Hey guys! So this is my first post in a while, apologies. This was originally a prompt given to me by a friend for a writing challenge thing we are doing but I decided to turn it into a quick little one-shot cause why not? That's why these are just a couple of OC's doing whatever they're doing. So yeah, thanks to RevyCaitEll who beta read this for me! And I hope you guys enjoy it!
Charlie finished the summoning circle with one last stroke of the chalk. The circle was made up of symbols that seemed to go on forever, twisting and twining into each other in an intricate design. It sprawled over the floor, clean white lines drawn with painstaking precision.
The summoning circle was for a wish granting demon. Charlie had wanted to see if his powers had improved at all over the past few months and what better a way to test them than by summoning a demon that grants you a wish. But there was something else Charlie wanted.
Two weeks earlier Shadowhunters had attacked a Downworlder tavern, The Escape. The Escape was the place to go if you wanted to have a social life with other Downworlders. Even werewolves and vampires went there and didn't try to kill each other. Most of the time. There was a lot of Law breaking that occurred there also, but that's what made the place that bit more fun. It wasn't ever anything too major.
The Escape never interfered with the mundane world, despite what the Shadowhunters had assumed. Of course, in the Accords it was said that Downworlders had the right to police themselves and only when things got too out of hand could the Shadowhunters take the matter into their own hands. It was also said that Downworlders had a right to a court trial before they were deemed guilty.
But none of this happened on April 1st 2017. The Shadowhunters interfered when they shouldn't have. When they didn't have the right to. They attacked The Escape, slaughtering nearly everyone in there. They burnt the old building to the ground with living beings still trapped inside. The screams of terror and torturous pain still haunted Charlie's nightmares, echoing in his head.
All Charlie wanted was his best friend back. Christie was a werewolf and they had met in The Escape years ago. They had been best friends ever since, meeting in that tavern everyday. Christie had done absolutely nothing wrong except be in the wrong place at the wrong time. She had never once broken the Law, unlike most of the people in there. She was one of the good ones, and now she was dead. Because those damn Shadowhunters had gotten involved when they shouldn't have.
Charlie knew it was no good to try and seek revenge. The Shadowhunters would just kill him as well. It's just what they did. That's why he had been practicing magic, slowly gaining more power and getting stronger so he could summon the wish granting demon. And now everything was about to fall into place.
The circle was complete and Charlie picked up a spell book and began to chant in a demonic language. It sounded guttural, like it shouldn't come from a person's mouth. But it was working. The circle began to glow with a dull grey light. A figure started appearing in its centre. At first it was just a bubbling glob on the floor but then it began to grow and take shape.
The demon was twice as tall and maybe three times as broad as Charlie. It towered above him, a massive black and grey mound of mouths and eyes. Teeth jutted out in all angles and when it spoke it sounded like a thousand voices merged into one. It looked terrifying, gruesome and very demonic.
"You dare summon me! I am Sharlak, Prince of-"
"Silence!" Charlie ordered. He squared his chest and forced himself to stand still, willing his hands to stop shaking. Adrenaline roared through his veins.
The demon opened its numerous mouths but no sound came out. Charlie hadn't really expected that to work. Maybe the type of summoning circle had something to do with it.
"I hear you grant wishes for those who summon you." Charlie continued. He was braver now.
"That is the reason you have summoned me?"
"Well it wasn't to have a nice, friendly chat now was it? Of course that is my reason! Tell me, is what I hear true? Do you have the power to grant me anything I wish?"
"Of course I have. How little you warlocks think of demonic power."
"Great well then I wish for-"
"I'm afraid that's not how it works, puny warlock." the demon interrupted.
"What do you mean?"
"Of course with great power comes a great price. For your wish you must trade your soul for your friends life."
Time froze. Charlie stood there in shock. How did the demon know he wanted Christie back? Actually, who was he kidding this was a demon he was talking to, they knew everything. His soul though? That was what truly linked him with the mundane world. Knowing that he had a soul like everybody else was what kept him sane after all these years. Could he really give all of that up? But this was Christie he was talking about.
"And if I don't want to trade my soul?"
"Then you don't get your friend back and you're stuck with me."
"Wait what?"
"Can't you read puny warlock? If you summon me and do not make a wish then I am bound to you for the rest of your life. And considering you are a warlock, that is all of eternity."
"Firstly, I can read. Secondly, stop calling me puny. And thirdly, I must've missed that part…"
"You warlocks are all the same." Sharlak growled, shaking what seemed to be its grotesque head.
Charlie glared at the demon. What was he going to do? He wanted Christie back but he needed his soul. He did not want to live with this good for nothing demon for the rest of his life. He had to think about this logically.
Charlie was around 500 years old, he had lived his life. Actually, he had lived multiple lives. He had no family left and very few people would care if he died. But Christie had only been 23 when she had perished. She still had a full life ahead of her, a pack to live with and a family to take care of. She had more to live for.
Charlie hadn't really thought about dying or losing his soul before. Being a warlock, it's not exactly something to worry about. But now that he had a decision to make, these thoughts terrified him. They were flying around in his head, screaming at him that he should just forget Christie and move on, save himself. But Charlie knew what he had to do, even if it chilled him to bone and shot icy fear through his heart.
He had made his decision.
Charlie took out his phone and sent a message to Magnus Bane, telling him to get Christie's coffin out of the graveyard. She needed to be out of the ground if she wanted to live. Anyway, Magnus owed him one after he smuggled him in and out of Peru.
With the text sent there was only one thing left to do.
"I wish for my friend Christie to be brought back to life, in exchange from my soul. Sorry Sharlak, but I don't think I could bear living with you for the rest of my life."
"You are sure?" Sharlak's multiple eyes opened in shock.
"Yes I'm sure. I've lived long enough so now it's her turn. Do what you must."
Charlie stood there for a moment and nothing happened. Then a pain like no other tore through him. It felt like he was being torn in two and his insides were being ripped out of him. Like he was being burned from the inside out. It was the worst pain he had ever felt. He couldn't see anything, everything was white tinged with black. And then there was nothing. Charlie's vision went completely black and he dropped to the floor beside the empty summoning circle.
It was her turn to live.
Miles away in a graveyard a young woman opened her eyes for the first time in weeks. She couldn't see anything and struggled to breathe. The air was heavy and thick. Stale even. She was inside a box of some sorts. She slammed her hands against the roof of the box, trying desperately to breathe but nothing was halting the burning in her lungs. She needed oxygen, badly. Where the hell was she?!
Then she heard a lock smash and the top of the box burst open. Sweet fresh air filled her gasping lungs as the light blinded her. Above her stood a man with cat like eyes and sparkling clothes.
"Good morning Christie. Welcome back to the land of the living!"
Thanks for reading! Let me know what you thought of it!