Jack stared up at the sky of Floor 24, watching clouds drift across the purple-red expanse.
Five months since he'd killed Vok'thar, since he'd bound thousands of demons to his will through contracts written in blood and enforced by magic that didn't forgive defiance.
The memory surfaced unbidden as Fluffy's massive form padded across the rocky terrain.
The cerberus demon dog had become a great mode of transportation.
Jack closed his eyes, letting the rhythmic movement of Fluffy's gait carry him back to that final meeting before they'd departed.
---
The throne room of the Aurion castle had been packed.
Not with the three hundred demons who'd attended the contract signing, but with the leadership.
Seryth sat upon her throne, her luminescent form dimmed slightly, exhaustion evident in the way her wings drooped. Beside her stood her two elite guards, their faces carefully neutral.
Across from them, maintaining a respectful distance stood Nyx'ira.
