Through the Shadow, From the Flame

Exotica did not know. Exotica did not care. Exotica was defeated, and hopeless, and full of despair.

She had sought to battle the Shoggoth and save her family and her kingdom. It was a mad decision, for the Shoggoth was power incarnate. And in her madness and desperation she had chosen the Path of the Cenobite. A desperate choice indeed. But one that had given her hope. But alas, hope is not eternal, and her choice had proven futile and her battle had been lost.

And now she lay within the clutches of Arahim, at the mercy of a thing that knew no mercy. Beyond her stood the Priest, his staff flaming ghostly in the black and grey world of nightmare and shadow, his eyes gleaming a dull blank white from his skull-like head. The wriggling monstrosities that crawled toward him were scythed into pieces by his magic, but the horde seemed never-ending. Soon enough they would get past his guard. And cowering at his feet was Mary, Exotica's faithful servant. But her faith could not protect her now - she too was undone by the horror of the demons. And as Mary succumbed to the terror, Exotica could see her begin to slowly change - her body becoming like diseased pulp, like the putrid flesh of worms.

Arahim looked down upon Exotica, his taloned fingers digging into her tender flesh. He laughed at her. "Oh, foolish child. Gaze upon your destruction. But know this, soon we shall leave this black and grey world and return to the demesne of the Master. And his world is full of color - and the color is RED!" Arahim's fingers tore into the skin and meat of Exotica's arms, scraping against the very bone. Exotica screamed and her mind became numb with pain, her eyes filling over with blood red mist.

And then, as if from far away, Exotica felt a voice within her mind. "You have strayed from the Path." The voice was cold and inhuman. And somehow Exotica knew what this voice belonged to. "Help me!" she cried out. "So be it," the voice answered her.

Suddenly she felt Arahim's hands torn away from her and she heard a gasp of pain and surprise. Shaking the red mist from her eyes, Exotica found herself staring at a scene of carnage. From the green flame of the burning braziere thick, heavy chains were erupting like the tentacles of an unholy beast. Some were already wrapped around Arahim. Others whipped about in the air before the startled minions of Baal'zumel. The Priest cried out in triumph and his staff flashed with even greater power and the seething horrors that crawled toward hm melted and burned before the terrible onslaught.

1. The servants of the Shoggoth are vanquished. But at what price?
2. Baal'zumel and his demon riders are driven back, but are not yet overcome.

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