We were sent by Sabina to remove the devils and assassins from the castle and to cleanse the leadership of the Gray Maidens. If you are loyal to her, you may leave. We have no argument with you, and no wish to see brave maidens fall because of their corrupt leadership. However, should you choose to attack us, you will fall.
Edit: I just thought that the line *could* be interpreted as a bluff because we weren't really sent by Sabina to do this... that's my very wide interpretation, and we don't work for her for sure. If it counts as a bluff, then add 12 to that. :)
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"Sabina sent you?" a couple of the maidens utter perplexed.
"Do not listen to her, our only alliance is to the Queen!" the others rise determined their weapons and you do understand the maidens remaining in the castle are fully loyal to Ileosa.
"That explains why the commander has not come back for sleep. Traitor!" the last one exclaims.
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"Traitor? Truly? Look with your own eyes. Sabina has been visited by an angel." He said, motioning to Zamanda. "Think for yourself, all of us are loyal to our queen. But her company...actual devils have been surrounding her. Corrupting her mind, driving her towards evil. Sabina is rescuing the Queen from the fiends that have captured her, and she is doing so with the aid of heaven. If you stand in her way, then it is YOU who are the traitors! For it is not our Queen who acts, but rather the forces of Hell!" Kalem said, speaking with conviction.
Going with Kalem's idea, even though she doesn't know if anyone will actually believe she is an angel, Zamanda continues in a well-modulated voice that seems generous and kind, yet determined.
She smiles beatifically.
Sabina has not sold me your lives, nor that of your queen. I am no devil, to trade in souls. No harm will come to your queen by my hand while she remains loyal to the people of Korvosa, and no harm will come to you if you do not oppose my holy mission.
Sabina is very concerned for the lives and the souls of the maidens, and she truly loves the queen and wants what is best for her. I am only here to judge the true evil of the devils and assassins that have taken residence in the palace. Some of this work I have already done, yet more remains, and I must complete my mission. I would spare your lives, if you would allow it. Stand aside.
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Ilsa tries to build on what Zamanda and Kalem have said. Her dark features recede as she takes a more diplomatic tact than she usually would.
"I am sure you can sense something is wrong here," she ventures. "But there is change rapidly coming too. Sabina could see it and has sided with us. Please don't stand in our way. You don't need to take our side, but if you impede us it will not go well for you."
The maidens halt a few seconds, they look at each other, one of them states "There are devils, that is true, and it is not natural"
Another one seems to react like if shaken from a long dream "I also felt this was wrong but did not dare to ask"
"If Sabina has found Hell hunting our Queen, she might be in danger..." says another almost perplex of her own words.
The Maidens fully trust your story, but they have been brain washed and mentally trained (and magically compelled you suspect) to avoid any influence not coming from the Queen, so it is no surprise they remain loyal to her "There is an explanation for the devils presence and if you surrender your weapons we can bring you to her so she can explain you herself"
This seems to reassure the other maidens who nod energetically "Yes, if you really are loyal to the Queen, surrender your weapons so we can bring you to her"
"My good ladies." Kalem said, with the same disarming smile. "That is exactly where we are going. But these weapons are to protect us against the assassins and the devils who have taken the Queen, and to protect her against them. Already the devil-tainted assassins have attempted to remove our angelic savior here, for she remove the ****mind control**** upon her." At "mind control" he made eye contact with Ilsa. What they needed was for one of the maidens to actively be on their side. Something which certainly could occur should Ilsa make use of her powers. He hoped that Zamanda would understand this intent as well, so the two of them could keep the attention on them and away from Ilsa's powers.
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Ilsa had one more idea after Kalem's prompt.
Perhaps I can thread the needle--
After attempting to discern which might be the leader of the bunch, she discreetly fixes her hypnotic gaze on her.
"Are you sure you can't help us? Let us forego anything that will lead to regret," she says with subtle emphasis as she inserts a terrible thought in the maiden's mind. [b]"Surely there is a way we can help the Queen," she suggests.
Whether a creature fails or succeeds at its saving throw, it becomes immune to further castings of Egorian diplomacy for 24 hours.
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Be it Ilsa's control of her emotions or the pressure of everyone around, the mesmerist's spell goes unnoticed as she produces a bent coin. The maiden shakes for a second before rising her voice "Let them in!" the other three look back, astonished behind their masks "But Lise..."
The other insists "Let them be! Let the Queen judge them!"
They guide you to the west through an antechamber.
This room contains memorabilia of the Arabasti family, such as the Arabasti battle standard and a set of jousting lances on a rack.
This magnificent room is lavishly decorated with frescoes, mosaics, and hanging tapestries of crimson silk embroidered with gold thread. Three colorful stained-glass windowpanes present scenes of past kings and queens. A huge fireplace stands in the east corner, its mantle shaped like an enormous stone tree that has spread its branches up to the ceiling. Against the southwest wall, on a low dais of granite, sits the Crimson Throne, an iron throne draped with deep red silks and crimson velvet cushions.
Sit in the Crimson Throne is Queen Ileosa. In front of her sit three dogs the size of a large draft horse, with ebony fur and burning, fiery red eyes. By them awaits a Varisian woman wrapped in golden silks, observing every of your movements. At the other side of the room three more maidens bring their hands to the hilt of their swords as you enter the Throne Room.
When you enter the room, the Varisian woman talks with command to the Maidens "Who and why are you bringing here?!"
But Ileosa dismisses her complains with a gesture of her hand and smiles greeting you as if you were long-lost friends "For all the gods, it is you! Oh, how much I waited for you!" she giggles covering her mouth with the palm of her hand "Thanks, thanks for finally seeking me out. I have been observing your progress over the past few months. Impressive. Completely impressive."
"The assistance you have provided to the people of Korvosa has been invaluable" then her demeanor turns cold.
The oversized dogs follow you with their eyes as you enter while they snort, spirals of smoke coming out of their snouts.
This is Vavana Dhatri, the last piece in command of the Gray Maidens.
(pass)
To the queen, or whoever it is that looks like her, she says (in her "angel" voice, still hoping that the maidens will see the contrast between good and evil here)
It's very nice to see you too, and it is gratifying that you have noticed the dedication of this group to helping the people of Korvosa. Question for you though... these hell hounds in the throne room. Doesn't that seem inappropriate to you? Are they friends of yours?
(fail)
Kalem looked around with more than some worry. It hit him, at that moment, that he wanted to live. For so long he had gone into fight after fight with reckless indifference to his own safety. But now he had something to live for. And that realization hit him as he stared down a troop of armored warriors, three demonic creatures, and a mad queen who may or may not be as powerful as a dragon. It was sobering, to say the least.
With their “Angel” talking, he waited to see what would come of the unexpected parlay.
Bashiel scans the scene. Though the Ileosa in front of him looks plenty real at a glance, he feels surprisingly calm. After all, he trusts Venster's testimony, the testimony of a lingering spirit with a supernatural link to Ileosa and Eodred. And that means the woman on the throne had to be an illusion, body double, or otherwise. Still, she might reveal something interesting.
He speaks "You are welcome for our efforts, though we aim to continue saving the city. There is still quite a lot to be done." He raises fingers to his forehead "Freedom for the women you've ensnared, for one."
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Before following the maidens, Kalem quickly casts infuse self, Zamanda gravity bow, Laori air walk and Bashiel activates his angelic bond.
The words of the Queen carry a fascinating supernatural power.
But only Zamanda is somehow compelled by the power of the words.
The Queen's facial expression turns grim at your answers "Your services are no longer required, and if you leave Korvosa immediately and never return, I will not seek your execution as traitors to the crown" she weaves a suggestion into her oration via bardic performance for the only one fascinated, Zamanda, to drop her weapons and leave Korvosa.
This marks the start of the fight, as the Varisian woman shouts "Protect the Queen!" and weapons are drawn as the assault to the throne begins!
But the heroes knew the conflict was inevitable and are well ready when the aggression begins!
With combat started, Kalem quickly weaved as many protective spells as he could manage.
As soon as weapons are drawn, Zamanda shakes her head... for a moment there she had almost done as the Queen had asked. She was glad that Ilsa was here as her mental fallback. She seemed to be weak to things like that.
Your decision to support evil leaves me no choice then. You are a traitor to your crown, not I. We have proof of your agreements with assassins and devils and your plan to sacrifice the citizens of Korvosa to grant you eternal youth. You are unrepentant, and therefore you are judged and found wanting.
Zamanda reaches for her bow and as she raises it to shoot, she flicks the gleaming silver metal and it chimes deeply, which she makes the beginning note to her song of courage and the triumph of good over evil.
Then she shoots, deciding to go straight for the queen. No point in waiting around. The Maidens were going to be disillusioned anyway, but maybe if they saw the queen die, their minds would move past the block and they would be able to think again.
(inspire courage, point blank)
(Gravity Bow, acid, cold, sonic, inspire courage, point blank)
Only after she had let the arrow fly did she remember seeing the queen heal from an arrow injury almost instantly, and that Serithial would likely be needed to kill her. Well... they weren't sure if it was the true queen or not. Maybe this would be the proof.
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Something seemed wrong as the Queen spoke. Her words tugged at a thread in Ilsa's mind, but the mesmerist was too firm of mind to succumb.
This is not the real Queen, but a charlatan.
Ilsa closed her eyes for a moment, and when she opened them there was nothing but darkness where her eyes should have been. There was no light, no warmth, no humanity.
Only terror.
Though there was no wind, Ilsa's hair and clothing billowed about her, and she was an entity both horrible and beautiful. Dismay and fascinating allure in one pitiless siren.
A black wave of torment emanated from her and struck her enemies head on.
Kalem casts heroism before any maiden is ready to take opportunistic retaliation, and enters a rage.
Zamanda raises her voice, the sound now booming even with more strength than before. Her arrow crosses the air of the room, sinking in the Queen's shoulder. She smirks under clear pain.
Ilsa fixates her stare on the Queen, then her presence becomes overwhelming to those enemies around.
Everyone but the Queen herself and one of the maidens open their eyes, and absentmindedly fall to the ground compelled by the magic to worship Ilsa.
You spot the imps at your back fly down from their lances and into the ground of the previous room.
With all the other combatants bowing down, Bashiel turns his attention to the queen-double. He touches his heels together and suddenly starts moving faster. With a few rapid strides, he closes the distance with the throne, drawing Serithial as he does. "It is over for you, whoever you are. You picked the wrong Queen to support." He aims for her center of mass and delivers one clean stab.
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The Queen opens her eyes wide as Bashiel hastes over her fallen servants and presents himself by the throne greeting with a mighty blow on the temple. Ileosa manages to endure the hit, despite she is left barely alive.
Ileosa's servants vow before Ilsa, a premonitory coincidence a name results from removing 'eo' from the other, whom boosted by the spirits of the deck results in an overwhelming presence "Pardon us! We did not want all of you to die!"
"Protect the Queen!" shout the remaining Gray Maidens while they swarm around the throne entrance to block any more assailants in.
But they all fail to strike neither Kalem or Ilsa despite their best efforts.
The maiden at the back, charges over Bashiel, trying to save the throne.
But stumbles with one of the hounds that blocks her charging line.
"This is nonsense! I am your rightful Queen! Vow to me!" Ileosa demands as she casts a spell without abandoning the throne.
Bashiel swings his sword as she is performing the magical movements and disrupts the magic!
"Kneel before me or the weight of Hell will fall upon you!" the Queen is angry and her oratory is loaded with a strong dirge of doom, of course she does not know Bashiel, Serithial's holder, knows no fear!
Protected by the wall's cover, Laori raises Salvator Scream's brushes and raises her voice "For Korvosa's people! Reel back!" and crackling lightning bolts fell all around striking everything from the cyan maiden outwards.
Observing the scene from the wall behind the Queen, you observe an ethereal amphisbaenic monstrosity with the body of a slug and a leech’s mouth at one end and a knot of three human heads at the other. He seems to be enjoying the onslaught.
White, feathered wings spread from Kalem’s back as he raised his scythe. Red and blue flames danced along it’s edge as he laid into the enemy, cutting through anything that dared stand before them. The maidens were skilled warriors, but they were not skilled enough to stand before him. With Laori at his back, he was resolute in holding the line.
With his scythe swinging around, Kalem quickly drops the cyan maiden and leaves badly injured another two. One of them shaken.
Zamanda notices one of the Maidens has fallen unconscious and looks over to Ilsa, wondering if she can get her worshippers to help a fallen comrade rather than just worshipping... she isn't sure how it works though, and even if not, it was amazing that she could influence so many people like that.
Turning back to the job at hand, Zamanda is pleased that her height gives her a better sightline than when she was short, and wonders what it means that she actually seemed to have hurt the queen rather than her healing instantly... probably that she was not actually the queen, but whatever she was, it was nice that she was vulnerable to arrows anyway.
She continues to sing, steadies her aim, and shoots again at the "queen."
(inspire courage, bullseye shot, point blank, shaken)
(Gravity Bow, acid, cold, sonic, inspire courage, point blank)
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Zamanda's arrow crosses the air of the throne room, her height allowing her to shot over the maidens. The arrow stabs deep into her chest, her eyes go blank as she falls over a throne fully covered in blood.
The Queen is dead.
Spinning around, Bashiel retaliates against the maiden that attempted to attack him. He holds back his blows, trying to strike nonlethally. He doesn't want to interfere with Ilsa's strange magic, so he refrains from trying to talk to the bowing Maidens. Silently, he prays that they will see reason, despite the death of their 'queen'.
With the Queen down, Ilsa switches her stare to the maiden in front, then claws grow on her hands, then she attacks at her, but the maidens fight ensemble, putting their shields together forming a wall of shields that blocks Ilsa's first attack, but despite this, and the buckler resting from her attacks with one of the claws, Ilsa next two claws cut at the maidens with ravenous frenzy. Yet as she cuts, these gashes seem more scary than lethal as her ghoulish nature saps the willingness to fight. The first slash sends the first maiden unconscious to the floor, Ilsa steps and slashes at the second one, leaving her frozen in place.
Bashiel's slices three times at the maiden by the throne, the last one piercing through her heart, in such a way that part of the merciful damage becomes lethal. The maiden falls unconscious, badly injured but stable.
The other maidens and hounds keep worshiping Ilsa.
A few seconds after the Queen's death, she crumbles into a pile of snow.
The queen was just a creature made of shadows using snow and based on the real Ileosa through a simulacrum spell.
A couple of imps materialize behind Zamanda, trying to stab their stings on her "Aumph!"
But the oversized Zamanda barely notices their futile efforts.
The ethereal creature attempts to possess you, but your divine bond blocks the attempt. The despicable monster snorts in frustration.
Seeing the situation under control, Laori simply throws a bolt at one of the imps at Zamanda's back.
The imp is zapped, but survives.
Zamanda can see clearly now that the queen was just a simalcrum, but refrains from announcing it to the room. Though it might relieve the maidens in one way, they were just going to murder her anyway later, so probably best to get the transition started now.
She stops singing for a moment, saying to the Maidens
Lay down your arms, and heal up your sister Maidens. It is over. It is sad to lose our queen, but she was a servant of evil. You all have felt the wrongness of it, and we have proof that she was willing to sacrifice the people of Korvosa. These are HELL HOUNDS... can't you see what was happening around you? Perhaps at one time she was a good person, but she became corrupt and was determined to take Korvosa with her. That had to be done, but you don't have to die in her name. We're trying not to harm you, but some of your comrades are already unconscious and going to die unless you help them soon. Please, lay down your arms and live to fight another day.
Zamanda, as large as she is, still attempts to tumble across the room both to get away from the annoying imps and to get into a better position to shoot the Hell Hounds.
Zamanda strikes her bow again, sounding the chime and resuming the song that she had been singing as she fires at Yellow.
(inspire, point blank)
(gravity bow, acid, cold, sonic, inspire, point blank)
Kalem stood there, his celestial-looking wings folded behind his back, a glow in his eyes and with his fingers elongated into claws. He was completely ready to cut down any of the maidens that did not take the opportunity to surrender. He didn't want to kill them, but he wasn't going to stand by and allow them to continue their opposition.
The two only maidens that remain up, are still choking by the sudden death of the Queen, the red one paralyzed by Ilsa's claws, so when Zamanda makes her speech and tumbles through them, they are too distracted to even think on attacking her "Sh-she turned the Queen into a pile of snow with her arrows!"
The aasimar's arrow stabs deeply on the fallen yellow hound.
The only non-helpless maiden does not seem to surrender, but she does nothing to stop Kalem anyway. He is free to either finish her and the paralyzed one or attack one of the hounds.
Bashiel steps toward the hounds and strikes, showing none of the restraint he showed against the Maiden.
As he works, he glances around the room and sees that things seem mostly handled. The foes that remain seem locked into their worship of Ilsa.
With a mighty blow of his scythe, Kalem decapitates the green hound while it vows to Ilsa.
With frenzy slashes of her claws, Ilsa sends the two standing maidens to the ground, unconscious.
Meanwhile, Bashiel disables the yellow hound, then strikes repeatedly at the black one, leaving it barely alive.
The other of Ileosa's followers keep helplessly worshiping Ilsa "Please grant us your pardon and power!"
Bashiel sees the ethereal monster in the wall to materialize until it becomes visible for everyone. An amphisbaenic monstrosity with the body of a slug, a leech’s mouth at one end and a knot of three human heads at the other. It raises its voice while casting mass suggestion "Where is the glory on fighting like that? Fight me one by one!"
But due to Bashiel's angelic bond, you are all protected from the compulsion to act in that way!
This is a belier devil, an extraplanar, lawful, evil outsider.
You do remember Sabina's words and come to the conclusion this is Sermignatto, immediately linking strings and remembering the Infernal book you just found was mainly written by him before the work was taken by the Queen, and his name was also in the infernal contract.
The imps, seeing their stings ignored, raise their voices and cast suggestions of themselves on Laori and Ilsa, which are equally blocked by the groups protections.
(fail)
Continuing her song , Zamanda sees the new creepy likely-devil thing, and assumes it is more dangerous than the imps, so she fires at it.
(bullseye shot, inspire, point blank)
(gravity bow, acid, cold, sonic, inspire, point blank)
Unfortunately, even though she took the time to line her shot up perfectly, a flicker of movement out of the corner of her eye from one of the unconscious maidens distracted her entirely, and her arrow almost hits Bashiel rather than the Devil.
Sorry! Sorry!
On white wings, Kalem launched himself over the body of the hellhound he had dispatched and at the new creature. "Then witness my glory!" He yelled, as he came in. His war-scythe was used as a spear. Using all of his strength, he thrust it into the creature, pushing the blade in deep, until all that could be seen was the hilt of the weapon. He locked eyes with one of the heads and grinned, daring it to continue fighting him.
With the devil pinned in place, all that was left was for Bashiel to walk forward and to use his blade to finish it off.
Bashiel shields himself from the (likely) wave of fiendish gore generated by Kalem's deadly attack. For his part, he steps back toward the now-solid creature. "Another of Ileosa's bound fiends? You will not darken this castle any longer." After a moment to size up its weak spots, he sends a flurry of stabs toward it.
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Zamanda has a clumsy shot, but Kalem throws himself recklessly over the new enemy, which costs him an attack.
The worm-like creature bites Kalem's leg, to which the tiefling answers severing the foul worm-head with a tremendous swing of his scythe that spreads vile and blood all over the throne "Togomor has been a useful vessel, and the Queen is interesting, but you will do for a much better body elf!" challenges one of the leech heads.
Bashiel steps in, following the work and finishing the Lord of Leeches after two of Serithial's swings cutthroat two of the other heads.
The devil falls to the ground obliterated.
Meanwhile, one of the imps obeys Ilsa and dies after observing a winged doggie flying towards him and having a heart attack.
The others continue their worshiping, hitting with their forefront the ground in repentance while vowing to Ilsa.
The other imp turns invisible and runs away for his life.
[
Striding over to the next devil, Kalem slashed his scythe across it’s back. He wondered how many of these beasts the Queen could throw at them. He hoped that these were her most powerful servants, but he had the feeling that they wouldn’t be so fortunate.
Bashiel surveys who is left. It seems the remaining foes are all already incapacitated, so he prioritizes the one that he guesses might be the most dangerous should she break free. He hustles over to Vavana and attempts a non-lethal stab.
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It seemed like things were under control, so instead of trying to finish off the last hound, Zamanda looks to see if any of the downed Maidens are still bleeding out. If so, she uses a heal spell to stop it.
She then (if the woman is still alive and not already more permanently incapacitated by Bash), puts manacles on the one woman that is dressed in finery rather than Maiden armor. Perhaps this is Vavana? She tries to see any similarity to Ishani.
Once she is certain that one isn't going to come out of Ilsa's swoon and attack everyone, she starts searching and disarming anyone alive, and then completely looting anyone dead.
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Kalem moves over the remaining hound and severs its head with his scythe. The thing dies immediately upon the gruesome wound.
Bashiel goes over Vavana, an easy target helpless as she is, and smacks her with Serithial, leaving her considerably wounded.
Zamanda kneels before one of the dying maidens and stabilizes her with some healing. But indeed, more things happen before she can do the other stuff.
Ilsa likely helps with the maidens or attacks Vavana in the ground.
While the other maidens keep worshiping Ilsa, Vavana is shaken by Bashiel's strike and wakes up from the madness, yet still tripped in the ground and staggered.
Two new groups of Gray Maidens arrive to check the battle noises and shouts. They are shocked by the discovery of the scene "Wha-what is this!?" "They killed the Queen!" "Give the alarm! Stop them!"
Laori points to the two maidens coming from the east, raising a circle of blades made of force "You better stop there! You do not want more troubles here!!!"
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There is little chance in Zamanda's mind that they will be able to avoid slaughtering more Maidens now, but instead of tossing a fireball as her initial instinct tells her to do, she thinks about what she would do if she were the angel that she had been pretending to be.
She casts a spell as she stands up from healing one of them.
She speaks in a booming angelic voice
Bashiel briefly considers whether this Vavana would stand down after that demand from Zamanda, but then decides not to take the risk. He strikes out at Vavana, making sure aiming for areas that aren't vitals. His attacks are deliberate and telegraphed in order to make his intentions clear.
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Zamanda starts to shine with bright light, forcing the maidens and other people around to cover themselves with their shields to properly see.
As she rises her voice to try make sense on them, the maidens look around confused at the scene, with others of them fallen in the ground bruised, the two ones still moving vowing in front of Ilsa, the leech devil cut in pieces and the hounds of the Queen laying decapitated at the base of the throne where a pile of bloody snow is all that remains from the Queen, surrounded by a set of strangers hitting their boss fallen in the ground.
Just in that moment Bashiel knocks down that said leader with a set of precise non-lethal stabs in key points.
Ilsa and Kalem look around and see no other opposition than the just arrived maidens and do something but likely wait to see how the maidens react.
But the maidens are well trained fanatic elite troops eager to give their lives for their Queen and leaders and likely not stepping back against insurmountably odds against what is clearly an assault to the throne. One of them pushes the chest of the yellow one "Give the alarm. Let everyone know" before throwing themselves to the apparent giant angel that has caused such a chaos at the Queen's home "For the Queen!"
But Zamanda is ready and definitely outclassing them, she easily dodges their clumsy attacks.
The two maidens in the circle of force blades throw themselves against the blades to attack Laori.
One of the maidens is badly crushed by the blades while the other, more skilled, avoids some of them and stabs her longsword in Laori's side!
The yellow maiden finally reacts and reels back the way she has come.
Zamanda sighs, wishing she could have saved everyone, but they were all insistent on death. Well, back to the original plan, and time to test her new immunity to fire.
She casts a fireball that envelops her and the maidens attacking her.
Knowing that allowing a maiden to flee was going to cause more headache than he could allow, Kalem spread his angelic wings and soared across the ceiling. He knew that doing so would expose him to the blades of the maidens who still fought, but he had survived far worse than that. It was a worthwhile gambit if it meant not having the entire castle fall upon their heads. Leaving his comrades to mop up what was left, he shot through the hallways, searching for the maiden tasked with raising the alarm. He didn't especially want to kill her, but she had made her choice. Now she didn't have to live with it, she had to die with it.