The Bane of Light

I Owe Nothing

"What, you egg?

[ He stabs him.]"

- William Shakespeare

∞

As Paris and I leisurely walked out, our arms brushing against each other, I couldn't help the small smile that adorned my lips. Everything seemed fine, although I was well aware that there was a man-eating demon on the loose at the school. I didn't want to disrupt this unusual tranquility that settled over us though, but the problem had to be addressed.

With a hesitant sigh, I began, "We have to deal with the demon before break. We've put it off long enough"

I only gave up the locket to Cera a couple nights ago, when we got back from Witch Salem, but I couldn't wait around for her to finish enchanting it. The events of Lupercicallus seemed eternities ago, not just last night, and I was antsy to get the task done.

I couldn't help but think back to the night Paris and I met, also seeming like lifetimes ago. The night all of this began. It almost seemed like it happened between two different people. Not Paris and I. Someone far crueler than the new me, and someone far more despised by me than the new Paris. I seemed like an entirely different person, as though I shifted personalities completely, a new consciousness coming to light at the gentle persuasion of Paris. The fact that I let him walk next to me, our bare arms brushing against each other besides me stomping ahead of him, was enough of a teller in itself.

"Before or after Parents' Day" Paris asked, swinging his arms as we walked. He was referencing the open house event Duprarry hosted every year, before winter break. It was an exhibition, really, in an attempt to flaunt our skills to our donors and prove that we needed the extra millions in revenue each year. We didn't. I knew because I checked the school income files. The school definitely had no reason for needing the extra funding, looking at how they wasted it. We did not need to have gilded Pegasi and horse stables. They could fit into one bloody barn.

"Before. It's trickier with so many grown mages around" I stated. We had to deal with the demon now, or else there would be too many fully-grown mages crawling about the school to get away with it. The risk factor was too high, and there was no guarantee that the demon would wait for us to get back from break.

As we walked, I stared off in into the corridor. The hall was completely deserted, most students still being at their private lessons. My heart ached for all the knowledge I was missing. I could begin courses again after we got back from break, but that seemed light-years away. Because of my ban from my private lessons, I was technically supposed to be in uniform at the moment, but I didn't have a chance to change back into it after my training session with Paris. Ibet was the only one out of us that actually had the right to be in casual wear, seeing that she was the only one currently attending private lessons.

"Do we really need to do it?" Paris asked after a moments silence, and I halted in my tracks swiveling around to stare at him. He could not possibly trying to go back on his word now about capturing it. He may not care anymore, and is able to pin the job on the teachers, but I don't have that luxury. I can't just leave the teachers to it. If they find out that I've been summoning demons at the same time that the Chudovische appeared, I was done for. I didn't have the Light Mage privilege of relying on the authorities to resolve all my problems. To do so would be to condemn me, to seal my fate and drop the guillotine blade on my neck, and Paris knew this. He was setting me up.

"What?" I snapped harshly, "Have you given up on your heroic need for justice, now that you've found someone else to pin it on?" I seethed in my anger, but I quickly shut my mouth. I exhaled, my eyes closed, as I reeled in my anger. He couldn't take another one of my meltdowns. It was a miracle that he was dealing with me as it is. Thats what I reminded myself over and over again till I could breath calmly again.