Highfield Academy - Revenge of The Crows

King Thalaba was pleased that his son had been resurrected and brought in to aid in the trapping of the fallen, it had upset him that the Royal Seraph Council had ruled and brought about the hibernation of Tim. However, it did mean the child was in the right place at the right time and was now able to aid humanity when it was needed the most.

As for the upcoming Rang match Thalaba had plans which he knew would annoy the hell out of his friend, yet according to the term of Rules & Fair play, a wizard can use whatever magical abilities they possess in attacking or defending a player, just as they would in war. It was the whole purpose and reason Rang had been developed, to build the students confidence when facing a single to multiple enemies.

Thalaba knew all his players were pure blooded Fay and had shapeshifting abilities, this was available only to a selected few on the Highfield Academy team, and Thalaba intended to use this to his full advantage. Also, his son Tim had overlooked that the Dryads attached to him, once belonged to the parent Dryads belonging in King Thalaba’s care. And he knew that he could learn of his sons’ thoughts and tune into all his son was planning.

It was unsporting at best, but in war such matters needed to be exploited to their fullest, and he intended for his school’s honour to re-established. They had held the title of ‘King of Rang’ for over a Thousand years, and he had no intention of losing it.

As Sandu the team’s captain went over the game plan instructions as received from king Thalaba, Thelmaric and Tess-Arma thought in how they could improvise and bring about additional skills without breaking any rules and ensuring their victory.

It was then Tessa laughed and smiled at her friend.

“I have it” she said. “James Snot bottom and his five brothers. I agree they are not the best of our Rang players, in fact I find their kind particularly disgusting, but there is nothing to say we cannot use their rather unique skills.”

James was from a species of Fay who evolved from slugs, and although he and his brothers could pass as human, well not up close, but from a distance it was difficult to tell except for the trail of disgusting slime they left behind and on almost everything they touched.

It was truly disgusting and looked much like slimy snot which had dribble in volume from and elephants’ nose and accumulated a putrid sticky slime that once touched clung to its victim enabling the victim to be consumed. Well once that was the case in their primitive form, these days their diet was more acceptable, putrid slimy fish, however there was nothing in the rules to prevent these players using their natural skills.

Vlad Academy had students practicing and practicing until James and his brothers were confident, they could cast a Rang with Slime attached, and by the time it reached the defender the slime was like a blob of glue waiting to attach itself to anything it passed.

After a time, some of the Rang’s deposited the slime covering the defenders and inhibiting their reaction time. While a second and third Rang followed to take the defender out of play. It was ingenious, stingingly horrid, and possibly unsporting, but ingenious, and fellow students caught in the mass of slime all vomited and needed the infirmary to release them.

This was not their only magical weapon and Highfield Academy had a match which they were soon to play, and they were apparently in for a huge surprise, unless they could come up with a suitable game plan of their own, only King Thalaba ensured he listened in to all their plans.

Miss Mac Death had year three in the evening for extra defence against the dark arts, and she was in a wicked mode due to having had a bad day, as not one single student had stepped out of place, and all throughout the day did exactly as they were told, so, come evening, Mac Death was determined to catch a misfortunate student out.

At exactly 18.00 Mac Death entered the classroom, only to find all the students quietly waiting her arrival, not one was out of place and if anything, they seemed a bit to quiet. But then she had truly scared them before, and her reputation was being talked over throughout the school. Each student had their books open to the correct page, and a live creature sat spell bound on their desks.

“Right students good evening, I am pleased no one is late,” but then she saw desk thirteen was empty. “Where might I enquire is Rose?”

“In the infirmary Miss,” replied Paula.

Miss Mac Death looked at Paula, “Is she so near to death, that she needs to miss my lesson?”

“Yes miss, came the collective reply, and Mac Deaths eyes widened.

“Is she now, interesting, pray tell me how this came about. Paula breathed deeply and her voice was kind of wobbly as she re-laid the events which had placed her friend in hospital.

“Miss, you gave us each a list of which creatures to bring to class, we placed all of them in a hat a drew lots, Rose drew a death viper miss, only it was too quick for her and bit her placing her in hospital. Mac Death smiled, so where is the viper now it needs to go back into correct storage?”

There was a collective smile as all the class answered together. “Behind you miss.”

As Mac Death slowly turned a huge death viper standing some fifteen feet tall loomed over the teacher. Only Mac Death smiled.

“Snoopy so there you, did these nasty students scare you, come to mamma and I shall ensure you are fed and well cared for.”

Then the stunned students were caught off guard as the huge snake morphed into hundreds of tiny versions of itself and launched at the children. Mac Death laughed believing she had caught them yet again.

Only the students were no longer sitting in their chairs, instead the mongooses who had been acting as avatars, leapt and attacked the snakes, while nine spells hit Miss Mac Death freezing her in a bubble of time.

She could see all that was happening but was trapped and out of fazed time so she could not retaliate. In minutes, all her precious snakes were dead, and Mac Death cried for her loss. Tim cast a spell and all the mongooses merged into a single creature which he picked up and secured away safely.

Her scream had attracted Mr Claws and Miss Tianna, and Merlin also arrived sensing trouble was about to happen.

As Merlin released Mac Death she screamed and wanted revenge, but Joshua and Tim stepped forward.

“They are not dead miss, well yes they are but we can revoke that and give you back your pet, if that is what you want”. Mac Death blinked and looked at Joshua,

“You killed my pet child there is no return from death, stupid boy.”

Rather than argue Joshua cast a spell and Tim backed him up as their wands communicated with each other enabling Tim’s wand to learn the spell. In moments as the spell fell on the snakes like fairy dust, each creature stirred and started to morph back into a giant death viper.

It slithered to Mac Deaths side and curled itself around her until it reached her hair and merged into her scalp. The teachers stared in disgusted amazement, and they were shocked at what they just witnessed.

Merlin grinned,

“Really Mac Death you should know better than to allow that creature lose, Yes, I gave you permission to attack the students and teach them, yet that is going over and above your duties and your enthusiasm seems to have got the better of your judgment, no more over dangerous attacks, do you understand, or you shall face not only my wrath, but that of King Thalaba and the Fay Council.”

King Thalaba viewed the events as they had happened and it was, he who had alerted his friend to what was happening. He was pleased for his son’s new abilities and proud he had thwarted one as powerful as the daughter of death. However, he knew Mac Death would not leave it there, it was just not in her nature to be humiliated like that and to allow the matter to rest.

Thalaba had the Dryads on extra high alert and ready to defend the students, he did not want them harmed as the match was due in four days’ time, and he was determined to win within the rules, and not allow Highfield players to be harmed in some petty revenge.

As it was Merlin’s warning had hurt Miss Mac Death and after that confrontation, she treated the students with softer than usual lessons, also the death of her viper had genuinely upset her, and it was a shock to learn for the first time in her life that death could be overcome.

This also disturbed her, and she send a communication to her father, asking for guidance in this matter. It had been almost nine hundred years since Death himself had paid a direct visit to the school, and dispensation was required from the Royal Courts before Death was permitted into the school’s grounds.

Mac Death hugged her father, he was tall but skeletally thin and at times the teachers and students on realising who he was tried their best to avoid him. Merlin however greeted him as an old friend.

“Fred, it is so good to see you again, it had been far too long, and your daughter Mac Death is a great asset to our school, the students are scared stupid of her, but she is a good teacher, but occasionally a little over eager in her methods, I feel she may have inherited that from you.”

Although no one could see deaths face other than his eyes which were like bulbs of white light in a dark cavern. From inside his hoody the eyes lit indicating he smiled.

“My daughter informs me two of your students can reverse death, is that true?” enquired death.

Merlin smiled, “Yes my old friend you yourself know of such life forms who have learn this gift, few I agree, but as you know it is not unheard of and much needed during these troubled times.

Death was quiet for a time,

“Yes I visited the holding cells of Lord Belliteron and the two fallen Seraphs, it pleased me to see the measures you and the others have taken in securing them, but even I believe it will not be possible to capture Lucido and his two brothers, they have avoided me for an eternity, but one day I will hold the key to their lives and their punishment shall be for an eternity.”

Merlin swallowed at that thought, “Yes I was informed of your visit, and apparently, Lord Belliteron has not spoken a word since that visit, you must have left an impression.”

Death laughed the same laugh he gave when he had spoken to Belliteron, and even Merlin felt the bone chilling cold that came with that deadly laugh.