The Heavenly Host

“And yet,” Tizzy finally spoke up, “someone returned that mace.” He pointed to the Rod of Tommus. “They brought it back here and sealed it in the room where we discovered it; sealed it in a buttload of Etonian runes, wards, seals and what have you. I can guarantee you no demon could have created those blessed wards.”

Talarius made a growling noise, clearly frustrated. “I admit to that point; no demon could have made those wards. They were clearly Etonian and I could easily feel Tiernon’s presence in them. They were the work of someone very powerful within Tierhallon.”

“So how would an archon of Tiernon get down into the Abyss, into these mountains, past all the D’Orcs, and seal the mace inside?” Boggy asked.

“I think someone would have noticed a Heavenly Host marching into the Abyss, and certainly there would have been tales of it in your own church history,” Rupert remarked.

Talarius growled again and was silent for a moment. “Demon,” he finally said, turning more fully toward Tom. “The longer I am with you, the more uncomfortable I get. The complexity of your machinations in putting me in my current state of mind is clearly on par with what I’d expect from a reborn demon prince.”

“Is that a compliment or a curse?” Tizzy asked.

“Both,” Talarius replied.

Chapter 101

^{DOF +6}

^{Morning 16-03-440}

Damien poured himself another cup of coffee and bit into his toasted muffin. He had not slept much last night. He had no idea how to digest Antefalken’s tale. It all seemed like a perfect series of coincidences, yet an unusually beneficial one for Edwyrd or Tom or whatever the demon’s name was. Antefalken seemed to think it was all completely innocent, but Damien had a hard time believing that anything involving demons was innocent.

As he sat back to take another sip of coffee, Antefalken came wandering into the dining room, stretching his arms and shoulders.

“Rough night?” Damien asked the demon.

“It doesn’t take too many nights of absence to get out of practice with the maidens. I may have sprained my tongue,” the bard said with a smile as he hopped up to the back of his chair at the table. “You look like you didn’t get much sleep.”

Damien shook his head. “I have decided to admit that your adventurers were crazier than mine.”

“Thank you.” Antefalken grinned and bowed his head in acknowledgement.

“I am still concerned that this is all too convenient.”

Antefalken shrugged his right shoulder and nodded. “I understand; if I had not been there every step of the way, essentially every moment, I would have been suspicious myself.” The demon shook his head. “But it is legitimate; there are just too many independent actors all aligning to support what I observed. I have known Boggy for a long time, and Tizzy for even longer; they would not be in on any sort of strange plot to make this seem like a coincidence when it isn’t. For one thing, Tizzy can’t keep his head together long enough to not slip up.”

“I don’t know.” Damien shook his head and popped a strawberry in his mouth.

“You could come visit, I suppose.” Antefalken shrugged. “See for yourself.”

“What?” Damien sat up and looked at the bard as if he were insane.

“Well, as you know, Gastropé and Jenn both traveled through Tom’s cave with no problem using that cooling spell that Exador showed Gastropé. The mountain complex is actually far more agreeable than Tom’s cave, so you would probably be quite comfortable.”

“Perhaps, but I’m not sure I want to risk getting trapped there. I’d eventually run out of mana and expire,” Damien said.

Antefalken shook his head. “Tom has taken humans to and through the Abyss on multiple occasions and never abandoned them. Talarius is there now, and Tom has been more than hospitable to him. I point out that Talarius tried to kill Tom and his friends permanently, and yet Tom treats him as honorably as any king would treat a formally held noble hostage. You would be there as a friend and ally.”

“I will have to think about that,” Damien said, shaking his head once more.

“Oh come on; think what a learning opportunity this would be! A human conjuror wandering the halls of the great demon lord Orcus’s fortress?” Antefalken gave a short shake of his head and a grin. “Do you have any idea how many wizards, and demons for that matter, would sell their souls for such an opportunity?”

“Uhm hmm,” was all Damien would say.

Antefalken frowned. “Speaking of selling their souls, I wonder if Vaselle is going to want to attend the party?”

“Vaselle? Party?” Damien asked.

“Ah, I think I forgot to mention that side event.” Antefalken gave him a quick grin. “The party is going to be a celebration after the allegiance ceremony. Tom originally suggested it to buy time to get out of the D’Orcs swearing him allegiance, but we convinced him to go through with it. Vaselle, on the other hand — ”