Chapter 6 - The Recursion

I materialized over a familiar pit of tar and unwittingly I let out a loud whine. -” Nooooooouuu… “

I closed my eyes, and curled into a ball, resigned to the cruel fate of falling into a boiling pool.  -’ Not again… ‘ A tearful complaint appeared in my mind as I anxiously waited for the painful sensation of being engulfed by the burning liquid, but the moment seemed to last and last.

-” Oh, you are back. “ A husky voice spoke out. -” I expected you back in the warren or spawning pool, it seems someone altered your respawn point. “

Hesitantly, I took a peek and found out that I was held over a pool of tar by some glowing force. As if urged by the memory, my gaze quickly traveled over the soul keeper’s chamber, but dark stains on the stone was all that remained from recent events. My attention was quickly turned to the aquamarine aura that surrounded Sidsir’s hand and matched the haze that kept me from falling into a scalding liquid.

-” Anyway, good to have you back. “ Soul Keeper continued in absentminded voice, while she wrote in the book. -” As we had some delays in digging department. “

Being on a verge of falling into a pool of agonizing pain made me feel really weak and uncertain. -” Um, could you put me down… “ I started and then realized how stupid of a request that was. -” ...on the floor! Please! “

I was ecstatic when, after Sidsir’s inattentive gesture, I was thrown into the wall and fell to the blissfully solid stone. I didn’t even mind the rough impact, as my tears came at a bleak but painful memory of my last visit to the tar pit.

-” Thank you! “ I exclaimed while bowing down fervently. Somehow, recent events made me keenly aware of the small kindnesses and differences they could make. Suddenly, I froze in my homage as I registered the meaning behind Sidsir’s words. -” Um, what do you mean by altered respawn point? “

-” The imps usually appear directly in the warrens, where they live, or in the spawning pool, which is just a pool of a cold water. “ Sidsir explained in an impassive voice. -” It appears that someone patched you directly to my chamber… “ Somehow I had a bad feeling about this. -” ...which is usually used for punishment. Well, if I were you I would quickly get resistant to heat. “ Somehow, I could glimpse a bit of humor in the last remark.

-” How could I… “ I started but Sidsir stoped me before I could finish the question.

-” A,a! “ She interrupted in a high pitched tone. -” That’s a time to be digging tunnels, not asking questions. “ Sidsir raised a hand, which began to glow with red light. -” Good luck, work hard. Ianuae Magicae. “ Her sudden chant prevented me from trying to ask anything else and a familiar feeling of being compressed and stretched came over me.

* * *

With a sudden snap, that shook my very existence, I materialized in a cave. The sensation of being transported was something I couldn’t get used to, it was as if I was a stretched rubber band that abruptly returns to its shape, but in reverse, as I was compressed rather than stretched.

-” Ha! Caught one! “ A low, orotund voice came at me and before I realized what was happening I was grasped by some sort of demon. Reflexively, I tried to struggle, but it was fruitless as the demon was twice my size.

As big, clawed hands gotten better grip on me and applied crushing pressure I grew desperate and tried to use my claws, though I forgot that they were trimmed.

-” Hey! Hu! Stop that! Hahaha! Stop it! “ A demon lost its grip on me and stepped back, still giggling uncontrollably. It was covered with bony creases and thick, brown skin and could be mistaken for some sort of gremlin with horns… a really dangerous looking gremlin.

Suddenly, I was struck by the realization that I was free. With desperate effort I began to look for exit, but as I started scampering towards it the demon recovered.

-” Ey! Stop, running! If you escape I will have to punish you! “ Somehow there was a desperate tone sounding in its voice, but I learned enough to not accept such declarations easily… still I didn’t want to get in trouble either. I decided to listen to what the demon had to say.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

-” Ah, good, you stopped. Chasing imps is hard and I just got the job! “ Demon sounded relieved and there was pleading notes in its voice. I couldn’t decided whether I should run while I can or stay and listen to what he has to say. -” Look, I am new at this and there’s awful backlog on the work. Please don’t run and work hard. “

I took a step back, after laundry I wasn’t too keen on working, especially if I not necessarily had to. -” Why should I? “ I asked obstinately to confirm my position.

-” Look, I don’t want to get in trouble, you don’t want too. “ The demon said amicably. -” There’s helload of stone to dig through and if we don’t meet the quota we will get in trouble. So instead of running around, trying to torture each other, why won’t we cooperate? I promise not to hit you and if you do well I will even give you some of these! “

The demon extended a hand with some small crystals lying on it, they looked like miniature shards of glass and vaguely resembled a strange crystal that the Lord fed me with. Suddenly I felt something much similar to a hunger, but different, a sort of craving for the glowing crystals. The urge came together with a realization that I wasn’t feeling hungry since eating the Lord’s crystal.

-” How do I know that I can trust you? “ I was done with getting swindled and I was not falling for the weak guy act, I had a suspicion that the weakest looking demons actually were the meanest. -” I already digged for free. “ I added to bring my point across. -’ If it’s a trap I still should be able to run for it. “

-” Ehh, can’t you just take my word for it? “ Demon sighed, but upon seeing my intransigence he looked at me with tired expression. -” I can vouch with a mana bound oath for all that I just said. Will you accept if we do it officially? “

-” First off, I don’t know what exactly it is, and second, if it’s working as you are suggesting why others aren’t using it? “ I voiced my doubts instantly.

-” Didn’t you know that the demons can’t go against sworn oath? Though it has to be confirmed with a binding seal. “ Demon explained impatiently. -” And it isn’t widely used because it costs mana, so could we get this on with? We wasted enough time. “

Reluctantly, I agreed and learned that making a binding oath is quite simple, though I wasn’t the one that paid the cost. Soon, we exchanged the vows and  a silvery rune appeared on the Torith’s arm, as that was his name. It appears that he was promoted to the Overseer’s position after his predecessor was *demoted* in the Sidsir’s chamber.

-” What are you waiting for?! Get on with it, we aren’t even half done and only several hours is left before the quotas estimation! “ Torith exclaimed and shoved a pickaxe at me. -” I am going to personally eat a mana crystal from your pay for each meter we are short on quota thanks to you being late! “

-” Ey, you said that you will pay me for my hard work! “ I protested. -” You swore it! “

-” That I did. “ Torith agreed matter of factly. -” So you better get that pickaxe moving, cos in the next seventeen hours there’s nine yards of bedrock to dig through… and I am going to eat one of your shards for each yard we are short. “

*Cinq*

*Cinq*

*Cinq*

*Cinq*

Sharp sound of picaxe striking the bedrock resounded loudly.

-” Ai, Ai, Ai! “ I yelled while doing my best to break the unyielding rock.  -’  I knew the nice ones are the worst! ‘ Vengeful thought rushed through my mind.

I wanted to cry at a realization that I was not going to have a break for a long time… and that’s just after finishing the shift at the laundry.

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Hey~, Author's here~

well I cleared some of the backlog on other fiction only to have one grow here. Meh. Anyway I will try to update both of them in semi regular manner, though I am still struggling with reaching a satisfying release speed.

Well, back on topic- I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

Cheers,

Mea

NEXT CHAPTER: Chapter 7 - The Attrition

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