He’d just decided he would sleep, and was undressing for bed when he felt a tingle in the medallion around his neck. Now why, Exador wondered, would his people be contacting him at this hour of the night? The medallion was Object Linked to medallions worn by all his wizards. While it did allow him to locate them at any time, which was technically unnecessary since he’d bound them all to him personally, the primary purpose of the medallions was to allow them to contact him whenever needed. Fortunately, after a few graphic examples, they’d learned not to contact him frivolously.
He grasped the medallion in his hand and opened his mind. In his head formed an image of the wizard Treledor. Treledor was the senior-most wizard with the army. The mental image of the wizard seemed to be sweating. How strange, thought Exador, preparing for bad news.
Lord, the mental voice of the wizard began, we’ve had a bit of a problem here.
Problem? Exador inquired, maintaining his calm.
Well, m’Lord, as you instructed, we sent demons to fetch the rest of the caravan that the wizard Gastropé found.
Yes, Exador stated.
The fourth order demon was still with the caravan, or what was left of it, only a girl and a small child. They were able to capture the girl and bring her back. The child was too close to the fourth order to be kidnapped.
Fine. Exador’s patience was beginning to wear thin, but Treledor was getting even more nervous.
Well, Major Zachs questioned her, took her possessions, and placed her in the prisoner tent to await your return. Exador said nothing; he waited for the wizard to continue.
Sometime later, a few hours ago, the sentries found a small boy wandering around the perimeter, crying and looking for his sister. Exador’s eyes narrowed.
The wizard continued, fearing a trap, the major sent men to check for the possibility of more people around the perimeter. The child seemed harmless, so he was tied up and placed in the prisoner tent.
Get on with it. Exador instructed, impatiently.
Well... well, very shortly after that, the prisoner tent caught on fire. Treledor reported hesitantly.
Fire? Exador stated, beginning to get angry.
Well, it seems that, well... when guards ran into investigate, the girl was free and so was the boy. One of them, presumably the girl, must have been Jehenna in disguise, she summoned the fourth order demon! Exador was gritting his teeth. He was not going to get angry, he told himself, he would keep control.
Uhm, well, the demon took out the guards and then opened a gateway for Jehenna, the boy, and Gastropé’ to escape. Uhm.
Gastropé? Exador decided then and there the young wizard was worse than dead the next time he saw him. Amazing really, how well he was handling this, Exador congratulated himself. He was incredibly angry at the moment, but he was sure it barely showed. His people were all incompetent. Did it ever occur to anyone to see if the young boy was the same one with the caravan originally? Did it ever occur to anyone there that he might be used as a locator for the FOURTH ORDER DEMON? Exador asked, increasing his mental tone as he went on.
Uhm, no, but, well, I wasn’t informed of this until too late, the major... Treledor was cut off by Exador.
Fine, this girl, what did she have on her? It was doubtful any of his demons could have captured Jehenna, must have been some other girl, Exador thought.
