Tash snatched her bow from her back and knocked an arrow. As she quested for a target, Séa drew her warbow. But whatever had spoken defeated her half-elven eyes and she discerned no hint of movement. The mucous-laden voice scoffed, "Only three of you? And already bloodied, if my nose doesn't deceive me. How disappointing. I had hoped the mortal kings would send a company, at least."

The massive-sounding voice seemed to emanate from near the center of the room, but it modulated as if its source paced back and forth.

"It's invisible," Tash hissed.

"I will cast," Ghomarck muttered. "Do not charge forward."

"Wizards are the best." Séa nocked an arrow and drew on her war bow as her eyes roved, seeking something, anything, to aim at. The bowstring creaked under the strain.

"Pitiful and stupid," rattled the invisible voice. "Die, then, puny mortals."

The old wizard commanded, "Araneomorphae!" as he flared his fingers toward the voice. Gray streaks sprayed outward from his hands in a fan of magical fibers. In a heartbeat, the silvery strands rooted over a wide swath of the chamber floor. The conjured fibers grew from the floor like ghostly grass, but in two places they climbed higher, up into the air, surrounding two pillars shaped like monstrous legs. So tightly did they cling that the shape of the invisible calves, knees, and knotted thighs became outlined in shimmering silver gray. The spell tugged downwards, tying the unseen feet to the floor.

Twin twangs sounded as twin arrows flew. The impacts sounded less like arrows and more like gravel-filled socks smashing against granite. The slender missiles skittered off to the corners of the room. But the strikes rippled the air above the creature's legs, peeling back the magical concealment to reveal a brawny torso the color of stale oatmeal.

Tash's fingers flew to her quiver to pluck a fresh missile. "Ogre? Giant?"

Hampered but not halted by Ghomarck's sticky spell, the legs powered toward the trio. The congested basso boomed, "A web spell? How rustic. How second circle."

"Need a disjunction hex," the wizard muttered. "One moment."

Séa tossed her bow behind her and unlimbered her mace. "Not ogre. Worse."

Tash let fly an arrow toward the presumed location of the giant's head. That arrow, too, ricocheted away and clattered to the stone floor, but its impact disturbed the invisibility field. The creature's hook-nosed face sank beneath heavy brows that sprouted curly horns. A maw bristling with fangs yawned in a permanent grimace of rage. Most disturbing, though, was the dead-oatmeal color that coated every part visible, including the surfaces of his eyes. The rogue muttered, "Whoa. Ugly."

The paladin's left hand folded upon the pewter hammer that hung from her neck. "Torugg, I call for thy aid. Endurer, hear me." The paladin took a step forward, to the edge of the tangle spell, and a blue white glow enveloped her body.

A metallic clash set their ears ringing. Sparks flew from Séa's left side, and her entire armor-encased body rocketed to the right. Sharp bangs rang through the room as she hit the floor and tumbled, limbs flailing. The cause of her crash materialized. A metal-spiked steel ball danced at the end of a hefty chain whose other end lay in the iron grip of an oatmeal-colored hand and arm. The invisibility charm surrounding the horn-headed giant wavered, showing glimpses of blocky shoulders and musclebound thighs, all the same nauseating color.

"Séa?" Tash blurted. Her next arrow ricocheted from the humanoid's neck as if it was composed of polished granite. Just like that, Séa's out of the fight. Is she alive?

The paladin rolled to a stop and moaned inside her helmet. She struggled to her hands and knees but seemed unable to do more. Ghomarck shuffled backwards, gnarled hands busy with a ram's horn cup and pouches of reagents.

"Pitiful. You are not worthy to keep this plane. You are starch," gargled their huge, shadowy opponent. Its massive legs ripped through Ghomarck's field of conjured webs until it stood over the downed paladin. Muscles rippling, it swept its morning star high.

Tash cried, "Séa! Watch out!"

The paladin glanced up, then shrugged her shield from her back toward her left arm, just in time to intercept the next titanic blow. In a spray of splinters, the morning star buried itself in her metal-covered buckler. The impact flattened Séa and the ear-splitting noise echoed in the room.

The monstrosity gurgled laughter for a moment, but discovered that its spiked ball had welded itself to Séa's shield. He stood straighter and shook the mess of metal and wood in front of its small oatmeal eyes.

A bold version of Ghomarck's voice called, "Fractus moribundo!" White light blazed from his hands and engulfed their opponent. The brightness forced involuntary blinks, but when the glory had faded, so had all shreds of invisibility. The bilious oatmeal coloring had vanished, as well, and the fanged giant stood revealed. Iridescent scales in violent reds and purples covered its muscular body. It wore only belts, a loin cloth, and a dull metal collar. Its fangs gleamed obsidian black, as did its beady eyes. The purple horns that sprouted from its bald head matched the color of its lashing tail.

Tash felt blood drain from her face. "Shit. A giant demon." That the escape route had been sealed off gained new, dire significance.

The demon glared at Ghomarck and bellowed with rage. Arm muscles writhing, it whirled its chain, now weighted with both ball and shield. "No," it snarled, "disjunctions!" It hurtled the combined mass at the wizard.

Ghomarck squawked and attempted to dodge, but he was far too slow. With a meaty thunk, the awkward missile struck. The wizard blew over backwards in a tangle of floppy limbs and flappy robes.

"Oh, shit, oh, shit," Tash mumbled as she pumped out another arrow. This arrow stuck. It quivered smugly between two of the oversized demon's ribs. It's a miracle! First blood.

The demon screamed, and the sonic blast rocked the room. Its black eyes blazed orange as it whirled to face Tash, and it raised its hands as if to claw her, though the rogue lay outside his reach. But instead of a slash attack, round balls of fire gathered in the circles outlined by his purple claws. The demon's lips drew back in an avid grimace of anticipation. Astonishingly quick for a creature of its size, it hurled the fireballs at Tash.

Tash cartwheeled left, and the floor pressed cool against her palm as her feet flew high. Twin balls of fire roared and splattered against unyielding rock where she had just stood. Their heat baked her side as she recovered her footing and skittered deeper into the room, where space seemed more plentiful. "Oshitoshitoshit," she mumbled between pants. Before she could nock another arrow, she was forced to dance aside again. The subsequent near miss burned hotter than the first and its hungry roar shook the room.

And then one of Ghomarck's leftover sticky tentacles snarled her ankle. Unceremoniously, she flopped to the floor like a long bag of sand. The floor walloped her in the ribs, stealing her breath and dizzying her with pain. She happened to land with her face toward the demon. Villainous joy stretched its bloodthirsty leer wider until his fanged maw covered most of his face. Its black eyes glowed orange like the fireballs in its palms.

It twitched its hands back prior to hurling the balls of destruction. Tash winced at the promise of pain and fire to come, but a hint of silver glimmered behind the demon.

Séa's mace head struck the demon's knee. A low pop sounded, like an underwater explosion.

The abyssal humanoid lurched, then collapsed sideways. Sinews snapped and cartilage tore. Its wide leer transformed to a rounded chasm of shock. The fiery spheres in its hands engulfed the ends of its arms. The fireballs curled under and lazily rose to the ceiling like hellish jellyfish. The demon's head walloped the floor and its new scream all but burst their eardrums.

She's up? Feck, yes!

The paladin pressed her advantage. Her next blow caught the demon's head between vaned metal and stone and smashed its pointed ear into a spray of red pulp. Incredibly, its skull did not shatter. Its scream choked off to a gargle of agony. Evidently incapable of standing, it rolled toward Séa.

Tash wrestled free of the spell-tentacle and lurched to her feet. She recovered her bow as the demon slashed at Séa with charred, smoking claws. The knight parried and riposted. The sound as smaller demon bones broke resembled the snapping of limbs from a tree felled by a lumberjack.

The rogue nocked an arrow and sent it into the demon's muscled back. There must be a heart and lungs in there, somewhere, right?

Madly, Séa rained blows upon its hands and arms, each accompanied by a Valkyrie cry. Another bone snapped. The demon's arm collapsed and its face ploughed into the floor.

The knight hopped astride its shoulders. Slapping her stained mace home on her belt, she reached for its horns.

Tash blinked as she sent an arrow into the demon's kidney, if demons had such organs. "Séa? What the feck?"

With a battle scream that rattled her helm, the paladin twisted the horns. With a series of sickening pops, the demon's head spun until it faced backwards on its twitching body.

Oh! The coup de grace.

Relative quiet fell.

Tash's gusts of breath carried with them a few choice words. "Bandibandi's blistered buttocks. Are we alive?"

"I am," announced Ghomarck unsteadily from the shadows of the blocked tunnel. "Though there is room for doubt."

Séa climbed off the demon and raised her visor. Bright blood ran from her nose down her lips and chin, but a triumphant light shone in her eyes. "That's enough arrows for now. Thanks, lady Tash."

"Good." Tash panted. "I'm running out."

Séa swiveled and addressed the demon's head. "Who's your master, furion?"

The demon's lips formed into a sneer and its eyes tracked Séa. A quiver ran through the rogue as she realized that, somehow, even with a broken neck, vigorous, unearthly life still inhabited the demon. Furthermore, it still possessed the power of speech, although its voice now held only hisses and liquid bubblings. Due to its mouth having lost connection to its resonant barrel chest, its formerly deep tones paled to raspy hoarseness. "I'd rather die than tell the likes of you."

Ghomarck emerged into full view. Gingerly, he shuffled out to park next to Tash. He, too, eyed the backwards-facing talking head with disbelief.

Séa shrugged and indicated Ghomarck. "No matter, demon. He's a wise wizard. And you're wearing your master's collar. We'll soon know." The paladin glanced at her companions. "Tash? Could you hamstring him? Just in case. You never know, eh? Father Kays says that some furions regenerate."

"You can't kill me," the demon head whispered. "And you're trapped in here."

Séa unlimbered her mace and ungently tapped it on the temple. She leaned close. In clipped tones, she said, "Who said anything about killing?"

A purple light of panic sparked in its black eyes. "You know nothing."

"Please allow me to contradict you." Séa sounded smug.

Tash stabbed the demon in the back of the thigh. The demon's leathery flesh resisted her knife as she sawed through its gristle. Nothing is soft. It's like its flesh is leather all the way down. Grunting and white-knuckled, she persisted. The stream of blood boiled and frothed as if it had a life of its own. It smelled like puke. She wasn't tempted at all to taste the vile-smelling gush of gore. When the demon paused in its agonized keening, she said, "What's going on, Séa?"

"Yes, what?" Ghomarck gingerly rubbed the back of his head.

The paladin merrily burbled, "Oh, just some negotiations. Each furion is bound to a master, usually a demon lord of high rank. Bound as in magically bound. Completely enslaved. Also, it's got the persistence spell, just like the succubus had."

The demon trembled with rage. "Which succubus?" Spittle frothed from its fanged mouth.

"Furion," Séa pronounced with exaggerated patience, "please pay attention. All you need to know is that the one-eyed god has granted me the power to send you to your master. At rank zero and with your head on backwards."

The demon rasped, "Bitch. I hate you."

Séa's blood-coated lips curled into a smile that managed to be both merry and intimidating at the same time. "When it shows up at its master's feet, it'll be the lowest rank, like a mane or something. It'll be stripped of any powers or privileges it had previously earned. On top of getting demoted to the bottom, its master's gonna be mad. Master might kill it. Or maybe not, but if it lives, it'll be the object of demonic entertainments. Father Kay never told the class exactly what those were, but he said they're ten times worse than your worst nightmare."

"So, we've got it by the balls," Tash said. "Except I don't think it has any."

The paladin drew a symbolic slow finger across her own throat. "Yep."

Tash learned next that furion tears were black, as dark tracks crept from the pits of its black eyes to drip across scale-skinned cheeks. "Do not, I beg you. I am defeated. I'll do you bidding, mortal."

The paladin flashed a grin. "We have an understanding, then." Her eyelids drooped to half-cover her gray irises. "Start talking. Why are you here?"

The demon rasped, "To prevent anyone that came in from escaping. To kill you."

Séa said, "What if we didn't go back and just went forward?"

"Nothing of profit lies that way. There are some pit traps. Then a magical barrier. It's impenetrable."

"Impenetrable like you were invincible," Tash said with a wicked leer. Good job projecting a confidence you don't feel, Tash. That fight was nearly the end of all of us.

"What's past this barrier?" Séa said.

The demon's voice quieted. "A luxurious apartment suitable for a princess."

"Is she there?" The paladin's forehead wrinkled.

"I don't actually know." Wearily, its black eyes closed. "Beastly little mortals. When I recover, I will carve your bones and use them as forks and knives." Its eyes flew open. "I mean, nice mortals. Clever, masterful mortals who have me at their mercy."

Ghomarck limped a step closer. "We need out. I am bruised. I see blood on Lady Séa's lower leg. Where is the mechanism to lower the stone wall again?"

The demon hissed like a puff adder. Séa tapped its skull with her mace again. "Answer him."

The rogue inspected Séa's leg and caught her lower lip between her teeth. The armor at her knee was twisted and mangled. Blood, lots of it, flowed from her knee down the outside of her armor. To get to the wound, one would have to remove Séa's greaves, worsening her wounds in the process. After a moment of consternation, Tash brightened. I have an idea. She swung her pack around and dug inside.

The demon swiveled its uncanny eyes to stare with malevolence at Séa. "The lever is here, on the east wall of this room. If your eyes are too weak see it, then use your hands to feel for it."

Tash snatched a bottle from her pack. She inspected its label.

Séa said, "Good demon. Now, who ordered you here? Who's your master?"

The giant seemed mildly annoyed. "B'Fadzh of Hachta."

Séa's spine straightened, and her mouth worked. "You lie."

The demon's eyes roved to the others in the party and its scaled brow ridges rose and fell. "Why would I lie? I couldn't lie to those who defeated—"

The paladin slapped her mace home on her belt, then laid her hands together in an attitude of prayer. "Your collar bears the symbol of the cockroach. Your master is Gluzzik, roach-king of Mulk. You ruined your one chance. Farewell, liar."

The demon's eyes flew wide, and its mouth gaped in horror. "No! I beg—"

Tash's eyebrows flew up as Séa clapped her hands together with a flash of blue light. "Séa! Hold on a—"

But a thunderclap drowned out Tash's words, and the demon vanished in a cloud of black smoke.

When the echoes of the crackle diminished, Tash continued unabated. "Séa, next time, just go halfway with that banishing thing, all right? Then pull back at the last moment, after the demon pees in fear. We still had questions."

"Wull, golly," Séa said. "I didn't think of that. I was kind of mad."

"I understand." Tash met her eyes and softened her facial expression. "Forget I said anything. All in all, I'm just happy to be alive. But hold still. You're bleeding a river. Why aren't you writhing on the floor? Are you immune to pain or something?" The rogue knelt by the paladin and dripped liquid from her bottle on the twisted metal at Séa's injured knee.

"No, I definitely feel it." Séa's lips twisted into a lopsided, rueful expression. "Hurts like sunrise at the vampire convention."

Ghomarck drifted off, arms waving in arcs through the air like a blind man groping.

Brown spots appeared on the metal where the potion dripped, and the spots spread. The brown metal flaked away until holes appeared and the armor's knee joint went lacy, like moth-eaten linen. The paladin prattled on, "Breathing is key. When the pain starts to swamp you, you concentrate on breathing and it calms the panic down. Oh! What's that? You're corroding my armor?" The knee hinge gave way entirely, and the armor covering her calf fell an inch, to lodge against her metal shoes. "Oo! Well, that does feel better. Tash?"

"Mm?"

"Thanks for that. Instant rust potion? Such a good idea. Can I ask for more? My left pauldron needs the same treatment. It's mangled and it's cutting into my shoulder."

"I found the lever," Ghomarck called from across the room.

Tash dripped more instant rust potion on Séa's twisted pauldron. She called over her shoulder, "Well, don't just pull it. There's bound to be a twist or trick."

There came a metallic scrape and stony clunk. "Oops," said the wizard.

The women's faces went aghast as they beheld Ghomark holding a disconnected bar of metal in his hands. He whisked it behind his back. He cleared his throat and cast his gaze around the room, anywhere but at the women.

A rattling scream of fury ripped from Tash's throat. "Neophytes! Rubes! Yearlings! I'm done. I'm so done with this quest and with you two. Except now I can't leave. We're trapped in here.