I'm confused. Yes, that is most fitting for my current state of mind. Just confusion.
"Please take a seat." The black hared girl smiles while gesturing at the free chair on the other end of the desk. "Should I still call you Pura?"
I shake my head.
I'm not sure if I deny the chair or the name, but shaking my head seems like a good idea.
Hmmm… I don't get the situation, so I don't want to be too close to them, so denying the chair it is, huh?
On the other hand I feel nauseous from being called Pura. I should deny both.
The girl lets out a sigh. "Drem."
On her command the horned man lifts a hand without looking up. He snaps his fingers once.
Suddenly there is a hole underneath me and another one above the chair.
I fall…
...and land sitting on the very comfy chair.
Both holes are gone again.
"Don't make this unnecessary complicated. There is no one here that wants to harm you. You are safe."
Even if I only [feel] honesty in her thin existence, this could still be a lie. Don't trust anyone who tells you to be safe.
She smiles. "Sure, I could be lying, but what would I gain from this? I could easily get what I want without ever getting close to you, but that would be boring. Instead I have something that benefits both of us."
Did… did she just read my mind before I presented any information?
She nods with a bright smile.
Heee?!
I need a second.
97, 98, 99, 98…
Counting to 99 and backwards helps clearing my confusion a bit.
So lets just assume that she tells the truth.
No, it is actually quite likely, that she is not lying, at least about the safe part. There are imps here and they are getting treated very good, so I can trust that information.
Also I don't know what that being in front of me is, but it's beyond my comprehension, so I don't see a reason for her, to not just force me to do her biddings, if she had anything bad in mind.
I look at her for another second and send out my answer.
Let me hear your proposal.
"Awesome! I want you to take part in a little event that I want to host. Nothing special or in any form dangerous, just a little party."
Hnnn… We could have very different pictures for words like "dangerous" or "party"… What if it's a slaughter fest?
"What?! Damn, what's wrong with your head?", she genuinely sounds offended and [feels] the same. "I just mean a little get together. You know, nice drinks, good food, tasteful music and enriching conversations."
What?
I blink twice. Is that what people mean, when they talk about a party?
Party sounds awful…
She bursts out laughing from my spread out information.
"That's exactly the part of you that I wanted to talk to." As soon as the laughter started, it stopped. Her beautiful face becomes a serious mask. "Make of the following what you want. I will neither elaborate, nor repeat myself; this world bores me and I want to make it a fun and interesting place. You seem like a very good tool to reach this goal."
A tool, huh? I feel relieved and my anxiety drops by over ninety percent.
Of course it's not nice to be called a tool, I have emotions too, you know?! But now I know where I stand.
Most of what she said is beyond me, but what I got is, that she can easily reach her goal. I just am able to either speed it up or make it better. Both is the same in this situation.
So her plan will work out, no matter what I do… No actually I have the strong feeling, that I don't have a choice here… this gives me a deja vu…
If that's the case, then I should help her. Even a "very good" tool would get disposed if it's not working correctly, but when it is, then it gets treated well, so that it continues to be very good.
"I like that head of yours." She smiles again. "But taking half a millisecond just for some conclusions is a bit much, you can do better… right?"
I may have made a mistake by not comparing our opinions of what "working correctly" means. There are some waves of confusion coming from the horned man. Yeah, I feel the same.
The girl chuckles again. "That was a joke."
Eh? Okay, if you say so…
If you look into my head, then you already know my answer, so what do I get from going to your weird party?
"I will honestly answer three of your questions, as long as the answer won't interfere with my goal."
That is very generous. I want some answers and here is a great opportunity… But why three? I like three, but four is a nicer number, so couldn't it be four questions instead?
"Okay, ill make it four questions then. But you wasted one by asking for more. Three left and I wont allow asking for more."
Meh. Well played.
Okay, then I shouldn't think too much and just ask what seems most important right now.
So what are you?
She fakes a pout that changes into a smile again after a few seconds. "Not who, but what? And you just complained about having feelings too, heh? Don't worry I'm not mad, but I can't tell you, as this would be highly interfering with making the world fun. You can call me Azza, but more information about me is forbidden for now."
Asa… I will remember this name, no matter what.
"No, Azza. Make sure to always remember it correctly, please."
I blink perplexed again. Okay.
But does it really matter, how a name is written, when the pronunciation is correct? That is not a question though, just a little thought for myself.
Before she can answer I form my third question;
What am I?
When meeting Fhe, I noticed, that we are very different. I may seem like an imp, but I ain't one. Fhe is a half aetheral and half physical existence, but I am completely aetheral and just pretend to be physical. So what exactly does that make me?
"I actually have no idea. You seem like an irregular imp, but from what I see, you are not even close to that."
Huh? I got called an irregular before. I assume it is because I basically seem like an imp, but differ strongly in the appearance and some other characteristics. Should I next ask what that means? No, I don't think I will get an answer…
I already used up three questions and even if one was more counted as a joke, I still didn't receive and good information. So my last question should guarantee me knowledge.
Then it's simple; Is it okay if I read all the books in this room?
"No."
What? Simply "no"? For what reason? At least explain.
"Those are more questions than we agreed too." She giggles. "The books here are off limits, but under three conditions I let you access another place with books after my party."
Again with the number three?
Wait… did she plan for that all along? I feel like a little puppet that dances on her hand, doing every move as she wants… but more books… I would really like that, if it's true.
"Drem?"
Again just the name was enough and the horned man snaps once more. There is a hole in the air next to me and I look through it.
!!!
I NEED TO BE THERE!
I assume it's a library and even though the hole vanished after only a short second, I could easily see books that would reach five digits in their numbers and that was just a small part.
I will most likely agree to the conditions, but please tell me anyways.
Azza points out her hand with three fingers pointing up. "One; promise me, that you will refrain from reading the books here." I feel pressured, but a lot of books is still less valuable than a ton of books… I nod.
"Two; you only have one year. After that I will drop you somewhere and you can only read more, when you reach the place on your own. I won't bring you anywhere dangerous, though." Uff, that's a hard condition… But it tells me, that it's possible to get to the place and read more, whenever I want. I nod, even if I would have liked to get more time.
"Okay and number three; let me name you." What?
The horned man jumps up in a haste after hearing her words. "But milady, is this really a good idea? Pleas think abo-" After just a single, freezingly cold glance from her purple eyes, the man sinks down to one knee again. "Please forgive your humble servant, milady. The surprise made me go out of line."
Uhm… it's just a name… right?
Azza nods once to the man and her eyes become cheery again. "Giving a name, creates a bond." She starts to explain. "Like a parent naming their child – no matter what, there is always a connection." Her smile becomes a bit wider. "Or in your case, like putting my name on a tool, so that no one else takes it."
Again the tool?
Well, I don't really mind it… But at the other hand, the reaction was weird. I should be very careful how I answer…
Who am I kidding, I NEED those books.
Go on, name me. Just don't make it something stupid.
There is silence for a moment. And another moment… and another.
The minutes slowly come and go, while Azza looks at me without even blinking once.
"I've made up my mind." She suddenly announced with a weird spark in her eyes. Full of childish energy, she jumps up from her chair, just to climb over the big table and sit on it's edge in front of me. A finger is lifted and touches my forehead.
"You can keep the R'lar, that humans gave you. It will still be a title, but you are no blessing, right? Why should you bless them, when all they do is sin?", Her voice started in the usual warm tone, but with every word got colder and colder until no warmth is left in it. Her eyes match the cold and dark voice as they have a bitter glint in them, that just won't match with the pretty face. "I've seen it. All of it." Her voice just barley more than a dangerous whisper. "And I claim you as mine. They won't satisfy their need to sin on you ever again, as I hereby declare you to be the sin of humanity, which they created. In the words of the old gods, I name you Xyn. You like it?" The last three words just completely broke the mood and brought back her cheery atmosphere.
Azza is incredible scary.
But the name itself? I like the sound, even if the meaning is a bit cruel. According to Fhe, the names of imps have only three letters, so I'm very happy with that.
I nod.
"Oh, this will be so much fun." Azza put a bit more pressure against my forehead, then she let her hand sink to smile at the point. A weirdly cold feeling is left for a second on the point she touched. I [look] at it.
There is a small, black symbol on my head. A vertical line, like on Azza's, but other than hers, there is half a circle surrounding the line from underneath.
I… can't heal it away.
"Just a little good luck charm." The weird girl announces, following my thoughts. Then she jumps to the floor, again full of childish energy. "Yosh, so much to do, and no time at all! I have to go now, but no worries, I'll come visit you… and I will spread the name."
And she is gone.
I sit in my chair dumbfounded again.
Was she ever here? No, I actually have proof of that right on my forehead.
What a weird… being?
The horned man stands up and clears his throat once. Then he goes back to his previous chair and sits down opposite me.
The look he gives me, while stroking the beard on his chin as if he was deep in his thoughts still contains the same amount of warmth as before, but now there is something in his eyes, that I can't really understand. Is that pity? The Information around him tells me, that my guess is right on the mark.
"You are safe here, there is no doubt about it.", he calmly began, while shifting his gaze to the closed door. "When Fhe comes back, she will bring you to a room we prepared. But I would like to ask you to follow some rules. I can't and actually don't want to force you, but it would be kind if you don't break them."
I observe him. Not even trying to send out my question, as he just shifts his gaze back to me and continues.
"It's not much, I would just like you to not talk about my lord with anyone but me in this place. And for the second rule; don't harm anyone here. My people are fragile and easily scared. Be nice to them."
Huh? Why should I do that? Not the nice part, but the one about hurting anyone.
And fragile? Fhe was pushing me around…
The first rule confuses me, especially the"Lord" part, but I can more or less guess, that Azza's existence should be a secret. But why can't he just force me?
He smiles to my presented information.
"I should introduce myself, so that you understand, why I won't go against you." He stands up and bows with the upper half of his body. "I am the Lord of this castle, a place of refugee for everyone but humans and I protect it with the name my lord gave me fourteen millennia ago, Al Drem R'lar." He let out a soft chuckle. "Or simply the terror of humanity, but as we are named by the same person, you can call me however you see fit." Blood rushes into his face and he gets quieter with each word. "Even big brother, if you like."
Uhmm~ No thank you.
He starts to laugh. "That was just a joke to break the ice. I am very pleased to make your acquaintance, Xyn, but for now you should get some rest. The mentioned party will be in one month, so we have more time to talk later and even after that, there is still a whole year."
What? Ehmm no, the year after the party will be consumed by books, please don't interfere on that.
The moment I want to share this, there is a soft knock on the door and the next moment, Fhe just slams it open. Yes sure, I should not hurt her but what about vice versa?