A Demon's Core

I have a lot of things I need to do now:

Continue spreading throughout this floor.

Start spreading down the stairs in a similar manner to the hallway, though with a better design so it is not so easily bypassed.

Learn more about the dungeon crystals and how to create them intentionally. Having more mana storage could definitely be useful.

Learn more about the destructive aspects of Second’s magic capabilities and find out if I can emulate that. If I could learn to move, or even break, things with mana then I could actively participate in defending our home. It would be a great advantage.

Summon more ‘vahxa’ and learn more about them.

And of course, after all that, bringing more imps here.

The problem is that everything requires mana so I am still limited by my regeneration. I also need to get rid of the human corpses. But that is a task for my imps as I am not physically capable of moving them myself...at least, not yet.

But the question is what to do with them. It would be great if I had some way to store them. Then they could be used as food. But that is not an option. I am already concerned about whether the imps will be able to finish their...”meal” before they begin to rot. They have already had to take a break from eating before they even finished off the first one. It hurts a little to think so dispassionately about my deceased imps; to think of them merely as food for those who still live.

But what else could I do for them. It is not like I could bury them and mark the graves. What would I even put on a gravestone? Did they even have...names? ...Do my imps have names? Why has this never occurred to me until now? The humans have names. I heard them using them a couple of times. But I never thought about my imps having names. I have just been thinking about them with numbers...And I was concerned about being dispassionate about their corpses. I am ashamed now that I never even thought to ask.

But in all this time I have never heard my imps using names when speaking to each other. So maybe they do not have any. The best way find out is to ask.

Do you have a name? I ask First.

“What? A name? No. Should I?” She responds looking a little confused at my sudden question.

I do not know. Is it normal for imps not to have names?

“I guess so. Most don’t I think.” She says with a shrug. This catches the attention of Second who was nearby

“Does our master have questions for you? Is it anything I can help with?” She asks as she approaches.

“Master was asking about names.” First replies. Second’s insight would be valuable here as well so I bring her into the conversation.

I wanted to know if any of you have names. I have never asked before, which I feel kind of bad about. But I have never heard any of you referring to each other by name either so I was curious.

“Oh, I see. Typically imps do not usually have names. Sometimes if an imp accomplishes a suitably impressive feat, others may start referring to them by that achievement. At least the imps of my pack would do that before...I can’t say for sure if imps in other places did the same thing.” Second explains.

“Yes, that happened in my old pack.” First exclaims excitedly. “There was one old one the pack called ‘Biter’. Apparently when he was young he killed a biter by biting it. But that was before I was born so it is only the elders in the pack who remembered it.”

Is something like that not more of a title than a name though? First looks puzzled.

“What’s the difference?” She asks.

Well a title is usually given as a reward for some kind of accomplishment. Whereas names are usually given as children. I suppose primarily to make identification and communication easier. Are things never confusing with no one having names?

“Not usually. Imps are very good at understanding each other, even with limited verbal communication. So it is rarely an issue.” Second says. I suppose that makes sense considering the rather limited speaking skills of my imps when they first arrive. I wonder if there is a lot more to their communication than just verbal.

Do you have a name? I ask Second and she frowns.

“My previous master used to call me ‘pet’. But I didn’t like that. Do you want me to have a name?”

I do not want to force it on anyone, but I do think it would be better if everyone had a name.

“I wouldn’t object to you giving me a name.” She states with a smile.

I do not mind giving you one, but you are welcome to think of one for yourself if you would prefer.

“No. I would be honoured to receive a name from you.” She insists.

“Me too! But I should be first because I have been here the longest.” First declares smugly.

“I suppose that’s true. I guess I don’t mind you being first.” Second says with a small chuckle.

First rushes over to my core, which is still in Room 5, and sits down looking at it expectantly. Second follows, though not in as much of a rush, clearly amused by First’s excitement.

I suppose it is up to me to give them names now. First’s most distinctive feature is the colour of her skin, so maybe I could just go with that. It is not particularly imaginative, but it is descriptive.

How do you feel about ‘Violet’ as a name? She just stares for a moment before slowly sounding it out.

“Vi-o-let. Violet. I love it.” She exclaims. “I don’t know what a violet is but I like the way it sounds.”

...She does not know what violet is? Has she not noticed the colour of her skin? Does she not know the word for that colour? Wait...did I use the human word for it by accident. It seems that I did. I probably should have given that a bit more thought. But she seems happy with it so I guess it is fine.

But what about Second? Now she is looking at my core with the same level of excitement despite her earlier amusement at First. No, Violet now. I cannot name her for her skin colour because it is the same as all the other imps. They all have similar shades of reddish-pink with only a little variation. They would all end up with the same name if I did that. So what else can I come up with?

Violet is a type of flower in addition to being a colour. Maybe I can go with a flower theme. But what flower should I use for Second? Roses are red, like her, so maybe that.

What do you think of ‘Rose’. I say to Second. It is a type of flower. A particularly beautiful flower in fact. The colour of her cheeks darkens a little. It is hard to tell due to her normal skin colour, but I think she is actually blushing.

“Thank you Master. It is truly a privilege to be granted such a name.” She says meekly. I am glad she seems to like it. “Will you also be deciding on a name for yourself?”

Huh. That is actually a good question. I did say I would think of something for them to call me back when I asked them to stop calling me ‘master’. But I have not given it much thought since then.

My core is mostly pink. But that sounds silly as a name. Magenta! That sounds better and it is more or less the same as pink anyway. But maybe I need to try to move away from just naming things after colours. How about...Magentam.

...I am not very good at this. At least it does sound kind of impressive. And since ‘magenta’ also comes from the human language my imps will not yet realize how unimaginative I am at naming things. Both of them are staring now, waiting for my answer.

From now on you may call me Magentam. So please do not call me ‘Master’ anymore. Violet lets out an elated squeal in response.

“As you wish Lord Magentam.” Rose says, bowing her head.

Seriously? ‘Lord’ Magentam...At least it is better than ‘Master’. Whatever. She can do as she pleases.

I was actually thinking about making some kind of memorial for the imps that died. That is what got me thinking about names. But it does not feel right to give them name after they died just so I can have something to put on a memorial. Do you have any suggestions?

“What’s a memorial?” Violet asks.

“It’s something the larger demons often build as a way to remember their dead. Shrines, monuments or sometimes just a simple stone with a name engraved on it. They can come in many forms. But imps don’t make such things.” Rose explained.

I did assume as much. But I would still like to do it if you would be willing to help me.

“If you wish it, I won’t object. Perhaps some of the items they each have collected could be displayed as suitable memorials.” Rose suggests.

“Their weapons too. They died fighting. So the weapons they used would be fitting right?” Violet adds.

Those are both excellent suggestions. Thank you. Could you please gather those items for me. I am going to talk to the other two about also giving them names. There is no reason why they should be left out.

I find them in Room 3. To my utter astonishment, the child is riding on the vahxa as it paces around the room. Seated on it’s neck just in front of the first of it’s dorsal spines while her mother looks on nervously.

There is something I would like to discuss with you and your daughter if you are not busy. I say to the mother. She jumps in surprise from the sudden contact. That does happen sometimes since they can neither see nor hear me approaching.

“Not busy. Come down now. Need talk.” She calls out to her daughter. The child whines but the vahxa lays down so she can climb of it’s neck. “What need?” She asks when her daughter is at her side.

I wanted to ask you both if you would like to have names. If you do not have them already.

“Not have. Names important?”

It is not vitally important and I do not intend to force anyone. But I do think it is better for everyone to have names. The other two and I have already chosen names.

“You name? What name?”

What is my name? I am now called Magentam. You and your daughter are welcome to think of names for yourselves or I can give you names if you would prefer.

“You give. Choose good name.” She says after some thinking.

You want me to give you good names? I will do my best to think of names that you will find acceptable. It might be easiest to just stick with the flower theme. Who does not like flowers?

If you will accept them I will give you the name Lily and your daughter the name Calla. These names come from flowers that are both quite pretty, in my opinion. Not that I have ever actually seen them, but I am sure they are.

“Good names. I thank.” Lily says. Her daughter just looks confused.

Your name will be Calla from now on. It is the name of a very pretty flower so quite fitting for you I think. She tilts her head and looks up at her mother.

“What name?” She asks. Is she asking what her mother’s name is or just what a name is in general?

A name is what people will call you from now on. You will be called Calla.

“Calla. Not imp?” ...This might be a little difficult to explain.

You are still an imp. You, your mother and all the others like you are imps. But a name is something that just you are called and nobody else. Your name is Calla.

“I Calla.” she repeats. I am still not sure if she fully grasps the actual concept of a name, but at least she knows hers.

“Name friend?” She asks

Friend? She points at the vahxa.

You want me to name it as well? She nods.

What would be an appropriate name for such a creature? I do not think a flower would be fitting this time. It has black fur. That seems like a good place to start. But I do not want to just name it 'black'. The night sky is black or, at least, I think it is. It is another thing have never actually seen. Yet I am sure that is correct. But just calling it ‘Night’ feels a bit mundane. I want something a little more majestic.

Noctis. That means ‘the night’...I think. But where does such a word come from. A human language? But it is not the normal human language that I know, is it? Do they have more than one? Do I know more than one? I do not think so. But maybe I have fragments of others. No matter, it is a good name. It is majestic, but with a kind of mysterious feeling to it. I like it.

This creature will now be known as Noctis.

“Noctis!” Calla squeals as she runs towards it and hugs one of it’s front legs. Noctis licks the top of her head and she laughs.

With the names sorted, I decide to check on Violet and Rose and see what items they have managed to gather to memorialize their fallen friends.

Third liked to collect bones, but he also made them into weapons that he used in his last fight. So just those seemed fitting. From Fourth came her spear and her blue glass bottle. Her most cherished possession. From Fifth, his knives and a handful of coins from his collection of metal things. Sixth’s weapon was a hatchet and he collected interesting rocks. His favourite ‘rock’ was actually a brick that he found somewhere. Seventh was a bit of an anomaly among the imps in that she did not collect any more things beyond what was gifted to her when she first arrived, which included the knife she used, so they brought all of her things. Eighth had not been here long enough to even start a collection, so all we have from him is his spear.

Seeing all these items gathered before me made me feel somewhat disheartened. I ask them to put them in Room 7 on the countertops for now. I do still wish to arrange a proper memorial, but I do not think I am ready for such a grim task right now.