Deal with the Devil
Stay, Thou art so Beautiful
Type: Pact
Rank: EX
Range: 0
Maximum Targets: 1
A deal with the devil, best exemplified by the legend of Faust and the figure of Mephistopheles. It is an arrangement formed between the devil and the target. An exchange occurs where the devil would do anything the target wants, granting whatever wish they desire, at the price of the victim’s soul. A momentary happiness at the cost of damning their soul to hell for all eternity.
The pact is formed when Demon Caster offers a contract to the target, followed by a moment of negotiation. They have certain desires and wishes they want granted more than anything else in the world, thus they are willing to sacrifice their souls for the sake of momentary “happiness”. And so, it is the devil’s duty to fulfill those wishes, always with a twist and a price. Only the most arrogant fools imaginable would dare to trust or make a deal with the devil. No matter the benefits, it would only end in tragedy. He will tempt, corrupt, defile, ruin them for his own sadistic needs, then take everything they have and will have for himself. Nevertheless, to those who accept the deal, signing the pact with their own blood would finalize the contract, fully activating the Noble Phantasm.
People tend to ask favors such as youth, knowledge, wealth, fame, and/or power. Through the power generated from the pact, Demon Caster gains the ability to fulfill these desires. Creating money out of thin air, implementing knowledge into the person’s mind, and so on; similar to a certain wish-granting device. Should they wish to see their lost loved ones, Demon Caster can answer that wish like any other, but he cannot revive the dead because he lacks the power. Rather, he will deceive them, create an illusion of the fallen to mimic the living. The illusion is so realistic that it tricks reality itself, but they are not real. The target is unaware of this cruel, sadistic trick played by Demon Caster to uphold his end of the bargain. The same can apply to a location or a memory the target wishes to visit. Demon Caster would fulfill these wishes the same way. He will not teleport them, create a reality marble, nor time travel; instead creating a highly realistic illusion that deceives the eyes and senses of even the most perceptive people.
Within the fine print of the contract lies the words: “should the contractor be pleased enough with anything the devil gives him that they want to stay in that moment forever, then they will die in that moment”. As per the text, should the target find themselves in the peak of their happiness, where they feel satisfied and wish to stay in this “paradise” forever, then the pact becomes terminated. The deal is over and Demon Caster immediately claims their “soul” then and there.
The soul, compared to the mortal body, is considered invaluable by all manners of religions and beliefs. Yet, in the context of a Holy Grail War, where any servant can eat souls, it loses its importance. As such, almost as a compensation of sorts, Demon Caster claims something invaluable even compared to a soul; their entire existence. Should Demon Caster claim a soul through the use of the pact, he will permanently claim authority and ownership over their entire being. For all eternity, they will act as his loyal subordinate, forced to do anything he tells them to do. Their souls are damned, unable to enter the throne of heroes and unable to seek salvation.
Despite his demonic heritage, Demon Caster does not actively search for men to corrupt, but comes to serve and ultimately collect the souls of those who are already damned. This might be the reason why Demon Caster came to Faust specifically. He appeared because he senses in Faust’s magical summons that Faust is already corrupt, that he is already ‘in danger to be damned’. In accordance to his preference, Demon Caster only offers a deal to the Evil and Misfortunate. When encountering the Good, he will try to tempt and corrupt them, such as his nature, but he’ll never offer to form a pact. He acknowledges the faithful and strong-willed will not fall so easily to temptation, so he won’t even bother to waste his time.