Boots of Booty | ONC 2023

Part 6

17. Kidnap the King

Armed, armored, and back to skulking down dark hallways, Séa remembered her quiet voice. "The place feels so empty."

Tash said, "No royal guards, no wizards. Maybe some of the people are being replaced by demons. Maybe a lot of the people."

The paladin said, "Not a lot of demons can make themselves look human. Spellcasters, I guess, and incubi."

"That's good to know. Say, I thought of a new backup option."

"You're so smart," Séa cooed. "What is it?"

"Kidnap the king."

"Whoa, that's bold." Séa chuckled, then put a lid on her voice once again. "But I can see how it would be great. If we could get the king free and back to the city, in a few days he could shake off his enchantment. He's gonna be mad, mad, mad until then, though. And it's totally treason."

The rogue growled, "This whole thing is mad. Anyway, the king and the steward are probably up in the towers somewhere, so let's climb higher. Hide from non-demons. Slay demons on sight."

"Yes!"

"But as quietly as possible."

"Oh, poo."

Tash tugged on Séa's elbow. "Shh. Quasit ahead."

In a quivery whisper, the paladin's excitement shone. "You are so good at sensing them!"

"Maybe, but ... I hold an unfamiliar bow with weird military arrows. Wish us luck."

Torugg's champion replied, "May Giasleppi guide us to maximum ridiculousness."

"You goofball."

Tash had recently discovered an affinity for locating demons. The ability apparently flowed from a grant of favor from Giasleppi, goddess of tricks (or, possibly, a god – she was that tricky). Séa shared a similar directional ability, honed enough to attempt archery with one's eyes shut. The women nocked stolen arrows onto their purloined bows and creaked tension into the bowstrings. Knees bent, they crept forward.

Quasits were bat-like flying demons with twisted humanoid faces and bodies. The demon the women sensed could not be seen, and this was typical. Quasits could turn invisible at will, apparently without effort. This particular one seemed stationary near the ceiling many yards ahead of them. In her mind's eye, Séa imagined it hanging from its foot-claws from the ceiling, its leathery wings wrapped around it and its beady eyes wide open and alert. In unspoken accord, they halted. As one, they pulled their bowstrings back to their ears.

Thrumm.

The arrows flew, and the women sprinted forward. A spluttery hiss like a firework echoed down the hall. A shadow fell from the ceiling ahead to the floor, where it flopped in leather winged agony.

Tash arrived first and drove a dagger through the creature's scrawny throat. "One sentry down."

Séa's lungs pumped as she regarded the dead demon and the broad staircase ahead. A vertical line appeared between her scrunched eyebrows. This was the palace. The seat of power for the entirety of Omnius. The paladin said, breathily, "It's hard to believe it's real, Jagged Keep overthrown like this. And nobody besides Ghomarck and us even knows about it."

"It is unbelievable. It's so outrageous that no one would ever guess it." Tash shook blood from her blade and rubbed the back of her neck. Meditatively, she murmured what amounted to a stylistically unconventional prayer. "Giasleppi, if you engineered this, it's fecking genius. Also, I fecking hate you, bitch."