Understanding The Void (Pt. III): Dark Dealings And Reminders

--- Jon Whitaker ---

“You’ve one week left to prepare.” DeSade told him once the two of them had reconvened in the Dark Lord’s study. “Given how our lesson focused on our ritual today, how do you feel your own ventures have progressed this past week?”

He considered how to answer the question, knowing that he could trust DeSade to help him kill the Halloween Horror as planned, but not trusting him beyond that. “My… associate and I finished the first in a series of projects using the Horror’s arm. Admittedly, this wasn’t using my cut, but depending on how things go we might be able to push out two more cuts before the end of the week.”

“Good, though you should avoid rushing a Demonic Armament. Especially if you intend on combating the same Demon you harvested the material from. Better one Armament loyal, than two that betray.” DeSade warned him. “What else?”

“I’ve figured out how to keep two Contracts active at once, which should allow me to bring both Pix and Basil with me when you send me in.” He added. “Based on what I picked up from Basil, she should be able to put out a powerful offensive while Pix handles any healing.”

“Good, hopefully this event wasn’t fully corrupted by teenage hormones.” DeSade nodded. “And your foresight here will be additionally effective given how my initial plan included sending your fairy with you into the Horror’s seal. Thus freeing your contracting capacity for an additional ally.”

“You’re sending me into the Horror’s Seal.” He frowned.

“If we were to drag it into the open for you to fight, I would not be able to cover it up like I would the extraction of the beast’s corpse. Sanctuary and the local Watcher for the Arcane Association would both be alerted within moments otherwise.” The Devil of Blackwell explained.

He couldn’t help but narrow his eyes as he realized. “It would also make disposing of my body should I fail extremely convenient wouldn’t it?”

“It would.” DeSade smirked. “Still given the circumstances and your association with Ms. Zhang, the spell I’m preparing will allow for the entrance and egress of you and two others.”

“Meaning I could bring two people in with me if I still summon Pix.” He figured, his mind thinking of the numerous hunters he’d befriended over the last few weeks.

“If you wish to put more faith in one of your associates than your contracts, then so be it.” DeSade shrugged, before narrowing his own eyes. “Just be sure that whoever you do decide to bring with you, knows how to be discreet. Regardless of our success in killing the Horror, what we’re doing here will be frowned upon by the local authorities.”

“But that’s if we’re caught.” He added, already knowing the golden rule from both of his parent’s mischiefs. (Meaning I should only ask someone who won’t tell the cops… or worse Ma…)

“Exactly.” DeSade grinned before bridging his fingers together. “But on the topic of aid -while I have no intention of risking my life in this fight- should you decide to overcome your discomfort with the Darker Arts, there’s much I could teach you that could prove beneficial. Especially under the current circumstances.”

He could feel his face twitch. “If I think it’ll help me, I’ll come by like I did with the core.” (Though Miss Edna would probably be better for non-Dark magic.)

“Fair enough.” DeSade conceded. “Though I do have a question about the success of our ritual today.”

“What question?” He frowned, really hoping DeSade wasn’t about to ask to use Basil as a test subject for his research.

“During your time walking through the Briar and before returning with your contract, did she present in a different form?” DeSade asked. “Preferably something with proper claws and fangs?”

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

He thought back to the hulking beast, the one that had hidden itself within Basil’s shadow. “Yeah, she did.”

“Good.” The Dark Lord sighed in relief before explaining that. “A number of entities with greater Conceptual Weight than is native to our current plane, tend to cloak themselves in a shape more… natural to our world. The behavior is more common in Gods and Demons than Voidborne, but it explains how a void core of such quality would spawn something that projects so little Madness into the world.”

There was a knocking at the door as Jon remembered, “Most Demons are shapeshifters on some level. I’ve seen one turn from a small bird into a full on eldritch horror, I barely noticed it as a bird but everyone felt it as a horror.”

“Quite.” DeSade nodded. “Which is why I’ll warn you to keep your contract on a leash. Right now their power is contained, and should you unleash it everyone nearby will suffer from Madness exposure and most souls are not as resistant as you are.” The Dark Lord towards the door. “Enter.”

The door opened and DeSade’s butler stepped in with a bow, the lights within its deer skull head locked onto them. “I’ve found attire that our guest has deemed appropriate for their purposes.”

Rather than appreciating this, DeSade’s eyes narrowed. “I’ll be the judge of that. Send her in.”

The butler stepped to the side and Basil walked in wearing what looked to be black leather tank top and shorts, both fairly tight against the skin and with several belts and buckles wrapped around them. Both of her wrists and ankles were wrapped with leather cuffs, each with a short chain link dangling from it similar to the black choker on her throat.

DeSade growled and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Why is she wearing what looks to be fetish wear?”

“Our guest preferred this out of all of the attire I presented them.” The butler answered, sounding more than amused despite his mellow tone.

Basil raised her wrist and shook it, causing the chain to jangle. “The sound the metal makes when I shake it is tasty.”

DeSade took a deep breath and let it out.

Feeling like acting like both of his parental figures he pointed out that, “This wouldn’t be a problem if you didn’t run a sex cult.”

“Covenant is not a sex cult.” DeSade glared at him, before explaining through grit teeth that, “You just decided to break in through the wing of the building that is rented to an interdimensional brothel. If you had chosen any other wing you would’ve found more traditional dealings even if of a mystical variety.”

Rather than pressing the point like Miss Edna, he frowned as he remembered that name from somewhere. “Covenant… Aren’t they like the magical black market?”

“Amongst other things, yes.” DeSade nodded, visibly calming himself down. “Which is why I have such a heavy hand in the branch that wished to open within my territory. If you require, I am capable of making an introduction to the local branch. While their supplies and connections are likely more expensive than whatever magic shop you’ve been visiting, they can help with more… restricted acquisitions.”

“I’ll think about it.” He admitted. (Even if I am friends or family(?) with the DeLaCroix’s I doubt they’ll have quite the same things as Covenant. Especially if Artemis is technically going behind Miss Edme’s back to work on the Horror’s Arm.)

“You’ve a week left to sort out what you need to.” DeSade reminded him. “Take what risks and opportunities you’re willing, forge what alliances you need, and equip yourself to the best of your abilities. And on the agreed upon evening I shall aid you in entering the Horror’s seal for you to kill it.”

He hated how much that sounded like an order, but… “Understood.”

The Dark Lord smiled, his eyes flashing as his shadow shifted behind him. “Then get to work apprentice, because I expect great things from you.”

With a grimace he stood and stepped into the hall with Basil, both butler and Dark Lord expecting him to know his way. Something that reminded him a little too much of how DeSade treated him in Blackwell, expecting him to follow orders despite the fact that Jon was doing all the dangerous parts himself…

As if sensing his disgruntlement, Basil laid her arms across his shoulders despite being shorter than him just a few moments prior. “Don’t worry. There’s plenty of prey for us to eat, my Huntsman~”

Despite seeing nothing around him, he could feel the way the world around him warped, Basil’s true weight distorting reality itself as she curled around him.

At least until she hopped onto his back. “Also I’m hungry! I want more snacks!”

He sighed before walking, her weight not much more than his entire kit. “Fine, let’s raid DeSade’s kitchen. He can afford for you to eat him out of a couple of homes.”

“Can I eat the house?” Basil asked, picking up a vase before fitting the entire thing in her mouth. “Meh, your snacks were yummier.”

He considered her question, his understanding of the Maw of The Void assuring him that she could eat the house even more easily than she could the city if she felt like it. “Mm, let’s wait until I quit needing him to break into the Horror’s seal. Then you can eat his house.”

“Okay~” Basil nodded, kicking her legs in his hands and occasionally swiping something else to nibble on on the way to the kitchen.