"You trynna die, Punk?"
Isaac stood in the middle of the Cafe, facing Ava as she glared at him with a sharp gaze, grinding her teeth as she did.
'There she is. The real Ava Longfield.'
"I'm glad you've decided to drop the fake persona, Demon's Blessing," Isaac commented as the aura around Ava intensified.
Grabbing Isaac by the shirt, Ava tightly gripped his collar as she pulled him closer.
"I don't know who you think you are, but I'm feeling generous today. I'll choose not to ruin your life if you forget whatever you think you saw."
It was clear Ava felt as though she was between a rock and a hard place because otherwise, Isaac knew she would have attacked him already.
"Or, you can do what I ask and I'll forget everything about the Demon's Blessing."
Seeing her immense aura affect Isaac in no way, as well as being confused, Ava could see in Isaac's eyes that she wouldn't get her way easily.
"I already told you, what you're asking is…" Ava spat but before she could finish, Isaac interrupted.
"Let me finish." Isaac held his hand up.
After a pause, Ava clicked her teeth as she retracted her pressure, releasing Isaac.
"I have three demands. If they're fulfilled, I'll keep your secret."
"Get to the point." Ava hissed.
"Firstly, I want you to take my Aroze." As Isaac said this, Ava intensified her glare as she snapped back.
"I already told you, I can't accept your random 'Miracle Herb'. Indulging in such a risk will bring shame to both my family and me if it doesn't work. You've given me no reason to believe your words…"
"That's not what I mean." Isaac's bracelet hummed as a sheet of paper appeared in his hand.
Upon seeing it, Ava was instantly able to tell what it was.
"A Mana Contract?" Ava asked, to which Isaac nodded.
"Read it."
Mana Contracts were quite the extreme form of coming to a conclusive agreement in Spawn, where both parties had no choice but to abide by the rules of the contract.
Isaac had learned this from Oliver. It had cost him a total of 15,000S, which he thought was absurd. But he had no choice.
As for the punishment, it would vary. However, for this contract, Isaac had made the punishment…
"It says if you have any malice or ill intentions with giving me the Aroze, and the following demands, you will…die." Ava looked up as she furrowed her eyebrows.
"Yes. Keep reading."
'Although, I'm not sure how it would kill me.'
Isaac added inwardly.
"I must take the Aroze for a total of three days to run tests, returning it to you after my time is up. If I fail to do so or return the Aroze in a worsened state, I…will become your slave?"
Ava glared at Isaac as she slammed the paper on the table.
"Would you rather have the same punishment as me?"
Upon remembering Isaac's chance of death, Ava calmed down, returning to her seat.
"Additionally, if you choose you still don't want to work with me even after the three days of research, I will accept your wishes and never bother you again."
Although Isaac thought it to be easier if he blackmailed Ava further with the information he had, he still didn't want to make a bad impression on the powerful Longfield family, and maybe even the Khans.
He needed an ally, not an enemy.
'Besides, something tells me she'll be quite shocked upon figuring out the true capabilities of the Aroze.'
Even he was looking forward to what she found. Isaac has realised that other than the Sanguine, he didn't know anything about the Aroze.
Meanwhile, Ava stared at Isaac. Despite her mild demeanour, contrary to her previous furious eyes and grinding teeth, her mind was running wild with countless thoughts.
'He came prepared.'
Ava wanted to retort, but the truth was, she had no choice, like the boy before her had long since stated.
'If I'm being honest, it doesn't sound like a bad deal either.'
Other than the peculiar part where it was stated both parties would not harm each other, nor steal from each other when vulnerable, with the choice to reject this offer after she could research for herself, Ava could tell this offer was favourable to both sides, her especially.
"Fine."
Biting her thumb and drawing blood, Ava ran her bloodied print on the bottom of the piece of plain-looking parchment.
"Excellent." Isaac smiled, as he did the same.
As both blood prints touched the paper, a small glow emanated from it, and it soon returned to normal.
This was how one activated the contract. With blood.
However, the party must also give verbal consent.
"Now that we've signed it, follow me." Isaac stood as he walked toward the cafe door, dropping his formal language as his plan was mostly complete.
"Why?"
"We can't fulfil my next demands here. We need to be somewhere secluded." Saying this, Ava paused, soon getting up to follow Isaac as they both left the cafe.
***
On campus, five individuals stood under the moon as they talked while some even laughed.
"What, am I not allowed to comment on your beautiful silky black hair that reflects the shine of the moon off of it?" Colt spoke, standing before Heather who seemed to be unamused.
"Tsk, you're such a scumbag. Just 15 minutes ago you were trying the same nonsense with my best friend. Have some shame!" Heather snapped at him.
Cain laughed as he watched, while Amara rolled her eyes and Daniel simply ignored them.
"Speaking of Ava, how much longer is she going to take paying the bill? Does it usually take this long in Spawn?"
Cain asked, to which Amara shook her head.
"No, she's been gone for far too long. We should go back and…" Before Amara could finish, she was cut off as a pleasant 'Bing' could be heard.
"'I was feeling tired so I headed to my dorm for an early night.' What is she talking about?" Heather read the text she'd received, scratching her head.
"Oh, what a bummer. I guess we should call it a night." Colt commented in a disheartened tone.
"But that's so strange of Ava. She's never tired. And if she was, she'd meet us instead of suddenly leaving for her dorm. That's not like her."
Amara shrugged as she prepared to leave.
"Who knows? Maybe she's just having an off day. Happens to us all."
Despite this, Heather still seemed unsatisfied.
'I hope she's okay.'
***
In the forest surrounding the school, as the moonlight peeked through the small gaps in the leaves above, Isaac walked past trees and through bushes as Ava followed.
"How much further?" Ava asked as she started to grow impatient.
"Right here should be good enough," Isaac answered, halting his steps without looking back.
"Why have you brought me here?"
Pausing for a second, Isaac turned around, revealing what he held in both hands.
Isaac seemed to be holding a glass cylinder with some sort of liquid floating inside.
However, that wasn't what piqued Ava's interest.
Instead, it was the two eyeballs floating within the liquid. Both of them were adorned with bright crimson pupils that dazzled, seeming as though a whole world was trapped inside.
"This is…"
"The Scarlet Eyes!" Ava yelped, breaking character as her jaw dropped and her eyes were left wide open.
'H-How…' She thought.
She didn't know what to be surprised about. The fact a National Treasure was being nonchalantly waved in her face as if it were nothing or the fact it was an F-Ranker who held it.
"You know them?" Isaac asked.
"Of course I do. There isn't an Inheritor in Spawn who hasn't heard of such a famous National Treasure. But how do you…"
In that moment, Isaac could visibly see Ava realising she'd lost her cool, regaining her composure.
'Is he really an F-Rank?'
"Well, I was going to say this is my second demand. I want you to replace my eyes with these."
"What? You want to use the Scarlet Eyes?" This time, Ava was able to keep her cool as she asked with a raised eyebrow.
"What my intentions are is none of your concern. My demand is to have my eyes replaced. You're a medical Ninja, aren't you?"
Ava grits her teeth as she suppresses the urge to lunge at Isaac.
"What I'm saying is, eyes aren't simply light bulbs you can screw on and off. Without the proper procedure, you'll suffer immense pain, not to mention the temporary loss of sight."
Isaac walked toward Ava as she spoke, soon coming face to face.
Shoving the glass cylinder into her hands, Ava couldn't help but be taken aback by Isaac's demeanour.
'He…doesn't care. The pain, blindness…he doesn't give a damn.'
No words were spoken as Ava took the cylinder, only now realising the section in the contract stating they could not steal or harm the other party when they were vulnerable.
'He knew. Crazy bastard.'
Staring into his eyes, Ava raised her thumb, index and middle fingers, pressing the thumb on the bottom side of the eye and the other two on the top.
"You'll suffer the pain of your eyes literally being torn out, and you'll succumb to blindness till the Scarlet Eyes are implanted."
Isaac took a deep breath as he exhaled, looking her straight in the eyes as he braced himself.
"Do it!"
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Next chapter title: Hearts Guild [2]
P TO THE O TO THE W TO THE E...I'm not doing allat.
Just gimme dem POWERSTONESSSSSSSSSSSS!!!