[Leela] Chapter 3: Setting Out

[Ella]

Leela Steading

'Ifrit?' Characters named Ifrit in her own world were usually firey lords of fire. Sure, this guy had red hair and eyes, but... even though he was standing right there before her eyes, she could not imagine the Ifrit as a Goblin Master. Even master of the demon horses, the Azure Shadows, made more sense for someone who had the name of a fire lord.

"Oh, so he is one of the traitors." Leela commented bluntly when Zavan continued to explain who he was. She did not bother trying to keep her voice down so only Zavan and Abi could hear her words; she did not mind if the traitor heard her. She crossed her arms and added, "I don't like traitors."

When Zavan suddenly moved in front of her as if to protect her, Leela stepped to the side a little so that she was still behind Zavan but could also look at Ifrit. Although he was taller than her, Leela still managed to look down her nose at him. He thought the goblins were cute? Cute was definitely not the term she would have used. She wondered why he decided to come back when he found out his new lord did not like Ifrit's goblin charges instead of trying to join a different demon lord. Perhaps none of the other demon lords wanted the goblins, so he had come crawling back because he had nowhere else to go. It was pathetic... but at least he cared enough about the creatures to make sure they had a good home. She could not look down on him for that at least.

"You have the honor of standing before Princess Leela Steading of the great country of America, summoned hero of the Domain of Roshandan." She stepped forward to stand next to Zavan, not wanted Ifrit to think that she was weak enough to need protection from him - even if she was weaker than him.

[Throndir]

Color change for readability.

"A traitor? Well, it's not like I can disagree to that." Efrit shrugged. "A demon hero? So the big guy decided to turn to the summoning ritual to bring a hero here, huh? That was a bit risky... I'm surprised a human like you is willing to work with demons."

"But a princess too?" Efrit bowed gracefully. "The pleasure is mine then. My name is Efrit Burut. Hopefully I can tack on that 'al Valorja' title at the end, but I suppose we'll see?"

"So, what's the demon hero and her butler doing out here?"

[Ella]

Leela Steading

"The demons of Roshandan have not given me a reason to not work with them. Unlike you, who abandoned Roshandan to work for another demon lord. You seem eager to work for Ghorat again, but how do we know you are not a spy, sent by this demon lord of Akashin?" Leela glanced at Zavan.

"What do you, think, Zavan? Does the Hero of Roshandan and the General of Roshandan need to defend our land from this traitor?" The young woman was not sure she wanted to leave Efrit alone to go and see Ghorat while Ghorat and the Keeper were the only ones there to defend the castle should Efrit actually be a spy or mean them harm. She was not sure how strong Ghorat actually was and she had not even met the Keeper before she left. But two demons and a bunch of imps with little to no fighting skills were most likely no match for a general who had an army of one thousand goblins.

She ignored his question about why they were there in the goblin village, hoping he would come to his own conclusion of them being there to defend Roshandan.

[Throndir]

Zavan narrowed his eyes.

"I do not doubt the strength of our keeper and Lord Ghorat himself. Though, it is Efrit's loyalty that is more the concern."

The ifrit shrugged.

"Come now, what would I hope to gain for spying on Lord Ghorat? His lands are emptied out, save for this goblin village. Besides the demon lord of Ashakin is busy with the humans on his front..."

[Ella]

Leela Steading

It was true and Efrit did make a valid point. Ghorat really did not have anything that Leela could imagine the other demon lords might covet. Unless he had something hidden away and protected by the Keeper. Or unless the other demon lords were plotting to find a way to force Ghorat to join them in fighting against humans.

"Your words have no meaning to us. If you want us to believe that you have the best intentions for the Domain of Roshandan and are truly loyal to Ghorat, you are going to have to prove it."

[Throndir]

"How?"

[Ella]

Leela Steading

"Obviously, the only way I could trust you is if you were bound by magic to never betray us."

[Throndir]

Efrit frowned.

"If you think I'll be going along with that plan... You'll be sorely disappointed." He grinned as you noticed he took up a fighting stance. At the same time Zavan stood ready as well.

[Ella]

Leela Steading

"I understand if you are worried for your freedom, but I assure you, it would only be to ensure loyalty and would not be abused." She had little hope that her words would persuade him, but figured it was worth a try. After all, she had said to Roadmarech that heroes don't go on a violent rampage when there were safer and possibly more lucrative alternatives. Just because this guy was a demon and could probably handle a game of dodge-fireball did not mean that she should not try possible alternatives first.

Seeing that he had too much pride to go along with her idea without a fight, she decided now was the time to put her new abilities into practice. If Efrit truly did want to work for Ghorat again, then surely he would not seek to kill Ghorat's summoned hero and last general, right? If he did try to actually kill them, then it was proof that he was not be be trusted at all.

Knowing that she would have some explaining to do later, Leela decided to use her Mimicry ability to extend her nails into blades. It really was a good thing that Zavan had done it again in front of her earlier that morning.

"If you are choosing to fight us, does that not prove that you are not to be trusted?" She said as her nails extended and sharpened. As soon as they were finished extending and the last word was out of her mouth, she tried mimicking an ability she had not attempted yet before. She concentrated on her Mimicry ability again, this time using the teleportation ability that the imps had to teleport right above and behind Efrit so that she could get into the right sort of position for landing on his back and wrapping her hands around to hold her fingernail daggers at his throat.

"Besides, its not like I am asking you to become a slave. You'd still be free to do as you wish, as long as it does not betray Ghorat, Zavan, or myself." She finished, ready to either cut or teleport away if he tried anything as she waited for his answer.

[spoiler=Initiative][blockquote]Rolled 1d20+9 : 13 + 9, total 22[/blockquote][/spoiler]

[Throndir]

Efrit was shocked the moment you disappeared. You managed to surprise him, along with having the chance to attack first.

"The idea of being bound in any way... just doesn't sit well with me!" You start to see fires building up from his hair.

Leela to take turn

Turn Order
Leela -> Zavan -> Efrit

[include u=2]Leela MP Used: 2[/include]

[Ella]

Leela Steading

'Ah, so this guy does have affinity for fire.' Leela thought, noticing his hair. She was a little disappointed that her scare tactic had not worked. Oh well. He was a demon, after all. Perhaps it would work on the humans if they were this difficult during negotiations.

Teleporting back to Zavan's side, Leela decided to see if she could do something about the firey hair before it sparked into an actual fire. Using the information on spells that she had learned on the way to the goblin village, she thought of what she wanted to do, pulling out what she hoped would be enough mana, and let the words that came to her spew out.

"Water, swift as a coursing river and with the force of a great typhoon, gather and pound the fire out of our enemy. Raging Waterfall!" The spell's purpose? To create a forceful waterfall to literally pound him into the ground and hopefully put out the fires in his hair - which she assumed was part of some sort of firey power-up. And also to get him wet to make the next spell she had in mind a little easier.

[Throndir]

Roll 6d6

Zavan began tarnsforming. His skin took on an even darker hue, and took a sheen, as if it had hardened. Scales grew as well and covered segments of his skin.

[Ella]

Leela Steading

[blockquote]Rolled 6d6 : 1, 1, 1, 1, 3, 3, total 10[/blockquote]

[Throndir]

Efrit managed to get out of the way, but the waterfall still managed to pound him. He didn't take as much damage as you would have hoped however. At that moment, he finished preparing his ability. Efrit started to burn up. You see his clothing burn away from the flames coming from his body.

You saw something.

Suddenly, a green notification window appeared.

[okay]You have gained a new title 『Has Seen It All』
You have gained +1 WIS[/okay]

[include u=2]Leela MP Used: 8
Efreet Dmg Taken: 5[/include]

[Ella]

Leela Steading

Out of the corner of her eye, Leela noticed a patch of Zavan's skin grow scales. 'Scales? Was he a snake or lizard type of demon?' She made a mental note to ask him about that later.

It seemed her getting distracted by Zavan's transformation had affected her spell, as it did not exude the amount of force she had intended. She would have been satisfied with her spell at least getting him wet, but not only had he managed to escape the brunt of it, whatever power up he had been doing caused him to burst into flame. And seeing as his clothes had started to burn away, the water had probably evaporated in no time.

"You can catch yourself on fire just like that, but have failed to obtain fire-proof clothing? Have you no decency?!" She wanted to look away from the naked burning demon, but was afraid that he would use that to get the upper hand. And then the green window flashed before her to alert her of a new title. "Why is there a title for this?!" She yelled at the sky.

Her plan to beat the fire out of him with water and then freeze him did not seem to be working so well, but she still wanted to see if she could freeze him, fire and all. Again, she began to pull out mana and spoke the words as they came to her.

"Air and water, abrupt and stone-cold, gather around the enemy and freeze them in their tracks. Ice Prison!"