It takes a few days before I can shake off some of the apprehension I have any time I see Harijia. Looking back, I should have expected something like this and not just in Harijia. Many of the creatures I have learned a bit about use scents, colors or just their body to communicate. When one swarmling is scared or nervous, it doesn't take much for others to start feeling agitated too. Every morning, the intent to feed spreads rapidly enough to clear my mind of sleepiness. It's not strange for the demons who manage the other demons to have some way to influence their mood. With that in mind, I start to observe Harijia more carefully when we meet. A trick like that might be worth knowing, even if I can't copy it.

Every day I spend time playing with the other swarmlings and do some exercises. Mobility, strength and stamina, as well as my jumping training. I have decided to start a bit lower. From five meters high my landing is taxing, but not unmanageable. One of the things I have learned is to throw myself to the side when I land. The first time it was an accident, after a bad landing I lost my footing on my right and rolled to the side. I wasn't injured, but I ended up on my flank. It's a position from where I can't dodge and that is a vulnerability. Quite some time was spent on finding how fast I have to roll to end up on my claws. This will also be useful against opponents that throw me away, like Mari did, so I am proud of this discovery!

The days pass quickly with my new routine and soon the day comes where Harijia guides me to a cell again to be summoned. She's still not doing the ritual with me watching, so I can't try to figure out what is different between her blood and mine. This time it takes two days of boredom before I can sense the touch of a summon. A cold spot on my back makes itself felt. It's Mari, which means it's time to see Tarvinder again.

While I don't want to kill Mari, it doesn't mean I can't hurt her a bit. She clearly doesn't respect me enough, so I prepare to attack once I can see. Unfortunately I see no Mari once the white clears up. I launch forward anyway, because staying still would be worse. Behind me I hear a tinkling laugh.

"Very good, Krak, you are learning fast." I hear a familiar voice say.

Turning around I see Mari, floating near the far wall. She is weaker in this room, but without surprising her I don't think I can win. I have to reluctantly admit that this round goes to her. Relaxing my muscles I give up for now.

She notices my change in posture and smiles. "There's a good boy! Now, off to Tarvinder with you, then I have work for you."

When I leave the room she doesn't follow right behind me, giving me no chance to ambush her before the door. Even if I didn't win, she is at least not as arrogant any more and gives me some respect. I can't help but grin at the thought.

The dungeon flow feels a bit stronger than last time, though the difference is less noticeable. I take the route I remember and find Tarvinder's room where it was last time. The old elf is bent over, busy with some materials at his work bench and pays no attention to me as I walk in and jump on the desk. I know he noticed me. He must have. The sound of my claws as I run or walk is quite loud in my ears, so he would have heard it too.

It still takes him several minutes before he straightens up and turns my way. He is smiling, but it is a defensive smile. I can think of only thing he would be defensive about. As he approaches I glare at him, but his smile doesn't falter.

Almost shouting, Tarvinder welcomes me. "Krak, delighted to see you! You won't believe the discoveries I've already made thanks to you! Though if you could keep in mind not to eat anything but poisonous things that would help greatly with the purity of the material."

I decide to let him talk for a while. He has a tendency to go on and on, but sometimes there is useful information in there.

"I have something for you to try before you leave, so don't get yourself killed out there!" Still with a broad smile Tarvinder waves me off, but I don't move.

"What about my elixir?" I prod him a bit.

Tarvinder's smile doesn't change. "That has hit a snag in its production. I'm working on it, trust me. Now, I believe Mari needs you?"

It won't help me if I keep bugging him. I'm not happy about this, though. Jumping off the desk I trot out the door to find Mari waiting for me already. Did Tarvinder know she was here? Probably not, it's more likely to be a coincidence. Mari and I look at one another and a silent moment of tension passes. I think we reach an unspoken agreement not to play with the other until work is done again and this time she stays closer to me.

"We're going to the upper part of the caves. There was some disturbance and I want to check if we've made a direct connection to the surface. I could ask Seo to come, but he's more useful to me in the lower areas, so you're with me," she explains. "First though, we need to visit some lizard-kin and see if I can convince them to work for me."

"I've seen them," I volunteer. At least I think I have. If it's the lizard-like tool-using creatures I know, then I've seen them. "I tried to track them but I got bored." While that is not entirely true, it's true enough. I could have found them for sure if I really tried

"I was sure you would have seen them," Mari responds. "They're not bad at remaining unnoticed, but should hardly be a match for your senses or mine. Don't worry about finding them, I can tell their general position now that they are in the territory of the dungeon."

I take some time to ponder that. It means it would be nearly impossible to ambush Mari in the dungeon. Instead of discouraged, I feel interested in the challenge. I glance at Mari and ask her a question. "How accurate?"

"How accurately I can pinpoint a position?" She glances at me before answering and grins. "It depends. Single individuals are harder to pinpoint than groups. Weaker are harder to find than stronger and anything interacting with the flow of dungeon mana stands out to me like a beacon."

"If you're thinking of a game of you ambush me and I ambush you, I would like that very much." For a moment she seems a bit embarrassed. "It's what I was hoping for before I got, well, carried away." She quickly glances at me again. "Would it be okay if I occasionally kill you? It's so much more satisfying than animals and beasts."

I refuse to answer her and we move the rest of the way in silence.

After we reach the area where I lost the track last time, I let Mari go first. It's not even that much further. If I had been a little more diligent or had a little more perseverance I would have found the place. The scent of lizard is still absent. Swarmlings and most other creatures smell like themselves and I can use scent to identify individuals. I already know it's harder with serpent demons. Something connects in my mind. Harijia does have a scent, even if it's vague. Maybe that is part of her manipulation?

The question remains if lizards don't smell when they are clean? The things I do smell are meat, plants, and faeces and urine. The things they produce while living, but not their own bodies. From up ahead I hear the sound of hissing and four of the lizard things block our progress. We must be getting close for guards to come out. They carry stone knifes. They're more like elongated stones sharp on one side and with a sharp point and a blunt part where they hold it. I wonder why they don't rely on their claws like I do. I'm sure there must be a reason.

Mari and the lizard things start hissing at one another. It takes me a while to realize they're communicating in something I didn't recognize as language. It's a bit annoying to realize I have so much to learn still. I should have known it was a form of speech, especially since swarmlings can communicate in hisses, grunts and growls. Still, I can't understand what they're saying so I study the rock wall for any interesting bits. While the hissing takes on a harsher tone, I feel myself getting restless. Mari saves me from my boredom.

"They're being uncooperative," she states. "Could you make an example out of one of them?"

I stare at her.

"I mean, injure one. Without killing if you can. Idiot." Mari curses under her breath. I can't hear what she says, but the tone is clear. I'll allow her to call me idiot this time.

I take my time to saunter forwards. I may not have understood the words right away, but I understand the intention and the intention is to intimidate. Slowly the limbs on my back unfold. The sharp spike at the end aimed at the lizards, I stop while I'm still out of reach. Playfully I jab at the lizards. They're a little bit heavier, a little bigger and probably a little stronger than me, but I'm more mobile even when I don't run as fast. I'm also much more dangerous. I grin with my mouth fully open and give them my best smile to show off my teeth. Made for ripping off chunks of flesh, they promise pain and blood.

Provoked, one of the lizards swings a knife at my spikes. There is a brief impact and a little stone chip goes flying. The other lizards tense. Do they expect me to attack now? Instead I withdraw the spike that was hit for inspection. There is a tiny scratch, which means that stone is sharper than I first thought. It is almost certainly able to cut through my skin with a good strike, which just means I have to deny them a good strike.

I am briefly reminded of what Harijia said. Unfortunately smart. A normal demon would have charged right ahead. It would have almost certainly severely injured one or two and be severely injured itself in return. Maybe it would have been easier to be stupid. Movement brings me back to the fight at hand.

The lizard things are changing tactics and are spreading out to encircle me. Their way of moving is so much alike to me and the other young swarmlings harassing Torn, I can't help but grin. This time I'm the one in the middle, but I learned a few tricks from the wily elder.

Moving the spikes to guard my flank and twisting my tail this way and that, my sides and rear are somewhat protected. I make sure to move my sight around, never leaving one unnoticed for more than a moment. If they want to attack me, one will draw my attention while another strikes. At least, that is what I expect and it almost happens that way.

One draws my attention with a sudden movement. Nails on stone behind me tell me the one there has started moving. With a twist of my body I swipe my tail in a long arc behind me and to my right. A short leap causes the one now in front of me to stumble back, which leaves me free to face the one which was supposed to attack me while I was distracted! Except that he's not there. As I complete my turn to face him, I find the lizard thing backing off again and the others once more taking position around me.

Sound from the right tells me an attack is coming from the one who stumbled back, but as I turn to face it I find him already backing off too. Using my momentum I spin around, certain the attack will now come from behind. Nothing. This is not the same tactic we were using against Torn, but it is one I recognize. They want to tire me out. I hiss in annoyance and am a bit surprised when the four hiss back. Taking advantage of my surprise, one of them takes a swing at my tail and connects. The angle is off and my tail mostly bounces away, but it's enough to break the skin.

I shouldn't have tried to do things smart. Thoroughly annoyed with myself I attack the one in front of me. In two jumps I launch myself at his torso. He is ready for me and scores a deep cut on my chest, but the pain barely registers. I dig my claws in the fleshy part of his arms before moving on and turning around to face the other three. I can hear their feet on the rock, coming at me, but as I start to turn they stop. As I complete my manoeuvre and face them again they have formed up between me and the injured one. Once more I gather my resolve for the assault.

The familiar sound and light of Mari casting her lightning breaks the stand-off. One of my opponents convulses and collapses with the smell of burnt lizard skin trailing behind it in the air. As it falls Mari appears in my sight, smiling and giggling. "No killing?" I snarl at her.

It only makes her laugh more. "Oops?" she manages to stammer in between fits. I glare at the lizard things, daring them to move, until she calms down. "Maybe I hit the heart. I didn't intend to kill or do anything, really. But it was such a perfect moment to interfere! You should have seen all of your faces!"

The lizards are huddling together, caught between Mari and me and looking from one to the other. Once Mari is fully in control of herself again their hissing conversations resume, a lot more meek this time around. After some final hisses the three depart, two carrying the dead body and one wounded trying to keep up.

Once they are out of sight, Mari gestures me to follow. "Come," she says, "Let's check on the possible surface."

Tracing our way back through the tunnels she leads me through a main branch leading up. It takes a while before I notice, but the flow of the dungeon starts to twist in little waves and eddies, gently caressing my skin. It's not an unpleasant sensation compared to the constant flow closer to the centre.

Mari shivers. "You can feel it, right?" she begins, "a current is coming from above. Lighter and more gentle, but it's disturbing the steady flow of the dungeon."

I don't feel the need to reply. I assume she knows I can feel it, so what is there to talk about?

After a short silence she continues. "Creatures from above will start to come down. Humans, elves and others too. I wish it had taken longer, I'm nowhere near ready." Her pensive mood disappears as fast as I notice it and her usual smile appears. "They're fun to play with, though. Let us see if anything fell in yet! Follow me!"

Following the strange currents I follow her forward and upward. I wonder what the outside looks like here?