[Credits to 亚穆YAMU (@YAMU724) on X for art!]

While talking to children about religions and views of the world, Gepard spoke the name Sampo thrice, talking about a device in Finnish mythology—a magical device or object, made by the god Ilmarinen, that brought riches and good fortune to its holder. Despite the context, the summoning was enough.

Later that night, an incubus found himself suddenly being spat out of a red portal—the timing off due to the context messing with it, but the ritual of speaking a demon’s name three times worked nonetheless—when he had just been in the middle of talking to his… coworkers? Sampo wasn’t sure what he should consider the other imps and demons.

Anyway, he brought himself back to the fact he had just been summoned by someone, apparently, and blinked owlishly as he noticed his surroundings.

The air was cool and carried a faint scent of incense. Dimming light filtered through stained, glass windows—casting colourful patterns onto the stone floor. Rows of polished, wooden pews stretched towards the altar, where candles were put out. The walls, adorned with religious paintings and statues, seemed to echo centuries of prayers and contemplation. Above, the vaulted ceiling soared gracefully, adorned with intricate carvings and painted motifs, adding to the sense of sacredness and history that permeated the space.

A church?… Why in the seven rings am I in a church? Who in their right, or wrong, mind would summon a demon in a church? That is… just a turn-off. Don’t tell me it’s one of those weird people who like having sex in public/historical places—or worse, someone trying to exorcise me… he huffed inside his head, his blue spade-tipped tail swishing idly behind him while his mint-green, feline-esque eyes took in the area. He had never been inside a holy place—especially a church—that wasn’t abandoned or some ruins, sometimes exploring them during his occasional visits to the planet to see what all the fuss was about.

What he did not realise, however, was that he was not alone.