After the sun had set, everyone had gathered in the center of the village to find out what Luke had planned for the evening. The Scholar was inside his cabin getting ready for the intense spectacle about to begin.
Azazel was suprised when Emma decided to sit next to him. She had locked herself in her room all day, after she had smacked him. He could understand her frustration, as he would have probably reacted the same way in her shoes.
He scoot a little closer to her. "Emma..."
Emma frowned, but still looked at him
Azazel scratched his head, wondering how he would go about apologizing, as Emilia requested.
"I'm sorry for slapping you," Emma said with a pout. "I probably was irrational in the moment. I saw Natasha and the other demon girl. It really pissed me off!"
Emma playfully smacked Azazel on the arm.
"No, no," Azazel placed his hand on hers. "I have no interest in either of those women. In fact, our original plan was to kill her, then stuff her body with catnip."
Emma tilt her head in confusion. "That sounds awfully messy."
"Apparently, cat people enjoy mutilating corpses and playing with them," he laughed. "When the enemy becomes a plaything!"
"Whatever floats their boat," she shrugged. "Why did you bite her?"
My darling isn't phased by anything. I think I'm in love! Ah, the half demon kitten who enjoys a cruel and unusual joke...
"Zeus, George and Oliver were absolutely useless. I grew tired of her shit talking. Rage built up and it just...happened? My mind was barely even there."
"So you did it to save them?" Emma inquired.
"Essentially," Azazel nodded. "You should know I only have eyes for my kitten."
Azazel waggled his brows, fully realizing how absolutely stupid he looked doing it. After, he pulled her hand to his mouth and gently kissed the top of her hand. I am not smooth at all. I thought it would come naturally in this body.
Luke burst out of the cabin with the manuscript in hand. He held it out as he rushed to the center of the pentagram.
One of the orc zombies mindlessly wandered next to him. The scholar pushed up his glasses, smirked, then kicked the orc in the nuts, sending him flying into Oliver and Felix. The boys were sitting next to one another, ending up with an orc laying across the length of both of their laps.
Luke cleared his throat.
"Good evening, Britannica. Welcome to the Hell Scholar Summoning Paloozza!"
Granny cackled and clapped. "Damn right!!"
"Hell, yeah!" Zeus was right there with her.
These guys are nuts. Do they have no hobbies to entertain them?
"Tonight, the results of my near endless research will come to fruition! There are several forms of summoning in the great master's writing. I shall need audience assistance tonight."
Natasha, still holding a limp, lifeless, chicken, walked to the center of the circle. She curtseyed at Luke, then aggressively threw the chicken on the ground.
Natasha bowed to the audience then returned to her seat next to Celine. Apparently, after an initial fist-fight during supper, the two girls had become friends. What are the odds of two loyal disciples becoming best buds?
Luke moved to the edge of the pentagram. He motioned his hand forward, palm thrust flat in the air. "Lord's of hell, oh great ones. We offer you a sacrifice to feed your hunger
AllaAllaNOOOOOO AllaAllaNUUUUU!"
Luke closed his eyes and a black wind appeared. He thrust his other hand forward.
The wind began traveling toward the chicken. It slowly wrapped around the chicken. As the hand gathered energy, the chicken carcass was lifted in the air. It was consumed by a dark red light.
Azazel watched with a brow raised. He realized the Hell Scholar was not just about research. Luke was obviously some kind of satanic wizard, working with forbidden arts. He made a mental note to talk to Luke later. The Scholar obviously had some kind of hidden agenda.
It's fine. I am throughly entertained.
The red light disappeared and a black summoning circle appeared in the pentagram center. Everyone leaned forward, waiting to see the results of the spell.
Emma, in particular, looked excited. She was grinning ear-to-ear and mouthing things such as 'Yeah, I love the dark arts.'
I may need to discuss this with her as well. There's so little I know.
A creature appeared. It was a five foot tall, hunched over being. The being was completely engulfed in fire, with flames burning around it's body.
"What kind of satanic shit is that?" Zeus asked out loud, clutching Granny's hand.
"I want a refund! You simply summoned a Hell Shade," Emilia waved her fist in the air.
"You paid...nothing, baby girl," Luke responded dryly. "But we have another incantation to attempt"
Dear God, he just called Emma's mother baby girl. Azazel had to place his hand over his mouth. He was struggling to hold back laughter from the absurdity of a human referring to a demon as baby girl.
"GRAAAAAAAAAH!" The fire Shade growled out as it began walking to the west. Zeus and Granny scoot over to give the creature room to walk. The shade walked in a straight line. He just kept going.
As flames burned bright fie the body, it kept on its path, eventually running straight into a tree. The tree immediately ignited into flames. The shade kept walking forward until it had done so enough to somehow knock himself away from the tree, then it began walking forward again, disappearing far into the horizon.
"He's going to start a huge forest fire, Luke!" Rose was concerned for the wonders of nature.
Luke shrugged and looked at the audience. Everyone seemed a little dumbfounded by the events. Perhaps the hell shade would simply fall into a body of water somewhere and die.
Luke cleared his throat. "Time for the next acr."
"There's another brilliant act?" Emilia rolled her eyes.
"I'm down," Granny admitted.
"The manuscript was very specific this time," Luke began."Azazel, Emilia, Natasha and Celine. Please sit in a circle at the center."
Azazel reluctantly stood from his position. He adjusted his jacket before joining the rest of them in the center. He sat beside Emilia, who did not seem to be the least bit impressed with performance. However, the two girls had giant smiles plastered on their faces, and seemed to be having a good time.
"The mighty pentagram yearns for blood," Luke began. "Not just any blood. DEMON BLOOD. Give it your blood. With all your heart, heed the call of the glorious pentagram and the wonders of HELL!"
Azazel was really starting to wonder if the Hell Scholar was part of some sort of cult.
Luke handed out four small knives. "Now, with a cut of your finger, give HELL the BLOOD it CRAVES!! MWUAHAHAHAHA!
This guy has gone insane.
With one swift movement, Emilia sliced the tip of her finger. She licked her lips, holding her hand out in front of her. Blood dripped down from her fingertip to the ground.
Natasha and Celine both nodded to one another. The two girls each cut their fingers and mimicked Emilia's movements.
"Is this....necessary?" Azazel turned his head to look at Luke, who was still in a state of manic laughter.
"Yes," Luke point at Azazel."Give HELL your SACRED DEMONIC BLOOD!"
Azazel sighed. He figured something stupid was about to happen. Quickly, he cut the tip of his finger to allow his blood to drip, mixing with the rest of the demon blood on the ground.
"Now, move back! Luke instructed.
The four went back to their spots around the circle as Luke began to chant. "Booga dooda lugga AllaAllaAllaFaaaaaaaa!!!! COME TO US, THE HELL SCHOLARS CALL YOU FROM THE DEPTHS OF HELL!!!!!!!"
Everyone watched and waited. A dark, red light shot out from the center of the circle, twirling upward. The light combined with dark black fog. Sinister screams could be heard as the light grew in size.
Zeus was shivering. He squeeked and clutched onto Granny as she pet his head, trying to console the orc.
Emma grabbed Azazel's hand and held it tightly, as if she were afraid, but her gaze never left the creepy light.
A howl was audible as the light expanded, covering the the entire area of the pentagram. An intense gust of wind blew over everyone as a towering silhouettes
manifest. The silhouette was horrifying - a figure around ten foot in height with gigantic horns, clawed hands and feet, a massive torso and bulging muscles all over its body. It slowly materialized into a demonic looking beast, with huge fangs and a snarl upon its mouth. This thing is a damn monster. We're all dead. I suppose that bastard Luke really is giving us the show of a lifetime.
Rose hid behind Luke. She was cowering in fear as the scholar held the rim of his glasses with two fingers, his eyes sparking with happiness. A tear rolled down his cheek. He was proud of his work.
The beast threw back it's hands and roared. It didn't seem to be a friendly monster. It s fiery eyes glowed red as it peered the group sitting before him.
"Who woke me from my slumber?" It screamed in a deep, demonic voice.
"It was him! Kill him, not us!" Natasha was trembling as she pointed a finger at Luke.
"No matter. I WILL KILL YOU ALL."