Magicae

Chapter 25: Special Lesson

Juliette stood up. "Where are we?" she asked.

Fog swirled around them. But... Juliette couldn't see the other two anywhere. "Alex? Penny?" she called.

No answer. The fog seemed to be thicknening, and it was like Juliette was floating-- although she could feel her feet on the solid ground, everything below her waist was shrouded in the mist.

Juliette took a step forward. But... her foot didn't land. She no longer had a foot, or a body. She was just fog, floating aimlessly.

She tried to call for the other two again, but without a mouth she couldn't speak.

Were they turned into fog too? Juliette thought. Maybe Peggy and Alec-- wait, that wasn't their names. They were... she couldn't remember, couldn't think.

Her brain was as foggy as her body. Juliette's mind was drifting apart. But why shouldn't it? she thought. I don't have to worry about anything remember anything...

She couldn't remember anything now. Her name, where she had just been... even who she had been didn't seem to matter anymore. Everything was just fog, and so was she.

A small, determined remnant of her mind was still holding together, but slowly it detached itself, drifting apart...

And Juliette Unni ceased to exist, and there was only fog.

***

Everything came rushing back. Juliette's whole body hurt, and memories were flying into her brain at lighting speed.

She was in Mr. Magister's office, and he was sitting at his desk. Mrs. Justus stood next to him. There was no sign of Alex or Penny.

When she had reoriented herself enough to speak, the words exploded out of her. "What was that? I could've died!"

Mr. Magister shook his head, calm as ever. "You were perfectly safe inside the illusion."

"Safe? Safe?! I lost all my memories! And my body! You call that safe?"

"No real harm would come to you. Mrs. Justus here is a very talented illusionist, able to completely immerse the body and mind in all five senses."

Juliette took a couple of breath, trying to calm herself down. "Ok. But why was that necessary in the first place?"

Mrs. Justus spoke up. "We were testing you."

That wasn't a straight answer, but Juliette let it go for the time being. "Where are Penny and Alex?" she asked.

Mr. Magister held up a finger. "They should be here any--"

Without warning, Penny and Alex both faded into existence next to Juliette, Penny looking like she had been crying and Alex looking pale and sweaty.

Alex spoke first. "What was that about? Why the heck did I just-- just become a Malum? I couldn't control any of what I was doing!"

Penny looked at him. "What? That's not what happened. Everyone..." she swallowed. "Everyone I knew was being killed." A tear rolled down her cheek. "That didn't really happen, did it?" She looked at Alex and Juliette. "You guys were-- dead-- too. But you aren't really, 'cause you're here, so it wasn't real. Right?"

Juliette nodded. "It wasn't real. I turned into fog and forgot everything about myself."

Mr. Magister looked at all of them. "What you just experienced was a representation of your worst fear. Juliette, you fear losing what you see as your greatest strength-- your mind. Penny, you fear losing your loved ones and not being brave enough to stop it. Alex, your worst fear is the Malum, especially becoming one of them."

Mrs. Justus looked at them. "Right now, you are not strong enough to fight your fears. The Malum, however, get their strength from fear. You must learn to overcome your fears."

Juliette looked at Mr. Magister. "Does she know...?"

He nodded. "Yes. Mrs. Justus knows you are the Fabulosa."

Alex counted it up on his fingers. "So basically the entire school knows that the Fabulosa are here somewhere, but only you two, Mrs. Proditor, and us three know that we're the Fabulosa."

"And Geneva," Penny whispered.

Juliette looked at the other girl. Penny's cheeks were redder than her hair, and she was staring intently at the floor.

Alex looked at her. "You told Geneva?"

Penny went even redder, if that was possible. "Yes," she whispered to the floor.

Mr. Magister looked at her. "Why?"

Penny answered, still not looking up. "She figured out that I was keeping a secret from her and I felt really bad so I... told her. She swore she wouldn't tell anyone"

Mr. Magister looked at Penny. "Are you sure she won't tell anyone?"

Penny nodded firmly. "I trust her."

"Okay. Now, you will need plenty of training before you can face the Malum and your fears.

"That training begins now."

Did I scare you for a minute during this chapter? Did you think Juliette was dead?! Whoops. Sorry. (Jk not really.)

What do you think of their worst fears? Do they fit the personalities of the characters?

Hope you enjoyed this chapter!