The next day’s travel was tense. We stayed close to the ground, only flying high enough to ensure we did not have to deal with the uneven ground slowing our pace. All the while, we kept our eyes on our surroundings, watching for trouble.

We knew someone was out there, thanks to the vagueness of Vestele’s divinations, and we knew that they were hiding. That didn’t mean that they were a threat to us, necessarily, but we couldn’t be sure. Even if they weren’t actually hostile, someone who goes to the trouble of hiding from divination spells probably wouldn’t be happy if travelers just showed up on their doorstep by accident. But there was also the very real chance that they were a threat. We were in enemy territory, and people hiding out in our path were automatically suspicious.

And yet, we didn’t want to pick fights with anyone we didn’t have to. There were few enough allies for us, in this place, and too many enemies. Adding more enemies was not the best idea, especially since it raised the chances of Torm himself taking an interest in our activities.

That sense of impending conflict was only increased when, halfway through the morning ride, we spotted smoke trailing up from the horizon. As we got closer, it became clear that the smoke was not some kind of signal fire, or signs of a conflagration, as we had feared, but rather a simple campfire. But that just raised new questions in our minds, as why would someone who had taken pains to hide from divinations give away their position with a fire?

Our confusion grew as the fire itself drew into focus. There was a woman, an ordinal elf, from the look of her skin that was white as marble, rather than a normal flesh tone, sitting by the campfire, with a horse tied up nearby. She was dressed in traveling clothes, and had a rapier hanging from her hip. As we drew closer, I realized that she had the symbol of the Inquisition on a silver chain around her neck.

The woman smiled at us as we approached, since there was no way that we could hide our passage. “Well, now. You are an interesting group. Even more interesting than my subordinates led me to believe.”

She must have seen the way we tensed, because she laughed, and said, “Oh, don’t worry. I’m not here to fight. I just wanted to see who had run afoul of my minions in Utina. They mentioned a motely group, but an Aurilite, two followers of the Succubus Queen, a black unicorn, and a kobold, of all things? They didn’t tell me anything like that.”

“You… aren’t here to fight, then? Despite claiming the Inquisition as your subordinates?”

The woman laughed at the incredulous look on my face. “Ah, well, I guess an introduction is probably in order, hmm? I am known as Shalheira Xyrrel, the Blade of the Inquisition. A fancy title for being their main assassin and ‘solver of problems’.” She smirked at us, and said, “Of course, that is just a role I’ve come to play. You can call me Xisiana.”

As she said that, her form began to change. Her skin shifted from the white marble of an ordinal elf to a bluish-white. Black, feathery wings sprouted from her back. A pair of short horns sprouted from her forehead. Her features became sharper, more predatory.

“An illusion?” Vestele said, “No. That was a shapechange of some kind! And that form, she’s an Erinyes, a devil from the Nine Hells! Her truesight is what let her see through our illusions. But Erinyes are not known for having the ability to shapechange.”

“Very good, young priestess,” Xisiana nodded. “I think you’ll find that I am far more than a ‘normal’ Erinyes. After all, who do you think was responsible for making the portal in the sewers of Geburatiel? I believe that is how you first came to this plane, yes? Well, that was my doing, with the help of some Thedran mages.”

“Wait, you made the portal?” I frowned at that thought. “Then you must have been working in this realm for quite some time. But why leave the portal there, unattended?”

“Oh, the why is simple. The existence of the portal, and the trade from the mortal realms it brings, makes the Inquisition necessary, to prevent the ‘corruption’ of Izrail’s ‘perfect order’. Which is why I have worked, behind the scenes, building up the Inquisition, gathering the most zealous, righteous souls in the realm, and subtly guiding them to the path of damnation, all while they truly believe they are doing their god’s work. As for it being unattended? All ‘hidden’ spaces beneath the city are monitored, even if those using them don’t know it.”

“HaHAHAHA!” Siora almost fell off the seat of the wagon, laughing. “Now it all makes sense! I knew that those Inquisition types were behaving oddly back in Utina. We clearly weren’t the first party that they had accosted, and taken to that dungeon under the inn. I wondered how they were getting away with that, since Torm’s church isn’t normally like that, at least in the Material Plane. Now it makes sense!”

“Yes,” I nodded, slowly. “It does. Does not change the fact that I did not care for the experience, but it does explain a few things. So, why did you reveal yourself to us, Xisiana? I can’t help but feel this was deliberately planned.”

“Oh, I hadn’t planned on the full reveal, but I definitely planned on meeting you here.” She smiled, and continued, “When I heard from my subordinates that a party of adventurers had been waylaid, and then released, after the High Inquisitor ‘turned into a demon and escaped’, I knew I needed to meet you. I assume the disappearance of the Grimhold Repository was your doing, as well?”

Not seeing any point in denying it, since we were already talking face to face with a devil who was apparently willing to not hinder us, even if she wasn’t going to aid us, I nodded. “Yes, we needed some extra power, and the repository seemed like a good place to get it. Unfortunately, our looting was cut short by the place’s failsafe.”

“You managed to defeat the Sentinel, which is impressive. How did you do it? That wasn’t a foe that a group like yours, which seems focused on magical prowess, rather than physical might, should have been able to handle.”

I shrugged. “The construct could not see invisible creatures, and his sword and shield were no less resistant to destruction than any other magical equipment. Once they were sundered, defeating him was simple enough.”

Xisiana laughed happily. “Oh, excellent. Too many adventurers think only with their fists. I’m glad to see that you’re the type that can use all the tools available to you. It will make things easier, going forward.”

“And what do you mean by that?”

“As I said, all the underground spaces are monitored, by systems I put in place long ago. I was alerted that a group had come through the portal, and not returned. Then, the Repository disappears into the Plane of Shadow. Next, several powerful houses, ones that I had goaded into periodically going out to ‘purify’ the city, go ‘missing’, along with their staff, and just after that several demonic rituals are conducted in one of the warded spaces, including one that ‘birthed’ a demon. Shortly after, your group made your ill-fated expedition to Utina. You left by the Westgate, which followed your story of seeking wolves in the Timeless Wood.”

She looked us over, and said, “I assume you were hunting that fool, Sidriel? I had high hopes for him, when I arranged for his infection, but he was more concerned with being a perfect wolf than spreading the affliction. Probably for the best that he was put down.”

“You seem to know a lot about our activities, of late. Like how we would be coming this way, after leaving the Wood.”

“I have eyes everywhere in Utina and Geburatiel. Some things, like the Repository’s disappearance, were impossible to miss, of course, but other parts of the tale are only known to me because I have a better view than other parties. And it was easy to guess that you would try and head for the Western road, rather than risk going back through Utina on the way to Geburatiel. At any rate, I assume you were wanting Sidriel’s head so that you could try and buy your way into the city center, and get to the new portal?”

“Let me guess, that’s also your doing?”

“Well,” she preened, “I did whisper a few words in certain ears, which spurred a few people to action. The idea of conquering the ‘evils of the material realm’ was an easy sell to the oh-so-righteous archons. The only reason they haven’t invaded before is because they did not have any way to send troops across the veil between planes in great numbers, and ensure that they could be supplied. With the portal, they now have the excuse they’ve always wanted to go and ‘order’ the Material Realm, and put those who will not repent to the sword. They don’t see that, by indulging in those actions, they will be bringing themselves down the path to darkness. To me.”

I frowned as I looked the devil over. “That is… very ambitious, even for a devil. But I don’t see why you are revealing all this to us.”

“Because, if you went so far as to kill Sidriel--” she paused. “You did kill him, yes?” When we nodded, she continued. “Since you went so far as to kill Sidriel, then I am going to assume that you won’t stop your little quest to shut the portal until it is done. Probably because you’re convinced this can play into the prophecy that has everyone so worried. Am I right?”

“Well, yes. Also, it would be inconvenient for us if rampaging archons overran the world.”

“Yes, I expect it might. Well, now that I know you aren’t just random adventurers, but servants of dark gods and a demon queen, that opens up many options for us. Ideally, I would see you succeed, in such a way that my own plans advance apace. Humiliating Torm in his own land, his own city, by having forces of evil shut the portal? Not only will Torm be weakened, but his followers in Izrail will start turning on one another, as the Inquisition purges any supposed traitors they can get their hands on.”

“Traitors that you will point out to them, and be in charge of disposing of? Who just so happen to be the more ‘good’ than ‘lawful’ types? That would help your plans move forward, wouldn’t it?”

“Ah, it is so refreshing being able to talk openly about things with people who actually have the intelligence to understand the plans I have in place. Yes, that is exactly right. Your success can advance my plans by a decade, if it is done correctly. Which is why I am appearing before you now. Your idea of buying your way into the city center is… half-baked, at best. I’m sure it is the best you could do, with a mortal’s resources, but it wouldn’t have worked, no matter how persuasive you are.”

“Not that I doubt you, but why, exactly, wouldn’t it work?”

“Because there are more High Inquisitors in the city. They have an interesting ability that allows them to overcome illusions without interacting with them first. So, the moment a High Inquisitor lays eyes on you, they would get a chance to pierce the illusion around you, as if you had made your wings invisible, but he brushed into them, or something similar. You would have never gotten far enough into the city to study the mechanisms holding open the portal, much less being able to destroy them.”

Siora nodded. “And, since you’re standing here, telling us all this, I assume you have a plan that would allow us to get to the portal and close it, without having to worry about the Inquisitors or other groups finding out about our plans?”

“Correct. The only question is, do we have a deal?”