The group went back to the village heading through a busted wall with a barn not far from it. Ruby approached the wooden door when she started to hear thumping and... was that moaning. Her face became bright red as she backed off from the barn door.

"Perhaps we should leave them to their privacy." Wyll said.

"Yeah..." Ruby said blushing.

As they headed down the road a flash of heat and the smell of sulfur alerted them to a man behind them. The group turned to face him. "My, my, what manner of place is this? A path to redemption... or a road to Damnnation?"

Chapter 12: Devils

Ruby looked around confused as to where the man had come from.

Thalia cursed under her breath. "Father..."

"Hard to say as your journey is just beginning." The well dressed man said. "What would suit the occasion? Hmmmm the word to a lullaby perhaps? 'The mouse smilled brightly, it outfoxed the cat. Then down came the claw, and that, love, was that.' Heh heh heh... Ah they do know how to write them in Corymir. Don't they."

He made a small bow. "Well met I am Raphael. Very much at your service."

Wyll stepped forward, "And are we speaking with the mouse or the cat?"

"Neither, the fox, hiding in a word. A silent observer about to break the silence. Of course what I have to say requires some privacy as well as some refinement. This quaint little scene is decidedly to middle of nowhere for my tastes. Come." He said before a bright light engulfed the party. As it faded they found themselves in a lush dinning hall. A roaring fire and a grand painting of a devil.

"There, middle of somewhere." Raphael said smuggly.

Thalia rested her hand on the hilt of her scimitar. "Care to be more specific..." She growled.

"Oh dear Thalia... you know exactly the place this is, The house of Hope, where the hungry come to feed, and the tired to rest. Go on, partake, enjoy your supper, as it might just be your last."

"What makes you say that?" Gale asked.

"Call it a ninth sense." He remarked as flames engulfed him. From the smoke he emerged appearing like his portrait above. "What's better then a devil you don't know? A devil you do... isn't that right my daughter?"

Thalia gripped her blade tightly like she wanted to lash out. "You have no right to call me that..." She said through gritted teeth.

"Am I a Friend? Potentially. An adversary? Conceivably. But a savior, that's for certain." Raphael said as he gestured to himself.

"What makes you so certain we need saving?" Durge asked hand on his spear.

"Come now... why play hard to get when your in deep when you in deep over your tadpoled heads. One skull, two tenants. I could fix it all." Raphael snapped his fingers as a spark of flame appeared between them. "Like that."

"Your mad to think we would accept a deal from a devil." Wyll drew his blade. "Your deal would be nothing but servitude."

"What is madness but a denial of reality?" He asked. "Still, I feel you will change your mind before it's changed for you. Try to cure yourselfs, shop around, beg, borrow and steal. Exhaust every possibility untill none are left. And when hope has been whittled down to the very marrow of despair, That's when you'll come knocking on my door... isn't that right Thalia?" He laughed. "Hope, such a tease."

"Enough, we will cure ourselves without you." Wyll said drawing his sword.

"Such Bravado little pup. I wonder, how will the famed Blade of Frontiers protect the coast as a Ilithid thrall? I doubt the Bards will sing on tentacles outside the raunchiest of established brothels. I'll be around." The devil snapped his fingers and the group returned to the road just outside the village.

"Thalia what kind of deal did you make with him?" Wyll asked, there was no anger or rage in the man's eyes. Only understanding.

"It... was for my freedom..." Thalia looked away from the party. "My father... he could very well cure the tadpoles but the price he would ask... it would never be worth it... I'm lucky to still own my soul..." The teifling Druid looked back. "I... don't want to discuss the details... I was young... and in a desperate situation before I became a Druid."

"Thalia, you have no judgment from me, doing what you needed to survive, I'll never fault a person for that." Gale walked up and ruffled her hair.

"Devils take too much interest in the lives of us teiflings, tricking us all to often, way I see it, it's better you made the deal with your father then another ambitious cambion." Alfira said.

"It's really not, not with him..." Thalia said. "No matter what he promises, no matter how desperate you are, he will always put you in a corner where you would rather die then take his deal." Thalia said.

"Allow me to play devils advocate, he clearly has power, yet there is one thing that is shared by all devils, ambition. He wants something from us, and he is desperate." Gale stepped in. "We need to consider all our options, look at our situation, ilithid infection is of little concern to the hells, meaning we're key to some other goal of his. There is something very special indeed about of tadpoles to have caught his eye." The Wizard reasoned.

"Don't, just don't, Gale. I've spent my fair time hunting devils, and even if he isn't aiming for our souls, that alone is cause for even more alarm. We must refuse him for to accept this offer is to give more then we ever knew we had." Wyll said putting an end to the conversation.

The group moved on down the road to a broken bridge. "What could have caused that?" Ruby asked.

"The bridge has been broken as long as i can remember, Wauken's rest is up the hill that way... but our quarry is downstream." Wyll pointed to a column of smoke.

"Are those wagons?" Ruby asked, pointing across the broken bridge. "Looks like a caravan was attacked."

Thalia walked to the edge of the broken bridge placing a pal on the ground while reciting a druidic chant. the stone beneath her palm cracked and shifted as roots gre across the gap in a tight mat and buried themselves in the dirt on either side creating a walkable path.

"Ah the magic of Silvanus. Fascinating to see in action." Gale remarked as trees grew anchoring in place. "It's oh... dear..." He stumbled a few steps leaning on the stone wall of the bridge.

"You alright Gale?" Shadowheart asked.

"I'll be alright just need too..." He pulled out the ring from the Harpies nest. Closing his fist along the gold band his arm glowed blue for a few seconds before he brought it to his mouth and the enegy flowed into his mouth, the tatto on his chest and neck that peaked out from his robes glowed brightly for a second before fading. "It's fine, I just have a... pretty existing condition." He said as his hand fell to his side, dust falling from his palm.

"You... con summed the very weave imbued in that ring." Alfira said. "Gale... are you... addicted to magic?"

"Oh gods no, magic isn't a narcotic for me, you see, my condition can become... volatile if it is not treated, unfortunately the only treatment is to consume the weave from magic artifacts. A magic ring here, a pair of boots there, a lesser wizards staff. Back in my home in Waterdeep, I had enough lesser magical items to sustain my treatment." Gale said straightening his robes. "Magical ailments come naturally with the wizards life, it's nothing to worry over."

"Gale perhaps once this is all over Remnants doctors could look you over." Ruby offered.

"Sadly there is no cure for my condition, atleast not in the mortal realms. but it is considerate of you to ask." Gale patted her head.

Heading to the broken wagon, several hyenas were bloated and whining in pain as one walked around. "Hyenas?" Thalia asked herself as she looked at the destruction. Weapons and supplies are strewn about.

"Gnolls." Wyll said, pointing his palm the hyena running around. "Kill them." A blast of dark magic ripped trough it's skull. Durge and Shadowheart skewered two bloated hyenas with spears. Thalia gutted a third with her scimitar as a haf formed thing spilled out. Gale pointed his staff at one and doused it in fire. Ruby pointed the barrel of Crescent Rose at one and fired. the shot ringing out as blood and guts coated the ground.

Then a howl cut the silence as four bipedal monsters armed with bows and blood rusted weapons charged down the hill.

Alfira threw up her hand as they charged her, a thunderous blast knocked them as she fell back from the monsters. One laid on the ground unmoving as the other three got up. Durge grabbed one by the ankle as it howled in pain. Lightning arcing from Duges grip as he spun and threw the gnoll off the cliff next to the road. Down below a wet crunch and splatter of blood in water was heard.

Gale pointed his staff at the remaining two as four bolts of red magic left his staff and ripped through their bodies, two each. One dropped dead as the other stood. Shadowheart thrusted forward driving her spear into the Gnolls throat killing it.

"Death around every corner." Wyll said sheathing his sword. "There's likely survivors from the caravan... seems they were pushed in the direction of Karlach... we should banish her herfore we try to find them... don't want the devil to find them.

Following the dirt path along the river led to a log bridge, across the water was a red skinned woman in torn black leather clothes with brass and gold jewelry and repairs. A mighty axe on her back and fire burned around her body as she curled in on herself.

"Hrnng... rahnnnggh..." The devil grunted as the flames ceased. Turning towards the approaching group she didn't reach for her axe as Ruby and Wyll lead the group across the log bridge.

"One horn... the stink of Avernus. Karlach." Wyll snarled drawing his rapier.

Karlach fully turned to face them, and she taller then almost all of them, maybe even Durge was shorter then her. "Gad damn, the blade of Frontiers I was beginning to believe I had shaken you. Seems you have made some friends."

Thalia whispered under her breath. "She's a teifling..."

"I see that." Alfira said back.

"Look let me ex... urgghhh..." A flash of heat ran through Ruby's mind, the smell of sulfur. Demons cut down and mocking devils, and one thing became abundantly clear to the huntress. Karlach was not a agent of the blood war, but a victim as the tadpoles in their heads connected.

"What was that? I saw... a school... monsters... was i in your head?" Karlach asked Ruby.

Ruby turned to stand between Wyll and Karlach. "Wyll, you saw it, she's no devil..." Ruby said putting her back to Karlach.

"Ruby, stand aside... we can't trust the tadpoles." Wyll ordered.

"I never wanted to serve the archdevil, it's better for us to work together." Karlach said.

"You still served her! That's enough to damn you!" Wyll said... but his voice seemed to shake... as though he feared something... and it wasn't the teifling infront of him.

Gale spoke up. "Wyll, she means us no more harm then any other teifling..."

Wyll let the tip of his blade hit the log underfoot. "Shit!" He cursed. "Shit... you really are no devil... I've been deceived." Wyll said sadly as his stone eye turned to the river below.

AN: Hey wanted to leave a note here for all of my readers. sorry for the delay between chapters, works just been... alot lately. leave your reviews. Remember i do leave replies to your reviews there, and if you have questions or suggestions even feel free to message me. But for now we got Karlach, of course theres still more to join the party in the future. Halsin, Jaheira, Minsc and others. I may do a chapter or two covering what's happening in Remnant between acts.

Ruby Rose stats, class, and racial abilities

Class Fighter lv 4

Subclass Champion

Great weapon fighting style (rerolls one's and twos on damage)

Hp: 36 (3 d12 plus 0)

Strength: 18 (base 17)

Dexterity: 16 (base 15)

Constitution:10

Wisdom: 8

Intelligence:12

Charisma: 10

Race Human Variant (Remnant)

Feats:

Ability score improvement: plus 1 str plus 1 Dex

Savage Attacker : Reroll damage once take highest

Base Speed: 40 ft Total speed: 50 ft

Aura: 10 temp hit points per level (40 Thp) (resets on long rest)

Semblance: Petal Dash; Dash action is now a bonus action

Improved Critical: reduces critical requirements by 1 (18-20)

Action Surge: Gain an extra action

Gear:

Infernal Crescent Rose: plus 2 to damage and rolls to hit, 2 d 12 slashing an fire damage plus strength. 2 d 8 Piercing plus Dex when firing.

Infernal Critical, Reduces critical by 1, and on a critical hit target auto fails save against burn condition.

Searing Petal Smite: While Dashing from at least 60 ft away, auto cast searing smite at lv 2. 2d6 fire damage. Once per short rest.

All but Ruby Rose have disadvantage with this weapon.

Elemental bullets: 2d4 elemental damage added to ranged attacks.

Two-handed, heavy, extra reach

Cleave lacerate trip enemies, peircing shot

1 Half plate armor: Ac 18 (16 plus 2 dex) Medium armor. Reduces piercing damage by 1.

Haste Helm: Plus 10 ft to movement first three turns of combat (Effectively just 10 ft because I'm not drawing out combat for more then 3 rounds except for major bosses) plus one dex save

Speedy Light Feet: Gain three lightning charges when Dashing. Lightning charges deal additional damage on weapon and spell attacks.