.^^ Adelaide's War Sigils ^^

— Adelaide —

"Okay, Wait, let's not be hasty! Okay? I keep a few contacts in the Thorn's Camp... unless we're at war, they're good for information... Paxin was a fifth-level Sorcerer, the leader of the Thorn's Camp in Middle-Chicago... the leaders of upper and lower Chicago will be fighting over his spot for months, now that Paxin finally bought it! That helps, right?" The young Asian man said quickly, my translation spell working wonders for me and Gale, though Seth's mastery of Cantonese was impressive.

I blinked. "Fifth Level? You're Sure?" I pressed my nails to his hand gently, to let him feel how sharp they were.

He nodded, the extra reminder unnecessary, as he was staring at Seth with the eyes of someone who could see his death. "Yeah, He lorded it over us for months, when he finally summoned the Garden of Death... Lascivious, the Sixth-Level Leader from the North End, She killed it, but the fact that Paxin summoned it at all made him a Fifth."

I hummed. "True... Alright, well, let's order some food, feed Seth's appetite, and you can help us dismantle the Thorn's Camp in Chicago, over some Rangoon's and Souls! Your Master will approve, no?" I smiled sweetly.

He paled, and nodded slowly. "Especially if it isn't us that does it... alright. Oi! Hector! Friends have come to visit! Bring over some food!!! And... some Rangoon's." He looked at me in confusion.

The tall mixed man behind the counter nodded, and whistled into the kitchen, gathering a few people, who went into a back room, and came out with what looked like normal food, but smelled of Eldritch Beasts, as if they had summoned and killed a few beasts, and put the ashes onto the food as a spice.

As if a second thought, some mundane crab and cheese rangoon's were also brought out.

Seth hummed, smelling the food. "Interesting... well! This is nice, Hmm? Now, let's lay out the basic structure of the... 'Thorn's Camp', was it?"

I nodded. "Each of the Four King's has a Camp, a group of Sorcerers who serve them... you have one, in Moscow, London, Paris, Madrid, Berlin, so on and so forth."

He suddenly looked entirely, horrendously disgusted. "Oh shit, Briar was on the side of the Nazi's, wasn't he?"

I chuckled. "No, not really. His Sorcerers? Yes. Him? Meh."

He shivered. "Welp, that's on the docket: Exterminate the Nazi Sorcerers."

"If you want, I'm sure the European branch wouldn't mind the help." Gale nodded.

"Yeah, well, no one will miss them. Fucking Nazi's..." the boy in front of us furrowed his brow. "Anyway... the Thorn. They're set up in three Groups, upper, Middle, and Lower, for the three parts of Chicago. The upper is held by Lascivious, a Sixth Level Sorcerer. The South is another Sixth, Tiberius."

"Numbers?" Gale asked.

"Each Group held what was about 1,000 Sorcerers. When the Briar was to be summoned, each group gave 750, because they were told that he was Summoning The Thorn, not the Briar... those of us in the Blade's Camp were the only ones who knew otherwise." He answered easily.

Gale blinked, and grinned savagely. "So they're at their weakest in centuries, is what you're saying."

He nodded. "Yes. That's what I'm saying. They were supposed to get the Thorn, in return, so there was no projected loss of power, what with a Greater Lich being worth about 5,000 Sorcerers, so they all agreed to it without any protest... how they managed to get the Sigils that would summon a Greater Demon, now that's something I'm sure my Master would like to know..." he gazed at Seth's skin, humming in confusion at how blank it was.

Seth looked up, halfway through shoveling food into his mouth. "Such a Thing might be arranged, if your information helps to remove the Thorn from existence." He shrugged.

The boy stiffened. "You... you want to Kill the Thorn? That balance of power has stood for 17,000 years-"

"A Meatsack, lecturing me about my own past... how arrogant..." the Briar's voice slipped into our brains.

He flinched. "My apologies..."

"And for your information, you are unsurprisingly incorrect... the balance shifts ever millennia or so... Greater Daemons are rare, but not limited to only Four, as you seem to think... we fight for power and territory every time our Planes shift close enough to yours to affect change..." the Briar hummed, sharing the information casually.

"And... when was the last time anything changed?" I asked slowly.

"For the last 7,000 years or so, my plane, the Thorn's Plane, The Horn's Plane, and the Blade's Plane have been closest to this one... there will be another shift, very soon. I want more power, so I can hold my Plane closer, like the Blade has done for the past 14,000 years, instead of drifting away and starving in the dark."

Seth hummed. "My reasons are different, but the destruction of the other Greater Daemons will leave openings for the newer, weaker Greater Daemons, which can be Ruled, and then all of them can be forced to only feed on the Wicked, if one is in the position to force them." He explained casually.

"Virgins are a Favorite Meal, Though..."

"Virgin doesn't mean 'Nice'. There are wicked virgins, I guarantee you, and their sudden rare status will make them all the more valuable." He shrugged.

"True..."

I set my fork down slowly. "When did you make that plan? It's only been one night..."

He shrugged. "I had some prophetic dreams... or maybe just normal dreams. I don't know. Either way, show me where the Leaders are, and I'll get them... then the rest can run around like chickens with their heads cut off, and the Hunters can do their jobs." He then began eating again, nearly having eaten everything on the table, besides my plate of rangoon's.

Gale nodded, and walked outside, staying in visual range of us, and making a call.

The boy, Hao-Long, nodded. "Yeah, that'd work... and Chicago would be under the net of the Blade of the East?" He asked cautiously.

"No. You have Chinatown. Don't push it. The city of Chicago will be Mine. I'll allow you to stay, for now." Seth frowned.

He put his hands up calmingly. "Absolutely, I was just wondering."

Seth paused. "Do you think it's possible to let the Briar Camp know that we're Warring with the Thorn's Camp?"

The boy nodded. "That is certainly possible... would you like me to?"

"No... give me the means to, however." He slid over a napkin, and tapped it. "Write."

"It isn't a phone number... there's a certain Demon, he's summoned every day, by every different group of the Thorn... he spreads news. The Others have something similar. I know our Camp does. Maybe yours does to?" He hummed.

"Ahhh... the Talkative Ones... Yes... Worthy servants. We have a few... Summoning them is easy. We can do so later." The Briar hissed, surprisingly calm.

"Then I'd like the Thorn's, as well... to stop them from getting information so easily, first of all, and to confuse them." Seth nodded.

The boy nodded. "That's doable. Well, enjoy your meal. I'll be-"

"SIT. DOWN." Seth didn't raise his voice, but when it merged with the true voice of the Primordial, like that, it felt like he was screaming with every word, and it put shivers down my spine.

The boy sat down, frozen stiff.

"Do Not attempt to run away again... the predator in my mind is far too sensitive for that. I would be forced to give chase... therefore, I will leave first, after you tell me where the Leaders of the Thorn Camp are." Seth said calmly.

The boy nodded slowly, and wrote down three addresses. "Those are the addresses of the three leaders... Paxin is dead, but his house is in Hyde Park, and there are probably Sorcerers there that are already claiming his spot."

"Good... now sit very still, and move only after I am out the door." Seth nodded, and stood, walking away.

The Crow that had been on his shoulder stayed behind, staring at Hao-Long. "Uhm... Nice, Crow?" He murmured.

"My name is Tempest, and I am a Lich Dragon... a Hungry one, who has never eaten Sorcerer before... retract that hand, or I will no longer be able to make that claim."

He slowly put his hands into his lap.

"Good traitor..." the crow pecked at my food, and hummed. "Sea Slugs... how fitting a meal, for Sorcerers and Humans." He scoffed, and flew off after Seth.

I hummed, and leaned forward. "Any chance I can get a vial of that Ashe to go?"

He nodded slowly, and held out a bottle full of ashes. "Sure..."

I snagged it, and smiled. "You survived! Celebrate! But do so somewhere we won't find you, Hmm?" I walked out, tucking the ashes away, and found Seth and Gale, talking softly, and in Cantonese, still.

"The south end or north? Or go to Hyde Park, which is right nearby? Kill the Sorcerers there, summon the Info Demon, Kill the Thorn's Informant, spend the night, then take on the other two after a night's rest?" Seth hummed.

Gale nodded. "And the others will be here, later tomorrow."

Seth frowned. "We don't need the help. I want to be able to say that I conquered the Sorcerers of this entire City basically by myself. You're here as a babysitter, right? Because I'm new and you don't trust me? I get it, I'm not offended, but it's me going to war, not you. And Adelaide is just along to learn some tricks and interrogate the survivors, to add their knowledge to that book of hers."

"True." I shrugged.

Gale hummed. "Well, they'll help us clean up the messes, how about that? They'll arrive late afternoon. If it isn't finished by then, then it's on you."

Seth nodded. "Easy enough. Let's go to Hyde Park, then."

"Is it much more walking? I'm sorry, I don't mean to be a complainer, but walking for Two Hours up and down hills is far more than I bargained for." I sighed.

"If you'd placed us in the Loop, like I asked, we wouldn't have. Either way, that's the way you travel in this city. Get used to it." Seth said dryly, and began walking again.

I sighed heavily, and followed, subtly casting a spell to ease my muscle pain.

—

"Hyde Park... named after Mr. Hyde?" I asked.

"I dunno. I think so." Seth shrugged casually.

"What about-"

"Look, I'm a Bum, Alright? A Hobo. I don't fucking know the origin of everything you wanna know about this city! It's just the place I ended up after leaving New York, Alright?" He snapped.

I paused. "Oh... I'm sorry... I-"

"No, nevermind. Sorry for snapping... I'm a loose cannon right now." He muttered, and walked ahead.

We suddenly came upon a small house, a brownstone like any other, and he halted, looking across the street.

Seven people lazed around on the steps, and I could see a Sigil on one of them, whose sleeves was rolled up. "That's the place?" Gale asked.

"That's the address... and considering the Lesser Lich on the front steps, I'd say it's the right place." He grinned, and marched across the street, with Gale on his heels.

I quickly cast a massive dome of serenity around the brownstone, so no one would see what was about to go down, and hurried after them.

Gale peeled off, and leaned against the wall, beside the open archway gate, while Seth simply walked through, likely setting off every alarm-... or not. He walked straight through, and flashed a Sigil on his arm, a copy of mine, I realized. "Heya, boy's... Paulie in? He was supposed to Induct me last night, never showed. What gives?"

One of them eyed him, and nodded. "Yeah, I remember you... Seth, yeah? Supposed to be a Lich by now."

"That's what I'm screamin'! All I got was this thing, instead, cause Paulie wasn't there, like I said!" He pointed at the White Crow on his shoulder casually.

The man nodded. "Yeah, that reeks, man... still, now you're one of us! But bad news, man... Paulie died last night. Seems he tried to summon a Greater Daemon with someone other than you... and it Ate him, along with 2,000 of our brothers, then went back through the Rift, unsatisfied... that's the rumor, anyway. Lascivious is running us, now."

"Lascivious? Isn't that that chick from North Side? We're letting a Northie run us now?" He snorted, and took a seat on the bottom step.

They laughed. "Yeah, right? Well, Tiberius Challenged her, got his ass handed to him. Seems she's a Seventh, now, not a Sixth. Ripped through him and sent him home with his tail between his legs. Hell of a fight, too, you missed out." Another one piped up.

"Wish I'd seen it... spent the night in a fuckin' graveyard, waiting on a dead man, instead!" He laughed.

"Irony, Yeah?" The Lesser Lich nodded.

I breathed deeply, and reached for my book, branding myself with temporary Sigils, for Battle Casting. A Lesser Lich wasn't something I'd expected, but it was something I could handle.

As I turned the corner, however, there was a terrible, terrible sight in front of me, as the Carrion Crow was feasting on what was left of the Seven Sorcerers.

Gale looked impressed, and nodded at Seth, who was casually drinking the ashes, as they all dissolved. "I thought about letting them summon some stuff, for more of a challenge and more of a meal... but I didn't want to cause a scene." He explained himself.

Gale nodded. "Good work... vicious and bloody, but also clean and silent, so good work."

"Would you care to knock, Sir Gale?" Seth gestured at the door with a theatrical bow.

"Oh would I!" He grinned, and kicked the door off the hinges.

I bolted in front of them, and erected a barrier, just in time for a gout of dragon's fire to blast us. It was absorbed by the barrier, and I gritted my teeth, pushing forward and casting with my other hand, creating a Spear of Longinus, a Seventh Level Spell, and the most powerful one I had easily on hand. Most others of that level took time.

The man in front of me smirked, and I raised the spear... only for him to gasp, and fall to his knees, clutching his throat, as slush began pouring out of his mouth, before eventually solidifying, and choking him entirely.

Seth walked past me, snagging my spear and twirling it casually, then hummed. "Lookit me, ma, I can use the force!!! Coolio." He twisted his hand, and the dead Sorcerer turned to dust, letting him drink it in.

Gale huffed, sheathing his picks. "Save some for the rest of us, huh?"

"Nah. This isn't a game. I'm not sadistic enough to actually enjoy all the killing, I'm only Pissed off enough that it doesn't bother me as much as it probably should... the demon in my head probably isn't helping matters either..." He said calmly, and then threw an ice shard into the stairwell, impaling the throat of an invisible Sorcerer, who fell slowly to his knees, and turned to ash.

The crow ate that one, and hummed. "Definitely an interesting meal, but you should allow one to summon something... I'm particular to Necron's."

I pushed my barrier past them, just on an instinct, and grinned when I found a secret door. "I found-"

"The door behind the stairwell?" Seth asked, and casually pulled a white book on the bookshelves, opening a wall panel, behind the staircase. "Don't feel bad, I've been here before." He added, and started down. "Gale, the upper floor is all yours, if you'd like. Tempest, Go with him. Collect his kills for your food."

Gale nodded, allowing the crow to perch on his shoulder, and started upstairs, pointing me sternly after the boy. I sighed and followed him down into the lower floor, which expanded, like all sorcerer's abodes.

A large, dark graveyard met my eyes, as they adjusted immediately to the lack of light, and I frowned. "A Garden Of The Dead... that's not good."

He shrugged, and began walking over it confidently, ignoring the hands that began reaching for him, as he headed towards the far side, where a small room with only three walls was risen up a few steps.

I growled at his carelessness, until one managed to touch him, and then the hand froze, shattering into a fine dust. His footsteps, now that I looked, were filled with ice.

I quickly began jumping between them, using the frozen dirt as springboards, until I was right behind him. My barrier blocked the hands that reached for me, but I could feel it's strength fading, being sucked away by the necromancy in this spell, and I would need it for the fight with whatever was in the large high-back chair, at the other end of the room, facing the roaring fireplace.

"My new Home... is much nicer than my previous one... cozy... but this... well, Paxin was holding out on us, that much is true." A soft, sultry feminine voice sounded from the chair, and a small hand picked up a glass of wine.

"Paulie held out on a lot of people. It was his calling card... right there in his chosen name, doofus. Paxin, the Absence of Peace. The name of the ship that carried the Lost Princes Of Albany." Seth shrugged, the frost beginning to spread beyond his feet, as he stood still.

Within seconds, the entire Garden Of Dead was frozen, and shattered when he tapped his foot. "Now... Lascivious, I presume?" He asked cordially.

She rounded the chair, holding her wine casually, and smiled down at us, all five feet of her, with her long, cherry blonde hair piled into a bun on top of her head, and her blade-like body sheathed in a tight red evening gown.

"Indeed... and you? What is your name, Frosty?" She asked, glancing at the ice around his feet.

He smiled slowly, and I decided it was a good time to step very, very far back.