The Pledge

Khalus quickly follows suit and teleports to Emily's house. He a hear scream from within and rushes inside to see Desiree's hand gripped tight around Emily's throat. The Muse looks at Khalus with a mix of disgust and pity,"This? This is what's so important to you? A mere girl." She squeezes tighter causing Emily to gasp for air.

"Stop!" The trickster screams in desperation, "I'll do whatever you want, just leave her out of this!"

Desiree laughs, "You already promised me anything I want if I performed for your blonde pet, and I did, most spectacularly if I do say so myself." She looks to Emily with a violent lust. "And what I want is the death of this one." She raises Emily into the air with one hand and a wicked grin befalls her face once again.

"I'll give you my undying fealty!" Khalus attempts one last desperate bargain, "You know what that means coming from a god."

The Muse's eyes dart to Khalus with great interest, "Mmm, now that is more like it." She turns her head to the trickster, "Well...kneel." She demands.

Khalus gets on one knee and bows his head, "I pledge my undying fealty...." Desiree drops the mortal girl from her grasp. "....to Emily." The trickster says as he uppercuts Desiree, sending her flying through the roof of the house. He bolts into the air after her and begins pummeling her through the sky. The first blow had momentarily stunned the Muse, but she quickly comes to her senses and starts to fight back.

Desiree summons hundreds of spectral duplicates, "You think you stand a chance against me? I have millions of fans whose devotion fuels my divinity!" The duplicates speak in unison as they swarm Khalus and begin beating him. Khalus is helpless as the spectral fists knock him around like a pinball for what feels like an eternity.

Beaten bruised and bloody, the trickster's body falls from the sky and smashes into the street below. The duplicates dissipate as Desiree lands, her foot on Khalus' chest, "We could have been so good together." She summons a metal collar engraved with golden runes that blaze with ancient magic, "Now you'll be just another part of my collection." She puts the collar around the trickster's neck.

Khalus feels his divinity wane as the collar's magic takes effect. The Muse smirks, "I had it crafted by one of those Norse dwarfs a long time ago. It was meant to be used against my father, but we both know how that turned out." She picks him up by the collar and sets him on his feet, "Now let's show you to your new home, my pet."

They vanish.