Ch 21 – When you truly stop to think about it, we’re all just rats in a cage.

[CW: Blood, violence, sexual assault threats]

The walk through the underhalls toward the training grounds was quiet. No one went through here except the occasional staff member, given that it was much easier to reach above ground. Still, I couldn’t help but sigh in relief to not encounter anyone.

Without the constant warmth of bodies passing through, the air was frigid. Though I expected the lanterns helped, marginally. I was very much missing the cloak that idiot boy had yanked off of me. Instead, I felt bare to the open chill. But that was fine, as the heat would be back soon.

As was expected of any magical academy, the training grounds were large and included a number of features, something which could be seen even from down below it. Most notable was the extensive collection of magical creatures that the more combat-oriented students were trained to fight. In the years to come, I expected that I too would face them, but as a first-year student, it wasn’t something I had to concern myself over quite yet.

Needless to say, all those creatures had to be kept somewhere. The hypogeum was a sprawling collection of rooms and halls filled with cages. Most were full of the many exotic creatures that the school held, but there existed a few rooms not in use and closed off—or at least they were supposed to be.

In my early exploration of the underhall’s first level, I “stumbled” onto one such room. Given its relative isolation, it had become my impromptu location for obscure and private meetings, at least until I eventually found something better. The only downside was that the hypogeum was staffed, if poorly. I had to be careful not to run into anyone.

When I finally made my way to the large arched doors of the hypogeum, my quick pace slowed. The thick wooden door creaked as I cracked it open and peeked through. Students weren’t strictly disallowed from the area, but the staff here would shoo you out nonetheless. The thick stench that filled the air was enough to deter most.

I slipped in, easing the door closed behind me and strode down the tall, vaulted hallway. From what I could tell, animals weren’t brought in through that entrance, yet heavy claw marks marred the massive stone bricks and pillars regardless. The academy had obviously dealt with their share of escaped beasts, and judging by some of the dark stains imbued into the bricks beneath my feet, also paid a heavy price for it.

Large rats skittered across the floors, their claws scraping against the cool stone bricks. I scowled, but otherwise ignored them, pushing down the slight disgust. They reminded me too much of darker times. Rather than lanterns, the walls held small openings for candles that somehow gave the place an eerie vibe. It was plainly utilitarian—built to last. A low rumble rose from my right, the growl of some beast already able to sense my presence even through the thick, impenetrable walls.

My scowl deepened. Already, I didn’t want to be here. The place always left me feeling slimy when I left, both in a physical and emotional sense. As I moved deeper in, the miasma of smell seemed almost thick enough to touch, lingering with a surprisingly heavy humidity despite the vents meant to keep fresh air circulating in. It stunk far too literally like shit mixed with the rot of death. I had to hold back the urge to retch, consoling myself with the knowledge that I’d be through the worst of it soon.

The doors ahead had heavy bolted locks, though I’d found that they were only locked at certain times of the day, namely mealtimes. It still gave a loud metallic clunk as I pulled the left door handle open. I winced at the loud noise and then a second time as thick steel scraped against the stone floor. My eyes glanced up at the lettering to the right, indicating that I was entering section E, along with a symbol for danger. Unlike much of the hypogeum, this area was off limits. As soon as the opening widened enough, I slipped inside, leaving it cracked behind me. There was no point in closing it when Dathlin would be quick to follow.

Unlike before, this hall was lined with large, barred cells. Each bar was thicker than my arm and went from floor to ceiling. The cells contained creatures large and small. To my left stood a massive furred beast pressed against its cell door. My feet stepped forward, easing past it through the narrow passage, even as an unnatural number of appendages reached out toward me. Its stringy fur merged and separated in a never ending dance as if floating in water. Together, they created the likeness of tentacles, arms, and occasionally, hands and fingers. I had no desire to find out what would happen should one grab onto me.

My eyes tracked each creature I passed, an increasing sense of claustrophobia gripping me in the much-too-narrow hall with poorly lit cells. A mangy chimera lazed to my right, its cell holding a collection of half chewed bones. Ahead of it, a long chitinous leg eased between the bars along the ceiling with an eerie grace. When I looked within, some form of arachnid gripped the stone brick ceiling, unmoving and with far too many eyes watching me as I creeped forward. The creature was large enough to reach my waist in height. To its left, a shadowy creature took shape, flowing up from the floor into a vaguely humanoid shape around my height, but doing a poor job of it.

Beyond them were a few of the actual humanoid creatures that slowly wasted away here. One was a small thing, barely a couple feet in height, but its toothy snout and scaled skin gave away the danger it posed. Four of them sat together in their cell on the left, snarling at me in a low growl and threatening to gore me with knife-like claws. Across from them was one of the beings that put me most on edge, for reasons that I avoided looking into. It appeared almost human, in a way, with soft, tanned skin and a face full of beauty. Supposedly its skin was made of smooth bark, but I couldn’t tell from this far away. The only things that truly gave it away were the strangely long ears pointed upward and the green hair seemingly covered in vines and flowers. She sat naked on the stone floor, her blank green eyes staring off at nothing. As I passed, the creature—a dryad, I was told—didn’t bother to acknowledge my existence. Or perhaps it was too far gone to know I was even there. Not that I dared approach it. Much like the other creatures in this room, it was considered exceptionally dangerous.

The next hall held more cells, each filled with yet more creatures. Another two eerily humanoid ones stared at me as I passed, and I tried not to meet their eyes. I knew they weren’t human, but that did little to make me feel less on edge. Somehow, my recent transformation made things all the worse.

The last hall, unlike the previous two, was empty. I was certain that the door was supposed to be locked, but the metal had rusted with time and broken. A single lantern lit the long rows of cell bars, indicating that I wasn’t the only one who came here. Each of the cells were locked but with nothing caged within. That emptiness only made it feel that much more eerie.

I let out a deep sigh, taking several breaths. Something about the numerous cells and caged beasts left me emotionally bare and ragged. The air in this room seemed fresher, which alone was a relief. All that was left was to wait. I fought back the urge to pace, and instead situated myself over in a dark corner, careful to step around the various cobwebs.

It was barely a minute before I heard the scraping metal and creaking of the door. My eyes narrowed as a figure entered, covered in a dark cloak much as I had been before. As he shuffled forward and pulled back his hood, Dathlin’s eyes wandered the dark hall and empty cages. His gaze passed over me, and I smirked before stepping out.

I was back in my element again. Finally, after all the strangeness and annoyances I’d had to take on, things were coming together. It wouldn’t be long now before I was back in my old body forging new plans to best the school. Something about the thought left a sour spot in my gut, but I pushed the feeling aside.

Dathlin jolted as his eyes caught sight of me and narrowed. I sauntered forward with what I hoped was a menacing aura, staring the boy down.

“Are you really Gellin? Or is that just a rumor?” he asked.

A stupid question. My scowling sneer should have told him all he needed to know, but I answered still, in case he was too dense to put it together.

“That’s Syr Zelian to you, slime.” My arms crossed as I stared him down.

Somehow, my answer made him chuckle. “You truly are a fool, aren’t you?” He stepped forward, pressing into my personal space and gave me his own smirk back. Two dark eyes stared into my own. “Did you really think it was a good idea to show up here alone with me?”

Ah, so he wanted to turn the table? I gave him a blink, followed by a blank look, and took my own step back. “Just what do you think you’re going to do?” I egged him.

He ignored my question. “Did you forget who I am? I’ve studied everything I could find on demons since I was a child. I know you can’t do magic. Nor are you particularly strong.” It seemed that Melkar was already gossiping. Dathlin’s eyes roamed up and down my form. “I can tell you all about the ins and outs of a succubus like you.”

I took another step back, allowing a hint of worry to fill my face.

“Let’s see how willing you are to blackmail me after a few days tied to my bed, hmm?”

Enough of this.

I jolted forward and my hand flew toward his gut, thumping into him a little below the ribs. He staggered backward, the wind knocked out of him, and I pulled away.

“You bitch!” he spluttered. “You—you…” His words trailed as he saw the glint of metal in my hand.

I held the thin dagger up, examining the gentle flicker of light as it turned and the trail of blood flowing around the hilt and down my fingers. Dathlin’s wide eyes moved from the blade to his stomach, seemingly baffled to find his shirt turning red. It was the look of someone who’d never been stabbed before.

Stepping forward, I balled the fist of my other hand and socked him in the nose. The punch spun his head to the side and caused the boy to fall, his back smacking against the bars of a cell.

A swelling sense of power swirled in my gut, and the sweet, tarty smell of blood filled the air around us. It made me feel… hungry. My lips curled into a vicious smile.

“Allow me to tell you how this is going to go.” I stepped forward, grabbing the collar of his shirt and pulling him upright. Luckily he scraped his feet along the floor, managing to regain his balance, since I sincerely doubted that I’d be able to lift him all on my own. The idiot did most of the work for me. With the tip of the dagger poking his wide nose, I continued, “Either you shut that mouth of yours and do as you’re told, or Melkar is going to be the least of your troubles. Understood?”

His hands rose up in a gesture of surrender, and I allowed him to nod. “Y-yes.”

“Good, because next time I’ll be cutting out that tongue you like so much.”

When I released him, the boy’s legs nearly gave out beneath him. His sigh of relief turned into gasping breaths, as his hand gripped the bleeding wound at his belly and he bent forward. Somehow the sight managed to both spike my growing hunger and spawn a small kernel of guilt and sympathy.

Dathlin was lucky that I was experienced enough at this not to hit anything vital. So long as I didn’t hold him for too long, he should be well enough to stumble his way to the healer. And if he collapsed before then? Well, there was a reason why the staff didn’t want students down in the hypogeum.

“Now, I need you to find something for me—a demon heart. I suspect that Melkar should have one. Search his things and tell me when you locate it.”

Dathlin’s gaze slowly rose to meet me, his eyes filled with malice. I reached out and patted his cheek.

Leaning forward, I whispered, “Don’t let me down, Dathlin. I’d hate for you to have to learn which punishment between Melkar and I is worse.”

I turned and walked away, showing my back to him just to see if he’d take the bait. He didn’t, and instead, I sauntered out. But rather than truly leaving, I turned a corner that would keep me out of his view. It’d be a pain if he collapsed and bled out before someone was able to find him. I’d have to follow him and make sure that he at least made it to a part of the underhalls that was more populated. Then I could make my way back to Lilis’s room with none the wiser.