She stood alone in a small purple room with one black chair stuck to the very corner of it, next to it was a small lamp that kept the room lit with a soft red hue.

It was an odd design choice from an outside perspective, but she knew better, it was a combination of lady Lilith’s favorite colors.

The red light giving a sense of dread and weariness did not help ease her mind, as she can only imagine it is the intended effect.

She took a deep breath one after the other, she can feel her own heartbeats racing, as they announced her name

Harper Thae the half witch mage

Harper can already hear the crowd booing upon hearing her linage, she swallows opening the door.

The door revealed a big arena, she stepped into the thick long grass, of course that too was to lady Lilith’s liking, she preferred the arena to be as natural as possible, like a real battle in the wild, she would say.

Harper adjusted her glasses and finally looked at the crowd, their faces were mix of anger and disgust, how dare a half witch participate?

At least that is what she imagined their thoughts to be, except much more gruesome, she sighted and brought her book out as they announced her competitor

Riley Hanson the Ziranmancer

So that is what they were doing, huh?

Putting her against a Ziranmancer, she knew this would be difficult, after all they are in their natural element, as much as you can be in a made-up arena that is.

Nonetheless she would not back down, not when she made it this far in.

She looks up, just above the front of the arena, there stood two thrones.

The throne to the right had lady Lilith in it, similarly to theme, the throne was decorated with thorny roses and purple gems.

The throne to the left had lord Lucifer seated upon it, the throne was decorated with animal skulls and illusionary fire, the fire Harper can only assume were made by lady Lilith herself.

“Eyes over here half-blood,” Riley said, pumping her fists forward, “you got guts for participating, but that’s all you got, and you will die for it”

Harper simply remains silent taking a dagger from her bag in one hand and  holding the book with the other.

“Silent type, eh? Fine by me “, Riley rushes towards Harper with her fiery fists, Harper quickly doges to the left bringing her legs up and kicking Riley into the ground.

Harper flips back putting distance between her and Riley.

Riley was about to say something but stops herself, probably deciding to take the fight seriously before she embarrasses herself any further, getting one hit in is already more than most witches would expect out of her.

Riley kicks the air shooting fire towards Harper, so much so it’d be nearly impossible to doge, without really high speed, ones of which Harper doesn’t possess , she quickly looks at her book muttering the words written on it, that summons splashes of water that take some of the fire out as she doges the rest, despite her best efforts a few have managed to hit her, burning her arm in the process.

Harper grunts holding onto the book tighter than ever as she mutters more words summoning spears of air shooting at Riley, Riley doges them effortlessly, she wasn’t all talk as Harper hopped.

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Riley smirks as she lunches her body forward, Harper mutters more words to summon fire but suddenly, her feet get grabbed, tripping her on the ground, Harper looks at her feet only to find them covered with roots.

“You did well, I’ll give you that” Riley said making the roots pin Harper to the wall, making her drop the book she was holding, “ man can’t imagine how much you paid for this thing, shame it’s just a cheap imitation for the real thing “, she chuckles as Harper tries to free herself of the roots as they grow longer and longer.

Riley gets a dagger out of her pouch and stabs it deep into Harper’s chest, causing her to let out a small scream in pain.

Riley twists the dagger inside Harper before pulling it all the way down, she smiles and makes the roots let go of Harper as she garbles on the floor holding her wound from spilling all her guts out, “ I’ll let you live this time, but you better remember this next time you try to be a real witch, half-blood” she spits at her before walking towards the crowd.

Harper keeps on coughing blood as she looks at lady Lilith, clapping slowly, obviously bored with how the battle went.

She let down lady Lilith, not just by losing but by doing it so terribly.

What did she think? That she can beat a real trained high ranking witch? What a joke, despite that she found herself crawling towards Riley.

She couldn’t just stop here.

 she couldn’t just give up as long as she was still alive.

She can’t let lady Lilith down and live.

She simply can’t.

Suddenly Riley’s body stops moving, as it slowly bends into itself, breaking her bones slowly.

 Harper passes out.

Slow claps filled the air, as the audience looked up, they found none other than Lilith herself clapping.

Summoning a set of stairs, she ascends from her throne into the arena.

“Heal and Take her to my private quarters, we’ll take a break for today and continue tomorrow “, Lilith commands as she leaves the arena into her room.

The swnwmancers hurry up carrying Harper into the medics’ room, not a single word was said all day as the people returned to their homes and hotel rooms.

Slowly opening her eyes Harper finds herself in a strange room, she felt the soft matters underneath her tired aching body, she began to take in her surroundings only to see Lady Lilith sitting pouring herself a glass of what she can only assume to be wine, “finally awake darling?” Lady Lilith said her voice full of sweets and honey.

“L-lady Lilith!”, Harper hurries up from the comfy bed falling into the floor, how embarrassing she can only think what a fool lady Lilith must see her right now, lady Lilith merely giggles.

Harper carries herself off the floor into a bowing position, “what can I do for you, my lady?”

Lilith laughs again, “sit up darling”

Harper nodes and sits down on the other chair in front of lady Lilith, her face growing hot, being in the same room as lady Lilith, it’s basically a dream come true, she’s barley containing her emotions and composure as lady Lilith simply keeps on giggling, noticing her struggle, “a good show you put out there” lady Lilith taking a small sip out of her glass.

“Thank you, lady Lilith,”, Harper fidgeting her fingers looking down.

“Oh, please no need for formalities that was a neat trick you did there”

“P-pardon?”

“What do you remember happened?”

“I…I failed my lady, I didn’t win”

“So, you don’t remember using blood magic?”

Stunned Harper stays silent for a moment, bloody magic? She can’t do that, she was just a mage a half witch even, yet she knew lady Lilith couldn’t possibly be mistaken, “knowingly or not, that was very impressive, I have an inquiry for you darling, once in a lifetime opportunity” Lilith said putting her glass down, “I’ll take you under my wing, if you prove yourself to me”

“P-prove myself…. How?”

“Discover magic”

Discovering magic, a myth as old as time, Harper couldn’t contain shock from appearing on her face, that was absurd, she’d have said if it were anyone but lady Lilith telling her that, after all magic is a gift from lady Lilith not something to be discovered? Is it not?

“Now darling, everything that’s said in this room is a secret, understood?”, Harper nodded trying to comprehend what was happening.

“You’re right, magic is a gift I chose to pesto among you witches, but it’s much more than that, you see magic have always existed since the very beginning, everyone has the ability to use it, but very few know how to, I simply opened the door for you to be able to use it”

“W-what about different types of witches? why…are there many different types if it’s all the same?” Harper finally managing to put her thoughts into words.

“Not everyone is capable of handling the full extent of magic, if anything you a half blood being able to do blood magic like that is impressive for many reasons mental, magical and physical, you’re special Harper”

Special…. oh, how she longed to hear those words, special Harper Thae…. Special a true witch worthy of lady Lilith’s love, Harper couldn’t stop the smile settling on her cheeks.

“The real question is, will you disappoint me? Or discover magic just as I did once”

“I won’t disappoint you lady Lilith”

“I expect the best, Harper”