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meaningful relationship with a normal woman."
"But if you have always served Evil-"
"Good and Evil are not invariable antagonists. They are merely opposite poles of a spread of states. The
one cannot exist without the other. All Incarnations are the enemy of Chaos, Nox's sire, and when
cooperation is required to prevent Chaos's return, Incarnations cooperate. It is not to Your interest to
quarrel with Chronos; remember, he could change your past life with barely an effort."
"I have not sought to quarrel with any of the Incarnations!" he exclaimed. "But they have quarreled with
me! Except for Nox...and if she is the daughter of the true enemy, why didn't she do something to me?"
"No one quite understands Nox," she said. "She is her own creature. Perhaps she finds the current
panoply more interesting."
Parry squared his shoulders. "We had better get on with it. I hope Chronos helps me."
"He was the only major earthly Incarnation not present at Gaea's outrage," she said. "That could be
because he failed to get the news, being on the other side of events, but I prefer to think it is because he
respects You."
"He doesn't even know me!"
"You forget, he could have known you for decades hence."
Parry sighed. "I did forget. This may be tricky."
"Nox did say Chronos would help," she reminded him.
Nox. Parry found himself being swept back into his memory of that experience. The stuff of dreams!
Lilah jogged him back to the present. "I know that look on a man's face. Keep her out of Your mind, my
Lord, or You are lost before You begin."
Good advice! They went up to the door and knocked.
The Incarnation of Time himself opened it. He was a man of about Parry's age, with portly figure and
gray hair. His suit appeared somewhat out of style, but not archaic; Parry realized that it probably would
come into style in a later decade. The man lived backward; he had to keep that in mind!
Chronos took his hand. "You told me you would be calling, Satan," he said warmly. "I am sorry only
that our acquaintance must end now."
"We-have had a long acquaintance?" Parry asked cautiously, hardly daring to rely on the significance of
such a statement.
"Certainly!" Chronos agreed heartily. "You have always been kind to me, Satan, and I am not unmindful
of past favors. You told me that you would have something important to ask me at this point, and
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certainly I shall answer to the best of my ability."
This was almost too easy! Parry hesitated to broach his question, as yet uncertain of the implications. If
Chronos had known him long, then he must have survived the trial period and become the regular
Incarnation of Evil. Must have maintained the name Satan. Could he trust that?
"And Lilah, you darling creature!" Chronos said, stepping up to embrace her warmly. She, too, seemed
uncertain.
"Chronos, remember that this is new to us at the moment," Parry said. "We do not know what kind of
relationship we shall be having with you. I should advise you that the other Incarnations-"
"Yes, that is awkward," Chronos said quickly. "I must not say too much, of course. But I can tell you
that you and Lilah have always been true friends to me, for the entire thirty years I have held this office,
though of course never intimate in the other sense." He glanced again at Lilah. "Not that I could not
have wished otherwise, no affront intended."
Lilah smiled. "Perhaps, in three or four years, if you are in need, I will come to you one time." She
glanced significantly at Parry, and her prior remarks to him fell into place. She had rewarded Chronos in
the past for the favor Chronos was about to do now for Parry. She had not known it at the time, but the
retrospective rationale seemed apt. Parry found he could not quite manage to be jealous of it; it was after
all a special situation.
Even so, he could not stop himself from wondering which particular time that she had been absent from
him she had done it. She had seemed wholly devoted to his corruption; why had she gone visiting with
Chronos?
"You will be welcome, Lilah," Chronos said. It was evident that he understood her nature perfectly, and
accepted it. "I will let you know, if such need occurs." And there was the answer; Chronos had asked for
her, and she, knowing his nature, had elected to cooperate rather than question it. Now Parry was glad
she had.
Chronos returned his attention to Parry. "But I would help you regardless, my friend. What is it you
require?"
"The secret of the spell to banish demons," Parry said.
Chronos pursed his lips. "That, I regret, I do not know. Neither you nor any other creature has
vouchsafed that information to me."
The disappointment was keen. "Nox said you might-" Parry shrugged. "I just assumed you knew."
"Nox." Chronos smiled reminiscently. "Now there is a creature to conjure with, if I may be excused the
notion. She thought I knew it?"
"She said to ask you, and that you might help."
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