Anna's POV
I see some girls and boys walking to the front. The mistress's looking for us, "Guys let's go, she's already looking for us."
As we walk down the stairs, I notice the building walls. I see a path I never saw before. It had a large silver seal, why? I felt it should have been golden in the first place. But guess what? It's hell.
Cam stopped walking as well, He turned to stare at the encrypted symbol seen on the seal. It was a different kind, slightly demonic but usual. He walked closer to it. He said, "You guys, I think I hear a sound coming from this but it's not as loud as I need it to be. I think it's a gateway."
Renee stayed behind us, she refused to take any chances with any demon. To her greatest concern, we were already in hell. "Cam that's a pathway. I don't think it's the same as a gateway. Anna is it?" Renee asked.
I answered, "I don't think so. I think they are different. Similar but different."
Suddenly we hear footsteps approaching from above. It'll be wiser to leave now. Cam watched the seal a little longer and walked away from it saying, "We'll come back later for this seal. I don't think we are supposed to discuss it with our mistress. It's a secret vault to me."
Renee replied, "Right. let's go."
I stand to stare a bit longer. They noticed this, so they stepped back to meet me again. Cam said, "Anna. We need to move now."
I replied, "Cam, the sound is from the vault. The silver seal."
He moved closer to it to listen even more. It's true. "We need to leave now. We'll come back for this later."
He pulled me away with him, Renee walked quickly behind us. To an extent, I think I understand why it's silver. I finally realize, jinns love bronze. Demons love silver and God loves gold.
We walked out of the building, we just reached the grounds. Cam uttered, "God loves gold, jinns love bronze and demons love silver."
I turned to him after he said those words. He thought the exact same thing.
We sit one by one, from Renee sitting at the edge to me then Cam. We reach the front, and I see some faces happy and some still. Some ignore and some pay attention.
"Welcome, welcome to the alumni." The voice said.
Some of us smile, these kids don't know what's going on. They think it's all normal.
"Today! You'll select blindly where you stand in the cult. As you already know the rules. A soul a day keeps the fire away, you must obey the rules and oaths you have taken. You see the bowls behind you, turn to it and pick a paper folded in two."
I just noticed that but which to pick? Cam whispered to us, "Wait for a second okay, one of us should pick a soul bringer and another soul collector."
I whisper back, "And you?"
"I'll take the soul collector or hellhound. Use your senses to spy."
"Alright."
The man continued, "Now! Pick up an envelope and take it with you to your seat."
Others start picking, I see mine. I'm a soul bringer, why?! Renee's a soul collector and Cam's a hound. Just like we wanted, he's too pretty for this and so are we. We walk back to our seats, I see the mistress staring at us. When I get home, the first order I'll bring will be for dad and mom in one day. Believe me.
We're sitting and waiting, "You all know your mistresses! Let's now say our goodbye oath. Let us now continue in the way of now till the end!"
He walks off, so that's the ritual?
Renee watched everyone walk off. "So what's next?"
Cam responded, "Pay attention and study your portion. Also when we get home, we're killing dad and mom for this."
Renee and I like the sound of that, "After we've got a whole month and more here."
The mistress walked up to us, "What are you waiting for?"
"We're off now." Cam answered.
All three of us are about to walk into the building. "Wait!"
We turned to her, "That's not your room, your things are on the other side."
"Come with me." We follow her with a distance in between.
Renee whispered, "Then she's next." Indeed she is.
"So you already know the main man I'm in charge of, he wants to see you three." She said.
She knocks on the door, "Come in." He said.
She opened it, he's still looking at the window again. It's like he doesn't want us to see his face. What if he's dad or even Peter or Aaron? "Be seated, quickly." We all sit in front of him.
At least in front of the table. "Now I hear one's a hound and the other two are souls? Mistress?"
"Yes my lord."
"Good."
"Also they're the best so far?"
"Yes sir, the heart and body are active."
We've not done a thing, wait can he see minds?
He turned to look at us, "Welcome to the alumni, as you've seen. No soul is too young or too old."
He stopped, she's still standing. "She'll be your mistress to put you through. You'll be here for a month and after that. You'll have your separate homes, you won't stay with each other. At specific intervals, you'll switch your homes. Just like your father always does, then you'll always increase in rank as long as you continue your work."
He turns to the mistress, "Your mistress by your side, happened to be like you when she stumbled into this place. Now she's a mistress, the next in command after me. You're not allowed to show signs or symbols of us anywhere. Not even your houses, you'll receive new books to practice spells. Also specific materials too."
We're so doomed.
He's still staring at us but we can't see his face. "Mistress give them their weapons. They'll need them for tomorrow's assignment."
She moved to the shelf by the side. She brought out a wrap, it's a leather wrap. Omg? That's knives? Sharp ones! "Bring the other two as well."
"Yes my lord." She took the other wrap. It's with some objects, like an amulet. Another is a box and the last is a gun. She brought the last one and spread it open on the table. It's got just one thing, a cup with a liquid in it. Also a bracelet by the cup.
"Now the first one, Anna you're the soul bringer. So you must have it in mind, to kill."
"Renee, you must bring souls owing debts to hell and the cult. Cam, you're the hound. That bracelet you see helps you turn to a human when you put it on."
"For the drink? You'll take it here. It has my blood in it, that'll activate your system."
Mistress disrupts, "My lord if I must."
"Go on."
"In the cult, they are soul protectors. Your actual frenemies. They're from the cult, to protect the souls owing the debt. Also to stop you from bringing souls, the competition is tough. You know you must kill anyone in your way. Even if it's someone you love or know."
"Exactly, she's right. Even if it's your so-called lover, no one is a friend and everyone is a foe."
She said, "Cam drink."
Cam stared at the cup first, then at the shadow sitting in front of us. He takes the cup in his hands, he puts it in his mouth. He drank it completely. She smiled and he said, "Brave boy."
Suddenly, Cam drop the black cup on the floor. He held his neck, he held his stomach. He yelled, and then he started growing hair on his chest and his face and back. Like he's now a dog of some kind. Even a wolf. He yelled again, and he rolled on the floor. The transformation's tearing him apart, it's building him as well.
"What's happening?! To me?!" His voice got to the deeper end.
He responded "You're transforming into a hellhound my child."
"Aaaaaaaahhhhhh!" Cam yelled in discomfort and pain.