The Demon's Contract

The escape

"Oh, Michael!" Xantier said as he walked up the stairs. "Has my pet been naughty today? Inviting those filthy beasts inside the castle and going up to my private room?" As the yellow-skinned demon walked through the remains of the door he looked at Benjamin for a brief moment. "Oh, you found a friend. Another soul for me? How thoughtful."

"I would never surrender my soul to you."

Xantier grinned as he walked towards Benjamin. "Oh, you will. Everyone has a breaking point and I would get you to sign a contract to give me your soul."

"You won't," Michael said as he extended the hand he held his charm in and raised two fingers. Xantier recognized the gesture and moved to cast a spell of his own, but he was too late, Michael spoke the last word to complete the spell and Xantier became engulfed in an orange light. They could hear him curse Michael and threaten to kill every single one of his relatives when the orange bubble closed around him.

Michael took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Let's continue with the other spell."

"Will they be all right?" Benjamin asked and Michael looked at him. "Your family."

"Don't worry about it."

They both looked at the door when they heard something crawl up the stairs. It was one of the hellhounds and Benjamin quickly went over to it to hug it and stroke the black fur. "Thank you so much for your help," he said to it. "Thank you." The hound snuggled into his shoulder and after a moment of snuggling Benjamin started tending to the wounds the beast had. Michael continued reading, but he stopped when he heard footsteps coming up the stairs once more. He looked at Benjamin and held the charm firmly in his hand when he noticed Borastius enter the room.

"I was bored," the demon said as he looked around. Amusement clearly showed in his green eyes when he saw the orange bubble. "A binding spell. And a strong one too. Impressive." He looked at the hellhound who Benjamin protectively wrapped his arms around. "Your other two friends have survived," he told him. "I can tend to their wounds if you like."

"Please do."

Borastius nodded and left the room again, to do as he suggested. As the demon walked away Michael and Benjamin looked at each other. After a moment of silence Michael returned to the books and continued reading.

It took him three more books to read through before he found the spell he needed. During this time the other two hellhounds returned with Borastius. He drew a circle on the ground and drew a few more symbols in it. After that he spoke words in a language Benjamin couldn't understand while making gestures with the hand he held the charm with and the circle lit up. Michael looked at Benjamin and smiled. It felt like it was ages ago since he had been able to do that. "Your way home."

"What about you?"

"Well," Michael began as he looked towards the orange bubble, but before he could say what he wanted to say, the deep voice of Borastius grabbed his attention.

"I would have thought you would have jumped at a chance to return home," he said to him as he examined him through his glasses. "Or has Xantier successfully broke your spirit already?"

Michael shook his head. "I have a contract. If I'll break it he'll kill my entire family."

Borastius nodded slowly to that. "True, but as long as he is in the bubble, you are free to go where you want to go."

"But if I'm not here when he breaks free..."

"Add a warning spell that will inform you when it weakens too much. Xantier will be too weak to open a portal immediately. Do you know how long it will take him to break out of this by himself?"

Michael looked at the bubble and walked up to it. He placed his hand on it and closed his eyes. "The binding spell itself is meant to last for decades at least, a century for lesser demons. If Xantier will continue to resist it as he does now, ten to twenty years at most."

"You are quite a powerful spellcaster, no wonder Xantier wanted to have your soul," Borastius commented, to which Michael shrugged. He wasn't sure how to respond to that.

Benjamin decided to join in the conversation. "That is ten years you can live normally again."

Michael looked from Borastius to Benjamin and he nodded. He wasn't sure if he really was as powerful as Borastius seemed to think, but he knew he was in the elite of his demon hunters group. He watched how Benjamin said goodbye to the hellhounds by kneeling down next to them and hugging every one of them. "I will miss you guys and I can't thank you enough for keeping me safe." One of the hellhounds licked his face, Michael couldn't help but smile. Despite how they looked, they could be as affectionate as real dogs. He looked at Borastius again. "There are creatures here..." he began.

"I know," Borastius told him. "I will release them. Or end their misery. Do not concern yourself with it."

Michael nodded and looked at Benjamin, who nodded to show he was ready and he walked over to him. "Let's go," Michael said and after a second nod from Benjamin they stepped into the portal together.