Apostles of Doom

“We actually had outposts in six hundred and sixty-six worlds. I would have to believe there were outposts in your localverse as well: Ithgar, Astlan, Etterdam, Targella, Romdan, Avalon.”

Beya bit her upper lip, thinking. “What would they have looked like?”

“Large volcanoes. They were essentially smaller-scale replicas of Mount Doom, including mana generators,” Tom said.

Zelda nodded. “They would have been central to everything involving Orcus on each world.”

“Interesting… I will need to research this and discuss it with the other shamans, but locating these volcanos could give us some good direction on where to go first,” Beya said.

Tom nodded, having not thought of that. “Actually, that would be very good. As we reopen these old gateways, I would prefer to not go in blind. On-ground reconnaissance would be very useful.”

Nysegard, Krallnomton

Talarius had wandered through several tunnels, running into some dead ends before finally discovering a passage that had light at the far end. About a third of the way down, he encountered a widened area, somewhat like a room extending to his right with an exit directly opposite the hallway he was coming through.

In the room, two D’Orcs sat on stone benches at a stone table, playing cards. Both had large axes with hilts ready near their right hands, resting against the table. The D’Orc facing Talarius’s hallway looked up as he entered and nodded in recognition before playing a card from his hand that caused his partner to curse softly. Well, softly for a D’Orc — it was actually rather loud.

Very relaxed sentries, if you ask me, Ruiden said in Talarius’s mind. And playing cards in the dark?

Yes, very relaxed, Talarius agreed. Actually, sentries playing cards was not at all unusual; it was their lack of reaction to him, an enemy combatant and hostage, just strolling by that was unsettling. Well, that and playing cards in a quite dark room. The only light was that from the tunnel he was following.

And they are not in the least bothered by your presence? Ruiden asked.

Apparently not, Talarius agreed. He had to admit that he was more than a little disappointed by their lack of reaction. What was the point of being held hostage by a paranoid demon lord if you could not provoke their paranoia?

As he headed toward the light, he was somewhat surprised that it was not the red light of the Abyss, but rather appeared to be more like natural daylight. He hurried on towards what was now clearly a tunnel exit.

Talarius stepped out of the tunnel onto a small ledge on the side of a mountain and looked down slope to see a village on the edge of the ruins of a larger city. He shook his head in amazement. He was free of the Abyss! He noted birds flying in the sky, and grass and other greenery swaying in a gentle breeze. While it was mostly fierdy, storm clouds were moving in over the top of the volcano.

The knight pulled off his helmet, prepared to put it back on quickly if the atmosphere was dangerous. It was not! He could smell fresh, natural air. He was back on the Planes of Man! Thank Tiernon! He felt like shouting with joy; however, he dared not, lest he alert his captors. He grinned and shook his head in amazement.

He noted a trail leading down from the ledge to the village below. Should he take it? Or should he head for parts unknown and escape? If he went to the village, it was likely that the D’Orcs would find him. Unless, of course, they’d raided the village and moved on.

He glanced back to the village, thinking about putting his helmet back on for his visor’s long distance vision, but then rejected the idea. He liked the fresh, temperate air. The village was some distance away. It did appear there was some smoke, but only from some huts, and consistent with cooking fires. There was also motion in the village, so not everyone was dead.

This was curious. Why hadn’t the D’Orcs killed everyone? True, they had not killed everyone in the towns where they’d gotten supplies. Perhaps it is an orc village?

That would make sense, Ruiden replied. So? Are we going to make a run for it?

Talarius sighed. As tempting as his thought of fleeing away from the village had been, he could not. For one thing, he had no idea what world he was on. They sky was not quite the correct color, and the fierd did not look right either; it seemed a bit smaller. The other thing, of course, was that he was technically bound by the rules of hostage. His captor had honored it; thus so must he. He was not free to escape.

No, Talarius told Ruiden. We are honor bound.