To be honest, Rasmus wasn't sure what to expect but he had an idea given his past experience with magical callings. Perhaps it would take the form of :a dark cloud with only menacing eyes showing, a hissing horned fiend, reared up ready to strike like a cornered rat, or maybe an impassive creature, almost uncaring as it waited for his summoner to make a wrong step.
Instead, Rasmus took a few steps back as a flurry of stark white horns, claws, and snapping mandibles erupted inside his magical circle. It wasn't a small angry little beast he had contained, but something large and furious over its entrapment. The creature shrieked as it writhed inside its prison, and made a shrill inhuman trilling as it struggled inside its bonds.
Rasmus immediately regretted using the ancient scroll and considered fleeing back into the cold fog to escape its wrath, but his fear subsided when he saw his runes were holding.
Despite the creature being trapped by his magic, Rasmus knew he had to work fast. He had to establish 'friendly' contact with this outsider, negotiate a price for this creature's services, and seal the contract with a drop of his own blood. It was all very tricky of course, with the threat of confinement and torture as his major bargaining tool, but he had witnessed his master performing similar rituals before. While he acquiesced that he was not at Lord Lero's mastery, he knew this was something he could…no…. must accomplish.
Facing the maddened storm of gnashing claws and limbs, Rasmus confronted his prisoner and spoke the words he had rehearsed in private so often.
"Hear me, denizen of the great pit, tactician of hell, he who is named Rheyzenixhaxtl. Cease your struggling and bend your will to mine. I have called you forth to do my bidding, obey me and …."
A wave of fear washed over Rasmus as he noticed the circle he had made shifting under the weight of his prisoner's struggles. No, this shouldn't be happening. This was ancient magic, from before Cheliax or even Golarion was formed. There was no way this magic could be sundered.
No sooner as he assured himself of his magic's power, his magic broke and the circle scattered like so much dust. His 'prisoner' pounced out of his circle with blinding speed , landing directly before Rasmus. Rasmus immediately turned and fled, but a long barbed spear materialized in the creature's hands before it stabbed him through the robes, piercing the hard stone floor and pinned him before his tormentor.
Rasmus incanted a magical missile spell, knowing full well it couldn't stop it, but hoped it would at least provide him with some distraction. The chitinious beast easily swatted them away. He then attempted a hold spell, followed by a lightning spell, but they too could not pierce this monster's prodigious magical resistance. Never had Rasmus faced such a power being. Half delirious with fear, Rasmus chuckled madly to himself, knowing at least he picked the correct creature to summon.
Before he could incant another spell, Rasmus watched in terror as his former prisoner pushed him to the ground with its clawed foot, tearing his robe in the process as it crushed the wind out of his lungs. It rose to its full height as it towered over the mage, giving him a clear view of his imminent doom. While bipedal, the stark white monster was clearly more insect than man with a mantis like head complete with razor sharp mandibles, a chitin carapace, with heavy plated limbs. It's hands were roughly that of a humanoids, though its finger's ended in large claws. Finally it had a thin long armored tail, which looked like it was grafted from an albino caiman.
The creature made a high echoing clicking noise before it craned its head downwards at an unnatural angel, examining Rasmus with its cold large multi-faceted eyes.
Rasmus's first thought was to end his life then and there with another magical missle spell. Five point blank shots underneath his jaw should do it. It would be a messy death, but it would certainly be better than having his soul devoured by this inhuman monster. He hesitated though, knowing that his was not the only life on the line. Vandia, Vetta, Misa, Dwen and who knows who else still remaining in the tower needed him. Even thinking outside the tower, there was his sister, and the serfs that toiled at his manor that loyally awaited his return from his apprenticeship. Surely he couldn't disappoint all of them by simply ending his own life.
He wasn't sure what he could do in the face of so much overwhelming power so with all his remaining will power, he forced the words out of his mouth. "Hear me… denizen of the great pit, …..tactitian of hell,….. he who is named Rhey..zen…ixh….ax…tl," he chanted, careful to pronounce every syllable. " Cease your struggling ….and bend your will to mine. I have …..called you forth to do my bidding,….. obey me and be rewarded…resist and perish by my ….power."
Rasmus couldn't help but roll his own eyes at his empty threat. He couldn't make this creature perish. The best he could do was leave a crimson stain on his foot to remind of him by. It was free from his magical prison, clearly stronger, faster, and most importantly resistant to his magic. All he had were words and a slim hope they could sway this beast.
Instead of slaying him, the beast studied him closer with its multifaceted eyes, making a series of menacing clicks in the process. Did he successfully establish contact with this monster?
Rasmus' mind suddenly filled with an image of the monster lashing out and snipping through his neck with its razorsharp mandibles. He convulsed at the image before realising the monster was projecting its thoughts into his head. A form of telepathy? Rasmus should have been panicked further given this monster's growing repertoire of powers, but he saw his chance, albeit a slim one.
Rasmus conjured up an image of a pile of gold…gems, jewels. He was tempted to think up maidens as well but all he could think of was Vandia or Vella and he couldn't bring himself to offer either of them to this creature, and quickly thought of a large….err cow instead.
The creature ignored his pleas and simply clicked has jaws excitedly as it craned its head closer to his. Rasmus winced as he turned his head, awaiting the fatal snip through his neck. He tried, or at least tried the best he could, but he was no match for his master's ward, or this creature's power. The Cacodaemon spell was simply too powerful him to master, and he would pay for his incompetence with both his life and that of his friends.
"Cacodaemon?" asked a strange, oddly civilized voice.
