Where the Heart Is, Part 24

After discussing your options for a while longer, you settle on your course of action. At this point, stretched thin as you are, subtlety may cost you more than it gives. You decide to go for the throat. To try to use a threat to his dreamwalker to bait Zethuriel into taking action.

You turn to the Wrath demon you just summoned. "As soon as it's dark, I need you to go with Mockingbird and scout out exactly where our target is," you say. "Don't get too close, but circle the area you're sensing him from, until you have a solid feel for his location. Treat anything Mockingbird tells you to do as though it was an order that came from me. And whatever you do, don't rush in and attack until we're ready."

"Do not insult my intelligence, incubus," the Wrath demon responds, his voice a gravelly growl. "I know full well the value of patience in a hunt. Just because we reject the insipid sentiments of your softhearted circle, that does not mean that we ignore sound strategy."

"Good," you say. Then you turn to Verika. "While they're doing that... I need you to meet with Alicia. And tell her where she can find me."

At that request, the normally-unflappable drow hesitates. "Are you sure?" she asks. "Remember, from her point of view, you're still a serious threat to the world yourself."

"I know," you say. "But against an enemy like this, I'm afraid we may need her power regardless. You need to convince her to accept a temporary cease-fire. Only tell her where I am after she swears not to take any further action against us, and to let us leave the city unharmed once this is all over. In exchange, we'll promise not to seduce anyone else until then."

"Do you think she'll accept?" asks Verika.

"I think there's a good chance," you say. Not least because of all the conversations you've been having with Alicia in her dreams about the possibility of similar cooperation. But you don't say that part aloud. Instead, you try to think of any coaching that might help Verika. Even if you can't be there yourself, you want to improve her chances as much as possible.

"Concentrate on the idea that she doesn't lose anything from this deal," you suggest. "True, she may not get a shot at me if she accepts. But that's no different than if this deal falls through and we're forced to retreat back to Kovora instead. The only difference is that those monsters will still be out there. Inflicting the same tortures those prostitutes suffered on other people she's sworn to protect."

"Understood," Verika says. "I'll do everything I can to convince her."

With that, the two heroines and the demon all exit the tiny room, leaving you alone with Jocela. Neither of you are in the mood for small talk, and the time passes slowly.

But eventually the door opens again... revealing none other than Alicia herself. The paladin is now clad in her full armor, with her immense shield on her back. The two of you lock eyes. In a sense, this is your first true meeting in the waking world. The first such encounter where both of you know who the other is.

You can see fresh anger in those eyes. Anger and hurt. But it's kept in rigid check behind her iron self-control. Under the circumstances, her first question is no surprise. "Is Mockingbird here?"

"She's out preparing for this attack," you say, rising to your feet. "Did Elianna come as well?"

"I asked her to wait outside while I spoke to you," the paladin says. "There are things that need to be said between the two of us. And I did not wish to cause her further pain."

You wince, the gesture to Jocela in a silent request for some privacy. Once the prostitute leaves the room, you turn back to Alicia. "I know she must be feeling distraught," you say. "It wasn't my intention for things to play out the way they have."

"Distraught?" echoes Alicia coldly. "You know full well that she has spent the last few days worried sick about Mockingbird. Only to learn that she herself had given a demon the perfect opportunity to sink his claws into that girl, by inviting you in. All because you took advantage of her kindness in extending a hand of compassion to a soul in need."

The paladin steps into the room, walking forward until she's right in your face. "She was devastated beyond consolation when she learned of Mockingbird's fate."

You can here the fury in her voice. Her every word chosen to drive home the truth of how badly your actions have hurt her friend. You can't deny any of it. But even so, you meet her gaze without backing down. There are truths of your own that need to be said.

"This wasn't how I meant for it to go," you repeat. "I was hoping to bring them closer together. Not tear them apart. But when I learned about the mad incubi here in the capitol... they had to take priority over that. You heard the stories. What they were doing to Jocela and the others. Tell me I'm wrong."

The paladin's eyes narrow. There's so much more she wants to say. But she knows that to go much further would start involve the things you shared with her in her dream. Lily's curse. Melca's will. And your determination to protect the young queen by breaking her pact of heroines. She knows better than to discuss that openly, so instead she allows you to pull the conversation back to the immediate threat.

"These other incubi must be stopped," she agrees, her gaze still burning into yours. "Which is why I already gave Verika my word, swearing on the honor of Selal. So long as you act in good faith, without treachery, seduction, or any other such action toward those under my protection... you will be allowed to return to Kovora once this is over. Alive and uninjured."

"Thank you," you say. "Then we shouldn't waste any more time. Mockingbird will be returning soon. I assume that Verika described the plan to you?"

"In broad strokes, yes," says Alicia, though she doesn't look terribly enthusiastic. "Can you really trust this Wrath demon?"

"We don't have much choice," you say. "Not if we want to find these bastards quickly. But for what it's worth, when one of their kind takes on a grudge, they're known for seeing it through. With fanatical determination, in fact."

Alicia does not look overly reassured by this. "I just hope you know what you're getting into."

"Don't we all?" you remark wryly, as you walk past her to exit the tiny room. "Don't we all..."

Once the two of you emerge out onto the street, you see that your entire group has now gathered. Verika stands next to Jocela, watching out for her, while Mockingbird and the Wrath demon stand on a nearby rooftop. Elianna is there as well, looking up with a pained expression at Mockingbird, who is completely unable to look back at her. And while Elianna is trying her best to hide it, you can tell from the redness of her eyes that she's spent quite a bit of time in tears over the past day.

Alicia was right. To have been teased so briefly with the miraculous return of someone she had thought lost... only to then lose her again, this time to a demon from hell itself... that could not have been easy for someone with her perspective on such matters.

She turns toward you and Alicia exit the building. And while Alicia's expression had been focused, righteous anger, Elianna looks at you with raw hurt and betrayal. But you steel yourself, focusing on the task at hand. "Everyone listen carefully," you say, your voice piercing the night air. "We're going to need to move fast. Mockingbird, did you figure out where Sevariel is holed up?"

The thief nods, shifting guiltily. "We did. The old flophouse on Fisher Sreet. I'm sure of it." Despite the success of her mission, however, she looks as miserable as you've ever seen her behind the mask.

"Well done," you tell her, putting all the reassurance you can into the words. "Then here's the plan. Thanks to Jocela, we'll be able to track down exactly where he is in that building. Mockingbird and Verika will provide assistance as necessary, and make sure he doesn't escape. But the kill itself should be left to our friend from the Fifth Circle."

Not only will that satisfy the Wrath demon, but it will also provide the perfect justification for stringing the fight out longer, even with Sevariel at a disadvantage. "I'll be watching from the street outside," you continue. "Our enemies haven't seen this form I'm wearing yet, so I should be able to blend in. If I notice anyone suspicious watching the fight, I'll keep an eye on them. And when I'm sure I've found Zethuriel—or when he makes his move—I'll signal for Alicia and Elianna to spring the trap."

"What signal should we look for?" asks Alicia, emerging from behind you and joining the rest of you on the street.

You close your eyes, and send out a request to Alicia for a willing dreamwalk. Her eyebrows raise a little as she feels the wordless urge. But you let the request dissipate immediately, before she can answer it and initiate the actual dreamwalk itself. "That's the signal," you say. "Stay well back until you feel it again. We don't want our quarry to suspect that you're working with us. But when you do feel it, come running as fast as you can."

Next you outline a contingency or two. "On the off-chance that Zethuriel is right there alongside Sevariel, then just get out of there as fast as you can, and I'll call in Alicia right away," you say. "But I doubt he'll make it that easy for us. No... he'll be somewhere else. Still nearby, so he can keep an eye out while Sevariel is searching the plane of dreams. But he won't be that easy to find."

Then you look around at each member of the team you've pulled together, emphasizing your next point. "So be alert for any sign that he's making his move," you say. "Never let your guard down. We have no idea what the full scope of his magic can do. But if he does intervene to protect Sevariel, assume it will be extremely deadly."

Even with your warning, surviving a surprise attack from completely unknown magic is a risky proposition. And everyone here knows it. To give Mockingbird and Verika the very best odds, you'll need to use your inhuman perception to pick out the demon sorcerer before he strikes, so you can warn them of any ambush he tries to enact.

That said, the warning you just gave applies to you most of all. Everything Zethuriel has done, every single move that he's made, from spying on the heroines to abducting Mother Yvette... all of it was to find a way to safely subdue you. You—or rather, the power of the demon lord within you—are his foremost concern. If he identifies you before you can pick him out... if he can put himself in a position to strike... then you may well become the first target of his ambush instead.

Can you identify him without being so obvious in your search as to reveal yourself? Can he launch his own attack before you can locate him and spring the trap?

Everything may come down to that.

With tension filling the air between its members, your unlikely team sets out. Mockingbird, Verika and the Wrath demon all keep to the rooftops, concealing themselves in the inky shadows of the night. As you draw closer to your destination, you speak up. "Let me go ahead and take a first pass through the area," you say. "Once I'm in place, I'll give the same signal we discussed to Mockingbird. That will be your cue to start the first attack."

Slipping into your new persona, you make your way through the streets, leaving the protection of your allies behind. The area you're headed into is a rougher one, but you adjust your demeanor to fit, blending in without issue. You see the flophouse that Mockingbird told you about. There's also a tavern nearby on the same street, which ensures a good number of passers-by going to and fro, even this late. You take in the area, searching for any people or animals that seem even the slightest bit out of place.

But if there are any ancient demons standing guard over the dreamwalker within... they are too skilled for even you to identify them at a glance. Especially while trying to hide your own search from him.

Minute after minute goes by with no result. Until finally, you decide there's nothing more to be gained. If Zethuriel is nearby, you'll need to shake things up if you want to expose him. With an act of mental focus you send another aborted dreamwalking request, this time to Mockingbird.

For a few moments, nothing happens. Then three silent shadows come into view, slipping across the rooftops toward the flophouse. They enter through one of the windows, vanishing from sight. And for a little while longer, it is a normal night, with no disruption in the sounds of drunken revelry coming from the tavern.

Then a section of the flophouse's second-story wall explodes outward in a shower of splintering wood. And everything goes to hell.

You can see the last vestiges of Sevariel's human disguise shifting away as he falls, frantically trying to resume his demon form in time to slow his descent. But the Wrath demon is right on top of him, both of his rusted sickles slashing. Worse, even as the incubus' wings reappear, several arrows shoot down out of the hole that the two demons just burst through. Verika's attacks tear into Sevariel's right wing, severing key tendons with merciless precision. What was almost an attempt at flight turns instead into an uncontrolled downward spiral.

The Wrath demon still has his wings, however. And he uses their thrust to slam into Sevariel, accelerating their descent. The two of them crash to earth together, plowing a trench into the street. Nor does the Wrath demon stop there. Rather, he immediately lunges at his foe, his sickles hacking away with wild, vicious bloodlust.

Around them, the humans start to scream and flee. You match their reactions perfectly, scrambling with a show of frantic terror to the nearest semblance of cover, an alleyway whose corner you peek around while hiding behind. But even as you play the part of the "cowering citizen", you're searching every shadow for any trace of the more dangerous foe.

Where will he attack from? Where is he?

Sevariel rolls away, bringing up his arms to shield himself as he retreats under the onslaught. Blood flies from cut after cut. But then he retaliates, lashing out with a backhand that catches the Wrath demon right as he's lunging in, smashing him away to one side. You hear the sound of crunching bone, as your summon's body twists from the force of the impact. But even as he flies away he's already healing at an astonishing rate, recovering enough that, when his body hits a building, it's feet-first. Then he launches himself right back at Sevariel, flying through the air with an animal roar, moving even faster now.

Honestly, you're a bit surprised at how well he's doing. You didn't think he was this strong when you first summoned him. Except... no, that's not quite it. You didn't misjudge the demon's strength. Or at least, not his base strength. No, what you're witnessing now is just how much a Wrath demon's strength can be amplified, when fighting against the target of a vendetta as deep and furious as the one he has taken on.

This is the power of Jocela's Wrath made manifest.

Yet even as the Wrath demon rips savagely into Sevariel... there remains no hint of Zethuriel. No sign of an attack. Does he suspect that it's a trap? Has he identified you? Or is he not here after all? Did he already separate from Sevariel? Would he really leave his dreamwalker unguarded? Or are you just not seeing him?

Where is he?

Sevariel yanks Verika's arrows out of his wing, frantically backpedaling as he tries to regain his flight and flee into the sky. But Mockingbird leaps down from the rooftops behind him, driving her knives into that wing while he's distracted with his other attacker. The strike is a devastating one, mangling the wing even more.

The incubus swings his arm around in a furious blow, but the halfling is already gone, leaping back to circle the demon at a distance, harrying him. Verika also moves to hem him in, leaping from rooftop to rooftop as she shoots, forcing Sevariel to change course, fleeing back the way he came. "End it quick, demon!" she calls down to the Wrath demon. "If you can't claim your reward yourself, then we'll finish him for you!"

It's a clever bit of improvisation, intended to put even more pressure on Zethuriel. And yet still there's still no sign of intervention on the ancient sorcerer's part. You strain your senses, but to no avail. Is he really willing to write off such a large loss to his remaining forces? Without even trying to do anything? Or is he preparing even now? Setting up some diabolical tactic for maximum effect?

Where is he?

Either way, you're running out of time. Between the Wrath demon's assault and the occasional assistance from two heroines, Sevariel is in bad shape. He's panting for breath, his hair disheveled, looking from opponent to opponent for some way of escape. You won't be able to justify dragging this fight out too much longer, not without it starting to look suspicious. Maybe you'll just need to settle for killing Sevariel and hope that—

It's then that your plans are interrupted. But not by a grand, devastating attack. Nor by an incantation you overhear. Nor by a buildup of magical energy you notice. Rather, just as your team is closing in on Sevariel... you see a small, brown-haired girl stumble out of one of the nearby buildings. The child's eyes are unfocused, and she moves as though in a daze. She walks directly toward the wounded incubus, entirely heedless of any danger.

As soon as Mockingbird sees the child, she hurls herself toward the girl in a frantic attempt to pull her back. But Sevariel is just as fast... and he's closer. He seizes on this chance for survival with the desperation of a cornered animal, launching himself toward her as well. When he does reach her, he wrenches her off her feet and spins around, holding her dangling in front of himself. "Stay back!" he screams, his voice cracking a little. "Stay back, or I'll rip out her throat!"

Mockingbird skids to a stop, her expression stricken. Even as the demon holds her, you see the little girl's eyes focus, blinking in confusion as she looks around her. Then she lets out a scream of abject terror, thrashing in Sevariel's arms, until he cruelly tightens his grip.

The Wrath demon, however, only snorts. "Do you really think that a hostage can save you?" he asks contemptuously. He continues to advance on his prey, without the slightest hesitation. "What a fool. I will ensure that your death is—" But his threat cuts off, as one of Verika's arrows slams into the street right in his path. He slowly turns to glower up at the heroine, whose bow is pointed down at him now, in a desperate play to keep him from dooming the child.

Shit, shit, shit! Zethuriel wasn't merely trying to give Sevariel a hostage. He chose this strategy knowing how a Wrath demon would react. Cease attacking the object of his vengeance? Merely for the sake of some uninvolved child? Anathema, to one of their kind. It's just as predictable as the heroines refusing to let the girl die. With one simple stroke, Zethuriel has protected his minion... while at the same time sowing discord among his foes.

And he accomplished all this without revealing himself. Is it because he suspects a trap? Is this a test, to see how much your side will be forced to reveal in response? How deep does his plan go?

There's also the question of how he engineered this, and what that might reveal about his own abilities. Even straining your inhuman hearing, you didn't hear any incantations, nor did you detect any of the sights or sounds usually associated with magical effects. Did he conceal them somehow? Or is this a demonic power? The girl's behavior did look very much like the effect of the suggestion power you saw Karathiel use. Does that mean Zethuriel has that ability too?

Either way, with each moment that passes, Sevariel's wounds are healing. Even with all the damage your side inflicted to keep him grounded, his incredible regeneration means that it won't be long before his wings will allow him to fly once more, allowing him to take to the skies and flee that way.

Whatever you're going to do... you'll need to do it fast. And your options are slim.

You could use yourself as a distraction. You're pretty sure that the right words could draw the attention of the unstable incubus to an extreme extent, especially if they came from his precious "Vessel". It could be enough to create an opening for one of the heroines to try something. Which heroine makes the attempt would depend on where exactly you draw Sevariel's attention.

On the other hand, unlike the heroines, he hasn't noticed you yet. You could try to sneak up on him while he's focused on them, and splash him from behind with your last remaining vial of holy water. Would that hurt him enough to get the hostage free without him killing her? And how close could you get? Shapeshifting into a smaller creature could aid you in sneaking into a better position, but that would also cost Lust.

If you were inclined to be particularly ruthless about it, you could simply try to convince the heroines to go for the kill, and ignore the child's plight, without even trying any strategies aimed at saving her first. A relatively quick death would at least be better that her likely fate should Sevariel escape with her. But it would be a bitter pill. Not to mention that you can't imagine that your plan getting a child killed would help Alicia and Elianna's opinion of you.

Finally, you could instead summon another heroine right behind Sevariel, putting someone he isn't expecting in the perfect place to strike. That would also reveal the fact that you have that ability to everyone involved, of course. As well as risking the tasks whoever you summon had been assigned. Not to mention that, the more forces you reveal, the greater the risk of Zethuriel simply writing off his dreamwalker and cutting his losses.

But... might a risk of spooking Zethuriel be worth it, at this point? Aside from your strategy, you'll also need to decide whether to signal Alicia and Elianna to join you. Revealing their presence might reduce the chance of Zethuriel revealing his. But it would also be the safer approach by far. In basically every plan, the chances of getting the girl out alive would drastically increase with them present. And out of any heroine, the holy warriors would be by far the ones most likely to take down Sevariel before he can kill the girl.

On the other hand, if you're still hoping to bait Zethuriel into revealing himself, then he needs to believe he can win. The more forces you bring in—whether by signaling or by summoning—the more you shift that calculus. By how much? That would depend on his plan, and what he thinks he can accomplish.

Finally, if the plan you choose does succeed in getting the child out of Sevariel's grasp, the heroines will doubtless want her out of the line of fire as quickly as possible. You could have someone take care of it, greatly reducing the risk to the girl. Though doing so would pull whoever you pick away from the fighting, albeit briefly.

How will you navigate the risks and pitfalls around you? What will you prioritize? Who will you save? And can you come up with a way to out-maneuver the ancient demon sorcerer?