Moira's Diary

Chapter 18 (14 September 2001 CE*)

Moira's at the Inn. I receive a trump contact - it feels familiar and non-hostile. I send a query. It is Armand, and I bring him through. He asks if we should continue our journey, and I accede. He scoops me up (mmmmmmm...) and sends out Logrus tendrils; his progress with the Logrus is slow however. He remains motionless for over an hour as he concentrates on sending out tendrils towards the Keep of the Four Worlds. I lend my assistance to Armand psychically as he needs it. During this time I feel the stirrings of a trump contact. I'm concentrating on getting through to the Keep so I block the contact. It is harder than usual to block it though - I actually have to work at it. We eventually travel through and rest where the fire meets the ice. Armand and I curl up together, as we have done through millennia as brother and sister. A trump contact impinges on my consciousness again. This time I send a query cautiously - they say they are Calamar, my brother. He wants me to come through to him now, and visit him in his home. I say I will, but that I have business to attend to first that cannot wait longer. Calamar becomes increasingly insistent and I find it difficult to put him off. (when did the little weasel get so strong ? Could I have be so weakened by my sojourn in the Abyss, or has he found a way to strengthen his own ability ? Either way, this will need to be dealt with; I will consider a plan of action later). I find it difficult to resist Calamar's efforts to pull me through. I try to warn Armand, but I cannot speak (this is enough! the weasel will have to die). I manage to dig Armand in the ribs, rousing him from sleep. But Calamar grabs me and draws me through, leaving Armand behind. I arrive in Calamar's Disco Hell (ick). Calamar starts talking, and it appears he is trying to recruit me, of all things, to take Amber. Aren't I anti Oberon and anti-Amber, he asks ? What did he think / (imbecile). But why me, why the outcast when he could pick on any one of his siblings. He says that it is because I have a strong mind. So do you, I reply. I feel a trump contact; I feel carefully, but it is Armand. I tell him mentally to pull me through on my signal. I grab Calamar and yell Now! Armand starts to pull me through, but it doesn't work. Armand then comes through to the disco hell himself. Guards in chic disco armour come in too. We hold them off using Calamar as a shield, and force them to through down their guns and chains after they inflict some damage on our shield. I pull us out using Abyss power. As we disappear there is a loud noise from the disco hell and looks in time to see Corwin rounding the corner into the chamber - Armand thoughtfully blasts him with a gun commandeered from a guard. We arrive in the Abyss, and I shield my charges within a protective bubble. I hear the voice of my 'sponsor' who reminds me of my bargain; they grow impatient and want their release. I reassure them that I am on my way). I then take us on to the Courts, to the outer courtyard of the House of Swords. We are threatened by demon guards until Armand declares himself First Warlord and that we're here to see King Mabelode. About 15 minutes later Mabelode and Queen Xiombarg (mother) arrive riding on flying discs. We deliver Calamar to the King as a gift, and Mabelode declares a banquet for that night. The banquet is enjoyable, the food is excellent and the company interesting. There is a lot of shapeshifting and merging of bodies amongst the food. I spend some time talking with Mother - she is still very concerned about Armand and his hostility towards her). I try to reassure her as best I can.
We retire for the night, Armand and I sharing a bed as we will. Next morning we bathe and prepare to continue our journey (yet again) to locate Armand's children). We use Armand's Logrus tendrils and our joined psyches and endurance. It takes us some weeks to reach the Keep, in several jumps and both of us are very tired when we get there. We're met by Armand's soldiery though their uniforms and banners are slightly different to how I remember them. We're challenged and they don't recognise Armand or his name. Hmmmm. The head guard puts us under guard and takes us to their general Civilia. The keep looks different too - it is now repaired. The General (another accursed misogynist) asks if we're spies'; naturally we decline, Armand saying we're from the Court of King Mabelode; naturally the General has no idea who King Mabelode is. He's dismissive of us until another soldier whispers in his ear. He stands up and whips a dagger straight at Armand who catches it easily and then twirls it idly. The General abases himself (finally) and declares us God and Goddess. A much more pleasing scenario. We finally get some answers and respect (that General is going to have to pay for his insolence too). It is 500 years since Queen Arachnea (Juliette, Armand's child) was killed by a demon creature. The original keep guard is now a religious order. We ride to the Keep proper and sweep past the Priest who tries to block our path (killing him). We go to the Font, as it was there that the demon-woman who killed Juliette went. I reach out to the Font mentally. It is the meeting place of the four elemental realms. I cannot pick up any resonances of the demon-woman who killed Juliette then stuck her hand in the font. I withdraw.

* Note: CE = Chronology of Earth

1