Chapter Nine

Hideouts Aren't the Best Option

Donovan broke open the door to Emma and Abbi's dorm, causing both of them to jump up. Seeing that it was only Donovan, they collectively let out a sigh of relief. "I thought that you were like some evil, hypnotic person or something!" Abbi screamed out.

"I don't have much time to explain, so I'll explain on the way. You guys just need to trust me. Grab your wands, cloaks, whatever you need, but travel lightly. We are going on a journey." Donovan spoke quickly, trying to articulate everything that needed to be said as quickly and efficiently as she could in the limited time that she has.

Emma and Abbi exchanged looks of confusion, but they didn't question their friend. They both grabbed cloaks, boots, and their wands, rushing out of the dorm. Donovan led them up the cobblestone path to Delawell's Main Gate, where Josh and Adam were already waiting for them.

"How did I know that we would beat you guys here? Jeesh, girls take forever to get ready." Adam clicked his tongue, chuckling away, but Donovan only squinted her brown eyes at him.

"Adam, I suggest that you stop right now, seeing as your life depends on all of us as a whole, including me." Donovan gave him a tiny smile, prancing off towards the road that would lead them out of Delawell. Just before they hit the border, they were supposed to drink a potion that Professor Albert had prepared for them. It would give them protection against the jaguar and emerald that could potentially intoxicate them.

"Wait, where are we going?" Emma asked, grabbing onto Donovan's shoulder.

Donovan sighed. "We are going to save the entirety of Elmwood."

Josh stopped for a moment. "I'm sorry, but... what?"

Abbi gnawed on the side of her cheek. "What is even going on out there?"

"I can tell you, but we need to keep walking, guys. Elmwood is counting on the five of us to save them – Professor Albert has appointed us." Donovan pulled out the five bottles of potion from her purse, tossing them to everyone in the group. "Don't take this until I tell you to. It will protect us once we leave Delawell grounds. You're just going to have to trust me."

Blindly, the three followed Adam and Donovan to the border. Each of them were terrified and confused, not knowing what they were going to encounter. Not knowing was probably the part of this that they all feared the most. "Now," Donovan said, clinking her bottle of potion with everyone else's. They downed it like a shot of Cranbeer, their bodies tingling from the effects of the potion. Still alive, the five crossed the border.

They continued their journey, summoning broomsticks to fly them over the mountain that separated Delawell from the rest of Elmwood. Reaching the first village of the realm, their fear instantly tripled. The sky looked even more ominous in a place where the curse actually had effects on the people. "This is called Hebro Hoxums, an event that is only occurring for the third time. Two deadly potions, jaguar and emerald, have been released into the air, preparing for the end of Elmwood. We need to find the source of where Mistress Josephine is conducting this and destroy it. We need to save everyone, guys." Donovan whispered the explanation that everyone deserved to hear, deciding to leave out the part about Jo being Mistress Josephine's apprentice.

"Mistress Josephine?" Abbi screeched, her eyes widening in fear at the name.

Adam nodded. "Yeah, but we can do this. Professor Albert believes in us."

Professor Albert is the oldest and most powerful wizard alive and he spends his time as a headmaster of a school to teach others. He wants his legacy to live on through his students, so that they can be as knowledgeable and prepared for battle as he. It's the reason that Delawell is the known as the best school in all of Elmwood. It's the school that parents only hope that their children can get into. Donovan was lucky enough to get into the school, be taught by the best, and now it was finally her chance to use her knowledge to help her realm.

Donovan's hand dived into her purse, fumbling through its contents until she found a lipstick tube. A black tube that had a light pink stain on the side of it. Adam snatched it away from her. "Right now is not the time to be primping yourself, Donny."

Donovan stole it right back from him. "Adam, back off. I know what I'm doing." She turned towards Abbi and whispered, "Put an invisible charm on all of us right away. That way I can use my magic, while still being invisible."

Abbi obeyed her friend's request, creating the perfect repellent from wandering eyes. Donovan then began to walk into the village, dragging her friends along with her. She tossed her lipstick tube onto the cobblestone. "Emanda," she whispered, quickly darting away from it.

They all watched with much anticipating as the tube began to smoke with blue, until it finally exploded causing everyone in a fifty mile range to fall asleep. It would knock them all out for a good five hours, giving them time to find the source and destroy it before anyone had the chance to do anything evil. "Nice touch," Adam said, admiringly.

"Yeah, next time, just trust me." Donovan gave her a boyfriend a huge smile, squeezing his hand.

Emma stopped for a moment, admiring Donovan's work from a distance. "Okay, we need a rule set down, since this journey is risking our lives. As much as I trust you guys, can you promise that before any of us cast a spell or charm, we confirm it with each other before we proceed to do it? We all need to agree that this is the right move to make before we go on to perform it, okay?"

"Agreed," they all said at once.

"Good." Emma let out a sigh of relief.

Abbi took the invisibility charm off of them and they strolled around the village, looking for any clues that could possibly show them where Mistress Josephine was generating this storm from. Unfortunately for them, everything seemed generally normal. Cobblestone looked like cobblestone. Brick buildings looked like brick buildings, big surprise.

"I give up," Josh said, sinking to the ground.

To be continued...