Lakeview Academy

Chapter 51: Rose

I wonder where everyone is? After training my powers, I wandered Abyss looking for something to do. I can feel the lost souls here. Some were relieved they finally died, while others wondered why they were dead. So many souls down here. I tried to talk to some of them, but none would answer. They all seemed to fear me. I don't understand. Most souls usually speak to me. They feel comfortable around me. Not these ones. Something's wrong with these souls. 

I was walking down a long corridor when I heard a blood curling scream. Suddenly, a door opened, and Jessie stepped out. He looked at me and smiled. "Hey, Rose. Having fun looking around?" Blood drenched his clothes. He saw my face and looked down. "Oh, whoops," He laughed then the blood started to absorb into his skin. His clothes went back to normal. "There we are. Sorry, this latest recruit is a piece of work. I don't think I've ever had to work this hard to convert someone. Do you want to watch?"

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't interested. Whatever he did to them completely changed who the original person was. I've seen so many get taken down here. They enter one way but leave the same. Completely under Jessie's control. "Okay?"

Jessie laughed and moved so I could enter. "Please excuse the mess. Sometimes I can get lost in my work. You understand." I walk past him and into a room made to look like a cell. My heart starts to quicken, but I calm it down. "This isn't for you," I think as I step deeper inside. Two male vampires stood outside the cell, waiting for something. Their hungry eyes lock onto me, causing me to stop in my tracks. I feel Jessie's hands clench my shoulders. 

"Don't worry; they're not going to hurt you. They wouldn't dream of it. Not while I'm here," He whispered in my ear. With a wave of his hand, both vampires walked past us and out of the room. He gently guides me closer to the cell. Behind a large metal door lay a beaten and bloodied man. He looked like a Lakeview mage. "Terrible sight, isn't it? I think they went too rough on him."

I looked at the man and willed my aura forward. I could see his death date and time. It was getting close. "He's going to die."

"Not if I can help it," Jessie said. His power surged and started to cover both him and the man. Suddenly, the man's injuries began to mend, and his death date was erased. In moments, he was completely healed. "There we are. Good as new. Well, mostly. His mind is another matter. We've reset him a few times now. Still hanging in there. Admirable and annoying. I've been playing it by how much blood he's lost, but I'd like to make sure I'm not getting too close. Mind helping me a bit?"  

My eyes went to the man. I looked above his head and said his name was Blake. His body shook violently as he was unsure of his surroundings. "What makes him so special?"

"He's strong. I need strong mages on my side. Especially, duel casters like him. He's also close to The Elecro and Hydro Primes. We also have the issue of getting Damien back. I mean, I can do that whenever, but they'll use him to get here. It'll all work out." Jessie walked over to the cell and grinned. "Hey, there, Blake. Feeling better?"

Blake looked at him like a scared kid and backed himself into a corner. "Don't worry; they're gone. We won't be doing that anymore. You're safe now."

Blake's eyes went from scared to relieved. He looked just like I did back when The Council had me—scared and vulnerable. I kind of felt bad for him, but then I realized our circumstances were different. "What are you going to do now?" I ask.

Jessie looked back at me, and his smile grew. "I'm going to get to know my new friend. I'll show him what Abyss can do for him and the realm." His laughter filled the room as the door opened and the vampires returned. Blake started to panic as they entered the room. One picked him up and restrained him with the other put his hands on Blake's head. "Now comes the fun part. We need to make room in that head of yours. You can forget about Lakeview. They don't matter anymore. You belong to us. Now and forever."