Personae Dramatis

Part Number Six: Friends Reunited

Ugezivius and White Raven rode the flying carpet behind the spirit raven. "When we get to our destination, if there is indeed trouble I will cast an invisibility spell upon you. After all, I know how much you love to surprise people!" Ugezivius shouted over the wind.

"Much obliged!" White Raven shouted back.

As they cleared a tree line into a large clearing White Raven noticed figures exiting the forest. "Look!" She pointed at the moving figures. There were scores of them with more leaving the cover of the trees. "These are like the three creatures that I slew when I found you! Though some appear larger!" She shouted to him.

"They seem to be going somewhere! The same direction the spirit raven is going!" Ugezivius shouted back.

"This is not good!" White Raven replied.

Ugezivius did not answer back but concentrated on getting as much speed out of the carpet that he could.

They quickly outpaced the spider creatures and after about five minutes they could see a small battle playing itself out past the tree line. A large group of figures were surrounding a smaller band. White Raven realized it was their companions.

"Move us in closer!" She shouted.

Ugezivius did so without responding when they were about 60' above he stopped and cast a quick glamour upon White Raven. "Remember! You cannot see yourself either! And the moment you attack or interact with another the effect ends!"

White Raven didn't respond, but nodded curtly – already forgetting she was invisible, before jumping from the flying carpet and landing with a perfect acrobatic flip. Pity no one saw that...White Raven thought with a glimmer of amusement.

"Hmmm...what an impressive leap." Ugezivius said out loud before he brought to mind a summoning spell. One that would bring forth a powerful elemental spirit from the realm of the Djinn.

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Lady Sterling rounded on another group of demons. Seeing her companions hard pressed by the two remaining commanders she knew that she had to dispatch these quickly. Damn we underestimated them! Sneaking them in under invisibility, not a usual demonic tactic – inspired indeed. Lady Sterling thought to herself. Then it dawned on her there could be more! She concentrated on the lead goat demon, a large heavily-muscled brute wielding a crude bearded axe – more a cleaver really – and released an ear shattering magically charged shout. She further enhanced the shout with her own energy.

The lead demon stayed on his feet – well, hooves – much to his credit. The four or five behind him fell, grabbing their ears, the goat-demon charged axe-cleaver held high for a powerful downward chop. Surprising her foe, Lady Sterling stepped into him and before the blow landed punched out with her right hand, catching the demon in the midsection as she quickly mouthed the words of a spell and the demon was blasted away with awful, crushing force. Ribs, sternum and spine were crushed as were the organs these bones protected, and the body of the hapless fiend slammed into one of its already deafened and injured fellows. Neither rose.

Lady Sterling then turned her attention to her right where Mathias was engaged with the dog-faced schrir, it rained down upon him with both flaming maces, and Lady Sterling called to mind a musical performance she had witnessed where kettle drummers rained blows upon their drums with large sticks. So far Mathias' shield and ancient plate were absorbing the brunt of his blows.

Lady Sterling heard Zyrax curse: "Shit!" in her oddly monotone voice as her shot went wide. "The demon is warded with an illusion! It is not where he appears!" Lady Sterling shouted. As she tested her theory and cast a minor spell peppering the demon with vari-colored bolts of force. The bolts struck true. However the demon merely grunted and continued his assault upon Mathias.