The demon chose that moment to speak up. “Oh, you wound me. Do not worry about that, I would not kill such useful little mortals.”
“Yeah?” Shalise shouted. She put one foot forward and glared right in the demon’s eye. With the height she had over Juliana, she actually looked somewhat imposing. “And how useful will we be after letting you out?”
Her voice was loud enough that Juliana had to move a few steps away. Juliana had never thought of Shalise as intimidating before. The other girl was taller, but Juliana held the advantage in strength, both physically and magically. Not to mention that Shalise tended to be somewhat introverted.
Fear and adrenaline must work wonders.
A quick glance around the prison revealed no other demons running after them because of Shalise’s outburst. In a cell on the opposite side of the hallway, a dog with flames on its tail started growling in their direction. Not too worrying, it was behind another transparent barrier and was also chained to the wall.
“I always liked mortals with a bit of a backbone,” the demon said with a chuckle.
“W-what?” Shalise glanced towards Juliana, going from a wide stance to bringing her arms together in front of her chest.
“To answer your question, your continued usefulness is entirely up to you.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Juliana said. She extended out her hand, intending to activate her ferrokinesis. As expected, nothing happened. “We can’t use magic and it isn’t like your cell has a shutoff lever.”
“You are mortals. Why would you–ah, I understand.” His red lips spread into a very Arachne-like smile. “You are children, are you not? Inexperienced in diablery, and the rest of the ways of life.
“It is really quite simple. This barrier separating us? It will not stop you. This prison is not intended for mortals. There is a separate facility for your kind. I would question your presence here, but that would be like asking Chance for her favor.”
Against her better judgment, Juliana brushed her fingers across the red barrier. As the demon had said, nothing happened to her. The tips of her fingers sunk through the barrier without resistance.
“That seems like a security issue.”
“This is Hell. How many mortals do you think are running around this prison?” He chuckled again as his chains rattled. Two meaty fingers lifted up from one of his hands. “Preventing other races would weaken the barrier against the strongest demons.”
“Juliana,” Shalise said in a warning tone.
“I know.” Juliana shook her head. She’d learned plenty over the last few months. Especially not to trust the first demon she summoned, or in this case, the first demon they came across.
There were plenty of the barrier-type cells. So many that she couldn’t see the end of them.
Plenty of choices if they did need help.
Though Juliana wasn’t sure that they’d be able to get out without help. Worse, if she were designing the facility, the higher security cells would be in the back. Or the center. As far from any exit as was conceivably possible.
If that was true, they had been heading in the wrong direction. If they had been heading in the wrong direction, this demon’s cell would be the last one they saw of the barrier-type.
“We’re going to look around,” Juliana said as she took hold of Shalise’s hand and dragged her further into the barrier section of the prison.
“Of course you are, but you will be back.” The demon’s voice rumbled after them like a freight train chugging down the hallway. “Take your time. You will not find a more accommodating demon within this prison. Or one more sane than I. Try not to die.”
Juliana tried not to listen, but couldn’t help it. If they came across another crossroad without a clear indication of the way out, she had already decided to come back.
Scanning the cells as she walked was not reassuring. Aside from the first demon, none were both sentient and coherent. There were a good number of animal-like demons, like the dog. A hellhound was the most likely identification for that one, in retrospect. In one cell, a snake with mandibles had actually escaped the chains at the back, though the red barrier kept it out of reach.
The few more humanoid demons were disappointing. They tended towards frothing at the mouth or screaming as Juliana and Shalise passed by. In the case of one unfortunate imp, he broke down and started uncontrollably crying. The loud noise had both of them covering their ears.
That imp had been twenty cells ago and Juliana could still hear the wails.
After another thirty cells, Shalise wrenched her hand out of Juliana’s grip and moved a few feet away.
“We shouldn’t split up,” Juliana said. It wasn’t like they actually could. There were only two directions to go and one of those lead back the way they had come from.
Shalise did not respond save for a small humph.
Juliana sighed. “I understand if you’re upset, but we shouldn’t be fighting here. Yell at me all you want when we get back.”
