[X] Tell her about the forest.
- [X] Volunteer to go along as spokesperson.
You look down at the table and tap your fingers for a moment before sighing. "… Maybe. There was a village - where those people who've been attacking you attacked, don't think I ever saw what it was called -"
"Teufelwald." You give Carim a disgusted look, and she shrugs. "It seems to be a popular name, actually." You sigh again. Really.
"Well, I first saw these night-demons in the … forest near that place. If there's a place where they won't attack me, at least, that's probably it. … I don't suppose there's been any fighting near it?" Verossa shakes his head.
"No, actually, it's been very quiet throughout that region." You nod, more to yourself than to him.
"Would you be willing to help establish communications with them?" You smile toothily at her.
"I am willing, Carim. For now, you just want to be able to co-exist with them, if possible, right?" She nods.
"I will come with you -" Whatever else she tries to say is drowned out by Vivio, Verossa, and Hayate all clamoring for her not to go. Carim looks surprised at their vehemence, and you restore order by the simple method of banging on the table. You scowl at the noisemakers before looking back at Carim.
"No, you won't. In the first place, you're the head of the Church, and ambassadors exist so you don't have to run around talking to each individual representative yourself, especially on first contact. Second, we don't actually know they won't be hostile, so I'd prefer a real fighter, one that I don't need to worry so much about protecting. Third, if anything did happen to you, I'd be much better off not coming back, either." Carim winces at your last point - but Vivio, too, blinks confusedly, and Carim looks preoccupied for a moment before Vivio jerks away huffily. Ah, a lesson. Did it take? Carim smiles gently as she focuses back on you.
"Would you be amenable to being accompanied by Sister Schach in my stead, then? She knows enough to be able to negotiate effectively in the event of extended talks without contact with us." You frown, thinking, and tap your lips.
"I would … but can she teleport?" Carim frowns questioningly. "The night-demons come from somewhere, right? They have portals going somewhere, at least, and if they can use them offensively, it would be a good idea to have someone who can escape on their own." Carim slumps, and you shake your head quickly at Verossa as he starts to point at you. True, you can't escape on your own, either - but you're pretty sure that if things go badly enough that you need to escape, Patchouli will yank you back to Gensokyo … you just aren't sure if she'll take anyone she doesn't have to take back, too.
"… I'll go." You lean forward to look down the table at Vita. The little knight had been so quiet, you'd just about forgotten that she was there! "I'm a Belkan Knight, even if I'm not directly associated with the Church, I'm probably the next-toughest person here after Flandre, and maybe the Sankt-Kaiser, and I can teleport. If we're going to send someone with her, I'm the best choice." Carim looks at you and you shrug - you don't exactly have a problem with her coming, after all.
"If you're going to go, you're taking Rein." Vita splutters.
"What?! No, I'll be fine by myself! Besides -!" Hayate jerks toward Vita and the knight cuts herself off, and after a moment of staring wordlessly at Hayate she looks away unhappily. Hayate stands stiffly and storms out of the room, but you're pretty sure you hear her start running once she's away from the door.
"… We'll let you know whether anyone's going with you, and when they'll be ready to leave." You nod and Fate quietly rises, bows to Carim and Vivio, and walks out after Hayate. You nod at Carim, glance at Alph and Vita, and gesture for Satsuki to follow you. She's not going to like this ….
"What?" You shrug at Vita and stop staring at her.
"You look weird like that." She snorts and flies ahead of you. Her red dress is now white, her hair is more carrot-orange than red, and her eyes are a washed-out pale blue instead of piercing. It doesn't suit her very well.
"… Rein and I don't have great compatibility. We still get a lot of benefit from Unison, but she's more suited to helping Hayate. Anyway, where are going to meet these things?" You catch up and pass her, then drop down into the forest, landing lightly on the ground. Vita descends and lands next to you. Just the two of you - well, three, with Rein. Satsuki wasn't happy about being forced to stay behind, but if it does turn bloody, you at least want her to be able to come in with the others instead of having to try and weather the initial storm along with you and Vita. You start walking deeper into the forest, waiting for that 'being watched' feeling - but instead of that, the ground ahead of you surges and ripples, and a familiar rock formation of black stone tears out of the forest floor. An orange orb bursts into existence above the steps, and while you can't see through this one, it doesn't disgorge a horde of night-demons for you to wade through. Instead, you're met by a mere dozen. One is blue, sinuous and almost draconic in appearance, its long and narrow face glaring at Vita. Another is green, almost as tall as Schach, with long claws jutting out of the backs of its hands and a mane of spikes running along its spine. One eye is missing, but it twists its head to keep both of you in view. Three reds, all tall - two are familiar, and you scowl at the one you killed, but the third is bulky and muscular and rides a strange lizardlike creature. Six of the remaining night-demons are browns - or blacks, perhaps, given their deep coloration. All six are massive brutes, all carry weapons - and, for the first time, all six are wearing armor. Simple, rugged-looking armor, without care for fine deflection or appearance, but if it's as effective as their weapons are …. The eleven night-demons split into two groups, six and five, and they all drop to one knee - excepting the one on the lizard, it simply bows over its mount's head.
"Ah, you came, you came! You have finally arrived!" The twelfth night-demon, a runt even shorter than you, withered and lame, and wearing what were once, perhaps, nice robes, claps one hand against the back of the other, its yellowish eyes fixed on you and what is probably a delighted grin stretching its mouth. Then it looks at Vita and its expression twists into one of disgust. "Ah, we can get rid of the pest, of course, but once it's gone, we can get going with the binding!"
"Pest?" Vita holds out Graf Eisen not quite threateningly as the speaker night-demon walks closer and begins studying you more carefully. Four of the brown night-demons, the blue, and all the reds, all stand up and leer at Vita.
"Binding? What do you want me to do?" That causes the creature to halt and peer at you curiously.
"Do? Why, lead us, of course! For all these centuries since those damned 'Kaisers' invaded and killed our last rulers, we've been without any proper Masters! Oh, we've looked, of course - kidnapped promising children, but always, always, they failed one test or another. Either they weren't evil enough, or they weren't magically strong enough, or they just couldn't handle the stress of the binding. But you!" It rubs its claws together gleefully, almost toppling itself before it gets its cane back in place. "Ah, you're properly evil, you're strong, and you're still so young, too! Once you've grown some more, who knows how powerful you'll be!" Your eyes narrow as the wrinkled creature cackles to itself.
"Oh, come on! This is your chance! You could be even greater than your sister, now!" You shake your head at Headless's claim.
"Only if she lets me. Only if either I stay here, or they decided to come with me to Gensokyo - and if they come to Gensokyo, either they have to change, or I have to start a war and destroy it." Headless huffs, and you clear your throat. The creature cocks its head, listening. "By 'lead,' you mean … what, specifically?" Its head bobs eagerly.
"Oh, you would direct us, and lead us to taking back the planet - I must say, it's been so damn inconvenient, trying to run an invasion when you're as worn out as I am! I was only supposed to be a chamberlain, a temporary placeholder until our Masters returned, but those damned Belkans must have done a thorough job out here. Oh, you wouldn't be able to leave the planet, of course, but there's plenty of space in the Towers for any slaves or friends you want to bring in. But first - let us be rid of this Belkan pest, and then withdraw to safety." The rest of the night-demons rise as the wrinkled creature shuffles back, and you hear a whir and multiple chunks from behind you as the air fills with hostility and malice. Frankly, not being able to leave the planet, now that you know other worlds exist, and can have so much fun ….
"Explosion!" Graf Eisen's voice, with its soothing accent. That would be Vita, getting ready to fight … but the portal is right there ….
What do you do?
[ ] Send Vita back to the others; she's in too much danger here.
- [ ] Fight back the night-demons.
- [ ] Try to get them to leave the rest of the world alone.
- - Reasoning?
- [ ] Head through the portal; maybe you can get something done on that side.
[ ] Two against a lot is better than one against a lot. Fight the night-demons alongside Vita.
- [ ] … But you're going to have to break into the portal at some point ….
[ ] Maybe you can get them to stand down if you're angry enough. (Roll required.)
- [ ] Go with Vita to the night-demons' realm.
- [ ] Keep talking here.
- - [ ] Try to get them to leave the rest of the world alone.
- - - Reasoning?
[ ] Other?