39 39 Cursed Conviction
After three hours of practice, they had successfully proven Reiko’s point about Study Groups being able to learn faster together than they could in class. Working together, they really could improve their understanding of a spell quickly, and the Witches were making visible progress every few minutes with the guidance of Wolfe and Flame.
The barrier field didn’t have to be orange. It also didn’t have to be a field around them. Depending on how they visualized and manifested it, [Flame Armor] could be anything from a haze of heat around them to an opaque blue or orange set of armour or clothing. The only constant was that it was actually made up of a solidified flame.
The continual draw of mana from experimenting with the spell for hours had exhausted everyone, so they called it a night and made plans to meet for the cafeteria’s first serving times for breakfast and take a detour before potions class to explore the Library a little.
Reiko and Mary went back to their room while Cassie and Ella got ready for bed, and Wolfe made very sure to set up and adjust the fan properly before everyone was comfortable this time. A small bit of preparation went a long way toward comfort.
“You might as well just bring all your stuff here. It saves the time to walk to your room, and it’s not like you haven’t seen everything already.” Ella pointed out the next morning as Wolfe was about to leave to get clean clothes.
“I don’t have much. I can bring it back here before we go to the library.” Wolfe agreed.
The Library was open all night for students who got engrossed in their work or, more commonly, got into arguments with their roommates. Having one extra room open, even if it were a staff room, would also make the Student Council’s job a bit easier with all of the conflicts that they were having among roommates.
Wolfe couldn’t see the President, but he could hear her dressing down a group of students a few halls over. She definitely wasn’t having an easy or good morning.
“Don’t tell me you got fired already.” One of the janitors asked as she saw Wolfe leave his room with all his possessions stuffed in a laundry sack.
“Not at all. I’m still working as a teacher’s assistant, but through some circumstances, I’ve officially become a Familiar, so I’m switching rooms.” He explained.
“Oh, I don’t know if I should congratulate you or not. Did the Coven investigators finish already, or did you take a plea deal?”
Wolfe shook his head. “Of all things, I was summoned during the first day’s Familiar Summoning spell casting.”
“Well, that saves time. If you haven’t been informed already, the investigation team has just arrived here in the Academy, and they are looking for you for a little chat, as they phrased it. They were concerned about where you went when they found your room empty, but you smell like Witch and women’s body lotion, so the mystery is solved. They have a dog with them, but your smell is so muddled and mixed with everything else in the Academy that they would have had a hard time finding your current location around the school.” The janitor explained.
Across the dorm building, the Investigator in question was currently explaining Wolfe’s punishment for the crime of being born a Magi to Ella and Cassie.
“Our investigation has determined that he is actually a Class A threat, not an unfortunate mundane human. We just need to make sure he doesn’t go wild and start killing people when his inhuman instincts take over, which they surely will when he grows in power.
Since he is already bonded as your Familiar, the death sentence has been commuted, but a threat at his level needs an additional safeguard put in place. Don’t worry about it too much. You won’t lose your Familiar. It will only keep him under control.
Just draw power from him until these devices are full and he is exhausted, then I will give him the mark of transformation and use the collected power to cast a curse on him so he can’t hurt anyone.” The thin woman told them with a shifty smile that told them she was lying but that she knew they couldn’t do anything about it.
Defending a convicted Fugitive was a severe crime, and they didn’t have the backing to get out of the punishment for that crime if they did try to warn Wolfe before he could get back to the dorm room.
“Will it hurt him?” Cassie asked.
“Only for a few minutes, then the spell will reveal his true nature. The Transformation mark and the safety curse strip away the pretenses of humanity and leave such evil beings in hideous forms so that Witches aren’t confused by a pretty face and can see the true evil of their souls.
Most violent criminals become imps, while molesters become Goblins and the like. But after the spell is complete, he won’t feel a thing. He will just be a proper and well-behaved Familiar for you both. One that will be with you your whole life.” The investigator explained.
“So, we torture him, brand him, turn him into an imp, and then the rest of his punishment is just to be our Familiar?” Ella asked, looking horrified, which the Investigator easily ignored.
“In essence, yes, but there are no guarantees that he will be an Imp. If his soul is truly reprehensible might be a Goblin or other form of lesser demon. Since he has only just awakened, he won’t have the power to be anything more incredible. I am sorry.” The Woman explained impatiently.
“If the alternative is execution, I guess this is better. I don’t want to hurt anyone, but I will if it keeps everyone else safe.” Cassie slowly agreed, not seeing a way out of the situation, not for her and Ella, and certainly not for Wolfe.
The Investigators were very skilled and powerful senior Coven Members. Even the most insane of citizens didn’t question them or try to double-guess their decisions. They hadn’t even managed to get an answer from the woman about what evidence or investigation went into her decision to convict Wolfe or how the punishment was determined.
“Good, now we wait for him to arrive. Calling him would use up the aura energy we will need to successfully complete the curse.”
Wolfe waved goodbye to the giggling janitor and returned to the room with his bag. Two large men stood outside his door with resting angry faces engaged, glaring at everyone who entered the hallway.
“Now, there’s no need to stare down cute little girls like that. Unless it’s your kink or something.” Wolfe called out, walking up to the door.
“The Coven investigator isn’t taking random visitors.” One guard informed him, not losing the scowl.
“Want to tell her that Wolfe Noxus is here? I think she will make an exception.” Wolfe answered, thinking that he could get the questioning part of the investigation over with so that he could take the girls to the Library before they were late for class.
Both guards pulled the blades at their waist and pointed them at Wolfe. “Don’t move, Fugitive. Mistress, we have apprehended the suspected non-human.” They shouted in unison.
Wolfe resisted the urge to facepalm as the door opened, revealing an elderly Witch with a gun in her hand. Finally, someone with common sense. If he really were that dangerous, two regular guys trying to stab him would just get them killed, and if he were on the run, they would’ve had to chase him down to stab him, and that simply wasn’t happening for an average human.
“Get in here. I have been waiting. What are you carrying?” She demanded.
“My belongings. I was in the process of moving in with my Witches.” Wolfe stated the obvious so that there were no misunderstandings.
This woman was in a bad enough mood, and she got to serve as judge, jury and executioner for captured Magi when they were caught in the city. She might get to do the same here, but Wolfe was hoping that the Headmistress might get a say as well.
“Set them aside, and we will talk.” She instructed, closing and locking the door behind him before moving to stand behind him as he placed his luggage on the floor under the bed.
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Once that first part of the ritual was done and the magical devices in their hands were glowing like light bulbs, Wolfe learned what Professor Ashcroft meant that a cursed life as a Familiar was a painful one that most would want to escape at the cost of their own life. With the enchanted objects, they could pull more than he could handle, and the excess demand was agonizing.
Wolfe took a knee so he didn’t fall over and focused on enhancing the speed he could pull mana in an effort to dull the pain. A thick black fog was forming around him, hiding him from sight, and he could feel a physical brand being pressed to his right forearm, just under the mark of the Noxus family, near his wrist.
He wasn’t sure when he passed out, but when he woke up, the fog was still clearing, the investigator was smiling, and both of his Witches were crying. It didn’t take a genius to realize that there would be no questioning and that his sentence had been passed down the moment that he walked into the room.
“Relax, ladies. See, I am fine again.” Wolfe consoled them while trying not to glare at the investigator.
“Wolfe Noxus, as a verified Class A dangerous life form, you are hereby banished from the cities for eternity and sentenced to a life of service to any Witch who can contain you with a summoning circle. Choose your true name now, evil being and accept the judgement of the greater life forms.” The Woman intoned.
What in the world was she on about?
[Beowulfe Abraxas Asmodai Lokarth Noxus] his whole name, as given by his mother and never fully recorded on any piece of paper, appeared in his mind, and the moment that he thought of it, a flash of red light filled the room.
[Bloodline Gained] Demon
[1 Percent Complete]
[Element Unlocked Unholy]
Wolfe was so engrossed by the notification by the Inheritance inscription on his left arm that he didn’t even notice the Inquisitor leave.
“I can’t believe that she sentenced you to be transformed into a Demon. Nobody has received an eternal sentence since the first intentional demons were made at the end of the war.” an unknown voice gasped, and Wolfe saw a hooded figure step out from the corner of the room.
Wolfe was barely listening as he looked at his system interface and the changes it had gained. His eyesight seemed much more clear, and the Runes were easier to read, though Wolfe was sure he had never studied this language before.
[True Name] Beowulfe Abraxas Asmodai Lokarth Noxus
[Magi Bloodline] 3->9 Percent
[Demon Bloodline] 1 Percent
[Mana Density] 10 Percent
[Mana Focus 1/7] 6->19 Percent Complete
[Lightning Affinity] Low
[Fire Affinity] Low
[Gravity Affinity] Low
[Unholy Affinity] Medium
[Other Elements Locked Due to Insufficient Bloodline]
[Known Spells]
[Flame Armor]
[Unholy Smite]
[Bonded Witch] Ella Mariel
[Bonded Witch] Cassie Noxus
Wolfe briefly considered thanking the woman, considering the gift she had given him, but his first concern was Ella and Cassie. All of the additional data that he could read from the Inheritance spell inscription could be examined later.
Wolfe grabbed them both in a hug and channelled a little mana into them, knowing it should relax them at the very least.
“Now is not the time for that. How can you be so calm when they turned you into a… why do you look the same?” Cassie asked, wiping tears from her eyes.
“You in the corner. Care to explain what just happened?” Wolfe asked.