Demon continent Alsace in the year 307 in the 10-month Asmodum on the 21st day after the shattering of the empire.

 

 

She didn't have to see him to know he was there. He had gotten close enough that she could see him in her domain. She also knew what he wanted from her before he was even sure if it was a good idea to ask her.

 

True, things had eased up a bit between her and the Larrua in the last few days, but that was only because they now had each other as enemies and were not interested in the demon among them because of it. Then there would be the fact that she had the best chance to free Diva from her prison.

 

But it seemed that one of the two factions remembered her and this faction seemed to be still wrestling with itself whether it could help them and thus become an ally or whether it would be better to leave her alone.

 

Nevertheless, Eder had come, still struggling with himself, unable to find an answer to his questions. It was clear to her that he was hoping she could give him an answer or that she would simply chase him away and the whole thing would take care of itself.

 

There was just the problem that the other side could do the same and convince her to fight for them. Something that had to be prevented.

 

Because the Larrua had found out in the meantime who had destroyed their Golems. Which had served as protection for the Clan for so long and which were considered invincible by the inhabitants of the city. Not one Golem had been lost in the battles with the other Clans, and they had not yet been able to control the Golems as they were now. Let alone replenish lost Golems by producing new Golems.

 

And here was the problem that both sides faced, that they could all control the Golems and that none would have the upper hand. But if one side had someone on their side who could take on the Golems and even destroy them, the scales would tip in their direction.

 

All of these thoughts chaotically circled through Eder's mind as he slowly but surely made his way through the library toward them. Steadily trying not to look like he was approaching her, but just wandering a few the shelves looking for something.

 

But he could not delay it forever and so it came to the encounter between him and her, which he would have so gladly delayed a little longer if only he could have given himself more courage.

 

She didn't look up when he came around one of the shelves, he remained standing on the spot for a few moments, inwardly struggling with himself. But then he dared to approach her, even though his steps spoke of indecision.

 

She still hadn't looked up from her book, reading about a noble house that had had to flee the capital of the empire and settle in one of the colonies on the coast. It wasn't particularly exciting, and so far she hadn't found anything to help her learn the other writing of the upper floors.

 

She briefly considered looking in Eder's mind but dismissed that thought. She was sure Diva would notice if she had been in the mind of one of her offspring and priests.

 

Finally, Eder cleared his throat to draw attention to himself; he seemed to think she hadn't noticed him. She withdrew from his thoughts and forbade herself to read even the superficial thoughts of Eder she wanted to see what he wanted from her and what he would decide.

 

At the end of the day, she looked up and looked at the Larrua in front of her. As always, they were very much like humans or demons. Unlike these or even Diva, however, they had no scales and a demon-like face. However, it was not the face of a rat that they resembled, no, their snouts were shorter and they lacked the whiskers that rats normally had. Like humans and demons, however, they had hair on their heads, which was different from the fur that covered their bodies, except for their feet and hands. Nevertheless, it was in the same color spectrum as their fur. Like them and many demons, the Larrua had a tail, which was not unlike those of rats, but like her own could serve as a third limb.

 

Eder was a tall slender Larrua, which at her seventeen years only barely reached her chest, and he was one of the larger Larrua. This is why they always looked like children next to the golems, not that she wasn't towered over by them as well.

 

As always he was dressed in his priestly robes, she didn't think she had ever seen him in any other getup. It was a long red cloak, the edges of which were red and embroidered. This stopped a few inches from the ground, underneath he wore a white shirt stuffed into a pair of brown wool trousers that became balloon-like towards the bottom. Which was held up by a leather belt. The belt buckle as well as the chains and other jewelry he wore on his hands and arms were made of copper. Decorated with religious symbols, which did not mean much to her, but certainly had great significance for the wearer and other Larrua.

 

"There is something to discuss." With which he sat down across from her.

 

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He looked at the demons in front of him, which according to Diva was the little king of the Jainkoa or Basilisk. Something he was allowed to experience on his own body. The look, which the Demoness had given him at that time, had had a certain gravity, which only time can convey and it had been to him as if the universe only concentrated on him. And would have shrunk also only to him and this demoness together. It shook him in the whole body, if he only thought back, how these timeless eyes had looked at him and how caught he had felt in the black slit pupils.

 

Nevertheless, he sat opposite her, again and again, he had to look into those eyes, eyes like he had never seen in any living creature. Which were enclosed by blackness, before a white face enclosed everything. As white and pale as death itself. Both framed by black long hair, which hung down in matted long braids. Something that no Larrua would let happen, who thought anything of himself.

 

Which was a ray of hope, which brought him back to the here and now. Carried by rage about it, if one of his charges would let it come so far. What ensured to bring him out of his state and to concentrate on the essential in the here and now.

 

At what he said, the demon raised only one questioning eyebrow at him. And he remembered that he hadn't said much more than that there was something to discuss until now. He cleared his throat to get rid of the lump in his throat before continuing.

 

"As I'm sure you've noticed, there are some, how shall I say... " He had to interrupt himself to look for the right words. "Cracks?" Interjected the demons, which after a moment's thought he answered in the affirmative with a nod. "Yes cracks. I don't know how much you've noticed Jainkoa, but there seem to be traitors among us who want to harm the clan." She just looked at him, obviously expecting him to continue.

 

"There are certain events that are going on in the protection of the tunnels under the city from which they would like to and do exclude me and other important figures of our clan. Any attempt on my part or on the part of the others had not brought anything to light. On the contrary, it has led to the disappearance of those we have sent to invest. Of course, the word got around and led to fear and anger among the other clan members. Then some have returned, who are different from before, as the family members and friends concerned have told me. Then there are the disappearances and reappearances of my supporters, who reappeared a few days later with the same symptoms as the others who came back." He had to interrupt himself to calm down again, he had talked himself into a rage, something he wanted to avoid. Because he didn't want to leave a bad impression on the wrong person. Because the fact that he had exhausted all possible resources and that he was slowly but surely standing alone and he had not yet told her about his fear that his two brothers seemed to be involved with it.

 

"Also, I fear that your honorable person will not be able to keep out of it, for I think that you, as well as Diva, are both somehow part of the target to be reached by the other side." He met the young demon's gaze without flinching, trying to show her his honesty.

 

"So I understood you correctly to mean that sooner or later I won't be able to stay out of it, simply because, like Diva, I will end up being seen as the prize of a successful plan. Do you know what that plan is? I'd like to know what I have to prepare for, and that doesn't mean I believe you, since I'm sure you're not telling me everything." The demoness' expression had barely changed, not when he had reported to her and not when she had spoken.

 

"What exactly is stopping me from just leaving? Are the strangers just going to attack me? You've held back from attacking me until now, and that's before you knew I could take on your golems and be your only way to free Diva from her prison. So what aren't you telling me, Eder?" A smile that did not reach her eyes appeared on her features, which had something predatory about it.

 

He didn't look back as she continued to look him in the eye, but he couldn't stop a quiet inner voice from telling him that this had been a very bad idea.

 

"Simply put, I can't risk that if I get your help, what I've said here won't end up in the hands of the enemy. Besides, I'm sure they don't want Diva to be freed and as for your honorable personality, I'm sure they're planning the same for them as for Diva."

 

"So since the other one is sure she can take me on someone who could take on your god." She raised a questioning eyebrow again. "Yes, I think they might succumb to that hallucination. But that's it with hallucinations could your honorable person win against an unknown number of enemies with powers unknown to you? Or isn't that also subjecting you to hallucination?" She leaned back in her chair and just shrugged.

 

"That's a question which I can't answer, but why would I let it get that far? Why shouldn't I just disappear right now? No one would find me in the forest so quickly, and I'm convinced of that." He didn't doubt that someone who could take on their golems would have no problem with the primeval forest of Alsace. But something kept her here and it was not charity towards Diva.

 

"The knowledge in this Gurdailua Liburuak and the runes which could imprison you just like Diva." He was sure he had hit the nail on the head, not that she had let it slip by saying or doing anything.

 

For several minutes neither said anything until she finally answered him. "That assumes I can read it, which I can't. It would be a shame, but what am I going to do with knowledge in books that I can't do anything with. So something I could easily give up as well as the runes which hold Diva how likely is it that in this day and age there is someone who could replicate those rune mandalas." She paused and he could feel hope leaving him and yet he had been so sure he had her with this. "But let's entertain your idea, just for fun. Where would I get this knowledge if I saw proof that any of you priests could read it?"

 

He reached for one of the books lying open on the table, opened it to a random page, and began to read, but not before casting a truth spell.

 

After he was done with his demonstration, he got up and started to leave. He was sure he had the help of the demons or Jainkoa. Before he had gone around the shelf, he said to her. "I would try the river with the water-born."