The latch clicked over, and the August turned to about and glared at the bowman. “Why are we breaking into this tower again?” Even through the whisper you could hear the disgust in his tone. The bowman shrugged “We went over this already. A: We are broke and if we are successful in this adventure, it may line our pockets for months. B: The townspeople said this tower has been abandoned for years.” He said very matter of fact. August put away his tools and adjusted his armor a bit “Soooo we are robbing the place?” he started. Titus cut him off “No! Everyone knows that abandoned towers always attract a dark element. You know grave robbing necromancers, evil cults, other planar beings of malign nature, circus folk, power mad bandits and their ilk. So we sweep the tower make a little change, become local hero’s. Then we move onto the next job.” August face contorted in confusion. “How does walking through an empty building make us heroes?” he asked. Titus looked rather thoughtful as he began his retort but was cut short as August raised his hand. “Forget it I don’t want to know, let’s just get this over with.”
The two would be heroes moved into the tower. Swept the main floor found nothing until they breached the study. The sight was obviously one for dark magic, though empty, the site still filled the duo with dread. Weapons sprang into hands and they crept in. A circle was scribed into the floor. Several books had been used for fuel for a fire long since extinguished. August and Titus replaced their weapons and searched for clues. Titus found a journal on the desk. He beckoned August to his side. “Can you make anything of this Auggie?” August looked over the exposed pages but was careful not to touch. He shook his head “It is a language unfamiliar to me. But these characters are of religious font here. The one for blood, this one is darkness and the omen letter or soon will pass.” He stared hard at the book. Titus put a hand on his shoulder. “It’s gone, use the breast plate.” Augusts’ eyes welled up for a second, then he shook back the tears and threw back his tabard revealing an engraved face of a roaring Lion on his armor. “OS OF SANCTUS” he exclaimed the eyes of the engraving flared white for a moment. August flipped the book to the front binding and his lip curled in disgust as he saw the holy symbol. “Damnation” he snarled. “What is it, a spell book, oh wait an evil book that sucks in unsuspecting victims, or a book that grows big sharp teeth?” the bowman spewed from his mouth, eyes wide with wonder. August glared “Be serious! The book is neither magical in nature nor evil in itself. Whoever wrote the journal is a worshipper of Rallaster though.” Titus paused. “He is the deity of murder and torture?” August nodded. “Excellent!” Titus exclaimed as he threw the journal in his pack. August threw up his hands and left the room.
The rest of the tower yielded nothing until they started to the basement. Once past basement door and halfway down the stairs the door slammed shut. Ominous laughter wafted up from the darkness below. “Lovely” August sighed as he hung his head. Balefire torches sprung to life as they hit the ground floor bathing everything in a sickly green light. “Which one of you shall be my vassal when I take over your fleshly shell?” a gravelly voice boomed. There at the back of the room lay another circle of power and in its center stood a being well over 7 feet in a black cloak, and whose eyes glared red with hellfire. “I am the Strongman. I have been trapped in this basement for quite some time. This circle could not contain me but the conditions of my summoning were quite well inscribed. I could not shed the casters blood, could not use any of my magic, yet I needed physical body to leave this basement, but here I am whole. So who of you wishes to be my chosen? Is it you O fallen holy soldier. Stripped of you power by bureaucracy? Or you White Tower spawn?” Titus’ normal carefree demeanor changed to one of terror and anger. “What do you know of the cursed place?” Titus screamed, and quick as summer lightning fired two arrows. The Strongman dodged the first arrow and caught the second. He laughed before tossing it aside. “Nothing. Everything. Much more than you.” The being said coyly.
Again August exposed the Lion Shield. This time the breastplates eyes a blue light and Augusts’ own eyes flared the same topaz light. “Demon your time here ends! MORSUS ex UMBRA!” His war axe flared an angry blue as he charged hacking into the Strongman. The Demon screamed then projected to bolts of force taking both heroes off of their feet and pushed them into the wall. The Strongman summoned a wicked looking great axe that bled balefire. Titus’ bow thrummed pelting the demon with arrows. The Strongman ignored the archer as the arrows seemed to have little effect on the demon. August drew his short sword in addition to his war axe. They went from the blue light and shifted to a more gold hue. The “Fang and Claw” style in which August fought was awesome to watch. Titus even paused in his assault. The Strongman brought down a vicious overhand chop. August had to over extend to dodge it and then tried to counter much too soon. The Strongman caught him by his face and unleashed another force bolt. August screamed as he hit the floor. Titus was already searching for his other arrows. He had bought them off a gnomish priest. They were high density Seraphite (a metal particularly effective against undead and demons). Bad news, he only had two. The Strongman was advancing on August who just now getting to his feet. Titus took aim and fired both arrows at the same time. The arrows seemed to tear away at the Strongman’s being rather than wound him. The Strongman screamed in agony. Wheeled and charged Titus. Titus tried to draw his Falchion but fumbled the scabbard snap. The Strongman attacked with fury, arcing the axe in from out wide. Titus tried to block with his bow. The balefire axe crushed through the archer’s weapon and tore half his side off. “Say goodbye” the Strongman spat as he readied the deathblow. The last thing Titus saw was August’s glowing golden weapons exploding out the Strongman’s chest. The demon dissipated into motes of shadow, spitting blasphemous curses all the way. Then Titus’ world went black.