Chapter 51.1

The city of Ekstápoli had many different parks, fields, and trails, but the Demali Forest Preserve was by far its largest outdoor feature. Spanning over 3,900 acres, it housed nearly 14 miles of paths and trails, several rivers that fed into a large central lake, multiple nature conservatories, as well as many different fields designed both for humans and animals alike. Several perfectly manicured parks held picnic tables, gazebos, and other public areas that made it a popular destination for both locals and tourists.The terrain itself was incredibly unusual for a forest preserve located in the American Midwest. In an area usually defined by flat, unending plains, the Demali Forest Preserve housed a surprising variety of hills, cliffs, and unique landmarks. Many fields scattered throughout the preserve were famed for growing strange, exceptionally colorful flowers that were often unique to this area. As many as five different waterfalls could be found throughout the year, depending on rainfall, with two in particular being present almost year-round. One of these waterfalls fell into a small canyon that had been carved into the earth, creating a must-see destination for hikers of all skill levels. In areas with more concentrated numbers of trees, thick vines often hung overhead, forming wide canopies that connected the treetops while casting an eerie twilight over the paths underneath. One corner near the edge of the preserve even held a small collection of hot springs, which consistently proved to be the favorite attractions for many of Aurelius’s students.

For reasons unknown to most, the Forest Preserve had been central to the city’s identity even in its founding years. As the city’s population grew, urban developers never once dared to encroach on the neighboring landscape, which gave the city an intensely unique feel that many residents greatly appreciated. It was common to hear locals refer to the Preserve as their very own Central Park, purely due to the uniqueness of such well-maintained natural sights existing side-by-side with the glittering modern architecture of downtown Ekstápoli.

Due to this prominence, the largest entrance of the Demali Forest Preserve, rather than existing on the outskirts of the city, instead sat near its heart. The entrance itself was hardly more than a mile from the main campus of Aurelius University, giving students the perfect escape when they found themselves overwhelmed by the formal, stuffy atmosphere of collegiate studies.

The sheer size of the Preserve meant that large swaths of land remained largely untouched by modernity. These spaces were dramatically more overgrown than the well-manicured spaces that existed for the benefit of the public, and it was near the edge of one of these overgrown fields that Coven Heads Bishop and Tsopnang had escaped to rest after Amara’s rampage. The small hut, created of vines, tree roots, bark, and moss, had been further masked by an impressively large illusion that, until very recently, held an impromptu conference between the Coven Heads and several supernatural students.

All but two from that conference had recently vacated the small structure, partially to scout out the surrounding area, partially to give privacy to those that stayed behind.

When Amara finally left the hut, she took a deep breath of satisfaction as she reveled in the renewed vigor of her inner hellfire. The various trees and bushes around her seemed more vibrant, the crisp layers of snow dazzled that much more in the morning sun, and her heightened hearing alerted her to the location of her friends, who’d promised to stay nearby to watch for trouble.

Behind her, the moss blanket covering the entrance to the hut opened again, and Nick walked out into the winter air. A brief shiver ran through his body, though a burst of warmth from Amara quickly dispelled his discomfort.

“You sure that’ll be enough?” Nick asked, pulling a thick beanie over his curly brown hair.

Amara nodded. “Positive. I lost a lot when Vee rescued me, but I’d taken in far too much before then. I should have more than enough to hold my own.”

“I don’t suppose you want to tell me what happened?” Nick asked.

“It’s…” Amara paused, unsure exactly how much to say in the moment. After thinking back to her conversation with Vee, she decided to keep it vague for now. She didn’t want to risk misreading the situation or how Vee felt; it certainly wouldn’t be the first time. Remembering her recently discovered feelings, and her kiss with Vee, she couldn’t help but smile.

“That good, huh?” Nick asked playfully.

“What? Oh, um, yeah, you could say that. Look, it’s complicated, alright?”

“You can tell me after you’ve saved the day. Again,” Nick said, rubbing Amara’s hair in jest. She scrunched her face in annoyance, but didn’t bother stopping him. Instead, she simply glared while he insisted on messing her hair up further. When their eyes met, she noticed him quickly glance down. “Oh, you’ve got… um…” he blushed slightly as he pointed at her chin.

Running her hand across her face, Amara found one last remnant of her quickie with Nick, and pulled it into her mouth. A burst of sexual energy filled her senses, and once she finished licking her fingers, she cleaned her hand with a burst of hellfire.

With nothing else to say, the two of them marched through the tall grass until they found the rest of their party. Elizabeth and Palesa stood shoulder to shoulder, holding hands and leaning against each other as they waited. In front of them, Tessa held open the journal that contained all her notes on the various magic circles across campus, and seemed to be explaining something to the Coven Heads. Vee waited nearby, concentrating on a small Enochian flame that danced and flickered as it attempted to keep everyone warm. Chloé was nowhere to be seen, as expected, but Amara assumed she was somewhere nearby.

“Alright, I’m all set,” Amara said, stepping between the two groups and creating a warm bubble for everyone. Vee sighed in relief, stepping next to Amara, who continued talking. “Are we ready to head out?”

Palesa scowled as Amara’s magic washed over her, but her professional demeanor kept her dissatisfaction from affecting the tone of her words. “Imani agreed to meet us by the main entrance. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s there already.” She squeezed Elizabeth’s hand hard as she finished speaking.

With everyone in agreement, they began walking towards the nearest path. The two Coven Heads lead the group, followed by Nick and Tessa, while Vee and Amara held up the rear. After a few minutes of silent walking, Amara stepped closer to Vee and grabbed her hand, leaning in to whisper, “Hey, um, I know we haven’t had a chance to unpack everything, but is it okay that Nick and I… y’know?”

Vee smiled before playfully bumping into Amara. “Absolutely. I want everyone to be safe, which means we need you in peak condition. Besides, it’s not the first time I’ve had to awkwardly leave the room while you fed.”

Amara laughed. “Thanks, Vee.”

The laughter drew Tessa’s attention, and her eyes quickly darted between Amara and Vee, then to the fact they were holding hands. She suspiciously narrowed her eyes, but before she could say anything, Imani appeared in front of them and ran closer.

“Hey, is everything alright?” Imani asked, looking between everyone present. “I get the feeling something weird is going on.”

“You could certainly say that,” Elizabeth said with a heavy sigh. “I’ll try to keep this brief, as time is of the essence. Headmistress Davenport and Coven Head Gautier have gone rogue. They’re attempting to commandeer the planar connections here for their own personal gain.”

“Wait, seriously?” Imani asked, clearly shocked by the idea. “Fuck, I’d thought that—Um, actually, I didn’t think—What I mean to say is—”

Palesa sighed. “Child, we know you lied on your reports. That’s a conversation for another day; for now, we need your help.”

Imani blushed in shame as she listened to Palesa. Once she spoke up again, her words were much more concise. “Okay, I didn’t know for sure what was happening. Ever since we got here, Elijah’s been acting a little funny. He’s been dropping subtle hints that Davenport was up to no good. However, if that were the case, I didn’t know what that meant for the rest of you. I know Gautier eagerly does what Davenport wants, but you two always seemed a little distant from her. Since I didn’t know who to trust, I fabricated my reports to try and keep Amara safe.”

“Wait, what?” Amara asked. “Why me?”

“Because… you’re a demon?” Imani asked, confusion in her voice. “If the Coven Heads were up to no good, I was worried they might be hunting down magical creatures or something. Did you seriously think I didn’t know?”

Amara’s face turned bright red. “Well, I…”

Imani chuckled slightly. “Oh, honey… you literally posted naked pictures of your true form all over the internet. It wasn’t a hard jump to make, especially after I interviewed all the other students.”hat’s been stationed outside the campus, and tell them there’s about to be another incursion. With their help, we should be able to remove all civilians from this preserve entirely.”

“An incursion?” Imani asked. “Is that true?”

“We’re going to stop them,” Tessa said, her tone rigid and determined. “We’re going to confront them here, out of harm’s way, and make them stop. We know they won’t listen to reason, so it’s going to come to blows, and that’s why we need as much space as possible.”

“You’re going to fight them?!” Imani gasped, looking to the Coven Heads. “I-Is that wise? I’ve never seen Miss Gautier act directly, but I’ve always heard terribly frightening things about her abilities. If they’re also siphoning magic from the planes… Even with Amara’s help, are you going to be able to stand up to them?”

“We’re not fighting them, child,” Palesa said. “Elizabeth and I will be attending to the circles, to undo whatever siphons they’ve put into place. We’re the only ones with adequate knowledge as to how Miss Davenport and Miss Gautier craft their runes.”

A moment of silence fell between everyone as Imani looked at Amara, then Tessa. She seemed incredibly nervous but eventually nodded in agreement before she started rummaging through her bag. “Okay, well, if you’re going to be fighting them, I’ve got something that should help.” As she talked, she pulled out a small, black switchblade. Much like the weapon Tessa had modified to fight Brandon, this knife was also covered in magic runes.

Tessa’s tattoos lit up, and the knife floated close so she could inspect it. Within seconds, her eyes went wide in surprise. “Imani, this is incredible! Does it do what I think it does?!”

Imani nodded. “It’s based on your design, but I made a few modifications of my own. I’ve obviously not had time to test it, but if my calculations are correct, it should be able to temporarily disrupt magic that’s attempting to channel through our runic language. Rather than crafting the inscriptions with a blood base, however, it should work by reacting to the presence of any blood that crosses its blade.”

With a hearty laugh, Tessa briefly spun the knife through the air. “Fuck yeah! You picked a pretty decent model of switchblade, too, it’s got a good feel to it. This is amazing!”

“Don’t you mean… a Witch Blade?” Chloé asked, briefly reappearing next to Tessa while making finger guns. Before Tessa had a chance to groan, however, Imani leapt backwards with a loud shriek.

“FUCK!!” Imani shouted, attempting to catch her breath. “What was— Did you all see that?”

“Shoot, I’m sorry!” Chloé said hurriedly. “I kinda assumed that, since you knew about Amara, you knew about me too, but I guess that doesn’t really make sense, does it? I only got my memory back last night, and ever since then we’ve been—” Chloé shook her head briefly to stop herself from rambling. “That’s not important. Hi! I’m Chloé! I didn’t actually die when that portal closed on me, and I’m gonna help them fight!”

Eyes wide, Imani cautiously extended her arm to shake Chloé’s hand. “Um, it’s nice to meet you, Chloé. Today just keeps getting weirder, doesn’t it?”

“We’re about to overthrow the Headmistress of our coven, Miss Mabaya,” Elizabeth said. “This is only the beginning. We should stop dawdling, however; time is of the essence. Imani, young Nicholas here will be at your beck and call for the foreseeable future. Palesa and I are going to start examining all the circles on campus, and thankfully we have an idea where to start based on Tessa’s notes.” Looking at Tessa, Elizabeth’s resolve broke for a moment as she reached out to gently grab Tessa’s arm. “And, Tessa…”

“I know, I know. I shouldn’t underestimate them, and I shouldn’t let my feelings about how they’ve treated me in the past change my judgment of this situation,” Tessa said, rolling her eyes.

Elizabeth, however, shook her head. “Well, yes, but also…”

Tessa tilted her head slightly. “Am I missing something else?”

“Kick their fucking asses, Tessa,” Elizabeth said with a devious smirk. “Show them what a Blackwood is capable of.”

After gasping in surprise at the change of tone, Tessa ran towards Elizabeth and threw her arms around her, squeezing her tight. Everyone else let them have a moment, and once they finally broke apart, the group split into their respective teams. Nick and Imani stood ready to contact the rest of the coven and clear the Demali Forest Preserve, Elizabeth and Palesa prepared to race to the magic circles scattered around campus, while Amara, Tessa, Vee, and Chloé steeled themselves for the coming fight.

Imani seemed briefly confused, however, as she looked at Vee. “Vee? Shouldn’t you be with us? Fighting the Coven Heads is serious business.”

Furrowing her brow in confusion, Vee took a deep breath, then held out her hand. With a brilliant burst of blinding Enochian energy, a glittering angelic sword appeared in her hands while an iridescent halo spun above her head. After a quick flourish of her blade, she dismissed everything just as quickly. “I can hold my own, Imani.”

“I… but that’s… you mean…” Imani stuttered, slack-jawed at Vee’s show of power. She briefly looked at the four girls in front of her, each magically gifted in their own way, before finally turning towards the Coven Manor, throwing her hands up. “Y’all are crazy. This campus is crazy.”

Nick ran after Imani, pulling out his phone in preparation. Elizabeth grabbed Palesa’s hand, smiled softly at her love, then looked back at Tessa one last time. “I’ll text Headmistress Davenport. Stick to the plan, stay safe, and we’ll try to disrupt the siphons as quickly as we can. You can do this, Tessa. I believe in you.”

Before the two Coven Heads turned to walk away, Palesa briefly looked at Amara. “This is your one chance to show us your true colors, For your own sake, I hope the faith your friends put in you isn’t misplaced.”

Amara nodded slowly, speaking for the first time since Imani appeared. “I just want everyone to be safe, Miss Tsopnang. I promise I’ll do everything I can to fix this.”

The two women shared one last tense glare before Palesa grabbed Elizabeth’s hand and walked off. Amara, Vee, Tessa, and Chloé were now on their own, and they started walking towards a specific field in the center of the forest preserve. As they walked, Tessa’s tattoos flared again, and she floated all three of her knives in front of her to examine them one last time.

“Which blade is the new one?” Amara asked, just in case it proved relevant later.

“The witch blade, obviously,” Chloé said, laughing to herself once more. “Unless she switched the blades.”

Tessa groaned in frustration. “Oh my god, I’m going to stab all of you.”

“Uh oh, looks like she found the bitch blade,” Vee said, joining in the fun.

“That’s not a good look, Tessa,” Amara said, “I think you should ditch that blade.”

“If you stab me, can you aim for my shoulder?” Chloé asked. “I’ve got an itch blade.”

Everyone present, except for Tessa, soon lost themselves to a fit of laughter as they walked deeper and deeper into the forest preserve. The jokes continued, and in time, Tessa joined in as well. As they approached their field of choice, Amara couldn’t help but look around, her heart melting as she saw all her friends together and happy again.

Once the laughter died down, the four of them huddled up. They all placed their arms on each other’s shoulders, went over the plan one last time, and prepared for yet another fight that would determine the fate of their campus.