Dark Armor: The Governor's Mansion

It only grew worse as he neared the governor's mansion. The statues here crowded the streets, blocking his way and frustrating his attempts to approach quietly. At last he gave up and raised his left gauntlet and called the burst of flame to its palm. He held it while it flared, then flared again into a burning green ball the size of Pallian's head. 

He loosed it, and watched as smashed through a line of statues, carving him a path to the door of the mansion. 

Slow, sardonic clapping filled the street. 

The Black Knight looked up and beheld a slim, pale figure standing on a balcony. It wore unfamiliar robes in a light, draping style and there was something curiously gray about its skin; its left eye was pure white, and as the helm focused in on it he realized that it was marble. 

"You have murdered my people, the people of Edrias," said the High Magister. She was suddenly standing on the corner of a building, across from and slightly above the balcony the Emissary had chosen. How she'd gotten there, Pallian had no idea. 

He started forward, since he'd need to either enter the building or climb up its face to reach his quarry. There was no point in waiting; this was only going to end one way. He triggered the flame again, letting it build. 

The Emissary sneered. "I have rendered judgement upon a city which presumed to keep the Spear of the First hidden from its rightful bearer." 

"My lands," said the High Magister, "are not yours to judge."

Pallian raised his arm, anticipating what was coming next. 

He was only partly correct. The High Magister gestured, and shining bands of golden light formed around the Emissary, who cried: "You dare?" 

Something moved in the room behind the balcony, a faint shadow that was barely visible even in the helm's enhanced perceptions, and a moment later the Emissary threw back its head and shrieked. 

Oh, well played. Pallian grinned appreciatively inside the helm. The High Magister had known that the Wizard-King would use the Black Knight to lead the attack on the Emissary, and had used him as a distraction while the Shadow of Edrias positioned itself for the true attack. For a moment he dared hope that they'd be able to finish the Emissary before it could react. 

Then the cobbled street rumbled and shook beneath his feet, tilting statues as a column of stone rose up beneath the balcony, the top of it spreading out into a sort of horrible flower that curled around the Emissary and then began to reach down toward him from above. With the helm, Pallian could see it prying at the golden bands. 

He loosed the ball of fire, the dark armor's own personal siege engine, and the stone column shattered; but by then it was too late. The Emissary remained floating in the air, and with a gesture sent a wave of rubble through the room behind him, where the Shadow of Edrias had been. "Pathetic creatures," it said. 

A bolt of lightning flared up around it, impossibly bright and loud, but was held at bay by some unseen bubble that surrounded the floating Emissary. "Such reckless audacity you have, to violate the flesh of the Second. For such a crime, I will execute every living thing here." He paused, and an arrow skipped off the bubble surrounding him. "Kill them."

That was when the statues came to life.