They were guards and had been cut with many wounds by their own weapons. On their faces were wicked smiles. William walked among them. He wondered what had happened as the scent of blood assailed his nostrils. He felt a presence in the air, but it slipped away, laughing before he could grasp it. At his feet were large puddles of blood and many hewn limbs.

The bleak stone walls reeked of death and were utterly forlorn and silent. William peered around as Felix kneeled by several fallen man. What had happened in this place? Who had done this?

"These men killed each other," said Felix. "Look there." He motioned, and William followed the gaze. There was a man who clutched a spear that had been driven into the heart of his fellow. He'd taken a dagger to the neck.

"Not all of them," said Tanith, largely unaffected. This realm had destabilized her. "This one killed himself." Willliam looked at her and saw a back who had fallen on his sword. There was no horror or grief on his face; he was smiling.

"A fight?" asked Kiyora. "Was there a coup?"

"No," said William, feeling a chill. "This was not any civil war. These men were made to kill each other by dark magic."

"Well, obviously," said Arraxia. "The Iron King is practicing his powers on his people. Either that or he cannot fully control them."

"What powers?" asked William.

"One of the abilities of the Axe of Fortenex is to send people into killing frenzies," said Arraxia. "It seems to have done wonders for Tanith lately."

"Oh, she's always like that," said William.

"Pretty much," said Tanith. "Though I am enjoying myself on this adventure." Bitter laughter ensured, and William wondered if he'd gone mad.

Who wouldn't?

"The strong-willed may resist, but in the hands of one such as myself, it would be unstoppable," said Arraxia. "Come, let's keep moving. He'll probably expand his gaze to other realms soon."

They walked through many halls with weapons near at hand. The palace could not have been more different. There were colorful and ornate paintings and tapestries on every wall. There were vast decorations on the walls. There were pictures of angels of light standing high over cowering mortals. They might have been very beautiful to look at. But corpses could be found here or there, hewn down by guards who killed themselves in the aftermath. There were young girls and old men. There were boys not much older than William. Something was in the air, that presence again. They were laughing.

"There is something evil in the air," said William. "This sensation, I've felt it before."

"It is like with Laughing Wraith," said Kiyora. "Except different. It has changed."

"We are all the Dark Dreamer," said William.

"What?" said Kiyora.

"Something a demon told me," said William. "The Vulture of Melchious, he was called. He said that Melchious had many faces."

"What is Melchious doing here?" asked Kiyora.

"I don't know," admitted William.

Passing through gilded halls, they, at last. They came before a set of double doors inlaid with images of mutilation and horror. A vast ogre with a demonic gaze, half-buried in the ground, was inlaid at the bottom of the door. From its back came tendrils lined with many dead men, mutilated and bloodied. Further up the tendrils stood a figure upon a throne, playing a harp and above, a black image of the heavens.

They were a bright reflection of those they had seen before. Instead of soldiers, there were angels with flaming swords. From within, they could hear the playing of a harp.

It was beautiful music, more beautiful than anything William had yet to hear in his life. It made him feel like he was lying upon the clouds and fading away. Fading into a higher being than himself. He felt his eyes drooping. He needed to sleep. Just shut his eyes for a time, and then-

He shook his head and set a hand to his sword. No, he would not fall into such a spell.

Arraxia strode forward, set her hands against the door, and threw them aside. There was a crash as the doors hit the walls. The song washed over them all the louder momentarily, but William drew his music and played back. For a time, the music contested, notes clashing against one another. It grated on his mind, and he struggled to focus. A pale light washed over them, sending their minds to sleep as they struggled to continue.

William played all the harder, though he could hardly remember. He felt as though he were a walking shadow behind Arraxia. On and on, the music played. William smiled in joy at the contest to meet one with the same skill. And his enemy played harder and better until. At the very moment William thought to be overwhelmed, the song ended.

So they entered.

Within was a great hall of carved stone. Eight huge pillars held up a high ceiling. They found the Iron King at the far end upon a high throne. He was no giant, as had been described. He was unarmored and wore bright white garments, and over his head was a hooded cloak. In his hands was a harp, which he still played with masterful skill. Propped up against his throne was the Axe of Fortenex.

As they approached, he stood and threw back his hood. Beneath it, William saw the fairest features he had ever beheld. Such was the wondrous power and nobility within them that he stepped back and wondered if he was in a dream. No other being he had ever seen could compare. All that he had seen around him now seemed maimed and misshapen in comparison.

His hair was long and golden but brighter than William thought possible. This was no mere flaxen but true gold. Gold of a hue and richness that no precious metal taken from the earth could ever compare to.

"Ah," laughed the Iron King in a voice filled with youthful exuberance, "so at last, my guests have arrived, have they? I apologize for the corpses. I had hoped to have this place cleaned up by the time you arrived. But all plans go astray, and Felix has proven himself a master at leading things from their right path.

"Welcome."

"What have you done?" asked Kiyora, voice bemused.

"Driven my subjects to madness as a test of my power, of course," said the Iron King. "And soon, I shall cause a far greater bloodletting. The rivers will run red with those who have served me loyally."

Somehow, William found it impossible to get angry. He saw that it was not just him. The others were in a daze of sorts. Arraxia herself looked confused and doubtful. Yet he pieced things together. What other power would act with such meaningless cruelty save one? "Melchious?" he asked. "You are the Iron King?"

Melchious laughed, and the sound rang throughout the halls. He snatched up the Axe of Fortenex, threw it into the air, and caught it by the haft as it came down. Spinning it, he walked down the stairs. "Of course. It is a rather long story. I'd be happy to relate it."

"How?" asked William, unable to be angry. "Why? Why would you create a kingdom only to destroy it?"

"For many reasons, of course," said Melchious. "But chiefest among them was to restock my supply of raishans. I freed many prisoners from bondage. I took on the guise of a hero, earned their loyalty, and led them to shun the gods and shut them out. Every person that died here in the Iron Kingdom had their soul sent into the pillars and the Void Stone.

"Their souls, in turn, became the fuel for more raishans.

"In other guises, I inspired the satyrs to newfound heights of bloodlust. I went among the minotaurs, convincing them to raid and pillage. Thus, those who might have opposed the Iron King dared not for fear of their enemies.

"We've had some very real success, record years, in fact. But we didn't reach our full potential. Unfortunately, the Iron Kingdom has recently become unreliable as a source of souls. Birth rates dropped, and the quality of the souls decreased. So, I've decided to exterminate every man, woman, and child in this entire kingdom. Once the land is clear, I will give it to some of my other worshippers."

"This is disgraceful!" roared Arraxia. "You had an entire Kingdom loyal to you. Yet, instead of using them to conquer and subjugate other realms, you just plan to destroy them! And for what?! So you could create some more disposable monsters to cover your earlier failures? This is why I had you overthrown!"

"Arraxia," said Melchious as he took hold of her throat and squeezed. "Talented though you are, I fear you have never really understood the meaning of being a demon. It is not about power or the desire to dominate. It is about destruction. All that we do, all that we seek to achieve is done to spread misery and suffering across the worlds."

Arraxia choked, and William could do nothing. Why should he do anything? She had made no secret of her allegiance to herself. It was better to let her die where she stood.

No, no, he must act.

"We demons are denied common pleasures," said Melchious. "The finest of foods are but ash on our tongues. We seek our pleasures in other ways. Some have made great strides in our goals through the domination of others. Yet it is not the domination of minds that truly gives us pleasure but their torment. We do not seek power but the opportunity to misuse it.

"The only purpose for torture is torture itself.

"The only meaning behind the atrocities we commit is for the sake of those atrocities.

"There is no hope of victory for us.

"No great plan that shall lead to our ascension beyond the pitiful mortals, we scoff.

"No reward for those with the vision to shed common morality.

"There is no power we gain that good man cannot gain for less.

"We perform the unforgivable for its own sake. There is no meaning. Only blood. Blood fo Zigildrazia."

Then, Arraxia seized his hand and dragged it from her throat. "Coward! That is the philosophy of the slave! I have set myself above the heavens and determined all that is!

"If I am not the supreme being, then I shall make it so!"

And she flew into the air, and her eyes blazed with flame as her wings were outstretched.

"You speak ever above your station," said Melchious, leaping back with a smile. "You shall fail like so many before you. At the zenith of your ascension, it shall be snatched from you. For my part, I am well enough content. I have sewn death across this land and will reap the harvest.

"And when all in this land are dead, I shall do the same to others."

William looked past Melchious and saw the Void Stone. It was set on the top of the throne Melchious had sat upon. It was black as the darkest void, and light seemed to be drawn into it to die. It was like the pillars, yet it was worse now that he looked at it. Within it, he could see souls. Thousands and thousands of souls from generations of people were within it. They slept within, slowly being twisted.

Raishans. It came into the mind of William that Melchious commanded the raishans. And with so many souls, he might create a mighty army and ravage many lands. Just as he had ravaged Khasmir and the northern reaches of Artarq.

He must act! Yet a will-like ropes had wrapped around him, binding him in place gently. No anger could be mustered before such beauty, and he saw the same from the others.

"You're a monster," whispered Kiyora, eyes were going empty.

Melchious just smiled. "An original observation if I've ever heard one. Though it has not grown any less true with use." The Axe of Fortenex began to glow with an unholy red light. The light entered the Void Stone, and there was screaming of absolute horror.

In that moment, Melchious' white garb shifted to a red cloak with bronze armor. A flash ensued as the spell was laid!

At that moment, William felt he could see all of the Iron Kingdom. Yet a shadow fell over it, a hand of blood whose fingers reached out over all the lands, groping. Men, women, and children looked up in fear as the spell began to take hold of their hearts. This was wrong? But was it? Shouldn't he have felt more concerned if it was wrong?

Tanith acted first, and the spell broke. In a moment, her blades were out, and she was surging toward Melchious. Even as she did so, she screamed in agony and fell to the ground. Massacre breathed her flame, but what seemed a wave of blood arose to quench them. Felix faded into the shadows, and he emerged behind Melchious. He raised his blade to strike, but Melchious glanced at him and screamed in agony. Massacre let out a scream from all her heads and writhed.

Arraxia surged at Melchious. The agony spell was sent against her, but she moved on regardless. Melchious was forced to step back to avoid her claws. Bringing around the axe he nearly cleaved off her head, but Arraxia ducked low, and her tail slashed at him. A spear of flame came into her hand as she attacked him in a flurry of strokes.

Yet Melchious defended with only one hand. He ducked and weaved easily, and small injuries soon appeared on Arraxia. He hardly seemed to be trying. Now William saw why Arraxia had never sought to overthrow him directly. There was an enemy with skill and deadly cunning beyond measure.

But Tanith was there again with blades singing. Melchious began to move faster, their blades a blur of metal. A line of blood appeared across Melchious' cheek, and as he flinched, she caught him across the leg. The weaving of his spell slowed. Yet his grip was still over the hearts of all within the Iron Kingdom. Yet it was going slowly. It was slower than it could have been.

Then Kiyora glowed with a bright light and sent forth a wave of it.

Melchious raised a hand, and the light faded while disarming Tanith with an off-hand. Kiyora yelled out in pain but sent forth her will again. For the moment, the spell was now held at bay. However, the Void Stone and the axe were still glowing with power. At any moment, Melchious would lose patience and cease his game. Like a cat who is tired of tormenting a mouse. At any moment, Tanith and the others would die.

So why wasn't he acting?

"Act!" cried a voice within him that William did not know the name of. "Act before all is lost!"

It was Elranor, though he had forgotten his name. William rushed at Melchious and drew his sword. Yet even as he did so, he realized it would not help Melchious. Instead, he ran past him for the Void Stone.

Summoning the power of Elranor through the sword, he rushed up the steps and brought it down on the stone. There was a clash, and he was thrown back. He groaned as he hit the steps and arose again. However, even as he did so, he found raw agony coursing through him. His every nerve was on fire! The skin was melting from his bones!

"As good a strategy as can be expected," said Melchious. "But, I am beyond your power."

"Elranor, give me strength..." gasped William.

He arose and raised his harp. Playing the music, he set his will against the Void Stone. The blackness grew still deeper. His music warped and changed to horrifying sounds, and he found something in his mind. It tore at his thoughts, trying to rip his being and render him a puppet of flesh. Pulling away, he thrashed against it as his song played against the stone. Little by little, he felt the defenses waver, only to be reinforced by more power.

This wasn't going anywhere! But what else could he do?

Sweat was dripping from his brow, and his strength was being spent. His hands faltered as they became too cold to move.

A hand took hold of his neck and lifted him up.

Then he saw Melchious. Not Melchious the vulture. Or Melchious the wraith. Or even Melchious is the fairest of all creatures. They were all but facets of a greater whole. A whole that had been reassembled with the deaths of his avatars. Here was a being of unfathomable malice, devoid of pity, who wore horror and atrocity as a cloak.

And there was a light within.

"You fool. Elranor has no power here," said Melchious. "You might have torn down my pillars, but his worshippers are few and far between. It would take a miracle of unparalleled power to break this spell, and the rules of the gods are against him here.

"Hold your spell, Dreaming Goddess. Or I'll wring his neck."

William realized that Kiyora had snuck up to the void and was working against it. He could feel the grip of Melchious tightening around him. Then Melchious blinked and shuddered, then let go of him. William fell and saw that Felix had driven a blade into the side of the demon. Melchious smashed him with a fist and drew out the blade of the Nakmar, which even now was turning an unholy red.

He raised the sword to kill Felix, but William stepped between them and raised his shield. The blow held the weight of a mountain. It forced him to his knee, but William arose again and drove it upward. Melchious turned the blade with his Axe and knocked William's legs out from under him.

William hit the ground and heard the sound of screaming, not in his ears but in his mind. People throughout the Iron Kingdom, men, women, and children, were all now falling into the spell. Mother's killed their children. Lifelong friends grappled with life or death. Each and every one of them was smiling. At the same time, they screamed.

But Kiyora stood by the Void Stone, channeled her magic, and directed it with all she had. A bright light emanated around them, illuminating the entire room. Melchious turned and shielded his eyes.

"Please! You have to help us!" cried Kiyora. Some murmured response came to him. It was the trees. She was talking to the trees. "Look, I broke the pillars, didn't I! If you don't help me, thousands of people will die! What? This isn't their fault! Melchious, Melchious is the one who did it! Please, help us!"

But there was only a contemptuous murmur of contempt and malice. She entreated repeatedly, but the trees refused to help or listen. They owed Kiyora nothing. The light faded, and Kiyora sank to her knees in despair. Melchious laughed. "So the spirits of the land have refused to help you. It is to be expected. After all, the people were the ones who erected those pillars.

"Whether it was on my orders or not, they were responsible. You can understand how the trees might nurse a grudge." Then he looked to the door with eyes farsighted. "Well, it seems the madness is passing. There are holdouts, of course. Quite a few holdouts, I suppose I can thank you, would-be heroes, for that particular absurdity. Even I couldn't drive the gods out completely. And those who remained faithful to them were all spared. That, as well as some others.

"Ah, well, I imagine I could make good sport of them later. I'll get what I want from them one way or the other."

"I suppose the Withering King will take what remains." He cast aside Felix's sword. The wound it had inflicted healed in moments. "I should kill you all now. But then, it would be a shame if no one survived to tell the tale of the Iron Kingdom. What is the purpose of art if no one looks at it?"

Anger returned to William, a rage like nothing else. How many innocent people died because of him? How many? Too many to count? And for what? What had it all been for?

He stood up and charged blindly at Melchious. He swung his sword but was thrown back by his will. Melchious regarded him with contempt as he raised a hand. "Fool. Let this be a lesson. No righteous anger will allow you to challenge me, for I am the stronger.

"I shall kill at least one of you now to ensure the lesson is well learned."

Melchious pointed his hand toward Tanith. Then, a blade passed through his hand. Melchious stepped backward with a flinch and ducked back to avoid losing his head. There was a shower of blood, and the hand regrew. "Well, another would-be hero. Who is it this time?"

William looked to see their savior, clad in armor. Then he blinked. "Mother?!"

The Lady Azgora stood before them, clad as a god for war.