"Same routine as always," Saiyun said, letting his connection to Kotack on the roof drop. "She's having drinks and conversation with her client. Tonight doesn't seem any different than any other night."

The inn room was a lot more cramped than usual. Normally he was alone, but now Aven, Yazwa, Ji, Cai, and Batro were crammed into the tiny space. Aven had taken up a position by the window, peering out through a crack in the shutters to the street below. Ji stood next to him, eyes darting between him and Aven. Yazwa sat at the desk chair, and Cai and Batro both sat on the bed. The innkeeper was probably suspicious about why all these people were piling into a single room, but if everything went well it would be their last night here.

"Good," said Cai, rubbing his hands together. "The quicker we get rid of this Akshi the better. I can't sleep for fear of that damn thing floating into my ear. Before we commit to this, is there anything either of you have seen that could throw off Bill's plan?"

Yazwa looked up at the ceiling, drumming her fingers on the desk. "I don't think so. In the early hours the place is pretty quiet. I've never seen anyone go up to her room that wasn't a client. We should be okay unless Aven can't pick the lock into her room," she said, looking over at Aven.

"If it were a combination lock, it could be tricky," Aven said, gently closing the window shutter. "You're sure it's a key?"

"Completely," Saiyun replied. "Every...encounter starts with the client giving her the key to the room. Apparently it's made of gold."

Batro snorted out a laugh. "As if anyone believes that."

"What about you, Saiyun?" Cai asked, wrinkled face serious. "I know you've been listening more than watching, but what do you think?"

Saiyun took a deep breath. "She keeps herself isolated up there. Whenever she talks to someone who's not a client she always comes down. Only servants come and go in the daylight hours. I think once Aven and Ji get up there there's very little chance of anyone interrupting them."

"Well, then let's go over Bill's plan again," Cai said, standing up. "Batro and I go in and have a good time. Drink some, gamble some, buy some time with the whores, and wander around as much as we can. Get a better idea of the layout of the place. Then we come back here and report what we know."

"This is the best assignment I've ever had," Batro said with a bright grin.

"Won't lie," Cai said, his smile showing his golden teeth. "I'm pretty excited myself."

Saiyun cleared his throat loudly. "What next?"

Cai flashed Saiyun a smile. "After we tell Aven what we saw, we wait here for the early morning, shortly before they close. Batro and I will go back in through the front along with Ji and Aven. We cause a ruckus by getting into a fistfight and draw the attention of the guards. In the confusion, Aven and Ji slip upstairs."

"From what we know now, the second floor is where the other prostitutes see their clients," Aven said, jumping in. "However, when we go in most of them should be done and asleep already."

"I've heard multiple people ask why she works so much later than the others," Saiyun added.

"The door to her tower is at the far end of the east hallway," said Aven. "If there are no guards all I have to do is pick the lock and we climb the spiral staircase up to her room. If we're lucky we can catch her by surprise."

"I have one problem with this," Saiyun spoke up, drawing all eyes to him. "Bill is staying on the ship because he's too recognizable. Even if no one knows who he is, he's easy to remember. If that's true, why are we sending Ji in? Her tail makes her even more distinct than Bill."

Truth be told, the idea of sending Ji into the brothel made Saiyun's stomach turn, but that was not a tactically sound reason to object.

"Yazwa and I came up with a solution to that already," Ji said, turning her back to Saiyun. Her tail was nowhere to be seen. "I just got some loose pants and buckled a belt above my tail. It's not comfortable, but it hides it."

Saiyun averted his eyes as Ji lifted her loose shirt up to show him. "It's still an imperfect solution, what if it comes loose?"

"Imperfect solutions are the only ones we have," Cai said. "After they get into the tower, what comes next?"

Saiyun waited until he was sure Ji dropped her shirt before he looked up again. "I stay in the inn with Yazwa, keeping my connection with Crawling Kotack. If needed I help engage the Akshi."

"I don't think I should stay here," Yazwa said. "I can just go with Aven and Ji. We know how strong that thing is. Four against one sounds a lot better than three against one."

"No," said Aven, Cai, and Saiyun all at once.

Yazwa grumbled, tossing her dreads back. "Guess I'm outvoted."

"Two people moving around the brothel will attract less attention than three," Aven said. "Easier to make up a story if we get questioned too."

Cai nodded in agreement. "Bill wants you up here, observing the Akshi from afar."

"If it jumps into another body, we're relying on your sight to follow it," said Saiyun. "If it gets away we have to start everything all over again."

"Fine, I get it. I just hate sitting here while you all get to fight," Yazwa said, reaching into her pocket and pulling out two plates of colored glass. "Once the Akshi is driven out, I watch what it does. I open the shutters and put a candle on the windowsill. Blue glass in front of the flame if the Akshi possesses someone else, green glass if it disappears."

"But what if it just flies away?" Batro asked.

Cai patted Batro's arm. "It can't. Akshi can't survive in the open air without a host. If they're stuck outside for more than a few moments, they fade. It's a Keiso Akshi, so if there's no one around it’s already made a bargain with, it won’t have any available hosts."

"After that, we have to make things up as we go," Aven said, taking a moment to peek out the window again. "If it dies there, we just have a talk with the prostitute and try to get her to help us. I don't think it should be too hard."

“Her name is Avari,” Saiyun said, picking up a pair of summon dolls, one for Kotack, one for Jado. “If the Akshi goes to another host we're in trouble. I can use Kotack to keep her confined, but that means I can only use one other summon to help you. If it jumps to another person in the brothel it will be very hard to keep that quiet."

"We'll weather that storm when it comes," Cai shrugged, grabbing Batro's arm and hauling him to his feet. "Let's go do our part."

-

Ji stood stock still, pressed up against the wall of the inn with her heart hammering in her chest. The three-quarters moon illuminated the empty street with soft, red-tinged light. Even with no one around, she felt completely exposed. Aven stood next to her, peering around the corner of the building as Cai and Batro made their way into the inn for the second time.

Their first trip had been a great success, and when they’d made it back to the inn there’d been plenty to discuss. Where the stairs were, how many guards were standing watch, and even how loud the floorboards were. Batro had tried to go into other details, but for some reason, Saiyun had objected. It must not have been important. Once they had told everything, there was nothing to do but wait. The cramped room left no space to do drills, so she had been forced to kneel in meditation, waiting for the time to come.

Ji took another deep breath to quiet her hammering heart. She had faced this Akshi before and lived to tell about it. It would not slip away again. "Did they get in?" she whispered to Aven.

"Yes," he said, turning to look at her. "But we need to wait. If we show up too soon, it might look suspicious. How's your tail?"

"Fine," Ji lied. The base of her tail was bent at a sharp angle so it would go down her trouser leg. At first it hadn't been much, but after hours in that position, it was hurting more and more. She would not complain to Aven. A little pain was nothing. "When will we go?"

"Now," Aven said, taking hold of her hand and leading her out into the street. "Keep quiet and only talk if I talk to you."

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Ji's heart started pounding again as they stepped into the street together. Aven adopted a stumbling gait as they moved towards the guards standing at the brothel door. He spoke to them in a language she did not understand, laughing and tugging on her hand. When the guards looked at her she looked down at her feet. Lying was not her skill, so there was no point in even attempting to.

A sudden tug from Aven had her moving again, through the door, past the guards, and into the middle of a large room that smelled of sweat and smoke. At the further end was a stage, while the end nearer to them hosted a long table in front of a shelf full of bottles. In between were low, circular tables that were nearly empty, save for a few drowsy-looking people. Lanterns hung on the ceiling, illuminating brightly colored curtains hanging on every wall. Ji spotted Cai and Batro sitting at a table with a few others, playing a card game. Rather than moving toward them, Aven pulled her to a table at the other end, near a curtain flanked by two burly guards.

A quick glance at their stances told her they were weary, but still alert. She had been warned about staring too long, so she turned her eyes quickly to Aven.

"What do you want?" he asked in a slow, slurred voice. "Anything you want."

Ji blinked. Right. They were supposed to look like two people who had come in for a good time. "I would like...a drink." Ji slowly sat down, trying to find a position that would not crush her hidden tail.

"Good!" Aven barked, waving his hand at one of the people lurking around. One came over and he said something Ji did not understand. The woman smiled and nodded, leaving with a spin on her heel. "How long you been here?"

"A few days," Ji replied, taking a look around the room. Cai and Batro were sitting near the stage, well away from them. The two nearby guards must have been protecting the stairs that led to the second floor.

The woman returned with a pair of glasses, and Aven said something to her and slid two copper coins across the table to her. "Have you seen much of the city yet? Adoti can be beautiful if you know where to look."

Ji picked up her glass and sniffed the drink. It smelled strongly of rotten fruit and something she could not place. "I have been, some places. Not many."

"You're cheating old man!" came a bellow from across the room. Batro stood up and flipped the table over, sending cards and coins flying.

"Loose with some grace, why don't you?" Cai sneered, staying in his seat. "Throwing tantrums isn't attractive."

"I'll show you attractive!" Batro shouted, leaping at Cai.

Cai rolled out of his chair and Batro stumbled over it, crashing to the ground. "Too late for a youngster like you to be out. Go find someone to tuck you into bed!"

Batro sprang to his feet and seized the chair, hurling it at Cai. It flew over his head and landed at the feet of the guards. They shouted something and rushed towards the fight as Cai and Batro started throwing punches.

A sudden flurry of movement in the corner told Ji that Aven had made his move. With all eyes on the fight, he slipped out of his chair and crawled underneath the curtain so quickly Ji only saw his foot before it vanished. She followed his lead, ignoring the twinge in her tail as she crouched low and slipped underneath the curtain.

On the other side was a long, empty hallway. Mirrors and paintings of naked people hung on the walls, lit by the steady light of oil lanterns. Right ahead was a steep wooden staircase leading up. Aven led the way, silently climbing the stairs and halting at the top. Ji followed him, wincing at every creak. She could barely hear the sounds of the fight below, the curtains were muffling the sound so well.

"We're clear," Aven said, stepping out onto the second floor. It was a long hallway, floor covered by a plush rug that muffled their footsteps. Doors lined the walls, each decorated in its own way with paint, flowers, or hanging baubles. Down at the far end of the hallway was a door painted gold and white, framed by a colorful banner.

Ji kept close behind Aven, looking behind them as they moved forward to keep watch. No doors opened as they walked, and no one came up the stairs looking for them. "Hall's empty," she whispered.

Aven reached the door and dropped to his knees, pulling his lockpicks out of his pouch. "Almost there," he whispered as he slid two metal pins into the lock. "Keep an eye out."

Ji crouched down behind him, eyes sweeping up and down the hallway. She saw nothing, but a sound reached her ears over the noise of the lockpicks. A heavy footstep, then another and another. "Someone's coming," she whispered, trying to find out where the noise was coming from.

The door knob to her left clicked and her eyes darted over to it. The door swung open silently and on the other side was a guard dressed like the ones downstairs, holding a black club in his hands. Flashes of movement behind him told her there were more coming.

"Don't let them into the hallway," Aven hissed, dropping his lockpicks.

The man set one foot outside the door, raising his club high over his head. Ji's first instinct was to leap to her feet and close distance to land a flurry of strikes before he could swing. But getting to her feet and taking the proper stance would take too long. A lesson from Aven leapt to the front of her mind instead, and she acted, surging towards the guard.

To grapple an enemy larger than you, don't try to pull them down. Get under their center of balance and lift them off their feet. Ji slammed her shoulder into his stomach and wrapped her arm around his waist, lifting him as her momentum carried her forward. The man let out a surprised grunt and swung his club down, landing a glancing blow on her back.

Ji blocked out the pain and waited for the moment she felt the man's feet leave the floor. When she felt all his weight on her shoulder, she bent her waist and sent him to the floor with a thud. Triumph flooded her mind as Aven leapt over her, slamming the door behind him and rushing the other two men in the room.

The moment of joy cost her, as the man she was grappling recovered, twisting around so he was on top of her. Strength mattered on the ground, but so did leverage. Ji released him as he grabbed for her arms, kicking off the wall and pushing out from under him. Quick as she could, she scrambled on his back, wrapping an arm around his neck and squeezing tight. No matter how big someone was, a little pressure would drop them in a few heartbeats. The man tried to pull her arm off, and she looked up at Aven with a fierce smile.

Aven managed to dodge one of the guards clubs, but the other one made a solid hit where his shoulder met his neck. He gasped out in pain, staggering backwards until he hit the wall. The two men pressed the attack, clubs raised.

A feral scream ripped out of Ji's throat and she released her opponent and rushed the men attacking Aven. One saw her coming and swung his club at her head, but she ducked under it and slammed her fist into his kidney. He grunted in pain and collapsed in a heap on the floor. The other man stepped backwards, and Ji got between him and Aven. By the door the guard she grappled was getting to his feet with fury in his eyes. Ji's eyes darted back and forth, trying to decide which one was the bigger threat.

Aven decided for her by tossing a chair at the man by the door, forcing him off balance. Ji took that to mean the other man was hers. As she closed in on him, he dropped his club and came at her with his fists. The man was good. His blows were quick and sharp, all aimed at a knockout blow to her face, but that made him predictable.

After deflecting a few blows with her arms, Ji spotted an opening and took it. A wild swing let her slip in under his guard and land a solid hit to the center of his chest. With the air driven out of his body the man collapsed onto the table, sending it and him crashing to the ground.

Ji rushed to help Aven, but there was no need. His arm was wrapped around the final guard's throat, and he held tight until the man went still

"Are you hurt?" Ji asked, rushing to his side as he pushed the limp man off him.

"Open the door a crack and tell me what you hear," Aven wheezed, grimacing and clutching his shoulder.

"Right," Ji nodded, hopping over Aven to get to the door. She twisted the door knob and pushed the door open, ready to her cries of alarm and orders being shouted. The only thing she heard was her own blood pumping in her ears. Certain she was missing something, Ji pushed the door open a little more and took some deep breaths, trying to slow her heart. Still, the night was silent. "I don't hear anything."

"Good," Aven said, binding the guards hand and foot and gagging them with whatever he could find.

"How?" Ji whispered, gently pulling the doors closed. "Why isn't anyone coming to help them?"

Aven tested his knots and made his way over to the door, taking out his little jar of ash. "They build these walls thick. Not much gets through them. Everyone around us is asleep after a long night of work. I doubt we even woke anyone up," he said as he drew out the symbols in ash on his forearm.

"What about the Akshi?" Ji asked, looking up.

"We'll have to see," Aven winced, rubbing his shoulder. "You stay in here and I'll go out and pick the lock. When I get the door open, you run up first and I'll come up behind you. Try to pin the Akshi down so I can hit it quick."

Ji gave a curt nod and crouched down as Aven slipped into the hallway. She took deep, measured breaths and tried to tune out the groaning men behind her as she waited. At the sound of hinges squeaking, she darted into the hallway and through the open door, so fast her feet barely touched the ground. The spiral staircase was narrow and steep, but she pushed on, hearing Aven's footsteps close behind her. As Ji got closer to the top, she could make out a sliver of light above. She hit the trapdoor at full speed, bursting into the room at the top of the tower.

The Akshi wasn't far, standing right at the edge of the trapdoor. The host wore a red robe loosely tied and was holding a bronze wash basin large enough to fit a person over her head. Her face was a mask of rage as she swung the tub down just as the trapdoor swung open.

Ji tried to kill her speed, but she was moving too fast. She couldn't throw herself out of the way either, not with half her body below the trapdoor. As the massive chunk of metal came down at her, Ji's mind raced to find a way out from under it.

Out of the corner of her eye Ji saw a blurry, twisted shape swing in through the window. Crawling Kotack's pincers seized the tub as it was halfway down, stopping its descent. The Akshi shouted in surprise and lost its grip, stumbling away. Kotack lurched backwards, tossing the tub onto the bed before dropping it's full body into the room.

Ji cleared the trap door and lunged at the Akshi as it was distracted by the appearance of Kotack. She landed a solid hit to the side of its face, but the demon did not drop. It turned around and grabbed a table, hurling it at Ji who only barely managed to duck out of the way. As it shattered into kindling, Ji readied herself, searching for another opening.

There was no need. Kotack skittered forward and lunged, seizing the Akshi's upper arm in its pincers. It raised its fist, but before Ji could blink, Kotack had wrapped its body around the Akshi completely, except for its outraged face.

Aven rushed past Ji, slamming his hand over its mouth before it could scream. Ji felt a shiver run up her sign as a strange energy pulsed out of Aven. A bright pink mist erupted out of the host's nose, hovering in the air like a trembling cloud before it shot out one of the windows into the early morning.

"Check for the signal," Aven whispered, hands still clamped over the woman's mouth.

Ji stuck her head out the window and looked down into the street, finding the window of the inn where they had all waited. Time dragged on until she saw a flicker of light at the window. First a naked candle flame, but it quickly turned blue.

Ji bit back a cheer and turned to look at Aven. "It's gone, we won."