The Devil's Cabin
Jon slumped into the guest chair, resigning himself to his fate.
He waited for the Devil to extract his life force.
"Wait," Ernst said, raising a hand.
His eyes locked onto the small silver cross dangling from Jon's thick neck.
It wasn't just metal. It thrummed with a unique resonance.
The pure, unadulterated power of belief.
"Where did you get that pendant?" Ernst asked, leaning forward.
"You might get to keep your life force after all. I am willing to trade."
Jon blinked, his scarred fingers brushing the silver.
It was a gift from his sister, bought with their meager savings to keep him safe.
She had been scammed by a gang-connected street peddler.
Jon had tried to return it, faced down the thugs, and ultimately kept it just to spare her feelings.
"It's Catholic," Ernst mused.
"But this was forged from specific materials used by high-ranking clerics to store the power of faith. It's valuable."
Ernst offered a predatory smile.
"Give it to me, and you can pick any treasure you desire."
Jon weighed his options. The cross was a symbol of his sister's love. But losing five years of his life meant he might not be there to protect her.
He unclasped the heavy chain.
"Alright. We trade. But why does a devil want a holy cross? Aren't you supposed to be mortal enemies?"
Ernst waved a dismissive hand. "Propaganda."
Jon frowned. "Propaganda?"
"Heaven and Hell are not the absolute antagonists humans believe them to be," Ernst explained.
"On the surface, it's fire and water. In reality, angels and devils frequently collaborate."
"Angels cooperating with devils?"
"It's just business," Ernst said.
"Different factions need different types of souls. Demons create chaos, instilling fear in a region. Then the Church swoops in as the savior to banish them. It's the perfect racket to harvest new believers."
Jon stared, horrified. "But God loves the world. They deliberately hurt mankind?"
"Consider Lucifer," Ernst countered.
"The fallen angel was God's favorite son. Without his 'rebellion', the Church wouldn't have grown so fast. It's all about the marketing."
Jon's massive hands clenched.
"Is any of it real? My sister... she's genuinely kind. Will she go to Heaven?"
His voice cracked. He needed to know she would be safe in the end.
"Not necessarily," Ernst replied coldly.
"Heaven wants useful souls. Good people who are visible, who inspire the masses. If her good deeds go unnoticed, she might not meet their quota. She could easily end up in Hell."
Something inside Jon shattered.
He was a monster. He always knew he was bound for the pit. But his sister?
If the afterlife was just another corrupt syndicate driven by quotas and interests, he didn't care about it anymore.
He only cared about giving her a good, safe life now.
Jon took a deep breath, pushing the existential dread aside.
"What can I get for this cross? Money? Power?"
"A million dollars in cash," Ernst offered.
"Or, if you prefer the abstract... I have physical enhancements, advanced weapons, and magical artifacts."
Ernst tapped the heavy wooden table. A holographic menu flared to life.
Jon stared at the glowing list. Immortality potions, protective amulets, weapons of war.
His cross could only buy so much.
He made his choice. He selected a physical enhancement serum.
It was an inferior variant of a master formula, but it promised to permanently double a normal human's baseline strength.
Ernst materialized a parchment contract covered in thirty dense clauses.
Jon read it carefully. Finding no traps, he signed his name.
Ernst opened a sleek metallic case, extracting a syringe filled with glowing blue liquid.
"Give me your arm. The reaction takes ten minutes. You will experience severe fever and pain. Endure it."
Ernst tapped the glass barrel.
"It contains high-energy compounds. It will rapidly heal your injuries and upgrade your physical body. Those thugs waiting for you outside won't stand a chance."
Jon eyed the syringe.
"Why does a devil use a needle? I thought you'd make me drink demon blood."
"Times change," Ernst said flatly.
"If I wore a white lab coat, you'd call me a scientist. Adapting to human trends makes the product easier to accept."
Jon had no argument for that. He extended his scarred, bleeding arm.
He didn't doubt the Devil. The contract guaranteed the transaction.
Ernst depressed the plunger. The blue serum flooded Jon's veins.
Fire erupted under his skin. Jon bit back a scream, his muscles violently spasming as the formula rewrote his biology.
He forced his mind to remain steadfast. He endured the agony.
Ten minutes later, the fire receded into a dull, thrumming warmth.
Jon stood up. The crippling injury in his leg was completely gone. His scars vanished.
He clenched his fists. Raw, unbridled power coursed through his heavy frame.
He felt invincible.
It was his lucky day. And he owed it all to his sister's little silver cross.
-------------
Author's Note:
Do you want to read 25+ Chapters ahead right now?
Stop waiting. Come over to the dark side. We have cookies, advanced chapters, and very, very detailed 'plot.'
patreon.com/
Dark_sym