Council of Elders Ch. 02

"Enough excuses!" The Daemon hissed. "I am still not as powerful as I once was, I need to feed."

"My Lord?"

"Not exactly my usual, but beggars can't be choosers I suppose." The Daemon was talking to itself. "Weak as a babe, but it will sustain me until I find someone of more strength."

Without warning, the Daemon launched forward and placed its hands on the bearded Summoner's chest. The tiny mouths in its palms began to chew on the flesh and dragged the life force and magic out of the man's body, which began to age before the Daemon's eyes. Soon the Daemon was holding a pile of bones that were crumbling into dust in his grip.

"Disgusting. Far too much sin to be tasty." The Daemon remarked as the maws in his hands clamped shut and seemed to melt back into the black skin. "But that's what you get when you give them free will I suppose."

Shadows moved from the edged of the room and seemed to collect at the Daemon's feet. They formed leathery wings that flexed at its command and then retracted into its back. It moved to one of the walls and splayed its left hand. Huge pressure pressed against the magical barrier until it snapped. The stone behind it cracked and burst outwards and the Daemon stepped through the hole.

The midnight patrons of the bar turned and stared at the monstrous creature that climbed out of the opening. They all experienced a moment of pure fear as the Daemon stood and bared its fangs at them. None of them had the power that it needed, so it simply walked through the front door, leaving the crowd in stunned silence.

As it stood outside under the stars, it tried to sense if there was any power nearby. There were patches of magic all over the world, but the two highest concentrations were in Italy and somewhere near Russia. The shadow-wings unfurled from its back and it took flight. It was heading southeast.