" I have made my choice. You shall give me, him."
Darzirak informed as he pointed his long finger at Joey Barrett leaning against the fence. All stared at the area Darzirak was pointing at or at Darzirak, in shock before feeling relieved that it wasn't them and then feeling guilty at the fact that they felt that way. Mrs. Barrett's expression soon turned into horror when she studied Darzirak's finger carefully and realise it was her son, her baby boy that the demon was asking for.
" Give me, the boy, Joey Barrett."
Darzirak laughed out, his whole body shook from the unsteady laughter as his feet dug into the ground doing all he can to keep his body upright.
" NOOOOOO!!!"
Mrs. Barrett screamed out in horror as she fell to the ground. Darzirak jolted from the shock that his chest inverted and puffed out like a sail being blown by the wind. Philomel seeing this feared that Darzirak would be taken by the wind and immediately back hug his legs. However, Amon was hoping that Darzirak did get blown away like a leaf and never come back to torment these poor people. Amon's expression from an excitedly happy one turned into a frown in less than a moment.
" Please!!! *Sobbing* Anything but my baby!!"
Mrs. Barrett was on her knees, bowing her head at Darzirak tears ran down her face, begging him with all she could do. Joey placed his hands on his mother's shoulder as he knelt down next to her, ready to comfort her and bring her back to her feet. Mrs. Barrett looked up when she felt her son's hands on her shoulders, only then did she notice Philomel helping Darzirak regain his balance and Amon standing right behind them both.
" Miss Philomel! Sir Amon!! Please! That's your demon right?! Don't let him take my baby!"
Mrs. Barrett begged as she clasp her hands in front of her and rubs them together in a pleading manner.
" Darzirak, I swear if you drag me into this, I'll curfew you in front of all these people and make sure you collect this payment over my dead body."
Amon growled in a low tone.
" Aww, I knew it. You're jealous! You do love me. Don't worry babe, he isn't your replacement, I will love you both equally."
Darzirak teased as he squished both Amon's cheeks between his thumb and the rest of his long creepy fingers before giving Amon a kiss on the nose. Amon's anger immediately spiked up as he pushes Darzirak's face away and slapped Darzirak's hand away.
" *Chuckling* My things are such feisty little beings. Mrs. Barrett, surely you can see, begging them won't do a thing. They are all prizes I won, each and every one. Pretty little things aren't they? And now your son shall be one. "
Darzirak mocked as his body coils around Philomel and Amon like a snake.
" What shall it be Percy, Village Head? The boy worked for the lord and didn't your people say it would be a win-win situation?"
Darzirak reminded as his body suddenly shot out, toward Percy and his daughter-in-law. His head curled over Percy's shoulder to look at the old man in the eyes as the rest of his body slowly slither, uncoiling around Philomel and Amon. Slowly moving around Percy and his daughter-in-law, by the time, they noticed Darzirak's body has already coiled around both of them.
" Little shadow what are your plans with Joey? Tell clearly now, your intentions with him."
Percy asked with a stern expression. Darzirak roared with laughter as he slither off Percy's should.
" It seems that you have forgotten your position here. You made a deal with me, in exchange for a villager. I'm not negotiating, I'm claiming. I'm just being civil by sticking around and not dragging him off through the shadows."
Darzirak reminds as he slowly slithers his way to Joey and finally stands back up to his feet just to tower over the young lad. Joey stood in front of his mother in a protective way as he craned his neck to look Darzirak in the eye.
" What say you? Will you come with me and do my bidding or do I have to drag you away? Just know it's better than being unemployed and staying with mummy. What is your choice, caballero?"
Darzirak finally spoke in his normal voice, a flash of shock hit Joey before a knowing smile appears on his face.
" You just love making this a hard choice, don't you?"
Joey asked with a chuckle which made the whole village extremely confused.
" I'm willing to go with you."
Joey answered as he reached out a hand to shake.
" Good choice."
Darzirak nodded as he suddenly luged at Joey, his whole body coiled around Joey and suddenly sank into the ground. Just like that Darzirak and Joey were gone, leaving stunned villagers and a heartbroken mother who sobbed over the spot her son had vanished.
" We are stuck camping out in the forest aren't we?"
Philomel asked with an uncertain tone.
" Definitely, after what Darzirak pulled, I won't be surprised if our luggage is thrown or burn to ash."
Amon answered with a confident nod.
" *Sighs* Come on then, let's get back all our stuff and leave before Mrs. Barrett returns."
Philomel directed with a heavy sigh as she leaves the crowd.
" Leave it to Darzirak, he always finds a way to ruin something good."
Amon rolled his eyes as he followed after Philomel.
" Does he always do stuff like that? Like... you know... the whole helping a lot for the reward of a person."
" First time I have seen him do it, but then again it's probably because he's been stuck in Crimtroy this whole time and probably didn't have a chance since by the time kids become useful or their potentials are revealed, they had already formed a contract with a demon. But my grandfather did warn me about Darzirak. Saying it was a cunning demon that wants a living body, to finally cross over from the other side and have a physical body. "
Amon recalled as he rubs the back of his neck.
" But now with Joey, doesn't that mean he has a physical body?"
Philomel wondered out loud.
" Probably not, he can only take over a body when the soul and the heart have given up. He probably has some others plans. We can only hope whatever it is, helps us for the better and not make a mess of things."
Amon's gaze soon fell toward the west on the burned ruins that used to be something wondrous. Silently wondering if that would be his fate if he trusted Darzirak too much or worst, trusted Darzirak too little. A thin line where both sides lead to Amon's ruin. A thin line Amon is finally understanding how hard it is to balance and wondered how his ancestors managed to. A thin line that Amon could feel coiling around his neck and tightening.
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