Removing the rug from the floor of the study and rolling it into the corner I grab Cuelendar from beside Thokul off the mantle and use it as a paper weight to keep the scrolls edges from rolling back up on me. Silently mouthing the end of the summons and committing it to memory the last vestiges of the scroll that was read a week prior disappear.Angrin turning from his starseer to his astrolabe and back again, eventually nods to me, informing me that it is calibrated to the constellation name “prison”. Handing me the astrolabe that Angrin created and I enchanted I lower myself to my knees and reach into the center of the diadem and twist the key into its lock, completing the summoning circle. Feeling again the power of the circle of binding, with waves of law and benevolence I nod to Angrin that it is time to find our answers.
Angrin poking the dying flames of the fire, I hold Cuelendar in my hand and utter the dark speech, compeling the creature to return with its answers. Green flames gout from the fire place into the center of the diadem once again filling smoke within its invisible cylindrical walls. Heavy breathing can be heard. My grasp upon Cuelendar hardens, awaiting the demon Razeal to fully enter the Prime world. Angrin, holding Thokar in ready against unplanned escape by the demon, Razeal speaks. 
“Eschallus, It does my heart well to notice you sweating from the effort of summoning me, once to you such a trivial task,” light laughter issuing from the smoke filled cylinder.
“Show yourself, Razeal the coward and fulfill your end of the bargain,” I state.
With the usual deep inhalation, the fumes surrounding Razeal disappear into his nostrils. “Your answer is yes, the Second Son walks again on the face you’re world,” smiling Razeal continues. “You seem as if you just aged several of your human years Eschallus. It seems that is not the answer you had hoped?”
“It cannot be…HOW!” I thundered, looking to Angrin to thrust Thokar into the open slot of the Diadem meant for such a task. Power flowed from Thokar into the diadem…
White lightning flashing across the entirety of the circle slashing deep wounds into Razeals body, causing green blood and fried oozing fat to issue forth from the gashes. Howling in agony from the unprepared Razeal, he began to laugh, in turn making me angrier.
Coughing out his own blood in a half laugh, “you know as well as I that the Queen of Spiders had his soul, His arrogance was his undoing, ultimately delivering him into her web. All that Is known is that a deal was struck and his release was commanded by Lolth herself.”
“What are his plans,” I asked.
Another half laugh, “How am I to know the plans of the Bane of Dawn? I have heard that he covets Iuz’s power and he has operated to that end. It is rumored that he is amassing a huge undead army somewhere in an underground cavern. You know that his command of the undead is almost as powerful as Kyuss’s was at his start. His last known location was in the Hills of Howling. I also know that he was looking for something in the hive of eyes as well as in the territory of the Lizardking, but that you already knew, sending in your white slayers after him there,” a smile crossing his face.
Head down in thought I drew Angrin to me in conversation, not really catching the last inference.
Laughing hysterically, “How loving of you to send one of your best friends to seek him out only for him to die in the cold, damn and the darkness of a swamp, only to be raised as one of his undead minions” coughing, “Dorwin was no equal of Damascus, even with help.”
Turning sharply, eyes wide in astonishment, “what did you say?”
Smiling, “Dorwin has perished in the swamps at Damascus’s hands and now is one of his dark children.”
Falling to my knees, knowing it to be truth, as the spell that brought Razeal here compels it to speak truthfully, my heart sinks. Dorwins departure of that mission was of the utmost secrecy. Tears welling in my eyes from untold sadness and rage I look to Razeal, visibly shaking, “how do you know this?”
“Damascus told me, he also told me to give you this,” removing a belt pouch from his fat waist, Razeal opens the pouch to put his hand inside to remove an object.
Reaching the Void is neigh impossible as the rage and grief inside me shatters what vestiges of control I had left.
Razeal, recognizing that I was beginning to slip into lunacy, was preparing himself for the onslaught with pleasure. Knowing full well that the taint of so many years in dealing with the lower planes was beginning to take its toll. I lost control at what he pulled from his pouch.
Holding, in his sizzling palm, obviously causing him pain was a circular pendant about 4 inches in diameter. “I was told to deliver this and a message,” holding the pendant from the chain I clearly can see that it is Dorwins holy symbol of St. Cuthbert with his family crest at the bottom. Turning the symbol so that I may see the back, I gaze upon a mirror…seeing myself. Locked in horror I see my reflection, wearing the same clothes but my reflection changing to that of Damascus, not so unlike my own.
Razeal delivers damascus’s message through the amulet via a spell similar to magic mouth set for me, “Ours is a course not so unlike, we both use those close to us to an eventual end. For the trouble you have caused me I shall pay a visit to the two people that mean most to you. See you soon my friend.” Razeal finished.
Still entranced by the symbol before me I throw my head back and begin to howl, the reflection still that of a likeness of Damascus and myself, it throws its head back and begin to laugh.
With the altering of a few syllables from the prepared closing to the summoning I begin to finish the spell, Razeal yells, “The terms have been met and the die was cast, finish the bargain and release me, to never summon me again and destroy all your knowledge of my true name, my part is fulfilled!”
Walking the precipice of sanity I finish the spell. With a crazed look upon my face, even Razeal balks at the visage gazing at him, “You are not to set foot on this plane for one hundred years, the bargain is fulfilled, you are free to go back home, never to be summoned by me again!” feeling the spell burn Razeals true name from my memory, several parchments go up in flame as the spell destroys the documents containing any scrap of his true name.
With the completing of the spell, bands of holy light, law and benevolence begin to rip apart Razeal, limb from limb, scorching his remains into less than ash as his material from is disintegrated, ultimately banishing him from the Prime for 100 years. With the room cleared of Razeal, the pendant was hovering in the middle of the room, my reflection/Damascus’s reflection staring back at me. I howl insanely, falling to my face in the dust that was Razeal, the holy symbol falls in front of my face.
Dorwin's Holy symbol was more than a symbol of divinity and pious power, I had its construction commissioned by a master craftsman. I gave it to him upon his graduation to Paladinhood. I had invested many hours and even some of my own essence into imbuing some magical energy of protection with in it. Apparently it was not enough.
Knowing that my end was fulfilled and he was set free to go back home, I held up my end, the specifics were not clarified as to how he was to be set free. I don’t take consolation in that small victory, all I can see is my reflection in the back of dorwins holy symbol…my eyes roll into the back of my head, my luck they will open again, I slip into unconsciousness. The last thing I see…
The Mirror
