Cathedral of Blood

From above, Cerydon and Teslyn watched in horror as the Hope Slayer slaughtered all the priests. Taking hold of his mace and shield, the priest looks over at Teslyn. "If it’s me the fiend wants, then by Pelor, that’s what he’ll get!" As he turned, the paladin’s hand grasps his shoulder.

"This creature is no minor foe, you will need my help," she states coolly.

"Very well," the priest retorts. With their arms on hand, the two make their way down the stairs.

Derrek’s dark gaze watched the cathedral doors with sadistic glee. Upon seeing the doors swing open, the fiend grins. "About time! I was beginning to think I’d have to hunt down some more town folk to keep myself occupied!" Cerydon’s figure appeared between the doorframes, giving the Hope Slayer a dark look before slowly turning away from the fiend and walking back into the great cathedral. Smiling, Derrek approaches the doorway, entering into the building. Coming to a stop, the fiend looks at the two standing before him. The main room was quite large, able to hold over two hundred people. In the room’s center stood a statue of Pelor. "I know why you lured me into here, Cerydon," Derrek said, "It’s because while in this building, your powers are increased."

"I’m surprised a beast like you had the intelligence to figure that out," Cerydon’s words were bitter.

Derrek chuckles. "Foolish little priest. Say what you will, but nothing will save you from eternal torment...not even your precious Pelor." A drop of blood falls from the fiend’s hair, splashing onto the cathedral’s floor. "You have been playing with forces that you can’t even comprehend. And because of your ignorance...I’ve been sent to punish you!" Cackling demonically, Derrek’s gaze slowly turns towards Teslyn. "That’s quite a big sword you got there. Plan on using it on me? Come on...give me your best shot!" With that invitation, the paladin charged at the Hope Slayer, bringing her two-handed sword down upon him. With his free hand, Derrek catches the blade. Smirking, he yanks the weapon from her grasp and pushes her onto the floor. "Not bad." Tossing the sword aside, blood began to ooze from his hand. Licking the blood off, he makes a fist. Chanting a couple words, he opens it; the wound was no longer there.

A beam of brilliant light suddenly launches into Derrek, smashing him against the wall. Cerydon runs up to Teslyn. "Are you all right?" Teslyn nods.

"Now that was a rush!" Derrek said, already recovered from the attack. "You can do it again! I don’t mind! It actually kind of helps relax my nerves!"

Cerydon stares at the fiend in disbelief. That was one of his strongest spells and it didn’t even do a thing to the beast. Chanting a quick bless spell upon his mace and shield, the priest rushes at the Hope Slayer, smashing his shield into him. Pushing the invader against the wall, Cerydon swings his mace with all his might into the fiend over and over. With a final bash to the head, the priest moves several feet back, a large smile upon his face. "You’re not as tough as you make everyone believe you are!" he tells the other. Cerydon’s smile slowly vanished as Derrek began to laugh hysterically.

"Was that it?" he asks. Derrek’s brown eyes look at the priest. "Now that you’re finished clearing my sinuses for me...it’s time I finish what I came here for." With one powerful swing, Cerydon’s shield flew from his grasp, skidding across the floor. With one last attempt to strike the creature down, Cerydon swings his mace at Derrek, only to have the wooden shaft sliced in two, the ball of the mace smacking the floor. The fiend began to advance, causing the priest to back away, till eventually his back was against the statue of Pelor. The black blade flashed before Cerydon’s eyes, slicing hundreds of cuts into his flesh. Coming to an abrupt stop, Derrek’s gaze returns to Teslyn, who was scrambling for her sword. Grinning, Derrek thrusts his sword into Cerydon’s right shoulder, driving the blade deep into the statue behind, leaving the priest immobilized. "Stay here for a moment." Turning to the paladin, the fiend slowly makes his way over to her.

Getting hold of her sword, Teslyn comes to her feet. "Get away, demon!"

Swiping the large blade at the fiend, he easily blocks it. Kicking the weapon from her hands, Derrek shoves her back, making her lose balance and fall onto the floor once more. Stopping in front of the paladin, he kneels down next to her, grinning sadistically. "Are you afraid of me?" he asks, placing a blood-covered hand on her left cheek. Seeing the look of fear in the woman’s eyes made the fiend want to slay her right there on the spot. "Good...you should be." Removing his hand from her face, Derrek stands up. "Quite a pretty little paladin, isn’t she, Cerydon?" Glancing back at the wounded priest, his gaze returns to Teslyn. "I’m going to enjoy tearing that saintly heart from your chest!" Derrek’s hand wraps around the paladin’s throat. Lifting her from the floor, he moves his mouth near her ear. "What shall I do to you first?"

"Leave...her alone!" Cerydon shouts out.

Derrek glances back at him. "Come and stop me," he retorts with a smirk. Ignoring the remainder of the priest’s shouts, the fiend began performing his torture games upon the unfortunate paladin. Nearly an hour passed by the time Derrek had finished with the woman. What was left of Teslyn couldn’t even be recognized. Grinning like a madman the Hope Slayer walked up to Cerydon, an object in his blood stained hands. "Cerydon...I have a present for you!" Kneeling next to the frozen man, he smiles. "Don’t look so sad, priest boy! It was apparent that you two were an item, so I was nice enough to leave this for you!" Revealing the object in his hands, Cerydon heaved. It was Teslyn’s heart. Derrek laughs at the wounded man. "Weak stomach? I’ve got just the cure for that!" Grabbing the man’s jaw, he pries it open right before cramming the heart into his mouth. "Eat up!" Cackling demonically while forcing the man to eat the organ, Derrek stands up and watches Cerydon toss it back up. Frowning the fiend backhands him. "Don’t like heart? I always thought lovers were supposed to give their hearts to each other!" Backhanding him several more times, he grins wildly. "I bet you’re wondering why Pelor is allowing this to happen, aren’t you?" he pauses for a second, "I know why. The answer is quite simple, really." Bending down, he begins to whisper in the man’s ear. "Because he doesn’t give a damn about you or this cathedral." With that said, he pulls his sword from Cerydon’s shoulder.

Having taken all that was important to the priest, Derrek knew it was time to end this little game. "And to prove to you that he truly doesn’t care...I’ll make a wager with you. I will stop dicing you to bits the moment he comes and smites me." Swinging the black blade at the man countless times, the Hope Slayer laughs insanely as he watched chunks of the priest fly about. Having no more body to slice up, he sheaths his sword. "See, your God is nothing compared to the Dark One." With his assignment complete, Derrek takes out a small black gem and chants a couple words. Glowing brightly, the gem opens a portal to Ishtar. Smiling wickedly as he viewed what he had done, the Hope Slayer vanishes into the portal...