Worthy Core

Two days after Valkyrie Brightsky had made her dramatic appearance in the dungeon, Lyota Silverstar and her team were busy following their latest orders from home. Those orders did not involve them preparing for their own assault on the new guardian, no, instead they were currently shivering in the woods north of Grassbrook. The worst of winter was past but it was still far from spring, and the team had gotten rather used to enjoying the controlled environment of a dungeon inn rather than the chilly outdoors. At least they had music to take their minds off things, even if it was the same song over and over.

Eventually though it's enough to make the goblin, Wetears, wish for silence instead. "Really, Bard, y'can't give it a rest for ten minutes? Or at least play something different?"

Lionel removes the flute from his lips as he looks over from the fallen log where he sits. "For a few moments, perhaps, but not more. I need to be guiding fate when the creature passes us by or we miss our chance, and that could be half a minute and then it's gone."

Barny, the team's kobold Soulflame Wielder, redirects the questioning to their demonic leader. "And we're sure that it will be passing over today, yeah? Whatever...it is. Can you tell us now that we're all out here?"

The woman grunts. "There's not much more than what I've already informed you of. Domain agents have discovered that House Perlin secured the release of a relic from the Rainlander vaults, one formerly possessed by our lord, and has arranged for it to be sent to their expedition here in Grassbrook. Normally such a thing would travel with a heavily armed guard, but it would appear this 'competition' the nobles are engaging in has driven them to value speed over security. It's being flown south by a trained monster, and is due to arrive today. It ought to pass roughly over our current position, and with Fatestealer's manipulation of the odds we should be able to guarantee that it comes within our range. We will secure the relic and arrange for its transport back to the Domain. Did you have any further questions?"

Passy, the team's other kobold, raises a hand. "What is the relic, though? Also...are you okay with, like...stealing stuff? Y'know, cause of your whole fury demon thing?"

Lyota narrows her yellow eyes. "For one thing, this relic was stolen from our lord - although I do not know its exact identity, no. But this is merely the recovery of stolen property, not a theft of its own. For another - we fury demons can commit crimes, you know. We have the same free will as any other mortal."

Lionel pauses in his tune-playing again to ask a quick question. "Oh? And how does that work out for you?"

This time, the other demon shifts a little before answering. "...If we commit a serious sin, it can cause...discomfort. It fades in time, or when we submit ourselves to punishment."

If her skin could get any redder by blushing, it would when Wetears adds a comment of his own. "It also apparently makes fury demons really

attractive to other fury demons. It's like a perfume, y'know? Hahaha!"

"Hordecaller! I did not mention that to you so that you could - wait!" Lyota's eyes go wide as she glimpses something silhouetted against the gray clouds above them. "It's here! Passy! Prepare your shot! Fatestealer, shift your focus to improving her luck!" The team quickly gets ready as Lionel shifts to a much faster-paced tune, and Passy gets to work creating a sphere of yellow energy between her palms. While most Mages might perhaps use a fireball spell for a task like this, instead the Solar Arcanist is creating a trapped ball of reflected light, a beam that gains in intensity every time it bounces off of the barrier holding it in place. It slowly grows ever brighter, and as the team begins to cast shadows onto the snowy ground, she shoots Lyota a look.

"I'm charged!"

Lyota spreads her wings and returns the glance. "Fire!" Passy does so, blasting the monstrous creature above, and Lyota is only moments behind it as she takes into the air. The size of the monster was apparent even from a distance, a creature with a ten-foot wingspan, and Lyota grins as she gets close enough to identify it more specifically. A trained dire bat. Passy's beam of simulated sunlight easily blinds the sensitive creature's eyes, and it's almost enough to knock it out of the air right then and there. It does manage to recover itself before it begins to plummet, but it's unable to stop Lyota from landing herself on its back. Before it can attempt to start a fight about it, the Soul Lasher has already cut the straps fixed to its torso with a short sword, and before the bat even knows what's happened she's already begun diving back towards the ground with her prize in hand. Whether the bat decides to return home or continue its journey is of no concern to her - she has what she's after.

Her party gives her a cheer as she lands once again in the small clearing, snow scattering with the gusting from her wings, and Lionel takes a deep breath now that he can take a break from playing his flute. "Ah, success! So, can we actually see what this relic of ours is now, or must it remain secret?"

Lyota nods. "We must at least confirm that this is indeed a relic and not some sort of decoy. Let us see here..." Opening up the custom-designed satchel, the demon reaches inside and pulls out a large sphere, made of a bronze-like metal. There's a thick crack going around the circumference of it, indicating that it can be split into two halves, but as she inspects it she sees little more to it aside from some runes she's unfamiliar with. "Well...it is very certainly magical. If it were a decoy, I imagine they would have used something either obviously worthless or something designed to look much more...impressive."

"Sounds good enough to me." Wetears ambles over to take a closer look of his own. "Now what? Do we gotta take this thing back south ourselves? Could wreck our cover, if this ain't already done it."

Before Lyota can answer, a woman's voice from the edge of the clearing does it for her. "I think you have much more to worry about than your cover, goblin. Good work, sister - exactly where you said they'd be."

As the Domain party quickly moves into defensive stances, they soon recognize the speaker - Gilda Highbranch, accompanied by the other members of her house's core expedition party. Seeing the five Challengers emerging from the trees, Wetears gives a growl. "Hells! How'd you get so close like that!? Shoulda heard the snow crunching a hundred yards away!"

Gilda rolls her eyes. "We are of elven descent, you know. Besides, Silva here knew exactly how to lead us."

The focus shifts to the woman's twin, and her normally smiling face is instead glaring at Lionel. "Yes. Although this one has been causing me quite the headache this morning. You're a hard man to see, Gambler Bard."

Lionel's own expression is much more pleasant as he answers. "My apologies, I would never intend to make life difficult for a charming young woman. That said, I imagine your own intentions are not quite so pure-hearted."

The Enchantress sneers at the man. "Really? We interrupt you, catch you red-handed - pardon the expression - in the middle of a relic theft and you have the gall to say that we're the ones with impure intentions? Hand over your stolen property and we may allow you to walk free."

Lyota glares at the twins as she holds the relic close. "This item is not House Highbranch property. You have absolutely no standing to confiscate it or to interfere with us."

Gilda shakes her head. "We have all the right in the world to interfere with Domain agents acting against the good of the kingdom. Now, this is your last warning - hand it over or prepare to defend yourselves."

Biting back her first response, the Soul Lasher takes a moment to examine her team and the nobles. Virtually every member of the Highbranch party is equipped for a melee fight, and she's aware that the massive gnoll lurking in the back of the group is said to be a Master-level combatant. Her own team is far more magically-inclined, which would be an advantage in some situations, but not so much one where they've been taken by surprise. They could certainly put up a fight, but casualties would be inevitable, and a victory might almost be its own problem. Killing two high-ranking noble scions...well, it's not something Lyota would care to do without specific orders to that effect. Cursing, she turns back to the half-elf. "...Fine. It seems you have the advantage over us."

"Glad you're a reasonable one, at least." Turning her head, Gilda addresses the dark-clad member of her party. "Randall, would you be so kind as to take possession of the relic?"

"As the lady commands." The rogue gives a somewhat-sarcastic bow before making his way into the forest clearing, but as he begins to approach Lyota realizes there's another issue.

Wincing, she peers more closely at the man. "You - I've heard rumors of you, but...the amount of sin you carry? Murder...so much blood on your hands..."

Although he doesn't stop his approach, Randall does frown at her words. "Aye, well don't you go passing any judgment on me now, demon. We're both agents of those who pay us the proper amount of coin, aren't we? Besides, you just need to hand that prize over and head on home, and then you'll never need to see me again, isn't that right?"

"I am no mercenary, killer. I - gnnnhh!" As the man walks up to her and places one hand on the bronze sphere, the sensations of the man's sins finally become too much for her. Without thinking, her instincts tell her to lash out at the man, to STOP HIM FROM STEALING THE PROPERTY OF HER LORD. One hand rakes at his face, her claw-like nails digging furrows into the surprised rogue's cheek, even as her wings and legs send her leaping backwards. When her senses return she sees him standing there groaning, one hand pressed to his bleeding cheek while the other still holds on to half of the relic. The interior of the now-split sphere has an interesting design, an onion-like arrangement of layered runes, but unfortunately she hardly has time to inspect it right now. Looking down at her own hand she finds that the other half of the treasure is still in her possession, and another glance tells her that the Highbranch team has already begun drawing their blades. "Hold! I - I acted without thinking!"

"Yeah, well, you've gone and done it now, haven't you?" Randall looks back towards his employers as his wound drips out through his fingers and into the snow. "Permission to give this spy a scar to remember me by, my ladies?"

Gilda gives a shrug. "I suppose that would be fair, wouldn't it? And fury demons are all about proper punishment, I believe." Silva however turns towards her sister with an upset look.

"Gilda! I - I told you I saw things going poorly if a fight began! Just have them hand the rest of it over and let them leave!"

Randall seems far less inclined to let things go so easily, though. "Blood's already been spilt, my lady. Besides, I'm not one for starting fights - just ending them." The next time he begins to approach Lyota there's a dagger in his hands, and the rest of the Domain party begins to ease into combat stances of their own. Before he can go more than two paces he's interrupted by a shout from a noble - but the man is taken by surprise as he realizes that this voice is masculine.

"Hold, there! Now, isn't this something. We came out here to investigate a flashing light in the sky, and we find all sorts of unpleasantness. Now, what do you say we all calm down - and make sure that treasure is returned to its rightful owners." Arlon Perlin's voice is steady as he addresses the clearing, and as the other ten Challengers look over in his direction they see him backed up by the rest of his expedition team. Raylin and Sansie are both prepared to begin firing upon the group, as Taylim stands with his shield ready and Priest Redbeard quietly chants to his goddess.

Groaning, Randall speaks for just about everybody. "Well. Now isn't this a problem."