by Joe Jackson
Headmaster John Campbell, a middle-aged human in charge of physical training, stepped forward and addressed Kari for the first time as Grand Commander. “Ma’am, what is your first order as our new head?” he asked loudly and clearly.
Kari glanced over her shoulder at Lord Allerius, who gave her a muted smile; he would be of no help to her in this. She turned back to the headmaster and said, “Get back to work. We don’t get paid to stand around looking pretty.”
There was muffled laughter from among the cadets and hunters. Headmaster Campbell saluted her and said, “Yes, ma’am!” before turning to the rest of the gathering and bellowing, “You heard the Commander! Cadets, back to your training!”
“Your Grace, could I talk to you in the meeting room for a while?” Kari asked the Duke.
“Certainly, but first, Lady Vanador, let me just say that should you come to visit me in my court, there you should refer to me as His Grace, the Duke of Sutherland. When I come to visit you here on your campus and in the Duchy of Brunswick, you may simply call me Krycyd,” he said with a disarming smile.
Kari couldn’t help but see that same charm that Kris Jir’tana had possessed in Krycyd’s smile and in those intense blue eyes. “And you can call me Kari; that’s what my friends call me,” she said, extending her hand. The two shook and then Kari addressed her superiors and new lieutenant commander. “Lord Allerius, Masters, I think it’s best if we all speak together.”
They retired from the campus’ main square while the cadets began their training once more. In the back chamber of the temple, the Council took their seats behind their long table, and Kari, Albrecht, and Krycyd stood before the Council. Kari was thinking about her upcoming meeting with Amastri that night, and she figured as long as she had the Lord of the Avenger Order visiting her city, she may as well see what information she could get out of him. If he knew anything about Emma, her possible connection to the Temple of Archons – or indeed anything about the Temple – or anything about the underworld, it could only serve to help make sure Kari’s pending mission there was as low-risk as possible.
Everyone sat patiently waiting for Kari to address them, so she finally spoke. “Krycyd, I was wondering if you know anything about a mallasti named Emma?”
“Emma? Oh yes, quite an elusive creature, that one. Our paladins have encountered her on several occasions over the last decade and a half, and several have been gravely injured trying to apprehend or kill her,” he answered.
“Have you ever figured out what she’s up to?”
Krycyd shook his head. “No, Kari,” he said. “As I am sure you can understand, it just may be even more difficult for members of my Order to get information from demons than it is for your own. These underworld demons are sensitive to the auras our paladins possess, and can sense us coming from some distance away. Emma has long been wary of members of my Order, and, though it is surprising that she has not killed any of my men, she has disabled several of them, some more permanently than others.”
“And does your Order know anything about the Temple of Archons?” she asked, though she was pretty sure she already knew the answer. If the priesthoods of the pantheon collectively couldn’t tell her much, she doubted an order of paladins would know more. Still, she reasoned it couldn’t hurt to ask, and might in fact help if she made Krycyd and his men aware of the issue.
“I know only the most basic of things about it: the language upon its face is unreadable, the locking mechanism requires seven jade seals to open, and there is doubtless something very valuable inside. I take it you are suggesting that Emma is interested in the Temple somehow? That she seeks to open it and steal whatever secrets or power lie inside?”
“For herself or her master; either way, it’s a problem,” Kari said with a nod. Krycyd seemed to give it some thought, but there were other members of Kari’s Order that could fill him in on the details, not the least of whom were sitting in the room with them. She decided to keep going with her questions rather than go over things again. “What about the underworld, does your Order know anything about its workings or how to get to and from there?”
“Good heavens, no,” the Duke said. “As I said, these underworld demons can sense our auras from a fair distance; one of my Order going to the underworld would be suicide.”
“So if I told you I might be planning to go there, you’d tell me I was crazy?”
Krycyd beheld her curiously; Kari wasn’t sure if it was because he found her intention alarming or amazing. She surmised probably a combination of the two. “You can at least hide the fact that you are a demonhunter,” he said after a few moments. “Unless under the effects of a Blood Oath or if you are an Avatar of Vengeance such as Turik Jalar was when he travelled there, the demons likely could not tell you apart from any other adventurer who was marooned there. I would tell you that such a plan is risky and unwise, but depending on why you go and how you conduct yourself, it may not be suicide. What do you seek in the underworld?”
“Information, in a sense,” Kari said. “I was just hoping you might be able to tell me something about the underworld so I can get in and out without drawing everyone’s attention.”
“I regret that I cannot,” he said. “I would offer you the services of my paladins, but they would only accomplish what you are trying to avoid. Have you spoken with Lord Chinchala at all? He may be able to tell you things that would help, being a demon king himself.”
Kari hadn’t really thought about that. She was wary about asking a demon king about how to stir up trouble in his homeland, whether he’d allied himself with the pantheon or not. All it would take would be one wrong word said to the wrong person or demon, and Kari could find herself the target of a lot of interest. On the other hand, if he was willing to talk, he would know a lot more about the underworld and its workings than virtually anyone else. It brought her back around to her thoughts a few weeks earlier when she’d wondered why no one had ever just asked him about it in the first place. She imagined they had, and he hadn’t liked being questioned about it. After all, he still had family in the underworld, and his alliance with the pantheon was probably already seen as a betrayal.
“Maybe I should,” Kari said quietly. She turned to the Council. “Masters, is there any way you can get in contact with Lord Chinchala? I can ask my mate or my mother-in-law to have Kaelariel contact him if not.”
“It would be much easier and quicker for your family to do so,” Master Bennet said.
“Is there anything else I can do for you, Kari?” Krycyd asked. “I am expected back at Duke Bosimar’s court shortly.”
Kari shook her head somewhat absently. They shook hands again and Kari said, “Just one personal question, if you don't mind. I'm just wondering how you manage to run your Order and act as Duke? How do you find the time?”
“Dereliction of duty, mostly,” Krycyd said dryly, drawing chuckles from some of the Councilors. Kari was shocked, but then the Duke cracked a smile and added, “I'm joking. I delegate a lot of my authority, honestly. My sister, Rosetta, handles much of the day-to-day requirements of the duchy, leaving me to concentrate on my Order, as small as it may be. You would do well to remember that Lord Allerius has run your Order impeccably since the loss of your Avatar, and you should take full advantage of that when you feel stretched thin. You have many capable headmasters serving you as well; utilize them to full effect.”
Kari bowed her head. “Yes, you're right. Thank you for the advice, and for the gift, Your Grace.”
Krycyd smiled. “Thank you for giving me a reason to give it,” he returned. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Lady Vanador. May the gods watch over you and keep you from harm, especially should you walk into the land of our enemies.” He bid the Council and Lord Allerius farewell and made his way from the chamber.
“If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go speak with my mother-in-law and see if I can get in contact with Lord Chinchala through Kaelariel,” Kari said. The others bid her farewell, and she made
her way hastily to the church of Kaelariel. With luck, she might even get an answer back from Lord Chinchala across the distances by means of Kyrie’s prayer to Kaelariel. The more she thought about it, the more interested Kari was to hear what the old demon king would have to say.
Chapter IV – Intelligence
Kari sat at her desk in her office, waiting patiently for Amastri to arrive. Aeligos sat across from her. There was enough room for guests now that Jason Bosimar’s things had been cleared out of her office. Kari had been assigned to go through them when they started arriving from Gnarr a couple of months before, but with her promotion to Grand Commander, the tedious task was assigned to someone else. Kari was still interested in poking through Jason’s things and finding out more about him, but that was not the most pressing task before her.
The “succubus” would be arriving any minute now, but Kari’s thoughts stayed on the words of King Celigus Chinchala as they’d been passed along through Kaelariel. Kari imagined they would be as music to Grakin’s ears, as well as those of pretty much all of her family. When asked how to get to the underworld, where the safest points of entry were, and whether or not it was wise to negotiate with King Sekassus, Chinchala had answered with only a single word: Don’t. No explanation had followed, no further words of discouragement or otherwise; the demon king had simply advised Kari not to go, and left it at that. It wasn’t all that surprising to Kari, but still she found herself disappointed in the old demon king’s unwillingness to help.
Kari glanced across at Aeligos, who was skimming through another of Bosimar’s journals that he’d picked out of the pile that now sat in the conference room. Kari remembered Aeligos once saying “everyone has something to hide,” and she wondered what sort of things a demon king like Celigus Chinchala might be trying to hide. Did he not want Kari to go to the underworld simply to protect her from harm, or did he advise against it for a more selfish reason? Was it to protect his reputation – to avoid being viewed as any more of a traitor than he likely already was – or perhaps to hide something he’d done before becoming an ally to the Citarian pantheon? Or was there something simpler, like protecting that part of his family that still lived in his realm – Sansrigar, if Kari remembered right?
Again her thoughts drifted back to whether or not she could trust the old demon king at all, even given his alliance with the pantheon and his relationship with Kaelariel. Chinchala was close to two millennia old, if Kari recalled correctly. If the demon king was anywhere near as deceptive as the brother-in-law now sitting across from Kari, he could have been – and might still be – deceiving everyone. She was inclined to believe otherwise based on his inactivity outside of helping in the Apocalypse; he seemed most happy to simply be away from the underworld and whatever went on in its depths. Kari couldn’t help but wonder, though: what if Chinchala was simply the first pawn across the board?
There was a knock at the door, and Kari called for whoever it was to enter. One of the administrative assistants opened the door and announced Amastri, and the “demoness” entered Kari’s office. Amastri ignored the look the secretary gave her, keeping her attention focused on Kari as she crossed the few steps to the nearest chair. She was dressed in a similar outfit to the night before, but this one was augmented by traveling shoes and a purse. Amastri gracefully took a seat and gave Kari the barest of smiles before she turned and studied Aeligos. The “demoness” and the rogue held each other’s stares for well over a minute, and Kari remained quiet to see who would say something first.
“Ah, the gambler,” Amastri said at last. That smile of hers dominated her features again, all at once lovely but disconcerting. “Very wise. Unnecessary, but wise nonetheless.”
Kari was surprised that Amastri knew Aeligos and his poker-playing habit, but then she guessed if Amastri had lived in the city for as long as was reported, she likely knew many of its higher-profile citizens. Aeligos had a reputation as one of the best poker players in the city – perhaps even the entire duchy – and most people knew to avoid playing high stakes games with him. Kari figured Amastri and Aeligos must have seen each other numerous times before at the Silver Chalice, whether they knew each other personally or not.
“So you don’t mind if he stays and asks questions?” Kari queried.
Amastri made a dismissive gesture. “Her Majesty has given me permission to tell you what you want to know, and so there is nothing for me to hide,” she said. “If having your brother-in-law here to aid you makes you feel more secure, it is of little consequence to me.”
Kari put her feet up on the edge of her desk and leaned back in her chair. She tried to give the impression that she was at ease, because it was completely untrue. Her stomach was in a knot, waiting to hear if a mission to the underworld was even possible, and how risky it would be if it was. And that was to say nothing of the fact that Amastri knew Aeligos was Kari's brother-in-law. Kari had to wonder just how much the half-elven woman knew about her, but decided not to go off topic. “Good. You can start by telling me if the Celestial Token is good enough payment for your king, or what she wants as payment if it’s not.”
“It is not,” Amastri said, sitting up straight in her chair. Her eye contact was very strong, and she kept her gaze locked with Kari’s, all but ignoring Aeligos while she spoke. “What Her Majesty asks of you is something I do not fully comprehend, so please be honest with me and tell me if it means anything to you. Her Majesty said: ‘Tell Lady Vanador that I want his sword.’”
Kari sat up straight, her brow low as she scowled at the demoness or half-elf or whatever it was before her. “How does she even know about that?!” she hissed.
Amastri held her hands up defensively, and even Aeligos was shocked at Kari's reaction. “Lady Vanador, I do not even know what it is Her Majesty has asked for,” Amastri said. “She did warn me that your reaction might be…volatile. Whatever it is Her Majesty has asked you for, it is the only payment she considered suitable for what you ask in return.”
Kari stared across the desk at Amastri, her fury hardly soothed by the plea of innocence. “I don’t have it with me, and it would take me weeks to get it for you if I was willing,” Kari said at last, and she waved her hand. “Which I don't think I am.”
“What is she asking for?” Aeligos pried curiously.
Kari sighed; now really wasn’t the time to spin a tale, but if that was the only thing Koursturaux would accept as payment, it was pretty much unavoidable. By all accounts, the sword’s owner was killed by Kaelariel near the end of the Apocalypse, so the weapon really meant little to Kari at this point. But the sword was in the possession of her good friend and subordinate Captain Lawrence Machall, who lived south in the town of Gavean. As Kari had said, it would take weeks to go and fetch it from her friend – assuming he’d honored her wishes and still had it.
“Taesenus’ vorpal sword,” Kari said quietly, and realization suddenly sprouted on Amastri’s face.
Aeligos looked more confused than enlightened. “Taesenus? You mean Seril’s son? You have one of his swords?”
Kari nodded and sighed again. “He came after me in the early years of the Apocalypse,” she explained. “He was hunting down heroes his mother considered a threat and bringing their heads back to her. You likely know the names of some of his victims: Ellen Morrigan, Torrie Cantabler, even Jason Bosimar.” Aeligos’ brows both rose; everyone knew Bosimar had been killed during the Apocalypse, but it wasn’t common knowledge that Taesenus had killed him. Kari wasn’t sure it was wise to say so in front of Amastri, but she shrugged it off. “I took off his left arm and he fled, leaving one of his vorpal swords behind. I held onto it throughout the War, hoping he’d come back for it and I could finish the job. He never did, and then I’d heard he was killed not long before his mother was, also by Kaelariel.”
“Damn,” Aeligos muttered. “I’m still stuck on you beating the Demon Prince in a fight, though honestly, I don’t know why it surprises me.”
“I better understa
nd now,” Amastri interjected. “A vorpal sword is a most highly prized weapon, and I have little doubt that the weapon was crafted by Terx, just as yours were. It seems Her Majesty would prefer to obtain a weapon already crafted by Terx, rather than a token that would require a trip to the Arcadian Highlands to put to use.”
“Like I said, it would take me weeks to get it back to you, if I was willing, and either way, I don’t have that kind of time,” Kari said. “So unless there’s something else your king will take as payment, I guess we’re done here.”
“Tsk, tsk, such impatience,” Amastri said calmly, that disconcerting smile upon her lovely face once again. “You are a woman of your word and head of the Demonhunter Order. If you will but promise me that you will obtain this weapon for Her Majesty when time permits, I will simply hold the Token as collateral for the time being.”
Kari wasn’t sure what collateral meant, but she was able to puzzle it out. She still didn’t want to hand Taesenus’ sword over to King Koursturaux, but she had to admit the weapon was probably just collecting dust in Captain Machall’s attic. It was worth a lot of money, sure, but otherwise had little more than sentimental value for Kari, and not much of that either. The information she could buy with it should be well worth the price, and a weapon that hadn’t seen use in years wasn’t all that high a price anyway.
Kari nodded. “I accept your terms,” she said. “Just keep in mind that if your information is bad and you get me killed, nobody else knows where that sword is hidden.”
“Then it is fortunate that I will be giving you the correct information,” Amastri said with a glance at Aeligos. “Much research went into this information: it is as up-to-date and accurate as is possible, especially on only a day's notice. That is not to say, however, that this information guarantees your safety or success. It will give you the best chance of both, but assure neither. Surely it is no mystery to you that my king hates King Sekassus, and is willing to go to great lengths to see him angered or humiliated. Understand that this is the only reason Her Majesty is willing to help you. She does this for her ends, not yours.”