Symphony of Sin

The consequence for power

“There are many things to consider when one needs to survive in the wilderness: food, water, shelter from the elements, beasts and wildlife, and injury,” Julia lectured the Champions seated at their desks. “A simple scratch, broken limbs, and internal wounds are things to prepare for.” She raised her hand, and a cylindrical object of polished wood materialized atop her palm. Tugging on the string at the end, she uncorked the lid. Turning, she revealed a thick, grass-green substance that wafted a strong herbal scent into the room.

To the Champions’ shock, Julia pulled a silver dagger from her inner pocket and, in one fluid motion, sliced her palm. Not a single drop of blood left her hand as her flesh lay exposed. Sheathing the clean dagger back in her inner pocket, she dipped her finger into the cylindrical holder. With a bit of the grass-green substance on her fingertip, she applied it to the wound. The Champions watched in awe as, in mere moments, her skin mended, closing up without leaving a scar.

“This is healing paste, an alchemical concoction that uses one’s mana and vitality to speed up healing,” Julia explained, corking the lid. “Now, I’ll teach you all how to apply it to external and internal wounds. It’s actually…” Paying attention, Devin couldn’t help but sneak a peek at Emily. Stoic, she retained her focus, taking notes when needed.

{I’ve been such a jerk,} he realized. Here she was, trying to talk to him, yet all he focused on was getting stronger. He had ignored her and everyone else who tried to warm up to him. The death of his sister constantly plagued his mind, along with her imprisoned soul and the daily nightmares. His doubt, anger, hatred, and sadness all culminated in his breakdown at her mention yesterday. It was that moment with Livia that made him realize he couldn’t do this alone.

“That’s it for this rise.” Julia clapped her hands, marking the end of the lesson.

{Emily, wait.} Devin ran to her as she made her way down the hallway. She stopped, turning to meet his crimson eyes. His breath caught in his throat at the sight of the cold Emily. He sighed, briefly gathering the courage to speak. {I—}

“Apology accepted.” Emily cut him off, walking away with her arms crossed. Devin stood with his mouth agape, his eyes glistening.

In the dome, Devin sat cross-legged as Noyte explained, “To enter the arcane, you must become an Acolyte. To be an Acolyte, you need to saturate your spine with darkness mana.” Noyte circled around Devin before sitting behind him. “To do that, you must practice Darkness Breathing.” He placed his gloved hand on Devin’s back. “It’s time to breathe.”

Devin tensed, abruptly biting his lip. As it cracked open, a bit of blood trailed down his chin. He felt as if he were being burned alive when he heard Noyte’s voice. “This is the first step, covering the body with the mana in the air.”

‘The first step!?’ Noyte helped direct the mana throughout Devin’s body. Devin grimaced as every inch of his body felt like it was on fire. ‘This can’t get wor—' Tears ran down Devin’s face, his eyes reflecting utter pain. At his head, shoulders, and thighs, it felt like his skin, veins, flesh, and muscle were being torn from the bone. He could barely hear Noyte continue, “This is the second step: you open the nodes at your head, arms, and legs to absorb the mana.”

‘How… many… steps… are there…’ Devin’s consciousness appeared sluggish through the pain. He shook as the flesh-tearing sensation subsided, translating to an immolating pain in his spine. His body froze in the mind-numbing pain, and he could barely make out Noyte’s words, “Third step… absorb mana… saturate spine…”

“Stay awake, or you die.” This time, he heard him clearly. Biting harder on his lip, Devin straightened up. From the short time he had spent with Noyte, he knew he wasn’t the type to lie or mince his words. His eyes emblazoned with furious resolve, he heard Noyte continue, “Now it’s the fourth step: here you bounce mana from your spine to the body, then back to the spine. Repeat this process until your spine is saturated with mana.”

Veins pulsed from Devin’s neck and forehead, his body feeling like it was undergoing a volcanic eruption. The sensation of multiple fireballs bouncing throughout his body and returning to his spine nearly drove him mad.

Noyte’s eyes noted an emerald halo enveloping Devin. As the process continued, the halo gradually shrank and dimmed. With his keen eyes, he noted a subtle tint of darkness surrounding Devin before the halo dissipated. ‘Good.’ He muttered briefly.

Devin shivered as the pain finally left his body. He relaxed, letting his back bend. The entire process, painful as it was, only lasted 30 minutes.

“I have ten rises to make you an Acolyte,” Noyte’s grating voice scratched into his ear like the Grim Reaper’s.

‘No…’ Devin involuntarily shivered, realizing Noyte’s hand had never left his back. ‘No…’ he held his breath.

“Step 5, repeat the process…”

Devin lay back on the hard floor, his body and mind exhausted. After hours of agonizing pain, it was finally over. He could make out Noyte standing not too far from him, nodding in satisfaction. “That’s it for this rise.”

After a few minutes of deliberation, Devin decided it was time to leave this hell. He crawled to the door of the dome and opened it, sighing in relief as he felt the night’s breeze. Stepping onto the stone path, he froze. He looked up and saw a figure standing ahead of him.

‘Emily!’ he smiled, but his face quickly faltered. The moon’s silver glow revealed the figure in the distance. She wore a knee-length velvet tunic and pants, her shoulder-length blonde hair in a ponytail. Her delicate olive face looked beautiful in the moonlight, her jade eyes glinting mischievously.

{Cassidy?} Devin uttered.

Cassidy took a few steps forward, gently shaking her head. “Devy, Devy,” she said, looking up to meet his eyes with a small smile gracing her red lips. “We need to talk.”

End of Chapter 13