Morticia

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Three days after that, no one went into my room. Even the maids who usually enter my room with a smile early in the morning to tend to me didn't deliver the usual dry bread and bland porridge whenever I'm punished. They must've thought I'm finally being thrown away by my father for good. A princess who easily went out of her father's favor. They must've thought I'm of no use anymore since I'll be cast away. It's laughable how fast their attitudes change. Well, that's not important. I'm used to it anyway.

" Now, Princess, what are you daydreaming? You need to eat so that you can train." The red witch was the only one who went in and out of my room undetected. That's fine though, she brings me food anyway and also helps me train my newfound powers. I looked at her and smiled. 

"It's nothing. Just thinking how fast human minds change." She looked at me with a puzzled expression. She sighed a while later realizing what I meant. I chuckled and went to eat the meal she prepared. It's good. It must've been a while since I've enjoyed eating like this. Relishing the moment, I paused sensing the red witch's stare. I glanced at her with a questioning face and she smiled at me. 

"You seem to like the meal. Is it delicious?" She asked still staring at me. I nodded vigorously, expressing my agreement. She chuckled and told me to slow down or I might choke. I did as she said and slowly enjoyed my meal. 

I've been training these past few days. My first lesson is summoning creatures. Yesterday, I summoned a small dog though it doesn't look like it. It's more like a dirty wolf with a gooey, black substance and an air of black smoke all over its body. I was shocked when I first saw that creature but the red witch said it's alright. Also that I'm more advanced than most black magicians who just recently started. I thought it must've been because I've memorized and understood all books about magic theory and black magic. Maybe it made my learning process faster since I already understood the basic concepts.

We went to my practice place via the fire whirlwind the red witch made. Contrary to my reaction a few days ago with using this, I'm pretty calm though I don't understand why I'm not burned. The place was a little deeper into the forest where the lake I almost drowned in is located. I never dared to go further here since it might be dangerous but it's different now. 

"Princess, since you have successfully summoned a dog yesterday, let's further our lesson by having you commune with your summoned creature.  You can follow the same procedure in summoning and try to link your mind with the creature." The red witch explained. 

" How can I link our minds? Do I just concentrate and try to penetrate its mind?" I'm not sure how to go with this. 

"That depends on you. It's up to you if you force a mind link by the pressure of continuously stating in their minds they want to rm a mind link or..." The red witch's words trailed off. I asked her to continue but she seemed unwilling. I'm backing down though, I don't want to use the pressure method. 

" Well... It's an arduous job so most magicians use the first option... but it's only a short-term mind link. If you want the link to be for a long time, you need to pass a test of sorts. It's a test that requires a strong will and an unbreakable mind..." The red witch looked nervous for some reason. Is it that difficult? I've no plans of risking it anyway so I'll use the first option.

"Alright, then I'll start," I informed the red witch. I grabbed a neatly-designed knife and swiftly made a small cut on my index finger. I then drew a circle with several lines in the circle resembling a star on my palm and chanted the spell.

"I ask of you to heed my summoning, creature of the dark, help me do my bidding." A red light flashed through my hands as the black flame engulfed me. I  remained calm as that's necessary. Now I just need to pressure the creature into mind link--

Huh?

A sharp pain erupted at the back of my head. It's an unbearable pain that caused all the memories of the past to flash before my eyes. What happened? Did I have an error in the summoning? I did it just like yesterday- no- I'm supposed to pressure the creature after I SUMMONED IT! I did it while the summoning is happening! The pain increased as time went on and the memories that I forcefully kept at the back of my brain repeated themselves like a broken record. That laughter, the undisguised disgust, the hate, everything...

STOP! STOP! STOP! STOP THIS WILL YOU?! I ALREADY KNEW THOSE OKAY?! WHY ARE YOU PLAYING IT LIKE IT'S SOME UNFORGETTABLE SCENE FROM A ROM-COM, HUH?! I ONLY WANTED TO SUMMON PEACEFULLY  SO I CAN STAND A CHANCE AGAINST MY FAMILY AND HERE I AM MAKING AN ACCIDENT, AARRGHH!!!

I screamed my heart out in my mind and the pain stopped all of a sudden. What the heck? the pain disappeared... I was confused. Why did it suddenly disappear? I slowly opened my eyes and found myself in a black void. 

'What the heck?! Where am I?' I screamed but found I can't open my mound and I panicked again. I screamed and screamed trying to see if I can use my voice but I can't. I'm so close to crying when a voice spoke from behind me.

'Tone it down will you? your voice stings my ears.'

________________

Hmm... Who could that be?

 A new character? Obviously...

Is he bad or good? Who knows~ 

Hello! It's been a long time since I updated. I've been kind of busy the past weeks so I haven't had the time to update... I'll be posting three chapters including this one as a celebration for finally having time to update! Thank you by the way for reading this chapter! Love lots!