Deal with the devil

ARTIFICIAL HEART // INTERLUDE, known by the episode title "deal with the devil", is the "first" episode of ARTIFICIAL HEART due to prologue being lost to history, but the second episode overall of the arc. It was played on January 21st, 2023. It has a runtime of 04:10:20. In universe, it takes place from immediately where the last game left off to around 18:01 on the 3rd of Neverwinter, 2466.

The previous episode in this arc is prologue. The next episode is out on the water.

ARTIFICIAL HEART // INTERLUDE is covered by chapters 5-8 of the manga.

### Time (IC)

1st of Neverwinter, 2466 from 16:28 onwards up to 18:01 on the 3rd of Neverwinter, 2466

## Plot Summary

### Chapter V: Seek Shelter Immediately

* A PCA is quickly pursuing any and all survivors of the explosion with the intention of arresting them as suspects, and the party does not want to get caught.
* Stitches realizes that she needs to fake her own death in order to leave the area unsuspected. Using her Stitcher's Thread, she severs her arm at the shoulder. Diamant, cauterizes her wound with Cinnamon Fireburst.
* Panda and Bosko take the car while the group of rioters begin to run into the alleyway, Stitches leads the way to the 34th Platform, and Stroke calling some of her contacts asking for shelter.
* The party finds their way to the 34th Platform, everyone piles onto the train, and the tension in the air begins to relax. The group takes this time to get acquainted, Stitches introducing herself as Mina Robertson, and Diamant recruits her into the group.
* Stroke takes the party off the train when it enters the Third District, and leads them into a seedy area called Sonraku Station.
* The party meets a fire goliath named Red, a man who Stroke is good friends with. The crew is lead inside Tartarus, where Stroke checks to make sure her stuff hasn't been touched, and then joins the group for a meeting.
* Stroke and Red take them downstairs to meet their boss, on the door to his office is an odd symbol of multiple hearts soaked in blood interlocked with one another. Diamant identifies it to be a symbol of Blood Magic, an unsafe and dark magic not to be messed with. In the office is a man wearing a leather jacket made from the skin, tendons and muscles of humans. He is introduced as AM.

### Chapter VI: AM

* AM greets the party, as an imposing figure who is obviously an extremely powerful spellcaster, and seems to be fond of Stroke.
* AM puts on the news, showing the burning remains of the building that was just destroyed, and a picture of Stitches’ face with the title of “Prime Suspect.” AM bluntly asks Stitches why he shouldn't kill her instantly. Stitches claims to have been framed, to have insider knowledge, and to be very useful to both him and the party as a medic.
* AM listens patiently for Stitches to finish her relocation of the story and ridicules Diamant when she tries to interrupt her, quietly enraging her. He then switches to Hustrilian and addresses her as The Butcher, and telling her it’s been a long time since her face was seen. Stitches states that she is currently in hiding.
* AM then asks Diamant why she broke Stroke out of prison. Diamant explains that it was to investigation police corruption, and she has no connection to Stroke. AM asks for some of her blood as a way to ensure her cooperation, making an unsubtle threat to kill her if she doesn't comply, but Diamant convinces him that she'll provide work for him in exchange for him not keeping her blood hostage.
* AM switches back to Stitches and asks her in Hustrilian if she could use some well needed assistance, and after some discussion, she agrees.
* AM tells the group that he would let them live under three conditions. First, they must help him figure out what happened to the Chalice Club, and who attacked them. Second, they must find out why the explosion happened, and tell him everything they know about it. The third condition was spoken to Stitches alone, and he asked her to retrieve an amulet for him that is likely being hidden. After bickering over a name, the group adopts the temporary group name of "Diamant's Crew".
* He briefly talks with Stroke, addressing her like a father might address a daughter, and asks her if she wants to go with Diamant and her crew. She says she has nothing better to do and agrees to go with them. AM then dismisses her too.
* AM quickly calls Stitches back over and hands her a replacement arm for her to surgically replace. Stitches thanks him, and after taking a shot of Blue Raspberry, surgically attaches the new arm to her stump, using her thread.

### Chapter VII: See You Tomorrow, Choom Pt. I

* Diamant asks Red where she can find a bar, and he directs her, Auntie and Ringer to a small area run by 4VA, an Anadian Halfling woman.
* Stroke tells 4VA to give Diamant a "Special 4VA Cocktail", a drink that is 99% alcohol, and the rest of it is pure pepper extract. Against Auntie's warnings, she downs it immediately and becomes blackout drunk. After failing to seduce 4VA, and spontaneously falling asleep, Auntie takes her back to her room for the night.
* Stroke remains at the bar for a while and converses with her crew members to catch up with them about what she's missed. The rest of the group eventually makes their way to bed.
* Panda comes to meet up with the party the next day, and tells them that it’s now safe for them to leave the arena, since E-SEC is gone. After some discussion, the group agrees to meet up at a cafe on Stitches' recommendation the next day at 18:00 to discuss their plans.
* Stitches goes to visit a man named Alastor, and asks if he can give her a new face. He agrees and Stitches proceeds to undergo plastic surgery, giving herself an entirely new facial appearance that won’t get recognized by E-SEC. They briefly speak about AM, and Alastor doesn't recognize the man.
* Ringer goes to a Zalvinist temple, where she sits in silence for a moment before the Imam comes up and sits next to her, seemingly already knowing of her, to council with her.
* Ringer confesses to not feeling satisfied with her current place in the city, but not wanting to return to the Greylands either. She also tells him about the new crew, stating she doesn't mind any of them but they're a bit strange. The Imam consoles her and Ringer feels substantially better before heading home.

### Chapter VIII: See You Tomorrow, Choom Pt. II

* Diamant heads to the Monolith to bail a friend of hers named Valerian out of prison. She pays the fee of 50K credits to the intern and he tells her that her friend will be out in 2-3 days. Diamant isn’t happy with this time and asks to speak with the Warden, to see if she can get them out right this second.
* The Warden comes out to speak with her, seemingly an Aetherborn, but is rather unfriendly. After some back and forth argument, he agrees to speed up the process and says Valerian will be out to see her in a few hours.
* Cut to Auntie at the Sandman Arena who goes to speak to Ardove about her situation with Peppermint. Ardove is found sparring in the pit with someone, and asks Auntie how she can help her. Auntie asks who took out the contract on Peppermint, and the man introduces himself to her directly. He introduces himself as Prince Erlareo.
* Auntie explains that Peppermint refused to come with her, and Erlareo says that as long as she's safe, he'll make it easier and go to her, before promptly leaving the arena and Auntie behind.
* Cut to Peppermint at her apartment, when she gets a knock on her door. Erlareo tells her that he’s been looking for her and that their parents are starting to get worried for her. The two get into a fight where Peppermint says she's sick of him treating her like a child, and culminating in her refusing to go with him and stating that she won't be leaving Empyrea, causing Erlareo to storm out.
* Stroke stays at the arena with Red and spars for money, earning 350 Scratch.
* Eventually, after the days events, the party meets up at the Half-Moon Cafe. Stroke and Diamant have a brief argument over shoes, Panda shows up, and everyone is led inside. Once the party gets inside it becomes immediately apparent that something isn’t right. The blinds are down in the cafe though the lights are on as if it’s open, and this makes Stitches extremely suspicious.
* Auntie sniffs the air, noting that there is zero smell of food being cooked. Ringer decides to check out what is happening inside, and is met with the sight of three cafe employees, all bound and gagged, and an Elf man is standing over them. Once he sees her he turns around and aims a gun at her, before looking confused and asking who she is.

## Characters

### Major Characters

* Nakamura "Stroke" Runin
* Diana "Diamant" Bernhardson
* Pandora "Panda" Oliveberry
* Azat Bosko
* Mya "Auntie" Li
* Farrah "Ringer" Silverlock
* Arandyl "Peppermint" Peyzazh
* Anthony Silvers
* AM *(debut)*

### Side Characters

* Lismohr "Red" Omalog *(debut)*
* Ava "4VA" O'Sean *(debut)*
* Alastor Blackwell *(debut)*
* Imam Gadi Haque *(debut)*
* Nishiyama "Ardove" Asuka *(debut)*
* Erlareo "Candlewax" Peyzazh *(in-person debut)*

### Minor Characters

* Ticketbooth Guy *(debut)*
* Valerian Batcurse *(debut)*
* Monolith Warden *(debut)*
* Jackie Frostfield *(debut)*
* Female Celt Employee *(debut)*
* Male Chondathan Employee *(debut)*

### Creatures

* No Characters Matching This Description