Vigilant - Chapter Four (PG-13)

He was not at all pleased and those around him cowered in fear. How did this happen? His long black robes seemed alive as he paced the floor of his chamber. Odd shapes shifted under the dark cloth. Mephran looked part reptile, part insect, and a bit humanoid. What he allowed you to see was four limbs and a head, but a sick feeling deep inside your stomach told you he was not revealing all of himself.

The room resembled a large cave with rubbery, pulsing walls in place of stone. In every niche could be seen some type of repulsive creature following Mephran with its glare. The walls were writhing with mutated life forms waiting anxiously for their master to react to the news carried to him by his spies. Mephran was the embodiment of malevolence and in the dull red glow of the voluminous room his face looked like evil itself. He stopped suddenly and spoke to the ceiling high above.

"Tell me something, Segriath. What do you think will happen to our plans if Vigilant returns to Aeddonea?

From the shadows emerged as grotesque a creature as can be imagined. Segriath had what appeared to be the head and torso of a man with eight long, fleshy limbs like that of a spider. His many eyes glowed sickly green as he descended on something resembling tendons adorned with ribbons of muscle and skin. Segriath lowered himself to the floor next to his master. A horrible grin spread across his impossibly wide mouth. "We won't be able to take over the planet called Earth, and you will be most unhappy?"

"Correct, old friend," Mephran affirmed. A look of dread flashed across Segriath's horrid visage.

"What would you have me do, Master?"

"Stop what has been put in motion by that meddling sorcerer, Tarthiun," Mephran spit through clenched teeth. "Gather the Horde at once!"