The rest of the week passed in a strange, surreal haze. I tried my best to act normal, but every time I glanced at Seraphina, sitting just a few feet away in class, I was reminded of the pact that now defined my life. Things couldn't stay quiet for long—I knew that much. Seraphina wasn't just any demon, and my bond to her made me a target.
My unease was confirmed that Friday after school. I was walking home alone, my head filled with a jumble of thoughts, when I felt it. A chill in the air—a darkness pressing in around me. It was subtle at first, like a heavy fog creeping in at the edges of my mind, but then it hit me like a brick wall.
I stopped, my heart pounding as I glanced around. The streets were eerily empty, and the sky had taken on an unnatural hue, as if the light itself was being drained from the world. That's when I saw them.
Three figures stood in the middle of the road, dressed in long, dark cloaks that billowed around them despite the still air. Their faces were obscured, but I could feel their eyes on me. Watching. Waiting.
"You must be Kaito," one of them hissed, their voice like nails on a chalkboard. "The boy who dared to bond with the Queen of the Abyss."
I took a step back, my pulse racing. "Who the hell are you?"
The figure in the center laughed—a cold, soulless sound. "We are her enemies, of course. And now, you are ours."
Before I could react, they lunged at me. Time seemed to slow down as they closed in, their movements unnaturally fast. I raised my arms instinctively, bracing for impact, but something else took over.
A surge of power erupted from within me—dark, swirling energy that pulsed through my veins. It wasn't something I controlled, but something primal, awakened by the threat. The mark on my chest burned like fire, and the air around me crackled with dark energy.
The attackers halted mid-strike, their cloaks flaring as the energy swirled around them. They staggered back, hissing in surprise.
"What… what is this?" one of them growled, their voice dripping with anger.
I didn't know what I was doing, but the power continued to pour out of me, wrapping around the three figures like a storm. They tried to resist, but whatever force was within me was stronger. With a final burst of energy, they were thrown back, vanishing into the darkness as quickly as they had appeared.
Panting, I collapsed to my knees, the energy dissipating as quickly as it had come. My hands shook, my heart still racing. What had just happened? What was that power?
Before I could gather my thoughts, I heard footsteps behind me. I turned to see Seraphina, her expression calm but her eyes glowing with intensity.
"You are awakening," she said softly, a hint of pride in her voice. "Soon, you will understand your true potential."
I stared up at her, still dazed from the encounter. "What… what just happened to me?"
Seraphina knelt down beside me, placing a hand on my shoulder. "You tapped into the Abyss, Kaito. The bond between us grants you access to my power, but you must learn to control it."
I swallowed hard, the weight of her words sinking in. I wasn't just bound to her—I was becoming something else. Something powerful. Something dangerous.
And I had no idea what that meant for my future.