My ego had grown huge in the Lowers. How could you temper the man who took down a Mantid Hive and then continued to grow in power from there? Every risk I had taken had just ascended my growth by leaps and bounds. There was no struggle against the corruption or being worn down by demonic presence. I killed, and it came easily. My death seemed impossible until I had fulfilled my destiny. Although, that didn’t stop me from suffering along the way.

The friction I had supposed would slow my descent apparently didn’t appear just because I believed it to, and I dropped down the elevator shaft a lot quicker than I would have liked.

That didn’t stop it being fun, of course. As the metal box of the elevator itself came into view, illuminated by our demonic energy, I gripped the thick cables as tightly as I was able to. Sparks flew out as the gloves my energy brought into being wore down, and my legs struck the top of the small room with a low thud.

Probably noisy enough to be noticed, unless they had music going on down here. Oh gods, I hoped they had music. Sure, I could have hovered down here on my wings, but that was a skill that would still expend my natural energy and I wanted to save that for… something else.

//Hold, detecting hostiles.

Wight came down shortly behind me, practically levitating with swirling dark mist beneath his feet. He landed silently and rested the shotgun over his shoulder. I was pretty sure that I should get him a little hat at some point. Maybe a suit? Would he even want to wear clothes as a bird-like demon? Questions for a less dangerous time.

//Currently thirty weak, five medium, one strong. Strong one is the target.

It went without saying, but the protocol demanded that he did. Thirty-six in total wasn’t too dangerous. Not with the both of us primed and capable of violence. Our first mission where I thought of us as true partners, as bad as that may sound. But the possibilities from here flooded out of my mind like… oh, he was staring at me, waiting for us to make the next move.

//Two approaching.

“Thought I heard something in t'elevator.”

“Dipshit. How can you hear anything over the music? Stay off the pinkshrooms.”

“Hey, fuck you, Yuu-k’lar. Gangly-ass fuck. I can handle t’pinks just fine.”

“Whatever. Let’s get back to practising demon magic.”

I grimaced. Not so much for the constant expletives, but the way in which they called it magic in the similar manner as I did. As if it was a thing that didn’t really exist. The errant thought that this might be some set up or way to twist at my mind sunk through my brain, but my stomach, hungry for violence, overrode the notion.

The sound of the pair of soon-to-be-corpses left the area, and we were left unaccosted. Just to my side, there looked to be a removable hatch for us to drop into the elevator proper. I gestured to Wight, and he nodded. The plan not needing to be said.

I took the metal handle into my grip and moved it the upward, tilting back the hinged plate to reveal the illuminated box below. Gently, I placed it to a stop, the whole process as close to silent as was possible. A bright amber light lit the elevator below, the red carpet a contrast to the light yellow walls.

With one last breath of freedom, I positioned myself and dropped down through the hatch. Landed on the carpet, which I could now see was actually something more akin to a living grass than actual synthetic fibers. The tiny probes almost gathered around my boots to touch and explore the new visitor. Ahead of me, the doors of silver metal were closed. A simple panel at the side that just directed up or down. It was nice that there weren’t more floors.

As I stepped to the side, Wight dropped down, and he immediately gave the grass-floor a scowl. Must feel more uncomfortable not wearing boots. There was a little button to the side of the door to open them. We readied our weapons as my finger went toward it. A click, and I was rewarded with a hiss and the metal doors began to slide apart in the middle.

Shifting lights that reminded me of the nightclub. Green to amber to purple and back again. The walls were carved from the very stone of hell, smooth and deep orange in color. The elevator had opened out into a corridor, where a small room sat directly opposite. Well, less of a room and more of a widened part of the passage that sunk deep enough for two pairs of demons to be lounging and smoking something.

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

In my mind, I had expected them all to be devils, but they were a different sort of demon. Similar in frame perhaps, but shorter and with rough, green skin. Not quite scales, but something else that looked abrasive. Purple eyes, short stubby horns. Each also seemed to have a number in demonic painted on their foreheads.

As they turned in surprise to see their uninvited guests, I added my own artistic flair to their designations. Forehead of the first, three torso shots to the second. Wight shredded the third with a blast and then the reload ruined the hands of the last of the four, trying to prepare a… spell? The last shot in my cylinder finished the demon off. We both reloaded, dropping faux casings and a shell.

I licked my lips, feeling pretty good about how amazing we must look. Then my brow furrowed as an acrid smell touched at my senses. I covered my mouth and nose by instinct and looked around at the alcove. There were dozens of glass bottles of various liquids, gasses, and suspended objects. We had shattered a couple during our brief assault.

‘Might have to tone the explosive stuff down, rather not poison myself.’

[Agreed.]

//Left clear. Hostiles approaching right. Four weak.

Looks like we’d be heading right first. It seemed more handy to head where danger was keen to meet us. Glancing down the corridor in that direction, it went on for another twenty feet before taking an abrupt turn to the left. No bottles on those walls. Without a word uttered, I stepped to the side and allowed Wight to go in front.

//Contact.

The four possibly… magic demons rushed around the corner as a group. Confusion and suspicion in their eyes, various wooden clubs in their hands for… oh, those were probably magic staffs.

The shotgun beamed a foot-wide cylinder of pure pitch black light straight down the passage. As soon as it had blasted out, it was over, and the demons had a brief split second of surprise before the organs and limbs cored through by the attack turned to ash. The remains of the group slumped to the ground, wetly. Another eight of so feet of the wall had met the same fate, but thankfully there wasn’t a second room or anything more untoward through that way. Just more rock.

‘Not exactly, less explosive, but it’ll do.’

[If this is how you feel when in combat, I’m surprised you don’t spend all day killing demons.]

He was buzzing. I could sense it. No longer just offering a helping hand in terms of providing me with power to attack - he was now an aggressor of his own. Org would throw a fit once they found out, but part of me considered their days numbered. It might be a high number, but everything was inevitable in time.

//Neutralized. Eight down.

Mostly the weak ones who didn’t have much chance against us. The six with more power were probably the head mages and unless I was about to be disappointed, the big guy would have resistance to my normal power. Maybe a shield that reflected my energy? If we stepped through and we one-tapped him, then I would be writing to Frank and requesting a refund. Of… my hand, I guess.

We walked down this passageway and stepped over the remnants of the green demons. Their blood was an odd color, like spilled oil. Lanterns were affixed to the wall and provided our journey with some light, but they remained a comfortable yellow-white rather than the mixture the alcove had generated.

I removed the cover from my mouth. The air was clear here - although that was probably not the right word for it. There was a thick stench of something evil down here. Like lit incense, if the smell was foul intent. The glove on my left hand still remained inert and dull, so I should hopefully survive whatever the cause was. I drew my dagger instead.

Some guilt rolled around inside me that I hadn’t done enough to earn Pearl back the other two things that had been taken from her. Lower demons just didn’t move the needle much in terms of gathered power, to the point that it was barely worth the extra effort. The Jailer had been enough to earn her true eye color back, but since then, powerful demons hadn’t been too keen to leap upon the blade.

She had assured me that each stage took more power to unlock, and that she had all but come to terms with being happy with how she was now. It wasn’t enough for me, however. Even if she didn’t care to use her wings or Mask anymore, I wanted her to be whole. If only because this was something I said I would do.

Then again, just because they were weak here, didn’t mean I wasn’t going to stab them, should the need arise.

//Room on your right. Five weak, one medium.

Oh, this would be perfect. I could kick in the door, or just pop through if there wasn’t one and shout ‘class is dismissed’ before killing the demons. Interrupt the… magic class currently in attendance. Good chance to see how resistant the medium demons were.

Painted across the hallway was the glow of the next room. There was some music playing, a swirl of pink and purple lighting shining across to the wall of the corridor. It wasn’t my kind of tune, but we made these things work. We danced as well as we were able. The excitement rose up within me. I stepped out into the opening, gun leveled and mouth open to espouse my one-liner.

Only they weren’t being taught foul magic. There was no chalkboard for me to cast explode brains upon. We weren’t about to see whether the wand was more powerful than the gun, to the astounded and briefly lived students of the evil magic user.

They were all just naked and fucking.