“Come back now,” the Devil said to Braj. An hour or two have passed, allowing everything to be on schedule. But Braj only groaned back. “The trail is done, you have passed,” the Devil said again, frowning. Braj was unresponsive. He made a few indistinct sounds, swung his arms and legs about, bending his back, then fell limply.
The Devil shook its head. “Are you lost to me? Have I failed in my plans? Have all the planning and minute work I have put into this gone to waste?” it said solemnly, then, with a shrug of its shoulders, jerked off the blanket and slapped Braj across the cheeks.
Braj sprung up and while his eyes were still glazed over, started zooming it in the other direction. A quick hook around his feet, however, send him sprawling back into the dirt. “Trying to run from the Devil, ay?,” it said, and then perched on top of his back. “Honestly, I am unsure of whether you shrewd, valiant, or simply plain oblivious, otherwise known as stupid.” Groggily, Braj held his head with both of his hands, vainly attempting to stop the world from shaking over. He attempted to move, but upon realizing that something prevented him from doing so, he peeked over his shoulders. Two coal-black eyes stared back, a slight smile on its face. Braj gulped, and then faced back against the dirt. “Interesting,” the Devil began, “You have surpassed my highest expectations. Not many humans are able to survive through the ritual.”
Under the Devil’s bottom, Braj ceased to shake and shudder. “I did?” he said in disbelief.
“Do you still possess most of your mind?” the devil asked curiously, raising one eyebrow until the top of his forehead. It was a theatrical for L’s amusement only, as Braj was not even facing him.
“I...I think so.”
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“Then you have passed the most difficult part of the ritual. Now, comes the easy part.”
Braj nodded, something that was comically tragic from that position. “What do I have to do?”
“Well, do you want to live?”
Braj paused for a moment then nodded his head.
“Oh, I can’t hear you~”
“Y-yes?”
“Oh, I can’t hear you~”
“Y-yes!”
“Oh, I can’t hear you~”
“YES!”
“Oh, I can’t hear you~” the Devil repeated, until Braj’s throat was coarse. “Good enough,” he said, and then patted his head. “Are you ready?”
Braj gritted his teeth. “I am.”
“Are you willing to do anything for it?”
“I…” Braj began, and hesitated. “I will.”
“Will you murder for it?”
“Do...I have to?” he said, his voice weakening.
“Yes,” the Devil replied.
“I will,” Braj said, and in a feat of courageousness added, “But only if they deserve it!”
The Devil smiled. “They will. Each one of them,” the Devil said, and then let his costume disperse. He stood up, stretching his limbs, and picked up something from the sides. “Stay right there, don’t move. Keep your head down. I placed you under a pentagram. Here is how it’s going to work. I will siphon your soul-- don’t worry, in all the dozen centuries I’ve been alive it has never failed-- and then I will inject it into the body of a demon. It will be old, but you will gain power and minions of your own. All you must do, is relax, and allow me to take it. I will masquerade in L’s body. You must listen to everything I tell you after I grant you a body, otherwise, I will devour you. Do you understand?”
“I think so, but how do I...let go?”
“Simple. By wanting it. Want it like you want to live. Want it live you want power. Leave this dirty body behind. Discard it, and free yourself. I’ll take over from there.”
“I will,” Braj said, gritting his teeth. “I will,” he repeated.
“Very well. We shall begin,” L said, then chopped off Braj’s head with an ax.