Into The Abyss (Demons of Astlan) (60 page)

"Wizards, priests, druids, animage you name it.  Anything a human can do in terms of mana wielding, some demons can too.  Not as many demons as humans, elves or dwarves or such, but some few are.  The strongest ones are almost always mana wielders.  Everything fifth order and above does something, and most of the more powerful fourth orders as well.  Remember, this ordering thing is all a made up classification scheme anyway.  Demons run in a continuum of power."  Antefalken sipped on a glass of wine that had been on a small table beside him.   As usual, he was perched on the back of a chair.

Damien knew most of this.  He just liked to periodically have it confirmed by someone on the inside.  The demonic children
, though, he knew little about. 

"Actually," Antefalken continued after a moment, "about any profession you see in Astlan, and some you don't, are done by some demon or the other.   When you're immortal, you tend to pick up hobbies, and you become very good at them."

"So, to get back to the matter at hand.  What do you think about this Tom, his power? How much of what he seems is he?"

"Again hard to say.  If I guessed by his friendly nature, I'd guess Lenamare's claims to be correct.  He's a new fourth order demon.  If I guessed by the kid...
overall and assuming the kid is going to grow to be a fourth order...then most likely this Tom is really an archdemon.  A fourth having a fourth order child is not totally out of the question, it does happen.  A fourth having a fourth order child that is nearly identical stretches the imagination.  For an archdemon such a thing is certainly possible.  In this event, the lowest case scenario is a fourth so close to being a fifth that it doesn't matter."

“This assumes a pure bred.  What about as a half-breed?”  Damien asked, not sure he wanted to hear the answer.

“I’m not aware of any half-breed greater than a three.”  Antefalken said.  “That would be about as powerful as archdemon would likely produce.”  Antefalken made a sucking noise on his teeth.  “I don’t want to think what it would mean to have a fourth order half-breed.”

“Particularly if it’s running around anywhere near us.”  Damien observed.  Antefalken simply nodded.

Damien shook his head, not sure what to think.  "And naturally," Damien looked back at the demon, "if he really is a powerful archdemon...or...more...then he could make himself appear to be a new fourth order demon with no problem."  Damien frowned at this one.  He really didn't like where this line of thought was going.

After eating a muffin, Damien asked, "What about this story about Exador and the Abyssal Switch?"

"Tom seemed to know all about it.  Acted as if such things were common knowledge.  I'm not aware of such a thing."  Antefalken told him.

Damien nodded.  "I am
, though.  I've seen it mentioned in some really old texts.  If Exador really did this, then he's upped the power ante in this game.  It's at least as hard or harder spell than Lenamare's little explosion.  I find him doing it hard to believe.  It's one of those spells of legend.  You know, supposed to exist but no one knows of anyone doing it.  Used to be used, supposedly, for switching a piece of land into the Abyss and leaving it until the occupants were dead.  So casual and frequent, yet well thought out, use by Exador for transporting so many men...well that indicates a lot more powerful a mage than Exador pretends to be."

"None of what I learned from Tom seemed exactly comforting."  Antefalken commented.

"Nor the fact that your friend Tom knew so much about the Abyssal Switch spell.  That would indicate he is a very powerful spell user."  Damien stated as he poured himself some hot tea.

"Really sounds like your friend Lenamare has bitten off more than he can chew.  On all fronts."  Antefalken commented with a grin.

"Not my friend."  Damien corrected his bard.

"My book!"  Lenamare exclaimed grabbing the book right out of Jenn's hand.  Almost the first question out of the man's mouth when he'd seen them was, "Where's my book, girl?" Not, "Hi, glad to see your still alive," but rather "where's my book?"  Edwyrd had to admit, he didn't like the way the man treated humans any better than he liked the way the man treated demons.

The summoning at dawn had proven no problem.  They'd come through on schedule with no problem.  Jenn had sobbed with joy and hugged Rupert, before yelling at him for running off.  After they'd gotten such amenities out of the way, they'd proceeded across the plane to the city gates.

They'd gotten there just as the
gates were opening.  The guards had questioned them about their business in the city fairly carefully.  Actually, Maelen had told them the guards wouldn't have cared at all except that they were bringing a demon in.  Tizzy had presented something of a problem. 

The demon had had no desire to wait outside, and couldn't just fly over the walls due to some sort of wards on them.  Thus he'd been forced to accompany the party.  They'd decided they'd pass him off as Gastrop
é's slave.  Gastropé had donned a cloak, and Tizzy carried the tail of it above the ground.  The guards, naturally, were leery of the demon, but seemed to have no major objections.  As long as Gastropé signed in with his full name and promised to report his and his demon's whereabouts to the city constable each day.

After that they'd marched down the main street of the city and up to the Council's Palace in the center.  It was actually a remarkable place.  It was
, to all intents and purposes, a large fortress composed of nearly a hundred towers of various shapes and sizes. There were several large cathedral-like buildings between towers, as well as just long buildings connecting the whole thing into a single edifice.  It was certainly the largest building Edwyrd had seen in Astlan.  Also given the sheer area it encompassed on the ground, it would probably count as the largest building he personally had ever been in.

They'd walked in an
d up to a central information desk.  Jenn had asked the elf, Edwyrd was certain the being could be nothing else, where they might find Lenamare.  Surprisingly enough, the elf didn't even have to look that up.  He knew immediately where Lenamare's quarters were.  Thus wasting no time they'd followed the elf's directions and soon found themselves knocking on Lenamare's door.

Edwyrd had wondered about such lax security.  The front desks in all large buildings he was familiar with required
ID’s to get into.  Although he supposed one would have to be pretty sure of oneself to walk up and knock on Lenamare’s door.

The wizard had opened it himself.  He'd taken one look at Jenn and shouted, "Jehenna!"  The woman had come up to the door behind Lenamare.  Lenamare stepped out of the way, indicating they should enter.  They did and Lenamare quickly shut the door behind them.  It was at that point, he'd demanded, "Where's my book, girl?"

Jenn, apparently as shocked as the rest of them by the greeting, had simply reached into her robe and pulled the book out.  She tried to hand it to Lenamare.  He grabbed it out of her hand, saying, "My book!"  Jehenna also was staring intently at the book.  For a few moments both of them ignored the rest of their guests as they hungrily examined the book to verify its existence.

Jehenna sighed and looked at Jenn.  "Girl.  I am so happy to see this book safe back in our possession, that I am willing to overlook the fact that you caused the whole problem in the first place." 

"Me?" Jenn asked shocked.

"Certainly you," Jehenna said unemotionally, "if you hadn't switched your adolescent scribblings with this book, we'd have never lost it.  You don't know how Lenamare and I have worried and fretted over this book."  Jenn just opened and shut her mouth a couple of times, speechless. 

"You’re damn lucky to get this book back to us, Jenn."  Lenamare said.  "More people than you can imagine would be more than willing to kill you for it."

"Kill me for it?"  Jenn asked in a small voice, nearly dazed out of her mind by the reception.

"Certainly, Exador to name only one."  Jehenna stated.

"Exador?"  Jenn said weakly.

"Not to mention, I don't know how you avoided the archdemon."

"Archdemon?"  Jenn looked about ready to faint.  Both Edwyrd and Gastrop
é propped her up with their hands.

"Certainly."  Jehenna stated matter
-of-factly, "Trisfelt has reported to us most reliably, that as we speak there is an archdemon advancing on Freehold with its horde."

"Intent on this book, I guarantee you."  Lenamare stated.  "You don't know how luck
y you are to get it to us where we can keep it safe."

"If either had caught you, this book would have been forfeit.  Your life as well, of course."  Jehenna told her.  Edwyrd had to
swallow; he could imagine what was running through Jenn's mind.  Exador's people had caught her.  It was only blind luck Rupert had grabbed the book back.  Further given Jenn's opinions on demons she couldn't like the idea of an  archdemon hunting for the book. 

Edwyrd wasn't sure what an archdemon was, but he'd heard himself referred to as a greater demon, an archdemon must be like a fifth order demon or so.  He really wouldn't have wanted to meet one of those on the road.  That would have been unpleasant to say the least.  Much worse than the Rod.  He wondered where the archdemon was and what it would do when it got to Freehold.

Lenamare and Jehenna both seemed to notice the rest of the party at the same time. They looked at Rupert, who they recognized.  The rest of the party they didn't know and were frowning over.  "Who are your friends, girl?"  Jehenna asked.  She was staring at Tizzy most intently.

"Uhm," Jenn could hardly think she was so stunned, so Edwyrd spoke up.

"I'm Edwyrd, Rupert's cousin."  He stuck out his hand.  Both Lenamare and Jehenna just stared at him coldly, making no move to take it.  Needing to do something with it, he pointed to the others.  "This is Maelen a Seer and Healer," Maelen nodded coldly.  Edwyrd pointed to Gastropé, "This is the wizard Gastropé who we encountered and was of great assistance in returning.  And that's his demon." He pointed last to Tizzy.  He didn't want to give Lenamare any indication of Tizzy's name, full or not.

The two simply stared at them for a moment.  "Seer and
Healer, hmm?"  Jehenna said turning her attention to Maelen.  Maelen stared her straight in the eyes.  Neither blinked.  Finally, Lenamare intervened as it began to look like it would go on forever.

"Yes, well.  We can always use another lightning bolt in the fray that's coming," he nodded to Gastrop
é.  "And healers are always welcome in a battle." He stepped so as to block the stares between Jehenna and Maelen.  Maelen nodded to him.  "Rupert is one of ours of course.  Do you do anything useful?" He asked Edwyrd.

Edwyrd had really had it with this
asshole.  He nearly turned to flame right then and there and gave the guy a bear hug, but he restrained himself, somehow.  He frowned at Lenamare and said very sternly, "I am not without my own...talents."  While Lenamare might be a super-powerful wizard, and Edwyrd a sixteen year old boy, Tom was a greater demon who'd gone head to head with Lenamare before and made the man sweat. He wasn't going to be intimidated at this point. 

Whatever Lenamare saw or heard was apparently sufficient for he shrugged and said, "Very well, I'm sure we'll find uses for your...talents.  I'll arrange rooms for you.  I suppose at the same time I should see about some for Trisfelt and his
students.  They'll be arriving sometime in the next few days."

Perhaps an hour later, Lenamare had gotten them rooms.  Nothing quite so fancy as Lenamare's own, of course.  However,
still much nicer than what they'd had on the ship.  As on the ship after the battle, it was once again two to a room.  Rupert and Edwyrd took one, Gastropé and Maelen another.  Jenn got one of her own.  Tizzy got shoved in with Gastropé and Maelen, since he was theoretically Gastropé’s demon.   The rooms were in a part of the palace that was about fifteen minutes’ walk from Lenamare's quarters.  Edwyrd did not object too much to the close proximity, he figured it could have been worse; it could have been a lot closer.

As they left Lenamare with a steward to show them the way, Lenamare told them that he'd expect them for dinner in the evening and would send someone for them.
  After they were out of sight, Jenn had remarked "How generous of him to allow us to dine with him.  Maybe then he'll bother to ask how Rupert and I managed to survive being abandoned by his girlfriend."   She just shook her head.  Edwyrd felt about the same way.

The steward showed them to their rooms and gave them directions to the closest cafeteria where they could charge
food to their rooms and Lenamare’s account.  Jenn smiled at that, obviously planning for a feast.

After they settled into their rooms, deciding to get some long deserved rest. Rupert jumped in his bed, smiling at Edwyrd.  "Thanks again for the flying lesson,
Father.  I really enjoyed them."  Rupert seemed a bit tired, and ready to close his eyes at any moment. 

"Me too."  Edwyrd smiled back.  He, of course, was not the least bit tired.  He leaned back in his bed anyway.  He didn't have much else to do.  Actually, he could think about strategies
, he supposed.  If an archdemon was coming, guess who'd get shoved into battle.  Not to mention the Rod.  They'd still probably have to deal with them.  At least for the moment they were in a slightly safer position.

Edwyrd supposed he should practice some of his demonic abilities.  For one thing, he should practice them in his true form, and in his Edwyrd form too.  For all out battle, he'd have to revert to his true form, but for little things it would be good to know his limits.  Actually, it would be good to know his true form limits as well. 

The room was just big enough that he could change back, but he wasn't too thrilled.  There didn't seem to be a lock on the door and if someone walked in it could be awkward to say the least.  He looked over to Rupert, who'd fallen fast asleep.  Having been up all night had been hard on his companions.  He'd really have to break Rupert of this sleeping habit though.  Or maybe he should figure out some way of developing one.  He smiled to himself, looking around the room for some candles to practice lighting.

About an hour and a half after they'd settled in a knock came at Edwyrd's door.  Edwyrd got up and went over to the door, mentally extinguishing the four candles he'd lit.  He opened the heavy oak door to find a young man on the other side wearing some sort of uniform. 

"Good day," said the young man.

"Good day," Edwyrd returned. 

"Sir, my lord Councilor Damien has sent me to convey his wishes that you and your party might join him for lunch today, if it would be convenient for you."

"I don't believe I know Councilor Damien."  Edwyrd said puzzled.  He certainly didn't know anyone other than Lenamare and Jehenna in Freehold.

"Certainly, I'm sure.  However, Councilor Damien does know of your party and is most desirous of meeting you all.  I believe he simply wishes to conduct a short informal interview over lunch.  Simply to help him in his investigation over the complaints raised by the wizards Exador and Lenamare.  I've already taken the liberty of speaking with the young lady, she had no objection."

"OK then, I suppose." Edwyrd shrugged.  "At what time and where should we meet him?"

The young man smiled, "I will return in about three hours to show you the way."  Edwyrd nodded and the young man told him, "Until then."  The servant then moved on towards Gastropé and Maelen's room.  He wondered if Tizzy was also invited.

"Who was that?"  Rupert asked groggily from his bed as Edwyrd shut the door and returned to his own.  The morning sun outlining the window on his pillow as he adjusted it to keep the light out of his eyes.

"Our lunch invitation, I guess."  Edwyrd said.

~

"Welcome!  Be seated."  The wizard named Damien told them as they were shown into a garden dining room, open to the sky above.  They'd introduced themselves in the other room.  The council member really didn't look like what Edwyrd had expect a member of a wizard's council to look like.  For one thing, he was younger than Lenamare.  Damien only appeared to be in his early to mid-thirties and had long dark blond hair and a short beard and mustache of the same color.  His clothing was also not the traditional wizard's robes, but rather a nice set of brown leather riding pants and a large billowy shirt with gold embroidery that matched his hair coloring.

In all, Edwyrd decided, he looked more like one of the three musketeers than a wizard.  While the wizard wore no sword, he did have a rather long dagger at his hip.  Damien was gesturing at the six chairs around a glass top table set in an iron frame.  Almost like standard patio furniture at home, Edwyrd thought.  The five travelers took the seats indicated.

Tizzy it seemed, according to a slightly worried Gastropé, had decided to go out exploring the fortress and the city.  Edwyrd could only hope that the demon would be discrete and not get into too much trouble.  He suspected the city guards were not going to appreciate a lone wandering demon in the city.

"Thank you so much for joining me on such short notice." Damien told them as he took the sixth seat after his guests had been seated.  "I know you're all tired from your journey, and would probably prefer to just rest quietly rather than get wrapped up in council affairs so quickly.  Unfortunately, I felt that the sooner I had the opportunity to speak with you, before important details might be forgotten, the better.