Chapter Twenty-Five: The Golden Hell

Chapter Twenty-Five: The Golden Hell

I faced my predecessor, my shadow, my opposite. She glided towards me on golden wings carried by an invisible wind, her feet never touching the ground. She offered me her marble hand and all the powers in the world with a godly smile.

I answered by throwing my dagger at her servant.

I knew it would most likely fail. The Devil of Greed had enough power to stop the march of time, or at least fool my senses into believing she did, so she could likely stop the projectile in midair. Targeting her directly would probably lead to my death at worst, or nothing at best. For all I knew, the winged woman before me was nothing more than a projection.

But if she was indeed a fallen Merchant from ages past, then she had to obey the same rules I did. Sebastian had summoned her to make a deal like Sforza, Chastel, and their ilk all did before him. If he perished, then it would probably break whatever sorcery compelled the Devil of Greed to appear.

I couldnt be sure until I tried.

My blade flew across the gilded sky without a sound. It did not whistle nor did it cut through any air. It barely made it halfway to its destination before vanishing into a shower of light. When I blinked in surprise at the sudden flash, I realized it hadnt left my hand at all.

A clever attempt, Robin, but a useless one. If anything, my gesture only amused the Devil of Greno, Daltia. She sounded less frightening when I called her by name in my mind. You cannot harm me here, no more than I can harm you. This ideal space born of our powers will only allow for trades to happen within it.

I knew better than to believe a master manipulator and slaver of souls, but if she was telling the truth I took a step towards her, grabbed my rapier, and lunged for the kill. I ran faster than a debtor on the run, yet the gap between us did not close at all. The very fabric of space appeared to lengthen to ensure I would never reach my destination.

Daltia covered her mouth with a hand and stifled her laughter, her servant smirking at me with a bloody grin on his oh-so-punchable face. No violence would happen within this frozen time.

It seems we are at an impasse, I noted after finally giving up; for now.

We are, Daltia replied with serene composure, her golden gaze glancing at her wounded servant. Until Sebastian and I conclude our business at least.

The man was still on the verge of death. Roland had left a big bleeding hole in his shoulder, not to mention the beating my allies had given him earlier. He had burned thirty years of his life or more in his failed attempt to corrupt or kill his ex-lover. If I somehow managed to convince Roland to spare his life, Sebastian would certainly bleed to death in minutes unless given immediate medical attention.

However, Daltias clock-shattering feat of magic had granted him more time. Sebastians wounds no longer bled, at least for now.

I thank you for setting up this meeting, my friend, Daltia said with a soothing voice carrying the song of choirs and trumpets. How long has it been since I offered to purchase your soul? Four centuries? Three?

Ive lost count, Milady, the traitor replied. I didnt miss the weariness and caution in Sebastians voice. No matter his pretended allegiance to the Knot of Greed, he clearly showed apprehension at selling his soul to the very Devil he served.

Better late than never, as they say, Daltia said lightly before tilting her head back in my direction. Do you know that he is a grandson of the archmage Apocris? He has quite the noble lineage.

Apocris? The sorcerer-tyrant? I struggled to believe it. Apocris had been an Iremian archmagician and dictator whose cruelties led to the creation of the Erebian League four hundred and a half years ago. His own oppressed people had cut him to ribbons and thrown him into a pit with the heroes help. Seems that seal didnt work out so well if youve been active for so long.

My body may have been entombed, but so long as my treasure changed hands I can retain some influence, Daltia confirmed. I have been cultivating assets for a very long time.

What did Sebastian call her? The Golden Strategist? Somehow I had the feeling she had earned that title for more than making a few deals with foolish men. I wondered how much of the Demon Ancestors escape was due to mankinds loss of faith or just her own influence. Since she was in no hurry to conclude her deal with Sebastian, I assumed she meant to add me to her list of pawns.

This could be an excellent opportunity to gather information and an equally risky gamble.

Her comment about her body being entombed implied that the figure in front of me was nothing more than a projection, but she could still harm me if I spoke foolishly or agreed to a deal. My power had twisted enough requests that I knew better than to underestimate her, even without the threat of violence on the horizon.

Sebastian and I go back a long time. For a Demon Ancestor planning to conquer the world, Daltia appeared rather friendly and talkative; but then again, so had Chastel. Long before he was called Sebastian. I granted him eternal youth in exchange for his service.

I should have known the Knot of Greeds leader and patron would have a transactional relationship rather than a religious one.

Are you actually stopping time? I asked the Demon Ancestor, my mind racing for a way out of this bind. Or is this just an illusion?

Daltia smiled at me, her teeth more radiant than stars. What difference does it make?

A big one.

Not as much as you think, Robin. Facing her golden gaze felt like letting her peer into my soul. By now, you should have noticed that our power turns perception into reality. If every Archfrostian man believes that your princely friend owns this country, then he does as far as our classes are concerned.

I put on a blank face to hide my surprise. I knew perception played a key role in how my power considered the concept of ownership, but Id assumed that it depended on my class perception of it.

Yet here she suggested that popular opinion played a bigger role?

Whenever your power activates to validate the trade, the world looks like this, Daltia said as she floated under a golden sky. A gilded space where all things and concepts are grounded down into wealth and values to be traded. The process simply happens so fast that your mind cannot see it.

You began a trade when Sebastian touched your coin, I guessed. But we are trapped on the transfers threshold until you hammer out the details.

Daltia confirmed my hypothesis with a sharp nod. You possess a strange intuition when it comes to your power, Robin, she flattered me. You are more in tune with it than most of your predecessors.

I glared at her without giving up any sensitive information. How do you know my name?

I have been following your progress with great interest since the night the mark selected you. I daresay that I understand you better than the heroes you call friends. She pointed at my mark. You and I are walking down the same path after all.

Lies. You have wings, so youre clearly flying ahead.

If it is wings that you want, then buy them. You are the Merchant. Your eloquence can bend the world to your will. Daltia chuckled lightly. I have a few wings to spare myself.

Is that why youve come? To sell me feathers? I mocked her.

What I want is a moment of your time, she replied, her tone unwavering. But we can haggle for a few boons if you want.

No deal, I replied immediately.

You will not even try a token negotiation? Daltias laughter sounded like coins falling on a pile of treasure. How un-Merchant of you, Robin.

You are an ancient demon infamous for her cunning, with centuries more experience than me and wielding unknown magic I do not yet understand. I was a daredevil, true, but I knew when to leave the table with my earnings rather than wage a doomed fight. When the game is rigged, the best play is to sit it out.

I will take that as a compliment. Which it was, in a way. I could not risk underestimating her. And I applaud your caution. It is not unwarranted in your current situation. You are wiser than most.

Thank you, I replied without any sincerity whatsoever. My skill at empty flattery lags behind yours though.

Give it time, you will catch up to me one day. I realized that Daltia was the worst kind of demon: the one with a sense of humor. But truthfully, you do not have a choice whether or not to listen to my plea. I am all too willing to speak to a silent wall.

I am no silent wall, I said. For all I knew, answering suit yourself would cause Daltia to transform me into a real wall. If she could seal souls in coins, then her power was nowhere near as constricted as mine. Say your piece if you want, but I do not consent to anything.

Ah, consent. An honest deals greatest obstacle. Even I cannot overcome it by force. Daltia folded her scroll in her hand. Then let me non-consensually deliver the truth unto you; the great secret of the Seven Great Classes that the Fatebinder is so desperately trying to hide from you.

Ah, of course. A typical attempt at sowing distrust in my heart. She would likely lie, or maybe not. A half-truth could prove more damaging.

What if I refuse to listen? I asked.

Then you can ignore me until I finish, decide what to do with the information for yourself, and I will tend to my business with Sebastian. The Devil of Greed smiled at her servant. Will you allow me a moment to plead my case, my friend?

Sebastian replied with a crooked smile, a hand on his wound. I am in no position to deny you, Lady Daltia.

No, you most certainly are not, Daltia conceded with what could pass for pleasantness. She almost sounded concerned for his opinion. Almost. I swear I will not take too long.

Shes different from Belgoroth, I thought. I was a people person, but I struggled to grasp the Demon Ancestors personality. And infinitely more dangerous.

I had received a vision of the Devil of Greeds memories when I attempted my first and only soul trade. I had seen through her eyes when she delivered a great speech about refining people she considered worthless into golden statues to hoard over. I had felt her bottomless avarice and unbearable arrogance.

Daltia still had plenty of both, as her bombastic decision to appear as the Goddess incarnate and cover the world in gold attested. However, she appeared surprisingly casual and hid her calculating mind under a veil of friendliness. Belgoroth had been hatred incarnate and terribly blunt in his desire to burn Archfrost to the ground. He was bloodstained steel; whereas his colleague was refined, focused, and oozing cunning.

If she had been willing to interrupt an entire battle for the sake of having a brief discussion with me, then it meant this conversation would somehow play a larger role in her plan than the death of thousands.

Forgive me if I do not expect honesty from you, I said, choosing my words carefully. Unless you would sell me your ability to lie?

I have already done that, Daltia replied with amusement. More seriously, surely you must have figured out what we so-called Demon Ancestors are by now.

You are the first generation. That was obvious. Our ancestors.

But have you not wondered how it is that I can wear the Merchants mark at the same time you do?

A trick question. Yes, Id pondered the question and come to a likely conclusion. This might be the opportunity to confirm my hypothesis.

Theyre different sets, I replied. Your mark possesses the abilities of the Merchant, the Artisan, and the Alchemist; the combination of which is greater than the sum of its parts. The Goddess split the second set of marks to ensure none of us heroes would accumulate too much power again.

You are half-right, the Demon Ancestor answered with a mischievous smirk. Once again it felt oh so familiar to me, but I couldnt put my finger on why. Your generations marks are different from ours, and the Seven Great Classes were diluted by the creation of Vassals but the Goddess did not make them.

I held my tongue. That was another possibility Colmar and I considered long ago, back when the Snowdrift Blight manifested. We had asked Eris if our marks functioned the same way by harvesting the beliefs of humans.

Daltia had taken quite the risk by delivering key information to me today, if I assumed any of it was accurate. The belief information had the potential to greatly empower my class and thus make me an even more troublesome foe if I decided to oppose her. Why give away so much for seemingly nothing in return?

Whatever her plan was, figuring it out would be a problem for another time. Daltia suddenly lost all interest in me and turned back to Sebastian.

My servant true, whose heart burns to avenge loves loss, the Demon Ancestor said with a singing voice echoing with a thousand false promises. A contract I offer. Give me thy immortal soul, bearer of power true, and I shall give shape to your wish.

She floated closer to him and unfurled her golden scroll. Countless namesthousands, perhaps millionswere scribbled as flaming letters on its thin paper. A tiny space was left blank at the bottom, waiting for another fool to join the legion.

Sebastian looked at it with a hint of apprehension. He had lived long enough to know the consequences of selling ones soul to a demon; after all, he had spent many centuries putting it off.

I sensed my chance and seized it.

Dont! I shouted. Though I could not physically stop Sebastian from signing this agreement, Daltia appeared unable to silence me. I will make you a better deal!

While Daltia appeared utterly unperturbed, Sebastian glanced at me in disbelief. Will you heal my wounds? he asked sarcastically.

Yes, I replied. My power would let me transfer the worst of it to someone else, and it beat fighting yet another demon. I can assure your safety and medical treatment. Youll live, even if you dont deserve it.

In a cage, Sebastian replied, before pointing at Roland with his chin. If he doesnt get to me first.

Ill talk him out of it. Certainly. Hopefully. And itll be better for you than to lose your soul. You wouldnt have hoarded it for so long if you didnt know its value. When Sebastian remained silent, I decided to go for the jugular. Dont you want to see Alaire again?

When Sebastian flinched, I knew I had pounced on his weakness.

I know you ordered Florence to keep her alive, I said. You care for her and want her in your life. Its not too late for that, but only if you surrender.

Of course, I knew Alaire would probably want nothing to do with her father but he didnt have to know that.

You bear your mark well, Robin, Daltia complimented me, her golden pupils flickering with what could pass for fondness. But you still have much to learn when it comes to human greed. He did not care for his daughter for who she was, but what she represented: an extension of the woman he loved and sought to avenge a lost treasure that I can return to him.

Sebastian clenched his jaw in displeasure. His patrons words had clearly wounded his pride. I love my daughter.

You do, Daltia replied with an insincere tone. But if you had to choose between the mother and the daughter, which one would you take? Which one would you sacrifice for the others sake?

Sebastian mulled over her words without answering. In this case, his silence spoke volumes.

As I thought, Daltia said. These are the terms I offer. Forget the daughter, and the mother shall be returned to you.

Shit.

She cant raise the dead, fool! I argued. I couldnt be certain, but it sounded likely. All she can do is turn you into a demon. How will that bring your lost love back?

My words were wasted the moment they escaped my mouth. I could see it in Sebastians gray eyes as they stared back at the contract. He did not trust me, and would rather be damned than be surrendered to Rolands vengeance. He preferred an empty hope and easy fix over a difficult future.

I will return her to you, Daltia insisted to Sebastian, who still hesitated. I will give you the power to reunite with her and avenge her loss. To fill the hole in your heart. You can take the possibility of being spared, or the certainty of seeing your deepest desire fulfilled.

Sebastian gathered his breath, hesitated one last time, and then whispered two small words under his breath.

I consent, he said softly.

A new name burned onto the contract, written in ancient Erebian, and the golden world trembled. A terrible pulsation akin to a drum echoed across the frozen land, filling the silence with its noise.

I had to cover my eyes as a torrent of blinding light erupted from the sky. I saw a gilded chain surge from the clouds above and strike Sebastians chest. The man screamed as the phantasmal link buried itself into his flesh. Within seconds, it had extracted a translucent silhouette from the mans body; the ghost of a gaunt, wizened old man carrying the weight of centuries.

A soul.

All that was left inside Sebastians husk were his sins and desires. His selfish wish refined to its purest form. Its essence erupted like a volcano and stained its container, reshaping the squires body into a physical materialization of its inner darkness. His flesh twisted in impossible ways, burying his eyes and mouth under a layer of skin, growing arms and legs

I had little to learn from witnessing this horrible transformation. Instead, I forced myself to observe the chain as it retreated with its prize into the sky, like a fishermans hook having successfully caught its dinner. I squinted and peered at Daltias terrible work.

An immense whirlpool of screaming ghosts gathered in the golden sky. Thousands of souls, if not millions of immortal spirits, floated in silent torment, bound by a chain longer than any river. Sebastian was but its latest link. The chain coiled like a snake around the source of the light, a sun so bright I could not see past the glow, but which I could listen to.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

My blood ran cold as I realized it wasnt a drums music I heard, but a heartbeat. A pulse coming straight from the center of this unnatural maelstrom.

Daltia was feeding something with the souls she harvested.

Something alive.

Until next time, Robin, Daltia bade me farewell as she floated away into the light. We will meet again soon.

The light swallowed me whole and time resumed at once.

The sound of battle erupted all around me, the clash of weapons replacing the beating heart in the sky. Daltia was gone alongside her dreadful whirlpool of souls. But I had returned to a world fraught with danger.

Out of my way! I felt a hand grab my shoulder and prepare to shove me aside. Roland. He cannot be allowed to

The furious prince froze in place, as I did.

A grotesque creature stood where Sebastian once writhed in pain.

I knew it was no longer Sebastian himself. Id seen his soul ripped from his flesh. All that remained were the evils and twisted desires he had left behind. An echo and twisted reflection, which had taken his body for its own and reshaped it into a monster.

Roland faced a shambling mound of white flesh nearly three meters tall, naked and hideous. The horror looked like the result of a mad necromancers attempt to stitch a man and a womans corpses together: a breast and feminine arm whose shoulder was topped by a malformed head on the left side; a massive arm thicker than a trees trunk and mighty muscles on the right. The genitals were missing alongside the face. Only layers upon layers of stitched skin covered the skull.

The monster raised its hands closer as if to examine them in spite of its absence of eyes. If it noticed our presence, it showed no hint of it. Roland recovered quicker than me. He quickly grabbed the broken spear he had tried to murder his squire with and prepared to finish the job, when a great shadow loomed over us.

Baron Dolganov had risen to his feet and raised his head-flail to crush us.

Roland! I shouted a warning, but the Knight did not need it. He threw the broken spear with more strength than ten humans combined and aimed straight for the chest. His projectile smashed through the demons armored chest and erupted from the other side. Dolganov collapsed back onto the ground, and I quickly stabbed his head-flail with my rapier to make sure he would not rise again. His face let out a final screech as it bled to death on the grassy ground.

The demons scream woke his compatriot from its torpor. The monstrous Sebastian tilted its head in our direction, then snapped its fingers. Screaming dust gathered around it like a cloak. He vanished in the blink of an eye, gone with the howling wind.

No! Roland snarled in anger. He rushed to the spot Sebastian used to occupy and knelt, his hands searching the ground as if his enemy had somehow dug out of sight. No, no, no!

As much as it annoyed me to see Sebastian escape us, we had more urgent matters to deal with. I could feel the foulness in the air, as did the beastmen. The Waterkin croaked madly as they broke lines and rushed back into the river, abandoning the fight with our surprised soldiers.

While Dolganovs corpse evaporated into a dark red cloud, leaving only a cursed coin behind him, the stench of blood and death in the air only grew stronger. The wind started to carry phantom screams and foul essence seeped out of the land.

A Blight was overtaking the area.

Either the slaughter had reached its peak, or the birth of a new demon gave it the push it needed to manifest. Whatever the case, I already saw its effects. The corpses of our dead stirred in the river as evil possessed them, and screaming faces started to grow out of the earth like mushrooms. We only had minutes left before monsters started to appear.

Roland, we need to evacuate before the Blight fully manifests! I argued with the Knight after grabbing Dolganovs Devil Coin. Lets regroup with Marika and seal off the area!

Not without Sebastian! he snarled back at me as he rose, looking around for his treacherous lover. He cannot have gone far! Search the area and

I punched him in the face.

It hurt me more than him, since he wore Soraseos helmet, but it did snap him out of his obsession. He stared at me in shock.

Youve punched me, Roland said in disbelief.

Youre a prince and a Knight! I snarled at him, unrepentant. The sky was starting to turn red from the blood-soaked essence spreading around us. Your duty is to protect your own! So go save your men and live up to your titles!

Roland clenched his fists, and for a brief second I thought he would punch the head off my shoulders in his rage. But my words had reached him. He looked around, at his soldiers, at the ever-increasing signs that disaster loomed upon us.

And he did the right thing.

Soldiers, gather around me! Roland shouted. A few of his soldiers appeared surprised to hear their princes voice come out of Soraseos armor, but his natural authority caused them to quickly fall in line. I will cut a way forward!

I had saved Roland from himself this time.

I wasnt sure I could do it again.