Josh & Azal

The dream that made me summon a demon lord (01)

   Josh squinted at the screen, the harsh blue light battling the darkness of his dorm room. 4:12 am. Definitely not his usual study hour. "How to summon a demon lord," the search bar mocked him, flashing with each agonized keystroke. College life was supposed to be about ramen noodles, late-night study sessions, and questionable life choices, not recurring nightmares that bled into reality.

It all started a month ago. A dream, vivid and chilling, of him and strangers trapped in a ritualistic chamber, facing a monstrous entity with eyes like burning embers. The dream repeated, each time the faces becoming clearer, the terror more potent. Then, the impossible happened. He started recognizing those faces on campus - the quiet girl in his literature class, the brooding barista at his favorite coffee shop, even the intimidating rugby player. Dread coiled in his gut. The dream wasn't just a dream; it was a premonition.

Driven by a mix of sleep deprivation and sheer terror, Josh dove into the rabbit hole of forbidden knowledge. Websites with flickering black candles and ominous Latin chants bombarded him. He scoffed at most, but the fear gnawed at him. Finally, one site offered a chillingly simple ritual: an incantation spoken at midnight under a specific lunar phase. It was tonight.

The clock struck six, casting long, distorted shadows across his room. Moonlight filtered through the window, bathing the hastily drawn summoning circle in an eerie glow. Taking a deep breath that tasted like fear and burnt coffee, Josh began the chant. His voice trembled at first, then gained strength with each syllable. The air crackled with unseen energy, the room growing impossibly cold.

Suddenly, a gust of wind slammed his door shut, plunging the room into darkness. Panic clawed at his throat, but before he could scream, a voice boomed, echoing with power and malice. "Who dares summon me?"

Light pulsed from the center of the circle, revealing a figure unlike anything Josh had ever imagined. Tall, cloaked in shadows, its eyes burned with the promised embers. Yet, there was something...different. Not the monstrous rage he expected, but amusement tinged with curiosity.

"Uh, hi?" Josh stammered, feeling utterly ridiculous. "It's, uh, about that dream..."

The demon lord, if indeed it was one, tilted its head, the embers in its eyes flickering with laughter. "A most unusual summoning indeed. Tell me, mortal, what brings you to this desperate act?"

And so, Josh poured out his story, the dreams, the faces, the fear. The demon lord listened patiently, its amusement slowly morphing into something akin to understanding. When he finished, a silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken thoughts.

Finally, the demon spoke, its voice softer now. "Interesting. It seems fate has a twisted sense of humor. But fear not, mortal. You will not be sacrificed. Though perhaps," it chuckled, a sound like rolling thunder, "we can make a different kind of deal."

Josh's heart hammered in his chest. A deal with a demon lord? What had he gotten himself into? But as he looked into the being's curious eyes, a sliver of hope flickered. Maybe, just maybe, this wasn't the end, but the beginning of an even stranger, more incredible adventure. And so, the unlikely duo, a sleep-deprived college student and a bored demon lord, embarked on a journey that would rewrite their destinies, proving that even the most bizarre Google searches can lead to the most unexpected encounters.

This is just the beginning of Josh's story. Where will their deal take them? Will he confront the prophecy or defy it altogether? The adventure awaits...