The Great Hall was full, people chatting and eating. Chaerin had lost her appetite as everyone kept taking glances at her direction. She had been moving the food around the plate as she looked around the Great Hall. The same mirror was at the wall, the same windows, made of French Style. She remembered the floor and the walls, now they were decorated with a hint of darkness and gothic. Skulls were the decoration of the tables. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling, skulls where the holders of the red candles, the red wax falling, making it look like blood.

“Why did they have to change it?” Chaerin muttered. Dara inclined her head towards her and smiled.

“Times change, we have to keep changing. Witches and Warlock have a dark trend nowadays, I don’t know why.” Dara said. Chaerin nodded and looked at the bloody chandelier on the ceiling. It was beautiful, she had no doubt of that, but it was different. She had remembered the place brighter, more comfortable, golden and white decorations, and flowers of all types decorated it. Now it was a darker version of the place she had seen before, spooky, terrifying.

As she played with her food, a dark feeling invaded her. A pain ran along her limbs, and she dropped the fork, her hands spasm. Dara looked at her with worried eyes. “Chaerin, what’s wrong?” Dara said as she put a hand over her shoulder. Chaerin wanted to speak, but the pain forbid her to do so. She tried to grab her chest, and all the plates and cups fell on the floor as she spasm again, and a shriek escape . Everybody stayed silent as they looked at her. Chaerin screamed again as another pain ran through her, and the doors opened abruptly, a wind blowing so hard it threw every cutlery to the floor. She opened her eyes, and gasped as she saw the image of a tall man walking towards her. He had black hair and black eyes, his skin fair white. She gulped as she panted, looking at the man.

‘…Azazel…’

She heard him saying and her head felt like going around, hitting the table. She gasped and threw herself back, as if she had been freed from an invisible string. She fell on the floor gasping, holding her chest. “Chaerin?!” Dara said, helping her up. Chaerin put a hand over her face as she looked through the doors. She saw Jonghyun hurrying towards the other side of the main hall, Taemin after him. She shook her head and walked over them. Dara held her hand, and she pushed her aside, walking towards the door. The people in the Great Hall were slowly standing up, looking at her. She panted as she reached the door, and her eyes widened when she saw Jiyong’s body spasming on the floor.

“Taemin, bring him back!” Jonghyun said. Chaerin almost lost the strength on her knees as she saw Jiyong’s body grunting and flinching. The people were starting to crowd on the Main hall, and Taemin put a hand over Jiyong’s chest, chanting some words. Chaerin heard the words, and her head throbbed with each one. She put a hand on her forehead, panting as she held back a shriek.

“Stop.” She hissed. Taemin looked up, his fiery eyes gleaming as his hands glowed on Jiyong’s chest. “Stop.”

“We have to bring him back.” Jonghyun said. Chaerin shook her head and walked limply over them.

“That’s not helping.” She said and let herself fall on the floor next to Jiyong. He was still spasming, his skin turning pale white. “He’s being held back.” She said as she caressed his face. His eyes opened wide, and she gasped as she saw his eyes completely black. He looked at Chaerin and smirked.

“Insegnante,” He hissed. Chaerin frowned, his voice was completely different. “Say your prayers, Insegnante, for your Gods shall perish.” He hissed, then his eyes turned back and started screaming in pain.

“Let him go.” Chaerin muttered. Jiyong looked at her, his eyes shifting from black to normal, then back to black.

“Why should I?” He said, though his face showed the pain he was feeling. Chaerin put her hands on his forehead, and he whimpered, his body arching.

“Too strong, isn’t he?” Chaerin muttered. Jiyong frowned at her, his nails digging on her skin as he touched her hand. She flinched, but recovered, blood was oozing out, and just then, Taemin slapped her hand away, and she fell back.

“Blood seals it.” He said. Chaerin took a deep breath and put a hand over the wound, healing it. She went back towards Jiyong, her hands glistening blue, and put a hand over his chest. He screamed again, a black orb emanating from his body. She saw how it turned into a dark figure, floating over them until it vanished. Jiyong coughed, and she put a hand over his forehead, her mind fixed in soothing his pains. He opened his eyes, completely normal, and touched her hand.

“Jiyong.” She muttered. He looked at Taemin, then at Jonghyun, who helped him stand up. Jiyong put a hand over his head, and Chaerin slowly stood up, looking at him with worried eyes.

“It’s impressive.” Jiyong muttered, then looked at Chaerin. “You have learned well.” He said with a tired voice. Jiyong then looked at Jonghyun again, and Chaerin noticed how Jonghyun nodded without Jiyong muttering a word. “Take me back to my room.”

“Please, make way.” Taemin said as he stood up, helping Jonghyun. Jonghyun wanted to carry Jiyong up, but Jiyong stopped him.

“Let me keep my dignity.” Jiyong said. Jonghyun chuckled and nodded, helping him up the stairs. Chaerin followed them.

They walked towards the hallway of the second floor, one Chaerin had seen in her visions. Jonghyun helped Jiyong reach the last door, opening it hastily. Chaerin walked in after Jonghyun and Jiyong, Taemin following her closely. She stopped as she looked the black and white room. It had changed, everything there had changed completely. The room was big, the vanity was black, the bed and all the furniture were black, the walls where white. So where the sheets and the curtains, and she remembered Jiyong standing there while she laid on his bed.

Jonghyun help Jiyong rest on his bed, and Jiyong thank him, quickly looking at Chaerin. “I thought you wouldn’t come.” Jiyong said. Chaerin smiled and shrugged. Taemin was next to her.

“I think I have to ask you what happened.” Chaerin said. Jiyong smiled and looked at Taemin, who also nodded and walked towards a white sofa Jiyong had on his room.

“Possession.” Taemin said as he crossed his legs. “But the questions remains, who possessed you?”

“I believe our enemies are far greater than we have thought.” Jiyong said. Chaerin frowned as she crossed her arms.

“Azazel… who’s that?” She said. Jonghyun widened his eyes at her.

“Azazel?” Jonghyun said.

“He’s a Prince of Hell, one of the seven. He’s the second in command, after Lucifer.” Taemin explained.

“And he’s the one who tried to possess me.” Jiyong muttered. “How did you know?”

“I saw him.” Chaerin said. Jiyong crooked his head. “I saw him walking towards me.”

“Your minds must be connected already.” Taemin spoke. Jonghyun sat on bed next to Jiyong. The door opened and Dara walked in, accompanied by a tall, slim lady. She had dark, long black hair, her face completely perfect, with dark, long eyes and cherry, full lips. The lady bowed slightly as she looked at Jiyong, and Jiyong smiled brightly.

“Good evening.” She said. Chaerin noticed the white strands on her dark hair, and the glimmering of white in her eyes.

“Hyorin, so nice to see you.” Jiyong said. “My apologies, I am not in the best health right now.”

“I know, and I came here to check up on you.” She said as she walked towards him. He held her hand tight, and she smiled at him while bowing.

“I’m glad.” He said. Hyorin then looked at Chaerin and smiled, bowing slightly.

“Insegnante, it’s an honor.” She said. Chaerin smiled weakly at her and nodded, bowing too.

“Hyorin, we have many things to discuss at the moment, if it’s of no trouble, may I ask you to leave us?” Jiyong said. Hyorin looked at him and nodded, bowing again.

“I apologize, I didn’t noticed. I will come back later.” She said and walked towards the door, smiling at Jiyong. Jiyong smiled back and nodded, then she left. Dara walked towards Jiyong and frowned.

“Stop flirting with her, you’ll only make her suffer.” She said. Chaerin felt a surge of anger run through her, and Jiyong’s smirked worsened it.

“Let us go back to the main problem. Azazel.” He said. “I saw Bom talking to him.”

“Could she be asking favors?” Jonghyun asked. Jiyong shook his head.

“I believe she’s working with him.” Jiyong said. Chaerin was still fuming, and by the corner of her eyes, she noticed her hair turning red. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, trying to control herself. When she opened her eyes, she noticed Jiyong smirking at her. She frowned and went over to sit next to Taemin. He smiled at her and bowed. She bowed back and looked at her hands, they were trembling, her nails turning red.

“We can all see it.” Taemin murmured on her ear. She looked at him and frowned. He nodded and looked at Jiyong. Chaerin looked at Jiyong and noticed his eyes glistening red. She felt herself relaxing, and then looked at Taemin, who smiled at her and nodded.

“If the Demons are plotting against the Gods, we have serious problems.” Dara said.

“We can’t fight against Demons, at least not the Greater kind.” Jonghyun said.

“But we can tell the Gods.” Jiyong said. Everyone looked at him, and he just smiled. “Chaerin and I can, at least.”

“I can?’ Chaerin said. Taemin looked at her with furrowed eyebrows.

“Yes, we can. As soon as I recover my energies, we summon them.” Jiyong said. Chaerin widened her eyes and nodded.

The morning light shone within the dark curtains. Chaerin stirred in bed as the curtains flowed with wind. She frowned, thinking she had forgotten to close the windows. Lazily, she stood up, dragging her feet towards the windows, and moved the curtains aside. Her eyes frowned when she noticed the windows were closed, and the wind was coming from inside. She scratched her head and turned around, looking at a woman standing close to the door. It was Hyorin. Chaerin quickly smiled and bowed.

“Um, hello.” Chaerin said. Hyorin scoffed and crossed her arms.

“Good morning.” She had said. Chaerin narrowed her eyes and walked closer to her.

“Can I help you?” She asked. Hyorin her lips and nodded.

“Of course, answer me something.” She said. Chaerin extended her hands and shrugged.

“Whatever you want.” She said. Her mood was quickly changing early in the morning, and Hyorin wasn’t helping much.

“I want to know what your relationship with Jiyong is.” She said. Chaerin wanted to laugh, but just crossed her arms, looking at her with serious, narrow eyes.

“He’s just a nuisance in my life.” Chaerin answered. She felt the burning worsening, and she balled her hands into fist, controlling the power. Hyorin smiled and nodded, letting her hands fall loosely at her sides.

“Good, let it be like that, always.” She said and opened the door. A breeze blew inside Chaerin’s room, her luggage falling on the floor. Chaerin scoffed and crooked her head, her front teeth.

“Was that necessary?” Chaerin said and Hyorin simply smiled and closed the door, the breeze subsiding. Chaerin scoffed and walked towards her luggage, lifting it up. She looked at her reflection, her messy brown hair had blazing strands, her eyes glistening. She swallowed and walked towards the window, opening it hastily. The wind blew her hair up, and she felt instantly refreshed, calmed.

“Chaerin, come.” She heard a woman call. Chaerin frowned and looked to the front. She noticed the trees dancing, and one of them was signaling her to go. Chaerin smiled and shook her head, grabbing her night robe and walking out of the room in a haste.

She opened the doors with her hands, the doors making a loud sound as they hit the walls. Chaerin ran down the marble stairs into the vast green lands. She smiled unconsciously as the wind blew, her heart beating rapidly as she remembered walking around the place. She noticed there was little difference, only more flowers blooming, presumably being Gaia’s protection spells. Chaerin walked towards the dancing trees, and the wind blew harder.

“Come, sister.” The wind said. Chaerin smiled and nodded, walking hastily into the woods. The wind blew and the trees dance, leaves and flowers flowing around Chaerin, dancing and caressing her as she walked farther into the woods.

“Chaerin.” A female voice said. Chaerin stopped and looked around. She stopped and looked as a woman walked towards her. A woman dressed in green leaves, her hair long to her knees, completely green and decorated with flowers. She had a vine around her body that covered her and lower parts, all the rest was exposed. Her hands were long and delicate, like the roots of trees. Her eyes were an emerald green, no whites could be seen. The wind blew stronger, blowing her hair. She laughed, an angelica laughter.

“Gaia.” Chaerin muttered. The lady nodded, extending her hands towards Chaerin.

“You were expecting me.” Gaia said. Chaerin nodded.

“I was.” She said. Gaia smiled and extended her hands, a green orb emanate from them. Chaerin looked with amazement how the orb flew towards her and entered her chest. Chaerin grunted and fell on her knees, touching her chest.

“I bestow on you my blessing, be safe, guardian of the Gods, teacher of the good. Sister of our brethren, we shall always look upon you, and every step you take, we will take.” She said and disappeared into the wind, leaving a trail of flowers and leaves flowing around. Chaerin took a deep breath and stood up, looking at her hands. Her nails were green, and her hair, flowing around, was also green. She smiled and stood up, bowing at the wind.

“Thank you.” She said and walked back into the manor.

Jiyong was pacing around his room, his hand deep on his pockets as he felt his body completely shaking. A feeling of burning running through his veins, momentarily subsided as a refreshing wind took over, all inside of him. He took deep breaths as he felt his own fingers shaking. He was particularly anxious that day, so much stressed he hadn’t noticed the slight changes on his appearance, the green hair covering his head or the green eyes, pacing unfocused around the place. It was just when he heard his door opening, that he noticed he was feeling dizzy from going around in circles.

“Jiyong, she’s not in her room.” Jonghyun said, looking at him with worried eyes. Jiyong narrowed his eyes as Jonghyun made an understanding noise and nodded. Jiyong looked to his side, towards his mirror, and noticed the changes.

“Ah.” He said, taking his shaky hands out of his pockets. “I believe I know.”

“Should I search for her?” Jonghyun said. Jiyong shook his head as he looked at his emerald green eyes.

“No, she’s coming.” He simply said and walked towards the balcony. “She is coming more powerful than before.”