[center][h1][color=0054a6][b]B L U E D E V I L[/b][/color][/h1][hr][/center] [sup][color=black]12:47 p.m. PST | July 5[/color][sup][color=black]th[/color][/sup] [color=black]| Los Angeles, California[/color][/sup] The reflection that greeted Daniel Cassidy was something new and entirely foreign to him. Gone was his lanky frame, replaced with the exceptionally tall, bulky figure. Its - his - pectorals stretched broadly across the chest. Impressive abdominal muscles seemed to ripple with every slight movement of this new body. Bringing his right arm up, Dan flexed and couldn't contain the awed expression as the biceps grew more prominent and he noted the bulging muscles must be the size of his real, human head. His eyes flicked up to scan the features of his face. Blue skin and yellow, pupilless eyes. Thick, curved horns that grew from his forehead at a ninety-degree angle. He cautiously raised one hand and ran the palm across his smooth head, recoiling slightly as he felt the long, sharp claws that tipped his fingers scrape against his scalp. "Wow," the teenager let out a wonderous sigh as he admired this new form. "Is this what you look like? Am... am I in [i]your[/i] body now?" There was a pause before a deep, almost growling voice resonated through young Cassidy's mind. "[b]This body is similar to my own, though with noted differences. It is...[/b]" Another, longer pause followed as the voice attempted to find the proper words. "[b]This form is more human than my own. A side effect, I imagine, of our merge.[/b]" The answering voice belonged to Astaroth, a literal demon from Hell, and a somewhat reluctant new resident of Daniel's body. Only little over twelve hours had passed since their accidental merging, though to the demon, caged and unable to exert any manner of control or independence, the passing time seemed to drag on for longer. Only yesterday had he been in another dimension fighting tooth and claw with fellow demons in an attempt to rebel against the ruling order of Hell - the Triumvirate - and prevent an invasion of this mortal realm. Now, despite all his might and power, he was trapped in the body of a frail, human boy. And one who did not seem to understand the importance of Astaroth's mission. Nor the dire consequences that would come from such ignorance. "[b]You must revert back to your own mortal form, Daniel Cassidy. You tempt fate and risk much by invoking my power.[/b]" Daniel froze mid-flex. "What do you mean? I'm not going to, like, get stuck like this, right?" "[b]I do not believe so, though it may well be possible.[/b]" Astaroth could feel the surge of anxiety pulse through their shared form. "[b]No, the risk is of a much more tangible danger. My kind radiates a certain energy, and the longer you maintain this transformation the more likely for the demonic aura to be noticed, and for those pursuing me to track it here. By doing so you risk not only your life and the lives of your family, but more importantly, you endanger the safety of the Trident.[/b]" Demons, Hell, the Trident, and his mission. These are all concepts Astaroth briefly explained to Daniel throughout the night. At the time, Dan had struggled to come to grips with his new reality, and through the confusion, fear, and doubt of his own sanity, not much of what he had been told stuck with him. What he could recall, though, was the mention of dark forces seeking Astaroth out. "Right, okay." Daniel took a deep, calming breath. "Okay, I can do this." The initial change from Daniel's meek form to that of this new, powerful body had not been a conscious, voluntary choice. He had been questioning Astaroth once the panic had settled and turned to wonder and excited curiosity, asking what this newly shared existence meant, what changes it brought, when suddenly his body had begun to warm up and a soft, dull, white glow emanated from him. It took only a brief second for the physical, mystical transformation to take place, but to the stunned young man, that second stretched into what felt like an eternity. It wasn't so much that he had [i]felt[/i] the changes take hold, but he had unexpectedly become aware of this odd power surge through him. It had seemed to both numb and heighten his senses at the same time, and by the end, once the light had faded, Dan had found himself in the demonic-humanoid hybrid form he currently inhabited. Now, he closed his eyes and focused again on that sensation, that odd blend of numb euphoria that had overtaken him before, and silently willed himself to revert back. [i]Please let this work, please let this work, please let this work...[/i] Again, Daniel's awareness expanded suddenly as a wave of energy flowed through him. This time he could almost feel the source of the energy as it washed over him, but as he focused on it, trying to understand where it came from, it faded. Opening his eyes, he was greeted with the all-too-familiar visage of himself. The dark mop of hair covering his brow, the small tufts of thick hair jutting from his chin, the undefined torso, and all-together average build. There was a brief moment upon catching a glimpse of his usual self in the mirror where Dan almost felt a twinge of disappointment; a slight longing for the feeling of power that coursed through him just a moment ago. "Well, we know that works, I guess." Dan grabbed a clean shirt to pull over his naked chest and moved to sit down on his bed. "I have no idea where that leaves us, though. Any thoughts? Can we, I don't know, separate ourselves?" That last sentence felt bitter as it left his mouth, another twinge of longing. "[b]The Trident would be capable of such an act. I believe.[/b]" "You believe? You're the one who did this, shouldn't you know?" "[b]Normally, yes. However,[/b]" the demon added, "[b]this merge should not have occurred in the first place. I am still unsure as to how this is possible. From my understanding, the spell I invoked should not have been capable of fusing my essence with a living mortal. Nor should I be a prisoner lacking any semblance of control.[/b]" Daniel shuddered, allowing his mind to entertain the thought of what might have happened had it have been Astaroth, and not himself, who ended up as the dominant being in control. To be stuck in his own body, nothing but a disembodied voice in the void, helplessly watching from within as another entity, literally from Hell, puppeteered his body. The thought terrified him, but Dan took another deep, calming breath. He had been lucky, in many other ways, as well. Despite being for all intents and purposes possessed by an actual demon, Daniel felt no fear of Astaroth. Whether due to the knowledge that the demon could not physically harm him or his family or because of naive stupidity, Dan had an innate sense of trust regarding Astaroth's words. He believed the Hell creature had no dark intentions. Astaroth continued, "[b]Regardless of the cause, I have accepted this outcome for now, as should you. There are far more pressing matters that must be dealt with. The Trident must be safeguarded beyond all else. Allowing Asmodel or his agents to retrieve it is to allow the subjugation and destruction of your world.[/b]" Daniel swallowed the mote of panic that threatened to rise up that last statement. His mind briefly formed the image of a post-apocalyptic world rot with fire and brimstone, waves of flying, grotesque creatures bearing down on the city and devouring humanity. It reminded him of one of his father's movies. He pushed the thought aside, however, and instead focused on something else Astaroth had said. "You keep mentioning this Trident. Protect it, keep it away from other demons, it's powerful, and so on. But, where is it? Did you hide it before jumping into my body? Do we need to find it? What if they already have it?" Daniel unleashed a barrage of questions. "[b]It is here.[/b] The teen swiveled his head, visually scanning the room for any sign of the weapon. "Uh, I think you're confused. I don't-" The demon's voice cut through Daniel's mind, interrupting him. "[b]Within. It is here, contained in your body, as I am. I can feel its power clearly.[/b]" Daniel furrowed his eyebrows and brought his hand to his chest. He didn't feel anything now, but he wondered if that was the sensation from earlier. "If it's... in me, how do I get it out? I'm not sure I like the idea of some ancient, powerful weapon from Hell being stored in me like I'm some kind of vault. I'm barely coping with the idea of [i]you[/i] being in there." There was no answer. "Hello?" Daniel stood up and faced the mirror once more, raising an accusatory finger. "I know you can hear me. C'mon, tell me how to get it out." "[b]You cannot. It must remain within you.[/b]" Astaroth spoke firmly this time. "[b]So long as the Trident remains sealed within your being, it cannot be taken by outside forces.[/b]" Daniel took a moment to take this new information in. If the Trident is in him, and a whole horde of evil demons want it back... "Astaroth," he began, his voice faltering. "What's to stop them from taking it by force? Will they... can..." The teen wasn't sure he wanted the answer to this next question, but he needed to know the truth. "Can they kill me to get to it?" For a long, dreadful moment, his question was met with a silence that hung tensely in the air. Then, an answer that shattered his calm demeanor and renewed all panic once more. "[b]Yes. Your death, Daniel Cassidy, will break the seal and allow for the end times to begin, dooming all of humanity.[/b]"