This proved too much for Isstvan, who actually collapsed in laughter.
"Oh he's funny, Aahz," he gasped. "Where did you find this funny man?"
"You sent him to me, remember?" Aahz prompted.
"Why so I did, so I did," Isstvan mused, and even this fact he seemed to find hysterically funny.
The others were not so amused.
"So you're a demon hunter, eh?" Frumple snarled. "What's your gripe anyway?"
"The offenses of demons are too numerous to list," Quigley retorted haughtily.
"We aren't going anywhere for a while," Brockhurst chimed in from the stairs. "And neither are you. List us a few of these offenses.''
"Well..." began Quigley, "you stole my magik pendant and my magik sword...."
"We don't know anything about a magik pendant." Higgens bristled. "And we gave your so-called magik sword to...."
"What else do demons do?" Frumple interrupted, apparently none too eager to have the discussion turn to swords.
"Well. .. you bewitched my war unicorn into thinking he's a dragon!" Quigley challenged.
"Your war unicorn is currently tethered in the stable," Higgens stated flatly. "Frumple brought him in."
"My unicorn is tethered outside the door!" Quigley insisted. "And he thinks he's a dragon!"
"Your unicorn is tethered in the stable," Higgens barked back. "And we think you're a fruitcake!"
"Gentlemen, gentlemen," Isstvan managed to hold up his hands despite his laughter. "All this is quite amusing, but... well, will you look at that!"
This last was said in such a tone of wonder that the attention of everyone in the room was immediately drawn to the spot he was looking at.
Suspended in midair, not two hand-spans from Isstvan's head, was a small red dart with gold and black fletchings.
"An assassin's dart!" Isstvan marveled, gently plucking the missile from where it was hovering. "Now who would be naughty enough to try to poison me from behind?"
His eyes slowly moved to Brockhurst sitting casually on the stairs.
Brockhurst suddenly realized he was the object of everyone's attention. His eyes widened in fright.
"No! I... Wait! Isstvan!" he half-rose holding out a hand as if to ward off a blow. "I didn't... No! Don't. Glaag!"
This last was said as his hands suddenly flew to his throat and began choking him violently. "Glaak ... eak ... urk...."
He fell back on the stairs and began rolling frantically back and forth.
"Isstvan," Higgens began hesitantly, "normally I wouldn't interfere, but don't you think you should hear what he has to say, first? "
"But I'm not doing anything," Isstvan blinked with hurt innocence.
My eyes flashed to the other end of the mezzanine. Tanda was crouched there, her eyes closed. She seemed to be choking an invisible person on the floor in front of her. With dawning realization, I began to appreciate more and more the subtleties of a trained assassin.
"You aren't doing anything?" Higgens shrilled, "Well, then do something! He's dying!" "
I thought for a moment that the ludicrous statement would set Isstvan to laughing again, but riot this time.
"Oh," he sighed. "This is all so confusing. Yes, I guess you're right."
He clicked his fingers and Brockhurst stopped thrashing about and began breathing again in long, ragged breaths.
"Here, old boy," said Aahz. "Have some wine."
He offered Brockhurst a brimming flagon which the Imp began to gulp gratefully.
"Aahz," Isstvan said sternly. "I don't think you've been honest with us."
"Me?" Aahz asked innocently.
"Even you couldn't have caused this much havoc without assistance. Now where is it coming from?"
He closed his eyes and turned his face toward the ceiling for a moment.
"Aah!" he suddenly proclaimed. "Here it is."
There was a squawk from the other end of the mezzanine and Tanda was suddenly lifted into view by unseen hands.
"Higgens!" exclaimed Isstvan, "Another one! Well, well, the day is full of surprises."
Tanda held her silence as she was floated down to a chair on a level with the others.
"Now let's see." Isstvan mumbled to himself. "Have we missed anybody?"
I felt the sudden pressure of invisible forces and realized I was next. I tried desperately to think of a disguise, but the only thing that came to mind was Gleep ... so I tried it.
"A dragon!" cried Brockhurst as I floated into view.
"Gleep!" I said, rolling my eyes desperately.
"Oh now that's too much," Isstvan pouted. "I want to see who I'm dealing with."
He gave a vacant wave of his hand, and the disguises disappeared... all of them. I was me, Quigley was Quigley, Tanda was Tanda, the Imps were Imps, and the Deveel was a Deveel. Aahz, of course, was Aahz. Apparently a moratorium had been declared on disguises ... by a majority of one ... Isstvan.
I came drifting down to join the others, but my entrance was generally ignored in the other proceedings.
"Tanda!" Isstvan cried enthusiastically. "Well, well. This is a reunion, isn't it?"
"Bark at the moon, Isstvan," Tanda snarled defiantly.
Quigley was looking at everyone else with such speed I thought his head would fall off.
"I don't understand!" he whimpered plaintively.
"Shut up, Quigley," Aahz growled. "We'll explain later."
"That's assuming there is a later," Frumple sneered.
I tended to agree with Frumple. The atmosphere, in the room no longer had even the semblance of joviality. It was over. We had lost. We were all exposed and captured, and Isstvan was as strong as ever. Whatever Aahz's secret weapon was, it apparently hadn't worked.
"Well, I'm afraid all good things must come to an end," Isstvan sighed, draining his flagon. "Now I'm afraid I'll have to dispose of you."
He sounded genuinely sad, but somehow I couldn't muster any sympathy for his plight.
"Just one question before we begin, Aahz," he asked in surprisingly sane tones.
"What's that?" Aahz responded.
"Why did you do it? I mean, with as feeble a team as this, how did you possibly hope to beat me?"
Isstvan sounded genuinely sincere.
"Well, Isstvan," Aahz drawled, "that's a matter of opinion."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Isstvan asked suspiciously.
"I don't 'hope' we can beat you," Aahz smiled. "I know we can."
"Really?" Isstvan chuckled. "And upon what are you basing your logic?"
"Why, I'm basing it on the fact that we've already won," Aahz blinked innocently. "It's all over, Isstvan, whether you realize it or not."
Chapter Twenty-Five:
"Just because you've beaten a sorcerer, doesn't mean you've beaten a sorcerer."
-TOTH-AAMON
"AAHZ," Isstvan said sternly, "there comes a time when even your humor wears a little thin."
"I'm not kidding, Isstvan," Aahz assured him. "You've lost your powers. Go ahead, try something. Anything!"
Isstvan hesitated. He closed his eyes.
Nothing happened.
"You see?" Aahz shrugged. "You've lost your powers. All of them. And don't look to your associates for help. They're all in the same boat."
"You mean we've really won?" I blurted out, the full impact of what was transpiring finally starting to sink in.
"That's right, kid."
Aahz suddenly leaned forward and clapped Frumple on the shoulder.
"Congratulations, Frumple," he exclaimed. "I've got to admit I didn't think you could do it."
"What?" blinked the Deveel.
"I'm just glad this squares our debt with you," Aahz continued without pause. "You won't try to back out on it now, will you?"
"Frumple!" Isstvan's voice was dark with menace. "Did you do this to us?"
"I........" Frumple stammered.
"Go ahead, Frumple. Gloat!" Aahz encouraged. "He can't do anything to you now. Besides, you can teleport out of here anytime you want."