text: [Themes: fantasy, fantasy]
  
  She takes no time to hesitate and begins kissing you. As she does so, she unties your tunic and throws it off. Her warm body pushes against your bare skin as you are filled with euphoria.
  
  Soon both of you are completely naked. Catia pleases you in ways no other woman has or will ever be able to. Afterwards you both lay in bed panting as one thought races through your mind.
  
  How do you get more of this?
  
  1 Month Later
  
  It's been a month since you've started having sex with Catia on a regular basis. The first few times you felt great afterwards. However, lately she has been demanding more out of you.
  
  First, you no longer have to say her name to see her. She visits you most nights whether you like her to or not. Last night she told you she wants to introduce you to a group: The Order of the Inferno. She told you they are a group of demons who could give you unimaginable powers in exchange for your help. You protested as you feared what could happen. Demon attacks are becoming more common and more lethal. Their reputation proceeds them and stomps out any curiosity you have of meeting one. Tales of rape, human consumption, and slavery are a few of many horrendous acts they have committed.
  
  Yet, as always, she managed to convince you. As much as your mind tries to resist, her presence is intoxicating. You embrace it as fighting gets you nowhere. She tells you to meet you in a nearby forest tonight. This is the first time you're seeing her outside your bedroom since the day you met. You sneak out the city walls when no one is watching and blend into the shadows.
  
  Although it is still winter, the temperature has unexpectedly risen. Some say its because of demonic power, others view it as being coincidence. Whatever it is, the cold will not be a hindrance. You reach the edge of the forest and feel your heart leaping out of your chest. While the city has many focused-on demons, other creatures lurk during the night. Just because Catia is on your side doesn't mean you are safe. You keep this in mind as you take cover in bushes and flora periodically.
  
  An intense red light comes into view causing you to close your eyes. You begin to stumble and fall to the ground. When you're able to open your eyes, you find yourself staring up at a hooded figure.
  
  "Who dares disturb me?" she hisses.
  
  Behind a dark brown hood lies a demonic face. Compared to Catia, she is clearly not human. Although none of that matters now, you begin to explain,
  
  "Catia told me to come here. Are you part of The Inferno Order?"
  
  "She sent a human to the center of The Order of the Inferno! I guess she wants to make up for earlier. I could never turn down a good meal."
  
  She begins advancing towards you as a snake-like tongue hangs out of her mouth.
  
  'Wait! She told me you wanted my help and would give me powers in exchange."
  
  She begins to laugh as she towers over you. You're helpless as she grabs your neck and leans in... to kiss you?
  
  "My kiss is to die for!"
  
  You surprise yourself when you send a punch flying at her mouth. She seems equally surprised as she falls backwards.
  
  "I guess I can still resist," you say.
  
  You get up and start running away but it's no use. She's much faster than you, especially considering she can fly. You don't have many options left but need to decide quick. Do you run deeper in the forest and hope to lose her or run back to the city and put everyone at risk?
  
  > go back to the city
  You pump your muscles and start running back to the city walls. She follows you like a hawk, soaring above you with her wings. Once she's directly above she swoops in. Too late though as you bolt through the city entrance. You keep running straight and dive into a nearby bush. You stop breathing and don't dare move. You can sense that she is nearby, but she doesn't seem to be trying to kill you anymore. Instead, you hear screaming in a nearby house followed by laughing.
  
  Curiosity gets the better of you and you peak out from the bushes. You spot her in a house cornering a family. You know demons are monsters, but what benefit is there to killing innocent children and their parents? It's senseless, what's the point of destruction for destruction sake? You continue starring at her as she slashes the throat of presumably a father. But for some reason, she does not kill him.
  
  What she does is much worse. She leaves him alive to watch as she sends a ball of red energy at the children. It renders them into ash, not giving them a chance to scream. You curse at yourself for indirectly causing this. Why did you listen to a demon anyways? You keep watching in nervous anticipation of her killing the father. Instead, she just leaves. What cruelty propels such an atrocious action? This man has lost all that's dear to him, and she left him alive.
  
  You stay in the bushes as she goes from house to house committing similar acts of violence. There must be a stop to the madness. You gather the courage to leave your bush haven. You dash away back to your home and fling the door open. Your immediately reaction is to get your sword and leather armor to slay the demon. Yet, the logical side of your mind tells you that's suicide. There's another way, although you don't want to admit it. What if you got drunk and contacted Catia to save your city? She saved your life before, maybe she can do it again?
  
  > slay the demon
  You must slay the demon yourself. Catia didn't bother showing up to the forest, why would she help you? You throw on your armor and pick up your sword. You grin at the thought of stabbing this demon to death. You haven't ever felt pleasure from violence before, yet something tells you you'll enjoy killing her. With your weapon and protection, you leave your home.
  
  Terror has spread like wildfire. Bodies lay on the street charred and bruised. Your veins pulsate with anger. Why, tell me why? These are your neighbors and friends. You run with each step being more purposeful than the last. After a few hundred steps, you hear laughter. There she is, cornering a group of children. You yell to create a distraction, but she ignores you. The children are reduced to fragments of ember.
  
  Destruction lies all around you with more bodies than you could count. You scream a battle cry of hatred and charge. She looks up and makes eye contact but doesn't move. You resist the urge to strike her down as you know you are outmatched physically. Still, another urge gnaws at your conscious forcing you to spit out,
  
  "Why would you do this?"
  
  You're surprised when she stops to think for a moment.
  
  "I had everything I held dear to me ripped away. When Catia came to me with the idea of working along side a human, I couldn't contain my anger."
  
  "What's wrong with working with a human?"
  
  She stares at you with pity.
  
  "You truly don't know? Why the hell are you helping Catia then? I don't understand."
  
  You are equally confused and explain your relationship with Catia.
  
  "Oh, so you're her fuck toy then? Jesus Christ, she'll never get back with such degrading tactics."
  
  You ignore her insult (although she said it more like an objective statement) and ask her,
  
  "What do you mean get back? Demons invaded earth, why wouldn't they want to finish the job?"
  
  "You think we're here willingly? Holy shit you're brain dead, I still can't get over Catia fucking a human as dumb as you. It would be like if you had sex with a jellyfish, completely different wavelengths."
  
  This hellish creature is relentless with her insults. Though it seems there is a fundamental misunderstanding between you two.
  
  "If you're not here by choice, why are you here?"
  
  She explains that there is a demonic code in the infernal realm. Any demons who break it, are sent to lesser realms for a chance at redemption.
  
  "And I was sent to one of the worst; Earth."
  
  "How do you get back?"
  
  "I need to conquer not through destruction, but manipulation. It goes against my nature, but it is the way of life in the infernal realm where all strength is equal. To prove my worth, I need to work with humans and other lesser creatures."
  
  "Then why are you destroying my city?"
  
  She sighs and furrows her eyebrows.
  
  "Because I'm pissed off, ok?"
  
  You continue talking to the demon, who tells you her name is Aria, until you come to a complete understanding of each other's motivations. Still, after everything you've learned about each other she says,
  
  "I'm still going to destroy your city. Although there may be one thing you could do to stop me..."
  
  She explains how a nearby wizard has imprisoned her friend, Azor, and offers to spare your city in exchange for his freedom.
  
  "You have 24 hours, or your city goes up in flames."
  
  Your blood boils over the fact she still desires to destroy the city. Your morality prevents you from standing aside and letting your city burn. You have your sword in hand and amour equipped. Why not pretend to agree then attack when she least expects it?
  
  > help save her friend
  "I'll help you to stop the destruction."
  
  "Great!"
  
  Aria conjures a portal made of dark matter.
  
  "Quick get in before it closes."
  
  You jump in, not knowing your destination. After a short transit, you find yourself outside of a tree house. You wanted to live in a tree house as a child, but now that your in front of one, they don't seem very practical.
  
  "How do I get inside?" you wonder aloud.
  
  "The ladder."
  
  "Why didn't I think of that! Thank you voice inside my head."
  
  "You're welcome, now free me from this ethereal prison."
  
  This must be who Aria was talking about, but you want to make sure.
  
  "Say, what's your name?"
  
  "Amlodipine Olmesartan Medoxomil, but you may call me Azor for short."
  
  You climb the ladder and enter a room with wooden floors and walls.
  
  "Why are you so fixated on the floors and walls? What did you expect a tree house to be made of?"
  
  You don't answer and continue examining your surroundings. A table lies in the center of the room aligned with various trinkets. One that catches your eye is a glowing red crystal ball. Your first instinct is to break it but you resist the temptation.
  
  "What are you waiting for, mortal? Free me from this ethereal trap at once!"
  
  > free him
  You grab the red crystal ball and drop it as it burns your finger tips. It shatters into a million pieces as a red fog pours out of it.
  
  "Now open up!"
  
  The red fog flows into your ears, mouth, and nose. Your eyes roll into the back of your head as your mind splits into two. Thoughts that aren't your own begin to flood in.
  
  "What are you waiting for? Let's get the hell out of here."
  
  You climb down the ladder and exit the tree house. You don't even know where you are right now but somehow know the way back is to the north.
  
  "Take a rest, I'm taking over."
  
  Your face grows warm and you start feeling lightheaded. Your body still walks forward as you black out. You awaken in mid conversation sitting by a campfire.
  
  "So when are you gonna get a better body Azor? Look at yourself, how will you kill anyone appearing like that."
  
  "Don't be so dismissive Kancor, at least with this body he won't have to worry about losing control."
  
  You look around and note the men you're talking with are much more muscular than yourself. There's something off about them, their body language is inexpressive and follows little pattern. Sometimes their hands dangle from their arms and other times they jerk up and down. It all feels unnatural and inhuman.
  
  "Looks like you might of spoke too soon Borax."
  
  "Nonsense, Azor is fucking with us and you're taking the bait. Now tell me, how did you convince this poor fuck to release you?"
  
  You stare at these two men and know you can't fight them. Plus, you feel a nauseating light-headed feeling. You could experience a loss of movement at any time if Azor gains control.
  
  "I convinced him to break my crystal ball, releasing me from my ethereal prison," you say remembering his own words.
  
  "Yeah but how did you do it? Borax and me had to torture bandits to near death, how did you get someone to give you control willingly?"
  
  "He had no idea I would gain control," you say with a hint of spite.
  
  "Damn small-muscled and a moron? Looks like you hit the jackpot with this one."
  
  "I sure did..."
  
  You talk for a little longer before Borax puts out the fire. Despite having little clothing for spending a night outside in the winter, you don't feel cold. Is Azor's presence maintaining your normal body temperatures?
  
  "What's the point of putting out the fire? We're going to have to use twice as much energy to stay warm."
  
  "We're demons, not monsters. Wouldn't want an entire forest burning down for no reason."
  
  "Wasn't the poor bastard you're possessing now screaming 'Monster! Monster!' when you tortured him?"
  
  "Kancor, you know I had no choice. He was being uncooperative and I needed to put him in his place."
  
  "Well you can think about how you had no choice but to mutilate his ball sack into a dough-like mess over sleep."
  
  All three of you lie down on lovely dirt mattresses. You stare eyes open fearing you might lose control at any moment. After what feels like an hour, you're sure both of them are asleep. You could get up and make your escape, although you have no idea where you are. Something tells you north is the way to go, but you have no idea how long of a journey it will be and when you will lose control again. You could fall asleep and wait until you're closer to safety. But what good will that even do? Azor will still coexist with you like an infernal parasite.
  
  > Escape
  You get up and sneak away, careful not to step on any sticks. Once you're a good distance away, you break into a sprint. You need to get out of here before they realize you're gone. If Ashton, or any city for that matter, is nearby, then maybe someone could help you. You heard about demon purges before but it never seemed to be the most pleasant process. What choice do you have if you want to hold onto your own free will?
  
  While running you start to feel incredibly dizzy. Your head sways up and down, spit drips out of your mouth, and you begin to fall. You wait for Azor to take over, but he never does. A coldness perpetuates all around you as you go numb. There will be no one to save you as you pass out from the freezing temperatures. You die a relatively painless death.