God, she's so beautiful. So blissfully unaware of everything that is going on.

-Beckett

If you had to protect her, what would you-

-Queen Augustine

I feel like we will have to protect her, at some point. And I think you know there is no limit to what we would do, for her.

-Beckett

You don't think this City is safe enough?

-Queen Augustine

I don't think this world is safe enough.

-Beckett

When I was younger my Master allowed me to visit the Human world, briefly, in order to become stronger and put my abilities to the test.

I found it immensely unpleasant. Vast, rough, and full of danger. I felt always as if great and judging eyes stared down at me, and the comfort of other Demonic auras were nowhere to be found.

I was not supposed to be there and wanted only to return to my home and my companions.

Even though they will not admit it, even powerful Demons feel this way. The Human world can never be our home, as we are.

-Writings by the demon Philospher Fizzlestatros (widely derided as a fool)

i must keep going. going. as long as i can. i need to do this. i am made to do this. i am this.

-Gerda

Space and the planets and stars beyond our world are devoid of Magica, from what we can understand. 

This can be a hard concept to grasp as it is such a fixture of our lives. If there is life in that vast expanse, they must make do without.

However, it is postulated that if Humanity was to breach the heavens, then Magica would accompany us. 

It is possible this would give us a true advantage over other possible civilizations. 

The Angels have spoken with us on this matter and say that if we are able to resolve problems here "at home", then perhaps that would be the next great undertaking.

-Internal correspondence between the Prime Wizard and Head Teachers at the Grand School of Magica

I know we gave the Empty Vessels "free time" so that we could observe their activity when unguided. How did that play out?

-The High Angel

Mm. They dismantled an old fort and then had a competition to see who could throw the massive stones into the ocean. Then they found a grove of wild fruit trees and ate the fruit, then they threw up the fruit because I don't think they could actually digest it. Then they went for a swim in the ocean and almost drowned because they can't actually swim but were all able to crawl back to shore. Then they made a bonfire which also got out of control, but they used the seawater to put it out. Then they-

-Ms. Ferret

I see. Please continue to keep them away from populated areas.

-The High Angel

Possibly because Cez has such a miniscule pool of energy to draw on, they can use that energy with surprising control and accuracy. 

Few Demons can shape their energy into anything other than a direct attack or spell, and those that can tend to have worked for many years to do so. 

It is amusing to see Cez "draw", to have tiny figures come to life and interact with one another. It is also sad, as there is no practical use for that ability and I do worry that they are being raised in such a way that they cannot find a way to fit into Demon society.

Still, as I have written before, it is almost certain that they would have perished in the pools. 

Does that make this "experiment" acceptable? It's like Cez is growing up inside of a soap bubble, one that could pop at any moment.

-Scrambles scientific notation journal, with some personal additions

Do you prefer feet, or hands?

-The Snow Queen

......... Could I have some context for this question please?

-Kay

I'm trying to decide which I prefer. I think hands are the obvious choice, but perhaps that is only because feet are so often hidden. Although they are much less dexterous, they are constantly stabilizing and navigating terrain that we are only aware of in our periphery. 

-The Snow Queen

I um, I think both your hands... and feet... are equally well sculpted. I haven't really thought to place one above the other?

-Kay

Okay imagine that we swap them. Actually, we could pretty easily do more than imagine that!

-The Snow Queen

I don't know if I like this hypothetical.

-Kay

Looking through the collected notes from the good old HeadMaster, I still puzzle over how much time and energy he invested into the creation of "The Snow Queen".

Taking and converting a human warlock into some kind of synthetic life form is so absurdly difficult I wouldn't have thought it possible without seeing the schematics myself.

Although she was clearly made to create and interface with an even LARGER construction, the "Infinity Brain", that construction isn't all that much better than the God arm I dug up. A bit better maybe. 

There's a note that could clarify things, if I let myself believe it. "The spatial weight of Magica cannot be sustained within our limited dimensional environment past a certain threshold, collapsing the threshold should result in pushing past the impassable. Properly harnessed there would be no limits. I must be there to guide this as otherwise unknown variables will enter into play. Ascension into a true Higher Realm is attainable."

Was he trying to make her into some kind of God or something?? He really was insane!

-Notes by the Demon Master Bael

What did Gerda even see in that guy? I know he was "just a friend" but, you know...

-Consort Beckett

Well, he's extremely smart, I know that demonic script and crystalline computation can be very hard to grasp, and he's actually added new techniques to both. Also, he is a very handsome man, objectively. Additionally, I know they grew up together. I think he also represents a lot of complex failures and successes for Gerda, that may be hard for her to untangle.

-Queen Augustine

... Still! I don't care for him.

-Consort Beckett

Yeah, fair.

-Queen Augustine

Although many things are traded in the Demonic Realm and bartering is not uncommon, the primary currency is Favors.

Favors are exactly what they seem, and can be traded with other Demons, they can be added to other Favors, and they can be slowly paid back or added to. Demons seem to have an incredible ability to remember "owed Favors" and decades can go by before they are cashed in. Demonic Masters accumulate Favors endlessly by their underlings in exchange for protection, food, training, etc.

A True Favor is bound with energy to have a deep connection to the Demons very essence. Possibly because they are so energy filled, binding vows are extremely powerful to a Demon. 

In this small way Humans are "less trustworthy" than Demons, in that they can easily break their vows with very little consequence.

-Notes on Demonic Society, by the High Priest

Hxw strong are you, Cezar?

-Cez

Um. I guess I'm a bit strong. I could be stronger though! WAAAY stronger! Ahahaha!

-Cezar

But it would "stress you out", right?

-Jahi

That is true! That is true. Very true.

-Cezar

The average Human simply does not know, or does not care, that every moment of every day magica flows through their minds and bodies.

There are a variety of benefits this grants them. They are healthier, stronger, heal faster, have less illnesses, have less ill effects during pregnancy, need less food, and live longer. They also can learn to externalize this energy and cast spells or enhance their fighting prowess. 

But this is not how it SHOULD be. Fundamentally Humans have been changed, and their destinies subverted. Their achievements are cheapened and made lesser.

To make matters worse, their magica rich flesh is the perfect food for Demons, turning all Humans into prey.

This "blessing" is neither appreciated, nor does it actually help them. It is a curse that is woven into the fabric of their reality.

-Musings on humanity, by The Snow Queen

Imagine if, every day, you could just spend time at home with your loved ones and cook, and clean and take care of little mundane things. Wouldn't that be so nice? Like, forever and ever!

-Cezar

... Cezar no offense but I would go completely insane and start burning things past the second week.

-Jahi

Does magical research count as "little mundane things" in this scenario?

-Scrambles

Yxh!

-Cez

The "Perfect Demon" is one that uses every advantage to gather power, favors, and to slowly but steadily climb up the social power scale. The goal should always be the next rung, not looking too far ahead or becoming complacent with where one is currently.

In practice most Demons simply do not have the intelligence, energy regulation, or patience to continue their climb indefinitely. Most stall out, spinning their wheels in a grinding war of attrition that results in decades going by with very little change in power or position, or a slow descent into impdom.

The pyramidal shape of power also only allows so many Demons to exist at the top, so if too many Demons climb too quickly then a certain amount of "pruning" must occur, at the behest of the reigning Demon Masters.

Once the Demonic population passes a threshold of power and numbers then a certain amount will be sent out into the Human world, to flourish and die, and then the cycle begins again.

This system has allowed for a stable Demonic population to exist for hundreds of years, slowly cycling power up and out, while the Demonic Masters remain stable in their control.

It will do, for now.

-Notes on The Age of Sloth, by the Demon Master The HeadMaster

If a lesson or philosophical truth is learned but it does not benefit you, then you should unlearn it as quickly as possible lest it poison your future. 

-The Demon Master Jern

Better yet, make sure your enemies learn it so they will crumble under the weight of its significance.

-The Demon Master Buzhum

I do not have a complete picture, but it seems like the Head Master had a very VERY long term plan that he was steadily moving towards. He had managed to complete many of his goals, the first of which was to attain complete mastery over the other Demon Masters. Then it was to create a series of devices that culminated in the Snow Queen. She was to be used to create something called "the Infinity Brain".

The next step is hard to entirely decipher as much of his work was in code, but it seemed like he wanted to use the Infinity Brain to create a filter that would allow Demons to passively gain magica like Humans do?

Why? To what end? To grow endlessly stronger? There is also something about "the worlds beyond our world" that he thought Demons could do something to called "terra reforming". 

I do not understand these goals, but he was inscrutable, possibly insane. 

-Notes by the Demon Master Bael

You are not better than me. You are not superior to me. In a way you are less "real" than I am, for I will be the master of my own reality, and you only a member of the audience in yours.

-The Snow Queen

Um, are you taking to me, Cynthia?

-Kay

No sweetie, don't worry about it.

-The Snow Queen

Although I prefer to leave Dzu to their own devices, I could not help but send one of my students to analyze their sword. 

It is a remarkable device. I do belive it is directly connected to a sub realm. The energy it emits comes from that realm. 

How they managed to collect and fill that realm with such energy I do not know.

I do believe I know the source, as the potency of it is only matched by one other.

I do not fear Dzu, but I am wary of that weapon.

Still, they are very useful and make my own tasks easier with their presence.

-Notes by the Demon Master, The Head Master, collected by the Demon Master Bael

The sky is endless here. I feel like I will fall up into it. Why does it need to be so big? What's out there?

I'm already so small, I don't need to feel smaller. I try to get used to it, but a part of me wants to find a deep cave and disappear into it.

Hungry and alone, and scared. Maybe when I am an imp things will be simpler...

-Masterless Demon Fetan

She was born a healthy weight, a healthy size, all red and wrinkled and sticky... and I am filled with the strongest sense of love and despair.

I did not know it would be this way, to feel like I am at the edge of a great and endless pit.

She is so infinitely fragile. I have woven every spell of protection I can, and the doctors assure me that she is hitting every milestone, and Beckett is always here and always so full of patience... but I did not know it would be this way.

I take care of a CITY! I have defeated DEMONS AND MONSTERS! And yet. And yet!!

I cannot face what would become of me if something was to happen to her. And yet I cannot look away.

-Diary of Queen Augustine