“No, Lady Enchantress,” Madam Quarrellous said distastefully. “Angelique has the ability to control anything with a sharp edge—arrows, swords, axes, every weapon you can thinkof.”
“That’s an uncommon strain of war magic to be sure, but we have several active mages with similar magic,” Enchantress Primrosesaid.
“The problem does not only lie with the type of magic she has, but rather with the amount,” Lady Enchantress Felicienne, a cold but elegant woman, spoke in an icy voice. “Angelique has more than enough magic to become an enchantress, does shenot?”
“That is correct, Lady Enchantress,” Madam Quarrelloussaid.
“The Veneno Conclave has never had an enchantress—or enchanter—with war magic,” Enchanter Crest said as Lord Enchanter Tristisim passed him a packet of papers. “There has never been anyone with enough power to claim such arank.”
“Some might consider that a prodigious blessing,” Enchantress Felicienne said unfeelingly. “War mages have their places in society—to guard and protect. A warenchantress…”
Enchantress Primrose tapped her chin. “Master Gladio, you instructed Angelique in some of her war magic classes, yes? What is your estimation of herpower?”
Angelique turned with the Council Members to stare at her instructor. Any tiny spark of hope she had that he would speak favorably of her fizzled out when he avoided her gaze and stared at therailing.
“Angelique has gone through the base tests multiple times,” he said. “Each time she passed the required levels of magic needed to be considered as an enchantress candidate…and every time she would also break the spell that did the measuring.” He shifted his gaze to his hands. “We do not know for certain how deep her magic runs nor where her boundarieslie.”
That caused a stir in the audience, creating ripples of hushedwhispers.
Lord Enchanters and Lady Enchantresses were the top rank a magic user could achieve in the Veneno Conclave and were incredibly rare. Usually only one new magic user joined their ranks per generation. As such, normally Angelique’s level of power would have given her unparalleled opportunity. But with her type ofmagic…
Yes, I’m practically a monster. But couldn’t you have mentioned how reluctant I am to use my powers? Or that I have been a diligent student? Or even that I have good hygiene—anythingnice at all? I always tried sohard.
Enchantress Felicienne’s frown grew as she studied her papers. “It says in this report that due to the unusual amount of magic she possesses, it is estimated Angelique could destroy an army in a matter of minutes. Is that true, MasterGladio?”
Master Gladio bowed his head. “It is, LadyEnchantress.”
“With the ability to manipulate weapons, the student’s magic is truly only good for battle,” Enchanter Tristisim said, his voice cracking like the shaking ofthunder.
“But war magic is merely her core magic,” Enchantress Primrose said. “As an enchantress, she would learn otherspells.”
“Which would all be powered by her ability tokill,” Enchantress Felicienne said. “She is only eighteen, is she not? It seems unwise to leave such dangerous power in the hands of such a younggirl.”
Enchantress Galendra and Enchanter Lazare, the last two members of the Council, shifted their gazes between their fellows, following the conversation but keepingsilent.
“Has Angelique undergone all ethics and integrity tests?” Enchanter Crestasked.
“She has, Lord Enchanter,” Madam Quarrelloussaid.
“And?”
Madam Quarrellous glanced at Angelique, but Angelique was too defeated to care, and numbly stared at herfeet.
“Though she has passed the tests, she has shown to have an alarming amount of willfulness. On numerous occasions, she has refused to participate in classroom magic exercises and complete assignments. Several examples of such refusals are recorded in the papers I gathered for you, but there are many more than I had time tolist.”
I refused because I didn’t want to put anyone in danger!Angelique started to open her mouth to defend herself, to explain that she was reluctant to use her admittedly unsafe magic in a classroom full of other students whom she might accidentally harm. But whybother?
When Angelique first entered the academy, she had been a bright—stupid—young girl who didn’t know any better and loved to show off the finesse with which she handled her magic. These days—though she was more learned and held back her magic with a stranglehold—her powers sometimes slipped her grasp when she wielded them. She was actuallyworseat casting magic now, as a student about to graduate, than she had been in her first year due to the potential inconsistency of herpowers.
But explaining that will only further convince them I need to be sealed. And maybe they’re right. If I really am a danger to those around me whenever I use my powers, could I ever be a force forgood?
Angelique felt the cold, metallic sensation of her magic swirl around her arms. With a mental kick, she savagely shoved her magic away and barely kept a snarl off her face.I hate mymagic!
Madam Quarrellous, unfortunately, had not yet finished. “Furthermore, she lacks friendships among her peers and is often alone. Given these habits, even if she passes ethics and integrity examinations today, that does not mean she will in a decade or two from now when she is a fully-fledged Lady Enchantress, able to kill armies in moments with no one to checkher.”
This accusation elicited another cloud of mutters from the invisible audience. Angelique only glanced in their direction, unable to see past the too-bright circle of light she stoodin.
“It is the instructors’ official recommendation to seal Angelique,” Enchantress Felicienne said. “I believe we should follow theirsuggestion.”
