“I know the decision is a hard one,” the old man said encouragingly, “but there really is no choice in the matter. Only the Pit of Death can save you now. I doubt you even have the strength to ascend the stairs. Sign the contract.”

Vand stared at the contract, his mind refusing to comprehend the words written upon it. Finally he scrawled his name on the contract and shoved it into the old man’s hands.

“What happens next?” asked the priest.

“I cannot say,” smiled the old man as he led the priest around the corner of the cave and into a short corridor with a door at the end of it. “You enter through this door. That is all that I can tell you. Go quickly while you are still able to walk.”

The old man opened the door and held it. Vand peered into the dark space beyond and saw only an extremely small room, barely large enough for a person to stand it.

“What foolishness is this?” scowled Vand. “You want me to stand in a closet?”

“You cannot comprehend it yet,” assured the old man. “Enter it quickly.”

Vand thought about grabbing the old man and squeezing the life out of him, but he knew that he was too weak to even attempt it. Obediently, the priest walked into the closet, and the old man immediately shut the door.

Vand stood in the darkness waiting for something to happen, but nothing happened. His rage grew by the second as he realized that he had just been tricked out of his belongings. Suddenly, fear coursed though the priest’s body as he realized that the contract was only valid if he died. Fearful of the thought that the old man had locked him in the closet to die, Vand’s hand shot out to open the door. The door opened easily, and Vand sighed with relief. The relief lasted only a second.