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The invisibility spell Luz discovered had come in handy multiple times. The very first time he ever saw her use it was after she got caught eavesdropping on his conversation with the Glandus kids. The glyph in her hand wasn’t too complicated to draw, but it was one of the most useful paper spells he’d ever tried. Unfortunately, he could only accomplish the spell by glyphs, but that wasn’t going to stop him.
Especially not now.
The emperor’s guards stood at almost every corner, watching for any delinquent kids who tried to escape the claws of the coven heads. The head witches of all nine covens were in their gymnasium, prepared to brand every witch in Hexside into their significant coven. However, thanks to his human friend filling him in on the emperor’s intricate plan, he wasn’t going to fall for their traps. While his dream was to someday be the head witch of the Illusionist coven, he wasn’t planning on having his entire magic source draining out of his body, adding him onto the pile of lifeless bodies on the Day of Unity.
He came prepared, hundreds of invisibility spells in his bag as he searched for his friends. He just hoped they hadn’t been rounded up with the rest of the kids into the gym, or else they’d be in big trouble. Just the thought of their bodies slowly losing all their powers, eyes glowing in pain-
He saw Matt.
It was difficult to stay silent, especially after finding out that his friend had yet to be found by the coven guards. He checked for any signs of another presence and seeing that the coast was clear, practically sprinted over to him. Matt smiled when he saw him, his fist out to bump it against Gus’s as they’d learned how to do. Instead, he’s engulfed in a tight embrace from his best friend.
Augustus gently grabbed his face, searching for any injuries. Matt’s face became hotter by the second, yanking himself away from Gus’s grasp. Why has that been occurring lately? Unable to think about anyone else but the illusionist. Blushing every time he made the slightest contact with him.
“Matty! I’m so glad I found you. Are you okay? Where have you been?”
Matt looks away, doing his best to hide his flustered face. “I’m fine, I’m fine. You?”
Gus nodded, taking another look around them in case anyone saw.
“Come on. We gotta go”
“What? Why? We’re supposed to be on our way to the gym”
“No, Matt, we can’t. Listen: they’re planning to force us into joining a coven for the day of Unity. We CAN’T let them see us, or we’re toast. You got that?”
The construction witch’s confusion only grew as Gus explained the situation. It was a bit hard to process. Why was he freaking about joining a coven now? Weren’t they going to in the future? He couldn’t picture Gus as a wild witch.
“Why not? We’re going to eventually”
Gus shook his head frantically. “No, Matty. I’m telling you. We CANNOT get a sigil. I swear I’ll explain everything once we’re out of here”
“How? There’s guards everywhere”
“I may know a way” An unknown voice interrupted.
A thick blue smoke began to dispense around them, until the full and physical presence of the Illusion coven head appeared before them. Gus immediately reached for Matt’s hand and began to run. There was absolutely no way he was going to force a magic-draining sigil onto their arms.
And not to toot his own horn, but Gus was an amazing illusionist and Merrose would obviously have no problem forcing him into the illusionist coven.
The head witch suddenly reappeared in their path, making the boys come to a halt. Gus racked his brain for a fight strategy to get past the older witch. Unfortunately, he was coming up blank. How could an illusionist battle someone who knew all of his techniques and strategies? What could possibly trick the older witch into believing an apparition when he knew what it was?
Matt drew a spell circle, a large wall forming between them and the coven head. The two turned back around, running headfirst into a very physical, very clearly real, Merrose. The two boys shouted in fear, the coven head cringing due to the sound.
“Can you stop that? I’m not with them! Look”
The older witch holds his arm out, pulling back the sleeve of his shirt. The illusion sigil began to fade. If it weren’t for them nearly falling from knocking into him, they would've thought it was another illusion. Despite it, Matt reached out to slap the spot the sigil once was. Merrose pulled his arm back with a hiss, glaring at the younger witch.
Matt shrugged. “Just had to make sure”
“So, if you’re not the real Merrose, then who are you?” Gus asked suspiciously. Who was this mysterious, handsome stranger disguised as the coven head?
“Perhaps I’ll tell you once we’re out of here, safe and sound?” he smirks, Gus rolls his eyes as he reluctantly nods. He could tell the man was a smug one.
With a swift woosh of his cape, the three are teleported to the forest near the school.
Where they encounter three cloaked figures. He should’ve realized this was a trap. He begins to back away from them, Matt following suit. He tries to look around for an open exit, but before he gets the chance, the hooded figures remove their covering.
Gus had to take a second glance. “Wait, coven heads Darius, Raine, and Eberwolf? What are you guys doing out here?”
Darius completely ignores his questions. “We’ll explain later. Have you seen Hunter?”
Gus is thrown out of the loop. Why would he be asking about Hunter? Was he possibly in trouble? He shakes his head, noting the anxious expression on his ex-kidnapper. Raine lays a reassuring hand on the witch’s shoulder.
“We’ll find him. Don’t worry” Raine turns to the illusion coven head. “Merrose?”
Said coven head sighs. “They’re all inside already. These two were the only ones I could get out safely”
“Safely? Wait, are you guys trying to help us?”
Raine decides to answer the young illusionist’s question. “Yes. Belos has a terrible plan in motion for all coven witches. We have to stop this before more witchlings are assigned to covens”
“Wait, what? Can someone please explain what’s going on? Why do we need saving? Gus, you’ve been hiding something too. Explain, all of you. I’m sick of this!”
Matt breathes deeply after his word vomit, everyone looking at the young witchling in shock. Gus nods in agreement. He was just as guilty of hiding this information from one of his best friends.
“Luz told me something was going to happen on the day of Unity. Something bad”