Changing the Terms

"What did you just say here?"

[I don't enjoy repeating myself]

"Do it! ... Wait, didn't you say a necromancer can't bring someone back to life?" Hunter asked.

A table with a chair on each end appears and the demon sits on one of the seats.

[You know more than anyone that I am not just a necromancer]

"Are you saying you can bring her back and she'd be the same Sophia I always knew?"

[Psychologically? Yes]

"Do it then!"

[Not so fast. Sit; we have a lot to discuss]

Hunter sits on the chair facing Waleed.

[You're not dying]

"What?"

[Sophia told you that you were ... you're not. I know it's bothering you ever since. The reason she thought so was that your link with Chelsea had gone on too long and it started affecting you]

"Oh?"

[Yes. I always knew you had little trust for me but your meeting with Sophia showed me how brittle it was]

"Waleed --"

[Let me finish. As much as I'd like to believe something like that would not happen in the future, I also know better than to blindly go with that without taking any insurance. I'd like to update the terms of our agreement]

"What?"

[Three things; first: I can take control of your body at will every day for only two minutes which will roll over if I don't use it meaning, if, for example, I don't take control on Monday and then decide to take control on Tuesday, I'd have four minutes instead of two]

"So that means if you don't take over for a whole year you'd have full control for twelve hours." Waleed nods.

[Second ...]

"I see," Hunter said thoughtfully.

[And finally, you'd remember this meeting but forget the specifics of our new deal]

"I agree," Hunter said almost immediately.

[Are you sure?]

"I'm the reason why Sophia is gone now ... As long as this brings her back," Hunter states.

[Very well]

"Before you wipe away my memories ... Would you ever tell me who and what you really are?"

[When the time is right, I don't see why not]

...

"Are you okay?" Leah asked Hunter who seemed frozen. The vampire was standing behind him so she couldn't tell the sprite's eyes had disappeared momentarily and unique markings had appeared on his forehead, nose, and cheeks; Waleed was now in control.

The demon placed his hand, which was glowing blue on Sophia's left hand. Leah looked on confused and soon, she began hearing another heartbeat, from Sophia's chest.

The vampire fell to her knees and began shivering, her eyes watered and she fixed her gaze on the ground. "W -- Wal --" she stuttered.

"What are you doing?" The vampire looked up to see Hunter staring at her with crooked eyebrows.

"I thought you were --"

"Can you take her to the hospital?" Hunter asked.

[To a doctor Jade trusts]

"Sure ... I know a place," Leah said.

"And does Jade trust the doctor?"

"Yes," Leah nods standing up from the ground and takes Sophia from the sprite's arms.

"Send me the location; I'll meet you there," Hunter said before walking out of the building.

'I can feel that strange magic, Merlin must be close.' Hunter began running to the location he could feel the magic coming from.

[He should be 2 kilometers from here. If you plan on taking him on, you should know that his skin is reinforced with protection spells and there's also a magic negation spell cast around his location]

"So you're saying I am going to have to use black or chaos magic if I am to fight him?"

[Chaos magic only. He's using a stronger negation spell than the one at your study tour]

'But I can't use chaos magic can I?'

[You'd figure something out. Keep in mind that it would require so much chaos energy to break his protection spell and the average mystic close by would be able to sense that much energy]

'Is it possible for you to put a screen around the location, so it is impossible for our energies to be sensed?'

[Sure. I'll also remove the negation spell but that's all I can help with]

'I understand,'

[The fastest way to break his protection spells is by striking him with a black bolt attack. It's not as powerful as the purple attack and requires more stamina than most attacks but it would be the most effective in this case]

'I've never heard of a black bolt attack before,'

[Now you have. If you manage to use the black bolt attack, it should take three strikes to destroy his protection spells. Make sure you don't exceed six strikes when using the attack or you will pass out]

"Alright," Hunter said coming to a stop, he was there.

[The magic negation spell is off]

"Thanks," Hunter said before punching the door away. The sprite walked into the room to see Merlin holding a staff in one hand and the lamp-like object - the same one the witch uses to store the souls of others - in another as he recites an incantation.

"Merlin!" Hunter called. The witch stopped his recitation and opened his eyes. "You," he said stepping forward.

Hunter formed pink energy around his fist and moved closer to the witch.

"You were lucky to have escaped the council with your head intact but I'm afraid that luck ends tonight!" Merlin claimed.

"You hurt my friend," Hunter said, "you are going to pay for it."

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