>>5313657One more thing, you add as you take a few steps towards your prisoner, what’s he know about <span class="mu-r">THE COLLECTOR</span> anyways?
“What, is the name not clear enough?” Teevor counters with renewed venom in his voice. “It’s a Greater Demon of the Mind–one obsessed with obtaining and cataloging secrets. <span class="mu-i">All</span> of them.”
“All of them?” Talbot repeats in disbelief.
“<span class="mu-i">ALL</span> of them.” The captive nods. “Our security ciphers, the names of all the members of a royal family, the color of the <span class="mu-g">HIGH SCHOLAR’S</span> undergarments, hells, even the viscosity of a human’s blood when spilled with a burning hook. It aims to know and hoard each and every detail in every plane, I couldn’t tell you <span class="mu-i">why</span>, though.”
“So what’s with all the fleshy crap, then?” Talbot asks as he glances towards the way you came in. “How’s he supposed to ask <span class="mu-i">those</span> guys any questions?
“Yes, those would be the results of its experiments… well, that and the work of its thralls.” Teevor replies. “Imagine that you could keep and reuse one lab rat for eternity–that it couldn’t die no matter what you did to it. Imagine all of the experiments you could run on it and all of the potential side effects… that’s what those things out there are.” The mage hesitates for a moment. “... they used to be my colleagues, though.”
“The <span class="mu-g">HIGH SCHOLAR</span> sent us to reset the device in the middle of the pyramid,” Art explains, “but how does that get rid of this demon?”
“Oh <span class="mu-i">good</span>, I was beginning to think she had left us to rot…” Replies the skeleton. “Fearsome though they may be, demons aren’t physically… well, <span class="mu-i">here</span> in this plane. They’re mere projections of the demon’s presence–yes, even the one that followed me.”
“So if we reset the device, we sever the connection?” Sybil asks, clearly taking mental notes.
“It’s worked in the past, yes.” Teevor nods. “Unless, of course, the Greater Demon itself <span class="mu-i">enters</span> this plane. Then there’s only one thing left to do.”
You lean in closer. Which is?
“Find a quick and comfortable way to kill yourself.” The mage explains in a stern voice. “At that point it’d be akin to fighting the tide… or seismic activity.”
“Wait a sec!” Talbot growls as he stomps forward, “What about that <span class="mu-r">SEA DEMON</span> out there, huh? He’s swimmin’ around like he owns the damn place!”
“Ah yes, <span class="mu-i">him</span>.” Teevor chuckles. “Like I explained before, we utilize demons all the time–<span class="mu-i">lesser</span> demons, of course. Our <span class="mu-g">HIGH SCHOLAR</span> has a good relationship with one particular Greater Demon… she has what you might call a ‘<span class="mu-i">deal</span>’ with it.”
“Hey cupcake, wanna make a bet?”
You shake your head–you’ve got a feeling you’re both betting on the same thing.
>CONTD. 