Chapter 279: Demonic Terms of Entry

Even though they were standing in the halls of demonic power, most of the demons had left. What remained wasn't even a symbol, it was just an empty shell: the demons' rule over the Commonwealth had always been based on their personal overwhelming strength. The grand hall felt surreal as Kai walked through it to talk to his allies.

"This could be worse," Omilaena said as soon as he arrived. "By far the best result would have been to be ignored entirely, but Troulon ruined that by recognizing me. Nothing is ever secure, with demons, but having their official sanction is as close as we can get."

"Did you hear what he said?" Kai asked. "I was afraid it might make things worse for us, but I didn't think that refusing would be a good idea..."

"No, no, this is good. Having one of the stronger demons actually speaking for us is decent protection. You will have to actually work with him, though, and there's a chance he's just fattening you up to eat later."

That had occurred to Kai too, but he doubted that was the case. Gorutiel was so strong he had no reason to use deception, and he certainly seemed straightforward. "Am I going to have to help kill a Savage Heart user, though?"

"Just find a bad one and kill him," Zae Zin Nim said. "I don't think we can trust the demons at all. That other one is probably going to attack me first chance she gets."

"Oh yeah, Lilaetiel is definitely going to be a problem." Omilaena glanced back toward the emptying council chamber. "If we cut and run now, we could probably get out cleanly. Gain a little more strength on the way out of the Commonwealth and then go somewhere else. But that's the easier option. The real power is right here, alongside the real risks."

"That's easy for you to say. You don't have a demon drooling over your cultivation."

"Did you see Troulon's ability? He's a Gray Demon now, and that means he eats minds. There's a chance he still has some camaraderie left in him, but I bet he wants to eat me. We're strong enough that all of us are potential targets. The question is whether the risk is worth it."

"Let's not make a final decision now," Kai suggested. "It's been a long day and we've all been fighting. We can decide what to do after we sleep on it."

It was hard to argue with such a suggestion, so they followed Kai outside and flew away in the diamond star. The city of Traeton was every bit as bright as it had been before, but now Kai's attention was drawn to all the stark shadows cast by the lights. In some places there were almost none, but in between concentrations of lights the shadows cut across buildings like black knives.

Even though he'd suggested they sleep first, when they returned to the inn none of them felt restful. The room was as luxurious as before, it just no longer seemed so cozy or secure. Eventually they all ended up in the sitting chairs, not yet speaking but all knowing what they had to decide.

"What if Kai takes on the risk?" Omilaena eventually asked. "I'm asking both of you that, by the way."

Kai shrugged. "My risk is working with Gorutiel? If he's so interested in the Savage Creed, it sounds like he would have been a problem no matter how I try to get to them. I think it's better to take the danger head on instead of letting it flank you."

"Good. You'll probably be safe due to him - except from him, of course - so the question is us. I think we could stick together and accomplish our objectives in tandem. I need information and Zae Zin Nim needs chakra... we can get both together. The two of us are strong enough that no single rogue demon can take us down, at least not quickly."

Zae Zin Nim frowned in response. "That sounds good in theory, but I don't trust your old friend. He could be planning something much worse."

"I agree we can't ignore him," Omilaena said. "Maybe Kai is right: face the danger head on. I'll go speak with him directly. If he's determined to be a problem, then yes, my plan might be unwise. But we shouldn't retreat unless it's strategic, and I think this is the time to advance."

After a long pause, Zae Zin Nim turned to Kai. "You're taking the largest risk, going alone with a demon. What do you think?"

"I..." He hadn't planned on this being all his decision, and after agreeing on his own he had sort of been assuming he'd stepped too far. But everywhere in the world seemed to include numerous risks, and this might be their best chance at the Commonwealth. "I think we should stay, at least unless something goes wrong. Give the way things are going in the north, this may be the least dangerous the Commonwealth will be in years."

To his surprise they both nodded in response, as if there wasn't going to be any more debate. Was it really that simple? As many threats as loomed around them, Kai was surprisingly warmed that they would trust him like that. Hopefully their trust was justified.

.

..

.

"You really aren't searching for anything to undermine the current order?"

"Just my old theories about power." Omilaena shifted her smile a notch toward self-deprecation. "They might be crackpot, but I think I've gained enough experience for some real scholarship."

Troulon watched her for a while, still cautious. When he finally spoke he didn't address her direct request, but he did turn to politics. Diversions were convenient when you were equally fine with either path.

"It's all based on Matiavel, of course," he said. "He's everything the rumors say, definitely equal to the other great powers. But personally, he doesn't care about anything but his own strength. The only policies he ever intervenes on have to do with how to... you remember the treatise about extremely powerful forces?"

"Optimization-based mutually assured destruction, sure."

"Right. He doesn't get involved or work with the rest, so I couldn't tell you exactly what he wants or what he's trying to do."

She actually knew more than him about this, then, but Omilaena smiled as if that was useful information. Instead of tapping her fingernails against the table, she began tracing back and forth instead.

"There are several weaker factions, including the scholars led by me," Troulon continued. "For example, a delegation that handles Flaeren Dominion affairs. And there are some independents like Gorutiel, who just have their pet projects and don't involved."

"So who are the real players?"

"The artisan unions are as critical as always. There are multiple demons working with them, including Lilaetiel strangely enough. She's pushing them toward something, I'm not sure what. Then of course the Commonwealth Trade Guild is a major power. It was neutral until recently, when new leadership started moving in an increasingly extractive direction."

That was all valuable intelligence, both for keeping herself alive and potentially trading to the elves. But Omilaena didn't want to look too interested, so she smirked and returned to her other interest. "None of them sound particularly dedicated to keeping one innocent woman out of the library."

"Innocent?" Troulon barked a laugh. "Look, I'm willing to consider it, but not for free. I need your help preserving the library and dealing with some of the other demons. I know you don't care about the books in the same way I do, but if you put in some time, I'll bend the rules for you to get what you want."

"Deal." Omilaena extended her hand and patted his arm. Once again he gave a shiver and she lowered her voice. "What's it like, being a Gray Demon?"

"Normally it's worth it." He rubbed his forehead and turned away. "I'm sharper now, and I can remember so much. With normal people there's no trouble controlling it. But then I saw you again and... don't worry, I'll remain controlled. Demonic draining processes are horribly inefficient, anyway."

"That's so kind of you!" She beamed as if he wasn't discussing killing and eating her.

They negotiated the basics of their deal, which would require her to support the library in return for books. Considering that she needed to do a lot of preliminary research in order to find the obscure texts she needed, it wouldn't slow her down much. The much greater problem was keeping herself and her allies intact during the search.

As she walked back to the others, Omilaena glanced back at her old comrade one more time. He'd been a quiet, disciplined man. If even he struggled to contain his demonic ability...

One of her plans had been to acquire a demonic art herself, since she could think of several that would potentially work together with her skills. But after seeing Troulon so vulnerable to his own appetites, she'd changed her mind. Even if her mental control was better, she couldn't afford a weakness like that. Which meant that one of her main plans to advance was closed and she needed knowledge more than ever.

When she returned to the others she saw them watching her coolly. She'd just made a deal with a demon, after all, and even though Kai had done the same not long ago, he knew it wasn't the same. Zae Zin Nim was always hard to read, but there was suspicion in those dark eyes. If she needed to make compromises here, she risked pushing both of them further away...

Kai smirked. "Omi?"

"It's obviously an old nickname," Omilaena snapped, but she had to swallow a smile. "If you use it, I will poison you."

"You're pretty likely to do that anyway."

One thing, at least, had gone well. But as Omilaena looked over her shoulder at the Great Library retreating behind them, she wondered just how much blood lay between her and her goal.