and Safar refilled their cups.
Leiria and Dario started sniggering and whispering to one another like excited children.
'Now that we have the drunk issue settled,' Safar said, 'tell me about the spell.'
The demon queen shrugged, well rounded bosom lifting her gown most delightfully. 'It's completely harmless,' she said. 'I just didn't want them to have to worry until I talked to you.'
She gestured, saying, 'The same with them.' His men, hardened scouts all, were sprawled next to their horses, laughing and drinking wine served by giggling maids, many of whom were demons. They wore red robes like Hantilia's, although not as fine, also bearing the twin-headed snake symbol of Asper.
'Trust me, it's a harmless spell,' she said. 'Their troubles and worries have been momentarily interrupted.
That's enough to make anyone drunk-no wine required, my dear Safar. And I promise you there will be no ill effects when they awaken.'
Safar glanced around and saw that other than the maids, the queen had no guards, no royal entourage. 'I could lift the spell myself, your highness,' he said, half-teasing, 'and cast a few of my own. Then the tables would be turned. And it would be you and your servants who would be in
'I'd make it as pleasant as possible, of course.'
Hantilia lifted a claw to her mouth, covering pealing laughter. It was quite musical, Safar thought. Strange that a demon should sound so melodious.
'But you are already in
Safar drank a little more wine, measuring his faculties as he did so. The queen spoke the truth, he thought. He sensed danger, but he felt cheerful about it. He found her company most … stimulating? And he was anxious to learn more.
'You're right,' he said. 'The wine is good. The spell is good. No harm intended.'
Hantilia smiled. 'And the company?' she asked archly. 'Do you find that pleasant as well?'
Safar grinned, raising his cup. 'It was boorish of me not to praise my hostess,' he said. 'Yes, I find the company most charming. Mysterious though she may be.'
Hantilia held out a claw. 'Come with me, Safar Timura, and all will be revealed.' She gently took his hand and led him toward a shale outcropping bulging from the cliff face. 'We'll start with Caluz.'
Safar glanced down the caravan road. 'I thought it was in that direction,' he said, pointing. 'Through the Caluzian Pass.'
Hantilia shook her head. 'That way was barred by the Guardians long ago,' she said.
Safar puzzled. 'The Guardians?'
'Those ghostly warriors who greeted you,' the queen answered. She pointed at the many cave mouths that pocked the walls of the passage. 'For generations the people of Caluz buried their mightiest heroes in those walls. They are called the Guardians because their ghosts protect the city from any who might come against her.'
Safar made a face. 'So they aren't harmless,' he said.
'Not at all,' Hantilia replied. 'As you would soon have learned if your intent was other than peaceful.'
Then without further ado she waved at the outcropping and Safar felt a jolt of magic. 'Open,' she commanded-and the rock face dissolved into a misty curtain.
'This is the new road to Caluz,' she said. 'In fact it's the only one. Even with the Guardians assisting us, we've had to close off the other pathways to defend ourselves from the nasty business going on these days.'
For some reason this comment had a false note to it. But before he could consider further, she let go his hand and stepped through the mist, vanishing. Safar hesitated, glancing back at Leiria and Dario, who were still happily under the spell. He followed.
Safar felt a slight chill, then a tingling sensation and suddenly he was shielding his eyes from a bright sun.
There was a warm breeze carrying the scent of flowers and ripening fruit. His wizard senses were also pleasantly entertained with fragrant spells carried on gentle magical breezes.
'Once again, Lord Timura,' Hantilia said, 'welcome to Caluz!'
His vision cleared to be treated to a marvelous sight. They were standing at the crest of a road that curved down to meet a small, graceful valley. There were farms and fields and wooded hills nourished by two rivers that ribboned down from high blue mountains. On a bluff near where the rivers joined there was a beautiful city, all silver with a grand palace towering over the walls.
Below the castle was the Temple of Hadin-a huge stone turtle crouched at the end of a peninsula where the rivers met to form a single stream. The turtle was identical to the miniature idol that was home to Gundara and Gundaree down to the red painting on its back of a volcanic isle topped by a fire breathing demon. Blissful magic streamed from the temple, churning out spells of health, happiness and prosperity.
All in all Caluz seemed a wondrous place where birds always sang, butterflies sweetened the air and its inhabitants happily tilled the fields, tended the markets, or fished the rivers.
As he looked, the warning from the Spirit Rider rose up and he heard her whisper,
'How perfect this world is,' Safar said. And then he couldn't resist adding sarcasm: 'The only thing missing is a fat pink cloud hanging over the rivers.'
Hantilia grimaced. 'I told them you'd ferret it out soon enough.'
'I suppose the real Caluz is down that road you told me was barred,' Safar said.
Hantilia frowned. 'Yes, it is. I'm sorry I lied to you.' She shrugged. 'My priestesses and advisors were afraid you would turn back if you knew the truth. Immediately, that is. I assure you I had no intention of keeping it from you for more than a few days.'
'You mean, until I had brought all my people here,' Safar said. 'All one thousand of them.'
Hantilia sighed again. 'Am I so transparent?' she asked.
'No,' Safar said, 'it's only that I've had much experience with royalty. Even when they have the best of intentions, kings and queens have a certain way of thinking. I merely followed that route.'
He laughed. 'Also, wouldn't I be fairly dim-witted if I didn't notice such things as the absence of certain large celestial bodies.' He pointed to the bright blue sky. 'Such as the Demon Moon.' Hantilia said nothing. She only looked more embarrassed. 'Finally,' Safar said, 'there's the machine itself.' He pointed at the great turtle idol. 'That is certainly not what's causing all the misery in the Black Lands.'
'Actually, it is,' Hantilia said. 'Except what you are looking at is a manifestation of the real machine. A mirror image, so to speak. It's the result of a spell the Oracle cast just as Caluz was being destroyed.'
She waved at the city and the pleasant valley. 'As is all this.'
'What of the original inhabitants?' Safar asked. 'Such as the priests who asked my assistance long ago.'
'They're all dead, it grieves me to say,' Hantilia replied. 'But you'll be pleased to hear a few of the former inhabitants escaped here. Into this false Caluz.'
Safar perched on a rock, then took off his cloak and placed it on a flat spot next to him. He motioned to Hantilia. 'Why don't you make yourself comfortable,' he said, 'and tell me the tale? From the beginning, if you please.'
Once she was settled she said, 'Just as I told you, I am Queen Hantilia and I really do rule here. I'm also chief priestess of the Oracle. But it wasn't always so. I am a pilgrim like you, Safar Timura. My kingdom was in a distant land, a realm so small and so peaceful that when Manacia was king of the demons he barely knew we existed.
'There, I was also the high priestess of the Cult of Asper.'
'Pardon,' Safar said. 'I've never heard of such a thing.'
'There are few of us,' Hantilia replied, 'but our origins go back very far.' She nodded at the temple. 'For instance,' she said, 'one of our myths is that Lord Asper discovered the magical properties of this place and set the forces in motion that led to the creation of the temple and the machine.
'But back to my tale. Scarce as we were, when the barrier fell between demon and human lands the way was opened for our religion to spread. Soon there were small groups like us all over Esmir. We mingled together, humans and demons, all in the spirit of Asper's teachings.'
