Chapter 69 - Preparation for the Magic Contest of the Decade(3)

"My dear, let me introduce the Ice Golems to you" said the magician Knudlac to the children, showing them two ice giants, at least ten feet high, who stood side by side, still and motionless. 'We're here to study them and see how you could overcome them in the first test you have to pass. As far as I know, they're not too vulnerable. Only a dragon could destroy them. But, if you manage to confuse them for a few moments, you'll win the first test. You just have to help each other and think like one. Become a united team to win."
The children got closer to those lifeless giants.
Johnny noticed they were very cold, like the ice you feel tingling when you put your hand on it, when he made the mistake of touching them.
'Alexander. What would you do if you were to defeat such a creature as the ice Golems?"
'I'd try to melt them ..."
'It's good. Johnny, what would you do?"
'Freeze them," he replied quickly.
At such words, anyone could laugh loud, as Alexander did, or at least smiled, as Elizabeth did. But not the professor who stopped walking around the golem and looked at Alexander seriously. As soon as he felt the sharp gaze, the young boy stopped laughing.
'I wanted to say that ... I'd somehow make him stay in place. Somehow disable him…"
'Yes, now I got what you meant. This way is good too. Elizabeth, what would you do?"
The girl thought a little, and then she spoke:
'I'd let Alexander and Johnny deal with the Golems, melt them or ‘freeze' them, to pass all three tests to win the Divine Parchment."
Mr. Knudlac smiled as he didn't expect such an honest answer. But this answer still made him happy.
'How do you know the great prize is a Divine Parchment?" asked Professor Knudlac.
'I read about the Magic Contest of the Decade. I got that the prize for each event in the contest now is a single parchment. That only one member of the team can learn ... unlike ten years ago. And I read some other things about ..."
'Yes, I heard enough," Professor Knudlac stopped her. 'I'm glad you read about the contest."
He looked at the boys questioningly. But he looked for nothing. It seems even Alexander didn't think of reading about the conditions of the contest, then Johnny, even if asked to do so, probably wouldn't do it.
'I told you, my dear, knowledge is the most important."
He gave a sign to the children to approach him and continued:
'This is how the Magic Contest of the Decade will take place. The rules change... The three members of a team won't get to the last test, as in the previous contest. This time, after each test the team gives up one of their colleagues. And this happens depending on your actions. No matter how things go, you have to act properly. Without bothering one another ..."
The children nodded in agreement that they got it and would comply with the requirements.
'Okay ... I'll let you look at the Golem carefully. Find out his weaknesses, if he has something like that, learn about him. And think together how you could get through the first test. No one knows more than Nakutsck. He's in charge of this test."
Knudlac smiled at the children, happy they were paid close attention to the frozen creature, trying to find his weaknesses.
'I'm sure you'll do it. Alexander and Johnny, you two have on the desks in your rooms a copy of this year's contest rules. Elizabeth, you can rest, relax or walk around the castle, given that you already read it."
Alexander and Johnny looked down as if they were punished. Even though Knudlac didn't scold them ... they were ashamed, for a reproach is tougher when it's not spoken, but it's thought.
The professor greeted them and slowly moved away, leaving them busy with their research.
The three children kept looking at the Golem. They discussed what to do during the test; they knew pretty nothing about it.
It was obvious that Alexander and Johnny didn't agree on how they'd manage to pass the first test.
"Fire ... fire melts ice," Alexander said.
'But there may be more. You can't melt them all. And then you heard their breath can put out that fire."
'And then what do you propose, freeze them? Freeze ... ice?"
'Guys, if we quarrel we don't get anywhere. We should analyse the situation first, and then choose the best option," the girl intervened.
'What does a girl know?" Alexander asked. 'And especially one who just found out what magic means."
'Maybe it would be better to read what Mr. Knudlac left us about Golems. Maybe we can find something out there about them ... how we could destroy them," Johnny told Alexander.
'Well, Princess Elizabeth Catherine Edwards read the rules. She can tell us if they wrote something about how to fight them," Alexander said ironically.
'They don't say anything about it, it's just rules of participation," replied the girl as if it was her fault they didn't write anything in that regulation about how they could fight against the ice creatures.
There were also the other teams there to compete with Elmbridge Magic School to win the Divine Parchment. Professor Hikaiddo's students and the elf girls's team. As even their coaches asked them read that regulation, Alexander and Johnny concluded it was best to go and do the same.
And Elizabeth, as Mr. Knudlac also said, could do whatever she wanted.