Highfield Academy - Revenge of The Crows

Shellnack had plans of her own which involved acquiring an army and becoming as strong as her master, only she was wise enough to understand and realise her master would be aware of all such plans. So Shellnack did something most unexpected, she sought permission to speak with Guayangarea, and on been granted an audience Shellnack took an immediate position of submission.

You may talk freely, I sense you have need of such,” explained Guayangarea. Shellnack braced herself for pain,

“Master I desire to better myself and aim to equal or become like you, is that wrong of me?” she asked, expecting a rage of anger and pain to follow.

Only she heard laughter instead.

“Child, as that is what you still are,” Guayangarea paused to think, “I grant you are and have been an attentive apprentice and as you are from my loins, you can only seek greatness this is understandable.”

Shellnack had not realised until that moment that her master had also been her mother, and this pleased Guayangarea, yet it still made no difference to her plans,

“It is only in your nature to seek that which is in your blood,” stated Guayangarea.

However, you surprise me in bringing this knowledge to me, as to your knowledge and understanding I could have reacted differently, so why I ask myself, what was it that spurred this most unexpected act of courage?”

Shellnack allowed herself a smile,

“Courage master, no, it was simply self-preservation, as to have gone behind another’s back would in my eyes be acceptable, but not against you, as you are supreme, also my master, and it would be disrespectful to one who has vested so much time in my training to cowardly try and better my training when the greatest master I could ask for is already training me.”

Guayangarea looked for a long time at her student,

“Do you realise in the vast time I have existed I have trained eleven such apprentices as you, all without exception tried to go behind my back and oust me from my position of power. You on the other hand are the only one to have directly confronted me and sought to advance your training, showing both respect and good judgement.”

Guayangarea paused and lifted a hand, which was thin and her fingers were long, as were her fingernails. Touching Shellback on the forehead Guayangarea dug a nail into her skin and drew blood.

“With your blood, I seal the gift of knowledge in which you sought, you did well it must be in our bloodline, now go and die quietly and do not disturb me as I mourn your death, when your heart stops, you will be a vessel from which my makers can work from and in doing so you will have the extra power you so desperately sought.”

At that Shellnack realised to late that she had opened herself to death, and that within a few moments she would no longer live, as she backed away, already she could feel her heart weakening and as her life started to leave her a demon appeared before Guayangarea.

“You summoned me for what purpose Witch?”

Guayangarea had no need to speak as she feared no demons, instead she pointed a bony finger at her daughter who was on the point of losing her life and drawing her last breath. As the demon turned, and he smiled,

“A willing candidate, excellent your master will be pleased, you have done well.”

At that, life left Shellnack and the demon picked up the gift and returned to his realm taking Shellnack with him, only the real Shellnack smiled allowing herself a moment of pleasure in knowing she had deceived both her mother and the demon.

As Shellnack turned and faced one of the Demon Lords who was standing beside her, Shellnack spoke. “My Master, you see it was as I said, my mother is no longer fit to rule this kingdom, a mere deception spell, an Avatar of my creation fooled her, and now she has dishonoured her agreement and gifted your kind my Lord with a lie, yet not only a lie but also an insult as within the Avatar is a weapon which can destroy your kind.”

Belliteron, the Demon Under-Lord was pleased, as he knew the body of Shellnack would be taken directly to his Lord and then on detonation of the weapon, His Lord and those in the demonic council would be killed, leaving him Belliteron as Lord of the Demoni race.

As the demon soldier delivered Guayangarea gift, Belliteron had his staff inform him the moment Shellnack’s avatar was presented to his Lord, the Over-Lord of all the Demoni race, it was then he nodded to Shellnack, and the spell she had cast activated in the heart of the Demoni realm.

It was instantaneous, and all within a twelve-mile range of the epicentre were destroyed, Belliteron had gifted Shellnack with the knowledge and quietly they had been planning this overthrowing of power.

Guayangarea felt the severing of the energy which had for so long kept her alive, and she screamed in agony as power syphoned from her and directed itself into Shellnack her daughter.

On realising, what was happening Guayangarea laughed looking at her daughter who was now standing before her.

“You think yourself clever do you, and I congratulate you on a masterful plan, only that which you sought is not as sweet as it seems, as I have longed for death far more than you could ever realise, and now you have so foolishly gifted me with my release, and you now take the eternal pain of which I have been forced to carry since my creation.”

Shellnack was confused, as the power from within her mother encased her and sealed itself inside her body, as did the curse that came with such power. The pain felt by every victim she had ever killed, and that was in the Billions from so many thousands of years.

Belliteron laughed, “Yes, she is right, but after some years you will get used to it and like your mother you will serve my kind well.”

Shellnack realised Belliteron had tricked her, and used her as a means of acquiring his goals, she watched Belliteron as he went to scoop up Guayangarea and carried her to his realm, only the pet behemoth attacked, forcing Belliteron to use his power and kill the beast outright.

Then he gathered his prise of Guayangarea’s dead body and carried her away while leaving Shellnack in utter agony as she tried to overcome the crippling pain which was filling her every thought.

Throughout the various dimensions the change of power was registered, and Merlin looked at those around him.

“Something has happened, and the Light Maker is displeased, immediately Merlin was summoned to the realm of Angels and directly into the heart of Axis Mundi where Merlin was confronted by two huge Angelic beings carrying swords of flame.

Merlin recognised them immediately and submitted to their authority in full humility.

“What has happened that you summoned me to your presence?” enquired Merlin. He had made the mistake of bowing to them once and was warned to never do so again, as they themselves were but servants of the maker of Light.

“There has been an overthrowing of power from within the realm of the Demoni, and your old enemy Guayangarea no longer exists, at least not as you once knew her, now her blood daughter has ousted her and taken her place but absorbed all that Guayangarea was and more, as a Demoni Lord gifted her additional powers, so to maintain the balance we have been instructed to gift you a new wand created by The Light Maker himself.”

Those words caused Merlin to gasp, and as his wand was taken from him, he felt a loss at its parting while severing the connection which had been with him for thousands of years. As the new wand, named Light of all life was gifted to him, Merlin could feel the new wand contained all the said knowledge of his old wand and more, so much more.

“WE have been instructed that you are to gift this old wand of yours to the student named Joshua Phillips, and he is to be brought here in three days for further Angelic training.”

At that Merlin found himself back in his study still trying to come to terms with all that had just happened. As he gained control of his thoughts he immediately summoned Joshua directly into his study. One moment Joshua was eating a meal with his friends, and then he simply vanished only to reappear standing before Merlin.

Merlin wasted no time and held the child in suspended animation and Joshua felt his wand being drawn from his essence and a new life take its place. “Fear not child, this is a gift from the Light Maker himself, as my old wand was once gifted to me, it is now gifted to you,

only Merlin ensured that as Ethpadon left Joshua and passed Merlin’s old wand that Ethpadon received all the life essence from his previous wand.

“Child what you have is a very precious and powerful gift and it will take time to fully meld with your essence, so for the next two days you shall remain here in my study protected and to give you time to recover.”

At that Joshua vanished from sight but remained conscious of all that went on around him as Ethpadon now residing inside Merlin’s old wand communicated with him.

“Fear not I am still here only now I am made anew and contain all the knowledge gifted by Merlin’s wand and my new name is Merethpadon, the life giver.”

Merethpadon paused to allow Joshua time to think over all that had just happened, and then when satisfied Joshua could hear more, Merethpadon continued talking.

“In some cultures, they name my creator as Horakhty the great creator of Light, however, they are wrong and have been deceived by Demoni lies as he is the highest of all life, the first one yet three divine life forms all powerful, divine and forever will he reign.”

Joshua fell into a deep healing sleep and was awoken by Miss Tianna, Roger Hogeboom and Miss Catherine,

“Joshua child, you are to come with us, you need to clean yourself eat and be made ready for a time of training,” said Miss Tianna.

Joshua awoke amazingly refreshed and realised he was as before containing all the knowledge and power of his old wand Ethpadon, only her name was now Merethpadon and the wealth of knowledge and depth of power at his disposal was staggering.

As he looked at Mr Hogeboom, he realised just who was standing before him,

“Sir I understand you have no need for concern, when I return maybe we can talk, and you can teach me in how to utilise this gift.”

Mr Hogeboom smiled and nodded in agreement and then spoke.

“It will soon be you who will be teaching me but until then, I will try and help you learn and adjust, and in many ways, I envy you son as only Merlin has never gone through such training, what you are been offered is beyond a gift, do you understand?”