Death's End

Chapter 16 - Impending Storm

"Bismarck is more than what meets the eye." Alvaro said, his head was bowed slightly as it nestled on the back of interlocking hands. He reclined on his chair, deep in thought.

"He is a character of questionable intent," Zenvix responded, his mind wandering back to the moment of Magnus's fearful confession and his gruesome demise.

"He or she, that remains unknown," Alvaro corrected, "for all we know, Bismarck may be the last name of a woman. But as I reflected on the sequence of events that led to our demonic encounter, I just found it....strange."

"We have established that Giselle was possessed by a demon. It should come as no surprise that she cunningly laid a trap for us when we first found her. I surmise that she plotted to lure us to a location off the well-travelled path so that she could eliminate the group without risk of discovery."

Zenvix nodded slowly. "That is a likely conjecture. But she was also the victim of a kidnap. The existence of her innocent mother and Magnus's participation lends credence to this."

Alvaro eyed the prince carefully, his brows the look of impending storm clouds. "Is it truly a kidnap...? One can only wonder."

Alvaro stood up from his chair, and walked slowly towards a painting located at the far right of the guest room. It depicted an establishment that looked curiously like an inverted dome of sorts, with seats lining every layer of the structure. On each seat was a figure of seeming nobility or importance, judging by the ornate attire. The walls cascaded towards a centre point of convergence where a raised platform stood, and on it a heptagon table with various high-backed seats.

Leaning against a wall beside the portrait, Alvaro continued, "My suspicion is that Bismarck masterminded a deeper conspiracy. What a darn coincidence that the villager he or she purported to kidnap turned out to be a demon in disguise. What a coincidence that the demon encountered our group and led us to a remote location filled with fresh meat for its consumption to become stronger."

".....to become stronger?" Zenvix's eyebrows raised.

"Demons continually crave flesh and blood for sustenance and to gain might. That is why archdemons which have lived thousands of years and consumed countless creatures are paramount threats to humanity. Nine centuries ago, the last known archdemon, Balthazar, bathed numerous cities in blood and carcasses before facing the combined might of the Guild's finest sorcerers, the strongest warriors from the kingdom of Men and the legendary hero of Solis, Ulfrieg. Only after four days of struggle was the archdemon put down, at the cost of the hero's life. This much I knew from readily available knowledge of demon lore."

"So you are saying...that Magnus and his gang of bandits are merely pawns in a greater game. There was no true kidnap intended. They....and Giselle's mother...they were just livestock for the demon to consume...? And for what? Just to stand a greater chance of killing us?" Zenvix's fists clenched visibly.

Alvaro closed his eyes and sighed. "Just so. At least, that is what I think. I shudder to fathom how anyone could do this?"

Zenvix took a deep breath and steadied himself. "I guess the bigger question to ask here is: who stands to benefit the most from our deaths? Aderis and his allies. In other words, this further strengthens the premise that Bismarck is linked to Aderis. And if Bismarck is putting out all the stops to eliminate me during my journey to Ceil, then that means...."

"He or she is already working through a scheme within Ceil and wants no interference," Zenvix finished. "I have to find Bismarck and put a stop to this madness."