Into The Abyss (Demons of Astlan)

by Langland, J.

  The people on the streets paid him no heed, as well they should not. Fiernon had cloaked himself in a government approved invisibility spell for the purpose of executing judicial removal of maleficious perpetrators. As with the Questioner or the Executioner at a sentencing, his identity was concealed to prevent anyone from confusing the higher ideal of justice as an abstract concept that always prevailed, with the actions of any single individual. As Fiernon moved invisibly down towards the dock with Asmeth's ship on it, he began to realize that most of the noise on the docks seemed to be coming from the region of Asmeth's ship.

  He rounded a large crate and got his first clear view of the vessel of criminal mischief that was his goal. The ship was well-lighted from torches along the dock. Soldiers of some form seemed to be swarming all over it. Where had the soldiers come from? Fiernon wondered. They did not appear to be the local constabulary, if said organization could even be called that with a serious face. He scanned the surrounding docks and quickly realized where the soldiers must have come from.

  There were currently twelve more ships in the harbor than there had been this afternoon. All twelve ships were identical in design and bore the same emblems. The same emblems were on the surcoats of the soldiers. White surcoats trimmed in red and black, with large golden starbursts centered on them. Superimposed on the starbursts were short metal combat staves. Rather combat rods, Fiernon thought. He cursed his luck. He recognized the emblem as belonging to soldiers of the Rod of Tiernon.

  The soldiers of the Rod were actually a rather credible force; Fiernon had to admit. They were certainly some of the finest soldiers outside of Oorstemoth itself. They were also extremely thorough, and competent in other matters. He would not be able to get past them, invisible or not, to carry out justice. Technically, he supposed he should sentence the Rod as being obstructers of justice; however, that might be impractical at this time. Further, they'd obviously taken the ship into custody. Obviously, they were aware of the perfidious and malefactorious nature of its proprietor. They must be conducting their own investigation. Thus in their own small way, they were agents of justice.

  Admittedly, as such organizations ran the Rod did try to uphold some semblance of justice and law, at least compared to most heathens and barbarians around the world. Even so, the Rod was a bit lax on certain key points, and at times had in fact been questionable in its actions regarding the preservation of law and order. Fiernon suspected that this came from ultimately serving a deity, rather than serving the law itself. In summary of this learned and legal discourse with himself, Fiernon was not quite ready to judge that the Rod was up to ethically questionable activities; that would require further investigation. Nonetheless, ethically questionable or not, they did prevent, or at least delay, the required judicial action.

  Fiernon shook his head. This was most unfortunate. He would not be able to wait until the Rod had completed its investigation. His superiors had instructed him to follow the principal perpetrators of lascivious and wanton illegal destruction as soon as possible. If he stayed around to enact the requisite portions of the judicial code upon Asmeth and his crew, he'd most likely lose the trail of the more heinously guilty parties. Justice would have to be patient a while longer to exact its price upon Asmeth and his scallywags of surreptitious seagoing smugglers.

  Chapter 60

  The morning sunlight shone brightly down upon the sea below him. A gloriously bright and sunny morning to begin once again the quest to defeat the scions of sin and perdition. A morning to begin anew. The past forgotten. Talarius adjusted his visor slightly to reduce the glare. The wind of their passage penetrated his helmet as a gentle breeze. He peered down to his right, between War Arrow's neck and right wing. The city of Hoggensforth lay spread out before him.

  Slightly to the north and to the east of the city, he could see the clearing in which the Rod had assembled. Unfortunately, the folk of Hoggensforth were denied the benefits of a full Temple of Tiernon, and thus a parade ground for assembling the Rod. The citizenry had to make due with but a small chapel dedicated to Tiernon.

  He knew priests that would say it was truly a shame, that all should be allowed maximum opportunity to witness the glory of Tiernon, but that, unfortunately, material resources were always insufficient to cover all required spiritual needs. While he agreed it was a shame, that the glory of Tiernon could not be spread so, the more pressing reason he regretted the lack of a full Temple was the good that such a resource could have done in the community. Not only would it provide a bastion of light in the Darkness, but also in times less pressing it could provide aid and sustenance to the less fortunate. That was one of the challenges that Tiernon gave his followers, to overcome the adversity of material limitations, in order that they test themselves and prove their worthiness for his glory and love. Not that Tiernon could not be generous to those proven worthy, he certainly was. But first, one must prove oneself worthy. One must not fail in the never-ending battle against the Dark.

  Talarius sighed, Tiernon had been generous and allowed him multiple opportunities to prove himself. Whenever he felt assailed by doubts, Tiernon would provide a suitable challenge to relieve those doubts. Tiernon had seen fit to grant him the rank of Knight Rampant, and challenged him many times with evil on which to test his worthiness and prove his faith. He knew that the vampires had been a test. A test of his faith and his spiritual and emotional strength. Now, once again though, as the cycles seemed to go, he was being given the opportunity to test his physical strength as well as his cunning and wits.

  He'd stopped by to talk with Iskerus before heading to Hoggensforth. It appeared that an army of demons had entered the world through the actions of a priest who had failed in a test of worthiness. The demons, led by an Archaedemon, were on the march to Freehold, for Tiernon knew what sort of Dark-inspired activity. Talarius dreaded the damage that such beings would wreak upon the poor unfortunates in their path. Secretly, inside, however, he rather looked forward to being able to test himself against an Archaedemon. He'd never actually slain an Archaedemon before. Many a lesser demon than what he would now face, but this would be new. The sheer physical and mental challenge kept him from thinking of darker thoughts. Of memories best put behind with cloudy skies.

  Talarius relished the opportunity to slay this archfiend from the pits. He'd spent the entire night in prayer and sharpening Ruiden. Not that Ruiden ever needed sharpening, but he wanted to believe, needed to believe, that the symbolism was also important. The battle was about to begin again. The eternal struggle against the forces of tyranny and evil incarnate. A clear cut, unblemished, challenge at last, after a year of slaying nothing but vampires and the associated problems they raised. Problems for those they plagued and the deeper, darker, problems they brought forth for Talarius.

  War Arrow was now over the impromptu parade ground and was circling. A fine steed, Talarius thought, a fine friend. He had to suppress a momentary feeling of pride in their work together. Hubris had been the downfall of many a soldier for the good. Talarius would not fall into that trap. Not again. Not ever again. What he felt for his friend, was admiration. Admiration at her spirit and determination in the face of evil. War Arrow had taken him into many a campaign over their ten years together. Indeed, without War Arrow, fighting those cursed airborne demons would have been a lot trickier. Never a moment of hesitation, never a doubt. War Arrow understood the mission. Understood the danger of hesitation. Of faltering, the danger of failing those in need. War Arrow was a companion he could depend on. One who wouldn't succumb. Wouldn't fail the test.

  Talarius absently brushed a wrinkle from the surcoat over War Arrow's magical barding as he searched for Barabus on the parade ground. It seemed he and the Arch-Vicar General were to be once again comrades in the struggle. The Arch-Vicar was a good man, if a little too soft on the Enemy for Talarius' taste. However, each must prove his worthiness in his own way. Talarius knew that he himself had once been too soft. Too afraid of doing what needed to b
e done. That wouldn't happen again though. One Melissance was enough.

  It seemed that even as he spotted Barabus, so the Arch-Vicar General had Talarius' location pointed out to him. Talarius could see the Arch-Vicar shading his eyes and staring up into the sky in Talarius' direction. Talarius drew his sword in a salute to the Arch-Vicar General and the undertaking they were about to begin in the name of their Lord. He allowed Ruiden to flash brilliantly for a few moments, along with his own armor. He then allowed them to return to their more traditional, blessed, but naturally shiny state. He pointed out the place he wished to land to War Arrow, who quickly began the final descent onto the parade ground. Talarius placed Ruiden across his knees as they began the descent. He'd need Ruiden again, for a more formal salute when the landed. Under his helmet, Talarius once again smiled, grimly, at the prospect of the coming battle. A chance to prove himself. A chance to test strength against strength. A chance to forget.

  ~

  Barabus shielded his eyes from the sunlight as his page pointed out the location of the winged horse in the sky. "Well, be ready," he said to the men surrounding him, including the recent high priest of Gizzor Del. "Here comes the man, the legend incarnate," he said under his breath so that no one else might here. Even as he peered skyward, he saw the knight raise his sword in a salute. Despite the angle of the sun, it appeared that Talarius' armor and sword were reflecting a great deal of sunlight, causing people to blink their eyes.

  Soldiers, some of whom had never dealt with the knight murmured awes of appreciation at the spectacle. Barabus simply shook his head. He knew that it was no coincidental sunlight seeming to give Talarius' arms that glow. The man's armor, shield and sword, as well as his horse’s barding could give off light of their own when the knight willed it. Barabus had to admit, the man knew how to make an entrance, how to create a spectacle.

  If only, Barabus wished, the man did it on purpose. That was part of what bothered Barabus about Talarius. If he didn't know the man as well as he did, he would have suspected the man to be an egotistical show off. Talarius, however, was anything but that. Every such action was unthought-out, completely genuine. The man really was the spectacle he seemed to be. A man too good to be true, thought Barabus, almost not human. Naturally, the man would correct any such statement to the effect. He would assure the individual that he was all too human, with all the human frailties of any other man. Unfortunately, Barabus had never been able to detect such frailties, except perhaps overzealousness.

  Talarius had what might be considered a single threaded mind. Destroy evil for the greater glory of Tiernon. That was it. All else was secondary. Such was the case with Talarius' last adventure. Barabus had just read the reports this morning. Talarius had gone in to rescue another knight, Sir Etrian. Apparently, Sir Etrian had been trying to track down and kill a vampire that was plaguing a small village.

  The report was imprecise, strangely unlike Talarius, but apparently Etrian had failed and Talarius had gone in to bail him out. In the process, Talarius had lost sixteen men and Etrian! Only two of his men had lived. Still intensely loyal despite the carnage they'd been through. Apparently, the vampire had been extremely powerful, but as usual, Talarius had prevailed; those following him had been less fortunate.

  Barabus understood the difficulties the man faced; knowing the man, Barabus was sure Talarius had done his best to protect his men. When the thought of danger to others occurred to him. It just didn't seem to occur often enough. Encounters where only Talarius survived seemed be a common occurrence with the man. The man pushed himself to the absolute limits, limits far beyond those of others. That was the problem, those following him would try to meet his limits, and fail.

  Talarius was a natural leader; men would literally follow him into the Abyss and back. Unfortunately, the only one who would make it back would be Talarius. Not intentionally, that was what was so infuriating about the man. He had no concept of overwhelming odds. He would gladly charge into any situation. The more dangerous the better. It was as if he had a death wish, although, Barabus knew that to be patently not the case.

  Actually, whatever it was, it seemed to work for Talarius. There was very little that could be considered overwhelming odds for the knight. Barabus had literally seen the man slay two second order demons, who had popped out of nowhere one morning before breakfast, using nothing more than two daggers and while wearing only his undergarments.

  Again, and he wished he could let this go: the problem was that the same was not true for those unlucky enough to be swayed into following him. He'd blindly lead men into battle, emerging unscathed but alone. True, he might seem to grieve a little for his lost men, but then he'd exclaim that they'd died in a noble cause and for the greater glory, and be off again to another battle. That was it, actually, if Barabus would admit it to himself. Perhaps it wasn't so much the losing men in battle, but that the man could be so unemotional about it. Sometimes it was if the man were made of stone and couldn't feel pain, or loss. Soldiers dealt with death all the time; they had to be strong. Talarius just seemed unnaturally strong.

  Barabus didn't like the attitude such lack of emotion engendered. It got too many good people killed, for insufficient reasons in his mind. If one didn't feel the deaths of others, it was too easy to became callous in regard to life. Perhaps the worst of this was that he couldn't argue with Talarius about it. The man firmly believed that conquering evil, facing the challenges posed by Tiernon, was sufficient reason for anything. 'Evil in itself is reason enough; because it's there, it must be conquered,' Talarius had once told Barabus.

  War Arrow, as Talarius called his horse, landed in a free space that had been set aside by Barabus for just such a landing. Awed and respectful soldiers stood around, watching as the greatest Knight of Tiernon, many said the greatest knight in Astlan, dismounted his horse. Josen, a lad who'd served with Talarius before was standing near to take War Arrow's reins. The fully armored knight gently patted the boy on the back as he handed over the reins.

  As always, Barabus shook his head at the knight. Any normal man wearing such an incredible set of plate armor would have been clunky and clumsy to the point of needing help to move once he got off his horse. Talarius in full battle regalia was more agile and dexterous than most men naked. He was literally the paladin of myths; he made even the most difficult of actions look graceful and skilled. Talarius returned the respectful nods of the soldiers he passed as he made his way to Barabus. A path opening as if by magic to give him room.

  He came up to Barabus and gracefully removed his full helm. He shook his head and his blond ponytail came free over the back of his armor. His blue eyes matching the smile on his lips as he tucked his helm under one arm and raised the other, with his sword, in salute to Barabus. "Hail Arch-Vicar General Barabus! I Talarius, humble servant and knight of Tiernon, salute you as we prepare once again to fight the good fight!"

  Barabus nodded formally, receiving the salute, and then raised his bare hand in a return salute. "Hail Talarius, Knight Rampant of Tiernon. Your presence is most welcome in our coming battle with the minions of the Concordenax.”

  "Let the Rod be drawn."

  "Let the Will be done," returned Talarius.

  "As Tiernon's fight is won." The two completed the ritualistic phrase in unison with the soldiers of the Rod around them. Swords and staves rattled against shields in a thundering roar.

  ~

  "So General," Talarius said, as he placed his helmet on the table. He and Barabus had just entered Barabus' tent. The knight was down to business now; there was a war on. "What exactly are we up against? Iskerus wasn't able to give me all of the details."

  "Well," sighed Barabus, "that's part of our problem. We don't really know. What we do know is that an Archaedemon subverted the works of Verigas, our high priest in Gizzor Del. The subversion allowed the demon to enter Astlan bringing one or two other powerful demons with it, and what appeared to be human wizards. It is Verigas' belief that the demon intends
to march to Freehold, where it will, either itself, or through the aid of its pet wizards summon forth its horde."

  "How much do you trust this Verigas? And his story?"

  "Fairly well, we both did the Test of Truth on him while he recanted. He certainly believes it. Further investigation of the location of the subversion confirms Verigas' story, at least as much as possible." Talarius nodded his head to the side, acknowledging what Barabus told him.

  "Further, we have a brother who has had Visions."

  "Visions?"

  "Yes, the Visions came about a month before this incident. Visions of major plots by the Lords of the Abyss, and by human wizards."

  "Confirmation for something then."

  "Yes. As near as the brother could pinpoint, the Asltanian side of the activity would take place on this continent." Barabus gestured to the floor.

  "So, you think then that the Princes are up to something? They haven't dared anything in over a thousand years."

  "I don't know. I don't know if any princes are involved. It may just be something at the Archaedemon level. Some plot to overthrow the current establishment there. There, except for the involvement of human wizards. Apparently, there is also a power play going on here in Astlan. Perhaps some wizards are aligned with the demons, or possibly opposed.” Barabus shook his head in frustration at their lack of concrete intelligence.