Chapter 1
Two people stood in an empty chamber deep below a lavish manor. Dozens of blazing torches lined the stone walls, broken only by the staircase leading up and a gargantuan glowing gate opposite it.
One of these people was a man named Talarys—usually called Rys. He carefully inspected the floor of the room, which was presently covered in glowing red symbols and shapes. This was a summoning circle, drawn by Rys himself.
“Looks right,” he said aloud. “It’s been a while since I’ve summoned a demon prince.”
“Don’t say it like that,” the other person stammered out. She was Tyrisa, a knowledge devil who specialized in contracts and administration.
Rys towered over her petite figure. She wore a tailored black business jacket and skirt, although she undid enough buttons that she would appear sultry if she had any cleavage to show off. Instead, she became cute, in an earnest way. Lavender twintails and a pair of candy cane horns completed her look.
“Didn’t you summon Prince Grigor?” Tyrisa asked, eyes wide and voice shaking. “Shouldn’t this be the same thing?”
“I know Grigor’s true name. The summoning process is a lot easier.” Rys shrugged. “This is the first real test of my summoning power since I awoke. Fred’s an old pal, but he’s still a demon prince. He can beat up dragons.”
“Then why am I here?” Tyrisa wailed. She clutched a set of papers against her chest as tears welled up in her eyes.
“Shush.”
Rys had been preparing this ritual for weeks. Up until several months ago, he had been sealed away, dead to the world. Since then, he had built his own nation in this archipelago, crushed his closest opponent, and was preparing to expand his territory.
But right now, he needed to regain his lost power. Through the glowing gate in this chamber lay the Labyrinth that stretched across the entire archipelago. The unnatural magic within it still prevented Rys from leaving his manor or the Labyrinth, and also prevented him from using his full strength. It even held some of his memories hostage.
This ritual circle would summon a demon prince who could help Rys overcome the challenges within the Labyrinth.
Of course, the real reason the ritual had taken weeks to prepare had been the manor itself. Put simply, this demon prince was big.
So big that Rys had spent weeks redesigning all the sub-levels to accommodate the obscenely huge demon he was about to summon. Even the staircase leading to this chamber had been widened, and the cargo lift greatly reinforced—just in case.
With a snap of his fingers, Rys activated the summoning circle. The entire chamber glowed a hellish red. An observer might think the Devil Queen herself was about to appear, given how powerful the light was.
The entire room flashed with red light, and darkness shrouded the interior of the circle.
When it disappeared, a 20 foot tall giant stood inside the summoning circle. His entire body was built from muscle and fat, and Rys knew from experience that not even enchanted ballistae bolts could puncture this demon’s skin. Runic plate armor covered the demon’s limbs, but his chest was unprotected. The demon prince held a halberd as large as he was, and it glowed with dwarven runes.
Four glowing, triangular eyes glared balefully down at Rys.
“Fuck, Fred, I don’t know how you managed it, but you got even fatter while I was asleep,” Rys said. “Did you find a Gift of Obscene Size or something?”
A long-suffering sigh escaped Fred. “Rys. I had suspected something was happening when Grigor stopped responding to my messages. Well, I suppose it will be like old times, then.”
“Yeah, the handsome one, the fat one, and the muscly one,” Rys said.
“Technically, I’m all three.”
“You’re certainly big enough to be.”
Tyrisa stared in horror at Rys as he repeatedly insulted Fred. Her legs visibly shook, and he worried that she would collapse at any moment.
Rys didn’t blame her, as Fred was worthy of respect on the surface. Like Grigor, he belonged to one of the greatest races of noble demons. Where Grigor was Kashlovian, a renowned race of hunters and powerful warriors, Fred was Bausfrahr.
Both Argran and Araunth—the greatest demon lords alive—were Bausfrahr. Simply belonging to the race granted a demon glory. They were demons of great resilience and charisma.
Rys looked at the endless rolls of flesh pouring off Fred’s massive body. Well, he certainly had the resilience part down. Very little got through that thick, flabby hide. And what did, faced Fred’s regeneration Gift, making him near indestructible. He could fall asleep in battle and win by default.
“Well, I suppose you have a contract,” Fred said, before spotting Tyrisa. “Oh, there it is. Hmm, you seem familiar.”
The demon prince bent over until he reached the edge of the summoning circle. A wall of light appeared, holding him inside. He stared down at Tyrisa, then licked his lips.
“Those horns of yours look too delicious for me to have forgotten them. How many like her do you have, Rys? I remember that you used to have a real taste for Calosceme knowledge devils like her. I suppose you must be behind all the others that have been summoned recently.”
Tyrisa threw Rys a look of betrayal, despite how close she was to dying from fright.
Rys narrowed his eyes. “I’ve only got the one, Fred.” He scowled. “Damn, Darus said there were knowledge devils active here. I should have asked her how many.”
“A problem?” Fred raised an eyebrow. “Well, I suppose you wouldn’t be summoning me if there weren’t people to kill, armies to crush, and cities to sack.” The demon chuckled. “The contract?”
Tyrisa tiptoed up to the edge of the circle and pushed one set of her papers through the wall of light. Fred snatched them up with his massive claws.
“Um, should I go produce a larger copy?” she asked, voice quivering.
“Unnecessary.” The demon prince waved a hand in the air.
Then he sat down and reached into his armor. A small metal case encrusted with gold and jewels appeared, and Fred retrieved a set of massive spectacles. They had four lenses and a complex construction that enabled them to sit on his bestial visage. Once he perched them on his face, Fred painstakingly reviewed the contract.
“I’ve never seen a demon prince read a contract himself,” Tyrisa whispered, looking at Rys.
Fred laughed, as he had overheard her. “That’s because you’re from the Lesser Courts. I remember you, now. You had a reputation due to your refusal to get a Gift. Everything went to hell—pardon the pun—when you disappeared. A lot of infernals relied on your contract services. Honesty and competence can rarely be bought.”
“Depends on what you’re paying with,” Rys said.
“Very true.” Fred nodded. “I’ve done well to remember that.”
Tyrisa looked between Rys and Fred in confusion.
“You don’t know who Fred is?” Rys asked. “I figured you’d know all the really old infernals, given how few there are.”
“I know Grigor…” she mumbled.
“This is Prince Frederick. I call him Fat Fred for obvious reasons.” Rys gestured to the gigantic demon, who ignored him. “He’s one of Demon Lord Argran’s disciples. Which is how I got lumped with him back in the day. Argran asked me to babysit. Speaking of which, why are you working for Ariel now?”
“She made a very attractive offer several centuries ago.” Fred straightened the papers in his claws with a snap. “Her deal with Kushan weakened her ranks enough that she had no choice. Grigor received a similar offer, but refused. It worked out for him in the end. Now that you’re back, it’s not like anything we did in Hell mattered.”
The demon prince let out another deep laugh, and this one echoed off the walls. It was an excellent evil laugh, Rys had to admit.
“I have some changes to make,” Fred said.
“To suggest, you mean. I hold all the cards here, Fred,” Rys said.
“Under healing services, I want a clause that prevents Amelia from providing them,” Fred said. Fear crept into his voice.
“Who?” Tyrisa asked.
“A very powerful Lilim that used to serve me,” Rys said, before turning to Fred. “I don’t have Amelia.”
“Yet.” The terror in Fred’s eyes brooked no compromise.
“Fine. Tyrisa, add that clause to the contract.”
“And Asa. I want her added as well,” Fred said.
“She doesn’t even have healing powers,” Rys replied.
“Exactly my point,” the demon prince growled. “And don’t even pretend you won’t summon her. She’ll find a way to summon herself and whine at you if you don’t.”
Rolling his eyes, Rys gestured for Tyrisa to make the change. She did so, even if she looked very confused.
Fred flicked through the pages of the contract, careful not to shred the tiny pages with his gargantuan claws. The size difference gave the scene a comical appearance. It would be like if Rys tried to read a contract printed on paper the size of his palm. The fact Fred was used to this spoke volumes about how Hell worked.
“Ah, here we are,” Fred said, holding the contract aloft. “I want this part adjusted. It says I’m not allowed to eat people. Surely there’s an allowance for eating enemies?”
“Holy shit, Fred, I summon you to Harrium for the first time in centuries and all you’re worried about is whether you can eat an army?” Rys laughed. “You do remember that the definition of ‘enemy’ doesn’t include anyone that looks at you funny?”
“Yes, yes. I realize things will be a touch more civilized under you. But surely you understand the intimidation value of eating the enemy commander in front of his subordinates?” Fred said.
“I understand a lot more than the intimidation value. Whatever. You kept yourself under control last time, and I doubt you’ve changed much despite the centuries.” Rys waved at Tyrisa again.
Fred argued with Tyrisa over several more items, before eventually feeling satisfied with the final contract. While the knowledge devil used her magic to alter all three copies of the contract—one for Rys, one for Fred, and one for her records—Fred eyed Rys.
“You still haven’t explained what you’re doing here. Or where we are,” the demon prince said. “I don’t particularly care where you’ve been, but I don’t see or hear the level of activity I’d expect. Nobody in Hell even knows you’re back. Even after all this time, both Ariel and Malusian still believe you’re alive. Unlike Duar, nobody confirmed your death.”
“Really?” Rys wondered who had sealed him away if that was the case.
“Duar?” Tyrisa tilted her head, her voice quivering.
“Don’t tell me you don’t know the name of Malusian’s former right-hand devil, and one of the longest-lived infernals ever?” Rys asked her.
“Of course I do! But why compare the two of you?” she asked.
Fred tutted her. “Duar and Rys were inseparable as Malusian’s generals. The true administrators of the Empire. Argran had his armies, Lacrissa her schemes, and Malusian deigned to be a king, but Duar and Rys kept the endless chaos operating for centuries after the Cataclysm.”
“You’re giving me far too much credit,” Rys said.
Tyrisa stared at him as if he had grown a second head. “You? Acting humble?”
“Duar dates back to the Emergence, Tyrisa. He battled every race that has walked on Harrium and lived to tell the tale. More importantly, he made me a general. Without him, I doubt I would have escaped Lacrissa’s clutches.” Rys’s face hardened at the memories.
“He… he died when Ruathym fell, didn’t he? The Forever Banishing?”
“Yes. When the last portal to Hell was destroyed, Duar was there to defend it. He died,” Rys said.
“A sad day,” Fred uttered. “It truly does feel like yesterday when we entered the shattered throne room and saw his lifeless body. Millennia of greatness, snuffed out at once without a witness.”
Silence reigned for close to a minute. Tyrisa bit her lip, aware that she had dug up old memories.
Rys brought them back to the present, and asked Fred, “Have you heard of the Tolaran Archipelago?”
As if the earlier conversation hadn’t even happened, Fred bounced back, “No. Does it have good food? Alcohol? Unique delicacies?”
“I’ve had some very interesting herbal whiskeys. They make the stuff strong enough to give even Grigor and me hangovers,” Rys offered.
Fred sighed. “Well, it’s a start. So we’re in the middle of nowhere. You’re conquering the place?”
“Of course.”
“And I’m sure there are some locals who adore what you’re doing, and even more who feel that you are evil incarnate.”
Rys frowned. “Actually, it’s not so bad this time. There are some mages to the south that everybody hates, so I’m getting off lightly.”
“Ah, moral relativity. Your bread and butter.” Fred grinned, causing Tyrisa to recoil as she tried to hand him the contract.
He took the contract, briefly checked it, then signed it. The magical circle flared with light, then dulled. Fred rose to his full height, his horns getting awfully close to the ceiling.
Then he looked at Rys and blinked. “Hmm. Things really are different. I suppose I’ll have to ask Grigor for the story behind why your power is reduced.”
Fred was a demon, and all demons had a form of soulsight that allowed them to see the level of magical power within a person. Devils had a different version, and it allowed them to see emotions. Angels could tell truth from lie.
“That’s for the best. He’s in command of the military of the kingdom, so the two of you can work out what you do. I’ll need both of you for something soon, but it can wait,” Rys said.
They approached the staircase and Tyrisa went ahead, terrified of being so close to Fred now that he was free. Rys spent a few moments appreciating the tight fit of her miniskirt. Meanwhile, Fred eyed the cargo lift.
Rys had been right to reinforce the thing.
After several long, thoughtful moments, Fred ascended the staircase, taking the steps six or seven at a time. Rys followed, and the two made small talk.
Once at the top, Tyrisa waited several dozen feet away. Fred looked around, then focused on a seemingly random wall. He had likely spotted Grigor with his soulsight, which functioned through solid objects.
“We should have some drinks later,” Fred said. “I’ll talk to Grigor about this whiskey. Do you have a good chef here?”
“We have cooks who aren’t imps or Lilim,” Rys said.
“That counts, by my standards. Good day, Rys.” The demon prince ambled off, his footsteps thundering through the halls.
After he left, Tyrisa collapsed and stared up at Rys in annoyance. “Why did I need to be down there? He was going to eat me!”
Now that the ritual had been finished, demons emerged from the various rooms around them. The sub-levels of the castle were simple stone halls built purely for the demons and devils in Rys’s employ. They knew that Rys had been summoning a powerful demon prince, because everything had become significantly more spacious in the past few weeks.
Demons watched Fred from behind, before looking at Rys with a renewed appreciation. Then they resumed their usual duties. Several of them descended the stairs, as they needed to guard the Labyrinth gate. Imps buzzed out from their hidey-holes in order to clean up the ritual circle Rys had left behind.
Rys hefted Tyrisa by the arm and pulled her with him as he walked. She whined for several seconds as she struggled to keep up. Then they ascended together to the above ground levels of the manor.
“Shouldn’t you be used to his type?” Rys asked. “You worked in Ariel’s courts. Demon princes are a dime a dozen there. And you should have been getting offers from them practically daily. Talented Calosceme knowledge devils are valuable in any court.”
He had originally summoned Tyrisa because he wanted a knowledge devil who could handle contracts, but wouldn’t raise too much attention. Unfortunately, his eye for talent had been too good. Tyrisa was exceptional.
Fred’s comment about her absence creating turmoil meant Rys had picked too talented of a knowledge devil. Despite that, nobody had connected her to Rys.
At least, he hoped not.
While Rys’s power was sealed away, he wanted to avoid attention from Hell. Even though his former employers existed on a completely separate plane of existence, they retained influence here. If they knew Rys was back, they would do everything possible to control him. Only he had the power to bring the greatest infernals back to Harrium.
“I never dealt with powerful demon princes directly,” Tyrisa mumbled. “And nobody offered me anything. I didn’t have a knowledge Gift. Who wants a knowledge devil who doesn’t have any knowledge?”
That wasn’t how it worked. Or at least, it hadn’t. Perhaps Hell had become more dysfunctional in his absence?
Once topside, Rys sent Tyrisa on her way. Before she complained, he thanked her for her contract work.
She glowed red, then puffed out her chest. “Of course. I’m your Chief of Staff.”
Then she bounced away. At least she was easy to handle, and not merely because of her built-in handlebars.
Feeling as though he had spent too much of the day cooped up in the sub-levels, Rys stepped outside. His manor was a single, large hollow square, with a huge central courtyard full of hedges and an impressive fountain. Little hideaways and decorative features provided spaces for people to relax in peace.
Or, as often happened, have a little lewd fun in the sun. Rys had quickly learned to place soundproofing spells on a lot of the hedges. The Lilim were frisky.
“Oh, there you are,” a female voice said.
Vallis approached him from the undercover walkway that ran along the outer edges of the courtyard. She was his trusted administrator of the kingdom—his viceroy, officially. Her long black hair flowed freely past her shoulders while her brown eyes curved slightly upon spotting him. Her black top hugged her figure tightly, emphasizing the sheer size of her chest.
She had been showing a lot more cleavage lately, Rys realized. And dressing more expensively. Vallis disliked wearing dresses, but her skirts and stockings grew in elegance each day. He expected to see her wearing lacy garters soon.
“Did you need me for something?” Rys asked. “I’m assuming this isn’t about dull administrative matters.”
“You realize that those dull administrative matters are part of your job, oh glorious King Talarys?” she mocked. “You can’t just lounge around in your office all day with Maria under the desk, and pretend you’re working.”
“Maybe, but that’s why you’re the viceroy. So I can lounge around and enjoy being a king.” He raised an eyebrow. “Do you really think I spend that much time with Maria?”
Maria was one of Rys’s other administrators. Officially, she was the local duchess and ruled the territory on behalf of Rys, who was the king. In truth, she enjoyed the power games that Rys played with her, and the way he used her body most days.
“If you did, then she’d complain less over drinks. I get the feeling the only way she’d be happy would be if you tied her to your bed and left her there.” Vallis laughed. “Actually, I wanted to talk to you about getting a bodyguard. For me and Maria.”
Rys kept his expression neutral. A request for a bodyguard could mean many things. He had been cultivating Vallis slowly, letting her decide who and what she was interested in, but that came with risks.
Given Maria also needed a bodyguard, Rys doubted this request came with strings attached.
Before he answered, he saw a set of huge, black fluffy tails flit past. They had been within the hedges of the courtyard.
Curiously, he had also seen a separate set of white tails.
“Vallis, has Fara returned?” he asked.
Fara was one of Rys’s subordinates, and she had been visiting her home village recently. Her return was something he had looked forward to. For many reasons.
“Hmm? Yeah, about an hour or two ago. I let her know you were busy with a summoning,” Vallis replied.
“Let’s walk and talk.” He rushed to follow the fluffy trail. “Haven’t the infernals been good enough as bodyguards?”
“I mean, they’re great. The Ashen light stuff on fire, the Malakin deal with assassins before they get close, and the Lilim… distract people.” Vallis coughed. “But I’m worried about more dangerous enemies. Maria had Barul before. He was damn strong—Fara told me that he put a fucking sword through you. I want someone like that.”
Rys spotted that flicker of white again. It didn’t belong to Fara.
Fara was a mystic fox with four gorgeous black fox tails. They were tipped white, but these new tails appeared to be solid white.
“Is this because of the Malus League?” Rys asked.
“Yeah. They’re nasty. Fara told me about her fight against the combat magister who worked for Compagnon. What happens if the League sends somebody like that against me or Maria?” Vallis frowned as they increased their pace, and she tugged on his arm in an attempt to slow him down.
He obliged. It didn’t matter, as they approached the center of the courtyard. The soundproofing spells weren’t active here, and he heard two female voices.
So, Fara had returned with a friend. A mystic fox friend.
That struck Rys as dangerous. Fara had been hostile to him at first, and only held back due to Vallis. Another mystic fox might not be so hesitant.
“That’s fair. Do you have any ideas of where we’d recruit someone strong enough to match Fara in capability?” Rys asked.
When Vallis winced, he stopped and faced her.
“I didn’t mean to reproach you,” he corrected. “But that is the minimum level of strength necessary for a bodyguard who can replace the devils you’re currently using.”
“Right.” Vallis sighed. “I had a few recommendations, but nothing close to her. Maria did say there might be someone strong enough on Dalyros. We’ve been inundated with marriage requests. While we’re not interested in them, they might be useful for another reason.”
“You can look for a powerful warrior who might be interested in leaving the Federation,” Rys said. “I’m still unconvinced.”
“Oh, c’mon. Dalyros is full of wolfkin. All I’d need to attract them is a big, fat bone, a fancy kennel, maybe an offer to stroke their tail.” Vallis winked at him. “I’m kidding. But, really, where else might we find a powerful bodyguard?”
“I summon one,” Rys said.
Before their discussion could continue, the two of them stepped into the clearing in the middle of the courtyard. A marble fountain occupied most of the space, and water jetted into the air above it.
The two female voices from earlier fell silent. Their owners stared at Rys and Vallis.
Fara looked as beautiful as ever, with shoulder-length jet-black hair and blue eyes. Her usual tight-fitting black outfit revealed her muscled, pale-skinned thighs and cleavage. All four of her black tails and her fox ears stood bolt upright.
Another fox stood next to her and was roughly the same short height as Fara, and had a similar lithe build. Her amber eyes lit up at the sight of Rys. If he had to guess, he’d say she was an older teenager, by fox standards. The equivalent of 18 or 19, and keen to prove it, judging from the sultry looks that she threw at Rys. Her three white tails had red tips and weaved through the air behind her.
“Holy shit, Fara, I didn’t know you were pregnant when you left!” Vallis blurted out. “And what a baby. She has to be at least 100 pounds.”
Fara slapped a hand on her face, which reddened. Her frustration was plain to see, and Rys knew she was resisting the urge to hit Vallis. He watched as her tails and ears drooped, as she stopped panicking.
“I’m not a baby,” the younger fox muttered. Then she perked back up and smiled brightly at Rys. “Is this Talarys, Auntie Fara? He looks even more awesome than the rumors say. Those muscles must be made out of actual steel.”
“Mina, speak with respect to His Majesty,” Fara scolded.
Since when had Fara ever called him by an honorific?
Mina caught Rys’s look of disbelief and smirked.
“Oh? Do you want me to speak with respect to you, Your Majesty?” Mina purred out the address while trying to appear seductive. “Or… would you rather I speak with you more intimately when we slip under the covers tonight?”
Fara’s eyes practically popped out of her skull as she glared at Mina. Vallis turned away, desperately trying to contain her giggles at Mina’s clumsy attempt at seduction.
Rys kept his expression neutral. Fara had brought her niece back to the manor, and said niece was trying to get into his bed within seconds of meeting him.
This would prove to be an exciting reunion with Fara.