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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Medriev" data-source="post: 4688347" data-attributes="member: 21864">Chapter 17 - The Howling Pillars (Part 3)The demon leapt at Enlishia but even as it did, she heard a roar from the pillar behind her and knew what was coming. Another of the crimson-skinned creature burst forth from the flesh there and leapt at the ranger. A claw lashed out and Enlishia ducked, the huge limb stirring her short hair as it passed over her head. The demon in front of her saw its chance and rushed at her, leading with its shoulder. The creature slammed into the ranger, driving the breath from her and forcing her back towards her other enemy. At the last, Enlishia ducked and twisted away to her right just as the demon behind her, reached out for her. She turned on the spot, put her back to the wall next to an archway that led eastward into the shrine chamber and let loose an arrow.The shaft drove into the leg of the closest demon but it was barely slowed and leapt towards her. Lavren raised his wand and uttered a curse, loosing a bolt of black, crackling, eldritch energy at the other demon. The blast struck the demon in the chest but it did not even falter. Instead it laughed, a terrible, menacing laugh that promised death to all it mocked. The two demons leapt forward together as Enlishia nocked another arrow to her bow and Lavren raised his sword. Then the pillars of flesh opened their mouths and disgorged streams of acid. A burst of acid struck Enlishia’s left arm and as pain seared up the limb, she screamed and fell back against the wall behind her. The demon to her left was upon her a moment later but his claw flailed wildly, striking the stone above her head. She had survived, she realised dimly through the dizzying pain of her wounded arm. The only question was for how long.A stream of acid struck Litiraan’s left arm as he raised it to protect himself and he fell back into the doorway as pain tore through him. Two streams struck the demon but it seemed to ignore the acid and roared as Erlmoor ducked one stream only to be hit by a second from the southern of the chamber’s two pillars. Erlmoor channeled the pain into rage and roared back the demon as the terrible, crimson-skinned creature rushed at him again. The creature lashed out with its left arm and the dragonborn ducked under the clawed hand that reached out for him. Beyond the pillar, Litiraan raised his shaking left arm despite the pain of the burned skin and flesh. He pointed his wand at the demon and uttered a spell that unleashed a curtain of flame to engulf the demon. As the fire burned the crimson-skin of the demon, Erlmoor leapt back and began to utter his own prayer. As the flames cleared and the demon began to roar his defiance he held his sword up with one hand and reached out with the other. Searing ribbons of light engulfed the demon and it screamed then in true pain as the divine power of Lathander touched its Abyss-spawned flesh. It turned its head and fixed Erlmoor with its piercing red eyes, promising a painful death to the dragonborn for the pain that he had inflicted.Telkya was still retreating towards Dulvarna when the mouths of the two flesh pillars in front of her opened and began to spray acid. More spayed from the pillar behind her and though she held up her arms to protect herself, it did her no good. The burning liquid seared into the flesh of her arms, splashed her face and tore into her back as the pillar behind her, close to where Dulvarna faught the ape-demon, vomited forth its own terrible bile. She looked up as tendrils of vapor rose from the flesh of her right cheek and drew some satisfaction from the fact that the demons before her were cringing and cowering themselves as the acid struck them. They roared in pain and as another roar joined them from behind her, Telkya knew that the ape-demon had been similarly wounded. She risked a glance over her shoulder and saw that Dulvarna’s right arm had been blackened and burned by the acid but the warrior woman was gritting her teeth and holding her sword up before her. Then another roar drew Telkya’s attention back to the demons she faced and grimly, despite the pain she felt, she raised her sword to defend herself.The demon from the left came first and leapt upon Telkya in a fierce fury, slapping her to the ground with its clawed hand and then plunging its fiercesome teeth into her arm as she tried to defend herself. Telkya heard her acid-burned arm break with a loud crack and cried out as more pain lanced up to her shoulder. Desperately she shuffled backwards along the floor as the second demon came forward and as it brought its clawed hands down, she leapt to her feet and beyond its reach. It lunged at her with its teeth, apparently sensing that she was badly hurt. Telkya was still quick enough, though, to leap back again and the demon’s teeth slammed into the wall as it was thrown off balance. Telkya’s voice sang out in a prayer to Corellon and as it reached a conclusion, her blade glowed brightly and she stabbed at the unbalanced demon. The blade drove into the creature’s side and it reared back while a glowing radiance enveloped Telkya and gave her back a small amount of her strength. She raised her voice in another healing prayer as she retreated towards Dulvarna and felt another sting of pain as the bone in her arm cracked back into place and began to knit back together. The pain of her burns began to fade and some strength returned to her. Dulvarna glanced over at her and Telkya smiled. The warrior woman smiled back and then turned back to her demon enemy.Dulvarna roared her own defiance and rushed at the ape-demon, her blade weaving back and forth in a dance to deceive the creature’s fiendish mind. As her blade moved left, Dulvarna suddenly darted right and brought Aecris with her, driving the greatsword into the demon’s hip. It staggered and fell back against the wall behind it. Dulvarna came forward after it and slashed out with her blade, cutting into the beast’s belly, leaving a deep and bleeding wound. The ape-demon roared in pain and anger and lashed out with a huge backhand that smashed Dulvarna hard into the wall of the archway. As she still gasped for breath, the demon came forward and smashed down with its other fist onto Dulvarna’s chest. Pain exploded through her body and she felt ribs crack beneath the huge blow. The demon roared its triumph and raised both fists for a killing blow. Dulvarna lay at its feet, helpless to prevent her own doom.</blockquote>

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