D.E.M.O.N.S: Getting Summoned Weekly isn't so Bad

--- Kat ---

Kat continued to dodge around rapier strikes and the occasional spell as she tried to think up a good plan for Smug. He couldn't be choked out, his shield made attacking him awkward and demonic fire was probably still too deadly after playing a game of cat and mouse for about five minutes Kat was considering it. Especially when one of Smug's attacks had taken out a support beam for the jail, leading to the front of it collapsing. Granted, some of that was from Kat's less then careful efforts with the shields early on but she was trying not to destroy the city.

*Really, the issue is that if I punch him enough to break the armour, unless he's really bracing himself… he's going to go flying for a while. Likely through multiple houses. I need to find out how large the exclusion zone is and how much I'll be risking innocents and guards.*

With this in mind, Kat jumped up into the air to take a look… only for a large slab of stone to appear above her head and collapse onto her, sending her back to the ground. It didn't hurt but she had no leverage and her wings were not strong enough to lift a tone or two of solid rock. Annoyingly, Smug was waiting for her to fall just outside of the cube of stone. She wasn't sure what his plan was, but the grin was not inspiring confidence.

Kat braced her legs for the impact. When she hit the ground a few things happened. The dirt and rock beneath her legs crated massively destroying what was left of the courtyard and the stone on her head impale itself on her horns before cracking itself open on her skull. It was not a pleasant sensation, and might perhaps have given Kat a bit of a concussion but her regeneration took care of that a moment later.

Sadly, Smug had timed things well alongside his mystery accomplice. At the same time as the rock cracked, Smug leapt forward and all of the remains of the stone block vanished leaving him a clear path to the slight stunned Kat. Perhaps if she'd had demonic energy moving through her mind she would've been able to react fast enough. Instead, Kat found a metal sword slicing its way through her skull.

There was a moment of intense pain as it happened and Kat's eyes widened. Her body was screaming at her to react even as she held herself. She could feel Lily's mind going from panic straight to furious anger even as Kat tried to calm both herself, and Lily down but it was hard. The pain was intense and even if moving would make things MUCH worse now was not to the time.

Instead, Kat let her tight control over her demonic energy go completely, fire exploded around her and forced Smug backwards, taking his sword with him. Kat stumbled a bit after the implement was removed but she could feel herself healing. It was terribly uncomfortable but didn't even feel quite as dangerous as that time her heart had been destroyed. Kat quickly scanned her memories and found no major issues and then sunk into a quick bit of meditation as the fire surrounding her started to die down.

Her mental pod was cracked along the edges… but it didn't seem like there was any major damage. Which was pretty fecking weird considering what had just happened. Now wasn't the time to investigate it fully however, not when the cracks were already visibly healing. When Kat opened her eyes once again, Smug's smile had fallen from his face and several stone hands were attempting to slam into him.

"Having issues?" asked Kat.

"What? You're still alive?!" hissed the elf. The stone hands still for a moment before disappearing, only for multiple boulders to start dropping from the sky and trying to crush the elf. He was dodging around those he could and slicing apart those he could not. Clearly, there was something going on here.

"Mind telling me why your… partner seems intent on doing you in now?" asked Kat.

"Ha as if I'd tell you," sneered Smug.

"We were only meant to take you in alive," said a voice from all around them. It was similarly masculine but a bit breathy. Kat wasn't sure where the voice was originating from though. Especially as if this was just an illusion it wouldn't be working on her. "We both had clear orders on that. We were warned that taking things too far would result in major issues down the line…"

"Yeah well… the major issues have been set up for a few days now. Whatever is coming, well it's going to happen… and it is nice to know I can have a sword go through my brain and still be fine afterwards," offered Kat.

[We WILL be talking about that. How did you not dodge it anyway?!]

*Look, the weight of the rock slamming right into my skull my have done a bit of damage that I was healing as the attack struck. If I was taking him more seriously, especially if I was speeding up my thoughts but I just wasn't. I guess I also didn't think he'd go for the kill. I mean, it didn't work and I probably would've been pulled out by D.E.M.O.N.S if it was going to now I think about it… but yeah sorry. I was distracted.*

[Well don't be! I know you're fine now but the fact it damaged you at all, and yes cracking your mind IS damage means that if he'd been smart enough to wiggle the sword around a bit and damage more of your brain you could have really died! Maybe not your body, but your mind which is basically the same thing as far as I'm concerned.]

*I know, I know. I Just… yeah no I messed up. Though… what should I do now? Have you guys managed to escape? Like… should I keep stalling these two? Should I look for the magician? Because it does seem to just be the one?*

[Between Nixilei and Green it was fairly easy to sneak away… but are seriously going to just 'distract them' after a murder attempt? I'd much prefer if you break his fucking legs, and probably his arms for good measure, and his face as well!]

*Lily, if I got angry at everyone that tried to kill me then I'd be angry all the time and probably have killed quite a lot more people. I don't really take it personally.*

[Well I AM taking it pretty fucking personally. Sure most of your fights are a lot less deadly because of your regeneration but this is different! He hit you in the brain!]

*And I was fine.*

[But he didn't know that! Heck we didn't know that! So I say you break his fucking legs!]

*I'm sensing a little hostility here.*

[Then clearly, I'm not projecting properly because I'm trying for LOTS of hostility.]

*Is this not more amusing?* Kat thought as she glanced at Smug doing a loony tunes routine where constant magical attacks, notably all stone based were still attacking him. Though it seemed like they might be hollow? This was based on the fact they were bouncing off on the occasion that he got hit.

[No because they're clearly taking it easy on him. They also, if I had to guess, saving mana in case you go on the attack once again. Sure they're annoyed at you… but I bet this is them defusing the situation because they don't want the entire city to burn in demonic fire. I say, fucking too bad!]

*Ok that's a step too far.*

[Not sure I agree Kat. This whole fucking city needs to be cleaned up.]

*Ok. This seriously, is a step too far.*

Kat heard Lily sigh mentally. [Ok, maybe that is a bit too far… but this city has been nothing but problems AND they genuinely tried to kill you. This is AFTER they were ordered to take you in alive. I'd argue that the mysterious voice is doing more to keep that smug shit alive right now then they were. I'd guess, if I had time to ask Nixilei about it, that you'd be well within your right to kill him or ask for his death as compensation at this point.]

*And you want that?*

[Yes? No? I don't know? I want him, and everyone else causing shit to NOT BE PROBLEMS ANYMORE! I'm so unbelievably sick of worrying about everyone. Nixilei is hopefully taking us to someplace we can rest but considering we didn't do that immediately it can't be a certainty. So… look, cripple him for me and I'll stop complaining.]

Kat considered Lily's offer. 'Crippling' was much less so when healing magic got involved. If she sliced off his legs and then made sure the legs were in good condition afterwards it might not even be hard for him to get back to 100%. So was she willing to do something like that… just because her girlfriend asked? Kat was somewhat surprised to find the answer was 'yes' and she likely wouldn't feel guilty about it. Then again… Kat never said she wasn't mad about the murder attempt.