Death to the High Lords 6:
Arrival of the Rival
The explosion of power in the empty cavern was intense, enough to blind any creature that dwelt within. The orb of energy that settled into the ground in the centre of the chamber flattened to reveal the obsidian disk that covered a Dungeon Heart. The disc exploded into shards, pieces of the semi-precious stone littering the floor. They slowly disintegrated.
A ring of green Manna rose from the throbbing heart, creating the familiar stonework of the three arches. Imps emerged from the power source of this new arrival, landing on the ground and starting work immediately, claiming the bare earth around it.
Rising out of the Dungeon Heart rose a portly man dressed in the black robes of a Mentor, the helper of the Keeper who dwelt beneath the beating membrane. He looked around himself officiously, throwing back his cowl to reveal a human face, the goatee beard trimmed neatly to counteract the lack of hair atop the Mentor's head.
"Everything seems to be in good order," said the Mentor. His voice was a soprano in comparison to Asmodeus' deep tones.
"Excellent, Brachus," cried an undeniably female voice. "We should find Flamuli somewhere within the Sunlit Kingdom, and Smilesville seems a good place to start."
"I have it on good authority that he is here, Mistress."
"And whose authority is that, Brachus?"
Brachus smiled wickedly. "I have friends in high places as well as low ones, Mistress."
"Very well. Make preparations. We need to find a portal as quickly as possible. Flamuli commands complete loyalty from all his creatures, so we must recruit swiftly. Let the Underworld know that Calisto has made her home!"
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The chill running through Asmodeus' spine told him that somewhere in the underworld, a rival Keeper was making their presence felt. He had not felt such an energy surge in a long time, having long since eradicated, or so they thought, all his Master's rivals in the Underworld.
The troubled frown that crested his forehead did not waver as he descended into the Dungeon Heart to deliver the news of this latest development, and Flamuli noticed immediately.
"Something troubles you, Asmodeus," hissed the Keeper, unable to hide a look of amusement in his transparent face.
"Indeed, Master. A rival Keeper has made their nest below Smilesville. We may have to pass through him to get to…"
"Her," Flamuli broke in, startling Asmodeus with his certainty.
"Her, Master?"
"Yes. Calisto plagues me once more."
"Calisto? But she was destroyed by Lord Sigmund some years ago."
"Ah, not so, Asmodeus. Her creatures staged a rear guard action as her Warlocks spirited her away. She commanded so much loyalty from her creatures, that they were willing to die for her. Many creatures seemed to feel that way about her. Even me." Flamuli looked almost wistful.
Asmodeus looked faintly worried.
"There will never be another opponent like Calisto," Flamuli rambled on. "She and I have shared a healthy sense of competition. And we have always kept to the forms. She's almost a better cheat than I am."
"Erm, Master, the fact that she is here disturbs me. Where has she been hiding all this time without an inkling of her presence? My scrying seeks out our own kind as well as the people of the land above. Yet not a sign of her."
"Perhaps she left this plane altogether," Flamuli conjectured, his voice slowly becoming more business like.
"Perhaps, but a Keeper cannot survive like that for very long. They must soon descend once more into shadow to rejuvenate themselves."
"Very true, Asmodeus. Well, we must make preparations to leave here. We are not powerful enough to confront her in this realm."
"But we must slay Lord Lawrence before we go anywhere, Master! We cannot leave an enemy at our backs as we retreat!"
"I know, Asmodeus. We're going to let Calisto do the work for us!"
Flamuli's fog-like face spread wide in a malicious grin.
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Lord Lawrence, at this time, was lounging in his makeshift fort, overseeing the construction of a new Hero Gate. Designed loosely on the fragmented reports held in now long lost tomes and treatises on portals, the Hero Gate worked, after a fashion. Many people, Giants and guards in particular, hated going through them because they felt sure that a little piece of their soul was being extracted as they came out the other side. The fact that the other side involved being in the Underworld, realm of every hideous and bloodthirsty creature imaginable - according to their still remembered bedtime stories - then the chances of emerging from the dreadful place with that same soul intact were very slim indeed. Astronomical, in fact.
The two Wizards that were sweating with exertion at the huge levels of magic involved in creating the Hero Gate did not notice their Lord's approach until they almost collapsed with exhaustion.
"We just cannot do it," panted one of them plaintively, "The Manna in this area is being drained quite heavily. It is possible that there is more than one force at work here."
"No," said his Lordship with a confidence bordering on arrogance, "It is Flamuli. He has found another way of purging this land of it's energies."
"A pity really," said the other Wizard, "They had only just recovered from the last battering."
"Then the only way to take him out is by sheer brute force!" Lord Lawrence had that madman's glint in his eye as the prospect of a good slaughter crossed his slightly deranged mind. Three months underground is enough to drive the purest Knight insane.
"Then we must mobilise our forces, my Lord," said the first Wizard, "The Hero Gate is almost complete."
"Good. I want a troop of half a dozen guards, four giants, some fairies for magical back-up. There's no way you two can join in, you're too tired. Head back to the land above through the gate once the others have come through."
The two Wizards bowed gratefully and turned towards the gate, muttering a few incomprehensible words. A bright light flared out from beneath the arches and the troops began to arrive with the sound of clanking armour and rumbling footfalls. Lord Lawrence called his troops over as the Fairies arrived clasping their wands. One of the Wizards flashed a well timed glance upward and caught a brief glimpse of shapely thigh disappearing into the flimsy white robe of one of the Fairies. Unfortunately, she noticed and quickly made amends by freezing the Wizard's nose, making an icicle hang off the end of it. The other Wizard smirked as the sound of tinkling laughter disappeared into the distance.
Then the Wizards entered the gate and vanished in a brilliant flash of light.
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Imps were being beaten almost senseless as Calisto sped up the creation of her new underground empire. The portal had already been claimed and half her rooms were built, but the idea of reclaiming her previous retinue was as dust in the wind. Never again would she see the likes of her grand army from years before, shattered as it was by Lord Sigmund and his happy band. Flamuli had avenged the losses for her, but at a cost to her dignity, and that rankled more than anything else.
But the vengeance meant nothing, didn't it?, she told herself. After all, Flamuli was an enemy, a hated rival. Both being made of pure evil essence meant that neither entertained any ambitions of forming an alliance. And yet, she could not help but wonder…
"Brachus! How goes the construction?" she cried, turning her thoughts away from such vile sentimentality.
"Very well, Mistress," intoned Brachus, "However, we cannot construct a Temple without angering the local Dark Angels. They seem to have their own agenda and do not want any outside influences interfering."
"I see. Then we had better see what price we may have to pay."
"Mistress?"
"Everything has a price, Brachus. Even the Dark Angels."
Brachus raised his eyebrows, but chose prudently to remain silent. Lives would be the price, he knew that. But would his Mistress be willing to pay?
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The two Dwarfs leading Lord Lawrence to the walls of what he believed to be Flamuli's home hardly broke a sweat as they dug feverishly through the forgiving earth. The prospect of hanging around for the fighting was not a thought they relished and they had already discussed beforehand their escape at the most convenient moment possible. Dwarfs loved gold and fighting, but they were not stupid. They valued their lives almost as much as their gold.
The earth fell away either side of them until their pick-axes came across the unmistakable solidity of a wall. Lord Lawrence grinned with satisfaction.
"Go on!" he said with vigour, "Break it down!"
The two Dwarfs looked at each other, glanced upwards and shook their heads, and began battering at the reinforced earth. The hammering was not lost on the inhabitants inside the walls, and a black-robed figure tried his best to run down the corridor, despite his bulk. He entered the Heart chamber and ran up to the crystal home of Calisto.
"Mistress, we are…"
"Yes, I know," said Calisto, the bright turquoise clouds that gave her substance holding an utterly crestfallen expression. "We are attacked."
"What shall we do?"
Calisto looked Brachus directly in the eye. "We must do the unthinkable."
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