The team managed to limp their way back to the library. The encounter at the bazaar was a victory, but it was unclear just what the hell had happened. Why would a duchess' own soldiers betray her? It might become clearer, but obviously there was a lot going on behind the scenes.
This caused Egil's thoughts to return to the summoners guild. What had happened since his departure?
Hashir turned out to know a lot of languages, which became a boon to communicating with the other demons. It started feeling like things were slowly coming together. For starters, he learned the kitsune's name was Motoko.
To make good on his original plans, Egil waited on Motoko to recover from the last outing, and then take on her first legitimate spying mission.
She and the phase walker turned out to be a pretty good team. They paired well as two spies, rather than one. Around the guild hall, they threaded between the structures in their animal forms, periodically chittering amongst each other, which was easily overlooked by the cultists.
They went unnoticed because mainly, the guild was always crawling with demons of various types. Since there weren't any reliable ways to distinguish between 'friendly' demons and 'hostile' ones, nobody really watched out for spies. Generally, Motoko would have to actually attract attention to get 'caught.'
To help facilitate communication, Egil stuck to an 'open book' policy with the team. In the case of Motoko's outings, he was fine with the other demons tapping into the feedback, while keeping their input constructive.
Egil and Logan watched their shared view. Things were noticeably different at the guild. For starters, the halls seemed to have roughly half their usual occupants. Everyone was wearing the black cloaks now. Did we really just implement a dress code?
Egil asked the fox to slink around the outer edges of the cavernous hall to listen in on conversations.
One caught Egil's attention. "Its like there are two groups now. An outer circle, and an inner circle." He asked Motoko to listen in.
It was between three summoners. All of which had their faces obscured by their robes. Why the fuck are they bothering to keep their hoods up, *inside* the halls!?
"Have any of you had any contact with the inner circle?" The middle height cultist asked.
"I occasionally get bits and pieces from Anya." The short one responded.
"Is she actually in favor of this shit?"
"...I think so." The middle one responded. "I think she's backing Jack."
"Bullshit!" Egil proclaimed over the link.
"Who's Anya?" Logan asked.
"My former boss, and the only one I still take seriously. She was ousted Jack. He's the one behind the angel at the center of the city."
"Why would a summoner summon an angel?" Hasir inquired.
"That is a damn good question! I have-"
"Shhhh." Logan interrupted him.
"...is Saatvik any better?" The middle one inquired.
Who is Saatvik?
"Personally, Im tempted to officially back Leonie." The tall cultist finally spoke up.
Why does that name sound familiar?
"That fucking weirdo?" The short one responded.
"She-" The tall one started.
"He's a dude."
The tall one crossed his arms, and visibly recoiled a bit. "Half the guild is answering to the prick insisting on handing out goddamn orders in front of that fucking angel. You're worried about whether or not someone wants to be called a dude or a chick?"
"Saatvik is a good option." The middle one responded.
"I dunno. Jack is taking on the church." The short one chimed in.
"He didn't say that's what he's doing. Besides, why do we need to start shit? They've been staying in their own lane." The tall one responded incredulously.
"Jack can't say this is what he's doing, or it could spark fighting."
"You don't think that angel alone is enough to start fights?"
"This is why Saatvik is a good choice. He's not doing weird stuff with angels, and he's not-"
"He's installing family members into the leadership. Do you honestly think you can refuse an order from his wife and survive? Besides, everyone turned a blind eye to the abomination deaths until Leonie put that thing down for good."
Egil certainly didn't predict this outcome...
Anya is reportedly allied with Jack.
Someone named Saatvik is establishing 'royalty' from within the guild.
Leonie, a respected but controversial, summoner is somehow competing with the other two? Of the three, so far, Leonie seems to be the only one helping. I wonder how she managed the politics for killing the abomination. That must have pissed off Jack.
"Ok, I think I've heard enough for now. Let's visit the 'other half' of the guild." Egil marked the angel's location on Hashir's map.
He could see from Motoko's view, the fox girl, bounding from rooftop to rooftop, in the direction of the angel.
Logan looked over at Egil. "With a three way split, how was Jack able to push you out?"
Egil sighed. "Those other two must have rose to prominence after I left. Unfortunately, Leonie was really only known as 'the summoner who switched genders' at that time. I also thought she was above the overseer and Jack in rank, but that sounds like it might not be the case.
"As for ...Saatvik." He struggled to remember the name. "The only reason anyone ever fills leadership ranks with family, is to minimize opposition. The guild can pretty much say 'goodbye' to individual freedoms, with him at the helm."
"So Leonie sounds like the guild's best shot at remaining stable." Logan commented.
"Unless she turns out to be a bad option as well."
Motoko announced she was at the angel. From her perspective, Egil realized for the first time, the angel was actually taller than the palace. In the darkness of the night, the statuesque creature gave off a faint white glow, except where its red geometric features projected their corresponding color instead.
The surrounding area appeared to be somewhat rebuilt. The bleachers were gone. In between the angel's feet, stood a stage, from which a solitary, red robed figure appeared to stand. That shaky fuck, Jack.
On the ground, in front of the stage, stood a number of black robes, barely perceivable from this distance.
"Motoko, can you look around where you are. I want to get a view of the city."
The kitsune stood, and slowly did a 360 degree view. Wow! The fires are still going, and it looks like there are actually more of them. Is anyone still fighting them?
By the time Motoko finished turning, a glowing light appeared to hover nearby. A portal?
"Wait, stop. see I something glowing." Logan observed.
The telltale circle of light, with energy arcing out from the edges. Someone summoned a travel gate. Wait, Egil noticed the thing dark outline, why is there a permanent gate fixture to the side of the meeting area?
One of the guild members rushed towards it. Jack, apparently started tracking this guy, and leapt off his stage, rushing towards them, sword out.
Is he...? "Oh my god. I think we're witnessing one of the stupidest escapes in a while, and Jack is trying to cut him down."
"Wait... summoners don't have a choice when they can leave the guild?" Hashir asked.
"Yeah, they have a choice. Well... they *should* have a choice. Im not sure these do."
Jack raised his sword to slash at the robed figure, but they crossed the portal's threshold, and with that, Jack's sword hit nothing but air.
"Jack has to threaten people to stay?" The summoner demon asked.
"It looks a lot like that's the case, doesn't it?"
