Apostles of Doom

“Yes, well, in any event, they have been raising forces and planning a huge purge of the Citadel for the last few thousand years, and are now putting it in place,” Sentir Fallon said. “I have been working diligently to withdraw Tiernon’s forces from the plane in order to both assist them and to cover my own—our own — dealings with them; I don’t want to lose too many avatars and saints. It’s a long story, tangled-web issues, you might say.”

“And so your betrayal of Tiernon is making you sulk?” Aodh asked.

Sentir Fallon shook his head. “We have discussed this many times; it is not a betrayal. Not if I can keep the casualties to a minimum and over a long enough period. It’s called managing the situation so that all parties arrive at a mutually agreeable state.”

Lilith rolled her eyes. “Whatever you need to call it to keep your stomach calm. What’s the issue that has you so concerned?”

“Is it the heir of Orcus in Nysegard?” Aodh asked.

Sentir Fallon grimaced in semi-disagreement. “Not so much. While Orcus was an ally of the Citadel of Light, this Tommus has a very real and current grudge against Tiernon and his forces. Further, I believe he is still too weak to risk his own resources on assisting the Citadel. No, the problem is on Tierhallon’s side.”

“What do you mean?” Aodh asked. Lilith was staring straight ahead into the rising Etternon.

Sentir Fallon sighed. “I have worked to keep both Tiernon and Torean’s forces out of Nysegard and the fray, as I’ve said. However, Hilda of Rivenrock — the one who is investigating this Tommus demon and Sir Talarius — has managed to insert herself into the Citadel of Light and has dragged Inethya, the Prophetess of Nysegard, and Dashgar, the Attendant Archon, as well as another of our saints, and several saints and archons of Torean, into the entire mess.”

“So they are going to be there to defend this Citadel?” Lilith asked.

“It appears so. They are also working to coordinate with the avatars of the other Siblings.” Sentir sighed before taking another sip.

“And you can’t stop or discourage them?” Aodh asked. “I thought you were in charge of that localverse.”

“I am, but there is only so much I can do without raising questions, and Beragamos went over my head and got Tiernon’s explicit approval.” Sentir Fallon scowled as he said this.

Lilith frowned and looked to Sentir. “Beragamos will not be there, will he? That would be a rout!”

“Indeed!” Sentir closed his eyes and shook his head. “Fortunately, he is not going. However, I am still left with two possibilities.”

“Two possibilities?” Aodh asked.

“Yes,” Sentir said. “The first, and most likely, is that the Storm Lords will fail in their plan to revive the works of the Dark Apostle Stoivenychas, and will suffer serious losses at the Citadel thanks to divine intervention from Dashgar and Inethya and the other avatars—”

“Which would make them very unhappy with you,” Aodh interrupted.

“Us,” Sentir corrected him quickly. “But indeed, and thus complicate other things.”

“Or? The other possibility?” Lilith asked.

“Or they succeed in reviving the work of the Dark Apostle Stoivenychas and the Five Siblings take an incredible, mind-numbing defeat that will be extremely uncomfortable and difficult to deal with,” Sentir said.

Lilith shrugged. “However, you will have advised against it, and have been overridden by Tiernon himself. It will not be your fault.”

“Yes, but it will raise questions and discussions I would rather not have to deal with.”

“So, what is the probability that they can recreate the works of the Dark Apostle Stoivenychas?” Aodh asked.

Sentir shrugged. “A few centuries or so ago, I would have said none. A tremendous amount of his work was lost with him. Clouds Of Disintegration are very good at eliminating things.” Sentir sighed. “However, they have another ally who has considerable experience with the work they are interested in.”

“Who?” Aodh asked.

“An archdemon named Exador,” Sentir Fallon said.

“The same archdemon involved in this whole Astlan — Lord Tommus thing?” Lilith asked in surprise.

“The same,” Sentir Fallon said, nodding.

Lilith shook her head. “What an amazingly small multiverse!”

The Inferno: Mid Third Period

“I am so glad you were all finally able to come to breakfast,” Captain Cranshall said with a tight grin as the last of the expedition to the melted castle sat down in the mess. Cranshall, Heron, Dante, Barabus and the four knights all crowded around the small mess table, while XO Stevensword looked on from the doorway.

Sir Lady Serah stared bleary-eyed into the cup of hot tea in her hands. “Lack of sleep is a severe problem when dealing with a hangover.”

Barabus sighed over his own tea. “What exactly did we informally agree to last night?” the Arch-Vicar General asked.

Chancellor Alighieri groaned and said, “I think we may have agreed to allow Melissance and her brutally beautiful bodyguard to join us in our quest for Talarius and the greater demon.”