Chapter 5: Cassandra

We took our seats and watched the group of admins. And although I watched, I also searched the energy around me, the guys' heartbeats racing. Braeden's energy still fluctuated, and I sensed his concern. He really believed I was going to die. I was at a loss as to how to convince him otherwise.

Aeden nodded toward a man standing next to a door at the far end of the room. The man opened the door, and I shot from my seat and drew my wand.

"Stop!" Aeden yelled, casting a barrier around me. The barrier absorbed the two fireballs shooting from my hands.

Estelle remained by the door, her eyes shifting from me to Aeden and back to me.

"Cassandra, stand down." Aeden approached the barrier. "We can explain later. For now, we have more dire, pressing issues. I'm going to remove the barrier, and you need to return to your seat." He nodded at the guys. "All of you."

The barrier dissipated, but my hands still glowed.

"Cass, let it go."

"I'm trying, Dash. I really am."

I took a deep breath and then felt someone searching my soul. I glanced at Aeden and nodded, returning to my seat. The guys followed, and Estelle took a seat behind the staff. We watched each other like two fighters in the middle of a ring.

The woman sitting at the center stood and placed her hands on the table. "My name is Beatrix, your headmaster at the academy." She introduced the remaining admins, most of which were instructors at the academy. "The five of you need to understand what has happened." She moved from behind the table and began pacing around the room.

"What's going on?" Dash said and moved from his seat. He sat down when Aeden stood.

The lights in the room dimmed, and then the floor in front of us opened. A large crystal ball rose from below and levitated a few feet above the opening. The floor closed, and the headmaster placed her hands against the clear ball that stood at least ten-feet tall.

"Yes, Aurelius transported you from the Enchanted Academy to our academy. However, you did not simply go from one place to the next."

"I knew it," Oliver interrupted. A smile crossed his face. He turned to Kyler. "I told you we were gone longer."

"That's correct, Oliver," Headmaster Beatrix said. "You were gone for several months and during those months you were away, a lot of things happened around the world." She waved her hand across the crystal ball, and the outer wall glowed purple. She laid her hands on the ball again, and an image appeared in the middle.

People ran. People murdered. Fires raged. Buildings crumbled. The image changed to another location, and we saw a similar scene. The image changed again, and the four of us stood and moved closer. We watched as an entire city fell into a black abyss, swallowing it up, the ground closing once the city was gone. The image changed again, showing an extended coastline. The view turned toward the sea where a rogue tidal wave rose to an unbelievable height. The view rotated, and we watched thousands of people running away from the beach.

The base of the wave swallowed the beach, and the top of the wave crashed over every hotel within our view. The wave rushed inland, destroying everything in its path: women, children, houses, cars and pets. All gone.

"What is this?" Braeden asked.

"Return to your seats," Headmaster said.

We backed away slowly, the devastation weighing heavily on each of us. The center of the crystal ball burst into flames, but the headmaster didn't seem to be surprised. I looked hard and saw the city engulfed in flames. The floor opened, and the crystal ball lowered. Headmaster returned to her seat, and the whole line of administrators looked worried.

"It's Edius, isn't it?" I asked. "We've been asking for three years to find and destroy him." I felt Oliver's eyes on me. "And now look what's happened."

The headmaster shook her head. "You can't do that, and we have intentionally kept you from doing so. Edius is being driven by something completely out of his control. There's something dark and powerful driving him. The relic Ruby and Oliver mentioned before. We have never had to deal with anything like this. If we'd let you five go after him, you would have all been killed, and your blood would have been on our hands."

"But instead he's been allowed to terrify others and destroy whatever he pleases." Kyler's hands began to glow. "How can any of you justify that? And why haven't you tried to do something?" He pointed at everyone at the table. "You wear your fancy robes and carry around your fancy wands, but when it comes down to fighting, you just sit on your hands and do nothing."

"That's enough, Kyler," Aeden said and left his seat behind the table. "We aren't dealing with your normal, everyday black magic. This is something that goes beyond what we've ever experienced." He looked back at the others behind the table. "We believe this relic came from another time or another dimension. It's not of this place and therefore has been a challenge." He leaned against the table and crossed his arms. Meg would not have been able to contain herself. He then pointed at us. "It's up to you to find the relic pieces. It's the only way to help Edius. Killing him will not end the troubles. Finding the relic will. That's what the five of you will be doing."

"It's not enough," Dash protested. "Everything Kyler just said is true."

"This school year will be your most challenging," Aeden said. "You're going to get exactly what you want. But you're going to do it in a way that won't get you all killed." He motioned for Estelle to join him, and I dreaded what he was about to say. "The two of us will be training you. We will prepare you with the magic you need to defeat Edius." He trained his eyes on me. "We'll also be able to help with any problems you have in your group."

I didn't say it, but there was no way Estelle was helping our group with anything but magic. I'd seen her true colors, and I wasn't interested in seeing them again. "As Ashlyn she tried to kill us." I stared at Estelle.

"Estelle was under the influence of Edius' powers. I can assure you that will not happen again." Aeden looked at each of us. "Any more questions or concerns?"

Oliver raised his hand. "We haven't seen Ruby or Nicolette. Are they okay?"

Aeden glanced at the headmaster and then nodded at Oliver. "Headmaster Beatrix will take you to them." He held out his hand for us to stay seated. He moved closer. "Edius will destroy you if you get in his way. If you attack him with anger or cockiness, you will lose. You have to use this." He pointed at his head. "He sees you as a bunch of young punks. He's not expecting you to use your brains to beat him. He knows you will run at him wildly. Don't do that." Aeden nodded and turned away. Those behind the table followed him out of the room.

"No fucking pressure," Dash said. "And what the hell's up with bringing Estelle back into the picture?"

"She's under Aeden's protection." I walked beside Dash as we left the room. "You guys wouldn't believe the control he has over his magic. And the environment around him."

Braeden walked behind Dash and me. "Then why hasn't he done anything." We stopped and looked at Braeden who shook his head and walked away.

Oliver stood next to us. "We have to find the pieces of the relic. It's the only way to stop my father."