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Dammon ✨

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“ you’ve haven’t ? “ he hadn’t gotten to baldurs gate ? guilt settled over dammon’s shoulders — even if he knew that it was partially unrealistic . even still , to think that fiyero had nearly lost his life ten times over to assist others in their dreams to find baldurs gate — only to never see it for himself ? the feeling of remorse settled like a stone in dammon’s heart .

baldurs gate had been — well , kind to him , all things considered . of course there was the occasional sidelong glance , the urging of children to step away from him as he wandered down the street . but he had grown up around such mannerisms , it no longer bothered him . baldurs gate had provided him shelter , a place to work , good food — a home . somewhere where he could settle down and make a name for himself . to think that the same had been taken from fiyero and her friends , right before her arrival . .

he had fallen silent , he realized — before coming back to , mentally scolding himself for the look of concern on his face . he quickly contorted his features into a small smile , tail lifting once more , “ well , then i believe you had a wonderful city to look forward to — once we get out of here , that is . “

the idea of a reunion with the bard caused the tieflings tail to rise even higher , unbeknownst to him . he enjoyed spending time with the hero — talking , sharing stories of their upbringings . it was a wonderful change of pace , and he always welcomed good company . chuckling at the finger tickling under his chin , a playful glimmer laced the man’s expression . he was cheeky , when he wanted to be .

“ i’ll treat you to as many pints as you’d like — but i do remember you saying you’d allow me to cook you a tiefling meal , “ a suggesting hum .

fiyero wouldn't be anything at all without the strength of his friends. this, he truly believes. he remembers, distantly, what astarion had said when he'd first agreed to join them: there's safety in numbers. a group of people all with the same worm in their brain might as well stick together. he still doesn't know why he was the one that ended up leading their ragtag bunch, a bard with a bow strapped to his back, a rapier at his side that he can use clumsily, at best.

   but, listening to dammon's conviction ... maybe he can figure it out eventually.

   it's not the first time he's heard something like it, people often sure and glad for fiyero's help. and it feels daunting at times, the expectations of others always hovering over him, with the apparent fate of faerûn in his hands. fiyero had always thought himself special. maybe he's not being generous enough.

   ' baldur's gate. ' there's a bit of melancholy in his voice, for a place he hadn't even seen before. maybe it's just the idea of finally getting there. ' i've never been, you know that? i was on my way there from waterdeep when i got snatched up by the ship. frankly, waterdhavians don't have a lot of good things to say about it. '

   then again, the city of splendors rarely ever acknowledges anybody else. it's hard to blame her. she's quite beautiful.

   dammon's joke washes over fiyero in a pleasant wave, a giggled trill escaping him. ' you're sweet, ' he hums, caught off-guard. for him to so outrightly offer to lift some of the weight off his shoulders, as though it were the easiest thing in the world. he scratches below dammon's chin like one would a cat, biting at his lower lip half in worry, half in consideration. ' can't very well refuse you like that. what do you have in mind, then? gonna treat me to a tankard, perhaps? listen to my woes? it's been a while since we sat together with a drink, i'll enjoy it either way. '

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“ your . . arcane ability ? “ the tiefling repeated slowly , tail flicking behind him in an unsure manner . he hadn’t even considered the loss of his innate magic . dammon was no bard , but tieflings did possess certain advantages . come to think of it , he hadn’t been able to see as well in the dark this morning , but he merely figured he was over tired . “ this place took your magic ? “

there was disbelief in his tone . his time in the hells , he knew that alfira , another bard , had her magic significantly weakened . but lost . . . that seemed like a heavy thing to consider .

even still — it was difficult to remain pessimistic in the vicinity of such an optimistic man , dammon mirroring volo’s smile with a small one of his own . well , being upset certainly wouldn’t get them out of this situation any faster — and he was beginning to understand what others meant when they spoke about volo being someone who ‘ drew you in ‘ .

it was difficult to hide the bemused apprehension in dammon’s tone as his eyes followed the bards deep bow , offering a mild dip of his head in return . “ dammon . uh . . blacksmith . . that’s about all i have to my name . “ he finished sheepishly . he was quite proud of his achievements — being one of the only infernal mechanics in faerûn made him quite popular amongst customers . however , his job didn’t make for a flashy title .

a pause lingered for a moment , as if considering the question , before finally speaking up , “ did the druids . . recruit you ? “ an odd question , perhaps — but dammon suddenly felt uneasiness settle over him after remembering the events of the grove . certainly not the worst thing he had faced , but — one of the more low points of the year .

"Precisely correct, my friend. But I don't intend to make myself a local--" which would be the smart decision, with all of the arrest warrants and wizard hunts-- "In fact, once I'm done documenting this strange place, I will make my way back to Baldur's Gate, posthaste!" Volo seemed confident in this, waving around the discs for emphasis. "Unfortunately, I have seem to have lost my scrolls and potions... and much of my arcane capability."

"But I've heard things, you see. Reports that these things do return, sometimes even items. Some inhabitants go missing after a time, and I can only assume it to be because they'd found a way out! Have no fear, friend, we will not be stuck for long." ( but Volo still hopes, even as nice as this city is at times, it would be for too long; he was missing home a little too much ).

"Ah, but I'm being impolite. I fear we did not get a chance to properly introduce ourselves back a the grove!" <DC5 SUCCESS!> He took a bow, and raised his head. "Volothamp Geddarm; chronicler, wizard, and celebrity--" the same exact tone and cadence he'd used back at the grove-- "at your service. And you may be...?"

He'd heard the name, back when travelling with Fiyero; Dammon, was it? The blacksmith? Volo couldn't recognise the name to the face, by the time he had gone to the grove he'd taken special interest in Zevlor and Kagha ( only one of which wished to comment on his research, and it was largely useless up until Aradin came back with a story for him to tell ).

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@doctornota , @allhesaid , @hggsbury , @ciphertone AND @wshingwells all liked for a starter that's crazy can you believe it

NARRATOR: (Black screen with text; The sound of buzzing bees can be heard) According to all known laws of aviation, : there is no way a bee should be able to fly. : Its wings are too small to get its fat little body off the ground. : The bee, of course, flies anyway : because bees don't care what humans think is impossible. BARRY BENSON: (Barry is picking out a shirt) Yellow, black. Yellow, black. Yellow, black. Yellow, black. : Ooh, black and yellow! Let's shake it up a little. JANET BENSON: Barry! Breakfast is ready! BARRY: Coming! : Hang on a second. (Barry uses his antenna like a phone) : Hello? ADAM FLAYMAN:

(Through phone)

Barry? BARRY:

Adam? ADAM:

Can you believe this is happening? BARRY:

I can't. I'll pick you up. (Barry flies down the stairs) : MARTIN BENSON: Looking sharp. JANET: Use the stairs. Your father paid good money for those. BARRY: Sorry. I'm excited. MARTIN: Here's the graduate. We're very proud of you, son. : A perfect report card, all B's. JANET: Very proud. (Rubs Barry's hair) BARRY= Ma! I got a thing going here. JANET:

You got lint on your fuzz. BARRY:

Ow! That's me!

JANET:

Wave to us! We'll be in row 118,000.

Bye! (Barry flies out the door) JANET: Barry, I told you, stop flying in the house! (Barry drives through the hive,and is waved at by Adam who is reading a newspaper) BARRY==

Hey, Adam. ADAM:

Hey, Barry. (Adam gets in Barry's car) :

Is that fuzz gel? BARRY:

A little. Special day, graduation. ADAM: Never thought I'd make it. (Barry pulls away from the house and continues driving) BARRY: Three days grade school, three days high school… ADAM: Those were awkward. BARRY: Three days college. I'm glad I took a day and hitchhiked around the hive. ADAM== You did come back different. (Barry and Adam pass by Artie, who is jogging) ARTIE:

Hi, Barry!

BARRY:

Artie, growing a mustache? Looks good. ADAM:

Hear about Frankie? BARRY:

Yeah. ADAM==

You going to the funeral? BARRY:

No, I'm not going to his funeral. : Everybody knows, sting someone, you die. : Don't waste it on a squirrel. Such a hothead. ADAM: I guess he could have just gotten out of the way. (The car does a barrel roll on the loop-shaped bridge and lands on the highway) : I love this incorporating an amusement park into our regular day. BARRY: I guess that's why they say we don't need vacations. (Barry parallel parks the car and together they fly over the graduating students) Boy, quite a bit of pomp… under the circumstances. (Barry and Adam sit down and put on their hats) :

Well, Adam, today we are men.

ADAM:

We are! BARRY=

Bee-men. =ADAM=

Amen! BARRY AND ADAM: Hallelujah! (Barry and Adam both have a happy spasm) ANNOUNCER: Students, faculty, distinguished bees, : please welcome Dean Buzzwell. DEAN BUZZWELL: Welcome, New Hive Oity graduating class of… : …9: : That concludes our ceremonies. : And begins your career at Honex Industries! ADAM: Will we pick our job today? (Adam and Barry get into a tour bus) BARRY= I heard it's just orientation. (Tour buses rise out of the ground and the students are automatically loaded into the buses) TOUR GUIDE: Heads up! Here we go.

ANNOUNCER: Keep your hands and antennas inside the tram at all times. BARRY:

Wonder what it'll be like? ADAM:

A little scary. TOUR GUIDE== Welcome to Honex, a division of Honesco : and a part of the Hexagon Group. Barry: This is it! BARRY AND ADAM: Wow. BARRY: Wow. (The bus drives down a road an on either side are the Bee's massive complicated Honey-making machines) TOUR GUIDE: We know that you, as a bee, have worked your whole life : to get to the point where you can work for your whole life. : Honey begins when our valiant Pollen Jocks bring the nectar to the hive. : Our top-secret formula : is automatically color-corrected,

scent-adjusted and bubble-contoured : into this soothing sweet syrup : with its distinctive golden glow you know as… EVERYONE ON BUS: Honey! (The guide has been collecting honey into a bottle and she throws it into the crowd on the bus and it is caught by a girl in the back) ADAM:

That girl was hot. BARRY:

She's my cousin! ADAM==

She is? BARRY:

Yes, we're all cousins. ADAM:

Right. You're right. TOUR GUIDE:

At Honex, we constantly strive : to improve every aspect of bee existence. : These bees are stress-testing a new helmet technology. (The bus passes by a Bee wearing a helmet who is being smashed into the ground with fly-swatters, newspapers and boots. He lifts a thumbs up but you can hear him groan) : ADAM==

What do you think he makes?

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@thronecage liked for a starter !

dammon had been exploring , at least for the past hour or so . he figured that if was going to be forced into an unexpected plane against his well , he might as well get to know his surroundings . that , and this place was surprisingly . . not as bad as avernus . not by a long shot . avernus had imps and succubi alike , attempting to lure him for their own amusement . but this place , the ' spirale ' as he had been told it was named , was far from horrific . even still , he missed baldurs gate . and he wasn't particularly pleased about being placed here .

oh well . might as well make the most of it .

the theater was beautiful - as if it was erected in a time far before the technology of this place had become so advanced . intricate paintings lined the ceilings , adorned with flecks of gold to draw the trained eye towards the edges of the paintings .

" magnificent . . " the blacksmith muttered under his breath , far too in awe of the interior architecture of the amphitheater to notice if anyone else was in the space . little did he know - there was .

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<- still hasn't figured out how his phone works . ):

all of you have my phone number.

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i didn't say anything i have been standing here silently this entire time minding my own business watching two closeted men undressing each other with their eyes but pretending to be homophobic about it .

HEY! IT'S MY TURN TO TALK ABOUT HOW MUCH I WANT TO KISS FIYERO!

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fiyero had been a welcome surprise in the grove , that much was certain . her energy was in stark contrast to the heavy hearts that the tieflings bore — and yet , seeing one of their own seem to . . hopeful , it was enough to liven the place up .

dammon was far too invested in soaking up the fact that his new friend had returned to notice the way she settled his hand over her waist . either that , or he didn’t care . he was desperate for any semblance of familiarity , and fiyero certainly brought that .

amusement flickered over his gaze at their comment , tone laced with a bemused chuckle , “ if you have lost strength , i’d be none the wiser . besides , i’m sure the moment we return to baldurs gate you’ll be just as capable as you’ve always been . “ his voice was confident — because he truly believed it . both that they would return to their homes and that fiyero would rise to whatever challenges faced her .

dammon paused as the tiefling spoke , soaking in the reassurance of her words . she was certainly right — the individuals that accompanied her exuded a heroic essence that dammon could only dream of obtaining one day . he enjoyed their company — and in all fairness , he wouldn’t want to be stuck in this situation with anyone else .

would’ve been nice to have them in avernus .

eyes trailing towards the bards as she lifted his chin , he offered a small smile , burdened by the thoughts still swirling in his head . even still , it was hard to not return her optimism . “ you really think i’m going to allow you to have the weight of the world on your shoulders and worry enough for the both of us ? can’t let you have all the fun , “ a playful hum lingered in his words , eyes twinkling with just a hint of mischief . a joke . what , who said blacksmiths couldn’t have a sense of humor ?

she's received willingly, with hands on her waist to steady the both of them as they're wrapped up together, and fiyero hums happily at being welcomed like this. part of her was almost shy, meeting the other tieflings in the grove. she was worried, in a way, that she wasn't acting right. never learned the customs, traditions, what makes their people their people. something entirely unbecoming of her, truly— when did she ever concern herself with fitting in?

   but seeing others so much like her, looking to her for help, finding comradery in their shared plight. it made her eager to please, to step in where other members of her party wanted to keep out of it.

   one of her hands goes down to her waist, covering dammon's, keeping him there. her eyes squint at him with mirth. ' still strong, huh? i haven't been fighting nearly as much since i was taken here, so that's something. ' truthfully, she'd been a bit worried about that, as well. what if she's returned home eventually and completely out of practice? can't kill the third and last chosen if she can barely stab her rapier. certainly can't smite the absolute like that.

   she spots the disappointment in his expression, understanding almost drawing a coo out of her. she holds back, instead tilting her head to try and catch his gaze. he hadn't heard of karlach, but that was almost to be expected. it doesn't necessarily have to mean anything— still, fiyero worries, brows furrowing.

   ' me too. i was awfully lonely for a while. ' and though her tone is light, the words are truthful, an easy admission. she'd gotten used to the company of her friends. ' i can't help but worry about what's happening back home without me. but they're all capable people. the strongest i know, really. ' the hand on dammon's chest raises to tilt his chin up, just a little bit. her smile is encouraging. ' and i already worry enough for the both of us. don't look so glum about it. '

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hm . men

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event ; color theory !

dusty rose ( #B56F76 ) ⸻ nostalgia , softness , maturity , romance , thoughtfulness / insecurity , stubbornness , withdrawn , loneliness , perfectionism

dammon is ‘ dusty rose ‘ — a color that exudes a calming , grounding presence . it’s not too far off from his normal hue , but it’s particularly noticeable that the vibrant blue flames that hide behind his eyes are absent now . instead , a dull monochrome resides within his gaze .

to those who don’t know dammon , this doesn’t seem particularly odd for him . a quiet figure , working diligently on adapting to his new surroundings and making small talk when appropriate . but those who have had the opportunity to know dammon a bit more might be startled to find that his affect is far more flat than normal — almost withdrawn , as if he is unwilling to open up to anyone .

however , that isn’t to say that the man is entirely closed off . he is still adorned with a charming smile , willing to take on anything that is needed of him — even at his own expense . if he still had the forge , he might be a bit more frivolous with his discounts . but in the spirale , dammon’s color seems to make him a more quiet , more eager to hear the words of others .

the color ‘ rose ‘ wouldn’t be complete without a touch of hopeless romanticism — something dammon is well equipped in , even without the affect of these peculiar circumstances . that much hasn’t changed , but the tiefling , despite being more careful in his choice of words , seems far more receptive to the advances of others — if even to quell the sense of uncertainty he’s been feeling since arriving here .

TLDR ; strong silent type enjoy

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the greeting , while far more intimate than dammon was used to , was certainly not unwelcome . years of hardly being allowed to - or able to , for that matter - smile at someone in passing led to the tiefling being particularly reserved in the way he approached people ; but it made greetings such as fiyero's all the sweeter . it certainly didn't hurt that fiyero was also someone that dammon could relate to - hellish blood and all that . even if she hadn't suffered through avernus , it was certain that whatever happened in fiyero's past had molded her into a strong , capable individual .

" fiyero ~ ! " a laugh erupted from the baritone , having to steady himself lest that the weight of the other didn't topple both of them over . he caught their waist , shifting them both upright before returning the welcoming embrace , tail twitching eagerly in enthusiasm behind him . " gods , careful ! you're quite a bit stronger than you realize , " he mused .

fiyero listing off the others that had been captured caused the blacksmiths brow to furrow , nodding slowly in a contemplative manner . however , the mention of karlach . . . it was hard to not hide his disappointment . a pang of guilt flooded the man - who was he , to be upset that karlach wasn't roped into this uncertain reality ? if anyone deserved freedom , it was her . then again , perhaps this place couldn't retrieve karlach , if she was already back in . . .

no , his mind couldn't go there .

a clearing of his throat before his eyes returned to look down at the tiefling , " - haven't seen her , unfortunately . last i heard she was with you . " he admitted , a guilt-ridden expression flickering across sharp features , " - but i'm happy to know that you've been joined by some more of your friends . it must be a relief to know they're alright . " at least , for now .

the tieflings in the grove were the first real interaction fiyero had with people of their kind. spending his first few hundred years on an island where only elves where permitted will do that to a person. outsiders were rare, and fiyero wasn't technically allowed near the harbour, where traders would occasionally come by to provide supplies. and after he left, he had a few trysts here and there, one or two pretty tieflings that shared his bed.

   nothing like saving the refugees from elturel. fiyero remembers how palpable the joy was, that night the tieflings joined them before departing. the booze certainly helped, as did the small reward they threw fiyero's party for helping them. but something about doing good for the sake of doing good ... there's nothing quite like it.

   it's some of that same joy, still left over from that night, that draws a chirp out of fiyero's chest when he spots dammon. he bounds forward, a bounce in his step, and before he can stop himself both of his hands are placed against dammon's chest, pressing close. it's half a hug in greeting, and fiyero enjoys the small difference of height between them, not used to having to look up at people.

   ' dammon! hi! ' it's weird, to suddenly realize that it's been far too long since he's seen another tiefling. he'd gotten used to it, always having karlach by his side. his tail curls around the both of them, quivering a little with excitement. he hadn't been this close with dammon before, but what's a better place to start than this?

   ' they got me, too. ' eyes squint up at the other almost happily, a conversation he's had plenty of times this past week. funny, how people seem to think fiyero is somehow too skillful to get caught up in something like this ... again. ' some of the others, as well. gale, astarion ... jaheira and volo. and now you. '

   which isn't great news, but some selfish part of him is glad to see another familiar face. his expression slips into something more regrettable, patting dammon's chest lightly. ' no karlach, unfortunately. was she alright, when you saw her last? ' and that's also silly, isn't it? karlach is perhaps the strongest of them, but fiyero's seen the way dammon looks at her, not entirely dissimilar to the way fiyero looks at her. some worry is to be expected.

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a voice was the only thing that pulled dammon from his self-wallowing discouragement , straightening up as the figure approached . it was much to his surprise when he realized that the figure was none other than the bard of all individuals - a peculiar man who dammon had seen passing by now and again while the druids made increasing demands against zevlor .

god , he was getting irritated once more just thinking about it .

volo , - or so he believed was the mans name - however , had nothing to do with dammon's troubles ; so the tiefling brandished a welcoming grin on his face , attempting to at least seem cordial towards the man .

" i would be ' from the grove ' , " dammon replied , tucking away the phone in his pocket to avoid glancing at it through his periphery , offering the bard a bemused grin at his enthusiasm . odd , the stranger reminded him a bit of alfira .

oh , alfira . . . he hoped she was doing well .

" well , i wasn't exactly placed here by my own volition , " the blacksmith replied , perhaps a bit more sharply than he intended . had the man before him managed to visit this odd place of his own free will ? that seemed like an odd choice , given that these people were nothing like the people he ran into at faerun - then again , who was he to judge a book by its cover ?

" i didn't really ' find ' myself here , honestly . sort of just . . woke up one day , and here i was . none of my belongings are with me , either . i'm assuming it was the same for you ? " dammon had been fixated with some new clothes in his apartment , but it still felt odd - like wearing someone elses clothing .

This city put together sense in some places where it shouldn't be ( for one, he finally found out what a CD was, and he'd wished Elminster had told him sooner because he bought five empty disks ). The phones, too, were a mystery he'd somehow learnt to navigate-- albeit, rather inefficiently. But now that he ( somewhat ) understood it, he'd kept it on his person at all times. What a silly little contraption.

"Oh! It's you! From the Grove!" Volo hadn't directly crossed paths with Dammon just yet, but they'd seen him walk by whilst on his way to the grove, and then later when he was snooping about in the Shadow Cursed lands. What a shame he didn't truly get to know them all-- such lovely people, ( aside for a few of those druids ). "How did you manage to find yourself here? Surely, more interesting things to be doing than... getting stuck in this odd realm."

Volo had deduced ( whilst holding five empty CDs in his hands ) that this realm was certainly no Faerun; must be far from it, as well. Which hadn't meant that he'd given up his escape, but rather he's... going to enjoy it for a bit first ( who knows when his next visit to Spirale would be? ).

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" quite recently indeed , " the tiefling replied , a gentle scoff lacing his tone as if he were trying to force humor into a situation that certainly didn't call for it . even still , the smile he wore didn't fade , his shoulders visibly loosening at the realization that this ' wilson ' individual was just as well mannered as he appeared . well , that was a relief . normally individuals like him typically cast him odd looks - this was a welcome change indeed .

the scenery ? not so much .

" would i be correct in assuming that you've also just been recently placed here with no explanation ? " the tiefling inquired , " been about a day or so since i've arrived here - most of my possessions are gone , too . i was hoping you might have a bit more clarity on the situation than i do . . "

Now , the sight of the man approaching him isn’t as jarring as one might think. His appearance was similar to that of Wortox ── though he was significantly less hairy. And while the man did look like an imp , he didn’t really have the demeanor of one. He was quite unsure of himself , something that Wilson could relate to. This place was still all but familiar to him , so it was a little bit reassuring that someone else was having a hard time getting used to it all.

❛ That would be me. ❜ He says , trying his best to give the other some sort of reassurance. ❛ But Wilson is just fine. ❜ He underestimated just how , well , awkward some of these introductions might be. He really wasn’t planning to introduce himself to many people , after all. But the man seems well intentioned , if just as bad at conversation as Wilson himself.

He extends a hand to shake , offering a smile that’s only slightly less unsure than Dammon’s. ❛ Well , Dammon , it’s a pleasure to meet you. I suppose you’ve arrived quite recently as well ? ❜

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i'm a bit irritated that you aren't answering the question on whether or not you stole from me , yes .

oh, this would never work between us .. i love stealing. are you mad, gorgeous?

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( with so much confusion ) yes . . . ? why , do you have something to tell me ?

what? do you hate stealing..? ( blinks cutely )

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( chuckling nervously ) what the fuck

it's always okay to steal! don't let anyone tell you otherwise. now go out there and get some treats for free! <3

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@enchiiridion liked for a starter !

a heavy sigh heaved its way through dammon's core , fidgeting uselessly with the electronic ' box ' ( phone . it's called a phone . ) that had unceremoniously been placed in his pocket . it had been a few days since he had arrived at the spirale , and with no clear out any time soon , dammon figured he might as well get used to his surroundings while he racked his mind for some way to get out of this predicament .

" damn thing . . " the tiefling muttered sourly under his breath , his fingers still not used to the intricacies of the numerous buttons and what each of them did . while attempting to select something , he had mistakenly turned the phone off .

dammon took a brief moment to recollect his patience , setting the phone down to briefly rub his face with his hands . he was normally a patient individual , but this ? how was this small box suddenly so infuriating ?