London Bridge Is Falling Down.... [Closed]

[Lucyfer]

“YOU BI—IYAH!” The shriek that came from the creature that the young lady held hands with was terribly inhuman. It could have been a banshee, and in the moment, the blonde did wonder that. Of course, it wouldn’t be screaming this way if it was a banshee. The blood on her hand would not have bothered it, nor would the Latin words passing her lips.


It was spoken in a monotone, a mantra that pulled the essence that made up this creature out and shredded it. The form she held on to was starting to pull apart.


There were many ways to summon a demon, but all of them required the same thing: life force. People did that by sacrificing the souls of others, more often than not, but that was not an option.


Even though she had a corpse that fell behind her—she heard the thud—she would have never given that soul. It was already gone, anyway. It was how the young lady in the pale green dress was able to keep speaking so heartlessly, even as the demon’s shrieks became pleas. It couldn’t part its hand from hers, and it couldn’t get up the strength to claw her, though the woman caught the glint of claws.


‘No. You will not survive this.’


As the last of the words left her lips, the demon’s flesh was on the ground and the essence was above it, captive. That was the moment the young woman released the body, only to turn back and walk to where a man with the same blonde hair had fallen. Her blue eyes did not seem to see the man as she knelt at his side, and took a blade from its sheathe at his hip. She walked right back to the demon once she held it, the essence still enthralled to the mark that had burned itself into the demon’s hand.


‘How is it the song goes?’ The woman mused to herself as she split the creature open from head to toe. “Build it up with blood and bone,” she sung to the familiar tune of London Bridge, “Blood and bone,” a reminder put in her head. Blood and bone as the foundation for all summoning spells—the material. She started to hum it, as blood and bone came to form a new glyph. Then, a word of command was spoken to the essence.


Down it went, giving a glowing life to the blood and bone. That which did not belong in the material realm—souls and such—were then the bridge itself, the way to help a thing from beyond to cross over. ‘And my blood, around it, to protect me.’ She dug the blade into her arm and let the blood spill. She would regret it later, when the adrenaline wore off, when it registered that she had no home to go into, no place to rest, and no family, but she was caught in the heat of the moment.


Right now, she needed to make sure the demon brought forth could do her no harm, especially if it turned out she summoned the one responsible for all of this.


If anyone could answer what demons were doing here, and what they wanted with her family, it would be a demon…and if it did not have the answers immediately, she’d get it bound to her so that the answers would be found in time.


“Come forth!” She commanded, no hint of fear, as the air within the circle of the glyph shimmered, finally sparking life in her eyes. She held her arm close to her chest then, pressing it hard against herself to slow the bleeding.

 

[Dark Redemption]

It didn't happen all at once. The air grew still with an uncomfortable silence and night itself seemed to cower as those words fell from her lips. The lights flickered and dimmed then vanished all at once and the air grew cold, a harsh degree that allowed for ones breath to be the only thing seen in the darkness.


The remnants of the blood and bone were gone but something remained. A presence was there, slowly circling the young girl which had called it, gathering it's attention. It watched her through the darkness for only it's eyes we're able to see through it. But it didn't allow her to see it just yet.


It pondered, wondering if she was a waste of time or if she actually did contain the fire that it seeked. It watched her, every movement she made, every feature she had. Making it's decision based on the weight that she carried. Searching her memories especially of this night that she had summoned it.


She appeared to be innocent but it new better than to only rely on it's sight. As innocent as she looked, she had the Gaul to summon it. To go through the ritual, she wasn't that soft. It took that into account but continued to circle her as a predator watched it's prey.


"Tell me what you seek" it's deep voice echoed through the darkness, smooth but intimidating as it continued to circle her. Watching her silently. It wanted to know the darkness held within her, to see if the fire she held was simply a flicker or an inferno.


It dare not waste it's time on the weak or on those who called it but then came to there senses. So it would ask questions and analyze to see if it's next meal was truly worth wild or wouldn't even be a snack. Would this girl spark some interest for the time being? Or bore it enough to leave immediately


Its eyes wore a smirk that only it new of. It wouldn't let itself be seen, not yet. She had to prove her worth.

 

[Lucyfer]

The very stars above seemed to cloud over, and all the street lamps around dimmed and went out. Still, the young woman held herself stoically. The cold was biting, but it made her regret cutting her arm open less. The blood was hot. With each pulse of her own heart, a little more spread out over her chest as she kept her arm pinned there in the vain hope the bleeding would stop. It had slowed, at least.


The woman could feel the presence of another, but those blue eyes could not pierce the darkness. She did look around herself, but only once. ‘If the spell has worked, there is no need to fret.’ It would not touch her. Could not. Her own blood would deny it. It could only leave.


Somehow, that was a worse thought. She’d have to do this all over again, and she wasn’t sure where to look for these demons. She’d prefer to make them suffer, considering their crimes.


Yet, one was here. It spoke, but its voice gave her little idea of where it stood. “Revenge,” was the short the answer. The word froze in the air before her, “On those directly responsible for the demise of my family, the McFaddens, and the Burkes, and on those who gave the command.” It had been burning in her since the first strike of news. She had been going to take that revenge with her own family, but now they were gone.


Now she knew why—they’d not anticipated demon activity. They had thought this was a human’s doing, and were woefully unprepared. Even if this demon refused her, she held fast to the knowledge that she knew what to be prepared for now. “Can you assist with that, demon, or will you leave because it will be your ilk that fall to my revenge?” She did not know how tightly bound demons were, if they were all like family, or if they were as close as humans—that was to say, not very close, as a race.

 

[Dark Redemption]

A deep chuckle rippled through the air as it continued to circle her. It was quite amused with this human and her answer. Revenge surprisingly wasn't too common. Most humans wanted fame or fortune , something small and meaningless. But she had a different idea and that It intrigued it further.


It was slightly taken aback by her assumption of why the demon would say no, but it made it made things more amusing. She was a clever girl indeed but she had things all wrong. It didn't care for other demons too much unless they we're takingIt it's food.


In the world of demons it was eat or be eaten. Everyone was your enemy, fighting and killing, establishing territory to get ranked higher in the food chain. Demons being responsible for these murders we're of no surprise, and didn't deter it from what she wanted.


"You misunderstand dear girl, we demons aren't peas in a pod. " it stopped circling to stand in front of her and allowed for only it's cat like eyes to be seen. "If revenge is what you seek, you shall have it. For a price but I'd course you know that."


It didn't play the girl for a fool, if she knew how to summon it surely she knew that she had to strike a bargain in order to obtain her desires. Its services we're never free after all, but then again, the same concept is within the human world, so it shouldn't be much of a shock to her in it's opinion.


Its eyes stared into hers searching for any doubt or fear. Is she really up to giving her soul to a demon, is this sacrifice worth finding the accomplices?

 

[Lucyfer]

Good. Demons did not hold loyalties to each other. That would make this easier. The woman looked up as the eyes appeared before her, and she held that gaze, unable to make out the rest of the creature. It was easier to talk to something she could partially see, though.


The eyes had an unnerving, feline quality to them. Mina hadn’t owned any pets, but she’d seen enough stray cats in the alleys. The cats seemed to do better than the dogs. They didn’t go insane or rabid, at least.


But they were terribly independent. If demons were like cats, it would make sense. ‘Don’t cats eat their owners, too, when they die?’ Perhaps it was just an old wife’s tale, but looking at those eyes, she could believe it. After all, wouldn’t that be her fate.


“No, really? You’re not going to do this out of the kindness of your heart?” The sarcasm was scathing. She quickly shifted her tone, “Whatever you want is yours, after I have obtained my revenge. If it is my soul you want, it is yours, but not a second before I have what I want.” Souls were the currency, and she was willing to forfeit hers. After all, what awaited her after this day, anyway?


Only hell. She was never destined for heaven in the first place. She might look a doll, but Mina Starling was part of the Starling family…that always meant she’d end up soaked to her neck in blood. That was how all the guilds operated, but she had no delusions that it was all good, as some of the others did. God’s commandments forbade much, and she had done much for the Starling guild...for her family.


God’s word said they were all forgivable, of course, everything but blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.


‘What is more blasphemous then this?’


Hell awaited her. That much she knew. Her soul had no happy endings, but her life could have one.

 

[Dark Redemption]

It chuckled once more amused by her words. It would enjoy serving this girl indeed, the taste of her soul it would enjoy even more once the deed was done. Its eyes held hers in the darkness with promise of giving her what she wanted but also taking what it wanted. It could see the passion that she held for this objective of hers, the fire that it had been searching for was there indeed and the way she looked at it confirmed that she meant business and felt no remorse or regret for summoning it. She knew exactly what she was doing and her confidence called out to it like a beacon. Her soul was indeed perfect to fill it.


It stood a few feet from her but got slightly closer. Some light filled the room and his it's shone within it. As it got closer she could see that it was in its panther form, but much larger than the actual animal. Its face was aligned with hers, she could feel its breath lightly dancing across her skin but it could only be that close. Of course it couldn't touch her, which the demon was pleased with her intelligence on keeping it from being able to attack her. Finally, a smarter human, one that wouldn't disappoint it with its idiocy and lack of wisdom. Even though she was young, it could see she had some wisdom.


"Then my lady, you have yourself a demon. Any other pieces that you would like to add to the binding of our contract?" its eyes still stared into hers still amused by her previous sarcasm. That mouth could get her in trouble one day but it wasn't really his business, only if her soul was in danger of not being its dinner. Then, that would be a problem. However, it had no intention of letting her soul slip away from it. Not now, not ever. it saw her objective as dinner and a show, how could it resist?


" And what may I call you by?" it sat down in front of her waiting for her to reply patiently. It wanted to know every detail of her side of the contract as to not be digging itself a hole. That would be unfortunate.

 

[Lucyfer]

Its breath could reach her, and she felt the warmth as it passed over her skin. What stood before her spoke the human tongue, but looked to be a panther. It seemed she had assessed it correctly then—feline. Though she had never seen a panther outside of books, she did not imagine they were meant to be this big.


She did not flinch at the heat, though. It was confirmation in some ways, that it could not touch her—not that it looked to try, but it was clearly testing its boundaries. Once it seemed satisfied with that, it spoke again, asking about other pieces. “Just one,” for she knew the demon would do all it needed to obtain her soul, “You will not lie to me, under any circumstances.” The demon might think it would have reason to deceive her down the line, and she did not hold any delusions that it couldn’t.


Omitting details was not technically lying. Still…, “My soul is yours regardless, there need not be lies between us. I care not if you lie to others, however,” that would be necessary. He could not be announcing what he was, “If that is satisfactory, I believe those will be all of my terms. I would have you state yours, if you have others besides the payment at the end. I would also know your name.”


He had asked for hers, in a way, so she provided, “Mine is Mina Starling, and you may call me Mina, Lady Starling—whatever is appropriate to the situation,” which, she hoped, he would catch on to human politics and environments soon.