30 The Trials

Suddenly everything my eyesight was gone, it was just pitch black. I couldn't see anything, slowly but surely I saw a yellow light grow, more and more, until it became a steady flame. A flame to fight away the darkness. The flame fought the pitch black darkness for room, they pulled on each other but neither could win.

The flame grew a bit more and two yellow eyes could be seen in the flames. They looked into my soul, rendering my mind's defences useless. My mind's castle went under siege, but it was over before it even started.

My entire soul was laid bare, the yellow eyes spoke, ''Prove your undying will, put your right hand into the flame, only then will you be able to save the ones you love. Only then will you be rid of your mistakes. Only then… Will you find peace.''

I had no choice in the matter, my body responded before my mind responded. I put my right hand into the flame and at first I didn't feel anything. It stung a little but then I could the oxygen in my body leaving me and I was slowly being killed by the poisonous gasses.

Huge blisters formed on my arm and slowly my flesh was melting away. After what felt like an eternity of excruciating pain Lucifer came to my side, he knocked me over and got me out of the fire. Lucifer licked my wounds and it took some of my pain away but I was still in immense pain.

When I thought it was over I was suddenly snapped back to reality, I was in the room again and the fire was once more looking at me with big yellow eyes, ''You pass the first trial, I'm impressed, most take a week to put their arm in the flames. You have shown that you're determined and brave, but I also sense ambition inside you, you want to become the strongest.''

The yellow eyes said with a glint of admiration. The flames faded away and my memory was instantly wiped. I couldn't remember the last trial or what had occured, I only knew I had undergone a trial.

Suddenly the pitch black landscape near me started gaining color. I was on the top of a waterfall. I was on a huge mountain with a large valley, it almost looked like I was standing on a stick that was how thin the peak was.

I walked down a bit so there was less danger of me slipping and moved downwards, the scenery changed a little. I was now at a place where waterfalls extended beyond the eye. It looked like this world only consisted of waterfalls.

I walked to a clearing and I suddenly could hear meowing in the distance, ''Lucifer!'' I yelled worriedly, but I didn't hear much over the roaring of the water. I could hear some meowing but I couldn't determine the origin. After a little while of running around I peered at the edge where I thought the meowing was the loudest.

I saw a little path that went closer to the waterfall. It even seemed to go inside the waterfall like some sort of cave. I quickly made my way closer to the waterfall and I could finally see Lucifer. He was dangling off the side dangerously from a branch.

He was going to fall any moment, the path was just out of reach. I quickly went to the end of the path and stretched my arms, ''Jump Lucifer! I can catch you.'' I said, trying to speak louder than the waterfall that was just beside us.

Lucifer seemed hesitant, he trusted me but wasn't sure that I was able to pull him up. He seemed to be adult size, not his normal fluffy size. That meant he was way heavier to carry. I stretched out my arms and beckoned him, suddenly a part of the branch broke off and Lucifer made up his mind.

He tried to jump but he couldn't find the strength to fully jump to the path. I grabbed him in mid air and we both dangled from the side. I tried to pull him up but he was way too heavy. Even if I tried to use my vampiric strength it was no use. We slowly slid off the edge.

Lucifer meowed nervously at me, ''It'll be alright buddy, I got you.'' I said reassuringly, but it seemed like I didn't get hold of him properly and we both slid off the edge. I held Lucifer close to me and I closed my eyes waiting for my inevitable doom.

But suddenly I couldn't hear the roaring of the waterfall anymore and we were both lying on the pitch black darkness again. A flame appeared out of nowhere and it grew larger until two eyes popped out of the flame.

It had an analyzing look, ''Good, you've both shown deep loyalty towards each other, and most importantly, our species.'' He said that last part whilst looking at me, it didn't surprise me that the King was being cautious. Wampus cats were hunted for a long time. Everyone on the black market wants their eyes.

Suddenly my memories were gone again, I was begging to really dislike this jedi mind trick. But most importantly Lucifer was also gone, I quite liked his company. I felt anger surge inside me, how did they dare use me like this. But the anger didn't really feel like it was mine.

It was like someone was altering my emotions artificially, but it was working somewhat. Suddenly the darkness was replaced with me roaming the halls of Hogwarts. When I looked at my hands I saw they were covered in blood. A girl was lying on the floor, dead, I killed her. Her magic was pouring into me. I felt strong, but I still had some restraint. I had been fed some blood every so often so I could control myself. I got a blood lollipop coated in another layer of some real blood for every dessert.

There were black lines forming on my skin once more, it was still really hard to control the bloodthirst. Suddenly a figure approached from behind a pillar, it was the dark cloaked figure that looked like a dementor. It was even hovering in the air like one, but this cloaked figure didn't necessarily make me feel cold or something but it inflicted pain. My heart felt like it was going to pop out of my chest.

The figure spoke in riddles again,

Futile matters,

I know you want to see wizardkind's blood splatter.

I yelled at it to stop but it didn't care. It lifted it's arm and suddenly I couldn't move. It felt like it was bending my blood to comply to it's will. The dark cloaked figure began speaking once more, but with every word it got closer. Suddenly the corridor bathed in a red light. When I looked outside the sun had turned red. The dark cloaked figure seemed to emanate a red light.

Help me and I'll make this cease,

Otherwise these nightmares will just increase.

The figure was just about to grab my neck when suddenly the King popped out of nowhere. The cloaked being instantly disappeared into dust, ''Maybe next time you'll become my puppet.'' The figure said with actual sorrow. The King looked at me with a worried expression, ''That wasn't supposed to happen, no one ever has been able to hijack my hypnosis. But that being, it managed to do it.'' The King observed the air where the cloaked figure disappeared. His eyes almost pierced the air, almost like he was trying to see beyond just simple air.

''I'm sorry to tell you this little one, but I'm afraid this being is bound to you somehow. Otherwise it wouldn't be able to intervene with my trials.'' The King said in a most serious tone, you could cut the tension with a knife. I felt like throwing up, I was overwhelmed by the cloaked figure, my body just froze. I didn't know what to do, it seemed the threat was bigger than I thought.

Suddenly I was brought back to the normal world. And I was exhausted, but only mentally. It felt like I had stayed up for three days straight. And trust me I know how that feels like, I've done that many times in my previous life.

I was facing the King again, he analyzed my every move and seemed to try to look inside my mind for the creature but he couldn't find it and sighed. ''I'll teach you the ways of Occlumency and Legilimency, it seems like you desperately need it. This being seems like it could also infiltrate our pack if we aren't careful.''

I nodded but his words didn't really reach me. I was just too tired to listen to someone, I could barely stand up straight. ''But it seems like you need some rest, the both of you.'' The King looked at me and Lucifer, Lucifer was back to his cute self once more.

Suddenly I was able to recall what happened in the past trials and I hugged Lucifer, I was willing to die to protect him, but I didn't know that would happen so soon. We were escorted to some lumps of grass that looked like our resting places and we cuddled close to each other. We needed some reassurance that we were still alive...