[Actual RP date: 25 May 1999.]

Zoltan has managed to get the part as Eustace's understudy, for the latter's play – a rip-off of the story of Francisco and Amaranth, though with precious little attention given to facts. Qing, meanwhile, has gotten in as the cue-card holder, so he can be ready to help thwart an expected attack by Amaranth, the undead Kitsune. Envoy is up in one of the private booths, observing, accompanied by Brother Azrael, an Arch-Inquisitor of the Temple.

The play seems about to start normally, but Zoltan has secretly invited both Inquisitrix Vindicta and Mage Kelsey von Kabril – persons whom Eustace has been seeing, supposedly without the others' knowledge. Eustace is aghast when he learns that both of them are present … but he's even more affected by a spell cast by Qing at that moment, which causes him to lose consciousness entirely. Zoltan takes this opportunity to put Eustace in his dressing room, and step in as his replacement.

The play seems to start normally enough, until a chandelier comes crashing down, nearly killing the lead actress, Jazmine – It would have, save for the speedy intervention of Zoltan, who whisks her out of the way in the nick of time. In the face of this disaster, there is much confusion, and Qing orders an evacuation, as he fires off several spells to try to trap Amaranth and protect against her powers.

Soon, it is evident that Amaranth has some "cultists" serving her … and that both Eustace and Maza have been abducted. Zoltan engages in battle with the cultists, while Qing uses his magic to try to deal with Amaranth … and panicked audience members try to escape the building. Qing uses a spell to overcome Amaranth's powers, so that the doors can open again, at which point the crowd stampedes out, and the battle between Zoltan and the cultists rages in earnest, while Envoy watches and thinks cynical thoughts.

At last, Amaranth herself appears, and she "resurrects" some of the fallen cultists to go after Qing … but Qing's magic circle seems able to ward them, and Envoy leads them elsewhere as a distraction. Zoltan battles Amaranth, and at last slays her, while Envoy saves Eustace from falling to his death. Zoltan is badly wounded in the encounter, however, and Qing warns that Zoltan's wounds may be infected.

The body of Amaranth quickly decays, but the head, separated from the body, seems to still be intact. Envoy goes to investigate, finding a strange organ – the "Black Heart" – in the exposed neck stem. She touches it, and it attacks her … prompting Zoltan to destroy the organ with his gun-blade. Qing is disappointed, wishing to have this organ for further study, but Zoltan is not keen on the idea of this creature finding another host.