Ep. 61 Soulscape Part 3
I quickly turn a full circle but I don't see the demon anywhere on the island. So he didn't copy me and teleport, so where did he go? Then I notice the image on the screen is moving, it is still tracking the demon.
"Ah, he turned himself invisible and is flying to the island that way!"
Mericel says "How are you going to stop him now?"
"Just watch!"
I imagine another weapon from my world and lift it up to my shoulder. Then I fire it off in the direction of the demon.
Mericel says "What was that?"
"A heat seeking missile. It targets by heat so him being invisible won't matter."
Just then the image on the screen jumps and is now going the other way. He must have seen the missile coming and is now racing for land. But no way is he outrunning the missile! Seconds later the screen is filled by an explosion and when it clears it is focused on the lake.
When the demon drags himself out of the lake again he is only about three feet tall. He immediately scurries around, I think he is looking for somewhere to hide. I quickly imagine a small cave near him, and when he runs into it I imagine it closing like a mouth on him.
When the demon respawns he immediately falls down and starts twitching. It looks like he is having some kind of fit, but as I watch his humanoid torso disappears and he is left looking like a small wolf.
"What just happened?"
Mericel says "It's just a guess but I would say you have weakened him enough that he de-evolved."
The demon wolf gets up and instantly takes off running up the path into the mountains. I wait and let him get a good way up the path before I imagine it turning into a frictionless slide with a pit of spikes at the bottom. Watching him slide down bouncing off the walls and then into the pit is hilarious and I burst out laughing.
Mericel says "Are you.....are you toying with him?"
"Well, maybe a little. But he hurt Ruby, he deserves it."
Mericel says "I can't believe you are toying with a demon!"
I kill the demon a few more times with the howitzer and then when he respawns he looks more like a wolf pup than a wolf. Now he is only about two feet tall, and he just keeps trying to run away. So I imagine a cage of holy steel trapping him, and then imagine the two of us teleporting to stand next to the cage.
As soon as the demon sees us he takes a deep breath, as soon as I see the glow in his mouth I imagine a bubble around the cage with no air inside it. I wait until the demon dies of asphyxiation before I imagine the bubble away. When the demon respawns inside the cage I am just looking at him waiting for him to make a move.
Demon says "Alright, enough, just end it already!"
"Oh, ready to give up now?"
Demon says "Don't gloat, just finish me."
Mericel says "Yes, kill him."
"I am going to offer you a choice."
The demon's eyes light up when he hears this and his ears perk up as well. Mericel looks at me incredulously. I just smile as I wait for the demon to respond.
Demon says "What kind of choice?"
"Either I throw you in the lake, cage and all or you agree to serve me."
Mericel says "What? What are you thinking? You can't trust a demon!"
"Of course, I wouldn't trust him! He would be under contract."
As soon as he hears the word contract the light in his eyes dies and his ears droop. He looks so much like a scolded puppy I want to laugh but hold it in. Mericel looks uncertain and seems to want to argue more. I imagine a fragment of my soul and a fragment of the demon merging to form the contract.
The demon and I both scream in pain as the fragments are pulled from our souls. The two pieces merge together between us and create a glowing scroll. I imagine the terms I want appearing on the scroll and then I wait for the demon to read it.
Demon says "What? This is a slave contract!"
"Well, of course it is! You think I'm going to let you roam free and cause chaos? Slavery or death, your choice."
Demon says "Fine, just kill me!"
So I imagine the cage floating up and out over the lake. Then I start slowly lowering it towards the water. The demon holds out until the cage is inches above the holy water.
Demon says "Wait! Wait! I'll sign it!"
I stop the cage and move the contract over to the demon. Once he signs the contract in blood I bring him back to shore and lower him to the ground then dismiss the cage. I pull the contract to myself and prick my finger and sign it in blood as well.
There is a blinding flash and a boom of thunder as the contract changes into a glowing collar and a ring. The ring floats over and places itself on my finger as the collar places itself around the demon's neck.
Mericel says "You really did it? You enslaved a demon? I'm beginning to understand why you terrify my father so much!"
"You and I need to talk a lot more, later. I will figure out how to reach you."
Mericel says "Okay."
"Demon, tell me your name."
Demon says "Drogomar the Great!"
"Too much, I will just call you Drog."
Drog says "As you wish, master."
"Now end this soulscape."
Drog says "Yes, master."
The entire world shimmers and then the darkness swells up and engulfs me again.