"I want to get a closer look at it," Leti replied. "Bring us in underneath it, then rise slowly. We'll break the surface for a quick look and pull back down if threatened."

"That's right on top of them," Kochanski replied, trying hard to sound matter-of-fact, but knowing that his fear was evident.

"They'll be sweeping a lot farther out, expecting an approach to come in from a distance. If we're in almost on top of them, we'll have the element of surprise. Besides, this chair and its abilities are a well-kept secret, so they won't expect it, or be looking for it."

"All right, then," Kochanski replied, swallowing hard. Focusing his attention, he gazed at the jump point, calculating distances, and in his mind drew an imaginary line which terminated farther up the crevice.

A shudder passed through the Godchair, and the ground rose to swallow them. Kochanski guided them through the darkness by probing forward with his mind through a shadow realm of projected image and phantomlike echoes of energy.

"Can you sense where we are?" Leti asked cautiously.

A bit shocked, Kochanski realized that what he had already come to take as second nature was a complete mystery to the demigod by his side. The realization gave him a sense of satisfaction with his ability, but it was slightly unnerving to think that a being of such power was now totally dependent on his ability for guidance, and for survival.

A ripple of energy swept past him.

"There is something powerful, malevolent out there," she said nervously.

In the blackness he could see, as if with other eyes, the goal looming closer, the pulsing energy of the portal, surrounded now by other forms, radiating power. They were unlike anything he had encountered in his practice sessions back on Haven, or even in his encounter with Sarnak. These forms emanated a darkness deeper than the blackness of the rock through which his spirit form drifted. Occasionally the darkness would swirl outward, probing, and for a moment he would feel cornered, his heart freezing; then the probe would sweep on. As he drew closer, though, he could feel his confidence growing. They were constantly sweeping the area, but had not detected him.

The energy glow of the portal now filled the world before him. Shifting to the left, and judging that the place he had selected was directly overhead, Kochanski cautiously guided the chair upward. In an instant the blackness gave way to a blue, opaque light. He felt a momentary thrill over the precision of his approach. Exactly as planned he had emerged inside a ridge overlooking the portal.

Leti gave him a nod of approval.

Carefully, Kochanski edged the chair forward to breach the edge of the hill, projecting outward just far enough to see the world before them.

Not a hundred yards below, the portal stood revealed, surrounded by a hundred or more demons, while a larger circle of demons faced outward, watching intently.

Kochanski tried to suppress a ripple of fear by forcefully reminding himself that he was only here in spirit, and thus invisible to normal eyes, and that Leti was bending all of her tremendous power to blocking out unseen eyes as well.

"Why such concentration around the portal?" Leti whispered through the mind link.

Kochanski could not answer, and after a moment of watching he lifted his gaze to the battle raging not a mile away. The glow of the shielding was up again to white hot intensity, and there was another explosive snap as the shield overloaded. Wild howls of delight burst from the demon host as it winged over the besieged outpost. The demons were unlike any he had ever seen before--bigger, darker, and all of them frighteningly capable of wielding the Essence for the casting of bolts in battle. The demons he had first met and feared on Haven were mere children to the power he now saw.

The defensive shielding of the outpost came up again, this time as a small cone of light not a hundred yards across. The outer buildings of the fortress city were now beyond protection.

"Inner defense line," Leti said grimly. "They're down to the end."

White-clad figures emerged from the unprotected buildings. Several lifted into the air. But a rain of fire arced down and in from every side. The white forms crumpled, fell, those in the air flashing into incandescent brilliance before tumbling away, trailing fire and smoke.

"For Christ's sake, can't we help them?"

"No."

Kochanski's sense of fairness rebelled, although he knew the correctness of what she was saying.

Gathering intelligencehad to come first; then it would be up to Allic to evaluate and consider the possibility of a sortie to take the pressure off. But the screams could still be heard, and the lurid light of the flaming city cast an ugly glow across the morning sky.

"I estimate over seven hundred of Gorgon's demons here." Leti's voice was cold, and her tone snapped Kochanski back to the harsh reality of what had to be done.

Tearing his gaze away from the destruction, he looked over at the ghostly image of his companion and saw that though her voice might seem detached, her face was contorted with pain and rage.

"Don't look at me," she said softly. "Keep watching the portal for anything that comes through. I've got to determine who is leading this assault."

Kochanski followed her orders, but there was nothing to report. The portal was still surrounded by the demon host, yet nothing was coming in or out. Long minutes passed, and then ever so slowly the portal started to pulse with a deeper intensity. The inner circle of demons began to nod excitedly, their guttural growls echoing up the narrow valley, momentarily blocking out the roar of battle.

"Something's up," Kochanski whispered.

The light of the portal shifted suddenly to the deepest of reds, and doubled in size so that the host had to step back or be pulled in.

"What in the name of the gods?" Leti whispered.

An expectant hush came over the assembly below them. As one, the demons went to their knees, taloned and winged arms stretched forward, fanged heads lowered.

The portal snapped and flared again with a blinding intensity, turning into a pillar of flame half a hundred yards across. The battle beyond came to a stop, and Kochanski spared a quick glance up to see that the enemy host had broken off its assault and was pulling back toward the portal. Feeble shouts echoed on the wind, the defenders crying out in triumph at the apparent retreat.

The sky above the crevice was darkened by the wheeling circle of retreating demons who were arcing in and out, their harsh cries filled with a chilling note of lust and joy.

"It's not a retreat," Leti whispered softly. "Something else is pulling them back here."

The ground trembled and shook, the trees surrounding the deep ravine swaying, branches rattling. Hosts of birds and reptilian creatures soared into the air, scattering madly, their panicked calls counterpointing the mad shouts of the demons.

The trees nearest the portal started to smoulder, and roiling clouds of acrid smoke coiled off the branches. With thunderous cracks, the forest exploded into flames, the heat spiraling upward to jostle the demons above, who now cried out in triumph.

The trembling of the ground shifted, became deeper, with a booming, thunderous roar.

"Something's coming through," Leti cried, and Kochanski could sense the fear in her voice.

The portal started to swirl about itself, taking on the appearance of a maelstrom. The vast circle of demons came to their feet, arms extended, the power of the Essence emanating from them, drawing the portal ever wider, while overhead the hundreds of demons circled in tighter, forming a living wall about the opening.

"They're ripping the portal wide open!" Leti shouted.

"Maybe we should get out of here," Kochanski whispered.

"Wait. We have to be sure it's him."

The dimensional gate flashed white, then black as night. Kochanski felt as though he was staring into the blackness of infinite space, or into the darkest pit of hell.

Yet even in the darkness there was a deeper blackness that oozed upward, sickening and vile as a noisome pestilence; as if the rot of decay had taken form and now crawled out into the realm of the living.

Formless, the darkness slithered upward through the blackness of the portal.

The wheeling host and those upon the ground fell silent, and from a thousand demons Kochanski sensed a redoubling of effort.

The darkness exploded. With a blinding rush, the blackness soared upward, wreathed in blood-red flashes of light, cloaked in steam and oily smoke. Mighty arms stretched outward, taloned hands reaching up as if to snatch the very sun from the sky. A grim visage took form, fanged mouth open. A booming roar echoed across the hills, drowning the delighted howls of the assembled host.

"Gorgon," Leti whispered in terrified awe.

The head turned slowly, deliberately, eyes of fire scanning, and Kochanski's heart turned to ice as the sweeping gaze fixed upon him and his companion.

"Yes, Gorgon," and though a whisper, the words seemed to have form and weight, crushing Kochanski.

"Get us out!" Leti yelled.

Instinctively, Kochanski willed the chair straight up. Looking over the edge of the chair, he was horrified to see the entire side of the hill sloping downward in a wild explosion. And out of the explosion a dark form soared upward, hands reaching as if to grab him.

"A little toy of Jartan's, is it not?"

The voice was no longer dark, but rather almost gentle, chiding.

"I wish to see it," Gorgon continued. Kochanski hesitated. The voice whispered through his mind, cutting into him. He felt his limbs grow weak, his resolve melting as the form raced closer.

"Wait for me," Gorgon said softly.

Wide-eyed, Kochanski saw the form grow closer. The screams of Leti were audible, but somehow the words simply did not come through. And then he remembered.

"Kiss my ass!" Kochanski roared.

The ghostly image of the chair soared straight up into the heavens, even as the talons closed over, the world rocking beneath him with curses of rage.

"Hang on!" Kochanski shouted.

The planet dropped away. Within seconds the curve of the horizon was visible, the angle growing sharper, the disk of the planet taking form. Kochanski could see the moon hovering above him, its icy form reflecting the dark red of the sun which filled half the sky.

The moon's surface rushed into sharp focus. Swinging in, the couple instinctively braced for what was surely going to be an impact. Kochanski felt the now familiar sensation of a slowing down, a merging.

Momentarily, he closed his eyes and then opened them.

Allic stood before him.

"It's Gorgon--he's following us," Leti cried, leaping from the chair.

Weak-kneed, Kochanski stood, not embarrassed by the fact that he was visibly trembling.

"Circle in and form a shield around the chair!" Allic roared. White-clad figures emerged from the concealment of the hidden buildings, heading toward the point where the portal had been formed. "Get that portal ready to go. The moment Storm returns, we're out of here."

Still numb, Kochanski could only look around as his comrades came racing toward him.

Allic grabbed Kochanski by the shoulders and looked into his eyes.

"Are you all right?"

Leti turned and came to Allic's side.

"He was wonderful. Gorgon came on so fast I was damn near paralyzed. If he hadn't thought quickly, we would have been taken."

Kochanski was unable to respond. If he had acted, as far as he could remember it was from instinct driven by fear.

Then Leti raced off to organize the defense.

"Stay in the Chair," Allic commanded.

"Why?"

"Because it's Gorgon that we're facing now."

Kochanski sensed what was being said, but still couldn't quite form the implication clearly.

Allic drew closer. "If the shield goes down, destroy the chair to keep him from getting it."

He clapped Kochanski on the shoulder and turned away. But there was a look in Allic's eyes that Kochanski had seen far too often: the look of a man who knew that chances were he only had a short time left to live.

Kochanski sat down and turned his gaze heavenward. But there was no need to project outward to search; the blackness was already sweeping down from above. The demon lord had crossed over space itself, leaping from one world to the next, an action only a god or one of equal power could perform.

"Here he comes!" Allic cried. "Throw your power into the base's defensive shield. Alone, we'd be picked off one by one." Allic was silent for a moment, then gave an anguished scream: "Storm, where are you? We're going to be cut off!"

The darkness filled the lavender sky, swirling and turning, and a shout of rage thundered across the landscape.

Then darkness coiled inward, taking a manlike form, with twisting fire for eyes and teeth of molten lava.

Allic raised his hand to slam off a bolt that would have shattered the shielding of any mere mortal.

The bolt struck the figure in the chest. Kochanski watched as the form shrieked and seemed almost to burst apart. It tumbled to the ground, trailing fire and smoke, and the ice about Gorgon turned instantly to scalding steam.

Incredulous, the offworlders looked at Allic.

"Is that all there was to him?" Walker laughed, his voice cracking with nervousness. "I damn near pissed my pants and then he falls apart after a single bolt. That's one shitty demon."

"It was too easy," Allic whispered cautiously. "He's playing with us."

Suddenly, from the boiling column of steam a cloud raced out to skim across the ground--which rippled and exploded beneath its passage.

"Get ready!" Allic roared, crouching and forcing his shield to its maximum level.

The cloud slammed into them, and from within a darkness leapt into the air. Bolt after bolt slashed out of its hand, overloading the defenders' shield, forcing it to glowing whiteness. Kochanski felt as if a weight was pressing down on him, and stunned, he watched as his comrades struggled to keep their defenses up. Steam filtered through the screen, prickling his skin, turning the battlefield into an opaque realm of shadows, fire, and mist.

Allic raised his hand to fire another bolt. It struck the demon lord in the chest the same as the first.

Gorgon appeared to stagger for a moment, and then a taunting laugh boomed out. The look of pain disappeared, to be replaced by the sardonic visage of someone who was merely playing.

"Allic, your power is like the spit of a child," the demon mocked, hovering above the party. "Go on, try it again. I need some entertainment before I drag you away."

His face contorted with rage, Allic raised his hand and slammed out another shot, joined by Leti. The combined blow struck Gorgon and seemed to simply glance aside.

Gorgon roared with malevolent delight. "Now receive something from me!"

A tornado of fire slashed out from his hand. Kochanski could feel the power draining away from them as the group struggled to hold their collective strength together. For long seconds the contest of strength swayed back and forth, but with the combined strength of Leti and Allic, the buckling shield gained power, and then firmly held.

Gorgon broke off the attack and drew back.