It was morning, Kaden knew because of the stabbing sunlight and the braying of an undead donkey, and also because of the crowd hurling rocks as they drove Kaden, Sevin, and Desmond toward the FarPortal. Another rock bounced off the back of Kaden’s head, but since it was a crowd of commoners, it hurt the rock about as much as it hurt Kaden.

  “Stay in front of me,” Kaden said to Sevin. Trinity so desperately wanted out. She truly wanted to show commoners why people who lived in meat bodies shouldn’t throw stones. The Solar dragon was, for once, happy to be trapped in Kaden as these people didn’t understand the proper way to worship a dragon. It wasn’t with stones.

  “Necros. Always raising the dead, never asking if it’s a good idea.” Desmond’s head dented as a rock hit it, then swelled back into place.

  For his part, Sevin steadied himself against the undead animal, sending a few more scraps of hide sloughing off. “The barkeep was kind. He kept telling me of how Don was his best friend as a boy and he’d give anything to see him again.”

  “Now, we don’t get a good breakfast,” Desmond grumbled.

  Kaden’s patience had grown thin. “We already ate breakfast.”

  “Not the type with beer and whores. I call that ‘Third Breakfast,’” the demon replied.

  A few more clops of hooves. A whiff of long-dead donkey, and Sevin spoke. “What about second breakfast? What’s it?”

  “Copyrighted,” Desmond said. He stopped near the FarPortal, ignoring the crowd who encircled them. “Listen, better than average odds when we go through this portal, we arrive surrounded by cultists. Two of us, the ones who aren’t me, are still candidates for sacrifice.”

  “I know how to deal with cultists,” Kaden answered. He caught a particularly pretty rock and saved it for Trella. She loved pretty rocks. “But I’m assuming you have a plan.”

  “I do. We go through, I’m safe because I’m a demon. You two fight your way through whatever’s waiting. Of course, I’ll help because I can’t let you get killed through inaction, but if they get lucky, I get lucky, I come back here and my friends in the bar get lucky.” Desmond turned and took three steps toward the FarPortal. The crowd withdrew until it activated. “Now, you might be tempted to say, Dezzy’s going to take that portal straight to the fifth plane of hell and sell us to the Abyss Lord. But that is a lot more work than I’m signed up for without a Third Breakfast.” Desmond stepped through the Far Portal

  Kaden, Sevin, and the donkey followed.

  As the portal magic cleared, Kaden stopped. He knew this town. He knew this place. He even knew some of these people.

  You have entered an area of Authority.

  Your Authority here is absolute.

  “See?” Desmond whispered. “I told you, total shithole. Act natural, we need to find somewhere to discuss the plan before you go rushing headlong to your death. Otherwise, we won’t get to that part and I’m eager to make sure you make it there.”

  He’d been tricked. Kaden was certain of it, but now, he gripped the Demon’s arm, dragging him through the streets of Faust. As he went, he summoned his beasts, letting them sweep out across the streets behind him, until he reached the shop where they’d planned to stay. “In here.”

  “You’re better at this than I thought. Dual classed as a [Thief] for their find-a-hiding-spot skill?” Desmond asked. His arm turned rubbery and jerked away from Kaden. “Now, here’s—”

  “We’ve already been here,” Kaden said. “Sevin, can the donkey stay outside?”

  Sevin crossed his arms. “Your pets are in here. Skully and Don should be, too. I’m starting to think there’s a prejudice against undead. Sometimes, you need help working through internalized prejudices.”

  “We’ve already been here,” Kaden continued. “We were told Forgotten places move, and demons know all the places they connect to. I need another place Ghastos’s Temple is connected to.”

  It looked a lot like Desmond was frustrated, according to [Read Emotions]. “Which of us is a demon’s daughter gone rogue for thousands of years, and which of us is a [Beast Master?] You fleshies are so tied to this plane of existence, you can’t even comprehend the obvious. When a Forgotten place moves, it doesn’t just randomly shift. That would be a lot of work and if there’s anything I’m sure of about the System, it’s lazy.”

  “Some would call that blasphemy,” Sevin said. “But there are similarities everywhere. Your flesh is subject to the same skill used to mould [Zombie] flesh. Many Status conditions are extensions of the most basic ones.”

  “Right.” Desmond continued, “So what if a ‘Forgotten’ place can’t be used for a thousand years? It’s already been tagged as a Forgotten place and shutting it off would be a lot of work. And….?”

  “Lazy. Ghastos’s Temple is still connected?” Kaden asked. “But hidden?”

  “Close enough. I could take you through a deep jungle inhabited by level seventy [Cannibals], to a cave no human has entered for a thousand years, to descend to the depths of the earth where monsters wage a battle for supremacy, to the original temple of Ghastos. But the faster I get you to the temple, the faster a deity squashes you like that tin of [Echo Beetles] I stole from you earlier.” Desmond handed the tin back. “For a man with fast reflexes, you have no awareness of personal space when you’re asleep.”

  “Eat?” Skully asked, putting a hand on Desmond.

  Trinity growled an answer.

  “No.” Kaden wasn’t ready to violate the oath he’d sworn. “As long as it gets me into the temple, I’m good. Sevin, you weren’t present when we found the Forgotten Place. You won’t be able to cross the threshold. Undead won’t be able to, either. That’s why I burned a [Soulfire Crystal] on Skully.”

  “We will see about that. I have power and no fear of using it,” Sevin said. “And Don will go with me.”

  “I can’t wait.” Desmond dusted himself off, morphing his clothes to a merchant’s suit. “You know, most people are worried when a literal demon says he’s leading them to their death. It’s refreshing to be able to be honest.”

  Kaden double checked his Inventory, which he’d loaded up with more than he ever thought he’d need. Looked over his Beasts. Studied the undead donkey. “We’re ready.”

  ###

  Deep in the mine, Kaden stood atop a stone lift. Mounds of rubble remained everywhere from the cave-in and the railing on the platform was bent and twisted. He wasn’t worried about Desmond escaping. The oath rested upon his mind like a steel band. [Advanced Leadership] kept complimenting him on giving commands that matched his follower’s desires. Desmond would fight him every step of the way if not.

  Sevin stood beside him, sitting astride an undead donkey. “You do not trust the demon. Good. You should not trust the demon. But I have to ask, is there any hope?”

  “There’s hope.” Kaden wouldn’t share what Nurav had said. “There’s definitely hope, and not a fool’s hope.”

  “Bring them back,” Sevin said, simply. “Whether it is for now or forever, I’d welcome another sunrise with Sara. Whatever the price, bring them back.”

  Desmond wasn’t just humming, he was singing. According to the demon, their presence would undo his work to tease the Forgotten Place back into existence. Hours passed and yet the demon kept on belting out drinking songs.

  You have entered a forgotten place.

  Seek out the forgotten places of the world!

  Kaden startled awake. Skully stood guard on one side, Trinity on the other, and Vip remained curled in a ball on his chest. “He did it.”

  “Indeed. I will go with you to the entrance. While you swore not to harm the demon after he fulfilled his bargain, he swore no such agreement. I am the oath that binds him.” Sevin paused. “That was a little grim, right? Sara says ‘Don’t be grandiose and grim. Life is not all darkness and death.’ I’m not going to let him attack you.”

  “You were fine right up to the ‘oath that binds him’ bit.” Kaden mentally urged all his Beasts onto the lift, squeezing in to make room for Sevin and his donkey. The lift silently began to sink into the darkness, further and further down until the emergency lights above winked out of existence. It shuddered and tilted and ground against chunks of stone left over from the cave-in, and eventually stopped fifteen feet from the bottom, lodged on a boulder.

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  Below, a stone face of glowing purple stone waited with a heavy arched tunnel. Desmond stood to one side. “Here you go. One, as promised ticket to Ghastos. This concludes our business relationship, and I’m not sad to say I’ll never see you again.”

  “Same.” Kade dropped to the ground, letting his beasts follow, and attempted to release the soul-binding.

  Oath condition not satifised.

  “What in the third hell does that mean?” Desmond said. “I did my part. That’s your ticket to Ghastos’s temple, opened by yours truly. I’m done.”

  Kaden couldn’t agree more. “You can leave, it probably requires me to go in. Until I do, I haven’t reached Ghastos. Sevin, don’t lose hope I will be back. I will have them.”

  “I’m not losing hope.” Sevin sprinted forward toward the arch—and slammed into stone. The doorway flickered out of existence for a moment, revealing only rough-hewn stone. He stumbled back, blood gushing from his nose.

  Desmond sighed and sat down on the floor, cross legged.

  Over and over, Sevin tested. “Let me share the logs.”

  ENTITY DOES NOT MEET ANY CONSTRAINT [FINDER, CLASS:EXPLORER].

  “It was a good try.” Before he’d risk himself, Kaden willed Burney to climb down and scurry down the tunnel. The [Match Lizard] disappeared, but the soul-bond remained, and he was definitely still in existence. “It’s not a tunnel to instant death, but Burney’s not able to tell me where it goes. Trinity, I need you in my soul so [Resilient Constitution] still works.”

  The TriTerror willingly let him recall her.

  “Wait.” Sevin stopped. “Go as far as you can that way. I’m going to try something. Portals to Mortis are fatal to the living, and that includes necromancers who aren’t Centurions. There may be a way I can send help.”

  The bleak void-white portals to absolute oblivion had actually dropped Sara and Kaden’s health from a distance, so Kaden retreated behind a pile of rubble. “If I say so, you need to close them.”

  A gaping hole in the world blossomed in front of Sevin, who then turned to look down the tunnel. “This is the hard part. Must. Focus.”

  With no warning, Kaden felt Burney return to his soul, bisected by a portal. The undead donkey stumbled forward into the portal beside Sevin, who wavered. And fell over. In seconds, Kaden stood over him. “What happened?”

  “Strain. Two portals. Different. Locations.” Sevin began to laugh, wheezing and spitting blood.

  Yes! More! Nurav said with glee.

  “Ok, we’re going to get you a health potion, you’re going to sit here, drink that, and not do this again.” Kaden reached for one, only to find Sevin had one in hand.

  He drained it, then wiped his cheek. “Ah, yes. My sister’s work is perfect.”

  Loot Corpse? [Y/N]

  “Shit!” Kaden shouted. “What the hell?”

  “Your friend listened to the wisdom I’ve shared. He evaluated his chances of ever landing a woman, let alone a wealthy baroness mythic summoning goddess with a snake fetish, and made the smart decision.” Desmond gestured to the portal. “The moment someone else joins us, this won’t be a forgotten place. You’re wasting time. Your friend was never going to be able to cross with you anyway.

  And that’s when Kaden recognized Sevin’s plan.

  He stored the corpse in Inventory. “Enjoy your life. I’d better not find you corrupting villages like those three where you were.”

  Desmond frowned. “I didn’t corrupt them. I like life. I went someplace quiet. I can’t help it if other Daughters mistakenly sought me out, where I was living with my own set of neighbors. I don’t work with them. I don’t summon Demon Lords—”

  “Except He Who Conquered Shabat with Only A Pizza Cutter,” Kaden said. “Ursus, the mage who bought your summoning stones, said that was the name of the lord you tried to summon. She cut it out of the memory of one of the strike force and used it to assassinate him.”

  Desmond swore. “That guy owed me a hundred gold. And of course I was willing. You look down the arrow points of a hundred rangers—”

  “And a [Shadow Blade],” Kaden added. “One who thoroughly, completely, sexyly kicked your—”

  “What is your deal with them? Sure, they look pretty and sure, they’re mysterious, but I give you my word as a demon, you’ll wake up one night to discover they’ve killed you in your sleep.” Desmond shuddered. “Gods-damned assassins with their slippery little shadows. Can’t stand ‘em.”

  Kaden would definitely be repeating this conversation. “Thanks for the help, Desmond. It’s time I made myself an uninvited guest in Ghastos’s temple.”

  “Sweeter words have only occasionally been said. ‘Desmond, your dinner’s ready. Desmond, I knit you this blanket. Desmond, once you’re done with dinner I’ll be upstairs under the blanket, waiting.’ But right after that, what you said.”

  Kaden pulled as many beasts into his soul as he could. He was at capacity, possibly over, and couldn’t drag Skully in if had to. Instead, Skully lumbered along behind him, ducking down to avoid hitting his head.

  One step into the tunnel, a pressure pushed down on his back, forcing him forward.

  You have entered a forgotten place — Temple of Ghastos.

  GHASTOS WILL RETURN IN (11) DAYS.

  SACRIFICE MORE SOULS TO RETURN GHASTOS FASTER!

  GHASTOS REMAINES [MODERATELY] RESTRAINED.

  The tunnel was either shrinking or Kaden’s legs had grown longer, and with two steps he came flying out, stumbled and barely kept his footing as he stumbled across crushed limestone.

  An undead donkey attempted to bray at him as Kaden summoned every Beast he had. Skully smashed his fists together and stomped his feet, Trinity stepped to his right, all three heads ready to distribute pain, Burny heated his collar, and the dragon hid behind his shoulder, his claws sunk into Kaden’s back. Rocky hadn’t reformed, so [Fortress of Stone] remained unavailable.

  The sky was a deep orange, with black clouds that twisted and scrolled, driven by a wind that whipped up chips of stone. Ahead of him stood the ruins of a city. Forget temple, this was the size of Verona, with walls that reached high enough to block a [VolKraken]. The gate lay smashed and twisted, the city dark.

  Kaden had arrived in what could be charitably called a field, if one grew nothing in a field and removed any healthy soil. Stained chunks of shale lay in piles as though the ground itself had been torn up, the subject of an angry god’s fury. A hundred yards behind him, the shale field rose into a wall that arced outward.

  Once, he’d been in the domain of a Greater Abyssenian, a domain that looked like it went on forever. Nothing went on forever, but at least Ghastos didn’t try to disguise it. He’d be lucky—

  You are out of Luck. Nurav spoke simply.

  “It was just an expression.”

  You are out of Luck. Did I not say, a price you had already paid? That not even you could resist Death that many times? I consumed your luck to salvage your existence. You are literally out of luck. Do not count on luck for many months if not years.

  “Never liked relying on Luck anyway.” Kaden considered it lu—fortune that Ghastos didn’t have a welcoming party. “Fortune is not luck.”

  This is not yet his temple.

  Kaden drew Sevin’s corpse and one of so many [Resurrection] potions he’d bought. There was never a reason to risk a bad resurrection, so he poured the potion in until Sevin coughed and hacked and rolled over. “You idiot.”

  “Necromancers do not fear death.” Sevin said, accepting a health potion. “Don has survived. I will re-animate corpses we find or make.”

  This was dedication. Kaden checked over each of his beasts. “It’s not the temple yet, once we get into it, I expect Ghastos’s servants. Someone has to be working toward his return and it’s not us. Pretty sure Trella wouldn’t, either, and Sara’s too smart and Ashi doesn’t work for anyone.”

  “Give me a moment and I’ll be ready. My health is filling slowly,” Sevin said. “It may take an hour.”

  Kaden drew something from Inventory. “Study this. Keep studying until you get the skill. [Party Tactics] is additive, meaning together we’d have a higher skill.”

  Sevin sat cross legged with his donkey standing over him, flipping through the book. After two hours, he closed it. “Level one achieved.”

  The moment he did, Kaden felt like he had a better grasp. “I forgot to form a hunting party.” Extending the invite was easy. Kaden dismissed the normal quest prompts to not lose a hunting party member and help them level, yes, those were fine. “I’ll scout first under [Stealth Aura]. Once we know what we’re up against, we can make plans. Unless you’ve been to a temple.”

  Perhaps consult the goddess aiding you? You see a city. Don’t interrupt, I can sense your thoughts. I see a puzzle designed to keep all but the most determined from reaching his innner sanctum.

  Kaden had a thought. He looked to Trinity and willed [Beast Soul] to ask. She could and did pass thoughts as memories. And he wanted to know what she saw.

  The vision that hit him caused his health to drop.

  You have acquired the status condition [Insignifcant].

  You have realized how little you understand about how reality works, and how much your death would affect the true nature of what is. (Not at all, in case that wasn’t clear). Mental attacks will be much more effective.

  He couldn’t connect the images. They didn’t make sense, and he got the impression they didn’t make sense to Trinity, either, but as a Beast, she simply accepted them as what was.

  Cut yourself. Do it now, Nurav said.

  Kaden couldn’t bring himself to draw a blade. It would in be too easy to use it on his own throat. Instead, he gnawed at his thumb until the flesh crumped, and blood oozed. It was comforting—and then agony shot through him, and his mind cleared.

  Don’t do that again. I can’t believe I have to say that. Do you know how many of Eve’s prayers involve you? Be glad I can’t smite. You would be smitten. Many times.

  “Kaden?” Sevin put a hand on him. “I don’t need thumb bones, so don’t bother chewing yours off. If you’re hungry, I have meals. Is this place…affecting you? I meditate in the presence of the god of death. I stare into the empty oblivion until my dreams haunt it.”

  Kaden gave a weak nod. “Trinity can see this place for what it is. A thousand places like a ball of disgusting yarn. Passageways like intestines. The temple, it’s alive. It’s—”

  “Yes, yes, we’ve all seen it,” Sevin said. “This is going to be a problem for you, isn’t it?”

  I can help if you choose to allow it, Nurav said. Gods are not like dungeon cores. They know what is precious and what is not, and arrange their defenses appropriately. But make the choice, and I will show you this place in a way you can understand.

  “I don’t have a lot of alternatives. How will Sevin and I coordinate?”

  Yours is the controlling view, his capabilities grant him a look beyond, but it will snap to your perceptions. Will you agree?

  Kaden wasn’t given a prompt, but he mentally accepted.

  An alien power swept outward from Kaden, reminiscent of the slaver or Princess Pear.

  Close your eyes. For a moment it must be as it is. I choose a pattern you know. Dungeons are familiar to you and I can represent most dangers adequately. You are not in a dungeon, but perhaps this will be enough. Look now.

  Kaden opened his eyes and gasped. It was a ruined cathedral. He stood at an entrance arch, but the floor of the cathedral was crystal, and a maze stretched out beneath the floor where monsters lurked and trap rooms waited. “I can handle this.”

  “I was fine with the other one, too,” Sevin said. “We should not wait, Ghastos grows closer with every tick.”

  Correct. So you must prepare yourself for battle. As I have said, gods are not like Dungeon Cores. Prepare yourself. Your first battle will be against his most powerful devotee, in the place of his greatest power. No pressure.