The School for Good and Evil: Return of the School Masters (fanfic)

Chapter 12

Inky blackness surrounded Maverick on all sides. Gnarled trees twisted into the sky, weak limbs breaking in the wind. The whistle of the gusts was the only sound that haunted his ear. Nothing else lived here.

Not quite. The voice called from behind a clump of trees. Maverick ran to it. Despite the darkness, there stood a shadow. Murky, incomplete. No face, no defining features. Just a form and a voice. I knew you'd find me. Seek me out.

"I know this is a dream. Just tell me why you're in my head."

The shadow's shoulders shrugged as he chuckled. My dear Maverick, how can you not know? Sure, it's only been a few weeks since you entered this dreaded school and I was awakened, but we've been spending so much time together. How can you not know me?

"Because I don't. And I don't want to. So get out."

Not that simple, child. I suggest looking a little deeper. Try the book on the far bottom right.

Maverick opened his eyes to the tower. Still dark, but much smaller and friendlier. And no weird shadow. Malcolm slept peacefully in his bed across the room. The pen rested under its glass dome.

He got up quietly. The satin pajamas the quill had given them still left him itchy. But at least they helped him be silent as he stepped toward the bookshelf. The past week had been filled with reading. The twins had figured out how to teleport and switch "lenses" with just a thought. But the gold quill insisted they learn every spell in the realm of magic.

But as Maverick sifted through the titles on the shelf, he found one that seemed odd. Recipes for the Dastardly, 1st Edition. He pulled it out. Can you slay a thought with food? Or maybe he was hungry. This mystery voice was messing with him and he wanted it out.

He opened the book. Inside, the pages were carved out to make room for a smaller book. The Secrets of Blood Magic.

Maverick dropped the books. A loud thud resounded throughout the room. Malcolm turned over, mumbling something. The pen didn't move. Maverick heaved a sigh and stared at the hidden book.

Everyone knew about blood magic. And everyone avoided it. Of all the magics that existed in their world, blood magic was the most unpredictable. It followed its own rules, messed with the fabric of reality. Some versions of it, like turning students into wolves, existed in the light magic realm, requiring the powers of a School Master. Maverick had learned some black magic as well that helped him control the minds of creatures.

But blood magic. Only the insane and suicidal tried blood magic.

Or the brave. The daring. Those who are tired of living in the shadows of others.

How about those tired of having shadows in their brains?

The voice grumbled, That too.

Maverick smirked. Until he eyed the book again. Reading it couldn't hurt. It wasn't like he was going to do the spells. Just see what's inside. He glanced at his brother before he took the blood magic book out and set the recipe book back on the shelf. He tip-toed to his bed and pulled the sheet over his head.

"Ira." A small light appeared beside him. The black leather cover and inscribed red letters were much clearer in the light. He opened it to the table of contents. Basics of Blood Magic, Blood Magic with Items, Simple Blood Magic Spells, Transformation Blood Magic. He stopped on the last chapter title. School Master's Blood Magic.

No sounds in the room. He flipped to the last section. Rather than ramblings of spells or yellowed pages of potions, the chapter started with a story. The crisp pages seemed newer than the aged section. And he realized why when he started reading.