Surviving in the Demon's Academy as a Human

When Aiden opened his eyes, his first sensation was the stench—thick, cloying, and nauseatingly metallic. He gagged, his senses assaulted by the sight of blood splattered across the dark, jagged walls. Bones of creatures he couldn't recognize jutted from the piles of gore, their sharp edges gleaming faintly in the dim crimson light. The room was vast and cavernous, the air heavy and suffocating, as if the space itself was alive and breathing.

At the center of this nightmarish tableau stood woman. Her golden hair shimmered like molten sunlight, cascading in perfect drilled curls that framed her flawless, angular face. Two curved horns jutted elegantly from her head, obsidian-black and polished like onyx. She wore a crimson dress that clung to her form, the fabric glistening as though soaked in fresh blood. Her red eyes glowed in the darkness, piercing through him with an intensity that made his chest tighten and sent chills down his spine. A smirk crept across her lips—sharp, predatory, and full of unsettling amusement. She tilted her head slightly, as if studying her new plaything.

Aiden tried to speak, but his throat was dry. His mind raced. Where am I? Is this a dream? Or… a nightmare?

"Wh-where am I?" he finally managed, his voice cracking.

"Welcome to Hell, little mortal," she purred, her voice dripping with both mockery and malice.

Aiden's heart raced as his body trembled uncontrollably. "W-What... where...?" he stammered, his voice barely audible.

The demoness tilted her head slightly, as if amused by his confusion. "You're in my domain, little human. Hell, to be precise. And you should be honored—few mortals have the privilege of standing in the presence of Lilith Aurelia Maltrix, Daughter of the Crimson Abyss, Heiress of the House of Maltrix, and Bearer of the Ancient Name of Lilith. Welcome to your new home, little human. You belong to me now."

She paused, her smile widening as she savored his stunned silence. "But you may call me Lilith. For now."

Her name echoed in his mind: Lilith. It sounded both beautiful and terrifying, carrying a weight he couldn't fully grasp.

"Lilith," he repeated weakly, his voice barely audible.

Her laughter rang out like bells, it was sweet voice. "Ah, so you've heard of the name. Good."

Lilith took a step forward, her heels clicking ominously against the blood-slicked floor. She didn't answer his question. Instead, she gestured grandly to the grotesque surroundings, as if showcasing a masterpiece. "Magnificent, isn't it? The artistry of suffering. The poetry of pain. Oh, don't worry," she said, her grin widening. "You'll get used to it. Eventually."

Aiden's stomach churned violently. The stench, the sight, her voice—it was too much. He collapsed to his knees, his head spinning, and before he could stop himself, he vomited onto the floor. His body convulsed as he retched, his mind struggling to comprehend the sheer horror of it all.

Lilith's laughter echoed through the room, cold and melodic. "Oh, this is precious! The mighty chosen one, reduced to a quivering mess! I knew humans were fragile, but you're exceeding my expectations." She clapped her hands together, her excitement only deepening Aiden's dread.

Still hunched over, Aiden gasped for air, his body shaking. And yet, as the fear and nausea coursed through him, something else stirred within. The oppressive weight of despair that had clung to him on Earth was gone, replaced by something raw and primal—survival. For the first time in years, Aiden felt a spark of purpose: the simple, desperate will to live.

Lilith crouched before him, her unnervingly perfect face now at eye level. "Tell me, little human, do you want to live?" she asked, her voice dropping to a whisper, her smile as predatory as ever.

Aiden looked up at her, his vision blurry but his resolve hardening. He didn't know how or why he was here, but he knew one thing: he didn't want to die. Not like this. Not in this place. He nodded weakly, unable to form words, but his determination was clear in his eyes.

Lilith pulling out a branding iron from seemingly nowhere. The metal gleamed in the dim light, intricate patterns swirling around its shaft, forming a glowing magic circle that seemed to hum with power. It wasn't just a branding iron; it was an instrument of binding, something far darker and more sinister than any ordinary symbol.

With a flick of her wrist, she conjured a flame in her palm, a blaze that danced with unnerving intensity. Aiden felt the heat pulse against his skin, the warmth so foreign, so unnatural, that it made his heart race with dread. This wasn't a normal fire. It was demonic, fueled by power and malice. He could almost feel the magic, the raw energy flowing from it as though it was alive.

Lilith's eyes gleamed with an almost sadistic joy as she stared at him. "Oh, human," she cooed, her voice dripping with mock sympathy. "I hope you understand just what your little fate here is. You, my cute little pet, will be my slave. You'll follow every order, every command. You'll be mine to use as I please. It's going to be such a fun little game, don't you think?"

Aiden's chest tightened as he stood frozen, horror creeping into his bones. She continued, completely unfazed by the panic that had overtaken him. "And to make sure you don't get any funny ideas, I'm going to mark you. A seal that will tell me exactly what you're thinking. Every little hostile thought, every lie you try to tell me—I'll know, instantly. And you won't be able to escape it."

Her smirk grew wider, her eyes gleaming with cruel amusement. "You'll live, of course. I wouldn't want you to truly die just yet. But make no mistake—you will never be free. Just a slave, bound to my will."

The words felt like chains wrapping around Aiden's chest, tighter and tighter, until he could barely breathe. He opened his mouth to protest, to shout, to beg—anything—but his voice caught in his throat. The terror was suffocating.

Lilith took a step closer, her hand almost reaching out to touch him. Her finger hovered near his face for a moment before she pulled it away, as if savoring the torment in his eyes. "Forgive me, human," she said, though the apology was laced with mock sweetness. "This is going to sting a bit."

Before he could react, before he could even blink, Aiden felt an unbearable heat at the back of his neck. It wasn't like the flame she had conjured. This was different. This heat wasn't just physical—it was magic, suffocating, burning with a potency that went far deeper than skin. It pressed down on him with such intensity that he couldn't even move, couldn't even scream.

The world around him blurred as the heat overwhelmed him, consuming his thoughts, his senses.

"Forgive me..." Lilith whispered again, almost tenderly, though her tone was laced with satisfaction.

Aiden's vision spun, his body going limp, and then—everything went black. The last thing he felt was the searing heat, followed by the hollow emptiness of unconsciousness.

After this he felt Lilith's palm in his forehead and lost his consciousness.