Hictor looked out the window at the city below him, he was ten stories above the street in his new hideout. A rather new addition to the Grict skyline, The Forister Building was an under construction skyscraper said to contain a multitude of luxury casinos, restaurants, and a hotel. That’s what the articles say about it anyway. The building was still being put together, which was currently halted for the time being.
The exact reasoning was vague, all Hictor knew is the ones in charge of the project had the idea of halting it implanted in their head last night. He needed to make sure no one would disturb him after all. While the building is largely unfinished, the hotel part was mostly complete and it didn’t take long for them to realize Hictor was squatting here. This morning, someone from that building came to Hictor and she claimed to be the owner of it.
She was oddly okay with him being there. She was willing to let his presence slide so long as he does not cause severe damage to the building and if Hictor were to help with some problems of hers. They were simple jobs and it would have been more trouble to kill her. All Hictor had to do was carry them out and his hideout would be secure.
At first he was concerned she would betray him for his large bounty. But she insisted she had no interest in money and only saw Hictor as a powerful asset. She was probably the closest thing he had to a human friend since this all started. At least she wasn’t asking for much.
An acquaintance of hers was looking for a particular tiefling woman, she was to be brought to a specific location alive and by force if needed. The other target was that strange geomancer woman Hictor had heard about before. There was an associate waiting to capture her as well, but she doubted he could take her on alone. Hictor simply needed to supply some backup for both jobs.
It would take some time to get everything set up again so he could continue working, not everyone he had could really help with that. So he definitely had summons he could spare. He brought forth three to carry out these jobs, the indestructible creature, the floating club-armed being, and Torrid. They were given their orders and they left to carry them out. All Hictor had to do now was trust that they would succeed.
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It was easy to make contact with Vaughn, Cyreen remembered how they got in touch before. But she also knew how paranoid he was, so her words needed to be chosen carefully. Though the spell she weaved to contact him only allowed them to speak to each other. Vaughn knew enough of that magic to prevent any undesired peeks as to where he was. Lavor sat beside Cyreen as they looked into the glowing light from which Vaughn’s voice was emanating.
“I’ll be honest, I never expected to hear from you two again. If you need me to help you rob another holy artifact, I’m afraid I’m busy with my own things at the moment.” Vaughn said.
“It’s not a job. I understand you have recently been in contact with a particular tiefling woman?” Cyreen said.
“The last woman I was with was one half of a pair of lizardfolk twins on a cruise ship. I don’t think your intel is good.” Vaughn said.
“Tsilo told us before he fled town, demons are after him because he also found out about this tiefling by the name of Seron Ymbaz.” Cyreen said.
Vaughn made the slightest pause before speaking again. “What warranted a death threat like that?”
“Seron’s mother, she doesn’t want anyone knowing the daughter she seemed to try and get rid of is still around. Her mother is also the one who dethroned my friend the prince. We can use Seron to open a portal to Deepworld and take her down for good.” Cyreen said.
“How do I know you’re telling the truth?” Vaughn asked.
“I know you. The last thing either of us want to do is get on your bad side. All we want is to meet here so she can open the portal, nothing more.” Cyreen said.
“Well then…. I guess I can tell you she’s here and was listening in the whole time. Seron is up for it so I will join her. First, meet us on top of the West Hill parking lot as soon as you can. We’ll move on from there.” Vaughn said before the spell cut out.
Cyreen was annoyed he didn’t give her enough time to respond. Though she did remember him being like that during their last conversation. The man was a paranoid mess and always tried to have more power in any situation with other people. It was rude and bothersome, but it was the only way to work with him.
The parking lot was a few blocks away, so Cyreen and Lavor began their walk towards it. Surraid meanwhile, was out procuring important items needed for their impending attack. Lavor made sure to bring his lantern. A holy weapon like that won’t be nearly as effective on a tiefling, but the fact remains that it was still a large hunk of metal on a stick. They weren’t expecting a fight from these two, in fact they really didn’t want one at all. But Lavor had no idea how she would react to this news.
They both agreed to tell Seron everything they knew. Deinia tried to get rid of her after all, Lavor doubted Seron had any kind of loyalty to her mother. If they were lucky, Vaughn and Seron might join them. Vaughn especially would be helpful considering how he is equivalent to an entire street gang of unkillable, undead, and specifically talented theater majors. Yeah, a talented juggler wasn't much of a threat but they still have hands and not even decapitation would stop them from trying to strangle someone. Lavor didn’t want to see a beast tamer charge down a cop with a chair and win that fight, but Vaughn’s work was hard to look away from.
“So we get Seron to unlock the portal, then what?” Cyreen asked when they were approaching the parking lot.
“We don’t hop right in, we prepare. Deinia has guards and the power the throne bestows. Should I defeat her though, the power should transfer to me.” Lavor said.
“So are we just going to kill any demon that gets in our way?” Cyreen asked.
“The royal guards are innocent, leave them alive. Only use lethal force against any of her followers. I’ll make examples out of any we manage to catch afterwards. Have them serve time as imps if they don’t deserve execution.” Lavor said as they walked up to the top floor.
“What about Surraid, what will he do?” Cyreen asked.
“He will aid us in our attack. Once I am back in power I intend to pardon him and restore him to normal.” Lavor said.
“And once that’s all done, what about me?” Cyreen asked.
“I’ll find a donor to give you replacement arms and I'll get mine back. After that you are free to return to your coven. Though you will always be welcome in Deepworld.” Lavor said with a smile as he looked at Cyreen.
“I presume you’ll also have someone return that lantern?” Cyreen asked.
“Yeah…. I’ll have to think of a way to explain it to the angels. If they’ll listen.” Lavor said.
“Returning it along with a hefty donation might-” Cyreen began to say before they both spotted a wrecked car alone at the very top floor of the parking lot.
It had driven straight into a wall, the front was damaged but it certainly wasn’t a high speed crash. The windshield was shattered, but all of the broken glass was on the inside as if something crashed into it from outside the car. Lavor could sense demons were recently here, as was Vaughn. There was no blood or bodies in the car. Someone attacked them while they were waiting. Yet there weren't signs of a fight either, no noticeable magic residue from spells or necromancy.
“Shit! They got here first!” Cyreen said.
“Dammit! You think they killed Seron?” Lavor asked.
“If they killed her they would have done it here…. I think they’re using her as bait.” Cyreen said as she examined the car.
“What makes you think that?” Lavor asked.
“Witch hunters use the same tactics. Deinia knows we need her, this is a good way to lure us out.” Cyreen said.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
“What about Vaughn, why would they take him?” Lavor said.
“I don’t think they did. They must know he’d put up a fight, so they moved faster than he could react. He probably chased after them, can you follow his trail?” Cyreen asked.
One of the perks Lavor enjoyed from his minor amount of demon prince power was an increased sensitivity to magic. Magical beings like demons and wizards leave a trail he could follow like a hound tracking a scent. Vaughn’s magic was potent and there was no doubt he was going after those demons. Following them should be easy for Lavor.
“We need to head back down to the street. And get ready to fight, who knows how close they are.” Lavor said.
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Yara kicked down the front door to a warehouse in the industrial park. The address on the letter Cyreen brought her had led Yara to a house which was her last known address. It had been sold over a year ago, but the transaction documents claimed that the previous owner of the home was a company based out of this warehouse. This place looked like it was cleaned out recently, only empty shipping containers and crates remain.
Yara looked up and saw something glinting from the light, underneath one of the metal beams holding the roof up was another one of the crystals she used to communicate and spy on people. Yara quickly formed a spike and used her staff to fire it up to shatter the crystal. She didn’t have much time before something showed up, her chance to find a clue was slowly slipping away. As she looked towards a makeshift office on the side, she suddenly heard a strange sound near her. It sounded like a small creature running around, Yara kept her guard up and was ready to strike at a moment’s notice.
“Please Yara! I don’t mean any harm!” a strange voice yelled from behind a container.
“Who the hell are you then?” Yara asked.
Torrid emerged from behind the container, Yara kept her guard up. Torrid was sent to scout ahead and gather information on Yara to best plan an attack. Upon glancing into her eyes and knowing what she had gone through, Torrid’s conscience got the better of them. It knew what would happen if the attack succeeded. Torrid was willing to do a lot of things, but even they had limits.
“I’m a creature bound to a summoner! I was tasked with helping someone with your capture, but I’ve seen what you went through. I can’t allow myself to help them!” Torrid said.
“Are you saying she sent you?” Yara asked, Torrid sensed the building rage inside her.
“She struck a deal with my summoner. I don’t have much time to warn you. But she sent someone wielding strange magic to capture you. My summoner also sent a strong creature as well, though it can be killed. They sent me to scout ahead but I can’t in good conscience help them win!” Torrid said.
“How do I know this isn't a trick?” Yara asked.
In an instant Yara found herself flooded with memories of Hictor talking to Clarita. Torrid himself was not present during the meeting, these memories were instead taken from Eso’s perspective. Along with those were visions of the building in which she had been using to hide. After years of investigating, dead end leads, and lackluster interrogations, Yara finally knew where she was.
Torrid sensed a strange surge of emotion from Yara at that moment. It was hard for Torrid to describe: The rage that was previously radiating like the light from a star was now changing. Instead of a blind anger vaguely directed at what she wanted, it seemed to focus into a single fine beam. Yara finally had the direction she needed. No more lashing out at random people, murdering any criminal that gave her trouble, or assassinating whatever person gave her a convenient face to steal. All she had to do now was walk inside and end it.
“Can you beat them?” Torrid asked.
Yara shook her head to focus herself and said. “Go, I can handle them. I’ll spare you for giving me this knowledge, but if I must kill you, I will.”
Torrid scuttled away, back to where the other two were waiting. Yara knew she needed to take care of these two assailants first. She reached into her pockets to begin her plan. While she didn’t know what the summoner sent, the one she sent was something she knew well.
Clarita knew how to make people into what Yara is on a biological level, but the focus was on imbuing them with rare magics. Yara had never met another successful experiment before. This one was seemingly fully devoted to her goals. That was always a major problem that arose when creating them. They would grow immensely resentful of her and always backfired when brainwashing was used. The only way someone would still follow her after all that was if they too believed in the cause. Though she found it hard to believe anyone would.
Yara didn’t have long before she heard someone climb on top of a shipping container and walk into view. She looked up at the man, no doubt in her mind that he was made into the same thing as her. In his hands were a pair of odd looking swords, one half the length of the other. She could feel his anger from where she stood, it wasn’t that different from the kind that fueled her.
“I’d kill you now if mother didn’t ask me to bring you in alive.” he said.
“I’ll find her on my own terms. I know what you can do, you’re not going to find this fight is as easy as you want it to be.” Yara said.
“Given the nature of what I can do, I doubt that. But it never hurts to have a little backup.” he said as a strange creature floated into view.
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Vaughn’s eyes shot open as he came to. He could smell garbage, likely because he was lying in a dumpster. He sat up and collected his thoughts, he was attacked by demons of all things. He and Seron were waiting at their meeting spot in the car when some strange creature seemingly made of metal crashed through the windshield, Seron panicked and accidentally accelerated into a wall. They didn’t have much time to react before a pair of winged demons forced open the doors with a knockout spell at the ready.
The creature leaped onto Vaughn and clung to him with an unusual amount of strength for something its size. It distracted him long enough for them to knock out Seron and pull her out of the car. By the time he managed to pry it off, he saw the two demons about to fly away with Seron. Under normal, less sudden circumstances. Vaughn would have brought out someone to attack the demons.
But all he saw was the only family he ever had being taken from him again. Vaughn scrambled out of the car and grabbed onto the leg of a demon as they flew away. The extra weight forcing them closer to the ground, it didn’t take long for the demon to kick Vaughn off of him. He survived the fall without much injury, but he was far from okay.
Vaughn climbed out of the dumpster, mad at himself for not preparing. They had been warned, he should have set up some lookouts or had something ready to go if they got attacked. But he didn’t, he was too focused on doing this for Seron. That was always an issue Vaughn believed he had. He always let his guard down around people he was too close to.
His mind tried to pin down a suspect he could go after. If Seron’s mother knew about her, she could have easily sent the demons if she really was who Lavor said she was. But he also suspected Lavor and his witch friend as well. This could all be a ploy to lure Vaughn into a trap and claim his bounty. Lavor could accomplish a lot if he had that kind of money.
Whoever was behind this, they had Seron. Vaughn needed someone to track down where she went. He lit a cigarette and took a long drag to help calm his nerves. He then breathed out a cloud of smoke that brought forth the legendary Kurbinan Yan’Forinan, a famous animal tamer. At his side was one of his many pets he would use for his shows, a creature known as a black shuck. It took the form of a large dog with unnaturally black fur that could only barely reflect any light, it stared at Vaughn with a pair of menacing red eyes that shined bright even in the normal monochrome colors all of Vaughn’s minions had. To this day no one knows where Kurbinan found and much less managed to tame one, but even this impression of the creature will serve Vaughn like it did him.
Vaughn held out his hands for the black shuck to smell the scent of the demon. It immediately looked off towards where the demons were flying, Vaughn had yet to use the actual tracking abilities of this creature before then. Though if the legends he heard were true, the hound already knew exactly where the demon was. For now, Vaughn would need to dispel the beast and its handler.
If he just went walking down the street with those two out, people would be on him in no time. Not to mention the demons would easily hear word that he’s heading towards them. For now, he needed to just go in the general direction the hound was pointing him towards. Occasionally bringing it back out somewhere discrete to get some more direction.
“There he is!” someone shouted from further down the alley.
Vaughn’s attention snapped to the source of the voice. A duo of bounty hunters, a different group from Seron’s organization judging from their uniforms. Vaughn assumed someone saw him fall and informed whatever hunters they could get hold of. They were both holding swords and had heavier armor on them than most. Vaughn looked behind him and saw his other exit was now also blocked by two more hunters. All four began to creep closer to him, no doubt more will arrive soon.
While it would have taken a simple resurrecting of a few people to take care of them and make a getaway, Vaughn suddenly found himself unable to do that. He could feel the death energy he relied on being negated. Vaughn sensed one of the hunters casting a near undetectable but potent life spell in the entire alley. Life energy and death energy are opposites and cancel each other out, they were trying to make him less of a threat. Fortunately, Vaughn had dealt with these methods before.
He took another long drag from his cigarette, as much as his lungs could hold. His wand glowed as it enhanced the smoke Vaughn then exhaled, creating a massive cloud of thick smoke. Despite heavily relying on necromancy, Vaughn managed to teach himself some more practical magic for situations like these. He’d be no match for any proper mage, but it would give him a chance to escape.
He whipped out his baton and ran towards one pair as they were distracted by the smoke. Hitting them firmly in the chest and neck, just enough to make sure they couldn’t give chase right away. He would have to lose these hunters on foot before he could go after Seron. Vaughn just hoped she would be fine when he found her.