Veidja thought about it for a moment. She had not often been in the human realm. That was the business of other angels, other castes. On the few occasions, it had been more about getting a feel for the humans so that she knew what she was fighting for in the Eternal War. And to gain basic knowledge of the world in which humans lived. It was so different from the smaller White Mountain. There were no animals here; there they were an indispensable part of life and admittedly fascinating. Humans had terms for everything, were changeable and fast-paced. In order to understand humans as angels even to some extent, each of them had to immerse themselves in this abundance for a while so that they could work on a common knowledge base.

At these times, she had worn different attire, mostly chosen for her by experienced enhancers. The last time she had felt most comfortable in... Veidja concentrated and created pants made of a firmer blue-washed fabric, sturdy shoes in black and a tight-fitting but flexible short-sleeved shirt, also in black, but without buttons. She concentrated on the old knowledge that was inherent in every angel, and probably demons too: jeans, sneakers, T-shirt. Those were the right words for it.

When she opened her eyes and met N'Arahn's gaze, she realized that she had made a mistake. He was able to hold back for a moment, then burst out laughing. At that moment, she felt very deficient.

- - - - -

"Really?" The demon slowly calmed down, but hadn't quite caught his breath yet. "This is the outfit you would choose for a dance café? I guess you haven't gotten out much, huh?" N'Arahn could taste Veidja's anger in the air. And there was something else, so much sweeter. Shame. She was embarrassed by her blunder. The demonlord struggled with himself, two conflicting sensations wanting his attention. He wanted to provoke her, to comment on her lack of knowledge and show her how far off the mark she was. And he wanted to reassure her, tell her that anyone can be wrong and restore her pride. Both, he knew immediately, would not have been the right approach.

"Look. That's what you should be guided by." He stretched out his arm and conjured up shadowy images of human women in dresses. At dances, at receptions, at parties. Everything he remembered. And that he had liked.

For a brief moment, N'Arahn felt relief that the angel's abilities were blocked. The look Veidja gave him might otherwise have turned him directly into ashes. But then she closed her eyes briefly and... Well, she cut a damn fine figure in a dress like that. And he knew a thing or two about damnation.

The deep red, almost purple, fabric literally flowed down Veidja's body. The dress left her shoulders bare, which were played around by her now longer hair, but completely covered her arms and reached almost to her ankles. Was there a corsage built into it? When she took a tryout step to the side, N'Arahn had to swallow. The fabric was tight up to the angel's hips, only to fall further from there. However, it was slit up to the upper half of her thigh for extra freedom of movement. Black tendrils trailed along the edges of the fabric there, dancing with her slightest movements.

"Good." His voice sounded husky, even to N'Arahn. He had wanted an angel in evening gown and that was exactly what he had gotten. It briefly flashed through his mind that even Llanna would be impressed. But to compare the two...

The illusion blurred and Veidja stood there again in her plain white dress. The shadows hindered her too much here, even if he had loosened them a little. In the human realm, she would be able to maintain the change.

"Come." He relied on her to follow him. Even if it was only to test whether she could escape in this other place. Which she would not be able to do. But she changed when she sensed a way out, and he liked to see that. She seemed more alert, more open. More alive.

Since N'Arahn was suddenly in a hurry, he shifted the stone walls of his fortress like building blocks. There was only one place where he could open the portal, and he didn't want to wait any longer. The angel hurried after his long steps, for just behind her the rock closed back into its previous shape.

Just before the inconspicuous alcove with the transition runes chiseled into the floor, the demonlord stepped back onto one of the regular walkways. The hustle and bustle on the paths of the fortress had come to a brief standstill; none of his servants had wanted to be in his way. Now the lesser demons were moving again, a few of them carefully pushing past him and his angel.

N'Arahn motioned for Veidja to join him in the alcove. Brisk she crossed the runes and ignored his outstretched hand.

"Put this on." N'Arahn reached into the shadows and drew a slim bracelet from them, which he handed to the warrior. She took it and he could see the temptation in her eyes to simply toss it on the ground. The demonlord let out a short growl.

"You'll wear it, one way or another." Their gazes wrestled with each other for a moment, then Veidja placed the bracelet around her wrist with a huff. The silver band immediately tightened until it rested against her skin. The single embedded ruby glowed slightly; red streaks sank into the angel's skin, became transparent and then disappeared completely.

Veidja grimaced for a moment, as if the process was painful. Well, now that he thought about it, it probably was. Demon shackles penetrating an angel, that probably wasn't pleasant. But necessary. He would need his concentration elsewhere, and he couldn't keep a complete watch on his unruly angel.

On to something else she wasn't going to like. N'Arahn sighed inwardly.

"You'll need these, too." He held out a pair of dancing shoes to Veidja. He had memorized the color of the dress she had chosen and dyed the shoes accordingly. The angel probably wouldn't even notice that, but she would notice the heel.

"I'm not wearing them," Veidja snarled at him, as expected. And he actually sympathized. The shoes weren't particularly high, but they were definitely far from being typical combat boots. Not exactly the kind of clothing a battleangel would choose.

However, an illusion was not enough in this case. Such shoes altered one's gait, which was why the only semi-physical adjustment of her clothing could not include the shoes.

"Yes, you will." He had no intention of giving in on this one. "I'm taking you to a dance, and you're not going to show up there barefoot."

He focused on his angel, catching her look of disapproval. Something like elation flowed through him. She fought, messed with him. The visits from the other demonlords hadn't broken her or even intimidated her. That's good. Really good. Was this what gratitude felt like? No. This is going nowhere.

"I'll tell you how it will go from here. You put on these shoes. As soon as I open the portal, you change into your going-out wardrobe. We'll mingle with the humans, dance, have fun." Her resistance was almost palpable in the air between them.

"Otherwise... Otherwise, it'll be the same, except I'll drag you along with me like a puppet." He leaned forward and let his presence flow around her. Just so that she could clearly feel his proximity. Just without exerting any more pressure than before.

In an instant, Veidja's face became expressionless, her gaze blank. N'Arahn had the feeling of falling. He hadn't even opened the portal yet, had he? No, that was something else. He could feel Veidja giving up. And it pulled him into the emptiness it caused in her soul.

The demonlord jerked back, straightened up and reached for the angel's arm. His hand clasped the bracelet, drawing energy from the ruby, weakening it, softening the shackle.

Damn thing! The effect on an angel was very different from using it on demons. He would have to be careful, but he needed this additional instrument of control for the trip.

Veidja looked at him in confusion and he held the shoes out to her again. This time she took them and put them on. But not without snorting contemptuously, as N'Arahn realized with amusement and relief. She obviously recovered quickly.

He let shadows flow into the runes on the ground, activating them one by one. Shortly before the transition, N'Arahn changed his appearance, as he had often done before. Black shoes and cloth trousers, a dark red collared shirt, a black vest over it. Instead, the horns and the conspicuous skin color disappeared.

Just a blink later, they were standing in a white stairwell. The transition was easy, but the air in the human realm smelled wrong somehow. Involuntarily, N'Arahn ran his tongue over his teeth. Blunt, except for marginally pointed canines. It was a disappointment every time. Just one of the reasons why he didn't spend too much time here. Veidja didn't seem to fare any better.

The angel looked up at him, visibly doubtful. "And now?" She was a radiant sight, despite her gloomy expression and dark dress. She would only just pass for human. Fortunately, humans were generally too self-absorbed to notice slight variations in lighting conditions.

"Now let's go dance." N'Arahn hooked onto Veidja and led her towards the music.

"The Red Depths can offer almost anything. But pure dancing, without intrigue, without ulterior motives, just the joy of moving to music, that's not what you get."

"And that's what entices you, demon?" Her mocking undertone was meant to be hurtful, but he didn't care. She would understand in time. If she stayed with him, then... No, that thought didn't lead anywhere either.

"Sometimes," he replied curtly.

In the corridors after the stairwell, they came across laughing, elegantly dressed people, groups deep in conversation. Some hurried past them to be on the dance floor for a particular song.

N'Arahn listened to see which of the rooms was playing music that appealed to him. Veidja had quickly gotten used to the new shoes and now moved very elegantly at his side. She would also quickly find her way into any dance; one of the great advantages of being able to basically just pull skills and knowledge out of the air in this realm. Angels and demons alike absorbed these as otherworlders. The closer they were to their own preferences and abilities, the faster this learning happened. Probably some kind of survival strategy, N'Arahn mused idly. Who else had the time to keep up with everything the humans were up to?

Spontaneously, the demonlord decided to go to a room where some couples were moving around the room to a rumba. He pulled Veidja along with him and led her in their first dance.