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Title: Death to the High Lords 3: Thirst for Knowledge
Author: Solandriel (http://www.fanfiction.net/index.fic?action=Directory-AuthorProfile&UserID=15002)
Death to the High Lords 3:
Thirst for Knowledge
Asmodeus paced the floor of his makeshift study, waiting for the Imps to build his office up around him. He wondered, not for the first time, how he was going to get his Master out of this particular mess. Without Warlocks, Flamuli's stock of magical attacks was next to useless against the newfound heroes of this land.
The Imps ran round him, putting up shelves, strengthening the walls, and laying down the carpet for the Mentor's study. Their diligent work was being somewhat hampered by his constant pacing but they knew better than to cajole him for it. Instead, they got on with their tasks, trying to maintain their air of timidity.
As two Imps brought in his desk and chair, Asmodeus knew what he had to do. He would have to strike a bargain once more with the elusive Dark Angel and his cohorts to help him discover the location of the High Lord's library so that it could be claimed for their own purposes. He sat down in his newly finished office and set to work, peering into his crystal ball, and glancing at a set of ancient charts, plotting a likely location for the Temple of the Dark Angels to appear.
The crystal ball showed him disturbing images of Sylvan Elves and human Guards, as well as Giants walking through lava in their fireproof boots. Some giants were flanked by Dwarfs who carried pick-axes. They seemed to be unaware of his Masters presence and were patrolling around some sort of structure.
Asmodeus sat in thought as he waved a hand to dismiss the image. Was that the Temple or was it the humans' Library? He did not know for sure, but it gave him some knowledge of what they were facing. He stood and went to the training room. It was empty now, the Goblins advancing as far as they were able. He debated having a Combat Pit built, but that would seriously deplete their gold reserves. He eventually decided to take the retinue as they were. If necessary, he could always teleport back to the Heart if there was too much danger.
He walked into the Lair and was assailed by the loud snores of a dozen Goblins all asleep in their beds. He scowled at the sight of the filthy, ugly creatures before him and barked an order for them all to wake up. They did so reluctantly, clambering out of bed and stretching as though they had only been asleep for five minutes. Asmodeus sighed with resignation. It was obviously quiet enough for them at the moment without being ordered about by some hunched figure in black robes waving a staff about.
"Gather round, all of you!" said Asmodeus authoritatively. They did so. Slowly. "I have called you all together to act as my bodyguards for a journey through the Underworld that will take us into possibly occupied territory. As far as I can tell, you outnumber the enemy two to one. Gather your weapons and meet me at the easternmost point of the Dungeon." He left the chamber, a gabble of Goblin-speak going on behind him.
It was not every day that a pair of Imps could scurry along the corridor around Asmodeus' feet and not get kicked, but the Mentor's mind was elsewhere as he prepared to undertake a journey that could potentially end his long and illustrious career, and possibly his life. The Dark Angels were not to be trifled with, and he dealt with them very rarely. To make it even more difficult, their presence in the realm they were currently beneath was scarce in the extreme, and because of this, Asmodeus knew he would not be able to recruit them. Instead, he would concentrate on bribing them for information, and that meant a sacrifice. He just had to make sure that it was one of the Goblins who were on the receiving end and not him.
The Mentor and his Imps reached the eastern wall where the party of Goblins was waiting for them, their helms mostly worn crookedly, their swords gripped in their sweating hands. They milled about, shuffling their feet nervously like naughty schoolboys waiting outside a headmaster's office. Some of them had the suspicion that they would not be coming back. The others had a half-hearted confidence about themselves that they would win through and return home in glory. Of course, these Goblins were more optimistic about battle than most others of their kin. Or just very stupid.
Asmodeus gestured to the Imps and they began to dig at the eastern wall. He stepped away from the fragments of flying rock as the Imps broke through and began to tunnel rapidly through the bare earth behind the wall. Their experience allowed them to cast their haste-self spells, and Asmodeus and his retinue had trouble keeping up with the Imps as they dug and placed torches with breakneck speed. Asmodeus gave up on running and watched the Imps disappear into the distance.
After a few moments, they were quickly running back the other way. One of the speeding Imps knocked a Goblin head over heels as it ran past them, followed closely by its companion. There was a shout from up ahead, like a battle-cry, and out of the shadows emerged a knight clad in shimmering plate armour, running at the surprised Goblins, followed by three guards in chainmail, waving their spears in the air. The Goblins were lent a certain amount of courage by their numbers, but Asmodeus knew it would not last for long if their numbers dwindled.
The two groups engaged, a thrust from the knight's blade impaling a Goblin in his middle. Three other Goblins closed around the knight, trying to find the weak points in his armour. The guards joined their superior, charging forward with their spears, which were deflected by some lucky parrying from the rest of the Goblins.
Asmodeus watched the fight from a safe distance, wondering if taking his Masters entire forces was wise for this exploration. Two more Goblins had fallen and the situation was looking desperate.
At last, after several strikes pummelling against his armour, the knight fell to the tunnel floor. A sword through the gorget, spitting his throat, finished him off. The three guards lost heart and, outnumbered three to one, fell to the newly confident Goblins. Their whoops of delight echoed down the tunnel as Imps teleported in from the Heart to take away the wounded Goblins and get them back to their lairs. With nine left in his retinue, a slightly nervous Asmodeus hurried his troops on, the Imps following in his wake, claiming the tunnel floor as they went.
As they walked on, the tunnel ahead echoed with the sound of roaring flames. The heat in the tunnel grew rapidly as it began to open out to reveal a lake of lava with a stone building on an island in the centre. Alcoves in the walls of the building hid cannon-like sentry traps in their shadowy depths. Small islands surrounding the building were populated by small groups of Sylvan Elves. Asmodeus counted seven archers in plain sight, with probably more hidden round the other side of the building. Worst of all, tramping through the lava in their huge protective footgear were half a dozen Giants, swinging their spiked clubs lazily.
"Oh, for a troop of Dark Elves," Asmodeus muttered miserably. He looked at the building once more and saw the huge stone statue of the Hand of the Dark Gods poking above the walls. "Hmm. It is the Temple of the Dark Angels. If only I could get at least one of the Goblins into their pool." He could not see the door to the Temple anywhere on this side of it. He had to make his way round with nine chatty and inquisitive Goblins without being seen. He requisitioned his two diggers and they made their way through the earth, keeping some between themselves and the deadly patrols in the lava.
They dug through a section of earth, opening it up to reveal that the lava continued into a stream that flowed through the caverns heading south on a slight slope. One Goblin did not notice until it had fallen into the lava, and by then it was too late. The Goblin screamed briefly as it was obliterated by the molten rock. The scream was short, but enough to alert one of the Giants as it moved nearby. He clanged his way through the lava and met several sword points that skewered him through the chest. The body fell into the lava without a sound, and Asmodeus let out a sigh of relief. However, his relief was short lived as an arrow thudded into the wall behind his head. He ducked back with the goblins into the tunnel, arrows and energy bolts flying thick and fast.
"Master, we need a bridge, quickly!"
Flamuli's voice echoed inside Asmodeus' head. "Of course, Asmodeus, but don't think of coming back here until you have the information you seek!"
Asmodeus cringed at the slightly angry tone of his Master's voice, but soon shook it off as the bridge appeared in a flourish of magical energy. The Elves saw the bridge appearing in front of them. One of them tried to jump over to it, but fell into the lava. One of the islands was flush with the bridge and the three Elves upon it walked out onto it, their bows held at the ready. They began firing as the Goblins rushed out from their hiding place. One Goblin was hit in the chest by a shaft, but the others overran the Elves and cut them down quickly. The slow, cumbersome giants were still out in the lava and turned to try and catch the Goblins as they ran up to the door and began battering on it.
Asmodeus remained hidden, watching the progress of the Goblins round the side of the tunnel. One of the Giants spotted him, however, and roared a challenge, heading straight for him through the lava. Asmodeus had no choice but to join the rest of the Goblins outside the door. The door was proving difficult to break down. When it began to spit fireballs, Asmodeus realised that it was a Magic Door capable of defending itself. The blast took down two more Goblins, and the others were close to breaking point, ready to run at any moment.
"Come on!!" screamed Asmodeus, "Break it down!!"
The Giants were almost upon them. They clambered out of the lava, their boots dripping with red-hot magma. Seven huge, angry and blood-thirsty men, their faces covered with warts, got ready to swing their clubs down to crush all before them. The Goblins, in their desperation to get away, ran into the door with all their strength, finally forcing it off its hinges. The clubs missed them all except for one Goblin who got a scrape from the spikes.
They entered the splendour of the Temple, the braziers around the pool burning an intense blue, lighting the water eerily, and casting flickering shadows around the pillars and walls. There was no time for Asmodeus and the Goblins to admire the scenery, however, as the Giants lumbered in after them.
The retinue ran to the other side of the Temple and turned to face their pursuers, knowing that there was no escape. Asmodeus looked at the pool that glittered invitingly before him. He grinned wickedly and grabbed the nearest Goblin and threw him into the water. Immediately the Goblin hit the pool, he squealed as the liquid made him dissolve like an ice cube in boiling water. The huge stone hand groaned as it came to life and clenched itself into a fist. Asmodeus, the Goblins and the Giants watched mesmerised as the hand opened, releasing five globes of glowing magical energy. As they floated down towards the pool, a booming voice could be heard.
"Flamuli, Dread Lord of the Underworld, your sacrifice is welcome. We are at your service." The globes sank into the water.
The surface of the water erupted where the energy had struck it, and five deadly winged forms flew up to the ceiling, holding their broadswords aloft, yelling a cry of pleasure. They saw the Giants below and gestured with taloned hands. A swirl of dust and energy appeared before each Giant, and skeletons appeared in front of them, three to each Giant.
The Dark Angels laughed delightedly as the Giants panicked and swung their clubs wildly at the Skeleton hoards. Several Skeletons were smashed into fragments by the frantic blows. The Dark Angels' leader, who wore a golden breastplate beside the others, who were bare-chested, looked at the others and said, "It seems we must deal with them personally, brothers!"
They swooped down as one towards the waiting Giants and, almost in unison, decapitated a Giant each with a single blow. The two remaining Giants were hopelessly outclassed, and tried to escape, but the Angels did not spare them their wrath. They were sliced in half by the Temple's guardians before they could reach the Temple doors. With great roars of delight, the Angels gathered up the fallen carcasses of the Giants and threw them into the pool, turning the lurid waters red for a brief moment. The red dissipated as the Temple seemed to absorb the blood into itself.
Asmodeus straightened his robes as the Dark Angels landed and sheathed their swords into the scabbards on their backs. "Greetings, Dark Ones. Whom am I addressing?"
The leader stepped forward. The Goblins cowered down behind Asmodeus, trying in vain to hide themselves behind the hunched figure. "I am Zalador, chief guardian to the Legions of the Damned and their Temple." He glanced across at the broken doors and saw an Imp performing its dance of claiming. "Stop!" shouted Zalador, unleashing a devastating disruption spell that destroyed the Imp on the spot. Only a pair of smoking boots remained.
"None may claim this Temple. It is sanctified to the Legions of the Damned."
"My Master is also their servant," explained Asmodeus, "To serve him is to serve the Dark Gods."
"No Dungeon Keeper may lay claim to that status, Asmodeus. We know that you and your Master are practically legendary in the Underworld, but you are far from Gods."
Asmodeus bowed in deference. "We merely seek information, and possibly an alliance with you."
"Information is freely given, but an alliance would cost you dearly. Every life here would have to surrender itself to make Flamuli worthy of our help. We serve no one out of loyalty. We serve only those who can please the Legions."
It suddenly occurred to Asmodeus that the Dark Gods were being mentioned separately from the Legions of the Damned. What made them two separate and distinct entities? "If information is freely given, we will take it gladly, but my Master cannot afford the alliance he needs at this time. We need a Library, preferably one that is not guarded too heavily."
Zalador laughed heartily. "You will find one just to the north of here, but as you will soon find, it is heavily guarded. And if all you have is Goblins, then I suggest you find another way to defeat High Lord Lawrence in the land above."
"Huh! The only other way with the forces we have is to summon the Horned Reaper, and we no longer have the talisman. It was destroyed along with King Reginald in the final battle of the Sunlit Kingdom."
Zalador shrugged. "Our part of the bargain has been fulfilled. Now we shall take our leave. Go with the Legions' favour." The Dark Angel turned and walked back to the pool with the rest of his fellows, stepping into the water. They transformed into the five globes of energy once more and floated up into the great stone hand that sprouted from the centre of the pool. The fist closed around them and the energy disappeared from between the fingers. The hand opened once more to reveal that nothing remained behind.
Asmodeus breathed a sigh of relief, then cursed as he saw three Goblin bodies lying motionless near the Temple doors. His Master's retinue was now down to six Goblins, assuming the Imps got the three injured ones back in time.
The Mentor led the way from the Temple, his thoughts dark and expecting the worst. For how could his Master ever hope to conquer here with the precious few he had left standing up against so many?