The first aroma to hit Anna's nose was the smell of phosphorus. Previously, Kinsey had been experimenting with buds from the igneous flower. The smell had yet to dissipate due to the lack of air flow within the Sanctum. The air only flowed because Willem used wind magic to keep it filtered.

A quick swipe from Willem's hand and the smell was gone. Kinsey immediately went to prepare some tea, while Willem and Anna went to the study room. Willem pulled the Red Book from his desk and opened up the pages. Anna looked on quizzically but said nothing until Willem finally noticed that she was making a weird face.

"Speak your mind, Anna." Willem quietly spoke as he thumbed through the pages of the book.

"Master, the... The pages of the book are blank? I cannot see them." Anna stuttered but eventually said what was on her mind.

This came as a shock to Willem, but he had never thought of this possibility. He quickly called for Kinsey who was busy preparing the tea.

"Kinsey, can you read the contents of the book?" He opened to a page detailing the fall of one of the gods.

"As my Master wishes... On the eve of the twenty seventh day, month of the jackalope, one hundred and second year, a star descended from the sky. This star was the goddess of hunger, Khali, whom had a thousand mouths all along her body... Shall I continue, Master? Kinsey looked at him questioningly.

"No, that is enough. You can continue your duties." Willem took the book back and thumbed through it again.

The fact that both Willem and Kinsey can read the book but Anna could not means that it may be tailor made to darkness magic. If that is the case, the only other person capable of reading this is The One True King. This was the conclusion Willem came to after careful deliberation.

"Anna, I am going to use a strong technique called life-binding. It is a highly advanced version of the binding I currently have on Kinsey. This technique allows you to fully access my powers and vice versa, but ultimately I will have control of everything you do. You will see everything I see, and obey my commands without me even having to speak them." Willem told her the truth, since for her there was no turning back and he knew it.

She slowly unraveled the sleeve of her robe to uncover her wrist, where the binding technique was usually placed. Willem could not help but chuckle at the thought. The binding technique on Kinsey fit her delicate wrist perfectly but the life binding technique he was about to employ was the size of a normal human torso. As such, it would naturally have to be placed on the chest or back.

"I am afraid not, Anna. Chest, or back. You can decide for yourself." Willem pondered about her choice.

"I will choose my back, Master." Anna spoke with her head to the ground. Her face was devoid of all emotion,

"Very well."

Willem waited while Anna slowly disrobed. Her figure was small, with slightly developed breasts and a good hip to waist ratio considering her size. She seemed to be slightly malnourished, and her ribs could be seen quite easily. Typically this would not be the case, as those with magical power would never be lacking in nutrients. The only reason for her look would be a bad sense of magical power. Not being able to fully utilize ones ability can cause shortcomings such as this.

Anna laid down on the floor as Willem drew a large array with complicated structures. The floor absorbed the mix of herbal paste and magical power as if it was readying itself for a large scale attack, leaving behind only the faint resonating symbols. Willem used magical power to force the study room doors closed, and locked them tightly with a magical seal.

Willem stood over Anna with an empty chalice, and bit the inside of his cheek. Blood freely flowed from his mouth into the chalice, and from his spatial spell an inking pen placed itself within his hands. He used darkness magic to bind Anna to the floor so she would not be able to move. The tendrils wrapped around everywhere but her delicate back. A quick flash of fear appeared on Anna's face, replaced by determination a moment later. She bit down on the dark tendril and readied herself for what was to come next.

Willem dipped the inking pen in the chalice, and began to pierce her back in the form of the array. Each prick of the pen burned through her skin like a wildfire, breaking down the nerves of her body.

After a thousand pricks of the inking pen, the array was almost finished. Anna's body was on the verge of collapse, her blood ran freely down her back and onto the floor. The bones inside her body cracked and severed as if she was being mercilessly attacked by a magical beast. Her major and minor internal organs ruptured and blood flowed freely from her eyes. They were nearing the final piercing point of the array, and Willem was also looking worse for wear. The life-binding technique had exhausted almost all of his magical power, but he knew it would have no lasting effects on his abilities.

When the final piercing point had absorbed the blood from Willem's inking pen, Anna's body took on a dark afterglow. Her entire body slumped over and began to melt into the floor. Her consciousness floated as if her body had left the world, and only Willem could see what was going on. As Anna breathed in, the pooled blood from her body boiled. When she breathed out, her skin began to reform. Breathe in, breathe out. Five breaths, then ten and twenty.

After twenty breaths, her body had reformed. Though the proportions were still the same, her old damaged skin looked brand new, as if it had been replaced with Jade. Her once cold gaze was replaced with a radiant burst of energy. The blood and organs that had previously been on the floor were now in her body, but had been completely healed as if they had never been touched. Much to her own surprise, when she felt her mind returning to her body she could feel that something was restored that had been taken from her.

She gently placed her hand on her lower body, and tears rolled down her delicate face. Her beautiful hair regrew to the size it was before the ritual, and her freckles slowly appeared again on her face, one by one.

Willem watched as all of this happened. Though he looked calm, he could not possibly contain the excitement he felt as he saw her reform her body as if it was brand new. Now that their minds were connected, he could feel every overwhelming emotion pouring out of her body like a spring.

Anna's magical power returned to her, but it felt more robust and flexible. The magic flowed through her mind unhindered, and her arms and legs absorbed the magic as if they had been personally made to accept that power. As Anna looked inward, she saw that she no longer had a blue haze, but a solid blue sphere with a black outline. As she reconnected the strings to her magical force, she could finally feel the boundless energy coming from her Master. What was previously a void from her magical sense now seemed like a deep chasm she could safely climb down without fear of being consumed.

Willem quietly waited for her transfiguration to complete itself. He had exhausted most of his power, save for his base amount to keep him in good health. In his mind he saw memories of Anna before she came to the Magic Academy, of a simple life as a smith and farmhand's daughter. Frolicking through the potato fields, fighting with the younger siblings and sitting down for big family meals.

Anna had finished attaching strings to her new magical force, and she could tell immediately that it was at least ten times more powerful than it was before. Before the ritual, she could only be considered a medium to high class beginner in magical aptitude. Now she had enough magical force to be considered a middle class advanced mage. This combined with the new darkness magic she was capable of made her a very fearsome opponent to any who opposed her.

The last of the blood on the ground congealed and turned black, but neither Willem nor Anna knew why. The black blood crawled up Anna's body and traced along the life-binding technique to reinforce the symbols. Once the ritual was complete, the symbols on the ground disappeared and the Private Sanctum absorbed the excess magical energies, filtering it and returning it to Willem's body.

"How do you feel now?" Willem focused on his thoughts.

"Good, thank you Master." Anna attempted to do the same as Willem.

Not a single word was spoken, but they both nodded knowingly.

"There will be alot of things we have to test, considering this is the first time I have ever attempted the technique. I am sure you have alot of questions." Willem spoke aloud.

"Only one, right now. What are all these multi colored strings?" Anna questioned.

Both Willem and Anna focused inward, concentrating on the different colored strings. Willem plucked one of the black strings, and it led him to outside the study room. From there, he could see Kinsey diligently practicing her potioneering. Anna watched on as Willem placed his hand on Kinsey's back, and her thoughts began to flood the darkness of the world they inhabited.

Thoughts of having a new younger sister to play with when Master studies, and someone to help feed the White Tiger Cub. Thoughts of how blissful her life is with Willem, and how she would have never thought she could be a part of this life she is living now.

Willem retracted his hand from her back, and placed the string back where he found it. He then plucked a blue string, and followed it all the way to the Army Training Ground. In the barracks, two brothers sat down as they regaled the other apprentices about how they heroically fought a hell boar. Some of the older boys scoffed at the brothers, while the younger ones listened intently.

A gentle smile rested itself on Willem's face unknowingly. Seeing the two brothers being well and staying safe made him happy. Though a person cannot grow strong while being sheltered, of that he knows all too well.

He placed the blue string back, and finally, plucked the red string. His demeanor changed to that of pure malice and hatred. Anna was also affected by the strength of Willem's feelings, and her own feelings of wanting to maim and kill bubbled up inside her. Her face contorted into rage as she saw that the red string brought the both of them to the women's dorm of the Magic Academy. Inside was the woman who had forced Anna to drink the mind numbing alcohol until she passed out, inadvertently causing Anna to suffer from seizures.

The older woman was quietly sleeping in her dorm, and Willem forced his hand onto her head. Suddenly, cold sweat dripped from her brow as her body twisted and writhed. Willem forced his way into her mind and broke her dream, turning it into a nightmare, wherein she was continually being torn apart by horrific amalgamations of man and beast. After a few minutes, she woke up screaming in horror. Anna watched the entire thing with a sadistic pleasure and was about to go do the same thing, when suddenly she felt a little sick. She looked back at her Master, and saw that he as well was not looking good.

They both returned to their bodies and Willem explained.

"We are connected for eternity, Anna. Your sins are mine. Your grievances are mine. Our power and knowledge are shared." I used alot of magical force for the ritual. I need to enter meditation immediately."

Willem unlocked the seal and opened the doors of the study room.

"Tonight, we rest. Tomorrow, we hunt."