The Hanged Man knelt in the presence of his master.

Technically, the direct role of master would fall to the vampire responsible for the Hanged Man's own ascension, although that individual was long dead. However, the being the Hanged Man was showing obedience and fealty towards was no vampire, nor was he even human, despite the form he now wore.

No, he was something far more powerful and dangerous. He was the founder, ruler, and master of the organization known as Stoneclutch. If there was a god of greed, this entity would be his prophet, messiah, and avatar.

Carefully keeping his eyes glued to the ground, the Hanged Man said, "I thank you for coming to see us, my master. You honor me beyond all measure by gracing us with your presence. I only wish that I'd known you were coming so that I might prepare a proper welcome."

A voice rang in the vampire's mind, filled with power, pride, and arrogance, proclaiming, -YOU WERE NOT MEANT TO KNOW. YOUR IGNORANCE WAS BY MY DESIGN. RAISE YOUR HEAD. LOOK AT ME.-

The Hanged Man lifted his head and looked upon his master. The being was human-sized and seemed to be cloaked and hooded in a red leather robe. Anyone who knew what he truly was would have known that those were anything but clothing. However, the most striking feature was his eyes, which burned red as the pits of hell in the dark depths of the entity's 'hood', the slitted pupils betraying the master's reptilian nature.

With a gesture of his head, the master summoned one of his attendants who carried a heavy, bloodied sack. The attendant, a lithe and strikingly beautiful woman, emptied the bag in front of the vampire, revealing over a dozen severed heads.

-SPIES THAT WE ALLOWED TO INFILTRATE YOUR NUMBERS AFTER YOU FAILED TO IDENTIFY THEM FOR WHAT THEY WERE,- the master explained.

-IT SUITED MY DESIGN THAT THEY REPORTED YOUR ACTIONS TO THE KING, INCLUDING YOUR ALLIANCE WITH THE MIDNIGHT WITCH. THE KING'S SPYMASTER IS FORMIDABLE, BUT NOT OMNISCIENT. HIS AGENTS HAVE REPORTED THAT WHICH WE WANTED HIM TO KNOW. JUST AS THE KING AND HIS SERVANTS MISLED YOU AS TO THEIR FEIGNED IGNORANCE OF YOUR OPERATIONS, WE MISLED THEM AS TO OUR TRUE INTENTIONS AND OUR AIM. ALL IS NOW READY. THE KING THINKS THAT HIS FORCES ARE FULLY PREPARED AND WILL WIPE US OUT. THEY THINK WE DESIRE ONLY RANSOM AND CHAOS, AND BRING ONLY A MODERATE FORCE.-

-INSTEAD, THEY WILL SEE THE TRUE POWER OF THE STONECLUTCH. TOMORROW NIGHT, WE WILL BRING AN END TO THE KING AND THE PEERAGE. WE SEVER THE HEAD OF THE BEAST AND ANY WHO MIGHT TAKE POWER IN HIS ABSENCE. HIS HEIR IS NEITHER OLD ENOUGH, INFLUENTIAL ENOUGH, NOR WISE ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO HOLD THE KINGDOM TOGETHER. THOSE MEMBERS OF THE PEERAGE WHO REMAIN WILL LACK THE POWER OR INFLUENCE TO EASILY TAKE THE THRONE, AS WILL THE LESSER NOBLES.-

-THE ARISTOCRACY WILL PLUNGE THE KINGDOM INTO CIVIL WAR OVER WHO BECOMES RULER OF THIS FEEBLE KINGDOM. THE COMMONERS WILL RISE IN REVOLT RATHER THAN BE DRAGGED INTO A WAR BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN UNWORTHY OF RULING THE KINGDOM AND WHO TREAT THE COMMON CLASS AS DIRT BENEATH THEIR FEET. THE KINGDOM WILL ERUPT INTO BEAUTIFUL, PROFITABLE CHAOS.-

It stung to know that his master had not only implemented a plan that revolved around the Hanged Man's ignorance and inability to ferret out spies within his portion of the organization but had been proven right to do so. He had failed his master, and the reason for the visit was to personally punish the Hanged Man for that failure. The only reason why he still lived, such as could be said for a vampire, was because his incompetence had proven useful.

The vampire knelt lower, dropping his forehead to the floor in an act of absolute abasement, and begged, "Please forgive your most humble and incompetent servant for being so useless that you had to plan around his inadequacies, rather than his capabilities."

There was a long silence as the female attendant stepped forward. There was the sound of a weapon being drawn, followed by the pinprick of a silver weapon's point being placed against the back of the vampire's skull. Despite the fiery pain the weapon caused, he dared not move, even as the smell of his own sizzling flesh reached his nostrils. After nearly a minute of agony, the pain relented as the weapon was withdrawn.

Before the vampire could draw a breath of relief, the master's foot came down on his back with the force of a battering ram, knocking the vampire prone on the ground, and pinning him with enough force that bones creaked and snapped under the strain. Despite seeming to be only the size of a human foot, the weight upon the vampire's back felt as though it could easily be measure in tonnes. As the master slowly crushed the vampire beneath his heel, the mighty being spoke again.

-YOUR ABASEMENT PLEASES ME, BUT DO NOT MISTAKE THAT AS FORGIVENESS. WHILE YOUR COMPETENCE IS LACKING,- the ancient red dragon admitted, -LOYALTY AND OBEDIENCE ARE IN RARE SUPPLY THESE DAYS. I SHALL ALLOW YOU TO CONTINUE SERVING ME, IF ONLY BECAUSE YOU ARE STILL USEFUL AND IT WOULD BE TOO TROUBLESOME TO REPLACE YOU BEFORE SUCH A CRITICAL OPERATION.-

-FULFILL YOUR ROLE IN TOMORROW'S OPERATIONS WITHOUT FAIL. OTHERWISE, YOU WILL BEG AND PLEAD FOR THE MERCY OF A SWIFT DEATH, ONLY TO FIND MY EARS DEAF TO YOUR CRIES. THERE ARE A GREAT MANY WAYS TO HARM A VAMPIRE, EVEN ONE OF YOUR CAPABILITIES, AND I KNOW OF ALL OF THEM, INCLUDING THE ONES WHICH WILL HURT THE MOST.-

The Hanged Man could not speak, between his heart, lungs, and ribs having been crushed, but his weak coughs and pitiable whimpers seemed to appease the master.

-YOUR ROLE WILL BE SIMPLE,- the master instructed. -THE COMMONER KNOWN AS LILY ARVENSDAUGHTER DISCOVERED A TREASURE TROVE WITHIN THE LABYRINTH. SHE WILL REVEAL THAT INFORMATION TO THE KING, BUT THE ROYAL FOOL WILL NOT BE QUICK TO ACT ON THAT INFORMATION GIVEN OUR IMMINENT ASSAULT.-

-WE NEED THE KING AND THE PEERAGE DEAD, BUT WHILE A COMMONER SET TO INHERIT AN EMPTY TITLE IS OF LITTLE CONCERN TO OUR PLANS, THE TREASURES WITHIN THE CHAMBER MAY PROVE TO BE IMMENSELY PROFITABLE. WHEN THE ATTACK BEGINS, YOU WILL TAKE A DOZEN OF YOUR UNDERLINGS TO GO AND FIND HER, TO COLLECT THE INFORMATION WE DESIRE BY WHATEVER MEANS PROVE NECESSARY.-

-AFTERWARDS, IT MATTERS NOT IF SHE LIVES OR DIES. ONCE THE KNOWLEDGE IS YOURS, TAKE YOUR MINIONS, MAKE HASTE TO THE LABYRINTH, AND COLLECT THE TREASURES SHE FOUND. THE WARDS UPON THOSE ITEMS SHOULD MEAN NOTHING TO AN UNDEAD OF YOUR POTENCY. SUCCEED IN THIS, AND YOU WILL NOT ONLY BE FORGIVEN, BUT REWARDED. FAIL, AND EVEN THE DEMON KINGS OF ALL THE HELLS WILL STAND IN SILENT AWE OF THE AGONY THAT AWAITS YOU.-

Finally, the master withdrew his foot. After his injuries healed, the Hanged Man whimpered, "It shall be done, master. I swear it."