Hey everyone, it's been a long time since the last update. But don't worry, this story is not dead. I will continue writing as long as I have lovely readers like you to keep my interest and motivation.
Anyways, on with the chapter.
Raine played their rhapsody as fast as they could to counter the ever-increasing speed of Darius's attacks. Darius was unlike other witches who were placed into the Abomination Track — those who focused on creating golems to carry out commands. No, he was one of those "once in a generation" prodigies talented enough to discover a new method of casting spells. Since anything could be used to make an abomination, Darius's particular skill was learning how to turn his flesh and blood into sludge.
"You're going to pay for ruining my uniform!" The Glandus student yelled and turned his hand into a hammer, which he then used to hit Raine.
The bard sent a powerful soundwave at the weapon with their violin. Splosh! The hammer was blasted apart, making Darius recoil from the pain. "Take back what you said about Eda, Darius, and I'll yield." Raine offered. The young bard did not want this fight, but they would not let anyone badmouth Eda.
"I'm not taking pity from you, little songbird," Darius growled as the sludge slithered back into his body and his hand regenerated, good as new. "No more playing around!" The abomination student's eyes went black and glowed green as his whole body changed shape and twisted.
Splish! Sploosh! Splosh! Squee! Squelch! Swoosh! Raine's eyes widened with fear, stepping back as Darius completed his transformation. Standing before Raine was a towering abomination, with Darius's face covered in green eyes directed at the bard. Though the situation warranted it, Raine blamed Eda for teaching them the words about to leave their mouth, "Oh… crap-baskets."
Back in the stands, Leon was watching the fight unfold. He chose to stay out of it, knowing better than to get involved in a Witches' Duel that did not concern him. But now that Leon sees how far Darius is willing to take this, well to the point where Raine could get hurt, he decided now was the time to step in. He jumped over the fence, landed on the ground, and ran toward the witchlings who were fighting.
Praagh! Eberwolf shrieked and blocked Leon before he could even take a few steps. "Out of the way, mutt!" The three-eyed witchling demanded. "I'm not going to warn you again." Nuh-uh. Eberwolf shook their head and waved their finger at him tauntingly. "Fine!" Leon clapped his hands together, and his forehead eye glowed with lilac light as Dagen Sadow manifested itself. The Oracle Spirit charged at Eberwolf; its right fist pulled back to deliver a mighty punch. Krackshoom! Dagen's fist hit the ground at the same time that Eberwolf jumped out of the way and went straight for Leon, who was unprotected.
For an Oracle Spirit to enter the physical plane, the witch or demon that calls it forth must remain in a "summoner's stance," leaving them utterly vulnerable until they decide to break it. The dragon-man turned around and chased after the bipedal demon. Krackshoom! Krackshoom! Krackshoom! Dagen threw punch after punch at the little nuisance, but the beast keeper managed to avoid each one. Leon is effectively stuck until Dagen can land a hit on Eberwolf or Eberwolf lands a blow on him. He can only trust that his Oracle Spirit reacts fast enough to keep him safe. Krackshoom! Krackshoom! Krackshoom! Eberwolf continued to dodge Dagen and taunt Leon. Hehe!
A sharp strum resonated as Raine played another note. Sploosh! Splosh! "Gah!" Darius grunted as parts of his body were blasted off and splattered on the field. "You're going to regret that!" Splosh! Splosh! Splosh! The abomination's remains converged until they formed a slightly smaller than average golem. Without needing to be told, it charged at the bard. Raine played another brief song from their violin, destroying the golem quickly, but it distracted them from the attack heading toward them. Sploosh! Darius stretched out, and an enormous fist hit them in the face, knocking them down and breaking their glasses.
"Whispers!" Leon shouted, forced to watch the fight while Dagen protected its master from its tricky foe. Grarl! Eberwolf snarled as they dug their forward and back paws into the ground; they grew slightly larger and hairier, ripping their uniform and fangs extending out into an uneven mess. Rawr! They roared and leaped at Dagen while drawing a spell circle. Once it was completed, a giant ratworm came through and dove at the Oracle Spirit.
Raine, meanwhile, got to their feet and tasted copper, realizing their nose was bleeding. Ptoo. They spat out the nose blood that got into their mouth and put their damaged glasses back on before resuming their fighting stance.
Raine and Leon vs. Darius and Eberwolf. Hexside vs. Glandus. Two powerful witchlings are about to give it their all to end this bout!
FWEEEE! A sharp whistle resonated through the air, and the next thing the witchlings knew, vines burst out of the ground and trapped them. "What the…" Before Leon could finish his sentence, he was entangled, forcing him to move and banishing Dagen. Mmm! Eberwolf whimpered as they and their ratworm were bound to the ground, unable to break free.
"Huh?" The vines restrained Raine's arms before their bow could meet the strings.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Darius demanded to know as he was surrounded by vines so sturdy and thick that not even he could shapeshift his way out.
All four witches were immobilized by plants, effectively ending the duel. "That is quite enough." The disappointed-sounding voice of Principal Bump announced as he entered the field with Poppy, the caster of the spell. Grarlrowl! Eberwolf tried to break free from their restraints with the ratworm. Poppy played another song on her flute, and the bipedal demon and beast found themselves getting drowsy before finally falling asleep. Zzz. Zzz. Zzz. "Unauthorized dueling on school grounds." Principal Bump turned to Raine. "I expect this kind of behavior from Mr. Vitrus." He glanced at Leon. "But not from you, Mx. Whispers."
Bump looked at the gathering of vines restraining Darius Deamonne. He cast a spell, and the cocoon shrank and fell apart, reverting the Glandus student to his witchling form. He tried to transform himself but was unable to. "What did you do to me?" He demanded.
"I temporarily locked you in this form. There will be no more shapeshifting for you today."
"Darius! Eberwolf!" A deep, harsh voice shouted. Mmm! Eberwolf was snapped awake by the shout, whining as panic spread across their face. Darius's look of anger quickly changed to fear as he slowly turned around. Entering the field from the other side was a tall, bulky demon with wrinkly peach skin, two long horns, and prominent teeth. He wore a gray coat and a blue ribbon slung around his shoulders. "What is the meaning of this?"
"P… P… P… Principal Faust." Darius stuttered.
"I heard a duel between two of my students and two of Bump's from the staff." Faust glared at Hexside's principal before looking back at Darius and Eberwolf. "And not only that, but you also failed to defeat them." Mmm! Eberwolf whined louder, hugging Darius's leg for protection. Faust raised his hands, and the two students cowered. "I should flay you two right here and now for this embarrassment!"
"Ahem!" Bump grabbed Faust's attention. "Perhaps that's how you run things at Glandus. But you are not on Glandus grounds, and while my school hosts your students, your form of discipline will not be tolerated."
Faust glared at Bump and lowered his posture. "I remember when you wouldn't speak up to me like that, back when I was this school's principal, and you were vice principal." He walked up to him, showing off the difference in their heights, but Bump remained unintimidated. "Even if you've grown backbone, you still lack the will to discipline those who break the rules. Your students will graduate as disgraces to all witches."
"We have very different opinions on what is considered a disgrace to all witches. And let me make myself clear, if I find out that you have abused any student at this school, I will show you just how I'm not the same man you once knew."
"Very well. Darius! Eberwolf!" Glandus' principal turned to his students again. "You two will spend the rest of the day in Hexside's detention for this display. Understood!"
"Y… yes, sir!" Mmm! The students responded at the same time.
"Then get going!" With that final bark, Darius and Eberwolf ran from the field to the building, and Faust followed behind them. Bump did not take his eyes off the principal until he was sure Faust would not try something.
Once satisfied, Bump returned his attention to Leon and Raine, whom Poppy released with a short tune. "Thanks, Poppy," Raine said, embarrassed, before walking up to the principal. "Principal Bump, I…"
"I would very much like to hear what happened, Mx. Whispers." Bump looked over at Leon. "From both of you. But first, we're going to see Viney."
"Thanks, but no thanks," Leon replied calmly, about to walk away.
"Leon." Poppy said, giving him a stern look and folding her arms.
The three-eyed witchling looked at the ground, then let out a defeated sigh. "Fine."
Leon joined his only friend, Raine, and Bump on their way to the nurse's office… and she was annoyed by what she saw. "You're just like Edalyn sometimes; you know that?" Viney scolded the teen on the bed.
"Can you just hurry this up, already?" Leon said impatiently.
"If you didn't start a fight, you wouldn't be here."
"No, I was the one who started the fight," Raine spoke up from the other bed, much to the nurse's and principal's surprise.
"You started the fight?" Bump asked again for clarity.
"Darius and Eberwolf were making fun of Eda being cursed. So I threw mud at him. It escalated into a duel, and Leon was trying to help me. Though, I have to ask…" Raine turned to Leon. "Why did you help me? You didn't need to get involved."
Leon hmphed. "It's simple; I don't like bullies. Especially when I see stronger witches lord themselves over weaker ones. But I was wrong about you, Whispers. You're far from weak."
"Oh…" Raine blushed at the compliment. "Um… thanks."
"If it weren't for you being one of my top students, Mx. Whispers, I would have you banned from the coming competition." Bump spoke up. "So your punishment will be placed in the Detention Track until further notice, and Mr. Vitrus will join you."
"Yes, sir," Raine replied, their head lowered.
"Once I get you both fixed up, you can head home. Your parents are probably worried about you." Viney added.
"Thank you, Ms. Viney."
"Whatever," Leon muttered under his breath. Raine wanted to ask what that meant but decided not to pry. Raine began to suspect that the angsty little witchling was more than meets the eye. Perhaps he is just in need of more friends.
We're still shifting the POV away from the Human Realm for a bit to Eda's friends and family back on the Boiling Isles. Next up is Lilith, as the Emperor's Coven's newest recruit.
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