Alburet blinked, “One of the Succubi is Lilith’s sister?”
“Both of them are, actually,” Bob beamed. “They both want me. It’s like I said, once you go Imp, you never go back.”
“They are both very powerful, iffin they be sisters of me Ma’,” Stacia smiled. “Ya have done well, Bob.”
“My first wife wanted me to ask if you wanted to attend the ceremony welcoming the additions to our family,” Tiny rumbled as he looked at Alburet.
“What does that entail?” Alburet asked.
“It is a gathering of all of those we care for,” Tiny began to explain, as Bob grinned with an evil chuckle. “There is food and drink for all, and the family shares pleasures as we all sate our desires. Non-family is invited to watch and give advice to those who participate.”
Alburet coughed, “Pass, though thank her for the offer, Tiny.”
“As you wish, master,” Tiny nodded.
“You could show for my wedding,” Bob snickered.
“Is it a ‘come naked and fuck the Succubi’ party?” Alburet asked with a shake of his head.
Bob jerked as if slapped, “How did you know? Tiny, did you spill the beans?”
“No,” Alburet replied first, “I just went for the easiest answer. At least we know you’ll always be you, Bob. I’ll pass again, but thanks for the offer. I already have the Succubus I want.”
Stacia sighed softly, “He passed on the orgy Mother offered, too. So stubborn.”
Shaking his head, Alburet didn’t rise to the bait, “Congrats on the pending nuptials, Bob.”
“It’s going to be so fucking awesome,” Bob bounced along to keep up. “Loralee is already talking about who else she would like to add to the family once I grow stronger.”
His unbridled enthusiasm was enough to push the incident with the guard out of Alburet’s mind. “I guess we’ll just have to get moving in that direction, then. Tiny, keep your eyes out for more Alpha Company. We’re looking for three groups. Just want to check in with them and see how they’re doing.”
“Yes, master,” Tiny rumbled as he took point on the trail.
Shortly after Tiny took the lead, two blasts of fire streaked down from the trees above the group, singeing his chest as they struck. Tiny let out a surprised bellow, looking up to find two Imps sitting in the trees to either side of the road. They were preparing to throw more fire at him. “Get down here and face me,” Tiny rumbled at them as he used his shield to block one of the attacks.
Bob tossed a Fire Blast of his own at the Imp on the right while Stacia began to sing to the one on the left. The Fire Blast from Bob hit his target and made it wobble on the branch, but it managed to keep its perch and lob its own Fire Blast at Tiny again. The one on the left sank back into a sitting position as Stacia’s song Dazed it.
“These are our woods,” The Cursed Imp on the right spat at them. “Leave our woods or face our wrath!”
Alburet frowned as he looked at the Cursed Imps. They were a sickly green, rather than the shades of red he was used to seeing in Imps. “What is wrong with them?” he asked as he summoned his own Fire Blast to his hand.
“Cursed,” Tiny rumbled as he glared at the Imp above him. “It is a test of the Dark Lord. Those not chosen by a master must survive a year here.”
"I really didn't want to do a year here," Bob told them as he tossed off another Fire Blast. "I was so weak and feeble that I wondered if I would make it.” His tone was almost pensive, “I was sure I wouldn’t be claimed and would have to.” His Fire Blast caught the Cursed Imp in the chest.
The Cursed Imp yelled and windmilled its arms, trying to keep its balance. Alburet grinned as he tossed his Fire Blast at the Imp as it wobbled, which was enough to knock it from its perch. It screeched as it fell, which was cut off abruptly as Tiny caught it with his shield. The Imp thudded into the trunk of the tree it had been perched on with a sickening crunch.
Alburet summoned a second Bob as Tiny stomped on the downed Imp. With a small puff of smoke, the washed-out Copy of Bob appeared and began to summon his own Fire Blast. “Now we’ll show it how to cook with fire,” Bob Jr. cackled.
Alburet ran forward as he drew his axe, “Time to finish it.”
Tiny lifted his foot, intending to stomp on the Imp again. The Imp sprang at his face, “No! This is our Wood!” it seethed.
“You fail,” Tiny replied as his shield slapped the Imp back to the ground.
Alburet got there just as two Fire Blasts bathed the Imp in flame. His axe came down a second later, separating the Imp’s head from its body. “One down. Bob, hold the Fire Blasts for a second,” Alburet called out as he and Tiny crossed to the other side of the path and got ready for the next Imp. “Okay. You knock it down and we’ll pile on.”
Bob and Bob Jr. released their Fire Blasts in unison. Together, the blasts were enough to knock the Cursed Imp off the branch. The blasts also woke it from Daze and it screeched as it fell. Tiny’s shield intercepted it, driving it into the trunk of the tree. As the Imp collapsed in a heap at the bottom of the tree, Alburet’s axe came down on it. Two more Fire Blasts hit it in quick succession, followed by Tiny’s axe and Stacia’s blades. Stacia’s attack was the one that killed the Cursed Imp.
Alburet looted the bodies, replaying the encounter in his mind. “They seemed really weak, a lot weaker than the Orcs in the Grasslands.”
“They do nay have the same health,” Stacia replied. “Iffin we did nay have the ability to knock them down, it would have been much harder.”
“We either would have had to retreat to lure them down, or climb up after them,” Tiny rumbled.
“Yeah, but we have me, both of me,” Bob added with a self-satisfied look on his face.
“Good job, Bob,” Alburet told his minion. “Going to make your wives proud. Okay, let’s head on, still need to find my guildies,” Alburet said as Tiny took the lead again.
A few minutes on they encountered a group of five coming towards them. Alburet waved at them, getting the other group to stop to chat. “How is the hunting going, Alpha Company?”
Greenbeard frowned at Alburet, “Alburet? What the hell happened to you?”
“Race change to Half-blood Infernal. Got the quest from my unique armor,” Alburet replied.
“You’re the second person to have race changed, then,” Ironhand added. “The first was on the forums the day before the immersion test meeting. A guy over in the Elf area, did some quest chain and became a half vampire. Supposedly means he gets faster health regen out of combat and a boost to his Strength and Agility during the night hours. Rumor also says he got a bite attack that drains 1% of the life from the one bitten and gives it to him.”
“That sounds so cool,” Leggylass said. “What did your change net you?”
“Fire resistance,” Alburet chuckled. “The other ability depends on which demon your blood comes from. Imp blood means you can cast spells without words, like my minion does.”
“For a caster that would be insane,” Greenbeard replied with a whistle.
“I’m sure it will come in handy,” Alburet laughed. “You all heading back?”
“Yeah, going to call it a night and hit up this Italian place I found yesterday,” Ironhand smiled. “You want to come with?”
“I heard there are two other groups out here. Still need to find them. I came out to see how everyone was doing.”
“We just finished up the quests here, headed back to turn them in. Tomorrow we’re gonna hit the dungeon in this zone. After that, we’ll move on to the Goblin Villages.” Greenbeard outlined his group’s plan to Alburet. “What about you and your team?”
“We’re doing the same thing now,” Alburet relayed, “but we need to back track a little and hit the lower zones. We’ll be doing that tomorrow and the next few days before we head back to the zones we’ve been in.”