Chapter 17
Once the ice soldiers were held forever captive in their icy hell, we headed down toward their empty village of stone and wood and then gazed upon the vast, burning red lake of fire.
“Any plans?” Faye asked as we stared upon our next obstacle, and her forehead wound had nearly healed completely. “Something tells me this will be even more difficult than taking on the ice soldiers.”
“What if we shadow port across?” Marina asked with wide purple eyes. “Couldn’t that work?”
“Samara probably has a barrier to prevent us from doing something so simple,” Penelope suggested with a long, drawn-out sigh. “There’s a reason the holy fire is here… it’s to protect the palace from dark magic.”
“Perhaps Cole can come up with a solution?” Vanessa said, and to my surprise, there wasn’t an ounce of sarcasm or anger in her eyes when I turned to study her.
As the others stared at me for a solution, I thought back to the woman from my dreams. She told me I could create and bring any bonded creature to life if I willed it into existence, but it would take an immense amount of power to do so, and at this point, I wasn’t ready to summon anything that would take too much energy away from me.
Not until we reached the borders of the ice castle where the second artifact was hidden.
Then, as I stared upon each witch and thought back to our lessons in Scholomance, an idea immediately sprung to mind. I thought back to Professor Olivia’s class, where we were able to form great wings like those of the elders, and that’s when I knew exactly what we had to do.
“We need to cast the spell we learned in soul class,” I said, and as the words escaped from my mouth, the women’s eyes all lit up with realization. “It’s a form of elder disguise, and I’m sure it can’t be detected as dark magic since it’s masked as holy power.”
“So, we’ll fly over the lake with elder wings?” Morgana gasped with bright eyes. “Brilliant thinking, master!
“Of course,” Penelope said before she slapped her forehead and shook her head. “Why didn’t I think of that… as a matter of fact, I think I’m carrying a vial of the potion with me! I thought it might come in handy.”
“Are you serious, Penelope?” Akira asked with wide, amazed eyes. “Satan, you’re fucking amazing!”
“What are you all talking about?” Revna asked with her head tilted to the side in confusion. “What potion? Elder wings? Flying?”
“There’s a special potion we learned in soul class back at Scholomance with a professor named Olivia who was once a part of the High Court, and she taught us how to brew a special kind of--” Morgana started to ramble, but then Vanessa raised her hand in the air to cut her off.
“We’ll have enough time to get into that later,” Vanessa said in a sharp tone. “For now, let’s all take a few drops of the brew and fly over this fucking lake before Samara sends her violent winds and burns the castle to the ground.”
Penelope nodded firmly in agreement before she dug around for a moment inside her furs, whipped out a small vial, and then presented it to all of us. It gleamed bright orange under the pale winter sun and twinkled as she twirled it around for all of us to see.
“Now, fair warning,” the orange-haired witch said before she uncorked the vial. “This stuff tastes like absolute shit, so make sure not to throw it back up because we only have a little of it to spare.”
“It looks like just about enough for each of us,” Vanessa remarked as she studied the vial with narrowed eyes. “Perfect, Miss Penelope.”
“Thank you,” Penelope answered before she tossed back her head and drank a careful sip of the potion.
The beautiful witch scrunched up her nose in distaste and wiped the corners of her lips as she struggled to swallow the bitter brew. She then passed the vial to Vanessa, and each witch took their turn to tilt their head back and drink their share. By the time it was my turn, there were only a few drops left, and as I drained the vial dry, the other women began to slowly morph into elder replicas.
As my own body began to morph, each woman’s hair started to shimmer like sunshine, and their eyes glowed an even brighter shade than their usual color. Everyone’s face scrunched up in pain as our bodies shifted, and I could feel my mouth going dry and tears forming in the corners of my eyes as the brew worked its magic. My bones felt like they were breaking and reforming again, and I struggled not to groan or hunch over from the terrible agony. I watched through hazy vision as the others grappled with overcoming the pain and accepting their rapid transformation, and each woman gasped as giant wings began to sprout from their backs and puncture through the furs they wore over their shoulders.
My own hands trembled as two giant limbs escaped from my shoulder blades, and it felt like my back was being cut open as my wings grew. The familiars all crowded around us and stared at us with wide, curious eyes as we changed into elder imitations, but none of them made a noise.
By the time the spell was complete, I had taken a moment to stare at each woman. Vanessa and Akira now possessed pairs of gleaming ebony wings like those of a raven. Vesta’s new additions were as silver as her eyes, and Morgana’s were a dark shade of purple. Marina had a similar pair, but hers were lavender like her eyes and hair. Circe had a couple of bright yellow wings as beautiful and radiant as her golden hair, and Faye’s appendages were a deep shade of emerald green, like that of a lush forest and her eyes. Penelope’s new wings were rose-pink and the same color as her flushed cheeks. Revna’s wings were as white as snow, with gold edges, and then finally, the sapphire-skinned witch had a pair of deep-blue wings as cobalt as her hair and skin.
Unholy shit, Cole, Alexander gasped in my head. Your wings are as red as hell’s soil.
“Master,” Akira gasped with parted purple lips. “You look incredible.”
“You look like I imagine Satan himself looks,” Circe cooed as her shimmering serpentine eyes studied me from head to toe. “You’re absolutely mesmerizing, master.”
“Indeed, master,” Vesta purred in a sexy voice. “If only we didn’t have to cross the lake--”
“Well, we do,” Vanessa snapped as her eyes glowed like pale-blue diamonds, and her giant wings flapped like two massive ebony fans. “Now, carry your familiars if they can’t fly. We’ve got to get across that lake as soon as possible.
“This potion should also give you extra-strength,” Morgana said before anyone could argue with the professor. “Don’t worry, you won’t drop them into the fire.”
“Now, let’s get a move on,” I ordered. “We can’t afford to waste any time. Samara’s power may not be strong enough right now, but give it fucking time, and she will summon the strength to destroy us all.”
“So, let’s go,” Vanessa agreed as she stared deeply into my eyes. “We have no time to fucking waste.”
We all nodded at each other before the women grabbed their land critters, stared up at the silver sky, and jumped upward while simultaneously flexing their wings. My body left the ground as Alexander passed by my side, and I felt a surge of magnificent power flooding through my body as I soared across the burning lake of holy fire. I could feel its heat wafting upward and radiating over my glowing skin, and I grinned as the ice castle grew closer and closer.
“This is amazing!” Revna gasped as we ventured further across the giant body of fiery holy water. “I feel like a bird!”
“Keep concentrating, though,” Vanessa warned. “The spell could fade at any moment if you don’t keep your mind and heart open to Satan and the darkness. It’s a tricky spell since it’s disguised as holy magic, but you still need to remember to worship your unholy master.”
“Understood,” the wild Wicca responded as she soared over the red body of water with a more serious expression plastered across her beautiful face.
As we flew over the lake, I could feel something shifting deep inside me. It was a sudden sensation and one that was not welcoming at all. It felt like my head was growing lighter, and my vision was becoming weaker. I could barely breathe, and instead of flying across the lake in a straight line, I could feel my body swerving over the fire and descending slowly toward the lava-like water.
“Master!” Circe screamed, but I could barely hear or see her.
Do you think you’re so clever? Samara’s voice suddenly echoed inside my head. No, Cole… I see you. You may have found a way to cross my water of doom, but be prepared for the army awaiting you. You will be outnumbered and slaughtered like weak, newborn lambs. I can’t wait to see your unholy blood spilled over my entire palace.
“I doubt that,” I said through gritted teeth. “I know you’re afraid we’ll win… I can sense it in my bones and feel the fear in your voice. Whether you like it or not, we’re connected now, and you’d better start accepting that.”
Goddamn you! she howled in my head, and for a moment, I thought I was going to fall into the fiery pit down below. You know nothing, Cole! Soon, you will perish, and I will have peace again.
“Sorry, Samara,” I replied as I pushed her out of my head like a bad dream, “but you’re going to lose this one.”
I didn’t hear another word from the elder goddess, and quickly, I regained my strength and soared back upward toward the others who had been watching me with fearful eyes.
“Cole… what happened?” Morgana asked with furrowed eyebrows. “For a split second, we thought you were going to tumble into the fire--”
“Don’t worry about it,” I assured her. “I’m fine… let’s just cross this fucking lake.”
The women and familiars didn’t argue as we flew over the rest of the burning holy water. Then we came to the edge of the lake and landed smoothly on our feet, and as soon as we were on the icy ground, I could feel my wings seeping deep back into my bones and disappearing as if they never existed.
“Everyone should take a moment to breathe,” Vanessa said as she eyed the castle. “I don’t see anyone standing guard, but I’m sure once we draw closer, we’ll be attacked at once, and Satan only knows by what.”
As we took the professor’s advice, I examined the castle made of pure ice and snowy marble. The texture was sleek and smooth, and strangely, the ice wasn’t transparent, so it was impossible to see inside. There were four towers, and each one possessed one small arched window. There were two massive doors made of white and silver marble at the entrance, and two pillars by their sides. It was an elegant structure, but I knew soon, it would see chaos.
For some reason, I had a feeling that once those marble doors opened, a flood of different elder creatures and soldiers would come pouring through. We’d be attacked as soon as Samara found the strength to warn them, but how much time did we have? I knew by our strange and inexplicable connection that she was weak from trying to drown me in her holy lake, but her strength would soon return, and we needed to be prepared for anything.
“Alright,” I breathed as I stared upon the ice castle. “I’m going to summon our own army.”
“And just how the hell are you going to do that?” Vanessa asked in an impatient voice.
“I told you to trust me,” I said in a stern tone as I eyed her from head to toe. “Remember?”
“What can we do to help, master?” Nyx asked, and she cocked her horned head to the side and stared at me with her almond-shaped eyes.
“Nothing,” I said with a small smile. “This is something I must do alone… but I warn you, it will be a painful process, and I don’t want you to concern yourselves with me once I begin.”
My women nodded in agreement, but both Revna and Vanessa regarded me with concerned looks, and I could tell by her downturned eyes that the professor was still feeling skeptical.
“Please, Vanessa,” I whispered in a gentle voice. “You need to just trust me. By Satan, I vow we’ll survive this and find the second artifact.”
“Alright,” the beautiful professor said finally, and some of the tension bled out of her features.
“Now… everyone, stand back,” I ordered. “I need space.”
I closed my eyes, took in a deep breath, and imagined hundreds of magical beings all at once. I thought of centaurs, wendigos, trolls, werewolves, gargoyles, hydras, mountain elves, and banshees. Whatever evil encounters we’d had in the past, I willed it into existence to become mine to control.
I would summon the greatest army in existence, and there wouldn’t be a damn thing Samara could do to stop me.
As I stood there in silence, I could feel a cold, evil sensation sweeping over my entire body and soul, and my heart was open to pure darkness and our unholy lord as I willed every evil being I could imagine into existence. Magnificent power surged through my veins and ran hot through my blood like a searing river of fire. My heart hammered violently in my chest like it would burst right through my ribcage, and my skull felt like it would split open as dark supremacy took over my entire body. For a moment, I thought I would die from the effort, and I knew the women were concerned for my well-being because my body trembled, and my hands shook uncontrollably.
But no matter how intense the pain was, I was ready to summon my army.
“Mente nostra, et Tenebrae Vos vires animumque meum corpus,” I recited with my hands raised high in the air. “Concipiamus conceit cupio… facite praecepta mea et facit ea!”
Then, just as I thought I would collapse from the effort, I could feel a shift in the air, and when I heard the women gasping, I knew there was a sudden but greater presence surrounding us.
I had done it.
“Unholy fuck,” I heard Vanessa breathe in amazement. “Cole… how…?”
When I opened my eyes, I took a deep breath, and a small smile broke across my face when I realized what I had done. There, just beyond us and in front of the ice palace, was an unholy army of my own creation.
The women were rendered speechless as I gazed upon each creature, and there were at least a thousand of them all bowing before me and awaiting my command.
“Sir,” the beings who could speak echoed as they remained hunched over in respect. “We are yours to command.”
“And you shall obey my every whim,” I affirmed with a raised hand, but then I turned to look at the other women. “Listen… I know you weren’t prepared for this, but I need you to stay calm once more, because believe it or not, our army is not yet fully formed.”
“We have no doubt in our minds, master,” Akira said as she stared adoringly at me. “Whatever you must do, please do it without worrying about us. We know the magnitude of your magnificence and your strength.”
The others nodded in agreement, and when I closed my eyes, I thought of every bonded creature we had connected with in the past and willed them to come back to us. I pictured our dragons in Scholomance, our unholy shadow doubles, our ursas from Revna’s village, and the elk-like alces we lost during our journey up the mountain. I felt the same wave of power course through my body as I summoned every creature back into our realm. Then, as my body trembled and a stinging sensation burned in the back of my eyes, I could feel an unholy presence growing even grander and more powerful.
Finally, I uttered the next incantation once again.
“Ego in vtero producite!”
When I opened my eyes, not only did I see an army of my own creation, but also all the bonded beings who had loyally fought or aided us in the past. My body felt wan and almost broken, but still, I’d managed to do the unthinkable.
I had created a great, evil army of my own, and each being was mine to control. Like I was Satan himself.
“Now, everyone, listen to your commander!” I ordered as I marveled at each being. “I am your master and general. We will storm this castle and kill anyone who comes our way. Blood shall be spilled, hearts will be ripped open, and skulls will shatter. Do what you must to defeat every elder inside the palace, and once we’ve slaughtered them all… you will be free to do as you will until I command you again.”
“Yes, master,” the army replied, and the echo boomed through the air like a magnificent chorus.
“Now,” I said as I grinned from ear to ear and stared upon the women. “Let’s storm this fucking castle and find the second artifact.”
“Yes, master,” my coven responded, and each woman pulled out her wand or weapon and prepared to face the elders face on.
I looked at the giant marble entranceway and figured our best way to attack was to break down the doors and kill any guards who were waiting inside. Yet, before we could do that, a great roar echoed through the air, and when I looked up, I saw a cluster of giant serpens headed down toward us with elder men on their backs.
“Those of you who are skilled with dragons,” I yelled at my women, “you need to kill those bastards in the sky while we break down the doors! Faye, you may lead the group and choose who to take with you. Alex, join them and try to knock as many elders off the serpens’ backs as you can, but don’t get burned.”
Yes, sir, my familiar said before he and Nyx’s falcon flew up in the sky, and they began to swerve around the giant serpens and attack the elder soldiers.
“Thank you, master.” The redhead nodded before she turned to look at the other women. “Vesta and Vanessa, grab a handful of mountain elves, and let’s burn these fuckers in the sky!”
“Understood,” Vanessa said, and for once, she didn’t argue about being ordered by someone below her stature. “Let’s move!”
As the women gathered their warriors and clambered upon their giant dragons, I felt a connection with my shadow double, and suddenly, he was hovering in front of me with his bright eyes glowing above an evil grin.
What will you have me do, master? he asked with a deep bow, and for a moment, I marveled at his crimson shadowy body and broad shoulders.
“You will go into the skies and aid the dragons,” I ordered. “Kill them all with your army of shadows while we penetrate the inside of the palace.”
Yes, master, he answered before he shot up in the air, and black silhouettes swiftly and loyally followed his lead.
When I looked up, I saw dragons and serpens dancing a bloody waltz, and I watched with glee as elder soldiers, garbed in silver and golden armor, tumbled down and crashed to their deaths. I knew the skies would be secured, so I turned to the remaining women and my other creations, and my eyes landed on a towering giant with green-tinted skin and bright eyes. He carried a giant ax in his hand, and his grip was so tight, his colossal knuckles were as white as the snow surrounding us.
“You,” I said as I looked upon him. “Take down the doors, and the rest of you, be prepared to blast any spells you can at the bastards who are waiting for us inside.”
“Yes, master,” my coven responded.
“Look, Cole!” Revna screamed, and when I followed her gaze, I saw archers situated in the open tower windows and aiming their golden arrows in our direction.
“Revna, shoot them!” I called back, and without even having to utter another command, the centaurs I had willed into existence whipped out their own bows, notched their arrows, and began to fire.
“We’ve got this covered, Cole!” the beautiful wild woman cried out. “Now do what you must to enter the castle.”
Without wasting another moment, I turned my attention back to my coven and then at the giant and other creations.
“Break it down now,” I said as I looked upon the towering giant.
He nodded in my direction and ran toward the doors at a magnificent speed. Then he swung his giant ax at the marble doors, and immediately, they began to break apart with an echo so loud, it could have shaken the mountains.
Everyone kept their stances and wands aimed at the ready as we stared at the giant while he took down the doors, and by the time the marble openings were utterly shattered into pieces, blasts of light came surging in our direction, and we instantly began firing back.
However, the giant was blasted right in the head with a powerful curse that made his skull blow up like a giant watermelon, and gore and blood splattered everywhere. Then elders dressed in shimmering armor and capes came charging at us, and their cries of war echoed in my ears.
“Dissulto!” I yelled when I met the eyes of one elder with long, blood-red hair, and he went soaring back into the mess of marble and stone and cracked his head wide open.
“Avolare!” Circe cried out before she sent a group of elder soldiers soaring over our heads and tumbling off a nearby cliff.
“Glacio!” Morgana screamed as she froze a group of elders, and once they turned to ice, her familiar Silvia ran and smashed them into bloody icicles.
“Volant!” Akira yelled as three elders ran toward the black-haired Wicca, and she sent them soaring backward.
“Impes!” Penelope shrieked at another.
We continued to cast spell after spell at the men who ran toward us, and as bodies tumbled from the sky like rain, more and more chaos ensued. Isobel, Silvia, and Naomi charged at the soldiers who feebly attempted to guard the doors and tore the soldiers into bloody ribbons. The familiars showed no ounce of mercy as they attacked, and they ripped out their throats, plunged their claws into their eyes, and tore holy faces into shreds.
More men came charging our way, and when I looked at the top of the towers, I realized there were even more archers taking out my creatures. As I stared at the towering pillars, an idea sprung to mind, and even though I had exerted so much energy already, I focused on the icy strongholds. Then, in my mind, I willed them to come crashing down and kill every elder fighting in the snow.
Motus.
In mere seconds, a rumbling sound filled the air, and the icy towers began to crumble and come crashing down upon the elder soldiers. The ones who had been situated up there screamed in horror as they fell down to their inevitable deaths, and a smile spread across my face as we killed more and more.
“Well done, master!” Akira squealed with delight.
“We’re not done yet,” I reminded her. “We need to go inside and take out whoever else is left… and besides, I don’t think the skies are clear just yet.”
When we looked up, we saw Faye, Vesta, and Vanessa swiftly riding their dragons side by side with the mountain elves and shadow doubles as they took out serpens and their elder masters. Bodies of the giant, flying beasts fell to the earth and crushed bits of the castle, while others simply fell over cliffs and down to their painful deaths in the lake of burning fire.
“Everyone keep a sharp eye,” I said before we neared the broken entranceway with our wands pulled out. “We have no idea what other beasts or soldiers are lurking inside.”
The others nodded in agreement before we carefully stepped past the mass of crumbled ice and marble and finally entered Samara’s precious domain.
The air was freezing cold, and a repulsive devout presence surrounded us as we stepped deeper inside the holy palace. At first, nothing was amiss. The floors were made of pure, icy marble and were painfully cold, even through my boots. The walls were glassy and white, and there was no artwork placed anywhere that I could see. All that surrounded us in the grand hall were statues of marble elders with placid looks on their perfectly carved faces. Their eyes were devoid of emotion, yet I felt a strange presence around them for some reason. There were countless numbers of these unnerving statues, and the hall was so elongated, it stretched for at least three-hundred feet long.
“Something feels strange,” Morgana remarked under her breath. “Do you feel like… this place isn’t empty at all? Like… something is watching us.”
“And it’s something we can’t see,” I agreed as I kept my wand extended and aimed at the ready. “Keep your eyes peeled. The halls may be bare, but I feel a lingering presence hanging in the air, and it’s ready to devour us whole.”
We took several steps forward and kept our wands out and at the ready, but I could feel the ground trembling, and the air thickened with tension. Then I sensed something or someone watching me, and when I slowly craned my neck around, I noticed one of the statues staring right at me. Its gaze was cold and unwavering, but what’s more, I thought I could detect life in them.
“Shit,” I muttered under my breath before I whipped my wand in its direction, but the marble statue had already moved and was charging toward me. “Impes!”
A ball of fire went flying in the moving statue’s direction and soared right through him, like a cloud. Whatever this thing was, fire wasn’t going to kill it, so we had to develop another solution.
“What are these things?” Revna cried out before she pointed her wand at one that was running right at her. “I’ve never seen moving statues before, not like these!”
“They’re statuarums!” Morgana yelled with wide eyes, and her wand aimed steadily in front of her. “You have to blast their heads apart with the ancient spells of dissulto or any others you can think of!”
“Praemium!” Circe screamed in a wild fury, and she managed to blow up the heads of several moving statues before she turned to look at us. “I recall fighting beings like this. Morgana is right, we need to destroy their minds, and the rest of their bodies will disintegrate into bits and pieces.”
“Then let’s kill them all!” I ordered. “Circe, keep shouting as many spells as you can, and the rest of you follow her lead.”
After the blonde Wicca nodded in agreement, she whirled her wand around and screamed spell after spell while the others followed suit. The marble-like men continued to attack as other beasts of my creation attempted to slaughter them, but I knew there were too many to take on at once. I could hear more of them upstairs, and their feet pounded as they ran down to kill every single one of us. These statuarums were resilient beings, and I watched in horror as they were able to rip off the heads of werewolves, gargoyles, centaurs, and other dangerous creations I had conjured up.
I knew then if I didn’t do something and soon, Samara’s marble soldiers would overcome us. So, as the witches and other creatures did their best to slaughter the powerful elder beings with all their will and power, I knew I had to reach deep inside my heart and destroy them all at once by using the ancient incantation of modus antiquorum.
I willed Satan to seep into my heart and give me the strength to do what needed to be done, and as chaos ensued and gory screams filled the air, I closed my eyes, did my best to block everything out, and solely focused on the marble men and destroying their ancient, elder minds. Wicked power began to flow through me, and I took another deep breath, steadied my heart, and waited as evil supremacy flowed through my veins and overtook all my senses. Finally, when I felt ready, I exhaled as a surge of pure wicked power, and I knew I was prepared to kill everything I desired.
Modus antiquorum.
Suddenly, the commotion died down, and when I opened my eyes, all the marble soldiers had come to a halt. Their eyes were wide with confusion as they pressed their snow-white hands against their ears, and when they opened their mouths to wail, no noise came out. Instead, their entire bodies trembled violently, and the air grew thick right before each one began to explode into chunks of white and bloody marble. Their heads burst all at once as I kept my energy focused on them, but I could feel my body growing weaker as I used more and more of my power to kill them all at once.
Finally, when the last marble soldier was dead, the air went silent, until Akira looked around and smirked.
“Fuck,” I gasped, and I stumbled a bit out of exhaustion.
“I think you did it, master,” she said with a twinkle in her dark eyes. “I can’t feel their presence any longer.”
“Neither can I,” Penelope added as she shook her head with a grand smile.
“What happened?” a familiar voice asked from the broken doorway, and when I looked toward the opening, Vanessa, Vesta, and Faye stood there covered in soot, blood, and gore. Vanessa stared long and hard at me before she raised her wand high and looked wildly around. “Is there anything else left to kill, Cole?”
“No,” I sighed with relief, since I couldn’t sense any other beings in the palace. “We destroyed her entire army. Now, let’s find the second artifact, shall we?”