Chapter fourteenMy fingers undid the black silk fastenings of the robe. Slowly, I turned about. The figure advanced from the door. The lights illuminated a robe of red and black diagonal slashes, heavily adorned with golden ciphers. The hood was pulled forward over blackness. One hand grasped a large staff, wrapped in symbols but without skulls or bells. A distinct smell of rotting vegetation wafted from this apparition. The hoarse, mocking laugh echoed again. “You think to defile the sacred objects. Blasphemer! Pervert! Doomed of Dokerty!” I said nothing. He advanced further, menacingly. “Give yourself up — or prepare to die!” Abruptly, from absolutely nowhere, a Chulik fighting man jumped into view before me. His yellow tusks shone with gold. His shaven skull gleamed. His swords sn