by Randi Darren
Sam quietly followed along behind. He wasn’t quite sure what to think about all this. Hell was very different than he remembered.
Far different than even the stories he’d heard from those who’d left after him. Though even that had occurred before he’d been imprisoned.
Nothing seemed to be what he’d expected at all.
Looking critically at the village as they passed through it, Sam tried to learn all he could. From the material used to construct the homes to the clothes they wore, everything appeared to be imported from elsewhere.
Much of it seemed as if it came from a material plane similar in nature to the prime.
Beyond that, he had to confess that it was obvious that these mortals—these Humans—were indeed little better than indentured servants. One and all, they had the look of being born and bred into servitude.
They all lacked the spark of life that he’d come to expect and love about mortals. There was nothing behind these poor people’s eyes.
Whatever had been there had been beaten, bred, or broken out of them. Likely centuries ago.
From what he could see, they all shared a root genetic stock. They all had dark-brown hair, dark-brown eyes, and very fair skin.
“May I ask which Lord of Hell you serve?” asked Adam after closing the door to the manse behind Sam.
“I serve no one,” Sam replied smoothly. He had never been part of the politics of Hell. His goal truly had only ever been becoming a Planar Lord. “Nor do I know the current situation in Hell.”
While Irma had cautioned him against telling people who he was, Sam felt differently. Hell would always be Hell.
Making sure people knew who you were, what you were capable of, was key. After all, just because he couldn’t open a portal to another plane, that didn’t stop him from being a Planar Lord.
Because I became a Planar Lord.
Before that, I was an Incubus with a gift, ability, and deep knowledge of Essence sorcery. Someone who could hold his own in a fight against a great number of Demons.
Turning on his heel, Sam met the man’s eyes directly.
“My name is Sameerixis Fidenis. You may address me as Sam,” he said neutrally. “I was a Lord of Hell before I became a Planar Lord and left. This was millennia ago, though, so I would very much doubt you know me at all.
“This is my first time back since I became a Planar Lord. I require information from you. For that, I can repay you in Essence at this time, or in favors in the future.”
Adam didn’t look convinced of what he’d been told. In fact, if anything, he looked like he wanted to attack Sam. If he didn’t serve a Lord of Hell, that meant he was an intruder.
An interloper.
“Don’t,” Sam warned, lifting a hand up with a single finger pointed to the sky. “I will end you very quickly. It wouldn’t even be very difficult. It would take, at the very least, a Duke to stand up to me. Though even a Duke probably couldn’t actually defeat me. They’d just be able to escape without me murdering them outright.
“I have no interest in your lands and am just passing through, Adam. You shouldn’t make this worse.”
That was the absolute truth.
Even in his weakened state right now, Sam could battle it out with a Duke of Hell and have a very good chance of winning.
“A… Duke?” asked Adam, his desire to fight vanishing in a second.
“Well, that’s what they were called in my time,” apologized Sam. “I’m not quite sure what they would be referred to as now. A Duke had the power and knowledge to open a plane to elsewhere.”
Adam shook his head slowly. He looked incredibly lost and equally shocked.
“No one can open a plane out of Hell anymore,” he said quietly. “No one has for the last one or two hundred years. Not since the Church of One and All sealed the plane itself.”
I… what?
Sealed the plane?
Sam didn’t know how to respond to that.
“Explain it to me,” he demanded. “In detail.”
***
From what Adam explained to Sam, it was extremely common knowledge that Hell was sealed to itself. Everyone believed it was all due to the Church of One and All.
The enemies of Hell had finally succeeded in closing it off from everywhere else. The only ones who were fortunate enough to leave the plane were those who were summoned off-plane.
It did explain why he hadn’t actually met anyone from Hell since he’d escaped his own prison, with the exception of the summoned Pit Demon who killed Wren and Tiffany. The reason that no one had come from it at all was that it was completely isolated.
Having collected the information, food, and water, Sam had paid Adam in Essence. To which, the young lord was rather grateful.
Essence generation hadn’t been very common in Hell to begin with when Sam had been around. Now it was incredibly rare, as those who had left Hell, did their best to stay away.
Though with no planes opening, that meant that only those who could be summoned before the closure, had a chance to be summoned after. There would be no infernal knowledge gleaned by new Warlocks, Witches, or Necromancers who weren’t given planar summoning diagrams by others.
“And that’s the situation,” Sam finished, explaining everything to Irma and Carissa.
The two women had spent most of the conversation eating, drinking, and then asking questions. They were now in the process of turning their jackets into sacks to carry the rest of their provisions.
Sam, of course, didn’t need anything but sex and his body was well suited for Hell. It also meant he’d be the one carrying everything. It would be far less taxing for him to do so.
“In other words,” Irma began, looking up from the knap-sack made out of her jacket, “we have to wait for Aster and Jes to summon you back, but only after this… spell… fades from around you.”
“Exactly right,” said Sam. “But that assumes that they can summon me back. Jena’s spell which was blocking me from opening portals to other locations felt like it would prevent summoning as well.
“From the feel of that spell, it seemed as if it covered the entirety of the country. Resonating out from set points almost like radio towers.”
Carissa sighed and then growled. She seemed rather perturbed by their situation.
“I need a weapon,” she said finally. “If we’re going to be stuck here, I need a weapon. Irma has Essence sorcery, you are yourself, and I am unarmed.
“I must have a weapon so that I do not drag our group down. We’ll be dependent on one another until we figure a way out of Hell.”
Sam couldn’t argue that point. She was right.
“I’ll barter with Adam for equipment. He seemed rather keen on receiving Essence as payment,” Sam said. “I’ll ask him for more information and what’s nearby.
“Honestly, Hell isn’t what it used to be at all. It seems more like feudal Europe now. I don’t think my earlier explanation would be very useful. At least, in regards to territories dominated in an animalistic fashion.
“I think everyone is just hunkering down and trying to live as if Hell were a crap-sack version of the prime plane. They were even growing crops.”
Irma nodded her head, squared her shoulders, and then clapped her hands together once. The pop of her palms together seemed to break a tension he hadn’t realized was building.
“So be it. Then we’ll just have to survive, adapt, and overcome,” she said definitively. “That means we need to gather resources and information.
“From there, we can make our first move. Which is clearly finding a large settlement and doing what we must.
“I think we’re more at risk being out here where we are than we would be in a city or large village. Thoughts?”
Thinking about it, Sam couldn’t help but agree with her. They would very likely do better in a village or a city. If they could get a property or a home purchased, he could secure the two of them inside.
Then work at trying to figure out a way f
or them to get out of Hell. Which meant talking or dealing with the Lords of Hell directly.
“Alright, since no one has anything to add, I’ll go first,” said Irma, who then leaned back and began to shimmy out of her leggings. “I need you to gorge yourself on me, Sammy. Then on Carissa, then on me again, and back to her. Until you’re all full, or we can’t handle you anymore. We’ll do that for a few days until the supplies you brought back run out.
“Because if Essence is our coin, we need to fill your purse, and that means filling up my and Carissa’s purse. As much as we can.”
Irma spread her legs apart, put her hands on her knees and smiled at him in the dark. He didn’t think she could see anything, but that didn’t seem to stop her from clearly finding what enjoyment in the situation she could.
“Well?” she asked after a few seconds passed. “I’m waiting.”
Eight - Brave New World -
The four-wheeled cart trundled onward. In front of the cart was the ox-shaped automaton Sam had made to pull it.
It was filled with a smidgen of Essence so it would eternally pull the cart that held him, Carissa, and Irma. All he had to do was put a bit more into it whenever it got low.
Moving ever toward the horizon on the strange road that they traveled, the mindless golem trudged on. Traveling away from Adam’s little hamlet and toward the city.
They’d come to a very amicable arrangement with the Demon and had left, heading out as rapidly as they arrived.
They’d quickly come to the realization that using an Essence-driven golem was the best way for them to travel. It would use the least amount of resources, and the resource it did use was refillable.
Making Carissa or Irma walk would drain their energy, causing them to have to eat more food. There was no telling how often they could restock on food that was consumable by mortals.
Essence, though, was as easy as having sex. Sam could use it to replenish their energy, power the automaton, and trade with others.
Using a cart like this was indeed ideal, as Sam could even generate additional Essence as they traveled.
Which he was currently doing.
Thrusting into Irma twice more, Sam let out a slow breath as his seed filled her up. The lovely Imp was pinned to the floorboard of the cart beneath him.
Using a speck of the Essence they generated between them, he cleaned her up and refreshed her. The rest of the Essence generated was socked away for later.
“Should I take a turn?” Carissa asked from the bench.
Groaning, Irma’s hands clung to Sam’s shoulders. Then she shook her head.
“No, I can handle another round, I think. I’m going a little numb down there but it isn’t painful yet,” Irma said, her ankles resting against Sam’s thighs. “I just need a five minute breather, I think.”
“Okay,” Carissa replied as if this were nothing out of the ordinary anymore.
Considering they’d spent the last six or seven hours having sex like this, alternating between the two women, it really wasn’t out of the ordinary.
Irma’s eyes slowly opened and she gazed up at Sam, even while he was still deep inside her.
Giving him a shy smile, she seemed to search his face. Then she laughed and reached up with one hand to pat his cheek.
“I didn’t realize I’d go to Hell and spend the whole time on my back,” she said, laughing. She let out another sigh, still stroking Sam’s cheek. Then her face took on a curious expression. “It really was weird wasn’t it?”
“What, Adam?” Sam asked, settling himself down between Irma’s thighs.
“Yeah, I mean… he didn’t even look at Carissa or I. Didn’t even bat an eye that we were there, in fact,” said Irma, her fingertips moving across Sam’s cheek. “Just answered every question you asked, didn’t bother bartering for the price of any of it, and sold you the cart and supplies without a fuss.”
“My opinion remains the same. He wanted us gone,” Carissa remarked. “That’s the only answer I can come up with, anyway.
“Clearly, he was afraid of Sam, was more than willing to give him anything he asked if it meant he would leave, and wanted us gone. Reminded me of when we had a few firebrands back when I was a— when I fought against the government.
“Good to have in a pinch, terrible to deal with when you’re trying to win over a population. Just as likely to hurt friendlies as our targets.
“We let them go start their own group so long as it had a different name and had nothing to do with us.”
Sam couldn’t disagree with Carissa.
The more he thought about it, the more he’d found himself agreeing with Carissa’s opinion. Adam had just wanted them gone.
“There’s no reason for him to have feared us though, is there?” Irma asked, still looking up at Sam.
Is there? I didn’t really do anything that would have set him on edge.
Nor had I threatened him or told him I planned to take anything from force. In fact, I was pretty sure I told him I had no interest in his lands.
I did tell him that I had the power of a Duke, though. But that shouldn’t have been that terrifying. Dukes are certainly rare but not that rare.
“I did tell him I was at least as powerful as a Duke. I honestly didn’t think much of it at the time, but I suppose that could be it,” Sam murmured. “It isn’t like there are only a handful of Duke’s, though.
“There were literally at least forty in the area I inhabited when I left. Rare, certainly, but not unheard of. That and I needed to make him aware of the fact that attacking me would have just caused him misfortune. I’m fairly certain he was planning it.”
“I wouldn’t expect it to be that then,” Carissa replied. “It’d have to have been something else ent— what’s that?”
Lifting his head and breaking the lingering gaze with Irma, Sam looked at Carissa. Following her gaze, he looked out in the same direction she was.
Distantly, he could see what looked like the spark and flash of lightning. Though it obviously wasn’t lightning as it was a clear sky.
There were no clouds, nor would there ever be in Hell.
“Essence battle,” said Sam after a moment of processing. “Large one. But… it doesn’t feel right. Rather than two individuals it seems more like… like two armies battling.
“That’s why there’s so many pulses, rather than just two large ones. It could be a battle between Demon lords.”
“Best we avoid it then,” Carissa muttered. “Though I think it’s right in our way to the city Adam mentioned. Could it be the city lord itself?”
“Possible,” murmured Sam.
“Could we use this to our advantage?” asked Irma. “Just how strong are you, Sammy? I know you have some martial skill but how does that translate to this plane?
“Are you able to assist the city lord and earn us a few favors from them? It’d be a good way to start in this city. We are, after all, quite good at making deals and brokering exchanges as a company.”
“I mean… I haven’t gone all-out in a very long time,” Sam said with some hesitation. Being on his home plane had most certainly woken up some long-dormant memories. Memories of being a Lord of Hell before becoming a Planar Lord.
Of storming across battlefields and ripping the life force out of his enemies. Tearing through their ranks with sword and spell. Drinking down their souls as only a Spirit of Gluttony could.
The memories he experienced felt hollow and oily. No matter how much water he might run over it, he could never quite clean it.
“Sammy,” Irma said firmly, catching his attention. Looking back down into her face, he realized they were still in the missionary position. He was actually still inside of her. “Regardless of who you were before, or what you did, you’re not who you once were.
“Even if you repeated your previous actions, you’re not the same person now. You’d feel differently and alter your course.
“You’re a Demon, Sam. An Incubus. But you’re also the
man I love and soon to be a father. It’s all one in the same.
“Your previous actions no longer define you. They only give you the experience to make better choices.”
The words were spoken softly but they left a deep mark upon Sam’s mind and psyche. Regardless of anything else, she clearly believed in him.
Her faith in him would continue, even if he were to give in to his past and be the Warlord he once was before he gained his Planar abilities. To become that Demon amongst Demons again.
“So… maybe it’s time to be Sameerixis Fidenis Xilin Fisch Elh Caerwin Aderin Telis, the married Demon who escaped Hell. Who battled forces good and evil to carve out his own path,” Irma whispered, tilting her head to one side as she gazed up at him. There was a teasing look to her at the moment. “And maybe, just maybe, I want to see the man I tamed really let loose and make that city lord owe us. Because I’d feel awfully powerful if I managed to tame such a Demon lord.
“Show your little Imp wife what a Demon you were?”
Of all the mortals across his incredible life span so far, only Irma had found ways to provoke his desires. To poke at his inner needs and demons.
Only Jes, who had magical abilities to see what he wanted, could do better than her.
“I’ll set off and find the battlefield,” Sam said gruffly. Her words had hit the mark and were correct.
Hell was Hell.
If he could slaughter an army to curry favor with the city lord, that would be a good use of his Essence.
First though, he had to confirm that’s what this was.
“If it’s the city lord, do what you must,” Carissa murmured. “We can always recharge you after.
“If it isn’t, assess, then address. We’ll support whatever you decide.”
Irma nodded her head, grinning at him. Her ankles pulled at his thighs, as if inviting him to pummel her insides again.
I mean… do I have two minutes?
I have two minutes. Right?
“Have your favorite snack, then go, my love,” Irma whispered to him huskily.
I definitely have two minutes.
***
Sam was flying on the outskirts of the battle.
