Dean Hawthorne: Headmaster of a Magical Academy, page 37
I had moments before the ball would be upon me, and I used that time to center myself. Taking a deep breath, I held out one hand to the fire and my wand toward the sky, knowing this maneuver would end one of two ways: with the orb’s destruction, or mine.
Chapter
Fifty-One
HEXEREI ACADEMY
“Potestas mea est as imperium!” I shouted the end of my incantation, just as the flames collided with my open palm.
I felt the wave of energy filling up my body, the power coursing through my mana pathways, searching for a way out. The magical energy painfully made its way up my arm and released through my wand, the stream of power flooding the sky overhead. I held this position as more and more power cycled through my body, my focus on staying conscious and keeping the connection open.
Dark smoke blocked out the sun, darkening the courtyard, the ball in front of me finally seeming to shrink. I held my position even as the heat from the flames threatened to break through the protection layer of my spell. I felt my body shift backward, my feet carving out a path in the dirt, the magic continually filtering out into the open air.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the orb disappeared, the last remnants of power joining the smoke cloud that loomed over the school. Relief washed over me, and I dropped to my knees, my entire body aching.
“Dean Hawthorne!” I heard my name, my mentees rushing to help me to my feet.
“Is it over?” Lizzie asked, her eyes fixed on the ominous cloud that seems to be getting closer to the ground, filling in the air around us.
“Please tell me it's over.” Riley added, the boy letting his fear show on his face.
“Not quite.” I broke the news, the source of the immense attack having yet to be fully dealt with.
“Dean Hawthrone!” An out-of-breath Professor Haile reached my side, a beaker of green liquid in her hand. “I came as soon as the barrier was lifted. I’m sorry.” She thrust the container toward me, tears in her eyes.
I didn’t even consider that she would be trapped inside the building from our efforts to save it.
“You’re just in time,” I reassured her, accepting the potion from her outstretched arms. “Students are to stay back,” I told the crowd that had gathered and received pleas as they begged for me to reconsider in return. “Stay here.” I said firmly once more, then headed for the arena, the professors following close behind.
Maneuvering my way through the debris, I found Richie right where we left him. Professor Blake rushed ahead to check his status, the woman disregarding the destruction he had caused just minutes earlier. Before she could reach him, Professor Borlander grabbed her by the arm, stopping her in her place.
“Be careful, Morgan. He’s not in his right mind,” the man insisted.
“Don’t worry, I won’t let anything happen to her,” I told the couple, invoking a protection spell around the professor’s body should the boy come to his senses during the exam.
Morgan’s features softened when her hazel eyes met Garret’s, trying to calm the man’s fears. He loosened his grip, letting her approach the unconscious student. I helped her onto his wrist using a levitation spell and once again onto his chest at her instruction.
“He’s alive,” she confirmed, and I brought her back to our huddle. “My magic had no effect, but at least for now he is only unconscious from the effects of the shock.”
“Let’s try the potion,” I held it up, knowing it was our only option. He couldn’t stay as he was, not if we valued our lives and the lives of everyone in Alastor.
With my wand in one hand and the beaker in the other, I teleported myself to Richie’s cheek, close enough to his mouth to administer the potion orally. When my feet touched down on his soft cheek, he began to stir, the boy waking from his forced slumber. His eyes sprung open, narrowing in on the uninvited guest. Having no time to spare, I ran to the corner of his mouth and dropped in the liquid, the small amount of potion looking lost in the dark crater.
An indistinguishable growl left Richie’s mouth as he sat up, swatting me from his person. I jumped and with the help of levitation magic managed to skip down his limbs and onto the disheveled ground. Smacking his lips together, he looked around the arena, the effects of the lightning spell leaving him in a state of confusion.
We held our breath on the sidelines, waiting for the potion to take effect, but ready to fight again if it came down to it. The boy tried to stand, but then froze, his face going pale. Gripping his chest, he started to groan, his body shrinking by the second.
“It’s working!” Professor Haile exclaimed, the potion slowly bringing Richie back to his normal size.
Although the effects of the liquid were as intended, it was easy to tell there were some dire consequences that came with it. Splatters of blood hit the broken stage, Richie’s groans turning to uncontrollable coughs. Professor Blake rushed to provide her healing touch, but the boy swatted her away, my spell the only thing keeping her from feeling the pain of his fist, her body flying backward into Professor Borlander’s arms.
“You have to let me help you!” she demanded, rushing back into the fight, the other professors and myself working to keep him still enough for her to get close.
She reached his arm and placed a light hand on him, the incantation quickly leaving her mouth. Despite the perfect enchantment, the highest-level healing spell had no effect on the boy’s body, his limbs turning an ash gray as he shrank back to his original size. A few more grumbles were all that left his mouth before he closed his eyes, his body going still.
Professor Blake tried her entire healing repertoire, but it was too late—he was already gone. Everyone stood in silence, the weight of the moment starting to sink in. The loss was heavy, leaving everyone frozen, unsure how to proceed. I felt that same pit in my stomach, but my position as the dean made it so I couldn’t freeze up.
“Luna, go alert the city watch,” I instructed my familiar, the attack and death of a student something that would need to be thoroughly investigated.
Pulling a banner of the school’s colors from the arena wall, I walked over to Richie’s body and lightly placed it over his lifeless form. As the cloth fell, I noticed a pouch sticking out of his shoe. Picking it up, I examined the sachet first, the sigil meant to dampen the contents of the bag making it hard to detect. Opening the pouch, I found a dark powder within. I’d seen many enhancement powders and elixirs in my day, but something about this one felt off. I didn’t touch it, too afraid any amount of contact would trigger a response, but I kept it safe for when the authorities of Alastor arrived.
The dark clouds of smoke remained overhead, adding to the feeling of dread from the event. I glanced up, searching for the blue sky amongst the gray and caught the tiniest glimpse trying to peek through. For a moment, the light was visible, and I stared, lost in the hope it provided. Then the light disappeared again only to reappear seconds later; it was as if something large had flown over that exact spot at that exact moment, the dark scales covering up the light.
“Dominic.” I heard Luna’s concerned voice in my head.
“I saw it,” I responded, knowing my eyes weren’t playing tricks on me.
Whatever was watching us from the sky riled up Luna’s senses, meaning its intentions weren’t good. I started planning for another attack in my mind, ready to defend against this unknown enemy, but then Luna appeared beside me, her nose sniffing the soot-coated air.
“It’s gone,” she said simply, unsure what it was herself.
I exhaled a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding, relieved we weren’t its target. At least not today.
Chapter
Fifty-Two
BISHOP’S ESTATE - VISCOUNT BISHOP
Aggravated cries filled the office of the viscount, the man flinging every book, trinket and item not bolted to the wall onto the floor.
“Imbeciles. Every last one of them!” he cried as he continued the destruction of his office space.
Malvolio, his familiar, maintained his shrunken form and curled up in the corner, trying to avoid the slew of objects flying through the air. The dark sky dragon didn’t bother interjecting, the beast already quite used to his contractor’s outbursts.
“How hard is it to follow one simple direction? It’s not that difficult. Disperse the product. Disperse!” He groaned, letting his magic stone powered lamp shatter on the floor. “Who takes the whole thing?!”
As the man worked to flip his sturdy wooden desk, his communication crystal buzzed, the call he knew was coming. The one he dreaded answering.
He held the crystal in his hand, a lump forming in his throat. Thoughts of fleeing the city crossed his mind, but something told him even that wouldn’t be enough. Reluctantly, he poured mana into the crystal, the projection appearing, the same dark figure appearing on the other end.
“Sir…I can explain,” he started as he always would, seeming to be apologizing for one thing or another.
“The boy?”
“He’s…dead.”
“The remaining product?”
After a suffocating pause, the viscount admitted, “There were too many witnesses to retrieve it…”
“Enough. You were given one final chance. You failed. Not only did you fail to complete your mission, but you left evidence with your incompetence. ‘The Hands’ thank you for your service, but it will no longer be necessary.”
The image shut off, leaving Viscount Bishop staring at the inactive stone. Before the sigh of relief building in his chest could be released, the stone turned blood red. Sparks of crimson electricity emanated from the crystal, and before the viscount could drop the device, the power traveled into his body, trailing up his arms and straight to his heart.
He clenched his teeth as the electricity ravaged his body, Malvolio rushing to his side, but there was nothing even a powerful beast such as himself could do. When the tirade of red streaks finally ceased, the viscount dropped to the floor, the stone he held completely destroyed; not even a speck of the crystal remained.
“And that’s how you cover your tracks.”
A man shrouded in darkness appeared beside the body, making sure no traces of foul play remained.
“Let’s go, Malvolio,” he called out to the familiar who followed without question.
A dark portal appeared in the center of the room; the swirling vortex contained within itself. The man entered first, the dark sky dragon close behind before the portal snapped shut, erasing their presence from the viscount’s office.
Chapter
Fifty-Three
HEXEREI ACADEMY
The rest of the day went by in a blur. The investigation started immediately, all evidence being pulled from the site and taken into the city watches’ custody. The tournament was, of course, canceled, and the doors of Hexerei were shut pending the investigation. As the dean, I was questioned relentlessly, but all the information I had matched that of the others present, so I wasn’t much help.
The arena, courtyard, and a good portion of the front building were left destroyed, another reason for the school’s closure. A meeting was held to inform the students of the events that passed and what was to come, our future for the remaining year a mystery to us all. Goodbyes were said, with the hope of reconvening in the near-future, but again it would depend on the higher-ups how the rest of the year would proceed.
Of all my years as the Dean of Hexerei, this attack was unprecedented. I couldn’t be sure what the future would hold, but I knew one thing for sure. It wasn’t over. The powder, the demon appearing in the classroom, the intruders and now Richie’s death. They all had to be connected. While I didn’t disregard the formal process of the investigation, I could no longer sit by and wait while someone else took care of the problem.
If their target was Hexerei, I would become their opponent. While steadfast in my resolve, I couldn’t do it alone. I would need the king’s support, trusted allies and access to the legendary weapons sealed in the royal vault. Someone was responsible for this incident, for Richie’s death, and I wouldn't rest easy until they were found and made to pay for their crimes.
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Han Yang, Dean Hawthorne: Headmaster of a Magical Academy
