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

— Kat —

When Kat flew over the edge of the caldera instead of turning down she flew further upwards and now found herself slowly circling the city, somewhat paralysed by indecision. Kat let out a long sigh. There were no easy answers here. Buying time for Thyme was arguably the easiest but that carried the risk of Thyme simply not being ready until the day of the contest, or heck, perhaps not even then. It’s not like Thyme had planned to get wrapped up in things.

But to just go on the attack? Even if she now had the ability to tell truth from lies, something that hadn’t been confirmed… it just meant Poison believed it to be true. The crazy elf had clearly been encouraging her to just go for it… and considering Poison ENJOYED getting demoted for things? There was the chance that no matter what the response to Kat was she’d still be happy.

Oh sure Poison had made some comments that said things could go either way for her depending on if they focused on the ‘ignoring orders’ or the ‘stupid orders’ part of her actions… but Kat didn’t think Poison could be relied on to have an accurate view of things. Or maybe she could? That was the issue. Poison had been around for a while and had surely learnt a number of things in that time… it was just a question of if those things were accurate or useful.

Lily and Kat had also gone over a number of plans but there were too many unknowns. Lily was determined to learn some way of detecting the strength and effect of wards in the near future and Kat was glad for it. If they knew just how much damage those things could take it would be so much easier.

Kat’s basic monkey brained plan was to just drop down from the sky through the jail and just rip it apart like that… but if the place was too fragile that might get people killed. A clear step over the line… but just fighting her way TO the jail and tackling groups of guards as they came wasn’t super interesting either. Kat knew that if she got bored or a bit too angry at the hordes of guards someone might die. Heck, someone might come behind and ‘clean up’ after her ‘rampage’. Poison assured her that people would be on the look out for that…

But how? Kat wouldn’t be surprised if someone knew she was up above the city. She wasn’t exactly hiding it at this point. Sure it was too high up for mortals but someone with better eyesight must have checked. Lily hadn’t mentioned any changes to the jail so it was fine for now…

But that meant people knew where she was. If she dropped down and started attacking how was she to know that people were being watched? Then there’s the fact that people could die. Even if some fool was the one doing the killing, Kat wanted no part in it at all. It would still feel a bit too much like she was at fault.

Kat was a little glad to be feeling guilty about the possibility. She’d killed people sure, and not lingered on that issue long… so it was nice to know that being responsible for the death’s of near innocents in what would technical be ‘out of combat’ could still upset her. It was a touch annoying because it made it much harder to find the idea of charging in from the front acceptable.

Which just looped things back around once again. If it was such a risk why not just wait for Thyme? The sad answer was… that she just didn’t care enough about the random mooks. Even if they were just doing their jobs. If she needed them to get hurt to allow Gareth to get a proper sleep she damned well would!

It’s just a shame it wasn’t as simple as that. *Because say I do that. I bash through all of the obstacles, free my friends and then take out the backup they have afterwards. What the fuck do we do after that? Surely they’re not just going to let us pick out an inn to stay at. Even if the innkeeper is scared enough to allow us to stay… how long before more people come and attack? Which of course sends us back to waiting for Thyme to show up…*

[Kat, you’ve been going in circles mentally and physically for like half an hour at this point.]

*And? I really don’t know what’s the right answer and I can’t take the decision back. The pressure is sort of getting to me. We’ve had grey issues before but this one… god it’s got such a high chance to be a massive pain in the ass either way and I just don’t want to deal with it at all but we HAVE to deal with it.*

[Yeah… now you know why I didn’t want to make that decision. Though… I’m starting to feel a bit bad I’m pushing it off onto you. I could try and risk asking the others? See what they think?]

*Is that safe? Are you likely to get caught? Because at this point I don’t think I can make this decision as I am. I get that ‘not making a decision’ constantly inches us closer to Thyme showing up, and maybe I’m just hoping Mint can come through for us and bring Thyme over before I’m forced to choose… but I know I can’t put it off forever. I think sundown. If I haven’t made a proper decision by sundown I’ll free them and deal with the consequences.*

[Doesn’t that imply that attacking is the right move? Considering you didn’t say ‘if it takes till sundown and nothing happens I’ll call it all off’]

*Look… maybe? Probably? I just can’t stop feeling like diving into combat here is the wrong thing… but it also feels like… hmm… it’s probably wrong but it might be the ‘least wrong’ thing to do? If that makes sense? I suppose I’m hoping for something that ‘feels right’ instead but… but I don’t think I will. I mean, if I haven’t thought of it at this point it’s probably not coming to me.*

[Well… you could try and talk to the people in charge?]

*Might have to fight my way in front the start and it’s been all but stated the two Ladies are out of town.*

[What about just going in through the gate and letting the guards react first?]

*Risks everyone in the jail getting used as hostages because you aren’t confident you can protect all of them at once. Also, can we roll it back? You didn’t tell me if you could talk to anyone without getting caught?*

[Err… hmm… well I sort of skipped it because I don’t know what to say. Green’s still asleep somehow, Gareth and Kress are definitely being watched. Nixilei… I could maybe get away with talking to? But I feel like there HAS to be some sort of external surveillance. I’m not sure that I’d get caught… but I’m worried enough. Plus… I have no idea what she’d say. This has been… an interesting look at Nixilei.]

*Hmm… on the one hand fair point… on the other hand I feel like it might be worth the risk? Maybe prepare to airdrop down, you ask Nixilei what she thinks and then if you get caught I let myself fall on the jail and start bashing my way through? I could angle towards where Gareth and Kress are while you go for the girls? If someone gets killed… it might just be something to accept at this point. I’ll try not to but… hmm… not sure how careful I can be for something like this.*

[Hmmm… if you want me to I can.]

*Urgh. Back to putting me in the driver’s seat again? Is there any sign of someone important coming to visit everyone? Any news that things might get sorted out? Wasn’t there something about reviewing the recordings?*

[There was… but I haven’t heard anything like that. I’ve been listening in to conversations if they pop up but there hasn’t really been any super secret information getting passed around. The only place that might have it is the warden’s office but that’s got a silencing ward on it so I’ve got no idea what’s being said in there.]

*That feels like it was something worth mentioning…* prompts Kat.

[Yeah and I did. I went over it with you a few minutes before you reached the top of the caldera along with everything else I’d noticed about the jail and its guards.]

Kat reviewed her memories of that ‘conversation’ and quickly found that Lily was correct. *Oh. Um… woops? Sorry?* Kat scratched her cheek with an embarrassed smile on her face. *I guess… ok. Ask Nixilei… maybe in a few minutes?*

[Kat just give me the go ahead.]

*Look I’m still thinking about it!*