Apostles of Doom

“From what little I could gather, and it was not much, I believe the flying submarine is from Oorstemoth, and it is transporting the Knights Rampant and other members of the Rod along with various Oorstemothian officials. They are looking for Talarius, and one must presume some form of justice against the demon who took him. I suspect, ahem, Sir Samwell encountered them and then joined them to discover what they were up to,” Amadeus rattled off rather quickly.

Lilith stared at the majordomo for several, long — exceedingly long — moments before nodding at him and turning her attention back to Asmodeus. “Interesting theory. I see why you like him. Such help is hard to find.”

She closed her eyes and leaned her head back. “Are they still there?” she asked.

“Indeed, they are currently in a private audience with Lady Hesseforthalus,” Amadeus informed her.

That caused Lilith to open her eyes and tilt her head back to the majordomo. “I’m sorry, who? Is Hesseforthalus married?”

Asmodeus grimaced. “Odd sort of thing; rather explains the man’s squeamishness in turning her over, but Melissance is Hesseforthalus’s wife.”

Lilith blinked. “You are telling me that Hesseforthalus is consensually boinking a former high priestess of Tiernon and the former lady fair of Sir Talarius?”

“Ahem.” Amadeus cleared his throat. “Precisely.”

“Oh, this is too rich!” Lilith shook her head. “Now, how can we use this to our advantage?”

Lilith looked suddenly at Amadeus. “Get back there now and whatever you have to do, do not let them leave. Offer them some hospitality, whatever — just keep them occupied, preferably pleasantly, until we figure out our game plan!”

Amadeus nodded quickly and scurried out the door before teleporting back to the melted castle.

Melted Castle: Late Fourth Period

“So you know her?” Sir Samwell asked.

“Oh, they do indeed,” Melissance said before any of the three knights could reply. She stood up from her throne. Sam had to admit she was more than ordinarily ravishing for a human.

“They were supposedly my friends and colleagues of my beau, Sir Talarius. Of course, when the chips were down, when I and my flock were at the mercy of a band of vampires and ghouls, they abandoned us.”

“You went ghoul and took your flock with you!” Sir Gadius exclaimed.

Melissance closed her eyes for a moment, shaking her head. “How truly daft are you knights? No one in their right mind chooses to be a ghoul. It is an absolutely horrible disease that no one should ever be inflicted with!”

She came down the stairs in what Sam found to be a very alluring manner. “I told you, I begged you and the church for assistance for me and my people, and you refused. You interdicted me, leaving me with no way to cure either myself or my people. And, worst of all, that no-good, two-bit son of a harpy, Talarius, told me to my face that I had chosen my own doom — that it was my fault. He had the gall to blame me! Blame the victim of the attack? How dare he! How dare you stand with him!”

“You all betrayed your oaths to Tiernon — you failed in your service! You are disgraces to that symbol around your necks!” Melissance came right up to each of their faces, staring them in the eyes.

“Well, you do have to admit, you do seem to have sold your soul,” Sir Gadius said, gesturing around her opulent apartment.

“I sold my soul to Hesseforthalus in exchange for curing my flock!” Melissance exclaimed. “That was the deal! My soul, their cure! My soul theirs!”

“Uhm, pretty sure they all died as ghouls though,” Sir Lady Serah said.

“No. They did not. Hesseforthalus had no easy means to truly cure ghoulism, not without great risk to the victim. The only way to cure them was to bring them to the Abyss,” Melissance said.

“The cure sounds worse than the disease,” Sir Gaius observed.

Melissance snorted. “Does this look worse than the disease?” She gestured around them. “They are in a very safe and secure location. My bond with Hesseforthalus sees to that. They are well cared for. They have a better life, an immortal life, than they could have had in Astlan, even before they were infected. I visit them regularly.”

“But they are trapped here for eternity,” Sir Gadius exclaimed.

“And how is that different than Tierhallon?” Melissance asked. “Do you think mortal souls can exist on their own in the Outer Planes? Of course not! Those souls who choose to spend eternity, or some part of it, in Tierhallon are in special areas, special “glass cages,” even as I am here, even as my people are, here in the Abyss.”

“She makes a very good point,” Sir Samwell said neutrally.

“I am sorry, but this is just too insane!” Gadius said loudly. Suddenly the tower rocked again as another volley from the Inferno hit the fortress.

“What in the Abyss is going on out there?” Melissance gestured towards a window. “What is that thing and why is it attacking my house?”