"Ar—Are you sure… If I do this, I'll be able to get revenge on that bastard Roderick Fairbourne?" The voice quivered from the shadows, as though the words themselves were afraid to be spoken aloud. Kneeling within an eerie, glowing teal summoning circle, a frail boy, no older than fourteen, looked down at his trembling hands. His fingers fidgeted, his entire body trembling as fear gripped him. His small, gaunt frame seemed to shrink further under the weight of the malevolent atmosphere that surrounded him. All around, the darkness pulsed, like it was alive, like it was waiting for something.
Footsteps echoed in the vast, unseen distance, their ominous rhythm reverberating through the pitch-black void. Each step seemed to tap into the boy's growing dread, drumming in time with the frantic beat of his heart.
"Of course…" The voice that responded was both cold and alluring, dripping with a venomous sweetness. It was a voice that held the promise of power but oozed a sinister undertone that made it impossible to distinguish truth from manipulation. The words slithered around the boy like coiling serpents. "But first, you must finish the summoning… just one last part and everything you have ever desired will be within your grasp."
The boy flinched as the voice continued, now softer, almost seductively coaxing. "Roderick Fairbourne… that 'little Fairbourne,' as you call him… will stand no chance. You can crush him beneath your heel. You can destroy his family… erase them from existence… if you wish." The voice drifted like poison through the boy's ears, curling into his very thoughts.
The boy's breath hitched, his mind racing. Destroy them? He thought, his eyes widening as a whirlwind of emotions flashed across his youthful face—fear, anger, doubt, and most of all, desperation. The temptation was overpowering, and yet something in him hesitated. His fingers, thin and trembling, hovered above the final mark of the summoning circle. He clutched the paintbrush, its glowing teal tip casting an unsettling light upon his face, illuminating the sweat beading on his brow.
As if sensing the boy's hesitation, the voice pressed on, its tone now insidious, almost whispering directly into his mind. "Think of what Roderick did to you… what his family has taken from you. All the humiliation. All the suffering. It ends here… with this stroke. Do it, and you'll have the power to make them beg. You'll make them crawl."
A flicker of doubt passed through the boy's eyes, but the thought of Roderick's sneering face, of the countless torments he had endured, snuffed it out as quickly as it came. His hand moved, guided by hatred, by vengeance.
The paintbrush touched the stone floor, completing the intricate summoning circle with a trembling, final stroke. As the line closed, the circle pulsed with an ominous hum, flooding the room with a sudden, violent surge of teal light. The once cold, oppressive darkness now seethed with energy, the very air crackling with sinister power.
The boy dared not look up, but in the corner of his eye, he saw it; a shadow. No… not just a shadow, but something more. A presence. It had arrived.
Behind him, there was a subtle shift in the air, and a low, dark chuckle, so faint, it might have been mistaken for the wind—echoed through the space. He felt its breath, icy and unnatural, grazing the nape of his neck. Slowly, reluctantly, he glanced over his left shoulder. What he saw made his blood run cold.
There, lurking just out of sight, was the faint outline of a smile—twisted, malicious, and far too wide to be human. It was a smile that reeked of cruelty and endless promises, a smile that belonged to something that was not of this world.
The boy's stomach twisted in knots, and his throat constricted with fear. His trembling fingers gripped the paintbrush tighter, as if the mere act of holding it could anchor him to reality, but the smile persisted, hovering at the edge of his vision, teasing him.
The voice returned, softer now, almost mocking in its amusement. "It's done. You have summoned me. Now, let us begin… Your revenge will taste sweeter than you could ever imagine."
It emerged from the portal, towering and grotesque, its grayish skin stretched taut over sinewy muscle, each movement making the light ripple across its unnatural form. Its body was both humanoid and monstrous-six powerful arms sprouted from its sides, ending in long, razor-sharp claws that gleamed in the dimming teal light. Each finger was tipped with deadly, talon-like nails, black as night, capable of tearing through flesh and bone with ease.
Below, its four legs were equally terrifying, each foot reminiscent of the talons of some ancient predator, curved and menacing, poised to crush and tear apart anything in its path.
Six vertically arranged eyes, each one grotesquely large, blinked slowly as they focused on the boy. The scleras were a sickly, unnatural yellow, contrasting sharply with the large, burning red pupils that glowed like embers in the darkness. The creature seemed to watch him from every angle, its gaze both predatory and expectant, as though it was already awaiting a command. The power that radiated from it was suffocating-an oppressive, unholy force that made the very air thick with malice.
The boy stood frozen, his breath shallow as he stared at the creature before him, a mix of horror and awe painted across his pale face. His knees buckled slightly as his mind raced, struggling to comprehend the enormity of what he had just summoned.
"This is... really mine?" His voice wavered, the words barely escaping his trembling lips, each syllable heavy with disbelief and fear. He swallowed hard, his throat dry, as if the very sight of the creature had drained the moisture from his body.
Behind him, the voice that had guided him through the ritual returned, its tone dripping with satisfaction and triumph.
"Yes.." The word slithered through the darkness, wrapping around the boy's mind like a serpent, tightening its grip on him.
"With him at your side, there is no one in this world who can stop you. No one. Every desire you've ever had... every dark thought you've buried deep... all of it is attainable. You now wield the power to crush your enemies, to make them suffer." The voice grew softer, more insidious, as though it was leaning in close to whisper secrets only the boy could hear. "Don't be shy... give it an order."
The boy's breath hitched, and he tore his eyes away from the creature for a moment, feeling the weight of the words sinking into him. Power. The power to make Roderick Fairbourne suffer. The power to take everything back. The bitterness that had built inside him for so long now clawed its way to the surface, twisting his thoughts.
His hands clenched into fists, knuckles white as his nails dug into his palms. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, each beat reminding him of all the pain and humiliation he had endured.
The boy's voice cracked as he tried to speak, his fear warring with the desire for vengeance that now consumed him. "I... I order..." His eyes flicked back to the creature, meeting its burning red gaze. He hesitated, the enormity of his next words hanging heavy in the air. But then, the memory of Roderick's smug face-the laughter, the taunts-surged through him, and the fear was swallowed whole by rage.
His lips trembled, but the words came, harsh and desperate. "I order you... to kill Roderick Fairbourne."
For a moment, the air seemed to stand still. The creature's eyes narrowed, its gaze locking onto the boy, as if assessing the weight of the command. Then, with a low, guttural sound that rumbled from deep within its chest, the creature shifted, its talon-like feet scraping the ground as it moved. It lowered its head slightly, acknowledging the boy's command with an almost predatory obedience.
Behind him, the voice purred, its tone laced with satisfaction. "It begins."