[Fay's perspective]

  I find myself upright, my feet having to stretch down to touch the floor, my arms above my head, every movement I make rattles the chains around me.

  Bubbles float up every time I take a breath, yet again I am getting the air I shouldn't, my hair lays flat against my shoulders, my eyes don't get irritated by the water around me.

  The chains rattle again, pulling me slightly further up, I can't even reach the cement floor with my feet anymore.

  “Guide me.” The voice behind me speaks in a language I don't understand but still get the meaning, it undoubtedly is Lilith. I feel multiple wounds appear on my body, my wrists start hurting, bruising on my neck and the back of my head, my fingers feel overworked and blistered.

  I wake up in a completely different bed than the one I slept in, the cabin walls replaced by a room I am all too familiar with, Lilith's living quarters.

  Everything looks dusty, not too dusty, but dusty enough to let me know this place hasn't been touched since the dinner party. My body retains the wounds that I got in the dream, my wrists especially which are now black with bruising.

  “Null... Noah... Anne...” the three people I care about and those they cared about are gone...

  Still, I can't stop thinking about how Null referred to me. As ‘master Fay.’ Something she dropped before the dinner party. Although it may seem psychotic to obsess over a simple title, it's all the fuel I need for me to believe Null is alive.

  “Noah...” he isn't dumb... how could he have survived?

  Maybe he was put on lookout, he wasn't in the food clinic because they needed to make sure I didn't fulfill my threat.

  “Anne...” Anne would have stayed in the food clinic with the kids... unless maybe she left at the perfect time to try and talk to me... it wouldn't be the first time, right? She always worries about me.

  That means I'm fine. Everything is fine.

  Just everyone else is dead... but that's okay. I can save everyone else.

  Three distinct knocks come from the open door and down the hallway, someone is here... the boss maybe?

  I get up and realise my legs feel tired, like I had just walked miles, ran miles. Is that from me sleepwalking here or more transferred damage?

  That heart spell she did obviously allows her to make me do things voluntarily and involuntarily. I need to make sure every idea is my own. To double check every decision I make so I don't cause any more distrust.

  I walk out into the hallway, its eerily quiet, some windows are open so I can hear the breeze but other than that this place is silent.

  I step down the large staircase near the entrance, three large knocks happen again, “Don't keep me waiting!”

  Who is that? Null?

  I step into a sprint, jumping down 5 stairs to the front door, almost slipping on the entrances rug as I swing the door open, “NULL! You're alive.”

  I see null in an incredibly fancy dress, I don't always follow my emotions but after the last few days I decide to hug her.

  I wrap my arms around Null and squeeze, “God, I missed you... that dinner party sucked you were right.”

  Hands touch my hair, stroking the top of my head, “yes well... I didn't expect you to be so excited about our date... It's not romantic you realise? It's a business date.”

  Date? I unwrap my hands and look at her, she is undeniably Null.

  The original Null. “Oh... sorry...”

  She nods with an unnerving smile, “I didn't expect you'd take camp in this building so early after her death. You had me running cat and mouse to find you.”

  I don’t reply to whatever she said, instead I look behind her and see a clone waiting by the door, holding a pen and book, “Null?”

  She doesn’t respond, the original Null moves to the side to block my view of her, “who is this ‘null’?”

  “Just… one of your clones.”

  “Oh, you’re one of those people? Fell in love with my clone? You realise clones don’t have souls, right?”

  What?

  She walks over to the clone waiting, “I copy the data of the brain, they act like real people but that's about it.”

  She is wrong, otherwise none of them would try to escape, they would instead just be slaves.

  “You’re wrong.”

  “How so?”

  “They have free will.”

  “Never said they didn’t. That’s the beauty of them.” She scratches the neck of the clone. The clone leans into her hand like a cat. “Yet they aren’t sentient, and the fact that you, a rank… what? Rank 1 is telling me how my technique works is terribly rude.”

  She told Null a while ago that she was sentient, I remember. “But… you said.”

  “I say a lot of things, telling a high rank clone they aren’t sentient could make them not function correctly.” She steps away from the clone she was inhumanely petting, “let’s go, I expect you on your best behaviour.”

  I walk out of the door onto the pathway where a fancy carriage is parked. Two more clones waiting by it.

  “Where are we going?”

  “To the capital. Inner circle obviously.”

  Inner circle? She guides me up into the carriage like I’m a noble, I sit down to face her in front of me.

  “What’s the inner circle?”

  “Oh… right. The inner circle is only visitable by rank 5s and above.”

  “But I’m not rank 5.”

  “Then I’ll get fined. Who cares.” She leans in close, “I want to get the business talk done quickly, so tell me, are you interested in a lucrative business where you sell your body…? Quite literally.”

  I nod, “only if you save my friends.”

  “What friends? I don’t see any.” She looks left and right cartoonishly.

  “The people in the experiment site.”

  “Oh…? Well, I just so happened to visit that experiment site and guess what?”

  “What.”

  “Nobody was there.”

  She’s lying.

  “Okay.”

  She leans back, “take us to the inner circle!” She wafts her hand out of the open window of the carriage.

  “What’s your full name Fay?”

  “Fay Cross.”

  “That’s incredibly marketable. Your parents had good taste.” She crosses her legs, the windows outside begins to fill with fog.

  “Thanks.”

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  “So, I could just take you and lock you in a basement somewhere to constantly clone you, but that would be despicable. So, what do you want that would make you happy?”

  She isn’t going to let me see my friends obviously, so what I need is the ability to travel to experiment sites.

  “What am I right now?”

  “You are Fay.”

  “No… I mean am I considered a human?”

  “Yeah? A human with an eris ring.”

  “I want you to pull whatever strings you can to make people see me as a demon. Join whatever society this is.”

  “Demon?”

  Right, they don’t call themselves that, “just whatever your kind is.”

  The fog disappears, sounds of chattering and wheels can be heard.

  The original null smiles and steps out onto the stone pavement, “sure.”

  I get guided out by her gloved hand, taken into a roadway path where carriages go back and forth, every building looks new and organic, similar to late medieval architecture with stone and wood buildings. All of the wood has streaks of glistening gold that emit a faint glow.

  “Has Lilith never taken you here?”

  “She hasn’t… yeah…”

  Everything is sloped downwards like in an upside-down cone, not enough for it to be noticeable close up but in the distance, I can see buildings get lower and lower until it reaches a huge grey circular tower in the middle that passes beyond the clouds in height.

  How do they keep this hidden from the modern world? We have satellites and planes that could easily see this titan of a city.

  Up on the slope I can see more buildings spread the horizon higher and higher and then a wall which looks worn, if this is the inner circle I’m guessing there’s an outer circle where the rank 4s and below live.

  “I have arranged our date, first we get you a haircut, then we fatten you up with various foods, then we can talk business in my floor of the tower.”

  That’s less of a date and more of just ordering me around to do things. Although I guess I don’t need my hair long anymore since Lilith isn't here.

  “Okay. So, haircut first?”

  “I’m not done, don’t interrupt me. Then we need to get you a valid ranking, as you wanted to be considered one of us, correct?”

  I nod.

  “Well let’s go ahead then, haircut first. I know just the place.”

  She takes my hand and walks us down the street, there are various different looking people here, some with the devilish appearance that Lilith had and some with human features such as the original null and her clones. Nobody seems to notice me.

  “Didn’t you say I was popular?”

  “You are popular, just nobody knows what you look like. Most assume you died at the dinner party as that’s what that foul redhead told everyone.”

  Foul redhead... from the party…? Was she trying to do me a favour? I see no reason why to lie about that especially since it makes you look bad…

  All this walking makes my legs hurt even more, my long-sleeved shirt helps hide the bruising on my wrists, but anyone can tell I’m about to stumble over at any second.

  “Are all humans this weak when it comes to exertion?”

  “No. I’m just really hurt right now…” I pull my sleeve up and show her the bruising, hoping it convinces her to heal me.

  “That looks like it hurts.” She continues walking not sparing a second glance, dragging me along the streets perfect stone pavement, the buildings get bigger and bigger the more we go down the slope, I can see that around the tower is a huge grassy area similar to circular New Yorks Central Park with a water moat.

  We must’ve reached a ring of shops because suddenly every building has a sign designating what it is, inns, restaurants, cafes, blood vial shops, experimentation parts and book shops litter the area.

  Instead of walking down the main road, she takes me sideways into a small alleyway full of people, small lights of yellow and orange are strung across the alleyway like its Christmas.

  This place is incredibly busy, I bump into multiple people as the original null pulls me haphazardly towards her destination. Eventually being pulled into a small indoor space full of waiting chairs.

  It was completely empty, a locked door at the end of the hallway with a sign saying “closed.”

  “Wait here.”

  She guides me to sit down, I stare at one of the paintings that are hung up on the wooden wall, it shows a historical battle between shadows and what look to be demons of various colours and shapes marked 6122 BC.

  She knocks on the door in a specific pattern, repeating in twice before a man with messy hair opens it and grunts, “what?”

  “Theo! I need you to give this one a makeover, style him up for me.” She points at me.

  Theo? I thought they didn’t have names?

  “Is this another… one of your…?”

  “Gods no! Him? Really? I have standards. He is the human who knows magic.”

  Theo steps forward, his ragged brown clothes mixing well with his messy brown hair and brown eyes, his clothes seem to be broken and stitched together.

  “Him?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I was told he was dead.”

  “He isn’t.”

  He stares directly into my eyes.

  “Can he talk?”

  “He can, he from a government experiment site so he isn’t too messed up like those privately owned places.”

  “So why is he just staring?”

  “I believe he is deep in thought.”

  There is nothing going on in my mind right now. I stand up, “I need a haircut. Thanks.” I let out a small smile and pat him on the shoulder, “Theo, are you a human?”

  “No?” He removes my hand from his shoulder, “Is it just because I have a name? What year do you think it is?”

  The original Null giggles, “Theo is new, 20 years new so he has ‘ideas’ about how things should function.”

  New? Not born? “Okay, cool... so haircut...?”

  Theo’s face droops as he falls asleep mid conversation. Swaying slightly. Somehow keeping himself upright.

  “Is he going to cut my hair?”

  “Yes... He’s not narcoleptic just tired, I’d assume. I owe him a favour to get him more customers.”

  Oh, she owes him a favour. Of course she does. Of course she wouldn't take me to a respectable hair salon.

  She snaps her fingers in front of him and he wakes up, his eyes widen awake, “yes yes haircut, leave him with me.” He waves at the original Null as he opens the door.

  “Why does the door say ‘closed’ if you’re open?” I ask. The door had a permanent etched ‘closed’ sign on it, embedded into the door.

  The room is simply a bed, a mirror, a chair, and a desk, someone's home. “Have you ever walked into a building without a sign? It's the exclusivity my friend.”

  All things considered I don't feel the least bit scared of this person, he seems a lot more human than the usual demons. I sit down on the leather black chair and stare at myself in the mirror.

  I look completely different, my eyes which used to be brown are now tinted with red, almost looking amber, my skin has taken on a smoother appearance, my old acne being completely gone from my face. Is this the clothes or something else?

  Theo reaches into a desk drawer and takes out a fluffy blanket he puts on my chest, “shouldn't you-?”

  He snaps his fingers. “This place is no talk zone for you, only simple gestures, okay?” He opens his hands, “How much shorter do you want it?”

  Doesn't he need scissors? “I want it-”

  “No talk zone.” He snaps at me, looking annoyed.

  I just pull on my hair and point at the point I want it cut to, I want my hair to be as it was when I was taken at 14, I had it in a sort of middle part where the back hair was longer than the front. My parents would tell me to make it shorter, but I was always happy I could control my appearance to piss them off a bit.

  He nods and hair begins to fall off my head, like invisible cuts are happening around me, I hear faint snips in surround sound, hundreds per second.

  In the span of a minute, I see my hair turn from the long mess it was to a short mess it now is, jagged edges and even a few cuts on my scalp make it look like someone's first try cutting hair.

  “That was my first time cutting hair... let me regrow it and retry.” He goes to his desk and uses a blood vial to write a spell, taking a sip of it and placing it on my head, “morva eris.”

  My hair reverses to the point it was, he stumbles back a bit holding his head, “shit I should have drunk more blood... ow... time magic aye? So much blood potency usage.”

  I nod and he begins to cut my hair again, swaying as if he is about to fall asleep...

  My mind wanders, first I need to be considered a demon... sign a deal with the original null... then I need to learn tracking magic... it's based on blood type and since the original null uses herself as a base, she should have the same blood type as Null does... then I go back to Lilith's manor and track where she is hiding.

  There were some book shops. I'm willing to bet they sell information on magic types.

  “Done. Does this look good?”

  I snap out of my daze and look into the mirror, its fine, nothing extraordinary, the layering is off, and one side is slightly longer than the other, but it works.

  “It does-”

  “No talk zone! How many times do I have to say this?”

  I nod, then give a thumbs up, he seems happy and walks to the door, “you may leave, thank you for the practice.”

  I follow him through the door and see the original null redecorating the waiting room with plants, “you did a poor job Theo.” She says without looking, just adding vines to the wall, “but I suppose that'll be good for my purposes.”

  She looks over and smiles, “next is food, fatten you up, this bony look won't do.” She pokes at my ribs, so I take a step back.

  “Okay... can we go to a bookstore first?”

  “Before getting food? Are you mad? What are we to do with the books as we are eating?” She gets genuinely mad, “did you not think before asking? Would we place the books by our feet below the table as we eat? That is no place for a book Fay. Or would you rather read at the table as ways to ignore me?”

  “No, I just need to-”

  “No, I'm not done. Fay Cross, I thought of all people you'd understand that you BUY right before you leave, you also stated you wanted to be considered one of us. Where would the books go as we get your rank tested? On the floor? Would you make me carry them?”

  “We can go to the bookstore after. Sorry.”

  “Yes. We will. You really expected me to carry your books? Or would you have one arm preoccupied with a book as you get tested?”

  She just won't let this go.

  “I didn't think, I'm sorry.”

  “Did you think at all? Is this the person I need to do business with? Theo. Do you understand my grievances?”

  Theo walks to the door and opens it, “I don't care.” He closes the door behind him, leaving me with her.

  “I'm sorry. I didn't think at all, I'm sorry.” It feels like second nature to try and make myself seem as pathetic as possible, so I won't be killed, Lilith made me do this a lot.

  “No. I am sorry. I am overwhelmed. Just yesterday I tried to get myself a government signed experimentation site, and guess what? They refused my application.”

  “That... that's awful.”

  She grows some more roots on the walls, the cracks filling up with green, flowers blooming, “It is awful, my week has been awful. So, you understand, correct?”

  “Yes, I understand why my stupid question to go to the bookstore was... stupid.” I cringe at the way I'm dumbing myself down for her.

  She smiles, “Thank you.” She heads towards the exit and walks out into the alleyway, looking around at the busy street annoyed, “EVERYONE OUT. NOW.” Her hair begins to shake, her presence reminds me of the boss, which makes sense, she is certainly a rank 10.

  Everyone runs out, including the people in restaurants and staff manning those restaurants.

  She seems happy with herself, “that let off some steam.” She grabs my hand and takes me to an empty cafe, it looks similar to how cafes looked in the modern world, tiled floor, cupcakes and pastry in a glass display case.

  She goes behind the counter and picks out two apricot scrolls, I find a two-person seat, for her to sit with me, but instead she sits in the opposite side of the cafe, expecting me to cross over to sit at her table.

  I get up and sit in front of her, “thanks.”

  She claps, “Okay! Let's talk business.”