The True Overseer
The girls felt a wave of triumph after defeating the Overseer. But their moment of victory was cut short by a blood-curdling scream. Mr. Donovan's body began to crackle with red energy, just like when Coach Lockwood died.
"Wait a minute," Madison said, eyes wide with realization. "That's blood walking."
Mr. Donovan's body exploded, and June quickly forged a barrier of stone to protect them. The explosion tore through the barrier and sent the girls sprawling to the ground.
"This is unbelievable," April G said, shaking her head in disbelief. "That's the second teacher that monster forced us to kill."
"Don't pretend that you cambions are numb to it by now," a dark voice echoed, as the girls became ensnared in three spell-binding circles.
"He's here," Madison said, her voice trembling. She used her telepathy to scan the area. "But I can't pin him down."
Winds began to engulf the girls, and within minutes, they found themselves in a demonic throne room adorned with pictures of a teal-colored, angelic figure with long horns, covered in blue and gold armor.
"What is that?" Madison asked, staring at the images.
"That is your father's true form," a masculine voice came from the shadows.
"Who's that?" April G asked, her eyes darting around.
Madison used her telepathy to probe the shadows, and her face paled with shock. "No. It can't be."
The masculine voice stepped into the light, revealing Dean Trask. "Hello, children," the Dean said, a cruel smile spreading across his face. "I have to admit, that cat taught you all well."
The girls struggled to escape, but none of their magic seemed to work. "Those spell circles cut you off from your father's magic. The magic that will soon be mine alone," the Dean said, his voice dripping with arrogance.
"You're the real Overseer?" April G asked, her voice filled with anger.
The Dean confessed, "Yes, I am the Overseer. I betrayed your father more than 2000 years ago because Zai took my late wife, Celine, as his mate. Celine died after failing to give birth to Zai's offspring. In my rage, I performed the Crimson Moon Ceremony to slay Zai and take his magic for myself."
"Then how did we end up being born?" Madison asked, her voice shaking.
"The ritual was only meant to be performed by the most experienced spellcasters," the Dean explained. "I was too inexperienced to complete it. The ceremony backfired, killing all the other rogue followers and cursing me with immortality as a human, trapping me in the same barrier that has kept you from leaving for over two millennia."
"Your father, on the other hand, was banished to Parabola, an alternate dimension where all mystical beings exist," he continued.
The girls looked at each other, realization dawning. Their father was still alive.
"So Zai isn't dead?" Madison asked.
"Not entirely," the Dean replied. "Although I couldn't kill him, Zai's physical form was greatly injured. He must have slipped into this world momentarily to conceive you three, conditioning your conversion into your demonic heritage."
"What does that mean?" April G asked, dreading the answer.
"On the sixteenth birthday of every cambion, they must consume the flesh of a creature who has caused them great distress and agony. Even if that creature is turned into something as simple as, let's say, a birthday cake," the Dean said, conjuring an image of the same cake the girls ate back in the gymnasium. They stared in shock.
"Didn't any of you ever wonder what happened to Brother Baxter?" the Dean taunted.
Horrified by the realization, each of the girls uttered their guilt of consuming the deceased faculty member. They felt sick to their stomachs, the weight of their actions crushing them.
"I'll leave you girls to process just what savage bastards you truly are," the Dean said, whisking the Book of Zai away from April G. "After an hour has passed, you three will be sent back here when the moon will be in perfect alignment for me to sacrifice you. Until then, try not to die."
Dean Trask cast a spell that absorbed all three grief-stricken girls, sending them into separate, isolated dimensions, each designed to test their willpower and magic.
---
Madison found herself in a dark, cold cave. The walls dripped with water, and eerie echoes filled the space. She tried to use her telekinesis, but the spell-binding circle still held her powers in check.
"I can't believe I helped kill him," she muttered to herself, tears streaming down her face. The guilt of consuming Brother Baxter's flesh gnawed at her, but she knew she had to find a way out. "I need to focus," she whispered. "I can't let the Dean win."
---
April G was in a vast, empty desert. The sun blazed overhead, making the sand scorching hot beneath her feet. She felt the burden of her guilt weighing her down, but she steeled herself. "I won't let this break me," she vowed. "Hughley believed in us. We can do this."
---
June was in a dense, dark forest. The trees seemed to close in on her, and strange noises echoed from the shadows. Her mind was filled with the horror of what they had done, but she forced herself to stay strong. "We have to get through this," she said determinedly. "For Madison, for April G, and for Hughley."
---
Back in the throne room, Dean Trask watched the crimson moon rise higher in the sky. His eyes gleamed with anticipation. "Soon, the power of Zai will be mine," he said to himself, a wicked smile spreading across his face.
The girls, each in their isolated dimensions, felt the pull of the spell-binding circles weakening as the moon approached its zenith. They knew they had to act quickly if they were to escape and stop the Dean.
Madison focused all her mental energy, pushing against the magical restraints. She felt the circle crackle and weaken, and with a final surge, she broke free. Gasping for breath, she used her telekinesis to find a way out of the cave.
---
April G concentrated on her time magic, slowing the flow of time around her to diminish the power of the circle. She felt it loosen, and with a determined push, she shattered the restraints. Free at last, she used her speed to search for an exit from the desert.
---
June used her elemental magic, calling upon the power of the earth to break the circle. The ground trembled, and the trees seemed to lean in, aiding her efforts. With a final burst of energy, she shattered the circle and started to navigate the dark forest.
---
One by one, the girls broke free from their prisons and found themselves drawn back to the throne room, where Dean Trask awaited them. The crimson moon was almost at its peak, casting an eerie glow over the scene.
"You managed to break free," the Dean said, his voice filled with mock admiration. "Impressive, but futile. You cannot stop the ceremony."
The girls stood together, their bond unbroken despite the horrors they had faced. "We won't let you take our father's power," Madison said defiantly.
"We've come too far to give up now," April G added, her eyes blazing with determination.
June stepped forward, her voice strong. "This ends tonight."
Dean Trask laughed, a cruel, mirthless sound. "Very well, then. Let's see what you're truly capable of."
The final battle began, the air crackling with magic and the ground trembling beneath their feet. The sisters of Zai stood united, their hearts filled with the strength of their bond and the memory of those they had lost.
They knew the road ahead would be fraught with danger, but they were ready to face it. Together, they would fight to protect their heritage, their family, and their future.
The crimson moon shone brightly above, casting its light on the battle below. The girls, the true heirs of Zai, would not back down. They would fight until their last breath, for they were more than cambions. They were sisters, bound by blood and magic, ready to reclaim their legacy.