Chapter 18
Sister. And others.
You were right to consider the risk of these letters. The last very nearly landed in the wrong hands, but I believe that I have figured out a means for us to communicate with greater ease.
The issue remains in the accuracy of the banishment. There’s only one in the fortress who wouldn’t take any letter you sent to Carmine. When I’m alone, I will send a jet of black smoke through the gate atop Kyros Sky. This is not without risk, but should remove the most dangerous of it.
In answer to your points:
1} I believe that all races will fare fine here.
Carmine has spoken of a Magus who was kept in the dungeons for a time.
I believe that Magus survived to return to Earth.
In demon history, Vissimo, Luthers, and Magus are all said to derive from demons.
If this is true, then I would assume this will offer protections that other supernaturals don’t have.
Personally, I’ve found that my Magus power offers great protection here.
I would recommend coating your skin in your power to aid against demon smoke.
Whether this only works on me—and you—due to our dual nature, I can’t say, but I have turned my focus recently to the unique skills that our specific nature makes possible.
For instance, I can solidify my smoke by combining demon magic with my divination affinity.
That’s what my pipeline to Earth is formed from.
You should also consider that demon power could go unnoticed here. You might use my pipeline to send through your demon magic and scope out what you can. Use with caution. If your presence is noticed and identified, then Carmine will not rest until he’s found the leak between realms.
Here is a rough drawing of the fortress, detailing where Carmine sleeps and strategizes along with other key areas.
There’s also a drawing of the realm. Let me know if you would like greater detail of any area.
The dungeons in particular are a point of weakness for Carmine as he was locked there for a century and avoids visiting them in body or power.
2} Three rituals remain in our mating, and I can sever the mating at any time.
This is a weapon that we should use at the right moment, as the severance will greatly impact me and Carmine for a length of time.
From other sources, I’d guess weeks or months.
So I can use this in tandem with your efforts.
You are correct in your guess of successor, and my divination affinity has confirmed this will be so, with me as regent in the interim.
3} I am sending a few books through, which I hope will make it into your hands.
These should give you all a more thorough explanation on all things demon than I could achieve in these letters.
You should know that last night, small bands of Carmine’s army visited some key skyscrapers in Bluff City.
One of them was Kyros Sky, and I believe that the choices of building were not at random.
Nets of demon magic were placed over these skyscrapers so that demons can feed on any supernaturals within.
I recommend that you do not seek to undo the magic and alert Carmine to your knowledge of the nets.
Empty them, and then rotate the happiest of Vissimo through.
Their happiness will not feed demons, but their presence will keep up the guise.
There’s a hierarchy of how nutritious the pain of each supernatural is.
Vissimo provide demons with the weakest nutrition because they enjoy pain too.
Luthers are the most nutritious because they are deep-feeling and also very durable to long exposure to demon feeding.
Magus are in the middle in that they are deeper feeling, but more vulnerable to feeding effects.
I sense that you’re correct in using me to troubleshoot plans, though it’s riskier than I prefer.
Your quipu magic was always your immense strength, and I’m filled with hope that this power and the mother are on our side.
If anyone is worthy of four affinities, then it’s you.
I have such faith in your abilities, sister.
I also have utter belief in Carmine’s strength.
I’ve recently discovered that Carmine has tapped into an ancient source of demon magic, and this supplements his own beyond measure.
I have a counter to this particular brand of magic, but not all of the ingredients.
I need more time to figure out how to utilize this power for our efforts.
In tandem with weakening him through the severance of our mating, and then neutralizing this ancient magic in him, I know that he can be eradicated for good.
On the topic of compromise and negotiation, you should know that those words don’t exist in the demon language.
They see betrayal and honor very differently to the same notions on Earth.
This is a complicated concept to put across in letter, but Chapter 52 of “Demons” may give you some insight.
In short, any deal you could ever make with Carmine would only hold for however long it took him to figure out how to get the best of you all.
All to say that your quipu is certainly right and Carmine must die.
You should also know that Carmine will stop at nothing to kill Adeuto, should he learn of him. No threat to Adeuto’s life will control Carmine or fuel any demon surrender. In fact, he will hope that you will do the job for him.
Axel spends his time trying to escape. I have told him to be less obvious and spend some time learning his environment before attempting a serious escape.
He appears to enjoy demon food, and eats a lot of it.
He had fun running through the grandstands of an arena two days ago.
He wishes to know if his mother is okay, and though he never forgets where he is, the young Luther is showing the resilience of his age and also an older bravery that his pack can be proud of.
I have brokered a deal with Carmine that Axel will be considered as my son, and I will treat him as such until reunion with his pack is possible.
Regarding the protections at the gates, you’re correct in guessing that feeding will resume if these protections fail.
If resources dwindle, then you would do best to focus protections around the Luther gates, and least protection around the Vissimo gates.
As said above, Luthers provide best nutrition for demons.
I await further questions.
Please tell him that I love him so much.
Syera
Thoughts of the letter I’d written in the early hours of the morning after Carmine left his room still filled my mind.
Raes’s fist clipped the side of my head, and I staggered. He was fucking strong, and I was deeply offended that he’d managed to land a hit.
“Improvement at last,” he said, grinning.
I was glad he felt so because I hadn’t seen any, and my distraction was more to blame for his success.
“Let’s pause there,” I told him. My head wasn’t in it this morning. The magus-demon training I’d done with my magic had barely been better.
Raes wobbled away, and my confusion surged yet again. I just couldn’t make sense of this guy. I’d seen some of the swords he’d crafted. That demanded coordination and knowledge of weapons.
So why was he… like… this? Unbalanced. Like one of his arms weighed more.
“The punching thing isn’t your strength,” I told him. Someone had to. We trained before the soldiers came in, but every so often, an early bird came to get an extra practice in. If someone other than Gratia witnessed Raes’s efforts, he’d be a laughing stock.
He panted and wiped sweat from the few purple scales on his forehead. “What do you mean?”
I grunted. There was no kinder way to say that he was utter shit at hand-to-hand combat. “How old are you?”
“One hundred. Just yesterday.”
A one-hundredth birthday was another demonism that was reflected in human culture. Turning 100 was a big deal. Raes just gave me more ammo against Gratia. Ha.
I said, “Happy birthday. Is it fair to say that you’ve spent most of your life with a weapon in your hand?”
He considered that, then nodded.
“We need to focus on that.”
“I already have some skill there—”
“Do I need to bring in a sixteen-year-old to kick your ass before you listen?” I asked.
Raes paused. “I’m that bad?”
“For the time being,” I said very kindly.
“You may be getting a sense of this place, but in many ways it’s like the wider realm.
You don’t show weakness, and you must keep your guard up.
The difference is that everyone here is going to assume your weakness.
And you don’t have a family to protect your back.
Everyone who has an issue with Gratia will come for her through you.
Some may just do it for fun. Do you want to be Gratia’s weakness? ”
His face hardened. “I would rather sever our mating.”
He would too. That was his plan if their mating didn’t work out. Gratia couldn’t know.
“Then pick a weapon.” I jerked my head at one of the many walls covered with them.
I’d completed my own training before Raes came, and I’d work on my Magus powers in my room or away from the fortress entirely.
Raes muttered, “I’m ready.”
I summoned my new sword from where I’d set it by the door. “Go ahead.”
The point of his blade rang beside my ear. I coughed on my inhale as I spun away. He was on me in the next beat, and I flung myself top half backward to avoid a vicious blow.
I regained myself enough to parry his next thrust, then the fight was on.
A real fight.
After five minutes, I called, “Okay, stop there.”
Raes did so, and even bowed after. No wobbles. He wasn’t panting.
I laughed, clutching my stomach at the force.
The purple glared. “What?”
I wiped my eyes. “Nothing makes sense. Raes, that was incredible. You didn’t tell me you could use a weapon like that. You could rival a crimson any day, all but the strongest. Which isn’t to say you can rival them magically, but there are ways around that if you’re smart.”
“I am smart.”
I sobered. “I know you are. You’ve lasted this long, haven’t you?”
“Just.” He turned away.
I watched the purple demon. “Doing okay?”
Raes glanced back. “Not as okay as I thought things would be. I’m disappointed that isn’t the case. I don’t want to be an embarrassment to my mate, or a weakness, but how can I be other?”
“By using that sword as you just did,” I told him. “And by forgetting the rest. Think only of your mating and forging through.”
“We’ve decided to wait a time before the next ritual.”
I withheld a groan. Worst idea ever. “You’re up to scale, right?”
They’d already caught up to Carmine and me.
Raes sighed. “Yes. But we… there’s been distance between us. Physically. Each time I try to initiate intimacy, she makes an excuse.”
I had so many ideas to fuck with Gratia that I didn’t know where to start.
“I’m sorry to hear that. She may know this place inside and out, but she has no idea how to navigate your presence.
If it helps then, I know she wants this mating.
She told me to back off, and then that she was going to ruin me. ” Essentially.
The purple shook his head. “I can’t make sense of what you’re trying to do. You publicly support me, but then interrupt the meeting between my family and Gratia. You train me at dawn, and then put Gratia on edge.”
I smirked, then pulsed my magic to search for Gratia. Not here. If she had been, then she would have learned that Raes had serious clout. “This fortress works in mysterious ways. And sometimes matings need a little help.”
Raes’s eyes twinkled. “So you are baiting her on purpose.”
I held a finger to my lips. “Don’t tell. And now I have some homework for you before tomorrow.”
“Such as?”
“Find or make a weight that you can place around your right wrist. It should be the weight of your preferred weapon. Maybe I’ve given up on you in hand-to-hand combat too soon.” We just had to balance the bastard right.
Steth walked in, and after scowling my way, she beelined for the far end where the army had enough space to spread out and train.
“Steth,” I called cheerfully.
Wow, I just felt her eye roll. She turned though.
I jerked a thumb at Raes. “I’ve found you a weapons trainer.”
“We have a weapons trainer.” She started to turn away.
“Not like Raes, you haven’t. He nearly got the better of me just now.” Maybe with the advantage of surprise, and if I’d used my magic, the fight would have been over.
But if Carmine’s army could learn to use their weapons that well alongside their magic, then the army would be formidable indeed. In time for Adeuto’s reign.
In the meantime, when Carmine promoted Raes to weapon’s trainer of his army, I’d make sure that Gratia knew just who had put that into motion.
Sometimes—most of the time—I felt as if I were swimming in mud.
Other times, I was a cat with any number of mice awaiting my strike.