"Beyond this door is a circle connected to the darkest pits of the nether realm. It is VERY dangerous. I cannot stress that enough. Anyone who chooses to may enter and view what is to occur. However I must insist that a few rules be followed. Anyone who does not follow these rules risks thier life, not to mention thier soul and probably both mine and Sala's as well since I am directing the circle and she is closely linked to that which will be summoned. Now listen closely! One: No one is to cross or break the circle in any way. Two: No one is to touch ANYTHING AT ALL except the floor you will be standing upon and perhaps each other. No exceptions for any reason. Three: No one is to get within five feet of either me, Sala, or the circle at any point in time once the room is entered. And I don't care what happens. Four: No weapons in the room. I don't want anyone to get any funny ideas. Five: Do NOT talk unless directly spoken to. It will only distract me."
His eyes sweep the room once more, "No one has to go except for me and Sala. I will be in control at all times as long as these rules are obeyed. Those who wish may follow. Although I am not sure that there will be room for the horse. I will bar the door and begin the incantation in exactly five minutes." Nagard then walked up to Sala and took her gently by the hand motioning for Milara to wait in the sitting room. Together they walked into the summoning room.
Washed and refreashed, Kaa listened to Nagard's words with a hint of anger. "I tell lads and lasses, that man is scared. I am not going to let that lass be in there by herself with him." He removed his axe and harness and lay them on his pack. He also removed several pouches and produced daggers from a their hidden sheaths and lay them aside as well. Flexing his newly healed side, he strided purposefully into the summoning room.
Talonn listened quietly to Nagard. He looked to Talabrina for confirmation of the wizard's words. Deciding that it would cause more harm to argue, he stood from where he had been polishing his sword. He removed his sword belts and hidden daggers. Laying them along side his Harp Bow, he positioned them so that, if he had to, he could leave the room and quickly return armed. Talonn pulled out the leather cord and tied his hair back.
"This what we came here to do. Come hell or death, I will see this through." he said as he followed Kaa toward the room. He then mumbled under his breath, "If any harm comes to her by his actions, I will deliver him to the demon personally."
Granite followed the two into the other room, making no comment as he went.
Hammer leaned his War Hammer against the wall, next to Talonn's weapons. "There would be no Demon to deliver him to." Hammer then walked into the other room behind Granite.
Talabrina moved quickly in front of Kaa and Talonn with a grim expression on her face. "Now listen to me both of you. If Nagard is scared, then it is beacause he hath every right to be! No sane mortal deal with demons and is not afraid. I hath delt with demons afore myself and I tell you both now to heed his instuctions to the letter, lest ye but Lady Sala and all of us in great peril. I cannot stress how important this be." So saying Talabrina removes her swords, cloack and bracers and puts them in a neat pile beside Talonn's weapons. Then Talabrina smiles grimly. "Let's go and watch the entertainment for tonight shall we?" Then she looks to Muffy and motions the great cat to stay. Looking to Talonn she offers her arm to head into the room.
Talonn executed a bow and took Talabrina's arm in a courtly fashion. "I have heard this will be a stunning performance. I certainly hope this cast survives the first act."
Nagard nodded and watched the reaction of those entering after them. Around his neck was a large golden pentagram. He picked another one up from somewhere and placed it around Sala's neck saying in response to her questioing glance, "For what protection it can offer you, my dear."
After watching the door as the others walks through it, Ifreet looks down at his sword, closes his eyes, and with obvious difficulty, removes his sword and lays it on the ground. He then unwraps his sash and lays it over the sword. This done, he drops several knives and daggers, as well as a throwing ax that he must have great difficulty concealing, and enters the room.
Kaa entered the room and moved to stand as close to Sala as possible. He took great care in staying the prescribed distance from the circle. Planting his feet firmly apart, as if to say that no demon would move him from that spot, Kaa folded his arms across his broad chest. His beard bristled from the stern expression carved into his dwarven face.
Talonn's step faltered when he entered the room and saw Sala standing in her gown. He opened his mouth to protest her having to shed her clothes then realized that it was the same gown she had always worn. He turned his head when he realized that he was looking at her more closely than was proper.
He released Talabrina's arm and nodded his thanks. Staying close to the wall, he moved around the circle. When he was in a position that would allow him to leap between Sala and the statue of the door, he stopped. He felt awkward without his weapons and ill at ease with standing so far away from Sala. Talonn took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to relax. The swirling red of his eyes quickened to match his pulse. He lowered himself into a crouch and waited for the summoning to begin.
Nagard straightened himself up and started the incantation that he had memorized for the occasion. This was one of the harder ones he had attempted. The door they had deliverd ought to give him access to some of the more powerful demons. As he chanted the circle strted swirling with color and a wind came up making the candles dance. The middle of the circle grew murky and red, a bright sickly light emmanating from someplce purely unwholesome. He could feel the pull of the circle. He could feel something coming.
Granite stood still, next to the door. Apparently observing, but not moving or showing any reaction to what was happening.
The light from the circle continued to grow and expand. The wind continued to increase until it was almost howling. The flickering candles were soon snuffed out. Loose items were snatched from different places around the room and sent whirling around the spell circle. To those standing outside of the circle, it appeared that a tornado was being born at their feet. The sound of the vortex drowned Nagard's shouted chants and shook dust from the rafters. From the center of the whirlwind, the eerie light shifted and writhed.
Suddenly, the vortex tracing the spell circle exploded outward. The force rattled the very walls of the room and many items were overturned. The candle stands were knocked to the floor splashing wax in all directions. The stench of brimstone and rotting flesh emminated from within the circle. Standing in the center of the circle, surrounded by the hideous, etheral glow that now lit the room, was the Demon they had summoned.
The Demon stood ten paces tall and towered above the occupants of the room. The cloven hooves of its copper furred, goat-like legs were the size of a bear's head. The Demon's torso appeared almost human, despite its sickly yellow flesh tone. The similarities ended there as its chest easily spanned two paces and bat-like wings with jagged talons were folded behind it shoulders. The creatures arms hung well past its waist and looked not unlike a troll's limbs, green and brown scaled with talons for fingers and each the length of a dagger. The massive head was the unnatural combination of a jackle's snout, ram's horns, and the mane of a lion. The yellow, lidless eyes had pupils of flame and fell upon all in the room as the Demon looked around the circle. A scorpian's tail, with a barb the size of a man's leg, slowly rose above the Demon's head and poised to strike.
The Greater Demon, for it was apparent that this was no easily cowed lesser demon, lifted a hideous arm and pointed at Nagard. "Why hast thou trespassed upon our realm? You shall pay for your folly with your soul." The thunderous boom of the the Demon's voice shook the floor.
Hammer's muscles tensed at the arrival of the Demon, and it took all of his self-control to keep himself from flying into a rage and jump into the circle to do battle. Never had the urge been so strong, but never had Hammer seen a Demon before. It was in the legends of his people that his clan had stood beside the Thunderer and defeated an army of Demons. Is this the reason for his sudden rage? Or is he just terrified of the Demon, and that terror is feuling his battle rage. Hammer didn't like either question, or the answers that came to him. Who cares why it happens? You can beat the Demon. You can destroy it. You are the champion of clan Devil Dogs, surely this Demon will fall to your mighty prowess. Hammer clenched his jaw, but stood his ground.
Ifreet shows no reaction. As a matter of fact, as he doesn't seem to be noticing anything at all. After a slight frown when the demon first began to rise, Ifreet stopped focusing on anything in particular, instead looking past everything.
Talonn was still in his crouch when the force of the wind propelled him into the wall. He sat dazed for a moment but leapt to his feet when the demon spoke. The 'Rage' made its weak presence known and Talonn clenched his fists and drew strength from it. He concentrated on Nagard's and Talabrina's warnings and strained to stand his ground, even as Nagard drew the demon's attention to Sala. Every muscle and instinct screamed for him to act.
Kaa stood from the floor where he had dropped just before the wild wind had lashed out. He resumed the posture he had before the summoning and tried to keep one eye on the demon and the other on Hammer and Talonn. While he was as appauled by the sight of the demon as they were, he knew that the two of them were most likely to attempt an attack. Kaa allowed his gaze to take in the entire form of the demon. Unarmed as they were, their survival depended on magic alone, a fact that did nothing to ease Kaa's anxiety.
Granite had stayed unmoving throughout the summoning, apparently being too heavy to have been affected by the winds, and remained that way now, not even turning his head to center his gaze upon the demon.
The barbed tail slowly lowered to the floor as the Demon leaned forward to look closely at Sala and Nagard. The pupils of flame expanded until the yellow was nearly unseen. Suddenly, the Demon's mouth stretched into a feral snarl and allowed a glimpse of the razor edged fangs that lined his jaws. Then the Demon threw back his head and laughed. The sound of his laughter was more unnatural than his appearance and echoed eerily about the room. For the span of several heartbeats, the demon savored his laughter before looking at Nagard and speaking in a slightly quieter tone.
"Little mageling. I am not the one you called. Ten of your number have not the power to summon the likes of me. I came of my own accord for you have something that belongs demonkind.
She bears the mark of my Prince. She is marked as his pet and allowed to live her life for his amusement. Treat the elf girl well, mageling. We will have use of her soon."
It seemed that something was going wrong. The demon said that it was going to take Sala soon! Qki didn't want Sala to have to stay with the demon! But how could he help her? He didn't know anything about demons...
Outwardly Talabrina was as calm as though what was happening was nothing new to her and that everything would be fine. Inwardly she desperatly wished that Muffy was by her side, if anything did go wrong at least Muffy would be able to hurt the demon. That and she mentally prayed that Nagard had not made a single mistake in the summoning circle then they were all doomed. Still, Talabrina had to give Nagard credit for the demon was still blustering and that usually meant it hadn't found a way to break the circle, yet.
With her eyes alone Talabrina surveyed the others and looked at Talonn. She desperatly hoped he could keep his Rage under control. The she looked at Qki and outwardsly smiled and shook her head to signify that all was going well. Inwardly she felt icy tendrils of fear creep up her spine. If the little golem did anything at this moment that would be the end for them all.
The Demon chuckled once more and flexed his massive wings. Swishing his scorpian tail like a cat, the Demon stepped closer to the circle's outline. "Fear not, elf maid. Thou wilst be more than capable of meeting the needs of my Prince. Thou hast been groomed for it since thoust were born. Thou will serve long and well."
"Tell me, mageling. Have thou brought these others for protection or sacrifice? Quite a lot thou hast for company. Tainted Drow, Half breed wildling, a slant browed barbarian, a haughty man of the sands, an odd little creation of magic and, ..he he, cooking utensiles, a ruddy mountain carver, and an elemental of stone. Aye, quite a troop of oddities. Wilst they perform for my amusement before I take their souls?"
Talabrina smiled grimly at the demon when it called her "tainted". From the demon's point of veiw Talabrina suppused she would be considered tainted with goodness. Then Talabrina turned her attention to Sala and wondered as well what the demon Prince would want. Whatever it was, Talabrina was pretty sure she wouldn't like it.
"a slant browed barbarian"? The Demon tries to insult me? Hammer almost burst out into laughter, which resulted in his becoming more relaxed. No longer did he have to fight to keep himself from flying into a rage.
The Demon paced along the outline of the circle. He stopped before each member of the group and looked upon them with his unblinking eyes. When he returned to stand before Sala and Nagard, the Demon leaned forward until he was almost at their level. His foul breath assaulted them as he spoke.
"Elf, thou art to be the Prince's plaything, slave, consort, or dinner. The Prince's whim wilst be thy purpose. Were I to tell thee of His last plaything, thou wouldst go insane from the telling."
The Demon turned his attention to Nagard. The scorpian tail ceased its thrashing and slowly rose until it was again above the Demon's head. A single drop of poison, the size of a man's fist, appeared on the tip of the barb. It dangled there before succumbing to gravity and dropping to the floor. Within the span of a single breath, the drop dissolved the stone and dissappeared into the earth below.
"Mageling, what is this quest that thou dost refer to? What foolish plot hast thou involved my Prince's pet?"
Talonn felt his soul, both his true one and the one that was the 'Rage', quake inside him as the Demon stared into his eyes. The desire to leap into circle and tear at the Demon was almost overwhelming. He felt his resistance begin to waver and the muscles of his legs begin to tense. Suddenly, the Demon turned away and moved along the circle. Talonn stood disoriented and confused for a heartbeat before he shook his head and regained control. He stood shocked and amazed by what he had thought, nay, desperately wanted to do while the Demon looked into his eyes.
It was several more moments before he felt composed enough to look upon the Demon again. When he heard what fate Sala was to face, his first thought was to follow through with his desire and hope Sala would be able to escape. Talabrina's warning echoed through his head and he fought to restrain himself.
Kaa looked into the Demon's eyes. He had faced death in a hundred different forms and had not faltered. Yet, as the Demon's piercing stare bore into his skull, he felt fear that defied imagination. The despair spread through him like an assassin's poison. It penetrated every hair and seeped into the marrow of his bones. Kaa knew that with the next beat of his thick heart, he would collapse to the floor and cower for the rest of his life. The Demon walked away just as Kaa felt his knees begin to give and a tightness spread across his chest. Swallowing a grunt, Kaa summoned all of his strength to keep his knees locked and willed his heart to beat one more time. Then once more. Then once more.
The dwarf sucked in a deep breath through his nose as the fear that permiated him slowly disappeared. The sound of his blood rushing through his veins nearly drowned out the Demon's words to Sala. Kaa wished that it had deafened him so that he had not heard.
Ifreet's eyes meet the demon's, but he does not see the demon. The only signs that he still lives is the faint rise and fall of his chest as he breathes, and the flicker of his eyelids as he blinks. He does not seem to hear or see anything in the room.
When the Demon stopped before him, Hammer turned his gaze apon the eyes of the Demon. Instantly all laughter died within him, and Hammer knew what he felt was fear. Still, he returned the stare without blinking, and his hatred rose up like a flashflood. As the Demon turned from him to approach the next person, Hammer reached to his side for his War Hammer. But it wasn't there. He turned to look for it, and realized where it was, and most importantly, why. Silently he thanked The Thunderer that Nagard did not allow weapons inside this room, for he would have threw himself at the Demon without thinking. And possibly dooming them all.
Granite remained unmoving as the demon stared down at him, still not changing his position in the slightest. His expression remained the same as always, completely impassive. He may have been following the edict to not move around that was set down before the summoning, or he may have truly been as unimpressed by the demon as he seemed - there was no way to tell.
What were they getting into? Whatever it was that the demon had dropped onto the floor was certainly scary - it had eaten right through the floor! That was something to be worried about. And the demon seemed to be in control of the situation even though it stayed inside Nagard's circle. He darted a worried glance at Nagard, who didn't seem worried in the least. In fact, he was offering the demon their souls! Maybe Nagard wasn't quite as nice as the golem had originally thought...
Sometimes complete ignorance can be a good thing. When the demon cast its gaze upon Qki, the golem just looked back because he really had no idea just how dangerous the situation was. Even so, he was tremendously relieved when the thing looked away.
The Demon's laughter shook the rafters and trickles of dust, that had survived the whirlwind, trickled lazily down. The giant scorpian's tail lowered and renewed its thrashing. The Demon stepped back from the circle's edge swung his hand in an arc. "Thou and thine lot of faire performers seeks to make a deal?! A deal to deprive the Prince of Demonkind of his pet and plaything?! Ha, ha, ha. Thou art mad, little mageling. Ask thine tainted Drow, a bargain struck with Demonkind is to forfeit thine soul. Better all of thou should step into the circle and offer thouselves freely and forego this folly." The Demon's hideous laugh thundered throughout the room once more.
Suddenly, the Demon's cackling abruptly stopped. Silence rushed to the fill the void and made the room feel not unlike a tomb. The Demon moved back to the edge of the circle and crouched to get a closer look at Sala. "Is this elf wench worth such a price? Perhaps there art more about her than is known to us? Perhaps I should should take her now and end thine madness? Methinks..." The Demon jerked his head to the side as if someone had shouted. For several moments, he remained like this before his jackal's mouth drew back into another feral grin.
"My Prince hath spoken. He is amused by thou freakish band. A bargain we shalt make. Complete the task, and thy Prince will relinquish all claims to the elf maid. Fail in this, and I wilst come to claim her myself, immediately. Refuse the bargain, and she shalt live out her few remaining days in this realm....like this!"
The Demon make a quick gesture and snorted a puff of smoke from his huge nostrils. Instantly, Sala began to writhe upon the floor. The sounds of ripping flesh and cracking bones echoed through the room. Sala's legs began to flail about as her knees bent completely in the opposite direction. Her feet folded upon themselves, spilt to form three toes, and sprouted cracked and bleeding talons. When the thrashing stopped, Sala's shapely, humanoid legs were transformed into those not unlike a bird's, or a harpy's. The Demon bellowed out his mirth.
Talonn dropped to his knees. All of the strength left his body as he watched Sala's agony. Even the 'Rage' seemed to have its energy sapped by the hideous display. He stared blankly at the elf maid, devoid of emotion and comprehension.
Kaa dropped his head and clenched his fists. How could they have done this to that girl. She suffered for their foolish notion that they could do the impossible. She could have lived many seasons, with some semblance of normality, if they had not interfeared and and filled her head with their bluster and bravado. But not now, all because of them.
The dwarf's entire body shuddered as he struggled vainly to contain his sobbing.
Granite still remained motionless and expressionless, almost as if he hadn't been paying attention this whole time. What passed for his eyes gave no hint of what he was thinking.
Now Sala was changing again, but it didn't seem like this was her idea. Not knowing better, he stared defiantly up at the demon towering before him. How could this beast do such things to her?
The Demon stood to his full height and casually stepped back. He crossed his muscled arms across his chest and flexed his wings again. "Well, mageling. Here is where it doth get amusing. Thou gangly band of heros must give oaths to attempt this task before I tell thee of it. Makes things much more interesting, wouldst thou agree? If the tainted drow still possesses a spell of oath binding, thou may use it to complete the bargain. If she hath not the power or the spell, I will gladly place the geas upon thy troop."
The tail ceased its thrashing and dropped another acidic glob onto the floor in the center of the circle. The Demon leaned forward and snarled, "What is thy answer, mageling? I tire of all this chatter." A simple flick of his finger sent Sala convulsing upon about the floor once again. She was not transforming, simply writhing in pain for his pleasure.
Talonn clenched his fists. He summoned strength from every possible part of his being. Every memory, every nightmare, every hidden reserve of willpower that he kept hidden away to fight the 'Rage', he now fed to 'It'. Better to live the rest of his days under the yolk of the 'other' than to see Sala tortured like she was now. Slowly, he rose from the floor and raised his head to face the Demon. His eyes now had a light in them to rival the Demon's own.
Talonn stepped forward until he was barely a pace away from the circle. Talonn opened his mouth to swear his oath and curse the Demon. Just before the hate filled words cleared his throat, he raised his hand and pointed at the Demon. He stood in like this for a full breath before bringing his clenched fist down sharply to his chest and then drawing his thumb across his body. The ancient elvin oath of honor was followed by the assassin's code of vengeance. Talonn stepped back from the circle and glared at the Demon.
Kaa found the strength to move and not fall on his face. He walked across the room until he was beside Talonn. He turned and craned his neck to look the Demon in the eye. He lifted his arms before him and clasped his hands. He squeezed his hands so tightly that his knuckles turned white and muscles in his arms rippled. Kaa then unclasped his hands, let out a long breath, and bowed his head.
Kaa took his right fist and struck the palm of his left hand. His beard bristled as he twisted his fist as if grinding stone in his hand. His pledge to the cause was given along with the dwraven oath of revenge. Kaa crossed his arms across his chest and stood like the warrior he was.
Hammer stood, staring at what the Demon had done to Sala. After watching both Talonn and Kaa give their oaths, he knew he would do so also. He gathered his courage and strength, and stepped to their sides. He slowly squared his shoulders, and held his head high. Then he bellowed with pride "I am Hammer, son of chieften Eric, grandson of past chieften Dallian, greatgrandson of past chieften Beoclaw, of clan Devil Dogs. I will undertake your quest. This I say in witness by The Thunderer. As champion of Clan Devil Dogs, my oath can never be broken. And nether can the oaths of mine enemies. Any oathbreakers are forever enemies of the Clan." So saying, he folded his arms across his chest, and waited.
On the other side of the door to the main room a scratching could be heard as Pine tried in vain to get though, to stop the pain in his head that he knew came from Sala, to try to stop her pain.
Still seemingly out of focus, Ifreet closes his eyes, and you can almost feel it as he draws in his energy. He then gasps, flinging his eyes open wide, begins hacking and coughing, and spits up blood. Pushing himself up to look at the demon once more, he speaks softly and clearly. "I will perform this task under the condition that its success does not cause the destruction of an entire culture. I've already caused the obliteration of a civilization, and will not do so again without proper reasons. One person is not such. Under that condition, I will perform the task given." He seems to deflate slightly as he finishes speaking, going limp and allowing his eyelids and head to drop. He wipes the blood away from his face with a weak, slow motion.
Without hesitation, Talabrina steped up to the circle beside Talonn and the rest. "I remember the spell of oathbinding imp." Talabrina said with a hard edge in her voice. "I doth pledge with Eilistraee as my witness, that I shall attempt this quest with Lady Sala. I will cast the spell of oath binding as soon as all hath given thier pledge now leave Lady Sala alone."
Everyone was telling the demon they would do this thing for it. What was this "oathbinding" for? And Hammer was talking about oathbreakers...? Did that mean that someone said they would do one thing and really do another? How could this happen? "I'll do it," he said with some trepidation.
As each member of the group gave their pledge, the Demon's toothy grin widened and his chuckling grew louder. When Talabrina cast her spell, the Demon flinched slightly as her holy symbol cast its light. Once the light faded, he moved to stand before Talabrina. His snout wrinkled in disgust as he said, "The stink of thou taint sickens me, drow. I shall be there when thy kindred capture thee and deliver thou soul to our care. I look forward to slowly removing thee of thy foul goodness." With a dismissive gesture from his massive hand, Sala ceased her writhing. A reeking fog rose from the floor and surrounded her for several heartbeats before thinning and drifting apart. The noxious cloud vanished and revealed that Sala's legs were normal once more.
The Demon turned his back on the group and stepped to the center of the circle. When he turned to face them again, his hands were cupped before him. Steaming saliva dripped from his fangs as he surveyed the group. "The bargain is struck. To further bind thee to the purpose, I require that thou wear these." He opened his hands and dropped several gold rings to the floor, one for each member of the group. "Either place them on your hand or, for our Elemental friend and the walking scullery bin, simply touch them and they will transform so that thou can wear them. Once thou hast donned them, they remain on thy person until the task is completed or thou die. Should thou attempt to remove them or break thy oaths, I will be summoned by the rings and come for your soul."
"Now, for the task thou hast sworn to. I recognize thou assassin's oath, bastard elf. Tis good thou hast the experience, for that is thy task. I charge thou all with the assassination of the wizard known to all as Malick. Tis fortunate that thou hast yon tainted drow, for Malick is known by another name, the Lich King." The Demon's laughter boomed like thunder as he threw back his arms and unfolded his wings.
The putrid light that surrounded him brightened as the air began to stir. The shimmering outline of the circle began to waver as the wind returned. Dust and debris were once more swept up in the tempest and spun about the room. The outline of the circle began to move inward to the center as the wind velocity increased. The Demon stood calmly in the eye of the whirlwind and laughed. "Do not look so surprised, mageling. Did thoust truly believe that thou paltry power could contain a Demon Lord such as me? Heed my warning! Tramp no more upon the demon realm. For the next group that bargains with demonkind, may be set upon thee. A portal will appear upon this spot in the morning. Thy quest begins then." The light increased to blinding intensity before the room plunged into darkness and a crack of thunder shook the building.
The wind died immediately. Dust and soot settled to the floor. All that remained to mark the Demon's presence were the gold rings, each standing upright and spinning from the wind, and a cloth sack the size of a man's fist.