The Heavenly Host

Zog nodded. “I think that is critical. The Maelstrom also acts as a shield to deflect attacks. As best as we can measure, it acts as some sort of dimensionally phased shield.”

“So back to Lilith,” Tom said, changing the topic. “You said she’s desperate?” He looked to Antefalken.

“She doesn’t normally strike first. For some reason, she’s not trying to negotiate with you or trying to trick you. She is coming at you with as much as she can muster on short notice. This isn’t her style.”

“If she doesn’t take Lord Tommus now, she may have to wait another twenty thousand plus years,” Darg-Krallnom suddenly spoke up. Antefalken looked at him curiously. “After a few failed attempts early on once she discovered Doom, she never attacked the fortress again. She realized quickly that when fully powered and with someone who knows how to use the wand — sorry, rod — Mount Doom is essentially impenetrable by a force of any size.”

“That is why she waited until almost all of our forces were in Etterdam. Even so, we still do not completely understand how she managed all of what she did. Even with Sentir Fallon, it had to have required a lot of luck,” Arg-nargoloth said.

“So she needs to take out Mount Doom before Lord Tommus can fully control it,” Sekhmekt commented. “It makes sense, but it is risky; if she is once again working with those treacherous Etonians, they could be pushing her.”

Tom said nothing, thinking about what was being said. He suddenly remembered something Antefalken said. “What did you mean about the serious risks of using Knights of Chaos?”

Sekhmekt snorted. “You are right, bard!” She shook her head. “I really hadn’t thought on that.”

Antefalken nodded. “Knights of Chaos are agents of change, insurrection, anarchy and destabilization. Typically one would unleash them to overthrow the forces of law and order, to destabilize a situation.”

“Using them to preserve the status quo is actually a very perverse use for them,” Sekhmekt agreed.

“Hmm. Therefore, if Lilith sees me as a threat to her and the current status quo that she established after Etterdam, then technically, I am the source of change. The knights should be on my side!” Tom exclaimed.

“One would think; but they are mercurial by definition. It depends perhaps on a larger scale than what we can currently see. They may have other reasons to agree to help her that create more chaos elsewhere in the multiverse,” Sekhmekt said.

“Or she could be bluffing. Playing a game to bring them into play. When she last used them she was trying to destroy the status quo. She was trying to establish a new paradigm without Lord Orcus,” Darg-Krallnom said.

“So perhaps they don’t know that the landscape has changed.” Antefalken nodded his head in agreement.

Tom suddenly stared upward for a moment and then looked around the map table, grinning. “Good news! My kettle is finally at boiling point!” Tom raised his arms with the Rod of Tommus in his right hand. “Doom is at hand!”

Suddenly the ground shook with deafening thunder. The heat level in the room seemed to go up by an amount easily noticeable even to demons. Red spots suddenly appeared on the 3D map as the vents of Doom began erupting. Huge roiling clouds of greyish ash and smoke with highlights of both lightning and fiery magma could be seen sweeping down towards the invading army.

“Now, we bury them!” Tom shouted in glee.

“This is just too old school,” Bellyachus complained to Lesteroth as they marched through the wind, rain and steam. Steam. Steam was the worst visibility problem on the ground. The ground was still hot enough that a fair amount of steam was being generated as the rain hit it. It made the landscape seem foggy. Or maybe it was fog; Lesteroth had no idea. He had not seen either since becoming a demon.

“This is hell!” Lesteroth yelled in reply.

“No, it’s the Abyss!” Bellyachus laughed at the old joke.

“Seriously, does Darflow even know where we are? If we are on track? I can’t see a thing!” Lesteroth yelled.

“Well, he is a greater demon; they get paid to know that sort of thing!” Bellyachus shouted back.

“Wait! He’s getting paid?” Lesteroth returned with another of their favorite jokes.

“This is a miserable way to go into battle!” Talgorf yelled, coming up between them.

“The good thing is...” Lesteroth paused to make sure the other two could both hear him yelling. “They won’t be trying to oppose us on open ground!”

“That had been my fear with the new management! I was afraid we’d never make the tunnels!” Talgorf yelled. “Once we are in the tunnels, though, it should be much more like the old days!”

“Yeah, no way they would come out to fight in this weather!” Bellyachus yelled back. His voice suddenly sounded quite loud as the blowing wind died very quickly. The rain intensity also let up considerably. It was still very windy, and it was still raining, which was simply unnatural in the Abyss.

“What happened?” Lesteroth asked and then the world lurched.