It was moments before dawn as the very first inklings of sunlight pierced the early morning sky, the group sat around the villa living room as they anxiously watched the horizon slowly brighten. Everyone except for Sarah was seated on either the lounge or in Amber’s case, a stool. Sarah was pacing back and forth, too amped up to sit still. She wasn’t the only one feeling nervous, Amber was constantly fidgeting in her stool. She uncrossed and recrossed her legs more times than any of them cared to count while gently biting at her well manicured hands.
Lena seemed to be the most calm of the girls as she lay almost motionless in the armchair with her feet up, she might have looked calm but her gaze was constantly shifting off of the horizon towards Andras. Like she wanted to say something but either didn’t know what she wanted to say or didn’t have the courage to break the silence.
Andras appeared to be the most relaxed out of the group, mostly due to the difference in how he processes emotions but he was definitely not as tranquil as his composure indicated. Sharing a body with a protoplasm is much different than taking an empty host, when inside of an empty host demons can experience change in behavior due to biological factors like hormones and brain chemistry but these are usually minor and take a fair amount of time to set in.
Being inside Bianca’s body with the girl was a unique experience to say the least. He had shared Lena’s and Sarah’s bodies with them before but those two are not nearly as emotive as Bianca. With the pair both being tuned into the same nervous system, the waves of anxiety, worry and stress were affecting the demon. He had tried honing in on calming and peaceful thoughts, broadcasting that to her but it had only managed to soothe her slightly.
“If…” Lena trailed off as all three heads turned to her. “If we win and the rest of the demons are destroyed… what will you do?” She asked the demon.
Andras felt Bianca’s ‘broadcast’ shift from one of pure anxiety to one of curiosity and intrigue because it was a good question. Not only had it not been discussed but Andras hadn’t even given any real thought to it up until now. Sarah had stopped her pacing as the room looked towards him, waiting for an answer.
“I haven’t really thought about it to be honest… I suppose I’ll remain on the island and try to hide from any authorities that come looking if the secret is outed.” He told them.
“But won’t you be alone?” Amber asked.
“Mm… it cannot be helped, if we make it out of this, I don’t see any other solution.” He explained, a silence hung over the room as they all thought about what that might be like for the demon. Bianca was radiating something Andras couldn’t quite put his finger on, it wasn’t sadness or anxiety but perhaps something in between. The thought didn’t really bother the demon, he would really just be going back to the way things were before he took over Lena only he would have the Island to himself, which didn’t sound so bad.
Lena opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted as her face became illuminated by a ray of sunlight streaming onto her face. Sarah broke the lull with a simple, “It’s time.”
The walk to the ritual site was only about twenty minutes but even so the group was practically freezing by the time they got there. The warmth of the rising sun had yet to set in and the chilly ocean breeze was torturous to the lightly clothed girls. They would have loved to have worn some warmer clothes for the morning but on the off chance they encountered any of the possessed they did not want to stick out.
They had done their best to maintain the confident and unwavering stride of the demon controlled humans while braving the icy air but they couldn’t do anything to prevent shivers.
The site was nestled in between the two highest mountains at the center of the island, surrounded by the usual tall, thin trees. A large area had been cleared for the ritual as the treeline had been mostly pushed back to the mountain bases and a large black stage stood opposite where they had entered the clearing, complete with the large spiky soul well at the center of it.
The pulley system itself had been tricky, the possessed had evidently used their demonic strength in tandem with the ropes to get it up there and with Andras needed elsewhere it was a problem. Thankfully Sarah had come up with an ingenious but time consuming solution, a large and very heavy lighting rig had been hung on the ceiling and if they could set it up right, they could use its weight to tip the vat.
The process had taken a lot longer than they thought, the rig was meant to be raised and lowered by the pulleys but they were also held in place by ceiling straps and bolts which they had to painstakingly remove before they could run the ropes through the lever system and attach it to the bottom of the vat.
“Ok, there isn’t much we can do to hide the ropes but it’s the best we can do.” Sarah said, admiring her handiwork.
“And it’s not like we have time to change it even if we wanted to.” Amber added.
Lena checked the time on her phone, “Shit it’s only about a half hour to noon! We have to get moving.” She exclaimed.
“Alright, we all know what we have to do. Lena, are you ready for this?” Andras asked the neon haired girl.
“Well, about as ready as I’ll ever be.”
Lena gulped as she walked towards the villa door, opening it to be greeted by the demon who had knocked. She was a rather tall girl dressed in what looked like an orange ceremonial garb, holding a similar looking outfit except this one was a deep crimson that wasn’t too dissimilar to her own hair.
“Honored one, It is time.” She said, bowing her head and presenting her with the garments.
Instead of replying to the demon she merely nodded and accepted the clothes before starting to strip. The girl internally shuddered at the thought of how the monster inside that girl must be getting off on watching her discard her clothes. Andras had taught them much about how to blend in with the demons in the short time he had instructed them the day before but one thing that stuck in her mind was their complete lack of modesty around their own kind.
Closing the door or even retreating out of sight to change would run the risk of tipping the demon off. After all, why would a demon want to hide their new ‘assets’ from one of their own?
Lena had to be careful about her movements as she changed, under such an intense gaze of the demon she had to make sure to maintain her air of cold detachment by maintaining a steady pace, no matter how quickly she wished to cover her exposed body.
She released an internal sigh of relief as she slipped the last part of the getup on. Turning to the demon, she said. “Lead the way.” in the deepest voice she could muster.
The ‘girl’ hesitated for a split second, Lena could have sworn her eyes had narrowed slightly but the look vanished just as quickly as it had disappeared. “Of course, follow me.” She said before turning and starting to walk away from the door.
Lena started behind the girl, mind racing at a hundred miles an hour.
I hope those three know what they’re doing.
Sarah’s stride faltered slightly as the cold air of the cave caused her to shiver, goosebumps forming on her skin. She had departed the ritual site with Andras to ‘sneak’ into the cave to save Kiera and the walk with the demon had been quiet but a little surreal.
Logically she could understand that Bianca was currently hosting Andras, a demon, inside of her body so they could work to defeat the demon queen but when she really thought about it, it was insane. It boggled her mind even more when she remembered he had shared her own body the previous day, it was an… odd feeling to say the least
Her gaze must have lingered too long on her possessed friend because Andras finally broke the silence with a low whisper, “Everything ok?” He asked.
“Yeah… I’m fine. I guess this whole situation is finally sinking in.” She whispered back.
“What do you mean?”
“Well… body snatching demons are trying to take over the world and not only are you one of them but you pretended to be my best friend for weeks and you’re now inside of another one of my friends after sharing my body with me. It’s a bit surreal to say the least.” The blonde explained.
Andras was going to reply but was cut off by Bianca making herself known from within him. She’s right, it is pretty weird He heard inside his head, almost startling him. Sure, the demon could always feel her there with him but she had been very quiet after what happened the previous night. Something they had agreed would stay between them for the foreseeable future.
“Bianca agrees with you.” He relayed.
Sarah just lightly shook her head with a smile, “That right there exemplifies what I mean.”
The pair rounded the corner of the twisting cavern to see two familiar guards standing at the entrance to the demon queen’s chamber, they quickly halted their pace to hug the wall. “Damn, I thought they would be gone. I don’t think they’ll let us through a second time.” Andras whispered.
“Can you take them?” Sarah asked.
“I don’t think so, if it were just one of them I might be able to but two is too risky.” He replied. The demon racked his brain desperately to come up with a way to get Kiera out of there but even with Bianca’s help he wasn’t coming up with anything viable. Before he could ask Sarah if she had any ideas she spoke up first.
“Then… that leaves us with only one option.” She said, her face twisting into a look of determination. “Pretend to chase me, I’ll do the rest.” She whispered into his ear, breaking into a run before he had time to fully process what she had said.
Years of tennis had paid off well for the girl’s explosive start as she quickly created distance between them and dashed past the bewildered guards whose heads followed Sarah’s retreating form.
Shaking his head at the foolish girl, Andras reluctantly followed her lead, pretending to run after her and shouting, “AFTER HER!” and the pair quickly gave chase to his friend, disappearing around a bend as Andras slowed his pace, stopping in front of the door.
“I hope you know what you’re doing Sarah.”
Lena’s stomach sank as she approached the clearing, the large area of trees that had been carved out for the ritual was now filled with a small army of the possessed, motionless and neatly organized in two groups with a small gap left between them running from the path to the center of the stage.
It was taking all of her concentration just to maintain her composure in the presence of so many demons. As she crossed the threshold into the open area the demons exploded in synchronized movement, the neon haired girl cursed internally as she only managed to partially catch her flinch. The gathering had started to dance and chant in the same indecipherable demon language she had heard from Andras.
The demon leading her broke off and fell in line with the ritualises, matching their movements perfectly as Lena walked past. Movement in the corner of her eye drew her attention, shifting her head to the source she spotted something that made her stomach sink even further.
The girl she guessed must have been Kiera was sitting cross legged on a carved stone throne being carried by six servants. She was wearing a ceremonial garb not totally dissimilar to the other possessed but this one was much more form fitting and and significantly less… modest.
The deep crimson and gold threads brilliantly accented her curves and femininity, Lena would almost be envious of such an outfit if she didn’t know the true evil behind those eyes. The Demon Queen looked very pleased, a confident smirk plastered on her face as her servants carried her up the stage and gently set her down.
Lena stopped before the stage to watch the possessed girl gracefully descend the throne and moved to stand at the very center of the platform. When she finally stood still the congregation froze, arms in the air and eyes fixed on their queen. A moment of complete silence hung over the area, the only thing that could be heard was the bristling of leaves in the light wind.
This couldn’t have lasted more than a few seconds but that length of time seemed to stretch in the aura of the demonic ruler. Raising her arms up and out to her followers, the demon queen’s voice pieced the air, “My children. The time has finally come for us to take our vengeance upon this world and rule over the humans that once enslaved us.”
Her voice sent a shiver down Lena’s spine, her voice was deep yet distinctly feminine and every word she said seemed to echo as if they were in an underground chamber. Every muscle in her body involuntarily tensed when the bright green eyes of the demon queen settled on her, “Ah there you are, come my child, approach your queen.” She commanded her.
Wrestling back control of her body from her instincts that were screaming at her to run, Lena bowed her head before turning and making her way onto the stage. Dread further encompassed her being with every step she took towards the demon.
Lena carefully reached inside the pocket on her garment and pulled out the Daemon Ritus as she came within a few steps of her possessed classmate. Kneeling down, she bowed her head and presented her with the golden artifact. Lena had her eyes squeezed shut, trying to shut out the terrifying effect this being’s mere presence was having on her.
The tension in her body eased slightly as she felt the heavy pyramid be lifted from her outstretched hands. “Rise my child, you have served your queen well.” The demon queen instructed her. Summoning her courage, she found the strength to defy her fear and rise to meet the demon, taking a few steps back as she watched the demon queen affix the artifact to her chest.
Upon settling in place the pyramid began to glow a bright green, this glow then seemingly began to flow inside of her as the surrounding skin began to light up in a similar fashion. The demon queen fidgeted as she felt the power flow through her new vessel, releasing an audible groan before opening her eyes once again to reveal a much brighter green glow.
Where the fuck are Andras and Sarah!? We’re running out of time! She fretted. Lena had only shifted her head to look at the cave entrance the pair had disappeared into earlier for a second but by the time she returned her eyes to where the demon queen was standing, she had closed the gap between them with an evil grin plastered on her face.
In the time it took the girl to flinch, the demon queen’s hand shot up and wrapped around her throat, lifting her into the air as she kicked wildly and clawed at the hand in vain. Lena could only make choked breaths as the demon queen spoke, “Ahhhh you are not my child… it seems we have had a bit of a security breach. No matter, your struggle shall be in vain.” She taunted the suffocating girl.
From the corner of her eyes Lena noticed the scrambled movement of Amber emerging from underneath the stage and making a break for the lever. But, without breaking her intense gaze on Lena, the demon queen merely extended her free arm towards the short haired blonde and she was instantly stopped in her tracks as the demon closed her hand and the girl was lifted into the air by an unseen force, clawing at her throat.
“Nice try my dear but you really shouldn’t have given me this.” She said looking towards the artifact. Lena collapsed onto the floor as the demon queen released her and she was seized by a pair of demons who had made their way onto the stage. Amber wasn’t as lucky to be let down but she seemed able to breathe again as she stopped grasping at her throat.
‘Kiera’ snapped her fingers and the extractor was carried onto the stage and set down in front of Lena. One of the possessed who had brought the machine manned the controls and the claw whirred to life. The terrified girl struggled against the two restraining her but, with their demonic strength, they wouldn’t budge an inch. The claw quickly approached the writhing girl and sank into her chest with a white glow. She felt the cool metal penetrate her chest and seize hold of her protoplasm, this feeling definitely wasn’t easier the second time on the helpless girl.
Her body slumped forward motionless as she was ripped from her vessel in front of the demon clan. “There, now you shall have a front row seat to my ascension.” The demon queen exclaimed, releasing the invisible grip on Amber as she hit the ground and was seized by the same pair who had held Lena.
Wasting no time now that the pair were properly secured, the demon queen moved to the soul well and began to chant. Her arms spread outward, the soul well began to swirl upwards like a hurricane. Extending towards the sky before veering sharply downwards and connecting the Daemon Ritus, the demon queen’s chest raised as the souls surged inside of her body.
Lena watched in horror as the demon queen’s stolen body started to grow and the hue of her skin deepened. As more of the hurricane flowed into the demon queen her statue increased from a humble 5’6 to well over 7 feet tall, her skin turned to a deep crimson even darker than the clothing she was wearing.
Suddenly, the sounds of a struggle drew Lena’s attention away from the demon queen and to the corner of the stage where Andras, inside of Bianca’s body was seen knocking over and barging through the possessed to get onto the stage. By the time Lena had looked over to him, there were already several demons who had been sent sprawling on the ground and he was trying to break through the last few that stood in his way.
By the time he had come just one step from the stage, he had become completely swarmed. Every pair of hands he battered away was replaced with two more and before long there were hands all over him. Lena’s protoplasmic form winced as a demonic roar bellowed from the struggling demon, each limb under siege by multiple assailants.
Knowing he wasn’t going to get any further, with the last of his strength he drew his arm back and launched Kiera’s jar at the stage.
Time seemed to slow as the jar traveled through the air, Andras being buried in a sea of the possessed as it shot towards the stage floor. The jar’s trajectory carried it to land right in front of the demon queen, the glass shattering instantly against the hard wooden surface.
The demon queen had been too busy absorbing the thousands of souls to hear the commotion but the sound of glass shattering at her feet made hurt open her eyes towards the source, only to be greeted by Kiera’s protoplasm racing up to her and plunging into her mouth.
The demon queen’s new mutated body was sent sprawling on the ground at the intrusion, the hurricane of souls retreating back to the well and the entire crowd froze as they looked to their queen writhing on the ground, desperately fighting to keep herself from being expelled.
As Amber felt the grips of her captors loosen she knew this was her chance, she surged forward and just before they were able to grab ahold of her again and pull her back, she swiped at the lever, dropping the stage lights and flipping the soul well on its side.
Pure pandemonium ensued as the remaining souls surged forth from the container, colliding with dozens of the possessed at a time. The demons scattered in a desperate attempt to escape the horde of protoplasms threatening to rob them of their only protection from the sun.
One of the demons barreled right into the claw machine, the jostle loosening its grip just enough for Lena to slip out and shoot back into her empty body..
The demons restraining Amber dropped to the floor as the original owners shot down their throats to reclaim what was stolen. Explosions sounded all throughout the clearing as expelled demons started popping all over the place.
Before Amber could pull herself all the way up she felt a familiar force seize her limbs and lift her into the air. Her eyes shot to the demon queen who had managed to get up into a kneeling position, chest still writhing with light as Kiera battled with the demon for control of her body.
“YOU! YOU WILL NOT GET AWAY WITH DESTROYING MY CHILDREN!” She roared, her demonic voice elevated by the new heights of her power. The pressure on the blonde increased as the demon queen tightened her outstretched fist in attempts to crush the girl.
Pain shot emanated through her entire body as the invisible force squeezed her from every angle. Just as she thought something was about to break, the force dissipated thanks to Andras grabbing the demon queen’s arms, fighting to keep them behind her back.
Even while battling Kiera, the demon queen’s strength was formidable and the demon was quickly losing his grip on the figure whose height matched his while on her knees but just moments before the hold was to be broken, their struggle was interrupted by a shout, “HEY BITCH!”
The demon queen turned her head to see Lena inside her body once again and operating the claw machines. “NOBODY FUCKS WITH MY FRIENDS!” She yelled as the claw closed around the Daemon Ritus and yanked it from her chest.
The demon queen let out an ear splitting demonic screech as the Daemon Ritus was separated from her stolen body. The souls that were trapped inside burst out of her in a tidal wave, seeking out and colliding with her remaining children.
Without the power of the souls the demon queen quickly began to cede control of her body to Kiera who took this opportunity to use every last bit of her willpower to expel the demonic presence from her body as it shrank back to its original size and its skin color returned to its usual pale hue.
Lena, Andras and Amber stood around the writhing Kiera as her chest surged forward, a bright green ball forming at the surface of her skin.
“NOOOOO AHHHH, THIS CANNOT BE!” She screamed before Kiera gave one last push to the demon.
The green energy gathered in the girl’s chest, vibrating with pure energy. For a split second Kiera stilled and the ball froze in a similar fashion before shooting into the sky, leaving a trail of light behind it.
As the ball rapidly climbed into the sky it began to crackle yellow, the bright streaks racing all around it before the ball burst into a giant cloud of green smoke.
The group breathed a sigh of relief at the demon queen’s destruction. Balls of blue light soared across the sea in just about every direction as the remaining souls sought out their bodies across the world.
Kiera coughed, bringing the trio’s attention back to their friend. “Oh my god, Kiera are you ok? How do you feel?” Amber asked as she knelt down to check on the girl.
A groan was the first response they got, “Ughhh my head… my body… it’s all so… tingly.” She complained.
“You were just an absurdly large red demon a few moments ago, I’d say if that’s all you’re feeling, you’re going pretty well.” Lena chimed In.
“Nnnn god… did we win?” She asked.
“Well the demon queen has been destroyed and it looks like just about every soul has found its way back to its body or will soon.” Andras answered, looking towards the crowd of people in various states of waking up and readjusting to having a body again.
Kiera looked at each of them, a look of confusion formed on her face before her eyes widened at the realization, “Where’s Sarah?”
Sarah groaned in pain as she was finally tackled to the forest floor after running for so long. She had managed to outpace the guards for way longer than she had expected and even lucked out by chancing upon an exit out of the cave but her vast stamina had been depleted enough to allow the demons to catch up.
She panted for breath as she was rolled over and plucked from the leaf covered dirt, the possessed woman letting out a deep growl as she opened her mouth to breathe the green gas in her face.
Just as the first of it began to enter her nostrils they were interrupted by a protoplasm shooting into the woman’s mouth with the male suffering a similar fate just seconds later. Hitting the forest floor took the wind out of Sarah’s already struggling lungs, she gasped for air as the pair of demons were kicked out of their stolen bodies before promptly exploding under the rays of the sun.
As the man and woman sat up, taking in their surroundings their attention was brought to the blonde girl who only managed to give a weak, “Yaayyy… we did it…” before passing out.
Safe to say the pair were thoroughly confused by what had just happened but they picked Sarah up and carried her towards the center of the island.
