WitchCraft Academy (The First Book)

The following morning, our slumber is abruptly halted by the blaring alarm clocks at exactly seven am. Slowly, we all rise, trying to regain our sobriety.

Juniper, her eyes wide and brimming with tears, asks, "So, last night was real? It wasn't just a terrible hallucination?"

I sigh, my gaze dropping sadly. "No... It was real. Sophia is actually dead..."

"Oh, Axel," Juniper says, wrapping her arms around Axel's neck and embracing him tightly. "I'm so sorry."

"Thank you. I wish I could have protected her," Axel replies, his voice filled with regret as he gently hugs her back.

"If you had tried, we might have lost both of you," Juniper argues, pulling away and sitting next to him. "The best we can do now is seek justice for her and keep her memory alive."

"That's exactly what we're going to do," Axel declares, his eyes fixed on Silas with a determined expression. "You're certain it's your uncle, right?"

Silas nods firmly. "I know it's him."

"And you'll do whatever it takes to help us stop him?"

Silas's frustration creeps into his voice as he answers, "Yes, damn it! How many times do I have to say it?" I reach out and hold his hand, hoping to bring him some calm.

"Listen, my girlfriend is dead. I just want to do what I can to avenge her." Axel replies to him with a stern look in his eyes.

"We will." Silas says and the door unlocks and opens, revealing Melody.

"My office. Now." She says and we all get up and follow her down the hall.

"Harmony is pissed. I managed to calm her down just a bit. but we are both very disappointed because we are so lenient with all of you." She tells us.

"We really are sorry. We had no idea that something like this would happen," I confess to her.

"Well, you're all on the verge of adulthood, so it's time to start taking responsibility," she responds as we enter the office where Harmony awaits.

"Silas, is your uncle related to you by blood?" Harmony asks, getting straight to the point.

"Yes, he's my mother's bastard half-brother," Silas answers, and I intertwine my fingers with his.

"Perfect. I'll need a drop of your blood to track him," Harmony replies.

"His blood?" I exclaim in surprise.

"Don't worry, Mo Chridhe," Silas assures me, releasing my hand and approaching Harmony. She retrieves a needle and pricks his finger, collecting the blood in a small vial and placing a small cotton ball to cover it afterward.

"What does that do?" Axel inquires, his eyes fixed on Harmony, awaiting an explanation.

"You and Miss. Collins can go," Harmony responds sternly, her voice carrying an air of authority. Without hesitation, Juniper flashes me an apologetic smile and swiftly makes her exit from the room. However, Axel remains rooted in place.

"Sophia is my girlfriend. I want to help. And I'm not a student, so let me," Axel argues, his voice filled with conviction and a hint of desperation.

Harmony falls into a contemplative silence, weighing Axel's words carefully in her mind. After a brief pause, she relents, albeit with a warning. "Okay, but don't interfere in any way," she cautions, her voice laced with a sense of caution.

"I won't," Axel replies, his face etched with a grim determination that seems unfamiliar on his usually positive countenance.

With a purposeful gesture, Harmony closes her hand around the viral object she holds, murmuring an incantation in a language foreign to my ears. As if responding to her command, the viral of blood faintly illuminates, casting a dim glow in the room. "It grows brighter the closer we get to him," Harmony explains, her voice tinged with a mix of anticipation and caution.

Following Harmony's lead, we exit the office and venture forth, the viral held outward as if a compass guiding our way. The feeble glow intensifies ever so slightly as we make our way towards the library.

Ascending a flight of stairs and passing through a labyrinth of seldom-used tunnels, the light emanating from the viral grows stronger, illuminating our path with an eerie brilliance. And then, inexplicably, the glow wanes, dimming to a mere flicker. Undeterred, Harmony waves the viral over a seemingly ordinary rock wall, causing the light to surge forth once more.

A silent exchange of glances between Harmony and Melody conveys a shared understanding and they place their hands over the rocks and slowly they begin to move to the side, disappearing into the stone.

We trail behind them, entering the wall and proceeding through another passage that leads us to a spacious chamber. There, a man adorned in medieval attire, his long black hair cascading down his back, sits against the wall with my portable DVD player. As soon as he notices our presence, he swiftly rises to his feet.

"Nephew! You've brought your companions! I had hoped we would have a bit more time," the man exclaims.

"Indeed, Uncle. But we have no other option than to carry out our plan," Silas responds, joining his uncle's side. “I held them off as long as I could for ye.”

"What plan, Silas...?" I inquire, my heart sinking in my chest.

"It's nothing personal, my love. My uncle seeks a realm of his own to reign over, and a world controlled by humans is a vulnerable target," he explains. "Don't worry, I will deal with Axel later. For now, we only require the assistance of The Sisters. We're eager to uncover the secrets of that immortality spell."

From the corner of my eye, I catch sight of Harmony and Melody, their hands intertwined as they softly utter an incantation. In an instant, they raise their free hands, shooting fireballs towards Silas and Magnus, his uncle. Yet, Magnus effortlessly deflects the fiery projectiles, causing the stone wall to crumble.

“Silas!” I yell, afraid that he might get hurt.

Before I can react, Axel swiftly grabs me by the waist, pulling me out of harm's way. Meanwhile, Silas, Magnus, and The Sisters find themselves on the opposite side of the room, near the entrance, as the tunnel collapses, leaving Axel and me trapped and The Sisters alone with Magnus and Silas, and the rest of the school.