Vague rose his hand, the gloved hand holding a gleaming dagger. Or it would be gleaming if it wasn't midnight and near pitch black. He stabbed the dagger into the dirt into the center of a red hexed pentagon, digging a slight scoop out. He removed the dagger and put it back in his belt, then slid a capsule out of a pouch from within his red and black robes, popping it open and letting the red liquid pour forth from the tube into the scoop he had dug into the ground. He stood up and back to look at the runes he had put upon the ground.
"I'll show -them-…" He muttered to himself as he crouched and dug his knife under a root, working at getting it out of the ground. His circle of runes and the pentagon stood upon a cliff edge surrounded by forestry and dropping off into the ocean. Such places weren't too uncommon in Azeroth. As the root popped out he grasped it with the other hand and brought it to his nose, sniffing lightly. He scowled softly and tossed it off over the cliff.
After a moment he grabbed a piece of paper off the ground, snapping his fingers. A soft orb appeared, glowing and moving over his shoulder, shedding light upon the parchment, a beam of light ebbing softly over his features. His intense blue-green eyes scanned over the paper. After they left the edge of the bottom he rolled it up and held it in his grasp.
"Everything's all set, then. Quick and easy." He grinned and snapped his fingers. Another orb appeared over his other shoulder. Together the two orbs cast their light upon the entire rune-circle and pentagon, lighting up his work area. He held out his hands and began to chant aloud.
"Ita everto mos exsisto Hal'Baneisto existo e nox noctis orbis of cruor quod flamma quod tribuo vomica vox of scelestus."

As he spoke the ground trembled. It cracked in a perfect circle within the circle of runes, breaking the pentagon in places. The small pool of blood steamed, a red mist hissing upwards. The blood jetted upwards as if shot out by a geyser, turning into a fine mist that coalesced and took form.

Long black horns curved backwards over pale blood-red hair falling to still forming shoulders, crimson wings jutted out from a slender back, dark claws forming onto long fingers and arms. A nubile but pure white-skinned body with nubile legs and breasts solidified before Vague's watching eyes. Pale eyelids opened to reveal indignant, angry orbs of eyes that glowed a deep red. Soft, barely pink lips parted. It- she, rather, was clothed in black, somewhat metallic/form-fitting armor.
"Who summons me?" was half said, half murmured with an echo that threatened to rip into Vague's mind. He hardened himself and allowed himself a smirk. The demon before him was trying already to try to attack his mind. His wards were working well enough to dull it to less then a headache.
"Subsisto , Everto! EGO sum accersitus , quod vos es accersutis. Pereo mihi!"
To his surprise, the demon seemed to roll her eyes and spoke. "Don't try to talk to me in your lame warlock Latin language like you think it's universally demonic. You have a tongue and a natural language. Use it." Her voice was impressionably human, as though she were a noble.
He was so stunned it took a moment for him to gather a response. "Fine, then. You're a dread lord, are you not?"
"Dread lady, but correct." She replied almost boredly, but her eyes were looking over his runes with intense scrutiny. He could tell she was looking for a weakness or flaw in his wards she could exploit.
"Then you have the power capable of giving me the ability and knowledge that I wish. Do you not?"
"Correct again." Having apparently found no flaw in his magical bindings, she cocked her hips to the side and folded her hands over her chest. She stared at him, her eyelids half-drooped. He clenched his teeth slightly. Her nonchalance was annoying.

"Fine. Then by the runes that bind you and the spell that brought you forth, I command you to give upon me all the power of the demons. I wish to become the greatest warlock in this world!" He said aloud, making a dramatic fist gesture.

For the first time the demon seemed caught off guard. She blinked and leaned her head back, peering at him. Her skin darkened near her cheeks- Vague could swear she was blushing. And was that embarrassment in her voice..?
"Okay, first, the runes that bind me are -not- all that strong. I'm pretty sure I could break through them simply by ramming through them. Secondly, do you have any idea the kind of power you're asking for? I don't have the ability to turn you into a massively powerful warlock with the snap of a finger, or even a ridiculously complicated spell." She gestured at the runes around her, frowning.
"…You don't have the power?" He said incredulously. "Are you not the legendary dread lord.. Err, lady, Bal'Haneisto, commander of legions?"
"…no, I'm not. I am Hal'Baneisto… his youngest sister." She stared at him for a moment. "You messed the name up during summoning, didn't you?" She sneered slightly. "Just liked you messed up your runes. You make the line crooked on that shielding spell." A long finger claw pointed at a rune.
"…so? The runes should still be strong enough to bind you."
"Actually, not even that. The little quake that occurs with summoning? Seems to have broken a line through -all- your runes.."
Vague jerked and looked. She was right. He had noticed it but hadn't paid attention to it. The runes were broken. He looked up as the dread lady lifted one arm, placing the fingers against her cheek.

"Actually, even with those runes, Bal would have totally ripped through them. Did you really think a demon capable of making you an uber warlock would be bound by a simple circle of runes?"
"… I suppose my mistake saved my life." Vague admitted. "Although, it seems it's also granted me a vastly weaker demon." He scowled and took a slow but long step backwards, watching her intently, as if he knew something she didn't.
She frowned, looking actually hurt. "But it looks like I'll get to have all the fun instead, too." She said with anger inherent in her voice, and took a step forward, her black heeled boots sinking onto a rune. They both paused despite themselves and looked at the rune. Nothing occurred. She looked up, grinned, and lunged for him.
A sudden purple shock stopped her as her body slammed into an invisible wall, and she stumbled backwards as the purple energy crackled along her body, shuddering. "What!" She roared with indignity and rage. It was a good thing they were miles from civilization. Vague had picked a good spot.
He laughed. "You didn't really think I thought that circle would hold him? I -did- think he'd think the same thing as you, though." He leaned down and brushed dirt off with his hand. And there, upon the stone of the cliff, were more runes under the dirt, outside the broken circle. "The area is laden with them. You're quite bound."
She scowled in pure shock.. And sighed, folding her arms, looking defeated."….fine. What is it you wish me to grant you? I can't give you all that much."
He shrugged slightly. "I want to become the most powerful warlock in the land. Other stuff, too."
Hal'Baneisto looked at him. "How exactly did a measly mage like you learn so much about demonic runes of binding, then? I thought only a warlock could properly do these. And the blood of a fel creature, too."
Vague shrugged. "I used to be in-training to be a mage of Dalaran, but I got the boot for my research into using demonic energies as a basis for arcane magic. Too dangerous, they said. So, when I left, I took a few things.. Including a scroll on demon summoning and a few vials of certain.. Substances." He grinned.
"…Why a warlock, then?"
"Weren't you just listening? Fel magic as a basis for arcane arts. Warlocks are the greatest at controlling fel energies."
The dread lady stared at him for a few moments. After a moment, she smirked, but it faded away before she spoke again. "Alright, fine."
Vague promptly held out a blank piece of parchment, taken from inside his robes, and placed it upon the ground. He murmured arcane words and demonic words alike- within moments it was filled with markings and words in the fashion of a contract.
"Then sign this." He held it out and it floated, a ripple flowing through the air as it passed through the barrier between them. One of his orbs of light followed, casting light upon the parchment. She grasped the paper and brought it to her face.
"…You're kidding." She tossed it aside and held a palm at the paper. It burst into flame and disappeared in an incineration. "You -must- be joking. This is an insult."
Vague raised his eyebrows, looking confused. "What? It's a .. was a binding contract." He obviously had not expected the defiance, and gritted his teeth.
"Don't fool with me. It demanded that I be your vassal!" She hissed. "A servant, an obedient peon to your whims! I will not subject myself to such things. Return me!"
He stared blankly at her. "..…why?" I don't know how, although I wouldn't even if I did.

"……." She stared at him wordlessly. For the first time all hardness left her face and she just stared at him, her arms dropping down to her side.
"..you don't know how to do it yourself, do you?" Vague questioned.
"…no." She admitted softly. "Damn it all." She kicked the dirt. It flew and hit the shield, and sank down to the ground.
"So it seems like you're stuck here unless you swear to be my vassal." Vague quietly commented. "So why don't we skip the part where you refuse for x days and x nights before giving in?"
A long silence followed. Vague watched her as silently as she remained, thinking to himself.
I got a young one instead of an old veteran. I'm not sure whether this is a mistake… Or a blessing. He smiled slightly. She was starting to make noises, baring her teeth and emitting soft whining sounds. She was coming to the conclusion he already knew- she'd have to do it. She emitted a strained sigh.

"Fine. I swear allegiance." She said without much conviction. She kneeled on the ground and performed a complex bow, her head lowered towards him.

As she did so, Vague raised one hand, murmuring. A green spark snapped between them, and both flinched. He continued his murmuring, his voice rising towards the end. "..and so it is done." He lowered his hand. "Rise."
She rose to her feet, a defeated scowl lain into her face. "I hope you do not intend to force me to act as a servant. I may be your vassal, but I am not your slave."
Vague grinned slightly. "Of course not! You just happen to have to obey my every whim and command, but we can certainly say you're not a….." He trailed off, for as he spoke, Hal'Baneisto had grown pale and almost.. Afraid. It looked strangely pitiful on her demonic form, and a human twinge of sympathy resonated inside him. It was wrong to taunt her like that and he knew it. Her denial of it could be understood- he wouldn't want to be a slave either. He paused. They looked at each other as Hal folded her arms, waiting for him to finish. "…I'm sorry. Vassal, right."

She appeared genuinely surprised and pleased he had not continued, and it sent a small wave of pleasure into him, which he then tried to squash. She's a -demon-. He thought to himself, watching her. "Well, come on. You can step out of the rune circle now." He took a step back. After a moment she stepped forward, through the shield. Nothing occurred- she walked straight through without incident.
"Splendid." She said with disdain as her face returned to coldness. It was so quick a change Vague had to remind himself she had been able to show pleasure and fear just a moment before. "So."
Vague nodded. "..so. Can I call you Hal? That last part is a bit rough on the tongue."