The Time Key

A Trick to Life

"You realize all of what this entails."

"I do." Mephisto's voice was deadly serious. "She will survive, I'm sure of it."

"This will not be easy for you."  Neuhaus backed toward the door. "Exposing yourself in Assiah is incredibly risky."

"It's none of your concern, I have ensured my safety." Mephisto peered over his shoulder. "Don't you have other preparations to make?"

"Yes, master." He nodded. "I will get things arranged for her aftercare."

"She will spend the night in my room." The demon whispered. "That is the way of it. I hope the Lady is willing."

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Mephisto took a deep breath centering himself for the unsavory and bestial task.

So, how's this gonna work?  His dark passenger inquired.

"I will transform partially into my true self," The demon explained. "And feed her my blood."

Will it hurt her?

"Not terribly, but it makes us weak afterward, as I must leave our body." Mephisto replied. "It is your job to keep us alive. Are you okay with that?"

Of course, don't be stupid.

"Fair enough, I shall begin."

Mephisto took a scalpel from a metal tray.  He sliced his arm from wrist to elbow, revealing a long expanse of black, putrid muscle. The mass slithered from his body, landing on the floor with a moist and sickening thud. It writhed for a minute or two, before transforming into a thin, tall, humanoid shape. 

How can you even do this in Assiah? The passenger was incredulous.

"Gehenna and Assiah are already becoming one, the barriers have broken open. I can exist in both forms now."

Mephisto shivered and groaned as his black skin turned the color of oil in water. With a gasp and monstrous growl, his arms and legs morphed from the mass, along with an emaciated head with enormous green eyes. As he stood with a snap of bones, his fangs elongated from his mouth like a saber-tooth cat. He turned to regard his human body, which had returned to its original form.

"Been a while, since you've been in the driver's seat." He demon joked. 'Are you alright?"

"Just hurry up and fix her." The passenger's voice urged. "She's turning yellow."

"As you wish." Mephisto smiled with an enormous and vicious grin. 

"How do you even eat with those things?" The passenger was perplexed. "It's hardly practical."

"They are more useful for decapitation," Mephisto explained matter-of-factly. "A well-placed bite above the collarbone, I can sheer a head clean off. But my goodness, I've moved passed my feral nature."

"Jesus, that's totally metal." The dark passenger was impressed. "I think I want to see that."

"I'm glad you are taking my ugliness in stride," Mephisto answered, a hint of sadness creeping into his voice. "I hate this form. Miss Kirigakure should consider herself lucky to be comatose."

"Whatever, nothing scares that woman, not even this."

"Sadly, I'm not finished yet."

 The demon's hair curl then expanded, becoming thicker and thicker, eventually forming into a massive coiled ram's horn. With one final anguished gasp and a flash of leathery black, Mephisto conjured massive wings. They slapped into the corners of the room, absorbing all goodness and light, like an omnipresent and evil shroud.