He's dead. He's truly dead.
There is a dead Duke of Hells lying by my feet.
Well, not really by my feet. Even crumpled up in a lifeless heap, he's still way over my head. I wonder...
Am I going to get paid for this?
„And so Mephistopheles, Duke of Hells, Prince of Cania, Deceiver of the Valsharess, Waste of Waterdeep, fell to the Four Champions of Ellistraee... And peace was restored to the Prime. The End."
Rina could still remember the happy, slightly concussed expression on Deekin's snout as he put the last two words down with a flourish, and fell face-first to the ground. She could hear his snoring even over the roaring flames surrounding Mephistopheles's body and the triumphant cheer of the soldiers rushing back to put them out.
She could still hear the loud, vibrating clang as Valen let go of his flail and just stood there, too tired to even fall down. She could remember the empty, utterly vacant stare of Nathyrra's cold eyes as the drow slithered to her knees, her arms hanging limply at her sides. There was nothing left to do, no-one left to fight. They had won.
Victory.
And victory has turned out to be not a moment, but a process. Their exhausted bodies were picked up and paraded through the streets among the roaring crowds, into the Garden Palace - an inn so luxurious and expensive that travelling royalty stayed there. Their best suite, occupying the entire top floor, was given to them, and feasts and proclamations and celebrations were being planned, just as soon as the damage done to the city was mended.
In the meantime, the four of them didn't even reach their respective beds, but collapsed on the carpet in the anteroom and fell asleep in a heap. Allegedly, they slept for three days, and Rina was forced to believe that when she saw the progress in construction works.
That also explained why was she so incredibly hungry, she thought as she blinked away the memory of the dead devil.
The large, be-carpeted, flower-decorated parlour downstairs exploded in cheers as soon as Rina stepped in. There weren't really that many people there, since the Palace was so exclusive, but they were determined to show their enthusiasm. An extremely elegant staff member appeared before her, and Rina tried to answer his questions about meals and orders and whatnot while at the same time answering the cheers of the crowds. She noticed Deekin in a comfy armchair by the huge fireplace, being bought drinks by his mesmerised audience. Nathyrra was nowhere to be seen, which meant she didn't want to be seen. There was no sign of Valen, either.
Rina went through the room, politely shaking hands and answering compliments. Part of her basked in the glory of the moment, rejoicing in the admiration, assessing all the potential profits, while part of her wanted to run away and never come back. Ah, the conflicted desires of a complicated personality.
„Boss! You awake at last! Deekin be a bit worried about that." Ah, the joys of an uncomplicated personality.
„I've never felt more rested," she replied. „You all right?"
„Yeah. Deekin put a fresh coat of varnish on Deekin's lute. And Deekin bought new clothes, not much left of old ones."
Rina looked at the little bard's outfit. It must have been quite a challenge for the tailor to make a fitting garment for a kobold hero, and in such a hurry, but he managed all right. Supple, black leather – in overlapping shapes, she noted, reminiscent of dragon scale – was intersected with rich, red velvet, gold ornamentation giving it the flair necessary for a true bard. An ingenious arrangement of clasps made it fit easily around Deekin's red wings, the overall effect managing, in fact, to be rather intimidating.
„Neat, huh Boss? Deekin be sharing stories of epic adventure with everyone, and they so polite!"
„Glad to hear it," muttered Rina distractedly.
That was because a door opened at the far side of the room, letting in a big, strong warrior with long red hair and a pair of curled horns.
She was painfully aware of a tightening in her stomach that had nothing to do with hunger... at least, not hunger for food. The tiefling warrior was hellishly attractive – literally – but he was also chivalrous and conscientuous and had this infuriating sense of honour and so much damn respect for her... So many times she tried to get closer to him, they talked, and bonded, and it almost seemed like he was on the verge of opening up to her, but then they found themselves in Cania and all his attention was once again directed inwards... Battling the demon within.
And then she freed him from it. She found the solution to his greatest problem, she gave him the ultimate gift... she hoped that would make him realize the way was open and clear. But there was no time. There was Mephistopheles.
And now here they were, victorious, alive, celebrating and reaping the rewards. Yet the one reward she strove for was still beyond her reach.
She stared at him, an unfamiliar sight in just a linen shirt and leather breeches, aware that the hubbub in the room changed its tone at his arrival. An elven ranger was pretty much a "standard" hero, a drow assassin was no big surprise, a fire-breathing kobold was a welcome novelty, but him... The obvious touch of a demon upon him made everyone uneasy, and his towering, muscular frame made it no easier.
Rina's eyes narrowed. Everyone accept for the serving girl, she corrected as she saw a young blonde practically run up to him. She caught strands of conversation, about his gear being sent to the best blacksmiths, meals being prepared and other trivial stuff, until the girl almost purred,
„And the bath chambers have been reserved at your disposal, sir."
„Thank you." His response was curt, but strangely... satisfied.
„You will find towels, and soaps, and all sorts of accessories on the tables, help yourself to whatever you wish," she went on. Then she took a deep breath, pushing her breasts further up until they almost burst out of her corset, and her voice took on a low, husky quality. „Will you require a massage, my lord?"
Rina realised she was holding her breath as she strained her ears for his reply. At the same time, she was aware of the girl's shiny, golden hair, her smooth, unscarred skin and slender figure and beautiful dress. Adventurers were never slim and smooth - however much exercise you got, you were always a knot of muscle and scars and bones and you never kept a steady diet, so the body made sure it had... supplies. Rina knew she was still wearing her stinking armour, soaked with blood and ooze of countless species, that she hadn't had a bath in weeks, that her hair was a mess and her arms were too thick and her whole figure was just a big, lumbering bag compared to the beautiful little hostess that was, right now, pushing her tits under the very nose of her tiefling.
That's right, dammit, he was her tiefling. Just as soon as she gets her shit together.
„Thank you, but... no. I think I will just go and soak up for a week."
The girl let out the most artificially-tingling laugh in the world, batting her eyelashes at him. Valen strode off, not even noticing Rina on the other side of the hall.
She descended on the girl like the wrath of Shevarash, only just managing not to draw a weapon.
„Excuse me," she barked, in a tone more suited to howl for blood.
„What?" The girl was not nearly as interested in being helpful to her.
Rina gave her a horrible smile. „Can you arrange for my gear to be cleaned and repaired? And something for me to wear in the meantime?"
„Yes, madam. If you'd just care to go to your room, I'll send someone to collect it and bring you a shift shortly."
„I believe you have baths in here?"
„Yes, but-"
„But what?"
The girl hesitated, obviously torn between her duties and her desire to keep Valen alone. Rina gritted her teeth.
„Well, if it's all the same to you," Rina went on, „I'll just leave my gear in there and you can bring me a fresh outfit when you collect it. I feel I need a good scrub, I'm still covered in arch-demon guts, you know," she growled, quietly revelling at the girl's sudden apprehension. She then stormed off after Valen. Opening the door, she caught Deekin's eye - he seemed amused. Rina lightened up and went in search of the bathing chambers.
She did need a good scrub, after all.