Page 152 of The Holy Academy of Witches

After consulting the fragile spell book, I resumed the required chant at nothing more than the sound of a breath, as I reached for the first of the elements… Water. I poured a generous amount from the jug I had filled in preparation, directly onto the first candle. In direct rebellion to the laws of nature the flame only grew with the added liquid. I closed my eyes in gratitude that at least I hadn’t messed up on the first step. Secondly, I placed my hand in the jar of consecrated dirt I had gathered from a nearby cemetery. Grasping a handful, I carefully sprinkled the soil onto the second candle. It grew brighter, the light enough to scorch into my retinas with every blink. Next was Air. On translating the text, I believed it required me to blow on the flame, without extinguishing it. Which I had previously thought absurd, but after seeing that half a jug of water didn’t douse the lit candle I felt more confident with my actions. I leaned closer and blew steadily at the flame. It flickered and danced wildly as though it was about to go out but it held up long enough for me to mentally tick off another element. Only two left. The next step called for “Fire - of natural origins”. So I had spent Sunday learning how to start a fire with two sticks and some tinder. Something which I’m sure the outdoorsy Sage would already have known. Using constant friction, I rolled the stick into the other until an ember formed, transferring it into the nest of tinder I blew gently, encouraging the spark of fire to spread. When I was successful, I then carefully placed the nest at the base of the fourth candle and continued with my Latin.

The lesser known but equally as important fifth element had been difficult to find. I picked up the deep purple vial and held it aloft. The light from the many flames bathed the crystal vessel in a strangely opalescent glow. Aether. Gods own breath. I was expected to inhale the substance and then offer my ‘reinvigorated life force’ in favour. I paused my chanting to take a much needed gulp of air before lifting the vial to my nose. Before I could think too hard about my actions, I uncorked the bottle and breathed in deeply. It was cool, not unlike taking a deep breath on a frosty morning. On resuming the spoken ritual, I picked up one of my usual daggers and slit into my arm in a shallow but long cut. The superficial bleeding dripped steadily over the final point of the star, until the wound quickly clotted. I watched the flame as it… did nothing.

I consulted the book once more. Ah, that was normal. I flinched at my own thoughts. Nothing about this wasnormal,I was committing an act that went against everything I believed in, against everything we were taught. But if this was the only way to beat them… then I would destroy myself gladly. And with that, the final step.

“I’m sorry.” I whispered as I picked up the sacrificial blade with one hand and unlocked the small cage to my right with the other. Reaching in, I grasped the warm fur of the young rabbit inside. And held it over the deep ritual bowl sitting in the centre of the pentagram. The rabbit struggled in my hand, the whites of its eyes visible as it made a horrendous screeching. Pleading for its life.

With the last remaining words of the ritual, “Vita ad vitam,” I drew the blade across the animal’s throat and watched as dark red blood spilled violently into the waiting bowl, until the rabbit’s movements slowed and the bleeding inevitably ceased.

Each candle burned brightly, the blue tone slowly morphing into an insidious black. I dropped the lifeless animal to the floor and placed my hands over the bowl. I let my magic emit from my palms as I spoke my intentions out loud. Envisioning every failed attempt at countering the curse which was ravaging victims of every attack. The devastation at everyincident.My magic whispered to me to play them at their own game… to cause them as much pain as they were causing us. Seek revenge. Destroy them.Killthem. I opened my eyes and swiped my hand quickly through the salt, breaking the ritual. The skin of my arms was black, all the way to the elbow. The pool of blood in the bowl had simmered and evaporated to almost nothing. I was holding the blade. Why was I holding the blade? It clattered loudly against the floor as I dropped it in panic.

I stood shakily and caught sight of myself in the dressing table mirror. I looked… dead. My complexion ghostly, my black eyes looked hollow in my head, bruising obvious under each one. My lips pale and dry.

What was I becoming? And why was it still not enough?

Eighty

Sage

Cillian had made some upgrades to the cabin since we’d last been here, my presence somehow activating the fire and closing the curtains. I smiled into the comforting space, wondering if it was a spell or hidden smart house installation. Either way it was nice, made the space feel less empty as I prepared to sink into my visions. My cheeks warmed as I remembered the way we’d warmed each other up here after finding the last statue. Remembered how we’d decided going back to our dorms was a waste of time when our room mates knew where we were, and slept through the night in each other’s arms. And now I was far enough ahead on my studies that I’d convinced Adeline to allow me to go the entire weekend without tutoring, or anything. And I planned on making the most of every second.

Jumping into the shower, I washed off the sweat and grime that clung from my latest flower harvest. Soaked until I banished the lingering chill of the spring’s night from my bones. Dressing shamelessly in one of Cillian’s shirts, I made my way to his bed, wrapping myself in one of the warm blankets before I reclined against the headboard.

Just as I was about to close my eyes I saw the glint of metal peeking out from between some sheet music. I scooted over, sliding the sheet music to the side to find a voice recorder. Looking between the door and the machine in my hands, I decided to leave him a gift. Something he’d been wanting to hear for a while. Turning on one of the poorly recorded tracks of his band on my phone I began to sing along with the new harmonies I’d crafted after listening to them on repeat for months. I sang with my whole heart, recording a couple different songs, all while thinking of him, of how much I loved him and his music. I ended the recording, hid the recorder, and then dropped into the awaiting visions.

They started off soft and pink, showing lovely happy things in reflection of my mood. I soaked it in, the rose petals, small gardens, and finally the lavender field in bloom. I smiled to myself, glad of my ability to peek into the future for once. If only I could share it with Cillian.

The scene shifted, darkened, and I felt grief tear through my heart. A knowledge more than a scene. I was going to lose him.

No.

I was going to lose all of them.

No.

There was nothing I could do to stop it.

No.

Devastation shredded my mind as I saw flashes of light clash against boundless night. What lay beyond those flashes was important, so important, but I couldn’t get close enough. Couldn’t see beyond the light and dark that took turns blinding my sight. I scrambled nearer anyways, closing my eyes to them both, and when I tripped I continued on my hands and knees. It didn’t matter how long I had to crawl, I wouldn’t stop until I found the answer that would save them.

I kept my eyes sealed as the flashing grew around me. I shouldn’t have been surprised when the ground in turn grew sharper, drawing blood. Hopefully just metaphorical blood, though the pain was undoubtedly real. My legs and arms began to shake as my hands and legs were pierced and sliced by the shards of metaphysical glass below me, but still I continued. Haunted more by the results of accepting defeat than continuing forward. That was when I felt it, the brush of a hand I would recognize blind. One I had done everything in my power to memorise. Opening my eyes despite the flashing dark, I found the face I loved frozen again, in death. My mind shattered as I took in his unseeing eyes, here then gone, real then lost. His injuries seared into my mind with each flash.Thiscould not happen. I would notletthis happen. I yelled my defiance, covering his body with mine as I swore I would stop whatever monstrosity was in store for him, for me, for my family, no matter the cost.

I was spat out of the vision, my mind like a chewed up chunk of meat. There was no hint of injury or blood and my phone said it had barely been a minute, something that felt much more jarring than if it had taken hours or days. Made worse by the phantom pain that lingered. I was fine. It wasn’t real. It wasn’t real.

“I hope you’re ready for a long night because I brought goodies,” Cillian entered the room with all the vigour and passion I loved.

I broke into shattering sobs.

“Sage! What happened? Are you okay?” He rushed to my side, holding me close in a way that felt like home. He was my home, and I’d do anything to protect it.

“Run away with me,” I sobbed into his shoulder.

“What? Sage, why? You’re doing so well. The year is almost over.”

“Forget school, forget grades. It doesn’t matter. Just run away with me, with us. We can be a family. We can keep each other safe.”

“Did you see something? Why are you talking like this?”

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