"No. Allowing her access to more magical energy is a risk we cannot take."
Hobbes looked at Daxton, wondering what the plan was now.
Hobbes looked at Daxton, wondering what the plan was now.
-Daxton motioned for the two of them to step away a little bit, before speaking to his wife-
"What do you make of whatever seals they have on the door? Do you think you can weaken them? If so....I might be able to use our new stone friend to break it the rest of the way down"
"What do you make of whatever seals they have on the door? Do you think you can weaken them? If so....I might be able to use our new stone friend to break it the rest of the way down"
"I can draw up some runes to soak up the power, but they'll also soak up any other magic they come into contact with. So you should be careful not to touch them."
Hobbes pulled a piece of chalk out of one of her pockets, and got to work drawing the symbols as close to the hinges as she could manage. It didn't take long at all, and then she took a step back, gesturing that it was all his.
From the moment the first rune was finished, the door's hum of energy quieted some. As soon as all three were up, it became very dim; still there, but much easier to deal with.
Hobbes pulled a piece of chalk out of one of her pockets, and got to work drawing the symbols as close to the hinges as she could manage. It didn't take long at all, and then she took a step back, gesturing that it was all his.
From the moment the first rune was finished, the door's hum of energy quieted some. As soon as all three were up, it became very dim; still there, but much easier to deal with.
"thanks love, now time for me to work my magic"
-Daxton walked over to his new golem friend, and placed a hand on it- "alright, I'm about to give you a super charge. When I'm done, I want you to beat that door down....avoiding touching the runes my wife just placed. Then I want you to wait and back me up if things get.....fight-ey"
-As he finished the last word, daxton pumped a huge portion of some of the spare magic he had been storing up into the golem, stregthening and invigorating any of the spells and magical energy contined within it. Including without knowing, likely the soul that was powering it-
-Daxton walked over to his new golem friend, and placed a hand on it- "alright, I'm about to give you a super charge. When I'm done, I want you to beat that door down....avoiding touching the runes my wife just placed. Then I want you to wait and back me up if things get.....fight-ey"
-As he finished the last word, daxton pumped a huge portion of some of the spare magic he had been storing up into the golem, stregthening and invigorating any of the spells and magical energy contined within it. Including without knowing, likely the soul that was powering it-
The magic he poured into the golem had an immediate effect; her form changed. Before, the golem had a thick, clunky body made of stone, but as more magic was added, it seemed to condense... The stone quickly becoming compressed, and a harder, shinier outer layer formed at the cost of mass. She also looked more aware; the black stones she had for eyes seeming to actually see him, instead of the blank stare of before.
The golem took a second to examine its new "skin," flexing its hand, and a small smile came over its face before it approached the door. It sized up the piece of magic infused wood before it began kicking it, aiming for the locking mechanism. It took roughly a minute of this before the door swung open.
The more progress the golem seemed to make, the more magic was released into the air. Hobbes' runes glowed brighter and brighter until they reached maximum brightness, and a different kind of magic began leaking out... something old, dusty, and dead. This was subtle, but definitely there, and growing stronger.
Once the door was kicked open, they could see inside the room. It was a bedroom, certainly, with a four poster bed and a vanity inside, along with a wardrobe. Everything was covered in a layer of sandy dust, caused by the whirlwind inside. It swirled constantly, covering and uncovering a thick rug heavily marked with an array underneath the demons and miniature sandstorm.
There were three demons maintaining this; two of them were focusing intently on the whirlwind, while the last was glaring at the open door. In the center of the sandstorm was where the second flavor of power was coming from.
The golem took a second to examine its new "skin," flexing its hand, and a small smile came over its face before it approached the door. It sized up the piece of magic infused wood before it began kicking it, aiming for the locking mechanism. It took roughly a minute of this before the door swung open.
The more progress the golem seemed to make, the more magic was released into the air. Hobbes' runes glowed brighter and brighter until they reached maximum brightness, and a different kind of magic began leaking out... something old, dusty, and dead. This was subtle, but definitely there, and growing stronger.
Once the door was kicked open, they could see inside the room. It was a bedroom, certainly, with a four poster bed and a vanity inside, along with a wardrobe. Everything was covered in a layer of sandy dust, caused by the whirlwind inside. It swirled constantly, covering and uncovering a thick rug heavily marked with an array underneath the demons and miniature sandstorm.
There were three demons maintaining this; two of them were focusing intently on the whirlwind, while the last was glaring at the open door. In the center of the sandstorm was where the second flavor of power was coming from.
-Daxton takes a step in with his entourage. Then sensing the spirit slowly growing stronger. He turns back towards the door way and expends a bit of his own magic to form up a barrier. His left hand becoming a bit fainter in the process. To make sure the barrier would be sufficient, he'd had to tap into some of his deeper and more powerful magics, namely the same magical energy that made up his body, but hopefully he could survive without his left hand for a bit, till this exchange was over-
"there we go, that barrier I put up should stop her from growing to much stronger while we have a little chat. I tried the nice approach already, now we are trying the not as nice approach. Hopefully this approach is a bit more receptive before we have to move onto the very not nice approach....as I'm sure that approach would just prove a hassle for everyone involved"
-Daxton regarded the three, speaking calmly and seriously. His tone was firm but flexible, and if anything just slightly annoyed after the rude reception he had received originally-
"Your barrier is down now, and we are inside. My magic personal supply of magic is now the only thing keeping this room sealed off and at bay. So here's the thing....we are leaving with that scarf, one way or another. While we are here and before we go, you can either hear me out and accept my help. Or I take the scarf, drop the barrier, and we all have to deal with the unpleasent business of that spirit being lose....one thing I can tell from her aura, that is something none of us really want. So....you gents ready to calmly talk shop....or is this going to get needlessly confrontational"
"there we go, that barrier I put up should stop her from growing to much stronger while we have a little chat. I tried the nice approach already, now we are trying the not as nice approach. Hopefully this approach is a bit more receptive before we have to move onto the very not nice approach....as I'm sure that approach would just prove a hassle for everyone involved"
-Daxton regarded the three, speaking calmly and seriously. His tone was firm but flexible, and if anything just slightly annoyed after the rude reception he had received originally-
"Your barrier is down now, and we are inside. My magic personal supply of magic is now the only thing keeping this room sealed off and at bay. So here's the thing....we are leaving with that scarf, one way or another. While we are here and before we go, you can either hear me out and accept my help. Or I take the scarf, drop the barrier, and we all have to deal with the unpleasent business of that spirit being lose....one thing I can tell from her aura, that is something none of us really want. So....you gents ready to calmly talk shop....or is this going to get needlessly confrontational"
The angriest of the three looked like he had something to say, but their unofficial leader spoke up first.
"The problem was never with the scarf... and now that you're in here, you may as well have it. To be honest, I hadn't expected you to be as powerful as you are... normally, it takes all three of us to contain her. But if you can retrieve what you're looking for, and then replace our seals so they were as they were before you leave, that's just as well."
The female demon, the one that had been joking with him earlier, quietly whispered, "take me with you," causing the leader of them to sigh, and rub their temples.
"The problem was never with the scarf... and now that you're in here, you may as well have it. To be honest, I hadn't expected you to be as powerful as you are... normally, it takes all three of us to contain her. But if you can retrieve what you're looking for, and then replace our seals so they were as they were before you leave, that's just as well."
The female demon, the one that had been joking with him earlier, quietly whispered, "take me with you," causing the leader of them to sigh, and rub their temples.
"Thank you kindly for being considerate about the scarf at least" *Daxton answered before looking over to Hobbes* "Hun, can you go grab it? Ricky said it should be over in the wardrobe"
*Then turning back to the demons and their captive, he looks their setup over with interest* "Now, we "could" replace the seals you had on the door......However. My wife and I are the new legal owners of this house. By extension of this house.....the rooms within it, including this one. Now, I don't know about you....but I'd rather not have a room I could set up as a lovely entertainment center permanently occupied by an angry ghost, commander blueberry, little miss clearly does not want to be here, and a LITERAL pillar of salt. Yeah I see you over there mister huffy......so anyways commander yes I am going to keep calling me blueberry till you give me a proper name to call you, why don't you tell me why you have her bound up like this, so we can figure out something to do about it"
*Then turning back to the demons and their captive, he looks their setup over with interest* "Now, we "could" replace the seals you had on the door......However. My wife and I are the new legal owners of this house. By extension of this house.....the rooms within it, including this one. Now, I don't know about you....but I'd rather not have a room I could set up as a lovely entertainment center permanently occupied by an angry ghost, commander blueberry, little miss clearly does not want to be here, and a LITERAL pillar of salt. Yeah I see you over there mister huffy......so anyways commander yes I am going to keep calling me blueberry till you give me a proper name to call you, why don't you tell me why you have her bound up like this, so we can figure out something to do about it"
"Sure thing," Hobbes answered, going over to the wardrobe. It swung open for her easily, but she made a face when she saw what was inside. The druid was hesitant before reaching in to find a scarf like the one Rikesh had described, holding it up for Daxton to see. "This it?"
"I'm called Nigroax," Commander Blueberry replied. "This is Guieseppe," he said, looking at the female, "and that's Salys.
"And this is Nallva," he said, with a nod towards the ghost trapped in the sandstorm. "She's a witch, or was-"
"She's a rotten, soul stealing son of a bitch who prays on children is what she is," Salys interrupted with no shortage of disdain. "Mock us all you want, but this bastard exploited loopholes to make us work for her, and then further exploited us to steal the youth from children to make her 'immortal'." As he spoke, the sand swirled faster, bits of it peppering Daxton. It felt like standing in sand paper, and that was from outside the storm. Inside, Nallva screamed, but the demon went on without care. "The atrocities she made us commit were unspeakable, and an eternity of torture isn't enough to make her atone for her crimes. When she was overpowered, we captured her here... and whether or not you 'own the house', we made a pact. And I, for one, intend to honor it." He gave a withering look to the other two demons.
"It's still honoring the spirit of the pact as long as she's eternally suffering, even if we don't have to babysit her 24/7," Guiespeppe muttered. It sounded like this had been the topic of debate many times before the way she said it, and the words still caused Salys to literally growl.
"I'm called Nigroax," Commander Blueberry replied. "This is Guieseppe," he said, looking at the female, "and that's Salys.
"And this is Nallva," he said, with a nod towards the ghost trapped in the sandstorm. "She's a witch, or was-"
"She's a rotten, soul stealing son of a bitch who prays on children is what she is," Salys interrupted with no shortage of disdain. "Mock us all you want, but this bastard exploited loopholes to make us work for her, and then further exploited us to steal the youth from children to make her 'immortal'." As he spoke, the sand swirled faster, bits of it peppering Daxton. It felt like standing in sand paper, and that was from outside the storm. Inside, Nallva screamed, but the demon went on without care. "The atrocities she made us commit were unspeakable, and an eternity of torture isn't enough to make her atone for her crimes. When she was overpowered, we captured her here... and whether or not you 'own the house', we made a pact. And I, for one, intend to honor it." He gave a withering look to the other two demons.
"It's still honoring the spirit of the pact as long as she's eternally suffering, even if we don't have to babysit her 24/7," Guiespeppe muttered. It sounded like this had been the topic of debate many times before the way she said it, and the words still caused Salys to literally growl.
Daxton nodded to hobbes "thanks dear, hold onto that for a little while we negotiate if you would....tightly"
He turned back to Commander "Nigorax" Blueberry, and started to speak again. "Well that one in the back must have been pleasant to spend centuries trapped in a room with, wonderful conversationalist. This one however...." He replied looking over to the female demon a bit closer "raises a pretty fair point though. I'm in agreement with you that for manipulating her contracts she deserves to be punished....severely, however you do none of your clans any good being stuck around here devoting your entire exsistance to it, rather than spreading their influence and living your own lives....at this point, your still no better than slaves to her. Stuck here....focused on her forever....and as one of.....my stature, I feel it my duty to help with fixing that. You stopped her from destroying more of this house by holding her here....and things in it that I may potentially need, and for that....I am genuinely grateful...to all of you. Even if that was not your intention for doing so"
He turned once more to examine Nallva, "so let me make you an offer. Let me take her on. I will make sure she suffers. with all the power at my disposal, in ways you could scarcely imagine" Daxton turned back to the other demons, looking them in the eyes one by one, lingering on the salt demon the longest before speaking again "If you doubt me, I can't blame you. However you need only look at what I have already accomplished in the house in the few short days I have been here, to know I am likely capable...."
"I have struck arrangements with several of the high magic beings within this home, that would help me for offers of my own help....such as the being that led me here..." Daxton stated, looking off to shadows of the room "I know your likely even watching now Rikesh. Not to mention the power and ability shown by my wife and myself"
"If after that you still have doubts....you may leave the girl behind to watch my progress and report back to you, till Nigorax is satisfied with what I have done, then she may depart"
"You get your freedom again, she remains tortured, you get to keep an eye on things, and I get more of my house back, and another source of information for my studies in the form of information I torture out of the ghost as well as whatever Guieseppe might share with me.....all in all a good deal for all....so, care to make a pact with the devil?"
He turned back to Commander "Nigorax" Blueberry, and started to speak again. "Well that one in the back must have been pleasant to spend centuries trapped in a room with, wonderful conversationalist. This one however...." He replied looking over to the female demon a bit closer "raises a pretty fair point though. I'm in agreement with you that for manipulating her contracts she deserves to be punished....severely, however you do none of your clans any good being stuck around here devoting your entire exsistance to it, rather than spreading their influence and living your own lives....at this point, your still no better than slaves to her. Stuck here....focused on her forever....and as one of.....my stature, I feel it my duty to help with fixing that. You stopped her from destroying more of this house by holding her here....and things in it that I may potentially need, and for that....I am genuinely grateful...to all of you. Even if that was not your intention for doing so"
He turned once more to examine Nallva, "so let me make you an offer. Let me take her on. I will make sure she suffers. with all the power at my disposal, in ways you could scarcely imagine" Daxton turned back to the other demons, looking them in the eyes one by one, lingering on the salt demon the longest before speaking again "If you doubt me, I can't blame you. However you need only look at what I have already accomplished in the house in the few short days I have been here, to know I am likely capable...."
"I have struck arrangements with several of the high magic beings within this home, that would help me for offers of my own help....such as the being that led me here..." Daxton stated, looking off to shadows of the room "I know your likely even watching now Rikesh. Not to mention the power and ability shown by my wife and myself"
"If after that you still have doubts....you may leave the girl behind to watch my progress and report back to you, till Nigorax is satisfied with what I have done, then she may depart"
"You get your freedom again, she remains tortured, you get to keep an eye on things, and I get more of my house back, and another source of information for my studies in the form of information I torture out of the ghost as well as whatever Guieseppe might share with me.....all in all a good deal for all....so, care to make a pact with the devil?"
There was an unspoken conversation among the demons... Nigrorax looked at both Guieseppe and Salys to see what their thoughts were on the matter. And while Guieseppe was on board, Salys shook his head a little.
As they spoke, the demon's control over the sandstorm faltered. The sand was swirling less in a pillar now; more erratically, and Hobbes held her hand up to shield her eyes.
Guiseppe and Nirgorax answered, "agreed," and there was a sudden surge of magic. For a second, the swirl of sand was once more a perfectly contained pillar, and marks glowed on both Guieseppe and Nigorax.
Then the moment passed, and Salys vanished, literally dissolving into a pile of salt. The sand fell to the floor, still... the magic was broken and Nallva was released.
She was a spectral entity; barely visible but crackling with golden magic. It was easy to see that she wasn't in top form, however. Nallva looked old, wrinkled and her magic had all but been depleted.
Immediately, she started for the door. However, it looked like even as a ghost she was suffering from arthritis, and wasn't moving quickly at all.
As they spoke, the demon's control over the sandstorm faltered. The sand was swirling less in a pillar now; more erratically, and Hobbes held her hand up to shield her eyes.
Guiseppe and Nirgorax answered, "agreed," and there was a sudden surge of magic. For a second, the swirl of sand was once more a perfectly contained pillar, and marks glowed on both Guieseppe and Nigorax.
Then the moment passed, and Salys vanished, literally dissolving into a pile of salt. The sand fell to the floor, still... the magic was broken and Nallva was released.
She was a spectral entity; barely visible but crackling with golden magic. It was easy to see that she wasn't in top form, however. Nallva looked old, wrinkled and her magic had all but been depleted.
Immediately, she started for the door. However, it looked like even as a ghost she was suffering from arthritis, and wasn't moving quickly at all.
Daxton eyed his new archaic play thing for a moment, before causally walking over to her and strolling besides her. "well hi there new bestest buddy. I've heard you've done some really really naughty things around here.....and ya know....naughty things like that arn't really that good for your soul....I mean....damn look at you. Even as a ghost it looks like the breeze could blow you away"
Daxton grinned and slid around in front of her, blocking her path. "annnnnd.....I'm sure you know you couldn't get through that barrier at the door right? Not in your condition. Not through my magic. So...the question is...how should we play first...huh huh? Wanna be my new roomate? Pillow fights, Movies, unending suffering and torture....sounds fun right?"
Daxton grinned and slid around in front of her, blocking her path. "annnnnd.....I'm sure you know you couldn't get through that barrier at the door right? Not in your condition. Not through my magic. So...the question is...how should we play first...huh huh? Wanna be my new roomate? Pillow fights, Movies, unending suffering and torture....sounds fun right?"
Nallva's glare would have been a lot more impressive if she'd been capable of actually doing anything. But she wasn't; the best she could do was make her threats.
"By my mother's grave, you shall suffer," she seethed. "Everything you care about will be destroyed by my hand, and this house will tear you apart. There are things here even you couldn't fathom, for all your pomp and ridiculous insolence. You think me weak now, but oh, I will return to my strength. And when I do, how you will suffer for presuming yourself anywhere near my true power."
"She likes the Bee Movie," Guiseppe chimed in. "I must have repeated the whole script to her over a hundred times. Definitely her favorite."
"1,548 times," Commander Blueberry muttered. "Thank the powers that be I'll never have to hear it again."
"By my mother's grave, you shall suffer," she seethed. "Everything you care about will be destroyed by my hand, and this house will tear you apart. There are things here even you couldn't fathom, for all your pomp and ridiculous insolence. You think me weak now, but oh, I will return to my strength. And when I do, how you will suffer for presuming yourself anywhere near my true power."
"She likes the Bee Movie," Guiseppe chimed in. "I must have repeated the whole script to her over a hundred times. Definitely her favorite."
"1,548 times," Commander Blueberry muttered. "Thank the powers that be I'll never have to hear it again."
"only 1,548 times in all these years? Wow, I can understand spacing it out to keep it torture, but can something as marvelous as that really be considered torture?"
*With his good hand daxton touched a single claw like nail to Nallva's ghostly form. Almost immediatly the effect could be seen as he drained a layer of her essence away. Even as a ghost it would feel as if every layer of Nallva's skin was being peeled away slowly and painfully*
"Mmmmm you've always got to start with the appetizers before the main course"
*With his good hand daxton touched a single claw like nail to Nallva's ghostly form. Almost immediatly the effect could be seen as he drained a layer of her essence away. Even as a ghost it would feel as if every layer of Nallva's skin was being peeled away slowly and painfully*
"Mmmmm you've always got to start with the appetizers before the main course"
Nallva began to scream, her voice worn and weary. It grew fainter by the second, as she was being consumed. If she'd had the energy, she would have cursed him... but she didn't have the energy for it.
"Kinky," Hobbes said, looking up from here she had been rummaging in the wardrobe. "How would you feel about eating some of the magic off this stuff in front of her? She's got quite the collection in here."
"If you think that's bad, just wait until you see what's in the bathroom," Nigorax said, with a tilt of his head.
"Kinky," Hobbes said, looking up from here she had been rummaging in the wardrobe. "How would you feel about eating some of the magic off this stuff in front of her? She's got quite the collection in here."
"If you think that's bad, just wait until you see what's in the bathroom," Nigorax said, with a tilt of his head.
"bathroom? I....really....really hope thats a joke"
Daxton chuckled a bit, and kept pace with Nallva, dragging his finger slowly over her shoulder. Slowly sucking out her essence wherever his fingertip landed.
"Hmmm?" he replied to hobbes "nah, I have a feeling personal effects won't matter to her much in her current state....but we should take a look at those after all of this"
Daxton chuckled a bit, and kept pace with Nallva, dragging his finger slowly over her shoulder. Slowly sucking out her essence wherever his fingertip landed.
"Hmmm?" he replied to hobbes "nah, I have a feeling personal effects won't matter to her much in her current state....but we should take a look at those after all of this"
"Absolutely," Hobbes agreed, closing the door to the wardrobe. She had the scarf Rikesh had asked for draped over her arm; it looked very soft, and very quality.
Nigorax scritched the back of his hair, messing it up some. "She liked to literally bathe in the blood of children, so I'll leave the other possibilities of what could be in there to your imagination."
Nigorax scritched the back of his hair, messing it up some. "She liked to literally bathe in the blood of children, so I'll leave the other possibilities of what could be in there to your imagination."
Daxton decided he had spent enough time toying with the ghost for a moment, so dipping a hand down into her form, he took in the rest of her soul. Too her it would have felt as if every inch of her body remaining was being sandblasted and ground away, before finally being consumed into Daxton's body.
Once he had her inside, he sealed her soul off within a portion of his being. Locking it away. From her perspective Nalva would have found herself inside a dark room, isolated and alone....before the fun began. With a sudden burst of light, the ceiling and floor of the small room lit up with images of the bee movie and the fourth Shrek movie being over layered and blasted over each other in a horrible cacophony of images and noise. Each characters face slowly twisting and rotting, looking more and more like her own fetid visage with each moment.
The walls turned almost mirror like, forcing her to see herself as she was...old....rotting....decrepit. Her eyes unable to close, forced to endure and see all of this around her. Her form constantly being drained of energy to the point of almost blinking out, before being forced to stabilize again to keep her weak....this would be her hell within him, her new life amongst daxtons whims and sadisitic desires over her. Weak...powerless...left to face what she was, with the added bonus of horrible animation. At least...until daxton came up with worse. He planned on switching it up every once in awhile.
On the outside, daxton wiped his lips as if after a meal, then conjured an image of this to show the other demons within the room. "I take it you approve of her new accommodations?"
Once he had her inside, he sealed her soul off within a portion of his being. Locking it away. From her perspective Nalva would have found herself inside a dark room, isolated and alone....before the fun began. With a sudden burst of light, the ceiling and floor of the small room lit up with images of the bee movie and the fourth Shrek movie being over layered and blasted over each other in a horrible cacophony of images and noise. Each characters face slowly twisting and rotting, looking more and more like her own fetid visage with each moment.
The walls turned almost mirror like, forcing her to see herself as she was...old....rotting....decrepit. Her eyes unable to close, forced to endure and see all of this around her. Her form constantly being drained of energy to the point of almost blinking out, before being forced to stabilize again to keep her weak....this would be her hell within him, her new life amongst daxtons whims and sadisitic desires over her. Weak...powerless...left to face what she was, with the added bonus of horrible animation. At least...until daxton came up with worse. He planned on switching it up every once in awhile.
On the outside, daxton wiped his lips as if after a meal, then conjured an image of this to show the other demons within the room. "I take it you approve of her new accommodations?"
Nigorax smiled, pleased. "Yes... that will be plenty sufficient."
"Better than a sandstorm, I think," Guiseppe answered. "And now I'll be able to leave this room, too. As satisfying as it is to take revenge, you'd be amazed as how utterly boring it is to spend literally years stuck in the same room." She stretched, looking eager to leave.
"Better than a sandstorm, I think," Guiseppe answered. "And now I'll be able to leave this room, too. As satisfying as it is to take revenge, you'd be amazed as how utterly boring it is to spend literally years stuck in the same room." She stretched, looking eager to leave.
"I can only imagine how dull that must have been....gods it would have driven me crazy....well, more crazy" *Daxton smiled* "Don't let us keep you then. Enjoy your new found freedom....just remember, you are required by the pact to check in from time to time. Perhaps a chat and some tea while you check out some progress.....and if the tea is good...maybe you might be inclined to share some of the things you learned of this place while you were enslaved here that might prove useful to my wife and I" *The demon prince dusted himself off and went to stand over by hobbes* "After all...if the mortals have taught us anything in this plane....it's that there is strength in numbers, and that friends matter. Demons have to stick together after all!"
Moderators: SanityFallen dave_pod