The leader of the humans we are following – Marc I think he's called – turns back to us and flashes a strange smile, his eyes twinkling with amusement. That smoldering intensity I sensed when we first met eyes returning in full force. Behind him the humans of his group have also turned to regard us, the other two men and one woman arrayed in a semi-circle between us and the probable Adventurer's Guild building.

“Well, as promised girls, this is the Adventurer's Guild.” He says.

“My thanks Marc, your assistance has been invaluable.” Pink returns.

“Oh don't worry, the pleasure was mine.” The mans tone is jovial in the extreme. “But I wonder – won't you two have trouble enlisting? You haven't undergone your conscription have you? Being foreign and all. The guild checks for such things you know – lest it become a haven for draft dodgers.”

“What makes you say that?” Pink's tone has become wary.

“Well, a few things actually.” He holds up a hand and begins ticking points of on his fingers. “First of all, when we met you didn't even know of the Adventurer's Guild – how could someone who doesn't know something so basic have already undergone their conscription? Second, I gave you an Imperial salute at the gate but neither of you reacted at all – that's a terrible snub by the way, ignoring an Imperial salute, but don't worry I'm not offended – and even the greenest conscript has that salute drilled into them by the end of their first week. And I can't see a brand on either of you – every conscript gets one, helps with honing your sense for the Unbound or some shit – and no offense Pink but your clothes don't leave much to the imagination.”

Having finished his explanation, the man rocks back on his heels and smiles down at us, seemingly very pleased with himself. I feel slightly confused – unsure of what exactly he's driving at – but I dismiss it from my mind. We've reached the Guild so we have no further use for this human, whatever he thinks he's deduced about us is …irrelevant. I look to Pink, waiting for her to resolve our little stand off. She's crossed her arms – concealing her cleavage somewhat, apparently offended by that last remark; Pink if you don't want to show it off why do you make your clothes like that in the first place, I wonder to myself.

“We have traveled far to reach these lands, I admit we have not undergone this 'conscription' you speak of – but we are not citizens of this nation, surely we are not expected to serve?” Pink replies. More fishing for information than anything I judge.

Marc's smile doesn't falter. “I think you're misunderstanding the situation somewhat Pink. I don't give a damn if you've served your time or not – though I do think there's something like honorary citizenship for foreign conscripts – I'm just enlightening you to the realities of your situation. Namely that whatever Unbound Cores you might have are worthless to you – unless you want to serve your five years beforehand.”

“Not, however; so worthless to currently employed adventurers. Adventurers to whom you might owe a debt of gratitude – and who might become angry and violent if refused. Like, for instance, us.” The thin man – Dane I think he was called – interjects with an equally thin smile.

“Well when you put it like that Dane we sound almost like bad guys.” Marc retorts his voice playful, his eyes anything but.

Ah this is slightly bad. We're being extorted. What's more Pink doesn't even have the “Unbound Cores” - I'm carrying all of them. So her options are somewhat limited here aren't they? Well it will be interesting to see how she handles this – and it's not like I would hand something of mine over to a group of smelly humans in the first place so this whole conversation is just …haaah.

“You're right, we do owe you something of a debt. In recognition of that fact I will restrain myself from beating you within an inch of your lives – if you cease this ridiculousness now.” Pink says. I detect slight hostility in her voice. And at the same time I notice the loop-hole she's exploiting, I ordered her not to kill any humans, but she's taken that to mean that beating them senseless is fair game. Which really seems to go against the intent of the order, while not technically violating the wording. Is it impossible to avoid demonic politicking? Even when there's only two of us? Heedless of my internal musings the humans are responding.

Marc's group tenses at her words, hands dropping to weapons, eyes sharpening. The other humans scattered around the courtyard are moving to watch the commotion, a few dozen pairs of hungry eyes unabashedly turning to see the show.

“Boss let's just kill this bitch.” The woman speaks.

“Quiet Doll.” Marc responds absently – his attention on Pink. “You sure that's wise girl? You can scream all you like – there is no help for you here. You look like you might have a bit of strength to you – but you're but a single girl, a girl with a lady to look after at that…” The jovial tone has finally disappeared, replaced by a low and threatening growl – a dangerous gleam appearing in his eyes.

“So I'll ask once more – all easy to understand like. Do you want to give us your Cores, or do you want us to take them off your bodies?”

By way of response Pink lowers her body slightly, taking a pugilist's stance. Apparently seriously intending to beat the humans down with her fists. Well not that she has much choice I guess. She can't exactly pull out her giant flaming sword here. Her whole body thrums with tension as she speaks a final warning.

“For your words I should see you flayed alive – but if you turn back now I can consent to ignoring your existence for the duration of our stay in this town. We should not be here long and I believe I have that much self-control.” Pink's words are just slightly provocative.

The humans, at least, seem properly provoked. Wordlessly unsheathing weapons, murder in their eyes. The man with the stick begins to circulate a remarkably pitiful amount of mana. The whole scene is slightly comical, slightly surreal. I've fought humans – in the past, so long ago I can barely remember – but in my memories they were not this pathetic. I wonder at that. Are my recollections simply faulty? It's possible, easily possible, I have forgotten large chunks of my youth entirely after all. Or is it that humans have become much weaker in the intervening years? Also possible. Or maybe – these humans – are just especially weak specimens? That seems unlikely. We've walked all through this town and I've not seen anyone I would consider strong – at most there was a man who seemed to be at roughly at Pink's level, a bit below maybe.

And these adventurer's are nothing worth mentioning. There is only so much you can do without some sort of physical reinforcement – via magic or other methods – but they all seem to be content to rely on their bodies innate abilities. The few bits of magical strengthening I have seen have been crude and rudimentary – or temporary like the one Marc seems to have imbued himself with just now – it's unreal. Demons learn body reinforcement practically from the cradle – to take advantage of their long lives theoretically – but even with a humans lifespan such techniques would be useful I'm sure. That is all neither here nor there though, these humans have neglected that aspect of their training and as a result...

*THUNK*

That's the noise made as Pink uses her bare hand to catch Marc's sword – simultaneously delivering a crushing kick to the man's midsection, launching him nearly a dozen feet away. Ah wow – could he have survived that? I mean he's wearing armor and he had that strengthening magic …so maybe? The human mage sees his companions predicament and, having completed a lengthy incantation, launches his magic – a single bolt of arcane energy that Pink swats out of the air with her free hand. Releasing Marc she rounds on the mage – who has a look of stunned horror etched on his face – before being cut off by the stout axe-wielding man who bravely steps in front of the mage. But where is the woman …? There were four weren't the-

Oh.

Found her.

A blade appears at my throat. I can feel the other woman standing behind me, pressing her body against mine while keeping one of her daggers resting lightly on my collar-bone. And from right next to my ear her slightly hysterical voice rings out. I check a murderous impluse, intent on letting Pink handle this.

“Stop, you bitch! Or I'll slit her throat right here!”

And Pink turns away from the other two humans – directing her attention at me and the human clinging to me. For a moment she just looks at us, still as a statue. Pink's eyes narrow dangerously, her mana coiling around her for a moment – an arrow a second from being loosed – before she dismisses it with a slight shake of her head. Then, very deliberately, she takes a step toward me. And another. And another.

“Stop! D-don't come any closer! I'll kill her, right here in front of you you stupid girl!”

Pink ignores the woman's increasingly terrified cries, bearing down on her unrelentingly. Her eyes promising a painful death. She's ten feet away. Five. Three.

“Hiyaaaa!” The woman lets out a shrill squeal and her dagger clatters to the ground beside me. I follow it with my eyes disinterestedly. The tiny pressure disappears from my body and I hear a light thud behind me – the woman having lost her footing and fallen. I look down and see that she's laying on the ground – unconscious – apparently passed out in fright. Pink stops in front of me, her head down, and just stands there. Her shoulders are trembling slightly and at her side one hand keeps spasming weirdly, opening wide, closing into a fist, and opening again in tune with her ragged breathing. Then she looks up, her eyes slightly crazed – a faint red glow visible even through her glamour – and imploring.

“Please. Mistress.” She asks.

I repress a sigh. Demons are such bloodthirsty creatures. Slowly I shake my head, meeting her strangely intense gaze with one of my own. It's important not to back down on the rules you set when you're a Demon Lord – that's my personal philosophy anyway. Pink's angry face melts away, replaced by a look of forlorn sadness, like a puppy left in the rain – but I'll not be fooled by such tricks! As I consider how to respond I'm spared the effort when the axe man charges forward with a battle cry – slamming his weapon into Pink's back. With a small gasp of surprise Pink is forced down onto her left knee – instantly she shifts her body though, extending her right leg and swinging her body 270 degrees. Sweeping the axe man off his feet with a brutal crunch of snapping limbs before literally jumping back to her feet – three of her four opponents no longer able to continue.

With sharp eyes she scans the humans around us – looking for her final opponent – and after only a few seconds she spots him. Having apparently decided he has something better to do with his time Dane is running away – dodging and weaving through amused looking adventurers, his stick forgotten on the ground behind him – towards the guild building. A slightly feral smile appears on Pink's face as she lowers her stance – preparing to run the man down. But before she can even start he reaches the wooden double doors, grasps the metal handle with both hands and gives a mighty tug. Nothing happens. He looks up at the door, an expression of bafflement on his face.

And then the door slams open – into Dane – tossing him a good half dozen feet back.

“WHO THA' FUCK IS FIGHTIN' OUTSIDE MY GUILD!?” A voice roars.

And a tall human strides out of the – now open – doors. He is massive – huge and powerfully built, he could match many demons in pure physique – wearing a huge and heavy looking coat with only a pair of leather breeches and heavy leather boots beneath, baring his scared and muscled chest. His face looks like someone had taken a slab of stone and crudely carved human features into it – missing a lot and terribly marring the surface horribly in the process if the network of scars is any indication. Still for a face of stone, it's quite expressive, I can clearly see the rage written across it, ready to make use of the massive war hammer slung over his back. As he steps out his eyes sweep the courtyard darting across the prone forms of Marc and his entire party, noting the two dozen or so spectators, lingering on me – softening a bit – for a moment, before finally coming to a rest on Pink, who still looks ready to pounce on the recently downed Dane.

“Oi, who tha fuck are you?” Some of the rage has disappeared, replaced by confusion as he directs a question at Pink. At being addressed Pink seems to regain herself a bit, straightening up and facing the large human.

“Travelers. Seeking the adventurer's guild.” Pink states flatly. Unflinchingly meeting the man's gaze. Her tone is a bit arrogant for someone who just took an axe to the back if you ask me – probably planning to use her wings to protect herself in some way only to remember her disguise at the last moment – a shameful failure. The human man seems taken aback by her brazenness, looking a bit uncertain how to handle the situation.

Before anything more can be said though there is a low groan and the human flung by the door – Dane – rolls over and pulls himself upright. He looks around with a dazed expression, first up at the new arrival – then as if suddenly remembering – he turns to look back at Pink. Spotting her his dazed expression disappears and he starts to frantically back away, scooting backwards on his butt. I can't help but wonder what he's doing, hopefully its been made clear that if we wanted him dead – he would be dead. Acting in this ridiculous manner is just embarrassing for all parties involved. He only stops when he reaches the stone wall of the Adventurer's Guild, pressing his back against it and staring wide-eyed at Pink.

“Seems you've gone and bitten off more than you can chew.” The large man says contemptuously – shaking his head at the spectacle. Then he turns to a cluster of the spectators. “You lot, get any of these fools that are still alive down to Maggie – they'll just have to be debtors for a while.”

One of the men he's addressing nods and starts directing his comrades. The gingerly begin the process of removing Marc and co. - taking them to someone called “Maggie” apparently.

“I did specifically avoid killing any of your rabble.” Pink interjects.

The man snorts. “Not my rabble girlie. the guild just buys cores off people that have no need of them – don't got nothing to do with what goes on outside our walls. Can't help every damned fool that can't tell which fights they shouldn't take. I am glad to hear that though, if you beat em up bad enough that they need healing I'll have em working for free!”

“Their actions are not your responsibility then? That is your assertion? It's a bit different from what we'd heard from Marc – he seemed fairly confident in his affiliation with your organization.”

“Sure, sure girl. He was 'affiliated' in the sense that he'd bought a license that allows him to peddle any Unbound Cores he might stumble across – but he's no member of the guild.”

Around us the various – presumed – adventurers were looking annoyed, many of them losing interest entirely and just walking away. Some were glaring daggers at the large man as he gave his explanation but he ignored them completely.

“At any rate, you said you were searching for the Adventurer's Guild – and the Adventurer's Guild you've found – I am the guildmaster here in Shadfer, my name is Gorim. I don't often speak with our contractors but after seeing your little brawl I feel that you girlie, might be worth talking to. So let's take this meeting somewhere more private – I don't generally like discussing business on the street.”

So saying he turns and walks back to the Guild building, beckoning us with one hand.

“Ah.” I clear my throat – carefully observing the surrounding humans – seeing no ill effects I continue. “Pink, I'll let you handle things here, I have business elsewhere.”

Pink is gaping at me – her goldfish look making a triumphant return – surprised at what I'm saying, doubly surprised that I'm saying it aloud among the weaklings. This much is nothing with a bit of focus! I don't like focusing but following around watching Pink work is boring, whats the point of dispatching your subordinates to do something if you plan to shadow them every step of the way? Might as well do it yourself at that point – no thank you!

“B-but milady will you be alright alone in the city?” Pink asks.

“I'm sure I will be quite alright, you just focus on doing what needs to be done here.” I give her a lazy wave of my hand as I begin to saunter away. “Just, you know, find me when you're done – I'm sure you can manage that much.”

The humans silently part for me as I walk back the way we came and from behind I hear Gorim's slightly confused voice.

“Well …this way then Miss …Pink.”

And I'm free! Free of listening to yet more undoubtedly inane yammering from humans. We're here to find their method of dealing with “Unbound Cores” but unless I miss my mark dramatically that method will not be outright destruction, which is really the only method I would care to learn, the humans I have met are just far too weak for such a thing to be possible. So I'll leave uncovering what is happening to Pink – while I explore a bit. This place is so indescribably different from my throne room, from the barren deserts of my homeland, it makes me want to look around. Just a little bit.