Alerar, however, was proving to be different. There was not the tightly-bonded, familial-orientated, traditional attitudes that Akashima boasted. Instead opportunities and expectations were more fluid. This was likely due to the industry and scientific exploration that drove them, and forced them to think in news ways constantly. In turn this had affected their nationhood and culture. Progressive was a word I often found in my vocabulary.

“From the Old Gods, surely,” Ayna answered me.

Leading the way from that wooden corridor that was so haphazardly segmented into light and dark by the windows, I twisted around a corner and began up a flight of stairs. As if it were natural, Ayna kept to my pace, aiming to follow me.

“That is a possibility,” I agreed, “Even though Master Franko is a great enthusiast of Zi’Tau Menzies, he cannot deny himself that gods exist.”

“Aside from in Alerar,” Ayna shrugged. “My father says that they abandoned us a long time ago.”

We ascended onto a landing and I paused for a moment, readjusting my satchel. “Never lose hope in gods. Even if they are devils,” I told her.

Her head tilted slightly as she looked me up and down, her eyes focusing briefly on the horns jutting from my skull and extending backwards. They marked me out as a likely tiefling - a demi-demon. “Is that who you worship? A devil?”

Again, I found myself smiling. The last being I had worshipped had been the self-styled King of Death, a being who was a personification of death and whom I had worked for/been enslaved by for more millennia than I cared to think about. He was not a devil, but something more - a personification from around my time if existence, who had power over many deceased souls.

“Currently I am between deities,” I told her, “It is easier to be so here, in Alerar, than other countries.”

“Did you ever experience racism because of what you are?”

My brow furrowed, and I let out a long sigh. The conversation had very quickly gone off topic. I continued striding up the stairs and Ayna continued to follow. They became tighter, and shorter, the steps between landings now counting to only six at the most. We passed entire floors without a single glance.

“Ayna, that is associated with my subject. If you would like to explore more of your karma theory, I am very happy to do so.”

Yet, she persisted. Clearly something had been on her mind. Skipping up a step to stride in synchronisation with me she whispered.

“But sir, we don't often have many demons here, in Alerar. It's mostly drow and I know so little. Have you been to Hadia?”

I began to open my mouth, preparing my practised answer of, “yes, I have been briefly, but I don't care to go back,” as I had perfected the use of so many times in Akashima, however something stopped me from issuing the words into air. As we came up to the landing where my small office was, there was a line of two chairs that backed onto a large bookcase. They were presented there for students who were so eager to speak to me that they needed to queue. And on one of them currently was lounging a being I had not expected to any degree to be there.

He was not a student. He was not a fellow professor. He was not even one of those rare things I would call a 'friend’.

No, he was, instead, my brother.