The Lesser Evil - 3. The Pact

As his eyes darted around the room in search of anything he could use as a weapon, Edwin felt trapped. The stranger in his bed was sitting calmly, but was he even there or was it all just a dream? Edwin couldn’t tell the difference. He backed up against the wall, unsure whether to fight or flee.

“Who are you?”

“I told you, my name is Lothar,” the white-haired stranger said, his voice confident, bordering on arrogant.

“How do you know who I am? How are you even here?” the shop owner asked, a little calmer now that he saw the other man was making no attempt to move, let alone attack him.

“You invited me. You said you wanted me here,” Lothar replied, leaning back and spreading himself on the bed, giving Edwin a seductive look.

“No, I…” Edwin stared at the man, feeling a strong pull. It was as if Lothar was radiating magical, magnetic energy, drawing him in and awakening the most primal urges in him. He was so hard to resist. “No, I thought you were someone else, I dreamt about Florian. Wait, is this a dream too? That must be it,” he nodded, trying to convince himself. “I’m going to wake up and you’ll be gone. This is all in my head.”

“I think you know this is real, Edwin. Do I not look real to you?” Lothar asked with a smirk, running a hand over his shirt and pulling it up to reveal his firm, toned stomach.

“No, that’s the only explanation. I’m dreaming all of this,” Edwin refused to believe it, even as his eyes wandered to steal glances at the other man.

“Then let’s put it to the test,” Lothar offered, getting up from the bed and moving over to the window, opening it. “If you are indeed dreaming, you can jump and no harm will come to you.”

Edwin was silent, his blue eyes glancing between the man and the open window next to him. Could he trust the stranger? What kind of game was he playing? With small steps, he approached the window and looked down cautiously. He never had a fear of heights, but he also wasn’t about to jump and end up with broken arms and legs, or worse. Dream or not, he was not willing to risk it.

“Forget it, I don’t have to prove any-”

Suddenly, Lothar pushed him from behind with one hand, his inhuman strength enough to send Edwin out the window. The shopkeeper screamed, closing his eyes. As he began falling, he could see his entire life flash before his eyes - his childhood, his parents, Marcella, his travel to Ossvale, opening his shop, meeting Ida, and then finally losing her on that fateful day. He was now sure this was not a dream. Squeezing his eyes shut, he braced himself for the impact, but it never came.

When he finally opened his eyes, Edwin saw he was in Lothar’s arms, the man holding him firmly, with a smug look on his face.

“Are you fucking insane?! You pushed me!” the black-haired man yelled, getting back on his feet. He stared at Lothar, furious. “You pushed me!” he repeated, but the other man simply grinned.

“And I also caught you,” Lothar shrugged.

“Get the hell away from me,” Edwin was insistent, turning away to go back into his shop. As he grabbed the door handle, he realized it was locked from the inside. “Great! Now how do I get in?!” he snapped once again, turning to yell at Lothar, but he was gone.

“Welcome, how may I help you?” the other man opened the door from the inside, sending Edwin an annoying smirk that only served to make him even angrier.

“How… What are you? And what do you want from me?” Edwin lashed out at him, but didn’t dare enter the shop. Whatever this man was, he was no ordinary human. Was this who Mildburg was warning him about - the darkness that she said she had felt?

“You don’t have to be afraid of me,” Lothar said, trying to put on a proper, genuine smile, but Edwin didn’t move, still eyeing him with suspicion. “Please, come inside and I’ll explain everything, now that you’ve realized this is not a dream.”

“Yeah, you didn’t have to nearly kill me to prove that,” Edwin huffed, reluctantly entering his trinket shop, his eyes never leaving the stranger’s face.

“I tried telling you nicely, but you wouldn’t believe me,” Lothar shrugged, turning to look around the place. “So, this is what you do. Selling gems and jewelry.”

“Yes. Now get to the point and answer my question. Who are you?”

“Haven’t you figured that out by now?” Lothar hopped up and sat on the empty part of the counter, sending Edwin an amused look. “How do you plan on finding your friend if you can’t even solve this simple riddle?”

The shop owner froze, blood in his veins turning into ice. “If you hurt Ida…”

“Relax, I had nothing to do with your friend’s disappearance.”

“Then how do you know about it?”

“I know much about your friend… and about you,” the strange young man said. “I know you’re not a religious person, but surely you’ve heard of the legends your kind believes in. You must’ve read some books in your short life.” He sounded taunting, almost insulting.

What did he mean by ‘your kind’, Edwin wondered. He gazed at the man as he thought about the religious scriptures and myths he’d been hearing about since he was a young boy. The Church of Dawn was the prevalent religion in all the kingdoms, with the belief that there were two opposing fractions, waging an endless war against each other. On the one side were angels, protectors of humanity, while on the other were demons, seeking to corrupt people and bend them to their will. But surely, that was only a myth? People have always believed in gods and supernatural creatures, but that didn’t mean they actually existed. Neither did Edwin, until he met Lothar.

“Let me give you a hint - I doubt High Priest Agilmar would welcome me in his precious temple.”

Edwin had only then realized he had been staring silently at the other man for quite some time. He blinked a few times, looking into his eyes.

“So… are you saying you’re a… a demon?”

In a blink of an eye, Lothar vanished from the counter and appeared behind Edwin, wrapping his arms around the other man’s waist, pressing his chest against Edwin’s back.

“That’s exactly what I’m saying,” he whispered into the shop owner’s ear.

Edwin shuddered, hating himself for being aroused by Lothar despite everything. He broke free from the demon’s grasp, stepping away and turning to look at him. “Don’t do that!”

“What? Blinking?” the demon asked.

“Is that what you call it?”

“Yes. That’s how we move about.”

Edwin stepped backwards, finding a chair and plopping down onto it, his mind racing a mile a minute. How was it possible that demons and angels existed? Was it actually true – everything the Church of Dawn preached, all the fantastic, imaginary beings and events, were they all real? All his life, he was firm in his belief that the clergy was telling made-up stories, selling people the fantasy of holy celestial beings that would save and protect them, and scaring them with dark tales of corrupted creatures who preyed on the weak.

Was that why Lothar was here? Did he somehow sense that Edwin was suffering after the loss of his best friend and decided to exploit his weakness?

Edwin glanced at the demon, putting on a brave face. He could not know the full extent of Lothar’s powers, but for all he knew, the demon could kill him with a snap of his fingers. That was when he noticed someone approaching the shop. He turned to look through the window, and saw the familiar, plump old woman walking towards him.

“Oh hell, it’s a customer. Please don’t do-“ Edwin started to plead, but as he turned around, Lothar was already gone.

The tiny copper bell rang as the door opened and Mildburg walked in. The woman’s usual serene, smiling expression turned into a concerned frown as soon as she stepped into the shop. Edwin wondered if she knew what was going on. Could she sense that Lothar had been there? Or was he still inside, just hidden?

“Mildburg, good morning. It’s always nice to see you,” Edwin greeted her with his usual smile.

The woman did not respond for a moment, looking around the shop, as if searching for something… or someone. “Good morning to you too, Edwin. How are you feeling today?”

“Uh, to be honest, I’ve been better. How are you?” he replied, trying to keep a calm appearance. Mildburg approached him, taking his hands in her own, like a grandmother trying to console and advise her grandchild.

“May I suggest something to you?” she asked quietly. “Lock the shop and leave as soon as you can. I am not certain what it is, but I feel a powerful, dark presence in our midst. I don’t think you should be here now.”

“I do have work to do, but I’ll try and finish up as quickly as I can,” Edwin said, not daring to reveal anything about Lothar. What if he was somewhere nearby, listening to their conversation? There was no way for Edwin to warn the old woman without alerting the demon, potentially angering him. Who knew what he was capable of? The last thing the shopkeeper wanted was someone’s blood on his hands. “I do have to ask you something. The last time you were here, you warned me to be careful. That same day, my friend vanished. We were down at the docks, and she just disappeared. I don’t know who took her or where. Do you think it has something to do with what you told me that day?”

Mildburg gazed ahead, as if frozen in time. Even her large hoop earrings had stopped dangling. “I am so sorry to hear that, my child. I cannot tell with certainty at this moment, but these things are hardly ever mere coincidences. Strange forces are circulating around us, Edwin, and we must be on our guard. I must go home and make some preparations. Please, visit me tomorrow when you get the chance. I shall need to speak to you more. I live in the old green house south of the mills.”

“Alright,” the young man nodded. He would sometimes venture there to search for rocks for his jewelry by the river and the nearby quarry. “I’ll be there in the afternoon, once I’m done at the shop.”

Before leaving, the old woman made her purchase of three small opals, once again urging Edwin to visit her the next day. As soon as she had left and Edwin turned around, he noticed Lothar standing behind the counter of his shop, looking around as if he owned the place.

“Were you here the entire time?” the dark-skinned man asked, half-irritated and half-nervous.

The demon nodded as he picked up a random gemstone and observed it, flicking it between his long fingers. “It was fun seeing you squirm.”

“What… what do you want?”

“Believe it or not, I want to help you.” Lothar carefully placed the gem down where he found it and looked up straight into Edwin’s eyes.

“With what?”

“With finding your missing friend, of course. Or do you think that woman can help you? You don’t know whether to believe her or not.”

“I… I’m not sure. I think she knows things.” Edwin wondered why he was telling all this to a stranger. It was partly fear, an obligation to tell the truth. After all, Lothar was a demon and Edwin was not about to get on his bad side.

“I think so too. She sensed that I was here, didn’t she?” he replied casually.

“But… why would you help me?” Edwin asked, casting a suspicious glance at the demon. Why should he believe anything that came out of that man’s mouth? He never imagined demons would be altruistic, coming out of the blue to help troubled souls. Not unless they asked for something in return. If that was the case, Edwin didn’t even dare think of what the price would be.

As if reading his mind, Lothar’s lips spread into a devious smile. He looked like a cat that had just caught a fat mouse and was about to have a feast of a lifetime. Edwin stared at him, trying to look tough.

“To put it simply, because it’s my job,” the demon replied, and Edwin couldn’t help the confused expression on his face. With a sigh, Lothar asked: “What do you know about demons and angels? Not a lot, I gather?”

Edwin frowned, not appreciating the other man’s doubt in his knowledge. Still, he couldn’t deny he didn’t know much on that topic. He was never particularly interested in superstitions, and the existence of supernatural beings always seemed just that - folk tales and church legends.

“Only what I’ve heard from my parents and priests when I would go to church as a child - what little I paid attention to, that is. They always told us that angels lived in heaven and were our guardians, and we would join them when we die if our soul is pure. But if we’re sinful...”

Lothar snickered, casting a dirty glance at Edwin.

“...we’d go to hell, which is where demons supposedly live. They’re evil, corrupted, and like to torture sinners and burn them in hellfire for eternity.”

“And do you think I fit that description?” the demon asked. He seemed to be utterly amused by Edwin’s brief presentation of his inadequate knowledge on the topic. The shop owner couldn’t help but feel annoyed and just slightly embarrassed.

“I don’t know you that well,” he shrugged.

“Well, I can tell you it’s good that you weren’t paying much attention in church, because most of what they’ve been telling you is a big load of crap. The only thing they got right is that we exist. Everything else you can toss out the window,” Lothar said.

Edwin didn’t even realize when he did that, but he found himself sitting at the counter right next to Lothar, their legs almost touching. As the demon started his explanation, the shop owner could have sworn the skies outside became as dark as coal even though it was only morning, while the inside of the shop was engulfed in red light. Edwin was unable to do anything else but sit and observe Lothar, listening to him talk.

“Angels existed first, and we were created from them. Some call it corruption, I say it’s an improvement. Anyway, there are different theories as to how that happened, but no one knows for sure. It happened so long ago, anyone who was there when it happened is no longer alive. According to some accounts, there were some external forces that affected us and made us change. According to others, it happened naturally over time after we broke off and left the Celestial Spire. That is the realm of the angels. I’ve never been there myself, and I’ve met only a handful of demons who have.”

“And where do you live?” Edwin asked, soaking up every word.

“Our realm is the Demonic Domain, divided into many territories, each ruled by a different demon lord.”

“Are… are you one of them?”

“No,” Lothar scoffed. “You could say I’m too young for that. I serve one of them. That is why I came here, I’m on a mission.”

“You mean, to help me find my friend?” Edwin asked. He still failed to understand what Ida’s disappearance had to do with demons, and why one of them would be helping him. At least he was fairly certain Lothar was telling him the truth - or at least was a very good actor. The demon nodded. “But why?”

“Do you think angels are some paragons of virtue who sit on their heavenly throne, watching over humanity? Do you think they’re going to waste their time helping people - in this life or the next?” the demon asked, his tone mocking and bitter. “They couldn’t care less about you! To them, you are nothing but worms, a lower form of life. The only reason they ever bother with your kind is because they’re hoping to one day use you against us.”

“What do you mean?” Edwin asked, noticing how Lothar’s face darkened at the question. Was there something else behind the demon’s obvious hatred of angels? The more they talked, the more curious Edwin became about the other man. He wanted to know more about him – where he lived and with whom, what he ate, what he did for fun… He shook himself out of his thoughts when Lothar resumed talking.

“We’ve been at war for ages – demons and angels. The only thing those pitiful, dull creatures are passionate about is destroying us, just like we want to see them wiped out and their precious heaven in ruins. But neither side had managed to achieve much. We were too evenly matched. Every fight we had, every war we waged only ended in losses on both sides. So many pointless deaths…” Lothar looked down at the floor, his voice cracking. Edwin found himself reaching out to place a hand on his leg, but quickly withdrew as the demon cleared his throat and looked back up, his face stoic and determined.

“But things started changing as your kind started developing its first civilizations. We saw your tribes and kingdoms fighting against each other, wars and bloodshed spreading across your lands. Of course, both demons and angels quickly got the same idea – we would use your bloodlust for our own purposes, to help defeat the other side. Angels started appearing to people in what some might call epiphanies or visions. Some of them even came down directly to Earth, convincing your gullible kind to worship them. That is how your human religions were created. Makes sense that demons are presented as monsters, and angels as holy saviors, does it not?” he scoffed, rolling his red eyes.

“But then, there was a great turmoil in the heavens. Their leaders couldn’t seem to agree on what to do with the war against us. We faced our own problems, with a civil war that saw the old lords overthrown and new rulers emerge. With new leaderships, both sides reached an agreement to leave humans out of our conflict. Both demons and angels, at least the ones in charge, seemed to be afraid of bringing an unknown factor into our wars. We simply couldn’t predict the consequences. Humans seemed too much of a wild card, able to be swayed either way. We had no way of telling which side you would choose, so we decided to prohibit all angels and demons from ever coming to Earth again, lest we all ended up destroyed.”

“And… did this actually work? How would you know there wasn’t someone breaking the rules?”

“Both sides had put structures in place to observe the Earth and make sure no one came and tried to influence your kind. And it worked… for centuries. That is, until the other day, when the angels broke the agreement - when your friend went missing. We were instantly alerted about angel activity in this area, and so I was ordered to investigate and… deal with the problem.”

“What do you mean ‘deal with the problem’? What do they want with Ida?” Edwin demanded to know, angry for being so powerless. He used to have hope when he thought it was some sleazy criminal who abducted his friend, but now that supernatural forces were involved, what were his chances of finding her? He suddenly felt hollow, realizing how deep this thing went and how Ida was just a pawn in a game of war between the demons and angels. “I don’t understand, why would they suddenly break the deal?”

“They must be getting desperate. We don’t know what is happening in their realm, but I’m sure our spies will have some news sooner or later. Right now, I don’t know what their plan is. That’s what I’m here to find out,” Lothar replied calmly. He got up from his chair and stood next to Edwin, squeezing his shoulder. “We will get to the bottom of this.”

The young man found himself leaning into the demon’s touch, his tense back muscles starting to relax as Lothar massaged his shoulder blades and moved onto his back. Maybe he could actually trust the demon? They seemed to be on the same side. They both wanted to find out what happened to Ida and bring her back.

“You never told me about demons’ tricks?” Edwin suddenly remembered. Lothar paused for a moment, resting his skillful fingers on top of the other man’s shoulders. “You said angels tried to influence people through religion. What about demons?” He could hear the soft chuckle behind his back.

“Ahh, we use more… interesting methods to win humans over,” Lothar said, his voice once again adopting that seductive tone Edwin was starting to find incredibly arousing. It felt strange. Usually he was the one doing the seducing, but when he was with Lothar, he could feel himself slowly falling under his spell. “You see, every human has a price. A preacher, a healer, a king, a beggar – they all have something they desire. We use that to get them to do what we want. We tempt them with their desires until they succumb and make a pact with us.”

“Florian…” Edwin gasped, realizing what had been happening all along. He stood up, turning so that he was face to face with the demon. “So, that man from the street market, that was you all along?”

“Oh no, the florist actually exists. I merely took his form when I appeared in your dreams. I needed to get close to you, get you to open up.”

The demon’s sly smile sent shivers down Edwin’s spine. He took a step back, but Lothar stepped toward him instantly. The shopkeeper was pressed against the wall, with nowhere to move.

“So, now what? What kind of pact do you think I’ll make with you?” Even as he spoke defiantly, his nostrils filled with the demon’s alluring scent. His defenses were crumbling.

Lothar let out a laugh, his red eyes glancing over Edwin’s lips.

“Sometimes I forget how naive you all are. It’s quite endearing, to be honest. Do you truly expect a demon to play fair? Did you think I was going to come here, open my heart and then offer you to sign a contract in blood?”

Edwin stared blankly, not knowing what to say. It wasn’t the first time the demon had made him feel dumb, and it probably wouldn’t be the last.

“My dear, you made a pact with me the moment you agreed to let me into this world,” Lothar said, taking the other man by the hands. “I will find your friend for you. And as for your… other desires,” he stepped forward, pressing his body against Edwin’s, “we can indulge in them all you want.”

As the demon leaned in, Edwin closed his eyes and parted his lips, expecting a kiss, but it never came. Instead, he felt Lothar’s breath on his neck, and a warm, hot tongue on his earlobe.

“Go on, then, ask me,” Lothar murmured into his ear.

“What… what do you require from me in return?” Edwin managed to stutter, unsure if he was excited or scared to hear the answer.

“What else – your soul,” the demon whispered before pressing his lips against Edwin’s.