Chapter 82 : Specter

 

Friedrich had reached the airport, he was ready to return to New York, shortly before he had moved to the hotel to take the case in which he had his classical guitar. The boy didn't regret refusing Herbert's request, he did care about his brother but didn't want to take orders from a member of the Rote Mäntel just to enact a foolish revenge. He considered himself a free spirit.
An hour had passed and Friedrich was still sitting, waiting for his flight, regretting that he had left the hotel early. He got up to go to the bathroom just a moment, took his case behind and headed for the first public bathroom he could find. He was washing his face and after drying himself he heard the barking of a dog, he turned around, there was no one. There was no dog in sight when he opened the bathroom door. He heard barking again, coming from inside.
« What the hell is it? »
There seemed to be a dog on the other side of the wall but how was it possible? Friedrich touched the wall, it was solid, it wasn't fake. He still heard barking and suddenly saw a strange symbol appear.
« A demonic symbol. The symbol of Glasya-Labolas. Good thing I remember the demonology lessons. » 

Friedrich walked away, took the guitar case with him and tried to open the door. The handle was blocked, the door did not move. He was locked inside the bathroom, then Friedrich stirred and saw that red, magical arms that wanted to grab him were coming out of the symbol. He then used Magecraft and said:
« Feuerwolf! »
A fiery wolf appeared from nowhere and bit one of those arms. A female voice that seemed to come from the seal exclaimed:
« You are a conceited magus! You can't hope to escape! »
The wolf spat a fireball at the demonic seal and it was burned completely. The arms disappeared and Friedrich could relax but only briefly.

The female voice said:
« I smell the scent of your sin, magus, I know perfectly well that you are avoiding the Holy Grail War but I am interested in it and you will make me participate, willingly or not. »
« You're a very interesting demon. You demons are superior to human beings, from what I know, since ancient times you have managed to manifest yourself without our help, why would you ever need me? »
« You are very informed, magus. »
« I also recognized your seal: you are Glasya-Labolas the demon who teaches all the arts and sciences, you predict the future, you are a born executioner and you can make friends and enemies fall in love. I know enough things about you, yes. »
« Yes, I'm Glasya-Labolas, I was locked up in a crypt here in Hamburg, I felt the presence of a magus with a fragile soul. I need you. »
« You need me? What can a demon do in the Holy Grail of Yggdrasil? »
« I am a President of Hell, my desire is to be able to become King of Hell. I felt that the Grail realizes every desire so it will also realize mine. But the only way to get it is to agree to participate in this game that you mortals call "war". »
Friedrich knew perfectly the nature of demons: evil creatures, devoid of pity for human beings, who from the time they discovered how to cross the gates of Hell began to spread death and suffering in the mortal world. He couldn't trust Glasya-Labolas but at the same time he knew he was trapped. His Magecraft seemed to be ineffective and he would never be able to face the demon in a direct confrontation.
« How do I know you don't want to fool me? »
« Do you think I'm so mean? »
« I think you're one of the worst demons. »
« Ah, ha, ha, ha! »

 

The arms appeared again from every corner of the room but this time Friedrich was not quick enough to avoid them and was grabbed by the legs, the arms and even the throat. He was carried over the wall into a dimension that was not the mortal one, something that could be understood from the desolate landscape, from the soil black as coal and from rivers as red as blood, the arms dragged him into a wooden hut surrounded by mutilated bodies and human bones. The door closed and Friedrich felt his chest burn, a Command Seal appeared, the floor began to shake under his feet and a purple magic circle lit up, a curtain of smoke rose and this demonic creature with almost pale skin appeared, she had pointed ears and black hair and red eyes. She was a demon in the flesh.
« I am Glasya-Labolas, the first of my class. For the duration of this war you will refer to me as Specter! My class! »
Friedrich had been shocked by the magical energy that the Servant gave off. He stood up, moved the sweatshirt and looked at the symbol on his chest then said:
« So how do I remove this, now? »
« What?! No, wait! You can't do this! »
« Yes I can. If I use all three Command Seals I will break our bond and you will disappear, right? »
« Yes, but wait! Think about it! Come on, we're all friends here, right? »
« You literally forced me to make a deal with you. I didn't want to be your Master. »
« Wait up! I can do what you want! » She went up to him and whispered: « I bet you're a virgin. »
« First order … »
« WAIT UP! Ok, I was joking! What do you think of this? »
Specter snapped her fingers and showed Friedrich the image of some assassins sent by the Rote Mäntel to attack him at the airport. The girl then said:
« They're looking for you, Master. They'll kill you. »
« What am I seeing? »

« This is one of my personal abilities: it allows me to see events of the near future, very close. Will you still refuse me? How will you fight them by yourself? Do you really think they won't hunt you for the duration of the Holy Grail War of Yggdrasil? »
The idea of working together with a demon didn't exalt Friedrich, his intent was to get rid of Specter as soon as possible, he had no intention of participating in the Holy Grail War.

 

Friedrich Wolff and Glasya-Labolas by Bikowolf