The Demoner Series: The Trails

Chapter Seventeen - Day One

A rapid clicking sound of the stony cold alarm clock penetrates the sleepy fog that blankets my mind.

I open my eyes at the call, gradually hating it as it pulled me from my dreamland. I slam my hand on the rock solid device, mouthing curses of regret as my hand goes mildly numb at the impact. But the good news, the clicking stops.

I swing my leg off the bed, my body moving in the motion to a sitting posture. It has been a practise to get off the bed quickly during my time in the orphanage, strictly trained to wake up at the slightest call as fast as humanly possible.

The instinct takes over my consciousness as I quickly get a wash before heading to the door. At the same time, my neighbouring friend's door opens and Chloe comes into view.

  "Where should we be going?" I ask, "will it be lessons after breakfast or the other way round?"

  "I'm not sure," she pauses, then adds, "Would be nice to have the first choice though."

  Another door opens nearby, revealing a man who looks to be at his twenties. Or hundred, I correct as I remember about the age ratio of a Demoner and "ordinary" humans.

  "Where should we be headed first?" I ask, feeling awkward and thinking myself if I should have use a respectful title.

  "You kidding, young man?" The man startles, a look of surprise on his face. "You are a purple Demoner here and not have a slightest clue to get a bite before reporting to the main hall? Are you new here?" He mocks, or at least he think he did, as he lets of a short laugh.

  "That's just about right," I answer meekly, a rush of embarrassment reddening my cheeks, "I've got to go now." I nod as apology, looking down in embarrassment.

Just as I am about to leave, he hold onto my shoulder. "Hey, also you do know that no demons are allowed around, right?" He ask, lowering his voice cautiously, "You'll get punished if you let it out like that." He has notice the little demon perched on my head, obviously referring to it.

I look up in surprise, remembering the rule that Captain Lynch have mentioned. Demons are not allowed unless when needed in class, I recall. Looking back at the man, I realise he is right. But I can't think of a way to explain properly. I'm a purple Demoner but can't implant my own demon, I just.., I think to myself.

  "I don't know how," I admit, not wanting to meet the other man's eyes. I feel like an idiot immediately and sigh heavily.

  "You don't know? Let me help you, first come into my room," the man replies, opening the door for me. I look back at Chloe, who shrugs in reply. "She's able to come in too," the man says and the three of us enters the stranger's room.

  The room is a complete mess, scraps of wrappers and takeaway boxes lying around. The table is piled with papers in an untidy manner. He flip through the stacks of work on his table, taking through until he finds a crumpled piece. He carefully unfold a paper and passes it to me. "Here, try to manart out this," he says, sitting down on the bed.

  A pentacle is shown on the paper with words written on the bottom of it. The words read, "For implanting." I look back at the man, unsure to do so or not.

  "Go ahead, try it," the man pries.

  Taking a breath, I picture the artwork into my mind and pushes the mana out to my palm. My eyebrow quivers in concentration, trying to control the movement of the mana. I can feel the image forming on my palm, the last bit of modification appearing.