“Were in the abyss are we?” I questioned Kal, slurring my words.

We had just left the Ripe Maiden Surprise and were walking down the seedy alleyways of the courts. We passed by all manner of debauchery, grime and muck. A typical night for demons reminded me of the streets of New York. Drenched in piss and populated by very rude people.

It was the one thing about this crazy life that reminded me of home. I wondered for a split second about my family, it was a lapse to be sure. My parents barely acknowledged my existence and my siblings escaped their insanity the moment they came of age.

My death at a drug-fueled rave probably didn’t even make the papers. Honestly, I doubt they even bothered to check if was still alive.

“Come on Astra, where is your sense of adventure?” Kal theatrically spoke, waving his hands in the air like he just didn’t care.

“Don’t call me that Kal, it’s Astragoth, sounds way more demony than my first name. Astra sounds like a hippies name.” I complained, thinking back to my cult-worshipping hippie parents and their terrible naming skills.

“Noone cares in the courts, we all have weird names here. Most of us came from weird places and now were weird demons.” He tried to reassure me, but still, I hated that name with a passion.

Try high school with a name like that and see how you feel all the way to adulthood. Oh yeah, you become a drug-using, Rockstar wannabe. I thought back to my gigs with my sorry excuse for a band. Those guys will be the ones I miss most.

Now I am a demon, so I suppose it’s a step up from a failed musician. It was better, minus the slavery. But our accursed master got himself smoked and now we are free until the next bozo captures us.

“Were are we going?” Kal slurred his words, he was quite drunk.

I on the other hand could walk straight. Being not completely drunk like mister can't hold his liquor. I chuckled, his attempt at walking was most humorous. Besides that, he was right, since I had no clue where we were or where we were going.

“No clue my friend, but I suppose we can just pick a bar at random.” I gestured to the many places of ill repute surrounding us.

What caught my eye was a figure being tossed, unceremoniously out the door. He flew with impressive speed, out of the doorway and into the street. Despite the rough handling, he got back up and made a two-finger sign before howling expletives.

“Can’t a bloke celebrate these days. It is not just you throw me out. I demand satisfaction, pistols at dawn!” The demon spat, yet the subtle trace of humour meant he likely didn’t mean it.

The other demon, likely a bouncer just shut the door without a response. The demon looked familiar and finally, his identity struck me like lightning. “Bogsworth!?” I announced rather loudly, Kal visibly winced from the volume.

Bogsworth turned a curious gaze to us, his eyes narrowed to slits before widening in joy. “Astra, Kal, my dear chaps. You two are sight for sore eyes.” Boggy greeted us happily as we approached.

Kal just strode up and embraced the demon, much to Boggy’s confusion. “I heard you offed your accursed master. I am so happy for you.” Kal sputtered, getting oddly emotional.

He was an odd drunk and tended to shift between a variety of temperaments. Sometimes he was an angry drunk, a happy drunk and then suddenly a sentimental sad drunk.

“It is good to see you to Kal and yes I am celebrating this momentous occasion. Unfortunately some establishments do not know a gentlemen drinker if he punched them in the face.” He said while prying Kal off with a metaphorical crowbar. “Say I am going to find another fine establishment to continue my celebration. Would you two fine gentlemen wish to accompany me?” He requested, smiling.

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“That would be great, we are celebrating as well. Our accursed master got himself killed, somehow.” I explained, matching his enthusiasm.

“Well isn’t that a coincidence, two dead accursed masters? Too bad you didn’t get to do it yourself. But we will have to drink to it anyway.” He gestured for us to follow and being two drunk demons, we did.

Boggy brought us to a new drinking establishment and bought us a round. We sat on stools, swapping tales, particularly the tale of how he offed his accursed master.

“Then after I chopped him up, I cooked him into a nice meal. Too bad my dinner guest couldn’t fully appreciate fine cuisine. But he did finish his plate, got to give the lad some credit.” Boggy finished explaining the gruesome tale of his accursed master's death.

Demonic justice at its finest, it was truly too bad I was not able to exact my vengeance upon our accursed master. I truly wonder what happened to that asshole. Hopefully, that new demon lord tortured the crap out of him before sending him to the afterlife. Assuming there was an afterlife for wizards.

A thought occurred and looking back at my time as a demon. It had only been a few years since becoming one. Now I was calling one of the most gruesome acts of revenge, demonic justice. Times are changing for me, guess it happens to all demons.

“Sorry lads, I have been going on and on about my own revenge. How did you gentlemen attain your freedom again?” Boggy asked, puzzled as if he was trying to recall a memory in between downing one spirit after the other.

“To be honest boggy, we have no clue how he bit the dust. Our link just broke and we assumed he got himself killed.” I shrugged, it was not as exciting as his tale of triumph.

“Got himself killed? Well let us toast to whatever did him in.” We all raised our mugs and toasted to the death of all wizards.

Just as the booze touched my lips, I was shoved hard. The beverage tipped forward and spilled all over the table. “What in the abyss!” I spat angrily and turned around.

What hit me was a rather tall demon sitting at the table behind us. It looked like he had elbowed me by accident. Given the size of the demon, he was probably second maybe third order. Similar in form to us, four arms, greyish green skin, with bat-like wings. He was accompanied by a few similar second orders, each of them sloshed to the nines.

“My word sir, I think you should apologise to my man here.” Bogsworth got up from his seat and demanded.

Kal just snickered in his seat and I was signalling Boggy to stand down. The demon turned around, made a rude gesture and went back to his drinking.

“Where are your manners, apologise to my man here. Or I shall demand satisfaction.” And there he went, this would not end well.

The demon and his cronies stopped drinking and all three of them ascended. Their leader the largest of the group glared down at Bogsworth. “Or what?” The demon replied, showing a toothy grin.

“It’s fine Boggy, it was just an accident.” I tried to placate, which was a bad idea as the demon turned to me.

“Yeah just an accident, I didn’t see your little bitch.” He declared, smirking at Bogsworth with a shit-eating grin.

That was uncalled for and as I was about to reply, Boggy backhanded him across the face. That was when all hell broke loose. The demon replied and backhanded Bogsworth across the room. Before I could even do anything, Kal came in with a haymaker and decked the demon.

His buddies all rushed us at once and I ran in the opposite direction like the coward I was. Kal on the other hand, leapt into the fray, throwing wild punches at every body part. He was sent flying soon after and smashed into the bar countertop.

I was alone with several angry demons eager to rush me. Before they could pulverise me. Boggy showed up behind them with a chair and started bashing them over the head. Right there and then, I decided it was time to rumble, whether I liked it or not.

Picking up a chair, I swung wildly and missed completely. The second-order crony, instead of disarming me, removed my arm. Grabbing it by the socket, he yanked the limb out and bashed me in the head with it. The pain was horrible and I just saw red.

What followed was a blur, I believe I stabbed a demon in the eye with a chair leg. I saw Kal throw a demon through the window and Bogsworth got his ear ripped off by the big demon.

Eventually, the bouncer threw the lot of us out and onto the street. We ran in the opposite direction from some very angry demons. It took a while but we escaped them, hiding behind some dumpsters.

“Boggy you are crazy.” I said, unable to keep a grin off my face.

“We are just getting started chaps. Once my ear grows back and we reattach your arm.” He gestured to the arm I had clutched to my chest. “We can continue our celebration!” With that, he turned towards the alleyway exit and started towards the next bar.

I could partially see the outline of the door to the Ripe Maiden Surprise. We had come full circle, it funny how that ended up. I turned to Kal, wanting his help putting my arm back on and found he was gone.

Puzzled, I had no clue when he had vanished, and neither did Boggy who was almost at the door. Before I could call out, I felt the world start to fade, an unfamiliar voice called out to me.