Dark Lash

“I’m afraid there’s nothing I can do,” Principle Rania declared serenely.

The elf woman gazed at Yvette from behind her desk. Like most elves she hardly looked her age, with long, dark, pinned-back hair and luscious pale skin. ...Not bad for someone over six hundred.

Yvette looked crestfallen. “But Ms. Rania, I never meant to displace the school champion! I don’t even want to be the magic champion.”

Rania sighed. “It’s far too late for that now Yvette. You fought him and defeated him, thus he was shown to be unworthy. Whether you want it or not, you are now Normalton Academy’s magic champion for this year’s Quest Days.”

Yvette bit her lip. “Surely there’s something your magic can do.”

Rania shook her head. “The compass mark on your hand shows the school itself has chosen you as its champion. I cannot interfere, this is an old magic from the very foundation of this school. So, tomorrow, report to Coach Chiros after school.”

A last desperate thought entered Yvette’s mind. “Could I give it away?”

Rania tilted her head, “You’re not that selfish Yvette. You’re part of a team now. They’re without a magic user, and they now have but weeks to adapt to you on the team.”

Yvette stood up. “But I don’t have time for extracurriculars!”

Rania snapped her fingers as a file flew from her cabinet and opened up. The elf scanned the paper for a bit before dismissing the file back to the cabinet. “I see nothing that can conflict. Good luck to you, Yvette. Bring honor and glory to Normalton.”

There was a slight knocking at the door. “Enter,” Rania called.

In strode Yvette’s favorite teacher, Ms. Umbrah. The necromancer was pale with purple eyes and long dark hair. Zipscheme, her snake familiar, was curled around an arm. Umbrah gave Yvette a smile as she looked at Rania.

“Could I take Yvette back to my class now,” she asked softly. “I just dropped off those graded papers for you.”

Rania nodded. “Of course.”

Taking Yvette gently by the shoulders, Ms. Umbrah led her out of the office and out into the hall.

“I heard all about it Yvette.”

The young witch swallowed, “I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. He was being such a jerk I thought I’d teach him a lesson and—”

“Now, now, no need to explain,” Ms. Umbrah said calmly. “What’s done is done. You defeated him in a lawful magic duel and won fairly. I know being the new champion is a daunting undertaking but not to worry - you are smart and clever.”

Umbrah halted and turned Yvette to face her. “Meet me after school and I’ll teach you something to give you an edge.”

Yvette nodded and sighed out an exasperated, “alright.”

Throughout classes Yvette could hardly focus, especially in geometry. Mr. S - short for Mr. Sagittarius - the satyr history teacher even scolded her.

“Pay attention Yvette!”

“Pay attention Yvette,” Cole echoed cheekily.

Mr. S. scowled. “Already acting like a jock, are we?”

Yvette shrank in her chair, giving a sheepish, “Sorry, Mr. S,” and locked eyes on the chalkboard.

Lunch was full of constant reminders as fellow students pestered her to show the brand off, and gave her their opinion on every single thing in existence.

“Hey, Yvette,” a snarky female voice called. Yvette clenched her jaw as she recognized the voice. Turning she regarded a tall brunette with a smirk, flanked by two smaller female friends, a harpy and a fae.

“What do you want, Aunica?” Yvette asked icily.

Aunica was a hoodlum that her dad and his small force had dealt with many times. She was a sorceress - a magic user able to call upon magic without a familiar - and she had it out for Yvette.

Aunica grinned, “I heard you’re the new champ. I knew Cody wasn’t up to snuff, losing to you just proves it. I could have you beat and crying in seconds.”

Aunica’s female companions agreed and nodded, backing up their friend.

“If you feel that strongly Aunica, we could take this to the ring,” Yvette stated matter of factly. Victory or defeat would be a win-win in her opinion.

Aunica sucked her teeth. “I don’t think so. I don’t care about any dumb school pride. But I’m definitely going to watch this year’s Quest Days, just to see you get splattered.”

There was a deep throated growl by Yvette as a dark furred werewolf was suddenly at her side wearing a letterman.

“Ohh, your boyfriend is such a loyal doggy,” Aunica sneered.

“Hey, Aunica, feel like another twenty-four hours of the runs?” Estrella was now on Yvette’s other side.

Aunica hissed, she would not soon forget the time she tried to pick on Estrella, the fae’s revenge had her practically living in the girls’ room. “See you around Yvette. You goody two shoes.”

With Aunica gone the half-werewolf slowly transformed back into a large, hairy, bronze-skinned youth.

“I hate that floozy,” the boy said, before glancing at Estrella. “Slightly more than I hate you.”

The fae stuck her tongue out in response. “Go chew a rawhide bone, Ian.”

Each taking an arm, Yvette’s friends led her to the table. Ian tried his best to encourage his witchy girlfriend with his own experiences on the football field and how she could use some of his strategies. Estrella worked calming spells as she poured out nothing but support for her friend.

The trio was joined by a white-haired warlock, a sleek black-and-white fox familiar trailing after him. “Yvette, I can’t believe it.”

“Tobin,” Yvette started.

“I thought you were above being goaded into a fight by that blowhard Cody.”

“No one’s perfect. Despite what you may think of yourself, Tobin,” the voice was reproachful as all four teens turned to see a pale skinned and dark-haired boy carrying an umbrella indoors. He had been sitting at the table for some time it seemed.

“No one asked you Helio,” Tobin growled.

Helio smiled, showing his long vampiric fangs. Yvette sighed. 

She was lucky to have such friends, even if they ‘hated’ each other. They liked her and that seemed to be enough to keep them from killing one another. She gave Hensbane a scratch on his white chin. The sleek, understated fox squinted his violet eyes and tilted his proud head upwards and then, in a rare moment of affection, licked Yvette’s hand in appreciation.

The rest of the classes faded by and Yvette soon found herself back in Ms. Umbrah’s classroom in the late afternoon. The necromancer sat crosslegged in her dark dress on the floor. Despite the room having access to electric lights, there were candles all around. Zipscheme the snake was on her desk wearing her tiny red reading glasses, scrutinizing papers.

“Yvette, come sit with me for a bit before we begin.”

The young witch sat opposite Umbrah who opened her stunning purple eyes.

“I know you have some experience fighting with magic, as you’ve proven over your victory over Cody... But the opponents you will face will all have experience themselves. Basic combat magics and shields are what you can expect from teenage spellcasters. Hone those skills of course, but I’m going to teach you spell most of them won’t know or expect.”

Yvette looked intrigued. Umbrah continued.

“What I’m about to teach you is advanced, but I know you can handle it. More importantly, I trust you with this spell.”

Yvette drew in her breath. “Ms. Umbrah. It’s not something that will get you or me in trouble is it?”

Umbrah smiled warmly. “No, no, perfectly legal according to tournament rules and nothing underhanded.”

The student cocked her head to the side. “Why are you helping me?”

Umbrah chuckled. “Always looking for a motive in someone. You really are a detective Yvette. I want to see you succeed out there. I want to see your potential realized. Not to mention Normalton could use a win this year.” She took Yvette’s hand. “Do you trust me? That’s the important thing.”

Yvette nodded her head solemnly, her answer but a breath. “Yes.”

Umbrah drew her up. “Watch me carefully.”

With a flick of her wrist Ms. Umbrah sent a dark shadow tendril arching forward like a whip as she snuffed out a candle with a whip crack.

“Jeepers,” Yvette whispered.

“That’s the darklash spell,” Umbrah stated as she dismissed her lash. “A quick and devastating attack. Also, quite utilitarian with some practice.”

A flick of her other wrist and Umbrah ensnared a yardstick and jerked it towards her where she caught it deftly.

“How do you do it?”

Umbrah smiled. “First you must recognize a truth. That all of us have an inner darkness. Even you.”

Yvette stiffened. “You want me to think dark thoughts?”

“Not if it bothers you. I simply want you to acknowledge it, don’t tell me. Just come to terms with it. Darkness is not the same as evil, though it can lead to evil. Master your darkness so it shall not master you. Can you feel it?”

Yvette nodded as she felt a stirring within her, hidden fears and unspoken desires known only to her. But instead of retreating from the thoughts she simply acknowledged them. They did not define her, only her actions. Though Yvette found herself wondering what dark thoughts Umbrah had. She was so kind and gentle.

“Strike the candle,” Umbrah ordered firmly, yet gently.

Yvette flung her wrist out like she was cracking a whip. Nothing happened.

Umbrah smiled. “Try again Yvette, remember the feeling of mastering yourself and then channel that inner shadow to strike.”

Yvette tried two more times, on the fourth she snapped her wrist forward with a shout of frustration. The candle was knocked over from the force.

“Yes, well done my darling!” Umbrah smiled. “Keep going - work on your aim this time. Focus on the wick, not the stick.” Yvette nodded and continued practicing with Cole on her shoulder.

“The more you practice, the easier it becomes just like anything else in life,” Umbrah encouraged.

Yvette and Cole took a water break, and scarfed down a whole sleeve of saltine crackers before they practiced trying to use the darklash to wrap objects. This did not go as well, but Umbrah urged Yvette not to lose heart. The two spellcasters moved together in a dance as Umbrah taught Yvette to move and strike better.

Soon both were breathing heavily.

“I think that’s enough today, Yvette. Practice on your own, you’re going to be getting a lot of practice in the coming weeks.”

“Sounds like I got here at the right time.” Both females turned to see Yvette’s dad, Devarch, clad in his khaki police uniform with a service revolver on hip. His bearded face broke out in a grin.

“Dad!” Yvette exclaimed.

“Oh! Hello, Chief Salls,” Ms. Umbrah purred.

Devarch took his hat off as he smiled at her.

“Ms. Umbrah.”

“Oh please Devarch, you may call me Circe.”    

Yvette noticed her father blush, and she smirked. He did have a type, based on his last marriage to a powerful witch.

“Er, dad? Should we go now?”

The chief of police nodded. “Sure thing pumpkin. How about dinner in town?”