"Oh my goodness Linda!" Cassie screamed and hurriedly untied her and slowly removed the seal off her mouth.
"What happened to you?!" She asked, gently lifting her up.
"Lisa... Lisa came here and did this to me".
"That means you weren't the one I was talking to when I returned from hunting. How could I not tell the difference?!".
"It's not your fault, you had no reason to think it was her".
"So where's Lisa now?" Cassie asked feeling disappointed with herself.
"All monsters report to the selection hall now!" The principal didn't sound nice this time. Cassie quickly put on the green hoodie and ran to the selection hall with Linda.
"An object has been stolen, a very powerful object that was deliberately and carefully hidden in the basement behind the great stone door built by our ancestors. The door can only be opened by a black blood and I wish to believe there's no enemy among us" The principal said slowly pacing around. She took a deep breath and continued,
"The culprit slit his or her palm so the door could be opened with his or her bloodstain. Marc here will go around looking at your palms. Any monster with a slit palm will be considered a possible suspect". There was clamouring among the students as Marc moved around checking everyone's palm but no one was found with a slit palm. Marc started handing out papers with a sketch of the magic pendant on them.
"This was the object that was stolen from the basement. Dear monsters of S.U.M.S, it's time that you put your hunting skills to the test. I ask that you search high and low till you bring me the culprit and the magic pendant. Now go!". Everybody immediately rushed out of the hall and into the bushes in search of Lisa and the magic pendant.
"I think we should split up so we can find her faster" Cassie suggested. Linda nodded and the both of them split up.
Cassie soon came across a jacket that was blood stained. She picked it up and smelled it. She immediately recognized the scent. She looked on the ground and saw a trail of blood which she followed. The trail came to an end and she stopped. She looked around but she saw nothing. She wanted to take a step but she was hit on the head with an heavy object causing her to blackout.
She slowly opened her eyes and saw herself in an abandoned, old temple. She saw a woman holding the magic pendant, she wanted to get up but she couldn't, she wanted to turn but she couldn't.
"Don't bother. I put a restraining spell on you which means your ability and strength will be on a hold for a while so just lay down and take a... What's the word?... Ah-ha, chill pill. Take a chill pill" The woman said to Cassie.
"What's this? Another abduction?!".
"Another? Well you can call it whatever you like, I won't judge" The woman replied. Lisa walked in holding a bunch of firewood.
"Nice to meet you again, Cassie".
"Why are you doing this? You weren't always like this".
"Wrong! I was always like this so don't even think you know anything about me!".
"You have the pendant, so what do you need me for?" Cassie asked the woman.
"Finally! Took you long enough to ask the question I've been waiting for. Easy, I need your blood. You see, the amuelisk is a thing of ancient magic and black bloods are creatures of ancient magic..."
"So?" Cassie interrupted.
"So, I need you, a black blood to awaken the powers of the amuelisk".
"Wait, so you're planning on sacrificing me, is that it?".
"Yes, so thoughtful of you to know your fate, all you have to do is accept it because there's no way of escaping it".
Lisa brought out a dagger and moved towards Cassie.
"Lisa please! Don't do this! This isn't who you are!" Cassie pleaded. Her pleading fell on deaf ears as Lida kept on moving closer.
"I'm sorry Cassie but I have to do this" Lisa said and raised the dagger to stab Cassie.
"Cassie! Lisa, no!" Linda screamed causing a great power surge that sent Lisa and the woman flying. Lisa hit her head on a wall and died, while the woman hit her back on a giant stone causing her to groan in pain. Cassie could feel her powers come back to her and she stood up.
"Lisa!" Linda screamed and rushed to where Lisa's body laid lifelessly.
"Lisa please, please don't leave me!" She cried shaking Lisa's body like that was going to revive her. Cassie walked towards the woman.
"I'll take that" she said and snatched the pendant away from the woman's hand.
The woman grabbed Cassie's hand and dragged her down.
"Beware and be warned for in the end when chaos strikes the ancient walls of S.U.M.S, one of you is destined to die by the hands of the other" The woman whispered to Cassie and let go of her. Cassie couldn't understand what the woman said.
"Was she trying to say that she'll end up killing Linda in the end and vice versa?" She thought. She shook her head and went to meet Linda who was still mourning.
"We have to go back now, it wasn't your fault" Cassie consoled. Linda slowly stood up and Cassie held her hand and they walked back to the school.
"Congratulations and thank you Cassandra Olsen and Melinda Stilton for bringing back the amuelisk. You'll be rewarded with a rest from daily activities for a week and you'll get to eat whatever you want for dinner tonight!" The principal said to Cassie and Linda with a bright smile on her face.
"I've never seen you smile before, you should smile more often hopefully it'll be less creepy" Cassie jokingly said to the principal.
"I see you haven't changed your attitude" The principal replied giving Cassie a light hit on her back. The students clapped and Cassie felt happy like never before.