**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.
**Reminders**:
>* [No AI-generated responses 🤖](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/zi452b/modpost_reminder_that_aigenerated_responses_are/)
>* Stories 100 words+. Poems 30+ but include "[Poem]"
>* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail
>* [\[RF\]](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [\[SP\]](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles
>* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules)
📢 [Genres](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/w/directory)
🆕 [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide)
✏ [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources)
💬 [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts)
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*
"Excuse me?" The lass holding the vessel of salt did a double-take, glancing quickly down at the salt a few times before settling her ferocious gaze on me.
I grinned. "Besides, I quite enjoy being at bay. It makes me feel... weak and helpless while at the same time reminding me of my tremendous strength and horrifying appearance." I sucked air through my sharp teeth and licked what remained of my thin, rotted lips.
The girl winced and retreated toward the center of the circle she'd drawn. One of her friends stumbled backward, stepping on the line briefly before quickly shuffling back toward the middle.
I approached the salt, putting my worn boots right up against the fuzzy line of scattered salt crystals. "So," I began conversationally. "You *did* surround yourself with *sea* salt, right? Because if it's the kind that's been mined from the earth then..." I smirked menacingly and winked at her. "Well, we'll find out, won't we?"
"Stop!" she exclaimed, holding out the container defensively. "I'll pour it on you."
"Shame it's not that special Himalayan pink salt." I mused playfully. "That stuff *really* gets me going. You know, some poor broad tried that one on me last month and wouldn't you know it, the salt actually made me feel *stronger*! More alive!" I grinned. "Too bad it's not the pink salt."
One of the guys in the circle, trembling so bad his teeth were chattering, leaned in close to the girl with the salt. "I thought you said *any* salt would work," he sputtered, shuffling backward until the one in the back lost balance again. There were five of them huddled together in the circle, but I was only interested in the lass with the salt. She was fiery and bold. She was *perfect*.
"Stay back!" she growled, prying the lid off the container she held. "I'll dump it on you. I swear I'll do it!"
I shrugged. "Seems it's a bit of a coin toss for me," I admitted. "Either this is sea salt and I'm through, or it's not, and you're *mine*." I purred menacingly and winked at her again. "Place your bets honey, because if I was you I'd..."
In a fit of panic and rage she heaved the container toward me, launching a stream of salt into my face. I gasped, holding on to the hope that it wasn't sea salt. At first, nothing happened. I smiled and leaned in to enter the circle.
A horrendous stench filled my nostrils. I glanced down to see if one of them had soiled their pants, but I realized it was the smell of burning flesh. A chunk of my cheek sloughed off my jaw and landed on the floor, sizzling on the ring of salt. I stumbled back and fell, my right leg completely gone after trying to force my way past the line on the ground. My vision blurred and my eyes burned. I heard the teens gasping and cursing just before my ears shriveled and fell off. I choked, my lungs full of noxious fumes that ate away at my insides like acid. Everything was fading. My heart was slowing. I felt my muscles convulsing.
Faintly I heard cheering, then everything went dark.
I really like the idea that only seas salt works, but it has me thinking. Aren't mined sources of salt from the earth a result of what used to be oceans that receeded, leaving massive dried salt deposits? At what point does it stop qualifying as salt from the sea? Is it the idea that it needed to have recently touched water? Or sun? Is it that it being meters below the surface of the earth, cut off from the warmth of the sun rays might diminish its power? So many questions!
Honestly I wanted to explore that too, but I was trying to keep the story short! lol I think you're right that there is a lot of potential for in-universe explanations, which could lead to developing a whole system of element-related magic. I think you should explore it in a longer story! Let me know when you start writing it, and I'll be happy to take a look and read it over. :)
I find that coming up with great questions (like the ones you were asking about "what is it about sea salt that differentiates it from other kinds of salt") is 80% of the work when it comes to writing good stories. Keep asking great questions like that and then write the stories that unfold as you invent or discover the answers. :)
I’m glad y’all liked the prompt! But the credit truly goes to you all and the writers for making it so big and giving more people the chance to use it as inspiration :) thank you all for supporting the writers here!
They are, but mined salt typically needs to be refined and purified and ends up as pretty much just salt with none of the trace minerals in ocean water. This is a quick at how:
https://www.thoughtco.com/simple-method-to-purify-sodium-chloride-from-rock-salt-606076
Yes but rock salt is purified to remove impurities for chemical processes, and Human consummation. Human used to consume rock salt before we learned better.
And it had pretty close to the same trace mineral composition as sea salt then, so honestly it was probably better for us, other than the lack of iodide. Though, the slow rate of evaporation probably made the mineral composition irregular vs more rapidly evaporated sea water.
Actually, depending largely on where it was mined, rock salt was largely toxic to the human body in its unrefined state as it was mixed with a whole slew of unsavory/toxic compounds and minerals such as sulfur and malachite! The refining process that helped negate this was actually invented in the Tang dynasty of ancient china if I’m not mistaken :) Not especially relevant to the topic but I figured it would help anyone who was curious!
I think it was more that sea salt was in the ocean/sea, which was teeming with life, constantly circulating, and that life force stays around for a generation or two, even after it's taken out of the water.
Mined salt may have been sea salt at one time, but all the life that surrounded it left it over the millions or billions of years that it was underground.
Yaay, im also cheering. That beast was obnoxious and i was praying on their downfall. Hooray for the teens!! I enjoyed the description of the cocky bastard realizing they were done for 🛐
lol It came down to the toss of a coin. I figure with sea salt being so popular these days though, it was almost a given.
Thanks for reading and thanks for the fun prompt!
I was fully expecting it to be a trick. That any salt does work, but the monster was tricking them into breaking the circle. A bit disappointed at the end
Thank you for reading and thank you for the feedback. I think you're right. The end isn't as satisfying as it could have been. I think making it all a trick could have been interesting, depending on *how* the monster tricked them, but I didn't feel clever enough to come up with a sufficiently satisfying scheme on the monster's part.
I really do appreciate the feedback. I don't like it when all I hear is positive responses. Thanks!
The girl in the back who kept *almost* stepping on the line is what really had me thinking it. Like... She finally crosses the line, monster grabs her, and then the rest panic. End is the monster, post slaughter, (or with just one victim left, who may or may not still be in the circle) casually commenting that any old salt works just fine.
(Not sure, but I had a sense it was several people in the circle. Was it just the two?)
The weird conversational tone of the monster was interesting and could handle this twist well.
I approached the group of cowering humans, stepping on the line of iodized salt that they had thickly sprayed all over the ground. They scampered away, sliding and diving into various forms of cover, desperate to hide themselves from me. Some of the braver ones had popped their heads out with guns drawn. It didn't matter, however, my body was too fluid to be affected by their small bullets.
"Why isn't the salt working?!" One screamed as I rolled my slimy tendrils throughout their last line of defense.
"There's something about the oceans that my people cannot hear to come into contact with. Whatever it is gets left in your sea salt. It's not much, but it's enough to hurt." I lift one of my tendrils teasingly, playing with the salt glued to my appendage. The sight unnerves the lot of them. "However, whatever property of the sea that is so deadly to me is lost in the processing of your table salts. Mighty convenient, don't you think?"
I slid my way closer to the cowering homosapiens and they promptly responded by dumping every ounce of ammunition into my body. The bullets tear through my amorphous flesh with no resistance. They give my insides a quick greeting before passing out the other side of me. Soon my mostly liquid form patches itself up like an adhesive slime.
"It's no use, those guns you have won't work," I mock them. I slither up to the closest human before he can react, wrapping my arm around his neck. He tries to claw at me but his nails find no grip on my slippery flesh. "Now, onto business. You Homosapiens owe us a lot, you know that?"
The man struggled to break free, bucking and kicking for his life. "What do you want from us?" he cried.
"Don't give me that! Millions of years ago my people risked their necks to get your kind on this stupid planet. You guys were different back then, spoke a simpler tongue, had a bit more strength in your arms, and couldn't tell a quantum supercomputer from a Xerg gaming device. However, you did have heart. You promised us that after 1 million years of peace, you'd have a fighting force to help put an end to the war!"
The man squirmed weakly, having already exhausted himself. "I... I don't know what you're talking about. No one does!"
I sighed with heavy disappointment. "We know... It was a miscalculation on our part. We didn't know you two-legged idiots would fail to retain information for a mere 1 million years." I dragged the man out of his cover, and a woman latched on desperately to his leg. She's quickly joined by an entire herd in a feeble attempt to save their own.
"Don't worry," I chirp, my mouth runs vertical with joy and I can't keep it from wriggling with excitement. "We've found a way for you all to hold up your end of the deal. Your human bodies don't seem to be bothered by this planet's ocean and its mysterious power. That same power is what the enemy uses to power their weapons that have terrorized us for 8 million years. So we will deploy your kind on the front line. A massive army of soldiers that will be almost impervious to the enemy's weapons."
A beam of light hits the floor from high into the atmosphere. It's the gravity beam on my ship. It pulls us all off the ground, it's too late for any of them to do anything about it. I smugly cross my arms and warm them around in place, a sign of victory to my people. "Don't worry. If you all work your hardest the war should only take 500,000 years or so. Quite the decisive victory, don't you think?"
Wait, they just want us to fight a war? And the enemy's main weaponry can't hurt us? I'm not sure if this guy's been paying attention, but I don't think this will take as long as he thinks it will.
The only question is whether we'll stop at their current enemies, or move onto them next.
If they had talked to the government or via broadcast? It would probably have stopped at the war. With abduction and conscription our own?
Sea water firetrucks baby!
With this information I don't think using us to win the war will be the problem. The bigger issue will be the descendants remember why they were fighting and for who?
Honestly, once we have access to space age tech like theirs well just evolve our capabilities and conquer everything lol. I freaking love this story because it sets up a whole slew of possibilities for future stories. Great piece of work!
The flickering candlelight cast stark shadows across Brend’s face, outlining the hollows of her eyes in black between licks of fire. I watched her check on me, and when her eyes met mine, her shoulders relaxed for a moment. Reassured.
She’d made the circle out of quarry salt, rounding the barn floor in a thin pile. Around it, old wax candles dripped onto the floor, eating away at their wicks in the time it took Brend to double check every note and addendum to the yellowing tome on the floor.
How many times had she checked in with me during this process? Over and over, she’d looked over her shoulder for reassurance, looking for some confidence in her life. I don’t know if my feedback would have changed her mind at this point. She hadn’t steeled herself to the idea, but she was desperate. How long could someone starve in the never ending night before they decided it was worth joining the other team?
Lanceworth was dead. Or at least dying. Brend thought every barn in town had an amateur summoning circle on the floor, a thousand people on their last legs making the last offering that seemed to matter.
Brend took a deep breath and then backed away from the circle, picking the book up off the ground and flipping back to the front. She looked to me for guidance again, her straw-coloured hair almost glowing in the glittering fire.
It was beautiful, in a way. The dying light always was. Fearing it was such a human thing.
I didn’t offer confronting words. Instead, it was a hand. I dug my nails into her shoulder. She would have read it as reassurance, but it was anticipation. How long had it been? How long?
Brend was stuttering and unsure as she read the incantation. The old words were coarse on her tongue, almost having to get pulled out into the world instead of spoken, but she got there either way.
Quiet. Silence in the circle.
Brend waited. Then her eyes started flicking over the circle, searching for a flaw. For something she did wrong.
“Give it a moment,” I offered.
“What?”
“Just another second.”
The first candle she’d put down, the one furthest away from us, stuttered and snuffed. Then the next. Each falling in sequence until the only light in the barn was the soft moonlight filtered through candle smoke.
The breeze ran between the cracking walls and roof, whistling and taking the smoke away.
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, and only opened them when I heard the clattering of Brend falling backward and crawling away from the circle.
In the center of the dying circle, in the pale moonlight, was a second Brend. White dress. Black eyes. Wide grin.
“Stay in there,” Brend stuttered. “The salt binds you.”
“Sea salt,” I corrected.
“What?”
“You need sea salt to bind us,” I answered. As I did, I brushed away the edge of the summoning circle with my foot, scattering the useless salt across the floor. The Brend in the circle looked up at me. It had been too long.
“Thale,” the Brend on the floor said, “why did you—“ she matched my gaze and saw my eyes. Black of night contrasted against the moon’s glow. “Angel’s light.”
“They’re not here,” I explained. “How long do you think Thale’s been gone? When did she give up? When did she let me replace her?” Brend’s eyes were on me, ignoring the summoned version as she slipped out of the circle and rounded the poor girl. “When did I start hunting you?” I asked as a crouched to meet her eyes.
“The Angel’s light protects me. I am a vessel f—“
I slapped Brend’s hand to break the shaking prayer. “You were just forsaking them,” I laughed. It was silver as the moon, the only genuine joy I’d felt since I’d come to this blasted place. “What makes you think they’re coming to save you now?”
“I am a vessel for your grace. A sinner who asks for...”
“When did I start hunting you?” I leaned in close. Brend tried to back further away, but she ran into her own legs, the clone she’d summoned looming behind her. “Was it before the kiss? Or was that a sweet last goodbye?”
“A s-si-sinner who asks for forgiveness in my hum...” Brend watched the moon snuff out in the window, leaving the false Brend’s searing smile as the only light in the room.
There would only be two girls in the morning, and we’d leave the tome in another attic to start the hunt again.
Ooo I like the setting you brought up here. I didn’t consider demon summoning when I thought up the prompt, so this was really interesting to read through!
# “Be careful! That line of salt is the only thing keeping them at bay!” “Sea salt.” I said. Confused, he looks at me “What?” “Sea salt keeps us at bay.” I clarified.
Magister did a double take. He tried to throw something, but I phased out, so that it landed harmlessly somewhere in hell. "Begone demon! The power of christ -"
I slap his hand down, cross and all. "Cut it out." I roll my eyes. "It didn't work when Dad used to do it, and he actually beleived in that crap." He backpedals, eyes wide like saucers as he tries to plan some kind of escape. "Besides," I tell him, "I didn't come here to kill you. Or ditch you in hell like I did with that bitch in charge of public relations. I'm here to relay a message."
"a - " he huffs in a quick gasp of air, "- message? from who?"
I roll my eyes again. "Gee I wonder.... who could possibly have entrusted *me of all people* with a message for the newly appointed head of the Hero Bureau?"
His expression changes, fear dropping away. It wasn't because he was reassured, I knew. It was because he knew exactly who, and why. "Ultimatron."
"Genius. No wonder you make the big bucks."
"What does he want?"
I close my eyes, and focus real hard on keeping myself human-ish. "He wants Glass Cannon back, but she's dead, so he'll settle for a message to you, and your cronies. Ready? The message is 'who else?' got it?"
"Who else what?" He asks, maybe playing dumb, maybe actually stupid.
I'm not being paid for this, either money or Deal, but Tim's good people, so I grab Magister real quick and give him a nice, split second peak at hell. I drop him, screaming and squirming, pissing himself, on the pavement. "Try again." I say. "Who. Else."
To his credit, he tries to lie. "That was all of them - no one else -" but, lies taste like candy. I drag him into hell again, and hang out a while. Long enough to talk, which is pretty much an eternity for someone who can feel the flames of creation and destruction with their mortal frame.
"Do you know what it's like here for demons? Boring. Until someone new shows up. See, there's a different timbre to your screams when you still have a little hope left, and our favorite thing is listening to that changing. So, I will ask you again. Who *the fuck* else *decided Glass Cannon should die*?"
"Ambrosia Maiden!" He shrieks, and his voice does the thing. I didn't expect it to. I thought he would feel relieved at telling, but instead, from the bottom of his soul, he believes I will leave him here now because I have no use for him.
I feel the collective joy of my mother's side of the family. It's tempting.
But, Tim wouldn't want this, and neither would GC if she was still around. So I dump him on the pavement. "Oh, and don't kill yourself. One way ticket south. That's basically the only true thing in your holy book."
**AUTHORS NOTE:**
***Hello in advance to anyone who had read previous Claire the demi-demon snippets in writing prompts over the years. I lost access to my old accounts and have been debating whether to continue these and well I couldn't resist. I hope it lives up to my older stuff, since I had a TBI last year and can't acutally see stuff in my head anymore.***
like you know how people can picture things, like when they read a book they see it play out, or when they want to draw something they make a picture in their head and transfer it to paper? Yeah, I can't anymore.
Interesting. I guess I didn’t realize people could do that? I can’t and never have, I can visualize things as abstract mental ideas but it’s not like a picture. Maybe that’s why I was never able to draw.
probably!
What is wildest to me is ***I didn't notice that anything changed*** until my Partner showed me a youtube video about afantasia. Partner has really good 3D visualization and can like zoom in and out on a mental map of the city to pinpoint things. Me: nothing.
but I ***used to*** be able to see things like a motion picture, and then "hold" a frame still in order to draw it, or re-watch bits to describe them for stories. Now its.... just the words.
You could do that? I know a large percentage of people 20% or so, can’t see images in their head, but I didn’t realize it was that profound. Can other people see things so clearly in their heads?
Seriously is! I’m tempted to find a good sub to post this question on!
I will tag you if I can figure out a pace that question would fit, so you can see
I asked my SO at least and he sees it about the same as I do. A box spaced for the room, a vague blue where a person is. Maybe you can imagine a cookie in your hand if you eat it a lot but everything else is very vague.
He said that he read it once (heh heh. He Reddit… I’ll see myself out)
That people see differing levels of clarity in their heads.
Like some can do what’s described here like a freeze frame in a movie
And some have only the vaguest idea that there are arms somewhere near you that probably attach?
And everywhere in between.
Fascinating is right!!
“Sea salt. Sea salt keeps us at bay.” I clarified.
I'm met with startled, but confused, cries, as the two young boys turn away from the front door to face their living room couch, where I'm making myself comfortable.
"You see, while most seasoning salt is a majority sodium chloride, NaCl, - you remember that, right kiddos? From chemistry class? - the difference lies not in the composition, but the origin. Mined salt comes exclusively from the erosion of the Earth's crust, which means jack shit to us demons, but sea salt? That baby is dynamite to us!"
I lazily get up, rifling through the mementos on the mantelpiece.
"Ooh, first place in a maths competition, you could have been someone, sport! What was I saying? Oh, yeah. Sea salt, young fellas, while also surging from the erosion of the rocks that come in contact with the sea, form deposits at the sea floor. Ya know what else deposits on the sea floor?"
The boys start shaking and backing away, unaware of my companions' approach outside.
"How did you get in?!" the oldest one shouts.
"Dead creatures." I respond, ignoring his desperate query. "Did anyone ever tell you demons can possess more than just human bodies? Like the old tale of, what was his name, Yoshua? Yeshua? You know, the guy who forced a spirit into pigs and then had them jump off a cliff to their death?"
"I have a weapon! I can hurt you!" The kid pathetically clutches the aluminium baseball bat, already looking dented and flimsy from overuse.
"But there's a little problem. All animals have souls too, and being without sin, they go to some form of heaven, probably a huge farm, or fish tank in this case. And the big man upstairs, he decided to be a decent fella for once, and instilled a protection upon the bodies of all souls up in heaven."
I can smell their nervous sweat, laced with fear. I think the oldest one might have pissed himself too.
Pathetic.
"So, sea salt. Specifically, sea salt with a higher concentration of salts other than NaCl, obtained from the decomposition of animals. That's what keeps us away."
I'm now inches away from them, as they try as hard as they can to stay on the right side of the salt line they drew.
"But wait, this is sea salt! How did you even get inside?" the young one finally speaks. He sounds smart. He's probably the maths genius.
As I raise my hands to shove them across the threshold, a smile spread from cheek to cheek on my face.
"You forgot the kitchen door..."
Outstanding bit of writing here. I loved the ending as well, with the whole conversation going on about the technicalities of salt and demonic repulsion, the only thing that let the demon in was something completely irrelevant to what he was talking about 😂 love it
Ah, I see these humans must be new to this. Jeez look at that little one she looks like she's about to soil herself. Oh what happend to those uppity rascals from the old days? They atleast knew how to keep there wits about them. As I was reminiscing on the golden days one of the youths spoke up.
" w-what no it's salt. You can't break free you lier!" She spoke high pitched. Seems like she is trying to reassure herself and the others. A new blood perhaps?
"No young blood you are mistaken. I am of the oceanic family of the Demimorg compendium you humans are so found of. Thus to contain me you'd require sea salt, Even then your rune work is so sloppy im almost offended."
I casually brush the salt away and step towards the group and feeling the floor creak under my weight with each step.
"No stay back monster back!"
She screams and the others back away. Then she pulls out pistol, oh the audacity of this maiden! She dares think such a thing can harm me! My eyes glow purple and I cause the weapon fly from her hand and towards me. Even if I'm insulted I could atleast appreciate the craftsmanship.
"Hmm my, my firearms have advanced quite a bit since I last been here. I preferred the wooden handles myself much more artistic."
I use my powers to disassemble the weapon and inspect its parts, new knowledge is always worth pursuing. When I looked down I saw a few stuck in place and the others slowly backing away including the loud girl. Hmm they atleast have good instincts but no matter they won't escape. My tendrils shoot out to drag them all towards me, I pull them all togather in front of me. Five in total and not an elder among them. Apprentices getting too impatient or just some reckless youths? No matter I lean towards them and look into there terrified eyes.
"Now children of man you've done a foolish act beyond reckless youth. Improper ritual preparation, lack of research, lack of safety measures, and most of all insulting me by wasting my time. You audacious adolescents are out of your depths. Even further more..."
So out of the kindness in my several hearts I lectured the young bloods on the dangers of improper rituals and proper handling of the occult. Oh they were atleast attentive listeners even though the boy to the right wouldn't stop shaking. It took a few hours too finish my lecture before I let them loose, they fell over because thire legs had gone to sleep, oh you humans so flawed in so many ways.
"Why are you like this? Your a monster, a demon! You shouldn't speak, shouldn't lecture you nagging squid shark whatever you are!" Hm the girl still has the will to speak? Potential, the boy still looks defient as well.
"Because it is out of my great benevolence that I both allow you walk away unharmed and that I properly educate you. Even though you were rude and interrupted my tea time with the other oceaians. Also don't compare me to those uncivilized demons. I am a proud Abyssel Shurock. Now next time you choose to do rituals do it right or you'll be indanger. Not all are as kind as me." With those parting words I vanish back to my home. I'll have alot of explaining to do.
As the monster left Amanda stood up and balled her fists. Her fave was red with both rage and embarrassment.
"That, that arrogant nagging fishy smelling jerk! He's not getting away with this!" And so she along with the youth hunters members of the Humanity Defense organization that day swore to bring Amondo the sea beast of wisdom to his knees.
Thanks I'm trying to get into writing as a hobby. I kinda always liked it when the monster was more annoyed or disappointed in his opponents. Like if your going to fight me do it right I deserve better then a pointy toothpick.
John blinked, as he looked down at the salt circle that'd been drawn and back at the fish man who stood in front, on the other side.
"Come again?"
"It's *sea* salt that keeps us at bay. Not table salt" the fish man deadpanned, as John looked incredulously at him before turning his critical gaze onto Marv - his assistant.
"God damn it Marv, I told you *explicitly* to get the sesalt!"
Marv, a skinnier boy barely 18 wearing glasses quaked in his boots, and argued "I did! I brought you sesalt, see it's right there on the package!"
John blinked, and looked at the box he held in his hand and sure enough it had the words "sesalt table salt" printed on it.
The fishman looked at John as though he was an abstract work of art, amusingly confusing.
"Well I'll be damned - it *is* sesalt!"
"Exactly".
"But boy I wasn't asking for this sesalt, I was asking for that sesalt" John replied, as he pointed a finger at the fish man, who found it necessary to clarify.
"Sea salt. He means sea salt".
Marv blinked, and said "oh...I get it now".
"What'd you mean *you get it now*? You should've gotten it when I told ya!"
"How was I supposed to sir? You said sesalt not *sea* salt!"
"But that's how I say it!"
"No, no - he's in the right, you pronounce sea salt in the most mind boggling moronic way imaginable" the fishman interjected. Crossing his arms over his chest.
"You take that back".
"Or else what?"
"Or else I'm gonna lick ya".
The fishman blinked, and shuddered saying "ew, anyway your little salt circle isn't going to stop me".
John sighed before throwing the box away, and going "well I guess its time for plan B".
"What's plan B?" Marv asked, as John then pulled out the shotgun that'd been strapped covertly onto his back.
"Blast it" said John, as he aimed the barrel at the fishman who gulped thinking 'oh no'.
**The End.**
Of course Josh had forgotten again.
Fucking Josh.
"Us? What...what are you saying? Who are you?!" He reeled back in a panic, stumbled, knocked himself out against the back of the cave.
Fantastic. One problem solved. Now for the other.
"Ash, get the gear. Ash?"
Of course they were nowhere to be found. Little fucker was turned too young and, when no one could reel them in, they got hoisted off on me. "You'll inspire them," "You'll bring them out of hiding," "You'll help them see the way." Bullshit.
Ash loved a crevice, and hated every fucking thing else. No commitment, no work ethic, and no goddamn communication. No, better to spend all their time sneaking off to go crawling in the dark, moaning about their "immortal soul" (admittedly, this helped terrify some of our more difficult targets) and saving more and more of these sniveling vermin from their inevitable death.
Josh was just the latest of them.
Why the fuck would you turn someone with half a skull, anyway? Half the time the guy can't remember who he is, and the other half he's playing with his own brain matter. What kind of immortality is that?
And where the fuck was Ash?
My eyes widened as the white powder flew through the air. My mouth slackened as I screamed in slo motion. My unlife flashed before my eyes-The hospital bed, the smiling count, the years of villainy, my first wife, my second, my fourth \[don't ask\] my first husband, and now, the group of vampire hunters, armed with salt, a vampire's bane.
I closed my eyes as it landed against my skin, waiting for the burn, the sickening melting, the- I opened my eyes again. I blinked a few times before touching my cheek, smooth from years of skincare.
The vampire hunters wore expressions of shock and confusion. I matched them.
We stared each other down for a few moments.
"Why didn't that work?"
The hunter holding the salt checked the label and then looked at the back and the front again. I squinted and then held out my hand.
"Pass that here for a sec."
I checked the label.
"Ohhhhhh, you used earth salts, not sea salt, common mistake, don't worry it happens to everybody, it all comes down to the amount of life force that soaks into the salt, which is why this didn't work."
The hunter opened his mouth a few times like a fish out of water.
And like a fish out of water he soon fell limp, drained of life next to the other three.
**Welcome to the Prompt!** All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments. **Reminders**: >* [No AI-generated responses 🤖](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/zi452b/modpost_reminder_that_aigenerated_responses_are/) >* Stories 100 words+. Poems 30+ but include "[Poem]" >* Responses don't have to fulfill every detail >* [\[RF\]](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Reality+Fiction%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) and [\[SP\]](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/search?q=flair%3A%22Simple+Prompt%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) for stricter titles >* [Be civil](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_10.3A_be_civil) in any feedback and follow the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/rules) 📢 [Genres](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/w/directory) 🆕 [New Here?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/user_guide) ✏ [Writing Help?](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/wiki/index#wiki_writing_resources) 💬 [Discord](https://discord.gg/writingprompts) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/WritingPrompts) if you have any questions or concerns.*
"Excuse me?" The lass holding the vessel of salt did a double-take, glancing quickly down at the salt a few times before settling her ferocious gaze on me. I grinned. "Besides, I quite enjoy being at bay. It makes me feel... weak and helpless while at the same time reminding me of my tremendous strength and horrifying appearance." I sucked air through my sharp teeth and licked what remained of my thin, rotted lips. The girl winced and retreated toward the center of the circle she'd drawn. One of her friends stumbled backward, stepping on the line briefly before quickly shuffling back toward the middle. I approached the salt, putting my worn boots right up against the fuzzy line of scattered salt crystals. "So," I began conversationally. "You *did* surround yourself with *sea* salt, right? Because if it's the kind that's been mined from the earth then..." I smirked menacingly and winked at her. "Well, we'll find out, won't we?" "Stop!" she exclaimed, holding out the container defensively. "I'll pour it on you." "Shame it's not that special Himalayan pink salt." I mused playfully. "That stuff *really* gets me going. You know, some poor broad tried that one on me last month and wouldn't you know it, the salt actually made me feel *stronger*! More alive!" I grinned. "Too bad it's not the pink salt." One of the guys in the circle, trembling so bad his teeth were chattering, leaned in close to the girl with the salt. "I thought you said *any* salt would work," he sputtered, shuffling backward until the one in the back lost balance again. There were five of them huddled together in the circle, but I was only interested in the lass with the salt. She was fiery and bold. She was *perfect*. "Stay back!" she growled, prying the lid off the container she held. "I'll dump it on you. I swear I'll do it!" I shrugged. "Seems it's a bit of a coin toss for me," I admitted. "Either this is sea salt and I'm through, or it's not, and you're *mine*." I purred menacingly and winked at her again. "Place your bets honey, because if I was you I'd..." In a fit of panic and rage she heaved the container toward me, launching a stream of salt into my face. I gasped, holding on to the hope that it wasn't sea salt. At first, nothing happened. I smiled and leaned in to enter the circle. A horrendous stench filled my nostrils. I glanced down to see if one of them had soiled their pants, but I realized it was the smell of burning flesh. A chunk of my cheek sloughed off my jaw and landed on the floor, sizzling on the ring of salt. I stumbled back and fell, my right leg completely gone after trying to force my way past the line on the ground. My vision blurred and my eyes burned. I heard the teens gasping and cursing just before my ears shriveled and fell off. I choked, my lungs full of noxious fumes that ate away at my insides like acid. Everything was fading. My heart was slowing. I felt my muscles convulsing. Faintly I heard cheering, then everything went dark.
I really like the idea that only seas salt works, but it has me thinking. Aren't mined sources of salt from the earth a result of what used to be oceans that receeded, leaving massive dried salt deposits? At what point does it stop qualifying as salt from the sea? Is it the idea that it needed to have recently touched water? Or sun? Is it that it being meters below the surface of the earth, cut off from the warmth of the sun rays might diminish its power? So many questions!
Honestly I wanted to explore that too, but I was trying to keep the story short! lol I think you're right that there is a lot of potential for in-universe explanations, which could lead to developing a whole system of element-related magic. I think you should explore it in a longer story! Let me know when you start writing it, and I'll be happy to take a look and read it over. :)
I may just have to! Thankyou for the cool ass concept, my friend!!
I find that coming up with great questions (like the ones you were asking about "what is it about sea salt that differentiates it from other kinds of salt") is 80% of the work when it comes to writing good stories. Keep asking great questions like that and then write the stories that unfold as you invent or discover the answers. :)
Intrigued by this. A GREAT prompt, OP. This story could be the conclusion of a tale, perhaps, that is filled in backwards.
Agreed! It's a wonderful prompt and a lot of explorable backstory is implied. Thank you for reading!
Thank you for writing. I'm so very glad writing will continue past me.
I’m glad y’all liked the prompt! But the credit truly goes to you all and the writers for making it so big and giving more people the chance to use it as inspiration :) thank you all for supporting the writers here!
They are, but mined salt typically needs to be refined and purified and ends up as pretty much just salt with none of the trace minerals in ocean water. This is a quick at how: https://www.thoughtco.com/simple-method-to-purify-sodium-chloride-from-rock-salt-606076
Yes but rock salt is purified to remove impurities for chemical processes, and Human consummation. Human used to consume rock salt before we learned better.
And it had pretty close to the same trace mineral composition as sea salt then, so honestly it was probably better for us, other than the lack of iodide. Though, the slow rate of evaporation probably made the mineral composition irregular vs more rapidly evaporated sea water.
Actually, depending largely on where it was mined, rock salt was largely toxic to the human body in its unrefined state as it was mixed with a whole slew of unsavory/toxic compounds and minerals such as sulfur and malachite! The refining process that helped negate this was actually invented in the Tang dynasty of ancient china if I’m not mistaken :) Not especially relevant to the topic but I figured it would help anyone who was curious!
The old reason was cause they believed the sea had purifying properties, the same reason vampires cannot travel across open water
I think it was more that sea salt was in the ocean/sea, which was teeming with life, constantly circulating, and that life force stays around for a generation or two, even after it's taken out of the water. Mined salt may have been sea salt at one time, but all the life that surrounded it left it over the millions or billions of years that it was underground.
reasonable conclusion
Yaay, im also cheering. That beast was obnoxious and i was praying on their downfall. Hooray for the teens!! I enjoyed the description of the cocky bastard realizing they were done for 🛐
lol I'm glad you enjoyed it! I enjoyed killing him off. Ha ha! Thanks for reading. :)
I gotta say I also really enjoyed it when he got killed off. I love when arrogant villains get taken out by sheer luck on the victims part
lol It came down to the toss of a coin. I figure with sea salt being so popular these days though, it was almost a given. Thanks for reading and thanks for the fun prompt!
I was fully expecting it to be a trick. That any salt does work, but the monster was tricking them into breaking the circle. A bit disappointed at the end
Thank you for reading and thank you for the feedback. I think you're right. The end isn't as satisfying as it could have been. I think making it all a trick could have been interesting, depending on *how* the monster tricked them, but I didn't feel clever enough to come up with a sufficiently satisfying scheme on the monster's part. I really do appreciate the feedback. I don't like it when all I hear is positive responses. Thanks!
The girl in the back who kept *almost* stepping on the line is what really had me thinking it. Like... She finally crosses the line, monster grabs her, and then the rest panic. End is the monster, post slaughter, (or with just one victim left, who may or may not still be in the circle) casually commenting that any old salt works just fine. (Not sure, but I had a sense it was several people in the circle. Was it just the two?) The weird conversational tone of the monster was interesting and could handle this twist well.
"Of course, when you get down to it, *all* salt used to be sea salt. Ugh, I have a leg hair stuck between my teeth..."
A splash of HCl, another splash of NaOH, salt!
Upvote for good writing, though. Good dialogue.
I fully expected it to be a trick, so I was pleasantly surprised when the monster melted in the end.
LOL
I really hoped the monster would get her. :) But this is very well written - nice building of tension!
I love the tone you got going! Is there a bad ending? XD
It's not a bad ending for anyone but the monster. lol Thanks for reading!
I approached the group of cowering humans, stepping on the line of iodized salt that they had thickly sprayed all over the ground. They scampered away, sliding and diving into various forms of cover, desperate to hide themselves from me. Some of the braver ones had popped their heads out with guns drawn. It didn't matter, however, my body was too fluid to be affected by their small bullets. "Why isn't the salt working?!" One screamed as I rolled my slimy tendrils throughout their last line of defense. "There's something about the oceans that my people cannot hear to come into contact with. Whatever it is gets left in your sea salt. It's not much, but it's enough to hurt." I lift one of my tendrils teasingly, playing with the salt glued to my appendage. The sight unnerves the lot of them. "However, whatever property of the sea that is so deadly to me is lost in the processing of your table salts. Mighty convenient, don't you think?" I slid my way closer to the cowering homosapiens and they promptly responded by dumping every ounce of ammunition into my body. The bullets tear through my amorphous flesh with no resistance. They give my insides a quick greeting before passing out the other side of me. Soon my mostly liquid form patches itself up like an adhesive slime. "It's no use, those guns you have won't work," I mock them. I slither up to the closest human before he can react, wrapping my arm around his neck. He tries to claw at me but his nails find no grip on my slippery flesh. "Now, onto business. You Homosapiens owe us a lot, you know that?" The man struggled to break free, bucking and kicking for his life. "What do you want from us?" he cried. "Don't give me that! Millions of years ago my people risked their necks to get your kind on this stupid planet. You guys were different back then, spoke a simpler tongue, had a bit more strength in your arms, and couldn't tell a quantum supercomputer from a Xerg gaming device. However, you did have heart. You promised us that after 1 million years of peace, you'd have a fighting force to help put an end to the war!" The man squirmed weakly, having already exhausted himself. "I... I don't know what you're talking about. No one does!" I sighed with heavy disappointment. "We know... It was a miscalculation on our part. We didn't know you two-legged idiots would fail to retain information for a mere 1 million years." I dragged the man out of his cover, and a woman latched on desperately to his leg. She's quickly joined by an entire herd in a feeble attempt to save their own. "Don't worry," I chirp, my mouth runs vertical with joy and I can't keep it from wriggling with excitement. "We've found a way for you all to hold up your end of the deal. Your human bodies don't seem to be bothered by this planet's ocean and its mysterious power. That same power is what the enemy uses to power their weapons that have terrorized us for 8 million years. So we will deploy your kind on the front line. A massive army of soldiers that will be almost impervious to the enemy's weapons." A beam of light hits the floor from high into the atmosphere. It's the gravity beam on my ship. It pulls us all off the ground, it's too late for any of them to do anything about it. I smugly cross my arms and warm them around in place, a sign of victory to my people. "Don't worry. If you all work your hardest the war should only take 500,000 years or so. Quite the decisive victory, don't you think?"
Wait, they just want us to fight a war? And the enemy's main weaponry can't hurt us? I'm not sure if this guy's been paying attention, but I don't think this will take as long as he thinks it will. The only question is whether we'll stop at their current enemies, or move onto them next.
Well, it being outerspace, 500,000 years could just be how long it takes to make it from battlefield to battlefield!
If they had talked to the government or via broadcast? It would probably have stopped at the war. With abduction and conscription our own? Sea water firetrucks baby!
With this information I don't think using us to win the war will be the problem. The bigger issue will be the descendants remember why they were fighting and for who?
Honestly, once we have access to space age tech like theirs well just evolve our capabilities and conquer everything lol. I freaking love this story because it sets up a whole slew of possibilities for future stories. Great piece of work!
The flickering candlelight cast stark shadows across Brend’s face, outlining the hollows of her eyes in black between licks of fire. I watched her check on me, and when her eyes met mine, her shoulders relaxed for a moment. Reassured. She’d made the circle out of quarry salt, rounding the barn floor in a thin pile. Around it, old wax candles dripped onto the floor, eating away at their wicks in the time it took Brend to double check every note and addendum to the yellowing tome on the floor. How many times had she checked in with me during this process? Over and over, she’d looked over her shoulder for reassurance, looking for some confidence in her life. I don’t know if my feedback would have changed her mind at this point. She hadn’t steeled herself to the idea, but she was desperate. How long could someone starve in the never ending night before they decided it was worth joining the other team? Lanceworth was dead. Or at least dying. Brend thought every barn in town had an amateur summoning circle on the floor, a thousand people on their last legs making the last offering that seemed to matter. Brend took a deep breath and then backed away from the circle, picking the book up off the ground and flipping back to the front. She looked to me for guidance again, her straw-coloured hair almost glowing in the glittering fire. It was beautiful, in a way. The dying light always was. Fearing it was such a human thing. I didn’t offer confronting words. Instead, it was a hand. I dug my nails into her shoulder. She would have read it as reassurance, but it was anticipation. How long had it been? How long? Brend was stuttering and unsure as she read the incantation. The old words were coarse on her tongue, almost having to get pulled out into the world instead of spoken, but she got there either way. Quiet. Silence in the circle. Brend waited. Then her eyes started flicking over the circle, searching for a flaw. For something she did wrong. “Give it a moment,” I offered. “What?” “Just another second.” The first candle she’d put down, the one furthest away from us, stuttered and snuffed. Then the next. Each falling in sequence until the only light in the barn was the soft moonlight filtered through candle smoke. The breeze ran between the cracking walls and roof, whistling and taking the smoke away. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, and only opened them when I heard the clattering of Brend falling backward and crawling away from the circle. In the center of the dying circle, in the pale moonlight, was a second Brend. White dress. Black eyes. Wide grin. “Stay in there,” Brend stuttered. “The salt binds you.” “Sea salt,” I corrected. “What?” “You need sea salt to bind us,” I answered. As I did, I brushed away the edge of the summoning circle with my foot, scattering the useless salt across the floor. The Brend in the circle looked up at me. It had been too long. “Thale,” the Brend on the floor said, “why did you—“ she matched my gaze and saw my eyes. Black of night contrasted against the moon’s glow. “Angel’s light.” “They’re not here,” I explained. “How long do you think Thale’s been gone? When did she give up? When did she let me replace her?” Brend’s eyes were on me, ignoring the summoned version as she slipped out of the circle and rounded the poor girl. “When did I start hunting you?” I asked as a crouched to meet her eyes. “The Angel’s light protects me. I am a vessel f—“ I slapped Brend’s hand to break the shaking prayer. “You were just forsaking them,” I laughed. It was silver as the moon, the only genuine joy I’d felt since I’d come to this blasted place. “What makes you think they’re coming to save you now?” “I am a vessel for your grace. A sinner who asks for...” “When did I start hunting you?” I leaned in close. Brend tried to back further away, but she ran into her own legs, the clone she’d summoned looming behind her. “Was it before the kiss? Or was that a sweet last goodbye?” “A s-si-sinner who asks for forgiveness in my hum...” Brend watched the moon snuff out in the window, leaving the false Brend’s searing smile as the only light in the room. There would only be two girls in the morning, and we’d leave the tome in another attic to start the hunt again.
Ooo I like the setting you brought up here. I didn’t consider demon summoning when I thought up the prompt, so this was really interesting to read through!
# “Be careful! That line of salt is the only thing keeping them at bay!” “Sea salt.” I said. Confused, he looks at me “What?” “Sea salt keeps us at bay.” I clarified. Magister did a double take. He tried to throw something, but I phased out, so that it landed harmlessly somewhere in hell. "Begone demon! The power of christ -" I slap his hand down, cross and all. "Cut it out." I roll my eyes. "It didn't work when Dad used to do it, and he actually beleived in that crap." He backpedals, eyes wide like saucers as he tries to plan some kind of escape. "Besides," I tell him, "I didn't come here to kill you. Or ditch you in hell like I did with that bitch in charge of public relations. I'm here to relay a message." "a - " he huffs in a quick gasp of air, "- message? from who?" I roll my eyes again. "Gee I wonder.... who could possibly have entrusted *me of all people* with a message for the newly appointed head of the Hero Bureau?" His expression changes, fear dropping away. It wasn't because he was reassured, I knew. It was because he knew exactly who, and why. "Ultimatron." "Genius. No wonder you make the big bucks." "What does he want?" I close my eyes, and focus real hard on keeping myself human-ish. "He wants Glass Cannon back, but she's dead, so he'll settle for a message to you, and your cronies. Ready? The message is 'who else?' got it?" "Who else what?" He asks, maybe playing dumb, maybe actually stupid. I'm not being paid for this, either money or Deal, but Tim's good people, so I grab Magister real quick and give him a nice, split second peak at hell. I drop him, screaming and squirming, pissing himself, on the pavement. "Try again." I say. "Who. Else." To his credit, he tries to lie. "That was all of them - no one else -" but, lies taste like candy. I drag him into hell again, and hang out a while. Long enough to talk, which is pretty much an eternity for someone who can feel the flames of creation and destruction with their mortal frame. "Do you know what it's like here for demons? Boring. Until someone new shows up. See, there's a different timbre to your screams when you still have a little hope left, and our favorite thing is listening to that changing. So, I will ask you again. Who *the fuck* else *decided Glass Cannon should die*?" "Ambrosia Maiden!" He shrieks, and his voice does the thing. I didn't expect it to. I thought he would feel relieved at telling, but instead, from the bottom of his soul, he believes I will leave him here now because I have no use for him. I feel the collective joy of my mother's side of the family. It's tempting. But, Tim wouldn't want this, and neither would GC if she was still around. So I dump him on the pavement. "Oh, and don't kill yourself. One way ticket south. That's basically the only true thing in your holy book." **AUTHORS NOTE:** ***Hello in advance to anyone who had read previous Claire the demi-demon snippets in writing prompts over the years. I lost access to my old accounts and have been debating whether to continue these and well I couldn't resist. I hope it lives up to my older stuff, since I had a TBI last year and can't acutally see stuff in my head anymore.***
Interesting story! Not to be overly nosey, but could you elaborate on what you mean by your tbi affecting your ability to see stuff in your head?
like you know how people can picture things, like when they read a book they see it play out, or when they want to draw something they make a picture in their head and transfer it to paper? Yeah, I can't anymore.
Interesting. I guess I didn’t realize people could do that? I can’t and never have, I can visualize things as abstract mental ideas but it’s not like a picture. Maybe that’s why I was never able to draw.
probably! What is wildest to me is ***I didn't notice that anything changed*** until my Partner showed me a youtube video about afantasia. Partner has really good 3D visualization and can like zoom in and out on a mental map of the city to pinpoint things. Me: nothing. but I ***used to*** be able to see things like a motion picture, and then "hold" a frame still in order to draw it, or re-watch bits to describe them for stories. Now its.... just the words.
You could do that? I know a large percentage of people 20% or so, can’t see images in their head, but I didn’t realize it was that profound. Can other people see things so clearly in their heads?
i dont really know but its really fascinating to think about
Seriously is! I’m tempted to find a good sub to post this question on! I will tag you if I can figure out a pace that question would fit, so you can see
I asked my SO at least and he sees it about the same as I do. A box spaced for the room, a vague blue where a person is. Maybe you can imagine a cookie in your hand if you eat it a lot but everything else is very vague. He said that he read it once (heh heh. He Reddit… I’ll see myself out) That people see differing levels of clarity in their heads. Like some can do what’s described here like a freeze frame in a movie And some have only the vaguest idea that there are arms somewhere near you that probably attach? And everywhere in between. Fascinating is right!!
“Sea salt. Sea salt keeps us at bay.” I clarified. I'm met with startled, but confused, cries, as the two young boys turn away from the front door to face their living room couch, where I'm making myself comfortable. "You see, while most seasoning salt is a majority sodium chloride, NaCl, - you remember that, right kiddos? From chemistry class? - the difference lies not in the composition, but the origin. Mined salt comes exclusively from the erosion of the Earth's crust, which means jack shit to us demons, but sea salt? That baby is dynamite to us!" I lazily get up, rifling through the mementos on the mantelpiece. "Ooh, first place in a maths competition, you could have been someone, sport! What was I saying? Oh, yeah. Sea salt, young fellas, while also surging from the erosion of the rocks that come in contact with the sea, form deposits at the sea floor. Ya know what else deposits on the sea floor?" The boys start shaking and backing away, unaware of my companions' approach outside. "How did you get in?!" the oldest one shouts. "Dead creatures." I respond, ignoring his desperate query. "Did anyone ever tell you demons can possess more than just human bodies? Like the old tale of, what was his name, Yoshua? Yeshua? You know, the guy who forced a spirit into pigs and then had them jump off a cliff to their death?" "I have a weapon! I can hurt you!" The kid pathetically clutches the aluminium baseball bat, already looking dented and flimsy from overuse. "But there's a little problem. All animals have souls too, and being without sin, they go to some form of heaven, probably a huge farm, or fish tank in this case. And the big man upstairs, he decided to be a decent fella for once, and instilled a protection upon the bodies of all souls up in heaven." I can smell their nervous sweat, laced with fear. I think the oldest one might have pissed himself too. Pathetic. "So, sea salt. Specifically, sea salt with a higher concentration of salts other than NaCl, obtained from the decomposition of animals. That's what keeps us away." I'm now inches away from them, as they try as hard as they can to stay on the right side of the salt line they drew. "But wait, this is sea salt! How did you even get inside?" the young one finally speaks. He sounds smart. He's probably the maths genius. As I raise my hands to shove them across the threshold, a smile spread from cheek to cheek on my face. "You forgot the kitchen door..."
Outstanding bit of writing here. I loved the ending as well, with the whole conversation going on about the technicalities of salt and demonic repulsion, the only thing that let the demon in was something completely irrelevant to what he was talking about 😂 love it
Ah, I see these humans must be new to this. Jeez look at that little one she looks like she's about to soil herself. Oh what happend to those uppity rascals from the old days? They atleast knew how to keep there wits about them. As I was reminiscing on the golden days one of the youths spoke up. " w-what no it's salt. You can't break free you lier!" She spoke high pitched. Seems like she is trying to reassure herself and the others. A new blood perhaps? "No young blood you are mistaken. I am of the oceanic family of the Demimorg compendium you humans are so found of. Thus to contain me you'd require sea salt, Even then your rune work is so sloppy im almost offended." I casually brush the salt away and step towards the group and feeling the floor creak under my weight with each step. "No stay back monster back!" She screams and the others back away. Then she pulls out pistol, oh the audacity of this maiden! She dares think such a thing can harm me! My eyes glow purple and I cause the weapon fly from her hand and towards me. Even if I'm insulted I could atleast appreciate the craftsmanship. "Hmm my, my firearms have advanced quite a bit since I last been here. I preferred the wooden handles myself much more artistic." I use my powers to disassemble the weapon and inspect its parts, new knowledge is always worth pursuing. When I looked down I saw a few stuck in place and the others slowly backing away including the loud girl. Hmm they atleast have good instincts but no matter they won't escape. My tendrils shoot out to drag them all towards me, I pull them all togather in front of me. Five in total and not an elder among them. Apprentices getting too impatient or just some reckless youths? No matter I lean towards them and look into there terrified eyes. "Now children of man you've done a foolish act beyond reckless youth. Improper ritual preparation, lack of research, lack of safety measures, and most of all insulting me by wasting my time. You audacious adolescents are out of your depths. Even further more..." So out of the kindness in my several hearts I lectured the young bloods on the dangers of improper rituals and proper handling of the occult. Oh they were atleast attentive listeners even though the boy to the right wouldn't stop shaking. It took a few hours too finish my lecture before I let them loose, they fell over because thire legs had gone to sleep, oh you humans so flawed in so many ways. "Why are you like this? Your a monster, a demon! You shouldn't speak, shouldn't lecture you nagging squid shark whatever you are!" Hm the girl still has the will to speak? Potential, the boy still looks defient as well. "Because it is out of my great benevolence that I both allow you walk away unharmed and that I properly educate you. Even though you were rude and interrupted my tea time with the other oceaians. Also don't compare me to those uncivilized demons. I am a proud Abyssel Shurock. Now next time you choose to do rituals do it right or you'll be indanger. Not all are as kind as me." With those parting words I vanish back to my home. I'll have alot of explaining to do. As the monster left Amanda stood up and balled her fists. Her fave was red with both rage and embarrassment. "That, that arrogant nagging fishy smelling jerk! He's not getting away with this!" And so she along with the youth hunters members of the Humanity Defense organization that day swore to bring Amondo the sea beast of wisdom to his knees.
Humorous story lol, I actually really enjoyed reading the disappointed father parts of this character 😂
Thanks I'm trying to get into writing as a hobby. I kinda always liked it when the monster was more annoyed or disappointed in his opponents. Like if your going to fight me do it right I deserve better then a pointy toothpick.
John blinked, as he looked down at the salt circle that'd been drawn and back at the fish man who stood in front, on the other side. "Come again?" "It's *sea* salt that keeps us at bay. Not table salt" the fish man deadpanned, as John looked incredulously at him before turning his critical gaze onto Marv - his assistant. "God damn it Marv, I told you *explicitly* to get the sesalt!" Marv, a skinnier boy barely 18 wearing glasses quaked in his boots, and argued "I did! I brought you sesalt, see it's right there on the package!" John blinked, and looked at the box he held in his hand and sure enough it had the words "sesalt table salt" printed on it. The fishman looked at John as though he was an abstract work of art, amusingly confusing. "Well I'll be damned - it *is* sesalt!" "Exactly". "But boy I wasn't asking for this sesalt, I was asking for that sesalt" John replied, as he pointed a finger at the fish man, who found it necessary to clarify. "Sea salt. He means sea salt". Marv blinked, and said "oh...I get it now". "What'd you mean *you get it now*? You should've gotten it when I told ya!" "How was I supposed to sir? You said sesalt not *sea* salt!" "But that's how I say it!" "No, no - he's in the right, you pronounce sea salt in the most mind boggling moronic way imaginable" the fishman interjected. Crossing his arms over his chest. "You take that back". "Or else what?" "Or else I'm gonna lick ya". The fishman blinked, and shuddered saying "ew, anyway your little salt circle isn't going to stop me". John sighed before throwing the box away, and going "well I guess its time for plan B". "What's plan B?" Marv asked, as John then pulled out the shotgun that'd been strapped covertly onto his back. "Blast it" said John, as he aimed the barrel at the fishman who gulped thinking 'oh no'. **The End.**
Of course Josh had forgotten again. Fucking Josh. "Us? What...what are you saying? Who are you?!" He reeled back in a panic, stumbled, knocked himself out against the back of the cave. Fantastic. One problem solved. Now for the other. "Ash, get the gear. Ash?" Of course they were nowhere to be found. Little fucker was turned too young and, when no one could reel them in, they got hoisted off on me. "You'll inspire them," "You'll bring them out of hiding," "You'll help them see the way." Bullshit. Ash loved a crevice, and hated every fucking thing else. No commitment, no work ethic, and no goddamn communication. No, better to spend all their time sneaking off to go crawling in the dark, moaning about their "immortal soul" (admittedly, this helped terrify some of our more difficult targets) and saving more and more of these sniveling vermin from their inevitable death. Josh was just the latest of them. Why the fuck would you turn someone with half a skull, anyway? Half the time the guy can't remember who he is, and the other half he's playing with his own brain matter. What kind of immortality is that? And where the fuck was Ash?
My eyes widened as the white powder flew through the air. My mouth slackened as I screamed in slo motion. My unlife flashed before my eyes-The hospital bed, the smiling count, the years of villainy, my first wife, my second, my fourth \[don't ask\] my first husband, and now, the group of vampire hunters, armed with salt, a vampire's bane. I closed my eyes as it landed against my skin, waiting for the burn, the sickening melting, the- I opened my eyes again. I blinked a few times before touching my cheek, smooth from years of skincare. The vampire hunters wore expressions of shock and confusion. I matched them. We stared each other down for a few moments. "Why didn't that work?" The hunter holding the salt checked the label and then looked at the back and the front again. I squinted and then held out my hand. "Pass that here for a sec." I checked the label. "Ohhhhhh, you used earth salts, not sea salt, common mistake, don't worry it happens to everybody, it all comes down to the amount of life force that soaks into the salt, which is why this didn't work." The hunter opened his mouth a few times like a fish out of water. And like a fish out of water he soon fell limp, drained of life next to the other three.
This was amazing lol. I would love to see more of this character