As suddenly as the fight had started, it stopped. We rushed over to Seran, who was bleeding in multiple places, as well as having two pinpricks of blood. We looked apprehensively at the crazy demon, who was on one knee, panting and clutching his knife with a bloodstained hand. "Are you okay?!" I heard Rowan ask Seran. "I'm alright," Seran replied, breathing heavily, "For now." Rowan looked worried. "What do you mean 'for now'?" Seran motioned to the pinpricks with a slight smile. "The freak stabbed me twice with the syringe, and was able to get a fourth of the dosage into me. Who knows what it'll do?"

Rowan looked sickened, and I quickly picked Orenec up, searching him for marks but finding none. "I need to get him back. Do you need my help before I go return him?" Seran shook his head absentmindedly. "Wait at the top of the stairs if you arrive before we finish." He looked at my moody expression seriously. "Do you understand, Azenvel?" I flinched, nodding. Seran almost never called me by my full name, so it had to be important.

I attempted to detach Oren from my leg, but the little, stubborn kid refused, leaving me no choice but to drag him along. When we arrived at the top of the stairs, the little bastard released his hold on my leg, scampering a few feet ahead. "Get back over here!" I called angrily, wondering how stupid the kid was to wander off after almost being killed- or worse. He walked back over, slouching so that his dark hair fell over his eyes, making me shiver as I recalled Crewe doing a very similar thing.

I set a hand on his shoulder, making sure he couldn't run off, and then started heading back to the dorm building. Orenec suddenly stiffened, looking up at the sky with wide eyes. "It's nighttime!" He breathed, his wide eyes scanning the beautiful dots of light in the darkened sky. I blinked, and then hugged him close. "Poor guy, never seen the stars? I had nearly forgotten how strict this place was, especially the nighttime policies!" Oren looked at me sadly.

"We all miss you, Azen!" He hugged me, his small arms barely wrapping around my body. "Come back! Nobody else likes me as much as you..." He pleaded, making my heart hurt. "I can't, Oren... I wish I could, but I can't!" An idea suddenly came to me, and I grinned at him. "Okay Oren, I have an idea, but I have to clear it with Terhi and Seran first." He nodded quickly, his eyes brightening. "Thank you Azen!" He paused suddenly smile fading into a rebellious frown. "Why do we have to clear it with Terhi?" He said the name almost like the Headmaster had Seran's, like it was poison.

I stared at him, shocked. "What's wrong with Terhi?" I asked, thinking about the calm, fair, intelligent boy with blood-red hair. Orenec scowled, "I don't like him! He's strict, and mean, and never lets me have any fun!" I frowned, starting to feel worried. "Oren, I told you before I left! Terhi was the oldest, so he was your new dorm-leader-" Oren yanked my arm from his shoulder, stepping back with his eyes smoldering. "No!" He yelled violently, "You're the leader! You were the leader, and you left us! Now you're back, and you're gonna' leave us again!" His eyes filled with tears, and I suddenly understood.

I smiled softly, ruffling his hair. "I'm sorry Oren, I had to go! You'll see... You're eight, right?" He looked at me sullenly. "S'posed to turn nine last week. It was postponed until the graduation ceremony happened." I smiled at him. "So that means, in about two years, you'll be right up there with me, learning from a mentor!" He looked at me, his eyes suddenly wide and scared. "Don't worry!" I smiled, "You'll have a nice mentor, I'll make sure of it!" He shook his head violently, whispering, "Behind..." I whirled around just in time to see a knife slash right where my head had been before Oren had pulled me away.

"No..." I whispered, staring in horror at the electric-blue haired demon. The only reason he'd be here was if Seran had... Seran! "What did you do to my mentor?" I said shakily, ushering Orenec behind me. "Hah!" The crazy demon spat, his eyes seeming to grin. "I did nothing! It was my mentor!" I paused, suddenly confused. "You seem too old for a mentor!" I said, taking an unobtrusive step back.

He smiled then, a smile that made my blood run cold. He was crazy! Insane! He reminded me of... of the demon who had suddenly appeared two-dozen meters away, his blood-spattered face covered by his messy red hair, which had fallen over his eyes. He brushed the hair out of his line of sight, revealing two glowing yellow irises of light. Crewe. I took a few steps back involuntarily, his presence making me want to cower, but I stood strong instead, sneering at him.

"This is your apprentice?" I said to Crewe. "You need to take him back, he was damaged when you bought him! Head issues, I think!" The thin-faced demon apprentice snarled, pulling out another knife, but was quickly restrained by Crewe, who was, shockingly enough, smiling kindly at his apprentice. He almost looked like a normal mentor right then, helping his apprentice, but that soon disappeared, along with his softness.

He sneered back at me, twirling a knife with a chunk of twirled white-brown stuff on it. As he stepped closer, I realized the psychopath had cut off a chunk of Seran's and Rowan's hair, tying it to his hilt. What had he done to them?! "Don't pay attention to Azen," Crewe said, slowly advancing. "Children aren't exactly known for true words and intelligent opinions!" he swung his knife at me, and I ducked quickly, but was knocked off my feet by a slash of light in the dust below me, sending me tumbling to the ground, nearly squashing Oren.

"Ooh?" Seran suddenly examined Orenec, looking him up and down. "Who do we have here? A child out here? In the night?" He tutted, bending down and picking up Oren by his collar, laughing cruelly as Oren started kicking and punching, eyes dark with hatred and a tiny bit of fear. "Let me go!" He yelled loudly, swinging wild punches, "Don't hurt Azen! Or me!" Crewe laughed again, snidely. "Hmm, and you're going to make me?"

I struggled to my feet, my fists balled at my sides. "Let him go." I said quietly, eyes flashing. Crewe smirked. "Or what?" I stood there for several seconds, unable to come up with a good reply. "You can't even think of a simple comeback?" He asked softly, eyes on Oren, who was now spitting out...very colorful... curses, and grinned. "I like this one!" Crewe said with enthusiasm that scared me. "He has spirit, wit, intelligence... He truly reminds me of myself as I child!"

I shivered; he had so much honesty in his voice! What if... What if Oren turned out like Crewe? I wouldn't be able to forgive myself for letting that happen! The more I thought about it, the more I realized how unstable Oren was. He had an uncontrollable temper, he only had respect for a few people, he didn't mind hurting others, he was strong for his age, and extremely cocky, he was very quick-thinking and intelligent, and he had a semi-twisted moral compass.

"I think he'd make a good apprentice!" Crewe said suddenly, eyes locked on Oren's suddenly fearful face. "No you don't" I spat vehemently. "No way in hell I'm letting you take my little friend!" Crewe's eyebrows shot up. "Mm, you think you can stop me?" I was about to answer 'maybe', when he spoke again, eyes glinting. "Here's a deal, if you can beat Tazerl, you can keep this little guy!" I frowned, pointing to his electric-blue haired apprentice. "He's Tazerl?" Crewe nodded with a smirk. I thought it over for a minute, and then looked at Crewe directly.

"Will this be a fair fight?" I asked, "If I use my two daggers, will he use two daggers too?" Crewe thought for a minute. "I suppose so. Give me your chemicals, poisons, and reagents." He said, speaking to his slightly-crestfallen apprentice. Tazerl turned to me, hatred in his eyes. "Go!" Crewe said, sitting down and holding the yelling, struggling Orenec tightly.

I dodged immediately, the first slash of the knife falling just past my shoulder, and then ducked and rolled, feeling more slashes miss by a hair. I turned, counterattacking with my twin blades, pushing him back for a moment before he advanced again. A swirl of air spun past my right ear, making me involuntarily turn the other way. Tazerl's eyes glittered, realizing he had an opening. He stuck, but I managed to turn so that it barely clipped my shoulder, making a tiny slice.

I slashed in a large X with my blades, giving me an opening as he unsuccessfully attacked my defensive movement. I moved in quickly, stabbing him in the stomach with one dagger, leaving my other free to block his knives. I moved back quickly, tripping him with my leg accidentally as he tried to step forward. I smiled at my good luck as I kicked him hard in the side of the head. That was for Seran! I kicked him again, harder. That was for Rowan! I kicked his ribs, hearing one possibly fracture. That was for Orenec!

I stepped back, barely injured as he lay on the ground, bleeding and in agony. "That was almost too easy!" I muttered quietly, stepping back just as I saw Tazerl grin in triumph, and light blinded my eyes. Dammit! I had forgotten that he had light powers, just like Crewe! I saw another blinding flash of light, and felt a huge, almost unbearable pain rip through my arm. I gasped, staggering backwards as I felt my shirt quickly saturate with blood.

Another flash of light appeared, slashing lower, rending my lower leg open. I cried out, falling to my knees. The pain... It was terrible. That light somehow intensified it, and I realized I had first and second-degree burns on my leg, but not my arm. I collapsed onto the ground, and cried out as another huge slash was carved into my back, huge and deep, but not burned. I was able to keep from crying and screaming, my pride was that much, but if it continued, I'd soon be begging.

"Damn you..." I muttered, my eyes glazed over with pain. I hazily noticed his smirk, and I laughed painfully. "I'll never let you take Oren... He isn't like you bastards, he can be sweet and kind, even if he is usually a brat." I suddenly heard a noise. Oren had started crying! He had never cried before, he was a proud, strong little guy! I rose to my feet, staggering, blood flowing as I began feeling weak. I staggered towards Tazerl, who had something clenched in his hand.

He threw a handful of powder at me, and as he did, his eyes opened wide, stricken with that 'what have I just done?!" look. The powder hit me, but instead of hitting my flesh and falling off, it was sticking to me and burning. Demons were somewhat heat-resistant, as they can stick their hand in a fire and not feel hot, but this was different. The powder burned into my skin, eating away my flesh and sinking ever deeper. I sank to the ground again, screaming in spite of my mind willing me, however unsuccessfully, to stop. I heard Oren's sobs increase, and I stopped moving.

The pain was unbearable, and I fell into a trancelike state, almost an out-of-body experience. I saw Crewe stand up, deadly silent and calm. His eyes gave away his true emotions, however; they were dark, blood-red pools of white fury; cold anger that make me want to run as far away as possible, and I could tell Tazerl wanted to, as well. "I... I'm sorry, Crewe!" he stammered, eyes wide with fear. "I forgot to give that one to y..you, and through habit... h..habit.. I threw it at him..." Crewe turned to me, eyes filled with fury.

"My young apprentice cheated, and I don't lie." He said, voice calm, but thick with hidden anger. "You get the kid back, Azenvel. Just remember the next time we meet. Remember the agony of today." He grabbed Tazerl by the throat, dragging him away. He sat Oren down, surprisingly gentle, and slashed his hand through the air, opening up a small portal and pushing his apprentice through. He turned to me and bowed, his hair covering his eyes, and then smirked, stepping into the portal.

The pain was starting to grow again. I was once again holding back screams as the pain took over. I barely noticed when Orenec ran over, shaking me and crying. He eventually ran away, leaving me to float between conscious and unconscious. I numbly noticed Terhi's shocked cry as he saw me. I must've been quite a mess, covered in blood and burns, holes still being eaten through my body by the powdered acidic material.

I vaguely noticed a few instructors running over, and as they picked me up, I cried out from the pain, but cut it short. I wasn't a weakling. One instructor carried me off, and I saw one questioning Orenec, only to run off towards the basement. I heard myself, as if through veal. I giggled slightly, a little out of touch from the agony. "Mr. Levra!" I heard myself mutter, still giggling. "So nice to see you again!" Then I passed out fully, my loss of blood too much. Yep, I was delirious.