The Cloaked Woman

"HM!?" Saki finds herself in her bed once more. She sits up, holding her head in her palms "... You had to remind me, didn't you? You godforsaken thing..." She says with a shaky voice, almost on the verge of tears.

Reality shatters around her like glass. "Oh I see now. You are not afraid of fire in general, just your own. Afraid that you will harm the only one you hold dear."

Saki lifts her head hurriedly, alarmed by this unknown voice. It belongs to a tall feminine figure wearing a brown cloak and wrapped in grey silver chains. "W-who..."

"Am I? That's not important right now." She says, waving her hand, that is black like a night and covered with star-like spot, and shattering the fire tornado. "What is, however, is your purpose."

"M-my purpose?"

The cloaked woman stares at the young girl for a moment. Though, they are no visible eyes or face under the brown hood, there is a flicker of annoyance. Without warning, she raises a finger, forming a ball of water, throwing it at Saki's face with a flex of her finger.

Saki, unable to follow the ball, gets splashed. "WHAT WAS THAT FOR!?" She asks, surprise and annoyance in her voice.

"To wake you up," The cloaked woman says, "I don't need a broken record that'll repeat my words now. Why are you here? I'm sure you heard about what happens when someone isn't ready to claim their Grimoire."

Saki wipes her face with her shirt, "Yeah, I do." She replies, her eyes gleaming with understanding.

The fate of those who fail their trail is simple: soul shattering death. One does not just die, they cease to exist as the very core of their being is obliterated.

"At least there's something in that skull. I'm guessing you're here for the power this godforsaken thing can grant you," The cloaked woman says, holding a black book with golden and purple threads running across the cover like veins.

Saki instantly recognizes it, although it is a bit different from her memories. The cloaked woman sees the interest in the young woman's eyes, but she also sees caution, one brought about by that bad experience.

"I'm sorry to tell you that you can't claim it." The cloaked woman declares flatly, shaking her head.

"What!?" Saki exclaims, eyes wide. "I didn't come all to way to just go back empty handed!"

"Before I tell you why, recount what happened after these flames swallowed your friend."

Saki stands there, stunned by the request. The cloaked woman picks up on that, "Hah! You don't remember, do you? Then, answer this! Why should you claim something you discarded, something you had from the beginning but you wanted nothing to do with?"

"Because..."

"It hurt your crush?" The cloaked woman laughes for a moment, then her seriousness comes back in full vigor. "Please, that's shallow thinking! You went out of your way to hurt others, just so you could help that precious half elf of yours.

Saki grit her teeth with frustration, "DON'T ACT LIKE YOU KNOW ME!" She snaps.

"OH BUT I DO! PROBABLY FAR BETTER THAN YOU DO, LITTLE DEMON!" The cloaked woman snaps back. She sighs while shaking her head,

"You let go of that power, choosing to fear it rather than control it. You discarded it when you could've harnessed it, and now that you reached your limits, you come back crawling! You don't deserve its power. Not with this way of thinking."

Saki clenches her fist, her nails digging into her skin, and drawing blood. "So? I don't give two shits whether or not I deserve, I'll take this book back with me, even if I need to rip someone else apart for that to happen!"

The cloaked woman shakes her head, "... You're lucky I'm here to help you, kitty." She says, extending her arm. The white and gold bat lands on it, seemingly coming from nowhere. "You're not worthy to call this yours, but I'll give a chance to prove yourself."

The bat stretches its wing as it takes off, it goes high, then let itself fall, diving at Saki and plunging into her chest, knocking the air out of her lungs.

"You'll relive that same day three hundred and sixty five times, use that time to master that power you rejected, crush those who sook to crush you, take away their lives, will and power, make it yours, and maybe then, you'll have a chance to claim the Grimoire."

The cloaked woman snaps her fingers, breaking the fabric of reality around Saki, sending her into her trial. "...Geez, I can never get used to my younger voice." She says, chuckling.

The cloaked woman takes three steps forward, and digs her fingers into the fabric of reality. In one swift motion, she tears it apart, revealing a massive gate surrounded by grey feathery and bat-like wings, and chains of shifting purple and gold.

"That'll take a while before my dumb self can make use of you, but it'll be better than when I started, at least."