A form materialised out of the air where before there had been nothing. A bare-chested man, his face as grim as death, now faced Zavros, peering into his eyes. Through his oculars Zavros could see the symbols that covered his assailant's face, neck, arms and chest. Zavros knew they were runes, and even against the pain he wondered what power enabled runes to be drawn on a living man. Was this some form of revenant? Why didn't it have white eyes? This man was clear-eyed and filled with rage. Zavros's assailant was aware in a way that no draug was.

Zavros knew of only one man who could survive the touch of essence. Through the haze of pain, he suddenly recognised his assailant's red hair and blue eyes. "Killian," Zavros whispered.

Killian looked at his hand. "Lok-tur," he said.

The runes on the palm of Killian's hand blazed red, and Zavros felt the heat pouring from it in waves. Killian lifted Zavros's wounded arm and looked at the crushed wrist.

"I can't make this too easy for you," Killian said. "The last time we met, you told me to do my worst. I remember I said I would destroy your library. Unfortunately I can't threaten you with that now. It's already been done."

"No," Zavros said. "You wouldn't. You couldn't."

"Do you really want to test what I'm capable of? The building we're standing in is the last one left in this place, Angelmar, or whatever you call it. I thought this last structure might be some kind of prison. Look what I've found instead. I knew you were evil, but I didn't realise an evil such as yours could exist."

Killian held his burning palm in front of Zavros's face. "So unfortunately I can't destroy your library because it's already gone. The good news, however, is that this time there's no one coming to help you. So there's nothing holding me back from doing my worst, as you boldly requested."

Killian held his palm against Zavros's forehead, ignoring Zavros's screams, searing the flesh with the intense heat. When the oculars fell from Zavros's face. Killian stooped and retrieved them, picking up the razor as he did so.

Sweat poured from Zavros's forehead as Killian held the razor out, but Killian simply bent down and cut the bindings holding the boy to his chair.

"Go, lad," Killian said. "You don't want to see this."

The wide-eyed youth shakily got up from his chair and stumbled away.

Killian placed the oculars back onto Zavros's eyes.

"It's time for me to do my worst."

~

ELLA saw Killian come out of the white building with the thick walls and called out to him. When she saw his face she almost recoiled — his eyes were murderous — but then she realised she probably looked little better. The things she had seen here at Angelmar would haunt her nightmares for years to come.

"Anything still standing?" Killian asked when he saw her.