There are few things in the world more precious than the sound of a Succubus giggling.  It sounds like the purest of silver bells on an off day and on the best of days, it is said that the golden bells of Anorak were made from mortal men trying and failing to capture the sound.  

They were the most beautiful bells in the world.  So much so that an entire army had died of starvation while listening to the bells as they passed the Temple by.  They had headed to lay waste to a monster problem and wandered a little to close.  They were found a month later, having starved to death listening to the music of the wind.

"To think that you would go so far as to make a deal like this, I do not know if I am disappointed in you or proud of you miserable lot."  The Lady of Bargains said to the three warlocks that had called on her this evening. 

"In our defense, it really was the best option at the time.  Better to make an unfavorable deal today then be broken by it tomorrow and all that."  Embrda said in response to try and justify what had happened with the Order of Broken Chains.

"Not to mention that we can still benefit from the deal if we work it right.  Just got to try and find the silver lining in the clouds and all that."  Drassisa said with a bit of hope in her voice.  It was never a good sign when a devil could not tell if you got the short end of the stick or not.  

One thing was for certain, things were going to get interesting soon when the Order started calling on them.  Sasha could see it now.  A slippery slope that would only get steeper over time.  It would not be all that long until someone called on them to do a dirty job or had no other choice but to do so.  Then more and more of the order would call.  Soon everything that they could not be seen doing out in the open would come their way.  She really hoped that she was wrong about that but even still she had called up the Lady today.  Better to have her input on this than to go in blind after all.

"You may be able to make it turn a profit but it could also drain your resources dry, it matters not because as of right now I have a job for you lot.  I have word of the child that you told me about some time ago.  There is a farm not fairly close to the city you now live in which the cultist that performed the ritual now use as a middle man."   She informed the mortals at her feet.

"I would ask you to cut off their resources from the outside world and draw them out of hiding.  If you would accept my bargain then we may talk about the price of a job well done."  

"We can make the arrangements necessary to make it look like a grudge gone bloody.  A feud that ran its course.  We can have assassins take on the problem as soon as the next dawn comes.  Would that be acceptable for you?"  Embrda asked with all due respect.  The Lady did not demand it like some patrons but there was no reason for rudeness with someone that could save your life just because she owed you a minor favor.

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"Very well but be warned, these are not good people.  They will use children as weapons wish only to bring about destruction on a wide scale.  Worse yet, they do not pay the debt that they acquire."  For the Lady to say that about them was one of the worse possible outcomes.  She would still do business with someone that did not pay their debt but she would do them no kindness.  

"The farmer once lived far to the north but he killed his entire family when he found his wife had taken on a lover who treated her like a human being instead of a dog.  Be warned that there are other debts involved with his death, there are to be no funeral rites performed, only a quick end and scorched earth."  The Lady said that with just a touch a venom in her voice. 

For someone that was truly neutral on mortal affairs, this was more condemning than if she had just ordered the man killed.  Say what you want about the demon, devil from the foulest pits of hell.  She had standards.  She knew on what side of the line that she stood on and while she oftentimes dealt with people she hated out of principle, she did not have to like the rat bastard or do him any favors.  

Besides that, He Owed Her!  She never forgot a debt owed.

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"If we can get the Lady on our side as quickly as possible then we might have a chance of turning a profit from this mess."  Embrda said trying to make a plan for the future.  

They were trying to make sure that this would not blow up in their faces after going so far as to disarm it ahead of time.  The last thing they wanted was to be sent straight into a death trap because someone thought it would be funny or serve them right.  After all, it only took one person to hold a grudge and make life miserable for everyone.  Why risk those odds when they could be avoided or turned into your favor.

"We just need to take it slow and stack the deck in our favor.  It does not really matter who hold what cards when all of them belong to us.  Sure we are gambling with our lives but chances exist to be taken when they come your way.  To do anything else is to let them blow through your hands."  Sasha said to reassure her compatriots and lend her support to their confidence.  It never hurt to be confident in what you were doing.

"I will get in contact with the assassins we have befriended and make the arrangements.  It won't be free but we should be able to get a discount if everything works out well."  Embrda said.  He was their contact with them when they were away from the Mad little dungeon they had built.

"I will get in touch with some of my healer friends and see what they are willing to do.  I might be able to make it so that if anyone openly goes after us then the entire city will mob them down.  Might just buy us some breathing room if I can get it working before anyone catches on to the full scope of what I am trying to do."  Drassisa said thinking of what kind of distraction she would need to pull this off.

"Can you buy me a distraction away from the western district for a week?  If I can get that then I should be able to make us some real wiggle room."  She added.

"I will see what I can do but you will still need to look over your shoulder every minute of the day.  No stupid risks if you can avoid them."  Embrda said after a moments thought and worry for his sister.