Shina's eyes drifted toward Crinix, her gaze lingering until he finally lifted his head to meet her stare. A faint blush spread across her cheeks as she hastily averted her eyes, focusing on the window where the sun's descent had painted the sky with hues of crimson and gold.
"I should probably get going," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's getting late."
As she turned to face Crinix and Takahishi, a soft smile played on her lips. "Would you both like to join me in my room tonight " she asked, her eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief. "I can teach you some incantations. They might prove... useful."
Takahishi, ever the opportunist, jumped at the chance to spend more time with Shina. "Yeah, we'd love to come!" he exclaimed, turning to Crinix with a hopeful grin. "Right, Crinix?"
Crinix nodded reluctantly, still looking less than enthused about the prospect of visiting Shina's room.
Shina's face lit up with a bright smile. "Great! I'll see you guys tonight, then." She opened the door, ready to leave, but Takahishi stopped her.
"Hey, Shina, um... we don't know where your room is," he admitted, looking a bit sheepish.
Shina chuckled, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Oh, sorry about that! It's room 25."
Takahishi grinned, committing the number to memory. "Okay, room 25, got it!"
As Shina left the room, Crinix let out a deep sigh and rolled over onto his bed, pulling the covers over his head. Takahishi, however, was undeterred.
"Hey, Crinix! We should get ready to meet up with Shina. I have a feeling tonight is going to be the best night of our lives!" Takahishi exclaimed, his voice bubbling with excitement.
Crinix groaned, his voice muffled by the covers. "Takahishi, I'm not going."
Takahishi's face fell, his expression turning into a scowl. "What!? No way, you're coming with me! I'm not going into a girl's room alone, that would look suspicious, don't you think? And besides, she asked for both of us to come. What do you think she'll do if I show up alone?"
Crinix sighed, throwing off the covers and sitting up in bed. "Okay, okay, you've proven your point. I'll go."
Takahishi let out a triumphant whoop, pumping his fist in the air. "Yes! I knew you'd see it my way, Crinix!"
Just then, there was a knock at the door. It was the same four women from the day before, carrying trays of food. They entered the room in silence, placing the food on the floor before departing just as quietly.
Takahishi watched them go, his eyes wide with wonder. "Gezz, those women are scary!"
He turned to Crinix, handing him a plate of food. "Here, eat up! We don't want to keep Shina waiting."
Crinix took the plate, eating slowly as Takahishi devoured his own food in record time. Takahishi was practically bouncing with excitement, his eyes fixed on Crinix's plate.
"Come on, Crinix, eat up! It's getting late, and Shina is waiting for us!" Takahishi urged, his voice growing more impatient by the minute.
Crinix smiled, stalling for time. "I'm not hungry, Takahishi. You can have the rest of my food."
Takahishi's face fell, his expression turning into a scowl. "You think I didn't see what you were trying to do? You were stalling for time, weren't you?"
Crinix chuckled, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Okay, okay, you got me."
Takahishi snarled, grabbing Crinix's plate and tossing it onto the floor. "Screw it, you can finish eating later. Let's get going!"
He tossed Crinix his jacket, his expression stern. "Put this on, we're leaving."
Crinix sighed, slipping on his jacket and shoes. "You win, Takahishi. If going to Shina's room is such a big deal to you, then I guess I'll have to go too."
Takahishi grinned, his face triumphant. "Yes! I knew you'd see it my way, Crinix! Now let's get moving before Shina thinks we stood her up!"
As they left the room, Takahishi turned to Crinix with a mischievous grin. "You know, Crinix, I have a feeling tonight is going to be a night to remember..."
As they stepped out into the darkness, the silence enveloped them like a shroud. The only sound was the soft rustling of leaves and the distant howling of wind. Crinix and Takahishi walked side by side, their footsteps echoing through the stillness.
The darkness seemed to press in around them, making Takahishi's skin crawl. He shivered, his eyes darting nervously around the shadows. Long, ominous silhouettes stretched out before them, like skeletal fingers reaching out to snatch them.
Takahishi's breath caught in his throat as a sudden gust of wind sent the leaves swirling around them. He let out a high-pitched shriek, his heart racing with fear.
"Ahhhhh!" he screamed, stumbling backward as a tree branch fell to the ground beside him.
Crinix turned to him, a mixture of disappointment and amusement on his face. "It's just a tree branch, man," he said, picking up the offending limb.
Takahishi's face flushed with embarrassment as he tried to laugh off his fear. "Ha-ha-ha! I knew it, I just wanted to give you a little scare," he said, attempting to sound brave.
Crinix raised an eyebrow, his expression skeptical. "Sure you did, Takahishi," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
As they continued their journey, the darkness seemed to grow thicker, like a living entity that wrapped itself around them. Takahishi's nerves were stretched taut, his senses on high alert for any sign of danger.
"ARGH! It's going to take us forever to find Shina's room," Takahishi complained, his voice barely above a whisper.
Crinix shrugged. "We could go back and stop this wild goose chase."
But Takahishi was determined. "No way, let's keep going. We can't give up now."
Just as they were starting to lose hope, Takahishi spotted a building block in the distance. "Hey, Crinix, let's check over there," he said, his voice filled with excitement.
Crinix followed him, his eyes scanning the surrounding area for any signs of danger. As they approached the building block, they saw that it was lined with doors, each one bearing a room number and name.
Their hearts skipped a beat as they saw the door marked "30". They were getting close. Takahishi's excitement grew as they made their way down the row of doors, their eyes scanning the numbers for the one they sought.
And then, suddenly, they saw it. The door marked "25", with the name "Shina Akiyama" written below it. Takahishi's heart was racing, his hands shaking with excitement.
"Here goes nothing," he whispered, taking a deep breath before knocking on the door.
The sound of footsteps echoed from the other side, growing louder with each passing moment. Takahishi's heart pounded in his chest, his nerves stretched taut with anticipation.
And then, the door creaked open, revealing Shina's smiling face. "You guys made it! I was beginning to doubt if you were going to come," she said, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Takahishi let out a sigh of relief, his tension dissipating as he smiled back at Shina. "Of course we made it! Like we said, we were going to come, right Crinix?" he said, nudging Crinix with his elbow.
Crinix nodded, his voice barely above a whisper. "Yeah."
As Takahishi's eyes met Shina's, he couldn't help but stare. She wore a stunning short purple gown, its delicate silk fabric hugging her curves in all the right places. The gown's neckline was adorned with intricate lace, framing her heart-shaped face and accentuating her porcelain skin. Her orange hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall of night, and her bright blue eyes sparkled like sapphires in the dim light.
Takahishi's gaze lingered on Shina's thighs, his eyes drinking in the sight of her toned legs. "You look great tonight," he complimented her, his voice barely above a whisper.
Shina's cheeks flushed a delicate pink as she smiled, her voice barely audible. "Awww, thank you Takahishi. I was just getting ready for bed."
She stepped aside, opening the door wide to let Crinix and Takahishi enter. As they stepped inside, Takahishi's eyes adjusted to the warm glow of the lamp beside Shina's bed. The room was cozy, with a neatly made bed in the corner, adorned with purple bed sheets that matched Shina's gown. A carpet was spread out on the floor, and Shina gestured for them to sit down.
As they sat, Shina lit a candle, its soft flame casting a warm glow over the room. Takahishi watched, intrigued, as Shina placed the candle in the center of the carpet.
"Tomorrow, you'll be starting your first incantation spells," Shina explained, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "That's why I asked you to come here tonight, so I can help prepare you both for tomorrow."
Takahishi 's eyes narrowed, his brow furrowed in concentration. "You mean incantation spells as in magic?"
Crinix's brow furrowed . " Back then, at the sewer exit, you opened a portal that led us here. I've been meaning to ask, how did you do that?"
Shina's eyes locked onto Crinix's . "I was able to create a portal through what you could call magic, a divine incantation. An incantation is an essential way to perform magic in the form of spells. Each incantation requires a verbal pronunciation and a sacrifice from the incantation caster."
Takahishi's eyes widened, his voice barely above a whisper. "A sacrifice?"
Shina's expression turned serious, her eyes somber. "Yes, a sacrifice has to be made in order for one to perform an incantation. Small incantations drain power and energy from the practitioner's body, and advanced incantation spells require a price, which is usually soul energy or even one's own life."
Takahishi's face paled, his voice trembling. " Hmm one's own life?"
Shina's expression softened, her eyes filled with reassurance. "But all you need to learn is how to perform an incantation. However, if you pronounce the words wrong, the incantation won't work."
Crinix's eyes narrowed, his brow furrowed in concentration. "I think I'm beginning to understand this magic stuff."
Shina smiled, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "That's great, Crinix! With practice and patience, you'll both become skilled incantation casters in no time."