The Demon Lord Is An Angel
Chapter 237: Interlude - Ferro - Part 2

Chapter 237: Interlude - Ferro - Part 2

As they neared their destination, Ferro realized that the Duat was more of a city within a city.

The first floor was taken up entirely by a settlement that guarded the little patch of green which led down to the second floor. The second floor was more of a slum surrounding a staging area, with masses of material, artifacts, and the butchered remains of monsters gathered into discreet piles.

"Welcome to the Overdungeon," a heavily tattooed human with orange-yellow hair greeted Lanoch. He was dressed in pants, boots, and that was it. The rest of him was covered in intricate whorls and jagged lines, except for his face. The human’s hair fell in long, bound up strips down to his chin.

"Overseer Uraka," Lanoch took the man’s hand in a firm grip before slapping him on the shoulder.

"Aye, and here I thought you’d get soft after life on the surface."

"Arena’s kept me fit. Now give me the tour. Never thought I’d see the day you had an office."

"Perks of being effective," the human laughed.

The tour turned out to be little more than visiting one liquor cabinet after another. Lanoch and their host talked about some shared past who was ’raking it in’ now that they were both adults.

"I’ve got ten more years on you, Lanoch, and you can’t even read still."

"Can still kick your ass, Uraka. Besides, no need to read when I have this little slut for it," the lionkin grabbed Ferro by the hip.

"Pretty. But you’ll want a real scholar for what’s down there, Lanoch. You take something pretty into the Duat, and you’ll wind up wasting a lot of time and money. I assume that’s why you came to me."

"I came to you because we’re pals. And because you owe me."

"How many then?" Uraka asked.

"Huh?"

"How many floors do you think you can take me for?" Uraka chuckled. "It’s the only question that really matters down here, anyway."

"I’m here to make my mark. I’d like to get more than the Prime Delver that came before me."

"That I cannot do," Uraka said. "But no one’s going to blame you for stopping at thirty or forty floors."

"I’m going for it all, Uraka," Lanoch took a long swig from the decanter in his hand. "Got someone on the inside telling me things are about to shake up. New rules. New chances... New people in charge."

"That hardly means much down here," Uraka said. "You want someone’s lifetime, you pay for it. Otherwise, you take what you can get."

"Lucky me then. Just send the bill to the Tower Lord, and show me what you’ve got."

"You know it’s not that simple, Lanoch."

"What’s ’not simple’, eh? When I left you promised the gang would be bigger than ever. That I’d have an army waiting to rip the Duat a new one."

"Times change. You got, what, ten, twenty years up there to become a big man? Down here, it’s been more like thirty or forty. Heavenswar has this place full up. If an army goes out, that means I’ve got thousands of mouths to feed."

"So send them down with us," Lanoch grumbled. "I’m already taking my brats."

Uraka shook his head. "How long were you given?" he asked.

Lanoch shrugged. "I don’t know, five years, surface time."

Ferro slid another step from the window, trying to keep out of Lanoch’s view.

"So assuming you take the normal year or two to get ready, you’re wanted back up there pretty young. Take my advice, the gang’s got a good thing going. Spend a year or two honing for a ten-year run, then come back and show people who’s boss. The Tower Lords will pay to make you a legend."

"I think it’s you that’s failing to see the big picture. I already am a legend. What I’m going for isn’t some legendary trinket or mountain of gold. It’s power, Uraka. The power to do whatever I want."

Uraka’s eyes widened. "You can’t mean that..."

"Oh, I do. And I got a solid lead straight from on high," Lanoch pointed a clawed finger up, before slipping a thin, polished metal rectangle etched with lines and circles out from his storage. "With this, I’ll be able to get deeper than Halie ever could. I’m going to be the first Delver to reach the bottom and come back."

"Now you’re starting to sound more realistic... Do you want me to round up the old gang and get the ball rolling? I’m thinking we buy a generation or two for slaves, livestock... Supplies can-"

"Well, aren’t you a shy little thing..." a silky voice spoke next to Ferro, interrupting his attempt to listen as he neared the couch at the opposite end of the room. For a long moment it seemed as if the darkness had opened its eyes, but then a figure slipped more readily into view and Ferro saw a demonkin man about his age, lounging on the divan. His white hair seemed to have a slightly purple glow to it, perhaps an effect of his pastel-purple skin spotted with dark beauty marks. His eyes were an alluring green-blue and cat-slitted.

"Hi, I didn’t mean to intrude..."

"Aw, come sit with me. Masters can be so boring sometimes, aren’t they, Ferro?"

Ferro tensed. He hadn’t told anyone his name. Hadn’t even been asked...

"Come here kitty..." the demonkin teased.

As soon as Ferro sat, the demonkin slipped his arms around Ferro’s shoulders, scratching gently into the tuft of fur on Ferro’s chest with one hand as he other toyed with Ferro’s nipple piercing.

They were both in plain view of Lanoch...

"Worried you’re going to get in trouble? Mm, don’t. I’ve got a little illusion on the door. So just relax a little while I whisper gently in your ear, okay?

The demonkin licked the rim of Ferro’s ear, causing it to twitch. Ferro tried to force himself still, while still resisting the thorough molestation he was experiencing as the demonkin slipped his fingers into every crevice.

"Mm, good. You aren’t armed. Now here’s what’s going to happen," suddenly Ferro was flipped onto his back and held down by the wrists as the demonkin whispered, "You’re just a slave, but there’s something I need you to do," he pressed his body against down, his tail invading the space between Ferro’s thighs. "Something a little... long-term, for which I am prepared to offer you... anything you want..."

"A-anything?" Ferro found himself stammering. His head was filled with a lustful pressure, one that felt very close to his heated state but yet more focused. More- Of course. He’s an incubus. Even after years of training, Ferro couldn’t fake such a magical draw on the blood.

"As long as it’s not boring, that is," the incubus smiled. "But I can do boring if you want... the point is, I want something you are in a position to provide, and you want something I’m in a position to provide... on top of a reward."

"What do I want that you can provide?" Ferro asked.

"Isn’t it obvious? Survival. Or would you rather lose twenty years to the hole only to get thrown to the dragons when your ass isn’t tight enough to satisfy that crusty old lion?" He chuckled. "You’ll take my offer unless you truly are Lanoch’s pet."

"I don’t even know who you are," Ferro broke free enough to sit up.

"You can call me Santina... or maybe just ’Star’ if you prefer. I’m a lord of the vanities... rather like yourself. Though I see you have a little ways to go, you bashful thing. You’ll learn the need for friends soon enough."

As if on cue, the curtain dividing their space from the masters suddenly parted.

"There, you see," Uraka gestured with a knife. "My boy likes to play with others, but he knows the rules, don’tcha." The human walked over to the demonkin and grabbed him by the ear, twisting upon a thumb-sized golden earring.

"Oh, master~ oh-ow-wowow-ow..." What had seemed to be a playful tease grew into bloody, painful howls as Uraka continued to twist the earring past what it was meant to endure.

The bloodied gold was dropped into a goblet of wine a moment later.

"Star. This is Ferrovia. You don’t get to touch Lanoch’s toys." Uraka spoke as if he were reprimanding a child for tying a horse wrong. "They’re too soft for you," he started to pet Santina on his purple-white locks, and Ferro felt the slight tingle of magic as it started to heal the demonkin.

Moments after having threatened Ferro, Star’s eyes glinted pure love and gratitude for the healing he was given as he nuzzled his face into Uraka’s hand, cleaning his own blood from between the human’s fingers.

Lanoch growled and picked up the bloodied glass, before pulling up Santina’s face until they had eye-contact, and Lanoch drank from the goblet. "Keep this one out of my sight, Uraka. You’ve fucked him out of his own head too much."

"As you wish, mister tower lord," Uraka snapped his fingers and Star stood, his face completely neutral for the moment it took him to leave the room, even though his body radiated temptation with every sway.

After what felt like hours of enduring more lurid talk about what Lanoch did with his harem, all while having his body pawed over, Ferro was finally able to escape onto the balcony, staring out at a city that always seemed to be in twilight red and gold.

And on the balcony below, Star appeared. He had a cup of wine in one hand and a fresh earring in his ear.

They shared a look. Something complicated and honest, or so it seemed.

As clumsy as their first contact had felt, Ferro felt that perhaps he needed to look deeper than the surface level of hostility.

"I’ll see you around," Ferro said as Santina got up to leave.

"Yeah. You will," the demonkin answered back.