“This feels weird, not at all what I expected.” I commented as I floated in the astral plane. I had just completed preparations for my journey to the realms beyond flesh. Preparing the rare herbs I had painstakingly acquired; they were not cheap.
After inhaling the smoke, my body started to tingle, it was quite pleasurable. This was followed by a feeling of weightlessness, that was expected. There was no physical form in the astral plane. Strange lights and colours cascaded before me, so many variations there wasn’t time to catalogue them.
It had worked, I was exhilarated and overjoyed that my dream of traversing the planes had been realised. The weightlessness and lack of gravity were something to get used to, but I could adapt. I tried to process what I was seeing, especially since I didn’t have eyes or even a body.
Lacking any wizardly components, casting spells on this plane would be difficult. But I had prepared for this and so began a spell. It was a simple one, designed to assist in navigating this treacherous realm. It was similar to the spells conjurers use to locate demons for binding. It would prove useful in this endeavour, wouldn’t want to encounter such dangerous entities without proper protection.
I wonder if any of my protection spells came along with me. I tried to sense my magic, it was a little tricky, and my current state was very unfamiliar. I couldn’t quite sense my spells, but I did have several designed to protect my spirit, less I encountered anything.
Well, this was not exactly a venture without some measure of risk. I decided to focus on the task at hand. My dream of cataloguing the realms beyond the planes of men was in sight. Nothing of this experience shall be forgotten, I shall plunge into the depths of this hidden world for its secrets. All my desires are laid bare before me, I only need to reach out and seize it.
Joy welled up within my currently incorporeal chest. I mean what wizard would not pay any price to traverse the planes beyond the mundane. But I was dawdling for too long, it was time to explore.
Everything was far too vivid and strange to describe, it was all spirit and energy swirling around me. But with the spell, I could distinguish shapes and figures off and into the distance. I wondered if they were natives, demons or spirits of the dead. Regardless I best not approach them, assuming I figured out how to move properly.
After some experimentation, I learned that moving was a matter of will. You merely needed to think in a direction to travel there. Up, down, side to side, it didn’t matter, you could go there. It felt quite freeing to be so unbound by mortal flesh. To be untethered by the oppressive force of gravity.
Yet the sensation was overshadowed by a strange pull. I could faintly hear a voice echo in the distance. It was as if the voice called to me, bidding me to follow. Curious I decided to do so, willing myself towards the voice.
“Come to me.” The voice chanted.
I stopped for a moment, willing my incorporeal body to stillness. The ominous voice was starting to concern me. What if it was a demon trying to lure me away and into its vile grip. Well, I don’t think so fiend, you were dealing with a great wizard, and I am not so easily dealt with.
“Name!” The voice shouted in his mind, jarring his thoughts.
The sensation nearly knocked me down, if there was down in such a place. Getting my bearings, I stood tall in the only way a spiritual being could do so. This creature wanted my name, and I would give it to them. They should know the name of the great wizard that would soon lay them low.
“I am Asmin the Magnificent, Traveller of Realms and Master of Magic. Fear my power whomever you are!” I was laying it on a bit thick. You had to do that with demons and entities beyond those of mortals. Traveller of Realms was a nice touch, even though it is only a single realm I have just now travelled.
The voice paused and fell into muttering. I could vaguely hear a few words here and there as an image started to clear in view. “Is that the demon’s full name or is that just it’s titles?” The entity spoke, possibly to itself.
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Soon the image was clear and the face of a human, not a demon appeared before me. In fact, given the stone walls, braziers and pentagram on the floor, that was not the astral plane. I was taken aback; I recognised this kind of setup. I had done it many times before. This was a conjurer’s circle, dedicated to protecting the wizard upon summoning and binding a demon.
I tried to parse what I was seeing and settled upon inspecting the wizard. She was young for a conjurer, appearing to be in her early twenties, pale fair skin and pretty. Long blonde hair flowing back and tied in a ponytail. She wore a black silk robe with red trim, so she was quite wealthy and seemed more like a noble’s daughter than a wizard.
This must be an illusion, it had to be. Yes, whatever demon is attempting to capture me is trying to mess with my mind. Well, if that’s how it wants to do it, I shall return in kind. This woman likely didn’t exist, a mere fabrication of the demon.
I summoned all my defensive and offensive spells, releasing the power I held in reserve. There was no time to waste or be stingy with power.
With my display of power, the woman in the image braced an impact from my offensive spell. It was a basic energy blast, something that could work on the Astral Plane. It seemed to knock her for a loop, the illusion was impressive I would have to give the demon that.
Still, my attack did no real damage, I tried again and again with no luck. Whatever the demon was using to protect itself, it was very potent. Slowly he felt cold hands reaching for his very being. The Demon was somehow reaching through his protection spell. I had tailored it to repel demonic influences, this was impossible.
The woman’s voice grew louder, screaming at him. “Asmin, by thy true name I command thee. Thy will is mine and I am thy master, submit!” She commanded with only a faint strain in her voice.
True name, what was she talking about? She was the demon, not me. It must be trying to confuse me; I need to return to my body. I tried to follow the silver cord extending from my astral form to my physical body. With it, I could leave this realm and re-enter Astlan.
As I was trying to escape, I heard the woman speak, still in my mind. “These are the rights of high binding, let none hinder our task.” The rest grew indistinct as I got further away. “Asmin, the sigil and thy name bind thee to us, as Varn in the first millennia, we control thee demon Asmin. Thou canst not escape.” She continued in an imperious tone. I recognised that tone, I had taken it as well whenever I bound a demon in servitude.
I found the irony of a demon using the same tone to devour a wizard, something I would expect from its vile machinations. Impressive really, I wouldn’t have thought of such a method, but then again, I am not a demon.
“It’s a third-order demon, exactly what I need.” The voice uttered gleefully, and I ignored it, solely focused on escaping. “No, you are not escaping me demon.” That is all she said just before she started to chant.
I couldn’t hear what she was saying, so focused I was on returning. Dedicated to traversing the infinite distance between myself and my body. Suddenly just as I heard my name uttered once more. I felt a horrific ripping sensation within, my everything was torn apart violently. I felt as if I was violated at the core of my being. The pain was too much to bear, and I fell to weakness.
“Asmin, appear I conjure thee, take thy true form demon. In the name of Estragalan Varn, Tamros and Unoceros, I command, show me thy hideous true form creature of evil. I command thee by your true name, appear in this room, in this castle, enter now this my domain, your spirit is mine, come to me. Come demon, I Ephemia command thee, reveal thyself before me, thy master.”
In my mind, I saw the image of a nightmarish creature. Tall, muscular humanoid form with red skin, cloven hooves and horns. The half-man half-goat had giant bat-like wings and spade tipped tail. I knew immediately what it was, I had seen drawings of such vile creatures. It was a third-order demon, and it must be the creature that had wounded me so.
I wished I had the strength to pray to any god who could hear me. But I had snubbed the church and was no true devotee and so, the demon would get my soul. My soul twisted and contorted, likely the demon playing with his new toy.
Suddenly as if for the first time in what felt like forever, I had physical sensation. I was free from the astral plane; he could feel his body and all the pain that came with it. The pain was accompanied by weird tingling sensations all over. I was utterly tired and could barely keep my eyes open.
“Asmin, I have summoned you here and you are mine. You will obey my every command, or I will visit upon you such tortures that would make the princes of the Abyss weep.” I opened my eyes to glare at the demon that captured me. Only to find the woman I had seen before.
But her beautiful yet dangerous visage was not the only thing that caught my eye. The sight of a clawed red hand before me. It was connected to a muscular arm that extended up and to my own shoulder. With horror, I realised that it was my own clawed appendage. Instead of facing a demon, I had the appendage of such a vile fiend.
Before I could process this nightmarish revelation, the women spoke coldly. “I have no use for you now, begone until I summon thee.” And with those words, I felt myself fade and disappear.