Page 59 of Witch’s Ruin

“There are few like it in this world. But I think you already know what it is.”

I swallowed, then slowly, ever so slowly, I turned my head. My heart leapt in my chest. It was there, just behind me, looking over my shoulder. A rush of adrenaline dumped into my body. My eyes turned to black orbs. The demon’s eyes, identical to mine, darted over my face and took note of my appearance. It took a step back, giving me space. I turned on the parapet to face it.

My hands trembled. I clamped my journal closed, squeezing. It took another step back, its wings opening and closing, agitated.

“What…what are you?” I managed, my whisper breaking the silence.

The thing before me was so humanoid, it struck me with terror. It didn’t have hair, and it had giant, leathery wings. Its skin was blackened, as if burnt. But that was simply its natural color. It wore no clothes, and when my eyes dipped, it had no sexual reproductive anatomy visible.

“I am a princep of hell,” it hissed in my mind, “or, some such equivalent.”

“Can…can you speak out loud?”

“I do not think you wish for me to open my mouth.”

The promise of that had me shaking my head. No—I did not want that. Not at all.

My eyes darted towards the rooftop door, towards safety, before looking back at it.

Dark laughter filled my mind—it was laughing at me. “I won’t harm you, if that is your concern. Unless you try that thing you did before, and then I will promptly stop your heart in your chest.”

My mouth dropped open. “You…you can do that?”

“Can’t you? I’ve seen you work on my kind.”

“Yes, but I’m human.”

Its head tilted, regarding me. “Are you?”

My mouth snapped shut. When it grinned, I saw its razor sharp teeth, protruding behind its gray lips. It saw me staring at them, and its grin grew wider.

“With blood we shed, with blood we keep…”

I gasped. “Those are the words.”

“Ahh, yes. You’ve seen them now.”

“I didn’t see all of them. What are they?”

“Would you like the whole of it?”

I hesitated, then nodded.

The princep waited a moment, as if expecting me to change my mind, then began to chant.

With blood we shed,

with blood we keep,

with blood we guard the blackness deep.

For blood we have,

and blood we give,

we sacrifice so others live.

But when blood fails,