Tooth and Claw, Part 35

Soon you'll need to decide on the next steps in your campaign, consulting with the council you've accumulated. Still, you judge that you have time to stack the deck a little bit more in your favor by recruiting some extra muscle to bolster your efforts.

And with a little luck... perhaps you can set one of your allies' minds at ease as well.

It takes you a particularly long time to craft this summoning request. This situation is the exact opposite of the previous one, summoning Lekariel to the elf village. In that instance you knew your exact target, right down to the name. As a result, you could do it quickly and with ease. But in this case you're trying to cover as much ground as possible with a general request, sending the tendrils of your call across the length and breadth of the Seventh Circle, in search of a demon who might have known Moghi.

That sort of query is much trickier to get right. Not to mention all the other precautions you have to take, such as reinforcing the summoning circle to contain the demon until your negotiations are complete. A fellow incubus was one thing... but you aren't about to trust a Violence demon with free reign. Not until you've had the chance to take their measure.

All in all, it takes you well into the following day just to get everything in place. Still, your patience eventually pays off. The summoning circle stands before you, ready to be used. You raise your hand, the runes in your palm glowing blood-red as you focus your power. A moment later, the circle on the floor of your quarters lights up with an identical radiance.

Even after all that, it's still a long, tedious search. You sit there on the cold stone, eyes closed, your will guiding the summoning request as it winds it way across the Hells, occasionally tweaking the details. You search and search and search, your will scouring as much of the Seventh Circle's vast expanse as you can reach. Two more days go by, with little to show for them.

Just as you're beginning to wonder if this is a dead end, however... you finally get a bite.

The summoning circle pulses, a discordant thrum filling the air as a hulking figure materializes within its confines. Knowing the manner of demon you were trying to summon, you did make this circle particularly big. But the giant you've summoned makes even those dimensions look cramped. He's well over eight feet tall, a mountain of solid muscle that looks like he could break a mortal in two just by glaring at them. His wings are bulky and bat-like, his horns are immense and angular, and bony protuberances jut out from his reddish skin in various places, giving his entire body the feel of a living weapon.

That's not to discount the actual weapon he wears across his back. The thing is immense, a long, flat wooden club, with a series of jagged obsidian blades running along its edge. All of them sharp and expertly honed. You've never seen a weapon of that type yourself before. But the reservoir of knowledge you've acquired from your brand whispers the name "macuahuitl" into your thoughts.

He wears a set of piecemeal, beat-up armor that has clearly taken innumerable hits over its lifetime, and he lounges casually within the tight confines of the summoning circle as he looks you up and down.

"So..." he finally says, his voice a rumbling baritone. "You really are an incubus. Almost didn't believe it, no matter how obvious it was from the summoning. Not often your kind will ask for help from the likes of us."

As he speaks, you can see the amused condescension in his eyes. "And worse? Even when you pansies do run into a problem you can't talk or fuck your way out of... even when you do come begging us for help... you still don't want us to cut loose enough to make it fun. Always whining about 'going too far' or 'collateral damage' or 'crimes against humanity'. I almost didn't even bother responding to your request, if I was just going to spend most of it bored out of my mind anyway."

Then he leans forward, focusing more intently on you. "But. You also mentioned a name. One that I haven't heard in a long time. For that, you have my attention. What exactly is your connection to Moghi?"

"This is the world she originally came from," you explain, matching his gaze without backing down. "And let's be clear. I don't actually give a damn if you want to slink back to your Circle and miss the fights that are about to happen here. I have a plan for the war we're about to face. And if you can't keep your murder-boner in your pants long enough to play your part in that plan without fucking it up? I'll just find another demon who can."

The Violence demon raises his eyebrows slightly, and you detect the tiniest glimmerings of respect for your direct and unflinching response. "Hn. Well, I suppose you've got a bit more of a spine than I'm used to from your brothers," he says. "That's promising, at least."

"I can't even begin to tell you how much the approval of a homicidal maniac means to me..." you shoot back at him in a dry deadpan, which draws a chuckle from the demon as you continue. "But while you're thinking it over, I believe we have something more... immediate... to offer each other. We each have a piece of Moghi's story. And it sounds like we're both curious about the parts we don't have."

"...you aren't wrong," admits the Violence demon. "Though I wouldn't say I know all that much about her. She was damn quiet, for all the time her soul was here. Wouldn't hardly interact with anyone, except to fight and train. It was... strange."

"How was it strange?" you ask. "Fighting and training... isn't that the main thing you do down there?"

The other demon shakes his head, distracted by memory. "It wasn't the same with her. I could tell. She was an entirely different kind of crazy from the rest of us. Oh sure, she'd work herself to the bone. Harder than any of the other mortal souls around her, even. Everyone else thought she was the most likely one to become a demon, at the rate she was going. But I... I wasn't so sure."

An almost contemplative note enters his deep voice. "I could see it in her eyes, when she fought. There wasn't even a hint of joy in any of it. Just... obsession. An obsession that swallowed up everything else. Somehow... I just couldn't see her following our path."

Then he lets out a bark of a laugh. "Of course, what she did end up doing was something that even I never expected. One day, without any warning... she tried to escape."

"She what?" you say, doing a double-take.

"It was actually a decent plan," says the Violence demon. "Somehow, she'd gotten her hands on a charm powerful enough to slip her past the wards on the Wall. Probably black-market smugglers from the Fourth Circle. But we never caught them, so we don't know for sure. She also made sure to kill all the guards with a line of sight on her route. Attacked them from behind, of course... but even from an ambush, a mortal soul taking out that many of us is damn impressive. Not to mention setting up all those ambushes in the first place."

"Don't tell me she actually pulled it off?" you say.

The Violence demon shakes his head. "No, her luck ran out," he says. "The last guard she killed managed to make enough noise to attract more attention. She got past the Wall, but we ran her down pretty fast. At that point she was hopelessly outnumbered. And she didn't have the advantage of surprise this time. Even then, though, she fought us all with everything she had. She didn't give in. Not for a moment. Not when she was more wounds than whole flesh. Not when she could barely stand."

A sinking feeling fills your stomach. "And that was how it ended?"

"Not quite," the other demon says. "Because that's when he showed up."

His mouth splits in a toothy grin, and you realize just how much he's enjoying this story. "You see... our little scuffle had attracted the attention of our Demon Lord. The Prince of Blood. The First Murderer. The Architect of War. And he was curious about this mortal that it was taking so many of us to bring down."

It's clear from the Violence demon's reverent tone just how much he respects the Lord of his Circle. "He landed right in her path, the weight of his power blanketing everything for miles around. We all fell back in deference... and for the first time in all of this, I think even Moghi was scared. You can't not be, really. Not in front of him. He's just that much of a monster."

Now the demon is really getting into the tale. "But even as frightened as she was... she still tried to fight past him. She was practically falling apart by then. But she still went at a Demon Lord, attacking him like a feral animal. She couldn't even scratch him, of course. But damned if it wasn't one of the craziest things I've ever seen. Eventually he just grabbed her by the neck and lifted her off her feet."

"What happened then?" you ask, leaning in closer yourself.

"Then? She did her damndest to bite him," the demon says with a chuckle. "And now our Lord was truly amused. He asked her why she was so desperate to get out of Hell. And she answered his question. But..."

Here he hesitates, regret flashing across his face. "I was too far away. And she was so weak by then. I couldn't hear what she said in reply."

That regret, however, is only fleeting. "But our Lord heard it," the Violence demon says. "And after a moment, he began to laugh. Then he let her go. And he told the rest of us not to stand in her way."

Despite yourself, your eyes widen a little in surprise. Altering the judgment assigned to a soul by their world's god or goddess of death is a flagrant violation of the Celestial Treaty. A violation that could have sparked a major incident if the deity in question had chosen to make an issue. And yet the Prince of Blood was willing to spit in the face of the entire system, and dare anyone to do anything about his decision. Simply because one mere mortal happened to impress him.

"He didn't give her any other help," continues the Violence demon. "Last I saw of Moghi was her limping away. Smart money would say she didn't even make it through, not in the condition she was in. But... no. No, I just can't see it ending that easily."

He looks down at you from where he sits, shaking himself out of his reminiscence. "You want to know why I responded to your request, incubus? It's because I've always wondered what could drive a mortal to such lengths. And I've always wondered what she told our Lord, that could make him laugh like that."

You rise to your feet. "If that's what you want to know..." you say. "...then perhaps we can learn the answer together. Or at the very least, I should be able to offer you a few interesting fights along the way."

In truth, you're pretty sure you know the answer already, though you make sure not to say it aloud where it could be overheard. Since the Violence demon began his story, several of those missing puzzle pieces you were searching for have clicked into place for you. And the picture they form is as grim as it is inevitable. Somewhere along the way, somewhere between her death, judgment and afterlife... the original Moghi must have learned the horrific fate that Melca is even now inflicting on the soul of her beloved mistress.

What did Moghi say in response to the Demon Lord's question of why she wanted to escape from Hell? Probably that she didn't want to escape Hell at all. That the only thing she wanted was to be damned to the right Circle. The Circle that could teach her what she needed to know.

The Circle that could teach her how to kill a goddess.

It's well known that Heresy demons are the bitter enemies of all deities and their worshipers. Their every demonic power and ability is tailored to counter divine powers and advantages. They are far more resistant to holy and unholy power than any other denizen of Hell. Their weapons and attacks are a particular bane their ancient foes. You've even heard that they've devised ways of evading and obscuring the sight of watching gods and goddesses.

In theory, such a demon would be an ideal summon for the task that you face. In practice, you weren't sure whether the benefit outweighed the risk. True, such powers would be helpful... but the Sixth Circle's hatred of the divine in no way ends at obviously antagonistic deities like Melca. The grand Cause that they serve is—in their minds—to free the entire Cosmos from the yoke of the gods. And in many ways, they see the more reasonable deities as even greater impediments to that ultimate end.

Certainly, the vast majority of Heresy demons would be fanatical in their attempts to prevent the ritual you're planning to do, the one that will restore Fallhazel's full divinity. Even getting the average Heresy demon to work alongside other servants of the divine—like Elianna or Alicia—could be a fraught proposition indeed. Let alone Fallhazel herself. The threat of backstabbing and betrayal would be a very real one.

However... if there were ever a Heresy demon who might be persuaded to go along with everything you're planning, in exchange for a chance to kill Melca, specifically... you can't imagine a more likely candidate than the one who fought their way into the Sixth Circle for that very purpose. If Moghi did manage to make it there... if she did manage to transcend her mortal nature and become a demon... then you may now have a lead on a particularly potent ally.

It would, however, also use up the last of your three summoning slots. So you'll need to give the matter careful consideration. For now, though, you expect that dealing with the current summon will be more than handful enough.

The Violence demon stands up, crossing his arms within the summoning circle. "You sure about this?" he asks skeptically. "You really think you can keep someone like me fed, without violating your prissy Second Circle sensibilities?"

"You can always run home if you're getting hungry or bored," you observe. "I won't keep you here against your will. But this may be the only chance you ever have to get those answers you've been curious about. And for what it's worth... I do expect that we'll need to crack a lot of heads before all this is over."

"Hn." The Violence demon mulls this over for several long seconds. Then, finally, he shrugs. "Sure. Why the fuck not? This sounds like it could be interesting. I'll see where it goes. At least for now."

As he speaks, you can sense him accept to the contract you worked into the request. Though in lieu of the more traditional kneeling posture, he offers you his hand from within the circle. "I, Rokaviel, give you my service. To obey your commands and slaughter your enemies. Thricefold I swear, and all that."

You reach through the barrier and clasp his hand, Rokaviel's huge, meaty palm enveloping yours. Your bones creak under his grip. You can't even begin to match his strength, something that is very apparent to you both. Still, you at least don't give him the satisfaction of flinching. He smirks at you. "So then, incubus..." he says. "What's the first order of business?"

"First..." you say. "...we're going to meet our other allies."

It's certainly past time to decide on your next steps. You send out word, and soon your impromptu Kovoran council is assembled in the usual room. Most of them sit around the large table at the center, though Rokaviel stands more toward the back, arms crossed, his huge frame leaning against one of the walls. All the existing members of the council regard him with surprise as they enter, though Rokaviel focuses in almost immediately on the four heroines.

"For an incubus, you travel in some pretty good company," he says, studying each of them in turn. "A spell-slinger, a spell-slinger, a back-stabber and—" He breaks off as he regards Khaytala. "Oho. Good company indeed. We should definitely have a match, once he's finished listening to himself talk."

Khaytala raises a skeptical eyebrow. "Is this 'match' a sparring match? Or a deathmatch?"

In reply, Rokaviel just shrugs, as though such a fuzzy, pedantic distinction never even occurred to him. "Eh."

Soon everyone has arrived. Lily takes her position at the head of the table, with Khaytala standing right behind her and to the right. The others fill the remaining seats, and once they're settled in you introduce Rokaviel. You provide a brief description of his nature, as well as his role in your struggle against the threats facing Kovora.

You then dive into the first order of business. Namely, what general orders to give the different groups of agents you've established in the various regions around Kovora.

You relay what you learned from the Vampire Queen: that the efforts of your drow agents have secured their position, and you will likely face no threats from their political rivals that you might otherwise have needed to deal with. That leaves them free for further tasks. They could now work to undermine the military defenses of the Underworld, making it an easier target for eventual conquest. A necessary step, if you hope to weaken Melca by abolishing her worship there.

Alternatively, they could rattle their sabers at the Underworld entrance in a way that would pull the attention and military support of the allied nations away from Kovora. That would allow you to subvert one of their border forts without retaliation. That would give you an immediate supply of food and corrupted soldiers, and a foothold into the territory of either Nelin or Vekmar.

Ceriss speaks next, giving a report on her recent mission. "Our presence in Vekmar is still small at the moment," she says. "But I succeeded in convincing Lord Kovar that we are no threat to his people. And that secretly funneling a reliable supply of food to us would help serve the cause of long-term peace."

Thinking back to the mission, she gives a fond smile. "Really, he's just so lonely and searching for meaning after his wife died in childbirth. I introduced him to my former student Annabeth and that group of young nobles that she's been seducing for us, and they've all been getting on quite splendidly."

That certainly has possibilities, though you'll need to think carefully about how best to handle this. You could have them focus on expanding their reach into the military, making targets in Vekmar easier for your forces to subvert. You could also have them focus on subverting more politicians, working toward a stronger influence on Vekmar's decision making.

Or you could have them focus on shoring up their own defenses, making contingency plans in the case of emergency and seducing key people in the intelligence apparatus. That would greatly reduce their chance of exposure, and give them early warning of any threats that might imperil the tiny cell of tempters.

Finally, you describe how you've taken control over the Great Forest, fully subverting the elves and corrupting the forest's spiritual core. This opens up some very potent options, but you'll need to carefully consider the tradeoffs of each.

The dryads—especially as led by the Old Mothers—are a potent reservoir of druidic magic, one that could be turned to many different purposes. That said, you doubt they will be able to take action far from their forest. In fact, you're pretty sure that the sickened condition that you saw Elysandria in was a result of being so far from her tree. But within the Great Forest, the opportunities are great indeed.

You could have them turn their magic to the corruption now flowing through the forest, increasing it in various ways. Right now the aphrodisiac pollen is extremely subtle, little more than a nudge in the direction of Lust. You could have them increase its potency, raising its ability induce desire in any who enter their domain, rendering them very susceptible to even casual advances. Alternatively, they could work to expand its reach, extending its currently-subtle influence to the settlements closest to the forest border.

Or, instead of having them work on the aphrodisiac cloud, you could have them use their magic to cultivate the very corrupted plants themselves, giving them a life and prowess that could allow them to aid your own forces in battle, even outside the forest's borders.

So many opportunities. But you can't do all of them, and your choices of prioritization may have important long-term effects. How will you direct your agents outside Kovora?