A Demon's Core

“So, we were talking about why Mr. Walters hasn’t been arrested yet. Unfortunately there’s just never been enough evidence to make any charges stick,” William explains.

Is this case likely to yield better results?

Cassandra looks down solemnly and William sighs.

“Probably not,” he admits.

“That’s hardly surprising.” Rose jeers.

This does not sound like particularly good news.

“Well, I did say it was only slightly good news.”

“It’s a complicated situation, but once he knows we are actively investigating his involvement, he will likely back off. That will at least buy us some time to figure out a permanent solution.” Cassandra adds with a look of determination. “We won’t let him just continue doing whatever he wants.”

You sound confident, but he must be pretty good at what he does if he has been able to get away with so much already.

“Well, there are rumours that he makes generous ‘donations’ to various politicians and even law enforcement agencies on a regular basis. It really wouldn’t surprise me at all if he was just bribing them to cover up his crimes for him. Nor would I be surprised at the politicians or law enforcement accepting such bribes.” William says ruefully.

Is such corruption really so common? He shrugs in response.

“It is what it is. Even when we’re facing extinction, there will always be people who only care about solely benefiting themselves, even at the expense of everyone else. I can’t even bring myself to be mad about it anymore, to be honest. I’m just disappointed in people.” William laments.

I am taken aback by that and even Rose is so dumbfounded when I relay it to her that she stops glaring for the first time since she entered the room.

What do you mean when you say you are ‘facing extinction’?

It is now apparently their turn to be dumbfounded. They sit back in their chairs and briefly share a confused look between them before turning to Rose and eyeing her suspiciously

“Are you really not aware of what’s happening?” Cassandra inquires.

I truly have no idea what you are referring to. Can you please elaborate?

“Have you been living under a rock for the last few decades? Do you seriously not know about our war with the demons?” William demands.

Rose goes stiff at the mention of demons and shrinks back into her chair, which does not go unnoticed by the two humans, who look at her in puzzlement. I understand her concern. With the way imps are usually treated by others demons, that is not likely to change if they are discovered here.

We have seen evidence of war while exploring the city, but nothing that looked like it happened recently.

“The war is still ongoing. There just hasn’t been any fighting in this region for quite a while now due to the area lacking anything of strategic value.” Cassandra states.

“Other than a dungeon in the river that we haven’t been able to find the core of, despite years of searching. Even the demons seem to have given up on that one, for now at least.” William adds.

But there was something here in the past worth fighting over?

“Yours wasn’t the only dungeon to come down in this city. It’s actually surprising that this one managed to stay hidden for so long.” He ponders.

“It’s been observed that, despite generating mana on their own, dungeon cores can become dormant if the ambient mana in the surrounding environment is too low.” Cassandra reminds him. “But with the average ambient mana levels rising every year, we should expect that any dormant dungeons still out there will start waking up eventually, possibly even soon.”

“Great, more work for us then,” William says sarcastically

Are you really facing extinction though if the demons are just ignoring this entire city? From what I have seen, there are still quite a lot of people living here.

“They’re ignoring us for now, but the demons we’re facing have made it clear that they do want to exterminate us. They’ll surely be back eventually, especially if they learn about this dungeon being here.” William retorts

“But you may be right. ‘Extinction’ might be a slight exaggeration. Reports received from the few other countries that we are still able to maintain regular contact with revealed that we’re not all dealing with the same type of demons. Some are aparently actually open to the possibility of peaceful coexistence.” Cassandra interjects.

“Yeah well, it’s easy for them to say that after we’ve lost eighty percent of our population. But sure, even if the demons we’ve got do succeed in their goal, humanity, as a species, will probably not be completely wiped out.” William grumbles.

You have lost contact with other nations?

“Most of them; apart from everyone dealing with invasions of their own, back when this all started, the demons were knowledgeable enough to identify and target critical infrastructure. Disrupting communications was one of the things they prioritised,” he says.

So this is happening all over the world?

“Pretty much, except maybe in Antarctica, I suppose. But who knows, maybe even the penguins are dealing with their own demon invasion,” he replies with a shrug.

Was it the war with the demons that was responsible for the reduction in population then? That still does not seem right based on what I have seen. There is likely more to it than that.

“Well, yes and no. When the demons first arrived, a plague soon followed.” William says solemnly.

“It’s not entirely clear if it was an intentional act of biological warfare or just a natural result of beings from another world invading in large numbers; a question that is still debated to this day.” Cassandra explains.

“But either way, the result was that the diseases they brought spread quickly and had a horrifically high mortality rate.” She continues

“Reports from the time did state that many demons also fell ill, but either they had more robust immune systems or they were just better prepared because they did not suffer anywhere near the same fatality rate. It was little more than an inconvenience to them.” William adds.

Wait…you said the demons came from another world? Is that even possible?

The humans are again left momentarily speechless. Cassandra looks towards William questioningly, but he just shrugs in response

“You weren’t aware?” She asks.

Should I be?

“You’ve been summoning demons, didn’t you ever wonder where they were coming from?” William asks with an incredulous tone.

I suspected they were not native to this region, but I had no reason to think they came from another world altogether.

Did you know this was a different world from where you came from? I ask Rose.

“I don’t really understand. Is there more than one world?” She responds, seeming just as bewildered as I am.

Apparently, there is.

“You really aren’t actually a demon, are you?” Cassandra asks tentatively.

I did tell you as much last time you were here, did I not?

“You did, but under the circumstances, it was kind of hard to just take your word for it,” William says with a small chuckle.

So why suddenly change your mind about it then?

“Well, it’s hard to imagine a demon being unaware of the fact that they came from another world,” he remarks.

I decide it would be best, for now, to refrain from mentioning that Rose was also not aware of that fact. And if she did not know, it is unlikely that any of the other imps would either.

“I assume you’re still not willing to tell us what you actually are then?” Cassandra inquires.

You assume correctly.

“What will it take for us to earn your trust enough for you to share that information?” She requests.

Once you can confirm that we no longer have to fear being attacked by humans, then I may consider it.

“That’s easier said than done,” William says with a sigh.

You mentioned different types of demons earlier. How many are there?

The two humans share a look before William nods, prompting Cassandra to answer.

“Three that we’re aware of,” she says.

“Four if you include the little ones you’ve got here,” William interjects.

“Right, actually, that reminds me; Johnathan and Jenna came to see us recently. They said they had visited and that you told them that these little demons are called ‘imps’, is that correct?” She asks with a raised eyebrow.

Yes, that is correct.

“Does that name come from their language or ours?” William casts a suspicious glance towards Rose with his eyes narrowed slightly. She notices his glance and glares back at him, even baring her teeth.

Theirs. Why?

“That’s more evidence, right?,” he says to Cassandra.

“I believe so,” she replies.

Evidence of what?

“Prior contact,” Cassandra answers. “Examining myths, legends, religion and folklore, it seems likely that demons may have visited Earth numerous times throughout history and have not gone unnoticed.”

“For example, there are myths and stories that mention imps and describe them as fairies or demons that are of small stature and mischievous nature. Of course, we do not know much about how your imps behave and that description is a little vague. If it was just that, it could probably be passed off as a coincidence, but then there’s the other demons.” Cassandra begins an impromptu lecture and Rose stops glaring and is listening intently as I relay it to her, apparently quite interested in the topic.

“So imps have been here before, even though it’s another world?” she asks.

It sounds like that might be the case.

“The demons we’re dealing with are called ‘vak’, while our research couldn’t find any reference to that name in connection with demons, their appearance so closely matches the most generic stereotype for a demon that it’s impossible to ignore. They look a lot like us, but for the red skin, black eyes, pointy ears, sharp teeth, horns and clawed fingers. Besides those features, their resemblance to humans is actually quite remarkable.” Cassandra continues.

“That sounds like vukra.” Rose growls as her body tenses. Cassandra heard the comment and was able to understand it.

“What are ‘vukra’?” She asks.

Vukra is how the imps refer to the larger demons where they come from. It is not an official name, just what the imps call them. Based on your description, it sounds like these ‘vak’ might be the ones that term refers to.

“Huh, interesting. That’s probably worth investigating. What are relations like between the imps and these ‘vukra’?”

Rose lets out a bitter laugh before her expression contorts into a deep scowl.

“We hate them. They are vile monsters and the world would be better off without them,” she snarls.

“I don’t know what she’s saying, but based on that reaction, I’m going to assume it’s not good,” William says, surprised by the intensity of hostility she is displaying.

Rose's reaction may be a little more extreme than most, due to personal experiences, but in general, no, they do not get along well.

“Now that’s some valuable information,” William exclaims while Cassandra is writing things down in a notepad she pulled from her pocket. “If the Vak and these ‘vukra’ do turn out to be the same, then knowing we have a common enemy could help convince more people of the value of earning your allegiance.”

Perhaps I am being a little too generous with information, but there certainly would be value in knowing we share a common enemy.

“Right, so back on topic, the next type of demon is known as ‘Sucubirus’. They are the ones who are supposedly willing to coexist.” Cassandra continues her explanation.

“And if you’re thinking ‘hey, that sounds a lot like succubus,’ you’d be right. And they definitely look the part. I mean, I’ve only seen pictures, but…wow.” William chimes in and Cassandra rolls her eyes.

“Yes, there are many stories that describe succubi as demonic beings with the visage of a beautiful woman who use that to seduce men. And as William has so eloquently put it, the Sucubirus certainly look like they could fit that description.

“Though their appearance is not quite as human-like as the Vak. Still similar, but they have long tails, tapered to a point, and digitigrade legs with sharp…claws…” She trails off in her explanation and they both look down at Rose with a curious expression.

“Actually, now that I think about it, they do kind of look a lot like your imps, just bigger. Would you mind asking her to stand up so we can get a better look at her?” Cassandra requests.

“They expect me to show off for them? Like an animal performing for their entertainment?” Rose snaps.

You do not have to, if you would rather not. I am sure they will just take some time to observe the others to confirm their theory.

Rose glares silently at the humans but eventually sighs.

“No, it’s fine. This is a good opportunity to acquire information from them, some exchange is only fair.”

She climbs down from her chair and moves away from the table a little so the two humans have a better view. She stands in place for a moment, then slowly spins on the spot.

“Are they satisfied?” She asks when she is facing them again.

I am sure that is plenty. I assure her and she moves back to her seat.

“Honestly, we probably should have noticed this before now.” Cassandra complains.

“Well it’s not like either of us have ever actually seen a sucubirus in person before. And it’s possible we never will as long as the vak are here. So we’ve never had a reason for it to be at the forefront of our minds.” William reassures her.

“I guess that’s true. But still, besides a more human-like facial structure and more…pronounced feminine features, they really are quite similar aren’t they. I wonder if there’s some kind of connection there. Do you or the imps know anything about it?” She asks.

“I think I know what she’s referring to. I know of them and I’ve even seen a few before, but I don’t know much about them and have never interacted with them personally.” Rose answers when I ask her and I relay that to the humans.

This is the first time I have ever even heard of them, so if there is a connection between them, I would not know about it, I add and I see Cassandra writing down more in her little notebook.

You said that you would never see one as long as the vak are here. Why is that?

“From what we have been able to ascertain, the vak and sucubirus don’t like each other. We don’t know what the beef is between them, but wherever one is, the other won’t be.” William expounds.

“It’s quite a mystery. The timing of their appearance was too coordinated to be mere coincidence, but that would imply some level of cooperation between them despite their apparent dislike for each other.” Cassandra ponders.

Perhaps their circumstances at the time forced them to cooperate temporarily?

“That is the leading theory, but interrogation of vak prisoners has not yielded much on that topic,” she laments.

They do not like to talk about the sucubirus?

“Oh, they will talk about them, they just won’t say anything particularly useful; mostly just insults and vulgar comments.”

“Perhaps they are concerned about unintentionally revealing something about their own circumstances if they start giving you too much information on the sucubirus,” suggests William.

“That’s what we suspect. We’ll keep trying though, maybe one of them will slip eventually,” Cassandra declares.

What about the sucubirus then? Have they also been unwilling to share information on the vak?

“Presumably. If they’ve been any more forthcoming, we haven’t been informed,” she confirms.

So what of the other type of demon then? You said there were three.

“Yes. Those ones are a little different as they are not leading their own independent invasion, but are just helping the other two, possibly due to being relatively few in number.” she begins.

“And thank god for that,” William interrupts and Cassandra smirks.

“Indeed. The vak refer to them as ‘zinco’, although reports also indicate that the sucubirus call them ‘forna’. The reason for the different names is unclear, though it could just be the result of different languages,” she continues.

Do you know any other demon languages besides Balkret?

“No, I’ve never had reason or opportunity to learn.”

That is a shame, if she did, then maybe I could have gotten some insight into one of my imps that do not speak it, if I was lucky.

Have these other demons never identified themselves?

“No. The few times we have managed to capture one alive, they didn’t speak. It’s not that they can’t, just that they won’t. In fact, the only thing they will do is spend every waking moment trying to escape, not hesitating to hurt, or sometimes even kill themselves in the process, which makes containing them both difficult and dangerous,” Cassandra explains.

I do not know about ‘forna’, but ‘zinco’ can be roughly translated to English as ‘brute’.

“Huh, we still can’t say whether that’s the real name for them or not, but it’s certainly appropriate,” she states while adding it to her notes.

“I’ll say, those things are bloody monstrous,” William adds.

How so?

“They are hulking masses of muscle and destruction. Three and a half to four metres tall, they’re like walking tanks, and I don’t mean that figuratively. In battle, they wear thick steel plating as armour and their primary weapons are either cannons or machine guns so big they should be considered a war crime,” he says with a shaky voice. He actually seems nervous.

You sound like you have some personal experience with them.

“Yeah, I’ve…I’ve had to fight against them before,” he pauses and looks down with a solemn expression, his hands clenched into fists. “I sincerely hope I never have to do so again.” Cassandra places a comforting hand on his shoulder and he sends her a small smile and relaxes, hands unclenching.

So what do these brutes look like other than tall and muscular?

“They have a dark reddish-brown skin. Unlike the other demons, they are ungulates. They also have short tails, proportionally. They’ve only got four digits on each hand, which seems strange considering the others all have five, like us. Their horns, which grow from the sides of their head instead of the their forehead like the others, are long, sharp and pointed mostly forwards and slightly upwards. And while I might not go so far as to call it a muzzle, their faces do protrude outwards a bit. Anything to add?” She asks William.

“Nah, I think that about covers it. I’d say they’re the most animalistic of the demons we’ve seen, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they inspired a few different legends throughout history,” he replies.

“The vak seem to value them primarily for their physical strength, not just in battle, but also for manual labour, but we don’t know a whole lot more about them than that.” Cassandra adds.

I ask Rose if she has any further information about them.

“I do know about the brutes,” she paused and eyes Cassandra suspiciously. “My former…‘employer’ had a few working for him as security for his manor. They mostly just ignored me, which was fine.” It seems like she is being careful with her wording in case the human woman overhears her. If she did, she made no indication of it.

I do not even mention the matter of Rose’s ‘employment’ when I relay it to the humans, simply telling them that Rose knew of vukra who had hired brutes as security.

With everything that has been said. I feel like it is safe to assume the ‘vak’ and ‘vukra’ are one and the same and I am sure Cassandra and William will be able to reach the same conclusion, if they have not already. That means vukra are here and we may have to deal with them eventually if the humans cannot defeat them.

How long has this war been going on?

“Twenty-seven years; ever since the dungeons appeared.” William states.

Did the dungeons bring the demons to this world then?

“No, we don’t think so. It’s believed that the demons actually sent the dungeon cores ahead of them,” Cassandra claims.

For what purpose?

“Mana. They need it to fuel their magic and power their technology.”

“Well, technically most of their technology is powered by electricity, but they use mana to generate electricity.” William comments.

“But the point is, Earth didn’t have mana before they came, or at least, not enough for it to be detectable.” Cassandra continues.

How advanced is their technology?

“I’d say they’re on a similar level to us,” William alleges.

Do you think you can beat them?

The humans share a defeated, sombre look.

“Honestly, no. We’re losing this war. I don’t know about the rest of the world, but here, we’ve already lost more than half of our territory to them. We’ve been on the back foot ever since the plagues. Some people may not yet want to admit it, but if things continue as they are, it’s only a matter of time before the demons are victorious,” William says with a grim expression.

That does not bode well for us, but I doubt there is much I could do to change the tides of a war.

A heavy silence falls on the room for a while before William speaks again.

“Well, we seem to have gotten a little side-tracked from our original goal here. How about we open these gifts now?” He chuckles, trying to lighten the mood.