Valorian’s POV

“Camp ready?” I asked as I hauled in a bit of scrub brush. It was a bit of a pain to harvest because of the thorns, but it was the only stuff on this plain that would burn. We weren’t quite in the portal desert, but near enough that there wasn’t much wildlife.

“Pretty much.” Sten shrugged. “Not like there’s much to do. A bit of earth magic for a latrine and setting up the wards.”

“Find anything for dinner? I could go for some hnnng, fresh meat.” I said, grimacing in pain as the rejection hit me halfway through the sentence. While I struggled not to vomit, every joint in my body burned with pain.

“Sorry my lord.” Sten said, turning away so he didn’t have to watch my weakness. He would never think of attacking me over it, but it was a nice gesture.

“I’ll be fine Sten.” I said, continuing with his incredulous look. “I’ve got at least three, maybe four good days left.”

“If you say so.” He said, unconvinced. “I can’t believe we need this so soon again. I thought the demons were supposed to be much stronger.”

“They are, but we were just unlucky.” I said. “While the demons look like slightly red humans, their aging process is vastly different. Once they reach maturity, they maintain that image until their eightieth year or so before rapidly aging. Humans will show their age much younger.”

“So that’s it. We really did find an old hunter for you to switch into.” He nodded in understanding. “At least we are close enough that we will be in Aerie tomorrow. Do we have a plan?”

“Yeah.” I sighed. “We will have to find a replacement before we enter the city, probably in one of the taverns in the lower city. I’m sure a seedy place will be easy to find, and we just have to lose enough money to some cheaters.”

“So long as we take it back once we have their bodies.” Sten grumbled, and I chuckled. He was always worried about money, forgetting that with my voice magic I could easily play as a bard for a night and be set for a few weeks. “Do you think we should risk taking over some second tiers?”

“Not yet.” I shook my head. “We don’t know enough about their tiers. The only thing I know is that it drastically changes the demon’s body. We need to figure out what to look for before we make a move we might regret.”

“But what if you transfer to a target that isn’t strong enough again?”

“I know, it’s a risk, but we’ve been taking risks for what, four years now?” I asked with a smile.

“Closer to five.” Sten nodded.

“Tell you what, one more body switch, and if it starts failing quickly we will risk a second tier for me. That way we don’t leave a trail of bodies for someone to follow.” Sten nodded, and we settled in for another bland meal of rations. We settled in, both of us sitting on top of our bedrolls. It was far too hot otherwise. As I lay there, my mind wandered as I looked at the riot of lights in the sky.

“Hey Sten.” I said softly. “You ever just get, mesmerized by all these lights at night? Wondering what they are?”

“Not really.” He grumped. “Seems like a waste. Even on a moonless night there is far too much light for proper hunting.”

“Yeah, I understand that, but what are those lights? Are they energy sources? If so, why would this universe need to steal our energy?”

“Maybe those are the points they are stealing energy from other universes. Apophis emptied the night to guard his children. Perhaps these lights are their way of exposing us.”

“I know the teachings of Apophis.” I said, slightly surly. “It’s just. Some of it doesn’t add up.”

“Are you going to complain about the lack of the machine again?”

“Of course I am.” I said. “Like you said, it’s been five years since we infiltrated this world Sten. And in all that time, we haven’t managed to find a single shred of evidence.”

“Valorian, I know you are frustrated. But a lack of evidence is not evidence of a lack-“ He started before I interrupted him.

“I know, I know. But it is frustrating. At what point do we call it? Do we spend our entire lives fruitlessly searching an alien world, hoping to come across some evidence of a machine that might not even exist?”

He sat there for a moment in thought. “We have to have faith in our gods.” Sten said at last. “Apophis wouldn’t send us on a mission that didn’t have any chance of success.”

“I suppose.” I said, shaking my head in the darkness. For all that Sten was a stalwart companion, sometimes his lack of questioning orders was annoying.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

We broke camp silently in the morning. Sten looked grumpy, and I was still having doubts about Apophis. I figured that I couldn’t have any more conversations like that with Sten, or he might start thinking I had lost my way.

A few hours later, and we were coming in to the lower city. Ramshackle buildings with little structural integrity, that didn’t stop the throngs of people living there. Most cities in an arid area like this would have a tough time growing so large, but Aerie and the lower city had a slight advantage. Instead of relying on farming plants, they instead cultivated insects. Small, wormlike creatures were crushed to a protein-rich, if bland, meal that could be molded or stuffed into other food as a supplement. Hunter groups would often head out in search of some of the giant insects, though there were always several members who carried wooden weapons. While not incredibly common, rust monsters did call this area home.

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“Thoughts?” I asked Sten as we entered the town.

“Keep low for the day, restock on some of our cheaper provisions.” He grunted. “Look for opportunities.”

“Sounds good.” I agreed, and we walked around. The buildings weren’t built in any sensible pattern. Roads twisted and turned at random, and it slowly started irritating me. Couldn’t the vermin of this planet at least build in a logical manner? Go with a simple grid, or even a wheel with spokes, something so that nobody could ever get lost.

“I hate cities like this.” Sten grumbled. “Makes it so much harder to keep a mental map.”

“I agree.” I said, pausing to look over someone selling barrels of meal. “Cost?”

“Half a silver.” She responded with a smile. “Highest quality meal you’ve ever had.”

“Pass.” I said, ignoring her pleading. As we moved along, I noticed some of the second tier demons. Mostly guards, hulking behemoths that came equipped with natural plate armors and vicious obsidian claws. Obviously specced out for strength, they would make poor choices.

“Hey old man, how ‘bout it?” I turned to see a sultry demoness that just oozed sex. Her only concession to decency was a bit of rope looped around her waist and over her private area. “Care for the time of your life? I’ll even give you a twenty percent discount.” She said with a wink. Her tail slid up her leg, slowly pulling at the ropes to tease me.

“I’m afraid I don’t have the time today.” I said with a sad smile, turning away from her devastating pout. It was all a ploy, as not even five seconds later I heard her voice calling out to others in the street.

“Not wanting a quick romp?” Sten teased.

“As if my heart could withstand such a beauty.” I replied, shaking my head. Not that Sten or I were truly attracted to even the second tier succubus, but we had to put on a show for the two who were following us. “While I am truly enjoying the lack of beggars the human cities have, at least there was a source of information nearby for cheap.” I grumbled.

“I think I see a shortcut.” Sten said, and I stifled a smile. While those two would probably see an opportunity for an ambush, it wouldn’t help against ones such as us. Striding forward, Sten turned down a side alley that no sane person would follow. There was a good bit of garbage left out to rot, and I would rather not try and guess what the source of the liquid was that we stepped around. Fifty feet in, and the alley started to curve gently, before abruptly ending in a wall.

“Hey there friends, you seem a bit lost.” A voice called from behind us. We turned to see two shifty looking demons standing there. One was obviously a tier one, but Apophis must be forgiving of my words last night as the other was definitely a tier two. Its skin was mottled combination of blacks, greens and browns, and it had thin, dexterous fingers with minimal claws.

“Truly, we are blessed.” I said. “Would you two, perhaps, be willing to help two out of town people find their way around?”

“Of course, we’d be more than happy to.” The second tier one said. “I’m T’skaen and this is Cor’lend.”

“Pleasure to meet you both.” Sten said, coming alongside me. “How much would it take to hire you for a few days?” He asked, pulling out his money pouch and slowly dropping a few gold coins into his hand. Luckily these thieves simply thought us idiots, and didn’t realize that we were laying a trap for them.

“Oh hoh! Lookey there T’ska!” The weaker one was practically dancing in place. As they came closer, I slowly laced my voice with magic as Sten made one coin dance across the knuckles of one hand while the other slowly slid the coins together to add yet another distraction.

“Watch, closely as the fading light catches the edges of the coin. See the coin, the symbol of our pact. Ours to you, a day of service. Yours to us, to obey our orders. The magic gently binds us, willing participants. Come closer. Closer. Reach out, and take your pay to seal the pact.” I gently cajoled, as the two demons slowly lumbered forward in a trance. Sten slowed the dancing, and soon only had one coin on each palm.

“Agree. Pact.” They mumbled in unison, taking the coins. As soon as they touched the gold, I felt the loose threads tighten around them. The weaker one didn’t notice, but T’skaen’s eyes widened in fear.

“Silence.” I ordered. “Remain still and calm.” As much as he didn’t want to, his muscles relaxed. Save for those of his eyes. Damn, he still resisted? Oh well, I didn’t have to hold back now. Infusing as much magic as I was safely able, I moved in front of him so that his eyes locked with mine.

“Listen to your master. You have taken my coin, and accepted my orders. There is no breaking this oath. As I speak, your consciousness recedes. Deeper, deeper. Retreat within your mind, to a place of serenity and ultimate happiness. You have no worries there, nothing to fear. That’s it, relaaaax. Relaaaax. Relax your guards, lower your walls. You’ve nothing to defend against.”

As I was talking, Sten had pulled a wickedly sharp knife from his inventory. He quickly plunged it into the neck of the weaker one, and used its magic to pull out his life force through his blood. Blood that was swiftly filling a reservoir in the hilt of the dagger. Once it was full, the desiccated corpse fell to the ground and the snake head at the base of the dagger extended a needle fang. Sten started lightly inscribing soul runes into the skin of T’skaen as I kept him distracted, building him a world of utter relaxation.

“Now, T’skaen. Lie down on the ground, arms and legs spread about.” I ordered, making sure that there was a clear area underneath. Didn’t want my new body to reek of garbage. As soon as he was in position, I drew some more runes in blood around my soon to be new body. While the carved runes on the body were solid, these seemed to twist and turn in reality. They would act like a beacon, so this next part was rushed through as swiftly as possible without sacrificing accuracy.

“By the power of dread Apophis, the snake that consumes all. I sacrifice this body to claim yours, my soul to displace yours. Your knowledge will be mine to use, your strength to become my own.” As I spoke, the darkness in the alley seemed to deepen. A snake of darkest black surrounded me, before launching into the chest of the powerless demon. As it sunk its ethereal fangs into the demon’s chest, I felt my soul being drawn through the connection. Going with the flow, I had a moment of disorientation as I felt myself connected to both bodies, but that was gone in an instant.

“You all right Valorian?” Sten asked.

“I’m fine.” I said from the ground. “Kill the old vessel with the knife of the other.” I ordered. While Sten did his grisly work, I got acclimated to my new body. While I couldn’t see the actual system this world uses, I could learn the majority of what I needed from the mind I now possessed.

“Hmm, this should be helpful. Shadow Infiltrator, a second tier demon. More of a spy class than a master thief, but that’s fine. It has all the skills I would need anyway.” I mumbled, though I knew Sten would be paying attention. “Even better, this one works as a liaison between the Thieves’ Guild and the nobles of Aerie.”

“It’s a good body? Excellent.” Sten said, making sure that he didn’t get any blood on himself. “How are we going to get rid of the drained body?”

“May the eternal shadows accept this gift. Consuming Darkness.” I said, and a tornado of dark energy erupted from my right hand to consume the body of Cor’lend. “That takes care of that. Let’s go. Someone will be along soon to investigate the strange energies.” I said. WE hurried to the mouth of the alley, before we slowed to a normal speed.

“I have us a place to stay the night. Let’s get a few things of that worm meal. I’ll need a few hours to truly figure out what this can do.” I said, getting a nod from Sten. We set a meandering course around the nearby bazaar, not rushing, but not haggling. After nearly twenty minutes, we had what we needed and headed to the safe house that T’skaen had set up.