The Nyjyr Ennead? Tiernon asked in shock. They are allied with Orcus? Aside from Hilda’s suspicions, he had not seen or heard anything from them in the last several hundred years. Ever since Sentir Fallon’s last screw-up.
They are; and as you might expect, they are also very angry with us, Beragamos said.
Tiernon sighed. He really did not need this, but at least things were coming out into the open. Perhaps it was the Nyjyr Ennead who had convinced Orcus to call in the Tribunal’s agents? He shook his head. Better the threats you knew than the ones you did not. Is there anything else you need? he asked.
Only the obvious. We do not want to marshal our avatars for Nysegard through Sentir Fallon. I think it best to keep him in the dark about what is going on until we can sort things out, Beragamos said.
Agreed, Tiernon replied. At the moment, all we have is the word of those we have wronged under his oversight. We need further inquiry, but at the same time, I cannot risk Sentir Fallon making the situation worse.
Beragamos shook his head as he disconnected from Tiernon. How could I have been so stupid? he thought to himself. This relay link thing should have been obvious to anyone with a clear head. In hindsight, he now realized they could have used their links to other priests on Nysegard, in other cities, to make connections and teleport to those priests, thus getting outside the Citadel.
I panicked — we panicked. People as old and supposedly as experienced as Beragamos should not panic. Dealing in the mortal realms led one to think like a mortal, react like a mortal. Although perhaps not only a mortal fault; any avatar suddenly cut off from their god would panic.
However, they had just been dealing with a similar situation with the Inferno. They should have learned from that, developed scenarios for that and similar situations. Not that anyone, other than Orcus and perhaps Sentir Fallon, could have anticipated such a situation.
This business with Sentir Fallon was bad. Sentir Fallon was a longtime friend and colleague. Beragamos knew Tiernon had been suspicious, and for very good reasons frustrated with the archon; however, at no point had Beragamos actually suspected Sentir Fallon of any complicity. It was just not in the archon’s nature, or so Beragamos had thought. He had been Sentir’s strongest backer before Tiernon and Torean.
Now, today, not only had he panicked and been unable to figure out a way to deal with the interdiction — something that should have been obvious to him — he had heard credible testimony that Sentir Fallon was in league with Lilith as well as Nét. Perhaps even the Storm Lords, given that they somehow had the same magineering.
He closed his eyes. Perhaps it was time to retire, or take a break. He had been at this for so very long now and he was making mistakes. He shook his head. Look at how much he had enjoyed working with Hilda, though. Up until now, their adventures had been the most enjoyable experiences he’d had in centuries, if not millennia. Was that a subconscious recognition that he was getting too old for his job?
Chapter 146
As soon as Talarius and Stainsberry came through the runic gateway from the Isle of Doom, Talarius paused to re-secure a few items on War Arrow’s tack. They had had to return to the Isle of Doom due to the fact that his Bag of Safekeeping, which had been with the gear Iskerus had brought with him, refused to open in the Citadel. Stainsberry had had the same problem. Thus, in order to get items that both would need for the coming battle, they’d had to return to the Isle, outside of the interdiction, so they could get to their gear. He would need to keep this in mind in the future, in case this interdiction business started becoming part of a new standard in siegecraft.
War Arrow was now all set in her special Unlife Barding, which included silver horse shoes with spikes on them, along with full guards for her legs and underside. While certainly the largest, this would not be their first Unlife army. Their reunion had been very joyful and both he and War Arrow were excited to ride into battle once more.
Stainsberry’s steed, Mufasa, was a giant winged lion that had been stabled in Agnothnon; Stainsberry had needed to retrieve him and his tack, as well as his Bag of Safekeeping. War Arrow had eyed the lion warily, but had not seemed too worried. War Arrow routinely dealt with undead, Unlife, demons, all sorts of unpleasant things. A winged lion was no more than a curiosity for her.
He closed his eyes, calming himself. Only a few more minutes and he would be in battle, his mind clear and in focus for the purpose ahead. No more time for questions and self-doubt; training and experience would take over. This was a job he knew how to do, that he had done countless times.
He glanced up as he heard more people coming through the gateway behind him. It was Tom, Antefalken and three other demons of different proportions.
“Who are these — uhm — gentlemen?” Talarius asked Tom, referring to the three demons coming through the runic gateway carrying large rectangular boxes with them. “And what are they carrying?”
Tom, in his Edwyrd/Lord Orcus form, smiled at the two knights. “These are Talgorf, Bellyachus and Lesteroth Garflog, and they are carrying an invention of Phaestus’s devising. I call them Doomboxes.”
“Doomboxes?” Talarius asked, shaking his head.
“It’s a reference to my home world; to something called a boom box. These have the same sort of purpose, but are magical. They are connected to the Doom sound system, so anything we play at Doom on the organ and from the band will be broadcast — relayed — through these speakers,” Tom explained.
Talarius squinted. “What? You want music for the battle?”
Tom nodded. “It’s actually a D’Orc tradition, used to intimidate our enemies and rally our troops.”
“This is going to be epic!” Bellyachus exclaimed, nodding.
“It should enliven the battle. What will they be playing?” Stainsberry asked.
Tom shook his head. “I have no idea; I’ve left Tizzy in charge of the musical arrangements.”
Talarius blinked. “Well, this should be interesting. But I am sure it will help spur us on to victory!”
“I hope so too,” Antefalken said, holding up the protective bag for his crystal ball. “I am running out of space on my ball. I’m hoping you can defeat the Storm Lords within a few hours.”
Talarius and Tom both made choking noises at that statement. “I think we are looking at several days,” Tom told the bard.
Antefalken gritted and bared his teeth in frustration. “Well, that sucks. I wonder if they have a crystal ball store here?”
“It’s a big place — it’s actually a city,” Talarius told the bard. “So it’s possible.” He shook his head and turned back to Tom.
Tom grinned, shaking his head. He handed Talarius a large horn on a strap. “Anyway, speaking of our soundtrack, I want you, Talarius, to lead the charge and sound the Trumpet of Doom. Under normal circumstances, it would sound both where its player is and in Doom. I’ve added a link through the Doomalogue so those in Doom, as well as the Isle of Doom, can hear it.
“As we discussed, we have staged the D’Orcs in Nysegard to take advantage of the time difference. Behind the five of you, I will follow my link to the horn and open the sky portal below the storm clouds and allow the full light of Atun to bathe the field of battle. The Forces of Doom — demons, D’Orcs and D’Wargs — shall come through behind you,” Tom explained for the benefit of those that had not been at the planning table. Which would be the four demons, Mufasa and War Arrow.