Kobasratha arrived in Eceterum Alacis University, having spent the past night and some of the next day moving from body to body as necessary to get there without drawing too much attention to himself. He finally got there using one of Mallen Jex's fellow graduates, Kola Trin, a woman chosen for a specific reason. Both Mallen and Kobasratha's host were continuing to higher degrees, and both were prodigies in the field of archeology.

He shadowed Jex until he found a suitable moment, and one came fairly quickly. Locking the door behind him, Kobasratha and Jex would have at least a few minutes alone before anyone thought anything strange was happening. Still, Kobasratha saw no reason to waste time. A gritty, black smoke began to seep out of Kola's skin as she fell to the floor, unconcious. Mallen, seeing the magic, ran for the door, but two deep black phantoms manifested in his path. They couldn't hurt him, but they definitely looked like they could. The smoke solidified and now Kobasratha was in his true form, a figure towering over the human. He covered Mallen's mouth with one hand before he could scream.

"Cry for help, and you die, the authorities think Kola did it while I walk free. You're rivals, there's a motive. With my capabilties it's not hard to convince them of the rest." Kobasratha removed his hand from Mallen's mouth and let him stumble a few steps away, ensuring to place himself between the door and Mallen.

"Wh- What do you want?" Mallen stumbled over his words, very obviously in fear. "I'm a university student, I'm not important, why me over anyone else?"

Kobasratha stepped forwards, making the difference in size more apparent and himself more intimidating. "You wrote something that interests me. You've been to Doch Mol. There are some who are, shall we say, interested in what lies there. You're going to take me there, and you're going to help me decipher its riddles."

"So- So you need information. And if- And if you need information, you can't kill me, can you? Because if you do, you've lost your lead." Mallen looked more confident now, genuinely believing he'd outsmarted the demon and saved himself.

Kobasratha was laughing, and Mallen's face falling. Kobasratha wasn't that stupid. Instead, he withdrew [i]Notes on Rzailian Archeology[/i], flicked through the first handful of pages. "How sweet of you. Putting dedications to your fellows in your book. I count at least half a dozen names here that could help me. You know you're the best of them. That's why I came to you first. Understand that this does not make you necessary, however. Your friends are my contingencies."

Mallen had gone pale, and the appearance of utter fear had returned. He seemed to shrink into himself, like he was trying to make himself seem smaller. "Fine. I'll help. But I'll need supplies for the journey, at the very least to keep myself alive."

"Wait. I don't want you betraying me. To ensure that, I suggest a contract. If you betray me, your soul is forfeit. If I get what I want, you're free from the contract. I assume you understand what I consider a betrayal." As this was said, Kobasratha withdrew a sheet of paper describing the exact terms he had just uttered.

"Do I have any other choice? I understand." Mallen said, biting his lip in pain as the barbed quill that put his blood onto paper bit into his hand.

"Excellent." Kobasratha took the contract back, and it faded from the physical realm to a store on his plane. "You have one hour to get what you need and explain the absence of yourself and of Kola. You will meet me at the north gate of the city when you are ready."