Also, cut off his head and chop him to pieces just to be sure

:o

:|

>>1075355
Huh, was wondering where your sword went.

Anyway, I have a hard time imagining(no pun intended) that a dream sword to the back is all it'll take to put this thing down, so you should start envisioning all sorts of bindings on it.
Go even further, take the advantage while it's stunned and directly impose your will on the demon by envisioning it being weaker, smaller, stupider, more pathetic, etc. Hell, don't just envision it; believe it to be true. Strangle this thing with your will.
Subjugate this fool.

>>1075355
Until you wake, we should assume the demon is not dead.

Brilliant move, boss! Caught him completely off guard!
Of course, it was pretty obvious we had to distract or overwhelm him somehow, but even we didn't see that one coming. Bravo! That's why you're the one in charge.

Now stab him a few more times.

Oho, feeling voyeuristic are we? It’s only natural.
Well, better use some mind bleach, don’t want this to stain our nice clean psyche.

>>1075355

THERE'S our prince! Well done, Muschio!

Yank off his halo.

Drink his milkshake!

>>1075355

As a regent, deal the sentence and execute by beheading.

Muschio 2023/10/24(Tue)13:36 No. 1075461 ID: 46e818
File 169817977701.png - (26.98KB , 800x600 , 1777.png )

>"Fine. You win.
>Keep your fractured mind. I'll return to the scholar's. Do you think that's a victory?

>Even if your plan works,
>even you banish me, I'll be back someday.
>And I'll come back to find you."

Muschio 2023/10/24(Tue)13:37 No. 1075462 ID: 46e818
File 169817987969.png - (18.52KB , 800x600 , 1778.png )

>"It may take months. Even years. But I clawed my way out of the underworld before.
>You'll always be looking over your shoulder.
>Your new recruit? Your trusted friend? Your old ally?
>Are these the people surrounding you?

>Or it is just me?"

>>1075462
Uh, no. Where do you think you're going skinny? Muschio, get after him! Let's try to finish him off!

Make a note: Hire a cleric.

We can plan for that later. Is this thing still talking in your voice, using your memories? I don't like that. See if you can take back what's yours before this ends.

man, what a sore loser
gets tricked once and now hes like "FINE I'LL GUESS JUST GO BACK THEN >:("
taunt him based on that, if you cant attack him

Oh nooo... he's ragequitting. Poor baby~
What's the matter, guy? You were talking that real good shit just a second ago. And we were having such fun.
Well, ok, if you're going to be a bad sport about it, bye for now. Smell ya later Mr. Stinkdemon :)

Tell him this: "I eagerly await the next opportunity to embarrass you again."

What a yellow-bellied wretch. Couldn't beat a skilled laborer in the real world, couldn't beat a mortal in his own mind. You shouldn't concern yourself with the lamentations of such a petty creature.

>>1075462
no need to sink energy into it. just a simple, straightforward "Wow, you're kind of a bitch huh?" will annihilate it.

>>1075462
you misunderstand creature, you should very well be the one trying to keep as far and as safe from us as possible. We know your mark, we have your name.

This whole debacle where you took us unawares, where we had no idea what you were or how you functioned? It will not happen again, next time we'll have countermeasures and contingencies. And mark our words, should any your ilk, but especially you cross paths with us again we will then have a method of either destroying you with all finality or trapping you in a decidedly unpleasant eternity.

Run away, demon.

Muschio 2023/10/24(Tue)15:43 No. 1075476 ID: 46e818
File 169818738575.png - (8.12KB , 800x600 , 1779.png )

"Understand that I have dealt with abominable wretches and criminals. I have allied with monsters.

Some parts of me wanted to offer you amnesty. Even employment."

Muschio 2023/10/24(Tue)15:47 No. 1075477 ID: 46e818
File 169818762184.png - (16.30KB , 800x600 , 1780.png )

"Maybe I even could have forgiven that you intruded into my mind.

But you shackled Pendle.
You tried to kill Ona.
And Wes.

You came for MY people.
MY subjects.
Under MY PROTECTION.

THE ONLY PATH FOR YOU NOW IS ANNIHILATION!"

Muschio 2023/10/24(Tue)15:47 No. 1075479 ID: 46e818
File 169818766512.gif - (25.73KB , 800x600 , 1781.gif )

[Animated]

Muschio 2023/10/24(Tue)15:49 No. 1075480 ID: 46e818
File 169818775964.png - (7.65KB , 800x600 , 1782.png )

>"What is this?
>You've trapped me in YOUR OWN MIND?
>Are you completely mad?

>You can't kill me! Not here! Not in any way that matters!"

>>1075462
Threatening while retreating is a cowards way.
But his words ring true, if you're to deal the death blow. DO IT NOW.

Interesting.

Let's test that theory.

>>1075480
"No, no..."

"You misunderstand, demon. You still think this is about just killing you. No. You still think to threaten OUR people, fucker! OUR PEOPLE. First you sought to STEAL them from us, then you THREATEN them!"

"Death is too good for you, but you BEG for it! And I will not oblige you."

"You will learn to fear me. You will keep on learning, like the dog you are, until your fear of me, is greater than any hate or feeling of retribution, vengeance. You will fear having those thoughts. Because I will know it... And you will have to repeat this lesson again, and again."

I hope you know what you're doing.

>COWABUNGA IT IS
Oh!
Is this the part where we make the devil afraid of us? Please tell me this is the part where we make the devil afraid of us.

>>1075480
yey a new rommie

and one we are encouraged to bully to boot ☺

>>1075480
I don't think you understand what Muschio just did.
He can't screw you.
But we can.

You think Hell is the worst possible existence because of its pointlessly endless cruelty.
And you may be right.

But the worst possible torture involves giving you everything you've ever wanted
And then taking it away just before you can savor it, along with parts of yourself you took for granted
And then giving it all back to you
and then taking it away along with some of your memories
give more
take more
GIVE ALL
TAKE ALL
Never learning to live with the totality of life itself
For eternity.

If that's true, why do you sound so worried?

We might not be able to kill you here. But we can sure as hell make the idea of crawling back into the underworld far more palatable than trying to fuck with us and ours.

If you can, boss- that net you projected? Can you squeeze it inwards? Push him through it like cheesewire?

meh, you already showed how much you sucked you were as scary as the weakest Courage the cowardly dog episode and effective as the lamest Scooby Doo villain. You are going to sit here and you are going like young mister, now then happy halloween and go fuck yourself we are done here.

Eat him!

>>1075480
Skill issue.
Let's see how cocky you are when you're in a million pieces and begging for death.

"What a pity. For you."

Take his ring!

>You can't kill me!
Who said anything about that? There are worse fates for a creature that inhabits thought. You will be a plaything for the cacophony. Only discarded once you are well and truly broken.
Settle in. You’re gonna be here a while.

Fates worse than death do exist fool. Figured you knew that as a demon but even if you don't oh well. How long will it take to break your will? Shatter you to pieces while taking what is useful and leaving what's left in a personal hell? Purified, expunged and made to do good things? How fitting that a possessing demon be effectively possessed by an angel.

Yeah, makes sense. Can't hurt others if you're here getting dunked on. Well done, Muschio.

>you can't kill me, not in any way that matters
Ideas die all the time. Memories fade. Memes stale out. Chains of thought be mayflies living on borrowed time. If you're an errant, compulsive mental force - I don't see why you couldn't expire like a bad dream upon waking.

Unless you've got something truly ineffable, something that lasts beyond it all - and if so?

LIVE TO REGRET THAT

Muschio 2023/10/25(Wed)12:34 No. 1075597 ID: 46e818
File 169826249652.png - (10.32KB , 800x600 , 1783.png )

"Then why are you trying to run?"

Muschio 2023/10/25(Wed)12:36 No. 1075598 ID: 46e818
File 169826257478.png - (8.10KB , 800x600 , 1784.png )

"So where's the fool you thought was such an easy mark?

Whose mind you sought to crush?"

Muschio 2023/10/25(Wed)12:36 No. 1075599 ID: 46e818
File 169826259187.png - (9.67KB , 800x600 , 1785.png )

"Is that the man before you now?"

Muschio 2023/10/25(Wed)12:36 No. 1075600 ID: 46e818
File 169826260558.png - (25.08KB , 800x600 , 1786.png )

"Or is it just me?"

OHHHHHHHH you are being called out fool get fucked!

>>1075600
OHHHHHHH-! Now you fucked up! You have fucked up now!

Let's teach this demon what FEAR means!

Beat the shit outta him! Pull his limbs off, eat his body, start a Halloween fire in the building with his bones!

>>1075600
Finally, we can get our hands dirty.
Let's rip the demon apart.

>>1075606
Literary in this case. I really hope those fists are us. Really wanna punch it in the taint.

Aggressively play pat-a-cake with him.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Feel the weight of an entire empire stomping on you with two-inch-long high-heels.
Wring him dry!

Rip and tear!

Muschio 2023/10/26(Thu)12:12 No. 1075671 ID: 46e818
File 169834751913.png - (47.27KB , 1200x800 , 1787.png )

>"STOP!
>How?!
>How can--

>Enough! You win!
>I'll never cross your path again!
>I'll never even return to this world!
>I beg you -- stop!"

Muschio 2023/10/26(Thu)12:12 No. 1075672 ID: 46e818
File 169834754964.png - (17.19KB , 1200x800 , 1788.png )

"No amnesty.
No mercy."

>>1075672
Make the devil fear you...

Muschio 2023/10/26(Thu)12:26 No. 1075675 ID: 46e818
File 169834836880.png - (26.76KB , 1200x800 , 1789.png )

"Just

Muschio 2023/10/26(Thu)12:27 No. 1075677 ID: 46e818
File 169834847510.png - (31.17KB , 1200x800 , 1790.png )

ME."

>You can't kill me! Not here! Not in any way that matters!
Looks like that was a bluff.

Tell me the name of god.

So how well do you want this demon to be done? I prefer extra-crispy!

>>1075678
Maybe not a bluff, but shear ignorance. He seems confused about what is happening to him

Rip and tear.

We can ask a demonologist later.

Is it really you Muschio?
Where does that power come from?

>>1075689
It comes from the heart.

Because he is a man of focus, commitment and sheer fucking will.

>>1075677

Whatever you do be sure you carry it out 'till the end.

It may be scared of, it may be in agony. But that does not mean you can eradicate it. Be sure whatever remains is enclosed in a perennial fire and after seek a shaman/cleric/priest to unmade it for sure.

You can never be too careful.

Buh-bye, Padre.

I'm not convinced this isn't all some kind of long play where he lets us think we've won. Maybe this is how he gets everyone. This seems far too easy.

Keep rippin' I guess.

What, isn't this what you wanted? To live in our mind? Well, you got it - we just need to help you fit in. Shattered home, shattered guest. I'm sure being asked to stop never worked with those you've pulled apart before, so you'll understand if we take those words to be quite meaningless.

>>1075677
I'd normally say to leave him alive, as a source of information if nothing else, but he's already proven that he's both duplicitous and willing to kill.

Gouge out his eye, and rip him apart.

Muschio 2023/10/27(Fri)13:00 No. 1075733 ID: 46e818
File 169843680433.png - (20.03KB , 800x600 , 1792.png )

>"Now I see what you are.

>Only now, at the end, do I recognize you."

Muschio 2023/10/27(Fri)13:01 No. 1075734 ID: 46e818
File 169843687016.png - (28.08KB , 800x600 , 1793.png )

>"MMMOOAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUAAAAGHHH--"

Muschio 2023/10/27(Fri)13:01 No. 1075736 ID: 46e818
File 169843691347.png - (19.78KB , 800x600 , 1795.png )

Hooaarrkgh

... Well, that's either puke, or demon essence. If it's the latter maybe give it to Tislomer to see if she can do something with it.

How are YOU doing though boss?

How's it taste?
Black licorice or more like coffee?

Since you're up anyway - and provided you can stand without your knees shaking - pop into the dungeon, check on Pendle real quick.

Otherwise, rest.

Well done, Muschio. You took quite a bit of initiative there. Maybe you don't need us as much as you think. Or maybe your mind acts less fractured when you're in it.

Any idea what the demon was talking about?

Hey, boss.

You okay?

Give us a status report.

Go pay Ona a visit, she’ll probably have something to help you feel better and fall back asleep.
We can take care of checking on Pendle for you.

Oh. Problem, Muschio. At the very end, as it was pulled apart, the demon turned into its symbol. You better go get a full checkup from Ona.

>>1075737
Now that takes way back, with the Kobold girl in the village.

lap it up like the dog you are

Better get yourself a checkup, Prince. And check this isn't still a dream by pinching yourself or looking at the words in one of your books or something. Careful with whatever you just hurled. Maybe get out the Orb and have a look at it, too? Maybe make sure everyone's shards are fine? We probably need to watch ourselves, too. Anyway, once you recover and you've confirmed all that stuff was real, for a given value of real - good job! Your people have been protected, and you have dealt justice to the deserving! Once again you have demonstrated the virtues of a king.

First things first, we need to check on our ally who was possessed to see if he is still under the demon's control

So. It appears his brand was a signature based on a vision he once had.
He just didn't realize that vision was of his own doom.

But it's possible the demon's playing dead. Acting like a total weakling to get you to release Pendle early.

Find a fully-qualified exorcist. Though, the crusades are still seething at your existence and the pandering of your puppet king, so asking directly might result in more casualties. Check with Ridder, see if one of his holy connections has a temple on-demand.

That blue glow wasn't us. It was Ona's freaking sigil, tearing him apart!

Oh no, check the sigil! The one behind that tarp.

Well look at the big bad psychic badass.

Stellar work boss! Might wanna get both you and Pendle checked up on though.

...So, glowy blue hands.
In hindsight seems very familiar, wasn't one of them what saved young Ona from that falling pipe?

It does seem to have some kind of connection to that glyph of hers, though I don't think it has sole responsibility for that wonderful display. Ona herself definitely doesn't appear to think it's capable of any of the events that just happened, nevermind temporal telekinesis.

Muschio 2023/10/28(Sat)14:18 No. 1075790 ID: 46e818
File 169852793519.png - (21.40KB , 800x600 , 1797.png )

"FINESSE! BABRAKUS!
ONA!
EVERYONE!

GET UP!
EMERGENCY MEETING -- NOW!"

Muschio 2023/10/28(Sat)14:19 No. 1075791 ID: 46e818
File 169852796656.png - (5.69KB , 800x600 , 1798.png )

>"It's the middle of the night! I'm sleepy!"

"You can sleep when you're dead!"

Just give me 5 more minutes!

>>1075792
You get one, and only so you don't come to the meeting commando style.

well done sire!

... those blue hands, are they the same that saved Ona's mom? Are they extra-powered by Ona's rune on the wall, or will Muschio reach back through time to save her? (?)

>>1075901
OH SHI-

>>1075733
>>"Now I see what you are.
>>Only now, at the end, do I recognize you."
We are a VERY big deal apparently.
You know what this means, don't you?

We have an extremely good shot with Sadie, now.
Even a dragon can't pass up a psychic time wizard.

Next chapter:

https://questden.org/kusaba/quest/res/1076106.html