Speaking of her brother, she looked to where Pallas should have been. The frame that held her up had been mangled in the roof's collapse, doing some rather terrible things to her body. Perhaps it was better for her this way. She had suffered from that curse for far too long. Diana's only regret was that it meant her brother sacrificed his life for nothing.

Her eye was drawn to something moving. It was the Red Queen's knight emerging from the rubble. It would seem that he tried to shield his mistress with his body, but it was a wasted effort. She was already dead from that arrow, most likely. Diana only had a vague awareness of loosing the arrow. Bacchus may have been a lunatic who infected them all with his madness, but even a half-brother was still a brother. More than likely, Diana would have done the same thing even if she had not been robbed of her wits.

Sir Cyrano's leg dragged as he walked and he was bleeding from a cut on his head. It did not take much imagination to guess what he meant to do with the naked blade in his hand. There was little Diana could do and when compared to the slow, painful death that was awaiting her, it would probably be better to end it now.

He did not say anything. He appeared beyond anger and grief. There was no cruel pleasure in exacting revenge. It was more like a clerk balancing accounts. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a life for a life. Simple calculations.

He plunged the sword into her chest and held it there for but a moment before drawing it out and moving on to his next victim. Perhaps it was because his injuries left him unbalanced, but the stroke was not a clean kill, piercing neither the heart nor the lung. It was still a mortal wound to be sure, but she had not been killed outright. And so in her final moments as she lay there bleeding out, Diana watched Sir Cyrano continue his work.

Her father was closest. He too was injured by the fall, though not as badly as Diana. He was struggling to get to his feet, likely more disoriented from being loosed from Bacchus' curse than from the fall. Before he could even straighten himself up, Sir Cyrano delivered a hard punch with his false hand, dropping her father back to the ground. He was not given the chance to rise again before Sir Cyrano ran him through. What an end for the one who once called himself King of the Gods.

Was Sir Cyrano going to go around killing off all the Convocants who were left? Diana would not last long enough to see it.

Sir Cyrano went over to Venus, or what was left of her. Not so pretty anymore, was she? She could not be killed again and there were no other possible survivors closeby, so it was a different idea that came upon him. He turned back to what used to be the center of the sigil There the Witch lay unconscious. No doubt he was looking at her as the root of all their misfortune, the fool. If her powers were only awakened a little further, she might even be able to bring back his precious queen. It was not like Diana could tell him as much. Her time was all but gone.

What a waste. Such a valuable resource about to be destroyed by a brute who knew no better. What a waste all of this was. In their desperation to restore their old power, they had lost everything. Was it even worth it? How long had they lived bereft of glory, watching their power fade year after year? Their pride demanded that they seize this opportunity, even if success came by stepping over the bones of their kin. That was how it had always been. Why would they change their ways now?

Diana had done her share of cruel deeds, but even for her, it was a little much to kill a helpless girl. Well, helpless so long as she did not wake up first. It might be worth seeing to watch the Witch unleash her powers. However, that was not what happened.

Sir Cyrano stood over the Witch and seemed to hesitate for a moment before drawing back his sword to deliver the deathblow, but before he could, a dark figure appeared behind him. At first, Diana thought that it was just her vision failing her, but as she renewed her focus, the dark figure was unceremoniously pushing Sir Cyrano's lifeless body aside.

Diana did not know if this would be better for the Witch or not. It was beyond her concern. She closed her eyes. Let the living deal with the living.

He probably should have been thinking about the enemy, but Tobias' only concern was Tellus. He very well might have jumped down to the floor below in search of her, but at least some semblance of reason stayed with him.

Tobias briefly wondered it it was still an omen if the disaster had already played out. A question for the scholars.

They went back down the stairs and thankfully the rubble was not blocking the door, though they still had to navigate through all the broken rock and splintered wooden beams. As they got closer to the center, they saw the bodies scattered about. Perhaps because of the red dress she was wearing, Tobias' eye was drawn to the Queen. There was an arrow in her chest. It probably happened before the roof collapsed. A part of him felt some regret that he could not be able to confront her with the truth, to face her as a mother, but there was not much mourning to be done for something you never had.

His thoughts turned to Sir Cyrano. There was little chance the Queen would come to harm while he lived and if perchance she did, it would not go unavenged. Tobias did not have to look far. Even in the dark, the enameled plates of the Knight Paladin's armor were easy to see. He was dead but with his blooded sword in hand. He had not died alone.

Next Tobias went to a twisted framework of bronze. It was Lady Aria, well beyond saving. Not far from her, half buried under the rubble was the innkeeper from Birut, Porcius Felix. What was he doing here? How was an innkeeper party to all this?

Tobias went to the next body. He almost did not recognize her, well-groomed as she was. It was the huntress Bat Ana. She had a broken leg and a jagged piece of wood piercing through her belly, but it was the stab wound to her chest that killed her. Sir Cyrano's work? If she killed the Queen and Sir Cyrano killer her, who was it that killed Sir Cyrano?

Shoshanna approached Bat Anat's body, crouched down and touched her cheek.

She reached out and took hold of Tobias' hand.

Tobias gripped her hand more tightly and as she dove into Bat Anat's mind. As she did, Tobias saw what she saw. There was a blinding light that started to fade and as it did, shapes began to take form. Images, memories. Even before they could become clear, they rushed past as Shoshanna hastily clawed her way to whatever memories she wanted to see.

She soon found the most recent memories. Tobias did not really understand what he was seeing. There were faces he recognized, people he had seen in his travels. Was it just a coincidence that they were all gathered here?

He saw Delilah's employer, the innkeeper Marcus, being bathed in flames by the Queen's witchcraft. Through Bat Anat's eyes, he saw her line up the shot with her bow and loose the arrow that delivered the mortal wound. He also saw Jiria the Guardian of the Forest cut down by the smith Barthak, but not after she had put three arrows in him.

The roof collapsed and there was darkness. When Bat Anat opened her eyes, she was much in the state they found her. Then Sir Cyrano came to exact his revenge. Once he stabbed her, he then killed another man and after that, he made his way to Tellus.

Tobias could not help but feel a rush of fear, even though he knew she was not among the dead. Before Sir Cyrano could do any harm to Tellus, someone came up behind him. Bat Anat's vision was no so clear, but it was a man of the Black Guard. It was Captain Jibril.

After Captain Jibril killed Sir Cyrano, he then lifted up Tellus. Just as Bat Anat's vision faded out, he saw another man. Lord Bannon.

Tobias snapped back to the here and now like the crack of a whip. He could feel Shoshanna's hand trembling in his.

She took a moment to bring her breathing under control, then said to Tobias, "You know the men who took Tellus. There is a trail of dark power lingering in the air. I believe I can follow it."

Apparently too exhausted from her ordeal to pluck the answer out of Tobias' mind, she asked him, "How many is that?"

Tobias wondered if Tym'r actually understood what those numbers meant, but he was right. Whatever they might find along the way, they had to rescue Tellus at all costs.

Surely that was nothing more than wishful thinking. If Lord Bannon had planned to take Tellus for himself from the start, he would have already deployed the Black Guard to thwart anyone who might interfere.

However, as they were following the trail, Tobias realized that they were heading toward Lord Bannon's chambers. Maybe he was not expecting any pursuers or else why would he corner himself like that? If he was not expecting anyone, it could work to their advantage as he would be less likely to have his position as well defended. They could only hope.

Further down the hallway, they found the bodies of a couple Palace Guards. It looked like claws had torn through their cuirasses, but what manner of creature could have done such a thing?

While Tobias stooped down to examine one of the bodies, Shoshanna knelt down beside him, reaching out to touch the wound but quickly pulling back her hand before she did.

Tobias wondered if there was more to Captain Jibril being called 'the Djinn' than his skill with the dark arts. Was he truly some hellbeast masquerading in human form, showing his true nature only now when everything had gone awry?

Shoshanna gave Tobias' hand a squeeze, as if to reassure him, or possibly to reassure herself, and Tym'r tightened the grip on his sword while the muscles all throughout his body went taut as a drawn bowstring.

Once they reached the door to Lord Bannon's chambers, there were four men of the Black Guard waiting for them. Drawing their swords, they stood shoulder to shoulder to bar the way.

Before Tobias and Tym'r could meet the Guardsmen steel for steel, two of the Guardsmen threw their heads back and jerkily reached for the daggers at their belts. Drawing their daggers, they thrust the blades into the necks of the other two, then fell on each other. As they collapsed, Tobias looked back to Shoshanna, whose hand was still outstretched.

There was nothing to say. Though it grated a little on his pride as a warrior—and surely more so for Tym'r—, there was no point in objecting to her interference. The same trick was not likely to work on Captain Jibril and whatever else awaited them inside, so he ought to be thankful for being spared the trouble. Besides, the sooner they got to Tellus, the better. They could not afford to tarry here.

Tobias took hold of the door handle and told the others, "Get ready."

He swung the door open and as soon as he did, he was met by the sight of three blades lighting up in blue flames. The narrow antechamber left Tobias and his companions with little room to maneuver, but that was true for the Guardsmen as well. Tobias did not hesitate and taking the time to light their swords proved to be the Guardsmen's undoing. Tobias took his dagger in his offhand and plunged it into the neck of the Guardsman in front of him while forcing the point of his sword between the plates of the Guardsman's cuirass. He drove the Guardsman back, causing him to lose his footing and fall onto his back. By the time Tobias was sure the Guardsman was dead, Tym'r and Shoshanna had dispatched the other two.

As he stood up, Tobias saw Captain Jibril standing in the next chamber waiting for them. He was alone. There were no other Guardsman there to help him. The way he stood to face the three of them, though, you would think he had a hundred men at his back.

His hand lashed out like a whip and Shoshanna was thrown back.

Tym'r snarled loudly and charged at Captain Jibril, but with a mere gesture, Tym'r fell headlong to the floor. Without even thinking about what he was doing or what he meant to do, Tobias left Shoshanna and threw himself at Captain Jibril. Being the more clear-headed of the two of them, Captain Jibril easily dodged Tobias' lunge, but Tobias quickly recovered his footing and charged at him again, This time Captain Jibril met Tobias' charge and the two of them locked blades.

Captain Jibril took his left hand off the hilt of his sword and reached for Tobias' heart. Waves of black energy radiated from the Captain's hand, but when it had no effect, even one such as Jibril the Djinn was taken of his guard. An opening like this would not show itself again. Tobias broke from Captain Jibril, sidestepped and thrust his sword into Jibril's side, though the seam of his cuirass. It was the same trick he used when fighting the one Guardsman in the Hanno gaol. Who would have imagined it working against a swordsman of Captain Jibril's caliber?

Eerily, once the initial shock of the deathblow passed, a seemingly unaffected Captain Jibril's lips moved as he muttered a wordless enchantment. An acrid smell burned in Tobias' nostrils and smoke rose from the Captain's fatal wound. The blood seeping out the wound had turned black and melted through the blade of Tobias' sword, leaving him with only a corroded stump still attached to the hilt.

Captain Jibril coughed up some of the black blood and the smoke curled out of the corner of his mouth as it twisted into a spiteful gim.

With those parting words, Captain Jibril fell over dead. Tobias stood there for a moment, half expecting him to rise back up, but when it seemed clear enough that he was truly dead, Tobias tossed aside his worthless hilt and took up Jibril's sword. He did not much like it, but he needed some weapon.

He looked back to Tym'r and Shoshanna. Had they truly been killed so easily? If not for his immunity to magic, would he have joined them?

He need to get to Tellus before Lord Bannon could do whatever it was he meant to do. He could mourn his companions later or else he would be with them soon enough.

Before he could move on to the inner chamber, he heard a cough and saw Tym'r stirring.

Tobias went to Tym'r and helped him to his feet. The Catman was breathing raggedly and his eyes were fixed on the body of Captain Jibril.

Before Tobias could apologize, she continued, "We were lucky. Some curses linger on, but this one died with the curser."

Tobias gave them a concerned look.

Tym'r was about to answer, but his eyes strayed to Captain Jibril's sword in Tobias' hand. His nostrils flared as he snarled, "What are you doing with that damnèd thing!? Get rid of it!"

Tym'r took his sword and thrust it at Tobias (not point first, obviously), saying, "Take mine then. I will make do with my claws if I must."

Tobias shook his head.

Tobias hardened his resolve and accepted the sword from Tym'r.

A man's scream pierced the air. Any hesitation they might have had was cast aside as they rushed into the inner chamber. What was waiting for them inside was the horrific sight of Lord Bannon hunched over a magic circle clutching at an unconscious Tellus. Black veins coursed through his body from a festering wound over his heart. His right arm had transformed into something monstrous, with matted, blood-soaked hair and thick claws. Tobias was reminded of the Mountain Beast he and Tym'r slew in Utica.

Tears of blood welled up in Lord Bannon's eyes as he looked at Tobias. His breathing was strained and he was foaming at the mouth like a mad dog.

He screamed again as the black veins swelled. His skin split apart as a hulking, bestial form burst forth. It was like witnessing some devil-worshipper's idol in the flesh. It had a face like a goat yet with the likeness of a man, with six spider-black eyes lined up three and three and a pair of long, curling horns.

The creature looked at its hand while it flexed its fingers, as if it were appreciating its new body, paying no heed to Tobias and his companions. Tobias looked to Tym'r and Shoshanna. Their senses far keener than his own, he could tell it was taking all of their courage just to stand there in the presence of this monster.

When the creature did take notice of them, it sneered and asked them, "Worms, have you come to worship your god?"

With a boldness that could only come from one who did not have any real understanding of the threat they faced, Tobias said, "We've come for the girl. Give her back to us."

The creature was not amused.