Serena shut the door to her room with a bang !
Alone , she thought breathlessly , at last !
For the past two days she had been harrased and oppressed by the nuns of this orphanage . Especially after the' incident ' . A demon , the Reverend father said .
Ha ! Serena had wanted to laugh . She had sensed the wave of power before it reached any of them and she knew it was that thing . That soul with Henric was behind it .
Serena sat in her bed and gave a deep sigh . Admittedly , she had not been able to stop the enchantment from falling on her . She'd collapsed next to her pot of stew and when she woke up , her soul energy had been slightly drained from her .
The nerve ! She fisted her hands . Some malevolent spirit took her soul energy . She had never felt so weak in her life as she did now . It was then that Serena became overcome with a deep hunger for one thing ; power .
If she was to do anything she would need serious power . Enough to rival the soul and maybe even control demons , she thought and then she reached under her bed and pulled out a small box .
She lifted it and put it on the desk next to her bed , a little something she added in . She opened the box slowly and felt the powerful aura of the spellbook. It was slimly and scorching , like slime of fire or snot from a volcano .
Serena looked at it with narrowed eyes .
" Please open ! " She said desperately and the book did nothing .
It still hadn't opened up . She had tried everything , even giving it her blood but apparently it was not a blood seal stopping it from opening . Her patience was warned thinner than mouse hair but her desire to become stronger held her back from getting rid of the thing .
" There has to be something to it . " She said out loud , " A trick ? A secret phrase ? Something I haven't thought of . "
Serena lifted the book , it's cover felt like the skin between the flesh and muscle of a chicken . Clamy and yet smooth with veiny texture . She looked at it's monstrous face , deep into its eyes and then she threw it to the ground .
" Open ! " She shouted and stomped it's face . Nothing happened unfortunately .
" Open I said ! " She jumped and stomped both her feet on the book .
After nothing happened again , her patience snapped .
" Damn you ! Damn you ! Damn you all ! " Serena shouted as she stomped on the book again and again . Taking out all her frustrations on it .
" Nothing still ? " Serena asked breathlessly after a few minutes . She looked at the book as it was still in perfect condition .
" Why ? " She asked as she fell to her knees.
" Please , I can't stand it . Please , " she begged it .
Everyday being commanded . Being desperate enough to pray to a god she didn't believe in . That was what had broken her . Yesterday the whole orphanage had gone to the chapel to pray and they had forced Serena to join them . Sister Becca had forced her to pray as well , telling her the words to say .
Serena had wanted to kill the woman. This was nothing but absolute cruelty to a witch like her . Praying to a divine deity was the highest level of humiliation and even her mother told her never to pray to the Trinity God . If she had been seen by her mother yesterday , she would have died from shame .
She wanted to make that woman pay but ever since that soul took her soul energy , her magic was weak . Pitifully weak .
" Please , I'll give you anything . " Serena said with tears in her eyes .
With those words , the face on the book changed . Its eyes blinked and it looked at her and then it smiled with it's teeth before it flipped open .
" What ? That's the phrase ? I'll give you anything ? " She asked and the book jumped up from the ground and onto her desk .
Serena got up moved to see what was inside and her eyes grew wide . The book had opened in the middle pages there were two spelss and Serena couldn't believe them .
[ Resurrection spell ; Brings back the dead , a soul wandering without a body and a dead body with no soul .
Price - The solace of man ]
The next spell was even more unbelievable ;
[ Eternal ethereal beauty ; Turns one into a beauty that rivals deitys . No human being can resist their charm and will gladly become their slave .
Price - The greatest untreasured gift ]
Beauty and immortality , Serena thought as she lifted it up .These spells were amazing , she flipped the book to the next page and saw another incredible spell with a price at the bottom .
" What are these prices ? " She wondered and decided to test a spell .
She chose something simple , anything more extreme seemed reckless . Her chosen spell was ;
[ Levitation spell ; allows the spellcaster temporary control of air and gravity . The more power the heavier the price .
Price ; Last layer of the mortal coil ]
Serena looked at the incantation , it was very short , barely three phrases . She braced herself and let her magic energy flow into the book to draw on its power . As soon she did , she felt a knot form between her and the magical energy of the book . It was like a chain of fire on her soul .
" Let the air bend to my will , " she chanted softly , " Lift my body as it is still . The wind raises me high and higher still . "
As soon as she finished saying the spell , Serena's legs lifted off the ground and she floated horizontally in her room .
" Haha ! " She laughed as she turned midair in a circle .
Yes , she thought as she landed back on the ground , this was power . With this spellbook , she could be a witch to be revered and no longer would she have to be told what to do by these nuns .
" Ah ! " Serena cried out as her left hand began to burn and itch . She lifted her hand and saw a coil of skin turn red and raw . It looked like poison ivy had eaten around her arm and she sat on her bed in horror .
This was the price , she realized , the last layer of the mortal coil is flesh . She sighed , at least she had not used alot of power . Serena looked at the book and a new feeling came over her .
Serena was uneasy .
....
" I'm sorry love . " Link said as he reached for Stuart's hand but his lover moved it away with a huff .
" I am still not talking to you . " Stuart said folding his arms and puffing his cheeks .
" I've been apologizing all day , won't yah forgive me ? " Link said but Stuart shook his head .
They were in Stuart's room , Link was on Stuart's bed and Stuart was standing away from him . They had been having this chat for nearly half an hour . Stuart was still angry at what Link said about Henric and his love for Carey .
Link was lucky Stuart opened the door for him when he came .
" Please love , I swear I'm sorry . " Link said desperately and Stuart narrowed his eyes.
" Do you know what you did wrong then ? " Stuart said , " because if you don't then i am not talking to you , or letting you touch me or have your way with me . "
" Love ! " Link said and he pulled Stuart into his arms before the boy could react . He nibbled his ear and Stuart giggled uncontrollably .
" Stop ! " Stuart said breathlessly .
" Do you forgive me ? " Link said as he stopped nibbling Stuart's ear but he didn't let him go . Instead he lifted him and let him sit on his lap and looked into his eyes .
" You still don't think you did anything wrong . How can I forgive you for that ? " Stuart asked him , " Why do you hate Henric being inlove ? I know it's a bit strange ... alright , no need to give me that look . It is very strange but I like that Henric found his preference . "
" Love , I ain't saying it's bad he's in love, I just don't trust that thing in the glass . " Link said and Stuart raised his hand to pinch him but Link caught it , " I also think you are scared for Henric but are just to stubborn to admit it . "
" Stubborn ? What purpose do I have for being stubborn for anything ? " Stuart asked him .
" You like that Henric fell in love with a man , even if he is in glass . You're happy because now Henric can't judge us no more . You've always been worried he might and even though he said he was alright with us , you still think he would have turned around and changed his mind . Right ? "
Stuart bit his lip and looked down shamefully . Link was completely right and Stuart was embarrassed to be so exposed .
" It's okay Love . I always knew you'd feel like this but I hoped you'd talk to me more about it . " Link said and he linked their fingers in the hand he had been holding .
" I'm sorry . I was just ... afraid . " Stuart said quietly , " Henric seemed like he wasn't sure at first and that maybe he disliked it when they kissed . I thought he'd start feeling the same way about us . But now he likes a man too and he knows how it feels . "
" No , Love . He don't know how we feel for each other . " Link said and Stuart looked at him with questioning eyes .
" Look , I may not be smart but I know things . Like when someone is trying to fill a hole in their heart with something else . " Link said looking at their linked fingers , " When we first met , I had nobody and no family . I went to you hoping to feel better because you seemed nice . I liked your hair and - "
" Link , you are rambling . " Stuart told him and Link chuckled .
" Sorry , I just meant that I didn't love you but I wanted to love you . I wanted someone to fill the hole of love in my heart and that's why I came to you . " He said .
" And now ? " Stuart asked him and Link leaned in and rubbed their noses together .
" Now I'd jump off a bridge for you and give you my heart if you asked . " Link said with a smile , " I love you like cats love milk , like a dog loves a bone , like a bee loves a flower , like rain loves the sea , like - "
" Stop ! I understand . " Stuart said trying to not smile .
" Just trying to get my point across . " Link said smiling but them he frowned , " But when I heard what Henric said and when I saw him , I knew he wasn't inlove . He was clinging to the mirror but not in the way i hold you , like he needed the thing . "
" I know what you mean . I saw the look in Henric's eyes . He seemed lonely and happy and not lonely . " Stuart said with a frown , " I don't think it's good for him to be so pulled in by the spirit . I'm ... worried ."
" Then we'll tell him what we think . " Link said and before Stuart could protest , he silenced him with a kiss , " If Henric's our friend then we have to be truthful to him . Even if it hurts his feelings , okay love ? "
" I don't want for Henric to be sad . " Stuart said with a sigh , " Especially on my account . "
" Too late and don't worry .I'm sure he'll understand your point at least better than mine . " Link said and he breathed in Stuart's scented hair .
" What are you doing ? " Stuart asked him.
" I thought I was forgiven . " Link said and Stuart pouted his lips .
" Not at all." He said and Link pulled him closer .
" Then I guess I have no choice then . " Link said with a mischievous smile and he started attacking Stuart's skin with light nibbles . Stuart giggled half the night away .