One-Shot - Time for a Question (Patreon)

A/N: An old one-shot I wrote, that I posted on SB. You can also find it there. I recently went over it, corrected errors and simply cleaned it up. And now posting here too. Hope you guys like it!

The town of Santori was simple. Not big nor small, just an average-sized town in the kingdom of Neretin. There were dozens like it in this kingdom alone, and countless others all over the world.The people living there were normal, going about their lives like everybody else. They fished in the nearby lake, worked the golden fields stretching along the southern side of town, hunted in the forests on the mountainside, and some of them even plundered the local dungeon from time to time.It had a very nice market, where people from villages all across the region came every month to ply their trade, sell their produce, and buy necessities.Just like in every other town.And people in the town liked it that way. No trouble, no annoyances, just a carefree existence in a troubled world.They hadn't even had an undead uprising in almost a century!The town had a small garrison of guards, just large enough to keep peace within the town and deter any bandit foolish enough to think attacking it was a smart idea. In such cases, some of the retired adventurers living there would bolster their ranks.But there hadn't been a bandit attack in so long that the guard regiment wasn't exactly in the best shape.Thankfully, the town was so average that most people didn't even know it existed. This was both good and bad. Good because bandits rarely bothered them, bad because the government usually forgot to include them in any sort of development project.Though unsurprisingly, the tax officials never forgot them.Still, despite these setbacks, the town and its inhabitants trudged along the path of life, blissfully enjoying their peaceful existence.They had their own school – built years ago by a retired adventurer – which took care of the local children's education, and a small orphanage supported by the town leadership cared for anyone who had lost their parents.And it was from this small orphanage that the town's current unusual news emerged. Not that it was bad news or anything world-shaking, but people still liked gossip.The target of that gossip was a small twelve-year-old child living in the aforementioned orphanage.Apparently, the child was unusually smart and talented. He had learned to walk and talk in record time, and by the age of five, he was regularly found in the small library of the nearby school.It seemed the child simply absorbed knowledge, amazing both his caretakers and teachers.That in itself wasn't particularly surprising.Every few years, there was a child hailed as a genius, just like everywhere else. What truly fueled the gossip was young Thomas's behavior.The young boy was always helping. Whether it was the teachers or the orphanage workers, he was always ready to assist them. Not just them either – anyone who allowed the child near them would soon find themselves besieged by questions and offers of help.The townsfolk took it good-naturedly and made sure the kid always had something to occupy him with, from picking flowers for the local alchemist to shoveling coal for the blacksmith.After all, it was better to keep a curious young mind busy where they could see him instead of letting him do who-knew-what.Nobody liked undead uprisings.

It was during a pleasant summer day that the idyllic peace of the town was broken.The people closing up the market looked up almost at the same time when they heard a sound unlike anything they had ever heard before. It could only be described as a bubble popping in reverse while someone screeched chalk across a blackboard.Most of them looked around, wondering what had made such a horrible noise, though nobody panicked.Why would they?Nothing ever happened around Santori.The first panicked cries rose when a transparent bubble accompanying the unnatural sound appeared around and above the town. Even then, most people merely watched the event unfold, thinking – or at least hoping – that it was some kind of prank.That belief evaporated rather quickly when the see-through dome surrounding the town turned pitch black in an instant.The volume of cries instantly rose to deafening levels, with people yelling in panic, children crying, and rusty guardsmen shouting for order.People streamed out of their houses and gathered in the streets, loudly discussing the event. Some retired adventurers began digging out their armor as long-forgotten instincts flared back to life.After a few minutes of general pandemonium, things changed again.At the edge of town, where the bubble met the ground, fire erupted with a roar. It was blood-red, with black and white streaks appearing and disappearing at random.Nobody believed it served a good purpose.Sinister energy rolled off it strongly enough to be felt from several meters away. Some people tried using water magic to extinguish the flames, but the water evaporated the instant it touched them. In fact, the fire seemed to burn brighter wherever such attempts were made.People began unconsciously moving toward the center of town, as if trying to flee from the sinister flames. Seeing this, the guards actively encouraged it, thinking safety in numbers would help against whatever was happening.Almost as soon as the last straggler reached the marketplace, columns of fire erupted throughout the town, each one surrounding the gathered townsfolk. Several houses caught fire instantly, while others simply vanished beneath the crimson flames.Desperate cries rose from people watching their homes disappear.However, everything soon fell silent, because from those columns came things none of them could properly describe – but all of them could name.Demons.They were horrific creatures, with mismatched body parts stitched together without thought. Mouths – if they possessed any – slobbered blood or something even fouler, while their eyes burned with madness and bloodlust.Though the more experienced adventurers immediately realized that none of them were particularly impressive. More importantly, none of them appeared to be what officials classified as a Leader-type.Demons were beasts from another plane of existence, their original forms so alien that the horrific amalgamations they displayed here were supposedly an improvement.Usually, they left this plane alone.They couldn't truly open a path here from their side, and the differences between realities were so extreme that there was little they actually wanted from this world.Except souls.So when some enterprising – and insane – mage desired a quick increase in power, or desperately wanted someone dead, demon summoning became an option.However, low-level demons were either too stupid or too disoriented by this plane to be useful for anything beyond cannon fodder. To truly bargain with demons, a summoner needed to call upon a Leader-type.The problem was that such demons were intelligent, cunning, and catastrophically malicious. In almost every case, the summoner ended up as the meal while their intended target walked away unharmed.And in the rare instances where the summoner survived long enough to strike a bargain, it usually required a small army to put down both the demon and its followers afterward.So when the retired adventurers saw the lesser demons, they immediately began scanning the area for the leader. If they could launch a surprise attack, they might still have a chance.That hope was crushed when an enormous column of fire erupted where the town hall stood.It rose so high that it slammed against the black dome overhead, splashing across its surface without damaging it.When the flames finally died down, another demon emerged, several times larger than the ones circling the terrified crowd.Hoping to make a break for it, several guards raised their weapons and charged the demons, only to be disarmed, roughed up, and thrown back into the crowd hard enough to bowl people over.The demons merely laughed.The rest of the townsfolk didn't even try. They were not warriors. They didn't know how to fight, and those who did recognized the overwhelming odds and chose to bide their time.Or so they told themselves.As soon as the larger demon appeared, all the lesser demons began rhythmically chanting something in their guttural language.The great demon ignored them.It was bloated and immense, walking on dozens of segmented legs. A single gigantic eye dominated its body, while hundreds of arms of varying lengths twitched across its swollen flesh.That lone eye remained fixed on the frightened crowd.It towered over them, made even more terrifying by the darkness beneath the dome and the flickering hellish flames surrounding it.Then it spoke.Its voice sounded like grinding gravel accompanied by distant screaming."Humans. I'm…"The next word was incomprehensible to everyone except the demons, but merely hearing it made the townsfolk cringe in terror. The sound echoed all around them, filling them with overwhelming dread.Some even fainted.The demon ignored this reaction and continued."But for lowly beings such as yourselves, Guardian of Knowledge will suffice."Nobody dared to speak up."I have been summoned, and this town was offered as a sacrifice. I accepted it. You all now belong to me."Hearing that, the crowd erupted again, shouting denials and threats at the demon."SILENCE!"The demon did not raise its voice, but something about it changed. The fear intensified instantly, and the townsfolk fell silent."Good. As I said, I am a demon of knowledge, and I am willing to offer you a chance to escape this situation."Its tone made it abundantly clear that it doubted any of them could grasp such a chance."Every man, woman, and child will have one opportunity to ask me a question. If I can answer it truthfully, you lose. But if even one among you asks a question I cannot answer, you will all be free to go, and my summoner shall take your place."Hope reignited among the crowd. People immediately began murmuring among themselves, desperately trying to think of a question that might save them."However, I recommend abandoning such hope."People of Santori fell silent and stared back."I am, by my very nature, knowledge personified. I witnessed creation, and I shall witness destruction. I have peered beyond the boundaries of reality and time itself. I know everything that has happened in your miserable little lives."Its voice became almost mocking."You know nothing. You possess nothing that I do not already know."One brave man finally spoke."How do we know you're telling the truth?"The chuckle that escaped the giant demon – accompanied by the roaring laughter of the lesser demons – made the entire crowd physically stagger backward."I am above lying, you pitiful wretch. I have no need to deceive fleeting mortals to bolster my self-esteem. Every answer I give shall be the truth."It paused."Any other questions?"After a few seconds of silence, it continued."Then let us begin."

The attending demons corralled the humans into one end of the market while forcing a handful of them to stand in line before the greater demon.Cramming that many people into such a small space was deeply uncomfortable, but nobody had the courage to complain anymore. The few who tried were bloodied and hurled back into the crowd.One by one, those in line stepped forward to ask their questions and receive their answers before being tossed aside to make room for the next victim.Thanks to the demon's magic, everybody could hear every exchange.Every question.Every derisive answer.And with each passing attempt, their hope dwindled further.Nobody could stump the demon even for a second. No matter what was asked, it answered immediately in a bored, almost disappointed tone.Some tried obscure or devilishly complicated arithmetic problems. The demon solved them in seconds.Others asked about natural phenomena, hoping to find some gap in its knowledge. It didn't work.A few attempted word games. Some even gambled on riddles. The laughter they received in response was enough to make some of the older townsfolk cry.They tried obscure historical facts, secret recipes, deadly secrets, and embarrassing secrets.One child even dared the demon to guess what he was holding in his hand.The pat he received on the head from one of the creature's disgusting appendages caused him to faint on the spot. The demons simply picked him up and tossed him back to his horrified parents.And so it continued.Nobody knew how much time had passed beneath the black dome, but slowly and inevitably, the number of people who had yet to ask their question dwindled.Children cried openly. Adults prayed in hushed voices.Meanwhile, the demons surrounding them laughed in their grating, hideous voices, clearly enjoying every moment of their suffering.

George had seen a great deal in his life. Good and bad.In his youth, he had been an adventurer. He had delved into dungeons, escorted caravans, fought criminals, and witnessed both the very worst and very best of humanity.But, as with everyone, time eventually caught up with him.So instead of dying gloriously in the middle of battle like some of his old companions, he retired to a quiet town and returned to his childhood hobby: cooking.He was proud to say that, over the years, his small restaurant had become one of the most beloved places in Santori.He had been in the middle of teaching the new kitchen girls how to properly handle knives when the sky darkened, and the demons came.George was among the first to ask his question, and knowing he probably wasn't clever enough to outwit the demon – he had always been better at hitting things than studying them – he chose one of magic's oldest mysteries instead.Though he didn't fully understand the answer, he could feel the truth of the demon's words deep within his own magic.So he simply nodded and returned to the mass of waiting townsfolk.Keeping a stoic expression for the sake of his family, he watched as people stepped forward one by one, each failing to make the demon think for even a second.As the line dwindled, even his composure began to crack.When only a few people remained, he finally abandoned all pretense of strength and pulled his wife and daughter into his arms, trying to comfort them.When the last person stepped forward and failed, George found himself wondering what would happen next.Would the demon simply kill them?Or take them somewhere worse?As soon as the final person returned to the crowd, the demon spoke."Very well. It seems I was right. None of you know anything that I do not. Let the last person step forward, and then we may begin."George snapped his head upward.Did he miscount?Standing near the edge of the crowd gave him a good view of the marketplace, and he watched as the townsfolk slowly parted to reveal a small child walking forward.Despite everything, George felt a flicker of hope.It was little Thomas, the town's resident genius.Maybe he had thought of something.Judging by the murmurs spreading through the crowd, George wasn't the only one thinking it.The boy walked toward the demon, black hair plastered to his forehead with sweat, clothes wrinkled and disheveled, but his expression remained firm with determination.Soon, he stood before the towering creature.The entire town held its breath, as nobody wanted to miss even a second of what was happening in front of them.Their lives – perhaps even their souls – depended on this question.The child looked up at the demon and spoke."I can ask anything?""Yes, Thomas. Anything.""Are you sure?""Yes."The exchange wasn't new. Several people had already attempted to find loopholes in the demon's wording and failed."And if you can't answer, we win?""Yes, child. Now you question, I tire of this."Thomas took a deep breath, squared his shoulders, and looked directly into the demon's enormous eye."Then demon, tell me the answer to the first question, the oldest of them all in the universe, that which is hidden in plain sight."George didn't understand the question at all.But the demon's reaction told him everything he needed to know.For the first time since appearing, the lesser demons fell silent.Even the distant roar of flames seemed quieter, and the greater demon did not answer immediately.The silence stretched onward.Nobody dared break it lest they somehow doom themselves.Though the greater demon lacked a proper face, it was still strangely expressive, and George watched emotions ripple through it – surprise, anger, and finally hatred.Eventually, the silence was broken by the young genius himself."So you don't know? Does that mean I win?"That only seemed to anger the demon further."Foolish mortal, of course, I know!""Then answer me," Thomas replied simply.To George, the situation was bizarre.If the demon knew the answer, why not simply say it?It had answered taboo questions, horrifying questions, deeply embarrassing questions, all without hesitation.So what made this so different?The phrase 'the first question' sounded important, but Thomas's wording had been oddly specific.Unfortunately, George couldn't remember ever hearing about anything like it.Still, hope continued to grow as the demon remained silent."Foolish child," the demon finally growled, "only one may speak the answer aloud.""So you can't answer my question?" Thomas shot back, far cheekier than the situation warranted.If they survived this, George decided he would give the boy a smack upside the head for that attitude.Then he would offer him free meals for the rest of his life.The demon fell silent once more, apparently warring with itself.Minutes stretched onward.After nearly two hours of agonizing tension, the child finally seemed to lose patience."So what's it going to be?" Thomas asked. "Are you going to answer or not? I have better things to do."For a brief moment, George feared the demon would kill the boy on the spot. Instead, the creature's entire body sagged, and a sound of utter defeat escaped from every one of its orifices."No," it admitted at last. "You know I cannot answer it."Its voice somehow sounded even more defeated as it continued."You win, boy.""Yay," Thomas replied flatly. "Then please get out of my town."No cheers erupted from the townsfolk.After spending so long convinced they were doomed, victory itself left them stunned into silence.George could see disappointment radiating from the demon, while Thomas's entire back was soaked with sweat.He had to admire the spunk of the kid.Without another word, the attendant demons moved toward the scorched remains of the town hall, the greater demon following behind them.Once they had gathered together, the massive demon made a strange sound and gestured with several of its appendages.Immediately, every infernal flame throughout the town vanished as suddenly as it had appeared."Thomas," the demon said. "I will remember your name. Until next time."The moment it finished speaking, a gigantic pillar of fire engulfed the demons, once more reaching the top of the dark dome.When the flames finally disappeared, so had the demons.The black bubble above the town began cracking like glass coated in soot.Thankfully, it did not shatter like glass.Instead, each fragment drifted downward slightly before dissolving into glittering dust.Thankfully, it did not shatter like glass.The townsfolk – George included – remained frozen in place, still struggling to comprehend what had just happened.The hero of the day sat on the ground nearby, exhausted, staring up at the rapidly vanishing dome.For some reason, George found himself waiting until the entire thing disappeared before moving.Everyone else seemed to feel the same.Together, they watched the strange phenomenon unfold.When the final fragment dissolved into glitter, a brief scream echoed somewhere in the distance.Then came blessed silence.George immediately started toward the boy, intending to thank him. Apparently, everyone else had the same idea.Within moments, Thomas was surrounded by townsfolk celebrating him as a hero.George slowed to a stop, as he was too old to join in their revelry. Instead, he took a moment to look around the ruined town.There was going to be a great deal of rebuilding ahead of them.And yet, despite the devastation, he smiled.It seemed hope never truly died.

A/N2: The crossover: (Generic Isekai/Doctor Who)