The further up we go, the more monotone the environment gets. There are only a variety of mosses and some insects around, none of the ferns and creepers I've gotten used to. The caves become more rugged and I can feel the temperature is lower. I hesitate for a moment before I ask Mari why this is. She seems in a good mood, so it's worth a try.

"The temperature goes up as you go down. Funny, isn't it? The dungeon helps too. Between where we are and the surface is a whole lot of boring." Mari is almost skipping on air as she speaks and does a quick pirouette. "The real scary things are on the surface or deeper down. Having surface creatures come down will make my job more interesting, but will also take care of things like a drallith." Her grin suddenly turns wicked. "Some sentients butcher dralliths alive. With the regeneration of those pests, they can harvest almost triple the amount of meat."

With that to ponder we continue in silence for a while. The caves and galleries become more rugged and random than before. Passages sometimes are wide, sometimes small openings I have trouble fitting through. Slowly stalagmites and stalactites start to fill up the ceiling and floor. First it's just a few but soon there are rows of them. The sense of the dungeon is almost gone now, which would mean Mari is vulnerable. I don't feel any inclination to attack her even so. It wouldn't serve my purpose to defeat her here. Instead, I could try and learn from her.

"What is the surface like," I ask her.

"Dunno," she answers casually. "Momma told me it would be mountains. Earth elementals make mountains, she said, but I got here through the underground." She shoots a sharp glance at me. "Why are you so talkative all of a sudden?"

"I decided I don't want to kill or hurt you right now," I answer honestly. It only makes Mari giggle.

After quite some time we reach an obstacle that will be too hard to overcome - at least together. I was able to hear it long before, but could not identify the sound. A wide chasm is in our path. Above is the light of the sky, apparently it is day now, but no sunshine reaches this far down. There is a slight curve to it, so I can't say for sure how far it extends to the side. On the far side is a continuation of the cave we're in right now. Something is creating a wind down the chasm and through that tunnel, causing a haunting and whistling sound. The wind is too wild to fly through, but I'm confident I could climb up and reach the surface. I don't think I can cross, though.

"Looks like something had a big fight here." Mari looks around for who knows what for a moment. "A few decades ago, I think. Well, it's unlikely anything useful is going to come in through here."

Her demeanour has changed from happy to sad. I think she was really looking forward to playing with humans. Inhaling deeply, I try to smell the scents carried on the wind. Some plants and animals I don't know, very vague, and water. Cold water. The wind carries a hint of something colder than I've ever encountered, as cold as when Mari did the cold and hot thing. As I remember about Mari I notice she's already on the way back.

"I don't go?" I kind of want to explore there. It's a new place, even if it's cold.

"No time, you only have a few more hours. We'll summon you for longer next time, but for now, go and eat some disgusting bugs and say hi to Tarvinder." She grins again. "He has something for you, I've been told."

There is a hint of amusement there which makes me cautious.

With a last glance at the sky I turn back the way we came. It wouldn't do if I couldn't be back in time, but I see no reason to eat the poison stuff. Even if it tastes good and makes me feel good, now it would feel as if I'm doing it because Tarvinder wants me to. He didn't do what he said he would do, so I see no need to eat and give him another stone made from the left-overs.

The way back takes a lot shorter now I don't have to wait for Mari. I'm not sure if I was supposed to wait, but she hasn't shouted at me. I would have heard, sound carries far in these caves. Soon I can feel the tickling of the mixture of dungeon and not-dungeon flows. When we were close to the outside I didn't feel them, they must be coming from somewhere else. Mari is probably wrong, I think there is a lot she doesn't know. Maybe as much as I don't know.

A familiar smell alerts me to a particularly well developed pill-bug thing. I hesitate. Clearly it's important for me to see if I really got stronger and they are a good thing to test myself with. I'll be able to tell exactly how much difference there is with before.

A few tests and snacks later I feel like I can be satisfied about my progress. I managed to tip the largest pill-bug I could find and easily punched through the weaker underside, no need to make a mess of it by clawing my way through. It's a nice feeling, knowing my efforts pay off. In a better mood than I was after not being able to climb up and out of this place, I head to Tarvinder.

Stolen novel; please report.

As usual, he's bent over some kind of thing again, messing with dusts and liquids and other stuff with strange tools. In the time it takes for him to acknowledge me I make a quick tour of the room, sniffing here and there.

"Found what you're looking for?" comes the amused question.

In fact, I did, but there is no reason to tell him. Instead I just jump on the desk and stare at him. "About that elixir?" I ask him.

"Next time, I promise," Tarvinder answers without avoiding my eyes.

He promised before, but for now I'll leave it at this. I wonder what ingredient is missing, I found both of the stones that came from me.

Turning away, Tarvinder picks up a small glass vial. "Instead I have this to test! It could be a whole new field of research! If it works." Grabbing a bowl with his free hand he pours the content of the vial into it and places the barely filled bowl in front of me. "Give it a try!"

With half an eye on the old elf I carefully sniff the liquid. It has a little bit of me and something poisonous and a lot of things I don't recognize. Extending my tongue I lick a little of it. Keeping my tongue out of my mouth, I wait for anything strange. Nothing, so far.

Beside me, Tarvinder is taking notes and asking questions. "Do you feel anything? Pleasant, pain, anything?"

Ignoring him I carefully bring my tongue back and swallow the little still clinging to it. A pleasant warmth spreads through me, not too much different from when the device on the demon world drains me. Taking another lick I try to put it in words.

"I feel warm. All the way everywhere. And dizzy." It's true, there is a hint of that poison stone in there and it's having an effect. All in all it's not unpleasant and I stretch before I lay down, making myself comfortable. My vision is blurring a little, which looks funny. "What is it."

Tarvinder doesn't even look up for his answer. "An unsummon potion. It's supposed to break whatever magic it is that keeps you here. Oh, try to remember how you felt when you got back to your own world!"

I know this should worry me, or at least make me upset, but an extremely relaxing sensation is spreading through my body at the moment and all I can manage is a grin as the world slowly turns white.

Back in my cell I snap back to full awareness. I'm sure he did this on purpose! Was he that desperate to get rid of me? More importantly, can he make more of the stuff because that was amazing! The headache from the mark on my head barely registers until Harijia makes a noise to attract my attention and pointedly gestures to the back of the cell.

"I take it this was better?" she says and I can hear a hint of amusement.

I nod and decide to take a gamble. I should tell Harijia about the elixir Tarvinder said he could make. Maybe I'm still affected by that nice feeling which causes me to feel this way. Or maybe Harijia is affecting me. That last thought catches me just before I start to speak. Instead I tell her about finding an exit to the dungeon and that I'll be able to explore, maybe, next time.

It must be clear that I'm wary of her. It's hard to hide the reactions of my body completely and occasionally I twitch as she shifts her posture. In the end she sighs and tells me to go. 

My first stop is Torn. The old swarmling is in his usual spot. It came to me when I was fighting the four lizard things. There was so much to take in, so much to try to predict and to think of. It was too complicated for me. The only way out I could think of was to charge forwards and just take the hits. But when we're playing with Torn, he doesn't show any such effort.

First checking if anyone is within easy earshot, I address him. "Torn."

An eye opens fully to regard me. "Gal," he acknowledges me.

I take it as permission to speak. "You're not stupid."

For a while, I get no reaction, then he grins.

"But you are," he laughs and only laughs harder at my indignant reaction. "Be smart, be stupid. You're stupid, because you're smart."

I glare at him, waiting to explain what he means, but he closes both eyelids. He won't talk to me now and trying to make him could end badly. What is the use of being stupid? No-one talks to you, you get no respect and no-one pays attention to you. As I run that through my mind, it turns and twists and I see the shape of what he means. No-one bothers Torn. He's not being watched, but I am. The Keepers don't care what he does and just let him do his thing as long as he shows up for his summon duty.

With a small amount of chagrin I consider it's probably too late for me. The only thing I can possibly do at this point is hide that I'm getting smarter instead of just smart. I probably also shouldn't show of my skills and strengths as much as I do during my training. The more I think about it, the more certain I become that little goes on the Keepers don't know about in one way or another. After all, lonely locked up demons waiting to be summoned talk. I've heard them mumble, but could never make out the words.

A small spike of anger flares before I smother it. This is how Ava had it too, I remember clearly the females whispering. She is pretending to be harmless, maybe I can do the same? It will be difficult, they're already watching me. It would be nice if it means Harijia will stop meddling with me. Wondering if my emotions and thinking are really mine is making my head hurt. I just need to keep it up until I get out of here.

Just like that a great longing swallows me. I want to get out of here. I know the way out. Through the door in Harijia's work room, up the stairs. Then I don't know anymore, but it's something I can figure out later. As the feeling calms down I realize I'm never getting it done while I'm being watched. One thing at a time, first things first. Startled I notice Torn has been observing me while I was lost in my own thoughts.

"Don't," he says, "escape is not worth it. Nor demanding to be released." There is a hint of bitterness in his tone. "I was outside. One year. I was stupid then, I didn't know. It's safe here. I can sleep, really sleep. I'm not alone. Just for a few years, then I'll see."

"They let you go?" I don't know if I'm more shocked that they really let one of us go, or that Harijia may have been telling the truth on some things. "Why not kill you?"

"They did. Far away, but not too far." He doesn't look at me, but his posture is tense. "Not nice. Why they didn't kill me? Don't know, ask them."

He rests his head down again. The talk really is over now. I have a lot to think about and plans to make for the future. I find my spot above the swarmling cave. It's quiet right now and, sensing my mood, the others leave me alone.