'My life and obedience are in your hand, sovereign lord. I humbly accept your charge and will serve as your champion in the coming contest. I have only one desire — to succeed and please My king in doing so. My life is nothing without your favor, and before accepting failure, I will die!'
'So be it,' Graz'zt said with no expression. 'You said well, high priestess,' he added. Then, turning to look at the crowd of demons present, the demon king boomed, 'We are now done with this audience. You are dismissed — all save Our steward Vuron and Eclavdra herself. We have small matters to discuss.'
The demon princes and lords departed readily, followed by those greater demons high enough in Graz'zt's favor to be numbered as special vassals.
Eclavdra's high hopes had sunk a bit at the mention of Vuron. The Lord Steward was an androgynous albino, as white as Graz'zt was black. Of all the demons who associated or allied with the six-fingered demon lord, Vuron was possibly the most evil and intelligent. Surprisingly, the dark elf had found him — it? — unswervingly loyal and devoted to Graz'zt. This made her both uneasy and very suspicious of the competition. Eclavdra had aspired to a private conference with her master. Vuron's participation was a cold and unwelcome douche to her anticipated opportunity.
After taking his guests to a secluded chamber that was magically proof against all forms of spying, Graz'zt sprawled on a divan. He motioned Eclavdra and Vuron to similar furniture. Vuron spoke first.
'You know I like not this proposed contest, My king. Why do you call Me to counsel you on it?'
'Because you advocate against it, Lord Vuron!'
This took the white-skinned demon aback. 'If you plan to go ahead with Iggwilv's scheme, of what use is My opposition?'
Eclavdra couldn't believe her ears. Vuron had just put himself in an exposed position, and she would certainly take the opportunity to see that he regretted his foolishness. After all, was she not far better qualified to be Graz'zt's chief advisor? Of course! Just as the dark elven high priestess marshaled her thoughts and readied her comment, however, the demon king spoke.
'He who trusts a devil must have a dozen lawyers to advise him on the terms that will surely be written by those of the Hells. He who trusts a demon must be so powerful that no treachery can affect him. He who trusts the witch Iggwilv is no more than a sorry fool!'
'My lord?'
'Vuron, you are My right hand in such matters as this, for you are the least like a demon of any of the Abyss that I have ever known.'
Vuron bowed, replying with great sincerity, 'But for yourself, great king.'
'Bah! I have the same weaknesses as the rest of our kind. My lord steward. If I exhibit any other behavior, it is because I learned the trait from you.'
'My liege is most wise in his choice of servants,' Eclavdra managed to insert ingratiatingly.
'You honor Me too much,' Vuron said with humility that seemed actual — a unique thing among demons. 'How may I serve you, lord? I have said all I can on this matter.'
'Perhaps, but I think not. Attend Me now, both of you, and I will give you My rede,' Graz'zt told them. There is no question that all concerned desire the continued separation of the three keys — or at least two from the remaining one. Zuggtmoy certainly plots to gain two, just as Iggwilv and that whelp Iuz likewise must even now scheme to hold a pair of the Theorparts. I would have two Myself. Treacherous dealings on all fronts are no surprise under such circumstances.'
Eclavdra spoke as soon as the demon king paused and glanced at her. 'As your champion, King Graz'zt, I will not fail in securing the Final Key for you alone! With its power, you will surely be able to wrest the other you desire from either Iuz or the Scarlet ones.'
'Do not seek to gain two of the keys, My liege!' Vuron said as forcefully as he dared. 'There is a deep foreboding within me which demands I give you such warning. I believe that to hold two will surely attract the third. All know what disaster that would yield…'
'You counsel weakness!' the beautiful drow shot at Vuron. 'If Zuggtmoy should gain even a single one, what would be My lord king's fate then? If that mushroom-lover possessed two keys, all would be lost! Iggwilv is as bad, if not worse,' Eclavdra continued. 'She would see that her associate Zuggtmoy held the third, for she is surely the enemy of King Graz'zt. You preach downfall to My lord king!'
'Not so, little elf,' the pale demon shot back. 'I urge Graz'zt to take the Theorpart held by Iuz from him. Then let Iggwilv howl and lament with her spawn, let Zuggtmoy grow wroth and full of hate, let all of them contest with one another for the Final Key, for My king will have that which he needs! Best of all, he will hold it safe within the vastness of the Abyss, and the whole will then never be joined.'
'With the key, Iuz and Iggwilv are too strong for our lord to do as you suggest, for the human bitch has defiled King Graz'zt and her tricks confined him unnaturally for yet decades more.'
The black demon king raised a finger. Vuron closed a mouth just opened to retort, and Eclavdra bowed her beautiful head in a submissive manner.
'My champion speaks well, Vuron. Her words are true. I must have the Final Key, and so I must agree to the contest Iggwilv has decided upon. I do not forgive her, nor do I forget the slightest injury. I bide My time. Opportunity will come… What you must do now, Vuron, is to assist in assuring My victory in the coming struggle. Thereafter, We will consider what course to take, and then you may again counsel as you choose. Now, give Me your mind as I direct!'
Vuron calmly bowed, accepting the order with no show of emotion. 'Yes, lord. I think thus. Witch and cambion will use all of their power to see that the weaker of the contestants gains the prize. Obmi will thus be favored. Then, once the dwarf has gained the Final Key, those two will have traps and snares ready to take him and relieve the fool of the Theorpart, if possible. If they fail in that, they will allow Zuggtmoy to have it — nay, help her as if faithful to a bargain they have surely struck with her. If that occurs, and Zuggtmoy is deceived, she will assist in warfare against the Scarlet Brotherhood and their diabolical helpers. At such point, I can not ascertain which faction will prevail — Zuggtmoy, or Iggwilv and Iuz — in actually gaining the Initial Key. There will be dissension between witch and cambion, between Zuggtmoy and Szhublox — that I know. Unless they fall to bickering immediately, My liege, they cannot fail to take the Initial Key, for they will wield the powers of two parts against a single one.'
'You are agitated, Vuron,' Graz'zt said as he observed the albino demon closely.
'I am. My king. If two parts are played against one, I think that the powers will enmesh and draw the three into a whole!'
The statement just spoken made Eclavdra shudder, but the dark elf concealed this and said, 'Yet if My lord king has two of the keys, he need not fight for the third! Let the Scarlet slaves of the Hells piddle with it — all the more discomfiture for Iggwilv and the wretched cambion she bore!'
'How do you propose that King Graz'zt gain two keys?' Vuron's question was the challenge Eclavdra had been waiting for.
'Quite simply, Lord Vuron,' the drow female replied, making the honorific seem somehow insulting through her inflection. 'I will gain the Final Key for My liege. Then Iggwilv and Iuz will need to beg his aid in getting the one held by the Brotherhood — ostensibly for the horrid Zuggtmoy, but of course actually for themselves. Possession of the Final Key will free My lord king from the confines of this plane! To dupe or take by force from the two that which they hold will be a slight matter for one so powerful as King Graz'zt.'
'Excellent!' Graz'zt cackled. He placed his massive, six-fingered hand on Eclavdra's silver-haired head and said, 'I commend you, champion. Succeed, and I shall elevate you to My nobility and accord you status as First Concubine as well!'
'My liege is too generous…'
Vuron, seeing that his words would no longer fall upon hearing ears, turned to practical matters. 'How may I assist in assuring the victory falls to your champion, lord?'
Graz'zt didn't seem to notice how Vuron avoided giving any honor to Eclavdra, but the dark elven high priestess did. Another cause, she thought, for which I shall exact full payment from this pale worm when My time comes. Instead of showing her anger at the slight, however, Eclavdra smiled most charmingly at Vuron, making sure that Graz'zt saw her display. Then she said, 'Yes, wise lord steward, please give the benefit of your thinking. All that assists me in succeeding as champion only helps us all to better serve our king.'
Again Graz'zt beamed. The albino demon barely raised a snow-white eyebrow at the spectacle, though. 'I
