“Demon,” Lindon whispered with a voice tinged with awe and fear in equal measure and I mentally concurred. Compared to the shadow creature this nearly human woman in front of him was ten-no a hundred times scarier and she wasn’t even there in person. Stories about the legendary incarnations of evil were things you heard even in rural villages like mine and I found it hard to compare the stories to that of this mocha coloured woman dressed in male clothese.

“Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey,” the woman said with a grin showing sharpened teeth as if loving the sound of her own voice. “You can’t just call somebody names like that. You’re going to hurt a girl’s feelings.” She winked at that showing a total lack of regard. “So what has brought two fine specimens of humanity to my doorstep? If you’re going to offer to sell me something I’m going to have to inform you that I’m currently a bit tied up at the moment. If you can get to the eighth floor then I will gladly buy whatever you’re selling.”

That wasn’t how a demon was supposed to behave. I personally expected more wrath or viciousness or at least a less friendly tone. Still demons were also told to be deceptive so maybe it was just putting on a front towards Lindon and I. Maybe it needed something and it was using that friendlier tone of voice in order to convince us to get it for her.

“What I actually need is not something you two can provide me with at the moment,” the demon said confirming my thoughts while leaning back in her chair. “But what you apparently want is something that only I can do for you at the moment. What a terrifically lopsided bargain it is.” She tilted her hat forward before her fingers formed a steeple on her abdomen. “Did the old walking corpse get you to come down here to pick up a package?”

“That’s a pretty rude way to refer to Madame Green,” Lindon said struggling to his feet. I wished I could do the same but the effect of casting all those spells was really taking its toll on my body. “Have you two got some kind of grudge between yourselves?”

“None personally,” the demon said while playing with her shoulder length hair that I was surprised to find was azure in colour. “I have never met her myself. I did briefly meet her husband…” she paused as if contemplating her words. “About six hundred years ago.” Her sentence finished with a smirk as she gazed down at us as if looking for any reaction.

“I wonder if it’s one of those potions that keep her alive,” I murmured to myself as Lindon gaped. The thought was amazingly exciting to me. After all how many stories were there of immortal wizards whose magic allowed them to transcend death and live for centuries. How great would it be to join the rank of those immortal sages I thought; before I forcibly clamped down on that dream. I wasn’t even a wizard yet and even if the book had potions that could do that I likely couldn’t even prepare them.

“How many people has she sent before,” Lindon said with a calculating tone bringing me back from my pleasant reverie. That was right; if her husband’s bones had been there for centuries then she must have sent people before. Six hundred years was a huge length of time. That even preceded the Calamity Mage and the Great Division. My poor grasp of history prevented me from remembering what exactly was happening around that time but I knew it was probably way different back then.

“Oh easily dozens,” the demon said smirking. “Of all shapes and sizes they came, but like foolish Cliffrats they died and left her partner’s bones with company.” That was a horrifying number that left a pit in my stomach. I had never heard of Cliffrats but the comparison didn’t leave much to be desired.

“Did you offer all of them the same deal,” Lindon spoke up and after a moment of contemplation I decided to let him do the talking. He was a merchant after all. He should be better at this than me. I would intervene if he looked to be screwing me over but I honestly didn’t think he was the type.

“There were thirty-one beings that came down here,” the demon said her voice taking on a serious tone for a moment as she looked down. Nine died on the first floor, eight died on the second. A further eight retreated from both floors and there were four I managed to contact but became aggressive and I was forced to put them down.” She raised her head and I noticed that her eyes were covered by a pair of red-rimmed glasses that inspected the two of us. “I’m still in negotiations with the last two.

“Nice power play,” Lindon said refusing to be intimidated. “I guess this is where you make your pitch.”

“Glad you liked it,” the demon clapped her hands in anticipation. “I worked very hard on that speech. Now what I would like for you two to do is to release me.” It was exactly the build-up I guessed she was leading to and I felt rather torn. She was a demon and half the stories I had heard when I was younger were about the dangers of trusting demons. I would hate to be a cautionary tale.

On the other hand she was clearly in a position of power. Despite her alleged imprisonment she displayed the abilities to manipulate the environment. That, plus her dig about putting humans down indicated that she was dangerous if her own words could be trusted. If we refused her then we might not be getting out alive.

On the third hand…

“Then how did we survive,” Lindon said disrupting my thoughts. “I have no illusions that I have very much experience fighting and while Marvin does seem to have bright future currently he is very mediocre for a wizard.” I winced at the somewhat harsh words. I wasn’t a wizard yet. I was an apprentice who had been learning magic properly for only a short time.

“Mainly luck,” the demon said with a wide smile showing her sharpened teeth. “You took the right turns and missed some of the really dangerous inhabitants of this menagerie and it’s the time of day when a lot of the predators go into torpor. Frankly speaking the Nacht Venator shouldn’t even be out at this cycle normally but they have evolved over the centuries they’ve been stuck in here.”

“I’ve never heard of that creature before,” I said feeling my throat ache slightly as I did so.

“Well they are endangered,” the demon said shrugging her shoulders. “Their homeland suffered a terrible fate. I wouldn’t be surprised if the last of them were stuck here.”

“What would you offer us in exchange for freeing you,” Lindon said dragging the conversation onto topic once more and displaying his standard mercenary mind-set. “And what guarantee do we have that you won’t kill us after we do so.”

“You have none unfortunately,” the demon said as her facial features formed a look of frustration. “Swearing an oath by the gods doesn’t work with demons.” She chuckled. “After all demons are just gods that don’t toe the party line.”

What a blasphemous statement. If I had been a devout follower of any of the gods then that statement would likely have shocked and enraged me. I wasn’t an earnest believer though unlike a lot of my town who believed in the God of the Harvest who was the patron of my village specifically and the greater Imperial Pantheon for all our other needs. Not that we got a lot out of them most times. The nearest priest was in Amberhearth and he’d never done anything for me, he had never been there to help me in my cycle of need.

“So how long have you been stuck down here,” I said as I slowly stood up from the floor. I had overdone it with the Hydraulic Push but I think that I was a bit stronger than the last time. Maybe it was that potion I drank but I felt exhausted but not shattered.

“Over one millennia,” the demon said casually as if that staggering timespan was only a few short days to her. She was very good at controlling her facial expression and I couldn’t read her but it didn’t matter.

“I’ll help you,” I said causing Lindon’s head to whip towards me in alarm and even the demon to focus on me.

“Marvin that’s a bit sudden,” Lindon said holding his hands out in a gesture that told me to slow down.

“Oh, you are so eager to jump to a damsel in distress babe,” the demon said running a tongue over her razor sharp teeth. “Keep that up and I might just be tempted to offer you rewards beyond the material.” She leaned forward at that and for the first time I realised that she actually had a nice figure, but right now I wasn’t interested in that.

“I do like saving people,” I admitted truthfully. I didn’t feel like lies would help in this situation. “I feel good from knowing that I have done stuff that will set them on a path towards a brighter future. I would likely be devastated if I found out that my releasing of you caused havoc, but I also know that if I left you here to suffer for another millennium then I would also feel terrible. If I have to choose between possible future guilt and current real present guilt then it’s obvious what I am going to choose.”

“And what if I she would kill you,” Lindon said sternly as his eyes flickered between myself and the screen above me and I paused for a moment as I contemplated that question.

“I’m going to have to take that chance,” I said. I couldn’t claim to be good enough to read the demon. Even though I thought she was sincere I have no comprehension of how good a millennia old creature would be at manipulating me.

“Well then,” the demon said as she fixed me with those red tinted spectacles. “Isn’t it a good thing then, that in order to release me you will be forced to get a bit stronger? My body is on the thirteenth floor and you will never make it there. You might be able to sneak past some of the inhabitants of this menagerie but there’s a trio of Dakki birds that are on the eighth floor and they will tear you into pieces.”

“I’ve also never heard of Dakki Birds,” I repeated trying my tongue against the unfamiliar words.

“Oh they are the absolute worst,” the demon said with a smile that didn’t match her words. “They’re weak against magnetic fields thankfully and these ones are severely weakened due to centuries of exposure. They will still crush you like insects though and that Hydraulic Push of yours will just bounce off their metal bodies.”

“If I released you could you beat them?” I asked curiously trying to gauge the strength of both the captive and the Dakki Birds.

“Oh yes absolutely,” the demon answered back immediately with a grin. “They’re not very large specimens of their kind and they have been weakened for their entire captivity. I could crush them with no effort but you’ll never get past them as you are. Their senses are expressively different from anything else you will have encountered. There’s no spell that I know that can evade their observation.”

“I won’t be party to this,” Lindon said firmly. “I can respect your reasons but I won’t be part of this.” He smiled with a strange look. “Besides I will never be strong enough to get past those birds. I’m not a fighter.”

“Would you agree to a non-disclosure contract,” the demon said her voice still non-threatening and Lindon nodded.

“I can understand your situation,” Lindon said nodding as if he expected that. “I will agree to a contract and I will perform negotiations on the part of Marvin. I won’t let you get away with rewarding my friend less than his actions are worth.”

Wait are we friends! I nearly hurt my neck whipping my head towards Lindon. We only have really been chatting for two days now. In what time did we become friends? I wasn’t really against it I found. Lindon was a great guy but I was sure being friends took more time than that. I leant against the wall and tried to recover myself, watching as Lindon and demon proceeded in negotiations that I couldn’t follow. Their back and forth seemed intense but many of the words seemed to go over my head and I wondered what I would get out of the deal. Sure I wanted to help but it was still nice to get rewarded and I was immune to the trappings of greed. In fact I was less so than most men considering how much I had lost recently.

My loss of spell book and crystal shard still ached. Tegram’s diary that had proved so valuable was also lost but for all the value that it held I had already read most of it or heard the story from the man himself. My tent and other equipment all cost a couple of silvers but they like my money itself were replaceable in the long run. I mentally ran up a list of costs to replace that caused me to wince before I stopped as the conversation between Lindon and the demon died down.

“Sign here,” Lindon said holding out a piece of paper and I blinked at the length. How long had I been standing here? Long enough for them to draft a fairly extensive contract and procure some paper.

“You’ve been out for three cycles babe,” the demon said grinning at my look. “You use too many spells and your Essence grows thin. You’ll eventually be able to throw out a few dozen of those meagre spells at once. Just keep practicing.”

Dozens of Hydraulic Pushes. Just the very image of making a gesture and raining down those spells over my enemies sent a shiver of anticipation straight into my heart. Everything I learned about power today just showed me how little of it I truly possessed. I can see why the line for those denoted a wizard and a mere apprentice was so disputed. Regardless of learning my first tier one spell I would be torn to shreds by an actual experienced wizard.

I read over the contract and was surprised to see it was fairly simple. I would free the Demon of Unknown Name at a later date in return for one Magite crystal and a record of certain spells that would almost certainly be a requirement to fulfil this job as well as the bones of Madame Green’s Husband. Those were the things that I would receive as a deposit. Once I had successfully freed her I would be granted first pick of one of the items in the vault below and the equivalent of twelve gold and sixty silver pieces.

This contract had been drafted and verified by one ‘Lindone’ Nasce’voct for the price of two silvers to be paid by the Demon of Unknown Name as part of the deposit. Not that I minded the price of two paltry silver compared to the massive payoff of the completed contract. Twelve gold pieces was a huge reward and even the deposit gave us everything that was needed. That was a big deal considering that it might be a while before I was strong enough to actually do so. I found myself practically salivating at the prospect of acquiring a Magite crystal; a whole one this time and I was vibrating at the thought of learning new powerful spells chosen by the demon.

I looked at my friend after I had finished up my reading of the contract but they were suspiciously not looking at me. Lindone was definitely a female name, but I wasn’t one to judge. They could call themselves whatever they want and as a friend I would support them. It still felt a bit strange to think that way as I looked around for a writing implement; something to sign.

“Just place your finger on the bottom and cast Detect Magic,” the Unnamed Demon said with an indulgent smile. “You can cast that spell right?”

“I can,” I said and without further stalling I did as she asked placing my finger down on the bottom of the page and casting the spell. In a second the paper flared white hot and I found my fingertip stuck for a brief period of time before my muscles and my arm dropped limply. In that brief moment of contact it felt like I had cast Hydraulic Push another few times causing me to feel even more drained.

“Nice, nice,” the demon said as she reclined in her steel chair. “That’s not the type of contract you wish to break by the way. Things would go rather badly for you if you do.”

“There is a clause that allows you to take as long as you need to as long as you are working towards the ultimate goal however,” Lindon countered. “Don’t rush into it too fast.”

“Well of course you shouldn’t die,” the Demon with no Name said before she raised a hand dainty hand with unnaturally long fingers and snapped them causing the contract to burst into flames and disappear. “Go to the first floor where you first entered. Take the other direction and you will come to a tube. Just type in green button and you’ll find the corpse, your crystal and some notes that I would like you to study.” For a moment her pleasant smile dropped and I shivered as she fixed me with a look that promised me a swift death. “Don’t betray me.”

The moment ended as quick as it began and in an instant the ceiling returned to glass once more.

xxx

I crawled off of the ladder first pulling myself over the side and slumping down against the metal walls. Behind me Lindon carried a brown sack, far heavier than my own load; but then they were far less exhausted then me. We had only briefly looked inside the bag but what we saw verified that it was a humanoid corpse at least; although the black weighty bones spoke of what the owner actually was. I was never a person affected by the wars however so I had no stake in the hate peddled about.

“Man, that’s a workout,” Lindon said as he ascended the ladder himself placing down the sack with utmost respect. “Madame we have returned your husband to you. There is no longer any need to worry.”

‘Oh was Green here,’ I thought trying to catch a glimpse of her despite the awkward angle. I was still utterly bushed but with a few more exertions I managed to get my feet beneath me and look out of the door. Green was just standing there, eerily silent, with her hand over her mouth. There was a shocked, disbelieving look upon her face. The moment stretched on awkwardly as we stood there and then all of a sudden I started hearing noises, like weird exhalations or groans. It took me an embarrassingly long few seconds before I saw Green start to shake as the noise increased in volume and I realised that she was crying despite the lack of tears.

Lindon immediately moved forward and wrapped the old woman in a hug and after a few seconds the hug was returned and I winced as Lindon was wrapped in arms that could probably crush wood. I stood there awkwardly as this went on for about a minute and it was only the seriousness of the situation that prevented me from pulling out my newly acquired notes and reading them. Still after those minutes ticked by Lindon was gently pushed away and Green stepped past him walking to the bag and picking it up before looking at the bones with a clear look of longing in her heart.

“I can feel him,” she said with a smile that was filled with a deep sadness and an equally vast happiness. “Thank you. Your rewards are in the room upstairs. The items upstairs exceed the rewards I promised. The books are there as well. I’ve translated them into the human tongue as much as I could.”

“You look like you’re not going to be returning,” I pointed out, but I could already see where this conversation was going.

“It looks like it,” she said with an amazed sounding chuckle. “And I had just prepared a lovely plate of Tailworm soup for me to eat. That’s a lie,” she replied as her chuckles faded into a nostalgic smile. “I haven’t eaten for a long, long time.”

With one hand she lifted up the black bones and turned around and Lindon and I exchanged a look before we followed her. We caught up with her very easily despite my tired state, she didn’t seem to be moving very fast and we walked on either side.

“He was a lovely man,” Green said after a moment of silence as we headed down another cave we had never seen. “He always loved adventure, and he could be very rough towards his enemies but he was very kind as well to those he loved.” As we walked Green’s image warped as she grew taller until she towered over us at seven feet and her skin turned jet black. Her hair grew longer like strings and morphed into a dirty green colour. Lastly her body bulged, the muscles of this ancient woman even bulkier than that of a warrior in his prime and her head shifted gaining a snout-like protuberance. Lindon’s eyes widened before they refocused on the road ahead and we stepped into a cavern.

The cavern was filled with fungi of all type and there was a soft bioluminescent glow that permeated the room. I couldn’t place the scent but it was unique and smelled like something out of nature. In the centre of the room sat an open grave with a headstone in a language that I couldn’t read but did recognize; the tongue of the goblins. Without any preamble Green walked into the centre of the room and with the utmost gentleness laid the bones down in the grave.

“I’m coming,” she said as she rearranged the bones. “Just wait a little bit longer. I’ll join you soon my love.”

She finished laying the bones and turned towards both Lindon and I who were standing there wordlessly. Something about the solemnity of the ceremony having rendered us both mute. Without a further word Green turned towards us both and bowed low in a display of respect and gratitude. She remained in that position as her body decomposed her flesh and muscle turning to dust in seconds leaving a second pair of black bones that fell down intermingling with the other set.

The two of us stood there for a long, long time before we even thought to fill in the grave.