Hellish literature leading to a setup

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Hellish Literature.

The classroom starkly contrasted with the rest of the school's grim and foreboding architecture. Its walls were lined with shelves upon shelves of ancient, leather-bound tomes, their spines cracked and worn from centuries of use. Flickering candles cast a dim light over the room, their flames dancing like restless spirits. A large, imposing desk sat at the front of the class, behind which the teacher, Professor Kashootme, slumped in his chair, a half-empty bottle of infernal whiskey clutched in one hand.

Clarity entered the room, her golden eyes taking in the eclectic decor with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. She spotted Pete sitting near the back, his white blazer standing starkly against the dark surroundings. He waved her over with a warm smile, his feathers ruffling slightly as she approached.

"Hey, Clarity," Pete greeted her, soothingly contrasting the eerie ambiance. "Glad you made it."

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Clarity replied, sliding into the seat beside him. She set her books on the desk, glancing around at the other students filtering into the room. "So, what's this class like?"

Pete chuckled, leaning in conspiratorially. "Well, Professor Kashootme is brilliant, but he has a drinking problem. Just be ready for some... unorthodox teaching methods."

As if on cue, Professor Kashootme lifted his head, his bloodshot eyes scanning the room. "Alright, class," he slurred, swaying slightly as he stood up. "Welcome to Hellish Literature. Today, we're diving into the works of Dante Abyssus, one of Hell's most esteemed poets. His themes of despair and treachery are... well, let's just say they hit close to home."

Clarity exchanged a glance with Pete, who rolled his eyes good-naturedly. Despite the professor's inebriated state, his voice had undeniable passion as he spoke about the subject matter.

"Now, open your books to 'The Infernal Verses,'" Kashootme instructed, taking a swig from his bottle before setting it down with a heavy thud. "We'll start with his famous sonnet, 'Lament of the Damned.'"

As Clarity flipped through the pages, Pete leaned closer, his voice a whisper. "So, how do you like this school so far? I know it's not exactly the easiest place to fit in."

Clarity smiled, appreciating his concern. "It's definitely... diverse, but I'm managing. It helps to have a friend like you around."

Pete's eyes twinkled with mischief. "Well, I'll always be here to lighten the mood. Besides, having someone who cares about this stuff is nice. Most of the others.. well you know."

As they settled into reading, Clarity became increasingly absorbed in Dante Abyssus' dark and haunting verses. The themes of despair and treachery resonated with her more than she expected, the words painting vivid images of suffering and betrayal.

Professor Kashootme stumbled around the room, occasionally muttering additional insights or rambling about the poet's life. Despite his obvious impairment, his love for the subject was evident, and it was clear that he wanted his students to share in that passion.

"Alright, class," Kashootme called out, his voice unexpectedly sharp. "Pair up and discuss the sonnet. I want you to really dig into the themes and emotions here."

Clarity turned to Pete, who was already grinning. "Looks like we're partners," he said. "So, what do you think about this whole 'Lament of the Damned' thing?"

Clarity pondered for a moment. "It's haunting. The way he describes the endless torment and the sense of hopelessness... it's powerful. I can't help but feel a connection to it, even though it's so dark."

Pete nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Yeah, it's definitely intense. I think the despair is almost tangible like you can feel the weight of it pressing down on you. But there's also a sort of dark humor in how he describes the futility of their struggles. It's like he's saying, 'No matter what you do, you're screwed.'"

Clarity laughed softly despite the morbid subject matter. "I guess that's one way to look at it. It's fascinating how he can make something so tragic also seem... almost absurd."

Clarity felt a growing sense of ease with Pete as they continued to discuss the sonnet. His insights were sharp, and his enthusiasm was infectious. Despite the somber themes of the literature, their conversation flowed easily, and she genuinely enjoyed the class, or maybe she just enjoyed the company; she'd never tell.

By the end of the session, Clarity realized that Hellish Literature might become one of her favorite subjects, not just because of the fascinating material but also because of the connection she was forming with Pete. As they packed up their books and prepared to leave, she felt a newfound appreciation for the unexpected friendships and experiences it offered. 

The blasted siren rang again, signaling the end of their period. 

"Hey, Clarity," Pete's voice broke through her thoughts, his tone light and playful. "You did great today. You've got a knack for this stuff."

Clarity turned to him, her cheeks flushing a delicate shade of pink. "Thanks, Pete. I really enjoyed our discussion. You made it so much more interesting."

Pete's grin widened, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Glad to hear it. Maybe we can continue our conversation over lunch sometime? I'd love to hear more of your thoughts."

Clarity's heart skipped a beat, her mind racing. "I'd like that," she replied, trying to keep her voice steady. "That sounds really nice."

"Not the food here, though; we can go out for that." he chuckled, Clarity could feel the apples of her cheeks turn red at his suggestion.

As they walked out of the classroom together, Pete leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "You know, Clarity, you're quite the mystery. It's not often we get someone as intriguing as you around here."

Clarity's blush deepened, and she looked down, unable to meet his gaze. "Oh, I don't know about that," she mumbled, feeling excited and nervous.

Pete chuckled softly, clearly enjoying her reaction. "Well, I do. But unfortunately, I've got to run to a presidency meeting. Duty calls and all that. See you around, Clarity."

With a final, charming smile, Pete turned and portaged away, leaving Clarity standing in the hallway, her heart pounding. She watched him go, her mind replaying their conversation and how his presence made her feel.

With a gentle finger on her lips, she shook herself out of her reverie. Clarity started down the hallway, her mind fuzzy with butterflies. She was so absorbed in her own world that she almost didn't notice Hellsa Von Eldritch until it was too late.

"Well, if it isn't the new girl," Hellsa's voice was as cold as ice, cutting through Clarity's thoughts like a knife. "How lovely to see you wandering around alone."

Clarity looked up, meeting Hellsa's piercing gaze. The demoness stood with an air of superiority, her perfectly styled hair and immaculate attire exuding an aura of opulence and disdain.

"Do I know you?" immediately, her eyes turned cold and stern, and she addressed the obvious figure.

"Hellsa~ Von Eldritch, Princess of Envy." somehow, her introduction was so annoying that the normally calm Clarity wanted to smack her with a dirty tray.

"Hellsa," Clarity greeted her cautiously. She didn't even bother introducing herself. "What do you want?"

Hellsa's lips curled into a cruel smile. "Oh, nothing much. Just enjoying a stroll. But it seems you're a bit lost, aren't you? Or perhaps just looking for trouble?"

Before Clarity could respond, Hellsa stepped closer, her voice dropping to a venomous whisper. "You don't belong here, Clarity. And I'll make sure everyone knows it."

Without warning, Hellsa pushed Clarity, causing her to stumble, but a glint flashed in her golden hues when she gained her footing. Her fist was clenched with a fiery aura surrounding it, and just as she was about to disperse it in favor of calming down, a voice interrupted her thoughts. 

"Clarity Cipher," a stern voice boomed from behind her. Clarity's heart sank as she turned to see Principal Crabapplessnitch striding towards them, his expression thunderous. "What is the meaning of this disruption?"

Hellsa's smile widened, her eyes gleaming with malicious delight. "Oh, Principal Crabapplessnitch, I was just trying to help Clarity here, but she seems to have a bit of a problem with authority."

Clarity opened her mouth to protest, but the principal's glare silenced her. "Is that so? Clarity: I expect better behavior from you. This is not the way we conduct ourselves at this fine institution."

"But I didn't—" Clarity started, but Principal Crabapplessnitch cut her off.

"Enough. Miss Von Eldritch, you may leave us, and as for you, Miss Cipher- walk with me."

Clarity's shoulders slumped at the unfairness. She shot a final look at Hellsa, who simply waved and walked away with a satisfied smirk.

Clarity was sure she wouldn't even retaliate. Even though she had morals for hitting girls, she guessed this environment required her to adapt fast if she didn't want to be pushed around. Hellsa had won this round, but Clarity vowed that she wouldn't let the demoness get the best of her.

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The perpetual twilight of the pride ring cast long shadows over the courtyard as Clarity walked alongside the Principal. A towering figure with a presence that demanded respect moved with an air of authority that bordered on intimidation, but living in Wrath made him seem like a try-hard-to-look-tough demon. 

"Miss Cipher," Principal Crabapplessnitch began, his voice cold and clipped, "You seem to be making yourself quite comfortable here, Miss Cipher."

Clarity glanced at him, trying to read his stern expression. "I'm just trying to fit in."

Clarity did not know what trouble she was in, honestly. If anything, she wasn't doing any more than the regular background extra at this school, and she somehow had garnered a one-on-one with the principal himself already. She was still in her first week of starting, right?

They continued walking, the gravel crunching under their feet. The principal's pace was brisk as if he was intentionally leaving Clarity struggling to keep up.

He continued with a sharp wave of his hand. "By fighting? By making a nuisance of yourself. That is not the hellschool way."

"Could've fooled me." 

Then the principal abruptly stopped, turning back and facing her as if she had just praised the lord.

"What did you say?"

"I said you could've fooled me," she repeated, annoyed. "This place is full of entitled royals and maniacs."

For a moment, the principal froze as if never heard of such a thing before it was replaced, and, at that moment, Clarity knew this man was a lost cause with that reaction. "Nonsense. That's just school spirit. High jinks. Why, back in my day, we felt nothing of castrating the new boys. I want you to stop your nonsense, Cipher. I want you to behave yourself. You might learn something."

"You've shown potential," he continued, much to her chagrin, his tone begrudging, "such a young succubus such as yourself should not let her talents go to waste." his eyes made a weird glance inspecting her person, which made her distaste for him grow even deeper much preferring him from behind the speaker, at least he showed his true emotions there.

"Fine. Can I go now?" Clarity did not feel motivated to correct him; she just wanted to ditch this lousy excuse of an educator.

He leaned in closer, his voice a low, menacing whisper. "SIR, it's 'can I go now, sir.'"

She nodded, feeling almost her patience leaving her body. "Can I go now, sir?"

"Good," he said, his voice dripping with disdain. "On your way."

Right as Clarity was about to walk away, she was met with two of the faceless ars goetia clan, a female and a male, who appeared from the corner with an object in hand.

"Hey, I saw you sucking up to Crabapplessnitch."

"What? Shut up." no, more trouble was not what she needed now.

"Screw you, new girl." the female beside him spoke up, sneering at her. Clarity was not a fan of all these snobby brats who had nothing better to do than torment her or at least try. "This is what we do to teacher's pets around here."

"You better not...ow!" She felt an impact that didn't hurt her but stunned her, making her step back a few steps. She heard the female giggling while the male enjoyed taunting her. Clarity felt her blood boil, she wasn't about to let these guys have their way.

"C'mere you little-!"

"Yeah, come and get me."

She followed him all the way across campus, leaving his laughing girlfriend behind because Clarity thought she had enough class not to hit other dames no matter what they did. Lo and behold, she was surrounded by his other friends; she found them all disgusting- ganging up on her as if they didn't intend to leave things fair to her. She could deal with that.

Without another word, she lunged at the nearest goetic demon, a sneering brute. He barely had time to react before her fist connected with his jaw, sending him sprawling to the ground. The other demons stared in shock momentarily before rushing at her, but Clarity was ready.

Years of roughhousing and hand-to-hand combat experience kicked in. She moved with the fluid grace of a dancer, each punch and kick delivered with precise, brutal force. One by one, his friends fell, their groans of pain mixing with the sound of fists meeting flesh.

One guy tried to grab her from behind, but Clarity spun around, driving her elbow into his ribs and following up with a knee to his stomach. He doubled over, gasping for breath, and she finished him off with a swift kick to the head. Another demon attempted to flank her, but she anticipated his move, ducking under his swing and delivering a crushing uppercut that knocked him out cold.

Finally, only that faceless extra remained. He backed away, fear flickering as he watched Clarity advance on him, her expression a mask of cold fury.

"You're gonna pay for that, dream girl," he spat, his bravado wavering.

"Not if I make you pay first," Clarity retorted, her voice low and dangerous.

He threw a punch, but Clarity easily dodged it, her reflexes honed from years of practice. She countered with a swift jab to his nose, feeling a satisfying crunch as it broke. He howled in pain, staggering backward.

"Had enough?" she taunted, her eyes blazing with righteous anger, not caring if she had residue of blue blood staining her knuckles.

He snarled, launching himself at her in a desperate attack. But Clarity was faster, her movements a blur as she sidestepped him and delivered a series of rapid strikes to his midsection. He doubled over, gasping for breath, and she grabbed him by the collar, lifting him off his feet.

"Apologize," she demanded, her voice ice-cold.

His eyes widened with fear. "Alright, alright! I give!"

Clarity's grip tightened. "Louder."

"You're hot shit!" he shouted, his voice cracking with pain and fear.

Satisfied, Clarity released him, letting him crumple to the ground. She stood over him, her chest heaving with exertion, and looked around at the defeated demons sprawled on the ground.

"Next time you think about messing with me," she said, her voice steady and strong, "remember this moment."

With that, she turned and walked away, leaving him and his friends groaning on the concrete.

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Romans 8:18

The pain that you've been

feeling, can't compare to the joy

that's coming.