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Book 1: Chapter 2: The Contract
Scarlet Asger
The instant I meet the terrible gazes of the eight legged, eight eyed, black creatures, I speed up my running as fast as possible. Doors fly by me at a rapid pace as I ignore the arrows pointing me in the opposite direction to get as far away from those spiders who I can hear following me as possible. Eventually I make it to a dead end, so I choose a random door and enter through it, hoping against hope that I didnt choose incorrectly.
What I find on the other side of the door is a rather lavishly decorated office. It has a large desk made of wood in the back, with two comfortable chairs facing each other in front of it, and an office chair behind it. One that looks more comfortable than the chairs I have at my own apartment.
I carefully walk further into the room, onto the massive carpet laid out across most of the floor that I bet is a huge pain to vacuum before stumbling forward and catching myself on the table standing between the two chairs.
Seriously, whats wrong with me?
Out of nowhere, my vision begins to blur, only for everything to gain a red tint and then go back to normal. To get a red tint, and then go back to normal again. Over and over again as the pain in my head gets worse and worse, both around my eyes, and behind them.
I hear a growling sound, making me turn to the door, only to remember that the demons were spider subspecies Spawn if I had to guess. Not anything that could or should be able to growl.
If thats the case, then where did that sound come from?
The alternation of my vision repeats over and over again until I lose my strength and fall to the ground. I hear the sounds of spiderlike footsteps skittering into the room, only for the red tint in my eyes to suddenly flash really strongly, to the point that I feel like I see a bit of red light reflecting off of the floor.
Then the spiders make a panicked sounding hissing noise and rush out of the room.
Before I can so much as question their actions, I hear a masculine yet robotic sounding voice resonate in my ears.
Curious.
I barely manage to turn my head in the direction of the voice despite all of the pain that has now spread throughout my entire body instead of just my head, only to find some sort of what? No, seriously. What?
Some sort of tanuki is just sitting in the air, floating in place. And-
Very curious.
-somehow talking to me?
I blink in surprise, somehow forgetting about the pain Im in for just a single second. Just one.
Is a tanuki calling me strange?
Yes. I am. But Im not a tanuki. Im a fae.
Oh. Okay. Sorry about that wait, what?
Your apology is accepted, mortal. The finding of a half demon is more than worth the trouble.
I groan as the pain grows even worse somehow, shaking me out of my shocked stupor.
Your demon half has been awakened and is attempting to swallow your human half.
The pain may be incredibly severe, but it doesnt stop the creatures words from registering in my mind.
Half demon?
If this continues as is, you will die.
I feel tears begin to build up in my eyes as the pain continues to grow, only to suddenly vanish again a second later leaving me to suck in a violent gasp of air before flopping on the ground in exhaustion.
What just happened?!
I have determined that a conversation will not be fruitful while you are feeling such pain. Therefore, I have numbed your nerves for the duration of our talk.
I blink in surprise. It did what?
Wait a second, never mind that. What is this tanu- err, fae, and how can it read my mind?!
The creature in question floats down to rest right on my chest as he Im assuming its a he, considering its voice says, I am of the fae, or as the non-contracted call us, a spirit. And I am here at the benevolence of his majesty to grant you a contract. You, the sole half demon to have ever been born.
My eyes shoot open in shock at that.
Im a half demon? How is that hows that possible?
A demon and a human being-
Wait, wait, wait! I dont mean that! I mean why did it happen? Why would a human and a demon you know!
Youre asking why your mother and your father would get together instead of fight each other?
I nod my head repeatedly.
The fae not tanuki doesnt say anything for who knows how long. So I try to move my body, only to find that I have a lot of difficulty doing so.
The answer to your question is unknown. And I would suggest not moving, else youll speed up your death.
My mouth drops open for a second before closing again.
Right. All he said was that he numbed my nerves somehow. Not that he fixed me.
How is it possible for a human and a-
Unless you would like to die in thirty five seconds, then I would advise you stop asking questions and form a contract with me.
Oh.
A vague feeling of fear sweeps through me at the thought of how close I am to death, but I sweep it away with a deep breath that likely doesnt help anything.
How do we form a contract?
Simply share our blood with each other.
I blink in surprise.
Do you agree to form a contract with me? To share a small portion of the life force you drain from any demons and humans you kill throughout your life?
Life force?
Several seconds pass in silence as I stew over that thought. But after a little bit, the fae reminds me of the remaining time left.
Twenty seconds.
And I make a decision. Right here and now.
Whatever will happen after this, I dont know. But I want to be one of those players on the board game of life who have the power to be free. The power to make change. Or put simply, who have power.
So yes. I agree to this contract.
Very well. So shall it be done.
The tanuki raises its paw and chomps on it before lowering itself to my face and dripping its blood into my mouth. And as soon as the blood touches my tongue, I feel my eyes widening in shock as a strange yet not unpleasant feeling spreads through me, despite my nerves apparently being numbed.
It then scratches at my face, drawing only a tiny amount of blood that it quickly brings to its own mouth and swallows.
My eyes widen even further as I stare agape at what I know to be one of those System Notices that the Guardians always talk about on the news. And the only thing that comes to mind at the sight of it is that it really does look like a video game.
System Initialization in progress
Please wait
You are now awakening to the System. This process will stop your demon genes from obliterating your human side for the time being.
I stare at the notification for who knows how long, a feeling of hope spreading through my still numbed chest, only for me to blink in surprise as the faes words register in my mind.
For the time being? Actually, why are you helping me anyways? Arent the fae supposed to be helping humanity against demons? So why are you helping a half demon in the first place?
I dont really want to look a gift tanuki in the mouth, but it just doesnt make sense. And that doesnt sit well with me.
The spirits, or according to this one the fae from what Ive learned back in school are mystical beings that come from who knows where to help humanity in its time of need against the demons. They first appeared about two centuries ago, only a few years after the first Demonic Assault, and have been contracting with Guardians, giving them access to the System ever since. And they only ever appear in the middle of a Fracture an enclosed area being assaulted by demons during a Demonic Assault like the one Im in now to offer a contract to one of the humans stuck inside of the Fracture.
The fae just stares at me for a few seconds before snapping its little tanuki claws in a ridiculous display that immediately has me regretting questioning it as the pain returns to me.
I will tolerate your insolence this time because of how unique you are. But you are not to question us ever again. Do you understand me, mortal?
I hurriedly nod my head in agreement.
No questioning the fae, and especially no angering it. Got it.
The fae snaps its claws again which I still question if thats even possible in a tanuki form before answering my question despite its rather arroga- err, benevolent display.
His majesty, King Oberon, Ruler of all of the Fae, believes that there must only be one sapient mortal race and has therefore ordered all fae to assist both sides of the war in forming contracts, answering limited questions, and granting their contracted initialization into the System.
My mouth drops open.
Theyre helping the demons too?
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