“And what do you infer?” Barabus asked. He could detect nothing himself, but the Knight was generally infallible in such declarations.
“A gateway.” Talarius surveyed the former campsite. “Note there are no pentacles, no pentagrams, no runes.” He swept his hand around the small clearing. “Simply a fire pit. Something, some fiend, opened a portal to the Abyss here.” Talarius moved about the clearing, peering intently for more clues.
“An exit? But why?” Barabus asked. “Did they detect us following them and try to escape back to the Abyss? That doesn’t make sense.”
“It doesn’t. For several reasons.” Talarius stated without even looking up. “First, why would demons make a camp? Suddenly realize we were following them and then flee back to the Abyss after all the trouble and commotion they made getting here.” He shook his head.
“As to the camp, they had humans with them: wizards and or sacrifices, perhaps the humans needed to rest and the demons took time to survey the area and discovered us.” Barabus reasoned.
“A fair point on the wizards with the demons; however I doubt they’d flee after getting here. No, I am thinking they brought in reinforcements.”
“Reinforcements?” Barabus echoed.
“Yes...” Talarius had stopped near the far edge of the clearing with his back to Barabus, slowly moving his head around, perhaps sniffing? Barabus couldn’t tell. “Hmm...” He paused and turned with a troubled look upon his face.
“Yes, they had to of course know that Verigas would alert us. What they most likely did not count on was the speed with which the Rod was able to respond. Early this morning they realized that we would be upon them sooner than expected, and so called for reinforcements.” Talarius was twisting his head around.
“Is there something else?” Barabus was puzzled by the knight’s current behavior.
“Yes, there has been deception here.”
“Deception?” Barabus asked puzzled.
“Yes, I can sense that some form of truth hiding, cloaking or deceptive magic of a fairly high order in this area. It’s very faint, but for me to still be able to sense it, it couldn’t be more than a few hours old.”
“But it’s over there, not near the firepit?” Barabus asked.
“Correct.”
“Do you think it’s tied to the demons?” Barabus asked the knight.
Talarius shook his head in puzzlement, “Demons are masters of lies and deceptive truths, as well as illusions, but they generally don’t use cloaking spells. They revel in the fright they cause others.” He walked back over to Barabus.
“True,” Talarius continued, “There are wizards that will employ cloaked sprites and imps to spy for them; however that doesn’t make much sense here.” Talarius put his gloves back on. “In the forest, at night, all alone, why would a wizard waste magic cloaking a lower level demon in their own camp?”
Barabus thought for a bit as the two remained silent. “Could they have cloaked the sprites at this location, which is what you are detecting and then sent them back to spy on us?”
The knight looked startled for a moment and then gave Barabus a tight-lipped grin of approval. “You are good, Arch-Vicar; you have a talent for ferretting out the wiles of darkness, as I’ve long believed. It’s why I always enjoy serving with you. We think alike!”
Barabus simply nodded at the compliment. Despite the fact that it was not a comparison he could agree with. “I will have the chaplains scry the entire Rod and the trail before, after and alongside. If there are invisible demons spying on us, we shall find them.”
“And I shall eliminate them.” Talarius nodded in agreement.
Chapter 66
“Are you sure that,” Exador looked pointedly at Ramses’ clothing, “is such a good idea?” The two were walking down the hall from Exador’s quarters, towards those he had prepared for his ally.
Ramses looked at him. “As I recall, it was your idea that I should get more actively involved. Should actually be present in Freehold in the event someone else tries to get the book?”
“Yes,” Exador said patiently, “but do you have to wear that attire?” Ramses had changed from his previous pharaoh-ware to a completely different uniform. He’d also readjusted his height to just under seven feet, and shifted his pigmentation to a more Caucasian golden tan. His current uniform was composed of black leather straps wrapped tightly around his legs, arms, chest and midsection.
The straps were finely spaced as to appear to be a single unified garment. A gold belt held a short dark purple sash over the groin area, which was encased in black leather briefs that melded into the straps. Protruding black shoulder pads or guards that, remarkably, did not interfere with movement jutted from his shoulders.
The pads also stretched down to provide black metal armor to the chest region. Gold belts, crossing over his heart with a large purple gem buckle with straps going under ribcage and up the back, appeared to hold the pads in place. From experience, Exador knew they were strapped on much more securely in other locations. A black leather bandanna wrapped Ramses forehead, pulling his hair out of the way. Slung across his back were two large katanas, crossed at opposing angles for quick overhead draws by either hand.
“I always wear this attire when I am in Astlan.” Ramses stated succinctly.
“But what if someone recognizes it?” Exador asked, exasperated.
“No one has worn the uniform of a Time Warrior on this plane for a thousand years. I doubt very seriously if you’ll find any fashion consultants who’ll recognize it.”
“Well, if some curious old scholar happens to recognize it from a painting or worse yet, recognize you. There will be a rather loud outcry.”
“Well then,” Ramses stated, smiling viciously, “I will just have to deal with those who object.”
Dinner with Lenamare was about as pleasant as Edwyrd had expected. Lenamare had led them into a small dining room upon their arrival. The room had been furnished relatively well, and the food was certainly on par with which had been served at lunch. The conversation, however, left something to be desired. For the first part of the meal, neither Lenamare nor Jehenna said anything more than the perfunctory words necessary to conduct a dinner. Halfway through the main course, Lenamare changed that and Edwyrd wished the man had not bothered.
“So, Jenn, I trust you had a relatively uneventful trip after parting ways with Jehenna.” Lenamare stated rather than asked.
“Well, I’m not sure I’d call it uneventful, but we made it.”
“Yes, and since you had the book, we are glad you did.” Jehenna told her. “One question that remains, however, is: what exactly did you do with the demon?” The other party members looked directly at Jenn, wondering what the official line would be with the two wizards.
“Well, it slew the ambushers, then it escorted us part way. After we acquired such company as to be able to ensure safe travel on our own, we had no need of it, so it left.”
“It left?” Lenamare asked. He didn’t sound incredibly convinced.
“So you are saying that you used the ring to coerce it into helping you, and then you dismissed it?” Jehenna prompted.
“Not exactly.” Jenn said, looking back and forth between the two.
“Not exactly? What exactly is not exactly? Do you have my ring or not?” Jehenna asked. “If so, I’d like it back.” Lenamare simply nodded.
“Well, no, I don’t have the ring. The demon destroyed it.” Jenn admitted softly.
“The demon what!” Lenamare asked raising his voice.
Jehenna reached across the table, lightly touching Jenn’s hand. “What do you mean: destroyed it?”