Chapter Four
Life for the boys changed drastically after their ninth Visiting Day.
Their childhood was over. School, which before had been relaxed and
easy, now became deadly serious. They knew that after this next
Visitation Day would come their first level Tests, and their first year
in
The Games, which were very important to them. The higher you scored in
The Tests, and the higher your rank in The Games would determine your
status in society. Failing in either below certain marks, would mean
the loss of positions. The winning of high scores in both, would mean
the choice of any career you wanted in your twentieth year, so winning
was extremely important.
2 North was pleased to have his friend Morn assigned to the same class
he was in. At least there would be friendliness from ONE student. The
boys' class day was split into four parts....two study sessions, early
morning and early afternoon. The first physical training period
was devoted to developing flying, running and climbing abilities and
the second, to combat techniques.
3 North did well in his physical training, but with Test after primary
Test he saw his grades falling in two subjects. Though he spoke well,
he had great difficulty in mastering written language and math. His
father and mother, realizing his difficulty, tried to help, but his
mother could barely read, and knew nothing of math. His father was kept
terribly busy with his command duties. They could do little. But one
day North received help from an unexpected source.
4 After mid-year Tests the other boys were, as usual, at
the readout screen in the school corridor, awaiting the results.
Slowly, in alphabetical order, each boy's grades were posted. North
read his friend Morn's with envy. He scored high in everything. He had
the highest scores in his class, even in the whole school.
5 The other boys always grumbled when they saw his scores.
"Half-blood!" some of them would whisper, "He doesn't