Akoni found himself somewhat irritated after his Council agent allies had entered the mausoleum. Their assistance was, of course, welcome to the situation. What he had taken issue with was Fenn’s remark that he should “do something,” as if the wizard were not already entrenched with extremely potent and complicated magics that allowed the hellhound and others to further beat down the hatred that was far stronger than it had any right to be. Though the old man said nothing, a glance of annoyance should have told the demon everything he needed to know, should Fenn be paying attention.

Lily glanced down as Souta made his way into the mausoleum, a sliver of genuine respect showing on her features. However, as he spoke, her expression turned more and more dour, and she let her attention return to the Hatred currently looking from person to person, appearing uncertain; movements slower than they should be. When at last Souta finished, Lily couldn't help but state the grim reality of things: "And more likely that helicopter will be disintegrated the moment he takes notice of it." 

She leaned forward, wings half-spread. "But for now, we have this guy to deal with!" A mighty beat of her wings propelled her forward, expression set with gritty determination as the distance between her and the hatred vanished in a matter of moments. It did react, but it was too slow. Bringing its scythe around, it made a swing that would have plunged it into her neck had she continued but Lily, noticing this, slammed one clawed foot into the ground, using the momentum to twist while she was still outside the range of the scythe and let her tail hit the Hatred like a battering ram, sending it tumbling to the floor. 

Henry sighed at the whole exchange, holding off the lesser demons had been a real chore. Luckily there was only one left, so he leveled his sniper rifle at the Hatred as it rolled to its feet and fired.

The demon rose its scythe by reflex, the projectile crashing against the blade at the last moment, but this proved to be the final glow coming off a dying candle. Still staggering from the bullet’s impact, it failed to move away as Fenn brought one of his arms to the monster’s back and slammed it down to the floor. Cracks spread on the stone.

The hellhound lowered its head to sniff at the Hatred as it continued to writhe, vainly trying to push the weight from its back, its scythe pinned between it and the ground as Fenn pressed his bulk over it. The hound snorted in displeasure, trails of smoke falling over the fallen creature’s head.

“Its strength is leaving it,” he gruffed.

“Clearly,” Akoni muttered, somewhat strained as he pulled forth more of the hatred’s energy into the orb.

“Then be done with it,” Lily grunted and rose to her full height, stepping over to Fenn. She looked down at the lesser demon, clicking her tongue at it. “Pity. You held such promise.” She looked up and around at the other individuals assembled. “So, what do we do with this one? Squash it? Dissect it? Did seem stronger than a normal Hatred,” her eyes trailed back to the thing underneath Fenn’s paw, “I wonder why.” 

Souta waved his hand at the demon, dismissive.  “We don’t have time to play doctor.  If someone wants to poke around in its insides, it should be after the seal’s secured.  Right now we should decide what we’re doing next.  Are we going after the chopper, or not?  The smith crossed his arms in anticipation of an answer.

“In that case, squash it, Fenn.” She folded her wings tightly against her back and turned around, facing Souta. “And we’ll avoid the helicopter. Unless you invented a noiseless one, it’s only going to make it that much easier to find us. We’ll be on foot—Fenn and I can easily clear the way through any opposition we might meet.” The demoness looked around at each of her companions, then asked. “Any objections? And Akoni, how long will it take to get that thing under control.” 

Souta replied with a shrug, though he managed to slip in, “Guess I’m just along for the ride then,” before an ally’s outburst.

“It would already be under control if the demon were simply slain,” retorted the mage with a low grumble. “What made the hatred special was a combination of a devil trigger, and creating a symbiotic link to this orb, of which I have reversed, causing the drain to its powers you’ve witnessed. Any second now… And…”

The blue aura emanating from Akoni’s eyes grew brighter and larger, then all at once focused inward. If the others had been expecting some grand display or showy performance, they would most definitely have been disappointed. “Success. The power is once again sealed within the orb. If we make haste, the Seal and Sevrin shall not elude us.” He immediately began heading toward the nearest exit, caring not for the Hatred that still barely clung to life. The cracking noise that arose from behind him told him all he needed to know about its ultimate fate. 

“If he isn’t already inside,” the smith muttered, glancing at the Hatred’s messy demise.  He made a mental note to bring a soul jar with him next time, provided he could get his hands on one.  Working as an agent of the Charred Council, whether voluntary or not, made for even more opportunities to collect materials than working with Gilgamesh.  In the meantime, he would have to make do with what he had: a tricky scenario he could not escape from or solve. Though he didn’t like this plan of action, Souta was ready to move out.

“We may well open the way for the snake ourselves.” The dog took a lumbering step off the disappearing corpse and oriented himself towards the exit. Fenn scoffed, “Fetching these keys may have been our most foolish idea yet.”

Lily stepped over to Akoni, crouching down take a look at the orb in question. “I’m not so certain, Fenn,” she said, tapping a claw at the item in question. “If we just left them, he would find them in time. If we have them, we can stop him from getting them. And—” she rose to her full height again, turning to face the Smith and Hound, while taking care not to bowl over Akoni with her tail “—assuming that the Council is as powerful as some claim, they should be able to protect it effortlessly.” She paused then, brows furrowing. For several moments she looked lost in thought until, finally, she looked up at Fenn, then at the orb Akoni yet held. “Speaking of safe-keeping,” she continued, “if one of us just holds onto the key, I have few doubts that Sevrin would simply be able to take it and make a run for it, even were it myself. I know very few, demons or angels, who are faster than me, and I have almost no doubts that Sevrin could outrun me, even in the weakened state he’s bound to be in. So...” Her eyes trailed from the orb to Fenn one last time. “What about a temporary snack, Fenn?” 

A knowing gleam crossed the hound’s eyes. “I feared you would not ask.”

As much as Souta wanted to crack a joke about giving the dog a treat, he kept to himself, hoping that his curt silence would instead convince the group to start moving.  Every minute in the mausoleum was another that the forces of evil had to realize their dire goals.

Akoni however found absolutely no humor in the suggestion. In fact, he found it very logical, and intriguing. Once they had returned to the Charred Council, it would no doubt be safe in the Citadel, where he could study the artifact undisturbed. In the meantime he had to admit that unless the being possessing Sevrin was capable of sensing the orb, hiding it within Fenn’s body provided a most fortuitous hiding place. Perhaps the hellhound could even bond to it the same way that hatred had done so.

“Here,” he said, tossing the object straight for Fenn’s face. The dog caught it in his jaws, and the next moment it had disappeared down his gullet. For the power the artifact purported to possess, the act had been decidedly unceremonious. “Perhaps you can utilize its power as the hatred did, and give us an additional edge against Sevrin. But we waste too much time.” Without another word he conjured a gate centered amidst them all, and produced the second gate outside of the mausoleum. Doors were for chumps, as was conventional physics.

“And with just one mouthful, Fenn just became the most attractive target for any and all mindless demon in this forest,” Lily idly commented, already walking towards the hole she had created in the wall. 

The hound paused, as if to consider. “It begs the question.”

Lily’s jaws clicked shut, shutting off the plume of fire she had used to clear the immediately vicinity outside. “Begs what question?” 

“Can the Prince of Darkness afford to lose every demon in this forest?”