Celestial Storm: Blazing Eye

Chapter Five: The Divine Conspiracy

Vlukyn landed the air ship in the hangar and spoke briefly with another employee before we went to the council to collect our reward.

"It's kind of a surprise that Flame didn't destroy an entire town for once," the head councilor said.

"I don't destroy entire towns every time I go on a mission," Flame pointed out.

The head councilor just sighed as he handed us our tabs.

As we headed back to the guild, Vlukyn suddenly said, "Oh, yes, my love. I forgot to give you something."

She held out her hand in which two pieces of a signet rested.

"What is this?" I asked.

"It summons a devil. It was a very powerful one. It must have been a grand duke!" Vlukyn replied.

"But I like devils as much as I like demons," I said.

"Good, then you'll get along just fine," Vlukyn said plopping the signets in my hand.

"That's not what I meant," I moaned.

"We'll summon him later tonight," Vlukyn said, "Might as well recruit him since we might have use of him as a distraction on later missions."

"I don't want to," I moaned.

Vlukyn ignored me as she continued walking through the town. A lot of people stayed away from Vlukyn. Some went so far as to run to the other side of the street to avoid her. As usual, Vlukyn didn't seem to notice or care.

Vlukyn walked up to the door of the guild and kicked the door open. Changetzi began his usual fit as Vlukyn walked right past him ignoring his obscene words. Ethiza, Khanordhoi and Dukhiza were sitting at the bar, and they turned to see what the commotion was about. Sreldes, who had been fidgeting with his goblet, let out a cry of delight and ran forward to greet us.

"Oh, my dear! You're alive!" Sreldes cried happily, "I've been so worried ever since I heard that the guild master of Plague Glacier had impenetrable armor!"

He hugged me then grabbed Tamira and hugged her along with me.

"Oh, shut up, Sreldes. It's a pity that the new girl didn't croak while she was on the mission," Khanordhoi said from the bar, "If she would have come back in a body bag, it would have been a good day."

"My dear boy, how can you say that?!" Sreldes cried releasing Tamira and I, "I was so worried when I heard that the guild master used poison and had impenetrable armor. I worried for a moment that poor Lucina would be poisoned. It is a good thing that Siegfried joined them."

"You mean you asked Siegfried to back us up? Thank you, Sreldes, that was quite thoughtful," I said.

"Oh, my dear, it was nothing. Especially since I worried for nothing," Sreldes said.

"Siegfried, why'd you have to save that wench?" Khanordhoi growled, "We'd have been much better off without her."

"Who wouldn't?" said Siegfried, "I don't see why you're holding a grudge against her."

"Have you addled your brains somehow? Have you forgotten what that wench said to me?" Khanordhoi retorted.

"Now, now, relax. I wasn't trying to insult you. Let's have a cool drink, and we can talk this over like civilized people," Siegfried said.

"Keh! Go sleep with yourself, Siegfried," Khanordhoi snorted.

"I don't want to. I'd much rather sleep with women," Siegfried replied.