Shadows writhed and flickered on the walls as the five characters sat huddled around the low table. A single candle, standing in a pool of melted wax in the center of the table was the sole source of light in the room. Beside the candle was a round cloth of black velvet and on it, almost invisible in the dim light, was a card.

"Well, " It was Katarina who finally broke the silence, "only one card left, and I think this one has our name written all over it".

"Where?" asked Nibonai, squinting and bending closer to the table to get a better look, "I don’t see anything".

"No, you dim witted barmy, " Galdriel turned to the confused dwarf, "she means that we should draw this one together, right?"

"Exactly!"

After a short debate they agreed they would draw the last card together (though it took a while to convince Durtiz he deserves it as much as the rest of them). Each of them put his hand on the back of the black card and slowly, they turned it over. For a long time they stared puzzled at the card, for they had no idea what it meant. In the center of it a circle was drawn, divided into twelve sections - a Zodiac. Suddenly, the card seemed to come to life. The Zodiac began to turn, and as it did, a breeze blew in through the doorway. The candle's flame flickered wildly but did not go out. There was a bright flash and then all was quiet.

Queen Nibonai was the first one to open her eyes. She was lying on the floor of the small room. The first rays of daylight broke through the window and she could make out the figures of the rest of the party scattered about on the floor. One by one, all the members of the Covenant woke up.

Durtiz was the first one to notice that something was wrong. He could not tell what it was, but something was definitely wrong.

Several hours later the Covenant entered the mansion of Steig Von Helmar. An eerie silence hung about the deserted entrance hall. The companions walked slowly, weapons drawn, looking at the cobweb-covered walls and furniture. The floor creaked as the stepped through the room. They paused for a moment, the sound did not. With a growl, two skeletal warriors rushed in through an opening in the wall. Galdriel turned to fend them off, but her moves were slow and awkward. Her trusted longsword felt unnatural in her hand. She barely managed to block a blow that was aimed at her hand, but the force of it tore her sword from her hand and sent it crashing to the floor. At that moment, she heard a cry behind her "Hear me, tortured souls, and do my bidding!". It was the black dwarf, her holy symbol held tight in her outstretched hand. For a moment the warriors paused, then both charged at Nibonai. "Be gone, evil fiends!" This time it was Krisnia, trying to summon her Goddess to expel the undead. They did not seem to notice her. Picking up her sword, Galdriel ran to help the startled dwarf.

"That's it!" she cried "Now I'll send you to where you came from!". Once again, she dropped her sword, but this time it was from surprise. The skeletons turned toward her, bowed, and calmly left the room. No one spoke for a few minutes until finally Katarina broke the silence.

"That was weird!" she said to Galdriel "I had no idea you had such power over undead!"

"I don't. Like Durtiez said back at 'Chirper's', something here is very wrong. When I fought those things, it felt very strange, almost as if it was not me fighting them".

"Krisnia, " Kat spoke again "you're a priestess, maybe your power can give us a hint as to what's going on?"

"I'll try" Kris seemed somewhat doubtful "but I'm not sure Sune would answer me. I did not feel her power when I tried to turn those foul creatures". Krisnia closed her eyes and started chanting. Then something happened that left them all with their mouths open wide in pure shock. Around Krisnia's head appeared a purple glow. Suddenly Krisnia's face twitched in disgust.

"What is that smell?" she cried "Gees, Galdriel, you really need a bath!"

"What is all that? I don't like it!" Nibonai sealed her words by spitting on the floor.

"Well, " Durtiz, who was silent until now, finally spoke, "isn't this ironic. It looks like that Zodiac card jumbled up all of our powers. Galdriel got Nib's control of undead, Krisnia got my mental skill, and only the lady knows what else has happened".

"No!" (*spit*) "you're wrong! I'll summon my spirits and prove it to you!" Nibonai started chanting, throwing black powder and bone fragments in the air. A sudden breeze blew the dust in Durtiz's face, sending him reeling in a fit of sneezing. When he got up, he turned to Nibonai, who was spitting furiously and cursing at the uselessness of her actions.

"Queen" he said "when you are angry you are more beautiful then the dark morbid sky over the fiery pits of Gehena. You are like the crow returning from the battlefield bearing news of its master's death".

He pulled out his lute and began to sing a macabre ballad of the marvel who is Queen Nibonai. And as he sang, a black rose appeared in thin air before her. With every stroke of the cords, another rose appeared. Soon, Nibonai was surrounded by a floating garden of black roses.

"I guess now we know who got my illusions" Kat grinned "but I must say, he really doesn't deserve it. Now there's just one thing left. Wait here a moment".

Kat merrily skipped and hopped her way to the other room. The sound of battle lasted only moments, then Kat returned, kicking the head of one of the skeletons.