Divine System: Land of the Abominations-Chapter 293: The Labors of a Fettered Angel (2).

He turned back to the creature, his mind working furiously through his options. Every path led to the same conclusion.

He needed Rummel Abellion’s help, whatever it was.

"What kind of seals?" he asked.

The creature’s posture straightened immediately, like a dog who’d just been given a treat.

"These seals ancient ones. Powerful ones, beyond your comprehension or understanding. But nothing you can’t handle, I’m sure. After all, you managed to find this place, didn’t you? That takes a rather special kind of person, does it not? The kind who can see things others cannot."

"That doesn’t answer my question."

"Patience, young man. We are getting to that." Rummel Abellion began to pace, its four arms gesturing as it spoke. "The seals that bind me are complex. They require specific actions, specific words, and specific... ingredients, shall we say. Things that only someone with your particular talents and grace could provide."

Nero’s eyes narrowed. "My particular talents..."

"Oh yes. You see, the seals were designed to keep me imprisoned even if someone did manage to find this place. They account for most things, except a few special cases which I assume you fall under."

"And what could that be?" Nero asked with a frown.

The creature’s mask turned toward him, and for a moment Nero could see the darkness swelling behind the bottomless holes in the alabaster mask.

"Something strange, I would assume," it said simply. "Something that cannot be anticipated. Even I am not sure what it is."

Nero raised a brow,

"You don’t know?"

Rummel Abellion nodded, "Of course I do. The mysteriws of the arcane are mysteries, even to beings such as myself. However, I can tell that you are special. After all, you found this place..." Rummel Abellion said again.

Nero huffed deeply. Truly, he had no idea what to say. The way the "angel" spoke was very suspicious. It kept saying strange things he didn’t fully understand.

But at this point, what choice did he have, even if he was suspicious?

If he refused, they could very much die down here. All three of them would become corpses in this forgotten chamber, their bodies eventually consumed by the blackness until nothing remained but bones.

If he accepted, they might at least have a chance to escape.

"I have conditions," he said finally, directing his gaze right into those inky bowls of darkness.

Rummel Abellion leaned down until their faces were just a few inches apart,

"Of course, of course. Please, do tell. What are your terms?"

Nero took a breath, feeling his broken ribs shift painfully beneath his skin. The blue glow of the fungi cast strange shadows across his face as he met that darkness behind the mask’s eyeholes.

"First—"

"—you wake these two idiots up. Now." He said, pointing at Arthur and Jacob.

The creature’s head tilted in that unsettling way. "Ah, but I already told you, their unconsciousness isn’t my doing. The spores—"

"I don’t care," Nero interrupted, his voice hard. "If you’re truly as powerful as you claim, if you’re really some ancient angel sealed in this place, then you can wake them up. Or at least counteract whatever the spores are doing to them."

The creature was silent for a moment, its four arms hanging motionless at its sides. Then that rasping laugh echoed through the chamber.

"Sharp. Very sharp. Yes, I suppose I could manage that. Very well, consider it part of our bargain. Once you complete the tasks I set for you, your friends will wake."

"Not good enough," Nero said. "They wake up before I start." 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

The creature’s posture shifted,

"That would defeat the purpose of a bargain, wouldn’t it? I give you something, you give me something. An exchange of equivalent value."

Nero’s grip on his dagger tightened as he shrugged,

"Then we have no deal."

There was another pause.

Then Rummel Abellion sighed,

"Fine. I’ll wake one of them. As a show of good faith. The other remains unconscious until you’ve completed your end. Fair?"

It wasn’t fair at all.

But it was better than nothing.

"Which one?" Nero asked.

"Your choice."

Nero thought about it. Arthur was very much experienced, perhaps having him would work in their favor. He was also rather skilled in combat. If something went wrong, having Arthur conscious would be more useful.

Jacob was more of a hard ass. However , he did seem like more of a grounded realist. Having him conscious was probably a good idea as well.

"Arthur," Nero said finally.

Rummel Abellion nodded. "Very well. What is your second condition?"

"You don’t harm any of us. Not during the tasks or after. Not directly or indirectly. There shall be no tricks of yours that will lead us to our deaths."

The carved smile on the mask seemed to widen slightly.

"Quite the smart lad. Have you had a lot of encounters with strange beings seeking out your aid, perhaps? Your conditions are rather... specific."

Nero grimaced...

He hadn’t.

But it never hurt to be safe rather than sorry.

"Something like that." He said

"Acceptable. Though I must note that I cannot control everything that happens in this chamber. If you do something foolish and get yourself killed, that shall not be on me."

"Understood. Then, the third condition..." Nero paused, his mind racing.

He had one more demand he could make, one more guarantee he could extract from this thing. But what? Safety? A direct path out? More information about what he was getting into?

No.

Not yet...

He’d learned enough from Mephistopheles’s mark to know that you didn’t waste your bargaining power on things you could get later. Sometimes the most valuable card was the one held in reserve.

"I’ll save my third condition for later," he said.

The creature’s head tilted sharply,

"Oh? That’s... unusual. Most would want all their assurances upfront."

"Consider it insurance," Nero said. "If you plan to betray us after I complete your tasks, I’ll still have one favor you owe me. Gives you incentive to keep your word."

The strange laugh again echoed off the fungus-covered walls.

"Clever! Yes, very clever indeed. I believe I see why you are so special, young man. Very well, three labors in exchange for three boons. One boon to be determined later. I accept these terms."

The creature extended one of its four hands toward Nero in a gesture of agreement.

Nero didn’t take it at first.

He closed his eyes for a moment. Then after what seemed like a minute or so, he raised his hand as well and shook.

"Now then... Tell me what you want me to do."