Scholomance 8: The Devil's Academy

by Logan Jacobs

  “Cole…” Vanessa began as she stared long and hard into my eyes. “I know I have been harsh with my words and have treated you poorly, but I must admit that what you did saved all our lives. We would never have been able to take on an army of elder soldiers, serpens, and statuarums on our own. We would have surely died if it were not for your great power.”

  “Yes, master,” Morgana added in a soft voice as her pale eyes landed on me. “Professor Vanessa speaks truly. If it were not for you, we would have perished from the soldiers alone.”

  “Thank Satan Circe knew about the statues and their one weakness,” I said as I gazed upon the blonde serpentine beauty. “Your ancient knowledge might have saved us all as well.”

  “I must have encountered them before in a past life.” She shrugged, and I knew she was doing her best to be modest. “But I’m glad I was able to help.”

  “Indeed,” Vanessa said as she aimlessly looked around. “Now, let’s not waste another precious moment. We need to find the second artifact, and the sooner we do, the better. Just because we destroyed the army doesn’t mean Samara won’t try to prevent us from locating her precious relic.”

  “Agreed,” I said as I regarded every woman in the hall. “Alright, everyone, take your familiars and split up. This palace is enormous, and it could be hidden anywhere.”

  “What are we even looking for exactly?” Revna asked as she cocked her blonde head to the side. “Do you have any idea what the second artifact looks like?”

  “No,” I answered truthfully, “but I’ll bet anything that as soon as we find it, we’ll know.”

  “Alright,” the wild Wicca replied as she stared deeply into my eyes. “Then let’s begin searching.”

  “Alex?” I said, and as soon as I uttered my familiar’s name, he swooped from the broken opening and perched himself on my shoulder.

  Yes, Cole? he asked in my head.

  “Come with me, we’re going to hunt for the artifact,” I said as I looked at the others who were accompanied by their creatures, aside from Revna, Circe, and Marina. “Since none of you have a familiar, you three go together, just in case.”

  “Yes, master,” Circe and Marina responded while Revna simply nodded in my direction.

  We split off in different directions, and we spent the next I didn’t know how long searching the cold, empty palace. Eventually, I headed down a cool, marble and ice hallway, devoid of any artwork or life, and I felt a strange chill creep down my spine. I could feel a pull dragging me down another series of white corridors until I came to a bright red door. It was the only spec of color in this palace of white, pale blues, and grays, and I knew there had to be something important lurking inside. I didn’t sense any danger, but I knew I had to step inside at once.

  Your instincts are correct as usual, Cole, the woman from my dreams, echoed. The second artifact lies inside. Go inside and retrieve it.

  Excitement and curiosity flooded through my body as I neared the door, and when I turned the golden knob, I was shocked by the differently decorated room filled with furs, gold chests, silver goblets, and other precious relics. The air was warm and smelled strangely of spices and roses, and the floor was made of sleek, sturdy redwood. It seemed like a room that would belong to a king or queen, and as I looked around, I wondered what exactly I was looking for.

  Use your instincts, Cole, the woman from my dreams urged softly in my head. I know you can do it. Just listen to the satanic voices in your head and the darkness in your bones. Then you will find what you desire.

  “I understand,” I said aloud.

  What do you understand exactly, master? Alex asked in my head. What is it, Cole? What do you feel?

  “The artifact is obviously in here,” I answered quietly. “We just need to use our instincts to find it.”

  You mean you have to use your instincts, he snorted. I’m not the one with the supreme power coursing through my veins. This all relies on you.

  “Fine,” I chuckled, “but you knew what I meant, smartass.”

  As I looked around the room, I spotted all kinds of gems, swords, silks, furs, capes, and chests of gold coins. The grand and elegant chamber was utterly packed with precious items, but which one was the most valuable to Samara? Where was the artifact that she hid to protect her holy power? She was a clever woman, and I knew she placed the precious relic in here to sway anyone else from finding it.

  I carefully walked around the room and studied every inch of the magnificent chamber until suddenly, I thought I felt a pull toward something in an empty corner. It was a magnetic tug, but it also released a combined foul and holy radiance that overwhelmed my senses.

  “Wait a moment,” I said as I slowly neared the space. “I think there’s something here…”

  But it’s totally empty, Alexander muttered in my head. Are you sure?

  “Yes,” I answered in a firm tone. “Trust me, it’s calling to me like a terrible and holy lullaby.”

  If that’s what you feel, then let’s take a closer look, Alexander encouraged. Looks can be deceiving.

  “I agree,” I said as I approached the corner, and the holy power grew more overwhelming and flooded through my entire body. “No… I know for sure there’s something here.”

  As I stepped over the floorboards, a sudden chill ran up my boots, and I could feel a strong, holy power coursing up through my legs and penetrating my heart. It made me feel lightheaded as my mouth instantly went dry, and it was difficult to breathe as I stood over the holy spot.

  Cole? Alexander asked in a concerned voice. Are you alright? You look paler than the moon.

  “I-I-I think there’s something underneath the floorboards,” I responded as I looked down at my feet. “If it’s the artifact, I can feel its holy power coursing through my body.”

  Are you sure? Alexander asked.

  “Yes,” I said as I reached down to feel for any loose boards, and when I found one, I gently wriggled it out of its place.

  Be careful, Cole! Alex warned in my head. You have no idea if it could be a trap.

  “It’s not,” I reassured him. “I know the second artifact is down here… I can feel it in my bones and deep in my heart.”

  I pried the floorboard off the ground and reached deep down inside, and then my fingers curled around something that felt like the smoothest velvet. It felt like a small container, and when I pulled the mysterious object out, I realized it was a sealed-up box wrapped up in an expensive, red cloth. I gently pulled the fabric away and found myself staring down at a wooden box. Intricate carvings covered the entire case, and there was gold writing splayed across the lid. It was written in a language I’d never seen before, but even without having any knowledge of the dialect, I knew it was a holy warning to keep Wiccas at bay.

  Open the box, Cole, the woman from my dreams ordered in my head. You’ve finally found it.

  “Thank Satan,” I said before I slowly pulled the lid open, and inside I spotted a short dagger with a silver blade and a golden hilt. The blade gleamed like moonlight, and as I retrieved it from its opening, I studied the craftsmanship and beauty of the holy weapon. It sent sanctified searing energy through my entire body, and the sensation was so powerful, it nearly made me drop the artifact.

  Goddamn you, Cole! Samara’s voice echoed in my head like a roaring storm, but it somehow seemed weaker, fainter. Cole, you may have found my second artifact, but by God, I swear you haven’t won. Not yet.

  “I’m just one artifact closer to destroying you,” I said in a deep whisper. “Or making you mine. The choice will ultimately be yours, but I bet I know what you’ll do.”

  We’ll see about that, she snarled, and then suddenly, her presence drifted away as if it had never existed.

  “Cole?” a familiar voice said from the doorway. “Is… is that the second artifact?”

  When I turned my head, I saw Vanessa standing at the threshold with her mouth hanging open in shock and amazement. The others were behind her, and when they came
closer, each one gawked at the blade in my hands.

  For a long moment, no one said a word or even dared to move.

  “Professor,” I finally said. “Would you like to carry it? If you want to protect it, then I will place it in your hands.”

  “No,” she responded as she slowly shook her head. “You’ve found it… so you may hold on to it.”

  “Very well,” I said with a deep nod before I placed it in my waistband and then looked at the other women and their familiars. “Let’s leave this room… I can’t stand this holy aroma any longer.”

  “Neither can I,” the dark-haired professor agreed as we slipped out of the golden room and into an icy hallway filled with doorways.

  “Well, now that we’ve defeated Samara’s army and found the second artifact,” Vanessa began as she carefully regarded each one of us, “the question is whether or not it’s safe to stay here for the night and recharge before we move on.”

  “I think we should be fine,” I said. “Samara spent a lot of energy sending her army after us. I don’t think she has the power for a second assault.”

  “And the storm she was going to destroy the palace with?” Vanessa asked with a raised eyebrow.

  “Same thing.” I shook my head. “I can sense how weakened we’ve left her. I don’t believe she has the strength to send anything after us tonight, be it a storm or more troops.”

  “Okay,” the professor said as she considered my words. “Then Isobel and I will be residing in our own quarters, far from the rest of you. As you can see, there are plenty of rooms to choose from, and I personally would rather get a full night of rest. Tomorrow, our journey continues at the break of dawn. So, be ready to leave at first light.”

  Before anyone else could respond, the dark-haired professor swiftly turned her skirts and headed down the pale-blue corridor with Isobel padding behind her.

  As we watched her walk away, the other women all turned to look at me, and as I gazed upon each one, I knew exactly what they had in mind.

  “Master,” Marina said as her purple eyes fell upon me. “While we searched for the artifact, we had a deep discussion with Revna… about joining our unholy pact and bonding herself to us for all eternity. We believe she is a worthy addition to our coven, and she has fought bravely and been an immense help to us.”

  “Is that so?” I asked as I stared into the wild woman’s bright blue eyes. “And what conclusion did you come to, Revna?”

  “I would be more than honored to become one of your women,” the dark-blonde Wicca said before she bowed her head and then looked up to study me with her intense blue eyes. “I would loyally serve you as my master and kneel to your magnificent power. All I crave is a new way of life with those I feel a strong connection to. Yes, I love my sisters and my village, but I’ve always known that I’ve longed for something else… something greater and more powerful. I crave you, Cole… not only for your power but for your body and soul as well. I would die for you, and I want to become one of your satisfied women, and someday bear your powerful children. Will you accept me as one of your own? I vow to be loyal to you for all eternity.”

  I took a moment to regard the beautiful, strong-willed Wicca with her long dark-blonde hair and bright blue eyes. She was a wild woman with swift instincts and a strong demeanor, and she had aided us during our way across the mountains and at the arrival of the ice palace. She was a gorgeous woman, but what’s more, she would make an excellent addition to our pact.

  “Yes,” I finally answered as I placed a finger under her chin and raised her face to meet mine. “After everything you’ve done, you’ve certainly welcome to join us. Now, as your soon to be master, I order you to step inside the bedroom and remove your clothes.”

  Revna nodded in agreement as she strolled inside a grand, pale bedroom with marble walls, sleek white floors, and a massive bed with sheer white canopies. The other women followed her inside and helped her strip off her furs, boots, and lambskins without being told to, and when I stepped inside, I closed the door behind me and regarded her pale, slender, and athletic build. Her breasts were full and perky, and there was a patch of dark-blonde hair in between her plush thighs. Her wild hair tumbled over her bare shoulders, and she bit down on her lip as she stared at me with wide, alert eyes.

  I could tell she was excited but also nervous at the same time.

  “Let’s begin, shall we,” I said without breaking eye contact with her. “Did she carry a blade with her?”

  “Yes, master,” Akira answered before she placed a cold but sturdy weapon in my hand. “She claims this is her bonded blade.”

  “Very well,” I said before I took the blade from the dark-haired beauty, turned to study Revna, and gazed at her from head to toe. “Now, Revna, I want you to get down on your knees and submit yourself to me.”

  The wild woman did as I commanded, and I looked deep into her wanting eyes as a small smile crept across my face.

  “What would you have us do first, master?” Beatrix asked from behind me. “How may we help?”

  “First, I want you all to undress,” I ordered as I glanced around the room full of beautiful women, “and then I want you to remove my shirt and be sure to carefully place the second artifact by the bed.”

  The women did as they were told, and when everyone’s furs and clothes were on the floor, a naked Morgana stepped in front of me, slowly removed my hides, and then unbuttoned my shirt. She took the blade and handed it to Akira, but when she attempted to reach for my trousers, I stopped her from undoing them just yet.

  “No,” I said before I looked down into Revna’s glassy blue eyes. “She will be the one to do it.”

  “Yes, master,” Morgana answered before she turned around and stood behind Revna. “As you wish.”

  While the naked women surrounded us, I got down on my knees and pressed the blade slowly across the cusp of Revna’s breast before I gently cut into her skin. She gasped as I drew blood, but it wasn’t out of pain or fear.

  It was of sheer pleasure and anticipation.

  “Now, create the bloody pentagram so the ritual can begin,” I ordered, and the women quickly swiped the blood from Revna’s breast before they drew the unholy marking on the marble floor.

  As soon as the crimson sign was created, I stood up and raised my hands into the air before I willed the power of Satan to take over my entire body and enter this room. Then I looked down into Revna’s eyes, and a smirk spread across my face before I began the unholy ritual.

  “Close your eyes,” I commanded in a firm voice. “Don’t you dare open them until I give you the order.”

  “Yes, sir,” the beautiful woman responded before she shut her bright eyes and took in a deep breath.

  Without wasting a moment, I raised my hands into the air, and I felt an unholy presence growing as my own power surged through my body. I knew the permanence of Satan lingered in this room, and his supremacy flowed through me like a brewing river of fire before I began to conjure up the unholy powers that be.

  “Vocal, et tenebras petere quod sit conjunctio fiet, et anima per sanguinem,” I echoed, and a sudden brisk wind coursed through the bedroom and made Revna’s hair fly back, but the wild woman didn’t even flinch from the icy cold. “Hae mulieres serve meus, et me in vita mea voluntati parer. Repeat after me… you are mine for all eternity.”

  “I am yours to command for all eternity, Cole,” the dark-blonde answered in a firm voice. “From this moment to the end of my days, I promise to call you my master, king, and husband.”

  “And now, in the ancient tongue, say that you’re mine,” I ordered, “and you will serve me for all eternity.”

  “Si audierint et observaverint Illum Sicut animam meam in dominum,” the beautiful woman replied without missing a beat, and suddenly, the walls began to shake, and the wind grew sharper and colder.

  As undeniable power and ecstasy flowed through my body, I looked down at the wild woman’s naked form, and an even broader smile spread acros
s my face.

  I couldn’t fucking wait to make her mine and take her both body and soul.

  “Et nos in viam diabolum malum,” I roared with my hands still raised high in the air. “Nos Gratias ago Vos omnem virum robustum!”

  Revna didn’t even budge an inch as the wind continued to blast across her naked skin, and when the room settled, she remained still as stone while blood spilled from her open wound and dripped down her chest.

  “Now, Revna, I command you to remain on your knees and open your eyes,” I said in a fierce voice. “That’s an order from your new master.”

  The wild witch’s eyes fluttered open, and her lips parted in surprise and awe before she stared up at me with pure adoration and slight confusion.

  “I-I almost don’t believe it,” she gasped as her breasts heaved up and down. “I-It worked, master. I am yours.”

  “Of course, it worked,” Akira said before she brushed back Revna’s long, blonde hair. “Now, look upon your new master… and be ready to serve him with all your heart and soul.”

  “I’m already ready,” Revna breathed in a desperate voice before she inched closer to me. “Please… tell me what to do first, master. I vow to do anything you want.”

  “You will undo my trousers,” I said before I kicked off my boots, and Vesta and Morgana took them away without question. “And when you see my cock, you will take your very first taste. But you must go slow for me. Is that understood?”

  “Yes, master,” the beautiful woman sighed longingly as she stared up at me with big, beautiful eyes and then proceeded to do as she was told.

  Blood rushed down to my cock as she proceeded to undo my pants, and when my fully erect dick sprung into view, she didn’t waste a moment. She gently licked the tip of my member, and an intense shiver coursed up my spine as she swirled her tongue around my thick, throbbing head.

  “She’s so eager already,” Akira chuckled as she stared down at the blonde Wicca with mischievous eyes. “I bet she’s already soaking wet and ready for his cock.”

  “No doubt,” Penelope giggled, “but she’s just getting started, isn’t that right, master?”