Thomas kept the prayer beads on hand, knowing full well that the demons would never be done with him. It was a precautionary measure he needed to take because by nature when someone denies a demon's entitled demands they would take it by any means necessary.
It had been centuries when the demon world merged with the human world. Some humans had demon ancestors while some remained to the racial heritage as seen with the demons that almost raped him.
Not to say that Thomas didn't have demonic ancestors before. He had his magic because demons merged into the human culture and life as well, marrying into human families. Humans now had magic flowing in their veins along with certain "traits" that were carried over with demonic blood.
There are 7 types of demons that were introduced into the world based on the 7 capital vices. They once embodied them, but after centuries of living in the human world interbreeding was bound to happen and most demons were no longer of a single vice.
Based on what Thomas could discern on the aura and physical descriptors of his assailant, he was a true demon mostly of anger and lust. The other vices being minor in his manifestation. His friends however were mostly pride and the other being greed...
His family didn't manifest any traits from having a demon ancestor, which was normal with most people. The bully that hurt him today could have manifested the brute strength of having a demon of wrath as his ancestor.
Thomas walked over the boundary line set up around his house, the magic fueling the wards replenished when he sets foot into the area. He could feel the sap on his reserves start, as is any cost with using magic. Unlocking his door and entering, Thomas released a breath he had been holding.
"What the hell. That was the first time a demon demanded something from me, a true demon no less." Thomas wiped his face from the sweat, locking the door with a snap of his fingers. It was already night now and he needed to prepare to sleep.
"Home sweet home." Thomas walked upstairs to prepare for sleep.
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Thomas jerked awake when he feels a large chunk of his reserves dip when a hole in his wards was breached. He knew it was coming, but this early in the night? Looking to the clock at his bedside revealed that it had barely passed midnight. "What the fuck... I just felt three."
"Those demons earlier." Thomas quickly took the warding tools being the prayer beads and a bottle of salt. Whatever happens, Thomas was sure to repel them tonight.
Walking out of his room and going for the stairs, Thomas walked down to his living room. The locks on his windows and doors haven't been breached, but the wards weren't meant to handle three true demons at once. Closing his eyes to focus, he sends out a pulse of magic to feel around.
The back door
A loud crash breaks him out of his concentration with the shields on his back door flares to burn the intruder, but the door was now down for the count.
"Agh fuck! That guy had wards on the doors!" He heard the brutish growl of the demon's voice from earlier curse. "It fucking hurts!"
Thomas watches as the other two stalks into his house, the remnants of the ward fluttering down as white flakes. He could see their silhouettes, the demon of pride standing tall while the demon of greed brandishing the claws of his long arms.
Thomas wasted no time, flaring his magic into the beads and swinging when the demons noticed him by the stairs. The stringed beads elongated and fly out of his hands, snapping around them and binding them to the ground. The salt in his hands glowed white as he pours it into a line on his stairs before running up. He needed to buy time to activate the prototype sealing magic in his magic room.
Running up to the room where he practiced magic, Thomas hurried in. The sigil on the floor was complete, but his understanding of how it works was still flawed. It had asked for a vessel enchanted within moonlight for 30 days, but he only had one!
He feels the beads break apart by the red demon's power, the three of them rushing and tearing the barrier salt in demonic rage. Thomas had no more time if they could sense where he was.
Placing the vessel, a marble jar in the middle of the sigil, Thomas awaited the arrival of the demons. Their steps pounding the floors getting closer to where he was.
Thomas was terrified for his life. Maybe it would have been better to give the demons what they wanted after all. His understanding of advanced magic was still too novice!
The door slams open as the three barges in, their demonic visages in glee. In the Mirror of True Self's reflection set across the room, he could see the smoky apparitions burn. They were pure true demons after all.
"So. We want to claim what you denied us, along with your soul." The leader grinned. Thomas pedals backward to make more space. "When we have your soul, you would be our thrall. Just have to break your mind and body to get it."
"You know I'm not going to fall easily." Thomas bravely rebuked. "Come on, just a few more steps for all three to be in the circle..."
"We're True Demons man. Practically nobility amongst the other demons that frolicked with humans." The demon of pride jeers at him. "You're practically fucked."
"Ahaha, fucked soon enough too." The demon of greed licks his teeth in anticipation. The leader steps closer, followed by his lackeys.
"Now"
Thomas knew the vessel wasn't enough, but he had to try. "Sigillum!"
White flame revealed the sigil of sealing under the three, the vessel erupting with fiery white chains grabbing onto the three fiends. Thomas could feel his core empty out of magic, but it was this or nothing. He could feel unconsciousness creeping in as he fell to his knees, feeling his body substitute the additional cost with his lifeforce. He coughs out blood.
"Well, if I die now, might as well be free."
He faintly hears the roars of the demons as more chains erupt from the vessel, now colored in blood red. Thomas could only smile when the vessel cracks and the chains loosen.
"S..hit." The vessel explodes as the chains lash out everywhere as he blacked out. But before he fully falls into the realm of unconsciousness, he could hear a whooshing sound as he feels the chains attach to him.
Could feel the fire and magic penetrating deep into his emptied core.
Feels the most painful feeling even when he could no longer feel his body flare, feel his core bloat with foreign essences.
The sigil on the ground flashed a bright nova as Thomas jerks around, unable to feel anything happen to his body at all. Is it withering?
Is it... growing?
It doesn't matter.
Thomas died at that moment but was then revived at the same time.
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Groggily waking up never feels so painful. His body was burning, yet was numb to everything. Seeing his reflection in the mirror shows himself lying on the floor wreathed in dark smoke. He couldn't rationalize what he was seeing, but he couldn't move. Not yet.
He falls into painful sleep.
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Thomas was woken up by the sun's heat from the window. The warmth he could feel was pleasant to his body. There was no more numbness as he opens his eyes to the world once again. Groaning, he freezes upon hearing a growl escape his throat.
"What the actual.. fuck."
He closes his eyes, pushing himself off the floor. It didn't take much to sense that he was heavier. As he stands up, it feels like he had grown taller. Not wishing to see it with his eyes, Thomas senses it with his mind's eye. He... had been changed. He could feel the difference in his physiology.
Thomas opened his eyes and stares down at his hands, staying calm.
He could see the claws attached to thick forearms, his eyes traveling to the thick biceps and triceps, his skin a deep, dark red. The body he now possesses was muscular as his eyes travel down to clawed toes. The weight on his head led him to feel with his hands, feeling the horns adorning his head.
"I am totally damned." Thomas gruffly groans. Not to mention that he could feel his core overfilled with power, expanded beyond human. Or the fact that he was naked, seeing his altered rod standing erect.