Part 25
“We have also never before found the demons to wait so long before returning to a world where they had been defeated and driven off. We have found few cases where a world successfully resisted the demons, and in all but one of those few cases the demons were defeated completely and killed to the last individual. In all the cases but one where a horde were driven away, it was with our assistance. The demons have yet to return to the one world that drove them away without our assistance, other than this one, but that was relatively recent, and we have no doubt that they will go back there.
“They usually return to a world they have been driven away from in less than a million years, and always with far more power than they had the first time they were there. On three occasions they have succeeded on their second attempt in destroying a world and the outpost we left close by to protect it. On about half of the rest of their second attempts they were driven away again, and on the other half they were killed to the last. They have yet to return to a world where they have been defeated twice, but we think they will if they can, eventually. A world full of life is too great a prize for them to ignore indefinitely, and they hate to let one of their defeats stand unavenged.
“With all of these factors in the balance, the nature of the demons we will soon face here is a worrying unknown.”
Six bowed to First Mauve and told her; “Thank you. It was bothering me being so ignorant of our enemy, and it feels good to know what is known, even if it isn’t that useful right now.”
“I think it’s time for us to be going home.” Mark announced with a smile. “Thanks again for these awards, and be well until we meet next time.”
Those all around returned his thanks and farewells, then Fire brought them home to Hilia at her psionic request.
“Well that was interesting.” Alilia commented as she stretched luxuriously.
trying to have a serious conversation with a Triax god while my sister was acting like a clown!” Six stated as
falling for all the difference that up and down make that far out in the void. But everyone was acting like they still had weight; keeping the soles of their feet or their bottom sides pointed toward Kellaran. And I wondered if it would be disorienting if I just slowly spun in random directions in the void, or just floated
fun part was watching Six
back. “But I want to thank you all for including me in the casting of the Gate. Moving the Triax fleet was in
Talia and admired the impending sunset. “But I think we’ve been spending too much time lately being told how wonderful we are, and by each other as often as by everyone else. Let’s try to avoid that for
like to go hunting with me?” Kragorram offered in a sudden change of subject. “It’s an activity that dragons only share with their closest family and companions, and we’ve never
lips and grinned. “We’ve had too many snacks with you small folk, and haven’t hunted in weeks. We’ll hunt something you’ll find tasty, like wild cattle in the mountain valleys of western Debivin, and we’ll save you the choicest parts and roast
“While you’re roasting we can fetch the rest
so they did. The dragons hunted while the rest flew along and watched. They caught seven
his wives and children. As Povon promised, she roasted it for them to a perfect medium-rare condition with
and enjoying a summer night’s cook-out beside three huge dragons who were tearing and crunching their way through seven fresh cattle carcasses, but
their backs together and gazed up at the millions of stars for almost half an hour, then watched the
exercise for Kellaran’s Strike Wizards, remote fighters, and most powerful spell-casters was much like the contest for the dragon-forts on Blenda. The Strike Wizards fought as if they were channeling the