ATHERAMOND: Lord of the Cursed Pact.

The old woman took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves and still her trembling hands. She had performed many rituals in her years as a dark practitioner, yet the sight of a female demon taking form before her had never failed to send a shiver down her spine. Still, she had known that showing fear or hesitation could be dangerous, so she had steeled herself, doing her best to maintain a calm and dignified exterior.

She had reminded herself that she was a master of dark rituals, and that the demon before her was a servant to her will, to be used and controlled for her purposes. She took a deep breath and spoke in a steady, calm voice, "Demon, reveal thyself to me."

The demon had remained silent, its unearthly red eyes fixed on the old woman, its gaze intense and unwavering. It had stood perfectly still, studying her, seemingly assessing her. Despite her years of experience and her mastery of dark rituals, the old woman had felt a creeping sense of unease, an uncanny sensation that the demon was evaluating her, searching for any hint of doubt or fear. The air in the cave had been thick with tension, and the only sound had been the crackle of the burning candles.

The old woman had fought the urge to glance away from the demon's piercing gaze. Instead, she had maintained her steady demeanor, willing her body to remain calm and composed. She had reminded herself that she was the one in control, that the demon was her servant, and that she had successfully completed the rite of summoning. The demon was bound to her will and, therefore, had no choice but to respond to her commands.

She had spoken again, her voice still steady and calm, "Demon, I have summoned thee for a purpose. Tell me thy name and thy nature."

The demon had continued to stare at her in silence, its expression inscrutable. The only sounds in the cave had been the sound of her own breathing and the soft crackling of the flames from the candles. The old woman's heart had beaten faster, her eyes locked with the demon's.

The demon had remained motionless, its eyes fixed on her as if sizing her up, judging her worthiness for the task she had summoned it for. The air in the cave had grown heavy, the tension palpable. Her heart had beaten a little faster, her hands trembling ever so slightly, but she had steeled herself.

"Demon," she had repeated, her voice a little firmer that time, "you are bound to my summoning, and you are to obey my commands. I demand that you speak and identify yourself, and reveal to me your nature and purpose."

The demon's lips had slowly parted, revealing a set of sharp, pointed teeth that had seemed to gleam in the candlelight. The creature had let out a sound somewhere between a cackle and a snarl, a sinister and haunting laugh that had echoed through the cave, sending a chill down the old woman's spine. The sound had been otherworldly and horrifying, its voice deep and booming, almost as if the very rocks of the cave had trembled beneath the demon's laughter.

It had been a laugh both mocking and defiant, as though the demon had found the old woman's demand amusing almost as much as it had found it offensive.

The sound had faded, and the demon's mouth had twisted into a sneer, its red eyes still fixed on the old woman, studying her. The air in the cave had been thick and oppressively hot, the heat seeming to emanate from the demon itself, radiating out in waves. The atmosphere had been charged with a strange, unsettling energy, and the old woman had shivered despite herself but had tried to maintain her facade of control.

The demon's lips had curled into a cruel smile, its eyes glowing with an inner fire as it had slowly approached the old woman. "A human dared to give orders to me, a queen of the demon world?" it had hissed, its voice low and menacing. "You are nothing but a speck of dust compared to my power and might. I have ruled the realms of darkness for millennia, and you think you can command me, a being of such great strength and authority?"

The demon had leaned closer, its face contorted into a sneer of malicious amusement. "You, a mortal, a fragile, insignificant human, think that you have any right to tell me what to do? I do not answer to the commands of anyone, let alone a pitiful human like you. Do you truly believe you have the authority to control me, a queen amongst the demons?"

The demon had circled the old woman, its movements slow and deliberate, like a predator stalking its prey. "You are so small, so weak," it had mocked, its voice mocking and condescending. "You think you have power, but you are nothing more than a child playing with fire. You have no idea what you're up against, no concept of the forces you are dealing with. Foolish, stupid human, thinking you can command demons."

The demon had reached out a clawed hand, as if to lunge at the old woman, when suddenly it had stopped, its hand hitting the invisible barrier of the summoning circle. It had let out a low growl, snarling as it had realized it was unable to cross beyond the lines of the circle. Frustration and anger had burned in its eyes, but still, it had been bound by the limits of the ritual.

"You think this barrier can contain me forever?" it had spat, its voice dripping with contempt. "I am a being of immense power, and I will not be held back by the primitive spells of a mortal human."

The demon had laughed, a dark and sinister sound that had echoed through the cave. "You want my assistance, do you? Well, you know the price for such a favor. A sacrifice, a human offering to seal the deal."

The old woman had nodded, her expression a mix of determination and resignation. She had been no stranger to the dark arts, and the concept of a human sacrifice had not been new to her. She had done it before, in the name of her darkest desires and rituals.

"But it must be a sacrifice of great significance. Not just any human will do." the demon had declared.

The old woman had felt a pang of fear in her chest as the demon's words had sunk in. "Who must I sacrifice?" she had asked, her voice trembling ever so slightly.

"The one you love the most, the one closest to your heart," the demon had replied, a cruel smile playing across its face.

The old woman's face had paled, and a look of horror had flashed across her features. "No, no, you can't mean it," she had stammered, her voice faltering. "I can give you anything else, anything! But not that, please. Not them."

The demon's laughter had rung out again, louder and darker than before. "Oh, but I do mean it. I want your dearest, your most beloved. The sacrifice must be personal, or else it is meaningless. You called upon me, summoned me from the depths, and now you will give me what I demand."

The old woman had felt tears welling up in her eyes, but she had fought to keep them at bay. She had been a dark practitioner, after all, and she had faced tough choices before. But this...this had been different. This had been more than she could bear. "Please," she had whispered, her voice trembling. "Is there no other way? No other sacrifice I can give you?"

The demon's eyes had narrowed, its gaze a mix of amusement and disappointment. "You think you can bargain with me, human? You think you can negotiate the terms of this deal? I have spoken, and my demand is clear. The one you love most, the one closest to your heart, that is what I require. There is no other sacrifice that will satisfy me."

The old woman had stood frozen, her heart racing as the demon's words had sunk in. The reality of the situation had hit her like a wave, and her thoughts had scrambled to find a way out, a way to avoid the unthinkable. But the demon's demand had been clear, and there had been no alternative sacrifices it would accept.

She had felt the panic rising within her, a sense of hopelessness and despair washing over her. She had loved the person the demon demanded more than anything else in the world. To sacrifice them...it had been unthinkable, unbearable.

As the gravity of the situation had hit her, the old woman had suddenly started to chant an incantation, her voice a desperate murmur. The words had come out fast and frenzied, the ancient syllables falling from her lips like panicked whispers.

"Inin garay nima koy dandjora nan kan ni dounou. Yeniwanla bora. Mi seye gaka nan go."

The demon's eyes had flared with anger as the old woman had begun her incantation. It had let out a roar of fury, its body seeming to grow larger and more imposing in its rage.

"You dare to try and send me away?" it had thundered, its voice like a rolling earthquake. "I am a being of power and strength, a demon of the highest rank. You cannot banish me so easily. You will pay for your insolence!"

It had lunged forward, its massive form pressing against the invisible barriers of the summoning circle, its talons raking at the air. "And I will have my sacrifice, one way or another," it had growled.

The old woman had recoiled, her heart racing in her chest as the demon's rage had filled the cave. The circle had hummed with magical energy, its ancient powers straining to hold back the creature's immense strength. But the demon had been unyielding, determined to break free and have its revenge.

It had continued to attack the invisible barrier, its claws tearing at the air and causing sparks to erupt from the circle's protective field. The old woman had felt the heat of its fury, the intense energy of its anger as it had clawed at the circle's binding.

"Release the circle and give me what I want," it had snarled, its voice like a roar. "Or I will tear you apart, piece by piece, until I am satisfied."

It had slammed against the barrier again and again, its massive form shaking the entire cave. The ground had trembled beneath the impact, shards of rock and dust falling from the ceiling. The old woman had stumbled back, her hands trembling as she had continued to chant the incantation, her voice growing hoarse with the effort.

The demon had let out a deep, guttural growl, its eyes blazing with a primal fury. "Foolish human," it had rumbled, its voice a low, menacing whisper. "Your magic is powerless against me. I will escape this pathetic circle, and when I do...the punishment you will suffer will be beyond your darkest nightmares."

The demon's eyes had narrowed, its fury growing as it had realized that the circle was still holding strong, protecting the old woman. With a roar of anger, it had lunged forward, its massive body slamming against the barrier with a force that had shaken the entire cave.

The circle had flared with magical energy, its ancient powers straining to hold back the demon's onslaught, but the sheer weight of the creature's body had been too much for it to bear. The circle had begun to crack and crumble, the ancient sigils and symbols etched into the stones losing their power and fading away.

With one final, earth-shaking blow, the demon had burst through, the circle shattering into pieces like a glass bauble. The old woman had let out a gasp of terror as the circle had broken, leaving her vulnerable and unprotected.

The demon had loomed over her, its massive form blocking out the light from the candles. Its eyes had glinted as they had focused on the old woman. It had stepped closer, its talons scraping against the stone floor, its voice a low, sinister hiss.

"You see, human? Your spells and incantations were nothing more than parlor tricks," it had sneered, a malicious smile twisting its hideous face.

"Now," it had growled, "you are mine. And you will suffer the consequences."

With one swift movement, the demon had reached down and wrapped a clawed hand around her leg, lifting her into the air as though she had been no more than a doll. The old woman had screamed, her nails clawing at the demon's wrist as it had hoisted her higher, her fragile bones creaking under the pressure. The demon's talons had pierced her skin, drawing thin rivulets of blood that had dripped onto the stone floor.

"You have lived far too long," it had said, its deep voice reverberating through the cavern. "Let's start by shortening that shriveled frame of yours."

It had dragged a claw along her spine, slicing through the fabric of her robes and the fragile flesh beneath. The old woman had shrieked, her voice echoing off the cave walls as the demon had taken its time, relishing her pain. It had dug its claws deeper, twisting them with sadistic precision as it had torn at muscle and sinew, peeling skin from her back in long, agonizing strips. Blood had poured freely, pooling at the demon's feet, but it had been only the beginning.

The demon's blazing eyes had locked onto hers, its grin widening. "Does it hurt, mortal?" it had mocked, leaning closer so she could feel the heat of its breath. "Do you feel your life slipping away? Or does the pain drown out everything else?"

With a sudden, jarring motion, it had slammed her into the cave wall, the impact shattering bone with a sickening crunch. She had crumpled to the floor, coughing up blood, her body a broken mess. But the demon had not been finished. No, this had been far too quick for the insult she had dared to deliver.

The demon had raised its hand, dark flames flickering to life around its claws. The fire had been unnatural, burning black and green, and the heat of it had made the very air tremble. It had plunged its hand into her chest, the fire searing through flesh and bone as it had wrapped around her heart. She had screamed, the sound raw and inhuman, as the demon had begun to twist her heart within her ribcage, the fire spreading through her veins like molten lava.

"Do you feel it?" the demon had purred, its tone almost conversational. "Your magic fading, your pathetic life crumbling beneath my fingers? Every breath you take, every beat of your worthless heart, is mine now."

The old woman's eyes had rolled back in her head, but the demon had not allowed her the mercy of unconsciousness. It had willed her awake, its unholy power forcing her to feel every ounce of pain it had inflicted. With a final, vicious twist, the demon had yanked her heart free, holding the pulsing organ in its claws. The old woman had gasped, her body convulsing as blood had sprayed from the gaping wound in her chest.

But death had not come. Not yet.

The demon had whispered ancient words, binding her spirit to her dying body. "No, no, little witch," it had murmured. "You do not get to leave this world so easily. You will watch yourself fall apart. You will feel every moment of your decay."

The old woman's body had begun to rot before her own eyes. Flesh had blackened and sloughed off her bones, worms and maggots bursting forth from the ruined cavities of her chest and abdomen. Her screams, already hoarse, had grown faint as her vocal cords had disintegrated, her jaw hanging slack as her face had crumbled away. And still, her eyes had remained, wide and filled with unspeakable horror, watching as the demon had consumed the last remnants of her soul.

The demon had stood over her, victorious, savoring the lingering agony that had filled the cave like a bitter perfume. "You were foolish to challenge me," it had said, its voice calm and cold now. "But I must thank you, little witch. It's been far too long since I've enjoyed such a deliciously slow death."

With a final, dismissive wave of its clawed hand, the demon had extinguished the old woman's spirit entirely, leaving behind nothing but a withered husk. Its laughter had echoed through the cavern, deep and malevolent, as it had strode from the wreckage of the broken circle, free at last to unleash its fury upon the world.

And so, the cave had fallen silent once more, the remnants of a failed summoning lying in ruins. The air had remained heavy, thick with the echoes of dark power and suffering. The demon had left its mark, a chilling reminder of the cost of meddling with forces far beyond mortal comprehension.