Tartarus Beckons

by Edmund A. M. Batara

  That’s human-sized for him? The guy still has issues about being pretentious.

  Large sharp stony blades emerged from under the arms and the back of the legs, forming deadly cutting surfaces. The helm remained, though now transformed to the same hard black material. But under it, two pairs of violet eyes stared back at Tyler. Asag’s mouth sported several protruding canine teeth, and a dark mist, strongly smelling of sulfur, surrounded his shape. Gone were the pretensions of being human, Asag now perfectly looked the very demonic being that he was.

  Shit. A giant creature made of rocks. And Asag said he could become bigger. What a revolting development, thought the shocked, though thoroughly impressed, mage.

  Chapter Seventeen

  A Hard Choice

  Tyler suddenly heard a loud snap of fingers and Asag’s magic fell apart like a bunch of dry twigs under a heavy armored boot. The mage could see the rock pieces swiftly drop from the standing demon and fade into nothingness. In a few seconds, what was left was the original form Asag had adopted – that of a human warrior of an ancient time. The disbelieving Tyler looked at the old man. Asag’s magic was nothing in the face of the power of the venerable stranger. The casual display of magical might was shocking.

  Just who is this guy? wondered Tyler, not without justified anxiety. Somebody who could casually dismiss the magical power of Asag was definitely a being to be cautious about.

  The old man evidently saw through Tyler, witnessed the dread and fear which was starting to rise, and gave the mage a reassuring smile. The young human mage had to admit that he felt the smile was genuine, though the feeling persisted that something was still being hidden from him.

  “I am sorry to say that’s enough show-and-tell for now. Time is passing, and decisions await. So, what will it be, First Mage?” asked the entity.

  “May I speak before he decides, Labiru? I had already resigned myself to what I believed to be my fate. I find it beneath me to beg or plead for my freedom. Even if reduced in power, I am still Asag the Mighty, the Devourer of Kingdoms, the Bane of Gods and Men alike! But the First Mage had mentioned a name which I had relegated to the back of my mind, believing that the time and opportunity for vengeance would never come,” said Asag, a strange fervor underlying his words. The mage was again startled by the unexpected change in the demon’s demeanor.

  Fucking insane mood swings. I wonder if being kept in this cave could drive a demon even more bonkers? Not that they were mentally sound to begin with. And is Asag really merely a demon?

  “Be brief, Asag. You’re not my only concern, and you should know that by now.”

  “My thanks, Labiru,” said Asag as his form shifted to that of a middle-aged man with a tall, square cap of bronze and a simple white attire of cotton bound with a leather belt around the waist. The old man was clearly amused at the expression of gratitude. As for Tyler, he assumed that the form Asag had now adopted must be the image of the mortal the demon had last possessed. Since the shape gave the impression of being a high-ranked person, possibly of royalty, the mage could only conclude that Asag must have created a great deal of havoc where he last lived as a mortal.

  Such expressions must have been few and far between, thought the mage as he reflected on the reaction of the old man to the gratitude expressed by Asag. But then again, Asag is a demon, after all. Specifically, an ancient demonic entity with a deity’s power during the height of his, or its, prowess.

  Asag went back to his chair, which had now transformed to a simpler one – gone were the fearful designs and the throne-like appearance. It now appeared as a simple seat with a high back. The expression had changed to a contemplative and serious one, and the mage could imagine the flood memories now running through Asag’s mind, though the clenched jaw of the human form was a dead giveaway. Most of Asag’s recollections would have been extremely uncomfortable ones, especially in the light of his defeats, many unspoken, at the hands of the Mesopotamian and other gods. Tyler got the unsettling impression that the demon’s existence was merely tolerated by the mightier deities of his time.

  Though that observation merely supports my view that in the end, most, if not all, of the Mesopotamian were actually demons. A few might be termed as of the light, as a mortal of the present might say. Then again, gods and beings of similar stature or power were but figments of men’s imaginations given form and made real. The period which gave birth to Asag must have been a terrifying time in Earth’s history for such a circus of demons to arise, reflected the mage.

  What also struck Tyler’s curiosity was the thick beard and long hair that the demon displayed. Obviously untrimmed but well-kept, it followed a particular arrangement which made it look uniquely ridged and stylized. With a sudden realization, the mage knew he had seen that kind of beard before – on votive statues of Near East origin. A second seat noiselessly rose from the cave floor for the mage, though he wasn’t sure who was responsible for its creation. Both entities evidently had powers which dealt with rock and stone. Tyler pretended not to notice the chair. He preferred standing as the mage still deemed the matter before him unresolved. Anything could happen.

  “I was a famous, or if you prefer, infamous, demon according to the lore of the place of the noble lords, or what of the region you now call Sumeria. I do have to thank my jailer here for the current name. But the name is of Akkadian origin and refers to the land, not to the people which in turn were called the black-headed people or tsalmat-qqaqqadi in Akkadian. A strong people in a mighty land. I played my games and followed my nature, but I guess I overindulged myself as Ninurta was sent after me,” narrated Asag.

  “Ah, him of the talking mace,” commented Tyler.

  “The very same. Son of the Sky-God! The Donkey of the Moon! The Dumbest Monkey of the Heavens! Ninurta thought he had killed me, but how can you dispose of a demon spirit if you only focus on its form? My host was of course splattered to the winds, and I found myself in another mortal body and hurriedly sneaked out of the place,” continued the demon who smirked at the memory. “I did find it enormously satisfying to see that fool make a ridiculous spectacle of himself boasting and crowing to the skies about his accomplishment. Around what was left of the corpse, of course. The moron was singing praises to the gods! Singing! In a hilariously off-key tone too.”

  “Wouldn’t the Sumerian pantheon or at least his father notice that you escaped?” asked Tyler who, based on what Asag said, assumed that the battle would have been under the scrutiny of the Mesopotamian Anu the Sky God.

  “Ah, things were more civilized in those days, at least in the relationship between and among gods and demons of a certain level of power. I do have to admit the damned distinction was awfully mixed up and confusingly bizarre. But his father was content to let me go. Lesson given and hopefully learned as far as he was concerned. Bad decision to dispose with finality a demon of power. It would create a war of extinction between the two kinds. Remember, gods had demon offspring too.”

  The short version which Asag gave the mage told of a powerful demon trying to hide from the attention of the deity Anu and others it had angered. The battle with Ninurta had also reduced his power, strength which only time could return to the demon. And Tyler finally learned why Asag hated Ninurta’s talking mace, though the “being more proficient in insulting” part also had something to do with it – the magical mace had the ability to whittle down a being’s magical power every time it hit.

  Eventually, Asag learned of the Great Migration – the mass movement of mortals and deities through magical portals to a world where magic still existed. Intrigued, while possessing another mortal body, the demon passed through one of the gates between the two worlds, intending to return to the First World after his exploration. Only to find out later that such gates opened only in one direction, and there was no way for Asag to return as he lacked the power and the knowledge to open such a portal.

  His first years among humans in Adar was more of his usual business – encouraging and c
reating mayhem and destruction though in a way carefully planned and calculated to avoid notice and attention. His existence was sustained by the belief of mortals that he existed, and for that, Asag smilingly credited the heroic poems and stories which immortalized the battle between him and Ninurta. Some good came out of it, after all, the demon commented. It was during the second generation of humans on Adar that Asag discovered he had an enormous problem. Those born on the Adar had the world’s magic in their bones, and for some reason, such mutation prevented Asag from taking possession of a body.

  “How about animals?” The question just came out from Tyler.

  “As if I would stoop to such a demeaning act!” exclaimed Asag. After a few seconds, the demon slumped back in his chair and, with a despondent look, stared at the ceiling. “Who am I kidding? I tried that several times. Even with a blasted bird! But noooooo… every living thing on this spitball had a speck of such magic in them.”

  “Do other demons from the First World have the same problem?” continued Tyler.

  “First World. Quite a proper description. Apparently, my untrustworthy brethren have the same issue. The few I was on talking terms with confirmed they have the same problem. As for the rest of the crowd, we’d rather fight than talk.”

  As Asag continued his tale, it appeared that the demon must have gone mad or madder for a while. Avoiding the Mesopotamian cultures, he came upon new and unfamiliar pantheons building their own civilizations and kingdoms. There, far from the Mesopotamian pantheon, the demon openly engaged in wanton acts of destruction, disturbances which finally led to Asag fighting his lonely and insane battle against the pantheons of Hellas and Skaney. The pantheon of Kemet appeared too disturbingly similar to the Mesopotamian one that the demon gave it a wide berth.

  Despite what Asag had been saying earlier, Ninurta must have really done a number on him for the demon to be that traumatized about facing deities who appear to be remotely Mesopotamian, observed Tyler.

  The one-sided struggle saw the weakened Asag fleeing first the Greeks, and then the deities of Skaney. Magically exhausted, he tried to hide in the mountains of the Dokkalfr Range, and there, Loki found him. The Trickster God found him easy to deal with and magically bound him. Asag was already severely wounded in the form he had adopted, so Loki didn’t find him a challenge. The demon was so weakened that even a pebble wouldn’t obey his command. After being nearly beaten to non-existence, attended by copious servings of insults, Asag’s physical form and spirit was in hellish agony as it appeared that the Trickster God was not averse to using torture on beaten opponents. Then Loki offered Asag his life in exchange for a measure of the demon’s power.

  “You can do that? I mean give another deity part of your power?” inquired Tyler with astonishment. He knew mortals can be granted such might, and with the infusion of Elder magic, such power or even emanations of a certain level could even gain sentience as shown by the existence of his wards within the staff.

  “Of course! But only a few gods or demons would willingly do such a thing. The transfer, freely given, result in a permanent loss in the level of power of the giver. The bargain is between magical beings, unlike in instances when mortals are allegedly given power. For mortals, that might is, in truth, merely lent. It can be taken back or returns to the grantor when the mortal finally reaches the end of its usually short life.”

  At that point, Tyler abruptly became conscious of the fact that before him was a vital source of knowledge about matters magical and historical events which might have a significant impact on his existing and future problems. For starters, he now had a sinking suspicion why Loki bragged that he was now more powerful than Odin and Zeus combined. That boast of having incredible power apparently rested on a multitude of magical sources, Asag’s included.

  That son of a bitch! Loki wasn’t joking when he said he had been planning the clusterfuck on the surface for a long time. But I do have to make a decision now, and it appears to be a hard choice driven by my needs. And my companions must be worried to death by now. Let’s test what this demon knows.

  “Say, Asag, sorry to digress again, but before I forget, have you been to Banna?”

  “That sulfur-ridden, mountainous piece of property I wish Ninurta got as his reward? What would you want with such a place filled with reptilian and other non-human civilizations?” replied Asag with derision.

  “Been there?” continued the mage, ignoring the outburst.

  “I did a bit of exploring when I arrived and found Banna to be one of the few places which I should avoid. Weird magic in that island, yet it was fortunately or unfortunately spared the enormous upheavals brought by those stupid Divine Wars. Considering the time which had passed, I am willing to bet that their magical expertise had grown. You’d be food there, even if you’re a First Mage,” answered Asag.

  Shit. I guess I have no choice but to take that nanny job. I desperately need a guide, not only for what lore and history this world has, but also for any scrap of magical knowledge I could get. But one final question.

  Suddenly, the mage felt a strong magical sensation. Tyler looked at Labiru. The old man, with a Mona Lisa smile, was quietly observing the exchange, and now apparently had taken a greater interest in what was going on.

  “What do you know of the Titans?” asked Tyler suddenly.

  “Powerful prisoners of the deities of Hellas. Somewhere in a dimension? I heard those arrogant cow dung brought the key with them when they crossed over. From what I had learned, the Titans seemed to be my kind of crowd.”

  “What would you say if I told you they’re now in league with Loki?” said the mage.

  “Curse them! Not my crowd then. Who in their right mind would consort with that treacherous worm?” exclaimed the demon. “Morons.”

  “Ladies.” Labiru’s disapproving voice reached their ears.

  “Sorry, Labiru,” immediately replied Tyler. He knew the old man had been patient and they’ve taken up too much of his time already.

  “Ah, old man. I just thought the lad had to know what’s he’s getting into,” casually added Asag.

  ‘Lad’. Another one. I thought I had my fill of the term from Tyndur.

  “And inveigled yourself into his good graces in the process?” commented Labiru. “But I think the information was needed.”

  “And as for you, young mage. It speaks highly of you considering you were willing to listen to a demon. To learn about the present and what the future might bring, one has to know the past. I know what you wanted to do with Asag, and I believe that for the nonce, my soon-to-be free ward fits the bill. You’d be surprised how few mages are willing to do what you just did. Some transact with demons for nefarious ends, of course, but to listen first before knowing what one wanted from the demonic spirit? That’s rare,” said the old man. “But your caution serves you well. Asag might be a possible ally, but his nature will always be the driving force of his actions and decisions. Knowing demons and their obsession with revenge, everything that he does under your guardianship, that is if you do agree to take him on, will be focused with extreme dedication to such an end.”

  “I know,” replied Tyler. “Though the way Adar’s magic had affected him might be a disadvantage.”

  “I am still trying to understand what happened myself. But rest assured, Asag is still a formidable entity, especially now that the greater measure of his strength had returned. But his deal with Loki left him stuck between a major deity and that of a minor one. Or he could be entirely something else. I don’t presume to understand demons of the First World – the same class as the dark ones we have here, but of a different species altogether.”

  The mage looked as Asag gave him a hopeful grin. The hope for vengeance of the demon now rested with Tyler, and it was not a decision to be taken lightly. A demon will always be a demon, the mage knew that. The various deceitful dangers inherent in such a relationship would always be there. But something in the mage’s consciousness was emphatically telling hi
m that time was running out. The instinct screamed its warning in the dark recesses of his mind, though he couldn’t determine why.

  “Ready, First Mage?” asked Labiru.

  “I am. I will take on Asag as my ward subject to these terms – not to raise his hand and magic, against me and those I consider as my allies, not to use his magic without my permission or direction, conduct himself as I direct, and obey me without hesitation or objection. Nor shall he start any of his schemes without my knowledge and consent or wittingly place my companions and me in danger. He can concoct such plans in his mind, of course. I can’t prevent that, but such nefarious ploys must be limited to his imagination. But feel free to share the details with me, it might be of use.”

  “Such an encompassing contract, First Mage. I am starting to wonder where you learned to be so thorough?” asked Asag with a chuckle.

  “My experience with Loki taught me that much. I was a lot more naïve then.”

  “Ah, Loki. Honeyed words, a venomous snake’s charm, and brings you gifts which benefit him more, and a wily negotiator. Cruel even. The true Loki is cold and calculating, even when his marbles had fled to another kingdom. I agree to those terms,” said Asag.

  “Bear in mind, Asag, that the geas I have laid on you still holds,” warned the old man.

  “What geas?” It was Tyler’s turn to be surprised.

  “Oh, something to keep him in line. Believe me, such constraints also serve you,” smiled Labiru. “Is that your choice, First Mage? Last chance to change your mind before I invoke this world’s power to seal your bargain.”

  Tyler involuntarily gave the old a thumbs-up and then grasped the fact that the gesture might not exist or have negative connotations in the cultures the two entities were familiar with.

  “Sorry, that meant yes in my culture. I didn’t know if it’s the same with you. Certain gestures in my society back in the First World could mean a totally different thing in other First World lands,” the mage explained.