The Contract

In an absolute dark place where no light could be seen, a young girl was the only being in there, floating through the void naked with a sleeping face.

She had a pretty Asian face with straight jet-black hair which reached her shoulders, her skin was pale white and her thin lips were of a shade of pink and red. Her body was of a petite shape, with small/medium breasts and a well shaped rear.

After floating for what seemed a few minutes, the whispers of a strange disembodied voice could be heard talking in an indescribable language for another full minute before stopping dead.

The young girl then opened her black eyes and looked around her for anything that would give her a hint of where she was. Now, in that situation, everyone would be terrified, awakening in a dark place with nothing around without knowing anything, but strangely she was absolutely calm, not even a hint of worry.

She stayed here, floating around and asking herself how did she come here, and why was she so calm. But it didn't last long for all that to vanish when the same voice came back. Mumbling again but this time in english.

"You're finally awake, young So-ra… I hope you had a good sleep"

"Who are you ? and where am I?" said So-ra, still in a calm tone.

"You are in a dream my dear, a dream I made for us so we can make our contract.." answered the voice as if it was the most logical explanation to the situation.

" A contract ? When did I agree to sign a contract ? and still... Who are you?"

"oh.. dear forgive me I think I maked thing too fast let me try again will you" said the voice with a chuckle " I am Fallena Nosphera, not long ago you picked a book of mine and tainted it with your blood, with that you contacted me with the promise of a contract. powers for you and something for me in return."

At that, So-ra froze for a few seconds, remembering some memories. She remembered picking a book when she was at a garage sale with her family, it looked like a well-preserved ancient grimoire, it was really a pretty book with its decoration, so she just picked it to look, but to her mother who was here to buy something to her children, the moment her daughter picked it, its was for her a sign that she was interested and should buy it, and so she did just that.

Later that day, in the evening when She checked the book, she looked at the strange language that was written in the book, asking herself what it could be but then when switching pages, one of them cut her finger and some blood dropped on the book. After that She just closed the book and went to sleep.

So-ra face then illuminated as if all her question were answered and then went back to a questioning face.

" Are you.. the book?"

" Yes.. and no… My dear I am the one that is relied to this book. Some called me a demon, others an angel, some just an entity.. I hate those ones, you better not call me a mere entity dear."

"What are you then ?.. Fallena?" asked the girl taken back by the sudden seethe in the voice

"I am who I am, I give and I take. Why ask more? I offer you power and just say what would you give me in exchange?"

"Okay… so you said there were people before me right? What did they ask for? and what was their price?"

"My dear… The power I give is the same to all, It's the power to use my book and the spells in it, it contains spells from throwing a fireball to make a person your slave and some other simpler spells of course. The only thing that

changes is your ambition. Some wanted to become kings, others just wanted to live a life of pleasure and others just tried to burn me after waking up and throw me away when that failed… these ones were pathetic" said the voice with a chuckle at the end.

"As for the price my dear.. well some offered me their souls, others their kin's souls, and some were more… original.."

"I see, the problem is that I don't really want to give away my soul nor my kin's. Do you take other payments than souls? And when was the last time you actually had a contract? I doubt your contractant will just sell the book that give him his power"

"My dear, I take everything as long as I find it interesting… as for the other question… my last contract was over 200 years ago… My contractor was killed by his son and did not tell anyone about my book, so it stayed as the relic of a crazy man and was sold more than once…"

"Well, I don't know if that's sad or a relief. But at least I think you can be a little less picky when it comes to the price."

At that moment So-ra carefully studied the conversation she just had, she still doubts if this is real or if this is just some crazy dream she's having, but she will not let the chance slide. And so she begins to think for a price that she will not regret later. Her thoughts were interrupted by the voice talking again.

"My dear, it seems you have something in the head, what's your proposition then?" said the voice with another amused chuckle.

"Well, I don't know if you ever get out of your realm of the book or wherever you stay but for the price, how about every year you will come stay a day with me. You will have to follow some rules of course, rules we can make together, how about that?" said the young girl, not really a hundred percent sure of the price she just gave but she didn't think of anything else so why not.

The voice stayed silent for a while before a big laugh could be heard and then she start talking again

"That's an interesting idea! Nobody ever proposed something like that! you're really ready to propose an unknown being in your life just like that?!.. HAHAHA"

So-ra just stood there not knowing if it was good or not, she heard the voice calling itself a being and remembered its precedent comment for the "entity" title but preferred to say nothing.

" yes.. yes that is a really interesting idea my dear… make it once a month and I will accept, how and tell me those rules of yours so that we can.. negotiate"

"Ohh okay.. so rule number 1 : you cannot harm me in any way directly or indirectly.

2 : You can't harm anyone either, except if I said you can.

3 : you have to take an adequate form.

4 : You will not tell anyone about what you are, our relationship or any power relative discussion except if I say that you can.

5 : You will also protect me if I am being attacked by something I don't see or don't expect.

6 : Do not show your powers in public except if I say otherwise.

7 : You… you will obey my orders when you are there.

That's all for the rules, what do you think?" said So-ra in one raw with the most confident tone she could take.

"I accept all those rules except the 7, I will not obey you my dear as I am not your slave, but I am willing to listen to what you say if I find it appropriate."

"Okay, then how about we replace it by "you cannot go against me if it will harm me in a way I don't want it" this way you will not have to listen to everything I say."

"I find it very similar to the 1 rule but okay that is good with me my dear. So let's resume. Every first of every month I will come to your world and stay 24 hours with you while obeying those seven rules. In exchange you will be able to use my book and all the spells in it, for this you will know the language necessary to use it, are you okay with this my dear?" said the voice resuming our discussion.

"Yes I am"

" Then I, Fallena Nosphera, declare this contract sealed and no one will ever be able to break it!"

After this, the void started to vibrate and then it began to break, as if it was some glass, parts then began to fall and white could be seen on the other side. So-ra then closed her eyes and fell asleep again.

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In a bedroom of a well maintained villa, an asian girl was sleeping comfortably in her bed. The bedroom was in the dark as the curtains were closed. The only lights in the room were from the smartphone on a chest of drawers when a notification was alerted and from the leds of the computer tower on a desk near the window.

noises could be heard out of the room, proof that the house was awake, it didn't last long before a shout was heard loud and clear.

" Yun ! wake your sister up, she can't be late to school again !"

"Mom ! We have alarms for that! why can't she just use one god dammit?!"

"Girl ! go wake your sister up and don't make me say that to you face to face!"

"Fine! Fine! I'm going!"

So-ra was woken up by her mother's ans sister's screams, she looked at her alarm clocks and wondered why it didn't ring.

When she looked at the time, it was 9h23, it's later than usual but it isn't too late either.

She casually stood on her bed and yawned, then her memories of her dream came back, she immediately got up and reached her desk to grab the book on it.

She quickly opened it and went to a random page. What was yesterday a bunch of indescribable and incomprehensible signs were now just English words and sentences.

So-ra wanted to read some of the book but was interrupted when her bedroom's door was opened and revealed a young girl who looked like her, except for her hairs who were longer and reached her lower back, they were also black with some shades of dark purple. But the most noticeable change was on her chest, which was almost totally flat.

"Hey! wakey wakey ther- oh you're awake! Great, I won't have to waste my time!" said the girl before noticing the book in her hands.

"Still on that thing, wasn't it just a stupid book to show off, why are you reading it just after waking up ? don't you ha-"

"Yun, come here, can you read this?" interrupted So-ra as if what was saying the other girl was meaningless

Yun then sighed and came closer and looked at the book, after a few seconds her stare got back at So-ra and looked at her as if she was some weirdo.

"wait.. what is that shit, did mom just buy you a book you can't even read! it's really a book just to show off! hahah!!" Yun then began to laugh and fall on So-ra's bed while teasing her about the book.

So-ra on the other hand just stayed here and looked at her. her through then were interrupted by a voice, the same she heard in her dream.

"Only you can read and use my book my dear…" So-ra startled at the sudden voice but quickly calmed herself and turned to look at her sister.

"As you can see I'm awake, Yun, now leave my room unless you want to see me change?" said So-ra with an annoyed voice.

"Urgh ! no need to be unpleasant, I'm leaving… not like i want to waste more of my time here" said Yun before leaving, closing the door behind her.

After that, So-ra prepares herself to go to school while talking with Fallena. She learned a few things when it came to the grimoire. Like that to be able to talk to Fallena, she had to be physically in contact with the book.

After being ready, Fallen began to teach her some basic spells, like how to make a light in your hand or levitate things.

"Okay now, take the book in your hand and say "close" firmly and clearly" said Fallena, with the same tone previously used for all the preceding spells.

"Close!" was the answer of so-ra, who began to be used to the feeling of magic.

Immediately after that, the book burns itself instantly and disappears without letting ashes. But before So-ra could panic, she could sense a little burn on her wrist, when she checked it, she found what looked like a tattoo of a small black snake. The thing is that the snake began to move and wrapped itself around her wrist as if it was a bracelet.

"Great! now say "appear" in the same tone my dear…" Like earlier so-ra followed Fallena's instruction and soon the book reappeared but this time floating in front of her.

What was earlier a well-preserved ancient grimoire, with a red cover, a white rose in the middle and golden corners was now completely changed.

It still looked like a grimoire but it looked brand new, the cover was black, a green snake in the middle, even the corners turned black but kept the metallic texture.

After a few minutes of daydreaming about her new powers, So-ra left her room and got down to the living room where she would take her breakfast.

Her home was pretty huge to say the least, it had 2 floors, the first contains most of the public places, living room, kitchen, one bathroom, a home gym and a door to the garden where there was a pool.

The second one had the most private rooms, 4 bedrooms, 3 for the children and the last for the mom and there was also another bathroom.

The family didn't always live there, especially since So-ra's parents divorce. But after Sora's mom got some promotions until she was one of the higher-ups of a big company, her salary was more than enough to live a really good life with her dear children.

When So-ra got downstairs, she found that there was no one. Her mom, like her older sister, already left when she was preparing herself, one to work and the other to college.

At home there was only her and her younger sister, who was doing who knows what upstairs. After finishing her breakfast, she wanted to try reading her new book.

However when she looked at the time, it was already 9h58, she had to leave or she would be late.

So that's what she did. With a disappointed sigh, she took her dishes and put them in the dishwasher. She then put on her shoes, put on her backpack and opened the front door.

"Yun ! I'm leaving! Look at the door!" shouted So-ra before closing the door, without waiting for any answer from her younger sister.

So-ra then walked towards the bus station, the faster she's going to school, the faster it will pass, and who knows, maybe from now on, school won't be so boring anymore. A smile appeared on So-ra's face at this thought.