Surprise! ;)

-EDG

--

The air in the clearing was cool and still as Haagenti stumbled into it.  His arm was now 
stiffening; the veins through which his ichor flowed were turning dark as the manufactured 
disease crawled into his system.  He felt hot, even as the air chilled more, and he was finding 
it harder to concentrate.  "Psychosomatic," he muttered to himself.  "Not actually happening 
yet..."

Alaemon's temple lay in the center of the clearing, long and low, surrounded by a moat and the 
mist that rose from it.  Instead of a drawbridge there was an arched stone bridge across the 
twenty-foot moat, and over this a constant stream of human souls walked, proceeding into 
Alaemon's chambers to be inducted into the rites and rituals of Secrets.

It was to this building that Haagenti stole, as quickly as he could, brushing past the line of 
souls and bursting into the chamber beyond.  "I must see Alaemon!" he cried, but none looked 
up.  The souls continued to march, one foot at a time; the only demon in the hall continued to 
transcribe the names of those who passed him.  Above - for the temple had only the rim of a 
roof, supported by columns and walls on every side - the moon shone brightly down upon 
Haagenti, as it always did here in the realm of Secrets.

From the shadow of a column stepped a figure in black robes inlaid with scarlet letters in a 
tongue none had read or spoken for millennia.  "You have my knife?" whispered the figure, 
extending its hand.

"I do," replied Haagenti, holding the knife by its crosspiece, disallowing it to touch him as 
he lay the hilt in the outstretched hand.  "But - I must beg another favor.  I have been 
poisoned by a relic of the ancient Prince of Disease... can you solve this?"

Alaemon laughed sibilantly, his teeth gleaming beneath his cowl.  "I know a way... but I think 
you'd have rather a distaste for my solution.  On the other hand, your friend Asmodeus would 
probably love it..."

Haagenti spat.  "Thanks for nothing, then," he said, heading for the back.  He heard Alaemon 
begin to laugh again as he passed between the columns and again into the stark moonlight, 
almost running for the way out.

It wasn't there.

"You!" shouted Haagenti at the top of his voice.  "You have tricked me!"  His arm hung at his 
side now, the very skin beginning to blacken.

"The only way out," said Alaemon, beside him, "is the permanent way out."  The knife still 
gleamed in his hand.

"No," growled Haagenti, "there is another.  You have driven me to this, and know that I hate 
you for it.  You were the only one who could, in the end."  He grinned suddenly.  "Tell 
Asmodeus that the cycle is complete.  But try to stay out of his way - he'll try to kill you 
for it."

"I know," said Asmodeus simply, and stepped back as Haagenti relaxed his Superior-icon and 
unleashed his true form.  Where once had stood a tall dark man in a somewhat badly-tailored 
business suit now spun countless rings of fire, one black, its flames oozing with disease 
instead of burning with passion.

Many eyes rose to the Hellish sky that night as those rings of fire screamed upward, clawing 
their way toward Heaven.