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>>44056617

Standing before you, a scant few paces away, is one of the most hideous demons you've ever seen. Its face is pulled into a horrible grin, glistening teeth visible and glinting in the sparse light. Tall, with a loathsome kind of oiliness to it, its chest is dominated by the image of a heart, several iron stakes plunged violently into it. You've seen this before – once, for a brief moment – and you know what it is. This is the demon Amelia sent to do her dirty work, in those blissful days when it obeyed her orders. Now, it's free to do whatever the hell it feels like.

And so it vanishes, disappearing into thin air before your very eyes.

Of course, you realise a moment later, Amelia's “rule” prevented it from harming you directly. One small piece of comfort, shortly followed by a crushing fear as you pat yourself down and learn that your equipment – your phone, Midnight and even that black mask Scathach created – is all gone, taken from you. You are totally defenceless.

No, not totally. A few paces from where that terrible demon had been standing is a wall, a tarnished metal knife buried in the crumbling stone. A note is pinned there as well, flapping lightly in the breeze that runs through the tunnels. Limping over – nothing inside you seems to be broken, at least – you take a look at the note. The words are... burned onto the paper, not written. They read, quite simply, “Keep me amused”. At the very bottom is an arrow, pointing left down the next branching path. Helpful directions, or guiding you straight into a trap?

As you scowl at the note, a sound reaches your ears. The howling of ghouls, you realise, and it's getting closer with each passing second. You need to make a move – and quickly.

>Follow the arrow left
>Take the right path
>Take a moment to check your surroundings carefully
>Other

>>44056624
>Try to calm down and listen.
We're looking for any of two things: Petra's(or any human's) breathing, or wind. Allies, or a way out.

If it ends up being LOL, WIND DEMON....oh well, new recruit.

>>44056721
and if there's no wind, follow the arrow left

>>44056624
>>Take a moment to check your surroundings carefully
Even if there are ghouls out there, running off without a thought won't help us here. If we assume the knife is magical that means we have a way to defend ourselves at least.

>>44056746
>If we assume the knife is magical
naw, it's definitely mundane. totally

Mia becomes the Ripper

>>44056760
Better than being eaten by ghouls though

>>44056791
I'm just saying that having "a heart of hope" would be really helpful right now, and is much preferable to most forms of demonization that could happen to Mia.

>>44056624
>Take a moment to check your surroundings carefully

But probably
>Follow the arrow left

>>44056848
>>44056746
>>44056721

Forcing down the urge to flee – to pick a direction at random and run as fast as you can – you stop and check your surroundings again. If there is something else here, you don't want to overlook it in a fit of haste. Steadying your breathing, you scan the tunnel you landed in. There is a ragged hole above you, the same pit that you fell down, and a thick pile of snow beneath – if not for that snow breaking your fall, the landing might have been a fatal one. If you had Midnight with you, you might have been able to blink back up to the surface. First priority, then, should be getting your equipment back.

Speaking of equipment, you turn your attentions to the blade stuck through the stone wall. It looks like an antique, something more suited to sitting on a velvet pillow in a museum than being used to cleave flesh. Still, you need some way to defend yourself until you can recover your phone, and this blade looks like your only choice. It takes all of your strength to wrench it out of the stone – you don't like to imagine the strength needed to bury it in the stone in the first place – but you manage to free it. Something about it, the way it scatters the weak light that lands on the blade perhaps, strikes you as unusual, magical.

Clutching the knife in a trembling hand, you listen hard to the background noise. Ignoring the approaching howls as best as possible, you strain your ears for any wind. There is a slight whistle, and a feeble gust of fresh air, but it's hard to pinpoint a direction. If you had to take a guess – and considering how close the ghouls now sound, you really DO need to make a move – you would say it was coming from the left hand path, just as the arrow indicates.

Looks like you're heading left – you just hope it isn't some demon down there, conjuring up a trickster wind.

>>44056872

The tunnel twists and winds, but you do notice a definite gradient to the pathway, leading you slowly upwards towards the surface of the earth. As you run the monstrous howling gradually shifts until it is coming from behind you, the sound rising and falling as the ghouls track your scent through the tunnels. The passage, you are pleased to see, only runs in a single direction without deviation. If you had needed to stop at every junction you came across to check the direction of the wind, the trailing ghouls would have been able to close the distance quickly.

Even as you run, you keep an eye out for any sign of Petra, or anything else that might be able to help you. The redhead must have fallen into a different section of this nightmarish maze, maybe even landing deeper than the spot you woke up in. It pains you to admit, but there isn't anything you can do to help her. At least, not until you find your phone – assuming, of course, that Petra has her phone as well, and both devices are in a working condition. A dangerous assumption to make, given the circumstances.

At the very least, you don't see any signs of a struggle. No blood or broken stone, no bodies littering the cramped confines of the tunnel. Your frantic dash is brought to a sudden halt, however, as you finally have the misfortune to reach a junction. Yet, the wind is much stronger here, coming definitely from the right hand path. To the left, however, is a white feather pinned beneath a stack of rocks. Placed there, you are sure, by a careful and definite hand. Could Petra have plucked it from her cloak and left it there as a hint to you?

>Go right, towards the surface
>Go left, descending again

>>44056972
Or Nyarly... But we can't take the chance that Petra is still trapped down there and needs help. Hell how much do you want to be our equipment is down there too?

>Go left, descending again

>>44056972
>Go left, descending again
I don't necessarily think it'll be Petra at the end of this path, but let's go.

>>44056972
>>Go right, towards the surface
Nyarly took our stuff. He could have easily taken a feather from Petra's cloak

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>>44057074
>yfw Nyarly is a nigger.
>yfw Mia call him a nigger.
>His face when he realize this.

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Rolled 48 (1d100)

>>44057014
>>44057027

This could, quite easily, be a trap. You know that – that leering demon could have plucked a feather from Petra's cloak just as easily as he took your equipment from you. This could just be something to keep him amused, a little diversion to keep you running mindlessly for a while longer. Then again, it could be genuine. Ignoring this little sign might lead you to abandoning Petra down here, leaving her to whatever fate threw in her path.

You're not prepared to do that.

Throwing one last mournful glance back at the path to the surface – and freedom from this dreadful maze – you hurry down the left path, soon sensing a decline in your path. This is leading you back down, and in a far steeper gradient that the incline you just followed. Getting back, you belatedly realise, is going to be a test of your endurance. Even the faint light here grows more and more distant, the occasional patches of glowing lichen becoming smaller and further apart with each step you take. It isn't long before you can hardly see the path in front of you, and you start to slow your pace.

Too late, however, to stop yourself from skidding off a broken ledge and falling again, this time only a few scant feet. Enough of a fall to knock the wind out of you, but that's the worst you suffer. Getting back up, however, is where the problem lies. You might be able to climb – the stone wall feels rugged enough to provide handholds – but it'll be difficult. Hard enough to climb a wall like that when you can see what you're doing, but in this murky gloom?

As you're feeling for a good place to start something grabs your leg, closing around your ankle in an iron grip. Crying out in shock, you collapse back and cast a frantic eye about you. In silhouette only you can see a ghoul, its legs shattered and broken, clawing at you. Fighting the urge to recoil in horror, you raise the knife for a desperate strike.

>Please roll a D100, I'll take the highest of the first three

Rolled 44 (1d100)

>>44057238
pls

Rolled 25 (1d100)

>>44057238

Rolled 27 (1d100)

>>44057238

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Rolled 58 (1d100)

>>44057238
Remove the head or destroy the brain

Ah shieet

Rolled 77 (1d100)

>>44057238
Slice n' dice

whelp, poisoned Mia.

Doesn't even have to be a mythical poison, SMT poison is brutal, and Mia is not doing so great in the general health department.

Man, wouldn't it be something if one of the archangels was down here?

I'm betting that it's Gab's wings, JUST her wings, representing her divinity.

>>44057403
It's Ose's.

He sold them to Nyarly for a couple of bucks.

>>44057418
ameliadamnit Ose

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>>44057418
>I'll give you my wings for beer money and for you to fuck off

>>44057275

You've never really fought anything with a knife before. Hacking your way through Maya's skull was different – that wasn't a fight, that was more like chopping through a massive block of thick foam, albeit foam that left you coated in viscous blood. This is different, this is trying to fight off a ravenous beast that already has you in its clutches. A beast that you can barely see, and refuses to stay still long enough for you to focus on it. The thought that you might die – you might actually, properly die – flashes through your mind.

You panic.

Slapping and pushing at the ghouls scabrous head, you fumble with the unfamiliar blade and bring it down upon the monster. You hit it, but at a poor angle that causes your blade to glance off the creature's skull. You peel back a greasy clump of scalp and cause a stream of dark blood to gush out, but that small wound doesn't slow the thing down in the slightest. Yawning wide, it bites down hard on your ankle, rotting teeth shearing right through your trousers and into the soft flesh beneath. Your own blood boils up, leaking out from the ghoul's jaw as it tears into you. The pain is enormous, a blinding agony that burns up through you.

Screaming, you bring up your other foot and kick the ghoul in the face, forcing it off of you. As it is pushed back, you waste little time in kicking again and again at its skull, thankful of the heavy snow boots you wear as its head finally gives way and collapses. The ghouls hisses as it dies, but you sense something victorious in that hiss. A sob escapes you as you tentatively pull your leg back, shifting your torn trousers aside to look at the wound. It doesn't seem to be bleeding that badly – but that's what worries you. What blood you do see is thick and dark, while you can just barely see lines of black running up the rest of your leg. It... did something to you. Infected you with something.

Welp. Poisoned in tunnels with no clear way out anymore and no demons. How the fuck do we get out of this?

>>44057552

Covering your mouth, holding back another frantic sob, you look away from the wound and back up at the path you dropped down from. You'll never be able to climb back up now, not with your leg in such a damaged state. You're not even sure if you can walk – you might have to crawl out of here, if there is even an exit.

No, there has to be a way out. There must be. You groan aloud as you roll over onto your front, dragging yourself forwards a few paces. Your eyes are starting to adjust to the darkness, enough that you can realise the size of the chamber you've landed within. Shattered bones litter the floor, a grim testimony to whatever came before you, but there IS a way out. Or, at least, there is a tunnel leading elsewhere. A crawlspace, barely big enough to squeeze yourself through. You'd be even more helpless in such a tight space, but you don't see any other choice. Gasping with every movement you make, you drag yourself into the crawlspace.

As you pull yourself forwards, inch by painful inch, you start to see faint lights swirling around you. Feathers, glowing with a soft light, drift around you in lazy patterns. They're beautiful, and the deep fatigue seeping through your body is almost enough to make you stop. It would be nice, you think, to lie down and watch those luminous feathers for a while longer. You'd feel much better after a little rest, after all.

Grimly, you shake off the urge to lie down and die – and you know that, should you stop, that would be the outcome – and force yourself to move forwards. You ARE ascending, slowly pulling yourself up the sloped passage. That's the only thought that keeps you moving, the idea that you might be getting close to an exit. That hope, however, is soon snuffed out. The crawlspace is a dead end.

>>44057596
The same way we get out of any sticky situation. We call in a Favor.

>>44057643
If you have a direct line to Mister Black now'd be the time to pull it out.

>>44057649
It's not that easy, it's never that easy. We make a deal with whoever can hear us, and then do their bidding at a later date (or just kill 'em if we decide their bidding is bullshit.)

>>44057635

Desperate frustration causes you to lash out, punching at the blockage ahead of you. To your surprise, your hand actually sink into the wall before you, causing it to deform. It's... cold. It's not stone – it's packed snow!

Your hopes return in a violent rush of mad exhilaration, driving you onwards as you claw through the snow, scooping out great handfuls and throwing it behind you. Even the burning pain in your leg is forgotten for a short and blissful moment as you work, pulling yourself up through the tunnel you are digging. As the frantic energy wears off, you have to work harder and harder to press onwards but eventually your hard work pays off. Your fingers break through the final few inches of snow, allowing some blessed light to shine through. Gasping, you drag yourself through the snow and emerge into the fresh air.

This is...

This is the pile of snow you landed on. That whole diversion just took you around in a great big circle. Any curses you might come out with die on your lips as you retch, stomach clenching as the poison gnawing at you strikes. Pain twists you up inside, causing you to cry out, and this time your cries are answered. A lonesome howl rises up from deep within the tunnels. More ghouls, of course, and you're not going to be able to run away from them. You need to come up with a plan, and quickly.

>Follow the same route as before, head for the surface
>Try the other path this time, opposite where that arrow pointed
>Just rest a little bit, get your breath back...

>>44057701
>Follow the same route as before, head for the surface
We're fucked if we stop, lets just get out of here. Hope that Petra is okay.

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>>44057701
>>Follow the same route as before, head for the surface
Fucking Nyarly.

>>44057701
>follow the same route as before, head for the surface
One leg poisoned means we can still either hop or shamble and probably match the speed of the ghouls. if we're both going at the same speed they can't catch us if they're chasing.

>>44057794
Its already spread to our stomach

>>44057818
I don't think that was the poison "spreading" so much as us just throwing up from its effects.

>>44057794
>>44057734
>>44057723

There's no time to think about exploring or trying out other routes, right now you've got one priority and that's getting out of here. You're going to head upwards as much as you can, and if that doesn't bring you to the surface, well...

Then you'll officially be in trouble.

Freed from the confines of the crawlspace, you manage to rise a little, keeping as much of your weight as possible on your uninjured leg. You can only hobble forwards, and you are constantly on the brink of losing your balance, but it still manages to be quicker than crawling everywhere. You shamble forwards as quickly as possible, bracing yourself against the cave wall, and follow in your old path. First a left, and then the first right you come across, you leave the familiar stretch of tunnel and enter new ground – new ground that, you must admit, looks remarkably similar to the old ground you just passed. Caves, you realise, have quite a similar look.

After passing the junction, you pause a moment. You don't want to pause, but you need to. Within the frail cage of your chest, your heart is hammering out a lunatic beat and a thin sheen of sweat coats your entire body. Through the roaring in your ears – tainted blood thundering through your remains, you realise with dismay – you hear a faint and distant chorus of howls. The ghouls seem to have stopped for now, and you can only shudder as you imagine them feasting on their own fallen companion. It's bought you time, at least, and you can't ask for any more than that. When your heart has settled slightly – the best you can expect, under the circumstances – you press on towards the surface.

Up the slope you march, your eyes flicking back and forth as they track the glowing feathers that swirl around you. They vanish when you blink, like any good hallucination should, but never for very long.

>>44057961

You are so hypnotised by those glowing illusions that you almost walk right past the leather sack nailed to the cave wall. A pace beyond it, you pause and turn around to investigate. It's a crude back, fixed to the stone by a single metal stake. Trembling with desperate hope, you fumble it open and look inside. You almost weep to see your old belongings, tears of relief forming at the corner of your clouded eyes.

Ripping the sack from the wall, you waste no time in strapping Midnight to your hip and sliding your phone into your pocket. The mask Scathach gave you ends up dangling from your neck – you'd rather not wear it, in case your stomach betrays you again. There's also something else here – a ring that looks like it was carved from bone or ivory. A paper tag is tied around it, reading: “For being a good sport”.

A gift, from that bastard demon? Of course, for keeping him amused. How very... nice of him.

>Wear the ring
>Continue towards the surface
>Summon a demon for healing
>Other

>>44057969
>>Summon a demon for healing
Check out everyone if they're okay

>>44057969
>Wear the ring
>Summon a demon for healing

Then
>Continue towards the surface

Cheeky bastard.

>>44057969
>summon a demon for healing
Okay, NOW we can rest for a little bit.
I say keep the ring but let's not wear it just yet - get it identified before we do anything stupid.

>>44057969
>put ring in back in sack, and summon a demon
Darn it Heartless, you were based last cycle. Why you do this now?

>>44057996
>>44057969
Good points. Cancel wearing the ring for now.

>>44058005
because CRAWLING
FUCKING
CHAOS

which unfortunately was part of his charm last run, but...yeah.

>>44057969
>>Continue towards the surface
>>Summon a demon for healing
It seems like Nyarly can make enchanted items on demand. Either that or he has a stockpile of them somewhere. We should probably be careful about wearing random armor we find lying around

>>44058095
We need an appraiser demon like Scathach sometime. Not necessarily be able to make items (though that would be nice) but able to find out what shit is in the field.

>>44058095
> he has a stockpile of them somewhere.
He took a trophy off every other demons he killed and made little trinkets out of them

>>44058188
>He has like 5 things made of THAT Dominion. He's been spawncamping.

>>44058188
On one hand that's a horrifying thought. On the other hand, that must be an amazing treasure trove.

>>44058194
>spawncamping that dominion just to steal more pieces of him.

That's bullshit, but I believe it.

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>>44058095
>>44058005
>>44058002
>>44057996
>>44057991

Nice try, you think with a bitter laugh as you drop the ring into your pocket. You're not about to throw something like that away on general principle – although you kind of want to, even just having it in your pocket feels somehow dangerous. You'll keep your hands on it for the time being, until you know exactly what you're dealing with. For now, though, you've got far more important things to worry about. Your leg, for one thing.

Slumping down against the cave wall, you slide down until you're seated and check your phone. All your demons seem alive and well – at least, their icons are all as bright and stable as you would expect – and so you summon Nadja. The scent of fresh summer air that marks out her entrance to this world comes to you as a calming breeze, that alone enough to steady your feverish heartbeat a little.

“You're not looking so good,” Nadja chirps, her cheerful smile not quite disguising a look of concern in her eyes, “I can draw out the poison and close those wounds, but you'll need some proper time to heal. Humans aren't as easily put back together as demons are. Still, look on the bright side – you've still got the foot!”

Well, yes, you've got to admit that you got off lightly, considering. The thought of being stranded down there, in that pit of bones, as a ghoul gnaws your entire foot off is enough to turn your stomach again. The surge of nausea fades, however, as Nadja begins to rattle her bone necklace over your wound. White light surrounds the charm as the healing magic sinks in, banishing the fatigue that had been sinking into your bones. When the light fades, you are able to stand once more, even taking a few painful steps as you stretch out the stiff limb.

>>44058282

With Nadja trotting along behind you – having her with you raises your spirits somewhat, her cheerful voice swinging from one irrelevant topic to another – you press on up the tunnel towards the surface. The first sign that you're close to the surface is when the wind strikes you, a mighty gust that buffets you and forces you back a pace. Carried on the wind are countless fat snowflakes, clinging to your coat and stinging as they melt into your still raw wound. Groaning softly as you realise what's going on, you press onwards and emerge, finally, into the streets once more.

Some time, possibly while you were unconscious, a mighty storm has picked up. It's almost nostalgic, reminding you of the times before you fought the Lady. Still, some instinct tells you that this isn't a magical storm but a simple reality of this world. Even without any magic the thick snow churning around you is enough to be disorientating, leaving you uncertain of where to go or even where you are. You can see a vague shape in the distance that MIGHT be Sati's tower, but you might also be wrong. Then, with dismay, you realise that Petra was the one leading you to the Hellfire Club.

You're utterly lost.

>Find shelter and wait for the storm to pass
>Head towards what might be Sati's tower
>Roam in another direction
>Other

>>44058327
>Head towards what might be Sati's tower

And pray to Amelia that Petra's there.

>>44058327
>Head towards what might be Sati's tower
Even if it isn't its still shelter.

>>44058327
>Other
We've got a phone now. Least we can do is try calling Petra. We were gonna do that first, weren't we?

Of she doesn't pick up, THEN
>head towards what might be Sati's tower

>>44058327
Like >>44058389 says, call Petra, and if all else fails
>Head towards what might be Sati's tower

>>44058468
>>44058389
>>44058365
>>44058351

Now that you can think clearly, your mind unclouded by that creeping poison, you fumble out your phone and call Petra. Somehow, your phone claims to be getting full signal – you can't even imagine how that might work, but you're not going to complain – and you have to fight back a cheer when you first hear the faint tone on the other end of the line. At the very least, it's dialling, now all you need is for someone to pick up. You hold your breath, biting your lip as you wait for an answer.

You get one, but not quite the response you were hoping for. The call connects, but all you can hear is a roar of static coming from the other end. Still, you shout into the noise, pleading for a response. After a while, the roar subsides for a brief and blessed moment, allowing some rudimentary communication.

“...Mia?” Petra's voice, rendered faint and indistinct by the poor line, calls back to you. Before she can say anything more than your name, however, the signal is drowned in noise. It's a long time before the line clears enough for you to hear any more. “...Tower...” Petra seems to say, “...Wait for... Something out there... Should pass soon... Luck...”

That's all you manage to hear, before the static shrieks down the line, causing you to drop your phone in shock. When you retrieve the device, the call has died. That's fine, you tell yourself, that's enough for you. Petra made it out, you guess, and headed for the tower. A stoke of luck, because that was your destination as well. Your spirits lifted somewhat, you press on through the storm towards that looming black tower, glancing down at your feet every few minutes to ensure the ground ahead is unbroken.

You're not “falling” for that one again.

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>>44058635
>You're not “falling” for that one again.

>>44058635
>You're not “falling” for that one again.
This isn't the time for that, Carlos

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>>44058635

A few streets later, and you start to suspect that something is wrong. The tower before you is dark, without a single flame burning at its peak. Surely Sati couldn't have fallen into weakness so quickly? Frowning with worry, you hurry ahead until you stand before the tower itself and, finally, you realise your error.

This is no human tower, a construct of steel and glass. The walls of this edifice are smooth and black, as glossy as a strip of black silk. There are no windows, no decorations of any kind other than a single vast door. Dismay gnaws at you as you approach – you could never open a door that huge or solid looking – but that is soon replaced with apprehension as you notice that the door is already ajar. It almost seems to be welcoming you inside, offering the tantalising prospect of shelter to all weary travellers. It... might still be the tower Petra was talking about, right?

With your hand on the grip of your dagger, you slip into the tower and look around, marvelling at the inhuman structure. The walls and floor, everything you see, in fact, seem to be carved out of basalt. Some kind of dark stone, certainly. There is a staircase here, spiralling both upwards and down beneath the earth, but very little else. It's an empty place, utterly dead and abandoned. As you're taking a slow look around, your phone trembles in your pocket. Plucking it out, you see that Lilim's icon is flickering eagerly, trying to get your attention.

“Ah,” the little devil purrs as you summon her, “It feels good to be home!”

Home?

“This place,” she tells you, “It's a little chunk of Hell.”

>That's it, we're leaving
>Tell me about it
>Do you think we'll find anything useful here?
>We'll wait for the storm to die, but then we're leaving
>Other

>>44058819
Damnit...can't catch a break.

>Tell me about it
>Do you think we'll find anything useful here?

>>44058819
>Tell me about it
>Do you think we'll find anything useful here?

>>44058819
>>Tell me about it
>>Do you think we'll find anything useful here?
Did we just sequence break? This is endgame stuff we're dealing with here

>>44058976
Hell and Heaven aren't as strong as they used to be.

>>44058819
>>Tell me about it
>>Do you think we'll find anything useful here?

>>44059056
>>44058976
>>44058861
>>44058851

Hell, you repeat to yourself, can she tell you a little about it? You were expecting... a little more burning, if you're being honest.

“Oh no,” Lilim shakes her head, dark hair flopping about, “Hell is COLD. Ah, but this place here is called Gehenna. It's like... a forward base, a foothold where the armies of Hell were once supposed to march forth from in the final battle. Of course, things didn't quite work out that way...”

No, you ask politely as you look around at the dark, frost coated walls, what happened?

“Well someone – and I'm not going to name any names here – starved Hell of all but the slightest hint of power,” Lilim pouts cutely, “Things never really recovered. We never really got an army to march forth with. Now, it looks like this place has found a new home in the wasteland. So, want a tour?”

A tour, you laugh, really? It doesn't look like there's much to see – there's a staircase up and a staircase down, but that's it. Does she really think you'll be able to find anything useful here?

“Up leads up to Beelzebub's garden, although it's been a long time since the he's held court there. Down though...” a flicker of amusement enters Lilim's eyes, “That'll take you to the forge. The armoury there might be full of treasure... or it could be empty. Lean times, you know?”

You don't really know, actually, but you'll let that one slide for now. Quite frankly, the idea of wandering around a chunk of Hell itself – no matter how diminished it might be – does not fill you with confidence. You're not even sure you should be wandering around at all, considering. Perhaps it would be best just to make camp here and wait for the storm to pass.

“C'mon, that's no fun!” Lilim chirps, “It's perfectly safe, I promise! I'll be your guide, so just pick a direction and we can get started!”

She seems... eager.

>Head upstairs
>Head downstairs
>Stay here and wait the storm out
>Other

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>>44059172
>Head downstairs

>“Well someone – and I'm not going to name any names here – starved Hell of all but the slightest hint of power,”
>Amelia's fw

>>44059172
>>Head downstairs
Oh boy, I can't wait to see Moloch's empty treasury again!

>>44059172
>>Head downstairs

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>>44059270
>>44059268
>>44059226

Okay, you say with the vague feeling that you might come to regret this later, you'll see what's going on downstairs. Lilim did mention an armoury full of treasure, so no matter how lean time are, there should be at least SOMETHING left, right?

“I'm sure there is!” the little devil nods enthusiastically, taking your hand and practically dragging you towards the staircase. For one dreadful moment you feel certain that she is about to push you down that vast spiralling passageway but she halts at the last minute, allowing you to take the stairs at your own pace. You take them slowly, a thin skin of frost crackling beneath your feet as you descend each one of those basalt steps. The further down you go, the more you can hear a strange sound. It sounds almost like an engine struggling to start, or some kind of machine straining to function.

When the stairs end and your eyes have a minute to adjust to the inky darkness here, you can spot large banks of industrial machines lining the vast room, every single one of them struggling to work. The only sources of light here are faint embers, burning within the bellies of those grand machines. Every fire here is close to dead, casting off only the faintest light and heat. Scurrying back and forth are dead eyed devils carrying pots of cold oil, only noticing you so they don't bump into you. Their minds seem to be gone, as dead as the failing fires they pointlessly tend.

“It's... normally nicer,” Lilim apologises, giving you an awkward smile, “But hey, you're here now, right? Let's go and meet the boss!”

Holding your tongue, you let Lilim lead you past ranks of dead machinery until you come to a mountain of iron, bot a furnace and a throne. Seated is a vast, bull-headed statue. Then, the statue speaks.

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>>44059525

“Human...” he rumbles, the voice creaking out from it. Lilim squeaks, her wings fluttering as she flies behind you. “Human,” the devil repeats, in a stronger voice this time, “You're not... the first human I've seen here...”

Oh, you stammer, unable to think of anything better to say. It seems impossible that the iron monstrosity before you can be alive, such is the weariness that seems to suffuse his entire body. Whenever he moves, dust and flakes of rust spill out from his joints to litter the filthy ground that surrounds his throne.

“Forgive my lack of... hospitality,” the devil rasps, “Some sorcery has quashed the fires that once powered these grand machines. Once they pounded out a proud and mighty rhythm, but now they are silent. It is... depressing, being surrounded by so much death.”

Sati, you realise with dismay, her weakness has extended even here, to the forges of Hell. But then, you wonder to yourself, would the world really be a better place, with the fires of industry burning bright and vital here? With the forges churning out an endless stream of weapons, would there really be any chance at all of peace?

“I cannot speak long,” the iron devil growls, “My life fades, even now. Human, if you would bring fire back to this place, I would see you well rewarded. This I promise, in the name of Moloch, lord of the forge.”

Well... that might change things.

“Boss, you've got to help,” Lilim pleads, “This place is dying. Dying!”

>Isn't that a good thing?
>Well, I was going to help Sati anyway...
>You brought me down here on purpose, didn't you?
>Other

>>44059644
>Well, I was going to help Sati anyway...
>You brought me down here on purpose, didn't you?

>>44059644
>Well, I was going to help Sati anyway...
>You brought me down here on purpose, didn't you?

Man I didn't realize Sati was so important. She must be a key figure in all demon realm winters.

>>44059644
>would there really be any chance at all of peace?
Err, Mia considering Nyarly's 'game' there was never a chance at peace in this world.

>>44059644
>>Well, I was going to help Sati anyway...
>>You brought me down here on purpose, didn't you?
>>44059714
Mia can be pretty naive at times.

>>44059813
>>44059714
>>44059693
>>44059672

Well, you sigh, you were going to help Sati anyway. Even if it does mean Hell returns to some shadow of its former glory, you can't let the rest of this world fall into frozen despair. You will admit, though, that the prospect of a reward sweetens the deal a little.

“Yes!” Lilim hisses, pumping her fists in victorious delight, “I knew you'd see it my way!”

Yes, but that leaves you with a question. She brought you down here on purpose, you ask, didn't she? In fact, if you didn't know any better, you might suggest that she'd had this plan ever since you arrived in this lonely basalt tower.

“Er...” Lilim has the good grace to at least appear bashful, “Well I didn't lead you to the tower in the first place, did I? You came here of your own free will – I just OFFERED to act as a guide!”

Hmm...

“Don't give me that look,” Lilim teases, smiling boldly, “You wanted to know if there was anything good here, and look – a chance to get a reward! I did everything you asked of me, like any loyal servant should do!”

She's got you there, you privately admit, as you lead her back up the stairs. Your ankle throbs with pain as you take the steps, but it's not bad enough to slow you down. Nadja's magic, you realise, had been working slowly on you this whole time, sending your natural healing into overdrive. Even so, you find yourself grimacing with each step you take.

“Cheer up,” Lilim tells you, noticing your sour look, “Hey, I know what should help – I've got some good news! Multiple sources are claiming that a young man has been seen hanging around with the archangel Gabriel, you think that might be one of your friends?”

Joseph, you realise with a sudden wave of relief, that must be Joseph. Can she lead you to him?

>>44059986

“I thought that was him!” Lilim crows, her wings fluttering with satisfaction, “Ah, my intelligence is matched only by my charm!”

That's great, you reply quickly, but can she actually lead you to Joseph?

“Oh, him?” Lilim nods, “Sure, I can do that. But, er... I might not be welcome with the kind of folks he's hanging about with these days. Tough crowd, that lot, and not the kind to tolerate cute girls like me!” She huffs in frustration there, folding her arms and pouting.

So Joseph has thrown his lot in the with angels, has he? No, it's too early to assume anything like that – Gabriel offers help and sanctuary to everyone, even devils. For all you know, he might just be waiting with her until he can make contact with another member of your group again. In that case, you should probably try and find him as soon as possible, before he can get... converted, or anything like that.

Then again, Petra might still be waiting for you at Sati's tower, and Marco is at the Hellfire Club – as a prisoner. Who are you supposed to prioritise here? That question is at the front of your mind as you reach the top of the stairs, limping across the the grand door to take a peek at the weather. The storm, you realise with relief, has died down to a mere flurry of snow. Now seems like a good time to make a move – once you've decided on what move is best.

>Find your way back to Sati's tower. Petra should be there
>See if Lilim can lead you to the Hellfire Club. Marco needs you
>Have Lilim guide you to Joseph. Leaving him is dangerous
>Other

>>44060075
>Joesph
I do not want another last cycle Joseph this time.

>>44060075
>Other
With the storm died down the lines should be clearer right? Call up Petra, coordinate a meet up and...

>Have Lilim guide both of you to Joseph. Leaving him is dangerous

>>44060075
Ask which for a rough map of the area from Lilim, then plan accordingly.

>>44060075
>>Have Lilim guide you to Joseph. Leaving him is dangerous
But yeah, get some extra info and meet up with Petra along the way.

>>44060229
>>44060128
>>44060124
>>44060108

You scowl hard at the last remnants of the storm as you think, as if daring them to surge back into life. The sight of the clearer skies reminds you, suddenly, that your phone should be working better now – assuming, of course, the storms were the cause of the disturbance. If you phone had been the product of some vile sabotage...

“Mia?” Petra answers immediately when you test her number. She picks up on the first ring and speaks with an urgency you find quite touching. “Mia,” she repeats, reminding you that you were so amazed that you were yet to answer, “Is that you, Mia?”

Yes, you reply with an awkward laugh, yes it's you!

“It's good to hear your voice, yes?” Petra announces, and once again you have to marvel at the clearness of the line. Amazing what a slight change in the weather can do, really. “Where are you now?”

You're not quite sure, you admit as you slip out of the tower. You mouth a quick order to Lilim, who kneels down in the snow and begins to carve out a map in the snow with the tip of her finger. It's crude, but it seems to suggest that Sati's tower lies to the East, with Joseph's last known location even further beyond that point. Not too far to travel on foot either, even with your injury. You relay that information to Petra and suggest your plan. She should wait, you tell her, and you'll pick her up on the way.

“...Stay safe, yes?” Petra warns you, far from thrilled by the prospect of even more waiting, “And watch the ground beneath you. That worm is still around somewhere, yes?”

You'll be careful, you promise as you give the earth before you a sceptical look. It SEEMS solid enough, but that's what you thought earlier. You take a few moments to wipe out Lilim's map – someone might be able to trace your movements with it – and stride off into the streets.

>>44060491

Your boots crunch as you march through the thick, fresh snow, allowing yourself a rare moment of satisfaction. Could it be that you're actually enjoying this world for its rare beauty, even knowing that circumstances brought it about? As guilty as it makes you feel, you've got to admit some truth to that. You never see such pristine white snow in the human world – or should that be “saw”, since that world is now a thing of the past? - let alone having the chance to enjoy it without disturbance. Of course, you're not glad that this world was created, but... while you're here, you might as well appreciate the finer points, right?

That appreciation dies slowly as you spot Petra, slumped against the sealed door of Sati's tower. She has thrust her sword down into the earth, and warms herself on the flickering flames that wrap around the blade. A lonely warrior, crouched by that rare and tentative flame... the scene is so melancholy that you immediately regret your moment of whimsy. She was terribly worried about you, that much is obvious from the way she looks up and grins broadly at the sight of you. Her grin falters somewhat when she glances down, taking in the ragged, bloodied hole in your trousers.

Not that she's unharmed herself – far from it. Her braid is half undone, one of her sleeves is torn off and blood is crusted down half of her face. It seems cosmetic damage more than anything else – she has both her eyes, at least – but it gives you a moment's pause. You've both been in the wars, haven't you?

“Ghouls,” Petra says with a shrug, “Many of them.”

You can sympathise. Without any lengthy explanations – somehow, such things seem unnecessary – you head off towards Joseph's last known location, Petra falling into step at your side like a loyal bodyguard.

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>>44060616

Following Lilim in silence, you notice the buildings around you changing, growing more esoteric in design. You're entering an older part of what was once London, modern buildings giving way to Victorian tenements and manors. These would normally be familiar, but some force has twisted them, gleefully exaggerating their gothic features until it seems like everything you pass is ornate and garlanded with spikes. Gargoyles leer down upon you from balconies and roofs, glaring out from beneath cowls of snow.

“Right,” Lilim announces, stopping suddenly, “This is where I last heard about your human. Also, this is as far as I go – it's just not safe for my kind beyond this point!”

It seems safe enough, you mutter as you take a few steps forwards. No sign of anything – no trouble, no Joseph, nothing. Another step, and you are proven wrong. A towering human figure drops from the sky, cracking the stone beneath his feet with the force of his impact. No, not a human – no human could have such magnificent wings. The angel is bare-chested, his body marred by a bloodless, puckered scar that runs down his guts, and points a long sword at you.

“Go no further,” he snarls, “I will grant you the mercy of this one warning.”

>Our friend is beyond here. Let us pass
>Please, we mean no harm here
>If you won't move, we'll make you move
>Other

>>44060736
>Our friend is beyond here. Let us pass
>Please, we mean no harm here

>>44060736
>Our friend is beyond here. Let us pass
>We mean no harm here

>>44060736
>Our friend is beyond here. Let us pass
>Please, we mean no harm here
Raph plz

>>44060736
>>Please, we mean no harm here
I don't care how weakened Heaven might be, we are not prepared to fight this guy right now

Looking at the character sheet Nadja would do really against him as long as she doesn't get into melee. Something to keep in mind.

We really need to be able to summon 2 demons at once before we fight this guy though.

>>44060750
>>44060762
>>44060785
>>44060794

Composing yourself as best you can, you look up at the wounded angel – his chest has a certain sunken quality, as though much of its contents had been removed – and offer him the most harmless smile you can muster. Please, you offer, you mean no harm here. You're only here because your friend is supposed to be beyond this point – perhaps he could let you pass, so you can see for yourself?

“The child of man is here,” the angel tells you, looking down upon you with contempt, “But you shall NOT enter his presence. None must step foot within this sacred place, save for those who seek the Lord's rebirth.”

He's... not going to shift, is he?

“Unlikely,” Petra murmurs, taking your arm gently and steering you a few paces away. “This is not good, yes? Archangels, if what Amelia told me once is true.”

Right, and... Archangels, plural? You hiss that in a confused whisper, the words dying in your throat as Petra nods up towards the roof of the building opposite you. There is a second angel there, his wings folded neatly across his face as though concealing some deformity. You can't see Gabriel anywhere – which is a pain, because she might be the only one willing to hear you out. You've barely met these new Archangels, and you already know how dogmatic they are – sense and reason mean nothing to them.

As you're thinking hard, trying to come up with some plan, Petra shouts out a sudden and desperate warning. Confusion fills you for a moment before a firm hand grabs you, twisting you around and lifting you up into the air. It's the same Archangel from before, now glaring hard at your face.

“I knew I recognised you,” he growls, “You, the child of spite. You must be a fool to come here so openly.”

>>44061044

What, you choke out as you thrash in his grip, child of spite? You splutter some more as the angel drops you to the hard ground, the heavy landing knocking the wind from you. Taking a step backwards, the angel draws his sword and points it at your face.

“Leave,” he orders you, his voice blunt and hard, “Before I run you through. The only reason you still live is because the child of man wishes it to be so. My tolerance for his desires, however, is not infinite.”

Before you can answer – although what, exactly, could you say to that? - Petra rushes over and stands between you and the Archangel, her arms spread as though daring him to attack. She holds firm as you rise to your feet and then slips back, standing by your side. It's a stand-off, neither side willing to blink first.

Blink? That gives you an idea...

It's a risk – an incredible risk – but it might just get you inside the church beyond. A few short jumps with Midnight's power would be enough to carry you from rooftop to rooftop, hopefully faster than the angels can follow. You'd be alone, though, and Petra would be left alone down here. Perhaps, in this case, discretion really would be the better part of valour. What it comes down to is one simple question – how desperate are you, really, to get in contact with Joseph?

“Leave,” the Archangel repeats, “I won't tell you again.”

>Leave. He's won this round
>Take a risk and blink up to the rooftops
>Try and fight the Archangel
>Other

>>44061129
>Take a risk and blink up to the rooftops

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Fuck...

>Other
Whisper to Petra
"I'm about to do something stupid, get away from this guy when I do."

>Take a risk and blink up to the rooftops

>>44061129
>>Take a risk and blink up to the rooftops
>>Other
Tell Petra to run like hell. She doesn't need to get caught up in this

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No one can say Mia doesn't have balls after this, jesus.

Also
>Short Blade
>Mask
>Blinking on rooftops.

She's like a mini Corvo.

>>44061044
>“I knew I recognised you,” he growls, “You, the child of spite. You must be a fool to come here so openly.”

Does he think Mia is Amelia or did Mia do something in the last cycle that she (and we) aren't aware of?

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>>44061228
>>44061220
>>44061185

Forcing a contrite expression onto your face, you take a few small steps back from the towering angel. That seems enough to satisfy him, because he turns away from you and stalks back to his position before the gateway to the church. As soon as his back is turned, you look around at Petra and whisper for her to run.

“Run?” Petra whispers back, “Mia... you're thinking of doing something stupid, yes? Don't.”

Sorry, you tell her as you pull Midnight from its sheath and grip it tightly, too late – now RUN. You shout that last part as you start running yourself, rushing towards one of the twisted, gothic buildings and triggering Midnight's power. You vanish, stomach churning as you feel yourself flashing through space in an instant. Appearing again in a cloud of inky smoke, you find yourself on the rooftop you were aiming for, with a very irate Archangel below you. Not just one, you remind yourself, but two – the second twisting round to look your way. Before they can get moving, you set off at a run, blinking again as you reach the end of the roof.

Your erratic movement, flashing from rooftop to rooftop, seems to confuse the Archangels – particularly the one covering his face – and it is that confusion that lets you build up a lead. The church looms high and imposing before you, and it is with a sense of exhilaration that you blink to the final roof and then down into the courtyard. Laughing with the thrill of victory – you weren't expecting that to work, to be honest – you run into the church, slipping through the ajar door.

Hurrying up the aisle, still gloating to yourself at the audacious act, you allow your pace to slow. If the angels were going to pursue you, they would have caught up by now. Perhaps this place is barred to them, as well. As you consider this, a hand falls upon your shoulder.

>>44061506

“You shouldn't be here,” Joseph tells you, his voice sad as you whirl around to look at him, “But then, I'm not sure I should be here either. At least you can leave.”

Wait a minute, you ask, he can't leave?

“For my own safety,” Joseph says, with a slight smile, “I don't know if you've noticed, but the world isn't as safe as it used to be.”

Well, you admit, he might have a point there.

“How did you even get in here?” Joseph asks, his smile turning into one of disbelief, “Raphael was quite insistent about not letting anyone in here. I thought you might be coming – you, or someone else – so I asked him not to... kill anyone. That was for your safety, Mia, but I suppose that's a little late now. You can be quite determined, when you want to be.”

That's right, you tell him, thinking back to that agonised crawl out of the tunnels. Perhaps your smile turned cold at that, because Joseph actually recoils a little. Is this what happens to people like you in a world like this? They turn cold and dangerous, willing to do anything to survive?

“We don't have long to talk,” Joseph says grimly, “Why did you come here?”

>I want to know what Amelia told you
>I wanted to see if you were okay
>That angel back there, he called me “child of spite”...
>Can we get you out of here?
>Other

>>44061577
>I wanted to see if you were okay
"What else would I be here for?"
>Can we get you out of here?

>That angel back there, he called me “child of spite”...

>>44061577
>I wanted to see if you were okay
>Can we get you out of here?
>That angel back there, he called me “child of spite”...
>I want to know what Amelia told you

in this order.

>>44061577
>>I wanted to see if you were okay
>Can we get you out of here?
Surely you don't think about teaming up with a bunch of sore losers? At least Gabby had the decency to recongnise her failure, I doubt these one would have the balls to do the same.

>>44061577
>>44061610
Like this guy said, in that order of priority. Joseph is our friend.

Ha, if you told me I'd type that a couple months ago when we were in the last cycle I'd laugh in your face.

>>44061631
I agree with the sentiment but I don't think Mia has enough knowledge about the last cycle to talk like that. Or as personal as it sounds I mean.

>>44061577
>I wanted to see if you were okay
>We're getting the hell out of here

>>44061815
>>44061679
>>44061631
>>44061610
>>44061596

You wanted to see if he was okay, you tell him with what you hope is a winning smile, what else would you be here for?

“Amazing,” Joseph shakes his head in disbelief, “You came all this way, doing... doing I don't know what, just so you could make sure I was okay?” Despite his incredulous tone, the smile that flashes across his face is a truly grateful one. “Without meaning to sound ungrateful, Mia, you really can't take these kinds of risks. This world is dangerous enough, without going looking for trouble. To answer your question, though...” he looks around the richly decorated church and shrug heavily, “I'm doing okay, yes. I'm surviving.”

Good, you nod, that's good. Now, is there any way you can get him out of here?

“I doubt it,” Joseph sighs heavily, “I'm watched more or less around the clock. These angels think I'm going to be the one to bring their God back. They won't let me go while they yet live. So, unless you've got a particularly audacious plan up your sleeve – although if anyone could think up a plan like that, it would be you – I'm here for the long haul.”

You'll come up with a plan, you promise him, and it'll be the most audacious thing he'll have ever heard. There was one other thing, though, that you were wondering. That angel out there, Raphael, called you something strange – the “child of spite”. Can Joseph, perhaps, shed a little light on that?

“Child of spite...” Joseph muses on the words, turning them over in his mouth, “I think I've heard them mentioning it, but I can't really say what it means.”

“I can,” a calm voice announces from behind you, causing you to jump and Joseph to tense up with fear. “I can tell you,” Gabriel says, with a secret smile playing about her lips.

>>44061679
Didn't Amelia told of her encounter with them, without going into details how they went? Wouldn't be far to assume that she beat them since she ended with the prize and they seem to all bears some damage?

>>44061905
It's about how Marco decked Metatron in the gob isn't it?

Can we warp with Joseph?

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>>44061905

“It's a shame, really,” Gabriel tells you, “I don't hold it against you – you never really had a choice in the matter, after all, but the others are... less willing to forgive.”

Joseph is silent, his eyes following Gabriel as the female angel prowls around the room, circling you like a tiger. You've never seen him look quite so guarded, quite so determined not to let anything slip through on his expression.

“You know about your past life, don't you?” Gabriel asks you, “Dying like that, in the arms of your father. Tragic really, the thing that angels should weep about, in a more just world. Yet your father... ever the determined sort... he brought your body to the gates of Heaven itself, to present it to the Lord and demand answers. Arrogant really, foolish, and yet... he achieved some measure of success. He buried your body there, in Heaven's sacred soil.”

Oh, you say softly, unsure how to react to the news of your own funeral arrangements.

“An unhallowed body, placed in hallowed ground,” Gabriel shrugs softly, “Something that the others cannot forgive. This new intrusion, however,” the angel says, placing a hand on your shoulder, “I can see you out of here safely. Don't worry about that.”

You can't be sure, but it sounded like Gabriel just threw you out in the most polite way possible. As she begins to steer you away, you look back over your shoulder and ask Joseph one last desperate question. What, you ask, did Amelia tell him?

“She warned me,” the young man admits sadly, “About exactly this.”

“Time to leave,” Gabriel says softly, although the pressure of her grip increases slightly. Without much choice, you allow her to escort you from the church.

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We are going to get our boy out of there. Just got to be super prepared.

>>44062110

“You're insane,” Petra tells you, fighting back a smirk as you rejoin her. Gabriel took you to the gates of the church and, stilling Raphael's rage with a gentle gesture, let you run free. You couldn't move quickly enough, scurrying away from the wrathful angel and ducking into the first alleyway you see, running straight into Petra and leading to this very conversation. “Insane,” the redhead repeats, with an undisguised note of approval.

And you told her to run, you remind her with a matching smile. What if Raphael had caught her, you ask, and taken out some of his anger on her?

“I wasn't going to run off and leave you,” Petra shrugs, “But you're alone, yes? Was Joseph not there?”

He was there, you tell Petra with a determined look, but he's not going to be there for much longer.

>I'll finish this here for today. Next thread on Friday, and I'll stick around for a while in case of any questions!

>>44062212
So how angry are Raphael and Uriel? What was Gabby's reaction? Where's Michael and Mastema? Why are the so focused on Joseph? How's Joseph taking being the hero of law apparently?

>>44062212
Thanks for the run Moloch.

How upset is Raph and how confused was Uriel?

Was Michael there?

They said they wanted Joseph to bring God back. Is YHVH AWOL?

>>44062267

Raphael and Uriel are pretty furious. They weren't expecting such a risky move!
Gabriel, on the other hand, was quietly impressed with Mia's pluck
Michael is currently waiting for exactly the right moment to strike. Mastema knows where he's not wanted - he'd do more harm than good!
They're focused on Joseph because of what they see as his "rightful" place. Everyone has their role to play in God's plan, and Joseph is no exception.
Needless to say, he's pretty upset about it.

>>44062281

YHVH has gone silent, leaving the angels to fend for themselves.

>>44062374
>Michael is currently waiting for exactly the right moment to strike
Who or where?

We are going to need Ice and Lightning for Uriel and Raph respectively, but more importantly we need more manpower. We really need to try to get Cass and Elliot onboard with this fight when we see them.

Also finally figure out whats up at Hellfire. I hope Mister Black is being a good host and Marco is getting a decent meal after all that time in a cell.

>>44062454
Elliot back the Old Outsider now, Cass backs Titania and the faeries.

>>44062470
I doubt either of those happened within the course of a day.

>>44062417
That would spoil the surprise!

>>44062454
Mister Black is always the perfect host, and Alice has loved having someone around to play with!

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>>44062514
>Alice has loved having someone around to play with!
Sure she does...

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>>44062514
>Mister Black is always the perfect host, and Alice has loved having someone around to play with!

>>44062514
>Alice has loved having someone around to play with!

Ok Hellfire club next stop!

>>44062529
>>44062543
>>44062557
Alice is literally harmless.

>>44062609
>Alice is literally harmless.

HAHA you're funny.

>>44062514
We still have Nyarly's knife that he left us? It has some magic in it right?

>>44062609
>harmless
Boy, Leon last cycle really like playing with Alice.
Though he was a bit rough.

>>44062609

Nebiros pls go

>>44062634

It has enough magic to injure demons and such, but that's pretty much all it does. No fancy teleporting tricks here

>>44062666
Eh could be a good secondary weapon in case we get disarmed or maybe we can add onto/trade it in at Scathach's.

Or DUAL WIELD! I am only slightly kidding.

>>44062666
So how many of the fragments have been found already? Was Heartless doing this JUST for shit and giggles, or was this part of a greater plan?

>>44062789
The former wouldn't surprise me. Wanting shit to pop off and people to fight sounds like his kind of motivation.

>>44062789

3 of the fragments have been found, 1 is close to being found and the final fragment is currently missing.

Although Heartless WAS having a lot of fun watching Mia suffer, he was also testing her. Seeing just what she's capable of doing.

So, about Joseph and Gab....

I think if we want to recruit Gab, we need to complete some secondary objectives. Like getting Joseph out WITHOUT harming the other archangels.

>>44062881
That might be impossible. Those 3 aren't ones to stop coming or listen to reason. We'll see.

>>44062843
So when we blink with Midnight can we take people with us by grabbing them or something?

>>44062881
I reckon if we get Joseph out the angels will try and track him down. If we can get Gabriel on her own we might have a chance. Maybe

>>44062881
I think there will be a fight regardless. Not harming them I think would be near impossible, but not KILLING them might work. They might be more willing to listen broken and defeated again. We can give some speech that God is gone and left them mutilated. that they'd be better off choosing their own path/following us. I dunno.

>>44063002

true enough. The only thing I can think of that would get their attention is Mastema's head on a pike and divinity in a sack, and I'm not sure that'd be enough.

Maybe we should get Sati's tower fixed first?


Also, since I missed the latter half of the thread
>Mia blinking on the rooftops
>Petra clutches her cloak
>Damn I wish you were alive right now so I can follow her

>>44062962

Midnight can't be used to bring other people, unfortunately! They'd just slip through Mia's grip when she used it

>>44063309
beggers can't be choosers

At least Mia keeps her clothes and stuff on.

>>44063309
anything stopping us from using Kin Ki for piggyback rides? ASIDE from dignity

>>44063383

Kin-Ki is pretty huge, so he'd be able to carry someone without any trouble. Maybe even two people, if they were light enough!

>>44063434
Does Marco remember being Minotaur?

Also this is the first time Mia heard that she died in Marco's arms huh?

>>44063695

Marco does have some memories of being Minotaur, but they've been repressed pretty hard - it's not an easy thing to incorporate into daily life!

And, I believe that's right. I wonder if that would make Mia feel better or worse about things?

>>44063742
I dunno. I think it would make me happy to pass away with my family nearby, even with how messed up the world is.

I'd also be a little smug that my dad confront and demanded answers from God, then kicked his Voice's ass (with help) after he didn't like what he heard.

>>44063813

I think there might be a reason Gabriel left out the part about Marco knocking Metatron's teeth out!

Really though, I think Mia could be quite content with her previous fate. Better than what Joseph or Leon ended up with, that's for sure!

>>44063888
Mia mostly just hung out at the New Way for most of the last cycle right? Then right before Joseph killed everyone she escaped and met up with Marco where she passed away during Satan's Judgement correct?

>>44063918

That's right. She was pretty sheltered, so she didn't get much of a chance to do or see a lot. Even when she left the New Way, she spent most of the time hiding.