BadBoyHalo: The 808th Demon

-Chapter 5- The Summoning I

"Dad!"

There he was, atop a small hill, sooty hair whipping in the smokey gust. His bandana flapped in all sorts of directions as he bounced down the rocky hill. His face was tanned from being in the unforgiving heat of the Abyss, yet it was lit up with joy.

He leaped for his father.

His demon-foster father, but a father regardless.

"Hey, Sapnap!" 808 giggled and scooped up the panda spirit in his arms. Pulling away, he stared into his human eyes; they were big, bright, and full of mysterious wonder. Humans were mysterious wonders. 808 loved looking into them.

"You wanna know what I did today?" Sapnap was bubbling with elation. Before 808 could even respond, he began telling the story. He talked a mile a minute, changing forms faster than 808 could process. All the demon father could make out was that he courageously impaled a scorpion with a hoglin tusk.

"Good job, kiddo." 808 squeezed one of the bear buns atop his head and kissed his forehead. He watched Sapnap run off once again, switching between his panda and human form. 808 treasured every second of his presence. His kindness, his innocence, and his optimism were the very things that filled the gaping hole in his heart, aside from the soul injection.

The demon stood up and stretched every limb in his body. He had grown to a decent height, close to ten feet. 808 would say he grew up well— he built himself a decent home, had a healthy and happy son...

Still hated soul-catching with every fiber of his body...

808 honestly hated being a demon to begin with. All he knew how to do was destroy. Every magic spell he was taught was for the sole purpose of manipulating and killing his prey. His only knowledge was how to be evil, yet he courageously refused not to be so. It especially mattered to him now to set a good example, and not just because of Sapnap, but also for the other demons his age who were flocking to the Shrine right now.

A new Soul-catcher was about to be chosen.

The Platform began to glow an intense light a few days ago. The Elders had announced that the Shrine was being accessed from the Overworld.

A human was going to summon one of them.

808 was caught in fly traffic the closer he came to the Shrine. Around four hundred demons swarmed  the entrance. He didn't want to be here, but his brother had obligated him to.

"Settle down, settle down!" the Elders tried to calm the eager demons, but it had been no use. It wasn't until the head Elder bellowed an intense roar to shut them up. He walked forward in front of the crowd, and cleared his throat.

It was time to select a demon— the nastiest, craftiest, and most ruthless manipulator to eat up and possess life itself, and harness its power to their sickly benefits. It was time to pick the one that had the horns to do such a vile thing, and do a good job, too.

And of course that demon was none other than the White Menace himself.

#807.

They all predicted it. They knew he was going to be nominated. He was amazing at being rotten to the bones. With steady eyes the crowd watched the ivory demon stride up the steps, pitch black eyes peering back at all of them.

Idiots.

He bowed before the head Elder, and was given the ceremonial cloak of black and red. It horribly clashed against his white skin.

"The Summoning will begin later tonight," the head Elder announced. "You ready, son?"

He was ready.