《Summon Imp!》


 1. Hatching

    I.


    I?


    Something changes. A little bit of awareness forms. ''I am''. am I? The ideas are there but it is hard to form them into shapes.I am? What? What I am? A little something tells me that I am. I am all. I am not the same, but the same. A twitch. I become aware of shapes. ''Body''. Me. Yes, I am, my body, me. Another twitch. This time I feel it more clearly and try to make it happen again. It does, but not as strong? Other parts of Me are beginning to be felt. Twitching and demanding. ''Move''. Yes, I want to move. Stronger. But something stops me. Something not Me is around Me. My moving pushes against it and it pushes back. The harder I push, the harder it pushes me!


    I start to thrash, as much as I can, until something on Me catches on the Not-me. Weak. Here.I focus on the place, it is there nearby. I can reach. Reach with the closest of Me but also some further of Me. Some of the Me that was later to wake is caught in it and guides the rest of Me. I get another further of Me to get caught and I shake. I feel it give a bit. Again! It moves and lets go. Part of Me is now past the Not-me. I thrash and shake again and the hole widens, allowing more of Me to move. There is nothing Not-me stopping Me past it, and I push and drag. I feel something that is not Me and not Not-me flow slowly through the hole as well.


    In comes another something. It almost does not feel like anything but fills what is gone. A desire takes over and I move part of Me, part of my body, drawing it in. ''Breathe''. I breathe. The thing that is almost not felt fills me and gives me what I didn''t know I needed.Breathe. For a moment I just breathe, but some of the Not-not-me that flowed out, it is coating me and enters me as I breathe. ''Taste''. It tastes. It tastes like I want more. I move my body around as much as I can and find some. ''Eat''. I find a part of Me there that helps me eat. Mouth. Tongue. Thinking becomes easier as I eat.


    I alternate eating and breathing. It does not take long before I become aware of an itch. It feels very close to the part of me that is me. I move my tongue around, trying to find it. I feel a rough something with my tongue at the same time as I feel a less rough something on me. That is me. I am covered with the food. Using my tongue to explore and eat I feel more of my body, until I find the part that itches. The tongue rubs on it and the itching becomes less, but doesn''t go away. Suddenly something gives.


    ''Light''! I am frozen. The sensation too much. ''Color''. I see colors. ''Dark''. Even though there is some light and color, it is not much. Something in me makes me flex something and a thin bit of Me moves over the bit that was just uncovered. ''Eye, eyelids, head.'' My eye, eyelids, in my head. I blink again and realize there is another itch. After working on it with my tongue another eye opens. Blinking a few more times with both eyes, my sight becomes clearer. What am I seeing? I bend my head to look at my body. I am still mostly caught in the Not-me, but in the Not-me is some more of the Not-not-me. I drag myself further out, turn around and eat and breathe and eat and breathe and eat. Soon, all the food is gone. Is the Not-me food? I move my mouth, my tongue, but I do not manage to take some of it inside. I grab with my mouth and move. It lets go and I swallow. It is not food and not tasty, but I feel I need it, so I continue.


    I feel an itch in my mouth. It also itches at other places. ''Feet/hands/paws/claws. Hold, slash, fight''. The Not-me is about half gone. ''Egg. Eggshell''. My egg. My tongue reaches out to some of the egg and brushes along the itch in my mouth. There is something there now! ''Teeth/fangs/canines/molars. Eat, bite, fight''. The new things flooding my mind make me pause, but soon hunger urges me to consume the rest of the egg. I feel the itching in other places of my body. I am growing, but I can''t care, the hunger demands to be satisfied.


    Soon, there is no egg and I pause. With my tongue I chase the last bits and remains of the Not-not-me from the surface beneath me. Ground, dirt.My hunger temporarily less, I look around. I see things moving.Me not me, ''others, hatchlings''. I recognize them, somehow, as being like me, but they are not me. Some are looking around in an empty place, like me, others are still consuming their egg. Other eggs are moving, those inside trying to get out. Around me are five eggs. Four are moving but the fifth is not. I move closer to it and breathe in. After a short moment, I breathe in differently. ''Smell-taste, breathe, nose''.


    The smell is foul and delicious. It smells like a me but wrong and it smells like food. I carefully run a claw over it, scratching the surface. It breaks apart, much easier than my own that was more flexible, but not as hard. The being inside it is not like me. Maybe it could have been, but the head is wrong and so are other parts. Arms/legs. Stillbirth.Dead. It is a strange concept, but I understand it is food. I close my jaws around the head, it''s tiny head fitting easily, and bite. Strange tastes overwhelm me for a moment and it takes a while before I remember to swallow.Brain. The brain is where the Me is.


    Something alerts me.Ears, sound, hearing. All I know is something large is approaching. My instinct is to cover myself and I look around, but there is nothing but hatching eggs, still eggs and others like me around. My hunger returns and I turn back to the food, only to look at one like me. It is eating a limb and I pull the other limb off the dead thing. Together we eat its pitiful body and the egg. Occasionally one of my ears twitches as I hear the big thing approaching from the distance. Sometimes a cry or screech is heard from one of the others.


    When we get to the last bit it tries to push me away, but I push back. We are evenly matched and it screeches at me. I screech back and a much louder sound than what it produced comes from my mouth. It backs down quickly and starts crawling around, looking for more food. Something makes me look around and I see a number of the others like me staring at me. One screeches at me, even louder than I did! We stare at one another until we are startled by a deep rumbling sound. All heads turn in the same direction.


    There is the large thing I heard coming! It is so big! The body is surprisingly slender. The skin, much like my own but... More so!Red, black, grey, wing, tail. I am excited! She. Brood-tender. She is a caretaker for us, the brood. She has long, long limbs, slender and sinewy. Her claws are also longer and more slender than ours are in comparison and end in talons that end in little stumps. Mine are sharp.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    The reason for this becomes clear as she moves between the eggs while touching the ground only with her talons, making sure not to touch any of the eggs or hatchlings by accident, staying above us on her long claws while her long limbs allow her to pick her way around. Her leathery, tough looking skin is mostly dark red with some grey undertones and a black pattern of stripes along the length of it. Knotty bumps cover it in an irregular pattern. A line of short spikes can be seen from the back of her neck to the small of her back, continuing on the long, slender, whip-like tail, which has a barb on the end. It moves restlessly from side to side and for a moment I am mesmerized.


    Her hind quarters are slender, but her chest is much broader. From her back, a bit behind her front limbs, extrude a third pair of limbs. They are longer and thinner with skin somehow stretched between some parts. Wings, I confirm. Her head is almost stumpy and small in comparison. A round skull framed by two wide, pointy ears which move this way and that, catching sound I can not hear. She comes closer. She has a small snout which opens very wide, showing rows of small, pointy teeth with thin fangs at the top and the bottom at the front. Above the mouth are two large nasal holes, running from the front to almost to the back, near her eyes. The eyes are huge and seem to glow red with a little inner light. she blinks, wiping the clear inner eyelids across her eyes. She demonstrates she also has a long tongue as she snatches up one of those like me. From here I can see it has one limb that is tiny. A quick bite and she drops the dead thing back down. It takes me a moment to realize this means there is more food!


    I try to struggle forwards, but my limbs do not want to carry me as hers carry her. I fall and get up again. After this I have lost the direction the food is in, so I look around for something, anything! Suddenly it is darker.Shadow.Something grabs me, stops me from moving. I struggle but this time it does not help. I am moved, up, up and around and see. I see Her. She smells me and grunts, then moves me to a place on her flank. Reflexively I sink my claws into her skin before she releases me. I look around me and see another of the hatchlings nearby. It is biting one of the lumps. They do smell nice, so I unhook a limb and grab myself closer to one. One by one I move my limbs until I can reach one with my mouth.


    I bite and bite and bite until a new taste fills my mouth.Blood. A trickle of blood fills my mouth and it almost makes me lose my grasp. It is rich, it is filled with something, it tastes great.Energy. As long as I keep biting a small trickle of the blood keeps flowing, but it quickly stops if I stop. Meanwhile, more hatchlings are placed around me and find their own lumps to bite.


    I can feel whatever is in the blood changing me, just like the egg, but I can''t care. The taste is delicious, but even so, I can''t keep up the biting. Slowly my attention drifts and my consciousness leaves me.Sleep.


    I wake from noise and discomfort.Cold, wind, noise? I look around, as much as I can from my position on the brood-tender''s flank at least. I see rock, rock and an area of light.Sky, outside.We are moving towards the brighter light and the brood-tender starts to jog. I reflexively grip tighter with my claws, slightly surprised as they truly sink in a bit deeper. They feel stronger and longer than at first. With a snap that draws my attention the brood-tender unfolds her wings and jumps!


    I hadn''t realized my mouth was slightly open until the wind cut into it. I close it and breathe through my nose. I can smell the lump next to my mouth, delicious, but unfortunately this is not a good time to bite it. The wind is also unbearable for my sensitive eyes. Quickly I close the inner eyelids and my vision turns a little blurrier. Not by much and at least my eyes don''t hurt now. I can still move my head around a bit and see what can be seen in the direction we are moving. Cave, cliff, valley, tree, sun.


    A red rock cliff, dotted with caves overlooking a lush forested valley. The valley is colored in hues of red, blue, black and dark green. Not much else can be seen from where I hang on. A large red sun hangs low in the sky. Dawn, day, warm, dusk, night. It feels warm, it must have been day with the sun now setting. Hanging onto the cliff, crawling over it and flying around are dozens of others. Imp, spawn, scamp. They are the ones like me but not all alike. We are the same, yet not the same. With a common birth, but different paths.


    Suddenly I sense it and I am part of it. The Swarm, with one purpose and one goal, to serve the Queens. Just as suddenly the sensation goes again. It leaves me dizzy and I try to rest for the time being. I try to move a bit to reduce the effect of the wind on me, but I am loathe to release my grasp, so there is not much I can do. We seem to be going down in a wide spiral. Wherever the brood-tender takes us better have food.


    It does have food! I can smell it from meters away and can feel myself becoming restless. With a shock that makes me lose my grip with one rear claw, the brood-tender lands and takes a few steps before she starts to pluck us off of her. I am the fifth she grabs. I try to hold on but she effortlessly drags me off, my claws barely leaving a mark on her skin. She just drops me on top of some of the others. I try to get away, but it is harder than I thought. My limbs just don''t seem to want to do what I want them to do! The others seem to have the same problem and are hindering me as well. Then another hatchling gets dropped on top of us and the whole struggle starts again.


    When I get myself out of the heap I see some of the others already eating. I study the food and inhale deeply, imprinting any and all smells attached to them. Secti, bug. I bite at what looks like a leg sticking out. It is crunchy and breaks off easily but eating it doesn''t fill me much. I bite at the body and am met with my first real failure. Carapace. It is just too hard and I can''t get through. I try to get a purchase on it with my claws also and bite at different places. Finally I manage to get through. Abdomen. The food below is right and good, but different from what I have tasted before. At first I swallow as fast as I can, but it is uncomfortable. I start to bite off smaller pieces and bite them again a few times. Chew. They are easier to swallow now. It also gives more taste, it is not unpleasant. I decide I like chewing. While the hard parts do not taste like much, I eat as much of it as I can anyway. My taste and smell tell me I should and who am I to argue with me?


    We get moved to different piles of food a few times by other brood-tenders. There are other hatchlings there too, some of them bigger than me and they often push me away when I find something very tasty. Pisci, Serpi, rachni, chori, tauri, horn, stinger, palpi, scale, fur. My memory keeps bringing up information as I encounter new things to eat or see. Poison gland.Unfortunately I did not get to eat that last one, a larger hatchling snatches it away. It moves a bit unsteady afterwards, but it was fine again after a while. My mind tells me poison is dangerous, but not dangerous? I will find out. Occasionally more food is brought in.


    It feels like a long time has passed, it is starting to get dark. The feeding is at an end, very little is left. During my feeding I was sometimes interrupted by a tender bringing more hatchlings. they are now smaller than me and if they get in the way I give them a push. I did manage to get a poison gland, it was tingly and made me walk funny. Yes, I walk now! I am already much stronger! Still, I am nowhere as big or strong as a brood-tender. A different one than the first picks me up and pushes me against its skin. I grab on and move to one of the lumps and start biting. More of the others are attached to her flanks until she stops. She walks to the cliff and starts to climb. There is a ledge some way up the cliff. I see more are climbing to it. When they reach it they run, jump and move their wings. As the brood-tender reaches the ledge, she unfolds her wings and prepares.

 2. Its Up for Grubs

    I dig my claws in and brace myself, instinct warning me. With a short run she jumps and slams her wings down, but I hold on easily. We still move at a downward angle, parallel to the cliff wall. She beats her wings hard and repeatedly and even where I am I can feel the muscles on her chest working. The flight evens out and we gradually start to rise until suddenly something starts to lift us up. It is a noticeable jerk. The brood-tender stops flapping her wings and begins a spiral upwards. the sky starts to darken seriously now. There are only a few of the Swarm still outside. Sentries, lookout.We enter a large cave and reach an even larger space a bit later. Chamber. Suddenly the brood-tender twists and for a moment we are moving upside down.


    With a jerk we stop, still upside down, but not falling. She folds her wings back and moves around a bit until I feel her muscles under me relax a bit. Sleep. It is time to rest, but I am not tired. I''m sure I will be soon, but for now I bite in the lump for some more blood and enjoy the pleasure the taste brings. I can feel it tingling through my body. I look around a moment. Through the opening to the chamber I can still see the outside. It looks much lighter than before but the light is cold and unpleasant.Other sun. Slowly, not much later, I fade again. Sleep.


    Movement wakes me. For a moment I panic, before I recall some of the day before and my sense of self returns. I am. I am hanging on to a brood-tender hanging on to the roof of a cave. There are only imps here and the brood-tenders are by far the largest. Most of their size is due to their extraordinary limbs. I can see this now, my eyesight has improved since yesterday. I bite in the lump next to my mouth and some of the blood comes out. Unlike before it gives little pleasure. Instead I feel a pressure build, somewhere inside me. It is different from when I need to shit. I already shat yesterday, during the eating, but no-one seemed to care.


    The movement is the tender shifting and getting ready to depart. The others hanging around and hanging on are also waking. There is a moment of anticipation and suddenly an imp near the entrance lets go, twisting in the air and opening its wings. Suddenly others launch. One, four, ten, suddenly the air is full of flapping wings heading for the exit. Near the back, one I know instinctively as a Queen looks on at the spectacle. The brood-tenders are also waiting. Once the air clears they also launch. With their larger wingspan they would have had trouble flying in the crowd earlier, so it makes sense.


    A few frantic wingbeats later we glide out of the cave and into the morning sun. It is already quite hot and many of the Swarm are sunbathing along the rocky cliff. They scatter as the squat spawn exit their tunnels and start to move to the different caves or into the forest, as if they are the signal for work to commence. Spawn are much more compact than imps, if anything. Their rear limbs are stumpy, but powerful. The front limbs are longer and equally powerful, giving them an uneven gait. They live lower down but move through all the caverns to clear out debris. They have extra normal limbs instead of wings and use those to carry things.


    The brood-tender lands at the bottom of the cliff and starts to pluck us off it''s body again. This time I am ready for it. I let go in time and manage to land gracefully. Somewhat. At least I manage to scamper out of the way before the next is dropped on me. We are now where the food was, I can still smell the remains of it, but there is no food now. The important part is that there is no food now. I open my mouth and produce a soft ''screee'' sound. I am not the only one. Somehow it is how we hatchlings should ask to be fed.


    A low rumble answers us and we all know what it means. Quiet. Then the brood tender moves away. Some make to follow, but it deliberately throws up some dust at us with one of its rear claws without even looking. The message is clear. We are not to follow. I am still hungry and I eye the other hatchlings. They could be food. I am not the biggest, but not the smallest either. Some have already started to change a bit. Limbs lengthening or thickening, bumps on their back where wings will be or protrusions where another pair of arms will come.


    I feel like my limbs are a bit longer than before. I want to be an imp. I know I will be an imp. When the brood-tender was preparing to fly, I knew already how it would feel. I want to feel it again. So hungry!


    I am distracted for a moment, but nothing has happened yet. Others are looking too, sizing up the opposition. I am not the only one thinking of the others as possible food. Everyone feels the tension rise and we uncomfortably shuffle around a bit. One of the small ones snaps suddenly, as a bigger one gets a little too close. It bites and quickly scuttles away. The bigger one is stunned for a moment. I realize this is what is surprised. It recovers fast and rushes at the smaller hatchling. The smaller hatchling tries to hide behind others, but everyone is staying away from it.


    Just before they collide I hear a *fwap* of spreading wings and there is a sound of air rushing. The two fighters collide and try to bite and claw one another, missing most of the time but scoring some bloody gashes. Something is coming through the air? Before I have time to look, there is a heavy thud of an adult landing. It grabs the two fighting hatchlings with its forelimbs, holding them by the neck and using two talons to put pressure on their jaws. The small one opens its mouth to let go of the bigger one''s leg, while the bigger one releases a hip he had been biting into. The scamp seems to pause a moment, then it drops the bigger one. The big hatchling lands badly with its injured leg, but recovers fast. It brings the smaller hatchling to its mouth and casually bites the head off. I freeze. I remember how good brains were to eat and feel jealous for a moment.


    It grunts twice after swallowing his mouthful. No in-fight. We are not to fight one another, though there is more to the meaning than that. It also means ''not now'', that sometimes it is good? His inflection did not say when though. It is strange how much body posture and inflection can mean. I can finally take a good look at the scamp. It is very scarred and looks older, but its teeth are still healthy. It is very important to know about teeth. It is a bit in-between an imp and a spawn. Sturdier and shorter limbs than an imp, but not as compact as spawn, and relative equal length. The body is bigger and they can stand only on their hind limbs as well as move on all fours, but that looks weird. The wings are smaller than those of an imp. I wonder how it flies. The head is still much the same. Large eyes, large nose, large ears, quite a small mouth that opens wide with rows of pointy teeth.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    It gives a quick rattling rumble in it''s throat. I know what it means! Come, though the way it was said, it meant ''follow'', so I do. At a bit of distance, as it is still holding the dead body of the small hatchling in one claw. It turns around and begins to move on all fours towards the forest edge. All threes, as one claw is full. It casually takes a bite. It is frustrating to see him eat while I am hungry. There is always a chance he drops bits. I wasn''t the only to think so and there is a brief scuffle to determine who will move closest to the scamp. No claws or teeth, it''s a friendly scuffle. The scamp looks back for a moment and we all freeze again. Something in its face. Amused. It finds us, amusing?


    It stuffs what remains of the small imp in its mouth, rear limbs dangling outside of it and starts moving. It probably considers this a slow pace, but I almost have to run to keep up, as do the others! When we come to the edge of the vegetation it heads to a thick, black tree branch that is lying mostly on the ground. What is beyond is hidden from sight by leaves. For a moment I feel apprehensive. While I know it is a tree, I have not truly seen a tree before up-close. Something tells me the tree is wrong, but it can not tell me what.


    With a rustle the scamp steps on the branch, or trunk, that is thicker than itself and disappears through the foliage. I do not wish to be left behind. Most of the others seem to feel similar and we move through. It is not as dense here, lower to the ground, we quickly pass through and I see what is beyond. Beyond is mostly nothing.


    What I thought was a cliff wall reaching to even ground was in fact the cliff reaching to a small plateau. The branches and leaves come up right to its edge. From there is the true drop. The forest floor is far enough away that even my improved eyes can''t make out any details. Creepers do cling to the cliff wall here, obscuring the view of the rock below. The branch we walk on widens enough to be called a trunk of its own before joining with the main trunk. The main trunk is simply massive!


    The scamp easily climbs further up and we follow. Unlike the cliff caves, I feel the trees are home to creatures other than me, other than the Swarm, and I feel a bit exposed. Above me I can see light shining through a veil of red and black, giving everything below a gloomy red sheen. That is where we are heading, I am sure of it. Massive branches reach out from each trunk and seem to mix and intertwine up above.


    It feels like we are travelling a well-worn path. The black wood is scored by claw marks. While we criss-cross between branches when they offer an easier way than straight up along the trunk. As we respectively walk and run, the scamp reaches out to a twig, snaps it off and starts to chew on it. Wait, did it swallow the hatchling at some point? Were there leftovers? I was too distracted to notice.When we reach the lower end of the canopy some hatchlings reach out to strip off a leaf. I copy them. It tastes good enough, but they are tough. It takes some chewing to turn one to mash, which is nice. It is good to chew something when hungry.


    In the time we have been on the move I feel like I changed again. This time it is not that I am bigger with longer limbs, I just feel like I am more and things are less. More energy, it is easier to breathe and it takes less to pull myself up when we need to climb. I also feel like the tension from this morning is less, but now I feel more hunger. I can''t decide which is worse.


    While we traverse the red maze the scamp''s attitude changes. Much more alert and wary of the surroundings. We all sense the change and copy it. I don''t know what I should be alert for, but I am alert! It''s hard to see much in this place. A deep breath through my nose tells me more. The path is mostly covered with the scent of the swarm, but there are hints of other creatures. We are moving slower now, so I have more time to look around, but the leaves around us are so dense now there is little to see.


    Then I smell it. Food, up ahead. Secti or bugs, as my memory calls them, but slightly different. The second realization comes later. I can smell up ahead! There is a breeze to carry the scent. Interesting how you don''t notice when the wind is not there, until it is again. It is not much further where we stop, the scamp in the middle of a rather wide space. It would be big enough to have all the hatchlings i have seen so far, easily and there were... many hatchlings.


    The branches and leaves are so thickly interwoven here, I can step off the main branch and it just feels like I''m stepping on moss. On closer inspection, I am indeed stepping in moss. It looks like leaves, twigs and.... stuff, have come to rest here and have started rotting, creating a second ground above the ground. The whole space is like that. I move to the far end where I see an exit leading to an upwards slope. The breeze can be felt coming through and there are more scents on it, some I don''t recognize. Plants, water. I wonder for a moment why plants smell so different from trees.


    An irritated grunt draws my attention back to the scamp. I hadn''t been the only one to go off on my own and it wants everyone''s attention. It moves to the wall of this strange cave and with exaggerated movements scrapes some of the mix of rotting vegetation and dirt off the wall. Something stringy is holding things together, but it continues working. Suddenly some white shapes and a few brown ones are visible.Roots, larva. It uses both claws to take them out and hold them and shows them to me and the others. I wait expectantly for it to give them to us.


    To my great disappointment it begins to eat them. I wait. It eats and waits, looking at us all in turn. A smaller hatchling that looks like it will be a scamp acts quicker than any of us and begins to dig at the wall. I look around for my own place to start digging. Due to my place near the other exit hole, I find it hard to find a wall where no-one growls at me. I still remember ''no'' ''fight''. My own ingenuity brings the answer.


    I move to a wall, ignoring the snarling hatchling, and begin to climb. Once I find a nice place on the roof of this strange cave, I begin digging. I can use only one claw, but most of the others do so too anyway. One who was digging too fast ends up shredding its food, ruining much of it, after that the scratching slows down.


    The only real problem of where I am is the dirt falling down on me and the occasional secti that escapes me, but I think I have a better harvest than the others anyway. What makes me nervous is the scamp. He has been paying me more attention than the others while we are here. I do not want him to pay too much attention to me. I am very certain my head is also delicious, but I need it where it is.

 3. My First Time

    I do not know how long we are here, but not that long, before the scamp signals again to follow. Everyone quickly falls in line and follows through the exit opposite of where we entered. I have to get down from the ceiling, but I am not comfortable going backwards. Forwards would take me to the wrong side of the cave, so I drop down. I twist in the air in the limited space there is and make an almost not perfect landing. Luckily no-one sees this. I manage to snatch some secti that have not crawled away yet before following, but now I am last in the line. I don''t like being in the rear, it feels exposed, and I keep looking behind me. Did the other hatchlings do that too when they were last? Maybe I should pay more attention to others. I quickly dismiss the notion. There is too much to see and do, I can not waste my attention on other hatchlings.


    After what feels like a long, long time at the back of the group, travelling through red tunnels where dangerous things are hiding everywhere, waiting to eat me, I reach the end and arrive in the open. The others are crowding around the exit and I have to shove a bit. Then I just sit and look. A red sun in the golden sky. Hues of red, blue and dark green as far as I can see. My memory is confused and wants to call it a ''land''. It is the land up in the trees.


    The sun is halfway through its arc. Its Zenith? This means not as much time was spent below the treetops as I thought. Time is hard to keep a good grip on in that red gloom. Now we are at this land above the trees. It seems to be where the Swarm spends most of its time, and I can understand why. The ground is soft, springy and has a musty smell. There are smells and colors everywhere around. I see a large water not too far. Suddenly I feel thirsty.


    I had barely any of the blood of the brood-tender and the food on the way up was not that juicy. I start to move that direction, but freeze and steal a glance at the scamp that guided us here. The scamp throws a quick glance at all of us, most are looking at it. It chortles, go. And off I go. It feels good to run! I run faster than the others! The other bigger hatchlings in the group were more scamp- or spawn-like and my longer limbs carry me far ahead. I slow down before I run in to the water, but as I see other hatchlings getting in and out I speed up and jump!


    I hit the water with a splash! It feels nice and tingly and tickles my nose. Acidic is what it is, whatever that is, and I like it. It is not that deep and if I stretch I can still stand. I stop. As much as others are not worth attention unless they can bite my head off, how did the other hatchlings get here? First, I drink some of the water. It also tickles my insides, making me jump and jerk occasionally. I''m not the only one and for the first time I think, this is fun. I start to sniff around the water area and find more tunnels like the one I emerged from.


    I take a moment to look around again. There are things moving through the air, more bugs, but also some imps and more scamps picking around the edge of the large water lake and the place where blue-green bushes and plants mix with the red of the trees. Bits of yellow, purple, bright blue and white are flowers. Some of the scamps eat them. Different from the area with the caves, scamps, imps and spawn are communicating loudly. Much too loud to follow any one of them, but the most I hear are "go away", "mine", "come" and "look", "listen" or "smell".


    There are other hatchlings here: at the water, in the water, in the mossy field and running around chasing one another. Quietly I stalk a spawn-to-be and pounce. I land squarely on it and immediately jump off and run away. It lets out a startled squeak, but doesn''t chase. I am obviously faster after all. I join some other imps-to-be at just running around. Scamps-to-be have a better stamina, but we dodge better. The chasing game isfun.


    I get thirsty again and drink some of the tingly water. I see an adult nearby grabbing a something from the lake bottom. It''s ashell of some kind. It cracks it with two hands and starts to eat. It sees me watching and throws me a tiny leftover. It has some gooey stuff on the shell. I eat both the shell and the gooey stuff and while they both taste good, I think I like the gooey part better. I decide to find some of my own. I quickly scan the edge of the lake. Just like in the bug-cave, I do not want to be too near others. One area has less of the swarm, so I move in that direction. Some of the adults lazing around watch me go.


    I look into the clear water and see many shells, but most are already cracked. When I hold one up it looks shiny in the light of the sun. I really like looking at that shine, then I eat it. I finally find one with two shells and try to crack it. I am not strong enough with my claws, so I bite it. My teeth make scratches, but without getting proper purchase on it''s surface I couldn''t crack it. I look around for inspiration.


    Only now do I notice I''ve strayed further than I intended. There are no others of the Swarm here at all. I smell something, something new, but it is vague. Suddenly I hear a faint noise behind me.


    "Uncle, I finished all the chores, can I watch the hatchlings play now?"


    It is a high pitched sound, very different from the sounds most creatures would make. I whirl around. Behind me is an opening in the foliage of the enormous tree top rising out of the ground. It does not look normal. I wonder why I didn''t see it before. Was I that distracted? Dropping the shell on the ground I move slightly towards it


    "Have you asked Isfan if he had anything for you to do?"


    "Yes! He said I should ask you."


    There is a second thing there, with a deeper, richer sound.


    "Fine, I''ll come with you just to be safe."


    The opening is big. Much bigger than I''ve ever seen before. It is several times bigger than any of the Swarm would need. I slowly move to an area with denser moss clumps and try to keep it between me and the opening as I retreat along the shore of the lake. The sounds are coming closer. It sounds a bit like the creatures are speaking, like the Swarm does, but there is no meaning behind it I can understand.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    There is some kind of bestial shriek and a monster appears. It has some of the proportions of a scamp, but it is so much bigger! It is at least twice as big as a scamp! It has two skins, one loose and flappy brown and white and the other skin is tight, dark red like mine but without any wrinkles. It has a big round head with tiny ears, a tiny nose and tiny eyes and a tiny mouth. I have never seen a creature this weird.


    "Uncle! Look! There is one right here!"


    A bigger creature appears. Much bigger, it barely fits through the opening. I drop any pretense of stealth and run away as fast as I can. I put all my strength in running as fast as I can back to the safety of the Swarm.


    "It''s so ugly uncle! Look at the big ears! It''s running! Uncle can-


    As I''m running away and the creature is roaring, everything around me becomes weird. No matter how hard I push I can''t seem to gain any speed. Sound has stopped. Colors and shapes are blurring together. Something grabs me, holds me and it feels like it crushes me, but I don''t sense anyone nearby. All I see is white by now and I feel like I am being moved and not in the same sense as when I move my body. It feels very, very strange, weird and uncomfortable.


    My vision goes from white back to normal in a nauseating flurry of colors and shapes. When I see again, nothing is as before. The trees are too small, too green! Everything smells wrong too! In front of me are some creatures like the ones I saw at the lake. They are big like the big one, but their loose skin is tighter and shiny like the shells. Their tight skin is lighter, their heads a little different with no horns. In their hands they also have shiny things, clothes, armor, weapon, metal.


    "Stop that monster!"


    One of them screams at me. I don''t understand a word, but I understand the command. I turn into the direction it was pointing. I can hear something approaching, fast. I can hear the cadence of it running this way. Dadam-dadam, dadam-dadam, my heartbeats speeds up to match.


    "A fucking minor imp? What the fuck is that going to do!"


    "Shut up and run!"


    They leave quickly and soon I can''t see them anymore, but I can still hear them. I look at the approachingmonster and suddenly it comes into view. My memory chucks up what it is. A feli, a big cat, and big it is. Its claw is as big as my body. I want nothing more than to run and hide, but the command won''t let me. I crouch ready for a jump and at what I judge the right moment I jump for the creature''s head. It barely breaks stride as it uses one paw to swat at me, accurately hitting me in mid air. I reflexively throw all my limbs around its foreleg and sink my claws in the limb. Then I slam into the ground. Only one claw pierces my body and I feel things break from the impact. It hurts. I am barely concious and only the power of the command keeps me hanging on.


    Then comes the next step and again I slam into the ground. My claws flex, digging deeper. The next impact doesn''t come. The cat has stopped. I feel movement as it lifts the paw. Then I am pierced in four places and casually ripped off of the paw in pieces. This must be how the small imp felt when the scamp bit into it.


    Everything turns white again and just as suddenly as I was in the strange place I am back again at the lake. I''m still running. The shock of what happened sends me into chaos and I nearly trip, but manage to keep going.


    - I have it? Look it almost fell, it''s so funny!"


    My legs hurt, my head hurts, my bones hurt, my skin hurts, everything hurts! What happened! What was that! Where was that! I stumble once more but again manage to catch myself before actually falling. I just keep running, pushing my body to the limit.


    "I don''t think that''s a good idea."


    "Can''t you catch it? You''re so strong!"


    "Look there, the guards are paying attention. It''s best if we leave. Let''s help Isfan pack and go home, ok?"


    Not until I reach a decent group of others of the Swarm do I slow down. I''m out of breath and my legs are shaking. What happened is still affecting me. What was that! My whole body starts to shake and I lie down before I fall down. Almost everyone is looking at me now. A couple of caws from an adult and everyone continues what they are doing. I try to move, but the pain from before returns twofold. It feels like things are crawling and moving under my skin. My legs are twitching uncontrollable and I can feel my heartbeats in my whole body. For the first time in my life I cough. Something is happening with my chest and ithurts.


    I don''t know for how long I''ve been here. The tremors subsided though my legs still occasionally twitch. My body and my mind still remember the pain of being torn apart. My breathing and heartbeats speed up and I can feel fear rising in me. I slowly get up on my claws and drag myself to a more sheltered place under the watching gaze of some of the adults. My legs give out and I collapse. It shouldn''t be that bad from just running. It was that, whatever it was. What was that! I extend my tongue to examine my body, it is the only part of me which doesn''t hurt. My legs are different, but it''s subtle.


    I must have been almost out of it as the sun is much closer to setting when I am drawn back to the here and now by a sound. It is the sound of an imp landing. I cringe and try to make myself as small as I can as it approaches. I don''t look in its direction. In front of me drop three big, thick leaves I haven''t seen before. They''re a bight blueish green with a waxy sheen. The imp grunts, eat. Hesistantly I take one bite, then the next. Slowly I eat as much as I can. I barely manage to start on the third when I''m full. I realize I''m thinking different now too. I''ve never looked at the other members of the Swarm. I saw them, but I didn''t really see. I want to say something to the imp and I can find neither a concept, nor a word that we will both understand.


    Without any warning it grabs me around my middle and I stiffen in fear. The sensation of being grabbed is stronger than I expected and reminds me ofthat. What happened! What I fear does not happen, I am not eaten. No fangs pierce my back. It starts to run with an uneven gait and I feel the familiar lurch and thump as the imp takes flight. My body gives out again and I relax completely, so much I feel some waste flowing down my rear legs. I can see the tree tops I was walking under only this morning. This is the view I want to see, I want my own wings. For a moment, before I realize what I''m trying to do, I try to flex muscles I don''t have and move my wings.


    The journey which took me several hours at the beginning of the day is much faster on the return. Another reason for me to fly. The imp lands near some of the smaller caves near the bottom. It throws me in. Not roughly, but also not carefully. I tumble a few times before coming to a stop on the rough sand. For a moment I roll around, as much trying to get up as enjoying the rough sand on my over-sensitive skin. I push the sand in a rough circle and make myself comfortable in the small depression in the middle. I''d really like to hang on the ceiling again to sleep, but I''m too tired and too weak. Even my mind rushing around and running in circles doesn''t keep me alert and slowly everything starts to fade, to black this time. What was that. What happened?

 4. Caught, Caged

    I wake up in the cave I was tossed into by the imp who carried me here. I slept, but fitfully, startling at any sound. Instead of brooding over what happened I have convinced myself it was not real. I was scared and surprised by the weird creature and ran. Maybe I saw some things that weren''t there, but I can easily forget about it.


    There are a few spawn with me in the cave now, keeping their distance from me. One of them is still awake and guarding the entrance, the others are sleeping. We are at such a low cave something could really attack us here and the thought makes me stiffen for a moment.


    It is light outside, almost as light as when the red sun is out. Part of me wants to call the other sun a ''moon'', but the notion is rejected. It is as much a sun as the other although the light is not as comfortable. It will get stronger as time goes by while the red sun will weaken. Then, the white sun will weaken and the red sun will get stronger. This I know. I move to the exit of the cave, staying as far from the spawn there as I can. Walking I notice an additional body part starting to grow. My tail is beginning to show! Only imps have real tails, the stump of a scamp doesn''t count and I''m rightfully proud of mine. Or will be, when it''s finished growing.


    The Swarm Hunts together, forages together, fights together and sleeps together so the queens and the males thrive. Those too weak to contribute are killed. So are troublemakers. I have not contributed and didn''t cause trouble as far as I know, but that doesn''t mean much. The spawn ignores me and I ignore it. The white sun is about to set when I feel like I can sleep again. Looking at the distant horizon it will still be some time before the red sun rises. I should rest.


    This time I climb the wall of the little cave to hang from the ceiling like an imp should. I''ll happily leave the dirt to the spawns and scamps, imps belong above the ground.


    I wake the next real morning as normal. I''m brought to a different place to eat by a different scamp. I think we are with the same group of hatchlings and I certainly get some Looks. It''s quickly forgotten as today we trek for far longer than yesterday. We can all keep up, our kind grows fast, very fast. We visit all kind of places with fruits, plants, nuts and other things to eat. This time we are told to carry some with us when we leave.


    And so the days go by. Every day learning more about the giant trees and the lively canopy, the foods, the dangers. We visit the forest floor, a place of moss, fungi and decay. It''s dangerous there, with a lot of opportunistic scavengers who wouldn''t mind snacking on a lost and lonely imp. We all feel this and stay closer together than normal. There is no hunting and not much gathering to do here. The mushrooms are good, but not good enough to die for.


    Every day I can feel myself growing stronger and bigger and I can see the same happening with the other hatchlings around me. By the end of the second week, most of us are recognizably a spawn, scamp or imp at one third the size. After this, growth will slow down. My memory does not say how long an imp can live and grow, but I feel it is mostly because we don''t usually live that long. Looking at all the creatures happy to eat us, I can see why.


    Despite how much each and every one of us likes to eat meat, the hunting is mostly opportunistic. I learn about this as we tag along behind one of the food gathering groups. Imps scout ahead, scamps do the work and spawn haul the spoils back home.


    My tail has grown out. It is nearly as long as I am and has a small, sharp tip, about as sharp as my claws. As great as this is, as it is truly the beginning of a magnificent tail, I am worried. Where my wings are supposed to be are merely two spikes jutting out of my back. What is an imp without wings? I am not the only disfigured one. There is a spawnling whose third set of limbs have grown to be as big and thick as the first two sets. His body is also shaped differently to accomodate this. Then there is another impling whose face has changed. We all have big eyes, but this one has really big eyes! I remember what happened when I had just hatched, the little thing with the badly formed arm, and I worry.


    It is fourteen days after my hatching when I first see the queens. Most of the colony is doing what it does, gathering or hunting food or being busy keeping our home in good shape. I''ve seen some species on the forest floor happily living in their own filth in a nest that is barely more than some half rotten pile of leaves, but not the Swarm.


    Today all the others went out with a team to contribute to the Swarm, except for me and the others who look different. There are ten of us in total, though we''re not all as obviously different. We are made to wait on the open ground betwen the forest edge and the cliff face. When the sun is at its zenith the queens come out. There are two imp queens, beautifully proportioned and worthy of any and all praise! Their wings are strong and their mottled, wrinkled skin has the most intricate pattern one can imagine. There is also a scamp queen, but no spawn queen. It makes sense. In this Swarm, the spawn are the least in numbers. The forest favors scamps and imps so those are the ones who are queen here.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    There isn''t long to wait after that. From above, way above at the top of the cliff, I hear sounds. Then ropes are lowered and figures come down carrying various things, and cages. When they come closer I recognize them as similar to the creatures I saw at the lake, except these have weapons and armor. They speak with the queens. I can''t hear what they are saying, but the creatures gestures towards the little group I''m part of and holds up six claws. Fingers. I look at the cages. I''m starting to feel nervous and I can tell the others with me are too. It''s infectious, jumping from one to the other and increasing in intensity. I can barely stand still. It won''t be long before one of us tries to run.


    Behind me is a low rumbling sound, one I recognize. The older scamp from my second day is standing behind us. There are others, scamps and imps, who are clearly watching us. My mind goes slowly blank and a strange feeling settles in my stomach. I am absolutely not hungry right now. The scamp speaks. No, fight. The same words, but with a different meaning: Don''t fight, surrender, there is nothing to do. The six of us who are the most different from how we should look are separated and put in two cages. I obey without thinking.


    The cages fit three of us each. Ropes are attached to them and we are hoisted up, bumping against the cliff wall, turning round and round. We''re all on edge, nervous and afraid. When a particular nasty lurch unbalances all three of us in this cage we stumble against one another and the spawnling with the big arms stands on my tail. I spin around, swinging my tail out to slash the end on anyone I can reach. There isn''t any room to build up a proper swing and I don''t even draw blood. By now three of us are hissing, screeching and posturing. The Swarmlings in the other cage are quiet, staring at us. Somehow that annoys me even more.


    Suddenly, a thump. There was a creature here too, a little lower on the rope. Focused only on my cage-mates, I had completely forgotten about it. I consider swiping at it with my tail, I could hit the head, but don''t. I have grown a lot, but I still only reach less than halfway up this creatures knees. I am not afraid, I am just not stupid. The three of us are now staring at this man, and it''s having an effect. He says something I don''t understand, "Damned tree-buggers giving me the creeps", and keeps pace with us going up.


    At the top of these cliffs are more of the men in armor and with weapons, mostly spears. They talk among one another, a lot. I think they are warriors. I had expected the fighting ones to have bigger horns than the one I saw but they all seem almost the same. With so many of them here it is hard to recognize any of them individually, so I don''t try. The cage I am in is put on a cart with other cages. There are other spawnlings and some creatures I remember eating, but also creatures I don''t recognize. None of them are acting like the ones I saw during the daily treks did, but then again, neither am I acting like a normal impling. All of us are too calm and watching too closely. I remember. I am the same, but not the same. One of the first thoughts I had.


    We travel in the cart, always staying in the cages. They never let us out and my limbs start to complain. I always want to stretch, just like the other two I share the cage with, but it''s too full in here. The journey goes along the edge of a cliff from where I can look over the endless trees. Up on the cliff barely anything grows, just some shrubbery of three men tall. The men who put us in the cages are always talking. Members of the Swarm communicate too, but this constant assault of sound is wearing me out. They are loud.


    After a few days we stop for a while and two more cages are added. Each holds a large serpent. I''m a little upset they get a cage each. Every morning and evening we get fed and watered. Not the delicious water from the lake, but something which tastes like nothing. We are traveling mostly by the light of the white sun. It''s a bit uncomfortable to be out underneath it and I have trouble sleeping when the red sun is in the sky. It takes time, but I get used to it. The men are still talking all the time.


    One more stop, this time more swarmlings. I note there are more spawn in this group, for some reason.


    The wagons keep going and it''s becoming hard to pay attention to anything or to even move. I feel lethargic, tired. Looking around at the land around me has lost all attraction, there is nothing to do, I can''t move and now I can''t care. Many of the others are in the same condition, the ones who were on the wagon before me obviously the worst off. Only the serpents seem fine, but it''s hard to tell. The rocking and bumping of the wagon that used to startle me now lulls me into a trance. When the wagon stops I rouse enough to eat and drink. I don''t know how long this goes on.


    The trance ends for a final time when we reach the strangest place I have seen so far. It is like someone chose to live in a cliff like I do, like I did, then put wood in front of all the cave openings and built extra caves on the plateau. The wagons go to a place that reeks of all kind of creatures, but I see none. Our cage is unloaded and carried... somewhere. A bigger cage is the only way I can describe it. Once inside the door, which had been closed all this time is opened. The three of us sit and stare at the open door to our cage and don''t move. It is only towards evening, when food and water are put at the far end of our new cage, that we move. When we return to the first cage, we find it gone. A small voice rages at me for not even noticing when they took it away.


    At least, this night, I can climb up the wall of this cage, a solid wall instead of bars, and sleep from the ceiling again. My tail twines itself around a nearby handhold, I''m not entirely confident I''ll be able to hold on the whole night. I feel so weak. Tomorrow I''ll feel better. I''m more certain of that than I have been of anything before.

 5. Please be Gentle

    My life seems to be a story about waking up. This time I wake from a feeling of being crushed andmoved like I have felt once before. I open my eyes and yes, It''s white now, but color is starting to bleed in and resolve itself into shapes. I tense, trying to ready myself for whatever danger may come my way. I am inside some kind of artificial cave, stone shaped into strange shapes. From openings that are not open light is coming in, I can guess it''s daytime. The two things that draw my attention the most are a lot of people standing some distance away, lots of them in some shade of blue and the two standing close by on opposite sides of me, also in blue. Make that three things, on the floor around me are strange shapes and markings glowing with a white light which is repulsive even to look at. Instead I focus on the more immediate threat nearby.


    Aman and a youngwoman stand on either side of me. He is holding a staff and wearing dark blue clothing. He is standing with his back to a high wall, facing the woman and other people while the woman has her back to the crowd. He has short brown hair and the flat face and tiny ears I''m starting to get used to. She is wearing light blue clothing. Long yellow hair and lighter skin than I''ve seen before. Granted, I''ve not seen many of these weird creatures. She has her arms stretched out above where I am, palms of her hands down. Both of them are looking at me, which makes me nervous.


    "Do you want to retry the summoning ritual, young miss? Everyone would understand that this was not a desired result."


    The man speaks and my head whips in his direction. He isn''t looking at me anymore, but at the yellow haired female. As glad as I am he is not looking at me, I feel I''ve just fallen into a trap and quickly face the woman. I won''t be distracted that easily! The female is looking at me still. She is no longer holding her limbs above me, one is crossed in front of her body, which is a difficult feat for most swarmlings. The other hand is holding some ''hair'' which she seems to be consuming. Is it a snack of some kind? No, I must not be distracted! She just looks at me, quietly, chewing on her hair. It takes some time for her to speak.


    "It is acceptable. We will now perform the binding."


    "As you wish, young miss."


    The young female holds her arms above me, palms facing inside now. I look at those hands with cautious curiosity. Suddenly a white light starts to form between her hands. At the same time the circle of shapes around me brightens. Everything I have screams at me that this is something dangerous! Despite how revolting the lit up shapes on the floor are I throw myself forward to escape. I crash face first into some kind of barrier. I swear it wasn''t there before! It didn''t hurt that much and I start to claw at it. At first I thought it was smooth and even, but it wavers under my flurry of swipes. I am getting a result, I can feel it, so I pour every bit of energy in breaking through.


    "While there is no risk of it breaking out, this is far from comfortable. I had not expected it to try and attack the invisible. If you please, young miss?"


    "Be quiet. Let it tire itself out a bit, it''s easier when it is distracted."


    My attack on the invisible wall is not getting the result I expected. It still gives as much as before and does not feel any weaker. I slow down and eventually pause. I realize the noises those creatures make is communication, but I can''t make sense of it. It''s like those who moved the cages, always making so much noise. They should learn a proper way of communicating like the Swarm. A few noises, the move of a claw or ear, all of it together could say so much. My spirits sink. I am in a strange place and I got here from a strange place. For a moment I desperately wish to be back at the cliff with my kin.


    In that moment it happens. It feels like something is clamping down on my head like the mandibles of a large beetle trying to crack a nut. I can''t move, but I still try to resist the feeling. It goes on further, inside my head and something in me gives. There is a sensation like a tree branch snapping back in place when it''s been pulled back, but without an actual branch. When it hits me it stuns me. As I recover there is the feeling that I am not alone, there is something behind me. I turn around quickly, but see nothing. It is still behind me and I whirl around again. Nothing! It feels like it''s forever behind me and I turn again, again, again and again. High pitched female laughter stops me. Did I know what laughter was before?


    "You''re amusing, but stop. People will think you''re defective and I can''t have that."


    I turn around a last time and end facing the young woman. I could understand the nonsense coming out of her mouth. My sensitive ears pick up sounds from others, but no, I still don''t understand what they say. The man isn''t paying much attention and is working on some of the runes of the magic circle. As if the knowledge randomly entering my thoughts of my own wasn''t bad enough, information from her is now starting to mix in.


    "I know you understand what I''m saying. You are bound as one of my familiar summons and it would be useless if you didn''t. I will teach you and train you and you will obey me. Is that understood?"


    She is slightly bent forwards and stares me in the eye. Naturally, I stare back. When she blinks I realize she has only one set of eyelids and blink my second set in response. I fish my new knowledge for a term. "Humannn," I snarl, and it is a snarl with emotions I have not felt before. Distaste so strong it''s better to call it loathing knit tightly with resignation. I can feel her presence, she eclipses whatever strength I can muster. As much as it is to my disliking, I submit. I look away first and relax my posture to a slump, all the fight draining from me.


    "Demon." She smiles, or at least shows her teeth. In the swarm, it is a threat, a show of strength and dominance. The corner of my mind where we are connected resonates ''yes''. It is a threat, she is stronger and she is the dominant one. "Follow me."


    She turns and walks towards the crowd of people, many of them paying attention to her, but too many for my liking are paying attention to me. I have to scamper in a half-run to keep up with her walking speed and soon we move among the people. I try to stay as close as possible without getting in her way, which almost always succeeds. When I do get kicked not only does it hurt, but I can feel a little spike of annoyance coming from her. Slightly behind her and to the side seems to be the best place.


    By now more humans are moving around her and a new hazard presents itself. I need to keep my tail safe. I really want to lash out at something and I nearly do when someone steps on my tail. Only because I know how many humans are here and because they are bigger and stronger than me do I manage to stop myself. I am not a coward, but I''m not stupid! Instead I lift my tail to keep it out of harms way and wrap it around my feet.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    I realize the humans are talking again, but since I can''t understand anything else than what she says, and that barely makes sense, I ignore it in order to study my surroundings. Which takes all of a minute. What is a minute? All I can see is legs, knees and feet. Lots of different coverings for legs and feet mostly, but it''s not that interesting. Looking up shows bellies and the underside of faces. They''re not any nicer to look at from this angle. Nothing seems to be about to attack me, though I notice the occasional glance thrown in my direction, and I consider either going to sleep or finding something to eat.


    Suddenly a leg and a foot come my way. It''s a kick that is definitely aimed at me, but so slow. The rachnids back home are much faster. I still can''t dodge it, but I manage to hook all my claws in my attacker when the kick makes contact. The pants tear with a delicious ripping sound, but the expected smell of blood doesn''t come. The man, a quick look up confirming it is probably a man, is shaking his leg, yelling and screaming something like "gettitoff! gettitoff!". I tighten my grip and hold on with all I''ve got.


    A grip around my neck is all the warning I get before I am ripped off my unusual perch. I still hold a decent sized piece of fabric in my claws, but again no blood. The one holding me is the woman and I go limp, the piece of cloth falling to the floor. I can see the man who kicked me now. I''m sure the humans would think him very distinct, but all I notice is that he does not have blue clothes, but does have brown hair. And he is missing the covering on his right lower leg. There are some white stripes on it where my claws left their mark on his skin, but I can''t believe that is all. My claws should be able to pierce that easily! I felt the skin, it''s soft, squishy, no resistance at all. I drool a little as I imagine what the meat underneath would taste like.


    "Bertholf, I''d apreciate a modicum of decorum. Your reaction to my new familiar was unfitting for a person of your station and rank. Please keep your disapproval to yourself in the future."


    I can''t see her face from where she''s holding me, but I can feel something of her emotions and she seems like she''s enjoying this. It takes me a moment to realize that she''s talking louder than strictly necessary, loud enough to be heard by anyone nearby.


    "regardless of your outdated believes of what is proper for a young lady ofmy station, you have no right to interfere in this. And really, trying to kick a demon, even a young one like this? They are born to fight, so you got what you asked for. Be happy I, despite surprising me completely like you did, suddenly lashing out like a man possessed, was enough in control to not let it actually hurt you."


    That was her? How!


    "Ladies and gents, I will excuse myself from your company. Please enjoy the remaining ceremonies, I may join you again later."


    How does she make my claws dull? I really, really want to know! She drops me to the floor and starts walking towards some kind of tiered ramp, a staircase. I try to keep up and catch her eyes, occasionally letting out the same soft sound I used as hatchling to beg for food. I know she can see me and hear me, but she keeps ignoring me. I purposely try to tangle myself in her legs, but receive nothing but an accidental kick for my efforts. I think it''s an accident at least. She stops in front of a wooden thing covering an opening in the wall, a door, and opens it by touching it in several places in quick succession. I go through before her and spot a platform at one side of the chamber. I jump on so I can more easily stare at her.


    "You''re going to be a handful, aren''t you? I can tell, you know. A bit of what you feel. Not as much as you''re supposed to sense me. Indignation, rage, fear and curiosity. Quite the potent mix."


    Since she mentioned me sensing her, I prod the awareness I have of her. Some amusement but I stiffen when I sense what is underneath. An anger so strong yet so cold, it actually makes me shiver. I turn my eyes back on her. She was watching me and now she is smiling, predator stalks the prey.


    "Now we understand one another, get off the desk."


    I look down at the wood I''m sitting on. This is a desk?


    "Yes, that is a desk, now get off. The floor and the closet, that tall thing there, are fine. Not the bed, or under the bed, and not on the desk.


    Can she hear what I''m thinking? I hop off quickly. I don''t want to ignite that anger.


    "You''re just open and simple, like animals. Reading people is much harder."


    There is a knock on the door and I hide myself under the desk. Everything is dangerous or trouble here. Maybe I can stay under the desk forever. The door opens and in comes yet another female carrying something. She also has yellow hair, but a darker yellow and she wears grey clothes. She looks a bit older, but it''s hard to judge. She is also smiling, it is another ''superior'' smile. I can sense the anger getting sharper fromher and she is wearing her predator stalks the prey smile again.


    With a soft thump the thing the one in grey was carrying is placed above me, on the desk. Then she talks toher in the usual gibberish. I''m trying to make sense of it, but there is barely anything I recognize. What I do recognize isher mood rapidly dropping until there is nothing left but anger. I hide under the desk as far away as I can. I expect roaring, screeching and violence to start any moment now, but the anger is constrained. I can feel it being held back and, as it does, it turns sharper and more solid. It''s strange, being so aware of something other than me.


    "Thank you for the tea and for your concern. I''ll remind you that it is costumary to wait until given permission before entering. Since you''ve been my maid since my parents passed away, I''ll let it slide. However."


    I tense as I sensesomething coming. I''m not looking at the chamber anymore, focused solely in the sensations I can feel with my mind. The anger I sense is dissolving, turning into a storm. If it is giving me a headache, I wonder what it will do to her.


    "Do not bring them up in this! I know they''d never wanted me to have a demon familiar, but they also didn''t want to die and leave me to grow up alone! I know the stigma I carry now, I know what people think of demons, they think they and their owners are dangerous! If it keeps away one more of those vultures that have been circling me all these years, pecking away at what is rightfully mine, then it was worth it! I am not the little girl playing under the apple trees anymore. I haven''t been for years, but you refuse to see!"


    The other woman tries to say something. I wonder why she tries? Can''t she tell the storm is far too strong to listen to little puffs of wind? Just as I think so, the storm solidifies again and the anger is a razor edge. My head hurts no less from it.


    "I''m an adult now, with all the responsibilities, but you can''t let me be one. Your insubordination is undermining my position. You should be advising me, not scolding me. I can''t have that, even if your intentions are good, it shows a lack of respect. You will choose one of the girls to be my new personal maid and retire to the estate, or what is left of it, and manage the household until my return. You are dismissed."


    Everything is silent. I peek out from under the desk in time to see the older woman turn around stiffly and leave the room. The door closes with barely a sound. Suddenly all the tension leaves the room. All the anger I sensed disappears and the resulting emptiness leaves me giddy. I sit down on the floor to stop from falling over and notice I''m not the only one. She is sitting on the floor, just staring at the door. I can''t feel anything of her in my head and her eyes are strangely empty. Her face is wet and I wonder how that happens. I approach slowly and use one claw to poke her. No response. I get a little bolder and poke her face, but I still get no response. As I cautiously move closer she suddenly lunges at me and grabs me. I almost manage to dodge, but she catches my tail. Due to whatever thing that was done to me, she can hold it tightly without her fingers getting cut. I consider cutting off my tail in order to escape, I''m sure I can grow a new one, but hesitate. The hesitation costs me as she manages to grab a rear leg and pull me to her.


    She takes me in a strong hold, pressed hard against her body, using her arms to crush me. There is more water, I think it''s coming from her face. I can''t breathe and start to struggle. Her only reaction is to grasp tighter and I can feel things popping inside. She is shaking, I think with the effort. I feel something snap in my back and lose the ability to struggle. Not long after things start to turn white. When I come to again, I let go of the ceiling in surprise and land hard on the floor.

 6. Exploring The New Home

    Wide awake after that experience I pick myself off the ground. Whatever is happening to me, it is real. I think. Which means I did get torn apart by that cat and yet here I am. I will not consider the cause of my death this time. The summon thing the young yellow haired female mentioned is part of it. No answers will come to me from my spot on the ground or out of thin air, so I put the matter aside for now.


    Most notable, all the lethargy I felt is gone. I don''t know if it was the cages or just being caged, or the monotone rolling of the days, but it was very unpleasant. In a stark contrast with when I arrived here, I now feel excellent, alert and scared. I was brought here for a reason. They picked me and a few others out of the whole Swarm - the queens knew what they had been looking for. Is it because I''m deformed? I know I was supposed to be an imp, I can feel it, but how can I be one without wings? With these too-strong limbs that are too heavy? At least a wide chest is also good for wing-muscles and good breathing. Anyway. Yes, it must be because I am different.


    Maybe they know about the summon too. I briefly consider how likely it is for them to help me and quickly toss the notion away. Even the young at the Swarm only receive enough help so they can learn how to contribute. No-one here will help me unless it''s in their own best interest. I also toss the idea of escaping and running away. I don''t know where I am, or how I got here. Even if I managed to escape, a lonely fake-imp is vulnerable.


    I don''t like feeling scared, weak and vulnerable, but that is all I''ve been. Everything new I see can kill me, even without trying. Some of the elation coursing through my body dies down. My back still remembers what it felt like to snap and I stretch to get the kinks out, even if there really aren''t any. Those other places... They feel real enough. Injuries don''t carry over, but my body remembers the pain. I resolve myself to avoid pain as I slowly walk out of the bigger cage we''ve been put in when I arrived. It''s a cage in a cage in a cage.


    Behind me on the ground is the small one I was in, in the wagon. It was put in a bigger cage, big enough to call it a room, and opened so we could get out. The room has an opening too and opens into this hall. I think it''s a hall. Just like where I met the yellow haired young female. It''s high, several humans high, but much of it is sort of open allowing light to come through. Thanks to that I know it''s the time of the red sun setting and the white sun rising for the time they are in the sky together, until the red sun disappears.


    The hall has many things in it. stone slabs, a pool and miniature trees. I try the water but it doesn''t have that extra I''m used to from the lake back home. There are swarmlings here and there, mostly lazing around. They are... different. I climb one of the trees. They could be quite normal sized, because once near the top many more trees like it are visible outside the hall through one of the openings that lets light through. Maybe the trees near home are just big? I lie down on a branch strong enough to carry me. It still bends more than I thought. Am I even heavier than I assumed?


    For now I look at the sky for a moment. The white sun doesn''t irritate me as it used to. I wonder why it did and what changed. Did I change? It wouldn''t surprise me any more. Things fly, up high, but I don''t think they''re imps.


    My ears detect sound in the distance, rotating to pinpoint the location. It''s something big walking and dragging something and it''s heading this way. It doesn''t seem to be in a hurry, there is always a difference in the rhythm when something is running. I turn enough to look into the direction of the sound and notice the wall looks different there, because it''s a door. The door in her room is to this door what the trees here are to the trees back home - tiny. The steps are getting closer and by their sound I already know that whatever is approaching is bigger than anything I''ve seen before. Except the trees back home, but I was never in danger of getting killed by them.


    I scuttle off to a branch with denser leaves and wait. Movement below draws my attention. Hatches are opening along the walls, pushed from the inside. Different swarmlings are appearing, ones I''ve never seen before. One thing they have in common, they don''t look like normal swarmlings do. Every single swarmling is deformed and there are many different markings and colors. One has scales and six stumpy legs, looking more like a serpi with legs. A second has ridiculously large wings to carry around the frame of a scamp. My eyes linger a while, I may have to do something like it too if I want to fly. I see blue hues of skin, brown, black and dark green as well as the familiar shades of red and many colors and combinations between.


    There are a number of hatches that stay open all the time, the one I came from among them, but no-one comes through those. I think the other new arrivals are still recovering. The stomping and dragging I heard is at the doors now.... No, they are before the doors and doing something? I hear something closing at the same time the smell reaches me. Food, a variety of food, just behind those doors. The swarmlings below are heading in that direction. My ears track the footsteps. They stop and... something starts? In any case, the doors start to open by sliding into the wall. Interesting, but the smell of food has just gotten stronger.


    The swarmlings below are posturing and threatening, but I don''t see any actual fighting. There are some groups forming and something like a hierarchy shows. As could be expected, groups form by the skin patterns. It''s easy to pick out the ones from my swarm, they just stand out to me. There are some large groups below, of twenty or more swarmlings. My own swarm is in the middle, with just above ten. I feel the urge to hop down and join them, but fear wins and I stay to observe.


    The door at the far end is now fully open and a huge hulkingthing is standing in the opening. It looks like the creatures I saw at the lake but taller and so much wider. The horns are bigger too, both in girth and length and they curve backwards. I''m too far away to see much detail, but it is wearing some brown clothing over the same reddish skin I saw on the other creatures. Behind it I see meat. I can smell the meat from here, the scent wafting around this big space. I use my tongue to remove some drool from my chin.


    "You know the rules."The large creature rumbles and steps aside. The groups of spawnlings go in one by one, grab something and move off to a corner of the hall. They go in by whichever group seems the strongest and grab something. It''s hard to tell from this distance, but none seem to be taking as much as they can carry and I wonder why. Taking as much as you can while it''s available makes the most sense, because you never know when the next meal will be. I''ve not been truly hungry since hatching, but some things I just know and I wonder why I know.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    All the groups have taken their share and now single swarmlings are heading in. I guess these are not part of any Swarm, or not any more. I don''t know what one could do to be expelled from your own Swarm, but it must be what happened. Once these lone swarmlings are heading out with their meals, I climb down and sneak towards the still open door. The big creature is not paying much attention. It is doing... something, I guess? The other swarmlings occasionally glance my way, but don''t seem to care. I see in their brief glances the same lack of interest I have for other things than me.


    In the space behind the door are still some leftovers. Bits of intestines, small bones and other less desirable parts. I dig in with enthusiasm. What isn''t desirable for others smells good to me at the moment! It does taste much, much better than bug, except for when they have those poison glands, but there are none of those here. The big creature interrupts me as it stomps lightly on the ground. It''s probably lightly, it could probably stomp much harder. It makes eye contact and before I can look away waves a hand from me to the hall. "Out." it rumbles. No clue what it''s saying, but I understand clear enough. Take some food and eat in the hall. That is probably why the stronger groups wouldn''t just stay at the food until they''ve gorged themselves on the bounty, leaving nothing for me. It''s what I would have done in their place, if I could.


    However, I''m just a tiny thing. It''s time to push my luck; moving slowly to gather some good looking bits and pieces I try the ''ask for food'' sound again, then quickly glance at the big creature. It doesn''t seem affected. Quite the opposite. It''s turned its body all the way to me. "Time to get out, now." it grumbles. I''m somewhat used to the sounds now, probably due to the things at the wagons always making noise at one another. This sounds very much like ''don''t push your luck'', so I don''t. with some bones clasped in each of my claws and use one front leg to hold some squishy parts to me. Breathing is a little bit harder since my mouth is completely stuffed full, but my large and perfect nose helps with that. "Cheeky little bugger."I hear behind me.


    To be able to hold on to the food, I need a place that isn''t as easy to reach. I want to climb a wall or a tree or something, some of the other swarmlings are paying attention to me now I''ve gotten food. More attention than I like. This is where I realize my problem. It is impossible to climb while holding something with each of my claws. Before figuring out a solution, I chew and swallow what is already in my mouth, then stuff it with the bone I held in a rear claw. One free, two more to go.


    In the end I just eat right next to a wall, near an easily climbable place. None of the bigger swarmlings approach me while I eat. They occasionally glance back towards the big creature, so I think I know why. When the creature disappears in the food area and I hear that strange sound again, my time is up. A few of the smaller swarmlings are slowly heading my way. They''re still almost twice my size though. I suck out some marrow and stuff the last bits of bone in my mouth before racing up the wall, dropping some left over leftovers. The first to get to my previous spot eats it, glares up at me and walks away again. The others turn away too. I''m relieved I''m not interesting.


    Now, on to the next problem. Getting back to the hatch I came from. It''s one of the ones standing open, I even know which one, but is it smart to go back there? I''m not comfortable with all the swarmlings here unknown to me, but I do like it better in the hall. It seems not all agree with me, as some of the swarmlings are moving back to their rooms. Still, it''s a bit too crowded for my liking and I head back, cautiously crawling along the wall. My ears are twitching this way and that from all the unknown noises and creatures. Unfortunately my nose is a bit useless as all it can currently smell is my recent meal.


    Back in the smaller room I notice the other two who shared my cage are still out of it. It''s the second thing I notice. The first is two of the normal sized creatures standing over them. Unfortunately, I''ve been careless and wandered in way too far. Standing still, all my hope is for them to not notice me. There is something important on my mind though. My own thinking is failing me at this point. I need a name for these separate beings and my memory hasn''t caught up anything useful. From now on these creatures are ''Talkers'' and the big one is a ''Bigger''.


    So, two of the Talkers are standing over the two swarmlings who are still mostly unresponsive. Don''t know what they''re doing, and right now I don''t want to know. Claw by claw I crawl backwards to the open hatch. Naturally, before I make it one of them does spot me and makes an excited noise. Just as naturally, I turn and run.


    "Master, the missing one, there it is! I''ll get it!"


    I feel something hot pass me by and in the hatch opening a wall of fire appears. I''ve seen the talkers who brought me here use it at night, when I was still paying attention, but there is not much else telling me about it. Before it registers as warm, hot and very hot I''m through. Some of it may be sticking to me as my back feels hotter than usual and I stick out my tongue to check on it. That was a mistake. My tongue actually hurts, though my skin is fine. There is a short sizzle when I withdraw my injured body part back to my mouth. There''s still a lot of noise coming from behind me.


    "You bloody idiot! You should know by now they''re nearly impervious to fire! Before this we had an unmarked swarmling walking around. We could have caught it at the next feeding time! Now we have an unmarked swarmling on fire running around and I''m not going to try and catch it! Go ring the alarm before the whole building burns down again!"


    With a quick detour to the pool at the centre of the hall the fire vanishes in a cloud of steam. It wasn''t that bad, but I''m pretty sure it would give me away if I tried to hide. I had been worried about parasites getting into skin folds, but for my back I can rest easy. Getting to the other side of the pool takes far too long. I learn that my body may be great at running, jumping and climbing, but swimming is something entirely different. It''s faster sinking to the bottom and pushing myself forward and up with my powerful rear legs, breathing again when I break the surface. I miss the acidic water back home. It is good for the skin and gives that clean feeling of all the little creatures drowning or dissolving.


    Distracting thoughts got me again and I notice I''ve slowed down. Checking behind me, there is no pursuit and I let myself relax. A little bit. I''m still out in the middle of a room with strange swarmlings, all of them bigger and stronger than the last and certainly bigger and stronger than me. As relaxed and composed as possible my steps guide me to a nearby tree which I climb until reaching a height where it would be hard for the heavier ones to follow me. At the same time I try to stay under enough cover so as not to be an easy target for anything that flies.


    Time to go over things I''ve learned. Talkers are violent. Biggers are dangerous. Fire is nice on the skin. Most important, my balance is off. It came to me before that my body might be heavier than I''m used to and all the running and climbing confirmed it. The spikes on my back are a tiny bit larger, according to the accurate measurements of my tongue, but my neck won''t turn far enough to inspect them. It doesn''t account for all the additional weight. It''s a mystery that will have to wait.


    There are more lighter footsteps nearby. More Talkers are on the way, so something is going to happen. They are also talking, which is why they are called Talkers by me, but it still sounds garbled to me. Hiding in my place in the tree, I prepare to wait, hide and observe.

 7. Thrown Into The Dungeon

    The leaves on the tree are screening me from casual view but are spaced far enough for me to look through. It helps that the leaves are a normal dark reddish hue, so I blend in perfectly. Across the pond some of the brush is still on fire, but it doesn''t look like it''s spreading much. As none of the swarmlings pay it much attention I decide to ignore it too. However, my ears twitch and turn to try and follow the sounds I hear outside the walls. There must be more ways in than that big door. The creatures standing in my room hadn''t gone through the hatch, but I didn''t see a door.


    Most interesting is that sometimes there are bits of other noise, too short to make out. It starts to dawn on me I haven''t heard any birds, the wind or any such sounds for a while now. Occasionally I can hear claws moving with the footsteps. Time passes and the constant footsteps are starting to wear on my nerves. Something is happening and I want to know what. I may be partially affected by the swarmlings below and around me. If it was normal they would ignore it, but I see too many twitching ears. The atmosphere is tense.


    Footsteps start to converge on where the big doors are. The mechanism makes its sound and the door slides open. There I see what I now recognize as soldiers. Metal armor over a bright green tabbard, spears in hand. They spot the still smouldering fire. One barks something and another goes, probably to put it out. With them are some creatures that look a bit more fragile, but they are the ones taking charge. One of them brings a metal object to his mouth, breathes deeply and exhales sharply on it. A piercing sound fills the room. It''s not like he needed it, all the swarmlings were already looking at them, more arriving from the adjacent rooms. The whistle doesn''t get much of a reaction from them, but I nearly fall of my perch.


    The Talker with the whistle speaks some words and turns around to start walking out of the room with all the swarmlings following. The soldiers fall in around the swarmlings and they start moving out. I''m torn between following and staying put. On one hand, I want to see what''s going on. On the other hand, whatever it is it probably isn''t safe for me. Common sense wins over curiosity and I stay put. I wonder for a moment why the swarmlings are so obedient, but following someone stronger than us comes natural. With plenty of food and the threat of violence, why bother? As much as I miss the old place, I can see myself getting used to being here.


    With all the others gone, I go to explore every bit I can reach. Climbing up the walls I try to grab on to the roof of the hall. There is some kind of mostly transparent material there. My claws can''t damage it and can find no purchase. Instead, I explore along the top of the walls. I can find no weak spots or imperfections. All along the top, the ceiling merges seamlessly with the wall. Next are all the rooms with open hatches.


    As I expected there are swarmlings of around my age lying next to the cages which were used to bring them here. I take some time to check what may have been done to them and they all have a rune on their head, a little bit to the back. It looks to be burned into the skin and I wonder why the pain didn''t bring them back to alertness. Carefully poking some doesn''t get a reaction either, they''re really out of it. It does give me a chance to have a closer look. The differences are mostly in the color patterns of the skin. Reds and black is dominant, but there are shades of brown, grey, green and blue as well.


    Before long my interest wanes. What I really, really want to do now is to run, jump and justmove! Aside from running away from things it feels like I''ve been locked up so long. Then there were all those strange swarmlings. It felt like one wrong move would get me eaten. I still don''t quite know why they didn''t when no-one was watching. Actually, I do know. The Talkers will probably figure out it was me if I eat anyone now. If I can figure it out, I should assume they will be able to do so too. Back on topic. Let''s have fun.


    And so I do. Rushing up and down the trees, jumping from branch to branch, into the water and out again. Around rocks and trees, through tall bushes and feeling the grass tickle me. Occasionally there is a snack of some leaves before I take off again. This is probably the safest I''ve felt since the last time I was hanging on the flank of a brood-tender. The sheer joy of being able to relax is not something I have thought of before and I revel in the sense of it. It takes me some time to calm down and regain some of my rational thinking. First is a drink from the pond. The water is surprisingly clear, considering it is stagnant without a visible source, weird. Next is more food. I''m confident there are more scraps to find at the feeding place, even if it''s been a bit trampled by now.


    Naturally, I''m right. It takes some effort to dig the pieces of bone and offal out of the dirt, but they taste fine all the same. As I carefully pick up the shattered pieces of a bone of some kind there is a sound I don''t recognize. Startled my ears go every direction to try and pick up the source while I straighten slowly to look around. Nothing. Just as slowly my fingers and eyes continue their constant quest for food, but my ears are alert. Still nothing. I scour the area without hearing or seeing anything suspicious. Was I too cautious?


    I make for the pond again. Some nice quality quartz or ore rich silica would be fine, but dirt and dust feels uncomfortable, so it''s best to wash it out. My steps halt for a moment as I try to process the information suddenly flowing into my mind about rocks. I''ve never thought rocks had such variety and richness until now. Step by step I start moving again, my thoughts firmly on rocks. Not firmly enough not to notice movement to my side. It''s one of the Talkers, with a net! My instinct tells me what to do and so far it has always been right. Desperately I jump towards the man, inside his reach and past the net!


    My claws easily grab hold of his shoulders and upper body and I scream in his face. The feeling as I pierce his clothes and his flesh is very satisfying. Biting down hard on his face I feel the sweet taste of blood fill my mouth and the scent hangs in the air. The Talker screams back at me and stumbles. As he starts to fall backwards my powerful rear legs come into play, claws finding something solid to push off of on his body and launching me past the wounded Talker, straight into another net! I try to claw my way out, but the material resists my efforts. I lash my sharp tail behind me and hit nothing but air. A careless hand reaches for me and I slash at it, leaving a bloody rip. Screams are all around me now and I join in with my own screeches. I''m not even thinking, just letting my body react to what is happening around me.


    Something slams against my head and stuns me. As I try to recover, both my front and rear limbs are tied together. With a pull on my limbs I slide over the ground and a hand grabs my neck. Instinct comes in play again and I stop resisting completely. Once something grabs my neck in a way I can''t break out of, my body surrenders. It may have surrendered, but the will to fight is still coursing through my body and my limbs twitch and tremble with barely repressed intent. My mind doesn''t surrender, and my eyes continue scanning around. There are way more Talkers than I had expected.


    One is making pathetic noises on the ground with another pushing on the wounds on his chest. It''s hard to see, but those hands seem to be glowing. The wound on his face makes me check if I still got the bite, but I probably dropped it somewhere with all the screaming, pity. Next to them is a Talker standing with his hand close to his chest, clutching his wrist tightly. Despite my situation I feel very satisfied. A rough hand grabs my head and turns me to face another way. This means there is at least one more holding me.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Make that two more, in front of me is a talker in long clothes, robes. I''m startled when I recognize it is made from swarmling skin. Would something like that help me too? Should I stop eating all of my food? In his hand he has a thin glowing stick thing. Again I''m turned, the other way this time, and hands clamp down on my body and head. I have a suspicion about what is going to happen and am not disappointed. A searing pain assaults me as what seems to be a hole is made in the back of my head, at least it feels that way. Then that pain traces several lines in what I bet is the same pattern as I saw on the unconscious swarmlings.


    The immediate pain stops but the back of my head still feels like it''s on fire. Wait, being on fire didn''t hurt at all, why did I think that? Suddenly it feels like something hits my head again, the pain spreadinginside my head this time. Barely holding off losing my senses I try to focus on what is going on. I feel light for a moment as if I''m falling before hitting the ground. They just dropped me here! I''d teach them to respect me if I wasn''t tied up. For sure. Around me the Talkers are talking now, instead of yelling and I try to listen again.


    "Hurn, how is Firad doing and give me the status on Justa."


    "The bleeding on his hand has been stopped, but someone needs to tend it properly soon. With Justa I''ve managed to save her chest, but she''ll have another scar on her face."


    "You know her priorities. Good job. Listen up! all of you in the back too! THIS is why you do NOT tackle a demon of any size alone. Killing is easy, but they fight like... like demons when you''re trying to capture them." He looks around with a stern expression, occasionally looking at one of the Talkers for a bit longer. "Practice your light and sound skills - this is what happened when we surprised one, imagine if it had spotted us! Everyone, dismissed! Bloody hell what a mess this was."


    The last is spoken softly and I doubt anyone but me heard it, but I still don''t know what it meant. However, there was the occasional word that made sense in the cacophony of sound now. Quite proud of my speed of learning this language thing my expression turns into a smirk, which I regret when my head reminds me it hurts. A face appears in my vision.


    "Stoplooking so damn self-satisfied you little piece of shit."


    I''m sure it wasn''t a compliment, but I''ll take it as one anyway.


    A stick-thing with a noose is fitted around my neck and attached to the rope at my forelimbs. Now my head moves only somewhat to the side and I can''t bend it backwards or forwards any more. Another stick comes into view, this time with two hooks. The ropes around my limbs are hooked onto them and I''m lifted off the ground. A devious plan enters my mind, but before I can act on it someone grabs my tail and secures it too. Damn.


    "Don''t worry,Ican carry this alone, it barely weighs a thing."


    "Why are we bothering with this anyway, was it really worth it?"


    "It was already being summoned, that''s why it''s up and about despite the drugs and draining. You know the orders."


    I''m listening intently to the conversations while I look at the shrubbery, trees and rocks of my home for a short time disappear. I''d love to see where we''re going, but the way I''m being held makes it so I can only look in the direction we''re coming from. We pass the big door which is slowly sliding closed again. Another big door, a hall and a big door and suddenly we are outside. Despite my situation I take a deep breath. I''ve missed the sounds of the outside. Unfortunately I don''t hear them here. All I can hear are footsteps and Talkers talking.


    The air still smells good. It smells like it will rain soon and something in me stirs. The two things on my back, which i thought were horns for a time, twitch. They really are my third set of limbs, they just haven''t developed yet. I''d been wondering about it quietly for some time now. The building we''ve left behind is fully visible now. It''s built into rock wall, which is why there was natural rock on three sides. The roof and the front are fully constructed. Nearby are some smaller buildings. Other roofs and walls are visible. It''s likely those house other creatures.


    We stop for a moment as we probably reach our destination. We walk past a doorpost. Rather, they walk past a doorpost and my head slams into it. I shake my head to regain some clarity and slowly the flashing and black blobs recede. We''re in another building. It''s all stone and we''re going down. And down. And down. It''s a long way and with nothing to see and no idea how long it''s going to take I get restless. I''m still listening with one ear for the talking of the Talkers, but it still barely makes sense. Maybe I''m not such a fast learner as I thought. I try to swish my tail in annoyance and find it still tied down. The Talker holding me up shakes me rudely.


    "We''re almost there,stop it."


    I screech at full volume. Am I tempting fate? Will they kill me now? If they wanted me dead they would have done so already. At this point, I don''t care. Some exclamations of which I''m sure they''re curses are my reward, as well as a harder shake. The walking stops again and I hear a fist hit wood.


    "Hey Harijia! We have one for you!"


    "Tossit in five, that one is free now."


    I hear a sound which is probably the door opening and we move again. This time only my ears have a brush with the doorpost. I can''t see Harijia, whatever that is, but the room we''re in now leads to a corridor in one direction where I can see large cages, cells. As the talkers finish talking, they turn around to that direction and I can see Harijia. It''s not a Talker! The best I can guess is that it is a serpi-like creature grown to a size bigger than a Talker with four limbs. A forked tongue quickly flits out and back in. Not long after I am tossed in one of the cells on my side. My tail is released, then my limbs. The stick with the noose is used to keep me pinned to the floor. Suddenly the noose loosens and is gone! A moment later the cell door closes. I''m still stuck, just a different kind of noose.


    As the Talkers leave the Harijia approaches.


    "Well, lets put you to work right away, shall we."


    I can understand this thing! Completely! it is so similar to the body and sound language the swarmlings use! I hiccup a "Wait!" and rush to the cell door. The Harijia looks at me with cold eyes, not that it has anything else, and blinks with the secondary eyelids.


    "Calm down, little one. I''m sure you have questions. Why you''re here, what is happening and what the weird thing happening to you is. You want to know if it''s safe here and when there will be food." She uses a sharp nail to cut her palm and drops some blood on the floor.


    Her accent is a bit off, but I indicate with all I can that Yes, I want to know! What is happening! Where am I! And is there any food!


    She seems amused. "Well, sucks to be you. Just do as you''re told. We''ll talk later, I have things to finish."


    With that she slithers off and I notice signs, runes on the floor lighting up. slowly the light spreads along the walls of the cell. It''s similar to that circle with the yellow haired girl. My vision is already starting to turn white. I''m really beginning to hate this. It takes longer this time, but I experience the same feeling of being crushed, compressed and moved off in some weird direction before my vision returns.


    I''m in a stone room. A similar circle as in my cell is fading around me. In front of me I see a glowing crystal, a figure that looks like a tiny Talker without horns, pale skin and some really stupid wings and a huge monstrous cat-thing. I can''t keep my eyes off the cat thing. It''s not like the one that killed me, but it''s still very scary.


    "Ahem."


    It''s the one with the ridiculous wings that speaks. "Can you understand me? Just think back what you want to answer."


    I consider my answer for a moment. For some reason I really want to send back "No."


    "Aha ha ha. very funny." She smiles a very snarly smile. Did I just accidentally send no?


    "Welcome to the Dungeon of MariTaku. I''m Mari, a dungeon fairy and this," she gestures at the shiny crystal, "is Takuya. He''s the Dungeon core and we will defend him. He likes us to get along like a happy family and wants to be introduced to you personally, even though he can''t speak with you. This kitty here is Seo. He''s a big softy and won''t harm anyone without a reason. If you just follow some simple instructions, we''ll get along fine!"


    I look at her angry eyes and at the big cat. The message is clear. She''s in charge, the core is stupid, the cat will eat me if I don''t follow her orders. "Yes, Mari," is all I send back. She smiles her superiority at me and I bow my head in submission.

 8. Pest Control pt.1

    Tail between my legs, crouched and head bowed, I try to look as submissive as possible. It''s not that hard, I feel very submissive at this point. The last words of the serpi person were ''just do as you''re told'' and it seems like the best thing to do for now. The dungeon fairy speaks again. Her tone is much less threatening now I seem to know my place.


    "Taku has set out a path for you to where you must go. You''ll receive further instructions there. Now go."


    And with that I''m dismissed. Looking around I can see at least three exits from this room, but there doesn''t seem to be any path which is marked until I breathe in. There is something in the air on a path to my right. I inhale deeply, but it isn''t really a scent and doesn''t give me any more information. Since I don''t get yelled at when I head in that direction it is probably the ''path''.


    The corridor quickly changes from smoothed stone to rough cavern stone. I hear and see bugs moving around in the darkness. It''s darker here than in the cave chambers back home, probably completely dark. There are some luminescent plants or fungi here an there. They don''t taste like anything special and I can still see, so it''s not that important and I continue on my way, slowly chewing.


    How broad and high the tunnel is varies and for my own variety I use the walls and ceiling to move. Occasionally the ceiling has traps on them which require me to use the wall or the floor, sometimes the floor is trapped and sometimes the walls. I think they''re traps at least. A trap, an ambush by something not alive, or sometimes something alive. Seems like a usable idea. Idly studying what can be seen of the things, I make sure to keep moving as long as it''s away from the fairy thing.


    It''s quite some time before I meet the first creature other than the cat and the fairy. After the long and windy corridor of traps comes a bigger room, chamber would be a better word. It looks more official than a mere room, with worked stone, pillars and arches around the sides, a light on the ceiling and some furniture over the place. There is one thing I recognize as a bed and another is another desk. The path ends here for now. Since I am not to sit on desks as yellow hair instructed me, I take my time to study the creature in the room.


    It''s wearing another of those robe things and I can see some pointed ears poking out from under yet again hair. This hair is not very long, I wonder what it is for? It might be another of those humans, I won''t know for sure until I get closer and smell it. I need to get closer because the air in this chamber barely moves and is laden with all kind of weird things and smells that tickle my nose, so I can''t tell from here. Those two-legged things all look almost the same. I can see it doesn''t have the red skin or horns from the Talkers at least, but that is as far as recognition goes.


    Whatever in the air finally wins and I sneeze.


    The creature turns around and it looks human, but with a much thinner and longer face than what I''ve seen before. I''m starting to learn that the differences between individuals is often in the faces with these creature, rather than the skin-patterns. A rather strange idea, but it makes sense if they always cover themselves with clothing or armor. You have to tell one another apart some way, don''t you? And with the changeable outer skins, a face would work. It''s probably easier to see the differences if you grow up with it too. I just don''t see it. The thing begins to speak. To my surprise I actually manage to understand it.


    "Well well, what have we here. Let me take a look."


    I stay still as he... Is it a he? Who cares. He prods and pokes me, examines my claws, pulls on the spikes that will be my third pair of limbs, stretches my other limbs and my tail and generally makes me want to claw at him. Which I don''t. The first real lesson I''ve learned is to sit still and not do anything in an uncertain situation. The little imp on the second day, the moment with the queens, when I came to in the strange place. Just do nothing or things get worse. This creature is really testing my resolve though. Finally the prodding stops.


    "You can ''talk'' back at me, I''m fluent in Daemon and Daevil, if I say so myself, though the subtler nuances of Daemon are beyond me with this body. It''s something only the beast-bodied manage. Now, let me introduce myself first." At this he makes a small bow from the waist. "My name is Tarvinder, though that is not my given name. As you may not have guessed, I''m an elf. I reside here in this dungeon for my studies and so I won''t be pestered by wanna-be apprentices. You, on the other hand, are a swarmling of the imp type. Quite affected by the demonic side of your species as is evident from your lack of wings. Hm, yes, and you''ve already been summoned at least once before, those muscles didn''t quite make themselves."


    The ''elf'' stands up straight and looks at me expectantly. I have no clue what he, I''m fairly certain it''s a he at this point, wants from me, so I return the favor and stare at him expectantly. Since I can blink without closing my eyes, I easily win the staring contest.


    "You''re supposed to confirm I''m right and introduce yourself now. What is your name?"


    It takes me a while to collect the phrase. My body is not well suited for this kind of speech, a lot of the sounds still beyond my capabilities. Finally I manage to croak out the basics. "Yes. What,name?" How can I tell him what my name is when I don''t know what it is? I''m fairly certain it''s not part of my body, there are names for all the parts I can think of. It takes a bit for the elf to reply. The vaguely pleasant expression is gone and has been replaced by what I''m starting to recognize as ''irritation''.


    "Ah, yes. I had expected you to be a bit older, a bit more advanced, given your muscle and bone development. It''s not for me to name you, so we''ll skip the pleasantries. What to do with you... I see. Let''s get you on your way then, shall we?" With that the elf turns away and uncovers a smaller tunnel halfway up the wall. It''d been hidden by something that looks like wall-clothes. "These are the traffic lanes for the smaller creatures like you. Not all the tunnels and walls are the dungeon, it connects to other caves both to the Underground and the Aboveground. Dungeons are basically earth elementals, with all the consequences thereof." He looks at me for a moment before he continues. "Not that you''d understand any of that."


    "Lots of pests crawl into these ducts, attracted by the waste mana the dungeon produces as it consumes primal energies. Much like myself, really. They are both defenders of the elemental as it grows and a drain on its resources, some are outright harmful and a contamination. Kill anything small and weak enough for you to do so. Stay away from the eight legged spiders. I''m fully aware they have more legs on your world, but they should look about the same." The elf is standing next to the hole in the wall now and I can read impatience in his body.


    "Yes," is my simple answer and with a few leaps and a hop I move myself into the small space. It''s still big enough to move mostly comfortable, but something like the elf would have a lot of trouble moving. For a moment I picture it. Face first, arms stretched out in front of him to pull him forwards. Defenceless. It''s a nice image. The only trouble I have is the limb-spikes on my back hitting the occasional low part and my tail blade bouncing off the walls. Once the wall-covering is back in place and the corridor is devoid of light I try if I can turn around. Just in case. It''s not easy or very fast, but do-able.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    It''s not far at all until the first intersection. My corridor stops and opens in a slightly bigger one that turns a bit, so I can''t see very far at all. From what I can tell, one fork heads roughly in the direction of the room where I appeared, so I take the other direction. Forewarned about critters making their home here, my ears and sense of smell are on high alert. In a place like this where I can''t see very far ahead, those are more reliable than sight.


    I pass other intersections and take turns more or less randomly. The most I''ve found is some moss and normal insects. Somehow I doubt they called me in for that. I''m no expert on summoning yet, but nothing ever comes without a price and these bugs would pop from me licking them. They taste like bug, but have an interesting crunchy texture with a spicy after-taste. It also gave me a bit of a nasty surprise. The moss makes my tongue glow. For a few minutes I just move my tongue around and admire the show.


    For now I''m not facing anything dangerous and I''m not worried about getting lost - being by far the smelliest thing travelling these tunnels I can easily back-track by scent alone. I could also look for the occasional chip my tail leaves in the wall. Still, this is not the moment to lower my guard. Every time before, bad things happened when I did.


    A waft of differently scented air alerts me to a larger space up ahead. I''ve been avoiding these branches, the elf specifically told me to go to the smaller places. Curiosity gets the better of me as I hear some scritching noises I haven''t heard before and I crawl to the opening. I''m approaching a room from slightly above. It seems the hole is hidden by a ledge and moss, making it hard to find and reach. As I peek through the beard of moss hanging from above the opening, my eyes take in my first glimpse of the actual main dungeon tunnels. I''m not impressed.


    It looks almost the same as any other tunnel, maybe with a few more glowing fungi and other plants. It''s the same rough rock here as anywhere else. From ceiling to floor it is as high as the elf and about as wide as it is high. On a second assessment, this is probably a branch from the main tunnel as I can see multiple holes like the one I''m peeking from at various places. About halfway down the area is an opening to a much larger space. The sound I heard are bugs, similar to the pop-bugs but quite a bit bigger, almost half the size I am.


    Movement on the opposite wall close to the ceiling attracts my attention. A spider bigger than me is waving a leg way closer than I''d like it to be. Back home there were three types of spiders. Weavers, which I never saw because the area was a death-trap of webs, ambushers which we learned to bait and hunters like the one I''m staring at right now. Strong legs, armored body and excellent sight. I notice its mandibles are on the smaller side, which makes me think of poison and my mouth begins begin to salivate. It''s feels like its been ages since I''ve had poison glands.


    Unfortunately, the elf told me to stay away from them, though it may have been out of concern for me and not the spider, it''s still quite a bit bigger and heavier than I am. This spider is waving one of its legs at me, then waving another at the bugs. I wait and watch to see if it has other tricks. It waves at me, at its mandibles and at the bugs below. The longer I wait, the more complicated the show becomes and I wonder how I show appreciation in Spider.


    As much as I want to continue watching just to annoy the creature, the bugs below are probably what I''m after and I need to observe them. Rushing in comes later. The noise I heard is them scraping at the wall and eating what little bits of dust or pebbles comes off. After considering the speech from elf, at least the parts I understood, this would mean they''re eating the dungeon. Probably not good. After a glance at my tail I refuse to think about the scratches and chips I left in my wake.


    Now the bugs are bigger they''re easier to study too. They''re a vague oval shape with banded armor over the top. Peeking out from underneath are more than a few legs on either side. They tend to move, slowly, in one direction only. I assume it''s the front, but there is nothing else I can see to tell me which side it is. Then one pops. It''s not a pop like when I licked the small ones, but something clicks, opens and puffs out something from its behind which makes for a foul contrast with the dungeon air. I am now no longer the smelliest thing around here.


    A glance at the spider shows me it seems to be staring at me. I''ve already-out stared the elf and since this thing can''t blink at all, I don''t challenge its stare. What I do take a good look at are the tips of its legs and the mandibles. It must have a hard time against those bugs. Part of the rock they eat goes straight to their carapace and the spider doesn''t look equipped to deal with it. Oh well, more for me. I am absolutely confident my claws can pierce them. If I can get to the softer part on the bottom.


    The bugs look to be stuck at the floor level. I can imagine the heavy stone on their backs is to blame for that. My tactic is to approach from above, grab one on any edge I can reach and flip it over as far as I can. Then I kill it. It is the most complicated plan I''ve ever thought of. It may be the first plan I''ve ever thought of too, but it''s something I know how to do.


    Sleeping on a ceiling by preference has its advantages as my claws easily find little notches and pits to hook into, without crushing the stone beneath. That last would probably get me in trouble. My first course takes me to directly above the things. They don''t seem to be able to look up very well and I don''t like being seen. Claw by claw I move closer. The occasional bits of dust are dislodged, but the bugs are ignoring everything. My movements are even slower and more careful on the descent. Still none of them have noticed me. Or if they did, they don''t care. Once in reach, I pull back one limb and launch it forwards.


    I feel my claws sink in just below its upper shell. As expected, their under-side is quite a bit softer. Yanking my arm back I prepare to drop on the exposed belly. As it notices it''s being attacked there is another pop and a foul stench. While it makes me feel a bit light headed, there is no other effect. Unfortunately the creature is quite a bit heavier than expected. It''s lifted up, off balance and teetering on the edge of falling over, but so am I. My grip on the wall has slipped due to the unexpected weight and I''m scrambling to recover, with one claw still hooked in the creature. I''m the one who falls first and with my claw still stuck in its carapace the blasted bug teeters back, on top of me!


    For a moment I fully expect it to crush me instantly and though I feel some creaking, it doesn''t happen. I don''t want to give it time to react and hook my other claw in solidly. Bending my spine and tucking in my legs is the work of a moment and just like I did with the talker, my rear limbs heave. The first attempt leaves deep grooves, the second detaches detachable bits and the third time I rake my claws along its bottom the chitin cracks and I''m splattered with bug guts.


    Pushing the heavy thing off of me, I roll away and jump for the wall, scrambling for height. For nought, as the remaining bugs make a run for it. More or less. I have learned an important lesson right now. Don''t just make a plan, count your enemies. This could have gone a lot worse. There''s quite some bug stuff on me and I scoop some up with my tongue. It has quite the tangy taste to the point of being uncomfortable. The small ones have my taste preference, so I''ll focus my efforts on making sure they don''t get this big.


    There is a sound of retching behind me. I''m very sure spiders don''t retch, so I immediately make for one of the smaller tunnels leading away from here. Before diving in, I take a quick look behind me to identify the attacker. It''s the fairy. She''s holding some kind of crystal again, a round one this time, but it''s also glowing. The voice of the elf is coming from it, somehow. She''s ignoring me for now, which suits me fine. Just in case I shouldn''t run away, I stay and listen to the conversation. The elf is speaking a language I don''t understand, but I can understand her at least.


    "It actuallyate some of it! Don''t they have a sense of smell or taste? Uhuh. Hmm. I see. And what about the poison? Serious?" She turns her head to look at me.


    "Thank you, Tarvinder, this has been an excellent contribution. I''m sure you''ll find your stay much more comfortable for the foreseeable future. Lets see what other uses this creature has." She starts to smile. I don''t like this smile. My heart beat is speeding up and I can feel the fear rising as the fairy approaches. For some reason she''s breathing shallow too and there is a bit of a paleness to her skin. Does it really smell that bad?


    I can see the color of her eyes now, it''s purple.


    I don''t like the look in her eyes.

 9. Pest Control pt.2

    I''m still clinging to the wall near one of the small tunnels. It''s my emergency escape, though my current opponent can probably follow me there.


    The fairy Mira keeps hovering close enough to be intimidating. On our first meeting I didn''t inspect her too closely due to the cat nearby distracting me. The first thing which makes her different are the flimsy, long, insect like wings sprouting from her back. I really mean sprouting as there seems to be no limbs or muscles involved. They''re somewhat see-through and black, contrasting strongly with her almost white skin. There is a lot of skin visible since she isn''t wearing anything to cover it, which is novel too. At least it makes her easy to identify as female. She doesn''t have hair, which seems sensible to me, and pointed ears like the elf.


    Without the cat, she isn''t nearly as scary. It would just take one hit from a claw or even the sharp end of my tail to take her out. I blink with my secondary eyelids and slightly shift my position. My legs a little more under me will give me the leverage to launch at her with speed. It would take too much time to turn around to face her forwards, so the plan is to do so upside down and use whatever strike I can get on her to change my momentum for the landing.


    If I can take her out, I''m certain I can escape from the cat in the small tunnels. The dungeon seems to be mostly passively involved, so only the elf could still be a problem, but I don''t think he will be. One hit with my claws and my time here will be much easier.


    She smiles again, close enough that I can see in her mouth the teeth of a predator. As she lazily drifts out of easy striking range, her whole posture challenges me to do it. It could be a bluff, but how to know for sure? My tail is twitching nervously back and forth while the stare at the fairy remains uninterrupted. Change of plans. If I can just hit one of the wings she''ll come crashing down. Once on the ground I can finish her off.


    "Come on," she almost hisses at me. "Do it!"


    My legs shift a little more and I jump head first at her with my back towards the floor. As I move through the air my position starts to turn a bit, my body now vertical pointing at the floor, to bring my rear claws into play. As I expected, the fairy moves further out of range. Contracting my abdominal muscles to curl up, my tail swings towards her with all the strength my whole body can put behind it. I feel the moment of impact which hurts more than expected. Out of balance the landing goes badly, but I manage to right myself and turn around, ready to pounce on my prey.


    Which isn''t there. My eyes are drawn up, where the fairy is still flying and holding something looking a lot like the end of my tail, though it looks to be slowly dissolving into nothing. Since my tail-end hurts a lot, it seems likely. A quick check confirms it used to be part of me. Meanwhile the fairy is pointing a finger at me. Suddenly my head hurts as if I''ve been listening to Talkers for a week, but judging by the frown on her face something else was supposed to have happened. This is enough for me and I start to look for a way to run.


    "Oh no you don''t!" She sounds more entertained than angry, which doesn''t make me feel any better. She moves a hand behind her and gestures as if she throws something. Almost instantly after I feel something slam into me and bowl me over. It sends me tumbling away until I reach the dead bug. When I hit the thing I feel something snap. Instead of stopping me I bounce off it, up into the air. The bounce has slowed my tumbling down enough for me to re-orient myself and my eyes lock on to the fairy again as she makes another throwing motion. Force hits me, slamming me side-first into the wall. More things break, but I don''t feel like my life is in danger. At least not from internal injuries, the fairy is still there and she is definitely a danger to my life.


    Or a life, since I''m summoned here and Ithink I don''t really die if I die here, even though it still hurts. The question is, am I certain enough to test it against what is almost certainly magic. The answer is no. No I''m not. A part of me tells me I should be more amazed at this casual display of strange powers. Realizing it''s also responsible for bringing me to so many places, this seems almost ordinary.


    "You thought you had a chance against a fairy because I''m small?" She moves a hand from the top of her head slowly over her bare skin to her hips. With her hand on her hips she throws back her head and laughs, sounding genuinely amused. "Ridiculous! I''m a dungeon fairy in the dungeon that is my home." She giggles for a while before her face turns back to a frown. "The elf told me you would do something like this if given the chance. Your kind only obeys if they see others of their kind doing so. Sheep following sheep. Or you need to be cowed into submission very thoroughly. He told me ''if you need five, summon six and butcher the one you don''t need as an example''. Too bad we don''t have the resources for that right now, but this was also quite the catharsis. It''s a good thing your kind heals fast, we can do it more than once per summon." The fairy closes her eyes, licks her lips and shivers, then she sighs.


    While she is talking I pull myself up. My left rear limb is bent at a weird angle in two places and hurts a lot. There is barely any external bleeding. The other cracking sounds were probably ribs as well as my tail, which is now hanging limply below my butt and completely useless. There may be some internal damage, but I can still move on three limbs, so my eyes scan for a way to escape. None present itself as viable options right now.


    Mira the fairy looks at me again and addresses me directly. "I''ll be marking you. Every time you get summoned you''re to go after the noxious dungeon scratchers, the bugs like the one you killed today. The small ones and the big ones. After about an hour we''ll play a game of ''chase and run''. I chase, you run and hide. If I find you, we fight." She giggles happily at the thought. "It''s been four hours since we summoned you, so we have twenty hours left. I suggest you make yourself useful with the small ones while you heal, but I expect you to tackle some bigger ones too. When the time is almost up, I''ll come and find you and we''ll play a bit. If I''m not happy with your work, I might get a little rough." She gives me another toothy smile. "Now hold still while I make the mark."


    I freeze from where I''d been edging towards an escape. The previous mark had hurt, if that was what those Talkers did, it seemed reasonable to expect the same now. Averting my eyes as the fairy comes closer I await what comes next. A small spot of cold is felt on my back, then nothing.


    "There, done. We''ll be able to find you if we want to with that. You may grow into something good one day, and I expect you to remember how good we''ve been to you then. Off with you, back to work."This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    By the movement of the air I feel it seems she flies away, but I don''t dare to move just yet. That wasn''t as bad as I expected it to be. I look around the little alcove everything happened in. The other bugs are out of sight by now, not that I could take one with just three limbs. There is no sign of Mira. I know now that this is what the elf, Tarvinder, meant with a name. Is it something you''re supposed to get somewhere? My mind is grasping for anything to distract myself from the pain as I pull myself up the far wall towards one of the small tunnels.


    Once inside I feel much less exposed. Especially injured, with other creatures being able to smell my blood, I felt constantly threatened. At least the fairy was right about one thing, I''m healing fast. There is no bleeding and the leg is strong enough to rest some weight on after a few hours, though one of the breaks didn''t heal straight. I busy myself by squashing the small bugs that seem to congregate towards small hollows in the bends of the tunnels. After what happened I don''t feel like eating, something which has not happened to me before, at least not for this long.


    It''s taken many hours and a trail of dead bugs, but I''m starting to get a feel for the place. The tunnels are not twisting randomly. Four are spiralling around the main tunnel, with side-tunnels connecting the main four with one another and with the main tunnel. Every so often there is a chamber in the main tunnel and the companion tunnels will connect to an alcove close to it. On several occasions there are offshoots at those chambers heading in different directions, up, down, sometimes doubling back and connecting with a previous branch and all in all making a mess of interconnecting tunnels both big and small.


    I''ve gotten so used to the smell of ''dungeon'', it comes as a shock when I run into a place which doesn''t have it. One of the branches ends in a deep pit. From far down comes a vague musty smell, reminding me of the smell of decay and fungus back home. I''ve not been told I can not go there, but in my current state the descent would be difficult. There are a few other places like this.


    I also encounter more monsters. Most are spiders, but there are some unfamiliar ones too. One looks like a lizard with black and grey colored skin. They wear clothes and use weapons and have sharp senses. They spot me, but ignore me. Another is an imp-like creature that hangs motionlessly on the ceiling, almost invisible unless it moves. I think it''s an ambush hunter, but haven''t seen one in action. There are a few rocky brutes wandering around which smell entirely of rock. I wonder if that is what an elemental is.


    As I''m killing some more bugs I hear a very unwelcome sound. It''s the voice of fairy Mari. I can''t make out what it is since it''s echoing through the smaller tunnel I''m in. It''s time. I''ve prepared for this. I can do it. Throughout the places I''ve been to, I''ve been collecting the dead bugs in places, hoping it will stop her from going there. Not the bugs themselves, but their smell. Even if my own sense of smell isn''t as offended by it, hers is, so I should use that. For the last few hours I''ve been killing some of the bigger bugs, though none as big as the one I tried the first time, and dragging them around the bigger tunnels. This is because I smell. Actually, I stink. Even my own sense of smell confirms it and it would be too easy to track me if I didn''t stink up the whole place with dead bugs. As an added bonus, other creatures seem to avoid the areas with the dead big bugs, except for the spiders. Once I''ve tipped them over and opened up their underside, which is then the upside, they''re more than happy to consume what''s inside.


    Her voice is sounding closer as I exit the smaller tunnel, cut across the main tunnel and enter the small tunnel on the other side. It has yet another side tunnel going diagonally downwards in a shortcut to a part of the main tunnel there which is closer to where I think she is now. I''m hoping she has passed there already when I get there, allowing me to evade for a bit longer. As I get to the lower junction, the ruse seems to have worked. Her voice, initially louder, fades away slowly. I managed to make out the words now, some of them. "Come out come out wherever you are." and "I''m coming for you" are repeated a few times alongside some humming, the meaning of which escaped me.


    There is no illusion in my mind that I could ever escape her. If she wanted to, she could ask the dungeon to find me. She''s doing this for her entertainment and I''m hers to play with. My tactic so far is to follow where she''s already been, a tactic made easier by the noise she''s constantly making. Scrambling from one tunnel exit on a wall to one on the ceiling I accidentally dislodge a larger piece of rock and the sound of it hitting the floor echoes loudly through the tunnels. The singing stops for a moment, then returns, heading this way.


    My choice is simple, try to run again or an ambush. Now I''ve stopped for a moment I can feel how tired I am. It''s probably what caused me to dislodge the stone. Being so focused on running made me less aware of the state of my body. Ambush it is. Taking an example from the thing I saw clinging to the ceiling, it makes sense to position myself over the top of the smaller tunnel where her voice is approaching from. As it comes closer and closer I tense and ready myself for an all out attack.


    It never happens. So focused on the sound, I am completely surprised when the fairy flies out much sooner than expected. As she passes under me my claw reflexively reaches out, but she dodges easily, twirls in the air and launches something at me. It hits me with a shock and all my muscles first cramp and then start to spasm out of control. Losing my grip on my position my head hits the floor first. As I come to a stop on my back in a small depression my limbs are still twitching and out of my control. The fairy floats into view above me, more of the same stuff she threw at me this time dancing between her hands. She looks happy.


    "I like what you did to cover your trail, but your resistance to almost all magic is borderline cheating, you know? You shrugged off the charm like nothing, fire, acid and lightning resistant?" With that she unleashes some more of that ''lightning'' on me. This time my breathing stops until I see spots dancing in front of me and my hearts are hammering in their places. As my vision clears the fairy is still floating above.


    "And you even don''t suffer from the cold unless it''s extreme."


    The temperature around me drops suddenly. I can almost feel the air moving towards Mari as a pinpoint of heat forms between her hands. Regaining some control over my limbs, it is still hard to move as the freezing cold makes me sluggish. Suddenly she drops the pinpoint of heat on top of me. Remembering the fire I felt before, I''m not terribly worried. When it hits me though, my almost frozen skin practically shatters, leaving only a thin layer to protect me from the heat. It hurts! It hurts so much! I can feel it going through the skin and touching one of my heart chambers, which stops beating and feeding my body with nutrients. For a while I wonder if it''s going to burn through me, but just as suddenly it stops.


    "Let that be a lesson, deep cold and high heat don''t mix," she giggles.


    I know I''m looking in her direction, but I don''t see the fairy. My eyes barely register anything as I try to stop myself from passing out. Ancient instincts tell me how to survive with one damaged heart and I start to curl up and enter a trance while my body is frantically trying to repair itself. Instead of things going black as I lose consciousness, it is turning white as the summoning comes to an end.


    Appearing in my cell I curl up in remembered pain. In front of me is Harijia, looking faintly amused. Her expression quickly turns concerned about something, then the pain at the back of my head hits me. That is the brand put there by the Talkers. Unable to think or move I can only stare as Harijia opens the cell door with a key and does something behind me. The pain is literally paralysing me, I can''t even turn my head to see what she is doing. Something cool touches me and the pain flows away. Exhausted, I let myself fall down on the floor, just breathing for a while.


    Harijia slithers into view. First I can only see the snake part, it takes some effort to direct my gaze high enough. Helpfully she lowers herself and speaks in a careful and neutral voice.


    "I think I can answer some of your questions now."

 10. Thats The Way It Is

    Harijia is settling herself comfortably within my field of vision in a very snake-like way. More snake than humanoid, in fact, as her upper body seems more flexible than I had assumed. The stress on my mind is catching up to me and sleep is beckoning me. At the same time I feel energized in a way I''ve started to associate with returning from a summons.


    "Don''t bother trying to communicate, I think I know what you want to ask. First, it isn''t supposed to hurt like this. The mark those wardens put on you siphons some of the magic of the summon. It gives a mild throbbing at most. The device on the wall takes it and stores it for their use."


    "The reason I think it hurt was because you were already recently summoned. You were, weren''t you? The two energies were conflicting, focused on the mark. Normally this can''t happen, as what remains of the previous summon prevents another from taking a hold on you. It''s been known to happen when a natural Beacon, that would be you, is placed in a beacon room like this cell. The wardens who brought you here probably didn''t think of mentioning it, they don''t often interact with those of us who actually get summoned or manage them, so they didn''t know it was important."


    "It will glow a little after a summon when it is charged, making it easier to find out who''ll be useful to them. As a side effect it will improve your ability to learn languages. Any language spoken around you, including here and in a summon. Usually the magic of a summons ensures you can communicate with at least the summoner, but you''ll find it useful to understand others as you grow."


    She pauses a moment. I nod to her to continue. Satisfied she still has my attention she speaks once more.


    "Right now it is probably painful and stressful for you, but it''s worth it. Every time you''re summoned your body absorbs some energy to help it grow. Stronger, more durable, faster or smarter. It kind of sucks they''re taking some of it from us with that mark, but most of us true demons, instead of demonic beasts, die out in the wild before gaining access to our full potential. Imagine hunting and getting summoned, when you return you give away your hiding place. It can be dangerous."


    That I can imagine. The last time was bad and if it had happened outside of the caves of the colony, the backlash of the memory could have gotten me killed. And being summoned helps me grow my body? There is more I want to know though. As if reading my mind, Harijia turns her head all the way around while barely moving her torso, showing her serpi origin. On the back of her head is the same kind of mark as is on mine.


    "We''re much alike, yes. The others are a bit quiet right now, but there are ten cells here under my care, seven of which are full. Most of us have to sit inside for a while before we get targeted by a summon though. You''re not unique or special, just different from the standard of your species." Here she seems to get a visibly excited. "But with so much more possibility! We were born stunted or limited, but we can move beyond! You! You''ll be able to make your own wings and fly better than any imp you''ve ever seen!" She calms down a bit before continuing.


    "Your changes are not directed so far, so my first instruction to you as the Keeper of this section is to become aware of what is happening to you when you come back. Doing so will also distract you from whatever happened just before you returned. It won''t put you in control of your shaping, but it''s a step in that direction. How to gain control is different for everyone, so I can''t help there."


    "When you recover I''ll let you out and into the garden we share with the other blocks. Everyone there is like us, so none of the tribalism you saw in the arrival hall. I''d like you to keep that in mind while you adjust, we''re your new Swarm, as strange as we all are. There is food, places to climb, run, swim or rest. Above all, it''s safe."


    By this time I''ve partially recovered and a place which is safe, with food and a place to really rest sounds unbelievable to me. Harijia notices my scepticism and hisses a laugh.


    "We''re their precious resource, so we''re well provided for. As you grow up you''ll join some of the hunting bands or other excursions. First to learn, then to help. Us demons are strong, will ever get stronger and they''re more than ready to use us. After we become strong enough we are released from here where they hold us and are allowed to walk among them. Maybe not as equals, but still free!" She looks at me for a moment. "The main criteria for that is the ability to communicate and losing much of your more violent instincts, so you still have a long way to go."


    She sighs. "It''s gonna be a lot of work. Good news and bad news. Your body is still here when you''re summoned, don''t ask me how it works. Even if it felt like days or weeks to you, you''re back here the instant after you got summoned. Since you''re still here, nothing you eat or drink while summoned has any effect on your body, nor does any physical exercise help, but you can also get crushed to a pulp with no physical effects here, so it evens out."


    "Now, climb on and I''ll get you out of here. You''re in no state to walk, even though it''s not far. We''ll talk more about what we''ll do with you later. If someone asks who your Keeper is, tell them Harijia." She comes closer, turns and presents her back to me. There is a strange contraption of metal reinforced leather loops. I hook my claws into places that seem designed for it, and probably are.


    What she''s told me makes sense, though I wonder how much is actually true. The part about being crushed sounded like personal experience. It''s true enough for now at least. It''s a bit hard to wrap my head around keeping something alive instead of killing and eating it, but since that is the situation I''m in it''s hard to argue against it. Most of what she said about summons follows what I''ve guessed on my own, such as being there yet not really there and changes in my body.


    I twitch my not-wings on my back, or try to. Little to no response. At least there is a glimmer of hope in all this and some of my worries have been answered. By pulling myself up I can look over Harijia''s shoulder. I can indeed see some other creatures in some other cells as she slithers past. There is another serpent, some swarmlings, a spider and something I don''t recognize but my memory calls a ''bear''. At least, that''s what they mostly look like. All of them would probably have been considered runts, if not deformed, when they were born. By now, they certainly look different.


    The ''bear'' stands out the most. I''m beginning to learn how to work with this memory and despite not knowing what it is supposed to look like there is a sense of wrongness when I look at certain parts. It has a back full of spikes and a tail which would make an imp proud which certainly are not part of the original. If I think them away, despite having six limbs, I see a broad back and a defenceless rear. If what Harijia said is true and the changes respond to our emotions and desires when we return, this one has had that weakness exploited enough to desire a way to defend himself.


    For a moment I wonder why I identify it as a ''he'', but somehow it seems right, just like I could identify Harijia as a ''she''.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    Neither of us talks on the way to wherever she will bring me. The language is somewhat similar to how the Swarm ''speaks'' and is fairly limited when you can''t see the other in eye. It''s also not similar, with a much bigger verbal component, though limited to simple syllables. Even I can form most of the sounds and so can Harijia.


    When Harijia said it wasn''t far, she was speaking the truth. A short corridor without doors and only one intersection leads us to a garden. For a moment I doubt my eyes, but the trees and plants are real even though there is no sunlight. Light comes from things on the ceiling instead. We are in a very large, brightly lit cavern. The walls are untouched and a little stream is going from the top of one wall, down in a little waterfall, off to somewhere I can''t see from here. While the trees here feel unnatural, I''m past caring.


    Harijia brings me to a large clearing in the centre. There are quite a lot smaller creatures going about, demons like me I assume, but some are fully grown and are moving with purpose. Those look to me like other Keepers. There are also some Talkers standing around, conversing with the Keepers and ignoring the creatures running around. I call them creatures because there are no two the same. There is fur, spikes, extra limbs, longer, shorter, two heads, three heads and all kind of combinations of shapes to be seen. Serpents with wings, spiders with fangs like a swarmling, a spawn of massive size and bulk, almost like a bear and so much more.


    The most amazing thing is that no-one is hunting another. Some are chasing each other, but once the chased is caught they reverse roles without dealing grievous damage. Others again are just running, or moving along a path with all kind of strange obstacles, lifting heavy things or just lazing about. We stop a bit past the edge of the clearing.


    "Hop off." Harijia says to me, tilting her back to make it easier.


    Feeling much better already, I do and land perfectly. Turning back to Harijia I see she has a serious expression.


    "These are the rules. They''re more lax than in the pen you were in before. Some fighting is allowed, but no serious wounds, broken bones or severing. Up above are those almost like animals, here are the smarter ones. The Devils, the ones that brought you here, consider a bit of competition a good thing. However, everyone here has a good sense of smell, you won''t be able to hide if you cross the line."


    "If someone bullies you, that is hurt you because it makes them feel better, you''re allowed to fight back." A hint of amusement creeps in to her voice here. "Not that anyone is stupid enough to provoke swarmlings here."


    I tilt my head in question. That has not been my experience so far. She catches my question and elaborates.


    "Swarmlings are the biggest group here. Your kind tends to stick together, much more so than more solitary species like my own." She flicks a hand at me. "And those claws. It''s almost impossible for most creatures to get into a fight with one of you, let alone all of them, without getting hurt. Now for the last part, there will be ''night'' here. At ''dawn'' a bell will ring to start the day. There will be food and I suggest you hurry, the swarm eats first. After that you will come and find me. If you can''t, you''ll have failed the first and simplest test."


    "One more suggestion: Do something. Run, jump, lift something that''s heavy for you. Listen to the overseers talk and try to understand them. There are even some puzzle areas to stimulate your thinking. You still have a lot of energy coursing through you. If you''re active, it will actively improve your body and mind."


    She finishes and falls quiet, then tilts her head in an imitation of me earlier. The message is clear: Do I have any questions? I do, just one. It takes a bit to arrange what I want to say and it feels awkward to speak this way. I''ll probably have to practice this after a summoning in the future if that helps me speak better, but I manage to push it out.


    "Where I sleep."


    Harijia nods. "Anywhere you like really. There are some smaller caves, if you prefer. If someone else wants to use the same spot, figure it out together. Just remember not to seriously hurt one another. Anything else?"


    As I indicate negative she slithers off again and I''m left alone. Some of the other creatures glance at me, but none approach. What I sense from those glances is not hostility. At most there is some mild curiosity, but mostly there is indifference. Considering my own situation, I can understand. It''s very hard to keep caring much about what is happening around me with all that is going on. Starting with my admittedly low interest in others, right now, I just can''t care.


    With a slow trot I move off to where I saw the Talkers. It''s probably better if I start calling them Devils now, but to me they''ll always be Talkers. There is a small group of smaller demons following them around, which they are skilfully ignoring. I guess I''m not the only one who thought being able to understand them would be useful. A few other of the more agile swarmlings are chasing each other around them while listening. It''s fun to watch as they''re sometimes more focused on listening than chasing which leads to collisions and missed jumps. When that happens they get the occasional irritated looks, but otherwise no reaction.


    As the small group of four runs past on one of their circulations, one looks at me and twitches an ear in invitation. I almost miss it. How did I get so caught up in the conversation? Maybe because they''re talking about food, at least I think they are, it''s still beyond me to understand the details. It makes me hesitate for a moment, but my body reminds me I''ve been inactive for too long so I join in. Not long after I run straight into a tree while trying to listen to what the Devils are saying. A catling, not a swarmling, that was the one last in line just before taps me on the back of the head and continues the circuit. I scramble back up and give chase, the Devil and his talking momentarily forgotten.


    It''s hours later when I''m startled out of my focus. The chasing stopped after a while, all of us tired. The Devils were talking about our food, what we should eat, how much and... something. I''m not perfect, far from it, but I feel it''s within my grasp. It makes me realize how much stress it had been not to be able to understand what was going on around me. Being able to understand, even just a little, gives me a feeling of control over this strangeness that seems to be me and my life.


    I wonder if this ability carries over to Yellow Hair''s world? I don''t think she meant to kill me and so far it was my best experience outside of the first few weeks. If what Harijia said is true it may be only days for her when I am summoned again, or years already.


    Now I need to focus, so those thoughts will have to wait. There was a sound and the Devils reacted to it by stopping their conversation and picking up all the things around them. It was a sound between ''ding'' and ''dong''. Was this a bell? It stirs up all the other creatures too. Some that were lazing about are starting to become active, while others are heading off slowly to wherever. High above, the lights start to dim slowly. Barely visible at first, it will be a long time before it is actually dark.


    The Devils are packing up and all the other listeners are moving away too. I follow my new acquaintances for a clue what is going on. They smell like swarm, even though they don''t look like it. At one of the walls they turn around a rock with me right behind. There is a hidden cave here, and a Swarm.


    Not really. It''s an odd mismatched lot. No queens, no hatchlings, no tenders and all the different shapes. Some are hanging from the ceiling but most are resting on the cave floor, where I join them. I don''t think I can spend the night hanging this time.


    There are no questions, no challenges, no hostile looks. They just accept me as a new member of their group. It feels strange inside, as if something is gripping me. I feel happy and sad at the same time, but how do I express that? Never mind. While curling up my tongue checks my body for changes, but nothing stands out. Perhaps a bit more shape on my limbs in the form of muscle.


    Movement around me wakes me from my sleep. The Swarm is stirring. There is suppressed excitement in the air, just like there would be if we''d go out for a hunt. Around me some are stretching which looks decidedly strange with some of the limbs present. One has tentacles, solid masses of muscle, and is moving them in different shapes to limber up. Taking the hint I do my own little routine, which is just getting the kinks out of my back. This time when I try to move the little spikes on my back there seems to be a stronger twitch in response.


    In the distance is the sound of a ''dong'' reverberating through the air. The excitement gains a new tone and direction as all heads turn as one, mine a little later than the others. Nothing needs to be said, it''s time to eat. It''s time to hunt.

 11. Food Fight!

    It has been a long time since I hunted, if it could be counted as hunting. When we went around the territory with the older swarmlings we often flushed out small rodents and chased them down. Nothing special, but exciting. The few times I witnessed an actual hunt was when a group of adults which had been lazing about, seemingly doing nothing, suddenly all got up radiating excitement and intent as a singular entity.


    This makes me realize I''m missing a part of the sensation now. Everyone is excited, focused and preparing for a fight, but there is no desire to kill. The atmosphere seems almost playful. Before I have any time to think more on it, we''re on the move. Everyone flows out of the cave we''ve been resting in and only now do I get a better idea of how many there really are. Ten, twenty, thirty, at least forty walk, jump or crawl into the slowly brightening light.


    The first ones out are the more nimble and lighter ones. Quite a few make a running jump and spread their wings. With a *thump* and some quick flapping of their wings they clear the treetops that start a bit more than a dozen meters away. The others jump from tree to tree. Off to the right other familiar looking creatures are also gaining height, which makes me realize this was not the only cave of swarmlings.


    They are the scouts. Normally that would only be the imps of a swarm, but many, including me, lack wings or are too heavy to fly. After them follow the chasers, usually the scamps. After an imp spots prey, the scamps will stop it from escaping and try to drive it towards the main body. The main body is made up of spawns, who can take more of a beating and have more strength. As much as I''d like to help drive prey, my place is with the main group. Still too small, I''d be a liability elsewhere.


    None of the tasks is without danger. Lone imps are often taken by flying predators, scamps are killed by the creature they''re chasing and spawn take grievous wounds taking down beasts bigger than they are. None of which applies here. The whole group, more than eighty now the second cave has joined us, is such a mismatch of different bodies, everyone just does what they think they do best. There is no danger here, no predators ready to take advantage of a moment of inattention.


    We''re heading in a different direction than where I remember the clearing to be. The trees are denser here, but undergrowth is sparse. There is no grass at all, only moss, and barely any dead leaves. For a moment a feeling of strangeness overcomes me and I am reminded how much of an unnatural place this is. As I continue to follow the group it becomes apparent that the cavern starts to narrow here.


    The first hint are the other demons we''re running into. A small group of bear-like creatures give us a wide berth while a group of flying creatures is harassing our own flyers. Through a break in the canopy I can see the opposite cavern wall coming closer. I wonder for a moment if this place is even a bit natural.


    We are heading towards a gap in the far wall and encounters are becoming more frequent. There is some posturing and threatening, but we''re mostly unimpeded. There are no groups capable of standing up to a swarm and the stronger individuals don''t seem to care. We meet the spiky bear plodding along and walk around him without provoking a reaction, though when someone clambers over him he shakes the spikes on his back, launching the daring scamp off to the side. As our large group approaches the narrow point the other demons start to wait for us, they don''t want to be caught in the middle of our large group. No such thing above the trees as I get a spectacular view of the winged snake slamming into an unfortunate imp and using its tail to wrap around it and launch it at the ground, where it lands with a decent *thud*. It shakes it off and joins the main group.


    Despite a lot of excitement going on around me, our speed remains constant if a bit high and I frequently have to run to keep up with the trot of the others. Finally we get to the passage. It''s a large tunnel without anything growing in it. The ground is smoothed some way. Making a high jump I can see the front of our formation is well into the tunnel though a few are standing at the side to scare off anyone who''d dare to join in the press of bodies.


    And a press it does become as the swarmlings have to walk closer together than before to all fit through. It''s all I can do to not be left behind and maintain my position surrounded by bigger and stronger swarmlings. After nearly stepping on me again, the one walking behind me picks me up and lifts. I expect it to throw me away but instead I am placed on its back which seems to be reinforced with some kind of armour plates, giving me a comfortable perch.


    Behind me there are only a few more swarmlings and I realize how close I had gotten to falling to the rear. Not a good place for me. A bit further behind the other creatures are posturing for position and slowly falling in behind our column. Overhead some kind of bird dives at me and I scramble to dodge its talons. As it veers off to avoid colliding with the swarmling I''m riding I''m sure I can hear it laugh. Avians and swarmlings, especially imps, don''t get along. We''re completely different species and both using the skies. Our imps get ambushed while scouting, while a swarm isn''t beneath taking a freshly caught prey from an avian, taking the avian as food too if it doesn''t escape in time.


    Ahead I can see the end of the tunnel. Behind us the light is slowly brightening to ''day'', but ahead of us is a space lit brightly with unnatural white light which hurts my eyes a bit to look at. As the various flying beings get to the room ahead they change direction sharply upwards, so the ceiling there must be higher again. A breeze I hadn''t been able to feel until inside of the tunnel is coming from behind. As it lessens for a moment I try to smell what is ahead, but all I can smell is swarmlings.


    It''s hard to think I''m heading the wrong way though, everyone is heading here. Behind me a short conflict breaks out as a rachni spider-like creature tries to use the ceiling to rush ahead. Something reptilian with extremely developed hind legs jumps out of the throng, grabs it and throws it back all in one fluid motion. The landing is less than perfect as it lands on another one of its kind, this one with spikes growing along its sides.


    Just a few more meters until the end of the tunnel and I can finally get a better view of what lies ahead. It''s a large hall, big enough to accommodate all the swarmlings and the various other creatures. While we were not the first to arrive, the swarm does not stop and continues on to the front. All around are small conflicts as demons vie for position and the smell of blood is in the air, but true to Harijia''s words there are no grievous injuries.


    Right at the front is a creature the general shape of a spawn with short but powerful hind legs and strong longer forelimbs. The head is very different though. It''s skin is like the stone of the cavern and a number of imps are perched on it. It doesn''t smell like a swarmling, but it doesn''t seem to mind.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    The room itself is smoothed natural stone, though the ceiling is rough. The far wall has several large doors and smaller doors are in the walls on the side. Bright white lights are paced evenly around the top of the wall, shining down on me so there is light shining in my eyes no matter where I look unless I look down. The floor which drops a bit after the tunnel rises slowly towards the far end where it briefly turns into quite a steep slope with a platform between the far wall and the slope. The swarmlings have stopped a bit away from the slope and off to one side. There is nothing yet which tells me why, so I do what I''ve learned I should do in such situations: nothing. I wait and watch and wonder why Harijia warned me about the swarmlings eating first, there is no way I could have missed this.


    It''s not until most of the demons are gathered that the doors on the far end open. Small one-wheeled wagons are pushed along by devils who lift their end to deposit the contents in front of them all along the ramp. As it slides down I am met with the inviting sight of different kinds of food. Meat, bones, plants and fruits all mixed together. Losing all restraint my legs propel me forward. It''s clear the devils have taken a share of the bounty first, but they''ve left the best parts like the brain, tongue, heart and other organs. Picking some of my favorites out of the piles I just manage to dodge as more is dumped from above.


    It''s only been me and some of the smaller swarmlings who have gone to eat right away. On the other side of the room I can see smaller demons eat as well. The bigger ones are still standing back, which puzzles me. With such a bounty in front of me it doesn''t take long for me to be full and I withdraw holding a large bone in one claw to take with me as a snack later on. The unlimited capacity to eat from when I was a hatchling long gone. The other smaller swarmlings are doing the same, picking things that will keep a while and moving away. Still the bigger ones don''t move.


    On the far side of the feeding grounds bigger demons are eating already and the press of bodies behind the swarm is lessening. A few minutes later I understand what they had been waiting for. From the newly arriving wheelbarrows comes a tantalizing smell of poison and venom. Now the stronger and bigger ones move and fights break out between swarmlings. Me and the other smaller ones scramble to get out of the way. As much as I''d like some, there is absolutely no chance for it right here and now.


    I take my bone and head for the tunnel again. No-one bothers me as everyone would rather take from the bounty in front of them and aren''t hungry enough to bother me or any of the other departures. Past the tunnel to the large cavern it is time to set about finding Harijia. Bone in tow I first jog around the clearing, then to the place where I first saw her, the small room past the cells. As I get to the correct opening in the cavern wall I can already hear her voice. She''s talking with someone else with a deeper voice in the devil language. They''re not talking about food and I have a hard time understanding them.


    "It is entirely my failure in absorbing your teachings, for which I am eternally grateful, that I am not capable of solving the issue on my own, your magnificence." This is the voice of Harijia, but in a tone I have not heard before. Subservient. "I could find no other solution than to beg of your greatness to lower yourself to assisting one such as myself."


    As I enter the corridor the bone clatters against the floor and the voices fall silent. At the place where the corridor opens into the room I stop. Two sets of eyes are on me, making me decidedly uncomfortable. In the room is Harijia and a strange devil man in dark green robes. They''re sitting at a small table with cups holding some hot liquid in front of them. Neither moves and neither do I.


    The man is the first to break the silence. "So this is the specimen you were talking about. It doesn''t look too impressive."


    Harijia waves a hand dismissively. "The potential is there, if we can overcome the problem I mentioned." She motions me to come closer. "It''s big for its age and the musculature and bone structure is already further developed. At this rate it can become a true asset to you, master."


    The difference in their speech is audible. Harijia clearly has trouble forming some of the sounds. When she speaks the face of the devil shows something. Disdain.


    "I''ll be the judge of that when the time comes. Now, enough with the pleasantries, flattery and horrible tea, tell me clearly what did you call me here for." The devil pushes the cup away from him and stands up.


    Harijia follows and stands up as well, but stays bowed with her head down in supplication. "If you could modify the rune to show when he can be summoned again, please. It will lower your gains a bit, but I believe it to be worth it in the end."


    The man stares straight ahead at the wall for a while, then gives a short nod and takes a short rod from inside the robe. "I''ll inform you about the price soon." He turns his eyes back on me. "Get on the table. Don''t even try to run. If you harm me, I''ll make sure you die slowly and painfully. Understood?"


    Fear grips me. My body is shaking and I wouldn''t be able to speak if I wanted to, so I copy his earlier gesture and nod. I run and jump on the table, leaving the bone behind. I can''t stop shivering. A hand grips me from behind, leaving the back of my skull free.


    Harijia appears in front of me and speaks. "This is for your own good. It will hurt, but it will be short."


    A moment later something presses against the back of my head and it hurts indeed, though not nearly as much as when those others first put the brand there. The devil doing it now is muttering as he works.


    "Such sloppy work. No understanding at all. This line is bad. Now, here, and to close it, here."


    At his final word there is a short flash of pain travelling through my whole body instead of just my head, but it''s nowhere near as bad as I''ve had before. When he lets me go I shake myself and move a bit to see if everything still works.


    "Quite hardy. I see. I''ll take my leave now, Harijia. Be sure to keep me informed if there are complications." His tone suggests there should be none and if there are, they would most likely not be his fault.


    In a way, I admire the confidence in this devil. It''s what the highest ranking swarmlings possess. One day it will be mine as well. I watch as he leaves the room towards cavern, but turns into one of the side corridors instead of going straight ahead. Beside me Harijia straightens from the bow she had held from the moment she stood up from the chair. Part of my attention goes to her and I watch her shiver, which is quite a sight in a serpent. There is a lot of shiver going on in a body like that.


    "That went better than I could have hoped for," she appears to speak to the thin air in front of her, then she turns to me. "Be grateful such an important person came to aid you with your problem."


    Her attitude irritates me and I turn my head to stare at her. As nice as it is to have food and supposedly not have to worry about my safety, I never asked for this. I was taken, brought somewhere, taken here and the only problems they have solved are the ones they created.


    Harijia either ignores me, doesn''t care or doesn''t notice. She slithers towards the corridor with the cells. With nothing better to do I follow, picking up the bone I dropped on the way out. Outside she turns to me once more.


    "It''s good you came here, you can follow instructions. Most swarmlings can. A defiant attitude will get you punished and, if it goes on a long time, me as well. I will not let that happen." The friendly Harijia is gone to the background. This is a very serious Harijia. When she talks about punishment I detect a hint of fear.


    "If we have that clear, my new instructions are simple. Eat, grow, exercise and learn. The new mark will let us know when you can be summoned again safely, I will get you then." With that, she turns around and disappears back in the corridor, back to the cells.


    I take her suggestion and exercise. Running around a bit sounds like a great idea right now to clear my head.

 12. No Hugs

    The days go by, fast at first. In the beginning I get a few strange looks and not just because I''m new. Whatever that devil man did made the mark on my head glow faintly all the time, though I think it''s slowly getting less over time.


    Everything is still new, the clashes at the feeding, the forest underground, all the other swarmlings and demons, the devils, everything. It''s a rush to explore every nook and cranny. There are small fish in the stream that are really, really fast, making it a challenge to spear them out of the water. The obstacle course has different tracks you can take to make it more difficult and longer and boulders are spread around for weight training. Hidden from view, away from the central clearing, various demons fight to prove who is dominant or just for enjoyment.


    It escaped me when I first got here, it seemed like an idyllic paradise, but nowhere is empty of competition. The general brawl to get to the feeding zone is the visible part, but it continues well after and after dark as well.


    It''s on my fifth day when I get ambushed for the first time. As much as the swarm is a group, each and everyone has their place and position. As a new arrival I''m of interest, to be assisted if needed and to be tested. Facing me on my way back to the central clearing is an imp, much like me. The wings are too small to carry the body, but at least there are wings. He spreads them to look big and intimidate me. It works, but I know backing down now is the wrong move. Crouching lower I rest most of my weight on my rear limbs and keep my eyes on my opponent while raising my tail with its lethal end above me. It''s a defensive stance, but I''m not backing off either. I hiss at him, telling him to attack if he dares.


    The imp makes a move forward and I respond by moving backward. We face one another a bit longer before the swarmling turns away. He reaffirmed himself being stronger than me, but I did not turn tail and run either. Neither of us really wants to fight right now, so that''s it. Rustling around me suggests there may have been some casual observers.


    The days slowly become more routine. Waking up and eating, though I do notice not every creature eats every day, only the younger ones. After the eating some lazing about to digest properly. A few rounds on the training tracks and listening to some devils do their thing down here follows. Some of them are actually afraid to be here, which is amusing. After that it''s whatever I feel like at that time. This includes practising moving around in water in the shallow and slow moving ''river'' and just wandering around the caverns.


    After close to two weeks I find myself in a quiet area. It''s away from everything else and it would make a great place to hang out if I want to have no-one around me. It''s a few trees standing a little separated from the rest but as I explore the little copse it''s clear I''m not the only one who thought so. As I clamber around the branches there is movement in the corner of my eyes. Before there is time to react the serpent reaches me and bites down on my shoulder. We fall to the ground together and as it wraps itself around me I feel numerous little hooks settle in and puncture through my skin. controlling my muscles I resist the impulse to rip it off of me.


    Even though my body wants to panic, part of me thinks my life isn''t truly in danger. There are supposed to be no killings and I hold on to that thought to keep me calm. Besides, being hugged by Yellow Hair was worse. Taking just a moment to think, I realize the serpent isn''t that much bigger than I am. In weight and strength we should be evenly matched and I''m not worried about poison fangs. Even as it starts to constrict me I calmly reach out with my claws and circle its body just below its head.


    The serpent stops trying to crush me. After a moment it starts to unwind its body from around me and I loosen my grip somewhat, turning it to face me. We study one another, then it glances over my shoulder in a meaningful way. Following the hint I look behind me and see two more serpents, bigger than the one I''m holding. One is much flatter and wider and has dozens of spiky legs, like a centipede, which seems very similar to what the serpent I''m holding is going for. I carefully lower it to the ground, not taking my eyes off of the bigger ones and start to back off. The smaller one slithers away from me while I turn and run. I''m at least confident I''m faster than them. For further exploration I decide not to look into out of the way hidey holes, someone is probably already there.


    Back on the way to the central clearing the slow leaking from the numerous tiny holes in my skin stops and I use my tongue to clean myself. The hardest part of getting injured is to not lick the wound. It doesn''t matter if it''s my own blood, it tastes good! Off in the distance a quiet scuffle is going on. In a way, this is paradise. Food, places to use up your energy, others to fight and even maybe get smarter, if there is time left. Waiting for me when I get back is the reason why it''s not a paradise.


    Harijia spots me before I spot her and is already heading in my direction. She is informative and supportive, if a bit more distant now. I''ve observed her workplace a few days. Most demons have to stay in the cells a few days before there is any result and she fetches them, feeds them and cleans up after them. The last time she needed me was unpleasant, so her approach fills me with apprehension.


    Once she''s close enough she motions with her arm. "Come with me."


    With reluctance I start her way, formulating a question on the way. "How you sure?"


    "How I''m sure it''s safe for you again? Your new mark completely stopped glowing, that''s how." She taps the back of her own head where her mark is in emphasis. "Now come with me. For you it''s a matter of getting in and getting out, so lets get it over with."


    With nothing left to argue about I follow obediently. It''s easy for her to say it''s just ''in and out'', but I''m tensing up in fearful anticipation. What if it''s the dungeon thing again? Coming face to face with that fairy is not something I want to do again. What if there are worse places? Occupied with my thoughts I barely notice my surroundings. Soon I''m in one of the cells. Not being as bewildered as the first time I take some time to study it. It''s smoothed natural stone in all directions with a cell door on one end of the box made of some kind of metal. Only the underside of the door is fully closed, the rest is bars.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    The door swings on hinges. I''ve known the word, but now I can see what they are. On the other side is a lock. I know it keeps the cell door closed, but not how. Along the bottom of the door and the bottom of the wall are the runes I noticed last time. Once again I watch as Harijia makes a small cut on her arm and a few drops of blood land on runes outside the cell which start to glow. The glow spreads along the bottom of the walls. Before they fully activate, I ask her a carefully prepared question. "My blood, work too?"


    Caught by surprise she hesitates a moment before answering. "No."


    As the white light and the crushing sensation slowly take me, I smile to myself. It was a lie and it was the truth.


    Even before the whiteness returns to shapes and colors I know more or less where I am. A sensation in the back of my mind I had almost forgotten about is coming back. It''s her, the woman with the yellow hair. Where the emptiness was before she broke my back I can now feel the buried anger again, together with a soft desire, a longing for something. It''s not my imagination, I''m better at placing those emotions. Keeping them apart from my own is a bit easier too, to my great relief.


    When I see normally again I''m in the same room as last time. As far as I can change nothing has changed in the room, but Yellow Hair looks different. Mostly her clothes and her hair. Her hair is now bound back in a compact bundle while her clothes are brown leather. Leather is treated animal skins, the same as some of the Talkers, the devils, were wearing. Behind her I notice another one in grey, like last time, but it''s a different one. As I look at her a slight smell of fear start to spread from her. For a while I just stare at her, amazed just this gets such a reaction.


    The moment is interrupted by Yellow Hair who sighs softly, but loud enough for me to hear, and I turn my attention to her. She is smiling, but I find her smile hard to place. It''s not a threat or a display of dominance or anything else I''m familiar with and it will be put aside for future thinking. She taps on her left shoulder and kneels with her left hand put on the floor in front of her. "Climb up here, it''s time to show you off and go training."


    I use her arm and find the left shoulder of her clothes padded and a bit bigger, clearly made for something to sit. I''m a little annoyed since my claws still do nothing to anything attached to her. There is a distinct feeling on my claws which prevents them from ripping and tearing. I don''t know what it is, but I can tell where it comes from. It''s not something she does, it''s something I do, somehow. This is something worth thinking about. I can already see several situations where not leaving claw marks would be a huge benefit, like making it harder for some damn fairy to find me.


    "I swear you''ve gotten bigger and heavier in just a few days." I hear her say. Before giving me a chance to find a stable position she stands up and I need to grip on tight to not fall off. Letting out a soft hiss I turn to face the same direction and grip securely on to the padding. Sensing a bit of amusement from her I decide to get one thing over with and I poke the side of her head with a claw.


    She looks at me and raises an eyebrow. "What?"


    I''ve prepared for this, I have, so saying it comes a little easier. Here''s hoping she''ll understand. "Name?" I croak.


    She shows me that weird smile again and I feel some of the anger from her going away.


    "You want me to name you? Of course I''ll do so! I''ve already thought of several good names!" She misunderstands enthusiastically. Then again, a name for me would be good too. The idea of getting one like this repulses me a bit for some reason.


    First, to correct her misunderstanding, I poke her head again, almost hitting an eye. "No. Name, you!"


    Her enthusiasm goes down a little, to my relief. "Oh. My name is Avebella des Mont¨¦ Cardatin. For you it''s probably easier to call me Ava." She looks at me expectantly. As I continue to just look back at her she frowns. "Say it."


    I had been avoiding this on purpose. It''s one thing to know the sounds in my head, but it''s a totally different thing to try and make that sound. Most of the time I don''t know where to start, the rest of it just don''t work with my throat, mouth and lips. Lips don''t seem important to me, their use mostly for speaking. It''s probably something I have to think about in the future, if Harijia is any indication.


    It takes some concentration which seems to amuse ''Ava''. Time to give it my best try. "A-a. A''a. Ahhha!"


    From off to the side comes a an amused scent and a strange sound, a giggle. The woman in grey, who had been afraid of me, is now making fun of me! I turn in her direction and hiss, causing her to fall silent immediately. Gathering my thoughts I search for alternatives. "Arra, Asa?"


    "You can call me Ara, if that''s easier for you." She nods in satisfaction. "Now, your name! I think Deathbringer would be fantastic, or Razorclaw, or Galadrion!"


    At the last one a gasp sounds from the woman in grey. "Mistress, the name of the familiar of the Great Champion for a demon, I-"


    Ara interrupts her with a wave of her hand. "I was joking, Ine." She doesn''t take her eyes off of me though.


    As for me, I do not wish to take any of the names she suggests. It is not something rational. Something feels fundamentally wrong with being given a name. I will take a name, make a name and have it as my own. I can still use parts of her suggestion. It takes me a while of trying it out softly before daring to speak out loud. The ''ay'' and ''z'' sounds just impossible to make, so some change is required. "Gal-rah-sor."


    "Galrahsor. It will have to do, but I''ll call you Gal for short. Everyone says it''s useless to argue names with a familiar. Ine, the door." Ara quickly grabs some items from the desk and I nearly lose my balance again. This will take some getting used to. Riding along on a swarmling is much more comfortable.


    The woman Ine opens the door and Ara walks me out the door and into the corridor beyond while she addresses me. "As familiar, I''ll summon you to train with you, to watch my back, for special events or to fight."


    It''s been too long, I already don''t know any more which way the hall is where I first came to this world. The corridors and hallways all look similar to me, though there is clothing, I mean cloth, on them too. On one of the cloths I recognise a gigantic swarmling fighting something looking like metal men.


    "Right now I''m going to see how well you do in a fight and plan how to improve you. It will also be good training for me." Ara continues, oblivious to how distracted I am. At a sound behind us I turn around on her shoulder. The woman Ine is following us at a distance. The movement doesn''t interrupt Ara at all. "Maids are trained to follow without intruding. It will be good practice for you to find her wherever we are. Later you will learn to spot assassins."


    This familiar thing is starting to sound less and less like something fun to do and very much like it will take a lot of effort. My discontent must have leaked over, because I can feel the low key anger which is always present in Ara become stronger.


    "If you think that is hard, try living my life," she snaps at me. That doesn''t make much sense to me, but I''ll also leave it as something to think about some other time. The number of things I have to think about when I get back is growing, which makes me more disgruntled. The main thing I don''t like about it is the amount of things I know without really knowing them.


    The rest of the way she walks in silence while I look at anything that takes my fancy. It suits me fine.


    Two men open a large double door as we come close and Ara finally brings me outside. The yellow sun is not quite warm enough, but I will settle for even these weak but real rays. I feel a fresh breeze caress my skin for the first time in weeks. Just this once I will consider if I''d prefer to stay here in this world, rather than in the unnatural underground cavern forest. Another thing to think about later, there are more pressing matters demanding my attention.

 13. The World Outside

    For now I just want to enjoy the moment and enjoy being outside, so I close both eye-lids and ignore my ears and nose. Only after a few seconds do I investigate the smells around me. Trees, grass, animals, animal skin, sweat, stone, metal and grease. The last makes my mouth water. My ears are next. Nothing is close to us, though I can make out the tap-tap-tap of the footsteps from the maid following us. Not too far away is the sound of shouting, metal hitting metal and grunting. It sounds a bit like the training areas back in the cavern. Since they''re not shouting at me, it''s fine.


    Opening my eyes I let my gaze drift slowly from left to right, moving around a bit. Ara doesn''t stop, so we''re walking on an open area flanked by the building on the right side and some low unnatural looking bushes on the left. The unnatural part is how the branches all stop at the same length, forming an almost perfectly straight surface on the side. I wonder what kind of monster eats like that. Rather small solitary trees are placed evenly in the bush, without spreading to the field behind. All in all, it is just as unreal as the underground forest.


    The building from the outside looks weathered, the stone having many grooves and cracks, ideal for climbing. Here and there are stone shapes of people or beasts carved into the stone, near the top, none of them very interesting. Where we walked out from is a long, low building and the word ''barracks'' comes to my mind. It''s connected to a big set of buildings further behind us where I suspect the big hall thing is.


    Straight ahead is where most of the smells and noises are coming from and I orient myself in that direction. Ara finally reacts to my constant moving around by whispering at me. "Stop now!"


    More or less obediently I settle comfortably on her shoulder. Being carried around isn''t bad from time to time, especially on such a high place. Ara mumbles something about me being way heavier than she expected, which annoys me. I can''t be too heavy, it might interfere with flying when I get my wings. I refuse to believe I will never fly.


    Up ahead is what is interesting and my carrier should be quiet. All I can see for now is another one of those strangely straight bushes, but this time there are some buildings behind it. Taking another deep breath, I still smell the same things. People, sweat, animals, stone, metal and the plants around me. There is an opening in the bushes Ara is heading towards, an arch of wood with vines climbing around it. The shouting is absolutely coming from that direction and getting louder. From what I can judge, they''re not shouts of fear or anger. Still I prepare to flee in case there is something dangerous past there.


    Slowly I become aware of the source of these emotions. It''s not me but Ara who is tense and it''s affecting me. Irritated I mentally shove it aside. To my surprise it actually works. To my even greater surprise, Ara noticed what I did and is equally surprised. Unsurprisingly, she reacts by shoving back. This time it''s not as intrusive as her emotions bleeding over, but more like a poke or a sound to attract my attention. There is a potentially useful tool here, but if I use it too much she''s probably going to do the same.


    As we reach the archway I catch a glimpse of the area past it. It''s a large place, really large, and from my current spot I can''t see that much of it. With a quick jump I hook a claw on the vine arch and clamber on top for a better view. I manage not to damage the structure which supports it as having it collapse is not my favorite. Beneath me Ara is cursing, she must have stumbled. Perhaps this will convince her that walking on just two limbs is unstable and stupid. Given how many of her species do so, I don''t think it will help.


    The space behind the archway is split up in different areas. In one it is human against human. Close to it is a place where humans throw or launch or... do something from a range to a shape further away. Further away humans are riding animals like I was riding Ara and doing things. Between there and here are some structures, looking mostly like walls with a cage-like roof. What interests me most is the place where humans and not-animals are using various tools to do what I assume is some kind of training. Below me Ara clicks her tongue, which is a nice trick, and I receive a mental poke. When I look down she taps on her shoulder. It''s easy enough to know what she wants. For a moment I want to resist, but fail. With a short jump I land on her shoulder. She''s ready for me and absorbs the impact of my landing well.


    By now a number of the humans who had been engaging one another are looking at us. For some reason I had expected them to look at her, she is of their species after all, but a few are looking at me too. I''ve never looked at other species unless they were a potential danger or food and I wonder what they make of me. Some of those looking this way are doing the smiling. It''s easy to identify most of them as showing their sense of superiority. There are roughly three groups of smiling people.


    There are those who consider themselves superior, but do not see her as competition. These are to watch out for because they probably have a reason. Then there are ones who are inferior and afraid, they show their teeth to warn us away. Like the small imp when I was still a tiny hatchling, they can be dangerous when cornered. Then there are those who consider themselves superior or equal, but see us as competition. Ara needs to show them where she stands or they will keep challenging her. It''s strangely reassuring to see how similar human interaction is to how swarmlings and demons interact, but also a bit unsettling.


    After steadying herself with me once again riding her shoulder, Ara continues to the place where I saw the other creatures with the humans under the watchful gaze of a clawful of humans. I could tell the creatures there are not animals, they move with much more purpose, but none of them are entirely familiar. Back home, the only creatures counting as animals I had seen were small bugs. Only once I saw the four legged things here being ridden did it pop in my head what an animal is, but it''s a bit vague. Yet another thing to think of, later. It''s only a useless distraction at this place and time.


    It''s the other people and their creatures who require my full attention right now. It''s hard to judge, but most of them look older than Ara. The creatures also feel ''more'' than I do. Stronger, smarter, faster or something. My tail starts to twitch nervously, the emotion coming from me this time. I wonder if Ara already knew what was waiting for her here. At least they don''t seem to prepare to attack, instead ignoring us both or only looking at Ara with expressions varying from indifference to hostility to curiosity. I''m given the occasional glance, but nothing more, which suits me fine.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    The various other familiars, I really think they''re familiars, pay little attention to Ara and instead focus on me. All this attention is only making me more nervous.


    This time I try to pay attention as the humans start to speak with one another. As far as I can tell by their behavior, it''s a series of introductions. Ara is acting subtly submissive without giving ground, though there are still small moves towards her to try and make her give ground. She seems very adept at avoiding to give ground without issuing any obvious challenges. Sometimes Ara is the one moving in the other person''s space to assert her dominance, though she seems to be much more subtle about it than the ones who were confronting her.


    In all cases, the people glance my way and then either pretend they never did or say something about me. I really want to know what they are saying, but it''s still mostly unintelligible. The basic interactions are so much the same as within the swarm and once I understand this, it becomes easier to follow the language. It''s not as complicated as the language of the devils, but a lot more chaotic.


    Suddenly there is a loud clap. The people all look back at an old man in several layers of leather who shouts something, absolutely an order, and everyone goes back to what they were doing before. This draws the attention of the other familiars away too, for which I am very grateful. Their stares were becoming uncomfortable. Now it''s just the older man facing Ara. He doesn''t radiate hostility like some of the others, but neither is he well disposed towards her. Towards anything really. The long stare he gives me makes me twitch my tail and the spikes on my back. It feels more like an attack than some actual attacks I''ve suffered through. I lost this confrontation with him, which sits badly with me. When Ara also loses her silent confrontation and looks down I feel a bit better.


    The man barks something at her and I understand it well enough, just from the intent alone. "What are you doing here?" or something along those lines. Judging by how everyone reacts to him, this is the highest ranking person here.


    Ara responds to accordingly, looking him in the eye. "Sir, professor Tellbriant gave me permission to skip his classes today to summon my familiar for the other classes today. I would like to make use of the facilities here to train until that time." At this she hesitates and continues in a softer tone. "With your permission, sir."


    The old man says nothing, but shifts his gaze to me. I bare my teeth in response. As the silence stretches and the stare starts to feel like a weight on my body, Ara starts to fidget.


    "There was an accident shortly after I summoned him," she says quietly, not looking the man in the eye. Even I know he''s not going to accept that. As the silence deepens, Ara gives in. "I killed him, by accident. It''s much harder to re-summon a familiar if you''re the one who killed him, so I could only manage it now. Sir." she blurts out.


    By now Ara looks like a swarmling who expects her head to be bitten off. My own situation isn''t much better and I try to make myself small on her shoulder. After a moment the man sighs and nods. "You can use the space in the back," he says and waves a hand in the general direction.


    Ara bows and steps aside to let the man pass before heading in the indicated direction. It''s the cage-like constructions I noticed earlier. As we get to them Ara passes all of them by to stop at the last one in the row. There is something in the door roughly at her eye-height which she slides open to look inside. It''s very ingenious and something I should remember to look for. There is probably nothing inside as Ara opens the door and steps inside.


    The inside is boring. A strange kind of stone covers the inner walls. From the top a raster of metal bars rises up and then over the top. The floor is rough sand. Ara clicks her tongue again and points at the ground. She doesn''t need to tell me twice! The sand looks great and I jump down to get to it. Rubbing my flank over the rough grains scratches a lot of places I usually ignore and I close my eyes in enjoyment. Ara turns around and closes the door again. After this she takes something from her belt. I think it''s the things she picked up way back in the room?


    "Get up Gal, time to see what you can do."


    The words register but I haven''t had a chance to rub my other flank in the sand, or my belly or back. A sudden sting on my leg gets my attention instead. I look to the source and see Ara standing, holding some kind of glowing crystal in one gloved hand and her other hand, also gloved, pointed at me. She''s smiling in a slightly predatory way, but I can also sense some amusement.


    "First, there is a command I must give. Gal, I order you not to eat anything unless I give it to you and tell you to eat it!" She almost shouts the last bit.


    I feel the same compulsion as when I was first bound with her. This time I actually manage to resist it for a while, but now I know what is at stake! With a snarl and a screech I jump at her, claws out, but she doesn''t even flinch. My claws and tail fail to even harm her clothes as we both expected, though when I bite the leather covering her arm to no effect at all, there is an acrid smell for a second. I doubt it lasted long enough for her to notice. Yet another something to think about later. Slowly the magic overpowers me and the will to fight leaves me. "You!" I spit at her from the ground at her feet.


    "Yes, me." She says as she looks me in the eyes. The first to look away is me.


    "In case you forgot, I am the one in charge between the two of us. You''re free to enjoy yourself when you can, most of the time I find you amusing. But when I give you instructions, you will follow my command." Her tone switches between playful and stern. She seems to be waiting for my response.


    "Yes," I hiss and look up at her again. While her eyes show something, it''s not the lust for pain like the fairy had, nor is it the anger she had when she shouted at the older woman the first time I was here.


    "Good." One of her hands goes to a pouch at her waist and throws something at me. "You can eat this if you want."


    Jumping to the side, it misses me and lands in the sand. It''s a pink berry. Approaching it, I sniff it carefully. It does smell good and I throw a sideways glance at Ara. "Go on", she gestures, and take it in my mouth with my tongue. It''s a bit tart with a hint of sweet. There is an unmistakable tingle of some kind of poison in it, but it''s rather weak. Still, any is better than none. Too soon it''s over. Turning towards Ara I do my best to look submissive, but the little sack on her waist is what I''m eyeing.


    I can hear Ara sigh. "Well, at least that part of the old stories is true." She clicks her tongue and my eyes snap to her face. She smiles her dominance. "Much better, Gal. Now, I''m going to shoot that little sting at you and you are going to dodge. Do well and you get berries. If I think you''re not trying I''ll increase the pain caused by the sting. Ready?" She takes position by the door after her last words.


    I scramble to the far side of the cage, much more motivated than before. Dodging and running away is one thing I''m confident in. Taking my own position a little away from the wall, I crouch low, ready to move in any direction. I have a plan and she''s not going to like it, of that I''m sure.

 14. Learning Lessons

    "Before we start," Ara begins, "Observe. I''ll go slow so you can see it, then I''ll do it fast."


    She holds out both gloved hands, one holding the crystal thing. It looks a bit like that dungeon core, but subtly different. A light begins to glow inside the crystal, spreads to the left glove in an intricate pattern of lines and disappears. A second later the right glove has glowing lines spreading on it, moving from the wrist to the fingers. A faintly glowing light starts to form ahead of the fingertips where it remains a moment before flying off in a straight line past my head. It impacts the wall behind me with barely a noise. I whip my head around to look at it.


    It was rather unimpressive, really. Something like that I can see coming and get out of the way without any effort. Ara interrupts my thoughts. "Now fast."


    I turn back to face her in time to seen the crystal light up. Both gloves show their lines at almost the same time and something impacts the wall behind me before I turn my eyes to the right hand. That, I would not be able to dodge. Then again, I might not have to. This second impact on the wall was not as hard as the first. Depending on how much it actually hurts, maybe I won''t have to dodge at all. I get ready once again for her assault, but it seems the show isn''t over yet.


    "Just so you don''t underestimate this," Ara says as she looks right at me. The crystal in her left hand flares and I can almost see a pulse transfer through her body from her left hand to her right hand. There, the same lines appear on the glove and the same barely visible light gathers for a moment before launching at a respectable speed at the wall behind me, where it impacts loudly. Looking back, there is no mark on the wall, but some sand has been thrown up and is slowly settling. "Not everyone has the same level of control, but don''t get overconfident." Scratch the plan where I don''t dodge at all. It was a bad plan anyway.


    We both get ready to face off again. Crouching low, the only warning is the glow from her left hand, but it''s all the warning I need. The first quick jump is to the right. As soon as the little light of the attack passes I reverse my momentum and sprint to the left. Something impacts the place I was standing, but I''m long gone. Ara has trouble adjusting her aim for a moment. Keeping a careful eye on her movement, I time my next move just before her next attack to the best of my guessing ability. Instead of reversing, My new path takes me right at her.


    I can see her eyes widening in surprise and she launches a hasty spell in my direction. Her aim is entirely off and I don''t even need to dodge. Before she recovers her composure I''ve closed in the distance. A feint to the left makes her swing around to her right to follow my move. Gathering my strength I absorb my speed and jump in the opposite direction towards her left hip. The bag hanging there is my goal and I grab is with all four claws. It''s a little more resilient than I thought and doesn''t fall to the ground with me, instead I''m left hanging.


    Above me a familiar voice addresses me. "You stupid glutton." The emotions from Ara currently swing wildly between irritation, amusement and more irritation. Looking up, I see a hand covered by a glove with glowing lines aimed at my head. Not liking the view, my claws instantly let go, dropping me to the ground. Her aim follows me, so I take the only course of action open to me. Diving through her legs one of my claws hooks just above her knee in passing. Using this to swing myself up I clamber on to her back.


    Humans, just like most demons, can''t reach all that well on their back and I fully intend to exploit that. In fact, many of the demons I''ve seen have changes to cover that specific weakness. Ara doesn''t, so it''s a safe place to hide. Stupid ''I throw things at you and you dodge'' idea. The smart thing is to get somewhere where they can''t hit you at all. It works too. When I see her arms move I can duck to one side so she can''t hit or grab me and her attempt to shake me off is laughably weak. Luckily she doesn''t try to slam her back and me into a wall or try to crush me by rolling on the ground. It wouldn''t catch me, of course, but I would have had to leave my safe place.


    As Ara stops moving I briefly hope she''ll reward my great plan with a berry. Maybe two. Those hopes are quickly gone when she begins to speak.


    "Get off now, or I''ll have to hurt you." She sounds calm, but my internal sense of her is anything but. Most of the earlier amusement is gone and what is left leaves me a little worried. I''ll stay right here where it''s safe, if you don''t mind.


    "It''s a little unfair to do this, but you started it." Patiently I wait for my pre-existing knowledge to provide the information, but no matter how long it takes, it seems there is no meaning to attach to it. The closest feeling I get for it would be ''a thing to do which gives you an advantage''. It must have been a compliment for my smart plan of getting in close. Briefly I wonder what smart thing Ara will do to counter it.


    The wait is short. With a crackle something envelops her body and courses into mine. It''s similar to what the fairy Mari used which left me without control of my body, but less strong. Still powerful enough to make me twitch, losing my grasp on Ara. While I''m still falling to the ground, she''s already turning around with one leg raised backwards. As I land, her leg swings forwards and the impact launches me almost to the wall at the back. Surprisingly, nothing is broken though I do feel bruised. All in all I''m quite impressed. As I turn towards her to try and show my appreciation I have to duck to avoid one of those spells. It looks much stronger than before too.


    From there on it''s all I can do to stay ahead of Ara. Instead of shooting to make me move, she''s honestly trying to hit me. I can tell by the ball of frustration and anger that is her in the back of my mind. Every time one of her traps fails the frustration grows, while a success makes it less. I''m not sure what Ara had in mind when we started, but this is quite fun. The first time I freely use the wall to escape being cornered surprises her, but she adapts quickly and I learn to avoid it. On the wall, my mobility is simply less than on the ground, so it should only be used as a last resort. If she''s ready for it, she punishes me for my mistake. The same with jumping. The first time I catch her by surprise, but it leaves me with no way to avoid the follow-up. After that first one she deliberately tries to make me jump and hit me in the air.


    Whenever I can my scrambles, hops, rolls and jumps take me closer to her. While it may be harder to dodge at a closer distance it''s easier to stay out of the way of her spell entirely. Wisening up to my tactics Ara starts to circle away from me any time I get closer.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    We''re interrupted in our games by a short, sharp knocking on the door. "It''s been a bell and a half, miss. The master asked me to tell you so," sounds a male voice behind the door.


    Ara stops her assault on me and I take my chance to climb back on her back, which she ignores. "I''ll be right out," she calls out, probably to the man at the door. This probably means the training thing is over so I start to poke her shoulder. It takes a while for her to get the hint and reach for the pouch hanging on her hip. She takes three berries and tosses them on the floor. As I jump after them, Ara gets unbalanced slightly from me pushing off of her, but nothing she can''t handle with.


    As I pop the first berry in my mouth Ara is fussing with her hair which came loose during our training and doing other human things. By the time the third tingle-berry is finished she''s already waiting for me and taps on her shoulder impatiently. As I climb up she murmurs softly, "at least you know how to enjoy your food and don''t just shove it inside." She continues in a louder voice. "We both need clean up after this, don''t you think?" The only thing I smell is some sweat and I''ve gotten a bit sandy, which will fall off on its own. It wasn''t really a question though, so I don''t reply. As we walk out Ara takes a small metal disc from the pouch and puts it in an alcove just outside the door, before walking on.


    Once outside, the first thing I notice is how quiet it is. Almost no more shouting men, beasts or animal sounds. It makes me realize how focused I was back in the room. A quick look around confirms there are almost no people, animals or beasts around. Humans are busy with some kind of sticks in the sandy places, others are collecting arrows or just tidying up. Ara walks past all this through the arch and back to the broad pathway with me still half on her back and half on her shoulder.


    Once back there it turns out this path is much busier now with small groups of people or people walking alone. They''re talking as much as devils do. While I''d love to just try to shut them out, it''s supposed to help with learning the language to listen as much as I can. The basics are now easy enough and a lot can be inferred from body language, but that is not good enough. How else am I going to know when someone other than Ara is going to kick me again? Looking around I spot the maid that was following us before. Was she there the whole time? If she was, how did I miss her?


    The big doors are now open with two men still standing nearby. Instead of opening and closing the doors they now keep a close eye on everyone going in or out. The only ones actually going in or out have grey robes, are females or both. As we enter they give a short bow to Ara. Paying close attention I''m trying to remember the corridors this time. Past the big doors is a small hall. At the far end turn left of the hall, then the second large corridor to the right. The fourth narrow corridor on the left has, on the right side, an alcove with three doors. The left most is Ara''s room and I wonder what is in the others.


    Ara opens the door herself this time and part of my question is answered as the maid goes into the door on the right. In her own room Ara shoos me to the top of the closet and strips out of her leather surface layer. It''s the first time I see anyone getting out of clothes and it looks complicated. There are lots of straps and buckles and things that need to be taken off in turn. Underneath she''s wearing a blue fabric piece of clothing, some kind of long, short sleeved vest. The smell of sweat is stronger now. What wasn''t unpleasant before stirs something inside me now. It''s the same piece of me which identified and loathed the humans the first time I really saw one.


    Against my best efforts, my teeth bare themselves in a snarl and I let out an angry hiss. This draws the attention of Ara and for a while we just stare. I can feel my tension rising. Behind me, my tail is scoring gouges on the wall in its nervous twitching. The moment breaks when the door opens and the maid enters the room. Rising steam from a large bucket of warm water carries some kind of flowery scent with it which makes me sneeze. The maid puts the bucket on the floor and some towels on the bed while I try to shake my head to rid myself of the intruding scent, but it''s everywhere by now.


    When I look back I see the maid help Ara out of her remaining clothes. The naked human looks very much like Mari the fairy, except she has some hair in the crotch area. The maid wets a towel and starts to rub Ara with it. Meanwhile the two chatter constantly about hair, clothing and scents. I can understand why clothing is important for such weak-skinned creatures, but hair is still a mystery to me and the scents they talk about are useless for when you''re hunting! Luckily they don''t take long. Ara puts on a new under-shirt, still blue, then her eyes fall on me. "Him as well," she says.


    A quickly look around tells me the door is closed, the window is shut and there is no other escape to be seen, so I just stay where I am. The two women below don''t seem to consider that an option. Especially the maid-woman looks angry and threatens to wipe me down with .... ''sandpaper'' whatever that is. It sounds better than this scented water, but I pretend not to understand her. It''s Ara who breaks the stalemate by putting on the magic-causing gloves. A small hint like that is more than enough for me and I jump down, not accidentally almost knocking over the bucket while landing on the floor. Unfortunately the maid Ine catches it before it falls over.


    They give me a quick rub-down before letting me retreat back to the closet. I glare down balefully and, sneezing occasionally, am totally ignored. The maid helps Ara put on a blue robe. I''m not sure of their significance, but I would guess blue and grey mean different things. Just like how swarmlings of different swarms are somewhat differently colored, but different. A strange amount of time is spent on putting things in the hair, on fingers and other things. On her hip a different bag is placed. A small satchel which smells of tingle-berries, the scent tickling my senses even over the scented water, is placed from the simple sack it was in first to the new one. The gloves and the crystal are put in there as well. Lastly a more ornate padded harness thing is fastened around her chest, waist and shoulder which I assume is for me.


    "Come here and take a look at us." Ara stands in front of the closet and opens the door. Curious, I jump down. Inside are lots of clothes, but on the inside of one door is a reflecting thing, a mirror. With a short jump I reach her waist and catch on to the harness. Standing on her shoulder I get the first real look at myself. Sure, I''ve turned my head to look at parts before, but that does not give a proper idea of my good looks.


    What I see doesn''t look that special, for a moment I doubt it''s actually me. Unfortunately the tail twitches at the same rhythm as mine, so I think it''s me. No hair, at least, that would have been more disappointing. The normal coloration of my swarm was dark red with black stripes down the length. It''s a little different on me and I wonder when it happened.


    My back is black with dark red stripes down the length. The red stripes are standing out like veins. It''s almost the reverse of the normal swarmlings where I hatched. As it goes down my flanks it colors closer to grey with dark red veins, while my belly is just dark red. My hind limbs are a dark grey on the outer side and dark red on the inside while my front limbs are dark red with black veins like they originally were. The lengthening spikes on my back are the light grey color of bone, but there are some reddish-brown ridges on them. I give them an experimental twitch and they move slightly. Not quite what I''d hoped for.


    "I believe you are ready for the afternoon classes, my lady." Ine speaks up.


    I see Ara smile in the mirror, pleased with what she sees though I can''t tell why. Ine moves to pick up a rather bigger bag from the bottom of the closet and takes position next to the door. We''re ready to go to lessons, I''m sure of it! I wonder what lessons humans get.

 15. Class and Class

    At a nod from Ara, Ine opens the door and we leave the room together. As Ara doesn''t tell me to get down to the ground, I keep my place. Front limbs hooked at the front of her shoulder and my rear limbs just below the back of her shoulder allow me to practically stand. Technically lying down would work, but it feels wrong to do so. Claw-rending, gut-wrenching and jaw-clenching wrong. So I stand, a little bit uncomfortable, as we go.


    The women are heading in the other direction than we''ve come from. At the end of the narrower corridor we turn left, then right until we reach a big straight corridor. I think it goes down the length of the entire building. We turn left again, so the place we previously exited and entered from is straight behind me. Straight ahead is a similar big set of doors, closed this time with a man in grey clothing standing on the right side. He opens the right side of the door as we approach and we enter a large hall. It''s not the hall I first appeared in, but similar in style. A few people, mostly men, are standing around talking while others are walking around with a purpose. Almost everyone is wearing blue.


    This hall has several sets of doors on my left side and big stairs on the right. Straight ahead are doors similar to the ones we passed through now. The stairs start on either side of the hall, next to the doors, and meet up in the middle. Both on the ground floor and on the top of the stairs are large doors with men in grey next to them. It makes me wonder if it''s normal to have people to open doors for you. The devils also had people to open doors, much of the time. I add it to the ever growing list of things to think about.


    As we go up I notice there is enough space between the stairs and the wall to walk and a small door hidden there. They carry me off higher up the stairs before I can make up my mind to investigate. From the top of the stairs is a great view of the hall floor. It''s interesting to see the humans from above when I can usually only hope to look at them from an equal level. Having hair starts to make sense as it allows me to tell them apart a bit by the color and length. From here the random seeming motion of people going about their business looks more orderly too. It''s truly a change in perspective. I try to get one more good look before Ara and Ine walk through the big doors at the top of the stairs, taking me with them. The view is good, but not worth jumping off for.


    Past the double doors is another corridor. Even I can see the difference. The one where Ara has her room is rough compared to this, the stones so smooth I wonder if I could fit a claw anywhere. Many things are covering the wall, cloth-like rectangles with people coloured on them. On both sides are doors with a metal plate in the middle at regular intervals. We pass all of them, six if I counted correctly, and head for large doors at the end. Metal shapes are placed above it, for what purpose I don''t know. A man in grey is once again present to open the door.


    Inside is a ledge of some sorts with a slight downwards slope with ''benches'' on it. Benches are for sitting, but it seems only comfortable for two-legged creatures. The ledge is overhanging and overlooking more of these benches on the floor below. That''s what I can see from here, at least. At the far wall is a raised area with a pedestal of some kind. On the ceiling are constructs carrying light-orbs, crystals giving off a yellowish light that is quite pleasant on the eyes, though they give off almost no heat.


    We are not the first to arrive. As I am walked through the door I can see a variety of people are already there. I think they''re all women, but if their mammaries aren''t very big they are easily hidden by the robes. Due to that it''s a bit hard to tell with some of them, but they seem female-ish. All of them have their own familiars. Birds, cat-things and dog-things mostly, though one is wearing a serpent-like creature. As familiar as they are looking, none of them ring as ''demon'' to my senses, so none of them are very interesting. They''re also quite timid, just my presence is enough to cow a few of them. The same can be said for Ara. When they see her, eyes widen and breaths catch. It''s quite nice to both be recognized as superior.


    The others make space as Ara walks us to the front, to the edge of the ledge we''re on. A quick look behind shows me Ine is not following us. She is probably standing with some other grey-robed people further back, but it''s hard to spot her among them. As Ara arrives at the front it gives her and me a view from above on the area below. More benches, also on a downward slope to the far end. The idea I get is a lot of people sitting and all looking at the raised area on the far side. Interesting, but only creatures that hopelessly enjoy one another''s company could possibly enjoy the situation. Like humans. Below the area is filling up with other humans, males to the best of my guessing. All in all it''s getting quite noisy and the enclosed space makes it all the more unbearable. Up here the other women start talking too. They try to avoid Ara without being obvious about it, which makes it all the more obvious. My sense of Ara becomes cold and sharp, she can see it too and is angry about it.


    Before I can poke Ara to find out more, silence starts to spread below and here above soon follows. Quick footsteps are from the grey-robed people handing little rods and ... something to the women, Ine taking care of Ara. A rustling from below tells me the same is happening there. I can also hear heavier footsteps below as well, though I doubt anyone else up here can. They are moving steadily from the back to the front and suddenly I can finally see the person they are coming from. It''s a human, no surprise there, but his robes are green instead of the blue and grey I''m used to and I wonder if it means anything. The human walks towards the raised area at the far wall and stands behind the pedestal. That''s one mystery cleared up, though a room this large just to listen to one person seems a bit too much to me.


    The man, based on his facial hair, raps the pedestal in front of him and suddenly it''s very quiet indeed, except for two of the young women nearby discussing the physical characteristics of some of the men below. I''m torn between who to listen to. My understanding has advanced enough to hear the women are talking about noses, cheeks and other parts of the face. Knowing more about the things humans themselves pay attention to would help greatly in recognizing one from another other than by scent and sound. On the other hand, the man in green is probably important and part of me tells me I ''should'' listen to him.


    Ara is solely focused on the man in green. For this time I''m willing to admit she probably knows better than I do, so I do the same. It is but a moment before the man begins to speak.


    "Welcome all of you. Knights in training, future estate managers, engineers, mages and young nobles, to your first mandatory group lecture on familiars. We''re holding this lecture to rid you all of bad teachings and preconceptions. As much knowledge as the old noble houses may hold on the subject, they still often contradict one another and those of you common born have access to even worse information. We''re doing this as a group because I''m not going to spend the time to approach everyone separately." His voice booms through the large space. It must be something about the shape of the room, because my ears are picking up strange reverberations.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    My attention is drawn back as he continues speaking.


    "First of all, I would like to ask those of you who already have a familiar to have them move to one of the places reserved for them at the sides and rear of the room!"


    Is this a good moment to tell Ara I can mostly understand what people are saying now? Probably not, maybe not ever. I wait for her to click her tongue and point to a pole with a broad, flat top in the back. Scuttling over a few rows of benches I find the pole easy to climb. Taking care not to cut into the wood makes it a bit harder, but soon I make myself comfortable. From here I can''t see the lower floor, but the man who is speaking is still easily visible. The other familiars take more time to find a good spot, some barely responding to instructions. Laughter from below hints the same is going on there. Should I have been less obedient? Ara shouldn''t get the idea I''ll always obey. As the noises die down the man continues


    "So, there is your first lesson, I hope you''ve all been paying attention? They''re not pets, they have a will and personality, likes and dislikes and you should keep their body type in mind with whatever you ask them to do."


    Slowly blinking my eyes I consider these words. Is this not a given?


    "That being said, they''re not that intelligent, so you need to take care of the training with diligence."


    On one hand I feel insulted, but on the other hand, it hasn''t been that long since thinking was much harder for me. I also don''t know how other summoned creatures manage it, but the language learning thing is helping out. A lot.


    "As you all know, your familiar will understand your words, but the same is not true the other way around. It may be unable to speak a language you understand." The man pauses and slowly looks around the room.


    "This is the main reason people think familiars are nothing but animals, they can''t understand them. That is entirely the fault of the owner of the familiar. Familiars have been taught sign language among things. There is always a way. If all else fails, they can learn how to send more complex messages through the link between you." Again he pauses and looks around the room as if to make a point.


    From here the lesson continues on the rights, duties and responsibilities of my ''owner'' and I tune out. This is not interesting at all, nor do I understand much of it. There are technicalities about who is responsible when for what kind of damage done to whichever thing. What is interesting is the women who have resumed their talk about the defining features of males. It teaches me about human faces and what I should look for as identifying marks. Interestingly, their eye color varies as much as their hair color. In the next half-hour I learn more about chins, noses and cheeks than I ever want to remember. Somehow I''m confident I will anyway. By now the women are starting to giggle and speak in riddles about something and specifically the size of the thing. Bored, I try to find something else to busy myself with.


    Didn''t the man earlier say something about sending messages through a link? Remembering the ''poke'' I gave Ara earlier today gives me some idea what he meant. Carefully crafting the feeling, I send her the sensation of being bored. On her seat, Ara stiffens a little and I feel both amusement and irritation coming through as feedback. There is also the sensation of sternness.


    To while away the time I start staring at one of the felines here. As we both have secondary eyelids, we manage to stare a long time before I get impatient. As some of my irritation starts to affect my body language, the feline quickly looks away. As I gaze around for another opponent to intimidate, Ara pokes my mind. She''s paying less attention to the speaking man and instead doing some glowy hand waving thing. Is that magic with the gloves off? It looks much more complicated this way. The women around us are sneaking glances at what Ara is doing. Suddenly the glow is gone.


    I feel something coming through my link with her as well as an intention. Touch the wood I''ve been standing on. Looking under me, the surface is marred by dozens of shallow scratches. As careful as I try to be, it''s hard not to damage something so soft. With a popping feeling whatever was coming through the link arrives and one of my claws glows a faint greenish light. Where I touch the small wooden platform, the wood starts to repair itself. Slowly I move my claw over the entire surface, mesmerized by seeing wood act like that.


    Before I recover from it, the magic is gone. Some of the feeling still lingers, but I really wanted to know more about magic. So far my biggest issues have been with magic and not just getting hit by it, also the summoning itself. What went through me a moment ago is gone now, but I''m sure Ara will do something like this again. We did attract some attention and the women are now whispering about me and Ara. They should be more quiet if they don''t want me to hear.


    Surely Ara can hear them whispering, even if she can''t hear what is being said. Instead of staring them down and showing them who the dominant female is, she is moving the little rod she got from Ine over a white square sheet. In fact, I know she can hear them. Her anger is slowly rising on the rhythm of their conversation. It''s making me giddy and nervous, so it''s hard for me to stand still. My tail is twitching behind me and my front claws flex and relax rhythmically. One of the whispering women sees me staring at them and pales, hurriedly saying something to the others. They look at me and I can see their eyes go wide. Then they look at Ara and I can almost see them shrink in on themselves. One of their familiars hisses at me, but a quick glance and twitch from me have it scrambling to find a place further away from me.


    Humans are strange. A superior swarmling would just have challenged small fry like that or shoved it aside. Weaker swarmlings also wouldn''t act like that, knowing there would be consequences. What puzzles me is why an obviously superior human like Ara would tolerate such looks from inferior creatures. At least the women have shut up now, or at least are talking soft enough that Ara can''t hear them. As her anger subsides I regain my own calm as well. The man in green continues on with his talking, oblivious to what went on here.


    When the talking ends and the doors are opened I run out. So much doing nothing! The man in grey at the end of the corridor sees me coming. For a moment he looks like he doesn''t know if he wants to run or not, but he stands his ground. He looks weak and I would be able to rip him to pieces, but he faces me anyway. A bit wide eyed, but as stoic as can be. When I reach the door I jump for the left side, landing with a satisfying ''thunk'' as my claws gain purchase. The next jump takes me to the wall, close to the ceiling. From there I push myself back into the corridor and towards Ara. Already running when I land, just the sensation of moving and using my muscles soothes me. I''m not the only familiar doing so, but the others stay close to their ''owners'', as if that would ever protect them from me!


    From the corridor and down the stairs, through the side doors and the other corridors I keep walking, enjoying just walking and darting around for a while. I can ride Ara again later, for now I need to stretch my claws. There is one question I want to ask though. I tried to ask earlier, but I can sense a coldness from Ara as we walk which tells me not to try. It takes until we reach the room for her mood to mellow enough.


    "Ara," I begin, drawing her attention. "Ara, not hurt women?" The w and the m give me some trouble, but I think I got the sound of it.


    She looks at me in confusion. "Of course I heard them."


    Hissing at her for misunderstanding I compose the feeling and send it through the link. The feeling of being superior and not receiving respect from the inferior. Intimidating the lesser being. The triumph of knowing yourself to be better.


    As my message sinks in, I see something flash in Ara''s eyes which compliments the anger from before. She fusses a bit with her clothing before replying in a soft voice.


    "Those girls think they''re high class. That they are my equal, or at least not much lower. They are wrong. They are not even close and one day they will know it. All of them. For my father, my family and for me. They''ll know." A small smile plays along her lips. Her anger cold and hard despite the soft voice and the smile. "But not today. There is a time and place for everything and their time has not come yet."


    Ara turns around and waves at Ine to do whatever maids do. As Ine is doing her thing she continues, without looking at me.


    "It was enjoyable to watch you threaten them into submission, thank you for that."


    Humans are strange.

 16. Weak

    "Conclusion, humans, weird." I shrug in the direction of Harijia. It''s been a few days since coming back to my senses after the summon and I''m still in the cell.


    "So, what happened next?" Harijia asks me.


    I glare at her through the bars of the cell door. "Me out and we talk."


    She just hisses a laugh at me. "You know how to get out. Unless you do it, you''re staying there." She moves off to talk with some other demon without waiting for my reply.


    As soon as she''s out of sight I slump down. The headache isn''t that bad, especially compared to the one after my first time here. It''s the combination of the headache, no food and no-one for company for three days. Without food would be no problem once I''m fully grown, even now I can do a day or two without, but my growing body is demanding something, anything, to eat.


    It''s being alone which wears me down the most. Never have I been this alone before. There were always others around, even if we weren''t interacting there was the option to do so. Now, the only one I see is Harijia and I find myself hoping she''ll stop by my cell every time she walks by. With at least ten cells and her own work, she barely does so. By now, even having Talkers, devils around with their constant noise would be an improvement.


    Then there is the headache, caused by the residual energy of the summons. I glance to the simple looking device hanging from the wall by a cable. Even without hands it''s easy to just press the back of the head against the metal mesh on one end of it. This will suck energy from the mark we all carry. Only until the headache stops, or so Harijia tells me, and then I''ll be allowed out and to the feeding area.


    The reasons I had not to do so right away don''t seem so important now. Get stronger faster, I earned this strength and it''s mine and mine alone! Those were my feelings when I came back to my senses in my cell. I''ll show them, I''ll show them all! Suddenly everything here felt restrictive and oppressive. From Harijia''s devotion to the devils to living here with too many species in a small space to the rock overhead. It was too much.


    Now, two days later, it''s still too much, but this isn''t helping me either. I thought I could wait and let the changes happen as before, getting the most out of being summoned, before making a show of cooperating. But it''s not happening. The rapid changes from before slowed down to a crawl, as if the mark on the back of my head is rationing the energies required for the changes. Just the thought that might be the case makes me want to stand by my decision.


    However, this is not getting anything done.


    It''s several hours again before Harijia stops by my cell once more. I''m waiting at the back wall, making sure she sees me pressing my head against the mesh. Almost instantly the headache lessens and a sense of well-being spreads through me, a feeling not unlike having a full belly and knowing I''m in a safe place to sleep. Contentment. That I''d feel it here and now makes me shiver. Harijia nods with a reptilian smile, approving of my surrender. I move to the door of the cell and look at her, waiting for the door to open. Harijia just stares back.


    "What," I query.


    "It wouldn''t be much of a punishment if I let you out now, would it." Seeing the look on my face Harijia shakes her head. "you were warned. If you cause trouble, you''ll be punished. You were stubborn for two days, so two extra days it will be. I''ll bring you food and water though."


    I had been prepared for some kind of punishment, yet it still hurt.


    "Why don''t you tell me more about your time in your summon and I''ll keep you company," Harijia says as she settles in what I assume is a comfortable pose for a serpent like her.


    While I hate myself for it, I''m very grateful she''s staying with me for a bit longer.


    <hr>


    It takes Ara just a short while to change with the help of Ine. It''s still a blue robe, though significantly shorter, leaving her more free to move. Underneath she is wearing some padded and reinforced clothing, also on her legs. She taps her shoulder to tell me to get there and with some hesitation I do. The direction we''re heading in this time is the same as the first time, towards the doors leading outside. At the doors she encounters one of the women who were also at the lecture and they exchange some words. The girl seems a bit embarrassed and Ara doesn''t seem to care at all, which is confirmed by the lack of emotions I can sense from her.


    Once outside she takes the same path again, to the training area, walking together with the woman. I look back and see Ine following at a short distance. She smiles weakly when she notices me looking at her. It''s the smile of the weaker one to show they''re not defenceless and I take a moment to enjoy her respect of me.


    When we arrive at the training place, it''s a lot different from before. There are dozens of people with familiars waiting in small groups. The terrain has scores of things, some I recognize somewhat from back in the cavern. An obstacle course, things to test strength and what I assume to be puzzles of some kind. Most of it much less challenging than what I''ve already gone through. It''s almost all too small for humans, so it''s obviously set up for me and the other familiars.


    For the first time I study the other familiars in finer detail. It''s not a very impressive sight. There are a few that would be able to challenge me to strength, endurance, resilience or speed, but none of them can challenge me in more than one. It would be interesting to see if any of them have good claws or other offensive tricks. In my admittedly limited experience with things like this it won''t come up. Fights to the death don''t fit with the soft people here.


    We, the familiars and their summoners, are separated into groups. There are six groups of men and one of women, a thing I''ve noticed before. In the swarm, male and female isn''t important unless the swarmling reaches sexual maturity. Both forage, hunt and rest together. These humans isolate their females to a high degree. If the numbers are an indication of how many males there are compared to females, that might make sense.


    The women are talking among themselves, occasionally directing their talks to Ara. It''s obvious they don''t want to, but something makes them try to include her anyway. For her part, Ara feigns interest and gives a response, enough to satisfy these soft females who don''t notice the hardness in her eyes.


    The groups each get assigned their own challenge to take first and I note with interest some glowing rings appearing in the air. A flying familiar wings through the hoops, showing off its skills. Soon it will be my turn to show them what I can do! Ours is the agility course. A simple one compared to the one in the cavern. Ara has chosen a place in the back, so I can see the inability of my competition and I can''t help but grin. It''s at this moment Ara gives me a mental poke.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Turning away from the others, she speaks softly to me. "You are going to make sure you fail at every test. Don''t be the worst, but be among the least on everything." Her eyes bore into me, bright blue like the sky here. I''m sure she can feel my instant rejection of the whole idea. Instantly, her mind pushes on me, smothers me. I try to resist again and though it feels like I hold out for a moment, that fraction of a second is gone instantly. I''m not her equal, not yet. As much as I hate it I will follow her command.


    On the agility course I ''misjudge'' some jumps and have to scramble not to fall. For the strength test I lift less than half of what I can. The puzzles I solve by hitting them until they break, just to vent some of my building anger. All the time I can feel the esteem of people falling. A little bit of Ara, but mostly it''s the way they look at me. After the fourth test I scream my frustration out to the world and some of them laugh at me! As I scream my anger at them they only laugh more! A hard mental poke from Ara stops me from doing more.


    The humiliation is not done yet. At the next part, men with padded wooden sticks test how I can react to being attacked. With the fun I had before with Ara, their attacks are slow and easy to see. By now it''s a constant mental struggle with Ara, who keeps me from dodging effectively or making a counter-attack. One thrust bowls me over and throws me a few meters over the ground and the man who hit me calls the end. Ara forces me to limp back to her and slowly climb to her shoulder, despite not even being injured.


    Two can play that game. While my claws can''t draw blood, it doesn''t mean I can''t hurt her. Going up I grip as hard as I can, squeezing her calf and thigh, pinching her back and clamping down on her shoulder. She shows no reaction, though I know it hurts her.


    The men actually have to fight older familiars. Even though they''re supposedly stronger than me, I''m confident I could take those familiars if I had to, but the men are struggling. Ara and the other females face off with one of the men who tested the familiars and I am amazed. During our own training together, Ara moved with certainty and balance. Nothing of that can be found in her now and she gets amused and pitying glances from the onlookers as she stumbles on the flat ground.


    She is strong, she has power! She must be and she must have. If she is weak, what would that make me who is easily put down by her will alone! I want to tear at something or someone and Ara is still keeping me subdued. This probably doesn''t help her performance and she actually gracefully dances around some of the strikes aimed at her before she corrects herself and almost trips.


    On our way back to the big buildings I just ride on her shoulder. Neither does Ara try to interact with me. She feels tired in my mind, but it''s none of my concern. Back in her room, Ara undresses with the help of Ine and lies down on the bed. She is ignoring me as much as I am ignoring her as I climb on top of the closet.


    "Ine, wake me in time to prepare for the official dinner. Give Gal some of those berries and Gal, you stay where you are until I wake." After that she closes her eyes with a sigh, though I can tell she doesn''t sleep yet.


    Ine takes some of the berries out of Ara''s pouch and offers them to me with a hand which is only slightly shaking, but I ignore her. Being rewarded this way feels as much as an insult as it was to force me to fail the tests. Besides, with the pressure of Ara''s mind on mine gone, much of my anger leaves me and I feel how tired I am. Curling up on top of the closet I close my eyes too, ignoring Ine, Ara and the rest of the world.


    It feels like only a moment before noise wakes me. Ine is fussing around Ara, putting her in yet another set of blue clothes and doing things with her hair. I''m still too tired, exhausted from the mental struggle and the anger from before. There is another special contraption on Ara''s shoulder for me. It takes until they reach the door before Ara calls out to me and taps her shoulder. Reluctantly I climb down and then up. As I touch on her legs and back she flinches slightly, probably from the sore spots I''ve left there.


    We head for the door to the outside again. It''s already getting dark and a row of lamps in the strangely straight bush illuminates the road. A carriage is waiting for us and the three of us share it with two of the young women and their maids. It''s a bit crowded and I need to stay on Ara''s lap as the rocking of the carriage makes it impossible to stay on her shoulder. The other women aren''t even startled by me, so much different from before. It makes me want to snarl at them but I can''t be bothered. Instead I listen to the conversation.


    "So different from the stories," one seems to say, to which Ara responds. "Well, now we know their ferocity is an exaggeration, but at least his coloration looks good with blue!"


    A conversation about clothes and colors starts up. Useless and boring except for a few remarks about some colors contrasting with one another and how this can be used to blend in or stand out, which sounds like it might help me hiding in the ridiculously green foliage here.


    Before long the carriage stops and everyone steps out with the help of a little ladder some man brings over. Ara walks towards a brightly lit building from where I can hear the sounds of a lot of people. Above the door is a sign that means at least something to me: Two crossed gloves with glowing lines, one holding a crystal and the other a staff or something. I haven''t seen Ara with a staff, but the gloves and the crystal are familiar.


    Ara is still carrying me, instead of letting me ride on her shoulder, but I''m too tired to object. Once inside the women wait together in front of some large doors until, at some signal I didn''t see, they open and a man inside shouts out at the same time the sound of a lot of people talking hits me.


    "Her Grace, Avebella Des Mont¨¦ Cardatin! Lady Simone Garfia! Contessa Mercia Valentis!"


    Ara walks past, me on her shoulder, with all the grace and composure she was missing during the testing. The talking lessens for a bit, then returns full force. Behind us the maids slip in and move off to the sides of the room, where more people in grey are talking amongst themselves, not mixing with the people in other colors at all. And there are so many people, in so many other colors! Both my ears and my eyes are overwhelmed.


    When Ara instructs Ine to loosen the shoulder contraption and fasten it on a stand seemingly designed for it I climb on it with a feeling akin to relief. I really don''t feel like glaring and intimidating now. Most of the event passes in a blur. People in too-bright clothes coming to talk to Ara, sometimes coming to look at me. Some rhythmic noise are heard in the background and I identify it as coming from a small group of people with strange tools standing in a corner. It is oddly soothing.


    Tables with food are rolled in. I haven''t felt actual hunger once during a summon and this is no exception, so there is no temptation. I do rouse enough to study human eating habits which are quite bizarre, like using tiny tools to move the food front of them to their mouth instead of just using their hands. Ara is a different person here. The cold and distant person I''ve seen before replaced with a bright and caring woman. I can feel the cold anger in her growing again though, and I wonder what is going on.


    Her anger is slowly getting to me and my tail starts to twitch. I''m not something that is just interesting to look at, yet weak, flabby people are showing no fear or caution around me. As if I was a weak animal.


    Near the end, Ara picks me up while Ine fastens the straps and padding back on her, then places me on her shoulder. She takes a place in a line of other women with familiars, a man talks for a long time while a lot of people pretend to be listening, people clap their hands together startling me and some of the other familiars and it''s back to talking.


    I''m not sure how long it lasts, but there was no way I could rest more with all the noise and colors and strange people so I''m exhausted from what happened before and from constantly being on my guard. By the time Ara steps outside I''m not paying much attention any more. Once in the carriage Ara sighs. I suddenly feel twice as tired as my sensation of her fatigue mixes with mine in my mind. Ara makes some motions with her hands and they slowly start to glow. If my eyes didn''t deceive me it was almost as if her hands passed through one another a few times.


    She puts a hand on my head and speaks. "I think it''s best if you went back to rest. I need a good rest too and I''m not sure if I could sleep well with you in that mood. Be well and see you next time."


    While talking she moves her hand back and forth over my head. The sensation is not unpleasant, but I don''t want to be touched by her any more. Being carried was bad enough. I want to swat her hand away and snarl at her. Next time, when I have more energy. The lights and colors bled together to a shining white and the now familiar sensation of being ''pushed'' make me realize I''m returning to my own world.


    Once my vision returned and I see I am back in my cell, I rage with all the rage Ara had suppressed before. After a while, Harijia interrupts me to tell me to touch my head to the device on the wall. That is when I decide I will not play along! This is mine and my strength and I will get stronger and make everyone, every, single, one, realize just who I am!

 17. Lesson Learned

    The frustration I felt is still raw and alive in me, despite it being some days ago and I''m clawing the ground in frustration. With my story over, Harijia looks at me silently until I calm down.


    "I''ve been listening to you too long. A piece of advice," she regards at me a moment longer, "do you want to break your connection with her and if so, how would you do that? I''ll be back later."


    The question catches me by surprise. The summons always felt like a one-sided affair, one I had no choice in at all. But is that true? At the very least I had no control over being summoned, that would happen one way or another. Either spontaneously or through Harijia''s circle. Would having the same people summon me more than once limit the randomness? As I remember my first time, I consider it both good and bad. New things are interesting, but there was a chance it would be worse than I had gone through with Ara. Thinking of the dungeon and Mari, I shudder briefly, make that a big chance.


    Then the second part. How to break the connection. The first thing which comes to my mind is when Ara dies. If she is dead, there can be no connection. She may have disarmed my claws and fangs, but those are not the only ways. I managed to hurt her already, I''m sure there are other ways. Another way is, probably, if Ara decides to cancel it.


    So, to be rid of it, I either need to anger Ara enough so she''ll break it of her own accord, or make sure she dies. But if I choose the first and it doesn''t work, the second becomes harder. However, I don''t think I want to start by trying to get her killed. My mind alternates by trying to think up ways to annoy Ara, to ways to make her die and always returning to if that is what I want.


    It''s far too long before Harijia finishes going around the other cells. I can hear partial conversations from other demons, reminding me I''m not alone here. Without actually seeing them it remains hard to gather the full story, but the general trend is to talk about their summons. Some sound hopeful, most sound afraid. It makes me realize my position with Ara is not so bad.


    It all makes me realize one thing at the very least: making decisions is hard.


    Finally Harijia returns to me. She looks at me expectantly.


    "Kill her or make her end it." The tongue twisters in our own language come so much easier after trying to imitate the sounds in Ara''s world. "Don''t know what I want."


    "Those are indeed two ways." Harijia nods her agreement. "You could also just ask. Summoners know about the risk of having unwilling servants. And," here she taps her chest and head, "You can become strong enough in body and mind to break it yourself."


    She holds up a clawed limb, forestalling my questions.


    "You respect her, yes?" She waits for my nod before continuing. "I respect my master and would never dare to question his orders. Do young swarmlings question their teachers?"


    For a while I just look at her without comprehension, but slowly my thoughts start to flow. When Harijia slithers away, I barely notice. Staring at the wall, I try to remember one of my early days. The scarred elder had taken us further away from the colony than usual to a darker more leafy part of the canopy. All of us hatchlings could smell the stench of a predator nearby and were starting to feel nervous. The feeling spread from on to the other until we were huddling close to the older swarmling.


    When we reached a clearing where the smell was strongest, the elder picked up one of the weaker hatchlings and threw it to the middle of the clearing. We all watched with rapt attention to what would happen. What happened was.... nothing. The scrawny spawn-ling made it back quickly. Next, the elder picked me up and with one claw carefully made a scratch down my back. As the scent of blood started to fill my nose he carefully threw me, but further from the centre of the clearing.


    Right after landing, while I''m still trying to regain my balance, the floor of the clearing shook and a large spider ran out of a hiding spot at the centre, artfully hidden by a trapdoor of branches and leaves. My reflexes allowed me to jump away, but not fast enough. It had been aiming for my torso, but instead bit down on my leg. Using it as a pivot to spin myself around I sank my claws in some of its eyes at the same time as the spider injected its venom into me. That is where the coherent part of the memory stops.


    From the three spider types near the colony, ambush spiders use the most potent venom. As it was dragging me backwards by my leg to its hiding hole, pain mixed with the euphoria. I was vaguely aware of something bigger than me rushing past and colliding with the spider. The remaining time was a series of confusing sounds, images and colors leaving me with only the impression of pure enjoyment.


    That''s the way to hunt those spiders. A bait they can''t resist thrown far enough away so they can''t retreat in time. Regardless, the elder had not explained anything when he used me as bait, why should I expect different from Ara? I may no longer be a hatchling here, but I''ve been in her world less than two days. How would I know how to hunt the spiders there?


    Still, the thought of losing all those competitions fill me with anger. The weak are used by the strong, the strong get the best food and grow stronger. It makes me want to be the strong one. And just being strong is not enough. Others must know you''re strong! What is the use of being a strong swarmling when the others won''t let you join the hunting because they don''t know?


    As I walk back and forth in my cell I stop and shudder. The emotions get the better of me even now. I just want to claw something to pieces, break a wall, rip through a body and drown in the sweet smell of blood. Instead I''m stuck here.


    Next thing to consider is what Harijia said about getting stronger. Could I some day resist being summoned? The thought makes me blank out for a moment. Would I really want it is another question, but first is the question of how to become that strong. Is there a trick to it? Everything I learn just raises more questions and it''s starting to annoy me. Harijia keeps hinting at ways she could help me, but it''s always ''somewhere in the future''. As distasteful as it is, for now I need her. She does know things, things I need, even if her admiration for the devils gets on my nerves.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    It''s always ''when you get stronger'', but never any clear answer on how to do that. Then the devils drain some of that strength. Harijia waves it away, it won''t do any harm, it just makes the process take a bit longer. She even has the gall to tell me that is a good thing, as it gives me more time to learn all I need to learn. Hah! All I need to learn to be a servant of the devils, I''m sure. When I ask her why we are kept here, she just answers I should be grateful and trust in their wisdom.


    And that decides it for me. I''m sick and tired of being underground already. There may be colonies that live entirely underground, but that is not for me. Currently, Ara is the only place where I can be outside under an open sky, even if the trees are too green and the sun too weak. It''s going to be tough, going back there. Accepting her orders, if I can, is not the same as forgiving her for making me show such weakness.


    For now, I just need to hang on here for a day or two.


    The next time Harijia comes by she brings some kind of mixed vegetable thing. I stare silently at her, but there is still no meat when she leaves. Another part of the punishment, I suspect. Something I do enjoy is sprinkled over the vegetables. It''s not something I''ve tasted before, but it gives everything a sour taste which is much to my liking. The bowl it was brought in is made from some kind of metal and it gives me a hard time when I try to bite pieces off, but the taste is not bad and it tickles when I swallow it down. The noise of breaking metal eventually alerts Harijia who takes the now much smaller bowl away from me with a stern warning to never do that again. Idly I wonder if humans would react the same. It seems like a fun thing to try.


    To distract myself I go over the list of things to think about. Harijia was happy to help there. There are animals, beasts, demonic beasts, monsters and demons. An animal is stupid, just following its instincts. Beasts are animals, but bigger and stronger, while monsters are beasts with some kind of innate power. The cat which killed me in my first summon was probably a beast. Demonic beasts have some weirdness. They can change just like demons, but not as much and they''re not as smart. Most of the swarm would be demonic beasts. Demons like me are smarter and have a greater potential. Then, of course, there are the devils who are far above everything else. I wonder if there are rules against harming a Keeper.


    It feels a bit arbitrary to me. Some of the ''demons'' in the cavern aren''t that much smarter though they diverted strongly from their base race, others have barely changed and are still stupid and yet others have both changed a lot and are smarter. Granted, I only have the other swarmlings as evidence as I don''t interact much with the other species, but the line between demons and demonic beasts seems much less defined than Harijia makes it out to be, which makes me question her other definitions too.


    Sadly, this means I''ll have to put this back with ''things to think about''.


    I did have time to scratch one thing off of the ''to think'' list. I tested it on the bowl I was eating. My saliva does something to metal, stone and other things too, probably. Sometimes there is a bit of sizzling or some smoke and it leaves little holes and weakens the material. It was a real help in chewing that bowl down to bite sized pieces. The stone inside my cell seems to be immune, but the stone outside showed the same effect. Next time Ara orders me to do something I don''t like, I''ll give her a lick. I wonder what she tastes like.


    Finally, the last day comes. It feels like it''s been a week, even though it was barely three days. It''s after eating time when Harijia comes to my cell door, but stops before opening it.


    "Have you learned your lesson?" She asks bluntly.


    As reply, I step back and press the back of my head against the thing hanging at the back wall. A moment later, colors start to blur into an even whiteness and a crushing sensation feels like it drags me somewhere strange. I''m not even surprised any more when what Harijia told me couldn''t happen, does happen. It''s a summons, I recognize it easily by now.


    I don''t feel Ara appearing in my head. For a moment I worry if it will be the dungeon, but when my vision clears I''m met with a somehow familiar looking group of armed and armored humans in a green forest. Behind me I hear something running, approaching fast.


    "Fight that monster!"


    Turning around, I already know what I''ll see. A big cat, orange with black stripes which seems stupid to me in a green forest. It''s big and mean, but I''m not as small and weak as I used to be. Still, it''s much stronger than me, that much is obvious. It''s going to be here in seconds, but this time the humans behind me stop instead of running away. A quick look around me shows we''re in a clearing at the edge of a cliff face. Unless they can climb as fast as me, I doubt they could escape that way. They also look tired, the reason obvious. Humans are bad at running.


    There is no time for a closer look than that as the big cat explodes into the open. Behind me I hear a twang and the cat lands badly as one front leg has a mini-spear, an arrow in it. Using the opening, I dash forward. A claw comes smashing down in my path, but I''ve learned a lot in these few days. Days, weeks, months? Time is strange. When I dodge left the claw changes course to at least glance me, but I immediately push off to the right. If it can fool Ara, it can fool a cat.


    As I slip between its paws, I rake my own claws along the one that just missed me. A deafening yelp above me is my reward. Before the cat can react it is distracted by a metal shield bashing against its head, the sound of it further hurting my sensitive ears. Determined to get as far away from the noise as I can I skitter up its hindquarters and reach the small of its back where I prepare to dig in and hold on in time to come face to face with a fireball.


    I close both eyelids and push my face into the fur as the heat washes over me. The cat and me are both on fire, but the cat definitely has it worse. As it screams in pain it starts to buck and jump wildly which only causes my claws to dig in deeper. More loud noises tell me it''s getting hit with the shield again, though sometimes there is a wet sound similar to a claw slashing into fresh meat. As I''m still pressing my face down into the fur I can''t actually see anything and I wish I couldn''t smell anything either. This cat stinks and the burning hairs are not making it any better.


    After a while it starts to slow down and I take the chance to change my position. The flanks I am hooked in to are a mess and I need a better grip. Shifting slightly I also bring my head in the vicinity of the spine. Then I bite. My mouth isn''t big enough to get a good hold on the spine, nor are my teeth right for this. My teeth are for ripping off flesh, so that''s what I do. The reaction is immediate and desperate as the cat rolls over to crush me under its weight. It doesn''t succeed, though it''s close, but it forces me to let go. It also extinguishes the remaining fire on me.


    What it also does is expose its belly and a slashing sound followed by a gurgling yowl ending in a wet cough signify the end of a short and violent encounter. I''m not entirely sure if it was short as I lost track of time while burning, holding on for my life and inhaling burning cat fur. It was still exhausting and I''m a little shaky as I stand up. The humans are all still alive, though one is getting his leg tended to. They''re happy and laughing and way too loud. The one getting its leg tended to smiles a strange smile at me and waves. Before I can decipher the smile, the world turns white again and a moment later I''m back in the cell.


    The back of my head feels like holes are being drilled into it, but after a moment the feeling fades in exchange for a feeling of well-being. Right, I had been standing with the device-thing on the back of my head. I had also been looking straight at Harijia, which gives me a good view of the expression playing over her face. It''s not a bad expression, as they go, it''s a thoughtful one. I still don''t think I like it.


    "Well, that happened," She hisses. "That is very interesting indeed."


    Then she smiles, and I really don''t like it.

 18. Something New

    The way Harijia is looking at me makes me feel like I''m something delicious. I''m already backed up to the far wall, but if I could I''d back off further. There is no chance to slip past her. Her agile serpent body is blocking most of the open cell door. Even if she doesn''t look strong, I don''t want to fight her. Her arms are thinner than most I''ve seen, even thinner than Ara''s. The jaws and fangs have receded back into the mouth and her forehead enlarged, rather, she has a forehead at all. This gives her appearance more of a devil-like serpent than a demon-serpent. All in all, she doesn''t look dangerous, less so than most serpentlings. However, if she didn''t have strength she never would have been able to hold her own down here.


    Before I have to make the choice to attack she snaps out of whatever was going on in her mind. She nods to herself and moves slightly out of the way, though not enough for me to pass by comfortably. Seeing my hesitation she moves away further.


    "Check in with me every day after feeding. Don''t even try to hide, if I have to come and find you, there will be trouble," she says as she moves away and turns around towards her own room at the far end of the corridor.


    Taking the chance I bolt in the other direction, shooting past trees and boulders. Only when I feel somewhat safe does my tempo slow. Taking stock of where in the cavern I am, I redirect my path to the nearest wall. Most of the other species seem to prefer climbing one of the trees for some solitude, but the nooks, crannies and ledges of the rocky wall are my hideout. The same goes for the other swarmlings and flying creatures. Most of the swarmlings prefer the lower caves to relax, but there are plenty like me who are very capable climbers or who can fly as well.


    It''s a bit of a skirmish for the best places to stay. How even the ledge is, are there smaller perches nearby, how broad it is and where it is all play a role in how desirable a given spot is. The one I''m heading for now is directly above one of the swarmling sleep-caves. It''s not too comfortable, so only the weakest of us use it often, but it is even less desirable for anyone else. Right now I don''t want to be alone any more for a while, but I do not want to have to deal with the frequent challenges happening below.


    After a short climb I''m comfortably resting hallway up the wall, about twice as high as the trees. Most of the central clearing is not very visible from here, which is why there are only a few implings hanging out. While we are fine just lazing around, having something to watch is obviously better. For now, this will do. A swarmling with the same basic coloration of black and red as I have starts to check me for parasites. It''s not something required here, the place is almost clean of the things. It''s a show of deference from someone weaker to stronger or favor from someone stronger to weaker.


    Looking at the smaller swarmling, it''s the first. I''m a bit jealous as this one has actual wings. With some effort, the spikes on my back can twitch a bit. There are muscles there and I try to use them to make them stronger, but even that much is hard to achieve. This is as good a time to exercise as any while I calm my worries. The swarmling looks at the twitching spikes for a moment before continuing checking the ridges along one flank.


    First, the situation with Ara. I will allow she may have had good reasons to act like she did and that she did not realize exactly what she was asking of me. It''s enough of a compromise to allow myself to stay as her familiar. I am new to her world, but that goes both ways. As little as is I know of her, she knows just as little of me. It will be an opportunity to learn more about humans which I''m not going to waste. If she orders me to be weak again, though, I will still do the same as I''ve done this time. It''s just not something to allow without a fight.


    Then there is Mari. Though I haven''t been summoned there again, it''s only a matter of time. What Harijia said got me thinking. No-one wants an unwilling servant or something, wasn''t it? Well, close enough. It means I could tell her, the mage and the dungeon to let me go. Or I could demand... Something? The whole concept gives me a headache. Instead of the weak giving way to the strong, the weak have a power of their own? It is enough to make me feel nauseous from the confusion running through me.


    Last, Harijia. I don''t know what she is going to to do. It has to do with me and the unexpected summon. I''m more concerned if it will happen again when I''m not in a place to help myself. The headache is likely to kill me before I can make it back to a cell. The pain is centred on the rune they carved into the skin on my head, but this time the look on her face didn''t speak of trying to find a solution for ''my problem'', but of an opportunity to take advantage of. I''m not happy with being an opportunity. The feeling I get is that I''m already being taken advantage of, so a little more makes no difference.


    A sharp pain on my back rips me out of my musings. Startled into anger, I turn around to confront my assaulter. It''s the tiny impling who''d been tending me. Hissing I stalk towards it as it cowers and scrambles away from me until its back is against the cavern wall. Its head moves frantically to find a way out and, once found, it takes off. Unfortunately I''m too late to catch it before it dives off the ledge and flies off. It lands again a few dozen meters away on a small rocky outcrop and I briefly consider chasing after it. Liquid flowing on my back makes me reconsider, first I want to inspect the wound.


    It''s right where my failures of a third limbs are and as such an extremely hard place to reach. I can only see a tiny bit out of the corner of one eye. With the help of my tongue I probe the area. There is some blood, but not much. Most of it is just.... Liquid? There is no adequate word in my mind for it. As I move around a bit moving my forelimbs almost feels easier, as if I''d been tensing something without realizing. From what I can see and feel on my back, that may very well be the case.


    The spike-limbs on my back are more than twice as long as before. Under my skin they had been growing, bunched up with two joints keeping them folded together. Now they stand up in a zigzag from my back. Again I try the little twitch and I see them contract. Trying different movements only causes some rotation at the base, the joints don''t move much yet. Whatever the impling did must have caused my skin to rip. As I turned, ready to fight, so did they. To my satisfaction, the points are now pointing forwards instead of up. As I relax, they fold back and are almost invisible, ridges of grey on my black skin. The way they fit so snugly further explains why I didn''t feel them before.


    Still, neither being tense nor the lack discomfort from them are an excuse for why I didn''t discover this sooner. Ara''s mirror briefly flashes through my mind. It''s an ideal tool to inspect myself, but I doubt I''ll be able to find anything like it here. Once again I settle down to think. A brief flapping signals the impling returning. As I don''t react to it, it approaches and gently touches the spike-limbs. There is no sensation there, but I can feel the force it exerts on the base. It lifts one up and turns it this way and that without forcing it. For a moment I wonder what it is doing, but soon a licking sound tells me it''s cleaning them, something I should have done myself. I decide to let it. It is not sure if this is something good or bad, but it deserves a reward.


    The thought leaves me dizzy. It is something Ara would think, not me. Why would something weaker than me deserve attention or anything else from me?


    The next morning after feeding brings me to the central clearing and then to the corridor with Harijia''s room at the end. She waves me away from a distance. Today is not the day she needs me.


    I spend my day trying out my new limbs. They''re very weak still and I know one good way to remedy that: Getting summoned. As that will hopefully not happen for a while, the fall-back plan is exercise. The ledge above the sleep-cave is my standard place for now. Getting in a confrontation with weak limbs I can''t control will force me to back down, even if I could have won otherwise. The little impling proves my point by catching the tip of one limb in its mouth and dragging it to its full length. Even if it doesn''t hurt, it''s uncomfortable and messes with my balance. It comes to my realization that this will take some time to adjust to.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    The little impling has been hanging around me since yesterday, probably hoping for more of me to eat. It''s a pitiful little thing, maybe a new arrival. The limbs are thinner and weaker than normal and it is missing the tail of an imp. Briefly I wonder how it survived hatching when the brood-tenders cull the deformed. Perhaps the limbs were normal at the beginning and were left behind as the rest developed. Even so, the little thing can fly very well, something it demonstrates any time I lose my patience.


    The second day is much the same with Harijia waving me off and me spending my time between training my new limbs and chasing off the impling. They are much more limber by now and I can move them around quite freely now. Where my forelimbs move in an arc in front of me from left to right but have trouble reaching my back, the ones on my back are free in a different direction. They reach from straight behind me to in front of me but a little to the side. After stretching them that far they refuse to fold back on my back without effort and instead rest on my sides, much like imp wings would. They don''t reach because my body is in the way, but if they are to actually become wings one day it isn''t good enough.


    On the third day Harijia doesn''t need me either. That day I try my best at an easy obstacle course. It''s not just my different weight distribution which throws me off. I''m not fully in control of these limbs yet and it shows as they stretch open at inopportune timing, further messing up my balance. It''s a fight against my instincts to keep them closed and it gives me some insight as to what normal imps would have to go through. If it is your instinct to correct your balance with your wings, it requires extraordinary effort not to do so. Luckily for me, the instinct kicked in rather late so I have a solid base to work with where I was not using wings.


    Harijia doesn''t need me on the fifth or sixth day either and the waiting is wearing on me. Finally on the seventh day she calls me to her as I appear at the far end of the corridor. I approach cautiously, weary of surprises. When I reach her room, a visibly irritated Harijia is slithering back and forth in the small space.


    "I have not received a reply to my remark in my weekly report. You don''t need to come here any more," she begins. It seems as if she is about to say more, but stops herself. "Enough. Now, go away."


    She doesn''t need to tell me twice and I return to my exercises. When exiting the tunnel, the little impling is waiting for me. It''s still following me around for much of the time. Often it will copy what I''m doing and the obstacle course practice is already showing a strengthening of its limbs. It''s not too different from what I did at first, looking at what others did before choosing to do something of my own. I was just a bit less obvious about it. It annoys me and raises my mood to be used as example this way in equal measure.


    I don''t see Harijia until another week passes. The mark on my head has stopped glowing for a day already, so it''s my time to go into the cell again. I briefly consider asking how it is going with regards to my irregular summoning, but decide not to. If she doesn''t bring it up, then neither will I. Surprisingly, she doesn''t speak to me at all which is unusual for the chatty serpent, especially when it is about her favorite subject, her master and devils. There is some anger bleeding out through her movements, but I can sense it is not directed at me.


    Once I''m in the cell she repeats the ritual, the runes light up and the white light and crushing sensation take me. This time there is no recognition. It''s not Ara and I don''t believe it is Mari. Returning to my senses, the first thing I notice is the lack of light. It''s a starry night above me while below me a glowing circle is fading. In front of me is a devil. The red skin and horns are unmistakable. Left of him is a human in dark brown robes and on his right side four other swarmlings, who are cowering and trying to look small.


    Two of the other swarmlings are shaped a bit different, like I am. One still has wings and looks like he should be able to fly, the other is a spawn who looks like she is almost twice the size of a normal one. The other two are a normal spawn and a scamp, almost looking out of place to me in this company.


    The devil terrifies me. If the one who re-did the rune on my head was scary, this one tops it easily. At least a head taller, it is wearing a dark red robe with armor made of some kind of scales underneath. While devils normally don''t have claws, this one makes up for it by wearing heavy clawed gauntlets. He simply exudes an aura of power and threat easily recognizable to me and my fellow swarmlings. It''s the devil who speaks first.


    "This should be enough." He glances at the human beside him. "Or do you want me to call in more than this?"


    The man slowly shakes his head. "No, the guards are.... distracted, and there are no warriors inside. This should be enough. Just make it quick."


    It surprises me I can understand him, but his language is very similar to what Ara uses. Am I in the same place?


    "Very well. Kill all the humans who are inside or enter the building there." Pointing with a hand over my head I look in that direction.


    There is something there I barely recognize as a building. It''s fully made of wood and most of it only one story high. Compared to the structures of the devils or the place Ara has her room, it''s weak and tiny.Feeling for certain I shouldn''t challenge this devil I turn around and start for the building in a quick run. Overhead is some flapping as the imp flies ahead. Surprisingly, I''m the fastest.


    The door is closed and I don''t even bother with it. Harijia tried to explain door handles once, but my claws don''t allow me to use them easily. This looks like the front of the building and if I''ve learned one thing by now about bigger buildings, it''s that they often have more than one way in and the main entrance is the hardest to get through. Veering off to the side, I make my way around. Behind me, the large spawn slams into the door, making it creak, but it doesn''t break.


    At the rear of the house I find a smaller building attached to it which smells of animals. While it is mostly closed, there is an open window at the top. As I climb up the horses below start to get unruly. The stench of horse manure and piss coming through the window at the top nearly makes me gag and it doesn''t get much better when I climb through. That humans can stand any of this is probably only because of their tiny nose.


    Inside are two horses and another closed door. It doesn''t look half as sturdy as the one outside. I might be able to carve through it with my claws in a bit of time, but time may be running out. Humans are shouting inside the house, asking what is going on. The noise of the other swarmlings trying to break through the doors and the shutters must have woken them up. As I consider my options it all becomes irrelevant as the door is opened from the inside. A young-ish man and woman, as far as I can tell, stumble through, the man immediately going towards a rack that holds leather things.


    The woman still has time to shout, "leave the saddles, we''ll ride bareback!" Then I drop from above on the shoulders of the man and her scream turns into one of fear. My claws dig deep in the flesh of his neck, piercing the windpipe and his breathing immediately becomes troubled as blood instead of air flows down to his lungs. As good as dead, he is no longer worthy of any attention and I turn to the woman. Before I attack her I lick my muzzle clean. Human blood has less taste, but is still quite good and it seems a shame to waste the man. However, work first.


    After her scream the woman has not reacted. She seems frozen in fear, which simply makes it easier for me. I jump at her and grab hold of her shoulders with my front claws while my rear claws pierce her just under her ribs. Just like when the devils caught me and first brought me to Harijia, I push with my rear limbs and my claws tear through flesh and guts. It''s much easier this time, probably because the clothing is not as tough. The woman lets out a strangled cry that turns into a moan as she falls backwards. The way further inside is now clear.


    Through the door is a room with shelves with stuff on it. It probably serves a purpose, but most I don''t recognize. Some hammers and other tools are the best I can do. A door on the far end opens into a corridor. Several other open doors line it, but before I can take a closer look a crash, a roar and a scream further ahead signify the big spawn breaking through the front door. The shout is from a human, the roar from the swarmling, so I assume they''re now fighting. As I move to head there, a sound warns me something is happening behind me. From one of the open doors a man has appeared and he is running towards the exit.


    I''m much faster, so it''s nothing to worry about. No effort is needed in any case. As the man steps through the door he immediately stumbles out again, backwards, with the normal looking scamp biting his throat. It must have followed me when I went around the building, found the way by itself or was attracted by the blood. It doesn''t matter, the man is dead.


    The question now is where next. Ahead is the room with the entrance. Sounds of fighting are coming from there, making it both attractive and not. There is also a staircase leading up. By the sounds coming from there, the imp still hasn''t managed to break through one of the shutters. There are also some interesting scents in that direction. Having made up my mind, I head up. First the stairs go to the side, then they turn around to go back over the corridor I was in before. At the top I find myself in a long, straight corridor, again with doors. What is it with humans and doors?

 19. Orders are Orders

    There are three doors on each side of the corridor and one on the far end. From back there screaming and wood ripping sounds like the imp finding his way inside. As I turn to the first door on my left side my claws flex a little. It''s not that hard, I''ve seen Ine and Harijia do this all the time, I can do this too. Stretching as far as I can I carefully place the hooks on the end of my claws on top of the handle and press down. Unfortunately, this way I can''t put enough force on it.


    Sliding my hand up so my knuckles wrap around the hands feels unnatural. Yes, they can bend that way. If they ever do while I''m walking or running they''ll make a mess of my ... palms? What are those called on me anyway? It allows me to grasp the handle and pull down. Push or pull? There must be some way to know, but pushing is easier. Fortunately it''s the right direction and the door swings open slowly. If I''m going to mix with species like this more often, which seems likely, I need to practice this. When it''s far enough I slip through the gap.


    Beyond is a room with two beds, two desks and a closet. The desks and the beds are smaller than Ara''s and the human smell in the room is less pungent. Could this be where humans keep their younglings? It''s not hard to figure out where the human is hiding, but curiosity gets the best of me. A quick running search of the room reveals nothing new, though the presence of cloth animals puzzles me. Is it some way to teach them to hunt? After tearing them apart I find nothing interesting inside.


    It''s time to deal with the human. It is hiding in the closet, a good choice. Instead of a handle, the door has a knob. I''m not even going to try opening that. Standing in front of it I evaluate my options. Leaving it in there is not an option, the devil who summoned me would get angry. Am I afraid of him? Yes, yes I am very afraid of him. Since the knob is not an option, tearing into it remains an option. The thing as only one door, unlike Ara''s which has two. There is a crack along one side. It''s worth trying to insert a claw in there and pry it open.


    With a small effort one claw goes in. The door is heavier than I expected and I manage to open it a bit multiple times before it falls back again every time. With the glances I get inside I can see two figures, big eyes fixed on me, staring silently. Finally I manage to open the door far enough to wedge my head in before it closes. It barely stings when the door hits me as it tries to close. For a moment the humans and I just stare at one another. Hissing in satisfaction I start to wiggle in further. One of the small humans tries to kick me and I lash out, scoring some deep gashes on its legs.


    The two break their silence and start to scream. One is trying to push itself farther away from me, into the far corner of the closet. The other jumps against the door, pushing it open and tripping in the process. I''m not about to let it get away And I jump at it before it gets up. It is lying on the ground and trying to crawl away when I start to claw myself up its leg. It starts to flail and when I reach the lower body, it tries to hit me, kick me or roll me off. However, it is far too weak for that as my claws are firmly hooked in its flesh. I''ve suffered worse beatings than this already.


    At the crotch area I start biting. My senses tell me there is a big blood vessel there, if I can rupture that it will bleed out by itself. Unfortunately I need my claws to hold on or it would have been over sooner. Once again I realize these teeth are not made for killing, or at least not for killing fast. The same is true for the claws, usually. Swarmlings hunt by exhausting and bleeding the prey, not by making a swift kill. A gush of warm blood on my face lets me know I''ve reached my target and I abandon this body in order to focus on the fully alive one in the closet.


    As I turn around I see it is still there, frozen in fear. It is a situation I can understand, but not the best reaction right now. Finding the best reaction in bad situations is something I''m still learning about, but this one will not have the same chance. As I approach the scent of piss fills my nose. The eyes of the small human follow me as I walk up close. It barely flinches as I draw a claw along its neck, cutting the arteries. We look at one another until the life fades from its eyes.


    As quiet as it has become in this room, the rest of the building is loud with shouting. From the far room I can hear an adult male and shrieks from the imp. Below are the voices of two shouting males and a female, the laughter of the devil and the shrieks of the normal spawn and the scamp. Work here done, I go back through the still open door. In the corridor with the closed doors there are now two more doors open, the one across one door down and the one two doors down. I quickly go to the open door of both both rooms and inhale, one smells female and the other male, but neither is in the room. I go back to the first door on the right which is still closed and manage to open it first try. It''s also empty. The smell is somewhat familiar, reminding me of the man and woman in the stable.


    The sounds downstairs have mostly stopped, the only real sound to be heard is the devil talking with someone. It sounds like he is playing, in a way. From the end of the corridor the sounds have also stopped. Since I have not heard the imp trying to leave the room, I''ll have to assume whatever human is in there won. It isn''t coming out so far. As for me, I''m fumbling with the last door which doesn''t want to open. It has a handle, and I''m using it correctly, but it will not open. Eventually I notice some kind of bar near the handle, just a bit higher.


    I know this! It''s something to keep the door closed and it''s very similar to one of the puzzles in the cavern, as well as one that Ara made me fail in the tests there. It''s just out of reach and there is no easy way to reach it. Out of options I stick my claws in the wood of the door and climb up. With my left claws I manage to slide the bar far enough so the door can open, then I repeat the same I''ve done with the other doors and get it open. The room beyond stinks of two people. One of them is the same as the man from door across the corridor, the other is new, but since it''s mixed with the one I already know it''s hard to get a clear sense of it. The source of the scent is sitting next to the bed, facing the door.


    It is a female, unarmed and not threatening. On my approach she shifts slightly in apprehension. What I''d first taken as part of the bed is actually a rope going to near her neck. I cautiously make my way to her. Something is strange in her scent, so I need to get closer for a better sniff. When I''m just a meter away I carefully test the air. The female flinches back at the unexpected action and her fear tastes sweet in the air, along with something else. She isn''t human! Extending a claw at her makes her throw herself to the side, but my purpose is achieved. Showing through her hair is a pointy ear! She is like the mage in the dungeon, an elf. I''d almost made a mistake by killing an elf instead of a human.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Footsteps on the stairs draw my attention away and I turn around to head for the open door. My tail lightly lashes the elf, drawing blood, but she doesn''t scream. Scuttling back to the corridor I''m in time to see the devil and the human who was here when I was summoned emerge at the top of the stairs, followed by the scamp. They walk straight for the door at the far end. For a moment the devil looks at me and I can feel the question being asked.


    "Not human." I hiss at him and he looks away with a small smile. Upon reaching the door, the devil pulls back one hand and punches the door.


    I''m not sure if he used all his strength, it didn''t look like it. The door breaks lengthwise in two, one part hanging uselessly on the hinges and the other falling on the ground, a small bar similar to the one this door had visible on the inside part of it. I follow them into the room. It''s bigger than the other rooms and there is a dead female and a severely injured older male sitting on the floor. The body of the imp has long since evaporated back to the magic it came from, lucky bastard. The older man stares at the devil, but is visible shaken when he sees the human with us.


    "Durian! You? Why!" Water is pouring from his eyes, tears, and snot is pouring from his nose. The room smells of blood and fear and most of the fear is his.


    The man named Durian steps forward and bows over the older man. "Revenge, Theo. You probably don''t even remember her, my Tia, but your family used her for their entertainment."


    I can''t see his face, but he sounds upset.


    The two stare at one another for a few seconds before the man named Theo breaks their eye-contact and looks for the devil.


    "Your kind are like mercenaries, right? Whatever he offered you, I''ll double it! Or just name your price! Anything, just stop this!" He is begging, raising his hands in supplication.


    The devil for his part looks bored, but answers with a toothy, predatory smile. "If you know that much, you also know we don''t easily break a contract. I also doubt you can match his offer... considering your current position."


    At this time Durian has taken a long knife from somewhere on his person and moves closer to Theo. As they lock eyes again he rams it to the hilt in Theo''s chest. Meanwhile, the devil has drawn our attention, pointing to the human named Durian. He''s a human and he entered the house, but since he had been with the devil I thought him exempt. It appears I was wrong.


    "About our contract," Durian begins.


    "Your life energy and all the debts and favors owed to your soul, that was the deal," the devil cuts in.


    "Yes, about that."


    Before he can continue the scamp and me jump at his exposed back. As he whirls around he grabs me out of the air with one hand and rams the knife into my chest with the other. With my front limbs I rake his arms and he is forced to drop me and the knife both. The scamp meanwhile has taken a hold on a leg and with a well placed bite takes the tendons at his knee out. Durian folds to the ground and we both start to shred the parts of his body we can reach. He has stopped struggling now and is just repeating the word ''Tia'' over and over again.


    The human stops breathing we stop and I cough up some blood, the knife may have pierced a lung. Steps behind me warn me of the devil approaching and I turn to face him. He bends forwards to grab the scamp and studies the back of its head. I hear him mumble ''unmarked'' when he drops the scamp and turns to me. As much as I want to flee, this is a moment where I should stay still. He picks me up and studies me too.


    "Redcliff? Be glad, minion, you have proven useful to me. If I remember, maybe I''ll ask for you to serve me in a few years. Your name?" Something warm flows through me and my breathing becomes easier.


    I can''t see his face, nor do I want to. When he drops me to the ground I turn around slowly, crouching low in submission all the time. The devil is blurring at the edges. Is that what I look like at the end of the summon? "Name, gal."


    "You''ll have a few minutes before you will return. Go and do what you want." With that he turns around and heads for a small cabinet which is standing against a wall with several bottles on it. Opening a bottle he smells it and walks to a bloodstained chair, sits down and takes a drink. The blurring is getting more pronounced, but so slow. Maybe it is because the summoner is dead?


    For now it''s time to do what I want, which is to get out. Through the corridor, down the stairs and to the stables. In the stables I hesitate. The woman I gutted crawled over to the man. She is now dead, but the man is not. He is breathing weakly, but it''s more surprising he is still breathing at all. The woman''s hands are near his neck, maybe she knew some healing magic? If so, she should have used it on herself, everyone knows females are more important to preserve than males. Females are the future queens of a colony and while there should be males plenty to serve them, they need only a few to start a new colony. Humans are strange.


    My claws hover near the man''s neck when I notice a slight blurring of my own. No time to waste. The devil is gone so I don''t have to kill and can do what I want. Up the wall, retracing my steps through the narrow window at the top and I''m outside. I can hear the scamp following me. We''re both happier outside than inside and this is the path we know. Outside I first take a better look around. The building is on the top of a low hill with little to no trees. Small clusters of trees spread around, but most of the area is rolling fields.


    All I do is run, snap at a rabbit which doesn''t get out of the way in time and run some more. It is delicious to be outside. The scamp following me has dropped behind and is devouring the rabbit I injured, but I keep going. Upon reaching some trees I climb up. My vision is starting to get blurry now, if only a little. Just a little longer! I reach the top and gaze at the sky. There is a moon, and stars, myriad scents in the air. Slowly everything turns white and the scenery becomes the door of the cell.


    Almost immediately the headache starts. For a while I ignore it and just stare ahead. Killing felt good, though an actual hunt would have been better. In a way, it was more enjoyable to swipe at the rabbit than it was to jump on the back of the man. I shake my head and get up, moving to the back wall and pressing my head against the device. The pain recedes and I feel the well-being spread again, as before. Harijia, who had been watching me, opens the door to the cell.


    I hesitate to tell her about the devil, but if anyone knows what he meant it''s her. She notices I want to say something and pauses before moving on.


    "Devil summoned, said I good." Talking is easier every time, but I think I learned something from Ara. Make them think I can''t do something and they won''t bother me about it. "Said Redcliff. Said find, few years."


    By the end, Harijia is nodding along.


    "This place, this whole area is Redcliff because of the red cliffs. It''s good you have met an agent already, but don''t get your hopes up. They rarely remember someone like you for long." She is nodding enthusiastically by now. "In a few years you should be moving on to the next stage and the best demons get the best agents."


    Seeing my look of confusion she continues. "An agent helps you get good summons, ones that will make you strong. My master is my agent."


    This only raises additional questions, but her posture indicates no further questions will be answered.


    It''s time to head back to the normal life again. The most important thing is to get the limbs on my back in working shape. They''re very bare-bones still, with barely any strength in them. I wonder how muscles would work on them but decide not to dwell on it. My body probably knows more about it than I do. What I can do is training and more training. I also need to find a door to open and close.


    As I exit the corridor to the cells I''m slightly surprised the small impling isn''t waiting for me. It''s not a problem as I need someone stronger to train with now. I don''t know if that will speed up the way my body grows after a summon, but there is only one way to know for sure. The difficult part will be to find someone willing and figuring out how not to hurt the other. My steps take me to an area where I know swarmlings hang out, to see what I may find there.

 20. Sparring?

    It''s not the first time I''ve considered this, but I really should pay more attention to others. I know who the dominant swarmlings are and how to avoid their attention, the general strengths of many of the others, but I don''t know much about any. When we''re hanging around, there is no need to communicate much. All of us just sharing the fact we''re not alone here. Without the need to hunt or forage, none feel the need to engage in any interaction other than to affirm ones position within the group.


    I don''t want to disturb the older members and I''m sure the others of my age and size feel the same. On their part, the elders seem completely uninterested in anything but their own routines. The goal, then, is to find a willing lower middle-ranker. They seem the most approachable and useful for my purpose. The one who let me ride on him during my first feeding time here is my first target, if I can find him. There are always dozens of us in various summoning cells and not everyone hangs out at the same places. Again I repeat to myself, "pay more attention to others".


    I hesitate in my steps. On the other hand, there is no rush. From everything I''ve learned I''ll be down here for several years. It''s an option to wait it out and, when it''s time, to move on and away from this place. It''s disheartening but I can see the attraction. There are no queens, there is no colony, there is nothing to drive us onwards, to drive me onwards. Before my motivation slips away, I grab on to my anger. Ara making me lose, Mari being cruel. The devils for looking down on all of us. A shiver starts at my head and moves down my back to end at my tail.


    Quickly I start walking again, then I speed up to a trot. My destination is a smaller clearing with a big tree stump in the centre. Scamp-likes like to hang out in and under the trees at that clearing, with the bigger ones taking the tree stump at the centre to lounge on. I believe I''ve seen familiar figures there, so it''s worth checking out.


    At the clearing I find several dozen swarmlings relaxing in various places and positions. I''m in luck and the bigger one with the armored back is there too. At my careful approach he opens one lazy eye to regard me for a moment before ignoring me. It''s as good as permission to approach. Carefully moving around him I start by inspecting his back. Back then I never took the chance to inspect them so this is a good opportunity. After all, every single one of us gets these aberrations because somehow part of us desires them.


    It''s an interesting thing to study. They''re not large, massive plates as I originally thought but rather sections of tightly overlapping scales, much like a snake. They are thinner towards the edges where they rub over other plates and, as I soon find out, quite sharp. With one claw I try to lift one up, mindful of the sharp edge. It doesn''t move much, but enough to take a peek underneath. A fresh looking scale, smaller in size, lies there. As I lift up one after another I see the size varies. Probably they grow until they displace the old scale.


    On lifting the seventh scale I find what I had been looking for. A small blood sucking insect is nestled just below. It''s flat enough so it is unlikely to be squished just by movement. With my tongue I reach out and snatch it up for a little snack. A soft, satisfied grunt lets me know the big guy noticed what I did. Taking a step back, I look at the task at hand. He is broader, taller and longer than I am. The scales mainly cover his shoulders, hips, spine and tail, but there is some slight scaling along the flanks too. This may take a while and is not really what I came here for. I still continue for a while. The insects taste good and there is no harm in the big guy liking me.


    It takes some time before another swarmling joins me. It is of a similar size to me. Its proportions look similar to a canine or feline. It''s quite a common shape and it would be easy to mistake them for the real thing, if it wasn''t for the third pair of limbs halfway. They also smell different, but that may not be something everyone would notice. It''s coming to assist in grooming our superior and gather some goodwill and I''m happy to let it.


    During a small pause I lock eyes with it and yip playfully, twisting my tail left and right above me. At first it doesn''t respond, so I crouch low, readying myself to jump. Now I get a reaction as it narrows its eyes and responds in kind. With a quick twist I turn around and whip my tail at it, striking it on the nose with the flat of my tail-blade. The tip still draws a bit of blood and the scampling looks shocked for a moment before jumping at me.


    Jumping at where I was, as I''ve ran off already. The way my body developed has made me at least as fast and probably gives me as much stamina as that one. Only its extra set of limbs give it an advantage in mobility and stability. A quick rush up one tree with some of the smaller swarmlings, through the branches and down another tree similarly populated by smaller swarmlings and our group of two has become a group of five, then six of us running around, chasing and wrestling.


    Me and my pursuer have returned to the scene of my strike, where the big scaled swarmling is looking on with some amusement. Not all the big ones seem amused, some are upset by something disturbing their rest. I don''t care, not this time. As me and my adversary run around him the scaled one can''t resist. As I pass by its face once again it casually lashes out and knocks me over with the back of one set of claws.


    I take a tumble and the scampling that had been chasing me is on me before I recover. It quickly bites me on the rump before backing off with a smug attitude. My attention is on the bigger scampling, however. It''s what I''ve been waiting for, trying to draw the older swarmlings into the games.. Crouching low again I slowly stalk my new target who eyes me warily. The smaller scampling catches on to my intention and starts his own stalking, circling around to attack from behind.


    I grin at him and hiss, "Play", drawing out the vowel, then I ask a question. "What name?"


    His only answer is a guffaw as he gets to his feet. "Torn. Name, Torn."


    "Play with Gal, Torn." I''ve approached as close as I want to for now and start to circle in the opposite direction of the smaller scampling.


    In answer he charges at me. In just a few steps he has already reached me, forcing me to jump away. The direction I jump in is forward. It worked fine with the big cat, but Torn has more limbs and one of the middle pair bowls me off to the side. I''m quickly followed by my former adversary. We disentangle and start again. Some others have taken notice and are joining in with small yips and hisses of excitement. Torn, for his part, raises his head high and growls. It''s an actual growl, low and rolling around the clearing.


    Since there is no actual threat in it, all it does is add to our enthusiasm. The six of us start to surround Torn and soon our part of the clearing is a mess of tumbling bodies, jumping and screeches. By unspoken consensus, our goal is to rip a scale off his body while Torn tries to knock us senseless enough to give up. This is what I wanted! The chaos of running, jumping and tumbling bodies, pushing myself to even touch a superior opponent! We duck, weave, dodge and collide. Our teamwork is bad, initially, but improves as we play.


    Something feels right about this. This is normal for a swarm and for young swarmlings, to learn this way. Because I was taken when I was just a few weeks old it''s something I never experienced. Neither did many, if any, of the others. My distraction almost costs me some bruises in a near-collision with another swarmling. Torn takes full advantage of this and swipes both of us away in one movement. Tumbling to a stop a few meters away I take a moment to observe.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    Torn is in a loose encirclement with different swarmlings around him trying to draw his attention by feinting, hissing and other tricks. When he is distracted one or more will try to attack from his blind side. Sometimes it works and one of us gets a short hold on him and can try to remove a scale, but the older scamp is wise to this trick and more often than not, those trying to take advantage of the distraction provided by the others find themselves the target of a well placed counter. As a result, we''ve all become more cautious. Even if he doesn''t actually use his claws, it still hurts. This hesitation plays further to his advantage as it makes us slow down in order to be able to dodge.


    Something shifts in my mind. "This is how animals would fight, though maybe a bit better," I think to myself as another two of us collide. It''s starting to dawn on me that those accidents may not be as accidental as I thought. Maybe Torn is provoking it in some way? Regardless, it''s time to rejoin the fray! I charge right in, ignoring the usual bait tactics. Torn turns to face me, but instead of backing down I keep going. It seems to catch him off-guard for a moment and that hesitation is enough for me to get out unscathed. Meanwhile another swarmling makes a jump from behind successfully and lands half on the back and half on the flank of Torn. It''s the best result so far.


    Another small shift in how I view a fight. A distraction or a feint is better if it''s close to the real thing. Making noise may work on something that is stupid, but me or Torn will know it for what it is. To be certain I do the same a few times more, until Torn figures it out. It does make the game more interesting, especially once the others start copying me. It also requires more coordination and the number of times we hinder one another increases too. It needs work, but there is a potential useful thing here too.


    Some time later we''ve all collapsed in the centre of the small clearing. The others relaxing here have long made space for the snarling and screaming tumble of bodies that was us. It was a resounding win for Torn, his experience giving him a clear advantage over us on top of his greater strength and stamina. To my even greater amazement he even managed not to injure any of us. Well, not seriously at least. Our claws left some long scratches on him, but the blood has already stopped flowing.


    While my body is resting, my mind is not. The greatest gain from all this is the way I think of a fight. It''s not just action and reaction. It''s also more than my plan when I trained first with Ara, which was ''get close and on her back''. This goes deeper, to actual moves that would help me and others gain an advantage. Moments from our game keep replaying themselves in my head and I start to think of what I could have done different or better. Mostly about how I can prevent running into my allies at the wrong time.


    The whole process comes down to ''what if''. What if I had stepped this way? what if the scampling across from me had done something else? The slew of ''what-ifs'' is rather daunting and I''m running into one of the hardest things to tackle. To be able to apply a what-if to someone else, I need to know more about them. Knowing the general traits of an animal may be enough, but it wouldn''t do for devils, humans or even swarmlings. However, to even consider trying to understand others drains my energy and enthusiasm. With a sigh I decide everything will be better after a nap.


    In the next few days I go looking for other cooperative swarmlings. A small squad of young imps, scamps and spawns starts to follow me around, as there is always something interesting going on. The small imp who followed me around earlier has joined up too, but seems to have found more than just me to hang out with. It''s hard to find someone to play with. Torn refused to react when I went to him next day. Some of the older swarmlings just chase us off, others need a little pestering before they get into the right mood. It''s only very rarely that one of them joins in our games voluntarily. With my new ''thinking about others'' I reason it''s because it''s quite tiring to have a group of young swarmlings chase you. It doesn''t matter as this isn''t about them, this is about me.


    The days pass by quickly with my new training, sleeping, eating and just hanging out with the others. I''ve learned a bit about them, but I''m the only one with a name. If anything sets me apart from them, it''s Ara. I''m sure the dungeon with Mari wouldn''t have given me a name, or as much to learn. I still won''t forgive her, but at least I should give her the chance to explain herself. It would be a shame to give up all the advantages she brings me.


    It''s time for the next summon before I know it. Harijia is waiting for me when I return from feeding and waves me over. As I head over to her the few young swarmlings who had been walking after me already break off to find their own entertainment. Harijia follows them with her gaze while I wait for her attention.


    "That could turn into a troublesome thing if you push it too far, see that you don''t," she says as she locks eyes with me.


    I have no clue what she means but nod anyway.


    This time, when the world turns white and I feel the summon take hold, a small spot on my back starts to burn cold. Dread and anticipation fill me, I''ve been looking forward to this.


    The moment I feel I can move my body, I crouch, ready to spring into action. When my vision returns I look for the target. She is hovering a few meters away, a little up in the air with a smug look on her face. Either I''m bigger than last time, or she''s smaller. I''m guessing I grew again.


    Kicking off I launch myself forwards. One, two, three bounds then I leap up. I can see Mari''s face change from smug to surprised to alarmed before she gets out of the way. As I sail past I snap out with one of the spikes on my back, a bit higher than she was before. Even while they''re quite limber now, they don''t have much strength yet. There is no need for strength here. There is no sensation of hitting anything, but a yelp tells me I hit a wing. I was right in guessing she would try to gain height. After landing it is one, two steps to slow down and hook in a front claw on he ground as a pivot point to turn.


    Mari is on the ground, but already standing up. One wing looks a little damaged and she looks very upset when she turns to face me. Crouching back again I push off once more to try and get her. As fragile as she is, I don''t need to pierce her skin to kill her. I can smash her, rip her head off or choke her. Fear enters her eyes. A scream and a wave of her hand means a push with that force thing of her. Before my next stride I bring my rear limbs underneath me and jump. My tail gets hit by the force which pushes me off-balance in mid air, but most of me dodges the attack. Below me I see Mari flying up and backwards, slightly hindered by the injured wing.


    "Stay away from me, beast!" She screams at me.


    A twist of my back at the zenith of my jump turns me right again. Mari has now gotten out of my range and is preparing to cast something again. This time when I land I turn to face her and brace myself, hunching over instinctively. A crackling noise warns me the lightning is coming. Instead of hitting me like before it hits me right where my back-spikes are. As it travels through them to my front limbs and down into the ground I''m completely immobile. Once it leaves me I''m left in full control, no trembling and twitching like last time. As I raise my head and look into Mari''s eyes, I feel like I can sense her shock.


    Again I run towards her and jump. When my claws reach her there is an explosion throwing me back and bouncing me off the floor. Last time that took my tail off. Mari is desperately trying for height while preparing another spell. yet again I take a running leap. This time there is nothing blowing me back. My claws clamp down on her waist. This allows me to bite down on her leg. There is no blood, but something inside breaks. Mari screams as together we fall back to the ground. Surprise attacks are the best option against magic throwing enemies.


    I still have a hold on Mari''s leg as we land and another crack informs me of something else than her leg breaking too. Her cries are now just of pain and fear. She throws one of the force attacks at me, but it only sends us both tumbling across the floor as I refuse to release her leg. Her being the lighter of us two makes her take the tumble much harder as she is flung around by my greater weight.


    I take the gamble that she will be stunned for a moment and release her leg to try and get at her head. She only moans in pain when I let go, which I take as a good sign. There is blood in the air now. As my summoner, I can''t pierce her skin, but the rocks still can. The devil last time showed it to me: killing your summoner, one way or another, is an option. As I gaze down on her squirming body and prepare to end her life a voice interrupts me.


    "Well done," followed by a clapping noise. The old elf mage Tarvinder is standing in the entrance to the room and smiling at me. I take a quick look around it dawns on me this is a new room, one I had not seen before.


    "Unfortunately, I have made an agreement with the dungeon and this fairy that I''d protect them somewhat." He seems to think for a moment. "Yes, so this will have to end here. Let it be a lesson to her and leave it at that."


    I glance between him and Mari, who still hasn''t regained her senses yet. Taking a step I place one claw on Mari''s chest and look at Tarvinder. Taking care to pronounce carefully I hiss my question at him. "Why would I?"

 21. Negotiations

    "My preferred method is to talk this over and come to an agreement," the elf says, "using force should always be a last resort."


    I stare at him as he rubs his forehead. Why would force be the last thing? Isn''t it the best way to make others respect your strength? I sneak a glance at the unconscious Mari. Perhaps not. There is a lesson here, don''t push too hard on those weaker than me, or they may do crazy things like I did. Still, he did imply he could use force. In response I push down a little harder on Mari''s chest. A rasping moan escapes from her.


    Tarvinder starts tapping his chin while looking at the ceiling. "Now, what could we offer you. I know!" With one hand he points at Mari while looking at me again. "Wouldn''t you like to hurt her more than just this once?"


    I look at Mari, then back at Tarvinder. "No." There is absolutely no need to keep her alive for that reason. Kill her and be done with this place.


    "Oh." Tarvinder remains silent for a moment. "I''m very knowledgable, I could answer some questions?"


    As tempting as it is to hear things from someone else than Harijia, I''m not sure it''s worth it. There is no guarantee he''ll be able to answer the things I want to know.


    Sensing my hesitation, Tarvinder presses on. "I can explain a lot about the magic here."


    Now that grabs my attention! "Teach me?" I ask, trying not to sound too eager.


    My hopes are dashed soon when Tarvinder shakes his head. "You''ll have to learn it at your home world. Magic is a fundamental and natural extension of your body and how it interacts with the world. When all is said and done, you''re not really here."


    It''s hard to argue with that, but I''m not satisfied with the answer. Or perhaps I just don''t like the answer.


    "There may be something of use, but it''s in my room. If you care to follow me?" With a few steps Tarvinder is in the short corridor behind him and turns a corner. The sound of a door opening can be heard. "Are you coming?"


    I pick up Mari as I''m not going to leave her behind, ignoring her moan of pain. It''s a bit tricky as she''s smaller than me, but not small enough to hold in a claw. I settle for clasping her against my chest with her limbs hanging down. They''re shorter than mine so they won''t bother me by catching on or bumping into things.


    The way the situation is now feels a little frustrating. It felt like I was in control at first, but now I''m not any more. Tarvinder is not going along, but is setting the pace and tone. Briefly I consider killing Mari now, but he has me by the curiosity. Hopping along on three limbs I follow him. Past the short corridor and the bend is indeed an open door. As I pass through the doorway it feels like I pass through something intangible which tickles my skin.


    Immediately after, standing in the main corridor, I feel some kind of flow going down the corridor. It is not actual moving air, but something is flowing from my right off to my left. Further down the corridor I see Tarvinder standing by yet another door. My gait is a little uneven, causing Mari to groan again, followed by some mumbled words. The only one I can hear is ''momma''. Just in case she is about to wake up, I tighten my grip.


    Tarvinder opens the door for me to yet another corridor. I don''t remember the dungeon layout being like this. As if reading my mind, Tarvinder explains. He''s even more into telling me things I don''t ask than Harijia, but without telling me how great devils are which makes for a nice change.


    "It''s been a while since you were here last and the dungeon elemental expanded quite a bit. The room back there is specially made by me for summoning rituals." He looks a bit smug as he tells me this.


    "The flow you''re no doubt noticing is what people call the breath of the dungeon, but would be more accurately be its farts." Tarvinder chuckles at this. "It''s a waste-flow of energies these tunnels funnel away from the being itself. This interferes with summoning and teleportation spells and rituals, so we had to shield the room. In case you find it uncomfortable, my own quarters are similarly shielded."


    I''m grateful for that. The sensation is unsettling as something seems to be streaming past me, like wind, but there isn''t anything. It''s very disconcerting.


    A few corridors further I''m very certain the layout is nothing like I remember. We have reached Tarvinder''s quarters, but now they are off to one side of a second large corridor, no longer a chamber in the line of the only main corridor. As we enter I feel the same prickling sensation on my skin and the flow stops and I shiver in relief. The room is not quite as comfortable as the summon room, though. Where the corridors felt like standing in a stream, this place is like a pond. I can still feel that strange energy swirling around me, but slower, not as disruptive.


    Tarvinder, meanwhile, is walking around his room, searching for something.


    "Get up on the desk, it''s a pain to talk to you on the floor," he says, pointing at the desk for a brief moment.


    Though Ara said I shouldn''t, she isn''t here and with a short hop I''m on the desk. Once there I just drop Mari and place my claw on her chest again. There is a brief moan of pain again. Tracking Tarvinder with my eyes, I keep my ears open for any other sounds. I have not forgotten about the big cat thing. It takes a while in which I slowly get bored, but suddenly the elf straightens up while holding something in his hand at eye height. It''s a greenish stone.


    "This is what people tend to call a monster stone or core. Monsters form them from waste mana they can''t get rid of normally. Here, smell it."


    As he extends his hand I''m tempted to take the stone and hand both. There is no reason to do so yet, so I lean over his hand instead. A short sniff before I withdraw fills my nose with a somewhat familiar scent, mixed with something stimulating.


    "Smells familiar? It''s yours. Mari brought it to me after you left, last time." He looks pensive for a moment. "Maybe I should have asked more questions about that." Tapping the stone on the desk a few times, he continues. "If it wasn''t for this I would have stopped you back in the summon room."


    As he looks at the stone he has a strange, intense look on his face. "Poison attuned stones are very hard to get my hands on, yet here you are, an endless and easy supply. Imagine all the experiments!"


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    I''m distracted by movement under my claw. It seems Mari has come to. Looking down I am surprised to see her broken arm and leg almost mended. Even I do not regenerate that fast, what is going on? Since she''s on her back she is looking up at me as I am looking down, but her gaze is unfocused and wandering. Whatever knocked her out is still affecting her. The strangest thing is that she''s smiling in a very meek way. While it is normal to submit to the stronger one in a fight for dominance, this wasn''t one. Was it? A snap near my head makes me crouch and brings my attention back to Tarvinder. He withdraws his hand in time, before the reflexive swipe of a claw hits it.


    "Focus, please. Leave the concussed fairy alone for a while, we were talking." With a few steps he has the length of the desk between us again. "I want you to keep coming back here, eat those oversized pill-bugs and make me lots of these stones. So you can''t kill Mari, or I''d have to summon a demon of my own and hope it''s a swarmling."


    Before I can say anything Tarvinder continues.


    "I''ll make sure you''re well rewarded. With this and some slivers of the dungeon core, I can make an elixir known for influencing the growth of a summon, that means you." He straightens up and looks at me. I get the feeling he expects me to thank him.


    I''m distracted by Mari who starts squirming again. For some reason she''s also stroking one of my claws and, purring? She looks me in the eyes a moment before speaking. "Imma call you Krak, for the sound of breaking bones. Like, crack!" Then her gaze drifts off again. Another snap near my head and another missed swipe at Tarvinder draws my attention away from the weird fairy.


    "I said, don''t mind the fairy. She''s only adolescent so don''t worry, this mood will pass as soon as the concussion clears up and her normal sunny self will come back." He states, leaving me with the question why her age matters. For now, he looks a bit grumpy about the interruption.


    Do I want to remain here and get this elixir thing for whatever it does, but have to deal with a fairy with mood swings and violent tendencies? It will hurt. I will have to learn to hide and run and stalk and remain undetected. If it wasn''t for the fairy it would be a nice place to come back to, but without the fairy I can''t come back here. The main question for now is, will I ever get another chance at killing her? Obviously, the answer is yes. I will only get stronger. The harder she fights me, the stronger I will become.


    If a lot of pain is what it takes, that''s fine. I''ve died more than once. I''ve had my bones broken, was stabbed, torn apart and crushed. Then I was frozen, burned and shocked, slammed into a wall, what could be worse? These ''games'' with Mari will be one step above what I can find with the swarmlings and I can do whatever I want, it''s not like she can really kill me.


    A grin starts to stretch my mouth, baring my teeth. Then I blink. Once, twice, a third time. When did I start to think like this? Last time I was here I had barely a thought beyond the ''now'', but here I am, thinking about the future. Before I can consider this further, Tarvinder interrupts me yet again.


    "Does this mean you''ll do it? If so could you please hand Mari here? I did make a promise to the dungeon to look after the place and she''s useful to me." He sounds almost apologetic about Mari.


    I nod at him before licking off some of the blood still sticking to Mari. Her wounds are almost completely healed, just some small scabs covering the places where her bones broke through the skin. Initially she looks at me with a frown. It quickly changes to one of pain as my saliva burns her skin and she cries out in a high pitched voice. She''s not resistant to acid, it seems.


    With that, I''m done here and hop off the desk. Before I leave the room I look back at Tarvinder who starts to bend over Mari. He sees me stop at the door. Now I have his attention. " ''Lixer, next time."


    Irritated he waves me away. "Yes, yes. Now shoo, I have a stupid fairy to check on."


    With a hiss I stop him. It''s fun to do the same as he did to me and interrupt. "Where is Seo?"


    My question appears to have surprised him. "What? He is around, doing what cave tigers do. It''s not like she has any more influence over him than she has over me." With that he turns back to Mary. Again I hiss.


    "What!" He yells. He really looks angry now.


    I can''t help but grin at this. "Nothing," I say before passing through the door.


    Out in the corridor I feel the flow of the dungeon again. I simply start walking in the direction of the flow until I find a larger corridor. Following the down-flow until I reach rougher stone takes a while. Tarvinder wasn''t lying when he said the place expanded. There are regular large intersections branching off in different directions. Where before it felt like a zigzag line with random connections, this feels like the web of a spider, folded into a cone in one direction going both up and down.


    There are still smaller tunnels connecting them, though some are not too small for me to use. Even though my spikes from before are now folded along my body, I''m too big for some of the smaller tunnels! Have I really grown that much? Maybe Ara has a point when she complains about my weight. As I peer down the narrow tunnel I see some movement up ahead. A toad-like creature slowly walks into view, chewing something. Sniffing the air, I only smell toad and bug, so it''s either eating another toad or it eats the bugs before they develop a shell it can''t crack.


    Slightly annoyed the easy pickings are out of my reach I shuffle backwards, because I no longer have the space to turn around. Before I reach the end, I step on something soft that hisses at me, then bites me. A little bit of euphoria lightens my mood as my rear limb convulses, digging my claw into whatever it is that bit me and shaking it around. The hissing stops and I can smell blood as the pressure of the bite on my limb goes away. Another new thing, some kind of serpent.


    Taking the time to thoroughly take it apart and taste test it, I decide the poison is only of low quality.


    Touring the tunnels I find many tasty new creatures, though sadly most of them do not carry toxins. Hunting the things Tarvinder called ''pill-bugs'' this time is much easier now I''m stronger. Only the biggest and heaviest are safe from me! All I have to do is tip them over, ignoring the little legs drawing blood in their frantic scrambling movement. This way I can tip over a few of them at a time and eat at my leisure. Sometimes I only take the nicest bits and leave the left-overs for the spiders.


    As I''m scooping out my latest kill I hear the sound of stone against stone coming from the direction of the previous victim. The one I''m eating now ran around a corner, so I don''t have a line of sight. Curiosity draws me off once again and I climb up a wall in order to approach from the ceiling. Progress is slow as my belly is a bit bloated. Too bad this eating doesn''t count for my growth, but it was delicious.


    It probably isn''t Mari, but it''s best to be cautious. Peeking around the corner I spot one of the two legged lizards I saw the first time I was here. It''s using a stone knife and a stone bowl to essentially do the same as I did, which is take all the edible bits out. Outrageous! This is my kill! Even if I don''t really want to eat more! Moving closer along the ceiling I spread my back-spikes and hiss at it. My tail is twitching back and forth nervously. Can I fight this? I''m sure I can! It''s a bit bigger than me, but I''ve never been stronger. Who would dare to challenge me!


    Startled by my hiss, the lizard-man-thing drops the bowl and the knife. It freezes for a moment before dashing away. I drop to the ground and pursue immediately, but am unable to catch up. I can run on almost any terrain, but this creature is specifically good at running in these uneven tunnels. Up ahead I see it duck through a curtain of vines which is covering the entrance of one of the larger sub-tunnels.


    As I do the same I receive an unpleasant surprise. The vines which didn''t do anything when the lizard-thing passed latch little hooks on me and jerk me upwards. With my limbs stretched in different directions it''s hard to free myself quickly, even my tail has some vines grabbing onto it. The rapid ascent quickly slows down. Looking up I can see a sac-thing to which I was being dragged.


    Being too heavy never seemed like a good thing, but it may have helped me. There is an occasional twitch as the vines try to draw me further up, but I just bob up and down. A slight struggle doesn''t help me and I''m not yet prepared to thrash about. I''m still full and hanging here isn''t uncomfortable. Surely the vines will get tired at some point and I''ll get back to the ground.


    Looking at the wall, I''ve dropped maybe halfway down. It''s been several hours already, as far as I can tell. In these caves, telling time is near impossible, so I just make a guess. It''s long enough. My food is mostly digested and I''m ready for more. With hanging lower also comes a little more movement. With my sharp claws I manage to free one limb after another. The tail is the hardest as it has been drawn way out. I need to use the vines to climb towards it in order to cut me loose.


    When I am finally back on the ground in a little pile of cut vines, the first thing I do is sniff around. The lizard-thing may be gone, but I can still find a trace of its scent. Lets find out where it is hiding!

 22. In Theory

    The scent is still strong even after a few hours.


    It surprises me a small amount that there is no scent I could detect of the lizard. Harijia and the other reptilian demons smell of something, but maybe that is more due to their differences as demons and not part of being a reptile. No matter, the scent of bug guts it was collecting is clear enough.


    If Mari''s reaction and the fact that nothing else ever bothered me is an indication, the stuff really stinks. This makes it more interesting to find out why the lizard-thing wants my food. From what I recall from my encounters with them last time their senses are sharp and their reactions quick. The lizards walk on two hind limbs and use their front limbs to grasp and manipulate, much like humans, but the forelimbs are shorter in comparison and it didn''t look like they''d be able to go on all four. Like this one they use stone tools, mostly, but considering the stone here that doesn''t mean much. The dungeon rock is much stronger than any kind I''ve tasted before.


    They''re not completely hostile to me. The ones who spotted me never attacked at least. Neither did they run away, which was understandable as I was no threat back then. This one did run away, which gives me some confidence. It will be interesting to see if there is a nest somewhere. The trail leads off into a smaller tunnel and I can''t help but grin. It''s time to hunt.


    At this I hesitate. A little doubt grows in my thoughts. I haven''t actually ever hunted anything. Not really. There was the time after hatching, but that was mostly foraging and some easily bait-able creatures. The occasional rodent, though they got away as often as not. We were only hatchlings after all. Since then I have only been fed. Going after the bugs is the closest I came to hunting. Maybe the second time I fought Mari? The kills at the building thing where the devil summoned me didn''t count. As annoying as it is, when I was trying to avoid and set an ambush for Mari was probably my only experience with hunting and being hunted.


    Taking that as my guideline means I don''t want to be seen or heard, I want to notice them before they notice me. Approaching from the ceiling is a good idea. It worked this time, but it gets more tiring as I get heavier. I guess I have to learn how to sneak properly. The biggest problem will be my claws. Unless I''m very careful they make a clearly audible clicking noise on the rocks. I wish I could make them not hit things like Ara can do to me. Is that possible? I close my eyes and try to remember that feeling of something flowing through me when Ara did magic through me.


    Some time later I have to admit my failure. I could feel nothing. Maybe it would take more time, maybe I was doing it wrong, but there was nothing. I''ll have to ask the elf later, see what he knows. For now, I have to start moving or the scent, however strong it still is, will fade.


    The clicking of my nails on the ground accompanies me down a natural stone cave corridor. It must have been with me always, but now I became aware of it I can''t un-hear it any more. Four quick clicks from the front followed by four clicks in the rear, a pause, then repeat for the other claws. The sound echoes down to any creature that might be listening, or maybe that is just my imagination. Trying to reduce the noise I slow down, trying to lessen the impact my claws make. Here and there are scatterings of loose stone I have to avoid and my pace becomes slower and slower.


    It is frustrating. I have waited too long and the scent is fading by now. Picking up the pace again I can once again hear the clicking of my claws echo ahead of me. Speeding up more, I try a different approach. If I can''t silence it, can I run fast enough that it doesn''t matter? The faster I run, the louder it gets and I can''t outrun the noise. Failure, again.


    I pause to inspect my one of my clawed paws. Three long sharp claws, a third as long as the whole digit, extend forward with a slight curve. A fourth and fifth claw sit on either side, somewhat shorter and I can move them to oppose the others to get a better hold while climbing. With some effort I pull my digits back so my claws bend back too. Carefully I start to walk. Maintaining this while walking is extremely taxing on muscles I never knew I had and I don''t last long.


    The scent of the lizard-thing is almost gone by now and I decide to leave it. Next time, perhaps. Sniffing the air again and stopping to listen and feel I become aware of two things. The first is that the flow of the dungeon has almost stopped here. Closer to what I assume is the heart of the dungeon I could feel it, but it got less and less as I moved away. here it is as strong as it was in the centre on my first visit.


    The second thing is a musky smell. A kind of smell I experienced two times from very close range. Cat. If I''m here anyway, I might as well check. Tarvinder said he wasn''t really part of the dungeon, so he isn''t actually Mari''s pet as I first thought. Moving as silently as I can I follow faint whiffs of air until the scent gets stronger and stronger. When I suspect I''m getting close I crawl up the wall. Some of the stone crumbles, not nearly as strong as closer to the heart, and I decide against moving along the ceiling.


    It is a miscalculation on my part. Seo is nowhere near as close as I thought he was. On my way I find markings deliberately left by the cat to spread his scent, warning everything that this is his lair. My limbs are already starting to tire when I find him. He is lying on a ledge halfway up the cave wall in a wide passage. Not big enough to call a room or chamber, just a very wide corridor. It gives a great vantage point to leap onto anything stupid enough to approach, while being fairly hard to spot from below. That''s what I think at least, since I have a good view thanks to my position higher up the wall.


    Seo appears to be sleeping. Hanging is less tiring than moving, so I take the time to observe the sleeping form. Greys and browns make the base colors with black stripes providing accentuation. Even with my perfect sight in the dark he would be hard to see if I hadn''t known he was nearby. A quick estimate makes him four times my height and roughly six times my length, but far bulkier. His tail seems useless, without any kind of stinger or sharp bit or heavy club anywhere. I stalk closer, looking at his rhythmically moving chest.


    Suddenly there is a slight stutter in the breathing and I freeze. Was I seen or sensed in some way? Shortly after the breathing is back to its normal pace. In, out, in, out, in... out. It''s only a few meters to the ledge now, I could make it in one jump. Do I dare? I''m still trying to reach a decision when Seo''s eyes snap open, staring straight at me. He raises his body slightly for a better position, stares and blinks once. It''s not a total surprise but I''m still startled badly and almost lose my grip as I try to scoot back. Seo opens his jaws wide and yawns, licks his face and rolls back.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    It''s slightly annoying he dismisses me so casually, but I don''t think I''m a threat to him either. Neither am I food, my body or parts of it dissolving into nothing instead of providing sustenance. I take a gamble and jump, landing on the ledge, next to Seo. This time he is the one who is startled and as he scrambles slightly upright he fixes me with a baleful glare and a snort. The only thing I can think of is to crouch down and wait. The worst that can happen is Seo killing me. With a rumble of annoyance Seo falls back again, keeping one eye open and trained on me.


    I release a breath I''d been unconsciously holding. For a moment I rearrange my scrambled thoughts. The gamble paid off. That summon where I fought the big cat, I still remember the sound of it running. Despite the claws, it didn''t sound like I do when I run. Perhaps Seo can show me the difference. Slowly I move to the paw that shows me its underside, with Seo eyeing me all the way. The paw has no claws I can see, which puzzles me. I''ve seen the scratch marks in the stone on the way here, Seo absolutely has claws. As I reach out to touch his paw I feel Seo''s attention sharpen and amazingly enough claws appear!


    Hidden inside his skin are his claws! In my enthusiasm I scramble to look at them up close. The other paw pushes me on the ground to stop me from moving, but I''m close enough. Sheaths of some kind to hold the claw and a muscle to make it slide in and out. With one claw I prod the paw and manage to make the claws come out again. The claws on his other paw are pricking my skin, but the fact that I''m not dead yet is encouraging.


    With some effort I manage to squirm out from under his claw. The gaze of Seo seems to be filled with curiosity, or maybe that is my own. Before I''m completely free, Seo traps my tail. I give it a few pulls, but it doesn''t budge. No matter, there is enough space for me to check the body of Seo. He seems more alert when I move to his belly, but still doesn''t kill me. Putting one clawed hand on his flank, I push lightly and am slightly disappointed when my claws fail to penetrate through the fur and the skin. It''s not as hard as the stone, but I just can''t find purchase on the skin through the smooth fur. I try again, adjusting the angle, but stop as Seo growls in warning. Instead I resume studying his claws, with the big cat studying me in return.


    It''s in a pensive mood that I return in the direction of the main cavern. Cats are strange creatures. Seo was doing absolutely nothing there on his ledge and seemed to be unwilling to budge. After studying his claws I tried the same tactics I had used on the older swarmlings to get them to play, but he just knocked me off the ledge. Having nothing else to do, I considered my options. I could tour the tunnels, looking for something else to eat. I could look for Mari and see if I could hurt her more without killing her. I could go and find Tarvinder and ask him questions. Or I could copy Seo and find a place to just do nothing. All have their own attractions.


    What I want now is to bother Tarvinder. I don''t like how he casually speaks about using me. Being used is almost normal now. The devils use me, Mari uses me, the others who summon me use me, Ara probably will use me for whatever she wants me to do too. None of them were so blunt about it. I don''t know why it matters to me, but it does. If I find something to eat or Mari on my way there, that would be a bonus. First things first.


    And the first thing is how to get there. With how much this place has grown and changed, navigation is more difficult than before. I settle on following what I can feel of the flow of the dungeon back upstream. In the beginning it''s hard to feel where it is stronger and where the flow comes from, but as I progress the difference becomes noticeable. A few times I take a detour as one of the rocky creatures sits motionlessly in the centre of a tunnel. They used to wander around and I wonder what changed.


    The first thing I find is the room I was summoned in this time. The door is still open and I step through out of curiosity. There is a prickling sensation again, but most importantly my thoughts become clearer, more open to me. It''s not like I feel like I was stupid before, but the thinking feels lighter and doesn''t drain my attention and energy as much. The flow and feel of the dungeon are almost completely absent here. I shake my whole body to loosen up. Even my muscles are more tense than normal. I guess that is the influence of an elemental creature?


    I won''t get any answers sitting here, though it would be nice to relax for a while. Giving myself a mental poke I step through the door again. Aware of it now, I can feel not only the flow, but also the pressure on my thinking and my body. As if a giant creature is looming over me, pressuring me with its mere existence. Since I''m inside such a creature, that may not be a wrong feeling.


    It''s a quick jog to Tarvinder''s chamber. There I feel the prickling sensation once again and a different feeling comes over me. The sense of the dungeon is stronger here, but somehow stagnant or maybe dormant. It''s not comfortable, but at least not as bad as the corridors here.


    Tarvinder is rubbing a crystal something with a small metal tool over some a bowl. When I walk through the door opening he glances up before focusing on his activity again.


    "I''ll be right with you," he mumbles without looking.


    It sounds strange to me, he is already here with me, but I think I understand what he means. Jumping on his desk I make myself comfortable in the middle of it. Some kind of animal skin was put there, making it nicer than the rest of the wood. It''s a good place to observe Tarvinder from as he works. A little of this, some of that, some little rocks and some dust, finally a tantalizing smell as acid is added and the whole thing begins to smoke. The smoke drifts off to a grate above it without any noticeable airflow, so I suspect magic. When it has stopped smoking, Tarvinder picks it up and brings it with him to put on the desk. Dragging a chair over he sits dangerously close to me, but I don''t feel like correcting him now.


    "This isn''t for you, if that is what you were thinking." He starts.


    It is what I had been thinking and I narrow my eyes. Being too predictable is becoming a problem.


    Staring at the bowl Tarvinder continues. "This little something is a magically active poison that will search for and destroy the magical reserves in the body of a mage. Probably. It only works on humanoids and then not all of them. In theory." Focusing his attention on me he leans forward. "What is it I can do for you, Krak."


    I hiss softly at him for using the name Mari gave me. I do like the sound of it, but can''t accept it because of how I got to it. Tarvinder just smiles, certain in his superiority which I''m not ready to challenge yet. A question. I haven''t really thought of a question. The first thing that comes to mind is the big cat. "Seo, what is with him, why is he there?"


    Tarvinder raises his eyebrows. "You met him somewhere? Well, you must have noticed the pressure of the dungeon by now. The poor fellow may be strong, but he is mentally behind even you. He goes there to relief the stress on his mind. It''s an interesting process really, let me explain."


    "No." I interrupt Tarvinder. He does not look happy for a second before his face turns back to neutral.


    I am not that interested in Seo, or in how the dungeon works. The next bit is important. "Harijia told me, things here don''t work on me. Why does elixir work?"


    Tarvinder waves a hand in the air as if dispersing some gas cloud. "Well, the Hirija person does not know all there is to know, obviously."


    I can''t help but nod, that is something I already know.


    "Further on, I bet no-one ever had access to dungeon core dust from a living dungeon core in its own domain! In theory, because a dungeon can become a multi-dimensional entity with it''s own reality field enforcing dimensional structures, I hypothesized that in combination with a summon''s own mana signature in the form of the aptly named monster cores, I could bypass the existing fundamental existential barrier principle of Gustav''s third law and affect a reality different than my own!"


    While speaking, Tarvinder becomes more and more enthusiastic. While I didn''t understand most of what he said, I do have another question.


    "Theory?" I ask while staring at his throat.


    He holds up both hands to ward off my gaze while speaking. "Now hold on. The theory is extremely solid and while there is no guarantee of success since no-one has tried this before, it also means no-one has failed this before." He looks troubled for a moment before mumbling softly. "As far as I know."

 23. Not That Bad

    Tarvinder looks a bit uncomfortable before he sighs. "I''m going to have to dumb this down again, aren''t I." Without waiting for an answer he continues. "Let me first say, I know there are many worlds, not just this one and yours. I''m fairly certain magic is at least slightly different per world."


    That sounds reasonable. Ara was using that glove and crystal thing while devils don''t use any of that. I nod at him to go on.


    "So, magic is a natural occurring energy in all matter: rocks, air, water. It''s also in living things like you and me. There are, in order of complexity, phenomena, abilities, spells and rituals. Phenomena just happen. All the others are causing a phenomenon on purpose. Most intelligent creatures use rituals and spells, which you have to learn. Unintelligent creatures gain various abilities, while intelligent magical creatures like Mari and you too, I guess, can gain access to all of that." Tarvinder stares at a point above my head for a moment before looking at me again.


    "I''m sure you want to know why I can''t teach you magic, since I just said it''s something you could actually learn." He doesn''t wait for my nod and just goes on. "The way to access the magic in your body is tied to your home world. I''m confident to predict that no two worlds use the same runes or the exact same spells. The effect may be the same, but the way to cause it will be different. So whatever I teach you will be useless. Maybe you can find a teacher back home?"


    It''s silent for a while as I consider this. "No."


    Tarvinder is already turning away from me before I can ask the next question. I think he considers the conversation over?


    "What is magic of Mari." I ask of him.


    He freezes for a moment before turning back. "I was worried you''d ask that. Very well. Mari, as a dungeon Fairy, has the ability to manipulate the mana of the dungeon in a limited fashion. Her strength is directly related to that."


    It takes me a moment to think of a consequence of this. "The summon room?"


    Tarvinder nods. "Blocks most of the dungeon mana, she''s very weak there. She started healing the moment you took her out of there."


    I shudder. With how strongly I could feel that energy flowing everywhere else makes for a scary thought. Another realization strikes me. "This room?"


    This time Tarvinder grins. "Traps, stores and concentrates it. She is extra strong here, though at the moment the rush goes straight to her head like good whiskey."


    I stare at Tarvinder for a long moment. From how he and Mari interact, I feel he is not welcome here to her. Yet here he is, in a room where Mari is very strong, confident he can stay here. If Mari is strong here and wants him gone, but he is confident he will be able to stay, then he must be stronger still. I think I''m getting the hang of this theory thing.


    There was one more thing. "Mari not force me," I say. To my surprise, Tarvinder begins to laugh.


    "And well she shouldn''t! Hah! She is and always will be a fairy. Dominating an angry demon, even one like you, is simply beyond her mental prowess." At this he breaks down in a fit of giggles. "Just the idea. Honestly, if you wanted you could probably break that connection she put on you just like that," and he snaps his fingers.


    It''s a little suspicious, the way he is telling me all this. "Why you tell me?" I ask of him.


    Tarvinder calms down, but keeps smiling. "I''m a terrible liar, it''s easier to tell the truth. And in the end, nothing I tell you affects me directly, so why shouldn''t I?"


    I can''t think of a suitable reply.


    Tarvinder rudely interrupts me. "Now, a question of my own. How old are you?"


    It takes a moment again before I answer. Two weeks with the swarm, almost two months underground. "Four months?" It could be more, but I don''t really know how long I was transported in the wagon.


    Tarvinder holds up one hand and says "one moment please", before walking off to some shelves. He takes one of those things, a scroll, off it and starts to unroll it at the bottom while rolling it up again at the top, eyes rushing along the space between. "There it is!"


    He stares intently at the scroll, occasionally looking my way.


    "You''re quite undeveloped for your age, aren''t you?" He shoots at me without giving me any real attention.


    It''s not like I can deny it, but I make up for it in other ways! I glare at him but he doesn''t pay me any attention. Taking a few steps, he puts the scroll on the desk and picks up a feather. Now I can see some kind of symbols are drawn all over the scroll. Still not paying me any attention he draws some symbols on an empty spot. From another container he takes something which looks like dust and spreads some over the new symbols. After removing most of it again, he rolls up the scroll. Then he notices my attention and tenses. "You can''t read, can you?"


    I shake my head and he sighs and relaxes. "your mental capacity is advanced for your age, but that would have been too extreme."


    As answer I hop off the desk and stroll out the door. Behind me I hear Tarvinder pick up the bowl again. As I step through the doorway I feel his barrier brush against me again. It feels lighter again in the corridor, but the constant feeling of something flowing past me is back. There is a little more spring in my step. I can admit to myself now that I had been afraid of this place. Everything worked out much better than I could have expected. A few corridors away I stumble upon some off the bugs I''ve been enjoying and stop for a light snack.


    This time I only search for some delicacies, emptying out the shell in search for the glands that give them their unique taste. A familiar voice grabs my attention from a distance.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    "Krak!" the voice calls out. "Krak, where are you!"


    It''s Mari, zooming through the air. I find a place where the rocky wall is a little more uneven and flatten myself behind one of the rougher bumps. It doesn''t take long before I see her appear. She heads over to the upside-down shells of the bugs, but doesn''t approach too close. I think she can''t spot me, but she takes some extra distance.


    "Krak! There is no time to play, There are intruders!" Mari shouts.


    She sounds truly agitated, but intruders are her problem. First Harijia, now Mari. Trying to make it sound like I have a problem when it was never my problem until they made it mine. I suppose it would be a problem if the intruders are actually dangerous, so I suppose I could do something about her problem before it really becomes my problem. Reluctantly I stir in my hiding spot. I had hoped to get some kind of reaction from Mari, but she only smiles.


    "You are already much better at hiding. Must be because I''m such a good teacher," she giggles before turning serious again. "Now come, there is a Drallith in the tunnels and we better take care of it together, before it gets any deeper."


    Turning her back to me, Mari flies back the way she came. I allow myself to shrug before I follow. What would a Drallith be? It''s a fairly long trek before I find out. The first indicator is a faint, strange quality to the flow of the dungeon around me. Shortly after, Mari wobbles slightly in the air. She rights herself and continues on with a hard whisper to me. "Almost there."


    After a long, stretched out curve, I spot the quarry. My memory wants to call it a cow, but instead of hooves it has splayed claw-like appendages. It''s also a bit smaller, but still much bigger than me. I glance at Mari. This Drallith doesn''t look very dangerous at all. She catches my glance and speaks.


    "It''s as much a dungeon dweller as I am. My magic won''t be very effective. If you want to take a swing at it, go on. I''ll think of a suitable reward if you succeed."


    Taking the careful approach I stalk towards it. To my surprise it ignores me even when it does see me. Taking that as an invitation I climb on its back. It is hard to tell if it is male or female, but it doesn''t matter for this. I grab hold with my front claws and rake my rear claws along its back. The only response I get is a grunt, it doesn''t even slow down. While it didn''t feel like I penetrated as deeply as I expected, to only hear a grunt in response is not nice. Looking down, I can see the grooves I left barely bleeding. Even as I watch, the bleeding stops and the wound starts to close.


    "They have an even more ridiculous regeneration than I do and fairly good defences, but not much offensive potential." I look at Mari from where speaks. She looks a bit pale and has landed on a big rock close to the ceiling further down the corridor. "They don''t need it. They do something to the mana. Any other dungeon dwellers have to leave if they don''t want to die, or kill it before it gets established."


    That''s a neat trick for such a slow and otherwise weak creature. "Can dungeon do any?" I ask of Mari.


    For a moment she looks annoyed. "Says he won''t interfere. Now, what I want you to do is dig your front claws as far into the Drallith as you can, high up its back!"


    It sounds like a reasonable request. I position myself at about its middle and push my claws on one side as close together as I can and strike. It doesn''t penetrate more than just the claws. With some effort and shredding I manage to gain a few more centimetres. The Drallith has stopped now and shakes itself to throw me off, but is unsuccessful. As it gathers itself to shake again I strike with my other claw and worm it a bit further in as well, eliciting a bellow from beneath me. I can feel it vibrating through its body. When the sound comes out it is almost a physical force and I''m assaulted by a strong headache. I lose my balance and start to fall.


    It''s impossible for me to fall. The wounds I made in its back have already healed, with my claws inside its body. One of my limbs is stretched to its limits with my body hanging on it, the other is held at an awkward angle, not allowing me to exert any force with it. With my hind legs I try to right myself, but the slightly rotund body doesn''t allow me to gain a good purchase to push myself up.


    "Great! Now, stretch out those spikes of yours towards me!" sounds a cheerful voice behind me.


    Mari has come closer and is a few meters behind me. The Drallith has come to a complete standstill and is watching her warily as it snorts in her direction. If I could I would have jumped at the fairy, but I''m stuck. With my spikes I lash out at her and find her out of reach of those too.


    "Stretch them out and hold them still, stupid demon! Unless you want to stay stuck there!"


    As much as I try to ignore her she keeps pestering me and after a short while I give in. With my spikes stretched out behind me and hanging by one claw I feel ridiculous. I also don''t know how long I can hold this position as my spikes are still fairly weak.


    "Alright, this may hurt a bit," I hear Mari say, before a familiar crackle fills the air.


    A split second later the lightning hits the spikes, travels through them and into the Drallith. Once I can hear again I hear a little voice in an excited shout behind me. "I knew it would work! I knew it! Alright, here comes the next!"


    Again the crackle, and the shock. Even though it doesn''t hurt as much as the first time, it''s still not a pleasant sensation. It takes three shocks before the Drallith folds through its front legs, but it still tries to get up. Two more shocks see it fall over, luckily not on top of me. Mari finishes it off by sending three more shocks through me into its body. I''m in the perfect position to feel its heartbeat falter and stop, though it takes me a moment to realize it. "It-" I start too late and Mari shocks us again. "It dead!"


    I wait for the next shock, but it doesn''t come. I turn my head to look behind me and see Mari sitting on the ground with a silly grin on her face. Then she coughs and some blood splatters paint a picture on the ground in front of her. She waves at me.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll be fine, just need to recover for a while." she speaks in a soft, trembling voice. "You should be able to dig yourself out now. Please don''t kill me?"


    I see her close her eyes and lean back until she''s lying on the ground. Returning my attention to myself I push more or less to my feet. When the Drallith fell it may have wrenched my shoulder, though the pain is already receding. More of a problem are my front limbs that feel as if I''ve been exercising heavily, probably from all the shocks. At least with the Drallith on the ground I can use my rear limbs and I being the arduous task of piercing through the thick hide.


    It takes a few minutes to release myself. The hide of a Drallith stiffens even more after death, making a hard task harder. I amble over to where Mari is still lying on the ground. She still looks paler than what I''m used to from her and she seems to be asleep. Automatically my claw moves for her neck.


    It hurt a bit, but in a way this was fun? It felt good to beat a creature I couldn''t have beaten on my own. If I can''t hunt with a swarm, then maybe I can hunt here in the dungeon with a fairy. And hunt a fairy, too, because she should be wary of me.


    I try a bite of Drallith, but it has a pervasive taste I can only attribute to the dungeon. I wonder if Mari tastes the same? I''m sure she won''t miss an ear or something like that.


    Instead, I grasp her in a front claw and hobble back towards the heart of the dungeon. I''m not even halfway when I notice a slight blurring at the edge of my vision. Last time that happened I only had a short time left in the summon, though that time it was because the summoner was gone. Perhaps now the time ran out? Thinking back, that is not something I experienced often yet, or at all.


    With Mari in my hand I hobble on. I could just let her drop wherever, but I have a better idea. It''s a bit harder to climb up, but I make my way to a smaller tunnel. I still fit well in this one. Up there I find what I was looking for, a little hollow with those bugs. I crush any I can find and drop Mari in the middle of the mess. It''s a tight tunnel for most creatures and that smell she keeps complaining about should help keep her safe. I wish I could see her face when she wakes up.


    As the world turns white, I sigh. This is the first time I''m not looking forward to going back, I think.

 24. Splitting Rocks

    The white nothing clears up again to the familiar view of a rune covered cell and Harijia looking at me intently. I''m not going to cause a scene this time and obediently go to the rear of the small room and press my head against the device. The headache was manageable and is completely gone in just a bit longer than ten seconds. When I begin to move away, Harijia speaks up.


    "Longer," she hisses.


    When I don''t immediately obey, she repeats the command in a more threatening tone. I don''t see any other way out of here. Reining in my temper I push my head back again. There is barely any sensation now, just something cool on the back of my head. Ten seconds, twenty, thirty and longer I stay there. Around the one minute mark she visibly slumps and opens the door.


    "Nothing, right? Now, get out." The words come out short and terse.


    It takes me a moment to realize. She is trying to recreate the one time where I was summoned in quick succession. I hope she''s not going to lock me up for several days again to see if that helps, but it may be inevitable. Better get out of here before she changes her mind! As soon as the cell door is far enough open I sprint out, regardless of how close that will take me to Harijia. I''m sure I can feel her stare following me out down the corridor, but I don''t look around to verify.


    The next few days I spend trying to avoid Harijia and any other keepers, just in case she''s looking for me. It''s not as easy as I thought it would be due to quite a few of the younger swarmlings still following me around. They seem to take it as a game and are soon copying me in a grand game of hide and seek with over fifty participants and no clear rules about who is hiding and who is seeking. A number of other demons are ambushed by accident with varying reactions. Some are very upset and cause quite the uproar until they''re certain all nearby swarmlings are gone. Others join in with the chaos for a while.


    The first kind does not surprise me, but the second does. Perhaps it shouldn''t have? I have noted it before, aside of my kinship bond with other swarmlings I can feel a similar feeling with the other demons here. Something tells me that we are the same species, even when we are different species. I think that is why they call all of us demons even when we are all different.


    It''s a good thing, in my opinion, as they add a bit more to the little chaos we are creating which helps me stay out of sight. After a few days some of the older members of our fake swarm join in too, always as seekers as they have a harder time hiding. Plus, if they start running there is no way we can catch them, so it''s more fun for all involved if they are the hunters. It''s also hammering home many of the lessons I recently learned in the dungeon.


    Stay close to a surface, mind the colors, don''t make a noise. Sometimes, to stop moving when you spot someone is a bad choice. The absence of noise and movement will immediately draw attention. It''s fun and keeping me busy, but there is one more thing I want to work on.


    As much as I don''t want to admit it, I''m still weak. The other swarmlings my age are not much bigger, sometimes even smaller, but they are much bulkier. All their limbs have more well-defined muscles than mine. Except for the flying ones, of course, and I have been styling myself after them. I won''t give up, I will still work on flying one day, but perhaps it is time to work with what I have now instead.


    It''s somewhat funny. My one plan that could be described as a ''theory'' may have done me more harm than good. In order to fly, I need to stay light. It has taught me something new, though. This ''plan'' was based on everything going as I wanted to. I only need to take one look around to know it never goes the way I want to, so I should plan accordingly. My new plan is to get stronger fast and figure out how to fly later. One thing I remember. I will not always be here, I will not always be safe. I need to make the most of this time.


    An additional and unwanted result of this change in thinking is the number of problems I can think of keeps growing. Trying to think of ways to avoid as much serious trouble is keeping me awake at night and giving me a headache. I''m calling these thoughts ''What Ifs'' and they are very distracting and not very helpful.


    I need to focus on my new training. It''s a simple training. Find a big rock and push it. When it becomes easier, find a bigger rock and push it. If the rock is too heavy, hit it with my claws until it isn''t. I still remember how hard it was to push my claws through the Drallith''s hide and how powerless I felt when I got stuck. Neither my rear limbs or my front were strong enough for what I needed to do and I ended up being used by Mari. I will not let that happen again.


    I start off with lifting small rocks from the ground. It''s a movement I''m not used to, using only my rear limbs to stand and my front ones to grasp. It''s still heavy and I need to use my tail a lot to maintain my balance. If I ever run into doors that open the wrong way, at least I''ll have a chance with this practice. Cautiously stepping backwards while holding the rock, I trip and fall. It may take some time to make this work.


    Frustrated by my continuous failures, I decide to leave this be for the rest of the day. I really feel like hitting rocks now, so I pick some solid looking ones to vent some frustration on. Normal slashes score the surface, but it''s not what I''m aiming for. Forcing my claws together again, I thrust towards the stone! It hits with a crack and glances off. Some stone fractured, but there is also a jagged bit on my claws.


    Again and again I strike the rock. Tiny differences in the stone in front of me have a large effect. Sometimes a single hit causes large fractures, sometimes none at all. An unevenness may cause my claws to slide off or help me bring my strength to focus on one point. There is no way I can tell yet what causes the different result, but I''ve come far enough to tell what it will be on the moment of impact. It saves me from being unbalanced when all my strength is deflected off to the side at the very least.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    The swarmlings who usually accompany me have started to drift off. This is not a fun new game to participate in. Some stay to observe me and laze about doing nothing, while others go back to playing their favorites from the new games. I''m slightly amazed at the apathy. I know now that the swarmlings back at the colony were not lazing around but standing guard. Why are the ones here not doing anything? I will find an answer, some day but not today, so it goes on the list of things to think about later.


    In the meantime it''s time for the next exercise. Choosing a boulder of a bit less than my own size I prepare to push it, using the strength of all my limbs, except the spike-things on my back. If they''re not going to be wings, I should find some use for them other than stopping lightning. Pushing a shoulder against the rock I push, without result. I did not expect result. I expect to push with everything I can until I can not, then I will repeat it again and again.


    By the time it is time for ''night'', my limbs are shaking. I try to hide it as I make my way to the sleep cavern. Weakness of any sort is not something I like to show so openly. I''ve been tired before, but this is different. Arriving at the cave I look at the wall, then at the ceiling. I''ve slept clinging on to some unevenness up there for many nights, but this is the first time I don''t feel like climbing up the wall and a treacherous ''what if'' asks me what would I do if my hold slipped in the night due to how tired I am. I will sleep on the floor tonight.


    The next morning I feel some mild pain all over my abused limbs and body. This does not stop me from starting again that morning after feeding, or the next morning, or the next.


    It''s on the fourth day of my self-imposed training that a male devil appears at the area with the rocks. He is not like most of the other folk here, much burlier and more muscled. Most notably, his horns are bigger too. The devils that visit here normally are to help with language and with thinking. Quite a few demons listen to them every day. In the beginning I was still wondering what they were learning there. Now, realizing how much my thinking has been affected by Ara and Tarvinder, I am not sure if I want to know. If I ever do, I am sure Harijia will know and will be happy to tell me. This devil does not look like he is here to talk.


    At first I ignore the approaching devil, but he comes directly for me where I am striking my rock. It is a much scored and slightly damaged rock by now, but still strong and defiant. From his belt he draws a knife. It has a slight curve to it and looks so much like a claw, I would have sworn it was one if my memory didn''t tell me a knife should be metal. Maybe my memory is wrong. Cautiously I step back. No matter what it is made of, the creature handling it is still much bigger and stronger than me.


    To my surprise he just walks to the rock, looking at it, then at me, then back to the rock again. He waves at me to come over. Step by step I slowly come closer. When he appears to judge me close enough, he puts the claw-knife on a place on the rock and mimics it bouncing off. Then he turns to me again and motions me to come closer. Intrigued, I accede to his request. With an almost clawless finger he points at the spot. I take a look at it but don''t see any difference from the rock around it.


    He repeats the same gesture, but also mimics good strikes or the solid hits that do nothing. I can see the pattern easily with that last one, but the others not so much. After a almost half an hour, I feel compelled to break the silence.


    ¡°Why,¡± I ask him.


    The devil looks at me with surprise. ¡°Oh, you speak already? Not what I expected from a runt.¡± For a moment he pauses. ¡°Then again, just the fact you''re here trying to fix that should have told me something.¡±


    I almost sigh. I have learned it is in the nature of those who consider themselves superior to me to always talk about themselves first, rather than answering a question directly, so I repeat myself. ¡°Why,¡± I say, with some of my impatience showing.


    ¡°Don''t be like that, I don''t have to do this, you know. I''m only here until they let me out of this hellhole again.¡± As his face changes to show anger, he sort of growls back in his throat and then spits some saliva off to the side before turning back at me. ¡°Might as well do something to pass the time.¡±


    From where his saliva is stuck on another rock comes the sound of light sizzling, which gives me an idea to try of my own. Later, first things first.


    Under the devil''s guidance I start to strike the rock again. He is also commenting on my stance, balance and how I rotate my body and other strange things. I try to incorporate what he says without making it too obvious I''m doing so. After an hour or more, my front limbs can''t take it any more and I take a break. Lying down feels about right now.


    ¡°How you know this?¡± I ask him as he sits on a boulder a short distance away, chewing something smelly he got from a pouch fastened on his belt, opposite of where his knife is.


    ¡°I work with the teams up top.¡± He waves a hand at the roof of the cavern. ¡°You know, the ones that don''t get summoned, or not yet at least.¡±


    The devil man is an expressive speaker, waving his arms all over the place as he explains.


    ¡°We got them working at digging, as lumberjacks and any work where strong, tough bodies and sharp claws are useful and brains aren''t exactly needed. Only one of them got itself killed and the chef said it was my fault so I''m down here until I''m done being punished.¡± After a quick glance at me he continues. ¡°Don''t worry about that, by the way, when you get out of here you go to one of the hunter training camps, learn to work in a group and stuff, not for the work groups.¡± He takes a deep breath. ¡°In any case, I pride myself in knowing everything about what you buggers can do with your claws.¡±


    He clearly expects an answer after that, so I give him a nod, which seems to satisfy him. It''s been enough for today, but his assistance has been useful. In a pensive mood I try to find a place to relax. I hadn''t thought of it, but if I and the others are kept down here because we''re useful, it makes sense the group I saw when I first arrived would be made useful too.


    The next day he is already waiting for me when I arrive and I have the pleasure of seeing his surprise at the group of swarmlings following me around.


    ¡°Well I''ll be,¡± he begins, before shaking his head and starting over. ¡°Did you bring some friends, little one?¡±


    As answer I just stare at him for a while until he starts to fidget. ¡°Kragol.¡±


    ¡°Kragol what?¡± He replies, clearly confused.


    ¡°Not small one. Kragol.¡± I decided on a new name a few nights ago.


    ¡°Sure, Kragol, not the strangest name I''ve heard.¡± With a shrug he looks around at the few dozen swarmlings of various shapes and sizes start to surround the small clearing we''re in. ¡°So, friends of yours?¡±


    This time it''s my turn to shrug. ¡°They follow me places.¡±


    When the devil draws his knife, some of the surrounding swarmlings shrink back and I smirk.


    ¡°Shall we get started, then? I don''t know how long we can keep this from the keepers, so we better get to it.¡± Taking a flask from the inside of his cloak he takes a small sip which he works throughout all of his mouth before spitting it out. The closest swarmlings shrink back from the stench, even from where I am it''s not pleasant.


    Whatever the result of this will be, at least it''s going to be interesting.

 25. We Need To Talk

    This morning when I reach the area with the boulders I notice the devil man surrounded by a score of swarmlings. It''s no surprise I''m not first to arrive as I took my time and he has become quite popular with the swarm over the last few days. We can all feel the difference his instructions make in the power behind our slashes and stabs. It''s nice the whole group has found someone else to follow around for a while. When the devil man notices me he starts to move in my direction.


    "I brought something that''ll be of use to you guys, glow skull," he shouts at me, waving something around. His attitude is cheerful as always, the first devil to treat any of us with anything else than disdain. For some reason he refuses to call me by my name, using the glowing mark on the back of my head instead. Maybe I should ask his name, calling him devil man is becoming tedious.


    "We''re getting a bit too obvious and one of the Keepers talked to me already," He continues with a shrug, "so I figured this would be the last day. Brought you something to look at, so you''ll recognize it and know what to do."


    It''s not good to hear it will be the last day. While his teaching has been limited to the striking of stones and trees, striking bodies is not that much different. The Keepers interfering was expected, but still a disappointment. The feeling I get from this place is that the Keepers and the devils may want us strong, fast and healthy, but not skilled.


    As he reaches me, the devil man shoves something in front of me. It is leather and by the shape it would probably be used for the torso. It''s also much stiffer than other leather I''ve seen so far. The man wedges the piece of armor in the ground and looks at me expectantly.


    "Go ahead, give it a go, slash at it," he tells me with enthusiasm.


    "Sure," I tell him. Raising a claw I indulge him and make a half-hearted swipe. Something like this should be no problem.


    To my surprise my claws skitter along the surface. There is a visible mark, but not the great tear I had been expecting. Fascinated I lean a bit closer, sniffing the thing and, in the end, giving it a lick. There is a strange taste to it, different from just animal skin. Meanwhile, the devil man has been looking at the shamefully shallow gashes, checking their depth with his fingers.


    "Those claws of yours are pretty damn sharp, aren''t they." With a low whistle he traces the line of the deepest gash. Focusing his attention on me, he starts to explain. "This is lacquered hardened leather armor. On it''s own the boiled leather is already tough, but we lather it with a lacquer or glue to provide extra resistance. Most soldiers and workmen wear this stuff."


    I give the thing another inspection. The worlds I''ve been to are not that different. There are metals, cloths, timbers and leathers everywhere, so I''m sure I''ll find something like this if it is as common as he says.


    "It''s an old piece of mine, ready to be thrown, so do your worst." With this the devil man wedges the armor solidly on the ground again.


    Do your worst? I think he means for me to strike it. Instead of a slash, I punch at it this time. Again my claws do far less damage than I expected. I inspect my claws. They did get damaged by hitting the rocks, but I''ve been sharpening them evening and mornings. The devil man''s laughing brings my attention back to the task at hand.


    "Remember the rocks," he says.


    I nod at him. Right, the rocks. This is not a hide or material that gives and will shape itself to engulf my claws, I need to force them through at the right angle. Repositioning myself I strike straight on the armor. With a satisfying crunch I punch through the hardened leather, though I can feel it would not be deep enough to seriously injure anything it covers. Useful to know about this now, rather than later.


    As I withdraw my claw, the devil man positions the chest piece for another swarmling to strike, then another and so on. Soon the piece of armor has numerous dents, scratches and a few holes. For a moment longer I regard the man before speaking.


    "What is your name," I enunciate carefully.


    He looks at me for a moment before he begins to laugh. "I never did tell you, did I. It''s Dellos, glow skull. Speaking about glowing skulls, yours stopped glowing. What''s up with that?"


    For a moment the words don''t quite register, then I turn my head out of reflex, but it''s still impossible for me to see the back of my own head. The laughter of Dellos is not helping my mood.


    "You''ll just have to take my word for it, Kragol," he says cheerfully


    Scanning around, there is currently no sign of Harijia or any of the other Keepers. "I need to go," I quickly say to Dellos before doing exactly that. Ducking through some under-brush I make my way to a tree with a good coverage of foliage. Somehow I expected the summon to happen immediately. Taking into consideration most of the demons have to be put into the cells for it to happen regularly, it could be considered near instantly. In just a short hour I feel the strange sensation take hold of me. I was waiting for it and this time I could feel a something connect to me, just like I felt something flow in the dungeon.


    The familiar whiteness and the sense of movement are almost normal now. I only have to wonder briefly where I will go to this time before a sensation wakes in the back of my mind. Cold anger, resolve and restraint flow from a familiar mind into my own. I can''t help but be on my guard at the strength of the emotions. For me it has been a long time and I have had plenty of time to think and people to talk to. Perhaps Ara did not have as much time or people to talk to.


    When the white changes back again to normal sight I find myself looking straight at Ara, who is looking straight at me. For a while longer we both stare.


    It is Ara who breaks the silence first. "Last time," She begins, but pauses to start over. "I''m sure you had your reasons, as did I. I am reluctant to let you go, but I can''t afford to fight you every time you don''t like my orders. Shall I release you as my familiar, here and now?"


    "No," I answer. I like this place and she is my connection to it. Here I know for certain I get to feel a breeze and see the sky, to forget that I''m stuck underground and that I am being watched.There is no change coming from Ara and my mind throws a what-if at me I do not need right now. What if she still decides to break it off? For a moment I feel uncertainty, a terrible thing, but I prepared for this. "Avebella."


    Was there a slight tremble in the connection? My memory recalls her being excited at names, I was sure this would work.


    "Then explain yourself. Why did you resist my order that hard, Galrahsor." After speaking she walks off to the side.


    Turning my head to follow her I start to take notice of the room. It is a closed room, the door looks solid. A desk with some chairs is where Ara, Avebella, takes a seat, while I''m on a slightly raised platform with the familiar runes around me. This time they''re not turning off. Out of curiosity I reach out and find the same wall that caught me the first time I arrived in this world.


    Ara breaks me out of my investigation of the barrier and calls back my attention to the matter at hand. "Gal! Begin."


    Now I''m actually here I find it difficult to find a place to start. Thinking back to that day, I use a tiny spark of what I felt to fuel my speech.


    "My kind, needs to show how strong they are! The strong eat good, the strong lead, the strong get respect! The weak get eaten when there is no food, the weak are bait, the weak eat bad food and stay weak!" I take a deep breath to calm down. "You make me weak, make me stupid. It feels wrong."


    There is silence while Avebella regards me. "Why did you need to be strong there? There were none of your kind, you had nothing to prove. Why would you care?"


    It''s a question I''ve asked myself too recently. "Dunno," I answer, "it feels wrong."This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    We look at one another once more until I look away. Somehow it feels like I was in the wrong, but I don''t know why or how.


    Returning my gaze to Avebella I speak again. "Now you. Why?"


    This time Avebella is the one to look away.


    "I made a mistake," she murmurs in a soft voice. Louder, she repeats herself, "I made a mistake. Maybe I should have listened to Sonia. I was too sure, too confident in myself. With a demon as my familiar, people would have to take me seriously. That they did."


    I can feel something bitter through the link mixing with the anger. The memory I''ve always had calls it regret and I wonder what it feels like to have it.


    She laughs before she continues, but it is not a happy laugh. "Humans with more power than me saw me becoming stronger, so they wanted to eliminate me. I was becoming isolated and vulnerable. I needed both of us to be weak so they wouldn''t see me as a threat. Do you understand?"


    I run the words through my head a few times before I reply. "No."


    It''s clear I''ve surprised Avebella as she quickly turns her eyes on me again with a frown. "No? Which part didn''t you understand?"


    I didn''t prepare for this, so the words take some time to form. This time Avebella doesn''t rush me. "With me strong and a strong other, together we are stronger. Why would he want me dead?"


    She smiles a smile as if she has eaten something bad. "They are not themselves strong and they are afraid someone stronger will come to take what they have away, yes?"


    I shake my head, it''s still strange to think about. If you find someone strong, that someone is to be admired. If they take your food, that is normal and right.


    "Can you accept that I had a human reason for it?" Avebella asks.


    To that I can nod yes. Humans are strange enough, I don''t think I will understand them any time soon.


    "So will you obey me without struggle, next time?" is her next question.


    To that I nod as well, with a lot less enthusiasm. I was prepared for this question, but it may be hard to go against my instincts.


    "Gal, you may not be able to die here, but my life depends on it. Will you obey me?" Avebella speaks the last part slowly, stressing every word.


    I already decided I wanted to keep her, I might as well go through with it for now. "Yes," I nod.


    "I guess that''s as good as we''re going to get." With a sigh Avebella picks something off the floor.


    It''s a long piece of wood with a design etched in it. As she grips it tight, lines of light spread for a moment on the wood before fading. Another something for her magic?


    "You''ve grown so much again, but that is what new familiars do. I want to see what you can do with that body. The room is mine until afternoon, so we''ll do a training here." She takes a stance I recognize as defensive.


    Her whole mood has shifted. The cold determination is still there, but the anger and bitter feeling are mostly gone, replaced by something lighter. It''s amazing she can switch so fast from one mood and one thing to another. Taking myself into consideration I realize I am not much different.


    The room looks sturdy enough, but I wonder how it will look when we are finished.


    I should not have worried. The things people poked me with and their skill with them did not prepare me for this. I start with dodging Avebella''s attacks. She is constantly thrusting the end of the staff at me. Any time I fail to do so is rewarded with a little shock. Thanks to Mari hurting me like she has, it doesn''t slow me down any more, but it''s still not a nice feeling.


    When I finally manage to get close enough for the poking to stop, Avebella simply changes her grip and begins a whirlwind of sweeping strikes, quickly bowling me to the far end of the room from where I once more have to pass through the poking area. Frustrated I try a charge or to run on the ceiling, but that is deflected with even more ease. She didn''t even have to use more of her tricks.


    When it''s over I feel bruises everywhere. The room is covered in claw marks, a sign of how confident Avebella was that she would not get hurt. Otherwise she would have warded my claws better. She sits down and starts to cast her repair magic.


    "Gal, go along every bit of damage you can find so we can repair it." Avebella says with her eyes closed. "Start on the ceiling."


    As I move from one spot to another, Avebella starts to talk. Maybe to me, maybe to herself.


    "People here believe only the evil or insane would have a demon as familiar. I think it dates back to when the western provinces were a separate kingdom. Their royal family, their generals and their higher nobility almost always had a demon as familiar."


    She pauses a moment to renew the repair spell. I try to feel the magic, but get only the vaguest sense.


    "We had to fight them, to surrender is to be slaughtered by those madmen! Or so it was probably told to the commoners and the prejudice still exists now, more than two hundred years later."


    I hear a humorless laugh and take a quick peek at Avebella. She seems fine, but the emotions I sense from her are starting to cloud over.


    "So I''m being watched, by everyone. Some want to be there when I go insane and start slaughtering people, others want to use me and yet others are considering if I should be eliminated now rather than later. So I changed my play. Pretend to be a ''normal'' girl, socialize, talk about dresses and boys."


    Almost done with the ceiling, I look behind me to see new claw marks where I''ve been gripping the stone during my work. I''ll have to move backwards in my tracks to fix it, not something I relish.


    "Sometimes I wish mama and papa were still here. Or I wish half-brother could be less of an idiot who is easily influenced, so I could leave the estates to him. He''s the one who kicked you, by the way." After a small pause she continues. "I wish I didn''t send Sonia away and I wish people would give me a fair chance and I wish the greedy vultures would leave me alone and I wish they would stop pestering me to accept a marriage proposal. But if wishes were fishes no-one would be hungry. I do like being a duchess, though."


    It''s quiet for a while. The emotions from Avebella are a bit more stable, but I''d take the anger over the monotone sadness.


    When I''m almost finished with the last wall, Avebella starts to talk again.


    "Then they ask me what I''m doing, wasting my time at an academy that caters to the military. This place also delivers the best healers, stewards, alchemists and engineers, but they conveniently forget that!"


    A hint of determination enters her emotions.


    "I''m going to join the Law-speakers and travel the lands and I''m going to find out if my father was really a traitor when he died. If he wasn''t, I will find out who framed him and if he was, I''m going to find out why."


    Cleaning up the last few scratches and being mindful not to make new ones, I turn to Avebella to see if she''s finished talking. She seems to be waiting for some kind of response and I do have a question. "Why tell me?"


    The hint of a smile plays along her lips for a moment before she replies. "Because you won''t try to tell me what to do, offer me useless advice or false sympathy. Sometimes humans just want to talk."


    It makes as much sense as humans killing the strong of their species, so I nod.


    With the last damage repaired, Avebella stands up and presses a metal plate next to the door. A moment later Ine enters, holding clothes in her arms. Luckily I don''t smell any flower water nearby. She smiles a small smile at Avebella, which is returned in kind.


    "Please help me change for my meeting with the field master," she instructs Ine.


    As the sweaty clothes are changed for non-sweaty ones I observe how complicated the whole process is. Avebella is in a much better mood than before. I feel this may have been part training, part punishment and part release for pent up anger and such. Maybe the talking helped too? All the more impressive is that she keeps a very tight rein on it when she is fighting.


    Some time later we are standing in front of a large door, a man in grey barring our way. I''m walking on the floor this time. Avebella complained I am too heavy to carry, which only upset me a little.


    Avebella addresses the man in grey with a small bow. "Avebella des Mont¨¦ Cardatin, here to speak with the field master."


    "Please wait here," is the reply and the man steps through the door, closing it again behind himself. About a minute later he reappears. "You may enter, but not the demon. You are to leave him here. Your chaperone may enter."


    Avebella looks at me for a moment and starts to speak, but the man in grey interrupts her. "This is not negotiable. And you wouldn''t consider going against the master''s instructions, would you?"


    I can feel the resolve in Avebella harden again. For a moment I wonder which direction it will flow to, but she turns to me. "Wait here, don''t do anything except defend yourself should you be attacked."


    When she returns from the field master, I get a hint of his scent. I think it is the old man who I met on the first day I went training with Avebella.


    The remainder of the day is spent learning about human habits. I shall not approach when they are defecating or otherwise busy with what Avebella calls ''personal business'' and much more. It''s an odd way of living, with so many rules, but I did say I would obey her instructions, so I do my best to remember all of it. The corner of my mind where I receive the random information from is quite helpful, filling me in on many of the words she uses. It is another thing of humans, to avoid talking straight about some subjects.


    The summoning doesn''t end yet and I spend a night in Avebella''s room, in front of the door. She says it''s traditional, so an assassin would have to go through the familiar before finding the master. It makes sense to sacrifice a weak individual to protect the strong and one place is as good as another here, since I don''t think I will sleep. Perhaps it is my stronger body, but I do not feel tired and the bruises have long healed. In the night, I review all I have learned. Shortly before morning, the familiar scene of blurring sight, slowly turning white, tells me I will return to my own world.


    Back in my own world, at least I think this is my own world since I always return to it, the usual headache assails me. I should go to Harijia or one of the other Keepers. I should go and use the device to get rid of the headache. I should do a lot of things. Instead, I lounge among the branches.


    It''s a few hours later I hear footsteps approaching. I had expected a slither. With my curiosity piqued I thrust my head through the leaves to see who or what is coming. It''s Dellos, heading straight to my hiding tree.


    He stops a few meters away and shouts. "Kragol! Come on out, snake fake lady says she wants to talk to you! She came a while ago and asked where you were. I may have mentioned your non-glowy skull."


    I could make him come to me, but it feels petty. Even with Harijia I don''t dislike her personally, I just dislike what she stands for: all the things done to me and being imprisoned here. I decide to come down, hiding won''t work any more.


    Dellos does his low whistle again when he sees me. "Well, I guess I can call you glow skull again. Now, come on, it''s fine to have some fun, but I don''t want to lose my job."


    Before I run off, I give him some reassurance. "I know the way."

 26. Settling in a Routine

    When I arrive at Harijia''s place, she isn''t there. Cautiously I explore a bit further inside. There are several demons in the cells, trying to see who just walked in. When they notice it''s not Harijia they calm down. One of them has a glowing back of the head and will probably be released. It doesn''t look like the demon is looking forward to it. The other cells have glowing runes, showing that they are active, but the demon inside has not been summoned yet.


    At one of the empty cells I decide to try something. A long time ago I asked Harijia if my blood would work and I found her answer suspicious. With one claw I nick a limb and let some drops of my blood fall where I''ve seen Harijia drop hers. For a moment there is the tiniest of glows before it winks out again. It seems she wasn''t telling a lie at least, but it also didn''t completely fail. I turn around to find a place to wait. At the end of the corridor, before her room, I settle on the floor.


    It''s a few minutes before Harijia appears. She''s slithering on at a normal pace. Somehow I had expected her to hurry. I can feel myself tensing, prepared to run away if it becomes too dangerous after all. I don''t know where I''d run to, but I''ll figure that out later. I may have made a mistake going inside, I should have waited outside when I found out she wasn''t here. Too late now.


    Her movements are a bit stiff, showing that she''s tense, but not to a great degree. Her general posture indicates she is not here to fight and she is doing her best to prevent herself from showing anything but the friendly approach of a superior.


    "I came as soon as Dellos told me you were on your way here. Have you taken care of your headache yet?" she begins in a calm and reasonable voice. "Do that first and go to my work room, then we can talk. I''ll have to let Arnur out first."


    After considering the alternatives, I do as she says. I''m not getting anywhere by causing trouble now. The headache has been fairly bearable, so the relief when it is gone is minor. I hear a cell door open and some soft conversation. Though I can''t make out the words, the tone Harijia uses is soothing. It''s putting me somewhat at easy. Even if she is better at hiding her emotions than other demons, I don''t think she is good enough to fake all this. She seems upset, but determined to not let it influence her. Somewhat relieved I head for her room and look around. With a short jump I''m on the table. I''ve been there before and the table feels smaller now. A few moments later Harijia enters and rests her body on a seat made specifically for her.


    Her next words surprise me.


    "I feel like I should apologize," she states as she looks me in the eye. "Normally my charges are here for a few days and I get to talk with them and get to know them. I didn''t even know you had a name already until Dellos told me. I feel like I''ve neglected you and failed my duty."


    This is not what I expected. I expected her to be angry I had tried to evade coming here. I had expected punishment, not this, whatever this is. Harijia seems to be waiting for some kind of response, but I have none to give yet. Soon, she continues.


    "This place is not here to hurt you. I''m not your enemy, the devils are not your enemy, we''re here to help." Her demeanour gains a bit of intensity as she speaks. "You''re safe here, with nothing to worry about. There is food, water, entertainment. If you have a bad summon, there are the Keepers to talk to. Do you know how many demons in the wild die, how many go insane? Even here, sometimes someone breaks."


    Her intensity fades a bit, but I feel her gaze no longer sees me. As she talks on her voice slowly gets softer


    "The experience of being helpless, having your body ripped apart, again and again, not everyone can deal with that. It helps to have a safe place to return to, someone to talk to." Louder again, Harijia continues. "Being confined here for a few years, isn''t that worth it? The strength you lose from what is drained is trivial for us, it just means our path is slower, not that it has stopped. It''s a small price to pay, Kragol."


    It''s hard to refute her words. Everything she says is true, but I also know it''s not the entire truth. Unable to find a fitting reply, I remain silent.


    Leaning a bit forward before speaking, Harijia''s next words are more than interesting. "If you''re worried about time, don''t be. You''re not even four months old. Swarmlings don''t live long lives, but demons do. Where a normal swarmling takes one year to become an adult, you''ll take two. Instead of being fully grown at two years, you''ll reach that stage in four. But while a normal swarmling lives maybe twenty years, you''ll have centuries."


    This time I don''t say anything because I''m shocked speechless. Centuries? How long is that even? My sense of time only gives a vague answer. I know how long a day, a week or a month feel, but I don''t really have a sense of one year, let alone so many of them. Frantically I try to find any clue if Harijia was lying, but all I sense is truth.


    Probably sensing my confusion, Harijia presses on. "So what if you have to give up a decade here. You have plenty of years! Now is the time to take it slow and steady and let others with more experience guide you. You''re still young, there is much to learn."


    "Then, once you''ve grown enough, you get to go outside again as hunter, companion or worker. There is so much more to explore, don''t ruin it for yourself!" Soft and compelling, Harijia speaks on.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The benefits of receiving a good report, what an agent can do for me, possible futures and how it depends on my behaviour. It''s hard to get any words in and every time I raise an objection she manages to erase it or shows the benefits that weigh against it. It''s frustrating. Both my talking and thinking are not on her level and soon I feel myself reluctantly nodding along.


    "What we''ll do is for you to come and meet me at the central clearing every morning and evening. We''ll talk a while and you can tell me about your recent experiences, while I can help you decide what you can work on for your development. There are instructions on how to improve for almost anything, all you have to do is ask. Promise me."


    With that, she looks at me.


    "I don''t want to be here," is the last objection I manage to bring forth.


    "Then you''ll be released some distance away from here and left to fend for yourself." Harijia says in a matter of fact tone. "Don''t get your hopes up, no swarm will accept you, you''re too different. You''ll be alone and vulnerable and will most likely be food within days."


    For the briefest of moments I feel lost and empty. Part of me wants to scream a denial and tear Harijia to pieces. Another part of me knows that I am different and says it''s true, I will never fit back there any more. The biggest part of me doesn''t know what to think, but fears her words are true. That fear alone stops me from acting on my desires.


    "You''re taking this better than I expected," Harijia interrupts my thoughts.


    "I promise,"


    Harijia looks confused for a moment. "What?"


    I don''t know if she truly was confused or if she makes me repeat myself on purpose. "I promise to come every day to talk to you." I fidget a little under her stare. "To come every morning and evening to talk to you."


    Harijia nods in confirmation. "That is all I ask. Now, I know this must have been tiring for you, so let''s say we''ll meet again tomorrow morning, alright?"


    Her tone is gentle. Of course it is. She won, she can afford to be nice now.


    I leave and immediately make my way to the rock punching area. There are some trace scents of Dellos, but it''s obvious he isn''t here any more. I take all my frustration out on a boulder, systematically chipping bits and pieces off until less than half of it remain. I want to speak better, be able to transform what I feel and the thoughts I almost grasp into words. During the talk I felt as helpless as if she had my neck in her jaws.


    The next morning I do go to speak with her, It would be stupid now not to do so. I tell her a bit of my first experience and she is properly shocked.


    "You were incredibly young, Kragol," she says. "I''m surprised you recovered mentally from that."


    It gives a small amount of pleasure to hear her say that. I am slightly disgusted, but also curious. Since when did I care about her opinion? That evening she gives me some information on how big cats fight. It''s similar enough to how I fight that I can imagine the movements.


    I try to avoid talking much about Avebella and Tarvinder. I don''t want to know what she thinks of my familiar situation and she doesn''t need to know about the elixir, just in case there is something she can do about it. I do complain about how Mari treats me, but here Harijia shows less sympathy.


    "You''re a tool in their world, don''t forget that. Her way of using you was unusual, but smart. You should try your best to learn from her," is her response, though her opinion changes somewhat when I tell her about my first time there.


    Days pass and I feel my strength training is starting to pay off. My muscles remain less defined than my peers, but at least I can stand my ground now. A week long my motivation drops and I only work out enough not to lose any progress I made. I have no goal, no direction to aim for. A few days later, the routine is broken by Harijia.


    "Come, Kragol, your mark has almost stopped glowing. You''ll spend a few days with me." She cheerfully mentions when we meet.


    There is no way to run now, so I follow meekly. I refuse to speak to her while I''m there and Harijia silently accepts my mood. I have the feeling she''s more amused by it than bothered. Luckily it doesn''t take long before the familiar sensations grip me.


    Before I can see again, I know it''s not Mari or Avebella who I''ll see, I know the feeling of them. When I have my vision back, I notice it''s a cave system again. The unknown summoner in front of me is small, only a bit bigger than me and half the size of a human. Yellow-green skin and a robe with holes in it. To my sides, more demons appear, mostly smaller than I am. The creature in front of me points behind me and shouts something I hear as "attack!"


    Behind me is a mass of the yellow-green creatures, dozens, maybe a hundred, pushing against what looks like a metal wall blocking a narrow passage in the tunnel. As I turn around I occasionally see a sword being raised from the wall and cleaving down, followed by a death cry of one of the creatures. It''s hard to see if the metal wall is made of humans or something else, but they''re the right size for it.


    The summoner, now behind me, is already starting a chant, perhaps to summon more demons. Some of the summoned creatures that can fly have already taken off before I start to move. My idea of using the wall and ceiling to advance is immediately shot down as arrows and magic quickly pick off anything that rises above the yellow-green creatures'' height.


    Slipping between the attackers I try to keep a low profile while I advance. More than once I injure one of them that doesn''t get out of the way. When I near the front I have a clearer view of the opponent. It''s a wall of shields with men standing behind wielding shorter swords than I''ve seen before. It makes sense with the narrower space, maybe?


    There is a gap between the cavern floor and their shields, only their legs standing in my way. I slip through, raking my claws along an armored boot, drawing sparks. Before I can turn to climb up the man''s back, metal coming towards me forces me to dodge. I throw myself to the side, but get blocked by yet another leg which barely moves from the impact. The spear that was thrust at me pierces my lower body instead of my chest, then it drags me along the ground. The last thing I see is a metal shod sole heading for my head. Pinned by the spear, I have no way to dodge and my vision explodes into white.


    Soon enough I am back in the cell, the sensation of my head getting crushed mercifully cut short by my death in that world. I shudder for a moment and exhale. I hadn''t even noticed I had been holding my breath. A moment later, Harijia appears at the cell she put me in.


    "Bad summon?" she asks with a trace of sympathy.


    "A wall of shields," I tell her. "I tried to slip through, but they were waiting for me."


    Harijia nods while she waits for me to recover. Once I do I go to the back of the cell and give my head to its device. Harijia opens the cell for me and I walk out.


    "See you tomorrow." She calls after me as I leave. I grunt in response.

 27. Unwelcome Information

    A few days pass without really having something to talk about. There is one thing bothering me, Dellos being sent away, so I bring it up with Harijia.


    "Rest assured he wasn''t punished," Harijia starts. "While we Keepers were somewhat upset, he didn''t do much harm. His time here would be over a few days later anyway, we simply advised his boss to shorten the punishment due to his good behaviour."


    She looks at me expectantly. It takes a moment to sink in before I grin. "You lied."


    "He meant well," Harijia continues with a hissing laugh, "he just doesn''t know why we have that rule. I don''t mind telling you, perhaps it will help you understand and settle down more."


    A few other demons have taken notice and are starting to hang around us too. Harijia looks around and doesn''t react, indicating they can stay and listen if they want.


    "You and some of the other listeners here are smart to an unfortunate level. Most don''t question anything and simply exist in the here and now. Very well, there is a reason. The devils can tell how much energy you deliver after you return from your summon and they found that demons with stronger abilities gave more energy. From their own experiments, they also found out it costs more mana, magic or whatever a world uses to summon that demon."


    While I only have her word for it, it makes sense to me. Just like Avebella''s spells becomes stronger the more of her magic she invests. If the result you get is stronger, it means the investment must be bigger.


    "Maybe you''ll develop special abilities, like the poison claws, fangs or stingers swarmlings develop when they become an alpha or queen. Those have an effect too. What doesn''t have an effect is what you know and your skill at using your body." Harijia looks at each of us in turn, making sure she has our attention


    "They want to encourage summoners to summon stronger demons when they can. If summoners think they will have a chance at an effective fighter by summoning one of you, they will. As long as the low tiered summons are fairly useless, they will do their best to summon something stronger."


    "It may sound harsh, but what the devils desire from the demons in this cavern is to be summoned, charge in, die and return. The summoner will then probably summon another demon, or choose to summon a stronger one. The devils win, you win, some other demons may win and who cares about what the summoner thinks about it."


    From behind Harijia a demon speaks up. "Why not train the demons anyway and just tell them to die fast in a summon."


    Harijia turns her head to look at the speaker, then turns to stare straight at me.


    "Do you have any idea how hard it is to force a swarmling, or any other demon, to lose a fight? They''d ignore the instructions the moment they''re out of sight."


    I can''t hold her gaze and avert my eyes. I may have some idea, yes. Turning her head again to look back at the speaker, her amusement is plain to everyone and I receive a few curious glances.


    "If I told you to fight that one there," she points at me, "one on one, and to make sure you lose, would you do it?"


    The hostility the demon projects at Harijia mere moments later is obvious. I understand the feeling, but I don''t like how he underestimates me. The limbs on my back tremble as I stop them from unfolding through sheer self control, but I can''t stop my agitation from showing in the rapid movements of my tail. The target of my ire locks eyes with me and we stare at one another.


    "Cut it out you two," Harijia hisses, interrupting my rising urge to fight. "That''s another reason. Until you guys are in better control of yourself it would only lead to problems here. Then there are the berserks that happen, it''s better if they don''t have the skills to back up their rage so they can be contained easily.


    I twitch to draw Harijia''s attention. "Berserk?"


    She sighs. "I constantly forget you''re so new here. It happens a few times a year, usually a few in quick succession, then a whole time nothing. Some poor demon will go on a rampage. Usually it''s because of things that happened in the summons. The other Keepers thought you''d be one and kept an eye on you, Grakol, until you started socializing with the other swarmlings more."


    Since not everyone can have a perfect memory like I do, I will forgive her for messing up my name. It worries me a bit the Keepers had been watching me so closely, something I want to ask more about, but Harijia isn''t finished yet.


    "There are other ways you lot can be a danger to each other. For example, the swarmlings may split in two factions, or two other species can start a territory war." Harijia is looking at me as she says this, for some reason. "It all comes down to what you already know. The devils and us, the Keepers, don''t want you to be able to fight us seriously if we need to restore order. This place is unstable enough as it is."


    The remainder of the speech is very similar to what she told me before, a few weeks ago already. Just sit it out, it''s not so bad, better things come after this and the only thing it costs is time. Her sibilant words soothe worries and take away anxiety. I am beginning to understand why she is a Keeper. She looks around the group again, pinning us one by one with her gaze before speaking.


    "I''m only telling you this because you''re all some of the smarter demons. You know it won''t help you to spread panic." Where before Harijia was a bit playful, she is now completely serious. "The devils will not hesitate to seal this place. How long will you last in the chaos, without food or water? They''ll sacrifice any of their own caught down here. Don''t worry about us Keepers. To us, you''re all prey."


    The last sentence sounds much more savage, not like Harijia at all. It''s easy to forget that she is a demon too, older than any of us. I shy away from her attention and I notice others doing the same.


    A heavy step just off to the side jerks my attention in that direction. One of the other Keepers is standing there. I think its origin was a bear, but he walks on two feet instead of four most of the time. His steps are unusually quiet and if we heard him now, it is because he wanted us to. Unlike with Harijia, there is no escaping or denying this one''s strength.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Are you done scaring the brainy kids?" He asks with a rumble. "Hulg wants to talk with you."


    Gone is the Harijia who scared me just a moment ago. In her place is the Harijia as I knew her before. Calm and exuding an air of friendliness.


    "I think this will be enough, yes," she answers pleasantly, "lead the way."


    I and the others watch the two depart, then we glance at one another. The message of today was not nice to hear, not at all, and I feel the need to think on my own. A serpent demon is the first to slither off in the under-brush and one by one we all leave.


    I get back to the ledge above the sleep cave. I may not be alone with the other swarmlings around, but it''s alone enough. The small impling has noticed me and approaches in a submissive pose. She likes checking the limbs on my back and will take care of any loose skin she finds while at it. I do notice her own wings have spikes at the tips by now, a clear sign she has been summoned recently. I think I understand. Wings are an easy target and will cripple anything that flies.


    Maybe I''m better off not flying for a while. I have enough weaknesses that adding more does not seem like a good plan. Slowly an idea of what I want next is forming. I have worked on my speed, reflexes, endurance and pure strength. I think I know how to do it, but I''m not looking forward to it. It will hurt and the trick will be not to get seriously injured, or killed. It shouldn''t happen, but Harijia confirmed my suspicions that this place is not as fantastic as it seems.


    I might as well get started now. I shrug off the impling and carefully climb down to a place around ten meters above the ground, then I jump. I''ve jumped from high places before, but this is the highest yet. Usually the ground I would land on would be softer too. In mere seconds that seem to last an eternity I reach the ground. Landing on all four legs, my claws score the ground to prevent me from tumbling away uncontrolled. My limbs bend at the joints until I''m almost flat on the rocks, a few sharper ones making shallow cuts on my belly where my skin is softest.


    Slowly I get up again. I got heavier once more, but the added muscle and stronger bones were as much help as they were trouble. Slowly I stand up. It''s a bit shaky and I would be in no condition to fight. Maybe I should think of other ways to improve my resilience. Glancing up, I can see several swarmlings looking at me with interest and I wonder how many are going to copy what I just did.


    Days later I have not made much progress. It is one thing to throw myself at pain and danger in the summon, but this is my real body and it is real pain that stays with me until it heals. Cuts and scrapes heal quickly, but I have learned that my joints take longer to recover. I don''t want to do this, I don''t want to hurt myself, and my reluctance is slowing down any progress.


    Soon it will be time for me to be summoned again. I''m hoping for the dungeon. Tarvinder should have my elixir ready and maybe there will be things to hunt. I think I''d like hanging out with Seo too. Remembering the lecture on magic, I try to sense anything around me or inside me, like how I felt the dungeon, but there is nothing. Maybe my flow is still too weak, maybe it''s something else, but I can''t find anything that feels as purely myself.


    I have been able to sense the rune on my head by now, as well as get a whiff of the energies from the summon. They''re both strange and alien. If I had to say anything about them I would call them both ''wrong''. Being summoned has been part of my existence for as long as I''ve lived, almost, but this is the first time something tells me that it''s wrong. To my slowly developing sense of it, it feels like a stain or something clinging to my skin in a hard to reach place. This is what is driving my changes? I shudder at the idea, but it''s not like I have a choice.


    Just a day later, Harijia takes me to a cell again. I can tell it''s not yet going to happen. I think she doesn''t want to leave it to chance, so I settle down to wait. When I finally see the world turning white I am slightly disappointed. It''s not Tarvinder or Avebella, again. When I can see I realize I''m under an open sky and take a moment to enjoy the sensation. I can''t see any stars, because some large fires nearby give off too much light. I can see a completely red moon straight above. Voices draw my attention to my immediate surroundings.


    Big stone slabs are arranged in a rough circle and figures in dark robes and their arms raised up are speaking rhythmically in melodic tones. Their gibberish seems related to the language the devils speak, but it''s so broken up I can''t make sense of it. Next to me is a big stone with some kind of creature bound to it by heavy chains. In front of me is another figure in a dark robe.


    "Spawn of The Eternal Evil and Darkness! I am thy master! Obey my commands forthwith!" the figure shouts at me. "Plunge your claws into the chest of this Beast of the Night, draw out the Heart and offer it to the All-Consuming Flames of the Destroyer as sacrifice!"


    The feeling I get from this person is strong enough that I don''t consider disobeying, despite being called a spawn. The beast looks part humanoid, part lupine. It''s eyes look at me with more fear than I would expect from an animal or beast. I reach out to test its skin which quivers when I make a shallow cut. It''s tough to pierce but not as tough as the Drallith. A little more poking confirms the creature has the normal rib cage and other such bones.


    As I prepare my claws to strike I''m momentarily distracted. The three main claws fit together more smoothly, forming a more even, sharper point than before. It''s probably due to all the rock stabbing I''ve done, and wanting to be able to pierce the Drallith next time.


    In one fluent motion I apply what Dellos taught me and stab my claws in the body, just under the ribs. A little bit of searching locates the heart. It''s made harder by the creature that is convulsing, thrashing and screaming, though the screaming stops once its lungs begin to fill with blood.


    I present the heart to the robed person, who points at a fire in the centre of the stone circle. I hobble over and toss the heart in. The scent of roasting meat speaks of a wasted good meal. Before I can turn around to ask what is next, a hand jerks my head up to expose my throat. A brief pain and I feel how my blood starts pouring out. Normal cuts would heal, but this won''t. My windpipe is slashed too and I can''t breathe or make a sound. I cling to the thought that this is not my real body, but I can feel myself panicking. My claws bounce harmlessly off the hands of my killer as my blood mingles with the flames.


    "Great Master! Hear your loyal servant! With the sacrifice of two creatures of evil and darkness, we call Thee!" The voices are starting to become distant and my vision narrows. In the fire, the face of a devil appears, made of flames it seems. That is all I see before the whiteness takes me back to my cell.


    Back in my own body I just stay in place, shivering. This reminds me way too much of the first few times I got summoned, when everything was strange and painful. I don''t want this. Not like this. I don''t care about getting stronger, there must be a different way. I raise my eyes and see Harijia looking at me. For a moment I feel unreasonably happy. I''m sure she will have an answer! As quick as the thought entered my mind it is gone again, leaving me wondering why I thought that. Harijia''s smile falters for a second before coming back, but it is not quite as strong as before.


    Despite my reservations, I do tell her about the experience. Mostly, I want to know about the devil face I saw.


    Harijia nods as if it''s only normal. "I''ve heard some devils do that. They negotiate their own summon price and often they will demand something else to be summoned, that way there is more energy to harvest for all devil-kind, since there is an extra summon. They add weird conditions for show, it is supposed to cause the summoner to treat them with more respect."


    I really hope these random summons will stop again here, they''re much less pleasant than even Mari is.


    As I make my way outside, I feel my spirits lifting. The whole ordeal was very unpleasant, but I''m not as negative about being summoned anymore. The only explanation I can come up with is that Harijia is affecting me somehow. There is nothing I can do about it now, so I put the thought away for later.

 28. Currents

    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."Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    "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?

 29. New Plans

    The further up we go, the more monotone the environment gets. There are only a variety of mosses and some insects around, none of the ferns and creepers I''ve gotten used to. The caves become more rugged and I can feel the temperature is lower. I hesitate for a moment before I ask Mari why this is. She seems in a good mood, so it''s worth a try.


    "The temperature goes up as you go down. Funny, isn''t it? The dungeon helps too. Between where we are and the surface is a whole lot of boring." Mari is almost skipping on air as she speaks and does a quick pirouette. "The real scary things are on the surface or deeper down. Having surface creatures come down will make my job more interesting, but will also take care of things like a drallith." Her grin suddenly turns wicked. "Some sentients butcher dralliths alive. With the regeneration of those pests, they can harvest almost triple the amount of meat."


    With that to ponder we continue in silence for a while. The caves and galleries become more rugged and random than before. Passages sometimes are wide, sometimes small openings I have trouble fitting through. Slowly stalagmites and stalactites start to fill up the ceiling and floor. First it''s just a few but soon there are rows of them. The sense of the dungeon is almost gone now, which would mean Mari is vulnerable. I don''t feel any inclination to attack her even so. It wouldn''t serve my purpose to defeat her here. Instead, I could try and learn from her.


    "What is the surface like," I ask her.


    "Dunno," she answers casually. "Momma told me it would be mountains. Earth elementals make mountains, she said, but I got here through the underground." She shoots a sharp glance at me. "Why are you so talkative all of a sudden?"


    "I decided I don''t want to kill or hurt you right now," I answer honestly. It only makes Mari giggle.


    After quite some time we reach an obstacle that will be too hard to overcome - at least together. I was able to hear it long before, but could not identify the sound. A wide chasm is in our path. Above is the light of the sky, apparently it is day now, but no sunshine reaches this far down. There is a slight curve to it, so I can''t say for sure how far it extends to the side. On the far side is a continuation of the cave we''re in right now. Something is creating a wind down the chasm and through that tunnel, causing a haunting and whistling sound. The wind is too wild to fly through, but I''m confident I could climb up and reach the surface. I don''t think I can cross, though.


    "Looks like something had a big fight here." Mari looks around for who knows what for a moment. "A few decades ago, I think. Well, it''s unlikely anything useful is going to come in through here."


    Her demeanour has changed from happy to sad. I think she was really looking forward to playing with humans. Inhaling deeply, I try to smell the scents carried on the wind. Some plants and animals I don''t know, very vague, and water. Cold water. The wind carries a hint of something colder than I''ve ever encountered, as cold as when Mari did the cold and hot thing. As I remember about Mari I notice she''s already on the way back.


    "I don''t go?" I kind of want to explore there. It''s a new place, even if it''s cold.


    "No time, you only have a few more hours. We''ll summon you for longer next time, but for now, go and eat some disgusting bugs and say hi to Tarvinder." She grins again. "He has something for you, I''ve been told."


    There is a hint of amusement there which makes me cautious.


    With a last glance at the sky I turn back the way we came. It wouldn''t do if I couldn''t be back in time, but I see no reason to eat the poison stuff. Even if it tastes good and makes me feel good, now it would feel as if I''m doing it because Tarvinder wants me to. He didn''t do what he said he would do, so I see no need to eat and give him another stone made from the left-overs.


    The way back takes a lot shorter now I don''t have to wait for Mari. I''m not sure if I was supposed to wait, but she hasn''t shouted at me. I would have heard, sound carries far in these caves. Soon I can feel the tickling of the mixture of dungeon and not-dungeon flows. When we were close to the outside I didn''t feel them, they must be coming from somewhere else. Mari is probably wrong, I think there is a lot she doesn''t know. Maybe as much as I don''t know.


    A familiar smell alerts me to a particularly well developed pill-bug thing. I hesitate. Clearly it''s important for me to see if I really got stronger and they are a good thing to test myself with. I''ll be able to tell exactly how much difference there is with before.


    A few tests and snacks later I feel like I can be satisfied about my progress. I managed to tip the largest pill-bug I could find and easily punched through the weaker underside, no need to make a mess of it by clawing my way through. It''s a nice feeling, knowing my efforts pay off. In a better mood than I was after not being able to climb up and out of this place, I head to Tarvinder.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    As usual, he''s bent over some kind of thing again, messing with dusts and liquids and other stuff with strange tools. In the time it takes for him to acknowledge me I make a quick tour of the room, sniffing here and there.


    "Found what you''re looking for?" comes the amused question.


    In fact, I did, but there is no reason to tell him. Instead I just jump on the desk and stare at him. "About that elixir?" I ask him.


    "Next time, I promise," Tarvinder answers without avoiding my eyes.


    He promised before, but for now I''ll leave it at this. I wonder what ingredient is missing, I found both of the stones that came from me.


    Turning away, Tarvinder picks up a small glass vial. "Instead I have this to test! It could be a whole new field of research! If it works." Grabbing a bowl with his free hand he pours the content of the vial into it and places the barely filled bowl in front of me. "Give it a try!"


    With half an eye on the old elf I carefully sniff the liquid. It has a little bit of me and something poisonous and a lot of things I don''t recognize. Extending my tongue I lick a little of it. Keeping my tongue out of my mouth, I wait for anything strange. Nothing, so far.


    Beside me, Tarvinder is taking notes and asking questions. "Do you feel anything? Pleasant, pain, anything?"


    Ignoring him I carefully bring my tongue back and swallow the little still clinging to it. A pleasant warmth spreads through me, not too much different from when the device on the demon world drains me. Taking another lick I try to put it in words.


    "I feel warm. All the way everywhere. And dizzy." It''s true, there is a hint of that poison stone in there and it''s having an effect. All in all it''s not unpleasant and I stretch before I lay down, making myself comfortable. My vision is blurring a little, which looks funny. "What is it."


    Tarvinder doesn''t even look up for his answer. "An unsummon potion. It''s supposed to break whatever magic it is that keeps you here. Oh, try to remember how you felt when you got back to your own world!"


    I know this should worry me, or at least make me upset, but an extremely relaxing sensation is spreading through my body at the moment and all I can manage is a grin as the world slowly turns white.


    Back in my cell I snap back to full awareness. I''m sure he did this on purpose! Was he that desperate to get rid of me? More importantly, can he make more of the stuff because that was amazing! The headache from the mark on my head barely registers until Harijia makes a noise to attract my attention and pointedly gestures to the back of the cell.


    "I take it this was better?" she says and I can hear a hint of amusement.


    I nod and decide to take a gamble. I should tell Harijia about the elixir Tarvinder said he could make. Maybe I''m still affected by that nice feeling which causes me to feel this way. Or maybe Harijia is affecting me. That last thought catches me just before I start to speak. Instead I tell her about finding an exit to the dungeon and that I''ll be able to explore, maybe, next time.


    It must be clear that I''m wary of her. It''s hard to hide the reactions of my body completely and occasionally I twitch as she shifts her posture. In the end she sighs and tells me to go.


    My first stop is Torn. The old swarmling is in his usual spot. It came to me when I was fighting the four lizard things. There was so much to take in, so much to try to predict and to think of. It was too complicated for me. The only way out I could think of was to charge forwards and just take the hits. But when we''re playing with Torn, he doesn''t show any such effort.


    First checking if anyone is within easy earshot, I address him. "Torn."


    An eye opens fully to regard me. "Gal," he acknowledges me.


    I take it as permission to speak. "You''re not stupid."


    For a while, I get no reaction, then he grins.


    "But you are," he laughs and only laughs harder at my indignant reaction. "Be smart, be stupid. You''re stupid, because you''re smart."


    I glare at him, waiting to explain what he means, but he closes both eyelids. He won''t talk to me now and trying to make him could end badly. What is the use of being stupid? No-one talks to you, you get no respect and no-one pays attention to you. As I run that through my mind, it turns and twists and I see the shape of what he means. No-one bothers Torn. He''s not being watched, but I am. The Keepers don''t care what he does and just let him do his thing as long as he shows up for his summon duty.


    With a small amount of chagrin I consider it''s probably too late for me. The only thing I can possibly do at this point is hide that I''m getting smarter instead of just smart. I probably also shouldn''t show of my skills and strengths as much as I do during my training. The more I think about it, the more certain I become that little goes on the Keepers don''t know about in one way or another. After all, lonely locked up demons waiting to be summoned talk. I''ve heard them mumble, but could never make out the words.


    A small spike of anger flares before I smother it. This is how Ava had it too, I remember clearly the females whispering. She is pretending to be harmless, maybe I can do the same? It will be difficult, they''re already watching me. It would be nice if it means Harijia will stop meddling with me. Wondering if my emotions and thinking are really mine is making my head hurt. I just need to keep it up until I get out of here.


    Just like that a great longing swallows me. I want to get out of here. I know the way out. Through the door in Harijia''s work room, up the stairs. Then I don''t know anymore, but it''s something I can figure out later. As the feeling calms down I realize I''m never getting it done while I''m being watched. One thing at a time, first things first. Startled I notice Torn has been observing me while I was lost in my own thoughts.


    "Don''t," he says, "escape is not worth it. Nor demanding to be released." There is a hint of bitterness in his tone. "I was outside. One year. I was stupid then, I didn''t know. It''s safe here. I can sleep, really sleep. I''m not alone. Just for a few years, then I''ll see."


    "They let you go?" I don''t know if I''m more shocked that they really let one of us go, or that Harijia may have been telling the truth on some things. "Why not kill you?"


    "They did. Far away, but not too far." He doesn''t look at me, but his posture is tense. "Not nice. Why they didn''t kill me? Don''t know, ask them."


    He rests his head down again. The talk really is over now. I have a lot to think about and plans to make for the future. I find my spot above the swarmling cave. It''s quiet right now and, sensing my mood, the others leave me alone.

 30. Tension

    Following my conversation with Torn, I regard the swarmlings around me with different eyes. Are there others that may be hiding their intelligence? The immediate answer is ''surely''. Old Torn can''t be the only one and confirmation soon follows. It''s not quite proof, but some of the older and higher ranked ones are paying closer attention to others than I''d normally expect. It''s subtle, but now I somewhat know what to look for. There are a number I''m not sure of and some that may just be a little more energetic still. To my chagrin, a lot of them are in the group that didn''t like to join my games. I decide against confronting them. My suspicions will have to be confirmation enough that Torn isn''t the only one. If they can do it, so can I.


    During my investigations an uneasiness had begun to seep into the atmosphere. At first I suspected Harijia was influencing me, but that became unlikely when I saw it in other swarmlings too. Then thought it was me, but it didn''t stop when I stopped with my observing.


    The tension is growing very slowly and it''s probably only due to my close observation that I''ve noticed it so early. Most of the others are yet unaffected. It''s the weaker swarmlings, those lower in rank, who are the first to show the signs. They are unlikely to be the cause, I understand that much. A few low ranks being nervous is nothing new and rather than them affecting the larger group, it is the group which calms them.


    However, in their position they are sensitive to the moods of the higher ranks. Similar to how the desire for food spreads every morning, a low key anxiety is affecting them now. It makes me realize I no longer view myself as part of the weakest group, even though I''m physically still at the bottom. No, the weakest are the ones with the fragile minds. They shy away from confrontation, startle at unexpected sounds and never meet your eyes in challenge. This mood is coming from the top, the older and stronger swarmlings.


    Over the days, the tension continues to build. One by one everyone is affected. It''s not just the swarmlings either, the other demons are also affected. It''s harder to notice, since I don''t understand them as well, but their postures and the more frequent growls and hisses that sound all around speak volumes. It''s especially noticeable in the morning when it is time to feed.


    Compared to now, the time when I first got here was playful with flying creatures zooming around and various demons swatting each other about. Now, everyone keeps careful distance, eyeing the other species carefully. Sometimes even eyeing their own species, not all of them getting along as well with their own as swarmlings do. There have been no accidents yet, but I feel it''s only a matter of time. The skirmishing is over and a real threat of violence hangs in the air.


    The Keepers are aware of the situation and I see them more often than before and more of them too. The only one unaffected is the bear with the spikes. Plodding on unconcerned, he is a beacon of calm though still as moody as before. Maybe a bit less moody as it sometimes allows passengers on its back. It looks like he is another one who is more intelligent than I thought.


    The days crawl by. I''ve stopped my exercises. I can''t do them when I don''t feel safe. Finally it is my turn in the summon cell again. When it happens, it''s an annoying affair. Some humans fighting a monster commanding me to fight by their side. Even as I jump into the fray the one who summoned me is already working on the next one. I am just a tool to throw away. Clearly outmatched I don''t last long and soon I''m looking at Harijia once more. I want to ask her if she knows what is going on. Doing so will only reinforce her conviction that I need to be watched, but I judge it to be worth it. True to my expectations, she is not surprised or alarmed by my question.


    "Yes, I''m sure you would want to know," she laughs at me with a hiss. "Last time was before you arrived and I''m aware it''s an unsettling experience."


    It''s an annoying thing Harijia has picked up recently. She no longer answers my questions directly. Instead she dances around the answer and teases with hints. She is testing my intelligence and trying to develop it further. For what reason I don''t know. I regard her silently, waiting for her to continue.


    "Every six months, demons are chosen to advance to the next stage," she explains.


    That is some interesting information, but I don''t see the connection yet. So I keep looking at her without answering. I can tell she''s a little annoyed with my lack of reaction.


    "The strongest demons are going away and they''re nervous, scared of the unknown." She sighs. "We try to prepare them, but this is the only place they know, or the only place in which they''ve known safety. I can''t blame them, but it''s always troublesome when it''s affecting everyone else too."


    Her explanation gives me more to think. Would I really want to leave here? Yes, I would, but the mood is affecting me enough that I can feel some apprehension now. If they are so afraid of it, maybe I should be too? It''s not entirely bad here. At the very least I become determined to find if I can get more use out of here.


    A few days later the situation has not improved. If anything it has gotten worse. It''s come to the point where one swarmling will snap at another for getting too close. To be fair, that happened before, but the mood has shifted and the claws are turned out now. Some are starting to sleep in different places than the big caves. Only for the feeding are we still somewhat united.


    Then, one night I wake up from a noise nearby. Everyone sleeps light and all around me swarmlings are waking up, instantly alert. One, however, is twitching and snarling in its sleep. Behind me swarmlings are slipping outside while the rest of us are settling down in various degrees. I find my spot on the floor. As much as I like hanging from the ceiling, I''m simply to heavy now to do so as I sleep. Suddenly, the sleeping swarmling wakes up and looks around. It howls and I only feel rage and fear in the yelps. By accident I meet its eyes. There is no recognition there, no focus. If I had to say anything, I''d say it is still asleep. The next moment it lunges at me, faster than I can react.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    In mere moments it''s on me. I manage to dodge a wild swing, but its jaws close on my rear leg. I feel myself lifted up. With a wild shake it tosses me away and off to the side. Before it lets go I feel something snap in that limb. I bounce off another swarmling before landing on the ground. Dragging myself around to face my attacker, it''s already unnecessary. Torn and another bigger and older swarmling are pressing the berserk down. Slowly but surely it calms down until its eyes clear and the struggles stop. It''s several minutes later when they allow it to stand up again. It shakes itself and visibly cringes, trying to hide from the eyes looking at it from every direction. Slowly everyone goes back to a sleeping spot. Some of the tension is gone, but the mood is still bad.


    My leg hurts, but as long as I don''t put my weight on it, I''ll be fine. Before I can make myself somewhat comfortable, Torn is looming over me.


    "See a Keeper," he growls at me. "Get that set."


    It''s not a suggestion, it''s not open to discussion and I do not dare to oppose him. This is the first time the hierarchy of the group is really clear as several older and stronger swarmlings are pacing around, making sure the others stay calm. It will be a long night for them.


    For me too, I realize as I hobble towards Harijia''s place. The limbs on my back are useless for moving around and with one of my rear limbs out of commission I can only slowly hobble onwards. The pain starts to settle in by now, nagging at me with every step I take, flaring up any time I accidentally use it to keep my balance.


    To only a small amount of surprise a Keeper meets me before I''m halfway. I''m sure they''re on the lookout for problems. This Keeper is not a normal demon, but a devil that feels to me a bit like a demon. He checks on my leg and pulls on it, making the pain worse for a moment, but when it fades it already feels a bit better. Before I can leave he hisses at me to stay. Using some cloth and a pair of sticks he fixes my leg in place.


    "Don''t rest your weight on it." he growls at me before leaving.


    Alone again I look around. I''m tired and it hurts more than I will admit to anyone. I''m not sure I can make it back to the cave. Slowly climbing up a tree I make myself as comfortable as possible among the branches. It takes some time to fall asleep.


    When morning comes I wake up from an itching limb. It''s itching from within and without. Testing it carefully I decide I can''t use it yet to stand on. I hold back on my desire to rip the cloth and sticks off, though the feeling of something tied to me like that makes my skin crawl. The next challenge is to descend the tree, something I had not considered last night. Careful climbing down as far as I can, I simply let myself drop the last few meters, making sure I land on my uninjured side. I grunt at the impact and the pain which runs through my leg, but upon inspection I''m fairly certain I didn''t cause any new damage.


    The bell for the food rings, but I head to the central clearing instead. At the moment I''m not hungry, the daily eating was more for enjoyment than necessity, so I''ll skip for a few days until my leg heals. At the clearing I meet Harijia. No words are wasted as she quickly inspects my leg. I''m certain she knows what happened in more detail than I do. It isn''t long before she speaks.


    "The swarmling that went berserk had some bad experiences with its summons. The atmosphere got to him," she explains.


    That much I figured out on my own and I tell her so. She just shrugs.


    "It''ll be over in a few weeks, try to tough it out."


    Once again days pass by slowly. Now not just because I don''t dare to do anything, but also because I am unable to do anything. My leg is healing fast by normal swarmling standards, or so I''m told, but still slower than I want. My next summon day is coming before it will heal properly, which annoys me even more. The tension in the cavern is also starting to rise again, making me nervous any time I go to sleep. In the end, I choose to sleep in a tree near the cave, rather than in the cave. Injured as I am, I''m feeling too vulnerable right now to trust other demons while I sleep.


    The day of the next summon is there. Harijia is clearly uncomfortable about putting me in the cell, which is interesting.


    "Normally we''d wait until you''re completely fine," she replies when I ask about it, "but it will happen to you whatever we do, so better have it happen here, where I''m close enough to assist."


    It makes sense and for a moment I am grateful for her attentiveness. Giving myself a mental poke, most of the feeling goes away. I''ve learned Harijia can only enhance emotions I already have, or push me in a certain direction if I''m not feeling anything strongly. It''s annoying, but it''s getting easier to deal with. I''m sure she notices what I''m doing. So far she has not commented on it to me.


    It''s a few days of no stress and no tension around me. I''ve never been so happy to be here, away from the rest of the demons, safe in this cell. It sours my mood a bit when I realize those thoughts are all me with no meddling from Harijia at all. Shrugging it off, I lay down for the first truly restful sleep I''ve enjoyed since the beginning of the current situation.


    When the summon comes I recognise it once again slightly before it happens. The sense I receive is Ava, Avebella. It''s somewhat re-assuring to feel her presence in my mind again. With a few exceptions it''s been my most relaxing experience so far. When I see her my mood once again makes a dip. She''s dressed in the same kind of clothes from when she forced me to lose. She stares at me while I stare at her. I can sense part of her attention going through our link and I wonder if that is something I can learn too.


    "You''re injured," she remarks with a hint of worry in her voice, quickly replaced by humor. "At least I don''t have to worry about making you underperform at the training today."


    I growl back at her, not finding it worth it to wast words on this. Even I realize it''s good timing, I''m not sure I could stomach it yet if I had to appear weak on my own. What is even better, I can now ask her about appearing weak!


    Ava taps her shoulder, the sign for me to climb up. I hesitate a moment, but I don''t want to walk around with my leg like this. The shoulder is a bit smaller than I remember and my position is a bit awkward.


    "You didn''t grow as much this time, but you did get heavier. Have you been working out?" Ava grumbles. She turns toward the door where a female in grey who is not Ine opens the door. I stare at her until she looks away.


    On the way to wherever this training is, I poke Ava''s cheek.


    "I have questions, later," I tell her. She answers with a nod.

 31. How To Be

    We take the almost familiar corridors and road to the training grounds. When we arrive there, everything seems to be set up the same as last time. Isn''t this meant as training? Why don''t they make it harder? I poke Ava''s cheek again to get her attention and ask her.


    "First of all," she replies as she brushes my claw away from her face, "stop doing that just to get my attention. You know how to do the poking with your mind, so do that."


    She pushes her emotions at me. A slight edge of irritation, some amusement and deep down still that anger which never seems to fade. I''ve had a lot on my mind and kind of forgot I could do that.


    "The training is more for the mages, honestly, so they learn about the capabilities and limitations of their familiars and to see if there is any improvement. Not all of them do as I do with you."


    I think she refers to when she clobbered me with her staff. It was a lot of fun and I don''t understand why others wouldn''t do the same. Then again, some of the familiars are totally unsuitable for it.


    Instead of going to the group of females, Ava is heading for the man I''ve learned to recognize as the dominant male in this part of the territory. She bows her head down, a proper sign of submission, and waits for his permission before speaking.


    "Field Master, I ask for my familiar to be excused from the physical tests. He has been injured in his own realm and it does not pay for me to antagonize him needlessly by forcing him into this."


    The man she called Field Master coughs for a moment. I am getting better at reading the faces and I suspect he is trying not to laugh.


    "Indeed," the man answers, "Don''t ''needlessly'' antagonize him. Very well, join your group and inform your attendant."


    The way he stresses the word needlessly makes me suspect he knows about my issues on the first of these training days. Ava doesn''t reply. Instead she heads off to the other females and briefly explains the situation to the male overseeing them.


    The only thing left for me to do is the test with the puzzles. I wait for Ava to give me instructions to fail, but she just tells me to hurry up. Most of the things are simple to solve, especially since I remember them from last time, but one I can''t figure out. I think I need to turn knobs to the correct place in the correct order to open five little doors. If I do the wrong order, some doors will open while others close. When all five are open, I can open the door the puzzle is in. After trying for a while I get frustrated and just insert my claws in an opening to keep it open. As I turn a knob, the force of the little door closing is still too strong, so I just rip it out. Behind me I can hear other females commenting on me to Ava.


    "He improved so much, you must have trained him hard!", "Well done!" and other such remarks are directed at her.


    I can hear her laugh softly. "Once you stop them from trying to solve everything with violence, they''re not as stupid as you''d expect," is her reply. "Shame about the last puzzle, no?"


    While I feel like I should be insulted, I can''t deny that she has a good point. Now comes the hardest part. Instead of walking back, I''m to exaggerate my injury. I brace myself for the rush of emotions I know will come. My instinct tells me to hide my injury, pretend nothing is wrong. Injured beasts are weak, injured beasts are prey. Against the torrent of my instinct I repeat to myself one sentence. Learn to be weak. Learn to be weak. I need to learn to be weak.


    The females seem to offer no threat, instead offering their sympathy to Ava for my injury, but I''m acutely aware of the looks the other familiars are giving me. As I reach the gaggle of females one reaches out to me with the words "Oh you poor thing, you look like you''re in so much pain".


    I don''t need the short spike of anger from Ava to tell me what to do. Lashing out with a claw I slap at her hand. Ava stops me from cutting her flesh, but I follow it up with an angry hiss. I''m not to speak where others can overhear us, but this kind of language is universal. To my satisfaction the female almost falls over as she jerks herself back. Ava can touch me, and only her. Grudgingly I concede that the Field Master male would be allowed to touch me too, but not this weak female!


    "I''m sorry Joanne, he''s a bit skittish with strangers! He got a lot better, but it''s still a demon," I hear Ava exclaim. Her concerned tone in sharp contrast with the anger I can sense from her. The event is forgotten as the next familiars take their tests and the group returns to talking about one another''s favorites.


    It''s several boring hours later before the ordeal is over. I climb back on her shoulder with a little effort. As we make our way back to the building, a familiar smelling male stops us. I search my memory where I know the scent from, but to no avail. I think the male knows me too, since he looks at me with anger before addressing Ava.


    "Sis, mind if I walk with you?"


    I can feel a small tumble of emotions in Ava. There is some annoyance and anger, but some unfamiliar feelings too. If I had to name it, it would be some kind of attachment. A bit like how I like to have to small female imp around to groom me. So she likes him?Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Ava sighs before replying. "Yes Bertholf, you may accompany me to the doors of the dorm."


    I think I''ve heard this Bertholf too, but it still doesn''t connect.


    "How have you been, Ava? Is everything still alright?" Bertholf asks, a little awkward.


    "I''m fine, why do you ask? And please call me Avebella in public. Besides, you only call me Ava when you need something from me." Avebella''s tone is colder than before.


    Should I call her something else maybe? For now I decide to remain quiet, observing the interaction is more than interesting.


    "I''ll keep it short, sister. There is a rumor you acquired a large amount of still-berries?"


    The male leaves the sentence there, but Ava doesn''t reply. As the silent grows she finally responds with a simple "so?".


    "well, those are commonly known for when a woman, you know, when she is, eh, expecting or, ah, when she doesn''t want to be and, er, well, you know?" Bertholf is clearly uncomfortable with the conversation. "We have to be conscious of our positions."


    To my amazement, Ava is surprised, very amused and very angry at the same time. I hadn''t thought that possible. The surprise and amusement come out in laughter, but her expression quickly turns serious and her voice cold and hard.


    "Even if I got them for that, it would be none of your business. Anyone who marries me will do so for status and wealth, not for my purity. It''s also rich to hear that coming from you, how many did the last one make? Three or four, and that is just what you know of?" I hear her laugh again, louder this time. This close to my ear it''s maybe a bit too loud and a soft hiss escapes me which draws the attention of the male Bertholf.


    "The berries are for this one." Ava fumbles with a little pouch at her hip and brings one of the tasty berries up.


    I had almost forgotten about them! Well, compared to the pill-bugs in the dungeon they''re not great, but I''ll take anything I can get. Ava pops the berry up in the air with a finger. It would be annoying if it fell on the ground and I''d have to climb down to get it. Tracking the trajectory, I whip out my tongue and try to catch it mid-air. I only succeed in hitting it further away. Before I can climb down, Ava holds up another of the berries for me to eat. I graciously accept her tribute.


    "Gal, I don''t think you have been properly introduced," Ava begins. "This man is my brother, Bertholf. Remember? He kicked at you when you were just summoned."


    That explains why he smelled and sounded a bit familiar and where I heard his name before. Bertholf looks at me with wary eyes. Right now I wouldn''t be able to challenge him, I feel, so his caution is undeserved. I would like another chance at shredding the offending leg without Ava interfering. Maybe some other time.


    By now we have reached the big doors and part ways with Bertholf. Back in her room, I can finally ask Ava the questions I''ve been waiting to ask.


    "Ava?" I draw her attention.


    She ignores me, signalling for the maid that is not Ine. While she changes clothes she continues to ignore me, even when I poke her mentally. I stop when I feel her anger growing and when I receive a mental shove from her. Patiently I wait for her to pay me attention.


    Avebella sits down on the chair that is next to the desk and finally looks at me. "Well?" she asks.


    I don''t really know how to phrase exactly what I want to ask, so I decide to keep it simple. I''m getting a handle on being weak, that leaves one thing. "How can I be stupid?"


    Both females in the room stare at me for a moment before they start laughing. I don''t think I''ve seen Ava laugh so much before, it''s not unpleasant, but I''d prefer an answer. Just when Ava calms down, the giggling hiccups of the maid start her laughing again. It''s starting to be a little irritating, but almost all the anger is now gone from the sensations I get from Ava which I think is a good thing.


    When the two have finally calmed down Ava looks at me with a frown. "First of all, I want to know why you want to know this. If you try to pull one on me, I''ll make you regret it."


    I hesitate a moment. "I get too much attention. Back home," I reluctantly admit.


    The frown disappears from Ava''s face. "Asking strange questions like just now helps. It almost sounded like you wanted to know how you could be like my brother." She shares a look with the maid. "Which is what we were both thinking." They both start giggling again.


    It takes a moment more for her to continue. "A question for you first, why do you call me Ava?"


    "It''s easier," is my answer.


    Ava nods. "That is a good start. Avoid complicated things. If people tell you to do something, act like you don''t understand them unless they say it in a simple and easy to understand way." A hint of a smile plays on her lips as she leans back in the chair. "Mess up your speech. You''d be surprised at how many people equal intelligence with being able to talk their language. If go you back to calling me Ara, people will assume you''re not good enough to do better."


    "Next, be amazed at everything." Ara sits up straight, tilts her head and puts her hands on her cheeks. "Oh my! Are you sure? That is so amazing! How did you do that!"


    The voice she uses is not one I''ve heard from her before, but I may have heard something like that from one of the other females.


    After a few more lessons on being stupid, Ara takes me out of the room and into the corridors.


    "This is called carpet, this a tapestry, a bust, a landscape painting, a still life and this a portrait. The big painting is a group portrait. Are you listening, Gal?"


    Why do humans have so many different words for useless things that are almost the same? I suspect that is not a question I should ask, so I ask something else instead. "Why do I need to know this?"


    "Because if I tell you to wait for me in front of the bust of the founder in the main hall, you need to know what a bust is," is the answer.


    There is no argument I can bring against that, but this is the most boring lesson I''ve ever had. We continue our journey through the corridors, occasionally meeting someone. All the time Ara points out new furniture or decorations I should be able to recognize. Arriving in the main hall, she also starts to name furniture from different kind of chairs, benches and tables to lights like a chandelier, a lamp or a candelabra. As useless as it is, I can think of worse ways to spend my time.


    Dinner is in a large room somewhere in the building. I''m beginning to think I''ve not seen enough of the place yet, only small parts of the interior and exterior, and a desire to explore grips me. Unfortunately I have to sit through the humans eating without anything of my own to do or to eat. I can''t be bothered to stare down any of the other familiars, I have much thinking to do.


    My greatest joy comes at night. Ara tells me to go and explore, but only inside the building. She then adds to only enter the large rooms and corridors and not to open any doors on my own as the smaller rooms are ''private'' rooms. I''m not entirely sure what the problem is, but whatever, I get to explore!

 32. The Hidden Spaces

    With most humans asleep, the building is quiet, though not completely quiet. The corridors are much less brightly lit than during the day time, which poses no problem to me. The clicking of my claws on the stones is again giving away where I am, but since I''m not hunting it doesn''t matter as much. It''s become easier to navigate the very similar looking corridors, thanks to the lesson from earlier. While I did pay attention to the things standing against or hanging on the wall, knowing what they are exactly makes it easier to remember the characteristics of every place. The occasional human is most often dressed in grey, almost none of the blue robes are about. They look at me briefly before hurrying along. I don''t know what they''re all doing, nor do I care. What I care about are the different scents in these corridors. They are as much of a guide to me as the decorations.


    Some of them I recognize, they are from other females who have been hanging around Ara. There are almost no male scents, only in the central corridor and they go straight from one end to the other. The greatest disappointment is the lack of food. Even though I can''t actually eat anything unless it''s given to me by Ara, I still want to know where to find some. The second disappointment is that the men standing at the big doors have been replaced by women and these women do not open the door for me. When I stop in front of the door and stare at them, they just ignore me! I think it''s because I''m not a human, because from a distance I have seen them opening the door for humans. I could wait for another human to pass by, but there is more to explore. I can always come back later.


    There is a whole room with nothing but books! I know what books are now, both Tarvinder and Ara have warned me to be careful with them since they''re important. That makes a room full of books very important. The room is near the centre of the building and has bookcases lining every wall, with tables in the middle. What interests me more is something I noticed at the top of some of them. I can''t really say I noticed it. There are stray scents drifting here and there, scents that have nothing to do with the corridors. They come from grates high up in the wall and quite well hidden. Here in the book and scroll room, they are the easiest to reach.


    Climbing up a bookcase is easy enough and I find the grate where I expected it to be. It would be impossible to pass through while standing. Shuffling sideways would be uncomfortable for most. However, I''m used to seeing every surface as something to walk on. Lying on my side I flatten myself on the wall that is now my floor and crawl past the bars. I grumble to myself. My weight is causing some strain, also while I was climbing up here. More than I''m used to. While my increased strength mitigates part of it, this also comes with more weight. It will simply be harder and harder for me to use the walls and ceiling of a place as time goes by. Nothing I can do about it, staying weak was not an option. My injured limb protests, but not serious enough to stop me.


    Beyond is a tight corridor, or maybe a tunnel? A small human may be able to crawl here and, from what I can smell, has. There are no vermin here, but I do smell a lot of traces of different familiars. That is probably the reason why there are no vermin. They are either hunted or stay away. The duct leads to a wider one which follows the same direction as the corridor beyond. It''s an interconnected network of space above the rooms and corridors below. There is more space than I expected, ideal for running around without being bothered by anyone. That said, I don''t run around. The sound of my claws is even louder in my ears up here. I''m still not hunting, but now at least I don''t want to alert anything or anyone.


    At the far end of my current path, a shape briefly obscures the passage before moving on. I''m reminded I am not the only familiar to use these passages. Acutely aware of my injury I slow down more, straining my senses to pick up the slightest sound, sight or scent. I don''t need to follow all of the passages up here to know where they are going. My time in the dungeon taught me how to stay aware of places relative to one another. Guided by scents, I quickly locate the familiar females, Ara and Ine among them. Now it''s time to check other, unfamiliar scents. The one I''m tracking right now is human, male and young. There is a distinct difference between an adult and a young, with the adults having a muskier, heavier scent. At the end of a long corridor I find it, a way up. The place is close to where the big doors are that would let me into the hall and the way up is a hatch. It''s like a door that swings in a different way. Since the human that was in here is a young one, I should be able to push it up as well.


    Unfortunately, humans are better at standing on two limbs than I am. Pushing the hatch up in that awkward position proves to be more trouble than I can be bothered with. In the end I settle for pushing my claw out and dragging myself through the opening I create. The wood scraping along my back is annoying but doesn''t hurt. My skin is thicker than that. The only trouble appears when my hindquarters are out and my tail gets caught. With an annoyed hiss I pull out my tail, gouging the wood. On further inspections, I can also see some damage in the stone and wood where I pulled myself out with my claws. Oh well, Ara has shown me it''s easy enough to fix. I''m still a bit upset I''m leaving such obvious tracks. If I can stop damaging everything I walk on, it would help a lot.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Movement in the corner of my eye makes me whip my head around. I was so caught up by my tail, I did not pay enough attention to my surroundings. It''s a more or less open floor with support beams reaching up to the diagonal roof. Since almost everything else is stone, I''m a bit surprised to see more wood being used here. The space is as wide and as long as the place below. I''m directly under the roof. In the middle is enough space for an adult to stand, but it slowly tapers off towards the sides. Various things are stacked here and there, but some of it looks like sleeping places for humans. That is where the movement came from. Four young humans sit there and are staring at me. Occasionally one turns to another to whisper something. I blame my tail for distracting me, or I would have noticed them right away.


    Curiously, they don''t behave the way I would expect young creatures to behave. Neither do they behave like the humans I''ve met here so far. Most look at me with distaste, as if I stink. I might stink, I don''t know how their noses work, but they are very obvious about it. As for the young of a species, they should run and scream, try to hide or freeze when faced with a predator. These don''t do either. They''re inspecting me as closely as I inspect them.


    "You''re kinda ugly ain''t ya."


    The sudden noise startles me. One of them spoke! It was probably an insult, but they look ugly to me too, so I''ll accept it as is.


    "Which noble do you think it''s with?" says another. It triggers a discussion I can''t follow. After a short while they come to the right conclusion, Avebella. I wonder if this kind of talking is normal for their species or if they are different. I certainly do not recall any of the other humans talking with one another like this. After reaching their conclusion, they start to walk in my direction, spreading out to surround me in a half circle with my back against the wall. Once again I''m reminded of my injury and my tail starts to twitch back and forth in agitation.


    "I think we''re spooking it."


    It''s the tallest who speaks. There are two middle size and one smallest. The scent of the smallest is also the most common in the passages below.


    "Ulo, look at those claws! I bet he can gut a horse!"


    It''s the small one who says that and the biggest who replies, so his name is probably Ulo.


    "And look what it did to the wood and stone. It''s gonna be a lot of work tomorrow."


    I glance towards the marks I made a few moments ago, then I jerk my attention back to the four young ones. They have not done anything hostile, but I''m not comfortable boxed in like this.


    "Ulo! I think he can understand us!"


    It''s one of the middle sized two who says this. I didn''t consider it special and for some reason thought other familiars would be the same. What if that mark from the devils helped me learn the language faster than they are used to from familiars?


    "Hey, do you want something nice?"


    It''s the other middle sized one who asks me as he holds something out to me. It doesn''t smell particularly appetizing, but I couldn''t eat it if I wanted.


    The young ones keep me surrounded and keep chatting about how I look. From my ears, nose and on to my tail. It''s nice, in a way. They are not afraid and I don''t feel the need to intimidate them. The young are to be taught and assisted. Or eaten, if the need is there, but there is no need here. It''s fun and, after a while, I manage to relax. I don''t play with them, and they don''t try to play with me. My claws are the real thing now and I can easily cut them to pieces if I''m not careful. They give me a piece of wood to demonstrate my claws on and it''s satisfying to whittle it down.


    It''s later, quite late, when the bigger young one tells the others to sleep. I take a quick tour around their home and find more sleeping places. There are probably more like them who are not here right now. I''ve found the source of the strange smells. It''s up here, with the small humans, but also strange pouches with plants and other stuff mixed in. They''re hung around the room under the roof, but also near entrances to the corridors. The scent is not bad for me, and the small humans don''t seem to mind either. When the big one sees me inspecting one of them, he does explain their use. They are supposed to scare away rats and other vermin. As far as he can tell, it works. I don''t share my own thoughts, that it''s because of all the familiars inside. Not because he doesn''t need to know, but because I''ve not yet decided to talk with these humans. Ara has convinced me enough that I need to be conservative in showing my intelligence.


    Heading back to Ara''s room is easy. Only the way down is hard. The small young one holds the hatch up, though he drops it on the tip of my tail. The tail isn''t hurt, the tip is a sharp blade after all, but it did hurt when I pulled it taut as it got stuck. Climbing down from the bookcase is also tough. The injured leg being more of a hindrance now than it was when I went up. After tonight, the layout of the place is easy and I find my way with no trouble. Once there, I am confronted by the stupid human thing again. Doors. Everything is closed and I don''t feel like trying to open one. I might as well take a nap here. The stone is cool, but the air is still comfortable, I''ve napped on worse.


    I wake up from sounds nearby. Instantly alert I scan the unfamiliar surroundings before I remember where I am. Ara''s world, outside the room. One door opens and in front of me stands Ine.


    "She kicked you out?" she asks.


    I shake my head. Not really. Maybe, I''m not sure, but I didn''t mind.


    "She won''t be up for several hours, you could come with me, if you want." Ine smiles as she makes the suggestion.


    The smile is a bit harder to decipher. There is amusement in there and anticipation. I''m not sure what she finds amusing, or what she is looking forward to, but I may as well follow along to find out.

 33. The Hidden People

    The tapping of Ine''s footsteps is echoing through the empty corridors, almost masking the sound of my claws. I can hear more footsteps echoing in the distance, informing me we''re not the only ones awake and on the move. We move towards the doors that lead to the hall with the stairs. The women at the doors don''t open them for Ine, but she opens them herself. On the other side, two men are present. I''m not sure when those humans open the door and when they don''t. Ine catches me looking back and starts to speak when we''ve nearly crossed the hall. The doors on this side are open.


    "They only open the doors for students and faculty, not for servants," she says. "Normally they don''t have anyone stationed at night, except here at the Women''s Quarters."


    It''s useful to know, I guess? It''s a strange custom to separate males and females, I don''t really see a reason for it. As we enter the next corridor, Ine gestures me to move to the side.


    "Servants walk on the side of the corridor here, so we don''t get in the way." Pointing down at the stone floor she continues. "Blue stone or carpet for students and faculty," she moves her hand to where she is walking, "and grey stone for where the servants should walk." She smiles slightly. "A student trying to ingratiate himself with his betters is often called a grey-foot because they''ll walk on the servant space. A servant with ideas above his or her station is said to have blue feet."


    I understand she''s trying to explain the differences in ranking between humans. It sounds confusing and unclear. Hopefully, I''ll get it later.


    We pass by a big hall. It may be where I first entered this world, but I''m not certain. There isn''t as much open space as I remember with tables and benches taking up the floor. It''s here where I first smell something burning. It vaguely stirs a memory of an eating thing Ara took me to once. There is another smell, one I don''t know yet. It stings my nose and I sneeze. As we proceed, the very air begins to sting my eyes and I close my secondary eyelids, which provides immediate relief. We pass by the place where the smell of burning food is coming from and go through a door a bit down the corridor. Here, the air even slightly hurts when I breathe!


    Further away I can see several females doing something in large wooden tubs, stirring the contents with long wooden poles. Steam is rising from the tubs, but quickly disappears somewhere near the ceiling. Closer by are high, long tables at which females are doing things with clothing. The air is hot and it stings. I''m so distracted by the new situation, it startles me when a female I haven''t spotted speaks up from too close to my flank.


    "Come to pick up laundry, miss Ine? It''s dry, but you''ll have to iron and fold it still."


    Another female is staring at me. From this distance and in this air I can''t smell her, but she looks agitated. I think it''s fear and I allow myself a small grin.


    "Is that a demon? You brought a demon here?" the female exclaims.


    Ine continues walking to a basket near a wall. I''m conscious of the looks I receive, most are not friendly. She takes some clothing things out and puts them on a mostly empty table. A metal thing, which I now see all the females wield or have nearby, is standing there. Sniffing the clothing Ine picked up I try to check if they smell like Ara, but the scent coming off irritates my nose so much I have a sneezing fit.


    I hear Ine''s voice through my sneezing. "You can stop trying to ward off evil. It seems you''d have more success with detergent if you wanted to get rid of him." Other females laugh.


    The talking starts after that, though slower than what I''m used to with humans. Most of it is about me, or rather, about me being a demon. The other females have a rather nice opinion of how dangerous I am, though Ine often tells them they''re wrong. I can''t really disagree. I can''t hear a beating heart from a hundred paces, not yet at least, nor do I like to claw myself through the body of my prey, which they call victims. It is true that I wouldn''t wait for my food to die before I start eating. Flesh is best fresh, after all, when there is still a good deal of blood filling the meat. Even that Ine contradicts.


    Mindful of the fact that Ara wants me to be less dangerous, I just sit and observe. It''s uncomfortable but bearable and the females slowly get used to my presence. The topic shifts from me to demons in general and suddenly I hear something which sounds familiar.


    "The whole family was killed by demons, I heard. Only the stable lad survived!" one says.


    "I heard it was his young wife that saved him at the cost of her own," another speaks up. Soft murmurs come from the other females at that. A few look at Ine with some expectation.


    Ine finishes folding a blue robe before speaking, with the other females waiting silently. "It was the Mirchand family, at their little retreat."


    Her statement causes some eyes to go wide while others nod in understanding.


    "If the rumors are true, they probably called it upon themselves as a punishment from the gods." All the attention is now on the female that spoke. She acts both defensive and angry when she continues. "The men had odd tastes and the women of the family liked to watch. That''s all I''m going to say on that."


    The other women continue to pester her, but she refuses to elaborate. After this, the conversation turns to the odd tastes some humans have. I understand the words and what they mean, but I feel like I don''t understand the meaning of what these females are talking about. Bored, I wait for Ine to finish with the clothing.


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    After the clothing place, we go to the food place. Ine is carrying a basket with the clothing with her. I''m glad to be out of the place as my throat was beginning to hurt from the ''detergent'' in the air. The air in this room is hot too, but doesn''t sting my eyes. There are both males and females working, as well as some young ones. I get the same mix of fear, hostility and a bit of curiosity as in the clothing room. The ones working here are much too busy to talk, but many sneak glances at me whenever they can.


    The only ones to stare openly are the young ones. They were cleaning some big metal cauldrons and other things, but pause when I enter. What is interesting is that they do not react like the ones I found earlier. These respond similarly to how the adults around them react. It makes sense. It is how a hatchling learns about what is dangerous too, by following the examples of the older ones.


    We don''t stay long at this place. Ine grabs two trays and loads some food things on them from a table probably meant for this. After she puts a cover over them she places them on the basket and off we go.


    Back at Ara''s and Ine''s rooms, Ine opens the door to her room. The inside is smaller than the one where Ara sleeps. It''s made even smaller by some big chests against one wall. The window is also more narrow. There are two beds, one closet and one desk. On one of the beds, the maid from yesterday is sitting, doing something with her hair. Ine puts the basket on top of a chest and one tray on the desk. The remaining tray she takes to the other bed where she begins to eat.


    "You were already asleep when I came back yesterday. Was it a tiring day, Lena?" Ine asks between bites.


    The maid I now know as Lena goes to get the other tray and returns to her bed before answering. "It was harder than I thought. Standing the whole time was not too bad, but trying to stay alert and not let my thoughts drift took a lot of energy."


    Ine chuckles. "People would never expect the life of a noble to be boring, no matter how often you tell them. Remember your training and do your best. The lady is kind and won''t punish you for a momentary lapse like some would. I expect you to take good care of her."


    Lena nods. "Where will you be today, if I may ask?"


    "I have some errands of my own to run in town, then I''ll pay a visit to the townhouse to see if all is ready for the upcoming social season." Ine glances at me. "I''m to take Gal with me to make him familiar with the town and the staff at the house until the summon wears off. Now eat and then off with you! You''ll soon have to get breakfast and water to wash for Lady Avebella."


    When we''re alone again I decide to directly address Ine. If I''m going to accompany her, I might as well talk to her. First something I really want to know. It''s been bugging me for a while now. "What is a maid, and what is a servant?"


    Ine startles when I talk to her. I can tell she''s not quite comfortable with me, but she''s trying. In light of that, this morning was very good of her. She is silent for a while before speaking. "Servants are people who work in the house of other people. Depending on the position, a maid is tasked with keeping the house clean or with attending to the master''s or mistress'' needs. Do you understand?"


    At first I don''t quite understand, but when I think of the colony of a swarm as a house and the queens as Avebella, it makes some sense if I think of the rest of the swarmlings as servants. It makes me wonder. There was something about the situation in the wash-room that is tugging at my mind. "Is there a difference in rank?"


    "That is very perceptive of you!" Ine says. I don''t like her tone. I''ve heard other females use it with their familiars and I feel it lacks respect.


    "Personal maids are more respected than the women in the wash-room or in the kitchen, though the headmistress of the laundry rooms and the kitchen chef outrank me again in most situations." She taps her chin in thought. "It''s quite hard to explain, really."


    "What about the young ones?" I ask her next.


    "The drudges?" She seems honestly surprised by my question. "Most students and faculty staff here don''t even see the lower servants. They''re usually children of the other staff, though the academy employs a fair number of orphans as scullions, drudges and assistants. I think it''s a bit sad, but it is how it is, the children of the poor have to work from a young age."


    There is a new word, one I''ve not heard before. "What is an orphan?"


    Ine studies me for a moment. "I guess demons don''t have the same kind of families as humans? Let''s say that an orphan is a child, a young one, that has no caretakers any more to take care of it until it is old enough to take care of itself."


    It''s a strange thing. If a hatchling loses its swarm, it dies. No other swarm will care for it, this I know. If a colony is too weak to survive, there is no reason to take care of offspring that is not of your colony. You''d only bring weakness to your own colony.


    It''s already light when Ine takes me outside. Once again I enjoy the breeze, the sunlight and the sounds of life around me. past the doors, Ine heads a bit off to the side to a line of carriages with open tops. I''m not certain, but they do not look very nice. As we approach the first one leaves and I can see several people inside. None of them have the blue clothing I have started to associate with the important people here.


    We get into the next carriage, which was still empty. The man at the front does not look happy when he glances at us, mostly at me. A few times people make as if to enter with us, but when they see me they move on to the next carriage. Only one woman climbs in with us, though with some hesitation. Once she is seated, we drive off. The ride is probably uncomfortable for humans as it is very bumpy. The way they are seated means they bounce around all the time. Since I''m standing, I don''t have that problem, but it is a bit tiring and my leg starts to hurt more.


    The town comes into view. I don''t know what to expect, so I take a good look. A stone wall goes around most of the place, but there are several clusters of buildings outside the wall too. The carriage is heading towards an opening in the wall where two humans in armor and with weapons are standing. When we approach, the carriage slows down. At a wave of the guards, we drive inside.


    The first thing I notice is the smells. It smells like a lot of humans and everything I''ve come to associate with humans. There is a hint of the detergent thing, of burning food, of wastes, and more. The number of people I see is also surprising, but what is more surprising is how little attention they pay us. They see the carriage and step aside, but they don''t really look at us inside. I know this because the few that really look, see me, and are visibly startled.


    The road opens up onto a plaza and we stop behind the carriage that left before us. As I follow Ine out onto the street, I am again surprised at how little attention people are paying us. How do these people survive if they are so dull? Maybe it is just that safe here? Ine stops to give the man on the front of the carriage a round metal disk and I wonder how it would taste. It''s been a while since I ate anything more solid than bone, something I''ll have to address when back.


    A twinge in my leg reminds me of my vulnerability. Strangely enough, I feel less danger here than back at the training field because I know no-one is really paying attention. It''s like I''m hiding where everyone can see me, which means the same goes for everyone else. A place full of hidden people.


    Ine snaps her fingers to get my attention, the same annoying way Tarvinder does it. It startles me because Ara always just pokes my awareness. Cautiously I test my sense of her and, somehow, I can tell she is also aware of me. It will be interesting to test how much I can communicate to her with this.


    "Let''s go shopping, Gal." Ine announces.

 34. Disarmed

    "If you ask a noble, lady Avebella included, they''ll tell you shops won''t open this early." Ine snorts. "Shows what they know. The fancy fronts may not be open, but work goes on."


    I follow Ine down a stone cobbled street until she stops at a door and knocks. I hear some noises from inside the building and a little hatch on the door opens.


    "Who''s there?" a male voice asks.


    "I''ve been instructed to come for a fitting. Des Mont¨¦ Cardatin," Ine replies calmly.


    The hatch closes. Moments later I can hear the sound of metal sliding over metal and the door opens.


    "Please come in," the man says with a small bow. His eyes linger a short while on me before he continues. "I assume this familiar to be the recipient?"


    Ine returns the light bow before speaking. "It is indeed. I''m sure you can see why we commissioned you."


    It''s starting to become interesting to watch Ine. When she is near Ara, she acts subservient. In the wash room and the food room, she acted quite superior. Now she is a mix of the two. Setting the mystery of human hierarchies aside for now, I study the place I''m in now. There are all manner of clothing things around as well as armor, all of it too strange a shape for a human. Through an open door in the back I can see another room. The smell of at least two other humans hangs around in the air, but I can''t tell if they''re nearby, only that they are here frequently.


    I''m startled when the man kneels next to me and I repress the reflex to lash out at his exposed face. My little twitch does not go unnoticed and the man pulls back a bit.


    "Yes, those claws are nothing to scoff at. You hadn''t mentioned the tail though, would you want that taken care of too?" At a nod from Ine, the man continues. "It doesn''t look like this familiar will ever feature in a fashion contest, so would you be more interested in protective gear? There are also collars to protect the neck, for example, which can be dyed in house colors. I don''t have any armor of the right size, but I could adjust one of the wolf-type ones given a few days. Then again, I could do much with a more rugged look instead of the dainty accessories popular at the moment."


    The man is enthusiastically gesturing around me with his hands and I twist and turn my head to keep an eye on what he is doing. He doesn''t touch me, but he is so close I want to either step back or attack. Stepping back is not an option, the man has no muscles and is past his prime. Attacking does not feel like a good idea either, so in the end I settle for a loud hiss.


    "Sorry there, buddy," He says as he backs off. "Didn''t mean to make you feel threatened."


    I hiss at him again. Threatened? By him? The thought is enough to make me angry, which only seems to amuse him.


    Standing up, the man laughs. "Yes, yes, you are a mighty familiar alright. Now, were you interested in more than previously agreed on?"


    Ine is also wearing a light smile as she replies. "Just something for the claws, for the tail and a collar for now. Do you have them as a set with a tracker?"


    "Yes I do, please wait here for my return and try not to damage the floor any further."


    He turns around and disappears through the door in the back. Looking behind me I see my claws have left small but visible scratches on the lacquered wood.


    It takes a while for the man to return with some vaguely claw-shaped things held together by strips of leather. Instead of kneeling near me again, he hands them over to Ine who inspects them closely.


    "And this will protect the floor, mute his walking and not harm the claws, all at the same time? And how does the tracking work?" The question is as much a challenge as a request for an explanation. I find myself liking this side of Ine more than the one she shows around Ara.


    Pointing at some kind of small disc in the leather work, the man begins his explanation. "Look, this is the connector. Each set has one and the controller is in this collar. As long as you have the collar and those discs are undamaged, you''ll be able to find them. No such luck if they get torn to pieces, in that case you''ll have to look for it yourself. There is a tracking device to find the collar again, though this model can be tracked by anyone. If you want something more exclusive which only you can track, I have a limited supply of those too."


    Ine nods along at the explanation. I''m not too thrilled, though. It feels like I''m being limited again. It''s not as obvious as the devils putting me into the cavern, but I''m still being controlled. I''m already trying to be amenable so Ara keeps summoning me, but there is a limit I''m willing to put up with.


    "I''ll take the more private ones. Not everyone needs to know where he''s heading off all the time," Ine decides. "Now, did you manage to make the sheaths as discussed?"


    The man smiles broadly, obviously proud. "Yes! I must say, normally these are to protect claws that are not meant to be in contact with mostly stone all the time. It''s quite interesting to have to protect the floor from the claws but I can see why you need it! The inside has an easily replaceable layer at the bottom. Also, see how the belts and buckles work? The only thing you really need to cover are the tips, so when the familiar grows you can keep using these for a while by adjusting them. Eventually, you''ll need something bigger, but that should be some years from now. Let''s see how they fit, shall we? If you could do the honors? I feel your mistress'' familiar doesn''t like me."


    A few minutes later I tap my covered claws on the floor. It took some small adjustments before the man was satisfied. There is wood inside a metal casing with leather around it, that much I can tell. I don''t think I could do serious damage with these, if I want to fight I have to take them off. At least there is a thing I can pull with my teeth to do so, but it''s going to be a pain to do that for my rear limbs. At least this will make my steps less loud. The main issue is that I''ll have to learn how to climb with these. Swinging my tail where I can see it, I inspect the coverings around the blade-like tip. They are far less robust than those around my claws, but I don''t have a habit of swinging it against things except in emergencies.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    For what feels like the hundredth time I stop myself from scratching near my neck. The collar is the biggest problem. It feels like it''s chafing my neck, even though I''m sure it''s far too soft to make any marks. It''s a hard outer leather band with metal studs and a soft inner band. It''s honestly not a bad idea to protect the neck and the throat, I''m happy they were this considerate for my safety and I can live with the discomfort, but why did it have to be white and blue?


    Ine direct my attention to a mirror that reaches from the floor all the way up to the height of a human. There, I see myself in my usual black and red. The band around my neck is not as obvious as I feared. The white is slightly off-color so it doesn''t stand out quite as badly. I still wouldn''t want to wear this when I hunt, as the contrast with my skin is too great.


    The man interrupts my contemplation of the terrible colors. "Such a dangerous familiar, and smart as well! Your mistress is truly lucky. I''m sure she''ll brag about it and show off your purchase of today. Be sure to tell everyone about my craftsmanship!"


    "If anyone asks I will certainly share your name, master, but my lady prefers not to receive an increase in attention," Ine replies calmly.


    Ine and the man are now looking one another in the eye. Some kind of contest is going on, but not one I understand. As their conversation flows back and forth above me, I test how this changes how I walk. Lifting one limb after another and putting them down I try to get a feeling for the weight and sensation. Turning to the mirror I check how my gauntlets look. It''s an unremarkable brown color. Unremarkable is fine. My attention is drawn once more to the white and blue collar. With barely a thought I use the spike limbs on my back to lift it up a bit for a better look. The metal studs on it don''t shine, though I''m worried Ine will make them shine regardless.


    A short indrawn breath and silence from the two humans alerts me to something out of the ordinary. When I look at them they are in turn looking at me. Ine''s face is carefully neutral, I can see the effort it takes, while the man has a small smile. It''s the smile of someone who just had a victory. I''m a little uncomfortable under their attention. Their gazes only intensify as I look at them. Ine is certainly displeased while the man looks at me like I would look at something nice to eat. Taking a defensive posture I widen my stance and lower my body, spreading the spike limbs and swinging my tail from side to side. It feels weird with these things on my claws and when my tail rakes along the floor, the noise is far from intimidating.


    Ine is the first to speak. "The amount you mentioned previously will be acceptable," she says in a calm, cold voice.


    The man looks like he wants to argue. He glances at me, then at Ine before holding out his hand. "Deal."


    Before leaving, Ine addresses the man one more time. "Please deliver the papers to the Des Mont¨¦ Cardatin town house, you will be provided with the commission fee then."


    I have no clue what all that was about, but the tension in the room is gone. Ignoring the bowing man, Ine steps through the door with me close on her heels. Being outside is what I''m here for after all.


    We go to a few more places like it. At these, however, I''m made to wait at the door rather than being in the center of attention. It''s fine. Walking between the places allows me to get used to these damn things. It''s such a difference when I walk, it feels wrong. I''m not going to give up, I like how little sound I make, but it''s a frustrating thing to get used to. Ine barely speaks to me during this, which is also fine. It''s more interesting to observe humans than to interact with one.


    There are more people on the street by now, but people are still barely paying attention. It''s not until we reach a bigger building and step inside that people truly see us again. At the door is a young man who looks truly happy to see Ine. He is startled when he sees me, but quickly recovers. Inside Ine is welcomed by a female of her age and the two share a smile. The female is also startled when she sees me. Instead of pretending it never happened like the male outside, she studies me with curiosity.


    "We''ve heard the rumors, Ine, but is this...." she begins.


    "Yes Lea, this is," Ine answers with a sigh before handing over the packages she has collected on the way here. "Please take care of this, I''m going to show Gal around the house."


    The entry hall has a big staircase in the middle and a corridor straight ahead as well as to the sides. It reminds me a lot of the place where Ara still is. Suddenly reminded of Ara, I check on my awareness of her. Everything seems to be fine. I send her my discomfort with the things on my limbs and around my neck. To my surprise, she sends back a very similar sensation about her and new clothes and I can''t help but grin. Seems we have something in common there.


    Ine is at the bottom of the staircase, waiting for me. I follow her up and down a corridor. Along the way, Ine points at doors and rattles off what they are. Study, library, drawing room, the master bedroom which smells empty, Ara''s bedroom which also smells empty and Bertholf''s room, which is the only one that smells like someone sleeps there. I''m not going to ask how a sleeping place can belong to someone if there is no-one sleeping there.


    Ine takes me into the room she says belongs to Ara. There is a platform at about hip-height in one corner which is too small for a human to sleep. Ine points at it and speaks. "This is your place to sleep or stay out of the way. Now." Her face turns serious again. "Have you been hiding anything else? Remember, we''re trying to make you look less dangerous, which is hard when you keep growing lethal weapons on your body."


    I''m flattered by her words. I won''t turn down an invitation to show off now, especially if I won''t get to do so any time soon with Ara. I know they''ve seen most of my sharp bits, but I can''t remember if they know about my saliva. Thinking about eating a pill-bug helps me salivate, but now I need to find something which will show it properly. I can smell something metal under the pillow on the bed. Rather, I can smell the oils humans use on their metal. I think Ine is mildly surprised I sniffed the item out from where it was hidden, but she is more surprised when I take the hilt in my mouth. After waiting for a few moments I drop it again. My saliva isn''t as strong here it seems, as the leather and metal are barely marked, but it''s enough to demonstrate its use.


    Ine inspects the dagger, still in its sheath and lets out a ''tsk''. "That could be useful. Is that it?"


    She doesn''t seem impressed or shocked, which is a slight disappointment, but she acknowledges it as useful. Maybe I can ask her to teach me how to spit? It takes me a moment to notice Ine is waiting for a reply. "That''s it."


    "Wrong. Remember! Sound stupid. Just nod, or tilt your head in confusion first, that is common in most races." Ine gives an example with accompanying facial expressions. "If you do speak, use one word if you can get away with it, two at most. Mispronounce as often as you can get away with. Don''t worry about people understanding you, that''s what we are for. Got it?"


    It''s a lot at once and it surprised me with how sudden she brought it up. I almost answer, but catch myself. Tilting my head, I make a crooning sound.


    Ine smiles in response. "Very good. We''ll make you stupid yet. The rest of the people here are going to be your training, it''s up to you to fool them." Her smile turns into a grin. "Good luck."

 35. Special

    The summon ended somewhere after the sun reached its zenith. I find myself back in the cell with Harijia looking at me through the bars of the closed door. The sheaths for my claws are gone as well as the collar to my great relief. Mechanically I discharge at the back of the cell. The headache is barely bothering me anymore, but I won''t be let out until I do. Ambling back to the middle of the cell, I''ve reached a conclusion. The duration for how long I''m summoned is increasing, both with Ara and with Mari, and in front of me is the only person from whom I can expect any kind of answer.


    "How was it?" comes the neutral question from Harijia.


    It probably can''t hurt to tell her. I''m not going to fool her into thinking I''m stupid anyway. "It was the female human. She wants me to learn how to be weak and stupid." The grin spreading across Harijia''s face is not helping my mood.


    "And how is that going?" she asks with barely held laughter.


    "I''m doing great." I can''t hide the chagrin in my own voice. " I was so nervous I startled at anything. Then I took so much time thinking on how to act, I had to be asked anything two, three times before I''d do anything. I kept looking to Ine, another human for confirmation I was doing it right. Everyone was very amused."


    Harijia lets out the reptilian equivalent of laughter, which turns out to be normal laughter with a bit more of a hiss in it.


    I leave her to it for a while. Ine had a similar reaction, so it was not unexpected. When she finally calms down I can ask her about the summon time.


    Harijia enters her explanation posture. I honestly prefer her more that way, she''s less likely to try and influence me, though I''ve learned to not take her information as the absolute truth. "I''m sure I mentioned it some time. Stronger summoners will result in you staying there longer. Your Ara and that dungeon fairy are growing in strength and skill. When you grow stronger faster than they do, the time will become shorter. It should balance out at a week or so with a maximum of a month unless they use a stronger than normal ritual."


    I nod. I don''t think it''s pure strength, so it''s likely that their familiarity with summoning me is the deciding factor. I''m not against it as it takes me away from here. Something must have shown on me as Harijia sighs.


    "I can tell you don''t like it here, devil knows why." Only the tip of her tail end moves as Harijia ponders. "At least wait until you''re mostly grown, say two years old, before you try your luck surviving outside." She waits for my reluctant nod. "Believe it or not, but I want you to survive." She sighs again and gestures in the direction of the cavern. "Plenty of grunts in there to do heavy work, but demons like you are one in ten at best."


    "There is a devil who will tell you about various beasts, another who will tell you about the lands and plants and one who will tell you about devil settlements and culture. It''s knowledge you''ll need. I won''t tell you who is who though." A small grin creeps over her face. Her grin gains a bit of an edge as she continues. "If you can''t find them, then I overestimated you."


    The next topic I want to know about is when the older and strong individuals will be taken to their ''next stage''. I can already feel myself tensing just from the atmosphere of this place. It makes me realize how much I was able to relax during the summon. From what I can tell with the others, it''s quite the opposite for them. I''m more determined than before to find a place to hide and wait for this to blow over. To my relief, Harijia tells me it will only be a few more days.


    The next days are more of a nightmare than I could have expected. All of the weaker demons have found a hiding place. Mine is together with some other swarmlings on a narrow ledge near the top on the cavern wall. From here I can see the chaos below. The older swarmlings roam around in three packs while the other demons tend to roam alone. When individuals or groups meet, fighting almost always follows. For all the noise and bloodshed, there are still no casualties. Some I recognize, some I don''t. The spiked bear is down there. So is Torn and a winged serpent. Keepers are quick to take heavily injured individuals away. Among the Keepers are a few I recognize: Twins, a giant spider with two heads, one at each side. The bear-demon I''ve seen before, though he looks a bit bulkier. The most ridiculous change is in Harijia. I assume it''s Harijia, at least, and the one time she passed below it did smell a bit like her. Her body is as thick as I am high and at least twenty meters long if not more. The only recognizable part are her limbs, still in the same general shape, but longer. Nothing, no matter how crazed, attacks the Keepers.


    I understand what is happening. It''s like the small fights for dominance within the swarm, but among creatures so much stronger it belies my imagination. Trees are felled here and there and I start to see why the ground is so uneven in most of the cavern and why the wall is so craggy despite there being no weather down here.


    The competitors below don''t hold back and for the first time I see demons using magic. Sort of, at least. It''s nothing like what Ara or Mari does, nor do I think Tarvinder would call this magic. This is what he called abilities. Quite common among the swarmlings is to become blurry to see. It makes them harder to see, especially when they''re stalking through vegetation. One group of them uses this for devastating surprise attacks. Some of the serpents even manage to change color to match whatever place they hide at.


    One wolf-type demon catches my interest by running straight up a scree slope and then up the wall as if it''s just a different floor. The second group of swarmlings has similar abilities, making the most of their mobility. With the stronger and bulkier demons, abilities that enhance their charge or push others away are most common. The third group of swarmlings are the bulkier ones, but still barely have any of this. I can see the benefits. A few demons have mastered deafening roars, while smaller creatures have piercing shrieks. I can sense some kind of influence being carried on their voices, which barely affects me or the others with me.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Acid is being launched and one demon periodically releases a fog with what smells like a mild poison. Flashes of light threaten to temporarily blind anyone looking at it. Other demons don''t have flashy effects, but are formidable nonetheless. The spiked bear can launch several spikes around himself with a swipe of its tail and those spikes regrow at an insane speed. I see Torn a few times. He has masterful control over the scales that now cover his entire body. At will, he can set them upright so his body is covered in razor-sharp blades instead of a tough armor.


    What I do not see is casting spells like I''ve seen Mari and Ara do. These demons can use the magic inside them, but they do not manipulate it. It doesn''t matter, me and some of the smarter swarmlings chatter excitedly about what kind of special things we would like to do. I conclude I want all of what we''ve seen. A powerful charge, being able to change my size, a voice filled with power, being able to hide well and to move anywhere at my best speed.


    The reason for the conflict becomes apparent on the day of the advancement. That morning, suddenly everything is quiet. The more experienced of the swarmlings start to climb down. I don''t know what gives them the confidence that it''s over, but they''ve been through this at least once already. Following their example, I climb down. We rush to the small stream and drink our fill. Not eating for a few days is no problem, not sleeping was becoming a bit of a problem, but I had become very thirsty.


    At the central clearing the demons who had the greatest success in the last few days stand proudly in the centre. Wounds sometimes still in the process of closing, they stand and glare at anyone trying to come closer. At one end is a small group of five without any wounds or signs of battle, I can''t remember seeing them in the last few days, but it''s a big area, I can''t see everything. In total around fifty demons of different species are gathered here, a tenth of the total population. It makes sense if we''re supposed to move on after five years and this happens every six months.


    The other demons are arranged around the middle with the obvious losers standing closer to the treeline. It''s not the wounds, but the air of confidence or satisfaction around those demons. All in all, there must have been a hundred demons involved in the fighting, but only fifty are here. The real losers of the battles do not even show themselves.


    The elders keep their distance from one another, but us younger ones mingle freely. The exhilaration now that the tension is gone makes me giddy. The sense of relief is palpable in the air and makes everyone energetic. Without regard to what species others are we''re playing and relaxing together. A small serpent is wrapped loosely around me as I run around. It''s obviously pleased at going faster than ever before. I just enjoy running and the extra weight adds a bit of a challenge.


    I pause as silence starts to spread over the clearing. From some distance I hear strange voices. Is it strange to know the voice of almost every devil or talking demon at least somewhat? I can''t make out what the voices are talking about, but I don''t recognize them and they''re coming closer. The serpent still wrapped around me squeezes lightly, maybe trying to make me go fast again. I flex the spikes on my back. It understands my intentions and unwinds itself. At a leisurely trot, I head back to the more central area. I''m in time to see the group arrive. They''re devils clad in strange armors and robes walking together with great demons. Each of them feels strong, very strong, just like that one devil that summoned me.


    They walk among the winners of the last few days of fighting. I can hear them asking about strengths, weaknesses and abilities. Are these what Harijia called agents? As expected, the ones closest to the centre of the clearing get the most attention. Keepers are wandering around, stopping here and there to speak with both demons and devils alike.


    Before long I spot Harijia with around ten of the younger demons and I make my way to her. There are a few more like her, talking with the younger ones. On my approach, she and the whole group look at me.


    "Now you''re here, let''s start with the lecture." Without waiting for me to get settled she gestures towards the groups of talking demons and devils. "These special days are on different moments in different places, so as many agents as possible can attend. I believe the custom started as a way to lower the threat of war. You''ll learn what war is some other time. After staying five years in a place like this, what they call a ''farm'', the devils have to let you choose to serve with an agent, at one of their courts or to let you go off on your own. This Covenant is the result of the Great Uprising, ask a historian about it if you want to know more, but it mostly limits which species and the time for which devils may hold them."


    "Every five years, you''ll have the choice to agree to work for another five years or to look for something else. Only here and now, after your five years at a farm, do the agents come to look at you. Any other place to go to afterward is up to you to find. You don''t have to concern yourself with it yet, though. Once you''re here longer, we''ll tell you the difference between the various places you can end up at. For now, try to stay out of the way."


    As the other young demons go off to run off their excess energy I hang around Harijia a bit longer. I''ve found her skills to affect my mood are greatly reduced when I don''t look at her, so I observe what is going on around us while we talk. It''s interesting to note that the swarmlings who fought didn''t make it very close to the centre, but do receive quite some attention.


    "What makes us special?" is what I ask, instead of what I really want to know.


    "Demons? We can be summoned, you know that. It would happen to most of us at some point and some more than others. As you also know, devils can be summoned too. They don''t like to talk about it, though. It makes our bodies and minds grow. Some do well with it, like you, others go insane."


    I hear scales slide over scales as Harijia changes position slightly.


    "Swarmlings? Nothing much. You''re mostly not bad all-rounders. Good offense, decent teamwork and decent mobility. There are always agents looking for those qualities. However, I think you really want to know is ''why you''. Why do I push you so hard."


    I risk a glance at Harijia and find her looking at me. I nod at her before looking away.


    "Because I do get punished if you cause trouble. I also get rewarded if you do well. Besides, I owe it to the devils. You could be very useful when raised right, it''s the least I can do for them. Additionally, if I have to let you leave and you die, it would be considered my fault. If you consider that, wouldn''t you have done the same?"


    "That''s true," I answer. She''s absolutely right, why would I have to care about what others want and need? I can''t feel angry about it, but it''s very annoying and tiring. "Can you stop it?"


    Scales rustle again. "That depends on you."


    Nothing more needs to be said on this, so I leave it be.

 36. Looking for Things

    Observing the devils and demons intermingling is an interesting way to pass the time. It also allows me to laze around in a comfortable place, which is a nice benefit. The devils who came in now are different from the usual ones. The so-called teachers who come here every day obviously don''t want to be here, with a few exceptions. They don''t want to talk to me, or any other demon, and make it clear in many little ways that they consider themselves to be superior. Occasionally I wonder if they are aware of all the signs which give away what they feel and think.


    These new devils look and feel like they actually are superior, but don''t act like it. They look strong and confident. All the demons who entered with them give off a similar feel. Despite that, they are freely talking with all the demons. They are joking around and arguing, almost like they''re normal people. However, there are some peculiarities about the gathering. I can tell who is treated with more respect than the others. The others consciously or unconsciously make way for them.


    The strange thing is that the ones who appear to be the strongest do not get the most respect. My eyes drift over the gathering until I find the one who may be at the top. There are a few others for whom a path opens. People see them coming and step aside. The one I''m looking at never has people step aside. A path opens up without anyone making a conscious decision or any effort, drifting aside before he comes close.


    "Well spotted," Harijia says.


    I glance over at her and catch her looking at me. "Spotted what?"


    "The most important person among the visitors." Turning back to regard the gathered demons and devils, Harijia continues. "It''s not just personal strength. It''s also the strength of their colony back home and possessions, how well regarded they are and more. The one you looked at last, is the one who commands the most respect."


    Her comment makes me think. One of my frustrations has been how easy people can tell what I''m thinking and she has given me a hint. Looking at something is always a hint, usually about what the target is of a hunt, or a direction to go in. Harijia takes it a step further and uses her knowledge of me, personally, to guess what I would be watching for right at this moment. I feel I''m on my way to learning that already, the question is how to counter it. The answer is to not look directly and to not look too closely at any one thing. It''s going to take practice, but I feel like it''s a valuable skill to learn. A hissing laugh brings me back to here and now.


    Amused, Harijia offers some advice. "You should learn to control your body language, in particular your tail."


    My tail freezes in its swing for a moment before continuing faster, twitching in agitation. I don''t want her help. The more she sees in me, the more attention I''ll get. I''ll have to consider it too late to make her think I''m something I''m not, but at least I could try to hide my progress from here on.


    The visitors remain only one day. When they leave, the older demons from this cavern who earned a place on the clearing leave with them. Over the next few days, some of them return, disappointment visible all over them. Not everyone makes it, then. I''m curious why some were selected and not others. I feel it has to do with what Harijia said, that personal strength isn''t everything. It''s something I need to remind myself of more often. Swarmlings are not the strongest individually, our strength comes from working together. That reminds me of my realization from when I was playing with Torn, about feints.


    Torn didn''t come back, to my disappointment. He''s probably not even in the area anymore. I heard some of the devils talking how everyone moved away as soon as the selections were over. I hear them say this place is not a popular area to live for devils, but no further comment on why. It spoils my mood a bit. I have questions to ask to someone other than Harijia, and Torn was willing enough to answer. Now I''ll have to find a replacement, a prospect I''m not looking forward to.


    For now, I''ll have my questions on hold, again, or ask them Harijia if I don''t care enough about her not finding out. There are several things already, like a better explanation about how status is determined among devils. I''m also curious where among them her ''master'' would rank. Another thing I want to ask her about is the kind of summons she still experiences. I have to admit to myself I had thought her mostly useless, but with her body-altering ability she is quite formidable. Perhaps I should even approach the other Keepers and ask them some questions.


    Then there is the thing Harijia told me to do. I''m not doing it because she told me to, I''m doing it because she is right that knowing more about monsters, demons, devils and the terrain everywhere would help. Mountains are mountains and forests are forests everywhere, and people will always be people. I can''t go wrong learning more about anything. The task, for now, is to find out who I need.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    A slight distraction is the feeding time. After the self-imposed fasting I underwent, I was looking forward to my next real meal. It turns out I have not been the only one in that position. It is chaotic. With the core of our large group gone, we are all much harder pressed at keeping our spot on the front row. Fortunately, the other species have also lost their strongest members, so the balance remains the same. We just have to find our limits once more and show we''re still to be feared. I still don''t have to participate. Older swarmlings take care of the scuffles, but I am learning more about where I could be useful in the future by moving up and down the column of moving bodies.


    The biggest change is a small group of new arrivals. They were brought in around the time of the selection day. They''re shy and nervous, hiding all the time. If the Keepers didn''t bring them to the front to eat, they''d probably wait until everyone is finished eating before getting a share. The group is made up of a variety of species, all with some aberrations to show for being a demon, but none of them are swarmlings. It''s a small mystery, but not something I want to learn more about right now.


    I don''t find any of the teachers Harijia suggested, no matter what I try. I''m starting to suspect they''re not actually there and she lied to me about it just to keep me busy. It doesn''t help that knowledge doesn''t leave a scent. I don''t know their voice, how they smell or how they look. I''ve tried eavesdropping on any devils I don''t recognize, but I don''t think I''ve found the right ones. Frustrated, I keep telling myself there is no rush. I have time, so as long as I don''t give up I''ll find them.


    Right now, it''s time for the next summon. I search for Harijia myself this time, she doesn''t have to look for me. This way I hope she''ll be less strict with me. If she thinks I''m resisting, she becomes more vigilant. If I go along with the rules, will she become less so? Probably not instantly, but it''s an experiment worth doing. I''m starting to feel at ease in the summon cell at this point. Harijia is busy comforting some other demon, but I know she''ll have time for me after.


    "Harijia," I start, "how did you come here, and how did you first meet the devils?"


    Harijia looks at me before speaking. "You''re a strange one, asking after another demon. It must be something with swarmlings." A while longer she looks at me. "Serpents don''t have a colony to protect them. When I was born, some of my siblings were already being eaten. I escaped and did what any of us did. Eat, drink, sleep. Eat, drink, hide, sleep. If there is no-one around to teach you, you need to learn everything on your own and that is dangerous."


    "Most of the time I ate smaller stuff, rodents, newts and bugs. My first summon left me stunned and confused. I started to get smarter soon after, which was a great help in one way, but made me much more aware of all the dangers around me. When the devils found me, I was severely wounded from an opponent that simply overwhelmed me." Harijia is staring at the wall behind me now, my presence ignored for now. "They were happy to find me, I felt safe and welcome. I was fed well for the first time in my life."


    "Serpents have a tendency for a talent with rituals, and so did I. You don''t, in case you''re thinking about that. I was taught the basics until it was time for the selection day, where a master picked me up. For the next decades I would travel to different region. Sometimes with the same master, sometimes with a new one, until I finally wound up here. I''ve seen a lot of the devils and I can see why the demons always lose any war against them." Harijia is speaking in a flat, even tone up to now, but when she speaks of her master, a hint of passion enters her tone. "Here, I found my current master, a genius in runes! I only need to find a way to convince him to teach me more. As you may have guessed already, that''s where you and the others come in."


    Before I can ask ''what others'' the world turns white. A cold spot on my back tells me it''s Mari and the dungeon. I don''t feel like playing with Mari right now, though, so I just stay as I am when I regain my senses in her world. She is hovering to my left instead of behind. It''s a smart move, always going to a different place. The room is different from what I''m used to, again. It''s an alcove like the ones I have gotten used to during my forrays here.


    Carefully I sniff the air. I smell Mari''s excitement, cooling since I don''t attack her. There is a slight hint of Tarvinder. Nearby there must be some of those lizard-things, but I can''t get a clear idea about them. What jumps out from the beginning is how weak the dungeon smells. Finally turning toward Mari to give her a long look, I notice she''s a bit taller than last time I saw her. She studies me as well and I wait for her to speak.


    "Tarvinder showed me how to make this. Good news! When you die, you will now respawn here a few times, until the charge is depleted. It can also summon you automatically, so I don''t have to be here personally." Mari speaks in a cheerful voice, but she doesn''t seem completely happy with it. "We''re close to the above-world exit we found. You''re task for the next few days is to find humanoids or beasts above ground and, if you think they''re not too strong, lure them back here." She takes a deep breath. "I''m too busy, so you''re on your own."


    It sounds too good to be true. I can just have fun looking around, it''s not like she''ll ever find out. Mari turns to head deeper into the dungeon. Just before she disappears around a corner, she turns around.


    "I left something from Tarvinder for you. He didn''t want to tell me what it is. We''ll play more next time!" With that, she goes around the corner.


    A short distance away is a small glass container. I''m going to assume it''s the elixir I was promised. There is no easy way for me to open it, so I settle for consuming the whole thing. I wait a while, but nothing happens. As much as I''d like to say I expected this, my disappointment tells me I did expect more. Some kind of sensation, some kind of power to flow through me, but there is nothing. Oh well, I have a lot of time, let''s find something to do.

 37. The Only Way Is Up

    To the most Honorable Lord Ursten,


    In reply to your request for information on the creatures known as ''swarmlings'' for a project you do not wish to disclose, I will provide you with only the information I wish to share. That is to not name these creatures swarmlings to any sage, wiseman or one of those newfangled researchers of any repute. The name for their species is ''senilimed'', as any could have told you if they hadn''t been insulted by your missive. Whichever peasant first named them ''swarm'' is guilty of a heinous crime and the blasted creatures liked it so much it''s become the standard now. They are not an actual swarm, they are not some kind of insect variant or hive. They''re social egg-laying animals living in a pack with an extreme caste system who prefer to make their homes in burrows or caves, that is all there is to it.


    - short letter from an unknown sage


    <hr>


    While Mari probably wants me to rush outside and do as I''m instructed, I take my time to explore the dungeon. It has changed. Not the corridors or caves or anything, but it feels different. Before, even further away from the core, that feeling of ''dungeon'' was flowing past me in a rush. Now it feels like there is still some flow, but calmer and steadier. Was it a growth spurt? If it''s a living thing, that would make sense.


    Exploring the path leading outside shows more intriguing changes. The main tunnels have something flow from outside to the inside while the smaller tunnels that wind around them have the dungeon energy flow from inside to the outside. Where the tunnels reach their highest point, sometimes the rock turns to densely packed dirt. Those places are the most interesting as the dirt feels like it''s absorbing some of the dungeon-stuff. Plants flourish, though mostly lichen and moss since it''s still underground, and so do the insects scurrying about. I eat some of them and some of the dirt to confirm that they taste different too.


    I have no clue what makes the dungeon feel like the dungeon and I have no clue what it does with all the different energies, tunnels or what it wants and needs. Nor do I understand why other creatures react to it like they do, aside from what I''ve been told and what is obvious. They are drawn to it and change, much like how I change when I''m summoned, but slower.


    While chewing on one of the bigger beetles that actually bit me hard enough for me to feel it, I bite down on something hard. Worming it out of my mouth with my tongue I drop it on the ground. It''s a tiny light brown crystal, smaller than a pebble, maybe only as big as a few grains of dirt clumping together. It smells like beetle and dungeon. It looks and feels vaguely like the crystal Tarvinder showed me as mine. I can''t remember everything he told me about them. Should I eat it? I''m sure Tarvinder would want me to bring it back.


    My main concern is the fact that it''s crystal. Kind of like glass and the glass I swallowed earlier is making a slow and uncomfortable way down my body. I will have to remember to not eat glass in my actual body. After a moment longer, I scoop it up with my tongue and swallow. The damage is already done, so a little extra won''t hurt is what I tell myself. After a short crunch, I swallow the tiny shards. Nothing strange happens, so I''m probably safe.


    Even with the flows severely reduced in intensity, I can still orient myself in the direction of the exit and the core. Heading for the former at a brisk speed without neglecting to pay attention to my surroundings is a slight challenge. I still have a tendency to focus on either moving or observing. The coming days may provide me with the training I want for this.


    The path is not the same as last time. Tiny openings I and Mari had to manoeuvrer through before are wider and larger. A human would still find it a bit of a challenge, but this is nothing to me. Aside from the general widening and heightening, nothing much has changed and the place still looks like a natural cave for the most part. It''s still quite lifeless, though some normal lizards, bats and other creatures have moved in since last time.


    The strangest sensation occurs as I approach the opening to the outside world. It feels like the dungeon is retreating. I stop to get a better reading on the sensation and truly, the feeling of the dungeon is slowly but surely fading, pulling back into the depths. If the only purpose was to punch through to the outside, it would make sense. It does make me wonder what it will do if this cave ever gets blocked. Something to think about when it happens, not now.


    The exit is still the same, ending at the canyon. There is still no way to cross, left and right show nothing of interest and down is the wrong direction. That leaves one option, up. The rock is like any other rock face and easy for me to climb. It''s still a long way up, so no need to rush and waste energy. As I keep my body close to the wall of rock, small irregularities pass me by. The rock is smooth as glass, here and there, in irregular patches. I can see where it has broken off in places. It looks to have been a layer of several centimetres thick. Tarvinder probably knows about it, so I file it away as something to ask him when I have the chance and if I remember.


    The most annoying part of the climb is the wind. By all rights, there shouldn''t be as much or even any wind, but there is. And it''s making more noise than it should too. When I turn my head I can see the other side of the chasm is littered with cave openings. This side has its share too, though it''s hard to get an accurate idea of how many. If it''s just as much, it''d mean the rock here is riddled with bigger and smaller holes. I bet a colony would find a good place to settle here.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    However, the sounds are coming from those caves too, or so my ears tell me. Whistling, moaning, thrumming and a whole host of different sounds that sound to big for anything else I''ve found in the caves so far. It''s making me nervous, which is not a good frame of mind to climb a rock wall. A piercing wail startles me and I miss my next grip. Instead of wrapping and around a little ledge, my claws skitter off one of the glassy surfaces.


    An inborn reflex takes over and I throw my back-spikes out and to the sides, waving them around for balance. They''re not wings, though, and don''t do anything to help. It takes mere moments to regain my calm and stop my panicky flailing around. My heart is still racing when I reach for the next claw-hold. The top isn''t far. The closer I get to it, the wider the canyon gets until I start to feel exposed. The far wall was never any real protection, but now creatures in the sky could see me. My dark colors make me somewhat harder to see, I hope.


    Upon reaching the top I slowly peek over the edge. In front of me the ground rises, slowly at first, to a mountain peak. Patches of grass dot a rocky meadow. Here and there low growing bushes cling to the ground. It looks desolate and empty. My sense of smell tells a different story. A few different types of rodents call the area their home. One type of canine and some kind of bird are the predators who hunt them and a scent I can''t place smells like the local scavenger. There are no sounds close by, but from behind me I can hear the distant cries from other animals. I try to look in that direction, expecting to see a valley, but whatever is there is still hidden from sight by the chasm walls.


    I feel the most interesting bit to explore is behind me. Dragging myself out in the open, I take a quick look around. No way to cross, not that I expected anything. From here, the chasm does look different. Large rock formations are simply split in two with a sharpness that is too neat to be natural. Something happened here, something that gouged this canyon into the side of a mountain and turned the walls of the chasm into something resembling glass.


    A faint sound triggers my body into a reaction before I even have time to think. Throwing myself to the side all I hear is a rush of air before pain runs up the side of my rear leg. Feathers blind me as a wing slaps me in the face, then I''m dragged off by the injured limb. Again I flail uselessly with the spikes on my back. Being held by one rear limb, moving at a great speed and, worse, I can feel the grip on my limb slowly sliding, tracing lines of pain down the lower part. Below me is the chasm, but the opposite side is coming closer and closer.


    I take a quick look to identify my attacker. A brown and white winged bird with a vicious beak, clearly a bird of prey. Its wingspan is two or three times as wide as I am long. One claw holds me in a slipping grip while the other lazily tries to get a better hold on me. Most of the bird''s attention is on flying. A slight change in position warns me it is now or never. I don''t know what it will do, but it surely is not good for me. The only thing to reach far enough is my tail. The blade-like tip doesn''t cause a bit injury on the leg holding me, but it does cause its grip to lose its final hold on me.


    Tumbling through the air, I twist like so to make sure I land on my claws and not on my back or head. I would not have guessed my practice at jumping would come in handy like this, but I''ll take it. The ground coming at me approaches too fast and too slow at the same time. I have time to think, time to plan, to land in a way to spare my injured limb and roll with the fall, hopefully avoiding any serious rocks. Time to tuck my back spikes close to my body and more or less lock them in place. They''ll be safe there and act as a bit of protection. The sensation of speed is still there. I know I''m going faster than I should, even if it doesn''t look like it right now.


    I hit the ground with bone-jarring force and let the momentum take me off my feet. Rolling and bouncing down the terrain, all I can hope is to avoid serious injury. After I don''t know how far I come to rest, tangled in some low bushes. Fuelled by anxiety I push myself further in hiding. Looking up, the bird is still flying around. It''s probably looking for me. It knows I''m injured and where I am, but is likely loathe to dive into the bushes I''m hiding in. It gives me time to inspect the damage.


    Nothing is broken, which is some good news. My rear limb may have been dislocated. While it''s functioning well for now, if painful, it will certainly cause issues for a while. My natural recovery will take care of it sooner or later, but I better be careful with it. The rest of my limbs are intact, if a little battered and bruised. Some small cuts and bruises over the rest of my body sum everything up. Mostly I''m still dizzy and shaken from the tumble. I''ll take a few hours to recover in the relative safety of this cluster of bushes, before I make my way further down the mountainside.


    The sun is setting to my right when I decide on my time to move on. The bird has long gone, looking for different prey, but my body required rest. With the sun setting, I feel more secure about crossing the still mostly empty ground. There are some large boulders I can use for cover and some more areas with bushes like the one I''m hiding in, but by and all it''s desolate. In the distance I can see trees in a valley, so that is my goal. I can see perfectly at night, I don''t require sleep just yet and I can do several more days without water, even longer without food. I''m not going to let a bit of pain stop me from looking around. I''m also hoping the bird only hunts during the day.


    When the sun has almost set I start on my journey. Keeping a steady but cautious pace allows me to be more aware of my surroundings. I am fortunate to be able to trust my body in situations like that, to some extend, but this was too close to my liking. Part of me tells me I can''t die anyway, but another part of me reminds me things still hurt. Being killed by a big bird does not sound like something I would enjoy. Flying is high on my list of things I want to do, but not like this.


    Thinking about what I could have done better keeps my mind a little distracted. When the creatures of the night start to stir, I focus only on hearing, smelling and seeing everything around me. Nothing bothers me. This high up the mountain, few large creatures wander and certainly nothing that is looking for a fight. I''m aware of a small group of canines that evade me like I evade them. Neither of us wants a confrontation.


    The sky starts to light up by the time I reach the first low trees. Birdsong starts up all around. Hesitantly at first, but quickly growing in volume. I''ve reached my target, another too-green forest under a sky with only one sun. I''ll take it anyway.

 38. There and Back Again

    The sky is brightening at a rapid pace as the surroundings slowly come alive. Birds, insects and rodents make themselves known, intentionally or not. Flowers peal back their petals and curled up leaves unfold under the sun. Snatching up a likely looking bug as a snack, I head further into the shrubbery. The trees are stunted, small and bent over, but they are trees. Grabbing a low hanging branch doesn''t allow me to climb it though, my claws cleanly slice through the brittle wood. No way to get up a bit higher and have a look, I''ll have to pass through here to see what''s on the other side.


    Dead branches covered by needles crack under me as I pass under the low hanging branches. There are no plants, bushes or ferns here. Traces of more rodent types are abundant. It would be nice to come back here to run around a bit and see what I can chase down. There are few scratch marks and scent marks made by predators here. I don''t recognize all of them, but the place is starting to feel more familiar already. Soon the scent of rotting pine needles overpowers all but the strongest territory mark.


    There are no signs of anything but animals here, perhaps a few beasts, but no monsters nor anything intelligent. With intelligence, I mean anything that uses tools. If they use fire, that would be something I can understand too. Speech or some way to communicate. Building things. I realize I have no clue what I''m really looking for. Considering the lack of anything interesting here, it hardly matters.


    I don''t know how far I walked. The thought makes me pause. While I don''t know how far I walked here, I know how far I walked in the dungeon last time. Behind me is a mountain, but it is much too close to be above the dungeon itself. Is it underneath the next one? Is there another valley in-between? Those are things I can look for another time.


    I don''t know how far I walked, but the stunted forest is at an end. A slightly more lush meadow than the one where the dungeon is, separates it from a denser forest which is again further below. Cautious I cross the open ground, my eyes trained at the sky. I have seen no trace of anything dangerous on the ground, but the sky has an enemy I know about.


    Even with most of my attention on the sky, I don''t fail to notice the deer-like creatures fleeing somewhere ahead of me. From the way they look at my direction, they''re running from me or from something right in front or behind me. I''m certain I would have noticed something, so it''s most likely me. What makes me curious is if they are fleeing because they think I am dangerous or because they always run from something unknown. If they always flee the unknown, there would have been cases where the unknown proved itself dangerous to them. Something worth keeping in mind.


    It''s when I reach the actual forest that I find myself encountering the first signs of some kind of intelligent creature. With my eyes mostly on the sky, I fail to see the trap until it''s too late. A sudden jank and one of my front limbs is pulled off to the side and up by a springy branch bent over the trail I have been following. The noose is made from plant fibers. It is probably intended to snare rabbits, ermines or something of a similar size. Other than startling me and pulling me slightly off-balance and putting me in an awkward position, it doesn''t hinder or threaten me. For me, all that matters is that this is not natural but something made. If it is something made, there must be a maker!


    The trap was set near an intersection with a bigger trail, which I decide to follow. Anything setting such a trap is probably bigger than the intended prey, so this will be my best bet. It''s not far until I am proven right. Another trap is set slightly off the path, near a bush that would make a good hiding place for anything smaller crossing the bigger path. The next trap I find has been sprung, with an almost pure white rabbit-like creature in it. It makes for a good snack.


    Continuing along the trail I find more traces that something uses it, but I''m still to find out what exactly. I feel like I will find out soon, though. For a while now I have been unable to shake the feeling that something is watching me. I haven''t seen anything or heard anything unusual. I don''t even smell anything strange. Yet I know I''m being watched and my instinct is telling me to run. Tense and alert I stalk along the trail. To keep calm I remind myself that this isn''t real, it''s only a summon, but I don''t seem to listen to me very well. A break in the bushes ahead looks like the perfect place to turn off the path and make a run for it.


    When the end comes it still manages to take me by surprise. I rush off the trail and clear the bushes that have been impeding my vision of my surroundings, but that have also been screening me. The snap of a bowstring is all the warning I get before an arrow slams into me, piercing one of my hearts. It''s a wound I can survive, given time, but time is a luxury I don''t have. I have to slow down to accommodate my suddenly sluggish body and an enemy is near. A second arrow pierces my neck and pins me to the ground. Above me? I wait for the attacker to show itself, but it''s smarter than that. I can and will still attack whoever this is, but I am without a target. I twitch a little and hold still, hoping to bait the bowman into showing itself. Ultimately it''s fruitless and the world turns white without me seeing my attacker.


    I fully expect to be back in the cell when the white clears. Instead, the sensation of moving and being pulled I''ve come to associate with this is interrupted by a force pulling me in a different direction. For the barest fraction of a second, the two forces pull me in different directions and it hurts. It hurts like nothing I''ve felt before. It''s not a wound I''m familiar with as it feels like every piece of me, from my skin to my internals, is being torn apart. Then one pull dissipates and I find myself in a dimming rune circle, back in the dungeon.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    I let the familiar sense of its presence comfort me a little. I''m not going to complain about not really dying, but why does everything have to hurt? Regardless, I''m back at the dungeon. The walk to the chasm and the climb up wait for me. Hold on, didn''t I already fulfill my task? Maybe not on purpose, but I did find something intelligent. A bow sounds intelligent enough. Then I had to lure them back here. Well, it''s a hunter, right? I''m sure it will be able to track my scent back to where the bird dropped me and figure it out from there.


    That leaves me free to do what I want which is kind of the same thing, explore the outside, but without having to worry about doing anything someone told me to do. Taking the shortest path, I quickly reach the chasm again. Up or down? This time I decide to go down. I''m mildly curious what kind of debris has collected at the bottom, even though climbing down is more troublesome than going up. Wise to the tricks of this place, the whistling and moaning fails to distract me and I arrive safely, if a bit tired.


    It''s a mess of rotting vegetation and rocky debris. Trekking along the length of it I study the chasm floor, if I can call it that. It is uneven and ready to cut the unwary and careless who make a wrong step. I need to be especially careful around the sharp-edged glassy rock pieces. Scattered around are the bones of creatures, mostly rodents but a few bigger bones are here too. None of them look like they died here. Most likely the bones rolled in here from above, carried by the wind or rain. After about an hour I''ve had enough of it. The going is slow and drains my stamina. From here I can climb out on the valley side, which is much more appealing.


    It''s a harder climb, going up all the way in one go, but nothing I can''t handle. It''s a good exercise for me, climbing with this larger, heavier body. Slowly but steadily I pull myself up until I reach the top. Instead of looking around, I look at the sky, but no birds of prey are near. There is no time to waste. I take off at a run down the slope towards the nearest bushes. In this fashion, I go from hiding place to hiding place until I reach the stunted forest. In this place I can relax a bit more, but it''s not my destination. Crossing the wide meadow I make my way to the actual forest.


    This time I don''t follow the trail along the edge of the forest but make my way inside. Under the canopy is an almost permanent twilight. The tree-line where it borders the meadow bustles with life, but the inner forest is quiet. Few insects, fewer birds. The forest floor is covered in broken branches and layers of leaves in various stages of rot. It smells musty and earthy, with a hint of deer. The most prevalent tracks I encounter are different species of deer, boar, bear and wolf. And a two-legged creature, most likely humanoid, but it does not smell like human. The deeper I go, the fewer tracks I find of the two-legged creature. It probably means its home isn''t through here, which is fine with me.


    The forest goes on for hours. Occasionally a fallen tree causes a break in the canopy, letting through enough light to create blotches of green plants to break up the monotony. This is getting me nowhere. All the wildlife is staying away from me as soon as they smell me or hear me. If I could, I would move against the wind. That is not an option right now and I''m already making as little noise as I can. It''s boring. Looking around I spot a likely looking tree. Climbing it will hopefully bring me high enough for a nice view.


    It''s a rough climb and I don''t quite get as high as I want to. The trees here are so flimsy! My claws can barely grasp the upper branches without damaging them. The higher I get the harder it is to stop them from snapping. When I''m as high as I''ll get without taking stupid risks, I have a decent view of the valley below. I''m on the higher part of the mountainside still, the ground steadily sloping down. Somewhere in the distance is a rather sharp drop-off. Beyond there the forest changes from predominantly pine to broadleaf. A strange sort of ''line'' is probably a river causing a break in the trees. Far off to one side the trees become sparser. It''s in the same direction I was going when the hunter shot me, so that is most likely where I find intelligent things. I make up my mind to head in the other direction.


    The way I want to go I can only see trees all the way. Traveling along the river, if it''s there, is probably the most interesting. It''s going to take most of a day to reach it and I''m not sure if I have that much time. Worrying about that won''t get anything done, so off I go. The way down is faster. Jumping down from branch to branch, I don''t care much about the claw marks I leave behind. Safely back on the ground, I orient myself and start to move at a quick jog. Being here makes me miss my real home more, where the trees and rocks are tougher. Dungeon rock is tough too, I''ll admit, but the rest here is rather weak.


    I don''t make it to the river. At the drop-off between the coniferous forest and the broadleaf forest I find a great collection of caves and start exploring. There are mutated bear creatures, rather aggressive bats and loads of other interesting creatures. Most of the time I just have a stare-off with the opponent, sometimes I have to run. I''m not too interested in fighting at the moment, so I try to stay out of trouble. Being able to scale the cliff walls easily, helps to take me out of reach, except for the bats who chase me for a few hundred meters before flying back to their own cave.


    There are also tasty minerals. They won''t help me grow since nothing, or almost nothing if I believe Tarvinder, I eat here stays with me, but I can taste-test for the things I like now already. One day I will travel my own world to look for the things my body tells me I need to grow strong. As I''m nibbling on a bit of rock with streaks of some mineral through it, the world starts to turn white again. Time is up. I brace myself mentally and yes, the two forces try to tear me apart again. The pulling goes on a bit longer, but doesn''t hurt quite as much. When I can see again I''m back in the dungeon. This returning thing isn''t as fun as I initially thought it would be.

 39. Lazing About

    I really should have expected the repeating summons to be unpleasant. Almost everything associated with being summoned is, in one way or another. The only thing I can take away from this is the certainty that I also get returned here when the summon would normally end, not just when I get killed. I thought it would, but somewhere I may have been hoping it wouldn''t. The other thing I learned is that its strength decreases, if that is indeed what I felt. If my senses are anything to go by this should be my last appearance here.


    The question is, what to do now. I fully realize now that there is no-one there to see what I''m doing, no-one to check if I''m actually fulfilling the task Mari gave me to do. I could have been doing whatever I wanted! Which would have been the same as I have done up to now, but without as many concerns.


    As far as my options, I could go deeper into the dungeon and see what''s been happening there. I don''t actually feel the need for it and Mari will probably pester me if she finds me. I could go out and explore more. Maybe I can find the creature that shot me, or find something completely new. I don''t think I will make it to the river, but there must be some interesting things along the way. There is one other option. What happened with the bird is bothering me, though not in a bad way.


    Playing back the moment in my mind, I still can''t recall what the sound was that made me jump. I don''t know why I jumped to the side instead of forwards or up. It was pure instinct. If it''s such a strong part of me, I can only assume it''s something from my species. Harijia alludes to it enough; as much as swarmlings are group predators, we are also prey. With such a reaction, I will assume one of the predators is also a bird. My best choice for now is to learn more about those birds and hope the ones back home are similar enough.


    I take the now-familiar path to the chasm and up. It''s my second trip and my progress is a bit faster as I can follow roughly the same way up as before. Once up, I take a random direction along the chasm and start moving. I keep an eye on the sky and on the slope above me. It takes several hours before I spot what I was looking for. Some kind of four-legged creature eating the sparse vegetation. Finding myself a hiding place, I settle in to observe and wait.


    It takes hours and several relocations before the hoped-for events. Even then, it''s not quite what I wanted to see. Instead of the big bird, it''s a smaller one going after a group of rodents. From where I am I can see the dive in which it gains speed, the way it flies low above the land and the moment the wings flare as it strikes. That flaring looks like the most likely thing I would have heard. Even so, dodging that, even if only partly? I think I was very lucky. Like the rodent, I was supposed to be running already after spotting the bird, with the jump being a last resort. Training my reflexes may have helped.


    This will not do. If this is going to be something I have to deal with when I''m free, I''m better off learning about it here and now rather than later. It''s decided, I will spend my current life here on dodging birds.


    Finding a place for them to hunt me is not hard. I just look at what I would like in a hunting ground if my prey is slower than I am. Few obstacles and no places to hide. There are surprisingly few of these places. Almost every meadow has some big rocks, a ditch or some bushes, often with brambles. The choice then falls on the one with the least amount of all that. Situating myself on a large-ish slab of stone I settle down in a mostly comfortable position. Then it is time to wait.


    Looking this way and that, my eyes always trained on the sky, I''m hoping for an advance warning. If I can see the enemy it would make for an easier first practice, maybe. Hours pass and nothing happens. How often do those things eat? How many of them are in the area? Perhaps there are just one or two who hunt here and they already caught their prey. My thoughts start to wander. Lazing about in the sun is taking its toll and I start to feel a bit drowsy. The rock beneath me has heated up nicely. I''m sorely tempted to lie down and stretch my body over the warm stone. Another hour later breaks my resolve and I lie down, still keeping en eye on the sky.


    When the danger comes, it comes from the sun. At first I don''t even see it. When I finally do, it is because it dips down for the last bit of its attack. It''s already up to speed and close to the ground when I manage to get to my feet. My muscles bunch and fire, pushing me out of the way just in time as a mass of claws and feathers rushes over the spot I was just in. The bird straightens its flight almost instantly and starts on an impossibly tight turn. I start to run in the opposite direction, but I have no hope that I can outrun a beast like that. That''s fine. Survival was never my objective.


    Flapping wings behind me tell me the bird is speeding up once more in pursuit. Running almost on automatic, a lot of my attention is on my ears. A soft ''fwap'' is the cue I was listening for and I throw myself to the side. For a moment I believe I succeeded, then the talons followed by a heavy weight crash into me. As the beast crashes me to the ground I feel several things break, then the world turns white. That could have gone better.


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    The familiar whiteness of the summon takes me once again and this time, too, I feel the other force pulling at me. This time it''s significantly weaker and after a short while of agony I continue in the ''direction'' I had been going in. When my vision clears I find myself looking at the familiar visage of Harijia. I brace myself, with good reason as it turns out. The headache that assails me reminds me of the earlier summons. I had gotten used to the pain, so for this to hurt as much tells me it would have left me incapacitated back then. No need to draw this out. At the back of the cell I discharge the excess and feel the pain recede.


    "Harijia," I call out. "Tell me about multiple summons in a row." The word for it escapes me for a moment.


    "Consecutive summons? They''re a pain, and not just literally." She laughs at her own joke. "The gain is quite small compared to a normal summon. The reset fights the natural resolution of the spell."


    I nod. That is quite close to my estimation. It doesn''t feel like I got three times the worth of a summon in headache, but I did have to suffer through two of those ''reset'' Harijia mentions. Not a nice trade-off at all. Surfacing from my thoughts I see Harijia looking at me lost in her own thoughts. Since the cell door is still closed, I''ll have to wait for her to snap back to attention. At least I don''t have to wait too long before she speaks again.


    "You already knew."


    Not quite what I was hoping for, but not surprising.


    "You already knew about part of it. Your energy?" She looks at me with speculation in her eyes. "No, your species doesn''t have that awareness. But you can feel it around you, can''t you? So you felt the opposing forces and not just the pain."


    She opens the door for me and I walk out.


    "Thank you for telling me. I''ll think of a way to help you train this, I promise."


    I need her trust, or at least enough of it that she won''t be bothering me all the time. This felt like a small price to pay, though I''m somewhat disappointed she understood the implications, more so than I did.


    True to her word she approaches me a few days later with some exercises. I have to do them with the help of devils, since there are no demons here who can help with spellcasting. The results are a mixed bag. I can sense the active use of magic and the flow of it. I can tell different persons apart by it and I can tell, with some effort, the general affinity of the energy used. I can''t tell what type of magic is used, so I won''t know if it''s a barrier or an attack. It''s also very hard for me to find static magic, like enchantments or what Harijia calls ''aura''. Those barely give off any scent or feeling to me at all, though I can immediately find them if they are actively powered up. Now I know why some of the demons and the devils who visited felt dangerous. Harijia says it''s their aura that gives those who are sensitive to it a taste of their power. Even those who are not that sensitive can feel it to some extent.


    This new sense I''m exploring can help me in several ways. The most obvious would be for tracking down creatures that are using magic to hide or flee. I''ll also be able to distinguish those who can use magic from those who can''t by the lingering sensation, though it''s not foolproof. Also very useful is how to turn it off, or at least ignore it. Creatures like the drallith can do to those energies what the shit area of a colony does to the air. More uses will undoubtedly show themself to me in the future. The practicing is quite fun and I don''t hold back my appreciation. As a result, the times when I''ve felt Harijia trying to influence me have practically stopped. She''s only used it a few times to enhance my good moods, which is not even close to as annoying as when she was enhancing my bad moods.


    Days pass and turn into weeks until it is time for the next summon. It''s Ara, this time. The claw protectors and the collar are there for me and I accompany her on a day of walking around with people. The conversation is not interesting, I don''t get to do anything and in the evening I have to sit through a human dinner in which I''m not allowed to do anything either. The next day is much the same. Ara calls them social activities and ''events''.


    The second evening I make the mistake of actively trying to sense energies and magic. Ara is clearest to me, of course, but almost every person is trailing their own personal cloud of energy. Even some of the furniture is pushing out copious amounts of it. The clashing sensations almost knock me out and I sit there dazed for the next hour before I recover. Perhaps I should be observing humans and learning their habits, but I can''t be bothered right now. I''m sure there will be other chances at that.


    More time passes. I find the devil who teaches about various beasts, animals and monsters. As I suspected, the main predators on swarmlings above ground are birds and other flying creatures as they can kill and leave before the rest of a colony can react. It makes me redouble my physical training. If I look strong enough, they may pick an easier target. If I''m fast enough, I may be able to get out of the way. Either way, doing nothing won''t help at all!


    In the dungeon I make my trips outside, mostly to practice with the birds. They don''t show up every time, so sometimes I just nap under the sun or the moon. Nothing else there has attacked me yet, though the creatures are getting restless. I think stronger things are coming soon, lured there by the dungeon. It''s possible the intelligent creature knows I''m hanging around there. I''ve felt something watching me a few times, without wolves nearby. I never sense it when the birds are watching me. A mystery I''d like to solve as my survival may depend on it later.


    I''m always appearing at the place closer to the outside. A small niche near it is where the elixir from Tarvinder is placed, in a container I can drink from instead of the stupid glass thing. Sometimes he is there as well, asking me if I have noticed anything about myself in my real body that could be the result of his concoctions. I have not, and he looks more disappointed than I am.


    Random summons keep happening too. Most of them are simple. Appear, fight and die. When I notice it''s one of these I hardly make an effort anymore. If they treat me like trash, then trash I will be. The only other ones I see more often are the adventure group from my first summon. They''re a bit nicer, even though they used me to lure out a swarm of giant blood-sucking bugs at one point.


    It is Ara who provides me with the next really interesting thing in a summon that doesn''t go like the previous ones.

 40. Unseen

    It is fascinating, something I can stare at for hours. White on a black background, slowly drifting down. Ine has explained what it is to me. Something about cold water and some other things. It is cold, that''s true, and slippery when it''s on the ground. It also gets dirty quite fast and doesn''t taste like anything. Ine told me ''don''t eat the yellow snow'', but you''d have to be some kind of moron to do that.


    I''m at some other building in the town. Ara is visiting here. I''ve identified some of her classmates, though a number of the people in the ''house'' are unknown to me. Ine is hanging back while Ara is doing her socializing thing and I get to look at the falling snow. I have to share the window with some familiars, which isn''t to my taste, but I''ve learned to tolerate others. Up to a point. They still give me more space and rightly so. Not all the familiars are interested in watching the snow and others are reluctant to come too close to me. The humans seem quite comfortable with me now, but their familiars have more sense.


    Ara and her group are talking about familiars, of course, I wouldn''t have to be here otherwise. Now and then one of the familiars is called on to do something or show something. It seems to be a social thing in which the status of the mage is connected to the familiar and the status of the familiar connected to the mage. The most amusing thing is the number of people trying to find something to compliment me on, despite the fact that Ara has made me fail most of the tests and hasn''t tasked me to do anything except ''don''t break anything''. I guess that is yet another thing that shows how highly placed she is.


    From what I can sense of Ara, she is desperately bored and the same time she is amused. Most notably, a lot of her anger has simmered down to a level that makes me unaware of it until I focus on the sensation. That''s happened over quite some time and I''m curious what caused it. When I send her a mental poke to ask why she is bored and amused at the same time, she sends me a mental image back of a group of chickens pecking one another and making a lot of noise. The noise is annoying, but watching them squabble is funny. I can see how it applies to her current company.


    At a small prompt from her, I stretch. Sheathed claws won''t leave a mark, but their noise does draw the attention. I now have their attention for my full glory. I''ve grown again. Not as dramatic as in the first few months, but I do reach above the knee for most people. My length is somewhere between a meter and a meter and a half, not counting my tail. My tail is at least as long as my body now. Ara tried to get me to use it like a scorpion, stinging forward, but I do not have the musculature for that. Not yet at least. My muzzle has lengthened, giving me a more powerful bite. It''s the finisher I''ve been missing for when I latch on to something with my claws. Other than that my head remains recognizably the one of a swarmling. My coloration has remained mostly the same too, as I can see reflected in the window. Black with dark red lengthwise stripes on the back flowing smoothly to a reddish grey on the flank over to dark red with black stripes on my belly. The same reddish grey colors my limbs. The only blemish is the collar. It''s actually been made bigger after a man attacked me. He was shouting that I''m a demon, which is true, but shouldn''t be a reason to try and kill me. His excuse was that he hadn''t seen the house colors on me, so some extra material was added to the collar to make it more obvious.


    The most drastic change is in how wide I''ve become with a broad chest and muscles coating them. It''s because of the spikes on my back, though calling them spikes now is an understatement. They can''t be missed anymore when folded along my flanks. They make a raised zig-zag of grey-black going back and forth three times. It follows more or less the same pattern as my other limbs with joints at the shoulder, elbow or ankle as Ara calls it, a wrist and what would probably be the ''fingers'' or claws. If I stretch them out to the sides I''d estimate either to be three meters in length. Wide enough to become wings? I''ll have to see. Ara at least has been drilling me mercilessly any time she summoned me to be able to use them to fight. With a much better result than my own efforts too. I think it''s the effect of being summoned. What I do or try to do keeps playing in my thoughts when I return and affects my shape.


    It''s probably on purpose. Not for the first time I consider asking Ara what she knows about training familiars. Her people have been doing it for ages and the things they may have learned, coupled with what I''ve learned of my own, could provide me new insights. There has never been a chance to ask lately, with Ara always in a hurry to the next meeting with people or eager to train. Training with Ara. I have only fought humans in other summons and never one on one, so I can''t say for sure, but I think she is quite capable. I can''t win against her, but at least I''m not being toyed with and she now needs to use her magic to keep up with me. She''s shown more of her tricks too, sometimes just so I''d know what to look out for.


    I''m still not entirely sold on the whole protecting her thing, but if I am to be guaranteed to see snow again I''ll have to keep her alive. Not that I''ve had to do anything in that direction. If her life truly was in danger before, then her tactic to make herself less of a target is working. She does always let me know if I can relax when we''re visiting a place or if I should remain alert. The conversation turns to admiring my muscled shape. I can tell they''re not sincere. Even though it''s the truth none of them believe I''m of any use.


    The most amazing thing is that after the first few testing days, I''ve only heard Ara passionately deny that I''m useless and tell them about my qualities. It is interesting to see how it only makes them more convinced that their negative view about me is true. The more passionate Ara gets, the more convinced people become of the opposite. Truly, following her around has taught me so much about how people work.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    The time to leave arrives suddenly, to me at least. I was so engrossed with watching the falling snow that I completely lost track of the time. A mental poke from Ara breaks me out of my fascination. Ine and Ara are ready to go, all I have to do is fall in beside and slightly behind Ara. As much as people don''t believe my strength, everyone honestly compliments Ara on how well I''m trained. I''d be flattered if it was about the battle training she puts me through.


    Outside a sled is waiting. With this much snow a carriage doesn''t work well, or so I''m told, so they have special snow carriages called sleds. This one has an open top, unlike the carriages. While it lets the snow in, it is less weight, which is important with sleds? I''m not sure how it works and I have seen sleds with covers too. It''s not interesting enough to ask questions about. At the front of the sled are two lanterns to light the way and at the back is a small one so people can see us from behind. Other than that, the streets are mostly dark. Some buildings have small lights outside. Those are places where you can eat or drink. Ara and Ine take their seats while I jump up on the slightly raised back of the sled. It gives me an excellent view. With the whirling snow and the darkness, my eyesight is the most reliable. Hanging on to the rear is one of the house guards, though I question how much use he is there.


    Ara still insists someone may try to kill her, so I''m the look-out. Since she can sense when I''m distracted I have no choice but to pay attention. Thanks to this I see the men in time. There are two of them, standing on a small wall or something further down the street. They have crossbows and just start to take aim when I spot them. It takes me a fraction of a second to respond. Ara trained me on this too. A special mental poke startles her out of the soft conversation she has with Ine. It takes her another moment to realize the situation, then a shimmering dome spreads around her and Ine.


    The first crossbow bolt impacts and shatters the barrier. The second flies true and hits Ara and I can feel the pain and her shock through our connection. I don''t wait for any commands and rush the two men. They''re not waiting around and have already jumped off behind the little structure they were standing up. With one powerful jump I follow them. I land in a sort of garden. Ine has shown me some of these. Regulated spaces with some trees, bushes and walking paths. Their scent is fresh and easy to follow, but I already can''t see or hear them. I want to chase them, but it will have to wait


    The scrambled thing in my mind that is Ara demands my attention first. She''s badly hurt. I turn around and jump, clearing the little structure again and landing on the street behind. The sled is gone already. The scent of blood is easy enough to follow. Besides, where else would they go but home? Sometime later I arrive at the mansion to find my guess true. The sled is gone already, brought around the back, but a small trail of blood leads inside. The door is closed. With practiced ease, I estimate the height of the nearest window. A short run-up and jump later I am clinging to the wall near the window. It''s a matter of a few seconds to claw a hole in the window big enough to let me through. Once inside I belatedly realize I could have made a noise on the door and someone would probably have let me in.


    The door to the room flies open as two of the guards burst into the room, weapons at the ready. My entrance must have made some noise. They relax only slightly when they see me. I saunter past them, daring them to attack me, but they back down. In the house proper I just have to follow my nose. Ara is laid on a couch with Ine and another woman fussing over her. A man I recognize but don''t know the name of, steps up.


    "I''ve sent for a healer, but with this weather it may take a while. How are you faring at keeping her with us? Will she last that long?"


    As I move closer I see the bloody bolt on the floor nearby. Ine is pressing a bandage on Ara''s side. If I have to guess the angle, her lung was hit. Not a problem for me, but humans are much more fragile. Ine turns to answer the man and sees me but barely acknowledges me.


    "She''s holding on. It would be best if we could rouse her enough to do the healing on her own, she is a mage, but," and she lets the rest of the sentence trail away with a vague wave of her hand.


    I understand what she means. Ara''s mind is in shock. Fear, pain and denial are chasing one another in a circle. If I didn''t know different, I''d call her a little girl. If she would rouse enough to respond in this state, I doubt she''s be of any use. I hiss a laugh. I know how to bring her back. One by one I recall the insults and humiliations she has made me go through. It''s one thing to tell myself I shouldn''t care, but it''s quite something different to not feel anything. The way I am ignored. Stepped on in a crowd. Someone even almost sat on me! Forced to concede a match against a weaker opponent. A failure in the eyes of not just others, but in mine as well. All that anger I push at Ara and I feel hers flare up in response.


    She abruptly turns her head and her eyes focus on me, a wild look in them. She sucks in a deep breath, opens her mouth to speak or possibly shout, and launches into a coughing fit. Blood leaks from her mouth. Ine and the other woman almost panic.


    "Ara! Ara, calm down! You have to lay back, you''re seriously injured!" Ine shouts. "Garron! Get that demon out of here, I''m sure this is his doing!"


    I hiss a laugh. Silly human. I easily dodge the clumsy footman trying to chase me away. I allow him to herd me to a corner of the room, but when he dares to approach closer I flex my claws at him. He isn''t stupid and accepts the stalemate.


    Already I can feel Ara regaining control of the anger coursing through her. It''s what she''s done from the moment we first met. Ara always kept such a tight rein on her anger and it was such a beauty to behold when she let it surface. Scary too. She knows how to handle her anger more than anything else. Fully aware now she applies her magic on herself with the help of Ine. I can tell she''s not completely effective, but her life is out of danger. For now.

 41. Deal

    Ara is stable enough and is moved to her room. Two footmen carry her there on a makeshift stretcher made with two spears and some cloth between. I walk at her side and take a look back at the entrance hall. The scent of fresh blood still hangs thick in the room and the couch she was on is stained red. Looking at it from here, she should probably have died without healing magic. I''ll have to see if I can learn it, though I''m not sure if I really need it with my natural healing. It probably can''t hurt.


    The pain of a pierced lung is well known to me, as well as the feeling of being unable to breathe and the urge to cough. She did better than I expected, for someone new to pain. If she wasn''t new to pain like this I''ll be disappointed instead. I''ll have to ask her once she''s ready to speak again. It makes me realize I don''t know that much about her. Just like back in my own world, I should make some more effort to get to know people, or at least get to know Ara.


    Ine is walking on the other side, where the bolt went in. She''s still applying some magic on Ara''s wound. The bleeding stopped and they didn''t even have to take the silly clothes off. Very convenient. I do wonder what happened to the bolt? It''s probably not a good idea to ask if I can lick it. It''s the scent of blood that''s making me a bit hungry. When we arrive at Ara''s room, someone is already holding the door open. Ara is put carefully on her bed while I jump on the desk to watch. She looks pale, but alert.


    Once they finish putting her down another coughing fit wracks her body and her face contorts in pain. Clearly, not everything in her body is right yet. The footmen retreat, taking the stretcher with them. Ine pulls a chair up next to the bed and settles on it. She''s stopped her magic. To my eyes she looks tired. She smells and sounds tired too. Since there is nothing for me to do here, I relax and observe.


    Ara is not doing too well, clearly her ability to heal herself has a limit. Her coughing is getting more frequent and, by what I can sense from her, more painful. It''s almost an hour later when a man is let into the room. He carries quite a big suitcase with him. The man smells like herbs, poisons and magic. I stand up and hiss a warning. "Poison."


    The man stops but doesn''t look or smell alarmed.


    "The right poison, in the right dosage, can act like a medicine," he says directly at me. "A good Healer knows when to use magic and when to use old fashioned methods." He turns toward Ine and Ara. "Quite the useful familiar you have there, to be able to detect that."


    Ara is coughing again, so Ine answer is her stead. "He has his uses, thank you for showing him some respect. Please hurry, master, my mistress is still gravely injured."


    The man walks around to the side of the bed where Ine is. He takes something that looks like a plank from the side of the suitcase and attaches it to the bed, then places the suitcase on it.


    "If she hasn''t died yet, it''s unlikely she will in the next few minutes, not with me here. I''ve treated more mages and nobles than I can tell you and trust me when I say this, you ignore their familiars at your own peril. They only know their summoner is in pain. Some stranger enters the room and." The man pauses to flip open the suitcase and take out a roll of cloth which he spreads out next to Ara. Metal things are attached to it. "Then the stranger takes out a collection of knives. Things can get quite ugly from there."


    The man takes out a crystal and a glove like Ara has. The design looks different, though I can''t pinpoint the difference. If Ine isn''t reacting, it''s probably fine and I settle down comfortably again.


    He shoots a glance at me. "This one is oddly calm, though. Now," he takes out a little pot. He opens the lid and hands it to Ine. "Heat this slightly and make your mistress breathe the fumes. Don''t let her drink any. It will suppress the coughs for a while so I can work."


    The man goes to work, occasionally giving instructions to Ine. He cuts away the clothing and to my surprise re-opens the wound. Blood flows out immediately but is soaked up by some cloth. Ine looks more distressed than Ara feels to me.


    "Can''t have the blood pooling inside, miss, I have to heal it in the proper order."


    What follows is over an hour of nothing that looks interesting. Occasionally Ara grunts and a few times the man hands her something to swallow. I can feel that Ara is still in pain, but it''s lessening overall. Except when the man does something. At one point he puts some slim tongs into the wound and pulls out what might be pieces of bone.


    "Splintered rib. There is enough left for the body to repair the bone, but I had to take away these bits."


    It''s good that he''s keeping us up with what he''s doing. If I didn''t have a sense of Ara, I would be questioning if he was doing anything.


    It takes another half an hour before he leans back and declares he''s done. Ara has fallen unconscious somewhere along the line from a combination of pain and exhaustion.


    "She''ll be coughing up blood and blood clots for a while. If it damages anything, your own skills should be enough to deal with it. Her rib is fragile still, and her body weak. The healing was magical, not miraculous. Dirt got inside her, if there are signs of an infection, send for me again." With practiced movements the man puts the tools he used in a bag. "The resources to rebuild her ruined lung and rib came from her body. Make sure she rests well and is well nourished." Holding up a finger he looks at Ine. "That means nutritious, which is not the same as filling. No excessive fat, no alcohol. Dairy products would be good."This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    He takes the small pot from Ine and puts the lid back on. Storing it, he finishes packing and closes the suitcase. With quick movements he detaches the plank and reattaches it to the case.


    "Lastly, keep her out of politics for a while. If that was all, I''ll take my leave. The bill will be sent in a few days."


    Ine bows to him while I merely watch him leave.


    Morning is overtaking the night and I''m still mesmerized by the falling snow. It''s not falling as heavily as before, but still beautiful to look at. A sound from Ara and an increased awareness inside my mind alerts me that she''s coming to. I jump from the windowsill past the sleeping Ine. The woman refused to leave the room to rest. Her efforts at staying awake to maintain vigilance over an obviously recovering Ara started to annoy me, so I convinced her to sleep by promising I would wake her if the situation got worse.


    A few steps and a jump and I''m on the desk again. I know Ara doesn''t like me on the desk, but with the sheaths on my claws I won''t damage it much anyway. From here I can see her eyes fluttering as she approaches wakefulness. I hear her murmer some names. A few are unfamiliar, others I recognize. Ine, Sonia and two someones called mother and father. Finally her eyes open completely. It takes a while before she focuses on me.


    "Get off the desk," she says automatically as she raises herself up a little.


    I grin back at her. "Make me."


    She sighs and lowers herself down on the bed again.


    "This isn''t what I had in mind to say." It''s quiet for a moment, but I sense she has more to say. "My father always told me to express my gratitude when it''s due, too often such is assumed to be understood. Thank you, you probably saved my life. Twice."


    I shrug and make a non-committal sound.


    "I know you didn''t do it out of affection for me, it''s the result that matters."


    Ara clears her throat and coughs. Lightly at first, but harder after a while. When she sees Ine stir she regains control over herself.


    "My father also told me to never apologize for my actions. I think I understand now what he meant. I shouldn''t apologize for who I am or the decisions I make." She clears her throat, obviously working up to something. "Sorry I killed you, the first time you were summoned here."


    Ara isn''t looking at me but staring up at the ceiling, so she misses my surprised look. I mostly forgot about that already. I''ve died in summons so many times since then and it wasn''t the worst way to go. She didn''t have to say this to me, but she did and I''m struggling to find a response.


    Thinking back to what Ara said earlier, I''ll offer her my gratitude, small as it is. "Thanks."


    Ara turns her head towards me. "I must admit I had expected more of a reaction. I guess I should have known better by now."


    The silence afterward feels comfortable and ara has a slight smile. Then she starts coughing again. It''s a rough, deep cough. When it''s through there is a scent of blood on her breath and she is gasping for breath.


    "Have you ever been hurt before, Ara?"


    I don''t receive an answer, so I repeat my question when she''s calmed down a bit.


    "Never. I thought I knew what pain was after the training I''ve had when I was young. Turns out sore muscles, scrapes and bruises are nothing like having a piece of wood and metal sticking into your body."


    A somber mood slowly settles over her. The sensation in the back of my mind goes blank with fear. Not fear of something, just fear. I can see Ara''s hands trembling and her breathing becomes erratic. One by one, tears slide down her face to soak into the pillow.


    "I nearly died," she whispers with a shaking voice. "I nearly died."


    I watch her crying for a while. She''s holding back, I can tell. Probably so Ine doesn''t wake up. The crying only ends at the next coughing fit. At the coughing ends she is once again left gasping for breath. Her coughing is starting to hurt her, especially her rib, but I don''t sense extra distress.


    "You handled the pain well. For a human," I tell her.


    Ara chuckles. "A big compliment, coming from a demon."


    I remain quiet while Ara recovers from her coughing. Most humans I meet are either healthy or die, so it''s interesting to see how they are when injured. Mostly like any other intelligent animal, so far.


    Ara breaks the silence and looks at me intently. "We should start over differently."


    Her stare is making me uncomfortable, but I nod. I''m curious where this will go.


    "Most familiars settle easily in their role and give it their all without being told to. You don''t. I would like you to put in more effort. No, I need you to put in the extra effort at keeping me alive." She pauses for a light cough. I''m surprised at how easily she admits she needs me. "Folk tales say you can''t demand anything from demons and devils, you make a deal. I should start treating you like a proper demon. Tell me your price for protecting me from harm and following my instructions and I''ll see what I can do."


    The offer surprises me. Harijia did tell me before that devils and demons get to negotiate as they get stronger, but I don''t think I''m at that point yet. I''m not going to throw away this opportunity. The problem is, I have no idea what to ask for.


    "What do you offer?" I counter.


    "I was drilled in many types of knowledge, I can share those with you. Foods, drinks, precious metals or gems. A room in this mansion of your own. I can''t think of anything else at this moment."


    A sudden inspiration hits me. "I want to be free to go where I want to!"


    Ara shakes her head, smiling. "That would run counter to protecting me. You won''t be able to trick me that easily, demon."


    I hadn''t intended it as a trick, but when she says it like that it does make sense. There goes that idea. Well, there was something I already wanted from her. I turn to face her properly. This is something I really want and I feel the need to make sure she understands. "Teach me about summoning and familiars. And teach me about magic."


    Ara remains silent. Did I ask too much? I softly poke my awareness of her and she startles into another coughing fit. When it''s over she faces me again.


    "That''s it? Are you sure? I mean, sure! I''ll accept this bargain." Ara takes a deep breath and coughs heavily into her hand. She holds her moist hand out to me and I smell something long familiar. "A deal like this is sealed in blood."


    I stare at the hand with its layer of spit and traces of blood. Whatever. My tongue lashes out and wraps around her hand, taking my first taste of her blood. Ara cries out in surprise and when I withdraw my tongue I see an angry looking red welt on her hand. I forgot about my acidic saliva. Before she can lecture me about not telling her about it, Ine begins to stir and rouse from her sleep. That cry must have woken her up. Ara''s last look at me promises we''ll talk about this more later. That suits me fine, as long as I get to know more about magic and summoning.

 42. Im Magic

    "Now we have a deal, what do you want from me? What do you want me to do?" It''s an honest question from me to Ara. "I have a lot more experience being told to kill things than I have had to protect things."


    It''s silent for a while, except for the deep and steady breathing of Ine and the shallow and irregular breathing of Ara. I can tell Ara is tired and in pain, but her mood feels a bit lighter. The silence stretches on, which is fine by me.


    "I''m not sure I care to be called a ''thing'' so callously, but I think that is the most I''ve ever hear you say at once. Why don''t you usually speak more?" Ara asks me.


    I shrug, then realize Ara can''t see me in her current position. "You summon me to train, to teach me or to show me to people." There is no accusation in my voice. It''s a better way to spend my time than many of the other things I get summoned to do. "You don''t ask me questions, you tell me what to do. The only question you ask is ''do you understand''."


    "That is true," comes the hesitant answer. "The guidelines for training a battle familiar say you should not get too, hah, familiar with your familiar. You''ll get hurt and I will send you into situations where you''ll ''die''. If I come to care about you, that would make it difficult."


    Something about her answer sounds weird to me. "Humans care about things when they talk with them?" I ask her.


    Once again there is a long silence.


    "Demons don''t?" comes the question in return. "Don''t you have some friends or allies back home you''d help if they were in danger?"


    The answer comes to me easily. "No." It''s something I''ve come to realize over the last few months, but from a different perspective. "I don''t feel like I care for anyone I know. Swarmlings have a colony and queens. They die to protect them. I am no longer like that."


    Saying it out loud does leave me feeling morose. It''s like I''ve lost something I never knew I had. I still hang out with the swarmlings. I still am one, physically. My mind is no longer that of a swarmling, though. It has given me another layer of understanding why the older demons are so passive. They don''t see themselves as part of a swarm, so why should they act like it?


    Ara interrupts my musings. "I guess even a demon needs a place to belong. Surely there are some you interact with in a good way?"


    I nod. "Yes, but I would not risk myself to help them." Helping without risking myself is something else entirely. It costs me nothing except some effort. "And you?"


    "What do you mean, and me? Do I have people I care about?" It''s Ara''s turn to become somber. "My little brother, though the skirt-chasing moron doesn''t deserve it. Not an impressive list either."


    It''s silent again. Ara shifts a little on the bed. I can sense her discomfort like an itch in the back of my mind. Talking with me is taxing on her, but distracts from the pain.


    "As to what I expect of you? Next time someone aims a crossbow at me, stop them before they shoot or jump in front of the shot. I know how much it will hurt," she grimaces and I''m reminded that, yes, she knows. "But you''re the one who won''t actually die."


    Despite how much I wish to deny it, I have to admit she''s right. It is also true that I''ve jumped into the faces of beasts and have gotten myself killed on a variety of weapons on purpose a few times. I can''t say this would be something new to me, it just never occurred to me to do it for any other reason than to have the summon end.


    "What else?" I ask when Ara falls silent.


    It''s as if my question broke a dam and unleashed a flood. A slew of emotions wash through our bond. Despair and fear are the strongest. Loneliness and sadness create a tangible undertone. Yet when she speaks, her voice sounds mostly normal.


    "How should I know? I''m just doing what I think is best. Anyone I could ask for advice died with my father. I dare not hire someone for fear of betrayal. I can''t even fully trust the people already around me!" Her voice lowers to a whisper, though still easily audible to me. "The assassins were waiting for me. Maybe they had been following me, or maybe someone told them where I would be. Right now, I leave the house as little as I can. Any less and my suitability as duchess will be questioned. The academy at least is a safe place. No-one would dare order an assassination there."


    There is too much information I''m missing for a suitable reply. I don''t truly understand the reason for the assassination thing either, so that''s nothing new. I can work with what I do understand.


    "I can''t do this as your pet," I tell Ara. "When I stay close to you, all I see is legs, not humans."


    Ara takes a few seconds to think about this before she replies. "That''s fair. I never thought of it that way, it seemed best to me to keep you as close as possible." There is a short ''tsk'' from Ara. "I will admit I was wrong."


    The flood of emotions I could sense from Ara has receded again. I need to learn how to show as little of what I feel and think as Ara does. It was impressive to see the difference in how she acts and what goes on inside. Most of the time it''s so well hidden, even she doesn''t seem to realize what she feels. Perhaps that is it? To trick others is easier if I first trick myself?Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    "Next, the stupid sheaths have to go, they are too clumsy." If I''m to be able to fight at any time, taking them off takes too long.


    "You look less threatening with them on, so they''ll stay on most of the time," Ara says, "but you''re right. If we are ambushed like this again, there won''t be time to take them off." Ara settles back, preparing to rest. "I know what you want, you want to learn how I make your claws harmless. Why? What''s in it for you?"


    That she needs to ask shows me how we differ in the way we think. "I make too much noise when I move and leave tracks that are too easy to find."


    "I see."


    I can feel Ara doing some kind of magic. It''s not magic I recognize, but she''s mostly used offense, defense, healing or repair spells around me. Curious, I observe her with all my senses.


    Ara must have noticed my curiosity and answers my question without my asking. "A little something to dull the pain and help me sleep. I feel so tired, but even breathing brings me back to wakefulness."


    That grabs my interest. "You can stop pain?"


    "Not stop it, just make it less." Her voice is fainter already. "I''ll try and teach you. After I wake up. And Gal? I''m glad we got to talk a bit."


    With those last words, no amount of prodding from me gets a reaction. In the end, I move back to my spot near the window to look outside. It''s almost stopped snowing, sadly.


    Later, Ine wakes and checks on Ara. She doesn''t react when I try to tell her Ara is fine, just asleep. When Ine confirms that Ara is asleep, she moves to leave the room. Before she leaves, she throws me a stern look and gestures at me to be quiet. With that I''m alone with a sleeping Ara. The snowing has stopped and I''m already very familiar with the view from the window. It''s a small inner garden. Ine once explained to me that none of the bedrooms are on the outer side of the building so people can''t throw things or climb through the window. Since it still has the same trees, bushes and grass, I''m getting bored. I might as well take a nap too.


    A change in Ara''s breathing brings me out of my doze. It''s not enough for me to decide to rouse myself. The tinkling of a bell startles me before I remember that Ara uses it to call for a maid. Stretching my limbs and back I open my eyes. Ara feels more alert than before she went to sleep. The pain is still there, but she''s not showing it. A moment later, a soft knock on the door heralds the arrival of Ine. The door opens and she moves a small cart into the room.


    I know she''s been waiting outside the room for a while now as I could smell the food. Bread, not as freshly baked anymore but still having the smell around it. Meat cuts, cheese, fruit, two pots with different teas and a small bowl of cold soup. It''s more than any one person can eat. Ara will make a selection and what is left over is taken away. Usually breakfast is had in a small room downstairs. That is, a small room for this house. It''s still bigger than her room at the academy. While I''m wondering how she''s going to eat in bed, Ine puts a fold-out tray over Ara''s lap.


    With breakfast or lunch over, whatever the time is, it is time to pester Ara some more. I want to know about magic. Ara calls her gloves and her staff relays, while the crystal parts are a focus. None of them are required for magic, but they make it easier. Magic is all around us. In the food, the air and thus also in our bodies. Some people call it mana, but in the end they mean the same thing. It''s intricately linked with your body, so using magic will exhaust you the same as doing hard labor does. A mage can manipulate the magic in the environment or in their body or, usually, both by using the magic inside their body to interact with the environment. This is where I hit the first snag.


    "Can you feel the magic around you?"


    Eyes closed, I nod at Ara''s question.


    "And you can feel it when I do this?"


    I nod again.


    "When I cast through you, you sense it flowing through you?"


    Holding back a soft growl, I nod once more. The problem occurs when I try to sense my own magical energy. According to my senses, I''mall magic. Solid, even and unmoving magic, which can''t be right according to Ara. Since I''m supposed to focus on how my own magic flows through my body and where it pools and collects, I''m not making any progress.


    "I think it''s got to do with you being summoned here. It''s not your real body, right? It''s a construct you inhabit made by the magic involved, however that works."


    Ara is tapping the tray on her lap. The plates and cups have long been cleared away and a book has taken its place. It''s about summoning and familiars and Ara has been using it to find out why the training she went through when she was younger isn''t working for me.


    "It says here that this training does provide results, even when it''s not immediate, yet here," using one hand Ara flips through the pages, "it says it didn''t produce any results. Why can''t one person even agree with himself? There is no consistency! What kind of research is this? Such a sloppy piece, I can''t believe great grandfather actually paid money for this." With a snap Ara closes the book.


    "We''re just going to have to figure it out as we go. You''re well ahead on a human child, since you can already sense magic. If I read through the hogwash written here, you''ll have to practice this in your actual body. I can only give you the exercises." The tapping stops. "The hardest part is to start moving your magic around your body. Usually, parents or teachers guide the children. Since I won''t be there, you''ll have to figure it out for yourself. Next time you''re here you can tell me how it went and I can try to guide you further."


    The frustration I feel is mirrored by what I feel from Ara. She doesn''t like it when a project of hers is blocked by something she can''t do anything about.


    "Don''t you have someone who can teach you back there?" Ara asks me.


    This again? Tarvinder said something similar. I don''t know anyone who can use actual magic who also would be willing to teach me. I''m sure some of the older demons can, but there are none I can ask. In my mind I re-arrange my plans for every day to include these exercises. Yet again a realization hits me. When I''m working on this it will look like I''m lazing about, barely paying attention to anything. Which is exactly what Torn and the other older demons were doing. Did I interrupt his training back then? He didn''t seem upset, at least.


    Ara teaches me the first exercises for manipulating and directing magic inside the body. It''s not supposed to do anything, just train the ''magic muscles'' at moving magic to where you need it to cast your spells. Otherwise, you''re subject to how fast your body replenishes by itself, which may be very slow indeed.


    Ine is doing something with a needle and thread in the corner while Ara instructs me. The room is comfortable, I''m learning something new and I''m safe. All in all, this is one of the more enjoyable summon I''ve had in a while.

 43. Comradery

    Time passes slowly with nothing to do. While I''m willing to frequently laze about enjoying the scenery, Ara does not do well with her forced rest. The only factors holding her in bed are the very real pain she still feels, strong enough for me to sense, and her own common sense. To my estimation, her common sense gave up several hours ago. Now, only the pain keeps her from being up and about. I have been given the grand task of keeping her occupied and prevent her from causing herself harm. Or so Ara told me before her common sense gave out.


    Right now Ara is practicing her spellwork. Using the crystal and gloves makes it much easier, with a smaller chance of making mistakes. Ara tells me lazy mages never cast without. If those ever get separated from their tools, they''d be in dire straits. Ara is determined not to be dependent on things that can easily be taken away. It makes sense to me, so I pointed out another weakness. Whenever Ara casts, she is focusing almost everything on her hands. There are a few tricks that go over her whole body, some that enhance just one part like her feet, but everything else uses her hands as the origin.


    There are tales of mages losing a hand and because of it losing much of their power. There are fewer tales of mages losing both hands and overcoming the challenge. From her reaction, I can tell that Ara has never considered losing a limb. It''s possible for a human here to have a body part regenerated, but it''s a long and painful process and the limb will not be as strong as the one that was lost. I''m not sure if that applies to my own regeneration too. I don''t think so? I''m not in a hurry to try it.


    "Hold still, aiming this is hard enough as it is."


    Out of curiosity, I decide to obey. Ara is going to cast one of her stinging bolts using her mouth as focal point, spitting or blowing it at me. It was already interesting enough when she set her clothing on fire by casting from her elbow, so I can''t wait to see what happens now. Let''s try upholding my part of the bargain we struck first.


    "As I''m supposed to look out for your safety, I''ll let you know that I think this is a bad idea." With that out of the way, I can''t stop a grin from forming on my face.


    "I know," comes the reply, "but I''m confident I can get it right."


    The only clue I have that Ara starts casting is the look of concentration on her face. Since the beginning is all inside her, there is little to no other clue. This is a strong contrast with Mari, where I can sense her manipulating the energies around her. With no further warning, the spell launches and impacts the wall somewhere above and to the right of me, where it leaves a mark. I don''t know who is going to be repairing that for her, but I have a feeling it will be me.


    Unperturbed by the miss, Ara nods in satisfaction. "I ahl ah ah eash a ashia ussess." After applying some healing magic she repeats her words. "I call that at least a partial success. All it did was paralyze my tongue and lips for a short while."


    I nod. After her first attempts, Ara explained a bit about the functions of the gloves. One of the more important ones is to set the magic at a safe distance from the skin. If you''re trying to heat something, it won''t do it you burn your own hand in the process. Or, like now, paralyze yourself instead of your target. Now I think the fear of the dangers of failure keeps people from training extensively in this, rather than just laziness.


    "It''s commonly accepted that your magic travels around your body in your blood," Ara lectures. "Incidentally, that''s why it''s often used in important ceremonies like in adoptions. People believe it has an extra significance that way, bonds of blood and all that. Since it''s in your blood, it can''t travel to dead tissue. In my case, that would mostly be my hair, for you it''s your claws and the end of your tail."


    She pauses a moment to make eye-contact. "Skin is also dead. No, don''t argue about it, the outer part really is. Your blood comes close to it but isn''t in your skin. That is why it''s so important to focus on starting the magic at the proper distance." Not breaking eye contact, Ara holds up a hand. "The thing you want to learn is a kind of barrier. If you do it wrong, it will create the barrier between the living part of your skin and the dead part." With her other hand, she makes a motion as if she grabs something before suddenly ripping it away. "It hurts. A lot."


    I nod and shift my balance around a bit. It''s good to know, a valuable warning. "Thank you for the warning," I tell her grudgingly.


    "A skintight barrier is something even peasants learn. It helps them grab nettles or something, I guess. My point is that almost every person learns it. It comes very naturally for one to protect oneself. It''s also one of the most versatile magics ranging from full-body protection to small areas." With little frowns of concentration a shimmering barrier first envelopes her whole arm, then just the hand. "Even experienced mages and fighters use it since it can be used to block magic as well as physical assault."


    Unspoken but understood are the words that if I master this it wouldn''t just help me move quietly and without tracks, it would massively enhance my combat potential. Especially against anyone using magic, which seems to be almost everyone I know who is worth my recognition.


    "Is there anything else you want to know?" Ara asks.


    "Something different. You told me about the gloves, what does the crystal do?" If taking the gloves away would cripple a mage, what would the loss of the crystal do?


    "We never did talk about that, did we? It''s called a focus. It allows me to store part of my magic and send it back where I want it. Gathering the required energy for a strong spell in one hand would take too long and causes damage after a while. Storing part of it somewhere else until I need it is safer. Remember, magic travels in the blood. There is only so much blood that goes through one arm, so gathering it from the other hand with the crystal almost doubles the speed." Ara pauses. "Almost. There is a bit of loss as I send it to join together."Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    "I can also use it to store prepared spells for a short time. It''s ideal if I want to cast a series of spells in quick succession. Paralyze, bind, shock." Three taps of her hand on the bed accentuate the three spells. "A shock is hard to aim well, so ideally your target is slow or stationary. Otherwise, you waste a lot of energy trying to cover a larger area. Paralysis actually mitigates some of its effects as the muscles don''t respond well. Ideally, you want someone bound, but who is going to stand still for that?" She raises an eyebrow in question. "So you quickly fire a paralysis. It only needs to shortly stun, enough for your bindings to impair their mobility. Then you fire the shock. If you have the spells ready, it''s easier to do combos like that. Starting a fire with sawdust and pushing it out with a gust of wind, for example."


    "The crystal glows when it''s storing anything. Having a glowing crystal in your hand in some places, like a throne room, is counted as an act of hostility."Ara shoots a glance at Ine and lowers her voice, though not enough that Ine can''t hear. "There is a rumor that the Executioners in service to the crown have crystals that won''t glow, but no-one has been able to confirm it."


    All the magic practice has tired Ara enough that she falls asleep easily that night. Ine isn''t sleeping in the room tonight, so I assume Ara is recovering well. I glance over at the wall where some burn marks and damages were too much for even magic to clear away. Ara wasn''t bothered in the slightest, but I think I saw some consternation from Ine. It''s a boring night. To pass the time I repeat the instructions in my head. Focus on me, all of me. Feel the air flowing into my lungs, feel the magic riding on it. Feel how it mixes with my blood, feel how my blood moves through my body.


    Once I manage that, Ara told me to imagine making dams in places. I shouldn''t do anything with it yet, just make little pools of power. Her stories about the things that can go wrong make me decide to hold myself to her instructions, at least initially. Magic sounds like it is mostly the mind, though the ability to manipulate it must be inborn. There is a rare condition in this world where people are completely unable to use magic and it has a lesser effect when used on them. If that is the case for me, well, I''ll cross that bridge when I get there.


    The next morning begins the same as the day before. Breakfast and then talking with Ara. Her mood is noticeably worse. Being mostly confined to her bed is taking its toll. That she needs help getting off of the little pot she does her business in is not helping.


    Halfway through the morning some of the girls from the academy visit. Ara tells them she fell down the stairs and injured her ribs. I don''t know why she tells a lie, I''m sure there are reasons. To me, the most interesting part of it is that Ara actually feels better after. Since I''ve already begun talking to Ara, I decide to ask rather than try to puzzle it out myself. She needs to think longer on the answer than I expected.


    "I think it''s because they were genuinely worried about me," She finally says while staring at the ceiling. "Their ambitions are so limited, hoping only to find a well-positioned husband. I can see the value in listening to their constant gossiping, but I don''t enjoy it the same way they do. But they didn''t have to come to entertain me. There was no social obligation to do so. That they chose to come anyway, yes, it makes me feel better." She turns her gaze at me. "Does that make me weak?"


    The situation reminds me a bit of the small imp coming to groom me. "No weakness in allowing others to make you feel good," I say. "Would you risk yourself for them?"


    This makes her frown. "I guess I would. If it was an acceptable risk."


    "Why?" I prod her when she falls silent.


    "Because they''re my friends. I''d be at least a little sad if they were gone," Ara admits.


    It makes me shake my head. I don''t understand this notion, it makes no sense to me. Teaching the young I understand. Taking care of the injured, if it doesn''t take too long for them to recover, I can understand too. Keeping the old alive for their knowledge makes sense. Throwing yourself into danger because one or two easily replaceable individuals are threatened, not as much.


    With one of the limbs on my back, I idly scratch an itchy patch near my neck while thinking about it. Those limbs are less sharp than my claws, so I''ve gotten into the habit lately of using them for my grooming. My fine control over them has gotten a lot better since then. Nothing like an itchy back to encourage me to try harder.


    "That looks so weird. Even though we''ve trained to fight with them, seeing you move them around as if they were another pair of arms is still strange."


    The comment from Ara draws me back to the here and now. I''m glad the topic changed from personal bonds to my appearance. If there is one thing I can''t get enough of, it''s compliments. Ara could be worth protecting just for how she praises my strength and intelligence. I''m sure part of it isn''t sincere, our bond lets me get a decent enough read on her for that, but it makes me feel good. There is no harm in allowing others to make me feel good. The notion that it would be enough to make me want to keep her around tickles my mind.


    "Are we friends?" I ask Ara.


    "I wouldn''t call it friends. Comrades would be a better word. We trained together and we will fight together. It creates a bond too," is her reply, yet I can tell she''s happy that I asked.


    We pass the remainder of my time here with Ara trying to teach me a variety of games. My claws are unsuitable for cards and the rules of chess are too complicated. Checkers is more to my liking but still gives me a headache. I stop playing after a few matches and not because they were crushing defeats. Ine comes by a few times to attend to whatever needs Ara has. One time she brings a stack of papers.


    "It''s about my business ventures," Ara tells me. "If I''m stuck here, I might as well put my time to good use."


    Watching her work, I wonder if any other people will visit after my summon ends, or if today saw everyone. Deciding it''s none of my concern, I stretch and find a comfortable place to doze. If I''m not allowed to rampage around, I''m going to laze around. The only sound in the room until the world turns white is the scratching of a pen on paper and the occasionally troubled breathing of Ara.


    As I regain my senses in the cell, facing Harijia, my impatience threatens to overwhelm me. Has Harijia always opened the door this slow? All I want to do is find a quiet place to try the exercises Ara told me about!


    Harijia smiles as she opens the door completely. "If you want to talk about it later, impatient one, you know where to find me."


    While it annoys me I''m still as easy to read by her as always, my priorities have shifted. Let''s find out what I can learn about myself and magic.

 44. Introspective

    It''s proving a hard task to find a place for my introspection. Tirelessly prowling the expansive cavern, I have already missed one feeding time. Whenever I find a place where I''m not bothered by other demons, I get distracted by the energies flowing through the plants and trees. There is energy trapped in some of the rocks. Once, I pick a place high up the cavern walls, I can even feel something flowing through the walls. Behind the walls? More comes in with the water that goes through the cavern and seeps into the air.


    If there is one benefit of all this it''s that I''ve gotten better at sensing the magic in the air and all things alive. There is no sensible way to describe it, even to myself. It''s the way a sparkle looks if it would flow over the skin like the wind and smell like... like its own special thing. I''m still not too good at static things, though. The rocks only make themselves clearer to me when I''m very close. Creatures I can sense from a little further. The lights above give off large amounts of energy, and not just light. They are mostly responsible for how this place ''feels'' to this strange sense.


    When I finally find a place with relatively little interference I lay down on my belly, trying to minimize contact with the ground. I''ve found the fewer things touching me, the better I focus. The first exercise is to feel my body. It makes me realize how much I''m usually focused on everything outside myself, ignoring the messages from my own body. Of course, food and danger are out there, so it makes sense to focus on the things I hear and see. Now I''m listening to what my body tells me. I''m more aware of my body than ever before. The way the muscles in my legs get pulled in this position, the tightness of the skin at the outside of my joints and the way it''s compressed on the inside. I sense the build-up and release of a twitch of my ear as if it happens in slow motion. It feels so strange that the stimulation makes it twitch again, and again. Redirecting my attention to other parts I marvel at the messages my own body is constantly sending me. Where it tickles, which muscle isn''t quite comfortable in its place, the air cooling me down and a small bruise I can''t even recall getting. It is doing so much on its own too, without me ever being aware of it.


    Slowly I breathe in. I can feel the air flowing in, carrying with it the energy. It tastes of various creatures, plants and what I think is what is coming from the lights. I can feel it moving through my nose, my throat and down to my lungs. On the way out it feels different, neutral. I think it''s because I can''t sense myself. I''m so used to being around myself that the sense of ''me'' has faded. Another thing I can''t feel is inside my body. My digestion I can feel when it works, and the muscles moving under my skin. Ara wants me to feel my blood. Feel it moving around my body, carrying my own magic around. There is no such feeling.


    After a few days, I give up. The inaction is wearing on my temper and I get more and more distracted by stimulation around me or from my body. Stretching, I get up stiffly. Feels like I''ve been here longer than I thought. A look around me gives little in the way of confirmation. The light is fairly constant, only dimming in the evening and brightening in the morning. It''s unsettling, I''ve never lost track of time this much before. My stomach alerts me that it''s too long since it''s been filled. After a final stretch, I set out to see if I can find anything. Before I get far, another need makes itself known. I''m thirsty. Parched, more like it. First I''ll stop at the stream, then I''ll see what''s edible around there.


    The world around me is so vivid, so real. I don''t think I''ve realized how real this world that I call my home is, compared to the other places I visit. The scents are more visceral, the colors more vibrant and the sounds carry more depth.


    My hunger and thirst continue to rise steadily as I walk. At the stream, I throw myself at the water and drink in great gulps. How long was it really? It felt like some days, but my body is telling me it has been at least twice as long. A sudden cramp gives me pause. The worst stomach pain I''ve ever had is making itself known. My vision turns blurry and my balance goes off-kilter as the first spasm moves through my body. All the water I just drank forces itself out and then some. It feels like an eternity before it subsides. Dizzy and confused, I wonder if something is wrong with the water. Taking a careful sip of clean-looking water, I thoroughly test it for strange tastes. Nothing. Well, nothing except a hint of my own bile, but it''s hard to say if that''s a taste still left in my mouth or in the water. Plus, it probably wasn''t there before.


    Taking my time to refresh myself, the cramps don''t come back. Nor do I find what set them off to begin with. Stepping out of the small river, I break a small branch off a tree. It''s not the tastiest or most nutritious, but it will do. Slowly chewing on the tough wood I stroll underneath the leafy boughs towards the central clearing. There are other demons around. When I focus on it, I can sense them from some distance. They can''t ambush me that way anymore. For a long while, I want them to try. It feels like I''m itching all over and it takes all I have to not break into a run.


    The taste of the branch I''ve been chewing on comes clearly into my mind. The sap, the bark, what it''s made of. Even if I don''t know what they''re called, I know what they are. The moss tickling my feet and a light breeze ruffling the leaves. It''s all a grand experience I''m in the middle of. The downside is that I slow down a lot when I focus on this. It''s not a conscious thing, it just happens. I lose focus or gain too much focus, it depends on how I look at it. I become so aware of everything. It takes too much of my attention. Yet with so much to be aware of, it becomes hard to focus on any one thing. The fifth time I trip over a rock or a little unevenness of the ground, I decide to focus on moving first and experiencing second.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    Finally arriving at the clearing I look around for food or things, any things. I''m feeling a lot better already with my thirst slaked, but I could really do with some more to eat. Before I can tend to that, a new issue presents itself. The noise of the multitude of demons gathered here right now is grating on my ears. The light coming from above is too bright, now it''s unfiltered by leaves. Smelling so many creatures at the same time is overloading my nose and the new sense I have of creatures paints an image of complexity and intensity in my mind. A tenseness grips my body. Slowly I start to back off, back towards the treeline.


    Movement off to the side draws my attention and I hiss at the approaching creature. Scintillating colors blind me. I can barely make out a figure when I squint my eyes. As painful as the colors are, I can''t look away from them either. The sounds and other things that irritated me fade. Then, I catch a familiar scent.


    "Harijia?" I ask.


    "Yes, it''s me," I hear her reply as if from a great distance. "Follow me and keep looking at the colors. Only pay attention to me."


    The colors change from the flaring brightness that caught my attention, to a shifting soothing pastel pattern. It''s a relief for my overstimulated senses. Why were they overstimulated? Why were they so sensitive to the other demons, and even to the light? As if me thinking about them called them forth, I can once again hear, smell and sense the demons around me.


    "Kragol!" Harijia''s voice draws my attention back to her form, briefly visible behind the color pattern. "I''ll explain, but for now you need to not be here. Focus on me."


    Drawn by her voice and the soothing colors I walk in her direction. I don''t know how far I walk, or in what direction. Any time my attention is drawn away I feel my tension rising. Every time it happens, Harijia calls my attention back to her. Something is wrong with me. I try to focus my attention on myself, but can''t figure out what it is.


    A slap from Harijia''s tail almost bowls me over and brings me back to the here and now. The pain isn''t actually that bad, but with how acutely I''m aware of everything at the moment, it''s a whole new experience. The initial sting pierces deep, then a dull aching starts on the stricken part of my face.


    "Kragol! Focus on me!"


    The sound of Harijia''s voice reaches my ears, tickling tiny things inside. It makes my ears turn towards the sound almost automatically. Then it reaches somewhere inside and I feel the sound as it arrives. How does it go from there?


    "Kragol! Damn you, you idiot!"


    A short burst of sound allows me to track the progress again, but again to no avail. Something picks me up off the ground. When did I lie down? I can feel my limbs hanging down and swinging from side to side as I''m lifted higher. The pull of my limbs on my shoulder and hip joints changes when my limbs swing. My back limbs are hanging down too. I''ve never had them this relaxed, since dragging them over the ground is very annoying. The way they pull on their joints a bit below my shoulders is an unfamiliar sensation.


    Before I can explore this further, I feel myself flying through the air. Before I can spread my wings I hit the ground with a thump. Since when did I have wings? My head clears a little, enough to catch a glimpse of the immediate surroundings. It''s a cell. It looks more like a cell than the summoning cell did, with completely smooth walls and a solid door with just a few slits at different heights to look through.


    "Hello Harijia! What did you bring me this time? Swarmling type it looks like. What did it do?" It''s a male voice, a devil, one I''ve heard before but I don''t know his name.


    "He''s not here to get punished Joacham. He just got out of his first Inspection, hypersensitive." Harijia stresses the word ''he'' and ''his''. I don''t mind being called it, and I know she doesn''t care about it either, so why is she acting like that?


    My attention is diverted for a moment before I notice the strangeness of the room. The stone of the floor and the walls is as empty of energy as everything was before I could sense it. Any kind of energy that tries to enter the cell through the open door gets sucked away into some runes drawn around the doorframe. I''m fascinated by the streamers of oscillating light moving in a chaotic dance to their end.


    "So you want me to keep it distracted so it doesn''t dive into itself again, but not so stimulated it will go on a rampage. Why me? Why don''t you do it?" Joacham sounds bored and annoyed.


    "I''ve got work and this is your job. Throw him some food while you''re at it, he hasn''t eaten for a week," is the reply.


    A week? It felt like just a few days.


    "What about water?" There is a hint of concern in Joacham''s voice now. I can also feel it softly radiating off of him, a hint of furry purple under the metallic ocean.


    "He already drank. Puked and drank again. You''d be able to smell it if you had a working nose." There is a hint of tertiary blue disdain in Harijia''s voice and aura.


    "What is it doing now?" There is some interest in Joacham''s voice.


    "Sensing our aura''s. Or magic in general. You know how it works with demons. Do your thing, Joacham, I have to go." With that Harijia slithers away.


    I stare at her departing form. The muscles in her tail and lower body push her forward and slightly side to side. As I study the ripples to figure out how serpents move, a pair of legs move into my view. Looking up, I see the face of Joacham.


    "So you''re the one who''s been annoying Harijia lately." He begins to grin. "I''m sure we''ll get along fine."


    Keeping track of my body I try to figure out what I feel about this. He doesn''t seem hostile, but I don''t trust him either. I don''t trust any of them, really. He likes annoying Harijia, which is useful information. Doesn''t seem to care about demons, though that is nothing new among devils. There is a growing feeling in my chest that tells me I want to taste his blood, though that could be the hunger.


    A snap next to my ear makes me reflexively claw at the hand, but Joacham is faster and withdraws it unscathed. That finger-snapping thing is seriously one of the most annoying things people can do.


    "None of that now, boy. No clawing and no drawing in on yourself. You''re in a serious condition, and if you get too focused on yourself it could be the end for you. Now hold on while I get some food for you."

 45. Are You Stupid

    The footsteps of Joacham echo down the corridor. He left the door to the cell ajar. This allows me to listen to the extraordinary thing in the echo. There is not just one echo, but two. It''s like an echo of the echo, arriving a fraction of a tiny bit of a second later than the first. I stare at the wall, trying to figure it out. The wall! Two walls, two echos! Joacham is walking through a corridor and his steps bounce and echo from two different walls. Between one step and the next, the sound changes. It must be because he is in a room. He walks around without the distance changing too much. Then, the footsteps come back in this direction. They come to an end as Joacham appears once again in the open door.


    He throws something at me. The smell hits me before the thing itself does. Ground dried meat. I can also smell some nuts, berries, grains, roots and other things mixed in. He has a bowl of the stuff with him, but has only thrown a handful at me. The smell is exquisite and I revel in the experience as it travels through my nose and my mouth. My body informs me very clearly that it wants to eat, right now. The way my stomach contracts and how saliva starts to flood my mouth.


    A snap and a sting on my shoulder brings grabs my attention. Reflexively I try to catch the annoying thing, but I am far too slow. It stings a bit, but I wouldn''t call this pain. Joacham calmly prepares the whip again.


    "Why did you do that?" I hiss at him.


    "Eat the food," comes the calm reply.


    I take my time to study Joacham. He is tall, much taller than the devils I know. His horns curve a bit to the side and all the way round so they''re almost pointing towards me, next to his face. He is muscled, but not ridiculously so. His long limbs make him look a bit like a cross between a devil and an imp. As I study his face, this impression only becomes stronger.


    I''m too distracted to notice the lightning-quick movement of his arm and wrist and another sting from the whip hits me, on the flank this time.


    "Stop that!" I put a bit of growl in my words, elated when it actually sounds like a growl instead of the screeching I did before. Before I can delve deeper in how the growl feels when I make the sound deep in my chest, I duck. Joacham aborts the whiplash he was about to do.


    "Eat the damn food," he states again.


    "What''s with the food?" They haven''t done anything weird to the food before, as far as I can tell, but he is strangely insistent.


    The way he looks at me makes me uncomfortable.


    "You don''t even notice, do you? Harijia, with her twig-like arms, carried you back here. You''re nothing but skin and bones." His lips twitch as if in a smile.


    Focusing on my body again, I finally start to notice what it''s been telling me from the moment I''ve smelled the food. I am really, really hungry. Extending one of my limbs, I look at it. Skin and bones is a bit of an exaggeration, but I do look a bit skinny. A small sting on my back drags my attention back to Joacham.


    "Stop that!"


    "Eat the damn food!"


    We stare at one another. I get the distinct impression the devil is enjoying this. Taking a piece of the food in my mouth, I am once again assaulted by the taste and the smell. A sting on my flank gets me back to eating.


    "Swallow."


    The command is accompanied by a small movement with the whip. I try to speak, but find my mouth too full for it. There''s the choice to swallow or spit it out. My body decides to swallow. "Why do you do this? Really, why?"


    "Keep you focused, but not too focused." Joacham is tapping his hand with the whip.


    "What''s so bad about that?" There are so many interesting things I''ve found to study the last few hours. Why would that be a bad thing?


    Joacham shakes his head. "It could kill you. Now, are you going to eat?" Holding the bowl with the same hand as the whip, he scoops up some of the mixture and throws it at me.


    I take another mouthful and swallow. "Die, how?"


    "You used a lot of energy doing whatever you did," Joacham says. "If you go into that state again, you''re going to burn yourself out."


    My mouth is too full to reply, so I just look at him in askance. Joacham just ignores it. After I swallow, my hunger prompts me to eat another few mouthfuls. Before I can get engrossed in the taste, a sting on my leg gets my attention away.


    "Why don''t you just give me the bowl and let me eat in peace?" I shoot at Joacham.


    "Can''t do," comes the immediate reply.


    Instantly, my anger surfaces. I want that food. I will get the food. After a quick crouch I jump towards it. Or at least, I try to. My body is weaker than I had realized and doesn''t push me nearly as far as I intended.


    "Body catching up with you?" There is a definite smirk on Joacham''s face. With a swift kick so I don''t even have the time to rake his leg, he launches me back into the cell. "Don''t try that with me, not right now. If you want me to show you how weak you still are, at least come at me when you''re in a fighting shape."


    The game of taunting, feeding and hitting me continues until the bowl is empty. Then I get a short reprieve for Joacham to fill the bowl again. After the third time I empty the bowl, he just stays at the door. I am not yet sated, but at least my body isn''t screaming at me anymore. The sensitivity to all sensations has lessened, but is not yet gone. I''m both relieved it''s less and disappointed. I was so close to figuring things out about sound, light and scent. Hopefully, I''ll get another chance. For now, it''s time to take an active part in my own life again.


    The cell I''m in is not that much different from the summoning cell. Except there are no runes, the door isn''t mostly bars and everything feels muted. Not that much like the summoning place, except for the shape and size, really. "What is this place?" I ask Joacham.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    The devil regards me quietly before answering. "It''s the punishment facility, and I''m the one in charge." A nasty smile creeps over his face as he speaks. "I whip, cut, smash or just restrain, depending on the offense committed." A chuckle, a sneer, then his face returns to normal. "Not as much of that anymore since the last war three hundred years ago. Now we mainly use the dead cells, officially called isolation cells. Sensory deprivation works almost as well as torture and creates far less resentment. Less resentment means less chance of another demon uprising."


    I look at him with suspicion. "You hurt demons?"


    Joacham rolls his eyes before answering. "Of course that is what you focus on. Yes, I did and I do." He looks me straight in the eyes with a serious expression, the first serious face I''ve seen on him. "You would too if you were in my position. Don''t try to tell me you''d never hurt your fellow demon, there isn''t a lot of solidarity among us. You also know that, sometimes, only hurting someone will make them stop causing trouble." The smirk returns.


    "I don''t do anything wrong," I say defensively, not even sure why I feel the need to defend myself.


    "True, except stirring up the swarmlings, creating factions among them. Which makes the other demons nervous and unruly too. And let''s not forget you almost killed yourself, I''d call that ''doing something wrong'' too." Joacham taps the rolled-up whip on his thigh. "Though I don''t know how to punish you for that. A bit of a puzzler. We don''t have many demons here that are that stupid or suicidal."


    The words sting my pride. I''m not stupid, the problem is that I''m too smart! "Well, aren''t you Keepers supposed to help me?"


    Joacham narrows his eyes. "Stupid. How are we supposed to help you when you don''t talk to us? If you''d talked to Harijia about what you were planning to do, she would have sent you here. I can understand you don''t like her, you''re not the only one. But you can trust her with your life, if not your sanity."


    "You may not have noticed, with your dulled senses and lacking wit, but if you''re looking for a place to focus on yourself without distractions, this would be the best place to go. Of course, you''d have to deal with me going in and going out. I''d do terrible things to you. Giving you food and water, for example, or keeping you from killing yourself." Another eye-roll. "Most people appreciate my services nowadays. Some even enjoy it when I use my old skills on them. It takes all sorts, right?"


    Despite the fact that the devil is insulting me every other sentence, I feel like he is more sincere than Harijia. No, that is not quite true. Harijia is just as sincere. Joacham just feels more like his own person, while Harijia felt like an extension for her masters. Which is strange, since Joacham is a devil himself. Right now, I have two questions and one is more important, since it''s about me.


    I look away before asking my question. It still feels unnatural to ask things from my jailers. "Why was everything so intense?"


    The mocking smirk never leaves Joacham''s face. "Wits still scrambled? Harijia told me about you when they first found you in your trance. You have this magic sense, right? Think of it as an extra eye. Remember when you were just born and opened your eyes? So many colors, so bright!" One hand is held between his face and an imaginary source of light as he turns his face away, grimacing, before straightening up again. "Your ''magic'' eye was just a tiny bit open and you were still getting used to it. With your little stunt, you forced it way open. No wonder you can''t handle the stimulation."


    It takes a while to process his words. It makes sense though. If I used it so much, focused completely on myself, it would be like looking into the sun after exiting a dark cave. "How do you know this?"


    "Because there have been others. You''re not that special, you''re not unique. Toss away the idea that no-one can understand you. Why are all demons so egocentric?" Joacham sighs theatrically.


    "Aren''t you a demon too?" I shoot back.


    "Takes one to know one," is the quick reply. "Though you might want to keep that opinion to yourself to most devils, including the demon-devils."


    By focusing on the conversation, I''ve nearly regained my sense of self. He did speak the truth that this place would be good for future experiments. There are barely any sounds coming in, the air is fairly empty of scents and, as I discovered before, the whole place is almost empty of magic.


    There is just one thing I still have to ask. "So you don''t like Harijia?"


    Joacham keeps a blank face. "I never said that, did I? She is a hard-working lady with strong convictions and a skillset uniquely suited for her tasks. I only said that she rubs some people the wrong way. Including her teacher, ironically."


    "And you." It''s not a question but a statement.


    "Don''t be too hard on her. She''s a demon from the old system." He sighs, still not confirming or denying.


    "Aren''t you too?" I ask.


    Joacham turns his head to the side and looks into empty space. "Oh my, I think this demon may be lapsing back into his trance again, I should hurt him a bit more to snap him out of it, don''t you think?" He nods. "Yeah, I think so too." Turning back to me, he bares his teeth in an insincere smile. "Did you have any other questions?"


    While I''m not the greatest conversationalist, his intentions are obvious. "No, I don''t think so."


    Joacham nods and takes a step into the cell. "Good, now that''s settled, let''s take a closer look at you, see if you can spot any changes. I''m very good at anatomy, but you know your body best. For example, why did you flap those spears on your back as if they were wings?"


    With all that had happened, I nearly forgot. I was sure I had wings at that moment. Moving them out from my side where they are resting, I spread them to my sides as far as I can before the wall stops me. Some of the many joints lock, to give more stability. I''ve used the same mechanism to make my stabs stronger, so the adjustment comes almost as second nature. Looking left and right I inspect the limbs. Nothing is different. Disappointment wells up in me. With a snarl, I slam them down on the floor, then into the walls to the sides.


    Joacham''s voice draws my attention away from my tantrum. "You don''t need to show off for me, but if you want to hit the walls some more please wait until I leave."


    Despite his words, he''s by my left side in a few steps, grabbing the limb there to look at it. I try to pull away, but his grip is too strong. Yet another Keeper who is stronger than he looks. Then again, that goes for all demons. His hands move over the bone structure. Here and there, where sinews, muscles and nerves briefly surface, I can actually feel his touch. Suddenly the hands stop. He moves them back and forth for a moment as if he''s searching for something, then I feel pressure, like he''s pushing on something. It doesn''t hurt, as such, but the feeling is very uncomfortable. I resist the urge to attack the devil. The discomfort continues to grow. With a twitch I move a muscle I didn''t know I had. A long, thin spike which had been hidden in a groove in the bone twitches out of hiding, followed by two more.


    "No membrane yet, but that does look like it''ll be a wing." Joacham eyes me up and down. "A bit too small to carry you, but you''ll be able to glide on it at least."


    A twist of his hands makes pain shoot down the limb and I hiss. One of my claws twitches in his direction before I stop myself. The devil seems oblivious to it.


    "Great range of movement you have on these. Are you training with them as weapons?" He pulls the limb he is holding to a high corner of the room to extend it to its full length. "Good range too. We should see if we can strengthen them with something. Did you find any metals or something that suited your taste?" He catches me staring at him. "What? What did you expect, demons were kept and grown to be weapons of war, of course I''d know things like this."


    His behavior is so different from before, it catches me off-guard. "I found some on one of my summons."


    "Sure, but what did you and your keeper find for you?" He pauses and looks at me, blinking once. "Right, Harijia." After a momentary pause, he continues. "You know, while she will remain the one mainly responsible for you, there is no rule that you can''t talk with the other Keepers. If Harijia isn''t a good match for you, you''re free to try your luck with one of the others."


    I let the words sink in for a while. Joacham goes back to examining the limb, bending it at different angles and rotating it. At times he asks me to push it at angles against him with all my strength. I can''t even make him exert himself.


    "You know," I start, "I never considered asking someone else."


    When Joacham replies, I can see his smirk is back. "Yeah, I figured."

 46. What If It Isnt All Lies

    I look sideways at Joacham as he examines my ''wing'' joint by joint. I can ask others to be my Keeper? In that case, I might as well. "Would you-"


    "No," Joacham interrupts me without looking.


    "You don''t know-," I begin again.


    "I do," comes the interruption again.


    "How do you-."


    "Experience." Joacham sighs. "I start to understand what Harijia''s told me about you now. And no, I''m not telling you."


    It annoys me that he interrupts me. What annoys me the most is that he did answer my questions before I ask them. I''m still predictable. I look at the devil for a while, expecting him to answer my next question. The silence stretches on and I get distracted studying his face. This is a face I can place a bit better, unlike Harijia, and Joacham is old. He doesn''t look as old as some of the other devils, but he feels much older.


    A sting from the whip brings me back. "I''m not going to answer a question unless you say it out loud," he says.


    My mood sours a bit. "Fine. First you interrupt me when I want to ask something, then you want me to ask things. Fine." I take a deep breath and begin the question. "Why-"


    "Why do I interrupt you?" he interrupts once again, to my frustration. "Because you ask the uninteresting questions. I''ll give you a hint. Don''t focus on the problem, focus on the solution."


    His words make me think. He is right, asking why he wouldn''t accept me is asking what the problem is. What''s so bad about that? I need to know the problem before I can figure out what to do about it. As I ponder on it, pieces of the conversations I''ve had before start calling attention to themselves. The shape of an idea is forming and I''m skirting along the edges. The key is me, and doing things by myself. Or perhaps it is the problem. "How," I start, before pausing to reconsider. I know now what he wants. It rubs me entirely the wrong way.


    I sigh and avoid looking Joacham in the eye. "What do I need to do."


    It remains silent and I sneak a glance at the tall devil. I can tell he''s pleased, but he''s not smirking.


    "Normally," he begins, "I work with two types of demons. Either they have mutated in a way that changes their body so much, they need to relearn how to move." The smirk comes back. "The others are the ones desperate to improve. They realize they''ve fallen behind the curve or perhaps they feel like they are lacking something. Something I can provide where others can''t. You''re not desperate."


    Silence falls between us. He has given the answer to the question I didn''t ask. Why would he reject me? My body may not be as I wish it, but it is serviceable. I''ve been told I''m not quite as strong as others of my age, but I make up for it by being better at using my body. Based on that, there is no reason why he would take me on. It hammers home his point, that I focus on the wrong things. However, there is still a chance.


    "Normally?" I repeat after him.


    "I am known to take on some projects for my own amusement," he answers nonchalantly.


    I''m not happy to be amusement, but it could be worse. "So what do I do."


    "First, you need to get your priorities straight. What is the most important thing to do, here and now, at this place and at this time, for you?" As Joacham talks, the ever-present smirk fades, leaving behind a stern frown.


    "To get stronger," I answer. Joacham lashes out with his whip, hard enough to draw blood. I hiss and look at the weapon. It didn''t look so dangerous before, but now it seems to have a life of its own. It''s clearly not a normal item.


    "If you stop the whip or dodge it, it''s over and you don''t have to bother coming back," Joacham interrupts my thoughts. "I told you, my methods are for the desperate. Why do you need to get stronger?"


    "To leave this place!" I hiss back at him. Another bite of the whip.


    "To stop harijia from interfering with me." Again.


    "To be free!" Again.


    "To stop devils from controlling me!" Again the whip hits. At every answer Joacham deems wrong, the whip gouges my skin. After a few more guesses, I remain quiet. After a moment of rest, the whip hits me again, hard. I want to throw myself at him and rip through his skin. It''s a struggle with my anger and instincts to keep thinking instead of fighting. It helps that my body still feels weak and unwilling to move.


    "You''re not allowed to stop!" A cold eyed Joacham shouts at me. "More basic! Keep it simple!"


    "To eat! To fight! To be the best" Three lashes his me in quick succession, though not as hard. "I just want to live my life!"


    The expected pain doesn''t arrive. I wait and wait. When there is no sound from the whip, I brave a look at Joacham. He still isn''t smiling, he still stands ready to strike, but he was also clearly waiting for me to look up.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Slowly and carefully he speaks. "Then why are you trying so hard to get yourself killed."


    I don''t have an answer to that. I didn''t know? That''s a weak excuse and not one I''ll allow for myself.


    "Devils have studied all of the species and races that have a tendency to be demons. You hatched with a bunch of others, right? Swarmlings hatch their clutches at a dozen a month, or up to a hundred all at once. It depends on the region and the food supplies. Have you never wondered why the lands aren''t swarming with your kind? Let me tell you why."


    Joacham takes a deep breath. "They die. Out of the hundred swarmlings born to a colony each year, one or two will live to breed. Maybe you would have been that one, maybe not. You were taken out of that lottery and guaranteed life. Maybe you hate this life. Maybe you want to get away from here. Your focus should still be how to do so while remaining alive! I do not train anyone who wishes to die!"


    By the end there is a clear passion in Joacham''s voice. I get the feeling he isn''t really shouting at just me anymore, judging by the way his eyes are slightly unfocused. There is something there, something happened. I''m not going to ask what. It takes a while for him to calm down enough to continue.


    "If you leave in a year, like you told Harijia you wanted to, you''re going to die. You''ll be released far from settlements so you won''t be tempted to raid those for food. You''ll be alone, without safety and without help. You''ll die. If you find a colony and fight your way in, good for you. One day you''ll go into that trance again. When you resurface you''ll be starving and irritable and you will attack your own colony and you''ll die. No matter how strong you get before it happens, you can''t get stronger fast enough to fight an entire colony of swarmlings, enraged because you ate a queen."


    "I''ve seen it before. You die so often in your summons, death loses all meaning and you stop being concerned about it. Get concerned! If you go on the way you do now, trying to get stronger with no purpose, you''re going to die. You almost died twice over yesterday and the day before yesterday. Sometimes I had to hit you four, five times to get a reaction! I haven''t had such a work-out in a long time. occasionally I was concerned I''d kill you if I went too far, which would have looked bad on me."


    Joacham''s voice trails off near the end. "You, you are going to think hard on why you want to be outside. Give me a reason other than ''because you want to keep me inside'', and I''ll see what I can do. I''d understand it if we were still treating you like we did centuries ago, but it''s different now. After that, you''ll think long and hard about what you want to become and what you want to do. Do you want to settle somewhere, hunt, guard, travel around? Do you want to train other demons? Lead them into battle? Think on it, but don''t worry too much about your choice. You have centuries ahead of you to try different things." Joacham cocks his head and pauses. "If you don''t get yourself killed first."


    There are many things I could say or want to say, but my mind gets stuck on one of the last things. Something to do? "What was your work?"


    "I sent demons off to die in the war."


    With those words, he leaves me alone in the cell. He may have asked me to think, but my mind feels more empty than it has been since I''ve been born. I''ve never thought beyond ''getting out'', I never wanted to ''get out so I can do something''. I just want to see the suns, feel the breeze and smell the life around me. The cave is stifling me. Could I have said something like that before? ''Hey, can you let me outside every once in a while, not very far and I won''t run away''. Would things have gone different? No use thinking about it. Going by the person I am, the person I was, I would not have been able to ask for a simple favor. Nor would anyone have believed me at that point.


    I slink out of the cell and through the corridors back to the cavern. I can follow my senses even though I don''t remember getting here. I also seem to have lost track of time while I was here. Days? It felt like less than a day to me. Only one snap of the whip required to get my attention. Right? I feel hungry again. It''s hard to tell if it''s because of my previous fasting or if it''s new. The lights are dimming, signaling night. I can wait until morning, the urge isn''t that strong.


    So what do I want?


    I don''t want to feel used. Just sitting here and giving up my freedom and part of the summon energy for food and shelter feels wrong. That could just be my way of looking at it. The way Joachim tells it, I''m paying with that energy and my freedom now for a better future later. Harijia has hinted at it as well. Uncertainty pulls me back. Nothing can be offered to me. I feel it gripping me from inside, below my stomachs. Tendrils of tension snake out to my limbs and my chest, filling me with apprehension. It''s fear. What am I afraid of?


    Slowly I climb one of the smaller trees. It doesn''t smell like someone uses it to sleep and I could use a place to hang out and think until there is food.


    I''m afraid. I''m afraid they want more from me than they''ve let on so far. I''m afraid they''re stealing more from me than they''ve told me. I''m afraid they''re lying to me. I''m afraid they''ll kill me if they think I''m too much trouble.


    I''m afraid to trust or to believe. I''m afraid because they have all the power and I have none. I''m afraid that, when I do have power, I''ll be taken away to a worse place. It may have looked like recruiters looking for strong demons, but what if they were effectively executioners? Taking them away to impossible fight after fight, getting the most use out of the beasts.


    My mind grasps at the one thing I felt as the truth about Joachim. He doesn''t want me to die. Not just because it would make him look bad, he doesn''t want me to die purely because he doesn''t want me to die. Even if everything else was a lie, I feel like I can believe that truth.


    I''ve seen how many new demons are brought in every month. They won''t miss one or two. Just like a colony, they bring in more because they count on losing part of the existing members. If I assume they don''t really care about whether I stay or go, the main reason to stop me would be for their own benefit. Harijia wants to look good to her master. Keeping me here makes her look good. Joacham doesn''t want me to die. If I don''t die, it makes him feel good.


    Shivering for a moment I try to physically dislodge my fear. Let''s imagine Joacham speaks true. I silence the protest of my beating heart. What would I do after here? The first thing I feel is yearning. Not one for a place to belong or even a people or colony. I want to see and learn. I want to see the cities the devils hint at, the farming villages and the palaces. I want to know how and why this system I''m part of came to be. I want to know more about this world.


    I need to get stronger so I can experience this world, see its wonders and find my place out there. As I am now, I''d need constant protection. I''d never be able to go wherever I wanted to go. What do I need for that? How do I get there? I don''t even know, but now at least I know the direction I want to take. The question from here is what kind of options that leaves for me.


    As I try to reach for an answer, uncertainty returns. It''s going to be a long night.

 47. Learning About Myself

    When the light starts to brighten again it is time to summarize the gains of the night. First of all, I''ve come to the realization that I jump to conclusions. Not a problem most of the time since I''m usually right, but it''s something to watch out for. I also have a tendency to think too much on my own. I am realizing the limitations of that now as I''ve run into the problem of not having enough information. I also lack reliable information sources. The first gain of tonight is the resolution to gather information everywhere, assume they''re unreliable, and figure it out from there. This is very different from gathering information from just one or two unreliable sources. Mostly, it''s a lot more effort.


    That is the second gain. Realizing I am lazy. I would have said that I''m not, just a few hours ago. I keep training and improving my strengths, most of the time. But that is not what lazy is. Lazy is only doing what I enjoy doing and not doing the things I don''t enjoy doing but should be doing anyway. It''s time to push myself to do those things, like talking to people. It''s not something I look forward to, or the sifting through everything for what is actually true, but the knowledge would be worth it.


    So, what do I know?


    Devils bring demons to a place like this. I''m sure it used to be a harsher place. Harijia is a good example of that attitude, I feel she''d use harsher punishments. Joacham pretty much confirmed it too. After 5 years, sometimes a bit less, sometimes more, the demons move on. Either to special recruiters to do who knows what or probably to the work crews. Is that it? This is one of the things I need more information about, what do demons actually get to do when they get out of here.


    The demons in these places are ones that get summoned more often than ones outside, but it''s been said that they don''t get all of them. There are wild demons out there too. They say a lot of them die or go insane and then die or do something like my meditation and die. If I look back at how vulnerable I''ve been, I''m willing to believe it.


    I''m sure that the main task of demons who move out of here is to fight or hunt. It''s what we do best. Some may have an aptitude for rituals, like Harijia, or some other special capability. Most can fight and hunt, nothing more. Since hunting isn''t high on the list here and fighting is what I do in most summons, it''s more likely to be fighting.


    I don''t know why they don''t keep demons down here longer. My first guess is about strength and intelligence. I''m ahead of the rest in smarts. If the others catch up, will they also feel restless? Will it be harder and harder to contain them? The stronger and smarter they get, the harder it will be to maintain this place. While one or two wouldn''t be a problem, if there are hundreds even the stronger Keepers will be threatened. Better to move them on to somewhere else they can be useful and bring in fresh meat. I feel like I''m still missing information and confirmation here, but it''s an assumption I''m willing to make. Another thing supporting this is the lack of strong species. The naturally strongest here are the bears, but I know there are more dangerous creatures out there. Either they can''t get those, or they don''t want those.


    If we''re supposed to move on to more challenging places, why not start training here? So far, the only official training I''ve seen was about knowledge. Which isn''t bad, but how does it help? The only explanation I got was that it was to keep the summons going. Having weak and cheap fodder keeps it going. I don''t buy it. The explanation feels unsatisfying. The only reason I can think of right now is that it weeds out the untalented and unmotivated. If you really don''t do a thing and don''t learn a thing unless you''re forced to, they have no use for you. Again, this is just my own opinion and I need more information.


    That leaves the question, what happens with the useless? There are no older demons here aside from those who are keepers. They must move on to somewhere. I think Harijia and Joacham have given me the information on that, though indirectly. Harijia has told me they can release me if I really want to. Somewhere where I won''t be able to bother the devils and would probably die if I went as I am now. Joacham confirmed that he thinks I would die, which makes it credible.


    What better place to send the other problems? Not just the trouble makers and unrest brewers, but also the ones doing nothing but grow older and lazier. Joacham gets to give them a crash-course to either redeem them or because he hates to send them off with absolutely no chance, and off they go. Some will survive, most will die. Yet again I need confirmation of this, but it seems like a sensible arrangement and one I approve of.


    Then there are the devils themselves. Joacham is a decent sort, just like most of the Keepers who are devils. Harijia''s master is not. Nor are most of the devils that come down here for whatever reason. The exception was that man. What was his name again? The one who taught me to punch stone? It doesn''t matter. The difference between the two groups is that the Keepers are demons themselves too. What is the difference within the group of regular devils? I''ve found one possible explanation so far: age. The older they are, the more they look down on demons. The younger ones still look down on us, but not nearly as much. Harijia''s master and the older devils look at us like we''re animals not worthy of their time. The younger ones look at us like we''re less than them, unimportant. Since they''re here now, surrounded by us, they just have to put up with it. The exception was stone punch man. But until I find more like him I''ll have to assume he''s just that, an exception, and I shouldn''t expect to find more like him. It would be nice if I did, though.


    The questions remaining are: why not keep the new demons here longer, where are the stronger species, what happens after demons leave, why the devils treat us like this and not in a myriad of different ways, and how that affects me. The most important one to find an answer to is ''what happens after''. Finding an answer will have to wait until later, though, right now it''s time to eat.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    When the swarm of swarmlings passes by I hop off my tree and join the group. It barely gets a reaction other than a few curious glances. Taking my usual place somewhat in the middle I stroll along. Having this many demons around me still rubs me the wrong way even though my sensitivity has gone down. It''s a bit less because I''ve accepted them, sort of, but I feel myself becoming more agitated.


    The feeding is a long and arduous affair for me this time around. I keep wanting to lash out at anyone surrounding me. Holding back makes me tired and the more tired I am the harder it is to hold back. It''s a downward spiral where, for the first time ever, I''m happy when there is no more food to be had. Many of the swarmlings have picked up on my mood by now and give me a bit of extra space. I''m being treated like a dangerous and unpredictable creature, which is what I am right now I guess.


    The trek back is not helping my mood. I feel like something is pulling on me, trying to get my attention. Every time it happens I look around, trying to see who it is, or what it is. The others are really starting to keep their distance by now, which should make it easier to figure out what is happening. No such luck. The grabbing and pulling continue unabated.


    When we get to the clearing I split off and head for the nearest keeper who doesn''t look very busy. He spots me heading for him and seems amused. His name is shiv, shil to something else starting with sh. I stop a body-length away and look up at him. It''s putting some strain on my neck, which gives me the first-ever reason to try and stand on two feet instead of four. The added height could be advantageous sometimes. When weighed up against my superior stability, acceleration and maneuverability, I''ll still choose my six limbs over their four. He regards me silently, clearly waiting for me to speak.


    "Why didn''t anyone ever try to get me away from Harijia?" It''s the first question I can think of.


    "That''s what you want to ask?" the devil-demon asks in return. "Simple, if I meddle with one of hers, it''s like giving her permission to meddle with mine. Not that she''s a bad person or bad Keeper, but they''re mine."


    He bares his teeth in a less than friendly smile at the end in a display of aggression. It''s like Keepers have a territory except that it''s not defined by area, but by the demons they''re responsible for.


    "She can''t stop it when you''re the one reaching out, but you have to take the first step." His expression turns grumpy. "You cost me a month''s wages. I figured you''d be tired of her months ago."


    It takes a moment to sink in. "You were betting on me?" Despite myself, I can''t help but ask the next question. "Who won the bet?"


    "Of course we bet on you. Things are a bit boring here for the last few years. We bet on anything." His face gets even grumpier. "As to your question, Harijia won the bet." He glances my way. "She''s a very experienced wily old snake, you would do well not to underestimate her."


    His answer annoys me. Harijia may have been playing both a deeper game and a shallower game than I had thought. All that effort to win a bet?


    "If I''d ask you to be my Keeper, what would that mean for me?" It''s the real question I''ve been wanting to ask.


    "A bad choice. I train big and heavy front-liners. Not too many of them in this area, so it''s a slow job. I knew that before I took the job, though."


    The demon is nodding to himself. I wonder why he came here, but that is of less importance. "Do you make them listen to the useless stories too?"


    "What you call useless," he admonishes me, "is knowledge every devil child has and you don''t. We''re trying to prepare you as well as we can and as well as you allow for going outside. Now is the best time to give you a solid foundation, while you have little else to do. We all have some inherited memories, but it never covers everything. It''s biased information we''re giving you, I''m sure you''re aware of that, but it''s better than nothing."


    "Why do you say I''m aware of the bias?" I ask. It''s true, but I want to know how he came to that conclusion.


    "Your tail does this irritated twist when someone tells you something you know you can''t trust," he replies amused. "Harijia pointed it out to the rest of us. You''re not as easy to read as you were, but let this be my lesson to you: Don''t underestimate others. You need to realize your experience up to now is limited. Don''t base your expectations only on what you know. A lot of the people and creatures you will meet are outside your experience and putting on them the limits of what you know may get you killed." He looks expectantly at me and sighs at my lack of reaction. "A more obvious example. You have to fight something big. You know big creatures are lumbering giants and can''t be nimble. But it''s not impossible and the moment you fight with the wrong expectation, you''ll get hurt or die."


    I let it sink in for a bit. It makes sense, but how to apply this to the current situation? "So, I expected to outsmart you?"


    He nods. "Keepers have years of experience dealing with young demons. You''ve been judging us based on what you know of who you are. In other words, stop feeling annoyed when you can''t hide things from us."


    The advice leaves me annoyed which, judging by his grin, does not go unnoticed, which annoys me even more. As he begins to laugh I realize how futile it is and relax. "So who do you suggest I talk to?" I ask him when he calms down.


    The grin doesn''t quite leave his face as he answers. "As many as you can, but check out Ulvar. I''ll let you figure out who that is and why."


    Taking his suggestion I make a tour to two more Keepers. That''s as many as my mood can take. Each points out a flaw they perceive in me whether I ask for it or not. It''s all I can do to stay calm and nod. Worse is that I can see they know that I don''t like it and they know I know and they don''t care. I''m sure they enjoyed my humiliation and insulting me.


    I hesitate mid-step. Or not. I learned this before. To improve, you first must know there is room to improve. In their view, they may be doing me a favor by pointing out my limitations, urging me to improve on them. If nothing else, I would do it to prove them wrong.


    Suddenly the tugging at me and my attention is back. I know no-one is near me right now, but I narrow my eyes and look around. Carefully I open up my senses to the magical. Immediately the pulls become clearer and stronger and my eyes widen in recognition. The shock makes me lose concentration and the sensation fades. Summons, they''re summons trying to take me. Did my introspection use up the available energy from the last summon? Tentatively I extend my senses to one of the weaker ones, trying to feel the shape of it. It turns out to be a mistake. Time seems to freeze as the world turns white and the familiar feeling of being transported somewhere strange grips me.

 48. Class Again

    I''m in a classroom, I think. I''ve been to plenty together with Ara, used for different lessons, so I like to think I can tell the signs. It''s got the things on the wall that actually mean something instead of being there only for decoration. There is a lectern on a raised platform in a corner with some chairs nearby. There are people in more or less the same clothing as a sort of uniform who walk around with an authoritative attitude and people in a similar, but less interesting outfit paying attention to them. That is where the similarities end.


    The uniform is a dark, hooded cloak and an optional mask. Their ages, as much as I can tell, are far spread out, young and old mixed. With Ara, the students were all somewhat younger than the teachers. All the furniture looks battered and ready to fall apart. The floor and the wall are damaged. Above all, there is none of the order and... studiousness I''m used to. It still feels classroom-y though.


    Currently, I''m in a summoning circle that barely fits me. I can see the runes on the ground and some of them look wrong to me. I don''t know what they mean, but I can sense the energies flowing through them and it feels off. A shimmering wall appears whenever I get too close to the runes, making me feel rather cramped. Luckily it doesn''t hurt. In fact, the barrier feels weak. There are three people around me, occasionally looking down on me and I can feel a weak link to all of them. Did they work together to summon me?


    The rest of the room is more chaotic. There are a dozen or so other circles with a summon in them, two or three people per circle looking back and forth between what I think are the instructors and their summon. Those summons are what is making the most noise. Quite a few swarmlings are protesting harshly and lashing out at the barriers keeping them inside. There is also what looks like a fish flopping around in one of the circles. A bit further on is some kind of weird bird with long legs and tiny wings, pecking the barrier with a terrifying-looking beak. Near the centre of the room are a few well-equipped people. They have armor with metal plates, shields and short swords. My guess is that they are here for security. Three instructors move from circle to circle, pointing out flaws and giving suggestions.


    The people near the circles that don''t contain swarmlings look decidedly nervous, so I assume they failed. Judging from the body language of my summoners, two of them are smug while the other one is nervous. The thing he''s pointing out is that I''m so big compared to the norm, but the other two wave it off as them doing things right rather than wrong.


    Meanwhile I try to listen in on what the teachers are saying. They''re already hard to hear through the general noise and I find a limitation of my amazing language learning ability. Just because I understand the words doesn''t mean they''ll make sense. They talk about initiators, Kose''s enclosure almagram, a warbelar and other terms. Their students nod along and take notes, but to me it''s like a code I can''t break. I consider breaking out to take a look as they explain things, but I doubt that will go over well. Besides, one of the armored men has been glancing in this direction a lot and has been making his way here ever so slowly and unobtrusively.


    It takes a good thirty minutes before the teachers come to my little circle. They''ve left me for last and I doubt it''s by accident. The attention of most of the other students is on the three people surrounding my circle as the teachers approach. The two confident ones who summoned me are getting nervous now too. Apparently, being left for the end means you either did something exceptionally well or exceptionally bad. It''s funny to see their faces change as a tiny sliver of doubt starts to enter their previous confidence. The previously nervous one has calmed down, but now only looks down to the ground and barely reacts to anything the others say. Finally, the teachers stand in front of them.


    "What," the lead one begins, "is the most important rune structure we taught you."


    Two of those who summoned me look at one another.


    "The barrier?" one tries. "It protects the summoner until the will of the summon is broken or an accord is reached."


    What follows is a short dissertation on what they''ve done wrong with the barrier. I can feel the flow around me improving as the runes are adjusted. It''s still weak, but at least it isn''t flawed anymore. There still a different kind of flaw, but I don''t know enough to decide if it''s supposed to be like that or not. The teacher now looks at the second man.


    "The determination?" he ventures. "To summon the right tool for the job. It''s why we''re here, after all. To learn how to summon specific tools instead of using the generic spells." He shoots a smirk at the group that was standing with the fish-like creature. It''s still breathing, so it probably not an actual fish, but it can only weakly flop around.


    The teacher nods. "You''ve done that one almost perfectly. Well done." As the man glows with pride, the teacher looks at the gloomy man. "Next?"


    "The limiter," the man whispers so softly even I can barely hear it. A moment later, he repeats himself louder. "The limiter."


    Unlike all the jargon earlier, these terms are rather self-explanatory. When I look around at the still shrieking and clawing smaller swarmlings, I can only agree. One of my summoners, however, does not.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    "What do you mean? It''s under perfect control! Unlike the others, this thing is quiet and obedient," he protests.


    "Really?" the teacher interjects. "And that doesn''t make you concerned? It''s quietly observing and considering instead of acting on instincts and you think you''re in control? Then order it to bite its tail off to show us your control."


    I''m slightly startled at the absurd command, but the man takes it in stride and immediately turns to me to relay the order. I just stare at him. It didn''t come with the force of a Command and I''m not about to hurt myself. I see his surprise, then his determination.


    "Bite your tail off," comes the Command a few seconds later.


    I feel the force of his will and strength bear down on me. It reminds me of the times Ara forced me to obey her and of the adventurers sending me to my death. Compared to those, though, this man feels like a rock to their boulder. I''m not the same young swarmling anymore and a pressure like this won''t make me crumble. I push back with my disgust for his weakness. During the short struggle my disgust quickly turns into anger. How dare he. How dare this weak thing try to order me around! How dare he try to make me hurt myself! The thought of being summoned by this weakling to fight for him, to die for him, physically makes me sick and I throw all that back at him through our link.


    I see his eyes roll up in his face as he faints. The other two are also not unaffected. Though they did not give the command, they still share in the link. One is on the ground, cradling his head in his arms and not moving. The gloomy one has also fallen back but is already getting up, rubbing his forehead. All that I notice in just a moment as my rage is still building. Focusing again on the piece of filth that dared to order me, I unfold my weapons from my back.


    I hook the end of my spikes over the top of the barrier. I can see why they didn''t put it all the way up. It''s too narrow to fly and I don''t think anything can jump well enough to clear it, but to me it''s an extra handhold. With it, I lift myself off the ground so all four claws rest against that barrier. My spikes begin to hurt a bit. The thin barrier is slowly cutting into them, which makes me glad I didn''t try to climb out. With one hard push from four claws, the barrier disappears. It catches me off-guard as the barriers I''d seen Ara conjure up shattered, while this one just disappears in thin air. I land gracelessly on the ground, but quickly manage to right myself. Searching around for my target, I''m still somewhat surprised that I''m not under attack yet.


    Some of the other students are backing off, but the teachers and the armored people stand their ground. The main teacher has a smug smile on him as I make myself over to the still unconscious man that tried to command me. He doesn''t have a tail, so I''ll settle for biting off a leg. As I bite down on the fleshy part of his thigh, fearful shouts from the students encourage me to continue. It is right of them to fear. My teeth pierce his flesh and I anticipate the sweet taste of blood to fill my mouth.


    What I taste instead is something so vile it defies description. I back off and shake my head to get rid of the taste, to no success. I can hear the teacher address his students, something about a potion so their summons won''t eat them if things go wrong. Very smart and very despicable. Using my acidic saliva I try to burn away the taste, but it only dilutes it slowly. The saliva mixed with the terrible taste slowly starts to dribble out of my mouth. Shaking my head once more I try to speed up the process. First I try to think of tasty food, because that always makes me salivate. Soon I find I have more control over it than I thought and if I just focus on the need for saliva, it will keep producing. It still can''t go fast enough for my taste.


    Ahead of me the teachers are explaining something about a banish spell, but I can''t be bothered with it. The armed men are watching me, but not interfering. With one claw I reach out and tear open the offensive man''s leg. All of his blood has the same bad smell, the stink of it makes me back away. Whoever thought of that potion was an evil person. Looking around, I don''t see any way out and away. There are no windows and the doors are closed. Before I could get one open, the armed men would cut me to pieces. Whatever is going to happen, it''s going to happen here.


    Two of the students take a small, hesitant step forward. They don''t look like a threat, so I keep trying to get rid of the terrible taste in my mouth. It''s getting a bit less, but I think some got stuck on my teeth and I don''t want to use my tongue to wipe it away. Not unless I have something to clean my tongue with afterwards. I glance at the two students again. They probably taste just as bad. One of the teachers then? It''s entirely possible they didn''t take any of that potion. Is it possible to take a bite of one? That''s less likely.


    The two students that stepped forward draw my attention as they complete a spell. I''m ready enough to dodge anything hatchlings like that can throw at me. To my surprise, no projectiles or energies are thrown my way. Instead, everything just ... goes wrong. There is no other way to describe it. It feels like the me that is me, my mind, spirit or whatever is forcefully ejected from my body, or what passes for my body here. I have no time to appreciate the agony though. Instead of the world going white and the sensation of moving back, I am slammed back into my own world and my own body almost instantly.


    It''s so disorienting, I fall over and take several tries to get back on my feet. I am back in the cavern. My body hurts as if I just got crush-hugged all over. My mind isn''t much better. I feel dizzy, disoriented and have trouble focusing. There is also still the memory of an exceedingly vile taste still in my mouth, so I plot a careful path to the nearest source of water. Forget about the brutal deaths in other summons, or being used as bait, this was by far my worst experience up to now. Next time I hear anything resembling ''banish'' aimed at me, I''ll tear some throats out before they can finish a spell.


    At the little stream I take the time to carefully rinse my mouth. There is no taste left, it was all left behind, but the act calms me down. It allows me to focus on my surroundings a bit more. The attention-demanding pokey things are gone. Now I know, they''re summons and probably not all suitable for me. Once I feel a bit better, I plot my way to Harijia''s place. The minor headache is normally quite bearable, but with my overall condition I''ll take any relief I can get. Plus, it will make me look better behaved. Some Keepers were very stand-offish because they thought I might be a trouble-maker. They have knowledge I may need, so I can''t have them holding back.

 49. A Lesson in History

    After pestering Harijia for a while and getting my relief, in more ways than one, I head towards the area where the ''teachers'' are. I''m in the mood for some lounging around listening to useless information. It''s very soothing. The information is also only useless to me for now. I''ve learned a lot about different animals in the outside world; where they live, what they eat, what they look like, and how they fight. Not that I''m likely to meet any for a while. The information about the plants, trees, and bushes is equally useful for now. I can only hope I''ll still remember the difference between the short-tail spotted tree-climber and the wide-mouth spotted tree-biter. To be honest, I forgot the names already and only remember my own nicknames for them.


    Other ''teachers'' talk about cities I''ll never see, people I''ll never meet and so on and so on. Most of them I''ll never meet because they don''t exist anymore. History, they call it. The only reason I listen to those lectures is because the man telling the stories is amusing. From other lectures there are people I won''t meet because, as they are very careful not to say, those people are important and I am not. Politics, religion, economy, I know what the words mean and some information sticks, but most of it leaves my mind the moment the talking is over. The main reason those lectures are interesting are for what is not being said.


    Perhaps I should mention to Ara that accompanying her to a lot of boring classes was finally useful to me, though maybe not as useful as the impressions I got from listening in to her mind. There were no specific thoughts, but there were obvious times she considered the information given nonsense or when she was amused at something. I asked her once and she simply told me that she had ''a different perspective'' and ''more information''.


    Of course, I don''t have more information than what I''m given. Nor do I have a better perspective. What I do have is careless teachers who don''t think a young demon can draw complicated conclusions. The conclusion I have reached is this: The devils, as a people, are in trouble.


    In my mind I tick off the clues. What started it all was a lecture from a formidable devil-demon about the combat duties we could expect if we were graduated into a detail like his. From hunting down rogue wild demons to patrolling roads and hunting for food for settlements. There were the occasional stampedes and relocating creatures that needed to be beaten back too. Then came a normal devil. I think he was the boss of whatshisname, the one who taught us to punch stones, as he actually seemed to recognize me even though I had never smelled him before. He told us about the manual labor. Mining, quarrying, lumberwork, any work that required strength and not too much thought. Finally, there was an annoying fellow. The way he spoke clearly showed he considered none of us good enough to fulfill the roles he suggested. Bodyguard, personal attendant, court attendant, Keeper, or apprentice to some kind of craft.


    Each taken separately meant little, but when I put it all together I considered it quite a wide array. I remember what I thought at the time; ''why don''t they do it themselves''. I was a bit annoyed at the time, so the pieces only came together later. They would do it if they could. Take the colony I was taken from. The big trees in the area are a valuable resource and there is always one getting dismantled. The nearest colony is ordered to prevent the hole so created from growing closed, so that a new tree from the ground below will rise up. In those holes, rare creatures, plants and such will appear to take advantage of the opportunities presented there. Small, mobile villages go from place to place to take down the tree and gather anything they can use. Then they move off to the next tree that will be taken down, or up rather, as they lift parts of the tree up to the canopy to transport further. The rest is left to the swarmlings. They''d take it all if they could, but they can''t. They don''t have enough people for it, or they can''t do so safely.


    Then comes the why. Why don''t they have enough manpower? That was a simple one to figure out. There was a war. People are awfully quiet about it, but in a war people die. After the war, the treatment of demons changed. Of course, I could be wrong. There are many blanks to be filled in, but it feels like a good explanation. Now I just need to find out what this will mean for me.


    And so I think about the things I''ve been told and the things I have not been told while letting the words of the current speaker flow through the air. I''m barely paying attention, but I am training my senses. Here is a good place to get used to my new energy sense and sensitivity. That''s how I sense him coming. My favorite teacher! Not just mine either. I may be the first one to perk up and become more alert, but others soon follow. The devil-man speaking now comes to a stop with a wry smile, the activity not escaping his limited senses.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    "That time again, right?" he says as he starts to pack the few items he brought. He doesn''t appear upset, but I''m not paying him too much attention. The man now approaching is by far the weakest devil I have sensed so far. I''m starting to realize this means he has only the smallest bit of being a demon in him. That''s not what makes him special.


    His demeanor is calm and friendly. He appears as if he wants nothing more but explain to us why the bit of history he is about to tell us is important to remember. He''ll reply to questions, elaborate without being asked when he senses confusion in someone and more. To all appearances, he''s ideal. He can''t hide his scent though.


    The man loathes everything ''demon''. He loathes the Keepers, he loathes the other teachers that have clear demon-sign on them and above all he hates us. And he''s afraid. He is absolutely terrified. His amazing perceptiveness is not born out of interest, he''s simply extremely aware of all the demons around him out of fear. I can understand that. I would be terrified in his position too. Yet to all appearances he is calm and attentive. It''s amazing!


    He sits down on a large rock as the demons settle around him. I try to find a spot a bit off to the side, outside his line of sight, but I''m sure he''ll be keenly aware of me anyway. Many others take similar positions, yet no-one positions behind him. That is left to those yet unaware of his condition. It''s just not as interesting if he can''t see me at all.


    "It''s good to see so many of you again," he begins with a lie. "We''ll continue the broad history where we left off last time. To recap, last time I spoke about the old tribes and their territories, how they were ruled by elder councils. I''ve told how the strongest hunters hunted down powerful beasts as a show of their prowess. Consuming their flesh made these hunters stronger and stronger over time, shifting rulership from the elders to these exceptional individuals. Now, I will tell you about the creation of the first kingdoms and what is called The Demon War. There have been other wars called ''demon war'', based on the fact that demons played a pivotal role in their conclusion. But if anyone talks about The demon war, they mean this one."


    "The strong hunters kept getting stronger. Soon everyone realized that ''strength through consuming strong beasts'' wasn''t just a superstition, though it was long believed to be one." With a fake smile he looks around. "This way of getting stronger is believed to have originated from the proto-demons themselves, with those that consumed them gaining the same ability. The transfer wasn''t perfect, far from it, and limited to a few species, which is why it was long held as a superstition. Yes, this means they were hunting ancestors of yours, in a way. They weren''t proper demons yet, so let''s call them proto-demons."


    The next many minutes are filled with stories about the factions, how their leaders rose to power and the early conflicts. It''s hard to stay focused on what he''s saying when the interplay between him and the demons around him is so fascinating to watch. A slight movement from a demon causes him to react in a minuscule way. A tiny adjustment of his position, a switch in his attention or just a barely noticeable momentary stiffening of some muscles.There are no rules or agreements, demons just move at random to see how he will react. As for me, I am starting to understand his pattern. The reaction he shows and the severity are dependent on what triggered him previously and on how dangerous he estimates the new ''threat'' to be. His estimation of how dangerous a demon is seems to be based almost solely on how big and threatening they look. He barely reacts to me.


    The game comes to a pause when he reaches the interesting part. Devils are at war and desperately looking for an edge over their opponents. Weapons made from rare materials, new tactics and employing trained beasts, each side came up with their own solution to the problems at hand.


    "In the end, one faction did something. We don''t know who, we don''t know what. Records of that time are spotty due to the chaos that followed. They changed the proto-demons. Eating them gave a much higher chance to become empowered. One simple change and it changed the dynamics of this world." The devil shows none of his insincere smiles. He just stares in the distance and, strangely enough, his fear is gone.


    "The side effects, unknown at that time, were that the demons would gain in strength faster and that species previously unaffected by this strange power could gain it too. All it would have taken was one dead demon, forgotten on a battlefield and eaten by scavengers, to spread the mutation throughout the food chain. Soon, previously harmless insects became an actual danger. Mounts turned on their riders and hordes of wild demons started wiping whole villages off the map. Not out of malice, I''m sure, but due to territorial conflicts, being driven out of their original homes and other reasons." Here his insincere smile is back.


    With a soft snap he closes the book he was referring to on occasion. "Next time I will tell you about the empire that rose from the ashes of chaos and how they made use of demons in their society." Rising smoothly, he turns around and walks back the way he came. Regardless of him as a person, I respect his courage to turn his back on so many creatures he considers his enemy.


    Belatedly I realize I forgot to see if my new senses gave me new insights. I''d only been studying the reactions and the other demons, not him personally. There will be a next time, though.

 50. A Look Inside

    The next time history-devil-man comes, his story is about something completely unrelated. It''s frustrating, but at least I get to study his reactions with my additional senses. It nets me nothing. He''s not using some kind of ability in order to track what we''re doing. Still, nothing is something. If it''s not something he is actively using, then maybe it''s something he is passively using like my own feeling for magic. More investigation and experimentation is needed. It''s going to be amusing, at least.


    This all brings me back to a new realization. I''m bored. I''ve got my exercises to do every day and sensations to get used to, but otherwise there is little to keep me busy. Since I''ve grown, I no longer get the leeway I got when I just arrived. No longer do the bigger demons see my playful attacks as something to be tolerated. They see it as a challenge to their position and respond aggressively. As much as I''ve gotten used to pain, I don''t enjoy it. Taking this to the stronger demons of other species turns out to be an even worse idea. This eliminates several avenues of entertainment and I''ve not found suitable substitutes.


    I turn to one of the new things I''ve found to enjoy, annoying Harijia. Following the other Keepers'' refusal to take me off her hands I''ve started visiting her for daily questioning sessions. The topics are random, though she refuses to answer anything that I can learn from one of the teachers. The first time I did this, I asked about her and she was surprisingly willing to answer. Now I know why her arms are so weak when carrying things. They were originally a weapon she used to protect her neck. I know very well how vulnerable I am when I grabbed in my neck. My front and rear limbs only reach forward, not behind me. Now the two small spikes have grown to actual limbs, I''ll be able to fend off anyone trying to abuse me that way. Of course, the limbs on my back grew from what would be wings and are much stronger already than hers were. She grew them from nothing and I''m quite impressed despite myself.


    There is another reason why I''m looking for distractions, not just because I''m bored. I''m sure Harijia knows, but she hasn''t commented on it. I''m afraid. Not afraid like I am when I''m outmatched in a fight and I know it''s going to hurt. Saying that I''m worried is probably better. I''ve never been worried before and the sensation is very unpleasant. I''m worried about my next summon. Or the next, or the one after. Soon, I''ll appear in Mari''s world again. The sensations I had in the dungeon were already quite strong. With my new sensitivity, they''re going to be overwhelming. I know it and I''m not looking forward to it. I want it over with and I want to delay it for as long as I can, both at the same time. It''s all very annoying and confusing and confusing and annoying Harijia soothes some of my frustrations.


    I don''t quite make it to Harijia''s lair before the poking and the feeling of being called starts. I know they''re summons, and none of them are from Mari. Before her call can turn up, I connect to one at random and feel myself being pushed and pulled along to some other place.


    When I can see again I''m in a summoning circle in yet another classroom. A group of faces stares at me and sometimes past me at someone behind me. What is it with me and classrooms? This time though the circle is strong and the will that got me here is solid. Playing tricks like I did last time isn''t going to work and I settle down to wait for instructions. Suddenly the circle flickers out, removing the barrier that kept me caged. Before I can react, the mind that summoned me stuns and freezes me. I''ve built up a bit of resistance from my struggles against Ara, but it''s not enough. An impact just above my shoulders slams me into the floor. It hurts, badly, but I won''t go down without a fight! I try to move my limbs under me in order to jump, roll or shuffle, but none of them obey me. Nor do I actually feel them. I can feel the stone under my face, but not on my chest or anywhere else. I try to move my head to look and find even that a challenge. Why isn''t my body responding? Above me, I hear a voice.


    "If anyone tries to do this in the field, I''ll have someone beat some sense into you. It takes precision and strength to pierce the skin and muscles in order to sever the spinal cord there. Unlike a summoned monster, we can''t make the wild ones hold still. If you try this and fail, you''ll endanger not just yourself, but your team as well."


    It''s an authoritative voice and the few students I can still see mostly nod. One looks away with a faint blush. Something pushes against my neck, I can still feel that at least.


    "You''ve seen the similarities between this monster and our own, they share more than just looks. If you do ram your blade into a joint for example, leave the blade in! Their regeneration will heal this, given time. Now, why do you think we use a summoned specimen, rather than a real one?"


    A voice outside my view answers first.


    "So you don''t have to clean up the mess?"


    Snickers follow. Whatever is going to happen, I''m very sure now it''s going to be bad. I''m panicking. The only way I can tell is by the quickening of my breath which I can still feel going in and out of my mouth, down my throat, and then nothing further down.


    "That''s one reason. Anyone else?"


    It''s quiet for a moment until a young man in my field of vision speaks up.


    "Money?"


    "care to elaborate on that, Matthew?"


    Matthew looks uncomfortable under the attention and hesitates. "Demon bodies are worth money. Their blood, bones, organs, every bit. No-one is going to waste money like that unless they have to."


    "Correct," the voice behind me says, "Which brings us to the purpose of this class. How to kill one without destroying too many valuable components and how to extract them from your kills."The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    With a careless tug and twist I''m tossed head over feet on my back. The ceiling is wood but clean and well maintained. I can''t see any of the students any more, but the voice behind me now has a face. Sort of. The view I''m getting from where I lie is rather different. It''s mostly chin and nostril. Judging by the height I''m at and what I smell at this level, I''m on a table of sorts.


    With a small flourish the man picks up something metallic from near my head. I get a good look at his face and, honestly, it''s rather forgettable. It''s focused though. No trace of malice or disgust or anger like I''m used to seeing in things trying to kill me. The disinterest upsets me more than anything else would have. Paralysed as I am, there is nothing I can do. Almost nothing.


    With as much force as I can muster, I whip my tongue at him. He''s too close and caught by surprise, there is no way he can dodge. A wet slap and a soft sizzling follow. I''m well aware I''m lacking strength in this particular body part. then again, I never expected to use it to seriously attack with. As I try to withdraw my tongue, I feel it getting caught and grasped. The teacher, instructor or whatever he''s called here has an angry red welt on his cheek, from the side of his mouth, up past his eye and the side of his face. Some hair has burned away from my saliva and blisters are forming. Not quite the flesh and bone dissolving effect I''d hoped for. To my satisfaction, he looks a bit angry.


    A pull on my tongue flips my head over. I can''t look at his face any more, nor do I see any of the students. Instead, I see a wall a bit further off. Next to the wall stands another man. I recognize him, some way, as the person who summoned me. Visions of what I''d do to him if I could move flash through my mind until my attention is drawn to what is immediately in front of me. Two hands. One holding my tongue flat on a very solid-looking wooden table, the other hand is holding a very sharp-looking knife. With a few quick cuts, my tongue is severed. The pain hits me a moment later. I''m still unable to control my breathing. Instead of a scream, all that comes out is a high-pitched squeak.


    "When one of you gets hit with the tongue, which is always good for a laugh, keep in mind it''s considered a delicacy." He rolls up my tongue to a relatively neat pile as he speaks, ignoring the snickers from his students. Next he roughly pulls my head up to face the class. "Do take a look at the mouth and neck. Is this a mouth that could fit such a long tongue? Do you see any pouches or places where it can be stored? If you''d ask the demon, he''d probably say he stores it ''somewhere''. Some limited and intuitive body-shaping is part of the species, so watch out. Now, let''s get started."


    I''m put flat on my back again and the man bends over me. I can''t see what he does, nor can I feel it, but I don''t have to. Close by, somewhere under my nose, I can smell the distinctive scent of demon blood. The bastard cut me open! I can still only make squeaks in anger, but I''m squeaking for all I''m worth. He turns away without paying attention to me. When he turns back and I see what he has in his hands, I turn quiet. The closest I can get to describe it is scissors, if scissors have handles the length of an arm.


    "Now, if you want to preserve the ribcage, you can also start pulling things out from the lower body and work your way up. The way to a demon''s heart is through its stomach, just like with men." He laughs softly at his own joke before continuing. "We''re going to do this the fast way, though."


    He sets the head of the scissors somewhere on me. I can''t see where, but I get tossed about a bit as he gets a good grip. With a look of concentration, he pushes the handles together. I hear some cracking until something finally snaps with the sound of breaking bone. The horror of the situation starts to catch up to me. My vision starts to turn black around the edges. As if from a distance I hear the man speak.


    "That''s one, eleven more to go. See how there are more ribs that provide protection over a bigger area?"


    Something shakes me again and another rib is cut. Right now I can only see the wall and my tongue on the table next to me. I can''t feel or see what they''re doing and a strange sensation comes over me. First, my vision narrows until I can only see what''s right in front of me. A tongue, in this case. I feel light-headed, almost as if I''m floating. Whatever is happening is happening to someone else. My thoughts become calm and detached. With this, I am able to listen to the lecturer. He isn''t talking about my liver, but about the liver of someone else.


    A wealth of knowledge is shared between the teacher and the students, and I get to share in it. Most of it is about how to extract and preserve specific body parts. More interesting is hearing what kind of wounds are usually crippling or fatal. Having one of my hearts pierced is crippling and, given no time to rest, fatal. Having a lung pierced, which almost did for Ara, could cripple me as the lung fills with blood, but even untreated is unlikely to kill me at this point. Again and again the teacher repeats one instruction: If you get a good stab in, leave your weapon there. It prevents my admittedly crazy regeneration from patching up and then repairing the damage.


    The most fascinating bit of information comes at the end. It''s been about the preparation and preservation of organs only at this point, so not very interesting. I while away the time by looking at my stomach slowly dissolving into nothingness. No, not my stomach, A stomach. The tongue was gone quite fast, taking about three minutes, but the stomach takes significantly longer. Fluids like blood or saliva take much less time. I''m taken out of my reverie by a change in the rhythm of the lecture.


    "That''s it, now you know. Review the information you''ve received, next week we''ll start letting you practice on your own specimen," the man says. "Now, does anyone have any questions? No? No-one? Any observations, anything strange you''ve noticed? Yes, Peter."


    "Sir, why is this demon still alive?" the person named Peter asks.


    "Good question. Remember that this is a summoned demon, not one of the natural ones of our world. It''s not dead because it''s not really alive. It dies when its body tells it to." He taps the blade still stuck in my neck. "Its body isn''t telling it anything. As long as the brain is supplied with mana, it will keep on functioning. The only thing it needs is a heart and blood to bring that energy all over the body." He pauses for a moment. "Remember this. If someone summons a creature to fight you, it may keep fighting long after you expected it to be dead."


    It''s quiet for a while. I''m pretty sure the other listeners are as confused as I am.


    "Think of it like this: how often have you immersed yourself in physical activity, only to find out afterwards that you''re dead tired and completely out of breath? You never noticed anything while you were busy. As soon as you were finished, everything came crashing down."


    This time there are some grunts or other affirmative noises from the students, as well as a few snickers.


    "That concludes this lecture. Before you go, remember our unofficial motto: If something goes wrong with a summon, kill it. The last thing we need is another invasive species."


    Over the sound of people moving about, I can hear the man say one final sentence. "Now, let''s put this thing out of its misery."


    Something grabs whatever is in my neck and gives it a twist. The world turns white.

 51. New Resolutions

    When the whiteness recedes and makes way for the familiar sight of my own world, I blink. I can''t shake the feeling of detachment. Sounds seem both more shrill and muted, colors strange and out of focus. I decide to continue walking, but my body feels slow to respond. One claw in front of the other, I continue my way to Harijia. The gravel, stone and moss underfoot, tiny surges of energy here and there. It''s still the same. Reaching the entrance to Harijia''s area, I hesitate. What did I come here for? The decision is taken from me as Harijia appears from her room at the far end.


    ¡°Hello! Is it that time again? Or are you just bored?¡± she calls to me.


    I don''t feel like answering. Moving a body forward is one thing, speaking is much harder. Moving past the cells, I come to a stop a meter or two away from her. I have to crane my neck a bit to look up at her. She''s considerate enough to lower herself somewhat, lessening the strain on my neck. There''s something new there that makes it uncomfortable. When I don''t say anything, she leans forward, studying my face. I wonder what she sees there? I study her in return. I never noticed how her iris makes her pupils look a bit more round instead of vertical ovals. Another trick to interact with other species? She''s taken it too far, I think. Being different has its own attraction, Ara''s world has shown me that.


    ¡°What''s going on with you?¡±


    I continue to study her without answering. Her tongue moves out, tasting who knows what on the air.


    In the corner of my eyes I see movement. On my left side Harijia has pulled her arm back. Almost in slow motion she swings it forward. She''s swinging for a hit on the body, but it doesn''t look like there''s much force behind it. I know I should dodge. I don''t know why I don''t. Just before her limb connects, she twists her body to add additional power. With a dull thump she hits me in the side, throwing me against the wall with enough force to knock my breath out of me.


    Anger brings the world back into focus. Automatically my claws spread for a better grip as I cling to the wall. No time to think. If Harijia is trying to kill me, I can''t stay still. A quick glance her way makes me pause. She isn''t moving, there is no follow-up. Confusion fills my mind. Why? What happened? It''s all a bit vague, but I didn''t do anything wrong, did I?


    ¡°I''ll ask you again, Kragol, if you''re still using that name, What is going on? What happened? You were totally out of it.¡±


    She''s on guard, waiting to see how I''ll act. Looking back now, I was indeed ''out of it''. It all felt so unreal after coming back from that summon. That''s not something I want to tell her, though.


    ¡°Nothing," I tell her, "nothing happened. It''s none of your business.¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± she hisses back. ¡°If there is a chance you''ll snap and go on a killing spree, it certainly is my business.¡±


    I''m unable to say anything against that. I don''t think I was about to go wild. I don''t think that''s going to be enough of an answer, though. Better would be to change the subject.


    ¡°Say, Harijia, what was your worst summon?¡±


    It''s something that''s been in the back of my mind. I keep hearing that I''m lucky, but I don''t feel lucky.


    Harijia looks at me quietly for a moment, then gestures behind her. ¡°Come, this is not a good place to talk about that sort of thing.¡± She slithers down a corridor, not to her workspace but to where I think her own personal quarters are.


    Her personal space is different from what I imagined. I imagined furniture and items, things like the devils use. That is true for the first room. She keeps her own projects here and the tools of her trade. Engraving tools, some things that I assume are torture devices, furniture, the works. There are even different sets of clothing hanging on pegs. Looking at the scorch marks on them, they''re more for protection than for anything else.


    Her own space can''t be described as a room. Instead, it''s a cave. More natural than the big cavern, too. The air is dry and warm. Some very small glowing stones provide a bare minimum of illumination. I turn my head to look at Harijia. She shrugs.


    ¡°Whatever you may think I am,¡± she explains, ¡°I''m still a snake by birth.¡±


    It makes sense. I know I would never get used to living in a house like Ara does. I just did not think of Harijia as a demon any more. As Harijia settles down in a sandy corner, I find a comfortable place of my own.


    ¡°Talking about it still makes me upset, so I prefer a quiet corner where I feel comfortable,¡± Harijia explains. ¡°Besides, the ones in the cells don''t need to hear this, they have enough to worry about with their small minds.¡±


    ¡°And it''s fine to tell me?¡± I ask. Disputing that most other demons have small minds isn''t worth it, I''ve come to the same conclusion. They''re not interested in anything but where their next meal comes from, no matter if they are smart or not.


    ¡°You worry enough already,¡± she laughs ¡°a bit more won''t do you any harm.¡±


    I''m not sure if she''s complimenting me or making fun of me, or both. Probably both. I flick my tail in agitation and Harijia seems to pick up on the hint.


    ¡°My story, as you asked.¡± She pauses. Her body language stills. ¡°It was when I was still quite young. These things always happen when we''re young and weak. People take advantage of it.¡±


    ¡°It started off hectic. I appeared on a ship in a storm. There was nothing to fight, nothing to do. Just big waves, dark sky, and the shouting of people. But fighting wasn''t why I was summoned. Suddenly someone grabbed me from behind. I was pressed on the wood and someone started slicing into me. I heard someone shout, ''where is that bloody rope''. You see, they didn''t need a demon, they needed rope. They couldn''t magically create rope, but they could summon a demon.¡± Harijia pauses. ¡°They skinned me alive. Mostly skinned me. If my skin was actually cut off of me, it would disappear over time, so they had to leave it connected to me. They also needed me alive, but I was bleeding out from the rough treatment. A burst of heat cauterized my wounds, further adding to the pain. Salt water washed over me. Do you know how salt feels in an open wound? It hurts. A lot. And my whole body was one big open wound. It lasted for days.¡±


    I let this sink in for a moment. Honestly, it makes even my worst experience pale in comparison. ¡°How did you deal with that,¡± I ask her quietly.


    She laughs, a strange sound considering the situation. ¡°I didn''t. Somewhere on the first day of the ordeal my mind sort of switched off. It was as if it was happening to someone else. I was just watching. When it ended and I was back from where I was summoned, my mind didn''t turn back to normal.¡± She looks at me now. ¡°I''ve seen it in others, and now in you. I''m sure I was the same for a while. When I snapped out of it, though, I really did go on a rampage. I was just too weak to do any real damage.¡±If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    That makes me snort in amusement. A weak Harijia. Sure, her arms aren''t worth a swat, but when she''s in her actual form she''s a monstrously powerful serpent.


    ¡°None of us are born strong, you know.¡± She pauses. ¡°Well, some are, but most aren''t. Now, why don''t you tell me what happened to you? You''re taking it much better than I did, so it can''t have been that bad.¡±


    My first desire is to deny that it wasn''t bad, but in the light of her story I stop myself. It wasn''t as bad. As I think back on what was done to me, the feeling of helplessness steals over me again. For once, I decide to tell Harijia all of what happened. And once I start, I tell her everything.


    My weakness, powerlessness and disgust as my organs were removed one by one. How I felt used, abused, Violated. After I finish talking, there is silence. It''s Harijia who speaks first.


    ¡°I appreciate you opening up to me, Kragol. At least it explains your new growth.¡± At my questioning glance she elaborates. ¡°Armored plates or scales of some kind down your spine. It''s only the start of them, so it''s hard to tell. The question I have for you now is, what was it that set you off so much? And after that, what next?¡±


    I take my time giving an answer. Telling about the experience woke an anger in me. I just want to claw something to pieces. ¡°It wasn''t the pain, because there wasn''t any. It was being powerless. Not just powerless, I was powerless before. Helpless. Before, even if I was helpless, I always knew there was something I could do to influence what happened. Even if it was ''don''t stand at the front'', or ''don''t draw attention''.¡± I pulverize a small rock with my claws and lick the dust off my claws, longing for the taste of blood. ¡°I don''t mind being used. Everyone is used. I don''t mind pain, I can stand a lot of pain. What I hated most was being a thing. They didn''t look at me and see a demon. They saw a thing to be studied.¡±


    ¡°Next time I don''t like my summoner, I''ll take an eye, arm, leg or life.¡± I state, staring at Harijia in defiance. The admonishment I expect doesn''t come, though, as Harijia nods in approval.


    ¡°I''d have told you off if you''d said you were going to kill them all,¡± she says to my surprised expression, ¡°but making them fear and respect demons is certainly acceptable. I''ve seen too many spirits and minds broken to be able to tell you to be ''nice'',¡± she continues to explain.


    Focusing on the conversation helps contain my anger. I''m still reflexively clawing the rocky ground. Breaking pieces of stone feels good, but I really want to sink my claws into something else. To distract myself I try to get Harijia to talk again. ¡°What happened after your rampage?¡±


    She shrugs, or at least shrugs as much as a serpent without any real shoulders can. ¡°I came to my senses in an isolation cell, very similar to the one you were in. Out of boredom I started studying the runes that calm the mana in the air. When I started studying the summon circles too, the keepers back then noticed. One day a devil approached me. Said he would teach me, but that all my summons would be for him from then on. He guaranteed me good, or at least decent, treatment during them. I didn''t even need to think.¡±


    ¡°And that is why devils are better than demons.¡± I don''t even try to hide the sarcasm.


    Harijia nods, ignoring the sarcasm. ¡°That is why devils are better than demons.¡±


    ¡°You realize he only did it because it was to his advantage, right?¡± I throw back at her.


    She nods again, undisturbed. ¡°And a demon wouldn''t have helped me even if it was in their advantage. Helping someone on the premise that you''ll be repaid over time? Would you do that? Even the cooperation between the swarmlings erodes over time without the influence of a queen.¡±


    There is little I can say against that, especially since I''m evidence of that very process. Would I have helped a fellow demon if it wasn''t to my immediate advantage? Probably not. Maybe if it didn''t involve much effort. As reply, I shrug, not bothering to answer.


    ¡°So how do I get someone like that? At those selection days, I assume?¡± The situation leaves a bad taste behind. I''ll depend on someone else again. Maybe it''s worth looking into becoming an ''agent'' so I can represent myself.


    ¡°That''s one way,¡± Harijia nods. ¡°We weren''t going to tell you yet, but now is as good a time as any. Wait here a bit.¡±


    With that Harijia slithers out of her personal space to the store- and workspace. She quickly returns holding out something like a piece of paper. It has writing on it. I look from the letter, which is surely what this is, to Harijia. She''s not saying anything, waiting for me to ask her and clearly enjoying the situation. I groan inwardly. I''m going to have to learn to read. Reading isn''t covered by whatever helps me learn spoken language, so it will be all my own effort. The thought perks me up a bit. Something achieved by my own effort doesn''t sound bad at all.


    Sensing my changing mood, Harijia turns the letter around and quickly scans the contents. ¡°It''s a strange thing to receive this. Maybe it''s more common closer to the core settlements. Someone is simply asking to verify that a demon that closely matches your description is present here.¡±


    It takes time to process the information. It takes even longer to link it to a memory. What felt like ages ago, a devil summoning me to a world of humans and giving me a compliment. Was it more or less than a year ago? It feels like much longer. The question is, what purpose does this letter serve? I''m still way too weak and small to be taken out of here, if I''m to believe Harijia and the other keepers. I study Harijia and notice that she''s waiting for me to take the lead again.


    ¡°This could have been sent a few months before I was ready to leave.¡± I cock my head and wait for Harijia''s nod to continue. ¡°The purpose is not to ask for information, but to inform. It was to inform the keepers that someone is interested in me. Why? What difference does it make? No, wait. There was more in the letter, wasn''t there?¡±


    ¡°See for yourself.¡±


    Harijia turns the letter around so I can see the script. I know she''s trying to provoke me, but I am not in the mood for it. Born of frustration, something between a hiss and a growl escapes me. A pleased twitch from Harijia''s tail is my only response. The stalemate continues a bit longer before Harijia relents.


    ¡°We are to stimulate you. Nothing else is said about how, why or to which end. I can make a guess, though.¡±


    She looks at me after that, and I nod. When that doesn''t work, I push myself to talk again. ¡°What is your guess?¡± Silence is all that I get. I grumble a bit before continuing. ¡°To make me talk more. Or at least interact. To try and improve myself.¡± An imperceptible nod. I think back to what sets me apart from most of my fellow demons. Demons entirely satisfied with lounging around and doing nothing, eating when fed, sleeping whenever they felt like it. ¡°To keep me doing, wanting and striving.¡±


    A realization hit me. ¡°You''re all in on it. You, Joacham, all the keepers! You sent me on a wild chase to find and talk with them all, but the end result was already decided! By you!¡±


    A familiar feeling creeps over me. Whatever I do, it''s no use. They''ll do with me as they will. What''s worse is that this isn''t a summon. A faint tremble goes through my body and I feel the strength leave my limbs. The sensation of detachment steals over me again and I begin to crouch in submission. What does it matter what I do?


    Bile rises to my throat. No, I refuse! I will not give up and let them do as they please with me. Not both here and in other worlds. One I can suffer through, but not the other. I can feel the acidic tingle in my mouth as my spit turns more vitriolic in response to my mood. The limbs on my back unfold, ready to fight. Slowly I start to move sideways, trying to find a better angle for my strike.


    ¡°Why are you so agitated?¡± she asks. ¡°Didn''t you say you were fine with being used?¡±


    ¡°In a summon, Harijia.¡± I fire back. ¡°You should know the difference.¡±


    Harijia loses the amused posture and subtly flows into something more dangerous. Her scales glisten for a moment. The limbs, so closely resembling a human or devil''s limbs before, are more like muscled spikes. As she positions herself in response to my threat her upper body rotates to face me. ¡°Don''t you see we were just trying to help?¡±


    I don''t let her distract me. The end doesn''t justify the means. ¡°Find some other way to help. Like talking to me.¡±


    She scoffs at the suggestion. ¡°As if you would have listened. So, is today the day you''re going to try taking a swing at me? You''re centuries too young to be a threat to me.¡±


    Her short-sightedness disappoints me. ¡°It doesn''t matter. All that matters is that I try.¡±

 Announcement (Not a Chapter)

    You''ve all probably been wondering: Is this story dead?


    I''ve been wondering the same myself. The answer is ''no'', but it''s not alive either. Not yet.


    Around the time I stopped writing I had started a new job and it was taking a lot of energy. Further sapping my strength was a serious of medical issues. It was getting harder and harder to manage even weekly chapters. Added to that, the story was getting more complicated than I anticipated.


    As I wrote in an early author''s note, this story was something I started to see if I could do it. Could I write stream of consciousness, dialogue and descriptions? Would I be able to convey the stories I make up in a written form? I only had the bare bones of a story when I started. Many of the characters were there, some of the events, but most was made up as I went along. Here''s my original concept: Baby monster is the subject of the ''summon monster'' effect from d&d. Gets into weird situations all over the multiverse while growing up on his own world.


    It was supposed to be more of a collection of short stories with a main story to string them along. Arabella''s world was part of the initial concept as a place where he could learn the things he wouldn''t be able on his own world, but it was a minor thing, something to regularly visit but not dwell on too much. Instead, it grew into a story of its own.


    The Dungeon, the fairy and Tarvinder were to be mentioned, not truly visited. Well, no need to mention how that got out of hand.


    I knew I''d have to take a step back at some point and create a structure, as well as write the info about the characters down. I started out just remembering stuff, but as the story went on I started to forget who knew what or had done things. It was only going to get worse over time. Some of that is going to stay - characters forget things too, and I wanted that bit of ''realism'' in the story. Really, how often have you read this in a story: "Thanks for your help. I know you introduced yourself yesterday, but I completely forgot your name". MCs often seem to have perfect recall for names and faces. But I digress.


    I''ve put that off for a long time and I''m taking (have been taking) that time now.


    As to why I''ve put it off for so long, well, it''s a bit of a story since I realized it only recently.


    I''ll be honest, but not modest, I knew I''d have some success with this story. I knew how well-received monster MCs tend to be and I had some confidence in my writing skills. However, I had no idea it would actually get popular (Thanks for keeping me on the old trending for weeks! It was amazing!). It created some pressure as I wanted to live up to expectations, but that''s not something I''d crumble from. What did it for me was actually the thought that I''d be able to turn a hobby into something like a job.


    Sounds weird, right? It''s why I never considered it until I read ''the subtle art of not giving a fuck'' which has an example similar to this. I was afraid of success. It had the potential to turn my life upside-down, and I react really, really badly to things like that. Some people would relish the sense of adventure of such a venture into the unknown, but not me. I started to dread writing because, in my imagination, it was dangerous to my boring, but stable, life.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    So what changed now?


    Well, I got a stable job that doesn''t require much of my energy anymore. If I want something interesting so I don''t get completely bored and unhappy (again. It''s why I started writing in the first place), I either need to advance, or find something else. I''ve got little in the way of formal education or diplomas (university drop-out due to personal stuff) and most of my experience doesn''t lend itself well to more interesting work. I can make a fantastic sandwich, but that''s not what most companies are looking for.


    So I had a choice: Try to get better jobs and/or promotions with my low chances of succes, or get serious about writing and see how far I can take it. Not because I think I can take it to the top, but because it''s interesting, fun and engaging.


    This all coalesced after a talk with my mom. I say ''with'', but it was mostly me rambling on about my life and realizing that yes, I really enjoy writing and I want to do more of it.


    So, here I am. Please take good care of me.


    So what''s next?


    The story as it is now can''t continue. Sorry. Too many different paths and stories for me and many of the readers to keep track of. A rewrite is in order. The question is, what form it will take. I can leave this novel page up and do one of two things. One: remove all the chapters and start posting and writing again from scratch, or Two: leave the chapters and start over with a new chapter 1 - I''ll add a preface with the link to the new first chapter to aid new readers and push them to the new official chapter 1. The other option is to start a ''new'' novel entirely. I''m sure you''ve seen them around - ''(novel name): rewrite''. I considered leaving the chapters and rewriting them one by one inside the existing chapters, adding new ones or deleting parts where required, but that idea filled me such dread about the complexity and sheer amount of thinking and work required, I dismissed it.


    Personally, I''m leaning towards leavig the novel as is and make the next chapter the rewritten chapter 1 instead of chapter 52. Please do give your own ideas and opinions. There''s a poll at the bottom as well.


    I''m going to delay a little to see what you all have to say as feedback, but the new chapter 1 will be planned for sunday the 1st of May. Might be delayed if the general request is to start the rewrite as a new novel, since it needs to get approved by the admins first. New releases will be on sunday evenings (CET), starting at once every two weeks. I''ll see if I can crank it up later. The first chapter that will see big revisions should be chapter 4, which will give me the time to work on chapters in advance.


    I''ll make the suggestions helper available to make it easier to point out my errors and make suggestions for changes per chapter.


    Other things that need to be done.


    1: get original art for the cover. The current one uses material from the 3rd edition d&d monster manual. Wizards of the Coast is known for aggresively pursuing copyright issues, I''d rather not chance it. If you know an artist that you think can do a good job? Message me or let that person message me. As you can see in the current cover, I''m looking for something a little realistic, grim and/or dark, not cheerful cartoony. I''ve saved up considerably from my current job, so I''m certainly willing to pay for it (and credit the artist).


    2: Set up Patreon. Not because I have anything to put on it, yet, or because I want to earn money right now. There will be only one tier at $1 and, at least in the beginning, you''ll receive new chapters at about the same rate as RoyalRoad does. I just want to have it done and ready for if and when I''ll actually have a use for it. I''m a Patreon noob, so if you have feedback and suggestions on that part, feel free to do so. Over time, I may ask for proofreaders.


    3: Create or join a discord community. Not high on the list for now, but nice for AMAs and such. I may need help (read: ''I''m going to need help'') with this part for sure.


    Let me know your thoughts, comments and suggestions below in the comments and in the poll!


    See you around.