daughter of darkness and light

Chapter 4: Confrontations and Chaos

Anastasia stumbled into class an hour late, ignoring the stares of her classmates and the disapproving gaze of the teacher. After a while, the door burst open, and Finnian—known simply as Finn, the head professor whom everyone in the school feared—entered. The entire class immediately stood up to greet him, but Finn only waved them to sit.Finn’s sharp eyes fell on Anastasia, who had dozed off at her desk. Without hesitation, he conjured a small Shock Bolt and sent it flying at her, jolting her awake. Startled and angry, she looked around the room, her voice filled with fury."Who did this?" she demanded."I did," Finn replied with a hint of amusement.Anastasia glared at him, unafraid. “I will not leave you unpunished for this, Finn,” she said, her voice dripping with defiance as she stormed out of the classroom. The students watched in stunned silence; no one had ever dared to speak to Finn like that.It was the last class of the day when a voice echoed through the room: “Anastasia, come to the principal’s office.”Ten minutes later, Anastasia returned, her hand bandaged. The class buzzed with speculation—many thought she had been punished, though only Anastasia knew the truth: she had injured herself after a heated exchange with Finn.Flashback:Finn had confronted Anastasia in his office. “Why are you not being a normal student?” he asked, his tone stern.Anastasia knelt before him, her frustration barely contained. “Good evening, Master Finn,” she said formally. “I don’t want to. I want to go home.”“No,” Finn replied sharply.In a sudden burst of anger, Anastasia punched a glass, the shards cutting into her hand. She left the office, blood dripping from her fingers, but determined not to show any further weakness.End FlashbackAs Anastasia walked back to her dorm, she encountered Nera. “Stay away from Elias,” Nera hissed, her voice full of venom.“What if I don’t?” Anastasia replied coolly.Without warning, Nera attacked, unleashing a Shock Bolt that sent Anastasia to the ground, followed by a harsh kick to her stomach. Despite the pain, Anastasia forced herself to stand, refusing to let Nera see her break. She returned to her room, silently vowing not to let the bullying get to her.Over the next month, the bullying continued. Nera and her group harassed Anastasia relentlessly. One day, during a practice session on the training grounds, Nera approached Anastasia, who was sitting alone.“You’re in my spot,” Nera snarled.“Sit somewhere else,” Anastasia replied calmly, not wanting to engage.Nera’s anger flared. “Girls, hold her!” she commanded. Her minions grabbed Anastasia, restraining her. Nera slapped her repeatedly, the sound echoing across the grounds. The other students watched in shock, some too afraid to intervene, others secretly enjoying the spectacle.Finally, Nera grabbed a slab of wood and smashed it over Anastasia’s head. Anastasia fell to the ground, her blood a terrifying black instead of the usual red. As she lay there, something inside her snapped.Anastasia began to laugh—a deep, unsettling laugh that sent chills down the spines of everyone present. Her laughter turned into a frenzied rage as she attacked the students, breaking bones and causing chaos. Nera, her primary target, was left with shattered bones and a face full of terror.Just as the situation seemed completely out of control, Finn appeared. With a swift incantation, he cast a powerful spell that subdued Anastasia, forcing her back to her normal state. The training grounds, once a place of learning, were now a scene of horror and disbelief.Suddenly, the sky darkened, and a host of demons appeared, bowing before Anastasia and addressing her as "Queen." The class watched in terror, unsure of what would happen next.“Get up and leave,” Anastasia commanded. The demons obeyed, vanishing into the air, all except one: Gabriel.“Stay,” she told him, and he did.With Gabriel by her side, Anastasia resumed her black magic practice, her power surging once more. The students who had been injured or killed during her rampage were miraculously revived, their injuries healed as if nothing had happened. Now, more than ever, the students feared her.When she finished, she turned to Gabriel. “You can go now.”“I will not leave you,” Gabriel said firmly.“Fine, stay if you want,” Anastasia conceded. She looked at Finn and added, “I told Finn to seal my demon.”The class watched in terrified silence as Gabriel leaned in and gave Anastasia a gentle peck on the cheek. Elias, observing from a distance, felt a sharp pang of jealousy and anger, emotions he couldn’t quite understand.Anastasia sat before Finn as he began chanting the spell to seal her demon. A large red circle appeared beneath her, glowing with intense power. The spell took a heavy toll, causing her to cough up blood. Through her pain, Anastasia found herself thinking about Elias. She liked him more than she had expected—his kindness, his charm, and the way he looked when he was clearly jealous of Gabriel’s affection.As the spell concluded, Anastasia felt weak and unwell. Sensing her discomfort, Gabriel approached and cast a healing spell. Without warning, he kissed her deeply, a gesture that sent shockwaves through the onlookers. From the corner of her eye, Anastasia saw Elias, his face contorted with fury.As she pulled away from the kiss, Anastasia felt rejuvenated, the pain and exhaustion fading. Gabriel knelt before her, presenting a beautiful necklace with a respectful bow. “My lady, this is for you,” he said, offering her the Eye of the Dragon necklace—an artifact she had long desired.Overwhelmed with gratitude, Anastasia gave Gabriel a tight hug before putting on the necklace. She smiled, genuinely happy, and made her way back to her room with Gabriel following closely.Once inside, Anastasia noticed a shadow outside her window. It was Elias, standing with a look of anger and confusion. She felt a mix of guilt and satisfaction, knowing that her connection with Gabriel had sparked something in Elias that even he might not fully understand yet