Apostles of Doom

“Hmm.” Talarius took that weirdness in and then had a thought. “I think I know the answer.”

“Really?” Edwyrd asked in surprise, and his robes seemed to flicker a little bit.

“For mortal creatures, the genitals are a weakness, a location that an opponent will seek to use against you. Thus the instinctive reaction to shield one’s privates with one’s hands when exposed. It is to protect them. Demons do not need to do so.”

“Wow. That’s an interesting idea. I can assure you, though, that it does hurt to be attacked there.” Edwyrd gave Talarius a pointed stare, referencing the knight’s attack at Tom’s privates during their battle. “However, probably not as much as it would for a human, and certainly it would have no evolutionary benefit, which is where instinctive behavior would come from.”

“Evolutionary benefit?” Talarius asked.

Edwyrd shook his head and grinned. “Good point. For the moment I forgot where I was. I doubt there even is evolution in magical worlds. Certainly there isn’t any in the Abyss.”

Isle of Doom, Agnothnon: Midday

Talarius entered the tavern in Agnothnon. It was less busy than in the evening, as one would expect, but there were people in the room drinking. The Isle of Doom was always vigilant, so there were people working around the clock; naturally, some would be relaxing at midday after their shifts.

It is a bit early for you, isn’t it? Ruiden asked.

It is, but I find myself deeply unsettled by this morning, Talarius told his sword. He sat down at the bar.

It seemed like a perfectly normal conversation to me, Ruiden replied. However, I have been informed that I am not much of a conversationalist.

That is precisely the problem, Talarius thought back emphatically.

“Light ale,” he told the barkeep that had come over; she nodded and moved to get his drink.

How is it a problem? Ruiden asked.

I just spent much of this morning having a completely normal conversation with a demon prince, Talarius explained as if the problem was obvious.

Yes, I was there. I observed and listened to the conversation, Ruiden said patiently. I do not understand what you are saying.

Talarius sighed out loud. This morning, I felt like I was speaking with Edwyrd, a completely normal young man! At times, I even forgot that I was talking to a demon, let alone a demon prince!

So you are upset because a demon prince, your captor, seemed like just another human being? Ruiden asked.

Exactly! Talarius thought back.

However, did we not just learn, and verified as far as we could, that he actually was a human from a distant world that had been summoned and turned into a demon? Ruiden asked.

Yes, but there is a big difference between knowing something theoretical, or distant, and it is another to have to face that uncomfortable fact directly, Talarius complained.

Edwyrd — and I prefer to think of him as Edwyrd rather than as Tom the demon, it’s easier to compartmentalize — just seemed like a completely normal person, and yet he is the Lord of Doom, a Prince of the Abyss? I just can’t reconcile the two, Talarius said.

The barkeep set the ale down and Talarius slid the coins across the counter. After the heavy drinking of Thrinarv, he knew exactly what the ale cost without being told.

I see. Well, as you know, I do not have a lot of experience with humans in a social context, Ruiden said. If it is any comfort, the saint and archon of Tiernon that I met in Astlan seemed no different than the humans they were working with.