Kaleb walked towards the centre of the room and bowed his head. “Your master has made itself known to me.”

Trinius and Saldagor approached Kaleb from either side while Iridia backed away with a face of dismay. “We both are scions of the Dradus Triumverite,” Trinius said with a soft coo as if to soothe the waning Kaleb.

“Where is the third?”

Saldagor lowered his head, “She was not willing to commit to the future of this realm.”

“What did you do to her?”

“We expelled her.” Trinius stepped forward and placed her hand on Kaleb's shoulder. “It is time for you to complete your duty.”

Kaleb looked up and met Trinius's eyes with his deep green gaze. She had a caring smile and her touch brought warmth to his chest that soothed his burning, icy skin, a lingering effect of the demon’s deep lair and crossing through the magical gateway. “What is my duty?”

“Relieve your neophyte of duty.”

Iridia stepped back once more, raising her spear, “Kaleb.”

Kaleb smiled back at Trinius. “Thank you.”

She cocked her head and smirked, “What for?”

“Giving me hope.” He rammed his skull into her nose and sent her reeling backwards, her nose now a flat splatter of blood. She screamed and attempted to crawl away, but her body morphed into the creature that had dragged Iridia away earlier, bones cracked and flesh torn as the violent metamorphosis exposed her inner darkness.

“Fool” Saldagor drew his sword.

Kaleb brought his hammer upon the arc crystal and shattered it, the defences instantly melted away and brought pause to the two fallen scions.

The pair stepped backwards as Iridia joined Kaleb’s flank. Kaleb looked back to find that damnation approached from all directions. Flencer was tossed to the ground by one of the Orcs, his body a pudgy heap on the marble floor. The other Orc held Morgan with a blade to his throat.

“Perfect!” Vince clapped slowly as he joined them, Esme by his side.

“I expected betrayal.”

“Yet you didn’t prepare an answer though.” Vince moved around the edge of the room, glaring at the two scions. “You two…” he shook his head, “Very clever, very devious, I did not expect that of Paladins.”

Saldagor raised his blade and Trinius screeched, a feeble attempt to belie their trepidations. The mask they wore over fear slipped as quickly as it was raised. “Perhaps we can come to an agreement, we have the enemy, together we can serve as a new triumvirate.”

“Master wanted all three, you two have failed, I’d like my powers back.”

“No!” Saldagor’s fear melted when confronted with the proposition that he must return the evil he had been gifted.

Iridia watched the two with her spear ready, her chest heaved and her grip tightened until her knuckles whitened. She wanted to kill the Orc that held Morgan, she wished to bring pain upon the demons that held them, to destroy Vince and his lies, and to pierce the heart of the vile Esme who had charmed them all.

Kaleb stood with a calmness, a realisation had befallen him, the darkness in his eyes spoke of a battle to come, but something was missing, and that missing part was a gift from the Divine heart, he could feel it beat deep down. “Is it true Esme?”

Esme pulled her helmet from her head and dropped it with a tinny clank, she smiled at Kaleb and directed his gaze to Vince.

Vince pushed his hands outward and from his palms whipped bloody tentacles that coiled about Saldagor and Trinius’ throats. They both writhed and wriggled like fish on a hook, feet kicking and demons claws scratching. Their efforts were fruitless and they were drained, reduced to a sinewy skeleton that fell to pieces.

Flencer had come too and clambered to his feet. His vision cleared and he was greeted with a most horrific image, like from the paintings of old that depicted great evil upon seats of power before the moment they were toppled by a hero. Vince was a picture of blackness, his muscular chest bare and bloody with horns that pushed outwards, he had taken a seat upon one of the thrones in the room that was unfamiliar to him. “What in the?” He felt a shove from behind.

Morgan wriggled a little, the horror of Vince’s new form was too much to accept, the power of him resonated and filled his heart with mourning, mourning of a victory that could have been. The party had stumbled from one place to another, and now they were before great evil, unprepared and inadequate, he knew this was beyond Kaleb and Iridia.

Vince clicked his fingers and more Orcs poured in, they took place at the edge of the room, five by each side, armoured and armed with spears. “Now we can bring order to this place, ready it for the deliverance of our master,” he chuckled.

Kaleb raised his hammer.

“Oh please, don’t wave that toy about as if you could make use of it,” Esme called from behind.

Kaleb looked back at her and she winked. He nodded and dropped the hammer.

Iridia raised her spear, “Kaleb, we cannot give up, what has gotten into you?”

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

He smiled at her, “My journey ends here.”

Tears welled in her eyes, “What did the demon do to you? What did you see?”

“I saw our future, I saw what must be done, some battles cannot be fought and they must be won in different ways.”

Esme nodded to Kaleb. “Show your respect to Thundial,” she pointed at Vince who sat wide-legged on the throne, his clawed hands upon his knees. “Show him who you serve.”

Iridia grabbed Kaleb’s arm, “Please, I need you.”

Kaleb took her wrist and peeled her fingers from his arm, “I need you.”

Her eyes flashed and she looked at Esme, she was stoic and hard-faced though just as beautiful, the sight of her made her forehead warm, reminding her of the kiss she gave her. While lost in Esme’s eyes she did not have a chance to stop Kaleb from approaching Vince, or Thundial, whatever his name was.

Thundial stood tall, his body had become a deep red with black veins that crawled around him, the Azure vault rested between his twitching pectorals like a trophy to signify his victory over Kaleb and his party. The necklace would not be returned, they would not leave Farlow Port, and the Demon would secure his arrival unto the world like the visions it swam in and delightfully shared with him. “Come, Kaleb, kiss my hand, say the words, you have seen our master, he is undeniable, irresistible.”

Kaleb took his hand as he approached.

Iridia made to go for him but was stopped by Esme, she turned and swiped at her.

“Be calm, Paladin.”

“Calm?” She seethed and spun on the spot to watch her master, her friend, submit to this great evil.

Kaleb looked up at Thundial, his face was a bright red, eyes without pupils and cheekbones high with demonic regality, he was a creature of splendour and dread that could spark fear and desire in the simple folk of this realm. “I say these words…Imith-Idith-Allath-Igith”

Iridia gasped as they both disappeared. The necklace struck the marble floor and the vault escaped the claw that held it, the gem bounced down the steps like a marble escaping a child's game.

Esme drew her curved blade that glowed a feint blue, “Now Iridia!” She danced to one side and cut down the Orc that stood behind Flencer.

Iridia raised her spear.

“You’ll need this!” Esme held her free arm up and materialised Iridia’s shield and tossed it to her with great precision and skill that Iridia was able to pluck it from the air with ease.

Iridia hooked her arm in the shield and made use of it right away, absorbing the blow of an Orc’s stabbing spear. “Ow! Not again!”

“Yes again, my shield!” Iridia stepped to one side to guide the spear away, with her strength gifted by the Divine Heart she thrust the tip of her weapon through the armour of the Orc and slid it free with a deft twist, remembering the rule Flencer had taught her.

Flencer dodged away and rolled out of the room to pick up his crossbow that he’d dropped when knocked out, he pulled the sight up and released a bolt to cut off an Orc mid-run before he reached Iridia who was in the centre.

Esme launched her blade at the Orc that held Morgan, impaling his head. Afterwards, she flipped towards him and retrieved her blade from his skull.

“Thank you?” Morgan was bewildered by it all, he could only look on as Esme joined Iridia in the middle. He shook his head and drew his blade, making to join them as the Orcs moved in.

Flencer nocked another bolt and stood guard at the door, two Orcs had approached him, and he waved his crossbow between them, threatening a bolt.

“You only got one shot, half man.”

“Look’s like am spoilt fer choice then.” Flencer shot one through the head, the other took his chance and charged at him. Flencer didn’t skip a beat, he tossed the crossbow at the Orc and scurried around him to meet the others in the centre. The Orc swiped at him as he passed.

“Little pest!” The Orc roared and went after Flencer, he was so focused on the Dwarf that he didn’t see the spear tip that pierced his throat as he ran onto it. He gargled as he watched Iridia on the other end of the shaft before collapsing when she pulled the spear back.

“Thanks, Iridia!” Flencer chortled.

Kaleb struck Thundial with his fist and made the Demon stumble.

Thundial responded with a backhand and sent Kaleb crashing back into the blue crystal vault walls.

“Ah!” Kaleb struggled up, his skin burned from crossing through the dark magic that scorched the skin from his flesh.

“Weakling, what is this place? An Elven vault, no?” He walked toward Kaleb and gripped him with both hands and then tossed him across to the other side.

Kaleb crashed into the plinth that the conduit blade sat upon. He grabbed the hilt and used it to stand, wobbling on its weight. “Nngh, this blade will kill your master.”

Thundial cackled, “That thing? I see why you wanted this back so much, a conduit blade, false hope, do you think that could hurt master?”

Kaleb raised the weapon and circled with Thundial, he waved it threateningly at him.

“There is no song in that blade.”

“It still cuts true.”

Thundial thrust his hand at Kaleb and sent forth two winding tentacles.

With a wicked slash, Kaleb cut them short, black blood spurted and sprayed from the cuts, splattering the crystal walls.

Thundial retracted the severed tendrils and drew upon a black blade, his hand sharpened and stretched, the obsidian reminded Kaleb of the weapon the Necromancer used.

“We have met before…” Kaleb said with surety.

“You have met my minions, you would not have survived.” He smiled broadly, “Your death—” he slashed at Kaleb but was parried, “Will serve as a gift to my master,” he swiped again, Kaleb able to parry once more.

“I am flattered that you hold me in such high regard.” Kaleb riposted verbally then countered with a swipe of his own, which the Demon avoided skillfully.

“You are held in no regard!” Thundial feinted a slash, Kaleb went to block but was not quick enough to catch the thrust of his blade that pierced his shoulder.

Kaleb endured and sliced off the demon’s arm.

Thundial raised his arm and demonstrated the pointlessness of the contest. He grinned wide as his arm reformed perfectly, he wiggled his fingers and the blade morphed once more, this time serrated with an evil teeth that hungered for Paladin flesh. “What a fitting end, to die in the prison you fought so hard to reclaim.”

Kaleb held the wound on his shoulder, blood seeped between his fingers.

“Not healing, Paladin? My blade is the one that strikes true, you should have served me.” Thundial blocked another strike from Kaleb and disarmed him with great strength. “Pathetic!”

Kaleb grunted as he fell back to prevent another blow from landing.

Thundial was relentless, he leapt on top of Kaleb and drove the blade deep into Kaleb’s side.

Blood filled his throat and he coughed, weakly he gripped the throat of Thundial who laughed at the effort.

“My victory is ultimate.”