Netori: Stealing The Hero's Party!

Blinded by a glimmer of false hope, I once sold myself to a devil. A wicked one at that and, he promised me the grandest of designs that could help one peer down the infinite well of knowledge. Its grandeur overshadowed my reasoning for months, the very thought of such a taste made my mouth froth every night. I needed it, how could I not?

It lay beyond my reach otherwise and once I've had one sip from that infinity, my mind expanded and reached into such depth of knowledge that I couldn't stop myself from drinking more.

A sip turned to a glass full, and a glass full to a jug, progressively it expanded further, and before long my once constrained abilities were on par with the greatest witches in the cosmos. But then I realized, the devil had offered me a fruit so sweet it had poisoned me for any other taste and ensnaring me with it, he made a despicable offer.

"Why not help me gather secrets and soul and I'll show you to the deepest depths of knowledge?" In return, he desired my body, not for something lecherous but for something far more sinister.

Like an addict to a drug, I did as he asked, even leaving my true self in the hells and wandering Atlaris for people's souls and vulnerabilities.

I offered them a cure in exchange for gold but more often than not in the process, I learned something that he could use to get more victims. A thousand souls it must've been when I travelled over to Athenia, and he'd consumed them all like a glutton and grown far stronger than he'd ever been.

My burden to feed him, however, seemed never-ending, that is until I found another way to pay him back and get back into my original body.

"You sold a devil your body?" Understandably confused, Raven furrowed his eyes while looking at me. His companions did the same, although I'd already shut them up so none of them dared to speak. "Not your soul but your body? How did you even convince a devil to do that and why did he agree?"

"Because he knew I could get him more souls this way," although reasonable, his questions were starting to bother me. "But that's not the point, I just wanna say that once I'm done taking the resources out of that cave, I want you and your party to come with me to this devil."

"Come where?" Amedith asked, glaring at me still.

"I'll let you guys know, but those are the terms if you wish to continue receiving my help in the future," a moment of silence took over the group, however, I knew it wouldn't be long before Raven would make a decision.

"We'll see how it goes when the time comes," and that for now, was enough for me. I didn't need confirmation, just a bit of hope that there would be potential help when I most need it. "Anyways, we're gonna leave now. Have a good time in Elenaris."

Leaving the shop not a minute later, the party had finally left me alone so I can finish a few last-minute preparations before having to leave for the iron queen's castle. Finally, the day was about to come, when I'll be back in my body–the real one! Ahaha, I can't wait to be back with her, to get her out of that hellhole down that ocean!

Getting off of my desk, I wasted no more time in locking up shop as well as hiding the more expensive items before leaving. Keeping some of them–especially potions and a handful of magic items with me, I was ready to leave but that's when I heard a sudden knock on my shop's front door.

"El'luciana…" Moving my hand in front of my eyes, I saw through the door with a spell, however, there was nobody standing on the other side. "Damn it, they're here."

Yet that didn't mean that there were no visitors, but rather that whoever it was masking their presence. To my misfortune, I knew exactly who it could be. Walking up to the door, I unlocked it and let the invisible devil walk on inside. Then quickly shutting the door again, I turned around to face the imp.

"The hell do you want? I told your master that I'll be paying him soon!" As red as a ripe apple, the nude frame of a crimson devil appeared in front of me. Tall dark horns adorned her head and a fickle tail flailed left and right. Smiling at me in a mocking fashion, the dark lips of the devil were sinisterly curved.

"A devil grows impatient in dire times," with a teasing chuckle she eyed me up and down. Perhaps fascinated by my dress and appearance, she licked her lips seductively. I could see deep in her eyes visions of my failure so she could feast on my body like a parasitic leech.

"Enough leering at me, just tell me what you want I have to leave now!" Gritting my teeth in frustration, I quickly folded my hands to hide my cleavage and even brought my thighs together so they wouldn't be sticking out from the edges of my slitted dress.

'I'll put a burning iron rod down your ass if I get a chance!' I couldn't help but curse her mentally, although I kept it to myself to prevent the situation from escalating.

"Well…" Lifting her gaze from my thighs, she kept staring at my chest for a moment. But then with a gulp, she lifted her eyes further and finally met my gaze. "You know why I'm here, your body…Just hand it over to my master and you will no longer be indebted to him."

"Is that another trick because he knows I'm gonna be paying him off soon? He's never demanded my body before, just the souls I bring him so why now?!" Clenching my fist, I was barely holding back on my rage.

Flashing a wide smile once more, the devil began walking around me in circles, a chuckle or two escaping her lips ever so often.

"Isn't it obvious?" Stopping in front of me again, her eyes squinted with a sharp glare. "He wants you as his servant forever."

"Get the fuck out…" I muttered, my head hanging low.

"What?!" A bit surprised by my quick response, her eyes widened all the way up.

"I already have a signed contract with him," lifting my head, I looked at her face again. "You're gonna be one of the very I'm gonna kill once I have my body back, so now…GET THE HELL OUT!"

With a flick of a finger, I conjured a wand. Enhancing my magic through it, I pointed to the devil's feet and opened a portal to hell right beneath her.

"Wa-wait! N-noooo!" Watching her fall through into the fiery pits of hell, I leaned back against a wall and sighed with relief.

'Just a few more days you bastard and I'll be done with you!' There was no way in hell I would give up so easily after coming so far!