For good or ill, Darius was too busy with the summoning to notice either girl's reaction to the summoning itself.  With a stern face and stern voice, he addressed the demon.<br/><br/>"You will answer my questions honestly and fully.  Is that understood?"<br/>"Yes Master."  The tone in the demon's lilting voice was edged with harshness.<br/>"Have any mortals entered the Demon City in the past week?"<br/>"Yes Master..."<br/>"Did they give a name or title?"<br/>"Yes Master."<br/><br/>Darius paused a bit, and the demon grinned ever so slightly, answering the question but not volunteering the obvious.<br/><br/>"What name or title did they give?"<br/>"......."  The neomah hesitated, and Darius stared hard at her.  "The Scarlet Empress."<br/>"Does she still live?"<br/>"...Yes Master."<br/>"In what state?"<br/>"I do not know, Master."<br/>"Is she a captive?"<br/>"Yes, Master."<br/>"Who has her?"<br/>"..."  The demon hesitated a bit, then put on a grin, as if it was pleased to answer this.  "She is in the loving care of the Ebon Dragon, Master."<br/>"...Damnit!"<br/><br/>Darius turned away and paced up and down a few steps.<br/><br/>"There's no way.  There's no way for us to take on a Yozi, even if we were a hundred years older...."