Cold Comfort

[u/ASecondCriminal]

The ice grew another few centimeters, consuming and erasing the latest attempt at a runework solution etched into the surface. Not that it mattered. Marna stared out through the wall of frost, barely aware of her surroundings through the transparent prison walls.

"Marna, I'm sorry. I'm so very sorry. Nothing we have at our disposal is working."

Beard. Sad eyes. Her father. Well of course nothing was working. The silver dragon Artemis had tried to imprison her in sanctified ice. Hah! Even now the ice grew and grew, spilling out in waves to fill an entire warehouse! HER POWER COULD NOT BE CONTAINED!

"There are runes we modified. Designed for the Lightless Flame. Not hellfire. They've only delayed the spread. Arthur likely knew more but..."

Was he crying? Why? They had said she was sick or some nonsense. Her father's old master had hit her with some specific type of hellfire meant to corrupt souls to... something. But obviously she was too powerful for that to work. And Artemis had overreacted. Yes, that was it. Such was the nature of fools to fear greatness! A shame. Unless they let her out there would be no one strong enough to stop him. He might use the pride fire again against her-

Oh. Pride. She was being corrupted by pride. And eventually, it was going to kill her. It was going to utterly corrupt and then destroy her soul.

She was going to die.

Hah. It was going to try at least! Riva's pathetic little students had come by, attempting to bind the affliction. Barely slowed it down. Really, as if Nico of all people could stop an illness serious enough to kill Marna Blake the Firebrand! Knight of Ithacar!

"I'm sorry Marna. I've failed you again."

Anger. Pity. Love. For the briefest of moments these feelings overwhelm the haze of ice and flame that consumes her every thought. Yes, he had failed her. Left her alone as a baby. But they were past that now. At least mostly. Her decisions were her own. She'd fought Arthur Black of her own free will and they were winning. At least, until the end there. And he would take all that glory and reduce it to self-blame? Belial had done enough wrong in his life to not need to blame himself for things he couldn't control.

Marna wanted to slap him. She wanted to hug him and say it wasn't his fault. She wanted to say she forgave him for the past. For the years she'd spent alone. Some part of her knew it wasn't entirely true. That she still blamed the old man in some ways and always would. But she loved him enough to want to say it anyway. Just to make him hurt a little less.

Marna tried to reach out to her father through the sanctified prison and, in spite of her best efforts found the ice quite immovable.

Of course it was. Nothing but the strongest of prisons could contain THE Marna Blake. Mightiest warrior in th-

---

I take my hand away from the wall of ice before it expands again, almost trapping my glove with it. The sum of all our resources and all we could do was slow it down.

There's something in my dsughter's eyes. They haven't moved once but that feral intensity I know all too well bores into me as I meet her frozen gaze.

"You're right. Self-pity is unbecoming."

I wipe my eyes and straighten up as best I can manage. This is no time to give up. Not with Marna's life on the line.

"If we don't have a solution, perhaps someone else does."

Reaching into my pocket, I find a glass eye, plucked from the skull of a long-dead fire giant. My orb. Time to make an announcement.

"Attention, all channels. This is Belial Blake, Praetor of Ithacar. To anyone who can hear me, if you have skills in the infernal arts and the magics of the soul, I'm willing to make a deal. Name your price."

[u/Zebos2]

Unica let's out an amused laugh

"Warlocks" She mutters to herself.

"My price is two things well three if you're feeling extra generous. The first the opportunity to study the flame I kind of have to if I'm going to fix your issue. Second access to Zeta I have some interesting prototypes I wish to test and I need access to that data and third your endorsement of my promotion to the board"

[u/ASecondCriminal → u/Zebos2]

First favor is easy enough to grant. The last mesns nothing to me. But the second...The fact that she said Zeta instead of Lianna is telling.

"What sorts of prototypes?"

[u/Zebos2 → u/ASecondCriminal]

"oh just little things psychically controlled attack drones an amplifier helmet. You know upgrades make her function better as a weapon"

She also needed zeta's mental data for the development of the PSI frame tech but Nozoth was being stingy

[u/ASecondCriminal → u/Zebos2]

I consider the offer. Black Iron likely has a solution. Or the know how to find one. But should they have access to data on a fucking soul weapon?

More than that, Lianna would have to go back unde their "care" for the experiments. I remember the bracers the Busmuth put on my daughter. I remember a tyrant that would use my child as a weapon. Hatred boils my blood.

"Take your offer and choke on it. I've heard offers from devils today I'd take before yours."

Marna would never forgive me if that was the price I paid for her life. I'd sooner sell my soul to Samael.

Might have to, the way things are looking.

[u/Zebos2 → u/ASecondCriminal]

"ah boo typical emotional response that's why I removed mine and I was even going to keep her out of Nozoths grimy metallic hands for you, a shame I bet zet- sorry Lianna would love to prove her effectiveness to you."

[u/ASecondCriminal → u/Zebos2]

I narrow my eyes.

"I'll be keeping Lianna out of Nozoth's hands either way. And yours. Crawl back underneath whatever rotten hole you emerged from and writhe there, maggot."

[u/Zebos2 → u/ASecondCriminal]

"Temper temper oh well could always use the mass production zetas."

"They need technology only I can provide to begin production if I can't get Liannas data then perhaps Nozoth would be willing to provide me with the mass production types in exchange for the tech they need to produce them. But I'm just thinking out loud."

Her red eye glows as she prepares to leave

[u/ASecondCriminal → u/Zebos2]

If this woman speaks true, which I can't guarantee, Black Iron will get the technology eventually. They'll meet her price no matter how high it goes, and entering a bidding war with one of their mad scientists only serves them. Much as I hate it, the horror of the mass production Zeta's is likely innevitable, with or without the monster before me. I can't stop it.

But I can protect Lianna.

"One day, you'll regret this."

It isn't some vain plea for whatever remains of her moral compass. It's a promise.

"You'll all regret this."

I'll make sure of it.

"

[u/Zebos2 → u/ASecondCriminal]

"and here I thought you would like access to district 2"

A final offer she was Never going to give the tech to Nozoth anyway. It appears shall have to find work arounds a shame for any test pilot

Space is rent once again

"Could have even done data collection for inside the wall of ithacar. Have fun with the Nephilim."

She turns to step into the rift