En Route to Salem, Massachusetts – Twilight
The road east was long and dark, with shadows pooling on either side like waiting things. Knox drove Bella in silence, headlights cutting clean lines through the mist. Behind him, the Impala followed—engine steady, rumbling like a loyal dog that hated magic but tolerated it for now.
Dean's voice crackled over the walkie between them. "You gonna tell us who called in that rain check, or are we playing Guess That Demonic Favor?"
Knox didn't look away from the road. "A witch. Old one. Lives out near Salem. Helped me neutralize a soul-leeching artifact a few years ago. She said, 'One day, I'll call.' Today's that day."
Sam's voice chimed in. "What kind of witch?"
"The dangerous kind," Knox said. "But not the malicious kind. Not always."
He didn't elaborate further, and the silence that followed was thick with unasked questions.
Salem, Massachusetts – Vale Estate – Midnight
The estate loomed like a forgotten cathedral. Overgrown hedges clawed at rusted fences. Iron gates twisted into thorns. The house itself was Victorian—massive, decrepit, haunted-looking even without the spiritual interference.
Knox stepped out of Bella and stretched his fingers. A pulse moved up his forearm—an echo of power where his tattoo shimmered faintly beneath his sleeve. Not a flare-up. Just… attention.
Dean stepped beside him, whistling low. "You sure this place isn't already condemned?"
Sam read from his notebook. "Three disappearances in a month. Locals say it's cursed. Last known resident left in '79. Place has changed hands through proxies since then."
Knox walked forward, boots crunching old leaves. "Sounds like a perfect time to cash in a favor."
The front door creaked open before they even knocked. A woman stood in the threshold—pale, ageless, dressed in flowing black silk. Her eyes held centuries.
"Shadowmere," she said, voice velvet and sharp.
Knox gave a tight nod. "Vale."
"You came. I had my doubts."
"You called in your favor. I keep my word."
She smiled like a knife unsheathing. "Then enter freely."
Dean muttered, "That's not ominous at all."
Inside the Estate – Study Room
The walls were lined with spellbooks older than the country. Candles flickered without flame. Symbols drifted lazily through the air, only visible from the corner of one's eye.
Vale gestured toward the fireplace. "Something is wrong in the house. Beneath it. I sealed it decades ago, but the wards are breaking."
Knox arched a brow. "Why not reseal it yourself?"
She hesitated, then looked away. "Because it was bound using bloodline magic. Only someone untainted by the estate's legacy can do it now."
"A failsafe?" he asked.
"A curse," she corrected. "It turned on me the moment I tried to contain it. My blood woke it up."
A beat passed. Knox nodded once. "Then it needs a stranger's hand. Show me where."
Basement Ritual Chamber
They descended narrow stairs to a chamber choked with old power. Runes carved into the stone walls pulsed sickly. The air was thick with the scent of copper and soot.
Sam shivered. "This is worse than the lake."
Dean raised his EMF meter. It screamed.
Knox stepped to the center, crouched, and touched the floor. His system responded instantly.
[System Notification: Quest Updated]
Quest: The Hollow Pact
Objective: Cleanse the Vale Estate of the Greed-bound curse beneath its foundation.
Reward: Memory Fragment – Demonic Cluster (Greed)
Cluster Insight: The Greed sigils grant manipulation over temptation-based magic and pact-binding. Grants increased effectiveness when extracting or enforcing verbal promises.
He accepted without hesitation.
A tremor rocked the chamber. From the wall, something pulled free—a figure half-formed, half-shadow, wearing the likeness of men who'd once wanted too much.
Dean raised his shotgun. "Tell me that's not a demon."
Knox's wand snapped into his hand. "Not quite. It's a Sin Echo. Born from generations of unchecked ambition and arcane debt."
Sam whispered, "Like ancestral curses gone feral?"
Knox nodded grimly. "And we're the bailiffs."
The Battle
The Echo moved fast—slashing, whispering offers. Visions of desires flickered in the air: Dean saw his father alive; Sam saw a life with Jess. Knox saw himself—alone, peaceful, untouched by war or prophecy.
But he blinked it away.
"Confringo!"
A fiery blast rocked the chamber. Sam chanted Latin exorcisms while Dean drove an iron spike through the glyph carved into the floor.
The Echo screamed.
Knox raised his hand and shouted, "Pactum Dissolvo!"
A surge of violet light tore through the room. The Echo convulsed, tearing at itself—then collapsed into mist, leaving only silence behind.
Upstairs — Morning Light
Vale poured tea without asking. "You did well."
Knox accepted the cup but didn't drink. "The favor's paid."
"Indeed," she said. "And the house is mine again."
Dean leaned against the wall. "I still think she's a vampire."
Knox smirked. "She's not. Just... complicated."
Sam asked, "What was that last spell? The one that broke the pact?"
Knox's voice was quiet. "Ancient demonic tongue. Taught to me under... odd circumstances."
Dean gave him a look. "You've got a spell for everything?"
"Not everything," Knox replied. "But enough to bluff."
In his mind, the system chimed again:
[System Notification: Quest Completed]
Quest: The Hollow Pact – COMPLETE
Reward Unlocked: Memory Fragment – Demonic Cluster (Greed)
Cluster Unlocked: GREED
Perks:
Pact Enforcement
Verbal Binding
Truth Distortion Resistance
System Insight: Pact-bound magic originated from fallen angels who sought to bind mortals with words, contracts, and cursed inheritance. The Greed cluster manipulates desires—not through promises, but through offers one can't refuse.
Knox let the knowledge sink in. He could feel the runes on his shoulder shift—another piece of the arcane puzzle falling into place.
On the Road Again
The Mercedes led. The Impala followed.
Dean's voice buzzed through the radio. "So, Shadowmere, you good now?"
Knox chuckled. "Greed has been satisfied."
Sam's voice came next, casual but curious. "That makes two, doesn't it? One last stop before the hat trick?"
Knox smiled faintly. "Just one."
And somewhere deep in his mind, the system whispered that it would be the hardest yet.