Abyssal Road Trip

Amdirlain’s PoV - Outlands - Outpost of the Monastery of the Western Reaches

After opening the Gate near Moloch’s Domain, Amdirlain returned to the Monastery and only turned off the water flow two weeks later. Yet, it was another three weeks before she heard from Tephros again. It was the middle of the afternoon’s second session, and Amdirlain was creating shield-sized slabs of cured Red Dragon hide for Sarah to craft and enchant when the message globe appeared. The demoness’s voice remained the same, but there was an eerie longing when she spoke of seeking Oblivion.

The globe’s soft white light washed along Amdirlain’s bare arms, picking out the scattered light blue thread in her dark halter top.

At Amdirlain’s sigh, Sarah put a hand on her shoulder. “Was that a relayed message from Tephros?”

Amdirlain nodded. “She sounds like she has a death wish. Being in that filth for five weeks, I’m unsure how she’s okay. Maybe it’s the shell of corruption protecting her Soul.”

“She’s got more than simply a death wish if she’s fascinated by Oblivion,” offered Sarah, as she stored the materials Amdirlain had created. “Are you sure you don’t want to test your summoning safeguards further? The trick with the Soul set with the variant of your name won’t protect you if she goes to summon a Fallen with your name. I understand why you advised her, but don’t trust her.”

“I know she can’t be trusted, so I’ve triple-checked the idea with Gilorn and ran some tests. It’ll detonate the summoning circle, regardless of how it’s reinforced once I blow out the conduit’s wall, so I’m not risking you on a live test to the Material Plane,” replied Amdirlain.

Sarah caressed her fingers through Amdirlain’s hair, drawing a smile from her.

Gilorn chimed in agreement. “Am wouldn’t even let me summon her to the Material Plane for the test. She went between demi-planes and fractured one of them with the explosion, so it’s not just yourself in danger. It’ll put a dent in whatever location she gets pulled to as the flood of Chaos caused a fission reaction in the circle’s formation and the ground beneath it.”

“That sounds strange,” noted Sarah.

“Most things can’t do more than minimal damage to the conduit, but the song hits it from the outside, and then the conduit ruptures easily. Once that happens, I can slip out of it as the Chaos rushes in. Since the summoning doesn’t get me into the circle, there is no active barrier when the energy crosses the threshold. With that barrier missing, the circle’s surroundings go up in a flood of Chaos,” explained Amdirlain.

Sarah slid an arm around Amdirlain and rested a hand on her hip, thumb gently stroking her side.

“Are you enjoying yourself?” asked Amdirlain lightly.

The smouldering look as Sarah took in Amdirlain’s halter top and the matching shorts she wore spoke volumes. “Nice dress.”

“I’m not wearing a dress,” said Amdirlain suspiciously.

“I know,” breathed Sarah. “I didn’t know undressing you with my eyes could become a reality.”

Amdirlain groaned. “Whose line was that?”

“Klipyl’s,” laughed Sarah. “Though truthfully, I’m happy that your progress has gotten you into skimpy outfits.”

“Maybe next beach trip, I might even don a two-piece,” quipped Amdirlain.

Sarah’s brows raised in surprise. “There’s going to be another?”

“It got me progression in my psionics that I’ve not achieved here,” admitted Amdirlain. “Though it might depend on how many bad lines you hit me with between now and then.”

“Bad pickup lines are still more fun than talking about an ancient demoness who has your name. Yes, technically she’s a trapped Soul, but she never sought to get out?”

“I don’t know what information she got. My running into her was a good warning, and I’m surprised Gideon told me as much about her as he did. Now we also know Orcus is a Hidden, so whatever I do to him, I need to ensure he doesn’t spot me and learn similar information,” said Amdirlain. “Gideon’s note set me up; he played off my curiosity and the conversations I’d been having about succubi with Kli.”

“You know we’re shortening her name for no reason,” said Sarah. “You lengthened it with a suffix before she travelled with me.”

“No, she shortened it further to blend in with me. That’s its purpose,” offered Amdirlain.

Sarah squeezed her lightly. “Kli is crazy about her big sister.”

“Kli found a nice scented massage oil for you to try on me,” Amdirlain offered nervously.

“Oh?”

Amdirlain handed over the crystal vial, her nose twitching at the scent. “Alien scents from The Exchange, but close to Earth fragrances.”

“Sort of like the lavender and almond oil you were looking for,” noted Sarah. “Calming.”

Amdirlain murmured. “Yes, it’s not identical, but close. It might be enough for you to get me out of my pants and top.”

The vial vanished, Sarah having stolen it and a kiss from Amdirlain. “A reward for after your session with Gilorn. Have either of you heard more from the Lómë?”

“Isa says they’re still talking about the choirs and the musical arrangements between them,” sighed Amdirlain. “I swear it feels like they’ll be ready in a few years.”

That drew only a resigned shrug from Sarah before she changed the subject. “You had planned to make demi-planes for Qil Tris for a year. How many will you have ready?”

Amdirlain restrained the urge to sigh again. “Unless I pick up the pace, it won’t be a Demi-Plane for each city in a year. Should I leave it at one for groups of three cities? That feels like fights will break out for control.”

“And the more controls you put in place, the more people will look to find a way around them,” said Sarah. “Unless you make it worth their while to avoid clashes.”

“I take it you’ve got an idea to share,” said Amdirlain.

“Make the challenge spawns better when willing team members are from different regions,” suggested Sarah. “The only issue will be that it’s less likely for high zones to become locked down, resulting in not getting the Tier 7 Prestige classes. The willing part is the key.”

“If you want to challenge them consistently, we could ensure the demi-planes lockdown at the same rate the Spawning Abomination would appear,” proposed Gilorn. “You didn’t tell Mor’lmes what would trigger the bosses of the weaker zones, only that they’d need to be defeated to access the next zones when it occurred.”

“Good thought, if they’re clearing it regularly, it will still occur. Gilorn, I’ve been thinking since I received experience for replacing a biome that I need to do more activities involving raw materials,” said Amdirlain.

Gilorn let out a joyful ripple of sound. “Does that mean more work undertaking stellar creations?”

“I am concerned that they’ll award a vast chunk of experience the first time I get a star to ignite,” replied Amdirlain cautiously.

“We could create some deliberate nebulae in our practice sessions,” offered Gilorn.

Amdirlain nodded. “As long as it’s not life-bearing.”

“You’ve known nebulae that could support life?”

“Something Anna said on her last visit,” admitted Amdirlain. “We were discussing lifeforms I’d experienced in my past lives, and she told me about some very alien lifeforms she’d encountered recently.”

“Interesting,” murmured Gilorn. “That will teach me not to skip your meetings with her. However, I still think creating lifeforms would serve you better rather than merely learning from her knowledge.”

“Ori didn’t like some species she created while experimenting. I prefer to learn from those who have gone before me and avoid their mistakes,” said Amdirlain. “Though that said, since I’ve exceeded my target, it’s time to spend some points.”

[Knowledge Points spent: 191

Planetary Biome [S] (10) -> [G] (1)]

The knowledge buzz washed through her and faded away without a ripple on Mental Hardening.

Amdirlain raised an amused eyebrow. “It didn’t even touch the sides.”

“That wasn’t what you said last night,” said Sarah drily.

‘Hush you,’ projected Amdirlain, though her blush spoke volumes.

“Now I know how ridiculous True Song Architecture is,” huffed Amdirlain. ”Nearly two hundred points spent into a Knowledge without strain.”

“It is a Skill, not Knowledge, for a reason,” reminded Gilorn. “The practical aspects of creating interlinking matter and dimensional energies is much more than mere knowledge of how different biological creatures interact."

“Physical Geography as well?” enquired Sarah.

“It’s not hit Senior Master rank yet,” grumbled Amdirlain.

Gilorn huffed. “There are far more interesting topics to study. As Isa has said, upload the simple stuff and enjoy the more interesting subjects.”

“Fine,” laughed Amdirlain.

[Knowledge Points spent: 209

Physical Geography [M] (62) -> [S] (170)]

“Did you equalise them?” asked Gilorn as Amdirlain’s expression twitched as the second rush left her unaffected.

“Not quite,” admitted Amdirlain. “And no synergies with old memories.”

“Gideon has their knickers in a twist, but considering you vomited up all that corruption when you renounced the Oath, I’d prefer it gone,” said Sarah.

“Who knows what state I’d be in,” said Amdirlain, shuddering as she considered the changes her True Form had continued to experience with the recent weeks of fierce work. “I could stop levelling and just work on skills and powers. Make Psionic Paragon my last Class to tip the balance to Empress Malfex once I can select it.”

“I thought you were going for Grand Empress?” asked Gilorn.

The title alone had Amdirlain scrunching her nose. “I joked about it, but Empress Malfex is bad enough. I’ll exceed Empress, but getting another six hundred levels over it for Grand Empress is too much of a push. I’d need to get three hundred sixty-eight levels in each Class, and the grandiose titles turn my stomach.”

“Maybe Gideon will rename them for you since no one has them yet,” said Sarah. “However, that’s probably not going to happen. They seem to want you to embrace all the powers of Ori.”

Gilorn hummed. “Considering the greater benefit you get from Prestige classes, I recommend pushing them higher. Perhaps even them off at three hundred and doing the same with the evolved base Class. After all, you nearly have your species and the other three there. Decide what level you are comfortable getting, and I’ll create the rest of the demi-planes for each city. Though I think it would be best to set them up so they learn to share, even if we create enough so they wouldn’t yet have a need.”

Amdirlain smiled in relief at the offer.

“True,” said Amdirlain. “I will stop the crafting when I get the new species and return to fighting. I need to get back into the habits required for the deeper planes. The trip around Vehtë might be a little warm-up, but not much of one.”

“You had to say that, didn’t you?” huffed Sarah.

“I’m serious. I saw the surveyor readings of what was on Vehtë,” argued Amdirlain. “There isn’t anything on that planet that is going to stand a chance with the two of us. There isn’t a threat as long as we avoid the assorted great wyrms, so I don’t understand the purpose of the trip.”

“Your test with all those demons casting spells at you might have given you too much confidence,” critiqued Gilorn.

The evening had become almost routine, and the slowness of her progression showed it with no further increase in True Song or Resonance. The progress in Sarah’s massages had her considering exactly how comfortable she would need to get to slip her clothing off. That the sticking point was still her pants before self-doubt grew too uncomfortable had her mentally grinding her teeth behind her composed ‘Sifu’ expression for the morning training session.

I walked around naked for weeks at a time in the maze, and now it’s an issue. Stupid brain!

As she sent most students off to breakfast, she signalled Klipyl and Dareios to keep sparring. Their exchanges were a helpful distraction that stopped her from cursing herself out for her continual craven nature.

Amid everything going on in the forty-two thousand kilometres radius she was monitoring, Roher’s appearance outside the Domain’s boundary still caught Amdirlain’s attention.

His entry into the training hall caught Klipyl’s attention, and she broke off from sparring with Dareios to wave at him.

After greeting him Klipyl looped her arm through Roher’s and escorted him in their direction.

Not breaking off the conversation with Morgana, they were still reviewing the adjustments needed in her spells until the pair stepped onto the platform.

Klipyl motioned Roher to a chair across from Amdirlain and promptly vanished.

“I’m sorry our review of the songs persisted in dragging on. Would you still have time to work with us?” asked Roher, his hand resting lightly on the back of the chair.

“Of course I would,” replied Amdirlain cheerfully. “Morgana, this is Roher of the Lómë. Roher, this is Morgana, my teacher in arcane matters.”

“I had hoped to catch you before your morning lessons started,” Roher said.

“We were just discussing them,” advised Amdirlain.

Morgana rose to greet Roher and patted Amdirlain’s shoulder before excusing herself.

Having stood to farewell Morgana, Amdirlain waved to the chair Roher had lingered near.

“Take a seat. When would you like to start?”

Roher sighed in relief. “I worried we might have left it too late. I know that you and Isa don’t have the same perspective of time we do, and her comments hinted that your training is progressing well.”

“I’ve been happy with my training,” agreed Amdirlain. “However, that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t welcome working with you all. Even those exiled I would have worked with despite our clashing.”

“Their conduct towards you was not only negative, but it quickly became clear after you left that they sought control of you and the other Anar,” sighed Roher. “Their attitude, and the children’s safety, necessitated their immediate exile.”

“I don’t take to being controlled very well,” drawled Amdirlain. “While I’m sure their combined capacity could overwhelm me, I can take them out individually.”

“Do I want to know?” asked Roher.

A few hundred ways to get revenge if I’m ever Planar Locked by any Lómë.

“Sarah and I figured out a few things,” replied Amdirlain. “And she isn’t the only one who could set them in motion. If someone Planar Locked me. I’d know who it was, and I could still send messages. I have a communication mechanism that I can’t even block, so holding me in a containment cell wouldn’t end well.”

“I don’t think they’ll risk it,” reassured Roher.

“I didn’t think they’d be my enemies,” replied Amdirlain sadly. “It seems I was wrong, so hopefully I’m the only one between us who misjudged them.”

Roher froze. “You consider them enemies.”

“You’re worried about them trying to seize control of the Anar children. They’re now in my top ten,” Amdirlain responded.

Gilorn huffed. “We allow the possibility of things worsening by waiting, Amdirlain.”

I took the convenient route with the Red Dragon. Am I going to do it again? Is it that they’re elves that make it less acceptable or is it just because they’re not big and scaly? They can do more damage than the angry red was able to inflict on the forest. Though that’s not completely true, I was all set to strip them of True Song. I had held off because I didn’t want Gilorn to be my executioner, and I felt the responsibility that needed to do it myself. Just because I have the power doesn’t give me the right to use it to resolve everything. I need to do better.

The self-recriminations caught a rough spot, and Amdirlain held back a groan.

Is that the purpose of the trip? To get me to look at what solutions I can find without applying my power?

Amdirlain chewed her bottom lip as Roher’s eyes widened. “Roher. Would you do me a favour?”

“Whatever you need,” Roher replied without hesitation.

“I’d like you and some others to allow me or a Diamond Dragon to draw on your emotional state during your imprisonment,” explained Amdirlain. “I wonder if the problem isn’t a matter of perspective.”

“What do you want to do?”

“Play them a montage of the abandonment and desperation that the Lómë experienced,” explained Amdirlain. “Not life experience, but the emotions. They’d know what spurs the emotions, but that’s it. Give them a sense of half a million years of the noose drawing close.”

“I’d suggest taking a firmer approach,” huffed Gilorn. “But yours might at least awaken their common sense. With the song of the memories, I can filter it to provide them with the emotional experience as if they’d walked that path rather than only felt the emotions.”

“You know the song involved in the Titan’s Maze?”

Gilorn chimed curiously. “I’m not sure I know what you mean.”

“Never mind, I’ll go over it later,” said Amdirlain.

“Their lack of understanding on the matter caused some strain,” allowed Roher. “I’m not sure anyone would welcome them back easily, but if we could somehow redeem them, it would be a balm on that pain.”

“I’ll set up a place to meet,” said Amdirlain. “We can use it as a staging post for the choirs.”

“Perhaps a smaller Demi-Plane,” proposed Roher. “Something that would only require a fraction of your reach.”

“A tiny one,” laughed Amdirlain. “Isa mentioned she’d help create crystals. Do you need further assistance to help protect your home?”

“We’ve enough crystals to support additional barriers,” replied Roher. “She didn’t mention our concerns to you?”

“She might not have considered it her place. Well, either that or she felt paranoid about my response,” offered Amdirlain. “I’ve gotten a touch grumpy with folks that don’t care about children properly in the past.”

“Truly? How surprising,” said Roher innocently.

Amdirlain laughed at his tone. “How are Lospen, Rainith, and Nordil doing? Are they keeping you and Laleither on your toes?”

“They are well. Rainith hopes you’ll visit again,” said Roher.

“I’ll see what I can do, but it might be a year or two. Before we get started, has all the debate about the choirs completely concluded?” asked Amdirlain. “No one wanting to haggle over the last tidbits?”

Roher nodded. “It has.”

“Alright, what do you need besides a place to stand?”

“If you’d create a breathable atmosphere on the planets first,” proposed Roher. “That way, we don’t have to stage through the lifeforms rapidly, and can go straight to the evolved species,”

“That’s doable,” agreed Amdirlain. “I’ll start work on the first planet’s atmosphere tonight as I need to ease off my levelling a bit. I have a serious choice to make in a hundred and seventy-nine levels.”

“Do you ever rest?” asked Roher.

Gilorn said. “Lately, Sarah gets her to pause.”

“Privacy barriers need to be respected,” huffed Amdirlain, restraining the urge to shift position as memories of the interrupted petting stirred.

As Amdirlain sought to retain composure, she turned her thoughts to matters that made her nervous.

Will those levels be strong enough to deal with the primordial beings on the deep planes? The sisterhood gets away with it by being small enough fishes that they’re not worth the effort of stirring. Some days, I feel like I’m being overly paranoid about Balnérith; others, it feels like I’m not paranoid enough. How does her Mana Finesse Tier compare to my True Song Genesis evolution? Tephros’s situation showed me I can’t hear everything as clearly as I’d like.

♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫

Moloch’s PoV - Culerzic

The landscape of his Domain remained unaffected by the ongoing cataclysm beyond its boundaries. A strange mushroom cloud had risen in the weeks since the initial explosion, and the central column was still feeding into the expanding head that had blotted out the fiery sky overhead. The dust within it circled upon hitting the flaming sky, and when it reached the outer lip, the air currents pulled the material back into the central shaft. With the destruction, the Abyss seemed to have found new inspiration, and Moloch could see souls repeatedly flayed by the swirling ash. The jet of water from underground was still causing the thick corruption that coated the plains nearby to burn, and the canyon deepened with every minute it went on. It had already blocked his Domain’s expansion in that direction.

[Canyon of Wrath

Details: A landmark showing where a significant number of demonic spawning grounds and damned once stood. The result of a tiny experiment in oppositional reactions from a still waking songbird finding her feet in a changing planar landscape.]

“You thought you escaped her wrath through your little patronage trick?”

Moloch spun, and spells leapt from him, only to be snuffed out before they came close to their target. The swirling black maelstrom before him twisted the light, and his senses didn’t even register as being present within his Domain.

The contents of their announcement caused Moloch to stiffen in place.

“Who are you? And whose wrath do you speak of?” asked Moloch, keeping his tone calm.

A stiff gust of wind smacked against him from the whirlwind. “My name’s Kháos. It’s far safer to use than other names. If your sponsor hadn’t put you partly under my banner, we wouldn’t be conversing. I’d just be watching from the sidelines, waiting for you to be destroyed.”

“How did she do that?” questioned Moloch carefully.

“By proclaiming you her Harbinger of Chaos, Lies, and Repression,” explained Kháos.

Moloch kept his expression carefully composed. “What brings you to visit me?”

The swirling cloud formed into the rough outline of an ebony-skinned Elven male whose clothes drank in the light. As Moloch looked him over, the figure gave him a shark-toothed smile. “Always Chaos.”

“I’m listening.”

Kháos sat unsupported in mid-air, only for a whirlwind beneath him to morph into a well-cushioned armchair. “Some of my siblings have thoughts about how long before she’s regrown in strength to snuff you out. I’ve got a different proposition for you.”

“How do you benefit from this proposition?” asked Moloch suspiciously

“Chaos. I’ll have aspects scrambling to achieve so many different outcomes. Would you like to appease the songbird instead and avoid destruction? Though destruction would certainly get his rocks off by you getting blown up. My idea has the potential to get you out of your chains to the Hell bitch as well,” explained Kháos.

Moloch’s gaze narrowed speculatively. “I take it this helps you because of the chaos it brings.”

“Chaos is my eternal goal, but merchants like you thrive amid Chaos better than the authoritarian rule of tyrants,” said Kháos. “Would you like to hear more?”

“My Patron has threatened to snuff me out if I oppose her,” hedged Moloch.

Kháos smiled benevolently, this time showing pearly whites. “Technically, that is true, but beware of those who lie with the truth. The rules limit her ability to remove that essence to particular conditions, so how about we step around them? I dislike dictators using periods of disorder as an excuse to impose more rules. Especially when they’ve been the ones to provoke it.”

“She made it sound like it was always her right,” said Moloch, teleporting a chair into place so he could sit opposite Kháos.

“That’s something a tyrant would say,” laughed Kháos. “Now, I won’t lie. Things don’t look good for you, even with your patron. You’ve earned a stay of your execution, nothing more with that trick.”

“Can I pay her off? What did the other demon lords offer her?”

“You’re the one that paid her, Moloch.”

Moloch’s jaw clenched. “I most certainly didn’t.”

“Actions and the events they put into motion create favours that need to be repaid, not trifling metals, Thus actions are the coin of powers, so you paid your executioner in that respect. The deeds of your lackey and you against a certain group of celestials spurred her into action,” advised Kháos. “You caused the corruption of a Celestial she was quite in love with and earned her wrath.”

“My analysis ability said nothing about this,” stated Moloch.

“Knowledge doesn’t like you. We both know that inside, you are scum. You only won over your Demon because you embraced the corruption instead of being consumed by it. It’s hard to get eaten up by evil when you’re already more vile than the evil that demons represent,” said Kháos. “Other Hidden killed theirs or cast them out. You embraced what the curse turned you into and sought to become even worse.”

Moloch shrugged. “It took one too many pokes at me. I defended myself.”

“Whatever. You’ve got an uphill battle. She hates you, but fortunately for you, there are others she hates more,” said Kháos. “I’ll have to be vague with some of them to avoid them coming looking at you, but fortunately, you have an ally besides me.”

“First is a two-for-one offer. The Hag who once ruled the Treasury took over from Hades of the Greek Pantheon. Inside his old Domain are three treasures she’d do much to possess, and the Hag isn’t aware of their nature or presence,” said Kháos. “Did you know she built a new Domain on the Plane that bears his name since she didn’t like his old architecture? I wonder if anything got left behind. Trading three for one might get you a little leeway. Also, hurting the Hag might win you some good grace from the songbird.”

The challenge of finding an insignificant god’s domain in an infinite Plane and then finding a hidden treasure had Moloch gritting his teeth. “How would I even know these treasures?”

“They’re three Soul jars, one woman and two twin baby boys,” clarified Kháos. “And yes, they are most certainly hidden away. You’ll need someone or something that can see the truth to find them. Where might you find someone like that who’s Fallen into the Abyss?”

The wordplay brought gossip about a fortress in the depths to Moloch’s mind. “There are rumours of individuals like that in the deep planes.”

“More than rumours,” replied Kháos. “Not all of them are in the deep planes. Some act as mercenaries from The Exchange and places like it.”

“What are you really after?” asked Moloch. “Are you going to add extra tithe to the deal?”

“This will only cost you whatever time you invest in the demons you send searching. I’ll reap the chaos of emotions that it will cause in her every time she considers if she did the right thing by letting you exist,” smirked Kháos. “She thinks about such things constantly. Your presence will be a thorn that she’ll constantly work to make right. The more she does that, the more changes she’ll create to balance the books in her eyes, and change always involves Chaos in varying degrees.”

“You’re being very open,” noted Moloch suspiciously.

Kháos grinned. “This is all simply how I feel at the moment. The fun thing is being the conduit for absolute Chaos. Who knows if this will remain my plan? It’s best to get the offer while it’s hot. Second: the Fallen, previously known as Balnérith you both hate each other. Destroy her in a way that people know you’re responsible. Though Balnérith’s an equal third with abolishing slavery in regions you control.”

Moloch ground his teeth at the sudden lack of details.

“The songbird doesn’t like slavery—even enslaving demons—and, being Chaos, I don’t like it either. It requires too many rules and organisation, and lacks personal freedom,” quipped Kháos. “As a merchant, you should know that freed individuals buy more things than slaves do. They also produce more goods to make a profit. Who is more repressed: a slave or someone who finds the route to a better life always beyond this reach? You need to focus on the nature you need to refine.”

“Even if I did that, how would she know?”

“Think of it this way: freeing them would be an undefinable itch that will annoy a certain tyrant who yanks your chains, even if the songbird never knows,” said Kháos. “You’ll be adding profit to the revenge column of the Hell bitch’s ledger.”

“The three Soul jars aren’t actively hiding,” noted Moloch. “She’s still not going to know I have them.”

“She won’t, but Custodian will know when you have such treasured possessions. I’m sure they’ll figure out how to clue her in if that occurs,” said Kháos. “By the way, don’t even think about doing anything to those souls. You survived the slaughter that occurred during the War of the Four. Do you think you’d survive us all? They had to hunt Leviathan, but given your nature, I’ll always know where you are, and I would flay you first and hand you over second.”

Kháos disappeared, leaving the chair behind, and Moloch noticed the landmarks embroidered into the cushions.

Moloch focused on his two strongest balors. “I need you to go to The Exchange, find one of the Fallen there, and hire him for a trip to Hades.”

♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫

Custodian’s PoV - Outlands

Kháos snapped back into focus within the pillared chamber, keeping a humanoid appearance but shifting genders and races every second.

“Well?” asked Custodian.

“He bought it,” laughed Kháos. “I win that bet.”

A mix of emotional energy chimed from Custodian. “Protection for a champion of Chaos in a time of dire need.”

“You mean champions, one for each goal he completes,” corrected Kháos.

“Am put his back to the wall, not you,” protested Custodian.

“That doesn’t matter. He wouldn’t know what to do without my sales pitch. Not being allowed to act directly is such a pain,” said Kháos. “If we’re nice, do you think Amdirlain would change that rule?”

A mocking note caused Kháos’s shoulders to slump, and they melted into a puddle of slime that plopped away.

“I still bet she’ll kill him,” said Custodian. “I’ll grant you multiple favours that will protect any champion not opposed by Am. She doesn’t believe in keeping promises to evil beings.”

“My thought is she’ll kill him immediately, but more probable is that she’ll string him along,” said Kháos. “Double or nothing on those favours?”

“I’m confused. You’re betting that she kills him later?”

Kháos wiggled. “Yep.”

“I’d prefer she kills him immediately. Still, there has to be an upper time limit involved. Also, you can’t go counting Amdirlain killing him for a fresh betrayal after a cease-fire commences,” said Custodian and the pair set to haggling.