Magi and Djinn World Tour- Student of the Dark Arts

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Chapter 41: The Little Blood Prince – Another Dimension Entirely

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It wasn't enough that Lothos was back to claim dominon over the lives of a few quirky teenagers in magic classes. It wasn't enough that as they danced, Raku could see their souls shredding from their bodies with wisps of life to their lips and throats.

Michael was not there, never waiting on Raku as the kid was nearly at his last song to try and wait out their demise.

Fucking Marcus in the past …he'd never hated him. Always he felt sorry –

" Are you waiting on your prince to come and rescue you?" Lothos was by his ear, an advisor of died retribution as Michael's father was numb as ice, frozen to his seat. The chanting and the devil work of these kids would have any witch's head spinning off her shoulders. Raku had seen this it was…

A wild time, for demons.

/

With Michael missing for the ceremony of shared divinities Lothos bit not his lip yet he wanted a taste of a God's power. It's blood lay in the child beside him as Raku looked to his student family ; the boys that had acted wilder in the dorms all looked to be hiding nothing of their bodies in the square of pleasure and an ambush to the senses of those this demon wished to sacrifice.

Raku knew it . That he and Lothos could not be tainted by life wine as other magi could. Raku had a strange canceling to his body of any illness. It could change or actually hurt more depending on the reason, yet his body was immortal. He could thrive forever and share that power. Lothos only lived if he could steal life, while this brat had his own aura like no other time they'd been in the past. It was why Lilu refused to let Raku exist, why Roku kept his good side in check. It wasn't good, no.

Djinn were not evil, but they were not pacifistic. They fought, ate and lived beside humans no more. No more in this earth, being Raku had failed to realize why Lothos wanted his powers so badly and whoever had let him out, they too should no sooner reveal that reason.

"We'll find him, and then you can repay the brat properly for your past life. Right?..." He tried ti shy from the influence as it chained him to saying anything at all to get the monster to shut its mouth again.

"We'll see." Raku managed to bite back, as Lothos licked him lips. Finally!

He was angry at himself, at his dear colleagues and most of all…

His once rival, Marcus would die by the hands of the boy he'd wept to.

He would be freed, and so too would the curse keeping Lothos chained to this one location in this world. As well as the boy, who should be forever thanking him.

/

Michael was shaken up by the miasma, mostly it stayed away while Ani and Astarte were two gods against low level minions to a high ranking Half – Incubus and sorcerer.

Well, vampire. He'd left his magic to fester and grow into something hated. Lothos was not the man of the past, but some grotesque reason to belong here, bruising the fragile egos of the young.

"He has to be stopped. The ceremony. Whatever they'd do now will be ten times if that ghoulish pig gets his supper served on a silver platter right in front of us." John pulled back the doors, yer no one was there. This was because the plane their children were on, wasn't akin to being this one at all.

Michael cleared his throat, trying to find words to convey his concerns. "That…how do we find where he's taken the students and my idiot father?"

"Your father gambled and lost." John shook his head. "Zee and I got in just as we could. I think we'll see her on the outer wall. Right now, I told her to contact the League id things got sloppy and to monitor any sudden shifts. There will be quite a couple on the way when I'm done with that snake…"

"He shall be stopped, Constantine." Ani nodded, more willing to understand this man's strange dedication to one of their own brood.

"My nephew may even awaken. To protect himself from Lothos's corrupt arts." Santiago said with her eyes on the walls for any words or clues.

"We were in the school, at night. And…I don't understand."

"The school."

She checked the walls of what to her, was a strange familiar power coming from the room's walls and moldings. "Do you….aunt?"

"It's the same as then as well." She cussed under her breath as Astarte's staff pulled back a wall in one blow.

Red wine, but mixed with blood as corpses popped out.

A river and small stones in shards of that red, burning black.

"The crys-

"Tell me if you know what this is, Sara?" John quizzed as he'd hoped Chas didn't have to look up anything mystically damaging.

"That red crystal was a ball and chain to the will of those that wanted power and nothing more." She explained.

/

In the other dimension, Lothos looked to Raku as he held out a hand. The androgynous representation of Raku's attire had him heatedly glare at that hand, despite feeling so cornered by his dashing devil of a suitor.

" May I have this last dance, my prince?"

/

John had to take out every once of summoning to drag the barrier down. Behind the corpse wall, was one hidden back into the rock. It lead back down below the school, as the the four looked at one another.

"The basement level? What does it all…mean?" Michael grumbled.

/

Twirling like a royal, his eyes had never seemed fair. Lilith had called the demon a whore for the likes of false adoration, yet Raku was to be no admired from afar aby longer. What Lothos pictured was a beautiful red lily. Yet, one that showed open its petals only to he as he left a hand to caress the teens cheek. "How I've missed that look on your face, my lordship."

Hus lust was high as the dancing became uniform. Lovers of same sexes or opposite to their attraction all danced the waltz well before they were to die in red cold blood for these two immortal men.

"I've never slept again, knowing you could rise to find me. I had to try and fight. I should."

He was dipped as Raku saw that others with dead reflections were doing the same. Even m –

Michael's father??

Lothos did not see as he scooped up his boy pet and didn't care to see Michael's father absent from his seat.

That…made the kid's heart faster, the lack of fire by his ear had that forked tongue in Lothos's mouth push...

/

" There you bleeding are."

There, were the cultists and Atticus, though his look was again frail and dead though still powerful.

"Jeez, mate. I would have stayed returned. If I knew you were the one summoning this circle, Raku never escaped. Did h"

That night in the underground pass, Raku had left, yet in his mind only there had the school itself been sucked in. That was why he had not left school. This was the real world, yet on the other side the two realities would fuse as soon as day broke. As soon as Lothos was a murderer once more of order.

"What did that Master of yours do? Bleed you like a stuffed oinker? I'd love to see that."

"HUMAN!" Ani growled out, seeing the cultist family as it made his fur stand up tall. "You are hereby condemned by the underworld courts!"

"Ani, stand down yet." Astarte pointed to the vortex in the center of that summoning circle on the floor. "This leads to him, will it?"

"Why don't you hop on in and take a prep, mistress?" Beckoned the warlock. "My master is in the center of his sacrificial attunement for leaving his followers. John? No hard feelings, yet that boy is a powerhouse of magic. He must be contained-

"Villain." Astarte had Atticus slammed as Ani ran to drag in his Jackal form the man towards the circle. ~ Shall I drop him in, aunt?~

"Nay."

Michael looked down and saw Raku avoiding the crazy director. "Is….who is that??"

"Have you no clue, little sneak?" John snorted. "That is whoever Raku was willing to warn your classes about, yet you treated him as if he didn't belong. We'll, talk about it after I save my pupil and sge her family. You should be glad I won't wring your fat daddy's neck for letting that criminal out of his coffin." John couldn't bring up that man's name as Michael paled. "F…father knew??"

"He planned to take over the academy. With Adam gone and no longer protecting it, he had his connections a way in. Including, Lothos."

./

"Excuse me, sir?"

Absinthe was poking the demon's arm as he held Raku in his Clammy fingers. "We have a runner. Seems the director's little side project is not here to congratulate our win."

"MM, would you take care of that." He nuzzled into Raku's throat to just scent that gods blood. A tickle of teeth had the sheer idea popping as Raku tried to squirm yet was tugged in closer. He could taste the miasma as he choked on it.

" We'll need time to ready for our ceremony of the bound divine. See to his treachery, if you must."

Absinthe wore her demon's grin as she slunk back to drag Michael's father to watch what his little spell had done. What it would do once this school was piled high with corpses of those young minds he'd wanted to protect.

/

"We have to take a leap, like he says. One if us or two can stay. The culprits are tied up, Atticus will be by Zee once sge and Chas come with her father to wrap his mind around a for-life prison sentence."

"My father must repent. He knew that…what was Michael? A copy-

"You are not, you are real and Marcus's body is omly holding the curse in place."

"Curse!!" Michael panicked.

Ani growled at the boy. "My aunt…Go. I will watch over the child. He and I shall wait for the one called ' Zee." The jackal bowed its head as Michael sniffled like a little kid. "G- g- get them home. I never wanted any of it…"

"Nor did we. Ready, Sara?"

"Astarte , will do for this fight, magi." She replied with a nod.

/

Absinthe went to hunt as Michael's father scrambled to find the vortex he had started. Why had this all been so sinister? The source if this chaos had said it would reveal the true leader abd Lothos didn't want to disclose that Atticus had been swayed by another to release the vamp in the first place…the mastermind. If only –

"Found you….human."

Absinthe let her tail fly out to drag Michael's father backwards onto his worn knees. "I won't be without assistance !! This is punishable by the courts! Did you think as a false student here –

~ You yourself are guilty for trusting us.~ Cackled the imp child. ~ I told you to tread swift when Adam died. I made the work of him because you gave me a weapon to kill that ang on its feet.~

" A..angels can die, he was half –

~ A dual aspect of angelic wisdom and mortal fortitude. You are guilty of killing him and your own boy, Michael!~ She laughed maniacally as her tail threw him around the room like a roped fish.

~ I became a demon to escape persecution and it worked! Why not join us. They won't touch your then!?~

"Maybe….~

/

Two voices broke through the walls as John shot his spells while Astarte had magic to spear through Absinthe's pretty tail. Michael's father covered his ears as the demon howled out for losing her appendage to a goddess.

~ You……aaargh!~

~ Hic finis venit puero monstrorum. Transeat in aetherem.~

Her body became specks as the Absinthe was given her last way of this earth. John had a spark of hatred that Astarte could r ead as vengeful.

" Let's go."

She was for now, not coming back. The occultist had a greater power than Astarte had realized as she'd hoped it enough to do the same to Lothos.

/

The song was ending as Lothos then called up a few kids to stand and line up towards the door. His hand was the shard in it as it transformed into a red tipped dagger. "Each time that you fail to skay a student, my pet….the cauldron waters grow this, you shall be forced by my will to do as I command. Wait…"

"LOTH-

The doors opened to reveal John and Astarte. There was no delay as Lothos and the students bowed. In the background by the stage, was a large gateway from God knows, a cauldron prop that was the real deal.

"This ends here."

"Does it, Constantine? Your child was willing to come and make amends much quicker. Though, Michael was a wedding gift. He would have gotten his revenge after all.tjis time, once awakening."

"He can no longer." Smirjed Astarte. "I am shocked you could not see fir yourself what he has hid from you in that time apart. Raku, let flow your blood."

"What?"

John and Lothos both turned to Astarye as Raku did as he was assured. Lothos watched as Raku rolled up his sleeve and nipped at his own flesh wkth a baby dragon sized chimp. Droplets flowed not it red, yet in a Cristina color akin to silver or white. Hissing, Lothos dragged the arm up to see. He wrung the kid's wrist to see it change yet….

"HE….WAS…..REMOVED???"

"There is no more Roku. If you call to him, it will not come."

Raku gasped as he was let go. "He…is still a god, regardless. I can have that power –

"Or let it scald you. The kid's repented enough. He's also not even bound by the course any longer, is he?"

Raku checked to see how the weight on his body was.

It was true!

"He's an antidote that demons crave to fix them. Not to give them power. Raku is the one to stop your anticipation, not us."

"What??"

"He's as dim as he is ugly."

"I could not agree with you more, Constantine." Snickered Astarte a bit back.

"He will bleed over it. ..I wished for-

"If you are granted that wish as you are, it may take away your power. Make you a mortal make in the dusty coffin you're from again. Raku is not your toy. And, you don't have half the lung capacity as I can see to make any new demands-

The wings popped out and tail as John was shut up. Demon. Right.

" Horns too."

"A staple of an incubi lord, as my fire fathers before our turning. It was a rite of passage in my era. Too bad, I wanted to savor the moment wkth a last –

"John, look out!" Raku was wrenched away by the demon as it summoned up what looked to be spectral shadows. "I hate being told by her, so why you then? Hmm? The only demands I will have are from my king and he WILL be returned. I can't live without the essence we once shared in…"

"I never loved! You cannot!"

"Ah, of course. Because sge forbade it. But now…."

Lothos dragged Raku past the kids as they came at the two fighters. Some followed up the steps to the cauldron. "Killing your classmates to prove my strength and to drop this over and diwn your punt throat might reactivate that nloodlust again, my lord. Why don't we give it a try?"

"DEMON!!" Astarte blasted, yet the children were as drones to his will. "Get them unconscious-

"THEY WILL DIE." Astarte shot back. "They are the old one's way to power….ah, of course a demon would have concentrated his effort in trying to do so….I was blind….he is forever my enemy!!"

"Then, be just." John made a path as he had the kids fighting his temporary forcefield. "Stop the war in your head before your heart can carry out the rest. You think I kind this?? No, he'll! have been the last person I'd have to ruin…Astra was the same and I'm like you…I don't want to see anyone else lost. So ….fight like a damned queen, not just a warrior!~

John's mind and body became stronger as he casted a spell to keep the kids tangled a bit. "I'll get you a way in but you had better not lose him!"

Astarte recalled why Raku had hated her, why she…never wanted to love him as Azag had or Autur in the past.

"I must…"

"YOU WANT TO." John saw how stubborn gods were. "He's family. Treat him like that. He needed love yet you weren't there enough to let him speak on it. He's just like you."

"Like…me?"

"In control, always and meet because he can't be more human a bit in his own skin. He's not a god, and I know….what he really wants is to find where he belongs!~

The choice, to be powerful or powerless. She knew it. When any God was given this path, it should have been clear.

In the past, yet Raku….did he cling so much to his humanity that much?

Why? Azag was invisible as a male aspect of time and space. There was no way he could have been anything else….

But….was human life, that precious?

That difference from her own…to John, whom struggled even if he cluld be one of them. Why did he choose his freedom to suffer?

:ASTARTE!!! GO THROUGH OR DON'T…..I WANT YOU TO KNOW…THAT IF HE DIES, IF HE LEAVES US…YOU….WILL BE HIGHEST ON MY SHIT LUST FOR AN ETERNITY.~

FOR NOT ACTING.

FOR ACTING TOO SOON.

FOR SHOWING NO REMORESE.

FOR BEONG IN FAVOR OF THE OPPOSITION.

FOR CONDEMNING AZAG TO THE DUNES IN THE FIRST PLACE.

FIR SEEING HIM WITHER AND DIE.

FIR SEEING RAKU LISTEN TO LILU.

FOR CONDEMNING ROKU TO THE PIT OF ENDS.

FOR ROKURO NEVER RETIRNING FULLY WITHOUT CONSEQUENCE.

For …

For being their enemy.

She barreled through as Lothos slit the first neck. Her eyes lit golden and green as her powers entrusted by the gods seemed to weave a path.

" Next." Lothos mocked her as she fought the shadows.

Raku couldn't run as the evil auras surrounding him made him cower so. .

~ I wasn't there to stop her then, nor he. I called you many things as no family would ever tolerate. I was far worse a monster. Please…~

Raku's tears had Innana's form shadow her as Lothos saw it.

Love and peace. War and peace.

" One more body….one more!!!" He yelled as the two that fell into the pool of blood made her eyes water as well. "I'm coming!!~

Raku saw the goddess pull out her spear and come at Lothos. The force field was shattering as one more bloody body. A fourth….she had to shift the balance.

Raku's energy returned as he saw her fighting more than ever for him. Not cowering and acting like a god, but….

Like… a frightened part of his family. His golden aura gave her strength as Lothos let go. The singe as he yelled and knocked over the blood vat to see Astarte breaking the wall between them.

He raised the cauldron to have it upright. "Saved it. Yet no." He snapped his fingers as the gold aura died and Raku was put into a pained state.

"I won't lost this chance again."

"I know, for you crave what others have. A spoiled child ways. It was why your jealousy for Lilu was very deep to this day. If you bring back her prize, then he is justly to you. Yet Raku cannot meet those requirements any longer."

"HE IS DJINN." Shouted the vamp. "8t matters not that he has shimmering blood of a unicorn, my mistress of the sad fight. You have lost. That cauldron will be consumed and once it is…there will be no way in the seven hills of my world that you'll be able to do what is just again."

"And I throw this to you as a caution. Raku's old neutralizes the demands you may ask. He will not turn. No matter how you desire. That is why your curse lost effect. Raku?"

The boy blinked as he saw something shift. Wkth a break, the invisible bindings vanished, making the demon howled out.

"NO!!!"

"He only felgned being cast under your spell until our arrival. The boy is but a bait for your kind, yes, yet never sacrifice. He will learn to overcome. And I, wish to be there for it."

"Auntie….you. you trust my powers?"

"By Azag, he trusted you. So, too shall I." She smiled before turning to Lothos. "Three, and an almost god by my gift to Constantine."

Her arm cast out the grey as John rose in the glow of one of her kin. ~ Very nice update. Did I miss something?~

He saw the vat and frowned. ~ More murders in the building. What else is new…~

~ JOHN. Lpthos is losing strength. I think –

~ You think?"

Just as half power did enough, Lothos lunged fir the boy to hoist him ny the collar. " Time for your bath, my lord.~

Raku was dropped into the vat as it dragged at his skin. The others assumed it the worst as Astarte cried out and clashed with the demon, while John dragged his ass up to the stage to tug the kid out if that quicksand, only to be pulled into it nearly himself. "Raku!!~

What was it doing??

" Strip away the gods gift…you never deserved it!! You allowed for their deaths because you followed orders like this….iron maiden!!~ Cackled the demon.

Ralu gasped for breath as the vat blood was up to his ears.

Head above water, yet he choked on the sounds of the past. Eyes….tired….

"LIKE…..TAR…..HOW-

"Knock it over!!"

She screamed, her very energy coming off in wisps as this place reamed of demonic potential. ~ Even temporarily….Roku may not be defeated right away….he must not win!~

The kid's want fir control was still there, linking him to the dragon lord that feared a lack of it. Lothos had been inside the kid's head, multiple times. He knew his dark side. He knew….

That Raku wasn't done thinking that his life had mattered less than that of the red lord's.

Roku would be back if Raku couldn't stop hurting his own pride. John dive his arms in and yanked, only to see the kid dying of breath as the tears kept flowing.

/

Recall how John never saved Astra, so saving Raku was more a choice in the past for his own way to make amends with that past of his self loathing. Raku however feels the same in how no matter what he's done right, it will always be in vain no matter who he tries to become.

John has to now drag him out and have Raku understand that.