The Heavenly Host

“Ahh.” Jehenna nodded, finally seeing his point. “So if we have to leave, and the reason we leave is the safety of the city and the Council, and that of our students, then we can get people here to take them off our hands for a while.”

“Exactly.” Lenamare smiled. “I’m looking for some babysitters.” They both laughed.

∼

Arch-Diocate Iskerus looked up from the maps on the table to stare at Arch-Vicar General Barabus on the other side. “Once again, are we sure this is the best option?”

“And once again, I say I have no idea. I’m at a complete loss. The Knights are determined to rescue Talarius and seek vengeance and I — we — have a responsibility not to lose any more knights. So we must explore this option.”

“You will keep me informed of what you find in Keeper’s City? I find it very hard to trust the Oorstemothians,” Iskerus said.

“Church lawyers are confident of the Rod’s safety in Keeper’s City and our right to leave Keeper’s City, regardless of whether an agreement can be reached. We just need to verify that they can do what they claim they can do. Once that is done, it is an entirely different document for the joint resolution of whatever the hell flimflam they call it. Which again Church lawyers will relentlessly scour. Further, if we did do a joint mission, we would have our own lawyers with us to negotiate any disputes of interpretation that may arise.”

“Fine then. Your men will take the gateway to Hoggensforth in the morning, and then make sail for Keeper’s City in the evening.”

“Yes. We will station the remainder of the men we are withdrawing from here outside Hoggensforth, in preparation for whatever comes of the next round of negotiation, or whatever happens when the wards are lowered here,” Barabus said.

“I guess we are set then.” Iskerus shook his head, standing up.

“And Ruiden?” Barabus asked.

Iskerus shrugged. “I have not seen him today. I believe he has taken his investigation into the city.”

“And the city and palace guards are fine with a walking sword wandering around?” Barabus asked.

“It appears he took a ring of invisibility from Talarius’s arcane armory,” Iskerus said. “I had a brother keeping an eye on him and at one point, after exiting the burnt remains of Talarius’s tent, the sword vanished into thin air.”

Barabus raised his hands slightly as if pleading to Tiernon. “A magical sword wearing a magical ring?” He sighed. “I think I have now heard everything.”

Iskerus chuckled. “We are certainly living in interesting times.”

“I’m ready to go back to some boring times,” Barabus groused, shaking his head.

“I will second you on that,” Iskerus said, raising his hand in a farewell gesture as he moved towards the tent flap. “I will leave you to make your final rounds, so you can get some sleep for tomorrow.” He walked to the doorway. Looking back before exiting, he said, “And if you do reach an agreement for the next phase? Please do not feel obligated to invite me along.” Iskerus turned and left as Barabus chuckled.

∼

“Excellent,” Tom said, realizing he had to say something. He needed to think fast. “We have much work to do.” He was making this up as he went along; he needed time to regroup. Looking down the dais at the demoness, he noted that there were stairs leading up from the platform to the dais. “You, all of you, have permission to be at ease. You may look at me. You are warriors, yes? Stand tall, stand proud.”

A ripple of something — relief, perhaps — seemed to circulate among the crowd. Zelda stood and looked at him proudly, and Tom thought, quite happily. Tom looked back at the throne; he needed to sit down, to think. It was a rather odd chair with what appeared to be two backs: the normal back he had seen from behind and then an inner back made of posts. He suddenly realized that the inner posts were actually cutouts for his wings. There was also a tail slot and a rather conveniently shaped seat. Tom turned and stepped up onto the throne and sat down, carefully fitting his wings between the posts. It really was surprisingly comfortable.

He placed his rod into the stand, its pointed end neatly fitting into the base. The world spun. Tom’s head was suddenly reeling as the staff to which he was intimately connected immediately merged into the throne, into the dais, into the platform, into the volcano! He could actually feel, sense the entire mountain region. The volcano, the caverns. His mind was able to trace every corridor, every room, every trap, every watch point. He had to close his eyes, it was so overwhelming. For the moment, he was the entire mountain range.

He released his grip on the rod and the feelings eased. He was still linked to the rod and thus to everything else, but the immediacy receded. He shook his head to clear it. Several of the D’Orcs laughed and others clapped. Clearly, they had known or suspected what would happen. “Well, that is something,” Tom said. Many other D’Orcs laughed at that.

“Our lord has now completely reestablished his dominion?” Zelda asked.