During her school years, Virginia spent her days and nights buried in textbooks, setting herself apart from her classmates. While others went to parties and enjoyed their youth, she understood that her family could never afford her education. The only way out was a scholarship. To achieve that goal, she rarely left her room. Few people wanted to befriend her, and soon, fantasy books became her solace. She would dive headfirst into worlds of magic, where wizards battled dragons and valiant warriors protected fair maidens.
Virginia had a unique beauty of her own. Glasses framed her intelligent gaze, and her long red hair cascaded down to her chest. Her skin, pale as snow, stood in striking contrast to her rosy lips, giving her a captivating appearance. Yet, she was incredibly shy. Her parents' frequent arguments left her with a lingering sense of guilt. She tried to make herself invisible — and succeeded. No matter how great her natural beauty was, no one noticed her, and over time, she began to see herself as plain.
Virginia's parents never believed she could secure a sponsored spot, especially at a university like Horndick. But on her 18th birthday, a letter of admission arrived. For the first time in a long while, her father looked at her with pride, and her mother hurried to tell all the neighbors that Virginia, the best student in her school, had been accepted into one of the most prestigious universities.
And so, the day came when she left her childhood home to chase her dream. She knew she wouldn't return until winter break, so she packed only the essentials: her favorite sweater, knitted by her grandmother last Christmas; a pouch of stickers for her laptop; and the latest issue of Knight Pie Adventures — her favorite comic book series.
The semester began. Virginia enrolled in the international relations faculty and moved into the girls' dormitory. Her roommates, Melissa and Anna, quickly warmed up to her, even though they were surprised by her love of fantasy. They soon noticed what Virginia herself could not see — her inner beauty.
On that cloudy September morning, Virginia woke up to the vibration of her phone on the bedside table.
"Five more minutes…" she mumbled, reaching for the phone, which went silent.
She had been dreaming of a magical scene: she was a sorceress filling a lake with water while a young man with shimmering blonde hair, reflecting sunlight, watched from the shore.
"Ginny, get up!" Melissa's voice cut through the haze. "Class is starting soon!"
"What?!" Virginia's eyes shot open, and the image of the young man dissolved.
"Oh no!" she gasped, leaping out of bed and rushing to the bathroom.
"No time!" Anna grabbed her by the arm. "Here, this will help."
She pulled out a bottle of perfume and sprayed it on Virginia a couple of times. The cool mist landed on her skin.
"Ah! Cold! Have you been keeping that on the windowsill?" Virginia protested.
"Sorry, dear," Anna said with a smile. "You've got ten minutes."
Quickly pulling on jeans and a jacket, Virginia dashed out of the room. The dormitory hallway was full of students rushing to class. Among them, she spotted Michael.
"Michael!" she called out.
"Hey," he turned, brushing his long black hair away from his face. "Just woke up too?"
"Yeah, stayed up reading," Virginia said, fixing her hair as she approached him.
"What about you?"
"Well… doing some research," he replied with a sly smile.
"Research on what?"
"That's not important." Michael looked slightly flustered. "Are you coming to the party tonight?"
"I don't know… I had other plans…" Virginia had never attended parties and feared looking foolish.
"Come on," he said, giving her a gentle nudge. "Or do you need an official invitation?"
"No, I just…"
"Alright," he interrupted, adopting a mock-formal tone. "Virginia Mustfill, you are hereby invited to tonight's ball."
"Stop it," she laughed. "Fine, I'll think about it."
"No, Virginia Mustfill," he said louder.
"Okay, okay," she smiled, looking into his brown eyes. "I'll come."
By eight o'clock, students filled the square in front of the main building. The clock struck exactly eight, and everyone hurried to their classes. At the lecture hall door, Professor Soar greeted them.
"You're lucky I haven't started yet," he smirked, holding the door open.
"Thank you!" Virginia and Michael called out, quickly slipping past him.
The lecture began.
***
The lesson passed rather quickly, or at least that's how it felt to Virginia. Perhaps because her mind was occupied with deciding what to wear that evening. An ideal image had already formed in her head: she remembered the long burgundy dress she had sewn herself for a fantasy character contest. At the party, she wanted to stand out and look truly special.
After the lecture ended, Michael said goodbye to Virginia and headed to another building, where his next professor awaited. Virginia, meanwhile, stayed behind, filled with anticipation for the upcoming evening. She was a little nervous about looking silly, but around Michael, she always felt calm and confident.
The day flew by unnoticed. By the time the sun was setting on the horizon, signaling the end of the academic day, Virginia returned to her room. There, Melissa and Anna were already waiting, fully prepared for the party.
"Finally!" Melissa approached her immediately. "Where have you been? It's almost time to leave."
"Come on, hurry up!" Anna waved her hands impatiently. "You're coming, right?"
"Of course, she's coming," Melissa confirmed without giving Virginia a chance to answer. "Right?"
"Yes, yes..." Virginia nodded, glancing at her wardrobe. "I even have a dress."
"Well, then put it on already!" Melissa strode to the wardrobe and opened it. "Show us."
"Here it is," Virginia pulled out the burgundy dress and started changing quickly.
Melissa gave her an appraising look before bursting into laughter.
"You look like... a seasoned owner of a brothel. But maybe that's a good thing."
"You don't like it?" Virginia asked hesitantly, staring at her reflection.
"It's from some fantasy thing, isn't it?" Anna guessed.
"Yes, from…"
"Nerds will love it," Melissa interrupted with a laugh. "Their glasses will fog up."
"Absolutely!" Anna chimed in. "You're so devious!"
"What do you really think?" Virginia asked nervously, moving closer to the mirror.
"It's a university party," Melissa squinted, studying her reflection. "Everyone's going to hook up tonight."
"What?!" Virginia spun around, scandalized.
"Here," Anna stepped forward and, without giving Virginia a chance to object, slipped a condom into the dress's pocket.
"Wait, I'm not—" Virginia tried to protest, but Anna firmly shut the pocket.
"Time's up, girls!" Melissa shouted, already standing by the door. "We're late as it is!"
"Put your jacket on, quick!" Anna added with the air of a strict mother, as if determined to make sure Virginia didn't miss out on anything tonight.
"Yes, ma'am," Virginia giggled, throwing on her jacket. "Where's the party again?"
"At the bar," Melissa replied, extending a hand from the doorway. "In the old district."
The girls left the room and headed toward the exit, ready for an evening full of adventures.
***
The journey to the bar took very little time. The girls just had to leave the university grounds and board a tram heading to the old district. As they approached the desired stop, music started to reach their ears.
The bar was called "The Dirty Witch." It was located on a street lined with bars and restaurants. Lanterns bathed the cobblestone pavement in a soft, warm glow. The sun had long set, giving way to the coolness of the night. The stone path guided the girls toward the bar, where students from Horndick University were already reveling. The sidewalk in front of the establishment was packed with loud groups of young men and women.
"It's already started," Melissa shouted, raising her voice over the music.
"I've never been to the old district before," Virginia said, her gaze exploring the aged architecture with curiosity.
"I'm heading to the bar," Anna announced, stepping forward. "What's everyone having?"
"A Metropolitan cocktail," Melissa replied, patting Virginia on the shoulder.
"And I…" Virginia hesitated, thinking.
"Whiskey and cola it is," Anna said with a sly grin, cutting her off and disappearing into the bar.
When the door swung open, the music blared louder, consuming her as she vanished into the crowd.
"Now, let's be serious," Melissa turned to Virginia, folding her arms across her chest. "Who's the lucky guy?"
"What?" Virginia took a step back, not understanding what Melissa was getting at.
"Who do you want to sleep with out of all these guys?"
"I…" Virginia faltered, looking around nervously as if genuinely searching for someone. "No… I don't want to…"
"You're a virgin, aren't you?" Melissa narrowed her eyes as if spotting something unexpected.
"Stop it," Virginia dropped her gaze, feeling heat rise to her cheeks.
"Oh, my god…" Melissa rolled her eyes, taking a deep breath. "You are a virgin. How is that even possible? Have you seen yourself?"
"Please, stop…" Virginia whispered, hoping the loud music would drown out Melissa's words.
"You're one of the most beautiful girls here!" Melissa continued. "Anna and I were sure you just picked nerds on purpose… But you…"
"A boring 'Metropolitan' for you," Anna returned with the cocktail in hand, offering it to Melissa. "And whiskey and cola for you."
"She's a virgin!" Melissa declared abruptly, turning to Anna.
"Yeah, I know," Anna replied casually, taking a sip from her glass.
"You knew?"
"Well, not exactly…" Anna waved it off. "Her behavior's just like someone pretending to be untouchable to attract all those guys."
"No way!" Melissa exclaimed.
"Damn…" Anna studied Virginia closely. "Is that true?"
"I knew this was a bad idea," Virginia whispered, taking a step back.
"Wait, hold on," Anna blocked her path. "It's fine… We just didn't expect it."
"I get what you were thinking," Virginia said, not even glancing at them.
At that moment, a group of guys burst out of the bar, yelling loudly. One of them, clearly drunk, stumbled and fell behind Virginia, cutting her off from her friends.
Virginia quickly walked away from the bar. With each step, the pain in her chest tightened. She couldn't believe her friends thought that about her. She'd never been kissed, never held. She liked Michael, but she didn't want things to happen so quickly. Virginia dreamed of being an elegant lady, not a "dirty whore," as she bitterly thought.
The music faded as she moved further away from the bar. Time seemed to stretch, mirroring her desire to escape the shame. Finally, Virginia realized she was alone on an empty street. Only the howling wind broke the silence.
But her unease didn't last long.
Suddenly, the ground trembled. Clouds engulfed the moon, streetlights began sparking, and one by one, they went out. Darkness swallowed everything.
And then a light flared ahead. Tiny sparks began swirling around her, forming a closed ring. Reality started to dissolve before her eyes. The street faded, replaced by a man's face.
A flash of light blinded her. Something unseen pulled her into the unknown.
A moment later, she hit cold ground. An icy wind lashed her face, cutting to the bone. Virginia lifted her head and saw that the street had vanished, and the sparks had dissolved into the air.
"At last," a voice came from above. "This time, it'll work."
She raised her eyes and saw a man dressed in strange garments. His eyes burned with malice, and a twisted smirk played on his lips.
"Where am I? Who are you?" she whispered, trembling with fear.
The man drew a staff and lifted it high. A crystal at its tip began to glow, and strange symbols started to form around it. Unfathomable words spilled from his lips.
"A wizard?" Virginia muttered, feeling reality slip away. "Have I been poisoned?"
Fear consumed her, but she couldn't move. The forest, the darkness, the stranger—everything around her felt like an illusion.
The symbols wove together, as though words became sentences. At one point, they formed a sphere emitting a golden light.
The man stepped forward, and the sphere darted toward Virginia. She tried to leap back, but the sphere struck her chest, sinking into her. A moment later, it disappeared, leaving her filled with a strange, unfamiliar sensation.
Euphoria. Pleasure, like blood, coursed through her veins. The man watched the scene with icy calm. A burning sensation spread through Virginia's lower abdomen. She didn't understand what was happening to her, but she knew: something was about to occur. Strength and clarity of mind began to abandon her.
At that moment, her body began to change. Her chest grew smaller and smaller, while her panties became increasingly tighter. Her face started to distort, as though she were transforming into someone else. There was no pain—only pleasure.
The man smirked.
"You're my slave from this moment onward," he said, raising his staff. The crystal at its tip glowed brighter. "Forever hungry, forever craving a man's body, forever unsatisfied. The longer you resist, the stronger your desire will grow. And the stronger the desire, the closer you'll be to madness. To preserve your sanity, you must obey me. Every day. Otherwise, it will drive you insane."
"Ah!" Virginia cried, staring at the wizard before her. Her voice was deeper than usual.
"This is ancient magic," he continued. "It was created at the dawn of time, when the world was merely a point in space. Don't even try to break your bonds. You can't!" Glowing symbols began to appear around the staff. "All that's left is to bind you to me, and you'll be mine forever. Only I can give you the pleasure you crave."
The burning sensation intensified, tormenting her flesh. Virginia began to moan, as though acknowledging his power. Saliva dripped from the corners of her mouth.
But suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed in the distance. She raised her gaze and saw several large men running toward them. In her clouded mind, a flicker of hope ignited: salvation. They would stop this monster, save her from the horror he had wrought.
The wizard, consumed by his spell, didn't notice the approaching group.
"We've found him!" a loud voice rang out.
An arrow, shot by one of the men, pierced through the wizard's back. He froze, the symbols around the staff vanished, and the light in the crystal dimmed. The wizard's lifeless body collapsed to the ground, and Virginia's mind began to clear.
Three men approached her and the dead mage. Clouds gathered, veiling the sky and obscuring their faces.
"Is he dead?" one of them asked.
"We need to burn the body," another replied, pulling out a bottle of liquid and pouring it over the corpse.
"What about him?" the first asked again, nodding toward Virginia.
"Please…" Virginia whispered. She could barely speak. "He…"
"That's his whore. He served him," the third man growled. He stepped closer, leaning down to her, and at that moment, the moon emerged from behind the clouds.
"He?" Virginia murmured.
The man's face was animalistic: bared fangs gleamed in the moonlight, and his eyes burned with crimson fire. This was no man. This was a beast.
In the next second, the creature struck Virginia across the face. Everything went dark, and she lost consciousness.