Grand Court of Sebelkeh

It was not too far north of the great Vabbian Kodash Bazaar that the magnificent temple of Lyssa stood. It was only natural that the goddess of beauty would have a temple of splendour and grace much like herself. The servants of Lyssa were devout in their practices. But they were among the most liberal of the five faiths.

It was a shame that Abaddon's cruel little claws had chosen this site to attack. In all of the three provinces of Tyria, Cantha and Elona, we did he have to chose such a perfect place for his attack. It was the work of Varesh of course. She despised the Vabbian princes for the assistance they were giving to the Sunspears that had attacked her. It was not exactly her place to sit upon the moral high ground, for it was she who dared allows demonic creatures to pour into the world from the Realm of Torment.

Each time Zhou looked about that the Great Blue Basilica, he couldn't help but feel his heart skip a beat. It was the most serene thing he had ever seen. It was no wonder the servants of Lyssa were not short in volunteers to fight for them. However, this mission required a certain grace and mastery that was uncommon in most people.

'So, what are we facing?' the elementalist asked aloud, hoping his companion would hear him.

Spectre came to stand by his side. 'Something much worse than the few demons we have already met.' The Ritualist was a eerie bloke. He skin was naturally white but most of it was covered in a magical black ink that appeared only when he willed it too. He wore his chest bear, with lines of strange rituals carved into his skin. His head wrap covered his eyes and the rest of his body was covered in strange silken bandages. 'The Margonites of Abbadon will be there in number, as will one of his more...adored servants. One of his heralds that has the power to manipulate divine blessings and unleash the Realm of Torment. The Blasphemy.'

'How is it that you know all this?' Zhou asked, once again perplexed by his friend.

'The spirits whisper to me sometimes,' he murmured absent-mindedly. 'And other times they scream to be released from an enemy. I only hope that the spirits have been in enough pain to realise exactly what they must do.'

Not wanting to get into a discussion about Ritualism again, Zhou decided to change the topic. 'So, where is our merry band?'

'Only Tahlkora is coming with us.' Spectre was so casual as usual.

'What?' was all the elementalist could muster.

'We have not the time to prepare others and she is the best healer we have.'

'What of Dunkoro?'

Spectre, continued to study the sky. He was communing with the spirits once more.

'He is busy protecting the Kodash from being razed to the ground.'

Zhou tried to be startled at how calm his friend was, but somehow, he just accepted it. 'So, how are we to get up there?'

'I can answer that,' Head Priest Vahmani strutted forwards, the strain on his face obvious. 'I may have been weakened by the drain of power that has happened here, but I still have magic enough to open this gateway to the Basilica.' He walked to a small rune circle. 'No matter how hard the Blasphemy may try to stop me, I am the head priest here!' He smashed his palm into the circle and immediately it roared to life.

Vahmani groaned, 'Lyssa preserve me,' he collapsed.

'Head Priest,' Tahlkora ran forwards.

'Leave him!' Spectre commanded. 'There are monks aplenty here to help him.'

'But the priest of Lyssa have no power! They...'

'Silence,' Spectre halted all chance of interruption.

Together, the three headed through the portal.

The Basilica was dark when they entered. There was a gloomy silence settled over the the elaborately carved blue stone plateau. Behind them the transportation circle hummed quietly. Pin pricks of pale pink light flickered across as beacons in the darkness. Zhou knew the for what they were, the faces of the Margonites, the people of Abaddon. They had once been men and women, but since following their god into his prison, they had been changed into demonic monsters.

Taking out the hourglass from the inside pocket of his robes, he held it in the centre, spinning it. The sands twirled and as the hourglass completed its seventh rotation, a circle of fire formed around its orbit. From it the shaft of a staff descended. He gripped it in his hand. Tahlkora drew up beside him, clutching her silvery rod and holy symbol.

'I can't see anything,' she began, but Zhou grabbed her shoulder, pressing his finger to his lips. 'Sorry,' she whispered.

'Right,' Spectre began. 'What's going to happen is this.' He kept his voice low, his eyes constantly scanning the area around them in search of danger. 'Tahlkora, you know the drill, keep back, heal and protect us, and if anything gets near you, blast it with light spit in its eye and run.'

'My pleasure,' the monk agreed. She was such as bright ray of young enthusiasm. Nothing ever got her down. Her eyes always glimmered with youth and a desire to learn.

'Zhou, you need to follow your. plan as normal.' Ah yes, Zhou's basic plan. Run in there are throw fire about until everything was burnt to a crisp. It nearly always worked, the only variations of it were to actually aim the fire before he threw it. That was all he could ever wish to do. The fire was pretty. 'We ready?'

The other's nodded. 'Zhou, lead the way.'

Zhou marched to the centre of the Basilica, following the guiding wall of shimmering light that could only have been the blasphemy. Soon, he reached the Altar of Lyssa, the spinning orbs of light that surrounded it were dark purple and violet, not the bright pinks and reds the Lyssans were so fond of. There is was, before the altar, the knight of pure energy that haunted with just a look.