Kaden wasn’t the unclassed man he’d been when he first met Mr. Dervish. Twenty five attribute points had made him taller, broader, thicker, stronger, and while the Summoning Saint still stood a head taller, it was no longer like looking up at a giant. And the frustration with demons and their constant attacks had reached a boiling point where Kaden no longer cared about what was practical or what was logical.

There came a point at which refusing to let them destroy yet another haven for commoners was an act of will. “I’ve almost died here twice. Cults were drawn here. Monsters were drawn here. The best way to keep monsters and cults out isn’t to destroy it. It’s to repopulate it. Bring in people who live here. Guards to guard the gates. What did they make or sell or whatever?”

“There’s a mine just north of here that mines Mana Ore,” Sara said. “Or it did. The mine’s production was falling off, but given today’s Mana Ore prices, it would still be valuable.”

Mr. Dervish stood silent, glaring at Kaden. “It ain’t that easy. This place isn’t a Town anymore. If it weren’t for us sitting here, you’d be swimming in Night Spawns.”

Kaden already had the answer. “Sitting in the basement at my Holding, I have a Beacon of Veela. You told me it would be the basis for retaking a town. I’m telling you it’s this town.”

“Where do you plan to get the gold for that?” Ursus asked. “I love the spirit but it’s going to take careful planning, directed effort, so much organization. I’ve got ten gold coins that says your most complex plan is ‘Hit with hammer.’ It’s a good plan for monsters. Not for building a town.”

Kaden turned to look her in the eye. “You want to know how I survived a Demon’s Daughter and Asmodeus? I convinced him the Daughter betrayed him. He revoked her class, which meant I only had to deal with Asmodeus. And he was only level thirty.”

“Only.” Ursus laughed. Her laughter was light and broke the heavy atmosphere. “Show me these ‘black rocks.’ I’ve got [Revelations] as a spell. I’m not saying you’re lying. I’m saying it’s easy to exaggerate.”

Kaden led her to the building and the hidden stair, and walked her through the battle, even as she invoked [Revelations] over and over to produce ghostly afterimages of Asmodeus taking over the Minotaur’s body. Of Naski fleeing in terror. And Kaden ripping the eye from Asmodius before gutting him. “Look at the core. It’s weird. I didn’t get a notification, so Asmodius’s incarnation is still around. He might pop out of Inventory intact.”

Ursus began to laugh.

This time it wasn’t light or cheery, and in fact, it made Kaden want to be anywhere but there. “Show me.”

Kaden did his best to drop the core far away.

But it hadn’t regenerated. In fact, the blackened husk barely resembled a Demon Core at all. Ursus picked it up, smelling it, then touching it with her tongue. “Classic Incarnation. Shoving an Incarnation into a lesser Demon burns out the core. Bleed, Poison, the Pendulum of Balance, you didn’t as much kill Asmodeus as force him to leave. The Core couldn’t contain him anymore. I absolutely love it.”

“I don’t care. What matters is that he’s not here. After all, he never expected me to give him the Eye of the Rat God.”

“Damn!” Ursus said. “That…ok. Never let it be said that Ursus Chutna doesn’t keep her word.”

She handed him a bag of gold. “I trust this will cover the Core and my bet?”

“All yours.”

“Get a hundred thousand more and you can finance this place. The stones are parts of old demon souls. That’s what draws them here. You want them, or can I have them?”

Kaden only wanted one demon soul, and he had it. “All yours.

She began to rip stones from the circle. Kaden wisely retreated to the square.

Where Ashi argued violently. “The burden of power is to make others better.”

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

“And better would be not having to pay to purge this town again,” one of the other Centurions said. “It’s got nothing to attract anyone. The mine will fix things for a bit, the farming is decent, the hops will take years to get established but in the mean time, what brings anyone here?”

“A Dungeon.” Kaden said it and meant it. “There was talk of a Dungeon in this very town, underground. I’m sure it’s here. If there were a dungeon, a rank three dungeon? The Guild would at least have a building.”

“It’s called a Hall,” Eve offered. “Even if it’s a one room cabin where the Guildmaster for a town lives, it’s a Hall.”

*Kaden, this is a lot to take on.* Sara spoke over the thought net. *I could organize it. I could even form a council, but this place is going to be years of work. The planning for planning will take months. And money we don’t have.*

Sara was being sensible. And logical. And probably reasonable.

But having lost so much, it felt like one more step, one more surrender in a line of constant losses. “I understand,” he said aloud. “I’ll personally handle scrubbing the town if you leave the FarPortal connected. I’ve got two Eyes of Asmodius I’ll offer. What Kingdom owns this place?”

“It’s technically a FreeHold,” Sara said. “If it were a town instead of a collection of structures. Three centuries ago it was part of the Gorman Principality. Eight hundred years ago—”

“Enough.” Mr. Dervish shook his head. “This is ten kinds of bad idea. The Stateri won’t be getting involved. We’re here to preserve the balance, and what you’re doing is pushing. It seems right to you, but pushing always brings pushing back.”

“Ok.” Kaden wasn’t done. “The FarPortal stays connected. One Eye, and my word I cleanse this place monthly.”

“It was two eyes a moment ago,” Mr. Dervish said.

“You should have taken the deal when I offered it.” Kaden produced both eyes. “Look at me! I’m a Demon Lord! I can have a staring contest with myself!”

Asmodius gazes upon your soul with hatred.

Mr. Dervish took one eye, and tossed it to Ursus. “We’re even. Sara, you done your part. The Quest is fulfilled. You should think twice about this next one. Kaden, I expect to see you to continue our research.”

“You will.” Kaden watched him leave. “So. Now we go home?”

Captain Blanco slapped Kaden on the back. “Now, you come back to Verona and have dinner. Now I get to explain to you why you really do fit in with the Justari. Have you met the head of the Thieve’s Guild? Man’s got a lot of money, as you’d expect the Mercari to. “

Kaden looked to the others. “I think I’d like to reschedule. I have some critical party business to tend to.”

“I won’t take no forever. But no for now is fine. Go through the Portal. I give you my word we won’t do any damage. That’s not who I am.” Captain Blanco followed the Party back, and Eve re-established the FarPortal so Kaden could go home.

###

At the kitchen table, Kaden sat, studying the odd Demon Core with silver veins. [Binding Mark] continued to assert that the process was active. Professor Treadle’s binding had taken an instant.

Eve had cooked dinner and then joined Ashi and Sara at the table, waiting for the Demon Core to speak. Or grow Flesh. Or something. While he waited, Kaden took out the [Thought Speech] scroll and activated it. Unlike a regular scroll, it didn’t crumble, though it lost the shine.

You have learned a new skill: Thought Speech.

Kaden looked to Ashi. *Hello*.

She winced and recoiled. “Why are you shouting? Why are you not using your mouth to shout?”

“Sorry. I’m trying to get the hang of [Thought Speech].” This time, he focused on her, but imagined a whisper. *What happened with Naski?*

Ashi shook her head. *Know that I keep my word to you. The Demon’s Daughter had no Class, and did not respect [Mages]. Her attitude will be different.*

It was weird. Her words felt and almost smelled like Ashi, like he was standing right behind her when he spoke. He’d need to bathe more often, intentionally, and not in Demon Blood.

Binding Mark is complete.

You have bound a Demon: [Disowned Daughter Naski].

Binding slots: [1/1]

Your skill with Binding Mark has increased.

Binding slots: [1/2].

Kaden waited. Nothing happened. “I bound the core. Binding Mark says it’s done, but nothing is happening. Is the Shield Tree too close? I already adjusted Dominion.”

“I have no idea, but I know who will. We’ll go into the City tomorrow and show it to Mr. Dervish. We have it. We have the key.” Sara reached across the table to squeeze Kaden’s hand. “Soon. Now, I’m exhausted. I’m going to take a bath and go to sleep.”

“And I as well. Vip?” Eve looked to the dog, who pranced up the stairs. Traitor.

Kaden waited for Ashi to speak. And when it was clear she wouldn’t, he did. “Thank you.”

“It is what I promised. What will you do, if this does not work?”

Kaden had asked himself the same question. “Find something else to try. Sara was right. I have to be patient, and I will be, no matter what it takes. I have a necromancer’s inheritance to return. I have a town to clear. I want to pay Builder Willis to repair the gates. I want to practice binding Demons until I can use them as weapons. I want to go find a [Ruby Hydra] to make a proper lieutenant and grow my Dungeon. I will be a great Dungeon Master.”

“Already this is so,” Ashi said. “What has changed, that you would know patience?”

The answer was a fear Kaden hated admitting to. “I didn’t want to be alone.”

“And now?”

Kaden shrugged and took her hand. “I’m not.”

For now, it would be enough.