Sinegard Academy for the Wayward

[The_Weeping_Angel]

“Which spell is least likely to cause damage to myself?” M’Kael asked ever the self- preservationist.

“My recommendation would be to talk with Ashmadae, if that fails the other spell could be tried. Would that not be most expedient?” Magdalena asked.

“Also, forgive this assessment, but I believe you are already insane, Gem.” she added with a shrug.

“I agree with Maggie, you're crackers.” M’Kael quipped.

Turning to look at him the Archon’s face darkened like she wanted to hit him hard and often.​

 

[milkmaiden38]

Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs?

Angela punched M’Kael in the arm. Not nearly as hard as Ravyn use to. “Just covering for Ravyn” She told M’Kael. Then quieter “I agree with you she is cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs”

“I heard that!” Gem warned Angela “And remember you are a human again. No special abilities, so one fireball and you are toast!”

“I would not say no special abilities… I’m me remember” Angela replied with a certain amount of confidence.

Gem ignored her comment “Ok, I’m massaging our fire friend.”

“Ashmadae, sorry for the intrusion, but we’d like to know who hired Nail Face aka The Engineer. If you tell us, we’ll stop bugging you.” Gem offered.

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

“As I was not present, nor am I privy to such information. I can’t answer that question, any better than you could.” Ashmadae replied. “However, if you release me from this.. place. I would be most expedient in gathering that information for you. Since I’d like to know myself.”

M’Kael looked at Gem impatiently. “Is he answering you? Has he said anything?”​

 

[milkmaiden38]

Gem

Gem answered M'Kael question. “He is asking us to release him from this place... but we did not trap him here. He did that all on his own. Anyhow. He does not know who hired nail face... but is willing get that information.”

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

“I don’t trust him to do anything but ruin our chances of saving Ravyn. Demons and Devils are more self-centered than anyone I know.”

“Speak for yourself,” Magdalena responded as she gazed at him with piercing blue eyes. “I’ve found you to be very self-centered.”

“Perhaps we should go back and get our souls before something happens to them?” M’Kael suggested. “I’m not sure what would happen if we spent to long.. separated. As we are.”​

 

[milkmaiden38]

I'm no scholar

“Look, I’m no scholar of souls,” Gem began, eyes looking at M'Kael, “but I think we’re made of three essential pieces: body, spirit, and soul. The body can run without a soul—like a vampire, maybe. Hollow, but animated. The spirit, though… that’s the spark. Ideas, instincts, drive. A flesh golem has none of that. Just meat and momentum.”

She paused, chewing on the thought. “How long can someone survive without their soul? No clue. But resurrection’s real—people come back after years in the dirt. So clearly, the rules are bendable.”

Angela crossed her arms, voice sharp. “Bendable or not, we’re not walking back into Baphomet’s maze blind. We need a name. Who hired Nail Face?”

Gem sighed. “Then we visit the other demon. The one who loosed the hounds on us. Any other ideas? or it's going to be ugly.”

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

“Umm. Who was the other deamon? Anybody know? I never caught his name.” M’Kael said. “And it’s always ugly, this is just going to be worse than normal.”

“Being a pessimistic whiner isn’t attractive.” Magdalena told him.

“Neither is a stuck up bitch that doesn’t put out.” M’Kael quipped back.

“I don’t fuck guys.” Magdalena replied coldly, her eyes narrowing as her blade slide upwards through the air.

“Sweet, neither do I.” M’Kael chuckled. “At least not lately. Though I’m sure I could teach Angus a few tricks. What say you Minotaur, ever been ridden hard and put away wet?”​

 

[milkmaiden38]

Now is NOT the time for an orgy

“Hey, Magdalena, now that I’m human again… maybe you and I can go on a date sometime!” Angela asked with some excitement.

“I’m jealous!” Angus said with a frown. He really had the hots for Magdalena.

“Can we focus? And not talk about bang each other, particularly any sex involving Angus” Gem asked everyone.

“Sorry, M’Kael, I’ll take a pass on your offer, for now.” Angus replied to M’Kael with a wink. Angus looked up to M’Kael as a mentor on how to handle the ladies. He thought he might learn something if they rubbed their dicks together, but clearly Gem was not having it.

“I don’t think the Demon told us his name.” Gem said trying to recall their conversation. “But Duke Ashmadae might know it”

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

“That though has merit,” Magdalena replied looking at Angela while dismissing Angus without a thought.

“I’m not sure every demon knows every other demons name.” M’Kael countered. Maybe they did. Hell maybe they all networked with each other. Maybe royalty knew more than others.

Hell maybe the duke knew the King of the Abyss. That was a horrifying thought, M’Kael realized.​

 

[milkmaiden38]

Call a friend… or was that fiend?

“Wow!” Angela’s eyes lit up, her voice bubbling with excitement at the thought of Magdalena agreeing to a date. “Maybe something low-key? Coffee, just to talk. I know a great spot near campus once we’re back.”

Angus snorted, his face twisted in disbelief. “Coffee? Angela, we’ve been dodging death together for days. I think she knows you.”

Angela shot him a look, half amused, half annoyed. “Typical male logic. Magdalena and I are taking it slow. Emotional survival is a thing too, Angus.”

Gem, unfazed by the brewing drama, tuned them out and focused on her comms. She sent a magical message to Duke Ashmadae.

“Duke Ashmadae, we’ve reviewed your offer. But frankly, we don’t know you well enough to risk letting you back on Earth. You’ve got a reputation for setting things ablaze—literally. That said, the demon who unleashed the hounds on us might know who hired Nail Face. Do you know his name?”

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

“You refuse me and then demand I give you answers? What an interesting if droll species you are. I’ll enjoy watching you get torn apart.” The Duke replied, sending her images of the slow torturous end each of them was bound to endure at the clawed hands of Baphomet.

“I’m quite certain your screams will echo for an eternity. They’ll be exceptionally lovely when he starts peeling your souls apart like string cheese.”

“Maybe by then you’ll rethink my request.” chuckling dryly Ashmadae put up his proverbial feet and sat back to watch.​

 

[milkmaiden38]

Gem

“Demons,” she muttered with disdain. She cast the spell to message Ashmadae again.

“Duke Ashmadae, trust is earned. And frankly, your last reply did little to inspire mine.

Here’s the deal: if you give us the demon’s name, we’re not just helping you—we’re targeting someone who betrayed you. You get revenge, clean and risk-free.

So, what’s the holdup? Share the name, and you gain good will from us or stay silent, and you stay alone.”

She sent the message and wondered if the Duke would understand it.

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

“Yes trust is earned, and you haven’t earned it. And he never betrayed me. He simply took advantage of the situation.” Ashmadae replied calmly. He had no reason to trust the human, they were as devious as demons. But less trustworthy.

“Give me a reason to trust you, Human and I’ll consider your offer. I am eternal. You are not.”

The ground shook, possibly as a result of Baphomet. Or another powerful demon.​

 

[milkmaiden38]

Gem

Gem looked at everyone “Duke Ashmadae might help us, if you can prove we are trust worthy. I know this is weird, a demon asked us but I want to give the best answer possible. Here is what I have so far.

1) We have been honest with Ashmadae, even when we did not have to be. I think we have been pretty open and honest with almost everyone else too, but he may not have seen that.

2) We have honored our commitment to Ravyn. A trustworthy person does everything in their power to stick to agreements they’ve made. Ravyn is a friend and we stuck to that commitment

3) We have been wrong a few times, and we admit when we are wrong.

“I have never been wrong” Angela said interrupting Gem’s list.

“Ok, except you. We are been reasonably transparent about our errors.” Gem said continuing

4) We have been helpful. A trustworthy person will tend to go out of their way to help people if they can. Dairy and her alligator friend is just one example. Saving Magdalena is another. We had no agenda or expect to get something out of it. We did it because we wanted to help.

5) Stand up for what’s right. We have been trying save Ravyn while not sacrificing our values.

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

“I think we’re going to be fucked.” M’Kael commented. “I’ve never heard of a demon not screwing anyone at the first opportunity.”

“I’d have to agree with M’Kael.” Magdalena added. “Daemons, Demons, and Devils are notorious for their duplicitous behaviors.”

“This is not limited to the behaviors of lesser creatures. From my understanding, the higher the entities rank the more skilled they are.”

“I’m with her.” M’Kael added. Taking a discreet look at her ass. Before looking over at Gem and then Angela, his eyes appraising them as rather crude visions ran through his head for a moment. Then he looked bored.​

 

[milkmaiden38]

Gem glanced at M’Kael. “I still wonder what demon number two meant when he said “the curse M’kael has an interesting twist.”

“I’m going to talk to Duke Ashmadae again” she said in a steady voice as she cast the send spell. She explained the 5 elements where the team had demonstrated trusting behaviors. She held up her hand, ticking off fingers as she spoke. 1. We’ve been honest with him, 2. We honored our commitment to Ravyn. 3. We admit when we’re wrong. 4. We help when we can. 5. We stand up for what’s right.

She paused “So… that’s our case. Not perfect. But real.” She told the Duke Ashmadae.

"She is definitely Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs" Angela whispered to M'Kael.

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

“At this point I’ve been cursed, hexed, and fucked over so many times I can’t keep track of them.” M’Kael replied.

Leaning towards Angela M’Kael said “Or Fruit Loops. She certainly has enough milk for it..”

Stepping out of the foggy region Ashmadae looked at the group, his burning skull seeming to glare at them with indifference or contempt, but without skin it was difficult to interpret.

“Mortal you are irritating. And of your five points that you mentioned, you failed to mention that you are attempting to subvert the deal, the contract, that I have with the Human Mortal.”​

 

[milkmaiden38]

Gem

“Hmmm, that is a good point, but not totally accurate. We have been truthful with you about our intentions. We want to help Ravyn. We can be trusted to continue to find a way to free her of her condition. That might be good for you too.

Anyhow, we had no idea that Baphomet was going to trap our souls in his maze. When we bounced out of that place, you burned up Ravyn’s body. You became separated from her. Now, when we restore Ravyn’s body… you might go back inside her or you might be free of her. That does not sound like we are attempting to subvert the deal. If anything, like demon 2, we are taking advantage of the situation” Gem countered.

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

Ashmadae listened as Gem spoke before he started laughing. “Her body isn’t burned up. I simply manifested my form. It can be restored at anytime.”

“If I agree to help your group, each of you will agree to make no effort or communication to break, or subvert, her contract with me.”

“You will agree to work towards the goal of completing Ravyn’s contract, with or without her compliance.”

“This will allow you to help Ravyn be free of her condition. And I will get what I want.”​

 

[milkmaiden38]

Gem

Now it was Gem’s turn to laugh and she did!

“You screw up and now want to cut a deal with us? We are not going to agree to anything that screws over, pun intended, Ravyn” Gem said.

“Nice use of the double meaning of screw over!” Angela said quickly as encouragement to Gem. “You go, girl”

“Now let’s work on a win-win solution. You drop your stupid contact with Ravyn… and we kill Demon 2 for you. Then you get to take over his territory. Or how about we give you the soul/body of the shit that hired nail face, and tried selling Ravyn to demon 2. We both win in those deals” Gem offered.

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

“Then it appears we are at an impasse. And I would not be screwing over Ravyn. She entered the contract of her own free will. She summoned me. Not the other way around.”

“And I haven’t screwed up. She made a contract and I am working towards the completion of that goal.”

“And if the individual that sold Ravyn’s to the other demon and the individual that hired the Engineer are different individuals, would I get both?”

“And part of the stipulations I had in the contract with Ravyn were that I give her immortality and in return she gives birth. If the contract were nullified, she’d be purely Human. No coming back from her next death. In addition to anything else the young lady and I agreed too.”

“Why would I agree to a lesser contract? It isn’t worth it for me. Try offering me more in exchange for her.”

“You can have me.” M’Kael replied.

“Please, boy. Your soul is already damned. And if I accepted that arrangement, upon your death you’d ascend, as your act is a self-sacrifice for the benefit of another.”

“You’d have to provide me with The Second demons heart and head. The individual that hired the Engineer, the individual that sold her to the second demon. As well as Senior Inquisitor Ravenor, and all of the individuals would need to be alive, healthy, and of sound mind. As a start in negotiations to consider allowing Ravyn out of her Contract.”​

 

[milkmaiden38]

That was sweet

“Wow, M’Kael, that was sweet of you to offer yourself to save Ravyn” Gem commented

“I think he gets to ascend, even though the demon rejected his offer.” Angela added.

“Not sure that is true, but it was a nice thing to do” Gem replied. Then she turned to face the demon. “Duke Ashmadae, not seeing the win-win in your last offer. So, for now, we’ll try to figure out a better deal and get back to you. Until then we’ll be off to kill demon #2.”

Gem looked over to everyone else “Everyone ready?” She asked.

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

“So you’re leaving Ravyn to be destroyed?” M’Kael asked. “What happens to her if we leave him here? Does she become a vengeful spirit?”

“We have to take him with us so they an be reintegrated. At least that will keep him from plotting with others against us.”

“Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.”

“Although it’s repugnant to say this, I am in agreement with M’Kael.” Magdalena sighed.

“Sweet does this mean we’re dating now? Or we just have sex?” M’Kael quipped.

“You’re still disgusting, asshole.” She commented.

“So is that a yes?”

“No.” she replied bluntly.

“Can I at least see your tits?”

“No.” she said, her teeth clenching as she glared at him.

“Ok, Fine. But I’m still looking at your ass.”

“I know. Pig.”​

 

[milkmaiden38]

The fates are stupid

Gem’s voice was tense.

“What?” She remarked “If we bring Duke Ashmadae back to our plane, we lose all leverage. And when he manifests—there’s going to be fire!”

“Bad idea,” Angela said flatly.

“Terrible idea,” Callo echoed.

“I’m… not sure,” Angus murmured, uncertain.

Gem turned to him. “Well, you’re the deciding vote.”

Angus hesitated, then squared his shoulders. “Then I vote yes. It’s a good idea.”

Gem blinked. “That makes it a tie. Three for, three against.”

She reached into her clothing and pulled out a coin. “We’ll let the fates decide,” she said, flipping it high into the air. “Heads, he comes with us.”

The coin spun, flipping through the air, then landed in her palm. Heads.

Gem sighed. “Crap. Alright then, Duke Ashmadae—let’s see how trustworthy you really are.”

And with that, the group vanished.

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

Reappearing in the maze M’Kael formed several inches above the floor and landed hard, rolling before he rolled to a sitting position and held his ankle. “I think I broke it..”

Magdalena was far more graceful as she landed, her cloak swirling slightly as she assessed the area, her hands on her blades.

Ravyn rolled her neck as flakes of ash fell from her skin as it regrew. The last of her to reform was her eyes. But they maintained a subtle glow for longer than was comfortable. “What did you do?” she asked.

M’Kael just pointed at Gem. “Her fault.”

Magdalena scowled at M’Kael before adding, “There was an unfortunate incident. With complications.”​