Chapter 26: Chapter 25 Familia Ties

The demon bazaar had a constant flow of traffic that diverted around Helios and his companions while they stood in the middle. There were some muttered curses and glares from a few less-than-pleased individuals. But no one outright confronted them. Imps skittered across strung-up lanterns overhead into the shadows of nearby buildings

 

“Where to next, boss?” Krutak asked Tuktuk on his shoulder instead of Helios.

 

“Tuktuk has everything he needs to get started,” Tuktuk replied.

 

“We should find somewhere secluded…” Helios began.

 

“Enough! I’m sick of you trying to lord it over us, Helios,” Tsiyaha exclaimed, throwing her packed bundle onto the ground to emphasise her words.

 

“I’m not…”

 

“I don’t want to hear your excuses! You are. How dare you treat me like a slave. Is that how you see me now, like one of them?? Tsiyaha asked, pointing toward a temporary stage on wheels set up on the side of the street.

 

A small crowd had gathered in front of the stage. There were four unique demons chained to the floor. An extremely fat demon stood in front of a short podium with a wooden gavel in hand. Another line of demons was chained together waiting to go on stage. 

 

“Two Beast Ethos for number three, the Primus!”

 

“That’s an embarrassing offer, I’ll give you five!”

 

“Seven!”

 

“Anymore? No? Sold to the gentleman in the front,” the auctioneer announced, slamming his gavel onto the podium.

 

“I’m not a man!” The bidder protested.

 

“Whatever keeps you up at night, darling. I’m not one to judge. Pay up,” the auctioneer retorted without missing a beat as bids were called out for the next demon on stage. “Nine Beast Ethos, going once!”

 

“One Peon Ethos!”

 

“Hoh, hoh. A big spender, that’s more like it! Take him,” the auctioneer replied, once again slamming his gavel onto the surface in front of him. Both demons were escorted off stage while another pair was brought on to take their place. Helios shifted his attention back to Tsiyaha with a frown.

 

“Sigh, It’s not like that at all. I still respect you as my ally, Tsiyaha. I have no interest in a slave,” Helios stated.

 

“Those on the slave block are foolish. They were taken advantage of upon arrival to Fastidium by a slaver and tricked into forming a contract. A command from a Familia Head is not a contract, it can be ignored. The Sigil will merely enact pain as punishment. Those slaves are different. They do not belong to a Familia, they’re bound by something much more devious. To break it means to become like Tuktuk, an Imp. I chose freedom,” Tuktuk bitterly added, turning away from the slave block.

 

“Sniff, you better mean that,” Tsiyaha warned, holding back tears of frustration.  

 

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“I assume they call demon clans Familia for a reason. Relax, you can still say no to me,” Helios said, briefly placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. He then bent down and picked up her discarded bundle. “What do you think we should do next?”

 

“We need to make those arrogant demon lords pay for daring to attempt tricking us,” Tsiyaha replied with a vicious snarl. Helios was relieved to see her back to her old self.

 

“How do you suggest that we do that?”

 

“By first completing your named Task. It must be important for them to try summoning you directly. How could they already know your name?”

 

“Maybe it’s because time works differently for Tasks. To them, I could have already been…” Helios said.

 

“No. Tasks may be outside of time but there’s still a chronological order. You have never performed a Task before. So, it must be someone you knew in life. There are a few ways they may have discovered you were in Hell. Or, they just assumed you were! Hahaha,” Tuktuk informed them. 

 

A sound drew their gazes upward. An Imp dangled from a lantern above them. Others rushed in various directions toward demons on the street, attempting to gain their attention. Helios noticed the King of Fastidium’s official Sigil proudly displayed on its chest.

 

“Attention all! Luminare caste, Thith'toraath has killed a Primus. They are no longer protected within Fastidium. Happy hunting!” the Imp joyfully announced to them before rejoining his peers. 

 

They regrouped and split off, ascending to the higher levels of the city through the warren of streets and alleys. The town-crier Imps stopped any pedestrians they encountered. He could hear them repeating the announcement fading into the distance.

 

Looking upward between the stacked cube towers, he finally became aware of light streaming in from openings to the outside. What he discovered made him freeze. Giant eyes peered inside like a child staring into an anthill. They belonged to the Titan demons clinging to the exterior walls. Not all of the holes contained eyes, platforms lead into organic tunnels. Lesser demon castes trickled in and out of the colonies built into the Titan’s bodies.

 

“Ignore the Colonia demons. They’re a specific class of demons bred for transporting powerful Familia. Don’t you worry, Tuktuk will guide you to greatness. If you want one, you’ll have one,” Tuktuk said, noticing his gaze. Helios inhaled deeply before returning his attention to the Task in his hand.

 

“What should we do with this?” Helios asked, hefting the furled scroll.

 

“It doesn’t matter to you where you accept a Task but we’ll have to wait for your return. So, we’ll purchase a Nightmare lounge. All property is leased from the King of Fastidium. Beebo will cover the costs. I know a place,” Tuktuk replied, tapping Krutak’s shoulder and pointing toward a poorly lit region.

 

***

 

They navigated to a place with sparse foot traffic through the labyrinth of haphazardly stacked towers. The area lacked any form of lighting on the street and was actively avoided by pedestrians. A layabout slumped outside a closed doorway with a crude flask in its hand. 

 

The door slammed open and a swarm of Imps spilled out into the street. The layabout watched them scatter into different directions before clambering to his feet. It caught the door before it closed, silently holding it open for the group. Helios glanced after the Imps that ignored the demon doorman. One paused to look back at their group before leaving.

 

“I recognise some of those Imps. They’re who robbed Shazz at the entrance when Arthrim severed his arm,” Helios observed, gesturing at the Imp that stopped.

 

“Correct. An Imp doesn’t act on its own. In this case,  We don’t have much use for Ethos, others will just take it from us. we’re here to meet with Nightmare Dimmane. She will know a place with sympathy toward Tuktuk’s kind we can find lodgings,” Tukutk informed them.

 

They walked to the entrance, the light from inside illuminating the doorman’s grotesque features. He was vaguely human in appearance like most of the Dolore caste. A tuft of hair stood atop his head surrounded by barbs. He had oversized drooping eyelids with overgrown eyelashes. A hole in the centre of his forehead rhythmically pulsed like breathing. His nose was strangely shaped and connected to a cleft lip.

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