"And I accept yours," responds the beautiful elven queen, satisfied.
"Now, let's put down in writing what we've discussed," the queen says as she bends down to pick up the inkwell and quill she had dropped earlier.
Beside me, I sense Raqahela's invisible presence.
I feel her discomfort, and the air turns electric, signaling that something of great importance is about to happen.
Without any theatrical effects, he appears, as though he had always been there.
Tension in the room escalates as Barthomefolus materializes.
The queen turns with a gesture of respect, bowing her head to her archdemon.
There is a clear relationship of subordination here.
"Barthomefolus, my lord, grant me your power and bear witness to the drafting of the Demonic Game of Death contract," she asks reverently.
My blood turns to ice. Terror, despair, horror.
I experience these and more. These dreadful sensations panic me.
Blackout.
Adrenaline starts to pump in my blood to counter the pure horror that the demon's figure provokes in me.
An aura of absolute power, a mountain that cannot be scaled.
Something ancient and terrifying, something a normal person could never survive an encounter with.
I thought I had seen it all, but I wasn't ready for him. Terror.
I step back, overwhelmed.
I am stopped by a gentle, warm touch.
Instantly, my mind feels lighter, the terror is gone. I am calm.
I turn around.
Behind me stands Raqahela. Her expression is serious, but I feel her support.
She infuses me with courage. I am not alone in this war.
Archdemon against archdemon. A war that has been repeating incessantly since the dawn of time.
The gaze of the enemy demon is intense, probing.
I feel his power and his threat, but I remain steady and focused. His appearance is horrendous.
There are no better words to describe it. Or perhaps there is one, now that I think about it more carefully.
Abomination.
The pig-headed figure looks at me, evoking disgust.
Its form is an abomination to reason: a humanoid pig, a beastly fusion of flesh and depravity, an affront to natural laws.
Its horns, akin to those of a goat, rise from its head like twisted towers, symbols of a distorted royalty.
The figure is immense. It towers well over three meters and is very heavy.
A majestically distorted figure in its horrific presence.
Four ostrich-like wings, immense and incongruous, sprout from its back, and from these, bird heads resembling tentacles protrude, pecking at the air agitatedly.
The aura surrounding it is laden with ancient and sinister malevolence, a darkness so thick it almost seems material.
In its hand, a gigantic pitchfork, a symbol of its perverse dominion, is pressed forcefully against the ground.
The demon grunts with each breath, and its eyes are bloodshot.
Its famished expression is eloquent, exuding insatiable hunger, insatiable greed, endless gluttony.
It does not speak, but I have the impression that it and Raqahela need not exchange words.
Their hatred is evident and permeates the entire room, almost suffocating me.
Raqahela is not intimidated. She is focused.
Eyes full of contempt meet those of her mortal enemy.
I have found myself in the middle of this war, and although I would have avoided it, I have no choice but to fight it to pursue my goals.
Azherie cutting the palm of her hand with a sparkling Silverdark knife brings me back to the present.
She lets her blood drip into the groove outlining the octogram on the floor.
"Your blood is needed as well," she informs me, passing the blade to me.
I grasp the knife decisively and proceed to cut my hand as well.
The blade slices gently without effort.
Warm blood flows from the wound, and I let it drip into the carved design on the floor.
Not much is needed. The magical circle at our feet lights up with an unnatural crimson glow.
It flickers as if it were a beating organ, in sync with the rhythm of my heart at this moment.
The two demons extend their right hands forward, beginning to infuse dark energy into the ritual.
The energy, in the form of plasma, unleashes in the private chamber, like a Tesla coil.
Being visible to the naked eye, I can clearly distinguish its colors.
Raqahela's magic is purple, while Barthomefolus's is a deep burgundy.
I hear them chanting incomprehensible words in a language unknown to me.
It must be high-level demonic magic, a level beyond my reach.
The alien sounds they utter unsettle me, as if I am listening to something forbidden.
Yet, I am fascinated and wish to learn more. I imagine that even Kanna would pay to witness this scene.
Azherie writes on the parchment the terms of the contract that we have discussed and negotiated, along with the rules of the Demonic Game of Death. The pen glides gracefully over the sheet of paper, the queen writing confidently without mistakes.
She uses my language, and I appreciate this concession from the queen.
I carefully read every line she writes.
Finally, with a fluid gesture, the queen signs the document.
The dark elf hands it to me, inviting me to sign.
“AzHaRiE yOu mUsT wIn! DeFeAt NoT tOlErAtEd. If YoU lOsE, i WiLl HuNt YoU dOwN.”
The dreadful sounds, like grunts echoing from the mouth of the archdemon, make the room tremble.
"I know, my lord," she replies with a bow of the head.
Then, looking at me, “StRaUsS wAgNeR. i AcKnOwLeDgE yOu As My EnEmY.”
“SHUT UP!” Raqahela yells with an intensity that shakes the room in the same way Barthomefolus did.
The two demons exchange a look of pure hatred.
“Sign the contract, her dear Strauss,” reassures the succubus.
I take the pen, feeling the ink sealing my fate and that of my companions.
I sign, aware that there is no turning back now.
Spoiler
Archdemon Barthomefolus, as he appears drawn stylized inprecisely in the books Kanna Merfal studied.
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