Three Questions - Part I

After traversing the land at a breathtaking pace, Caelum's powerful form began to slow, the winds easing around them as if the world itself were catching its breath. The landscape below finally stabilized into a serene vista, offering them a momentary respite from the chaos they had left behind.

He descended to a secluded glade, setting Roxana gently on her feet with the care of one handling a precious, yet slightly troublesome, artifact.

"Now then," Caelum began, his tone shifting to one of casual interest, "I believe it's time for our little chat, wouldn't you agree?"

Roxana, still adjusting to the sudden change in altitude, braced herself for what might come next. Yet, she couldn't help but be intrigued by the demon's change of demeanor.

"I suppose," Roxana replied, her guard still up but her curiosity piqued. "Though I must say, your idea of a 'little chat' is rather unorthodox. Don't demons just use words, who kidnaps for a few questions."

Caelum chuckled, a sound that seemed to harmonize with the rustling leaves around them. "Ah, but where's the fun in that? Besides, I've always found that a dramatic entrance—or exit, for that matter—tends to make a more lasting impression."

Roxana couldn't help but smirk at his comment. "Well, you've certainly succeeded in that regard. Not every day one gets whisked away by a demon. Though, I must ask, do you always greet people by abducting them, or am I just special?"

"Let's just say you caught my attention," Caelum said, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "And considering the circumstances, I'd say a little abduction was warranted. But fear not, I'm not without manners—or gratitude, for that matter."

With a flourish, Caelum extended his hand, and from thin air a scroll, sealed with a shimmering emblem, materialized. He unrolled it between them, revealing an intricate contract written in an elegant script that seemed to dance and shimmer on the parchment.

"This," he announced, "is a Contract of Questions. I owe you a debt for your... unexpected assistance back there. So, in return, I'll grant you the chance to ask three questions—anything your heart desires. And in the spirit of fairness, I shall ask three questions of you."

Roxana raised an eyebrow, both skeptical and intrigued by the offer. "And what's the catch? There's always a catch with demons."

"No catch, per se," Caelum assured her, "just a mutual exchange of curiosity. Consider it a way to learn from each other. After all, it's not every day that a demons of our differentiating stature find themselves in such... collaborative circumstances."

Roxana considered his proposal for a moment, the gears in her mind were turning. The opportunity to ask any three questions was tempting, especially from someone as powerful and enigmatic as Caelum. Yet, she knew the value of caution, especially when dealing with demons.

"Alright," she agreed, with a cautious nod. "Let's play your game of questions. But be warned, I might not be as easy to read as you think."

Caelum's smile widened, pleased by her acceptance. "Excellent. I do enjoy a challenge. And please call it a conversation, not a game. After all, we're just two beings having a chat in a glade. What could be simpler than that?"

As the contract hovered between them, the glade seemed to hold its breath, the only sounds being the gentle rustle of leaves and the soft, anticipatory beating of Roxana's heart.

The air, filled with the subtle sounds of the natural world settling in for the night, carried with it an undercurrent of anticipation.

Caelum, embodying both the calm and the storm, gestured grandly towards Roxana, setting the ground rules for their unique dialogue. "Ladies first," he declared, his voice a blend of amusement and respect. "What piques your curiosity, darling? Ask away."

Roxana, taking a moment to gather her thoughts, decided to delve into the intricacies of the world that she was now a part of—a world shrouded in mystery and teeming with power struggles. "What is the hierarchy within the demon world?" she inquired, her eyes locked onto his, searching for any flicker of evasion.

Caelum's response was immediate, a hint of pride lacing his words as he outlined the structured layers of power that govern this realm. "It ranges from LowRank, MediumRank, and HighRank, up to DemonLord. And beyond that," he paused, his gaze intensifying, "exists a level so profound, you can't fathom until you've seen a millennium or two."

His explanation, delivered with a mix of solemnity and jest, hinted at depths and complexities within the demon world that Roxana could only begin to imagine.

The notion of powers and ranks that transcended her previous human comprehension sparked a blend of awe and a thirst for understanding within her.

Seizing the moment to shift the dynamics of their conversation, Caelum leaned forward slightly, his expression one of genuine curiosity mixed with a playful challenge. "Now, for my question—how old are you?" he asked, his tone light, yet undeniably probing.

Roxana, taken aback by the sudden personal nature of the question, couldn't help but laugh—a clear, vibrant sound that echoed softly in the glade.

"Rude to ask a lady her age," she countered, her response tinged with feigned indignation yet softened by the amusement dancing in her eyes.

As Caelum had poised his question, a whirlwind of thoughts began to stir within her. 'If this is all he's curious about for his first question, then I've really got nothing to lose here.

But, how old was I, actually? Was I 19... or was it 24? Ah, it's all a blur now. What I do remember clearly, though, is that I was definitely younger than 26.'

Her mind waded through the fog of memories, trying to grasp at the threads of her past life, yet the exact number eluded her, lost in the transition from human to whatever she had become. Considering the weight of the contract's terms, where the consequence of deceit was the forfeiture of one's soul to the other, she treaded carefully.

The stakes were too high for risks, and truth—with a sprinkle of mystery—seemed the best path forward.

With a measure of caution and a playful twinkle in her eye, she replied, "Currently, I find myself in the realm of being older than 20, yet shy of 24. A lady must maintain a bit of mystery, after all."

"Oooh, so a demon who's not even 25 yet can use magic... with such an impure bloodline... This conversation is getting more and more interesting." Caelum's words hung in the air, a mix of astonishment and intrigue coloring his tone.

The realization that she might have inadvertently given away more information than intended sent a ripple of unease through her. His mention of an "impure bloodline" and her natural affinity for magic stirred a whirlpool of questions and self-doubt within her.

What did he mean by 'impure'? And why did it seem like her ability to wield magic was a rarity—or was it? After all, the demons in the battle they had just left behind wielded magic with terrifying force, their powers eclipsing hers by leagues.

Yet, Caelum's reaction suggested there was something unique about her, something she hadn't fully understood herself.

Roxana's mind raced, retracing her words, weighing them against the stark reality of her situation. If Caelum's reference to age was in demon years, then in truth, she was merely 20 days into this new existence. A flicker of relief passed through her at the realization that she hadn't mentioned those critical 20 days.

By framing her age within a human context, she had skirted a dangerous edge without stepping over it. Fortuitously, her answer hadn't breached the realm of falsehood; her soul remained rightfully hers, safeguarded by a technicality.

Yet, this brush with potential disaster sparked a new whirlwind of thought. How exactly did the contract discern truth from lie? Was it through some ancient, infallible magic, attuned to the very essence of honesty? Or did it operate on a more intuitive, perhaps even sentient level, parsing through the nuances of each statement to judge its veracity?

Her back began to prickle with sweat, a physical testament to the sudden spike in her anxiety. She watched, somewhat apprehensively, as Caelum's smile widened, not with malice but with an increased interest that hinted at the depth of his curiosity.

"Time for the second question, little one"

Roxana steadied herself, aware that each word she chose from this point forward needed to be weighed with caution yet delivered with confidence.

Each word she uttered had to be meticulously chosen, a delicate balance between revealing enough to satisfy Caelum's curiosity without endangering her own soul. The stakes were high, and the rules of the game, it seemed, were as unfathomable as the depths of magic itself.

She found herself engaged in a strategic game akin to chess, with a player whose maneuvers were not only enigmatic but also steeped in a level of strategy that far exceeded her own understanding and experience.