The demon before her had unfurled from nothingness, like a boil that burst into reality, leaving layers of Essence that overlapped and disappeared again. Its body was false, as if it existed in multiple planes, none of which quite harmonized with the other. Grotesque limbs stretched at impossible angles, disappearing and reappearing as if they were in a bizarre dance that seemed to disregard the sheer concept of space.
But the worst part was the eyes.
A web of eyes began to form in the demonic presence. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of eyes, each of them different sizes and shapes, opened in the darkness. They stared, their pupils twisted and unfathomable, as if peering through every layer of her soul, searching for the deepest fears and secrets, opening here, closing there, blinking elsewhere.
The Essence around the demon began to transform into dark swirls, churning and distorted as if being sucked into an infinite abyss. Valentina could no longer grasp the patterns of the Essence, which were normally clear and symmetrical. The Essence resisted. It became chaotic, devoid of order as if it had been corrupted from within.
The demon itself seemed to be made of pure Essence corruption, a knot of malevolence whose boundaries were blurred, its form reshaping itself in irregular twitches. And yet it radiated a strange gravity, as if everything near it – the foliage, the ground, the air itself – was slowly being pulled towards it. Light bent around it, and where its presence was strongest, the world seemed to fall into a deep, unfathomable darkness.
Valentina could never have imagined this creature. Nothing about it made sense. The eyes that rested on her were seemingly everywhere – and yet the demon did not seem complete. Its body was only visible in fragments as if her mind was unable to fully comprehend its entire form. It was as if she only ever saw a part of it – an arm sticking out of nothing at an impossible angle, a gaping hole that couldn''t decide whether it was a mouth, a maw, or an abyss.
Valentina stared wide-eyed at the apparition before her and, with trembling hands, hastily began to perform the ritual to bind the demon. Her voice broke as she spoke the first words of the formula, weaving the first patterns.
The demon made a noise that made the hair on the back of her neck stand up, its limbs whipping through the air but still unable to reach her. "Don''t you dare, mortal!" its voice struck Valentina''s mind like a blow with a mace.
But Valentina continued undeterred, sweat pouring down her forehead as she laid down one rule after another: "You must not communicate with hell. You must not harm me. You must not harm anyone around me. You may not leave the vessel to which you are bound unless I destroy it deliberately, in which case you must return to hell."
The demon writhed in agony as each rule restricted it further. Valentina took a deep breath, ready to utter the crucial rule that would force the demon to obey her commands.
But at that moment, something unexpected happened, something completely ridiculous. A black cat – the same one Valentina had seen earlier in the university garden – suddenly jumped into the summoning circle. Its paws blurred some of the symbols in the inner circle, and the entire circle began to flicker and disintegrate.
"No!" Valentina screamed as she saw her carefully drawn lines dissolve.
The world around Valentina exploded in a whirl of light and shadow. A deafening bang echoed through the clearing, followed by a silence so deep it rang in her ears. The smell of burnt wood hung heavy in the air.
Valentina blinked, trying to clear her vision. Where the summoning circle had been before, she saw only charred earth. Her heart hammered in her chest, her breathing was shallow and fast. Where was the demon?
Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through her body. It felt as if liquid fire was flowing through her veins. Valentina screamed, fell to her knees and clutched her upper body. The world around her blurred as an alien presence spread through her consciousness.
"Aaah, what a wonderful feeling," sighed a voice in her head, whispering delightedly. The voice was neither male nor female, neither young nor old. It sounded like a thousand voices speaking at the same time.
"Who... what are you?" Valentina gasped, her own voice barely more than a whisper.
"I am Vyxara," the voice replied. "And you, little Weaver, have summoned me."
Panic and horror rose up in Valentina. This was not what she had planned. She had hoped to bind the demon to the pendant, not to herself. "No," she muttered, "no, no, no. It can''t be."
A laugh, cold as ice and sharp as a blade, echoed through her mind. "Oh, but it is. You opened the gate and I stepped through. Now we are bound together, you and I."
Valentina forced herself to take a deep breath. She had to keep a clear head. With trembling hands, she reached for the forbidden book lying on the floor next to her. Perhaps there was a way to undo this.
"There is no turning back, little Weaver," Vyxara said as if the demon had read her mind. "The pact is made. But do not be afraid. I can give you power that others can only dream of."
"I don''t want power," Valentina hissed between clenched teeth. "I want you to disappear!"
Another laugh. "That''s not possible. But perhaps you should hurry. Morning is approaching, and I doubt you want to be found here."
Valentina looked up and realized with horror that the eastern sky was already bathed in a soft pink. Dawn was breaking. If she didn''t return to the university soon, her disappearance would be noticed.
With a suppressed curse, she hastily began to pack up the remains of the ritual. Her hands were shaking so badly that she dropped the book twice. Each time it fell to the floor, a stab of fear ran through her. What if someone had heard the noise?
"Calm down, little Weaver," whispered Vyxara. "Let me help you."
Suddenly, Valentina felt a strange power flowing through her limbs. Her hands stopped trembling, her movements became more confident, more precise. In a matter of seconds, she had stowed everything away in her worn leather bag.
"What have you done?" she asked, half fascinated, half horrified.
"I''ve given you a taste of what I can offer you," Vyxara replied. "Together we can achieve great things."
Valentina shook her head, trying to ignore the demon''s words. She had to concentrate on her immediate situation. The forest around her slowly came to life. In the distance, she heard the call of a bird, the rustling of small animals in the undergrowth.
With one last glance at the clearing, she made her way back to the town. Every step felt heavy, as if she was fighting against an invisible resistance. Vyxara''s presence in her mind was like a constant hum, a pressure that never let up.
When she reached the edge of the forest, Valentina paused. The rooftops of Bridgewater were silhouetted against the brightening sky. In the distance, she could already make out the silhouette of the Burning Tower.
"You already regret it, don''t you?" Vyxara''s voice was gentle, almost compassionate. "But it''s too late for regrets. We are one now, you and I. The sooner you accept that, the easier it will be for you."
Valentina bit her lip so hard she tasted blood. "I''ll find a way to get rid of you," she swore softly.
"Maybe," Vyxara replied, amused. "But until then, we should make the most of our time together, don''t you think?"
Before Valentina could answer, she heard the creaking of wagon wheels in the distance. The first merchants and farmers were making their way into the town. She had to hurry.
With a deep breath, Valentina straightened her shoulders and stepped out of the shelter of the trees. The walk back to the university would be dangerous, but she had no choice. She had to make it back to her room before someone noticed she was missing.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.
As she moved carefully through the awakening city, Valentina felt Vyxara''s presence growing in her mind. The demon seemed to be watching her every move, analyzing her every decision. It was as if she suddenly had a second consciousness, strange and yet strangely intimate.
The streets of Bridgewater, normally so familiar, now seemed to her like a labyrinth full of danger. Every shadow could conceal a guard, every open window a prying eye. Valentina darted from one dark corner to the next, her heart beating so loudly that she feared it might betray her.
"You''re too tense," Vyxara commented. "Relax. The more nervous you seem, the more attention you''ll attract."
"Shut up," Valentina hissed through clenched teeth. "You''re the reason for this whole situation."
A soft laugh echoed through her mind. "Oh, little Weaver. I may be the reason, but you''re the one who summoned me. Don''t forget that."
Valentina wanted to say something back, but at that moment she heard footsteps approaching. She hastily ducked behind a pile of barrels. Her breath caught as she saw two members of the city guard walk past, their lanterns swinging rhythmically back and forth.
"Did you hear that?" one of the guards suddenly asked and stopped.
Valentina pressed herself closer to the barrels, her heart pounding so loudly that she was sure the guards must be able to hear it.
"What is it?" asked the other guard, bored.
"I thought I heard something. Like a whisper."
Valentina froze. Had one of the guards heard Vyxara''s voice?
"Impossible," whispered the demon in her head. "Only you can hear me."
The first guard shrugged his shoulders. "Probably just a cat or something. Come on, let''s keep moving. I''m freezing my ass off and I want a cup of hot milk before sunrise."
The guards'' footsteps slowly moved away. Valentina waited a moment before carefully emerging from behind the barrels. Her body trembled with tension and suppressed fear.
"You see?" said Vyxara. "Everything went well. With my help, you can learn to move like a shadow, unseen and unheard."
"I don''t want your help," Valentina muttered as she continued on her way. The towers of Bridgewater University were now in sight, both a promise of safety and a reminder of the danger of her situation.
When she finally reached the campus, the sky began to turn golden. The first students would be waking up soon. Valentina scurried across the courtyard, her footsteps soft on the dewy grass.
She reached the entrance to her dormitory and carefully opened the heavy wooden door. The creaking of the hinges sounded deafeningly loud in the stillness of the early morning.
"To the left," Vyxara suddenly whispered. "Someone''s coming down the stairs."
Without hesitation, Valentina followed the demon''s instructions and ducked into a dark alcove. Seconds later, a sleepy student walked past her, obviously on her way to the privy. Valentina waited until the footsteps had faded before she emerged from her hiding place. Heart pounding, she climbed the stairs to her room, each creak of the old wooden steps making her wince.
She finally reached her door. With trembling hands, she slid the key into the lock and turned it. The soft click as the door burst open sounded like the sweetest music to Valentina.
She slipped into her room and closed the door behind her. Only now, in the safety of her familiar four walls, did she allow herself to take a deep breath. She had made it. She was back, undetected.
But when she turned around and her gaze fell on the small tarnished mirror on the wall, she froze. For a moment, she thought she saw a strange gleam in her eyes, a hint of something different and malevolent. Valentina sat on her narrow bed, her hands folded in her lap to calm her trembling. The faint light of the rising sun filtered through the small window and cast long shadows in the small attic room. In the distance, the bells of the Burning Tower rang out the first hour of the day.
"All right," she finally whispered, her voice barely more than a breath. "Let''s talk."
A soft laugh echoed through her mind. "Oh, now you want to talk, little Weaver? After you tore me from my realm and bound me to you?"
Valentina swallowed hard. "I... I didn''t mean to bind you to me. That was an accident."
"An accident?" Vyxara''s voice dripped with sarcasm. "You drew a forbidden Bankreizh, spoke forbidden words and opened a gateway between the realms. That wasn''t an accident, Valentina. That was a choice."
The way the demon pronounced her name made Valentina shudder. The people at home pronounced her name like that. It sounded intimate, almost tender, and yet there was an underlying threat in it.
"Who... What are you?" she asked, trying to steer the conversation in a different direction.
Silence reigned for a moment. Then Vyxara began to speak, and Valentina''s mind filled with images of fire and shadow, of endless empty expanses and the soft cries of countless human voices.
"I am Vyxara, a being from the realm beyond your mortal world. I am as old as time itself and have seen civilizations rise and fall. I am knowledge and power."
The demon''s words made Valentina''s head spin. She tried to process the information, to put it into a context that she could understand.
"But... the teachings of the church say that demons are evil, that they bring destruction and torture human souls after death," she said hesitantly.
Vyxara laughed, a sound like breaking glass. "Oh, little Weaver. The church knows so little about us. We are neither good nor evil in the human sense. We don’t share your values, and our goals are not aligned. That’s all. We are just... different."
Valentina frowned. "But the Martyr..."
"The Martyr," Vyxara interrupted her, "was a man who saw and did things beyond your understanding. He did not defeat or banish us. He merely... negotiated a treaty. And now he is more like us than he is like you."
These words shook Valentina. Everything she had learned about the Martyr and his fight against the demons suddenly seemed to be called into question.
"And now?" she asked quietly. "What happens to us now?"
"Well," Vyxara said, and Valentina could hear the amusement in the demon''s voice, "now we''re bound to each other. You summoned me to this world, and I cannot return unless you die."
A cold shiver ran down Valentina''s spine. "And... how long are you going to stay?"
"As long as you live, little Weaver. Or until you find a way to let me go. But be warned: it won''t be easy. I know of no such way."
Valentina felt panic rising inside her. The thought of being bound to this creature for the rest of her life was overwhelming.
"No," she whispered, "no, it can''t be. There must be a way to get rid of you."
"Oh, there might be," Vyxara said softly. "But do you really want that? Think of all the power, all the knowledge I can offer you. Together we could accomplish wonderful things."
Valentina shook her head. "I don''t want power. I just... I just want my normal life back."
A sigh echoed through her mind. "Your ''normal life'' is over, Valentina. The moment you summoned me, you left that path. But maybe that''s not as bad as you think."
"What do you mean?"
"I have seen your thoughts, your memories," Vyxara explained. "I know about your family, about your debts, about your desire to win the Greystone Competition. I can help you achieve all that. And maybe I can even help you achieve the things you hardly dare to admit, even to yourself, even in your most private thoughts. I know how ambitious you are."
Valentina winced. The temptation was great, she couldn''t deny it. She had to think about her family. With Vyxara''s help, she might really be able to solve all her problems. But at what cost?
"And what would you ask in return?" she asked cautiously.
"Oh, not much," Vyxara replied lightly. "Just the opportunity to see, learn, taste, feel and experience this world through your eyes and through your body."
Valentina blinked in surprise. "You''re... curious about our world?"
"Of course," said Vyxara. "Your world is fascinating. So many experiences to savor. Art. Music. Food. Sex. Essence Weaving."
Although Vyxara''s explanation brought a blush to her cheeks, the mention of Essence Weaving made Valentina sit up and take notice. "You know about that... Essence Weaving I mean?"
A soft laugh. "Oh, little Weaver. I know the secrets of Essences better than any mortal teacher. I could teach you things your professors couldn''t even dream of."
Valentina felt her heart beat faster. The idea of having access to such knowledge was tempting. But tempting enough to risk her very soul?
"I... I don''t know," she said hesitantly. "It''s all so much at once. I need time to think about it."
"Time," Vyxara repeated thoughtfully. "Yes, time is something you mortals always have too little of. But don''t worry, Valentina. We have all the time in the world now."
A knock on the door made Valentina flinch. "Val?" It was Innogen''s voice. "Are you awake? Breakfast is about to start."
"I... I''ll be right there!" Valentina called back, her voice higher than she intended.
"Ah, your friend," Vyxara remarked with amusement. "She''s worried about you. How touching."
"Shut up," Valentina hissed. "You mustn''t interfere when I''m talking to others."
"As you wish, little Weaver," Vyxara said, and Valentina could hear the amusement in the demon''s voice. "But don''t forget: I''m always here, even when I''m silent."
Valentina closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. She had to keep a clear head. She had to appear normal and not make anyone suspicious if she didn''t want to end up in the hands of the Illumination of the Church of the Martyr and be burned at the stake.
"All right," she finally said quietly. "Let''s... let''s call a truce. I''ll try to accept you, and you... you will not get in my way when I interact with others. Agreed?"
Silence reigned in her head for a moment. Then Valentina felt something change inside her, as if an invisible contract had been sealed.
"Agreed," Vyxara finally said. "A truce. But remember, little Weaver: I''m here to learn, to experience. I won''t just sit quietly in a corner of your mind."
Valentina nodded slowly. "I understand. But please, give me time to get used to all this."
"Time," Vyxara repeated again thoughtfully. "Yes, let''s take all the time we need. This is the beginning of an... interesting partnership, Valentina. I can''t wait to see where it will take us."
With these words, Valentina felt Vyxara''s presence recede in her mind, not disappearing, but becoming less dominant. She took a deep breath and stood up. It was time to face the world, with a demon as her silent companion.
When she opened the door, Innogen was already waiting in the hallway. Her friend looked at her anxiously. "Are you all right, Val? You look pale."
Valentina forced herself to smile. "It''s all good. I just... didn’t sleep too much."
In her head, she heard Vyxara''s soft laughter. "Oh yes", it thought. "This is going to be an interesting partnership indeed."
With a final deep breath, she followed Innogen down the stairs to breakfast.