"Urn…."
"Too late! We're already dead. You won't have time to ponder energy problems. That's why you always have to hold some back to deal with immediate situations while you rally your energies from other activities. Now do you see?"
"I think so, Aahz," I said haltingly. "I'm a bit tired."
"Well, think about it. It's important. In the meantime get some sleep and try to store up your energies. Incidentally, let the finder spear go for now. You can summon it up again in the morning. Right now, it's just a needless drain."
"Okay, Aahz. How about your disguise?"
"Hmm… better keep that. It'll be good practice for you to maintain both that and the wards in your sleep. Speaking of which…."
"Right, Aahz."
I drew my acquired assassin's cloak about me for warmth and curled up. Despite his gruff manner, Aahz was persistent that I get enough sleep as well as food.
Sleep did not come easily, however. I found I was still a bit wound up over casting the wards.
"Aahz?"
"Yeah, kid?"
"How would you say my powers right now. stack up against the devils?"
"What devils?"
"The assassins that were following us."
"I keep telling you, kid. Those weren't Deveels, those were Imps."
"What's the difference?"
"I told you before. Imps are from Imper, and Deveels…."
"… are from Deva," I finished for him. "But what does that mean? I mean, are their powers different or something?"
"You'd better believe it. kid." Aahz snorted. "Deveels are some of the meanest characters you'd ever not want to tangle with. They're some of the most feared and respected characters in the dimensions."
' 'Are they warriors? Mercenaries?"
Aahz shook his head.
"Worse!" he answered. "They're merchants."
"Merchants?"
"Don't sneer, kid. Maybe merchants is too sedate a phrase to describe them. Traders Supreme is more like it."
"Tell me more, Aahz."
"Well, history was never my forte, but as near as I can tell, at one time the entire dimension Deva faced economic ruin. The lands suffered a plague that affected the elements. Fish could not live in its oceans, plants could not grow in the soil. Those plants that did grow were twisted and changed and poisoned the animals. The dimension was no longer able to support the life of its citizenry."
I lay, staring up at the stars as Aahz continued his tale.
"Dimension travel, once a frivolous pastime, now became the key to survival. Many left Deva, migrating singly or in groups to other dimensions. Their tales of their barren, miserable homeland served as a prototype for many religious groups' concept of an after-world for evil souls.
"The ones who stayed, however, decided to use the power of dimension travel in a different way. They established themselves as traders, traveling the dimensions buying and selling wonders. What is common in one dimension is frequently rare in another. As the practice grew, they became rich and powerful… also the shrewdest hagglers in all the dimensions. Their techniques for driving a hard bargain have been passed down from generation to generation and polished until now they are without equal. They are scattered through the dimensions, returning to Deva only occasionally to visit the Bazaar."
"The Bazaar?" I prompted.
"No one can travel extensively in all the dimensions in one lifetime. The Bazaar on Deva is the place the Deveels meet to trade with each other. An off-dimension visitor there will be sore pressed to not lose over much, much less hold his own. It's said if you make a deal with a Deveel, you'd be wise to count your fingers afterward… then your arms and legs, then your relatives…."
"I get the picture. Now how about the Imps?"
"The Imps." Aahz said the word as if it tasted bad. "The Imps are inferior to the Deveels in every way."
"How so?"
"They're cheap imitations. Their dimension, Imper, lies close to Deva, and the Deveels bargain with them so often they're almost bankrupt from the irresistible 'fair deals.' To hold their own, they've taken to aping the Deveels, attempting to peddle wonders through the dimensions. To the uneducated, they may seem clever and powerful; in fact, occasionally they try to pass themselves off as Deveels. Compared to the masters, however, they're bungling incompetents."
He trailed off into silence. I pondered his words, and they prompted another question.
"Say, Aahz?"
"Hmm? Yeah, kid?"
"What dimension do you come from?"
"Perv."
"Does that make you a Pervert?"
"No. That makes me a Pervect. Now shut up!"
I assumed he wanted me to go to sleep, and maintained silence for several minutes. There was just one more question I had to ask, however, if I was going to get any sleep at all.
"Aahz?"
"Keep it down, kid."
"What dimension is this?"
"Hmmm? This is Klah, kid. Now for the last time, shut up."
"What does that make me, Aahz?"
There was no answer.
"Aahz?"
I rolled over to look at him. He was staring out into the darkness and listening intently.
"What is it?"
"I think we've got company, kid."
As if in response to his words, I felt a tremor in the wards as something came through.
I bounded to my feet as two figures appeared at the edge of the firelight. The light was dimming, but was sufficient to reveal the fact that both figures were wearing the hooded cloaks of assassins, and the gold side was out!
Chapter Eight
In times of crisis, it is of utmost importance not to lose one's head.
M. Antoinette
THE four of us stood in frozen tableau for several minutes studying each other. My mind was racing, but could not focus on the definite course of action. I decided to follow Aahz's lead and simply stood regarding the two figures cooly, trying to ignore the two cross-bows leveled steadily on us.
Finally, one of our visitors broke the silence.
"Well, Throckwoddle? Aren't you going to invite your friends to sit down?"
Surprisingly, this was addressed to me!
"Ummm…." I said.
"Yes, Throckwoddle," Aahz drawled, turning to me. "And aren't you going to introduce me to your colleagues?"
"Urn…." I repeated.
"Perhaps he doesn't remember us," the second figure injected sarcastically.
"Nonsense," responded the first with equal sarcasm. "His two oldest friends? Brockhurst and Higgens? How could he possibly not remember our names? Just because he forgot to share the loot doesn't mean he'd forget our names. Be fair, Higgens."
"Frankly, Brockhurst," responded the other. "I'd rather he remembered the loot and forgot our names."
Their words were stuffy and casual, but the cross-bows never wavered.
I was beginning to get the picture. Apparently these were the two Imps Aahz had assured me couldn't overtake us. Fortunately, it seemed they thought I was the Imp who had killed Garkin… at least I thought it was fortunate.
"Gentlemen," Aahz exclaimed, stepping forward. "Let me say what a great pleasure it is to…."
He stopped as Brockhurst's crossbow leapt to his shoulder in one smooth move.
"I'm not sure who you are," he intoned. "But I'd advise you to stay out of this. This is a private matter between the three of us."
"Brockhurst," interrupted Higgens. "It occurs to me we may be being a bit hasty in our actions."
"Thank you, Higgens," I said, greatly relieved.
"Now that we've established contact," he continued, favoring me with an icy glare, "I feel we should perhaps secure our traveling companion before we continue this… discussion."
"I suppose you're right, Higgens," Brockhurst admitted grudgingly. "Be a good fellow and fetch him along while I watch these two."
"I feel that would be ill-advised on two counts. First, I refuse to approach t
hat beast alone, and second, that would leave you alone facing two to one odds, if you get my point."
"Quite. Well, what do you suggest?"
"That we both fetch our traveling companion and return without delay."
"And what is to keep these two from making a hasty departure?"
"The fact that we'll be watching them from somewhere in the darkness with cross-bows. I believe that should be sufficient to discourage them from making… ah… any movements which might be subject to misinterpretation."
"Very well," Brockhurst yielded grudgingly. "Throckwoddle, I would strongly suggest you not attempt to avoid us further. While I don't believe we could be any more upset with you than we already are, that might actually succeed in provoking us further."
With that, the two figures faded back into darkness.
"What are we going to do, Aahz?" I whispered frantically.
He seemed not to hear me.
"Imps!" he chortled, rubbing his hands together gleefully. "What a stroke of luck!"
"Aahz! They're going to kill me!"
"Hm? Relax, kid. Like I said. Imps are gullible. If they were really thinking, they would have shot us down without talking. I haven't met an Imp yet I couldn't talk circles around."
He cocked his head, listening.
"They're coming back now. Just follow my lead. Oh yes… I almost forgot. Drop the disguise on my features when I give you the cue."
"But you said they couldn't catch…."
I broke off as the two Imps reappeared. They were leading a war unicorn between them. The hoods of the cloaks were back now, revealing their features. I was moderately surprised to see they looked human, seedy perhaps, but human nonetheless. Then I saw Quigley.
He was sitting woodenly astride the unicorn, lurching back and forth with the beast's stride. His eyes were staring fixedly straight ahead and his right arm was raised as if in salutation. The light of the fire reflected off his face as if it were glass, and I realized with horror he was no longer alive, but a statue of some unidentified substance.
Any confidence I might have gained from Aahz's assurances left me in a rush. Gullible or not, the Imps played for keeps, and any mistake we made would in all likelihood be our last.
"Who's that?" Aahz asked, interrupting my thoughts.
I realized I had been dangerously close to showing a betraying sign of recognition of the statue.
"There will be time for that later, if indeed there is a later," said Higgens, grimly dropping the unicorn's reins and raising his crossbow.
"Yes," echoed Brockhurst, imitating Higgens's move with his own weapon. "First there is a matter of an explanation to be settled. Throckwoddle?"
"Gentlemen, gentlemen," said Aahz soothingly, stepping between me and the cross-bows. "Before you proceed I must insist on introducing myself properly. If you will but allow me a moment while I remove my disguise."
The sight of the two weapons had rattled me so badly I almost missed my cue. Fortunately, I managed to gather my scattered senses and closed my eyes, shakily executing the change features spell to convert Aahz back to his normal dubious appearance.
I'm not sure what reaction I had expected from the Imps at the transformation, but the one I got surpassed any possible expectations.
"By the Gods below!" gasped Brockhurst.
"A Pervert!" gasped Higgens.
"That's Pervect!" smiled Aahz, showing all his pointed teeth. "And don't ever forget it, friend Imps."
"Yessir!" they chorused in unison.
They were both standing in slack-jawed amazement, cross-bows dangling forgotten in their hands. From their terrified reactions, I began to suspect that despite all his bragging, Aahz had perhaps not told me everything about his dimension or the reputation of its inhabitants.
Aahz ignored their stares and plopped down again at his place by the fire.
"Now that that's established, why don't you put away those silly cross-bows and sit down so we can chat like civilized folk. eh?"
He gestured impatiently and they hastened to comply.
I also resumed a sitting position, not wishing to be the only one left standing.
"But… what are… why are you here… sir… if you don't mind my asking?" Brockhurst finally managed to get the whole question out.
However incompetent he might be as a demon, he sure knew how to grovel.
"Ah!" smiled Aahz. "Therein lies the story."
I settled back. This could take a while.
"I was summoned across the dimensions barrier by one Garkin, a magician I have never cared much for. It seems he was expecting some trouble from a rival and was eager to enlist my aid for the upcoming fracas. Now, as I said before, I had never been fond of Garkin and was not particularly wild about joining him. He began growing unpleasant in his insistence to the point that I considered swaying from my normal easygoing nature to take action against him, when who should appear but Throckwoddle here who did me the favor of putting a quarrel into the old slime-stirrer."
Aahz acknowledged me with an airy wave. I tried to look modest.
"Naturally we fell to chatting afterward, and he mentioned he was in the employment of one Isstvan and that his action against Garkin had been part of an assignment."
"You answered questions about an assignment?" Higgens turned to me aghast.
"Yes I did," I snarled at him. "Wouldn't you. considering the circumstances?"
"Oh, yes… of course…." He darted a nervous glance at Aahz and lapsed into respectful silence again.
"Anyway," Aahz continued, "it occurred to me I owed this fellow Isstvan a favor for ridding me of a nagging nuisance, so I suggested I accompany Throckwoddle back to his employer that I might offer him my services, on a limited basis, of course."
"You could have waited for us." Brockhurst glowered at me.
"Well… I wanted… you see… I…."
"I insisted," Aahz smiled. "You see, my time is quite valuable and I had no desire to waste it waiting around."
"Oh," said Brockhurst.
Higgens was not so easily swayed.
"You could have left us a message," he muttered.
"We did," Aahz replied. "My ring, in full view on the table. I see you found it."
He pointed an accusing finger at Brockhurst. I noticed for the first time the Imp was wearing Garkin's ring.
"This ring?" Brockhurst started. "Is it yours? I thought it was part of Garkin's loot that had been overlooked.
"Yes, it's mine." Aahz bared his teeth. "I'm surprised you didn't recognize it. But now that we're united, you will, of course, return it."
"Certainly!" the Imp fumbled in his haste to remove the ring.
"Careful there," Aahz cautioned. "You know how to operate it, don't you? It can be dangerous in ignorant hands."
"Of course I know how to operate it," Brockhurst replied in an injured tone. "You press against the ring with the fingers on either side of it. I saw one like it at the Bazaar on Deva once."
He tossed the ring to Aahz who caught it neatly and slipped it on his finger. Fortunately it fit. I made a mental note to ask Aahz to let me try using the ring sometime, now that we knew how it worked.
"Now that I've explained about me, how about answering my question," Aahz said, leveling a finger at the Quigley statue. "Who is that?"
"We aren't sure ourselves," Higgens admitted.
"It's all quite puzzling, really," Brockhurst added.
"Would you care to elaborate on that?" Aahz prompted.
"Well, it happened about three days back. We were following your trail to… um… with hopes of reuniting our group. Suddenly this warrior gallops out of the brush ahead of us and bars our path. It was as if he knew we were coming and was waiting for us. 'Isstvan was right!' he shouts, 'This region does abound with demons!' "
"Isstvan?" I said, doing my best to look puzzled.
"That's what he said. It surprised us, too. I mean, here we are working for Isstvan, and were set upon by a man claiming to be s
ent by the same employer. Anyway, then he says, 'Behold the weapon of your doom!' and draws a sword."
"What kind of sword was it?" Aahz asked innocently.
"Nothing special. Actually a little substandard from all we could see. Well, it put us in a predicament. We had to defend ourselves, but were afraid to harm him on the off-chance he really was working for Isstvan."
"What did you do?" I asked.
"Frankly, we said 'to heck with it' and took the easy way out. Higgens here bounced one of his stone balls off the guy's forehead and froze him in place. We've been dragging him along ever since. We figure we'll dump him in Isstvan's lap and let him sort it out."
"A wise solution," commented Aahz.
They inclined their heads graciously at the compliment.
"One question I'd like to ask," I interjected. "How were you able to overtake us, encumbered as you were?"
"Well, it was no small problem. We had little hope of overtaking you as it was, and with our new burden, it appeared it would be impossible," Brockhurst began.
"We were naturally quite eager to… ah… join you, so we resorted to desperate measures," Higgens continued. "We took a side trip to Twixt and sought the aid of the Deveel there. It cost us a pretty penny, but he finally agreed to teleport our group to the trail ahead of you, allowing us to make our desired contact."
"Deveel? What Deveel?" Aahz interrupted.
"Frumple. The Deveel at Twixt. The one who…."
Brockhurst broke off suddenly, his eyes narrowing suspiciously. He shot a dark glance at Higgens, who was casually reaching for his crossbow.
"I'm surprised Throckwoddle hasn't mentioned Frumple to you," Higgens purred. "After all, he's the one who told us about him."
Chapter Nine
To function efficiently, any group of people or employees must have faith in their leader.
Capt. Bugh (retired.)
"YES, Throckwoddle." If anything, Aahz's voice was even more menacing than the Imp's. "Why didn't you tell me about the Deveel?"
"It… ah… must have slipped my mind," I mumbled.
With a massive exertion of self-control, I shot my most withering glare at the Imps, forcing myself to ignore the menace of the cross-bows. I was rewarded by seeing them actually look guilty and avoid my gaze.
Another Fine Myth ma-1 Page 6
