"Hey, Abel, which girl are you staring at? Is it the school celebrity or something?" Sean asked sarcastically, noticing Abel's focus elsewhere.
Abel, unfazed by the joke, pointed toward the girl exuding a sinister aura. "Sean, do you know who that girl is?"
Sean followed Abel's gaze and chuckled. "That one? Man, I didn't know you were into that kind of thing. You've got... unique taste, for sure."
Shaking his head, Abel clarified, "It's not like that. I've never seen her before, so I was just curious."
"Oh, that's Amensha. She transferred here about two weeks ago. Keeps to herself, doesn't talk much or make friends. Not many people know her, but I happened to overhear her name. Recently, she's been even more gloomy than usual—creepy, honestly. Everyone tries to avoid her, even the teachers. So, if I were you, I'd stay far away."
As they continued walking into the school building, Abel couldn't help but feel an underlying sense of dread when thinking about Amensha. He had no desire to meddle in anything dark, especially something as malevolent as the aura surrounding her. He knew this was far beyond what he could handle right now.
However, trouble often comes uninvited.
While Abel and Sean were making their way inside, Amensha, who had been keeping her head down, subtly glanced up. Through the strands of her dark hair, her eyes locked onto Abel, a curious and unsettling glimmer flickering in them.
The school day passed uneventfully, and as the final bell rang, Abel hopped on his bike, waving goodbye to Sean as he headed home. Mondays were free of his part-time job, so he had time to himself.
Pedaling down a quiet, tree-lined street, Abel enjoyed the serenity of the familiar road. The peaceful atmosphere always helped him unwind.
But today, that tranquility was shattered.
Up ahead, standing in the middle of the road, was Amensha, her presence unmistakable. Abel's brow furrowed as he sensed the intense malevolence radiating from her.
Screech.
He hit the brakes, coming to a stop several meters away. A bad feeling crept over him.
Just as Abel was about to turn around, Amensha's body was suddenly enveloped in a swirling black aura. In a series of rapid flashes, she closed the distance between them, her hand gripping the handlebars of his bike.
"You're Abel Shaw. I looked into you today," she said, her voice low and unnervingly calm. "I'm very interested in you."
Abel's mind raced. Why had she taken notice of him? Was it because he'd sensed her earlier? Or was it something deeper, perhaps tied to his magical background?
"Uh, sorry, I've got homework to do," Abel replied, trying to keep things light. "Maybe we can talk tomorrow at school?"
Amensha's eyes gleamed with a manic intensity. "No, no… You saw it, didn't you? My power. And yet, you didn't react like the others. You're not ordinary. Let me see what makes you special! Come on, show me!"
Her hair, lifted by the dark aura, flew wildly behind her as the black energy swirled around her body. For the first time, Abel could see her fully—her face, pale with dark circles under her eyes, and strange red markings on her forehead.
That mark... Abel had seen something like it before, but from where?
Before he could dwell on it, Amensha reached for him. Abel swiftly cast a Levitation Charm, abandoning his bike and propelling himself out of her reach.
Amensha's excitement vanished, replaced by a dark, dangerous look. "So, you're like everyone else, huh? Do you hate me too?"
The black aura around her condensed, and with a squeeze of her hand, the bike was crushed into a twisted ball of metal, clattering to the ground.
In an instant, Amensha darted toward him again, her dark energy lashing out like tendrils, reaching for Abel.
Abel realized that his simple Levitation Charm wouldn't stop someone this powerful. A person who could crush a bicycle with such ease was far beyond the capabilities of basic magic. He quickly cast the charm on the wrecked bike, sending it flying into Amensha, causing her to stagger.
Taking advantage of the moment, Abel distanced himself further. He knew he couldn't take her on directly—not yet. But if he could lead her to the New York Sanctum, maybe the sorcerers there could help neutralize her.
It was a solid plan, but Abel had underestimated the depths of Amensha's madness—and her power.
With a deafening roar, black flames erupted from the ground, cutting off his path. Abel barely managed to avoid them, but the sheer force of the attack left him shaken.
He glanced back at Amensha, whose forehead mark now glowed bright red. Behind her, the air distorted, revealing a dark, twisted space, and within it, a massive, oppressive figure loomed.
What in the world was this?
Amensha, consumed by her power, slowly advanced on Abel, black flames crackling at her fingertips. Just as she prepared to unleash another attack, a barrier of irregular crystal mirrors suddenly materialized around Abel, encasing him in protective walls.
The black flames crashed against the barrier, but they couldn't penetrate it. Abel looked around, surprised by the sudden intervention.