To the south, the Empire of Great Kesh had sought to ensure their own interests were served by quickly persuading many young practitioners of magic to seek refuge at Stardock, while retaining their loyalty to the Empire. Two brothers, Watoom and Korshwho, Pug was now certain, long after their deaths, had been Imperial agentshad almost succeeded in convincing the majority of students to the rightness of Keshs claims. Only Nakors time at the Academy, where he established a third faction, mirthfully called the Blue Ridersto honor a gift of a beautiful horse and blue cloak from the Empress herselfkept a precarious balance and prevented the brothers from success.
Pug had occasionally made a visit to the Academy, with two aims in mind: first, he wished everyone there to remember he still held title to the island, even though he had renounced his claim to Kingdom nobility. Second, he wished to maintain contact with a handful of agents of the Conclave, to keep an eye on whatever nonsense the current ruling triumviratethe leaders of the three factionswere up to.
The Hands of Korsh were the most conservative, but they were as opposed to becoming a province of the Empire as they were of the Kingdom. But they perceived all who were not magic-users, and those who were but not within their faction, as possible enemies. The Wand of Watoom was more moderate in their policies toward outsiders, but decidedly pro-Keshian in their worldview.
The Blue Riders continued to delight Pug, for their leadership always seemed to somehow reflect Nakors slightly mad and always manic views on magic. Many of them had adopted his notion that there really wasnt magic, but some mystical stuff, as the little gambler had called it, that could be manipulated by anyone once they managed to achieve a certain level of familiarity with it.
They were almost entirely responsible for seeking out new students, while the more conservative factions waited until someone arrived at Stardock who met their more rigid standards of acceptance. Pug was grateful for that closed-mindedness, for it allowed the Blue Riders more opportunity to keep the islands population in balance.
Caleb said, If Fathers spending more time there, something is up, no doubt. Either hes alerting our agents to be on the watch for something, or theyve already told him somethings afoot.
Magnus said, No, if it was that, by now he would have said something to one or all of us. He glanced out the window, as the breeze rustled the leaves of the old trees sheltering that side of the building from the afternoon heat during the summer. No, its something else.
The mother and two sons were silent as they pondered what could be disturbing Pug so deeply that despite his attempts to disguise his distress, they all could see it. Miranda finally stood and said, Well, one thing about your father: when he judges it time to share his worries, you can be certain he will be totally forthright, and what hes worried about will be a very big problem.
She left the room and the brothers exchanged nods, for they knew she was understating the case. Whatever worried their father was likely to be more approaching disaster than a problem.
Pug dismissed his class and gathered up a few items he had employed to demonstrate the lessons of the day. He knew his family had been observing for a while, and was nearly certain as to the reason. He had attempted to conceal some grave concerns from them, but obviously failed. Still, he was reluctant to assume things worse than he knew them to be, and today was the day he would finally come to grips with the cause of his worries: a summons from the Oracle of Aal.
More than that, it had been the way in which it had arrived: one moment Pug had been alone in his study, writing notes late into the night, and the next a man in a white robe had been at his elbow. As soon as he saw the man, he recognized him for what he was: one of the consorts or companions to the Oracle. Conventional human concepts were only an approximation. Gender with the Aal was a function of legacy; the bodies those spirits inhabited were human, so their physical makeup was unchanged, yet the driving mind within was alien. Pug had been apprehensive at first, for the Oracle herself had taken the dying body of a great dragon, her golden scales fused with a riot of gemstones by furious magic unleashed in the heat of battle, as the most dangerous of creatures, a Dreadlord, had been confronted by the dragon and Tomas, the legatee of the power of the Valheru.
That battle had been over a century prior, yet for Pug it might as well have been the day before; he could still conjure up vivid memories of the chaos that surrounded him, Macros the Black, and two Tsurani magicians who had joined him in trying to stem the return of the assembled host of the Valheru, the Dragon Lords, to Midkemia.
That battle under the now deserted city of Sethanon had been but the first of many encounters Pug had with agents of the Nameless, Nalar, God of Evil and the agency behind the Chaos Wars and the subsequent battles being waged by Pug and his allies against the forces of evil.
Pug paused to gather his thoughts. The strangest thing about the summons wasnt its being delivered personally by a minion of the Oracle; it was that he wasnt asked to come at once but at a future date, nearly a month away. And now that date was upon him.
Pug considered letting Miranda know what was occurring, but for some reason felt it best to hear out the Oracle first, then deal with his wifes moods. She would almost certainly wish to come with him, yet her name, nor that of Magnus, had been mentioned.
Besides, his encounters with the Oracle tended to be short, the longest lasting barely a half-hour. He would be back before the evening meal.
For ten years he had been practicing the art of transporting himself without the use of the Tsurani orbs. Those were becoming rarer as the years passed since the destruction of Kelewan. A few artificers from Kelewan had immigrated to LaMut, but most who survived the destruction of their home planet were now living on New Kelewan, as they had come to name their refuge.
Besides, though he would never admit it, Pugs vanity hated the fact his wife was effortlessly able to transport herself at will to places she barely knew, while he had to muster all his concentration.
Still, the chamber of the Oracle was unique and he had been there many times over the years. It should prove little difficulty to move there now. And now was the time.
He closed his eyes, willed himself to the chamber, and, as he appeared, heard the voice of the Oracle within his mind.
Welcome, Sorcerer. Your timing is perfect.
As Pug turned to regard the majesty that was the gem-encrusted form of the great golden dragon, a screech loud enough to cause her companions to cover their ears tore through the room.
Halfway between Pug and the Oracle something appeared, first a shadowy form, then it rapidly resolved itself into a figure. A demon rearing up at least twenty feet in height stood motionless for an instant, disoriented by the magic that had brought it to this place. Yet that muddle lasted but a moment. It quickly surveyed the room, judging the little figures around it scant risk, then turned its attention to the figure of the Oracle.
With a bellow that echoed in the vast chamber, the demon launched itself at the Oracle.
CHAPTER 7
PROPHESY
Pug unleashed a spell.
As the demon took a step toward the dragon form of the Oracle, a searing hot band of energy lashed out, wrapping itself around the demons form like a lasso. Where it touched skin, evil-smelling black smoke erupted.
The creature towered over everyone in the cavern, save the Oracle herself. He had scales like those of a lizard or serpent, red and violet mottle in color. Massive shoulders and arms ended in huge black talons, and the apelike face was a mask of hatred and rage. He let forth with a roar that caused the walls of the cavern to shake, loosening soil, which rained down on everyone.
Huge fangs protruded down from the exaggerated upper lip, and the demons head was adorned with two long black horns that tapered backward to points, more like those of an antelope than a goat or ram. He shook his head in frustration and howled in outrage at being confined and injured.
Pug had limited experience with demons, and all of it bad. He did not hesitate t
o follow up his confinement spell with as powerful an assault as he could muster.
Tendrils of flaming white and purple energy shot forward, waving like the tentacles of a squid as they latched onto the creatures body. As each touched the demons hide, more acrid black smoke was released and a tiny flame of dull orange shot upward.
The demon trembled as he fought against his confinement, then howled again in outrage and burst the binding spell. The shock that reverberated back through the tether and struck Pugs mind was like a physical blow.
The Oracles mystic powers were nothing like the battle magic the greater dragons of Midkemia possessed, but physically she was still a force to fear. She lashed out with claws and teeth, sinking them deep into the demons shoulder at the neck. Fountains of steaming black blood erupted and flowed down his back and chest as he lashed over his shoulder with the opposite claw, raking her muzzle, seeking to rip her eyes to blind her.
Pug shook off the shock of the magical backlash and sent out a spear of energy. This was one he had never employed before save in practice in an isolated part of his island.
Invisible, the energy still filled the cavern with a hissing noise, a counterpoint to the shouts and screams from the Oracles companions as they hurled themselves at the demon.
The Oracles companions were not without their own magic and strength, and while the first to reach the demon was eviscerated with one strike of the creatures claw, the next two were able to inflict injury. The dragons maw held fast on the creatures shoulder, while Pug and the companions caused him as much damage as possible.
The invisible energy spear struck the demon full on in the chest and he stiffened, as if run through by cold iron. The creatures mouth moved, as if trying to speak or roar, and Pug suspected he was attempting some type of incantation. But the injury done by the spell was too much for him, and his eyes rolled up into its skull and it fell limp.
For a moment the Oracle held fast to the demon, now as listless as a childs doll, then she released his hold. Pug saw gashes in the dragons snout, blood flowing freely down to drip on the still carcass of the demon, but knew them to be relatively trivial.
Stand back! instructed Pug as the Oracles companions were still attacking the now fallen demon. Back! he commanded as calm returned to the room.
As he anticipated, the demons body began to smoke, as if smoldering, and then abruptly came a flash of crimson flame, gone almost as soon as it was perceived. A stench of brimstone and putrefaction filled their nostrils, and several of the remaining companions fell back as if physically repelled by the odor.
Pug turned toward the towering figure of the Oracle of Aal and asked, You wanted to see me?
Over the years Pug and the Oracle of Aal had forged a trusting relationship, though Pug had never been convinced their aims were entirely the same. The Oracle, despite having the appearance of a mighty dragon, was as alien to the world of Midkemia as any creature he had ever encountered.
The Aal were rumored to be the oldest life in the universe; at least no other race could trace their lineage back as far. Even the Dragon Lords at the height of their power gave the Aal a wide berth and left them in peace.
When Pug had first encountered them, they were a dying race, as the world upon which they resided was ending its long life. Pug had offered those remaining passage to Midkemia, and through a series of circumstancesfate or coincidence, Pug still didnt knowthe Oracle had found a host in the mindless body of Midkemias single greatest creature, a golden dragon.
Her companions have found willing hosts among men and women of diverse backgrounds, many from among the lowest of the low. They were sought out over the years by practitioners of arcane arts even Pug didnt pretend to understand, and offered a unique place in this world, as servants and companions to the Oracle.
Pug allowed himself to believe no coercion was involved and those who were here were so willingly; it let him sleep better at night. But for whatever reasons, those in this cave were willing to give up their lives to protect this unique creature.
As many times as Pug had visited this cavern, he had still only a vague idea of this races history and place in the order of things. His direct questions were always answered with vague responses and generalities, and he came to accept that he would only know what it was the Oracle wished him to know. He was content with that, for she had proven a valuable asset to his worlds defense on more than one occasion. He could concede it to be self-interest, for if this world perished, she would along with it, but he judged her motives loftier than that; she seemed genuinely concerned with helping Pug and his Conclave reestablish a semblance of order in this part of a very big universe.
All this ran through Pugs mind as he waited for the Oracle to reply. She laid her head down on the floor so her companions could tend to her wounds, messy if not mortal. Two of her minions lay dead and would be disposed of as soon as she was healed.
Pug watched in fascination as magic he could barely recognize, let alone understand, was employed. He had seen enough clerical magic to discern those healing arts, but this was unlike anything he had witnessed before.
As best he could tell, it was as if each companion who tended a wound somehow caused the dragon body to repair itself, but at an accelerated rate. Yet the price seemed dear: each of those ministering to the dragon were aging before Pugs eyes, their faces becoming sallow and haggard, weight melting from their bodies. Somehow they were giving her their life essence. Before his eyes, her wounds healed, until, five minutes after they started, the companions left their mistress looking as she had before. They, however, had aged years in minutes.
Impressive, said Pug.
We are an old race, with many gifts. Indicating the bodies of her fallen attendants, who were being carried off, she added, But we have limits, too.
Can I assume this encounter was the reason you requested my appearance at a specific moment today?
What is, is as it should be, as it was, and as it will be again. Slowly she rose up, until her head was once again high above, her eyes staring distantly off into space as she saw visions no other could witness.
Even for you thats unusually cryptic, my old friend, said Pug.
The Oracle stood silently for a long time.
Finally, Pug said, Ah, I see. I must ask. What else have you seen, that troubles your mind?
Much, Sorcerer. I see a nexus coming, a blending of time and probability, a place of many outcomes. Beyond that I see nothing, so many possibilities flow from that moment. Or an end, should the worst outcome occur.
Worst for you or for all of us?
They are one and the same, for should I fall, this world has fallen with me.
I see havoc and destruction and the death of many, on a scale to dwarf all youve endured before combined, and I see a tipping of a precious balance, one which will cause the gods themselves to tremble in fear.
I listen, said Pug quietly. Already his skin was crawling in anticipation of what he suspected. Summoned demons as powerful as the one he just faced required prodigious magic. Confining one and taking control was difficult enough, but to be able to subdue one, then send it by magic means into this cavern, that required a demon master of unmatched skill and power.
A legion comes this way, Pug of Sorcerers Isle. It rides hard and brings chaos and death in its wake. Others battle to withstand it, and they yield grudgingly, but they will soon be overwhelmed.
The Dark One, he whose name cannot be uttered, is restless in his sleep, and in his fever dreaming he reaches out with the power of a Greater God. A passage between the realms he has envisioned, and as he dreams, it is so. He dreams of home, and wishes to return.
The other Greater Gods soothe his restlessness, and stem his dreams, but they are overmatched. Only she who balances him can stop the madness.
Pug felt a cold tightening in his chest. And she is dead, he said.
She is, said the Oracle, yet even in death she provides, for her legacy lives on, in the hearts of those who
serve good.
Find allies, Pug. Find those who in the past you have not sought out. Seek strength where you are weak, and find those who have knowledge where you are ignorant. Understand what comes soon.
The Oracles head lowered again to the floor and Pug knew from experience her vision had drained her, especially after the battle with the demon. He had time for one, perhaps two more questions, and then she would enter a slumber that might last for days, even weeks. And once she was awakened again, those visions she just had would be lost.
Pugs mind raced and he thought of a dozen things he wished to ask. He finally said, Tell me of the legion that comes?
Demons from the Fifth Circle, Pug. The demons come.
The hair on Pugs neck rose, and after the things he had seen in a very long life he was surprised to find himself shocked and alarmed. That demon wasnt the minion of some powerful human agency but an advance scout, an assassin from the demon realm, come to rid this world of its most powerful asset: forewarning.
Pug had fought demons before, and one had almost killed him, and he had witnessed the final struggle between Macros the Black and the Demon King Maag. The thought of a legion of such creatures numbed his mind, visiting him with a sense of despair he had rarely encountered. Even at the darkest moments in his life he had retained hope, and had sought to survive, so that when opportunity came, he could seize it. But this was an onslaught beyond imagining.
Even the danger posed by the Dasati during the Darkwar paled in comparison to the denizens of the Fifth Circle. The grass wilted under their heels, and their mere touch would burn flesh. Only those demons with powerful magic could contrive to exist in this realm without disastrous results, and the scope of that magic was majestic. Pug knew that for a legion of demons to enter this realm meant a repeat of what happened on the Saaur home world: utter and complete destruction.