Seth watched Alesha stumble, then fall on her face after a slurred, "No, please no." The listening spell caught the sound of Alesha's nose breaking and he winced.
"Now Alesha," he said in a whisper, eagerness suffusing his voice, "Show me what it's like to Evolve!"
As he watched, Alesha's body shuddered and twitched, and a web of light shot across her body in a flash, originating at the base of her neck. The light was primarily white but somehow managed to give off the impression of every other color as well. It weaved and intertwined with itself, growing like roots across her body, shedding an incredibly beautiful array of color in hypnotic patterns across the room.
Seth abandoned the magical View Windows, moving to the edge of the cubic depression so he could see it directly.
When he did, he found that looking at it with the naked eye was almost too much to withstand -- but he also found that it was well worth the pain. Coming from her form were what appeared to be heat waves. They distorted his perception of the room, yet instead of merely seeming to bend what surrounded her, it also tinted the room in a kaleidoscope of colors. The stones appeared reddish here, greenish there, pink across the way and blue in another area. The distortions were most prominent immediately around Alesha's still form.
As he looked at her, he noticed that the roots of light now entirely obscured her form, and while they did so, they continued to twitch and shiver, steadily growing. Not only did they cover her now, but they also spread to the floor nearby.
Seth watched as if hypnotized, completely ignoring the Examiners as they summoned a bridge of solid black smoke and carried one of their number out the door. He was completely oblivious as they shouted to postpone the rest of the students' Tasks. He remained unaware (though immovable) even when they tried to grab him to pull him away.
It was only when he heard them discussing whether they should "kill the demon responsible" that he snapped out of his trance.
"No!" He shouted, springing to his feet. "Why must you kill Alesha? I do not see the purpose behind doing so!"
A group of professors standing there went silent, then one spoke up. "Are you seriously asking that? She killed one of your Examiners! Don't tell me you didn't notice."
Seth was surprised, and scratched his head. Thinking quickly, not sure what had happened or how, he responded, "Actually, I don't think she did. I was watching her closely the whole time. She seemed confused and started talking to herself, but at no point did she make any move towards the Examiners with the intent to kill. What led you to accuse her of doing so?"
A different professor spoke up. "The two other Examiners both testified that Brutus had cast a simple investigative spell in order to verify whether your Demon had split personalities. Then, he fell forward, dead. We soon discovered that, at that time, his brain liquefied. Your Demon used magic to kill him for intruding on her mental privacy."
Seth pinched the bridge of his nose. "Are you idiots? Did you even check the reports of my Demon's capabilities first, before accusing her of doing so? If you had, you would have known that I extensively tested her abilities and she has no such power. She couldn't have killed him."
"Then how do you explain what's happening now? What is with that light show in there?"
"She's in the midst of evolving. She described the process to me before, and it should continue for several hours before finishing. I'm uncertain whether it is a feature unique to her species, but it signifies a breakthrough in her Demonic growth. I surmise that in the process of resisting her Demonic Instincts, she grew stronger, and met some unknown requirement for the evolution. I suggest that after she wakes, you inquire from her directly as to what happened. In any case, it would be rash to kill her before pursuing every possible method of investigation."
One that seemed to be in charge sighed and pushed up a pair of glasses. "Alright, young man, you make several good points. We'll leave her be for now. However, you will stay here to observe, and we will guard the door. If you release her contract early in order to save her, I will see to it that you will be expelled from Arkshire Academy, do you hear? The unexplained death of an Examiner will not be taken lightly."
"Understood, Professor," Seth said with an incline of his head.
----
A shapely woman with voluminous, wavy brown hair reaching past her waist leaned back, straightening herself out as the swing's trajectory reversed, sending her forward. The wind created by the action pulled on her hair, causing it to flow behind her like a banner declaring victory. Her voice sounded in rich, unadulterated laughter, her lips parting to reveal slightly too-sharp fangs. The sight was both heartwarming and chilling at the same time. Somehow, this gorgeous woman's play seemed to be both a warning and a celebration at once.
The woman's purple, red and gold dress was in a style that observers would describe as being both regal and bold, perhaps even alien. Its flowing shapes came together in a way that was somehow chaotic yet orderly, complicated yet simple. It fluttered as she swung, refusing to get tangled amongst itself in a way that could be perceived as unflattering. Every moment of her passing was as if from a painting.
Slowly, the woman came to a stop, pausing briefly before rising and moving closer.
She chuckled darkly, her sultry voice (sounding somehow familiar) cooing directly at an observer she had noticed. As she crouched nearby, she spoke: "Hello, little one."
Her hand reached out, her sharp, painted gold nails brushing against the leaves of a little sprout as she moved to caress it. It shivered in fear, something within it both screaming in terror and joy at the woman's touch. The aura about her demanded respect and submission, and the sprout complied.
The woman tilted her head back, grinning slightly in amusement. She fiddled her fingers, playing with the sprout. "I wonder…"
As she said this, she gently gripped one of the leaves between two fingers and began to tug on it, stretching it until the sprout was fully extended. "Should I?" The woman tapped her chin, looking up and then down again, watching as the sprout shuddered, its terror rising. What was this madwoman about to do?
She laughed in a single bark, then chuckled, brushing her free hand from her forehead and through her hair, simultaneously releasing the sprout. "Madwoman, eh? Hmm, hm hm, you might not be wrong there," she teased. The woman's crimson eyes lit up with delight. "I've got something better in mind than cutting you off here, never you fear, little sprout!"
The mysterious, threatening woman rose to her feet, regality accompanying her every motion. "Take this gift, and thrive well my child! I look forward to seeing you grow."
These words brought the sprout no comfort as its consciousness faded.