The Mystery at Trida Academy | Fantasmical 2023

Dance with the Dead

Alaina was standing between an angel and a demon, staring at a hellhound stalking down the hall.

"Go!" Cole snapped at it, stepping forward. The hellhound stopped snarling and stared at Cole suspiciously. Cole said something in a coarse, unnatural language, his eyes flashing brighter. He stood tall enough that his horns almost brushed the ceiling. The hellhound lowered its heads and slowly lumbered away.

"How did you do that?" Alaina asked, eyeing him.

"He's...one of ours." Cole admitted. "He just gets a little...excited."

Alaina just stared. She figured that was more than a little excited. Cole didn't seem to notice. "Come on." He gestured for her and the angel to follow him down the hall. Alaina thought she could hear music. When they came to the room it was coming from, Cole quietly opened the door.

The room glowed a strange yellow, making the plants around the walls look sickly. A pale woman in a long lavender dress was twirling around, singing from a book in her hand. Swirls of magic floated around her, and wisps of smoke unfurled from the edges of the pages. They fanned out across the room, solidifying into spirits and specters. Alaina realized she wasn't singing so much as casting a spell.

"Morgaine." Cole muttered. "I should have realized."

"Cole!" Morgaine laughed, looking up. "You've come back!"

"You need to stop this." Cole told her.

"Why's she doing this?" Alaina asked. What would possess anyone to conjure countless phantoms?

"Oh!" she said, turning to Alaina. "Who's this?"

"Alaina." Alaina said automatically.

"Come, dance with me." Morgaine lilted. It was strangely enticing.

The room shimmered, and the next thing Alaina knew, she was waltzing across a crowded ballroom with Morgaine's hand in hers.

"Isn't it lovely?" Morgaine said, gesturing around. Alaina did have to admit, she was impressed with the luxurious curtains, the intricate moldings, and the suddenly warm glow of the candles. "And we can be here with my friends forever."

"Why are you bringing these things into the Academy?" Alaina asked.

"They're not things. They're people." she laughed. "They like it here. And I don't think they're interested in leaving."

"I'd gathered." Alaina said dryly. "But why are they here?"

"I'm looking for someone." Morgaine said lightly. "I know he's here somewhere."

As they twirled around the room, Alaina found herself trying to locate whoever Morgaine might be searching for.

"He was a boy at this school, when I went a century ago." Morgaine continued.

"A century ago?" How old was she?

"He made some...bad choices." Morgaine said, growing sad. "So, he was sent to the Underworld. But if I can just get him back, I know he won't betray me this time."

"You can't do this." Alaina told her.

"Sure I can. It only takes a little bit of magic."

"That's not what I meant." Alaina said. But Morgaine didn't appear to be listening.

"You make one tiny mistake and they kick you out of magic school forever!"

"You killed fourteen people." Cole pointed out from across the room.

Morgaine stopped dancing and turned to where he and Jophiel stood, staring at them as if she'd forgotten they were there.

"Twelve. Abrina and Cullen are only sleeping." she said defiantly.

"It's been three years..."

"Sleeping!" she shrieked.

"But...why conjure the spirits?" Alaina asked. "To punish the school?" Alaina might have been jealous when her sister was invited  to study and not her, but cursing the school seemed excessive.

"Don't be ridiculous!" Morgaine laughed. "It's simply on a weak point. And with the best library outside of the palace."

"So unleashing the spirits of the Underworld...?" Jophiel asked.

"Well, the spell requires the sacrifice of one's true love doesn't it? And how can you sacrifice that which is already gone?" She said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Alaina couldn't believe what this girl was really implying.

"I see. Completely logical." Cole sneered.

"Isn't it?" Morgaine grinned happily to herself, taking Alaina's hand once again. "He only wanted to make me happy. He searched for a spell that would cause eternal bliss."

The room started to grow darker, the dance slower.

"Of course, there's a reason that spell's banned. But that didn't stop him. So, he went into the Veiled Book. And he found it."

"He did? Then why do you need to do all this?" Alaina asked.

"Because he wasn't successful." Morgaine explained patiently. "And those who do not succeed..."

Alaina stared at her, wide-eyed. Still, she let Morgaine waltz her around the room, her mind spinning even faster than their feet.

"Won't it be lovely? Once he's back here with me?" Morgaine asked.

Alaina found herself nodding along. Still, she knew she was going to have to do something. True love or not, she couldn't let this witch empty the Underworld. Who knew what she could unleash?

The book was still balanced in Morgaine's hand – the one that wasn't holding onto Alaina. And Alaina was so close; she knew she'd never have another chance. She grabbed the book with her free hand and threw it as hard as she could across the room. Jophiel jumped out of the way, as if it were made of snakes. But Cole caught it easily.

"No!" Morgaine shrieked.

The music stopped, the spirits around the room started to fade. They didn't disappear, but they seemed much less solid than they had minutes ago. Cole flipped through the book and started chanting something Alaina didn't understand.

Morgaine rushed towards Cole, intent on stopping him from finishing whatever spell he'd found. Alaina decided it was time to use some of her own magic. She looked at the creeping vines behind Morgaine and raised her hand. The vines started growing rapidly, snaking their way across the floor and catching Morgaine's feet. They wound their way up her ankles, twisting around her legs as Cole finished his incantation.

There was a blinding light, and Morgaine screamed. Then, she stopped. The eerie yellow glow faded, leaving only torchlight. Alaina looked over at Morgaine, fearing the worst. She released the plants' grip on her, checking to see if she was alright.

Morgaine lay on the floor, staring up at the ceiling with watery eyes.

"You ruined everything." she mumbled to herself.