Lady of Poison_ The Priests - Bruce R. Cordell [88]
Elowen said, "That seems a little simple."
Ususi frowned.
Marrec said, "I'm not sure I want to traipse through some ritual that involves the naming of devils."
The wizard said, "It's the only way to gain entry, unless it doesn't work, of course."
Marrec finally nodded.
Once they gathered together, two by two, including chilly Victoricus, they began to walk, counterclockwise. A wide space in the earth surrounding the dome seemed to provide an ideal path. The mage walked in the lead, holding her slim blue tome open to the list of fiendish names, purportedly the names of the nine lords of Hell.
Just before they finished their first circuit, Ususi called out, "Bel, Lord of the First!"
Marrec couldn't see any change, but they continued to walk.
On their second pass, Ususi cried, "Archduke Dispater, Lord of the Second!"
The third time around, the mage called, "Viscount Mammon, Lord of the Third!"
Small bits of dust puffed up from various parts of the vaultfield surrounding the dome.
Ususi called, "Lady Fierna and Archduke Belial, Lords of the Fourth!" on the fourth circular trip.
The cavern rolled slightly, as if in the grip of a slight tremor.
"You know, this could work," said Elowen.
Next, "Prince Levistus, Lord of the Fifth," then "The Hag Countess, Lord of the Sixth!"
Following that sixth revolution a wind picked up, blowing dust and grit into the air across the cavern. Marrec gripped Justlance apprehensively as the visibility worsened.
They continued through their seventh circuit. Visibility fell to nothing as the wind whipped up more fiercely. Ususi named "Archduke Baalzebul, Lord of the Seventh."
Groans and cries, screeches and howls broke out after Ususi named "Mephistopheles, Lord of the Eighth." Something bit Marrec on the ankle, but when he looked, nothing was there. They all hurried through the final circuit.
Ususi, her voice hoarse from the dust, finally said "King Asmodeus, Lord of the Nine Hells!" Marrec itched to plug his ears, afraid to sully his mind with names he'd prefer not to know.
Just like that the dust pulled back as if a veil drawn aside. Marrec exclaimed, "That's new!" as they came around the dome for the ninth and last time.
A door-sized opening pierced the dome's side, looking for all the world as if it had always been there, and from the doorway issued a shape.
The forward-protruding crown of horns on its forehead preceded its slavering mouth and lupine body. As before, the sense of evil surrounding Eschar was palpable, at least to Marrec who, as a servant of Lurue, had some experience in confronting otherworldly malevolence.
Eschar pointed at Victoricus as it had before, saying "Be still!"
Victoricus shuddered. Yellow light flickered across its form, but instead of freezing, Victoricus tittered and charged the horned demon.
Ususi breathed, "My protection held."
Victoricus smashed into Eschar like an icy fist. Eschar shuddered but weathered the charge. Their chaperone's cold claws left great rents down Eschar's face and side.
Elowen charged in, her living sword strangely dull. Where she scored hits on the horned demon, no blood was drawn. Eschar laughed, almost as if slightly relieved. He continued to focus his attention on Victoricus, obviously more afraid of the servant of the Queen Abiding than all of the rest of them.
Gunggari came up on the demon's left, wielding his dizheri. He landed a few hearty blows.
Marrec used Gunggari's distraction to launch Justlance straight and true. It penetrated Eschar's side. The demon let loose a roar of such intensity that it ruined the spell Ususi had been incanting.
"Enough," muttered Eschar.
His foul breath, already hot, became a flame in truth. The coiling, white-hot fire focused itself on Victoricus, who made as if to turn, maybe to run. They would never know; when the flame touched their chaperone, its body flashed instantly from ice directly to steam, foregoing liquid. A black mist whirled away, leaving only a damp stain on the cavern