Darkwood: Circus Inferno

The Demonic Duo

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Xul and Riggs found themselves standing on a narrow, swaying platform high above the circus tent. The colorful lights below flickered erratically, casting long shadows that danced across the walls of the enormous space. Far beneath them, the ground seemed impossibly far away, lost in a haze of darkness. The only sounds were the faint creaking of the ropes and the occasional distant murmur of laughter from unseen figures below.

Riggs glanced nervously at Xul, his usual playful demeanor faltering. "This place is seriously messed up," he muttered, gripping the edge of the platform to steady himself.

Xul’s eyes scanned the space around them, his expression stoic but his muscles tense. "Stay focused," he replied, his voice low. "We need to find the others."

Suddenly, a loud crack echoed through the tent, and before either of them could react, a figure came swooping down from above. A trapeze artist, clad in a gaudy, shimmering outfit, swung toward them with alarming speed. The artist's face was painted with a sinister smile, lips stretched unnaturally wide, eyes gleaming with malicious intent.

"Watch out!" Xul shouted, shoving Riggs to the side just as the trapeze artist hurtled past them, her hands swiping at the air where Riggs had been standing.

The two barely had time to catch their breath before another figure appeared from the opposite direction, this one even faster, a blur of motion. Xul ducked just in time as the artist's feet lashed out, aiming for his head. The assault was relentless. From all angles, trapeze artists swung down, laughing maniacally as they attacked, their movements impossibly precise and coordinated.

Riggs stumbled back, his heart racing as he tried to keep up with the rapid onslaught. "Are you seeing this?" he yelled over the cacophony of swishing ropes and the mocking laughter that filled the air. "They're everywhere!"

Xul’s hands crackled with infernal energy, his demonic tiefling magic flaring to life. He raised one hand, sending a burst of dark energy toward one of the attacking trapeze artists. The energy struck its mark, knocking the performer off course, but before Xul could celebrate, another artist came diving from above, forcing him to dodge again.

"They're playing with us!" Riggs growled, frustration creeping into his voice as he narrowly avoided another swinging attack. "We can't keep dodging forever."

Xul nodded, his sharp eyes following the movements of their attackers. "We need to take control of this."

With a determined glint in his eye, Xul grabbed Riggs by the arm and muttered a few quick words. Dark, swirling shadows enveloped them both, and in an instant, they vanished from the platform, reappearing on a lower beam where they had more space to move.

"Nice trick," Riggs said, grinning despite the situation.

"Stay close," Xul warned, his focus unwavering. "They’re trying to confuse us, but we can turn this around."

As if sensing the shift in momentum, the trapeze artists began to circle them like vultures, swinging around with eerie precision. Their mocking laughter grew louder, more distorted, as they prepared for another coordinated attack.

Riggs’ eyes narrowed as he scanned the tent. "We can use their momentum against them. If we can get them to collide..."

Xul smirked. "I like the way you think."