Sub-lets in Hell, chapter 6. (Patreon)

Here we are, first one of the month. I might be working on a gift this month for you all, but I also might not get it done on time, so I promise nothing.

For now, please enjoy.

Tonight was shaping up to be another sleepless one. At least this time, it was for different reasons; the precinct was fine, but the task force had been shaken up.

After the obvious casualties, the commanding officer of the place had been changed. I wasn't even sure why that happened; it wasn't like it was his fault. People much closer to... after Cords had been killed, no one else had noticed either, despite the wards meant to prevent such an... incident, from happening.

I was pretty sure I knew why they hadn't worked; they'd simply been overwhelmed by the power they'd been facing. I'd worked out better ones, but it was anyone's guess whether those would work either. I sure as hell didn't want to field test them.

It was just after two in the morning. All was nice and quiet, and a bit dark. Not that the dark was a problem for me right now. An idle thought: would I get blinded by turning a light on?

The lamp beside me didn't do much; I mean it ruined my night vision as expected, but it wasn't bad enough to give me pain or anything. A few seconds later, I could see again just fine.

I was tired, but just couldn't sleep. Might as well be working.

The wards were at my desk, and the research was there, waiting on me.

I found myself checking my corners, something I shouldn't need to do; it took effort to straighten up and walk with some semblance of normalcy.

Coffee, or no coffee?

No, no coffee. I was trying to sleep, after all. I actually was a bit tired.

Luckily, this wasn't difficult anymore. Plugging specific runes into each other was a bit like building something out of legos. Just slot this here, slot that there, and then triple check everything so I didn't die from it all once it activated.

Not even a year of mastery here; maybe I was a genius. I guess being able to understand the languages was worth it; that or the one on one tutoring. I should get my tutor to double check my work, but I really shouldn't call him. I should get used to life without him constantly by my side; it was more than a little worrying that having him behind me felt normal. It had only been a few months, after all.

Comforting, it had been comforting.

No, screw this, this was a stupid idea. My bed was nice, and my blankets warm, I should be there.

I climbed back in, and stared at my new ceiling.

Then suddenly, U was staring at another, more familiar ceiling. A tall vaulted ceiling, and from a bed that was suddenly much larger than the one I should be on. I hadn't fallen asleep, as far as I knew, so why was I here?

"Grex!"

No answer.

I sat up, and gave it a bit more lung: "Grex! I know you're here! Don't make me...."

Grex appeared, pulling himself up from under the bed like some sort of child's boogeyman: "You bellowed?"

Yeah, none of that. "Why am I here, Grex?"

"I've no idea. Perhaps your need for sleep blinded your judgment? You know I can do nothing to you unless asked."

"I didn't accuse you," even if I was thinking it. "I asked why I was here."

"I gave you my best answer," Grex replied. "Something brought you here, and it could only be something within you. Some need, perhaps."

I did not need to ever be in some layer of Hell. But wait. "Time flows differently here, right?"

"It can, should we will it so." Grex replied. I could hear the slight wariness in his voice.

"Good. Are we under attack here? Does anyone else know I'm here?"

"No one knows, and we are not under any form of attack. Do you expect... him, to be outside your door himself?"

I mean the thought had crossed my mind.

"Of course he isn't. He is out there, in the world. Even he cannot be two places at once; at worst, one or more of the other lords could have us besieged, yet that would be little concern to us. So long as you do not travel beyond the borders of our domain, you should have little issue. You can rest easy here, for now."

Right, at least until the big guy came back. "How will we know when that changes?"

Grex shrugged. "It will be obvious, well before he should be able to reach you here."

Right. I reached out in the way that seemed half instinct and half flexed muscle, and slowed time. "Fine, I'm going to bed, get out."

Grex slapped his chest with a fist in mock salute: "As you command, Mistress."

Then he simply flowed back under the bed as if he had no bones at all, while holding the pose. Bastard.

I flopped back. With my ability, it was a simple matter to set an alarm of sorts; I'd be up and probably home in time to make muster. I'd be home when I woke up, probably. If not, I could do the portal thing, even if the light show might freak people out.

Whatever, that was a problem for future me. Present me was going to burrow into this bed and enjoy the quiet.

Just like that, I was waking up, that weird muscle in my mind flexing to let me know it was time. I wasn't back home yet, so I guess I'd have to take care of that. Tired me hadn't really left enough time for messing around.

I really needed to ask how the portal worked between dimensions. Or what had to be different dimensions. I guess I didn't really need to know; I wanted to be there, and I could open a doorway of sorts that would take me there; wherever there was.

Even so, if I could discover how it worked, then there was a chance other people could use it. Provided their summoned demons were strong enough, and their contract solid. Any advantage, and all that.

I'd never heard or read of another summoner being able to open such portals, after all. I wonder what the General thought of the ability. I doubted the brass knew about it, other than him and Karen. There would be more noise coming from up top if they did; I wouldn't be surprised if I was pressed into service like a glorified taxi or bus driver.

It might not be a bad use of my time, either. People were still dying.

Even so, I felt my time left could be better used elsewhere; even here. Teaching was it's own reward, even if I was taking part in a system that could only hurt people in the worst way possible.

The portal took shape quickly; a smaller affair which circled itself into being kind of like a toilet flush in reverse, if said toilet flush was a tear in time and space. I knew it would lead to my bedroom on Earth, and at the right time, just as well as I knew the back of my own pale as a sheet hand.

Stepping through was easy enough, and aside from a slight feeling of sliding down that only lasted a second (or even less) I was back. My bedroom was dark and the clock read just a minute after I'd wanted. Which meant I still had enough time for coffee.

If I hurried. Still needed to put some clothes on, after all. A nice thought that, showing up for roll in my PJ's. I'm sure everyone would love it. They would like it more if I slept in just an oversized shirt or something, but I knew better than that.

There, I had time while that brewed.

Splashing my face over the sink didn't really do much; it was amazing what a difference a full night's sleep made. I felt ready to face the day - or at least a horde of demons. A horde of demons would definitely be easier than a day's worth of teaching. Probably; if I had the demons in front of me, I'd no doubt rather be teaching.

I felt almost good about things; that was the important part.

Clothes safely on, I returned to the kitchen to pour my share of rich liquid gold and grab a croissant from the box I'd bought what? Two days ago? It was time to eat those over the waffles, before they went bad. Even if I liked the waffles more. Choices, choices, decisions, decisions. Of such little bricks are lives made. Constructed, if you will.

My insulated mug refilled, it was time to hit the road. I double-checked the lock, of course, not being stupid, then set off.

I was early enough that some of the base's other denizens were on the road with me. All of them walking; I would have expected a few more lazy people hopping in cars for what amounted to a mile hike at most.

Clay was in his usual spot. Waiting for me, his own mug of liquid goodness in hand. His face visibly brightened in the low light at my approach.

"Morning, Alice."

Right, we were still using that name. "Morning, Clay."

We sipped in perfect sync. Hopefully it would freak other people out. Which other people I didn't know or care, but it was important to freak at least one person out a day.

"You're looking well. Sleep better?"

Should I tell him? I should. "Not really. Cheated a bit."

"Pills?" Was that concern?

"Not at all. A natural solution, at least for me." The light dawned.

"Oh, got it. One of those things."

"How about you?" Clay looked better than yesterday, but still a bit rough.

"I got enough. It's hard to go from keeping one eye open at all times to just... not. Even keeping a watch feels normal now, and instead, we got some young pups we don't know doing it."

He wasn't wrong. "Those 'young pups' as you call them, most are older than us, and at least half are veterans like us."

"Yeah, but they're sloppy. We saw that last night."

I couldn't argue with that. I sipped, and looked over to find Clay matching me again with a grin. I turned, watching roll. We weren't called again today, but they knew we were there, of course. Morning exercises began, and we weren't included. Again.

Whatever, I didn't feel like it, so that much worked out. Though I'd have to get back on that grind or lose whatever tone and advantage I still had. "You keeping up?"

Clay laughed. "Not at all. We've got a pass for now, and I'm enjoying it. They will send me back soon enough. Not done with my second tour, after all."

They wouldn't willingly reassign me; Clay knew it. The word was big S was wandering Russia looking for me, and that was the only front that really needed me now. At least, according to Karen. I could probably clear Poland, but that was too close. At least, I bet that was what they thought.

If so, I couldn't say I blamed them. If he hit American shores again, I'd want to be over there. Maybe I was bait? I mean, I was the bait, but according to the rumor, he wasn't doing anything. Just running into patrols or towns and villages, looking for me, and leaving if he didn't see me. No deaths, no curses, no bodily dismemberment, just "is Snow here?" and then leaving when the answer was "who is Snow?"

He didn't even attack the people who took a swing at him. He just ignored it and asked again.

No idea why the military hadn't scrubbed the sightings from their net. Likely just to make sure I saw it; that was such a typical Karen move.

Clay had to have seen those same posts. Everyone here likely had, even the people who'd lost phone privileges.

"Yeah, I think I'll get back into it anyway. I need to avoid running out of breath."

"For the best, I'm sure. If you want, I'll join you. We don't need to, but it can only ever help. Cardio is one of the best things for long-term health."

I felt a stab of envy, just for a moment: Clay was still thinking long term, even with the sword of Damocles hanging that we all had. Planning for those long years ahead before his own personal reaper came to collect his soul.

It was a good thing, really. May it happen that way for everyone else.

I sipped and watched the fun in relative silence.

Clay sipped and watched the fun in relative silence. I was pretty sure the brass that was also watching was getting creeped out by now; the only thing we could do to make things more spicy would be to summon our demons and have them sip alongside us.

Something for next time.

"What are you smiling about?"

"Just a funny idea. We should get our demons to do this next to us, tomorrow."

"Ha. Better not; I don't have the same leeway in that you do. Karen would ream me out, and then mark up my permanent record, and then I'd never get into Harvard."

I caught myself staring at him. That had been a good one.

He grinned back. "Okay okay, U.T.I."

"Right. Well, those trades are paying more than most degrees these days. You could buy a mansion and live like a king. You wouldn't even need your military retirement."

"Hell with that. I'm paying for it now; I'm collecting it later."

Summoners that lasted did make a pretty penny from the government after.

"Right, we make the big bucks."

"We really do," Clay replied and sipped.

I sipped in concert; there was a trick to it, and we both knew it.

The grinning together was optional, though, and I'm sure it was extra-creepy.

The morning routine ended, and we broke to enter the tower. No one approached us while we walked, neither student nor teacher. Not even the other summoners; come to think of it, where were the other summoners? Even Karen was missing this morning.

"Did we miss a memo?"

"Just now noticing, huh? No, we didn't miss a memo. We didn't get anything in the first place, so if anyone got marching orders, we simply weren't included."

How curious. The tower didn't ever have too many graduated summoners; everyone eventually got assigned, but there were always a few, for teaching and accidents. Those summoners were on the hook for morning P.T. So not seeing them here was a bit of a mystery.

Whatever, it wasn't my headache; if something popped up, I'd deal with it then. I split with Clay and entered my empty classroom.

Yep, nice and clean and empty. Quiet and peaceful. I could get some work done while I waited. A notebook may seem a little silly, considering, but it was more mobile than more permanent options.

I still had no idea what to lecture on today. Could I skip right to the basic spells already, knowing that no one here could practice them aside from me? Demonstrations held some value, but would that be effective?

No, it wouldn't be that great, but what if I could... yeah, that would work. Let's see who had done their homework first and actually read the passages in their books and the ones I'd recommended. It was better to go to practical as soon as possible, and I could leverage my contract and abilities gained from it to make the best batch of summoners the tower had ever produced... hopefully.

I'm sure my soul will be crushed by the weight of lowered expectations and teaching in general by the end of this round of basic.

A few circles on the chalkboard, some strings of runes, and I was ready for the day.

I cracked open my own book rather than waste any of my own time.

Karen still hadn't shown up. Karen, of all people, who wouldn't know how to leave people alone if drawn a map to the concept.

My students started trickling in. More than one stopped and took a glance at the board as they walked in, thinking I was too engrossed to see. More than a few looked at those circles, confused. Good, I now knew who had done the work.

How could I get those who hadn't to get more involved in their own survival? Was it just not real for them yet? It hadn't been for me, way back when; I'd just put in the effort anyway. Current me thanked past me for that, no matter how everything had shaken out.

Right, everyone was now here. Time to get started.

I snapped the book closed as loud as I could to get my student's attention: "Alright, so who here can tell me what the circle to my left most is?"

I waited. Then I waited some more. Well, this was pointless. "None of you?"

Someone finally spoke up: "A light spell."

"That is correct. It can be written as a circle here, or expressed in speech as the words under it, in Latin."

Of course, it wasn't really Latin, but it was close to Latin, with a similar phrasing system and grammar. So, in order to avoid confusion, anyone dealing with the language simply referred to it as Latin.

"So, here is what we're going to do. Pick a version you want today. Practice it today, as if you could actually cast this as you are now, and I will act as your foil tomorrow. Which means, what you draw, I will draw, and what you pronounce, I will pronounce. You have until class tomorrow to learn this spell, and the other four the same way. Have no fear of speaking the words out loud, of course, provided you can read them. If you need any help don't hesitate to ask."

That opened the flood gates. I sat back down and opened my book. I could only teach this way due to my unique talents, but no one who left this class would be incapable.