Demonic Magician

For as much as the dull palette of hell started to grate on my nerves, the fact that the System had created this place was a point of interest. I had long wondered if there was indeed a hell for this System world, and now I had my answer. Was I happy about that? Perhaps I would have been more content to gain this knowledge while being as far away from the actual place as possible.

As it stood, we’d just have to make the best of a bad situation. Interestingly, while the area had the Party mood at a low point, Ren didn’t seem to be too bothered with the predicament. Annoyed, sure, but not oppressed by the heated gloom or violent scenery. Perhaps in her world, hell was viewed differently, or she could distance herself from the imagery and superstition of the place better than the rest of us.

Well, aside from the literal rabbit-demon accompanying us, and yours truly, of course.

I wouldn’t go as far as to say I had a spring in my step, but the possibility of out-leveling our opponents had strengthened my positivity enough to the point I was no longer worried about leaving. I wanted out, just like the others - but I’d eke out whatever advantages I could wherever we went.

Now fully armed and ready for inevitable battle, Roger had taken us down a winding path than led to the lower levels of hell. Emerging from the cliff-like rock face, we found ourselves in something that could almost be described as civilisation.

A small town of dark, ruined wooden buildings, arranged either side of a central road that ran from the cliff and beyond. It didn’t take me long to clock the reference here, and Tanya seemed to be on the same page.

“Looks like a wild west town,” she murmured.

Ren pulled a face and glared at the darkened windows of the nearest buildings. “Looks like misery to me.”

“Ahh.” Roger paused and scratched at the side of his head. “Probably some assholes hiding around here. It’s the only way through, though.”

I tilted my head and looked at each of the buildings ahead of us. “Well, let’s be smart about it and not do the cliche thing and walk straight down the middle. Let’s circle the back left here and keep out of sight.”

“Remarkably level-headed for you,” Ren said, but nudged me with her elbow.

“Murdering my way through the day is one thing, but walking into an obvious ambush… I’d like to think we had learned by now.” I gave her a smile as she half-heartedly rolled her eyes.

And so, we made for the route I had devised. Some of the buildings didn’t even have back doors - as we passed them by, I couldn’t help but feel a little clever at the simple plan. Even if we were spotted and attacked, it would only be from the one direction. Roger was flexing his paws back and forth, but didn’t seem to be nervous about anything specific.

Half way through the town and I felt the tension rise up within me. Demons were near, part of me could sense it. A sharp pain throbbed at the back of my head. I could feel eyes watching me, so I stopped.

Quinn slowly drew one of his remaining flintlocks. “Trouble, Max?”

“Almost guaranteed.” I withdrew Jokkar’s mace to hand to the rabbit, while a trio of cards swirled around beside me.

The space behind us was mostly open rocky plains. Occasional spurt of fire perhaps, but otherwise nothing immediately looming to jump out at us.

“How is it you don’t know this area well, Roger?” Ren asked, sweeping the end of her barrel between the windows and alleys behind the wooden houses.

“Why would I? Usually have better things to do than fuck around every inch of this place. This area is what’s known as the Outer Circle, and I spend most of my days-”

“Shhh!” I held up a finger and furrowed my brow. There was a creaking noise, faint but just about audible of the rolling ambience. My gaze went to the designated hearer of the group - Ren having paused her roving muzzle to settle on one of the bigger buildings.

Wasn’t easy to guess what it was from the back here, but I was willing to assume it was a saloon.

My Power bar was slowly filling.

The snap of breaking planks put the nail in the coffin that it wasn’t just our imaginations. A second, louder creak and the building began to shift as if it was collapsing.

“Shoot it,” I commanded, flicking my cards out immediately.

Ren’s rifle blew a hole through the aged wood, punching through to the street beyond, no doubt. My cards splintered shards from the building as I curved them to slice rather than stab.

The reason for my lack of patience was soon clear as a spray of dark blood emerged from the hole the bullet had punched. Equally, the marks I had scored started to run with the stuff as well.

“Demon buildings?” Ren asked, working the bolt on her rifle.

“Worse,” Roger said, shaking his head. “Demon buildings.”

Her eyes narrowed, but she knew better than to get into it with the rabbit. Either he hadn’t heard or was intentionally ignoring her. I’d remind him about his manners once we got out of this predicament.

“Are we really going to fight a literal town?” Tanya asked.

“I can’t think of a good enough pun right now.” I grinned. “But, yes.”

Two cards in my hand, I went to throw down two Frost Imps - which now seemed like an odd thing to live in hell. They struck the ground just behind me near our backliners… but didn’t summon.

Instead, the normal arcane circles bloomed into life - only they widened and moved towards the two behind us. Mouth open, I turned, but didn’t have time to act. Confusion flashed across their faces before both Tanya and Quinn vanished in a puff of magical energy.

“Max?” Ren growled.

[Max: Report in?]

Nothing for a few seconds, as the building ahead of us groaned and pulled itself from the foundations, trying to turn just as its neighbors started to shift into life.

[Tanya: We’re okay.]

[Quinn: Other than the shock!^]

[Tanya: Back in the normal world… a little further than the outpost we left.]

[Tanya: Can you get out the same way?]

I furrowed my brow and brought out another demon summoning card, only for it to immediately crumble to dust. Second one, the same.

“I’ve somehow reverse-summoned our Party members. Either they will be in Othea with a time limit, or I’ve locked my abilities out until either they die or we go back.” I stood there pulling a face at the complete gall of the System.

“Wow,” Ren said. I couldn’t tell whether that singular word was labored with exasperation, disbelief, or annoyance. Perhaps a little of all three.

[Max: No. Go somewhere safe until we can talk.]

Wasn’t planning on hanging around to see how the Chat function liked the time dilation here, with a host of wild west looking structures wanting to chew on me.

“Looks like the only demon here to help is whatever resides in me,” I said, grinning and blooming my magic cards with a mix of mundane ones to orbit around me.

Roger coughed.

“Oh, you too.”

Ren fired again, this time with an entangling shot. Vines cracked through the ruddy stone around the saloon and grabbed onto the lower planks.

“Wolf, move to the far left corner and start breaking things. Roger support him. I’ll be going to the middle to get the real party started.”

“And me?” Ren asked.

I held my hand out, which she took, and twirled into a close hug. “Why, you’re coming with me, my dear.”

With a few awkward seconds standing still and nothing happening, she then wrinkled up her nose. “You forgot you can’t summon birds for already, didn’t you?”

“Feels like I have been robbed of one of my senses.” I gently allowed her to stand.

“Would have been awkward if I went to the middle and you remained here, huh?”

I pulled a face and looked over at the saloon, struggling against the restraints. “I’d never live it down.”

Ren smiled and jostled me with her elbow. “Let’s kill some demons, Max the Magnificent.”

Didn’t need any more prompting than that. Once again, we were supping from the cup of boons that had come from my acceptance of her being equal in all things. She knew me inside and out, and had developed a knack for the show quicker than expected.

Such a far cry from the grumpy Oathwarden on the beach, her defiant scowl requesting I teach her to ply the same amount of bullshit into our combat - and now she did. High-powered sniper rifle aside, she not only looked the part, but had been working on her own tricks with the Guardian granted abilities and was more receptive to my desire to tangle with fate and see how chewed up I could get.

A pair of cards into my hand as she fired a radiant shot through the building. It screamed in pain - which was unusual, but I’d believe anything at this stage of my life. Third card I had then drawn was critical and crackled with a crimson light compared to the purple of its contemporaries.

I let the first go so that I could put all my strength into this singular one. It grew brighter as my mana sunk away, before I started dipping into my actual health. My legendary gear boosting damage with all the power used to cast a spell, and as soon as I cast it, some of that lost health started to regenerate.

Card twisted into the air as I sent it vertically to arc around and crash down into the tile roof of the saloon. Punctured through and exploded, blowing loose fragments to the ground as a wash of thick dust billowed from the open holes where there was no glass. Shortly followed by streams of blood.

By now, the two adjacent buildings had shuffled almost all the way around to face us. They had no eyes or mouth, so I wasn’t too sure how threatening they were. Probably not a good idea to just walk through their open doorways… but intrusive thoughts had me wondering.

Off to our left, Wolf crashed his way through the furthest building, the whole thing collapsing in a way that was far too moist, considering. The next in line was currently being beaten by Roger, his mace taking huge chunks out of the outer woodwork.

I dropped the demonic cannon next to Ren, just in case it decided to take her back home. She must have read the intention, as she gave me a scowl. A faux pas, but better than accidentally taking me back home. If anyone was equipped to deal with hell, it was me. That said, I seemed to have no problem with the siege weapon, and I went to grab some lit lanterns from my Inventory.

“Here, Max.” Ren whispered a word in elven before throwing over a now glowing-radiant lantern, before repeating the process with two more. Each one vanished as they reached me, immediately going into the cannon.

First blast struck the house to the right of the saloon, oil and metal shrapnel bursting against buckling wooden planks. Radiant flame erupted and flickered around the body of the building in no time at all, a shriek emerging from the decaying structure.

I grinned and spun more cards up. Down two Party members, but we had a hold on things so far.

“We are getting experience from them. Decent, too.” Ren fired another shot, a wry smile at the edge of her mouth.

Power meter humming as it continually grew. I turned my attention to the empty plains behind us.

Only, it wasn’t so empty anymore.

An empty bullet casing bounced across the ground as Ren turned to see what I was looking at.

Her face wrinkled up, and the rifle lowered.

“What the fuck?”