A song kept ringing through my head, "The heat was hot, and the ground was dry. But the air was full of sound." A Horse With No Name. I feel like the only thing I do is fucking walk. And I’m still covered in blood. I started to fiddle with my Jericho, checking out that everything was working. The kid still hung on to me like I was the last lifeboat on the Titanic. We look like an invading army with the horde of people I pulled out of that cave. We finally made it into a fucking town. The looks we got when entering town–it was as if we were an army marching back from the meat grinder. I asked the mage where we are even supposed to report something like this. She said the adventurers’ guild takes up matters like this.

  “I never did ask you if any of your party made it out,”

  “Yeah, I was able to find them. They bear the scars from the event and will never take up adventuring.”

  “Damn shame, but if you still want to adventure the Devils are always open”

  The mage decided to head to the adventurers’ guild to report last night’s events. While Miyamoto, the kid (whenever I say this, she is still riding the dog), and I start looking for a library. The town wasn’t as bad as the first, and didn’t smell completely like shit. We found a large building and walked in, then the kid and I were immediately kicked out. I remember I was covered in blood, and the kid was also covered in who knows what, so this is the new plan. I told Miyamoto to research this land as much as possible. I chucked my notebook at him and told him to write down anything relevant or interesting.

  I decided to take the kid to a local bathhouse. This is new to me. I’ve never been to a bathhouse. This place feels more Japanese than American. Well, I took the kid inside, and Miyamoto tossed me a few coins when we were outside the library, which covered the cost. The kid still followed behind me. I cleaned her as well as I could, and told her to put a towel on and soak in the warm water. When I was cleaning her back, I saw two long scars on her back creating an X shape. The scars are a few months old, and my realization that she had to spend about two to four months in that fucking cave. She lived through horror, every single day, horror that almost drove me mad. It damn near broke me after an hour–how the hell did she surive months?

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  She nodded and left for the bathtub. I left my clothes out in a washer; it was pretty much a washer and dryer in one that got everything out. Magic truly is useful. I cleaned myself up and went into the tub. The two of us spent a bit just soaking in the warm, refreshing water. I’ve never liked being naked; it leaves me too exposed.

  After we finished, I gave the kid some milk, and I took a swig from my flask. It tasted like Cola this time is this thing fucking magic… You know who cares? It was midday when we left and headed back to the library. The dog was also clean. I think it cleaned itself.

  When I met back up with Miyamoto, he tossed back my notebook, saying he’d done what I asked. This country is currently at war with one of its neighbors. These two countries have been at each other’s throats for as long as anyone can recall. The form of government is a constitutional monarchy, and the class system is strongly maintained. The poor are screwed over and the rich get any foothold the government can give them. Seems like a good reason to rebel, but the king is popular with people, and so is the royal family. The king has been trying to push more bills for the good of the people. He seemed like a good man, but I always say trust no one. The next thing says three people have been transported to this world, to save the country from the lord blah blah blah, we all know the story. The thing that hit me the hardest was that the slave trade was still happening. 17 rounds, I mutter to myself. Miyamoto asked me what that means.

  “17 rounds and a Bowie knife… and if you will join me, Miyamoto, will you join me in destroying the slave trade in this country?”

  “Well, King of hell, we are the devils, so let rain hellfire on these sins,” Miyamoto said. We shook hands, ready to begin the first major job of the devils.