The CharacterA quick cry of shock, and then silence. It was a sound Janus was accustomed to, and one that excited him to no end. The old traveller was no longer standing before him. Instead, his body and soul rested in the palm of the demon's hand, taken into the crystal that lay caged by his clawed fingers.
"Hah! Idiot human..." he sneered, giving his cane a brief and triumphant twirl.
All the aging man wanted was the ability to prolong his life. It was something he was willing to pay any price for, even if the price was his own soul. After all, what good is an eternal soul if one could not die in the first place?
"I'll give you eternal life... But not in this world!"Janus was satisfied in his ability to trick this human, the same as with every trick he successfully played. His only regret was that this one was so predictable. That always made the game less fun. Still, a soul was a soul, so the demon would not complain.
"Another one down... I'm almost there." he added softly, bringing the shining crystal close to his face.
He glared cross-eyed at it, taking a moment to relish his victory. Another sound was heard now: monstrous, and brutal. Close by, the traveller's beast was being attacked. Whatever would attempt that had to be dangerous. Janus' first instinct was to run away. However, his curiousity had persuaded him otherwise. He pocketed the crystal, and moved stealthily towards the sound of carnage.
He came into range, and saw the horrific sight. It was a sight that would have struck fear into most any mortal, but the demon found only interest in what he was witnessing. As he moved in closer, his foot found something...
unfriendly. Janus threw his hands up to his mouth to stifle a yelp of pain. His will to remain undetected was stronger than the pain was. Bending down, he pulled the iron caltrop from his foot. It would take some time to heal, but heal it would.
"Clever beast..." It was clear who had set these. The only one around was the beast, who was clearly devoid of any injuries from such things. It was intelligent. It had to be.
"Clever... werewolf!" said the demon, silently correcting himself.
Already he was forming a plan. This was not the first man-beast he had encountered. These mortals were usually desperate, looking for any way to remove the curse upon themselves. It was easy pickings... He just had to wait...
Looking to avoid another caltrop, or any other nasty traps that may have laid about, Janus looked skyward. Once he found a high and sturdy bough, his form disappeared, only to reappear up on the target tree limb. From up there, he had a safe vantage point. He reclined peacefully on the thick branch, subconsciously fiddling with the cane. With a comfortable front row seat to the brutal maiming, he watched... and he waited...