Octavia's P.O.V

It's yet another silent night at the dinner table, the only sounds being heard are the ones of forks against plates and drink glasses being set down. But tonight, just like the other nights, I have my earbuds plugged into my phone and my favorite music playing while I'm eating. It really makes dinner more enjoyable for me, especially given the recent circumstances. My mom, my dad, and I leave the house less and less nowadays and whenever I leave, I have to have a bodyguard/protector with me. It's not exactly like an equivalent to house-arrest, but it's pretty damn close. Actually, no, it's more like those times in human history where plagues spread across countries and the humans had to stay in their homes ninety-five percent of the time. Dad often gave me history lessons before bed when I was younger and some of the facts stuck with me.

But, anyway, I'm sat next to Dad and Mom at the dinner table, the rest of the seats empty and only making this place feel even more empty as a result. Both of them keep to themselves and are deep in thought as they eat, though, no offense to them, I'd prefer some more lively company right now. Maybe Y/N or Loona. They'd make today better or even just dinner better, at that. Doesn't help that it's already been over an hour of this and Mom and Dad still aren't done yet. I've finished, but I didn't want to be rude and leave them here alone at the table. But, I act a little selfish and get up from the dinner table anyway, taking my plate with me as I walk past Dad's seat and through the door into the kitchen. A couple of our servants are still in here, despite dinner being fully served, and one of them offers to take the plate from my hands. I nod and thank him, the servant taking the dish to be washed as I walk out of the kitchen and down a corridor leading back towards the front of the house with my hands in my pockets.

Now that I'm done with dinner, I pull my earbuds out and turn the music off on my phone, solemnly basking in the dark hallways and quiet atmosphere around me. I've just been feeling a lot more unhappy lately. There are times when I wish that I wasn't born into a royal family, that way we wouldn't get looked at with such disdain by everyone else that wasn't the same social status as us. But I have to tell myself every time I think that that I can't pick and choose a thing like that and that so many people would be dying to have the kinds of advantages that I have, so I shouldn't be ungrateful towards my situation since there are plenty of imps out there in the city that more than likely have it much worse than I do. But is it wrong for me to want more company during a time like this? I know I'm not alone, but sometimes I feel alone. That little trip out with Loona and Y/N a couple days ago was the most enjoyable thing I've done in a while, even though my life was being threatened during part of it. Maybe it's just too selfish of me to ask them to constantly make time to spend with me when they have their own lives and Y/N is helping us all by tracking down the assassin. Maybe it is. Perhaps I should just try to pick up some more hobbies right now instead.

I then pass in front of the front door, the red light from the moon shining through the windows on both sides. And for no particular good reason at all, I take a seat on the small, cushioned bench nearby and glance out into the night sky. I wonder if the human moon is like ours at all. I would actually very much like to visit the living world one day, just to see for myself where sinners come from and why it's the place that Dad was given a responsibility to study. And, truthfully, there's nothing stopping me except for finding a suitable time to slip away. I've studied Dad's grimoire plenty, so I know how to activate the portal, but I also know neither nor Mom would like it if they heard I went into such an unknown and potentially hostile environment without any protection. But, if I said that Loona would come with me, since she's told me about the times she and her company have traveled there and her having to don a human disguise, I'm sure they wouldn't worry. Matter of fact, since I keep thinking about my good friend, why don't I just call her? So, I bring my phone back out and quickly find her number, dialing it almost immediately. It doesn't take long for her to pick up, which actually makes me quite happy.

"Hey there, Via. Sure is late. Is there something going on?" Loona asks, her voice containing the tiniest bit of concern.

"No. No, there really isn't anything going on, which is why I was hoping we could just spend some time talking" I reply sincerely.

"I mean, sure. I don't mind. And I'd honestly rather do that than listen to Blitzø prattling on about his clients anymore tonight" My hellhound friend sighs.

"Aw, c'mon, Loonie. My business is important to me!" A different voice says from the background.

"Fuck off, Blitzø! I'm on the phone!" Loona snaps back at him, some footsteps sounding along with a door closing, "Sorry about that. He gets too rowdy sometimes."

"It's fine, don't worry about it" I assure her, pulling my legs to my chest and leaning against the window, peering outside as I hear Loona sit down on her bed, "So what's your job been like recently?"

"Nothing incredibly special, really. After you've been a part of the company as long as I have, any new job just kinda blends in with the others that come after it. Though I will say that one of today's assassinations had to do with going to a farm and killing the wife that murdered her husband. Millie pitchforked the bitch and then hung her inside of the barn, but right as they were about to leave, Blitzø got a little too excited about the fact that the farm had horses and took one out for a ride. It took off and Moxxie and Millie had to follow him. The horse ended up bucking Blitzø off right on top of some nearby train tracks and the train was coming right at him. But I got called by Millie to open the portal and next thing I know, Blitzø is tackled into the waiting room by the two as they apparently jumped and pushed him off the train tracks at the last possible second before he would've died. Actually sounds like a fun adventure, to be fair. And though those three aren't the best company compared to you, Y/N, and Tex, it kinda made me wish that I could go up there again with them" Loona recalls.

"That's some story" I nod, "But I guess that also brings up a question. Have you heard from Y/N recently? Because it's been a couple days and I haven't gotten a call or text from him."

"Funny enough, I was just about to ask you the same thing" My good friend admits, "No, I haven't and I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't worried about him. I'm not dying of concern over here, since I know he can handle himself, but I was hoping that he'd reach out again after having to leave the party the other night so abruptly. I had texted Tex to see if he called him, but he hasn't heard from Y/N."

"What do you mean?" I ask, frowning and putting the phone on speakerphone since I'm getting tired of holding it up to my head.

"Well, Y/N, Tex, and I went to a hellhound party a couple nights ago and a few of the hellhounds there were a bit pushy towards him before getting violent. And needless to say, Y/N wiped the floor with them very, very quickly. But, he then said that it was best that he left, probably so that Tex and I could still enjoy the party and that he wouldn't have to fight anyone else if anyone else looked to get involved too. And, just like that, he left" Loona says, sounding a bit sad, "I do wish he would've stayed, because I liked talking with him and I wanted him to have a good time. But maybe there'll be other times too."

"Huh, strange, because Y/N didn't mention that when I saw him the following day. He and his girlfriend came over, courtesy of my dad, and they left to go to the station that has the elevators that go to the different Rings. But after Dad came back, he said that it didn't work and that Y/N was having to find a different way of getting to Wrath and Lust" I recount, "By now, who knows where he'll be? But I agree that he's probably fine. He definitely handled himself when our family had to flee that royalty party a short while ago and he stayed behind to handle the imps that were still putting up a fight."

"Damn. I saw pictures of that. Y/N did all that?" Loona remarks, sounding surprised.

"Yes, yes, he did" I nod, smiling, "He's my rough and tough best friend through and through."

"......Uh, Octavia? Are you seeing this? Your home is on the news live" Loona then says, her tone changing the tone of the conversation very quickly.

"What?!" I exclaim, a notification popping up as I see a link from her.

I click it, while still on the call, and go to the live feed of 666 News, seeing footage of the front of the mansion. I peek out the window and indeed see a news van and some demons with camera equipment just beyond the gate. Though, from looking at the livestream, our security is getting terse with them and telling them to scram. But then it gets worse when Katie Killjoy steps in front of the camera pointing at our house.

"Good evening, I'm Katie Killjoy! The royal family of the Ars Goetia, as many know, have been under scrutiny about their involvement with the massacre at one of their little rich people gatherings. But, after days of not getting close enough to request an interview, we've finally got a chance to try. So, let's see if we can't get an official statement from the prince or princess themselves regarding this situation" The pasty, uptight bitch goes on to say.

"Oh for fuck's sake" I sigh, pinching my nose.

"You're telling me" Loona replies, "Are you gonna have your parents send some people out to scare them away?"

"Assuming I can do that before the guards start firing off shots at the camera crew, yes" I say, getting up from my spot at the window and walking back toward the dining room, "But, while we're on the topic of my place, would there be any chance that you'd like to come over for maybe a sleepover or something? I miss having you around and we haven't done something like that in a long while."

"Hell yeah I would like to. Besides, if those cocksuckers are still harassing you when I get there, I can have the fun excuse to beat the shit out of them. That would spice up the evening" Loona responds, sounding more excited and enthusiastic now, "But if you could ask your dad to open one of those portal things, that'd be swell, since I don't particularly like the idea of running around when it's dark out."

"Sure thing. I'll see you soon" I tell her, then ending the call, putting my phone down by my side and walking up to Mom, who's still at the dinner table.

"Mom, there's a news crew outside the house" I inform her.

"Is that so, Via?" She answers, making me hold up my phone continuing to play the on-going livestream, her tone then changing really quickly, "Ugh, for..goddammit! Those greedy pests just don't give up, do they? Connor! Jake! Go outside and send those drama whores away! And tell them if they ever step foot on our property again that they'll be shot on-sight!"

Two of our nearby imp servants nod hastily and run out of the dining room towards the front door, letting me breathe a sigh of relief and proceed to ask Mom about Loona.

"Mom, is it ok if Loona comes over tonight?" I ask.

"Sure, she can come" Mom agrees, her tone relaxing at the change in subject, "I remember how much fun the two of you had the last time she was here and I don't want you to feel like you can't have your friends over here if they help make you happy, provided that we know them, of course. I'd go and ask your father to let her in through a portal, though. He's upstairs in the library."

"Thanks, Mom" I say, giving her a short hug before leaving the dining room and heading for the stairs.

As I walk up the stairs to the second floor, I glance down at my phone to see the two servants beside the guards at the front gate, both conveying the message that my Mom told them to give. The camera crew appears to resist at first, but then the guards have their guns out and pointed at them, the news demons changing their tune pretty instantaneously after that, Katie Killjoy gritting her teeth and smacking the camera that's streaming this whole thing away as she walks out of frame. The livestream then abruptly ends, letting me put my phone away for a moment as I reach the top and make the short trek down the right hall before stopping at the library. Dad is inside sitting in a reading chair, a book open in his lap as he reads it beside an active lamp.

"Oh, Via. I didn't hear you come in" Dad says, bookmarking the page and closing his book when he sees me.

"Hey, Dad. I was wondering if you could open a portal to Loona's place?" I nicely ask him.

"Oh, but of course, my owlette. Believe it or not, I actually miss that hellhound coming over. You and her had such good times together" He complies, standing up from the chair.

I quickly text Loona to expect a portal in her apartment, just so she isn't caught by surprise. Dad does his thing and a portal forms in front of the bookshelves, the other side showing the more simplistic furnishings of the interior kitchen of an apartment most likely in downtown Imp City. I can then hear footsteps and a couple seconds later, Loona appears out of a hallway, heading right towards us. But then that imp named Blitzø appears from the opposite hallway, Loona pausing.

"Alright, that fancy book's all tucked away like an unwanted newborn right after Stolas wanted to look at it again. Now all I need to do is-" The imp begins muttering out loud before realizing Loona's there, "Oh, hey, Loonie. Where are you headed off to?"

"Off to stay with a friend for the night" She replies, pointing to the portal, where Dad and I wave.

"Uggggggh, them" He groans, facepalming before perking up, "But I guess, on second thought, that they're not so bad now, at least since Stolas keeps it in his pants more often than none. Just, if anything bad happens, call me and I'll drive over to get you first thing, middle of the night or not."

"I'll be fine, Blitzø. See ya" Loona huffs, giving him a short and slightly mocking wave before walking her way up to and through the portal, stepping into the library as Dad shuts the portal.

"Long time, no see, Loona" Dad says to my good friend.

"Right back at you, Stolas" She nods.

"Let's go to my room" I suggest, Dad sitting back down and putting the book back in his lap.

"If either of you need anything, I'll be in here for a little bit longer before I then head to our bedroom" He tells us.

Loona and I both say ok and leave the room, heading down the hallway back towards, passing the stairs, and going down the opposite hallway until we come to a stop at the door to my bedroom. I let Loona go in first, my room not looking the same since the last time she was here, and enter behind her, shutting the door to show that we're looking for some privacy.

"I saw the feed go dead" Loona chuckles, jumping onto my bed and lying upside down, "Heh, that bitch got the right middle finger jammed right up her tight pretentious asshole. Annnnd now I'm starting to sound like Blitzø. Great."

"It's probably best that I didn't go out there, too much could've gone wrong. And even though I'm getting trained in how to fight and use a weapon, I don't think any amount of training would prepare me for dealing with pricks like them" I reply, sitting on my bed beside her.

"Oh, really now? Your parents get you started on that?" Loona asks, flipping around so that she's now lying on her back with her hands behind her head.

"No, actually, it was Y/N's suggestion" I admit, Loona looking over with a slightly surprised expression on her face.

"God damn, that guy just doesn't stop, does he?" Loona shakes her head, smiling, "That reminds me, though, how long have the two of you been friends, assuming that I didn't ask already?"

"5 years now" I state proudly and happily, "It was actually not long after Y/N first died and ended up in Hell. And though he himself might've guessed it by now, the reason I want to go into a similar line of work as he's in is because I've looked up to him quite a bit and got really interested in the profession because of all the stories he's told me about it."

"You're really sure that's the kind of life you want, Via?" Loona asks, sitting up, "Because as far as I know, lots of assassins live lonely lives and, unless you're my co-workers, don't typically find anyone to share that sappy romantic stuff with for fear that they might end up dead. It's not entirely uncommon for some clients to be pissed if a job falls through or that a target is accidentally killed that isn't the one they paid to have offed. I have a couple stories about that happening to me and Blitzø if you're ever interested to hear them."

"Yeah, sure, there's a risk to it, I understand that" I acknowledge, though not letting Loona's words discourage me, "But there's always ways to make things work if we try hard enough. Jobs like that may be like you say, but when I get around to becoming an assassin, I'll still remain happy by having you and Y/N in my life."

"Aww, c'mere you" Loona smiles, bringing me in for a hug, which I happily return, "I wonder where that troublemaker is right now, though."

"Probably kicking someone's face in while on the hunt for a secret passage between the Rings" I partially jest.

"Hehehe, yeah" The hellhound chuckles, then standing up and getting off my bed, "But enough about him. Let's see what you've changed since I was last here."

"Well, there's not much, but I did hang that piece I got from Stylish Occults a few days ago on the wall over there" I say, pointing to our left as Loona looks where I'm referring to.

"Huh, even though I've seen your other ones, I do have to admit that this one does look good in here, not to stroke my own ego or anything" She admits, walking over to the taxidermy piece that I said reminded me of her.

"And it serves its purpose well" I comment, going to stand next to her, "Though it might also be a recency bias, I do like it the most too. I have my owl one over near my bed, but I get a reminder of Mom and Dad everyday, so it's not as special to me as this one is. But I guess I'm getting all sappy again, right?"

"Maybe. But as long as it isn't too sappy, I don't mind it" Loona smiles, glancing at me with even her eyes showing a smirk.

 But then Loona tenses up, her ears twitching as her eyes narrow in concentration. I forget that, as a hellhound, her senses are heightened compared to those of a normal demon. Her nose sniffs the air, then sniffs some more, and then her head slightly jerks before she suddenly tackles me to the floor. I quickly find out why when I hear the glass of my balcony door breaking and a bullet hitting the wall right behind where I was standing a second ago. Loona then helps move me away from where we're at, pushing our backs up against a wall that's out of sight of the balcony doors.

"I smelled a weird, new scent in the air and then heard the trigger of a gun being pulled that was way too close to here to be anything but an assassin behind the scope" Loona explains, my gaze flitting back and forth to my bedroom door and to the now shattered doors that the assassin shot through.

"Should we try to make a run for it out the door?" I say, the back of mind telling me that what I just said is a bad idea.

"No, no, no. Whoever just fired that is probably still looking in this direction and waiting for us to do something like that. No, we need to play the waiting game here. Assuming your parents didn't just hear the shot too and are sending servants out to check, which would force the assassin to retreat, he/she will probably try to get in here to have another attempt" Loona analyzes, noticing my weirdly confused face at how she knows all this, "What? I told you that Blitzø and I had to deal with some people like this before. Though he was always the one who went out and dealt with the assassin since he didn't want to put me in anymore harm. But, story aside, do you have any weapons in here that we can use to defend ourselves with if they try to get in?"

"Well, Mom and Dad don't know this, but I have started keeping a handgun just underneath my bed's mattress on the right side just in case. Good thing I did, given the situation we're in now" I relay to her, my heart beating a bit faster as I try to calm the rising fear in my chest.

"Ok, good. I'll give it a couple minutes, then go get it and toss it over to you. If they try getting in, there's only two ways they can do that, so I'll stay over by your bed and watch your bedroom door if you watch the other door. That way we can catch them by surprise and overpower them before they land a hit on either of us, even though we can probably both guess that they're after you instead of me" Loona continues to explain.

"No doubt about it" I agree.

It's a tense few minutes that we sit there, the only sounds being that of our breathing and Loona sniffing the air, paying attention to see if the assassin is coming our way. But after those few minutes are up, Loona gives a countdown with her fingers, doing a '3, 2, 1' before she bolts to the other side of the room and fishes under my mattress until she pulls out the handgun. I watch her intently and when she non-verbally asks if I'm ready to catch it, I nod. She then throws it to me as I do indeed catch the gun with both hands, then adjusting it around so that I'm holding it the right way. Since no shots were let off when Loona ran to the other side of the room, the assassin must not still be looking through the window from wherever he/she was at. Loona then snaps her fingers to get my attention again, pointing to her phone, which makes me get out my own to see that she's sent a message. I quickly put my phone on silent and read it, the message saying 'They're getting closer. I can smell them even more now'.

I swallow and grip the gun tighter, then hear some noise out in the hallway that sounds like a fight. Loona presses her ear to the wall closest to her and sends another message. 'They're out in the hallway. Get ready, because they'll have to be coming this way'. I nod and prepare myself, keeping in mind what my trainer taught me. Gunshots ring out in the hallway, a lot louder and clearer now than before, and then there's a period of silence. Loona and I stare at the door, not taking our eyes off it for a second as she gets ready to pounce on the assassin. Then, all of a sudden, bullets hit the area around the outer doorknob and the knob is knocked in, the door then opening.

And as soon as the assassin makes themselves even slightly visible, Loona attacks. She jumps on them and bites down hard, the assassin grunting and growling in surprise and trying to shoot her with the gun in their hand. They tumble around closer to my bed and I aim at him, now getting a better look at the assassin to determine that it looks to be more male than female. Loona also rains down punches on him, the man not able to concentrate enough to fire at her. But I can shoot at him either since neither of the two are staying still enough for me not to accidentally hit Loona instead of the assassin. I can briefly see imp horns on the assassin's head, giving me a bit more info about him as the imp somehow gets Loona's jaws off of his neck, pushing her face away so that he can rear back and punch her himself. It gives me a small enough window to shoot at him, clipping him in the opposite side of his neck since my aim isn't entirely solid yet. But Loona recovers quickly enough to kick the imp backwards with her foot, the assassin smacking into the wall behind him and leaving some blood on it after he then falls forward and tries getting back up.

While Loona approaches him, I run and duck for cover behind the side of my bed that's not in his direct line of sight but still close enough to give me a higher percent chance of successfully shooting him. But the assassin acts fast and surprises Loona, whipping out his gun faster than she can react and clipping her in the shoulder. But I don't let him shoot her again, shooting him in the face as he grits his teeth, though I can't see it because he's apparently wearing a bandana over the lower half of his face. Loona goes kicking at him again, knocking him end over end a few times, but the assassin isn't done yet. He brings out this gun that has glowing blue markings on it, Loona ducking and dodging when the assassin attempts some shots at her. He then jumps and rolls over top of my bed, missing me in the process. But I notice a sniper rifle on his back as he's moving past me that has the same glowing designs as the pistol, so I let off another shot that goes into his back and as he's temporarily stunned on the ground, I rip the sniper rifle off of him. Loona then gets close and kicks the assassin one more time while I jump over and roll to the other side of my bed that he was just at before since I've given away my position to him. He then gets up and lets off shot after shot with his regular gun, making Loona run for cover as he then breaks through the balcony doors and vanishes.

I make my way over to Loona as fast as possible, her being at the foot of my bed with her hand on her bleeding shoulder. But before I can ask her if she's ok, rapid footsteps sound from the hallway before Mom and Dad storm into the room, scared and horrified expressions on their faces.

"Via! Thank Lucifer that you're alright!" Dad exclaims, coming over and enveloping me in a hug as Mom does the same before noticing Loona.

"She's hurt, Stolas!" Mom says, making Dad also see Loona's wound.

"I'll go get a servant and be right back. Don't go anywhere!" He replies, getting up and rushing out of the room as Mom looks over us both.

"Via, I know you might be in shock, but could you please tell me what happened?" She asks calmly and patiently, "Stolas and I heard the shots and saw whoever it was that got inside shooting down the servants that tried to stop them, but then the shots stopped for a second and when we looked out into the hallway, the individual vanished."

I don't answer, my thoughts trying to settle after the non-stop moving around and quick thinking I just had to do. Dad returns a minute later with a couple servants that start tending to both Loona and myself, though they do have to work on her more than me anyway. But a lasting image of the assassin hangs in my vision. Just as he was leaving, he gave me a glance with those yellow and orange snake eyes of his and then disappeared. It doesn't make me shiver in fear, rather it makes me angry that he got away and now my thoughts are polluted with him. Mom and Dad sit nearby and try again to get me to talk, but I'm almost completely in my head. And among all other things, I know this for certain.

Wherever Y/N is, I really need him here now.

~ 1 Hour Earlier.... ~

Y/N's P.O.V

"I'm right outside the place and ready to go in" I tell Kiki, looking down at the screen on my gauntlet before glancing up again at the tall, abandoned looking building across from me.

"Not to sound discouraging, Y/N, but are you sure this is the right location?" Kiki asks, her face showing a frown over the video call.

"I double and triple checked the address when I got here, Kiki" I reply, kneeling down on the rooftop of the building that's right next to where I'm looking to go. 

In our little deep dive search across Hell's internet, we found the demon who used to handle teaching portal magic to the succubi/incubi. It wasn't easy to find information about him, Kiki and I having to search for a couple hours two nights ago after we got home from the station, which was after I helped her move in her stuff from her old apartment into mine, before we got tired, went to bed together, and then searched for even more hours earlier the following morning after breakfast. But, eventually, we found something. The source said that the demon's name was Oleksandr and that he owns four separate properties spread across the Pride Ring, though they were, fortunately, not as far apart as the articles reported them to be. I should know since I visited them all, the last one being the building I'm directly across from at this very moment. I went to the other three yesterday, but they were all empty, boarded up, and, after a bit of investigation inside, held no trace of where Oleksandr had gone. I'm just hoping that he's here or that this place holds a clue to what happened to the demon.

"This is the final place he's owned that we haven't checked yet. I need to search it so that we can cross it off the list" I say, scanning the building's exterior and finding a window that no longer has glass in it and is instead covered, from the inside, with wooden boards that's placed only slightly higher than where the top of this roof is, "And I've just now found my way inside."

"Alright, then. Just...don't die on me yet, Y/N" Kiki sighs, crossing her arms, "After all, we still have to build this relationship up to where we can both exchange 'I love you' to each other. But, as a little incentive for you to do well, I'll go and get dressed, or rather undressed, into something a bit more 'freeing'."

She then unbuttons her shirt and lifts it up and over her head before tossing it onto the bed behind her, revealing her topless chest and breasts. Kiki also works her pants down, leaving only her bottom underwear on.

"Your reward for acquiring the portal magic will be a verrrry delicious night of sex~" Kiki purrs, grinning seductively and leaning in closer to make her chest more visible to me, "So do come back soon~."

"I'm planning on it" I smile back, ending the call and standing up as I make the screen retract into my gauntlet and put my visor down.

I then take some steps back and run full speed at the edge of the roof, jumping when I reach it and grabbing the lip of the outer windowsill of the previously identified window that's boarded up from the inside. I don't hang there long, punching the boards and breaking/clearing the way in before I pull myself up and crawl through the window, landing a bit awkwardly when I hit the floor. But I quickly stand up, brush myself off, and look around the area.

It's a rather empty looking apartment room that reflects the same level of dilapidation as the exterior of the building. Old fashioned wallpaper, ducts and pipes running up the wall and ceiling in some places to my left, no rugs on the floor, a couple bare bookshelves and coffee table spread out in front of me and to my right, another boarded up window on the leftmost adjacent wall, and a bland looking bed with simplistic covers crammed into the corner next to the aforementioned window. But there also just so happens to be someone else in here besides me, the person sitting on the edge of the bed looking directly at me. Judging from looking at him, he comes across as a sinner, since his appearance is closer to that of a former human than that of a hellhound, imp, or succubus. The demon has dark purple skin, triangular ears, dark grey hair, sharply pointed eyebrows, and a surprisingly dark red mustache and small beard combo on the lower part of his face. He's also dressed in a simple light black jacket and white undershirt with dress pants and nice shoes, the more fancy look completed by some circular sunglasses over his eyes.

"Don't move. Unless you want to deal with a lot of sudden and indescribable pain, then by all means move" The demon says in a threatening but calm tone of voice.

"Ok, then, I won't move" I reply, meaning what I'm saying.

"Good, because that little dot below you will grow bigger and bigger the more that I sense you lie to me or try to step closer" He continues, gesturing to where I'm currently standing.

My curiosity gives way and I look to where he's referring to and I do see a purple dot between my feet. If he is who I think he is, that dot will grow into a full-size portal for me to fall through if he gets too suspicious or anxious, so I'll have to try and not piss him off here.

"I've seen you visit my other 3 properties, so you must know who I am, right?" The demon reveals, probably having kept some hidden cameras around the places I previously visited that I didn't see.

"You're Oleksandr, the demon that used to teach succubi the magic that let them go up into the living world" I recount and respond.

"Yes, I am. But that's only partially true of what I used to do" Oleksandr answers, his expression not wavering as he continues to remain sitting, "What I used to do is lend the power to create tears between the realms out to them for their own professional use. But I guess your inquisitive research didn't tell you that, did it?"

"I suppose not, but I'm grateful for you clearing it up for me" I say, being truthful but also being a bit of a smartass at the same time.

"Yeah, yeah, sure. Whatever you say, dickhead" The demon sighs, "Now, are you going to tell me what you've come looking for or am I going to have to beat the shit out of you until you tell me?"

"Please, I don't desire to immediately resort to violence" I reply, crossing my arms, "I'll tell you why with no problem, but why do you automatically assume I want something from you?"

"You're seeking me out and, in Hell, that only means you want something from me. Something that I've already surmised is what you're after. So, given that, you're going to listen intently and do exactly as I say, otherwise you can kiss away any returned cooperation or thought of granting whatever request you hope to make goodbye" Oleksandr speaks, effectively dominating/taking control of the situation while also removing those circular sunglasses of his and displaying his completely unnerving black eyes with yellow slits for pupils.

"You might be used to beating people into submission and getting them to do things for you without question, judging from that armor you're wearing, but I'm not one of those people. I've existed for a long, long, long time, a way longer time than you, and my tolerance for demons like you has really declined since then. So, be warned right now. Act like a hotshot, royalty member, or Overlord to me and I'll show you just the bare minimum of how easily my power can destroy you. Are we clear?" He states, dead serious, the floor creaking around him.

"Yeah, we're clear. Perfectly clear. I'll amend my previous statement and say that I'm not here to be violent and I'm not here to cause trouble. Not if I can help it. I'm here to talk and to work something out that can, hopefully, result in a deal made. But, I do have to ask. What do you mean by you having been here for a long, long, long time?" I tell him.

"Kid, I've been around since the beginning of Hell" Oleksandr says with strained patience, his eyes boring holes into my soul, "I'm thousands upon thousands of years older than you, even though I don't bother keeping track of how many anymore since it's completely pointless. And after being chased around and hunted for my power during all these years, it, at one point, left me not wanting to exist anymore. Given the job I used to have and how early Hell started allowing succubi to go to the living world, my sudden exit wasn't one that was received very well by the up and coming succubi let alone the pompous, rich assholes that employed my services in the first place. Tough shit, though, since I'm not indebted to them or required to help them any longer. The same applies to you too."

"I'm not implying that you're indebted to me" I reply, tempted to step forward but still heeding Oleksandr's warning, "But what I am saying is that I can't do what I've set out to do without your help."

"And I'm supposed to give a shit about that?" The demon says, one eyebrow raised as he leans forward, "You're a stranger, a nobody. Just like everyone else I've encountered during my time here. And also, like everyone else, you expect me to help you and just say yes because you have some moral compass that tells you that what you're doing is right. Well, let me tell you something. There is no 'right thing' down here. Whatever your plans are, they won't make you look any more righteous than any other sinner in this Ring."

"And on that last part, we're in complete agreement" I nod, "But I haven't ever viewed myself as a sinner doing what's perceived as 'right', because at the end of the day, there's always someone that winds up dead by my hand. And I'm not leaving until you lend me your power."

"Let me guess, you have a list of threats worked up to coerce me into handing over my power to you, is that it?" Oleksandr intuits, crossing his arms and leaning back a little, "Go for it, why don't you? The sooner you attempt to be clever, the sooner I have a good reason to kick you out. Though it's not the first time I've been threatened, not even close, so don't expect it to have such a resounding effect on me as you're probably hoping it does."

"Ok, then. What will get you to say yes?" I try, pushing the method of threats to the side for the moment and trying just the upfront way of asking him.

"Hmm....bold of you to assume that there are assured ways to get me to agree. But....you're not wrong, either. Despite my hatred for dealing with pestering demon folk, I'm not an entirely unreasonable man" He ponders, changing his tune slightly, "But, for starters, you'll need to tell me what you'll use them for with every ounce of honesty you have in you, because I don't trust you even the slightest bit. And I'm not a complete fool as to where I can't foresee the resulting outcome of you having them. Let's say I just hand them over with no questions asked and you go recklessly using them. Word will spread fast and it'll reach the same people that were the most familiar with the power and who it came from. In other words, it'll be exposing the fact that I'm still alive, despite the fact that I've made every attempt to disappear and appear that I'm no longer in Hell anymore, and put me right back to where I was all those years ago. And there's no way I'm going back to that. So, you'll either tell me why you want them in the next minute or so or be prepared to be sent so high up that there won't be any way to stop an inevitable fall to your death."

"...So be it, then" I sigh, not liking that I've have to divulge this information, but still feeling like it's a fair thing to ask from his end, "I wish to use this magic to travel between Hell's rings to track down an assassin that's actively trying to cause the Goetia family problems."

"And the reason you can't use the elevator like everyone is because...?" Oleksandr inquires, raising an eyebrow at me.

"I'm a sinner and sinners can't leave Pride the same way that others can. And I was hired specifically to handle this" I explain briefly.

"Oh, that makes sense" The portal master nods, grinning, "I see now the dilemma you face. Either admit you can't do it to the people that are paying you and would have you killed if you fail or seek out the one demon that is known for lending out his magic that creates portals between this realm and others. Quite the predicament."

"Yeah" I reply, though not willing to correct him on some of the details since it wouldn't make the process of getting him to agree any easier.

"Alright, then. My next question is how did you learn about me?" Oleksandr then demands, "I purposely tried to erase anything that could be traced back to me, so you must've heard it from a succubus that was around when access to the living world was still acceptable, because there'd be no other way."

"Not quite. I heard it from a succubus that used to work under Verosika Mayday, who was apparently taught this magic for the means of her being able to perform her music in the living world" I tell him.

"Ugh, for fucks sake, not that bitch again" The demon huffs, his pointy teeth briefly showing and a clawed hand going over his face momentarily, "I remember when I was forced into teaching her the magic. And I remember hating how easily I was able to be tracked down when I knew I had assuredly and thoroughly vanished. Though, given that succubi's braggadocious and loose-lipped nature, it comes as no surprise how she'd let that information slip. But you better not be working with her, otherwise there's no deal here."

"No, I'm not working with her and I have no desire to" I say, meaning it.

"Good" He merely replies.

"So do you believe me?" I guess.

"I find your story credible enough to believe that you're not just another greedy, malicious cocksucker that got lucky with finding all my hideouts and would willingly murder me for my ability. Which, at least nowadays, is enough for me to agree to letting you have a slice of my magic, with a condition of course" Oleksandr replies, leaning forward once more and intertwining his fingers together.

"Well, ok, what is it?" I ask.

"The condition is that you will only be able to use the magic five times in a single day. Otherwise, for every additional use of it, you will experience an increasing amount of pain and will inch closer and closer to dying. Consider it a little built-in insurance policy to keep you in line and prevent you from using it so recklessly" He explains, going back to staring straight at me.

"Deal" I reply, turning up my palms.

"Alright, then, we have a deal. Take your left hand out of that gauntlet and hold it palm side up" Oleksandr instructs, standing up.

I release the clasps keeping the gauntlet sealed together and slide my hand out, following his instructions and keeping it up. Then, the demon is suddenly right in front of me and stabs his pointer finger into my palm, making me grit my teeth and grunt in pain as he cuts an unknown symbol into my hand, not being gentle in the slightest. Oleksandr then pulls his hand back, mine now bleeding profusely, and mutters an incantation in a language that I don't understand. Sudden jolting pain then strikes the wound, the feeling shifting back and forth from hot coals being placed on my hand to a snowball getting grinded into it. I can't help but shudder from how intense the pain is, my other hand holding onto the back of my bleeding one for comfort. But, thankfully, the pain goes away about a minute later, the wound no longer bloody but still possessing a scar of the symbol carved into it. And slowly, I begin to recognize an increased feeling of strength coursing through my body.

"Hurts like a bitch, does it?" Oleksandr comments unsympathetically, "But you're ready to learn. Though, really, being called a teacher was/is rather an overstatement of my instructing abilities. What you need to do is trace Hell's pentagram in the air and thrust open your hand. But, you must have a place in mind to where the portal will end up, otherwise you could kill yourself by walking into thin air or someplace that you can't get out of. Drawing from a recent or past memory and/or just a visualization of a place you've been before helps the most."

Doing what he said, I think of the I.M.P building, trace the pentagram symbol in the air, and thrust my hand open, a portal appearing two feet in front of me. Compared to Stolas' portals, though, this one is a bit different. This one is similar to the shape of Oleksandr's eye, very thin and slit-like, while also being the color red and having crackling lightning around it instead of swirling wisps of blue. And, sure enough, the other side is of the I.M.P building. I step closer and look through, Oleksandr putting his sunglasses back on and doing the same.

"Hmm, looks like it worked. Guess that makes my job easier" He remarks, not sounding as impressed as one might think for someone who got it on the first try, "I think you can handle yourself from here. But remember the condition for using it. Oh, and, you'll need to do me a favor in the future too, seeing as it's only fair that I did something for you. I'll let you know when I'll need it cashed in. Until then, goodbye."

The portal master then pushes me in the back, making me fall through the portal and onto the pavement in front of the I.M.P building before closing my portal behind me. Grunting, I get up off the ground and put my left hand gauntlet back on, the clasps sealing shut again. I chose this place to test making a portal to instead of the inside of my apartment because I didn't want to let Oleksandr know where I live, but now that he's no longer in sight, I repeat the same steps and create another portal into my bedroom. I quickly walk through and go from the hard pavement back to the hardwood floor of my apartment, then turning around and wondering how I'm supposed to close this thing. 

An idea comes to mind, so I try it, closing my hand as the portal also closes. Huh, would you look at that? Now that I'm all safe and sound, I sit down on my bed and remove my armor, feeling relieved to have a break from wearing it constantly. I place the different pieces in my closet and head into the dining room, finding Kiki's laptop on it, but finding Kiki herself in the kitchen, still only wearing her bottom underwear. She's leaning against the counter with a glass of wine in her hand, but she swiftly puts it down and has a smile stretch across her lovely face once her eyes settle on me.

"Look who's back. Did you get the magic?" She asks.

To prove it to her, I create one that appears in front of me but comes out behind her, going through it and hugging her from behind, kissing her neck and making her moan.

"Well, then, naughty boy, let's take this off~" She says quietly, removing the last bit of clothing she's wearing and letting it drop to the kitchen floor, "And head to the bedroom so I can reward you like a proper girlfriend~."

Kiki then jumps into my arms, her legs locking around my waist and her arms locking around my neck, and hungrily connects our lips. The sweet taste that I never get tired of returns and my libedo gets humming, my own arms holding her tighter to me and reveling in the softness of her bare skin as my fingers feel over her back.

"Fuck, I want you~" Kiki moans, really, really horny right now.

"I'd love to have you too, but I'm getting hungry for dinner" I tell her sincerely.

"Oh, I'm hungry for something too~" My succubus girlfriend replies, glancing down at my crotch before pressing her breasts against my chest to emphasize them, "But I also know of something special you can have to drink in the meantime~."

"You're real sweet, Kiki" I smile, kissing her once more, "But let's save the sex for after dinner, okay?"

"...Well, ok" She temporarily frowns and pouts before switching her mood up to a more lightened up one, "But a promise is a promise and I'll give you your reward one way or another."

"We can still cuddle while eating, though, how about that?" I suggest, thinking that this is the perfect chance to indulge on what we've both been missing out on.

"Absolutely" She agrees instantly.

And so, the two of us fix our dinner, Kiki putting her underwear back on, bra and thong both. We stick with something simple, yet filling and bring each of our plates to the table, though we set them right next to each other as I sit down and she sits down on my lap. Kiki snuggles into me as we eat, neither of us feeling the need to exchange words, instead just being content with the close and emotionally intimate, physical contact we're sharing. It really is nice to have someone to hold and it's relieving that she wants to be the one that'll bring those feelings and desires back to me along with expressing the same feelings/desires herself. I keep an arm around the lower part of her stomach as we eat as a way to keep her from slipping off my lap, but also as a way to keep her close.

We end up going through the whole dinner like this, but it doesn't stop after we get up, rinse our dishes, and put them away. No. After that, we head straight to the bedroom and lay down on each other, finding it a more relaxing and comfortable place to spend lasting moments with each other. It's the same kind of moments that I cherish most of all, because I know I'm with someone who likes being with me and doesn't hang around just because they feel obligated to. It was, at first, like that with Verosika, but now it's with Kiki and better than ever. But, as I'm enjoying having my head rest against the soft hair on the top of her head, my phone rings. And against better judgment, I pick it up, looking at the caller ID before I do.

"What is it, Blitzø?" I ask, not really liking how his call interrupted a rather happy and peaceful moment.

"There's been a situation, hot shot" The imp boss replies in a much more serious tone than usual, "Some asshole decided to attempt an assassination on Stolas' family in their own home. None of them died, thankfully, since my Loonie was there to help, but they asked me, Mox, and Mills to come over and investigate. I'd recommend that you stop over too. I'm sure it'd put the princess' mind at ease or whatever."

"Good to know. Thanks, Blitzø" I say, then hanging up and setting my phone down.

"Who was that?" Kiki asks, looking up at me.

"The boss of a company that's working with the Goetia's, whom you met about two days prior to today, to help them with the whole situation that was on the news" I tell her.

"And, let me guess, he needs your help right now?" Kiki guesses, not sounding too happy that her cuddles are getting cut short.

"He does, yeah, but don't worry, I won't be gone long" I promise her, unwrapping my arms from her and moving to the edge of the bed, only for Kiki to pull me back to her and kiss me square on the lips, the kiss lingering for a few moments before she pulls away.

"That'll tide me over until you come back" My girlfriend says, licking her lips, "What I can say? You're just too delicious."

Choosing to leave my armor in the closet, since I'm a little burnt out on wearing it recently, I give Kiki another kiss and form the portal, keeping the front yard of the Goetia mansion in mind to correctly send me to the right place. Once it appears, and I confirm it's the right place, I bid my girlfriend a temporary goodbye and head through, walking onto the front lawn and shutting the portal. Now there's at least two guards guarding the front door, Stolas and Stella making changes pretty quickly. I walk up to them and they nod, knocking on the door a couple times before it opens with more guards inside, one of them being the one that opened the door.

Heading inside, I look around to see that blood is being scrubbed off the floor by two servants near the stairs, the bodies having already been dealt with apparently. I walk around them and head up the stairs to the top, avoiding another instance of blood being scrubbed off the floor, only this time, the body is being removed from its slumped over position against the railing. And if my intuition is correct, the Goetia's and IMP will either be in Stolas and Stella's room or Octavia's room, since I have no doubt that this assassination attempt is linked to the other previous scare. I head towards Octavia's room first, weaving my way down the hallway and passing a couple other servants walking past me in the other direction. There aren't any other noticeable spots where additional servants have been killed, though they might've been cleaned up already. I keep going and only stop when I'm outside Octavia's room. 

It's a mess inside, Octavia, Stolas, and Stella sitting on Octavia's bed while Moxxie, Millie, and Blitzø are analyzing the room that has blood on one wall, glass on the floor next to broken doors that lead out to a balcony and lots of bullet holes in the walls along with bullets littering the floor. Loona's also sitting nearby, a bandage wrap on her left shoulder. To make sure I don't alarm anyone, I knock on the door frame, getting everyone's attention.

"Well look who's here. Glad you could come" Blitzø comments.

"Did you ever find a way around the elevator system?" Millie asks.

"In a minute, Millie" I tell her, walking over to Octavia, "Are you ok, Octavia?"

"I'll...be fine, after I get a good night's rest and finish this water" She answers, gesturing to the cup she's currently holding in both hands.

"So, what happened?" I ask Stella.

"We don't know the full story yet. Via hasn't wanted to talk about it" Octavia's mother replies, turning to her daughter, "But maybe now that he's actually come, could you tell us the series of events?"

"Ok, sure" Octavia sighs, Blitzø, Millie, and Moxxie pausing in their analyzing and listening in, "What happened was that Loona and I were over there by my taxidermy piece, just talking, when I noticed her acting strange, sniffing the air with her ears twitching. Next thing I know, she tackles me to the floor right before a sniper rifle bullet can hit me. We took cover at that wall and Loona went to go get a gun I had stashed under my mattress after a couple minutes. She then tossed it to me and we talked to each other over silent messaging. Loona could sense that the sniper was getting closer and the sounds of gunshots outside my room attributed to that. Then, the doorknob gets shot off and Loona attacks the guy. The three of us fought for an intense number of minutes and we caused some considerable damage to him. I was able to shoot him in the neck, face, and back after Loona bit him quite hard. But I think after we kept hurting him, he realized that he underestimated our abilities to fight back and fled out the balcony door, disappearing."

"Wow, aren't you a little badass, huh?" Blitzø remarks, grinning.

"Looks like that training paid off, didn't it, Via?" Stolas smiles, proud of his daughter.

"I agree, Stolas, but I also want to thank you for helping defend our daughter, Loona" Stella says appreciatively to the hellhound.

"Don't mention it" Loona waves off, holding her bandaged shoulder, "Nobody fucks with my friends without dealing with me too."

"Do you think this...person was out to...assassinate you?" Moxxie asks Octavia, cautiously approaching his wording.

"Yes, I do, and I also believe that this is connected to what's been going on, which is why I'm glad you all came to look at what he left behind" Octavia replies.

"Did you happen to get a good look at this assassin?" I ask.

"Not super a great look, but what I could make out was that he had horns like you imps do, had a bandana covering the lower half of his face, and had yellow and orange snake eyes" Octavia describes, IMP and her parents listening closely, "But the strangest thing about him was these weapons he had with him. Aside from a regular pistol, he had a secondary pistol and a sniper rifle that had these glowing blue markings on them. I was actually able to snag the rifle from him just before he escaped. It's over there."

Octavia points to the corner of the room adjacent to where her balcony doors are, a sniper rifle with glowing blue markings leaning against the wall. Moxxie's eyes widen, the imp himself walking over and collecting the gun, bringing it back over to us.

"What's gotten you all wide-eyed, Moxxie?" Blitzø inquires.

"Yeah, Mox, what's the matter?" Millie asks.

"This is a blessing-tipped rifle! It's a very rare kind of weapon and is very dangerous. The reason why is because of it's name 'blessing tipped'. You all know how holy weapons are definitively lethal against sinners, hellborn, and even Overlords and demon royalty? This is essentially that in a sniper rifle" Moxxie explains, flexing his gun knowledge, "But how the fuck he got one of these is completely beyond me! And you're saying he had a pistol with these same markings on it too?"

"Yeah" Octavia nods.

"Well, whoever he is, he's still plenty dangerous, but at least he's down one highly deadly weapon" Moxxie bites his lip, turning the rifle over in his hands.

"What have you guys gathered from here so far in regards to clues?" I ask Blitzø.

"I've got some bullets that I was able to pull out of the walls in here, most of them looking to be from the regular pistol this cocksucker used, but I also found one from that..holy tipped pistol he had. We should be able to try and trace back the bullets to the guns that used them and then determine from there which Ring they originated from" The boss answers, briefly forgetting what Moxxie called the weapon as he holds up a couple baggies with bullet fragments in them, "I also had Millie collect some blood samples from that wall, seeing as it's too much to have come from Loona, so it's obviously from him. I'm not no fucking scientist, but if we can get some schmuck to run it through a database or something, it might give us a name, though that'll be even trickier."

"Some solid work there, Blitzø. Thanks" I say, patting him on the shoulder.

"Hey, who do you take me for? I'm a professional and so is part of the name of my company" Blitzø smirks, crossing his arms confidently.

"But how did this assassin even get in here to begin with?" Stella asks, then looking at me, "Do you have any idea?"

"I'm not a crime scene investigator, but I'll do my best to put together the pieces" I reply, walking to where Octavia said her and Loona were at when Loona tackled Octavia to the ground, "So, since the assassin had a sniper rifle and that he wasn't visible enough to be seen easily, he must've used the rifle to make the shot. And if the shot landed in this wall here, then it must've come through the balcony doors."

I walk to the doors and carefully open them, stepping out onto the balcony itself, Blitzø and Millie walking out with me.

"My best guess is that he had to have perched himself on one of those trees over there in order to make the shot, otherwise there'd be no way he'd be high enough" I surmise, pointing to the black, leafless trees just beyond the property's garden before looking down at the balcony floor, "And this small blood trail shows that he did indeed come back this way. But how did he get away without further hurting himself, since it's still a drop from here to the ground."

"With this" Millie says, holding up part of a rope that, when we look over the edge, we see is tied to the bottom post of the balcony railing and drops down to the garden below.

"Hmm. But how did he rig this up without anyone else seeing?" I question, "And if he went down this, there must be more of a blood trail down below."

"Let me check" Millie volunteers, climbing over the edge, shimmying down the rope until she's down in the garden, and walking a bit off to the right, "Yeah, there is definitely more of a blood trail down here. From the looks of it, it goes behind these bushes and puddles, meaning the assassin stopped, bandaged himself here, and left without much else of a trace."

"Well, that's the beginning and the end. But all that's missing is the middle" I say out loud, pondering it for a second before I snap my fingers, "I got it! As cheesy as it sounds, he must've come through the front door, because why else would there be dead servants on the ground floor in the main entryway and at the top of the stairs if he didn't come through that way?"

"I suppose so, but that's counting on the fact that these pea-brained servants left the door unlocked, which even they wouldn't be stupid enough to do" Blitzø rationalizes, Millie climbing back up the rope and onto the balcony.

"I'll still ask about it, though" I reply, heading inside with the two imps behind me.

"I have a couple questions" I say, looking right at the Goetia's, "One, do you typically have any servants around the garden and, two, did any of the servants leave the front door unlocked?"

"No to both, why?" Stolas asks in turn.

"Because the assassin got in through the front and left through a rope tied to Octavia's balcony, which only works if the servants hadn't seen it, otherwise it would've been reported" I explain, Stolas and Stella's eyes widening.

"The only way the front door would've gotten unlocked is if Jake or Connor forgot to lock it when coming back in from dealing with that pesky news crew earlier or if a servant was paid to unlock it for this specific reason, which would mean a further conspiracy. I'm more likely to believe the latter would happen and that's not good" Stella admits.

"Well, if it's any consolation, I'm beginning my investigation of Wrath and Lust tomorrow, starting with Wrath" I say, looking over my shoulder, "Would you be willing to meet me there?"

"Of course!" Millie says, looking excited, "It'll be a nice, fun adventure!"

"And to answer your question from earlier, Millie, I did find a way around the elevator system and it's this" I say, turning around and forming a portal, it being the fifth and final one I can do today without feeling growing amounts of pain like Oleksandr said. The others are shocked, including Loona and Octavia.

"You can create portals like Dad now?!" Octavia exclaims.

"Yeah, I can. Long story, but essentially, I found the demon that used to give succubi the magic to create portals up to the living world and got him to teach me the same magic so I can travel between the Rings. Pretty cool right?" I smile.

"As if. It's incredibly cool!" Loona remarks.

"I agree with Loonie. That's pretty fucking cool" Blitzø comments.

"Right. So, for now, I'd suggest moving Octavia to a room without any windows, assuming that this assassin may try to strike again, and I'd suggest that a couple guards get posted outside her room, provided that that's not overdoing it" I suggest, "I'll only be a couple days in each Ring, doing the most thorough investigating I can, but in the meantime, I'd be more careful when going out, since this just turned from a scare to a full blown assassination attempt."

"I could not agree more, Y/N" Stolas nods.

"But can you at least send me updates on what you find out?" Octavia asks, looking at me, "I know it's only been a couple days, but I already miss talking with you. And I know this investigation is important, which is why I'm willing to settle with this being the way we can talk."

"Sure, I'm fine with that" I nod, glancing around at everyone else, "And should anyone else need me, well, you have my number. But for now, I need to go home and get some rest so that I can start tomorrow off strong."

"Just take care, alright?" Loona asks, having gotten up and walked over to where I'm standing.

"You bet" I reply, sharing a fist bump with her.

"I guess we'll be off too, seeing as there's nothing else we can do here" Blitzø says, looking to Stolas, "A portal, if you would, Stolas?"

"Sure thing, Blitzy" The Goetia prince replies, using a teasing nickname when responding to Blitzø as he creates a blue, swirling portal for them, it and mine looking really interesting right next to each other.

"If it's all the same to you, Blitzø, I'm still gonna stay here for the night" Loona says to her adoptive father as Millie and Moxxie go through the portal.

"Well, alright, but take care" Blitzø sighs, giving her a small wave before going through the portal himself, it closing after he's through.

I then give the Goetia's and Loona one more look before I walk through my own portal, but then not being able to help myself from glancing at them again once I'm back in my apartment. Octavia's hopeful smile is the last thing I see before I close the portal and turn away, my thoughts turning towards the beginning of what might very well be an interesting adventure.