, there’s an old package. “You’re too late. The sword is now mine. Ha! Ha! Ha!” He undoes the package, and the sword appears. It is old and rusty. “As you can see, it’s such a useless sword.” 36
Clang! The sword breaks into two pieces, before Viola and I say a word. “NO!!!” Viola and I cry out. “This time, no one can hurt me. No one! I’m unbeatable. Ha! Ha! Ha!” Lawrence’s laughter is echoing in the basement.
37
Chapter 6 A Real Fight Viola and I are too depressed to see the sword broken. We are extremely disappointed. I take the practicing sword out of my backpack, and charge at Lawrence, but no matter how hard I try, I just can’t get close to him. There seems to be an invisible protection cover around him. “Stop wasting your energy! You’re too young to fight with me.” Lawrence laughs, and then he takes out his scepter and sway. There’s a power pushing me directly onto the wall. 38
“NO!” Viola yells. “Ouch! Why can’t I move? I can’t feel my arms and legs.” I call out nervously. “It feels like an invisible hand pressing on me.” “Just a trick of mine. Regard it as your gift for winning the competition. Ha! Ha!” “You’ll be sorry for this.” I shout. “How could you be so mean?” Viola cries out. “So, young lady, worry about yourself. Your hero seems to be in trouble. I’ll bury you two down here together and go outside to rule the world.” Lawrence smiles evilly, and sways his scepter. 39
There’s a red light shining around the top of his scepter. Not for too long, a fire comes out from nowhere and burns the books around. “Hastings, we need to get out from here right now!” Viola cries beside me, trying to pull me out of the wall. All of a sudden, a familiar sound appears. “You! Lawrence, I should have known it’s you.” “Look! It’s professor Su.” I yell in delight. Lawrence seems as shocked as we are. “Hey, old man, what are you doing here?” “To knock you down again.” Professor Su says 40
calmly. “Ha! Ha! Ha! But how? The sword has been destroyed. There’s nothing can hurt me now.” Lawrence laughs arrogantly. “Oh, really?” Professor Su throws a bottle of potion at Viola. “Let Hastings drink this.” “Okay.” Viola feeds me the potion immediately. As I finish drinking the potion, I feel my arms and legs again. “Professor Su, I…” Before I finish the sentence, professor interrupts me. “Hastings, I’ll explain to you later. Now all you need to do is to hold your 41
practicing sword tightly, as tightly as you can.” Although I don’t understand the purpose, I do what professor Su tells. Something strange happens. The practicing sword is now glowing and glittering. It is no longer a practicing sword. It turns out to be a sword that is likely made for me. I feel so powerful with it in my hand. At the sight of it, Lawrence doesn’t know what to do but panic. “No! No! The sword should have been destroyed. No!” “It’s a great moment. Break his scepter.” Professor Su says to me. I charge at Lawrence 42
again. This time, with the new sword in my hand, I break into the protection cover. “So now who’s in trouble?” I say to Lawrence. Whap! Whap! I swipe on the scepter, and it is broken, into many pieces. “NO!!!!!!” Lawrence screams. With the scepter broken, his life comes in an end, too. Both of them become smoke and disappear into the air. “What?” Viola and I exclaim at the same time. “He relied on his scepter too much. That’s the reason why he had become a part of it. Pretty sad, isn’t it?” Professor Su says. “Let’s get out of here. 43
You two should go home now, it’s quite late. I’ll explain the whole story to you tomorrow.” “Fine, professor Su. But the sword…” “Don’t worry about it! Look!” The sword turns back to how it originally was, a practicing sword. “How could it be?” I exclaim. “Goodnight. Come and meet me tomorrow at the fountain.”
44
Chapter 7 The Final Answer The next morning, I go to school with confusion and excitement. On the way to find professor Su, I meet Viola. “Yesterday was so exciting.” Viola says “Sure. I thought I was going to be dead.” “But you were quite brave.” “Thanks. Look! Professor Su is sitting over there. Let’s go find him.” *** “Good morning, Hastings, Viola.” Professor Su 45
waves at us. “Good morning!” We respond. “A tough night, wasn’t it?” “Of course it was. So many things happened in one day.” I say. Suddenly, professor Su takes off his gauze mask he always wears. It is the first time I see his face. It is normal, but quite familiar. Then I recall of a picture hanging on the wall of the main building. “Whoa! You are the president who once defeated the wizard.” I surprisingly look at professor Su, or should I say, the principle. 46
“You’re right. I have been in disguise for many years for fear that the wizard came back.” “No wonder you never take off the mask. Wait a second, no offense, how could you live that long?” Viola asks. “Rumor has it wrong. It has been only fifty years since I defeated the wizard.” “I see.” “You two might desperately want to know what happened yesterday. Actually, it was me who put the piece of paper inside Lawrence’s book. Two days ago, I saw him in the library writing 47
something on the book with an evil smile, so I thought that he might be doing something bad. Later on, when he went to the restroom, I went through what he wrote quickly. Then, from the part of transfer student, I found you two were going to be in trouble, so I stuffed the piece of paper inside to help you solve the riddle.” “What about the potion and the sword?” I ask. “I have been analyzing the wizard’s magic power for a long time, so I found the prescription to remove all his magic power.
48
As for the sword, I gave it to you the day I meet you. Indeed, most of Lawrence’s story was true except for the part indicating I was his grandfather.” “But why would the sword glow and glitter?” I ask. “When the sword’s with the right owner, and the owner is in danger, the sword will show its true color. That’s why it became that powerful. 49
Remember I told you to use it unless an emergency, right? Also, the writing on the statue was just there to mislead the wizard. I couldn’t let him know the real sword was given to you, so I put a fake one in the basement.” “Whoa, professor Su, uh sorry, principle Su, Thank you for helping us all the time.” I tell him respectfully. “A piece of cake. By the way, just call me professor Su. It’s a secret between three of us.” After saying this, he puts up his mask again, and walks back to his office. 50
“So, let’s go to the classroom together, Hastings.” Viola says. “Great.” Since that day, the whole school is still talking about the wicked wizard, but professor Su, Viola, and I are the ones who know that he will never return. By the way, as we are approaching the fountain, I see the basement in the gym has been sealed off. The riddle now no longer needs to be solved by anyone.
-THE END51
References Cover picture: www.123rf.com
Inside pictures: www.123rf.com www.crystalgraphics.com pixabay.com
Hastings has been a transfer student at Benestam High School for only two months. Rumor has it that the wizard who once destroyed the campus is now returning! With weird things happen around him, Hastings begins to feel the hazard of the school, and intends to figure out the truth. He is now heading to an exciting adventure he never thought he would be involved in‌