The Sacred Seven

Chapter 10 - Petal After Petal

Warning - Emotional Damage

Lillith slowly started to lose herself.

Not only the voices were so loud she could no longer think straight, but her fellow students also made sure to make her stay in the academy a misery.

Mara became her shadow, a figure in her nightmares, taking a part on her sleepless nights. Her magic frightened her. The invisible rope she carried on herself at all times reminded her of the chains back at home. Those rusty, silver restrains in the dungeon...Lillith was constantly in alert, waiting for another creature to launge at her from the shadows. Her body was covered in cuts and bruises from being thrown around and Tom did nothing, just watched from afar, occasionally throwing the girl a brief glance.

No remorse was in his face, no guilt, no emotion at all. He was simply blank.

However, there was a storm of emotions inside of him, a rush of pleasure and excitement every time he saw her grow a little weaker.

She fully succumbed to his mind games, unable to recognize what he forced inside her head and what were her own thoughts.

Little did she know he watched her every night. He was always there when she woke up from yet another night terror, gasping for air and drenched in sweat. He slowly took away her sanity, bit after bit, until there was nothing left, but a blind seek of security only he could provide.

She realized how peaceful her mind was every time he was near. Or at least he made her believe, that he was the source of her tranquillity. There was silence when she spot his shadow, when she saw him sitting across the table, when she caught him looking with those alluring eyes.

He was luring her to come to him. Tempting her to seek his presence. To end her misery....

But Lillith was too stubborn to do that and she unconsciously added oil to the already burning fire.

It was another day in the academy. Weeks had passed an it was the second of December. The weather was gloomy as per usual, the clouds thick, snow coating the frozen grounds.

Lillith sat behind the table in the lesson, staring at the ancient book of demonology with a blank face. She had already read it multiple times. She could recite every sentence from memory.

She was smart. No doubt. But she was book smart, not practically. Her lack of control enabled her from practicing any further than academically. It bothered her dearly, however there was just so much she could do to improve.

"Griffin," the mentor spoke, the raspy voice gaining her attention. "How do you perform a banishing spell?"

She just barely raised her eyes from the pages, her voice low, silent, and hoarse from screaming.

"The ritual of forbidden."

"Elaborate."

She sighed inaudibly.

"An entity shall be banished from the world by a sacrificial ritual. Most of the demons stand on our side, but there is still a minority of which are bitter because they weren't chosen to become guardians or refused to breed with mortals. Depending on the rank of the demon, you either kill him on the spot or imprison him in a pentagram before performing the spell."

Lillith hissed, feeling fire lick her skin.

"Not quite."

She glared at the mentor, not appreciating the punishment. She wasn't wrong.

"Jan?"

The blond wizard held a cocky expression, his whole persona laced with hostility.

"No royal is able to imprison a high rank demon themselves, therefore you shall have help of another entity or another royal," he send Lillith a glance, smirking. "But one who actually has power."