The Heavenly Host

• 30 days later (DZ+30), on Electh 17^th 440 PV the Greater Demon Tom battles Talarius, Knight Rampant of Tiernon, Tom defeats Talarius by subverting the mana links between Tiernon and his priests, and using it to take control of the Rod of Tiernon, the holy army. Further, he reverses the blade used to kill Orcus and tosses Talarius “Into the Abyss.”

○ Electh 17^th 440 PV is known as the “Day of Fight” or DOF.

This volume begins on DOF, mere seconds after Talarius is tossed “Into the Abyss.”

Chapter 80

^{Day of Fight (DOF). Day Zero (Chapter 1) + 30 Days.}

^{Moments after the battle between Tom and Talarius.}

^{Morning of 15 (Electh) — 17 (Asday) — 440 PV.}

“...Thpp” Ramses made a tongue-sucking noise on his teeth. “Did you, my dear compatriots, witness what I think I witnessed?”

Bess and Exador were silent. Everything around them was quiet; one could hear the tassels on their flying carpet fluttering in the wind.

Or at least, it was quiet to persons of typical human hearing; if they’d so chosen, the three archdemons could have heard what was going on down on the ground below them and in the sky behind them and to their left. Chaos, insanity, slaughter, you name it — that’s what was going on all around them.

In the air behind them, the Oorstemothian Sky Fleet was eradicating the last of a horde of several hundred to a thousand lower-level demons that had just been expelled, forcibly, from the city of Freehold. Demons that had been under orders from Exador, one of the three occupants of this flying carpet floating about a thousand feet above the encampment of the Holy Rod of Tiernon, the military arm of the Holy Church of Tiernon.

“Is there anyone on this carpet who does not think that an, ahem, fourth-order demon just started Armageddon?” Exador asked.

“It’s going to take a bit of work to avoid it,” Bess commented sourly.

“I think we should adjourn to the Abyss to discuss this. Agreed?” Ramses said quietly. “My place?”

“Yes.” Exador agreed.

“I don’t want to be here when Tiernon’s flunkies show up,” Bess stated. “After getting kicked out of Freehold on my ass this morning, I’m not up to dealing with a bunch of avatars.”

“Particularly not his,” Ramses agreed. He shook his head and opened a demonic gateway in front of the carpet, and Exador flew them through into Ramses’ estate in the Abyss. Once through, Ramses closed the gate behind them.

∼

“This is very inconvenient,” Exador complained as they sat around a table in a smaller, cozier chamber of Ramses’ palace. One of the servants had brought them cups of Denubian Choco-Coffee^TM, the extremely caffeinated beverage with a great mocha taste at 132 degrees centigrade. Among other effects, it was quite intoxicating to demons. Completely lethal to humans, even if served chilled — meaning any temperature below the boiling point of water.

“We shouldn’t be drinking this early in the day, but hell, if you can’t drink at a time like this, when can you drink?” Bess complained.

“That so called fourth-order of Lenamare’s somehow tapped into the link between a god and a high priest. I had no idea that was even possible!” Ramses complained.

“Who the hell would be dumb enough to even try?” Exador exclaimed, shaking his head. “Who doesn’t think that a god or their avatar is going to notice when their incoming mana levels start dipping? Or when there are huge, non-authorized drains on the reserves?”

“Or when you kidnap one of their highest ranking, most Graced agents on the plane and haul him off to the Abyss?” Bess asked.

“As soon as Lilith or Sammael hear about this, they are going to work to secure this so-called fourth-order demon,” Exador pointed out.

“That should be a fun scramble,” Bess said drily.

“I am so glad we don’t mess with Court politics,” Ramses added.

“However, politics aside,” Ramses interjected, “it is a given that Tiernon’s avatars are going to show up to investigate, and there is not much we can do about that. They will probably interrogate everyone in the city as well as in the surrounding armies.” The others shrugged in agreement. “Therefore, our primary concern is ensuring they don’t find out about the book.”

The sound of cups being set down in saucers was very clear in the silence as they contemplated what would happen if Tiernon or his avatars got hold of the book. It is very hard for archdemons to get chills running down their spines, but it can happen, and at that moment, it did.

∼

Arch-Diocate Iskerus was in shock, as was Arch-Vicar General Barabus. Barabus was staring at the spot where a flaming hole in the ground had opened up and swallowed the greatest knight of Tiernon into the Abyss. The only thing Barabus appeared capable of doing was to blink repeatedly.