Chapter 11

Lilith took off her dress and began to put on her arming jacket and plate armor. Nothing was more supportive than magically fitted solid steel after all. She dismissed the gauntlets and helmet and didn’t bother to bring her sword. She looked at herself once in the closet mirror to check how her tail fit with the armored skirt. Surprisingly, it was small enough that it fit within the skirt comfortably, even if it did move with a mind of its own. She made an approving sound and a nod before she quickly left her room and went back the way she had came only a few minutes earlier.

Stepping in to the master study she found Sir Tanel sitting at a large desk with a few ledgers to his side.

Lilith let out a slight cough to alert him to her presence as she stood there with her tail swinging side to side making a bit of noise with her metal skirt.

Sir Tanel looked up from his desk and did a double take. “Oh you’re dressed for batt…” He stopped mid sentence as he did a double take before asking. “Whats that?” pointing a finger at her new appendage.

“A gift apparently” Lilith said with a bit of sarcasm.

“What kind of”

Lilith cut him off though saying, “It doesn’t matter. What did you need me for this morning? I have an appointment at noon and I need some new clothes before then.”

“Very well, actually it is about what you mentioned yesterday, that you could help improve our militia. You know, better weapons, better tactics and all that.” Sir Tanel said in a rushed manner as he leaned to the side trying to get a better look at what was behind her.

Lilith cleared her throat to try and get his mind off the distraction “Ok, how should I begin?”

“Why don’t you write up a proposal of some kind and bring it back to me when you are done. Cost, time, material, any other resources you need to make it work. Would you like a page to help you?.”

“No I should be fine. I will need a writing implement and some large sheets of paper and some money. For the clothes I mentioned.” she clarified seeing his brows furrow.

“Six gold should cover the clothes I think. And the quill and parchment are on the page’s desk over there.”

Lilith walked over to Sir Tanel and took the coins and then proceeded over to the page who had already stood up from his seat to allow her to access his desk. There she saw 5 ink wells and two stacks of paper. It looked like the page was busy copying a document. Lilith picked up two of the ink wells and about half of the stack of blank paper. She then turned to Sir Tanel who was pretending to review the ledger on his desk while he was studying her rear end with one eye. Letting out a sigh she turned to face him saying, “Thank you sir regent. I will return when my report is done.”

With that, Lilith left the room letting the door close on its own as both her hands were full. Carefully she walked back to the guest room and placed the inkwells and paper on the mirrored desk and sat down. She couldn’t help but look in the mirror as her face was such an odd and alluring sight. Bright red hair and glowing red eyes. She let out a sigh of frustration but as she did she noticed her teeth were different than before. Her canine teeth were half an inch longer. “Great now I look like a vampire” she lamented. Staring at her own eyes again Lilith remembered that font of magic that dwelled within them and focused on her minds eye to open her magical codex once again. Surprised by what she saw she began reading each of the new entries.

[Darkness] [Flaming Sphere] [Hold Person] [Knock] [Alter Self] [Silence]

These were second level spells. Lilith looked at the next page with anticipation.

[Bestow Curse] [Blink] [Dispel Magic] [Fireball] [Haste] [Magic Circle] [Lightning Bolt]

“OMG I can cast fireball!!” Lilith said out loud while clutching one hand to her mouth.

[Dimension Door] [Fabricate] [Greater Invisibility] [Locate Creature] [Polymorph] [Stone Shape] [Wall of Fire]

These were very powerful 4th level spells. Lilith couldn’t help but wonder if Polymorph would work on her.

The last page had only the following

[Dawn] [Pact Magic]

Lilith was pretty sure she knew who chose these spells for her now. But [Pact Magic] This wasn’t part of any D&D book that she was aware of. Maybe it was some secret mortals weren’t allowed to know about. She examined the spell runes and began to decipher them curious as to what she had uncovered.

Pact Magic, targets a living creature with a mortal soul of the caster’s choosing. A cost and a spell effect are negotiated between both parties. The effect can be any portion of a spell or any combination of spell effects known by the caster. The duration and magnitude of the effects depend on what resources are consumed as a cost for the spell. The resources can be consumed instantly or consumed over time to maintain or prolong an effect. The effects can target the devil, the mortal or a third party. Costs must come from the caster or from the contracted mortal, not from the third party.

Lilith thought about this. She quickly came to a solid and shocking conclusion. This had to be the very spell that brought her here. She was the third party. And this spell seemed to have no limits on range. But how would a devil even know about Earth? Presumably every being that went to earth from here did so on a one way trip. So how would word of Earth get back to Faerun? Apparently her prayer had gotten all the way to earth and Lathander helped see that it was answered. Wait that means Lathander can move information and maybe even magical power to Faerun from Earth. Yes Lathander had some deeper connection to Earth than anyone knew.

Lilith looked at the paper in front of her and was suddenly not interested in the project at hand. She needed to talk to Wendel and tell him what she had discovered as it had implications for her world and her chances of getting home. She left her room and checked the clock in the hallway. It was only 8:30. Walking briskly, she left the keep and cut across the grassy field before she was stopped by the two guards posted outside Wendel’s tower. Both the guards looked a bit nervous at her approach but stood firm gripping their spears a bit tighter.

Rather than getting mad Lilith decided that this was a good opportunity to gather more information on her other task. “Guard can I inspect your shield?”

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“What for ma'am?” The man asked, giving her a skeptical look. The guard had tan skin and a small scar over his right eye and he obviously took his job seriously.

Lilith smiled at his caution and at how he had used her name. ‘That was a pleasant surprise. Someone must have told the guards not to call me demon.’ she surmised. “I am trying to make improvements to the Militia’s arms and armor for Sir Tanel.” she explained.

“As long as I can have it back ma’am. I am on duty.”

Lilith nodded and began to look at the shield as he released it from his grip. Sure enough, the shield was held with a handle rather than arm straps. Luckily she knew exactly how to improve this. With a design already in mind Lilith handed the guard his shield back and glanced at the door. “May I enter the tower? I am looking for Wendel and Celeste.”

“They are inside ma’am but I can’t let you inside without a reason. I wouldn’t be much of a guard if I did.”

“Well I am looking for magical means to speed up the process of improving the same arms and armor I mentioned before.” Lilith explained. She really just wanted to talk about magic and the events that brought her here with Wendel but she could also ask him about the shields as well.

“Very well, they are probably on the second floor, in the library.”

Without another word Lilith went in and stole a look at Pencheska. She was pacing back and forth in the magic circle and sure enough there was a brown pile of waste behind her. Lilith gave her a friendly wave as she walked over and up the stairs. Faint screams and pounding could be heard behind her which put a smile on Lilith’s face as she took the large stone stairs one at a time.

Reaching the library, Lilith saw Wendel and Celeste sitting at a large table surrounded by ghastly looking books. Some were bound by bones, while others were made from types of demonic flesh. One book even had a very distinctly demon shaped claw as a clasp to keep it shut. Each of the books were open to various pages and facing towards either Celeste or Wendel as they seemed to be pouring over them.

“What cha readin?” Lilith asked in a sing song voice.

Both her friends looked up at her but only Wendel answered while Celeste reached for a book mark. “Oh we are looking up information on your condition. So all these books are about Devils and Demons and their life cycles and interactions with each other.” he said motioning at the array of ghastly tomes with his hands.

“Find anything good?” Lilith asked as she walked over to Wendel’s side.

“Well most things in these books are bad… Very bad, in fact. But I did find something that might explain your condition. Celeste is trying to find a second source to confirm it.

“Oh, what does it say?”

“Did you find the same thing in that book Celeste?”

“Yes, but I can’t read the text.” Celeste handed the book towards Wendel but something in it caught the Lilith’s eye. The sketches in the book were very detailed and there was text under each one that looked like claw marks rather than something that was made with a pen.

“May I?” Lilith asked leaning over to look at the book.

“Sure” Wendel replied before asking “Can you read it?”

“Yes it says Zul Nan Dul’s rise to power. There are dates under each sketch some separated by 50 years others by hundreds.” She explained before looking at the sketches more closely. The first one showed a demon with clawed hands and hooves. In the next there was a whip like tail and black horns added to his frame. Then in the next sketch Zul Nan Dul had wings and was even larger in size, his face also seeming more horrid. Lastly in the sketch with the most recent date he had a large thick tail with a stinger and even larger horns in addition to tusks coming out of his mouth. This one set of four drawings painted a very clear picture.

“So, demons can get extra limbs as they gain power? And Lathander gave me more power last night. So I gained a green tail and more spells and bigger…ah.. teeth.” Lilith gave them both a toothy grin and spread her mouth a little so they could see her fangs.

“You can cast more spells since yesterday? Just like that?” Wendel asked in shock before he messes up his own hair in frustration and began to mutter “Years of studying and trials…”

“And you are sure I am a demon right?” she asked with a bit of hesitation.

“Yes Lilith. You are wearing demon plate. It is made in a specific forge that is controlled by the demon faction in the Abyss. Also, only demons can put it on. Apparently they don’t want their magical armor falling into enemy hands.” he explained motioning to her and her outfit.

“Then why can I cast devil pact magic?” Lilith asked while folding her arms and looking down at the master wizard.

If Wendel’s eyes could go wider, they would have. “You can cast pact magic?.. Devil, pact magic?”

“Look here guys I found something else.” Celeste called out as she began reading out of a red velvet covered book. Lilith waited in anticipation here eyes looking at the odd tomb before she realized the velvet texture was moving as if it was a wheat field blowing in a breeze. “It says here that Devils gain more spells as they gain age and power by feeding on human souls.”

“So demons gain power physically and Devils gain power magically as they move down their life cycle?” Lilith tried to clarify, thinking she was on the right track. “And I just gained... both?”

“Yes I think you are on to something keep going” Wendel encouraged.

“Ok give me some paper lets draw a diagram of this.” Lilith asked holding out her hands.

Celeste pulled out a blank spell scroll and an enchanted quill handing them both to Lilith after she pushed a few books aside. Lilith then sat down in a free chair and immediately began drawing.

“Now here is Faerun and here is Earth and this is their current state.”

“Why do you call your world ‘Dirt’?” Wendel asked.

“We don’t that’s just how it translates.” Lilith replied as she continued to draw.

“So currently we have a human in a demons body and a devil in a human’s body.”

“Correct” Wendel stated flatly while looking at the stick figures she was drawing on the two similar looking planets.

“So lets go back 24 hours and what do we get?” Lilith asked with a huge grin on her face. Because she had just figured out the answer.

“The human is in the human body and the devil is in the Demon body” Wendel exclaimed as he stood to his feet. “Holy hell!!!”

“That’s insane! A devil in a demon’s body would be almost unstoppable! They would have nearly unlimited power to draw on.” Celeste shouted as she also stood, too excited to remain seated due to what they had uncovered.

(For Sketch see link at end of chapter)

“And they would need that much power to cast a wish spell that spanned from Faerun to Dirt!…. Wendel, what was the odd request that Maldeval made to you?” Lilith asked looking at Wendel expectantly.

“Well, my request was to have a demonic champion that could pass for human to defeat the orc champion while under my control until it was banished at midnight. But then he asked that I add something to it. He had me add ‘And may the mind and soul of Maldeval be transposed with another and sent to the happiest place on earth.’ but that last word it has no meaning I had never heard it before.”

Lilith literally smacked her face with her palm making a sickening slap. “Of course…. Its always the same wish!” Both her friends looked at her with confusion. “That last word, that’s the name of my world. The happiest place on Dirt is a specific place and I lived only 20 miles from it.”

“Oh this explains everything!….Except for everything else.” Wendel said as he pounded his palm on a book with an evil looking eye in it’s center.

“Well like what?” Lilith asked not sure why Wendel was upset considering how much progress they had made.

“Why would Maldeval get himself stuck on an anti magic world when he has divination magic?” Wendel asked while gesturing his open palm towards Lilith.

“Hmmm, you have a point. But that just means one of two things. Either divination magic doesn’t work on Dirt, or….. he went there intentionally. Maybe he was running from something.”

“Yes, I think we need to know more about Maldeval. I am going to write a letter to the magic shop in Waterdeep and see if they can shed some light on the origins of this devil’s sending stone.” Wendel got up from the table and went over to a lectern that was against the wall.

“We still have a few hours before the noon service. Can you help me go over my spell list and practice a few things? I want to know how to properly use these if I have to.” Lilith asked of Wendel.

Celeste then got up and gave Wendel her best puppy dog eyes “And then can we cast some spells too?”

“Fine! Fine! I will write the letter after lunch. Whats the first spell you want to go over?” Wendel asked going back to his chair closing and stacking a few of the books, making a pile at the end of the table.

Soon they began going through Lilith’s spell list starting from the low level spells all the way up to her highest level spell, [Dawn]. Wendel then spent extra time reiterating how one should never use fireball or Dawn indoors and never use lightning while standing in water or even on wet grass.

Once they were done with the impromptu magic class, Lilith tried her first spell under Wendel’s guidance. She cast [Polymorph] on herself in an attempt to change into a female human. This of course had no effect. Next they tried [Alter Self] to try and get rid of her tail and reduce her height but it failed as well. It seemed that the weave did not want to make it easy for demons to blend into the mortal realm. Lilith was finally able to cast a spell with [Greater Invisibility] and began walking around the room putting the books back into the book case while humming the theme song to Ghost Busters.

Next was Celeste’s turn and she cast [See Invisibility] so she could watch Lilith as she crept over to mess up Wendel’s already hair. After Lilith was visible again Celeste cast [Spider Climb] and began walking up the walls and standing on the ceiling. Wendel, seeing an opportunity, had her replace some of the enchanted candles while she was up there. Finally, Lilith tried a new cantrip that she had never seen before. It was a longer range version of [Misty Step] that she could cast at will so she began using it liberally. Lilith blinked around the room and up to the ceiling where her friend was. She could feel the light fixture she was holding onto begin to give way so she ped back down landing behind a very surprised master wizard.

Celeste then tried to find more books with sketches of demons. After a bit she found an example that looked at least close to Lilith in most ways. It was a demoness with light pink skin and a matching tail that was about 3’ long. On the next page there was another sketch of a very similar demoness with the same tail but this time it had bat like wings. “Maybe if you get more power you could learn to fly?” Celeste said cheerfully holding the book up for her friend to see.

Lilith looked at the image closely but noticed that the tail and the creatures skin were the same color unlike hers. ‘Would be nice to fly though’ she thought to herself before taking the book into her own hands to read a bit further.

But before she could read much more, the clock on the wall struck 12 prompting the three of them to head down stairs. Once on the first floor they exchanged curse words with Pencheska before leaving the tower and going the short distance down the street to the temple of Lathander.