Chapter 34 - Quick Fix

  The journey to get here had been a strange one, Alex reflects. Waking up in an office, greeted by an office-manager that hit the uncanny-valley hard. Finding out that he’s dead, and in Hell of all places. Trading his lifeline away so that he can have more information and guidance. Then starting a stumbling path through Hell’s stone enclosed environment towards a town while learning about life in Hell and what he needs to do to survive.

  He saw an example of utmost waste and exploitation. He met a family that lived a simple existence, and made a friend he hopes to see again. Then he saw an example of just how cruel and brutal Hell can be towards those with nothing left. He set his sights on a goal, stopping that depravity from continuing.

  He moved on from that town, wandering the wilderness. He led a pack of hellhounds on a chase across Hell’s unclaimed badlands. He discovered an abandoned shack that turned out to not be quite so abandoned. He met Hara, and made a true friend. Together they all traveled through the wastelands.

  Alex had felt the power of a Lord of Hell within their own territory. He’d grasped an understanding of its nature and title, and thus learned how to communicate with it. He’d felt the heat of another lord’s domain, and been burned by its turmoil. He’d wondered at the verdant beauty Hell could possess, and feasted on its bounty.

  And then he’d fled from the gathering forces of a battle he didn’t belong in. He’d burned his candle at both ends to speed himself and his friends along the path. And now, he’s finally arriving at his first true destination. New Europa stands before him. A seemingly modern city with what seems like a true sky above it, complete with clouds and a sun.

  Now all Alex has to do is stop his very soul from unraveling around him. To that end, Alex pushes himself to intent-movement jump from street-corner to street-corner. He takes full advantage of the easing effect the roadway has, allowing his small group to traverse the city’s outskirts without further straining him.

  As they move inwards, the buildings start growing more dense. And there are others moving along the streets. Some blurring along like Alex is, others taking more sedate strolls. Demons of many varieties, human souls, and beings that Alex didn’t think he could fit into either category, all go about the business of their daily lives. Most ignore him passing by. A handful register surprise as a soul that’s nearly faded out performs the intent-movement step after step. But none try to delay him.

  As Corvus had instructed, Alex keeps an eye out for a building marked by three blue flames. Though it’s Hara who spots it first. “Alex! Here!” She announces excitedly. Using her nose to point down a side-road. Sure-enough, a building with the right sign is there. Relief washes through Alex’s soul as he approaches the storefront. Below the sign, Alex reads the name of the business. “Hadrick’s Quick-Fix. Animus loans and coin exchange.” Alex looks at Hara and Corvus, the crow riding on his shoulder. “I guess this is the place.”

  “I will await you out here with Hara.” Corvus says, hopping off of his shoulder and gliding down to perch on Hara’s crystals. “I’ve heard of this one, I doubt you’ll have trouble.”

  Alex nods and steps up to the door. For all appearances, it’s a modern storefront. Large glass windows with various odds and ends displayed for prospective purchasers, and even a glass door that swings open easily as Alex presses against it. There’s even the ubiquitous chime of a bell as it opens and he steps inside.

  As far as Alex can tell, it’s a pawn-shop. Used tools, clothing, even weapons line the shelves as he moves into the racks of goods. Others mill about, picking up objects to examine, muttering to themselves. Though a sign at the back catches Alex’s attention quickly. ‘Animus loans here’.

  Stepping up to the counter, Alex notices a simple service-bell. With a fingertip, he presses the button on top, causing a clear peel of bell-chime to ring out. From a door into the shop’s back area, a maned lion head peeks around the corner, then darts back. “Be with ya in a sec!” A gruff voice calls out. Then the lion demon steps out of the back-room wiping his hands on a rag.

  He stands about a solid foot taller than Alex and leans over, bracing his elbows on the counter. “Welcome to Hadrick’s. This yer first time here?” He asks, peering down at Alex.

  “Uh, yeah. I’m a bit new. To the city, and to Hell…” Alex says with a shrug. “I was told this is where I could come to fix my current issue.” He explains, gesturing at himself.

  The lion-man sizes him up, then nods. “Yea, we can do something about that. Trade, work, or information?” He asks, lifting a brow at Alex.

  Alex just stares back at the demon, unsure of how to answer. “I’m sorry, I don’t understand.” He eventually says.

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  Unbothered, the lion just chuckles. “We do Animus loans. Essentially a very narrow deal. We make a deal that I’ll give you one Animus on the condition that you trade it back to me within 10 seconds. Then willing or not, the Animus is retrieved. What we’re negotiating is the price of the loan. What I get in return for topping off your lifespan for the next month or so.” The demon explains.

  Alex nods along with the explanation, mulling over its impacts. “I don’t have anything to trade, unless you want greens picked from a territory I crossed through about a day ago.” He says, opening his knapsack and showing the man the contents.

  The lion peers inside, but shakes his head. “If they were fresh, you might have a deal, but a day old… no, that won’t do.”

  Alex had expected as much. “OK, so what type of information are you looking for?”

  The man appraises Alex with a critical eye. “What territories have you been through?” He asks, once more leaning on his elbows so that he isn’t towering above his customer.

  Alex starts to recount his path from the Nexus Point to New Europa. The lion seems uninterested with the details up until Alex mentions passing through Last to Burn’s territory.

  “Hold up. That one. Give me what details you can about that territory, and how long ago you were there, and that’ll be worth the loan.” He says, holding up a hand to stall Alex from continuing. “If it’s good enough information, I might even have a tip for ya.”

  “Well, I came down from the Abyssal Grotto into the roof of that territory. Um, the spiral path along the outer-edge is a bit worn-down. It’s clear someone was maintaining it, but it looked like it hadn’t been tended to in a long time.” He starts, moving on into the initial run across the edges of the territory, and then the frantic dash for the last span. “Then, seemingly at random, everything erupted. The fires went from a low smolder into an inferno. I barely made it through at all.” Alex recounts, shuddering with the memory. “Supposedly, the owner of the territory was away, so his lands were operating without his direct presence.”

  The lion takes notes, jotting things down on a pad of paper as Alex talks. “And this was how long ago?” He asks the human.

  Alex focuses inwards, judging the time. “About forty hours past.” That gets a reaction as the demon quirks a brow at Alex.

  Then the large man offers a hand towards Alex. “If what you’ve spoken is truth, I offer you one animus along with fifty coins. The animus is to be returned within ten seconds. The coins are yours.” Alex reaches to grasp the hand and with a flood of warmth, the Animus flows into his spirit.

  The wave of restorative energy suffuses Alex’s whole form, relieving an aching tiredness that Alex hadn’t even been conscious of. But being suddenly revitalized put it all into stark clarity. He sucks in a deep breath, feeling the Animus burning in his core… But all too soon, the 10 seconds are over, and he feels the flame of energy pass back to the Lion. But it was enough.

  Looking down at himself, Alex is stunned at the sudden transformation. His clothing is awash in color again, his skin looks healthy and no longer pallid grey. And after so long of whittling it down bit by bit, Alex can feel his soul’s energy again, surging like a second pulse beneath the surface.

  The lion clears his throat. “Here’s your coin. Now, if you have other valuable reports, you could save them for another top-up, or trade now for coin. But if you wait, the information may not be valuable by the time you need it.” He says, offering Alex a small cloth pouch.

  Taking it, Alex hears a satisfying clink from within, old-fashioned coins. “As I mentioned I’m new around. I thought everything was traded in Animus?” Alex asks, tucking the pouch into his knapsack.

  The lion-man laughs softly. “Anything big, yeah. An animus equates to roughly… hmmm…” He has to think it over. “Maybe fifty-thousand coins. You wouldn’t spend an Animus on lunch, or to pay a courier for a simple route. It’s way too much. Unless you wanted to indenture that person for a year or two. That might be worth it. So for smaller things, we use coins. Most Faded folks can live for a week on ten coins.”

  Alex listens, absorbing the new information. Fifty coins, a month’s worth of living expenses. “You said you would buy more information. I’ve also traveled through a territory that was moss-garden full of giant fire-flies. And then passed through a forest with white sand for a floor and the trees were bone-white with crimson leaves.

  The lion waves those off. “Those are close enough that we get regular reports on what’s going on there. Last to Burn’s place is of interest because no-one’s seen him for years now. His territory still being active, and responding to things somehow, tells us that he’s still alive.” The lion explains. “And that’s worth paying.”

  Alex nods. “Alright. If I come across anything interesting then, I’ll come back and let you know.” He says, then offers his hand. “I’m Alex, by the way.”

  “I’m Varn, Hadrick’s son.” The lion answers, shaking Alex’s hand. “Feel free to browse, if something catches your eye, I’ll cut ya a good deal.”

  Alex wound up purchasing a fresh set of clothes before leaving, going into the shop’s dressing-room to get changed. He shrugs out of his shirt and pants, laying them aside. Then he puts on his new outfit. A maroon v-neck tee and a gently used pair of black jeans. Both fit well enough, and Alex has to admit that it feels good to change clothes after so long. Even if his old outfit had been part of him. As he turns to retrieve the clothing, Alex is startled to realize they’re gone. He’d set them down right there, but no matter where he looked, they were simply gone.

  “Oh. OK, they were manifested from my soul, so I guess they really couldn’t exist for long separated from me.” He muses, shrugging to himself as he collects his pack and steps out of the dressing room.

  A moment later, Alex rejoins his companions, feeling refreshed, renewed, and ready to begin the hunt for a permanent solution to his Faded status.