Asmodeus… he always shows up at the worst moments.

  Asmodeus: “It seems you are pinned, vile creature. Your demise shall be easy to accomplish.”

  Dwynfel: “Why are you here, Asmodeus?”

  Asmodeus: “I caught wind of…”

  Phoenix: “I do not care! I require the priest?!”

  Priest: “Of course, m’lady.”

  Phoenix: “Heal the cleric. Now.”

  Asmodeus: “He does not take orders from you.”

  Phoenix: “Do not oppose me, Asmodeus!”

  Asmodeus gestured for the priest to go. The short bald man toddled across the cavern towards Agaroth. As he did, Asmodeus stepped forwards, pointing his sword in my direction.

  Asmodeus: “Where is the lady Smythe?”

  Dwynfel: “Somewhere in the tunnels.”

  Asmodeus: “So you have already gifted her to your goblin brethren!”

  Phoenix: “She is with Dietrich and Farrow.”

  Asmodeus: “Likely dead. You see what you your actions have brought to fruition, Goblin!”

  Phoenix: “Asmodeus…”

  Dwynfel: “Phoenix… don’t.”

  Phoenix: “What?”

  She looked at me with anger. She did not appreciate my interruption.

  Dwynfel: “He’s right… this… all of it… it’s all my fault.”

  Phoenix: “No, it…”

  Dwynfel: “Yes, it is! We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for me. I am the reason that all of this happened. I’m the reason people have lost their distrust of goblins… I am the reason people thought the Grim could be reasoned with… it’s all my fault. If I had never existed, then this wouldn’t have happened. So please, stop defending me!”

  Phoenix gently placed her hand on my shoulder.

  Phoenix: “Dwynfel…”

  Asmodeus: “You see, he admits it! This was all his doing! Likely part of his devious plan from the beginning. Now stand aside, so I may end his miserable existence and prevent further catastrophe.”

  The second Asmodeus started talking I felt Phoenix’s grip turn from gentle to intense. The priest had finally reached Agaroth and was examining him.

  Priest: “My lady… I cannot heal this man.”

  Phoenix: “Try anyway.”

  Priest: “My lady, this man is dead… I can heal the injured, not the dead.”

  Phoenix: “Cast the spell anyway.”

  Asmodeus: “Phoenix… Lady V’Rel… Patience. He is lost…”

  Phoenix: “Do not Patience me! You will attempt to heal that man and you will do so now!”

  She pushed herself off the rocks and staggered forward.

  Asmodeus: “Ah, finally you see sense and stand aside for me to erase this foul abomination.”

  She raised her hammer towards Asmodeus. The Priest looked up at her and retracted his hands from Agaroth. Phoenix did not take her eyes off Asmodeus. She held his gaze… well… I assume she did… hard to tell with his helmet on.

  Phoenix: “I did not say that you could stop, Priest.”

  The priest resumed attempting to heal Agaroth. His hands started glowing as they hovered over him. Asmodeus went to take a step forward, but Phoenix shook her head at him and he stopped.

  Asmodeus: “Phoenix, why must you continue with this?”

  Phoenix: “Because Agaroth was right about you. You are a sanctimonious cunt.”

  Bloody hell… she said that with such venom. I’ve never heard her speak in that way before. It feels… wrong.

  Phoenix: “After all these years… all this time… you still cannot see Dwynfel for what he is.”

  Asmodeus: “I see him for naught but what he is.”

  Phoenix: “You see a goblin and nothing more. I see a person who has done nothing but try to help everyone. The entire time that we have known him, all he has done is try to help. Yes, he is correct when he says that we would not be in this situation if not for him. I cannot argue with that. However, that is not part of some sinister plan of his devising. That is because he is so pure of heart that he has inspired people to look for the good in others. He has shown us all that goblins are capable of humanity.”

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  Asmodeus: “Pfft… humans are barely capable of humanity, let alone that monster.”

  Based on what I saw in the basement of that opium den… I am inclined to agree with him.

  Phoenix: “You are wrong… and you are too closed-minded to see it. Because of what he has shown people, we have an alliance with the Bracken. We have lizardmen walking amongst us… as friends. I grant you; this mission was misguided. But he did not suggest it. The reality is that he has done little other than attempt to convince Smutisha not to embark on this expedition. This situation was not of his devising, nor does he have some over-arching evil plot. He has led a good life… he has a family… friends. He is just trying to make his way in this world. He is not the monster that you think he is!”

  Asmodeus did not respond immediately. He paused for a moment. As though thinking about what had been said. It is rare that he is stumped for words. I doubt he is used to Phoenix speaking so much. She is more of a short sentences kind of a person. Even I don’t know how to respond to what she has just said. I say that… she has definitely given me some warm-hearted speeches that have very much helped me in the past. But it is definitely worth noting that short and sharp would be her usual choice of language.

  I could hear the passion in what she was saying… she obviously whole-heartedly believes it… and I really do wish that it were true. But I haven’t always set out to help people. If I wanted to do that, I would have simply killed myself and stopped myself causing all of this chaos over the years.

  In reality, I am a selfish coward. I didn’t become an adventurer to help people… I became an adventurer because I wanted to be like my dad… nothing more to it. I didn’t have noble ambitions. I lied to people for years to indulge in my own selfish wants. She thinks too highly of me.

  Asmodeus: “Your affection and admiration for the creature does not detract from what he is. Simply because his machinations elude us at the moment, it does not mean that they do not exist… and I assure you that they do. Now stand aside so that we may never see them realised.”

  Phoenix’s legs are shaking… she is clearly struggling to remain stood up. She is in no fit state to defend anybody right now.

  Dwynfel: “Phoenix… just let him past… you are in no state to…”

  Phoenix: “Dwynfel.”

  Dwynfel: “Yes?”

  Phoenix: “Shut up.”

  Dwynfel: “Okay.”

  Phoenix: “Asmodeus, my body may be damaged, but I assure you that I have more than enough mana left to deal with you. Your metal armour is of no consequence to me… I have electrocuted you before… I can easily do so again. Or maybe I could simply use fire and cook you alive. Metal such as that conducts heat in the most marvellous manner.”

  Now she is really getting quite scary.

  Asmodeus: “You would not sully yourself, resorting to murder in the defence of a lowly lifeform such as he.”

  Phoenix: “Bold of you to assume that I consider him to be a lower life form than you.”

  Priest: “Ma’am… this is not working… this man is dead.”

  Phoenix: “Then preserve him as best you can… and the Bracken. I will not leave them to rot in this gods-forsaken place.”

  Priest: “As you wish.”

  Asmodeus: “Are we really going to stand in this stalemate indefinitely?”

  Phoenix: “Only until you see sense and realise that we have bigger threats here.”

  Asmodeus: “Such as what? A few goblins are hardly a problem. We shall finish them off with ease.”

  A loud roar echoed through the tunnels and into the cavern. A group of about twenty goblins emerged from the raised tunnel halfway up the wall. None of them stopped at the edge. They all just jumped down the floor below. They didn’t rush to attack us… they were all too busy running from something else… something had completely terrified them.

  They panicked when they realised that we were present… they realised that they had no easy place to run to and tried to think on their feet. They decided that their best bet for escape was to rush for the main tunnel entrance, which was obstructed by Asmodeus and the guy with the axe.

  Asmodeus backed into the tunnel entrance and raised his shield to block their advance.

  Asmodeus: “Let not a single one pass!”