Elania felt the need to fidget as Tessa sat across from the round ‘outdoor’ table and stared silently. After the sudden violence, including ‘magic’ and counter-magic, that ended as suddenly as it had started, Elania felt more than just a loss of words. Fighting seemed to be taken as something that was a common occurrence, and she couldn’t imagine someone causing such a scene on Earth and getting away with it... although maybe that was just because she never visited such places on Earth.

“So, Elania.”

Elania’s eyes widened as her attention snapped back onto the other Demon with the realization she had been wandering off in her own head again during the dragging silence. The look caused Tessa’s lips to stretch into a smile revealing the teeth again. The discomfort Elania felt at the visible display of razor teeth must have been visible because Tessa quickly hid them.

“Sorry, I’m told it's a bad habit that makes others uncomfortable, but it is hard to remember.”

Elania had to hold back a frown, a sudden feeling of empathy going through her. How would it feel to be told smiling was a bad habit? Elania knew she had some bad habits herself.

“That’s alright. I try to tell myself not to get lost in my head, but it is hard to remember.”

Tessa smiled at her again, although this time with her lips closed. Elania still felt it was a bit unfair to be required to hide one's teeth, but Tessa’s were... scary. Something people would probably be able to get over seeing after a few times, but the first sight was always going to make people uncomfortable.

“Is that so? What type are you? You smell like a human, and the rest is so subtle I can't tell, which is strange. Normally your first form would still leave at least a little hint, and daydreaming could come from too wide a range.”

That was when Elania realized Tessa’s ears were pointed. Like elf ears. Elania knew a whole host of earth folklore and fantasy stories would fit Tessa right into them, except right now she couldn’t remember a single one of them. Tessa certainly wasn’t a Tolkien elf. Elania had seen some patrons at the Inn in the Waypost that resembled those, along with the name to go with it for their race. Tessa didn’t seem to match them. Maybe there were two...

Suddenly, Tessa reached across the table and took Elania’s hand, turning it palm up and bringing it to the center. Elania started to ask what she was doing when she leaned forward and bit her finger without warning.

Elania’s yelp came as she tugged her hand back. Tessa released it without complaint, and Elania held her now-bleeding finger. Four bloody spots she assumed were teeth holes closed themselves up quickly, but still left traces of blood dripping down her hand until she wiped it off with a shirt sleeve.

“Why!?”

“You were lost in thought again, little kitty. So I thought I’d test your reaction speed.” Tessa licked her lips, which confirmed that Tessa was definitely of the more meat-eating variety if the teeth didn’t give that away. She tried to avoid thinking about how it was her own blood Tessa was licking, though.

“You have so much potential, Elania, it's exciting. You’re very young, only level 48, and you don’t have a master controlling your every action. You seem to have a nice attribute, too, although I didn’t think feline hunters could take regeneration?”

That last was styled as a question, but Elania shook her head, wanting to deny the whole thing.

“I’m not a ‘kitty’ or anything else, I am... was a human.”

“Hmmmm.”

It was apparent Tessa wasn’t convinced, but the waitress picked that moment to show up. The way she was looking at them angrily told Elania that she, at least, wasn’t as afraid of them as the mercenaries who had beat a retreat inside.

“Are you two going to order something now, or are you going to keep manhandling the other patrons and poor Buno?”

Although Elania was included in the statement, the woman was clearly looking to Tessa for an answer.

“Poor Buno should learn to keep his hands to himself, and the other patrons should mind their own business. Everyone has a right to sit down and have a drink, yes?”

“Paying customers have a right to sit down and have a drink. This isn’t a hostel or a place to sleep.”

Tessa’s reply was to fish out a coin from a hidden pocket that Elania hadn’t even realized existed on the maid uniform. It was a large round gold coin, and Elania was sure it was the large gold that had been explained to her at the Waypost. It was worth ten of the smaller golds; surely a pair of drinks wouldn’t cost that much.

The waitress's surprise confirmed Elania’s suspicion, and for the first time, she showed something other than annoyed anger.

“We’d like two Frujuices, whatever you have that is sweetest.”

“We have some fresh Apnels we got yesterday.”

“That will be fine.”

The waitress nodded and turned and hurried back into the tavern clutching the coin to her chest, ignoring a few customers calling to her to stop at them.

“Two uhh, Frujuices? Didn’t really cost that much did it?”

Tessa smiled at her without the teeth.

“No, of course not, most of it is for the trouble. The rest is for some goodwill. A Frujuice shouldn’t cost more than a small silver.”

“Oh. I see.”

Tessa had been paying to smooth things out for having roughed up the tavern’s patrons and beating the bouncer. Elania thought they all kind of deserved the thrashing they got, considering their behavior, but she also didn’t know what was normal or expected. She suspected Tessa had over-paid whatever reparation was customary from the look on the waitress’s face.

“About the drink, I don’t think I should be drinking anything alcoholic.”

“Alcohol? Why would I order that? Don’t you have regeneration anyway? Yours doesn't help with poison then?”

Elania started to reply but stopped, thinking about it. The razor-claw poison from its claws had been stopped, but she had also had a horrible hangover at the Waypost.

“I still get hangovers, at the very least. Otherwise, I think it might depend on what kind of poison... I haven’t exactly tested it.”

“Well, that’s probably for the best, in my experience poison testing isn’t pleasant.”

For the first time, Elania caught a hint of pain on Tessa’s face and wondered if she’d been forced to test poisons. She wasn’t sure she should ask, and Tessa quickly filled the gap in the conversation.

“Well, at least someone has already taught you to count money, although it looks like they didn’t do much beyond that?”

Elania frowned. Her previous companions certainly hadn’t given her any money. She should have demanded some, she had done Marcus’s job for part of the trip anyway, and while they had left her with one of their spare outfits, it seemed like they could have afforded her enough to sleep somewhere for a night or two.

“They taught me the conversions between coins, but not much else.”

“Well, remember a Frujuice is about one small silver. It’s one of the few things we Demons like to drink, even if we don’t really get anything from it. I’m sure you’ve figured out your [Demonic-Self Sustenance] by now?”

“Yes, it uses ‘Power’ and I don’t have to eat, drink, or... other things. How do you know I’ll like the Frujuice though?”

“Well, you might have a different preference in what fruit you like the most, but it is a common trait among all of us that we love fresh fruits. Even the ones that other races consider bitter or sour will taste sweet to us.”

Elania wanted to ask why, and she remembered the sweet drink that she had tasted before to wash away the terrible taste of the stew.

“Cooked meat and vegetables are bad though?”

“Anything cooked will be bad, you’d probably be fine eating them raw, but why? It wouldn’t taste good, and you won’t receive any power from it. So there’s no reason to.”

Elania frowned; eating dinner together with others seemed to be pretty important, but if there was no benefit to eating anything, then it would just be a social thing. Well, one thing was certain, her experience with cooked food was enough for her to believe Tessa easily. Not that she’d ever try raw meat to see if it was merely 'ok.' Fresh fruit it would be.

“You can’t really deny being part Darkwalker you know, after tasting it, I feel a bit silly that I couldn’t make out the scent, it seems obvious now. Your smell is very subtle though.”

“I absorbed the Darkwalkers after being summoned, not the other way around.”

“It really isn’t something to be ashamed of or to hide. Even if it was a lot of them. I imagine it was with how diluted you are. Did you get your master with them? Is that how you got free?”

“I was summoned by some weird cultists. They were trying to worship me or something, then some knight or paladin attacked and I escaped while they were fighting.”

Tessa looked at her like she was crazy and, for once, seemed to be at a loss of words.

“Huh?”

“They were all wearing black, and I was standing there naked. The stupid circle shocked me, and the paladin cut it with his sword somehow, then the bishop attacked and I ran out. Then I spent… days or weeks running around the caves until I ran into the Mushroohums.”

Elania continued to retell her story, not skipping anything and including the role the mana shard played in events. Tessa stopped interrupting and listened attentively, only stopping her a few times to clarify a few things.

“You almost evolved into a Darkwalker?”

Elania nodded, “I had absorbed a lot of them and I transformed into one and it... was really strange. It was like I really was a Darkwalker.”

When Elania got to the part about meeting the Monks and Marcus, Tessa almost exploded.

“You showed them your status and skills screens? What in the hell were you thinking? Don’t ever do that for anyone! They shouldn’t have even asked!”

“Well... it felt... like I needed to gain their trust or something, and the Mercenary hinted that they would deal with me somehow if I didn’t go with them...”

Tessa shook her head, the disapproval was evident. “Don’t let anyone walk over top of you, Elania. Even if you have to fight them. You’re unbound and don’t give that up, no matter what.”

Elania started to continue, but their drinks arrived and interrupted. Tessa happily scooped up her glass, and Elania followed the example, finding that the large glass was chill to the touch, with condensate already forming on the outside.

“You... don’t have refrigerators here do you?”

“A what?” Tessa and the waitress asked simultaneously, and Elania shook her head.

“Nevermind, I meant to chill the drink down, it's a thing where I come from.”

“Oh, no. We get ice from the local ice mage and keep it in the coldbox. We keep the glasses in there to cool the drinks.”

Elania nodded. Ice Mage. Ice deliveries. Right. It sounded like she needed to avoid trying to explain condenser coils, refrigerant, and the concept of ‘iceboxes that kept themselves cold,’ or she’d probably end up waking up in an ice cube and the prisoner of some irate out of business ice wizard.

“Is it a problem? I could bring you a different glass,” the waitress asked.

“Oh, no its fine.”

Elania looked at the glass for another second, then copied Tessa and took a sip.

It was certainly sweet, and it tasted like the fruit she had back at the Waystation.

“It’s good right?” Tessa smiled at her and Elania nodded.

“Do you have any idea who the cultists and this ‘Bishop’ were?”

Elania frowned, she did remember a name from the contract that had been offered to her, though. “I refused the contract they sent without looking at it. Something like... Cult of the Black Candle...?”

Tessa let out a breath at the same time the waitress let out a gasp. Elania felt like she had been caught in a trap as soon as the two reacted, Tessa letting out a breath and the waitress gasping a stereotypical hand going to her mouth.

Tessa turned to the waitress and shooed her away with a ‘thank you, that’s all’ then turned back to Elania.

“Don’t mention them, at least, not that loudly. ‘The Black Candle’ is a boogeyman that a lot of people fear. I think I know what paladin you are talking about, too. There’s been some talk of his actions in the city, and there was a bit of pushback when he was allowed to operate freely.”

“So.. You believe me then? I was a human when summoned and then escaped.”

“Well, I don’t think you’d insist so much on something so... very rare if you weren’t very certain of it. Still, I can’t think of any real example of another Demon summoned while a human, maybe because they were all discarded or... worse.”

Elania gulped, there were more questions she wanted to ask Tessa, but the sudden idea that she’d need to be ‘terminated’ or ‘dealt’ with because she was summoned was unwelcome. Maybe she shouldn’t mention it to others in the future. Better to fit in with what others thought you were than be something ‘different’ and feared?

“I have a lot of questions, especially about levels, attributes, and skills, contracts, and stuff...”

Tessa nodded, “I know. I can only imagine, there is a lot to go over, though.”

“Actually... why are you helping me? It isn’t like I don’t appreciate it, but so far everyone has... seemed to be taking advantage. Or worse, warning me about people taking advantage of me while trying to take advantage of me.”

“I might say that I don’t want to see you end up like me, but that isn’t all of it. You’re unbound, and you don’t realize how much potential just that gives you. Most of us don’t have any say in what skills or powers we take, its all decided for us. Usually not to our own benefit, or likes either. So if I help you now, which doesn’t cost me much or anything hardly now, you might be able to help me later. You’re sort of small, but I can tell your power density is high, too. So later you might be a very good friend to have.”

Tessa smiled, “Plus you’ve already given me a bit of information that might be valuable making this conversation really worthwhile for me, and for free. I might be able to leverage that into some favor from my master and get out again with it. It isn’t often I’m rewarded by being free to roam like this.”

“Uhh... I did?”

“Movements of the Paladin will be of interest to him, yes. He is on the council that rules the city, and having that kind of information might work to his benefit. The council is often contentious and some didn’t agree with allowing a foreigner with powerful abilities the freedom of the city.”

“Ok..ok.. This is a bit much for me, though. I’m still trying to figure out things like what skills I should try to level up, what attribute to take in two levels, and how to find an artisan to sell my stupid monster orb thing so I can afford a place to rest while I figure it all out.”

“I can offer you a few suggestions, especially on --”

Tessa’s head snapped up as she spotted something, and Elania turned to look at where she was staring. A few armored men were walking toward the tavern, but they were still a block away.

“Shit, my handlers have caught up with me. I have to go.”

Elania blinked, “I thought you said you were rewarded by being free to roam?”

“It’s a bit more complicated than that, it’s an unspoken agreement.”

Tessa suddenly fished out several silver coins, five small ones, and one large, then slid them across the table to Elania before standing up in a hurry.

“Don’t worry, I’ll find you again, it’s what I’m good at, anyway,” the statement was accompanied by Tessa licking her lips. Elania suddenly felt that wave of discomfort wash over again with the memory of Tessa making a snack out of nipping her finger.

“Just don’t make any long-term contracts. Or short-term ones, if you mess it up, it will bite you badly.”

Before Elania could respond, Tessa vaulted a wood railing and started sprinting down the street opposite of her ‘handlers’ with enough speed to draw attention all around.

One of them yelled almost immediately, “Stop!” It was no use, though, as the other Demon quickly disappeared around a corner. The two armored men hurried after her in pursuit, but as they passed by the tavern, one of them stopped and stared at her with a glare.

‘Oh shit, he saw me talking with her.’

Elania’s worst fears didn’t come to pass, as the man shook his head and then continued after his partner in pursuit of Tessa.

It took a moment for Elania to regroup. Tessa’s sudden disappearance had been as abrupt as her appearance. Elania still wasn’t sure what she thought of the more experienced Demon, but... she hoped that Tessa would show up again soon; she still wanted to ask her all those questions.

“Would you like another Frujuice?”

Elania looked up, not realizing the waitress had returned.

“Umm. They aren’t going to come out and get revenge on me now that she left, are they?”

“Don’t worry, I think they would have more a problem with her than you, and I’ll cut them off if they try.”

“Oh.. Alright.” Elania looked down at the few coins that Tessa had left her. She actually wanted another drink, it was a pleasant distraction, but would it be wise to spend one of her few coins on something she didn’t strictly need?

“It’s already paid for if that’s what you’re thinking about, after your friend left such a generous tip.”

“Ok then, I would appreciate another one then, thank you.”

“I’ll be back with it in a bit sweetie.”

Elania nodded, then settled into her chair, checking her clock. There were still hours to go, but she thought she would head toward the shops and scope them out before the opening time came so that she wouldn’t waste any time getting lost again.