Chapter 24
Gaspar sat in a darkened room, his eyes closed. The single candle on the table illuminated his face, which was grimacing.
"Diablos!" he said out loud. "Damn him, he has Ifrit!"
He nodded quietly.
"He will have to be eliminated once he serves his purpose then."
He frowned.
"MacKenzie? Alright, I'll ask the Queen."
He opened his eyes and sighed. He glanced around the room. No windows a single table and chair and a reinforced door, which was slowly opening. He looked up to see Odin entering the room.
"The Queen will see you now Magus," said Odin.
Gaspar slowly rose. "Thank you Lord Odin." He paused at the door.
"What is it?" asked Odin.
Gaspar smiled. "Forgive my impudence. I can't help but wonder why you prefer such an austere chamber."
Odin regarded the room evenly. "I prefer simplicity Magus Gaspar."
Gaspar nodded and gestured for Odin to walk with him. "Rare to see in these times. Most people are living like there is no tomorrow."
Odin smiled sadly. "And will there be?"
"Absolutely," said Gaspar. "It's beyond tomorrow that I'm not sure about."
"Surely Doom gives you insight into the future," said Odin with an edge.
Gaspar waved it off. "Not as much as you think Lord Odin. I cannot choose what I foresee."
They reached the courtyard through a small doorway and entered the main doors to the antechamber.
The guard saw them and stood at attention. "Announcing Lord Odin and Magus Gaspar!"
The double doors opened and they stepped forward into the throne room. Lethe was sitting at the throne and Melchior stood to her left, watching Gaspar with a mixture of excitement and sadness. Gaspar knelt before Lethe.
"Queen Lethe, I am honored to be in your presence," said Gaspar glancing up. "You have grown much since your coronation."
Lethe nodded and briefly exchanged a look with Melchior. "We are glad to see you too Magus. We hope the blessing you gave us then is still in effect."
Gaspar pulled out a scroll and handed it to Odin. Odin walked over to the Queen and gave it to her and stood to her right.
"King Hasdrubal offers his sincere apologies for the attack on Jidoor," said Gaspar sorrowfully. "It was inexcusable. He offers compensation ten times the amount for any damage our armies have inflicted. Although it was Lord Diablos' idea, the King assumes full responsibility."
"Thank you for that apology Magus," said Lethe. "You may rise."
Gaspar stood.
"What has become of Lord Diablos?" asked Melchior.
"He has been placed in charge of the garrison in Verdigris. It is purely for defense, so I can assure you he sees it as a punishment," said Gaspar gleefully.
"He should be jailed!" said Odin angrily. "He nothing but a dishonorable coward!"
"I agree," replied Gaspar. "However, it is for the King to decide. Perhaps you can give him your opinion when he arrives in Styx."
Odin arched an eyebrow. "King Hasdrubal is paying us a visit?"
Gaspar nodded. "I am here as his ambassador. I can tell you he wants to discuss the possibility of an alliance between Golgatha and Asgard."
"When is he coming?" asked the Queen.
"When the King's airship, the Blood Rose, is completed in two weeks," said Gaspar.
Melchior leaned forward slightly to look at Odin, who looked a little ill.
"We will give your offer full consideration," said Lethe.
Gaspar nodded. "There is one other matter: the prisoner Captain MacKenzie. The King begs you to free him as he was merely doing his duty. I will gladly take his place."
Lethe tapped on the armrest softly. "Very well. You may go and see him."
Gaspar nodded and bowed. After he left Odin and Melchior walked in front of Lethe.
"Can he be trusted Melchior?" asked the Queen.
"As much as I can," replied Melchior. "Magi are not allowed to lie or defy the will of their goddess. He is sincere in his offer."
"Only we can't be as sure of King Hasdrubal or Lord Diablos," said Odin grimly.
Lethe looked thoughtful. "We will decide when we hear what King Hasdrubal has to say. In the meantime, offer the Magus every courtesy."
In the building to the west Gaspar reached the dungeon. He stopped at a cell door.
"Magus!" exclaimed Cyrus, grasping the bars. He looked more unshaven and disheveled than Gaspar remembered.
"Hello Major MacKenzie," said Gaspar with a twinkle.
Cyrus frowned. "Major? Magus, I'm a Captain."
Gaspar smirked. "Let's just say the King appreciated your loyalty and bravery and as such you deserve to be rewarded."
Cyrus leaned his head against the bars. "Did my men make it back to Tzen safely?"
Gaspar waved a hand. "Of course. Now let's discuss your vow to kill Lord Diablos."
Cyrus looked up aghast. "How did you know about that?"
Gaspar raised a finger. "Quiet. You should know that Doom has ears everywhere. And she desires Diablos to meet his end when the time is right. The question is can you do it?"
Cyrus nodded solemnly. "Yes."
Gaspar smiled benevolently. "Good. Now you should know that King Hasdrubal is coming to Styx soon. You will be in charge of his security."
Cyrus stood at attention. "As you wish!"
"Get a shave before you do," suggested Gaspar.
Gaspar sat in a darkened room, his eyes closed. The single candle on the table illuminated his face, which was grimacing.
"Diablos!" he said out loud. "Damn him, he has Ifrit!"
He nodded quietly.
"He will have to be eliminated once he serves his purpose then."
He frowned.
"MacKenzie? Alright, I'll ask the Queen."
He opened his eyes and sighed. He glanced around the room. No windows a single table and chair and a reinforced door, which was slowly opening. He looked up to see Odin entering the room.
"The Queen will see you now Magus," said Odin.
Gaspar slowly rose. "Thank you Lord Odin." He paused at the door.
"What is it?" asked Odin.
Gaspar smiled. "Forgive my impudence. I can't help but wonder why you prefer such an austere chamber."
Odin regarded the room evenly. "I prefer simplicity Magus Gaspar."
Gaspar nodded and gestured for Odin to walk with him. "Rare to see in these times. Most people are living like there is no tomorrow."
Odin smiled sadly. "And will there be?"
"Absolutely," said Gaspar. "It's beyond tomorrow that I'm not sure about."
"Surely Doom gives you insight into the future," said Odin with an edge.
Gaspar waved it off. "Not as much as you think Lord Odin. I cannot choose what I foresee."
They reached the courtyard through a small doorway and entered the main doors to the antechamber.
The guard saw them and stood at attention. "Announcing Lord Odin and Magus Gaspar!"
The double doors opened and they stepped forward into the throne room. Lethe was sitting at the throne and Melchior stood to her left, watching Gaspar with a mixture of excitement and sadness. Gaspar knelt before Lethe.
"Queen Lethe, I am honored to be in your presence," said Gaspar glancing up. "You have grown much since your coronation."
Lethe nodded and briefly exchanged a look with Melchior. "We are glad to see you too Magus. We hope the blessing you gave us then is still in effect."
Gaspar pulled out a scroll and handed it to Odin. Odin walked over to the Queen and gave it to her and stood to her right.
"King Hasdrubal offers his sincere apologies for the attack on Jidoor," said Gaspar sorrowfully. "It was inexcusable. He offers compensation ten times the amount for any damage our armies have inflicted. Although it was Lord Diablos' idea, the King assumes full responsibility."
"Thank you for that apology Magus," said Lethe. "You may rise."
Gaspar stood.
"What has become of Lord Diablos?" asked Melchior.
"He has been placed in charge of the garrison in Verdigris. It is purely for defense, so I can assure you he sees it as a punishment," said Gaspar gleefully.
"He should be jailed!" said Odin angrily. "He nothing but a dishonorable coward!"
"I agree," replied Gaspar. "However, it is for the King to decide. Perhaps you can give him your opinion when he arrives in Styx."
Odin arched an eyebrow. "King Hasdrubal is paying us a visit?"
Gaspar nodded. "I am here as his ambassador. I can tell you he wants to discuss the possibility of an alliance between Golgatha and Asgard."
"When is he coming?" asked the Queen.
"When the King's airship, the Blood Rose, is completed in two weeks," said Gaspar.
Melchior leaned forward slightly to look at Odin, who looked a little ill.
"We will give your offer full consideration," said Lethe.
Gaspar nodded. "There is one other matter: the prisoner Captain MacKenzie. The King begs you to free him as he was merely doing his duty. I will gladly take his place."
Lethe tapped on the armrest softly. "Very well. You may go and see him."
Gaspar nodded and bowed. After he left Odin and Melchior walked in front of Lethe.
"Can he be trusted Melchior?" asked the Queen.
"As much as I can," replied Melchior. "Magi are not allowed to lie or defy the will of their goddess. He is sincere in his offer."
"Only we can't be as sure of King Hasdrubal or Lord Diablos," said Odin grimly.
Lethe looked thoughtful. "We will decide when we hear what King Hasdrubal has to say. In the meantime, offer the Magus every courtesy."
In the building to the west Gaspar reached the dungeon. He stopped at a cell door.
"Magus!" exclaimed Cyrus, grasping the bars. He looked more unshaven and disheveled than Gaspar remembered.
"Hello Major MacKenzie," said Gaspar with a twinkle.
Cyrus frowned. "Major? Magus, I'm a Captain."
Gaspar smirked. "Let's just say the King appreciated your loyalty and bravery and as such you deserve to be rewarded."
Cyrus leaned his head against the bars. "Did my men make it back to Tzen safely?"
Gaspar waved a hand. "Of course. Now let's discuss your vow to kill Lord Diablos."
Cyrus looked up aghast. "How did you know about that?"
Gaspar raised a finger. "Quiet. You should know that Doom has ears everywhere. And she desires Diablos to meet his end when the time is right. The question is can you do it?"
Cyrus nodded solemnly. "Yes."
Gaspar smiled benevolently. "Good. Now you should know that King Hasdrubal is coming to Styx soon. You will be in charge of his security."
Cyrus stood at attention. "As you wish!"
"Get a shave before you do," suggested Gaspar.