[Demon's Hand] Chapter 5: Fighting Goblins

[Nagard]

The room Nagard had entered was a stereotypical mage's study with pentagram on the floor and books on over flowing shelves. There were bottles filled with various things stacked in the corners. He was busying himself at a table and soon turned around and started chanting something while making a circle in the air with a wand. After a few moments a portal formed, easily big enough to walk through, but instead of right side up it was on the ground. Beneath it were five goblin heads. Nagard looked a bit emabarassed, 'Oops, they can't hear us, but I seem top have over shot a bit. It's still the same area, just not the chamber I wanted. it seems the door has a warding spell on it not allowing a portal to form right next to it. Well, that's the best that can be done. Go through when you are ready."

[Sala]

Sala entered after him and looked around curiously. Suddenly her head arched back and she convulsed, grunting painfully. Her birthmark writhed violently as though trying to free itself from her flesch. From it, covering her body and her clothes, a shadow flowed, slowly covering her. When it faded she was fine, but her entire body and clothes looked like stone and shifted as she moved. She looked around at the others, afraid of how they would react to this very simple manifestation of her demons.

[Talonn]

Talonn entered the room one step behind Nagard. Kaa entered behind Sala.

[Granite]

Granite turned his attention to Sala as the manifestation occurred. "This is a result of your demons. What did they do? What did you experience when it happened? How long will this effect last? Is this a standard effect for them to produce in you?" Granite paused, as though waiting for answers.

[Sala]

Sala looked at him in a rather dazed fashion. "I don't know. I never do. It hurts really badly when they change me. It's like fire bruning through my body in waves. If I do it it doesn't hurt nearly as much."

[Talabrina]

Talabrina and Muffy are among the first to enter behind Sala. "If thee thinks that thou art going without Muffy and I milady then thou art most mistaken!" Talabrina says brightly. When Sala's demons had done thier act, Talabrina had clutched her holy symbol but otherwise remained calm with a serious look on her face. After the demons had subsided Talabrina relaxed and look curiously at Sala. "Most interesting, thou art about to enter a potentially dagerous area and thy deomons make thy body into apparent stone." Talabrina reaches out towards Sala's face, "May I touch thee milady? I doth wish to see if thou art actually stone, or merely look like stone and art flesh underneath."

[Sala]

Sala stood there panting from her ordeal for a moment before answering. She lifted her hand and looked at it. As it moved it seemed hard to follow, the edges blending into the stone walls behind it. "I feel the same, but I seem to look different. i suppose I will be harder for the goblins to see now." She held a hand out to Talabrina, "You can feel, but I don't think I'll feel any different."

[Talabrina]

Talabrina runs her fingers over Sala's hand with an extreme gentleness. "Thy skin doth feel as soft as a newborn's would milady. Hmmm most intriguing indeed, `twould seem that thy demons art most interested in keeping thee alive milady." Talabrina says with a note of puzzlement to her voice.

[Sala]

Sala looked at her sadly, "Of course they do. If I die they can't take me away to their world when they are done amusing themselves with me here."

[Talabrina]

Talabrina smiles gently. "Fear not milady, neither Muffy nor I will let thy demons take thee anywhere thee doth not wish to go. If need be Muffy will carry thee like a kitten back from wherever." Muffy notes her support by nudging Sala affectionatly with her head.

[Qki]

Qki entered the study, looking around curiously. The place seemed oddly familiar, as if he'd been in a similar place before. He was soon distracted, though, as he noticed Sala's transformation. This was interesting. She was now kind of like Granite. But she was still herself. He was curious about this, but just then he noticed the portal. "Are those goblins?" he asked, pointing into the hole.

[Raye]

Raye stood in the doorway, watching Talabrina and the breatless Sala with a worried concern in his eyes. Assured that Sala was only changed and not harmed, he turned his attention to the curious Qki. "Those are indeed goblins." He informed softly as he stepped closer to the portal for a better view. "They seem to have no idea that we are able to see them.

[Hammer]

Hammer picked up his mighty War Hammer and followed Nagard into the room. As soon as the portal was opened, Hammer jumped through, not wanting to be told to stay behind. As he jumped through, he saw the beginnings of the demons' manifestations, and then regretted having acted too swiftly. But it was too late, as he had was now fully in the portal.

[Talonn]

When portal was but half formed, Talonn saw the goblins before Nagard spoke. "So much for stealth." he growled. In a flurry of motion, he whipped off his cloak and Harp bow and tossed them, along with his pack, into a corner. He quickly refitted the sword harness onto his back. Drawing both blades, he looked up with his eyes glowing red. "Kaa, stay with Sala. I go to clear the potal." Seeing Hammer heading straight for the portal, he poised to leap with the warrior. "Come Hammer. Lord Death offers a game." Leaping along side Hammer, he cried out, "Jacta alea est!"

[Kaa]

Kaa watched as the portal formed and Talonn embraced the 'Rage.' He watched anxiously as Talonn and Hammer leapt into the portal. When Sala began her transformation, Kaa brought axe to hand looked for the attack. When she was finished, he gave a low whistle. "I tell ye, lass. Your demons are full of surprises. I know a dwarven sculpter or two who would give one arm to carve stone to look as lovely as you look now." he said with a chuckle.

[Sala]

Sala blushes and smiles shyly.

[Kaa]

The dwarf stepped over to the edge of the portal. "I think we should give the lads a moment to clear the area. Dropping into the middle of two berserkers is a good way to lose your head." After a moment, he added, "I think stealth is no longer an option. If we wish to return, we will all have to go. Nagard, keep that ale chilled. I will be mighty thirsty when I return." Kaa looked back to Sala and sketched a courtly bow. "If it pleases, my Lady. Your portal awaits." He gave her a wide smile and a deep laugh as he stepped backward and dropped through the portal.

[Ifreet]

After spending a few moments in deep thought, Ifreet looks around then draws his sword and gets on his horse. "I will not be speaking again for some time. It wastes my magic." The horse makes no sound as it moves, its hooves eerily silent. Ifreet glances breifly as Sala changes, nods, and his clothes change as well, to suit the color of the area they are entering. He looks around after hitting the ground, but keeps still, sure that the others can easily destroy five goblins.

[Nagard]

Oddly enough Nagard seems to take the horse walking into his study as though it happened everyday.

[Talonn]

Howling his cry, Talonn dropped upon the nearest goblin and nearly clove him in two. Rolling away and leaping up, he scanned the room. There were nine goblins leaping to their feet in surprise. The portal had opened over the center of the room so that he and Hammer were surrounded. The goblins were overcoming their shock and drawing weapons to attack. "Hammer, I go to block the doors." he shouted.

Talonn stood from his crouch and spoke in the grunts and growls of the goblin tongue. "Come to me, you sow spawn. Let the dance of death begin!", he spat as he lunged and skewered the nearest goblin and spun away in the direction of the doors. The death of another comrade brought the rest of the goblins out of their lethargy and the battle began in earnest.

[Hammer]

"By the Thunderer, goblins are poor sport" Hammer grunted as he landed in the room. Quickly, he shoved the shaft of his War Hammer into the face of the nearest goblin, then swung the Head of the Hammer at another, crushing it's skull. "Grrrrah" he answered to Talonn, beginning his own battleRage. Swinging his War Hammer single handed, he caught the first goblin square in the chest, sending him flying to the other side of the room. With his free hand, he grabbed a third goblin, and delivered a vicous headbut that stunned the creature.

[Kaa]

The dwarf dropped from the ceiling and landed heavily on the goblin Talonn had split open. "That is what I get for acting like a buffoon." he growled as he gained his feet. Ducking a thrust from a rusty sword, he removed the goblin of his legs before striking off the creature's head. He shattered the spine of another that was trying to attack Hammer from the rear.

Kaa stepped back to the center of the room. The area was clear, the rest of the goblins focusing their attacks on Hammer and Talonn. He looked up to see Sala's descent. Scampering out of her way, he placed himself between her and rest of the goblins in the room.

[Sala]

Sala walked over to the edge of the portal and looked down. There was a clear place right beneath it that the fighters had quickly cleared of goblins. Sala jumped down, moved out of the way of the portal and stood there, calmly, in the middle of the fighting as the sounds of battle struck her ears harshly. She looked around and the blood on the ground and the weapons. She started shivering violently. She gulped trying not to be sick. Then she saw a goblin about to hit Talonn and without even thinking her arms shot out and a pulse of magic shot from her to the goblin. As it hit the goblin started to warp and change. The next second instead of a goblin there was a small green bird that flew up and away through a high window. Sala did not remember anymore of the battle until she stood there, amongst her friends, shuddering and looking wildly around for more goblins and there were none left moving.

[Raye]

Raye dropped into the portal, landing lightly at Sala's side. With a hand resting on the hilt of his rusted blade...he looked around at the carnage as it happoned, looking only a bit less horrified then the lady as his side.

[Talonn]

Talonn was a blur of steel and blood. The 'Rage' thundered inside him as he danced among the goblins. Swinging his blades in tandem, he cut two great slashes across the chest of the goblin before him and spun to defend against the goblin that was behind him. A flash of light and a tingle along his spine alerted him that magic had been brought into the fight. He raised his swords before him to block goblins blow. The stike never came. He blinked the light spots from his eyes to see the goblin/bird fly rapidly for the window.

The 'Rage' boiled over being cheated of its kill. Talonn spun around quickly. The bastard sword sent the wounded goblin's head spinning across the room as the sabre pierced its chest. From the corner of his eye, Talonn saw the door opening. Talonn dropped the sabre, grabbed the goblin and heaved him into the room. The goblin fell over a table and his head thumped against the stone wall.

Talonn glanced into the passage and found it empty. He closed the door and threw the bolt. He scooped up his sabre, reversed his grip on both swords, and leapt over the table. He landed stradling the unconscious goblin and began the motion that would drive both sword points through the creatures heart.

[Kaa]

Kaa almost laughed when Sala transformed the goblin into a bird. Almost, because at that moment he noticed Talonn's eyes. The hatred they contain was enough to give him the chills. He knew that he had to snap Talonn out of his frenzy before the lad got out of control. He started across the room when he saw the door open. Before he had covered two paces, Talonn had knocked out the goblin and secured the door. In another step, the half-elf was standing over the goblins and about to give the death stroke.

"HOLD" Kaa shouted. For a moment it appeared that Talonn hadn't heard him, the swords dropped like lightning toward the goblin's chest. The points stopped a hair above the creatures chest. Talonn turned a red eyed glare on Kaa and a smile, that was never Talonn's, spread across his face. The sword points pressed lightly against the goblin's flesh and blood began to well up. Suddenly, Talonn jerked away as if the goblin was on fire. He staggered backward and dropped to the floor with his back against the door.

[Talabrina]

Talabrina laughs as she jumps through the portal, landing lightly on the ground below. "Now perhaps that goblin will be more in tune with it's surroundings," says Talabrina while moving briskly out of the way for Muffy to jump down. "Muffy, see if there be more sport in the area but do so quietly," Talabrina warns "we doth not wish to alert our quarry any more than needs be."

Talabrina looks at Sala with a concerned look. "Lady Sala art thee feeling alright?"

[Sala]

Sala gulped and tried to stop shivering. She looked more than a little queasy. "I...I ddon't know," she stuttered. "D..Did I kill any of them? I...I can't seem to remember." She looked at talabrina like a lost and frightened child, "I've never kkilled anything before."

[Ifreet]

After making sure that they are gone, and no more are coming, he turns towards Sala, and puts his hand on her shoulder consolingly, unable to do more.

[Qki]

The little metal man was heartened to hear Kaa's suggestion that they all go. He didn't want to be left behind when fun things could be happening at the wizard's doorway. Although it looked like there were neat things here, too! In any case, if everybody was going, he would too. He dropped through the portal just behind Muffy, into a scene that he had never seen the likes of before. The two big men were fighting with the little creatures they called goblins. Sala had just shot something at one of them that made it a bird. Qki decided he should ask her later if she could do that for him. It would be neat to be able to fly like a bird. Qki looked around on the ground and saw all the pieces of goblins strewn throughout the room. He wasn't sure why the men were taking these others apart, but he wasn't too worried about it. Surely they would be able to put them back together afterwards so they could talk to them. Qki bent down to pick up a severed arm and hold it up against a goblin's torso so it would reattach itself. For some reason, it wouldn't stay there. Maybe you had to do something else to get these goblins to stay together. His own parts would just stay together without doing anything. Why wouldn't their parts do that too?

[Raye]

The dark elf knelt down beside Qki and gently took the goblins arm from him. "He cannot be mended little friend" He set the arm aside and drew his slim black fingers thru the blood that still pooled under the dead goblin. As he showed the ruby liquid to Qki he explained quietly "When flesh creatures like these loose enough of this red life..they are broken forever.

[Qki]

Qki's eyes grew wide and filled with sadness. "They can't be fixed? Then they're gone?" He looked at Talonn and Hammer for several seconds, then back at Raye. "Why did they take the goblins apart if they won't be back?" Another thought hit Qki and he blurted out, "And this can happen to you too? You're a flesh creature too..." He gazed thoughtfully at the ground.

[Granite]

Granite strode to the edge of the portal and tilted his head down, observing the area below the portal. He did not think that the others' method of entry would be a good one for him to use if they wanted to make as little noise as possible. His landing would make quite a lot of noise. Considering briefly the options presented to him by this body shape, he bent down, took hold of the edge of the portal, and lowered himself down, making almost no noise as he did. Having made his entrance, Granite's head turned both ways, taking in the whole scene. Another excellent example of organics' strange habit of destroying each other, he thought.

"It is something that organics do. To each other. Often." Granite said, as he approached. "It does not make sense. It can happen to any of them. Including these ones. They are less likely to have it happen. I can be physically destroyed as well. But not as easily. And it is not something that we do to each other. It may be the same for you."