I looked up from my food as the others continued to study the chunk of Adamant in front of them. None of them moved to touch it, "How certain of this are you?" Nancy asked, disbelieving what I had told her.
I stopped eating and looked at the Thief. "Spot was dead certain of it, and if rumors are true he is one of the few Full Blood Demons still here on this side and not locked away in the Netherworld. So that means he fought on our side during the war so it would make sense that he was there when the Seals were created and used." I replied before going back to eating.
Gellfore waved the Fury Demons' concerns about the validity of Spots information, "You are missing the bigger picture, if Eldred was not lying, four of the Seals have been broken. That means either some have been stolen or worse, that some of the Dukes or Duchesses of the Demon Lands have gone over to the enemy. If that is the case, the Forsaken are even more powerful than we knew or ever thought." the Archmage stated as he looked at the others.
"So what is our next step?" Atreus asked, serious and not his usual arrogant self that I had seen since meeting him.
"Find Lilith?' I put out there between bits causing all three to look at me. 'Well it would make sense that since she has disappeared, four of the Seals in the prisons have disappeared, it would make sense that the being that crafted the spells to lock them away could find the Seals and break them as well. I am not saying she is doing it, willing or otherwise, but to discount that theory we need to find her." I told them before they could object.
"Agreed, and one way or another. Atreus once I have located her I will be sending you to retrieve her so don't go anywhere.' Gellfore ordered and the Harbinger nodded his head in agreement. 'You, my troublesome new Shadowmancer, are coming with me to the palace to see the Duchess Jilless, and Nancy why don't you get word to all your coworkers, I want every Forsaken enclave in all Demon Grounds found and their people tracked down. Grab your hunk of metal, let's go." Dunlap told me and I quickly shoveled the last of my breakfast into my mouth before following the other Demon.
Once we were outside the Bent Penny, Dunlap grabbed my shoulder and muttered a phrase as the world twisted around us and we were suddenly standing in a large room. Another Demon was sitting at a desk in front of us and the Shadow Shaman cleared his throat causing the man to look up, his eyes widening in surprise. "Tell her I am here and I need a meeting immediately, it is an emergency," Dunlap told him and the Demon scurried off towards the door in the back of the room.
"How often does that happen?" I asked absently as I sent a message to Anna, updating the Angel on where I was and with whom as the day progressed.
"In the five years I have known the Duchess, this is the second time an 'emergency' has cropped up that demands her immediate attention.' Gellfore replied as he studied me and shook his head. 'You have fallen into deep waters boy, be careful you don't drown." the Dark Templar warned and I snorted.
"Oh, I know that and would prefer not to deal with it. Yet it seems fate, luck, or stupidity have a sense of humor and gave me the trouble to deal with so I do what I must." I told him in reply earning a snort of amusement as we heard a yell from the office and four Demons were roughly shoved out of it and the secretary leading them out of the room signaled us to follow him into the room he had just left past the irate Demons.
I did my best to ignore their glares as I followed Gellfore and the other Demon into the office, a very pretty Demoness studied us as we entered the room. "Thank you, James, leave us and close the door on the way out.' she commanded and the other Demon scurried to follow her orders as Dunlap quickly cast a few spells causing an odd pressure to settle on my skin and ears. 'Wow, this is serious if you are casting a Spell of Silence and Ward of Intrusion. What is going on my old mentor?" the woman I assumed was the Duchess Jilless.
I removed the broken Seal from my inventory and placed it in front of her and recounted my story yet again leaving nothing out. Once he was done only then did Dunlap comment, "Do you begin to see why I came and brought him with me?" the Archmage asked and the Demoness snorted.
"Don't say I told you so, I don't need to hear it. Very well, I am authorizing whatever you need to find Lilith and writing a kill order for all the Forsaken found within my lands. The group can be hunted with impunity and a Bounty will be placed on their heads. What is it you need from me?" Jilless asked the Shadow Shaman and head of the local Dark Templars.
"First do you still have you Seal?' Gellfore asked and the Duchess snorted as she removed a necklace. The heavy chain had an intact seal hanging from it. 'I am just checking. Now with Lilith missing and having no clue as to who has been turned or if they have been stolen, we must move carefully. Only you or the Overlord can ask around with impunity," Dunlap replied and I nodded my head in agreement then stopped as both of them looked at me. Gellfore in amusement while the Duchess was appraising.
"What?' I asked them and the other Dark Templar snorted before raising an inquisitive eyebrow. 'Oh, no! Come on, I am a nobody, getting a meeting with the Duchess is one thing, what do you want me to do now?" I responded earning a snort of amusement from the older Demon.
"Your assistance so far has proven invaluable. I think you could prove useful in tracking down Lilith." the Duchess responded and I frowned at her.
"Great, and then what? That doesn't tell me if she is a captive, turned, or if someone killed her, how do I deal with them? Not to mention the little problem of tracking her down." I told her before either one of them could say anything else.
"True, but a man that defeated that enclave of Forsaken and recovered the broken Seal can probably get inventive enough to find her," Gellfore replied and I frowned at him.
"A lot of luck was involved with that, not to mention Spot. Without him, I wouldn't have succeeded and I would have been lucky to get out of there with just some losses." I told him, irritated he was ignoring the obvious.
"So we talk to people who know her personally, that were there when she cast the spell the sealed the Netherworld," Jilless replied amusement lacing her voice.
I frowned, "Some Demons have survived that long?' I asked astonished they had survived this long. 'Who and would they be willing to track her down?" I asked, curious, and maybe seeing a way out of my predicament.
Gellfore shook his head and waved his hands, "No lad, they are both retired and I mean tired of the world around them, of the politics and power games. They will not see you and would kill you on sight. Both are half-breed Succubi and make your gifts appear as cheap tricks compared to what they could do." the Archmage responded while Jilless smiled but nodded her head in agreement.
"Yeah, well, they are my only shot at finding Lilith and stopping the Forsaken. The question is, are they on our side or theirs?" I told them causing them to look at each other before Jilliss smiled.
"It is a good question, talk, investigate, get a feel for them. If they don't kill you outright, be wary for they might decide to enslave you and use you since you are an Incubus," she stated and I snorted causing both of them to shake their heads.
"I have seen and interacted with Succubi, I am pretty sure I would be ok," I told them and Gellfore slapped the back of my head.
"Boy, what you know as Succubi are at most one-eighth Succubi, Ladies Cora and Elliara DoCall are half-breeds and it is said they could drive whole towns into orgies. I know for a fact Lilith herself could drive a whole city into an orgy if she willed it so. Do not underestimate them, they both ruled the Demon Lands through guile, manipulations, and sheer power for centuries before retiring.' Gellfore cautioned me and I nodded not understanding what he was talking about. 'Now I will write a letter of introduction to both women, hopefully, that will keep you safe long enough to explain why you went to see them." Gellfore stated as he took a piece of parchment from the Duchess and started writing.
"While they are no longer in power and enjoy their solitude, they are still close to power. They dwell in the central province of Dukal outside the city of Emethshara. You will have to travel there any way to get to the capital." Jilliss stated as she smiled again.
"Ok, so I take a portal to Emethshara, somehow get two old Succubi into helping me find and track down the Overlord of the Demon Grounds, who might or might not have gone over to the Forsaken. Then what?" I asked them as I snorted in amusement at the impossibility of the plan.
"Well it will be a challenge, I will give you that, but you have your slaves with you and it seems luck is in your favor so I would suggest you thank Fortuna for that," Gellfore replied as he closed the letter and sealed it with a wave of his hand and a few muttered words.
"Ok, well hopefully that will keep Cora and Elliara at bay long enough to tell them what I know. Yet if they choose not to assist me?" I prompted as I noticed Jilliss finishing up her letter.
"This will get you into an audience with the Duke of the Dukal Province, if they choose not to assist you, he is a fanatic of Lilith and would never betray her. Now will you do this?" the Duchess asked as she offered the letter with Gellfore.
<<<>>>
Quest Alert: Choices and Consequences
Description: The Duchess of the Dumant Province of the Demon Lands, Jilliss the Unbroken, has tasked you with meeting with the former Princess Cora DoCall and Princess Elliara DoCall outside the city of Emethshara and gain their assistance in finding Lilith, Overlord of the Demon Grounds.
Optional: Go to the capital of the Demon Lands, the city of Amranmelle, and meet with Duke Dharex the Undefeated. While the man is a fanatic, his loyalty lies with Lilith. If Cora and Elliara cannot or are unwilling to help you, he will assist you.
Quest Class: Quest Chain; Personal
Quest Difficulty: Unknown
Success: Meet with Princess Cora DoCall and Princess Elliara DoCall outside the city of Emethshara and try to track the location of Lilith.
Failure: Do not meet with Princess Cora DoCall and Princess Elliara DoCall, or do not gain their support.
Rewards: Unknown
Note* This quest is mandatory as you received the Seal and retain ownership.
<<<>>>
I sighed in frustration as I took the letters and Quest, "You guys suck, you know that? I might be expandable, but this is a little too much don't you think?" I asked them as they chuckled at my response.
Gellfore shrugged, "Go complain to the gods, the Parthenon is always open and they have an Altar to every god and goddess in there. Come, I will get you out of the palace and point the way." Gellfore told me as he led me out of the office of the Duchess.
