It is time.

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The woman who took your coat is ringing a bell to call everyone to the circle around the bonfire. People line up just one step inside the circle, forming an inescapable wall of bodies. Chills run up your spine. The forest is still and quiet again; the only sound is the shuffling of feet and the loud crackling of the fire before you. The demons in the crowd stay behind, preferring to watch their humans summon. It is not their place, not now anyway.

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The people who organized this ritual have been busy lighting candles and burning a mixture of different herbs. You recognize some of the symbols painted on the ground and hung up in the trees. Everything they've done has been in the books you've read. It all seems to be correct, done by hands far more practiced than your own. Thankfully for you, your participation is minimal. The circle will draw whatever energy it needs. Since there are so many of you here, your portion of the energy should be pretty small.

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The woman inside the wall of people has a jar full of slips of paper. She shakes the jar around and then taps the bottom. One slip shoots straight up and out of the jar, exploding into a firework that spells out a name: your name. By luck, you have been chosen to go first.

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Good thing you know what you want!

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You step forward and the circle of people closes the spot where you once stood. You stare into the fire, imagining your demon. There is no turning back from this moment. This is everything you've worked for, everything you've wanted.

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You speak a name.

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The bonfire nearly snuffs out, only embers and the barest flames remaining. Nothing happens for the longest time. You look over to the woman, who gives you an encouraging nod. You bite your cheek. Did you do something wrong? Were you not clear in your intent?

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A soft crackling comes from within the pile of embers. You watch closely as some of the logs shift, as if something from the middle is pushing out. Then, you see a head nuzzling its way out of the embers. It's the demon you wished to summon!

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Eventually, it crawls out of the fire to stand before you, and the flames rise back up to their massive height.

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"Mortal," the demon says, almost exactly as you imagined they would sound. "You wish to make a contract with me. To prove yourself worthy, I demand the sacrifice and dedication of time." They smile at you. "Your sacrifice will be paid to others, friends of mine, and they are particular in what they require. To please all of them will be a challenge, but I am not unkind. You may choose a handful of demons you wish to pay tribute if you desire, and I will judge your worth."

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Seven demons materialize like ghosts, floating above the circle. You don't recognize all of them, and some of them look downright evil. You take in a steady breath. Which tasks will you undertake? Will you take them all on, or settle for a few?

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Here is what they require

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