Bound by Darkness

The demon's laughter echoed through the attic, a sound that seemed to reverberate within the very marrow of their bones. His eyes gleamed with a malevolent light as he regarded the girls before him, their faces pale with fear and realization dawning like a slow-blooming flower. What if his words are true?

Claire continued to ask him to do tricks for them. Her confidence in what they had done holding strong even as the others became less sure. Ellie, becoming more nervous with each passing moment leaned into Claire and whispers, "Perhaps it is time we stop and send him back to his own realm. If he stays hear too long I am afraid of what might happen." 

Claire, still confident nods in understanding of Ellie's concerns. "Perhaps you are right. We can send him back now and we can always recall him in the future." She looks at the other two who appear to nod in agreement with the suggestion. But at that point it was already too late.

"I think you have had enough fun," Belial's voice was smooth as silk, each word dripping with a potent mixture of amusement and disdain. "Did your really summon a demon such as I so he could perform parlor tricks for you. Do you know understand the type of magic you have unleashed." With an evil grin he looked at the four girls, "Did you really think four naïve girls with a little ritual could control one such as me?"

Claire's throat tightened with a fear she couldn't name, her hands shaking as she struggled to maintain her composure. Was he telling the truth? If so, what would happen, what would he do next? "We... we just wanted to learn from you. To gain knowledge and power."

"Do you know who you have summoned?" the demon asked, "I am Belial, Lord of Darkness. I am one of the most powerful demons in all of the realms. I hold the power to destroy worlds like your just because it suites my purpose. You did not summon me, I heard your little chant and chose to come and see."

Belial's smile widened, revealing rows of gleaming teeth that seemed to shimmer in the candlelight. "I will tell you what your little chat did, it allowed me to bond you to me, now I control your fate, I decide if you live or die. "And now, you will serve me."

Before they could react, Hannah disappeared with a flicker of Belial's hand, leaving behind nothing but the echo of her anguished cry. The remaining girls recoiled in horror, their minds struggling to comprehend the enormity of what had just occurred. What did he do, where did he send her?

"No... no, bring her back!" Ellie's voice trembled with desperation as she reached out towards the spot where Hannah had vanished, her fingers grasping at empty air. "Please."

But Belial merely chuckled, his laughter a twisted symphony that echoed through the attic like the tolling of a funeral bell. "Do you doubt me now?" With a wave of his hand, he summoned Hannah back, her tear-streaked face pale with terror as she recounted her experience of being thrust into a realm of darkness and despair, where the very air seemed to suffocate her with its malevolence. The other girls quickly moved to Hannah's side, embracing her and trying to reassure her that she is going to be safe, although none really knew if that was the case for any of them.

The girls exchanged horrified glances, their hearts pounding with a terror they could scarcely comprehend. "We have to find a way to unsummon him," Claire whispered, her voice barely more than a breath in the stillness of the attic. "We have to break free from his hold." They quickly set to work to try to break the bond they had created.

But no matter what they tried, every attempt to banish Belial from their midst was met with failure. His power was too great, his influence too potent to be undone by mere mortals. He simply stood quietly watching allowing them to try anything they could think of, knowing that in their failure they would understand his power and the control he possesses over them.

"I am Belial, the Lord of Darkness," his voice echoed through the darkness, a whisper that seemed to coil around them like a serpent poised to strike. "You cannot send me away like some lessor being. Because of what you have done, the ritual you performed, you are now tied to me until I decide to release you. If I ever decide to release you."

The girls trembled in fear, their bodies ensnared in a web of dark magic that bound them to Belial's will. With a wave of his hand, he sealed their fate, his eyes alight with a cruel satisfaction as he watched them squirm beneath his grasp. We each word he spoke they felt themselves slipping deeper into despair. Everything they had believed, all of the dreams they had for themselves, everything lost to the demon that stands before them.

"From this moment forth," Belial hissed, his voice dripping with malice, "you belong to me. Serve me faithfully, and perhaps I will spare your miserable lives. Fail me, and you will suffer a fate far worse than death." I came here with a purpose, I have tasks to do and I have decided that the four of you shall join me on this journey. You will help me achieve my goals and in doing so, I will reward you greatly. I will make you stronger so that you will be able to better serve me as our journey continues.

And as the weight of his words settled upon them like a leaden shroud, the girls knew that their lives would never be the same again. They were bound by darkness, slaves to a demon whose thirst for power knew no bounds, and they could only pray that they would find a way to break free before it was too late.