Into The Abyss (Demons of Astlan) (49 page)

"What?"  Edwyrd didn't know what the demon was saying now.

"Well, if we want to get there sooner, I could get a rope and pull the ship.  In the dark, no one will see.  We still have a couple hours of dark tonight.  I can come back in here for the day then pull again tomorrow night."

Edwyrd blinked.  Well, that would work, he supposed.  He guessed he too could get out and pull.  The boat normally moved about
ten miles an hour under sail.  He and Tizzy could probably double that during the dark hours.  However, it just seemed a bit too risky.  What if someone saw?  The night watch would have to get curious when they noticed the ship moving faster than it should.  If they investigated, which he was sure they would, they would quickly find out what was towing them, and then all hell would break loose.

"No, that is an idea, but I think it's too risky.  If they found out, that would be just as bad.  Further, I doubt it would speed things up that much if we only did it at night.  And, we'd still have to hide you in the day."  Tizzy shrugged.

"Do we have to hide him?"  Rupert asked suddenly.

"Why
, of course we do." Edwyrd stated, "I don't think people are going to be too happy about having a demon around."

"Maybe," Rupert said, "but what if Tizzy came openly in the daytime?  Jenn and Gastrop
é already know he is cruising around in the world.  He could just come back claiming to wait for Tom to return, and not leave."

Edwyrd looked doubtful.  Rupert continued, "
It's not exactly like Gastropé or Jenn can do anything about him.  The crew will be freaked for a little while, but they're already convinced you're some sort of powerful wizard or animage.  If you promise them that you won't let Tizzy hurt them, they'll accept it."

"I don't know."  Edwyrd didn't like the idea.  "How do you know what the crew thinks?  You've been down here all the time."  Edwyrd asked. 

Rupert pointed to his ears.  "Yeah, but I was down here in this form most of the afternoon and I can really hear good when I want to."  Edwyrd had to admit the kid was right on that one.  "I overheard them talking amongst themselves when you weren't around.  They think you're some Archimage traveling incognito with his students."

Tizzy interrupted, sounding curious. "Why do they think you're a wizard?"

"Well, actually, I'm pretending to be an animage."  Edwyrd cleared his throat.  "However, I kinda blew up a boat with two wizards on it this afternoon.  It seems to have slightly intimidated the crew."

"Blew it up? in that form?"  Tizzy pointed a couple of hands worth of index fingers at Edwyrd.

"More or less."  Edwyrd hedged, he really didn't feel like getting into the whole story right then and there.

"Why do I always miss all the fun
?!"  Tizzy pouted.  "If you had at least let me know, I could have hurried back sooner."

"Look, it's not like I planned it."  Edwyrd really wanted to get this thing solved.  "Anyway, let's think about this.  I'm not sure I like this at all.  I just don't see another way."

~

Jenn stood by the rail of the ship, thinking.  The early morning sun cleared away a lot of her mental cobwebs.  She'd just finished breakfast and was feeling considerably better.  Yesterday had been too much.  First, she'd been sure they were all lost in that battle. 
Somehow, though, between luck and Edwyrd's--whatever it was animages did, they'd survived.  Luck really; it was pure fortune. 

One of the first things she'd learned on coming to Lenamare's school was not to overextend yourself in casting spells.  Spells were tricky things, if you tried too far above your ability or knowledge, disaster would strike.  She'd seen students burned badly by a mispronounced spell that was too powerful for them.  Like all students, she was ingrained with the stories of great wizards failing at great spells and bringing havoc to their whole surroundings.  The Verigone desert being the textbook example.  Luck.  She
had said more than one prayer to the goddess last night on that score.

Then Rupert, she'd been so afraid she'd lost him.  When the healer had said he'd died, Jenn was sure she was going to have a nervous breakdown.  Again, Edwyrd pulled him through somehow.  She had no clue how animages did their healing, but Maelen had admitted that Edwyrd's story was possible. 
Incredible
, she could only think,
to bring someone that far gone back
.  She could tell Maelen was just as puzzled as she was.  However, she'd checked Rupert out herself, and so had Maelen.  Aside from the strange change in his appearance, he was perfectly healthy, if weak.  Again, thanks to the goddess were due.  She only hoped his hair would straighten out, as Edwyrd promised.

Now the problem was that the crew wanted her or Gastrop
é to help them get to Hoggensforth faster.  Not that it was a bad idea, the sooner they got there, the better.  The problem was that she wasn't sure she could.  Oh, true, she could summon a light wind, but air spells were in the realm of enchanters, and she wasn't that good at such spells.  Nor was Gastropé, he apparently was a pyromancer with some conjury ability.  Edwyrd, apparently, was into fire as well.  Maelen called it pyromastery though, not pyromancy.

Actually, from the little Maelen had said, she gathered Edwyrd was
far more than just a passable student.  In fact, he seemed to be hinting that Edwyrd was a full-fledged master.  If one could believe that.  Not that she'd known him long enough to argue the point, but what sort of master animage would be walking penniless into a strange town with only the clothes on his back.  Animages were strange, but that strange?

Jenn shook her head.  As she was about to turn away from the rail, she noted a large bird approaching the ship, rapidly.  As she looked again at the bird, she realized that it was a very large bird.  A
s it got closer she realized it was a very large bird with eight legs! "Shit!  That's no bird, that's the goddess-cursed demon friend of Tom's that tried to subvert Rupert."  She quickly looked around, searching for Gastropé.  He was on the other side of the ship.  "Gastropé!" she yelled.

Gastrop
é looked up from whatever he was doing. "Come quickly!" Jenn yelled. "We've got problems."  Gastropé trotted over to her.  As he got to her, she pointed to the now very close demon.

"Holy birds of Draston!"  Gastrop
é croaked.  Quickly he began what preparations he could to hold the demon.  A loud droning noise filled the deck.  By this point, crew members had noticed the approaching demon, and were pointing and talking loudly among themselves. 

As it became apparent that the demon was headed right for the two wizards, the
crewmembers made haste to place themselves on the opposite end of the ship.  The demon came down, fast.

Crunch!  It landed heavily on the deck, cracking a few planks.

"Hey lunches!  Where's Tom?"

"Back
!  Vile spawn of night-hags!"  Gastropé commanded.  He was quickly making some sort of gesture. 

"My, my, aren't we testy
?  Relax your gonads before I roast them on their branch."  Tizzy told him.  Gastropé squinted, trying to determine if his spells were having any effect.

"What are you doing here, demon?" Jenn demanded.

"Like I told you.  I'm looking for the Tomatic demon."  Tizzy intoned with a certain echo effect in his voice on the last sentence.

"The what?" 
Asked Gastrope' obviously puzzled, and dripping with sweat.

"The big red
handsome fellow, you know--the one who was playing taxi driver for you."

"What driver?  Never mind," Jenn shook her head.  "He's not here.  He's gone back to the Abyss.  Now leave."

"Well, aren't you Miss Congeniality?  Where am I supposed to leave to?  Remember, he was my ride as well as yours."

"Get yourself gone
, demon.  We command you."  Jenn told the octopod.

"By what right?  Do you have a binding on me?  Did you summon me?  Do you even know my name?  You don't even have the right components for a ward."  He pointed to the materials Gastrop
é had put together trying to construct some form of protection from the demon. 

Gastrop
é, as was recently his habit with demons, was blanching severely and trying to stutter out some new form of protection spell.  Jenn was just frowning.  She'd faced down a bigger and nastier demon recently, and while it was probably a very stupid attitude on her part, she didn't intend to be cowed by this one.  She'd just ignore the fact that it could easily rip her to shreds.

"Don't push us
, demon.  We've had about enough lately.  Tom has left; he's not here so it does no good for you to stay.  You might as well just leave."  Jenn told Tizzy.  At this point Maelen, Rupert and Edwyrd walked up.  Edwyrd was helping Rupert to walk.  That boy should not be out of bed yet.

"Hey Tizzy!"  Rupert waved his hand at the demon.

"Hey Rupert!"  The demon replied, baring its teeth in a fearful grimace.

"Rupert!
Get back in bed!  What the Abyss loving mother of dragons are you doing out of bed?  You nearly died yesterday, and if you're not careful this fiend from the pits will finish you off.  Get back inside."

"My, you really do have a type
-A personality, don't you girl?"  The demon asked.  Jenn shook her head in annoyance, not understanding this crazy creature at all. 

"Edwyrd, you will take Rupert back to his bed, this instant."  Jenn commanded.

"Um, well, Jenn, Rupert says he knows this demon.  If so, maybe he could be of some help in placating it.  Maybe keep it from eating everyone on the ship?" Gastropé appeared to drip another gallon of sweat on the deck.

"Edwyrd, if you knew anything at all about demons, you would know that you can't placate them.  The only way you can deal with them at all is from a position of power.  Not by being buddy
-buddy.   Now get Rupert back to bed."

"Is she always this bossy?"  Tizzy asked Rupert.

"Well," Rupert tried to be conciliatory.  "She's under a lot of pressure right now; she just thinks she's looking out for me."

"Rupert!"  Jenn was going to go beserk
about any second now. 
Why did everyone have to be so unreasonable?  Was she the only sane person left in the world?
  She glanced at the waterlogged Gastropé; well, one of two sane people in the world, she amended.  This was a murder-loving demon they were dealing with.  A fiendish monster from the fiery pits of the Abyss!  Here they were standing around talking to it like some long-lost comrade.

"Demon
!  Would you just leave?  You'll find no friends here.  Your demon lord has returned, leaving you.  So go get left!"  Jenn was nearly shouting at the end.

"You really shouldn't get so worked up."  Tizzy commented casually.  "My thirteenth mistress was the same way.  Eventually she burst a blood vessel in her brain.  I didn't even have to help her!"  Tizzy shook his head sadly.

Jenn swayed on her feet.  She felt like she was going to collapse any second.  She really wasn't cut out for dealing with demons.  Nor with senseless human males like Rupert and Edwyrd.  "Maelen, would you please make Edwyrd and Rupert go?"

Maelen coughed, clearing his throat.  "Esteemed colleagues.  While it is true that I sense no immediate danger from this demon
, prudence would dictate that you return to your quarters."

"Enough
!" Edwyrd said.  "I can handle the demon, if it becomes a problem.  You know that."  He glanced at Maelen who looked rather uncomfortable all of the sudden.  "Demon," Edwyrd addressed Tizzy directly for the first time.  "What is it that you want?  You've been told that the being you seek is no longer here."

"Ahh, mister?"  Tizzy inquired politely of Edwyrd.

"Edwyrd."  Edwyrd supplied.

"Mr. Wyrd, thank you for your politeness, some people could learn from your civil manner."  The demon glanced at Jenn from the corner of its eye.  Jenn simply glared at the demon.  The demon continued in an almost too suave, too civilized, theatrical tone. "It seems that my ride has temporarily vacated this plane.  Since I can't return without him, and since I am sure he will return to visit you, his...friends."  He smiled leeringly at Jenn, raising his eyebrows suggestively.  Jenn's face went red with fury.  "I would like to wait with you, in the chance of encountering him again."

Jenn had been watching the smiling demon.  Now she was ticked.  It acted like it was playing some sort of game with them.  "Impossible!"  Jenn snapped.  "You may not stay here."

"Well..." the demon returned its stare to her, tilting its head, and flexing four of its claws.  This time it spoke in a higher pitched, more thoughtful tone.  "If you
prefer.  I could go out to the nearby countryside.  I hear there's a lovely buffet.  Nice ripe little children.  Ready for picking and roasting."  The demon smiled evilly, a small flame sprouting from its upper right claw.  He licked his lips.  Jenn now followed Gastrope's earlier lead, and blanched.

"You wouldn't."  Jenn said horrified.

"Never know!  Might.  Might not!" Tizzy rocked his head back and forth several times.  "I also hear there are some lovely virginal maids that direction."  Now he leered directly into Jenn's eyes, licking his lips.  "Nope.  Hard to decide.  So many choices.  So many delicacies.  I guess maybe you're right.