The Dawn of Hell

Chapter 2 - Playing With "Fire"

As we sat around a bonfire, recounting our victory, I pulled everyone aside. "There's more to this demon than we first thought," I said in a hushed tone. "I think it had help."We all exchanged worried looks. "What kind of help?" Ash asked.

I hesitated before answering. "Dark magic," I said simply. Our hearts sank at the realization. Dark magic was a powerful force, and we knew we couldn't face it alone. We needed to find someone who knew more about it, someone who could help us.

"Who do we know that knows anything about dark magic?" Max asked, desperate for a solution.

I thought for a moment before speaking. "There is one person," he said hesitantly. "But she's...well, she's not exactly someone we want to associate with."

Everyone rolled their eyes at each other, but we knew there was no other solution. We had to find this woman, no matter how suspicious or loopy she may be.

The next day, we set off on our quest. We plodded through the woods, crossed streams and conquered hills until we stumbled upon her door. She was an old, haggard woman, with a wild look in her eyes. She welcomed us in, but we could sense her suspicion"The kind that requires a sacrifice."

Our stomachs dropped at the sight of her. "What do we do now?" Muttered Echo,finally speaking for once. She cackled as we approached the door, her eyes glinting with mischief. "Well, well, what do we have here?" she said, her voice raspy and low.

I stepped forward, my hands on my hips,"We need your help," I said sternly. The woman raised her eyebrows. "My help? And what makes you think I want to help you?"

Ash took a deep breath and stood next to me. "We know you have knowledge of dark magic. We need to know who or what is behind a demon that's been wreaking havoc."

The woman's face softened slightly, and she beckoned us inside. "Very well," she said. "But you must be willing to pay the price."We all exchanged wary looks but followed her into her dimly lit home. The air was thick with incense, and candles flickered on every surface. The woman sat down at a table in the center of the room and motioned for us to join her.