Dance of Demons

by Gary Gygax

  "Gellor!" This time Leda was shaking her finger. "Now you are being the pedant, and insufferably so, too. What has gotten into you two?"

  "I merely sought to lighten the mood," Gellor said sheepishly.

  Gord was solemn again, after grinning at his friend's ranting. "We act so, my love, because the burden of what is before is too heavy to bear continuously."

  "Oh ... of course. I had almost forgotten about Tharizdun just now."

  "Excellent," boomed the voice of Proctor Chronos. "I plan to see that time takes no note of that . . . 'maggot,' as Champion Gord has named him .. . soon now."

  The Master of Time was standing before them, a veritable colossus of middling years and muscles that would have shamed the strongest of the titans. "Although Lady Tolerance and I do not always see eye to eye, as you human folk put it, she is a charming and wonderful hostess."

  "We are not seeking entertainments," Gord snapped without thinking.

  "No? Well, I remind you that she is also a most powerful— "

  "That is enough from you, Chronos! The voice came from a female figure of similar build to the Master of Time. "I will speak for myself in my own domain, thank you." Then, as if to show she meant no offense, the lady took Proctor Chronos by his arm and led him into the formal garden that seemed to have simply appeared instantly before the group. "Come along. Champion Gord, Heroine Leda, and Hero Gellor. You are all most welcome visitors to the House of the Fifth Dimension."

  The woman — being, correctly, although she appeared now as a giant human because it suited the situation — told the three that she was the ruler of Probability, the fifth dimension. "I observed what was likely to happen, and sent Chronos to your aid, Gord, when you and your comrades were there in.

  "You did no such thing!" the Master of Time countered. "It was I who suggested that you allow a greater possibility of equivalence, and thus the compact of the exchange of the relic for the girl was negated."

  "I thank you both," Gord said. "We are here for an important reason which is yet before us. Tharizdun now roams free in the cosmos. He gains strength, gathers power, and soon he will come to search me out for it seems I am the only obstacle between him and total subjugation of all things."

  "We know that" Chronos said. "But Lord Entropy unbalanced the contest."

  Lady Tolerance raised her hand. "Not quite so. The possibility of the entity doing that was there, and it occurred. It was interference, though, and too much so. Entropy has meddled in the whole affair far beyond the boundaries of plausibility. Thus you are here in my house, and thus can I give you some assistance."

  "Will you then distill history so that no interference occurred?"

  "No more than Chronos here would, no. I am Lady Tolerance, after all. I must allow all things, even those which are inimical to my very existence such as multiple probabilitles existing simultaneously. The Lord of Entropy is one such opposer, and the most deadly, I must add. Some imagine that old Chronos might be, but I spin out new lines and he busily marks and measures them. Probability and alternatives allow him to both be ever busy and persistent too."

  "Exactly so, my lady. Time does dwindle away in some aspects of the multiverse, but this wise and generous one sustains new branches."

  "Well, at least a mark and dIvide, allowing the new if the cause is sufficiently diverse to warrant another difference. Sometimes I simply allow an action to have effect only within the limited space allowed by the four lower dimensions, you know."

  "Limited? You imply some lesser status, I think!" Chronos began to berate their hostess, and soon both were involved in a heated dispute. The matter was one of existence, with probability and time so intermixed that soon neither of these beings seemed able to untangle the mesh of their webs of argumentation. Time fostered probability in that given a sufficiently long interval anything, or almost anything, could and would occur. Chance, on the other hand, both measured and confined time. Did absolute uniformity negate chance and thus engender time? Only temporarily, for uniformity was subject to Entropy's assaults more readily than chaotic diversity. And so it went.

  Although the three of them had seated themselves in the chairs that were in the garden of Lady Tolerance, it was disconcerting to witness the dispute, for as she argued the mistress of probability tended to emphasize her points by altering the setting. That included the garden and chairs too. "Aahemmm!" Gord finally coughed, sitting uncomfortably upon a six-legged stool that was at least seven feet high. "There is still the matter of Tharizdun. . . ."

  Lady Tolerance uttered an exclamation of annoyance. It was directed at herself. Gord suddenly found himself sprawling in a vast sofa, his companions likewise seated, and the setting surrounding them was some weird and improbably futuristic one. Crystalclear glass walled them in, plants were everywhere in sight, being set into strange barrels and tubs, dweomered illumination sprang from milk-hued globes and metal-headed objects of serpentine form. Low tables of metal and glass, wicker furniture, malformed paintings, odd pottery in strange shapes serving as a curious touch.

  "What place is this?" Gord inquired, almost voicing his concern that they might border on the realms of Tharizdun.

  "It is one which is drawn from a distant parallel of chance, not time. Be assured it Is of the safest sort also. Do you like the style?"

  "I must tell you. Lady Tolerance, that never have I seen such in all of my many travels. . . ."

  "Thank you. Please be my guests for the time. Proctor Chronos and I must confer as to the nature of our involvement in the matter. You three need to restore yourselves, I know."

  Time is ample here, for I confer it In abundance," Chronos told them as he arose to accompany the Mistress of Probability elsewhere. "It will seem but moments before we are back, but time and probability will serve to mend all of your hurts, revitalize you. Make use of it wisely!"

  They left and Leda looked at Gord and Gellor, asking, "What have we gotten into?"

  The only opportunity for survival, girl," the bard ventured, and the young champion next to him agreed.

  Chapter 19

  IT WAS REFRESHING after a million groveling devils and daemons to see only a handful of half-defiant demons enter to stand before him. Tharizdun gave no greeting, no welcome to these creatures who defied the rest of the Abyss in coming here to pledge fealty. There was a prince of their kind amongst the assemblage.

  "You, the one called bulumuz, come first and prostrate yourself," Tharizdun commanded harshly.

  The demon prince stepped forward boldly and, rather than doing as ordered, simply bent knee and head. "I am your servant. Greatest of Malevolence!"

  Tharizdun arose, grew, and became nearly amorphous as he did so. Suddenly a tentacle-like pseudopod shot from his mass and yanked the now-snarling and bellowing demon lord into the huge body mass. Tharizdun's substance became transparent, so that all the others there could see the horrible digestion of Bulumuz. It took a long time, and the muffled shrieks of the one inside were audible to the viewers as well.

  Then Tharizdun resumed his manlike form and sat back in his plain chair. "That one was rebellious. He fakes to justify he existence. I consumes him fully, and the force that was he now resides in me. Go back to demonium, you few. Inform all there that I shall do the same to them, all the lords of the Abyss, unless they immediately accept my absolute sovereignty!" The remaining demons started to shuffle off.

  "But before you leave," the darkest of Evil drawled, halting them in mid-stride "there is one other thing you must note. You!" he said, pointing to one of the consumed prince's fellows. "Step forward and prostrate yourself."

  Trembling visibly in obedience, the demon did just that, falling upon his face at Tharizdun's feet. The ultimate one of darkness kicked the demon lightly. "You are not Bulumuz," he announced, "and in you a greater dweomer than the former prince of that name possessed. There is no lord amongst you that can not be replaced thus. Tell that to all, Graz'zt and Orcus, and all of the kinglets!"

  The gr
oup of them left hurriedly as soon as given leave, glad to have survived and hoping that their early homage would make them greater in vassalage than they now were within independent demonium. "Stupid and wild brawlers," Tharizdun said cynically. "but bullies and louts serve a purpose, too."

  "That was a very sly trick Tharizdun. Only I amongst all noticed you used your will to make the demon lord unable to obey. A self-created object lesson. It will go far in hastening the submission of most of those demons whom you would use."

  The greatest of Evil scowled at the formless darkness nearby. "I gave you no leave to speak, Entropy."

  "I need no such leave, but I shall elect to remain silent most of the time in any event, so have no fear. I won't disturb your machinations. In fact, and quite to the contrary," the entity droned on, "I intend to help you and make vital suggestions as needed. You are free, thanks to me, and your total domination of the cosmos will be hastened through my efforts."

  "Is that so?" Tharizdun sneered. "And what if I refuse to heed your maunderings?"

  "I will exert myself against you," came the simple answer. "Do you care to oppose yourself against such weight?"

  Tharizdun stood up and paced angrily. "I made no compact," he finally said after much time. "I will use my own eldritch force to drive you hence."

  "But you did compact with me, as well you know. Like it or not, you made your own cause a collateral of my own. You must accept me and hear my voice. Some things cannot be avoided, Tharizdun."

  "If we are thus the same, go and seek out the enemy champion. come back with the soul of that man, and I will elevate you to absolute coequal."

  "Elevate? No matter. You would never willingly do that, as we both know, and I have no desire to be despotic ruler of such a cosmos as you plan. It will suffice for me to be a silent advisor now and then. As to the one named Gord, I am unable to harm him directly, just as he is powerless to affect me. Haven't you drawn sufficient powers from the subject netherspheres to make you confident of victory?"

  "There is never sufficent of anything until one has all!" Tharizdun barked in retort "Who knows what trick and stratagem the rightminded little fool will attempt? Had I only not . . ."

  "Not what Tharizdun?"

  "Not . . . not . . . Shit! Something causes me to be unable to recall the detail. the champion of the enemy has managed to withhold some advantage he gained. I am stronger now than ever befor, and soon I'll have the demonic energy too. yet I am not whole!"

  It was mildly disturbing to the lord of Entropy that Tharizdun spoke thus, and a little annoying to the entity that he had no clue as to what the being of malice really lacked. "The circumstances should make you doubly glad that we are allies then, Tharizdun."

  "I am never pleased with allies, slow-speaking dolt! I am happy to have subjects, servants, thralls! Yet in this one case I do accept alliance. Yes, Lord of Entropy, you speak most persuasively. I shall remain your ally, you mine, so that we may cooperatively annihilate the foe."

  "A certainty when I participate, but you must swiftly conclude your gathering of energy, Tharizdun. Until all of the netherspheres are subject to your will, you cannot close upon the forces of malign order nor evil chaos; both are needed to tap the stream of destructive antimatter which will be the culmination of your greatness."

  The Uttermost of the Netherworlds drew back at Entropy's suggestion. "Do you think I am totally mad? Have no thought save lust pgr domination? Draw from the great void of dark energy I will, but never will I draw such a river as you urge, entity!"

  "That is something which remains for later observation," Entropy drawled. "When do you go forth to ferret out the little man who thinks to oppose your rulership?"

  Although he noted the sudden switch in tone, Tharizdun was actually pleased to hear the Lord of Entropy refer to matters in such a manner. "It has been but a short time since I broke free of the restraints. In that time all of the ordered portions of the lower spheres have submitted, and so only the spheres of demonkind remain to be subjugated. In a few days, I think, as men reckon time, I will have a stream of demon lords here to give homage. let us say another week. Then I will gather my hounds and hunt the champion and his rabbits!"

  Thoroughness was what Entropy admired, was what he used when reducing action to inaction, the quick to eternal stillness, hot activity to sterile chill. "What hounds, Tharizdun? I am not so knowledgeable in affairs of this sort as you might suppose."

  The greatest of Evil laughed wickedly at the recollection. "Ah, yes, dull entity, those were days, that fell age when I roamed far and wide with my pack of yeth! Did you know that mortals have it written in their myth? The truth of it is brightened, but it sends primordial shivers of fear down their weak spines nonetheless. In the face of the unyielding opposition of the Lords of Light I ventured forth with my hounds, and we fed wildly on flesh, blood, spirit, and soul too. now my hounds will be greater!"

  "What do you mean?"

  "From daemonkind I will form one, and it will obey perfectly. from the furnaces of the hells will I fashion another, and that devil-mastiff will search relentlessly. From the depths of demonium will my savage yeth be made, the hound to attack without reason. To these great ones will I add the rest — every malign form of life will be represented in the pack."

  "Such as?"

  "Unliving golems from netherchaos, the great goblins of Acheron, chimeras, dreggals, maelvis, netherhags, all!"

  The stuff of the entity deepened, and a portion glowed in interest. "Be so kind as to show me. Master of Malevolence."

  Pleased at the tone and the title, Tharizdun clapped his hands and gave a call. As the shrieking wail, a sound like that of a child dying in agony perhaps, rose and then dwindled there came a distant baying in reply. The air in the huge chamber grew smoky, as if a cloud from a fire were forming. Then out of the reeking vapors burst a pack of monstrous dogs, black, and whose lolling tongues drooped from heads that were unmatched to the canine bodies that bore them. There was one with the head of a terrible hag of nightmare, another with the grinning visage of a vampire, and beside those two were so varied an array of hideous countenances that any demonking would have been pleased to claim the lot as his own.

  "Leap, Mephisto!" A devil-headed hound sprang obediently. "Now, Thrax, get that one!" and as Tharizdun gave the command he pointed at a brute whose pumpkin-round head showed it to be a megagoblin. Ferociously but efficiently, the yeth called Thrax used its daemon teeth to shred the lesser hound.

  "You waste your force."

  "Bah! The joy of seeing that is well worth the little effort required to shape another of the goblin sort." He turned his back on the entity and called his lead dogs. "To me, Mephisto and Thrax!" The yeth came slinking, growling, hellish hatred in their lambent stares. Tharizdun beat both, but he did so only perfunctorily, so no injury was done. "Be quicker to obey, or next time it will be worse for you! now return and quiet the pack." The two huge hounds bounded away, savaging the smaller ones immediately. There was a great yowling and snarling for a brief span; then the whole of the group of yeth hounds was as silent as death.

  "You see them? those are the ones to hunt out the foes, oh yes! As soon as I have the third, the demon-hound. I think it shall be named graz. Do you find that amusing, lord of inertia?"

  "Very amusing," the entity responded without any enthusiasm, let alone humor. "As it is of urgent requirement, the third of your greater yeth, I shall gather my presence in Pandemonium and the Abyss. The recaicitrant will be burdened by me, and your conquest thus hastened."

  "If you so choose, but I think not that it adds to any agreement between us or that these will be a debt to repay?"

  "Trouble yourself not at all on that score, archfiend. The compact we have is all that I desire. Consider this a willing effort, my special gift in honor of your return to power, Tharizdun."

  As suddenly as the Lord of Entropy had come, its presence was no longer there in Tharizdun's hall. The darkest one of Evil was relieved, for as mu
ch as he hated to admit it, the entity made him uneasy, and Entropy's presence wore on his nerves, sapped his vitality somehow. "You will be no welcome visitor soon, thing," Tharizdun snarled softly as he pondered the role of the master of stasis. Once in full mastery of the cosmos, the archfiend would seek and find ways to dispatch Entropy, or at worst exile the entity from the vicinity of wherever Tharizdun happened to be. Perhaps the negative forces of the anti-cosmos were the answer, one given unwittingly to him by the stupid inactive one himself. That would be delightful and ironic. How would such a thing die? Slowly, no doubt, but probably without sufficient emotion to make the spectacle worthwhile. In this case, Tharizdun reckoned, the end would be worth it even lacking the sport.

  That brought him to the matter of his adversary, Gord. It had required all of his skill at dissembling, acting and lying too to keep the truth of things from the Lord of Entropy. Tharizdun pondered, recalling clearly his rash act No ally, and certainly none of the slaves, must ever know of that act of weakness. Because of the lack of that last, essential portion of what he had been, Tharizdun knew himself to be both stronger than before and yet at the same time less potent. That was why he waited to complete his pack of yeth hounds, why he still sought the assistance of the master of inertia. Not only did the archfiend need to recover the skull and consume it, he had to wait to accomplish that after dealing with a deadly adversary prepared by every force that opposed him from time immemorial, honed since his last defeat.

  "Even the demons gave to that opposition," Tharizdun snarled, "and such a price they will pay for that! That accursed sword wields energies drawn from ail aspects op my own domain; thus it b a weapon even I must he wary of. Yet no tool is better than the one using it, and I have the rede of the little knave who has been bequeathed with the mantle of Balance's power. Too flawed, you fools!" The last he shouted into the empty silences of his immeasurable hall there on the plane of Hades, and none heard.