Arash cursed under as Najwah ignored his calls. The little black snake lay coiled around his soul. If not for the white-mist, Arash would have destroyed the black rune right there and then. He closed his eye's ignored the monks beneath and the scent of death that lingered in the dark staircase. It was hard to tame the whispers of a frightened heart, the knot in his gut twisting like a great python.

"There must be a way!" He found strength in those words and it somehow became easier for him to breath. He once again looked at the monks behind the walls, and saw the golden leeches swimming in their sea of consciousness. He drew in a deep a breath, staring at the hanging corpses. His jaw hardened as determination flashed in his eyes. He grabbed a corpse by his leg and ripped it off the granite spike.

"There is not--" The monk behind the wall shrieked in fear as a mangled corpse appeared in front of him. It was missing most part of his face and white gooey liquid oozed out of his open skull. Startled gasps gave way to uncontrollable heaving. Few of the monks were strong enough to withstand such shock, but their eyes were wild around their edges, while their lips pursed grimly. They couldn't imagine, what could drive a man to do such a thing.

"You Bastard, we will rip you apart. We will tear you from limb to limb." The monk beside the monk howled in anger, as his dinner caked a good part of his loose rob. He turned towards Adam; his face a mask of cruelty. "Bring him here." He barked at the nearby monks. They looked uneasily at the unconscious man before him and then glanced at the headless corpse. They swallowed hard as rasping songs seared off their throat.

Adam's body moved, his eyes dancing beneath the eyelids. He scrambled to his feet and trudged in front of the staircase. Arash looked coldly down the flight of stairs his eyes resting on his uncle. The monk cursed out some profanities and the song of the priests turned to shrill screeches. Adam bit into his forearm, his face twisted in pain as he ripped out a chunk and chewed it with a crooked smile. Dark red bubbles formed on the corner of his mouth as he munched on his own flesh while thick red blood oozed out of his forearm, but he scarcely seemed to notice it.

"Come on, eat some more, you must be really hungry." The monk beside the wall cackled, his ears searching for any sign of life. "Wait till I get my hands on you! Death won't come easy, I will make sure of that. You will rue the day you laid a hand--" His words froze on his lips as a dark blue shape, flashed in front of him. It hit Adam with a sickening crunch and sent him sprawling over the floor. The monks stared in horror as they saw a corpse leaving a trail of blood and entrails. The lower half of his body was missing, while his face frozen in an expression of disbelief.

Arash strained his ear and was rewarded with retching sounds of the monk. They were afraid, he could feel it. It would buy him some time. He picked up the lower half of the monk's body. "You must be wondering what to do with half a priest. Let me make it complete." Arash uttered in an apathetic voice, his fears hidden deep beneath his madness. He flung the lower half of the monk's body and watch it tumble down the flight the dark stairs. "Let me, know if you get lonely down there. I have plenty of friends up here. They might not be in the best of shape, but they know something you don't" His voice echoed off the dark corners and went stabbed right through the consciousness of the men beneath him. "They speak true words, if only you listen."

"Shut your blathering!" A trembling voice squeezed through the narrow stairway. Arash didn't need soul-eye to see the face of the man down by the wall. No matter how hard he roared, his voice was riddled with fear.

"You aren't listening!" Arash sighed wistfully as he ripped another corpse from the stone takes and send it down in pieces. "I think three will make you understand. Let me know if you need another. Why don't you come up and we have a comfortable chat."

"You sick fuck! We will see how long you are going to stay up there! Our master will soon know of it and it won't be pretty---"

Arash frowned at the mention of the master. "Won't be pretty?" He looked around the skewered monks. "Twenty monks hiding from a single helpless boy. Your master would be thrilled--" Arash eyes turned wide as saucers; he saw a hand rip out from the wall beside, he arched back just in time as a gnarled old hand whizzed past his neck. Arash could felt a shiver ran down his spine as he saw a wizened man standing in the wall to his left. A giant golden leech sawm around the old man's head. It was nearly the size of a grown man, slithering and shifting through the air.

The old man clicked his tongue in disappointment as his face appeared on the wall. He stared at Arash with deep blue eyes as he spoke in a crackling voice. "Sharp boy!"