D.E.M.O.N.S: Getting Summoned Weekly isn't so Bad

Kat and Kamiko quickly fell into an easy system when it came to testing items using the knowledge, they’d gained on their first day. The start was to go with the obvious, whatever that might be. Swinging swords, hitting things with staves, wearing the various items of clothing or pushing energy into the item if there was no other obvious thing to do.

If none of those yielded any results, they’d move onto the second sweep of testing. This involved saying various words hoping to hit upon a common key phrase, looking for hidden switches to activate things, or much to Kamiko’s distaste, hitting Kat specifically with the item in question just in case it can only activate on living targets.

If there still wasn’t anything showing up, they’d try to see if damaging the item was possible. They were always careful with things that got to this step, especially after the incident where they found some preserved flowers that instantly burned to a crisp when Kat’s demonic fire got anywhere close to it.

Never mind the fact that Kat’s flame remains cold attributed and that the flowers were nearly a wingspan away from her. It was as if the mere suggestion of violence was enough for the strange batch of flowers to call it quits.

Once they were passed the point of damage testing, it really was down to the individual item in question to dictate what steps were taken next, regardless of if they succeeded or failed. The same flowers for example, where boxed up and labelled ’fragile flowers’ and added to the small pile to see Boss about.

Others, like a perfectly normal looking shirt that withstood the full brunt of Kat and Kamiko’s combined demonic fire as well as their strength when they tried to pull it apart was designated as a ’strong shirt’. It wasn’t exactly useful, as Kamiko could attest, because it didn’t allow for her demonic traits to phase through the outfit. Kat couldn’t even get it on because of her wings.

Another thing that had happened occasionally was that the pair would find duplicates of items they’d already tested. It made the second round of testing simpler, if a bit more careful. They normally went through the paper stack to find the original entry and add that there was a second box, though if they were different enough sometimes a new form would be made.

An example of this was a sword that set things on fire when you swung it the pair found during the first day of testing. Rather simple to understand, and rather weak in its flame abilities. Kat even had to be a bit careful with it because it had a poor cutting edge and the blade itself was rather weak.

On the second day, they found a similar sword, with a relatively close design when compared to the first. Low and behold it also set things on fire, but the sword was much better made. Razor shape edge that could cut through a dummy easily but wasn’t quite a match to Kat’s muscles, getting caught in her arm when Kamiko made a strike.

It held up well though, and seemed undamaged from their testing unlike the first which may have developed a slight bend. The only thing that was lacking was the fire enchantment. It seemed to be about the same quality though it was hard for the girls to test because Kat was immune and Kamiko was rather weak to fire, and even just standing near it was uncomfortable, but they didn’t exactly test the limits.

It took a longer conversation then the pair liked to determine the second sword deserved its own entry in the catalogue. Sure, it did the same job on paper, but they decided it was like trying to tell someone a butter knife and a butcher’s knife where basically the same. They did still make a note of the similarities in their new documentation as well as adding to the original, but that was as far as they wanted to go with that.

Another interesting find… was a black remote with a button on it. When Kamiko pointed it at a dummy pressed it, and she found herself in pitch blackness for a split second before she tapped the button again on instinct returning the light. ”What the heck was that?” asked Kat

”I… I don’t know? You couldn’t see either?” aske Kamiko

Kat shook her head. ”Nothing at all”

Kamiko bit her lips. ”I just pressed this button. I’m not exactly sure what it does, but clearly it isn’t something that needs aiming.”

Kat moved over to Kamiko at this point and locked arms with the other demon. ”Try pressing it again. We’ll see if it just disables eyesight.”

Kamiko did so, and was much calmer when the lights went out. *Well I can certainly still feel Kamiko’s arm.* ”I’m going make a bit of wind with my wings.” Warned Kat, not wanting to scare the girl. Kat couldn’t see Kamiko’s nod, but the light squeeze on the arm and the lack of protest made her move forward.

Kat started to generate a bit of wind around them and even felt her own feet start to lift off a tiny bit before she stopped. ”I can feel the wind easily as well” said Kamiko once the testing was done.

”Back to the light?” asked Kat.

Kamiko nodded and pressed the button again. ”So, it looks like this is just a visual thing. What should we do now?”

Kat bit her lip thinking for a second. *What other tests can we do? Clearly it makes it impossible to see. My night vision is pretty good so something strange must be going on. Test the range maybe?* 

”How about I head down a couple of rows of boxes. You call out when you’re turning it off and I’ll let you know if it effects a large area.” Said Kat as she made her way down the hallway. Kamiko nodded and waited for Kat to call out to say she was in place. Once that was done Kamiko announced the beginning of the test and pressed the button.

Much to Kat’s chagrin, even though she was all the way at the other end of the warehouse. She found herself in complete darkness once again. ”Looks like it’s distance is at least the length of the warehouse!” Kat shouted back down the stacks.

Kamiko cursed under her breath, but Kat was too far away to hear it. Kat jogged back down through the boxes, keeping an arm on them and a light touch just to guide herself while the darkness was going. Kamiko eventually pressed the button again allowing Kat to speed up.

”Any other ideas?” asked Kat

”Not really…” said Kamiko. ”Do you want to try it?”

Kat shrugged and grabbed the button as it was passed to her. After sharing a look, she pressed down and darkness consumed them both. Kat gave out a long sigh, pushing some energy into it so that little licks of flame came out of her mouth when she did so. To the pairs surprise, the flame was very visible and lit up parts of the area.

”What?!” said Kamiko.

”Agreed… What?!” mirrored Kat.

Kat set her hand alight and the area directly around them lit up. ”Kamiko please tell me you’re not thinking what I’m thinking.”

”In this instance I actually don’t know…” said Kamiko. ”I mean, it’s nice our fire can fight whatever this is, but it’s not exactly that unusual.”

”Kamiko…” said Kat unsure of how to say this, and hoping she was wrong. ”I think this might just be the light switch for the warehouse.”

Kamiko let out a groan. ”You’re kidding me right? That’s not possible? Or is it…”

Kat did point out though. ”In our defence, it’s not like our ability to see at night is bad at all. I’m more confused as to why we can’t see anything with the lights off then the fact the light switch is in this box”

”I agree” said Kamiko ”My own eyesight, at least in terms of low light condition, is actually at the very top of the line for our Rank. It should not be this dark. I’m not sure if that means there’s something else going on with the remote or if the warehouse has an enchantment on it or something.”

Kat gave out a light huff. ”I just can’t believe we were freaking out about a light switch though. Should we bring this to Boss?”

Kamiko nodded. ”Yeah I think so. Either it’s something more impressive that we aren’t able to test properly and he’ll be happy to give us confirmation or the light switch for the warehouse ended up lost in a box and he’ll want it back.”

*I still can’t believe I was a little scared of a light switch of all things. Sure getting cut up isn’t that bad when you have regen and pain dampeners, but I really shouldn’t have been even a little bit panicked throughout that.. I think I’m getting a little too comfortable with some of my demon powers.*