Thank you for your comment, Guest! I'm afraid yesterday there was no update because I did not pay my Internet bill and hence could not access Fan Fiction. LOL.

Anyways, next chapter is finally here.

The battle continues... This is a looong chapter. Apologies for the length.

To truly explain what Tony does in the Astral Plane, I've made a small diagram.

Again FF will not let me embed a link or an image, so to view the image, please visit my tumblr page: top-dawg27 and see the post/167699843751/this-is-the-banishing-cage-made-up-of-three

To see the right and not to do it is cowardice. - Confucius

Chamber of Bone

One maiden had died while killing an undead courtier. Happy and the Blonde were busy battling the other three undead courtiers. Pepper had observed this from the corner of her eye.

She remembered that Morganna had been a lady-in-waiting before. So she and Pepper were at the same level in terms in physical fighting expertise.

But I've been training with a knight and a brawler. So I am better that her... at least slightly.

Morganna was trying to wipe her bleeding nose. Pepper suppressed a giggle at the pure childishness of her boxing Morganna in the nose.

She's pissed, now she's going to be aggressive and make mistakes.

Morganna stepped forward with one foot and swung wildly at Pepper, who ducked the blow and hit Morganna again with her shield. The brunette huffed with the impact of the blow and took a few steps back, leaving a lot of room between her and Pepper.

She narrowed her eyes at Pepper and started murmuring something garbled under her breath. Pepper glanced sideways, she could see Happy fighting two undead courtiers with his fists. Another one had been killed.

Then she saw the Blonde sneakily creeping around the room, behind Morganna, drawing a wide circle on the floor with the small piece of limestone.

Morganna and the courtier have to be inside the circle, when the stone is destroyed. I must keep Morganna occupied.

She charged and pretended to lunge wildly at Morganna, just to distract her. Morganna stepped back again and kept murmuring harder. Then Pepper watched in awe as a small, sharp shard of bone appeared out of nowhere in Morganna's hand. She threw it straight at Pepper's head and Pepper raised the shield to stop it. It pierced the shield and remained stuck there. Pepper gulped. It seemed Morganna had upped her game.

Alright, this is frightening, the shards can pierce steel, so they can pierce my armor.

Now in one hand, the witch was armed with a saber and in the other, small shards of bone, hard enough to pierce metal. She grinned evilly at Pepper as a fan of shards appeared in her hand and she flung them at Pepper. Multiple shards came towards Pepper, all at once and she raised the shield and stepped sideways but one shard grazed her leg badly. Her thigh was bleeding but Pepper could move.

Morganna took advantage of Pepper's injury and began to strike aggressively with the saber and throwing shards as well, trying to hit Pepper at any cost. It took all of Pepper's concentration to focus on dodging the saber's blows as well as the shards. Another shard grazed her shoulder but the plate mail protected her. Yet another grazed her arm and this time, scratched her flesh.

Stay alert, Pepper! You are very narrowly missing them! She must not injure you.

Just then, there was a wailing moan and both Pepper and Morganna turned in shock, to watch the Blonde of Boron, skewer a lone undead courtier with the fireplace poker. Pepper winced as she saw the Blonde had got the poker firmly through the undead being's head. She was pulling him towards the fireplace, her intentions very grimly clear.

Morganna started to murmur once again, trying to conjure up a spell. Pepper was going to lunge at her to stop her but then a loud crack was heard behind them. Morganna gasped and clutched her stomach in pain. She knelt on one knee, taking deep breaths. Around her, vapors of blood started to rise, like a thin red film in the air.

Pepper turned around and smiled with happiness as she saw Happy kneeling in the center of the room, sky rock raised in his hand and the jewel on the floor, with a large crack in its center. Red light was shining from the crack.

Morganna was groaning with pain, still kneeling. Pepper yelled, "Happy, smash it, smash it good!"

Happy brought the rock down with force and the jewel shattered even more. Instead of shards of glass, drops of blood were scattered all over the floor. The sight was sickening.

Happy raised the rock again and hammered the jewel once, twice and thrice until finally the jewel broke into two clear fleshy parts. A burst of red light flashed as it broke. Happy wanted to take no chances and began to smash the other two pieces as well. The mirror began to crack loudly.

Morganna was lying down on her stomach now, still moaning slowly. Pepper ran over to help the Blonde push the undead courtier into the fireplace. They finally managed to do so and watched him burn with glee.

Then another loud crack was heard and Pepper saw the mirror had broken completely, its thick shards had fallen onto the floor and were dissipating into thick, red vapors.

It was completely magical in nature.

The Blonde joined Happy and they both started trying to break the two leftover shards of the jewel.

Pepper looked at Morganna who had now stood up, her hair in her face. Strands of grey liberally dotted the once pitch black, luxurious hair. Morganna pushed her hair back and Pepper gasped.

Astral Plan

Tony's plan to banish the demon, was simple. The demon needed to be enclosed in a part physical, part energy, banishing cage.

The cage would be made up of three circles:

1) The first would be wide and horizontal.

2) The second would be vertical and elliptical in shape.

3) The third would be in the 3rd dimension and would touch the edges of the ellipse and the wide circle.

It would be a three-ringed force field, with one circle being physical in nature.

Now Tony's game of catch-and-cook with the demon, was for the very purpose of creating the first wide horizontal circle with a lot of small, black rocks. He had picked these up from one of the basement levels of the castle, where the floor was strewn with rocks. He had successfully managed to create the first circle and he knew the demon wouldn't leave it because the demon preferred to fight with fire, instead of getting close to him.

Before the second, it is time for the third circle. Dragon, are you ready?

Ready?! I was ready four hours ago, let me out and let me face him!

Tony grinned at the dragon's enthusiasm. He slowly walked towards the demon, who was regarding him curiously, horns and head tilted to one side. Tony slowly slid the lid of the blue arc open. The flame began to escape like a thick, blue vapor. It pooled in mid air, a blue, swirling, bright mass of fire. Tony slid the arc lid back into place.

The demon's eyes had turned bright with inquisitiveness.

What sorcery is this, tiny knight? I am fascinated.

Tony couldn't resist showing off. After all, how often does one get the chance to needle a demon lord?

He tapped his armor loudly with his finger, to imitate a drum roll as the flame began to unfurl and rotate with speed, on the spot.

"Say hello to my bright, blue friend!"

Then the flame rose high up into the plane's emptiness, veering slightly to the right of Tony, like a fiery blue ribbon and began to create a wide circle, enclosing Tony and the demon. It was truly a beautiful sight to behold, as it burned a bright blue path in the darkness, high above Tony and the demon, both of whom craned their necks to watch it move. It stretched itself around the stone circle and intersected the two outer edges of its breadth.

Of course, the demon didn't know about the stone circle. The ring stood still in space, stretched out, burning brightly, flames shining in the pitch darkness of the plane.

Tony was clearing his head for what was going to come next. It was his turn to create the second circle and he needed to concentrate. The demon was busy trying to blast the dragon's flame ring away with his own demon fire. When he realized the blue ring was too far away, he started to flap his wings and jump upwards, trying to fly.

Uh oh, he's starting to get antsy. Focus, Tony, focus!

From the darkness above, the dragon's blue flame ring whispered loudly to Tony, Anthony, Anthony, look inwards, look inside yourself. You are a Knight of Ryunn. You are blessed with this gift because you have been deemed worthy. Forget the past. Think of the present. It is your time to shine.

Tony focused inwards, channeling the remaining flame left within him.

I and the Flame are one.

The Flame chose me.

I and the Flame are one.

I will burn bright and banish the darkness.

He slid the arc lid open and felt the flame swirl and unfurl inside him, a powerful force moving within him. He felt like he was made of nothing but light and fire, there was no flesh to him. He closed his eyes and envisioned his body of light. Slowly the flame left the arc and rose upwards above him.

The flame leaving Tony this time, was different from when Morganna drained him. He was allowing the flame to leave him but it was still tethered to him, through a thin strand. The effort here was that Tony was controlling its passage in space, using only his spiritual strength. It took immense concentration to project the flame outside himself and steer it externally.

He mentally pictured the shape he would be creating. It must be perpendicular to the first circle. He began to draw an ellipse, willing his flame to move and stretch in space. This is like trying to move something, just with the force of my will.

Instinct told him to open one eye and he did so, only to see a giant ball of fire heading straight for him. He sidestepped it just in time, feeling the hot, burning heat of the fire, pass his body narrowly.

The demon was not standing up anymore. It was kneeling on one thick leg. Its pentagram was not glowing either.

Tony mused, It seems... tired.

The dragon arc of light, above him, began to chuckle loudly. Your large friend, Hereald, has done what we asked of him. Your turn, Anthony, complete the ellipse.

Tony closed his eyes tightly and began to focus once again, thinking of himself, thinking of positive thoughts. He remembered how he felt when he had completed his very first quest, saving a traveler from a robber. Then another quest, where he rescued a family of minstrels from a pack of wolves.

It feels good to serve people, instead of destroying them. Instead of blood and sword, I use my light to save others from evil.

He thought of when he saved Pepper from the slavers. He remembered the gratitude of the prisoners, when he freed them from the main slave camp. He remembered the happy, cheering faces of the villagers, after the battle with the Chonsario. He thought of the smile on Heloise's face as he gave her his archery trophy.

He began to draw the circle and then heard the demon roar. He opened one eye to see the demon breathe out a stream of flame, straight for him.

Brace yourself, Anthony, it will not harm you now, your ellipse is too strong. The dragon said smugly and loudly.

Sure enough, the moment the demon's fire touched the ellipse, it faded away.

Tony wanted to celebrate this seemingly impossible feat. He impudently raised his fists at the demon, who was staring at him in shock. "Aha! My lord, it seems your fire has... fizzled out damply! Performance issues eh? Happens to some... Ahoy Poi!"

The dragon arc pulsed brightly. Anthony! Focus! Now is not the time to gloat! Time to finish this. Enlarge your ellipse to touch the other circles.

Right, right. He concentrated once more and his ellipse began to increase in height, until it touched the dragon's arc of light, on the outer edges of the arc's circumference.

The three circles now touched each other, through the dragon's arc. The demon had grown restless, sensing he was being cornered and walked over the mangled body, crushing it beneath his feet. He was now striding powerfully, towards Tony.

Uh oh, he's getting closer, now is the right moment to tighten the trap.

"Dragon," Tony yelled out loud, "let us do this together."

The dragon arc of fire, began to pulsate and glow, blue and orange. It started to rotate slowly. Tony focused and began to move his ellipse away from himself and towards the demon. The dragon arc began to shrink in height and width, tightening over the demon. Tony's ellipse had completely encircled the demon vertically and intersected the dragon's arc.

Quick, Anthony, the stone circle, make it smaller! yelled the dragon.

The demon began to look around and tried to walk out of the cage but the arc and Tony's ellipse just moved with him.

There is something else here in the darkness,

Something or someone guiding you,

You foul, loathsome evil little cockroach of a man!

What are you doing? How dare you try tricks with me!

Tony had a couple of stones in his hand and began to drop them rapidly in a circle around the cage. The demon reached out to grab him and he jumped backwards quickly. He began to jog and drop the stones. When the last stone dropped, the demon took one step out of the circle and Tony shoved the shield at him, to push him back in. The demon pulled the shield off Tony and threw it away. But when he tried to step out of the circle, he couldn't, he was caged in by the energy.

Tony grinned. Finally, he's stuck.

Time to recite the banishing spell. Together now, Anthony! said the dragon.

Together in the darkness of the plane, standing in front of the caged demon, Tony and the dragon's ring of fire, began to recite monotonously.

Beast of darkness, Demon of Night

We banish you with holy light

Go back to the depths from whence you came

Demon Lord Asmodeus is your name.

The demon was now suspended in mid air, in the cage of three circles. He roared as the three circles tightened like chains around him, including the stone one. Tony concentrated hard on maintaining his circles strength.

How, how do you know my name! How ... wait a minute, Morganna, that silly human female! Arggh...

They kept repeating the lines as a bright portal of fire began to appear beneath the demon. The demon struggled frantically but he couldn't break the chain of circles.

The portal completely opened and the chains parted abruptly, dropping the demon into the portal. Tony heard the demon roar as he fell. . into god knows where and what.

The stones fell to the plane and Tony opened his arc lid and watched with contentment as both his thin ellipse and the dragon's ring began to return to him. They swirled and twirled and finally entered the arc. He felt the brightness return to his body, the light flowing through his veins.

The dragon purred contently in Tony's head. I am tired but you did well, Anthony. You did something today, only a master of my flame could do. Yin Sen would be so proud of you if he could see you now.

Tony felt tears in his eyes at the thought of Yin Sen. I owe everything to him. I hope my efforts to redeem myself, please him where ever he is.

The dragon whispered. Anthony, we must go back. That damn demon could open another portal in this plane. Plus it is time to see what your pupil is up to.

Pepper! How could I forget! Let's go back right now.

He pulled out a limestone piece from his little bag of stones and began to draw a chalk circle on the floor. Then he drew two lines which intersected each other within the circle, like an x and he stood on the x.

Repeat after me, Anthony.

Circle in the darkness, open a door

Take us back to where we were before

We walk amongst the living

We do not belong on this plane

Take us back to where we came

A portal opened up in the circle and Tony fell through it, closing his eyes.

Chamber of Bone

Pepper tried not to grimace as she looked at Morganna's face. Whereas a short while ago, the witch had smooth, silky skin with beautiful features, now her face had pock marks and gashes, as if the flesh had been nicked off on purpose. She had an ugly expression on her face, something between inner self-loathing and hatred.

Pepper turned to look at Happy and said "This is between me and Morganna. We will settle it." She did not want Happy to interfere.

Morganna straightened and then bent forward, one knee forward, one behind and raised the saber high, as if challenging Pepper to come at her. Pepper knew the woman was trying to bait her and stood her ground. A weird feeling of calmness swept over her body and mind. She felt alert but at the same time, eerily still and cold.

Maybe I am tired. I do not know how much longer I can fight. Come at me, you bitch. I will not react.

Impatient, Morganna lunges forward, stabbing at Pepper, who deflects the blow. Then Morganna raises her saber, again Pepper deflects her blow, this time with her shield. Morganna stumbles backwards, an angry ugly scowl on her face, breathing hard.

Pepper absently noticed the wrinkles on the woman's forehead and around her eyes. She's not that old. Losing the jewel has aged her somehow. Time to end this. I must not hesitate with the killing blow.

She remembered a move, she and Tony had practiced often, when he was teaching her how to spar. the Parry. A difficult but crucial move to kill an enemy. She gulped with the thought of killing Morganna. Then she remembered the crystals full of glowing, liquid moonlight and Queen Jacinta fading into ash. Her heart began to pound with anger.

Morganna does not deserve to live. She's killed countless young girls and Queen Jacinta. She came so close to killing Tony after torturing him needlessly. She does not deserve to live. End this now.

She forced herself to slow her breathing, to calm her beating heart down. Be patient Pepper, be patient, she will come to you. Deflect, strike in ribs and then push.

Sure enough, Morganna once again, aggressively stepped forward, thrusting the saber forward. It seemed to come towards Pepper in slow motion. She used the shield sideways, with a lot of force, to knock the saber away from its path of motion.

Morganna was stunned by the impact of the shield hitting her saber and her hand. She turned halfway with the force of the impact. Her ribs were exposed and in one single powerful motion, Pepper stabbed her dagger into Morganna's chest, in a visceral blow.

Blood started to spurt from the wound. Morganna cried out and stumbled to her knees in pain.

Pepper withdrew her dagger and stood over the bent woman, who was trying to staunch the bleeding wound. It is fatal, she will bleed out.

Morganna raised her head and looked at Pepper, her face was so pale but her eyes were burning bright with anger and hate. A thin trickle of blood fell from the corner of her mouth. She opened her mouth to speak but she just gurgled. Then her eyes glazed over and rolled back in her head. She stopped breathing and Pepper couldn't move as she saw Morganna's body fall backwards, slowly. She just couldn't move with the mind-numbing horror that she had killed Morganna.

A large hand stopped Morganna's body from hitting the floor, by catching her head. Pepper looked up dazedly into Tony's whiskey brown eyes, which were looking into hers with worry and concern. She dropped the dagger loudly onto the floor. He slowly lowered Morganna's body to the floor, then stepped around it, to catch Pepper by the arms.

"Pepper. talk to me, sweeting. It is ok, the witch is dead. You had to kill her, Pepper. She would not have let you live. It is over, the demon is gone, this witch is dead. The people of Carinthia will be free. We need to find King John. I need you to snap out of this now."

Pepper stared at him, still feeling numb, Morganna's blood on her wrists, from when Pepper stabbed her. Tony gripped her hands and wiped them on his armor. He had taken out his gauntlets, so Pepper could feel his warm hands on her and the warmth of his flesh touching hers, comforted her.

She suddenly felt devoid of energy. So she leaned her head on Tony's shoulder as he soothingly murmured in Pepper's ear. He put his arms around her and she did the same to him, desperately needing a hug, as the fight had traumatized her. She felt her eyes well with tears and they began to run down her cheeks.

"The witch is dead. I should be happy. But but... I killed her in cold blood." She whispered, mostly to herself.

She heard Happy running out of the upper level, loudly exclaiming their victory. It feels like a victory and yet ...

Tony rubbed her back comfortingly and she sighed and caught him tighter. "Thank you, Tony", she whispered in his ear, breathing in his musky male scent with relief.

It is finally over.