The edge of insanity

Seventeen years had passed since the pact. Seraphina 'Seraph' Valen, now a formidable figure, sat in the opulent office of Markus, her employer. The room was filled with the tension of their heated argument.

"You were kept because of your abilities," Markus stated, his voice cold and unyielding. "But your pact with Drakonis makes you feared. The council has demanded your resignation."

Seraph's eyes flashed with a mix of anger and betrayal. "Feared? My abilities have saved countless lives, and now you want to discard me because of your own fear?" Her voice trembled, not with fear, but with barely restrained rage.

Markus sighed, his gaze unwavering. "It's not my decision. The council believes your presence is too much of a risk. We can't ignore their demands."

Seraph clenched her fists, memories of her parents' deaths flooding back, fueling her anger. "You're all cowards," she spat, turning on her heel and storming out of the office.

As she walked down the hallway, her sanity meter visibly dropped to 40/80. She let out a hysterical laugh, running her hand through her long, white hair. Her eyes, one grey and the other blue, reflected a wild grin full of insanity. The system, always vigilant, began alerting her and her colleagues of the impending danger.

[Warning: Sanity Critical. Current Sanity: 40/80.]

Her colleague, Eryn, approached cautiously. "Seraph, are you alright? You're... not yourself."

Seraph's laugh turned into a low, menacing chuckle. "Alright? Far from it, Eryn. They want to throw me away like garbage."

[Warning: Sanity Dropping. Current Sanity: 30/80.]

"Seraph, please, calm down. We can figure this out together," Eryn pleaded, her voice tinged with fear.

Seraph's face contorted into a grin that spoke of madness. "Figure it out? There's nothing to figure out. They're all afraid of me. They're making a mistake." Her voice dropped to a whisper, "A terrible mistake."

The force response team arrived, their presence a stark contrast to the chaotic energy surrounding Seraph. Their leader, Captain Jace, stepped forward, his hand resting on his weapon. "Seraph Valen, we're here to escort you out. Don't make this harder than it needs to be."

Seraph's sanity continued to plummet. [Warning: Sanity Critical. Current Sanity: 20/80.]

"Jace, you're making a mistake," she said, her voice eerily calm. "I don't want to hurt anyone."

Jace took a step closer. "We don't want to hurt you either, but you need to come with us."

In a sudden burst of speed, Seraph darted past the team, her movements fluid and precise despite her mental state. "I won't be caged!" she shouted, her voice echoing through the halls as she made her escape.

[Warning: Sanity Critical. Current Sanity: 10/80.]

The system's voice was a constant in her mind, cold and unfeeling. "Sanity at critical levels. Immediate action required."

Seraph burst through the exit, her breath coming in ragged gasps. She ran into the night, leaving behind the life she had known. The last thing she heard was the distant wail of alarms and the system's relentless alerts.

As she disappeared into the shadows, her mind was a tempest of thoughts, memories, and the faint, ever-present whisper of Drakonis. She was alone once more, a rogue element in a world that feared her. And with her sanity hanging by a thread, the future was uncertain, filled with both danger and the faint promise of power yet untapped.