Noctis
DemonMiyuThe already dim sky began to darken as the sun crept lower and lower. Shadows lengthened, providing cool shade in relief of the sun's beating rays. Or they might have, twenty years ago. No longer did they relieve road weary travelers after a hard days march. Quite the opposite. Now the growing shadows only heightened ones fear. The terror and anxiety that each shadow might contain some hellish beast to end you in a gruesome and horrifying manner was acutely felt by all. It was no different for the party of four that wound its way through desecrated city streets in a hurried stride for the wall of Urenda.
Shadows moved at the edges of their peripherals but a sudden direct glance revealed nothing. As if the mind were playing tricks. Like a child out at night but afraid of the dark and the stories their parents tell to keep them in line. It's all in your head. Only now, now the danger was quite real. The hair on the backs of their necks stood on end and their breaths were shallow as if breathing to loud would instantly draw the darkness to them. Their quick steps against the cobblestones echoed through the empty streets and their hearts pounded in their chests. Each carried a torch and held it out hoping the light would protect them from the shadows. They were being watched though they could not see their hunters. For indeed they were the prey.
The group was close now, so close to the wall! just a few more minutes...
Otherworldly screams split the silence. The excited wailing of a hellspawn preparing to claim the souls of mortals and drink of their blood. At first it was one... one became two, two became three... not long after there could have been at least five of them howling to each other, anticipating meal to come. Fight or flight instincts took over and flight won out as the four took off sprinting for the wall. Their sheer terror unleashed adrenaline into their blood and they ran as fast as they thought possible.
Not fast enough.
The path before them was shrouded in darkness. Writhing shadows that took physical form as they drew near. The creature was vaguely humanoid. It's head appeared human but in place of lips, cheeks, or a nose there was a huge maw lined with elongated teeth ready to tear flesh and devour the living. It had no eyes, only empty dimples where they should be. The torso was large at the chest and thinned down to almost the spine at the waist, the vertebrae protruding through its hide. It's arms and legs were long and spindly, ending in deadly claws. The whole of its body was coated in a black substance that oozed off, as if the very shadows were dripping from it like rain water. It let out a shriek and took a step towards the frightened group.
A 'whooshing' noise was heard, something heavy moving through the air. Seconds later the creature had stopped its advance, a double edged war ax embedded in its face. It was then the sound of clanking armor was heard and more of the creatures revealed themselves in position around the group though their attention was directed elsewhere. Soon enough it was evident as to what was happening as they eyed the Dwarf charging towards them, hammer in hand and plate mail sounding like a barrel of swords being tossed around.
One of the creatures shrieked and swiped at him with lethal claws. Dalgun responded with a roar of his own, ducking under the swing and spearing the creature with his horned helmet. Of course the horns weren't intended to do any real damage, he only meant to off balance the thing which he accomplished as his momentum carried him and the beast to the ground. Two blows to its face with a gauntlet-ed fist left the thing dazed before Durin was brought to bear, crushing it's head like a watermelon.
Not one to tarry on a kill, Dalgun rolled forward and off of the corpse. The movement was sloppy and far from graceful but it brought him within arms reach of Moradin which he pried from the creature it had felled. Ax and Hammer reunited, eyes ablaze with joy and determination, and armor splattered with demon blood with spots of it in his beard here and there, Dalgun Battlehammer was a welcome sight for sore eyes. Not as good as priests but.. hey.. beggars can't be choosers.
"Well? what're ye still hangin' around for? Git goin' ye dolts!" he shouted at the group, who took off promptly. Dalgun tapped his weapons together. "Right then! who's next?" he grinned and spat at the ground.
Shadows moved at the edges of their peripherals but a sudden direct glance revealed nothing. As if the mind were playing tricks. Like a child out at night but afraid of the dark and the stories their parents tell to keep them in line. It's all in your head. Only now, now the danger was quite real. The hair on the backs of their necks stood on end and their breaths were shallow as if breathing to loud would instantly draw the darkness to them. Their quick steps against the cobblestones echoed through the empty streets and their hearts pounded in their chests. Each carried a torch and held it out hoping the light would protect them from the shadows. They were being watched though they could not see their hunters. For indeed they were the prey.
The group was close now, so close to the wall! just a few more minutes...
Otherworldly screams split the silence. The excited wailing of a hellspawn preparing to claim the souls of mortals and drink of their blood. At first it was one... one became two, two became three... not long after there could have been at least five of them howling to each other, anticipating meal to come. Fight or flight instincts took over and flight won out as the four took off sprinting for the wall. Their sheer terror unleashed adrenaline into their blood and they ran as fast as they thought possible.
Not fast enough.
The path before them was shrouded in darkness. Writhing shadows that took physical form as they drew near. The creature was vaguely humanoid. It's head appeared human but in place of lips, cheeks, or a nose there was a huge maw lined with elongated teeth ready to tear flesh and devour the living. It had no eyes, only empty dimples where they should be. The torso was large at the chest and thinned down to almost the spine at the waist, the vertebrae protruding through its hide. It's arms and legs were long and spindly, ending in deadly claws. The whole of its body was coated in a black substance that oozed off, as if the very shadows were dripping from it like rain water. It let out a shriek and took a step towards the frightened group.
A 'whooshing' noise was heard, something heavy moving through the air. Seconds later the creature had stopped its advance, a double edged war ax embedded in its face. It was then the sound of clanking armor was heard and more of the creatures revealed themselves in position around the group though their attention was directed elsewhere. Soon enough it was evident as to what was happening as they eyed the Dwarf charging towards them, hammer in hand and plate mail sounding like a barrel of swords being tossed around.
One of the creatures shrieked and swiped at him with lethal claws. Dalgun responded with a roar of his own, ducking under the swing and spearing the creature with his horned helmet. Of course the horns weren't intended to do any real damage, he only meant to off balance the thing which he accomplished as his momentum carried him and the beast to the ground. Two blows to its face with a gauntlet-ed fist left the thing dazed before Durin was brought to bear, crushing it's head like a watermelon.
Not one to tarry on a kill, Dalgun rolled forward and off of the corpse. The movement was sloppy and far from graceful but it brought him within arms reach of Moradin which he pried from the creature it had felled. Ax and Hammer reunited, eyes ablaze with joy and determination, and armor splattered with demon blood with spots of it in his beard here and there, Dalgun Battlehammer was a welcome sight for sore eyes. Not as good as priests but.. hey.. beggars can't be choosers.
"Well? what're ye still hangin' around for? Git goin' ye dolts!" he shouted at the group, who took off promptly. Dalgun tapped his weapons together. "Right then! who's next?" he grinned and spat at the ground.