War Crimes

(7:00 PM)

It was fortunate that there was no draft in the cell, for that would have been enough to completely topple Selena over. With that final, damning statement from Cerdan's own lips, everything exploded in Selena's mind.

"I... but, what..."

"I'm sorry you had to find out about it like this," the rogue replied, shaking his head slightly. "I would have told you some day."

Selena's thoughts were still like vapour. "How... but - how can you possibly be the Bloodletter!"

"Another place, another life..." was all that he muttered in response as he looked down at the floor.

"So all the death that was wrought at Caden's Hill..." her eyes were locked on the thief in disbelief, and her hands slowly formed into fists. "It was all you? You were responsible!"

"I'm 'responsible' for a lot of things."

"Answer me!" She came forward and seized him by the shoulder, forcing his head up to stare at her. "You killed my people?"

"I've killed lots of people."

"Why didn't you ever tell me this before?"

"Because you once said you didn't want me to tell you about the crimes I've committed in the past."

"But you told me just now!"

"And don't you feel like a fool for asking me to?"

She shoved him away and took a large step back. "No, don't you dare try to brush this off. This goes well beyond everything else that's happened. Your role in one death was bad enough, but now I learn that you're a mass murderer!"

"It's not so simple as that." Cerdan tried to keep their gazes matched, but the priestess broke off and quickly turned away from him.

"Believe it or not, there was a time when I respected you. Maybe you were a little shameless and arrogant, I would expect no less from a thief. But deep down, I thought you had a good heart... someone I might trust some day." She took a few more steps away from him and opened the cell door. "But after everything that I've witnessed today, I see now that I was completely wrong about you.

"Goodbye... Caden." It felt difficult to address him by that name, and she had to force the words out. "Perhaps I'll see you again before they lock you away in Lancam's Isle for the rest of your life." As she stepped out of the room, the priestess heard him call after her.

"Selena," he said loudly, though not in an overly harsh tone, "Do you find it odd that you are the priestess, yet I'm the only one who holds faith in you?"

Still seething, she was in no mood to hear any more forked words, and quickly slammed the door closed, sealing the rogue away in near-total darkness. The elf moved briskly, putting distance between herself and Caden's cell as quickly as she could.

She shoved the key back into the Prelate's hands as she passed. "It's true. It is Caden the Bloodletter... do to him whatever justice requires. He... he deserves no less."

Without bothering to wait for a reply, Selena continued past and made a beeline for the stairs. Everyone was betraying her trust today... Selena shut her eyes and exhaled as she ascended to the level above. She needed to talk to someone now more than ever.

(7:05)

Cerdan didn't have to wait long for the door to open again. This time, it was the elderly human in immaculately clean attire that faced him. The markings on his seemingly stiff robes identified him as the Prelate of Tyr. Without a word, the Prelate held up a warhammer and began smacking it against his palm.

Both men stared at each other in silence for a long period, stewing in their mutual enmity.

"As I said before, my name is Saudere, and I served under Adar Treysen at Caden's Hill." Saudere broke the ice first, speaking in a low, restrained tone. "You know why you are here."

"Yes, of course. It's because you're a vindictive, self-serving bigot who can't admit when he's wrong." Cerdan was chained to the wall, the Prelate was armed with a warhammer. Angering the old man was clearly the wisest of actions.

"You know who caused the slaughter at Caden's Hill."

"I did." Cerdan raised his head slightly and narrowed his eyes. "I also know how it happened. Aren't you afraid that I'll tell others?"

"You've had fifty years to tell people, yet you never did. As of right now, you are just another loose end." Saudere took a step closer and raised his arm, letting the warhammer rest atop his shoulders. "Justice will see things right."

"You mean your justice."

"Yes, my justice. The justice of humanity, the righteousness of Tyr. I can see that look in your eyes. You think that you're right and I'm in the wrong, don't you?"

Cerdan rattled his chains around by waving his arms. "I'm guilty, I've come to accept that. But don't think that means I'll let you cheerfully dance all over my grave. I still know the truth about Adar Treysen's plans for the elven people. With a single statement, I could-"

Bringing the warhammer forward, the High Prelate placed the head of the weapon against the underside of Cerdan's chin, pushing the elf's head up. "No doubt you could. Tell me something... why didn't you? You had ample opportunity a few minutes ago when you held the priestess' undivided attention. A fellow elf, no less."

Speaking through clenched teeth, Cerdan kept his head still. "Selena's belief in justice and the Church is her life. If she knew, it would shatter her convictions... I couldn't do that to her. Even I can understand the importance of personal faith."

"How touching. But she is not the only one with faith. I held strong faith that you would be brought forward to answer for your crimes. Even as you taunted my people earlier today with your cowardly attacks and mocking messages, I kept solid in the belief that you would soon be brought low." Saudere suddenly drew his arm back and thrust the stone head of his hammer forward, slamming it against the elf in the gut. "And now my devotion is rewarded."

Cerdan wheezed and pitched forward, hanging off the chains on the wall.

"Arrangements are already being made for your punishment," Saudere went on, placing the hammer back over his shoulder and moving back toward the door. "Enjoy your last few hours, elf, for you shall bear your last breath when you are hanged at dawn."

(7:09)

She couldn't help but wonder how the ranger would have reacted to this. After all, Norris made it quite clear that he harboured no love for religious ceremony or the followers of Tyr. Regardless, Selena continued to whisper her prayer beside the ranger and waved her holy symbol over the white shroud covering his form.

It didn't escape Selena's notice that in the end, he was able to touch his unicorn pendant without pain. Did that mean his fallen soul had been redeemed in Mielikki's eyes? Or was the sensation of pain simply dulled by Cyrael's prior spell on the ranger? Whatever the case, Selena felt it was her duty to give proper respect to the man who sought to change himself, even if he'd been rather uncouth to her in the beginning.

The elf completed her blessing upon the dead ranger, and placed her holy symbol of Tyr back around her neck. "I'm sorry that this happened," she said, staring down at the shroud. "You know, Cerd- I mean, Caden once said that I'm too judgmental, never trusting. Considering what he was hiding, that shows just how deceptive and hypocritical a man he is."

She paused a moment before continuing. "My trust in that… false celestial is what caused your death. If I had thought about it more clearly, questioned his convenient appearance earlier today, maybe…"

The woman shook her head and let out a low sigh. Here she was talking to a corpse. It felt both shameful and silly at the same time, but the elf felt that there was no one else she could talk to at a time like this. Maybe Charell, but the cleric didn't truly understand the trials that they had experienced since the start of this whole mess.

"But no, I can't deny the truth… as much as Cyrael's betrayal pains me, as serious as his crimes may be, I can't stop thinking about this new betrayal with Caden. I don't know what feels worse; the thought that he could kill thousands of people in a single, bloody battle, or the fact that he never once confessed the truth to me after all we've been through together."

Selena ran a finger over her brow and brushed aside a loose strand of red hair. "Well, no matter," she said aloud, straightening her posture, "He'll receive his just punishment in due time. I know Tyr will reveal the righteous path."

Norris didn't offer any reply or reassurance, of course, and the elf couldn't shake the slight waver of doubt from her voice.

A knock on the morgue door drew the woman's attention. A moment later, Charell poked her head inside and then stepped in. "Oh, here you are, priestess. Er, I'm not disturbing anything, am I? I heard you speaking…"

"No, no. I think I'm done here." Selena gave a short, respectful nod to the ranger's body before joining Charell. The elf glanced at the table next to the door, eyeing all the laid out belongings that were recovered from the corpses.

"Prelate Saudere wants to speak with you again, concerning the Bloodletter."

"Ah." Selena closed her eyes briefly. "I suppose he intends to condemn me again for my association with that criminal."

"Actually, he wants to see you about making arrangements for the punishment tomorrow."

The priestess turned her full attention on Charell. "What punishment? Caden hasn't even gone to trial yet."

"Well, apparently it's within the Prelate's power to pass immediate judgment , if the accused is the an escaped war criminal. Caden is to be executed, publicly hanged at sunrise tomorrow morning, just outside the tower gates."

The elf's eyes went wide and she fixed the cleric with an incredulous look. "What! How can he possibly justify something like that?"

"Uh, that's probably why you should go talk to him right now."

A public execution? Selena lightly rubbed the front of her neck. "That… that changes things." Every fibre of her being instinctively began to shout against this. Even after all that happened, she couldn't accept that more death was the right solution here.

Selena absently dismissed the cleric, then tapped a finger on the table, pausing a moment to consider the matter. To kill a man, even one responsible for the deaths of so many… it felt wrong to her. A cardinal sin. But would it be an even greater sin to let such a man escape the fate that he wrought in others?

The priestess suddenly realized that her hands were gripping the table hard enough that the knuckles had turned white. "Damn you, Cerda- Caden. This is all your fault."

Her better sense, her sense of duty, was telling her to let the matter go and let justice play its part. But there was that nagging feeling in the back of her mind that was telling her not to ignore this travesty. Execution. Even the word itself felt… inhumane, for lack of a better word. Blood for blood… that was the way of barbarians. As much as Caden deserved punishment for what he did, she couldn't abide by the Prelate's decision.

True, Saudere was already distrustful of her, but she couldn't stay silent on a matter like this. Not again. This wasn't the first time she had faced such a dilemma. And she certainly didn't want things to turn out the same way as they had once before.

"It's never as simple as I want it to be," she murmured as she passed through the door, "But there has to be a better way…"

(7:20)

"Yes, my lord, we've received an updated report from Athkatla. They're growing concerned over the increasing number of troops stationed on our southern borders. The other Dukes believe a diplomatic envoy should be sent within the next month."

Ryloch nodded along as the aide followed him back to his chambers in the Ducal Palace. "The other Dukes are at fault for this nonsense," he grumbled, "All these people can think about is the raw consolidation of power. Horrible."

When they approached the chambers, the aide hurried a few steps ahead and held the door open for the Duke, bowing his head as Ryloch passed through. As soon as the political leader set foot inside, his wife emerged from his private study, clutching a letter in her hands.

"What is the meaning of this?" Fara demanded, waving the sheet in front of the Duke's face.

Ryloch grit his teeth. If she had read the letter, then she knew about Pryus and their plans for the Wild Source. "It is nothing of consequence, wife. Simply a correspondence with a Waterdhavian mage who specializes in the study of rare magical artifacts."

Fara continued to glare at the Duke, then gestured toward the aide. "You there, leave us." She waited for the door to close before continuing. "It sounds to me like you've been leaking our city's most guarded secrets to foreigners. If Waterdeep were to learn of the Wild Source, it could lead to war."

Of course. He already knew it was a necessary risk. That's why he was so opposed to having the city's armies lined up in the south. "You are misinterpreting the words, I have no intention of–"

"We'll see about that. The other Dukes are returning to the palace tomorrow, and you can be certain they'll want to know about what you've been doing." With that said, she stepped past the Duke and stormed out into the hallway, brushing past the aide who was still waiting just beyond the door.

Scratching his chin, Ryloch met his aide's gaze. "This will pose a problem; it seems we'll have to deal with her sooner than I anticipated. Step up our plans the make the arrangements… I think you need a new look."

(7:23)

Cerdan sighed as he stood waiting in near-darkness. A single day, and everything was starting to fall apart. Selena was under the impression that he was a devil in elven skin, Saudere wanted his neck in a rope, and Tomar was likely rearranging the furniture in his office at this very moment.

He glanced up toward the window at the upper corner of the room, which provided the sole shaft of light in the cell. Come to think of it, he still didn't know the reason behind the assassination attempt on his guild lieutenant, Seffron. All clues pointed toward Cordas' gang as the responsible party for the guild war and the temple incursions. At first it seemed like a simple attempt to drive the knights into conflict with the thieves, but with all this sudden attention on 'Caden the Bloodletter', Cerdan began to wonder if there was a grander purpose behind all this.

"You do not have the appearance of a warlord. I must admit, it surprised me to learn that you of all people were of that element."

Cerdan squinted up at the window and saw a set of eyes and a nose peering in from outside. Dace's head seemed to be turned sideways, apparently lying on the ground so he could see in the window.

"Do you mind? You're blocking my light," Cerdan said. "How did you get out there? I assumed you'd been arrested."

Dace snorted. "The faithmongers left me unbound in a cell with a simple lock, and I am fully capable of evading their patrols unnoticed. Why have you not escaped?"

The elf shook his chains loudly. "In case you hadn't noticed, I'm not rogue enough to get through magically warded manacles."

"Then remove the chains from their wall joints and carry them with out," Dace said with a tad of irritation.

"Of course! Then I can make these heavy things rattle and jangle with every step until they catch me again. To be honest, I'm surprised they didn't put you in chains. Maybe they think you're not as dangerous."

"More fools, them. If you lack the ability to free yourself, then clearly this is a fate you deserve. I have my own ends to pursue." With that, the mercenary raised his head and disappeared from sight.

"Hmph. Pleasant fellow," Cerdan sighed as he was alone in the dark once more, with only his thoughts for company.

(7:28)

"So you're finally here," remarked the Prelate before taking a sip of his broth. He didn't even look up from his meal as Selena stood before the desk in his quarters. He pushed some red papers aside and focused on eating his bowl of soup.

The elf took a slow breath before speaking. "Sir, I wish to discuss with you the matter concerning the Bloodletter."

"Yes, indeed. I need your staff to begin construction of a gallows platform. It will have to be done quickly overnight, as I want the Bloodletter on a noose by daybreak tomorrow. And he must be visible enough for all the public to see."

"But sir, there has been no trial, no proper consideration of judgment…"

Saudere went still for a moment, then set his spoon down and looked up at the priestess. "As High Prelate, I am within my rights to pass my own judgment upon the fiend. Are you not familiar with our laws? When a war criminal such as he is captured, it is in the ranking officer's power to place immediate punishment on the offender."

"Ahem. Sir, that law only applies during times of war."

"This is a time of war. It is the forces of righteousness against evil, and I am the one who will finally bring a close to this man's crimes. Do you not understand that?" He fixed her with an accusing eye. "Or perhaps you harbour sympathies to the enemy… I imagine your kind has a tendency to conspire together."

Bristling at the comment, Selena felt the edge of her lip twitch, but she stayed focus on the issue. "He deserves a trial, even after all that he has done in the past. Tyr's edicts clearly state that fair and equal justice is for every man and woman, regardless of how good or evil they may appear at face."

"Don't patronize me, priestess. I know Tyr's edicts perfectly well. But you forget that Tyr is a human god. The Bloodletter is not a human subject, does not pay fealty to Tyr, and comes from an outland tribe. As such, I believe his kind is not, and was never intended to be, included under Tyr's law, and can therefore claim none of the rights and privileges that keep secure the citizens of the more civilized cultures."

Saudere spoke the words in a controlled tone, clearly portraying his belief in every word that he said. "As an elf, the Bloodletter is afforded no personal rights that a faithful of Tyr is bound to respect, and is subject to my judgment alone. Quite frankly, he is a being of an inferior order, and is altogether unfit to even associate with a system meant for those who rightly follow Tyr." He tossed an unwavering stare at the priestess, obviously daring her to lose her temper.

Keeping her thoughts and feelings of irritation under control, she swallowed and felt a lump forming in her throat again. "Sir, I still feel I must protest against this course. While I fully acknowledge your authority in this matter, it still goes beyond the system of law to condemn a man to death without a complete and proper trial."

"I have already told you not lecture me on the nature of law, priestess. If this is truly how you feel, then perhaps you would care to spend the night in the dungeon as well? I'm sure the rats would be most stirred by your protestations." The Prelate took a final sip of his soup and dropped the spoon into the bowl. "He will be publicly hanged in the commons at sunrise; an appropriately ignoble punishment for an ignoble man."

"Sir, answering death with death like this is vengeance, not justice."

The Prelate wiped his mouth with a napkin and tossed it down on the desk. "My decision is final, priestess. If you do not cease this impudence, then perhaps we should hold a trial for you. Aiding and abetting a fugitive is a serious crime." He let the threat hang in the air, then stood from the table and moved toward the door. "All this talk leaves my mouth with a bitter aftertaste. Have an acolyte clear the dish from my desk while I'm gone." With that said, Saudere stepped outside, leaving the elf alone in the room.

Letting out a long breath, Selena rubbed her temples and sat down in the Prelate's chair, taking a moment to centre herself. So it was final. Caden was fixed to be hanged in a matter of hours. At the same time, Cyrael, possibly the more dangerous murderer, was still running loose.

The aroma from the Prelate's soup triggered a growl from the priestess' stomach, a reminder that she hadn't eaten since breakfast.

Pausing for a moment, the elf's eyes fell on a small pile of red papers that the Prelate had apparently been reading alongside his meal. What caught her attention was the title written at the top of the sheet, "Caden's Hill – The Behemoth".

Glancing up at the door, the elf made sure that there was no one nearby, then leaned forward and looked over the documents. The sheets had a rough, grainy texture, and appeared to be covered in some sort of powder that was coming off on the desk.

Selena read the visible portion of the document to herself: His strategy proved only to be a partial success. The Heart was activated, but in the hands of the opposing leader from the local elvish militia, one Caden the Bloodletter. This led to the devastation of both sides in the conflict, and has in turn led to severe outcry from the major powers throughout Faerun.

As such, all work on the artifact and similar projects must cease immediately. So long as the origins of the Heart are not revealed, there will be no backlash or connection to our cause. The Blood letter, however, is a loose end. Take whatever actions are necessary to find him and keep him revealing the truth behind the Behemoth. Further, we deem it necessary…

Selena picked up the sheet to continue reading the other side, but as soon as her fingers made contact the edges of the document suddenly ignited, and the parchment began to burn inward. Shrieking out loud, the priestess instinctively threw the document down, and blew on her fingers.

When the paper touched the desk, all the other red sheets instantly caught fire as well, and the flames began to rapidly consume the powdery documents. The priestess grabbed the bowl of soup and quickly splashed some of the liquid over the papers, dousing the flames, but soaking what was left.

She coughed as the smoke stung at her nostrils and took a step back, waving a hand to clear the air. The pile of red papers was now a series of wet, blackened clumps. Swallowing the new lump in her throat, she quickly left the room. She could have an acolyte remove the mess, but the Prelate was clearly going to lambaste her for this.

Documents designed to magically destroy themselves… that was not standard procedure among followers of Tyr. And what was this 'Behemoth' the paper mentioned? The seeds of doubt were growing rapidly in her mind, and Selena could plainly see that there was something more about the Battle of Caden's Hill than met the eye.

As she walked through the halls of the tower, the elf knew she needed to get answers on this whole shrouded mess. Something about the war was being kept from public knowledge, and as much as Selena didn't want to admit it, there was only one person in the tower who might be able to reveal the truth to her.

(7:42)

Charell caught the High Prelate by the arm as he passed in the corridor just outside one of the prayer rooms. "Sir, there's been an escape from the prison cells."

"What!" Saudere felt his stomach tighten in a knot. "You mean the Bloodletter is loose?"

"No, no, no. Not him, one of the other prisoners. The middle-aged man in black that we found unconscious up near the vault."

"Oh." The mental pressure dissipated and he regained his composure. "I care not, unless it means your cells are defective."

A pensive look crossed the young woman's face. "Well, the Bloodletter is magically bound, as per your request, so he won't be escaping our premises."

She paused a moment and called to one of the acolytes coming out of the prayer room. "Villet!" Charell shouted, gesturing for the boy to come close. "Go down to the prison level and clean out the fifth cell on the right. The prisoner made a mess of the straw mattress in there. Just to spite us, no doubt."

Villet mumbled something under his breath in response and went to the stairs down.

Turning back to Saudere, the cleric continued, "I'm more concerned about the mercenary who escaped. Apparently, he incapacitated the paladin on duty and stole a few weapons on his way out. That's the second time something like this has happened today. With your permission, I'd like to have some of your Royal Horsemen assigned to patrolling the temple grounds until we get reinforcements to replace the men and women lost in the attacks earlier today."

"Very well, do what you will," Saudere replied, waving her off. "Just be certain the Bloodletter remains solidly bound. So long as he is brought to justice, I care not what you do."

(7:47)

"What kind of upper-class temple is crazy enough to need an underground prison, anyway?" muttered Villet as he surveyed the inside of the cell. As Charell said, the straw bed had been torn up and strewn about the room. "Boring, boring, boring…"

Still grumbling under his breath, the boy was about to start sweeping the straw together, but stopped when he heard a metal clanking sound from further down the hall. Leaning out the door, Villet saw Priestess Shademoor opening the cell at the very end of the prison area.

Why would she be visiting a prisoner without an armed guard? Curiosity piqued, Villet waited for the red-haired elf to pass inside, and then rushed over to place his ear up against the steel door. Keeping quiet, Villet listened intently, hoping to learn what the overbearing priestess was up to.

(7:48)

"Hey, that was fast. How long has it been now? Forty, fifty minutes?" Cerdan peered at Selena, discerning her form through the scant light in the room. "Or maybe you're here to do some more fist shaking at me."

"The High Prelate wants you dead by dawn tomorrow."

Cerdan shrugged. "And what, praytell, do you want?"

She rubbed her cheek and began to pace the cell in front of him. "I haven't decided yet." Neither elf said anything for a moment, and Cerdan waited while she continued to pace back and forth.

"I am guilty, you know," he said suddenly, taking on a more serious tone. "The blood of thousands is on my hands, I won't try to convince you otherwise. And if I do meet the end of a rope, there's something I'd like you to do for me.

"Remember that kid Bryn, Derrick's son? I want you to get him out of the guild and make him go back to his father up north in Waterdeep." He let a smile appear on his lips. "You're a preacher, I'm sure you can guilt an impressionable kid like him into it."

Selena stopped moving and waited expectantly, but nothing else came forth. "That's it? That's the only thing you're concerned about?"

"Yep, pretty much. Why? Were you expecting me to confess an undying love for you or something?" he continued smiling and winked at her.

"Aren't you even remotely concerned about your impending death? There is no legal way that I can help you escape this fate."

Cerdan let out a sigh and shook his head. "I've cheated Death enough times in my life, that I imagine it has become quite frustrated with me. But I suppose it was inevitable that I'd have to let it win a round some day."

"By all rights, I should leave you here to the Prelate's wrath…" Selena let the words dangle in the air for a moment. Then, somewhat reluctantly, she stepped in close, placed a finger against each of the rogue's manacles, and uttered a string of arcane syllables.

Two loud clicking sounds came from the bonds, and the shackles fell loose off the thief's wrists. Cerdan rubbed his hands and looked the red-haired elf in the eye. "Why did you come here, Selena?"

"I've always believed in redemption over retribution. I certainly won't be a party to your death, not after all we've been through."

He flashed a relaxed grin. "Well, thank you. I knew you'd find it in your heart to forgive m–"

The priestess suddenly lashed out, striking him hard across the face with an open hand. Cerdan held the stinging spot on his cheek and gave her an incredulous stare.

"Don't you dare finish that sentence. You admitted yourself that you're responsible for the slaughter of my people, and you don't even seem to regret it, either. That's something I will never forgive you for." The priestess took a step back. "I've given you a second chance. You saved my life several years ago, so now I'm saving yours. But don't assume that I'll ever do this again."

She turned and headed for the door. "Please, Caden," she said, voice tinged with bitterness, "You are not the person I thought you were. You're a blackheart, and I don't want to see you any more. Don't ever try to contact me again."

She left the cell door ajar as she walked out of Cerdan's life, leaving the rogue in the dim room on his own. He waited for her footsteps to fade away down the corridor, then peeked outside to make sure the hallway was clear.

I wish things could have been different, Selena, he thought to himself. As much as he wanted to try and make peace with her, he knew that this was no time to be thinking about anything other than escape. That didn't make it any easier to push away the lingering regrets of the priestess' disappointment in him.

Trying to swallow the lump that had appeared in his throat, Cerdan moved down the hall to the chest sitting beside the stairs and rummaged through it, taking back his cloak and sword that were previously confiscated by the knights.

The only thing that remained now was sneaking out of the tower, and figuring out what in the hells he was going to do next.

(7:54)

"Lazy provincials," Fara muttered as she stepped through the empty palace halls. "Where are all the guards? It speaks ill of their work ethic to abandon their posts like this." Sometimes it felt like she was the only human in the building that took things seriously.

She unsuccessfully tried to straighten the creases out of her attire, then approached the door to her chambers and stepped inside." I'm back. Why is our protection entourage absent from this floor?"

Duke Ryloch emerged from his study, peeling a green apple with a rather large knife. "I sent them away. It would be more difficult if they remained." A piece of green apple skin fell to the floor.

"What would be more difficult?" Fara strode forward a few steps. "Are you planning some more illegal activities?"

The door suddenly slammed shut behind her. Fara whirled her head back to see Ryloch's aide fastening the locks on the entrance.

"As a matter of fact, we are," Ryloch replied, cutting a sliver from the fruit and raising it to his lips. "You're a very inquisitive person, but you're not very bright. I'm afraid we have no further need for you."

"What are you babbling about?" She took a tentative step to the side, turning slightly so she could keep an eye on both Ryloch and his aide.

The Duke simply tilted his head and arched an eyebrow toward the aide. Fara watched in wary silence as the aide closed his eyes and made a pair of fists across his chest, as if trying to concentrate hard on something. After a few seconds, the man's form started to change into a thick, grey blur. Fara glanced back at the Duke in alarm, but Ryloch looked strangely preoccupied with removing the skin from his apple.

The aide's blurry appearance suddenly shifted and snapped to clarity. Only now, the young man was replaced with the spitting image of Fara herself, right down to the creases in her robe.

Fara shrieked and jumped back, hitting the wall as the duplicate smiled at her and chuckled. The real Fara cried, "What sorcery is this!"

"What sorcery is this?" echoed the duplicate in an identical voice.

"Not sorcery, milady," said the Duke, still focused on his fruit. "It is simply how my species acts to survive. I'm afraid your husband, Duke Ryloch, has been dead for quite some time now." He pointed toward Fara's double with the knife and cast a glance toward the real woman. "Take her, and try make it quick and bloodless. I'd rather not have the maid asking questions."

The duplicate made a flicking gesture, and her hands transformed into two sets of large, grey-clawed talons that looked distinctly out of place from the rest of the shapeshifter's body. Fara sank back as the creature advanced on her, its claws raised and ready to strike.

Duke Ryloch made one final stroke with his knife, and the last piece of green outer peel fell to the floor just as Fara's screams began to fill the chamber.

(8:00 PM)