I am proud to say I did not panic at that moment... though I almost did. My church and I spent all that day and part of the night searching for the demon after she had disappeared from the Eye; first the church, then the town. The sisters purified the church, clearing the area of any unclean influence. We sent clergy militia into the nearby countryside, but there was no sign of the demon anywhere. Kim Abeal � High Matron of Asanna � and I had tried to contain the news of what had happened to prevent the townspeople from panicking (and because we ourselves were not quite certain what had happened). However, one may as well keep rats in a bear cage as keep secrets in this town, especially where sisters were concerned � they are notorious gossips. Several townsfolk had come by the church to ask what had happened and to be comforted, but I had little time to tend to them personally. Smiths, tailors, cobblers and other merchants had closed their businesses in the middle of the day, and went home to their families. An entire family, the Tanns, had hastily packed a few belongings onto their horses and left town heading east, probably going to Laurel. Wonderful.
Somehow, I had loosed a demon upon this world! My head swam with horrible possibilities. I could not believe how quickly the tables had turned; I thought I had the situation pretty well in hand, only to have that control snatched from me � assuming I ever had it. I desperately wanted Minister Christov's guidance, and to be honest, somebody else to be responsible for all this. Especially since that I knew that Kim and everyone else blamed me for this on some level, which is not unreasonable, because it was my fault. If I had only waited for Minister Christov to return instead of foolishly taking this task upon myself...
But I decided early during this dilemma that I would cry over the spilt cream later. Rectifying the problem, or at least diverting everyone from panic, would take precedence. To this end I organized search parties, spoke to the townspeople, and assigned the clergy various responsibilities.
Sometime after sunset, I knelt in my sanctuary � where I had released the demon � and for the fifth or sixth time that chaotic day, prayed to Haleon for guidance and strength. After about two minutes of praying, the demon�s feminine drone � I recognized it immediately � came from somewhere above me. "It must be comforting, to have something greater than you to rely on."
I leapt to my feet with a start, my heart in my throat, and looked around. I saw no one. I looked at the Brass Eye on the table, and saw the tiny figure of the glabrezu-demon in the lens, barely visible against the inky black background except for her glowing, lavender eyes. My jaw worked, but I was unable to say anything. She seemed to move closer to the lens, and observed me curiously. Finally, after a few long moments, I managed, "Where... where did you go?"
Her ears perked. "Where did I go? What do you mean, human?"
Anger crept into my voice. "You were gone for the last few hours. Where were you?"
"Ah," she said, nodding sagely as if in realization. Casually, "I was always here. Obviously, I cannot leave. And I see your attitude has not improved."
I lowered my voice. "But... I didn't see you in there."
She smiled disarmingly. (How she managed that with a dog�s muzzle is difficult to describe.) "I simply faded from view. As you might pull blinds over a window, I can choose to appear or not appear to those looking into my prison. My privacy is one of the few dignities I have left." A pause, then, "To you, however, I can see how it appeared that I had left. An understandable conclusion."
An enormous sense of relief washed over me, so overwhelming I had to sit down. I rested my head in my sweaty hands, and breathed deeply. I heard the demon chuckle softly. "Believe me, had I the ability to leave this device, you would not ever have found me here."
The door to my sanctuary opened slightly; I had left it ajar when I entered. Nathan and Kim were standing there, regarding me with some concern. Nathan said, "Jerik, we heard some talking back here. Was anyone else back here with you, or are you praying?" But his expression, and Kim's, asked, Are you mad? After all, it was easy enough to tell the difference between normal speech and the low, reverent tone of prayer. And since they saw no one else in the room with me, it was easy enough to assume I had lost my sensibility. I nodded and smiled wearily, indicating I was fine. I turned the Brass Eye so they could see the glabrezu within it. "Our... friend... is safe and sound. And so are we, it seems."
That I was conversing with a demon trapped in a magical device probably disturbed them far more than the idea I was talking to myself. In any case, we told the clergy to spread the word that we had everything under control, that it was all a false alarm and nothing was wrong. We made certain that they made the effort to inform everyone, even sending someone on a swift horse that night after the Tann family. If premature conjecture and rumors were responsible for the town's panic, then it is only right the rumormongers help mitigate the damage they caused.

Exhausted from the day's events and the lack of good sleep the night before, I went home and lay down. I slept soundly the rest of the day and most of the evening; I had no dreams I can remember. But I awoke some hour not long after the sun had set, and found despite the fact I was still tired, I was unable to go back to sleep � and the Brass Eye was the first thing I thought of when I awoke. I tossed and turned, and I prayed, and I tried to push the demon's face out of my mind. I could not.
So at some point I got up, dressed, left my home and walked to the church. My memories of that journey are surreal and disjointed, as if it were a dream; I remember bits and pieces, and it is difficult to write of it now. The moon was a mere sliver in the sky, providing almost no light, but I apparently navigated the short distance through the town. I see myself entering the church's front door, unlocking and relocking the massive brass lock. The audience hall was still and quiet, with a few lit candles to provide illumination. I walked through the back halls of the church, holding a candle I must have gotten from the rectory. I unlocked the door to my sanctuary and entered. I stifled a yawn, and fought to blink away the sleep dust in my eyes.
The flickering candlelight illuminated the room. Nothing had been disturbed since I left; the Brass Eye still sat on the table. An eerie, pallid light issued from the front if the device. I walked over, put the candle down on the table, and opened the window behind the table � the fresh, cool air would help me stay awake. I sat in front of the Eye. The runes around the lens were glowing dull orange, its luminescence much more apparent in darkness than in daylight.
The lens was blank, and so black it appeared to be carved of solid onyx. But, after only a moment, I saw the demon slowly materialize within the Eye. Cold dread suddenly set in, shocking me to full wakefulness from whatever half-sleep my mind had been in. Just what in the name of Haleon was I doing, sitting here in the middle of the night, alone, in front of some unholy artifact containing a demon�
After a split second of unreasoning fear, I came to my senses. This is what I came here to do, right? To confront the demon? I made the decision to walk all the way from my house to be here. What did I think would happen?
(Or was it a conscious decision at all? Because, to this day, I do not remember actually deciding to go to the church. I remember waking, dressing, and walking there � I could even tell you how cool the night air was, and which shoes I wore � but as I said before, I cannot remember actually deciding to go.)
In any case, I was there, and I think I managed to regain some of my comportment by the time the glabrezu had fully materialized. If she could tell I was out of sorts, she gave no indication she did. "Hello, young human � what did your friends call you before? Jerik, yes?"
I nodded. Before thinking, I asked, "What's your name?"
She smiled and shook her head slowly, like she was correcting a daft child. Ah, of course. It would be a silly demon that would be so loose-lipped with its name. I felt stupid for having asked. Already, it seemed like she was once more dealing the cards to me. "So, if I may ask, Sir Jerik, what do you need of me?"
I did not really have a good reason to disturb her rest. I quickly improvised and asked, "Why are you within the Brass Eye� err, this device?"
She smiled wryly and looked about herself, as if examining her surroundings. She said, as if to herself, "'The Brass Eye'. That seems as good a name for this prison as any." She looked at me. "But in answer to your question, the necromancer Terbias found my True Name and summoned me. He then used a spell to trap me within this device."
"Why?" My heart had slowed down, and the fear began to bleed away. Now my dominant drive was curiosity.
"I imagine for the same reasons anyone would acquire a slave or beast of burden. He kept me in here until he needed for me to perform some service for him, then he put me back in storage once I had done his bidding." Scarlet fire flashed in her eyes and her voice grew bitter, but her expression did not change.
"What kind of 'services' did you perform? Killing? Corrupting souls?"
The demon grinned, revealing sharp teeth. "Yes, killing and tasks of that sort. Except I did not corrupt anyone, at least as far as I know. Terbias would send me after an enemy he wanted dead, or to procure dead or living specimens for his necromantic research. Distasteful things such as that."
My eyebrows went up. "Excuse me, 'distasteful'? Don't demons like doing all that?"
Her tone became patronizing and sardonic, and she looked at her hands. "Ah, of course, Jerik. Being that we demons are the epitome of Evil, I should feel privileged whenever I am given the opportunity to tear a poor soul to screaming shreds or raid tombs for corpses like some ghoul."
"Well, you are a demon."
She dropped her gaze to look at her hands, and absently cleaned under her sharp, black claws as she spoke. "I apologize if I seem impatient. But I had assumed I was speaking to a rational individual. I should not be disappointed that I am not, though. In all the millennia I have lived, I have not found even one reasonable mortal." The demon looked at me again with barely restrained rage. "And you humans," spitting the last word, "are ones to speak of Evil. I have been summoned by humans on no few occasions, and each and every time they snatched me from my beloved Abyss, they forced me into service. And without exception, these mortals commanded me to perform violent and terrible acts in their stead. Never did they have me perform an act of charity or kindness, nor did they show me any to me. You humans are cowards, and you fear to endanger yourselves or soil your hands with the fruits of your own poisonous desires. So you have we demons do your dirty work."
Angry, I sat up and leaned forward. "How dare you judge me by the actions of others! I'd never summon something like you in the first place, much less send you to inflict harm on my fellow man."
"I speak only from experience, Jerik," said the demon. "Never has a human, or any but my own 'evil' kind, shown me any respect or considered my own will. Humans call upon us to perform terrible acts, and then they revile and condemn us for it. And how could we not be tainted by our own actions, even if it was done at the bidding of another?" A thoughtful pause. "So yes, perhaps I am Evil, made so by all the monstrous acts I have committed. I have the blood of countless mortals on my hands. But my lack of free will is no excuse for my terrible deeds, it would seem."
I thought for a few seconds, my tired mind trying to assimilate all this. I asked, "You mean to tell me that you would not have done these things had you not been forced to? If you had free will, you would not have murdered or performed other violent acts?"
"I am on this plane against my will, and for as long as I have existed, I have never come here of my own accord. If I had my way, I would be in the Abyss now. Without having been summoned here, I would not have been commanded to perform those violent acts, nor would I have even had the opportunity to do so. So no, Jerik, I would not have of my own free will done the things I was forced to while enslaved. Free will became a non-factor as soon as I arrived on this plane. Not, I am sure, that it pardons my actions in your eyes." I nodded my head slowly as she spoke, listening, though I still felt my question had been skirted. She looked squarely at me and said simply, "You do not believe me."
I paused, considering my words carefully. "It�s not like I don't want to believe you. But you demons are known for deceits, treachery, and for befuddling the minds of mortals."
"Yes, Jerik, we find it quite easy to influence you mortals." Her arrogance was annoying, but I said nothing. "And admittedly, if I could use my powers through the window of this 'Brass Eye', I would have long since charmed you into letting me go free. But consider this, mortal. If I wanted to lie to you, it would have been to my advantage to have done so already."
Intrigued, I asked, "Oh, how so?" Sleepy tears formed in my eyes, and I yawned.
"First, I did not have to reveal my presence to you humans to begin with. I could have kept the shades drawn, as it were, and you would likely have considered my prison nothing more than a bauble or curiosity. Or, I could have simply remained hidden inside the prison when you assumed I escaped. All I would have had to do was bide my time until someone dispelled the magic in the item, or freed me while trying to divine its purpose. It may have taken a while for such events come to pass, but I am willing to bet they would have, and I have time on my side. And I could have let you believe that you had me bound by my True Name when you thought it was 'glabrezu'."
"But," I countered, "I'm no better off now, because I still don't know your True Name." I was surprized by the demon�s command of logic, but I concentrated on keeping my mind clear.
"Correction. Now you know that you do not know my True Name, and that you cannot bind me. You would not have known this if I had not corrected you. Without my having pointed out your error, you would have had a false sense of security and control... a vulnerability I could have exploited."
There were a lot of ifs in her argument, but I could not argue with her reasoning. True, it would have not have been any problem for her to lie to me. Of course, I thought, that might only be what she wants me to think. I rubbed my eyes.
In a flash of deductive inspiration, I asked, "How do I know anything you've been telling me is true? For example, that your True Name is isn't 'Glabrezu?'"
She shrugged her larger set of shoulders. "Ah. True, I could be lying to you about all of this. If you care to do some research into fiends, and make sure your sources are reliable, you will find that the taxonomic information I gave you is correct. But of course, all these sources may also be lies; obviously, the information you obtained before was not reliable, who is to say other tomes on demons will be?" She grinned wickedly, "By all means, however, you are free to release me from the Brass Eye and then attempt to bind me by the name 'Glabrezu'. In fact, I implore you to do so."
She had a maddening way of always staying at least two steps ahead of me; not a great feat, considering how sleepy I was. In near-exasperation, I asked, "So, why even be honest? What�s the point? If I were imprisoned like you were, I can't say I wouldn't lie my head off to free myself."
The she-demon paused briefly, then smiled wryly. "A very good point. Perhaps I should have thought all of this through better. Apparently, I am not quite as intelligent as you humans give my kind credit for."
I did not believe that. Not at all.

At some point as I was talking to the demon, the Brass Eye started to grow. The item expanded until it filled my vision, the lens becoming a circular door into darkness. I did not see the demon within it. I could not move; I am not sure it even occurred to me to try, at least until I felt myself drawn into the darkness. I fought as I was pulled within the Eye. But by the time I could control my body, I turned only to see my sanctuary... from within the device. From my vantage point I could only see a massive, inhuman shadow moving in the room.
No! Somehow, the demon had somehow switched places with me. I slammed my fists into the thick window, but to no avail; I may as well had been hitting an iron wall. Thunderous footsteps caused the Brass Eye to vibrate so violently that I almost fell. I heard the sanctuary door open, receding footsteps, distant roars, and shrill screams.
Then I was alone in the cold darkness, with only the dim candlelight filtering into the Eye�s large window.
No matter how loud or long I screamed, no one heard. I prayed fervently, but Haleon did not answer. I realized that this was now my prison, and I would stay in here forever. Exhausted, I fell into a dreamless sleep, which would be my only escape from this hell.
Some time later, I was awakened by more light coming through the window. At first I thought it was daylight, but the light was chaotic and undulating, like candlelight...
Or like fire.
I renewed my screams, but no one could hear me. Soon, I saw my room catch fire, and I could do nothing but watch it burn around me. The flames spread along the walls, and my heart sank further as it reduced a small shelf of holy texts to ash. Mercifully, I felt no heat as the table caught fire and the flame licked against the Brass Eye. There was a weird shifting sensation as the table collapsed and the Brass Eye fell. I felt a distant but heavy impact as my prison punched through the burnt wood floor and into darkness. I knew then that I would never be discovered.
Some time later still, a loud rapping sound roused me from my blessed sleep, and woke me to shivering coldness. I could tell through my closed eyes that some sort of light was pouring though the lens-window. I squeezed my eyes closed, not wanting to see what new horror this was. I prayed for oblivion for perhaps the thousandth time. More rapping. The she-demon had returned and was tapping on the Brass Eye, mocking and tormenting me. "Jerik? Hello, Jerik, are you in there?"

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