Communing with the Fire Elemental Elder was like performing an elaborate ritual:
Annan first used a Magic Ring to summon an elemental. Through contact, he made it a medium, then cast a Summoning Spell to draw the attention of the Elemental Planes and bring forth the Fire Elemental Elder—
The first Magic Ring summoned an earth elemental. Annan stuck a little yellow flower on its head and sent it off to play.
The second Magic Ring summoned a water elemental. Annan tucked a copper coin into its chest and sent it off to play too.
Luck was against him today. The ritual to commune with the Fire Elemental Elder came to nothing.
Fortunately, Beludona contacted him around noon.
"I'm ready. Summon me over."
Annan summoned Beludona herself to the Main Plane.
The greatest benefit of no longer being an apprentice... or perhaps the drawback, was that Beludona no longer wore her succubus leather armor. These days, she always wore classical noble attire to show her status.
"Where's that succubus?"
"In the dungeon. Let's go."
Annan and Beludona left the City Lord's Mansion. He asked, "How are Claire and her mad brother?"
"Claire is having her soul cleansed. The Mad Dog Duke is being looked after by the lemures."
"Her soul cleansed?"
"Souls transformed into devils have their memories wiped..."
Annan frowned slightly. Memories were what made a soul who it was. Without them, Claire would be a stranger... But perhaps that was a good thing. She would be free of her brother.
"Don't worry. I'll preserve some of her precious memories for her," Beludona said softly. She was so considerate she hardly seemed like a devil.
"Won't that cause you trouble?"
"I'm a rising New Star of the Lava Sea now, a devil known to a Lord of Hell. In