The first rays of the morning sun filtered through the small skylight into Valentina''s room and danced across her face. She slowly opened her eyes, blinked against the bright light and stretched with pleasure. For a brief, blissful moment, everything was as it had always been.


    Then the realization hit her like a blow.


    "Good morning, little Weaver," Vyxara''s voice rang in her head, velvety and amused. "Did you sleep well?"


    Valentina froze, her heart racing. So, it hadn''t been a dream. The demon was still there, in her head, an uninvited guest in her thoughts.


    "Oh Martyr," she whispered, cupping her hands to her face.


    "Now, now," Vyxara said placatingly. "It''s not as bad as you think. In fact, I think we might be at the beginning of something wonderful."


    Valentina lowered her hands and stared at the ceiling. The familiar cracks in the plaster seemed to accuse her. "Wonderful? I have summoned a demon. I have stolen. I betrayed everything I believe in."


    "You showed courage," corrected Vyxara. "You took the initiative to take your fate into your own hands. That''s admirable."


    Valentina snorted in disbelief. "Admirable? It was stupid and dangerous."


    She swung her legs out of bed and shivered as her bare feet touched the cold wooden floor. Outside, she heard the first birds chirping, a strangely normal sound in her now so changed world.


    "Danger and opportunity often go hand in hand," Vyxara mused. "Just think of all the possibilities that are opening up to you now."


    Valentina went to the washbasin and splashed cold water on her face. When she looked up, her reflection was staring at her reproachfully. "What possibilities? The possibility of being caught by the Illumination and burned at the stake?"


    "Oh, little Weaver," Vyxara laughed, "you think far too small. With my help, you could become the greatest Essence Weaver this world has ever seen. You could perform miracles like a saint."


    Valentina shook her head as she dried herself off. "I don''t want to perform miracles. I just want to get my family out of debt and become a good Essence Weaver."


    "And that''s exactly what I can help you with," Vyxara said gently. "Think about yesterday. With my support, you mastered an Essence pattern that was far beyond your capabilities. Imagine what else we could achieve."


    Valentina hesitated. The memory of her success in Professor Horne''s class made her heart beat faster. It had felt so good, so... right. Like she had finally unlocked her true potential.


    She shook her head to dispel the thought. "No. It was wrong. I cheated."


    "No, you''ve used your resources at hand wisely," Vyxara argued. "Is it fair that rich students like that fat sack of flour Faustus Boarfend have access to the best tutors and unlimited amounts of Distilled Essence while you have to make do with scraps? You''re just leveling the playing field."


    Valentina bit her lip. The demon had a point. Was it really so reprehensible for her to get a little... help?


    Valentina closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. She had to keep a clear head. She had to appear normal today and not make anyone suspicious.


    "You think too much, little Weaver," Vyxara said gently. "Just relax. Let''s see this as an opportunity, not a threat. Who knows what we might discover and learn?"


    Valentina took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders. Maybe the demon was right. Maybe she could make the best of this situation. She would need to be careful, yes. But maybe she could at the same time be open to the possibilities that now presented themselves.


    With one last look in the mirror, she opened the door and went down to the courtyard. Valentina slipped out of her room before most of the other students had even got up. The cool morning air made her shiver as she hurried across the dewy lawn of the courtyard.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Where to so early, little Weaver?" Vyxara asked curiously.


    "To the Great Library," Valentina murmured quietly. "I need to look something up before class starts."


    "Thirst for knowledge," Vyxara purred with satisfaction. "A laudable quality."


    The main library was almost empty at this time of day. Only a few overzealous students and a sleepy-looking librarian were to be seen. Valentina meandered through the high bookshelves, searching for a particular work on advanced Essence theory.


    "Three shelves to the left, top shelf," Vyxara suddenly whispered.


    Valentina winced. "How do you know that?"


    "I see through your eyes, little Weaver. And I have an excellent memory."


    With a suppressed sigh, Valentina followed the instructions and actually found the book she was looking for. She sat down at a secluded table and immersed herself in the complex diagrams and formulas.


    Time flew by and soon the bells rang for the start of lessons. Valentina hastily packed up her things and hurried to Professor Emberfell''s lecture hall for Applied Essence Manipulation.


    With a soft click, the door closed behind Valentina, and she let herself sink into her chair with one last deep breath. The lecture hall for Applied Essence Manipulation was, as always, filled to capacity. Professor Emberfell stood before them, her piercing eyes sparkling as she slowly took her seat at her desk.


    "Essence," Emberfell began in her calm but insistent tone, which silenced everyone in the room, "is not a force that exists randomly in the world. It follows patterns, laws. Sometimes, however, if you look closely, it breaks these rules – and it is in these moments that the greatest potential lies."


    Valentina let the words sink in. She felt the familiar tug inside her grow stronger – the mixture of curiosity and fear that filled her every time she pondered the secret depths of Essence Weaving. Emberfell stepped up to the board and began to draw intricate diagrams with vigorous movements. Lines, circles, and intricate symbols filled the surface, their meaning becoming more and more elusive as Emberfell went on.


    "In this example," she continued, "we have the Essence currents in a stable state." She pointed to the diagram, which appeared clean and symmetrical. "But what happens if we add a factor that doesn''t fit the equilibrium? If we introduce a variable that destabilizes the pattern?"


    She turned suddenly, her eyes flashing as she surveyed the room. Valentina could feel the unease in the room growing. No one wanted to answer the question. She knew Emberfell would not expect the answer lightly. There would be no easy solution.


    The professor let her gaze wander around the room until she turned it to Valentina. "Valentina," she said in a calm voice, but the sharpness in it was unmistakable, "what would be the result if we introduced an unpredictable variable into this system?"


    Valentina felt her heart beat faster. She blinked and looked at the board. The lines and patterns began to blur before her eyes as her mind frantically tried to find an answer. She opened her mouth to say something, but the words stuck in her throat. Her mind was blank. No memory of a theory, or a formula came to her help.


    And then suddenly there was the soft, seductive voice of Vyxara.


    "I can help you, Valentina. The answer lies in the deep currents of Essence. You know that I know. All you have to do is ask."


    Valentina closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She knew it was wrong. She should rely on her own intuition, her own abilities. But Emberfell''s gaze burned into her, and the silence in the room became unbearable. It was only a second that had passed, but it felt like an eternity to Valentina.


    "Tell me the answer," she finally whispered in her mind.


    Vyxara giggled softly. "Of course, my dear. But nothing is free. You would have to do something for me."


    Valentina felt her stomach tighten.


    "Faustus Boarfend," Vyxara continued without hesitation. "A little stumble. Nothing more. Let him stumble at the right moment, and I''ll give you everything you need."


    Valentina opened her eyes, her gaze fixed on the table, but a storm was raging inside. She knew Faustus would deserve it – he had humiliated and laughed at her so many times, but this was different. It was a conscious decision to hurt him.


    "You don''t have much time, Valentina," urged Vyxara. "Emberfell won''t wait forever."


    Valentina felt the space around her shrink as the silence grew more oppressive. Then, to Vyxara''s palpable satisfaction, she nodded imperceptibly and spoke in a calm voice, repeating what Vyxara fed her, "The unpredictable variable would destabilize the system, leaving the Essence streams in a chaotic state. It would be necessary to find a new balance, but this could cause a significant change and perhaps even improvement to the original structure."


    Emberfell raised an eyebrow and nodded slowly. "Very good, Valentina," she said, and an almost imperceptible smile flitted across her lips. "That''s the right answer."


    The knot in Valentina''s chest loosened, but only for a moment. Because she knew that she still had to pay something in return.


    After the end of the lecture, she stood up with a deep breath and left the lecture hall. She saw Faustus walking down the corridor in front of her, surrounded by his admirers. With a soft sigh, she concentrated and wove a subtle pattern around his feet.


    A surprised cry, followed by a roar of laughter, echoed through the corridor. Valentina walked on quickly without turning around. She could feel Vyxara''s satisfied laughter in her head as she made her way to her next lecture, her heart heavy with guilt and satisfaction at the same time.