Sam seems to be torn between breaking Julian's jaw and clarifying that situation as quickly as possible for Shandra, who immediately gets to her feet and looks indignantly at the demon."What's all this about sacrifice?""It's not what it sounds like.""Has the word 'sacrifice' by any chance changed its meaning in recent years? Because if not, then it is EXACTLY what it sounds like."Julian doesn't seem to be angry exactly at the girl, but at the situation. He grumbles:"Let's see what it's going to be like to come out explaining that, asshole.""I already told you to shut your damn mouth," Sam shouts. Then he stares at Shandra again, this time his face showing a certain sadness. "You said you trusted me.""And I do! I mean, you saved my life. But what did he mean by that? Sacrifice? Covenant that isn't a real covenant? I don't understand."Sighing, the demon who was now intertwined with the girl in front of him also stood up. Raising his hands in an appeasing gesture, he begins to ex
The two demons roll across the floorboards, screaming, snarling, and cussing each other to the max. Shandra climbs on top of the table and screams as loud as she can:"STOP!"Obviously, that didn't work. When Sam manages to make a deep, straight cut to Julian's face, the girl can feel the anger and sadness taking over him. That should be one of the side effects of that blood fusion.Still standing on the piece of furniture, she begins to speak louder than the sounds of the fight:"I know you don't want to do this to him! He hurt you and you're bad, but it's yourself you're angry with!"Although they are still fighting, Shandra notices the slight hesitation when Sam raises his fist to punch Julian. Yellow and orange embers are flying everywhere.She continues:"Julian, I don't know who you are or why you came after Sam, but you guys have known each other for a while, right? And you probably both care about this Eluna person. You came all this way to ask for his help! Not insult him!"S
At first Sam says nothing. He tilts his head, as if considering what would be the right thing to say; grief takes over his heart.Before he could actually verbalize his feelings, the red-haired demon takes the floor."He... He's not sworn to death."Sam looks at him. Shandra remains motionless."Not exactly.""Then... What's going on? Why can't he come back, and why did you call me a sacrifice?"The coppery-eyed demon stares at Julian:"Leave her out of it.""I didn't even know of this human's existence until I came here, Sam. She's already involved in this up to her neck. Did you even think of that when you did the blood fusion?""Please. Please explain to me what is going on," Shandra pleads. "Who is Eluna? And Julian, why did you need to come here? How do you know each other?"The scarlet-haired demon man sighs."I don't know if I'll have time to answer all your questions, girl.""Then just tell me who Eluna is, please."The boy's yellow eyes shine with genuine pain. Sam remains qu
Shandra feels her own heart heavy, her hands sweat, and an absurd tension take over her mind as soon as Julian finishes his sentence. But she knows that these feelings belong to Sam, who complains, indignantly:"What did you say?!"The red-haired demon doesn't look well at all either. His physiognomy is one of false tranquility but desperation is obvious in his frightened look."That's why I said you need to come back and help me. Help us."Sam paces back and forth, fiddling with his hair. Julian continues talking:"I told you it was urgent. Do you want me to beg you? To swear an oath to you? Maybe a fusion like you did with the human girl?""No. No, you don't need that. I'll go with you. Don't worry."Quickly Sam puts up his cocked finger, however, pointing sternly at Julian's face plunged in distress."But let it be very clear that as soon as I succeed in saving her, it's you who's going to hell. I'm not going to be hailed as a hero by those snakes. And I don't need them to withdraw
White sparks resembling lightning fires swirl through the air in a spiral pattern. Startled, Shandra gasps as she sees the pure magic coming out of her skin. The two demons take a step back and look at each other, talking silently.Before any of the three can verbalize what they are thinking, the itching and numbness in the girl's hands disappear as if they had never existed. Along with them, the white sparks also fade into thin air."What was that?" Shandra speaks softly."Magic," Sam replies."But I didn't do any spells!"Julian tilts his head as he says:"So that was the weird smell.""Guys, what's going on? Why are you guys talking to me if you knew exactly what happened?""We'll explain. But we need to clear up a little doubt first. That's why we asked you to take a look at those old books you talked about."Got it."Resigned, the girl climbs the steps of the staircase. With each step closer to her own room, however, she is reminded of the last time she saw her parents still aliv
Shandra is particularly startled by the tone of voice and expression on Sam: the half-sided smile didn't look like one of happiness, nor joy."What do you mean? What do you mean?" She asks, somewhat fearfully.Julian also seems intrigued by the books. He takes one of them from Sam's hands and looks carefully at the spelling on the cover. Then he looks at the girl, but does not smile. Instead he sighs through his nose."Have you read these books? I mean, have you read every page of each one?""No, although I have learned quite a bit from it." The two men widen their eyes. "But what's going on anyway? Why are they reacting this way?"They both go into a deep silence, thinking about the best way to start the subject. The dark-haired demon points with his finger to the black-covered book."That is a Grimoire of Dark Magics. You probably used some spell from here to summon me."Then he points to the other volume, the gray-covered one."That's a Grimoire of Arcane Magics."Julian completes:
Shandra takes two steps back."Sam?"The demon snaps its neck and stands in an attack position, as if it is going to strike at any moment. The girl feels her own heart in her throat.Had he not liked the direct order? Well, even if there was all that "freedom" talk, she could still exert some control on him, right?"Sam!" She shouts once more. As Julian had made a point of warning, no demon would be seriously affected by absolutely any spell that was cast by the human.The demon's frozen expression of hatred is one of the scariest things Shandra has seen in her life.She swallows dryly, however, and stares him in the face. Even if he wanted to cut her to pieces, the young woman would not die begging like a coward.Sam might be a demon, but she was a witch. A witch with magic latent in her veins, although she didn't know how, nor whose heritage it belonged to.His sharp, black claws were very large, sharp and disproportionately large compared to the size of human hands. Shandra wondere
Demons were fascinating creatures, or at least that's what humans used to say. Some ran away at the sight of them, others simply couldn't believe their eyes and chose to ignore them.And of course, there were those that the demons liked the most: those who purposely approached them.Contrary to popular belief, in no way did demons envy mortals. What was there for them that a fallen angel could not do? After all, apart from obvious characteristics such as superior strength and sharper instincts, the shadowy creatures were immortal in the strict sense of the name.However, this rumor had a certain foundation. Although they were naturally vulgar, monstrous, ghastly, and twisted into frightening shapes capable of provoking dread in anyone who laid eyes on them, all demons wore human skin, even among themselves.Some used the shells made by themselves, especially those of the elite. The lower class ones used the possessed bodies of their victims. It was comfortable to have so much power we