Unbinding the Demon

Date Night

~Azathoth~

The cold air blew through my long locks as I stepped out from the shadow realm, and into the dark moonless night. Wispy clouds swirled over head, darkening the stars and cloaking the sky in a shroud of stygian onyx. Small stones and fallen leaves crunched beneath my heavy boots as I advanced across the small gravel parking lot. The wind howled through the twisting gnarled branches of the trees, catching their leaves in a frigid embrace and carrying them off into the blackened shadows. 

Carved pumpkins and plastic skeletal figures mingled with the neon window lights and ornamental shrubberies in front of a little rustic bar and grill. The "ghastly" decorations were a reminder that the grimmish month of October had now just begun. I scoffed at their absurdity, and traversed through the creaky glass door into the quaint restaurant called 'The Roasted Rowan.' 

The lighting was dim, and the sickening smells of greasy human food mixed with liqueur and faded tobacco smoke lingered in the air. I normally wouldn't even consider entering a place like this, however, I was meeting Gwendolyn and her friends here tonight. When she had extended the invitation I was quite pleased. Two weeks had passed since we'd first met, and yet she had still been reluctant to introduce me to the people close to her. Whenever I'd observe her speaking about me to them, she only gave vague details while nervously trying to dodge their relentless questions. That did not please me.    

Although she claimed that I was only invited so she wouldn't have to be "the fifth wheel," whatever that means, I assumed it was a positive sign that she was warming up to the idea of us becoming a genuine couple... However, she was still very clear about this not being a date and made me promise not to do anything too 'crazy.' 

I walked up to the small wooden bar and stealthily ran a claw along the dingy green painted counter top. The bartender, wearing a crooked name tag that said "Kyle," was texting behind the counter, oblivious to the spiral of dried paint that now rested on the freshly scratched surface before him. My claw retracted just as he looked up at me. Other than myself, there were only a few people eating in the dinning area, so I had his full attention. 

"C-can I help you, Sr.?" 

I gave him a predacious smile and looked down directly into his intimidated brown eyes. He slipped his phone into his pocket and nervously scratched his head, slightly messing up his short light brown hair in the process. Can't say I blame him for feeling threatened though. 

"I'll take a bloody mary." I responded after briefly scanning the drink menu.

"No problem." He quickly turned to fetch the drink.

As I waited, my eyes carefully scanned around the little rustic seating area. There were a few commoners murmuring and laughing at various tables. Most seemed intoxicated, as they shared about the various ways they were wasting their mundane lives. To my relief, none of them seemed like the despicable mages I had to worry about.   

I had been mildly shocked at the sight of that obnoxious colorful haired girl. She was completely corrupted by dark abyss essence. The light of her soul had literally turned into a forsaken black shadow. I knew the only explanation was that there were individuals in town using abyssal magic. Proving that someone possessed the book I'd been searching for. 

Yet try as I might, I could not seem to find them in the shadow realm, which meant that they were intentionally using magic to shroud themselves and the book from demonic eyes. Whoever they were, they knew about me, and I didn't want them to get wind of my plans regarding Gwendolyn. She was quite literally my only salvation, and I had to protect her from their esurient clutches if this whole seduction scheme was going to work.