by Logan Jacobs
In a flash, I saw its fiery, beating heart inside my mind, and it was pounding faster than a drum. It was situated in between its giant rib cage, and I knew deep within my dark soul that ripping it out would be the only way to end this once and for all.
Yes, Cole, the woman’s voice slipped into my mind, but you’ll need more than just your premonition power to save you. Summon the shadow… he can help you… after all… he is you.
As the mysterious woman’s voice rang through my mind, the Reaper took the opening and swung a giant, shadowy hand in my direction. I tried to dive out of the way, but one of his claws slashed me across my shoulder, and I cried out in pain as I fell to the ground.
“Yes!” a woman screamed. “Now, finish him!”
As I laid there, the shadowy beast took its time to approach me and relish in its glory, but I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. A part of me wasn’t certain if my shadow could reach me in the pits of hell, but it was that kind of mindset that would prevent any chance of him helping me at all, and the woman from my dreams was right. I needed his aid, and I needed it right now.
So, with every ounce of strength left in my body, I willed the dark lord to take control over my senses and penetrate my black, beating heart.
And that’s when I called upon my demonic brother.
Nunc apparet.
The crimson-hued banquet hall suddenly turned dark, and the hot air quickly turned ice-cold as a violent, abrupt wind swept through the chamber and caused everything to tremble.
The beast took a step back, and all the women began to scream.
“What’s happening?” someone roared in a feral panic. “I don’t understand! This has never happened before!”
“Look!” another voice shrieked. “Behind him!”
When I turned around, I saw my red shadow hovering above me with a menacing smile plastered across his crimson face. His bright glowing eyes bored into mine, and when I stared into his evil facade, I felt like I was gazing into a flaming mirror. Before I uttered my next words, I aimed my wand and nodded at him, and he bowed like I was his unholy master.
Which I supposed I was.
Then I took a slow, deep breath and spoke as firmly and loudly as possible.
“Teneat corpus tuum!”
A flash of yellow light blasted my shadow right in his transparent chest, and my entire body lurched forward as my flesh bound itself to his form. A chorus of shrill gasps echoed throughout the hall as I felt my undeniable, connected power surging through my body, and when I glanced down at my hand, I saw the fiery red glow emitting from my skin.
A satisfied smile broke across my face.
Let’s finish this once and for all, my voice echoed with a sinister laugh.
With our combined powers, I hovered into the air until my eyes were staring into the Reaper’s black wispy chest, and I could feel its flaming heart pumping molten blood through the great, towering man-shaped shadow. It snarled at me as I hovered close to its body, but I could also tell it was confused and stunned. Without wasting a moment, and with all my willpower and lust for utter destruction, I opened my mouth and let out an ear-splitting scream that caused the beast to take a stumbling step back and cry out in agony.
I glared at my foe, and I pictured snatching its flaring, beating heart and squeezing it with my long red talons. Then I stretched out my claws and narrowed my burning eyes at the Reaper’s wispy chest.
Modus antiquorum.
All the women in the banquet hall screamed at once as the Reaper’s heart exploded out from its black chest and landed in the palm of my red, wraithlike hand. With my elongated, sharpened claws, I squeezed the muscle with all my might until it burst into a ball of bloody flames, and the beast cried out one last time before it slipped backward, crashed into the black table, and snapped the entire thing in two.
A long, heavy silence filled the air as I hovered above the dead Reaper, and as I gazed down upon the thousands of women, they stared up at me with newfound appreciation and revelation.
“Do you believe me now?” I asked in a thunderous, echoing voice. “Or shall I rip your limbs from your bodies and scatter them around the banquet hall? You can spend the rest of your pathetic existences attempting to put the pieces back together, or you can follow me back into the living world.”
A haunting hush continued to surround me until the blonde woman with flaming eyes took a small step forward. Then she lowered her body into a deep bow until she was practically lying in the red soil.
“We’ll follow you anywhere,” she answered in a small, meek voice. “Please, forgive us…”
“Cole,” I finished. “My name is Cole, and from this moment on, you will not question or doubt me.”
“We understand,” the black-haired woman with the hole in between her naked breasts added as she also fell to her knees in supplication. “We will sin, pillage, and bleed for you until we help you fulfill your unholy purpose.”
Then the sea of women all got down on their knees and stared up at me as if I were Satan himself, and pride swelled through my entire body as I stared down at the beautiful bowing women.
“I will take us back into the world of the living, but you must be willing to join me. I will not force you, but as you know, it would be the smarter decision to make.”
Without hesitation, the women all stood up from where they were kneeling and gaped up at me with glassy eyes and parted lips, and my heart was filled with satisfaction when I realized I’d won each of their souls and created another army for Scholomance.
Before I uttered the spell to take us back to the academy, I took one last look around the quiet banquet hall and closed my eyes.
“Alio forte tuus dabit tibi,” I cried out with my hands raised up into the air.
Farewell, for now, Cole, my shadow’s voice echoed before the entire red hall slowly vanished from view. We’ll be seeing each other again soon.
My body violently twisted, turned, spun, and thrashed as I plummeted back into the world of the living, and even through the pain and motion, I did my best to picture the Scholomance banquet hall where all the women could fit.
When the world came to a sudden standstill, I found myself in the middle of our warm hall, surrounded by naked women, and before I had time to even collect my rapid thoughts or steady my labored breathing, applause echoed from the threshold.
When I spun around, I saw Headmistress Theodora standing by the doorway with all the professors gathered by her side, and each one of them was gawking at me with wide, proud eyes and relieved smiles.
“Welcome back, Cole,” Theodora purred as her blue eyes scanned around the room. “Ladies… I’m sure you’d like to clean yourselves up and get some rest. Once you’ve adjusted yourselves to the world of the living, I will answer any questions you might have.”
“T-T-Thank you,” the blonde woman with orange eyes answered, only now, her eyes were a shade of pale tangerine instead of flaming fire. “I must admit… I’m not feeling myself. I feel… different.”
“You’re adjusting to the blood flowing through your body and the heart beating inside your chest,” Theodora explained in a soft, kind tone. “Now, come along… my professors will escort you to the infirmary.”
The professors all silently nodded in agreement as they approached the naked, weakened women and gently guided them out of the hall, but before they swept out of the expansive room, the beautiful blonde woman turned to look at me and softly smiled.
“Thank you,” she whispered before the silver-haired Olivia placed a hand on the small of her back and led her away with the others.
When the room was empty, aside for Theodora and me, she turned to look at me with concerned eyes and a deep frown.
“How are you feeling, Cole?” she asked in a gentle voice.
“Like shit,” I sighed as I placed a hand over my throbbing head.
“You should probably rest as well,” Theodora insisted. “Whatever you did to bring these women back… you must have used an unimagin
able sum of energy and power.”
I chuckled. “That would be putting it mildly… I think I’m--”
Before I could finish my train of thought, a sudden wave of nausea washed over me, my entire body turned ice cold and numb, and the last thing I saw before my world turned completely black was Theodora’s concerned face as she tried to reach out for me.
When I finally came to, I slowly peeled my eyes open, and the first thing I saw was my beautiful coven, as well as the enchanting Circe and lovely Beatrix. They were all sitting on my bed, and a warm fire was crackling in the fireplace.
Morgana was the first to look in my direction, and when she realized I was awake, her pale blue eyes widened with relief and pure exhilaration.
“Cole!” the beautiful brunette gasped. “Look, he’s awake!”
The others all turned to look at me, and each witch kneeled on the floor and stared into my face with glassy eyes and broad smiles.
“Oh, master,” Akira breathed in a shaky voice. “Satan, for a moment… we were pretty worried about you there.”
“How are you feeling?” Faye asked in a smooth voice.
“You’re looking a little less pale,” Vesta purred as she brushed the hair out of my eyes.
“How long have I been out?” I asked, and my voice was so hoarse, each word came out as a whisper.
“For a couple of days now,” Nyx responded as she narrowed her indigo eyes at me.
“Headmistress Theodora told us everything,” Penelope whispered, and her brown eyes gazed down at my wrapped-up shoulder. “She told us how you went to hell.”
“And brought back more Wiccas,” Beatrix continued. “It’s fucking incredible, Cole. The whole school is talking about it.”
“Who knew such a thing was even possible?” Circe sighed in a dream-like voice. “I wish we could have gone with you.”
“A part of me wished the same thing,” I replied as I stared at each woman, “but Theodora insisted it was a mission for me and me alone… and honestly, I’m glad you didn’t go. It was one hell of a trip… no pun intended.”
The women softly giggled, but then there was a small knock on the door. Before I could ask who it was, it swung open, and Headmistress Theodora waltzed inside holding a tray loaded with potions.
“Ah, Cole,” the blue-eyed headmistress purred in a soft voice. “I’m glad to see you’re finally awake. I had a feeling you were… and it’s lovely to see the rest of you here as well, keeping him company and comfort.”
“Headmistress,” I croaked. “I-I don’t know what happened… one moment I was feeling incredibly fine, and the next…”
“You’ll be alright,” she reassured me with a kind smile. “That’s all that matters… now, I’m afraid you’ll have to drink a few nasty concoctions to get your full strength back. Ladies, would you please give me some room?”
The witches quickly moved away from my side and stood by the fireplace as Theodora sat at the foot of the bed and began to lift different vials up to her eye level. She swirled a few potions together and hummed to herself as she devised some kind of remedy.
“I think this should do the trick,” she said after she handed me a small goblet. “Now, be sure to drink every last drop. With this, you should be feeling as good as new in no time.”
“Thanks,” I chuckled before I downed the sour liquid.
As the brew seeped down my throat, I could feel my sore muscles relax, and the thick cloud in my head quickly dispersed. Every single ache in my body disappeared, my vision cleared, and suddenly, the only thing I wanted to do was jump out of bed and run through the hallways.
“How do you feel, master?” Penelope asked in a small voice.
“Fucking amazing.” I grinned as I stared at the headmistress. “Thank you.”
“Well, it was the least I could do,” Theodora said as she stood up from the bed and collected her brews. “Now that your energy has returned, I think some warm food and chilled wine is in order. Ladies, I think it would be best if you give Cole some time to wash up and get dressed. We’ll be serving dinner momentarily, and I want you all to be there.”
“Yes, Headmistress,” the women responded before they all stood up and headed for the door.
I watched them leave, and when they shut the door behind them, Theodora looked down at me with a small smile before she placed a warm hand against my cheek.
“I’m glad to see you’re feeling like yourself again,” she whispered. “Now… I’ll leave you to it. Try not to take too long. I’m sure our new students would like to see you again. Lavender has been asking about you since you’ve passed out.”
“Lavender?” I repeated with pinched eyebrows. “Is she the one with the orange eyes and blonde hair?”
“Yes,” Theodora responded with a small laugh before she pulled away and headed for the door. “Now, don’t dawdle! Cordelia has already prepared you a bath.”
“Thank you, Headmistress,” I said before she flashed me another smile and slipped through the door.
As soon as I was alone, I tore the bedsheets off my body and quickly headed into the bathroom. As Theodora said, the bath was already filled with warm, sweet, and spicy scented water, and after I quickly washed myself off and got dressed, I headed down into the common room. The women weren’t there, so I supposed they were already in the banquet hall, and my stomach growled as I thought about a hot, delicious meal.
I quickly left the common room, but the halls were empty, and when I approached the banquet door halls, I took a deep breath before I pushed them open and stepped inside.
The entire room was crowded with women, but all the voices died at once when all heads turned in my direction. As I scanned the hall, I spotted the new women sitting at a table near the front of the hall, and they were all dressed in Scholomance uniforms. Lavender’s tangerine eyes quickly met mine, and a small smile crept across her face as she looked in my direction.
The sirens were also gathered at a nearby table, situated close to the resurrected Wiccas we retrieved before the last battle, and as I stared at the crowded banquet hall, immense pride filled my heart. We had expanded Scholomance, just as Theodora had wished, and now I felt prepared for anything. When I averted my eyes, I stared upon my own coven, Circe, and Beatrix, who were seated at a nearby table, and they were staring at me with adoration and pride as I made my way toward them.
The professors all smiled at me, and even Vanessa gave me a small nod as I took my seat.
“Attention everyone!” Headmistress Theodora roared as she stood up from the table. “Before I summon our feast, I’d love to formally welcome our new students. I know you’ve seen them before, but I never properly introduced—”
Before Theodora could finish her sentence, a dark cloud hovered over the entire hall, and a blast of light filled the room. A high-pitched scream blasted through the air, and when I glanced at Vanessa, my stomach dropped as my heart began to violently pound inside my chest.
The beautiful professor trembled like her entire body was burning from the inside, and her blue eyes rolled into the back of her head. We watched in horror as her mouth parted wide open, and a low growl erupted from her throat.
“You!” a foreign voice roared from her red lips. “The man who calls himself a Wicca… I know exactly who you are! You’ve slaughtered my noble general, drowned and burned one of my ally kingdoms, and destroyed the Mors Academy! Your deeds have not gone unseen, and I vow to rip your beating heart from your chest while your bitches watch! All those you care for will die by my hand, and you will finally understand the meaning of true pain. By my holy word… you shall all die a most terrible, agonizing death, and all Wicca blood will be on your hands, Cole. I vow to destroy another beloved academy of yours… and there is nothing you can do to stop my unholy army from wreaking havoc upon your beloved sisters. Mark my words and remember my voice, because it will be the last thing you hear before I eat your heart and devour your soul. May the gods show you no mercy.”
Wit
h those final words, Vanessa’s mouth clamped shut, but her body remained upright as she stared at the sea of students. Then, without warning, the gorgeous professor collapsed to the floor with her eyes wide open and blood pooling from her head like a limp, lifeless doll.
And that’s when the screaming began.
Chapter 21
“Enough!” Theodora bellowed as the candle flames flickered at once. “I will have order and composure, like the Scholomance students that you are! Now… please escort yourselves back to your quarters at once. There will be no dinner tonight… lock your doors and pray to Satan… we may need it.”
When no one made a move to get up, I could have sworn I saw a bright flame of fury flash across Theodora’s sky-blue eyes, and the ground began to rumble as her temper quickly escalated.
“Did I stutter?” the headmistress roared as she gazed upon the students with harsh contempt. “Go to your rooms! Now!”
Without missing a beat, the students quickly and quietly left their seats and headed for the door, but despite Theodora’s demands, I remained still as stone. I watched as the headmistress stared down at her beloved daughter’s limp body on the floor, and in the next second, Vanessa quickly evaporated into a cloud of purple smoke. Then Theodora whispered something into Olivia’s ear, and the silver-haired witch quickly nodded before she also vanished into a thick cloud of smoke.
“Cole?” Faye whispered into my ear. “Come along… you heard the headmistress… we should go.”
“No, wait!” Nyx interjected in a firm voice. “I want to speak to her.”
“What?” Beatrix asked with wide, dark eyes. “Why?”
“You heard what the voice said,” the blue-skinned witch answered, “and we all know who it belonged to.”
“King Donovan,” Morgana said in a soft voice. “Yes… we heard it before… when Olivia was possessed.”
“But that still doesn’t answer my question,” Beatrix added in a confused voice. “Why do you need to speak to Theodora?”
You know why, Cole, the woman from my dreams echoed. You know very well who King Donovan intends to attack next, and you know you can’t stand by while he tears those Vipera women apart. They might not be your school, but they share the same abilities and faith. You must help them!