[M] The Devil's In the Details

[Tolvo]

1 AD, August 6th

Destrin was in a war camp. His soldiers were on the march. They had set up for the night. In his tent it was cold and dark. Unnaturally so. As the man slept something didn't feel right. Something moved in the darkness. There were guards patrolling, soldiers everywhere, but something had gotten through the various set nets. At the edge of Destriin's bed there was a phantasm in the night. The creature had two horns on the side of its head, glowing red eyes. Scales marked its inky black skin as it watched Destrin slumber. He felt a pressure on his chest that made it difficult to breath, difficult to move. He was stirred awake.

[Eddren]

"Fuckin' hell--" He scratched the back of his head, then stared at the creature before him. How the hell--How did this even get into his tent? Why did nobody alert him? Unless...Could it be? No. No way, right? Destrin grinned. What a weird fuckin' woman. Still, he shook his head. "Cassandra, you 'ave some weird ideas about how seduction works, ya know. Ah've told ya, ah'm not about exotic."

[Tolvo]

When the creature spoke Destrin he was bombarded with the smell of sulfur and brimstone. Fire was in the back of its throat with every word it uttered. "I see your heart Destrin. It calls to me, as does your very soul. I am not your demonic slut. I am something far more powerful. Something you seek, and something I provide." It placed a thick stony hand on Destrin's belly. The hand was much larger than his head and razor sharp claws could be felt against his skin. "What is it you desire Serpent?"

[Eddren]

Destrin chuckled, "Well, if ya must know, ah've been troubled by somethin'. See, ah've recently been struck wit' a problem. Ah've got this Soul Storage device, an ah think ah might be able ta turn it inta somethin' much, much greater'n tha people ah got it from were usin' it, but it's got a lot o' problems right now." He stretched and looked around for his pants, "See, one o' tha biggest problems is, my people--They don't do tha whole 'necromancy' thing, so it's basically jus' a glowin' rock to 'em. So what ah'm lookin' for is a way ta use Demon Magic and fuse it wit' tha rock. Ah was thinkin' o usin' a method an old friend o' mine taught me, tha pact, but there's a problem--Ah want ta be able ta use each rock, an' ah don't want ta 'ave ta make a pact for each one." He paused for a moment, thinking.

"So want ah want is a pact that lets me make proxy-pacts. Ah don't know if those're things, but basically ah'd need ta find a Demon lookin' fer a lot o' souls, an' willin' ta negotiate." He looked over at the Demon, "Ya don't 'appen ta 'ave that on ya, do ya?"

[Tolvo]

"The Mersian Souls Orbs are what you speak of. Yes I know of them. They are intriguing to say the least of them. You use them in interesting ways mortals." A thick gray tongue swirled across the dry cracked lips of the demon. "I deal in souls. I have come here for a pact you desire. Whether you'll take it though I can't tell. Your soul is hard to read Destrin." The hand on his belly slowly pulled back into the darkness leaving the face as all he could see again. "What you seek is the path of demons. Once a pact begins it cannot break, and once it begins I own a part of your soul. You want to gain the power of necromancy? I shall offer it then. The ability to control the orbs and necromancy, for ownership of a part of your soul. Enough to keep a connection, a tether between us."

[Eddren]

Destrin put a hand on his chin, "Now, that's an interestin' deal. Ah 'ave a counter-offer for ya, though. Ah'll give partial ownership o' my soul, but as collateral. What ah want instead, is ta gain tha ability ta make pacts in yer place. Tha mortals ah make pacts with give up a smaller part o' their soul--Half o' that goes ta you, as part o' yer payment for yer collateral, an' half o' that goes back ta' me, ta keep 'em loyal. Once tha collateral's paid, ah get my part o' my soul back, but ya still get paid in parts o' soul ownership." He grinned, "An' with that pact, they don't gain power over tha dead--They gain tha ability ta spend tha Souls o' tha dead ta do various things. Spend so many souls ta be able ta enchant certain size an' weight boats inta tha air. Spend so many souls ta send a blast o' hellfire at their foes, bigger'n they could do with their own magic. Spend so many souls ta summon a demon under their command." He spread his hands out, "If ya still want tha necromancy deal, ah'll work wit' it, but ah think this 'as a lot more profit fer you, doesn't it?"

[Tolvo]

It chuckled. "Impossible, unless you were made to be a full demon. And that." The demon's eyes narrowed. "I don't know if your heart is black enough for that. It is a pit of depravity I'll give you that. But to become a demon? It will take more than mere mass sacrifice."

[Eddren]

Destrin rose an eyebrow, "Ah--But as luck would 'ave it, ah've actually got a full-fledged Demon standin' right before me, right? So--What if we 'ad a different sort o' connection, as well? Like a tattoo or somethin', which could work as a callin' card. Project mana into it, say tha right phrase, an' ah could make a bridge fer ya. You could make tha deal on my behalf." He rose an eyebrow, "Ah know it's a lot more micromanagin' this way, but think o' it. You could 'ave one depraved soul, or tha souls o' every engineer who works my soul receptacles."

[Tolvo]

The demon was silent for a moment. It tilted its head to each side. "Acceptable." A large scorpion-like stinger and tail now hovered over Destrin. The links of each portion of the tail was covered in barbs and jagged edges. Its stinger was producing smoke and was red hot like a burning iron. "Where do you want your mark human?"

[Eddren]

"Hmmm," He frowned, then showed him his left shoulder, "Muscle parts're better fer marks, ah've heard. Less painful that way an' all." He paused for a moment, "So, d'ya wanna set up some goin' rates fer souls per service? Or is that somethin' that you'll teach 'em through yer link with 'em?"