[-Binding Contracts-] [RadioSuitcase & SileceneAlethea]

[RadioSuitcase]

"Rune fourteen, spiral of sky, turn right..."

A voice could be heard muttering in the dark, followed by the scratch of chalk on stone. It was intricate, dangerous work, not usually used by people like her. The summoning circle was not considered a 'light spell.' There was something sinister in the binding of oneself to another being, but she had run out of choices. She had run out of allies. It would have no choice in the matter, but she had no intentions of abusing the power she would hold over it.

"Was it blood of rose, or--" She was trespassing here, in the ruins of the old castle, destroyed decades ago by invading forces. No one really liked to come here, it was rumored to be haunted by souls of the damned. Luckily, she didn't believe in ghosts. They, the King's soldiers, had stormed her little house in the village this morning, but she had already left when they broke her front door down, armed with an arrest warrant from the King. This is was she got for being nosy, this was her punishment for being curious. She had not meant to uncover what she did, but it happened, and they knew.

The girl sighed, sitting back on her heels. There was only one candle lit, sitting in the middle of the circle she had drawn, so it was a little hard to see. In the sky, the moon was shining brightly, unobscured by any clouds. The night was clear, and she was thankful for that. Looking to be in her early twenties, the girl was wearing a simple, red dress, its sleeves rolled up past her elbows, as sweat clung to her thin body. She was scared, oh yes. Her hair was a light blonde color, contrasting nicely against the paleness of her skin; a trait earned by spending most of her youth indoors, studying and practicing magic. Her tired eyes were a bright blue, and she could feel her eyelids drooping several times as the night wore on, and she scribbled on the ground.

Her back was protesting at the way she was bent over, it would be so nice to pause for a little while, to stretch her legs. She shook her head, pushing her hair back behind her ears. There would be time for stretching later, when she was running as far away from this kingdom as possible. They were looking for her, but she had not heard their voices shouting in this area. Yet.

Her hand stopped, the circle was done, the last runes had been drawn. She glanced over the circle quickly, checking her work. If she got this wrong, there was no telling what would happen. Standing to her feet, the girl took several steps backwards. If this was right, the circle would glow white, and a guardian would appear, bound to her with an invisible contract. It would be the one to protect her, as she took what she knew to someone with much more power than the King. She was but a simple healer, and while she could always cast spells that would help her run away, if they actually caught her...

A being that would protect her, yes. She was not quite sure what it would look like. Hopefully nothing too scary. She was a good person after all, and traveling around with some dark, foreboding creature just wouldn't look good, even if it was on her side.

"Please, please work." The girl pleaded in a whisper, lowing her head as she pressed her hands together, as though in prayer. She squeezed her eyes shut, and she spoke the words needed to activate the portal.

[SileceneAlethea]

The art of summoning was not something to be taken lightly. Any magic user knew such. It was a very finicky process. Even the smallest error could take a turn for the worse, yet it seemed that this girl had been driven to desperation... Making her resort to such ancient magic.

With the spoken words, the circle would begin to glow... yet, it didn't glow the expected white. No, the aura that rose about it was sinister, a deep red in coloration. Crackling almost dangerously as the ground around it began to give way, cracks splayed out all along the edges, all the way to the girl's feet. Then, in the next moment, the candle would blow out abruptly as that aura reacted violently, twisting and churning as in it's very center a human-like form began to take shape... but something was wrong. Very wrong. Even the clear night sky seemed to grow dark with a malevolence, and only when the summoning was complete did it clear once more, leaving a gasping figure on it's hands and knees in the very center of the summoning circle... a man...?

His skin was a olive shade, while the long hair hanging about him was a shocking mane of snow white, his ears pointed slightly at the tips. Exotic. As he took several deep breaths, seeming to be in pain at the moment, he pushed himself up, coming to stand, lifting his head slowly to reveal bright, glowing hues that very much resembled the color of molten gold. Youthful in appearance, seeming to barely be in his early twenties.

"W, Where....?" He rasped out, taking another slow breath, seeming disoriented and confused, turning those strange eyes onto the female who was present, that glow dying down a bit as he did so. Just moments before, he had been rather enjoying himself... only to suddenly be snatched up and transported here. Not to mention, being summoned was painful. He felt as if someone has lit his entire body on fire, and it left him feeling weak. Still looking towards the woman until something obvious occurred to him. His features darkening. Anger rising up within him as he realized that SHE was the one who had summoned him. Who had called him here. His lip curling back to reveal his slightly pointed canines as he let loose a growl. Moving to come closer to her, but as he neared the edge of the circle, a invisible border forced him back, waiting on the woman to make her next move. To make her intentions clear.

"Why did you call me here?!" He hissed, slamming his fist against that barrier in frustration, "Release me!"


No... not a man...

A demon.

[RadioSuitcase]

The darkness that crept through the ruins was truly horrifying, the blood red of the runes surprising the girl, as the ancient stone around her cracked. This was not right, this was... Well, she was not sure what it was. As the being formed in the center of the circle, she could see that it looked like a man, and it could speak, but... This could not possibly be a guardian. No, she had made a very grave mistake.

Sliding down to the cold ground, the girl grabbed at her head, her fingers pulling on her golden hair in frustration, "No, no, no! Damnit!" Which rune had she gotten wrong, which spiral was curved the wrong way, what line was not complete? Had she spoken the words wrong? Why could nothing ever go right? She didn't have time for this, the glow of the runes had been so bright, someone must have surely seen them in the distance. The soldiers could be swarming the ruins any second now.

She took a deep breath, lifting her head as she studied the demon, relieved to see that he could not step out of the circle. He certainly looked angry, and that really was not a good sign. Maybe it was not a guardian, but it was still something. It was better than nothing, which is what she would have, if she ran away now.

"Okay, listen," Swallowing hard, the girl pulled herself back onto her feet, trying to regain some form of control. It was probably best not to let the creature realize that she was terribly frightened right now; first impressions were everything.

"I need you to stop yelling. You're going to give us away." Her voice a little calmer now, she took a step closer, certain of the barrier's protection, "You're going to help me." The spell was not complete yet, it was waiting. If she knew how to banish him now, she would. But it took so long to draw the summoning circle, and she had precious little time. And without scrutinizing the runes now, she would have no chance of finding the mistake. To re-do it in a safer place could end up with her summoning something much, much worse.

"We're going to make a delivery." The girl tapped her finger against the invisible barrier, causing it to shimmer and dissipate.

[SileceneAlethea]

"Help you...?" His voice was low, dangerous, but he wasn't shouting anymore at least. Pacing back and forth within the circle almost restlessly. Like some sort of caged wild animal, "I'm listening." He grumbled, crossing his arms and tilting his head towards her when he finally stopped pacing, eying her almost bitterly as he thought the situation over. Already, he could feel the bond that she had initiated between them as she touched the barrier, dissolving it... a bond. Wonderful. So long as one existed, he could not harm her, nor leave her side until his services to her were complete.

Though, that didn't mean that he couldn't sulk and be angry.

"Make a delivery? You're very vague, now aren't you?" He lifted a brow towards her, not even having a name for the girl, yet, at the same time he had no intention of needlessly sharing his own name with her. She might have been a pretty girl, but that didn't change the fact that she had deliberately summoned him here. A mistake, perhaps, judging by her earlier reaction when she had taken a good look at him, but it was something she had done nonetheless. His gaze flickering across the summoning circle as a small smirk tugged at his lips, "You should have curved that rune a little to the left." He commented absently as he stepped out of the circle, looking down on her. He was quite tall, at least tall enough that the top of her head barely reached the top of his chest.

"I'm not killing anyone? No power hungry schemes?" He commented, a joking tone dancing about his voice in place of his general anger with the situation, though, she didn't seem to be in much of a mood for jokes. No, she had a air of urgency about her.

Ah... what kind of trouble had this girl got herself into? Judging from her reaction, ending up with a demon had been probably the farthest from her intentions.

[RadioSuitcase]

"The left..." She mumbled, her eyes glancing downwards as the chalk etched into the stone began to fade. Complete, the bond was done, the contract had officially begun. She could feel a heavy weight deep inside of herself, mixed with a fear of the near future, and thoughts that her life would be ended with shouts of treason and a sharp guillotine.

He was right, the rune was wrong. Damn, if only there had been more light, she would have-- Frowning at his words, the girl looked up at his face, now realizing how close he was standing. It was only a little intimidating; she didn't like his smirk, or his tone of voice. What was he? 'Demon' was not the first thought that came to mind. Though she had never seen one in person, they had been drawn in the various books she read. They were usually dark figures with horns, with clawed hands and sharp teeth.

"No, not killing anyone." She began, turning away, not wanting him to see the fear that was surely showing in her eyes, "I have to be vague. It's very important that no one--" Her words died off, as the sound of horse hooves echoed through the ruins. Through the broken wall before them, she could see the light of torches begin to appear on the horizon. Really now, did they have to send so many? She was just one girl. A girl with some very dangerous knowledge, but nevertheless...

"The light came from over there"

The color draining from her face, she began to panic. Where could she go? They would see her if she ran. The summoning had taken too much of her energy, there wasn't even a bit of magic left inside of her. If only the guardian had appeared... She was stuck with this strange man. What could he even do?

"We... We're going to have to run."

[SileceneAlethea]

"Only run? How dull." The male seemed almost disappointed, his head having turned slightly towards the sounds echoing throughout this place. He could pry information out of her later... For now, however...
Though it displeased him, he really had no choice but to obey her wishes. He could either be stubborn and try to refuse her, or he could simply play along until her use of him was complete. Those sounds and voices were drawing nearer, and before they could arrive, he had caught the girl's wrist, pulling her in the opposite direction of the approaching group, "Better get moving then, shouldn't we?" He remarked, giving her a good push with a devilish smile dancing across his face, "Go on now. Run. I'll... buy you a little time." He looked back over his shoulder, just as the first of the posse arrived. The summoning circle having faded away at this point.

Not bothering to look to see if she had indeed started running or not, simply standing with his arms crossed. Though, before anyone could speak or resort to violence, he uncrossed his arms, biting down abruptly on his own finger, hard enough to cut through the skin, and then, with a sharp flick of his wrist, sent several drops of blood splattering against the ground before him, the strange act alone enough to cause the men to draw back from him cautiously. The demon grinning as he turned, walking off without another word.

"After him-" Someone had started to speak, though, as soon as the words were uttered, up from the ground where the blood had touched flames suddenly erupted, flaring up viciously to block their path. Crawling rapidly across the ground towards the men forcing them to retreat or be burned. The demon gone from their sight. It would only slow them down, surely, but it was at least a distraction that would buy a little bit of time. Catching up to the woman in hardly no time at all, coming to run alongside her, and then, with another quick motion when he decided that she moved too slowly, grabbed her, tucking her effortlessly under his arm with such ease that it was as if she weighed absolutely nothing, carrying her effortlessly as he darted around obstacles left scattered about the ruins, "They should be distracted for a short while." He remarked simply, "At least long enough to gain some distance." So far, he had been agreeable... Though, only because of the magic that forced him to be. He would get his answers out of her one way or another.

Behind them, the fires had spread, large enough now that their glow could be seen in the night sky. The occasional yell carrying far enough to reach the demon's sensitive ears, but the pursuit had been effectively thrown off for the moment.

Only when he had cleared the ruins completely did he slow, setting the blonde back down upon her feet and turning on her, "You owe me answers still, girl." He commented, licking blood away from his injured finger, which, began to visibly heal right before her very eyes, "I am not a creature who bends often to the wills of others." He sneered, "And those men who chase you will pick up the trail again soon, so I suspect time isn't something you should be wasting."

[RadioSuitcase]

As he grabbed her wrist and pushed her off towards the rest of the ruins, the girl looked back over her shoulder, frowning uncertainly as the light of the torches drew nearer. For now, there was nothing she could do. With one last glance, she started to run off, a few crumbled buildings soon blocking any view she may have had of the impending scene. Hopefully he would not harm them... She did not want anyone to die needlessly. They were only following orders, after all.

She was so tired, perhaps her legs weren't moving as fast as they could. The castle ruins were so vast, eventually turning into abandoned fields, bordered by a deep forest; she had no idea where she was going. One direction would lead back to town, and that was not where she wanted to go. So in the opposite direction she went, surprised when the man was suddenly beside her.

She had not expected him to pick her up. When strong hands wrapped around her, the girl made a tiny squeak of surprise, struggling slightly as she was lifted up from the ground, "H-hey!" Ready to demand he set her down, she found that he was moving much too fast. She closed her eyes, listening only partially when he spoke.

Thankfully, it was not long before he stopped, and set her down. The girl wavered slightly on her feet, feeling dizzy as she tried to regain her balance, "Don't... Do that again." She mumbled, running a hand through her now messy hair. She paled as he rounded on her, taking a small step backwards at his words. Right, she should probably give some kind of explanation... But how much could she tell him, without making things more dangerous for herself?

"I, well... You see..." She shifted from one foot to the other, avoiding his cold gaze, "I didn't mean to bring you here. I'm not even sure what you are." She bit her lip, looking up in embarrassment, "I'm not a fighter, they would have no trouble in finding and catching me. I can't make this delivery by myself, and no one would believe me. It's very..." Stumbling along her words, she couldn't seem to make up her mind.

Taking a deep breath, the girl's weariness showed through plainly on her face, "If you go along with me, I'll let you go as soon as it's done."

[SileceneAlethea]

Ah... so he had been correct in his assumption that his summoning had been accidental. At this point, the pain had completely subsided, and while he wasn't quite at his most powerful, he was still at least far stronger than any mortal. Demon magic was costly, even small tricks and displays at the moment wearing on him. As she continued to speak, he found his gaze sliding down her form, getting a better look at the woman who currently held control of him, smirking a bit, "I see. An accident, you say?" Laughing a little when she confessed that she didn't even know what he was, meeting her gaze with his oddly colored eyes.
A simple explanation would be to tell her that he was a demon... but what fun was there in that? He liked how she seemed unnerved by him. It was amusing to see her squirm a bit.
Turning his back on her as he nodded a little, "As of right now, I really have no choice but to follow along." He commented, tilting his head back towards her, "You see," He extended his wrist towards her, exposing the underside, where a small symbol about two inches across had formed, very much resembling a tattoo, yet, it was identical to the sigil that the girl had so carefully drawn to summon him, "Until you release me, I'm bonded to you. Unfortunately, I couldn't go far even if I wanted to. Too much distance would cause me physical pain... and that's something I would like to avoid."

Running his fingers through his snowy white hair, he flashed a deceptively charming smile towards her, showing off those slightly pointed teeth, "So, until then, you and I have quite a bit of 'quality' time together."

[RadioSuitcase]

She had expected him to say what he was, had hoped he would. Now she felt too awkward to ask, and his smile really did make her nervous. The young girl did not have much experience when it came to being alone with strange men. Men with pointy ears and teeth...

"I'm so sorry." Clutching her hands together at her chest, she stared up at him pleadingly, "I don't want to hurt anyone, I really didn't want to use the summoning circle." She looked and sounded truly, genuinely remorseful, "The Sisters would be so disappointed if they knew I had used such a spell..." She paused a moment, seeming to suddenly remember something, the tiniest of smiles pulling at her lips, "My name is Sophie, by the way. I should have introduced myself earlier, but...

Dropping her hands to her sides, the smell of smoke and fire finally caught her attention. In the distance, she could now see the violent glow of a fire. The flames had been quite at home among the dry grass of the ruins, the entire thing appeared to be burning now.

"How did you distract them...?"

[SileceneAlethea]

"Sophie..." He repeated her name, smiling a little, "It's a nice name." He commented, pondering a moment before he finally decided that considering the situation, letting her know his name couldn't possibly be too harmful, "My name is Keiran... and what you have unwittingly summoned..." He smiled a bit, pausing as she took notice of the scent of smoke, laughing softly, "I am what your people call a demon." Turning his gaze off towards the flaming ruins, he smirked a bit. While he had not exactly intended for the flames to get so out of hand, he had to admit to himself that it had most certainly proved to be quite successful, "Worry not, I can assure you not a single one of your pursuers was killed. I merely... ah, blocked their path? If any were hurt after I left, that's hardly my fault."

He waited to see what her reaction would be to the information that he had just provided. Not bothering to tell her what sort of demon he was. As vague as the term was, he could easily be ANY kind of creature. There was also the fact that he was doubtful that she knew anything about the various kinds of demons to begin with. The less she knew about him, the better. So long as she had power over him, such knowledge in her hands could possibly be harmful to him.