A chill pressed upon his back as an unnatural wrongness forced its way into the tunnel.

“Betrayal, Betrayal.” Echoed haunted, maddening words as he turned.

“Oh gods.” He spoke absentmindedly, gaining the attention of the horror. He knew that face, he knew that voice, their eyes met, and Ivern’s blood went cold.

“Betrayer!” The abomination roared, forcing the last of its bulk through the rift it had formed.

“No,” he spoke, foolishly dropping one of his blades as he stumbled backwards. “You got it all wrong.” His mind raced to think of some excuse, a story to tell as to why he’d gutted the unneeded mage.

The third eye trained on him, and he felt an outside force slide across his mind. He shivered, gasping for breath, he knew, as it did, his whole mind was open to the thing.

Fangs unhinged, face wrapped in fury, the abomination’s giant hand reached out and seized him.

He screamed, and not over the tight grip that broke bones, its touch, his very soul felt alight.

‘Your existence will only be pain.’ The third eye whispered into his mind.

“Endless.” The corrupted mage yelled, his other hand aimed at the Protector, who’d Ivern had been planning to betray next.

Even taken by agony, the thing forced unholy clarity. He watched as a bolt of shadow lightning consume the Protector, shattering his body and painting the hall red.

“He didn’t know.” The mage spoke, eyes turning back to him. “So he got to end painlessly.” The mage smiled, and pulled him close. “You will suffer, as I suffer, both of us chained to the horrors beyond reality.”

His mental screams screeched louder as the mage turned, and both of them passed through the portal to realms unknown.