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[Anastasia]

Jessica doesn't comment on it aloud, simply keeping her pace steady and quick.

Then, in the distance:

"931....932....933...." A man's voice, slowly counting. Ahead the river continues until a sharp slope going up just off the river. Jessica's heading in that direction, keeping her head down.

"934...935...936..." Looking ahead and up the slope, you see light there.

"HELP!" The voice is from that direction, but echoy and distorted. Further away, Marie's ears can tell. A pause in the counting, "Can't even deal with them correctly," it mutters. Filthy dogs."

[Ebiris]

Even if the scream sounded genuine, Marie has to wonder a bit at how someone can just repeat 'Help' over and over during a demonic invasion unless that's what the demons want him to be doing. Still, they're getting closer so they can do something about it on their way to shut down those portals.

[Anastasia]

Jessica stops here and taps you on the shoulder, then points ahead.

[Ebiris]

Does she want Marie to scout ahead? The problem is once they split up they won't be able to find each other again unless they break stealth, and there might be too many demons out there to easily clear things out.

Reluctantly she activates her greater invisibility spell-like ability and then dispels the far better superior invisibility spell she had on her. Now she can be heard and smelled and all sorts of things. "We shouldn't split up," she whispers as quietly as she can, tiny head by Jessica's ear.

Spoiler: ShowHide

Marie: 608/608
Active spells: Extended superior resistance (CL 32), extended mind blank (CL 32), greater arcane sight (CL 32), extended repelling shield (CL 32), bibliotheca arcana (CL 32), extended nondetection (CL 32), epic mage armour (CL 32), sensual blessing (CL 32), extended ray deflection (CL 32)
Defences: AC 94 (touch 36, vs incorporeal 69), CMD 78, spell resistance 46, energy immunity (electricity), energy resistance 10 (acid, cold), status immunity (petrification, polymorph, form-altering, energy drain, ability drain, ability damage, mind-affecting) protective aura, nondetection (DC 47)
Stat buffs/penalties: +11 shield AC, +15 insight knowledge, +25 competence perception
Perceptions: Darkvision 60, blessed sight 120, see invisibility, blindsight/tremorsense 60, scent, greater arcane sight, perception +71
Sorcerer spell slots: 6/10/10/9/7/8/8/8/7/7/7/5/4
Limited SLAs available: heal, meteor swarm, time stop

[Anastasia]

"Agreed," Jessica whispers back, voice barely a murmur. "Just giving you this one while I watch the rear."

[Ebiris]

This doesn't sound like what Alicia laid out for them in planning, but Jessica's the goddess, so Marie figures it'll do her some good to make alterations to the plan that suit her. Hopefully won't result in an avatar of Demogorgon dropping on them once they expose themselves though - she knows Malcanthet would give a great deal for her or Jessica, and they're pretty exposed out here.

"It'll be loud," she whispers a caution before she detaches from Jessica and flies up ahead solo.

[Anastasia]

"Then do it quietly," Jessica whispers back, "You can do that, can't you?"

[Ebiris]

She sticks to Jessica while they converse! "Not if it's a crowd. I'm not an assassin."

[Anastasia]

"Then change of plans, you watch the rear," Jessica asks whisper soft.

[Ebiris]

"What is the plan? Do you want to kill everyone out there or sneak past?" Marie asks, detaching from Jessica's shoulder.

[Anastasia]

"Kill quietly if possible, sneak past otherwise," Jessica says, "If it's just one, slay it before it knows you're there."

[Ebiris]

"Okay lets go," Marie pats Jessica's back, following behind her now they've got that cleared up.

[Anastasia]

"951...952...953..." The counting continues as Jessica goes ahead, peeking upwards. After a moment she smiles grimly and darts ahead, a shadowed blur.

> roll 1d20+52
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+52 --> [ 1d20=20 ]{72}
> roll 1d20+52 crit?
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 1d20+52 crit? --> [ 1d20=12 ]{64}
> roll 2d6+64+22d6
<Rei-chan> Kotono rolled : 2d6+64+22d6 --> [ 2d6=8 22d6=93 ]{165}

A moment later you hear a soft thump, then nothing. The counting ceases.

[Ebiris]

Marie hurries after Jessica, not wanting to lose sight of her!

[Anastasia]

Here is a narrow chamber, the wall pasted with hundreds and hundreds of splatters of fresh blood. Jessica shakes her head and strides onward, a winding path leading deeper in.

K:A.