Michael saw the horsemen before they even had a chance.  The sun had set four hours ago, and he hadn't slept.  He hadn't needed sleep, it seemed, ever since Plinth.  And even though the night was moonless, Michael found he was able to see better than in the day.  The Stones were responsible, of course - there was no other explanation.  He hadn't used them since the fight against the demons in Plinth, and he hadn't needed to.  Still though, they were affecting him.  He knew it and he didn't care.  So long as he cold destroy Stinnett, he would bear it.
    And so Michael saw the horsemen approaching from quite a distance.  He knew their intentions - the Stones' work again, more likely than not.  They were Stinnett's patrol, out looking for anyone who might be sending reinforcements to Eltai.  Their instructions were to stop all traffic forcibly.  So Michael decided to take them before they could attack him.
    They were two feet away from where he was standing when he attacked.  They hadn't heard him, as he was silent.  And they hadn't seen him, as he could not be seen.  Michael's sword neatly cleaved the head from the lead horseman, killing him instantly.  The other two stopped, staring in shock.  The delay in action cost one his life.  The other dismounted and prepared to defend himself.  He could not, however, fight an enemy he could not see.  The warrior's sword ran the horseman through from behind.
    Slowly, Michael's form became visible among the carnage.  The horses had long fled, and Michael stood, staring down at the men whose lives he had taken.  It hadn't even been a fair fight.  The Stones had rendered him practically invincible, and he had cut down his enemies without even allowing them to defend themselves.
    He didn't care, he decided.  Sheathing his sword, he began walking in the direction of Eltai.  It didn't matter what he did anymore.  He simply had to get to Stinnett.

    Dabiri is finally reacting, Stinnett thinks, getting to his feet.
    "Dean, no!" the aged priest cries, reaching out toward his young apprentice.  Behind him, Stinnett can see two or three others, their eyes closed and hands clasped as their teacher's had been.  Stinnett smiles.
    Stinnett crosses the room faster than anyone present can react, and holds Dean up by the throat.  "Now you will recognize my power, priest!" the demon cries.
    Dean's eyes close and Stinnett's hold is suddenly released.  The boy falls to the ground with a sickening thud and does not move.  Stinnett whirls, trying to recover the fallen child so that he might finish him off, when he is knocked away again.
    Stinnett returns to his feet immediately, his eyes glaring death at Dabiri and his clerics.  He turns his gaze to a small woman kneeling next to Dean.  She screams and holds her hands to her head as blood pours from her ears.  A moment later, he is dead alongside her fellow cleric.
    "Arthur, take the others from this place!  Now!" Dabiri commands, not taking his gaze from Stinnett.
    One of the remaining clerics pushes the others out into the hallway and the door slams shut behind him.  But for the corpses in the room, Dabiri is once more alone with Stinnett.
    

    Dean and Rose's bodies stared up lifelessly at Dabiri.  His stare is leveled at Stinnett, the monster who had begun all this.  Father Dabiri did not know if his power was enough to stand against the demon.  He had but one hope left.  He closed his eyes and clasped his hands in front of him.

    Stinnett glares at the insolent priest.  Amazing!  Two of his disciples lay dead at his feet, and all the man does is pray!  Stinnett smiles.  Whatever this man is doing, it will not harm him.
    "Your power cannot hurt me." he says, just to make sure Dabiri knows.  "If the force that threw me aside is any example of what you are attempting now, than it would benefit you more to simply give up and save your energy.  I might even spare you."
    Dabiri says nothing, preferring instead to murmur behind his clasped hands.  Stinnett's irritation grows once more, and he yells out.  "Listen to me!  You are powerless against me!"

    Michael fell to the ground, pain wracking his entire body.  The Stones were burning into his hand.  What was going on?  He looked around but could see no threat to himself.  The entire field was empty - no more of Stinnett's scouts were around.  He turned his will to the stones, made them stop resisting whatever it was that was happening.  He'd use them when he thought there was a threat, and not a moment before.  The heat within slowly died, as though grudgingly.  Michael began to feel dizzy as his surroundings whirled.  The scenery melted, blending into something else.  Michael's will called toward the stones, but as soon as whatever had occurred to him had begun, it had ended.

    Stinnett feels it as Dabiri's eyes open.  The atmosphere is subtly different.  The priest did something, but Stinnett has no idea what.  The demon doesn't wait to find out, either - it's patience is gone.  It rushes forward, taking the priest by surprise and crushing his throat with his bare hands.  Stinnett watches as the Dabiri struggles in vain against him, smiles as Dabiri's choking words elicit no response, and laughs as the old man collapses, dead, on the ground.
    Stinnett turns and exits the room, moving down the hallway to the stairs.  The power of Dabiri's goddess radiates from above....  It is a power that will cause the end of this world, and a power he now intends to tap.  He moves quickly, as another consciousness begins to collide with his.  The Goddess is approaching.  He runs now, fleeing down the hallway as though for his own life.  His army is no longer his, the control it took him decades to establish has been torn away in a fleeting moment.  He is no match for the Goddess, just as Dabiri was no match for him.  Stinnett ascends the stairs, simply snuffing out the life of anyone who attempts to stand in his way, and opens the door where Dabiri's goddess is housed.
    He hears the music that he heard in spirit form.  The symphony that is the power of the Goddess.  It radiates from outside the castle, where Eve (How do I know her name?) is approaching rapidly.  It also radiates from the enshrined body before him.  Larrana Claire, the wizardress who had caused him so much trouble in the last universe.  He nearly smiles at this development.  It's amazing that she carried over, he thinks, but it has diminished her powers.  No matter, it will be enough.
    His eyes catch movement suddenly, and he finds himself face to face with Michael Morhaime.