A mage’s voice boomed out over the Buried City, “Base Camp is moving forward ten blocks. Level fifties may access new Strike Quests. Level Thirties, please clear the area to avoid being accidentally killed.”

Clearing the area sounded like a great idea. Cutter, her party members, and Sara’s party lined up with the rest of the ‘babies’ to gather their rewards. Kaden reviewed his stats.

You have completed 3x Faction Quests.

You have gained 1x Faction Token (Poteri)

You have gained standing with a faction (Poteri).

And he listened as Sara spoke quietly. “Cutter and her party were going to share kills with us. Now you and I have more kills than all of them combined. I’m not suggesting we give them the griphon’s share, but we wouldn’t even be here without them.”

“Fifteen kills was the minimum, right?”

“Twelve, but doing the math, fifteen for everyone doesn’t even change our reward class. I’ll show you when we get up there.” Sara stayed by his side while Kaden waited. And as the lowest level people in the Buried City, he had to wait a really long time. “Where is Eve?”

“She cut a deal with a Hunting Party of fifties. The idea is to use her Title to damage sets of towers. There’s no desire to push further with the harvest reset at midnight.” Sara saw the blank look on his face. “This place is caught in some sort of time loop. At midnight once a week, it resets, and neither side can cross into the other’s territory. The Poteri will loot it all, take the best, sell the rest to us.”

Now it made sense - the battle over territory would control who got the best loot.

The exchange was performed in a house near the base camp, and while Kaden waited, he talked it over. “What are they going to have to sell, how long do we have to decide, how do we decide if there’s nothing we need, and do kills carry over?”

“You’re overthinking it,” Cutter said. “We’re going in with a shit-ton of kills. Sara told me, we all get baseline, and I obliterated gnomes. They’ll have some of everything. I’m pretty sure they buy from Crafters to make sure it’s more than just mages. If you can’t decide, pick the most expensive thing. You can always sell it somewhere else.”

That seemed reasonable. Cutter and her party went first, and not an hour later, Sara’s name was called.

It was a treasure trove the likes of which Kaden had never imagined. Swords. Armor, whips and morning stars, wands, daggers, cloaks.

“Before we begin,” said the young man working at the desk, “As I’ve said before, anything you find can be exchanged.”

Kaden wasn’t ready to make exchanges. He showed the Elder Gnome’s wand to Ashi. “Can you use this to siphon mana?”

Ashi’s wide grin told him the answer. “I do not need [Wand Work] to use this. But I assure you, the Moon will answer. I do not care for the lesser wands, my mana stones hold more.”

Everything else, he dumped in the trade portal, and watched it get converted to kills. What bothered him was that Ashi had been relegated to a support role.

Sara looked less and less interested by the moment, though she searched with care, and finally selected an amulet. Eve found a dozen things and spent forever weighing the value of one versus another, and finally bought a silver bracelet. Ashi accepted Kaden insisting that she at least consider shopping.

And of course, she pretended it had been the idea all along when she found a matching set of mana stones in a dozen flavors. Everything else, she left to Kaden.

Kaden looked to the attendent. “How long do I have?”

“I don’t leave for three days.” He sat back down and began to read a scroll.

Every box, he opened. Every bag, peered inside. Every sword picked up, even though he just didn’t like swords. There was nothing here for a [Beast Master], and [Mana Arrow] would provide better arrows than most of the quivers. But one wooden box made Kaden stop.

The carving was familiar, [Ranger] gear denoted by the leaf. He opened the box and found a simple scroll, unlike the normal scrolls, it was written on silver.

[Thought Speech]

Speak mind to mind, if you have something worth saying. This skill will allow you to speak directly to another being if they are willing. At higher levels you can hear their responses. Range will grow with level.

Kaden had zero doubts, and handed it over. “This.”

“And? You completed a Strike Quest. That’s…a skill scroll. A reusable scroll, but still, one of the most basic…oh, chrono-mana.” He shook his head like it was impossible to explain.

Kaden scannned through the items he’d already looked at. And added a pair of ruby earrings, dots barely visible, and twin swords with a scale pattern on them. And a whip because he had two gnome kills left.

“A pleasure doing business,” the mage said. “Freak.”

Kaden found the others downstairs, and was ready to take the [FarPortal] home. Tonight, he’d grieve the failure to release Trella. And tomorrow, he’d set out to do something about it.

“What did you all buy?” Eve asked. “This bracelet is a form of Kaden’s [Resilient Constitution]. My HP quadrupled at twenty five, but I’m still incredibly fragile against anything my level. It will only function once a day, which made it cheap.”

Kaden unleashed Trinity. “That Talent actually belongs to Trinity, I get it from her.”

Sara pulled out a stone. “It’s a Necromantic artifact, a [Soul Siphon]. I have no intention of using it and every intention of selling it. Please don’t consider this a predictor of my future class options.”

Ashi fiddled with her wrap, inserting new mana stones. “These give me more options. I do not like being limited to the ambient types of mana.”

Kaden showed the scroll first. “There have been so many cases where I wanted to talk but didn’t want to risk being heard. It’s reusable with some kind of recharge timer.”

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

“It’s a training scroll. Probably an artifact from a [Ranger] Encampment,” Sara said. “I can see the use, I want first dibs on it after you. It’s not charged right now. How long does it take to recharge?”

“No idea.” Kaden took out the swords. “Poison Fang swords. We can sell them, Sara can use them, I had extra kills.” The earings came last. “Do you think they’ll look good on me?”

Ashi laughed. “It is a joke. I saw those, and thought Eve would most certainly buy them. They are Suffering Crystals. They do not grant status effects, only extend them upon your enemies.”

“I didn’t buy them because they were seven hundred gnome kills,” Eve said.

The first time Kaden had ever seen a look he’d call lust on Eve’s face, and it wasn’t for a man. Or a woman. It was for the ability to make others suffer longer. Kaden gently handed them over, because the longer his enemies suffered from Eve’s debuffs, the greater the chance he could behead—or crush them.

Trinity didn’t really fit in the farmhouse but that never stopped her from trying. She squeezed through the front door and headed into Kaden’s bedroom to lay on the bed. Vip tore up and down the stairs and then out into the fields, and then back, running in circles.

In the bedroom, Kaden shoved his clothes into the cleaning box, and washed away dried patches of blood left over from his ordeal. He’d really hoped this was the time. He’d really been wrong.

As he bathed, he summoned the [FalCrow] and talked to it.

Not because he wanted something, just because he could. Vip had very few things to say. Love. Fast. Rocky couldn’t think well enough to speak, and Trinity expressed desires in memories, but not in a way he could laugh with her about.

“I need you to take a message for me.” Kaden phrased it as a request rather than invoking the Obedience bond. “I need to know when Mr. Dervish will be ready to try again.”

After half an hour, a regular Messenger Bird dipped through the eaves entrance and landed. “We don’t got a timeline. If I thought torturing Treadle would help, it would already be done, but I don’t think his work’s getting better. Plan on a month, bet on two, don’t be surprised if it’s three or longer. I’d hoped Jackie would be back by now with help.”

That left only one possibility to run down. The Demon’s Daughter held the key, according to Ashi’s mother. It was time to go demon hunting. The [Hatred Mark], meant to be Naski’s weapon against him, had changed, from what he’d seen in the Summoning Circle. Naski couldn’t track him anymore. That didn’t mean he couldn’t go looking for her. “Trinity, let’s go.”

Sara lay back on the couch, Eve held Vip while she sat in a chair. Kaden headed outside, ignoring the light rain, and knocked on the door to Ashi’s tower.

“You are permitted,” She answered.

Kaden stepped inside—and couldn’t believe the change. The stacked stone construction had been sealed, the wooden furniture carved, the tower had no roof-top garden, but it would have fit in amid the streets of Vichor. “How did you do this?”

“The [Assistant] does as you expect. Have you not given it direction?” Ashi had changed to a loose robe rather than her mana-limiting wraps. “What brings you here and now?”

“I’m going to the Druid Grove. I have a bunch of Pollen from those Moon Moths to trade, and I’m going to take some training on how to use [Mana Quiver] better. After that, we’ll see.” He didn’t want to lie.

“You go to hunt this Demon’s Daughter, the one Mother spoke of. Alone.”

He couldn’t meet her gaze. “None of this would have happened if I’d gone to deal with the [FalCrow] by myself. You barely escaped being in the same mess I am. Trella was saddled with a [Slaver] class. If Naski holds the key, I’m going to hunt her down.”

Ashi nodded. “What have you told the others?”

Kaden shook his head. “I intend to go to Beast Control and snag skills and talents. Something to make me fireproof. Some kind of ice ability should be effective against Demons. Naski isn’t the one hunting anymore. She’s the one being hunted.”

“I will go as well. Together, we will find this Demon’s Daugher.”

That made Kaden’s heart skip a beat. The smart thing to do was to go with everyone. But losing more of his party to Naski or anything else in Hell was a greater fear than death. “I won’t risk anyone else. Whatever happens to me I accept.”

“Then go and hunt her. Your Dungeon is healthy and strong, it must find a balance. Your heart has already decided on this.” Ashi put a hand on his chest, making each mana stone resonate in his armor. “If you will not let me help, if I cannot convince you to stay, then return triumphant.”

“Really?”

“No!” Ashi shouted. “You are not going demon hunting without help! No! Sara! Eve! Listen to this!” She pushed past him and headed to the farm house, where the voices rose louder and louder.

Trinity lowered her head and groaned, which [Beast Soul] interpreted as *That didn’t go well.*

“You don’t need to say that twice. Or three times. Or at all.” Kaden sat on the wide stone bench Ashi had replaced her table with, and rubbed the scales at the top of Trinity’s blind head. It was calm and quiet in the tower.

It was neither calm nor quiet in the Farmhouse.

Couldn’t they at least understand he was trying to protect them? Couldn’t they understand that there were deaths he could accept and some he couldn’t?

Eventually, the arguing died down. The silence was even more disturbing, as was Ashi’s continued absence. Sara could be a force of nature. Ashi was a force of nature. Eve would probably support him going off alone to hunt in Hell. It was either the most caring thing she could do or the least caring, and with Eve it was always hard to know.

Faction Quest Available: The Betrayer (Demoni) - The Disowned Daughter Naski has betrayed her oath to Hell and her Lord. The rule of Hell is that anything is permitted, if you are strong enough. Test her strength.

Kaden had not intended to seek out the Demoni. He hadn’t even known they existed, but could make the connection between the name and the faction quest. People who worshiped demons.

He emerged from the tower and stopped so quickly Trinity bumped into him. Mr. Dervish leaned against the farmhouse, wearing solid black battle armor that was smattered with fresh gore. “Kaden.”

“Mr. Dervish.”

“Going hunting in Hell?”

Kaden knew what had happened. “Was it Sara who messaged you? Or Ashi?”

“Evelyn. Going alone? Not smart, still your decision. Not getting a quest from the demons to do what you were already going to, that was stupid.”

“Wait.” Kaden needed a moment. “Demoni are demons? And they’re issuing Faction Quests against demons. And it’s acceptable to take them?”

“Abyss Lords don’t care who does their dirty work, they care it gets done.” Mr. Dervish turned and pointed to the house. “Only want to do this once.”

Inside, Sara, Eve and Ashi waited until Kaden and Mr. Dervish joined them.

“First off, what makes you think this Demon’s worth hunting?” Mr. Dervish asked.

Kaden explained about his encounter with Ashi’s mother. About how she’d told him the Demon’s Daughter held the key. “I’m tired of dragging people into my problems. I’m ready to fix something instead of breaking them. You can add [Gigantorrod] to the list of ‘random’ occurences when I’m nearby. But I think I can handle Naski. I’ll bet my life on it, not anyone else’s.”

“That Hatred Mark, you felt it since?”

Kaden shook his head. “Ashi’s mother damaged it. I don’t know how, I just know she did.”

Mr. Dervish kept quiet, tapping his cane nervously. “Have you tried using it? Like a skill?”

That was ridiculous. The Hatred Mark was something inflicted on him by the demon, something he couldn’t remove, that would…the [Hatred Mark] felt different.

[Hatred Mark] is active.

Skill Entry Damaged…invoking CONSISTENCY_ENFORCER

Analyzing remaining Components.

Skill Effects normalized.

Mana Cost Normalize

Skill Description Regenerated.

CONSISTENCY_ENFORCER COMPLETE.

[Hatred Mark] has become [Binding Mark].

[Binding Mark]

You may enforce your will on demonic creatures. Binding higher level creatures will consume more Binding Slots. Higher Levels of this skill will allow binding of more powerful entities. While [Binding Mark] is active, reveal bound target’s location. Higher levels will reduce the mana cost of activating Binding Mark. Commands will enforce your will on bound subjects. Complex commands cost higher mana. Higher levels will reduce the mana cost. Repeatedly commanding the same entity will reduce the cost.

Kaden closed his eyes, concentrating on the feeling. The disgusting, slimy feeling of the connection Naski had placed between him. And smiled. Kaden accepted the Faction Quest as he thought about the hint. It had been so true.

You will find her in your past.

Naski had meant to make him her prey. To let her hunt him across planes and worlds, days and years. It was time to repay the favor. “I know where she is.”