by Logan Jacobs
Altogether, there were probably thousands of soldiers and beasts on both land and sky.
“Cole!” Evanora cried out. “You need to warn the others inside and prepare them for immediate battle… we will take out as many enemies in the sky and ground, but the others must be warned. Hurry!”
I nodded firmly in her direction and then glanced at the blood-soaked Faye.
“I’m coming with you, master,” she said before I could utter a word. “I need to fight by your side.”
“And you will,” I reassured her. “Come on, let’s land these dragons on top of the wall. There’s one more thing I have to do before we enter the castle.”
The redhead nodded as we separated ourselves from the pink-haired professor and the army of flying witches. I hated to depart from them, but I knew with Evanora leading them, they were in good hands.
As the elders and their army drew closer to the castle from the north, I guided my dragon to perch himself on the edge of the stone wall we created. Faye landed by my side, and we both took a moment to catch our breaths and think of what to do next. As I sat on my beast and looked down at the countless men, elders, and creatures making their way toward the castle wall, and then at the numerous attackers filling up the red sky, I closed my eyes and summoned my deadly half.
Wherever you are, I began, we need you to take your army and attack those who wish us harm. I order you to do whatever you must do to kill our enemies.
Within seconds, the air grew colder, and then I was gazing upon my crimson brother. His horns were flaming, and his eyes were even brighter than the sun. I squinted as I stared upon his unholy and magnificent glory, and as he floated before me like a red ghost, the other black silhouettes joined him, and the sky before us was packed with our shadowy soldiers.
“Go,” I commanded him, “lead the others to slaughter as many enemies as you can, both on land and in the sky.”
My scarlet double took a deep bow before he slowly turned to look at the other shadows, and then in a blink of an eye, he soared away from us with the other ghostly doppelgangers right behind him. I watched as the army of shadows descended upon the troops who were making their way to the wall, and I could hear a chorus of screams as our silhouettes began to swarm down on our enemies and hack them into bloody chunks before they devoured their souls.
Faye slowly turned to look at me, but before she could say another word, I pulled out my wand and whispered into my dragon’s ear.
“Watch over your brothers and sisters and the witches they carry,” I commanded, and then I turned to look back at the redhead.
“Prepare yourself,” I warned her, and before she could ask what for, I raised my wand into the air. “Hos parere imperio.”
The two of us were wrapped up in a cloud of purple smoke, and seconds later, we found ourselves inside the banquet hall. As soon as the other witches saw our blood and ash-covered faces, they collectively gasped, and panic filled the air as they began to shout question after question.
“Silence!” I roared at the top of my lungs.
The room grew deadly quiet, and Vanessa was the first to stand up from her seat and rush to our sides. I noticed her black wolf Isabelle was trotting by her side, and it reminded me of Alexander. We’d need the familiars’ help when the time came, but for now, we needed to organize the witches.
“What must be done?” the dark-haired professor asked. “Where is Evanora?”
“She is leading the others to attack our enemies in the sky, with our shadow doubles’ help,” I explained. “We need to armor up, grab weapons, and place distinct groups throughout the castle.”
Akira, Morgana, Penelope, Vesta, and Nyx were already behind Vanessa, and they heard every word. Their eyes were filled with panic, but it was swiftly replaced with fortitude and a thirst for our enemies’ blood, and I could sense their tenacity like a spiced perfume radiating off their skin.
“I’ll make sure every witch is wearing her armor,” Vesta said in a hasty tone.
“And I’ll hand out the weapons as quickly as possible,” Akira added.
“We’ll help,” Morgana and Penelope said in unison.
“So will I.” Nyx nodded before they all dispersed and began to hand out weapons and armor.
“I’d better gear up as well,” Faye said before she ran off to follow the others.
“Cole, you’ll need something to wear as well,” Vanessa said as she looked at me from head to toe.
“I’ll do that in just a moment,” I answered. “Look, we both know the wall is not going to hold up forever, and the dragons and shadows can only take out so many enemies. I saw thousands of elders, men, and beasts making their way here, like an ocean of chaos, and the waves are about to hit our shores. You need to go and divide the students… make sure each professor leads each legion like a general, and I’ll do the same with my coven.”
“Alright,” Vanessa responded with a firm nod. “Be careful, Cole, and may Satan protect you and yours.”
“You as well,” I replied before I placed a hand on her shoulder and gently squeezed. “Do not worry… we’ll be celebrating with food and wine by nightfall. You’ll see.”
Vanessa forced herself to smile at me, but then an unusual sound echoed outside of the castle.
I turned to look at the stained-glass window and noticed the shadow of the stone wall had disappeared, but my senses told me it was still standing.
“What the hell?” I muttered before I parted from Vanessa and edged closer toward the window.
I peered through one of the light-colored pieces of glass and caught a glimpse of the stone wall. My breath instantly caught in my throat, and my eyes went wide when I realized what was happening.
The elders had used their powers to completely turn the stone into ice, and I knew it was about to explode into a thousand shards.
“Everyone, get down!” I screamed.
Witches immediately went flying to the ground for cover, and as my own body landed with a thud on the cold, hard floor, the window exploded, and shards of glass and ice flew through the air and pierced the walls and tables like daggers.
To my horror, a few witches couldn’t get down in time, and pity ran through my body as I watched a large piece of glass pierce a witch right through the center of her throat. Her pink eyes went wide with pain and surprise as dark blood poured down her sage-green skin, and she gargled for her last breath, collapsed to the floor, and then turned to look at me before the life completely drained away from her eyes.
Fury coursed through my veins, and when the turmoil came to a standstill, I slowly stood up and looked outside the broken window.
An elder, wearing a smug grin across his angelic face, hovered on top of his glowing, white horse, and when his piercing eyes met mine, he lifted a hand and pointed in my direction.
Before he could utter an incantation, I whipped out my own wand and aimed it at his head.
“Your little rod is no match against our elder magic, you poor pathetic fool,” his magnificent voice echoed as he lowered his hand and began to chuckle. “You are nothing.”
“Fuck you, bitch,” I muttered before I narrowed my eyes sharply in his direction. “Dissulto!”
A vibrant red flash of light left the tip of my wand and nearly sent me flying back, but I maintained my stance and watched with pure satisfaction as the spell hit the elder right between his eyes and sent him flying off his horse and down to the ground below.
The sound of his terrified scream echoing through the air filled me with joy until he smashed into the courtyard below and splattered into bits.
“I bet you weren’t expecting that, you stupid motherfucker,” I growled under my breath.
I turned to look back at the glass and ice-covered banquet hall, and all eyes were on me. Some women were already geared up with armor and weapons, but several others weren’t.
“Don’t just stare,” I ordered in a hasty and impatient tone. “If you’re not wearing your armor, find some and the
n head off into your assigned group with your professor.”
The women quickly snapped out of their dazes and began to scramble around the disordered room to retrieve any kind of defense they could find. When everyone was armored up and carrying a weapon of their choosing, the professors quickly pulled them into their groups, and Beatrix nodded in my direction as she joined Professor Crimson. The twins ended up pairing off with Professor Luna, and the armed and garbed women who were recently resurrected were also separated into equal groups to follow the professors.
As I marveled at our new recruits, a tall, blonde, and beautiful woman I’d never seen before stopped fiddling with her blade and lifted her vivid, ice blue eyes to stare at me. Her dark pupils were in the shape of vertical slits, and when she gazed upon me, I felt as if I were under the trance of a mesmerizing snake. Then the corners of her pale pink lips twitched upward, and she smiled softly before she approached me.
“You,” she purred as she stared into my eyes. “Cole, is it?”
“Yes.” I nodded, and I noticed when she spoke, her bright pink tongue was forked at the end.
“My name is Circe, and I just wanted to say,” she began in a soft voice, “well… before we split off into battle, I wanted to thank you for bringing us back to life. Even in death, my sisters and I craved vengeance against the elders, and we are eternally grateful for what you’ve done to bring us here. We will do whatever we can to protect you and yours.”
“Thank you.” I grinned. “May Satan protect you out there. I hope to see you again, soon.”
“You, too,” she replied with a demure smile before she turned on her heels to join the others.
When everyone else was divided and organized, I turned to look at my own coven and Nyx.
“Summon your familiars,” I ordered before I snatched a breastplate off a table and fastened it around my chest. It was a tight fit, but it was better than nothing.
The women collectively nodded and then closed their eyes.
I willed myself to connect with Alexander, and when our minds were tied together like a knot on a string, I summoned him to meet us here in the banquet hall.
Alexander, I said, I need you to fight by my side… and bring my dagger with you. The castle is under attack. Hurry, there is no time to waste!
For a moment, there was no reply, but then his familiar voice rang inside my head like a clear echo in a cave.
I’m on my way, Cole! he answered.
Before Alexander and the other familiars arrived, Vanessa glided toward me and intently focused on my eyes.
“I know we’ve already wished each other good luck, but I wanted to inform you that I’m taking my defense team to the southside of the castle,” she explained. “Crimson will cover the east and west with her students and her resurrected army. Luna will shadow port herself to the rooftops to ensure the shadows are taking care of the skies, while her group will guard the north end of the castle--”
“Perfect,” I cut her off in a rushed voice. “We will cover the main entranceway and try to kill as many enemies who dare to enter through the front doors.”
“Won’t you need more backup?” she inquired with a raised eyebrow.
“Oh, don’t worry, Professor,” Nyx drawled as she took a step closer toward Vanessa. “Those fuckers won’t know what’s about to hit them. Trust me.”
“Alright,” Vanessa responded slowly as if she wasn’t sure if she should press the blue witch for more information. She then glanced at each of us and offered us a small, reassuring smile. “Good luck.”
“Thank you, Professor,” we answered.
As the groups of students and the professors fled the banquet hall to take their positions, Penelope’s red panda, Alexander, Silvia, Ursula, Damien, and Lily all swarmed inside and obediently stood by us. Then Nyx’s fiery red falcon soared high above us in magnificent circles before it perched itself on her shoulder.
“What’s up, Trixie?” the blue-skinned witch asked as she gently petted her familiar on its crimson head. “Ready to fuck shit up?”
“She’d better be,” Akira muttered as she pulled out her wand.
“It’s a he, actually,” Nyx said in an unbothered tone.
“What?” Vesta laughed, and the melodic sound of it was at odds with the chaos around us. “But Trixie is a girl’s name.”
“I was high when I named him.” Nyx shrugged. “He seemed cool with it, so I didn’t bother changing it.”
“But--” Faye began until I cut in sharply.
“Focus, everyone,” I reminded them.
“Yes, master,” my coven answered.
Cole, Alexander’s voice echoed in my head, and my flying wolverine-like familiar hovered over me and carefully dropped the blade into the palm of my hand. I have your blade.
“Thanks, Alexander,” I answered before I took in a deep breath, sheathed my weapon, and then turned to look at each witch. “Are we ready?”
“Let’s go kick some elder ass.” Akira grinned.
I nodded, and then the women followed me as I fled through the banquet hall with Alexander hovering loyally by my side. We could hear echoes above us in the castle’s upper levels, and I knew by now, some of the soldiers had already broken inside. I prayed to Satan the others were holding their own, and I tried not to dwell on the worst possible outcome.
We would beat them.
Chapter 20
My coven and I raced downstairs, and by the time we reached the front doors, the wood was already shaking violently, and I knew the soldiers were trying to use their elder magic to bring down the entranceway.
“I’m surprised it’s taking them this long,” Nyx muttered.
“The barrier the professors place on the castle must be stronger than the elders anticipated,” I suggested, “but don’t get comfortable, they’ll break in soon enough. Nyx, where are the drugs?”
“They’re hanging up there,” she replied as she glanced up at the ceiling and pointed to the chandelier. “We just need to light them on fire. Now, this shit is incredibly powerful. When you smoke it for fun, you only need a small pinch to put in your pipe, and it will keep you lightheaded for hours. But we’re about to hit these fuckers with five times that amount. It would be enough to put a troll to sleep for days.”
“Uh, but what about us?” Akira snapped. “Won’t it knock us out, too?”
“Way ahead of you,” Penelope said before Nyx could answer. “After Cole suggested this plan, I knew we’d need some form of resistance against the drug. Nyx might be used to its effects, but the rest of us sure aren’t.”
“Don’t knock it till you try it.” The blue-skinned witch shrugged.
The orange-haired witch shook her head before she pulled out a vial of yellow brew and twisted the cork open. Then she took a small sip and then shoved it in Akira’s direction.
“Drink it,” she ordered. “It will make you immune to most drugs or poisons, at least temporarily.”
“Are you sure?” the black-eyed witch asked with an arched eyebrow.
“Yes,” Penelope snapped. “I’ve tested it out before, just trust me.”
“Fine,” the stubborn witch grumbled before she took a small sip and then scrunched up her nose. “Disgusting.”
“Alright, now the rest of you,” Penelope ordered.
We each took a sip, and I had to agree with Akira. The potion tasted like absolute troll-shit, but if it meant it was going to protect us from Nyx’s drug, then I’d drink whatever Penelope had to offer.
“Okay,” I said once each of us had taken a sip. “Once they break in through the door, each one of you must light your wand, and I’ll send the flames up to the chandelier. The smoke will hopefully knock them out, and then--”
“We cut their throats,” Akira suggested with a hopeful smile.
“Yes,” I finished. “Is everyone ready?”
The others bobbed their heads in agreement and then took a step back as they aimed their wands up toward the drug-infested chandelier.
Any moment now, the soldiers of both elder and non-elder magic would come barging in, but I knew we were ready to take them on.
As we kept our wands aimed steady and true, the door suddenly broke down with a thunderous bang, and a cloud of dust rose upward and obscured our vision. When it cleared, we were gazing upon a group of soldiers with mixed armor and weapons. Some of the soldiers wore golden breastplates and wielded beautifully crafted swords, while others were garbed in cheaply made quilted jackets and armed with dull blades.
It was apparent who the men were and who were the elders.
Before any one of them could come charging through the door, I turned to look at the others and then glanced up at the chandelier.
“Now!” I commanded.
“Illuminana!” the witches screamed all at once.
When their wands glowed with fire, I narrowed my eyes at the flames and willed them to fly up toward the chandelier.
Motus.
Before the army had any time to react or understand what was happening, flames flew toward the dangling chandelier, and the small bags of herbs quickly caught on fire. A cloud of green smoke swiftly wafted through the air, and within moments, the soldiers began to violently hack and cough. The men with cheap armor, in particular, quickly started to stumble and collapse to the ground, and I used my skills to ensure the smoke would spread as far as possible.
Motus.
The green mist expanded, and more mortal soldiers gasped for air as they teetered on their feet. However, the drug didn’t seem to have as much of an effect on the elder soldiers as it did on the human ones. One man with flaming red hair wearing a golden-breastplate staggered forward past the others and raised his weapon into the air. With his other hand, he pointed right at us, but before he could utter whatever spell was on his mind, I whipped my wand in his direction and shouted the first spell I could think of. It was the ancient incantation Vanessa taught us, the one which would stun and slow our elder opponents.