[ He watches with interest as Avery starts climbing. He has no particular investment in joining him right now, but it's still more interesting than his book at the moment.
Books are any time! This new social interaction is worth more. ]
Is that what you do when you're a lawyer? Put people in jail?
That sounds neat! But it kinda sounds like you wouldn't get to do as much reading, since you'd be filling out lots of forms and putting bad guys in jail and all.
[ He thinks for a moment. The amount of information he knows about Daemon Court (if such a thing even exists) is approximately.........zero. So that might as well be correct! ]
That makes sense.
[ IT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR HIM. ] Daemons probably beat each other up a lot. Like they do with humans, except they probably don't kill them as much. So they probably don't need to go to court.
[ He nods, just as solemnly. That's true. Daemons are weird. ]
I wonder why they hate salt so much. A lot of books say it repels them, but they don't really say why...
[ Ekkehardt technically isn't..........wrong...in some ways because salt is an effective way of keeping some daemons out but. This is a weird way to jump onto that topic. ]
Someone probably switched around the salt and sugar when they were making cookies. Or unscrewed the cap on the salt shaker so when they went to salt their food they got a whole pile of it.
[ Ekkehardt could definitely just not agree to this plan at all and- ]
Sure. I'll ask my father. [ His dad knows everything and taught him basically all he knows about spiritual stuff so clearly, summoning a demon is within his knowledge base!! ] I've got a weapon, too! I didn't bring it with me, though.
[ spoilers it's a knife ] But I'll bring it next time.
[ And Ekkehardt has no idea when he'll see this kid again or even if he'll see him at all?? But this sure is happening. Demon summoning plans.
And he still has no idea he's talking to the prince of the kingdom. It's fine. ]
[It's another week before Avery shows up again, and when he slinks away from his servants anf finds Ekkehardt, it's easy to tell that he's sulking, even with his mask fully covering his face.]
They wouldn't let me help with the cookies. But I managed to steal a couple salt shakers.
Oh, you came back! [ He didn't actually expect it to happen, but he's clearly pleased to see Avery. He has some books and a knife in a fancy sheath that he's carefully holding. He is Responsible Enough For Knives Without Supervision, which is a sacred parent-child trust bond.
For him, anyway. ]
Salt shakers are good. That should definitely be enough. You brought your sword too, right?
[He turns around and jerks his thumb in the direction of the toy sword strapped to his back and suddenly he can't help but feel a bit inadequately prepared.
He didn't think Ekkehardt would have a real knife on him, especially when his own parents don't trust him around many sharp objects for some reason.
[ For better or worse Ekkehardt either sees the nervousness and decides not to mention it, or genuinely doesn't notice, or interprets it as excitement. It's hard to tell. ]
My father said it's okay to summon small ones, so we should be fine. [ Famous last words.
He uses the knife to carve an array into the ground, etching it in hard and making sure there's no gaps.
He looks at the books, and then at Avery. ] Do you wanna pick one?
[Small ones. That makes some sense he guesses. Though it seems to him they'd be harder to hit.
He takes a moment to page through the book, eyes narrowed and lips turned downward into a thoughtful frown. After a moment, he nods and turns the book around to show Ekkehardt.]
This guy looks good.
[The daemon in question looks rather vicious, maybe a little too much so, but it looked like the biggest small guy out there.]
[ He glances at it for a moment, and then nods. This is a plan with no possible chance of flaw or error! ] He looks like a pretty big target. That's good!
[ Is it good?? Probably not, but THE ARRAY IS ALREADY CARVED, THEY'RE GONNA DO IT. ]
Oh, you need some blood for him... That's okay, though, I can do it. [ He cuts his finger on the knife with an alarming amount of no hesitation whatsoever because that's his idea of being responsible - he's the one who brought the books so any potential repercussions with the summoning will be on him instead.
He lets it drip into the array. ] Okay, all ready. We can summon him now!
[Avery nods and carefully balances the book open in one hand, holding his other one out towards the array. Whether or not it actually will improve the incantation he doesn't know, but mages in stories and real life seem to do it from time to time, so surely there has to be more to the action than being overdramatic, right?
The wind slowly begins to pick up as he reads through the incantation, the blood that Ekkehardt freely gave somehow managing to spread and fill every line of the carved sigil despite how little had spilled, glowing brighter and brighter until--]
AH--! HEY!
[The book tumbles from his hands as one of his attendants runs over to Avery at top speed and tucks him under his arm]
Your Highness! What in the world were you doing?!
N, Nothing! We had it covered! Promise!
[He wiggles around in the poor, beleaguered attendant's grip to no avail, only managing to knock his mask loose to hang around his neck.]
[ He blinks, kind of processing that oh this is the prince for possibly the first time since they've met.
He'll probably get in trouble for this. But Ekkehardt knows his father will understand, and he doesn't know how Avery's parents will react, so he makes a quick decision. ]
Yeah.
It was my fault, though. I encouraged him and brought the books and everything.
[ He glances down at the array and scuffs it out quickly, breaking the circle. The light goes out. ]
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[ He watches with interest as Avery starts climbing. He has no particular investment in joining him right now, but it's still more interesting than his book at the moment.
Books are any time! This new social interaction is worth more. ]
Is that what you do when you're a lawyer? Put people in jail?
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[And there was something else, he thinks... Oh, that's right.]
And you write up contacts! Not like daemon ones but regular ones. For grown up things like taxes and work.
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[ Yes the books are the most important part here.
...
Wait. ]
Do you think daemons have lawyers too?
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Maybe they're all lawyers?
[They all make contracts, right?]
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But daemons are bad guys, right? So does that mean they put good guys in jail? Or is it badder daemons?
[ The mere concept of even badder daemons appears to be the slightest bit unsettling to him. ]
Do you think they have daemon trials and courts and stuff?
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[He has nothing to base this information on, but it makes sense to him.]
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That makes sense.
[ IT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR HIM. ] Daemons probably beat each other up a lot. Like they do with humans, except they probably don't kill them as much. So they probably don't need to go to court.
[ He's seen a lot of bodies okay ]
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[Avery no that's not what assault means]
...Daemons are weird.
[He says it with all the solemnity of a boy who has just learned the secrets of the universe]
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I wonder why they hate salt so much. A lot of books say it repels them, but they don't really say why...
[ Ekkehardt technically isn't..........wrong...in some ways because salt is an effective way of keeping some daemons out but. This is a weird way to jump onto that topic. ]
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I'd hate it too if it happened to me.
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[ Look at this itty bitty brains trust going on here. ]
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[That makes way more sense, actually.]
So does that mean you could purify a daemon with a salty cookie?
[gasp!]
We should totally try that! It'd be awesome!
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Are we allowed to do that? I don't think we're supposed to summon daemons...
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[He doesn't stop to think there might be a reason for that.]
Think about what'll happen if we do! We'll be heroes!
[He throws his arms up in the air for emphasis]
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...Not enough to give a hard no to the plan, but. It's something. ] If we're going to summon a daemon, we should be really prepared.
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[He frowns.]
And I left my sword at home.
[His wooden sword. That wouldn't do anything to a daemon.
Also, he has no idea how to summon a daemon.]
Well... We'll do it next time! You pick out the daemon and I'll get everything together. I can try and get you a sword, too.
if you want to timeskip ahead feel free to btw
Sure. I'll ask my father. [ His dad knows everything and taught him basically all he knows about spiritual stuff so clearly, summoning a demon is within his knowledge base!! ] I've got a weapon, too! I didn't bring it with me, though.
[ spoilers it's a knife ] But I'll bring it next time.
[ And Ekkehardt has no idea when he'll see this kid again or even if he'll see him at all?? But this sure is happening. Demon summoning plans.
And he still has no idea he's talking to the prince of the kingdom. It's fine. ]
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They wouldn't let me help with the cookies. But I managed to steal a couple salt shakers.
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For him, anyway. ]
Salt shakers are good. That should definitely be enough. You brought your sword too, right?
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[He turns around and jerks his thumb in the direction of the toy sword strapped to his back and suddenly he can't help but feel a bit inadequately prepared.
He didn't think Ekkehardt would have a real knife on him, especially when his own parents don't trust him around many sharp objects for some reason.
Honestly he's a little jealous.]
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My father said it's okay to summon small ones, so we should be fine. [ Famous last words.
He uses the knife to carve an array into the ground, etching it in hard and making sure there's no gaps.
He looks at the books, and then at Avery. ] Do you wanna pick one?
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He takes a moment to page through the book, eyes narrowed and lips turned downward into a thoughtful frown. After a moment, he nods and turns the book around to show Ekkehardt.]
This guy looks good.
[The daemon in question looks rather vicious, maybe a little too much so, but it looked like the biggest small guy out there.]
This one should be easy to hit.
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[ Is it good?? Probably not, but THE ARRAY IS ALREADY CARVED, THEY'RE GONNA DO IT. ]
Oh, you need some blood for him... That's okay, though, I can do it. [ He cuts his finger on the knife with an alarming amount of no hesitation whatsoever because that's his idea of being responsible - he's the one who brought the books so any potential repercussions with the summoning will be on him instead.
He lets it drip into the array. ] Okay, all ready. We can summon him now!
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The wind slowly begins to pick up as he reads through the incantation, the blood that Ekkehardt freely gave somehow managing to spread and fill every line of the carved sigil despite how little had spilled, glowing brighter and brighter until--]
AH--! HEY!
[The book tumbles from his hands as one of his attendants runs over to Avery at top speed and tucks him under his arm]
Your Highness! What in the world were you doing?!
N, Nothing! We had it covered! Promise!
[He wiggles around in the poor, beleaguered attendant's grip to no avail, only managing to knock his mask loose to hang around his neck.]
We were just fine! Right, Ekkehardt?
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He'll probably get in trouble for this. But Ekkehardt knows his father will understand, and he doesn't know how Avery's parents will react, so he makes a quick decision. ]
Yeah.
It was my fault, though. I encouraged him and brought the books and everything.
[ He glances down at the array and scuffs it out quickly, breaking the circle. The light goes out. ]
So don't be mad at him.
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