Ascelyn took a deep breath and sat back against the wagon wheel. Ryner stood beside him tapping his fingernails against his sword, silently fuming.

“Would you please stop that?”

The mind-numbing clinking stopped and Ryner tore his eyes away from where the mage Alban was standing his attention solely focused on the cloaked figures hauling the Manaite slabs into the center of the clearing. Ryner looked down at Ascelyn wrapping his hand around the hilt of the sword at his side.

“Apologies my lord.”

Ascelyn sighed in annoyance “And stop that. I am not angry at you.”

Ryner looked up staring at the mage again. “As you say, my lord.”

Ascelyn took a breath letting the irritation out of his voice. “Ryner. I know you’re frustrated but it’s not your fault that you couldn’t stop him. You were out classed.”

Ryner jaw tightened, his knuckles going white, as his hand clenched his sword. “This whole affair has gotten out of hand.” He growled in frustration, “When your father told me he had ordered a shipment of artifacts for you I expected a simple trade deal. We bring a wagon of Manaite and Dark Iron. Another with several chests of cores and one with one of your father’s own artifacts. In return we receive a powerful artifact for your own personal use.” Ryner’s fingers unclenched and his fingers resumed there tapping against his sword. “I did this with Rontul all the time. He would make a deal with someone and I would help him collect it. We’d then deposit it in one of his private storerooms until he decided it was needed. Done deal, back to normal business.”

Ryner waved his hand towards the cloaked figures that were laying the slabs of Manaite inside the circular trench that they had dug.

“Now I find myself and my newly appointed lord in the middle of one of the most dangerous forests in the area, participating in something that looks far worse than a simple illegal artifact exchange.” He pointed at the cloaked figures, continuing to stare sharply at the mage. “If something happens I have those ten unknowns to worry about. That’s in addition to the fucken mage that is capable of stopping me without any form of incantation. How am I supposed to keep you safe with these odds?”

Ascelyn looked on as Alban pulled a thick tome from out of thin air. He thumbed through the pages as if checking something. There was a cry of pain as one of the figures stumbled. “Not that way you imbecilic. Straighten it.” Alban shouted at the cloaked figures. Carefully straightening the slab in the circular trench the figure turned and shuffled back towards the nearly empty wagon for another. Alban closed the tome with a bang.

“We did everything with the strictest caution Ryner. No one could have guessed this was going to happen.” Ascelyn told him.

“Right, I only assumed that we would have to worry about a double cross. Not getting tangled up with the rouge mage.” Ryner declared in a sarcastic tone.

Ascelyn shook his head in response. “It’s true you warned me that the other party might not hold up to the deal. I was wary about that as well. That’s why I took the opportunity to visit that seer. To see if there was any way she could give me some information on what the other party may have been plotting.”

“And she told you nothing.” Ryner cut in. He watched as Alban strode towards the circle walking around it as he inspected the now complete ring of Manaite slabs jutting up from the ground.

Ascelyn nodded. “Other than that bit about darkness, yes. She told me nothing of significant value. In light of that I had us impersonate Sentinels with the hope that that would deter whoever we met with. This whole situation is out of your control and to continue to blame yourself simply puts me in more danger.”

Ryner humped in frustration his eyes still tracking the mage. Lot of good that plan did. He barely took one look at us and saw right through it. This “Alban” has meet and fought Sentinel’s before. Obviously High ranking ones and from what he implied one of those cloaked figures is probably a Sentinel as well. This whole situation is fucked in my opinion. We should have left some time ago. In fact I still don’t see why I’m having this conversation with you right now. I should just tap you on the head and leave.”

“I really hope you don’t.” Ascelyn’s stated “Because we are not leaving and that’s my final decision. It may be true that we came ill prepared and are most likely in over our heads but this was one of my father’s last wishes for me to complete. He told me to follow through with this before I take his seat on the council.”

Ascelyn held out the scroll that Alban had handed him to Ryner.

“Besides we literally can’t leave at this point. My father made sure of it. The instant we attempt to whatever this artifact is will instantly become the property of our mage friend Alban. I would rather not have that happen, so whatever it is we are here to claim, we will claim. Then and only then will we leave.” Ryner took the scroll from Ascelyn’s hand and scanned through the contents with a quick but thorough glance. He handed the scroll back and Ascelyn with a grunt.

“I still don’t like it”

Ascelyn slid the scroll back into its case. “If it makes you feel better it appears my father has worked closely with this “Alban” before. I am going to assume that so long as we stay strictly to the agreement we will both walk out of this clearing. We handle this like my father would, Sticking to business and only business.”

Ryner sighed in frustration “It doesn’t. Besides to simply work with him his treason. Not to mention the reason why Sentinels would be after him. If there are even rumors of use being seen together with him you know what will happen.”

Ascelyn got to his feet watching as the cloaked figures began unloading the rods of dark iron from the wagon. Carrying them into the circle they laid them out from the center splitting the inside of the empty circle into five pieces. The remaining rods were placed at the outer end of the rods, connecting them all together forming a large pentagram inside the circle. As the last of the rods were placed the figures returned to the wagons carrying out the five large chests that held the cores. These they placed at each outer point of the pentagram. Returning to the wagons for the last time they carried out the five chests of mana crystals placing them in the middle of each section

“Then let’s not get seen.” Ascelyn said confidently as he turned to where there horses were tether to the wagon. Ryner muttered his displeasure to that statement in the form of several profane curses as he followed Ascelyn

“What are you doing?” He asked as Ascelyn began unbuckling the saddlebags.

“You saw the contract, Alban is in charge of returning us to the manor.”

Ascelyn started unsaddling his horse as Ryner let out another muffled string of curses. Carrying the saddle over to one of the empty wagons he dropped it in the back and looked expectantly at Ryner.

“Well come on.”

Ryner shot a glance towards the mage. “What about our men? We are supposed to meet up with them once we finished here, in case we needed to finish the job in the event of a double cross.”

Ascelyn stared back at him. “I will not send some of my most loyal troops against a mage that is confident on taking on Sentinel’s. Once I get back to the manor I’ll send a message to them informing them to return.”

“That will leave us severely undermanned at the manor.” Ryner retorted

Ascelyn shrugged. “A risk I’ll have to take. I would rather not cart this artifact on the several week journey home. Besides I am extremely interested in how Alban plans to get us there.”

“I believe you will be quite surprised at the ease of the travel Young Rontul.” Alban’s raspy voice interrupted Ryner before he could give an adequate retort.

Ascelyn turned to find Alban standing a few feet away, staff and tome in hand. Neither had heard him approach. “I am nearing the finalization of the preparations and would like to know if you have any questions before we begin? If you do ask them now. I’ll not spare the time to answer them later.” he rasped

“Is there any danger to us or more specifically, my lord in what we are about to do?” Ryner asked before Ascelyn had a chance to voice his own question.

Alban’s face contorted as he smiled at Ryner. “Depends. Danger to me, no. For you and your young lord? There is a small possibility. Though if you both do exactly as I say you should be fine”. Ascelyn looked at the cloaked figures as they dragged a large rectangular purple box off the second wagon and dragged it to a corner of the clearing.

“What about them?”

Alban’s face twitched at Ascelyn’s question and his smile seemed to grow. “Oh most definitely.” He turned and walked towards the box the figures were carrying. “They have their role to play in this as well you know.” Gesturing for them to follow Alban crossed the clearing. Ascelyn trailed behind as Ryner began to quickly unsaddle his horse. Removing its saddle and bridle he slapped it across the rear sending it and Ascelyn’s horse racing off into the forest. With a frustrated sigh at the retreating horses he followed after Ascelyn and Alban.

Waving away the cloaked figures as they set down the box Alban produced a large grey stone and placed it in a small depression on the top. A shiver ran across the lid and it vanished. The sides of the box fell away forming a dark purple rectangular platform. Catching the rock as it fell, it vanished as Alban strode to the center of the rectangle. Pulling a small sack from his robes he poured the contents in a circle around him. Small flecks of a glittering white material drifted through the air and the base of Alban’s staff suddenly glowed with power. Pointing with a finger Alban began to draw. The circle of powder on the board moved as he drew in the air with his finger streams splitting away as they spilled across the platforms surface. It took several minutes for the circle to be surrounded with a multitude of grainy white symbols. Alban ceased drawing and slammed the glowing butt of his staff against the platform with a sudden bang. The powder flared with a sizzling flash. A bright light later a silvery circle with glittering symbols surrounding it was burned onto the platform in the exact places that the powder had been. Careful not to step the symbols Alban walked across the platform pulling a purple crystal the size of his fist from inside his robe. He placed it in a second depression this one in one of the platforms corners. As he stepped back onto the grass the crystal dimmed and the circle and symbols began to glow.

“We have one of these at home.” Ascelyn muttered to himself. “It’s in my father’s study. He never told me what it did.”

Alban turned to Ascelyn and waved his hand at the platform “This is your way home. Step inside the circle and speak the word “Passage.” Before Ascelyn could ask any questions Alban turned away giving instructions to the figures around him.

“You five go to you positions and open those chests. You three go stand by those wagons. You and You, Stay here with me.”

The cloaked figures were moving as soon as the words left Alban’s lips. The selected Five walked towards the circle, stepping over the ring of Manaite slabs sticking out of the ground, and walking towards the five chest within. The three he had pointed at left towards the wagons with their heads bowed. Alban turned to the two remaining. “You will return and wait in your appointed place” He told the one on the right. The figure turned without a sound, walking past him and stepping onto the glowing platform. Stepping across symbols the figure walked into the center of the circle then turned towards Alban as if waiting. Alban turned to make sure that Ascelyn was watching. Seeing he was he nodded at the figure.

Ascelyn barley heard the word the figure speak as it whispered “Passage” and vanished.

“That’s all there is to it?” Ascelyn asked curiously as Ryner walked up behind him hand next to his sword.

Alban nodded as he looked at the other figure, pausing momentarily. “I am going to start the ritual now. Any interference will not be tolerated.” He fixed Ascelyn with a hard stare as he pointed at Ryner. “Is that understood? Keep him on his leash.”

Ascelyn thought he heard Ryner’s teeth grinding and turned putting a hand on Ryner’s shoulder. Neither of us will interfere. You have my word.”

Alban nodded in satisfaction. “I will begin then. For now if you will stay there we will begin.”

Ryner pulled Ascelyn back away from the mage as figures in the circle suddenly moved. The five standing at the chests, opened them each withdrawing a single sphere. Each sphere was a dull color roughly the size of a man’s head. Gripping it in both hands they figures extended their arms holding the sphere aloft, as if offering it to something much taller than them.

Ascelyn stumbled sideways, tripping as Ryner suddenly shoved him aside. Ascelyn glimpsed him pulling his sword. Rolling with the shove as he had been taught, Ascelyn regained his footing pulling his own sword and looking to see what had caused Ryner to shove him. Ryner stood between him and the Alban who had pulled a dagger from somewhere.

“Hold” Ascelyn barked at Ryner “I gave him my word”

Ryner stepped back his sword coming up as Alban turned, his hand swinging downwards, the dagger glinting. The remaining cloaked figure jerked as it plunged into its neck. Releasing the handle Alban stepped back the sphere on his staff glowing with power. The cloaked figure jerked and twisted, arms flying out as it spasmed in pain. The dagger began to glow a fiery orange and the cloak turned to ash as the man burst into flame.

The clean features of a man barely into his prime appeared, a symbol burned in the middle of his forehead. His mouth moved as he screamed silently into the air. Fiery red lines spread outward from the dagger twisting across the man’s neck and chest, splitting his skin. The rest of his clothes were charring as they burned away. The smell of seared flesh hit Ascelyn’s nose as he reached out pulling Ryner farther away from Alban as they both gagged. The man’s mouth suddenly snapped shut, blood leaking from his closed eyes. The shaking subsided and the man’s eyes opened. They were pools of molten orange. The man’s head turned towards Ascelyn and Ryner before returning to Alban who was standing in front of him. The flames burning around him went out with a hiss and the man stretched barring its near naked body. The skin cracked as he stretched sending smaller finer lines spreading across his body.

“Ahh” the figure groaned in pleasure “it has been some time L…”

The man’s head vanished in an explosion of red. The body rocked slightly for a moment still in the act of stretching. As it began to topple its arm reached out with frightening speed. Grasping the glowing knife, it tore it from its neck and hurled it across the clearing. One of the cloaked figures near the wagon spun, the knife digging deep into its shoulder. Collapsing to the ground The figure spasmed as the process repeated itself. Fire engulfed the figure like before extinguishing with a hiss revealing a women with the same black symbol on her forehead.

“Rude! Is that any way to act?” the women asked as she got to her knees. “That was such a waste of perfectly good meat.” The women licked her lips as she eyed Ascelyn and Ryner. “ those two look exceptionally tasty. And there still fresh.”

The woman twisted suddenly as if attempting to avoid something as half her face and the upper part of her shoulder simply vanished. She spun ripping the knife free from her shoulder and dug it into the leg of the figure next to her. Ascelyn swallowed hard as the woman’s body collapsed to the ground and the next cloaked figure spasmed and burst into flames. An elderly white haired man stared at the mage.

“This is all rather annoying you know. You’re wasting such tasty morsels when you could simply tell me why you’ve called me out. I hate playing guessing games. Though…” The man’s voice trailed off as it scanned the rest of its surrounds and took in the ring in the center of the clearing. A flicker of recognition flashed deep in its orange pools and it looked to the mage.

“You can’t be serious.”

Alban’s staff pulsed silently in his hand as he stared silently at the man. “You will be greatly rewarded for your cooperation.”

The man spat at the wizard. “Nothing you could offer me would be worth the risk.”

Alban’s smiled. “Not even your freedom?”

The man paused his eyes narrowing in disbelieve. “You would never.”

Alban gestured and a blood red scroll appeared in his hand. He tossed it towards the man with a flick of his wrist. “That is where you are wrong.”

Ascelyn and Ryner tensed as the man gestured, the scroll flying from the ground where Alban had tossed it, to his hand. He unscrolled it. Ryner shifted nervously as the man looked up from the scroll at them.

“So they’re off the menu.” He sighed. “Unfortunate, However I am surprised that you would even consider this.” He looked back at Alban as he tapped the scroll. “Though it’s all stated quite plainly here. Nicely done to, I might add. No loop holes that I can find.” The man’s smile was hideous as flesh flaked off his face. “Very well, in exchange for my freedom as stated I Will assist you with this one task.” The man’s face turned hard. “But first I will need to be released.”

“No. You will complete this first.” Alban stated.

The man shrugged. “Not possible.” It tapped a finger against its head. Patches of the skull were now visible and more flesh crumbled off the man’s hand with the movement. “These measly shells can barely hold me and you expect them to withstand standing in that.” He gestured to the circle while shaking his head. “Not going to happen. Freedom first.” The man crossed what was left of his arms as he waited.

Alban frowned for the first time since he had entered the clearing. “Fine.”

“Good” the man cried clapping his almost skeletal hands together before pausing in sudden realization. “Oh.”

Ripping the dagger from its leg it plunged it into the cloaked figure next to it. The man’s body crumpled as the last cloaked figure outside the circle spasmed bursting into flames.

“Ahh” the young man said seconds later as he rubbed his hands together “let’s get to work. Release me if you would we have work to do.”

“The scroll. Sign it”

“I’m sorry” the young man paused midstride in his walk towards the circle.

“The scroll” Alban gestured at the scroll on the ground where the old man’s body had crumbled, “Sign it”

“I did”

Alban simply stared at the man.

“Oh for… look” the man sighed striding back to the scroll. “I signed it right here.” He unscrolled it again pointing at the bottom. See it’s…… oh.” He shot an innocent smile at Alban. “It seems I didn’t. My apologies.”

The man looked around for something. “I need some… ah there it is.” With a snap of his fingers one of the urns by the black wagons exploded in a blast of pottery fragments. A stream of rippling red liquid spiraled towards the young man pooling into a sphere next to him. He dipped a finger in it and brought it to his lips tasting it.

“Mhm... been a while since I’ve used leviathan blood.” The man sighed as he placed his finger at the base of the scroll, moving his hand with a flourish. The scroll burst into flames and vanished.

“Done.” He looked to Alban expectantly.

Alban pulled a thick tome out the air and flipped through the pages. Finding the page he wanted he ripped it out burning it with a flame in the palm of his hand. The dagger in the man’s chest melted, the metal running down his cracked chest. The man threw his head back and screamed, orange beams shooting out of his eyes and mouth. The sphere of blood turned in to a column swirling around the man obscuring him from view. A grutal voice shook the clearing.

“Free. Finally free.”

The column vanished sucked into the monsters mouth that had replaced the man that had once stood there. An eight foot monstrosity stretched, Black leathery wings arching out high over massive spiked shoulders. Where a face should have been there was only pale red bone, Smooth and featureless over a smiling mouth full of razor sharp teeth. Fire flicked from four massive horns that swept out and upward from the sides of its head. Glowing red lines coursed down the contours of its body, pulsing with every breath the creature took. Massive scaled legs ended in powerful clawed feet.

Alban stood there impassive as the creature stretched. Ascelyn was pale his sword trembling in his hands. “That a fucken Demon” he whispered.

“Yup.” Ryner confirmed a slight wobble in his voice as he slowly stepped backwards keeping himself in front of Ascelyn. “We should have left.” “Whatever else he said was lost as the demon turned towards the mage.

“I have things to do so if we could move this along.” it boomed.

Alban flipped his hand the tome in his hand swapping for another. Pushing it into the air he murmured something and the book bobbed, floating in front of him. Placing both hands on his staff Alban planted it in the ground at his feet and began to chant reading from the tome. As his chant started the demon snapped its fingers. All but two of the urns alongside the black wagons shattered. The blood inside streamed towards the demon collecting into a massive sphere above its head.

As Alban continued chanting the Manaite began to melt, small molten tendrils snaking across the grass towards the center of the circle. Flickers of light sparked where the Manaite touched the dark iron turning the tendrils away. The Manaite melted faster as Alban’s chant increased, tendrils turning to streams and streams turning to rivers. Before too long the Manaite had filled the trench and covered the entire ground with in each section of the circle. With nowhere left to go it went the only direction it could. Up. The molten Manaite crawled up the chests of Mana crystals encasing them in molten metal. Wisps of smoke rose as the wood began to burn. As did fabric as the metal began to slowly climb the five cloaked figures. Ascelyn and Ryner could not look away as the Manaite slowly covered them from head to foot turning them into dripping statues. The molten metal trickled off the ends of their outstretched hands filling the interior of the pentagram. Not once did any of the figures move.

There was a sudden flash of light and the entire circle lit up. As the metal finished burning through the wooden chests holding the crystals a blast of purple light flashed outwards. Lightning arced around the chests, rippling across the circles surface, the metal hardening in its wake. It crackled up the dripping molten statues, hardening them and slammed into the orbs that they were each holding. Each one brightened as the lighting touched it. One pulsed a brilliant swirling White while another rippled a sparkling Blue. The third exploded a fiery Red as the fourth faded, darkening to a deep black. The fifth flared a brilliant green.

The demon walked out from under the sphere of blood and stepped into the circle. Purple arcs rippled around its feet and up and down its body as it walked across the metal surface. As it neared the circles center it turned, flicking two of its fingers towards itself. The massive sphere of blood moved joining it in the circle. As it crossed into the pentagram the blood twisted, large columns arching from the sphere only to be drawn back in. The color of the blood shifted as it neared the center. By the time it reached where the demon stood in the center the blood was no longer red. Now it churned a myriad of red, white, blue, black and green.

The demon touched the sphere with a finger. It trembled flattening and expanding as it spiraled outwards. Once it had expanded to fill the circle the demon knelt placing its finger inches above the exact center of the circle. The blood centered there rippling as it settled suspended above the metal surface. Multicolored arcs jumped outwards from the metal causing the blood to ripple at the places where it struck. Wading through the plane of suspended blood the demon backed out of the pentagram but stayed within the circle. Alban’s chanting had hit a rhythmic pace.

Ascelyn and Ryner stared as the space in between the metal and blood rippled. Beams of colored light lanced forth from the spheres striking the surface of the blood. The blood bulged as something pressed against it. Stretching the blood expanded outwards as something was forced against it. The outline grew larger the blood wrapping around it like skin as an object was pushed from seemingly nowhere. The black orb flicked and went out, a massive crack appearing in the stature that held it. The object was now fully protruding from the plane of blood. The blood pressed against it on all sides, wrapped around it like a cocoon. The demon waded forward reaching out a finger and running it down the outlines exterior. The blood split the vicious liquid peeling away. Pale white skin was bared to the world.

“That is not an Artifact Ascelyn” Ryner hissed.

The rest of the pale skinned woman slipped through the crack.

“I can see that Ryner.” Ascelyn hissed back

The blood snapped flat again shrinking in size as the hole the woman had made filled. The blood rippled going still again. The blue sphere split with a loud crack the statue holding it crumbling to pieces. Grasping the women around the neck the demon tossed her unceremoniously out of the circle. She tumbled, landing with a thud near the chanting mage. The demon turned back to the center of the circle as the blood bulged another object pressing against it.

“Grab whatever that is while I grab the saddle bags.” Ascelyn whispered “You were right. We are in way over our heads. We need to leave now before something come through that we want nothing to do with.”

“Bout fucken time.” Ryner muttered to himself as he stared edging towards mage. Shifting his sword between the mage and the women he leaned over and grabbed hold of one of her outstretched hands. Cautiously he dragged her limp body back across the grass towards Ascelyn.

“Is she alive?” came the whisper from behind.

“I think so.” Ryner answered as Ascelyn crept up behind him the saddlebags thrown over his shoulder.

“I don’t think we should take this thing with us it could be another Demon.”

“We will figure that out later. Right now we have to get out of here. Besides it is obviously partly human. You saw what happened to those people. I will not leave whatever she is to suffer that. Nothing deservers that fate.”

“Fine.” Ryner grumbled “But I am going to carry it.” He stooped throwing the woman over his shoulder.

Before they could head towards the platform a second figure landed in front of them with a Thud. Covered in brown bark like skin, two short antlers stuck out from the crown of its head. This figure was undoubtedly male. Alban stood over the two crouched men.

“You’re forgetting one.”

Ascelyn and Ryner flinched as Alban’s tome slammed shut with a bang. The mage looked down at them. “Though if you wish to leave this one here you are more than welcome to. He is a curious one. Worth a little of my time in seeing how it works.”

Still crouched Ascelyn pressing a hand against the still figures chest.

“I don’t feel a heartbeat and the deal was for a single artifact. These are not artifacts, they are flesh and blood.”

Alban seemed to shrug. “That is none of my concern. As I agreed with your father these are counted as a single artifact. I have done what I have as promised. Now if you will excuse me I have other matters I must attend to.”

“But these are not artifacts” Ascelyn stated again getting to his feet pointing down at the comatose figure at his feet.

Alban locked him with a scathing glare. “To me they are what we decided they were at the time the contract was written and now they are considered as such. Your personal view on the matter is insignificant. You father was aware of what was going to take place here. How you feel is of no concern to me.”

“And what of the demon?” Ascelyn continued as Alban started to walk away “I am no mage but I am smart enough to know never to leave one of its kind just loitering around.

An unseen force suddenly yanked Ascelyn towards the mage. Ryner lunged forwards almost dumping the women off his shoulder onto the ground. He froze immediately as Alban stared him down, Ascelyn choking in his grasp.

“You have overstepped your place Young Rontul. What I do when I wield my magic is of no concern to you. The demon was used as he was meant to be used. Now that his task is completed he will return to the Abyss from which he came. He can do nothing within the circle. Now I suggest that you take what has been given to you and go.” Ascelyn gasped for air as Alban dropped him to the ground. Wiping his hand on his robe Alban turned away.

“Then why is he still here?”

Alban froze frowning at Ascelyn’s question as he looked over to the circle. The demon still stood with in, its arms crossed as it smiled at the mage. Small arcs of lightning crackled around circles surface and across the final stature, the last remaining orb pulsing silently. The demons smile widened at the mages evident confusion.

“The mortal asks a good question. Why am I still here mage?” the demons voice dripped with mockery. It held up a finger single finger as Alban pulled out a small book. “No need to look, I’ll tell you.” The demon grinned. “I’m waiting.”

“For what!” Alban snapped. “You are bound in the circle and are incapable of harming any present. I fail to see what you could be waiting for or what is so amusing.

The demon tsked and shook its head. You did so well… Alban… were you calling yourself? Everything was perfect, the spell formation, the incantation, the proper materials but you forgot one little detail.”

There was a shattering sound as the two remaining urns shattered, the blood they contained streaming forth into the circle. Lighting jumped across the floor with a crackle, arching from the stature to the orange sphere in its palms. The sphere flared to life a beam lancing towards the circles center. The blood twisted in the center of the circle, a swirling vortex, the space rippling inside.

“You forgot to Close The Door.”

The demon smiled triumphantly as it slammed its hands together a Blazing chain snapping into existence between its palms. Pulling its arms apart it tossed several loops into the vortex with a gleeful laugh. Caught in the swirl, the loops were sucked into the middle of the vortex and vanished as they struck the ripple. The slack chain went taught and the chain began to retract sliding back onto the demon.

Alban had a third tome in his hand and was chanting furiously his concentration fully on what the demon was doing. Ryner steadied the unmoving burden on his shoulder, scuttling over to where Ascelyn sat staring at the maniacally laughing demon. Grasping his shoulder he shook him nodding towards the unresponsive figure in the grass then back towards the platform.

“Lets go.” He silently mouthed.

Ascelyn nodded. Slinging the second unconscious figure over his shoulder he followed Ryner towards their way home. There was a roar behind them. Ascelyn risked a hurried glance back.

The demon’s chains were pulling something out of the rippling space. Something dark. A black hand came into view, the chains wrapped around it as tightly as the black fingers that grasped the chain. An arm followed along with a shoulder. Ascelyn thought he saw colored lights swirling like skin across the blackness.

“NO!” the demon roared “Why”

The demon was no longer pulling, the chains now slack in its hands. It backed away until sparks flew, as the tips of its wings brushed against the edge of the circle. Alban was right. Ascelyn thought. The demon was trapped in the circle. A black chest followed the shoulder. Ascelyn caught a glimpse of shining blue eyes as a head came into view. The blood vortex collapsed inwards as it emerged incasing the figure in a cocoon of blood. Ryner grabbed Ascelyn pulling him onto the platform and pushing him towards the center.

“Go. I’ll be right behind you.” Ryner said as loudly as he dared

The cocoon split as a clawed arm pierced it the halves sliding away. Pale skin once again touched the air. A man, his eyes closed, stood in the circles center. The demon whimpered sliding back against the invisible boundary that held it with in the circle. Alban finished his chant extending a hand, Ryner shook Ascelyn loudly shouting something in his face and the world went white.