A heavy silence fell over the hallway as Steven and Melody stood frozen in shock, the reality of what had just transpired crashing down around them. a dawning horror dawning in their eyes.

“Valmet?” Melody called out, her voice trembling with disbelief. “Valmet!”

They turned back to the door, which had swung open slightly. Valmet lay on the ground, her body still and lifeless, the shock of her decapitation leaving the world spinning around them.

“No… no, no!” Steven stammered, rushing forward, but the sight before him was too horrific to comprehend. Valmet's head lay several feet away, her eyes still wide open, a look of shock frozen on her face.

Melody stumbled back, hands covering her mouth as she tried to hold back the scream threatening to escape her lips. “What happened? How could this—?”

“It can’t be real!” Steven shouted, his voice breaking. “Valmet! Wake up!”

only the chilling realization that they had lost her. The monster was still out there, lurking in the shadows, and now they were left with the burden of her death hanging over them like a dark cloud.

“Get back!” Melody cried, pulling Steven away from the door as the growls echoed once more. They stumbled backward, hearts pounding as they struggled to process the horror unfolding before them.

The library felt suffocating, the weight of despair pressing down on them as they faced the darkness together. But in that moment of loss, a new resolve ignited within them. They had to fight back, not just for themselves but for Valmet, whose legacy would not be forgotten.

They turned toward the shadows, fists clenched, ready to confront whatever evil awaited them, knowing that Valmet’s spirit would guide them through the darkness.

As Hue’s mocking laughter faded, From the shadows, a monstrous creature that had decapitated Valmet reemerged, its grotesque form illuminated only by the flickering lights. Its jagged limbs and twisted face were barely visible in the dark, yet its sheer presence was undeniable. The creature hissed, its eyes locking onto Steven and Melody 

“Ah, there you are,” Hue said, her voice brimming with casual delight. “I was wondering when you’d show up again. Let’s play.”

Without hesitation, Hue stretched out her hand, a fiery blaze ignited from her fingertips. The flames erupted into the room, dancing and spiraling toward the monster like living serpents. The creature screeched, recoiling as the fire singed its leathery skin, but it wasn’t done yet. It lunged at Hue, its claws outstretched, but she sidestepped with effortless grace.

Steven and Melody stood frozen, watching in awe and terror, Hue’s movements were swift and calculated, her magic weaving effortlessly through the air as she struck the monster again and again. Each strike sent the creature stumbling, but it fought back fiercely, driven by primal rage.

As the battle raged on, Steven’s mind whirled. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from Valmet’s lifeless body lying on the ground. The sight of her headless form was too much to bear. Desperation gripped him as the weight of Hue’s offer hung in the air.

“We can’t let her stay like this,” Steven said, his voice cracking as he turned to Melody. “We have to do something.”

Melody’s eyes flickered between the battle and Steven, her face pale. “But… you can’t just trade her soul like that! You don’t even know what will happen if you make a deal with him—with it.”

“I don’t care!” Steven snapped, his voice rising. “I have to get her back! I can’t lose her.”

Melody shook her head, her expression filled with frustration and disbelief. “You’re not thinking straight. She wouldn’t want this—her soul being bartered like some object! Don’t you think she’d rather stay dead than be used by a demon?”

Steven his mind racing. “I don’t have a choice! I love her, Melody. I’m going to marry her one day. If anyone has a say in what happens to her, it’s me.”

“That’s not how it works, Steven! You can’t just own someone’s soul because you love them!” Melody’s voice cracked as she tried to make him see reason. “This is dangerous. You’re crossing a line you can’t come back from.”

As they argued, Hue continued to toy with the monster, her magic battering it into submission. Every now and then, she glanced back at the kids, clearly listening in on their conversation while keeping the beast at bay. She seemed amused by their moral struggle, like a spectator watching an entertaining drama unfold.

The monster let out another ear-piercing screech, lunging again, but Hue summoned a wall of flames to push it back. “Tick-tock, kids,” she called out, grinning. “I can keep this up all day, but your friend over there…” She gestured with a tilt of her head toward Valmet. “Well, time’s running out for her. So, what’ll it be? Are we making a deal or not?”

Steven felt his heart pounding in his chest. He turned back to Melody, his eyes filled with a mix of desperation and determination. “This is the only way.”

“No, it’s not,” Melody replied, her voice softening. “FUCK! Maybe your dad has information, or… or something. But don’t make a deal with a demon. It’s not worth it.”

Steven hesitated, torn between the two paths laid before him. On one side, the thought of bringing Valmet back, even at a terrible cost. On the other, the unknown risks of allowing her soul to be claimed by a demon, the moral weight of crossing that line.

The monster let out a final, guttural roar as Hue’s flames engulfed it. The smell of burning flesh filled the air, and with one last blast of fire, the creature disintegrated into ash, leaving nothing but a smoldering pile on the floor. Hue dusted off her hands, turning back toward Steven and Melody with a smirk.

“Looks like I did all the hard work for you,” Hue said, her tone dripping with amusement. “So, have you made up your mind, lover boy? Or are we going to waste more time playing the moral game?”

Steven’s throat felt dry as he swallowed hard. The weight of his decision bore down on him like a heavy stone, and he could feel Melody’s eyes on him.

Hue’s expression darkened for a moment, her playful façade slipping slightly as her eyes gleamed with something far more sinister. In the shadows behind her, a flicker of something dark and monstrous shifted—an eerie reminder that this cheerful form she wore was merely a mask. “Tick-tock,” Hue whispered, her voice low and dangerous. “I’m waiting.”

Steven stood frozen, staring at Hue, who lounged against the wall, a gleam of amusement in his eyes. Melody stood beside him, her breath quickening as the realization of what Steven was about to do settled in.

“Are you really going to let him do this?” she whispered, her voice trembling.

Steven clenched his fists, the weight of his decision pressing down on him like a boulder. “I have to, Mel. I can’t just leave her like this. Valmet… she’s everything to me.”

Hue straightened, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “Ah, young love. How quaint. But you do realize what you’re offering, don’t you?” He stepped forward, the shadows swirling around him as if they had a life of their own. “A soul is not just a trinket to be bartered. It’s a bond, a piece of one’s essence. Do you truly understand what you’re giving up?”

Steven’s heart raced as he thought about his faith, the teachings he’d grown up with clashing with the temptation before him. “I… I know. But if I can bring her back…”

Hue interrupted, a sinister smile spreading across his face. “Oh, how noble! But tell me, would you rather sacrifice your own soul for her, or does her soul hold more value to you?”

“Enough!” Melody snapped, stepping between them. “This is insane! We can’t just play with life and death because of some demon’s -”

“Whims? My dear, I assure you, I am not the one playing games here,” Hue said, his voice dripping with mockery. “You humans are the ones who find themselves in these absurd predicaments. And yet,” he added, his eyes narrowing on Steven, “you want to offer her your soul, despite knowing that she might end up damned.”

The room felt colder as Steven wrestled with his thoughts. “I’ll do it. I’ll let you use Valmet’s soul,” he declared, his voice firmer now, despite the quaking fear in his stomach.

“Interesting choice,” Hue mused, rubbing his chin theatrically. 

With a wave of his hand, a blood circle appeared on the floor, intricate symbols spiraling into the air. It pulsed with dark energy, casting an ominous glow across the room. The shadows stretched and twisted as Hue stepped inside the circle, chanting in a language that made the air crackle.

Steven and Melody watched in horror and fascination as Valmet’s lifeless body began to glow, the blood circle swirling with a life of its own. rattling the walls and sending shivers down their spines.

In an instant, the circle erupted in a flash of blinding light, and Steven shielded his eyes. When he dared to look again, a puddle of dark, viscous liquid lay at Hue’s feet, shimmering ominously.

“Now, let’s see what she’s made of,” Hue said, grinning like a madman.

The puddle began to shift and convulse, drawing in the surrounding darkness until it formed a grotesque shape. Steven’s heart raced, hope and fear battling within him. “Valmet?” he whispered, almost afraid to say her name.

From the puddle, a figure slowly emerged. Valmet crawled forth, her eyes glowing an eerie green, a stark contrast to the blackness of the blood that coated her body. She pulled herself up, drenched and disoriented, her clothes torn and saturated with the remnants of her former self.

 she mumbled, her voice shaky as she searched the room, confusion clouding her features. She noticed her shattered glasses on the ground and picked them up, her hands trembling, she placed them back on her face a stark reminder of what she had just endured.

“Valmet!” Steven rushed forward, relief flooding through him. 

But as Valmet began to piece together her memories, her expression shifted from confusion to horror. “I—” she started, but then the recollections crashed over her like a wave. The moment the monster had struck, the pain of her severed head… it all came flooding back.

“No… no, no, no!” Valmet cried, her body shaking as she stumbled back. The horrific memory twisted in her gut, and she doubled over, retching dark blood onto the floor.

Hue watched with an unsettling glee, like a scientist observing “Ah, the body remembers,” he mused, his voice laced with mockery. “It’s always fun to see how the psyche reacts to trauma.”

“Valmet!” Steven rushed to her side, concern etched on his face. “It’s okay, you’re okay now. You’re back!”

The sight of Valmet, a creature born of blood and shadows, was a far cry from the girl they once knew.

“What… what is this?” Valmet gasped, still trembling as she pushed her hair out of her face, revealing the blood splatters on her clothes. “What did you do, Steven?”

“I-I thought…” He faltered, his heart racing as he tried to find the words. “I just wanted you back! I couldn’t lose you!”

But as Valmet stared into his eyes, searching for the familiar warmth that used to be there, a flicker of doubt crept in. “What…what have you done?”

Valmet’s mind spun as they walked through the dimly lit corridors of the school, her heart pounding with every step. The vibrant colors of the walls blurred into a wash of gray, the laughter of students echoing faintly in the distance, a stark contrast to the chaos within her. She felt cold and empty, as if part of her had been severe.

What had just happened? She remembered the monster, the pain, the darkness closing in around her. And then Hue, that demon with his twisted sense of humor, his eerie laughter ringing in her ears. Who was he?

“Valmet?” Melody’s voice broke through her haze, pulling her back to the present. They had reached the nurse’s office, the familiar scent of antiseptic clashing with the memories of blood and shadows that clung to her. 

Valmet forced a nod, but inside, she felt like a ghost, floating through her own life. “I don’t know,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. “What happened back there? I—I don’t feel like me anymore.”

“We’ll clean you up. Just hang on,” Melody reassured her, though Valmet could see the concern etched on her face, They stepped inside the nurse’s office, the fluorescent lights flickering overhead, casting a sterile glow on everything. Valmet caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror, The reflection staring back was not just something was off.

As she peeled off her blood-soaked clothes, her body left her feeling hollow, like a shell of the person she used to be.

 her mind racing. The way he had regarded her, as if she were a toy to be played with, made her skin crawl. “What does he want from me?”

Just then, she felt a chill sweep through the room, and she glanced toward the door. Had she imagined it, or was there a shadow lurking just beyond the threshold? shaking off the feeling as Melody rummaged through the nurse's supplies for fresh clothes.

“Here,” Melody said, tossing Valmet a set of scrubs. “Put these on. You’ll feel better.”

As Valmet changed, she tried to push her thoughts aside. The feel of the fabric against her skin was comforting, yet it couldn’t quell the unease gnawing at her. A small part of her wanted to ask Steven about Hue, about what he had agreed to. But a deeper part of her feared the answer. What if Steven had traded her soul for her life? What if she was now a pawn in some twisted game played by a demon?

Meanwhile, as they prepared to leave the nurse's office, a chilling realization settled in her stomach. Hue was still lurking in the shadows, a silent watcher waiting, What did he plan to do now that he had her? 

155 years. That thought echoed in her mind. What had happened so long ago that still haunted Hue? What beloved king had fallen? Valmet felt the weight of history pressing down on her, a story of vengeance that was not hers but now felt uncomfortably intertwined with her own fate.

She could almost feel Hue's presence watching them, He had been toying with them, using the chaos to further his own schemes. The realization struck her cold; Hue was not just a random demon—he was a force of destruction, an embodiment of the very darkness that threatened to consume them all.

As they stepped into the corridor, Valmet could sense that the echoes of her resurrection had not gone unnoticed. The laughter of students faded into whispers, fear and curiosity mingling in the air. They were all aware of something amiss, something lurking just out of sight.

But Hue was clever; he had hidden the evidence of the monster, cloaked the school in a veil of normalcy, while all the while plotting his revenge against the humans who had wronged him. A shiver ran down Valmet’s spine as she realized they were all unwittingly caught in his web. 

“Let’s get out of here,” she murmured, glancing nervously around the empty halls. The dread clawed at her insides, a gnawing anxiety that whispered of the chaos yet to come. 

She couldn’t remain just a bystander in Hue’s dark game. If he had a plan for her, she would find a way to take control