“No reason. I just see no need to bore you with the details,” Boggy said.
Talarius squinted through the eye slit in his helmet. There was something this demon did not want him to know about these new arrival demons. Perhaps some secret in how to bind demons? Something that if he knew, he might be able to sabotage? A way to keep demons from being conjured to Astlan? That would be valuable. Although if they were talking about binding demons, was not a bound demon better than an unbound demon? Hmm, clearly more investigation might be warranted.
Talarius suddenly opened his eyes wide. Was this why he was here? Did Tiernon have a plan for him? Perhaps to uncover something that would allow them to defeat these evil creatures once and for all... Could it be that his downfall was the will of Tiernon? The start of a most holy of crusades? Dared he hope?
Antefalken made his way to the bar. He needed a drink. He had come to the Courts to hear the local gossip and ended up with more than he wanted. He had not been more than a few blocks into the city when these big goons surrounded him and provided him an invitation to see Lilith. They were friendly enough, but it was clear they were not taking no for an answer.
Admittedly, he had thought of visiting Lilith, depending on what the word on the street was. He just had not planned on it being his first stop. The goons had ushered him in to her quarters and then quickly left.
“My dear, sweet Anty!” Lilith cooed as she emerged from behind a curtain. Antefalken felt his shoulders slump. She was in her see-through form. That was never good. It was a very dramatic form where you could see her skeleton and a few select organs, while her body itself was a currently purple, translucent shell. You could see her skin normally; it was simply see-through. On top of that she wore a rather diaphanous skirt and back cape, along with numerous articles of jewelry.
Fortunately, she had not eaten anyone recently. That was always disconcerting: to see her digesting some poor sap that had gotten on her bad side. Unless she was hungry? Antefalken shuddered slightly and bowed to her. “My Lady, so good to see you again.” He smiled brightly.
“And you.” She smiled, coming closer and wrapping an arm around his shoulder, drawing him over to her divan. “So, it seems you’ve had a near-final death experience?”
“My Lady, as always, is well informed.” Antefalken kissed her hand.
“It must have been very nerve-racking,” Lilith said as she wrapped herself around Antefalken on the couch.
He really did not find this form attractive. “It was indeed,” he said.
“Fortunately, this Tom friend of yours was a bit more than he seemed?” She smiled at the bard.
He could not determine what sort of smile it was, and that made him more nervous. “Very fortunate, my love.” He kissed her left breast, closing his eyes to avoid looking at her beating, glowing red translucent heart.
“So, I assume he has returned to the Abyss?”
“Yes, My Lady, along with the rest of his entourage and his hostage. I simply left them to come report to you,” Antefalken murmured around her nipple. He doubted he could distract her, but he would give it a try.
“So he’s at his cave?”
“He has nowhere else.”
“Well, that’s a shame!” She pulled back from him suddenly and gave him a wide smile.
“He’s bound to be hounded by who knows how many lickspittles trying to curry his favor! And the paparazzi will be insane. A cave just won’t do!” Lilith stood, marched seductively over to her diamond drink cart and poured two glasses of some blood-red beverage that did not look too much like blood.
She pivoted with the two glasses and came back towards Antefalken. “He must come visit me! I will provide him, his entourage and his hostage with appropriate accommodations!”
Antefalken smiled as best he could, taking one of the glasses. This was exactly what he had been afraid of. “My love! As always you are so wonderfully generous!” He raised his glass to hers in a toast.
She smiled sweetly. “So, when can we expect his presence? I shall have a feast prepared!”
“Ah...” Antefalken twisted his head slightly. “I will relay your invitation immediately upon my return. I am sure he will be... delighted.” He took a drink. “I can’t, of course, promise that he’ll accept — ”
“Oh, Anty! Do not be so dismissive of your charms! You are the most persuasive demon I know. I am sure you can convince him to enjoy my hospitality.” Lilith sipped her drink.
“You flatter me, My Lady. I will do everything in my power to persuade him.” She smiled at this. “However, he is a greater demon and I’m simply me...”
Lilith’s eyes were steel. “Again, I am sure you will succeed. I have every confidence in you.”
Antefalken ordered a second cup of Denubian Choco-CoffeeTM. This was not something he would be able to get out of easily. One did not turn Lilith down. No one did. Antefalken was sure that even Asmodeus would hesitate. However, he really did not think it a good idea for Lilith to host Tom and friends. For one thing, she hated Tizzy with a passion. He needed to get them out of the Abyss. But how?
“So, do you think he’ll succeed?” a tall, reddish-skinned gentleman asked as he stepped through a wall that had simply appeared in Lilith’s parlor. He had black, slicked-back hair with only a touch of gray at the temples along with two small, dark, pointy horns, and a Van Dyke beard and mustache. He wore a somewhat theatrical suit and cloak with large pauldrons. As soon as he had stepped through, the wall vanished.
“I give it fifty-fifty.” Lilith refilled her glass and poured a new one for her eavesdropping colleague.
“You did seem to incentivize the bard,” Asmodeus observed, taking the glass. He grimaced slightly as he watched the blood wine flow down Lilith’s clear esophagus. “Would you mind changing into something less see-through? You know I dislike that form.”
Lilith frowned at him in annoyance and allowed her skin to return to its normal porcelain white. A black full-length dress and cape formed around her previously nearly naked body. “I am not sure why I take fashion advice from a man whose own form for the last few decades has been taken from some book he found in the outer realms.”
“It was an encyclopedia of various legendary beings, and I happened to be in it. While the likeness was completely wrong, I found it quite flattering to be included, so I took the form of the drawing.”
“I think it was a children’s book or something.” Lilith shook her head at his silliness.
“I doubt that; it was written by an obviously astute and knowledgeable author.”
“An obviously knowledgeable author?” Lilith arched an eyebrow and took another swig of blood wine.
“Yes, one Egary Gygax, clearly a name of distinction and good breeding. There were numerous other books of his in the library,” Asmodeus protested. Lilith rolled her eyes.
“I think the sage you had translating the book was probably drunk.”
“He was not. He was, actually is, quite trustworthy and knowledgeable. He has been with me for the last three thousand years or so. Further, this tome described me as the Law of Evil. And if there is anyone that applies to, certainly it is I.” He swept his arms around as if gesturing to his domain.
Lilith took another swig of blood wine. “Seriously? Have you cleared that with any of your colleagues? They all think they are the Law of Evil.”
Asmodeus gave her a small snarl and glare.
“Back to the issue at hand. Do you think the bard will bring this demon to us? We need to know how he managed to tap into Tiernon’s private mana stream. It is clearly the biggest breakthrough and most exciting development in the Eternal Conflict in at least six or seven thousand years! It could tip the balance in our favor once and for all!”