I Summoned The Prince Of Darkness

Arvis

Silence surrounded us, broken only by a young boy's labored breathing beside me. My chest rose and fell with difficulty. Each breath burned my lungs, making the end feel closer than ever.

I deliberately slowed my breathing, hoping to shorten the wait.

Strangely, the thought of dying brought me comfort. At least death would free me from the pain and the memories that haunted me, replaying over and over in my mind. Memories of a life I desperately wished to forget.

Was I afraid?

Perhaps a small part of me still was, but death itself held no terror for me. After all, death was responsible for taking my entire family away. It had also become a constant presence in my life, reminding me night after night that my time was running out.

There was nothing left for me to fear.

People often say your happiest memories return during your final moments, giving you something pleasant to hold on to before you die.

But my mind offered no such comfort. Not a single happy memory came to mind. There was nothing worth remembering as my life came to an end.

“Is this really how we're going to die?” the boy, one of the young workers, beside me asked, his trembling voice barely audible.

I gave no answer. We both knew what awaited us.

“What if someone came to save us?” he asked quietly, moving a little closer. “What if we were given another chance? What would you do?”

What would I do?

I would make every last one of them pay. I would watch their homes go up in flames and everything they had worked for crumble into nothing. I would make them suffer for every life they had destroyed, and I would enjoy every moment of their misery.

I would make their children experience the same pain I had endured. I would wipe out their entire family until not a single person remained to carry their name.

But those wishes were nothing more than empty thoughts now. Death was already upon me, and there was no turning back.

I closed my eyes, waiting for the end to take me. I was ready for death to claim what little remained of me, just as cruelly as it had taken everyone I loved.

A few seconds passed. Then a minute. Two minutes. Seven.

Yet nothing happened.

Instead, a sudden rush of cold air brushed against my face.

My eyes flew open.

I was no longer lying on the filthy floor. I stood upright in a strange, endless space. Far above me, a narrow ray of light broke through the darkness, its source appearing both close and impossibly far away.

Where was I?

Before I could find an answer, footsteps echoed through the silence. I turned towards the sound, narrowing my eyes as I searched the surrounding darkness.

"How unusual."

A deep, unfamiliar voice came from ahead.

My attention immediately shifted to a figure seated on a throne. He sat with one leg crossed over the other, a slight smirk playing on his lips. Darkness surrounded him, carrying an unsettling sense of danger. Even from where I stood, I knew he was no ordinary man.

Surprisingly, I felt no fear. After everything I had endured, there was little left in this world capable of frightening me.

"Who are you?" I asked, keeping my voice steady despite the strange excitement stirring inside me.

The man rose from his throne but made no effort to approach. His deep voice travelled through the vast space.

"What a fearless human. You are the first to summon me into this realm. Speak, mortal. What is it you desire? Do not waste my time."

I frowned, struggling to understand his words.

"Summon you?" I repeated, blinking in confusion. "Are you Death? I never expected Death to be so handsome."

A faint, humourless laugh escaped me.

"Well, whatever you are, get it over with. Take me."

I shut my eyes, waiting for him to end my suffering.

Instead, a low laugh filled the space. The sound was cold and strangely amusing, sending an unexpected chill through my body.

"Death?" he repeated, his laughter growing deeper. "I have nothing to do with the business of collecting souls. I make deals with mortals. I feed on their deepest desires and greatest fears, bringing their darkest sides to the surface. In return, I grant their wishes, but every gift comes at a price. And since you have summoned me, my dear, we have a bargain to make."

I slowly opened my eyes, finding myself drawn to his intense gaze.

A demon?

Had my hatred somehow brought a demon before me?

I should have been terrified. Yet, instead of fear, an unfamiliar feeling stirred within me.

"You want them dead, don't you? You want to see them burn. You want their entire family erased from existence."

He spoke softly, almost as though he were telling me a secret. Then he took a step closer, his eyes fixed on mine with an intensity I found difficult to resist.

"I can give you everything you desire."

My heart began pounding against my chest. His words carried a promise I had spent so long wishing for, one capable of breaking through every wall I had built around myself.

He had not simply guessed my thoughts. His presence alone felt as though he could see straight through me, reaching places within my soul I had kept hidden from everyone.

Those were desires I had never dared to speak aloud. Yet here I stood, face to face with a demon who was offering me exactly what I wanted.

"Do not waste my time, human. I have other business to attend to."

His gaze remained fixed on me, as though he were searching for the slightest trace of hesitation. Every word he spoke made my situation feel more real.

But why should I refuse?

My life was already coming to an end. What did I have left to lose?

"Yes. I want every last one of them dead."

A look of satisfaction crossed his face. He gave a small nod.

"Good."

He casually raised one hand, and an old scroll appeared in the air between us. Before I could examine the strange object, letters began forming on its surface.

My name, Arvis, appeared first. Then another name followed: Lyvian.

"Let us begin granting your wishes, Arvis."

A faint smile touched his lips. With another wave of his hand, the scroll disappeared.

The surroundings changed in an instant.

I lifted my head, only to find myself standing before a familiar building. My eyes widened as I recognised the towering mansion.

The very place I had once called home.

"Watch closely," he whispered, appearing beside me.

A moment later, the entire mansion burst into flames.

ARVIS

A week later.

I fluttered my eyes open, the bleakness of my surroundings greeting me as I squinted into the dim light. Grogginess clouded my mind, and I realized I was lying in an unfamiliar bed, surrounded by elegant furnishings that seemed almost foreign to me.

My memories were hazy, but the image of the burning mansion clung to my mind, pushing away any remnants of unconsciousness.

Blood drained from my face as I struggled to sit up, my body heavy and uncooperative. I managed to drag myself out of the bed, my legs shaky beneath me.

Just then, a young man entered with a bowl of water and a white towel. When he saw I was awake, his face lit up in surprise.

“Young Master Arvis, you are awake! Thank goodness!” he exclaimed, dropping the bowl in his haste. Without another thought, he rushed forward and pulled me into a tight hug, tears spilling from his eyes. “I’m so glad you made it out alive! I’m so glad!”

I froze, my