Ritual Gone Wrong

Elara landed gracefully back on the terrace of the skyscraper. Her robes fluttered a bit with the wind blowing through the air. Her body became more solid as she took a step forward. 

Upon landing, she noticed that the ritual had already begun. Vanessa was standing before the ceremonial magic circle, her long silver hair floating weightlessly in the air. Before her, an ancient tome hovered, pages flipping on their own as she chanted incantations in a language long forgotten. Ethereal energy, distinct from the moon's power, pulsed around her, lifting her inches off the ground.

The sight before Vanessa was no less magical than her situation, and his lifeless body floated several feet above the glowing sigils, his arms limp at his sides, his legs slightly bent. Unlike Vanessa's aura, Alvin was bathed in moonlight.

The mandala channeled the moon's power through the glyphs, feeding it into Alvin. 

Woosh!

The energy thickened, filling the air with raw power. Watching the scene before her, Elara's sharp gaze softened ever so slightly. Everything was progressing as it should.

Vanessa's chanting slowed. Then, as the final words left her lips, the energy around her stilled. She opened her eyes, locking onto Elara.

"The preparations are complete. We can begin anytime," Vanessa announced. Then her gaze shifted behind Elara, landing on the unconscious young man floating beside her. Her brows furrowed. "Why did you bring that hunter along?" 

Elara turned slightly, glancing at the pale boy before answering, "He's not a hunter." She paused, recalling the events in the alley. "I mistook him for one, too, sensing the purity of his blood and soul energy. But he's just a normal human."

"You could have just taken that human for yourself. I am sure your power would have been greatly increased." 

Hearing Vanessa's words, Elara shook her head. "He is someone whose blood will be of great nourishment to Alvin once the ritual is done. He might even form his first blood bead in less than five years."

Vanessa let out a sigh after hearing her plan, but seeing the calm look on her lady's face, she knew that she had already made a decision and she would not be budging from it.

 "Whatever," She rolled her eyes before shifting focus. Her gaze landed on the cylindrical object in Elara's hands. "What about that thing in your hands?"

Elara tilted her head, an intrigued glint in her crimson eyes. "Let's find out."

"Wait—"

Vanessa wanted to reject her idea of opening unknown things, but Elara had already twisted one end of the container.

Hissss! 

A faint hissing sound escaped as the seal broke. Vanessa tensed, readying herself for whatever might come next. When nothing immediate happened, she exhaled in relief. "You're reckless, Lady Elara. What if it was cursed?"

Elara ignored her reprimand, her gaze locked on the container. With a smooth motion, she lifted the lid.

Woosh!

A faint white, purple mist gushed out, curling into the night air.

And then—

Boom!

As soon as she fully opened the container, a huge amount of pressure came off from the object sealed inside of the container. The violent surge of energy burst forth, crackling through the rooftop like a shockwave. The protective barrier trembled, its golden glow flickering as it struggled to contain the pressure.

Vanessa's eyes widened in alarm. She raised her arms, reinforcing the spell. "What the hell did you bring here? This energy—it's not like anything I've ever seen!"

She had to scream as the violent surge of wind around them caused her voice to become muffled. 

"This is…" Elara was also surprised by the sudden surge of power from the container, but she held onto it tightly. Gray energy instinctively seeped from her body, forming a protective veil around her.

And then she saw it.

The object is within the container.

"Um… An umbilical cord?!" Vanessa gasped, recognizing it instantly. The withered, ancient cord floated from the opened cylinder, its surface covered in intricate veins pulsing with an eerie purple glow.

Both she and Elara could feel the power, even stronger than their own, gushing out of the mere, withered umbilical cord. This made both of them tense up.

Woosh!

Before either of them could react, the umbilical cord shot forward—straight toward Alvin.

Elara's breath caught. "No! Alvin!"

But it was too late. 

The moment the cord reached him, its energy exploded like a raging storm. Pulsing waves of purple light surged into Alvin's body, pouring down as if a waterfall of raw power was merging with him.

Panic surged in Vanessa's heart; she looked at Elara and asked, "Lady Elara, what should I do?" 

She was ready to abandon the ritual and pull Elara away, unsure what the unknown energy might do to Alvin—or them.

But no matter what happened, saving Elara was her priority.

"Keep going!" Hearing the firm voice coming from Elara, she froze. She saw her looking at Alvin with determination and stepped into the magic circle herself. 

"No! Miss, step away! We don't know what that thing might do. Continuing with the ritual like this is dangerous!" Vanessa screamed in a pleading tone, but Elara did not listen to her once.

Her feet marched on until she was before the young man. She didn't hesitate even the slightest and slashed a cut across her palm, letting crimson droplets spill into Alvin's open mouth. 

"There's no time to stop, Vanessa!" Her voice rang with conviction. "He's my only shot at this! And I can feel it—whatever this thing is doing, it's not harming him. It's making him stronger."

Vanessa stared at her, stunned. Elara also turned to look at her; seeing her moist, panic-struck eyes, her gaze softened.

"Trust me," she said, her crimson eyes burning. "Trust my instincts." Saying this, she turned back and slashed open her healing palm again.

"You ask too much of me, Lady Elara…" Vanessa was stunned by her smile and words before she muttered to herself. She wiped her eyes clean and raised her hand once more, "Very well, let me believe in you once more like I did that day." Her voice was drowned in the current of the shifting air. 

Gaining her previous sharpness, she poured out her golden energy with a crazed look on her face, "Don't die on me, Lady Elara, or I will make sure that you don't haunt me later!"