Kaden wandered the higher layers for the next few days. Apparently nothing had been found. This was the case even if most people were quite agreeable even if they weren’t exactly happy to allow searches through their homes and property. They were aware of the inquisitors and that it was a church matter. None would offend them so everything was available for search. Still there was no luck for anyone as it seemed.
Even Kaden was starting to feel perhaps whatever or whoever they were looking for was already out of the area. Why would they stay around, if even inquisitor was sent to find them?
That and Kaden did not get a chance to get near Erral. The higher officers were doing their own thing, communicating and coordinating the search. Besides, there was always a lot of people around him.
Weils, the inquisitor, himself did not seem to be doing anything?
Kaden assumed this was how church worked. They wouldn’t do anything unless they had to and they would let someone do their work for them and then take all the credit. The churches, priests and everyone related were probably liars and exploited everyone just like the gods they served.
While thinking this, Kaden was scouring the edges of the fourth layer. He had been at the fifth layer, but things were a bit too shiny in there for his taste. Despite being agreeable, those people started to be slightly too snobby. He did plan on looking through the area later. Perhaps the nobles that harrased him lived there and it would be a good idea to get a better look.
The lower nobles were already in fourth layer. It was a good chance they were in Kaden’s reach too. He knew he couldn’t do anything to them. It was also merely an annoyance how he was supressed. Kaden had no plans of getting stuck to his current level anyway. The nobles would suffer eventually. They were not his targets… yet. Obstacles perhaps, but not ones he could deal with permanently.
While Kaden was thinking of such matters, he suddenly noticed someone approach him. It was a weakling, probably barely at Channel Opening. The man appeared to be one of those lower nobles as far as Kaden could tell by his clothing.
The man seemed to be slightly jumpy. Constantly turning his head to look everywhere with round eyes as if he was afraid of something. He constantly rubbed his hands together like he was trying to calm down to stop some kind of shaking.
“E..Ee...Excuse me”, said the man to Kaden. “There is someone...someone who wants to meet you. Yes, meet you.”
Kaden frowned.
“Why should I?” Kaden asked. He was intending to check this out, if not for nothing else than to give himself a bit of variety after searching something for days already. This could even be related considering the strange behavior. Yet, he wanted to ask a bit before agreeing.
“My lord would like a trade”, continued the man. “I don’t know much else.”
A trade?
“Fine”, Kaden answered. “I will see who this lord of yours is, but this better be good.”
“Yes, yes”, said the man and started leading the way.
Soon Kaden noticed the man was quite well avoiding any other search groups. This made Kaden get quite interested.
The way led both of them towards the deeper areas of the fourth layer. Even the higher grade layers had their backsides. Merchants that took part in questionable busines usually stayed at those parts, while nobility wished to remain more visible and easier access.
Kaden then entered an entirely normal looking building with store in it. It was selling jewelry and other such things of luxury. The store owner there looked also entirely normal, but he didn’t seem to pay any attention to Kaden and the man entering. Nor did he react when they walked to the backdoor.
Was it simply because he expected people to come? Or perhaps some magic making it so that he didn’t notice?
This sort of thing was exactly what he should be looking for, but Kaden had no plans telling anyone about it, if he didn’t need to. In fact, externally this all appeared as if he was merely searching the place based on a tip.
Anyway, the man stayed just by the back room doorway and did not proceed.
“Lord awaits”, was all the man said and made some overly gaudy movements with his arms to present his ‘lord’.
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At this point Kaden noticed a robed man with a hood on sitting at the corner in a dim light. He approached carefully. The robed man didn’t seem strong, but Kaden got a weird feeling that wasn’t the actual strength. There was also some familiarity.
Then the robed man took off his hood.
His hair was mostly gone, just some greasy strands left upon a pale sickly looking skin. Now that Kaden got a good look at closer distance, he noticed all parts of his skin he could see was sickly, pale and was kind of sagging. There were also small cuts all over it that didn’t seem to bleed at all. Teeth were mostly missing and the ones that were not looked mostly rotten. Around his eyes there was gunk that seemed to be constantly leaking out.
Yet, despite the state the robed man was in, Kaden knew him.
“You don’t look very healthy, demon”, Kaden said and sat down.
It seems the demon had survived whatever happened with the cultists. Whatever it had been doing ever since was unknown, but the results Kaden had already heard of. The church was obviously looking for it. He didn’t really care what it had been up to, but it seemed he had something it wanted.
“This vessel is nearly spent!” The demon replied. “I require more power to jump into another! Previously you aided me. Do so again! I offer a trade! Ask your desire! I sense you have source of pain on yourself. This would be of great use to me!”
For a second Kaden had to think what the demon was meaning and then he realized it. Kaden pulled out Vengeance.
“I assume you mean this?” Kaden asked.
The demon’s eyes opened and there was great desire in them.
“Ahhh… such pain”, the demon said.
Kaden gave another look at Serin’s soul inside. It had stopped screaming quite a while ago already and Kaden wasn’t sure if it really could be said to be Serin’s soul anymore. Yet, since the blade and the vengeance mana inside still kept tormenting him, Kaden guessed it still resembled him enough.
“I assume the church sent the inquisitor here because of your doings?” Kaden continued. “They are searching through the entire area and eventually they should be able to find you.”
“God’s servants are inconsequential”, the demon replied. “I have already left behind means to bring myself back into this world should I be banished. I desire to avoid it! There are so much fresh emotions and desires!”
“I will not give you the soul”, Kaden replied to the demon who then immediately hissed. “This one must be destroyed. Erased from existence!”
“Waste! WASTE!” The demon shouted.
Kaden didn’t say anything. The demon obviously desired tortured soul like Serin. It needed more power to get another body and to continue hiding. Apparently Serin’s soul was still very desirable despite being almost used up.
Still, the demon was very useful. It had been causing distrust, paranoia and insanity while it had been on its own and it also seemed to have its own servants. There was a reason why the cultists of God of Lies had summoned it. Demons were dangerous. Even the cultists had wanted to split it apart to make it weaker.
“Perhaps something else would sate your need?” Kaden said after thinking for a while. “You seem to have servants. Is it just these few or can you manipulate more people?”
“There is greed, desire and distrust!” The demon said. “I push them slightly and they act. Resources, power, enemies, doubts.”
“I may have a way to generate a lot of rage and pain and whatever other emotions you desire”, Kaden explained. “Are you interested?”
“Explain!” The demon said.
Kaden began telling the demon of his idea. It was something he needed the demon for since he didn’t have any other way to set it up otherwise. As for the demon, if the plan succeeded, it would have more than enough chaos for its needs. Once the thing was set in motion, it would just need to be around and fan the fires and absorb all the negative emotions it wanted.
“Gahahahaha”, the demon laughed at the end. “How delectable! I can almost taste it!”
“That is, if you can remain unnoticed until all the preparations are complete”, Kaden added more calmly. “Also that you can remain unnoticed afterwards. This is exactly the sort of thing you have been doing before and you have already been noticed.”
“Once I get a new vessel, I will be able to hide again!” Said the demon. “Your offer is indeed desirable! It will give me enough power claim a new vessel! I will agree to it!”
“Good”, Kaden replied. “In that case, I will prepare my part of the deal. You do yours. Act as soon as you have all ready. It should not be difficult to notice when everything starts.”
All that was required was to set things in motion. Once that happened things would go quite chaotic, but Kaden expected that certain events would happen regardless.
“Even if something unexpected happens, if I do this right, it would be difficult to tie anything to me”, Kaden thought as he left the demon and the store behind. He did not wish to be seen anywhere near the demon for the time being. He had prepared his part for the demon to use and it would handle its part. “If that is the case, I’ll be fine and might even leave open more options should this plan fail. At the very least this should be enjoyable to watch.”
Kaden resumed his ‘search’ normally afterwards. He already knew the culprit so there was no need to look for anything anymore. Externally he would seem like he was doing his job, but nothing would happen.
As for the future, Kaden truly expected the demon to be banished back to hell. The church was not a joke either. The demon had a very high opinion of itself and always spoke as if it was making demands. The church should have dealt with quite a few demons before. If Kaden was to bet on the victor, he would bet on the church.
As for the other accomplices, such as the man who had come to speak to him, the demon assured he won’t be able to say anything and so was the case with the merchant too.
Kaden was not really sure what the demon had done, but its powers affected minds and behavior of people. Yet, if the demon said so, it would likely be the case. Still, Kaden planned to go check the place at some point soon after everything was over and kill the merchant and the demon’s servant, if he was able to find him. No point leaving loose ends.
“With this Erral will suffer!” Kaden continued thinking and smirked at the thought. “While following your orders your men killed my father. Now feel similar torment! Sacronan’s turn will come later when I get the chance. They aren’t clean either.”
Kaden felt good.