Death to the High Lords 7:
The Unwanted Alliance
Flamuli could hear the call on the very edge of his consciousness. It was a voice that he had not heard for over a hundred years. A voice that had haunted his most wonderful nightmares for all that time.
"Flamuli! Flamuli! I bid you in the name of the Keeper's Law. Come to my aid! Our cause is the same. Ally with me!" Calisto's voice sounded almost desperate in her plea. And when the dreaded words 'Keeper's Law' were mentioned, Flamuli knew he could not back down.
"Calisto…" said Flamuli almost to himself. "Asmodeus!" The cry for his Mentor echoed through every single chamber in the ancient Keeper's dungeon. Asmodeus raised his head from his scrying. He had been watching the fighting that was going on in Calisto's corridors, and her demise was almost imminent.
"You called, Master?" he said absently, his attention distracted by the sight of High Lord Lawrence battering at Calisto's steel door.
"Asmodeus, mobilise our troops. Calisto has called for an alliance."
Asmodeus smirked. "Let her be smashed to pulp, Master. It would be one more out of the way, and High Lord Lawr…."
"Asmodeus, I do not expect you to argue with me about matters of Keeper's Law. Do it!"
Keeper's Law?, thought Asmodeus. But such a thing has not been declared since their first campaigns. Surely the Master has lost his senses. "At once, Master," he said instead, and dismissed the image on his scrying ball. He leapt up from his desk and made his way to the Lair. There, Jella and her Sisters of Pain were resting after a hard day's torturing. Several Goblins were lying in their beds, groaning with pain.
"Come on!" shouted Asmodeus, throwing healing spells around the room at the ravaged Goblins. "Up and at them! We've got to rescue a fellow Keeper. Calisto has called for an alliance under Keeper's Law. I'm not sure how long it will last."
"Huh!" said Jella with contempt, "Why doesn't he just let her rot!"
"Because Flamuli has to honour this, or risk the anger of the Dark Gods. And remember, you cannot harm any of Calisto's minions. Is that understood?"
Jella looked very disappointed. "Oh! Not even an Imp or two?"
"No, Jella! You heard me!"
Jella nodded reluctantly and stopped sharpening her bladed glove. "I am at your disposal, Asmodeus," she said quietly, looking down at the floor, a wicked glint in her eye.
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Asmodeus led his troops through the tunnels created by the High Lord's passage, torches lighting their way here and there. Ahead in the passageways, Asmodeus saw some shadows flickering. Three Dwarfs emerged from the shadows, screaming battle-cries and waving their pick-axes. The Mentor grinned and stepped aside. His Goblins rushed forth and engaged with the Dwarfs, making short work of them.
Stepping over the corpses of the Dwarfs, their retinue found the hole that had been hammered through Calisto's walls. Asmodeus turned and said, "Now remember, you lot. No killing unless it's heroes. All right?"
The creatures nodded.
Their Mentor led them into enemy territory, coming across several wrecked sentry traps. The sound of fighting was getting closer, several deep voiced cries and growls mingled with the clashing of steel against steel. Calisto cried out as her door finally gave way, buckling on it's hinges and falling apart. The heroes rushed in and faced the beating heart of Calisto. Two of the Giants immediately set to work, hammering their clubs against the archways surrounding the heart, shrugging off the energy bolts fired from nearby sentry traps.
Then the Goblins dashed in.
The Fairies squealed with surprise, but quickly recovered their poise and began unleashing lightning bolts at the advancing Goblins. Several were knocked down by the lightning, their bodies quivering under the tremendous shock. The Mistresses lifted their hands in the air and replied with several bolts of their own, knocking down the Fairies and the Giants. High Lord Lawrence cursed and called his Guards away from the Dungeon Heart which was pounding faster and faster.
Nearly all the Goblins had fallen wounded by the time the Fairies had been dealt with, and the Giants and the Guards were still coming for them. Asmodeus moved to the back of the skirmish, occasionally throwing healing spells at his troops to keep them on their feet.
Calisto's sentry traps continued to fire, and their work took it's toll on the heroes' numbers. Three Guards fell to them before they finally stopped through lack of Manna. Only the Mistresses stood between the heroes and Calisto's destruction.
Jella spotted High Lord Lawrence fighting with the rest of her Sisterhood. He was an accomplished warrior, something that she remembered all too well, having experienced his prison. "Lawrie!" she yelled, running straight at him, "How are you, darling?"
Lord Lawrence gritted his teeth and snarled. His Guards moved in on the other Mistresses, while he met with Jella. "Fine until I saw you!" he said in retort.
Jella deftly avoided his sword strokes as she nipped at his armour trying to find a gap. Lawrence grinned smugly at her lack of success.
Asmodeus felt vulnerable in the shattered doorway, and he was beginning to wonder where re-enforcements were going to come from. He glanced upwards, as though any help was going to come from that direction. It was then that he heard the tell-tale sound of flapping. He turned slowly around and saw the most welcome sight he had ever seen.
The magnificent forms of Zalador and his fellow Dark Angels flew into the fray, hacking down the Guards with their mighty broadswords. The bleeding, near beaten Mistresses whooped with delight as they landed behind Jella and looked down at a terrified Lord Lawrence.
"What have we here?" said Zalador, "A little morsel for the Legions, no doubt." The Dark Angel grinned and nodded at his lieutenants. They each grabbed an arm and a leg, Lord Lawrence kicking and screaming to no avail.
"No!" he yelled, "Anything but a sacrifice! My soul will be damned!"
"That's the idea," said Zalador with delight. And with that, Zalador's subordinates lifted Lawrence into the air and carried him away to the fate that awaited him in the Temple at the land's centre.
Asmodeus stepped forward. "Zalador," he said with reverence, "I have to ask, if not for my curiosity, but certainly my Master's. Why?"
"It is in my brethren's interests to help you, Asmodeus. I cannot tell you more than that. However, one stipulation is made for us to agree to help you. The alliance between Flamuli and Calisto must remain. You are the only two Keepers left in existence, and the Legions of the Damned will need your help in the future."
"I shall persuade my Master, Zalador, though I have a feeling that persuasion will not be necessary."
"Yes," said Zalador, "I had noticed that there was a mutual….respect." The Dark Angel smiled and without another word swooped up and out of the chamber.
Asmodeus glanced down into the pit which contained Calisto's heart. It had shrunk considerably under the onslaught from Lord Lawrence. Then, he noticed a figure starting to emerge from the pit. The portly form of Brachus emerged, his eyes wide and frightened, his skin glistening with the sweat of fear. He stepped down to stand before Asmodeus. "Thank you," he said simply.
"Do not thank me, Brachus," said Asmodeus, "Thank Calisto. Without her call to aid through Keeper's Law, we would have left you to your fate."
"I am aware of that, Asmodeus," said Brachus uncomfortably, "Yet I still thank you. I have served Calisto for many years, and I do not wish to see her destroyed."
Asmodeus nodded. "I have noticed that she tends to have that effect on people. A type of Evil in itself, really."
Brachus nodded. "Where do we go now?"
"Well, you can't stay here. Flamuli's area is more secure. I suggest we take steps to have Calisto moved to my Master's chamber."
"Are you mad?" cried Brachus, "Do you know what that could mean?"
"Probably something a lot more permanent than either of our Keepers would like. But it's the only avenue open to us."
"I suppose," Brachus sighed, "At least with Lord Lawrence destroyed, we have little threat imposed against us."
"Yes, but there are other dangers. Whatever ragtag resistance is left in the land above, they may well come down to see what has happened to their Lord and master. Furthermore, we do not have enough Warlocks between us to affect a teleportation. We shall have to do it the old fashioned way."
Brachus looked horrified. "You don't mean…"
"Yes," said Asmodeus with resignation, "She will have to be carried."
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