‘How’s Sandreena and Kaspar?’
‘Alive,’ said Magnus. ‘Belasco is incapacitated and struggles with some sort of demon presence,’ he held up his hand before his father could ask a question. ‘I’m sure Amirantha can explain it later, but for the moment all you need to know is that if Belasco loses this struggle, then an entity named Dahun will appear in this realm.’
Gulamendis said, ‘Dahun! He’s one of the regional kings, and if he does get through, it’ll take all of us to contain him.’ He shook his head in doubt. ‘I don’t know if Amirantha and I could banish him back to the Fifth Circle.’
‘We should have another half a dozen magicians here within a few more minutes,’ said Pug.
‘That should do it,’ said an exhausted Laromendis.
‘Yes,’ agreed his brother. ‘If you damage him enough, wear him down, then Amirantha and I should be able to send him back to where he came from.’
‘It’s not like we’re going to have any choice,’ said Pug. Looking at Magnus he said, ‘We could use Amirantha and Sandreena up here.’
‘They’re trying to puzzle out what Belasco is doing.’
‘I thought you said he was incapacitated.’
‘It’s difficult to explain, Father, I’m not sure I even understand, but it appears that Belasco is a host for the demon, and killing him will only release Dahun into this realm. Belasco has kept him in check, but at the price of his own freedom.’
Hearing this Gulamendis said, ‘By the Ancestors, I need to get down there.’ He left the struggle as more human soldiers arrived to fight to the demons.
‘This should be over soon,’ said Pug, as the company of Keshian dog soldiers and another of Royal soldiers from Muboya hove into view.
Then a loud noise echoed from the pit and a company of flyers erupted out of it, followed by another host of monstrous creatures who scrambled their way up over the edge of the pit and launched themselves into the fray.
‘Perhaps not,’ said Magnus as he sent a massive fireball into the midst of the flyers circling over the attacking human armies.
Gulamendis found Amirantha and Kaspar hovering over the prone form of Belasco, while a disembodied voice bellowed, ‘My minions will be here shortly, humans! This cursed magician who confines me will perish, then I shall be free and your deaths agonizing and eternal! Release me now and I will reward you, but my patience is nearing its end!’
Jim Dasher stood ready to end Belasco’s life with his dagger, if there was any need. He threw a questioning look at Amirantha.
Amirantha shook his head, and then looked at the elven Demon Master and asked, ‘Have you heard anything like that before?’
‘I’ve never heard a demon use the word “patience”, nor have I heard of one being confined when in possession of a mortal host.’
Sandreena, now fully recovered, said, ‘I’ve been threatened before, but usually by a demon trying to rip out my throat, not by one trying to strike a bargain.’
‘This is unique in my experience, as well,’ said the Warlock. ‘And my brother, holding true to everything I know about him, refuses to cooperate.’
‘You’ve given me no reason to cooperate, dear brother.’ Belasco’s voice hung in the air.
‘Give me a reason that will persuade you, Belasco.’
‘The conundrum is that for me to emerge victorious, I must first rid myself of my demon possessor, and the only means to accomplish this is to first perish.
‘Should I perish, however, Dahun will revert to his body, one that will soon be in this realm.’
‘Soon?’ asked Gulamendis.
‘Perhaps it’s here now,’ laughed Belasco. ‘Had you killed me an hour ago, perhaps even minutes ago, he would have been cast back into the Fifth Circle of Hell, but now…? It may already be too late.’
‘I could kill you and find out,’ said Amirantha.
‘But if you do that, and he appears, what then, dear brother?’
‘We may have enough strength to send him back?’
‘Ah,may. What if you don’t?’
‘What is the truth?’ demanded Amirantha.
Gulamendis said, ‘I may not be able to get the truth from your brother, but I can try to compel the demon within him to speak the truth, at least for a while.’
‘You have a compelling enchantment that powerful?’
‘I think so,’ said Gulamendis. He looked exhausted, but closed his eyes. ‘I will try.’
Long minutes dragged by. The distant sounds of battle punctuated the silence from time to time, until Kaspar asked, ‘Is it safe to leave you here?’
Amirantha indicated the dagger in his hand, held mere inches from his brother’s throat. ‘I don’t think you being here makes much difference.’
‘Good,’ said Kaspar as he turned to leave. ‘From the sound of things, they could use a general up there, or at least one more sword.’