Demonic Devourer's Development

For a while Aivena just silently studied me in the same manner I studied her, except that instead of suspicion, her eyes were full of contemplation. Finally, she pulled the bowl with her "sample" she wanted out of my cage and into her lab to do heinous things with it. Somehow, I felt like I passed some sort of test.

That didn't last long, though, before Aivena left the laboratory and teleported elsewhere. I was left alone and without explanations again. The next time I saw her was several hours later. She had a parcel in her hands, from which came a mouth-watering smell of fresh baking goods and cooked meat.

"Devourer. Your good behaviour lately deserves a reward. It's good to know that you realise that even though you won't escape, complying with my commands can only do you good. These are yours." Aivena threw the parcel through the bars of my cage.

I caught it midair, but didn't hurry to unwrap it. I didn't need to do that to tell that this was better food than I got ever since Aivena caught me. "Just like that?" I asked. What kind of experiment was that?

Aivena scowled. "What's your problem now? Just take it and eat it." She tsked. "It's so much easier to deal with animals that don't talk. They understand their place much sooner, and I don't have to expend force to make them obedient. It's only your fault that you were so unwilling to follow my orders and regulations until now."

Animals? Was I just an animal to her? I forced down a desire to scowl. Was she expecting me to thank her now? If so, then the bitch wanted too much. Instead, I just silently unwrapped the parcel.

Inside were three buns, each scenting of meat that was hidden inside. For a moment, I just stared at them, feeling melancholy and homesickness washing over me. Then I nipped off a bit from one of them and put it in my mouth.

Delicious fresh bread. I was going to savour it. Unless the celestial bitch interfered…

She didn't. Aivena merely gave me another level look and walked away, leaving me alone with my buns and my thoughts. And Pest, of course.

'I think we are really close, Pest,' I told him as I chewed on my food. 'I can't say the bitch's heart is softening since she doesn't have any, but… You see the same thing as I do, don't you?'

'I don't have a lot of people experience…' Pest drawled out. 'Oh, what I'm saying. I'm not blind, either! The hag gets complacent. So unlike you, Master! You will never release me from my contract…' the latter phrase was said with a lot of bitterness.

'Maybe I will. If I find a way to get you out of my body without dying, at least dying for good. Hmm… Yeah, a single death somewhere in Heaven, after I deal with anyone who might want to hunt my weakened soul afterwards, is an acceptable sacrifice for getting out of my body.'

'What? For real? You aren't joking? Just like that?'

'This is just an option. We are still here in the mortal realm, and Heaven is still there and full of bastards. Focus on dealing with the bitch first.'

'Of course… By the way, I had a thought. So, the hag got her power from the gods. Just like adventurers do, and that's why she needs to say the names of her spells and bother with pointing fingers, right? Because that's power of her class, or whatever she has.'

'Well, yeah, and what are you saying, Pest?'

'I just remembered something from when I was stuck in that adventurer. He was in a team with a wizard, and that wizard didn't always say his spells. The same way other classes don't always speak theirs or their abilities. I think someone mentioned that you can just think them, and that it's all in the intent. After all, you can say the name of the spell casually without actually casting it if you want… The hag did. To conclude, I think she can cast spells mute if she wants, so you will have to be more careful.'

I frowned. This possibility occurred to me, but to have it confirmed wasn't good, anyway. 'I got it. This means I can't possibly keep her alive… She would just teleport away, even if I cut off her arms. Too bad.'

'I doubt she'd be able to concentrate on intent, or on anything, when you will skin her alive, at least,' Pest said in a voice that dripped with anticipation. It was still somehow mocking. Mockery was Pest's resting voice.

'I hope so. It might not matter much whether she teleports away or dies, but it would be a real pity if the bitch decided to not stay for all the things I want to do with her.'

I finished eating the last piece of the buns and topped it off with the cloth they were wrapped in. The food took an edge off my hunger, but it didn't make me feel full. Nothing ever did. Then, I closed my eyes and used blind sight to see what Aivena was doing.

She was writing in her journal. The words that came to the pages dismissed whatever good mood the buns brought to me.

[I'm unsure what else I can do with Devourer. I could try feeding him animals to see how that will inflict his growth, but giving him more power doesn't seem like a wise idea even after I brought him to submission. Maybe it's time to turn him in, but I'm reluctant about that, too. It's such a waste to spend all that effort on improving his behaviour only to give him over!

Not to mention his unique amongst my specimens' level of intelligence. It's an opportunity for research I can't miss.]

Aivena dropped her pen and propped her chin on her elbow, staring out of the window. I'd give the buns I ate for her thoughts.. I should've invested in telepathy when I had EXP to spare.