FUGGING FITZ WHEN

>>2384882
need 84 more approval

>>2384882
Why fug Fitz when you can depend on her more?

File: Mordecai Lee.jpg (130 KB, 1920x1080)

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>>2384821
But, you digress. It’s only been three weeks back in the barracks, but the five of you are starting to get a bad case of cabin fever. MacKay does the best at hiding it, but even you can tell that the Good Father is more than ready to head back out into the fight. He may have been a little too enthusiastic in the last sparring session, but you can’t blame him. Too much.

You’d think that given a world full of demonic shit and happenings going on around the world, you’d constantly be out on rotation. This is true enough. You rarely see any other teams on the site, and if you do, it’s not nearly long enough to get their names or information. Maybe it’s just the nature of the investigation taking too damn long, but still…three weeks and no missions whatsoever?

“If you stab any harder than that, your fork’s gonna go straight through the table, brotha.”

The baritone voice belongs to a baritone man, a hulking figure with enough muscle mass for the Hulk to approve of. If you didn’t know any better, you’d think that Mister T himself was speaking to you, and the Ebonics in his tone certainly helped that impression. But beyond an impressive muscle mass and dark skin tone, the man standing beside you has nothing else in common.

Still, even without the combat jacket or the scars along his arms, you can tell that this guy has seen more than his fair share of action. A field agent, probably?

“Is this seat taken?” He asks, gesturing with a plate stacked high with flapjacks. “You had the strawberry syrup, and since there isn’t any more at the counter…”

You shake your head. “No, it’s not. Feel free to sit down.”

“Much appreciated.”

There’s almost a visible impact as the man takes a seat. It takes a moment for the table to stop rattling. He hums an army marching song as he applies syrup all over his food, to the point of nearly drowning his pancakes in the stuff. You can’t help but stare in transfixed horror as he digs into his breakfast with an energetic gusto.

“Ah, but where are my manners?” He wipes the corner of his mouth with a napkin before offering a toothy, albeit friendly, smile and a hand in your direction. “The name’s Mordecai. Mordecai Lee. And I’m in the devil bustin’ business, same as you.”

You eventually find your voice, extending your own hand out towards him. His grip is tight, but devoid of any sort of malignant intent. “Adrian Brown. Pleasure to meet you…”

“Mordecai. Just Mordecai. Please, I insist. No need for any formality. I ain’t nearly that old…yet, anyway,” he finishes with a grin.

(cont.)

The last veteran of the Task Force veteran you met was a Scottish fisherman hell-bent on getting revenge for his dead daughter. Murdock had been friendly enough upon the first meeting, but underneath that lackadaisical veneer was something more sinister, something ugly. And it nearly ended up putting a thirty-eight caliber bullet into a college student’s skull cavity.

>You can’t help but be a little weary at this newcomer.

“I was hoping to catch you here during breakfast and introduce myself,” he continues, unaware of your apprehension, “It’s my first day back in a long time, and I figured to myself that I oughta say hello to the boss’ new rookie considering....”

Huh?

“…Alger didn’t tell you?” His face morphs into one of incredulousness before shakes his head. “Boy, he must be busier than I thought…but ignoring the Commander, I’m the leader for Squad Bootes, the second team for Division IV and the one right up from your own Carina. The rumors certainly sold you short, kid.”

>>Choose one:
>Ask about Commander Alger.
>Ask about the rumors about you.
>Ask about Mordechai Lee.
>Custom option.

>>2384952
>Ask about Commander Alger.

>>2384952
Truth be told, I've barely seen him since we got back, and you know Alger, he's not one for small talk at the best of times. So I hope whatever you heard wasn't too bad Mordecai. Things get exaggerated in the rumor mill.

>>2384952
>>Ask about the rumors about you.

This will be fantastic or hilarious

>>2384882
>>2384906
I'd rather hold her hand.

>>2384952
> Ask about the rumors about you.

>>2384952
>Ask about Commander Alger.
Disregard gossip, get Commander info

>>2384953
>>2384963
>>2385008
Alger, Alger, Commander fucking Alger…Titania, the clusterfuck in Kentucky, and the three demons living in your goddamn noggin.

“…you wouldn’t happen to know where the Commander is, would you?” You ask. “Because I would really appreciate any sort of hint as to where I could talk directly to him.”

You don’t like the pensive noise that Mordecai makes, a low and rumbling hum as he concentrates deeply. “The last time I spoke with Alger was about six days ago. But as much as I’d like to help you out, it can’t be done.”

…fuck. But, a Brown does not give up that easily! “And why’s that?”

“It’s above both of our pay grades.” He makes a gesture with his hands, pointing towards some abstract point in space above the ceiling. “But what I can tell you is that whatever it is our Commander is on, it comes straight from the man, and is dangerous enough for the Sparda Twins to be called into providing backup-”

“Hold on, twins?” You have a hard time processing that statement. Commander Katana, the one who Alger told you to stay the fuck away from at all costs necessary…has a sibling. “Wait, but Commander Sparda…”

He grins. “Yeah…I hear that Commander Virgil doesn’t like to talk about him, but he can’t deny that his brother’s just as good in a fight as he is. I’ve only seen them once in action, but those boys’ve got something wicked about them. Make’s fightin’ pagan gods a goddamn cakewalk.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” you mutter, exasperated.

“God willing, hopefully you won’t,” he replies. “Because if they’re on the field, it means that a whole lot of other people died fighting what only they could take out.”

Well that’s just great. “But going back to Alger…do you have any more information about where he is right now?”

“I do,” he nods.

You make your move. “Can you tell me? I wouldn’t be so insistent if it wasn’t important.”

Mordecai’s lips tighten into a slight frown. “…if it’s that important, why don’t you talk to me about it? On a pure technicality, I’m second-in-command for Division IV. Whatever concerns Alger can surely concern me as well…and if you’re worried about privacy…there’s plenty of booths that offer sound canceling.”

>Insist for Alger. (High Social DC)
>Shut up for now.
>Talk to Mordecai.

>>2385036
>Shut up for now.
"It's just about his personal experience working with Titania. I wanted to bounce some things off of him, but it can wait."

No way we tell anyone outside our squad about the goddesses without Alger being clued in first.

>>2385036
>>Shut up for now.

>>2385036
>Shut up for now.
It's not urgent.

I hope. Change subject to rumors?

>>2385036
>>Shut up for now.
Issues with a certain demon we both know, nothing super important.... hopefully. So different subject, how bad are the rumors?

>>2385054
>>2385077
>>2385079
>>2385117
“…I just wanted to know about his personal experience working with Titania,” you slowly explain. “Since Carina was assigned to take her back to the forest. I’ve got some things that I wanted to bounce off of him, but if it has to wait…then it can wait.”

It’s not a lie. You greatly desire to know about how the fuck he was able to put up with Titania’s advances, but it pales in comparison to the goddesses inside your head. And there’s no way in hell that you’re about to let someone outside the squad know about your little problem without letting the Commander know.

Mordecai seems to accept it at face value, though. “I don’t blame you. Never had the ‘privilege’ of working with the Commander when she was in his stock, but from what I’ve heard from other people…it’s a far from pleasant experience. Bluebloods are always a pain in the ass to deal with, humans, demons or otherwise.”

Talk about an underestimation. And otherwise? The fuck is otherwise?

“Much as I’d like to help, I don’t have much experience with Fairies. Demoniacs, Jaki and Wilder demons are more of my speed.”

Dark and Physical-based demons. You file that tidbit away for further reference. “Eh…I’m an all-rounder, honestly. Jack-of-all-trades with a slight focus on healing.”

He nods. “Yeah…heard about that bit, ‘specially about your healing. I’ve worked here some odd seven years, and the number of medics that’ve come into the building as field agents can be counted on my hand.”

“And how many are there?”

“You…that Blaylock girl over in Northwest…” He pauses, and you can see the gears visibly turning in his head. “Maybe one or two more, but they’re all over the countryside. If you ever decide to go independent without a division, you’ll find that you’re worth your weight in gold for other teams if they decide to put you on retainer. Just make sure you find me first, because Bootes needs first dibs.”

You snort. “Yeah…I’ll be sure to let you know…”

Before you can continue, your counterpart checks his watch. “Ah, damn. Time flies. I'm gonna be late. But…I got what I came here for. So before I head out, I got two things I wanna tell you.”

“Hit me.”

He cracks a smile. “You’re doin’ good, kid. Real good. Don’t listen to the rumors or give them a second of your time. There are better things to do than pay attention to gossip. Everyone makes mistakes."

You try not to wince. "So those rumors..."

"That you got three men killed and a girl traumatized to the point of a severe emotional breakdown?" At your horrified reaction, he shakes his head. "Horseshit. Just one man and a demon. Those two guards that got their livers eaten? They'll be fine. I looked into it for you before coming to the cafeteria. Science division's got two livers being vat-grown for them. They'll be shipped out in a few weeks once they're done."

(cont.)

File: Fellowship Symbol.jpg (227 KB, 1600x1600)

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That’s certainly a weight off your shoulders. But, still. “Lisa…the girl who was close to the professor…”

“Mnemosyne’d. Took an entire twelve hours away and all the bloody memories of the museum and carnage she stumbled into. She’ll be in observation for a few weeks, but they say she’s gonna make a full recovery.”

…tender mercies where you can find them, you suppose.

“But enough about shitty rumors. Last thing before I head out. If you ever need a place to just relax or get away from the barracks or the stress of the job…hell, if you just want to kick back, relax and celebrate living another day…”

He fiddles with his COMP, pushing buttons until he nods to himself, satisfied. A second later, your own COMP chirps to life. You’ve got mail.

He takes a big swallow of his pancakes, washing them down with a glass of orange juice before he stands up and stretches. “Don’t hesitate to hit any of us up. We’ll treat you right, rookie. So, until then…I’ll catch you later.”

--You’ve been invited to join the Fellowship!
--All are welcome to sit at our table and partake in the celebration of life.
--We share a vision that one day, we will be able to set aside our differences and walk hand-in-hand with demonkind to advance the world for the betterment of both our species.
--Please consider a meeting at one of our potlucks before committing to another fraternity.

>>Feature unlocked: Fraternities
>Fraternities are groups of Devil Summoners who adhere to certain philosophies and viewpoints.
>They function as political parties for the Task Force, and determine the procedures of how a Division or even Front may operate.
>Any Demon Summoner can join a Fraternity regardless location around the world, and the various Fraternities vie for power in the politics of the Task Force.
>Each faction provides their own respective bonuses.

>There are four prominent Fraternities in the Eastern Seaboard.
--Members of The Fellowship are advocates for reaching a permanent and lasting peace with demonkind. Their members are known to be masterful negotiators capable of recruiting the most ornery of demons to their side. A core tenant of this Fraternity is that violence should be used only as a last resort when all other avenues of diplomacy have failed. Their leader is Timothy Kane, the Division Head of the Northeastern Seaboard.

--The Patriots are a military-based faction that advocate for the dissolution of the Jerusalem Treaty, and to allow the procedural integration of demons and magic into international espionage and warfare. Their members are known to be masters of combat, and have both the bloodiest and most successful records against more powerful demons. A core tenant of this Fraternity is that continual violence is the only way for demons to leave humanity alone. Their leader is Richard Armstrong, a congressman from Texas.

(cont.)

>>2385180
I already know which one Brady is going to join.

>>2385180
>Their leader is Richard Armstrong, a congressman from Texas.
NANODEMONS SON

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>>2385180
--Apocryphal prioritize the study and reclaimation of historical artifacts pertaining to magic and demons at all costs, with the gaining of political influence a tertiary goal to that of restoring magic to humankind. Though few in number, their members are known to be exceptionally intelligent, and are reputable masters of infiltration and espionage. A core tenant of this Fraternity is the preservation of knowledge for knowledge’s sake. Their leader is Doctor Isabella Salviati, an archaeologist from Italy.

--Meggidans believe in attaining means for the continual survival of humanity in the event of an open war between demons and mankind. At its height, the Meggidans were the dominant faction during the Cold War, but since the fall of the Soviet Union, their influence has waned. Their members are known for being paranoid, but extremely cunning, capable of enduring the hardest of trials. A core tenant of this Fraternity is the belief that more people should be made aware of demonkind. Their leader is Karl Schmitt, the Leader of the German Front.

Other factions include:
--Messians, a predominantly Christian group of Devil Summoners with ties to the Vatican and Inquisition. Monitored heavily for Papal interference.
--The Circle, a predominantly European group of Devil Summoners consisting of (neo)pagan and Wicca worshipers. Monitored for "unwholesome relations" with demonkind.
--Asmodians, a group that believes in the damnation of the self for the preservation of the many. Monitored for contacts with Archdukes of Hell and extremist tendencies.

With breakfast over, you decide to…

>>Choose one:
>Inquire about a fraternity.
>Pay a visit to your family.
>Spend time with your squad.
>Custom option.

>>2385193
Honest to God, that was a coincidence. I had FMA on the mind recently, and I needed the most patriotic state in the Union, so...yeah, that happened.

>>2385232
>>Pay a visit to your family.

>>2385232
>>Pay a visit to your family.
Gotta visit the senpai when can.

>Messians
We better not let MacKay or Victoria be near those.
>The Circle
Think they have any idea who the identities of our triple goddess are?

>>2385232
>>Pay a visit to your family.

>>2385240
>senpai
Goddammit, I forgot about that filter.

>>2385240
Victoria is not really religiois, she's more ordered. And I don't see that on these lisitng.

Messians would be MackAy though hands down.

Brady would be either Fraternity or Apocryphal

Fitz would likely be a Patriot.

>>2385232
>Pay a visit to your family.

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>>2385239
>>2385240
>>2385243
>>2385254
The world is full of tender mercies. Traffic out of D.C. and upstate to Maryland is one of several of them. You could’ve easily taken a “company car”, but there’s a certain comfort in driving your old beat-up Toyota. A part of your life that you could return to, step back away from demons and fraternities, and the mess that is the current affairs of the world.

It’s even older than you are, currently going on at nearly twenty eight years of service and almost three hundred thousand miles. The air conditioning is shot to hell, and the speakers can’t play the more intense songs of your generation without distorting horribly. And that wasn’t even going into how the seat absorbed everything and anything it came into contact with, wet dog included.

But you wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. You’ve had your fair share of memories in this car: your first drive, the day you got your license, prom night and driving off to college for your freshman year.

You manage a wistful smile in the rear-view mirror. It’s a family thing, you suppose. In another lifetime, you’d find it weird that your old man gave you the keys to the car that nearly landed him in the clink for statutory rape. Then again, your mom’s folks were merciful and didn’t press charges when he repeated the mistake of his old man, your grandfather, and knocked up an underage student in the back seat of a car.

But unlike your grandfather, your dad stayed. He manned up, took responsibility, and did everything in his power to make sure that he wouldn’t turn out like his own father did in bringing you up. And he did a damn good job of it for all six of you. Sophia, Jack, Peter, Maddie and Katherine.

And Hannah, of course. The pupper that saw you through the last years of elementary and into the place where you are now. She’s lived a long life, but she’s still as healthy and energetic. Case in point when a repeat of your last visit home happens and a face full of dog fur and slobber comes barreling into your body as soon as you open the door.

“Come on!” Your sister moans from inside the house, with all the angry temperament of a hormonal fifteen year old. “She’s happier to see you than any of us, even when we get back home from summer camp! What makes you so damned special?!”

No way she’d otherwise use expletives unless mom or dad was away. “Yeah, I missed you, too, Sophia…”

“Honestly!” She huffs, blowing her hair out of her face as she moves to pull you up. An effort that fails spectacularly as she underestimates your weight and falls spectacularly to the floor. Eventually when you stop laughing, she glares at you past an angry blush. “…you got fat.”

You shake your head. “Swear to God it’s all muscle.”

She raises a skeptical eyebrow. “Really. What kind of pharma company requires its interns to bulk out?”

(cont.)

“You’d be surprised,” you grunt as you shove Hannah off of you and stand back up. “There’s a lot of heavy labor involved. And it’s a sad sight to see an overweight doctor. Practice what you preach, you know? And healthiness is my gospel.”

“Uh huh. Suuuuuuuuuure,” she drawls, even as she accepts the offered hand to pull her on her feet before withdrawing it sharply. “The fuck happened to your hand?”

“Language,” you sing-song, and smile at the middle finger offered in reply. “They’re called calluses, Soph. You know, you get them after doing a ton of hard labor or work with your hands?”

“Work. Ew. Bleargh. Get thee away from me, proletariat.”

“I seem to recall that it was this proletariat that finances those birthday shopping sprees, Miss bourgeois.”

“Yeah, and speaking of birthdays…” An uncharacterized seriousness comes over her. “…did you really have to miss Peter’s birthday?”

She’s got you there.

Where were you on June 6th? Basic training, or the siege of Camp Cotytus. The earlier days of your career in the Task Force have blended together into a disorienting mess. Time didn’t flow there as much as congeal into a barely-recognizable mess of emotional highs and downs.

But life goes on in that haze of memories. And were you not at Cocytus, you’d be celebrating your little brother’s ninth birthday. He might’ve gone laser tagging with his classmates, or otherwise stuffing their faces at the local arcade and pizza parlor. But you can’t remember a single party for your siblings that you weren’t a major part of.

>“I sent him that toy he wanted.”
>“My boss was running me ragged.”
>“There was no way for me to come.”
>Custom option.

>>2385377
>“There was no way for me to come.”
"Guess I broke tradition there. I'll have to apologize to him."

>>2385377
>>“There was no way for me to come.”
>>My job had my fist deep in two men trying to save their lives after some freako ripped their liver out.

>>2385377
>>“There was no way for me to come.”

>>2385377
>>“There was no way for me to come.”
>Had my hands elbow deep in a lot of things you don't want to know to make sure I wouldn't squick out when it counted.

>>2385232
>--The Circle, a predominantly European group of Devil Summoners consisting of (neo)pagan and Wicca worshipers. Monitored for "unwholesome relations" with demonkind.


Pixie, I love you.

>>2385385
>>2385391
>>2385406
>>2385993
“…there really wasn’t any way for me to come.” That’s as simple of a statement as you can make it. “Had my hands elbow deep in a whole lotta crap. Jobs I’ve been doing…not so pretty, but really important.”

She frowns. “Important enough to miss your brother’s birthday?”

What are you supposed to say? That one of your jobs involved stabilizing two security guards who had their livers torn out by some psycho? That’s what’s been circulating around the news, at the very least. But nothing good would come out of sharing the gorier details.

“That’s not a fair question and you know it, Soph.” There’s no anger in your voice. Just a sort of weary resignation. “Because you know pretty well that if I could, I would’ve been there.”

Sophia regards you with a dry expression before shrugging in defeat. “Yeah…I guess you’re right. Still, can’t blame me for trying, can you?”

“I’m more surprised than anything else,” you point out. “I thought you were still mad about that incident with the haircurler and toilet bowl-”

“Oy-” she cuts in, “Contrary to popular belief, I’m not always a megabitch. Especially when it comes to family matters.”

>You wisely decide to keep your mouth shut.

She continues, “Just make sure you make it up to him, alright?”

“Of course.”

“So how long are you free for? Maybe you could…he shouldn’t have anything after school. Arcade, park, maybe?”

Talk about a loaded question.

“Honestly…I dunno,” you say, but you quickly follow up before she can cut in, “I only came back up from D.C. because I’m on standby. Give my boss ten minutes, and he’ll want me back on the job without any warning whatsoever.”

“I thought you still had a year of med school left before residency.”

“…let’s just say that I’m being fast tracked by the boss. I’m getting my hands dirty earlier than expected.”

Your sister takes a look at you, then back to the hand that helped her back on her feet. Horror breaks out across her face as she regards her hands in the same vein that one might look at something disturbing.

“…please don’t tell me you didn’t wash your hands before you came back home,” she whispers, and you can’t tell whether or not she’s faking her revulsion.

Pft. Yeah, right. Mom’s a nurse, and your pop’s an electrician. Between the two of them, there’s no way in hell that you missed out on all the lessons for personal hygiene.

“Good!” She declares, even as she scrambles out of her way in a suspiciously fast manner. “So, I’m just gonna go bleach my hands. Uh…there’s leftover pizza in the fridge if you want some.”

Hunger is the last thing from your mind, but the thought is appreciated, nonetheless. However, speaking of which…

(cont.)

There’s no way you can contain the smug that enters your voice. “You know, Soph. It’s only one thirty-seven.”

“Yeah? What about it?”

“I haven’t been back to Whitman almost eight years, but I’m pretty sure classes don’t end until three-oh-five.”

The silence that follows is almost palpable, and combined with the look on her face…it’s a miracle that you haven’t started laughing.

The grin on your face is completely full of it as you give her a knowing look. “Are you cutting class-”

“Gottableachmyhandsnowbye!” You blink, and before you even know it, she’s taken off to parts unknown. Actually, no, judging by her footsteps…the laundry room.

Ah, little sisters…so fun to tease…

...and not like that, you perverts. Sweet Jesus. The absolute state of Japan and half of the folks in the mid-southwest. As someone with more than one healthy sibling relationship, you can confirm that those kinds of fantasies and desires are held only by those without siblings themselves.

Degenerates. The lot of them.

>>Choose one:
>Give your demons a house tour. [???]
>Swing by your neighbor's house. [???]
>Take a quick nap in your room. [???]

>>2389335
>Give your demons a house tour. [???]

>>2389335
>>Give your demons a house tour. [???]

>>2389335
>..and not like that, you perverts.
I see that Adrian has learned to communicate with the pagans and/or his audience telepathically.

>Give your demons a house tour. [???]

>>2389335
>>Give your demons a house tour. [???]
This is the only real choice.

>>2389335
>>Give your demons a house tour. [???]

>>2389367
>>2389379
>>2389431
>>2389798
>>2389936
“Is your sister always this mouthy?” The voice of High Pixie chimes into your earpiece, with only the slightest of electronic flange. “From what I’ve seen of human interactions, you are very lenient with her for an elder sibling.”

You can’t help but shrug, even though the motion itself comes across as odd to anyone observing. “Nah, not really. It’d be hypocritical of me to be too hard on her since I sometimes cut class when I was in high school. Granted, that was only during senior year, but…”

It’s not too hard to imagine your fairy shaking her head in faux disappointment as she laments, “Oh, woe is me! My master is setting a bad example for his own kith and kin. And here I thought we were both role models to our younger siblings…”

“If they’re gonna really learn,” you mutter in response, “Then it‘ll be best that they learn on their own without my own interference. That way, it’s all on their shoulders for any mistakes they make.”

“…what a very…unique outlook. Demons aren’t a whole lot like that. At least, from what I’ve seen.”

“Hey, it worked for me.”

“Yes, master,” she deadpans. Somehow, and you can’t explain it, you can feel the glare at the back of your head. “Because I’m so happy to see that you learned all on your own that stabbing yourself in the hand was, in fact, a terrible idea.”

“Live and let live, Pixie. Live and let live…”

“Master Adrian,” a new voice cuts in. Angel? Now that’s a surprise. “Is this indeed your domicile?”

You answer with only a [slightly sardonic tone. “I wouldn’t be here otherwise. Just…needed to swing by, see if everyone’s alright, step away from D.C. for a short while.”

“An understandable set of reasons. Your family must be very affluent if they are to support six children within a domus with three floors on a large swathe of property. During the time of the Messiah, the only large families were those who performed hard labor, and their property was considerably smaller.”

“Affluent” isn’t the word as much as “frugal” and financially smart, but it’s the same difference. And you’d think it obvious that a lot would change since the first century. Then again, maybe angel/demon time isn’t quite the same as the human internal clock.

“It’s nowhere near as pretty as the grove I grew up in,” Pixie boasts, “But I will admit that it is a very nice house...from what I've seen so far, at least.”

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out the undertone in her voice. “Alright, alright…wanna take a look?”

(cont.)

The top floor is completely residential. Master bedroom for mom and pop, and a shared bedroom for Maddie and Katherine. Soph only got her own room during middle school, a development she was incredibly grateful for. No longer did she have to share a room with “ankle-biting brats” that were incapable of keeping secrets or any sort of gossip.

The boys, on the other hand, got complete reign over a section of the basement. Jack and Pete share a bunk bed and a room large enough for them to roughhouse in. And thank God for that. It would’ve been impossible to pass pre-med and the long nights of studying if you had to deal with two rambunctious little brothers on a daily basis.

And the middle floor is basic suburbia fare: kitchen/dining room, family room with embarrassing holiday photos, a workspace for your old man’s business, and patio leading to the backyard and view of a Maryland forest. Nothing too special other than miscellaneous memorabilia collected from around the world during family vacations, and your dog's indoor doghouse.

Regardless, it seems to impress the demons in your stock. You answer any questions they have, as odd as it makes you look. But who's watching? You're almost entirely sure that Soph left the house to go hang out with her other delinquent friends and Hannah's just...sitting there, following in a constant presence of drool and fur.

>Your demons greatly appreciate the time you spent with them.
>Their loyalty has increased by 10%.

>High Pixie has an item for you!

>Roll 1d100 [???]
>Best out of FIVE rolls.

Rolled 12 (1d100)

>>2390026
Is it a matching kimono?

Rolled 78 (1d100)

>>2390026
Pixie a best.

Rolled 31 (1d100)

>>2390026

Rolled 1 (1d100)

>>2390026

>>2390029
>>2390031
>>2390035
You need to love Pixie more anons.

Rolled 76 (1d100)

>>2390026
Dice+1d100

Rolled 68 (1d100)

>>2390026
>nat 1

File: 1469391148508.gif (1.7 MB, 438x469)

1.7 MB GIF

>>2390035

File: Good night, sweet prince...jpg (48 KB, 530x800)

48 KB JPG

>>2390035
Writing...

>>2390072
>Pixie nudes get

>>2390081
It could just be something useless and adorable.

Like she stayed up late watching informercials and bought him a slap chop.

File: 1370063638450.jpg (69 KB, 447x453)

69 KB JPG

The shame I feel is immense.

>>2390088
Well what is a gift fairies give each other that would be horribly inappropriate for people?

>>2390151
Leotards

>>2390151
Blue hair dye

>>2390151
sex

>>2390153
>>2390160
>>2390207
I mean. I'm sure Adrian would look great with blue hair and a leotard. And it'd be impolite to refuse Pixie, as she's a best.

>>2390151
A very colorful haircut.

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>>2390029
>>2390030
>>2390031
>>2390035
>>2390043
>>2390044
High Pixie’s summoning results in a surprised WOOF from Hannah, and a high-pitched shriek from said fairy. It takes a few moments to calm both dog and demon down to acceptable levels. And it certainly doesn’t help that your dog is hell-bent on trying to pounce on High Pixie. But eventually, after putting Hannah back in the doghouse, you’re able to finally commence in relative peace and quiet.

“I spent a whole weekend scrounging around the barracks for the materials to make it,” she mutters, digging inside of her kimono, “So you better be grateful, master, because I put my love into this present!”

You’re not sure how she managed to fit it into her kimono, but somehow, your demon manages to pull some hammer space-type magic out of her pocket and produce something as big as your fist.

Simply put, it is a felt doll of your demon. To be precise, of her previous form. The blue leotard, gloves and leggings are iconic of the generic Pixie fairy, in addition to the red hair and eyes. It easily fits in the palm of your hand, and the material is incredibly comfortable to the touch.4

“I hope you like it, Master!” She croons, zipping around your head in a sort of embarrassed joy. “To four months of our contract, and many more to come!”

>You have acquired a Felt Pixie Doll.
>While unique, this item provides no bonuses of any sort.
>However, it would fetch a decent price on the right market.

Suddenly, she stops mid-air, and you can almost hear the breaks as she halts in the middle of a flip. “Oh! And I almost forgot…here!”

>You have acquired Mystery Substance P.
>It is contained a small bottle labeled with a skull and question mark on it.

“I’m going to be honest,” she confesses, “This was supposed to be hair dye when I originally brewed it, but something funny happened and…well, I honestly don’t know what it does. Maybe you’ll be able to find a good use for it, Master!”

Hesitant as you are to accept the latter of her two gifts, you can’t help but feel a fuzzy warmth in your chest. A smile breaks out across your lips. How typical of a capricious, but amicable and caring, demon.

“I’ll be sure to keep them safe," you assure her. "And I, too, look forward to many more months of demon busting."

She is positively beaming with that statement. You didn’t think it was possible, but now she’s zipping around even faster, squealing like an excited little girl.

“Oh, I know you will! It’ll look great on your shelf in the barracks, right next to your COMP and alarm clock! Now, if you could just leave that dog in the doghouse while we get a quick lunch-”

>>Can I get a [???] roll for High Pixie, please?
>Roll 1d100.
>Best of three.

Rolled 57 (1d100)

>>2390296

Rolled 21 (1d100)

>>2390296
>Pixie Doll
I'll take 20.

Rolled 55 (1d100)

>>2390296
Pixie a best.

Rolled 22 (1d100)

>>2390296

>>2390296
Best present possible, also inb4 our sister walks in on Pixie buzzing around

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>>2390304
>>2390306
>>2390305
It’s almost a physical sensation, the way her face abruptly changes from one of giddiness to pure alarm. The emotional whiplash is jarring enough that you’d think that your sister had walked back into the room…which a quick check over your shoulder confirms that she did not, thank the gods. But what could’ve changed for her-

“I smell something, master,” High Pixie whispers, and the severity of her voice forms a stone in your gut. Even in all of the hot messes and battles you’ve fought together, you’ve never heard her this serious. “I smell something…something that isn’t human or animal…something demonic…”

The stone in your gut becomes a pit of ice, and dread fills your entire body as one of the worst fears in the back of your mind comes to a terrifying reality.

There’s an old saying that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. In your case, what happens when you fight the demonic stays far away from home. But something went against that saying, something that followed you from the Task Force and back to the life you left behind.

Demons in your home.

“Where is it?” You demand. Even as your fingers dive towards your COMP, ready to pull out another demon to back Pixie up, you kick yourself for leaving your pistol back at base. Your only weapon is the knife you’ve got in your boot, and even with a mono-edge, all it’s gonna do is tickle a demon. “Are we gonna need backup-”

She’s quick to answer, “No, master! It’s not…it’s not a living demon, but…it smells of earth, brimstone and ash, and very, very, very powerful magic…something…there!”

Her gesture points to something outside the patio, and in an instant, you’re on the move. Knife in hand, you push open the door and race outside as fast as you can. The sound of your heart is a harsh beat of war, a frantic pulse that you can feel behind your ears.

Your vision darts from one point to another, searching for the source of the threat, threat, threat, threat invading your home, threatening your family, demons near your house, dark magic near your siblings, parents, dog, loved ones, danger, danger, danger-

“Master! It’s over here!”

Breaking out of your trance is no small feat. Suddenly, the adrenaline in your veins pulls away, and the hyperfocused lens your mind was recedes back into your frontal cortex. There is Pixie, hovering and waving, all the while gesturing to a half-rotted tree stump.

“Here, master, here!” She calls, urging for you to join her. “There’s something underneath this tree!”

(cont.)

File: Cube of the Voice of God.jpg (19 KB, 314x313)

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But it’s just a tree, the back of your mind whispers. What could be so dangerous about the remnant of something long since dead?

“Dig, dig, dig!” She commands, moving herself to push through decaying wood and earthen soil. “I can sense it now, something magical buried underneath here! It’s powerful…so, so, so powerful, master…”

Together, the two of you manage to pull away the remnants of the stump, and begin digging with gusto into the earth. Wood and soil go flying in your frantic haste, in your drive to discover what has violated the normalcy of your family life. You don’t care how dirty your hands get, or how silly you might look to someone looking in.

Eventually, your knife hits something hard, and the shock of the impact drives a tingling feeling up your arm. But you shake it off, and attack at it with renewed effort and vigor. Both you and Pixie manage to unearth a small container, no bigger than a shoe box. It’s been here for awhile, judging from the rust on the lock and weathered varnish. Something organic falls away, some congealed object, perhaps a container? Irrelevant.

But what grabs your attention are the runes, runes carved all over the box. Some look like they’ve been seared in with fire, burnt into the finish or traced with a hot tool. Those are pagan symbols, bizarre, eclectic signs you’ve only seen in comic books or movies.

Yet there are still other runes, runes that hurt to look at lest you be blinded by their radiance. The closest comparison would be like staring directly into the sun, such is their intensity. Even from inside of the pit, you can feel the power radiating from both the seals and the chest itself.

“Animal fat to mask the scent of magic,” High Pixie whispers, “This is no amateur’s foray. And the work done is…it’s beautiful.”

“Beautiful?” You demand. “What do you mean by that?”

“I’ve never seen such intricate carvings. The complexity is…it’s almost a work of art,” she confesses. “Whoever created this has an advance knowledge of magic both demonic and human in nature. I can see Norse runes, druidic signs, and…”

There is a flash of light, and both of you spin around in alarm, dagger and lightning raised and at the ready. But it is only Angel, summoning herself from the COMP to join you at the hole you’ve created.

“Kabbalah,” the woman’s voice is a wonder as she runs a dainty finger along the box, “The primordial blueprint of the Creator, and discerned by the mystics of Ancient Israel. But…”

You’re more than a little on edge, and you can’t help the bite that accompanies your words. “But what?” You demand. “Spit it out!”

“These are not runes, but sefirot. Here is the brand symbolizing foundation, the anchor upon which the Creator built the world. Yesod, linked with Da’at, symbol of knowledge. Combined with this…the symbol of the Voice of God..."

(cont.)

You’ve had enough of them waxing poetic about how beautiful the damn thing is. You couldn’t give less of a damn about what went into it, or its significance to the demonic world at large. All you care about is what it does, and why the hell it’s in your goddamn backyard.

“Quit beating around the bush and tell me what the damn thing does,” you hiss.

Even as Pixie winces, Angel takes no offence, instead moving closer to inspect the box. After a tense silence, she nods, withdrawing to present herself to you. “I am but the lowest of the Heavenly Host, but even I would be able to notice a component for a sealing circle.”

“But what does it mean?!”

“It means, master, that someone has gone to great lengths, even as far as to enlist the aid of powerful demons of both infernal, pagan and heavenly origin, to mask this domus from the eyes of demonkind.

“There is nothing to be afraid of,” she explains with a smile on her face, and you could imagine her eyes crinkling in amicable warmth, “It is no boundary against demons, but something that enforces a concept of normality upon a given area, drawing from nearby residences. To whoever is looking in, this magic is more than powerful enough to make the inhabitants of this house appear as less-than pleasing to any who would hunger for magnetite.”

“Eeeeeeeeeh?” That was High Pixie.

The angel sighs. “Ah, I am surrounded by pagans. Very well. In layman’s terms, this seal will deter any demon from looking upon your family with hunger. But should a demon with ill intent cross a certain boundary…there is something inside of this box that will be automatically summoned to fight against the invader.

“Again, let me repeat by saying that you have absolutely nothing to worry about, Master Adrian. This is a great gift to have. Now, you can fight against the scions of the Prince of Lies and the servants of pagan divinities without fear for reprisal. I did not think that the Task Force cared this much about the lives of its agents”

On the contrary, all of this is just raising questions in your head. And the big one among the storm of emotions raging through your mind is “who the fuck and why the fuck is there a magic circle in my house”.

And you’re almost entirely damn sure that this isn’t regulation. Alger might be a secretive bastard, but he wouldn’t have skimped out on the details of something as important as this. So even with Angel’s analysis, you still regard the box the way one might a ticking time bomb…oh, wait, you do have that experience.

Granted, C4 is a whole different world than “very powerful demon sealed away in magic doom box”, but semantics.

Argh, but what the fuck are you supposed to do?!

>Attempt to summon the demon within the box.
>Call it in. Maybe the Task Force can find out more.
>Put it back and don’t tell anyone. This is yours to bear.
>Tell Squad Carina. Make some inquiries on the side.
>Custom option.

>>2390532
>>Tell Squad Carina. Make some inquiries on the side.

>>2390532
>>Put it back and don’t tell anyone. This is yours to bear.

Someone's protecting Adrian and his weird ass goddesses?

>>2390532
>>Tell Squad Carina. Make some inquiries on the side.

>>2390532
>Put it back and don’t tell anyone. This is yours to bear.

>>2390532
>Take a picture. Put it back. Tell Squad Carina. make some inquiries on the side.

If it's keeping Adrian's family protected it should stay where it is, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't look into it.

>>2390532
>>Call it in. Maybe the Task Force can find out more.
If we're going to dig deeper into their archives using probes-imeanhentai-imeanskimmer, we may well do a gesture of faith.

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>>2390541
>>2390554
>>2390568
>>2390579
>>2390598
>>2390604
“Are you sure that’s all you’re going to do?” High Pixie looks on, worried as the three of you pour the dirt back into the mount. “There’s probably other ways we could look into it…”

You really don’t want to have to think about it. You really don’t want to think about the who, the what and the why for this box business. They say that ignorance is bliss, but if it could just take away the massive headache that’s come over you…that’d be really nice. Still, it’s a headache that you’re capable of alleviating.

You’ve already got the three goddesses hanging over Squad Carina’s collective heads. What’s another mysterious thing that should be reported to the Task Force? Granted, mysterious boxes with obvious demonic markings are less dubious than goddesses in your head. But if Angel’s right, and she probably is, then that box is doing its job of protecting your family. And you’re not that much of a rule-stickler anyway, especially when it comes to family.

“If Brady’s doing his job right,” you grunt, compacting the dirt over the hole, “And not watching really skeevy Japanese pornography in his free time, then we should have this figured out relatively quickly.”

“…if you say so.”

“I do say so. Because weird taste in porn aside, he’s not the type to loaf around if there’s something going on. The guy’s just wired like that.”

You do the best you can to restore the mound to as un-altered of a state as you possibly could. Granted, with the removal of the tree stump, it’s a little more than obvious that something (or someone) had been digging around. The best you can really do is plant some grass seeds and pray that it grows quickly enough.

With the adrenaline gone and the situation buried, you drag yourself back in the house. Sweet, sweet relief comes in the form of a half-full carton of milk. One percent, just the way you like it.

Alas, someone up there has a really sick sense of humor. Even before you can put the rim to your lips, your COMP goes off. And it’s not the chime of a notification, nor the gentle ringing of a phone call.
It’s a full-on siren, a drone of alarm accompanied by red text that flashes across the screen.

>SPECIALIST BROWN, YOU HAVE BEEN ACTIVATED AS PER PROTOCOL MT-045.
>RETURN TO BASE IMMEDIATELY TO PREPARE FOR OPERATIONS.

…there just is no goddamn rest for the weary.

>Later
>2:11 PM

“Where did you say you were?”

“I’m coming down 410 West as fast I can, Brady,” You repeat. You almost spit out an obscenity as the asshole in front, some soccer mom with a van full of brats, nearly clips you as she changes lanes. “I’ll be there in about ten…fifteen minutes.”

He curses. “Fucking hell, boss…you really know when to pick your breaks, do you?”

“Yeah, yeah…" you grouse irritably, "And so does central.”

(cont.)

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Over the line, you can hear the sound of paper and objects moving near the receiver before a new voice chimes in. MacKay’s voice comes smooth, without any sort of stressful inflection. “It looks like we won’t be leaving for a while though, so you should have a comfortable window of time to return to base.”

Now that’s a relief, to say the least. “There weren’t a lot of details on the message.”

“Yeah, there really weren’t…” Brady notes, “But I was able to pull a bridge bunny to the side and finesse some information outta them.”

“’Bridge bunny?’” You and MacKay repeat.

“Eh…it’s slang for a techie. Operator on the console…you guys ever watch ‘Star Trek’?”

“Ya know,” Fitz’s drawl cuts through whatever point Brady was trying to make, “Fascinatin’ as it is, I’d really like to know what we’re gonna be dealin’ with.”

There’s a pause as your resident computer specialist clears his throat. “It looks like a couple of squads are gonna be deploying to somewhere out in West Virginia. The network picked up a huge spike of demonic activity in one of the swamps. Dunno what the hell it is, but it’s big enough to send the cavalry in with guns blazing.”

So…your first real assault mission. Not an investigation, no detective work required.

Just aim the gun, direct the demon, and shoot. That seems simple enough.

“But get this!” The giddiness in Vicky’s voice is almost enough to give you whiplash. “Since we’re a little short on manpower and we don’t know the nature of the threat…they’re gonna let us use DEMONICA suits! DEMONICA suits, Adrian!”

“DEMONICA…?” Now you could’ve sworn you heard that one before-

Brady slowly says, with the inflection of one reading some sort of fine print: “DEMOuntable Next Integrated Capability Armor…oi, it’s that power armor! That cybermen-looking shit that Alger wears, and those other guys with that Sparda bloke-”

“They normally don’t let teams like ours get them for normal missions, so this is a real treat!” Vicky cuts in. Huh. Given that she’s a mechanic…this must’ve been something she’s been looking forward to. “And you know what’s the best part?”

“What?” Everyone asks in unison.

You can imagine her swooning. “The armor responds to your preferences, and you can customize it based on your style of combat! Attack, support, you name it! Next generation stuff that responds to your needs and wants-”

Even as she continues to gush over her love for the DEMONICA, you note with wry amusement that someone has lowered her audio gain. Soon, her ranting is almost an inaudible whisper when Brady starts talking.

“Okay, we actually gotta get suited up soon, so…uh…you’re not here, but since the armor automatically conforms to your measurements…all you really need to do is set a combat preference.”

(cont.)

>>2390867
When does Pixie get tiny DEMONICA armor?

>>2390867
You look out beyond the beltway, and to the GPS of your phone. Not a whole lot of traffic to deal with, but there’s still the mess of D.C.’s roads that you have to navigate when you make it to the capital proper. “Can’t exactly do that from here.”

“Actually, you can,” he counters. “Just, uh…gimme your combat preference and I’ll tell the techies to get it set up for you.”

Well isn’t that convenient? “Yeah, sure. Just let me know what I can actually do…”

“Gotcha. So here’s what you can get programmed into the suit…”

>DEMONICA armor is a unique set of armor that offers Devil Summoners extra tactical options in the field of battle.
>As Vicky mentioned earlier, it can be customized to the personal combat preferences of the individual wearing it.
>A recent breakthrough with magnetite technology has allowed for the “emulation” of demonic skills to a limited degree.
>Devil Summoners may now take skills normally reserved for demons and magic stones into the field of battle.

>>Before you can select skills to emulate, you must first select a combat preference.

>>Please select a combat archetype for your armor:
>Assault. You are capable of both dishing out and taking physical damage.
>Magic. You are capable of both withstanding and dealing modest magical damage.
>Support. You are completely focused on heals, (de)buffs and status ailments.

>>2390892
>>Support. You are completely focused on heals, (de)buffs and status ailments.

>>2390892
>>Support. You are completely focused on heals, (de)buffs and status ailments.

>>2390892
>Support. You are completely focused on heals, (de)buffs and status ailments.

>>2390892
>>Support. You are completely focused on heals, (de)buffs and status ailments.

>>2390892
>Support. You are completely focused on heals, (de)buffs and status ailments.

>>2390890
Asking the important questions.

>>2390892
>Support. You are completely focused on heals, (de)buffs and status ailments.
When does Pixie get hers?

This is close Kaz, you may want to have a tie breaker

>>2390895
>>2390899
>>2390901
>>2390902
>>2390904
>>2390913
“Yeah, I figured you’d take that,” Brady remarks. “Next up, we got this weird shit for spell emulation. Uh…I’ll spare you the more technical details, but the suit draws energy from the magnetite reactor and a corresponding stone to create the effect of demon magic-”

You quickly cut him off, “Got it. So what’re my options with this loadout?”
“Here’s what it looks like…”

>>Please select six skills to take into battle.
>>Please note that you will only be able to use each skill four times without overloading the suit’s mag reactor.
>>Overloading the suit's mag reactor will increase the odds of critical power failure, and possible implosion.

>Mediarama
>Recarm
>Me Patra
>Tarukaja
>Tarunda
>Rakukaja
>Rakunda
>Sukukaja
>Sukunda
>Dekaja
>Dekunda

>>2390916
Ya might want a tiebreaker for this one...

>>2390931
>Mediarama
>Recarm
>Tarunda
>Rakunda
>Sukunda
>Dekunda

Since pixie has luster candy for the buffing.

>>2390931
>Mediarama
>Recarm
>Tarukaja
>Rakukaja
>Sukukaja
>Dekunda

>>2390931
>Mediarama
>Recarm
>Tarunda
>Rakunda
>Sukunda
>Dekunda

Supporting that one anon

>>2390931
>Mediarama
>Recarm
>Me Patra
>Tarukaja
>Rakunda
>Dekunda

Don't skimp out on the Me Patra. Getting rid of Status ailments can be a life saver

>>2390931
>>Mediarama
>>Recarm
>>Me Patra
>>Tarunda
>>Rakunda
>>Dekunda

>>2390931
>Mediarama
>Recarm
>Me Patra
>Tarukaja
>Rakunda
>Dekunda

>>2390946
>>2390959
why Tarukaja?

Pixie handles bufs

>>2390991
It'll get to x4 or whatever the max is faster.

>Just Pixie = 4 Turns
>Both Pixie and Adrian = 2 turns.

>>2390994
better served by nerfing the enemy's attack tbqh

>>2390998
Which'll turn a fight into a battle of attrition. Remember we only have one spell per turn. We can end the fight faster with Tarukaja and Rakunda or nullify the opponents stopping power slowly.

Both are viable but I prefer offense and believe the Rakukaja we get from the Luster Candy will be suitable for defense.

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Gimme a sec to calculate/crunch numbers...

>>2390931
>Mediarama
>>Recarm
>>Me Patra
>>Tarunda
>>Rakunda
>>Dekaja

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>>2390936
>>2390937
>>2390940
>>2390946
>>2390955
>>2390959
>>2391028
>Medirama
>Recarm
>Mepatra
>Tarunda
>Rakunda
>Deukunda
Thankfully, a break in traffic expedites your journey back to base. One hasty parking job later, and you find yourself sprinting past security checkpoints and buffer zones, weaving past “official” staff members of the pharma company and into the official territory of the Task Force proper.

Waiting for you on the other end are two men in black suits, who beckon you over to them. After confirming your identity, they whisk you away down several long corridors and a quick elevator ride down to the armory.

And when the doors open, you spot the other four members of Carina Squad. All four of them are ready for war, each one decked out in a full set of DEMONICA armor. Beyond a red band on their arms marking them as a member of your squad, distinguishing one from another, even from men and women, is impossibility.

It’s admittedly a hard sight to look at without bursting into laughter, even with the serious mood. The damn bucket helmets make it incredibly hard to take seriously.

“Laugh and I’ll gut ya, Sawbones,” the one on the right says, gesturing threateningly with what you hope is an empty assault rifle.

Definitely Fitz.

Since you radioed in your preferences, the process of fitting into your armor goes quickly. The green suit appears to be bulky at first, but it quickly passes with a depression of a button. A vacuum mechanism quickly decompresses the air inside the suit, creating a form-fitting, if not a little snug, grip to your body. You might have guessed some sort of variant of Kevlar, were it not for how much freedom of movement it gave.

Technicians begin the process of fitting all the tools you’ll need for survival. Bulletproof plating tucked within the tactical vest, elbow and knee pads that slide onto your limbs. A custom sheathe on your arm holds your COMP in place, a reinforced alloy that doubles both as protection and a last line of offense should a demon get too close.

Last, but certainly not the least, is the iconic helmet. It’s surprisingly light, fitting onto your head without too much duress on your neck. The plate at your neck catches, and the technician locks it into place. There’s a HISS of decompressed air, and the rebreathers begin supplying your helmet with a study stream of recycled air as the HUD begins to cycle up.

>DEMONICA POWERING UP…
>MAGNETITE REACTOR AT 100% CAPACITY.
>ANALYZING USER DATA…
>USER CONFIRMED: BROWN, ADRIAN
>INITIALIZING BOOTUP QUESTIONAIRE…
>…OVERRIDE ACCEPTED.
>DEMONICA ADAPTING TO USER PREFERENCES.
>0%...50%...100%...
>THIS INTERFACE IS READY FOR COMBAT.

(cont.)

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>>3:44 PM
Transportation to the site was via a Chinook helicopter. It found Squads Bootes and Carina sitting on opposite ends of the convoy, a total of ten devil summoners in DEMONICA armor. The pilot, a no-nonsense woman by the name of Burning Sky, gave an ETA of just underneath an hour to the drop point.

Somehow, the DEOMICA suit made Mordecai Lee look even bigger than he normally is. And for whatever reason, with his faceplate up, you could still see the man wearing sunglasses underneath the buckethead helmet. The absolute madman.

Mordecai clears his throat, and addresses the assembled Devil Busters following a burst of static over the comms. “Alright, folks, listen up. This is gonna be a joint-operation between Squads Bootes and Carina, led by both me and Brown over here. We’re gonna be setting down a few miles outside of the Cranesville Swamp Preserve. Our two primary objectives are to locate the source of demonic power and to eliminate any hostile threats we encounter. Our secondary objective is to secure any artifacts or relics pertaining to why the demons would open up shop here. Ping off to confirm reception of orders.”

“Pinging off” involved hitting a button on the COMP mount. Nine sets of electronic chimes sound off and echo in the tight space of the chopper.

“Glad to hear it. Now…” Mordecai turns towards the five members of Carina Squad. “This is very different than an investigation, do you understand? I’m going to need you to adapt as quickly as possible to infiltration protocols.”

There’s a silence. None of you really know who should speak first. Eventually, Fitz takes that burden of responsibility and answers for all of you.

“Yeah, we can do that.”

“Good. And I give this talk to rookies all the time, so don’t feel too bad that I’m giving it to you now.”

“There’s no hard feelings. Sir,” Brady quickly adds.

“I’d hope not,” Mordecai notes with dry amusement. “But there’s something I need to get out of the way before anything else.” He takes your silence as a sign to continue. “There’s a strong possibility that we have human enemies, and not just demonic ones. I’d prefer that we take them alive for questioning, but if there’s no other way…”

He pauses to lean forward in his chair. “I’m going to need you to be ready to take them out. No hesitation, no second thoughts. This isn’t an investigation. If you even think that they’re capable of doing some serious damage to you and your teammates, then you better shoot to kill.”

Fitz seems to take this in relatively well stride. Duh, since she was once a cop. But MacKay, Vicky and Brady visibly blanch. And while you do a better job of hiding your unease, there’s a part of you that knew that this was coming.

(cont.)

Humans collaborating with demons. Deals with the devil. How many times had you heard about those kinds of stories? What’s a soul in the long run in exchange for power, wealth beyond measure on earth? Faustian bargains are no more the gauche and macabre deal they are. There’s a reason why the most popular name for Old Scratch is “The Prince of Lies”.

You think you walk away the triumphant and more affluent trader, but the demon always hides fine print in the contract.

This wouldn’t be the first time you’d have to go up against them, that is to say, humans in the service of demons. That little car chase on the way to Lebanon had you dealing with hoodlums and a duke of hell trying to run you off the mountain. But that one was different. This time, it’s not car-to-car warfare, distances away from your enemies. It’s going to be up close, personal and very, very ugly.

And right now, it looks like you’ve got a few teammates who seem to be squeamish about shooting at humans. You note with a sardonic cynicism that it’s easier for them to pull the trigger on demons, even though they share the same sentience as humans do.

As squad leader for Carina, you should say something on the team’s behalf…

>“Even scum deserve the full and due process of the law.”
>“They made their bed. It’s time for them to lie in it.”
>Custom option.

>>2391190
>if they're a threat to me mine I'll do what I must

>>2391190
We all knew that we’d eventually have to fight someone either stupid, desperate, or power hungry enough to make a deal with a demon. We’ve trained for this. Stun and save it you can put em down if you can’t. We’re here to unfuck whatever it is they’re doing, and letting them take you out won’t help save the lives of al the innocents in way of harm.

>>2391190
>“They made their bed. It’s time for them to lie in it.”


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9hgqkdTFHc

>>2391190
>they've made their bed, and now we have to unfuck their choices. If that means killing, then mercy can wait until combat is over.

>>2391190
>“They made their bed. It’s time for them to lie in it.”

>>2391190
>“They made their bed. It’s time for them to lie in it.”
Demons, Humans, we can't afford to give such high level threats the benefit of the doubt.

>>2391275
Moredcai isn't really saying we ruthlessly take down every percieved hostile on sight. Just when the chips are down and potential threat decides to become a combatant that we don't hesitate.

>>2391190
>Custom option.
It ain't pretty but this is part of the job description. Remember that our fellow Task Force members are counting on us cover each other out there. That said, what are the initial rules of engagement against humans Mordecai?

>>2391464
I thought that was implied.
You really dont have time to think about the rights of man and demons, when they coming to destroy you and your way of life.

>>2391209
>>2391216
>>2391225
>>2391241
>>2391244
>>2391275
>>2391956
“They made their bed,” you grouse over the speakers. “And now it’s time for us to unfuck whatever they’ve done and put them in their place. The choices that they’ve made have led them to this moment in time, so the onus of responsibility is all on their shoulders. And I don’t want any one on both teams getting hurt just because someone couldn’t pull the trigger.”

>Fitz approves +5.
>MacKay approves +2.

“Keep in mind that Lee isn’t sayin’ that we bust a cap in all of their asses,” Fitz adds. “Just the ones that offer more than a light resistance. It’s normally up to yer judgment if a hostile is really intendin’ to surrender, but you gotta be able to flip the switch from non-lethal to kill in a snap second, yeah?”

It seems that MacKay is the one more resolved about the situation. All it takes from the priest is a deep breath, and a committed nod in your direction. Brady and Vicky, on the other hand, exchange a worried look at each other. But given their successful record so far, you have no reason to doubt their capabilities in the field…yet, anyway. You’ll just have to keep a close eye on them during the operation.

You turn back to Mordecai. “So what exactly are the rules of engagement? For humans, at least.”

The man grunts. “It’s like your lady-friend said. Use your head to figure out whether or not you should take a lethal shot. But intel suggests that we go in automatically assuming that any humans on-site are hostile and collaborating with malignant demons. Any other questions?”

Brady uncertainly raises his hand. “Yeah, uh…we’re not dropping out of the chopper, are we?”

“I wish…nah, just teasing. Burning Sky is gonna set us down before taking back off. The LZ shouldn’t be hot, so it’ll be a gentle drop. Real nice and smooth...

“Now, with all of that out of the way…” The soldier next to Mordecai starts when the man taps him/her on the shoulder. “Let’s get some introductions now that we’re all nice and tight up here…”

One by one, the members of Bootes sound off. There’s Javier “Fireman” Campos, a moody and heavyset ex-firefighter specializing in demons with Fire and Ice spells. Liam “LMG” Ferguson sports a team of Greek demons and an M60 light machine gun, a holdover from his service with the Rangers in the Middle East. Field medic Olivia “Stitches” Huston gives a terse overview of her demons, but takes special pride in a Sylph fused and built for long engagements. Finally, tech specialist Isabella “Bombard” Copland does a fantastic job of creeping everyone out with her closeness to two of her main demons, a Lilim and a Succubus.

It seems like Squad Bootes has their fair shares of eccentricities given their long service with the Task Force. Perhaps it wouldn’t be too bad of an idea to get a beer with them after this whole mess is over.

(cont.)

More time passes as Carina takes its turn introducing itself to the others. And by the time Vicky finishes going on about how she could improve the DEMOICA’s performance, the headset cracks to life with the voice of Burning Sky.

“We’re approaching the LZ, dozen klicks out,” the pilot shouts, “Civies have been evacuated, and you have the green light for use of deadly force and Megido-class spells, over.”

Mordecai responds, “Roger that, Burning Sky. Set us down as close as you can, over.” He turns to all of you. “Alright, ladies and gentlemen, let’s get a move on!”

All of you get ready to deploy. Seatbelts are undone and weapons are secured as ten of you get ready for landing. Magnetite reactors are running green, and you are completely stocked with all the supplies, ammunition and firepower that you might need for this encounter. If push comes to shove, though, there’s a small armory in the back just in case you need to swap weapons in the middle of the battlefield.

The interior lighting of the Chinook shifts from a neutral yellow to an incandescent red with an audible CLUNK. All of you can feel the sudden change in inertia as the helicopter decelerates, lurching against one another in a mess of equipment.

The pilot’s voice immediately comes after in a brusque tone, “We’re three down and welded. Touchdown in T-Minus-”

You’ll never figure out what she intended to say. Without any warning, a klaxon alarm cuts her off, accompanied by a high pitched and urgent ringing.

“The fuck-”

You’re unable to finish your inquiry before an explosion turns your world completely upside down. The ten of you are thrown about the hull like ragdolls as the helicopter spins in an uncontrolled dive. Burning Sky’s voice is a colorful mixture of expletives and military jargon as she struggles to get control over the helicopter.

Mordecai shouts, “The hell’s goin’ on?! The LZ wasn’t supposed to be hot!”

“Well it’s now fuckin’ hot, isn’t it?” Fitz bites back. “Vicky, if you could get your arm out of my gut, that’d be great…”

There’s another explosion, a blast that sends the Chinook into another wild spin. It wasn’t nearly as bad as the first impact, but it was enough to toss all of you around once more. And what suspiciously looks like smoke from the tail rotor begins to fill the compartment.

“Someone give me some fucking cover fire!” Burning Sky shouts. “I can’t set down or pull out with all this shit flying in the air-”

“Pop open the hatch!” Mordecai shouts over her, “Whatever it is, it’s magic, and we need to deploy our demons to counter-”

>>What should Carina Squad do?
>Deep strike out with parachutes.
>Hop on the mounted machine guns.
>Take up a position by the rear door.

>>2394027
>>Hop on the mounted machine guns.

>>2394027
How many machine guns are there?

>>2394027
>>Deep strike out with parachutes.

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>>2394045
From what I can see, it looks like there's a gun on each side just right behind the cockpit, and an aft gun by the door. So three mounted guns in total, but you could have the other members who aren't on guns providing support with their demons or firing out of an opening.

>>2394077
>>2393870
>Hop on the mounted machine guns.
Let's get Fitz, Brady, and Vicky on the guns.

>Take up a position by the rear door.
Adrian and MacKay can summon flying demons to harry whatever is attacking us.

Hell Adrian can fly on Gryphon if he wanted to go out there too.

>>2394027

>Hop on the mounted machine guns
Initiate 'Nam proceedures. If it moves, remove it.
See if we can't have Pixie cast Luster Candy and the Megido the LZ.

>>2394090
Also, have Brady get Leanan Sidhe to cast Marin Karin if she can spot a target, and Hairy Jack to cast Sukunda. Charm would throw the opposition into complete disorder, and Sukunda to decrease chances of evasive maneuvers.

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>>2394036
>>2394086
>>2394090
>>2394100
Mordecai grins at your plan. “Quick thinkin’ for a rookie! Alright, you heard him! Carina, get in your positions! Bootes, on me. We’re gonna give these motherfuckers a whole nasty surprise…”

As Lee’s squad shuffle over to the back of the Chinook, the rest of you mount up on the guns. Fitz and MacKay take up positions by the cockpit, accompanied by Brady and Fitz to provide support with their own demons. You mount up right behind Bootes, readying the M240 as Burning Sky pops the hatch.

“There’s never a dull moment when I’m summoned is there, Master?” High Pixie titters from your shoulder. The fairy looks nervous, but then again, who wouldn’t be? “Although I have to admit that this is my first time flying inside of a machine, and not just with my wings…”

You grunt as you swivel the gun into place. “First time for everything. You did catch the plan, right?”

“I did get the whole of it yes. Charge up and power up until I can unleash the Almighty spell on the landing zone…although I’m not aware of what Brady meant by ‘napalm the shit out of it’.”

“Human war reference, don’t pay any attention to it.”

“Gotcha.”

As soon as the hatch opens, you can now hear the sound of gunfire accompanying the sound of magical blasts. It pings off the frame of the Chinook, completely concentrated on the opening hatch and the awaiting Squad Bootes. The five veterans instinctively flinch at the noise, but they press on, confident in the protective capabilities of their DEMONICA armor.

Carina responds in turn. Behind you, the sounds of machinegun fire and spent casings fill the small space of the helicopter. And with that response comes magic. Bolts of lighting, blades of wind, spears of ice and gouts of flame burst out of the sides. You could even hear the odd status ailment spell.

Regardless, it does its job. Carina manages to successfully pull fire away from the aft of the helicopter. With that out of the way, Burning Sky flips the mechanism for the door to lower, once more.

“Keep a tight trigger finger on that gun, ya hear me?” Mordecai mutters, “You got that?”

“Crystal clear,” you answer.

The door opens to trouble in paradise. What should otherwise be a calm and peaceful swamp has turned into something straight out of a third world country’s warzone. Demons litter the swampland, casting magic spells and throwing projectiles at the helicopter. And further beyond, hidden in the treeline, you can see the muzzle flash of assault rifles, courtesy of unseen human collaborators.

“Let ‘em have it!” Mordecai roars.

>>Who is the more dangerous threat?
>Focus fire on the demons. Get them to stop casting spells.
>Focus fire on the humans. Get them to stop shooting at you.
>Custom option.

>>2394175
>Focus fire on the demons. Get them to stop casting spells.
At least with ballistics we know what we are dealing with. The magic down there could be anything.

>>2394175
>>Focus fire on the demons. Get them to stop casting spells.

>>2394175
>focus fire on the demons. Get them to stop casting spells.
Dead humans mean now completely rogue demons, and killing summoners might throw them into a complete frenzy. Cut the maguc out and that leaves bullets that the demonica suits can probably take care of. I just hope there isn't a Megido or Hama spell user in the enemy.

Apply Marin Karin and other debuffs liberally.

>>2394175
Hey Kaz, what does the Sick ailment do in the context of your quest?

That one was always a bit strange in IV.

>>2394220
In context, it makes the afflicted individual suffer from a debilitating mix of symptoms that cuts their combat efficiency in half. It would be like sending a soldier out to fight while they have a terrible cold, in addition to a splitting migraine.

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>>2394183
>>2394200
>>2394205
The M240 has a bit of a kick, but it isn’t so strong enough that it horribly throws your aim off by that much. With a firm grip on the handles and controlled depressions, you can easily take aim and let the bullets fly. Not that you’re about to get sloppy with your aim. Even with a 500 round box, you’re not about to waste ammunition if you can help it.

The swamp lights up in a rainbow of color as Bootes unleashes a devastating barrage of magic from the Chinook. Their demons blow craters in the swamp, sunder trees down the middle, and absolutely raise ten kinds of hell on the ground. And that’s only with their demons. Ferguson goes to absolute town with his own light machinegun, along with any other squadmate capable of firing down.

You yourself take aim at anything casting magic. It doesn’t matter what it is, whether or not its elemental, support or some unseen status ailment. Bullets are easier to deal with given the durability of DEMONICA armor. Magic, not so much, especially when you don’t know what the enemy is casting, and its strength.

While you did get training from Alger way back at Boot Camp, it’s been a while since you’ve had to fire something while mounted. Not to mention the chaos of a careening Chinook. Best you can do is pray to the god of bullets and channel the spirit of ‘Murica to guide your righteous lead.

>Roll 1d100+30 (+20 Combat, +10 due to Height Advantage)
>Best out of three.

Rolled 92 (1d100)

>>2394247

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Rolled 82 + 30 (1d100 + 30)

>>2394247

Rolled 74 + 30 (1d100 + 30)

>>2394247

Rolled 86 + 30 (1d100 + 30)

>>2394247
Pray as you spray

>>2394257
>>2394259
>>2394266
>>2394268
>no roll sums under 100
get FUCKED

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>>2394259
>>2394266
>>2394268
Combined with the directed efforts of the guns in the front of the Chinook, Carina squad is able to completely lay down a field of fire on the demons casting magic. Scores of bullets blast bloody chunks out of the sides of hostile demons, and it doesn’t take long before the waters of the swamp begin to turn a bloody red.

In a similar vein, the effects are felt in the air. The blasts of magic quickly begin to dwindle down, decreasing in tempo before eventually becoming only sporadic assaults on the helicopter. And even those are easily tracked back to their sources to devastating effect. It seems that the demons that survived the barrage got smart and withdrew, because Burning Sky is able to completely stabilize the helicopter.

All that are left are the human hostiles…

“I’m all charged up and ready to go, master!” Pixie trills in your ear. Even past the helmet and the filters, you could smell the power roiling off of her, taste the energy in the atmosphere. “Just give the word, and I’ll unleash the magic!”

For whatever reason, the disappearance of the demons has done nothing to diminish the intensity of the assault. Bullets continue to strike the Chinook to minimal effect, even as Bootes and Carina return fire back into the treeline.

“This isn’t fun anymore,” you can hear Huston mutter over the comms.

>>How should Pixie unleash the Megido?
>Focused magic. Try to leave survivors.
>Scorched earth. Leave no one alive.

>>2394299
>take out the bigger concentrations, leave a few survivors.
Aka most but not all

>>2394299
>Scorched Earth. Leave no one alive.
Every survivor leaves us open to fire upon our demons, and I won't tolerate Pixie getting shot.

Glass these fuckers.

>>2394299
>Scorched earth. Leave no one alive.
Nuke em. There will probably be survivors anyways.

>>2394299
>>>Scorched earth. Leave no one alive.

>>2394304
>>2394309
>>2394320
>>2394368
“I don’t know about you, but they did try to blow all of us out of the sky…” You muse. “I think turnabout is only fair play…”

Pixie nods. “I think so, too. Just…ah…it’s not gonna be as nearly as impressive as Her Highness’…”

“And that’s perfectly fine,” you quickly assure her.

“Okay then…but you might wanna close your eyes for this one, master.”

You nod, quickly punching in the command for your HUD to polarize. Five seconds is standard protocol, but you give them an extra three before High Pixie unleashes her magic. “Heads up, everyone! Megido incoming!”

And even though it really isn’t as impressive as Queen Titania’s, peace be upon her bitchiness, it’s still powerful enough to raise the hair on your arm and set your teeth on edge. There’s not as much a white light as much as there is a fiery explosion that turns a chunk of the forest into little more than water vapor. The spell is powerful enough to send Burning Sky into a panic as the magical energy throws the helicopter for a little turbulent loop.

You read in a book that the megido set of spells are named after Mount Meggido, the Biblical site where the final battle would occur between the forces of good and evil and destroy the world. By the time the light dims down and your vision adjusts once more, you’re able to see the complete effect of the spell’s devastation, and the justification for its namesake.

Even the weakest variant of the spell has a devastating effect. It stands a testament against the forest, a barren circle of nature that has been completely scourged of life save for the withered husks of trees and plant life. Dead blades of grass crack and split in the wind, and the sounds of the forest have gone completely silent, devoid of even any sort of gunfire.

As one Bootes turns towards the two of you, and Pixie darts behind you, equal parts embarrassed and shocked at the sheer power of her spell. “Oops,” she whispers into your ear.

But Mordecai sets them all at ease, whistling low with appraising eyes. “Niiiiiiceeeee.”

It takes a full twenty minutes for everyone to get their bearings back in order. Burning Sky is finally able to set the helicopter down, much to everyone’s relief, and has begun a rudimentary inspection of the damage done. The rest of you begin setting up a crude perimeter with the aid of all of your demons, and patrolling the area for any more combatants.

There is nothing to be found on the corpses of the demons, predominantly Wilders, Jirae and a myriad assortment of Dark-aligned demons. Of the paltry human corpses that weren’t mangled or disassembled on the molecular level, pictures were taken and forwarded to D.C. for processing.

No survivors were found, human or otherwise.

(cont.)

Also, when to summon Maya or Ariadne?

>>2394444
Those are named demons. aka rare as shit

>>2394477
>>2394444
Actually, does most of the Task Force even know half the named demons exist?

>>2394494
if they have real world lore?

Odd are if they have not run into them at least once they've heard stories about those who have.

Ariadne is a well known myth and with greek demons being a thing she ought to have been encountered.

Likewise Maya s known to the hindus.

>>2394506
I suppose, but then you have the mess like Nyarlathotep existing, even though lovecraft wrote it as fiction. Then worstgirl has the Necronomicon persona....

>>2394519
The task force knows that to an extent humanity makes it real, and there’s enough belief in that shit to make them popping up possible.

I think Kaz fell asleep.

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>>2394440
Mordecai pulls all of you into a circle, huddling around a holographic display of the local map. “I took the liberty of calling in for reinforcements. The best Central can do is route our request to nearby operating fronts, so realistically, we’re on our own for this one. Normally, this wouldn’t be too much of a problem. Touchdown, search for the demon’s Domain, enter said domain and take them out. Standard demon ops.

“But things have changed now that we’ve got confirmation of human hostiles. Which means that whatever’s going on here has got something powerful enough to recruit humans to their side. And even though their equipment leaves much to be desired…”

That gets a laugh more out of Bootes than Carina, as Mordecai nudges a heavily modified and mangled AR-15, looted off of a pile of ashes. “Normally, we’d investigate for a demon domain and leave it at that. But I don’t want to commit sending a squad into a domain knowing that there’s still a chance of enemies in the woods, especially since we’ve lost the element of surprise.”

He pauses to take a moment to gesture towards you. “With that said, there are two squads here, trained by none other than Commander Landon Alger himself. And rookie status aside for Carina, they’ve got their fair share of accomplishments under their belt.

“Adrian.” You perk up at the mention of your name. “We’ve got two primary objectives, and a team for each one. Way I see it, best thing to do is split up, send one team to search for the demon’s Domain, and for another team to search the woods for any human remnants. That sound good enough?”

Hesitantly, you nod. “It does make enough sense…”

“Since it’s your first demon op, I’ll let you pick which task you and your crew will take on.” In the light of the afternoon sun, Mordecai’s sunglasses take on a predatory light. “Which one you do wanna have in your crosshairs for the rest of the day: demon...or human?”

>Locate and infiltrate the demon’s domain.
>Search the woods for rogue Devil Summoners.

>>2397457
>Locate and infiltrate the demon’s domain.
Let's not obliterate the nice, Earth landscape any more than we have to.

>>2397457
>>Locate and infiltrate the demon’s domain.

>>2397457
>Locate and infiltrate the demon’s domain.

>>2397457
>>Locate and infiltrate the demon’s domain

Ahhhhhh fuck. Gimme a second to fix the formatting. Please don't roll.

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>>2397485
>>2397493
>>2397574
>>2397707
Best to go with what you’re familiar with. “We’ll take the demon’s Domain.”

“I had a feeling you’d say that…” Mordecai nods. “You have any experience with Domain?”

“No, but I do know how they work, and how you’re supposed to destroy them.”

It’s all in the manual, isn’t it? A demon’s Domain is a magical dimension separated from real space, created by a demon for capturing prey. Its entrance is a green, swirling portal that lures the gullible and disappears once the prey has entered. Communications from the outside are cut off, and the Mapper App installed in the COMP doesn’t often work due to dimensional instability. Navigating your way through a Domain is gonna have to be done the old-fashioned way, feeling your way through until you find the demon who created it. And as far as trends go, the more powerful the demon, the more complex the maze.

There are only two ways to return to real space. There is always an Exit no matter what, a sort of backdoor for the residing demons to leave and get some fresh air, or take care of their personal business. The other way is to kill the master of the Domain, resulting in the disappearance of the subspace and return to the real world.

Mordecai continues, “Be sure to retrieve any Relics or other items of note. I’ll leave it to your discretion for what to loot and bring, but see if you can gather as much information as you possibly can.”

“Will do,” you grunt in affirmation.

With that, the meeting is adjourned, and you all prepare to go on your respective tasks. Burning Sky is able to perform a crude field repair of the aft rotor with little difficulty. She says that she’ll keep the engine hot and running in for an emergency extraction, but a concentrated assault on the Chinook would force her to withdraw.

A fine marksman and demon summoner in her own right, she has little desire to remain on the ground as an exposed target. Simply put, she wants you to finish your work and get back as soon as possible, regardless of whether you succeeded or not. Additionally, Arnold Schwarzenegger lines are banned.

“Alright, boys and girls,” Mordecai drawls, slapping the faceplate to his helmet shut. “It’ll be just like ‘nam, complete with the smell of magnetite and enemies in the trees.”

Huston snorts derisively. “But you didn’t serve in Vietnam, sir.”

Bootes quickly disappears into forest, a little too eager to hunt down renegade demon summoners, in your opinion. Regardless, it’s time Carina made their move.

You open up a squad-wide channel. “Keep in a tight formation. Brady, Vicky, you’re with me in the middle. Fitz is on point, and MacKay’s bringing up the rear. Even with DEOMONICA armor and spell emulators, I don’t want any heroics from any of you, capiche?”

“GotchaYeah/No problem/Haiiiiiii,” the team responds.

>Roll 1d100 Encounter.
>Best out of three.

Rolled 13 (1d100)

>>2397751
>rnold Schwarzenegger lines are banned.
But we need to GET TO THE CHOPPAH

Rolled 3 (1d100)

>>2397751

Rolled 41 (1d100)

>>2397751
does low mean we get to kill cooler shit?

man it'll be awkward if we find loads of fairies and kill them all

Rolled 39 (1d100)

>>2397751

>>2397758
>>2397768
>>2397770
“It’s terribly cliché to go ‘fe, fi, fo, fum’, but I’m afraid that’s the best I’ve got.”

In an instant five guns go up. You’re only about ten minutes into the forest, but it looks like you’ve already got a hostile enemy.

“I would go on, but we’re no longer in England, and you lot are clearly no Englishman.” the voice continues in a dry, but surprisingly cultured tone of voice. “Well, that’s not actually correct. I do smell one true son of Albion, along with the descendants of the colonists who fled the isles of Pretain. And an oriental, from the Far East! It is a pleasant surprise to not find the odor of spice in your blood…”

The strangled noise that comes from Vicky’s throat would undoubtedly be accompanied by one of red-faced outrage. And as hilariously racist as this demon is, you’re not about to drop your guard anytime soon. You can’t even see the son of a bitch.

“Anything?” You hiss to Brady.

He shakes his head. “Too many damn results…uh…’beanstalk’…’giant’…too many damn possibilities!”

“Ah, but where are my manners?” The voice laments. “If you could direct yourselves to the east…mayhaps I could introduce myself, and gaze upon the ones who have intruded upon my mistress' lands.”

All of a sudden, the forest begins to shake. What little birds remain quickly scatter from their spots in the tree branches as the ground continues to rumble. The sound of cracking wood and heavy footsteps continues until a visible shadow can be seen from a deeper end of the thicket. You can’t tell much from how thick the foliage is, but it is huge, Huge, HUGE.

Too damn big to be anything but a demon! And a powerful one at that!

>Open fire into the thicket.
>Wait for the demon to approach.
>Custom option.

>>2397853
Get into position to fight, also have someone watching the back in case this was an illusion.

>>2397853
>>Wait for the demon to approach.
Have Pixie Luster Candy the group.

>>2397853
wonderland? I'm thinking about the Drink Me potions that cause a lot of size disparities. What would one do to break the Queen's court? Aside from beating them with giant keys, i mean.

>launch status ailment magics

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>>2397864
>>2397940
>>2397981
All it takes is a hand sign for Pixie to start casting buff magic. Another holds the team in place. Safeties off, eyes peeled, but don’t fire unless the target becomes explicitly hostile or you give the command. They acknowledge your command, bracing themselves for whatever’s coming out of the woods.

A thick, green hand emerges from the thicket, pushing aside a thick tree like one might brush through a curtain. The wood groans under the pressure as the demon pushes itself out of the foliage and onto the trail of the forest.

“Ah,” the demon says, dusting leaves and dirt off of its shift and tunic. “That’s better. And I can see that you had not launched an attack. Perhaps you are amendable to diplomacy.”

The demon itself is a walking paradox. A necklace of human skulls hangs around its neck, and the cleaver in its hands means nothing but trouble. Were it not for the eloquence of its words and voice, you might’ve opened fire without a second thought. As it is, you can see that the team’s been unnerved by how casual the demon behaves, skull necklace and all.

Whether or not the demon notices the mood, it makes a show of finishing its introduction, complete with a hand gesture and bow from the waist. “I am Orge of the Jaki race. It has been many years since I have spoken with a human, but many more since I’ve delighted in the flesh and bone marrow of man. Tell me, why have you come to this land, bringing conflict and strife as your companions?”

>Answer aggressively. [Combat DC]
>Answer diplomatically. [Social DC]
>Disengage and open fire. [Battle]
>Custom option.

>>2398088
>Answer aggressively. [Combat DC]
>You're invaders, and you just saw what we can do to people we don't like.

>>2398088
>Answer aggressively. [Combat DC]
YOu're the ones that started a ritual and setting up shop here illegaly and without permission, moreover you opened fire on us first. We responded in kind.

>>2398088
>Answer aggressively. [Combat DC]

>>2397981
>giant keys
Oh you

>>2398100
>>2398109
>>2398143
“Cut the crap,” you answer bluntly, “You’re the ones that came here uninvited, and set up a domain for God knows what. Hell, you don’t get the right to talk about ‘conflict and strife’ considering that those cronies of yours opened fire on us first. We just acted in self-defense.”

>Fitz approves +2.
>Vicky approves +6.

The demon takes your words with wry amusement. “Yes, self-defense…and that cluster of trees that you’ve razed to the ground? A measure of self defense as well?”

“Nice try, but no cigar. The fact of the matter is that you’re invaders, and you just saw what we do to people that we don’t like.”

“Kill them without a second chance for respite or mercy.” To your surprise, the demon nods in approval. “I see that you are firm believers of that scientist’s law, that is to say…’survival of the fittest’. It is only natural that the weak should fall to the strong. I would make for a disgusting hypocrite were I to complain or rail against a tenant ingrained into demonkind since time immemorial. Such were the circumstances that contracted me to this mess…”

“However…” The ogre’s eyes take on a sinister glint. “There were ten of you to destroy the party that greeted you, along with the aid of a mechanical wonder. Yet now there are only five of you, without your veterans or flying machine to provide aid. And I am far from the drooling simpletons and dullards that normally comprise my race.”

He raises his cleaver in a challenge. “Dare you try your luck, Sons of Adam? Daughters of Eve? Shall we put to the test who’s ‘might’ is stronger? I am more than happy to oblige the terms my mistress bound me to…”

>>Choose one:
>“Diplomacy cannot fail.” [Keep talking.]
>“Let’s dance, big guy.” [Begin combat.]
>Custom option

>>2398454
>we're more than happy to crush you, but perhas before we start, you tell us about the term of the agreemetn and your mistress. I doubt you'll be able to talk much later.

>>2398454
>>“Let’s dance, big guy.” [Begin combat.]

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>>2398454
>“Let’s dance, big guy.” [Begin combat.]
I suppose we could ask after his mistress, but something tells me he won't give that up willingly.

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>>2398469
>>2398470
>>2398474
“I don’t suppose we could ask about your mistress,” you drawl, even as you gesture for the others to get ready for combat. “Because it’d save us a whole lot of trouble down the road.”

The ogre’s lips part in a smile that reveal wicked teeth. “Now that would be telling, wouldn’t it? You’ll have to prove that your might is better than mine before I become a weakling surrendering to the superior.”

“Now that’s a damn shame…”

Everything happens in an instant. Ogre leaps back into the tree line as the five of you make your move. Demons are summoned, guns discharge, and a whole mess of things happen. But one thing’s for certain: this is gonna be a battle where you can’t afford to tie. Win or lose. Those are your only options.

>>Choose another demon to summon:
>Angel
>Gryphon
>Pyro Jack
>Karasu Tengu

>>What should Squad Carina do?
>Stand your ground and fight the Ogre.
>Run, gun and search for the domain entrance.
>Custom option.

>>2398522
>>Karasu Tengu

>>Stand your ground and fight the Ogre.

>>2398522
>>Karasu Tengu
Try out our new demon

>Stand your ground and fight the Ogre.
Something tells me he isn't a loose end you want untied.

>>2398522
>Tengu

>Surround, lock down and demolish. hit him hard from every angle and keep evasive do he cannot smush us.

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>>2398528
>>2398533
>>2398535
“I have answered the call, master!” Karasu Tengu explodes from the COMP in a brilliant flash of light. “What is the foe that we must slay?”

Scanning for your target, you answer in a low voice, “An Ogre. But this one’s a cut above its species. Hell of a lot smarter and more eloquent than I’d give it credit for.”

The demon sniffs dismissively. “No matter its intelligence, a man-eating beast is still a beast. But where is the enemy? I cannot see him.”

“He ducked back into the forest,” High Pixie mutters, squinting into the tree line. “But he isn’t out of range-”

“Bah, hiding is the coward’s way! Let the dullard show himself if he has a modicum of honor!”

“It’s the smart way if you wanna survive,” you mutter, before turning your attention to the group. “Spread out and keep a loose formation. Lock the area down, and keep your weapons trained at every angle. Let’s show this son of a bitch the might of mankind, huh?”

“I won't deny that my mother was a harsh ogress, but it's quite rude to speak of another's mother like that.”

With a speed belying its mass, Ogre Lunges from out of the shadows. Its cleaver extends in a wicked slice meant to strike at your neck. What would’ve otherwise been a fatal blow is mitigated by the sheer speed that High Pixie’s buff has on your body. But even with the bucket helmet, you can feel the air current that the weapon makes as you dodge by mere centimeters.

Even as your friends raise their voices in alarm, there is not an immediate call for it. When you dodged the blow, the demon overextended, stumbling into an awkward landing. It’s wide open…

>>What should High Pixie cast?
>>What should Karasu Tengu cast?

>>Choose an M.O. for the squad.
>Lethal. Attacks do x1.25 damage, greater odds of OHKO.
>Nonlethal. Attacks do x0.75 damage, greater odds of incapacitation.

>>2398584
>>Lethal. Attacks do x1.25 damage, greater odds of OHKO.
he's a lot of things, and one of them is deserving of us taking him seriously. He can surrender of his own will, or not at all.

>zio
>zanma

Not sure if we should have pixie do something like fly up to his eyes and block his vision.

>>2398584
>What should High Pixie cast?
Zio
>What should Karasu Tengu cast?
Agialo (or Zanma whichever has more votes)

>Lethal. Attacks do x1.25 damage, greater odds of OHKO.

>>2398604
>Not sure if we should have pixie do something like fly up to his eyes and block his vision.

Best if we keep her out of melee, specially with a melee oriented demon.

>>2398584
Zio
Agilao
Lethal

>>2398604
>>2398609
>>2399672
Even as your brainpan rattles from the emergency dodge, you’re still coherent enough to give orders to your friends and demons. Ogre is a whole lot of things, and it’s enough for you to give him the full brunt of what Carina has to offer. Much as you’d like to try to talk your way down or otherwise play with the kid gloves, you just can’t. It’s too dangerous for you and for everyone else.

Your friends follow through. As one, their weapons open up on the stumbling Ogre, aiming as best they can for vital points and soft targets. Accompanying the crescendo of gunfire is the percussive sound of magic, courtesy of the party’s demons. Tendrils of fire, blades of wind, spears of ice, and pillars of lighting slam into the demon with no mercy whatsoever.

And there is a visible effect. Ogre displays a minimal annoyance at the Force spells, but outright discomfort against the Lightning. The demon similarly struggles against the hail of bullets and other magical spells, raising a brawny arm to protect his face from the worst of it. It’s clear that your attacks are having more of an effect than it might have anticipated.

>The party has dealt significant damage to Ogre.
>Ogre is Injured.

But it isn’t enough. Even as Momunofu and Lham Dearg charge in with weapons drawn and primed to strike, Ogre deflects their blows with a slash of his cleaver. The brute stands on shaky legs, glaring at the party with an almost physical contempt as you scramble to reload. Its disheveled appearance, complete with ruined shirt and bloody bullet holes, seemingly does nothing to deter its advance.

The COMP flares to life, alerting you that the demon has cast an Offensive buff. Fitz dives out of the way as it unleashes an attack in her direction, pulling Vicky to the ground as the Heat Wave washes over them. MacKay and Unicorn stagger back from the blow, winded and bruised, but otherwise unharmed. A wild kick sends Hairy Jack flying through the air and, to everyone's horror, impaled on the tree it crashed into.

“Very good, Children of Man!” the demon growls, “To underestimate your opponent is a fool’s errand. But I find it interesting. I know of your desire for knowledge of my mistress, yet you chose to attack with nothing short of the intention to kill me.”

“Damn straight I did,” you shout back, “Because…”

>>Choose one:
>“It's just like Darwin said. These are the rules of goddamn nature.” [Make an ideological argument]
>“My friends’ lives are worth more than hypothetical intelligence.” [Appeal to the safety of your squad.]
>“You’re a foe that’s definitely worth using everything we’ve got.” [Acknowledge the demon’s strength]
>Custom option.

>>2404023
>“You’re a foe that’s definitely worth using everything we’ve got.” [Acknowledge the demon’s strength]
"Going easy on you would be bad idea. If you live through this for interrogation I'll call it a bonus."

>>2404023
>>“You’re a foe that’s definitely worth using everything we’ve got.” [Acknowledge the demon’s strength].

And besides, if we can't beat him there no way we can best the mistress. If we play around here and lose people we are at a greater disadvantage than we'd be going in blind if he dies without talking

>>2404023
>“You’re a foe that’s definitely worth using everything we’ve got.” [Acknowledge the demon’s strength]
> we cannot afford to go easy on you and lose people, and if we cannot defeat you how could we beat the one who claims hold over you? So we’ll hit you full force and if you survive it’s a nice bonus.

>>2404023
>>“You’re a foe that’s definitely worth using everything we’ve got.” [Acknowledge the demon’s strength]
>Though a surrender would be appreciated, talking to you is fairly pleasant.

>>2404031
>>2404062
>>2404065
>>2404083
>>2404161
Ogre laughs, spitting out a mouthful of blood. “Let it not be said that the devil summoners of the Grey Order did not strike with conviction! Very well, Son of Man. Loathe as I am to revert to the behavior of my brutish kin, it would be discourteous for me to fight with nothing less than my full capabilities!”

The demon smashes its fist into its chest, unleashing a sonorous battle cry in a guttural, brutish tongue. Energy gathers around it, enshrouding the demon in a veil of power. Its eyes flare with light, shifting from a mild blue to a violent red. And you can almost swear that its teeth, muscles and overall size grow larger by a significant degree.

>Ogre got pumped up for battle!
>Ogre’s Attack has been maximized!
>Ogre’s Hit/Evasion has been severely decreased!

Brady’s already moving by the time the demon begins its transformation. He’s scrambling away from the battlefield, withdrawing to the place where Hairy Jack lies impaled. The demonic canine whimpers pitifully as it struggles against the branch keeping it trapped in place.

You make a mental note to speak to him later. At least he had the common sense to withdraw during a moment when Ogre wasn’t about to attack, but…come the fuck on. You’d have given the order eventually. No need for him to just up sticks and leave without your command.

>You will be unable to issue orders to Brady for one turn.

On the other hand, the others have finished reloading and administering to their demons. All they’re waiting for is the order to attack…

>Attack while the demon performs its ritual.
>Wait for the demon to finish before you attack.

Sorry for the short/late post. Writer's block has been merciless to me for the last couple of days.

>>2407822
>>Attack while the demon performs its ritual.

>>2407822

>Attack while the demon performs its ritual.
we want him coherent, so.
>Dekaja

>>2407822
>Attack while the demon performs its ritual.
Adrian should Tarunda though

>>2407822
>Attack while the demon performs it's ritual.

>>2407822
You know couldn't have Brady just desummoned Jack and resummoned him to unpin him?

>>2408134
he could, but he's panicking too much to do it quickly

>>2407830
>>2407843
>>2407949
>>2408125
“GOD FUCKING DAMMIT, BRADY-”

“Never mind him,” you shout, cutting Fitz off, “Just move in on the target. Follow my lead, and stay alert!”
If the sole rule of the jungle is that “there are no rules”, then it only makes perfect sense for you to attack Ogre while it’s powering up. You’d think that he’d retreat, pull back into the thicket to charge before coming back out. Not that you’re complaining. Maybe the guy just got caught up in the thrill of the battle.

Oh well. His loss, your gain.

The assault rifle in your hands barks as you depress the trigger, emptying out the magazine into the howling demon. Simultaneously, your demons begin to unleash their magic. Even through the DEMONICA, you can feel the electricity in the air, and every single hair on your arm stands as High Pixie brings down the lightning.

Your friends follow suit. They hold their ground, each commanding their demons while firing everything they’ve got at Ogre. Fitz stands almost dangerously close, unleashing blast after blast from her shotgun at any exposed vital area. MacKay and Victoria form a defensive line at her sides, covering her as their own demons cast magic.

>Your comrades attack like raging waves!

However, you haven’t completely forgotten about the other feature of the DEMONICA. Spell emulation. Limited as it is, you now have the capability to replicate the spells only available to demons. Four uses per spell as per the limit on the magnetite reactor powering your suit, but they’re also four ways to tilt the battlefield in your favor.

And right now, with an Ogre that’s clearly gone through a demonic power up, maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to use one. Although that might mean one less when, not if, you head into the domain and face the demon in charge of setting up shop...

>Cast a debuff spell.
>Save it for later.

>>2408729
>>Cast a debuff spell.
The attack debuff one.

>>2408729
>Cast a debuff spell.
Tarunda

>>2408738
>>2408745
>Booting up Emulation Program…
>Initializing runtime sequence…
>Run program [Tarunda.exe]?
>Y/N?
>Y…
>Priming charge…

It’s only one degree of attack down, but it’s definitely a hell of a lot better than the scary +3 that your HUD is flashing. All it took for Hairy Jack (and Brady) to be put out of temporary commission was a kick, and unbuffed at that. A +2 is still bad, but not nearly as terrifying as a demon swinging with as much power as he could magically have.

You set down your gun, letting it slide down your arm as the circuits embedded within the DEMONICA flare to life. It’s almost a work of visual art, watching the energy travel from the magnetite reactor towards the COMP and palm of your left hand.

Warmth gathers in your hand. It is not the burning blaze of an Agi stone, but something more tangible, more solid, more sure of itself. Is this how demons feel when they cast magic? Little wonder that they’re arrogant little shits, no matter how weak they were or where they stood on the pecking order.

You raise your left hand, fingers wide and parted to let the sensor take aim at Ogre. “Fitz, move!”

“Got it!” She withdraws, demons in tow, towards the defensive line to join back up with Vicky and MacKay. “Hit the son of a-”

>You cast Tarunda.
>You have three (3) more charges before you cannot cast it anymore.

But he does not seem dismayed, in spite of the damage he sustained and reduced strength. All Ogre does in response is laugh, swinging its cleaver with renewed vigor and strength.

“Excellent!” the demon roars. “But do you know? An army is only strong as the weakest link. Show me the strength of your ancestors, Son of Albion!”

The demon lumbers forward, charging without a care for obstacle or person as it races towards its target: Brady. To his credit, he somehow managed to get his demon off the tree branch. But now…he’s got nowhere to run, his sniper rifle is useless at this range, and all he has is a sidearm and a horny, albeit panicking, fairy against a demon hellbent on cutting him in half.

Exclamations and cries erupt from the team. “Brady, look-/Get the fuck outta the way/Watch out!”

>Roll 1d100 Luck.
>Best of three.

Rolled 79 (1d100)

>>2408932

Rolled 26 (1d100)

>>2408932
Pixie, Megido.

also
>luck roll, the only rolls we constantly critfail.

Rolled 68 (1d100)

>>2408932

>>2408944
>>2408945
>>2408953
woo no critfails

>>2408944
>>2408945
>>2408953
It’s not quite a near miss. Powerful as the blow is, it’s slow as hell, and Brady has no trouble reading the arc of the attack. In a surprising display of either courage or just outright instinct, he throws himself towards the Ogre, right under the swing of the cleaver. He slides under its legs before scrambling back up, and tackled by a genuinely frightened Leanan Sidhe.

The blade itself shears through the tree Hairy Jack had been impaled on moments before, cutting through it like a hot knife through butter. A low, moaning sound of the wood straining to hold itself up can be heard before it slowly begins to fall. You can’t help but stare, both amazed and alarmed, at how casually Ogre stops the trunk with a wayward catch of his hand.

“So you are no weak link after all!” the demon proclaims jovially, “Indeed, you lot are a forged link of chain that will surely put the limits of my strength to the test. Well done!”

It shoves the trunk to the side, already stomping towards the five of you before it hits the ground. “Now, there is but one more test, Children of Man. Prove to me that you have the power to defeat my mistress!”

>Roll 1d100 + 50 Combat. (+20 Combat, +30 Luster Candy)
>Best out of three.

Rolled 76 + 50 (1d100 + 50)

>>2409067

Rolled 39 + 50 (1d100 + 50)

>>2409067

Rolled 86 (1d100)

>>2409067

Rolled 38 + 50 (1d100 + 50)

>>2409067

>>2409072
>>2409075
>>2409103
Even as both human and demon do not maliciously wish for the other’s death, both fight with nothing short of the intention to kill. It is a battle fraught with a desperate intensity, a melee that gouges furrows in the earth with bullets and magic. For every wound Squad Carina inflicts on the demon, Ogre gives just as much in return. Demons fall under the wicked attacks of its cleaver, and comrades are knocked about the woods like ragdolls in the wind.

But in spite of it all, there can be no denying who the victor is.

“…well done, Sons of Adam…Daughters of Eve…” It’s a miracle that Ogre can speak. Its chest is little more than a heaving mess of gore, and the whites of its ribs are clearly visible. Blood runs in rivers down the demon’s body. There is not a single place where it has emerged unscathed from the conflict. “…you have proven victorious…the strong to my weak…”

In spite of its terrible injuries, it offers you a bloody smile. “…I have failed to protect my mistress’ domain…but perhaps that is for the best…”

“Ogre…” You begin, but it cuts you off with a wave of its hand.

“No more words…there is only action left…” It doubles over violently, vomiting blood onto the ground. “…go now...these wounds are but a small price to pay for my freedom…now take the battle to my mistress before my contract forces me to fight once more…for both of our sakes…destroy the Mother of Spiders…Children of Man…”

With those final words, the demon finally surrenders to its wounds. It sways gently in the afternoon breeze before collapsing, falling almost gracefully from where it stands. A terrible crash echoes through the woods as the guardian of the domain collapses into the soil of the earth to rise no more.

>You have defeated Ogre!
>You have gained a level!
>Adrian is now level 26!

>Please select a perk for Adrian:
>Deadeye (Rank 1): Apply +5 bonus to Combat rolls when using firearms.
> Deadshot (Rank 3): Firearms do an additional 20% more damage, rounding to the closest whole number.
>Endurance (Rank 1): Once per battle, resist a blow that would otherwise incapacitate you.
>Fearful Presence (Rank 1): +10 in social rolls made to intimidate or otherwise force/coerce a single target.
>Mag Magnet (Rank 1): +5% flat increase to all Magnetite you loot from enemies.
>Nice Guy (Rank 2): Demons recruited through negotiation start with an additional 20% Approval.
>Paladin (Rank 1): [CONDITION UNLOCKED] You are a burgeoning warrior of Light, granting a +10 bonus when interacting with demons of the Light alignment, and a -10 penalty when interacting with demons of the Dark alignment. Additionally, you gain a +10 bonus when battling with Dark demons.
>Razor Sharp (Rank 2): Slash-type weapons do an additional 15% more damage, rounding to the closest whole number.
>Soft Steps (Rank 1): +10 to rolls made for Stealth or other activities where silence is golden.

>>2409698
>Endurance (Rank 1): Once per battle, resist a blow that would otherwise incapacitate you.

Healing is great and all but a free FUCK YOU button is amazing

>>2409698
>>Endurance (Rank 1): Once per battle, resist a blow that would otherwise incapacitate you.

>>2409698
>>Endurance (Rank 1): Once per battle, resist a blow that would otherwise incapacitate you.

>>2409698
>>Endurance (Rank 1): Once per battle, resist a blow that would otherwise incapacitate you.

Honestly hands down, this is the one to go for.

>>2409698
>Endurance (Rank 1): Once per battle, resist a blow that would otherwise incapacitate you.

>>2409698
>Paladin (Rank 1): [CONDITION UNLOCKED] You are a burgeoning warrior of Light, granting a +10 bonus when interacting with demons of the Light alignment, and a -10 penalty when interacting with demons of the Dark alignment. Additionally, you gain a +10 bonus when battling with Dark demons.

>>2409698
>Endurance (Rank 1): Once per battle, resist a blow that would otherwise incapacitate you.
I hope the next rank isn't "Once per battle, you can DIE FOR another party member"

Kaz ded

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>>2409707
>>2409709
>>2409726
>>2409740
>>2409948
>>2410429
>Pyro Jack leveled up!
>Pyro Jack is now level 21!

“With experience comes wisdom,” the demon’s voice chimes in your headset. “It is only logical that observation leads to even greater power.”

>Pyro Jack learned Dream Needle!
>Karasu Tengu leveled up!
>Karasu Tengu is now level 25!

The demon reaches into its sleeve, presenting it to you with a low bow. “A gift to you, master. Take this as but a simple token of our bond against the Darkness.”

>Adrian received Hamaon Stone!

>High Pixie leveled up!
>High Pixie is now level 25!

“Ooooooh, master!” The fairy titters, “I think I gained a new power!”

>High Pixie learned Diarama!

>Angel leveled up!
>Angel is now level 18!

“Oh…Master Adrian…” The otherwise melodious and stoic voice of angel is filled with one of ecstasy, a rapture brought on by one drunk with emotion. “I can feel it…the experience I’ve gained under your partnership…the light that’s trapped within me, raging like a storm and begging to be released…but only should you permit it...”

>>Please address the following:
>Select which skill High Pixie should forget.
>Will you allow Angel to transform? Y/N?

>>2411011
Should.. we let her transform? IS that a thing that you do?

>>2411011
>Select which skill High Pixie should forget.
Zio (We still have Mazio)
>Will you allow Angel to transform? Y/N?
Y, though I am going to miss bondage angel.

>>2411025
She's basically becoming a higher tier of Angel.
Archangel, Power, Dominion, Throne, Virtue, ect.

>>2411030
Will she stop being cute?

>>2411031
Yes, unless Kaz uses the female version of Power later.

>>2411011
>Zio
>Y

>>2411011
>media
>y

>>2411031
Archangel is a soldier.......a MALE one. The more powerful ones get more inhumane, but possibly still cute.

I kinda want angel to not have a standard power/archangel evolution, just so that it becomes a trend that Adrian's demons evolve funny.

I mean Pixie already has a kimono

>>2411011
>Y but only if cute...
>Pixie I've got no idea how this shit works other anons know better.

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>>2411029
>>2411037
>>2411038
>>2411040
>Pixie replaced Zio with Diarama!
>You allowed Angel to transform!

With a brilliant flash of light, Angel summons itself from your COMP. Everyone jumps, guns swiveling around before you tell them to stand down with a hasty gesture. Not that it would have startled her in the slightest. But the celestial being in question is curled in a fetal position, unable to comprehend anything outside of its self-induced blindness.

When she opens her mouth, what sounds like a great host of voices issues from her lips: “Therefore, put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

You’re not gonna lie. Combined with the light that pours off her, streaming from every inch of her skin and radiating from approximately every orifice you can see…it looks extremely creepy just as much as it looks awesome. The whole “MY NAME IS LEGION, FOR WE ARE MANY” thing she’s doing with her voice certainly isn’t helping either.

“Therefore, put on the full armor of God,” she continues, unfurling herself and spreading her arms and wings as if in great exultation. With an errant hand, Angel tears her blindfold from her eyes, revealing luminescent orbs that burn with heavenly light. “So that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”

The light coalesces, completely enveloping her body in a cloak of radiance. Even the shielding of the DEMONICA’s helmet does little to mitigate how damned bright her transformation is. You can’t help but close your eyes and turn away slightly.

The voices continue: “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.”

As the words echo throughout the forest, the luminescence dissipates, dusting the forest floor with motes of light. And with every utterance, a realization about her transformation is revealed. Where there was once bare flesh, armor the color of the deepest blue now girds her completely.

Her hair, once a vibrant and lustrous gold, has become shimmering silver, matching the radiance of wings that now radiate glory. And though light still pours from every inch of her face, her mouth and eyes, you are able to distinguish a pair of emerald green eyes that thrum with the self-confidence of the righteous.

(cont)