A demon well fed...

The Fey'ri was mostly in a daze, slowly walking to the edge of the floating city docks and discarding her clothing with every other step. The weathered wood turn black and smoldering foot print while the air around her wavered and melted the thick snow. In fact, all through the floating city where she had been was a thick fog and water dripping and flowing from melted snow.

~"Please, don't do this."~
"You should have fed me. When I become this hungry, There is no small creature that can satiate my apatite." To outsiders, it looked as if the glowing Fey'ri was talking to herself. ~"Isoleda, you do not have to do this! There are other ways, other things that you can feast upon. Please!"~ There was a soft chuckling that followed that desperate plea. "I paid you one kindness already, child. I warned you. One would think you would have learned your lesson. I DO NOT... like to be ignored." There would be a moment of silence as the Fey'ri slowly started to float up into the air above the airship docks.

"Well well, what have we here?" A male voice called out. "Not every day something so delicious falls into one's lap." Slowly the Fey'ri turned to see a mountain of a man dressed in matted furs standing a good ways from the edge of the dock. His rusted horned helmet barely hiding the filth of his face underneath.

~"No, Isoleda, please don't kill him..."~ "You wish me to give you the chance to warn him, Mercy? Alright. Let's see how this goes." Slowly the Fey'rie lowered to the weathered wood. ~"Thank you-"~ "Consider it my last offer of kindness before the feast." The man tilted his head, the air around the Fey'ri lowering to a humid feeling.

"Little bird, you'll have to speak up." The man's crooked tooth grin was apparent, as the helm did not hide his mouth very well. He moved forward with confidence and swagger. "Now, about that lap part of the deal."

"No, you don't understand. You have to leave. You have to go and take as many with you as you can. Get as far away from here as possible!" Mercy pleaded and covered herself. "You're in great danger!" The man simply licked his lips and came closer, reaching out to grab hold of her arm.

"Ah, you have a fever. Let me take you in and... care for you." The wide eyed Mercy stared up at him and shook her head from side to side, black curls bouncing. "I'll give you something that should perk you right up." As his hand slid down along her arm to her chest she attempted to step back.

"Why wont you listen to me?!" The heat around them started to rise again. The wood below the Fey'ri's feet starting to sizzle and crack with smoke and steam rising up. The heat hit so quick, the man's breath was taken from him instantly. ~"No... You said!"~

"There is no reason to continue your argument child. I gave you plenty of time. Now to purge this filthy soul so that he can be claimed." Isoleda's voice echoed and as she rose up the man's body started to cook as if time had sped up in the hottest day of the desert. His once thick large body curling in upon it'self with a hiss much like a boiled lobster before suddenly bursting into flames. In the Fey'ri's mind, Mercy could be heard sobbing with a meek repeat ~"no, no, they don't deserve this."~

"Ignorance is not becoming of you. That man had no care of you at all, other than you were a warm naked body on a cold day. I have given him something far more worthy to be." There would be no reply, almost as if Mercy turned away unwilling to watch what was to come. Isoleda glowed. "Don't be so foolish. I know you enjoy this as much as I do. The power you feel after is one you cannot deny nor ignore. Feast with me." Still no answer, but that did not matter at all. A wave of hot air blew out from the Fey'ri's naked body, the floating city going from cold and foggy to a soft steam rising. Pained and startled shouts coming from deep within the cracks and houses.

"I, Isoleda -thd- iafdrao, cdaim thdad daada aad thd aodda withia. I widd adra add datid pdrd! adrvd md, fddd md aad yod ahadd ad jdat rdwarddd. Ataad ia thd way aad thdrd widd ad ao fiadr aah thaa yodr corpad widd ddavd." ["I, Isoleda -The- inferno, claim these lands and the souls within. I will burn all until pure! Serve me, feed me and you shall be just rewarded. Stand in my way and there will be no finer ash than your corpse will leave."] Those words would echo out for miles and reach two Tiefling's ears with such a horrid aftershock, that a blue figure would stand at the edge of a portal rethinking her bravery in an attempt to save more souls.

Zasha paused at the airship docks and stared in the direction of the floating city with a deepening frown. The tower presented a decent vantage point, but she could not see any change in the city from where she stood. As the airship approached the docks and slowed to a stop, Isoleda's words rang in her head. Her body stiffened and her head bowed, shuddering unpleasantly. That voice called to her, beckoned, tempted...

Her eyes squeezed closed and she held her breath for a moment. In. Out. In. Out. She was finally interrupted by the airship captain, who impatiently cleared his throat at her. When her eyes snapped open, they flashed a determined blue, no longer the fiendish yellow they were in her past.

As the Tiefling stepped onto the airship and offered a small runestone to the captain, she braced herself against the rigging and looked uneasily toward the floating city once more.

"I'm sorry, Mercy," she muttered. "You will be free of her one day..."

---

As startled screams started to spill into the streets of the floating city, its denizens reacted in various ways. Some drank from jugs of water and confusedly huddled into their homes. Others burst from their homes, trying desperately to drench themselves in nearby fountains or reservoirs of water, or trying to seek the open air to breathe and cool off. Those with the least fortitude began to pant uncomfortably from the heat.

Cries of "What is happening?!" came from some. Others, more disgruntled, exclaimed, "I've had it with this shit weather!" They were, of course, entirely unaware of what waited.

But then came Isoleda's words. Terror struck many. A detail of guards began to run toward the source of the voice, their duty to try and defend the city calling to them.

Meanwhile, other creatures stirred in the sewers underneath the city, from hidden nooks and alleys throughout. Some perked, glamoured as humans and seemingly unperturbed by the alarmingly rising heat. Others allowed their true forms to show, many in varying shades of reds, yellows, some a smoldering black.

While many of them preferred to sulk in their chosen places, three in particular emerged. All were winged, one sporting orange spines along his hunched, charcoal-hued back; one with impressive, ram-like horns and golden skin; and the third with deep crimson scales, glowing yellow eyes, and a reptilian tail lashing behind him.

As they burst from their respective hiding places, two of them came forth to kneel before the Fey'ri's levitating body. "Has pih sy wyrjy haf, muwzryww?" [How may we serve you, Mistress?] Despite the outward appearance, these two seemed to recognize the great power contained within Mercy's comparatively small body.

The spined third demon looked skeptically toward her, solid black eyes narrowing as he stood at his full height and even proceeded to stalk closer toward her.

"Wma uw zmuw zmiz tdiupw wftm easyr? xe wyy lifqmz kfz pfvvuyv kdaav, upefry vorv laz za ky kasyv za. Wma viryw tdiup zmy lipy Isoleda?" [Who is this that claims such power? I see naught but muddied blood, impure and not to be bowed to. Who dares claim the name Isoleda?]

As the spined demon dared question Isoleda, the guards rounded the steps to the 'ground' floor of the sky city, racing ever closer toward what they believed to be the source of the heat...