The Heavenly Host (Demons of Astlan Book 2) (30 page)

Trevin leaned back against the railing. “I wish balling wizardry had always been what it is today; I would love to have shown you their attempts to serve notice on the Grove four hundred or so years ago. It was most amusing—for us, at least.” She grinned wickedly.

“So how high could the Nimbus go?” Jenn asked Trevin.

Trevin made a small grimace as she thought. “Well, technically, it’s only limited by how much mana we have to burn. It’s that resource question again.”

“So could you travel to either of the moons?” Jenn asked.

“I’m not at all sure why we would want to do that,” Trevin said with a shrug, “but if we could figure out how to get enough mana, then probably. I suppose I have never really thought about it. There is nothing of interest on either of the moons, so I see no point in going there. It would also take a really long time.”

Elrose frowned. “The air would be too thin, so how would you move without air?”

“Well the bigger issue is keeping the cloud and what air we have together; however, we can already do that at this high an altitude. Technically, in the absence of air there is vacuos, which can be manipulated by enchantment, as you know. But it would be slow going. However, I am sure Gnorbert could come up with something. It is an interesting thought, I suppose; an excellent theoretical exercise. Hmm.” Trevin was lost in thought for a moment. “Yes, it would be tricky. I am probably going to be thinking about it all night, unable to sleep.” She made a mock stern face at Elrose. “Thank you for sticking that in my head.” She shook her head. “Fortunately, it’s one exercise we won’t ever have to do for real.”

Trevin turned slightly to smile at Gastropé. “Maybe I’ll need to figure out something else to keep me occupied tonight?” Gastropé gave her a small, tight grin, presumably being polite.

Jenn shook her head at the ancient wizard’s more-than-obvious designs on poor Gastropé. She glanced again at the woman’s way-too-revealing clothes. At least she did not have anything to worry about. Gastropé would never fall for Trevin; she was obviously way over a hundred. An image of the woman from last night, dancing on the satyr’s lap, suddenly resurfaced in her mind. She had forgotten that. For some reason, at the bacchanalia Trevin had appeared young and stunningly gorgeous!

How could that be? How drunk had Jenn been? Did she have something to worry about? Wait—
what was she thinking? She had no interest in Gastropé, so why was she suddenly worried that Trevin might steal him away or something? It was not any of Jenn’s business! If the two wanted to... ugh, she did not want to think about that. Jenn closed her eyes for a brief moment to get a grip on herself. It was just her naturally competitive nature getting the better of her. She had seen Trevin’s advances and her competitive streak had just kicked in, creating an artificial interest in Gastropé out of a sense of competition. She did this sort of thing all the time. She was sure it was only the fact that Lenamare was so insufferable that Jehenna’s interest in him had not made her competitive.

Jenn shuddered. She did not like where this was going; she needed to change gears. She had nothing remotely like any interest
whatsoever
in Jehenna’s and Lenamare’s personal lives. So why should she care about Gastropé? Yes, he was clearly much more handsome, and much more pleasant—actually quite agreeable. Or at least he was after he stopped trying to kill her. Of course, she had easily beaten him on that front. That was satisfying, from a competitive point of view. Not that he was a slouch in the magic department; he had been really good on the ship fighting the Oorstemothians, and to be honest she had learned some good tricks of combat magic from him.

Oddly, he had turned out to be a decent friend. Really one of her better ones, other than Rex and Alvea. Of course, Rex was dead and Alvea was now being harangued by Jehenna. Maybe that was it: Trevin’s advances on Gastropé bothered her because they were friends and she recognized that involvement with Trevin was not in his best interests. Yes, that made a lot of sense, Jenn realized.

“Don’t you think, Jenn?” Gastropé asked her.

“What?” Jenn replied, realizing she had zoned out the conversation around her. She had no idea what he had asked her. “Sorry, I got lost in my own thoughts staring out this… what exactly is it?” She turned her head to Trevin.

Trevin grinned. “It’s a sympathetic lens. We have lenses stationed at multiple points around the ship and we can tune this big lens to any of those lenses and see what we would see through them. Not completely different from mirrors. Actually simpler, in fact.”

“Neat!” Gastropé said.

“Indeed,” Maelen seconded. “I have seen an amazing number of new things on this short adventure so far. It’s always nice to find new things at my age.”

Trevin chuckled. “Wait until you get to be my age. I’m almost hoping we actually find this goddess.”

“There are some new things I’m not so sure I need,” Elrose replied drily.

“Neat!” Rupert exclaimed.

“What the hell are they doing?” Reggie asked.

The group had just come over a ridge after a brief walk from the boom tunnel. Boggy and Tizzy had decided that the first stop on their tour of the Abyss would be some place called “Hellsprings Eternal.” Tom had noticed the smell of sulfur immediately upon exiting the boom tunnel. Reggie and Talarius both took a few extra moments to notice it because they were reeling from the
boom
of the boom tunnel.

They had trudged up a well-worn path in long-ago-solidified lava rock to gaze into a valley with wide molten lava streams flowing out of a large crater about a thousand feet upstream of them. There were numerous shanties and other odd buildings lining the valley. However, what had gotten Reggie’s attention was the fact that the valley was populated with quite a few demons of various shapes and sizes engaged in strange behavior.

There were quite a few that seemed to be wading, albeit slowly, in the molten lava streams. Others were lying on glowing red rocks near the lava flows as if they were sunning on a beach. About four hundred feet away, there was a group of demons apparently submerged to their necks in a pool of glowing hot, molten lava, just chatting away.

“Welcome to Hellsprings Eternal!” Boggy said, waving his hands broadly to announce the place.

“I haven’t been here in at least a century,” Antefalken said. “I have to admit, after the panic of that stupid spell and our near-permanent death experience at the hands of our new colleague” —he gestured towards Talarius—“a day at the spa sounds wonderful.” He patted his pocket. “The day is on me! If anyone wants a massage or other spa treatment, or just some refreshing blood wine or Denubian Choco-Coffee
TM
, just let me know!”

Boggy grinned. “That’s mighty demonly of you, Anty!” He gestured to the lava streams. “There’s no charge for dunking in the lava flows or just lying on the shores. The services are all at the various huts in the valley and they all list their prices. And all prices include tax.”

“Tax?” Reggie asked. “Who is charging tax?”

“Moloch,” Antefalken replied. “He’s the demon prince that owns this part of the Abyss. He charges the vendors a tax on all sales and services. It’s actually not that bad of a tax, as such things go, only fifteen percent.”

“That’s mighty reasonable,” Tizzy said. “I don’t remember him being all that reasonable, though.”

Boggy shook his head. “That’s because you were sleeping with his daughter.”

“Oh, right. Forgot about that.” Tizzy shrugged. “But technically, neither of us was sleeping…” Tizzy grinned lecherously. “If you know what I mean.” He winked very broadly.

“What do you mean?” Rupert asked.

Boggy slapped his head. “Now see what you’ve done—you’ve opened Pandora’s box with the boy.”

“That’s right! I had forgotten. Her name was Pandora, and I certainly opened her box… that was why Moloch was so mad at me. The young thing was only a couple centuries old when we ‘slept’ together.”

“I’m confused… I thought you said you
didn’t
sleep with her,” Rupert said.

Tom coughed. “Technically, Rupert, demons don’t need to sleep unless they are hurt. So when Tizzy says they were not sleeping together, he just meant they were spending down time together.”

“We got down, all right.” Tizzy chuckled.

“You aren’t helping!” Boggy punched Tizzy in his upper left arm. “Just let it drop.”

“Argh, all right.” Tizzy frowned at Boggy. He then quickly rotated to Talarius. “You up for a dip in the lava, Paladin?”

“How many times do I have to tell you? I. Am. Not. A. Paladin,” Talarius told Tizzy through obviously clenched teeth.

“Yeah, yeah. You’re one of those knights with a rampant body part,” Tizzy said.

Talarius clenched his mailed fists in frustration but said nothing.

“We are here to relax and show our guest a good time. So no baiting him, okay?” Tom scolded Tizzy.

Tizzy glanced at Tom in annoyance. “You know, you really can be a party pooper.”

“We want to show Talarius that demons are people too. We like to laugh and play and get drunk, just like people, and there are good demons and bad demons,” Tom reminded everyone.

“Propaganda will not work; I’ve been trained by the best,” Talarius said.

Antefalken shook his head. “I think I’m going to head up to the gift shop. Maybe I can find us a game to while away the hours back in the cave.”

Talarius harrumphed. “You expect to find a deck of cards and a whist marker, perhaps?”

Antefalken looked thoughtful. “Do you play whist?”

“Of course.”

“Excellent. Then we shall look towards that as our principal objective. Come along,” Antefalken told the knight.

“What? Are you saying that demons play whist?” Talarius asked, sounding shocked.

“Of course. It’s a great way to pass the time, and demons often have a lot of time to pass. And it keeps one sharp,” the bard replied.

“Yet it requires obeying the rules and detailed analysis, along with the application of logical principles,” Talarius said as he followed the demon bard towards one of the shanties.

“Exactly why we like it. Demons have a thing for rules; we are bound by them and very fond of trying to exploit them, which makes us great game players!” Antefalken said.

“I think you are playing a game with me now.”

Tom could see Antefalken shaking his head. “Sometimes, Talarius, a cigar is just a cigar.”

~

“Trisfelt!” Hilda exclaimed as he wandered through the infirmary, where she was tending to patients.

“Excellent, I’d hoped you’d still be around!” Trisfelt exclaimed. “I was afraid Lenamare and Jehenna might have sent you fleeing the palace in terror, never to return!” He came up to her and gave her a brief, light hug.

Hilda beamed at the familiarity; one did not get a lot of hugs in Tierhallon.  “Nonsense. I’ve served on battlefields and seen horrors nearly as bad!” She laughed lightly.

“Well, you were incredibly graceful and attentive to them, despite their typical patronizing attitudes,” the wizard congratulated her.

“Again, nonsense. I’ve spent some time dealing with nobility and all sorts of high and mighty who really just don’t know any other way to interact with people.”

Trisfelt smiled. “I suspect that is part of their problem. I have to admit, they did seem to enjoy your company far more than they do most people’s.” He shook his head and rolled his eyes. “At breakfast this morning, Jehenna actually said they enjoyed your company last night!” He raised his hands in amazement. “I have never heard her say anything like that before. It was practically a miracle!”

Hilda beamed brightly and laughed. “I hardly think it a miracle. They are very talented people and quite fascinating; one just has to have a bit of patience and understanding.”

“Patience and understanding? My dear, you have the patience and understanding of a saint!”

Hilda laughed and patted Trisfelt on the shoulder. “You flatter me; I am hardly a saint! I have over-indulged on more than one occasion.” She paused and flashed him a grin. “As you may be aware.”

They both laughed at that. “Say, you’ve been so generous with entertaining me, would you allow me to do the honor of returning your hospitality sometime? Perhaps tonight?”

Trisfelt smiled, pleasantly surprised. “Why, I’d love that, most certainly!”

“Excellent.” Hilda made a deprecating gesture with her hands. “Now, I have these contractors that are redoing my clinic, which is the main level of my house; they were supposed to be finished while I was at the wedding, but…”

“A siege may have interfered?” Trisfelt suggested with some mirth.

“Apparently, it’s hard to get wood and stone into a city when there is an army surrounding it.” Hilda shook her head in mock surprise. “Plus, I think they sort of underestimated the time, and are possibly using this as an added reason.” She gave a gentle sigh of exasperation.

“Thus, I fear that I am staying in a hotel and treating my patients in my parlor, ugh.” Hilda made gestures with her hands as if calming her nerves a bit. “However, it is a decent inn; it’s the Havestan Gardens.”

Trisfelt raised an eyebrow and smiled. “What a happy coincidence. By sheer chance, I am sure, they happen to have the best wine cellar in the city, outside of a few private cellars in the palace.”

“Do they?” Hilda overtly pretended to be ignorant of this fact. Trisfelt chuckled.

“My dear, your palate can no longer surprise me! I am sure you knew this full well when you checked in. Indeed, I am wondering exactly how upset you are by the delays to your reconstruction?”

“Dear Trisfelt, I assure you it is a horrible inconvenience, and I have no choice but to console myself from the inn’s cellar each evening!” Hilda gave him look of feigned inconvenience, and they both laughed.

“I would be honored, My Lady.” Trisfelt told her.

“Excellent. Shall I see you around the same time as last night’s dinner?”

Trisfelt nodded. “That is an excellent time.”

“Splendid!” Hilda smiled and then got a slightly surprised look on her face, as if she suddenly remembered something. “You know, Danyel was with the servants last night and they were all talking about the balling of the fight outside. He was told that it was quite spectacular. You don’t by any chance have an idea of where a copy might be had? I myself have heard so much, but not actually seen it.”

“Yes, yes, you should see it, it’s remarkable. I saw it later, after the Council, because I was outside, as you know. Apparently, there are numerous shoddy mirrorings of the event around; but you must see the balling. The Council has made copies for all the councilors; Lenamare and Jehenna each have a copy. I am sure I can borrow one of theirs; particularly when I tell them that it’s for you to see.”

“Oh you are such a dear, and I’m sure Danyel will be as grateful as I!” Hilda exclaimed.

~

“Well, hello there!” A voice called to Tom as he was walking past one of the shanties. He turned to look towards the open-faced shanty to see Sam lying on a padded table getting a massage from a rather large, homely demoness.

“Hey, Sam!” Tom replied, walking over to the table.

“Yesterday was quite the workout, so I thought I’d come by here and get a massage. My muscles are killing me. The problem with this form is that I have it memorized at a certain point in time, and that somehow never includes having muscles that are used to mountain climbing. You would think I could manage to memorize the form after climbing rather than before.” He shook his head. “Of course, if I did that, then I wouldn’t feel the need for a message from my favorite masseuse, Helgadavichanova here.” He nodded his head back towards the masseuse.

“Nice!” Tom grinned. “Looks relaxing. Do you come here often?”

“Mainly for the massages, although sometimes after a cold day skiing, it’s nice to relax in the lava,” Sam said.

“Did you bring your company here for some fun?” Sam asked.

“Yeah, we were feeling a bit cooped up, so thought we’d come and stretch a little, relax,” Tom said.

“Excellent idea—this place is great for that,” Sam said.

“Well, I better let you get back to your massage. It’s not very relaxing if you have to twist your neck to talk to me.” Tom laughed.

Sam laughed as well. “Very true. As great as it is to see you again, you are correct. Take care!”

“You too!” Tom said as he strolled off. Despite what Tizzy had said, Tom rather liked Sam. He was the most normal person Tom had met in the Abyss. And that included Talarius, whom he had brought to the Abyss with him. He shook his head. Finally, a normal person!

~

Gastropé was enjoying iced tea in the starboard lounge and watching the clouds go by below them at the launch reception. Jenn, Maelen, Elrose, Trevin were there, as was Second Mate Trefalger and several crew members he had been introduced to but frankly could not remember the names of.

They had just passed over the outer rim of the Grove’s mountain ranges and the sky above and to some extent below was iridescent with various bands and streaks of color. Trefalger had explained that the streaks were auroras caused by the intersection of various planes with the Grove.

Elrose and Maelen were both standing near the room’s viewing lens, practically pressed up against it, watching every sight go by. Gastropé would probably have been there too, but he wanted to try to seem a bit more cosmopolitan. It was difficult, however; this was the closest he had ever been to interdimensional travel.

Well, except for his multiple trips to the Abyss. Okay, he supposed that more than counted. While there were numerous powerful wizards and Sidhe that travelled the Planes of Man to the localverse and beyond, very few ever travelled to the Abyss. At least not travelled and returned. That was something he and Jenn had on everyone else onboard the Nimbus—well, except for Maelen, who had done it once.

Gastropé grinned despite himself. The crew of the Nimbus might travel the localverse and the Planes of Men with barely a thought, but he and Jenn (okay, and Maelen) had been to the Abyss and returned. Multiple times, in fact! Of course, the interesting thing now was that they were actually on several planes at once. He did have to admit that was pretty exciting.