As the humans stared at me I said nothing as I ate the torso of the third large imp with its head floating above the ground. I didn’t feel the weight of the contract so I just continued to eat the imp. The imp was still alive as I ate pieces of meat inside of its ribcage but it was too I had severed the spine at the neck so all it could do was move its head muscles. The imp was mostly drained of fear and sorrow but still released flashes of pain as I ate certain parts of it. The human that spoke let out a loud breath as it stared at me. “I’m sorry to disturb your meal but we need to learn during the incident a year ago.” The human spoke but I mostly focused on my meal trying to poke at parts to get more pain from the imp. “What happened during the contract with Rat? Who helped him get a contract with you?” The human continued to waste its breath as I poked at deeper parts of the imp until the circle started to shine with magic.

“Demon I know you understand me. Give me what I want to know and I’ll give you these in return.” The human said as it pulled out 2 black crystals. As I stared at them memories of the large imps floated up, memories of large crystals in the fiery land that they call home that held massive power but those crystals were varying shades of red. ‘They tasty but an imp would probably taste better.’ I thought before refocusing on the imp. “While I could not offer you imps I imagine these will be far more worth your while than eating something that doesn’t fit your nature.” The man spoke and I stopped my feeding. ‘Can you hear me?’ I thought and the human moved its head up and down. “The circle allows us to understand each other even if you don’t have a mouth.”

‘A mouth but this imp has a mouth.’ I thought as I stretched between the muscles of the imp and took control of its mouth and any muscle connected to it. “I Do Have A moUTh.” I manage to force the imp to say as the imp writhes in pain from me injuring so many muscles in its head in doing so. “I see but I believe it's better if you just think what you want to say.” The human said as I felt some emotion flow out of all the humans but it was too muddled by the magic circle to tell what it was. ‘Why should I stop eating to just answer questions to you?’ I ask the human feeling irritated by this human nonstop talking. “I see that you have been eating imps and many of them based on what I can see. You must feel the effects of eating so much of something that nature is against yours. These crystals will help stabilize you and all that I ask is that you tell me what happened with Rat.” Well, that might be worth it if it could stop these impish thoughts.

‘Fine, what do you want to know?’ I think as I finally focus on the human. It seemed to be a male whose skin was darker than the other humans that I had seen and his clothes were far more looser compared to the other humans in the room with dark shades of purple. The human mouth is shaped upwards and shows its teeth. “Ман манфиати онро гирифтам.” The human spoke but I was unable to understand as several humans moved their heads up and down before leaving the room. The room was barely lit with candles in the corners on pieces of wood. The entire room was made of wood and things dangling from the ceiling outside of the circle but I barely cared.

“Let’s start with how did you get summoned by Rat.” The human said once everyone else left the room. ‘He summoned me using a book.’ I answered as I tried to see any magic beyond the magic circle but it seemed to be interfering with my sight. “Did he get any help? Was there anybody with him?” ‘None that I saw. He used the book and raved about revenge.’ “Why were you summoned? For revenge?” ‘Yes and no, he summoned for power for revenge but the first thing he wished for was for the gold ring that a noble stopped him from stealing.’ “And the contract used that first wish for the conditions for summoning you? Damn, those lizards are skulls are filled with cow shit. What happened after?”

The human asked shaking his head as another flowed out but the circle was messing with my senses. ‘He left the basement ate some lights made of light and tried to attack 3 humans that took from him.’ “Why did Rat run away?” ‘I made him run away.’ “Why?” ‘The magic in that place stopped me from helping Rat so I forced him to run.’ “Ok, how did Rat sneak into the redwood castle?” ‘Rat used my power over shadows to sneak past all the knights and sneaked through the gaps of doors and windows.’ “Why did Rat attack the scion of the Redwoods.” ‘Who?’ “The child that Rat bit the fingers off.” ‘The child was wearing a gold ring that looked similar to the one Rat was after. It fulfilled the contract conditions.’ “Did you make Rat attack the kid?” Despite asking the questions the same as the others I notice his muscles contract under his skin. ‘I made him believe that it was the ring that he failed to steal but his actions were his own.’

Stolen novel; please report.

The human breathes out again and their muscles return to normal. “Well that wasn’t much help but at least no more blood needs to be spilled. Here you go.” The man says before tossing the crystals into the magic circle below the imp. I forced the imp to grab the crystals using its mouth before pulling both the imp and the crystals into the center of myself as I quickly ate the imp. As I break a piece off one of the crystals and notice my mind start to slow. ‘No, I can’t return like this.’ I thought out to the human as the human turned around and grabbed a black candle that was unlit. “Why?” The human asked as I slowly floated down onto the ground eating half of one of the crystals. ‘I need time to eat these crystals but the imps will eat me if I return now.’ I think as I remember the light that the summoning creates. “Imps? Like the one you are eating? It seems you should be fine.” ‘No the flame imps will burn me before I could run away from them. They have so many imps that would have noticed the light of the summoning circle and will burn me as soon as I return.’ I beg as my mind continues to slow. “Wait why are there so many imps on your layer?” ‘Enough to fill me since Rat summoned me.’ “Ok tell me more about these imps and I let you stay until you have finished eating.” ‘What do you want to know?’ “Just tell me about all the imps that are hunting you down.”

I try to focus despite my mind continuing to slow. ‘They have hunted me before Rat summoned me. They had been eating all the lights of the layer so after Rat summoned me I started to hunt them. I have eaten so many of them but they keep coming and now imps covered in fire have started to show up. I manage to hurt one but the other fire imp can melt the sand and always push me back.’ I managed to think until my thoughts became too hard to form. The power inside of the crystals fills my core as I feel my body grow in size as dark energy fills me. The energy feels so familiar and comfortable.

POV: Traiden

I leave the demon in the room by itself. ‘The circle should be more than enough to contain it.’ I think as I turn to look at Leaden Redwood, the lord of the city. “Well you might be disappointed but it seems Rat was alone in attacking your family. It seems the lizard had a vendetta against you and your son got caught in the crossfire.” I tell the lord an old friend as I take a seat on one of the couches ignoring the looks the guards are sending me way. “But?” Leaden asks already knowing that I know more. “I think it's too crowded,” I complain as I smile at the guards who frown at my words as Leaden waves them away. “Leave us.” The guards nod at their lord's words and leave the room into the hallway. “What did you learn?” “It seems that Rat somehow got involved with the cult spreading through your city and they have managed to infest the layer connected here with imps that aren’t native to that layer.” I sigh as I feel a headache come along.

“How?” Leaden asks rubbing his head. “I don’t know but that red imp was part of that invading force. That shadow demon has been eating them as they come but they have been sending stronger imps meaning that it’s probably a clan that has been contracted by the cult.” I rely on what the demon told me recalling the armless red imp that it was eating. The thing was still twitching its eyes and mouth so the demon was keeping the imp alive as it devoured it alive. “Don’t remind me about that thing. I haven’t seen anything that made my stomach churn since my days in the army. How could they manage to get a clan to invade a layer?” Leaden asks slightly green probably imaging the imp. “Sacrifices but for what besides to make sure people like me would be less useful here I don’t know. If that lizard summoned an imp beside that demon then your son probably wouldn’t be scarred for life but half of the city would have burned instead.” I guess as I stood up and looked through a bag filled with crystals smoke bloomed out of the bag and snaked around the room. “Could that have been their plan?” “I don’t see why. They don’t gain anything from killing a city's worth of people besides getting those higher-than-thou bastards in their business.” I say as I pull out a black crystal with streaks of purple through it.

“What’s that for?” Leaden asks as he shuffles away from the smoke that gets a bit too close to him. “Get back here Airen,” I tell the demonic smoke as it flows back to me releasing a laughter that only I could sense. “Airen, go investigate that shadow demon in the magic circle. Make sure that it’s not pretending.” I tell the smoke and it flows through the gaps of the door frame. “This is for our shadow demon. Since the fire imps have a way to burn it why don’t we give it the chance to burn them back.” I tell Leaden dangling the crystal in front of me. Leaden simply raises an eyebrow at me.