King of Chaos

by Dave Gross

  Mutely, she nodded.

  Glancing back only once to see her cautiously approaching the unicorns, I walked down the hill with the others. Halfway down, I found Radovan searching the ground. He already had his big knife in hand.

  "What is it?" I asked. I twisted my light ring to illuminate the ground.

  "My lucky copper," he said. "It's got to be here somewhere."

  I helped him search until Oparal came down the hill alone. Radovan looked up at her, utterly uninhibited by his nudity. "Hey, sweetheart," he said. "You all right?"

  "Let her be," I whispered.

  He watched her walk past us to join the others. We returned our attention to the ground and searched for a few more minutes before he said, "Desna weeps. It's not here. Well, you got the books. Anything else we need before we blow out of this joint?"

  A dreadful weight formed in my stomach. I could barely believe I had not thought of it sooner. "Oh no."

  I ran up the hill, Radovan close behind me. Arnisant woofed and ran to join us, sensing a chase. He came to sit by my heel as I looked down at the ashes, bones, and golden mask that lay upon the stone circle.

  "That's something, anyway," said Radovan.

  Sifting through the remains, I found the clasps from which the Lexicon and Codex had once hung. I took Kasiya's miniature chariot and shook off the ashes. "Fetch a couple of men," I said. "We are taking the corpse."

  "What, you going to put him in a glass case in your library?"

  "I shall return his remains to the royal family. But first I shall see them blessed by the highest priest of Iomedae and drowned in the purest holy water money can buy."

  Radovan grinned. "Because he don't know when to quit."

  "And I intend to teach him."

  Epilogue

  Oparal

  A hush fell over the camp. Emerging from my tent, where I had finished donning my repaired and restored armor, I looked around for the source of the sudden change.

  Despite the continuing exodus of demons unwilling to defend their city in the absence of Areelu Vorlesh, a constant clamor of preparation had run throughout our growing camp. Since we had taken up a position just east of Undarin two days before, more crusaders joined us almost hourly: infantry, cavalry, inquisitors, battle-clerics, and war-wizards from Nerosyan.

  The survivors of our expedition were now but a small fraction of a far larger company. Hundreds strong, we had assembled for a single purpose: to free the captives of the Tower of Zura. Every demon we slew in pursuit of that goal was an additional triumph.

  Afterward, the expanded company would return to Nerosyan to escort our precious cargo: the original and restored Lexicon of Paradox. Count Jeggare had once again astonished me by agreeing to return the fell volume to Queen Galfrey.

  A month earlier I would have suspected treachery, waiting for him at any moment to snatch away the Lexicon and deliver it to his despicable Queen Abrogail. But now, after the shared trials and perils of our journey around the Worldwound, I believed the Chelish count truly was as good as his word.

  Even with his grimoire destroyed, Count Jeggare's newfound sorcerous ability allowed him to convey a message to an old acquaintance in Nerosyan. He could barely contain his excitement at the revelation Jelani had given him. It was as though he had become an apprentice again, discovering a talent for magic for the first time.

  I spied a mass of crusaders gathering at the southwestern corner of camp, the one nearest the cliff below which ran the poisoned river. Somewhere beneath its tainted currents lay my sword, the Ray of Lymirin.

  The first thing I had done upon reaching the shore was to plunge into those waters, only to rush out again, unable to stifle my own screams. The polluted current burned my flesh with unholy power. The Ray was lost to me, until one day the engineers could divert the river long enough to mount a search for its recovery.

  I pushed past other crusaders to see what had caused the commotion. Most of them were strangers to me, but they saluted my rank. A few addressed me by name, surprising me because I knew none of them. I began to wonder exactly what else Count Jeggare had communicated to Nerosyan.

  Aprian ran up beside me. "What is it?"

  "I don't know."

  The answer revealed itself to both of us at once. The soldiers before us parted to reveal Radovan, walking unclothed through the camp. Spying me, he approached with a grin.

  I saw that his borrowed clothes lay draped over his shoulder as filthy water dripped off his naked body. In his arms he bore a long, narrow object covered in burlap.

  When he approached, I said, "What's so important that you couldn't put on your pants first?"

  "I brought a towel," he said, unwrapping the object in his arms. "But I needed it for this."

  The Ray of Lymirin lay within the folds of the cloth.

  "But how did you—?" I knew the answer even as I spoke the words. While his actions had often proved anything but evil, Radovan was born of a uniquely fiendish bloodline. The unholy river might burn me and the other crusaders, but it didn't harm him.

  The burlap had wiped away much of the river slime, but as I took the hilt in hand, the Ray blazed white, disintegrating the remaining muck. Radovan winced and stepped away from the radiance, causing a stir among the assembled crusaders.

  "Calm down, boys and girls," said Radovan. "I'm the devil you know."

  A few of the soldiers looked to me. I nodded to them. "Despite appearances, Radovan is most certainly our ally. Look what he's done." I held the Ray high for all to see. The crowd's appreciative murmur reassured me that they wouldn't seize and try the hellspawn anytime soon.

  Radovan rubbed himself dry with the burlap. As he donned his clothes, I saw burns on his hands and arms. For the same reason the river had not burned him, the Ray had.

  "You mad fool," I said. "Why did you hurt yourself?"

  "Oh, you know. Anything for a friend."

  I handed the sword to Aprian. "Here, Radovan. Give me your hands."

  "I knew you'd come around one day." He leered at me, and I almost changed my mind.

  Instead, I held his hands in mine and prayed to Iomedae. "Peerless Inheritor, though his blood and heritage are strange, I beg you to grant this wretched hellspawn your healing light."

  "Hey, what's with the ‘wretched hellspawn'?" he complained.

  One might argue that we had both blasphemed with our childish banter, but the goddess didn't mind, or else she forgave us both. The radiance flowed from Iomedae into my heart, through my hands and into his. Soon, Radovan's copper skin was once again unmarked by injury.

  "Thanks, Captain—" he said with a wink. "Captain."

  A soldier ran up to deliver a message to Aprian. When he was done, I overheard the sergeant instruct the man to fetch me a scabbard and shield. As the messenger ran off to obey, Aprian returned the Ray to me. "Captain, I am informed that the commander wishes you to have the honor of leading the first charge."

  Pride swelled within my heart, but it was tempered with sadness. Without Bastiel, I would need to borrow a steed from the cavalry. Perhaps it was my pride that had cost me the unicorn's companionship. I had insisted on going into Undarin the first time, knowing I couldn't take him with me. If I had remained behind, letting Aprian take my place—

  No, I decided. That decision was not a mistake of pride. If I had not gone into the tower, I would not have fallen into the hands of Prince Kasiya, and thus I would not have been present to slay him before he completed his ritual.

  Of course, Yavalliska had also used my presence to her own ends. Perhaps if I had never been there—

  No, it was too much for my mortal wisdom to comprehend. I would place my doubts and pride alike in the hands of Iomedae and trust her light to guide me in the future, even though I faced that future alone, without Bastiel.

  When we last met beneath Greengrave Keep, Bastiel told me of the bargain he had made: For their aid against Yavalliska, he promised the noble twins that he would return to the Shroud of Unicorn
s to help them defend their shrinking territory and replenish their numbers.

  He had taken a mate, leaving no more room in his heart for me.

  Radovan

  Heading back from giving Oparal her sword, I wondered what else was wrong with me that the river wouldn't burn me but the holy sword would.

  It wasn't too hard to figure out.

  The devils waiting on the other side of the portal—which was me, but which was also an actual gate in Hell, and apparently another one in the Abyss—they'd all spilled out to enjoy their freedom. That I could live with, as long as they stayed clear of me and mine. There were a lot worse things than five devils already running lose in the world.

  Problem was, their coming through didn't change me. Two nights after we left Greengrave Keep, it was my turn to cook. Second or third time I shook the skillet, I felt something different—something familiar. Which is to say, I hardly felt the heat coming off the iron, even though it was hot enough for cooking.

  Just like the bad old days.

  The first devil that ever came through me was Norge, a big spiky beast with fire for his sigil. I wasn't surprised I hadn't seen or heard him back at Greengrave Keep. He'd "died" in our world about a year ago. The one time I'd seen him since, he was sleeping it off in a nasty little alcove near the Hell side of me.

  With all the other devils gone, after I didn't feel the heat of the skillet, I figured Norge was next in line again, just waiting to wake up and for me to get myself burned bad enough to invite him over. As long as I was still connected to Hell that way, I figured paladins and unicorns were still going to hate me on first sight. Unholy water still wasn't going to hurt me, and holy swords were still going to burn me.

  That was the one thing I'd figured out, but it was a pretty big, bad thing.

  Thinking about that, I lost track of where I was going. I couldn't figure out which tent was mine. The damned crusaders made them all alike, white canvas boxes with a little flag only on the officers' tents. I should have stayed with the boss in the carriage.

  Looking around, I tried to snag a soldier to give me directions, but everybody was in a hurry. Besides, despite what Oparal had said when I bought back her sword, most of the crusaders took one look at me and hurried off. The brave ones shot me a sneer before they went. I shot them the tines.

  "Can't find your tent?"

  Alase snuck up behind me, quiet as a mouse. She looked just about small as one whenever Tonbarse was around, but I didn't see the big black wolf anywhere.

  What I did see was that the god caller had found a bath somewhere, and not in the nasty river I'd just swum. Not that Alase was all that smelly before, but she cleaned up real nice. She'd even parted her usually shaggy hair, showing off the glowing blue rune she and Tonbarse shared.

  And she had that look in her eye.

  I knew that look better than anybody, and ordinarily I was plenty happy to oblige. "Yeah, I just got to get ready for the fight."

  "They won't be ready for an hour," said Alase.

  It was a real good point she had.

  "Radovan? I was hoping to find you before—" Jelani clammed up when she saw Alase on the other side of me. She squinted down at the little god caller, but I could tell she'd just had that same look in her eye, at least until she saw the competition.

  Alase glared right back at her. "Go away," she said. "I found him first."

  "Please," said Jelani. "You're only embarrassing yourself."

  "Hey, I've got a great idea," I said.

  "Do you?" said Jelani, raising an eyebrow crossing her arms.

  That wasn't a good sign.

  "Well, it's just a thought. You know, two birds with one ...kind of ..."

  Alase walked around me to stand beside Jelani. With a glance at the taller woman, she crossed her arms and looked at me, too. "What's this great idea, hm? I think we'd both like to hear what it is you're thinking."

  To the west, I saw the crusaders were already forming ranks. They looked plenty brave with their shining armor and colorful shields. But all they were facing was demons.

  "On the other hand," I said, "maybe I should save my strength for the fight."

  "Oh?" said Jelani. "And here I thought you were about to invite both of us into your tent to prepare for that battle."

  "To get our blood up," Alase nodded. "Isn't that what you were going to suggest?"

  "Well, now that you mention it, it's always a good idea to warm up before—"

  "Radovan," the boss's voice whispered in my ear. "Come to the carriage at once."

  "Seriously, boss?" I remembered to cup my hand by my mouth and whispered, "Now's not a good time. I'm in a delicate sort of—"

  "Must I remind you the attack is imminent?"

  I sighed. "All right, all right. I'm coming."

  Jelani looked down at Alase. "Now he'll tell us the count has summoned him."

  "He's full of big talk," Alase agreed. "Perhaps you and I should go without him."

  "Oh, come on. That's just mean."

  "As you said," Jelani purred. "It's always best to warm up."

  "You're putting me on, right? You're just making fun of me."

  Alase took Jelani by the hand and led her away.

  "Radovan!" insisted the boss.

  "Oh, Desna weeps." I watched the girls disappear into a tent, still wondering whether they were serious.

  "You daft juggler!" said Urno. I was so focused on the women, even an armored dwarf could sneak up on me. "You're not just going to let them go, are you?"

  "The boss just called for me," I said.

  "It's just as well," said Urno. "They're probably just yanking your—well, your chain."

  "Yeah, you're probably right."

  "I mean, unless they're in there waiting for you, stripping off each other's clothes."

  "You don't think ...?"

  Urno shrugged, but he couldn't hide the smile growing beneath his beard.

  "You're a mean, mean dwarf," I yelled at him before running off to the carriage.

  By the time I got there, the boss was wrapping up some business with the high priest of Iomedae. I hung back, waiting for them to finish, but I couldn't stop myself from looking back and craning my neck to see whether Alase and Jelani were still in that tent.

  They were probably just putting me on, in which case Desna smiled on me before I got myself into any worse trouble.

  On the other hand, if they weren't just teasing ...

  Desna weeps.

  Varian

  May the light of the Inheritor ever guide you, Your Excellency." The priest bowed as he received the package containing the Lexicon of Paradox. His hands trembled to receive it. To his credit, he restrained himself from opening the wrapping to confirm its contents. While Radovan and I would accompany the crusaders on their return to Nerosyan, the man was clearly relieved to take the book into his own hands rather than to leave it a moment longer in my custody.

  Although I knew full well that it meant inviting the displeasure of my own monarch, I had resolved to relinquish the original Lexicon of Paradox to Queen Galfrey's sorcerers. Queens Abrogail and Telandia would have to content themselves with copies of the tome, as would I.

  Whether I would send a third to the Decemvirate, I had yet to decide. The question of how Kasiya had obtained the Lacuna Codex only deepened my growing suspicions about the Pathfinder Society's inner circle.

  Despite my long and often rewarding association with the Society, I had begun harboring thoughts of following the example of Ollysta Zadrian and resigning my commission. Unlike the leader of the Shining Crusade, I had no interest in reforming the organization or forming my own. Fortunately, my personal resources allowed me to travel and explore as ever. I had never relied upon the Society for resources, only for colleagues.

  The Codex would remain in my custody, along with my copy of the Lexicon. Securing them at my home might be dangerous, but I could entrust them to no others.

  The priest of Iomedae and his paladin
s bowed their respects and left me beside the Red Carriage. Arnisant sat to my left, while Radovan fidgeted nearby, occasionally craning his neck to peer among the tents.

  "Are you looking for someone?"

  "You don't even want to know, boss. Anyway, I'm here now. What's up?"

  "I noticed you have been uncomfortable in your borrowed clothing," I said. "My friend in Nerosyan kindly sent you a new set of leathers."

  "Really?" Despite his casual tone, I could see I had piqued Radovan's interest.

  "In the carriage."

  I waited while he went inside to change, smiling as I heard a joyous exclamation from inside the vehicle. He emerged moments later, shrugging his shoulders and moving his arms to feel the fit. "It's perfect," he said. "You're the best boss ever."

  "Turn around," I said, admiring the enchanted armor.

  The deep red leather jacket was no match for the one he had lost in Kyonin, but it compared favorably with the one he had destroyed in Ustalav. Hand-tooled, the leather depicted a variety of demonic figures, which I suspected would appeal to him even more after he discovered the designs were based on the badges granted for heroism among the Mendevian crusaders. He had already found the sheath in the jacket's spine. His big knife fit perfectly inside, once more giving him the appearance of a short tail.

  The darker trousers and boots were similarly adorned, and only the latter needed adjustment. I recalled a minor spell I had learned decades ago, a utilitarian enchantment I had never seen fit to consign to a riffle scroll. Relaxing my thoughts, I spoke the words and performed the gestures as I felt they should be.

  "Careful!" said Radovan as his boots contracted to fit his feet.

  "Too tight?"

  He walked a few steps. "No, perfect."

  Retrieving a few scrolls from my pocket, I turned them over to him.

  "Ponies?" he said.

  I nodded. "And a pair of lesser fire spells. If your theory is correct—"

  "I can light myself up," he said, wincing at the thought. He put the scrolls in a side pocket. "You'll understand if I don't try that one anytime soon."

  "Of course," I said. "Nevertheless, I have asked Captain Celverian to warn the troops not to kill you if you suddenly transform into a devil."