Apostles of Doom

“Bloodwine?” Exador asked, raising a decanter.

“Excellent, that should hit the spot,” Ramses said.

Exador set two wine glasses down on the small table between the chairs and poured bloodwine into each.

“That was some mighty fast talking you managed there,” Ramses stated, taking a sip.

“I was completely taken aback by the scrying so I had to think fast. Fortunately, it ended up being to our advantage. We have now convinced the Storm Lords that Lenamare and the Council were behind this ‘trap’ that they laid for us, thus assuring their help in invading Freehold and capturing the book.”

“This damn book is getting far more complicated than expected.” Ramses shook his head.

“I agree; however, all success must be paid for. This is the down payment,” Exador said before taking another sip of bloodwine. “The bigger the down payment, the better the payoff.”

“I hope.”

Exador shrugged. “The one thing I can’t figure out is how that nincompoop Gastropé managed to summon three fiends in such dire circumstance with so little protection or preparation.”

“You know, he did seem a lot more like a summoner than a conjuror,” Ramses observed.

“An animage?” Exador shrugged the idea off, but then considered some more. “I do agree, I suppose, but for an animage to summon three demons under such circumstances would require an even greater level of both skill and power than I know Gastropé can possibly possess. I’d have seen it with demon sight.”

“Well, there is another possibility,” Ramses said.

Exador looked at him, puzzled.

“Remember the battle between the Knight Rampant and Lenamare’s greater demon?” Ramses asked.

Exador snorted. “I’m not likely to forget.”

Ramses nodded, taking a sip. “Remember the greater demon’s minions trapped in the net?”

Exador shrugged, and then an introspective look stole over his face.

“Did one of Gastropé’s demons look familiar?” Ramses asked.

“The octopod. Yes.” Exador nodded and then perked up. “Exactly. And I know that demon. I’ve met him before, a very long time ago!”

“Tisdale,” Ramses said.

“No, that does not sound quite right,” Exador disagreed. “Tisdale was a wizard that slew Diemeron Hunt Master. One does not forget the slaying of the most powerful and feared Mind Reaver.”

“Hmm, true. Diemeron was exceedingly good at ferreting out hidden intent in those who could get close enough to hurt him, and then leave them a gibbering wreck, their minds twisted and hollowed out.” Ramses grinned as he thought about it. “I have to admit to having been more than a little wary of him myself. His powers worked on demons as well as mortals.”

“Given that the wizard Tisdale was, I believe, human, and able to slay Diemeron, he was clearly not a lowly fiend. For one thing, fiends do not shape-change, and Diemeron could hold his own against an archdemon,” Exador said.

“So, yes, clearly coincidental,” Ramses agreed.

“The octopod has a more diminutive name; as I recall, he was also more than a little unhinged,” Exador said.

Ramses frowned. “I met him when I first arrived in the Abyss. I am pretty sure his name was Tisdale, but you are correct in that I don’t think that is what he normally goes by.”

“Tizzy.” Exador snapped his fingers.

Ramses nodded. “Yes! That is the fiend’s name.”

“So this fiend was with both Lenamare’s extra-greater demon and with Gastropé,” Exador mused.

“I find it a very odd coincidence,” Ramses said.

Exador nodded. “Agreed. We know that Gastropé is now working for Lenamare, and we do know that Lenamare either controls the extra-greater demon, or is actually controlled by the demon.”

“Or perhaps allied.”

“No. We’ve been over this; I do not see Lenamare aligning himself with any demon. He would need to be the master or be completely enslaved,” Exador said.

“So perhaps then Gastropé had rings to control these demons?”

Exador nodded. “That would make the most sense. Lenamare gave him rings to control the demons.”

Ramses frowned. “Even so, for someone so young to be able to control and coordinate three fiends, even with binding rings, is quite impressive.”

Exador shrugged. “Perhaps, but I am reasonably certain that Lenamare and Jehenna would create very tight bindings between the demons and the rings.” He paused in thought and his face became puzzled. “Interesting,” he mused, “Gastropé was the only one of my people to survive an encounter with that extra-greater demon. I’ve always found his story implausible. However, if Gastropé had been working for Lenamare all along, as a spy in my camp, that would explain why the demon didn’t rend him limb from limb and organ from organ, as he did the rest of my men.” He glanced to Ramses.

Ramses shrugged. “And yet you did not detect anything about him.”

“Sheer terror was about the only thing that nithling radiated. Scared of his own shadow.” Exador shook his head.

“Very curious,” Ramses observed.

Just then, a cold wind seemed to sweep the chamber, the lights flickering as a deep dark gloom settled over the room. Ramses sat up straighter.