//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: Accidental Summons // Story: Underworld Relations // by Rubahhitam //------------------------------// Sadly, she wasn’t hallucinating. It was standing there, as real as the sun, scrubbing shampoo into its short mane. It stopped, slowly opening one eye to reveal a polished silver orb. The hands carefully removed themselves from its scalp, palms held forward. And then it spoke, “Jimm-” “Demon!” somepony screamed. “Run for your lives!” It winced at the shout, as five quartets of hooves scrambled around to escape. Three made their way up the stairs. Another leapt through the tiny window, barely squeezing through. The last ran into a closet, screamed, and passed out with a loud thump. “-u?” Raven’s leg shook. She was alone with the creature, and all she could do was stare. Her mouth was partly open, eyes wide as the tremors of fear raked her body. It looked down at the tiled floor, noticing the candles and a myriad of symbols inside the circle of salt. A frown crumpled the creature’s brow, and its gaze shifted to her. “E-qu-es-tri-a?” it said, haltingly. She gulped, nodding. Its eyes closed. “One mo-ment.” The horns were engulfed in a quick flash of gray flames. After a moment, its eyes opened and bored down upon her again. “That’s better. Now, since you’re the only one who hasn’t fled away in terror or panic, would you mind telling me who you are and what in the Nine Circles I’m doing here?” Raven shook her head, trying to stop the racing of her heart enough to speak. “Whoa. Um, my name’s Moonlight Raven. My friends, like, summoned you here.” It raised a brow. “How?” Moonlight pointed a hoof at the open book just inside the salt-circle. It crouched down and picked it up, narrowing its eyes. A sigh escaped its nonexistent mouth. “I don’t believe this.” “Huh?” A pair of fingers went to rub its eyes, only for them to be whipped away as the demon let out a growl, having forgotten the shampoo. Muttering, it wiped the offending digits on a fur-covered leg before continuing. “This is a first edition Beginner’s Summoning Guide, with associated diagrams.” The creature frowned further. “Though the last copies were supposed to have been destroyed in the fifth century M.E. Tell me, how much do you know about summoning magic?” She shrugged, trying to provoke an air of nonchalance. “Not much. I know you need, like, certain components for it to work. But it’s different stuff depending on what you want to summon.” It blinked. “That’s actually a fairly accurate summary. If someone’s trying to summon a living being, another component that’s needed is a vocal one, a name. If the name is mispronounced, even a little, the ritual fails. Though this instance is,” it paused, looking at the circle again, “a rare occurrence.” “What makes you say that?” she asked, tilting her head to the side. “Because the name here is ever so slightly smudged. Just enough to where it could be read as my own name.” Its eyes widened. “D’seq! I haven’t introduced myself.” It straightened up, the points of its horns pricking the ceiling. Grey flames popped into existence, cloaking its body. “I am known by many names. The Yowling Song, Master of the Twenty-One Cards, Wyrm-who-Growls-at-Dawn, but you may call me Nazgoroth ug Avernus, son of Felleeri and Maschonus.” There was a moment of silence as the flames went out and he touched his shampoo-laden mane. “Though just Nazgoroth is fine. Less of a mouthful. Do you happen to have a shower I could borrow for minute? Mine was… interrupted. And my shampoo is beginning to dry.” “I could but, like, don’t you have to stay in that circle?” He looked down, then looked back to Moonlight and took a slow, exaggerated step outside of the circle. “This was a summoning ritual, not a binding. They would need my true name for that. Shall we continue?” With a nod, she led him up the stairs and into the book shop, before pointing to another set. “Bathroom’s the first door on the left.” “Thank you,” he said, marching up the steps. It was only when the water started running that a thought struck her. Moonlight made her way to the bathroom, knocking on its door. “Hey, mister Nazgoroth? Towels are in the cupboard over the toilet. Feel free to grab one.” A subdued ‘thanks’ was his only response. Upon hearing the bell above the front door ring, Moonlight turned to head back down, only to hear a familiar voice. “Moony! Are you like, taking a shower?” Before she could respond, the voice arrived at the stairway. A pair of green eyes stared up at her beneath a cocked eyebrow. “Uh, Moony? If you’re like, out here, who’s taking a shower?” “Sis-” She gasped, running up and smiling widely, almost snout-to-snout with Moonlight. “Did you finally get a coltfriend? And he’s here?!” Taking a step back, she dropped to her haunches and rubbed her chin with a hoof. “Wait, if he’s using our shower, then,” she paused, eyes widening, before adopting a sly smile. “So what have you two, like, been up to?” Moonlight rolled her eyes. “You’ve got it all wrong, Sis.” Her jaw dropped. “Oh. My. Celestia. Did I come at, like, a bad time? You weren’t about to, you know,” she looked from side to side before leaning in close and whispering, “do the slippery avocado, were you?” A raised eyebrow was Moonlight’s response. “How about the grease monkey shuffle?” “What?” “You know. Bouncing balloons in the bathtub?” With a facehoof, Moonlight frowned. “I told you, it’s-” The bathroom door creaked open, revealing Nazgoroth; a damp towel around his neck. She looked at his face, travelled down to his cloven hooves, and then made the trek back up to his eyes before turning back to Moonlight. “Huh. You never told me you liked tall guys, Moony.” Her left eye twitched just the slightest fraction. Nazgoroth looked to Moonlight. “A friend of yours?” She shook her head. “Nope. This is my sister, Sunset Smiles.” Sunset held out her hoof with a wide smile. “It’s, like, nice to meet you.” There was a flicker of grey sparks on his horns, but no fire started. With a frown, he took the hoof and shook it. “You may call me Nazgoroth. I was summoned to Equestria against my will by some of Moonlight Raven’s friends. You’re taking this a lot better than they did.” She shrugged, still smiling. “Moony looks fine and she’s letting you use our shower. Far as I’m concerned, that makes you okay in my book! Besides, you don’t look much different from a minotaur. Well, except you don’t have a nose. Or, you know, a mouth. How are you even talking anyway?” “Exceptionally strong vocal chords,” he said, touching his neck. “Vibrations travel through certain canals and exit through the ears. Just don’t ask me how I eat. It’s left many a scholar scarred. Now, before any more tangent topics arise, I need to speak with the nearest government representative.” “Hey Moony, wouldn’t that be the Princesses?” Nazgoroth’s eyes went as wide as saucers. “I’m in the capital?!” Moonlight nodded. “Well,” he cleared his throat. “That will quicken the process. Would the two of you be willing to escort me? I’ve a feeling that walking the streets on my own might cause a panic.” “I’ll go with you. It’s, like, the least I can do after my friends dragged you here.” Sunset rapidly shook her head. “Nope. Sorry. No can do.” Her sister raised an eyebrow. “What? Why not?” “I’ve gotta go buy more book supplies. You know, ink, paper, pencils, feathers, that stuff. Good luck though!” As she trotted down the stairs, Moonlight followed soon after. “Give me a minute, Nazgoroth. I need to talk with Sunset.” She grabbed her sister just before she reached the door and turned her around. “Sunset, you never go shopping for writing supplies. What the hay are you up to?” Sunset smiled even as her eyes rolled. “Uh, giving you some alone time with mister tall, dark and horny?” Moonlight groaned. “I told you-” “Yeah-yeah-yeah I heard you the first time but come on, Moony.” She narrowed her eyes. “I’m serious, Sunset. He’s not even a pony.” “Wow, Moony. Didn’t think you were, like, a racist,” she deadpanned. “I’m. Not. Racist,” she growled, before taking a deep breath. “Look, sis. I barely even know this guy. Hay, I only just met him like, ten minutes ago. He was basically kidnapped from his home. You really think he’d be interested in staying here, let alone with me?” Still rocking the deadpan look, Sunset countered, “Pinkie Pie’s fiance.” Moonlight shook her sister like a giant maraca. “You can’t keep using that as an argument; Pinkie Pie is the exception to every rule! And she’s marrying-” “Hi-i-i Nazgo-ro-oth!” She dropped her sister and spun around, only to find empty space. The sound of a small bell was accompanied by that of a slamming door. Fading hooves pounded a hasty tempo away from the shop. Moonlight’s eye twitched once again, more fervently.  With a long, raspy sigh, she trudged back up the stairs. “Are you alright?” She looked up from the floor. “Yeah. My sister can be so annoying sometimes, though.” “I wouldn’t know,” he shrugged. “I’m an only child. Anything else you need to do before we go?” “Not really. Follow me.” As he exited the shop, Nazgoroth quickly shut his eyes, covering them with his hands. “Gah!” Moonlight turned to him. “What’s wrong?!” “Forgot about the sun,” he groaned. “Huh?” He sighed. “The darkness of Tartarus is darker than even the moonless nights in this world. Artificial light doesn’t hurt us as much as the light of the heavens does. The most light I’ve ever seen came from a lava flow, and that blazing thing in the sky is at least a thousand times brighter. It wasn’t so bad inside, but out here? I’m essentially blind.” “Well,” Moonlight tapped her chin with a forehoof, “I’ve got some bits. I could probably spring for some sunglasses from Cool Shades’ shop. Would that help?” “Is it far?” She nodded, then facehoofed upon realizing he couldn’t see her. “It’s halfway across the city, away from the palace.” “As helpful as these glasses sound, it would be in my best interest to see the Princesses as soon as possible. The longer I’m out and about in public, the more likely the chance there will be a panic.” Though he couldn’t see it, Nazgoroth distinctly heard a grocery bag being dropped, the clattering of hooves on cobblestones, and a shout of “Monster! Guards, heeelp!” Moonlight hummed in thought, before smirking. “Okay, I’ve got an idea.” He raised an arm in defeat. “I’m completely open to suggestions.” As they walked down the street, Nazgoroth sent a silent prayer to his parents for passing their genes for darker-hued skin down to him. Otherwise, every passerby would have seen him sporting a blush bright enough to burn himself darker. Much as he tried, he couldn’t get over the sensation of Moonlight’s fur beneath his hand. It was just so… soft. And smooth. Like a fuzzy, silk-wrapped cloud. He mentally chided himself for not using her conditioner to finish his shower. Moonlight, however, was doing quite well in suppressing her own blush. Years of practice had enabled her cheeks to not even go rosy, no matter how embarrassing the situation. Though Nazgoroth’s hand was making it exceptionally difficult. The warmth it exuded was matched only by his firm, gentle touch. She was impressed that only the slightest tremor ran through it. The many wide-eyed stares did nothing to help the situation. Confused eyebrows, double-takes, and even open-mouthed gawking followed their every step. Some were kind enough to simply pass out on the sidewalks, as opposed to being so brazenly rude. Up until the guards arrived, at any rate. No less than a dozen had rounded the corner, spears pointed towards the blind demon and his unicorn guide. Moonlight stopped, almost causing Nazgoroth to trip over an uneven cobblestone. One guard stepped forward and raised her voice. “In the names of Princesses Celestia and Luna, I order you to halt and identify yourself!” “My name is-” “Wasn’t asking you, ma’am. I was asking it,” she gestured towards him with a wing. Even though his eyes were covered, Nazgoroth couldn’t help but roll them. “I am a he. Now that that’s been established, would you be so kind as to escort us to the Princesses? I’d prefer to cause as little a scene as possible, and I’m more than willing to cooperate peacefully. As you can see, I’m basically blind in the sunlight.” Her ear flicked to the side. “That’s… the most reasonable response we’ve ever gotten from somepony. All right, we’ll head out-” Before she could continue, the shaft of a spear came down upon the demon’s head like a falling star. The resounding crack made many of the onlookers wince and grimace in phantom pain, before swiftly going about the rest of their day. A triumphant grin gleamed from a green muzzle, hovering in the air. “I got him, sarge. Now we’ll be sure to get medals!” His fellow guards did their very best to look at anything but him, save for the sergeant. The veins bulging at her temples complimented her snarling lips as she glared. “Private, what in the Princesses’ names were you thinking? He had already surrendered himself into our custody!” His grin dropped as he landed, scrambling for a response. “I-I just thought-” “No, you didn’t. You had the same fool idea that goes through every guard’s head at least once in their life, that ‘knocking out a monster,’” she air-quoted with her wings, “guarantees some sort of glorious recognition for ‘bravery in the face of danger.’” “Well, doesn’t it?” he asked, wings ruffling. She facewinged. “You snuck up on an unarmed, non-hostile being, and assaulted them with a deadly weapon! Not only do we have to take him to the infirmary to check for head trauma, but now we have to carry him there since our mages are at the magician’s conference. And I will have to explain this whole kerfuffle to the Princesses.” “...Oh.” Her eyebrows crashed together for a frown. “I hope you like toilets and toothbrushes, private. You’re going to see a lot of both for several weeks.” Without another word, she helped Nazgoroth’s unconscious form onto the earth ponies’ backs. In silence they carried him through the streets, past the gates, across the courtyard and into the barracks’ infirmary. Once the medic on duty had thoroughly looked him over with a magical scan, Nazgoroth was found to have suffered no serious damage, though the apple-sized lump on his head would be tender for the next few days. Erring on the side of caution, the unicorn applied an ointment to prevent further swelling, in addition to relieve any throbbing. *** All it took was rolling over to jolt him awake. Amazed at what a welt can do when under pressure. Nazgoroth sat up and clutched the back of his head with one hand, as the other rubbed his eyes. “Good thing you woke up on your own, the guards were about to try in five minutes. You were asleep for like, six hours.” He cracked an eyelid to see Moonlight, floating glass of water in her magic. Slowly, he reached out and took it, whispering a soft, “Thank you.” Turning his face away, he downed the glass in a few gulps. Opening his other eye, he took in the surroundings. Bare stone walls, white cloth curtains, and a large number of cots which were mostly empty. Two guards stood not ten feet away, watching him intently. “Where are we?” “We’re in the infirmary. Some crazy guard, like, smacked you with a spear.” Blinking away some of the grogginess, Nazgoroth’s eyes settled on her new attire. “What’s with the bags?” Moonlight pointed to them. “Needed these to carry my books in. Forgot we left the summoning book at the shop. Had a hard time getting back in here, though. Guards at the gates changed shifts while I was out.” “How’d you get past them?” he asked, easing his legs over the side of the cot. “Told them I was the one who summoned you here, and that I’d summon an even bigger demon if I couldn’t check on you.” He winced, then frowned. “But, you didn't summon me in the first... place…” A smirk slowly crept its way across Moonlight’s face. Nazgoroth stared for a few moments, before a snicker escaped his ears. "Wow. That is devious." She shrugged. "It was the quickest way to get the book to the Princesses, and to make sure you were okay." A throat loudly cleared itself, causing them both to look at the guards. “We’ll take you to see the Princesses now,” said the one on the left. With a nod from Nazgoroth they made their way into the castle proper, walking briskly down the opulent halls. Exotic tapestries, detailed paintings, and colorful stained glass windows provided a visual feast for the eyes. The doors they stopped at were no less masterfully crafted, despite their massive wooden frames. Another pair of guards stood on either side. With quick nods, they opened the doors, and motioned for the small group to go inside. The escorting guards closed the doors behind them, taking positions that mirrored the ones outside. The room instantly got darker, blocking any light that came in from the windows. At the end of the hall, seated on twin thrones, were the Princesses in all their radiant and stellar glory. Celestia’s face bore no emotion, though Luna sported an open frown. Once they were close enough, Nazgoroth and Moonlight bowed. “Good evening, your majesties. I am Nazgoroth ug Avernus, son of Felleeri and Maschonus.” Luna narrowed her gaze. “What are you doing here, demon?” His eye twitched. “I beg your pardon?” “I have asked what you are doing in Equestria, demon.” Nazgoroth clenched a fist behind his back, before taking a deep breath. “Princess… Luna, I presume?” She nodded tersely. “Allow me to make things abundantly clear. Firstly and foremostly, I am not a demon, I am a devil.” “The difference being?” Celestia shook her head as she sighed. “You would know if you’d paid attention to the cultural advisor at last year’s Interdimensional Peace Summit. Do you remember Ambassador Zariel?” “I do,” she said, frown morphing into a smile. “She enjoyed the conversations as much as I did, though she actually voiced her disinterest, if her snores were any indication.” With a roll of her eyes, Celestia continued. “She was a demon. The difference between her and a devil is like that between an earth pony and unicorn.” Her eyes went wide, ears down, before turning back to Nazgoroth. “Oh. My apologies. That was… quite thoughtless of me.” He unclenched his fist, bowing once more. “Thank you, your majesty. It is greatly appreciated.” Moonlight raised her hoof, and received a nod from Celestia. “Your majesties, my name is Moonlight Raven. Some of my friends thought it’d be funny to try and use this book,” she levitated it out of her bag, “to try and summon a demon. They didn’t think it’d actually work, but thought they might get a laugh out of it.” Celestia openly stared at the book. “May I see that, my little pony?” With a nod from Moonlight, she brought the book up to her eyes with magic, and groaned. Luna raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong?” “These books,” she sighed, “were all supposed to have been destroyed. While you were away, a large number of would-be villains attempted to summon and bind demons as living weapons. Over the course of many years, all of the summoners were sent to Tartarus, and all of the copies were found. Until today, that is.” With a small frown the book caught fire in her magical grasp, slowly turned to ash, and then disappeared entirely. She smiled. “Now that that’s been dealt with, we can address the more serious issue of how to get you home, mister Nazgoroth. I believe now would be the time to consult Equestria’s version of the D.I.L.D.I.B.” Both Moonlight and Luna raised an eyebrow, speaking together. “What’s the dildib?” Nazgoroth raised a finger. “If I may, Princess Celestia?” She nodded, keeping her smile. He stood up straighter. “The D.I.L.D.I.B., or Diplomatic Immunity Laws for Displaced Interdimensional Beings, is exactly that. A set of laws governing the safety and lawful treatment of individuals who find themselves transported outside of their own dimension. The the specifics differ from place to place, but the majority of the laws boil down to helping the displaced being returned home, if at all possible. In addition, they are granted temporary diplomatic immunity, to further help protect them in a foreign land.” “Thankfully, this is a simple matter to fix,” she said, charging her magic. “We’ll simply teleport you to Cerberus’ gate-” “Actually,” he cleared his throat, “there’s the small matter of the Tartarian Recompense Act.” Celestia blinked, her magic sputtering out like a flustered candle. “You’re kidding. You’re kidding, right?” He shrugged. “I would be remiss in my duties as a lawyer not to point them out.” One of Luna’s ears went off to the side. “Sister, what is he referring to?” “What he’s referring to,” Celestia groaned, “is a clause. As a show of goodwill, Equestria is legally obligated to provide him with a minimum of fifty bits, in addition to a few other provisos. I’ll explain it all later, Luna.” She yawned. “It’s late, and we can discuss the details in the morning. While you were unconscious, mister Nazgoroth, we had the maids make rooms ready for you and miss Moonlight in the guest wing.” Nazgoroth bowed to them. “Thank you, your majesties. I’ll see you in the morning.” Moonlight’s eyes went wide. “Wait, why am I staying here?” Celestia blinked her baggy eyes. “We assumed you would be tired at this hour. And we seldom have guests for breakfast. But if you’d prefer to return home-” “I didn’t say that!” she quickly interjected. “I was just, like, curious.” Celestia nodded and gave a kind, motherly smile. “Then with that, good night, everyone.”