Chapter 1 - The Execution

With a crack that echoed through the plaza, the haft broke in twain and the blade Justice clattered unceremoniously to the flagstones.

With a feral scream, Corym leapt again. Eyes blinded by rage he flung his body at the demon. This time he did catch the stranger unawares and he slammed into him, grabbing that black helm in both arms, twisting, pulling, rending.

The black knight tottered, brought his own arms up, and grabbed Corym about the waist. He was pushing, Corym was pulling. For long seconds they stumbled, locked in this mortal embrace. They watched as the muscles in Corym's arms rippled, strained as he wrenched at that demon's head. And the demon too, though inhuman in their eyes, and masked by that black armor, they could sense the strength of those arms pushing on Corym.

And then a flash. A flickering of blue, like lightening glimpsed from the corner of an eye. No one saw it (except perhaps for Corym) but all felt it, the blue fire that leapt from the neck of the demon as his head was torn off. Corym watched, still held in the deathly embrace and blinded by the flash. He dropped the head and noticed for the first time that his feet were off the ground. Still the demon held him as if he were locked in death. His last view as his eyesight returned was of two red orbs glaring at him from below.

Then the guards watched, again silent, as those dead arms came to life, lifted Corym and pushed him, flung him through the air. He swung wildly as he fought to find purchase and came down hard on his back. Weakly he raised an arm and it was only then that Rodryk, Erikine, and the rest saw the cruel point of that shattered stake rising from out Corym's chest. In that moment they saw the headless demon bend, scoop up his head in his arms and lope off into the deep shadows of the God's Tower.