CHAPTER 60: What now?

We eventually reached the end of the tunnel and passed through the gigantic doors again. this time no help from the other side was necessary. I was still amazed by how this technology worked. If I didn't know better, I would say that it was magic, but I couldn't sense any magic coming from it.

"What now?"

The dwarf looked up when I asked the question.

"What do you mean kid?"

I knew that this dwarf was at least then times, maybe twenty times older than me. However, I felt that I was to old to be called a kid. ("Unless becoming a demon was just a form of reincarnation wile keeping my memories. Then I would just be a few months old. No Yerald could roughly guess my age back then judging from the scales on my back or something. And this dwarf clearly has more knowledge of demons than Yerald. So, I'm really too old to be called a kid and he knows it!")

I cleared my throat. "Well I came here in hopes that you could help me with a certain something. But as it turns out, even you can't really help me with that. Now I no longer have an idea what to do."

"Well… you can always help us out."

I sighed. It was actually the opposite of what I originally wanted, but it should be better than locking myself up and doing nothing all day.

"Actually, I can arrange it for you right now. Well, I first need to tell the people in charge of this place that you're here. Because they will not be happy when they eventually find out on their own."

We passed through the gate. While the guards kept their bows constantly aimed at me. I decided not to question the dwarf. He had been here for who knows how long so he should know best.

I followed him through the wide streets of Agartha. As usual, people backed away when they saw me. Though not all of them were terrified, none of them interfered or tried to attack me. I figured that it was because the dwarf was accompanying us this made me wonder what exactly his status was in the stone city.

Eventually we reached a large building with elegant pillars and towers. It was beautifully decorated with bright crystals that slightly glowed in every colour imaginable. The crystals perfectly blended in with the overall design of the building what created a sight more than just gorgeous. The dwarf signalled us to walk behind him as he climbed the stairs. In the building we found ourselves in a maze made up of halls and hallways.

"Hey kid. You can enter people's minds, right?"

I nodded in response, wondering where this was going.

"Good. I want you to enter my mind before we step in the room. Don't try to control me or look through my memories or I will empty a bucket of ice-cold holy water in your neck. just listen to my thoughts."

Without saying anything I passed through his mental barrier. Even tough he let me in, I had a hard time entering his mind.

( can you hear this? )

("Yes.")

( Then lets enter. )

He opened a dark wooden door with the decoration of a golden lion head on it. The dwarf and me entered while the rest waited outside. In the room sat two people. One was a male elf with long black hair and nearly snow-white skin, the other was a human woman she had short blond hair and freckles. She reminded me of the nun I met after the fight with the other demon.

"Finally, you're here. Do you know how late… what the hell is that!?"

The woman suddenly jumped up when she saw me behind the dwarf. She dashed to the armour that was positioned against the wall for decorative purposes. She took a giant battle-axe from the armour. The elf stood up and slowly reached for a longsword that hung on the other side of wall.

"Wow wait! This demon posses no treat."

The dwarf had positioned himself between me and the woman who seemed to be the first to want to attack.

"It's a demon! What do you mean it poses no treat!?"

He straightened his back to take on a proud posture.

"You know how demons can't be in a world without something to hold on to, so they are either tied to a place or person. Well I discovered a summoning method that forces the demon to hold onto me. For as long as I'm alive, this demon is basically my pet."

("I see. You are playing an act, and since I have no idea of how everything works here you plan on giving me instructions like this.")

( Good guess kid. Now play along. Otherwise they might kick us both out. )

"Do you know how reckless that is. How did you even know that it was going to work in the first place?"

The elf spoke pout. Now holding the sword in his left hand while he kept glaring at me.

"Further most. How are you sure that it won't betray you and this wasn't just all a trick to get in here?"

The dwarf leaned against me as if he was drunk and I was a wall. It was really annoying, but right now I wasn't in the position to do anything against it.

"Well you see. I summoned him outside and the komainu let him in so I think that that must at least mean something. Also most demons are really prideful the fact that I could call him a pet and can lean against him like this without him biting my neck of and destroying this building is also roof that he is now under my control."

("When are you going to stop making fun of me?")

( when you stop being such a great joke. )

("Can you please stop leaning on me?")

( no. )

I fought the urge to growl at the dwarf or simply step aside so that he would fall. If I were to do that it would prove his 'point' wrong and we would both be in deep trouble. Me for simply being a demon and he for bringing a demon in Agartha without the means to hold him back.

"And what is the name of your 'pet'?"

The lady probably wanted to annoy me as much as possible to see if I was really under the control of the dwarf.

("What name do I give her?")

( Use Rubedo. That name is more demon-like. It should somewhat make this sound more believable. Also try to be formal. )

"Its an honour to meet you, my lady. My name is Rubedo.���

Her cold eyes shot daggers at me when I spoke. However, it only lasted for a few seconds before she gently smiled as if nothing had happened.

"Most demons want something, something that they would destroy the entire world for to obtain. Tell me Rubedo. What is it that you want?" she spoke in a cheerful tone but in the depts of her words lurked a cold suppressing feeling.

"It was a little over a week ago that I realised that what I want is unobtainable. So, for now I plan on following him."

I pointed at the dwarf who was still leaning against me.

He begun to lough. "And? What do you think of him? Can I keep him?"

The elf sighed and hung the sword back on the wall. "I doubt that you would send him back even if we were to tell you that you can't keep a demon in this city. So, you can keep him as long as you have him under control and he doesn't go on a rampage."

"What?! Are you seriously going to have him have his way?! You know him. He, he is just acting like a child again. if we keep this up, he is going to be the one in charge!"

The dwarf glanced over at the lady. "Don't worry about that. Breaking the rules is not that fun if you are the one that's making them. I have no interest in taking your job."

The woman grinded her teeth. "Fine have it your way but dont expect me to heal your wound after that demon decides to bite your arm of."

"And thank you that is all I wanted to hear. Rubedo, follow me."

With that the dwarf left the room and I followed.