Occulus: Tale of the First Blood Witch

Chapter 16

Trent and Zarian didn't linger in the hallway for long and soon returned to their classroom. They headed straight for their seats at the back and then gathered the necessary tools for the potion they were planning to brew that night.

Their professor's instructions were clear.

"Open your books to page thirty," he said.

Trent promptly complied but noticed that Zarian was looking at the wrong page. Trent, on the other hand, was quick to spot his error and shifted to the correct page, which happened to be page fifty.

"Zarian, you're on the wrong page," Trent pointed out. Zarian flashed him a knowing smile that raised Trent's suspicions. Trent wasted no time and picked up the book to turn to the right page. They were crafting a potion for shrinking, and the title on page fifty caught Trent's eye.

"Zarian, what are you planning to do with this potion?" Trent inquired.

"We need it to collect the scales of the Bakunawa in the Headmaster's office," Zarian explained while simultaneously retrieving some ingredients from his uniform's pockets.

Curiosity piqued, Trent asked, "Where did you get those?"

Zarian replied nonchalantly, "From the ingredient storage, of course."

"When did you manage to get them?" Trent asked, surprised.

"As soon as you were attacked by the tooth fairies, I quickly gathered the ingredients I needed for this potion," Zarian explained, adding, "I also grabbed a bottle of a mermaid's voice while I was at it."

"Zarian...Trent," their professor interjected, causing both students to halt their conversation. "I'd be more pleased if you would pay attention to the lesson I'm teaching now."

"We're sorry," Zarian and Trent apologized in unison. Trent allowed Zarian to focus on what he needed to do and followed the steps for brewing the potion as instructed. It didn't take them long to complete it—a potion that, when consumed, would make the drinker resemble a person of their choosing.

"Now, it's time to try the potions you've brewed. Get a glass and fill it with the potion you've made," their professor directed. Trent examined Zarian's concoction before shifting his gaze to Zarian's face.

Trent picked up the glass in front of Zarian and poured his own potion into it.

"Are you sure about this?" Zarian asked, his question causing a furrow in Trent's brow. "We won't know unless we try it," Trent replied.

"To find out what will happen when you drink this potion, I will call one of you," their professor announced. "Zarian, come here!"

Zarian nodded and looked at Trent. "Good luck," Trent wished him as Zarian stood and headed to the front with the potion Trent had crafted earlier.

"Zarian," their professor signaled. Trent felt a nervous knot in his stomach, fearing the consequences. Fearlessly, Zarian drank the liquid from the glass. They waited for a few moments, watching as Zarian's white hair began to shorten and turn black like the night. His Trent eyes transformed into brown. After a few seconds, a familiar face appeared in front of them—it was Trent himself.

"Bravo, Zarian!" their professor exclaimed, breaking into applause. The entire class chimed in, their faces illuminated by the glow of success reflected in their professor's eyes. Trent couldn't help but release a sigh of relief; his potion had indeed yielded the desired results. Their professor proceeded to restore Zarian to his initial appearance, reuniting Trent with his friend.

Their professor summoned other students to test the potions they had crafted. Some of them experienced successful transformations, altering their appearances entirely, while others met with partial success, leaving only specific parts of their bodies changed. Their professor, ever the meticulous instructor, went on to provide a thorough explanation, dissecting why certain transformations had fallen short of the desired outcome.

After their class on potion-making, Trent and Zarian walked down the hallway.

"Zarian," Trent called out. Zarian hushed him, covering his lips with his index finger.

"Sshh," Zarian warned, "Not here. Come on, follow me."

He quickened his pace, and Trent tried his best to keep up. Zarian led him to the highest point in the academy, where there was a bell.

"Can we talk now?" Trent asked.

Zarian nodded in agreement and handed him a bottle containing some liquid, the same potion they had used earlier.

"Before we go to the Headmaster's office, there's something I need to tell you," Zarian said. "The effect of this will last no more than thirty minutes. We'll return to normal after that."

Trent nodded.

"Let's go," Zarian announced, and they ascended the stairs connecting various rooms, including the Headmaster's office. They were right in front of the door when Zarian stopped Trent, signaling for him to drink the potion. Trent nodded and took the bottle from his pocket. He opened it and briefly examined the yellow liquid inside. After taking a deep breath, he swallowed its contents, experiencing an unusual taste.

Gradually, Trent felt himself shrinking alongside Zarian. Thankfully, there was a small gap in the door, which made it easy for them to enter. The Headmaster had not yet woken up, allowing them to pass undisturbed. However, a loud crash occurred when Zarian tripped over something. The noise startled the Headmaster awake.

"Salem!" the Headmaster called out, trying to figure out why the cat had been so active. He picked up the cat and took it away.

"I thought we were caught," Trent confessed, fear evident in his voice.

"Fortunately, we got the bakunawa scales, the singing voice of a siren, and the hair strands of the cursed," Zarian observed. "There's just one thing left to acquire."

"The tears of a forest nymph," Trent added.

"But where are we going to get those?" Zarian wondered.

"I don't know," Trent replied, "But I have an idea of how to get the information we need."

"How?" Zarian asked.

Trent replied with a smile, "I'll take care of it."

They then entered another classroom, ready to continue their studies. This was Trent's favorite class, focusing on drawing creatures based on images shown to them in crystal balls.