The Heavenly Host

Damien gave that same half shrug again. “That would be the most logical explanation; however, Trevin recognized her as being Bastet, a goddess of the Nyjyr Ennead pantheon.”

Antefalken nodded, thinking back. “Guardian of House and Home, or some such title; hardly seems like the sort to be consorting with archdemons.” He shrugged. “However, they disappeared several hundred years before I arrived on the scene. I have seen their old temples. Very impressive, but again, long gone from the Astlanian localverse, at least. I don’t get much outside that, so can’t say where they might have gone.”

“Well, she mentioned that apparently, both Elrose, who works for Lenamare, and Gastropé’s friend, Maelen, got hit by some visions that were tied to all of this; it was the whole reason they’d been traveling to meet each other.”

“Seriously?” Antefalken asked.

“Serious enough that Trevin has set off on a mission to investigate the possibility and has taken Maelen, Elrose, Jenn and Gastropé along with her.”

“Why Jenn and Gastropé?” Antefalken asked.

Damien chuckled. “You may recall the reason we were surrounded by two armies?”

“Oh, yes... they were persona non grata,” the bard remembered aloud.

“Exactly, and fortunately, I had sent the animage Edwyrd and his apprentice Rupert off to hunt down the remaining demons. So no real cause to surround us.”

“Hence the wards are down.”

“Mostly,” Damien admitted. “They are, more accurately, suspended. We can raise them quickly if need be. Say, if Exador comes marching back for revenge with his horde of demons.”

“Good idea,” Antefalken agreed.

“Yes. Unfortunately, the Rod and Oorstemoth both had similar thoughts and so have not completely withdrawn.” Antefalken grimaced. “Although we do have a truce agreement with them. They are technically here to assist us if the horde comes back.”

Damien smiled, having given his friend a nice, quick rundown of the insanity in Freehold. “So, what insanity have you been up to that’s so crazy?”

Antefalken grinned at Damien in a manner the wizard thought seemed almost evil, as if the bard were going to enjoy telling his story a little too much.

∼

Hilda and Trisfelt sat on the small balcony of Trisfelt’s suite. There was barely room for two chairs and a small table filled with meats, cheeses and of course, wine.

“Ah, one forgets how nice it is to see the night sky again!” Hilda remarked.

Trisfelt chuckled. “Even though it’s only been a few days since we were both camping outside the city in the woods.”

Hilda laughed too. “So maybe that was a bit melodramatic, but you have to admit those wards rather wore on one after a bit. Plus at night they cast that weird red sheen over everything.”

“I completely agree. I am very much an outdoorsman... at least as long as I have the basic necessities.” He gestured to the table, indicating the food and wine. Hilda raised her glass to toast his observation, and Trisfelt clinked it with his.

“So life gets back to normal.” She turned her head slightly to look at him better. “Or sort of; you are quite out of your routine here in the city. What will your new routine be?”

Trisfelt rolled his head his shoulders. “Well, we must resume classes for the students, which I think shall be challenging with Elrose gone and Lenamare and Jehenna likely to double down on their precious book. It will mainly fall to Hortwell and myself to teach most of the classes.”

“What is so important about this book? One would think in such times as this, when they are shorthanded with one master gone, one senior student dead and another off chasing down a goddess, that they would put aside their hobbies and focus on their charges,” Hilda said.

“I fear you might be starting to actually believe those charming things you say about them to their faces. You forget they are two of the most narcissistic wizards on the planet.” Trisfelt grinned and popped a cube of ham in his mouth. Hilda chuckled and took another sip of wine.

Trisfelt swallowed and continued, “Remember, this is the book that Exador and Lenamare went to war over.”

“I thought Exador wanted Lenamare’s school and property or some such?” Hilda asked, puzzled.

Trisfelt shook his head. “That was only the pretext told to the Council. The book was the real reason. Lenamare acquired it, screwing Exador over with Oorstemoth in the process. Once Exador had dealt with the Oorstemothian courts, he immediately marshalled his forces and came for the book.”

“How did Lenamare get Exador in trouble with the Oorstemothians?” Hilda asked, puzzled.

Trisfelt took a long drink of wine and inhaled. “He hired this group of inter-dimensional brigands...”

“What are inter-dimensional brigands?” Hilda interrupted.

“Well, I don’t know if that is the precise term, only that they’ve somehow made themselves unwanted on multiple planes both within and without the localverse. Wherever they go, carnage and cataclysm ensue.”

“You mean like what is happening now?” Hilda asked.