Arctur flopped upon his bed and stared at the ceiling. Even though he was almost positive that no one saw him in front of the Courts, he was still worried. There were hundreds of people, and all it would take was one blabbermouth berk to expose him.

However, he had gotten the information he needed. His henchmen managed to play the part of Anarchist informants. He also knew the identity of the man all along. He fooled him blind so that he would know that he, Arctur Bonifest, would be the next factol of the Harmonium. And to boot, he had his henchmen order him to plant to bomb in the Courts so it would look like he was under fire from someone.

At this point all was according to plan. In less than a week, he estimated, he would have the entire city in his grip. He had always thought people were easy to fool, and this was the proof. He was so full of himself, he could barely fit in the room.

Then something entered his mind. He had forgotten a part of his plan, the most vital part. He jumped up from the bed and to the cabinets. He began to browse through them wildly, mumbling to himself. After turning his cabinet to shambles, he pulled out a small pin.

He stuffed the pin into his pocket and walked into the empty hallway. He crept slowly along, making sure no one heard him. He managed to almost get to the roof, when he heard a voice behind him: "Arctur!"

He spun around to see Lt. Barbithka standing behind him. His heart jumped and his body almost went with it. He stammered trying to look for words. "L..l..l..lieutenant! H, hello sir. How are you tonight?"

Barbithka raised his eyebrow and looked at him oddly. "Are you all right Arctur, you seem a little pale."

Arctur's face suddenly blushed with heat. "Yes sir. Just….going to the roof for…some fresh air. Yeah"

"Are you sure you are all right?"

Arctur nodded nervously. Barbithka turned around to leave, and bid him goodnight over his shoulder. Arctur tried to conceal the pin he had tucked in his pocket. Barbithka turned around one more time to look back at him then went on about his way.

Arctur fell against a wall and panted. He just barely managed to escape being caught by The Lieutenant, and then he would have been doomed for sure. But no matter. He did escape, and he had to hurry before someone else found him.

He silently crept up a narrow flight up stairs that led to the roof. After getting to the top, he looked around. The night-lights of the city were glowing. It was an usually clear night. He could see the Civic Festhall from here. It really is a sight to see Sigil at night. The lights rising into the sky on both sides and above. Arctur shook his head falling back out of his trance. He would have time to look later.

He walked along the walls for a time, wondering where it was. After a minute, he smelt the stench of death. He knew he was getting close. He kept looking on all sides, and while he wasn't looking, he ran into something rather awful. He stepped back for a moment to look at it. It was a partially decayed humanoid figure, maybe a month old. Bit of flesh were still on it's skull, being eaten my maggots. It was Sarin's assassin.

Arctur took the small pin form his pocket and looked for a piece of cloth that was still on the body. He probed the body disdainfully, getting dead skin and meat all over his hands. He had to use all his strength not to vomit. His hand finally found something that resembled a pocket, and he quickly stuffed the pin inside.

He stumbled away from the dead thing and fell to his knees. He closed his eyes and felt sick to his stomach. It wasn't just the sight of the decayed body that bothered him, but the horrid sight caused a vision in his head. A vision that, thought he could not recognize it, was simply dark, horrid and evil…

First, came the sight of a dark room. His vision was blurred at first, but then cleared. There were 5 men in clerical robes, though it was not holy. There was a dark thing about it. He could hear noises of fighting and bloodshed, though there was none going on in the room, from what he could see.

In the front of the room stood a long altar, seemingly made of something that looked like a cross between smoky quartz and obsidian. Draped over it were pieces of black clothes with strange runes woven into them. At the bottom was what had to be a legend of some sort. It was written in an ancient and indecipherable tongue. On the cloth were three items. A rapier with an odd looking pommel that resembled a bearded man with horns, a glowing piece of crystal that seems to heavily radiate strong magic on an unknown type, and he gave a mental gasp at the third item.

It was a gold and platinum trimmed plaque. On it was engraved a ring broken by three circles. Inside the ring was a strange starburst. Three smaller circles broke the ring itself with small sigils engraved in them. His vision involuntarily zoomed in on them. Inside each of the circles was the sigils of three factions: that of the Fraternity of Order, the Mercykillers, and the Harmonium.

Suddenly a rift appeared over the altar and dark black, swirling clouds came forth. The three items were taken into the rift and tumbled through the dark clouds. The sword first glowed with an eerie light, then the light faded into the clouds in a stream of energy. The sword then began to shake violently and suddenly shattered, the pieces scattered about the cloud. The crystal glowed with a deep blue light, which also was sucked into the cloud and swirled about. And then the plaque was raised up to the top of the cloud, and it suddenly began shifting into the shape of a crown.

After the plaque was transformed, the swirling energies began to join in the center of the clouds, being collected by the crystal. Then the shattered pieces of the sword began to mold around the crystal, covering it with melted steel and gold.

Then the most horrifying part of all came. The mass in the center began to expand into a shape. It continued expanding until the form resembled a humanoid shape. The crown then floated down to what had to be the head of the thing. As soon as it came down upon its head, it took a solid shape.

The shape was truly horrid. It was a decaying, filthy thing, covered in tattered clothes and a rotting cape. It was withered and old, with a laugh that pierced at Arctur's very soul. Then the thing opened its eyes, and he found that one was missing. The remaining eye, which seemed yellow and catlike in nature, seemed to stare right at Arctur, and an evil grin came across its face…

Then Arctur's vision vanished like a bad dream. He opened his eyes at looked around at the city lights. He looked up and saw the Civic Festhall staring right back at him. He fell over and gasped for air. What he saw had to have been his conscience at work, trying to stop him from completing his plan. But it was too late now. He was in far too deep to admit what he has done. What could happen anyway? His plan was perfect. Nothing could go wrong.

He stood up and walked back over to the stairs. Nothing would go wrong, he assured himself. Nothing.

The day had arrived. From up on the roof, Arctur could see people dancing in the streets for joy. After nearly 3 weeks of chaos all over the city, order would finally be restored. He looked back at the council atop the roof. The Lieutenant, along with his advisors and the Factols Hashkar and Mallin and his daughter, Kelsia were all there. Kelsia was young, about 16, and very sprightly for her age. She had this beaming smile, but somehow it showed that it was forced. The chant was she isn't very big on politics, but she is forced into the thick of it because her father is a factol.

Seeing no other seats, Arctur casually sat in the chair next to Kelsia. He gave her a brief smile and put his face in his hands, the memory of his vision still firmly planted in his mind. Kelsia looked at him in a concerned fashion. "Are you ok?" she said.

"I'm, I'm just fine, thanks." Arctur mumbled. Mallin looked over at him quickly then went back to looking over the crowd.

Kelsia narrowed her eyes at him. "No you're not. You're lying," she said. He sighed, remembering the annoying power the Red Death has, that detect lie thing.

He grumbled and said, "I am just a little nervous. It's the big moment, after all. We are standing on the brink on a new era. All that's left to do is jump in and enjoy it, if you want to."

Kelsia looked at him oddly, "Do you know something I don't?" she asked quizzically.

"All will be made known in short order, dear. Just sit back, and watch the show."

The cheering ceaselessly continued from the crowd below. A sea of humanity, or whatever other life forms also, left Arctur gazing at them. He knew that soon, he would change all of their lives, forever. They couldn't comprehend how things would change, how he would change things.

Moments later, the electoral council chairman approached the pedestal. It took him a minute or two in order to silence the masses before him, but when they finally got silent, the excitement in his voice was plain to everyone.

"Fellow citizens of The City of Doors," he started, "this day shall be rejoiced for many a year to come. For today, we shall anoint the new leader of the Harmonium faction, and shall be appointed to the office of Captain of the Guard.

"Ever since Sarin's death 3 weeks ago, everyone in the Harmonium was deeply saddened by the tragic murder of our former great factol. The electoral council could barely function, we were so grief stricken. But now, our work is done. We have considered all the options, and have made the decision that would produce the highest mutual benefit for all Cagers. We have chosen a new leader that will carry the torch, lit by our Great Founder and received from Sarin, on to the great Golden Age of peace and harmony.

"But now, the moment is upon us, fellow citizens. It is time to restore order back to our great city, and we firmly believe we have chosen the man who will do it. Ladies and Gentlemen of Sigil, I present to you at this time, the new Factol of the Harmonium……

"Lieutenant Captain Barbithka!"

The cheering came in almost like the rush of a tidal wave as everyone on the roof gasped aloud; except Barbithka, who was so filled with excitement he couldn't speak, and Arctur, who concealed a devilish smile with his hand.

"Approach the stand, Barbithka," commanded the chairman.

Barbithka stood up slowly. He was visibly shaking from excitement. He took very slow and gaunt steps toward the podium. As he walked, he looked over the cheering mass. He stopped for a moment, smiled nervously and waved. He was so overwhelmed, the he continued to smile and wave wildly for several minutes. Then the councilman got tired of waiting, and dragged him over to the podium. Barbithka didn't look away from the crowd for a second. His gaze was seemingly locked on the people below.

The chairman produced a large book from his robe and held it in his left hand, while raising his right. Barbithka's hand continued to wave. The chairman slapped him in the side of the head to try to awake him. He placed his left hand on the book, and raised his right, trying to hide a gigantic smile.

"Lt. Barbithka," began the chairman, "will you willfully and to the best of your ability, serve and defend the people of Sigil, the City of Doors; all laws and regulations set forth by the government of Sigil, the City of Doors; and the values and morals set forth in the tome of The Harmonium Law?

Trying not to shout, Barbithka replied in a small tone of voice, "I do."

"If any man has just cause as to why this man shall not be the Captain of the Guard, let him speak now, or he shall forever hold his piece."

A silence befell the crowd. But suddenly, Arctur stood and proclaimed loudly, "I have just cause as to why he should not be the Captain of the Guard: This man constructed and executed willingly and maliciously, a scheme to muscle his way into power, which included scheming the murder of Factol Sarin, and have the evidence to prove as such."

Everyone froze in place, if not in time.