The Crystal Trials

24

Nearly two weeks after accidently growing a full forest in the gardens, the fall equinox finally arrived. The students practically vibrated with excitement, all building to the moment of the chase between the gods and demons. The university had transformed into a spectacle. One side of the dining hall was decorated in dark colors, bats, and cauldrons. The other side was drenched in riches fit for a king. Golds, silvers, and rare cloths adored the side of the gods.

During the day, no one wore their costumes. But, as night approached, the girls slipped away from the boys ready to rock their world. We all piled in my room, as it was the biggest. Taury came too but stayed well away from me and only spoke to the other girls. My room had been transformed into a dressing room. Piles of clothes and makeup, all around. Shoes being tripped over and perfumes littering the counters.

We helped each other braid and pile hair. Painted our faces in dark, sexy colors, making our cheekbones look sharp. We tied one another's corsets and lace boots. Seraphina wore the tight leather pants she had tried on and Lilta did her make up in a way that made her look ferocious. Zither had adorned skirts that were full only in the back, the front riding up to reveal fishnet tights. Her red and black hair was left down with a single small braid down one side of her face. As she did her make up in matching reds and blacks, she couldn't stop looking back at Seraphina's outfit.

Emyr, ever the pyro, wore all red. The only black on her was a leather under bust corset. Her dress sleeves drooped down in away that looked like wings and continued through the bodice and came out to a very short skirt. Syphor was going to lose his mind. I told her as much and she beamed. Lilta had taken her tiny braids out and took the many hours to redo her bright white hair into plaits running up the sides of her head. From there her hair piled into a giant braid that ran from her forehead, down the middle of her head and down her back. She looked like a warrior queen. Her dress was simple but devastating. A tight black mini dress and boots that ran past her knees. The dagger strapped to her thigh finished off the look.

Rayze bought a dark brown leather bodice jumpsuit and red striped stockings. Her golden skin and hair only glowed more against the brown. Taury had her hair wrapped into a piled mass of curls. Her makeup was minimal, and she looked all the sexier for it. She wore a tight black lace shirt. Her bra was fully visible through it which only added to the extremely low cut down the middle of her breast. Over that, was a velvet dark purple corset that tied in the front with shiny black ribbon. Her skirts ran long down one leg and almost to the bottom of the bodice on the other side. She left her hair down and straight as usual, but she had it parted to the side. Emyr had done her make up in such a way that her upturned eyes looked positively feline. Taury was easily the most sensual one in the room.

I had chosen a different outfit than the one I tried on in the shop. For the festival, Lilta had left my natural curls for the most part. She helped me wrap a section of hair around the base of the demon horns I had found in a corner of the shop. I had seen them and bought them instantly. The white leather corset I wore was one piece wrapping around my breast and coming to a 'v' down my back and front. On my arms, was a sheer white shall. It had built in sleeves and ran across my back, connecting both arms like a pair of wings. If I raised them, I could pretend I was flying. Which I did not do. At all. Under the corset sat white satin shorts that were skintight, and a long skirt billowed behind me, leaving the front bare. Rayze had done my make up in pale golds and silvers and, somehow, made my skin glow.

We walked to town as one. Like a dark coven ready to raise all the Hells. Many heads turned our way as we walked to Phaewen Temple. Emyr went so far as to skillfully add fire to her hair without burning her. Zither used her dark magic and created a shawl of tangible darkness. Rayze made her brown leather shimmer gold using light magic. Every man and woman that gawked at our parade only fueled our confidence. When we finally reached the temple, it was fully nightfall.