by J. Langland
“Can you take any form?” Talarius asked.
“In theory; in practice, it is much more difficult. I have to work hard to keep a consistent form and appearance—you know, keep a mole from moving from cheek to cheek?” Edwyrd grinned. “So as a result, I, and others who can do this, establish a set of defined, memorized forms that we reinforce with paintings or statues to help us remember finer details.”
“How many forms do you have memorized?” Talarius asked.
“Not many. I have only just added an orc form; still working on that one. Other than that, just the demon form and this one,” Edwyrd said.
“So why are you using this form again all of a sudden? There should be no need for a disguise in a place where you rule in your demon form,” Talarius said.
“Practice,” Edwyrd said. He ran his hands down the robes. “Up until now, I’ve always worn normal clothes in this form; however, I recently learned that most demons create their clothes as part of their form. And so I’ve been practicing that. This is my first public test run with these rather complicated clothes.”
Talarius frowned, puzzled, and looked more closely at the robes. “You are telling me that these robes and your boots—they are actually you?”
“Indeed. However, I am wearing real underclothes. At the moment, if I get startled, I’m likely to end up naked. So the undergarments are a safety net.”
“Modesty?” Talarius shook his head. “As I recall, you were completely naked when we first met. You only got the loincloth at Hellsprings Eternal.”
“I know,” Edwyrd said and then shook his head. “It is the weirdest thing, and I’ve found no one who can explain it, but as a demon, being naked doesn’t bother me in the least. The loincloth is for pockets, and so I don’t distract others, as Reggie does quite a bit. The funny thing is that when I am in this form, or my new orc form, I have a sense of modesty.”
“Hmm.” Talarius took that weirdness in and then had a thought. “I think I know the answer.”
“Really?” Edwyrd asked in surprise, and his robes seemed to flicker a little bit.
“For mortal creatures, the genitals are a weakness, a location that an opponent will seek to use against you. Thus the instinctive reaction to shield one’s privates with one’s hands when exposed. It is to protect them. Demons do not need to do so.”
“Wow. That’s an interesting idea. I can assure you, though, that it does hurt to be attacked there.” Edwyrd gave Talarius a pointed stare, referencing the knight’s attack at Tom’s privates during their battle. “However, probably not as much as it would for a human, and certainly it would have no evolutionary benefit, which is where instinctive behavior would come from.”
“Evolutionary benefit?” Talarius asked.
Edwyrd shook his head and grinned. “Good point. For the moment I forgot where I was. I doubt there even is evolution in magical worlds. Certainly there isn’t any in the Abyss.”
Isle of Doom, Agnothnon: Midday
Talarius entered the tavern in Agnothnon. It was less busy than in the evening, as one would expect, but there were people in the room drinking. The Isle of Doom was always vigilant, so there were people working around the clock; naturally, some would be relaxing at midday after their shifts.
It is a bit early for you, isn’t it? Ruiden asked.
It is, but I find myself deeply unsettled by this morning, Talarius told his sword. He sat down at the bar.
It seemed like a perfectly normal conversation to me, Ruiden replied. However, I have been informed that I am not much of a conversationalist.
That is precisely the problem, Talarius thought back emphatically.
“Light ale,” he told the barkeep that had come over; she nodded and moved to get his drink.
How is it a problem? Ruiden asked.
I just spent much of this morning having a completely normal conversation with a demon prince, Talarius explained as if the problem was obvious.
Yes, I was there. I observed and listened to the conversation, Ruiden said patiently. I do not understand what you are saying.
Talarius sighed out loud. This morning, I felt like I was speaking with Edwyrd, a completely normal young man! At times, I even forgot that I was talking to a demon, let alone a demon prince!
So you are upset because a demon prince, your captor, seemed like just another human being? Ruiden asked.
Exactly! Talarius thought back.
However, did we not just learn, and verified as far as we could, that he actually was a human from a distant world that had been summoned and turned into a demon? Ruiden asked.
Yes, but there is a big difference between knowing something theoretical, or distant, and it is another to have to face that uncomfortable fact directly, Talarius complained.
Edwyrd—and I prefer to think of him as Edwyrd rather than as Tom the demon, it’s easier to compartmentalize—just seemed like a completely normal person, and yet he is the Lord of Doom, a Prince of the Abyss? I just can’t reconcile the two, Talarius said.
The barkeep set the ale down and Talarius slid the coins across the counter. After the heavy drinking of Thrinarv, he knew exactly what the ale cost without being told.
I see. Well, as you know, I do not have a lot of experience with humans in a social context, Ruiden said. If it is any comfort, the saint and archon of Tiernon that I met in Astlan seemed no different than the humans they were working with.
Talarius choked on his ale, nearly spitting it out. The what?
The saint and archon I worked with in Astlan, Ruiden said. They were investigating the mana stealing and your abduction.
Talarius was left speechless, or rather thoughtless. There had been a saint and an archon investigating his abduction? That was… was… unbelievable. He could not possibly believe he was so important as to warrant an archon and saint investigating him.
Who were you working with? Talarius asked. On second thought, the mana theft would not have gone unnoticed; it was completely unprecedented. It was probably that which concerned them the most.
The principal investigator was one Saint Hilda of Rivenrock, Ruiden said.
The one who specializes in Unlife? Talarius asked.
Not that she mentioned, but I really know nothing of Tierhallon and its inhabitants, Ruiden said.
Who was the archon? the knight asked, lifting his mug to finally take another drink.
He called himself Beragamos Antidellas, Ruiden said.
Talarius almost spit out his ale. Beragamos Antidellas! The Right Hand of Tiernon? He felt as if he were about to fall off his stool.
I did not hear his title. Older fellow, short white hair, Ruiden added.
Talarius gasped, placing his forearms on the bar and resting his head in his hands. Could this day get any more surreal?
Citadel Command Center: Early Fifth Period
Teragdor had to keep a hand on the large map table that he had front row access to. Could this day get any more surreal? he wondered. He was standing next to Rasmeth on one side and Grob Darkness Slayer on the other. They were watching as the ten most senior avatars of the Five Siblings on Nysegard calmly debated the battlefield they were all at the center of.
Even the huge, battle-hardened orc high commander next to him seemed to share his awe. They were in the presence of divine beings who were strategizing on how to obliterate the Forces Of Darkness. He noted that further back in the room, several people were even on their knees.
To say that the denizens of the Citadel had been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from the Five Siblings would have to be one of the biggest understatements that Teragdor could even conceive of. He had thought he’d been inured to divinity with his prior experiences, but this was overwhelming.
“Never in my wildest dreams would I have envisioned this—no one in Nysegard could have!” Leighton whispered. The priest of Krinna was standing just behind and between Teragdor and Rasmeth. “And to have this close of a view? I owe you a debt that I can never repay.�
�� Leighton shook his head.
Rasmeth twisted his head to look at Leighton, and whispered back, “Do not think we do not feel the same awe. This is beyond anything in our wildest imaginations.”
“Elden?” Ashena Brightfeather, Prophetess of Krinna, asked the vicar warden. “You report that at midday the Sky Wardens spotted forest fires behind the Armies of the Night?”
“Indeed, Prophetess—about half a league behind their encampment,” Elden replied. “We have noted this in every direction that we have sent the Wardens to look. Unfortunately, we dare not get too close, or we risk counter-attack from their forces.”
“Why would they hem themselves in with forest fires?” Seliana, Attendant Archon for Hendel, asked.
“Unless they are not planning to keep the fires going,” Fassbindr, Prophet of Torean, answered. “This sounds more like they are creating a fire line; they are clearing forest for some reason.”
“Indeed,” Melona Treman, Krinna’s archon agreed. She looked down at the board. “This map is to scale?”
“It is.” Grob said from beside Teragdor.
“Very well; we shall use the Eye of Krinna.” Melona extend her right arm over the closest part of the map to her, where they thought the fire line should be. She raised her other hand palm up, drawing their attention to the air above the table, and began chanting softly.
The air above them became distorted and within moments, everyone in the room was looking at an aerial view of the region. They could easily see part of the massive army surrounding the Citadel; in particular, enormous white tarps that were covering the Atun-sensitive members of the army during the day.
Gasps arose around the room as an ice dragon with a Storm Lord on it suddenly passed right through their vision. It was a shock, and for most, the closest and best view any had ever had of one of the Storm Lords. The dark-robed lich did not seem aware of their viewing, and quickly passed out of the view port.
“Well, that was startling,” Ashena Brightfeather remarked, breaking the tension of the room.
“That was the first time I have ever seen a lich, or an ice dragon,” Teragdor said to Rasmeth and Leighton.
“I have only seen them from a distance.” Leighton said. “That was a spectacular view!”
“Indeed; I actually felt chills seeing it. I do not want to think about being that close in person,” Rasmeth remarked.
“Okay, let’s get back to the task at hand,” Melona reminded everyone. “That sort of thing can happen with the Eye of Krinna; those we observe have no easy way to detect our viewing. I’ve had birds seem to fly right through the air at me.”
Several people chuckled at that. Teragdor turned his attention back to the encampment and shook his head at the absolutely massive amounts of equipment arrayed with the armies. It was truly terrifying. The view then panned past the encampments to the area behind them. As expected, a line of charred forest, completely burnt down, stood behind the encampment.
“What is that, over there?” Eileen Sealegs, Prophetess of Namora, asked, pointing to what appeared to be a large cloud rolling down the cleared line of trees. The cloud was at ground level and seemed to be traveling the clear space between the trees.
Melona moved her hand over the map in the direction of the cloud. Teragdor was impressed by the way she knew how to coordinate what they saw above their heads with the map below; he probably would have moved his own hands in the wrong direction. As she panned across the view, one could see other dragons; presumably ice dragons, in the air, patrolling the skies above the encampment.
“I’m guessing the aerial patrols are why the Wardens can’t get very close. Why we aren’t immediately taking the attack to them?” Rasmeth whispered to Leighton.
“Correct on the first, partially right on the second,” Rasmeth replied. “We needed to get everyone inside before we engaged; the safety of the general population is our first priority. Today is our first good chance to truly recon them and get an idea of what we are up against. It’s really the first time all of their forces have been fully arrayed before us for the coming battle. We have rushed to attack in the past and been taken by surprise. We’ve learned lessons about their tactics; we want to know about all the pieces on the board before we engage. I grant you it may seem strange, but we have a long history of repelling them.”
As the Eye of Krinna moved closer to the cloud, it became clear that the cloud was actually dust from soil and gravel churning up and plowing under the charred forest remains. As their viewpoint moved over the cloud, two zombie dragons with riders became visible flying behind it.
“Geomancers are plowing the ashes and debris under,” Garion Hearthhand, the hearthean Prophet of Hendel, said.
“What, are they building a road? Seems a touch bizarre,” Jacquesparrow, Namora’s Archon on Nysegard, observed.
Teragdor glanced at the archon. He was quite an interesting character; looked a bit like a deranged sailor of some sort. Upon arrival, Teragdor had noticed that he walked in an extremely odd, almost drunken manner. Leighton had told him that the archon’s walk was common among people who had spent more time at sea than on dry land. Even so, Teragdor could not get it out of his head that the archon was overly inebriated.
“It would certainly facilitate movement of equipment and resources around out of the range of our weapons,” Grob observed. “Although I’d have thought they could have built the road a bit closer.”
“Melona,” Dashgar said. “Since you have the Eye of Krinna open near the camps, can we try to do some recon, get troop counts, equipment? I know the tarps are a problem, and may in fact be misleading, but whatever information we can gather will be useful.”
“Certainly.” Melona smiled.
The Inferno: Mid Fifth Period
“I trust you are settled into your compartment?” Chancellor Alighieri asked Melissance and her very charming escort as they entered the bridge.
“We are, thank you!” Melissance smiled at him in a truly fetching manner.
“I am so sorry that we did not have two separate rooms available. You are certain your husband will not mind the two of you sharing such close quarters?” the chancellor asked.
Salvatore smiled radiantly. “They are separate bunks, and no offense, but I am sure my lord Hesseforthalus will be most appreciative of my close watch of his beloved soulmate.”
The chancellor nodded. While the woman was incredibly attractive, one would have to be truly insane to even contemplate cuckolding an archdemon. Are angels, or former angels, even able to deflower maidens? Dante suddenly wondered. Are they not purely spiritual beings? Perhaps that was why Hesseforthalus did not object to their close quarters.
“So, you say you have some manner of locating Talarius?” Sir Samwell suddenly interrupted Dante’s thoughts.
Melissance glanced at Sir Samwell and then to the others on the bridge. “Indeed,” she said, smiling beguilingly as she lifted a small velvet pouch in her right hand.
“What is that?” Sir Samwell asked skeptically.
Melissance reached into the pouch and pulled forth a golden locket. “My Gifting locket: the everlasting symbol of Talarius’s love and devotion to me.”
Dante noted that the other Knights Rampant suddenly looked a bit uncomfortable at this. Dante was not familiar with Etonian “gifting,” but he assumed it was some form of promissory collateral.
“I have not attempted to pursue the link upon it which once bound us,” Melissance said. “However, even if severed, I should think a skilled wizard could leverage the Law of Contagion to repair and recreate the linkage. Unfortunately, it is not something that I can do with my limited resources here in the Abyss.”
Dante smiled warmly. Melissance was as intelligent as she was beautiful. “You are absolutely correct, my lady! I should think we shall be able to recreate the linkage within a few days, even if it has been severed!”
“Excellent! I shall eagerly await reports of your success.” Melissance placed the locket back with
in the pouch and handed it to Dante.
Citadel of Light: Late Fifth Period
Beragamos Antidellas stood at a window in one of the higher inner towers, peering out at the atunset. He’d had to pull a fair amount of Unnoticing to get here. As one would expect, this location was not open to the general public. He was dressed as a Brother of Tiernon and was carrying a large portfolio of papers, posing as clerk in the bureaucracy. That and surreptitious Unnoticings—an invisibility ritual would have gotten noticed way too easily—had gotten him to a spot from which he could observe the assembled forces.
The drawbridges had only been up about an hour and already the advanced parties of Unlife were entering the outskirts—more a collection of villages—around the Citadel. In the sky, Storm Lords on ice dragons, as well as other riders on an assortment of other Unlife creatures, patrolled over the encroaching army.
Beragamos shook his head. This was a very odd siege. It was extremely orderly, and no one was rushing to attack the other side. The aerial Unlife were not yet seeking to fly over the Citadel with attacks, nor were the forces within the Citadel doing anything to impede the setting up of the Unlife camp. No sorties, no poking at the incoming forces with mad dashes for the drawbridge at the last moment.
Of course, given the seriously unprecedented level of avatar support inside the Citadel, Dashgar and the rest might be purposefully allowing the besieging army time to get set up. Allowing them to become entrenched targets to be blasted in wide swathes of Heavenly Light. Certainly the Unlife could not be expecting that surprise.
He had been rather shocked at how many avatars had shown up. Dashgar and Inethya had clearly outdone themselves in getting support. Sentir Fallon’s reticence at sending in avatars had apparently created quite a bit of frustration among not only among Tiernon’s and Torean’s forces, but the others as well.
Traditionally, one would send in several ground-level saints, not the Attending Archons and prophets. This was an incredible amount of firepower. It should be a major victory for the Light, one that should please Tiernon and all of the Siblings. Yet Beragamos found himself frowning; something did not seem right. He could not say what was wrong, other than everything seemed extremely off.