The Heavenly Host

“So, who might you be, and how can I help you?” Hilda asked.

“I am Ruiden, Sword of Talarius,” the golem stated. “I wish to interview you about his kidnapping.”

Hilda blinked. She had never been interviewed by a sword. She had never actually spoken to a sword. In fact, while not an expert she was reasonably confident that swords were not normally ambulatory. “Well, I’m afraid I can’t help you much. I was out of town when he was kidnapped and did not return until later.”

“You are an avatar of Tiernon. You are here investigating the demon that kidnapped Talarius,” Ruiden stated rather than asked.

“Again, I am afraid I don’t know what you are talking about.” Hilda did not like this. This golem saw right through her.

“Lies do not become a servant of Tiernon.” Ruiden said.

Hilda sighed. “Okay, I am Hilda of Rivenrock and yes, I have been sent here to gather information as to the very strange goings-on here.” She put her hands on her hips. “So how did you find me?”

“I followed Iskerus and Barabus into the city and saw them talking to you,” Ruiden said.

“So you are working with them?” Hilda asked.

“I am working to find and retrieve Talarius, as they were proving inefficient. I have started my own investigation.”

“So you do not report to them?”

“I do not. I am autonomous. My only loyalty is to Talarius,” Ruiden said.

“Do they know that I am an avatar?” Hilda asked.

“They did not seem aware of it. However, they are aware of healers of Tiernon who are in the city accosting beggars,” Ruiden said.

“Dung beetles,” Hilda cursed. “If I agree to help you, will you agree not to tell them I am an avatar?”

Ruiden paused for a moment. “I do not lie. However, if I am not directly asked, I do not have to volunteer information.”

Hilda shrugged. “Well, I suppose that is good enough.” She shook her head. “My investigation is still quite preliminary; I am working undercover among the wizards to understand how the situation that resulted in Talarius’s loss came about. In particular, I am seeking information about the demon that has kidnapped Talarius. I hope to interview multiple individuals directly responsible for the demons that were in the city.”

“But you have not done so yet?” Ruiden asked.

“Not yet, but subterfuge is not something those of us from Tierhallon are experienced with. I am moving carefully.”

“Every day that Talarius is in the Abyss is a day of agonizing torture for him. He must be rescued soon.” Ruiden said. “Humans have a very low threshold for agonizing pain.”

Hilda nodded. “I understand. I will tell you what I know so far, and will keep you up to date with everything I discover. Is that acceptable?”

Ruiden nodded. “As long as you do not take too much time; otherwise I will need to escalate.”

Hilda sighed.

∼

Every moment I sit here listening to these insane demons is pure torture, Talarius thought to himself. He was, of course, being melodramatic. True demonic torture would be far worse; he had been well schooled in their foul techniques. He had read stories of demons peeling the flesh from their victims, rubbing salt on the muscle tissue and then replacing the skin and massaging them. Talarius shuddered. Only the foulest of dark fiends would even think of such things.

Yet the whiny rantings of the unstable octopod were grating. His captor seemed to seek way too much advice from his ineffectual toadies. True, the bard demon did seem to have good information, but the others? Their obtuse and pointless discourse, atrocious non-sequiturs, unhinged speculation and absolutely asinine assertions were infuriating.

Talarius stood up to go out on the ledge; he needed to get away for a few minutes. Even his captor had needed to seek some solitude a short while ago.

“Where you off to?” Rupert asked.

“Where do you think? The ledge. I can’t go anywhere else without more contusions,” Talarius replied, heading up the tunnel.

“I’ll come too,” Rupert said.

Talarius just shook his head inside his helmet. So much for some solitude. He went out, stood on the edge of the ledge, and sighed.

Rupert came up behind him and took a position to his left. “The cave is pretty boring, isn’t it?” he asked.

“It is, but such is the lot of a hostage,” Talarius replied.

Rupert shrugged. “In some ways, we are all hostages here.”

“I am the hostage; you demons are free to go about your business.”

“What business do you think I have? I’m a kid. I have only been here a few times. This is the longest I have ever been in the Abyss. Trust me, I enjoy listening to Tizzy talk to himself no more than you do.”

“You have only been to this cave a few times? Where do you normally live in the Abyss?” Talarius asked. Perhaps he could get better insight into the true nature of his captor.

Rupert shook his head. “No, I’ve only been to the Abyss a few times, and never for very long. I grew up in Astlan.”

It was Talarius’s turn to shake his head. “What do you mean, you grew up in Astlan? Demons do not live naturally in Astlan.”