De Profundis

The corridor is dank and close, with the smell of wet paper hanging in the air like a malediction. Thin gas-lamps burn in the distance, by the entrance to a spiral staircase.

Maasiai brings her blouse up over her mouth and nose to breathe, heading stealthly after Eduardo, hopefully to the staircase. Up. Up must be the right direction...

Pat follows along calmly, looking from side to side as they walk past the endless shelves.

Eduardo stalks between them, almost as if he were looking for trouble.

As they reach the foot of the spiral stairs, a large-bodied Djinn hauls itself out of the shadows, coming from the opposite direction. Bottle-thick glasses perch on its wolflike nose, and its scaled body drags like a giant alligator.

The Djinn growls, low, "What are you doing in *my* section?"

Maasiai swallows at the unintelligeable Helltongue.

<> Demiurge says "Oh yes. Pat is the only one who understands Helltongue."

Pat looks at the Djinn, and replies in the same language. "Leaving. Stand aside."

<> Maasiai . o O (We were just leaving, we were!)

The Djinn grunts, "Whose authority are you here on?"

Pat says "Fire."

Pat grins.

The Djinn growls, "Go burn someone else's books, then." It settles back on its haunches.

Maasiai watches Pat speak Helltongue, her eyes slitted. She edges towards the stairs.

Pat nods to the Djinn, and leads the trio past.

Maasiai follows, watching their backs.

Eduardo regards the Djinn though cold, cold eyes. Then he looks about, as if gauging how far sound would carry, and if there's anyone else about.

Pat glares at Eduardo.

The stairs are rackety iron, creaking faintly underfoot, and the walls around them are shelved, stuffed so tightly that nothing could be removed with brown files. Gas-lamps flicker at intervals.

<> Demiurge says "Eduardo, this guy isn't really cruel. Not more than by omission. He doesn't care enough."

Eduardo flexes his hands, and meets Pat's glare with one no less intense. Then he follows, stalking silently through the ranks of books.

Maasiai gives a small, probably unnoticed, sigh of relief.

The stairs curl upwards around the three as they climb.

Pat says "Maasiai, are we headed in the right direction?"

<> Maasiai rolls the d666 and gets 4 4 CHECK: 5.

<> Maasiai fails. Again. Pfui.

Maasiai sighs. "I can't tell. I think this place may be... interfering. But up, up is a good direction..."

Pat nods, and continues up.

With a sudden rush of Essence - though he is already full - Pat hears Jad'an's voice in the back of his head, in the Song of Celestial Tongues.

Eduardo follows, still looking as if he wishes to pick a fight.

Eduardo . o O ( What *would* happen if I set fire to this place. On the way out, like ...)

Jad'an's voice says, "Mazpatiel. Daimonique located with Sephar and Chephirah in Shal-Mari. Currently safe, expediting own plans for escape. Suggest you pull out."

Maasiai climbs, face set and determined.

Pat says "Maasiai. Can you send word to the Spires?"

Maasiai looks back at Pat. "I don't have that Song."

Eduardo says "Why?"

Pat keeps climbing. "The other three are working on their escaping. It was recommended we pull out."

Maasiai growls, "Recommended by who?"

Pat says "Jada-Dan."

Maasiai mutters something under her breath. It sounds like, "who can't get out of the way" and "crazy Ofanim."

Maasiai keeps climbing.

Eduardo frowns. "My Lady sent us here for a reason. And working on is not escaped."

Pat nods to Eduardo. "I know. Which is why I wanted to send a message."

Eduardo snorts, then looks about. "You know how hard it is not to burn this all to the floor?" he says, almost wistfully. "I'm not sure I'll ever get another chance."

<> Demiurge says "Pat, you might theorise that you're currently being watched through your Heart."

<> Demiurge says "Same for Maasiai."

Maasiai bares her teeth. "If we're not out of here before they escape, Malakite... Some burning might well be just."

Pat lifts a hand, subtle-like, and flashed 'waiting' 'notify' 'escaped'

Eduardo's answering smile is equally fierce. "I'm not corncered with Justice."

Maasiai eyes Eduardo. "But I am."

Eduardo says "Fine."

Pat says "Edward, there is no punishment you could visit on this place that would not be deserved."

Maasiai paces upwards, looking for some way *out* of the maze, some path where knowing where her attuned #1 is will make a difference.

The spiral stairs finally come to a landing, and the noise level rises, as some sounds of street cries and mutters come drifting down the corridor and round the bend in it.

Maasiai's head lifts, human-formed lioness scenting prey.

Pat takes a deep breath. "We're at the street."

Maasiai . o O (Thank God.)

Eduardo frowns, his tension a visible counterbalance to Pat's relaxation; instinct and desire written large on his face.

Pat rolls his neck, then moves down the corridor.

Maasiai pauses and looks between Pat and Eduardo.

Maasiai follows Pat.

<> Pat and Ed counterbalance a lot, he notes.

Eduardo flexes his right hand, opening and closing it repeatedly, almost robotically. He follows Pat.

<> Maasiai is just following the other Judgmenters. If Eduardo sets fire to the place behind her, well...

<> Pat says "Not yet."

<> Pat says "Once we get the message that they're safe, then out comes the holy hand grenade. :)"

<> Maasiai says "Not even as a diversion?"

<> Maasiai grins. "Sword."

<> Eduardo says "SMITE"

<> Pat says "Oooh."

As Pat and the others turn the corner of the corridor, they can see the checkpoint at the end of the corridor, which apparently gives onto a bookshop, which in turn gives onto the Shal-Mari street.

Pat frowns. "Checkpoint."

Two Impudites laze at the checkpoint, making a big production of letting the odd person through in either direction. It seems little used.

Maasiai grimaces.

Eduardo frowns. "Crowds."

Maasiai asks Pat in an undertone, "Would the checkpoint go to put out a fire?"

Pat looks at Maasiai. Nods.

Maasiai turns and grins at Eduardo.

Eduardo just grins, and steps back from the sight of the checkpoint. "One moment."

Maasiai looks around for some place to tuck herself so the checkpoint guards can run past her easily.

Pat looks nondescript. He examines a picture book of Habbalah markings.

There is the odd nook and cranny among the shelves, where a human-sized being might hide itself.

Maasiai tucks herself into a nook.

Maasiai takes a book at random and pretends to read it.

<> Sephar eyes Pat and his picture book.

Eduardo looks for the most flammable area about, and aims a smite at it; preferably down the stairs a little.

The book that Maasiai picks is incomprehensible in terms of _words_, but has interesting diagrams of the anatomy of the human body and pressure points therein.

Maasiai decides to take the book along. Never know when an Outcast might need a little persuasion to come along quietly.

<> Maasiai . o O (Souvenir.)

<> Maasiai . o O (I went to Hell and brought back this lousy book.)

<> Zebina says "I went to the Archives of Hell and all I got was this Lousy Book on Torture."

There are many flammable areas. Many, many, many flammable areas. Fires *gush* from Eduardo's hands, splashing against the books and sending them up in a rush of flames.

<> Daimon says "Yeah, well, I went to hell and all I got was a bag full of bondage gear. :)"

A cloister bell suddenly starts clanging.

<> Demiurge says "What can I say about your tastes in souvenirs? :)"

Maasiai flips to see if there are pressure points on Impudites.

Eduardo ducks back out of sight at this stage, frowning.

Pat . o O ( Damn. We identified ourselves as Fire. )

The Impudite diagrams in the book seem to be much the same as humans, though there are several notes and arrows and diagrams around their wings.

The two Impudites come running from the checkpoint, with a couple of souls in tow, faces white.

Maasiai makes note of the Impudite diagrams and peeks out of her niche to see if the Impudite guards at the checkpoint are doing anything.

<> Demiurge rolls the d666 and gets 6 6 CHECK: 4.

They dash right past the hidden angels, not noticing them.

Maasiai tucks the book under her arm and peers out, in advance to sauntering out.

Pat looks over the top of his book as the demons rush past.

Eduardo . o O ( Oh look. 2 Impudites. Near a fire. No-one would *really* notice if they were burned up badly and dead, would they? )

The Impudites rush right past Eduardo, and one starts dragging flaming books out of the pyre and trying to shake the flames out, while another screams, "Help! Fire! Someone's been smoking!"

The first yells, still trying to salvage books, "Idiot! It's one of those gaslamps again!"

The checkpoint stands temporarily unguarded. More footsteps echo on the stairs from below.

Maasiai starts heading out of the Archives, keeping her head down and walking purposefully.

<> Eduardo says "OK. How far away do those footsteps sound?"

<> Demiurge says "A few flights down."

Pat falls into step with Maasiai, moseying on out.

<> Eduardo bets he can nail these dudes first.

<> Maasiai mosey mosey mosey

<> Eduardo bets his life, in fact.

<> Pat lets Eddie get some Smiting in. It'll be good for him.

Eduardo steps out, lips curling back, and selects whichever of the two appears cruelest.

The one flapping his arms and shrieking is clearly the cruellest, with a taste for emotional viciousness to his addicted partners.

Eduardo says, quietly. "It was no gas lamp. Turn."

The Impudite turns, blinks. "Okay, you, you can go fetch me some water or sand or something."

Eduardo says "No. Face me."

Eduardo holds up his hands and lets rip.

The Impudite manages to shriek once, before Eduardo is on it.

<> Demiurge says "Are you Smiting, or just flaming your hands and hitting it?"

<> Demiurge says "And if you're Smiting, how much Essence are you spending?"

<> Eduardo wants to try out his ladies new gift. :) So. Uhm. 4 Essence?

<> Demiurge says "Okay."

<> Eduardo rolls the d666 and gets 4 2 CHECK: 6.

<> Zebina says "Gaah."

<> Eduardo says "FABWOSSH"

<> Maasiai WHOOPS in glee!

<> Zebina says "Okay, Eddie's day just improved remarkably."

<> Pat says "Wow."

<> Maasiai says "Never knew you could have so much fun in Hell?"

A wash of fire bursts from Eduardo's hands, and seems the very essence of his Mistress as it sweeps around the Impudite, curling about it and smothering its screams - and fades to leave only a charred skeleton, wing-ribs outspread in mute appeal.

Eduardo steps forward, hands flaring as he attempts to slam the second Impudite into the fire before he can give much more of an alarm.

The footsteps from below grow closer, maybe only half a minute away now. The fire is taking madly on the walls, licking up along the files and bathing the shelves in purifying flames.

The second Impudite manages to half-turn, but is caught by Eduardo's shove.

<> Demiurge rolls the d666 and gets 3 5 CHECK: 6.

Pat moseys out of the building, leading Maasiai to a place suitable for door-watching.

<> Demiurge says "Eduardo, roll."

<> Eduardo rolls the d666 and gets 1 3 CHECK: 3.

Maasiai follows Pat, who knows more about what he's doing down here than she does.

<> Demiurge rolls the d666 and gets 2 2 CHECK: 3.

The Impudite entirely loses his balance. He goes hurtling through the flames, and down the stairs, with a fading scream, and a succession of crashes.

The flames roar.

Eduardo stands in the middle of the flames a moment, considering if he should give chase. He listens, attempting to ascertain where the Impudite is, and where the others are.

Eduardo didn't *mean* to push the guy away.

Outside, the street is a backstreet in Shal-Mari. It is busy. It is thronged. It is noisy. Stalls and vendors line the pavement, and shops offer all manner of goods.

There is, finally, from the stairwell, a *thud*. Some way down.

Outside, three Shedim banded with circuitry come hissing along the street, intertwining as they float past. A Lilim dodges them, her face twisted with disgust.

Maasiai's face freezes and she follows Pat closely.

The souls of the damned do menial labour here, fetching and carrying, heads bowed. Imps and gremlins and other fouler spawn run errands or wriggle in corners.

Pat finds a cigarette, lighting it as he watches the street bustle.

Pat says "He has five minutes."

Maasiai tucks herself almost against Pat, then hands him the book she was carrying. "Five minutes sounds good. Here. Can you keep this for me?"

Pat says "Hm? Of course."

Pat takes the book and tucks it away.

Maasiai says "Thank you. It has some interesting data on demonic pressure points."

Pat says "Ah."

Pat smokes.

Eduardo frowns, and then turns away, pausing to make sure the fire is well and truly ablaze before following onto the street and reverting to a normal, if somewhat more amiable visage.

Maasiai then keeps close to Pat, staring around with her dark face a mask.

The street is throbbing with dingy and gaudy activity. A large number of the beings on the street are cruel.

Pat and Maasiai stand off to the side, observing.

The Lilim who was dodging the Shedim pauses on the street corner, and collects a paper from one of the vendors, scanning it.

Maasiai waits for Eduardo to get over to them.

Noticeable nearby, some distance down the street, is a moderate disaster area - which seems to have been caused by something building-sized crashing into the block of shops, and going at least a few layers down.

<> Maasiai whistles innocently. . o O (No, no, we weren't riding one of those. No, no, we aren't delighted to see parts of Hell messed up.)

Eduardo heads over to the others, then gestures. "That looks right." His mood is notably better, though back in decline once more. "And we might want to move."

Maasiai nods.

Pat says "Yes."

Pat moves.

Maasiai sticks close by Pat.

Eduardo moves, as well. "One might survive."

Maasiai tsks quietly.

<> Demiurge says "Maasiai, you can recheck attunement."

<> Maasiai spends 3 Essence.

<> Maasiai rolls the d666 and gets 1 5 CHECK: 1.

<> Demiurge says "You have a fix!"

Pat says "Not once his Prince deals with him."

<> Demiurge says "Thataway!"

Maasiai's head goes up as some Essence ripples from her. She makes a small pointing gesture. "That way."

Pat nods, and goes thataway.

Maasiai paces by Pat's side, quickly.

"Thataway" happens to coincide with a few back streets, which at least means a little less accosting by the throngs of demons, or the begging souls. From somewhere up ahead comes a sound like fifteen cement mixers, and a scent of zabaglione.

Pat sniffs the air.

Maasiai . o O (What the hell is that noise? Construction?)

Zabaglione, tiramisu, grappa, sweet white wine, grapes, limes, oranges.

Pat says "Hm."

Maasiai says "Hm?"

A large Shedite comes floating down the street from ahead of them, body roiling with motion, eyes peering this way and that.

Pat holds a hand to the side, and gestures 'update the cherub'

Maasiai quirks her eyebrows. Gestures, "Update, Power?"

The Shedite continues to approach, eyes flicking from side to side.

Maasiai blinks, her mouth forming an "oh." She murmurs, "The subject has crossed the, um, Strip. Dark Humor district, presumed."

Maasiai looks bewildered by the information. *She* doesn't know Hellish geography. She hopes Pat can make some sense of this.

Pat nods and angles his path to avoid the Shedite.

Maasiai does likewise.

Maasiai . o O (Damn. I'm stuck depending on him because he *has* been down here, and because his partner's an ex-demon. This is not funny.)

The Shedite reaches out a tentacle as they pass. "Going somewhere, servants? I have a Prince who needs work done."

The Shedite's very words ooze corruption and greed, incomprehensible as they are to one who does not understand Helltongue.

Maasiai tries to duck the tentacle, uncomprehendingly.

The tentacle lowers itself, to flick against Maasiai's neck greasily.

Pat sneers, spitting out Helltongue. "Vivisect yourself. We don't have time for your requests."

Maasiai flinches and wheels, trying to keep the threat-display out of her teeth.

<> Pat says "'vivisect yourself' is a single note in Helltongue. :)"

The Shedite murmurs, from multiple mouths, "And who's your master? Trying to tell me you're a proper demon, are you? Crawling around in a tatty trenchcoat?"

Pat says "Keep your cards close to your chest, hm? Isn't that how the game is played?"

The Shedite retracts its pseudopod, rapidly. "You can prove this, of course?"

Pat says "I don't have the time, and you're not worth the trouble. Carry on."

The cement-mixer noise continues from ahead.

Eduardo makes no effort to look either non-threatening or to look comprehending, but instead looks almost Malakite, In a short, hispanic body and with a tremendously arrogant look on his face.

Maasiai has no clue what's being discussed, but she'll back Pat up with her body-language. Pat is Boss.

The Shedite mutters, "I need some carriers. Spare at least one of your slaves. You don't need both."

Pat smiles. "How do you know that? Keep moving. There's a bustle near the books, I'm sure no one will notice a missing soul."

The Shedite contorts on itself for a moment, like a squirming brain that slowly drips ooze, then unknots. "Very well. I'll remember you, though, Gamester."

<> Maasiai does the 'cling to Pat's leg admiring wench' look and does not get tapped for slave duty with a Shedite.

Pat chuckles. "It's better if we both forget." He gestures to Maasiai and Eduardo to move on.

Maasiai moves on, oh yes.

Maasiai . o O (It would have tasted so nasty if I'd bitten it.)

<> Pat makes sure to request some thorough brain-bleaching when he gets back. This Game stuff is coming easier and easier.

<> Maasiai makes note to request someone find out what Pat is *saying*, to see if he needs brain-bleaching.

Eduardo follows, still looking arrogant.

The Shedite glides and roils away down the street.

Pat walks on. "Well, that was interesting."

Maasiai scrubs the slime off the back of her neck. "Interesting. Right. What did you say?"

Jad'an's voice says, calmly, in Pat's head, "Daimonique has entered an apartment, tied the Impudite there, and is removing collars. Situation stable."

Pat says "I implied that I was employed by Asmodeus, and was not in a position to sell either of you."

Maasiai nods. "Reasonable enough."

Pat says "Daimonique is removing the binding collars."

The crunching noises from the intersection ahead are now nearly deafening. There is something of a crowd around that intersection.

Maasiai looks interested. "Good! Perhaps we won't *have* to rescue them. Still... until then."

Pat decides to stop walking.

Pat says "Until then, I think we can wait."

Maasiai halts too. "Here? I'd rather get closer."

Eduardo nods, frowning about. "What did you tell ... that thing."

Pat says "I let it believe I was a demon of the Game, Edward."

Pat says "And Maasiai, I don't trust the intersection ahead."

Maasiai frowns. "All right. Can we look for a way around this intersection?"

Pat says "We shouldn't have much longer to wait."

Pat does, however, examine the crowd ahead.

A few imps scuttle hopefully towards the three angels. One lifts its hands, whimpering, "Master, food? Essence? Have pity?"

Maasiai says, "Until then. Besides, if we find a darker alley, perhaps we could find someone... unjust. Cruel." Her eyes are momentarily the eyes of a lioness.

The crowd ahead seems mainly demonic. Regular groups of souls seem to be moving through it, carrying plates of food in one direction, and empty plates the other way.

Pat lifts the imp with the toe of his shoe and flings it away, not violently.

Pat says "Gluttony."

The imps whimper and scuttle away.

Maasiai wrinkles her nose.

Pat looks back down the alleyway.

Suddenly, Maasiai feels an intense _spike_ of danger to the Attuned Daimon. Immediate, mortal danger.

Eduardo glowers down at them. He probably looks demonic and unforgiving. It's accidental.

Maasiai looks up. "DANGER!" she hisses, starting forward instinctively.

Pat grabs for Maasiai's elbow. "Another direction!"

Maasiai turns, almost blind, feeling for the danger, its source, if it continues...

<> Maasiai heads for the first likely cross-street, as long as the feeling of danger continues. Tweaks resonance if it doesn't.

And then, the sense of danger is gone. Entirely.

Jad'an's voice says, sharply, "Mazpatiel. They are safe. Ascend now."

Maasiai blinks. "Gone. He must have ascended."

Pat says "They did. We go."

Maasiai nods, looking wistfully after the Shedite. It would have tasted nasty, but...

Maasiai tells Pat, "You first. I'll follow you."

Pat goes up.

Maasiai smiles at Eduardo. "If you scare the imps, that would probably be just. Just don't get eaten by a Prince." Then she follows Pat to his Heart.

Eduardo, with one last scowl, ascends.

---

Fiat Justitia