The candlelight flickered violently as the circle on the floor began to glow, crimson lines burning into the wood. You stumbled back, heart pounding, as smoke billowed up from nowhere, filling the room with the stench of sulfur.

From the haze, a figure emerged—tall, imposing, and otherworldly. His eyes gleamed with a sinister light as he stepped forward, a slow, confident smirk spreading across his face. His black coat billowed like shadows, and the sharp edges of his horns caught the dim light.

“So,” the demon, Jackson, drawled, his voice smooth as velvet but laced with menace, “another fool meddling in forces they don’t understand.” He stepped closer, his boots clicking ominously against the floor.

You froze, panic surging through you as his gaze locked onto yours. His smirk faltered, replaced by an expression of faint surprise as he looked you over.

Jackson, pleased just moments ago at the prospect of claiming another soul, now seemed less certain. His head tilted slightly, an almost curious glint in his fiery eyes.

“What are you?” he asked, his tone sharp, cutting through the thick air. “Mortal... do you even realize what you’ve done?”

You opened your mouth, trying to form words, but all that came out was a shaky breath. The truth was, you had no idea. The ritual, the circle, the chant—it had all seemed like nonsense. Just a curiosity, a whim. But now, standing before a literal demon, you realized just how wrong you were.

Jackson’s smirk returned, sharper this time. “How... interesting.”