Amara's pov
Magic forms was my sanctuary at the academy, its lessons a beacon for students like me who craved the secrets of spell craft. The classroom hummed with Energy, pens scratching and voices buzzing as we waited for the next lecturer. Its been three days since my reversal spell went awry, turns out that the spell didn't only affect my class but the whole school in general, three nature witch sisters under hexes that kept them grounded were released that same day and the blonde boy I zapped away to who-knows-where—perhaps the Evil forest back home or the Running river of agony in Egypt or the Krishna temple in India, places I have been to while traveling with my mother. The uncertainty didn't haunt me though, I couldn't care less to be honest, and he shouldn't have been teleporting himself carelessly.
Professor Erebus, his stormy grey eyes sweeping the room began- "every magical form- elemental, celestial, blood- has indigenous spells, woven into its essence". I opened my notebook to jot down notes but a glint of colour stopped me. A beetle, its shell a swirling tapestry of amber and gold, crawled across my book leaving trails of ink that formed what looked like star constellations, it didn't look like it rather it was it. I exchanged glances with Lunare, who sat beside me, we had become quite close since I unbounded him, he too seemed to have caught sight of it, his pink eyes wide with curiosity.
'That's a zodiac call' whispered a girl behind us, her Spanish accent soft but sure. She had an oddly blood red hair that shimmered. 'the zodiacs….' I said to myself unsure of what that meant, I hadn't heard of a group named zodiacs before, I felt like a stereotypical African for the first time since I arrived here.
'yeah zodiacs, the destiny watchers, similar to the sisters of fate but different at the same time, they send for people with oddly colored animals'
'yeah….no definitely haven't heard of them' I replied truthfully.
'I thought they sent for people with white crows' Lunare said with confusion written all over his face. The girl shook her head and stylishly tossed the right part of her hair with her left hand to the other side, she smiled, I recognized that smile it was a smile reserved for a particular kind of people, people who couldn't wait to fact bomb you, but before she could spill her brains out, she was stopped by a loud bang from the teachers podium.
'Can you three despicable rats stop talking.. and listen to the lectures ' said professor Erebus with a big expression of anger written all over is face, I quickly apologized and adjusted to face him cause I hadn't been doing that along,
'so..' he continued ' like I said a Celestial witch cannot make a blood sacrifice or cast a spell that requires blood or any core incantations, same way a blood witch no matter how much they try cannot channel any celestial or any power source at all, their only source of power is their blood and that's why they are one of the four horse powers of witchcraft, a very rare practice because once there is blood of any kind involved a spell takes effect, don't let a blood witch curse you, it's extremely difficult to break' he said as he glided tro and fro on the podium.
'excuse me sir' it was the red haired girl behind us, professor Erebus simply nodded, she stood up almost immediately.
' What of traditional witches can they also perform blood magic?'
'what's your name?' He asked, face indifferent, I turned slightly also eager to know too, she turned to me, her gaze sharp.
'Sophia Carlson sir, blood witch' momentarily it seemed like she said something scandalous as gasps of disbelieve filled the class, I found it fitting though at least her bright red hair was explained.
'yes, miss Sophia a traditional magic user can use blood magic, remember guys traditional means original, so a traditional witch can most likely do what a blood witch could do or more even, as they hold the original recipes.
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'a blood witch? That's so rare!' I said to Sophia as we packed our bags, I smiled at her, I didn't find her weird anymore, thirty blood witches in the world and I am meeting one, even rarer than traditional witches. Sophia blushed, flattered, as the room grew quieter and scantier, students teleporting away to the dorms.
'what are zodiacs' I asked in a bid to know and maintain conversation, my ignorance laid bare, she stopped packing her bags mid track and faced my direction fully, a platform higher than me so she seemed to be towering over me, lu wasn't there anymore he had gone home on an emergency, I flicked one of my braids avoiding eye contact with the intimidating girl.
'They are ancient creatures, born at the dawn of the first life on earth, they govern life, give spark and temperament to every living being, older than gods and the ten original witches themselves. They weave destiny's treads, the non-magical society call them Zodiac signs making silly horoscopes, but to us we know they are real and thriving'
'Whoa' I breathed, the weight of these words bringing in fascination. 'Where do they stay?'
'In the starry expanse, beyond our reach' Sophia said, her tone uncertain, I myself didn't acknowledge the answer.
I brought out my book, the beetle was gone and so was the markings.
I scanned the classroom, noticing details I'd overlooked; drawings of ox,mermaids, crabs, phoenixes, certanurs glided across the west wall, their movement silent. My gaze shifted to the short perpetually closed window near the ceiling, where a pink hawk perched, its feathers glowing in the sunset. It perched the glass three times, each tap a resonant chime, before flapping away.
'Is it possible to be called with different animals twice?' I asked. Sophia's brows furrowed.
'No' she answered.