Quote Originally Posted by InTheMachine View Post
November 1st
John
“He is arisii,” Zylas snarls. “He’s always wanted more. More power. More status. He wouldn’t give a second thought about destroying others lives to get what he wants.” The furniture shivers from the venom in his words and the hidden wards in the walls spark muted golden light in displeasure.

After glancing at the wards, the demon takes a calming breath, and continues in a quieter tone. “I just hope that he hasn’t also revealed my sisters’ Names,” Zylas says, turning slightly to look back at John. “Lazka and Jerek have never seen eye to eye. While her contract would protect her from being summoned, if this Rin finds her, she could kill Lazka’s contractor and force her to submit to another, or die. And I don’t even know if Vrell is still alive if not. She isn’t old enough to travel on her own, so she was probably present for… the destruction of my House.”
“I gather arisii is a less than complimentary title, Dee observed.

John noted that the information he was receiving was beginning to affect him more than he liked. He had prepared himself for Zylas’ personal reaction to his brother’s betrayal. He had not prepared himself for him to move on to the threat this posed to his older sister and to a younger sister he had not yet spoken of.

“I did not know you had a younger sister as well,” Dee confessed quietly. “How old is Vrell?”

The shift had taken him off guard and John recognized that his own feelings for Kate and Stephen were coloring his response. Doctor Dee and Edward Kelley had warned him that such attachments could be both a bulwark against those who would seek to leverage his skills, talents, and powers but also a chink in the armor he would need to develop to fully embrace his role.

“Though it leave you vulnerable,” Dee had concluded, “It is better to be vulnerable than insensitive to the plight of those around you.”

He had been speaking of Emperors and other worldly potentates at the time. He could not be certain if the Doctor intended for John to apply the same vulnerability to the denizens of Hell.

“Is there anything we can do for her? Your recovery has clearly come a long way, based on the response of Seraph’s wards. I cannot imagine it will be easy to keep either sister safe from your brother or from Urvaan-set.”

Spoiler: John Pierces the Mask
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Pierce the Mask on Zylas: 2d6+3 12
Questions (implied or direct): What do you want me to do? What do you intend to do? What are you really planning?