Episode 35
(Demon + Elf = Death)
Quarion endured a buffeting from the unseen enemy and nearly succumbed to the wounds. The rogue’s companions rushed to his aid and blindly struck at the whirling force. Luka moved up quickly to one side and yelled, “The Magnificent Luka AlQueme casts Lightning Bolt!” The electrical arch went forth and danced on the enemy.
Gjord leveled a heavy blow against the whirlwind force that seemed to slow it down. Hilde moved forward and succored Quarion.
A sudden calm came over the battlefield. “It is gone. We must search quickly,” Luka announced. A short time later Quarion, now healed, discovered a trapdoor in the mound. Following a search for traps the rogue opened the stone portal and revealed a stairway leading down into the darkness.
“Now, the Magnificent Luka AlQueme shall lead,” Luka led the group down a set of stone stairs. A very long corridor stretched out before the group.
Luka motioned for the group to halt behind him and pulled a vial from his belt. Quickly quaffing the liquid, his feet slowly lifted from the hall floor. He began moving silently on the air before the rest of the adventurers.
“Cute trick,” Gerhardt admitted to Hilde.
“Levitation,” Hilde replied.
Luka followed the long corridor until it reached an intersection. He quickly traveled both hallways and found three doors. He returned to the party. Just as he reached the adventurers his feet glided down to the earth. “The Magnificent Luka AlQueme has found two main passageways – one ends in a collapse, the other has promise. Follow me.”
Slowly the party inched their way around the complex coming to the first door. Quarion walked forward to check the door for traps. “No wait!” Luka shouted.
“What?” Quarion answered.
“The runes, look,” AlQueme warned.
Now Quarion could see what Luka was talking about, the door was covered in all sorts of strange runes. “What does it say?” the elf asked.
“It is a warning,” Luka answered.
“It is a code of some sort,” Hilde offered after murmuring a small prayer of transcription.
“Yes, the door requires a password or some sort of rite to pass,” Luka offered.
Quarion began inspecting the door for traps. “It may have magical runes, but I guarantee you the door itself is not trapped.”
“I remember the last guarantee you gave out like that,” Gerhardt began. “I believe the next thing that happened involved a spear trap shooting through your gut.” The fighter could not help himself but to give a little chuckle at the recollection.
“The Magnificent Luka AlQueme has confidence in your abilities fair Quarion, however, caution is highly advised.”
Gerhardt walked to the front and pushed Luka out of the way. “Just to show ya’ there are no hard feelings Ears,” [BAM] Gerhardt’s boot slammed into the doorway knocking it open. For an instant, the torchlight from Gerhardt’s sconce lit the room. The chamber was full of shelves, chests, bags, and boxes. Just as suddenly the chamber went pitch black. Gerhardt’s light seemed to extinguish at the portal. “Whoa,” the fighter mumbled and stepped back.
“Magical darkness,” Hilde announced.
“Indeed,” Luka agreed. “Do you have anything to counter it?”
“I can try,” Hilde gave a brief chant that lit a silver coin like a candle. She tossed the lighted coin into the room and Gerhardt’s torchlight penetrated the room once more. “It will not last forever.”
Quarion ducked into the room and discovered the creator of the darkness. A skinny creature with black skin pulled so tightly over its features that it appeared to be skeletal held a foul looking mace before him. The thing smelled of intense death and decay and seemed to be oozing blood from the pores of its body.
The elf hesitated and the thing sniffed the air, as though trying to taste its foes fear. The détente lasted a millisecond as the foul creature unleashed an attack that nearly knocked the elf down.
Gerhardt and Luka rushed in. Gerhardt attempted his signature move of rushing past the enemy, but the red-slimed monster hit the fighter with a sharp blow. Luka shot a magic missile into the beast that at least appeared to harm it. Gjord followed the pair and landed a solid blow with his mace. The mace coated in red liquid began melting.
“Not my magic skull mace!” Gjord cried like a spoiled toddler backing away from the melee.
“Hilde get in here and turn this thing!” Gerhardt screamed.
Hilde was ahead of the fighter’s command and already had her holy symbol of Opheria out and began the words of holiness, “Through the will and might of the Goddess I rebuke thee!”
The creature just turned and smiled.
“It’s a demon,” Luka yelled and shot his bow at the fiend. “Not Undead.”
Gerhardt plunged his weapon into the beast and watched in horror as the red ichor began to eat at the metal. “Forget this!” he yelled and began backing away as Gjord had.
Quarion stood resolutely and attacked again. His dagger hit home and was immediately melted away by the acid blood.
The weakened demon struck with the hell fury of Hades at the elf. Twin blows from the beast had the Quarion reeling, and a final vicious bite from the demon tore the elf’s throat out. Quarion was dead before he hit the floor.
“You mother!” Gerhardt screamed. “You just killed the only elf worth drinking with!” Disregarding his precious weapon’s safety he struck a mighty blow knocking the demon to one knee.
Gjord followed with a flashing long sword that decapitated the demon, spilling the red acid all over. Gjord’s sword was dissolved nearly instantaneously.
Hilde fell to her knees in grief. Gerhardt cursed loudly and kicked at the ground. Gjord slowly moved over to the elf and forced his eyes shut and straightened his neck to a more natural position. Luka bowed his head.
“Can your temple raise him?” Gerhardt asked Hilde.
“I don’t know,” Hilde admitted. “Quarion was not a devout believer.”
“This is your fault,” Gerhardt pointed an accusing finger at Luka.
“Last time I checked the blame rested squarely on the shoulders of an acid-blooded demon,” Luka coolly responded.
“He’s right Gerhardt,” Hilde soothed, “Quarion always understood the risks.”
“We may as well haul this stuff out of here,” Gjord stated bitterly.
“Is it worth anything?” Gerhardt asked.
“Thousands,” Luka replied. “Some of it has aged poorly, but there are enough alchemical components here to fuel a lab for years.”
“Well, at least he did not die in vain,” Gerhardt reflected.
“Dying for money is dying in vain, Gerhardt,” Hilded chided.
“Hey sister, you worship your gods, I’ll worship mine,” Gerhardt snapped.
To be continued…
. That's one of the major reasons I bought the compound bow - new minimum of 4 damage.
