by Logan Jacobs
“Unholy fuck,” Morgana whispered. “I didn’t expect her to drink it like that.”
“Why not?” Beatrix asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Because as she said, it’s an excruciating process,” the bookish brunette explained. “She’s making light of it, but any shape-shifting spell causes terrible agony.”
“Good to know,” Akira mumbled.
“Oh, we’ll be fine,” Circe whispered as her serpentine eyes darted around the table. “If you want to talk about pain, being burned at the stake is no walk through the potion shop.”
An awkward silence filled the air as the women glanced unknowingly at one another until Nyx clicked her tongue and looked down at her hands.
“Err, what makes you think we’ll be drinking the brew?” the red-horned witch asked.
“Yeah.” Beatrix nodded. “Isn’t she simply demonstrating for the class?”
“Now, what would be the point in that?” Circe responded with a cool smile. “Anyway, you’d all better turn your attention to her… I believe the transformation is about to begin.”
Everyone’s lips clamped shut as we focused on the silver-haired professor, and in moments, her skin began to glow like a light illuminated inside her. Then her eyes widened with pain as two perfect, black-feathered wings sprouted out from her back and fluttered behind her. She stifled a cry as the appendages grew larger and wider, and when the process was complete, her teal eyes glistened with tears.
However, despite the pain she was clearly under, there was no denying how magnificent she looked. Her massive swan-like wings fluttered like two giant ebony fans, and her skin was iridescent and as bright as starlight.
She looked like a goddess of pure evil, ready to wreak havoc and deliver retribution upon her enemies.
“As you can see,” she breathed. “I wasn’t exaggerating.”
The entire class broke into thunderous applause, and a small blush spread across the professor’s face as she gazed upon the students.
“Alright, quite enough of that,” she said with a dismissive wave of her hand. “Now, it’s your turn… are you ready to turn yourselves into the epitome of the Elder Gods?”
In a flash, the clapping quickly died down, and everyone turned to look at each other with a tint of fear in their eyes. The Elder Gods were our enemy, and turning ourselves into their image didn’t sit well with me, but then again, what choice did we have?
We’d have to complete the assignment and be careful in doing so. Otherwise, it might cost us our lives.
Chapter 9
My table stared at each other with pale faces and quivering lips, but the only witch who didn’t seem bothered by the prospect of creating a brew to sprout elder wings was the calm Circe.
If anything, she looked like an excited young Wicca about to learn her first incantation.
“Professor Olivia may look stunning,” Vesta whispered as the silver-haired witch began to hand out ingredients to each table, “but I don’t want to even think about turning myself into one of those fucks.”
“You’re not turning yourself into one,” Morgana reminded her. “You’re just creating the illusion of one.”
“Still,” the green-haired witch pouted. “It sends a shiver down my spine, and not in a thrilling erotic way. In the bad and disgusting way.”
“Just think about how beautiful you’ll look,” the bookish brunette teased. “Even more than you already are.”
Vesta playfully stuck out her tongue, but I could still see the uncertainty in her glittering eyes.
“It will be fine,” I said as I glanced around the table. “Just trust me.”
“Yes, master,” my coven echoed as the professor neared our table.
“Here you are,” the silver-haired witch purred as she set down a cauldron and a handful of the ingredients. “You can begin as soon as you’re ready.”
“Thank you, Professor,” Morgana replied with a tiny nod. “We’re very excited to have you here in Scholomance.”
“Why, thank you.” Professor Olivia smiled before she spun her green skirts and made her way back to the front of the room.
“Kiss ass,” Akira snickered.
“Shut up,” the brunette snapped with furrowed eyebrows.
We stared down at the ingredients on the table and waited a moment before Circe reached over, snatched the radix viridi root off the table, and then brought it closer to her.
“I’ll cut the root if no one has any objections,” the blonde witch drawled.
“Go for it,” Nyx answered as she reached for the jar of hibil herbs.
“And I’ll take care of the Mediocris Sanguinis,” Penelope remarked with a small smile.
“Then, I suppose the rest of us will supervise,” Morgana said as her blue eyes darted around the table.
“Sounds good to me.” Akira grinned as she leaned back in her chair and folded her hands behind her head.
“I can be the first one to taste the potion,” I offered. “In case anyone has any fears of going first.”
“But, master.” Faye frowned. “What if it isn’t safe? One of us should since the blood pact means we won’t die.”
“Yeah,” Beatrix added as she nervously tugged at one of her necklaces. “You heard what the professor said… if done incorrectly, the side effects can be lethal.”
“I’m not worried about it.” I smirked. “I trust you all.”
The women blushed, and a few of them tried to hide their proud smiles as they started to concoct the ancient brew.
I carefully watched as Circe cut the strange-looking root into four equal parts and placed them into the cauldron. Then Nyx retrieved a small dose of the hibil herbs and let the particles scatter into the pot. Her cobalt eyebrows were pinched in concentration as she let the last bits fall into the pot, and when there were no more herbs left in her blue fingers, Morgana pulled out her wand and then aimed it at the two ingredients inside the cauldron.
“Illuminana,” the brunette whispered.
The cauldron glowed with tangerine tinted flames, and soon, the familiar smell of lavender and dying roses wafted up to our nostrils.
“We need to wait three minutes,” Faye reminded the group.
“Yep.” Akira leaned forward. “Okay. I’m actually excited about this.”
We all watched in fascination as smoke erupted from the brew, and once again, I could feel myself growing lightheaded, but I pushed through the sensation and focused on the potion instead.
After three minutes passed, Penelope reached for the bright red vial of Mediocris Sanguinis and carefully removed the cork before she added ten drops into the concoction.
Crimson puffs of smoke spurted into her face, and she stifled a cough as a light pink cloud of smoke drifted from the cauldron. The rest of the class completed this step, and now, the smell of roses and spiced florals greatly overpowered the room. It grew more difficult to breathe with each passing second, and soon, the class was covered in a thick pink fog.
“Well,” Professor Olivia coughed. “It seems we’re all nearly finished… don’t forget to carefully mix the brew once the last ingredient has been added.”
“I’ll do that part,” Akira insisted before she aimed her wand at the wooden spoon Professor Olivia left us.
The black-eyed witch muttered a spell, and in seconds the spoon began to swirl the contents together.
“Make sure it’s an even consistency,” Beatrix reminded her.
“I know,” Akira snapped. “I also took notes, remember?”
“I was just saying…” the light-haired brunette mumbled.
“Okay!” Akira smiled after a minute of stirring. “There are no clumps, and it looks as smooth as silk.”
“Great,” I commended before I grabbed the empty vial on the table. “Now, for the moment of truth.”
The women stared at me with concerned eyes as I scooped up a full portion of the mixture into the vial, but before I tossed it down my throat, I looked at the others and then b
ack at the orange brew.
“Here goes nothing,” I said before I leaned my head back and drank the entire concoction in one go.
The potion was bitter, sour, spicy, and sweet all at once, and it made my face scrunch up in distaste as the thick liquid slowly seeped down my throat. All my taste buds felt like they were on fire, and my stomach protested when I drank every last drop.
“Fuck,” I groaned. “She wasn’t kidding… this stuff tastes like demon piss.”
“How do you feel?” Circe asked after a moment. “I don’t think anyone else has drunk theirs yet.”
“Well--” I began, but then my entire body violently quivered, and I nearly dropped the vial.
“Cole?” Morgana gasped with wide, terrified blue eyes. “Are you alright?”
“Give it a moment,” Circe purred in a slow and calm voice.
I squeezed my eyes shut as a jolt of fiery energy coursed through my body and overtook my senses. The room spun, my eyes watered, and my mouth felt as dry as sandpaper.
“Is he going to be okay?” Penelope demanded in a terrified voice. “He can’t even speak.”
“Just watch,” Circe said in a passive tone. “If he were going to combust, then it would have already happened.”
I could feel the class watching me as I crouched down in my chair and struggled to breathe. When I gazed down at my trembling hands, they were glowing like fireflies, and I could feel a sharp pain poking at each shoulder blade.
“Fuck,” I growled through gritted teeth.
Before the others could say another word, I felt something emerging from my back, and when I stood up from my chair, the entire classroom gasped.
I knew everyone was staring at my new pair of wings, and when the pain slowly left my body, I could feel the feathered appendages fluttering behind me. They were so enormous that they curled over my body and wrapped around my entire frame like a cocoon. They were a deep crimson shade, and I immediately noticed they were the same color as my red shadow double.
“Wow,” Akira was the first to comment. “You look badass, master.”
“Indeed,” Circe whispered as she pushed back her long blonde hair.
“How do you feel now?” Morgana asked with wide blue eyes.
“Incredible,” I breathed. “You have to try it.”
The women turned to look at each other, and not one of us noticed Professor Olivia standing at the edge of our table until she whistled and clapped.
“Excellent work,” she purred before she met my eyes.
“Thank you,” I answered as I worked to mantle my wings. “It was a joint effort.”
“But of course.” She nodded before she quickly turned to look at the rest of the class and place her hands on her wide hips. “Well, what are the rest of you waiting for? Go on and try it!”
As the silver-haired witch slowly sauntered away from our group, Vesta leaned toward the cauldron and picked up the empty vial I left on the table.
“Bottoms up!” the elvish witch exclaimed before she scooped up a serving and then tossed it back like a goblet of wine.
In seconds she went through the same obvious pain I’d just endured, but soon, her vibrant lavender skin glowed like a beam of lilac light, and her eyes widened as large, silver wings sprouted from her back like a flower in bloom.
Her wings were the same shade of silver as her eyes, and the new appendages sparkled like diamonds under the classroom candlelight while her eyes glowed like silver starlight.
“Fuck!” Akira grinned as she eyed the elegant witch from head to toe. “Damn, Vesta… I never thought you could look more beautiful than you already do, but Satan… you’re taking my fucking breath away.”
“It does feel lovely,” Vesta purred as she twirled around in a graceful circle. “The rest of you should try it now before you lose your nerve.”
The others quickly nodded in agreement, and each one took their turn to sip the potion.
By the time the cauldron was empty, each witch had a new pair of stunning wings fluttering behind them, and I couldn’t help but gape at their glorious beauty. As they stood before me, I marveled at their glowing skin and eyes, and it was like their blood was made from sunlight. Although I preferred their natural beauty, I had to admit this elder and angelic disguise was a breathtaking sight to behold.
The clever Morgana ended up with a gleaming purple set of wings that shone like expensive silk under the candlelight, and she grinned from ear to ear as they obediently danced behind her like two giant butterflies. Her pale blue eyes were now glittering like two pools of enchanted water, and her skin was the color of pale moonlight.
Then Circe sprouted a pair of sunshine yellow wings that almost matched her shimmering blonde hair, and the two extensions glittered like the early morning sun each time she moved her elegant frame. Her pupils were no longer in the shape of slits, but instead, they were wide, round, and as black as night, while the irises shone like raw emeralds.
Meanwhile, Faye smiled as forest green wings extended out from her back, and the deep earthy color contrasted beautifully against her blood-red hair. It was the perfect color to match her wild, nature-loving character. Now, her natural green eyes were more gold than green, and they dazzled like an enchanted forest under the dim classroom candlelight.
The orange-haired Penelope giggled in delight as a pair of rose-pink wings fluttered behind her like two giant silken fans, and they danced and caught the light with each light flutter. Her dark doll-like eyes were a shade lighter, and now they twinkled like autumn leaves blowing through the wind beneath a lazy afternoon sun.
Then, as the remaining witches continued to morph, no one was surprised when Akira ended up with a raven-black pair of goddess-like wings. The dark feathery texture matched her black, glimmering exotic eyes and short ebony hair, and as she marveled at her new features, we could tell how damn pleased she was with herself.
Soon, Nyx sprouted a set of sapphire blue wings that matched her hair and glowing, velvety cobalt skin, and for some reason, she reminded me of a flying horned demon who roamed the pits of hell. She was a stunning sight to behold, and her indigo eyes sparkled like two gems buried underneath a shimmering surface of clear ocean water.
Finally, the shy and awkward Beatrix was the last one to sip the brew, and when she did, she grew a pair of pale gold wings that made her dark eyes stand out like two mahogany pools of rich, iridescent dark chocolate.
“We look fucking incredible!” Akira gushed with excitement as her dark eyes wandered around the table.
“We really do,” I remarked, and I studied each stunning witch. “Well done.”
“Thank you, master,” my coven responded in unison.
We watched as the rest of the class drank their potions and slowly morphed into Elder replicas, and soon, various colored wings shone throughout the classroom. The air buzzed with excitement as students regarded each other with wide eyes and broad grins.
“Well, look at that,” Circe said with a coy smile. “No one died… you must be relieved.”
“Did many students die during their lessons when you were studying?” Morgana asked with wide, sky-blue eyes.
“Mmmmm,” the blonde witch hummed as she placed a finger against her full pink lips. “I can’t fully recall… but probably. Oh, yeah! One time, I remember a best friend of mine, she had long, beautiful red hair… remarkably similar to yours, Faye, but she wasn’t nearly as pretty. Anyway, we were brewing a potion for hexes and curses, and she added a frog’s eye into the mixture instead of a newt eye… and the next thing you know, bam! Her entire face melted right off, and then she died.”
We all took a moment to absorb the older Wicca’s story, and I noticed Faye’s face went pale as snow and her red lips were parted open in shock. The others also looked utterly taken aback, except for Akira and Nyx, who were both stifling a laugh.
“It isn’t funny, Akira!” Morgana snapped before she turned to look at the blonde witch with a sympathetic frown. “I’m so
sorry about your friend, Circe.”
“It’s quite alright.” Circe shrugged. “She did steal my favorite quill… so I guess karma can be a bitch, huh?”
“Not as big of a bitch as Akira,” Morgana mumbled.
“You know you love me,” the black-eyed witch teased as she blew a kiss at the fuming brunette.
Before Morgana could offer another insult, the silver-haired professor clapped her hands to get the class’ attention.
“Now, I know this is all terribly exciting,” Professor Olivia bellowed, “but we need to carry on with the class. You have your wings, but now, it’s time to test them out.”
“Wait,” Beatrix asked with panic filled eyes. “Does she mean… we’re going to fly?”
“I fucking hope so,” Akira breathed as she glanced at each of us. “Satan, that would be epic.”
“So,” the silver-haired witch continued as she rubbed her hands together. “Without further ado, let’s take this lesson outside!”
Before anyone had time to react, the entire class filled with purple smoke, and I could feel my body tossing and turning as I traveled through the air.
The sensation finally came to a stop, and when the smoke cleared, we found ourselves standing in a vast open green field with a clear blue sky above us. Each student looked around the empty realm with nervous eyes, and I could feel a mixture of tension and apprehension spreading through the air.
“Now, stop looking so skittish!” Professor Olivia quipped. “You’ve already gone through the hard part.”
“She has a point,” Faye muttered as she looked at each of us. “I’ll bet you it’s even easier than riding a dragon.”
“You’ve ridden dragons?” Circe asked as she flicked her forked tongue like an eager, hungry snake.
“Err, yeah… we rode them during the battle, remember?” Faye affirmed. “We also rode them during a lesson, just to prepare us.”
“Faye was a natural,” Morgana mentioned with a proud smile.
“Ahhh,” Circe cooed under her breath. “Yes, that’s right… I remember now. Sorry, there was just so much going on, and I was on the ground. All I remember was that foul-tempered professor barking orders at everyone. Satan, she was pissy… what was her name again?”