Apostles of Doom

“Yeah, well good news is a relative term,” Tom told Tamarin. “Yes, the D’Orcs think it is good news, but it is actually very disturbing news.”

“How is getting your memories back disturbing?” Tamarin asked, puzzled.

“Memories back?” Boggy asked. “From where?”

“Master Tommus dreamt last night of a battle in Nysegard that actually happened. He remembered events that Vargg Agnoth was able to confirm as correct, as well as D’Orcs that perished in Etterdam that no one had told him about.”

Antefalken shook his head. “What? You’ve been to Nysegard before?”

“Not me. Orcus,” Tom said.

Boggy did a double take. “You are remembering things as Orcus? How is that possible? You do know you are not actually Orcus, right?”

“Yes, I know that. I know that they think I am some sort of reincarnated version of Orcus, thanks to that prophecy; however, we all know that’s not true.”

“Do we?” Tizzy said.

Everyone suddenly looked at the octopodal demon.

“What do you mean?” Tom asked, annoyed.

“Well, Boggy and I have known you for less than five weeks. We don’t know what you were doing before that. For all we know, you could be Orcus.” The insane demon shrugged. “Maybe you had amnesia after the battle and have been running around the Abyss all that time and are just now getting your memory back?”

Tom, and for that matter, everyone in the room just stared at the green octopod in shock.

“We found Tom because you smelled butter and dragged me along to find him!” Boggy told Tizzy incredulously. “You may recall he was formerly a sixteen-year-old kid from one of the Earths, yes?”

“A sixteen-year-old newly enslaved demon five weeks ago?” Antefalken stared at Tom in shock. “How is that possible?”

“Have we not been over that enough at this point?” Tom asked the bard in exasperation.

“Well, yes, I know you were, theoretically, newly summoned by Lenamare, yet you never have explained how you have a son. But now I find out that you are only sixteen years old? Clearly not old enough to be Rupert’s father,” Antefalken pointed out.

Tom was glad Rupert was in Ithgar. “I am not actually Rupert’s father. I have no idea who his father is. He simply mistook me for his long-lost demon father, and he was so thrilled and excited and things were moving so fast that I never had the time, nor the heart, to correct him.”

Antefalken was quiet, looking thoughtful for a few moments. “That would be consistent with the way you strenuously avoid talking about the issue when Rupert is around.”

Tom nodded in agreement.

“Yeah, I was wondering about that myself. You didn’t have a kid in Harding,” Reggie said.

Antefalken looked at Reggie. “So you knew Tom before he became a demon?”

“Yeah. We had met a few weeks before when he and his mother moved to Harding, New Jersey,” Reggie said. “We were both at a party hosted by another friend of ours when he was summoned. He died right there on a couch. Caused a shitload of problems for the rest of us.”

“So you can confirm he is sixteen?” Antefalken asked. “I find it quite amazing that a sixteen-year-old, and this is new information, could end up as a greater demon upon summoning,” Antefalken said.

“Yes, that’s about right. He was in the same class as I was,” Reggie said.

“But then he got promoted to demon prince with his own army in just five weeks!” Tizzy interjected.

“Yes, that does seem rather incredible,” Boggy said.

“Never heard of it happening that fast. Usually takes tens of thousands of years from what I’ve heard,” Estrebrius said.

Tom huffed angrily. He wanted to protest that he was not actually a demon prince, he was still a greater demon, but it seemed more important to point out that they were overlooking their own involvement. “You have all been here, yes? Other than Tamarin,” he said, nodding to the djinni. “You guys have seen everything that has happened at every step! How can you argue about this when you were right there with me?”

Boggy nodded. “He’s got a point.”

Antefalken shook his head. “I know, I know. But the level of coincidence and happenstance just strains credulity!”

“You are incredulous?” Tom voiced his frustration. “What do you think I am? I’m the subject of all this craziness! And now, somehow, Orcus’s memories are sneaking into my dreams. I am searching and searching for any clue as to what is going on. My assumption is that there must be some residual animus belonging to Orcus that is somewhere in Doom or Tartarus that is seeping over the links to the Rod of Tommus and then into me. However, I have not been able to locate it yet.”

“That seems possible,” Tamarin said thoughtfully, “although not particularly probable. However, I have no other explanation to offer at the moment.”

“Nor do I. However, now I am paranoid that I’m about to be possessed by a dead demon prince!” Tom said.

“Yeah. That would not be good,” Estrebrius agreed.

“Paranoia is a definite trait of demon princes, and archdemons for that matter,” Antefalken pointed out.

“Very good point.” Boggy nodded in agreement. “So Tom’s paranoia could be a sign of possession?”