(Vol-1) Ch. 13 – Nightmare Teaching
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Location is the wretched basement of the Mansion in the middle of Silva Forest. The atmosphere of the basement having a sharp contrast to the mansion above. From inside, the walls of mansion above are painted in pretty colours, the floor made of marble, an exquisite smell in the air that can calm anyone's mind and make them feel at peace, simply a prime example of a luxurious looking Mansion....however same couldn't be said about the basement which is located below it and the horror that happens inside.
 
The walls of the basement, not painted with colours but made entirely of rusty looking bricks. If one looked carefully, dry blood could be seen on several spots of the wall, blending perfectly with the red of brick. The floor made of cobblestone, with several human-sized cages and a few suspicious-looking rooms standing on top of it. The atmosphere not of luxury but of air filled with dread and suffering. Stagnant air along with the strong smell of blood making anyone not used to it have their stomach turn. The blue flames lingering in the lamps hung from the ceiling, providing sufficient light inside the basement but not improving the frightful atmosphere, only making it worse.
 
Inside such a basement, behind a rusty looking door is a room large enough to fit several dining tables. But what's inside aren't some innocent-looking dining tables. Five people, still young, probably not over 20 are bound to the chairs with a piece of cloth stuffed inside the mouth of each one. Their eyes filled with anger, fear, anxiety and fixated on the people standing in front of them.
 
A group of women. Two of which responsible for their current predicament, apart from them, one more was standing beside them. An older and mature looking woman with braided blonde hair, wearing a simple noble dress. It was hard to tell what she was thinking by just looking at her face, but there was subtle kindness in her eyes, which made people feel relaxed.
 
The stalemate got broken by Lilith and she stepped forward to introduce herself
 
⌈Greeting, my captives. My name is Lilith Raven, Leader of a rising group called Purple Solanum⌋ respectfully bowing, to show her goodwill.
 
Purple Solanum?.....John and the group have heard some rumours about them. Rumours of a group who can kill anyone if enough coin is provided and there's also some lingering rumours of them selling drugs in the kingdom. John realized that they were the ones who were making this forest become cursed.
 
It was not some monster, but a group of evil humans that were making whoever enters the forest, disappear. It was because of them that the owner of the Inn was crying and the people of the village were living a life of self-mockery. John couldn't just sit by and let these atrocious criminals have their way, similar thoughts going through the mind of his other companions. 
 
They were a couple of individuals who were training under the Hero, they couldn't let themselves be taken care of by some third rate criminals. Anger swelled inside them and they tried to shake the ropes binding them but to no end.
 
Lilith walked near the boy and asked him a question
⌈Boy, anger doesn't look good on your already ugly face. I gave my introduction, it's your turn to introduce now⌋ 
slowly took the cloth away from his mouth and waited for his answer
⌈Y-you won't get away WITH THIS!!!! mffffffffmmmmmm!!!!⌋
but instead of returning the courtesy, he started venting his anger. To which Lilith again stuffed the cloth inside his mouth
⌈Haahhhhh, what a loud child. Things are never simple with you justice blinded fools. Student, come near, let us resume your magic lessons⌋
⌈huh?....ah, o-ok⌋ 
Isabelle was already trying her best to not vomit in this stagnant air filled with blood. Seeing the sorry state of the people bound in front of her, she already wanted to get out of this basement. Every being of her screaming to leave this place, screaming that if she went along with this any further, then there will be no turning back for her. She will become a criminal who was an accomplice in torturing an innocent group of young people, but she didn't.
 
Instead of turning back, Isabelle stepped forward. The utmost excitement she felt while casting her first spell, the curiosity and desire to learn more about this powerful magic....but what ultimately made her step forward was a simple feeling. The simple feeling of having a sense of self-worth, the feeling that someone like her can also become useful and not remain a burden on those beside her, the feeling that she can achieve all this if she followed Lilith.
 
Uncertainty, hesitation, her conscience, yelling at Isabelle to not get involved any further....but the taste of power is a sinful attraction.
 
Amanda felt a pinch of sadness, seeing Isabelle take her first step towards becoming something people despise, towards becoming like them. 
The same couldn't be said about Lilith, who was at the moment, on cloud nine.
⌈Now, remember you asked that wouldn't something happen to the body if the Mana is consumed in casting spells⌋
⌈Y-yes⌋
⌈You were right, something does happen.⌋
⌈oh! what is it?⌋ Isabelle's hesitant voice, turning into that of curiosity and her eyes now filled with the spirit of learning
 
⌈Both Blood and Mana are required for the body to function properly, so if suddenly there's a loss of one, then the body suffers⌋
⌈Some loss of blood doesn't mean anything to the body...but Mana does?⌋
⌈Yes. A small loss of blood doesn't affect your body in any significant way but even a small loss of Mana does. When you use Mana to cast a spell, its amount becomes deficient in body and hinders the working of various body functions⌋
⌈....So, if a large amount of Mana is used...then wouldn't the consequences on the body be dire?⌋
⌈Excellent thinking. Correct, the consequence will be dire but not fatal. The body will not stop functioning as long as there's some Mana left inside the body. So it's utterly important to never deplete it, you will die⌋
⌈I-I see⌋
⌈So! Let's see how these consequences work. Amanda, if you please⌋
⌈Yes⌋
 
Amanda stepped forward and went towards the girl with a shoulder injury, the injury caused by Lilith's blade in their early fight. 
Ranger Noeya's feet started shaking seeing the blonde woman come her way. She closed her eyes, waiting for the pain to start but suddenly she felt a very soothing aura. Surprised, she opened her eyes and the kind smile of woman melted her heart, the pain around her shoulder also started fading away. Noeya glanced at her shoulder and saw the woman's hand hovering over it and emitting a bright green light.
 
⌈Student, this is healing magic. One needs to have extensive knowledge of medicine, the human body and botany, in order to even start doing the basics. There are not many healing magic users in this continent, always in super high demand by the royality⌋
⌈Amazing..⌋ Isabelle's eyes shinning, seeing the potential of magic.
John and his group were also amazed, shocked that this random group of criminals has a healer among them. Even the hero Timothy doesn't have a healer by his side, finding one is his top priority right now.
 
Amanda finished her healing and came back to stand beside Lilith. Noeya's shoulder was completely back to its healthy state.
 
⌈Wonderful job, Amanda. Show me your arm⌋
Amanda showed her arm to Lilith and closed her eyes.
⌈Student, as you can see, Amanda just used some Mana, that means?⌋
⌈Th-there's a little deficiency in the body now⌋
⌈Good and hence a consequence. Try touching Amanda's arm⌋
 
Skeptical, Isabelle did as told and touched Amanda's arm.
⌈!!! NO...way...⌋
Isabelle's eyes were wide open. Amanda's arm was so squishy that even if a small force is applied it would burst open. It was like all the muscles inside her arm became as soft as foam.
⌈Get it now? and she just used a moderate amount of Mana. That's why it's not advisable to fight using only magic, you have to learn a weapon too or simply use a staff. There are drawbacks to both, learning a weapon requires a great deal of time and using a staff requires you to keep the magic crystal filled with your Mana, which is difficult if there are consecutive fights⌋
⌈I get it⌋
⌈Good, then onto the last lesson for today⌋
 
Again Lilith walked towards the group bound to chairs, this time she stood in front of the woman with short flaming red hair.
⌈The boy didn't answer my question. So, let me ask again, introduce yourselves⌋
and removed the cloth from her mouth
⌈We will never tell anything to the likes of you criminal scums!!! Just die you piece of mmmmfffff!!!!mm!!!⌋ 
but the response again not in favour and the cloth was stuffed again
⌈Even after I made one of my own feel pain to heal on of yours. Student, this is called honour, which is preventing them from saying anything⌋
⌈B-but isn't it needed? It's preventing them from leaking things. So-sorry for asking teacher....but what if one of you are caught and asked the same thing, wouldn't you also keep quite?⌋
asked Isabelle the question, lingering in the back of her mind.
 
⌈If telling them ensures your own survival, then yes, you will not keep quiet and die. Your own survival should be of utmost importance. I won't forgive anyone of my own if they decided to go and die for my sake. They don't have any right to die without my permission⌋
⌈...⌋ 
Isabelle didn't expect this answer, she was expecting some hypocritical stuff to come out from Lilith's mouth but it didn't. Something must have happened to make her hate the concept of Honor so much.
Amanda didn't speak anything regarding the remark, she had been told that same thing several times already.
 
⌈Let me tell you about Mana mixing⌋
Lilith crouched down in front of the red-haired girl who didn't answer the question.
⌈Girl, you have to face punishment for not answering the question. Don't worry about the boy, he will also face his for not answering earlier⌋
 
Tank Julia's head started shaking, in the end, nobody wants to be hurt. Her friends also started making grunting, the cloth preventing from speaking. They didn't know what lesson Lilith was going to teach, it was their first time hearing about this thing called Mana mixing.
 
⌈Student, watch carefully. If even for a moment, you close your eyes, then don't expect any further teaching. Amanda, make sure she doesn't close her eyes⌋
 
Isabelle gulped down, not close her eyes? what is Mana mixing? nervousness started rising in her body but the expectation and curiosity keeping her eyes fixated on Lilith.
 
⌈Student, Let's see what happens if I mix my own Mana into this girl's Mana. Mana is of two types, Pure and Impure. I will now add my Pure Mana into this girl's Impure one⌋
⌈Pure and impure?⌋
⌈Yes, but they don't mean that literally. Both types have their own advantages and disadvantages, along with the ways of telling which one has which type of blood. Now, see carefully⌋
 
Lilith removed the cloth from Julia's mouth and grabbed the middle finger of her right hand. Julia's breathing getting heavy in fear of the unknown. After touching her finger for a few seconds, suddenly Julia's middle finger started gurgling and then\
*SPLURT!!!*
 
⌈...Ah...ahhh.....AHHHHHHHH!!!! IT HURTS!! IT HURTS!! AHHHHH!! MOM!! MOM!! AHAAAAA, MMMMMFFFFF!!!! MFFF⌋
The gurgling grew in intensity and suddenly her middle finger exploded. It burst out and the tiny pieces of flesh, bones and muscle got scattered on the floor. Blood started oozing out of the hand which was now missing the middle finger. Her screams echoed in agony inside the room, to which Lilith put the piece of cloth back inside the mouth
 
Everyone's breathing got intense, their shoulders moving up and down with intense breathing. Julia's group eyes were wide open, they were about to burst out of their sockets. Tears falling from their eyes after seeing the middle finger of their friend literally explode.
 
The same could be said about Isabelle, except that she was not crying, her eyes were also wide open but not with shock and fear, but with amazement. Not batting her away from the bleeding hand for even a single second
The only ones completely unfazed was Lilith and Amanda.
 
⌈This student is what we call Mana reactions. Among the various things that can happen on mixing pure mana with impure one, is explosion⌋
Lilith stood up and concluded her Lesson for today.
 
⌈Student, go call Vivian. We need to interrogate these intruders. After that, you can stay to watch if you want, but don't worry, I won't kill them⌋
 
Hope it was enjoyable. Please make sure to tell me if any improvements can be made.

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