The weekend brought a rare opportunity for the girls to relax and enjoy the school grounds. They strolled across the lush green lawns, basking in the warmth of the sun and the gentle breeze that carried the scent of blooming flowers.
"It's great getting some fresh air," June said, stretching her arms above her head. "But are you sure we can't just leave campus right now?"
April G glanced at her sisters. "I'm willing to try if you two are."
Madison nodded. "Let's give it a shot. We need to know the extent of this barrier."
The three girls joined hands as April G concentrated, using her magic to speed through the open gates of the academy. They were only a few steps away from the entrance when a strange barrier repelled them, knocking them to the ground.
"Well, that was a painful lesson," Madison complained, rubbing her sore arm.
"I'm afraid I learned the hard way as well," Hughley said telepathically.
June shivered, still not entirely comfortable with the cat's telepathic abilities. "That is still creepy."
"I'm afraid I have to limit how often I'm around you girls. Too many fae in one place could attract whoever that warlock is," Hughley explained.
"Guess you have a point," Madison said, standing up and dusting herself off. "Maybe this fresh air will help us figure out what those crystals were."
As they continued walking, a young Indian girl rode past them on her bike. June recognized her as one of the students who had taken a crystal at the dance.
"We should follow her," June suggested.
The girls discreetly followed the girl to a water fountain. They approached her calmly, trying not to seem threatening.
"Excuse me," Madison said. "Hi, my name is—"
But the girl cut her off. "I know who you are, Madison," she said with a shy smile. "I'm Emily. I've been sitting behind you in history class but was too nervous to say hello."
Emily seemed pleasant enough, and the girls relaxed slightly. However, their guard went up again when Emily revealed, "I know you three are sisters."
"Wait, how do you know we're related?" April G asked, shocked.
"Oh, that's simple," Emily said, pulling out a glowing crystal. Her form shimmered and transformed into a harpy, her wings flapping as she hovered above them. "The Overseer told me about you three and ordered me to take your lives."
Emily, now a fierce harpy, swooped down to attack. Her claws slashed through the air, but the girls quickly remembered to work together. They joined hands, focusing their combined powers.
June created a gust of wind that threw Emily off balance, while Madison used her telekinesis to hurl nearby objects at the harpy. April G manipulated time to slow Emily's movements, making it easier for them to coordinate their attacks.
Emily screeched in frustration, dodging their assaults while flying erratically. The girls pressed on, refusing to back down. Finally, their combined efforts culminated in a powerful burst of magic that struck Emily, knocking her out of the sky. She reverted back to her human form, the crystal shattering as she hit the ground.
Madison knelt beside Emily, scanning her mind telepathically. She discovered that the masked warlock was known as the Overseer, and he had brainwashed Emily and other students to take the crystals.
"We should get her out of here," April G said, looking around to make sure no one had witnessed the fight.
"But where are we going to take her?" June asked. "The nurse turned out to be a monster that tried to kill us too."
"We can go to my room," Madison suggested.
The girls agreed, and April G used her magic to speed them and Emily back to Madison's room. They laid Emily on Madison's bed, watching her for any signs of waking up.
"Okay, so what's our next move?" June asked, pacing the room.
"We need to figure out how to break the Overseer's hold on the other students," Madison said. "And we need to find out more about this ceremony he mentioned."
April G nodded. "We also have to protect Emily. She's a victim in all this."
Emily stirred slightly, groaning as she began to regain consciousness. The girls watched her carefully, ready to defend themselves if needed.
Emily's eyes fluttered open, and she looked around in confusion. "Where am I? What happened?"
"You're safe," Madison said gently. "We found out that you were under the control of the Overseer. Do you remember anything?"
Emily frowned, trying to recall. "I remember being given a crystal and being told to... to kill you three. But I didn't want to. I couldn't control myself."
"It's okay," April G said, sitting beside her. "We broke the crystal. You're free now."
Tears welled up in Emily's eyes. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt anyone."
"We know," June said softly. "You're not alone in this. We're going to figure it out together."
Hughley reappeared, his eyes filled with concern. "We need to move quickly. The Overseer will likely realize that one of his thralls is missing."
Madison nodded. "Emily, do you know where the other students who took crystals are?"
Emily thought for a moment. "I think some of them were supposed to meet in the old storage room tonight. They mentioned something about preparing for the ceremony."
"Then that's where we need to go," Madison said. "We'll find out what they're planning and stop them."
Hughley stepped forward. "I'll stay with Emily and keep her safe. You three need to be careful. The Overseer is dangerous, and he won't hesitate to send more creatures after you."
"We will," April G said. "We've got this."
The girls gathered their strength and left Madison's room, their minds focused on the task ahead. They knew that the old storage room could hold the key to uncovering the Overseer's plans and stopping the ceremony.
As they approached the storage room, they heard hushed voices and saw shadows moving inside. The girls exchanged determined looks, ready to face whatever awaited them.
They burst into the room, catching the students by surprise. Madison used her telepathy to scan their minds, confirming that they were under the Overseer's control.
"We're not here to hurt you," Madison said, raising her hands in a gesture of peace. "We want to help."
One of the students stepped forward, a fearful look in his eyes. "He said if we didn't do what he asked, he'd kill us."
"We won't let that happen," June said firmly. "We're going to break his control and set you free."
April G pulled out the Book of Zai, flipping to a page with a spell to break mind control. "We need to do this together," she said, looking at her sisters.
They joined hands, focusing their combined powers on the students. They chanted the spell, their voices echoing in the small room. The crystals the students held began to shatter, and the Overseer's control over them faded.
The students blinked in confusion, the fear and anger melting from their faces. "What... what happened?" one of them asked.
"You're free now," Madison said, smiling. "The Overseer can't control you anymore."
"Thank you," the student said, tears of relief in her eyes. "We were so scared."
"We know," June said. "But it's over now. We need to stick together and figure out how to stop the Overseer for good."
As the girls led the freed students out of the storage room, they felt a renewed sense of purpose and unity. They had taken a significant step toward uncovering the Overseer's plans and protecting their school.
But they knew the battle was far from over. The Overseer was still out there, and his plans for the ceremony were still in motion. The girls vowed to continue their fight, standing together as sisters and using their combined strength to face whatever challenges lay ahead.