Not a moment longer, we all sprinted to the nevers castle with me and Tedros leading the army. Suddenly, a strange beam of light captured my attention.
"Tedros, do you see that beam light?" I pointed up. He shook his head "No Hildy Focus," he asserted.
I attempted to ignore the beam of light, but curiosity came over me like a blanket. "I'll be just a moment. Ted, you go in, lead them until I return." I switched direction, running a whole different way.
Tedros didn't argue, and I made my way to the strange beam of light only I could see. I ran closer and closer it was in hand reach but it suddenly disappeared.
"Hildegarde Beaudette," a voice came up from behind me. I pulled a swift move and pulled out my dagger.
"Professor Adella?" I lowered my dagger ."Where have you been?How aren't you a doll? How did you make that beam of light? You must help us, professor."
"Ah, slow down. Yes, I am Adella, but I'm not an official professor, hence why I'm not a doll."
"What are you talking about?"
"See, I am not a professor. I never was in the first place. I managed to make the cut as one this year until the schoolmaster found who I really am and what I'm doing here. "
I stepped back weary. "What are you really doing here then?"
"Nothing bad. I can assure you that Hildegarde. I was sent here to return you home by your father."
"My father? Return me home? I belong here. What home is he referring to?"
"You don't belong here. Your father is a god you belong in a camp on Long Island."
"Long Island!? Is that near Rainbow Gale? Or in the savage seas?"
"No, it's beyond the woods far from here,
Camp half-blood"
"I was supposed to bring you months ago until the schoolmaster found out who you were and why I was here. When he found out, he tried to kill me. I've been hiding out here ever since. I made that beam glow, so only you would see it come make haste we have to go now."
She urged me to come, but I stopped her, knowing my friends were about to go to war. "No, I can't right now,"
"Oh, but you must Hildegarde- "
"Give me 30 minutes, then I will go with you or until this war comes to an end."
I ran off, not giving her a choice.
Thirty minutes! I should have said longer.
I approached the doors and put my ear against the door. They haven't fought yet. I took this opportunity to make a dramatic entrance.
I used my finger glow to blast open the doors. I almost gasped drastically seeing the supposed evers dressed gory and wicked. While the nevers wore the finest silks in the brightest colours with clean faces and nicely done hair.
"Forgive me for being late" I announced it was difficult to tell the difference but I could make out Sophie and Agatha in the centre of the ballroom behind Sophie were her henchmen: Dot, anadil, hester and Hort.
"Oh, you're just in time, dearie, but you seem to be on the wrong side or you're just wearing the wrong clothes." Sophie spoke out, causing the never to murmur and cackle.
Tedros sheathed his sword, lunching for Sophie. Agatha stood in the way between the two.
"NO," she yelled at Tedros she then faced Sophie "Sophie you have to stop this!"
"It's too late, Agatha." Agatha turned around facing me,"she started this. " I gestured to Sophie."Now we'll be the ones to end it." I used my finger glow to lock the doors.
"Well said, but alas, you're missing one thing they attacked now we defend." Sophie finished the last line. All of the evers and nevers prepared themselves before yelling a terrible battle cry running into war.
Evers and nevers bashed into one another. It was impossible to figure out who was light and who was dark.
A never stood out using her power to cast out a wall of frames blocking the Evers and I from coming through.
A boy sheathed his glowing sword and sliced the wall of fire as if it were a block of cheese. He turned back and faced me. I hadn't even recognised it was Tedros from the behind.
I could tell it was him from his face, but he was bald with scars and a black tunic.
I ran through preparing for any who attacked me as that was the only way to tell them apart, but in this case, these students somehow managed to forget that rule.
Suddenly, a burning demon flew at me, attempting to claw my face out. I barely had dodged it. That little menace had to be Hesters, but she was nowhere in sight, which gave her an advantage.
I focused a source of power in the palm of my hands only. That's when again Hesters menace lunched an attack on me. I reached out, grasped it tight (despite the fact it was burning my skin), and watched it squeal in the sound of Hesters voice by my high voltage sparks.
I searched the room to find a well-dressed and clean Hester falling on her knees, squealing in imense pain.
Someone rushed to her side. Someone with three rats. Anadil.
Hesters best friend, not wanting anymore trouble I let go of the demon then focused on other nevers (or ever?) that were targeting me.
Poor Agatha, she screamed and begged people to stop and listen, but no one would. I know that I don't have time for this, so I dropped whoever I was fighting and focused on the main cause. Sophie
It took time, but eventually, I got to her. I approached Sophie, who was having an argument with a frozen Agatha. At that moment was the perfect time to strike.
I released a field of electricity at Sophie. Nothing too harmful but enough to weaken her power for a moment.
"Agatha, are you alright?" I approached, but I was quickly disturbed by an upset Sophie.
"UGH would you just stay in your place and back off. You've won one too many times. It's my turn, " she hissed.
I was honestly used to her being so petty. But she brought the school to war within barely a year. Things have been changing right under my nose.
"What is this for exactly? You've done all of this, and for what? Attention"
"This is revenge for evil and for myself," she sweetly smiled at me. "Now, if you'll excuse, there's just one last score to settle." With that, she mogrift into a bird and flew out the window.
"I'm going after her."
"I'm coming with you," Agatha followed behind me out the closest door. "Well, I certainly can't stop you."
"Hildy?!" A voice called out.
"Tedros?" I turned back around. Footsteps grew louder and louder until I saw a familiar face.
I held him tight as if it were the last time. "What's happening?" I asked him before he could answer one of the evers called out to him. "Tedros! I don't know how much longer we can hold this door."
Tedros sighed. "we got this okay. Where are you two going?"
"After Sophie," Agatha answered. "I can get through to her,"
"Hildy, I don't think this is a good idea -" he began before being shushed by me.
"We got this, don't worry."
He lay his forehead on mine before running off with the evers. "I'll be there as soon as I can."
~♡~
We made our way outside running on the shore of evil. But so did the battle between good and evil. Nevers and evers fought on the beach.
"So how are you going to talk her out of this."
"She'll listen to me, trust me, Hildegarde." Agatha claimed
"You I trust it's her. I don't trust. " Agatha gave me a face to leave it to her. "Just stay out here, please."
"Excuse me?" I backed away "No if she tries something -"
"But she won't. Please stay here," she begged. I caved "fine"
She thanked me, but soon our plans would change. There, we spotted Sophie on the ground. Agatha ran and called her.
"You will never have her not as long as I'm here." Agatha screamed at the man. She pulled Sophie closer to her while closing her eyes.
The young man then murmured under his breath "that can be aranged." he stopped the floating pen from writing and then sended it over to stab Agatha.
Without a second thought, I sprinted over, screaming for them to move. Sophie was first to hear me and then moved in front of Agatha, taking the blow and being the one getting stabbed in the heart.
"Sophie!?" Agatha caught Sophie as she pulled out the Quil from her chest.
A silence fell upon the battle of good and evil. Both sides froze and stopped fighting. Nevers and evers stared in shock they looked at each other in shame and betrayal, only realising they weren't fighting the real enemy.
"NO!" The young man let out a cry of shock.
All eyes came onto a ghostly luminous figure with snowy hair ivory cheeks and warm blue eyes that stood with him that looked like the young man that lunched a quil at Sophie.
"No, you are a spirit, brother!?" The young man trembled in fear."You have no power without a body, "
That was when I came to realise the young man is the headmaster, the evil brother, and the ghostly figure is his brother, the good headmaster from the stories.
"Yet," a voice answered the evil headmaster. I turned to see "Professor Sader?" He had a limp, and he was bloodied from the thorns in the forest.
He gazed up at the ghost of the good brother. Not a second longer, the ghost smashed into Professor Sader.
Only the most powerful of Seers can let a ghost take on their body as its host. But no one lived to tell the tale.
Professor Saders eyes turned into a warm blue wole the rest of his body transformed from skin to feathers into the symbol of the school for good.
A swan
Terrified the evil brother turned into a shadow and fled into the forest. That was when he was chased by his brother in the shape of a swan. Professor Sader looked down in his swan form at me before dissipating into gold dust. That would've been the last time I ever saw Professor Sader ever again.
Immediately, the faculty of good and evil stormed out of the castle now freed from the schoolmasters curse.
Professor Dovey was the first to stop short at sight of what was happening, followed by the rest. Professor Dovey gripped Lessos hand while her and the rest bowed their head in mourning.
I helped Agatha lay Sophie down. "Sophie, oh Sophie, I'm so sorry we never got along. It should've been me. I should've been quicker." I whispered the last part.
"Hildy, we could've never known what was going to happen." Agatha comforted.
"She's right. I should be the one to apologise. I'm so sorry we fought. We could've been good friends, " Sophie smiled. That was probably the first time we saw good in each other. I backed away to give the two space.
I couldn't bear to watch Sophie pass away. Tedros came up to me, his hair returned, and clothes were back to normal. I rested my head on his shoulder.
The last thing I could remember is Agathas face inching down to Sophie for a kiss. The sun then exploded through the fog, coating both castles in bright gold. Sophies eyes opened wide as if she awoken from a bad dream.
"Who needs princes in our fairytale?" she and Agatha laughed.
Within seconds, the two girls' bodies began to shimmer and turn translucent.
I raised my head off of Tedros' shoulder. "Wait!?" I reached for them. But they were gone.
"I can't believe they're gone," Tedros whispered.
"I believe I've given you enough time," a voice embraced from the forest.
Whispers broke out about Professor Adellas' return. "Adella!? Where have you been?" Professor Dovey asked.
"The schoolmaster tried to kill me. I must confess I didn't apply for the job to teach kids. I came here for her. " she turned to me.
"Woah, what is that supposed to mean?" Tedros grabbed my hand.
"Ted"
"No, you can't leave. I can't lose you as well," he croaked sadly.
Adella explained the situation to the faculty whilst I calmed down Tedros. "I have to go. I can find out more about my family about what I am."
"But we're your family," Chaddick approached us.
"He's right, stay you belong here," he attempted to convince me. It wasn't long till all of my friends had surrounded me.
"Hildegarde, it's time." Adella said
I bidded my goodbyes to my friends. Tedros was probably the hardest goodbye, and with no idea if I was coming back, this was probably my last goodbye.
"Wait, where is this place you are going?" Tedros asked before I slipped away.
"The Woods Beyond," I replied back, walking side by side with my former professor Adella. And before I knew it, I was gone too.