My first instinct was to ask my friends for advice. But my cellmate was right there, and it would be more than awkward if she overheard us discussing our deals with the demon regarding her; it could be fatally dangerous if she, perhaps rightly, feared for her life.

Also, I wasn't sure what I would do if the decision came down to killing her. Yes, I had agreed to abide by team decisions, but should that mean standing by for arguably justified murder? What if this could save a life?

If I revealed her identity as the summoner... would I then be responsible for what happened to her?

Argh, I wanted advice on asking advice!

"T-the Justicators?" I glanced back, sensing my cellmate's shock turn to terror. She must have also heard stories of their rough brand of justice. "What are they... Did you call them?"

"No," I said. "Maybe they have a relevant Skill or artifact?" From what I'd read, those were rare... but no more so than uncovering a hidden demon. I hesitated and then asked delicately, "Do you think the demon will be able to harm them?"

She scowled. "I don't know. Does this count as protecting my life?"

I bit my lip, because the answer was probably... most definitely... yes. "You don't know?" I repeated. "What were the exact terms of your deal?"

"How am I supposed to remember that?"

"You... you didn't write it down?"

"Do you think I'm crazy?"

"Um, hello?" We both started at Bessie's voice coming from the opposite cell. "Apparently you sold your soul to a demon. What do you think?"

Somehow in the midst of our heated conversation, we'd both forgotten one basic fact: if we could hear outside, the reverse was also true. Whoops, that was the potion out of the bottle.

In our defense, external sounds were still muffled, making them easy to relegate to background noise. The same for my Empathy, through which I could sense the others' wariness, hostility... fury from Bessie's cellmate, that trainee, who was also conspicuously glaring daggers across.

But all their emotions were as pale shadows compared to the bright flare of fear from my own cellmate before, like a spark on dry tinder, she alit with her own burning anger. Her cheeks flushed, her mouth opened...

And I hastily intervened. "You don't want to hurt anyone though, right?"

I hadn't forgotten how she'd admitted to 'losing her temper' twice in the past. Granted, her demon currently seemed busy, but still...

"That's what I said!" she snapped. "I wish everybody would just leave me alone; none of this would be happening! I was learning magic. I just wanted to try for the Academy--"

She cut herself short, looking mortified. Much as when I'd confessed my own secret dream, or foolish fancy rather.

Truthfully, though, I wasn't surprised. Probably every mage daydreamed at least once about entering the world-renowned Academy. Then we grew up, realized we had no chance of passing the entrance exam, and anyway we'd rather be a Scholar... ahem. Those were childish fantasies most of us quickly outgrew; I couldn't help but be reminded, again, this small-town demon summoner was only fourteen.

"No one hurt?" Bessie was saying. "What do you call possession? Wait, does that mean the demon can't hurt its hostage? But..."

"He can," my cellmate said. "But only if the idiot host agreed! It was only supposed to be for emergencies! Who knew they'd be so stupid?"

We all stared at her. "Yes, who knew?" Hannah said dryly, stepping into view with her hammer out. Then she swung.

Us non-adventurers... and I... flinched back as she made short work of the lock on Bessie's cell. I couldn't help but feel her forceful blows were delivered more than professionally, almost punishingly. A sudden horrific image flashed of that same hammer breaking us out only to brain the girl beside me straightaway.

The cell door swung open. Bessie stepped out, followed by the trainee, still glaring... "I'm telling your parents!" he shouted before running off.

Hannah started on Tom's cell.

"Um," I said. "About that demon... No one promised it anything definitive, right?"

A beat of silence, then: "I didn't promise anything," Bessie said, "But maybe this isn't the time or place."

She seemed vaguely annoyed as she recalled her private meeting, whereas the others... Hannah, who was now approaching our door, spiked with anxiety and determination, causing the dread pooling in my stomach to grow... but she wasn't feeling guilty or homicidal, at least, or eyeing the girl with intent.

Said girl threw us a suspicious look I would've called paranoid under other circumstances. "Why not? What did he want?"

"Do you realize what is happening out there?" Bessie demanded. "It's adventurers against Justicators! Do you think they're holding back?"

I... hadn't wanted to think about it, but she was right. The Justicators were notoriously merciless. At least I could be grimly certain neither demonic threats nor charm would succeed against them; the Justicators liked to claim they were so uncompromising precisely because of all the monsters who would seize upon any weakness, and after today I had to see their point.

But that meant in this case they must be trying their hardest to execute the whole Team Thornado, writing them off as rogue adventurers possessed by or defending a known demon... and maybe most people who heard the whole story would agree.

It was easy to judge someone before you were in their situation. Since I had folded like wet unbound paper to the demon's threats... No, I was of the mind they did not deserve to die.

But neither did the Justicators or this teenager.

Hannah finished breaking open our door, and I stepped out, tense... but all that happened was her shutting it again behind me. "Hey!" the girl squawked in protest.

Also, I shook off the remaining less-effectual but not wholly ineffectual warding. In particular, I stretched out my Empathy...

"Are you saying you don't deserve it?" Bessie was saying. "Just stay put while--"

"They've started fighting out there," I interrupted grimly.

The lack of subsequent noisy or ground-shaking explosions had given me false hope, but if there had been any efforts at diplomacy, they had long since fallen apart. From what I could sense, Team Thornado had scattered apart and kept constantly moving, forcing their more numerous but less mobile opponents into a running battle. (Good tactical sense? Or were they at a disadvantage and knew it?)

"Right, so no time," Bessie said briskly. "Group decision, now. Do we help the adventurers? The Justicators? Do nothing? Or...?"

Her eyes went to the girl and away, as she left the question hanging.

A short silence fell. I had hoped leaving it to the team would make these decisions less fraught and uncertain.

But hard decisions didn't become easy when shared. Maybe less heavy, less burdensome... but not easy.

Four choices. I tried to picture the first two: fighting against the Justicators to buy more time, apologizing all the while; fighting against the demon despite the trapped host, pleading with the Justicators to try capturing them alive. A lose-lose proposition.

Even achieving the best possible victory probably amounted to losing. Either we would be forced to bargain again with the demon we'd just stupidly defended, or it would almost certainly drain its host dry before we could banish it.

Choice number three, doing nothing, felt like cowardice and avoidance. Which left...

"The last one."

My eyes widened and went to Hannah's. She was trying to put on a tough face, but boiling underneath was a disturbing mixture of shame, guilt, and fear. She seemed the most affected by recent events... and not in a good way.

Bessie grimaced. "Probably smart... but doesn't feel right to me."

(Despite her disagreement, Hannah relaxed. Had she been worrying we would judge her a child-killing monster?)

"Besides, when have I ever picked what's easy? Also doesn't feel right to side with a demon or against our own guildmates... but only one side's for sure aiming to kill. Hmm. I vote for refereeing the fight, trying to stop anyone from dying."

...Did she just make a fifth option?

Thinking it over, it sounded like a terrible idea... and still better than the other four.

"This isn't our fight," Tom said, slowly. "We were only hired to search and report... not anything else."

My head came up as I realized the truth of this statement. Though maybe I was just grabbing any excuse, trying to rationalize my natural inclinations...

"So your vote is to stand by and do nothing?" Bessie said with no real judgment despite her words. "Sure you don't want to be a Mercenary?"

"So I'm agreeing with you, but only if we stay safe. You realize the Justicators might try to kill us too?"

"The demon will be their primary target..."

"Um," I ventured, "Why not just... report in?"

Everybody stared at me.

"Call the guild?" I clarified. "I think... I mean, Tom's right. We aren't qualified or responsible for handling this."

Frankly, I thought even coming here had probably been a mistake.

During the long pause in which I stared at their blank faces, I wondered if I'd missed something. "Aw, shucks, you're right," Bessie said, "She's right, though that's no fun. I really wanted to see this whole adventure through."

"Feels unadventurous," Tom agreed, "But so what?"

"A strategic retreat." Hannah felt slightly abashed, but mostly relieved.

We had a supermajority... and Blake didn't even have to say a word.

With our decision reached, I looked back to the fourteen-year-old demon summoner, currently sitting cross-legged on the bed and sulking. I thought Bessie would be so much better at this, but the girl was my erstwhile cellmate, which somehow made it feel like she was my responsibility.

"Will you come with us?" I said. "We're calling the Adventurer's Guild, and... I think it's best if you, um, turn yourself in."

"What?" That snapped her out of her sullen mood. "No! I'm not giving myself up! I-If you try to make me, I'll call him."

"Sure she's worth saving?" Blake said dryly.

"She's just scared," I said. "Listen... um. I'm sorry to break this news to you, but it's already over. Right now all that's left is how much damage the demon will do before it's taken down. Maybe you could delay a little if you let it rampage..."

Was that too much honesty? But her face had gone pale, reflecting her emotional state.

"At this point, it's a choice between death," I said, "And murder followed by death."

I couldn't help wondering if this was what demonic dealings always boiled down to, if my words might not be meant as much for myself.

"But right now nobody has died yet, and the Adventurers aren't the Justicators. I truly believe if you come with us, if you offer a full explanation and we speak up for you, that this doesn't have to be the end. Nobody can give you back your soul..." Except the demon, which wasn't worth mentioning. "...But you can still have a life."

"Behind bars, you mean," she snapped. "I'm not stupid. What kind of life is that?"

I met her gaze levelly. "Would you rather die now and lose your soul?"

A loud gasp made me turn to the person approaching... ah, the desk worker, who'd hurried out when freed and apparently just returned. "Oh, Polly," he said. "Why...?"

(I hurriedly Scribed her name almost by reflex. Also, Polly? Demon summoner Polly, really?)

"We don't have time for this," Blake said, "Let's just take her and go."

"You're still hesitating," I observed. "Do you see some other way?"

Her chin went up and she glared defiantly, the effect somewhat ruined by her watery eyes. "I could live forever."

Wait... Was that how she'd rationalized selling her soul?

The desk worker was shaking his head sadly as regarding the folly of youth. Bessie, on the other hand, felt a surge of sympathy and respect as for a kindred spirit.

"Become immortal?" I tried to keep the incredulity out of my voice. "You know the chances of that are less than one in a hundred million? And even immortals die."

The idea came to me suddenly of making her a Contractor so she could be easily killed and revived. But then I morbidly wondered whether somebody who'd lost her soul, assuming it would be lost upon death, even could be revived. Conventional wisdom suggested not, that the soul was what made resurrection possible... but I didn't know that this had been conclusively established.

Her tears were flowing freely now. She wiped them away, feeling humiliated and furious. "Why are you even talking to me about this? If you're planning to call, then call."

"Um... about that." The desk worker spoke up again, clearing his throat. "I came here to tell you... Unfortunately, I haven't been able to make any calls."

"Of course, of course that would be too easy," Tom mumbled, mirroring my thoughts.

"But I was able to retrieve your confiscated belongings?" he added hopefully.

We stared at him. Then we all rushed to reclaim our gear.

"I can't believe they didn't keep any of this!" Bessie snatched up her gauntlet and sheathed sword, grinning.

"It was Team Thornado who took them." Hannah seemed to be compulsively checking over her arrows. "Guess they're still used to being upright adventurers."

"Still, you'd think the demon would at least have gone through everything..."

The desk worker was side-eyeing us with a strange look on his face, which I didn't understand until I heard a loud huff from the girl, who'd followed us out. (Hannah had, after all, broken the lock... and I was gratified she hadn't tried to slip away until I recalled there wasn't exactly an exit in that direction.) Then she opened her mouth.

"Like Team Thornado would try to steal from you! Even I can tell you're poor!"

"Polly!" The older man ruined his reprimand when he added in an undertone, "From the mouth of babes."

I blinked, stunned. My friends seemed similarly amazed. Yes, of course we were aware of our relative lack of shining armor... but never before had our readily apparent poverty worked out so well in our favor!

More to the point, there was this. With shameful pride and pleasure I reached into my unassuming bag, nudging aside my book, to collect an even more precious treasure... my ridiculously expensive, high quality, rechargeable Scroll of Advanced Teleportation.

The two not in the know boggled. Yes, I couldn't deny feeling some satisfaction, even as I said: "Then shall we report to the guild in person?" I looked at the girl pointedly. "Are you coming with us?"

Her face fell. "Sure," she said without any enthusiasm, "If you want."

I was glad she wasn't screaming, crying, fighting, or trying to escape... but she reminded me in that moment of a broken doll.

I wished I knew how to console or reassure her. Instead I hurriedly began casting, hoping I wouldn't be sensed or stopped... and to my consternation, I did encounter external resistance. An anti-teleportation artifact or... If I had to guess, this was the Justicators' working. I was put to mind of a mobile cage parading criminals, the bars now slammed into place over some unknown area.

But compared to the natural disruption involved in inter-dimensional teleportation, this was nothing. How could a few manmade roadblocks compare to the treacherous terrain of untamed wilderness?

Fortunately, whoever had done this had lacked the time or opportunity to set up a full warding net. More to the point, this was an Advanced spell, I was no novice caster, and our destination wasn't difficult or far.

Thus it was we arrived before the Adventurer's Guildhall in Zibarro. The landing was slightly rougher than was normal for a shorter-distance teleport, but I hadn't thought I'd miscast it too badly. Yet there was a ringing in my ears, a sense of disorientation...

No, wait, that was an actual ringing noise originating from the colorful building -- which I supposed wasn't saying much in this bizarre city -- and then I noticed shutters actually coming down over the Guildhall's windows as though in preparation for a siege.

What was going on? I could feel the collective shock, panic, and frantic activity from inside...

Then most distractingly of all, a tall armored figure appeared. The halberd he brandished almost felt redundant; he was exerting a terrible, crushing pressure that made my knees shake. With a start, I realized...

This whole fuss was because of us!

"Surrender or prepare yourselves," a masculine voice boomed, making him sound even larger in size than he really was.

"We surrender!" Bessie called, throwing down her sword. The rest of us hastily followed suit.

The pressure disappeared as the menacing figure only watched.

I couldn't help noticing he felt... disappointed.

Somehow, the guild had known enough to call a 'demon alert'... yet when we'd explained how a demon-led Team Thornado was currently fighting Justicators, we'd been met with shock and alarm. That the demon supposedly could not harm anyone was met with incredulity.

How was this possible? Would anybody report a demon possession yet fail to mention any particulars? Could someone have a relevant Skill and yet send our inexperienced team without giving us any warning?

Was I pondering the above to avoid thinking about what might be happening out there? Or in here: I had done my best to plead on Polly's behalf, but I was painfully aware of my own lack of influence. For all I knew, they might take her report then summarily execute her on the spot.

I had revealed my deal with the demon, so perhaps I would even be called in to perform the honors. (I shuddered at the thought.) Tom was the only one who had made a similar deal, but his would protect just our team if any one of us was responsible for the summoner's death.

To my surprise, Bessie had refused to make any deal despite the demon's taunts and temptations, though I could sense its words at least had struck home. Hannah had sworn to summon the demon without an audience, our team excepted, in return for not preventing our escape after the remaining interviews. Blake had still been engaged in negotiations when the Justicators' arrival effected his immediate escape.

This all had come out during our initial questioning as a group, and I wasn't surprised when the subsequent wait ended with us separated for private debriefings-cum-interrogations. I nervously tried to include as much detail as possible when my turn came, as though I could make up for my omissions... such as the demon's private summoning circle.

"I... I tried to persuade it to leave its host," I said, feeling like I was wearing my guilt on my sleeve, "Rather poorly I'm afraid. The demon laughed."

Fortunately for me and my worries, my interviewer was much more interested in the demon's demonstrated abilities, and secondarily in its actions and those of its summoner. I covered my conversation in the cell with the latter and then said: "I was surprised at the Justicators' sudden and fortuitous arrival. I wonder if it was coincidence? Or maybe they detected the demon's earlier use of its power?"

"I would not like to speculate. Now, you said..."

But I was staring at my interviewer in surprise. That smug, shady feeling he'd given off... When he paused whatever he was saying, I had to ask: "Did the guild call them?"

"...Pardon?"

"The Justicators," I said slowly. I hadn't been sure until I said it, but from his reaction... "But how did you know to call them? Without knowing any details..."

"I am the one asking questions here," he interrupted my speculations.

I nodded, but my mind kept racing. I couldn't help it.

My interviewer hesitated another moment, then said, "Excuse me," and fled the room.

I stared at his abruptly vacated seat. Wait... hadn't something like this happened before?

My unease wasn't helped as the minutes dragged on without either a new interviewer arriving or the old one returning. Growing restless and with nothing better to do, I started to inspect the room's warding... which was a fascinating study, incredibly old but for a more recent patch that had still gone around a decade without maintenance. Wasn't there a Grandmaster Mage supposedly overseeing this city?

Experimentally, I tried moving to a noticeable weak point in the warding. My curiosity paid off as [Advanced Empathy] extended beyond the room, to where people were gathered together... arguing?

When I felt two break off and head in my direction, I hurried back to retake my seat.

My interviewer reentered with an older lady, who said: "I hear you've been giving my nephew a hard time?"

"Um... not on purpose?" I looked at her faux-disapproving frown in puzzlement. "I simply like to understand things."

"Do you understand some things are better left unknown?" Thinking of the Archives, I nodded. "Then would you like to share what you've guessed so far?"

"The Adventurer's Guild called the Justicators," I said with an apologetic look at my younger interviewer, "Knowing only of a demon... and location..." I paused as my audience stared at me expectantly. Was I supposed to know more from these two clues? I threw a shot into the dark: "Did the check-in system work after all?"

A palpable hit. "In that case," the lady said, "Can you see why we wouldn't want this known?"

Ah. Of course. If the demon had known...

I was forcefully reminded of the Scholars, again. Just how many secrets was everybody keeping from each other for the common good?

Though I couldn't help wondering... "Did you write us off as dead?"

"That is an unfortunate choice of words," she said. "Almost as unfortunate as a rookie silver team encountering a demon."

"What?" I tried not to take offense. "They... I mean, we aren't rookies."

"Team Multi-Movers has been registered with the guild for a year. You're registered with the team less than three months."

Well, when she put it like that... "Congratulations on surviving," the nephew said.

"Um, thanks? Do you know... Can I ask what's happening?"

"Our Guildmaster went out himself and successfully banished the demon," the lady said. "The former adventurer hosting it will live, though he will be charged with public endangerment and voluntary demon possession... if he recovers enough to wake up. Terrible business." She shook her head sadly.

"But... but surely they'll take into account the extenuating circumstances?"

She gave me a pitying look, like I was too soft for this world and doomed to be disillusioned. "Just be grateful the Justicators didn't get their hands or axes on him."

"What about Polly... the demon summoner?"

"The Justicators are trying to claim jurisdiction, but we will probably take charge of her. It won't be a life she would've wanted, but realistically she gave that up the moment she sold her soul. And it's more than she'd have had if she hadn't 'turned herself in'... You'll receive a credit bonus for probably saving two lives with your actions today."

I blinked. She said the last so offhandedly, it took a moment for the meaning to sink in.

I thought I could almost understand why Bessie had wanted to 'see the adventure through.' Everything was supposedly over... but it didn't feel over. "Even though all we did is report the demon?"

"Because you just reported the demon. I can't count how many adventurers get themselves or others killed with hotheadedness or pride. Sometimes the wisest course of action is to know when to retreat or yield."

Though it wasn't her intention, I heard her words as both a blessing and warning.