"The Daemon... of Darkness," Astraea repeated, each word sinking into her consciousness with measured slowness.
Every rational thought in her was telling her this wasn’t possible. This little person was the Daemon of Darkness? The force that killed hundreds and thousands of humans at his mere whim? The one who fought tooth and nail against the Goddess of Light, recorded to be the most powerful celestial being of all time?
And now here she was standing before him?
"Hey," the Daemon called out, snapping his fingers to redirect Astraea's attention. "I'm over here." His words brought her focus back to the present moment, though she remained utterly flabbergasted.
"Right," Astraea responded, unsure of how to react to the life-altering revelation bestowed upon her.
"It’s a pleasure to meet you, Your... Grace?" Her voice stammered with uncertainty, punctuating the last word with a questioning inflection.
She found herself grappling with the proper way to address him, feeling utterly out of her depth. Looking at it objectively, she realized that the most important individuals she had encountered were the sons of dukes, and even then, she had never been close enough to greet them. But now, standing before one of the creators of this realm, she was at a loss.
"Pshaw," the Daemon scoffed, waving his hand dismissively. "Let go of the formalities. I've grown tired of them—sick of them, I say! Just call me Erasmus, or even Era if you prefer."
I am certainly not giving this boy a nickname, Astraea thought to herself in horror.
Erasmus tilted his head with a bright smile, his eyes meeting Astraea's. Despite her years of observing others' actions, adeptly molding herself to please those around her, she felt defenseless in the presence of this being. Every action he took seemed to inherently have a lack of humanity to it, and she didn’t know how to react.
"Well, now that you've had a moment to digest everything, what do you say about forming a contract?" Erasmus proposed, his tone expectant.
Huh? Astraea's mind spiraled into chaos once more, her surprise etched across her face, leaving her dumbfounded.
"Hmm..." Erasmus mused, placing a hand on his chin thoughtfully. "It seems you still don't grasp the situation."
With a snap of his fingers, a small reflective glass materialized in his hand. Exhaling a breath, he blew upon it, causing the glass to expand rapidly, transforming into a large mirror that displayed Astraea's reflection.
Astraea recoiled in horror as her eyes met her own image. She could scarcely recognize herself. Her once long white hair was now shrouded in the darkest shade of black, her skin transformed into a blend of black and purple. Scabbed wounds dotted her flesh, from which an occasional painful black liquid oozed. Only her face, hands, and neck remained untouched by this affliction, yet even there, she could see the ominous pulsations, threatening to consume her entire being.
"Is this...this is the Goddess's Judgment, isn't it?" Astraea hesitated, her voice laced with a mix of realization and dread.
"You catch on quickly," Erasmus replied, his voice tinged with a hint of satisfaction. "But this is not the complete extent of her Judgment. I halted the curse just as you fell into the Abyss. If I were to guess..." he paused, maneuvering Astraea's arms up and down. "You were supposed to transform into an undead magus."
"Not an actual creature, though. Or I would’ve seen scales or snouts, perhaps some warts..." he added, contemplating the possibilities.
"Okay, I get it," Astraea interjected, her tone tinged with panic. She no longer wished to see her altered appearance. Only her eyes remained unchanged, a deep crimson that held a glimmer of her former self.
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"You really are the Daemon of Darkness," Astraea stated matter-of-factly. While she had played along with Erasmus for the sake of gathering information, the absence of pain and the containment of the Curse had convinced her of his identity.
"Yes, as I have been telling you," Erasmus responded, a trace of impatience creeping into his voice.
"As you can see, I have temporarily halted the Curse, but it won't last forever." He gestured toward the encroaching mass. “You’ll need to form a stronger connection with me in order to permanently stop the spread.”
"So if you wish to live, I suggest forming a contract with me."
He paused at the end of this, waiting expectantly for an answer.
Astraea hesitated, caught between the allure of Erasmus's offer—a chance to survive—and what that meant. When she threw herself into the Abyss, she had relinquished her will to live. She accepted that the overwhelming struggle and pain was something she could no longer endure. What would change if she were to grasp Erasmus's outstretched hand? Would she just continue living in perpetually suffering? Being continuously beaten by the townsfolk, but now as an abomination?
"Things will change," Erasmus interrupted, his gaze piercing Astraea's, seemingly capable of reading her thoughts.
"I’ve observed you for some time," he continued, his tone changing from light and airy mannerisms to something more serious. "You are intelligent, diligent, but above all, your will to survive is what intrigued me, even when everyone else turned their backs on you."
"Do you think I would allow someone under my contract to look like a fool? Not under my watch."
"Now, what is it that you desire, Astraea?" Erasmus posed the question, his unwavering gaze fixed upon her. "You’ve been given a chance to have anything in the world, free from the Goddess’s judgment."
"What do you want?"
Erasmus's words slowly elicited a flood of tears from Astraea's eyes. She knew she should not display weakness before a Daemon such as him, but his words tugged at the deepest desires of her heart.
"I want strength," she sobbed. "I want to be so strong that no one in this world can touch me."
"Not even a Goddess."
Erasmus's triumphant smile widened. "There you have it," he proclaimed. "I can grant you that power. I can give you all of it."
"So, form a contract with me."
Astraea wiped away her tears and gazed hopefully at Erasmus. It seemed too good to be true, almost unreal. Her frown deepened as a realization struck her. There must be a catch to this contract. Even if Erasmus extended a lifeline to her, even if he harbored some genuine affection for her, what would he gain? She, on the other hand, stood to gain everything, while he seemingly gained nothing.
Yet…at this point, she didn’t seem to care. The thought of power, so formidable that no one could defeat her, so strong that she would never be subject to abuse again, was too tantalizing to let go.
She would take it, no matter what the cost.
“I’ll do it,” Astraea said with determination. I’ll take the contract.”
“Good,” Erasus responded with a satisfied smile. “Then let us begin.”
“But first…” he paused. “I’ll need my true form for this ceremony.”
He backed up several feet from Astraea, and placed his hands upon his heart. A deep purple aura began to envelop him, growing denser and darker until he appeared shrouded within a dense floating cocoon. Within its confines, the cocoon convulsed violently, signifying a rapid transformation taking place inside. Suddenly, all movement ceased.
Crack.
The cocoon burst open, releasing a rush of black vapors that billowed past Astraea, carried by a huge gust of wind. She shielded her face, squinting through the dissipating mist.
Emerging from within stood a tall figure garbed in a flowing black robe. He possessed the features of a man in his early thirties, exuding an air of regality and mystery. His long, flowing white hair trailed behind him, nearly grazing the ground. Two imposing curved horns, their length above a man's height, arched from behind his back and towards the floor. Yet, it was his amethyst eyes that held Astraea's gaze, twinkling with familiarity.
“Erasmus?” Astraea asked. This was the first time she called him out by his name, and not the Daemon of Darkness.
“Yes,” Erasmus said. He once again locked eyes with Astraea, this time eagerness evident in his eyes.
“Let us begin.”