The abandoned house Kilvius selected for the eting put us deeper in Topside, farther from my fathers reach. Yet the interior still felt cramped. Kilvius himself as well as a handful of others waited in the adjacent room, while and Maya sat on one side of the table.
So of the discomfort I was feeling was from the cramped space. Most of it was directly sourced from the being sitting across from us.
Alongside Vogrin, Ozra, the Archfiend of the Asmodials was within arms reach. In human form, he appeared as a grizzled middle-aged man, his muscled fra giving the impression of a well-kempt craftsman or retired soldier. His long dark hair was tied back in a ponytail, and in an odd reflection of the fateful day we struck our pact, his dark eyes were transfixed on the mory orb in his hands.
I should be angry with you, for bothering with this. He said, continuing to focus on the sphere as he rotated it in his hands.
Perhaps. I agreed.
Other Arch-Fiends would consider this so far below them that it would be perfectly acceptable to slaughter you on the spot for even proposing it.
There was a reactive clink of tal as every other person in the room tensed at the explicit threat, while I forced myself to remain relax and unbothered.
They might.
Typically, I would not so much as entertain the idea. I am of course a being of great import.
You certainly are.
The hells are rather dull as of late. They attack us, we win. We counterattack, they stalemate. Everyone licks their wounds and bides their ti, separating to various corners while whatever boorish spawn develops to create the next generation, waiting to fight over the sa territory, over and over. Ozra rubbed his face, then looked over to Vogrin suspiciously. Did you tell him I was bored?
No, your eminence. Vogrin lied.
The answer should be no. Ozra frowned in consternation, as if surprised at himself. Yet I have not visited the human cities in over a thousand years. Triple that, by invitation. And perhaps I am in need of a change of scenery at the very least. However. His tone dropped, and an air of danger enshrouded the room. This role youve chosen for
I braced myself, praying Vogrin wasnt off the mark and I hadnt miscalculated.
It is delectable. Ozra finished, as he rubbed at his shoulders and shivered in glee. Delightful. Dare I say, even a little diabolical. Not since my youth have I had the pleasure of toying with a king. And this king? He caressed the orb with his thumb. Oh, what fun well have.
When it sunk in, what I was about to unleash on my father, there was a degree of guilt. But when I reminded myself what hed done to Sera, and the sheer terror that had to be coursing through Annette at this very mont, that guilt magically went away.
Im glad you like it.
Do not misunderstand. I am not so simpleton for you to manipulate. Ozra suddenly glared at , hands gripping the table between us, changing tact too quickly for to keep up. I am aware that you are only resorting to this as a thod of leveraging the artifact you traded, an artifact that may I remind you, belongs to us.
Theres truth to that.
Stressful as it was, facing down an arch-fiend, it helped that Id done it before. There was a certain rhythm to negotiating with Ozra. Aggression was counter-productive. He was simply too ancient to be leveraged or bullied. What worked best was more akin to a slow seduction, letting him work out the benefits of an offer before an even bigger reveal. Not unlike the way the demons themselves operated. After all, evil attracts evil.
The first ti was free. If I asked to use the scepter again, it would cost . That much is undeniable. I steepled my fingers and smiled, leaning forward. But theres far more to it than that.
Oh? Ozra matched , leaning forward. His manner bordered on mocking but it was clear his heart wasnt in it. He wanted to hear what I had to say.
I could do it myself. That was always an option. Im not a terrible actorin fact, I think Im rather skilled.
Passable. Ozra comnted. When I raised an eyebrow, he continued. Better than average in terms of commitnt, but there are several biological tells you are unlikely to overco in a mortal lifespan.
The perfect setup. I jumped on it without hesitation, ratcheting up a sense of manic glee I didnt feel. Exactly. If I did it myself, it might throw him off. Perhaps even unsettle him. But the King is a resilient man.
And how much sweeter would it be to shake such a man to his core. Ozra finished.
It only makes sense to turn to the most magnificent liar I know.
Ozra worked his jaw and leaned backward as the chair creaked beneath him. He looked away and smiled. Had you asked for his defeat, or so other overwhelming form of assistance, I would have denied you. But this is far more interesting. He looked up, ntally tallying. Instead, you have given a chance to see a capitol city again as a guest, ddle in the affairs of kings, and inflict an unspeakable cruelty on a fascinating target. It is a precious gift, and Im tired of pretending its not. He stared straight in the face. I will not forget it. Now na your terms.
There was the catch. No inford individual, be they god or man, was insane enough to strike a deal with demons in an uncontrolled environnt. As a mortal, it didnt matter how smart or thodical you were. There was always so catch, so loophole left unconsidered. And demons had been exploiting those oversights for centuries longer than any of us had been alive.
This matter seed relatively small, especially for a being as powerful and ancient as an arch-fiend. Because of that, I wasnt sure that Ozra would try for a deal. But Kilvius was, and had argued fiercely enough to that effect that itd montarily stumped .
Until his daughter offered a solution.
I caught Mayas eye and nodded, signaling her. There was a shuffling of parchnt and she leaned forward, slamming a contract taller than a to on the desk in front of Ozra.
Ozra pouted, turning a woeful look towards . Have we built no trust between us?
Stolen story; please report.
On the contrary. I smiled a thin line. Our previous dealings underlined the importance of upholding such traditions. And I do not have the hubris to negotiate an oral contract with a being as cunning and tiless as you.
Yes, yes, your flattery is noted. Ozra rolled his eyes as he placed a pair of gilded spectacles on the bridge of his nose. Then he leafed through the first few pages of the contract, seemingly in disbelief. Still, considering the rushed circumstances and what I observed from the orb, Im shocked you put this together so quickly He trailed off, turning a few more pages. Is this boilerplate?
Maya leaned back, arms crossed in front of her. It wasnt uncommon for her to grow stoic in a crisis, but sothing about her deanor now was different. As if she was carved from ice. It is a generic contract, yes. A tailored variant of a docunt I prepared for this exact sort of occasion.
Ozra squinted, his page turns accelerating until they were little more than a blur. Even for an infernal, you are very well-prepared. Not to ntion annoyingly thorough. Though so of these are reaching. Co now, we havent attempted to stake a claim on a firstborn through summon-rights in over a thousand years.
Forgotten trends often return to circulation at unexpected tis. Maya shrugged.
And this entire section on chronal magic is nothing more than a flight of fancy. Ozra stopped mid-page turn. Slowly, he looked up at Maya, turning the full intensity of his gaze on her. Or is it?
Maya was too experienced to let the shock show. But I could tell Ozra had caught her flat-footed. Even by demonic standards, the way Ozra was picking through a contract for a relatively simple matter with a fine-toothed comb, seemingly in seconds, couldnt be accounted for. There wasnt ti for to read through Mayas entire contract, but I could guess what happened. Shed snuck sothing in that protected not only the current reality, but the subsequent loops as well.
And Ozra caught it.
I spoke up, letting annoyance cut through my tone. The greater enemy has made several comnts that belie the possibility of such power. Future sight, as well as a more limited ability to jump through ti. We are simply accounting for it in advance, ensuring that unexpected complications do not cause issues with the contract should they arise.
But you have nothing in stone? Ozra questioned.
Not at this ti.
From extensive research, it is most likely a bluff. Maya added.
Ozra moved on, seemingly content with the answer. Well, seeing how you have an entire subsection on patechistic runeswhich are even less likely to existIm inclined to believe you. Still, the thoroughness and knowledge this contract implies is astounding. Do you practice Contract Law as a vocation?
My mother did.
The sharp little counsellor from the cave, of course. Ozra realized, brushing the feather-side of the pen along his lips. And what Legion did you say you were affiliated with, girl?
I didnt. Maya said coldly.
The arch-fiends nostrils flared. Hellhound. Their stench is recognizable anywhere. Vile as they are, I cant help but feel a degree of sympathy for them. Stupid creatures. With your intelligence, you must have negotiated them all the way back to the first circle.
We reached a satisfactory accord. Maya continued to stonewall.
Co now. Ozra rested his chin on his palm and leered. This contract is your soul laid bare before . I can feel it through every brush stroke, ringing out clearly between each carefully forged line. The sheer avarice for power.
I wanted to intercede. Maya had seen the truth of what happened in the Enclave, the callousness with which the Asmodial Legion had slaughtered her friends and family across countless loops. But if I spoke up now, it would only encourage him.
Ozra continued. Has their upper echelon even seen fit to greet you in the flesh? Acknowledged the prize pearl nestled in his palace of mud? Does he know?
Maya stiffened. It was my assumption that arch-fiends seldom have the ti to toy with mortals directly.
Instinctively, I gripped the sides of my chair. Whether it was a ploy or out of her own well-earned dislike, Maya was bordering on rebellious arrogance. It wouldnt cost her imdiately. Drawing from our previous encounter, Ozra seed to like that sort of thing. Find it novel.
At least, until he didnt.
For the mont, Ozra seed unbothered. Lets make a wager.
No.
He made a frustrated huff. A non-binding wager with no actionable outco.
Maya hesitated for a second too long. Im listening.
Ozra rattled off the wager, as if hed planned it from the start. The hellhound arch-fiend is distastefully enamored with . Bordering on obsessed, really. His voice took on a mocking, bestial overtone. Show what youve learned over the last century, Ozra. How long before our legions clash in glorious battle, you shadow-addled coward. He shook his fist derisively, voice returning to normal. And on, and on, and on. Irritating enough that Ive acquiesced on multiple occasions, but crushing him seems to only encourage the behavior. Point being, our paths in the hells often cross. It would take little more than a few choice words to draw his attention to a clearly undervalued asset.
That seems unbelievably benevolent. Maya hedged.
Perhaps. But assuming my evaluation is correct? Ozra continued, low voice rumbling. Even if Phaedron rolls over and plays dead in renegotiations, offering you every resource at the Hellhound legions disposal, eventually, you will find them wanting.
And if I do? Maya asked, the question barely more than a whisper.
All I ask is to be considered. Ozra placed the pen down and steepled his fingers. Should you wish to change your allegiance, the Asmodial Legion is prepared to buy out your contract, providing you with the sa benefits the Hellhounds did and more.
Including a powerful generational summon? Maya challenged.
Ozras eyebrow twitched, but he nodded. Of course.
To be clear. All youre asking is that I consider the Asmodial Legion as a first choice, if Im looking to cut existing ties?
Simple as that. Ozra shrugged. We both know there is only one legion that can offer what you truly seek. What you desire most. And should you seek to attain it, you need only ask.
Im not there yet. Maya snapped.
But one day soon, you will be. The statent had an air of finality to it, as sothing unspoken passed between them.
Whatever the truth of the subtext was, the offer was a double-edged sword. A prohibitively dangerous one at that. There were a litany of infernal ballads and dramatic renditions of legends that explored in harrowing, painstaking detail, exactly how badly life went for mortals who had the misfortune of drawing the attention of an arch-fiend. The tragic heroes center stage in these tales tended to be brash and foolhardy, but even those who werent made so key mistake that cost their souls in the end. And if I knew that from my brief ti imrsed in infernal culture, Maya did too. She was just winding him up, playing along until he signed. After all, shed seen what I traded. What saving the Enclave cost . There was no way she was considering this seriously.
Right?
I accept. Maya said. Shed shifted slightly, and the fire-pit cast a shadow over her face.
Unable to hold it in any longer, I stood. Maya
She held out a hand. Later, Cairn.
Ozra grinned devilishly, withdrew a stack of papers from beneath the table and slid them over to Maya. Very well. I suspect youll be hearing from Phaedron soon, shortly after my return from this much needed vacation.
Imdiately Mayas expression grew unreadable. We agreed the wager was non-binding.
You were about to ask for the guarantee in writing, were you not?
Yes. Maya hesitated, looking it over.
Ozra leafed to the end of her contract and signed it, then stood from the table, stretching out his arms Well, this has been fun. Really ought to do this more. My devout are more than competent, but delegating everything is so boorish. He looked at and grinned. For that matter, I need to get changed. If I get too lost in the weeds and miss the main event, Id never forgive myself.
The King is more clever than he appears. I warned. All it will take is a single misstep, and he will know the truth of it.
Then I will strive for the straight and narrow path. Ozra winked. So. Which of your companions will be joining , for this dood mission?
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