Directly ahead was a macabre structure apparently constructed from the rib bones of giant beasts.  The bones stood nearly fourteen feet tall and arched gracefully to form a dome of sorts.  Gahl touched the wolf's head talisman around his neck and prayed to his grandfathers that all would be well.  The only answer to his prayer was a gust of wind that picked up bone dust and sent it in a white spray around him.  He shivered in the wind, even through it was not cold, and made his way into the dome.  The moon shone overhead like a beacon, sending down cold, white light. 

"Great Spirits of both land and sea, I am here." He said to the empty air.

For a moment there was nothing, he was just about to speak again before he heard a clotted voice that seemed to come from everywhere at once.

"Who… are you?"

"I am Gahl, son of Halak, heir to the name of Greytalon.  Who, in the name of all the Fathers, are you?"

"I… we… are the dark… cold ones…"

Gahl took his battle stance, preparing his soul for combat.  A dirty wind whipped around the dome, creating a whirlwind of white bone dust.  Many bones were being sucked into the miniature tornado, and Gahl could see inhuman eyes peering from the winds of the storm.

"By the might of the Wolf and the roar of the Lion, I demand you depart this place."

"Little warrior… so presumptuous… so arrogant…"

The winds were dying back down, and Gahl could see the bones combining to form skeletal warriors.  They were all around him, their jaws clicking together to create a hellish cacophony.  Some bore swords and axes, others were dressing in full battle plate, and on some Gahl could see totem-sigils from old Barbarian tribes like his.  One of the skeletons, still being formed, bore huge wings that looked like they could shred flesh easily.  This one was taller than the others, standing nearly three feet taller than Gahl himself.

"I am prepared to fight and die, thing of Hell."

"Do you know… what I am?"

"No, and I do not care, you die tonight."

"I am known as the Shadowdrinker… a lord of the infernal realms.  I am the steward of this place… I am your doom, Gahl of the Greytalon."

"Then fight me and die."

The other skeletons began to advance towards him, brandishing their rusted weapons.  Gahl swung his axe into the first, causing it to crumble into uneasy bone meal.  With a back swing he caught another, his axe's head going through its ribs and shattering its spine.  Then they were on him, swinging their weapons relentlessly, cutting him in several places.  With a fierce sideswipe he crushed three of them, sending them hurtling back into four others.  Now only six more were standing, and four of them were trying to get behind him.  The Shadowdrinker merely stood and watched the melee, his skeletal face showing no emotion whatsoever. 

"Afraid to participate?" Gahl screamed as he sent his axe through a skeleton's skull.

"Only amused…" the demon answered.

One of the skeletons sunk a scimitar into the muscle of his arm, causing him to drop his axe.  They took the opportunity to rush him and did, but with a hefty kick Gahl managed to get two of them out of his way.  He lifted the one who had stabbed him off the ground and broke him in two over his knee.  The last two stopped in their tracks for a moment, as if trying to muster the courage to attack him.  Gahl took the moment to put a foot under his axe and kick it into the air.  He caught it and in one fluid motion sent it hurtling into one of the last skeletons, busting it into fragments.  The other ran towards him but he ducked and rolled as it swung, catching it in the legs and knocking it down.  He stood up and crushed the skeleton's skull under his boot.

"Well, well, well…" the Shadowdrinker said mockingly.

Gahl stooped down and picked up his axe, gazing into the glowing sockets that served as the creature's eyes.

"Just you and me now."

"It would appear so… you fight valiantly, Barbarian… you will make an excellent servant."

"Don't count on it."

Gahl ran towards the Shadowdrinker with his axe poised for a devastating strike.  The Shadowdrinker just stood there, in the same posture it had held for the entire battle.  Gahl swung his axe into the Shadowdrinker's ribs, but when the axe met the bone it simply stopped there as if the skeleton were made of solid steel.

"Is that all?"

The thing backhanded Gahl, sending him flying across the area of dome and into one of the huge ribs that made it, causing it to fall backwards.  Gahl collapsed there for a moment as a tremendous pain flooded his entire body. 

"Poor, poor human…"

With a savage cry Gahl threw his axe at the skeleton, but it simply glanced off and fell before it.  The Shadowdrinker paused for a moment to pick the axe up; he gave it a cursory glance, then embedded it three inches into one of the thick ribs of the dome.  Gahl slowly got to his feet, leaning against the rib for support.

"It looks like it ends here for you… you have been… good sport, Barbarian."

"I'm not finished yet, Shadowdrinker."

"Oh… and what will you do?"

Gahl stepped towards the Shadowdrinker, his steps wavering like those of a drunken man.  The demon did nothing, already secure in its victory.  With a quick motion Gahl reached down to his belt and pulled off a small vial, which he threw at the Shadowdrinker.  The vial exploded into a noxious green mist, obscuring the demon's vision momentarily.