I spend my week with the people that I had originally travelled with. Although Gert rarely showed up. We talked and played games. One time we played a game that really resembled truth or dare. Since the group rarely saw me sleep the dare was that I had to go to sleep. But, I had already seen the pen and ink on top of the shelf so I dint fall for it, much to their displeasure.
The five broken humans had also finally managed to get a place on their own. However, they had decided that it would be best to have one big house instead of a few small ones. So, they threw the money that they earned with working in the stone city together and bought one big house.
What troubled me was that they had neglected most of their connections with their friends and family. The dwarf was also a bit worried about this and let me 'order' them to pay them a visit from time to time.
I had visited their home and was as usually greeted with polite bows. They showed me around and it seemed that they could take care of themselves again.
Although they had created something like an unspoken pecking order. Beatrice and Noah, while not in a romantic relationship were in charge. Noah would manage the incomes and expenses while Beatrice would make sure that everyone including Noah would do their job. I had jet to witness what would happen if anyone would slack off.
Furthermore quinte would keep the house clean and Rick made the food. last came Hakim who kept them all informed with the recent events. He knew everything that was going on in Agartha and had even created an entire map of every street in the first part of the city.
They almost acted like normal people again despite their strict tasks. But something was wrong. Like a shadow under the water right before a giant sea creature comes to the surface.
I was starting to think that it might had anything to do with me. I didn't know what, I didn't know how, but something was going wrong. Or maybe was wrong just a point of perspective.
Their 'normal' behaviour almost resembled a mask that could easily fall of. I knew that they would kill everyone in in sight and then themselves if I simply asked. I knew that they would not hesitate to cannibalise their own family members if I so desired.
They were only acting 'normal' because that is what I asked from them. their absolute loyalty was unnatural, yet it did feel natural, and I could not deny that I did feel some pleasure in it.
("Is this why the other demons keep those toys? To feel how they are in absolute control of lesser beings? Or is this simply how it is meant to be? Is that why it sort of feels natural?")
I knew that I should feel disgusted by this pleasure of power. But I just ignored it. I dint want to lose my sanity over feelings that I could no longer control.
I still remembered the explanation of the dwarf clearly. I had to keep the pen moving so it won't rip the paper. But that didn't mean that I couldn't control what form the lines were going to take on the paper.
So I decided that I should not deny the control that I had over the humans and how that made me feel. All I could do was not abuse the control I had over the humans.
After I left I gave them the same order as usual. Don't harm others. Don't harm yourself and do wat you want within those limits.
I was sort of afraid that they would see it as a test and that I would have a double meaning behind those orders. Afterall what they wanted was to serve me and without making clear how they could do that they could make false assumptions of what they think that I would want from them. but at the moment I was just curious what they would do with the orders I gave them.
They bought a gigantic house and managed to get a stable income along with an incredible amount of knowledge of the city with the same orders last time. So, who knew what they were going to do now.
When the week was over, and the preparations were ready I met up with the dwarf and the three humans once again.
The dwarf had a carriage filled with everything that we needed for the journey prepared for us. Along with two items containing trace amounts of magic. One was a helmet and the other was wine. Both were meant to help us kill the oni.
The wine would reduce its power and disorient it for a limited amount of time. The only creatures that it would not work on were humans so I would still have to watch out that they wouldn't pour any of it in my drink or something.
After all they didn't trust me and were likely to test how far they could irritate me until I eventually snapped so they could prove that I indeed could not be trusted.
When we left Agartha this time, we used the main gate. The main gate led to a gigantic maze. Even though we had a map, it took us eight days to reach the exit.
Yorimitsu and Raiko kept irritating me the entire way , by for example poking me with sharp objects. Saying that they wanted to test the durability of my skin and scales, and that it would barely be a wound for me since it would heal in just a few minutes.
That I was nearly driven crazy by the hunger for souls did also not help. But somehow, we managed to reach the end of the underground maze without any casualties