After we kicked it off at the bar scene, we went to my hideoout to rest for a while. We didn't get any sleep though, Xavier just sat around in a dark room and meditated. As foir me I meditated but my meditation involved a Sinner's Soul cigarette and some Dark Vaticant wine. After a few hours, I couldn't stop thinking of Josephine. Nothing could get my mind off here, the more I sat around, the deeper I thought.
When it reached dawn, I decided to make my routine rounds around town. Mostly gathering information, I decided to see my old friend/informant Father McGruddon. He was a Suadrick, known for thier squid-like heads and one eye. We had met in a bar during a game of poker (A all around favorite priest hobby). He often had jobs for Josephine when we were in the area, mostly just jobs requiring black-mail. Last job we did got a priest kicked out of the priesthood, Josephine had to do her usual acolyte scam. I guess it isn't good publicity to have your pants down on the front page of the newspapers. Poor bastard, should have saw it comin'.
Father McGruddon always had his eye on Josephine (he too liked little girls in acolyte robes). When I broke the news to him a week ago about her kidnapping, he was more than willing to coperate. He followed some leads on the Abolished Grigores and to his suprise, his tip lead him to the doorstep to his temple.
Turns out that a strange "winged" man followed one of the priest to the temple in order to seek guidance to becoming a priest like I did once. Of course, that wasn't the worst part of it, since I knew the man wasn't interested in the jewelry and quotes of the priest. Father McGruddon was a priest of the Temple of Shadows. The God of Shadows, Murkren, was prophesised to being the creater of all living beings second, evil self. I used to joke whenever I killed a demon or a monster, I'd say, "Murkren must've gotten the best of me."
Father McGruddon then told me about the mask the man wore and I knew that it was him, Xantos. I knew I had to see what he was up to but, I wasn't that big of a moron to fight alone. I knew I needed some back-up for this one. So I decided to ask Xavier my first favor (Well, second if you count him not killing me a favor). At first he was a little reluctant, but as soon as I mentioned Xantos and the temple, he suddenly changed his mind. I was a biut suprised, from what I had heard of him, he didn't sound like he was up to favors.
We had to meet at Father McGruddon's church in order to get to the Temple of Shadows first. The priests were known to be more than hateful to uninvited guests. Father got his secretary Elenor to escort us and thank goodnes he did. The last thing I wanted was a 4 day travel with a squid-head that could talk. We slowly traveled by Morbids ( A strange creature that is half lizard, half spider that is well know hurt tresspassers with it's acid spit) to the temple of Shadows with the guidance of Eleanor. I took longer than I thought but, we managed to get there in the speed of our urgance, especially mine.
The temple at first looked extremely small from the outside, but as soon as Elenor took us inside we were taken underground to the true temple. As we wondered around long hallways and chambers, Elenor suddenly disappeared while Xavier and me were turning a corner. Alone we wandered in the maze that we were in. As we got closer to the end of a corridor, we confronted a mirror. Xavier's image was fine but my image was diffrent. My physical image had changed. We slowly walked away and kept continuing our venture to find Elenor or Xantos. After hours of searching, we found a large door. As we opened it, we found the middle of the temple and the alter to Murkren.
As we approached the altar, Xantos emerged from the darkness. "Welcome, glad to have joined us...." I took out my sword and pointed it to him. I looked over at Xavier and he nodded. "This is the end for you..." As soon as I spoke he held up Josephine in front of me, she was unconcious and he hair covered her face from my eyes. I scowled and put my sword back. "That's it, this sickened love that you have is the only thing that stops you.... But I can do something to sperate you from your evil ways..." Xantos removed his mask but his face was hidden in shadows as he looked upward. He then began to mutter an acient tounge that I wasn't familiar with.
I suddenly felt my body lift off the ground, my body suddenly became paralized. As I looked down, I saw my shadow in a candle flame behind me, it was slowly twiching. It then began to strech out and change in shape, then it started bubbling liquid up to the floor. I then slowly started to fall forward into the floor. Xavier was paralized as well, helpless against stopping Xantos. He watched, yelling at Xantos trying to fight through the binding spell. I lowered into the dark liquid and I felt my body slip into the floor. It slowly stretches over me and I am then in darkness. Then the rest becomes almost seems like a dream. I feel my body suddenly split from theinside and I rise from the darkness. As I emrge, I slowly move away from a body, and as I look it is the image that was in the mirror I saw earlier.
"What the hell is that..!?" I manage to say. "Say hello to your shadow," Xantos says, "You may rise...." My other self rises up and kneels before Xantos. "What is your name..?" "I am..... Monster... " Another voice comes from the distant shadows. "Well done, well done Xantos.... That was quite a show..." Xantos snickers, "Father McGruddon, how nice to see you..." As I saw that squid piece of shit, I knew it was time to make my move while I wasn't paralyzed again.
I unsheathed my sword and swiped at Gruddon, but my blade was blocked by Monster's arm. Xavier went after Xantos full force causing Gruddon to run like the little bitch that he is out the door. I fought against my shadow, it was nearly impossible to get anywhere with him due to the fact that he was a part of me. His strength was phenomenal, he didn't even need a sword against me. As for Xavier, he had the upper hand, any magic blasted his way . Josephine laid under the altar as they raged at each other. Xavier cut apart Xantos' mask to reveal his tattoed face and it made him more fierce. Xantos tried to fly away but Xavier cut off his left wing.
Monster was getting more in on me, his fingers stretched out and became claws and he slashed away at my arm. The cut was deep but it still didn't impare me so I decided to show him a trick I had learned. I backed away from him and concentrated myenergy on my hands, then I began to chant to the Leper Angels. As Monster charged back I swung my sword, and in an amazing light the Leper Angels gave me the strength to force him back with thier ancient light. Monster flew through the levels of the temple to the surface and flew off into space until he was no longer seen by the naked eye.
I then approached Xantos as he stammered on the floor, and stepped on his neck. I then allowed Xavier to stab him in the heart to bring him to a hasty death. I then muttered my eulogy to him and walked away to pick up Josephine. As I walked out of the center, I decided to let Father McGruddon run, since he showed no threat to me. In my suprise as well, bodies apeared in the hallways as they weren't visible before. Stepping over them I showed no sign of sympathy for all I wanted is to savew Josephine not them.
