A few days after the incident in the Labyrinth everyone except Rel was cleared to return to classes. Rel was still in critical condition, receiving around the clock care in the infirmary. Her filleted skin was slowly being repaired by healing magic, but not everything would be repairable. No one was truly sure how she would be when she awoke. For now, everyone simply hoped for the best.

  The final class of the day let out. Lily breathed in a deep breath. Rel was constantly on Lily’s mind. Lily always had a sweet spot for her, not due to any lustful longing – though she couldn’t deny how cute Rel was – but mostly because Rel reminded Lily of a precious childhood friend. One that was taken from her when the demons had razed her town. The last of the students made their way out of the large wooden classroom. Lily stood up, gathering her things before making her way down the steps of the classroom and towards the door.

  “Lily, is everything okay? I understand completely if you still need some time.” A small female professor stopped Lily.

  Brookewood, being a top-tier magic academy, had the best magic instructors in the world. One of the key competencies of a good instructor was truly caring for their students. In this way many of the instructors showed genuine concern for Lily. She appreciated it but would have preferred to be left alone.

  “I am fine, thank you professor.” Lily bowed her head before walking out of the classroom.

  Lily walked outside of the main building and into one of the beautiful courtyards which housed benches and flowers for students to take a moment to rest. She walked to the side of the courtyard on an outdoor walkway. Beautiful pillars held orange stone meticulously set to form perfect arches between each pillar. Lily was looking out from the walkways at the courtyard as she walked. A few girls were chatting on one of the benches, and a male student sat to the side of a fountain, reading a book. Lily snapped out of her stupor as she felt the pulse of a powerful magical presence. Walking towards her on the same side path was a student wearing a large witch’s hat. Looking out from underneath the hat was a mature woman who eyed Lily with dangerous fervor.

  “Congratulations on receiving your credentials. I hope that I will be the one whom you choose to challenge. I have always wanted to see you violated, Lily.” The women licked her lips, staring at Lily.

  Eisel was a platinum ranked magician – or more accurately – a warlock. She held a contract with an ancient evil being, one that happened to have a body made of tentacles. She was known to use her contracted being’s tentacles in less than ethical ways. Although Lily knew that Eisel didn’t ever go too far, stopping short when her opponent had already mentally surrendered.

  “I’m reporting your statement to the disciplinary committee.” Lily said coldly, staring into Eisel’s eyes.

  “Wait, don’t.” Eisel turned pale.

  Lily laughed with Eisel. Despite Eisel’s misdeeds, Lily got along with her for some reason.

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  “Sorry, I won’t be putting myself in a situation that would upset Meimei. So, I plan on challenging Leida.”

  “Oh,” Eisel looked at Lily, tilting her head slightly, “Leida is your worst match up, are you sure about that?”

  “Yeah,” Lily replied.

  “Well, good luck with that. If you lost to me, I would make it at least enjoyable for you.”

  Eisel turned away from Lily, moving her hand out in front of her. A ripple formed in front of her palm before a blue and purple portal opened. Eisel stepped into it, giving Lily one last side eye before she slipped through. The portal quickly closed behind her, removing all traces that she was ever there. Eisel was a bit of an enigma.

  Meanwhile, Lily was not the only one who was thinking about her friends and school life. Another group also had their eyes on them all.

  Glittering light shown through the stained-glass windows in rays of tortured beauty that would leave anyone in awe. Though much light made its way through the bespoke glass windows, no amount could pierce the darkness of the brooding hooded figures below. Seated around a square black-wood table sat eleven people. Five on either side of the table looked towards the one at the end. Though it appeared to be a church, the setting was more akin to a courtroom. The figure at the head of the black table sat tall, ready to pass judgment on the situation.

  “Lead Inquisitor Obrian Trueman submitted this report to the district Forehouse.” The man closest and to the right of the head hooded figure spoke. “Based on this report we have come to several conclusions; that an Incarnation appeared in a supposedly dormant Labyrinth, that it targeted students on the thirtieth floor, and that it was defeated by a demon.”

  “Wait, we only know that a student reported Hybrid Casting. We have not confirmed the presence of a demon.” A hooded man towards the middle left spoke out.

  “What else would it be?” the right-hand man asked.

  “It could be a student misremembering.” A women spoke from the furthest right.

  “Why would a student misremember such a specific detail?” another man asked.

  “Based on her report…” The right-hand man was cut off as the head hooded figure raised his hand to silence the discussion.

  “In this report there is a girl named Meimei. Who is she?” The head figure spoke with a strange inflection, almost as if more than one person was speaking at the same time.

  “Highest Lord Inquisitor, Meimei is the daughter of Sire Hammond Strin and Madame Harmony. They are nobles of the clothe.” The man closest to the left of the head figure spoke.

  “No, who is she?” The head figure once again asked, his voice echoing throughout the light-stained tabernacle.

  “I’m afraid I don’t understand your question.” The left closest man spoke, bowing his head in defeat.

  “Find the answer, and this inquiry will be solved.”

  The head figure stood. The rest of the hooded figures stood in return. He turned around and walked out of the courtroom dreamscape, leaving the rest of the hooded figures behind.

  “I’ll go,” the women who had spoken earlier said.

  The right-hand man of the hooded leader nodded in agreement.

  The hooded figures departed from the room one by one until just the right-hand man remained. He turned around, looking at the stained-glass windows. The windows were blood red, with a figure of a beautiful women in the middle. The women held a golden goblet which was overflowing with blood.

  “Why was the Highest Lord interested in that student?” a woman’s voice whispered.

  Behind the right-hand man another figure, hooded in a different robe from the other men, appeared.

  “The Highest Lord noticed a discrepancy in the report. To the High Lord the smallest details are often more important that the biggest,” The man answered.

  “What was the discrepancy?” the women asked.

  “Meimei knew of the Incarnation before any of the student’s had awoken to report it,” the man replied.

  The women slowly raised her head. An eye of flaming green glowed underneath.

  “I see,” the woman said.