Scholomance 9 by Logan Jacobs (inspirational books to read txt) 📗

it felt like my body was about to jerk backward, and I feared my guts were going to spill from my mouth. A sickening sensation settled in the pit of my stomach, my tongue tasted like blood, and my body trembled violently. There was a deadly presence in the air, and I knew it was ready to swallow anything deemed unholy. I couldn’t see a clear picture of it, but I knew it was watching us and prepared to kill us. I tried to keep still as its presence seeped into my entity, but its force felt like a violent storm, and I nearly fell backward.

“Master!” Revna cried out before she ran over and tried to steady me. “What did you see? Your face is paler than snow.”

“It’s not about what I saw,” I muttered before I pressed my fingers against my throbbing temples. “It’s what I felt.”

“Well, what did you feel?” Vanessa asked in an impatient tone. “Anything specific?”

“No,” I sighed with disappointment. “All I can tell you is what we already know. There is a severe danger lurking here, and it’s hiding in front of us… just waiting for us to approach the tower.”

“So, let’s get this over with,” Akira said before she threw back her shoulders, and her eyes were glistening with bloodlust. “I’m tired of waiting.”

“Me, too,” Circe said before she gripped her wand with all her might. “Let’s fucking do this.”

The other women began to nod their agreements, and I could feel a shift in the air. The tension was melting away and being replaced with something else. The women’s eyes were alight with fire and passion, and I could feel their hearts pounding against their chests, but not with fear. They were ready to fight, and it made my heart swell with pride and fire as they stood by my side.

“No matter what happens, we’ll fight with everything we have,” I said in a firm voice, and Alexander’s talons flexed like he was also prepared to take off and fight to the death. “We’re stronger than Samara realizes, and together, we’re more than a family. We’re an army, one that is both unholy and powerful, and together we’re unstoppable. So, let’s find the third artifact and force Samara to return to her roots!”

The women all raised their wands in the air and let out a simultaneous, fierce war cry. Then we marched toward the pillar together, and when we reached the light-colored tower, we stopped in front of its plain wooden door and studied the narrow, tall structure. The entire base was made from silver and pale stone. Each rock was shaped differently from the other, and it was so tall it surpassed the clouds. Satan only knew just how far it went and how long it would take to climb each step.

“Unholy fuck,” Circe whispered. “That’s going to be one hell of a walk…”

Before anyone could offer another comment, a deep rumbling sound echoed in the air and washed over us like a giant ocean wave. At first, I thought it was thunder, but when I strained to listen, I realized it was someone cackling, but the laughter was so loud and powerful, it felt like an earthquake.

“Shiiiiiiiiit!” Nyx cried out before she put her blue hands over her ears. “What the hell is that?”

“Fuck if I know!” Akira shouted back.

“Be quiet!” Vanessa demanded in a firm voice. “I-I think I heard something.”

No one said a word, and through the fierce grumbling, I thought I heard a deep voice trying to break through the rumbling echo.

“You are either incredibly brave,” a thick, masculine voice eerily rumbled, “or entirely foolish.”

“Show yourself,” I demanded as I tightened the grip on my wand. “Let us fight, man to man, or are you a fucking coward?”

“Ah, but I am no man,” the voice responded. “Like you, filthy Wicca. However, if we are to compare ourselves to one another, I’m far more powerful and glorious than any mortal being or witch alive.”

“If you’re not a man, what does that make you?” I shouted into the tense air. “Still a fucking, holy coward!”

“If we’re introducing ourselves, I’d say I’m an angel of sorts,” he chuckled, and the earth shook again, and this time, it nearly made me fall over. “You do realize I can’t let any of you live? You will never be able to pass through my doors and enter the kingdom of heaven, you foolish, reckless Wiccans.”

“We’ll see about that,” I grunted. “Now, once again, I demand you show yourself! Unless you’re a weakling who’d rather hide beneath an invisible façade? Is that what angels and holy servants are made of? Cowardly hides?”

“Very well,” he responded after a long moment. “I’ll show you my face, but it does not matter if you can see me or not. I will end you and yours soon enough.”

“We’ve heard that before,” I muttered as my blood boiled with rage. “Stop wasting time, and let’s get this fucking over with. Show yourself!”

A cloud of silver mist erupted from nothingness and hovered in front of the wooden door in seconds, and when it finally evaporated, a tall blond man with silver trimmed gold wings stood before us. His eyes were milky blue, and his skin looked as white and as sharp as a marble statue. When he smiled, his teeth shone bright, and two dimples appeared from the sides of his strong jaw. He was a muscular man, garbed in a white robe with a golden rope tied to his waist. He wore leather sandals and had a sword by his side, but it was protected by a tan leather sheath.

“Oh, don’t worry about that,” he said as he followed my gaze and patted his sword. “I won’t be using weapons on you. This is a fight of pure magic, and we both know who’s more powerful.”