Blood Pact

Chapter 2 - The Man

"HELP! SOMEBODY-!" A sudden scream cuts through her thoughts like a dagger. A chill runs through her spine and she turns to face the direction of the shout.

*What was that?* She thinks. She looks around her and realises that she's walked all the way to the abandoned side of the school.

Emoria has seven sections: The level one buildings, level two buildings, level three buildings, teachers building, the abandoned level one buildings, the graveyard, and the restricted dungeons where they keep dangerous artifacts and evil spirits.

The abandoned buildings is not necessarily a closed off section, but students generally avoid it since there are a lot of rumours about it being haunted.

Irillium wondered into the abandoned section of the school without realising it, and turned to look around her. *There's no one here but me... How did I even get here?* She thinks to herself. *I don't remember walking here.* She adds.

* I should go see who that was. It might be urgent so I don't want to risk wasting time on calling a teacher until I see what's going on. I think it came from this way?* She thinks as she walks further into the abandoned section, going between large empty buildings with broken glass and boarded doors.

"S-stop... Please, I'm-I'm begging you, please..." She hears a strained voice from around the corner of an old structure that used to house the level one's second year classes.

*It's coming from there...* She thinks as she cautiously steps forward, trying not to make a sound. She peeks around the wall and horror spreads over her face.
*Oh my God...*

Terror strikes her as she watches a person in a dark hooded robe draining the life force from a young student. Their body ages rapidly and their skin sinks in, like everything is being sucked out of them. The hooded person puts their hand towards them, and draws the student's soul stone out, absorbing it into themselves.

The students body falls limply to the ground, and Irillium holds back the urge to bring up. She's never seen anything like this, at least not from what she can recall. *Shit shit shit. I need to go tell father about this quickly.* She thinks nervously.

She slowly begins to step back from the scene, but upon her second step, a sharp snap echoes through the silence. Irillium looks down at her feet. *What the fuck is a twig doing here?! Out of all the places it could have been!!!* she thinks.

She looks back at the hooded person, who is now looking at her. "Oh fuck... Oh fuck." She says with a squeezed voice. Irillium spins around and begins sprinting towards one of the old buildings.

She can't see them but she can definitely feel their presence behind her. She runs inside the entrance, and heads down the empty hallway in search of a place to hide. *They're too fast, I won't make it all the way back to the other side of the school. I need to find a safe place to hide for now.* She thinks. Just then, she sees an old storage room and decides to lock herself in there.

...

Breathing heavily, she leans her head against the shut door and closes her eyes, hoping that she wasn't seen by them. *Ok, I just need to calm my breathing. I can just wait it out in here until-* Before she can finish her train of thought, she feels a creeping sensation behind her, like a dark shadow.

Her body freezes and cold sweat drips down her neck. She works up the courage, and slowly turns herself to face the person behind her. *Ok, just turn to see who it is. It might not even be them, how would they even have gotten in? It's probably just my imagination...* She thinks.

"What the fuck?! H-how did you..." She says in shock. She meets with a pair of glaring golden eyes. *Shit.. I need to figure out a way to get out of this.* She thinks, a frown forming on her face. The hooded man from earlier stares down at her from a height, slowly walking closer towards her.

"Stay where you are, don't... Don't come any closer." She says, trying not to falter.

*This mortal child, she has no magic. Her soul stone is useless to me.* The man thinks to himself. "My dear, I don't mean to be rude, but why should I listen to you? You obviously have nothing to threaten me with, so tell me why exactly I should not come closer?" He says.

"I... Well what would you do if you were in my position? I just witnessed you kill someone using forbidden techniques. Of course I'm going to tell you to stay the fuck away from me!" She says angrily.

*This is new...* He thinks. "Well you certainly make a valid point, though I'm still not going to listen to you since clearly I'm the one at an advantage here." He says in an amused tone. He walks closer towards Irillium, backing her all the way against the door. He places his hand on the wall next to her, and towers over her.

*I don't see any way out of this.* She thinks to herself. Irillium keeps a firm stare, trying not to let her fear show. "Oh? What's this? You're obviously terrified by my presence yet you're capable of hiding it. Hmmm... what should I do? It seems I've lost my touch." He says with a cold chuckle.

Irillium shudders. *This is not good.* She thinks. "What do you want?" She says sternly.

The man's expression becomes threatening. "Isn't that obviouse my dear? You've seen something you shouldn't have, and I can't have you telling the wrong people." He says in a deep tone. *I've finally escaped that damn box, there's no ways I'm ever going back into there.* He thinks to himself.

"So what then... Are you going to kill me?" Irillium says with a glare, her voice cracking.

"Well that really all depends on you. You see, my magic works in a very specific way. Absorbing someone's soul is only worth the effort if they have magic. If not, then I'm the only one at risk, since it's a waste of my energy. So honestly you're quite useless to me in that department... But I'm starting to find you quite... Amusing." He says, his mouth curling into a sickeningly sweet smile. 

"What?" She says. *This prick.* She thinks. She can feel her heartbeat increase in speed, and her fists clenching. Before she even realises it, her body is in motion. Her knee swings up and bashes into the man's groin.

He stumbles back in surprise, groaning in pain. "Fuck you!" She says hatefuly before turning to the door. She begins unlocking it hastily, and finally opens it to escape, but suddenly the door slams closed again and the man grabs her arm violently and pulls her back towards him. *No!* She thinks.

He shoves her back against the door again and pins her arms against the wall, restricting her movements completely. "Do you have a deathwish?!" He says, seething with anger. Irillium glares at him resentfuly.

The man grabs her chin roughly and pulls it up so that she's facing him. He moves his thumb over her lip and presses down. He stays silent for a moment, a murderous aura emitting from him. *She's making me want to dominate her. I'll make you grovel at my feet.* He thinks to himself.

"I'll make a deal with you. You become my servant, and submit to me completely, and I'll let you live." He says. Irillium stares at him blankly for a moment. Her eyes then narrow in disgust.

"Submit? To you?" She says in an appalled tone. *I'd actually rather die.* She thinks to herself, letting out a scoff.

*Let's see just how long you can keep this up.* The man thinks. "Then would you rather I kill you? I'm completely fine with that my dear, although I wouldn't just stop there. I'll continue to prey on the students here until my magic has been replenished, and then I'll go on to kill off the mages, one. by. one..." He says with evident blood lust in his tone.

*This sick bastard* She thinks. "I-" Irillium attempts to say something, but gets startled by the man's sudden movements. He moves his face closer to hers and positions his mouth by her ear.

"Would you really risk the lives of others just to keep your pride?" He whispers gently into her ear.

*I want to kill this man. I want to beat the shit out of him.* She thinks. He moves his face away from hers and gives her a triumphant look.

"So what will it be my dear? A blood pact, or death?" He says happily.

"...The first one..." Irillium says reluctantly. *Shit...* She thinks to herself defeatedly.

"Excellent choice my dear." The man says.

End of chapter 2.