I want to thank @elementalist13 for providing part of the inspiration for this week! It's slightly different from @elementalist13's idea but the main idea is the same. Check @elementalist13 out for me!
Agatha pursed her lips as Tedros took her hand in his. The ghostly School Master smirked. He looked barely older than eighteen.
"Sophie - " her voice cracked. Her raven black hair fanned her pale face as she stared at her.
"Agatha," Sophie mimicked. Agatha actually flinched at her once best friend's cutting tone, drawing closer to Tedros. Sophie laughed coldly, but her heart broke as she sensed they were drawing farther apart. Then she shook herself. It wasn't her fault. It was never her fault.
"Don't do this," Agatha begged, ignoring Tedros' warning squeeze. After weeks of agony and indecisiveness, they had finally come together. But the reunion was bitter and dark. "Please, you can still be good - "
"Good? Good?" Sophie lashed. The School Master stood by her side silently, giving her support as she stepped closer. "Good? I'm the one who's Good! You betrayed me, you chose him over me - " her voice cracked and ended in a sob. But instead of falling back, she stood closer, eyes blazing, voice cracking like a whip now. "You're the one who's Evil, Agatha. True Evil comes from the people who are least suspected." She whipped her head towards Tedros, who still had his sword in one hand. "She's even worse than you."
Agatha straightened. "Sophie, I won't allow you to insult him." Her eyes darkened and the shadows under them grew.
For the first time, since he had come to her side, the School Master opened his mouth. And laughed. Ghostly white hair, frigid blue eyes... They stared at the princess and prince with menace and disgust.
"You won't allow her? She can do whatever she wants, and no petty princess can stop her." Agatha swore that Sophie brightened and gave him a shy smile at that. It was that smile that gave Agatha strength.
"I won't allow you. I won't."
Agatha began to shimmer, her whole body glowing with purpose. Gold light bathed her and her prince over and they rose slightly in the air.
"I WON'T."
Agatha threw out her hand and a streak of gold light shot towards the two. The School Master countered quickly, a shield of energy glowing, but the light still shot towards them. He finally pulled Sophie aside at the last minute; the light ricocheted around the clearing before shooting into the sky.
Agatha shook her head at Sophie. "All this time... We tried to prevent it but it's still the same. You're my nemesis, Sophie. There will only be peace when you're gone."
Before, she had still hoped.
Before, she had still wished to find a happy ending with Sophie and Tedros.
Before, she had believed.
But now, after feeling the arrow, and seeing the School Master, and watching Sophie's beautiful face twist in rage...
Agatha and Tedros advanced as one towards the two.
The School Master shook his head. "You see, Sophie?" he asked quietly.
Sophie trembled in emotions she couldn't identify. Agatha's face was lit in purpose and Tedros still shone with gold light.
"Another day, then," she spat.
The School Master sighed to himself. He was hoping that they could have killed the two and gotten it over with... but it seemed that Sophie was holding back.
"Another day," he agreed. In a whirl of darkness, they disappeared, Agatha lunging forwards too late.
"No! Sophie, we. Are. Not. DONE!" she howled.
Tedros pulled her away as she shuddered. "We have to finish this," she wept. "And they just leave!"
Tedros sheathed his sword. "I can't believe she would say such a thing."
Agatha shook her head. "This isn't good. This isn't good. We have to get back to the School. We have to stop them -- "
A skeleton stepped where Sophie and the School Master had vanished.
"Time for a little... Improvising," Tedros breathed.
It stepped closer, a gruesome smile on its wasted face.
"Run."
They ran through the the Woods, dry laughter following them. Agatha's face was whipped with branches, and Tedros stumbled over large roots, but neither of them stopped, neither of them paused for breath. Agatha shrieked as they heard footsteps behind them, and just as she took her last breath --
She stopped.
Tedros paused, almost falling. "Agatha, run!" he pleaded.
The skeleton stood a mere meter away, cocking its head. Agatha smiled a secret smile at Tedros, who looked at her as if she was mad.
"My talent."
Tedros' breath caught as he understood. "I wish..." he croaked, wetting dry lips. "I wish that we were back at the School."
Agatha smiled at him as they gripped each other's hands. The skeleton seemed to understand his words, and unsheathed his sword.
Just as he lunged towards Agatha, she said two simple words --
"Wish granted."
The sword passed through thin air as they vanished.
*
Agatha landed on the ground with an oomph.
She looked up, and then squeezed Tedros' hand so hard that the circulation stopped.
Magnificent silver gates greeted them. Only they were behind them.
"We're here," she breathed. They walked forwards cautiously, but Agatha jerked to a stop as she stared at the Halfway Bridge. It was repaired, but the wood was rotted and decaying. The water was black with sludge and death. Agatha paled before reminding herself that of course the Boys/Evil School would look like that --
Until she realized it wasn't the Boy's at all.
The pervading sense of Evil came from both sides, each equally strong. Agatha glanced up at the two signs. But there were no signs; there was only one. The School for Evil Propagation and Edification of Sin.
There was no balance anymore.
Evil had taken over.
"What has happened?" she whispered. Tedros caught a glimpse of her face and recoiled. Her pink cheeks were now luster less and gray; her raven black hair was verging on white; and her eyes, so bright before, were without a spark.
Agatha saw his face and blanched. Tedros' blonde hair was bleached now, and his normally strong and upright body was slumped. His skin was pale and clammy.
As the seconds ticked by the changes became more pronounced. Agatha realized that it was the place, sucking all the life out of them.
"It's changed again. It's completely Evil."
Darker and scarier than the Evil of old. (QUOTE FROM BOOK TWO)
"What happened to the Girl's and Boy's?"
"Something happened when we returned to your village," Tedros said grimly. "And I think that the School Master and Sophie were behind it."
As if on cue, voices rose and they stepped back. People yelled, seeing their faces, holding weapons, glowing fingers, ready to strike and kill them --
"Over here!"
Agatha wilted in relief as she saw the person she was hoping for most in the world.
Hester glared from behind the silver gates. "I don't know how you got here, but you better be quick in getting out."
Tedros and Agatha ran from the hail of weapons and spells... back into the Woods.
Hester yelled at them to hurry up. "COME ON, PRETTY BOY, YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT!" Tedros gritted his teeth to bite back a retort. The second they were out, Hester shot a gray spell that ricocheted around the gates, forcing them shut. Agatha stepped back to avoid the hands reaching through the spaces.
Hester jerked her head in a random direction. "Unless you want them to end up breaking down the gates, I suggest you follow me."
*
Agatha gaped at her as they hurried after her. Hester's tattoo was verging on black instead of red and she seemed without life. But that didn't stop her from scowling at the two of them.
"Nice mess you made, Agatha," she said angrily. "Remember our plan? Get the Storian, return to Galvadon with Sophie, and Good and Evil back together. Right?" she hissed, still walking quickly.
"Things got complicated," she said lamely.
"Complicated? Good has been driven out. Anyone Evil who can't stomach this is kicked out too. The School Master returned and Sophie's been ruling by his side. And you and Tedros show up all fresh and happy!"
"That's not fair -- " Tedros began hotly.
"The teachers have lost hope. Everyone was wondering where you two were! You left us for two months!"
Agatha didn't look at Tedros as Hester spat, "It was supposed to be nice and simple. Good and Evil again, Boys and Girls gone. They're gone, all right, and Evil is back. But where's Good? The whole Wood's reflects what happens here. Witches and warlocks have taken over and the princes and princesses are dead and murdered."
"It's nice to see you, too, Hester," Agatha muttered quietly. Hester snorted.
"Where are we going, anyway?" Tedros said, avoiding a branch. His hand still on the sword, he tried to peer ahead.
"The last of Good and Evil."
"You just said that Evil -- "
"Most of the Evil of old couldn't stand it, and now we're all together," she snarled.
"Welcome to the School," Hester snorted.
*
In each update, there will be a special bonus excerpt involving me exploring the first and second book.
Example: Say I update today, and there's also a bonus piece about Sophie and Agatha's return to Galvadon and whatnot. I would finish the chapter and then write 'Bonus: Agatha's and Sophie's Return' which would be about 500 to 1000 words. If the chapter exceeds five votes by the time I update again, then I'll write another bonus for the next chapter. Be sure to check the chapter 'Third Time's the Charm' for the bonus from six weeks ago! Remember to comment and vote if you like it!
COMMENT IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS - IF I LIKE THEM I MIGHT POST IT WITH A DEDICATION TO YOU! :) Thanks again to @elementalist13 for providing the inspiration for the bonus!
BONUS: The New Dean
(Told from Professor Dovey's POV, this bonus tells the moment of Evelyn Sader's return)
Location and Time: School for Girls; after Sophie and Agatha return to Galvadon
Professor Dovey and Lady Lesso hurried to her office. Professor Dovey gripped the doorknob hard and tried to turn it, but it seemed to be stuck. "What's going on?" She pointed a finger at it, but the spark simply bounced off. Lady Lesso sighed in annoyance.
"Let me open it."
She reached for the door knob with one hand, the other gripping the quivering Storian. But her efforts were also in vain.
"Clarissa," she stormed, nicking her finger against the tip of the Storian as she tried to subdue it. "Open the blasted door! If the Beast was here, I know he'd be able to, but he's still missing -- "
For hours, they exhaustedly attempted to open the rigid door, but even after the students came and went, nothing happened. "Oh, give it up," Lady Lesso said angrily. "Something's happened. One of your stupid students must have come in and locked us out!"
After the Eviction had happened, the two of them had ran upstairs to try to make sense of everything. But now that they couldn't open the door...
"Question every single girl," Lady Lesso snarled.
"You know that's impossible. Only the Dean of this school could get in that office -- "
And the door slowly opened. "About time," Lady Lesso said.
Clarissa continued to talk. "And because we're the only ones, we can't -- "
It was the sight of Lady Lesso paling with fear and shock that silenced Professor Dovey.
"You -- impossible -- you were Evicted -- you were banished -- " Lady Lesso stuttered. She looked to Clarissa for help.
But her colleague was as frightened as her.
"Evelyn... Sader?" she asked tentatively.
The woman sat on the chair behind Clarissa's desk, smiling beatifically. "Clarissa. And Lady Lesso. How nice to see you both."
She tisked at their open mouths. "It's been such a long time, I fear that you two have forgotten your manners." She stood up, holding a hand out. "I'm the Dean of the School for Girls -- "
"What nonsense are you talking about," Lady Lesso spat. "You were banished years ago as a teacher. You certainly can't be a Dean. We're the Deans of the School for Good and -- "
Evelyn waved her mouth and Lady Lesso's mouth froze shut. Furious, she tried to pry it open, glaring daggers, until she finally pointed her finger at her mouth, waiting for it to unclamp --
Nothing happened.
The Dean sighed and turned to Professor Dovey. "We can talk much more civilly now. As I just mentioned, I am the Dean of the School for Girls -- "
Professor Dovey finally found her voice as Lady Lesso waved her to finish her sentence.
"There is no School for Girls," she said quietly, drawing herself to her full height. "I don't know how you got back, but -- "
She was cut off as Evelyn held out her hand and the Storian shot into her vice like grip.
Evelyn turned to her, smiling a gap toothed smile that Clarissa remembered too well.
"There is now."