Chapter 15: Ritual Gone Wrong pt 1
Nyx folded her arms calmly after Lucien’s exhausted sigh echoed through the room.
"That is simply the reality of ascension," she said. "If you truly wish to enter the Ethereal Hierarchy, then eventually you’ll need to become someone that has potential."
Lucien stared at her for a moment before letting out another tired breath. "You guys seriously make life sound terrifying."
"It usually is," Ryan replied dryly from the side.
Dahlia laughed softly. "You’ll get used to it."
"That sentence somehow made me feel worse," Lucien muttered.
A faint smile tugged at Nyx’s lips before he looked toward her again. "Fine then," he said. "What was that second option you mentioned earlier? The one that officially makes me part of your faction without me drinking your blood like some cursed ritual victim."
Mira snorted quietly while Riley covered her mouth to stop herself from laughing, Nyx remained completely unfazed.
"It is still a ritual," she answered.
Lucien’s face immediately flattened. "Of course it is."
"It’s called a Devil Covenant," Nyx continued calmly. "An ancient contract once used by high-ranking devils to bind trusted allies directly to their lineage."
Lucien frowned slightly. "Lineage binding sounds dangerous already, are you trying to control me?"
Dahlia leaned against the wall lazily. "Its not controlling, just you becoming one of us and remember you joined a devil faction, Lucien. Safety stopped existing the moment you entered this room."
Lucien sighed dramatically. "Wonderful."
Nyx stepped closer toward him afterward. "The covenant doesn’t immediately turn you into a devil," she explained. "Instead, it places a dormant mark directly onto your soul."
Lucien raised an eyebrow. "And what exactly does this ’dormant mark’ do?"
"It synchronizes your body with dominion energy slowly over time," Nyx replied. "Normally, humans eventually hit a limit. Their bodies cannot withstand higher levels of dominion mana naturally, so they just take a halt till they get chosen."
"But mine can?" Lucien asked.
"It cannot until the ritual is done." Nyx answered. "Or do you want my blood, it’s faster."
"No freaking way!" He yelled stepping backwards.
Dahlia chuckled and then Nyx continued with a faint smile on her lips. "When you eventually reach Peak Devil Dominion, the covenant mark will fully awaken. Instead of needing external essence, your body will evolve naturally into the Ethereal Hierarchy."
Lucien rubbed his chin slowly. "So basically..." he muttered, "future me gets dragged into becoming a devil whether I like it or not."
"More or less," Nyx admitted calmly.
"And what exactly do you gain from this arrangement?" Lucien asked suspiciously.
Nyx looked directly toward him. "Loyalty."
"Sorry, I cannot be loyal to anyone, you either stay loyal to me, the only thing I can do for you since you are the head of this household is to only be true to you."
The other members in the room went through a moment of shock, because of what he just said.
"When I meant loyalty I’m not saying you’ll be doing it for me, the covenant connects your soul to my authority," she explained. "Not enough to control you... but enough that betrayal becomes nearly impossible, so briefly, the covenant makes it happen, not you."
Lucien immediately said. "I still don’t like it when your covenant would control me."
"It’s not controlling you, just prevents you from betraying me." Her face turned into a frown because of his persistence.
"Fine....but just know that, your fucking covenant can’t do me shit even if I betray you, I’m not saying I will, I’m just saying it’s useless."
Dahlia burst into laughter while even Riley smiled, Nyx remained perfectly composed. "Do you not like this idea or what?"
Lucien dragged a hand down his face slowly. "...Fineee."
Ryan looked genuinely surprised. "Thought you’d said no."
"I’m still avoiding the blood drinking option," Lucien replied immediately.
"That part bothers you specifically?" Riley asked with amusement dancing in her golden-blue eyes.
"Yes," Lucien answered without hesitation. "Very much."
Nyx shook her head faintly before turning around. "Come, the ritual hall is below."
The group followed her through the enormous hallway stretching beneath the academy. Crimson crystals glowed softly along the walls while black marble reflected their footsteps beneath them.
Lucien walked quietly at first before his eyes slowly drifted toward the girls ahead of him.
Unfortunately for him, the Dominion Academy uniforms were ridiculously unfair. The black-and-red outfits hugged their bodies perfectly, especially while walking.
Dahlia’s hips swayed naturally beneath her long pink hair, her figure was so nice, while Riley’s figure looked almost dangerously elegant under the dim crimson lights.
But Nyx body was intoxicating his mind her shape was so majestic, big breast, big ass, but the one with the biggest breast was actually Dahlia, then Nyx.
Even Mira, despite acting like she hated existence itself, had curves impossible not to notice. Lucien swallowed lightly before licking his lips unconsciously.
*Wait.* He blinked, he looked below and saw his penis threatening to burst through his underwear. He then tried to concentrate but it was worthless.
*Why the hell am I this distracted?* His expression twitched slightly. *I literally had sex yesterday, so why do I suddenly feel like I’ve been starving for years? Oh shoot I forgot I have a system."
A slight panic entered his thoughts. *Don’t tell me this stupid system is going to turn me into some lust-crazed demon.*
As if sensing his stare, Mira suddenly turned her head. Her scarlet eyes locked onto his instantly. The death glare she gave him felt genuinely lethal, and it made his cock to suddenly unerect fortunately.
Lucien squinted back slightly as if silently asking, ’What your problem?’ Mira’s eyes narrowed even further.
Before she could say anything, Riley suddenly slipped beside Lucien and wrapped both arms around one of his casually.
The warmth immediately distracted him. "Don’t mind Mira," Riley said softly with a playful smile. "She acts cold toward everyone."
"Hmph." Mira looked away sharply and continued walking ahead.
Lucien watched her silently for a second before smirking inwardly. *One day I’ll definitely break that expression, you moaning under me like a goddamn slut.*
Almost instantly, the system screen flashed before his eyes.
*Quest Reminder!*
*Conquer 3 Devils.*
*Remaining Time: 3 Days 15 Hours.*
Lucien’s gaze shifted briefly toward Riley, Riley Clark. Early Stage Arch Devil. His lips twitched slightly. *She must be pretty powerful, can’t wait to have all their abilities."
Riley tilted her head curiously. "Why are you staring at me now?"
Lucien immediately looked away. "Nothing."
"Mhm you’re pervert aren’t you?" Her smile widened knowingly.
"What?!" He shouted and then she smiled mischievously leaving his arm and moving towards Mira while she wraps her hand around her, she looked back slightly, winked at him and looked back ahead.
"She’s pretty isn’t she?" Ryan said while walking ahead leaving only lucien to his own thoughts behind them.
*Is she giving me a signal or what, how are we going to do it right here?" After several more minutes, the hallway finally opened into a gigantic chamber.
Lucien’s footsteps slowed instantly. "...Okay," he muttered quietly. "That’s insane."
The ritual hall looked less like a room and more like an ancient cathedral built for devils themselves.
Gigantic black pillars stretched endlessly upward into darkness while crimson flames floated through the air without burning anything. Massive chains hung from above, swaying slightly despite the absence of wind.
At the center of the chamber was an enormous crimson ritual circle carved directly into obsidian stone, glowing like flowing blood beneath the darkness.
Ancient devil statues surrounded the chamber, each kneeling toward a throne-like altar at the very center.
Purple mist drifted slowly across the floor while dense dominion mana pressed against Lucien’s skin heavily enough to make breathing feel different. Even his mana core reacted violently.
Ryan smirked slightly at his expression. "First time seeing a true devil sanctuary?"
Lucien nodded slowly. "You people seriously live like final bosses."
Dahlia laughed again while Kael shook his head quietly. Nyx slowly walked toward the center of the ritual circle before turning toward him.
The crimson glow reflected softly against her blindfold while her white hair flowed gently behind her. Then she extended her pale hand toward him calmly.
"So," she asked softly, "shall we begin?"
