The Heavenly Host

He had to admit, he had been suspecting as much for some time now. What had not been clear was the level to which these overzealous attitudes had apparently crept into standard dogma. To be honest, however, he was not convinced that it was quite as bad as some others believed. He willed the light on in his resting chamber and entered, heading directly to his master wardrobe to get out of his vestments in order to take a relaxing shower.

“Good evening, Sentir.” A deep, throaty, and oh-so-very-female voice came from the shadows behind him.

Sentir felt his stomach drop at the sound. He slowly closed his eyes to gather his composure and turned to look his guest sternly in the eyes. “You know it is not safe for either of us for you to be here,” Sentir stated.

“Yes,” Lilith said slowly and with great import from the low-backed chair in which she reclined, her long, midnight-black feathered wings wrapping around the back of the chair. As she stood, she briefly stretched her giant wings, blocking light from the parlor door. Her low-cut, red-trimmed black gown seemed to thrust her cleavage at the archon. He remembered the feel of them quite well. He brought his eyes back to hers.

“I am aware of the risk,” Lilith said. “However, I am also aware of the threat we now face.” LilithShe brought her wings in and glided across the carpet towards him.

“And what threat is that?” Sentir asked sternly.

“Ahh, you are not then aware?” Lilith asked.

Sentir looked at her curiously. “Do you mean the events in Astlan?” The theft of Tiernon’s mana was clearly the greatest threat to Tierhallon, but not necessarily to her. For all he knew, she could be in league with the demon thief.

Lilith smiled mischievously. “I suppose they are the same. But I am actually referring to something more specific.” She turned to look around the room, providing her voluptuous profile for his review.

“And that is what?” Sentir asked, starting to lose patience for her games. Tempting as it may be, her presence here was too dangerous.

“Ahh, I forget — those of you in the Outer Realms are cut off from information in the Abyss.” Lilith turned back towards him.

“It does seem to have some natural barriers to our eyes and ears. As you know,” Sentir stated.

“Well, then, it is good that I came to tell you the news.” Sentir looked at her, eyebrows raised, and she said simply, as if discussing the weather, “Mount Doom is once again active.”

Sentir blinked, staring at her. His stomach knotted and rolled a few times. “What are you talking about? That is not possible; it cannot be.”

Lilith smirked, clearly enjoying herself. “Perhaps, but nonetheless I have seen it with my own eyes. The volcano is active and storm clouds gather.”

“The only way that could happen is if the Wand had been freed and then somehow miraculously tuned to the person retrieving it, and that particular person also happened to have a vast reserve of mana to restart the mountain.” Sentir stared deeply into her eyes, trying to read her lies.

“Further, I sealed that Wand within the Holiest Wards of Tiernon, within an impenetrable and ciphered chamber behind shielded and warded gates. Only a major Archon of Tiernon equal to or greater than myself could have released the Wand. Even then, they would have needed to overpower and retune the wand and then flood it with enough mana to restart the mountain. It is not possible.”

“Well...” Lilith said, putting her index finger to her pursed lips. “I should note that a certain party of demons, along with a hostage of your religion, were last seen making a beeline to Mount Doom, less than a full day before the mountain restarted.”

Sentir Fallon’s eyes widened and he backed up, feeling for the chair he knew had to be behind him. He sat down hard, even as he felt his innards try to sink below the chair. What had he and the Astlan team just been discussing in regards to Excrathadorus Mortis? He had not seriously believed that. It had seemed like such a worst-case scenario that it needed to be put on the table, but not too seriously considered. But this? “You know this demon destroyed the blade the three of us forged to kill Orcus?” Sentir asked, not able to look at the demoness.

“I did not know that that was the blade. However, once Mount Doom reignited, I began to wonder if the so-called “Holy Dagger of Tiernon” might not be our blade.

Sentir nodded. “It was. I saw a crystal balling of the event.”

Lilith chuckled. “I find it rather funny the Paladin called it the Holy Dagger of Tiernon, for it most assuredly is not holy. It is pretty much by definition unholy. A perversion of Tiernon’s power designed to permanently destroy animus. The dagger was suffused with antimus.”

“Which is why this cannot be Orcus reborn!” Sentir stated vehemently. “I saw him die — I saw his entire being engulfed by that negative energy, watched it follow his links to the D’Orcs in Etterdam, watched it devour them as well. As, for that matter, did you!”