Last time Mildred's friends were hospitalized. Maud wasn't seriously hurt, but Enid would be scarred for life. An investigation determined who was responsible for sabotaging the project. Upon hearing that Ethel was the culprit, Mildred's mind was locked in a monologue that sent her over the edge. 'Nuff said, on with the show!
Chapter 5: Blood Rage
"Ms. Cackle, Ms. Hardbroom," Mildred said in a serious, slightly distant tone, "Please excuse me, there's something I have to take care of." With that she left the room, leaving the others in a stunned silence. They were shocked by the change that had occurred on Mildred's face; blue energy lines had appeared, radiating out from her eyes, eyes which had taken on an angry red hue.
"Gracious!" said Ms. Cackle after a few seconds, "I did not think it was possible for that to happen to someone so young as Mildred."
"Once again Mildred Hubble has surprised us all," said Ms. Hardbroom in an equally stunned tone.
"What?" Ruby asked, "What's happened to Mildred?"
"Did you see her face?" Jadu asked, "And her eyes? What's happening to her?"
"I may be wrong," said Ms. Cackle, "And I dearly hope I am wrong, but I believe Mildred Hubble is under the influence of the Con Dar."
"'Con Dar'?" Ruby said, "That's an ancient-tongue phrase for 'blood furry' or something like that."
"The direct translation is 'Blood Rage,'" said Ms. Hardbroom, "It's an extremely rare phenomenon that occurs when a witch is confronted with a situation where her mind experiences intense anger, her magical prowess can double in strength, sometimes tripled.
"The blue markings and the red eyes are side effects of this increase in magical strength. Yet even in this scenario, The Fosters Effect is in play. While a witch's powers are increased, her sense of reason is nearly negated. She will pursue whatever it is that has caused her anger until it has been destroyed. Only then will the blood rage subside."
"It doesn't seem real," said Ms. Cackle, "More like something from a fairy tail, or a horror story, but Ethel's actions today have caused Mildred to experience the Con Dar. I can barely believe that such a calm natured girl like Mildred is capable of experiencing such intense anger to bring about the blood rage, but here we are."
"Then what are we standing around here for?!" Drusilla exclaimed, "If Mildred is indeed under the influence of this blood rage, then we need to find her before she finds Ethel and does something she'll later regret."
"I'm afraid that will be easier said than done, Drusilla," said Ms. Hardbroom, "Mildred has reached a state of mind where she can't be reasoned with. Nothing we say or do will be able to sop her. But I agree, we shouldn't be standing here twiddling our thumbs."
"We can overpower Mildred," said Ms. Cackle as they exited the room and tried to pick up Mildred's trail, "Ms. Hardbroom and I. But not without hurting her in the process. However, there is the chance that, because she's still young, Mildred's rage will exhaust her powers at an accelerated rate. Hopefully by the time Mildred catches up with her quarry, she'll be in no condition to hurt Ethel, let alone destroy her."
"I hope you're right, Ms. Cackle," said Drusilla, "For Ethel's sake," she then noticed that Jadu and Ruby were glaring at her, "and Mildred's of course," she added hastily.
It was then that a loud crash sounded from the courtyard. "Looks like we may have spoken too soon," said Ms. Cackle.
It didn't take Mildred that long to find Ethel, who was sitting along one wall of the courtyard. Ethel was having mixed felling over what had happened. Sure she succeeded in ruining Mildred's project, but Enid and Maud had been hurt in the process.
All Ethel wanted was to make Mildred look bad. She had no idea the cauldron would explode like that, nor did she expect Enid or Maud to be in the potions lab. True, she had no love for Mildred's friends, but that didn't make it alright to really hurt them, like really, life threatening hurt them. This isn't like turning them into animals for a laugh. No, this was real life; real blood had been spilt, blood that Ethel had caused to fall, and Ethel didn't like it one bit.
Ethel was half way to deciding to go to Ms. Cackle and confess what she did, and possibly risk expulsion and who knows what else, when Mildred came out into the courtyard. Through her slightly confused and disoriented state of mind, Ethel didn't notice the look of absolute contempt on Mildred's face, not to mention the blue lines around her red-tinted eyes.
"What do you want, Hubble-Bubble?" Ethel asked disrespectfully. This apparently was a very bad thing to say at this time, for it only made Mildred more enraged.
"Just want to let you know that I hate your guts!!" exclaimed Mildred as she threw an attack spell at Ethel.
She barely dodged the curse that would have surely taken her head off, the spell slamming into the ground like a speeding bullet.
"What the hell, Mildred?!" exclaimed Ethel.
"Yes, 'what the hell?'" Mildred replied, "You must think you've got some serious bollocks after what you did, Ethel Hallow! Tell me, how does it feel to know that you almost killed Maud and Enid?! How does it feel to know that Enid will be scarred for life!?" she threw another curse at Ethel, who barely dodged it, "Tell me!! How does it feel!?!"
"It was an accident, you thrice-dammed moron!!" exclaimed Ethel as she prepared an attack spell of her own behind her back, "How was I to know that Enid and Maud would be in the potions lab?! I didn't mean to hurt them!"
"Oh sure you did!" spat Mildred, "Or, at least, you only meant to set cancer research back several years! That you hurt my friends was an added bonus! You must be awfully proud of yourself! Well it's time to face the music, Ethel Hallow, now DIE!!" she threw another curse.
Ethel barely dodged the spell, then counterattacked with a curse of her own. She was surprised when Mildred backhanded the spell into the castle wall, then threw a double handful of spells at Ethel.
She dodged the twin curses, but the spells exploded like grenades behind her, forcing her off balance and onto the ground.
By now the courtyard was completely empty of innocent bystanders. The walkways and corridor windows were packed with students watching the one-sided battle. It was at this time that Ms. Cackle, Ms. Hardbroom, Jadu, Ruby and Drusilla were also watching. With them was Ethel's younger sister Sybil and her friend Clarice, whom Ruby and Jadu had already informed them of the situation.
"Goodness!" said Ms. Cackle in a grave tone as she watched Ethel fall to the ground, "We're too late."
"Ethel!" exclaimed Drusilla and Sybil.
"Millie," Ruby said in a disbelieving tone, "No."
Fortunately for her Ethel was alive and relatively unharmed, just a few minor cuts and scratches from the double explosion. Yet as she lay on the ground trying to regain her sense of balance, her inner mind was deep in a serious monologue:
How dare she?! Mildred Hubble is really trying to kill me, the nerve of it all!! I was only trying to put her in her place, but now she's out for my blood! How dare she!
Well what did you expect from Hubble-Bubble? She's always been in my way to what's always been mine. Ever since we've met she kept putting her nose and hands where they didn't belong, in my affairs. Even now, when I tried to explain that I didn't mean to hurt Enid and Maud, she went ahead and did what she wanted.
For almost four years Mildred has interfered with my affairs at almost every turn; stepping in when I tired to make some headway in my own path of life; shattering every plan and strategy that would surely put me ahead. And now she's trying to murder me!
Who knows what else Mildred will do to set me back?! Who knows what she'll do to prevent me from reaching the top!? What if she really does something that'll ruin me for life? What if she actually gets away with killing me? Like she's gotten away with so much more?
Well I've had enough! I've put up with Mildred's intrusions for almost four years now, and that's four years too many! I can't let this go on! I can't, no, I won't allow her to get in my way any more! For my own sake and wellbeing, I must destroy Mildred Hubble!!
"You want a witch on witch battle, Hubble-Bubble!?!" exclaimed Ethel as she got back up, her voice heavy with wrath, "You've got it!!"
"My stars!!" said a shocked Ms. Cackle.
"Both of them?!" said Ms. Hardbroom. Everyone watching was shocked at the change that had occurred on Ethel's face; she too had blue energy lines radiating out from her eyes, eyes that were now tinted angry red.
"Now Ethel has the blood rage?" Drusilla, "pardon my language, but this whole situation is bollocks."
"Your use of profanity is excused, Drusilla," said Ms. Hardbroom.
By now Ethel and Mildred were trading spells as hard and fast as they could. They didn't try to turn the other into animals like they would on a more normal day at Cackles. No, this time it was all or nothing for the rival witches.
"We have to do something!" said Sybil, "Before they really kill each other!"
"I'm afraid there's not much we can do," said Ms. Cackle, "As I said before, a witch in the grips of the Con Dar cannot be reasoned with, nor will her rage subside until that which has caused the rage has been destroyed."
"You mean you're going to let them murder each other?" said a shocked Sybil, "You're going to allow Mildred and my sister die?"
"If we try to interfere as they are now," said Ms. Hardbroom, "We may only add fuel to their rage. Look at them, Sybil Hallow, look and learn. Here is something you and everyone here will wish you may never see again; two witches in the grips of the blood rage."
"Doesn't look like they'll actually kill each other," said Jadu.
True enough, none of the curses thrown was causing any intended damage. Ethel kept dodging Mildred's spells, while Mildred blocked everything Ethel threw at her. It was as if the Con Dar had amplified Ethel's speed and agility, while increasing Mildred's defensive power.
But then Ms. Cackle's prediction came true. Their intense rage had caused Ethel and Mildred to use up their magical energy much faster than normally. It took them a second or two to realize that they were throwing only sparks of magic at each other.
"You're an even bigger pain in the neck that you think, Mildred!" said Ethel as she tried to summon up more magical energy, "Even now you're in my way."
"I'm only blocking your way to hurting more innocent people, Ethel!" spat Mildred as she also tried to gather enough energy for another spell.
"I've put up with your wicked ways enough, Mildred Hubble!" said Ethel, "It's time I put you out of your misery once and for all!"
"You're the wicked one, Ethel Hallow!" said Mildred, "I have to stop you before you bring ruin to the world!"
"You're the one who will ruin the world!" exclaimed Ethel.
"No, you are!"
"You are!!"
"They could be like this for a while," said Ruby.
"Then we must do it now," said Ms. Cackle, "Now, Constance! Before they regain their breath!"
"Yes, Headmistress!" said Ms. Hardbroom. With that the two experienced teachers cast their stunning spells. Mildred and Ethel didn't see them coming until it was too late. Ms. Cackle's spell knocked Mildred completely out cold, while Ethel succumbed to Ms. Hardbroom's spell.
"Nice shooting," said Clarice.
"Well," said Ms. Cackle, "That was an exciting turn of events."
"Exciting isn't what I would call this fiasco," said Ms. Hardbroom.
"Are they alright?" Ruby asked as Ms. Drill and a few of the older students helped the unconscious Mildred and Ethel to the school infirmary.
"Just stunned," said Ms. Cackle, "Completely unharmed. But this may only be a temporary respite. The two of them have gone beyond the boundaries of a simple rivalry."
"You mean they'll still be under the influence of the blood rage?" Sybil asked.
"Indeed," said Ms. Hardbroom, "I'm afraid a simple stunning won't be enough to calm the two of them down. As soon as they recover their senses, they'll be at each others throats again."
"Can nothing be done to take away their rage?" Jadu asked.
"I'm afraid they will always carry their rage in their hearts," said Ms. Cackle, "However, what we can do is make them forget what happened here today, at least for a short time. Hopefully a few years will allow reason to temper their anger."
"What do you mean make them forget?" Ruby asked.
"I believe the Headmistress intends to suppress the memories of Mildred and Ethel," said Ms. Hardbroom.
"Exactly, Constance," said Ms. Cackle, "It won't be easy to suppress such powerful, hate filled memories, but it can be done. The spell will require that Mildred and Ethel be kept in bed for two days, in order for it to fully take effect. That should give us all plenty of time to repair the damage to the courtyard," she looked out at the wide array of craters that Mildred and Ethel caused.
"And to repair the damage done to the potions lab," Ms. Hardbroom added.
"Quite true," said Ms. Cackle.
"Well we're also going to have to come up with a convincing cover story for both of them," said Drusilla, "They're sure to want to know why they won't be able to remember two whole days."
"And they'll want to know why Enid is also in hospital," said Jadu, "Especially Mildred."
"I'm sure we'll think of something," said Ms. Cackle, "And let me tell you girls something, something that I will in due time share with the whole school; you are to never discuss what happened here today ever again. Mildred and Enid must never remember what occurred today. Even the slightest hint could lead them to recovering their memories, and thus reigniting their rage.
"I'll be sure to inform Maud and Enid when they're fit to be spoken with, for they'll surely wish that Mildred never experiences the Con Dar again, as I'm sure that you, Drusilla, wishes for this to never happen again to Ethel."
Drusilla nodded in agreement. This was something that she definitely never wanted to see again, especially if Ethel is involved.
"I'll say it again, what happened today must remain a secret. Mildred and Ethel must never remember what happened; the consequences could be dire."
"We understand, Ms. Hardbroom," said Ruby, while Jadu, Sybil and Clarice nodded in agreement, "It will remain a secret."
The end of chapter 5. Next time, the battle between Ethel and Mildred resumes in the future, or present, you know what I mean. Who will survive? Reviews will be rewarded with cake and pie. See you next time!