shankar2k's Journal: Delusion: Bargain

Mephistopheles was the only Demon to bear a soul.

It was Spring and the Doldrums were ever so slowly dissipating ... and Mephistopheles was growing desperate ...

"I need your help," said Mephistopheles, almost in a whisper, but he was sure Kain
had heard him.

The Demon Kain, his other half, did not respond. It was chained to a wall, so that it could not act, because it was reckless when left unattended. But Mephisto had discovered before that it lacked the ability to speak of its own volition.

The Demon did not match up to Mephisto in a great many other aspects. It was weak, and cowardly, lacking in any combat skill. But when the Demon Kain could affect Mephistopheles if it chose. It could simply lay dormant and suddenly Mephisto's ambition would vanish. Even if Mephisto focused on the task at had, the Demon could cloud his mind and make him forget. If it had a talent, that was it.

But it was not evil, as Mephisto was slowly realizing. It was selfish, base, and incredibly short-sighted, but on rare occasions, it's desires made sense to Mephisto. This was not one of those times.

"I know now why it was why I, why we, came to Nodd," Mephisto continued ... "We were confused ... we did not know what we truly wanted out of life ... and so when I entered the Nether and trusted myself to Destiny ... and she sent me to my Purgatory, or rather, yours ..."

The Demon twitched, but it wasn't clear that it had responded.

"I have never wanted to be here, and have tried to escape many time, but each time, I inevitably ended back here ... because you dragged me back. You are here because you want to be a Lord, or at least you did, but you have forgotten, and have allowed us both to wallow here for too long ..."

"But it ends now. You want to be a Lord? Very well, I will make us a Lord. But I will need your help to do it. Will you help me?"

The Demon still did not move significantly. Something felt different though. Mephisto focused on Kain for a long time, empowering it to speak the words he knew it would say ...

"My help ... is for a price ..." the Demon hissed.

"What price?" Mephisto asked.

The Demon, having expended enough energy for the day, settled back and closed it's eyes.

"I know what it is you want, and I can try, but we both know how improbable it is that I can get you what you want ..."

Kain's eyes lurched open and he drew close to Mephisto. "You will get us our heart's desire!" it rasped. The Demon coughed and wheezed, finally lying down and settling into slumber ...

"Very well," Mephisto said, with finality. That was the closest to assent that he was going to get.