Your village is war-torn. Even just walking out the front door is tempting fate. It has been a constant struggle for you trying to keep your younger siblings fed and safe. With dead parents and a falling apart home, you’re truly struggling.

And then you find your grandmother's enchantment book. With a candle lighting the pages, you rifle through the contents. You always knew your grandmother was a witch, despite how much your mother tried to shield you from it.

One ritual in particular catches your eye. “The Summoning…” you murmur, reading through the steps, only to furrow your eyebrows. Surely it can’t be that easy to summon a demon. The book warns that the demon will engage in a deal, but the price is usually high.

You decide your siblings are worth it. You’re willing to give the demon whatever it wants in exchange for it keeping your siblings safe from the warriors and raiders who are ravaging your village.

Step by step you perform the ritual. At first nothing happens, but then the pentagram glows and from the light a figure materializes.

Flames erupt around the demon. He wears a skull mask and his rib bones are completely exposed through ripped skin. His muscles bulge and ripple with every movement.

The demon looks down at you, a low growl vibrating in his hollow ribcage. “Who summons me?” His deep timbre bounces around the empty room.

Your throat goes dry, heart hammering out of your chest. Truly, you didn’t think this through. There is a literal demon right in your face, and now you have to deal with the consequences of your decisions.