The priestess glided effortlessly across the floor towards my cage. When she was close enough, she tapped the bars with her fingers and smiled at me.

  Priestess: “Lovely to see you again, Dwynfel. You really don’t visit my lovely little village enough.”

  Her voice was different… it still sounded old, but it was quicker and no longer laboured.

  Dwynfel: “What the hell are you doing? Was this entire thing a sham? Why would you murder all of these villagers? They trusted you… they moved here to follow you!”

  Kin’Ayesha: “Have you really not worked it out yet?”

  Dwynfel: “What?!”

  Kin’Ayesha gestured to the hanging corpses.

  Kin’Ayesha: “They are not from this village. They are the missing persons that your knight friend has been searching for.”

  Priestess: “Your little bunny friend is correct.”

  Gods… the crowd before… those were the villagers… she has turned this entire village into some kind of deranged cult.

  Dwynfel: “But how? How the on earth did you abduct so many people? How long have you been doing this?”

  Priestess: “Quite easily really. The occasional distraction here and there helped. Taking people from near opium dens. Finding those that society cared little for. And of course, releasing those crocodiles.”

  Dwynfel: “That was you?! How could you?! My son almost died because of that… hell, his friend did die! And you released them simply to distract attention from this?! Why?! What even is this?!”

  She glanced over at the alter… with Flynn’s body still lying on it… blood trickling down the sides. Then she glanced at the whole in the ground… then back at me.

  Priestess: “Do you know where most religions go wrong?”

  Dwynfel: “Fucking what?!”

  Priestess: “Do calm down, such dramatics will not aid you here.”

  I glared at her with utter disgust.

  Priestess: “They help the wrong people.”

  Dwynfel: “What the fuck are you talking about?”

  Priestess: “Religious groups, Dwynfel… they help those that help themselves… they help those that already have. Because they expect reciprocity. If they sought out those who were truly at their lowest… those whose lives have crumbled… those who are completely at the mercy of society. If they helped those people… provided them with the means to better themselves… gave them their lives back… then… then they would have truly devoted followers. Followers that would do anything for them. Offer more to somebody who has plenty and you can convince them to do many things, but pull somebody up from the depths of despair and give them hope again… then… then you can make them do anything.”

  Dwynfel: “I don’t give a shit about your religion. You always said that your god was all about loving and helping people. This… this is insane… who is this helping? No god would want this!”

  She tilted her head and raised her eyebrow at me.

  Priestess: “Oh please, Dwynfel. There are no gods. You should know this by now.”

  Dwynfel: “Then what the fuck was that ritual about? What were all your followers praying to? What is the point in all of this?”

  Priestess: “Oh, my followers believe Laezel to be a god. They believe that she is coming to cleanse the world. To restore its purity. She will destroy all that has come before. Only the true believers will be left to restore this world to one of peace and harmony. But Laezel is no god, she is a demon from the depths of this world… she is drawn by suffering… and the suffering that we have wrought in this place will soon see her brought to the surface.”

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  This makes no sense… how can they possibly believe that that is the best path forward?

  Dwynfel: “You tricked these people!”

  Priestess: “Of course I did. People may bang on about wishing for the end of the world, but very few would actually attempt to bring it about. Humans do love to moan, but when it comes down to it, most do not have the stomach for the end. Most of what they believe is true. Laezel shall indeed cleanse this world. But she shall cleanse it of all humanity… and the elves… and the halflings… the lupinians and all the other ridiculous creatures that would resist demonic subjugation.”

  Dwynfel: “Correct me if I’m wrong here… but that includes you. So why the hell would you want this?”

  Priestess: “You’re wrong. That was me correcting you. This body is but a glamour. I am, and always have been, a wolf in sheep’s clothing. After all, everybody trusts a sweet kindly old lady.”

  This is bad… this is bad… how the fuck do I stop this… I need to stop this… think… think.

  Dwynfel: “Why are you telling me all of this? Why keep us alive and sacrifice Flynn? I know that you already had enough sacrifices… that’s why you recalled Jesse from the brothel.”

  Priestess: “Your knightly friend was not necessary. But an additional sacrifice will accelerate her coming. She is so drawn by suffering. As for you… well… you are a goblin. Goblins will be permitted to live in the new world. They are often subservient to powerful demons because they know they lack the strength to defeat them. So, I offer you the chance to join me… the chance to return to what you truly are… what you always have been… beneath this pathetic veil of humanity that you hide behind.”

  She drew my short sword from within her robe.

  Priestess: “You wield a fine piece of weaponry… I would very much enjoy seeing it used in aid of my cause.”

  Dwynfel: “Burn in hell, you sick fuck! This is no veil… I will never help you!”

  She placed the sword back within her robe.

  Priestess: “Urgh… such theatrics. You sweet misguided child. Everybody always has the same view of hell. They always see fire and brimstone. Lakes of flame geysers spewing magma everywhere. That couldn’t be further from reality. For hell… like death… is cold and empty. Death is when the light leaves… the flame dies… and you are left with naught except the deep dark expanse of nothing. No fire… no heat… just an endless… cold. Fire breeds feeling… as long as you can feel the fire, you are still alive.”

  This can’t be right. If there are no gods, then theoretically there is no hell. But regardless of that fact, she claims hell is empty. I am so confused.

  Dwynfel: “If hell is empty then where is this Laezel of yours coming from?”

  Priestess: “Empty in feeling, not is actuality. Hell is but a concept. The reality is the cold… dark… void. You could traverse the abyss for an eternity and never encounter anything. But that does not mean that there is nothing there.”

  Dwynfel: “You talk such fluent shit.”

  Priestess: “I do not need you to understand. You have made your choice. The sacrifices will satisfy Laezel’s spiritual appetites… you may provide her with some small degree of physical nourishment upon her arrival.”

  She stepped to the side and addressed Kin’Ayesha.

  Priestess: “I extend my offer of union to you. I have not seen the likes of you in a very long time. Your kind were hunted for years. I assume, that as the last, you likely seek revenge for what was done to your kin. I offer you the chance to obtain it.”

  Kin’Ayesha: “I welcome death.”

  Priestess: “Urgh… you two are no fun. It is a shame… but if you insist. I shall leave you to your demise. I’d suggest you wrap up warm, but alas, you have nothing to wrap up with. Fairwell.”

  She turned and glided across the floor to the stairs out of the chamber. Once she reached the stairs she hunched over once more and started to use her walking stick again… adopting the guise of a weak and feeble old woman as she climbed the steps.