What Lies Behind the Curtain?

L.A.: I'm sorry for the terribly long wait. School started and I am finally settling into a routine. This chapter is short mainly because it focuses on our villains. It's also like an interlude, I suppose. Anyway, enjoy!

Xerxes was bored. He really didn't get why Mozenrath hadn't attacked the others yet. He had been working on some sort of spell for a while. In fact, the only times Xerxes saw him was when he came out to eat or sleep.

He kept whatever he was working on behind a curtain. Xerxes was curious what lay behind the curtain but he never dared to check. Even though he couldn't cast magic like Mozenrath could, he could still sense magic.

And, the magic he was sensing from behind the curtain was darker than any he had ever sensed. He had seen dark magic before but this… it was more sinister… more deadly... He didn't like it.

Xerxes hissed as a Mamluk nearly stepped on his tail. Stupid Maluks. They never paid attention to what was under their feet. In his opinion, they were all useless. Why Mozenrath kept them around when they continuously failed, he would never understand.

Xerxes slithered his way towards the main chamber. He knew Mozenrath would be there…along with whatever lied behind the curtain.

As he expected, the main chamber looked devoid of life. There were a few fungi attempting to grow on the walls but other than that, there were just stones and sorcery equipment. Of to the right, was the curtain. It was made of red velvet with tattered ends. Dark energy seeped out from beneath the rug before evaporating into the air.

Xerxes shivered involuntarily. He really didn't like being in there.

A strange growling noise came from behind the curtain. Xerxes tensed for a moment before relaxing when he saw Mozenrath step from behind the curtain.

"Come now, Xerxes" Mozenrath said with a smirk. "Don't tell me you're still afraid?"

Xerxes quickly shook his head as he slithered forward. "Not afraid. Just want to get this over with."

"Patience, Xerxes," Mozenrath said as he stroked Xerxes' head. "The carpet isn't ready yet."

"What?" Xerxes asked in confusion.

"The more time the spell is on it, the more human it becomes," Mozenrath said. "And the more human it becomes, the more its weaknesses will show."

"Weaknesses?" Xerxes said slowly. He was actually curious as to what he meant by that.

"It will hurt, it will bleed, and most importantly, it will feel," Mozenrath walked over and gazed into his crystal ball. "Yes, the most important one is when its feels. Because when it feels, I will be able to completely and utterly break it." He lowered his body so that his face was leveled with the glowing crystal ball. "And, I know just how to break it." In the crystal ball, an image of the girl named Anna appeared. She was laughing as she watched the carpet trying to speak.

Mozenrath began to laugh to as he raised his clinch fist in the air.

Behind the curtain, another growl resonated as if it were echoing Mozenrath.

As Xerxes floated there, watching his master, he felt something he hadn't felt in a long time. Unadulterated fear. Fear for himself. Fear for his master. And, most importantly, fear for what was to come.

He knew that the curtain would soon fall. He just hoped that the fear he was feeling was wrong.

L.A.: Ick, I know, it's a short chapter but that's because I wanted to give you a glimpse of the other side. Next chapter will be long so get excited. Good news, we've only got a few chapters left. Yikes. Anyways, you know what to do! READ and REVIEW!