The Cleansing of Folcur Keep

" We are near, " whispered my companion, Tarsis Zeddichi, Grand Vizier of the Star Goddess and third in command of the great Order of Whitetigers. " Just up ahead. "

I nodded uneasily, for in truth I was filled with dread as I dwelled on the prospect of facing the horror I knew was lying in wait at the end of the corridor. I took great care to muffle my footsteps as much as possible as I stalked down the dark corridor. The rustling of robes could be heard in the dimness as Tarsis swept past me on my left.

" Come on, it's no use delaying the inevitable, " he said tersely, fingering the hilt of the weapon that was tucked beneath his mage's robes.

I signalled my agreement with another nod, and the two of us broke out into a run down the darkened corridor. The red glow ahead grew steadily brighter as we neared the end of the tunnel.

Suddenly, with an adruptness that stole my breath for a second, we emerged from the mouth of the corridor into a large room, its walls of rough-hewn stone. The sight that awaited us there was so unspeakably horrifying, it robbed away what little breath I had remaining.

There in the middle of the room, trapped within a large circle of glowing runes which cast a bright reddish hue all over the room, was the vilest creature I had ever seen.

Towering a good ten feet tall, dwarfing both Tarsis and myself, the creature bellowed forth a terrifying roar as it lifted a pair of grotesquely deformed appendages which passed for its arms. Razor talons, very nearly as long as my arm and glinting wickedly like ivory swords in the reddish rune-light, sprouted from those appendages. Surrounding its massive form were cascading torrents of sparkling-blue energy, crackling and sizzling as they burned through the stone walls and floor.

And yet, for all of its horrifying appearance, the creature made no attempt to advance upon Tarsis and myself. It appeared trapped right in the very middle of the glowing circle of runes that it was placed into.

" The demon! " I gasped as I unsheathed my Templar's Blade of Truth. " The evil demon of Folcur Keep! "

Out came Tarsis's blade. " We must slay it, now! Stand back! " he shouted to me.

I had learnt, over my years of travelling with Mages as companions, that one had best obey such a command, and quickly, or the consequences might be somewhat...heavy. Therefore I hastened to fling myself against the hard stone wall upon Tarsis's command. And it was not a moment too soon, for a second later a glaring white light obliterated my vision and the blast of an explosion sent me sprawling. I felt great sizzling torrents of energy crackling through the air and the walls as I hit the floor with a heavy THUD!

I immediately dragged myself to my feet, clawing at my eyes in an attempt to restore my vision. Even before I could see clearly, I knew what had happened: Tarsis had unleashed a powerful nova that had caused the great explosion of energy. Expecting the demon to be weakened by that most fearsome attack, I raised my blade and threw myself into the glowing rune-circle, swinging wildly at a great dark shape that loomed before my partially impaired vision.

I felt the edge of my blade smack hard into something, then a shocking jolt shot the length of my arm and something large smacked squarely into my back, sending me sprawling a second time. Frantically I pulled myself up, nursing my sword-arm as I witnessed Tarsis battle the huge demon. He drove his blade into the demon's smoking and scarred flesh, and at once a bolt of lightning struck him and sent him cartwheeling backwards. The cascading torrents of energy surrounding the creature were zapping us each time we struck, and the both of us were painfully aware that we could not do battle in such a way. Something had to be done.

" Can't you do anything? " I shouted at Tarsis as I raised my blade to fend off the demon's blows. Its claws raked my breastplate, but did no harm to my person.

" I'll try, " replied Tarsis from between gritted teeth as he drew himself up. Quickly he wove a spell and cast it, spreading his open palm at the raging demon. All of a sudden the torrents of energy cascading all around the demon wavered and vanished, and it roared with surprise at this.

Laughing at his success, Tarsis leapt forward with me at his side, and we attacked the evil demon with renewed vigor. I aimed a slash at the creature's side while Tarsis stabbed at its rear flank. Roaring with pain, the evil demon spun around and swung with all its might at me. I dodged aside just in time, and its deadly claws gouged huge marks in the rough stone wall.

I wove a spell of my own and cast it, and instantly the air around the demon's form became tense and tingling. " Zap it! " I cried to Tarsis. " Use lightning! "

" Charged beacon? " yelled Tarsis, deftly evading another of the demon's claw-blows.

Tarsis was quick to respond, and a blast of lightning surged forth from his fingertips to strike the demon square in the face. It bellowed with agony as the lightning sizzled into its flesh, made super-conductive by my spell. It keeled over and half-stumbled, and that was the opening I needed. Seizing my blade in both hands, I jumped forward and hewed with all my strength at the evil demon's neck.

A spray of vile black blood splashed all over my armor and helmet as the demon crashed heavily to the floor, its head virtually severed from its torso. Then, to my astonishment, before my very eyes the massive corpse began to dissolve, melting into a foul-smelling smoke that quickly dispersed in the stale air of the room. Only a splash of black blood marked the spot where the demon had fallen. A second later, the glowing rune-circle mysteriously faded, plunging us all into darkness.

" Indeed, " I answered, leaning back against the wall and taking long, deep breaths as I sheathed my blood-splattered blade. " Folcur Keep has been cleansed of this horror...at least for the time being. "

" It shall return, " retorted Tarsis darkly. " Evil such as this can never be completely defeated. This is but a temporary victory. "

" But a victory nonetheless, " I countered. " Today another of the vile spawn of evil has fallen. More shall follow so long as the Light prevails. "

Choosing not to answer that, Tarsis sheathed his weapon and groped along in the darkness until we located each other. Without a backward glance we exited the room and left the ruins of Folcur Keep, returning to the world of sunshine and life.

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