Alexander got that of all, the white wizard saw him as an important competitor, which made him walk even prouder on that ice that was everywhere. As if he could be prouder than he usually is. He should be careful with that ice, not to let his pride slip out there, Johnny thought.
As for Elizabeth, she was more excited than anyone at everything she saw. A temple, a castle or whatever this building was, made of frozen water. A place where wizards could live without any problem. And where even sceptics could live without any problem.
Near Nakutsck's ice throne were two huge bears. Magic guardians, as white as the snow outside and very calm, as if they were Labrador puppies. Still, they were real, big bears.
On the walls, the usual paintings depicted the lives of the greatest wizards who lived in this temple. They were all as white as Nakutsck. All of them managed to easily control the power of ice, blizzard and snowstorms.
Johnny was just as excited as Elizabeth. He followed the girl everywhere. This is because, unlike Alexander, who belonged to a rich family of wizards, thus being able to visit a lot of destinations, Johnny never had the chance to see such places and things ... completely frozen.
"My dear, sit down at this table, please."
In the great hall there were three tables also carved from ice. Knudlac, the children and their companions sat at the table in the middle.
"You arrived first. The others must show up at any time. Dear Knudlac, you'll have a surprise. I bet you didn't even imagine it. This year the girls from the Magic School in Vienna don't come. Other competitors will come instead."
He didn't finish saying these words and a few wizards appeared through portals created from nothing.
They came one at a time and the white wizard introduced them, bowing his head in respect for them:
"The wizard Klaan Baater, from the mystical regions of deep Asia. He'll be a jury member ... with me, of course."
The Asian wizard looked like a perfect warrior. He had a burn on his face near his right eye, which he most certainly gained fighting with wizards of black magic. He also greeted the others in the same way he was greeted by the white wizard. After being asked to sit at the jury table, the newly arrived wizard sat down with the opulence of a true king who sits on his throne.
Again, a portal opened and again, another wizard appeared.
"Lady Margaret Speedwell, welcome. Distinguished Countess of Speedwell is the third member of the jury."
A short chunky lady, wearing fancy clothes, sat next to the great wizard warrior, Klaan Baater.
Another portal and a group of wizards dressed ... like a group of martial arts fighters.
The professor and the three boys were dressed as warriors, who wore on their equipment a coat of arms with a tiger whose fur was replaced by flames. And their weapons to be feared were neither more nor less than wands.
"Master Hikaiddo Chong. Please sit down at this table."
The white wizard turned to Knudlac's table.
"Hikaiddo Master's students are the second team to compete at the Magic Contest of the Decade."
The same greeting from Professor Hikaiddo's fighters to all those present. The three boys greeted respectfully everyone, hands clasped together at the chest level, slightly bowing down.
"Only the third team has to come," said white wizard Nakutsck, looking at Knudlac with a sly smile that could be seen even under that thick, white beard with which the wizard was endowed.
He looked at his watch.
"And ... the fourth jury that comes with them."
Finally a new portal was opened.
"Look, they're coming."
Some handsome men and pretty ladies came, more handsome than they had ever seen. With a posture like Achilles's warriors, and the elegance of princes and princesses, with flawless skin ... their ears were pointed, but they were beautiful.
Two girls and a boy with the same pointed ears were accompanied by a gentleman and a lady with the same type of ears. They all had long, beautiful hair. The lady and one of the girls had black hair like the darkest night, and the others looked as if they had sunbeams on their heads.
"Princess Eyoween ... Lord Tbylisyum," the white wizard greeted the other two with great respect. "It's a great honour for us to have you here."
Nakutsck took a peek at each one who arrived before. He thought they'd be amazed to see who showed up.
But he was wrong. The other wizards weren't surprised ... they were amazed and happy to see those creatures. Everyone there who understood what happened was stunned.
"Thank you, Princess Eyoween and Lord Tbylisyum for accepting to participate for the first time in a magic contest with ... people."
Then he turned to the others very happy to see some of the wizards still found it difficult to hide their joy and surprise.
"Dear ones, Princess Eyoween and Lord Tbylisyum and those who accompany them aren't people like us, as we used to see the participants in this magic contest. They are…"
"Forest elves ...," Master Hikaiddo couldn't help saying. "It's a great honour," he greeted them with great respect. "The purest creatures in the universe ..."
Elizabeth was only now amazed when she heard what the white wizard and professor Hikkaido just said.
With people? But aren't they people too? They seem to be people, the girl thought. The elves, like the stone ones, aren't as beautiful as these creatures, Miss Edwards concluded.
But she found out the answer immediately.
"We're glad to have with us the fourth wizard who's part of the jury, Princess of the Western Tree Kingdom. The leader of the elves in the Western Tree Forest Lady Eyoween ... and the Lord Leader of the Elves Army of the Western Tree Kingdom, the Tbylisyum wizard who honours us with the presence of the students from the Elffas School of Magic."
Wizard Nakutsck showed the forest elves the table where they were to sit. They sat at the table with an elegance that couldn't be expressed in words. They seemed to float…so smoothly they moved.
They were admired by all, including the professors and wizards who were present, whether they belonged to the school participating in the contest or were part of the jury. Such elegance and beauty amazed even the all-knowing Knudlac.
"What are the forest elves?" Elizabeth asked Johnny.
But the only answer the young boy in awe could give was:
"They're.. elves."