“For one thing, Gastropé,” he said slowly, looking up to the wizard, “you should know to take everything Tizzy says with a grain of salt.” Gastropé just looked at him, waiting for him to defend Rupert’s humanity. The man was in for a bad surprise. “As for being my son, that’s a long story, which can wait to another time.” He might be willing to undo some lies, but that was one he wanted to straighten out with Rupert first. He didn’t want to mess with it and have word get to Rupert before he could talk to the boy himself.
Edwyrd stood at this point, all eyes following him. He guessed that Antefalken had an idea of what was coming, but he could tell that neither Damien nor Gastropé did. “What I’m about to reveal to you, must remain a secret. It must not leave this room. I can’t risk you revealing this to anyone without my express permission. Do you understand?” He looked at Gastropé’ intently.
Gastropé shrugged. “Certainly, you have my word. But why all the secrecy?”
He turned to Damien. “You want us to be allies, wizard? You want no secrets? Then you’ve got to swear to keep this secret amongst us. I, in turn will swear that I mean you no harm, and want to work with you. I also promise that keeping the secret won’t harm you or your city? Fair enough?”
Damien was really puzzled now, but he said. “Your statement seems fair enough. I swear it then, so long as it doesn’t compromise any previous oaths.”
“I hope it won’t, however,” he turned to Antefalken, “as I suspect our demonic friend here can guess I am prepared to enforce all these oaths, my own included.” He looked at the demon.
“You have mine, then, as long as you’re on our side.” Antefalken said.
Edwyrd smiled, “I’m on Rupert’s side, and Jenn’s, and his and Maelen’s I guess.” He pointed to Gastropé. Gastropé was completely out of the loop; at this point he was very puzzled.
“What is all this crazy secrecy about, Edwyrd? Just tell us.” Gastropé complained impatiently.
“Very well.” He looked at Gastropé’, “Talarius was right. He slew no imposter. Rupert is a demon.”
“What!” Gastropé’ said again. “This is ridiculous! How could he be a demon and you know it but none of us?” Gastropé was waving his hands above his head.
“I can know it very well. After all, you brought out the part about us being related.” Gastropé just looked at him, uncomprehending, not wanting to comprehend. Damien simply coughed behind him. “Gastropé, you are a good man, and I do like you, but you’re going to have to be a little more open minded on this demon question.”
“What are you talking about?” Gastropé wanted to know.
Edwyrd just smiled, somewhat sadly. “’Demon, attend! I am the Wizard Gastropé, and I shall be thy master. Cease this destruction at once, I command thee.’” Edwyrd said imitating Gastropé.
Gastropé just shook his head, “How could you know that? You weren’t even...” Finally, like a lead brick, it sank in. Gastropé sank to the couch, his eyes wide, his face draining of all color.
Edwyrd just shook his head. “Gastropé, you’ve really got to stop doing that. All that blood rushing from your head can’t be good for your brain.” He smiled as he said it, hoping the young wizard wouldn’t pass out again.
“So... what you’re saying is that you are the big demon? Tom?” Gastropé murmured.
“That’s what I’m saying.” Tom said matter-of-factly. He glanced at Damien who was shaking his head, as if finally putting pieces of a puzzle together.
“But... but... you don’t look like a demon. You don’t act like one either!” Gastropé was looking more lively as his protest gathered steam. “I mean, while we haven’t known each other that long, you’re a pretty nice guy. You act just like everyone else, you help out. You don’t go around doing demonic things. You’re just like a normal human! Demons aren’t like that at all!”
Tom shook his head sadly. “You’re right. I am just like a normal human. It also happens that everyone on this planet insists on calling me a demon, and forcing me to live by their rules. You people haven’t given me much choice in the matter.”
Gastropé was just shaking his head. “But demons are frightening, ugly, wicked and evil. They are the corruption of all that is good. The destruction of life and the personification of all that is wrong in the world.”
“No, Gastropé,” Tom shook his head once more. “We demons are but the mirrors of your fears. Our forms and our actions are the products of wizards’ twisted nightmares and imaginations. The greatest evils are not to be found in the Abyss, but rather within the hearts of men and women.”
Antefalken tilted his head, mumbling quietly to himself, smiling, “You haven’t met many demon princes have you?”
