Chapter 6

The Witches' Gala is packed with both Witches and Wizards alike. Jade slowly descends down a long staircase in the middle of the hall, as she watches people chat and sip their drinks. Most of the Witches huddle around their Wizard of choice, laughing and chatting them up.

Jade pours herself a cup of the pink punch from the refreshments table when someone taps her shoulder.

"E-...excuse me? Are you Jade?"

She turns around to find a tall, thin Wizard with short, dark hair and glasses. He wears a long black coat with a matching fedora with a red vest and ruffled shirt. He presses a gloved finger close to his lip with an uncertain expression.

This doesn't exactly look like a powerful Wizard. Jade puts her hands on her hips, "Who's asking?"

"My name is Thamond...Thamond the Terrible. I've heard you're the top Witch of your class," his voice comes with a nervous chuckle, as he smiles and extends his hand.

There's something in his smile, or maybe in the way he laughed, that caught Jade's attention. Her eyes widen slightly, as she shakes his hand.

"Uhm...pleasure to meet your acquaintance Thamond. It's true that I'm the top Witch of my class, but I don't tend to advertise," she explains.

"Well, that's okay, I mean, it's admirable...I...I mean…" trying to play it cool, Thamond leans his elbow onto the refreshments table. However, the table breaks under his weight, snapping in two and causing the punch and snacks to go sliding towards him.

Jade raises both hands, and a green aura surrounds Thamond and the table. Thamond is lifted off of the ground as the table repairs itself, the punch bowl, plates, and snacks moving right back to where they originally were.

Thamond is slowly lowered toward the ground, as a couple of people clap for Jade.

"Wow Jade, are you sure you're a first-year Witch? That was some complex telekinesis," he tells her, as her magic sends a glass full of punch into his hands.

She can't help but blush, and she tries to play it off as she explains, "Actually, it wasn't telekinesis. I just cast a levitation spell on you while putting a time-reversal spell on the table."

"That is impressive," Thamond compliments, as Jade scratches the back of her head, "maybe...I don't know...I could take you up as my Witc-"

"Jade!" a peppy, optimistic voice rings out.

The people at the Witches' Gala look up as a Fairy with silver hair swoops in from the top window. Jade gasps in horror as the Fairy lands right in front of her, a bright smile in slim white boots.

"Oh my gosh, little sis! It's so good to see you again!" Silver jumps for joy as she hugs Jade against her will.

"Silver...what are you doing here?" Jade asks, pushing her away.

Silver giggles, as she glances around at all the angry Witches and Wizards surrounding her, "Uhm...well, I wanted to see you…"

"During the Witches' Gala?! You literally couldn't have picked a worse time, Silver!" Jade blows up in her face, and Silver places both hands on her mouth, holding back tears.

Jade points away, "You need to leave!"

"Yeah, that Fairy needs to go!" one of the Witches cries, pointing to Silver.

"Let's get her!" a Wizard chimes in.

The Witches and Wizards zero in on Silver, charging up their attacks as the once-confident Silver buckles under the pressure. She tries backing up, but has nowhere to go. The circle around her grows smaller as she glances in every direction. Every Witch and Wizard surrounding her has an evil smile as a Witch with black hair fires the first blast.

"Raging fire!"

As Silver covers her head and braces herself, a circle of blinding green fire blazes to life. All of the Witches and Wizards stop their attacks as they look up. Silver follows their gaze to find Jade, now flying in mid-air, her green hair flowing in the wind.

"Look! That Witch is helping the Fairy!" a Wizard shouts.

"Traitor!" a Witch jeers at her.

"Go!" Jade shouts at her sister.

Silver nods, and flies up out of the fire circle, heading for the window she flew in from. One of the Wizards in the crowd casts a spell, and all the windows in the room seal themselves shut.

"Uhm...about that…" Silver quips, turning to Jade.

A Witch laughs, before firing a bolt of magic at Silver.

"Shield of light!" Silver shouts, and she's surrounded in a bubble of yellow light that blocks the attack. More Witches and Wizards fire blasts at her, and Silver's shield starts to break down, before shattering altogether. As more blasts come Silver's way, Jade flies toward her, grabbing her hand just in time to pull her out of the way.

"There's an exit down the hall, let's go!" she tells her.

They fly down a dark, narrow hallway, and almost right away, Silver turns to Jade.

"I can't believe my little sis has already mastered flight! I'm so proud of you...I mean, I didn't even know Witches could fly, but you seem to be doing a really good job at it! I mean...when I first started flying I...well...I got it down eventually-"

Jade stops in the middle of the hallway, "Look, Silver, now that I'm a Witch, things are going to be different between us. We can't be friends anymore, it just...can't work like that. You saw how those people attacked you at the Gala...Fairies aren't welcome here."

A look of shock comes over Silver's face, as she flies toward Jade, "That isn't true! Fairies and Witches can be friends. Come with me back to Alfea and I'll show you-"

Just then, several Witches run in and point to Silver and Jade, "There they are!"

Jade puts a hand on Silver's shoulder, "At the end of this hallway is an exit. Now go, get out of here."

Silver gasps, "But...what about you?"

A sinister smile appears on Jade's face, as she steps in front of her sister, "Trust me...I can handle these girls."

Silver flies off, as Jade assumes a fighting stance. Silver looks back as the Witches surround her, and as she turns a corner, a green flash of light shines on the opposite wall.