Bearing an hourglass by Piers Anthony

Author:Piers Anthony
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9780345313157
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Published: 2010-01-22T04:36:09+00:00

Chapter 10 - GAEA

Satan was waiting for him again as he returned. “Did you enjoy yourself?” the Prince of Evil inquired politely.

Norton looked at him narrowly. “You don’t know?”

“My dear associate! How could I?”

“You sent me there. You ought to be able to tell how things are. Otherwise how could you be sure you weren’t sending me to my doom?”

“One Incarnation can not harm another.”

“Without the other’s consent. If you placed me in a challenging situation and I failed to meet that challenge, would that constitute my consent for harm?”

“There is no danger to you in the fantasy scheme! It is nothing but a living adventure.”

“I thought that was rather convenient,” Norton said. “I arrive just in time for a classic fantasy adventure, complete with Damsel in Distress, Enchanted Sword, sturdy Elf, Evil Sorceress, Dragon, and Alicorn. True chance would have had me land in a barren wilderness. And my prior trip, too-with spaceman, Bern, psi powers, shape changing, and wreck on an alien planet. Another arranged adventure.”

“Well, My clients would not be interested in dull vacations,” Satan pointed out. “I try to reward them well for their services to Me. Heaven, you know, is a pretty dull place; My settings have the excitement of challenge and success.”

“So others have interacted with Bat Dursten and his Bems, and with Excelsia and her Alicorn?”

Satan looked modestly uncomfortable. “Or reasonable facsimiles thereof,” he agreed. “There is no harm in it, and a scripted adventure is, after all, an aspect of My specialty: an interesting and amusing fabrication.”

“Yes, I remember. You are the Father of Lies.”

“Certainly. Fiction is but an accepted lie, and so it is My business. People have been brainwashed into supposing that there can be no benefit in lies, but lies of this nature can be exceptionally rewarding. If you would care to visit other settings, such as the Wild West, or Mystery Sleuth, or Complex Historical, or Torrid Romance- “

“The antimatter frame has quite a spread of habitats!”

“Indeed. Plenty of room for all My favored friends.” Satan leaned forward persuasively. “There are many scenarios within each setting, too. If, for example, you found Excelsia attractive. We could arrange for her to- “

“Never mind that.” Norton had indeed found her attractive, but didn’t care to have Satan know it. “If you have such an excellent way to reward your minions, why do you need to bother with me?-Your friend in your past- “

“Ah, you checked him? Did you discover any flaw in the life I contemplate for him?”

“No. I just don’t follow your motive. Why not send him to delights in the globular cluster or the Magic-Lantern Cloud, instead of taking all this trouble with me?”

Satan shrugged. “I suppose I could. But I have promised him a happy life in this world and I always keep My promises.”

Norton hesitated. He did not trust the Father of Lies, yet this particular case did seem to check out. “I’ll give it further consideration.”

Satan stood. “As you wish, Chronos.” He turned about in place and, somehow, by the time he completed the turn, he was gone.

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