Where magic is hiding

Acedia stared at the fan on the ceiling.  It was going full speed, trying to clear out the wisps of smoke from the room.  The chimney of the stove caught most of it, but there was always a little escaping to try to fill the basement room.

Yvonne was the cook for the satanists.  And the orphans.  Because of course she was.  The woman had cried through the night, but dragged herself out of bed early in the morning to cook for everyone.  The children who barely knew she existed, and the cultists who were planning on murdering her.

And of course for one useless demon who couldn’t change anything.

“More soup is okay right?”  Yvonne said as she stirred the pot.  “I’m afraid we don’t have much.  The master spent most of the money creating a revered one, so we’ve had to make due.”

Acedia muttered something non committal.  She didn’t really feel like eating.  She didn’t feel like much of anything.  Even wanting to die was too much effort right now.

Was this Gula’s revenge she wondered.  To have a string of people she couldn’t help, that she couldn’t save, all reminding her of her lost sister.  Or maybe Gula was trying to help her still, from wherever demons went when they died.

Either way it was torture to her.  Because she couldn’t be helped.

“Alright.”  Yvonne ladled out two bowls of soup.  “It’s still a bit hot, even for a revered one.  So be careful.”

Acedia stared at the broth, steam rising.  She could already tell the woman had put more of the meat into Acedia’s bowl rather than her own.  But then that made sense.  They were going to kill her for being charitable after all.

After a moment’s thought Acedia swapped the bowls.  “I’ll take this one.”  It was still a poor last meal, but Acedia didn’t need to eat.  Yvonne might as well have it.

“As you wish, revered one.”  Yvonne seemed confused but her naivety meant she didn’t question Acedia.  Which was good, because the bindings would have forced her to lie.  She might not be able to escape the will of humans, but she wasn’t going to help the bastards who enslaved her mind.

Yvonne coughed hesitantly.  “It… should be ready, revered one.”

Acedia looked down at the soup.  She didn’t feel hungry, but she knew Yvonne would be more miserable if she didn’t eat.  So she tasted a spoonful.

The soup was spicy.  Yvonne had obviously added some of those peppers from the New World to cover the lack of ingredients.  But it still had some body.  Gula would have forced Yvonne to remake the whole thing, but Gula refused to work without all the ingredients she needed.  And then some.

She noticed Yvonne was looking at her expectantly.  “It’s alright.”

The woman beamed.  “I’m glad to hear it, revered one!”

Looking at the woman smiling at her, something cracked in Acedia.  It wasn’t anything that gave her hope.  Or even something that made her care about herself.  But she just felt sick and tired of the false reverence.  The lie that the world was feeding this woman.  Hell all creation.  “I’m Acedia.  Not a revered anything.”

“But-“

“Call me Acedia,” she commanded.

Yvonne blinked, but bowed her head.  “Yes, re- Acedia.”

Acedia turned back to her soup, forcing herself to eat.  She didn’t know why she’d done that.  She didn’t even know what that was supposed to accomplish.  But the bitter chunk of her heart for once approved.

“I can’t believe the ritual will be complete today,” Yvonne gushed in between mouthfuls.  “It’s too bad I can’t tell the children.”  Yvonne sighed.  “They haven’t been given the truth you see.  The master worked to teach them the precepts of the faith but in a more acceptable context.  Perhaps once we win the great victory we can give them everything they need to know.”

“I’m sure things will change,” Acedia muttered.  The kids had probably been trained to be good little cultists.  Fanatical and unwilling to judge their superiors.  The nice would be manipulated into sacrifices, the greedy and cruel into tools for their master.

Acedia wondered if this group’s current master had been trained the same way.  Or maybe she’d just been a normal cultist until the terror of an angel hunting her down caused her to lose her mind.  It didn’t really matter though, did it?  The disaster was going to be the same.

She looked over at Yvonne.  She could try to distract the woman perhaps?  Send her out shopping or something to make this so-called master’s plot a little more difficult?

The binding on her tongue throbbed before she could even voice the thought.  She slumped.  Even that was forbidden it seemed.

Yvonne looked at her.  “Is something wrong, re- Acedia?”

Despair soaked through her, but this time there was something more.  Anger.  Hate.  “I’m tired.  Tired of being owned by humans.  Tired of this story repeating endlessly.”

“I’m sure when the great one is-“

Acedia whirled on Yvonne.  “When it’s summoned it’ll fight with the angels, and in the end a lot of people will die, and everything will go back to being the same, only more miserable!  I’m tired of it!  Tired of good versus evil.  Tired of being the pawn in humanity’s chess game against itself!”

The woman cringed before her anger, and Acedia deflated again.  “Whatever.  It doesn’t matter.”

They finished eating in silence, Yvonne giving her concerned looks.  It only made the sorry mess more awkward.  When they finished Yvonne took the bowls to the sink, before the two walked out into the antechamber.

Acedia grimaced as she saw the lead cultist there.  The woman sickened her, and Acedia had hoped she wouldn’t have to see her until after everything had gone to hell.  Yvonne of course was happy.  “Master.  Is there something we can do?”

The woman smiled in return and Acedia’s blood chilled.  “Yes you can, my dear foolish Yvonne.  You can die.”  The hateful knife with red runes appeared in her hands and time seemed to freeze.

It was foolish to be surprised.  Acedia had known this was coming since yesterday.  And yet seeing the knife, the horrible truth finally became real.  Once again someone was going to die.  And once again she was powerless to stop it.  She couldn’t even feel self loathing anymore.

Yvonne was still confused of course.  The woman had been conditioned well.  Yet as the cult master wound up for a stab Acedia could sense her slow understanding.  The loss of faith.  The acceptance of death.  It called to her being.  Acedia for Acedia.

And that was what broke her.

I will not feed on her death just for some morality play!

She stepped forwards.  She was a weak demon, but she was still stronger than a human.  As both the women gasped she swung her fist right towards the cult master’s throat.  I will kill you for using me.

She expected to fight the bindings, but instead they pulled her forwards.  Of course.  This would be consoling Yvonne.  Such a foolish command.  It was a bitter irony that she used humanities commands to free herself, but she was willing to accept that.

Her fist rushed forwards as time accelerated back to its normal flow.  The cult master stepped back, but Acedia was faster.  She was going to end this!

Pain exploded in her hand as a blood red shield appeared before her.  It shot down her arm as her punch stopped cold.  Of course.  A magician would be protected against something as weak as a punch.

The shield faded and she saw the cult master’s sneer a moment before the horrid knife tore into her side.

Crimson pain filled her eyes.  She staggered and looked down.  It had missed her heart, but it was lodged in her lungs.  Unlike before the runes weren’t trying to bind her.  They wanted her dead.  She wasn’t sure how much she could survive.  But this wound was fatal.  She’d die slowly, but she would die.

The cultist’s mocking eyes swam in her fading vision.  “What a worthless gesture.” 

Worthless.

Useless.

No.  Not this time.

She reached down and grabbed the blade’s hilt.  Sin demons weren’t strong for demons.  But they were stronger than any human.

Pain seared through her body again as she snapped the blade off in her body.

“Acedia!” Yvonne screamed as she fell to the ground.

The ceiling spun above her as she stared up at it.  She was dying.  Flashes filled her eyes and pops rang through her ears.  For years she’d tried to die, and now that it was finally happening, she didn’t want to.

Yvonne’s face appeared above her.  The woman was crying.  Tears for a demon.  How trite.  And yet a thought squirmed out from the depths of her mind.  Was this what Gula had seen in her last moments?  Had her sister railed against humanity at the end as well?

No.  Gula almost certainly had been worried about her.  About all their sisters.  That was who the woman was.  Acedia was different.

But for the first time she was okay with that.

She blinked and Helena and Camila were looking down at her.  Strange.  Was she that far gone?

“Aoi!  I need some help!” Helena yelled.

To Acedia’s surprise the shrine maiden appeared over her as well.  “You’re real?” the demon managed to mutter through the blood.

“Yes,” Aoi said.  “We’re real.  Now hold still.  We’re going to help you.”

Camila leaned back and pain shot through Acedia again.  “Blade’s out.  You sure this was the right thing?”

“Either we heal her or she dies, and the blade makes healing impossible,” Helena said.  “Keep an eye out for other cultists.  I think they’re retreating but we can’t afford a surprise.”

“Is- is there anything I can do?” Yvonne asked.  “She saved me from…  She saved me.”

Acedia looked up at the ceiling, away from the woman.  “I didn’t save you.  I did it for myself.”

She felt Aoi’s hand on her shoulder.  “It was for both of you.”

The words were kind.  Soothing.  But she couldn’t accept them.  “I don’t want this to be a redemption story,” she sobbed.

“Nothing to apologize for,” Camila said.  “You just did the right thing because you wanted to.”

The pain was fading.  Her eyes were closing.  “It’s not working,” Helena hissed.  “Damn it Aoi, is there anything we can do?!”

And past all that she felt her name slipping away.  She was no longer the demon of acedia.  The knife was just an ornament.  She’d started dying the moment she threw that punch.  “What am I?”

Someone took her hand.  “You’re the sister of Gula, Invidia, Ira, and many other demons,” Aoi whispered, soothing her like a child.

“You’re my annoying demon friend,” Camila’s voice rang out.  “Just like I’m your annoying dead friend.”  A note of hope behind tears.

A head pressed against her stomach.  “You’re the woman who saved me,” Yvonne cried.

Darkness enveloped her.  The cold was replaced with warmth.  And finally Helena’s voice came through, harsh with grief.  “You’ll find out.  If not this life, then the next.  I, Helena Aoede, swear it.”

Next life?  Did demons get next lives?  She supposed she’d find out.  But there was one thing left.  “Did I stop them?”

“Yes.  We couldn’t have done it without you.”

Acedia smiled as her consciousness faded.  She wasn’t worthless after all.

Helena was nearly manic. She wanted to be out fighting right now. Acedia was out there, along with the cultists and the damned angel summoner. And she wanted to regain her pride and crush them all.

But Camila had been right. They were under equipped, weakened, and clueless. Retreating back to her shop had been the right move. Something Camila had yelled at her as soon as Helena had calmed down.

Aoi carefully set a cup of tea down next to her. “Any luck?”

Helena nodded before taking a sip. The shrine maiden had arrived the morning after they’d stumbled back home, and had helped keep both of them sane. “The spell isn’t too hard. The important part isn’t hurting anyone by accident.”

“So the next time someone tries to make me worthless what’ll happen?” Camila asked from where she’d been sulking. The woman was still furious over losing control, and Helena couldn’t blame her.

“The next person who tries to remove your tag without your permission will suffer the death they fear the most,” Helena said. “Unless they’re just an idiot in which case they’ll receive an unpleasant electric shock.”

Both women stared at her. “That easy?” Camila asked.

“I might have developed a similar spell earlier,” Helena said, turning back to the lines. She needed to make sure it didn’t kill a grabby child or foolish pickpocket.

Camila shook her head, then turned to Aoi. “Any luck finding Acedia?”

“Sorry.” Aoi folded her arms. “I’ve tried all my scrying spells, but I can’t find her.”

“Porra!” Helena winced as Camila went into a blistering string on Portuguese. Even knowing this was her way of staying healthy didn’t make it any less startling. The jiang-shi woman ranted for a good minute before deflating again. “Sorry.”

Helena shook her head. She understood. She wanted to rant as well. But not all of her spells could use her rage as fuel, and she’d learned how to keep her head. “Don’t worry about it.”

It helped that she had another plan. She turned to Aoi. “Try searching with this.” She drew a complex symbol in the air.

Aoi gasped and stared at the symbol. “You found her true name?”

“For situations like this,” Helena said. She looked away. “I know. I know. She just doesn’t hide it well. I needed a counter if someone else used it against her.” A true name gave someone near complete control over a demon. If someone had used that to turn Acedia against them Helena would have needed to use the demon’s true name to break the spell. And even then it would have been difficult.

“You should have told her, Helena.” Aoi’s tone made Helena wince again. “But your reasoning is correct. I’ll try it.”

“Sorry,” Helena muttered before returning to her spell. She needed to focus. To get the last limiting runes set.

It was actually a very complex problem. Which was good. A complex problem was the only thing that could hold her attention. They’d already lost the night, and they were getting towards noon now. Time was ticking.

Still she needed to get this finished. The curse was done. She’d already constructed it and given it its triggering spell. The deterrent for people she didn’t want to kill was mostly done. She’d created the trigger. But she had to have the spell carefully determine how much electricity to hit the person with. A shock that would properly chastise a pickpocket might kill a small child. And she cared a lot more about the child’s life.

Finally Helena figured out a solution. She’d just tie it to a curse that was too weak to be lethal. The curse would determine how much power the defensive spell would use. She sketched the rune together and smiled grimly as it formed. “There!”

She looked up to see Camila impatiently standing behind her. “That good enough for the fight?” Camila asked.

“Yes,” Helena said. “If you’ll let me apply it?” Camila nodded and Helena stuck the defense to the ofuda on Camila’s forehead. “There. We won’t have THAT problem again.”

“Good. I like being myself. Not some murder zombie,” Camila muttered. She hopped to face Aoi. “So where are we going?”

Aoi shook her head, a look of frustration marring her face. That was bad. “It’s not working. I can’t find her anywhere.”

Camila shivered, “Wait does that mean-“

“She’s not dead,” Helena said. “But someone else with her true name is hiding her.” Helena closed her eyes. “And if Aoi can’t find her I can’t do it either.”

“Well then how the hell are we gonna find her?” Camila snapped. She hopped around the map staring over the city. “She’s gotta be somewhere here right?”

“I don’t know.” Helena glared at the map as well. “Damn it,I just don’t know.”

Aoi wrung her hands. “Perhaps we should contact the police? Or the other mages you know?”

Helena hissed in annoyance but nodded. “Both.” She didn’t want help. She really didn’t want to have to beg the other named magicians. But she was out of time! She’d been out of time yesterday, but she’d needed to heal and prepare.

“Wait a sec.” Camila was peering at the map.

Helena grimaced in annoyance. “What?” They were losing time.

“Where’d the other murders happen? The demonic ones,” Camila asked.

Helena peered down, trying to find the intersections. Fortunately Aoi saved her. “Here and here,” the priestess said, pointing at the two locations.

Camila looked around. “Oh. Arms. Can you mark them?”

Helena placed ‘X’s there. “So how will this help?”

The jiang-shi waved her hands over the board. “Like, look at it.”

Helena peered at the map. It did have a certain pattern to it, now that she looked. “It seems like they’re all centered around a single area. But that has to be a coincidence. Whatever they are they aren’t stupid.” Helena grimaced. “We’re also missing a murder. They’re down to one and we only have five marks.”

“So in those serial killer movies like the murders always end up in the shape of a pentagram?” Camila pointed at the board. “It’s dumb as hell outside, but since magic works here….”

“It’s still stupid,” Helena muttered. “But you’re right. It might help the ritual. But why let everyone know where you are?”

Aoi folded her arms. “Because you don’t care if people know where you are if you have a fallen angel doing your bidding.”

Helena stared down at the map. That had to be it. The lines were too perfect otherwise. “And the ritual would start and end in the center! They must have a ward against scrying there to prevent people from noticing. One second!”

Helena grabbed a bowl and ran to the sink before filling it. Scrying in water was damn near useless, but there was one thing it was great at. Finding out where other people had put up protections against scrying. She stared into the bowl, using the map as a guide to her mind. Transforming the ripples into a bird’s eye view of the city. And the water responded, showing her a wavy vision.

Except for a small spot right in the middle.

Helena focused her vision, letting the spell zoom in on the missing area. It was actually large. A big building, surrounded by workhouses. Helena switched to a front view to see the other buildings, and dark portions of the water cleared. “Of course. The basement,” she muttered. “Our Lady of Grace’s Home for Children. Running under an orphanage. How trite. Perhaps they’ll sneak the fallen angel into the city in a big wooden horse as well.”

She turned around to find Camila and Aoi both looking over her shoulder. “We have them,” she said.

“Let’s go then!” Camila said, floating towards the door.

“Wait,” Helena raised a hand. She turned to her Aoi. “I know you don’t want to fight, but can you give us a spell to hide? They’re sure to have a lookout.”

Aoi raised an eyebrow as she pulled out ofuda. “You usually don’t worry about those things.”

“I’m afraid if they see us they might rush the ritual. Or hurt Acedia,” Helena said. They obviously felt like their backs were to the wall. If they felt pressed they might do anything.

“I understand.” Aoi motioned them all closer. As Camila hopped over she explained. “These charms will make us look like birds. A clever observer will see through it, but hopefully we won’t give them time.” She looked at Helena. “I’m coming too. I won’t be able to fight, but if that is an orphanage above I can keep the children safe.”

Camila nodded. “Smart! But you probably should watch out for any cultists hiding there.”

Aoi didn’t look happy but she didn’t back down. “Stay close to me as we fly.” She threw the charms around them.

The illusion was fairly simple, but strong. Helena could see the image of a crane appear where Aoi was, while Camila was hidden under a strange looking hawk. If she wanted to she could probably break the illusion, but she couldn’t see through it at a glance.

“Let’s go then,” Helena began forming messengers to warn the other groups involved while they flew to their target.

The rush through the sky put Helena on edge. They’d wasted so much time already. The fifteen minutes it took to fly there seemed like an eternity.

When they finally arrived at the orphanage she had to force herself to calm down and look the place over. Fortunately it was an easy task to determine where their enemy was. Helena pointed towards a stairway leading down next to the main building. “The scrying wards start there.”

Camila nodded. “What’s the plan?”

“You break in the door and everyone who threatens us gets hurt,” Helena said.

“Good plan.” Camila positioned herself next to the door. “Ready.”

Helena nodded, followed by Aoi a second later. Camila hopped back, then slammed through the door arms outstretched. Helena prepared an attack spell, and flew after.

Acedia stared up at the ceiling, watching the wood spin.

Her head was hurting.  She remembered being hit.  Three times, even though the first had stunned her.  She’d been useless, yet again.  And her reward was a beating.

A head popped up in front of her vision.  A woman.  A familiar woman.  Acedia searched her ringing head for where she’d seen that person before.

“I brought some medicine, revered one,” the woman said.  “The master said you wouldn’t be able to speak for a while because of the spell they hit you with, but I brought some soup as well.  Perhaps it could clear your throat.”

That brought it together.  The woman who’d collided with her that day.  How ironic.  She was going to be killed by satanists.  There was probably a parable here.  One she didn’t want to learn.

The woman shifted her to a sitting position, sending new jolts of pain through Acedia’s body.  At least her wings were free.  She tried to stretch them, but she only managed a spastic twitch.  She let her eyes fall on the woman to show her disapproval, but the woman remained blissfully ignorant.

“I’m Yvonne.  I’m an acolyte.”  She smiled sadly.  “The weakest acolyte I’m afraid.  But I’ll do my best to help you, revered one!”

Acedia tried to sigh, but all she managed was a hiss as pain shot through her again.  What had they hit her with?

Yvonne nodded in sympathy.  “I’m sorry.  The pain should be gone soon though.  Here.”  She held a spoon in front of Acedia.  “Eat this.”

Acedia looked at it for a moment, deciding if she had the strength to eat.  Or maybe she wanted the strength to resist eating?  After a moment’s thought she gave up on that reasoning and just accepted the offering.

The soup was good.  The broth was strong enough to taste the chicken that had been cooked down, and Yvonne had let it cool a bit before serving it.  Probably not enough for a human, but Acedia was better with heat then mortals.

Yvonne continued spooning over soup as she chattered.  “It must have been terrifying, being so close to a magical battle.  And I hear you suffered so many times.  It’s been scary for all of us really, with the angel murdering people.”

Acedia wanted to question the woman on that, but when she tried to bring it up she could only croak.  How pathetic.  She was literally in a room with someone willing to tell her their entire plot, and she couldn’t ask questions.

Through some dark miracle Yvonne managed to guess what she wanted to know though.  “Ah!  You don’t need to worry about the angel.  The master has a plan!  A great plan!”  The woman’s eyes shone with happy fanaticism as she continued.  “We’re going to create a greater revered one to defeat it!  The master has said they’ll be done by tomorrow evening!”

Tomorrow evening?  Well that was a problem.  Acedia didn’t really have a problem with a fallen angel killing that fake angel.  Or either of those real angels.  But she had a feeling the killing wouldn’t stop there.

“The master said with the revered one under our control we can finally get out of the shadows.  The poor foolish ones who trusted the government died because there wasn’t a threat against the angels.”  Yvonne paused to spoon out more soup.  “But with a greater revered one on our side, no one will dare threaten us.”

Yvonne’s words were nonsense, but the soup was really helping.  The ceiling wasn’t spinning anymore, and the pain had gone from piercing to simply dull.  Perhaps it was the woman’s faith that was helping her heal.  Or maybe her nature wasn’t letting her die.  Either way this could be useful.

There was a squeak as the door opened.  Acedia had recovered enough to turn her head and look at the new cultist.

This woman radiated a power and authority Yvonne didn’t.  Her black hair was carefully groomed to frame her dark eyes, and her robes had been tailored for easy movement while still revealing a striking figure.  Yvonne immediately bowed.  “Master.”

“Thank you for your work Yvonne,” the woman said.  “I’m afraid that I must reward you with tragic news.  Blake died of his burns.”

Yvonne gasped, dropping the bowl.  “No!  No….”  Acedia’s wings twitched in sympathy as the woman burst into tears.  Of course she’d have killed the nice woman’s friend.  Well Helena had done it, but the only reason Helena was there was because of her.

The master patted Yvonne on the shoulder.  “Go to him.  I will heal the demon while you pay your respects.”

“Your pardon revered one,” Yvonne said as she picked up the bowl and staggered out.

As soon as the door shut the master’s face twisted into smug disdain.  “Well, now that fool is out of the way.”  She tapped Acedia’s chest and the pain vanished.  “Let’s chat, little demon.”

Acedia’s eyes flickered to where the all too nice satanist had left.  “She’s your backup sacrifice isn’t she.”  She’d heard stories of cults that raised members to be pure enough to serve as sacrificial offerings.

“Clever,” the woman smiled down at her.  “Yes.  The best position for someone so thoroughly stupid, yet incredibly powerful.  Though unfortunately we’re going to have to use our backup this time.”

“I hope one of you develops morals and sabotages the whole thing,” Acedia muttered.  That was the usual result of that horrible scheme.  Most humans couldn’t happily raise other humans like animals then slaughter them.

“You aren’t really showing your loyalty to the forces of darkness,” the woman said with a pout.  A finger tapped on Acedia’s chest and agony washed through her body.  She screamed and blacked out.

A second later her vision returned, wavey through the tears but enough to make out the woman had a knife drawn.  Acedia stared at the blade duly while the woman twirled it.  “Normally I wouldn’t worry about you at all.  You’re a sin demon of acedia.  Those are generally as threatening as a dead cat.  But I can see your sense of self wavering.  Somehow traveling around with a witch and a zombie had made you consider ‘redemption’ or some such nonsense.”

Redemption?  Acedia almost spat a refusal at the woman.  She didn’t want to be redeemed.  She wanted to be free.  To be unchained by human will.

But she was still useless.  Still helpless, and as she looked at the runes of the dagger she began to realize she was going to be more useless than ever.

“I should have left you,” the woman continued, “but you were in between the jiang-shi and the witch.  And the witch needed to die first.  As a fellow magician I know how foolish it is to leave one alive.”  She smiled, and there was no humor in it.  “But since I’m a nice woman I left them to die together.  Well one to die and the other to rampage until she’s killed.  That’s similar.  They were locked in a sweet embrace as we left, so they obviously agreed.”

Acedia’s heart sank.  Two more people dead because of her.  And that meant there was no rescue.  No one was coming to stop this madness.  She stared up at the ceiling.  She was less than useless.  She was a millstone around everyone else’s neck.  Gula, Camila, Helena.  They’d all died wasting their time helping her.

Pain shot through her as the woman yanked her hair to force her to face her tormentor.  “As I was saying,” she growled, “my good deeds have given me some reward.  The ambush killed off the two fools that were being overly sentimental.  But I need to keep Yvonne pure and innocent, or at least charitable, for one more day.  And you, little demon, are going to help me.”

The runes on the blade glowed a hateful red, and then the woman slammed it into Acedia’s stomach.  There was no pain, no, just a hateful numbness as her pathetically limited will was consumed.  Chains of runes encircled her body, waiting for the commands that would bind her.

“My first binding is you will not attempt to escape,” the woman intoned.  Acedia watched the runes flair and chain her ankles.  “The second binding is you shall not speak a word of what you know of my plans to anyone.”  This time her tongue was chained.  “The third binding is you will do what little you can to console Yvonne and keep her ready for the sacrifice.”

The last chains wrapped around her heart and the tears finally started.  Again her heart was bound by human will.  Again her being was someone else’s tool.

The woman withdrew the knife and Acedia mustered what little will she had left to spit at her.  “Three bindings?  You’re a miserable magician.”

“I don’t need more for you,” the woman sneered.

The hateful cultist stood.  “If you do well, I’ll let you become a piece of our fallen angel.  Perhaps the wings.”  She turned her back, and for a single moment Acedia wished she had the power to kill someone.  “I’ll be sending Yvonne here.  Be nice to her.  She’s suffered a terrible shock.”

Acedia pushed herself off the bed, then collapsed as the invisible binds around her feet snapped shut.  She tried her wings, but the mystic binding held there as well.  The cultist laughed at her before sashaying right out the door, leaving Acedia to seethe on the floor.  How could she be so useless!

She lay there, staring at the floor for a long while.  So this was what happened when she tried.

The door opened slowly and Yvonne entered the room again.  Acedia managed to look up enough to see the tear lines on the woman’s face.  “Ah!  Revered one.  Are you alright?!”

“I’m not dead,” Acedia said.  She wasn’t sure if that was good or bad.

“Let me help you up,” Yvonne said, rushing forward.  The woman lifted Acedia and sat her down on the bed.  “Is that better revered one?”

Acedia shrugged.  It didn’t matter, did it?  She was still helpless.

Yvonne sat next to her.  “It must be hard.  So many people treating us like vermin.  Killing us without reason.”  The woman was tearing up again.  “I… I don’t understand how people can be so brutal!  Why don’t they understand the freedom we offer?!”

Irony dripped from Acedia’s tongue as she replied.  “It’s easy to be fooled by liars offering hope.”

“But then what can we do, revered one?”  Yvonne looked up at her.  “What hope do we have?”

Acedia couldn’t reply.  There was no hope for her.  She just threw her wing around the woman.  As Yvonne broke down and cried, Acedia stewed in her misery.

The one good thing about this mess was that Camila had been completely correct.  They fit in perfectly.  They might look more human than most of the demons walking around, but nobody seemed to question a jiang-shi, a witch, and a sin demon passing through.

Unfortunately the trail had dried up immediately.  Whatever bloody track had come through had been wiped clean by the foot traffic.  Even the worms drawn by the blood stopped at the first intersection, smeared away by a trail of offal from something Helena really didn’t want to meet.

Helena pressed on anyway.  Somewhere in amongst the tattooed cultists and dogs with the faces of men there should be some clues!  She just had to find them!

Three blocks later she realized that was purely hubris.  There was nothing around.  She didn’t know the clues that she needed to find, which meant finding those clues was impossible.  Sighing, she took a few steps into an alley before stopping and turning to her colleagues.  “I lost them.  Have either of you seen anything?”

Acedia shook her head.  “Nothing.”

“Sorry.  Ain’t found a single thing,” Camila said.  The jiang-shi woman tried to stretch, but her joints locked immediately.  “Tch, this is really annoying!  Like, no bending my arms, no bending my knees, seeing chi.  It really cramps my style!”

Something was up.  Camila’s words were harsh but her eyes were hard.  Helena glanced towards where Camila had been trying to stretch and focused her mind.  She sensed nothing.  A very expansive nothing.  Someone was using an invisibility spell, combined with a protection against scrying.  A strong defense, except against strange talents like Camila’s chi sense.  Her respect for the cultist’s magicians went up a few notches.

This was their breakthrough.  If they could lure the spy into an ambush they could press them for information not only on the cultists, but for any information they had on the zealots creating that fake angel as well.  Helena’s heart was pounding.  At last they had the chance to force a confrontation!

She did her best to keep all that from her face though.  She gave Camila a little nod, then subtly altered her voice so it would carry.  “They’ve slipped away from us.  We’ll have to use the hair I found as a fetish for a tracking spell after all.”

Acedia looked confused, “What?  I-“

Helena fixed the demon with a glare.  “You need to pay more attention, Acedia.  The hair I got at the tunnel entrance.”  She stared into the demon’s eyes hoping the woman would catch the true meaning.

A light clicked, then Acedia let her wings droop.  “Whatever.  Anyway, if you’re going to cast that spell let’s find someplace a little quieter.”

“Right,” Helena frowned, trying to think of a place where they could set up an ambush.

“Looked like there was a cave-in to the north,” Camila said.  “Think that part of town would be abandoned?”

Helena shrugged.  “Depends on how recent.  We can look.  If nothing else there might be a way up from there.”

The trio headed north again, looking around the town.  It seemed like every other part of the underground, if a bit more offensive to human senses.  Helena swapped between taking in the sights, and keeping an eye on Camila to make sure they were still being followed.

Camila for her part didn’t even look at the spy following them.  Then again she didn’t need to since she was sensing the human’s breath.  “You know, it might be easier to just ask around.  I mean someone’s gotta know something.”

Helena considered the idea for a moment, but Acedia sighed.  “Yeah.  Sure.  Ask in the demon village how to stop the Satanists building a weapon to fight an insane fake angel bent on slaughtering us all.  That’ll go great.”

“Like, won’t people have a problem with making a fake fallen angel?” Camila asked.  “Or, ya know, murder?”

“We demons don’t really revere fallen angels, so no,” Acedia said.

That seemed reasonable to Helena, so she finished the answer.  “And the ends justify the means is sadly a common thought.  Demons aren’t much worse than humans.  But they aren’t better than them as a race.  At least morally.

“Kinda dark there,” Camila said.  But the hard eyed woman didn’t argue.  I suppose the soul vendor ahead shoulda been a giveaway.”

Helena peered ahead then quickly turned away.  The stand was run by a flabby looking demon that had its head cloven in two.  Even Helena’s stomach had limits.  “He’s selling fakes, which is probably better, but not by much.”

“There’s a reason we moved out of hell,” Acedia muttered.

As they continued north the streets did clear out.  Even if a cave-in couldn’t kill you, being buried under tons of rocks was annoying.  Apparently not many demons were willing to take that chance.  From the looks of the rubble the area was mostly safe now, but Helena wasn’t planning on throwing around anything seriously destructive.

The slam of a door was all the warning Helena got.  She turned and instinctively slapped at the spell hurtling towards her.  A hit, and the black miasma of a death curse splattered against the stone.  Her hand was stinging but her protective wards had held.

Two figures wearing robes and another wearing a black hooded sweater were charging her from an alleyway.  She swore at her foolishness.  Her group wasn’t the only one considering an ambush, and the cultists had the advantage of knowing the territory better.

Behind her she heard Camila’s joints popping as the woman tapped into her reserves.  That was good.  Camila could protect her back and keep Acedia out of trouble.  She needed that.  With Acedia there Helena had to defend, instead of using her usual dodging style.

The three assailants split up, the two robed figures starting up a chant as they did.  Helena sensed the spells immediately.  Another death curse and a fire spell.  Helena flipped out a pinch of salamander skin and began her counterattack.

As the woman to the left began gathering miasma to complete her curse, Helena reached out and turned the ill fortune against her.  The spell unraveled in the woman’s hands and the enemy witch screamed in horror as her own spell started tearing her defenses apart.

The man hesitated and Helena made him pay for that.  The salamander skin easily became the base of a fire mote, and she bound a curse to set someone aflame to it.  “Hestia’s Chastisement,” she intoned as she threw the curse bullet.

It caught him just as he finished his own spell.  His own flame burst fizzled as Helena’s shot punched through his flimsy wards.  The protections meant her spell only made him stumble back, but his robe caught alight.  The man screamed and started rolling on the ground, desperately trying to put out the flames.

Behind her there was a flash of light, followed by the sound of breaking bones.  “Too slow,” Camila taunted.  Good.  That was handled.  The light was a charm against the undead, but it wasn’t close to strong enough to affect Camila.

In front of her the first spellcaster had managed to recover, while the figure in the hoodie had drawn a knife.  Enchanted, but probably not enough to pierce Helena’s defenses.  She strengthened her reactive barrier just in case and waited for them to make the next move.  

The enemy witch ignored her friend as he burned to death and instead pulled out a small spell scroll.  “Infernal Blast!” the woman cried, and a pentagram flared to life beneath her.

Helena focused on the spell forming.  She sensed the spell mixing darkness and flame together and reached out mentally.  “Unravel,” she commanded as she plucked the thread of magic holding the two elements together.

The spell exploded in the woman’s face, her amatuer magic falling apart.  The other witch screamed as she was knocked to the ground, but she still wasn’t dead.  Helena’s forceful counter had robbed the spell of much of its power.

A flicker of movement snapped her attention over to the knife wielder.  The figure hopped in a zigzag pattern towards her, seeming to teleport six feet at a time.  Helena fired off a seeking missile and cursed as the attacker flickered right past them.  She stepped back and brought up her hands, ready to strike when her reactive wards triggered.

Then the figure was gone.  She heard him land behind her.  She spun.

Time seemed to freeze as she turned around.  There had been four people behind her.  Camila had left one broken on the ground, and the other three were holding back.  Camila was facing them, Acedia cowering behind shielding her eyes.  And the knife wielding attacker was just past Camila, the jiang-shi woman’s seal in their hands.

As Helena’s mind slowly tried to make sense of the obvious, the cultists broke and ran.  The one that had cut Camila’s talisman grabbing Acedia before leaping to the roofs above.

It was, the calm part of Helena’s mind that wasn’t screaming and cursing her own incompetence, a very clever trap.

The fugue ended abruptly.  Camila whirled on Helena, her eyes hollow.  Without a tag the woman’s only purpose was to drink chi.  Helena grabbed the amber she’d need to make a peach tree lance, but she dropped it just as quickly.  I’m not going to kill her!

Sadly in her current state Camila didn’t feel the same.  The woman leaped at Helena.

Helena backpedaled, but Camila only got closer.  She reached out to grab the jiang-shi’s hands to keep her at bay, and Camila caught her arms.  The jiang-shi forced her to the ground, then opened her mouth and inhaled.

Color drained from Helena’s eyes.  Her mind became muddied, slowly lost in the currents like Odysseus’ ships.  She heard her heart slowing, gradually settling to a stop.  She was dying.  That was unfortunate.  Especially since what she needed to live was right in front of her.  She opened her mouth, and inhaled.

The return of her chi was like a bucket of ice water to the face.  Her vision cleared and she saw Camila had both hands on her shoulders now.  The woman’s eyes were still empty, but there was an air of confusion around the jiang-shi.  Where had the chi gone?

Camila kept pulling in Helena’s chi, and Helena kept sucking it back to herself.  Camila had given Helena her ability to drink chi after all.  So no matter how strong Camila could pull out her life force, Helena could return it.  They were at an impasse.

Fortunately the jiang-shi didn’t know that.  Couldn’t know that.  It was running purely off brutal instinct right now.  So as Helena fished in her pouch for another command seal, Camila just tried to inhale harder, moving closer and closer to Helena as they fought over Helena’s life force.

Camila’s lips touched Helena’s just as Helena fished out a spare command seal.  This was going to be awkward, Helena’s woozy mind noted as she carefully lined up the seal and slapped it on Camila’s forehead.

The sudden drain on her magic made her slump against the pavement, but the change in Camila’s eyes was instantaneous.  First dull eyed sleepiness, then confusion, then embarrassment.  The woman pushed herself upright and looked away.  “Like, sorry about that.”

“My own fault for underestimating them,” Helena said.  She reached out a hand.  “Pull me up.  They can’t have gone far.”  Camila gave her a hand up, still blushing.  Helena let go, then stumbled a bit as dizziness washed over her again.  “Damn it, that’ll be a problem.”

Camila’s blush faded as she looked at Helena with concern.  “You okay?  You look worse than when that mage choked you half to death.”

“I’ll be fine.”  Helena leaned against the wall to steady herself.  “We need to find Acedia.”  She took her hand away and swore when she stumbled again.  She’d taken worse hits then this damn it!

“Yeah we do, but we can’t when you’re falling down,” Camila reached for Helena’s shoulder then froze and turned away.  “Like, damn it but we need help.  They beat us.”

Helena hissed.  “They got lucky.  Found a mistake I made.  Next time we’ll get them.”

“How are we gonna stop them next time when I still have this damn talisman and you’re dead on your feet!” Camila whirled on her.  Tears were running down the woman’s face.  “We need backup!  Or at least a plan!”

“I promised to keep her safe Camila!”  Helena forced herself to stand up straight.  She’d be able to walk soon enough.  “I’m not going to break that promise.”

Camila glared at her through tear filled eyes.  “Oh?  Fine.  Tell me where we’re going and I’ll follow.  They’re gonna kill us but sure.  Let’s go.”

“Look, I-”  Helena stopped.  Camila was right.  They’d lost their lead.  She didn’t have a clue where to go.

With that realization the last of her stubbornness evaporated.  She slumped against the wall.  “Damn it!  I’m such a fool!”  She sighed and pulled out a tissue for Camila.  “I’m sorry.  I was being an ass.”  She wiped the woman’s tears as she continued.  “Let’s get back to the shop and prepare.  I’ll need to put some good security on that talisman of yours at the very least.”

“You need help getting back, or can I stop manipulating my own emotions and have my breakdown?” Camila asked.

“I…”  Helena shook her head.  “It’d be safer if you carried me.  Sorry.”  If she flew on her own she’d be hitting things.  Looking that weak in a city filled with demons was asking to be robbed.

Camila nodded and put her back next to Helena.  “Think you can hold on?”

“Yes.”  Helena grabbed onto her friend’s neck.  “Get us home.”

“Right.”

Helena watched carefully as Camila whirled through the air. The woman was naturally talented. Not in martial arts. That was something Camila had obviously worked very hard to train. But her understanding of aerial combat was instinctual. As was her ability to generate localized force effects. The green flashes as Camila built walls to get better balance in the air continued to mystify Helena. Someone who learned magic, even an innate talent, all of two months ago shouldn’t be that good.

The attacks were completely unique as well. Camila practiced capoeira, a style designed to be usable in shackles. Or so the Brazilian woman had proudly claimed. Helena still had a hard time guessing when one of her elaborate dodges would turn into an attack.

Acedia seemed to be similarly impressed. “You beat her?”

“I escaped her,” Helena admitted. Her pride forced her to add, “But she had help at the time.”

The demon just returned to watching silently.

After a moment curiosity got the better of Helena. “Not going to insult yourself because you can’t match up?”

“She’s better than Ira,” Acedia said simply.

Helena nodded slowly. That would explain it. Even Acedia’s permanent depression considered someone who could beat a demon of wrath to be understandably stronger. The little fight at the apartment hadn’t been long enough for the demon to see their full strength.

After a few more flips Camila dropped from the sky, landing in front of them. Acedia squawked and flapped her wings in protest as Camila tossed an arm around the demon’s shoulder. Camila always was happy to move around freely. “So, whaddya think?”

“It looks strange,” Acedia managed to mumble.

“It’s pretty unique,” Camila agreed with a wide grin. She turned towards Helena and shrugged apologetically. “I’d give you a hug too but…” She pointed at the lines of circles around Helena that were keeping her limber.

Helena nodded in return. “We’ll just have to kill that angel construct fast enough that you’ll have some time left on your personal reserves.”

“Or ya know you could act friendly on your own,” Camila replied with a smirk.

“It’s against my religion,” Helena replied, getting a pout from Camila. Truth be told she enjoyed the woman’s improvisations. But she wouldn’t say that out loud. Especially since Camila’s fun was about to end. “I’m going to have to cut the spell, I’m afraid.”

Camila sighed. “Alright.” The woman let her arms fall limp.

Helena stopped channeling energy into the circles around her and they faded. With the magic no longer flowing into Camila’s body the woman’s limbs snapped back into their rigid posture. She spent a moment clearing out a few stray lines of magic.

Then she staggered in surprise as Camila leaned on her back, the jiang-shi’s arms dangling over her shoulders. “What are you doing?”

“Giving you a hug as well,” Camila said. “Just with less bendy arms.”

“Of course,” Helena sighed. She patted her friend on the arm.

Camila hopped back. “Alright, let’s go get ice cream before you people who can actually feel the heat die of it.”

“It’s not too bad,” Helena said. There was a solid cloud cover today, though it wasn’t raining.

“It’s miserable and muggy,” Acedia muttered.

Helena looked at the demon. “You lived in hell.”

Acedia shrugged. “Just because it could be worse doesn’t mean this is acceptable.”

“Too much talking, not enough getting the zombie ice cream,” Camila said. “I can pick you up and drag you there ya know.”

“We’ll walk,” Helena said before quickening her pace. Camila might follow through on her threat. “I’m not sure why you’re so interested in throwing money at ice cream when you don’t need to eat though.”

Camila’s grin got a certain edge to it. “Because after that we’re gonna have to talk about what we’re gonna do to solve the case.”

Ah. That was going to be a long and unproductive conversation. “Alright. Strawberry.”

“Get me the giant ice cream sandwich. Neapolitan,” Acedia said.

“Hey hold on,” Camila waved her stiff arms. “How am I supposed to carry all of this?”

“That’s a good question,” Helena replied.

Camila turned to Acedia who shrugged. “Demon. Sorry.”

The jiang-shi woman glared between the two of them waiting for someone to break. Helena waited until the doubt had almost filled her eyes before walking forward. “I’ll buy. Which do you want?”

“Get me the mango bar,” Camila said.

A few moments and a bit of work bending Camila’s arm later, they all had their selections. Helena still found the American food to be excessively sweet, but the cold helped mitigate it.

“So,” Acedia looked at Helena. “What’s your plan?”

Helena grimaced. She didn’t have a good plan. “We’ll need to wait until midnight before I can summon any fairy that would be able to help us. So while we wait I’m going to look at the other murder sites.”

“Look for something the police missed?” Camila nodded. “Not bad.”

“And what the mafia missed.” Helena said. “I don’t trust either group. The police have even less cash to spend on magical help now that Kilduff pissed off the bean counters by jailing his ‘boss.’ And the Triads just finished a little civil war. They’re both full of holes, and that’s assuming no one’s trying to bribe people. I’m sure the Inspector checked the flashy murders personally, but he wouldn’t have the time to check the murders the satanists committed.”

“Wouldn’t that bastard Hsu have checked those?” Camila asked.

Helena shook her head. “He’ll have been distracted by the slaughters that happened in the underground. I bet he’s checking now, but when it comes to summoning and curses I’m better.” She’d bet everything on that, even if he was a cunning bastard.

“So we’re going to stare at locked doors and hope you see magic?” Acedia said.

Helena fished out her lockpicks. “The doors shouldn’t be-“

She froze as a torrent of miasma rose nearby. She could feel the power coming from it. Something as dark as the angel had been light. Next to her Acedia’s wings unfurled and the demon hissed in surprise. Camila bumped into her. “What happened?!”

Three humans and a flesh construct quickly decided to cross the street, but Helena forced herself to focus on the miasma. Eight hundred and seventy paces to the South West. “New plan. We’re going to be investigating a new murder.” She leaped into the air and flew towards the source. “Stay close!”

She checked briefly to make sure Acedia was keeping up, but the demon had only hesitated a moment before following her into the sky. Her wings weren’t big enough to keep her flying, but magic was obviously filling the gap. And if she did fall behind Camila would be there to catch her.

That settled she put all her effort into flying to the source of the miasma. The four story buildings blocked her progress for only a moment before she cleared them. After that it was a straight flight. The people on the streets below might be offended by people flying over private homes, but murder overrode politeness.

The ritual pulsed and Helena could feel what was happening. Humility. That was the virtue being sacrificed. She could sense the darkness being pulled into the Immigrant Realm from hell. The climax of the dark pact was like a physical blow.

She was a block away when the miasma just vanished. Helena swore. Their prey was getting away! She tried to fly faster. To make it there before the group was gone. But the last trace of miasma faded as soon as she cleared the last row of buildings. “Damn.”

“They get away?” Camila said as she caught up, Acedia panting at her side.

“Yes.” Helena nodded. “They must have sensed we were coming. The ritual was rushed. I could sense it. Whoever it was cut and ran.”

Acedia coughed before glaring at her. “Or were warned. We could have been sneaky.”

Helena rolled her eyes at the demon’s critique. “Do you know how to sneak? Because neither of us do.”

“Hey I can be subtle,” Camila protested. “There’s this one time.” She shook her arms for emphasis then paused. “Uh, well I used to be sneaky. Sometimes.”

“I’ll take your word for it.” Helena looked around the street. There were a number of people giving them a wide berth and dark looks for flying in the city but no one seemed to be complaining about murder. This part of the city was all dull red brick, and the people around were making warding gestures and muttering in Slavic languages. Probably immigrants from more modern realms then. If they were from older realms the burgomeister would be leading a group of people with torches and pitchforks to complain about her witchcraft.

Good. Modern people wouldn’t disturb her investigation.

She walked down the alleyway where she’d felt the dark energy from. At the back there was a door. Helena didn’t notice any signs of entry, but she was certain the ritual had been near here.

“I smell blood,” Acedia muttered, looking around nervously. Camila moved closer to the demon and Helena nodded her approval. Acedia might be getting more lively, but she’d still need protecting in a fight.

Helena checked the door. Locked. Somehow she doubted the murderers locked the door behind them. “They must have gotten in a different way.” She peered at the lock. “Not that this would have stopped them for long. Make sure Inspector Kilduff doesn’t magically sneak up on me while I get this.”

“Sure,” Camila said. “But shouldn’t we, like, tell him about this?”

“After I finish my investigation,” Helena said. “People who want timely reports should give them.” She grimaced. “I’ll need to tell the mages and the church as well. I don’t know why you’re going on about being useless Acedia. You’ve been more help than any of those three in the last few days.”

The demon didn’t feel that was worth a response apparently, so Helena turned her full attention to the lock. With a bit of work the tumblers fell into place and the door clicked open. “There.” She carefully pushed the door in, keeping a shielding spell in mind.

The scent of blood washed out over her as the door opened. The crimson fluid was everywhere, splattering the walls and floor. A messy pentagram dripped on one of the walls surrounded by dark runes. In the middle of the small apartment lay the body. A woman. And in the far corner a shattered hole in the floor told Helena exactly how the murderers had made it into the building.

“Damn,” Camila muttered as she glided over the ground towards the body. “What a mess.”

Helena realized her friend was being smart. “Right. No extra footprints.” She took to hovering as well before moving to the victim.

The woman was in her fifties, probably. White hair and a full figure. She’d been flung onto her face, but Helena could see she’d been killed by a single heavy blow from a large clawed hand. “She must have been hit there,” Helena pointed at where the blood splatter started three feet away from the body. “And been flung here. Even if the claw marks I see on her side weren’t deep enough to reach the heart, it would have been shattered by the trauma of the blow.”

“About as strong as me then,” Camila said darkly. The woman must be remembering one of the murders she’d been forced to do when she was still under magical control.

“Yes,” Helena said. “But less skilled.” There was no good reason to fling the body about, so this couldn’t have been the best killing blow.

“Hey,” Helena looked up to see Acedia pointing at the pentagram. “They’re almost done.”

Helena looked over and grimaced. Sure enough there was only once visible virtue on the spell. “They’re down to Charity. Damn.”

“And they’re hiding in the underground somewhere,” Camila said, glancing at the hole.

The underground was where those residents of the Immigrant Realm who didn’t fit in well with humans lived. It was also a sprawling mass of tunnels that no one knew all the details about. Searching the slums would be hard. Searching the underground would be much worse.

In the end there was only one option. “We’re going to have to track them.”

“Should we go now?” Camila asked, heading to the hole.

“No. I need to inform, well, everyone. Also I want to get a sense for the spell.” Helena glared at the pentagram. “If I know the caster I might be able to trace their magic.”

Acedia sighed. “They probably teleported or something anyway.”

Helena shook her head. The demon was probably right. Still not the best thing to say. She pulled out a few square pieces of paper and one of those marvelous ball point pens and handed them to Acedia. “Write what happened down for me please. Four copies.” Acedia glared at her but took the papers. That would keep the demon busy for a bit.

That done she turned to the bloody pentagram. The spell was done, its magic already used up. But since the killers had been here minutes ago the echos should still be there. She reached out, trying to get a sense of the spell that had been done here.

It thrummed with blood and hatred. Magic Helena was very familiar with. But there were other undertones too. Fanaticism, and a desperate need for control. The spell itself was almost unnoticeable next to that. A rote memorized kabbalistic kludge spell. Clumsy magic, but it suggested an experienced lesser mage. The caster was certain it would work.

“I think I can recognize this,” Helena said after a bit. “At least I can recognize anyone who’s working out of the same book of spells. And demon summoning tomes tend to be one of a kind.”

She turned to Acedia. “Did you get the warnings finished?”

“Yes. But I can’t send them,” she muttered, holding out the papers.

“Most lesser magicians can’t,” Helena said. It gave her a certain amount of pride. She took the paper then began folding one sheet into a crane.

As she finished each one she tossed them into the air and breathed life into them, letting them flutter off to the people she wanted to get in contact with. First one to Aoi, just to keep her friend informed. One to the mosque, since the church would destroy the spell. One to Kilduff just so he couldn’t complain about getting the message last, and the last one to Hsu, who would complain but deserved every small insult Helena gave him.

“So, are we ready for the lamest chase ever?” Camila said, shifting back and forth next to the hole down.

“It’s not a chase. It’s a hunt,” Helena said. “And keep your eyes open. They knew we were coming. They might have set up some nasty surprises for us if we followed them.”

Camila’s eyes widened at that, then she nodded. “Right.”

Acedia looked at the hole gloomily. The demon was probably deciding if she hated the thought of going along or being left behind more. Helena wasn’t willing to waste more time dropping her off at Aoi’s though. Besides, the demon woman might have some information to offer later. She waved the demon over. “Camila first, me second, you third. After that we’ll see who’s best suited to follow the trail.”

As Acedia hopped over the bloodstained mess, Camila dropped down into the hole. After a moment the jiang-shi’s voice rang up. “Clear.” Helena looked down and saw Camila looking around, apparently safe. That settled Helena jumped in herself.

The hole wasn’t too deep. A mere ten feet down, not even below the sewer lines yet. A quick look around showed they were in the natural tunnels though. Part of the underground that came a little closer to the surface than the other tunnels. “What terrible luck,” Helena muttered.

Acedia landed next to them with a more solid thump seconds later. A few glowing spider-like creatures scurried away as the demon landed. “Wonderful,” she said, looking around the dark tunnels.

“At least we have room to stand,” Helena said as she fished out some belladonna extract. “You can see in the dark, right Acedia?”

“I’m a demon,” Acedia muttered. “Of course.”

Camila raised an arm. “Like, I can’t.”

“You can sense chi, which should work just fine,” Helena reminded the woman. She then tapped the belladonna drops to her eyelids and summoned a quick spell. Seconds later her own vision sharpened, giving her full sight in the dimly lit caverns.

“That’s still so weird,” Camila said as she shook her head. “Which way?”

Helena looked down, trying to see if there were any clues. Fortunately the answer was pretty obvious. It was faint, but there were spots of blood leading north.

“That way?” Acedia said pointing down the north tunnel.

Helena looked at the demon. “Why do you say that?”

“I…” Acedia shook her head and folded in on herself. “I dunno. It’s just a feeling. Ignore me.”

“Well you’re right, so if you have more feelings like that tell us. Maybe that’ll keep us on the right path when the trail of blood ends.” Helena carefully took the lead.

The trail was rather simple to follow. There was only one path that humans could travel down, so that was the path they took. Helena occasionally stopped to see if there were signs of a teleport, or illusion magic, but there was nothing.

The animals they were seeing here did not make Helena feel any better though. Everything looked unnatural, like it was cobbled together from spare parts. The glowing spiders with eyes the size of their head were the most pleasant. The moles with insect pincers and sharp claws only left them alone when Helena started summoning miasma to curse them. And the black worms that writhed in the blood marks were just sickening.

They’d traveled about a mile down the strange tunnel before they reached a branch. One headed down, towards where the demons of the Maya made their home. A place dangerous to magicians like her. The spirits of the Americas still held a grudge towards the magicians and clergy of Europe for the loss of their old homes.

The trail however went the other way. Into a cavern Helena had never seen before. One that she hadn’t even known existed, though in retrospect it had to exist somewhere.

“Well,” Helena said as she looked over the shantytown made out of red mud brick and twisted metal. “That explains how Acedia found the place.” This must be the hell part of the underground. Where the pariahs of the Christian realms set up shop.

Acedia looked over the mass of her fellow demons. Those who had twisted ape bodies, or massive goat heads. The demons who couldn’t easily mix with society above. “I guess I should have paid attention when Gula was telling me where other demons lived.”

Camila of course just smiled wearily. “Good news, we fit in easy. Bad news, we’re trying to find a tree in a forest. Shouldn’t be too hard, right?”

“We’re about to find out,” Helena said, as she led her friends into the neighborhood.

They reached the cathedral a few minutes after the bell.  The trip had been uneventful, other than Helena’s  paranoia.  This was the perfect place for an ambush, if you didn’t care about a couple of angels rushing into any fight that broke out.  Anyone looking around for spiritual assassins would have their senses dulled by the two divine presences.

Fortunately the murderer thought differently.  Helena knocked on the side door the note had indicated and waited.  After a few moments the door opened revealing the flushed face of the priest who’d been assisting at the crime scene.  Father Peter.  “Ah.”  He looked repulsed that they had shown up.  “You were expected,” he managed to force out.  He finished opening the door to a parlor room then stood back.  It seemed they were allowed in, but they weren’t welcome.

That was doubly true with the blessing.  Helena could feel it against her skin, warning her off.  She was a rival priestess, and she was not wanted here.  But today she wasn’t going to listen.

Helena clenched her teeth, closed her hands, and walked over the doorstep.

Pain washed over her.  The harsh benediction hailed on her from above, and each second felt like a rain of arrows.  She couldn’t help but flinch as she took the second step.  Behind her she heard Camila cursing softly in Portuguese, while Acedia’s wings flapped loudly in a futile attempt to shield herself from the pain.

Fortunately after another step the pain faded to a dull throb and a mental weight.  Behind her she heard her friends recovering as well.  It was probably the worst for her.  Helena knew just how much the consecration was weakening her.  And she didn’t like feeling weak.

“Guys really need to work on your greetings,” Camila said with a shaky voice.  “Like, this is sorta rude.”

“What’s rude is demons and other heretics insisting on imposing their demands on a servant of the Lord,” Peter said with folded arms.

“No need for that Peter.”  Helena looked over to see another man had entered the parlor.  “They are guests, even if they do not follow the Lord as we do.  Insulting them would be petty, and beneath your station.”  He gave a polite bow to them.  “I am Bishop Thomas.  The angel Amaiel asked me to lead you to her.”

Helena nodded.  “Helena Aoede, the Curse Gunner.”  She always used her title for people she might have to kill someday.  My friend Camila Barbosa, and my current patron, Acedia.”

“Your grace,” Camila nodded.  Acedia didn’t bother to recognize the man.

“We’d been informed,” the Bishop said.  “Please follow me.  Amaiel’s presence would cause a disturbance with the normal worshipers, so she’s in the smaller chapel.”

He turned and headed through a side door and Helena followed, Camila and Acedia right behind her and Peter taking the rear.

Helena was expecting the man to walk there in silence, but as they walked down the hall he looked back to Acedia.  “There’s a certain irony in you being here.  Of all the sins yours is the most dangerous to people of faith.”

Acedia looked up at him and shrugged.  “Maybe.  I’m not though.”

“I wouldn’t think a sin demon would have such humility,” Thomas said.

“Humans have problems enough without demons,” Acedia replied.

The bishop nodded slowly.  “I suppose that is true.  Thus why the church must help as many as possible.”

“Uh, I hate to complain your grace, but it might be easier to get help if I didn’t catch fire when I tried to get in,” Camila said with more reverence than Helena had heard her use before.  “I mean, I know I’m not the best Catholic, but it’s really hard to seek God when I feel like I’ll die again walking in the door.”

“While your situation is… unique, it would be possible to request a priest come minister to you outside the chapel,” the Bishop said.  “After all, the presence of God is everywhere.  Priests can go tend to the sick and dying, tending to those cursed is little different.  So long as you have had first communion, the eucharist will be available to you.”

“I suggest sticking to confessions though,” Helena said.  “Since that sort of blessing will knock you out for a month at least.”  She pointedly ignored the look the bishop gave her.  She understood Camila’s connection to her faith.  Helena had long ago admitted her gods were little better.  But she wasn’t going to let some puffed up priest abuse that faith for his own ends.

Further awkwardness was halted when they reached a large double door.  The bishop unlocked it.  “Amaiel waits within.”

“Thank you,” Heena said.  She didn’t mean it but she would be polite.  She took a deep breath and opened the door.

Light blazed within.  As Helena had expected Amaiel hadn’t fully dimmed her aura.  Even the two humans had to squint to see through the glow from the angel.  Acedia was hiding behind her wings again, while Camila looked frustrated and annoyed.  Helena took some good cheer from her friend slowly learning why angels were terrible.

After a bit her eyes adjusted to the light, revealing more of Amaiel’s form.  Like most angels she was androgynous, the cut of her robes the only sign she was a woman.  Her hair was shoulder length, and likely a red to match Acedia’s.  Her wings stretched longer than she was tall, and she had a naked sword at her hip.  Helena wasn’t sure how ‘carrying a sword without a sheath’ wasn’t prideful, but apparently it didn’t count if an angel did it.

“So are you going to turn that down, or are we going to have to talk with our backs to you,” Helena snapped.

“Do you think I wouldn’t strike you if your back was turned witch?” Amaiel asked.  Her voice echoed within the small chapel.  Normal people probably found it imposing, but Helena had heard better.  This was going to be very annoying.

“I think your killing intent would give me enough warning to teleport away before you drew your sword,” Helena replied.

Amaiel chuckled.  “Aye, you would be correct there.  I suppose if we are to have a conversation I can acquiesce.”  The light faded, leaving Helena’s eyes stinging, but clear.  “Though I fear I do not know why we must speak.  You have informed me of a heresy, to some merit, but I have no intention of working with you to root it out.”

“We’re up to two heresys now actually,” Helena said.  And she felt no guilt in using the term for this madness.  “Apparently a group of satanists took this fake angel as a threat and are building their own fallen counterpart.  By murdering people who correspond to the virtues.”

A flash of anger passed through Amaiel’s eyes.  “Strange I have not sensed this travesty.  But I see only truth in your words.  I have two heresys to hunt then.  For while watching the fallen slaughter each other would be just punishment, the lives of the innocent must be guarded.”  She looked down at Helena.  “I doubt you simply wished to bring me this knowledge.  Speak.”

“I want information in return,” Helena said.  “I don’t plan on working with you either, but we can each go places the other can’t.  If you tell me what you’ve learned I might be able to stop this.”

“I am not a summoned creature to be bargained with,” Amaiel’s wings snapped open.  “I am the sword of the Lord, and the only reason I have not struck you down is because the laws of the land forbid it!”

“So much for omnipotence,” Acedia muttered, forcing Helena to stifle a laugh.

Amaiel looked shocked for a moment, then grinned.  “Be glad the Lord wishes humanity to have free will, for otherwise you would have already lost this battle.  All three of you owe your lives to his omnipotent mercy.”

“Can we have the old angel back?  I liked him better,” Camila muttered before blushing at her own blasphemy.

Helena simply shook her head.  “I actually like this one more.  The directness is refreshing.”  She locked gazes with Amaiel.  “And unlike Nezaiel you care enough to actually hunt for these murderers.  But you won’t break the law, and you’re too proud to ask the police for help.  Which means as much as we’d both love to fight each other, our time would be better spent offering aid.”

The angel’s disdain didn’t change, and for a moment Helena thought she might actually get a fight, but after a moment Amaiel folded her wings.  “It is not pride that keeps me from begging for assistance.  And I have no interest in having heretics commit crimes for me.  However, you do have access to the darker corners of the world.  It is easier for sinners to confess to each other than to the righteous.”  The angel shook her head.  “But I have no information for you.  I have only begun my search, and the heretics are cunning as most heretics are.”

  “Really?”  Helena didn’t like that.  Two days wasn’t much for a human investigator, but an angel who was obsessed with justice was much harder to hide from.  “The killer must be better than the average hedge mage.”  Or perhaps the angel wasn’t looking as hard as she could.

Amaiel shrugged.  “Heretics have long studied how to avoid the wrath of heaven.  Not all witches are as arrogant as you.”

“She’s got you there,” Camila fake whispered.  Helena glared back at her friend.  This was not the time.

The angel in a rare bit of mercy ignored the byplay.  “I believe that concludes our meeting.  Should you wish to offer me more aid, you know how to request an audience.”  Amaiel of course didn’t even consider that she might need Helena’s help.

And sadly that was that.  Another dead end.  Complete with a homicidal angel threatening her.  “I don’t suppose you’d consider a non-lethal duel just so I can get something out of this,” Helena asked.

“No,” Amaiel replied before vanishing into light.

Helena turned and shrugged.  “I guess that’s that.”

Understandably no one looked particularly happy.  Father Peter was verging on apoplectic.  “You, you dare threaten an angel in the house of God!”

“It wasn’t a threat, it was an offer,” Helena said.  “People keep challenging me but I haven’t had a proper spar in over a month.”  She was getting really out of practice.

The priest apparently didn’t see it that way.  “You-!”

“Enough Father Peter.  We should let our guests out,” Bishop Thomas said.  The man’s smile was tight lipped but he managed it.  “Please follow me.”

The walk out of the cathedral was suspiciously quicker than the walk in had been, but Helena didn’t question it.  She wanted out, and it seemed that was the one thing all of them could agree on.  When they reached the Parlor the Bishop opened the door before adding, “If you do learn anything please send word so we can pass it along.”

“I will.”  She might not do it as soon as they would like, but that was their problem.  With that settled she walked as fast as her pride would allow out of the church.

Simply stepping outside was like a massive weight leaving her soul.  The dull ache that had been pressing in on her was gone completely.  She heaved a great sigh of relief.

Camila groaned next to her as the jiang-shi woman stepped out.  “Ai.  Like, I didn’t think it was possible to feel more stiff since I died.”

“Can we go somewhere else?” Acedia muttered looking back at the cathedral.  “I don’t like it here.”

Helena nodded and started towards the market.  “The bells are going to start ringing again soon anyway.”

“Wonderful,” Camila hopped faster.  “Maybe I should have annoyed you more so you started that fight.  That probably would have kept them busy.  Even if I shouldn’t be enabling your bloodthirst.”

“It’s not bloodthirst,” Helena replied.  “No one was going to be hurt.”  Permanently.  “Besides, I really am out of practice.  I used to duel my friends all the time but now that we live in different realms…”

Camila grinned.  “Should I be hurt that you don’t ask me to duel?”

Helena chuckled weakly.  “Sadly dueling you would be boring for both of us.  As you’re well aware, a fight between a magician and a jiang-shi involves the magician running away and shooting the jiang-shi until the jiang-shi dies or the mage gets kicked in the gut.”

“Only have fuzzy memories of that, but I do remember you hitting me with a spear, which sucked,” Camila admitted.

“I don’t know if Ira would like you or hate you,” Acedia said.  “But you seem pretty bloodthirsty.”

Helena just shrugged again.  If you trained for combat enough, the training became fun.  Either that or you quit.  Helena had learned that from her tutors.  But it was hard to explain.  Instead she turned to Camila.  “Speaking of training, I was thinking of letting you stretch your muscles.  We may be in a real fight soon.”

“Nice!”  The smile didn’t quite reach the jiang-shi woman’s eyes though.  “But unless they come to us again I don’t know if we’re gonna catch them soon.”

“We didn’t learn anything,” Acedia added sullenly.

Helena grimaced and nodded.  They were stuck, with nothing but a bunch of bodies.  She was going to have to think of something.  And fast.

For now though it was time to let Camila stretch her muscles.  Who knows, maybe a break would help?

The weight of the conclave’s resolution didn’t really hit Helena until the morning after.

She’d been given free rein to slaughter hundreds to stop the incident.  Seven magicians had sat down and given her power exceeded only by the Roman dictators.  Even if she had no intention of using it, it was hers.  She’d always known magicians had a terrifying power, but she’d never really understood what it meant politically.  They were deciding the fates of people who didn’t know they existed, and might not ever meet them.

Maybe there was some reasoning behind most governments attempts to keep magic illegal.

She forced herself back to the present.  Worrying about power she wasn’t going to use was a mistake.  Especially with likely two cults on the move.  She’d discussed the matter with Aoi after the conclave and they agreed this was the work of two different groups.  While the spells were similar, those creating the fake angel were arrogant and confrontational.  Those creating the fallen angel were more bloodthirsty, but they worked in places the authorities wouldn’t look.

A cup of tea was put in front of her bringing her mind back to the present.  “Here,” Acedia said.

“Thanks,” Helena replied before taking a sip.  She looked over to find Camila had taken over breakfast again.  Probably for the best today, though Helena would have to get her act together quickly to save their budget.  Fruits were cheaper when you could get imports from every realm in existence, but they weren’t as cheap as Camila seemed to think they were.

Camila hopped over to the seat next to Helena, and Helena helped the jiang-shi woman sit.  “So what’s the plan for today?  We’ve got two evil cults to hunt.”

“I’m honestly not sure,” Helena admitted.  She’d considered checking the other murder sites, but Gold Rat Wizard Hsu would have done that already.  He was better at searching in the underground.  Maybe later.  “If one of our leads doesn’t contact us, I may have to summon a fairy to help.  I don’t want to do it, but I’m out of other options.”

“How are you going to get a fairy to help?  They hate both angels and demons,” Acedia pointed out.

Helena sipped her tea before grabbing a fig.  “Exactly.  A chance to stop both would appeal to them.  Besides I have a certain amount of fame because of my geas.  So long as I avoid the court of Oberon and Titania I should get someone reasonable.”  She grimaced.  Sadly, reasonable and cheap weren’t the same.  Hopefully the fairy would want something small.

“What leads do we have anyway?” Camila asked.  “Like, there’s the angel who you wanted to talk to but probably hates us and…”

“And my friend in the Black Forest,” Helena said as she handed her friend a halved mango.  “She dropped a letter into the box we’re using for mail, so we’ll see if that gets us anywhere.”

Acedia stared at the banana she’d grabbed.  “Doesn’t seem likely.”

“It’s what we have,” Helena said.  You used the tools you owned, not those you wanted.

“I suppose,” Acedia started eating as well.

It seemed the demon was changing.  Or at least was at a different stage of depression.  Was that Camila’s work?  Or perhaps Aoi had said something.  Either way it was something to keep an eye on.  I was probably good for the demon, but any emotional changes could be dangerous.

Breakfast went quickly.  After Helena had washed off the plates and left them on the bare counters to dry she reached into her hat and found the mailbox she’d set up with Countess Alexis.  The note was a mere two pages, which was fairly compact for the noblewoman.  Especially since the woman wrote in German.  She made a mental note to thank her friend for being so timely.

Unfortunately it didn’t offer much to her.  She sighed and folded the paper up.  Acedia gave an annoying ‘told you so’ look.  “Nothing?”

“She gave the excess truesilver to the Church as a tithe.  Their assassin Grete is looking for missing silver from the deep mines, but if the kobolds didn’t see anything there wasn’t a theft.”  There was no way anyone, human or divine, could slip past the kobolds in their home tunnels.  The earth and flame spirits had all the wisdom and cunning of their respective elements.

“Wait, doesn’t that make the church here our most likely culprit?” Camila asked.

Helena grimaced.  “The Catholic Church in the Black Forest is the New Roman Catholic Church, while the Universal Catholic Church is the most common here.  I’ll send a note to the Gold Rat Wizard to bother some priests, but I doubt one of the smaller churches could have requisitioned that much Truesilver.  The Inquisition would have grabbed it first.”

“Okaaay.”  Camila was shaking her head.  “Like, ignoring the whole Inquisition bit, why are there multiple Catholic Churches? Pretty sure we’re only supposed to have the one.”

Helena considered how best to explain it, but Acedia surprisingly beat her to the punch.  “Who’s the pope?”

“Well it’s…” Camila paused.  “Actually I don’t know.  Might have switched while I was dead.  But if you go to Rome-”  Understanding crept into Camila’s eyes.  “Oh.  Right.  Like, no one here can go to Rome.”

“Not your Rome,” Helena agreed with a grin.  “There are at least five Romes in the Realms, three of which are Christian.  All of which have a Pope.  I don’t know the exact details, but there’s been a fight ever since.  Sadly they all hate witches so I don’t really have a favorite.”

Camila pretended to faint as best as her stiff limbs allowed.  “Vixe Maria.  Even if I go back to church I’ll still be excommunicated.  Can’t win.”

“Religion,” Acedia muttered.

A knock on the door interrupted further chat.  Helena walked over and opened it to reveal Shannon and Moses.  “Miss Helena, someone sent a message for you,” Moses said, offering a letter.

“Thank you.”  The mosque’s stationary told her immediately who it was from.  She opened the letter and read it.  Short, simple, and somewhat insulting.  “Well, it looks like we’re going to the cathedral anyway.  Amaiel’s agreed to meet us there after the noon bell.”

“Hey, at least it’s after the bell,” Camila said.  Bells stunned her, so skipping that was good.

Acedia looked at her.  “It’s holy ground.”

Helena nodded.  “And unlike Aoi’s shrine, we can’t get permission from the temple’s resident gods.  Which means it’s going to hurt.”

Shannon grew wide eyed.  “So the stories about demons bursting into flames at church are real?”

“Be a pretty weak demon,” Acedia muttered.  “Weaker than me.”

“Or a strong priest,” Helena said.  “But no.  None of us are going to catch fire.”

Camila gave an exaggerated sigh.  “Good.  I don’t have that many outfits ya know.  Suck if they got burned.”

The two children seemed to accept that and immediately began looking around her new store.  Or the hollowed out mess that would be her store.  “Wasn’t this place cursed?” Moses asked as he looked over the shop counter, fiddling with the hinges.

“I got rid of the lingering curses when I moved into my apartment,” Helena said.  “A bonus to your parents for being willing to let me rent here.”

Shannon looked proud, but Moses still checked the corners warily.  “The other kids still say it’s cursed.”

“Abandoned buildings all feel kinda weird,” Camila said.  “Like even in Sao Luis there were creepy places, and there’s no ghosts out in the real world.”

“No ghosts?  Where do people go when they die then?” Shannon protested.

Helena smiled.  “Well that depends on what they believed and who they served in life.  But Camila’s not entirely right.  Ghosts in the outside world can’t affect the real world, but there are some there.  I heard that from one of the last magicians to leave.”

“That’s got to be dull,” Acedia said.  “Nothing to do for eternity.”

That sank the mood fast.  It seemed any worry or hope Helena had about the demon changing her stripes was misguided.  She quickly moved to change the subject.  “Did you or your parents need anything else?”

“Dad said we should look to see how you were fixing up the shop, but it looks the same as it did before,” Shannon said.

“Yeah, I’m still planning,” Helena admitted.  “I don’t have a huge budget.  I’ll probably screen off most of the place until I’ve got more cash.”

Moses looked around the place.  “But then how will you sell stuff?  People won’t be able to see your supplies.”

Helena waved her finger at the boy and smiled.  “I’m not selling things.  I’m selling spells.  I just need to convince them I can magic up a solution to the problem they want solved.  A few light charms will do just as well as a shelf filled with books and skulls.”

“Pretty clever,” Camila said.  “Guess you’ve been thinking about that too!”

Both the kids seemed impressed, so Helena didn’t shatter their dreams by admitting she’d just thought all this up on the spot.  Honestly there wasn’t much she could do.  She’d be dipping into the fourth month’s rent even with the screens and a new paint job.  This was going to be a big headache.

But that was later.  “First I have to finish Acedia’s job,” she said.

Camila’s eyes hardened.  “Yeah.  And fast too.”

“Good luck!” Shannon said with a wave.

“Yeah finish up and get the store running so we can visit and read to you,” Moses said.

Shannon pointed to Acedia.  “You should read with us too!”

The demon’s wings flapped in surprise.  “Uh, I guess?”

“Right!  Well see you later!”  The two kids rushed out the door as quickly as they’d burst in.

Camila grinned at Acedia.  “Congrats!  You made some friends!”

“I probably shouldn’t be around children,” Acedia muttered.  The demon turned her eyes to Helena.  “How can you stand living near them?  Aren’t you terrified something might happen to them?”

Helena’s stomach squirmed.  It had to be some demonic skill.  There was no way Acedia could be that good at hitting weak spots normally.  She was one of the least charismatic demons in existence.  From the shock and worry passing over Camila’s face it had probably impacted her friend as well.

But this wasn’t the first time Helena had worried about the people around her.  “I admit it worries me.  I’ve forced myself to accept they aren’t somehow safer when I’m not here.  Yes they might have been hurt when that fake angel attacked us.  But what if that fake demon had decided their father was a good representative of diligence?”  She shook her head.  “I just have to hope I’m better than any trouble I bring.  And that people know what will happen to anyone who hurts my friends.

  “Besides it’s this or living in a cave and hoping nobody kills the shop owners I know,” Helena grimaced.  “Being a magician is inherently dangerous.”

She tried not to think about the time the two kids had nearly died to a curse.  Helena had kept them safe then, and saved a lot of other lives in the process.  It was a fact.  Even if her stomach didn’t agree.

Acedia didn’t seem convinced, but the demon didn’t argue.  “Suppose.  I don’t know anything about that.”

“Guess it’s like being a VIP.  Except with less money,” Camila said.

Her eyes were serious as she continued.  “Speaking of avoiding deaths, I know you aren’t gonna blow up the city, but what about that other guy?  The Adena or whatever you called him.”

“I don’t think so?”  Helena racked her memories.  “I don’t know much about him.  Nobody does.  He’s probably younger than great aunt Circe, but I’m not even certain of that.  He’s a master of scrying and shapeshifting, but that can’t be the limit of his skills.”

“That good at keeping secrets eh?” Camila seemed intrigued.

Helena nodded.  “It helps that everyone who could talk about him is dead.  And his branch of magic is so unique that most magicians can only guess at it.  We only know he’s a master of shapeshifting because he uses it to show off.  Anyone who can command as many forms as he does has to be very good.  And he’s probably a master at scrying because no one can spy on him.”

“Well lets hope he turns into a dinosaur and eats the things if he finds them,” Camila said.  “No big explosions.”

“All we can do,” Helena agreed.  She looked at the angle of the sun.  “We need to visit the cathedral soon anyway.  I don’t want to arrive early, but if we’re late Amaiel is certain to leave.”

“If we’re early we can hide in an alley and have you do that silence thing,” Camila said.  “Or I can suck it up and get to suffer being kinda dead again.”

Acedia slowly forced herself out of her chair.  “Silence is probably better, because going to church is going to suck.”

Camila looked at the demon with apprehension.  “It’s really that bad?”

Helena nodded as she collected her spell reagents.  “Don’t worry though.  Misery loves company, and you’re going to have plenty of it.”

Helena stepped between the realms.

Many lesser magicians called this stepping out of reality, but that was technically wrong.  Any place a magician could exist had to be real after all.  The mere act of stepping outside of reality defined the area.  Which meant it was very easy to create a nice meeting place if you wanted to talk with several fellow magicians on ostensibly neutral ground.  Sadly anything more than that required a great deal more power, since the pocket of reality created quickly vanished as soon as the magician left.

The space they stepped into was dark.  Helena had been expecting a Chinese teahouse or Imperial meeting room.  Instead they were in an antebellum lounge, draped with black and red, the random splashes of white looking like bone in the sinister room.  Strange jars lined the walls, and dozens of human effigies, masks, and fetishes were placed about.  A large round table sat in the middle surrounded by high backed chairs.

She gave an apologetic shrug to Camila who nodded.  They knew that it was likely any preparations would snub the woman.  For now they’d play along.  Helena slipped into one of the chairs while Camila took up watch behind her. 

There were three others already here.  She knew Gold Rat Wizard Hsu from her little problems with the Triads a few months ago.  The heavyset Chinese man seemed to think he helped run the city.  And unfortunately he was probably right.  Still he owed her, and their usual activities didn’t overlap much.  He gave a respectful nod as she sat.

To his side, next to the seat Helena had chosen was a similarly heavyset Chinese woman dressed as a fortune teller from the Middle Kingdom.  The sharp eyed woman had to be Granite Monkey Sen, Hsu’s wife.  She was a weaker practitioner, but still good enough to earn a title and seize immortality.  From the way she glanced at Helena the elder magician obviously wanted to take her measure.  Helena was curious about her as well but for now they’d have to simply exchange simple respects.

After all, the host was sitting across from Helena.  Voodoo Queen, Madame Robicroux.  Helena’s competition in offering magical services.  Curses swirled around the dark skinned woman, ready to be released at anyone who attacked her.  The Voodoo Queen wore her years openly, something that always confused Helena.  Age might give men more gravitas, but she’d never seen her Grandmother get more respect for her years.  Still the woman wore them well.  Maybe Helena would change her mind when she was closer to eighty.

The woman nodded.  “I’m glad you can join us, Curse Gunner Helena.  I’d wanted to talk to you for a while.  We have a great deal in common.”  Robicroux’s eyes flickered up towards Camila.  “Especially now.”

“I’m kinda an exception for Helena here,” Camila replied, drawing a raised eyebrow from Sen.  Helena wasn’t sure if it was because Camila was talking out of turn, or because talking jiang-shi were incredibly rare.  She didn’t particularly care right now either.  They were going to have to deal with Camila as she was.

Madame Robicroux seemed to take the comment in stride.  “Aren’t all of our companions?”  The shadows behind the woman shifted and twisted in silent laughter.

Helena nodded slowly.  The woman had spoken the truth when she’d said they were similar.  Helena might be from one of the oldest schools of witchcraft in existence, while American voodoo might be a construction made less than three centuries ago, but everything else matched up perfectly.  They were both schools that mastered curses, necromancy, and herbalism.  They both served as priests and magicians.  And they both worked at the raw primal edges of magic.  Unlike other magicians, their schools had never gotten lost in the trappings of ritual.

“It is good to finally meet you,” Helena said.  “I’m a little curious though why you had Gold Rat Wizard Hsu summon me to the conclave.  While I admit you having a lock on supplying magic to the poor of the Immigrant Realm is annoying, if I was really angry about it I’d have challenged you to a duel.”

This time the Voodoo Queen did laugh.  “Well child, aren’t you interesting.  Usually the rumors about us are overstated.  You’re the first I’ve met who’s exceeded the tales.”

“I’m not sure if I should be insulted by that or not,” Helena replied.  Her reputation should be at its height given all the work she’d done recently.  Other magicians should be terrified she’d blow up the entire realm by now.  Obviously the people spreading rumors about her weren’t doing it right.

“Are you going to challenge her to a duel to fix that?” Granite Monkey Sen asked with a sidelong glance.

Helena shrugged.  “Maybe when we aren’t in the middle of a disaster.”

Camila chuckled behind her, and she thought she saw the ghost of a smile cross Madam Robicroux’s lips.  Hsu on the other hand grimaced.  “As amusing as watching you pretend to be a barbarian is Curse Gunner, we do have important business.  Where are the others?”

“They’ll be here soon,” Madam Robicroux said.  “Curiosity will draw them in”

Sen sniffed and folded her arms.  “More likely the fools are all stalling so they can arrive last.  Pathetic showmanship to conjure up an air of mystery.  But then what would you expect from children who think they are wise?”

The words had barely left Sen’s lips before two magicians appeared.  One male, one female, both wearing blue robes with intricate silver runes woven in.  The man carried a staff, the woman a sword.  Helena recognized them as Gilbert and Joanna of the Granite Tower School.

“Apologies for our lateness.  We had experiments to finish,” Joanna said with a dark look towards Sen.  It seemed the woman’s taunt had hit home.  Helena forced herself not to smirk.  She could test them later.  Academic mages and practical mages like everyone else at the table had a long running rivalry.

“Your foolish compatriots chose not to join again,” Hsu said.  “I take it they remain uninterested if the city burns down around them?”

Gilbert sat down.  “They have confidence in our abilities.”

“I hope it is not misplaced.”

The sudden words from the shadows made Helena start.  Camila shifted to get ready to attack, as a man walked out of the shadows.  How had he hidden himself there?  She would have noticed if he had teleported in, right?

The newcomer wore feathers in his hair, and deer leather pants and shirt.  Helena immediately knew he was the Adena.  No one knew his real name, or even what realm he had come from.  He claimed that his people had been wiped out before Europeans had ever reached the Americas, and it was possible he was telling the truth.  Other magicians from the Americas lived in their own realms.  Only the Adena walked through the Immigrant Realm.  A constant boogeyman to other magicians.  No one knew what spells he had, or the strange techniques he could draw upon.

Helena really wanted to see what he could do.  Unfortunately practice duels were out of favor in this realm.  She needed to take a trip back to the Realm of Illusion soon.

As he sat down on Helena’s other side Madame Robicroux opened her arms.  “And now everything is in alignment.  We are ready to face the danger that approaches our domain.”

“You speak of the foulness that kills?” the Adena asked.  “It is strong yes, but it seems no stronger than others who have come to the land.”  He motioned towards Camila then to the shadows behind Madame Robicroux.  “The dead here are its equal if not better.”

“I did kick its ass,” Camila agreed.  Both the tower magicians twitched in surprise, and this time Helena didn’t conceal her smile.

However, as amusing as it was, she couldn’t ignore the problem.  “They’re at less than half strength.  When the rituals are completed, they’ll become much stronger.”

“Also it’s powers are more similar to ours than to a warrior,” Hsu said.  “It doesn’t matter how much stronger we might be if the thing burns half the city down before we deal with it.”

“You’ve gotten ahead of yourself, Gold Rat Wizard,” Joanna said.  “What is this thing, and how did you come to know of it?”

Helena was curious as well.  Hsu wasn’t the type to walk the slums, and Madame Robicroux seemed to know about the issue already.  She leaned back and let them take the lead.

Hsu pulled out a pipe.  “Three days ago a group of lesser magicians activated some twisted construct.  It slaughtered around fifty humans and minor creatures in the underworld, taking flesh from its victims before vanishing.  This has happened three more times, each time the beast growing stronger.  The last incident the creature targeted one of my associate’s storehouses.  Some rather powerful magical weapons were used against it, to no effect.”

“That’s strange.  I kicked the angel around pretty good.  Is the fallen angel stronger?” Camila whispered to Helena.

Helena frowned as the table’s attention turned to her.  She needed to talk to Camila about reading the atmosphere.  Still she leaned forward and began to explain her side of the story.  “About the same time, I ran across a demon who had been attacked by an angel.  Or so she’d thought.  I offered her sanctuary, and began investigating the incident.  After talking to my contacts in the police,” she motioned to Camila, “and my friend’s contacts elsewhere, I determined there are two groups committing ritual murders across the town.  One using killing those who embody the seven deadly sins.  The other killing those who embody virtues.  The Demon Stitcher thinks the rituals are attempts to create an angel and a fallen angel, respectively.”

“Normally I’d call that ludicrous, but if the Demon Stitcher thinks it can be done we have to consider the possibility someone is trying,” Gilbert said shifting in his chair.

“The Curse Gunner is correct,” Madame Robicroux said, splaying three cards in front of her.  Judgment, the Devil, and the Tower.  “Someone wants to start Armageddon here.  The loa have been on edge for two weeks.  I’ve managed to learn secrets from them.”

Sen looked derisively at the cards but nodded.  “And when armies are mustered, war is soon to follow.”

Joanna grimaced.  “An apocalypse in town would be messy.  An apocalypse with fake angels and demons would be even worse.  At least actual angels are predictable.”

“So how are we to hunt these foes?” the Adena asked.  “If they vanish before we can make battle we are on the defensive.  And against foes like this, to defend is to lose.”

“Obviously we share what we know,” Hsu said.  The man pulled out several sheafs of papers.  “Madame Robicroux has already confirmed there’s a group of foolish satanists making the fallen angel.  My associates have determined what some of them must look like.”  He placed several sketches onto the table.  “I’ve also told my associates to assist any of you if you choose to hunt them in the underground.”

Helena picked up the sketches and began running through them, Camila looking over her shoulder.  Mostly women, and mostly western European.  However the woman she’d run into earlier wasn’t among them.  She finished looking them over and handed the papers over to the Adena.  “I don’t know who’s behind the angel, but I can tell you the thing is coated in Truesilver.”  She pulled out the map of the attacks and placed it down.  “Here’s where the angel and fallen angel constructs manifested for their rituals.”

“Clever,” Sen said.  “Might I make a copy?”

“Feel free,” Helena said.  She didn’t want to lose her prey, but the woman wasn’t a fighter.  Sen was famous for scrying and information gathering.  Offering this could only help.

Sen carefully cast a spell that summoned a duplicate, then a third and a fourth.  “These will be connected for a week and a day.  We can communicate by writing on them.  If needed.”  Helena nodded and took her map back.  Madam Robicroux and Gilbert took the other two copies.”

“I will send a messenger directly if I find something,” the Adena said.  Helena rolled her eyes but didn’t protest.  Taking a magic item someone else had crafted was a risk.  And he had more secrets to keep.

Joanna shook her head.  “So do we have anything more?  This isn’t enough to get me sweeping the streets.  It seems to me we’d be best off letting them summon the damn things and kill them afterwards.”

“Kinda hard on all the people who get murdered,” Camila said.  There was a dangerous tone in the woman’s voice, one that Helena agreed with.  But it was wasted on the other wizard.

Madame Robicroux tapped her knuckles on the table.  “There is one more thing before this meeting can come to an end.”  She placed her palm on the table.  “These monsters threaten our city.  If we let them come to fruition unopposed there will be great suffering.  Entire districts will burn.  That is what the loa tell me.  And so we must unite in opposition.”

Gold Rat Wizard Hsu nodded and placed his own hand on the table.  “The usual rules will not suffice.  The city’s order is in peril.  Some sacrifices are needed.  We must agree to support each other in the event the battle rages out of control.  I, Gold Rat Wizard Hsu, agree to give my full aid, both magical and mundane, to anyone who defends our city.  Even if they must destroy an entire block to do so.”

Helena shivered.  Hsu wasn’t joking.  He was seriously saying he’d bail out anyone who destroyed a city block, so long as it took out one of those monsters.

And he was right.  This had to be handled.  And soon.  Or city blocks ablaze would be the least of their worries.  Helena placed her hand down on the table.  “I, Curse Gunner Helena, agree to give my full aid, both magical and mundane, to anyone who defends our city.”

Gilbert looked at her.  “So quick to agree, Curse Gunner?  Are you eager to fight the police if one of us decides to take the easy way out?”

“You and I both know there’s only two people in this room who are going to hunt the thing,” Helena replied.  “Swearing to defend myself isn’t much of an oath.”

“As expected, Curse Gunner.”  Sen placed her own hand on the table.

The Adena nodded in approval.  “You may catch them before me with that strength.”

The remaining magicians all placed their hands on the table and recited the oath, each giving their title.  As the last voice faded, the table glowed, and the contract was sealed.

“The conclave has spoken,” Madam Robicroux said.  “Fate moves on to the conflict.  We will all speak again after this event has been resolved.”

Camila moved over to whisper to her again.  “You think it’s really gonna take blowing up a city block?”

Helena looked up at her friend.  “We’re not the only people fighting.  I’m not planning on it, but if one of these barbarians decides to do something foolish….”

Camila’s eyes hardened.  “Guess we’ll have to beat the bastards before that then.”

“Yes.  We’ll make them curse the miserable fate that made us their enemy.”

Acedia felt strange.  Being dragged around was annoying.  Both Helena and Camila were insufferable.  And being around angels at all was miserable.

But the constant distractions had been nice.  It reminded her of the days Gula dragged her around.  As insulting as the comparison was to her sister.

A hand reached down to place a bowl of oranges on the table in front of her.  “Help yourself,” Aoi said, before walking over to where Helena was tracing runes in the air.  The priestess was odd, Acedia thought.  As a demon she could sense the woman’s holy power, but it seemed utterly uninterested in her.  She wasn’t a person to be saved, or a monster to be exterminated, but a spirit like any other.  One to be watched, but not feared or hated.

She looked up from the table she’d been flopped down on.  The shrine maiden had a much nicer house than her friends.  It was clean, but well placed ink paintings and screens kept it from being empty.  Helena’s runes clashed horribly with it, but that was probably the point.  Magic might be symbolic, but it was rarely subtle.

Camila was peering at the runes, like the woman would somehow be able to figure them out.  “So!  Anything you can tell me about these magicians?”

“I’ve only met Hsu in person,” Helena admitted.  “The great magicians here are more paranoid than the ones in the Realm of Illusion.  If it weren’t for the assassins I’d probably be getting rusty.”  The woman switched between lecturing and aggressive so fast.  There was something wrong with her.  Not like Acedia was one to talk.

“What fun people,” Camila said.  The jiang-shi was obviously trying to trigger a rant, but Helena missed it.  With that failed the woman turned to Acedia.  “Sorry we gotta leave you here.”

“It’s fine,” Acedia said.  She didn’t really want to go listen to magicians act all high and mighty.  Sure it was insulting that she wasn’t allowed in, but she’d rather deal with Vaingloria than a room full of wizards.

Helena finished her scribbling.  “Honestly I wish I could bring you and Aoi, but then every mage would bring an army.  I’m bending the rules a lot just to get Camila in.”  The magician stood back and adjusted her bracelet.  “We’ll tell you everything important that happens.”

“Thank you,” Aoi said.  “Good luck at the conclave.  And try not to get into any duels.”

“I only promise no death duels,” Helena replied before she vanished, along with Camila and the runes that surrounded them.

Acedia let herself slump again.  There was another reason she didn’t want to go.  She could tell at some level, she wasn’t really needed in this investigation.  She was dead weight.  Like always.

There was a rustle of cloth, then Aoi placed a cup in front of her.  “Tea if you want it.”  The shrine maiden sat down across from her, her own cup already in hand.  “Traveling with Helena must be exhausting, so you should enjoy breaks when you can.”

After a moment Acedia sampled the drink.  It was green tea.  Not something she’d had often even when Gula was forcing her to eat.  “Thanks,” she muttered.  She gave the shrine maiden another look over.  Another woman who seemed perfectly set in their niche.  “You don’t seem like most priests.  Normally they kick me off of holy ground by now.”

“I’d hope I’d be different from the priests you usually deal with,” Aoi said.  The woman’s smile was less harsh than Helena’s, but more refined than Camila’s.  “After all, I serve the gods differently.  My goal is to build connections between the heavens and the earth, not abandon humanity.  The vice you represent doesn’t really affect my faith.”

“Another thing I’m worthless at.  Wonderful.”  Acedia stared at the oranges.  Those probably were inferior to her.  Probably.

Aoi sipped her tea.  “It must be hard traveling with those two.  Helena’s always had a terrifying drive, and Camila’s optimism is impressive.”

Acedia’s glanced back.  The woman was still insufferably cool and collected.  “Are you trying to save me too?”

“No,” Aoi replied.  “I’m just chatting.”  The woman chuckled.  “If anything I could use your help.  You’re one of the few people who would understand what I’m saying.  Helena’s friends are all as impressive as she is, and everyone else… just doesn’t understand.  Not like those of us with small gifts.”

“Your gift doesn’t seem small.”  The wards around this house were terrifying in scope.  Acedia hadn’t been able to walk into the building until Aoi let her.

Aoi slowly nodded.  “I suppose not.  But, well, you’ve seen Helena fight.”

An involuntary shiver sent Acedia’s wings fluttering.  “I hid behind furniture while she fought.  I didn’t see anything.”

“Something we have in common,” Aoi said with a sad smile.  The shrine maiden looked down into her tea.  “It wasn’t even the power really.  I know plenty of people who are stronger than her.  It was the determination.  The single minded drive to defeat her enemy.”  She slowly shook her head.  “I knew at that moment I could never be her equal in battle.  That I didn’t have what it took to be a fighter at all.”

Acedia felt a bit of kinship with the woman, but it quickly died as she looked around the pristine house.  “But you can do other things.  Hell you own this building.  That’s better than what Helena’s managed.  And your wards are better than the priests at the cathedral.”

“It’s true.  I have strengths as well as weaknesses.  But that was the moment when I realized I’d never be the best at everything.”  Aoi began pulling her long ponytail.  “My mother is still better than me at everything.”  The woman’s dark eyes met Acedia’s, locking her in place.  “The only thing that makes me special is what I do.  Not what I can do.”

The words echoed in Acedia’s head, but they only increased her pain.  “I don’t do anything.  I sit around and be lazy and miserable.  I’m not you.  I’m useless at everything.”

Silence fell between the two.  Aceida slowly sank into the table, her stomach refusing to even consider the tea in front of her.  She didn’t understand anything.  She didn’t understand what she didn’t understand.  She just knew it was all her fault for being such a failure.

“I suppose the story about the great tree wouldn’t help,” Aoi eventually said.

Annoyance flashed through Acedia.  “I know it.  The tree only got so big because it was useless.  Otherwise it would have been cut down.  But I’m not a huge tree that can shelter people from the storms of life.  I’m a demon who can’t even corrupt people.”

“Perhaps.  But the useless tree was once a useless sapling,” Aoi said quietly.

Acedia looked away.  She felt insulted and miserable now.  Couldn’t people just let her suffer in peace!  Not try to beat her in an argument?  “I thought you weren’t trying to save me?”

“I was just chatting.”  Aoi picked up the kettle and topped off Acedia’s cup.  “If you want to change the subject you can.  Or if you want to you can just enjoy the tea.”  The shrine maiden smiled.  “After all, if you want to be a better demon you can be a little more selfish.”

Her wings twitched as she remembered better times.  Back across the bridge, when they’d first fled hell.  Her sisters all together.  Superbia and Vaingloria fighting over something petty. Ira screaming obscenities over the internet.  Luxuria trying to get a rise out of Invidia.  Avaricia trying to get rich quick.  And then Gula.  The one that held them together.  Her wonderful sister that would take the time to offer fresh baking to a miserable mess like her.  “You’re a demon Acedia.  You can be a little more selfish.”

Her eyes stung as tears started to form, but she hid them by draining the tea.  The hot liquid filled her stomach, quelling some of the pains.

She did her best to wipe her eyes as she placed the cup down.  “More please.”

“Of course,” Aoi said as the woman poured another cup.

An hour later they were on their way towards the ancients quarter. The place where people from Realms like her own Hellenic Realm and the Roman Republic lived. Helena would live here, among those from similar realms, if it weren’t for the fact that a number of people wanted her dead. If nothing else her dress finally blended with the crowd, except for her witch’s hat. And the satyrs, maenads, and centaurs here were distracting enough that nobody was even noticing Acedia. Unfortunately she didn’t have time to reminisce. She had a lot to do and little time to do it before the conclave.

“I should have guessed that the fallen angel was important,” she muttered. “We should have been investigating it as soon as I learned about it.”

“Well, like, we didn’t know about the other murders until just now. It still doesn’t make sense either. I mean unless our killer wants a matched set,” Camila said. The woman had dropped back into her usual speech as soon as they’d left the building.

“It might not even be related,” Acedia muttered. “Fallen angels go on murder sprees for fun.”

Helena paused, then nodded. “You’re right. While it’s foolish to assume coincidence, it’s foolish to rule it out as well. For that matter it’s very unlikely this is the act of a single person or group. We should treat it as two separate disasters until we learn more. Thank you Acedia.”

Acedia folded her arms and looked away. “I just pointed out the obvious.”

“Sometimes things are only obvious in hindsight,” Helena replied. “And either way you figured it out first so you get to gloat. Or refuse to gloat.”

The demon shook her head, but her frown seemed a little less harsh. Maybe she was relaxing a bit.

“Anyways we know now, and I got a job! Kinda,” Camila said.

Helena glanced at her friend. “I can’t complain because we need the money, but are you sure you want that job? I was ready to turn the place into a pig stye. And will they be willing to accept that you can’t tell them everything? Because there’s stuff we can’t let out.”

“If it comes down to you or the job I’m picking you,” Camila said. “No worries.” She gave her shrug. “And it’s the best job I can get. I can’t do a lot of stuff with this body. It’s writing or lifting heavy things. And my best writing is art critiques.”

“Art critiques?” What did that even mean? She knew about the play contests, but that seemed like something completely different.

Acedia raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t that where you insult someone else’s art to make a point of your own?”

“Only if you don’t like it.” Camila said. “If you like it you praise it to make a political argument. At least if you’re doing a good critique. These days it’s mostly about teaching rich people art history in a couple thousand words so they feel smart and cultured.”

“You arrived here two months ago,” Helena pointed out.

Camila chuckled. “And I only took a year of classes before I died. But that’s what I have to offer. Outsider perspective! After all, I’m an outsider everywhere now.”

The last words were light, but Helena felt the hurt there as well. She nodded slowly. Helena knew what it was like to be an outsider in your home. “I hope it works for you then.”

She turned back towards the street just in time to see a woman in a brown robe hurrying down the street straight towards her. Quick reflexes allowed her to spin out of the way, but the oblivious woman sped right past her into Acedia. The demon woman wasn’t as fast, and Helena winced as the two collided hard.

Helena and Camila moved forwards to pick the two up. The robed woman Helena lifted off the ground seemed still stunned, either from the impact or because she was looking at a demon. “Watch where you’re going,” Acedia muttered.

The robed woman bowed deeply. “Sorry! I’m terribly sorry, revered one!” Apparently the woman had been touched by the gods.

“Uh, just don’t do it again,” Acedia managed to say.

“Thank you for your mercy, revered one!” The woman replied before hurrying off.

Acedia shook her head as the woman moved back into the press. “Satanists.”

“Wait, there-” Camila caught herself and shook her head. “Nah, I shouldn’t be surprised. Of course there are actual Satanists. Anything I should know since we’ve got angels and fallen angels running around?”

“I don’t know much,” Helena admitted. “No true magician would bother with that nonsense, and I avoid those realms. From what my friends have told me, they don’t have access to divine power, so they make up for it with summoned demons and numbers.”

Acedia shook her head. “A lot of demons treat them like a joke too. Let them use bad rituals until a critical moment, then abandon them. It’s kinda sad.”

“That’s pretty mean,” Camila agreed.

“Strange that she was in this quarter though. Or maybe not. They won’t have the same reputation here,” Helena mused. She carefully tried to memorize the woman’s thin face just in case they needed to track her later. A hair or something would have been better, but that would be breaking the rules. And that wasn’t worth doing even if she had something more than paranoid suspicion. “Well we’d better hurry. The evening rush will start soon.”

They continued down the streets, Camila guiding. The woman had a great sense for maps. Or maybe she could just see better over the crowds. “What are we looking for anyway? I figure Kilduff will have all the evidence, and even if he missed something the alleyway probably has been cleaned. Even the slums back home don’t leave bodies lying around.”

“I know,” Helena lowered her voice a bit. “I’m going to ask the victim directly.”

Acedia caught on immediately. “Necromancy. Uh, I guess I’m supposed to encourage this or something. But this isn’t really the best time.”

“Yeah seems like something you’re supposed to do in the dead of night,” Camila said. “Broad daylight in an alley seems wrong.”

“I’m strong enough to do it, no matter the time.” Probably should tell the full truth. “And I’m trying to make the spell weaker. People who died violently usually have aggressive ghosts. People who were murdered by a fallen angel probably will be even stronger. I’m certain I can keep it from hurting any of us, but if it’s too powerful it might hurt someone in the area. Summoning it during the day should keep things safe.”

Camila nodded. “Good enough! Though I don’t know what the person who died will think about it.”

“He shouldn’t be too upset about that. He was from the Roman Realms so it’s not like I’m going to be interrupting anything important. I just need to remember to call Hecate ‘Trivia’ and it should be fine,” Helena replied. “That’s one reason why I picked this spot to investigate.”

“What’s the other?” Acedia peered up the street. “That big batch of dark energy?”

Helena took a deep breath, letting the miasma coming off the place spin around her left hand. “Exactly.”

Camila hopped up trying to get a glimpse. “I don’t see anything there but a fountain. Looks like it’s got a lot of rusty coins in it.”

“Not coins,” Helena said as the fountain finally came into view for her. “Curse plaques. You write a curse on the tablet and throw it into the fountain. If the gods accept it, the plaque sinks. If they reject it, the plaque floats.”

“And they use metal to help it along?” Camila chuckled. “Well that’s one way. How many times has a plaque floated?”

Helena waved her finger in admonishment. “It happens sometimes. Remember there are actually gods involved. As well as magicians. My family uses cork.”

“How is your family still alive with that much arrogance?” Acedia looked insulted for some reason.

“It’s not arrogance,” Helena protested. “We’re just showing our faith. Besides we precast the curse part. We mostly just ask the gods for help targeting when we use that method.”

Camila hummed in thought. “A lot of your magic stuff is figuring out how to target somebody isn’t it? It’s why you had to smack that guy to turn him into a chicken.”

The jiang-shi woman was very perceptive. “Yes. That and making the spell safe. Hitting someone with an attack spell, no matter how weak, allows the curse to target the person and shows magical dominance over them. Slapping him would have worked as well. It’s much easier to manage than the old method. Getting random people to eat something you offer them is hard when there’s a market every few blocks.”

“How terrible.” Acedia didn’t look sad at all.

“In any case the curses here should help me if things go wrong,” Helena finished. She stood on her tiptoes to try to get her bearings. “Where’s the next turn?”

Camila pointed to a block up the way. “There and then next left.”

“Thank you.” Helena let Camila lead them the rest of the way.

The alleyway was cramped but sparse. Not too surprising, a murder here would make people superstitious. But there wasn’t the normal chill of death here. Perhaps the light of day concealed the dark deeds committed. Or perhaps the victim had been caught by surprise. Without terror and pain there wouldn’t be much psychic distortion, and no lingering death curses. “This is the right place?” she asked.

“Yep. Right on the map.” Camila flipped the map around so Helena could look herself.

“Good. I didn’t want to go through the whole ritual in the wrong alley.” Helena took off her hat and reached into it for her ritual goblet. “Keep an eye out so we aren’t disturbed.”

Camila shifted uneasily. “Lotta people looking at us strange.”

“Looking is fine. Just don’t let them break my ritual.” This was another benefit of doing this spell during the day. People doing necromantic rituals during the night usually got the attention of the police. During the day she could take refuge in audacity. “Don’t let anyone in until after I’ve summoned the ghost.”

“I’ll stand in the alley and let them trip over me,” Acedia muttered. Helena was really starting to think all this travel was helping the demon a lot. At the very least her sarcasm had a little more bite.

Still she needed to focus on the ritual right now. She reached back into her hat and pulled out a flask of good wine. A single smooth motion filled the cup halfway. She left out the water, since her ‘guest’ wouldn’t appreciate the ritual. From her pouch she added a dollop of honey, then she pulled out a thin sharp knife.

She grit her teeth and with a quick motion lightly slit her right wrist. She squeezed her hand in a fist, letting blood fall into the cup.

“Vixe Maria!” Camila rushed to her side, but fortunately didn’t interrupt her. “Why the hell’d you do that?”

Helena frowned at her friend. “The spell needs fresh blood. You don’t have blood and Acedia’s won’t work. Besides, we shouldn’t encourage her to cut herself.”

“That little cut will heal before you bleed out anyway,” Acedia sighed. “It wouldn’t have worked even if I was human.”

“You both got issues.” Camila swapped her disapproving glare between the two. It was amusing how overprotective she could get. “Next time maybe make a cut that’s less disturbing?”

“I’ll consider it. Now let me focus.” Her friend grimaced but stepped back. Helena checked that there was enough blood in the cup before healing the wound. She wiped the remaining blood off her arm, then lit the rag she’d used on fire so it couldn’t be used against her later.

She set the cup down on the ground then traced a double circle around it. She didn’t bother with her own magic, instead tracing a prayer to Hecate between the lines. That would serve to both summon and bind the ghost, and if it failed she could use her own power to fix the mess. But she trusted her goddess in this.

The prayer completed, she began the summoning ritual. In the ancient language of Thebes she intoned, “Cornelius Gaius Maximus. I call on you. I offer you a drink. In the name of Hecate, who you know as Trivia, I summon you from the realms of the dead. Come to the realm of the living once more and speak with us.”

As the calling finished the miasma in the area slowly began to spin around her offering. But it was strange. Ghosts were creatures of emotion, but there weren’t any strong emotions here. Had she made a mistake? Or was the spirit so far gone a simple spell like this was too weak?

She was about to add some power to the ritual when a wisp of energy rose from the ground. First one, then another, lazily drifting together like the spirits on o-bon had. She stepped back and raised her defenses as the wisps gathered enough to form a face, but the ghost didn’t bother to test her defenses at all. It just moved forwards to the cup and sipped at the bloodied wine.

“What power,” Acedia whispered behind her with wide eyes.

“This ain’t normal?” Camila asked quietly.

Helena shook her head, all the while keeping her eyes on the spirit. “No. But it’s not me. Our guest doesn’t seem to have any strong emotions. Which is pretty damn hard for a ghost. Especially one recently dead.”

The ghost stopped drinking and Helena readied for a struggle, but it made no hostile movements. Instead it looked her in the eyes, it’s dead white eyes strangely content. “I thank you for the drink, priestess of Trivia,” it said in Latin. “However it would be wrong for me to overindulge even in death. Perhaps especially in death, for my life has little meaning now save for my virtues.”

“Can you do that language thingy?” Camila whispered. Helena nodded and tossed a quick translation charm on the jiang-shi.

She then turned her attention fully to the ghost. “I am glad you liked the drink. If you would be willing, I would ask you some questions. We seek the man who killed you.”

The ghost nodded, and again Helena was confused. Ghosts this young were never this calm about dying. “Priestess, no man slew me. It was a monster, horrific in appearance. It was made of flesh, but flesh strapped together by a madman, not sculpted by the womb. Its head was that of a bull, with horns of a goat, and it had wings like the carrion birds that tear at the liver of Prometheus. In the early evening as I returned to rest for an early waking it came upon me. I was slain with but a single blow. Past that I remember little.”

A body of raw flesh? Helena wracked her mind for fallen angels like that, but she quickly gave up. This wasn’t her field. She’d bother the priests and angels about it. Still it sounded strange.

“Sucks that you got murdered just because you wanted to get up early,” Camila said lightly. “No good deed goes unpunished.”

“There is bitter humor in it,” the ghost agreed. “Perhaps my friends were right when they said I was devoted too much to moderation. But when I was alive I was strong and healthy for it.”

Acedia leaned against the alley wall. “Gula would have been so upset with you.”

The puzzle all clicked together. “Temperance. Of course.” She focused on the spirit. “Tell me, did the monster seem to appear out of nowhere?”

“Yes. I was lured here by the gleam of something from within the alley, but I had not set foot within when the thing appeared behind me,” the spirit replied.

Helena sighed and rubbed her hands together to try to gather her thoughts. “Thank you Cornelius Gaius Maximus. You may return now, or when you finish the wine. Your words have given us much insight into our foe.”

“Thank you priestess of Trivia. May your words bring Justitia’s judgment upon this killer.” And with that the ghost was gone. He hadn’t even finished off the wine.

“So… what exactly did we learn?” Camila asked.

Helena picked up the half full cup. “He was temperate. Abnormally temperate. And we had a fallen angel that acted just like the angel we were hunting.” The pieces were just too similar to ignore. “If we assume the cases are related it’s obvious. Someone’s building a fallen angel, by murdering people that follow the seven virtues.”

“Well. Shit.” Camila’s smile vanished. “And the massacres?”

“The fake angel is built out of steel and silver. This one seems to be built out of flesh and blood.” Helena shivered thinking at how messy the process must be.

Camila shook her head. “Looks like we’re gonna have to kick a lot of people in the head.”

“It seems that way. Maybe we can get some help at this conclave.” Helena glanced at the wine cup. There was no getting around it. She had to get rid of the stuff. “Here.” She offered it to Acedia.

“What?” The demon stared at the cup.

Helena offered it again. “Someone needs to get rid of it. And Camila’s probably not comfortable drinking blood.” The jiang-shi’s ill expression made it very clear Helena had guessed correctly. At least undeath prevented her from being really nauseous. “I understand if you don’t trust me, but I figured I’d ask before doing the ritual to get rid of it.”

Acedia hesitated then took the goblet. “Uh, thanks.” The demon downed it in a single shot.

Camila shook her head. “I’m not sure if that was nice or really creepy.”

“Both,” Acedia said as she handed back the empty glass.

“Both,” Helena agreed. “You should get used to that. Witchcraft tends to walk the line.” She tossed the cup back into her hat, letting it fall though reality into the kitchen sink back in her apartment. “Now, let’s get ready for the conclave.”