Patrol the area.

As Demon King of Castle Phoenix, everything within the towering walls around you is your responsibility. It practically runs itself, but you do wish to keep your people safe. It's also pretty relaxing to walk up and down the winding stone streets, between the flowers and magic lanterns which decorate it, and illuminate the way beneath a morning of overcast. It's chillier today, though you keep your hands in your pockets as you walk.

Speaking of which, Thomas is ahead. He looks rather dejected, though Yin is there as well, keeping his hand close as she wraps it with bandages.

"What happened?" you ask as you approach.

Looking rather flustered, he tries not to meet your gaze with his own. "I uh... just managed to burn myself."

"A frost burn," Yin corrects him. "From touching something far too cold. More freezing than ice. But he'll be fine, Master, don't worry."

"You--" Before continuing, you stare him down for a long, judgemental moment. You watch as he sweats--twisting uncomfortably, though unable to leave given Yin is still tending to his wound. He's like an animal caught in a trap. "You didn't."

"She does it on purpose!" he blurts out immediately after. "She makes it so difficult, so that you go and hurt yourself!"

"But was it worth it?"

"Of course it was, but that isn't the point! Ah, thank you, Yin. That feels much better. I won't do it again, I promise. I did learn my lesson. But Kyle, you should really talk to her. Like I know it's also my own fault, but we're supposed to be working together here, right? We have six succubi living here with no problem... Actually, they're the opposite of a problem I'd say. But this ice demon isn't playing very friendly."

"Though she's a part of Stax's squad, she became someone serving under me when they all agreed to join, so you're right. I'll talk to her when I can."

Shivra. Apparently ice demons, or tsuraras, are similar to succubi in some ways. They love to seduce, but ice demons get a sadistic thrill out of people getting frost bite from their bodies. It makes me wonder if they even want to go all the way with someone, or if they even can to begin with. She's making other people frustrated, but is she not frustrated too? Maybe I know a wee bit too little about someone living here. All I know is that they're impossibly cold. It goes beyond the opposite of devils. I can touch Yin. She's just hot. Shivra, however, practically burns even getting close to her skin. Touching her is like making contact with dry ice.

"Hey, Yin?"

Now finished with her tending to Tom, she looks to you and stands up straight and proper. "Yes, Master?"

"Do you know where either Shivra or Stax are?"

"The former, I'm uncertain but I can find out. As for Stax, she's actually behind you right now, down the road."

You turn to see the goblin making her way idly along the street just as you are, though she has a journal of some sort in one hand and a quilled pen in the other. She's a small figure to spot, though her green freckled skin and large set of ears makes her stand out with a bit more ease, as well as her curvy wide hips and hefty chest relative to her size. As always, her dark purple hair is styled to one side, and the little light that shines from above glistens off the jewellery she wears--several piercings between her ears, one on her navel, a couple necklaces, and a few bracelets and rings. Though she wears a cloak to cover her back, the front is quite open, with her tight crop top and booty shorts that freely tease her purple panties by the button being undone.

"Ahoy, Stax! Can I talk to you for a minute?" you ask aloud.

She peeks up from the pages of her book. "Oh! Morning, Kyle." She picks up the pace as she makes her way over to where the three of you stand. "What can I do for ya?" she asks as she goes.

"Was I interrupting something?"

"Oh this? No." She claps the journal shut and withdraws it beneath her arm. "I was just taking inventory. We're actually doing pretty well. I wish we could get a little more outside trade going, but I know that's asking for a lot. Our treasury is looking nice though. You know what though? If we do get some more exports happening, we can probably make a pretty coin with how talented some of your tradesman are. That Luna can really design clothes. Laira is a crazy good smith too. Even Dix, though kinda hard to deal with, is a wizard with her potions. We've even got Fava, who is a brilliant enough artificer to have made a human-like body for herself to pilot around. Pretty crazy. You've really gathered quite the team, you know."

"Hell yeah, though that's partly what I wanted to talk about. That squad of yours is fine and all, but... Shivra. What exactly is her whole shtick? I mean, she's kinda the only one where I don't know what she does, or what she brings to the table. All I've seen her do is torment people a few times. I'm not saying everyone has to do something crazy, but like... she isn't the only demon living here, and the others seem to be fitting in a lot easier. Is she doing all right?"

"Ah. Yeah. I can see where you're coming from." She stows the pen away into a pouch on her belt. She ponders for a moment, placing her hand upon her hip as she gazes up towards the cloudy sky. "As you can imagine, someone like me or her don't have it easy. We can't exactly walk into town and get what we need. But like, she's definitely on another level of that. Ice demons can be pretty cruel. Though I wouldn't be travelling with her if she were evil, Kyle. She has an icy exterior, but there's a woman in there. She really just wants a place to belong. I wouldn't be surprised if she's acting about because she does feel uncomfortable. I'm not a bad leader, but uh... I'm not a therapist either. Honestly I haven't really known what to do about that. But the fact that she's been living her all this time means she can't hate it. She'd definitely tell me if she did. It isn't like Shivra is afraid to speak out. She'll tell you what she thinks of you straight to your face."

"Well, she has no filter, as in she'll probably call you out on your bullshit, but that doesn't mean she isn't afraid to speak. Otherwise she'd have come to me or you and tell you how she feels."

"True. I guess emotions are hard to express in words, especially coming from a demon. And well, at least succubi are some percentage more accepted than a tsurara. You know, since people can actually..." With her hand, she motions quite the crude gesture with one finger between a hole made through her others.

"Yeah, I--"

"They can fuck."

"I know. I got that. Though at the very least, Shivra seems to enjoy what she is."

Stax laughs. "Oh yeah. I admit that it's pretty funny sometimes. The way she sways that body of hers around. People can't help but touch, and what a surprise they get when they do! Oh but she doesn't go around killing people. The worst she does is burn their hands. Sometimes their faces if they're extra bold about it."

You think for a moment. "Yin?"

"O-Oh, was I meant to go find Shivra, Master?" she responds swiftly.

"Actually, no. Can you find Mela instead, please?"

"Of course I can. I'll return shortly." With a bow, she begins walking back down the path to begin her search. It shouldn't be too long given the size of the area, though she is seeking a ghost.

Either way, you're lost in thought. Mela is the expert on the creatures of Abso. You're curious what she has to say about ice demons.