Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Medriev" data-source="post: 4707774" data-attributes="member: 21864">Chapter 19 - Tides of Blood (Part 3)Dulvarna pushed off the bottom of the blood pool and rose to her feet, spitting out a mouthful of the crimson liquid as she did so. She glanced left towards the platform in the centre of the chamber, looked towards Erlmoor and nodded, and then darted left towards the place that she hoped would be their salvation. The demon lashed out as she fled but she ducked under the blow and struggled through the crimson liquid towards the central platform.Enlishia nocked an arrow to her bow and leaned around the corner, taking careful aim at the nearest statue. After a moment she let the arrow fly and as she had planned, the shaft drove into the body of the minotaur stature and shattered, sending splinters into the intricate mechanisms that drove it. There was a grinding sound as the statue turned again and Enlishia nocked another two arrows to her bow before letting fly. The two shafts separated as they flew and drove into the shoulders of the statue. Another grinding sound came from the statue and then it stopped, its scourge falling loosely into the blood pool between Dulvarna and Erlmoor. Litiraan and Lavren looked back and smiled at the ranger and as she pulled herself to her feet in the blood pool, Telkya nodded her thanks.“Destroy the other statue,” Dulvarna called out from close to the middle ledge. “It’s our only chance.”Telkya turned away from the statue and waded towards the central set of steps that led up to the middle ledge. Erlmoor roared his own response and breathed acid on the demon in front of him before turning away after Dulvarna and Telkya. A claw lashed across his back but he paid it no mind as he surged towards the steps with the elf maid. He heard the demon roar its own defiance and surge after Dulvarna. The dragonborn opened his mouth to shout a warning but the demon was too quick and it leapt on Dulvarna before she had a chance to turn. The warrior woman fell forward and she and the demon splashed into the blood pool as a mess of flailing limbs.On the middle platform, Litiraan made a decision and began one of his most powerful spells. As the words reached their conclusion, a glowing orange ball of flame flew forth from his hand and crossed the blood pool towards the statue. The construct lashed out with its scourge in each direction mindlessly, unaware of the fire that was coming for it. The fireball exploded against the statue’s belly and tore off a hunk of metal that splashed into the blood pool. Beneath, the mechanism that turned the intricate trap was exposed and the flames seared the gears and cogs too. Still, the statue turned and lashed out with its scourge as though it had barely been touched. Suddenly, a  roar came from the blood pool beneath the centre platform and Litiraan looked down. From the pool, two demons were emerging and making for the steps before them, one close to the northern end of the platform and the other close to the southern end. Beside Litiraan, Lavren saw the new threat at the same time as Litiraan and raised his left hand to level his wand at the demon. With an uttered curse, he sent black, crackling energy towards the demon but the blast flew wide and the demon growled up at the two elves in response.Dulvarna pushed off the bottom of the blood pool and pulled her feet underneath her before pushing off again more fiercely and throwing the demon back into the blood behind her. She emerged from beneath the surface and dived forward towards the centre platform only for the demon to recover its footing and grab at her. Claws tore down her back but she escaped the creature’s terrible grasp and grabbed the edge of the platform. With an effort that seemed to take the last of her strength, she hauled herself up onto the centre platform and lay there, gasping for breath and hoping that the demon would not follow her too quickly. She heard the scourge of the second statue crack out and she flinched but she was beyond its reach. Slowly, she pushed herself to her feet and raised her sword, ready to meet her enemy beyond the poisonous blood pool.</blockquote>

Verification