Four Friends and Their Wildest Journeys

IV. The Devil's bargain

The room was unnervingly silent, the calm before the storm. The three friends stood in the mansion's basement, a cavernous chamber that seemed purpose-built for rituals—stone walls slick with moisture, rusted chains dangling from the ceiling, and a crude altar at the room's center. The faint scent of sulfur hung in the air, and the oppressive heat made it hard to breathe.

Karolina was there, but she wasn't herself. She was bound to the altar with ropes they had scavenged from upstairs, her body writhing unnaturally. Her head lolled to one side, her blackened eyes staring at them with unholy glee.

"You came back," the voice hissed from her throat, a guttural growl that didn't belong to Karolina. "How touching."

Andżelika tightened her grip on the rusted dagger they had found among the debris. "You're not Karolina," she said through gritted teeth. "And we're getting her back. Even if we have to drag you straight to hell to do it."

Kuba, holding a stolen Bible in trembling hands, looked at Martyna. "You're sure about this? Summoning him?"

Martyna hesitated, the ancient tome she clutched heavy in her hands. "It's our only option. Normal exorcisms won't work. This thing is too powerful. We need help—real help."

"By help, you mean the actual Devil?" Kuba whispered, his voice cracking.

Martyna's voice was barely above a whisper. "Yes."

They had drawn the pentagram carefully, using a mixture of chalk, charcoal, and their own blood—because apparently, demon summoning required a personal touch. Latin incantations from Martyna's stolen grimoire were scrawled around its edges, the words twisting unnaturally in the dim torchlight. Candles flickered at each of the five points, their flames dancing wildly as if they sensed the dark energy building in the room.

Karolina—or rather, the demon possessing her—laughed, her voice grating like nails on glass. "You think you can outsmart me? You think summoning the Prince of Lies will save her?"

"Shut up!" Andżelika snapped, her voice trembling as she carved a crude sigil into the stone floor with the dagger.

The demon grinned, its teeth jagged and too many. "Oh, this will be delicious. I can't wait to see how this ends."

Martyna knelt at the edge of the pentagram, her hands trembling as she opened the grimoire. Its pages seemed alive, the ink shifting and twisting as she read. Her voice wavered as she began the incantation:

"Dominus inferni, Princeps Tenebrarum, audite vocem nostram. Venite ad nos in hac hora desperationis. Pactum petimus, anima pro anima."

The air grew heavy, pressing down on them like a physical weight. The candles flared, their flames turning an unnatural black.

Andżelika glanced nervously at Kuba, who was muttering prayers under his breath while gripping the Bible like a lifeline. "Kuba, stop praying. It's counterproductive."

"Sorry!" he stammered, clutching the book tighter. "Habit!"

Martyna's voice grew louder, the Latin rolling off her tongue like a melody:

"Da nobis auxilium, o Magne Diabolus. Accipe munus nostrum et solve hanc corruptionem!"

A sudden gust of wind roared through the room, extinguishing the candles. The pentagram began to glow, the lines pulsing with an ominous red light.

And then, he appeared.

The flames at the pentagram's points reignited, brighter and hotter than before, their heat searing the air. A figure emerged from the center of the sigil, tall and impossibly imposing. His skin was a deep, smoldering red, his horns curling like the roots of an ancient tree. His eyes burned like molten lava, and his grin revealed fangs that gleamed like polished onyx.

Lucifer.

"Well," he drawled, his voice smooth and rich, like silk soaked in poison. "I must say, I wasn't expecting guests tonight. But here you are, mortals, calling on me."

Kuba's legs nearly gave out, but Andżelika stepped forward, her jaw set. "We need your help."

Lucifer's grin widened. "Help? From me? You're bold. I like that." He turned his burning gaze toward Karolina, whose body convulsed violently. "Ah, and I see why you've called me. A rogue demon, hmm? Someone's been very naughty."

"She's our friend," Andżelika said, her voice steady. "We'll do whatever it takes to save her."

"Anything?" Lucifer mused, his eyes narrowing. "How... intriguing. And what are you willing to offer me in return?"

Martyna stepped forward, holding the grimoire tightly. "An exchange. Her soul for... for one of ours."

Kuba's head snapped toward her. "What?! Are you insane?"

Martyna's voice trembled, but her resolve didn't falter. "It's the only way, Kuba. We can't lose her."

Lucifer's laugh was low and predatory. "I do love a good bargain." He stepped closer, towering over them. "Very well. The terms are simple: one of you will die tonight, and in return, I will banish the demon from your friend. Choose wisely."

The room fell silent, the weight of Lucifer's words crushing them.

"I'll do it," Kuba said suddenly, his voice steady despite the fear in his eyes.

"No," Andżelika snapped. "Don't be stupid. It should be me."

Martyna shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "None of us should die. There has to be another way!..."