The turnoff doesn’t happen for almost an hour.
The regional road stretches for kilometers—unsurprisingly—and links multiple towns, cities, and villages; but it’s also flanked by a surprising number of inhabitants: from cabins like Jarl’s to bungalows along a cul-de-sac, the first kilometer is too densely packed with possibly observing eyes for them to risk suspicion.
Theoretically.
So, they continue walking—slowly to not miss the turn—even as Áesta thinks they’re needlessly overreacting.
~
“Ye ‘umans can’t even see t’at well!”
Jarl rolls his eyes at the hissed complaint, unamused that the one person in their party not carrying anything is complaining like an impatient toddler. One would think a so-called ancient daemon would be more mature.
Then again: How old IS Áesta?
“I’d rather not risk anything.” Manus nods in agreement, wise golden eyes unusually sharp as they look out for spying eyes or dangers in the night. Jarl kind of wishes Áesta would be that helpful.
The daemon only huffs, “Hwat ye’re riskin’ is fatigue, ye fek.”
The priest sighs. He doesn’t comment, however, because he realizes this is actually quite true.
Not that he’ll ever admit it (especially to Áesta).
The Trio of Treaties continue on route, silently waiting for all the lights in the houses around them to go off.
~
Several minutes later, around the three-meter mark, Jarl finally remembers one of his burning questions.
Deciding to make the most of their time, the holy man glances at the magician beside him and asks, “Hey, this Red guy…” He frowns as it occurs to him that he has no idea how to word this. “Is he teleporting, too?”
The mage looks confused (between them, Áesta does, too), “What?”
Jarl embarrassedly gesticulates as he explains himself: “When I talked to Hagen about the kidnapper’s path, he told me you helped him design his shopping route and that ours is basically a boiled down version of it plus some more designed specifically to get us to the Cavern, whether for the naming thing or just location.” He waits for Manus to confirm or deny this before continuing, nodding himself when the magician agrees. “He also said it’s not the most practical way to get to the Cavern if you’re not travelling with the Axis Mundi.”
Something clicks in Manus’ mind; Jarl can see it in his eyes.
“You’re right…” The mage stares ahead of himself, mind clearly racing, as Jarl glances at Áesta, bewildered.
The daemon, however, looks just as perplexed and thrown: “T’ey are…”
“So…” Jarl hazards, unsure what he just unearthed. “The kidnapper—Red—is using the Axis Mundi, too?”
“Kidnappers,” Manus almost casually corrects; “Remember, daemons like Áesta don’t need the Axis Mundi—they aren’t actually here so they can literally appear wherever they want to. What we didn’t tell you is that they actually CAN'T use it: they literally run on different energies. Remember what I said about the tiers and how daemons absorb and incite energy rather than radiating or invoking it? Well, the Axis Mundi—literally, the tree connecting all parts of our world—isn’t really compatible with them. It’d be like trying to make a star work by using a vacuum—never mind that it’d be more like a black hole: it wouldn’t be producing any light.”
“… That has to be the weirdest analogy you’ve ever used on anybody.”
“It worked, though; right?”
~
“So, you’re saying the guy we know about—Red—is working for… what, another magician?”
“Seems like it…” Manus frowns, clearly perturbed by this. “Mages working with daemons isn’t unheard of, exactly—I mean, me and Áesta working together is nothing new—but… it’s definitely uncommon and… almost taboo…” The golden eyed man glances at the daemon between them, looking somewhat apologetic, but Áesta only shrugs. Manus takes that as forgiveness and continues on, “I can only guess that this has something to do with the prophecy the Elders were talking about. Perhaps those most vile meant this?”
“Daemons t’at work wit’ ‘umans aren’t t’e most standard, neither,” Áesta adds in, seemingly agreeing; “But it ain’t taboo fer us ta do; rat’er, i’s t’e opposite: gettin’ a human ta give us more t’an jus’ food is impressive.”
Manus grins at him, “And that’s why you’re the #1 Daemon in Hell~” He chuckles as Áesta huffs in return, flattered. Jarl, however, raises an eyebrow at them. “Deals with daemons generally favor humans—supposedly, this is part of God’s demands and the only reason he even allows daemons to interact with us. However, that doesn’t stop particularly clever daemons, like Áesta, from figuring out how to get their meals to give them a bit more than just the bare minimum. Some daemons ask for loyalty (so, if the human wants another deal, they summon the exact same daemon rather than a different one) and others ask for favors or debts (so, since I’m a magician, many would as me to perform some kind of spell or brew them a potion).”
“… And what did Áesta ask for?”
Manus smiles, “Friendship.”
~
“A-a-anyway!”
Jarl stares at the blushing daemon between him and the giggling magician with a strange feeling in his chest.
“If hwat ‘Ag says is right, shouldn’t ye—Ah don’ know—fig’er out which mage Red is workin’ wit’?”
“Alright, alright; I’ll stop teasing you!”
~
“You’ll find out, though; right?”
Manus pauses and shifts the bag of thermoses on his shoulder. He looks at Jarl agreeably but also evasively and the priest suddenly feels a wave of worry: WILL Manus suspect his own people? Even if it’s for Jasey?
(Just how much does he love Jasey?)
“It could very well be a normal human,” the mage informs them with a stiff politeness even Hagen’d dislike. Jarl can feel the hair on his nape prickle unpleasantly—nothing like the comforting tickle Áesta gives him. “You don’t actually have to be a magic user to use magic, you know; you simply need access.”
“… So, you’ll find out who had access to the Axis Mundi… right?”
“… Of course.”
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