Perfectly Safe Demons -Ch 109- Rigged Encounters

This week a girl learns things and everyone works on being brave.

A wholesome* story about a mostly sane demonologist trying his best to usher in a post-scarcity utopia using imps. It's a great read if you like optimism, progress, character growth, hard magic, and advancements that have a real impact on the world. I spend a ton of time getting the details right, focusing on grounding the story so that the more fantastic bits shine. A new chapter every Thursday.

*Some conditions apply, viewer cynicism is advised.

Map of Pine Bluff

Map of Hyruxia

Map of the Factory and grounds

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Chapter One

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“Uh, excuse me, Mistress Witflores? I don’t understand the board. Where am I to be?” A timid voice snapped her out of the long list of names she’d been staring at.

She didn’t recognize the man’s voice at first. He was well dressed, with a lanyard hanging against his chest, standing beside the tall assignment board — the one with neat rows of slotted name cards and room numbers. She closed her book and rose. The color of his badge and uneasy posture gave him away. Of course she knew who he was; she’d just hired him.

“Ah, Professor Helhana is it? What’s the chart say?”

“10 am, aud3?” he asked uneasily. “It’s for Intro to Sail Rigging.” 

She relaxed, an easy problem at last. “Auditorium three, off the main hall, but from here you can go the back way. You should move fast though, it’s nearly ten!”

“Can you point me in the general direction?” he asked nervously.

“I’ll do one better, I’ll walk you there. It’d be nice to get to know you in the flesh, rather than letters!”

“Oh!” he straightened and froze.

“Come, come! Let’s not leave your pupils waiting!” she said as gently as she could.

He’s a learned expert from the capital and intimidated by me? Just goes to show how little he knows me. Or what I’ve turned into!

They left her office through the wide double doors and started walking down the quad. It was a sunny morning and like much of the town it was filled with manicured lawns and tall fountains.

They were in the shade of the main annex, the cathedral of education that was still under construction. The golems that swarmed the site last week were entirely absent.

“I try not to let it bother me, but for a town based on learning and personal growth, it does seem our construction crews are the first to be reallocated every time,” she said, nodding at the half cordoned off site. “I’m not saying that new towers and walls aren’t important though. There are those that look down at what we do.” She trailed off and didn’t elaborate.

“I saw some of the great metal men in town the other day, truly amazing! Makes teaching sail rigging a bit, uh, quaint,” he muttered.

“No, not at all! It’s vital! Trade is what makes much of this possible and you cannot have trade without sails! I think you mentioned having not taught before, how are you feeling? Is this your first class?”

“Well no, but first like this. I taught plenty of seamen the basics after they signed on, but in a school? In front of these bright academics? It turns my stomach somethin’ fierce. Forgive me ma’am, I might not be the fella for this, I ain’t even been to a school afore.”

“You’re too hard on yourself! You’re just the kind we need, real experience! The Academy is different, and not by accident!” the Headmistress said reassuringly. 

The mighty oaks that would shade future generations were knee high saplings, well spaced along the side of the path. They turned left between the pond and the main annex. Bright summer blooms were fragrant from overflowing planters on either side of their path.

She looked at his worried face, ”You’ll do great! Your students are all here to learn what you know, just talk about that! You’re already a foremost expert on your subject, compared to that, teaching will come easily. You’ll figure it out.”

“Thank ye kindly. I just feel like I ain’t supposed to be here. Maybe coming was a mistake. But that salary was so tempting,” he murmured.

“Teaching is only half your job, and honestly your contributions to the ship design bureau is most of the reason we hired you. Making and testing model ships should be lower pressure than leading a class.”

“That’s going to be fun, and the very thing my ma would hit me with a spoon for doing as a lad! Ha! If she could see me now!” He smiled at his turn of fortunes.

“Here we are, the side entrance. Did you want me to come along? To make sure it’s set up right? The auditoriums are our biggest spaces, and there was a fair bit of interest in learning about sails.”

“Bigger? How big? A dozen lads? Two?”

She kept her face neutral. “Hmm, no. I’ll introduce you. You’ll do fine, focus on one or two of your most engaged students, and teach to them. At least at first.”

She held the side door open and followed him in. There were going to be eight auditoriums eventually, all linked via the grand concourse. Right now only the first and third were ready for classes and only just this week.

The seating was like an amphitheatre, concentric curved rows, each slightly higher than the last. The seats were leather-clad wood, soft enough to sit on, but not luxurious enough to fall asleep in. There were rows and rows of magelights overhead, and a lectern at the front. She took the seafarer’s elbow and led him to it.

At full capacity each auditorium could seat over two thousand learners, but today it was barely a quarter full. The size of the room made it look sparse, but it was a lot of people in one place. Especially for something as non-urgent as learning. 

I knew people would love to learn things just for the sake of expanding their own knowledge! It’s a deeply satisfying experience, having the mystery turn to mastery!

“I-I-I can’t. There’s so many!” came the tiny choked whisper from beside her.

“Do you have a lesson plan?” she asked.

“Of course, I worked on it all night! But this room, it’s too big, I can’t shout loud enough for them all to hear me! How will they see my papers?” He held up an intricate drawing of a mast. It was smaller than her hand.

“Ah, not a problem at all! Just speak into the en-loudener and redraw it on the en-biggener tablet as you explain it!” The Mage named his own enchantments, and sometimes she worried that he didn’t put as much care into that part. 

He blinked uncertainly and tugged on his new lanyard. 

Taritha stepped behind the lectern and held the fabric sphere that housed the en-loudening gem. “Good morning students!” she said cheerfully, and her voice came clearly out of all the enchanted shoutening gems anchored along the walls and ceiling. “I’m Headmistress of the Academy, Mistress Witflores, and I am thrilled to introduce veteran seafarer and rope theorist, Professor Helhana! Take it away, Professor!”

The students sat forward and politely clapped.

He gulped and took the stage. Taritha placed the en-loudener in the clearly marked Bowl of Silence, which suppressed its enchantment.

She whispered, “Just hold it in your hand and talk normally! And use the stylus on the lectern to draw what you need. It’ll enbiggen it!”

She stepped out of the way, and he looked like he was about to cry. She tried to be as reassuring as she could be.

“Um, Hello? Can you all hear me?” he said softly, holding the sphere to his chest.

Some men in the front row nodded, as did the kids in the back.

“Erm, alright. Bear with me, this is all rather, uh more, than I anticipated. Is this…” Professor Helhana reached for the stylus, it was bound at the top and bottom by small articulated metal arms. With a bit of effort he began drawing on the pad. “Ships have something called a mast. They’re in the centre for stability, like so,” he was so focused on the drawing he didn’t at first notice anything behind him.

Most of the students hadn’t had a lecture in the new auditoriums either, so their gasps and yelps snapped him out of his drawing. He whipped around, and saw that there was a huge golem arm reproducing his drawing at a hundred times the scale. 

“Lights above! What?” He stared at it. He gently pushed the stylus with one finger, and the mechanical arm whipped across the polished slate. 

“Perfectly normal! Just a regular image en-biggener!” She smiled serenely, “Carry on.”

“Uh, as you say, Miss– erm, Mistress. Yes, so a mast, actually a lot like that arm behind me! It's a big pole that holds up the sails, and just as importantly, the lines and sheets that make it all work!”

Taritha nodded as he spoke. Once he got into the meat of his content he did much better and spent the next hour explaining core terms and why each part was key.

She looked over the crowd that had attended. She wasn’t sure what to expect. There was no shortage of new distractions in town, and this wasn't nearly as practical as the reading or cooking courses. Classes had only begun a few weeks ago, and more people came every day.

The core idea of the academy was new, in addition to the actual building and faculty of course. She’d learned that there was nothing like it anywhere in the world. The obvious point of comparison was the College of Magic, a huge wealthy institution that shepherded knowledge through the centuries. But they weren’t the same at all.

The College was only for the magically gifted, they charged enormous tuition and had a narrow focus. It was a whole faction. A promising child, once accepted into the College, was theirs until he died.

The Pine Bluff Academy of Arcane and Technical Studies was for everyone, free, and with an impossibly wide focus. Nothing was beyond its scope. Teaching the masses basic skills, while giving the brightest minds of the world a place and nearly unlimited budget to expand their body of knowledge. Anyone could come and go as they pleased. Only the bare essentials were enforced; a spark of the Gift for magic, a grasp of arithmetic for higher math — everything else was open doors requiring nothing more than curiosity. 

The faces were mostly familiar; the town was small, especially after spending a whole winter in close quarters of the caverns. These people weren't seafarers though. It was mothers and farmers and even some cooks. Some came simply to learn for the joy of it; others were already eyeing the municipal navy, always hungry for recruits and generous with pay.

She paused, her eyes lit up. She almost didn’t notice her at first, being tiny and at the back, but Kessy’s scarf was unmistakable. 

Why in the world would she be learning to rig a tradeship? It’d be years before she was even big enough to volunteer. Maybe she’s getting burned out on the Welcome Centre duties. I’d have never pushed her to work there if I’d known the horrors that would expose her to. She was a traumatized refugee, the last place she should be was surrounded by monsters!

Taritha listened to the rest of the lecture. Professor Helhana wasn’t very good at speaking to a crowd, and seemed nervous and boring, but no one left, and he kept talking. Finally he finished up, sliding his papers into his leather case. 

“Erm, thank you for coming! I, uh, will explain the importance of sail shape at the same time tomorrow. Um. Goodbye now!”

He practically bolted out of the room, without waiting for her. 

He’ll be okay, I’ll talk to him later. I need to apologise to Kessy. I failed her on the spider-monster hearing day.

The side door had already closed behind Helhana anyways.

Taritha hurried to the exit closest to Kessy and caught up with her. She’d stopped to watch two crows bully a seagull on the lawn. Their caws and screeches made her giggle.

“Miss Kessy! How did you like the lesson? That was the first time I think I’ve seen you up here!”

“Oh, hi. Good, ma’am. He seemed like a nice man and the big arm behind him was crazy! So big, just to draw his pictures! Could I borrow that? I’ve never drawn anything that big!”

“We might be able to get you in there some time, if you’d like. I wanted to say sorry. I was in a bad mood the other day, with the Arachinti hearing. I shouldn’t have taken that out on you. I’m sorry.”

“Are you still mad at me?” Kessy asked. The seagull had flown off, but the crows were still cawing and strutted around the white feathers on the grass.

“I wasn’t mad at you then. I never was. I was a bit mad at the people that voted to allow those things into our town. But it’s been a few days, and nothing bad’s happened. Not yet at least.”

“Lots of bad things happen. That seagull just got beat up!” the child countered.

“Well, BAD things. I mean with those big bug monsters. They’re very scary,” Taritha explained.

“Nuh-huh. They don’t scare me one bit! I even fed them! They’re big, but I said, ‘I’m brave and smart, so do what I say’, and they do!”

“Well, that’s good. But also don’t forget, they do eat little girls. That’s been happening since time immemorial; they capture and eat humans. Just tell me you’ll stay away from them?” Taritha couldn’t help herself, the idea of those monsters near this sweet kid broke her heart.

“Okay, but not because I’m scared. Because I wanna. Oh, I also wanna eat some apple crisp! Wanna come?”

“Sure, that sounds–oh, I have a meeting soon. I’m sorry love, I can’t. Maybe tomorrow?” the Headmistress sighed at the responsibilities she’d built around herself.

“No, I’m going now. But we can also go tomorrow. You’re sure you’re not mad at me and don’t want to fire me?”

“Not mad at all, and you’re the best guide we have, I could never fire you!”  

Kessy ran forward, hugged Taritha’s waist, and ran off before the Headmistress could even react, her little shoes clacking on the stone path as she dodged through the crowds.

Where does she find the energy? Oh, pies. Obviously pies. That went better than I could have hoped, all smoothed over! Now let's see what the faculty of industrial pyromancy wants!

Taritha strode off towards the low outbuilding with a dozen chimneys, smiling and greeting people as she went.

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Kessy bounded down the road to the Grand Via in front of the Academy. It was like a road, but wider than a plaza. It was silly and fancy and she loved it. While she could happily run back to town now that she was eating big breakfasts and had comfy shoes, she liked taking the cart even better. Every few minutes a long wagon with cushy benches arrived, pulled by a towering steel golem.

As far as she could tell they were identical to construction ones, but maybe someday there’d be a golem course offered. That seemed like a good thing to know about. She clambered up the stairs and sat beside a well dressed young lady. In fairness, almost all the young ladies were well dressed, but this one ignored her. 

That suited Kessy just fine, there were lots of things to look at and a few things to think about. 

The way ships are rigged is super complicated. It looked like they just hung some cloth on a mast, but all the bits have names and purposes. It’s exciting to glimpse a whole new world of how things are but scary too. What if there were other things I didn't know? That list seems to grow every time I come to this place. The best way to remain smart might be to stay away from the Academy. But it was fun, and something to do, so I’ll stay smart later.

She could see the tops of new buildings that weren’t there the first time she came. It was very strange how easy building palaces was, but this was a strange town where everything was easy. Mainly because imps. 

They’re great. 

Impsley was the best friend she could have hoped for. He did everything with her, never complained, listened to her, and was never ever mean. One time she told him too much about her old life and started crying a little bit, and Impsley didn’t even tell anyone. 

Today she left him at home, since she wanted to go to the Academy like a grown-up and now she wasn’t sure if she should go home and get him. Both plans had advantages, but going direct did mean she’d eat sooner. 

That walk was long. She was hungry now. 

When the couch-cart got near the dining district she hopped off and ran to her favourite bakery. Well, this week’s favourite. That honour constantly changed. She should have Impsley make a little medal so she could present the bakery she liked best on a given day. 

Oh, then I’d have to take it back. And that might seem mean. Maybe not.

She found a table, ordered some sugary treats and a sweet berry tea, and got to her favorite way to spend time–watching people. 

There was always something unfolding, so many people were out and they all had so much to do. Rushing with deliveries, strolling with their friends, arguing about their league matches. Mostly it was humans, but she saw a bushy-bearded dorf most days. She’d never led any on a tour, so she didn’t think they were new, but she’d never spoken to one. They were even smaller than her, and seemed to mind their own business. 

There was only one elv, she was never around. The huge Arachinti were rarer yet, cooped up under watch at their warehouse.

The only other non-humans she saw were the revners, and they were hardly ever around. She’d led their first tour and since then spotted maybe three; always hurrying on all fours, never eating out or joining games. Poor things. She worried they didn’t have any fun, though she understood; everyone froze and stared whenever one went by, and the rules about not picking them up existed for a reason. If she ever went to jail, it would be related to that law.

Her heart skipped a beat when she saw a little otter-man approach her. No, that was a sundress and a wide brimmed hat, it was an otter-girl! She’d never seen an otter-girl before.

The little revner was barely bigger than a housecat, and had a wobble to her gait. People stopped what they were doing to watch her pass, their faces widening into smiles. Kessy was no stronger, she stared unabashedly. 

I hope some day one is my friend. So much cuter than even Impsley! And fluffier. Well not fluffy, but they look so soft.

The little revner came right by her table on the patio. To her amazement, it hopped up on the other chair and looked right at her with her soft brown eyes.

“‘Scuse me, miss. Are you the Kessy that works at the Welcome Centre? The guide?” it asked in a lilted but clear accent.

She was so busy looking at its little sharp teeth and bright pink tongue. The fifth time she replayed the question in her mind she nodded slowly, “Yup.”

“How perfectly splendid! I’ve been looking for you! I think you can help me. Or rather, I'll like for you to help me. If you would.” She pulled her tiny paws up to her chest as she asked, and Kessy felt her hands reaching out, and placed them palm down on the table. She didn’t trust herself, but the option of making friends with this little talking animal was all she wanted. Even more than tarts.

“Okay. What help?” the human child asked. “Do you need?” her thoughts were tumbling.

“Thank you so much. I’ve nothing to offer you, but I hope it’s not too much of a bother.” Her eyebrows bunched. “I’d like you to introduce me to someone. I understand you are the one to talk to?”

She nodded, that was a thing she could do. 

“Oh splendid! You’re a life saver! I really want to meet one of these new arachinti. I haven’t seen one anywhere, but truly it’s what I most want!” the creature's soft voice was tinted with a wistfulness.

“Oh. That’s easy. But I don’t speak their language. But I think they understand us! Can I carry you there? It’s probably faster!” Her heart pounded with anticipation.

“No, that’s not, uh, needed.” She relented a bit when she saw the girl’s face fall. “We can hold hands though. If you want.”

“Okay!” Kessy abandoned her half eaten snack and reached for her furry paw. It was the first time she’d gotten to touch a revner. It was warmer than she expected, and the tiny claws were pretty sharp. She didn’t mind.

“So why do you want to meet one? Sometimes people, ones who aren’t brave like me–like us, are scared of them.”

“Everything’s scary. We just have to deal with it. Maybe we can help them, or they can help us? Did they seem angry or curious or scared when you met them?” the little otter-girl asked.

“I guess? They are kind of hard to read. They have no faces. Well, they do, but they aren’t like our faces. They didn’t eat me though. Some people worry they eat little girls. I don’t know about, uh, people like you.”

“That’s fair. Lots of things eat us. It’s a big problem. Humans don’t want to eat us, but they all try to pick us up!”

Kessy nodded. She didn’t have much to add. They walked down the streets, and everyone stared at them. Kessy beamed, she had never felt more important, escorting the cute reclusive lil otter. “Well, a hug is better than being eaten at least!”

“It is! But it’s still unsettling, being held to the chest of a carnivore ten times my size, often firmly enough we can’t get free without biting. Imagining a bear carrying you off! It’s not fun!” the little creature said, exasperated.

Kessy nodded and thought about an overly-friendly bear. It would be scary, but also fun. Even more so if it let her ride it around, immediately a thought occurred, “Wanna ride on top of my shoulder? I can get a pillow or–”

“No, thank you. This is fine,” her new friend said immediately. 

I ought not be greedy, I am already holding its paw and that’s magical!

“So why do you want to meet the big bugs? They seem to be even more shy than you are!”

The pair was beyond the patio and plaza part of town, walking through a flower garden towards the port. 

The revner sneezed, ”I don’t think any of my people have ever met any of theirs! Learning new things is very important to our kind and if I can make a friend, or even learn more about them, then my standing in the family will surely rise!”

“I get that, when I was just a little kid no one took me serious. Now that I am basically a grown-up, I get lots of respect. Important people talk to me all the time!” She smiled, they were very close to warehouse six now. She’d never been here, not since the new tenants moved in. Taritha’s words about them eating little girls kept echoing in her thoughts, all the louder once she saw the door ahead of her.

“If you’re scared of being eaten, we don’t gotta go. I’m not scared. I’m super brave. But we don’t hafta,” Kessy said quietly.

“I set on this quest, and I’ll see it done. I have much to learn!”

The youngest Welcome Guide in Pine Bluff gulped and nodded. The door was just like all the other extra wide extra tall warehouse doors. Big enough for a cart or a golem or one carrying the other. There were two Civic Guardsmen with halberds outside. They wore partial-plate and she could see their bored faces.

“Place is off limits, go home,” one told her.

“Official Welcome Centre business!” Kessy declared. “That’s why I am not alone!” She raised the paw she was holding to emphasise the point. She wished she was wearing her sash, not everyone knew how important she was yet.

“Hmmm, I ain’t heard nothin’ like that,” he said uncomfortably.

“We’re here to protect, not detain. If she said it’s alright, then they can have guests,” the other said, bored.

“Hmm, I don’t reckon kids oughta be allowed within a hundred paces of–”

The guards exchanged a look but didn’t move. That was good enough for her.

“Thank you!” Kessy slipped past and knocked three times on the huge door. A tiny, lonely sound. They waited. She didn’t dare look at her new friend, in case she gave away her unease.

Good thing I’m so brave. Or else I’d run all the way home and play napkin-dodge with Impsley!

The guards winced, frowned, and resumed their stance. Their eyes were alert and they gripped their polearms tight.

The door opened inward and in the darkness, a lone Arachinti stood. It was somehow far larger than she remembered. It loomed silently, its eight eyes bright.

Kessy blinked three times and grasped her lucky scarf with both hands, “Good morning Mister, I’m Kessy, we might have met at the Welcome Centre. I-uh. This is a otter-person that wanted to meet you!” Her heart beat too loud to hear anything else, and her eyes strained to see what was behind it. There seemed to be a lot of eyes, and shiny black armour.

The air stank of strange animals, a blend of copper and sweet rot. Not unpleasant, but unlike anything she’d ever smelled. There was scraping and rustling from deeper inside.

“Hkkhkss. Hhhyk yk,” it said loudly, but what counted as loud for such a monstrous creature was unclear.

The little otter-girl beside her spoke up, calm as ever, as if staring into the dark cavern of monsters wasn’t a nightmare. “Good morning! I’m a representative of the Revner Collective, and I am dying to meet you! Mind if we come in?”

It opened the door wider, and gestured with a huge blade arm. 

Good thing I’m so brave!

The thought repeated itself with every thunderous thump of her heart as she forced a smile and walked into the darkness.

The door creaked shut behind her, and she couldn’t help feeling a bit like a fly. 

A terribly brave one.

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