————

I stir from my meditation; there was actually a lot of internal damage that required my attention, it wasn't immediately apparent without taking a deep dive inside myself.

> You suffer from Backlash, all attributes temporarily reduced by 66%. Time remaining: 38days

2 days have passed again. -That's surprisingly long, felt like only a few hours at most. But now I feel much better; still weak but not broken anymore and it doesn't seem like we are about to fade away.

-So, it seems the recent events had me remember the day when I've met that damned Hag.

The old unpleasant memory wasn't why I've stopped my rest and repair though. Rose found something; the roots reached the floor and then attempted break past it without much success. Pulling them back in I began to dig through the sand with my hands, piling it up to the side until a sizeable mound was formed.

A metal hatch door got uncovered after I was done moving through a meter or so thick layer of this fine powder.

Wiping the remaining grains away I can see damaged runes that once covered the thick steel. -Just some reinforcement, interesting but nothing new.

It opens without any issue despite how ancient this place seems to be. Behind it a long ladder leads down into the deeper - or rather, lower part of the tower. Hell's sinful miasma is thicker there; normally in the past I would avoid places like this, but that was before Rose joined me. Now this means we might be able to replenish our mana reserves faster.

But it isn't completely abandoned, something is lurking down in the darkness. With the damn mana-hungry sand out of the way, my weakened senses can now pick up a suppressed mana signature through the sinister fog; it's weak, and very― chaotic.

-There, in the corner behind the stone shelf... Sneaky bastard, but I can still tell you are there. This whole thing would be so much scarier without being able to see in the dark - miasma is making it harder but it's not as bad as on the Rim. The space under our current room is very tall.

The floor few stories below is littered with broken furniture, the shelves one of few things still standing. Wide table was broken in half and chairs haphazardly thrown around, a cabinet on its side; all made of stone and covered in dust. Narrow staircase by the wall goes deeper to yet another level. I slowly go down the ladder trying to get a glimpse of the thing hiding here, it didn't react to the hatch opening.

Lower now, I'm also noticing faint strands of mana strewn across the room. Some sort of webbing. Not a big surprise.

> Hell Beast (4), Arachnida (4)

–I see you. One of the thin, segmented legs rests on a strand of almost invisible silk; lucky there is mana flowing inside those strings so the jig is up. With my Mana Sense we are a bad match up for the spider that is circulating magic through its trap.

But how do we deal with this thing?

Still halfway up on the ladder, I concentrate and pluck at one of the strings with my currently weakened magic -No reaction, try again. There is a twitch. -Grrr, annoying thing. Three fast pulls follow in quick succession and the demon rushes out of its corner, but there is nothing there; no prey. It carefully inspects the web laid on the floor, waving dexterous front limbs around. Slight disturbance in the air makes it freeze for just a second.

A dagger falls from above and embeds itself inside its head, just behind a pair of big round eyes. Enchantments on the blade flash as it pierces the carapace and the creature's limbs give out. I gather the little amount of mana that leaves the silk after the creature died, before miasma can disperse it. Nothing goes to waste in here.

-Nice aim Rose.

The thing isn't that big, maybe like a large dog. Ten legs... Can you even still call it a spider? Proportions are also odd. Those jaws look rather nasty. The hairy thing seems to have been the color of the sand before it was Tainted.

Using one of its strings I haul it up to the sand filled upper part and close the doors. Oh the irony.

"Looks like we are going to be fine Rose." I comment with a smile, and she goes to work. We've found us a supply of precious mana. ―Gimme some nice attributes, then we loot this place.

Closing my eyes I'm preparing to absorb the essence.

***

"Well, well, well. Look who's finally here! I was beginning to worry that..." The old woman gives an over exaggerated greeting but her voice quiets down mid sentence as she takes a closer look at me. I can only stare back with wide eyes.

Wearing gray robes over an old but fancy dress, she couldn't look more cliche if she tried."―That my summoning was somehow flawed." The old witch finishes after a moment, her face growing thoughtful.

If you've told me to describe her in a word, a 'hag' would be it. Like she escaped from an old movie about a witch living in the woods. There is only one thing missing but that would be―

Scratch that, It's hanging on the wall.

She examines me with a thoughtful expression and I can only curl up while sitting there, very self conscious off being naked. My eyes dart around the room and it fits the owner to the tee.

Cluttered, tight except for the part with a magic circle, and full of strange. Herbs are hanging from the rafters; jars full of both curious and disgusting stuff on the shelves together with few books and bottles; a giant iron cauldron over the fireplace; cobwebs, dust and all the works. I take it all in with a growing fear.

The black cat lies dead on the floor. -Oh dear.

"Well, aren't you a fresh spawn. Not what I expected." She moves to the table and shuts a thick leather bound tome lying there with blue candles burning with black flame producing an odd aroma. Then turns back to me with a friendly smile. "What's your name little one?" It doesn't fit her.

I blink at the question. That's been lost, something forgotten when I was reborn in hell. Couldn't recall it no matter how much I tried during that past week. "I don't reme-" But the words won't leave my throat. I feel a pang in the back of my mind, a silent alarm going off.

At the same time the old woman raised a finger to stop me "Tsk, tsk. No lies young one." She furrows her thin brows disapprovingly, "Demons shouldn't lie or terrible thing will happen to them." She takes a step closer after chiding me. "There is no way a demon would forget that. It was the first thing they proclaim to the world after being born and holds great importance. Now tell-" And she is right, as a certain name is pushing itself to the forefront of my mind. This is all so confusing.

Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators!

"Meow" I mewl out.

Now its the hag's turn to look stunned, blinking her deep blue eyes like an old owl. Before following with a laugh and a smirk, "Ehe he! What kind of demonic name is that..." She studies me as I squirm even more embarrassed now. She looks down at the cat, and snorts again.

While scratching at her chin she look up to the ceiling, clearly deliberating something in her head. -I have so many questions.

I've seen it in my menu, and I know it is my name. But... ? First thing that I proclaimed to the world― my thought come to a halt.

Remembering that awful day when I fell down into hell, covered in back slime. My jaw almost hits the floor. I tried to recall my name then but couldn't anymore, and there was an immense sense of loss... Oh my—

I look up feeling a change in the magic around me. The old crone is now reading from another book she picked from somewhere, making odd gestures with her hands towards the circle drawn on the floor. The symbols drawn in blood emit a stronger light and raise up into the air after seemingly flaking off the boards. I can feel something tighten around a very important part inside me, and awful thing and I clutch at my chest...

Then the life essence that was powering the formation wraps me in red glow, and it's like there are chains winding themselves around my very core, binding it. 'Locks' snap in place over the 'chains' in my chest, and then other important parts. This sensation I welcome with a great sigh of relief, It's something which I've been sorely missing all this time and didn't even notice till now, an essential part... I feel truly alive again.

> Essence Absorbed: Black Cat (3)

>

> Agility +2

>

> Hp (temp): 12

My eyes grow wide and I look up at the smiling woman. "Let's make a deal." —And I can only nod at her.

**

In a forested swamp near the coast, on one of a few dry patches of land stands an old house.

Half wood-half stone, with a thatch roof and single story. It looks rather poor, cowered in vegetation and with only two dirty windows -but there is glass in them, not something common in the area.

Thin bluish smoke is rising from a single chimney, getting carried on the wind under the even older trees with dark leaves, almost black bark, moss and vines hanging from their branches. The house is hidden from view by the dense forest growing around this small island. A small herb garden at the back seems like the only spot that ever gets any sun.

Yet you can see a well trodden path leading to the front doors that snakes its way through the marsh, deeper into the woods.

Inside a red Imp is tending to the fire lit under a big cast iron cauldron, while an old Hag is preparing ingredients that will soon go inside. She is slicing open a small lizard, humming to herself tone deaf when the little demon rises its head towards the window and speaks up.

"Someone is coming," The old woman stops what she was doing and glanced at her sole company. "One person, leading an animal. Weak mana."

She wipes her fingers into a dirty cloth while looking displeased, taking a look at the bubbling liquid. "Keep the fire going, stabilize the mixture, I will be right back." She moves to the doors after a nod of confirmation from the creature.

The two have been living together for few months already, but the demon has changed quite a bit since it first came here. It's now much smaller, to the point its head seems too big for the slim body. Through all this time it was fed only mice and rats by the owner of the hut; maybe as some sort of joke, considering it's name. Even after the small imp started walking on its toes it didn't do much to change that impression.

Meow keeps the temperature under the brew steady, affecting the flames with special magic. His job is to assist the swamp hag in her work. Demonic powers are of great assistance in their craft and she's been teaching it how to make a better use off them, so he can serve as an apprentice. He was also able to read some of the books when she was away and left him alone... Learning even more.

People from the nearby area will sometimes come and go, but he won't be meeting them. What they visit for is 'none of his business'.

You can hear two women talking outside, there is a slight argument about the timing. The newcomer seems to be in a hurry. They aren't being loud but the imp's hearing has gotten much sharper recently because of its diet - it also leveled up again just a few days ago.

After they settled down on an agreement and the guest left, the Hag came back inside - not amused, while leading a small goat by a string around it's neck. The animal appears somewhat sedated.

"Into your room." A sharp order is followed without any hesitation. When the witch is angry you do as you are told... Lessons were learned. It wasn't all roses and sunshine between them.

Meow quickly gets inside a cage set by the wall, near the stairs leading to the basement and shuts the doors. Spells placed on the wooden bars activate with a slight hum of mana. He knows what's coming. Merta, as that is her name, busies herself around the room picking up a familiar set of items.

-It's already a second time this week. He musses to himself, and soon the cage is hidden under a black cloth cover. It's enchanted to prevent sound and his other more esoteric senses from getting past it. But it was thrown haphazard and clearly in a hurry so he can actually take a peak at part of the room —She's distracted and in a rush. Even left the potion to spoil.

He waits holding his breath and reaches out with magic to nullify some of the runes woven into the fabric. Little devil learns quickly.

Scent of iron spreads through the house as one life gets extinguished.

It takes some time but there soon is a ritual ready, magic formation drawn with fresh blood along the marks left in the middle of the floor. There are some variations to how the circle is formed depending on the purpose - after studying those markings when she wasn't watching, he counted three different sets that the hag uses when performing the summoning.

Didn't take very long after final runes were put in place for the light to bath the room in the color of blood, and a powerful presence started making its way into the mortal realm. Meow tried to suppress his own the best he could with his new skill and listen.

"What do you want now Merta?" A deep, powerful voice full of arrogance.

With his head to the floor and peaking under the cover he can see only the floor of the room and the view is partially obstructed by the furniture. But behind the table and chairs there is now a massive figure sitting cross-leg on the ground. Golden anklets and other jewelry adorn the hoofed legs covered in rust colored fur.

The Fixer.

The conversation isn't long either.

***

After the demon was gone I sat back from the floor and acted like I haven't heard anything.

-If I know the tropes, things are about turn for the worse for the people in the nearest town and surrounding villages. I seems the local noble got into some deep shit and will soon be burying another family member. Poor guy.

Hag comes over and releases me my from 'my room'. Just an enchanted wooden cage meant to hold me when she goes out, so that I don't break stuff or put my nose where it doesn't belong -All for my own good obviously. 'Young demons are too curious for their own good' after all... Well there was that one time-

"Throw away the potion and clean up," She look to the cauldron. "We will have to start over." It's producing more billowing smoke now, shaking a little from time to time. "Then wait for me, I will be upstairs. No mischief."

There is a room on the attic. Her private space where I'm not allowed under any circumstances.

The basement is new; something she had me build and protect from flooding using demonic magic, but it's just meant for storage and now the room here is much less cluttered. ―I have to admit she is harsh but taught me a lot, and I will take all knowledge she offers.

I follow the order and drag the heavy pot outside to where I'm supposed to empty it into the swamp. You can hear a bird sing nearby, much better for the ears then when Merta gets in the mood. She likes music but can't keep a tune at all.

I think it's still late winter but the climate here near the coast seems to stay warm through the year. I wasn't allowed far but you can smell salt in the air so we can't be far from the sea.

I avoid the pale mushrooms growing by the water on the way; nasty things will explode in a cloud of spores if you get near them, thankfully as a demon I'm resistant to poison - it was still pretty bad the first time.

The mana in the environment reacts when the contents of the cauldron mix with the murky water. This spot is were we usually dump any alchemical waste and some interesting flora grows around. A magical rainbow film spreads over the surface.

A four eyed toad is looking at me from its lily pad, blinking lazily and uncaring.

It's been a few months now since I was brought here by the old Hag and it was full of ups and downs. Lately though I started growing more and more suspicious of the woman's motives and began acting with more caution.

It never crossed my mind to Identify her until around a month into my 'apprenticeship', after she came home one day looking 10 years younger. Her hair even lost some of the gray turning back to black. What I saw then gave me a pause.

> Cambion (thin blood). Swamp Hag (26).

She might look human, old and wrinkled but... By that time I knew not to ask. I carry the heavy thing back after giving it a through cleaning, uncertain about the future; drinking up the rich mana of the swamp and feeling blue.

...

A week later we had a special guest.

―――—