The Long Game

Shelia's new body may have been an excellent weapon against would-be attackers, but it made for a very lousy escape partner. Her huge weight meant that every shift of the ground was a struggle to keep the both of their feet on the ground.

The Tree Roots weren't making things easier, as you almost went sprawling to the ground when your toes got caught on a outgrown one. The foliage here was thick and almost seemed to block out the sky above, leaving the entire place in an eerie darkness as you pushed your body, heaving each breath as you moved, further and further from Johnstons reach.

"Least ya not in that Drongo's body. Bet he couldn' lift a stick a Fairy Floss, after what we put 'im through." Shelia offered some morale boosting words with as best of a smile as she could, but she couldn't keep the worry from her borrowed voice.

"Yeah. Can you move?" you asked, looking down as he kept to working half-dragging his companions huge form. Shelia concentrated, her legs moving sluggishly, looking like it took a lot of concentration just to move.

"'Fraid not yet, Love. Bloody hard to just keep standin like this." She said, as the two continued their journey. The forest seemed quiet, no birds or bugs or any other wildlife seemingly around. You hadn't been one for the outdoors lifestyle before, at least you didn't think you'd been, but even you could tell things seemed too quiet.

As you continued to walk, you kept as good a look out as he could for signs of Johnston or Jason. You took a step and suddenly felt something crackle off of your hand, like touching static electricity. You glanced towards it, afraid you'd see some crazed half-human thing making its way inside of you. God, this night was so crazy, that fear didn't even seem irrational anymore.

There was no creature on your arm, just the ring. Its golden color was glowing, giving off a pale light. Something else caught your attention however, at the base of your feet, was a long line of red colored light. It was like someone had laid down an LED strip, which pulsed slowly in rythem with the ring.

"What the hell?" You whispered softly, unsure of what exactly this meant. Your eyes followed the line, seeing it stretch for a bit before making 2 sharp turns, almost like someone had drawn them onto the ground.

"Shut Da Fuck Up 'an Give Me Wha I Want, Punk Ass Bitch!!!"

The cry made Jason freeze in his tracks, cutting through the quiet woods as he looked around. That had sounded close, very close. The voice had sounded very deep, booming and baritone. It was unmistakably a mans, and a big mans at that.

You glance to Shelia, who nods and motions for you to get low to the ground. The both of you do so, moving a bit more into the thick bushes in front of you. And as you do so, come face to face with a clearing, small orbs of red glowing light hovering in the air as young girl stands in the middle of the orbs.

She was dressed in a Schoolgirl uniform, and her slanted eyes, pale skin, and black straight hair kept at shoulder length, seemed to suggest she was from Asia. Her shirt was torn open, allowing everyone to see her Bra and modest b-cup breasts. She almost looked to be Shelias age, possibly younger, as she looked around the area. She held what looked like a revolver in her hands, the hammer cocked as it glinted in the unnatural light. Her face was twisted into rage, and she opened her cute, small mouth to speak.

"I Ain't Gonna Ask Ya Again, Bitch! Give me Dat Fuckin Book! I Ain't Playin no Fuckin Game With Ya'll!!!" Her voice definitely didn't match her body, it sounded like the kind of voice you'd hear outside of a Club. Like a bouncer who'd rouged up one too many customers in their day.

"Oh, but this is a Game. The rules have been explained to you already. Its written all over the place, after all..." Came a response. The voice sounded cheerful, almost bemused. It also sounded very close, so close that you could tell exactly where it came from, above you. You steeled a glance upwards, seeing someone sitting up in the tree above your hiding spot. The man looked nondescript in his late 30's, he had brown hair cut short and parted to 1 side, wearing what looked to be a collared t-shirt, khakis that were torn and frayed at the bottoms, and a pair of glasses. In his hand was a book, and he had Bright Red Eyes.

Bright Red Eyes which were currently trained on you, making eye contact as you froze in place, all the blood going absolutely cold in your veins. He stared at you from his vantage point, then smiled as he glanced back towards the young woman, "We appear to be getting quite busy, so I'll say it one more time..." The man said as he jumped out of the tree branch, landing with a thump on the ground feet first, as he rose from his super hero style landing stance,

"Answer my riddle, so we can progress this game. What instrument can you hear, but never see? That you can train with, but never hold? That can crack, but be just fine a moment later."

You want to run, but you're frozen. Any move and you might make a noise, drawing more attention. While the guy with the book had seen you, the girl with the gun was different. Then there was Shelia, still affected by the ****. You couldn't leave her with these two, but you definitely couldn't just stay here. As you turned to look back at her, you noticed a line of the glowing light a few inches away. Your ring glowed again, the feeling of static electricty dancing on your finger as the Red Light seemed to change, shifting into words. Your eyes transfixed on the words, leaning closer as if compelled to do so.

"The Game is a Ritual, in which two people wager something they value, in the name of the Demon Lord Shzzalbazt. I, Dakaroth, Demon Serpent of the Malebolge, so long as I am bound to this Vellum Prison, swear by my masters name, that I shall be fair and just in my conduct. Once the game has begun, both must compete..."

"What kinda-, Ohhhh, Ya'll done it now..." The Asian Girl said as she aimed the Revolver and leveled it towards the mans chest. "I'm gonna pop a cap in your ass if you don't give me that Goddamn Book now!"

You heard the noise, but the words of the light were almost too much to ignore, reading further and further as he were compelled to do so.

"Should a person be unwilling to compete, they must announce three times this phrase, "I renounce this game, and seek to play no longer". Should the person fail to do so, or break the rules of the game through ****, they will forfeit the game. No one may leave this binding circle until the game has reached its conclusion."

The sound of a Gunshot cut through your reading, causing you to Turn you head back towards the Clearing. The guns barrel was smoking, and the girls body stood there, completely frozen in place. The mans body had its head jerked back, and moments later, seemed to snap out of it.

"Punk Ass Bitch, Didn' even try ta dodge..." Came the voice out of the mans mouth with a grin as he patted the book in his hands. As he did so, the lights began to spin more and more, the mans body blinking as he looked up and around the area, "Da fuck?" he questioned aloud.

The orbs began to spin faster and faster, swirling like a typhoon as the book itself began to glow red as well. Out from the now swirling mass, emerged something you hadn't quite been expecting. It was a snake, or at least, kinda looked like one. Its long body was impossibly huge, it sported a pair of horns upon its flat head, and its mouth was filled with jagged sharp teeth, rather then simple fangs. As it slithered forth, one could see its body clearer, and rather then scales like a normal serpant, this snake seemed to be covered in what looked like bones. Hundreds of bones coated its hide, ribs jabbing out at random angles, skulls pressed into its belly as it moved.

You wanted to scream, but held your hand to your mouth. The mans body looked around the clearing, seeming to not even see the Serpent as he spoke up, "Who Da fucks Out There? I AIn't Got time for your Games!"

"Indeed..." The voice was the one from before, echoing all around the clearing as it continued, "You've broken the rules....and now, you're going to pay your Due." The serpents mouth moved with each word, the man not seeing it as it opened its mouth, and rather then a tounge, red hot chains shot forth. As they did so, its own body seemeed to contort inwards, like it was being squeezed out of it, as you saw these same spectral chains leading from its body, coiling around and into it, and leading back to the book that the man held.

The chains moved lightning fast, slaming into the mans mouth as he gagged, hand going up to his throat as he dropped the book. Its pages opened up as it lay on the ground, and the man's eyes rolled into the back of his head as he clutched his chest and neck. His body bulged unnaturally, as the chains began to withdraw, streching like a balloon filled with too much water as out from the body, flew another person. He was tall, his charcoal skin and rippling muscles struggling against the chains that coiled around him. More importantly, he was completely transparent, not unlike you'd been when you possessed Jason.

'That...is that his soul? It's being dragged out of his body!' You thought in stark realization at what you were seeing. This was a demon, this was an actual, honest to god demon. You held your scream back, but the mans soul didn't, letting out a terrified call as he was dragged closer and closer towards the Snake-Like Monstrosity. It flew into its maw, and with a single, thunderous slam of its mouth, the snake had devoured the possessors soul. A moment later, its boney body shifted, as a new skeleton pushed its way out into its body.

"Ummmm...Delicious...." The serpent whispered as the mans body slumped downwards and onto the book. Moments later, it seemed to begin sinking into the pages, slurped up limply until nothing was left but a newly drawn sketch of the man. The serpent flew downwards, coiling towards the girls body, still frozen in place as it gave a pass over, 'Yeeessss...This body will do nicely..." It said, before rearing back and slamming its head into the girls bodies mouth.

Her entire body jerked back as her mouth was **** open, stiff body collapsing to the ground as her throat and stomach exploded in size. Her unbuttoned shirt barely containing the flesh as the snake slid its way into her. The chains of its body dragged the book closer to her form, sending it into her limp grasp as its tail slurped its way past her lips like a oversized noodle. She lay there, motionless and filled to bursting, when suddenly the bulge deflated all at once. Her body seemed to spasm, back arching and limbs curling inwards before relaxing, the girl rising to her feet as she gently dusted off the book, tucking it under her arms.

"It's been sooooo long since I got a body. Trapped in this book, used as a tool for others to take over bodies of the young. But now, I get the chance to live. If I win, I can march out of this accursed place for good..." The girls voice was soft and light, almost a whisper, and felt like it belonged to a girl her age. However, there was something about it, about the way she spoke, that still let you know exactly the kind of monster living in her skin now. The girl brought her hand to run it along her exposed body, giving a inhale of breath as her fingertips skimmed over her exposed stomach.

"All I need to do, is wait here. Impatient mortals looking to escape my trap, will break the rules...Whether first or last, they'll be **** to play my game or die if they want to win this contest. Ohhh, what fun. I can hardly wait..." She sad as she brought her other hand up, examining the gun. "Humans and their silly toys..." She said as she tossed it over her shoulders. The gun landed right in front of you with a heavy thud, and you grabbed it out of instinct before turning around to head back to Shelia.

"And how about you, little boy?" The voice came from behind you, "Care to play a game? If you win, you'll get to have anything you want...I promise." She spoke in a sing song voice, and you needed to make your move. You knew how to get out of this place, but you didn't know how much of what the demon said was true. Then there was the ring, it seemed to linked to this demons magic, and maybe it'd give you some kind of advantage here. Or it could make sure you couldn't say no to it. There were so many variables, your mind raced to come up with which one would work out in your favor.

"Well, boy...What kind of game would you like to play? This girl liked 20 questions, but she used her gun instead...I know, How about Russian Roulette? Loser has to give up everything to the Winner..." The girl said as she stared at you, with glowing, snake like red eyes, "Doesn't that sound like fun?"