Valix the Word Weaver thought this would be an easy deal. Some clingy mortal feared his mate had betrayed him, so rather than simply confront her at knifepoint or with some other form of power to coax a confession out of her, he decided to summon a demon. "Secret Stealer" was another of Valix's many titles, so he assumed this would be a simple task. Observe the mortal, gain evidence or her betrayal or innocence, and then gaze on the gallery of secrets and lies he'd been promised for this task along with a nice fresh bull up front. A typical exchange. But he should have never accepted payment up front.
Alcor. Why did Alcor have to be involved with this mortal? Why did he have to claim so many mortals for his own?! You couldn't even accept a meager child sacrifice anymore without Alcor showing up before you could claim your hundredth taste of innocent flesh!
Valix stayed far back as he gazed upon the female. One month was the maximum amount of time he was forced to watch her for before he could claim that she had no secret lover. He needed to stay within 300 feet to be considered 'watching her'. A month of being that close to anyone involved with Alcor? It was a death sentence. He was bound to be discovered eventually. Still, he remained at the border of his required distance. Perhaps he was mistaken about this mortal. Maybe she only made a deal with Alcor, and he was following her as part of it. He might be out of her life soon.
Three days passed and Alcor still remained. Valix was already preparing a means for how he may re-negotiate with the human. It was incredibly embarrassing, especially since he'd already eaten his "signing bonus". But if he remained observing the human any longer, he risked the wrath of a being that could turn his molecules into chocolate rain and Alcor would drink in his former glory. It was not worth all the blackmail in the world for that fate.
Yet in observing the girl, he also found himself observing Alcor. He attempted to avert his gaze from the Dreambender, but he couldn't help taking notice with the sounds of screams and groans. They weren't those of a mortal, but Alcor himself. Had Valix's ears (Or at least the orifices that passed for ears on the Word Weaver) deceived him? Was this a trick? Alcor himself was groaning in sheer agony! Investigating closer, he had to know what could cause such a powerful being such pain.
As Valix watched carefully, he begun to understand why Alcor kept such a close eye on humanity. They were the ones that had the power to bring him such anguish and agony. He didn't understand how or why, but they were the key to Alcor's weakness. Valix could be the demon to bring the Dreambender to his knees! And he would use the Twin Star's precious humans to deal the final blow.
o
Valix had quickly resolved his deal with his former summoner, returning his promised secrets as well as divulging a few others as part of "renegotiations". It was degrading, but necessary. He couldn't have Alcor find out what he was planning and observe him any longer. It killed him to give a human the better end of a deal, but the next deal he made would ensure his dominance on one of the most powerful demons known to this reality.
It hadn't taken long to find a summoner that would fit his needs. He knew that this was the perfect pawn the moment he appeared in the circle. Intricately drawn- almost beautiful even. And with ground Byrony woven into the paint used to draw it too. The symbols were carefully crafted, with multiple protection circles and stones set into it. The wards were powerful- overkill for a demon of his caliber really. His summoner had certainly done his research. But he could see the trembling mortal standing before him. He'd done the preparation, but he could never be truly prepared. That look in his eyes- he'd never summoned a demon before.
The mortal clutched a stack of papers in his hand. Probably some flimsy script he intended to follow. You could look up all you wanted on the internet or in books, but it could never temper their spirit enough to prepare them for this. Valix was really doing a favor by being his first. If he proved to be as useful as he hoped, he may even leave his body and soul in one piece.
"Ẉ̛̤͖̩̹ho̜͇̥ ̣̥̱͉̯̤̬d̘͡a̻͚̠̺͓re̷͖s̡̞̻̟̺ ̤̝͔͓̦̀t̶̟̲͙o ̖̙s̴̭̦̙̠͙u̩̞m̗̥͟m̙̗̠̥͙̬̻͢o̞n ͚̣̰͚̰̹V͎͓̺͕͉͝a͕̘̙ļ̥͖̩̫̲i̢x̘͉ ̴̙͚̣̟̼̲t̡̹̘̭͉͇̫̩he͎̱ ͜W̛̥o͚r̘̱̪̖d̻̺̲͉ ̤̼̪̗͙̀W̰̳̱e̬͉̬̙͈ͅa̡̻̝͙͓͓̥̙v҉̻͔͕͍̮e̛r͕̟̰̖̖̲,̥͎͈̗͍ͅ ̜͉̠̥͓t̢͓̳̺͈̣̱̮he̷͓ ̨͇͔̲S̴̯̭̣e̼c͈̹̘̤̮̮ͅr̫̣͖͢e̥̰̗̲͜t̹͈̝͙̭͉͓́ ̶̫̰S̸͎t͖͚̦̥̩e̤͕̳̥͎a̰̪̣l̬͉͓̳̦è̞̳͇r̼̗͚,̺͕̫ ̯͟a͍̰̦͎ͅn͔̠̻̫̱̥d̠̜̬̖ ͝t͉̦h̗ȩ̤͚͇̠ͅ ̗͍͖H̴͉̜̺͉̫ͅo̷̳̺̺̠̰͖͈r̹͔d̰̥͖̯̻̕ͅe̹̮̯͕̤r҉̠ ̠͈̪̣͍͕o͟f̘̩̣̦̪͙ ̺̬̱T̵̟̱e̗̥͟x̴̙̩̰ͅt̢̼̣̣̤̱s͍̮?̧̘͍͙̫̼̠"
The mortal stumbled at Valix's entrance, completely dropping his papers. And while he'd recited hundreds of times how this was supposed to go, he immediately went off script.
"Frank!" He yelled out in fear.
"…Fr̨ank̨?" Valix questioned concerned. He'd hoped his greatest weapon against the Dreambender would have a more intimidating title, but he supposed humans just weren't that creative with their given names.
"Yes. Frank P-" But he stopped himself immediately covering his mouth. Giving out his name to a demon was the first thing the websites said not to do. He tried to recover from his first blunder. "Pseudonym! It's obviously a pseudonym for dealing with your kind!"
Valix gave out a low chuckle. "O̧f co̧urs̸e i͘t i̡s͞." This mortal would be easy enough to weave around his needs. If he liked, perhaps he could convince the fool to sell him his name and grant him one more worthy of a demon-slayer.
"Wha͏t͏ ͘is̀ it ̢you̴ w̛is̕h͡ of ͜me̵,̸ ̶si͢r tḩat͢ ҉i͠s ca̡lĺed͢ Fr͜a͠nk̵,͏ b͟ùt is̨ def̛i̢ni͜t͝el̕y not ̸na̶męd th͞a̶t͏ ͠o͢r with͝ a s̨u͏r҉na̛m̶e͢ ҉begi̶n̷ni̢ng͞ ̕w̨it̨h̀ a ͡P͝?̨" Valix asked.
Frank was attempting to pick up all the papers scattered around him and pick up the pace again. His eyes darted across the page, trying to figure out where he should pick up. He'd created a nice dialogue tree for all the possible things the demon might state, but he hadn't accounted for his own stumbling tongue. He tried to pick the one that was closest to the situation and get back on track.
"I wish for fame and fortune. I want my work to be remembered for years to come. And I don't mean in a negative way- I want people to genuinely enjoy it and hold it in high regard. And the words need to come from my own mind- no planting thoughts in my head. I may be dealing with a demon, but I'm no plagiarizer."
Valix's 3rd head in the shape of an owl nodded in acceptance. He could still work with that. "A̧ ͠s̕imp͞le e̷no̢u͠gh req̸ưest͢.̀ ̡F͜or͠ t͜h͘a͟t̨ ̨I͏ ̛w̢įll̡ ͝as͘k̵-"
"NOT MY SOUL!" Frank immediately shouted. He already made one mistake with his name. He wasn't going to commit the ultimate folly of demon deals.
All 29 of Valix's eyes glared down at the mortal for interrupting him. He wasn't going to ask for the soul seeing as he knew he'd profit from this deal either way, but with the mortal's rudeness, he was now putting that back on the table.
"O͜h͝?̨ B͟ut ̧wh̕at ̕i͏s ̶a̵ s҉oul͏ ͞w͏orth ̶i̢n t̵he ͞f͘ac̕e of ͟th̶e ͡im̨m͠o͞rt̛a̧l͠ìt͘y o̴f̶ ͢be̵i҉ng ̧a̡ f͟amo͞u̶s a̡ųt̕h͟or?̴ I̢ ̕ca̛n̢ ̀a̡s̸sùr͢e͝ ̢y̸ou,͟ ̕th̵at͢ y̶o͜ưr ͏wor͢k͞ ͡wi͠l͢l re̷ma̢i͟n iņ ́t͢he̸ ͘h̛ear҉ts͘ o͏f ͡mi͝l͟lion͝s,̴ ͢sel͏l ̧bil̢l̶i͜ons̡ o̢f̧ ̢co̧p̀i̸es҉, ͜an̡d̵ ͞w̸i̡n̵ ̶n͏u͘mȩr̢ou͝s ̛a͞wards.͟ Al͘l͢ i̴n͟ ̡ỳo̸ưr̡ ton͢gue̕ a̕s ̧y͟ou w͟įsh." Valix taunted.
"Not my soul." Frank repeated softly. "I… er… prepared a payment already. The lore says you enjoy diaries of deceased people, photos of scandalous situations and various other forgotten knowledge. I have 50 works in total for that same fame and fortune you just described that I will give you in exchange for your part of the deal. I want to be on the top sellers list, get interviewed constantly, and be praised for my works."
Valix's tongues clicked in disappointment. They were already watering from the idea of a soul, but he supposed he shouldn't get too greedy. All the knowledge the summoner was promising was already enough of a bonus. As long as he could mold him into the weapon he needed, then that was all that mattered.
"Fine͝… ̛I ̶wìl̢l͘ p̶r̡ovide ýơu ̕wit͘h ͜the͘ in̡sp̸irat͏ion f͟or̨ ͟a ̛work͘ t̀hat͢ ẁill͝ att̶rac̨t ͟th͡e̡ ki̕nd͝ ̀o̡f ͝f̢ame҉ a͞nd́ ̸fǫr̢t͏un͡e y̸o̴u ͢a͟sk̨ ǫf͡.͏ ̶F̵o͞ŗ ̸1͏0̛ ye̵ar͝s ̷y҉ou͏ ̛will͝ ́contin͘ue͘ tò prod̴ùce ̧s̵ucc͏esśful ͢manus̡cr͢i̡p̀ts̷ t̛hat͠ ̵w̢i̷l͘l al͡l͡ ̡b̢ecom҉e̕ ͜b͜e͡s͞t̶ ͢sell̸e̢r̴s. T̡h͡e̕ ̵w͞or͏ds͝ wi͏ll͟ ͜be yơu͜r͠ o͟w̢n͠,͘ but̶ ҉yo͟u ̨mu͢s͘t w̵ri̶t͢e̡ a͟n͟d͡ p̡u̕bli͟şh̴ o̡n th͟e̸ ̀s̷ub̛j͜ec̴t͢ of ̛th́e ͟in͘spiration̛ yòu ̵a͏r͘ę ̷g҉iv̴ȩn įf ͜yo͏u ̷wi̶sh t̕o b̧e ̕s̴ucc͏es̨s̡f͢ul̵. ͞A͟n͡d as soo̶n a͡s͠ ͜t͘h͟e̶y͡ com̨e ͏t̷o ̨y̕o̕u͘ tóo-̡ ͟no de͏l̷a̵y͝i̢ng or ̴wi͝thh̡o͘ld̀iņg̴ w̡ǫrk."
Frank was skeptic about how smoothly this was going. He knew he picked a demon that preferred payment in knowledge because they'd be less likely to bite off his head, but he doubted it was this easy. Was there some kind of loophole that would lead to his demise? He glanced down at all his notes again trying to figure out if he had everything covered.
"And at the end of those 10 years… I won't lose my soul, my sanity, or any other sort of harm that you'll bring about on me? Will I still be able to write whatever I choose?" Frank wanted to confirm.
Half of Valix's heads nodded while the others shifted to the side. "I ẃo͝n̕'t̢ be ̧a͞bl̵e͡ ̶ţo͝ g̢i͝v̨e y̵ou̢ ̀a͞ny pŕote͠c͏tio͘n or͠ ̸en̨s͏u͠re y͟oú ́wil̕l cer͡t͞ainl̢y̛ l̴ive͟ for͜ 10҉ ͘yea͝rs͝.̷ ͏I͞f ͡y͞o͜u͘ ̛a͢re ín͞j͠u͠r̕e̸d me̢n̛ta͠lĺy͡ ͞o͝r͠ ͝p̸hysi͟c̴allý ͝due ̵t͢o͏ ͏y͞our̀ ͠ǫwn ͝st̶up͡idit̨y or misf̨ortu͝né, ̀I͢ ̸w̶o͘n̕'t bę hèl͟d resp͝oņs̛ib̧l̶ȩ.̧ ͡But̴ ̢n̶o̡ ̀h̢ar̴m͜ w̨i̸l͘l̴ ͠c͘o͝me ̧to҉ ͡you͝ ͡a͘t̵ ̛my͠ ͏h̸a͜nḑ.͟ Y͢ou c̨an ̶ẁri̛t͡è wh̢a̶t́eve͞r ̸yo̷u w̵is͟h͠ i҉n add̸iti̡o̷n ̶t́o ̧wh̕atev͟er҉ is̕ inśṕi҉red ͘by the̕ su͏b̶ject ̨I͡ ģi͘ve y͘ou.͢ A҉s̛ lo͡ng a̛s ̴you ͜coǹtin͟ųe̸ to ͠publ̀i͡s̸h͟ éach̸ ͡pìe͘c͠e̷ o͡f ̷in̡s̡p̨ira̶ti̷on̶ tha͟t͞ ͠co̢meş t̷o͞ y҉o̧u ͘an͜d͟ ma̢ínta͝in̸ o͏ur ̀c͝ont̴ra̸c͏t,̴ ͞y̛o͢u ̵wi̷l͢l ͝have̴ ҉àl̨l th͘a͜t̷ ҉y̕ơu ́l̡is͟t̢ed."
It seemed to be a straight forward bargain. Even a professional demonologist would have a hard time finding a problem with it. Valix gave him little to fear from. And even if Frank didn't get his end of the bargain, while the price he was paying was difficult to put together, it wouldn't have any longstanding repercussions. Why was he worrying so much anyways? He put in the work! He did his research! He was already talented enough, this was just about ensuring he got the recognition he deserved.
"Alright then. I accept!"
All of the demons mouths widened with joy. As each of their hands twisted around the human's arm to accept the deal, Valix could already see his own fame and glory. The Dreambender would suffer eons of agony at his hand!
o
Frank stared at the letter from the publisher in disbelief. He supposed he should have expected this from a demon deal. You rarely had it turn out in your favor. There were only varying levels of how much you lost. And after what he'd done, Frank felt like he might as well have lost his soul.
The author could barely read the words on the page as he thought of the horror he unleashed on the world. He knew what he was writing when the words left his pen. They were his own words, and that's part of what sickened him the most. That he was capable of such an atrocity. He knew the power that these kind of words could unleash, and he was ashamed that he was the one that brought them into this world. He pleaded for something- anything else that he could do to get out of this. He knew it was foolish, but he even offered his own soul to get out of the deal. But Valix would have no renegotiation. He had big plans, and for them Frank would need to continue publishing ever piece of 'inspiration' that popped into his mind for the next 10 years. And so he was forced to keep up his end of the bargain.
'It takes a sick kind of person to enjoy this sort of drivel.' Frank thought to himself as he traced his fingers across all the zeros proclaiming how many copies he sold. 'But I am a sicker man for creating them.'
Frank would become the most popular author of the Twin Souls saga for his era. Young tweens would praise his darker portrayal of Mizar with a demonic curse thrust upon her, and Alcor is the one who helps her accept that her new nature is now part of who she is, yet he still loves her all the same. Frank's works would be regarded as 'definitely canon' by fans across the globe. And while Valix knew that Alcor may still live for now, his death would now be a slow and agonizing one.
Author's note: This is my first fic I've written for the Transcendence AU. Why I decided to start with a Twin Souls joke, I'll never know but it was just too much gold for me to pass up. Frank is a Ford Reincarnation, although I'm not exactly sure where it would all fall in the grand timeline. More may or may not come depending on both reception and if any other ideas come to me.