>>6249730
You frown, but even as you debate what the right thing to do is… You’re already doing something. You’ve taken Dura by her hand and begun to lead her away from the sinister scene.

“We go?” Dura asks quietly. “But… bad jigi?”

“You heard Ayla,” you say, to yourself more than to the orc. “It’s gonna be fine! They’re jus’ gonna have a little chat, ‘n sort all this out.”

You spare one last glance back at Zith-Zi and Ayla. Each is a sort of sister: one once shared your body, and one shares a (sort of) spirit. You care about them both, you NEED them both, and you WANT this all to blow over. And if you free ZZ from whatever Ayla’s doing, what she’s gonna do…

It won’t.

The pink-and-pretty nilbog might not be a cambion like you, but she’s still got a demon’s fight in her. Worse, while you have no clue what Zith-Zi showed up so up-in-arms about, this <Charm> incident will only exacerbate her agitation. A fight will be a matter of principle, at this point.

And right now? This is AWFUL timing!

Your fellow demon-tainted occultist is also your only way to get to hundun country, AND your only connection to that shady undead merchant who’s willing to trade you cultivation secrets and oriental ingredients for the mystery-meat monster. You’re SO close to finally fixing everything that’s wrong with you! And Ayla… Ayla’s your best bet at achieving a pure, perfect self.

No matter how you look at it, you can’t afford to risk a rupture. Not right now.

You turn your head and shut your eyes, wincing as you hear ZZ’s scimitar clatter to the ground, slipping through spell-numbed fingers.

“Sorry,” you whisper, as you walk away.

…

Sisterly Bond decreased. In ZZ’s company or when aided in some fashion by her, CZ’s <WANT> DCs are decreased by 6, rather than 8.

Thanks to continued lessons with Ayla, Carazzi and Dura both gain 1 rank in Potioncraft!