Peadar walked into Fang's office, pushing aside strings of pink shining pearls. Their dull glimmer holding well under the scrutiny of the outside light.

The ormofolk was scurrying from one corner to the next, her avian legs dancing around the rolled out scrolls, open books and scattered boxes. The asar watched the dishevelled woman carrying heavy tomes and old parchments in her blue feathered arms, rainbow hair pulled tight into a coiled bun.

The room smelled of cured leather and freshly inked books. The walls were all plastered with diagrams and leaflets ripped from books. The room itself was large, had it not been cluttered with whatever insane things Fang discovered or bought. She served the current devilord of Danaze and his family. Her findings and ingenuity responsible for the current plumbing system construction.

Boxes of all sizes and materials were stacked on top of each other. Inside, Peadar spotted trinkets and oddly coloured clothing sticking out. In one he saw a long broken spyglass that looked like the barrel was entirely of glass and the scope itself made from a reddish and blue crystal. To the right of him, opposite of stacked boxes, was a giant collection of books, scrolls and tablets. A long thin paper stretched from one side of the floor to another with runes and other archaic markings etched onto the yellow paper.

To the end of the room, a small simple bed was set up, tumbleweed and straw making for the mattress and a red daulatabad carpet throw on top. Currently, on the bed there were five books open and placed on each other, each others pages used as bookmarks. Next to the bed, a long table made from stone and crystals lined the entire back wall. On it were objects that Peadar had never seen before, nor knew the name. Metal dolls in armour, knives that look like it had three handles and crystals whittled away to look like demons and beasts of hell. There was one statuette that looked similar to the creatures from the surface world. Pointed ears, a mammalian muzzle, four limbs and a sleek long tail.

I remember them...I think my mother had one as a pet. Cyd...Cet...Cat! That's right! Peadar remembered.

He was careful when sidestepping the top of the orbital; the arrow splintered and broken. Ahead of him, the ormofolk continued about her business, as if she didn't see or hear the giant blonde man enter her study. Peadar quickly ducked under, as floating orbs of blue and green light floated about. Looking up he saw the ceiling painting to look like the seven echelons of hell, all marked expertly by a very talented artist. The image was painted on black canvas, white paint outlined the half coiled and half slithering serpent. Inside the outline, different circles and symbols were drawn in an intricate design of the respective cultural impression of the seven echelons. He heard the rustling of paper and pitter-patter of talons hitting the limestone floor.

'Terra, Inferno, Unda, Caeli, Heims, Tenebris and Lux. The seven layers or echelons,' Fang said, standing by his side, looking at the artistic depiction of their world, 'Hard to believe we live in the World Serpent's seven stomachs.' She spoke with such wonder in her tone, like a child seeing magic for the first time.

'"The Surface World will partake the flesh of the Serpent. They shalt rip, they shalt tear the scales and beauty of the Serpent giver, Mother and Father of the Dragon Emperor. But we shalt hide and witness the magnificences manifest!'" Fang recited the renowned sect of the Divide.

'"And let no imp or devil take away what the Father and Mother Serpent hast giveth.'" Peadar completed the rite.

Fang tuned her blue and green tinted feathered neck to him, human face contrasting with her avian neck. She was a surface-born, like him. Her people were the ormofolk, a humanoid avian species. From her neck to the end of her back, azure and verdant feathers run down, the outer side of her arms a small line of vibrant coloured quills stuck out, very akin to wings. From underneath her copper skirt, tall digitigrade legs with large birdlike three talons sticking out. Peadar spotted the lustre of orange and gold rings on her long clawed digits.

Fang's torso was exposed, and sprinkled lightly with feathers and body paint.

'What brings you here?' she asked, humanoid fingers rubbing together.

From his pockets, he pulled out the golden locket and handed it over. Fang's heavy lidded and angular cyanic eyes locked on to the necklace. She brought it closer to her wide nose, sniffing it, and licked it twice.

'It is gold,' she muttered, more so to herself than Peadar.

Scurrying off to her desk, she picked up her multi-lensed monocle, setting it on her ear, she processed to tap the lenses that sat above the frame, magnifying the locket.

'Seems normal by all accounts.'

'Found it on a hellish beast - the lupusursa.'

'You killed lupusursa!' Fang cried out in shock, eyes widening, her right eye magnified by the monocle, causing Peadar to laugh.

'Aye, gave me a nasty scratch across the chest too,' Peadar said nonchalantly. He grabbed a box and tipped the contents out. Spoons, candles and iron nuggets showered to the floor. Flipping the box over, Peadar sat down. 'What I want to know is how it survived the acid.'

'You...you found it inside the beast's stomach?'

'Aye.'

Fang looked concerned for a moment. She touched her tongue with the tip of her index.

'I washed it in lava wine.'

Fang nodded. Turning around, she went back to her desk, moving aside some books and paper. An ink pot fell to the ground and a pool of ebon liquid flowed down, splitting in half, flowing towards the asar. Something in his stomach coiled and churned. Peadar gulped, feeling a sudden icy dread descend upon him.