Magicae

Chapter 34: Change

Juliette sat on the hard ground. Inside her was something itching to break free.

She had first noticed it after having the premonition. Whatever it was felt... wild. Free. Juliette couldn't sit still, constantly fidgeting.

And it scared Juliette. Whatever it was was completely untamed, and it made her very uncomfortable.

So there she sat, trying unsuccessfully to quench the feeling.

As a result of her tension, Juliette's senses were on high alert when a faint sound emitted from the wall on the opposite side of the room. She jerked her head up when it happened again.

Footsteps.

They're coming. Whoever kidnapped me is coming to finish the job.

Frantically, Juliette inhaled and exhaled, trying in vain to calm herself down. But the wild thing was straining... straining against her mental bonds...

And then it broke loose.

Everything about Juliette was trying to change. She could feel her body attempting to shift into something else, only to snap back to her normal form.

And her mind was trying to change as well, the wildness inside of her struggling to escape the layers that Juliette had placed upon her mind, hiding herself from the world.

Still, though, somehow the wildness didn't seem bad at all, instead feeling familiar and... right. Part of Juliette wanted to just let it take over.

She was caught in a limbo. Whatever change threatening to overtake her body and mind was uncompleted, but she didn't know how to reverse it.

There was only on way to go.

But what if the change is permanent? What if I'm... no longer me?

Despite the fear churning inside of Juliette, she pushed back later after layer, letting the wildness free at last.

It overtook her, forcing its way through her body and mind.

And Juliette screamed.

***

Making her way down the steps, pain shot through Penny's ears as she heard the shriek.

Penny glanced back at the others, faces barely lit by the glow of the flames both she and Bane carried.

"Juliette," she said quietly.

The sped up their pace, descending the staircase with renewed vigor.

When they reached the bottom, Penny gasped. There was Juliette... but she was a foot off the ground and glowing purple.

A violet cloud shrouded her friend's body, but it did nothing to muffle the scream rising from Juliette's lungs.

Unable to contain herself, Penny sprinted the remaining distance between her and Juliette, reaching out. Her hand tingled as it reached through the mist.

Penny's hand contacted Juliette's wrist, and she felt her feet leave the ground.

***

"Wait! Penny, don't—" Alex tried in vain to stop her from running into the dungeon-like room, but she evaded him and rushed up to Juliette.

"It could be a trap," he finished.

And that was what it seemed to be. The moment Penny contacted Juliette, she lifted into the air next to the other girl.

Alex glanced at the others. "I've got to go out there. If this is some kind of trap— you guys have to get help."

"Hang on, though," Emma interrupted, frowning. "If it is a trap by the Malum, then they probably want to get all three Fabulosa. And assuming it's the same person who captured Juliette, what if they just erase the rest of the school's memories of you and Penny too?"

Alex hadn't thought of that. Containing his fear, Alex shrugged. "I don't know... But I really think I need to go. I can defend myself if I need to."

"Alex, wait—" But Alex didn't listen to Justin trying to stop him, instead hurrying out into the open room, tensing as he waited for capture.

Juliette had stopped screaming, and both her and Penny's eyes were closed.

Alex inspected them. Neither were moving, and their hands were tightly clasped.

Penny had a colored cloud around her too, but hers was a bright, fiery orange. Alex remembered what Nathan had said a week ago about everyone's magic having a color. That must be their magic's color.

But how to get them down and out of the colored mist? Alex didn't know.

Stepping closer, Alex noticed something he hadn't seen before. Things were flicking in and out of their skin before disappearing— Penny's looked like tongues of flame and Juliette's seemed almost like... fur.

Alex took step forward, and something inside him pulled him forward another step. As if pulled by a magnet, his hand drifted upward without his controlling it until it brushed Juliette's wrist.

And he, too, was pulled into the air.

Guess who finally finished outlining the remainder of this story? Me!

Which is actually not so great when you realize that I was literally flying by the seat of my pants while I wrote up until this point.

So I figure if I can keep on track with my updates, Magicae will hopefully be completed before Christmas. *crosses fingers*

You may have noticed that this chapter was similar to the first two chapters, with part of it being from each of the Fabulosa's POVs. This will happen occasionally, at least once more in the story.

As always, thank you SO MUCH for reading and all your support! And please do continue to support me through a vote or comment!