by Logan Jacobs
“Cole,” Luna breathed with wide lavender eyes, and her face was as pale as freshly fallen snow. “You did it… you’ve controlled them.”
“And… you saved me,” Nyx breathed with eyes as wide as dinner plates. “Thank you, Cole.”
“You’re welcome… and now,” I said as I looked around the group of witches. “Summon your doubles… we have another army to build.”
Chapter 17
Once each witch called upon her shadow double, we were surrounded by obedient black silhouettes, and they were all ruled by my towering crimson commander. Then we shadow ported back to the academy and landed in the banquet hall.
The other witches who remained behind to study and practice in their own groups all gasped at the army of shadows that swarmed the hall, but when I glanced at the professor’s table they all appeared to be smiling with pride, and there was a glint of hope in their eyes.
I cleared my throat, looked up at my red shadow, and gave him my final command for the night.
“Take the others off to the grounds,” I ordered. “You will guard the sky and keep the others organized and under control. Understood?”
The shadow looked long and hard at me, but then he slowly took a bow and floated through the stained-glass windows. The other silhouettes followed him, and when that was sorted, I rolled up my sleeves and waltzed over to Vanessa.
She was in deep conversation with Professors Crimson and Evanora, and she didn’t even seem to notice me when I approached the table.
“Professors,” I started. “How is it looking?”
“We’ve separated the students into their groups,” Vanessa was the first to explain. “We’ll also place the resurrected women throughout different sections of the castle and provide them with adequate wands and other weapons they might need.”
“Excellent.” I nodded. “What about the forcefield?”
“It will buy us some time,” Evanora replied as she brushed back her long, pink hair. “However, even ancient magic will not keep them out forever. They will find a way to break in and penetrate the walls.”
“Perhaps we should also create a physical barrier,” I suggested. “I can make a grand stone wall to buy us even more time when they come flying through.”
“Not a bad idea,” Vanessa mumbled as she chewed on her lower lip. “Let’s get out there and see what we can do. Cole, follow me.”
I nodded and followed the dark-haired professor through the grand banquet hall, but as I passed by my coven, Nyx, and Beatrix, I stopped in my tracks.
When Vanessa realized I was no longer following her, she twirled around to face me with a small scowl.
“I thought we were in a hurry,” she snapped. “What’s the hold up?”
“I just need to discuss something with my women,” I said. “I’ll meet you outside in a minute, I swear.”
“Fine,” she said in a clipped tone, “but be quick about it.”
I turned my attention back to the others and looked at each witch carefully. They were all skilled in different areas, and I knew I had to assign them to various tasks while I took care of the wall.
“Akira,” I said as I stared at the black-eyed witch, “I know how much you love weapons and attack spells… so why don’t you take a group of witches into the armory and collect what you can. If humans are going to be among the army, then the more tools we have to slaughter with, the better.”
“Yes, master,” she replied with a firm nod.
I then turned to look at Morgana, and an idea sprung to mind.
“Morgana,” I began, “we both know you can retain information quicker than anyone we know… why don’t you go through the ancient texts and see if you can make a list of any other spells we can learn? Look for attack spells, defense spells, any other useful spells we aren’t familiar with. We’re going to need as many incantations as possible.”
“Got it,” the bookish brunette responded with her chin raised. “I won’t let you down, master.”
“Now, Faye,” I continued, “I think it goes without saying you will help Professor Evanora sort out which students are the most skilled at dragon riding, and you will help lead them into battle as soon as the sun sets on the third day. I will ride with you, but we need our best witches on the job. Collect who you can, and get out there and practice.”
“Understood,” the redhead answered in an obedient tone.
“Now, Penelope--” I said as I turned to the orange-haired witch, but she was already ahead of me.
“I know how to brew a potion that will keep us up for days at a time with no side effects,” she explained. “I’ll go and make a vial, then perhaps Theodora could expand it so there is enough for each student.”
“Perfect.” I grinned.
Next, I turned to look at the ethereal Vesta, and her lilac lips curled up into a small seductive smile.
“I know I may be beautiful beyond words,” she teased in a soft voice, “but you know I have my other talents. I’ll gather the women and see if there is any armor we can use against the mortal men and their weapons. By the time I’m done with them, they will be stylish, but also sturdy.”
“Fantastic,” I breathed, and when I turned to Nyx, she clucked her tongue and bounced on the balls of her feet.
“I’ve got a rather… interesting… herb in my room,” she explained in a smooth tone. “You can use your motus spell to spread it across the entranceways, and the smoke will make any intruders dizzy upon arrival. They won’t know what hit them. I can also help Penelope make some offensive potions using said herb.”
“Nice.” I nodded. “Now, Beatrix and the twins can help you with anything you might need. In fact, I want Beatrix to make sure everyone has a job. You can help the professors supervise.”
“Sounds like a plan,” the light-haired brunette responded.
“Great.” I smiled, and then I glanced at the door. “Now, I’d better go and find Vanessa before she kills me herself. Good luck, and be careful.”
The others all muttered their agreements before I spun on my heels and then swept out of the crowded and boisterous banquet hall. I passed through the corridors and out the castle front doors, and by the time I reached the iron gates, I saw Vanessa’s slim silhouette gazing up at the star-filled sky.
“Well done,” she said without turning to look at me, her pale blue eyes tracked the obscure shadows floating high in the air and covering the grounds. “Shadows are notoriously difficult to manage, but once again, you’ve outshined us all with your skills.”
“Everyone played their part.” I shrugged. “And I figured the more guards we had to cover the grounds, the better--”
“Not just that,” she cut in. “I mean… I was impressed with the way you took control back there, after Theodora collapsed, I mean. You didn’t falter, or even take a moment to wallow in weakness. I should have been the same, but I let my emotions get the better of me.”
“You were worried about your mother,” I said in a soft voice. “No one should blame you for that, not even yourself.”
Her pale blue eyes met mine, and she flashed me a soft smile, but when she realized she was grinning, her face quickly fell into a frown.
“Anyway,” she said as she cleared her throat. “My point is… you didn’t fuck up. So… well done.”
“Thanks,” I chuckled. “That means a lot, coming from you, Professor.”
“Now that that’s out of the way,” she said as she awkwardly glanced around. “Let’s build this fucking wall, shall we?”
“Let’s.” I grinned. “This shouldn’t be too difficult. I will firstly summon the rocks from the forest to come toward us, and then build a wall as high as I can manage… with your help, of course.”
“Apertum?” she asked with a raised eyebrow. “I still remember the spell from your lesson… As unorthodox as it was… it was probably the most useful incantation you could have taught the class.”
“Thanks.” I nodded with a sly grin. “Are you ready to open
up your mind?”
“Yes,” she answered in a firm tone.
Together, we narrowed our eyes sharply at the black forest, which was miles ahead of us, and then I pictured the smallest stones, the heftiest rocks, and the most enormous boulders lying on the forest floor. In my mind’s eye, I willed them to come rolling from the woods and down to our gates. I summoned them to do my bidding, and when I felt as if my heart was open to the darkness, I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply.
“Now?” I whispered.
“Now,” Vanessa responded quietly.
Apertum.
In the next moment, the ground began to shake, and a loud echo emerged from the forest before all types of rocks came plunging down from the dark woods and began to collect in piles in front of us. More and more gathered around our feet, and before we knew it, we were surrounded by a sea of stones.
My head grew dizzy and my mouth became dry, but I did my best to stand upright and fight against the fleeting sensation.
“Satan,” Vanessa panted as if she’d run miles through the woods. “Sometimes, I forget just how draining these ancient spells can be.”
“I know, but now we must build the strongest and tallest barrier possible,” I reminded her, and I wiped away the sweat beading on my brow. “We need to make sure it surrounds the entire castle and reaches as far as we can force it to, even if it makes us feel as if we’re about to collapse from exhaustion--”
“I know that,” Vanessa snapped. “I’m not an idiot.”
“For fuck’s sake, I know you’re not,” I sighed before I rolled my eyes. “Can we just carry on without any pointless bickering, please? There’s no time to waste.”
“Fine,” she growled, “but remember, the only reason I’m allowing you to give me orders or talk to me in such a frank manner is because we’re on the brink of war. Just remember that when classes commence again, I’m the professor, and you’re the student. I still don’t like you.”
“How could I ever forget?” I muttered. “Alright, are you ready for the next step… Professor?”
“Yes,” she hissed under her breath.
I nodded and stared at the mass of rubble in front of us, and then I closed my eyes before I took in another deep breath. I could feel my heart pounding in my ears and my palms growing damp, and I knew my energy was de-escalating, but I needed to stay strong. I knew taming the shadows and now summoning the elements to my will would take a tremendous toll on me, but I had to push past the pain and fatigue.
After all, Scholomance and the fate of the Wicca world depended on me.
Motus.
As Vanessa and I stared at the stones, they slowly began to tower upward and assemble themselves into pieces like a gravel puzzle. The minutes ticked by as the rocks pieced themselves together and gradually began to form a massive wall, and I could feel my energy slowly draining, but I kept my eyes solely focused on the stones as they neatly rearranged themselves into a robust fortification.
Finally, when there were no more rocks to use, my body nearly fell backward, but I managed to catch myself in time. Then I glanced at Vanessa. Her face was pale, and her lips were quivering, but she remained upright and poised, as if the spell didn’t faze her one bit.
When everything became still and calm, we both marveled at the stone wall before us, and it was so tall it reached the highest tower of the castle. It would supply time and protection, but not enough to keep everything and everyone out. Still, I was proud of our work, and when I turned to look at Vanessa, I could see a small smile on her face that told me she felt the same way.
“Looks great,” she said after a moment, “but we’d better return to the banquet hall and see what’s going on.”
“Agreed.” I nodded.
We both walked back in silence, but as we threaded through the hallways, Vanessa abruptly stopped in her tracks and then looked at me with a concerned frown on her exhausted face.
“Actually, on second thought, I’d better go check on mother, err, I mean the headmistress before I return to the banquet hall,” she explained in a rushed voice. “I’ll be there, momentarily.”
“Alright,” I answered before we split off into different directions.
When I returned to the banquet hall, the entire room was covered in a warm glow from the candles floating along the ceiling. Everything and everyone seemed to be organized into groups, and as I strolled inside, I nearly collided into Faye and Professor Evanora. The two of them were leading a group of at least a hundred witches out the door, and when Faye’s golden-green eyes locked onto mine, her freckled face broke into a smile.
“We’re off to go dragon-riding, as you suggested,” Faye explained, and she had tugged her long red hair into a neat braid that swung over her shoulder. “Do you want to join us, master?”
“I’ll meet you in a bit.” I nodded. “But first, let me check on everything else. Be careful out there.”
“We will,” Evanora answered before Faye could open her mouth. “I’ll be in charge, so obviously they’re in good hands, Cole.”
I knew all the professors were somewhat irked by me taking charge of the situation, but it was still Theodora’s command, and they needed to respect it.
“I’m well aware of that, Professor,” I said as patiently as possible, “but I need you all to be wary and on the lookout. Just because Theodora says we have three days until the attack doesn’t mean we’re in the clear. You and I both know anything could happen, and in case you’ve forgotten, she asked me to take charge of the situation, whether you like it or not.”
Evanora stared long and hard at me before she lifted her emerald green eyes to stare up at the ceiling, as if the answer she was looking for was floating amongst the candles. Finally, she lowered her eyes to meet mine and sighed.
“Yes, I know all of that,” she said more gently this time. “We’ll be cautious.”
“Excellent,” I responded. “Now, there is a giant wall surrounding the castle, so if I were you, I’d just shadow port out of here… actually here, I’ll save you time.”
Before the pink-haired professor could argue, I pulled out my wand and smiled at her.
“Hos parere imperio,” I said, and then the women were wrapped up in a cloud of purple smoke and vanished from the hall.
I had to admit, it felt good to be on the other end of that spell, and the fact I’d sent those women hurtling through the ether made me snicker with delight.
But I had other things to attend to, so I quickly composed myself.
When I swung around to face the banquet hall, my eyes wandered through the various groups who were all busy with their own unique tasks. I spotted Akira by the far end of the hall with countless blades splayed out on the table before her, and she was surrounded by witches listening to her every word and using spells to sharpen the weapons to a fine point.
Meanwhile, Vesta was floating through the banquet hall handing out silver and gold breastplates, and when her shimmering eyes met mine, she flashed me a proud smile.
“How’s it going?” I asked when I approached the elvish witch.
“Excellent,” she purred. “I found these in a room by the armory, and with some help from other students and the professors, we were able to cast a protective charm over the metal. It won’t shield the witches from all types of spells, especially not elder magic, but since they are bringing a combined army of both elder and non-elder soldiers, I figured it would be better than nothing.”
“It’s a brilliant idea,” I reassured her, “don’t sell yourself short.”
“Yes, master,” she replied in a demure tone of voice.
“Hey, by any chance, have you seen Morgana?” I asked as I searched the room.
“She’s in a corner somewhere, still scribbling down spells from the books,” Vesta chuckled airily. “I think it will take her all night.”
“Which is why we really need Penelope to come up with that potion--” I started until someone tapped me on the shoulder.
&nbs
p; “Did you say my name?” The bright-haired witch grinned with pride as I turned to face her.
Then she held up a small vial of deep indigo brew, and I could feel myself smiling from ear to ear.
“Shit,” I chuckled before I gently took it from her hand. “That was fast. Well done… have you tried it before?”
Penelope blushed deeply before she looked around the room to make sure no one else was listening. Everyone seemed to be immensely busy and deep within their own work, though, so she took a step closer to me when she realized the coast was clear.
“I used it before I took my preschool exams so I could study for days on end,” she explained in a faint voice. “It was technically against the rules, but no one ever caught me.”
“Awesome,” I chuckled. “As long as it works.”
I set the vial down onto the table, stared at the deep purplish-blue concoction, and then took in a deep breath.
“What are you doing?” Penelope asked.
“Shhh,” I said in a gentle tone, and in my mind, I envisioned hundreds of vials, enough to supply everyone in the room, before I took out my wand. “Crescere per voluntatem meam.”
It took a moment, but then the vial began to shake as hundreds, if not thousands, of small vials started to spread across the tables, and witches quickly began to take notice.
“Drink it!” I commanded the room at large as loudly as I could. “It will keep us awake for as long as need be.”
The women didn’t hesitate to grab themselves a vial and then quickly knock it back. I looked at Penelope before we both seized ourselves a portion, and then we clinked vials.
“Fucking cheers,” I said with a half-smile.
“Cheers,” she chuckled before she downed the brew.
I shook my head as the thick, salty liquid seeped down my throat and stung my eyes.
“Shit,” I coughed. “That tastes like--”
“Troll-shit?” she finished with a raised, orange eyebrow. “Believe me, I know.”
“Still,” I said as I set the empty bottle down on the table. “Well fucking done… I think Nyx said she wanted to help you make some offensive potions with an herb she had, but she might not be ready yet, so help Morgana sort through some more spells in the ancient texts. I’m sure she could use the support.”