“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”

― Mahatma Gandhi

“Any fool can know. The point is to understand.”

― Albert Einstein

As Tabitha turned around, a flash of silver and gold blurred towards her. Then arms wrapped around her waist, not even reaching halfway because of her size.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you. I knew you would come; I knew you would not abandon me.”

Zula held on to Tabitha fiercely and buried her face into the greater she-devil’s taut stomach. Tabitha placed a hand gently on top of Zula’s head and patted it. Zula looked up and smiled.

“You are the first friend I have made since I got here. I would be a piss poor friend if I let something bad happen to you without doing anything to stop it.”

“Well said. Right on. I must say, that was a splendid display of fist to cuffs I have ever seen.”

Tabitha looked up to the voice’s owner, the red demoness with black eyes gave her two thumbs up. The green demoness by her side was shorter, had four wings flapping at the speed of a hummingbird’s wings. She was hovering a foot off the ground and gave Tabitha a wink and a smile.

“My, my, look at you. A greater she-devil, and a pretty one at that.”

The green she-demon looked Tabitha up and down in appreciation.

“Oh boy, I can see a lot of males and some females trying to woo you. I feel like things are about to change in the Nether Realm.”

The green she-demon was wiggling her eyebrows up and down like a villain. What is up with her? Is she okay or is she cuckoo? As Tabitha was staring at the strange green, she-demon asking herself these questions. The red demoness said.

“My apologies.”

She bowed her head towards Tabitha, acknowledging her superiority.

“Allow me to introduce myself and my companion. My name is Talin, and this is my friend Balca. Thanks to you, not only did you free us. You have rescued us from permanent death, which would have been unpleasant.”

Balca still hovering placed her hands behind her head in a relaxed pose saying.

“Yeah, permanent death is so not us. Being alive is so much more…fun and interesting. Thanks to you, we can go on living and have fun and discovering some interesting things.”

Balca gave Tabitha another wink and smile, for some reason Tabitha found this strange and a bit disconcerting. Whatever, Tabitha decided to concentrate on more important matters.

“I’m glad to meet both of you Talin and Balca. My name is Tabitha Elaine Pearson, I use to be a human on one of the earthly realms. I understand from Zula that there has never been a new arrival who became a devil. Unlike most demons, devils are born in the Nether Realm.”

“Exactly.”

Talin agreed walking up to Tabitha to examine her like some new model car.

“I must admit when Zula told us that a greater she-devil was her companion. I found it hard to believe. But to hear that you are in fact a new arrival and once human, well…”

Talin shrugged.

“It boggles the mind. I have so many questions. Why was a former human transformed into a devil? Is there something about you that is special? Were you touched by fate or destiny or perhaps both? There are no answers to these questions, but I have a feeling.”

“What kind of feeling?”

Zula asked after Talin paused for a while. Talin gave her a smirk and said.

“I feel that as Balca said, things are about to change for the Nether Realm. Whether that will be for good or ill, only time will tell.”

Why are these females talking about me like I’m something special? Sure, I’m a devil but I am not the only devil in the Nether Realm. Tabitha shook her head and shrugged.

“Well, everything ended well, and nobody died permanently. But I have one question.”

“Sure Tabitha, ask away.”

Zula encouraged and the other women nodded waiting for Tabitha’s question.

“Well, how do we get clothes? Zula, you had on a black dress but now it’s gone. All of us are naked, and I don’t mind being naked myself. But I assume that it will cause problems for us in the future.”

“What!”

Balca looked shocked at hearing Tabitha’s question.

“You mean you don’t know how to create your own clothes?”

Talin lifted her head to the cavern ceiling and sighed.

“Balca, you know Tabitha is a new arrival. Not born of the Nether Realm, and she is only three days old. She might not be aware of what she can or cannot do. As a matter of fact, we don’t know what she can or cannot do.”

Talin gave Tabitha another smirk.

“All we can do is show her the basics.”

Balca tapped her chin with a slender finger and nodded in agreement.

“My bad but look at the bright side.”

“And what would be the bright side?”

Tabitha asked with a cocked eyebrow, Balca smiled saying.

“We get to be your teachers. Ah, having a student. It has been too long.”

Tabitha thought learning from these three female demons was a good idea. Zula felt like the little sister Tabitha never had even though she is 83 years older than Tabitha. Talin seems older too, Tabitha guessed that she has a few centuries under her belt. Talin had the baring of a sophisticated woman, even though she was in the nude. Balca…well the green she-demon had an air of a carefree attitude. Plus, Tabitha thought the demoness might be a little unhinged.

After making sure that Kasca was still being held by her spell and healing properly. Tabitha and the others sat in a circle and got down to business. Talin began the lessons.

“Okay, Tabitha from what I saw during the fight with Kasca. You have a grasp on your magical potential. Tell me, when was the first time you ever use magic and how did it feel?”

Tabitha thought about it for a moment, trying to get her thoughts into order. When Tabitha was ready, she said.

“The first time I used magic it was when I fought three rogue demons. Two of them cast fire at me and I just focused on the fire and will them to do what I wanted. It was not any type of special ability I have; it was all instinct.”

“Exactly.”

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

Talin replied.

“The basic of magic is for any being who can control the magical energies from within and without to use it. You need to remember two things, focus, and will. You focus on the spell you wish to cast and then you will it so. It sounds easy but it is more complicated than that. Focus and will are determined by how much magical energy you have within your own body. And how much magical energy you can draw from the environment you are in. It sounds easy but trust me it is not.”

“Yeah, I tell yah. Some humans have more magical energy than others. The same goes for demons, angels, devils, and gods.”

Balca cut in.

“Everyone has a different level of magical energy, and your capacity to contain magical energy increases the older you get and the more you learn.”

“My mother taught me that gods have huge magical capacities within themselves. But they can gain more magical energy by creating Reservoirs.”

“What are Reservoirs Zula?”

Tabitha asked.

“Reservoirs are magical containers created to hold vast amounts of magical energy for the users. They can be anything, jewels like rubies, gems, diamonds, crystals, etc. Or they could be simple things like books, mirrors, rings, a weapon, or practically anything you can create to hold magical energy. The gods were the first to do this, there are two types of Reservoirs for the gods. There is the Pantheon Reservoirs and the Godly Reservoirs.”

Talin took up the explanation from there.

“As you may have surmised, the Pantheon Reservoirs are meant for all the gods and goddesses in the Pantheon they belong to. But the Godly Reservoir is for the personal use of the individual god. As you can guess these Reservoirs are used by the gods to perform miracles or to wage war or whatever they want to use them for. So, Tabitha, do you have any questions to what we have told you.”

Tabitha’s eyes were wide with surprise, then she held up a hand and ask.

“How do these gods and goddesses fill their Reservoirs?”

“Oh, that’s simple.”

Balca said rocking her body back and forth in her sitting position.

“Their Reservoirs can accumulate magical energy over time, but this is a slow process. To speed it up, the gods use mortals.”

Tabitha cocked her head at that. How do mortals increase the Reservoirs for the gods? And then she understood, Tabitha said one word.

“Worshipers.”

Balca smiled and laughed.

“Hey, look at that. Not only are you gorgeous, but you’ve also got a brain too. I think I’m in love.”

Tabitha was glad that her skin was red because she was blushing at the compliment. Balca continued with the lesson.

“Yes, the gods use worshipers to fill and fuel their Reservoirs. That is truly what mortals are for, a source of power for the gods.”

Tabitha’s eyes narrowed at that.

“So, you are telling me that even though the gods are powerful. They use mortals for their own ends, mortals don’t really need the gods. It’s the gods who need mortals.”

Talin nodded.

“Many mortals foolishly believe that the gods are the answer to all their problems. When in truth the gods tend to be the cause of some of their problems.”

“Yeah, that’s right. But if I want to be honest, I will have to say that there are a few gods who truly care for their mortals. Other than those few exceptions, most gods just use mortals to gain more power.”

Balca added.

“In the end, the gods are no different from devils. Because both seek more power.”

Zula said, and Tabitha had the feeling that comment had more to do with her father than anyone else. Balca clapped her hands together twice.

“Back on topic then. Now, Tabitha, you had asked about getting clothes.”

“Yes, Zula and three others were the first demons I ever met. Zula was wearing a black dress while the rogue demons had on leather and furs. I was wondering how you get clothes. Do you buy them or have them made or something else?”

Tabitha looked at Zula then Talin and finally Balca. It was Zula who answered her questions.

“Well Tabitha, clothes is really not an issue. We do not make clothes nor are there any shops or stores to buy clothes.”

Tabitha was about to ask how did they get clothes if they do not make or buy them when Zula asked a question of her own.

“Remember the dress I was wearing?”

Tabitha nodded that she did.

“Did you not think it strange that such a flimsy material like my dress did not burn up in this heated environment? The air in the Nether Realm is both acidic and toxic, not to mention the heat is over 200 degrees Celsius. A mortal would not survive in this environment much less their clothing.”

“Then how did your…?”

Tabitha paused and thought about it for a moment, and then it came to her.

“Your dress was not made by hand nor bought; your dress was a part of you. It fit you so perfectly, better than any woman who ever wore a dress. You created it with magic.”

“Yes, you figured it out so quickly Tabitha.”

Zula looked quite pleased, and Tabitha guessed that Zula was impressed with how fast she was understanding things.

“Well, I can see that you will be an apt student.”

Talin said with a grin.

“Yes, Tabitha we can create our own clothes using magic and the materials from our own bodies. And not just clothing, we can create armor too. If you have the power, you can create any type of garment or armor you can think of.”

Balca picked up after Talin paused.

“You need to understand Tabitha that all demons and devils don’t just use magic, we are magic. Our entire being down to the core is made up of magical particles. In truth demons and devils are not truly alive as mortals would think. We just exist in a higher state of being, when we enter the mortal realms. Our beings automatically incarnate bodies for us to use.”

“So…in other words we demons and devils are not only made up of magical particles but magical particles are all around us in the Nether Realm.”

Balca nodded at the conclusion Tabitha came up with.

“Yes, and because we incarnate a body when one of us goes to the mortal realm. If that body is injured it can regenerate because of the magical particles in our being and in the environment if there are any. Realms like earth which are technology dependent may have little to no magical particles.”

“That is why it is very difficult for demons and devils to enter realms like earth. It takes a lot of magical particles to incarnate a body. If you want to go back to earth, then you would have to find someone on earth to gather magical particles for you. This process can take years and depending on the strength of the demon or devil, it could take decades or even centuries to incarnate on earth.”

What Talin said made Tabitha sigh. So if I wanted to return back to earth and get revenge on those Romantians, I would not be able to. Earth would not have enough magical particles for me to incarnate a body. Then Tabitha’s eyes widen with memory.

“Wait a minute! The Romantians use magic when they started their war of conquest on earth.”

“ROMANTIANS!!”

All three she-demons said at the same time. Tabitha nodded.

“Eighty years ago on earth a new religion was born. The Holy Church of Romanto began a war of dominance against all the nations of the earth. They started the war with a combination of both technology and magic. If the earth realms are mostly technology-based realms, then they should not have much magical energy. If magical particles are needed to produce magical energy, then the earth I am from has produced enough magical particles for the Romantians to use. Which means…”

“It means that the earths are regaining their magical particles. It has been eons after the War for Armageddon. But to hear that Romanto has followers on one of the earth realms is troubling.”

Talin looked nervous so Tabitha said.

“All anyone knew about Romanto was what the Romantians preached about him, and even though we did not believe half of what they said. We could not deny the power and might of Romanto. The magic the holy warriors, priests, and High Priests used was formidable. Many nations fell under the shadow of the Romantians. Even my country which was once said to have been the most powerful nation on earth could not stand against them. Do you guys know anything about Romanto? Because even though Romanto is called the God of Order and Justice, not a lot is known about him.”

“I have heard of Romanto, but I’ve never met him.”

Talin said.

“I know there are many gods in the outer realms, but I have never heard the name Romanto before.”

Zula shrugged. On the other hand, Balca blew out a breath and sighed.

“Yeah, I know about Romanto, I even met him once. And let me tell you, that guy hates demons and devils with a passion to burn a thousand worlds. If he could destroy the Nether Realm, he would not hesitate. With that being said, Romanto isn’t above using demons as cannon fodder for his armies. This guy is a real scumbag, he’s unpleasant, mean, and treacherous. He has managed to convince a lot of gods that he is the good guy. A god of light, but he hires many mercenary demon armies to do his dirty work.”

Balca leaned forward a bit closer to Tabitha and stared into her gold and silver eyes.

“Listen to me Tabitha, if you ever meet Romanto face to face. Remember a couple of things, many might call him the God of Order and Justice. Many might believe that he is a god of light, but that is not his true nature. Romanto deceives and betrays, he will tell you all kinds of lies layered with bits and pieces of truths. He likes to confuse and make you doubt yourself, Do not be fooled and more importantly, do not trust Romanto. Believe me, you will regret it.”

Tabitha nodded in understanding.

“Trust me, I never liked the religion of Romanto. They call him the God of Justice, and yet he has allowed his worshippers to ravage the world. Now that you have told me a little about Romanto, I was right not to follow him like so many others.”

“That’s all good and well said, but now we need to get back to your lessons Tabitha.”

Talin clapped her hands once to get Tabitha’s full attention.

“First off, we will teach you how to create your own clothes. Now, it takes time for new arrivals to get the hang of this. But I would bet Tabitha that you will have no problem mastering this. Not after what I saw in your fight against the marilith.”

“I second that.”

Balca said she had a huge grin on her face. Zula just nodded and smiled. Tabitha released a breath and said.

“Alright then, let’s get started.”

And so, Tabitha’s lessons in magic and the history of the Nether Realm began. Tabitha always liked learning new thing, but because of the Holy Church of Romanto’s restrictions on the education system in her country. Tabitha and others like her never got to learn about the other countries or their histories or anything else that the church deemed heretical. Tabitha had to find out things for herself, knowledge from the outside world was illegal in the Church Lands. It was refreshing to learn something new without restrictions or fear of being disciplined harshly. Tabitha would learn everything her new friends could teach her. She had a feeling that she would need it.