Epic Evil: Group 2

[Kiranvonstrom]

On the way to the Portal

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Thank you for the condescention and appreciation. If you don't mind, I'll keep the spindle from here on out.Nicos says, smirking.

Nicos raises a critical eye at the demon. Theda, would you like to lead the way?

[VirgoBushin]

~Iivraena Lil'kenafin~

Iivraena didn't even get a chance to hear Theda's answer as a portal then demon both soon appeared. She couldn't help but notice that Nicos seemed... unusually nervous. At least that was what it seemed to her. That being said, she was wondering if the sight of these things were, for some reason, a bad thing. Or was he anxious about Beezlebub's reaction to her and Ia's appearance? I suppose we weren't originally part of his.... recruited people, per say.... but would that really matter? As long as Demons get what they want, they don't generally care who or how many people help, die, or whatever.... She thought a bit before nodding,, reassuring herself of her thoughts before taking a deep breath through her nose and walking out from behind Theda. "I don't mind doing so. Excuse my hastiness.... but I am mentally exhausted and would like to get whatever is about to happen done. So.... I'll take the lead for a bit." With that, she guided herself and Alakdriirn through the portal, hoping if any teleporting or moving would be done that it would merely lead to Beezlebub himself.

[Kiranvonstrom]

Nicos shrugs. Fine by me.
It's always good to have warm bodies between you and the mark if things go wrong. Nicos grasps the spindle tightly, not intending for anyone to get it without his say so. It was, after all, his ace in the metaphorical hole. An Abyss, as it were.

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Well, I suppose you always get nervous before the big con.

[Toliudar]

En route to Beelzebub, Theda shifts back to Pit Fiend form, while Tonn transforms back into an emerald dragon. When Iivraena offers to take the lead in following the strange fiend-creature, Theda waves her forward.

By all means, madam. It will give you an opportunity to introduce yourselves.

Theda follows them into the portal, thinking about what she might best ask for as payment for this service.

[firemagehao]

Ia follows, gliding through the portal on his wings, ready to crush anything that could attack them into nothingness.

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Crush into nothingness is readied, if anything attacks.

[Tsumeken]

You all step into a large antechamber. The large Beelzebub larva sits in front of you, surrounded by refuse and debris. The head of the larva seems to turn towards Nicos. Four of the insect demons enter the room. They seem prepared if something were to happen to their Lord. Most likely, however, they are confused about the extra bodies that came through the portal.

[firemagehao]

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Do they have true seeing?

[Tsumeken]

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All of the Demons in Beelzebub's castle are linked to him through a hive mind and thus can see with true seeing as he can..

[Toliudar]

Theda and Tonn come to rest a respectful, and coincidentally safer, distance from the archdevil. She glances over at Nicos, who is holding the spindle.

[Kiranvonstrom]

An odd smile spreads across Nicos's face. All this time, and freedom might just present itself without having to fight for it. How odd. He bow deeply and theatrically to the grub, carefully keeping the thread close to his chest.
Nothing to it now than to go ahead with the plan.
Nicos looks up at Beezlebub and smiles.
Master.

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The bold is Infernal.

[Tsumeken]

The grub rears back as the sound of buzzing fills the air, as if thousands of flies were circling around the group. A voice seems to be hidden amongst the buzzing, You have done well in retrieving the Weaver. Set it down and you shall receive the power I promised.

[Kiranvonstrom]

Not quite. Nicos pauses, and smiles. No turning back now...
It seems to me, sir, that we hold all the cards in our hands. Nicos was at home, starting off his con. You give them an offer, show a slight weakness that they will try to exploit, and then you have them in your trap. They get mad, lose control, start making more mistakes. Stay cool, and nothing will happen. It was like being at home, with the adrenaline pumping through your system.
All those hours of work, all that money spent protecting his thoughts and finding ways to bind the demon to his will was coming to a point: he was going to be free. Free to do whatever he wished, even more than he was now.
He promised me earthly wealth, but how much is my soul worth to him? More importantly, how much is the spindle worth to him? Priceless? I hope so.

[VirgoBushin]

~Iivraena Lil'kenafin~

Iivraena didn't even try to stay quiet as she heard Nicos speak. Her tongue quickly shifted to Infernal as she glared at him with her good eye, "I do hope when you say "we", you're not trying to get us all included in this. After all, myself, Alakdriirn, and Ia all showed up but about thirty minutes or so again. We barely knew anything of this so I do hope you're not trying to get us involved in whatever you yourself are trying to accomplish." Even if that wasn't the case, he'd made it clear enough that things could still go really badly real fast just from his words and, of all things, daring to speak them to a demon. She sighed as she hoped that if nothing else, Beezlebub wouldn't get, at the very minimum, herself and Alakdriirn included into this. After all, she'd managed to get out of everything thus far alive and this was definitely something she wanted to add onto her list.

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Appropriate Language = Infernal = she has it as does Alakdriirn but Tsume's controlling him...

[Tsumeken]

Though the conversation from the flies shifted to only Nicos, the rest of you could hear it all in your own minds. You play a dangerous game, mortal, demanding more than what you are and in my own home no less.... but your boldness intrigues me. What is it you seek?

[Kiranvonstrom]

My soul.
Nicos smiles, although his eyes aren't glimmering anymore as much as they are merely showing insane determination. ...And we have him. I never expected things to be that easy. And if he doesn't give it up, well, there's always the backup plan...
Acknowlaging Iivraena might weaken his already tenous position by changing his focus for a second, as much as he might want to respond. He'd explain later.

[Toliudar]

Theda shifted uneasily, only half-understanding the conversation, and half-understanding the game that Nicos was playing with their employer. It was, at the very least, enough to get the drow woman's back up.

For now, the focus was on him, and that was all to the good. Theda laid a hand on Tonn's shoulder, and prepared for the worst.

[Tsumeken]

The grub began to shake and churn almost in a jovial manner as he heard the conditions "Your soul? hehehehe... very well then... I shall give your soul for the weaver." One of the demons walks forward carrying with it a clear crystal knife, the hilt set with many gems and other adornments. The voice rang through the air again as the dagger is presented to you. "Thrust the blade into your chest with all your determination, then you and only you shall ever have claim of your soul."

[Kiranvonstrom]

Nicos laughed as well. Oh, well, played Beezlebub. Even I wouldn't have tried that. Trickery with words. But he expects me to trust his gifts again? I doubt it. I can't refuse, or any grip I have on him will be lost.
Not quite yet. You still owe a boon to my companions, as promised to them. Nicos's mind raced for a few minutes before he hit on a way out of the offer with the soul and no harm to him.

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Maybe I'm too suspicious of him, but the way Beezlebub puts it seems like there could be multiple interpretations.

[VirgoBushin]

~Iivraena Lil'kenafin~

Iivraena studied Nicos's face and, when she was sure of the hints he was trying to give, remained quiet. Still... was this really a wise idea to cease talking in front of a demon, especially one like Beezlebub? Something told her the answer was no... but right now, he was focusing completely on Nicos so she supposed as long as it remained that way, she'd temporarily shift roles with Alakdriirn and not speak unless spoken to. Granted, she hated it .... and it felt weird.... but if it'd save her, she'd do it. Her hands went behind her back as she slowly signed to Alakdriirn, I have no idea how this will go.... but if worst comes to worst go on and temporarily get us out of here.... or start thinking of some other back-up plan.... I'm not overly liking how this is going..... She figured if she had to be teleported again, it would be on her terms, not anyone elses'.

[Toliudar]

Theda snorts as Beelzebub explains the gift of the crystal blade, and nods as Nicos quite rightly puts aside this gift of dubious value. She speaks up, trying not to be intimidated by the archdevil.

"Yes, we have fulfilled our part of the bargain. What are you offering for the spindle?"

[Tsumeken]

The power I promised you all? Very well. A dark power begins to fill your bodies. You almost feel something tugging at your very life as your insides begin to burn. The pain persists for a good minute before it is done. That is your reward. More of the insect-like demons begin shifting into the room as the grub slowly moves forward towards Nicos, raising what would be the head high above his own stature. Now....for yours. Hand over the Weaver.

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Beezlebub has infused thee with dark power, making you more powerful (Go up 2 levels).

[firemagehao]

"Thank you, great Lord of the Flies." Ia says. He dared not think anything but what he said, as if any of the devils had telepathy, Beelzebub would be able to hear his thoughts as well.

[Toliudar]

Theda grunts and nearly falls to her knees as the pain works its way through her system. When she rises, she is snarling at the bug-lord, but soon feels the new power flowing through her system. She flexes her hand experimentally and smiles. Theda turns to Nicos.

"He...seems to have paid in full."

[VirgoBushin]

~Iivraena Lil'kenafin~

Iivraena's eyes widened as the surges of pain shot through her body. This was also something weird for her --- usually she was the one giving people pain, not receiving it. She bit her lip to keep from whimpering,, even if only slightly, gripping onto one of Alakdriirn's shoulders to keep herself standing.. By the time it passed, she was panting and breathing a bit heavy... yet already she could feel a huge difference in herself from when she'd first met the group until now. Albeit somewhat shakily, she did manage to bow her head to Beezlebub, "Th...thank you...." She managed to get out, her breathing still somewhat heavy as she signed to Alakdriirn, A...are you....okay?

[Kiranvonstrom]

You know, I trusted a devil once. Struck a deal with him, in fact. I regretted it for the rest of my life. Nicos paused on his trip down memory lane for dramatic effect. It always good to be dramatic. You know what they call me now, master? A devil. The devil of Impiltur. And you know what else they say? Never trust a devil. They say we don't hold our word.
Nicos sauntered forward.
And they are wrong. We two, we hold to the very letter of our word. But trust? We don't trust; I don't trust you, you don't trust me. So we will have to hold each other to our word, no? Nico's, well, stage presence fills the room.

[Tsumeken]

Beelzebub chuckles again You wish to keep what you promised to me... then I shall take my gift back with interest... The demons around the room seem to haunch down slightly as the wings on their backs unfold. Right now you all contain a small amount of power I gave you.... but in essence it is still mine. I could take it back... or perhaps make it run wild within you until it tears at your muscles and insides ripping you apart like a village caught in a hurricane, and merely retrieve the item in question from your broken bodies. You may have dealt with demons, devils, even gods,... but in this plane, in this place, I am supreme and you have Never dealt with anything as I. The sounds of the lances held by the insects being pounded to the ground breaks the otherwise silent stance they had retained through out the proceedings as the steady and level their weapons. Now.... this game has lost it's enjoyment, release the Weaver!

[firemagehao]

"Just give him the damn thing. I have seen orcs with a better sense of when they are outnumbered and overpowered. You say you keep your word, but did you not say that you would give him the weaver? Now trust is a different entity. Trust is another thing to manipulate. To trust someone is to give them a knife to thrust into your back. If you attack the Lord of the Seventh on the Seventh, you are worthless. If you were to fight him: the flash of light before you die may just as well have been me."
Ia says to Nicos, slowly flying into the air thirty feet above, and hovering. Ia directs the scrying orbs in a circle around them, so he can see every angle of what may happen.

DM:

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Readying crush into nothingness if Nicos attacks Ia, or Beelzebub

[Kiranvonstrom]

I do not wish to keep what is right fully yours. Here it is, I don't wish to gamble for more than I wanted. Nicos rolls the spindle to Beezlebub, his rather higher than necessary thoughts put on hold for a time.Kindly calm down, Ia. I don't want anyone else harmed. I know when I am beaten. He paused.
There was always plan C, although I'd have to be insane to try it now.

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Well met. Nicos shall give in. He is insanely self-confident, but not that insanely self-confident.

[Toliudar]

Theda relaxes as Nicos hands over the spindle. She bows slightly to Beelzebub.

"Well, this has been fun. Feel free to call again if you have other tasks with which you'd like my assistance. You have proven honourable in your dealings...with me. If there's nothing else, I'll be heading home."

She smiles, hefting an eyebrow with an unspoken question.

[Tsumeken]

The large grub begins to grow as it's body disappears. The World Weaver erases as large strands of silk drop from it, forming a giant cocoon. The cocoon itself pulses and you can feel a large demonic energy from it. If you wish to continue to serve me, I have greater prizes I can grant you all. Do well enough, and I shall make you as gods.. or devils... whichever you prefer.

The image of a large, black cathedral enters your minds as the voice continues, In order for me to get my revenge, I need to attain more power. In this temple is guarded one of the greater powers of evil that I require.... that of lies and deception. Claim this power and return to me with it and I shall grant you further rewards.