Dance of Light and Shadow in the Land of Eternal Darkness

"Hm.. Very well. I can see your curiosity is genuine, so I will tell you," the Priest said. "In this world, there are men, and there are Cenobites. Right now, we walk the Path of the Cenobite. In doing so, we become the Cenobite, and thus, we prepare a Path for the Cenobite. Do you see now? I really can't make it much clearer than that."

"I think I shouldn't want to... become a Cenobite."

Mary shuddered. "It sounds rather... icky, sire."

"Well, that is one of the many, many reasons you should never, ever have come here in the first place," the Priest glared. "But fear not - I don't think you'll be turning into a Cenobite anytime soon, child."

Meanwhile Exotica, who had been slowly walking toward the tapestry, gasped. She recognized the man in the picture - it was Arahim, the court mage! She hurried forward, hearing the Priest yell "Beware! It's an illusion!" but it was too late. Arahim emerged, full-size from the tapestry and seized Exotica, pinning her arms behind her back.

"No!" Exotica cried. "Why, Lord Arahim? Why?!"

"That's not this one's name anymore," he laughed, pushing her down to her knees. "And you will make a fine gift for the Shoggoth, dear."

"Fiend! Release the Princess!" Mary shrieked. She seized a flat stone from the castle ground, but hesitated to throw it. Exotica could feel Arahim's cold, bony hands crushing her wrists, and she cried out in pain. The Priest snapped up his staff, and his eyes shifted, becoming blank white. He started chanting "Vitu entebrae sarroch mes seut Eibon skalgharazi..."

"Babble all you want, worm," Arahim chuckled. "Naught but death awaits heretics here. All who oppose Fred must be stamped out!"

Fred? Exotica's mind reeled. Could that be the name of the man playing host to the Shoggoth? And then could it possibly be Lord Frederigo D'Honaire, who had been sent by her father to slay the Dragon?

"Vithlaskharadar!" the Priest boomed, and a tremor rumbled beneath the castle, raising up cobblestones as it surged from the Priest toward Arahim - but the energy stopped just short, as if blocked by an invisible barrier. Exotica could sense it all around her - the magical energy Arahim projected. Its aura was cold, mad, run through and through with hatred - and terrifyingly strong. Was there any hope of saving Arahim? Did she even dare try?

"How utterly futile," Arahim laughed. "Now, gaze upon your death."

The pulsing shadow at the far end of the room spread its wings and spewed out a miasma of dark gas, which shifted shape and materialized as it spread into the room. Monstrous beasts crawled from the gas, vile misshapen bundles of limbs and claws. They roared mindlessly and trailed blood and ooze, soon moving in the dozens toward Mary and the Priest. Mary screamed, and Exotica would have too, but her voice failed her - for she saw the winged shadow materialize completely, into a gigantic skeletal frame hung with bloody, shredded muscle and entrails, its huge, tattered black wings flapping soundlessly.

"So Baal'zumel, is it?" the Priest said, raising his staff against the approaching horde of nightmares. "I should have known the court mage could summon greater demons. But if death is my fate, I will gladly join Eibon in the quest for understanding."

Mary screamed again, a look of near-insanity on her face. Suddenly the double doors at the left of the chamber burst open, and armored knights galloped inside, Exotica recognized the one in the lead immediately, for he wore no helmet, and she would always recognize her twin besides.

"Arahim, you traitor!" Prince Exeter spat, wheeling about on his charger. "Unhand Exotica, anon! Or I swear to God I'll..."

"Brother!" Exotica exclaimed. "I knew you would come for me!"

"I'll explain everything later!" Exeter shouted. "Right now I must remove you from that villain's side at any cost!"

"Please don't worry about me! Protect yourself!" Exotica pleaded.

"How sickeningly valiant, Prince Exeter!" Arahim giggled. "Did the mages of Hespan magic you here? Straight to your demise! Baal'zumel will make killing you seem like child's play!"

The giant, skeletal demon roared deafeningly, dark energy swirling around its claws. Exeter's knights rode to shield Mary and the Priest. Exotica recognized their house sigils, and knew they must be her brother's personal retinue - Martine of Lemonwood, Kenneth of Fairsfield and Isabella of Thorne. The first of the hellspawn to reach the knights met a flashing rain of steel that cut them to pieces - and still those pieces crawled on blindly, grasping and clawing at thin air.

1. Exeter charges straight for Arahim and Exotica.
2. Exeter charges straight for Baal'zumel the Demon.
3. Exeter holds the line against the hellspawn and waits for an opportunity to rescue Exotica.

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