“How did you even know that?” I asked; there was no denial. A sweet calm laugh followed without ever giving me an answer.
[PASSIVE TRAIT TRIGGERED]
Sunshine Disposition
- Emotional transparency: High
Crush concealment success rate: 3%
Result:
Your friends know everything.
“We really shouldn’t be driving directly there.” Zak answered as he turned where I pointed. “You have been there for what, three weeks?”
"Yeah," I answered.
“And you’ve managed to anchor yourself to your boss and a random demon you worked with?” He asked, but it was more a statement that was going to lead into a lecture.
[SYSTEM NOTICE]
Bond Network Expanding
Active Links:
Silas Thorne — Emotional Anchor
Solenne — Magical Conduit
Risk Assessment:
? Rapid attachment pattern detected.
I tried to ignore the invitation to the lecture, but he continued anyway: “This is why you don’t go into places without a plan, dude. Gods, you have me talking like my parents.”
“Yeah, the money definitely blinded him from all sense.” Zara replied, “Have you reached out to Ava yet?”
“Yes, she’s coming with some dragon lord? " I asked as if maybe Zara could clear that up. I could hear her talking to someone off in the distance so she probably didn’t hear that part. “I don’t know if that’s a species or a title. The fae she works with in the other realms are… sometimes."
“Difficult?” Zak scoffed. “That’s why we work only with good intentions and help people. It keeps life uncomplicated.”
[MORAL ALIGNMENT CHECK]
Intent: Help missing person
Motivation: Empathy
Alignment Modifier:
+2 Trust with civilian allies
“She’ll meet us there.” I answer the original question.
[ANXIETY SPIKE DETECTED]
Heart Rate: Elevated
Thought Activity: Excessive
Temporary Status:
Overthinking
I am hugging my bag as I realize that this is speeding off the rail far faster than I would have ever expected.
“Do you think I should have asked him to begin with? Maybe we could have already got this over with.”
“I don’t think so," Zara answered. “The vibes I was getting off of him. I don’t think the emotions would have been there. The link is helping, softening the person he is or was. With the demon connection, though. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not. We should probably ask him when we get in there.”
“We” like she was in the car with us amused me. Zak swung hard, ignoring a red light, and kept going until we finally made it. We parked a few blocks away, which I did not like. But Zak said he would be able to get us out of there if we needed.
My phone buzzed with another call.
“August, are you there?” Ava asked, “Sera and I are at the place, but we don’t see you.”
“We’ll be there in a few minutes.” August replied. “Zara, you can hang up when you need to. I plan on putting my phone in my pocket though.”
“‘Kay.” She answered, “Be careful.”
“We will.” Both Zak and August replied.
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
There stood Ava, in everyday wear—dark wash loose-fitting jeans and a t-shirt, like she was caught in this while running errands. The dragon lord—I'm assuming it's Sera she mentioned—was dressed not so informally. She didn’t look like she was from this world or this time period. She was a small woman, which did not match what Ava was saying about a dragon lord. I was picturing a tall seven-foot dragon-man. She wore something close to military-scaled leather that glittered in the sunlight. For all I know, that was her casual everyday wear versus what we wear on a day-to-day basis.
“Sera. This is August, my dumbass roommate who has taken on a job that he cannot handle alone.”
Name: Lady Serafina Sindervoile
Title: Dragon Lord of the Yei Sipiri Marches
Classification: High Fae
Threat Level: Catastrophic (Localized)
Recommendation: Avoid provoking. Avoid staring contests. Avoid being anywhere dragons can see you.
“Ah. Yes, I thought he would be taller.” She looked genuinely disappointed in my height, which… made me feel bad that she didn’t get who she was there to see.
[SELF-ESTEEM CHECK]
Damage Taken: Minor
Source: Dragon Lord Disappointment
I threw the thought out quickly.
“We look like we’re about to jump the guy.” I said. “He literally doesn’t know any of you.”
"And we literally do not know him. You’re not going in there alone.” Zara’s voice was heard loudly through the fabric of my pants.
“Does he carry a woman in his pants?” Sera asked, wrinkling her nose at him.
“It’s a phone.” Ava answered, “Similar to the magic tech we use to communicate. But he has to pay a monthly fee for.”
“As you say, yuck.” Sera laughed. “Okay, so we’re here to jump a guy?”
“No, we’re here just to talk.” I stopped the conversation. This was the woman’s first time, it seems, and I needed to watch how I said things with her apparently.
“But we will if we need to.” Zak turned to Sera with a soft smile. Her eyes lit up.
[COMBAT POSSIBILITY DETECTED]
Allies Present:
- Zak—Protective Pari
- Ava — Court Fae
- Lady Serafina — Dragon Lord
Outcome prediction if violence occurs:
Overwhelming.
Oh no.
“I am here of my own accord and not with Cielen Dominion. As a favor to a friend.” Whatever Sera was saying, we could literally see some writing or what I think was writing burn in the air before us.
[MAGICAL CONTRACT OBSERVED]
Caster: Serafina Sindervoile
Spell Type:
Binding Declaration
Effect:
Neutrality Confirmation
Prevents retaliation from affiliated courts.
“Okie dokie.” I answered, “I am going to go in and try to make this feel less like we’re ganging up on him.”
Ava and Zak nodded. Sera went to ask more questions, but Ava gave her a look. The usual one where she’d explain more things when it was an appropriate time to do so.
At the diner, there was Silas, hands huddled around a coffee. The emotions bouncing on inside of me were confusing.
[EMOTIONAL LINK ACTIVE]
Source: Silas Thorne
Detected Signals:
- Tension
- Controlled irritation
- Curiosity
Stability Effect:
Panic Reduction +2
What I felt I knew was mostly Silas at this point, as Solenne seemed to only manage to send me emotional responses to things she had strong enough feelings about. I couldn’t feel a reprimand of this situation—she finally accepted it was going to happen or possibly was busy with her actual work, not fucking around on a Saturday.
“You have a lot of friends.” Silas stated as he approached, “I can feel the emotional connection. I wish I could read your or their minds with this connection. This would make it easier.”
[LINK LIMITATION CONFIRMED]
Emotional Transmission: Yes
Thought Access: No
Privacy Level:
Thankfully intact.
“I think it would make this situation more awkward than needed if you could read all of our minds.” I answer. I slid across from him. He didn’t look up for a long time until Jeb came through to ask for my order. I tried to decline, but he threatened to fry me up for dinner rush… So I ordered a vegan burger.
[DINER BUFF ACQUIRED]
Food Ordered: Vegan Burger
Potential Effects:
Hunger removal
Slight morale increase
“Do you intend on siccing them on me if this doesn’t go your way?” Silas asked.
“You can feel my intentions. You already know that I have no intention of hurting you. They do. But only if you hurt me, you know?”
"And don't think just because I’m on a phone I can’t do anything about anything.” Zara’s voice mumbled through the pants. I should have really hung up on her, but it felt rude up to this point.
“Why do you have someone on speakerphone?" Silas asked, tired and unamused, “If she has magic like your roommate... Just so you know, it'll be void in this building.”
[AREA EFFECT DETECTED]
Zone Type: Magic Suppression Field
Effects:
Spellcasting: Disabled
Enchantments: Dampened
Magical attacks: Nullified
"Noted," she replied.
“Anyway, the threats and the not-threats but threats have been established.” I state, “What can you tell me about Faye?”
“She’s not dead.” Silas paused.
[QUEST THREAD UPDATE]
Target: Faye Addison
Previous Status:
Missing / Possibly Deceased
New Status:
Alive (Unconfirmed Location)
“And,” Silas paused to take a drink of the coffee, “those are not her parents.”
[CRITICAL INFORMATION EVENT]
Truth Flag Triggered
Probability Analysis:
Identity deception likely.
Investigation Difficulty:
Increased.