𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐛𝐢𝐞 | 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐝

[55]

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘺𝘮, 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘮𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘶𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥.

Gus ran in, joining the crowd of students as Principal Bump, the Head Illusions teacher, and a third, hooded, figure stood on the stage.

"Uh, students, teachers," Bump began. "Let me introduce the esteemed–"

"Please, Principal Bump," The figure interrupted. "I deserve no accolades. Hello, everyone."

He walked ahead, pulling his hood off to reveal his dark, teal hair, light blue eyes and a slight stubble. He had a mirror-shaped earring hanging off his pointed ear, fingerless brown gloves wrapped around his hands. His fangs glinted slightly in the light.

"My name is Adrian Graye, Head Witch of the Illusionist Coven," He frowned at the students gasped, hushed whispers flying in the air. 

"Unfortunately, I'm not here with good news," He closed his eyes, shaking his head. "The Emperor's Coven has plans to stop multitrack studies by inducting every Hexide student into a coven before the Day of Unity."

Every student present in the hall gasped again, sharply. Viney looked over to Jerbo in fear, Jerbo soon looking to Barcus. 

"Mother Titan!" 

Mattholomule hissed, ripping his new illusionist sleeves off, throwing them on the ground in frustration as Emira and Edric watched him in concern. The student then crossed his arms as the fabric landed on the ground.

"Don't worry, No one's magic is going to be sealed away forever," Bump smiled. "Head Witch Graye supports us, and has come to help."

Hearing this, Mattholomule bent down, pulling the torn sleeves back onto his arms, crossing them again while blushing.

Another Illusionist teacher walked up to the Blight twins, placing a hand on Edric's shoulder as he nodding solemnly.

"Before any coven scouts come by, I'm going to make illusions of sigils on your wrists," He pointed a finger to his own wrist. "They'll be temporary and harmless."

Edric walked onto the stage, the Head Illusionist gently guiding him along as the Blight twin watched Head Witch Graye with unease.

"Woah, woah, woah, wait! Wait!" Edric frowned. "I just started the other tracks. Are you sure this is safe?"

"Don't worry," Adrian smiled. "Once a scout sees the fake sigil, they'll move on and you can continue your studies in piece."

Edric sighed, rolling up his sleeve as his unease was still evident, Adrian taking his arm as he drew a spell circle, looking at the boy's wrist.

"Now, hold still."

The spell circle was then hovering over Edric's wrist, Gus squinting as he noticed a light blue sheen ghost over Adrian's hand. His eyes widened as he gasped, realising what was going on.

"Stop!" He called out, Edric and Adrian looking over at him in confusion.

The crowd of students parted, looking over to Gus as the boy held his arm out, pointing at the Head Witch Illusionist on the stage.

"Don't trust him. He's hiding behind an illusion!" Gus glared before casting a giant spell, sending it towards the stage.

The crowd of students once again gasped as Adrian's figure soon morphed into the Captain of the coven scouts. Edric pulled his arm away in fear seeing a sigil-imprinting glove on the Captain's hand, one specifically of an illusion coven.