The Archive (Jaela)

[Anastasia]

In the meantime you've skimmed the salient points of the book. It's nothing new for you, but ignoring the demonic slant, it's accurate in what it does. It's even free of horrors or curses on the pages, simply being a collection of lore. Granted, the lore might be troublesome for a mortal, but you're beyond that.

"Thunder." Canderella says, "I wonder if there's more going on somewhere?"

[Corwin]

"Dunno," Jaela says with a shrug, offering her the book. "I think you'll like it. By the way, I support the lightning and thunder approach."

[Anastasia]

"Best to be on guard," Sage Vul'lath warns, drawing his dagger.

[Corwin]

"I'm always on my guard," Jaela says, though she calls upon Foresight to be even more so!

[Anastasia]

Indeed, fortune is with you - for the stairs to the fifth floor are around the next corner. Unguarded, no less - or they appear that way, but your blindsight lets you see an invisible succubus waiting, leaning against the wall.

[Corwin]

Jaela makes sure to walk in such a way as to place herself between her companions and the invisible demon. Should the succubus start anything she'd be there to put a stop to it, and if the succubus decides to trail them Jaela can always announce her presence then.

[Anastasia]

As you begin to approach, "Oh, hold on," Her voice is sultry and teasing, "No one can pass. Unless..."

"What do you want, harlot?" Moonlight asks, to which Canderella gives her a rather unkind glare.

[Corwin]

"Are you angling for a job?" Jaela asks curiously.

[Anastasia]

"What." Moonlight says flatly, turning to stare at you.

"A job? Oh, whatever sort of job could an innocent, chaste and pure maiden like you have to offer me?" The succubus asks, coming forward and into visibility. She's brown haired and with deep, dazzling blue eyes. The typical lush, alluring body of a succubus joins it, she wears a simple silk shift and nothing else.

[Corwin]

"There are literally only two reasons for her to try and stop us, and the other is just for kicks," Jaela explains to Moonlight. "I tend to assume the second is always a factor for demons, thus the need for a clarification."

Returning her attention to the succubus, she smiles sweetly. "The job is fighting devils in the Crusade. The job is always fighting the devils."

[Anastasia]

"Oh, I'm not a fighter," The succubus giggles, "I'm a guardian. This stairway can only be used if you can answer my riddles, for only the might of the mind matters here."

[Corwin]

"I'm pretty sure you're fucking with us, but sure, riddle away."

[Anastasia]

Sage Vul'lath smiles, "This shall be easy," he declares. "Go."

"Oh, confident?" The succubus drawls, "Fine. My domain is the past. I am born in the present and the future is unknown to me. What am I?"

[Corwin]

"Regrets?"

[Anastasia]

"Correct," The succubus says, "That or history, they are one in the same."

Sage Vul'lath nods slightly, "I prefer history."

"So you have a mind in there?" The succubus drawls, "Next then, the more of these you take, the more of them that you leave behind. What are they?"