La Tristesse

Chapter 9

~5 months later ~

     It had been a long time since he'd heard from Francis outside of meetings and he was glad to find that it didn't bother him. They weren't friends, so it didn't matter. He'd actually been spending peaceful days sipping tea and memorizing new spells. Not a thing was wrong. Hell, he'd even checked the 'attending' box on the RSVP for Alfred's birthday party for the very first time. Of course, he hadn't sent it out yet, as he didn't like committing, but he felt that it was a decent start.
     He smirked at the cold basement floor and took a bit of chalk from his breast pocket. Giving the diagram in his book one last glance, he began drawing the newest addition to his repertoire of magic circles. This one was especially intricate and Mint Bunny was hovering over his shoulder like a concerned mother. 
      "It could be dangerous." The rabbit warned needlessly. "You don't know it well enough."
      Obviously it was dangerous. No magic was ever performed without risk. He rather liked the thrill of it. "Quiet." He muttered, finishing the last few strokes in the design. "It'll be fine."
      "Do you even know what it will do?" M.B. chattered, annoyed.
      "Can't be anything worse than summoning Russia again." He snorted, lighting his colored candles.
       As usual, just before he was about to do something he was rather excited about, his damnable cell phone began to buzz violently beside him. Francis' stupidly handsome face appeared across the touchscreen and he mused briefly about how the hell the photo had gotten there before hitting the ignore icon. He'd have to remember to keep better tabs of the thing while at meetings. Knowing Francis he was lucky he'd not ended up with a dick pic instead.
       "Arthur-"
       "I will conjure something to eat you if you utter one word of reprimand." He wanted his imaginary rabbit. "I'll call him back later."
       This seemed to appease the creature and it sank back into the shadows and joined the fairies in a sort of sulk. Arthur didn't pay them any heed. Now unhindered, he began chanting the recently learned spell in a timbre he reserved specifically for casting. It hummed through him like the power the circle exuded sending him on a high not unlike that of drugs.
Goosebumps broke out across his flesh and he closed his eyes as the candles flickered. All the things in his life that he had no control over, everything that had ever hurt him was now laid waste by this energy, this all consuming dark that came at his beck and call. It was not without price, however and before he could complete the enchantment his nose began to bleed and white spots ate at his vision.
"It's too much for you!" The fairies were screeching, but he paid them no heed. The blood would feed the magic. He leaned over the circle to allow it to drip within.
Dark shadows began dancing along the rim like the eager lick of flames and he was drawn in, fodder for the madness of their hunger. Whatever storm he'd conjured, whatever beast, he could not wait to feel the wind, the teeth. Let it be worth it. Let it be worth the toll on his body. Let it be worth the hours spent studying. Let it be worth the blood.
The hearing in his left ear went as the drum burst inside. Vertigo threatened to end his efforts but he pressed on. He'd felt worse pain. He'd been more disoriented. If this venture succeeded then-
A gruesome hand appeared, reaching up from the depths of sorcery. With it soon came a dark, twisted form bedecked in long veins of flickering red, like the desperate flash of life drawn from coals by a sudden breeze. The thing's face was featureless save for a long, toothy mouth that spread wide in a hungry grin. It snickered, turning to him with an eyeless gaze that burned nonetheless. "Strange for one such as you to call upon me." It hissed in a voice that grated on his good ear. "What do you seek that you do not have already? Better, what price do you seek to pay for it?"
What price? Not a genie. Not a Jinn. A demon. He knew this would happen eventually, and yet, now faced with the reality of it, he cowered. "I don't want anything."
"Such a lie. What a lie. Lie. A lie." It chattered, slinking about the circle like a caged beast. "Little nation, what is it? You summon me for fun? Is it fun? Fun. Does it amuse you? Do I?"
"I don't need anything. I- only wanted to see you."
"Curious?" It chortled, "Grown bored with your centuries of life? I can end them."
"No. Go back. It was a mistake."
"Yes." It agreed. "If you do not supply me with a purpose I will be free to run amok."
A purpose. He needed to ask something of it. But what? Now his desire seemed frivolous to ask of a demon. A Sprite maybe, a genie certainly, but a demon- no. Never. "What is it that you can do?"
"Bad things. Hurtful things. Accidents that aren't accidents. Wish death of me, sate me. Do it. I'll ask nothing of you if my purpose is to kill."
Well, M.B. was certainly never going to let him hear the end of this one. "I don't want to kill anyone." He should have, but he didn't. Not truly. "Can you kill a feeling? An emotion?"
"Freewill is out of my claws." It growled, "If the feeling is a true one, none can suppress it."
If it was true? "And if it isn't?"
"Not true? If it is untrue what does it matter? Lies are lies. It will already be of little consequence."
Crap. If this thing couldn't stop his weird feelings for France then it did him very little good. "I- don't have anything to ask of you then."
"Then I am unbound." It breathed, a three-toed foot sweeping out to smear the chalk lines that had kept it at bay thus far. "Thank you, stupid little fool. For my freedom I will spare your life."
"N-no wait-" he snapped, but it was too late to do anything even had he known what. The demon fell into an inky smog and rose like steam, gone from sight in a matter of moments.
He fell back on his ass and put his head in his hands. That had probably been the worst summoning he'd ever done. Even Russia would have been better. Hell, he'd have offered him a cup of tea before calling up a demon. Too late now. He'd unleashed a monstrosity upon the world. Perfect. What terror would it cause?
Mint Bunny hopped up beside him, small furry face scowling. "Now what?"
He groaned and lay back on the hard concrete. "Call Italy and ask to borrow his Pope, I guess."

**
😐 Uhm... Yeah I don't know guys. 😅