[WP] "My price is any I wish it to be," the demon snarls, carefully taking the offered package of bubblegum with clawed fingertips.
Posted May 16, 2021, 4:44 PM UTC
112
The Empire of Rleria was bound in faith. An unshakable will in a singular infernal queen who brought light to the world, only to be hanged by her kin. Through the blood of her kin's betrayal, the Rejected-Queen of the Demons redeemed all that was good, but yet her kin carried the blood and sin of her betrayal for all time. On her head was a crown, symbolizing her queenship over her adopted children - the Rlerians, and all other peoples, and in her hand was a noose, symbolizing the treason the demons were prophesied to have committed unto her.
Yet religion was a fickle thing instead. While the Rlerian Church of our Eternal Queen Amahdrasa teaches that a Demon was forever cursed for hanging their own rightful Queen and Goddess, their own savior from the suffering that was on this planet, and that a Demon would forever have lost all virtue within - reality is often not so simple.
The city of Ariabashi, home of Cilerona, was not a place as homogeneous or orthodox as the Rlerian heartlands. Down the colorful streets of Cilerona's house was a quaint little Demonic quarter. Back when she was young, Cilerona used to play with the Demons there, frolicking about the twisting streets and climbing the towering mushroom-like houses within the neighborhood. She would play with her friends every single day, and talk about the higher mysteries of the magical arts, which comprises the true nature of the world all night. Each day, they unlocked another secret key within their little world, and, each night, they unlocked keys within their mind.
Yet, time passes, and the shifting iridescence changes. Soon, she went to her Rlerian Church, and her Demon friends studied theology at a family friend's house. Though not all was lost, as she still went to the same school as her best friend, snickering, discussing, and generally being the bestest of friends at the back of the class.
Cilerona and Lneore weren't exactly the brightest students. While their teachers talked about basic mathematics, they poured over arcane notes describing magical incantations. While their teachers lectured about the dangers of the higher arcane arts, they scribbled little drawings on their writing-pads. While their teachers told them about the mind-numbing histories of the Rlerian Empire, they were gossiping about the general backwardness of the Empire's traditions.
As they grew older, their bond grew ever stronger. No amount of Church propaganda about how demons were nasty creatures who would tempt mortals out of their most prized possessions using the prospect of power would ever separate them. They went to the libraries together, looking up arcane answers to the most mundane problems. They complained to each other about the monotony of lessons, the utter lack of challenge in the sanctioned arcanic assignments, and the utter ridiculousness of discriminating about someone just because a book told you so.
Soon, they passed Elementary, with splendorous results in anything relating to the Arcane, somewhat decent Mathematics results (with Lneore feeding Cilerona all the answers), and barely scraping past History and Theology. They soon gained an interest in comics describing far-off worlds, where hyperconductive plasma existed and magic did not. They spent all day groaning, and all night having sleepovers and reading comics. Comics about far-off space adventurers, about worlds seen and unseen, about valor and courage, and, most importantly, about the utter ridiculousness of religion and its doctrine.
However, the comics were not enough to stave off boredom. What they needed, was real adventure! Cilerona, the lady-swashbuckler of the high seas, and Lneore, her Demonic sidek.....No! It needed to be Lneore, the charming socialite-explorer, and Cilerona, her Rlerian first mate! A real adventure, like that heralded by the shooting star which just crashed-landed in Cilerona's lawn! Such a beautiful shooting star it was, and, upon further inspection, it was more like an aetheric vehicle she read in her comics!
Unfortunately, whatever tiny inhabitants which resided within would most certainly not make the crash-landing. Even less so after Cilerona's handling of the spaceship to get a better look within, and to figure out which was the right side up. Well, it was a spectacular find, anyway. A magnificent, spectacular find, which most certainly deserved to be shared with Lneore! She immediately used a telepathic spell to call Lneore, and watched as her little hooved feet galloped down the street to see her friend.
"Annnnnnd you didn't even think before messing with the vessel?" chided Lneore. "Classic"
"Well, it's still a pretty little aetheric vessel-thing, so I suppose it's still a good find," replied Cilerona sheepishly.
"Wait. I just realized. What was that church propaganda about Demons having the ability to grant upon mortals incredible power in exchange for....I don't know...." said a wide-eyed Lneore
"Something about my most prized possession..."
"Hmm.....that bubblegum over there? It's basically your most prized possession. You never go out without it nowadays......wait, let me get my most evil and theatrical voice ready"
"Really? I thought it refers to the Sou.."
"No, nonononono....."
Lneore prepared herself. A little cough here and there, a small recitement of a passage from the Moste Evile of Arcanic Arts, a little brow-furrowing, a little practice in her EEEEVIL grin, and....
"My price is any I wish it to be," chuckled Lneore as she slowly waved her red arms about, trying to imitate one of those weird pictures of evil devils striking deals. "Through this payment and eternal damnation of your gum-eating habits, which, frankly, is disgusting, I shall confer upon you the mortal life of the entire crew of this aetheric vessel. ARISE!"
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