Chapter 11: Invoking an entity(3)

"Bloody hell, this shit is good..." I muttered with a mouthful of chocolate, devouring the treat as if I were a squirrel. It seemed that invoking an otherworldly creature on our world greatly increased my hunger.

 "How... How is it possible that you have two souls?"A coarse and demonic voice questioned.

"Don't ask me the 'why'; it is just as it is," I responded, concealing the fact that I was not from this world. There was no gain in revealing such a truth, and at the same time, I didn't want to risk triggering any unforeseen consequences with the demon. I wasn't certain if it was possible, but I wasn't willing to take chances. This secret, one that I intended to carry to the grave, was better kept veiled in mystery.A death that I hoped would come on a far away time than this, as I wished to grow old, which in this world was a great achievement in itself.

"This is not how it was supposed to go... You cannot...it shouldn't be... STOP EATING, YOU MORTAL!" Baalkaroth shouted in frustration, realizing he had become a victim of his own actions. The risky move of withholding information about the soul's identity was paying off. If the devil probed further, it could have led to disastrous consequences. I hadn't explicitly lied;not that I could have as not even Gods could lie in a soul contract, instead, I had skillfully navigated through ambiguity, a strategy allowed in soul contracts.

Fortunately, Baalkaroth didn't press for more details, sparing me from revealing the intricacies of the exchanged souls.

"Not too arrogant now, am I right? Am I standing too tall in your presence?" I said with a laugh, finding the irony of the situation hilarious.

"DON'T YOU DARE LAUGH. I WILL KILL YOU SOMEDAY. I WILL EAT YOUR FLESH AND DRINK YOUR BLOOD; HUMAN, YOU HAVE RUINED ME!"

"Oh, come on, don't be so dramatic. 'Ruined' is a big word. You'll just be weakened, but you'll be all right if you go into hiding once you're back in your world. Say, how much of your soul did you project here?" I asked, curious, as I opened another treat for myself.

"I... all of it," he spoke in a low voice.And I dropped my treat

"All? Why the hell would you do something like that?" I asked incredulous. Another thing about demons was that if they were able to take control of a soul, they would leave part of themselves in it to command it. The more they left, the stronger they would get over time, with the risk, obviously, that if they were exorcised, they would also lose part of themselves.

"DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG IT HAS BEEN SINCE I MADE A CONTRACT?" He shouted. "It must have been millennia. Long ago, entire civilizations bowed and worshipped me, thinking of me as a god, and now I am lost in nothingness. Worst of all, this soul is not linked to the body, which means that it's slowly deteriorating and dying."

"Well, sucks to be you," I said, not caring a bit about his fate. After all, I gained what I wanted, and the fact that soon he would disappear from my mind was good news.And above all I liked silence... and I was happy that Favian was no more, as he was as useful as a hedgehog in a condom factory.

Finally I would have my peace ....

I continued my nonchalant demeanor, indulging in treats while questioning the demon's ill-fated decision.

"So, why put your whole soul in here? Seems like a rookie mistake," I remarked, not hiding my lack of sympathy.

"DO YOU THINK I HAD A CHOICE? In my weakened state, I couldn't project just a part of it if I wanted to keep my position in my world. And in desperation, I went all in," Baalkaroth growled, frustration evident in his demonic voice.

I leaned back, seemingly unfazed. "Well, that's on you, demon. What do you expect me to do about it?You betted and lost , I did the same and won the jackbot "

"HELP ME! If my soul completely fades away, I'll be gone forever. I can't survive without it," Baalkaroth pleaded, a mix of desperation and anger in his voice.

I chuckled, savoring the irony. "Why would I help you? You threatened to kill me just a moment ago. Besides, you should've thought about the consequences before playing your hand."

The demon, now realizing the precariousness of his situation, shifted tactics. "Human, I propose another contract. Give me a small part of your body, just enought to mantain my presence in this sould and I shall grant you my power. It is a fair exchange."

I leaned back, considering his proposition. "Why should I do that? What's in it for me?"

"I offer you a taste of demonic power—a boost that will enhance your abilities and make you a god among this monkeys " Baalkaroth tempted.

I smirked, this is interested me a lot , however, I could get much more so I feigned disinterest. "Interesting, but it sounds risky. What if I get caught? I could end up in trouble."

"I assure you, the risk is minimal. A small sacrifice for incredible power," he enticed. 

I loved the desperation in his voice....

I raised an eyebrow, contemplating the offer. "It's tempting, but I could get much more if you just disappear. No risk of being discovered, and I get the entire mana pool. Your proposition doesn't seem worth the trouble."

''THEN WHAT DO YOU WANT, HUMAN?'' Baalkaroth's enraged roar echoed through my mind.

I raised a hand in annoyance. ''First of all, stop shouting. I like silence.'' I casually scratched my ear, and as if on cue, the demon fell silent. It seemed my newfound control over him came in handy.

''I don't mind giving you a small part of myself. In exchange, become my summoning...'' I mused, a sly smile playing on my lips. The mere thought of having the power to summon this demon at my command intrigued me.

''I am not a familiar, I am a devil—a god-like creature—and I will die before becoming a slave to a mortal...''

''Well, cheer up then. You will soon be...'' With a nonchalant shrug, I threw myself onto the bed, covering myself with a cozy blanket. It had been a profitable day, and it was time to call it a night. The prospect of having a powerful demon in my arsenal would have been better , nonetheless I knew I could not have everything .

The demon's voice echoed in my mind, a desperate plea tainting his tone. "Fine, I will be your summoning, but I need to leave control of my body for a day each time you summon me ."

I chuckled, thoroughly enjoying the demon's desperation. "Absolutely not. I'm not letting you run rampant in my body. How about this? I'll summon you, but you won't take control. Instead, I'll offer a soul in your name each time. Deal?"

The demon, still reluctant, spoke with a hint of cunning: "Five souls, and I will kill three people at most."

I leaned back, contemplating the proposal. "How about this—five targets, but you get two souls, plus one more for any other target that I want dead. It's a fair compromise, don't you think?"

The demon grumbled, clearly dissatisfied, but after a moment of contemplation, he reluctantly agreed. After all it was either this or death, which for a devil was unthinkable as it was for the gods.

A triumphant laughter escaped my lips as I reveled in the newfound power I had acquired. It felt like I had hit the jackpot—a fresh mana pool, the ability to manipulate blood, and the privilege of summoning a demon at my command. The contrast between my feeble state just yesterday and the potent sorcerer I had become was nothing short of astounding. Life had taken an unexpected turn, and I found myself embracing the dark and thrilling possibilities that lay ahead.Despite reveling in my newfound powers, I couldn't ignore the fact that, in the grand scheme of things, I was still an ant compared to other formidable characters within the novel.

My mana pool, though new and big , was likely modest in comparison to many others. The control over blood, taking into consideration my human nature, might be significantly downgraded in this magical world,apart from the fact that others stronger powers were present . And as for the demon, summoning him could be a double-edged sword; his allegiance was dubious, and I needed to be cautious not to fall victim to his machinations, as he could threaten me in many ways to get higher autonomy or even my body, so overall I still had a long road ahead of me...