There is a rumor.
Of course, rumors in Hell are about as common as flies
around rotten meat (and as about as hard to get rid
of), but this particular one is noteworthy, not least
because repeating it aloud is a good way to have your
Forces scattered. This type of reaction merely gives
it legitimacy, of course.
The rumor goes that every Prince - every Prince - has,
somewhere in his, her or its organization, a traitor
to Hell itself. These are not the normal types of
traitors, however: they do not spy, they do not
sabotage, they do not even provide undercover
assistance to angels that find themselves trapped in
Hell. Indeed, these traitors are, outwardly and even
inwardly, perfect examples of what demons of their
particular Words should be. However, should they ever
be given a particular sign (and many things have been
suggested as being The Sign), each and every one of
those Assassins will immediately turn and attempt to
assassinate his or her particular Prince.
Now, on the face of it this seems absurd: even with
complete surprise, how could any mere demon hope to
destroy a Prince? Well, the rumor goes on to suggest
that all Assassins are highly - very highly - placed
(Higher Distinctions and actual Words of their own, at
the very least). It's also said that they have all
taken care to prove themselves over and over again,
allowing themselves to sink into depravity and sin, so
that they may pass unsuspected through the legions of
Hell. It's even said that they know ... things ...
taught to them by Heaven (Michael's name usually crops
up at this point): things that will give them the
power to fuel one good strike. They certainly would
have to know things that would allow them to hide
effectively.
If these Assassins really exist, then they must be
among the maddest entities in existence, and certainly
the most fanatical. The problem is, of course, that
no Prince quite dares to treat their Dukes as they
would mere Servitors - and certainly none of them are
willing to have the Game handle the matter for them
(after all, according to the rumor there's a Assassin
in the Game, too). Demon Princes are not fools, for
the most part: they know that a too-vigorous
exhibition of suspicion will create plots where none
existed before.
Each Prince has quietly looked through his, her or its
organization, of course, and none of them have found a
likely suspect - but that's the point, right? It
would be the one that you wouldn't suspect. The usual
conclusion drawn is that there may be one organization
(or two, or three) that harbors a waiting Assassin,
but not theirs. So they brood, and watch out of the
corner of their eyes, and usually manage to convince
themselves that the entire thing is probably just a
particularly good piece of psychological warfare on
the part of the Host. No other explanation makes
sense, really.
Still, there's that last part of the rumor: the part
where it's said that at least one Assassin has not
only already achieved his mission, but has managed to
survive... and may now be a Prince himself, and ready
to betray all of Hell, come the Day. This is really
the most disquieting bit. After all, forget about
Haagenti: no one's really sure where Valefor came
from.
Or Kronos, for that matter.
Back to the INC Mainpage.
Back to the Theories page.
Send mail to the Curator