Curious, there seem to be an abnormal amount of light a few miles back along the trail. Extending his senses this way wouldn’t allow him to see what was going on there, his Sight would. Strange, actually, he didn’t recall anything in that region when they passed through it. Maelen stared into the fire, remembering the area in his mind’s eye.
Damien put down the most recent message he’d just received via winged courier from Hoggensforth. He stared thoughtfully out at the night sky. “The Rod of Tiernon sailed into Hoggensforth last night.” Antefalken’s strumming ceased.
“This morning, an individual on a winged horse was seen to land in the Rod’s encampment. Shortly thereafter, they broke camp and departed. Headed for Yorkton.” Damien told his bard.
“Unless I miss my guess.” Antefalken replied thoughtfully, “Yorkton lies on the road between Hoggensforth and here. Correct?”
“Correct.”
“Now,” Antefalken continued, “unless I miss my guess, Yorkton is not a particularly interesting place.” Damien simply nodded and turned to look at Antefalken. His back to the cool night air coming in through the window, he crossed his arms on his chest. “Thus they’re most likely coming here.”
Damien twisted his head in acknowledgement. “The question,” Damien remarked, “is why?”
Antefalken shrugged, “Why do they march anywhere. There’s an evil that needs dispatching. Or at least what they think is an evil. And if Talarius is with them, then they think there’s a pretty bad evil needing to be dispatched.”
“But what’s here that’s more evil than usual, by Rod standards?” Damien asked, more to himself than to the bard.
“Lenamare and Exador are two principal thoughts that come to mind.” Antefalken mentioned. Damien waved his hand. “I’ve never met Exador, but I’m not particularly fond of Lenamare.”
“Two of kind, you haven’t missed much.” Damien told the demon. “I don’t think either is quite evil enough to raise the Rod. On their own. On the other hand, if as I suspect, there is more to this feud between them than meets the eye... maybe that’s what’s got the Rod out sniffing the trail of evil.
“We need more information.” Damien paced a few steps, and then sat down in a canvas chair. He put his feet up on a small table strewn with papers.
“If they knew that Lenamare was tossing a greater demon around the playing field, that might raise their interest.” Antefalken suggested.
“Perhaps, but there have been other instantiations of greater demons that the Rod didn’t deal with so quickly. Prolonged use, yes, that got their attention. But to draw out both the Rod and Talarius? Usually, either one is more than enough.”
“Unless...” Antefalken got to thinking again.
“Yes?”
“Well, you know how I thought this Tom fellow might be more than he seemed? What if he is? What if he’s really an extremely old greater demon slumming? Or an archdemon?” Antefalken clicked his fingernails on the frame of his harp.
“Yes, but Lenamare brought him into play. Do you think Lenamare would try and use an archdemon? Or even one of the truly powerful greater demons? He’s got an ego, but he’s not stupid. You don’t control archdemons. You get roasted by them.”
“True, but the archdemon, or whatever this Tom is, could be using Lenamare. Or it could be a game. An elaborate hoax, perhaps they’re really allies?”
“Allies? Lenamare and any demon? I’d seriously doubt that. He’s always got to be in charge, as, I suspect, do most archdemons. No, that’s simply too unstable a relationship.” Antefalken just shrugged. “Still no luck in locating Tom?”
“No,” the small demon shook his head. “I’ve gone back a couple times but to no avail. In fact it doesn’t appear he’s been back since before my first visit.”
“It would be nice if you could at least talk to him. Find out if he really is what he’s supposed to be, or something more.” Antefalken shrugged, there wasn’t much he could do, he’d try, but if he couldn’t locate the guy that was the limit.
Maelen looked up from his trance. He looked around the fire at the others. Gastropé was doing some wood carving; Jenn was examining some book. Edwyrd and Rupert were talking about something. For some reason, after Rupert’s rather near-death experience, it seemed to Maelen that the two were much closer. He himself didn’t have much to go on, since he didn’t know them for long before that, but judging other’s reactions and the whole situation het got him that feeling.
Tizzy was wandering around the edges of the clearing, periodically eviscerating plants and insects. Maelen shook his head. “By any chance,” he apparently startled the others, “have you folks had any run-ins with the followers of Tiernon?”
Jenn and Gastropé looked puzzled, Edwyrd and Rupert rather blank. “Who’s Tiernon?” Edwyrd asked.
“A god. I’m specifically thinking of any of his priests or knights.” Jenn suddenly looked worried when he said the word priest. She looked to Gastropé.
“Who did the priest we tied up worship?”
“I don’t recall.” Gastropé said honestly. “One deity’s pretty much the same as any other.”
