Storm had just begun to motion back a command of ”hold!” when the volley of black spears went hurdling forward towards the towering arched gateway of the stone ringed cemetery. It didn’t surprise him an iota to see them vanish into the ether, as though swallowed whole by the very air upon which they traveled. Their ringing, tingling sound echoed softly in the distance as they harmlessly vaporized.

Have we learned nothing, old friend? You thought after he transported us to the ass end of Althanas that he’d sit in a graveyard waiting for the reaper?

A quick turn and a smirk from the old magician, who pushed an invisible pulse across the little boneyard. He could sense the presence of the portal at the gate, and there was more within the rolling browned grasses, mottled with old, faded stones.

“Slow treading, stay tight. This son of a bitch didn’t show up unprepared.”

With grace and deft, Veritas pushed down at the hip-high iron fence with his right hand, hopping nimbly over and landing silently in the cemetery. With some magical assistance, he tore out a tandem of wrought railing spikes from the fence, holding them like daggers. Shinsou had announced their presence, so this was simple doom-portal avoidance. He could hear the similarly quiet arrival of his friend behind him, and just knew his Telgradian brother in arms had a sword at the ready, hoping to slash his way through magic portals.

Ahead of him, Arius knelt atop the small knoll at the center of the graveyard. He was surrounded by a pair of large statues, one capped by a deer and the second a bear-like creature, immortalized by marble. The rich even died better in Corone.

The urge to dash ahead or launch a blast of energy tore through Storm like fire in his veins. His jaw clenched, nostrils flaring at the monk-like figure only some hundred feet ahead. They had been this close before, chasing the genocidal traitor only to be duped and sent spiraling across the world. The balance of caution and lethality was untenable; Storm would prefer to lure Mephisto out of the graveyard, to a more level playing field.

“Not today, Arius. Enough of the parlor tricks. I’m not slipping into one of your wormholes, you fucking coward. Come and settle up your tab.”

Without a word, Storm began to push forward the first railing, staring as it harmlessly levitated forward away from him. Iron was easy to manipulate with his electromagnetic abilities. It had traveled less than fifteen feet before he felt the pull, a hidden portal beginning to suck the black rail into the ethereal. With a contraction of fields he retracted the iron bar, and before it stood a twelve foot door of white energy – another large portal. The shimmering white, gold, and blue hues bent towards him at the top, with no clear end in sight; it was unlikely a simple flight above the wall was possible.

Not taking the bait this time, you chickenshit monster. Not today.

With a confident step forward, the wizard Veritas waved his hand to the side, effortlessly commanding the bar to float out towards the right. A second, third, and fourth door shimmered in rapid succession, forming a wall of electrically humming white energy visibly dividing the Brotherhood Leaders from Arius.

“He’s not going to wait here for us to figure this little game out.” Shinsou was centered again, logic and control forming a light blanket over the spinning ball of rage that lay beneath his surface. They had come too far.

“Agreed. Split, step carefully, and let’s map to him. Gods only know what surprises lay behind the doors; let’s not risk the teleportation lottery.” There were no shared glances or nodding approvals necessary; the duo was hell bent on the same end game. Shinsou’s sword brought him to the right, pushing ahead of him and exposing a long channel of portal-walls that buzzed to white life at the touch.

Opposite him now by some sixty yards, Storm pushed the iron ahead of him on the left side of the field, dragging the second iron out to his left as a second wall was exposed. The bent tops of the two walls merged, consolidating a deeper, yellow tinged white that reeked of ozone, as though Storm’s own powers were manifested to form this unholy trap. This was in fact a corridor of white portals, which became a maze after a few vacant spaces were exposed. The resonant humming grew louder and more deafening with each awakened portal. The voice of Arius boomed overhead.

“You remain fools, even after your travels. I thought better of you; better for the Brotherhood. It’s grown clear you can’t be educated; your flames must be snuffed out to raise the Castigars from the ashes of your idiocy.”

Getting scared? Come out and play, you son of a bitch.

Brave thoughts betrayed a growing sense of dread. Glancing quickly behind him, Storm witnessed one of the large white panels rotate, forming a wall behind him. It forced him forward, into hallways bent by breaks in the walls of white and gold. Shinsou was elsewhere; likely also isolated, also balancing some turbulent brew of fear and fury in his intestines. They’d been outwitted by Arius twice; it was unlikely they’d see a third opportunity to recover.

He’s won. I’m going to die here. Quietly, anonymously, and without anything to show for this entire ordeal. It -can’t- end like this.

Remaining externally stoic, the old magician forged ahead. The image of the tiny metal spoon propelled him forward, compelling him to die a warrior today.