Mark of The Demon

The Terms Of Agreement

At the sound of the odd voice she turned away from the alter and dark trees to behind her. An attractive man seated on the ground with a book that made her insides squarm uneasily, yet that squirming made her want to investigate. Then he stood snapping the book shut and banishing it away, he was wearing a long luxurious robe that was open and exposed nearly all of his body. Her face heated several notches and she nearly forgot about that horrid voice, that is until the long black tentacles wrapped about him in a way that made her quickly realize he wasn't a village man stumbling upon a witch. It was the demon. She scooted back instinctively, her butt falling onto the spongy grass. She was so confused, his looks could melt the coldest of hearts, intelligent, yet dark and misleading... that! Misleading was key. Handsome as he may be- that was awful creepy stuff, he was a literal demon and his beautiful looks were probably well cultivated to be that way, it made her want to quickly scurry off.

He approached her and her heart nearly stopped beating as the blackening grass spread closer to her. She wanted to leap back but paused when it stopped in a prefect circle around her. She looked up into the handsome face and the tentacles had retracted making her throat stick to itself with a lack of moisture. His eyes like two polished onyx stones gazed into hers and despite the death now rampant around them he smelled really good. Like sweet vanilla and something spicier… darker. Dark Chocolate is what she imagined he would taste like.

What was she doing? Thinking of his TASTE? Focus Faye!  She thought and shook her head. Words-words, he had said some so, reply! She urged herself.

“I-I… Three wishes? But… I don't know what to wish for. I have come to realize a bit too late that this was a fool hardy fate. What I want… I don't even know how to put into words.” She mumbled. Then she leaned forward. “Plus how do I know you wouldn't betray me? I know you could easily. This doesn't seem like a solid deal for me.”

He spoke immediately with a certainty she could help but feel lead by.

"A contract will be forged from fire, blood, and magic, my dear." The smell of fear rolled off her, and slowly, the curved lips of Shiwa curled into a smile. Good, she was smart, that was a rather... attractive trait. And speaking of attractive ... his dark eyes followed the shape of her body, all but shrouded in the darkness. Well, he could fix that. Another snap of his fingers and he willed reality to change. Three floating lights, each about the size of a fist, appeared in midair, casting a blue-white light across the small clearing and, more importantly, throwing her in sharp relief. She was quite the attractive little thing, breasts hidden by cloth and large, sparking eyes. However ...

"Well, it certainly seems as if humans have grown in the intervening hundreds of years, haven't they?"

He mused, a somewhat quizzical expression on his face. He really needed to get out more. Shiwa reached a hand out; within the shadows in his hand, tentacles danced, weaving in and out of reality in a whimsical, terrifying dance. This intensified as he got closer, the tentacles growing in length and clarity, sharp suckers and hooked ends seemingly about to touch her and then, it stopped, his shadow seeming to disappear inside him.

"Yes ... the contract ..." He said it more to himself than her, as if to remind himself that he was busy with something. Yes, it wouldn't do to corrupt her now, before the contract was forged, nor would the terms of the contract be fulfilled were he to break her now. Patience really was the game to play here.  "Set the terms, human. Three wishes, and I shall be whatever you want; servant, slave. A husband, maybe? Or just a friend. You choose. I act in this capacity; and don't worry, you need not give up your wishes for trivial things. If it's within my power, and my desire, I shall use my power to improve your lot in life."

He didn't mention his magic would corrupt her, and when he used his powers to help her, it would be for things that would darken her soul even as it brightened up her life. That was a detail she didn't need to know.

Fayaline was startled as he made the lights, yet also relieved. It was a good sensation being in the light with a demon and not the dark. Yet in the light he only seemed to grow more attractive. His white alabaster skin that seemed unnaturally so. It was smooth like marble without a single imperfection. His eyes which were dark in the darkness seemed actually darker in the light. Not a touch of color was in his eyes. So transfixed as she was, she failed to see him nearly suck her of life in that moment and only seemed to be pulled back to reality in the moment he pulled himself back.  

“I won't let you trick me. I value my soul and want a good deal for it.” She warned softly. As he stated his terms.

She then looked down at the rotted grass around her. Saw the blood all over her left hand...

She knew she needed him. She wanted to finally take her place in the world! Not be some stray girl lost to the world. Yet… she was too old to get away with having a handsome fellow follow her about the world. She wasn't rich enough for a servant. Though that was a sad reality. She should have been if her husband wasn't a horrible human being. This formed a second question, how could she move in the world easily? She was a woman… and many places required women to have a male escort. That was it! Excited she nodded and looked up at him. Her mind was made, and her plan should be able to keep herself safe.

“You shall act as my husband. I am not a proper noble, as I will need a husband to move in society fully. You shall act as my guide in the form of a GOOD husband." She said pausing on this detail.

She had seen how horrible a human could be at playing a husband. She would not enjoy finding out how poorly a demon could play the role. 

"This shall be my first wish: you will not betray me, you will attempt to give me the full husband effect. As once people see me with you, I'll never get it from someone else without it being adultery. You will at least PRETEND to care for me.” She paused. “Does this work well as a first wish? I do have a husband that we will need to discuss how to dispose of… Then we could claim you're my second husband.” 

She paused as he seemed to absorb her words. 

“I'm not sure about the other two just yet, I know this, I want to become an important female figure in the world, much like Joan of Arc, Anne Boleyn or Queen Victoria of England, I want to be remembered."

As she did a pit filled her stomach like rocks. She was really selling her soul. She steadied herself. This was done. It was happening. At least her demon… or husband was exceedingly handsome. She would flaunt him before her stupid cousin Sapphire next week. Sapphire was sixteen and as such most likely had boys constantly on her mind. She would see her beautiful demon husband and want for him yet he would be hers only. It would be nice to have sapphire wanting her things for once. Stupid privileged girl.

"Oh, humans. So suspicious."

He waved his hand and a book appeared, titled "Faustian Contracts and You"! It was written by "Your Truly" and seemed to be bound in something akin to leather, but soft and supple. It radiated an aura of ... something, it wasn't truly dark but was inhuman.

Everytime he held this book he remembered his most recent and infamous contractee. Ah, Faust, German's knew how to write wishes like no other human kind.

For the first time, Shiwa looked around at the humble surroundings. Not quite the place to forge a relationship for the ages. Hmm. He thought for a second, then a lightbulb went off in his head. That was it. He took a deep breath, a cloud of steam clinging to his skin as he exhaled. Both of his hands rose, palms flat to the ground. Slowly, he raised them, invoking magic; his limbs shook with the effort, tentacles and dark shadows clinging to his skin, but then suddenly from around them - enveloping them and the makeshift altar she built - a building rose. Made of black onyx, it seemed to exude a light all its own, casting them both in an odd light. The alter was the centerpiece of the small room, now cast in marble and set upon a pedestal of rough-hewn obsidian. The dark and foreboding altar better fit him, he felt.

"Much better. Appropriate surroundings to forge a contract." He took a seat, a comfy looking armchair forming from shadows, and a glass of some dark red appearing in his hand. "To summarize a long and dry read, we shall forge a contract, my dear. A mark shall appear on both of us, a physical sign of this metaphysical signature. During this time, I will serve you in any capacity you desire in return for three wishes."

He took a sip of the liquid, a sigh of relief escaping his lips. "As for the wishes ..." He laughed here, a dark and rich sound. Humans always thought something different. Did they never realize that djinn were simply servants of his with a sliver of power? "Each Wish must be preceded by the words 'I Wish' and must be said with intent. It is, after all, only fair that way." He took another sip, enjoying the rich flavor of the wine. Aged for a thousand years in barrels made from the heartwood of a corrupted Oak. It would kill any human, but was quite perfect for a Demon of Corruption. 

"Betraying you will do nothing for me. Your soul will have no value to me beyond basic consumption; a dinner of plain noodles as opposed to a five-course meal, to compare it to human terms. Trust me when I say, I have every intention of doing your every whim. The longer I spend with you, the better." His eyes glowed darkly, black eyes shining with magic, showing just a glimmer of the creature he was before taking on this form. "Like a pit-roasted pig. You need only expend a Wish on things that might actually take effort on my part, Fayeline." Her name was etched in the air; she had never introduced herself, but then, she had no need to.

"So knowing this, do you accept the contract and make your wish?"