Post by Monday
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Story book))
“Greetings, mortals. I… am Vas’karaz.”
Elsoris released an arrow at the dreadlord, cutting off anything else he might have said. With a sneer, the demon whacked the arrow aside with inhuman swiftness. “Please,” he rumbled. “Did you expect to hurt me with such a puny weapon?
Elsoris smiled. “No, merely distract you.” The dreadlord’s eyes widened, and he spun around, to see Gorgron’s hammer slam into his face with an audible crack. Vas’karaz stumbled backward, and Gorgron thrust his other hand forward. A burst of lightning flashed through the air between them, followed by a deafening roar.
The dreadlord was blown off the cliff. Gorgron walked over to the edge of the cliff and looked down, holding a small burst of fire in one hand, but nothing was there.
Avery strode over to the orc, seemingly unconcerned with neither the noxious gasses nor the fact that a highly dangerous demon might still be around. As he approached the end of the cliff, he stopped and crouched down, looking over the edge.
And took a bat to the face.
Reeling backward in shock, the priest fell over on his back, and several bats flew over the cliff, reforming into Vas’karaz, who strode forward, standing over the dazed priest. Picking him up, Vas’karaz glared for a moment, then dropped him, unharmed.
“Hear me out, mortals. I don’t want to fight you.” Gorgron’s eyebrows lowered as he took a step forward, fire now crackling dangerously on his hand. “You don’t want to fight us? Filth. Everyone knows anyone of the Legion is a liar.”
Vas’karaz placed a hand over his heart, mocking pain. “I’m hurt, Gorgron, that you would think so.” Avery stood shakily, the drop having hurt him as well, and said, “Anyone knows that. Unless the truth hurts them more.”
Vas’laraz’s face split into a mockery of a grin. “Well, you have me there. But I insist, I don’t wish to fight. The Lords want this world for the Well of Eternity. You think that we’d let some horror from the ‘Dark Below’,” he said the last words with no small amount of scorn, “Take this world and destroy it? No! That’s where you come in. I’m supposed to stop them, and you want to stop them. Thus, we unite and stop them!”
Korsin shook his head. “No deal, dreadlord,” he replied, “Count me a fool if I’d trust ye.” Gorgron’s face split into a full out snarl, his lips lifting away from his teeth. “The Elements were right not to trust you, scum.”
Vas’karaz frowned. “Now, don’t let your ideals turn this into something rash, mortals,” he cautioned, flexing his hand.
“Too late!” said Korsin, and slammed a hand on the fire button. All the guns on Black Walker started to track the demon, and opened fire. Vas’karaz’s face set in a calm, cold state, which any warrior worth his salt would be afraid of, and jumped to the side, putting Avery between himself and Black Walker.
Korsin toggled the guns off, but not fast enough to stop them from sending several rounds the priest’s way. Avery merely waved a hand, and the bullets stopped a foot in front of him, held back by a golden shield.
Gorgron took a step forward and sent a wave of fire at the dreadlord, who dodged to the side, faster than the shaman thought possible. Waving a hand, Gorgron buffeted the dreadlord away before the demon could act.
Elsoris jumped off of the walker and lifted his sword, slicing at the demon, who dodged. Vas’karaz, without any change to his calm countenance, sliced the elf’s stomach open, dropping his intestines to the floor. Elsoris fell to his knees, and collapsed to the side. So much pain flooded his system that it went into shutdown, stopping him from even thinking, much less screaming. Poison flowed through the gash in his suit, adding to his pain.
Vas’karaz turned to confront the Shaman, who had loosed another burst of fire. The Dreadlord waved it away. “Please. Such things cannot hurt me,” he said, smiling as he batted away a lightning bolt.
Please, I need your strength! Such a being is too mighty for me! thought Gorgron frantically. He felt a surge of strength flow into him, and grinning, he lifted both hands into the air.
The stone rose up, trapping the dreadlord in place, and twin bursts of lightning flashed from Gorgron’s hand, striking the dreadlord in the face. Crying out, the dreadlord started to disintegrate. “You haven’t seen the last of me, nor the last of my clichés!” he said, and morphed into a swarm of bats, which started to fly into the air.
Avery ran to the downed mercenary and lifted a sacred icon above him, murmuring to the Light. Grimacing, he lifted the elf’s guts and placed them inside his abdomen. They rearranged themselves to their correct position as the Light flowed into them, and then the skin and flesh resealed itself.
The elf started to scream then, with the last vestiges of pain left in him. Lifting him gently, as if he was no more than a child, the priest carried Elsoris back into the walker. Gorgron walked over to the stone, still lifted in a shape of a cylinder, with the imprint of the dreadlord left where he’d been trapped, and fell to his knees, giving thanks to the Elements.
He felt a warm consciousness flow over him, along with what felt to be a harried and cold, but also gentle consciousness blow over him. “Fire and Air,” he murmured. Another, deep and steady, settled over him. “And Earth,” he amended. “I thank you for your aid in defeating such an unnatural blight over this world.”
We were glad to help a faithful such as you, Gorgron. Be warned, your actions may have lasting repercussions on this world however…Gorgron nodded. “I know. I would rather this world be damned, then saved in debt to twisted beings such as the Legion.” With a last pressure on his mind, the Elements faded from him, and he stood. Walking over to a panel, he flipped a switch, and the vents far above opened. Light flowed into the cavern, exposing the discolored rock and splashed of blood, and the gas rose through the vents, dispersing.
“The vents have been opened!” he called. Korsin nodded and waved the Shaman over, and the orc jogged into the walker. Korsin climbed in after them. “Very well,” he said, “It’s time to shut the portal.”