Knave looked around the pyramid. Mumm-Ra had not deigned to emerge from his sarcophagus yet and he preferred not to think about where Vampi-Ra was. "I’ve brought your book!" he shouted, "and I’ve taken my revenge on Alluro." The lid to the coffin opened slowly and the demon priest stepped out. "I knew you would, and I detect that you’ve even brought me a gift," Mumm-Ra said. Knave opened his little sack and discovered that he’d accidentally left the figurine of Alluro in the bag with the tome, he’d intended to destroy it.

"I didn’t mean to," began Knave.

"You intrigue me Knave of clan Iespyk. Come with me, I have a proposition for you that I don’t think you will be able to resist," Mumm-Ra said.

Knave stood in the sandy dunes with Mumm-Ra. He despised being there. It was too warm for his ice Lunatak blood. Nonetheless, the demon priest was one to listen to and if he asked for a moment of time then by all means Knave was willing to listen.

"When I first heard of your existence, I was intrigued. A child born from two opposing factions. I wonder how you would have turned out living on Thundera. I began to keep an eye on you, watched you grow into the man you are today. And yet, despite all your growth, I see a hidden potential in you. You, much like all your brethren, possess abilities far beyond your wildest imaginings," Mumm-Ra said.

"Get to the point sorcerer," Knave said.

Mumm-Ra would have smiled, had he lips to do so with, the boy was impetuous and easily manipulated. "Very well. Both of us have a common enemy, though for different reasons. Vampi-Ra. You hate her for almost killing your sister and for trying to control you. I hate her because she represents a threat to my power. However, the Ancient Spirits of Evil forbid me from harming her, directly," he said.

"You want me to kill her for you?" Knave asked.

"Yes, but not without some reward for you. I will train you in the sorcerous arts. Teach you those abilities you will need to defeat her, and give you a weapon fitting your new status," Mumm-Ra said.

"I will admit that you’ve got my interest. But it will take more than promises of power to make me fall on bended knee. If you’re looking for someone who will be your lackey you’ve got the wrong guy," Knave said.

"What if I told you that I could send you and Chilla back to the ice moon," Mumm-Ra said.

"You’re bluffing," Knave growled.

"Am I? It happens that I am very close. But my power has been cut back due to Vampi-Ra’s emergence. If she were gone, I would have access to more power and might be able to send the two of you home. Observe," Mumm-Ra said, plucking memories from Knave’s mind and opening a tiny window.

"That’s my old home, just as I remember it. It hasn’t changed much!" Knave exclaimed.

"Do you still doubt me? That’s as large as I can make the portal, and only for a limited period of time," Mumm-Ra said. Knave bowed his head and fell to one knee.

"Then, from this day forth, I will call you master, so long as you send Chilla and I home," he said. Mumm-Ra placed his skeletal hand on Knave’s shoulder. "Arise, my pupil. Your training will begin today," he said.

An aperture to a pocket dimension opened. "This dimension is easier to reach than your home one. Few know of its existence. Here time stands still. In theory you could stay in here a million years and not one second would pass on Third Earth," Mumm-Ra said, entering the portal and ushering Knave inside.

Although to those outside it seemed that Knave had entered and exited he had, in fact, spent over thirty years honing his fighting skills and learning magic. He seemed older, though of course he hadn’t aged. In his hand an icepick hummed and glowed with brilliant white light. This weapon had been enchanted by Knave himself. With it he could store energy, either his own personal energy or that which could be found in snow and ice, and use it to heal himself to a degree at a later date. When thrust inside a victim he could also release a blast of cold air that could paralyze the body from within. When applied to the skin of a vampire it acted much like sunlight would.

"Knave Iespyk. I rename you Knave Iespyk Vampire Bane, for you shall be the bane of vampires wherever you should encounter them," Mumm-Ra said, tapping either side of the Lunatak’s head with his weapon. Knave took the weapon back and sheathed it in a scabbard of steel, decorated with velvet.

"No vampire will be safe so long as there is breath in my lungs with which I can freeze them," Knave said.

"Remember that now your breath is not your only weapon," Mumm-Ra said, "you must rely also on your spells and your icepick."

The air around the pair was disturbed by a portal opening. "Now, before you can deal with Vampi-Ra you must prove yourself by dealing with another vampire. I have taught you all I could and you are now on your own. All I can tell you is that somewhere in this realm is one vampire of relatively little power. Kill him and you will be ready for further training," Mumm-Ra said.

This was certainly a strange dimension that Knave had just entered. He appeared to be in some sort of town. In the distance was a large gothic castle. Knave laughed to himself and grabbed a villager. "I seek vampires. Where is one?" He demanded. The prisoner, babbling in broken French, said he didn’t know. Knave tossed him aside and figured that the easiest thing to do would be to go directly to the castle.

"Halt. None may pass without Count Jean DeTraville’s permission," one of the two guards at the gate said.

"I don’t think we would let him in anyway. Look at that blue skin and black spots. Surely the man bears some plague," the second said.

"I carry not a plague, though you are right to be concerned, for I spell your death!" Knave said, covering both men in a coat of ice. He slid them back into their booths and continued into the courtyard.

The next set of guards fared little better than their companions. Knave plunged his icepick through the chest of one and bashed the head of the other. "This is pathetic," he thought, "surely Mumm-Ra could have found me some other test for my skills." Two guards, mounted, began firing bows at him. "Time to try out my magic," Knave thought, sending twin bolts of lightning through the men, killing them instantly.

"That’s far enough!" The captain of the guard said, as he brought his thirty men before the intruder.

"This is such a waste of human life. Then again, it is only human life. Even Tug Mug could defeat the likes of you," spat Knave.

"I do not know who you, or this Tug Mug are, but you will not go further," the captain said, leveling his sword at Knave.

"Are you truly that stupid? I froze two of your companions, killed another two with my icepick, and called lightning to kill two more. Do you really want to find out what else I can do?" Knave asked.

"Your powers are no doubt wrought from Satan, but we are agents of God, and nothing can stand in our way," the captain said.

"What need have I of God when I can dispose of your horses with but a thought?" Knave said, gesturing with his left hand. Instantly the ten mounted men, including the captain, were horseless. The soldiers, now seeing Knave’s power first hand, began to wonder about the wisdom of fighting him.

"Care for another display?" Knave asked.

"Magic is no match for steel," the captain shouted.

Knave laughed, but he could not allow this man to mock him. He avoided the initial attack and rolled behind the man. A quick slice severed the man’s leg muscles. "I will let you watch as I kill each of these brave men. As they can see I have blocked the entrance," Knave said, indicating the block of steel that sat in front of the gate. True to his word Knave killed each man in turn in a variety of methods. Sometimes he’d freeze the man and shatter him like a crystal vase, other times he’d summon lightning. If he was feeling generous, he would plunge his icepick through the person’s heart. Finally Knave held the still beating heart of the last soldier over the weeping captain. "I’m going to let you live, so you can remember what happens to those who dare attack a Lunatak," Knave said, dropping the heart onto the man’s face. He dispelled the illusion of the steel slab.

"No. Please kill me. I don’t want to live with the painful memories," the captain pleaded.

"That’s the whole idea. And just to make sure you don’t try to end it yourself any time soon, I’ll freeze you to the wall. By the way, I wouldn’t open my eyes," Knave said thrusting the guard against the wall. Involuntarily the captain looked and saw the thirty-two corpses littering the courtyard. He let out an inhuman scream.

Count Jean DeTraville was dimly aware that his cellar door was opening. His coffin lid swung open and he stepped out. A blue skinned man holding a torch and an icepick was making his way down the stairs. "What is the meaning of this?" the Count asked, "Who dares disturb my slumber?"

"I do. Knave Iespyk Vampire Bane, and I have come to destroy you," Knave replied.

"Many have made similar attempts and found themselves with neat little holes in their necks," Count Jean replied.

"I think you will find my blood quite unappetizing," Knave remarked, "it’s a nasty shade of purple."

"Ah, variety. How I love it. I guess today I find out if purple blood tastes better than the traditional red," Count Jean said.

Knave pondered his move. Vampires were said to have many weaknesses: sunlight, garlic, mirrors, running water, the sign of the cross. He didn’t have any of these things but he did possess a weapon that was designed to slay vampires. He came up with an idea. Creating multiple versions of himself he had the various versions spread out and encircle the Count. Before the vampire could attack himself and the illusions began running around him at high speeds. They stopped and readied their icepicks, each one ordered to aim at a different height, and threw them. Count Jean was dead, an icepick through his back. He crumbled into so much dust.

Far away Mumm-Ra smiled. Knave had proven an effective fighter. He had slain a vampire and massacred thirty soldiers. Little did the crossbreed know that Mumm-Ra had no intentions of sending him back to Plundarr, with or without Chilla. During his training Mumm-Ra had woven a spell deep into Knave’s subconscious mind that would allow the demon priest to tear all of Knave’s magical knowledge from his brain if needed. The fool thought he had the upper hand, but he was wrong.

Knave spat on the ash on the floor and retrieved his weapon. As per his agreement with Mumm-Ra he returned to the location where he had arrived, finally killing the captain on the way, and was whisked back to Third Earth.

"You did well Knave," Mumm-Ra said.

"My thanks. I couldn’t have succeeded without your training," Knave replied.

"Save your thanks for after Vampi-Ra’s death. For without that my gift to you is worthless," Mumm-Ra said.

"As you wish," Knave replied.

"How did you find your mission?" Mumm-Ra asked, suspecting the answer.

"Far too easy. One simple illusion was all it took," replied Knave.

"And so, you would like to test your mettle against a much more powerful opponent? Another vampire, perhaps?" Mumm-Ra asked.

"I would. Anything to prepare me for the fight that is yet to come. You need only to name the undead creature and he shall be destroyed," Knave replied.

"Very well. I shall give you that which you request. This next man will prove more difficult. His name is Tenebrous. You will require some research before you fight him, so that you know what it is you will face, his likely attacks etcetera. Take this crystal. Through it you will be able to watch him in his daily life. It will also show you moments from his past during which he was forced into combat situations," Mumm-Ra said. Knave took the crystal and returned to Skytomb just in time for his shift.

"Where’ve you been all day?" Alluro asked.

"Why don’t you throw yourself off of Skytomb?" Knave replied.

"Excuse me for asking," Alluro said.

Chilla ran up to Knave. "That was unnecessary. Alluro was merely voicing the question we’ve all been wondering. After you left for Skytomb you didn’t come back," she said.

"I’m sorry. Mumm-Ra needed some help elsewhere and asked me to do it. I agreed and have been fighting all day. I just need some rest," Knave said.

"Something’s different about him. He seems older," Alluro said, as Knave disappeared down the halls.

"I’d sure like to find out what," Chilla replied.

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