Rasmus refused to run. This was his fight as much as hers. Why did Sylgja decide that his life was worth more than hers? She had no right to tell him to flee.

Sylgja glared at him, anger in her eyes at his stubbornness. "RUN!" she commanded in a voice that even made the Piscoloths pause.

Despite his reservations, Rasmus found himself powerless except to flee as commanded. Was it her force of will, or perhaps that profane gift that Vandia blessed her with. Whatever the reason, Rasmus bolted for the woods.

Sylgja on the other hand turned to face both of the lobster fiends. Each was as large as a horse and remarkably fast given their clumsy appearance. She braced her shield as the first one approached, weathering its first claw lunge, and ducking under the second. Satisfied she broke the first's charge she then lunged at the second lobster fiend, catching it in the back as she impaled its tail with Hector's glowing blade.

The second Piscoloth stumbled and fell hard on its tentacle face, but the first creature managed to slam its claw onto Sylgja's back, flattening her as well as breaking a few ribs with the force of its blow.

"Don't worry about her, get Rasmus!" shouted Leroung.

The second lobster fiend was prepared to finish Sylgja off with its claw but instead simply plucked her sword out of its tail and threw it away. Falling on all fours it galloped after Rasmus.

Rasmus ran. Though he wanted to fight at first, he realized the folly of that desire, when he glanced back and saw the Piscoloth scuttle after him in all its fury. The woods were so far yet the monster was so close. He knew he only had seconds to live, when suddenly he heard a tremendous crash behind him.

Rasmus kept running, not looking back at his pursuer. He probably would have kept running until he reached the treeline save he heard a painful cry behind him. Not a husky voice like Sylgja, but a soft higher voice like….

"Vetta!" shouted Rasmus as he glanced back.

His former Alu Fiend maid had returned and it seemed she was brawling with the Piscoloth. She had the advantage of surprise at first, raking her claws and swinging her whip like tail at the lobster fiend, but the monster's size and strength quickly turned the tables on her. The beast missed several times, but finally it snapped its huge lobster claw onto Vetta's tail. Pinned, Vetta fought like a wild cat, but a quick swat with an oversized claw knocked her out.

Despite Leroung's shouts and commands to pursue Rasmus, the fiend's bloodlust took over. It shoved the unconscious Alu fiend into its tentacle filled maw and slowly began swallowing her whole in a sickening fashion. This act made all the worse as it was accompanied by audible slurping noises.

Sylgja fared better but not by much. Disarmed, the Piscoloth closed in for the kill. It's claw bit hard on her shoulder, crushing her armour and spilling blood, but the Paladin had more tricks up her sleeve. Grabbing her boot knife, she managed to stab the monster in its eye cluster. Shrieking in pain, the Piscoloth swung its claws and thrashed its tail wildly in all directions. With the monster partially blinded, Sylgja had a chance to flee but instead she hopped on the monster's back, and began stabbing it wildly. Her dagger glowed white hot with holy energy, cracking the shell of the beast with each thrust. While she had the upper hand, Rasmus saw the extent of her wounds and knew they were wearing down on her.

Vetta and Sylgja were sacrificing themselves for him. Rasmus could not run anymore. Shaking off whatever power Sylgja's voice on him, Rasmus stopped and turned to face his foes. While he was a journeyman mage at best, he had Leroung's knowledge at his disposal. Knowing full well the consequences of his next action, Rasmus summoned forth a bolt of lightning that struck the fiend swallowing Vetta and then arced through the air and struck the monster brawling with Sylgja before ending its path against Leroung with a deafening thunderclap.

The Piscoloth eating Vetta was stunned by the electrical strike and spat out the Alu Fiend before rolling on the ground in pain, the one fighting Sylgja shuddered as it fell as steam began to hiss out of its joints and the holes the Paladin had made, Leroung however was unaffected as the lightning simply dissipated when it struck him. Rasmus did not care. He smiled, he had given his friends a chance.

That was his last thought however, as he fell to the ground, his body drained, his soul stolen, his life crushed.

"Victory!" shouted Leroung as he floated high off the ground. With the ritual complete he had access to his full powers and then some. He threw a ball of fire at the nearest villager's hut in the valley below and cut down a tree with a spectral sword with a wave of his hands. Leto Leroung laughed at his growing magic, soon he would challenge the Archmages in Westcrown, and claim his rightful spot next to the thrice damned House of Thrune.

"Ahem…." Said a pale man in a blue robe wearing a tattered tricorn. "We have unfinished business, you and I."

"Reinhardt?" gasped Sylgja bloodied and struggling to stand.

Leroung immediately recognized the creature for what it was and simply laughed at it. "Be gone you groveling Gelugon. I don't know why you returned to this plane after your contract was complete, but you deal with Leto Leroung now. Your former master is slain, and I've taken his power and then some. Take your pathetic sentimentality back to the pit before I raze you to ashes."

Reinhardt shook his head. "You misunderstand me, I'm not here out of concern for Rasmus. He's quite dead as your display has shown. I'm here to finish our original contract."

"Eh? " asked Leroung in a manner that mimicked Rasmus.

Reinhardt sighed. "Because your apprentice used a Cacodaemon spell to call me to this plane, he has certain contractual obligations he must meet. Gold and magical items are the standard considerations, but the loss of his soul to the Great Pit, is the more subtle one that you casters often glance over. I didn't think I would be collecting it so soon, but seeing how your curse has just killed him, and how you've taken the soul as part of your own, I must resort in taking your soul back to Avernus to sort this out."

Leroung laughed. "Hah! Oh great Tactician of Stygia, I am terrified," he mocked. "You are nothing but an over hyped ice bug, and an insolent one at that. You dare think you can challenge my power now? You dare match your insignificant powers to mine?"

Reinhardt raised his hands up and shook his head. "I'm not foolish. There's no way I can challenge you….alone. However, the Black Legion can," he said pointing to where Vetta fell.

Leroung looked puzzled as he saw a beautiful woman with dark feathered wings wielding a bow, a fiend with a great spiky beard armed with a glaive, and a large fiery suit of armour riding a massive horse made of shadow and flame sporting a great heavy mace.

"Oh hey Allisonara, Garthraxus, I didn't think they would send you to enforce the pact," said Reinhardt waving at the trio. " Wow, is that you Yamon, I thought you were dead for good after that last scrap in the Field of Nettles."

"When we heard the mighty Reyzenhart was the one signing this pact, we just had to come. I just didn't think you would be right here," said the dark angel. The spiky bearded fiend nodded as he threw Vetta's limp form over his shoulder as the flaming armour simply made hissing and creaking noises.

"Hey be careful her, she's alright. A fool but alright," said Reinhardt. "Made a deal to stay away if I spared her life, but obviously she reneged on it and now she's a recruit for the Legion."

"This bitch is a Abyssdamned Aluwhore," said the bearded fiend as it sniffed her on his shoulders. "We should kill it now."

"Before you do that, I need your help for a bit of collection myself," said Reinhardt as he pointed at Leroung. "This gentleman thinks his soul is too good for the Great Pit."

The dark angel licked her lips and drew nocked an arrow in her bow.

Leroung sensing the tide has turned, incanted a quick teleport to escape but to his horror nothing happened.

"Oh, that won't work. Not now," said Reinhardt. "I'm a bit of a caster myself, though not as mighty and powerful as yourself. I do know how to erect a dimensional barrier though. A kind of a trap, a lobster trap."

The remaining Piscoloth looked around and nodded in agreement before it scurried away.

"You can't beat me, I'm Leto Leroung, Master of the House Leroung, high Ascendant, Lord of Magic, and Noble of Cheliax…"

"Oh shut up!" said the spiky bearded fiend as it charged, followed by his fellows.

Rasmus felt himself rising from the grey and into an eternal dark starry sky. It was as beautiful as it was endless. Limitless possibilities awaited him, as his soul was now unfettered….

*GAASSSSPPPPP*

Rasmus sat up as he awoke in a small wooden bed, in what appeared to be a small brick room. He was confused. This wasn't the tower, but it felt comfortable, safe.

"It took you long enough to wake up," smiled Sylgja. She was sitting in a chair next to his bed. She simply reached over and forcefully pushed him back into a prone position.

"You're alive, I'm alive….wait is Vetta?"

"I don't know about Vetta. She was taken away. An eternal soldier of the Pit I guess."

"What happened?"

"I'm not exactly sure," said Sylgja."I was pretty beaten up when you threw that lightning. I recall Leroung gaining crazy power, then Reinhardt showed up, …"

"Reinhardt?"

"Yes, now if you'll let me continue this story."

Rasmus fell silent, partially to hear the story, partially because of her overwhelming commanding voice.

"Seemed Reinhardt came to collect your soul, something about that in your Cacodaemon contract. Well, Leroung resisted, a bunch of other Infernals came to Reinhardt's aid, and they literally tore your old master up. Can't say I was sorry, that villain deserved it and more."

"Other Infernals, like from the court of Cheliax?"

"No, these claim to be from the Black Legion. I vaguely recall them being the personal army of one of the Dark Eight, a sort of mercenary foreign legion," shrugged Sylgja. " Seem they came to forcibly recruit Vetta, and while in the neighbourhood, decided to help Reinhardt kick the shit out of Leroung. They were vicious, so much that I didn't stick around to see who won. I just grabbed your body and my sword, summoned my horse and fled."

"You can summon a horse? Why didn't you do that before?"

"I wasn't going to summon Duchess in that tower, not with that lobster trap magic in there, and there's no way I was going to watch her scrap with those Piscolths. Just be glad I summoned her to get us out of there."

Rasmus wasn't sure how he felt. Was Reinhardt helping him out all this time just to steal his soul for later? Did Vetta really love him, which was why she risked eternal bondage when she returned to save him? He still wasn't sure about Sylgja, but she was here now, she stuck it out with him, he could at least find peace in that.

"So where are we now?"

The Paladin sighed. " Well, it seems this Profane aura gives off an evil glow. So when I returned to the Great Reclamation, they regarded me with suspicion and exiledme, especially since I was asking them to raise the body double of Leto Leroung. Kicked out of the Crusade, and a fugitive of Cheliax and the Hellknights, I wasn't sure where I was going so I sold what I can and brought us to Taldor. Actually I bought myself passage, I packed you in ice and stuffed you in the cargo."

"That still doesn't answer how I'm alive. I mean, if you were kicked out of the Crusade where would you find coin for such an expensive ritual. Also there's the matter of my soul being devoured."

"I can answer that, " said a hauntingly beautiful elf with long flaming hair. She glided across the room with such grace that only the ancient Azzata or Eladrin could possess.

"Amirah?" asked Rasmus recalling the shapes and faces that Vandia and Krystaz had taken to gain advantage over Reinhardt. She was some ancient rival to the Pale man that drove him to fits of anger when other fiends took her face.

"Yet another mortal that knows my name," she sighed as she bowed towards Rasmus. "Yes, it is I. My patron has a taken a keen interest in Cheliax, especially the fall of the House of Leroung, and has blessed you with a reward for your efforts ."

"A giant diamond, I almost kept it for myself. Resurrection isn't exactly cheap, but I was able to revive you with it," smiled Sylgja.

"But..but that doesn't explain how my soul got back into my body," stammered Rasmus. "Leroung literally ate it!"

Amirah smiled. "I have not studied this ritual that Sylgja explained to me, but I suspect your souls were merely chained together. When Leroung was slain, your soul as well as the others that were chained were released, which is the reason your body was able to be revived."

Rasmus thought her explanation dubious but was too tired to argue about it now.

"I will leave you be at this point, farewell," said Amirah as she began to fade away.

"Wait, one more question, please," said Rasmus. Amirah turned to face him as she grew incorporeal. "Did you really stab Reinhardt in the back?"

"Yes, I stabbed him in the back, tore through his carapace, and stole his heart," she smiled as she vanished.

"Well that was strange and abrupt," said Rasmus.

"I'm glad you're alright," said Sylgja with wetness in her eyes.

"And I'm glad you're with me," said Rasmus as he reached out and held her hand.

Rasmus pulled her towards him, and kissed her suddenly. She did not resist.

"So what now? " smiled Sylgja as she came up for air.

Rasmus smiled back. "I'm sure a 'fallen' paladin, and an apprentice mage can find something to keep us busy."

End