Tonight was the night.
I was finally going to learn who I was and why I was sent here. I’d been more than patient and understanding throughout everything, and now, I was ready to reap the benefits of my trials.
I quickly followed Headmistress Theodora into her office. My heart pounded with eager anticipation, and my palms were clammy with sweat.
I’d been waiting for this moment for so goddamn long. Who knew what she was about to tell me? After everything I’d faced, it could be anything.
The headmistress ushered me inside, and the room was darker than usual. There was only one candle by her intricately carved, dark wooden desk, and the candles up in the chandelier were dying down. Her carpets were the color of blood, and there was a chill in the room.
I shivered as I stepped inside, and I wondered if it was the lack of warmth or something else that was causing this ominous cold.
“Cole,” Theodora said as she closed the door, “I know you have thousands of questions. I feel it within you every day, and I do apologize for tormenting you so, but I swear by Satan it has been for your own good.”
The headmistress’ beautiful face was worn and pale, and crow’s feet were etched into the corners of her pale blue eyes. Her dark hair was tied up in an unusual updo, and she reminded me of a porcelain doll that had been played with too often.
I nodded gravely and sighed. “I do have thousands of questions, and with all due respect Headmistress, it has been driving me fucking insane.”
She chuckled softly and then turned to face her unlit fireplace as if all the answers were lying in the crispy charcoal logs. Part of me desperately wished that she would light a fire to get rid of this unbearable cold, and the other just hoped she would spill everything right now instead of leaving me on edge.
“Cole, this is not an easy conversation to have with you… or anyone else for that matter,” she admitted with a frown. “I do not even know where to begin.”
“Well, start from the beginning.” I shrugged. “How and why did I end up here? I know you know. Can’t you just tell me that?”
I could sense her knowledge but also sense her hesitation. It was a dilemma because I could feel her secrets, so profoundly I could almost physically touch them, but it was as if there was a curtain blocking out the root of those secrets. I’d love to reach out and yank back that goddamn curtain to reveal everything, but I knew my senses of premonition were not strong enough yet.
So, that’s why I was silently praying to Satan that this witch would finally tell me everything I needed to know.
I deserved it.
“Why don’t you take a seat?” Theodora asked, and she gestured toward a chair by her desk.
“I’d rather stand,” I said as I shoved my hands into my pockets. “Can we please stop dancing around this, Headmistress?”
“Very well,” she sighed.
She took a step toward me, and her pale blue eyes bored into mine. I could sense sympathy, regret, and admiration in her soul. I knew she wanted to come clean, but something was keeping her from being truthful.
But what?
Theodora opened her mouth, but before she could utter another word, the room began to turn a shade of red. The very air shifted to scarlet all around us, and when I looked down at my feet, crimson smoke swirled around my ankles. Blood was pumping audibly through my ears, and my heart was racing.
A dark presence, something I’d never felt before, was flooding the room.
“What’s happening?” I demanded as my heart galloped in my chest.
The headmistress remained calm on the outside, but I knew she was concerned. Her lips were pursed into a razor-thin line, and her blue eyes were dilated.
“Cole… I’m sorry,” Theodora sighed as the room began to fade from view.
All I could see was her pale face and dark dress, and everything else was slowly vanishing. Then her office was now gone in the blink of an eye, and it was replaced with a stone walled room.
“What the hell is going on?” I breathed. “Where are we?”
“In Artium Obscurorum Excolant,” she whispered.
“What the hell is that?” I demanded as I looked around us. The room was completely bare, and it reminded me of a stone dungeon. The walls had dried blood smeared along the crumbling rocks, and I could feel a deep, ominous presence surrounding us.
I welcomed evil, but this was a different type of maliciousness. It did not greet us into its dark arms. Instead, it was repelling us.
“Another school,” the older witch explained as her eyes darted around, “one that harbors ill will toward us.”
Another school of witches? There were more?
“How did we end up here?” I asked.
Theodora turned to face me fully, and her expression was set in stone.
“Cole,” she said before she grasped me by my shoulders, “I know you have questions, but all I can tell you is you were not meant to be here. They wanted me.”
“But--” I started.
“I’ll explain once we make it back to Scholomance,” she said in a firm voice. “I swear, but for now, use what you know to defend yourself. And you must remain here. This is our anchor point. Do you understand me? Do not move too far from this spot for any reason.”
Before I could say another word, the headmistress twirled her skirts, fled through an archway, and left me alone in this cold, dark, gory dungeon.
“Well, fuck me,” I growled to myself.
Maybe I should have just stayed in bed with the women.
I reached into my waistband and searched for my dagger or wand, but I found neither. I’d just left my room for some air after fucking four witches simultaneously, and I hadn’t thought to take a weapon or wand with me.
“Fuck,” I snarled, but I stood my ground and prepared for whatever might come through that archway. My feet were firmly planted on the stone floor, and I raised my hands in front of me.
After several long minutes, I thought I could hear heavy footsteps coming my way, and I breathed in as I prepared to use whatever magic I had to.
Two beasts then appeared at the archway, and they looked like a mixture between goblins and human men. Their skin was light green, bumpy, and covered in boils, and small red horns protruded from their heads. They wore uniforms as well, but instead of the black cloaks we donned at Scholomance, they wore deep, emerald green robes with the letters “AOE” embroidered on the chest pocket.
“Well, well, well,” one of the creatures taunted, “looks like a Wicca.”
“From Scholomance?” the other chuckled. “I thought only women attended that school. So, tell us, are you also a little bitch?”
I couldn’t help but laugh at their ugly faces.
“Better to be a bitch than a pair of ugly motherfuckers,” I replied with a smirk.
The pair curled their hideous mouths into even uglier grins. I could see their brown, broken teeth from here, and I realized they were also stinking up the room with a foul stench that reminded me of garlic and rancid meat.
“So,” I sneered, “are you actually going to do something, or just stand there and talk about it?”
The creatures exchanged satisfied smiles with one another and then turned to me.
“Marcus, do you want to do the honors?” the one with the lazy eye asked.
“With pleasure,” Marcus growled.
The bulky creature made a lunge for me, with his hand raised and ready to cast a spell, but I just smirked.
I was ready, and I knew I was faster.
“Conligo!” I shouted as I snapped my hand out.
A purple bolt of lightning shot from my open palm, and the goblin-like creature stopped midway, with his face paralyzed into a scowl. His beady eyes darted back and forth as he tried to move, but he was stuck.
“Bastard,” the other goblin growled as he raised his own hand and pointed a wand at me. “Secare!”
A light blue bolt of lightning emerged from the tip of his wand, and it headed straight for my chest. I dodged the light, but it grazed my shoulder and shattered the wall behind me. Warm blood trickled down my shoulder, and when I quickly glanced at the damage, I saw my cloak and shirt had been torn open, and there was an ugly, deep gash in my skin.
Now, I was pissed.
“Glacies!” I bellowed as I spun to face my opponent.
A white light shot out from my hand, and the goblin raised his wand to defend himself.
“Obstructionum,” he gasped.
The white light stopped in midair, but I gritted my teeth and continued to use my power to push my attack toward him. It felt like there was an unbreakable, invisible wall between us, and I was using all my will to push through the forcefield. I knew the spell he was using. It was a blocking spell, and if I focused hard enough, it could be broken.
I had to be quick, though, because the other goblin was beginning to move again. I could see his feet slightly twitching, and he was pushing to overcome the paralysis spell I put him under.
So, I breathed in, ignored the burning pain in my shoulder, and bared down as I pushed my spell harder.
The goblin I was fighting was clearly concerned now. He was sweating, and his hands shook as he tried to push back against my attack. He squinted his rat-like eyes as his wand shook violently in his hand, but my spell was steadily encroaching upon him.
Finally, the tension snapped, and the white bolt of light hit him square in the chest.
The goblin cried out as he started to slowly turn into ice. First, his chest began to freeze, and then the frost started to quickly creep up his neck and toward his face, his arms, hands, and finally, his entire body.
When he was nothing but a frozen block, I knew what had to be done, and I knew exactly which hex to use.
“Intermissum!” I yelled.
There was no light and no warning at all. The frozen goblin just completely shattered into a thousand shards of ice and was gone.
The remaining goblin’s eyes were now filled with anger, and his mouth began to move.
Then the paralysis spell faded, and he nearly collapsed as he tried to regain full mobility.
I took the opportunity to raise my hand.
This fucker needed to die as well.
“Volant!” I screamed.
The goblin’s eyes widened before he was sent flying back into the wall behind him. His wand flew from his pocket, and I ran over to kick it away before he could pick it up. Then I charged at him as he tried to stand. I had no idea what had just come over me, but I was filled with a deep, menacing, and violent anger.
I wanted to hurt him as much as possible.
As I shoved the goblin against the wall, stones crumbled from the impact, and he struggled to sit up. I had him pinned down, though, and I knew I could have used one of the dozens of spells or hexes I’d memorized to hurt him, but instead, I reached down and hit him with a nearby stone that had fallen from the wall. Warm blood and brain matter splattered across my face, and a savage grin twisted my lips.
Then I hit him again with all my strength, and again and again until there was nothing but blood and bone left.
Finally, I regained my breath and stood on trembling legs. The room was filled with blood, ice, and rubble. The stench of the dead goblin at my feet had intensified, and I covered my nose and mouth when I realized he’d shit himself before I’d finished bashing his brains in.
Then I heard footsteps approaching, and I raised my hands, even though my shoulder was burning with searing pain. My breathing quickened, and despite my injuries and vertigo, I was ready for anyone else to fucking test me.
But it wasn’t another student. It was Theodora.
The headmistress looked even more beat up than me. Her beautiful, pale face was covered in cuts and bruises, and her ebony gown was torn up in different spots.
“Are you alright--?” I started to ask, but she cut me off.
“Quick,” she breathed. “Get back in the corner.”
Typically, Theodora was always so cool, calm, and collected, but at this moment, she seemed utterly distraught and not herself.
So, I decided not to question her.
Instead, I ran to the corner without another thought, and she was right behind me. The older witch muttered under her breath, and soon, the room began to darken, and the last thing I heard were shouts and screams coming toward us. I saw a shadow of figures right before everything completely disappeared, and we began to spin.
My shoulder burned as we twisted and turned, and then my feet hit the wooden floor of the headmistress’ office. I adjusted my eyes and breathed a sigh of relief.
“Thank Satan,” Theodora muttered.
I turned to her and was ready to demand some answers, but she looked like absolute hell. Her face was as white as snow, and she looked as if she were about to faint. The skirts of her dress were also soaked in blood and other fluids, but I suspected most of it wasn’t hers.
“Headmistress,” I said, “are you alright?”
“I will be.” She nodded. Her blue eyes then shifted to my shoulder, and she slowly shook her head. “Are you alright?”
“I will be,” I echoed with a chuckle.
“Come,” she said as she placed a hand on my back, “let’s go to the infirmary. We can talk on the way there.”
“Alright.” I nodded.
We headed past the corridors, and the paintings of past witches watched our every move. Some eyes were judgmental, while others expressed concern.
I felt dizzy as I pushed onward. I knew I was losing blood, and I briefly wondered how I made it out of there alive. Those goblin students had clearly been higher level pupils if they owned wands. I’d just acquired my own, and still, we had no idea how to properly use them.
Theodora weakly pushed the door to the infirmary open, and I followed her inside. As usual, we encountered no one, and the room was pitch black.
“Illuminana,” Theodora whispered.
A fire erupted from her bloody palm, and as she tossed the ball of fire upward, it lit up the entire chandelier. She then headed toward the cabinets that were filled with potions, herbs, and other remedial concoctions, and she pulled out a small vial with her free hand and brought it to me.
“Drink,” she ordered.
“What about you?” I asked.
“I’ll self-heal in a couple of hours.” Theodora smiled. “Just drink this.”
“Self-heal?” I repeated.
“I’m old, Cole,” the headmistress chuckled, “and that means I’m stronger with my powers. Now, don’t make me repeat myself. Drink up.”
I drank the mixture, and it tasted like sour grapes mixed with spiced herbs. Then Theodora took a seat on a chair by the bed as I set the empty vial down on a nearby table.
“So,” I said as I turned my attention to the older witch, “what the hell just happened back there?”
Theodora sighed and looked up at the chandelier, unable to meet my eyes.
“As I said, it was a competing school,” she said. “There are many, but it’s been a while since I’ve been attacked like that.”
She paused for a moment as if she was unsure how to continue.
“Go on,” I urged.
“These schools… they all believe they are serving Satan, but in truth, they are only out to serve themselves,” she explained with a sharp frown. “Our academy is the one true school designed to serve and obey Satan. Our sole goal is to defeat our one true enemy, which are the elder gods who seek to destroy us forever.”
“And these schools,” I said slowly, “they aren’t trying to fight off the same threat?”
“No,” she said as she shook her head. “They are too busy fighting with each other instead of trying to work together. Some have even made alliances with the enemy to benefit themselves.”
“That’s fucked up,” I whispered.
“It is… and what’s worse is tonight proved these schools are growing even stronger,” she sighed and rubbed her forehead. “I’ve been concerned about this… for quite some time now.”
“Well, what can we do?” I asked as I sat forward.
She smiled and placed a hand on my shoulder, which had now healed.
“I was hoping you would ask that,” Theodora admitted. “We’ll need you and your coven.”
“My… coven?” I repeated with a furrowed brow. “You mean my preschool class?”
“Coven is not a term used lightly,” the headmistress explained, “mostly because the majority of witches are too self-serving to form true and lasting bonds. But you and your preschooler classmates have been bonded for life. So, you are now your own coven.”
“How do you know about the Blood Pact?” I asked in a faint voice.
“I know everything.” She winked. “Well, almost everything. It’s complicated to explain, but I can feel it on you.”
“Alright.” I nodded slowly. “So, my coven and I… ”
“Will be partaking in extra, intensive classes,” Theodora finished. “It will not be easy. In fact, it will push you to the very edge. If you thought the preschool classes were difficult, you’re in for a rude awakening. I will inform the other professors of your… situation. And Cole, I’m warning you now. This semester’s classes will be more… unorthodox. You will not be treated like the other students with quizzes and standard lessons. You will be tested frequently, no questions asked, and you will be expected to succeed. Is that clear?”
I nodded again as I mulled her words over. This was a lot of information to take in at once, and my original questions still hadn’t been answered.
“I understand the school is in danger,” I replied slowly, “but why us? Why me?”
“Cole,” Theodora said as she stood up, and she seemed to be recovering quickly at this point. “I know I promised you answers, but I can’t give them to you. Not yet, because we have larger concerns, and I can’t afford to have you distracted.”
“Wait a minute,” I protested, since I was not willing to give up just yet.
“Cole,” the headmistress interrupted with a shake of her head. “No, I’m sorry. Now, I strongly suggest you go back up to your quarters and get a good night’s rest. You will begin your intensive courses tomorrow morning.”
I repressed a sigh as the older woman left me alone in the infirmary, and I felt a mixture of emotions as I sat there in the dim room. None of my burning questions had been answered tonight like I thought they would, but that didn’t mean I would give up.
In fact, I was more determined than ever before. Every day, I was learning something new about the dark world I was thrown into, and it was more sinister than I thought. I wouldn’t give up, though, and no matter what, I was going to find some damn answers one way or another.
I would survive this, just like I had survived the final exam.