Narissa cursed herself under her breath. A simple blink to activate her mana sight was all she needed to see the golden like fluorescent mana threads all around her. 'If I wasn't so freaking distracted of COURSE I would have noted this way earlier. It's practically everywhere . . .but where have I seen this color before?

"Well, whatever you know or not, this is really a crummy way of getting to know someone else. Or is this some weird initiation crap?" It would make sense to her. if the girl recognized mana when she saw it, it would explain why she made them come all out here without first explaining herself in the middle of the classroom. But were the other girls involved as well? A quick glance to the side showed the others just as distracted, as if this was their first trip as well. 'No . . . and they don't seem like they're being controll--" Just then the eve sky erupted in crystal and blue fluttered as one of the flower bloomed in front of the inquisitive girls.

Narissa's breath caught in her chest as she watched the beautiful lights dance in the sky .. . and suddenly a warm light of flames shot into the air, catching the butterflies and tearing them asunder just as easily. 'So beautiful . . .'

~You seem to be in a spot of bother Narissa. I hope you didn't forget the spell to conceal your nipple rings. ~

Narissa gasped as she looked around her, certain she had heard the voice of a male. But not just any . . . . Her mana sight was still activated as she looked around, watching as the thin strands of mana flowed about everywhere, the calm . .. and hidden sinisterness of the voice latching on to her memory easily enough.

"Seraph . . ." It was too quiet for the other girls to hear, still too distracted with the burning phoenix as the butteries and their icy clipped wings fluttered around them to the ground. But her guard was up now, her arms returning to cover around her as she looked for the divinity. 'Where are you then?' she thought, sure that he could hear her thoughts.

'Where are you then?'

Seraph heard Narissa's question, and he chuckled as she moved her arms to cover herself. You prefer to be exposed, even as limited an exposure as you had, around other girls? I will remember that. As to where I am ... in the heart of my garden. You haven't gone and forgotten just what my mana looks like have you? Considering the sight of that was what drew you to me in the first place I thought you would have made a point of remembering just what it looked like. Since you haven't seem to have made the connection this is the same place where we last met ... well more accurately the clearing that contains my garden is the place. The garden itself is on a different plane of existence, which allows something that is several square miles in size to fit in a clearing twenty feet across. The garden was an idea I got after watching another student use mana to create spells that appeared to be pointless. But I think it can serve another purpose. You know how to see, and manipulate mana. Any time you touch a flower you will be able to 'see' the spell it contains 'unfolding' and if you study it hard enough, and find flowers with similar types of magic, you could learn the spells.

Now it was time to wait and see what Narissa did. Would she be interested in learning some spells, or was she still to suspicious of Seraph to try it out. She still had to ask him how to hide her rings again ... in fact speaking of her nipple rings Seraph manipulated Sharon. The student slipped around behind Narissa while she was distracted and one arm snaked around Narissa's side and pushed a finger through the uniform and into Narissa's right nipple ring. Her hand grabbed and squeezed Narissa's breast for a few seconds, rubbing and rolling the soft orb, before releasing you as Sharon giggled into your ear.

"I do NOT like exposing myself," she muttered angrily under her breath. She wasn't even sure if she needed all that information. She just knew now she didn't wish to stay here.

'Mess with the flowers, yeah right. . .' She had already saw what this place could do. And why would she want to randomly tamper with parts of this garden area.

'And I doubt you'd be willing to tell me which flower leads out,' she thought glaring at the dark sky around her. What she NEEDED to do was somehow convince these other girls to follow her out of here and that it was dangerous without looking like she was lying just to get out . . .. While lying still, because she couldn't just say "An angel with descend upon us and screw us silly,'' just wouldn't work.


Fact is stranger than fiction, aint it?

If anything, a quick dash would get their attention and they would give chase. But did she trust herself enough to lead them back safely nearby the dorms? Certainly after a chase just being near them would make the girls at least resign her punishment within the safety of said areas. With the threat of administrative punishment, they wouldn't want to let her get away, right? Something told her that whatever these girls had in store for her would never be able to match to the cunning of what Seraph could think on a whim. So with that, she took a dragging foot step behind her, hoping that the sound would gather the other females attention . .. . and screamed, turning in a dash from where they entered the burning mana 'vines.'

'Please let this work! Please let this half baked plan work!'

Seraph simply chuckled to himself as Narissa refused to go along with his plan. Not that her doing so changed anything. She still had her nipple rings exposed and vulnerable, and Seraph could very easily ensure that other student's would make her life hell via their use. But even that fact was pointless ... Anyone could enter Seraph's garden, but only those Seraph allowed could leave. Which was something that would usually only happen when the flowers were finished with the student's and their minds had been completly blanked out by the pleasure.

The other girls responded just as Narissa wanted them to, all except Sharon who simply giggled and watched as the dark skinned student ran towards the vine of flame that ran along the ground. Narissa drew closer and closer, and when she was but a single step from the vine the flames suddenly shot up into a wall of fire. The front half of her uniform vapourised from the heat, and without thinking her body would instantly jump away. Nothing could pass through that wall of fire and survive. If Narissa's mana sight was still active she would 'see' a shield of mana forming between her skin and the heat, although it faded as she moved back. She would also get the impression that if she moved towards the vine of fire again that shield would not appear a second time.

Sharon laughed when she saw your predicement, and after a few nervous glances the other student's joined in. You can't leave here until you have seen all the flowers. I've been here once before, and I even tried that very thing. Panic and run. Whatever made this place must be proud enough so that they don't like people leaving until someone has seen the wonders that lie deeper inside it... Of course now we have to come up with some form of punishment for you trying to run away from our little ... 'study' group. Sharon smiled evily as she walked towards Narissa, the other student's getting their confidence back from her.

The exit was in sight when Narissa picked up speed, not bothering to turn back and check if they were all following, hearing the breaking of twigs behind her. With that said, she focused on nearing it when her mana sight was beginning to see the threads fluctuating.

"What the--" her words were cut off by the sudden inferno that combusted right in her face as she felt the flames licking her front, a burning smell accompanying the cinders of her blouse and a good part of her skirt. "AAH!!" Jumping back she panicked, patting herself down everywhere and afraid she was scorched. Yet in it she barely saw a soft glow receding back from her skin, fading away as the inferno died back. 'Holy heck . . . that is NOT something I'm willing to repeat!' Taking a step back she watched as the arrogant upperclassman mocked her. It was a good time to use to keep her heart from hammering out of her exposed chest.

'Proud, huh? Does she by chance mean you?' she mentally asked, not waiting for an answer after hearing Sharon's issued order as the other girls began to come closer. 'Well heck, I may just need to learn something to get away from them,' she thought as she began side stepping her before they could corner her against the wall. With the closing distance, she was barely just skimming the wall without getting too close to it. Her mana sight was sure to watch the angry threads of magic wouldn't awake again if she got too close.

'So I need a flower huh? But which one?' Narissa eyed a bud that had yet to bloom as she kept her eyes on the girls in front of her. It was still out of arm's reach . . . Could she risk a jump with such a random and unsure result from the flower?

The four student's followed Narissa, matching the dark skinned student's pace easily. Sharon was confident that she, and by she she meant her and the other student's who had tagged along with her, would catch Narissa. She breathed in, the mana in the air invigorating her and making her feel like she could go all day. It was having a similar effect on the other students, or at least the other student's except Narissa. For her Seraph had focused the mana, and even though it did give her energy it also distracted her by making her body start to feel all hot. It would make it harder for her to think, to decide on definite courses of action.

The bud that Narissa was regarding was nothing more than another party trick like the flowers the student's had activated before. In fact the entire outer ring was filled with such flowers, with only a few exceptions. All it would do is summon a kitten seemingly made out of a single solid piece of ruby that would hop onto, and remain on, the head of whoever summoned it. The 'ruby kitten' was weightless, and also nearly impossible to get off once it had decided to perch on something. Deciding to ignore Narissa's question, she was a smart enogu hgirl and could figure out the answers on her own, Seraph instead cast a compel spell on her. Narissa would feel compelled to jump for the flower, to try it and see if what occured was helpful.

Narissa felt her self getting antsy as they were closing in, no longer perturbed by the sleeping flames of the mana wall behind her they would near as they began closing in. Her muscle tense as she looked back towards the flower, remembering how Sharon had said she wouldn't be able to leave until the flowers were done. Before she could take another moment to think, one of the girl's movements spooked her as she hurled herself towards the flower.

Just as she hit the ground low where it sat, her hand hit the blossom awake as the petals shook to life, peeling back from their closed lipped form. Just as her eyes waited to see a flurry of ice butterflies, or the beak of a raging phoenix, something gem like fell out of it to the grass flooring around them.

"A . . .cat statue?" That's what it appeared to be at least, to her. One made of ruby, as it shined stiff and unmoving until its tail whipped twice, soon, its form becoming loose and mobile like a real cat as it suddenly turned to her and leaped at her. "AH!" she expected it to attack . . when all it did was sit on her head. "what the? This isn't what I was trying to get." Then again expecting a flower to poop out a cell phone for campus security wasn't something she would bother praying for anyways as she tried pulling it from her head, her actions doing nothing as if it was magnetized to her very scalp. This wasn't the time to get distracted!

The statue may have looked, and at first felt, like it was made of ruby, but it moved and acted just like an ordinary cat would. It's tail swished back and forth as it perched on Narissa's head. When the ebony skinned student tried to get it off it simply hissed and three of it's paws extended claws, which dug into Narissa's hair, while the other one slashed at the hand's trying to move it. It was acting just like a cat who was quite comfortable where it was and someone was trying to move it. That tail swished again, this time dragging across the back of Narissa's neck. The stone was, somehow, warm and slightly fuzzy. It was still hard, but something about it felt soft and nice to touch. It continued to do that, seemingly quite happy with it's perch.

The other student's, even Sharon, had stopped when Narissa had activated the flower. They had watched the ruby kitten's antics, and your attempts to deal with something that you clearly had not been expecting. Two of them had even giggled, one struck by how adorable the kitten was, despite it being made of a precious gemstone. Sharon recovered quite quickly from the surprise, and quickly advanced towards Narissa while she was distracted by the kitten. Sharon tried to grab one of your arms, and as she did the other student's recovered from their shock and awe at the kitten's appearance and moved to help. If Narissa managed to avoid Sharon she could get away again. If she didn't all four of the student's would be on her before she could get free and away.

Narissa yelped when the claw dugged into her, her hands instantly evacuating to keep from getting her skin pulled off. Not that she thought it would go that far, but not something she wish to give it the reason to try. She barely paid attention to the other girls as she recovered from the scratch on her head and hands, the warm tail swishing behind her neck before her arm was grabbed by Sharon.

"Sharon! Let go of me! Don't you realize this place isn't safe!?" she yelled, not thinking the fact was hidden around them. This wasn't just four hoodlum girls that were bothering her and then she could just leave afterwards. This had Seraph added into it and his territory. These girls would no doubt be trapped or use as much or worst as she was before.

"Look! Whatever sick game you have in mind, it needs to stop! You're putting these other girls in danger!" She shouted, hoping the stance would shake the others resolve enough, with the proof of the magic already showing in the entrance and three flowers and they'd be spooked enough to . . .to . . ' But that wall! It'll be useless even if my plan worked. . . What if they aren't let through like me?' She thought in worry. Was the idea already too late? Had they already reached the point of no return?

Sharon seemed unphased by Narissa's words, and here Narissa's mana sight would finally see the coils of magic that had formed inside her mind, her body and soul. For the first time Narissa would see the magical 'seed' that had taken root inside her and was dominating her mind. That piece of information would help Narissa understand that Sharon was just a puppet for Seraph, and had been for a while. She was confident in the garden because she was in exactly the same position as the garden. Her mind, will, wants and desires, all were subservient to whatever Seraph wished.

But while Sharon seemed unaffected by Narissa's words the other student's who had come with her and Narissa ... not so much. They had been jumpy, and slightly nervous, ever since arriving here. Even if they didn't know about the monsters personally the situation was strange and unknown. They had been following Sharon, and since she had seemed confident so had they. But now, with Narissa warning them about being placed in danger, and Sharon not caring in the slightest, they were starting to have second thoughts. Www ... what do you mean danger? One of the girls asked, her voice starting to get nervous.

It's nothing. She's just blu... Sharon's attempt to regain control was cut of as another of the students interrupted her What do you mean this place isn't safe? What is here? the student asked Narissa anxiously. While Sharon was holding onto Narissa's arm all it would take is for Narissa to convince the three other student's that following Sharon was a bad idea and the tables would be turned. They wouldn't be able to leave however, the vine would block anyone trying to escape with that intense wall of fire.

"Yes!" she yelled almost annoyed at the other girls. Like she HADN'T been saying that from the start. Although the distraction was able to buy her some time, she knew in her mind she would still have to deal with the barrier. The girls could turn tail on Sharon right then and there but if it meant that they were all stuck there it still wouldn't do her any good.

'Is this what was in your plan, Seraph?' she thought, her eyes straining in the dark for any sign of mana trail that would lead to him. Although when she did so, she didn't expect to see the same mana . . . found within Sharon's mind! She gave a gasp unintentionally as she stared at Sharon, it almost looking like there was something on her face to anyone without mana sight. Within her mind, she could see the coils and knots around her thoughts, seeing them taking root within the girl . . . The same coils that matched much what she remembered of Seraph's own mana. 'Did you take control of this girl!?' she thought angrilly to him, now hair whipping her cheeks as she looked around the garden for the male. 'How could you?!'

The thought ran an inner panic within Narissa, the fear and hate bubbling up from when she remember she was herself controlled. It sicked her. It wasn't enough for the creatures on this island to ravage their bodies and have their flesh submit . . . But to invade the one thing they had to themselves that was still within their power. Their minds.

'How could you?!' she thought out to him, hoping he could hear the storm brewing inside her as even her anger made her eyes blurry with hot tears.

Seraph could see the anger and fear rising in Narissa as she noticed what was inside Sharon, coiling around her mind. The other student's who had come with her were simply confused by the sudden flare of emotions as Narissa looked at Sharon, who simply seemed completely normal and unphased. Seraph waited for a few seconds before suddenly releasing his control, or at least backing it away. The seed remained buried inside Sharon's mind as the student collapsed. She had her own mind back, but that was liable to change at any time.

How? A fairly basic spell in the Domination wind of magic. Turns anyone affected into a willing servant, and if your good enough and now the more complex version you can actually give them a mind and personality. It really isn't that hard if you know how and have the mana. Seraph's voice was calm as he replied to Narissa's enraged thought. He was really poking her now, feeding her reaction and seeing just how angry at him he could make her. It would only make manipulating him that much harder and more entertaining, and satisfying when her body and mind gave up from the sensations he intended to cause her. He could always simply do what he had done to Sharon, but he disliked such a 'brute force' approach that relied on having more power. Such a method was always the most boring.

Of course in the middle of Narissa's emotions the ruby cat currently perched on her head leaned forward, and it's upside down face looked at Narissa. It licked her nose, the ruby tongue mimicking a real cat's tongue perfectly. Just as it did Seraph said I don't feel like spreading my attention today, so I am going to give you a choice. The first three people to leave will have no problems, but the fourth will remain in here until I am finished with them. Three student's could leave, and hopefully Narissa would get the other two student's to take Sharon and leave her alone in the garden.

Narissa quickly caught the fallen girl, kneeling with her as her legs hit the grass. 'What the?' Her eyes went straight to her mind. Any hint or substance that she recognized as Seraph's in Sharon's mind was gone. Her eyes combed over as much as she could on the outer part of Sharon's mind, but it seemed he had relinquished his hold over the puppet of a girl as she heard a groan come from her.

"Sharon? Are you alright?" she tried asking her, not yet hearing a reply until Seraph took her attention again with how he callously explained how easy it was to take over her. The arm that held around Sharon's weak form, tightened as she clenched her fist, her lips pressing into a thin line. Seething in anger, she didn't see the cat for the first few seconds until it leaned over and started licking her face. "Go. Away," she spoke, swatting at its whiskers gently, wishing to discourage it, rather than get offended and scratch again at her with its ruby sharp claws.

It was a surprise that she got when she heard the deal with her own mind. Would he really? How much of Seraph did she know to know if this was just another trap or if he would go back on his words and was only teasing? Her eyes went from Sharon to her two friends, still anxious and left in the dark with what exactly was going on with this 'garden' and what just happened with their friend. There were so many choices she could have made . . .

'I don't want to be the one that has to stay.' It was a fact. She wanted to get as far away as she could, as selfish as it sounded to herself. But she knew she couldn't let Sharon stay, as vulnerable as she was now . . . . .She wouldn't stand a chance, especially incapacitated so early in this ruse of his. Her eyes drifted to the other girls. 'They were just following Sharon's way . . . they're just too naive. They didn't know any better and trusted their friend. . . To their downfall. . . . There seemed to be a con at every choice and no benefit . . . And that's when she realized he was telling the truth about letting only three of them go.

'There aren't any pros but for him . . .and all the cons on my end of the table,' she realized. It was a win-win for him and lose-lose for her no matter how she tried. . . . But . . .there was a silver lining.

She was the only one that had mana sight . . . Had lived through her last meeting with him . . . . The only person here with a relative chance of not going insane near the end. 'Even if that's debatable from last . . .' Her stomach turned at the thought. Don't be self righteous for once! Just leave these girls here and head out yourself. Leave Sharon here. It's her own fault she let herself get caught up and dragged her friends here. Let her deal with the consequences. She couldn't believe how much she wished right then and there that she was more selfish. That she could really be as careless with the others and could be happy only looking out for herself. . .

So why couldn't she just be happy and take it?

' . . . I hate you so much . . .'

Whether that was directed towards herself or the manipulative male, but her eyes laid on to the other two girls as she gestured to Sharon. "You two . . . need to taker her to her room now . . . and leave here," she said through gritted teeth, occasionally biting on her lower lip as she made the hard decision she'd wish she wouldn't have to make for herself. "I'll . . . .follow back later when," she thought for a moment. " . . . When i can get this thing off my head and make sure nothing follows us." Yeah, that sounded logical . . .

'Just. . . . keep your end and I'll keep my end of the deal,' her thoughts reached out to the male, assured he was smirking somewhere in the garden.

Seraph, who was indeed smirking, remained silent as he watched Narissa make the choice he had known she would, forcing her to stay. The other two student's picked up Sharon between them and started walking away. The moment they stepped out Seraph broke his silence to speak to Narissa, or more accurately at Narissa. Well there is domination magic, but you could also use psychology to control someone. The first step of that is to give someone what sounds like a choice, but there is only one option they can take. To make them make choices you want with their own will guiding them. To give them the illusion that they had any form of choices.

Seraph chuckled to himself, he had never been interested in the other student's as anything more than something he could use to bring Narissa here. To him, everything had played out just like he wanted it to. He let Narissa hear the chuckle, letting her know she had already been manipulated. Inside the heart of the garden there is a portal. To use it you will have to activate and study various flowers. Some will teach you a component of the spell you need to learn to use the portal, most will not. The deeper into the garden you go the more complex the spells become, and the higher the chance they will teach you something. Who knows, perhaps you will even learn some magic of your own in addition to using the portal. If you reach the heart I will not interfere in you as you stabilise and activate the portal, nor will I stop you from stepping through. You could use it to go anywhere you wanted, even to leave Shokushu if you so desired.

As Seraph explained the situation the Ruby cat meowed and licked your nose one more time before walking around in a circle on your head for a couple of times and lying down and, apparently, going to sleep. Seraph had plans for that cat later, but for now it was something that acted just like a cat did that Narissa would be stuck with.

Gripping at the ground around her, she wasn't satisfied until she had unrooted several blades of grass in her hands. It was just as she had thought, but even worst. So how far back did she fall into his plan? How long was it planned for? Was he even in control before they came into the garden? Likely. Standing from the ground slowly, she looked into the darkness. Only aided with view of the full moon above and the small glowing flames of the barrier of the garden the girls left through. One she wouldn't be able to by the likes of it. Her arms covered over her exposed chest from the air, unsettled by the reminder.

She had been a pawn all this time, and she couldn't do more than what she was expected of. It was like being forced to play a role on the stage of a tragic character and not having the choice to play anything else. 'I can only play out my part until the end of this crap,' she thought. If she couldn't control what was played . . .at least maybe she could control on how quickly it went as she walked towards where she thought the center of the garden was.

"Fine. Have it your way, Seraph." If the ones closest to the center would yield better results like he said, then there was no reason to waster her time on the outter part of the gardens. And who knows? If she learned that portal thing, she might be able to use that to her advantage for any other encounter she may have in the island and escape. . . . But.

'I can't let myself get distracted with that fact . . .' she thought while rubbing her earlobe, using part of her mana sight to make it easier to see. 'He's making it look like there isn't any cons with looking at the flower while he stays out .. . that alone is unsettling.' She'd have to keep an eye out. For now though, she'd use her sight to see which flower seemed to have the most threads of mana slipping out their buds, while ignoring the ones barely perceptible that would be mostly parlor tricks like earlier.