I consider myself faithless in the context of worshiping a forbearer or manifestation of divinity. I do harbor my own faith based on the observable realities of my life. The entities that oppose us here seem to be constructed from the nightmares of cloistered men, manifestations of their fears and desires. If faith has the power to create such monsters, why imagine such things.

Was it such folly to believe in things of fanciful origin? If sprites and leprechauns are formed from chaos to indulge pagan fantasy, let that be the rule. They can live among us in harmony. Demons and devils seem to be banished to a nether region so that they cannot bring us perpetual mischief. I prefer to have my demons of a lesser variety, obliged to coexist.

The wash of ash that passes for the sky here in hell has made a game of stealing my will. If will or imagining is the force of creation I will see only blue skies hereafter. A week into our pursuit of The Tailor we have gained nearly half a day on him. Through battlefield and barrens we have dogged him. The trail has taken us to a stone and glass building at the center of a besieged city.

The bronze doors on the southern face of the building, the only way in or out. Our quarry entered but did not depart. Does the journey end within?

"These marking on the door appear recent." Calais offered as an observation.
"Tis the mark of Gelevic." Lilith proclaimed somberly. "The throne of Mephistopheles is his now by conquest."
"Not for long." Enzo added, his humor black with real threat.
"Any wardings on the door Casper?" Calais queried before placing a hand on it.
"All clear."

In a moment Calais pushed through the door. The scene that unfolded before us spoke of grandeur on a scale only achieved over the span of generations. How many had labored and died to produce this mockery of its angelic counterpart in Hax? The staind glass roof high above colored the room to a degree I had not seen since the masquerade ball at Spade's manor. An enormous statue of what must be the previous ruler of this city was not shy in displaying his prominent male member with pride to every guest entering his abode. Calais' motion alerting us of enemy contact snapped me from my musings.

The circular entrance opened into a larger room that could be seen through several windows and a broad archway. The smell of sulfur was more intense from the room ahead.

Calais was directing our attention to a creature slithering up alongside the statue. It was large, perhaps half again as tall an any of us not including it's snake-like tail that trailed behind it. Another abomination of dark dreams. She -- er it, seemed to be cobbled together from leftover parts, having six slender human arms attached to a woman's torso and head. It's snake body began where it's waist would have been. Each arm held a curved iron blade. I swallowed hard knowing what was coming.
"Its not what it seems!" Calais shouted with conviction. "It is the stuff of shadow, but thats all I can tell."
Corman acted based on Calais morsel of knowledge, banishing the creature by removing the magical formula that gave it life.

We pressed forward peeling back the layers of darkness with pealed eyes. All around me I heard a swirling rush of air. A swirling cloud of blades was cutting me from every direction. My body reacting before my mind understood the nature of the assault. I jumped headlong further into the room. Clear of the blades I assessed the damage. I was not alone. Enzo, Celeste, and Lilith shared in the harrowing attack.

Enzo, witnessing the unfortunate alignment that allowed a linear attack to strike so many, shouted.
"Stagger your formation, damn it!"
I wanted to chide him for stating the obvious, but that would have to wait. We did move forward, staggering our approach to the archway. The whirling blades were still slashing behind us. Corman and Casper were on the other side. Part of me felt naked without them near.
Calais and Celeste and I formed the advancing line followed closely by Enzo. In the room beyond the arch, a stone walkway divided a pool of roiling water. A forest of pillars supported the ceiling several body lengths overhead. Ahead of us on the path was a swirling patch of greasy darkness. Enough light shone through from the torches beyond to give the darkness seeming life-like qualities.

Calais fathomed the mystery first, but not before Enzo blew icy breath into the darkness. Several moans escaped the darkness.
"Our enemy is transform to seem like water on the floor!" Strike now, before--" Before Calais could finish his warning the Marleth demon transformed back to her natural state.
I watched as my arrows bounced of her flesh. Calais' too, similarly nullified. Celeste wasted no time closing the ground between her and the atrocity. A soft glow of white light formed on her sword as she whispered a prayer.
"Catherine guide my hand to deliver your will without err. Our need is as great as your power."
In the yellow light of the room I saw the prior injuries the scything blades had inflicted. Blood soaked Celeste's hands and the leather wraps of her sword. Her grip floundered somewhat, but the strike landed. If not for her exceptional skill the demon would have sidestepped the blow. Enzo echoed her attack striking true.

The demoness towered over the two of them. Half again as tall. Her marbled black eyes flashed in anticipation. Then the several blades she wielded were employed. I was reminded of the swirling blades once more. My heart strained to extend my will to aid them.
"The tail!" I shouted as it coiled behind Celeste. The scaly mass snared her legs. Coiling around up to her waist. It's scales glistened as the muscles beneath flexed. Unable to move, Celeste struggled to free herself. The tail was unable to fully secure her, but the unyielding blades did what the tail could not. Celeste's grip failed and her blades fell to the floor as she fell limp. To her right Enzo was enduring a similar barrage. Though he was deeply wounded his anger flared. I knew too well the torment raging in his head. Celeste had captured his heart. To lose her he would lose himself. He had the power to heal her, but to do so he would forfeit his life. The solitary focus of the demoness' attacks was surely a death sentence.

I watched as Enzo redoubled the grip on his blades. I could feel the tears flowing from him as he gambled everything for a chance for them both. I was helpless to do anything but watch.
"No!" Was his war cry.
That word said it all. It was the answer and the refusal. You shall not die my love. Nor will you have me demoness. In the next few seconds his skill with the blade would determine the lovers fates. Possibly ours as well.

With each strike the demoness seemed to weaken, but a malevolent arrogance sustained her. By the look in her eyes she was already preparing to deliver Enzo a fatal series of attacks. His blows struck one after another. She endured them each in turn. Her confidence swelling and she sensed his ebbing strength. Her expression would soon change, a well placed blow caught her below the chin, shattering her jaw. Her open mouthed countenance conveyed her surprise. The moment hung on a cloud of hope. The fuel of her demonic life failed her and she collapsed with startling swiftness.

Corman cast aside the demoness' tail he enfolded Celeste's limp form in his arms, willing her back to life.
Where had he come from? Last I checked he was behind the barrier of blades. A gurgle of blood rolled out of her mouth. He brought her up sharply.
"No you don't" He said with fatherly aplomb. "There is much work for you still among the living."
I shuffled forward watching him suffuse her with his blessing of health. It was the look on Enzo's face that froze me again. His glossy eyes spilled onto his cheeks. He appraised Celeste, satisfied he had done what was necessary to keep the flame of love burning.
Celeste looked to Corman first.
"Thank you sir, I owe you a debit I can never abate."
"M'lady, 'tis only my duty."
Her gaze moved from Corman to Enzo. There it was again. Love. I ached for my man at that moment. The hammer of the bell of desire tingled though my bones.

When I nerved myself forward another horror was revealed. Strung between the pillars like sheets on a drying line were the naked bodies of human captives. Their situation was dire. To my suprise one of them spoke.
"Be you demon-kind or savior?" His weak condition slurred his words. The rasp of deprivation allowed him only croaking burst of speech. Calais hefted his axe responding to the potential threat.
"If your nature is true you have nothing to fear from us." Calais' cautious and warning words registered on the man's face.
"I am what I seem, though a little less than I would be if my will were mine own." He archly glanced at the shackles holding him in place.
"Give him leave of his bindings." Calais' words commanding and final.
Casper dismissed the shackles of all the captives with a word. The clamber of colliding flesh was unsettling.
"My name is Brennan." He said as he attempted to right himself.
Corman stepped in to sooth his wounds.
"Thank you Father."
"I'm no Father." Corman responded with a smile in his voice.
"Thank you none-the-less, my good man"
"Thank Dagmar."
"Agreed." There was a tinkle of humor in is pained eyes.

He explained that he and his compatriots were captured by Gelevic's troops while they were seeking the treasure of the Linnorn. He further explained that their deceased leader was questing for an item in the treasure hoard of the Linnorn that could cure a malevolent curse of health that afflicted his sister.

He gestured to the only other survivor to his left indicating that he was not with their company and had been brought in after they were captured. He was a spell caster and had been kept sedated to prevent him from using his magic to escape.

The wizard was roused from his slumber and introductions were made. Calais informed them both of their options. The only real option for them was with us and they knew it.

The Marleth demon had been a guardian. Beyond her lair was the central court. We had been traveling and fighting without rest for more than the span of a day. We all required rest if we were to continue. We agreed in short order to seek a place to recover before entering the court proper. A vacant room down a curving hallway provided us a measure of security and a place to rest.

Calais was first to position himself on watch. Brennan crossed the room to talk with him. The two talked for a time then broke off. The others settled in finding whatever comfort they could on the hard stone floor. I knew the order of things. The others needed their rest to perform the magic they possessed. I would take over the watch when Calais was done.

Calais stirring me form my meditative slumber.
"Put these on." He extended his enchanted glasses to me. Never before had he done so.
"Is the something I must see?" I said with a note of concern.
He paused while I put them on. Nothing appeared different by my reckoning. Except the way he was looking at me. My early feeling of amour returned with ardor.
"Wake Brennan when you are done with your watch." He said.
"Can we trust him?" I asked.
"Do we have a choice?" His calm demeanor diffused my suspicions. All I wanted to do was wrap myself around him and disappear from this place. If only for a while. I stood to take his place on watch.
"I'll be back for you when my watch is over." I made sure my meaning was clear with a sultry wink. In parting I offered him a proper view of my posterior.

We found time to quench our longings beneath my cloak. If the others were aware of our coupling I was oblivious. The quiet nature of our love making drove the climax of it higher than I could bear without verbal release. Brennan turned our direction from his position on watch. I flattened myself against Calais. The heat of our passion drenching us both. The new rogue eventually turned his attentions outward. I slid off him, but maintained our embrace. Sleep took me quickly, to a place of pleasant dreams.

I awoke with a start. A resonant din hung in the air.
"What was that!" Charged Celeste with a hissing whisper.
Brennan responded with a pacifying gesture from his position on watch.
He moved closer before he spoke.
"They want us to wake now I think."

We scrambled to recover our formation and were soon ready for what lay beyond the door. As ready as we could be facing an unknown opponent.

They had spiked the door open during the night with a shim of wood. The would be no surprise entrance on our part.
"The door is open, a proper introduction is in order." A dispassionate seemingly bored timber carried in his authoritative voice.
At that we were a cacophony of whispers. Indecision and supposition grew in our ranks. Calais broke from the group and presented himself to the court. My heart leapt.
"Forgive our intrusion. We seek the Tailor"
A booming laugh came from the camber.
"He has been here. When he told me he had been doggedly pursued by a band of human adventurers I though him mad or joking. I see know that it is true."
"It is true you highness." Calais said as he stepped forward into the threshold bowing slightly at the waist. With his hand held near the small of his back he made a sign I had not seen since we faced Klavius in the abbey. He was in trouble, or there was big trouble in the room. Corman pushed past me to get a glimpse beyond. He too paled in awe.

The dialogue continued. We would be given the opportunity to follow the Tailor to the Brimstone Forest if we defeat a beast whose lair was near here. The beast know as the Linnorn. In exchange for this favor we would be granted safe passage through the city. Calais negotiated an hour to confer with his kinsmen before rendering our fate.

Lilith was first to frame our situation. The Linnorn is a beast of antiquity as old as Hell itself. If we accept the offer proffered, we march to a fate which will surely cost us dearly if not completely. Corman and Calais countered that the hospitality of the court offered similar finality.

We were in a quandary...