Fantasy Of Demons and Exorcists

[Gaius Danius Griinia]

Ains
Mentions: Table Pumpkid

Ains could tell his future partner was certainly spirited, given how they had only met for a few moments and she was already offering chains. He could tell she desired his absolute loyalty to an almost absurd point, which was only because she was willing to overlook a flaw or two. His demonic visage held on to the same neutral expression while he ran the calculations in his brain. Joining hands with Mel would almost certainly tighten the chains she was so readily offering. However he knew this when he first came to the human realm in search of a partner.

Scratching his chin for a moment with a clawed finger. He wanted the exorcist to believe he was ruminating on the matter longer than he actually was. Pairing with such a wily and rough looking human made it so easy to prod at her harsh exterior. Nodding a few times while doing his best to ignore the expectant gaze of Lumina. The demon would have broken into a smile if his facial structure had allowed such a thing. Hence why he hoped his tone would indicate his desires.

"I accept these terms, Mel. There is something I must obtain by any means necessary. Something so valuable I would gladly take these bonds you so obviously wish to bind me with. Be reassured that I shall not harm you... for just as I am your sword.... YOU are my starting point"

The ever observant Ains knew Lumina and Mel would be far less than enthused that he saw his partner as a means to an end. However it was obvious that Mel was thinking the same of him, though in a far more negative light. Regardless of how this pact was formed or for what reasons. Ains and Mel were to be chained at the proverbial hip from this point onwards.

 

[Meredith]

Plutoun, Demon

Finally, the Exorcists poured into The Vault. Those lucky few deemed valuable enough to become Demon-Bound, and not join the ranks of the Inquisitors; the Lucis-fearing, demon-less foot soldiers of the Exorcists. Ever since the mysterious ancient power of Pact Magic was discovered, the necessity of Demon-Bound Exorcists had been a point of contention. Linking one’s soul with a Demon greatly expanded one’s Mana reserves and potential, while humanizing the linked Demon as well - but Purists argued that the tainted Mana of Demons corrupted the human spirit in return, as if trading away your immortal soul was not a price steep enough to begin with. The soul was unique to humans, after all. Selling it for power was and is to some the highest form of blasphemy, right up there alongside harboring Demons and integrating them with society.

Plutoun’s disinterested look was merely a facade as he analyzed the significance of the moment. His fingers were interlocked behind his back and his posture was tall and proud as he surveyed each of the pairings, keeping mental notes he would add to his clipboard once it was safely out of view.

For one, it was interesting to note how effective the Humanization process had become in recent years. Not all demons were compatible with the human soul. By drip-feeding captured Demons with infused tinctures of modified Mana mimicking the signature of a human soul, the ones who were could be separated from the rest; simultaneously being granted elevated intelligence, recognizable speech patterns, and sometimes even a semi-humanoid appearance in the process. It was but a shadow of what a true Pact would do for a Demon, but the last time Plutoun had seen it the Demons were barely capable of stringing a sentence together. Viavas, Ains, and even Alaska were capable of holding conversation. The technique had been refined at a fascinating - some might even say alarming - rate.

All the proper introductions had been made, and it was time to proceed with the Pact forging. Some of the participants were getting a little too eager for the main event, and it was time to move things along. Plutoun stepped away from the wall, and effortlessly raised his voice so it echoed loud and clear through the hall.

”Congratulations on remaining civil and surviving your first encounter with your future partners.” He began. “To facilitate the forging of your Pact and prevent espionage from those that might seek to use its tenets against you, Valenheim Academy has prepared state-of-the-art Crucibles, insulated chambers where none but your eyes and ears may see or hear, for you to finalize your pacts. Please refrain from revealing further sensitive information until further notice.” By the end of his announcement, it took on an indiscriminate condescending tone, aimed at all attendees. Even Lumina and Sedilia, who seemed to have forgotten to share this vital piece of information. Valenheim Academy was on the edge of the active Demonic Incursion inside of Valenheim City Proper. Whether they liked it or not, enemy eyes could be everywhere, in more ways than they could know.

Sedilia, Demon​

Sedilia, for her part, had been far too preoccupied with observing the room–how fascinating a meeting, several unbound demons about the room, and no injuries!–a veritable triumph on its own. Some might call this irresponsible, but if it worked in practice, it was only proof of their success. The demon could not herself remember exactly what form she had taken before. As a creature of mana, then–without a human soul to root her feet within the corporeal, material, mortal world–she had walked through the glinting reflections on window-panes in the rain, across blood-splattered mirrors, in the city’s puddles and across the screens of cell phones and photographic lenses. These demons were so much more real. She blinked a few times, refocusing on Plouton as he spoke, and crossing along the edges of the caged enclosures to share his stage.

“A pact, as you well know, is the promising of your “soul” to a demon that exchanges some of the innate human power in your body–the power of this realm–for mana from the demon, a generalized term for the power of their respective realm that resides within their body. There is significant scholarly debate as to whether this corrupts the human soul’s ability to reach an afterlife–some Lucian scholars suggest that it does, while others maintain that mana is an equal resource, and that the ‘soul ‘afterwords simply remains modified–if such an afterlife exists at all. While there has been significant research into various realms of origin, none of the parallels (er- the demonic realms, that is) show any indication of holding departed human souls. The recycling of mana from fallen demons within their realms, however, is well-documented. This is the crux of that scholarly debate. If you’re interested in reading about it, The Light of Binding by A. Horchler and Into the Abyss: Variencies in Souls Through the Parallels, written by Evalia Roda among others, both share excellent perspectives on the matter.”

Her gaze leveled across the room, searching for hesitation. The idea of “selling the soul” had been introduced early to weed out those too afraid of damnation, but the topic was contentious at best. Her eyes caught on Ains, wondering if he appreciated the information. She continued, voice gentling as the noise of the group petered out fully.

“With that out of the way, I will explain how you might swear a pact. A Pact is a type of Oath, which one might take with a demon for several reasons, but only a Pact involves the exchange of mana and soul. It is the more difficult of the two to perform, quite reasonably.”

Her lips flattened, no more a facsimile of a smile. “Walk with me to the Crucibles.”

The offer of information made for fleet feet. She did not lead them far–simply down the hallway–to a T-intersection leading left and right down two more long straits. On the flat end of this intersection there sat four heavy stone doors, two evenly spaced on each side, clearly in almost the direct center of the building. Unlike the rest of the space–a corporate-industrial and heavily fortified warehouse–these internal but independent structures held much in common with the classically-styled churches of the Lucius order. One of the doors was open, closest to the intersection, so that they might partly see inside.

“There are many candles lit on the alter–various kinds of incense helpful to the efficacy of the wardings on the Crucibles–but only one, an ichor-black candlestick in a holder at the tables’ center, is important to you. When you are ready to form your pact, you should light it from the others, and hold the flame against your skin for a brief moment. I suggest you choose an accessible and less-flammable location such as the upper arm."

A pause, a check that everyone is paying attention. “This opens your body to the possibility of exchange. From here, the demon offers you a drop of ichor in one way or another, and you must hold it against that burn as you speak to forge the Pact. The benches inside are large enough to lay on, if necessary. From here, the ancient magics of Pact-working store your words, meanings, and amendments as you converse with one another and creates a complete arcane document outlining your promises.”

“To begin the forging of a Pact, the exorcist must start as follows: “I, (my true name), pledge my soul in this oath to (the demon’s true name), in return for their strength.” Beyond this, both parties should provide any stipulations or goals of the agreement, barring terms steeped in time. The parallels, where these magics originate, deal in what is and is not—chronology is therefore irrelevant. You should both implicitly understand the words of the agreement in your own tongue as it is worked: it outlines your promises to each other. To complete this agreement, both participants must speak in their native tongues, and state: “I hereby accept this oath.” Once you do so, you must raise the flame again, enveloping the ichor. This new burn will form your contract-mark. You will feel an immediate connection to your partner from this place.” Somehow the hallway itself felt somber, the imposing harshness of incense stinging her lips.

Sedilia’s eyes bore into the four exorcists in turn, considering them all, before she finished her speech. “Demons are nearly incapable of intentionally breaking Oaths. Exorcists, however, must be wary of breaking these contracts and losing the demon’s power: Pacts might not be reforged but only broken. A demon will retain their humanized features should an Exorcist break their pact by will or action, but refreshing the sharing of power will take more from your soul. You must also be careful to never speak or share your Demon’s true name. They hold more power than you realize, and should not be mentioned outside of a Crucible.”

Her hands came together into a harsh clap, ringing through the room. “Well, then. If there’s no questions, there’s a room ready for each pair. Get to it!”

The doors to the Crucibles seemed to yawn into the tightness of the hall. They emanated a threatening sort of silence—one that almost bled into the hallway, though Sedilia seemed less affected than most—interrupted only by the crackling of the candles inside. Within, the rooms were nearly all stone and marble, inflammable and shining white. A speckled marble alter with matching benches on either side defined the forefront of the rooms, but indents in their walls could accommodate some small audience if they need be used as a meeting room. The smell of incense was almost overpowering when stepping over the threshold, sage and sweet-herbs and brimstone and all manner of other scents incomprehensible in their mingling. Inside—before even the door was quite closed—the hallway was as good as silent. A human might hear the rushing of their own blood in their ears.

Here, more than anywhere, was a safe place to converse.

This section of the game requires ongoing dialogue between partner pairs. To resolve these scenes more quickly, we highly encourage partnered pairs to collaborate on a post together, typically called a "collab" in shorthand. Collabs allow for smaller conversational snippets than conventional posts, and work well for dialogue-heavy scenes. If you need any help with setting up or writing this kind of post, please let us know!

 

[Dovinique]

LEABETH JENEVICA
character sheet
interaction: Meredith ; location: the vault
mention: none; notes: none

When Alaska spoke, a chill raced down Lea’s spine, as if the very air around her carried the whispers of numerous demons. It was astonishing how such a diminutive demon could exude such an intimidating presence through her voice alone. Yet, as she felt the soft beats thump from Alaska's body, the grip of fear gradually loosened its hold. Maybe… just maybe… hidden beneath that frightening exterior, lay a soul yearning for comfort.

As Alaska's words unfurled, Lea found herself nodding along. It was then, amidst the flow of conversation, that a crucial reminder surfaced in her mind: the goal she needed to unveil to Alaska, a key piece in the intricate puzzle of their pact. Almost instantly, Lea's demeanor shifted. The confidence that had once illuminated her eyes dimmed, replaced by a flicker of uncertainty. Doubt crept in, casting a shadow over the vibrant crimson of her gaze, muddying its clarity with hesitation.

Lea took a small step back, her movements reflecting her inner turmoil as she rose from the position she had maintained. The air seemed to thicken around her as Sedilia's voice cut through the moment, announcing the next phase in their pact's forgement. Time, it seemed, waited for no one, yet Lea found herself grappling with her thoughts, her certainty wavering on the precipice of decision. The question loomed large in her mind: if she withheld the truth of her goal from Alaska, would Alaska sense it? And if Alaska came to know the hidden intents, would she be willing to shoulder the weight of that secret alongside Lea?

“Well, then. If there’s no questions, there’s a room ready for each pair. Get to it!”

Sedilia's announcement jolted Lea back to the present. Lea then turned to Alaska, "Let's go, Alaska.”

coded by archangel_

 

[Table]

- Mel Albar-
​

Interaction: Gaius Danius Griinia

-×-​

Mel was quite surprised at how Ains was willing to take her demand in stride. His unchanging visage makes it difficult for the redhead to deduce his intention, but she was quite satisfied with his acceptance nevertheless. His declaration of using her as his stepping stone did irritate Mel a bit, but she is more than willing to overlook it.

"Fine by me. I'll consider it an equivalent exchange," stated Mel. She was about to say more when a Plutoun's voice demanded their attention.

Mel listened to the whole explanation of pact forging by Plutoun and Sedilia, though occasionally noted that her foster mother's pact-bound exorcist had also taught her some of the details the latter mentioned. When Sedilia commanded them to follow her, Mel decided to stride along despite anxiety slowly creeping into her heart.

The smell of burnt candlestick sent Mel into flashback, one which she was not particularly fond of. It reeked of heat and smoke, but it was specifically the smell of incense that drove her to the edge. Her anxiety, previously nothing but a speck of emotion buried deep within her heart, began to overtake her senses as she tried her best to control her composure.

As the doors leading to each of the crucibles became wide open, Mel's anxiety turned into a resurfacing trauma as her right hand began to visibly shake despite her nearly unchanging expression.

"You're strong now, Mel. No need to be afraid of anything anymore," Mel chanted within her mind as her shaking hand quickly turned into a grip. Loosening her hand once more, the redhead gazed toward one of the closer room.

"Let's do this," Mel turned toward Ains before rushing into the crucible of her choice.