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Stitia, Plane of 13 Deaths (RPG Style Saga/My First Saga)
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"So... you accepted the position with no conflict? Go on." The horde clears out of the way. There must be a good 20 of them at least. An armed escort surrounded you on the way in, and a small fighting force met you on the way out. Does Conse not trust you?
Kia has been taken into the chamber, reuniting with her parents. From what you can hear, she is becoming a Retributionist at only 17. This is the youngest age anyone has been made a Retributionist, so the Six must be highly trusting in her abilities...
You are guided to your new home. Your temple in the Center of Prayer will have to wait, as you are brought to an immaculate cathedral.
"Right this way Ishka. Not only will this be your place of business, but this will be your new earthen home. Of course, you still have your chamber in the Beyond. But with your duty comes a lot of responsibilities. I'm Terra, and I'll be your assistant."
You are led to the highest room in the cathedral, where your office shall be.
"Meow!"
You look down, and you see a small white and black cat with a very fluffy tail. It comes out of the door and smooches your leg.
"Luna! How do you get in here?"
"Mew!" Suddenly, the cat fades into blue mist as it runs past you. Your new chair is covered in cat hair.
"My goodness. That chair was hand made by the finest furniture makers in Ystheria. Now look at it! Erm- sorry I'm getting off track. Welcome to your office. There will be a lot of people coming to see you from day-to-day, but I'm confident that together, we can deal with the problems that plague this land. They stem far beyond the political; rebels, riots, assassinations among your own kind, committed by angels. There's an entire faction dedicated to the chaos that corrupts our land and we need it to stop. Now... where do we begin? First I think I should introduce you to some things around here."
You remember the sigil Nohel gave you. So... what of the issues that plague this land? You touch it, and suddenly, you understand everything that's going on.
The region is being overrun by The New Order, a group of angels that carry out acts against the Six. They riot, they sabotage, but most importantly, they kill. You learn that the last person to take your place, a fellow angel, was assassinated by three of their elites. This assassination, combined with several major angels rebelling, caused their popularity and influence to skyrocket. This will be your most important concern.
Another one of your major concerns actually regards Yrntrn. A group is planning a heist on the Beyond, and they are steadily gaining increased momentum. You need to stop them; one group plans to steal divine artifacts, and the other plans to face the gods themselves. However, this isn't an immediate concern, as there are forces dealing with them.
Lastly, there's something that's been concerning you. Why do the gods want to hide the secrets of the Cursed Rebirth from you? Why don't they trust you? And most importantly, what did Conse mean when he mentioned trivial matters? Does he know your secret?
Choose which one of these issues you would like to prioritize. Also, if you would like, you may choose a particular task you'd like to do, or I can give you options (for example, you could directly say you want to go to Yrntrn to investigate the heist, or that you want to look into The New Order.
Mastiffa looks at Kerial: "So, you are trying to say Khantsievth wants this demon Zanletesh dead? That will not be a nice sacrifice to him? We have our troops out and we are going forward, your master will not be pleased to have a better outcome than a retreat?"
Featuring @EpicBoss99 as Verth and @Tommia as Joseph
The last day has passed on Stitia. Verth looks towards the sky for a sign of light, but all he sees is a faint red glow on distant clouds. The moon seemed four times its size compared to what is was before. Before this all started. Before everything changed. Both Verth and Joseph were only getting stronger by the moment. Konrad's spirit flees the destroyed hut that was once Uvras's as Joseph flies into the sky, embracing his newly bolstered but already great power.
Uttering an incantation, Joseph lifts a talon, drawing in a powerful spirit. His own spirit flows from his body, dancing around the other. He continues to lift the talon, and the second spirit finds his body. He pulls it in, and tucks himself in, suspended only by the flapping of wereraven wings as the rest of his form shifts. His spirit fades somewhere, but where?
The feathers vanish into patches of grey fur. Talons become claws, and the beak becomes a muzzle, but in a display of mastery over his power, the new form of Joseph retains its wings, which grow to accompany the towering being. A monstrosity, bearing the strength to level the entire forest around him. Standing tall enough to shadow Verth from the moon is the form of the hunter's oldest enemy, trapped in the shell of their newest threat.
“When you found out I killed Layre, I felt it within you. The relief you felt, knowing you'd never have to worry about him again, was incomparable to the hatred and envy of stolen vengeance. You sold your humanity for that moment, when a talon would run through Layre's neck, his blood dripping as you cherished his dying breath. You turned me into a monster just so you could kill him! Don't tell me for a second you aren't twisted, to ruin the lives of hundreds just to kill one man..." Verth doesn't respond, standing completely still as he looks Joseph in the eyes. "Very well. I digress. If you really want to kill him so bad, let me see you try! Or, if you were wise, you would bow down in fear!” Joseph prepares to attack, letting out claws the size of fingers. "This is your only chance. Embrace the beast inside of you! Join my side, and together, we can rule the world!"
"You're absolutely right. I should embrace the power I have. And because of that, you can't make me give in to fear." Verth calmly replied, staring up at the massive creature closing in on him. As he spoke, Verth felt a strange feeling bubbling up in his chest. Never before has he felt such courage in the face of danger. As his hands shook, he clenched his fists, and flawlessly transformed into his wereraven form. However, it was not the same as before. Magic coursed through his body as he felt something click inside of him.
"Know this, Joseph. From this day forth, I will use every ounce of my strength, spend every minute of time I have on this earth, to prove you wrong. You aren't a scion of power, and inhumanity isn't the path to greatness. You may have taken Uvras from me, but underneath all that magic and talk, you're just a sad little man who didn't have the strength to fight your hunger for power. And what's one man against all of Stitia and the hope that all of us share?"
Suddenly, an influx of mana emerges from the surrounding terrain. Joseph smiles. As it flows into Verth's body, he awakens, changed. He swore never to use magic in his time, but right now, against a foe like this, simple moral quandaries were out the window. It was time to embrace his true potential.
"A man?" Joseph roars. His response is followed by a deep bellied laugher. "Don't treat me like I'm some sorry miserable bag of flesh! I didn't live this long because I'm weak, or because I'm a mere man. I have hundreds of thousands of allies. They all whisper to me, telling me secrets and answering to my every whim. This mere shell of mine is like a feather to a flame compared to the mythril that is my true power. My body is disposable. It means nothing. But even then, it's still a much greater asset to me than yours is to you, so I hope you don't mind handing yours over..."
"I would never bow down to the likes of you!" Verth kneels down, then suddenly, the earth shakes, and the rest of the hut collapses as he bursts into the air. A red blast of energy leaves the ground scorched. As he closes in, he hopes he can, per chance, use this man's power against him. He prepares a feint, lighting in the air as he moves, then swiftly prepares to tear into Joseph and take back the power he stole.
"This is why I hate mortal shells. Such a powerful creature, hindered by a weakness to light! Of course you'd exploit it, but sadly for you, anything you can do, I can do better."
Joseph snaps his finger. Suddenly, for a brief moment, Verth's newfound magic is taken away. A great fireball the size of Verth is flung towards him, glowing with enough radiance to light the whole forest. Verth can't see, but he somehow dodges the fireball, and uses this opportunity to attack Joseph with another swipe, This one hits a bone. He hears a snap, and a small piece of the behemoth's rib cage is knocked loose. Faster than the eye can see, he uses Joseph's moment of weakness to dive into him, and Joseph is knocked out of the sky.
Joseph shakes himself off and stands up, weak. The impact broke his back, but he is still in fighting form. He uses what strength he has to tear into the largest tree he can find, downing a large oak tree. Verth moves to attack, but Joseph's eyes glow red, and with a snap through the air, Joseph hits Verth with the tree, sending him flying through the forest. His impact against a rock is incredible, but somehow, Verth is unscathed. The power coursing through him is immense, and he almost feels completely unstoppable.
"Heheheheheh... finally. A fair fight." Joseph collapses to the ground as Layre dies from internal bleeding, his body overworked by the auramancer. Joseph's spirit emerges from the body, and it transforms back into Joseph's own. "Looks like my power was too much for Layre to handle. I must say, you made quick work of him. And yet I feel it. You lust for more bloodshed. More violence. Be my guest..."
Joseph took 1 damage. His HP is now 9.
"Then we will set a camp nearby, Ana, you are in charge of getting more troops, and ask our new pirate friends if they want to partake on this adventure, we will need their explosives, and holy water, a lot of them"
"It's a shame... I should of really kept Uvras alive. Then I could of stolen his body... heheheheheh- oh- HAHAHAHAHAH! I would of loved to see you scream as you had to kill your own best friend in order to survive! But alas, I was hungry. It looks like I'll need another shell in order for this to be a fair fight... for you."
Joseph begins an incantation, and his body disappears into a plume of bloody smoke that he proceeds to absorb. Suddenly, another plume of smoke emerges, this one black and oily. What appears is a zombified demon, who is slightly confused.
"Why did you call me here, master?"
"Your contract is in default, and it just so happens I need a fresh body."
"But I-"
Suddenly, Joseph rips out the demon's soul, absorbing it. Then, he takes their body, and prepares his next attack.
"So... you are quite strong, but trust me. I'm holding back. I've trained in many arts, and I can use the magic of any spirit I've absorbed. Come at me!"
Joseph begins to morph into his werehyena form, saliva dripping from his mouth as he stares, waiting for you to strike.
Make a card to represent your next action against me. Points will given based mainly on balance, realism, and syntax. Your card does not have to be capable of doing damage. In fact, it doesn’t even need to be damaging in any way. Effectiveness is determined solely by card score.
Your entry will be scored from 0-15, with the target being ten. The player with the lowest score (my score = the target) will take damage equal to the difference between your score and the target. Your HP is 7, and Joseph’s HP is 9. Joseph can heal if you were to flee.
Criteria:
• 5 points for overall effect and balancing.
• 4 points for realism, following color pie, and proper rarity. You may lose a point if the effect of the card is unclear.
• 3 points for fitting the colors and themes of your character. (Villains are exempt to this rule; it will always be equal to your color score)
• 2 points for proper grammar and syntax
• 1 point for flavor (text not required; mainly checking if overall fell of the card fits its art, name, etc.)
//They stole Mastiffa's beer shipment, you know.
I'll be back with you in a moment (working on art)
Draundr is waiting...
"Mastiffa..."
"Mastiffa."
"Mastiffa Oklein... Madame?"
Three voices are fighting for dominance inside of your mind as you rest.
"Why must you take the path of violence, Mastiffa?" The same voice from earlier. Zanletesh. "Rest your weapons. Khantsievth treats you like a slave, and expects you to work like one. With me, you could achieve much more than you could now. So many people are about to die in his wake, but I have no intentions on eradicating humanity. He threatens you with death? I will protect you. He sends out servants to threaten you? I will dispel them. You have proven you are worth much more than hard work and gore. I could bury you in riches! I could bathe you in power! And most importantly, I wouldn't kill you over such trivial things as blood..."
"Don't listen to him!" You remember this voice. Khantsievth. "Zanletesh seeks to take my place as the Great Archdemon. If it weren't for the intervention of the Six, he would of killed me when he had the chance! He is untrustworthy. He attempts to manipulate his subjects into pacts using magic. He takes advantage of every he can, and he merely wants to gain the power he needs to escape so he can ravage the plane and take it as his own! Obey me, as you have, and kill that wretched Zanletesh!"
"With great whispers of power and demands of blood should come great questioning, Mastiffa." Who is that? It's... a man...
"The others can't be trusted... Khantsievth! He abused me!" What?! It's... Norana!
"All these demons talking about killing and eradication. I can help you escape. I can reunite you with Norana. My entire life I've helped people with problems like these. I'll do whatever you need me to do to get these demons off of your back, as long as you promise you'll do the same for me. In addition, I have the power to free your sister. All you have to do is say the word, and I'll tell you where to meet me."
Your eyes snap open. The cold desert night is filled with howling winds.
"Come to me, and I could give you freedom."
"Fulfill my wish, for the body of that demon, and your debt will be paid in full."
"Don't trust the demons. They've betrayed my clients. I demand no blood. No payment. Only a promise that you'll help me when I need it the most."
Choose who you will be devoted to:
- Zanletesh
- Khantsievth
- The Stranger
Hey @Derain2 , Imma inhabit your body now. Hopefully you like the power boost!
And here's a blessing to go along with that possession
This was living up to be quite the showdown. Prior to meeting Joseph, this duel was what Verth imagined the fight against Layre would be like. However, as recent events have shown him, Layre was nothing compared to the level of power that Joseph has displayed. Verth had reached a strength beyond his wildest dreams, and yet evil still held a strong grasp on Delvad and greater Stitia as a whole. If Verth wanted justice to prevail, he couldn't possibly retreat. Verth would personally see to the death of Joseph or die trying.
The threats and mockery that Joseph used in an attempt to strike Verth's resolve went unheard. Verth was too focused to be shaken by words alone. But as the demonic abomination stared him down with a drooling maw, Verth couldn't help but wonder if he really could defeat Joseph.
Was it really possible to defeat something that could steal bodies?
What if Joseph escapes this bout?
Would he pretend to be one of my closest allies?
These thoughts swam through Verth's head, dominating his psyche as he calculated his next move.
No, this was the old Verth. The old Verth would worry about the future, or what his opponent was thinking. In order for Verth to grow, his mindset of doubt and disappointment had to disappear. After fighting himself for over two months now, Verth's final opponent wasn't this hellish beast standing before him. It was himself.
Verth glared back at the beast, steeling himself for his strongest attack yet. White fire burst from Verth's eyes as he pushed off of the tree behind him. The tree exploded along with twenty others behind it as Verth rose high into the air. After reaching the beginning of the stratosphere, he spread his wings and stared up at the night sky. Verth swore he saw the sun glimmer between the dark clouds as he entered a free fall. Suddenly, Verth's new magical powers instinctively kicked in as holy flames covered him. He plummeted from the sky like a meteor towards Joseph, his fiery rage focused and controlled for the good of Stitia. If by the impossible chance that Joseph survives, this was definitely going to hurt.
"Running away so soon? But we're just getting started!"
A pain begins to swell inside of your head. This man talks too much. You shake the thought of him out of your head and focus on delivering this mighty blow to him.
"Such a stale show. The same performance in a different costume. Are you only capable of divebombing people?" Wicked laughter fills your head as the headache turns into an intense pressure. "You're no all-powerful wereraven! You're an annoying seagull, pelting people trying to mind their own business just so you achieve petty things. If it weren't for your greed and selfish desires, we wouldn't be fighting! This could of been a peaceful night, but you came here with the sole intention of killing me. I could be alone, enjoying a cup of tea singing my favorite songs. You think I'm a psychopath?! I'm merely preserving myself just as you had. I've only ruined one life so far to rectify what you've done. I've spoken to hundreds you've cursed, afflicted with a fate worse than death, and it's all your fault!"
It is all my fault, isn't it?
A ringing fills your ears. Your vision fades into flashbacks as the fire surrounding you dissipates. You are in immense pain as you plummet towards the ground, but your mind is back to that day, when the plan was set into action.
"Verth... Promise me that if I do this, that it will be for the better. This spell has the potential to ruin lives, or even end them. Not only will the lycanthropes grow in power, but you won't be the only one transformed by this. There is a potential that, even if all goes well, we could be creating a far worse threat than you intend to solve."
Tears begin to roll down your face. This is the exact thing Uvras told you would happen. You didn't heed his warning, and because of your carelessness, Uvras died to the very threat he warned you would come...
"Uvras knew it. This is all your fault!"
You're right... it is my fault...
"But know this. I'll make sure that Uvras didn't die in vain!"
Your eyes open. Your hearing returns. You are fast approaching as Joseph becomes visible again, and your focus returns as you escape the illusion. You let out a caw as the sacred fire returns, burning brighter than before, and you pass through Joseph, ripping his spirit out of the demon's body. The body scatters into ashes as the fire burns at Joseph's very soul.
"Hmph. I seemed to of underestimated you. Very well. No more playing fair, Verth Odbar! Your soul is mine!"
Joseph's voice seems to echo through the entire forest as he locks eyes with you. He isn't summoning another shell this time...
Joseph took 5 damage. His HP is now 4.
Make a card to represent your next action against me. Points will given based mainly on balance, realism, and syntax. Your card does not have to be capable of doing damage. In fact, it doesn’t even need to be damaging in any way. Effectiveness is determined solely by card score.
Your entry will be scored from 0-15, with the new target being thirteen. The player with the lowest score (my score = the target) will take damage equal to the difference between your score and the target. To prevent extreme damage, for every point below ten, you will only take half damage. Your HP is 7, and Joseph’s HP is 4. Joseph can heal if you were to flee.
Criteria:
• 5 points for overall effect and balancing.
• 4 points for realism, following color pie, and proper rarity. You may lose a point if the effect of the card is unclear.
• 3 points for fitting the colors and themes of your character. (Villains are exempt to this rule; it will always be equal to your color score)
• 2 points for proper grammar and syntax
• 1 point for flavor (text not required; mainly checking if overall fell of the card fits its art, name, etc.)
Choose who you will be devoted to:
- The Stranger
"If you want to -help-, aid our forces on this mission, as bad as my current -master- is, you are swinging hollow promises without any assurance that it is real, Im pissed and want some retribution"
"What's the matter?!" Danny is scared.
"Your friend Draundr needs to see you."
"Well well. Looks like someone got done early." Rusty gets on Scarf.
"Now I thought he was a-" You stop Danny before he can finish.
"That doesn't matter, you. Now let's go!"
@BudGetTheCam @EnvyReaper Schoren and co. are guided to a meeting hall. There, Lilith and Scarf are transformed back into humans, and everyone is given back their belongings. A manticore with a red man walks into the room, and everyone goes on alert.
"I'm under the understanding that you were looking for a manticore." It says. "Well, I'm Kerial, but as I discussed with your friend, I know only about your friend what my master wills me to know."
"Are you sure you aren't lying?" Lilith draws one of her swords.
"Now would I lie to the wandering princess?" Kerial replies snidely.
"Hold on... where's Jessica?!" Danny is panicking.
"Maybe she ran to her boyfriend." Scarf jokes again.
"That's a good question." Rusty notes. "She's the brains in this group, and prob'ly the only reason we made it this far. Without her, wha'da we do?"
"Draundr! Urgent news!" A man marches into the room. "Garrett went AWOL! Someone saw them vanish into black smoke!"
"I told you we shouldn't of trusted her!" Danny is pale.
"Are you sure they weren't making anything up?!" Lilith is highly questionable of this man's declaration.
"All of my accounts line up. He performed a small favor for a townsfolk before having a small conversation with a strange man. Then, he went down an alley and poof! Gone!"
"Can't keep her legs shut! He told her not to come and she did anyways!" Scarf is leaning back in a wooden chair, which he accidentally tips too far back. The chair falls into a suit of armor, causing it to fall, and Scarf is nearly impaled by the sword it was holding.
"You okay?!" Lilith immediately rushes to heal Scarf, but to no avail. You two inform her that Triskaidians cannot be healed.
"Damned whippersnapper!" Rusty walks over and yokes Scarf up by his collar. "Can you not go anywhere without destroyin' somethin'?!"
"Anyways, here's the deal. We can worry about your missing friend later-"
"We need to do something now!" Lilith is distraught.
"Nope! She's very apparently not the same, happy wizard we knew her to be! She can rot in damnation!"
"Danny! How could you say something like that?!" Lilith gives him a piercing glare.
"I'm with 'im! I didn't sign up for this ****!" Rusty seconds.
"Demon, devil, sinner, saint. What difference does it make?!" Scarf says as he points a finger at Rusty. "She's our ally, and it's our duty to make sure she comes back alive! I might be a maniac, but I'm definitely not a traitor!"
What will you prioritize? The hunt against Darna's killer, or searching for Jessica?
"We should find who Jessica was speaking to before she disappeared, Jessica, on the other hand, might have truly gone AWOL, we should take that into account when looking for her."
"Armed forces? You're getting to the good part..."
Another angel walks into the room, their stature grand as they make their way into the door.
"Lord Arbiter Altreya!" Terra is surprised to see her here. You haven't met the new Lord Arbiter yet. "It's a pleasant surprise to see you here!"
"It would be shameful for me to not be here. Ishka, I'm glad to see you're in a position you actually deserve." Altreya offers a handshake, and you hesitantly accept. "Don't be so uptight. I'm familiar with the fact that you and the last Arbiter didn't get along so well, but don't worry about me. I'm not a backseat driver. As long as you're getting your job done, you won't have to worry about me." Altreya is holding a scroll. "As they say, the end justifies the means."
"Anyways, we plan on starting by cleaning up the streets around here."
"Excellent! Those damned rebels won't know what hit 'em." As you stand at the other side of a table across from Altreya, she rolls out the scroll, revealed to be a map.
"This is a heat map of the city. The lower the number, the greater the risk of the sector collapsing into anarchy. To say the least, our goal is to keep them from reaching 0."
"I see everything is good in Wishex?"
"Splendid! A group of pro-peace protestors from Wishex just recently intercepted a riot in Chansth. If there's hope anywhere, it's there."
It seems pretty obvious that if Dydyg is at a two, it's about to collapse.
"Absolutely, Ishka. Dydyg is in absolute disaster! It's been infested by protestors from other regions, flooding Hitcherald with chaos! And the citizens there are probably the furthest from Hexism that anyone in Hitcherald could ever be. I'll let you call the shots in the future, but for now, there's a riot going on in Dydyg. I'd like to watch you work."
For this scenario only, you will be required to act on a violent protest in Dydyg.
Treat each sector as though its heat rating was a life bar. Once it reaches 0, it falls.
Failing any of these challenges may not harm you, but they hurt both the sector and your public image.
For this challenge, choose how you would like to intercept the riot. Then, make a card to fit the criteria for that solution.
- Countermeasures: Create a soldier to suppress the rioters. This will be a non-legendary creature, and it must have a Soldier subtype. Target is 10. Neutral response. For every point above target you are, you'll restore 1 point to Dydyg.
- Eradication: Use extreme force to suppress the rioters. This will either be a legendary creature or a powerful instant or sorcery. Target is 8, but you may be seen as a violent person. Every two points above target you are, rounded down, will restore 1 point to Dydyg.
- Resolution: Send a cleric in an attempt to calm down the protestors and reason with them. This will be a non-legendary creature, and it must have a Cleric subtype. Target is 12, but a successful suppression will result in a favorable public image. Every point above target will restore 2 points to Dydyg.
Points will given based mainly on balance, realism, and syntax. Your card does not have to be capable of doing damage. However, if you are making a soldier, it must have some kind of offensive capabilities, and if it's a legendary creature or instant/sorcery, it must be significant in some kind of way. Effectiveness is determined mainly by card score.
Your entry will be scored from 0-15. For every point below target your entry is, Dydyg will suffer one level of degradation. Dydyg has two points left.
Criteria:
• 5 points for overall effect and balancing.
• 4 points for realism, following color pie, and proper rarity, and fitting response path. You may lose a point if the effect of the card is unclear.
• 3 points for fitting the colors and themes of your character. (Jeskai)
• 2 points for proper grammar and syntax
• 1 point for flavor (text not required; mainly checking if overall fell of the card fits its art, name, etc. You are not required to submit art with your cards if you cannot find it, and you will not be penalized if you do.)
"Such a shame we couldn't make a deal then." Zanletesh's voice hisses in your head, a booming roar that rings your ears. "Very well. Know that you'll pay the price for your hostilities."
The fort around you begins to shake violently. You cannot move.
"Mastiffa Oklein." Violent. Wretched. Deeper than the chasms of the hells. You know what stands before you is merely a projection of Khantsievth's conscience, but it's voice still feels very real, striking your heart with painful fear. "You would dare betray me?" Using only his sheer willpower, you are lifted by your neck off of the bed you were resting on. You are choked as you hang above the stony floor. "Very well. You would dare chase empty promises from an entity that dares to interfere with our affairs? Then you will chase them to hell!" A chasm opens underneath you. You've only seen it once before, when you begged for a second chance at life. This is it... "Mastiffa Oklein! Your soul is in default, and with it, the soul of your sister, Norana. You will be powerless to resist your fate."
"You can't take something you can't reach, demon!" The voice from earlier. Suddenly, a being materializes out of stone, You feel your life essence taken away by it as it prepares to strike, but that is the last thing you see before your conscience fades...
6 AM...
"Mastiffa! Mastiffa!" The same stone familiar attempts to revive you. The stranger... saved your life. "Thank goodness you're alright. Look. I was able to hold off his familiar and protect your soul, but that isn't gonna last. Meet me in Delvad as soon as possible. I'll need your assistance before we can get things settled. You don't mind getting your hands dirty, do you?"
"Look. I know you don't trust her anymore, Danny, but could you let it slide?!" Lilith is hysterical. "If it weren't for this demon right in front of us, we'd be dead right now, and if it weren't for Jessica, well, same situation!"
"And instead we're his damned errand boys!" Rusty stands up and looks at Lilith. "I've went along with this just 'cause you said it was the right thing t'do. But the more I think about it, the more this seems like it's a goose chase waitin' t'go wrong! First, we find this mana core, then they turn out t'not be the killer, which, Drawn deer, are you even sure they ain't lyin'?! Then, Jessica disappears in a puffa smoke after receiving receivin' a letter from, probably, another demon!"
"So it's a love triangle now? Got it." Scarf is failing to take any of this very seriously. "So, why are we sitting here? We need to find Jessica so she can finish teaching me how to brew glamours!"
"Scarf..." Lilith is biting her tongue. "Anyways, it seems we aren't seeing eye to eye on this one, so... I'll make this simple. You don't want to save Lilith? You don't have to. You have permission to leave the group and go back to whatever lives you were living before. You can refuse my orders. But I won't stand for my comrades to be treat each other like this. We live, fight, and die together. If that's not how you want it to be, I can show you back to where you came from." Lilith has a headache now, so she sits down.
"Hmph..." Kerial clears their throat. "My master believes that she will be fine. She has been summoned by a... higher being."
"What kind of being?" Lilith inquires.
"My lips are sealed." Kerial looks apparently upset. "Her service was required."
"Very well. Where do we begin?"
"You shouldn't." Kerial looks straight into Lilith's eyes, then into Draundr's. "My master wills it. It would be in your best interest if you stayed out of this."