A new lifetime, a new day, a new….Master?
Chapter 1
As I ran through the alleyways, trying to gather enough time to protect myself, the only sounds that I heard were my black vans, now slightly speckled with blood, hitting the ground in a hurried pattern, and my heart pounding with my ears, my knee long chocolate brown hair, flying in a flurry behind me. I stopped, hiding behind a nearby dumpster in order to catch my breath. Slowly scanning the area before emerging from behind the dumpster, I was amazed by what I saw, which was nothing. "Did I really lose him?" I thought to myself, looking around once again. My right side twinged in pain, causing me to hiss.
I gently lifted up my shirt to inspect the damage. A foot long gash ran vertically along my hip, not deep enough to hit anything important, but deep enough for plenty of blood loss. "Aw man," I said silently while ripping a strip of my shirt to tie around and attempt to stanch the now reopened wound. "It's all this damn running," I grunted through the pain of the fabric hitting the wound. I looked down at my once pristine sky blue t-shirt, which at this point was more maroon than blue from the blood. My jeans were covered in a mixture of blood, sweat, dirt, and who knows what else from the chase.
I gave a heavy sigh before standing up once again, "Another outfit down the drain. Come to think of it, the school's is going to need another sub as w-" I stopped as I felt myself being tackled to the ground.
"No running in the halls Ms. Mortiza," the creature hissed in my ear.
"How did he sneak up without the pendant noticing?" I thought to myself. "My bad, Mr. Satralas," I said trying to fight the pain coming from my wound from hitting the ground so forcefully.
"I'm afraid that won't cover it this time ," He said in a mock scolding tone, "You know the rules," I could feel the smirk on his face as he continued, "Three strikes, you're out."
"Ok relax Mel, you have been in worse situa-"My train of thought was derailed by the sound of a blade being unsheathed.
While half pinning me to the ground, the teacher creature began preparing the blade for its intended purpose, killing me. "Though it wasn't pristine before," he said as he moved the blade to my throat, "this alleyway is going to be so much messier when I'm done with you, but at least dried blood will complement the color of the bricks. Don't you think?"
"I couldn't agree more," I said in all honestly. "But it's not going to be my blood," I thought to myself. "You always were a decent art teacher," I said, trying to distract him, "one of my favorites."
"You were one of my favorites as well ," he said sincerely, "at least you could tell the difference between Realism and Surrealism."
"I don't suppose you would honor your favorite student's last request then?" I said as I sneakily maneuvered my hand into my pocket. "The second he lets me up and not any later, that's when I'll strike," she thought to herself.
The creature pondered this for a few moments. "Oh why not," He said, "A final request is the least I could do for such an accomplished killer and a near perfect student. So what exactly does the infamous demon killer want?"
"I would like to stand up and see my favorite teacher face to face, one last time," I said, choosing my words carefully, "and if possible, perhaps the real name of the pers-no, the demon at who's hands I am finally meeting my demise."
The demon let out a small chuckle, and without realizing it, he let his guard down, "You must think I'm a moron. I know all about you and I know what will happen if I let you up. But the name, the name is Auros."
I let out a chuckle of my own, "Auros, what a pure name for someone so evil, perfect name for my next conquest."
"Your next conquest?"He began to laugh heartily at this. "If you have noticed dear, I'm afraid this is the end of the line for you."
"Yeah," I said nonchalantly, "you would think." "But then this happened," I said pulling the corked flask out of my pocket. Quickly rolling over to see his face, I uncorked the bottle and flung the liquid at his face.
As soon as the liquid hit his face, he released his grip on not only me, but his blade as well, dropping to the ground writhing in pain. "What did you just do?" he managed to say through the pain.
Taking my chance, I hastily stood up and tackled him, thus reversing our positions. "What?" I grunted out, "After all my previous encounters, did you really think I didn't have any salt mixed with holy water on me?"
"NOT TODAY BRAT!" and with that, he used all of his strength to throw her off of him and at the wall.
As soon as she hit the wall, she felt all the air in her body rush out. "Cheap shot," she moaned before getting to her feet. "Why must all you demons be so stubborn?" she questioned as she climbed up the nearest fire escape and out of the demon's reach.
"We say the same about you, my dear," he said as he appeared behind her. He then proceeded to sweep her legs, pushing her off of the fire escape to the awaiting ground below. He began to cackle as she stumbled over the edge of the balcony, not noticing until too late that I had grabbed the tails of his coat.
"Oh no, you don't," I said as I began to fall, "If I go, you're coming with me!" With that we both fell from the fire escape, tumbling down thirty feet until we both hit the ground. I heard a crack as I landed on my right arm. "Yeow," I yelled after the pain had registered. I attempted to move it and met with obvious resistance. "Great," I thought to myself, "another emergency room visit." And that's when I noticed it, both Mr. Satralas, no, Mr. Auros and I were both equal distance from the blade, and only I had regained the ability to move so far, but he wasn't far behind. I saw him stirring and so I took my chance.
I hurried and grabbed the blade, taking the opportunity to run it through the demon's heart. An inhuman scream echoed through the alleyway. I could tell from the scream that I had only nicked his heart. "GOD D#MN IT, AT LEAST TRY TO AIM YOU IDIOT!" he screamed through the pain. He tried to move to attack me, but he found he couldn't move. "What's happening?! What did you do?" He shouted at me as I was in the middle of prepping the ritual.
"It the effect of the holy salt Mr. Auros," I said as I continued working on the circle I was drawing tripping checking to make sure everything was just right, "I had already planned on this happening and I had planned where you would land. So I came prepared and had this thing planted in your current spot," I said referencing that he was in the exact middle of my banishment circle, "When the salt mixed with your demonic magic, it was only a matter of time until your entire body froze up; the sword through the heart was just the kick start to it."
"Wait wait," he tried to plead, "don't do this, I can give you wealth, power, anything your heart desires."
I gave this some thought for a moment before deciding, "Nah. Why sell my soul for that stuff when I could do it myself." After this I had completed the circle and was about to start the spell when he began laughing. "What's so funny about your imminent death?" I asked as I untied the strip of cloth from my now non-bleeding wound.
"What you said dear," he spoke as he continued laughing, "that whole your soul business. It's almost as if you didn't know."
"Know about what?" I asked warily.
"Oh so you really don't know," he said in fake concern. "Haven't you always wondered why we all come after to you?"
I could tell he was trying to lure me into a trap. "Not this time buddy," I said before dropping the bloody rag in the center, ready to start the spell, "not this time." And with that I began the chanting and he began screaming once more. After nearly ten minutes, the spell was nearly complete.
After he resigned to his death, like many others before him, he had gone silent. In his last few seconds of life, Mr. Auros tried to teach me one last thing. His last words were, "Beware the raven , beware the raven."
After he was gone, I pondered his last words for a few moments before feeling pain reenter my body. I let out another hiss and the pain in my arm began to throb. "Ugh, hospital time I suppose," I said as I began clearing the circle away. As I began to walk towards the alley's exit, I noticed something still on the ground where Mr. Auros had previously laid.
Not only had his blade remained, but it had reverted back into its original form, his supposed lucky bracelet. "So that's why he never took this thing off," I mumbled, checking to see if it was safe before picking it up, "A perfect new addition to my conquest case." And with that I slipped the new trophy in my pocket and began to limp towards where I had stored my bag.
After finding my bag, I called one of the few people who I can talk to after an attack. "Luna, it's me."Luna Ferrox was a 25 year old witch who ran the local Harley dealership. I had met her shortly after moving to the city ten years ago. It was my sixth birthday when she found my propped up against a bike in her shop. After that she had become my go-to gal for emergency hospital transport and clean up duty. She had even given me my trusty stead, Sakura, my classic cherry red Harley.
"Where are you, who was it this time, and how's Sakura?" she questioned.
"The alleyway between Coldstone and Hot Topic, Mr. Satralas, and currently wrecked in the school parking lot."
"Damn, he was a cute one," she said as I heard her grabbing her keys. "How bad are you hurt?"
"…Bring spare clothes, and I'm bleeding a bit. Maybe need stitches."
"Already grabbed them and I'll be there in ten. After I drop you off, I'll pick up Sakura and see how long repairs will take. Just don't pass out."
"I'll try, see ya soon." After that I hung up and began to wait, feeling myself already begin to fade away from blood loss. "Must stay awake," I said aloud. After several minutes, I felt my demon sensing pendant begin to tingle. "Oh are you kidding me?" I muttered looking around to find nothing. "This thing must need a tune-up," she said shaking the pendant. When she finally saw Luna's car approaching, she was thoroughly creeped out.
"Jeez," Luna said opening the door, "You have had one hell of a night."
"Let's get out of here," I said hopping in her car, "I'm pretty close to passing out."
"As you wish," she said as we prepared the go to the hospital.
"Thanks," I said as I glanced out the window one last time before passing out. I did not pass out from blood loss though. I had passed out after seeing a tall, black wing clad creature standing on a near by roof top. I had begun to panic when I heard a soothing voice in my head.
"Sleep young one."
That was all it said before I had passed out.