"By the gods!" Marsh exclaimed as he was assailed by his patient. Due to the commotion in the sickbay and the sudden burst of shattering glass, the guards outside burst through the door.
It was Jonesey and another man that Neustadt had never seen before.
"Whas all this then?" Jonesey shouted as she looked upon the scene.
"She's hysterical! Restrain her!" Marsh commanded as he fought against the seemingly possessed Neustadt.
Jonesey and the man moved up and pried the rabid engineer of their physician and violently threw her against the wall so that she tumbled onto the floor.
"I knew ye's was changed! Now yer just a freak!" Jonesey shouted as she pulled out a baton and was about to get hammering on Silke when Marsh grabbed her by her hand.
"No!" he exclaimed. He looked at Neustadt and corrected his glasses. "Miss Neustadt...?" was the only thing that escaped his mouth.
Neustadt was breathing sharply and painfully on the floor, sort of frozen in place after being overpowered. She looked up at them and soundlessly mouthed, "it hurts." Upon realizing her own muteness, she tried to speak again, and then rather forcefully, but nothing came out but a wheezing rush of air. She put her head in her hands, and it began to bob up and down, a crooked smile on her face. She was laughing and crying at the same time.
The sudden ignition of engines and the movement of the vehicles got the demon to cock his head, the situation quite strange to him. It was an odd sensation, moving toward a location without any input from his mind or body. It was similar to how he was able to hover, but even then that took a slight amount of effort for him to keep up where this was purely automatic as far as he was concerned. Experiencing this new wonder got him feeling quite jovial, or at least his equivalent as he thoroughly enjoyed the conversation with the soldier kind enough to explain to him how said vehicles tended to work. To a demon who covets knowledge, every small fact or tidbit was deeply interesting to Therasmus, so he was quite grateful to the soldier for filling him in. He didn't even have to work for such information!
Once it had appeared like they had reached their destination, he took in his surroundings with an equal amount of wonder. Of course this only registered as the slightest smirk on his illusory form, but it was more than he normally decided to show. As they grew silent he could only assume a new arrival had come to greet him, and once he turned to face him he gave a firm nod. Thankfully he had enough excursions to the waking world to understand what a handshake was, to which he responded to in kind. Though, Högborg might have been able to notice that his grip was a little dainty. "Pleased to meet you, good sir." he states. "I am Therasmus, and I am thoroughly humbled by the hospitality of the men of this vessel."
So he doesn't care about resurrecting any of the other gods to help us. Only restoring his friends. More than likely using god's souls, considering they're far more powerful than demons. Underhanded. Krantz sipped some more from his cup, before speaking again. "And what happens after Faryyn and Shalo are restored?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. It was likely that they'd assist against Raum, but what happens after that? Or even before Raum has been eliminated? One of them was a blood god, whom the group had only seen once and that Mannfred had a deep connection with.
Cattapoli, Revenant
"Well, depending on how things work out, they will be most helpful in the fight against Raum if they are revived before a confrontation. After that, well, I suppose we'll continue to travel the Lost Sea. I'm sure they'll wish to restore a modicum of their past lifestyle, as would I," he explained. "Finding a new home to reside in would be a top priority. There are many suitable islands in this Sea, and the Cattan Islands could be... well, I hesitate to say guided, but advised on certain matters. Shalo and I already have a connection to the islands. We'll find ready followers there to help us."
The Old World was not ready for their arrival, and he didn't think there would ever be a point where their arrival would be without pain. If they did go there, it would have to be under a great deal of disguise. Their best option was to pretend to be rich, eccentric nobles, but even then there were some flaws and dangers. The Old World was volatile - they would simply be more oil to the fire.
"Speaking of Shalo... I have arranged for her to visit us. She's been planning to join the expedition, but I asked her to come early. To meet you. I figured you would appreciate it. She'll be here soon, I expect."
"Ahhh." responded Krantz, before taking another sip from his cup. So Shalo's coming here to meet me? I guess its better than more demons like Therasmus. "Well, while we wait, I was wondering about something else. You said earlier that whatever my first lieutenant had came into contact with wasn't Abyssal." he asked. "You also mentioned that there's probably very few gods still alive. Do you have a rough guess of who it is, based off whatever she did at the meeting?"
Jäger frowned and nodded. He placed his hands on the railing. "This sea takes a toll on all of us. Physical and mental aptitude matters not but rather the strength of numbers and camaraderie. To be honest, without the strong hearts and minds of my crew I would have left a long ago."
He chuckled. "Then again, this sea isn't all madness. I have seen things I never would believe, things that so many think of as mere stories and myths." Jäger looked at Sabine. "It's quite amazing, is it not? To sail these seas linking the Old World and its many legends together."
As Jäger spoke the Raven approached the Blixtvåg. Soon enough the party onboard would be able to make out individual figures standing atop of the vessel. Marines on guard duty mostly, though some appeared to be sailors and engineering crew. Nearby a small detachment of marines were seen conversing with several Niakoman guardsmen in a casual fashion. Most of the marines had shouldered their rifles and several of them also wore their helmets strapped to their hips.
Some even had their hands tucked deep in their pouches. It was clear that despite the chaos at the capital the Niakomans were at ease. Jäger made a quick comment regarding the Niakoman guardsmen and praised them for their discipline- which he had witnessed the night before.
Jäger then waved at several sailors standing at the aft of the Blixtvåg. One of the sailors returned the gesture with a salute before yelling into a console, prompting another sailor close-by to begin the proccess of opening up the aft bay doors. After some tricky navigation the helmsman aboard the Raven managed to secure the craft with the help of several teamsters and sailors. Jäger offered his arm to Fallensteller and the two of them disembarked with Mesahri and Yarah following closely behind.
Walking through the aft hangar was far from calm. The vehicles that hadn't been deployed to the capital were currently being readied with extra armor plating being mounted to metal loops and connectors across the trucks, jeeps and recon vehicles. At the same time the menacing Gothian heavy drills were also being prepared with one even spinning its massive drills while a crew of combat engineers and mechanics observed.
Jäger quickly explained to Mesahri that the vehicles were capable of drilling through fortifications to either raze them or create holes from which infantry forces could enter. He also explained that during its last war with Pavlovia the Gothian forces had used the same drills to great effect as the Pavlovian forces could do little to repel such a heavy vehicle and the flamethrower assault which often accompanied it.
Nearing the hangar exit the four of the passed by a group of soldiers at a walled off firing range filled with walls, barricades, furniture and targets. The soldiers were clad in a heavy front-facing plate armor with extra armor on their left arms. Jäger stopped to observe the soldiers. Most of them had their helmets strapped to their hips and wore simple woven hoods with two small holes for their eyes- similar to that of a executioner.
They were armed with Gothian submachineguns equipped with bayonets and small shields to protect the hand closest to the muzzle. Instead of swords they carried daggers and machetes. All of the soldiers also carried a pistol at their hip. Judging by their rapid movements and unconventional, and intimate, ways of navigating past the obstacles it was clear that these soldiers in particular were part of some kind of special unit.
"The Cavaliers," said Jäger. He grinned. "Kahleen´s pet project. They are some of the best soldiers I have." He looked at Fallensteller. "Trained in marksmanship, city warfare, trench-clearing and amphibious assault. Once we set foot on Nadesh these men will be our arrowhead." Judging by his tone it was quite clear that Jäger was proud of these soldiers.
Moving on the party finally left the hangar and after a short stroll they arrived at the conference room. There were no sign of Yarah's feast from the night before. Instead there was a massive buffet fit for a king, a queen and their court. Grilled chicken and fish paired with potatoes and rice covered one part of the table while vegetables, soups and a large meat stew covered the other.
Gold plates, forks, spoons and knives drew the ire of the guests while a team of servants carrying exotic wineglasses and premium drinks from all corners of the Old World awaited the order to begin serving the guests.
Jäger helped Fallensteller and Mesahri to their seats before circling around the table to help Yarah. He then sat down himself and folded the napkin on his plate alongside his collar. He smiled. "Please, eat."
---
Högborg shook Therasmus' hand firmly and smiled. "Pleased to meet you, Therasmus. I'm glad to hear that the men have behaved so far." He chuckled. If Högborg had nay thoughts regarding the demon or the nature of his true form he kept them to himself. Any bystanders would simply see two men speaking like old colleagues.
"So, do you have any special requests for your accommodations abord the vessel? I know of some vacant rooms that could work well, alternatively one of the observatories." He paused. "Assuming you do sleep, of course."
Cattapoli, Revenant
The admiral nodded slowly. "I have an idea, I think. The captain of this ship, and my second-in-command Elisa Murdoch, is somewhat of a sorcerer herself. A dreamweaver. She can influence and monitor dreams. The fleet is warded so it makes it difficult for anything to physically manifest within the barriers, but entities can - temporarily and with enough power - make visits. The best method is through dreams or waking hallucinations. Imagine a sort of parallel world, in which something could be standing right beside us but we can't see it or interact with it, whereas in dreams they can make themselves visible. Dreams are very powerful and can have many different affects on people - hence the blood cross on the forehead to protect people. Without it, one usually suffers nightmares or strange visions. At worst, this could drive one to death. But it also acts as an entryway for entities on the outside to interact with the dreamer. Which is how I believe your lieutenant has come about this corruption."
"Based on what Murdoch has detected and shared with me, as well as from my own senses and past events in the fleet, I think she is in contact with god named Veritas. Several years ago he had made contact with us out of the blue, but I had to drive him away due to his irregularities," Mannfred explained. It went deeper than that, but Krantz had no reason to assume as much.
"A sort of chaos god. Not inherently malicious, but one which enjoys theatrical disorder. His greatest enemy would be schedules, from experience. Some of the biggest trouble we've encountered from him were all of our clocks being changed and schedules disappearing or being changed as well." He then pointed to the chalkboard. "Look at the bottom left corner of the board. See that symbol? A simple rune I had to make to keep the boards protected from something interfering with it magically."
"Two more pieces of evidence is that her eye color is yellow, which rules out Abyssal tampering which is usually red or black. Likewise, at the meeting today she performed some sorcery with her voice. A simple spell which made her words the most agreeable so that people would believe her. I'm rather unhappy with that, as I'm sure you can understand the implications of someone being able to influence another's mind so easily. Its not mind control - but if you were hungry and on duty, and I told you to get something to eat, you wouldn't think twice of abandoning your station to get some food. Its like that. Just a method of compelling one to believe her on already existing feelings. Most already thought Ackermann was mad, so she took advantage of that. Whether she was aware of her use of it or not is concerning for different reasons. If she isn't controlling it, then she needs to be coached. Its dangerous for magic to simply be random like that."
"I think Fallensteller is guilty of the accusations," he said finally. "Though I think perhaps that is something we should discuss later. With that in mind, and with Von Strauss defending her, it would make sense for a being like Veritas to want her to sow doubt and discord. I'm not certain on this conclusion, but its what I am inclined to believe. She should be watched, but she is not an enemy. Of course, the question exists as to why she is in contact with this being. My guess would be the god simply desires the conflict and saw her as a willing vessel to stir up some chaos. Typically, people don't change much from their true inner selves. Gods, for example, simply target existing parts of a person and play off of those points no matter how small that part of them is. They can turn a single ember into a blazing inferno."
Niakoma, Blitzwave
Yarah looked around at all the soldiers, sailors, and machinery with some considerable awe. She had already had a glimpse of some of this earlier, but seeing everything in action like this was a little overwhelming. Preparation for war in her time was much simpler. This was almost madness. She couldn't even guess what half of the tools and equipment were even for, and she realized very quickly just how different warfare had become. Some still carried swords she noticed, but she doubted they were worth much anymore.
However, seeing the grand buffet and feast set up in the conference room caused her to light up even more. Her eyes went wide as she surveyed the food, and she couldn't help from licking her lips with her long pointed tongue - something which she had never transformed with her appearance. She refrained from doing anything as Jager directed her to sit down, but when he told them they could eat she wasted no time. She waved over several of the servants for three separate drinks. Yarah reached out and grabbed some pieces of nearly everything. It appeared she had a rather voracious appetite today for someone who said they didn't need to eat much.
The demon withdrew his hand and put it behind his back with his other one, pondering on the offer for further accommodations or personal requests on his part. "Ah, most excellent. One of those 'observatories' sound rather lovely, if my stay in one of them can be arranged. And as for personal requests I quite enjoy any and all reading material you can offer me." he states rather plainly. "If it is not too much trouble, of course."
"...I'll keep a very close eye on her." said Krantz, before sipping from his cup. A god of chaos? And she can persuade people to do things? Has she ever used it on me besides at during the meeting? "So far, nothing has been altered on the Eisenstrasse to my knowledge. Schedules and clocks are still the same." he said, before checking his watch. it was the right time, still, compared to the clock in the room.
After putting it away, he looked back up. "I'm sure Veritas will get his fill of chaos from the coming battle. Be it in general or through Von Strauss." he said. "It also explains why she wants to be on the ground in the fighting."
Cattapoli, Revenant
"I think so as well. Combat is perhaps the most chaotic aspects of life, so it would make sense that she wishes to be apart of it. One further point I would like to caution about her would be the possibility she may try to form a cult. Not necessarily a bad thing, but something which should be monitored. One thing which separates a religion from a cult out here is simply the number of followers. Von Strauss may find other like minded persons to interact with," Mannfred explained, leaning back in his seat. "Depending on the circumstances, this could be helpful or harmful. Vague, I know, but these things always are."
He spoke with Krantz a little longer before he glanced towards the door finally. "Shalo is here."
Sure enough, just a few seconds later there was a knock on the door. The admiral called out for them to enter.
In stepped a Niakoman in ceremonial gear - a tight set of crimson robes, enshrouding them fully while their face was hidden behind a featureless white mask - while in their arms was a velvet pillow. Laying on this pillow was Shalo herself. She was a fluffy white house cat, with strikingly blue eyes and long whiskers. She had a large blue ribbon tied around her neck, ending in a large bow which had a small diamond in the center of it. Her fur was neatly groomed and brushed, and for a cat she looked almost like a monarch.
The Niakoman set the pillow, and Shalo, down on the table. They bowed and left the room.
"Well, well. Its been a while Viktor. I wasn't expecting to make an entrance until tomorrow, I hear the weather is supposed to be quite wonderful," she said, her voice smooth and richly accented. She certainly sounded like she could be a monarch. "I was rather hoping for a little celebration, though I suppose that can't be helped. I've brought along some wine anyways."
She then looked over to Krantz.
"Hello there, captain. Viktor filled me in a little. You're quite the nosey one," she laughed. "Ah, well. A pleasure to meet you of course."
Despite Shalo's regal air, there wasn't really any sensation that affected Krantz when meeting her. Farryn was a bit of a shock, but that was of course the first god they had all met. Shalo was said to be weakened, and while she certainly had a fancy attitude about her, she was still just a cat from the looks of it. Still, there was a bit of excitement that coursed through his veins just by being near a goddess. It was hard to suppress such a reaction.
Krantz mostly had the urge to pet Shalo, but refrained from it. It'd probably be rude since she was a goddess. "A pleasure to meet you as well, Lady Shalo. After the events of the past few days, its hard not to be untrusting and suspicious of people." said Krantz, setting his cup on the table next to his field cap. "I'm apologize for being the reason you were brought out ahead of schedule."
He knew how to deal with regal types, considering he had met quite a few at formal dinners back home in Ungria.
Cattapoli, Revenant
It didn't seem like a good idea to pet her, given that she didn't seem the type to enjoy unsolicited petting. Still, she was rather fluffy and almost cute.
"Its no bother, really. There isn't much that goes on around here anyways. I can always have a smaller party tonight, and another tomorrow," she explained, waving her paw around like it were her real hand.
"Viktor figured you would have some questions, and that it would ease your mind to meet me. I'm sure he's already explained a great deal," she chuckled.
The Niakoman reentered the room, quietly carrying two small silver bowls. One appeared to have red wine in it, while the other was a rather appetizing looking dish of chopped meat and vegetables, sauteed in some sort of sauce with spice. The portion size was tiny - she was a cat, after all - but it looked like a miniature meal of a noble. Shalo stepped off the pillow and took a bite of the meal before looking back up at Krantz.
"So, ask away dear boy."
"Well, Mannfred has explained to me a few things before you arrived. Him being a demon and a scavenger of sorts, his plans to restore you and Faryyn to your original forms using divine objects and souls, the possible plans for you and Faryyn after you're restored, and my first officer being aligned with a chaos god by the name of Veritas." said Krantz, sitting back in his chair. "One of my questions for you would be what are you? I know that Faryyn is a blood god, as the Admiral has told us before, so I'm curious as to what you are the goddess of."
Cattapoli, Revenant
"Ah, I make no claim over any particular domain. Well... not really. You can simply consider me a goddess of wealth. Good living," she explained, taking another bite of her food. "I have - and had - a lot of powers. But nothing specific in terms of the likes of Farryn, or Raum, or Dove, or Apocryhpa, and many of the others. Not all gods and goddesses take on domains that they are known for. Blood, justice, murder, nature. All areas some focused on, becoming patrons of these things. Others, like me, did not."
"Of course, that doesn't mean others don't apply labels for what they see some deities as. I've been called many things. Not all flattering. Its appropriate to consider me a goddess of wealth, but you could also consider me a goddess of summoning. Of all my divine skills, that was my strongest trait. There was no demon I couldn't summon and bind," she purred. "... except for one."
Except for one? Mannfred mentioned greater demons back at Campo Diablo, but there was one that could challenge a god's powers? "I'm sure your summoning powers and knowledge will be put to good use against Raum's forces." said Krantz. And likely put to use by members of the fleet. "As for being a goddess of wealth, I'm sure you'd get along quite well with the royal families and corporate millionaires back home. In fact, most of the Pracht family from my homeland live rather lavish lifestyles. I, on the other hand, am more of a utilitarian." he added.
"So who was this one demon that you couldn't control? Did he survive Raum's onslaught?" he said after a moment, letting his hands rest in his lap.
Fallensteller and Mesahri sat themselves down, exchanging more knowing glances as Yarah continued to make a fool of herself. Calmly, the Captain collected some items which looked appealing while also summoning some deep red wine; Mesahri followed her lead, knowing that the Captain would be considered well-mannered and worth imitating. The food was absolutely sumptuous, the savory smells wafting over those present as they picked up their utensils. For Mesahri, this was some of the most luxurious food she had ever tasted. Between each bite, she only had words of praise for Jäger and his wonderful underwater vessel.
To Fallensteller, it was surprisingly underwhelming, given how delicious it all appeared. She didn't let it show.
"Now that food is served and we have our drinks, I expect you'll send away the service?" Fallensteller inquired after a while, as she worked her fork into an especially flaky salmon filet. "Of course, we have matters to discuss of the utmost secrecy."
Cattapoli, Revenant
"I've been friends with plenty of royals. Financed many of them, too. Most were pretty stuffy and uninteresting. Some a bit more energetic. Regardless, they all came to me seeking fortune, prestige, and excitement," she said with a little laugh. "The amount of little kingdoms I had in my pocket was enough that I should have been Empress, now that I look back. Politics never interested me much, though, so I avoided such dull topics."
When he asked about the demon, she glanced up at Mannfred who just nodded.
"Well, Captain Krantz, you're sitting at the table with him. Viktor - well, Calcifer, though we don't say that name around people - was mine for a time. Went through quite a number of sacrifices, time, and heartache to manage it. And then one day he simply broke the binding. Scared me half to death, sent everyone else into quite the panic."
Mannfred glanced over at Krantz. "I am the only demon to have ever broken the curse of my kind, which is that our names do not belong to us. Once you know a demon's name, you can bind them. Control them. I transcended such boundaries so that I could act of my own will, without any risk of being summoned and bound. I own my name," he explained with a touch of emotion.
Niakoma, Blitzwave
Yarah-kei didn't care too much about the more proper and polite manners Fallensteller and Mesahri showed at the table. What was the point in that? She wasn't around Shalo to be forced into it. She could act as she wanted. There were no gods here, just some silly mortals and an undead.
The succubus gnawed on a chicken leg, flensing the meat from the bone with her black serpentine like tongue. When she finished it, only the bone remained. Not a scrap of meat or skin left on it. Finished, she set it into a small pile of other bones and dined on more of the food.
Krantz raised his eyebrows, shifting his gaze back to Mannfred. Wait a minute, HE's the demon she's talking about? If he's that damn powerful, the question of why they were even needed comes right back up. Unless his human shell can't take it. That would explain it. He uses too much power, and it breaks his disguise. And he needs that for the rest of the fleet. "That explains quite a lot." commented Krantz, before looking back to Shalo.
"Well...I guess you've have answered most of the questions I've got. The rest I can figure out on my own. Do you plan on bringing anyone else into the fold?" he asked, looking between the pair. "I'd rather leave my first officer out of this as she's under someone else's influence, it seems."
Högborg nodded. "We have some books inside the ship library. I'm sure Dr. Wahlbäck could complement them with a selection of books related to medicine, healing and the Human anatomy as a whole. The marines also have some books regarding military tactics as well."
He eyed Therasmus with a neutral expression. "I'll make sure to have it sent to the library- it's in close proximity to the observatories. You'll have unlimited access to the area."
"Anything else?"
---
Jäger nodded and wiped his mouth. He looked at the kitchen staff. "Leave us."
Without a word the servants departed, placing their trays at a nearby table separate from the one ocuppied by the party. Jäger glanced at Yarah but didn't say anything. It looked as if he was deep in thought. He then looked at Fallensteller. "I suppose I would need to work on my cover story for her, no?"
Jäger chuckled. "Forgive me Mesahri but as you surely understand at this point the fleet politics are somewhat difficult. Sometimes a small lie is required, unfortunately."
"We can now speak freely."
"You said she's Zamerian, but I'd have rather believed Alsatian... given that pile of bones before her and the chain you lead her by, haw haw," Fallensteller joked, and Jäger was the only one at the table who understood the meaning of it. She clarified: "I know she's a demon, Captain. The way you brought her along for the whole fleet to see was rather bold; you must be very confident in your control over her. What I'd like to know is how you did it. Did the Admiral teach you, or did you consult someone outside the fleet? ...It was Shalo, wasn't it?"
The change in Fallensteller's demeanor was immediate and unwholesome. While she questioned him, her queries guided by forces unseen, Jäger could immediately sense the wrongness, the evil in her eyes, all unrestrained for the first time. At once the outlandish story of torture debated just hours earlier seemed real and immediately present, and yet... Fallensteller would only have led with such questions if there was an element of trust. She had worked so hard to build her alibis that morning, only to begin casting them aside once she was alone with him. Now was not the time to raise the alarm; it was time to dig, and see what sort of depths the Teutonic Captain had sunk to, and, even more importantly, what she learned down there.
Jäger took a bite from some grilled fish before answering. He cleared his throat. "I'm sure you, Therasmus and Mannfred knows what she really is. The others see a trophy wife-" he paused to look Yarah over- "I see a weapon."
He shook his head. "No, the admiral did no teach me. Shalo was the one. Very polite, I'm still not sure why she helped me as much as she did. Perhaps she was bored." Jäger shrugged. "I don't mind it."
Taking another bite he nodded towards Fallensteller. "Do I dare ask how many of the rumors that are indeed true?" Even though he didn't specify it was clear that he didn't believe Fallensteller's entirely in regards to her state of mind.
"Dobbs played his cards too early into the game," said Jäger before sipping from his glass. "Ackermann's statement was more or less discarded as a whole." He glanced at Mesahri before looking at Fallensteller once more.
"You know the truth of the Admiral, don't you? That's why he didn't take action, no?"
Do I dare ask how many of the rumors that are indeed true? Dobbs played his cards too early into the game. Ackermann's statement was more or less discarded as a whole.
Fallensteller took a deep sip of wine and smiled. "I think you've already realized that if any of it were to be true, then all of it would be true." She reached into her overcoat, the same one she had been wearing at the meeting, and pulled out a small, tin canister. She pried the two halves apart, revealing a spool of unlabeled recording wire, which she sat down on the table. Before anything else could be said, she reached into her other pocket and calmly withdrew the Messenger's knife, dangling it between her thumb and index finger flippantly before slipping it back in. "On the bright side, while the things they said of me this morning were largely accurate, there's quite a bit more to the story. Everyone's so frightened of the monster under the bed that they've become blind to the monster right in front of them. Well, I can tell you, I've seen what's under the bed, and it's not at all what you'd expect.
You know the truth of the Admiral, don't you? That's why he didn't take action, no?
"That's right," she answered, "and I'll tell you everything I know, starting with his true name: Calcifer."
Cattapoli, Revenant
"That remains to be seen," Mannfred spoke up. "There are many reasons to remain secretive about this. Partially because it is irrelevant, in a way, to the main mission. My guise as a sorcerer was acceptable enough. Still, to somewhat more accurately answer your question, there are not many more who may be able to understand this information. Jager is one of them, though he appears close to Fallensteller. Dobbs is of course very loyal to the fleet, though a little more... closed-minded in spiritual and supernatural matters. Tobey also seems too close to Fallensteller, and Fontaine is a little more of a wild card in these circumstances. Captain Valdez of the Buttero is a possible candidate. He's an occultist at heart, though his extent of such matters remain with tarot cards, omens, and talismans - and not real ones, either."
"At this moment, there are no others who will be brought into the fold, so to speak. Just people who need monitoring."
Niakoma, Blitzwave
Yarah-kei listened lazily as Fallensteller and Jager talked. The woman remained rather creepy, and Yarah knew she would be a bad influence for Jager to be around. The changes in her expression and other subtleties were concerning enough, and it seemed that it was true that she tortured that crazy man. If the accusations of her being in line with Raum were also true as they apparently seemed, then she was a dangerous woman indeed. She'd have to have a little chat with Jager on this.
She perked up a little more when Shalo was mentioned, unable to ignore the name of her prior and long-time master. The succubus was midway through eating a biscuit when Fallensteller revealed the admiral's true name - Calcifer.
Yarah coughed on her piece of bread, swallowing it roughly and setting what remained of it in her hand on her plate. Her eyes watered up and she stared at Fallensteller.
"He is Calcifer?!" She spluttered, voice horse. "Oh fuck!"
"Absolutely splendid! Did the captain tell you to persuade me into making this place a permanent home?" the demon joked. Or perhaps it was a legitimate question? "Regardless, this all sounds quite fantastic. I am somewhat familiar on the subjects you listed yet it has been... quite some time since I have stepped in this realm. So long that I am not even certain of the exact amount of time, yes." Therasmus states somewhat wistfully, gaze looking off to the side as he ponders.
"In the Abyss, everything is so stagnant. You will be lucky to find something that has plunged itself into the realm for less than hundreds of years, after all. For that reason it is always so interesting to leave that damned place, to see how time and fate have advanced or eroded the other realms. It is... enlightening in some respects, and yet I feel like there is less progress to be made here than within that pit of malice." He puts on a rather deliberate scowl, an almost unnatural look considering he has been able to practice smiling far more. It soon fades when he realizes he is ranting. "I digress... Or was I? Who is keeping track at this point..? Hm. No, there will be nothing else from me - thank you, sir Högborg,"
Seeing the recording and the knife confirmed it. My next steps must be carefully chosen.
Jäger stared the objects with a neutral expression but once Calcifer was mentioned he couldn't hide his emotions and was visibly taken back. Before he could say anything Yarah choked on a piece of bread.
"Well," said Jäger while placing one of his hands on Yarah's left hand. "This is quite the revelation. Yarah, tell Fallensteller what you told me about Calcifer and Shalo. A brief summary, we can spare the details for later..."
Niakoma, Blitzwave
It took the succubus a second to catch her breath and stop panting. That man... was Calcifer. A legend to all in Shalo's court, and even among demons elsewhere once his story spread through them. He had never become a demon king but everyone, be they war demons or kitchen demons, expected him to declare himself as one. It was hard for her to even comprehend that he was, in fact, alive. Did that mean Farryn was nearby? And if this woman was on the side of Raum then....
For the first time in many years, she began to feel real fear.
When Jager ordered her to talk, she wasn't even sure what to say. She didn't want to say anything.
"He's... he's a greater demon. Mistress Shalo wanted to be the first to bind a greater demon so she summoned one, and the process was... rough. That demon was Calcifer. Eventually, after several years, one day he simply broke the bindings. The first and only demon to have ever done so. He decided not to kill Shalo, and eventually became friends with Farryn, and her too. The three of them were close. He is..." she wanted to say a hero, but knew that wasn't going to go over well with this woman here, and perhaps even Jager wouldn't like it. The only creature she would want as a master. Calcifer the Unbound. A real demon king.
"...incredible."
"At this moment, there are no others who will be brought into the fold, so to speak. Just people who need monitoring."
"Right. Well, Jäger will more than likely be used by Fallensteller. I knew that the second he volunteered to keep an eye on her. He thinks he's a ladies' man, and he might just be one back home...but Fallensteller is a different kind of woman. I think Dobbs could be swayed with some effort. Tobey is in this for himself, that's pretty clear. If he's with Fallensteller, its for some sort of personal gain. I'd say the same for Fontaine, considering where he's from and who he works for." said Krantz, thinking out loud for a moment.
After a pause, he spoke again. "I've not dealt with Valdez, really, so I'll take your word on him."
While Therasmus wasn't particularly interested in politics and wars they did serve as a good backdrop and explanation for the motivation of many. Be it individuals, groups, or whole armadas a history of conflict was enough to shape them. For that reason it was met with a slightly less amount of enthusiasm, but he was enthused all of the same. If anything his capacity to ramble and question himself was outweighed by his listening skills, as most anyone could detail whole speeches on any subject to him and he'd be engaged throughout the whole duration.
Once they had arrived he took stock of the inner workings of the vessel, turning his heel and arcing his head about as he appeared to be quite impressed. "Ah, yes. Does the captain have plans for me or am I to retire to my quarters now?" he asks.
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