flesh and blood man calling himself the son of a god. There were times when he thought all of these people were insane blasphemers. But he realized it was best not to challenge such a thing here. Demigod or not, this man had saved him, and he was obviously a prince of great power. If Allic wanted to call himself a demigod, let him.
The Japanese, with their god-emperor, took such things as a matter of course. He'd have to make sure that Goldberg, who was Jewish, and Smithie, who had a strong streak of the fundamentalist, were kept under control. The last thing Mark needed was a damned religious debate.
Allic drained his cup and tossed it on the table. "There, that's better. Now, to business." He rose and went to the door.
"Bring him in, Varma!"
The door swung open and both Ikawa and Mark rose to their feet. In an instant Ikawa's defensive shield was up, glowing softly in the darkened room.
Bending low at the waist, a towering form cleared the doorway, then straightened to its full three meter height. Its eyes were like two glowing coals; its face a bizarre and chilling caricature of a blood-red skull that had been covered with scorched parchment. The creature stood in the doorway surveying the three before him and extended its arms to reveal two batlike wings that glowed with a faint phosphorescence and seemed to fill half the room. Seeing Allic it bowed low, its head coming down to eye level.
Allic looked over at Ikawa and Mark and smiled.
"No need for the defense, Ikawa. Hort is harmless."
"But that's a demon," Ikawa blurted.
"Sure it's a demon, but it's well trained. Why, he's even housebroken," Varma piped in as he planted a swift kick on Hort's shin. The demon grunted and pushed Varma away with a gentle backhanded swing.
"I've decided to assign him as a guardian to your households. It will give a certain prestige, and protection, to you and your men. And while acting as a protector, he can also teach you the lore and customs of his race," Allic said.
"But I thought demons were the enemy." Mark was clearly puzzled.
"Tell him, Hort," Allic replied.
"I am in service to my lord Allic," Hort said with a low grating voice. "Allic rescued me from certain death when he journeyed to my dimension years ago, and thus I returned with him to Haven, for I pledged him blood debt of a thousand years in repayment. Even demons must keep their word," he finished with a low chuckle.
"Don't worry," Allic said, noticing the offworlders' anxiety. "I have half a hundred like him in my service. Some are willing, such as Hort; others are prisoners, such as Chaka. All of them take the oath. Occasionally one will break his pledge―but tell them, Hort, what happens to an oath breaker."
Hort growled. "Never would Hort do such a thing, Lord Allic. For if I did, you would either hunt me down or burn our pact, causing my death and everlasting damnation."
"If done correctly," Varma interjected, "Allic could make the burning last for years, keeping Hort in constant agony. I like the slower way myself."
"You would, little one," Hort said coldly, then turned to Mark and Ikawa. "If you are my new lords, know that I, Hort, slayer of forty-three of my foes, will serve you for the remaining six hundred and twenty years of my service."
Mark was at a loss for words. It wasn't every day that someone offered you your own personal demon to be your household guard.
"Remember, Hort," Allic commanded, "these two are outlanders. I expect you to teach them well about your people and how to survive against them. But don't trifle with them. They are sorcerers, and I suspect their power will soon be that of masters."
"But of course," Hort replied, bowing low again so that his wings fluttered and covered them with a scent that was not the most pleasant.
Turning, the demon lumbered out of the room, while Varma followed him, imitating the demon's movements in an incredibly accurate mime, causing the other three to chuckle.
Allic turned to Ikawa. "I can
The Japanese, with their god-emperor, took such things as a matter of course. He'd have to make sure that Goldberg, who was Jewish, and Smithie, who had a strong streak of the fundamentalist, were kept under control. The last thing Mark needed was a damned religious debate.
Allic drained his cup and tossed it on the table. "There, that's better. Now, to business." He rose and went to the door.
"Bring him in, Varma!"
The door swung open and both Ikawa and Mark rose to their feet. In an instant Ikawa's defensive shield was up, glowing softly in the darkened room.
Bending low at the waist, a towering form cleared the doorway, then straightened to its full three meter height. Its eyes were like two glowing coals; its face a bizarre and chilling caricature of a blood-red skull that had been covered with scorched parchment. The creature stood in the doorway surveying the three before him and extended its arms to reveal two batlike wings that glowed with a faint phosphorescence and seemed to fill half the room. Seeing Allic it bowed low, its head coming down to eye level.
Allic looked over at Ikawa and Mark and smiled.
"No need for the defense, Ikawa. Hort is harmless."
"But that's a demon," Ikawa blurted.
"Sure it's a demon, but it's well trained. Why, he's even housebroken," Varma piped in as he planted a swift kick on Hort's shin. The demon grunted and pushed Varma away with a gentle backhanded swing.
"I've decided to assign him as a guardian to your households. It will give a certain prestige, and protection, to you and your men. And while acting as a protector, he can also teach you the lore and customs of his race," Allic said.
"But I thought demons were the enemy." Mark was clearly puzzled.
"Tell him, Hort," Allic replied.
"I am in service to my lord Allic," Hort said with a low grating voice. "Allic rescued me from certain death when he journeyed to my dimension years ago, and thus I returned with him to Haven, for I pledged him blood debt of a thousand years in repayment. Even demons must keep their word," he finished with a low chuckle.
"Don't worry," Allic said, noticing the offworlders' anxiety. "I have half a hundred like him in my service. Some are willing, such as Hort; others are prisoners, such as Chaka. All of them take the oath. Occasionally one will break his pledge―but tell them, Hort, what happens to an oath breaker."
Hort growled. "Never would Hort do such a thing, Lord Allic. For if I did, you would either hunt me down or burn our pact, causing my death and everlasting damnation."
"If done correctly," Varma interjected, "Allic could make the burning last for years, keeping Hort in constant agony. I like the slower way myself."
"You would, little one," Hort said coldly, then turned to Mark and Ikawa. "If you are my new lords, know that I, Hort, slayer of forty-three of my foes, will serve you for the remaining six hundred and twenty years of my service."
Mark was at a loss for words. It wasn't every day that someone offered you your own personal demon to be your household guard.
"Remember, Hort," Allic commanded, "these two are outlanders. I expect you to teach them well about your people and how to survive against them. But don't trifle with them. They are sorcerers, and I suspect their power will soon be that of masters."
"But of course," Hort replied, bowing low again so that his wings fluttered and covered them with a scent that was not the most pleasant.
Turning, the demon lumbered out of the room, while Varma followed him, imitating the demon's movements in an incredibly accurate mime, causing the other three to chuckle.
Allic turned to Ikawa. "I can
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