Love vs Omen

The Ritual That Shouldn't Exist

Mia's lips moved.

But the voice that came out wasn't hers.

"Why did you bring me here?"

The classroom went silent.

Elantra the 14 years old girl stared at her.

For the first time since entering the human world, she didn't know what to do.

Then Mia blinked.

She looked around.

"Why is everyone staring at me?"

A boy near the window whispered, "You just collapsed."

Mia frowned.

"I did?"

The teacher rushed over.

"Don't move. We're calling your mother."

Mia groaned.

"Please don't. She'll make me drink that disgusting herbal medicine again."

A few students laughed.

Even Elantra smiled.

But her eyes remained fixed on Mia.

Something had changed.

The golden energy around Mia was almost gone.

And underneath it...

Something black was moving.

That night, Elantra locked her bedroom door.

She sat on the floor and opened the wooden box hidden beneath her bed.

She hadn't touched it since leaving the witches.

Inside were three black candles, a silver bowl, dried leaves, a spool of red thread, and a piece of dark glass.

She picked up the glass.

Her reflection appeared.

Beautiful.

Calm.

Perfect.

Then it blinked.

Elantra frowned.

"Don't start."

The reflection smiled.

"I am hungry."

"So am I."

"You know what you need."

Elantra put the glass down.

"No."

The room became colder.

The candle flames bent toward her.

A whisper slid through the darkness.

"Then keep guessing."

Elantra stared at the objects before her.

She had been careless.

She had taken Mia's energy without knowing what else lived inside her.

That would not happen again.

Not to anyone.

Elantra lit the first candle.

Then the second.

Then the third.

She poured water into the silver bowl and tied the red thread around her wrist.

Her grandmother had taught her this ritual when she was little.

Never feed before you look.

She placed her hand above the bowl.

The water trembled.

Images flashed across its surface.

Students.

Teachers.

Strangers.

Faces appeared and vanished.

Some were surrounded by pale light.

Some were almost completely dark.

Elantra watched carefully.

"Too weak."

A face disappeared.

"Too unstable."

Another vanished.

Then Mia appeared.

Elantra leaned closer.

The golden light around her was beautiful.

But something was wrapped around it.

Something black.

Elantra's smile disappeared.

"What are you?"

The water suddenly turned black.

A voice whispered from inside the bowl.

"Ask yourself."

Elantra pulled her hand away.

The candle flames exploded upward.

Then everything went still.

She stared into the water.

Her own reflection appeared.

Except it wasn't smiling.

"Don't touch her again," it whispered.

Elantra's eyes narrowed.

"Why?"

"Because she isn't yours."

A cold laugh came from the corner of the room.

Elantra turned.

Nothing.

She looked back at the bowl.

The reflection was gone.

Only one word remained scratched across the surface.

RUN.

Elantra smiled.

"Absolutely not."

From that night, she changed the rules.

Nobody would be touched until she performed the ritual first.

If their energy was useful, she would take it.

If they were dangerous, she would leave them alone.

And if the ritual showed that they could be controlled...

She would possess them.

Simple.

Efficient.

Almost elegant.

The next morning, Elantra walked into school as if nothing had happened.

Mia was waiting for her.

"You disappeared yesterday."

"I went home."

"You didn't say goodbye."

"I was busy."

Mia folded her arms.

"You're a terrible friend."

Elantra laughed.

"And yet you keep coming back."

"Unfortunately."

They both laughed.

For a moment, everything felt normal.

Then Mia's smile disappeared.

"Elantra?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I ask you something strange?"

"You're asking me? That's new."

Mia ignored the joke.

"Do you remember what happened yesterday?"

Elantra's expression remained calm.

"No."

Mia stared at her.

"I do."

Elantra's smile faded.

"What do you remember?"

Mia leaned closer.

"I remember you standing behind me."

Elantra said nothing.

"And you weren't alone."

The bell rang.

Students rushed past them.

Mia grabbed Elantra's arm.

"There was someone standing behind you."

Elantra slowly looked at her hand.

Mia suddenly screamed.

A black mark had appeared on her wrist.

The exact same symbol Elantra had seen inside the silver bowl.

Mia stared at it.

"What is that?"

Elantra didn't answer.

Because she knew.

The symbol wasn't on Mia yesterday.

And the worst part?

It wasn't a mark.

It was moving.

Slowly crawling toward Mia's fingertips.

Then Mia's eyes turned completely black.

She smiled.

This time, she didn't ask why Elantra had brought her there.

She whispered:

"You finally found me."

And Elantra realized something terrifying.

She had never been feeding Mia.

Mia had been feeding her.