to the demon.
“ Surely you didn’t think this
simple circle would deliver you from my powers?” Demonic laughter rolled
through the depths of the forest, making the trees sway. Inhuman cries filtered
out of the woods, and out of the corner of his eyes he could have sworn he saw
a pair of glowing eyes staring back at them.
Even so, Silas was determined to carry through with his dark deed.
“ I want it all,” Silas grunted
out. His chest became heavy, and he feared his lungs would collapse. But he
couldn’t go back to life as a simple slave. “I’ll make an even trade with you!”
“ Hmm. I like the sound of that. Say
out loud your words.”
“ For all that my heart desires , I will give my soul to you.” Suddenly, the pressure on the
back of his neck eased and Silas rose.
“ Is that all?”
“ Isn’t it enough?” Silas
challenged.
A tremble shook the earth,
making Silas’s heart lurch. Sweat beaded his forehead, and he swallowed hard as
he watched the ground in front of him split apart slightly. The sound of souls
in despair emanated from the plane below. The plane that Silas knew would one
day become his permanent home.
“ Just your soul won’t do,” Barius scoffed. “I want more.” His words ended in a snarl,
making the hair on Silas’s neck stand on end. “Make it quick, or you’ll join
those souls earlier than you would like!” he warned.
“ I have nothing else to offer.”
Silas held his head down with regret. “My soul is all I have.”
“ No…” the creature breathed.
“There’s so much more. I can see it in your mind. You care for them, but not
enough to give up the earthly desires you hold close to your wicked heart.
Wouldn’t you like to see your family pay for the pain and misery they inflicted
upon you in the here and now? Surely they envy your power.”
“ Yes. I do want them to pay.” He
bit his lip, and his body trembled with rage. He’d love to inflict pain upon
those who’d cared nothing of him and cast him out. “Yes, they will be the first
to suffer.”
“ And…your future relatives,” Barius insisted.
Now he’d have to betray his
future family members, the innocent ones he saw in his head day after day.
Silas sought to back out. He closed his eyes and tried to pray, but it was
already too late. Something in his mind clicked and any prayer he may have held
in his head dissipated.
“ It’s too late, Silas. You’ve
already summoned me, now give me what I want!”
“ Okay!” Silas belted out. “It
starts with me and will continue down my line. Greed, selfishness, let it
flourish. I don’t care, just give me all I desire!”
Tears streamed down his face.
“ And…the girl,” Barius sneered. “There is a girl in the future.”
“ She means nothing to me,” he
lied. He hung his head as the woman’s face snapped him back into reality.
“ Very
well. By
this simple act, you’ve delivered your entire line of young women to my
soldiers. By your hand, they will never know happiness, or true love, for that
matter. They will wield power, but will never learn the proper way to use it. ” Barius grinned. “When in need, they will always call
upon and rely on the powers of demons. My demons.” He
held up a glowing, red pendant and placed it upon the ground. “Take it.”
“ What is that?”
“ Your life,” Barius sneered. “Never take it off, but keep it hidden. It is the source of your
power. Should you be separated from it, you’ll become powerless. Remember our
bargain when your time of death approaches.” With that, the demon disappeared.
With haste, Silas opened the
circle and stepped out. He bent down to pick up the strange, glowing pendant.
Immediately a power he’d never known before slipped over him, and he felt like
he could conquer the world. With new self-confidence, he put the pendant around
his neck.
As he prepared to leave, Sorscha , the thing lurking in the woods, approached him.
“So, we have a deal?”
Silas nodded.
“ Surely you didn’t think this
simple circle would deliver you from my powers?” Demonic laughter rolled
through the depths of the forest, making the trees sway. Inhuman cries filtered
out of the woods, and out of the corner of his eyes he could have sworn he saw
a pair of glowing eyes staring back at them.
Even so, Silas was determined to carry through with his dark deed.
“ I want it all,” Silas grunted
out. His chest became heavy, and he feared his lungs would collapse. But he
couldn’t go back to life as a simple slave. “I’ll make an even trade with you!”
“ Hmm. I like the sound of that. Say
out loud your words.”
“ For all that my heart desires , I will give my soul to you.” Suddenly, the pressure on the
back of his neck eased and Silas rose.
“ Is that all?”
“ Isn’t it enough?” Silas
challenged.
A tremble shook the earth,
making Silas’s heart lurch. Sweat beaded his forehead, and he swallowed hard as
he watched the ground in front of him split apart slightly. The sound of souls
in despair emanated from the plane below. The plane that Silas knew would one
day become his permanent home.
“ Just your soul won’t do,” Barius scoffed. “I want more.” His words ended in a snarl,
making the hair on Silas’s neck stand on end. “Make it quick, or you’ll join
those souls earlier than you would like!” he warned.
“ I have nothing else to offer.”
Silas held his head down with regret. “My soul is all I have.”
“ No…” the creature breathed.
“There’s so much more. I can see it in your mind. You care for them, but not
enough to give up the earthly desires you hold close to your wicked heart.
Wouldn’t you like to see your family pay for the pain and misery they inflicted
upon you in the here and now? Surely they envy your power.”
“ Yes. I do want them to pay.” He
bit his lip, and his body trembled with rage. He’d love to inflict pain upon
those who’d cared nothing of him and cast him out. “Yes, they will be the first
to suffer.”
“ And…your future relatives,” Barius insisted.
Now he’d have to betray his
future family members, the innocent ones he saw in his head day after day.
Silas sought to back out. He closed his eyes and tried to pray, but it was
already too late. Something in his mind clicked and any prayer he may have held
in his head dissipated.
“ It’s too late, Silas. You’ve
already summoned me, now give me what I want!”
“ Okay!” Silas belted out. “It
starts with me and will continue down my line. Greed, selfishness, let it
flourish. I don’t care, just give me all I desire!”
Tears streamed down his face.
“ And…the girl,” Barius sneered. “There is a girl in the future.”
“ She means nothing to me,” he
lied. He hung his head as the woman’s face snapped him back into reality.
“ Very
well. By
this simple act, you’ve delivered your entire line of young women to my
soldiers. By your hand, they will never know happiness, or true love, for that
matter. They will wield power, but will never learn the proper way to use it. ” Barius grinned. “When in need, they will always call
upon and rely on the powers of demons. My demons.” He
held up a glowing, red pendant and placed it upon the ground. “Take it.”
“ What is that?”
“ Your life,” Barius sneered. “Never take it off, but keep it hidden. It is the source of your
power. Should you be separated from it, you’ll become powerless. Remember our
bargain when your time of death approaches.” With that, the demon disappeared.
With haste, Silas opened the
circle and stepped out. He bent down to pick up the strange, glowing pendant.
Immediately a power he’d never known before slipped over him, and he felt like
he could conquer the world. With new self-confidence, he put the pendant around
his neck.
As he prepared to leave, Sorscha , the thing lurking in the woods, approached him.
“So, we have a deal?”
Silas nodded.
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