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The BloodVaine EpicChapter 7: Exorcism
The toll of the great Tree-Bell struck with a thunderous crash, and the druids lay Radjar across a tree stump in the druid’s chamber. Carved on it was a pentagram. The took ropes and bound Radjar to the stump, and he looked about the room worriedly. As soon as he'd been pinned to the stump, a little giggle was let out by the women in the room, but Bella sternly silenced it.
“Radjar... This is an extremely difficult procedure. It has been used by the Knight’s Clerics for many centuries...yet it is a dangerous gambit.”
Radjar nodded.
“It is called an exorcism.”
All around the room, Bjarn, Graygon, Searil, and others stood warily. Bjarn looked firm, but he could see worry in his face, and Graygon stood ready for a fight. Searil as well looked wary.
“May Chodan guide you.” Bella said, trembling.
She rose her staff, and the other druids did so.
The presence of evil was throughout the air of the chamber. As Bella began to recite the chant, the candles flickered, and an eerie breeze whipped through. Radjar began to lift his head. He was fearful as ever.
Suddenly it jerked down again, a swift, painful jerk. Radjar vomited blood, and began to convulse.
“Tyco…” Bella muttered under her breath.
Radjar flopped about like a fish out of water.
“You’re going to bloody kill him!” Searil yelled, and grabbed the staff out of Bella’s hands. He began to say the words.
“Mortisai dominae exilus…” he yelled.
Radjar’s head jerked upwards, roaring in an inhuman voice, his eyes red on black, his fangs gnashing.
“LET GO OF ME, MORTAL!” Radjar cried.
“GO BACK TO HELL, DEMON!” Searil screamed back.
“I’LL LAY YOUR SOUL BARE!” the demon threatened. Searil didn’t flinch.
“GO BACK TO HELL!” he ordered.
Radjar fell back, and the twisted, hellish apparition of a demon vomited forth form Radjar. It looked at Searil, and shot at him. Searil stood as he was, unfazed. Radjar sat up. The ropes fell off, and he said nothing. Searil turned to face him, and without a word, pulled out his crossbow and fired. Radjar spiraled off the stump, and the bolt hit the wall behind him. The druids raced to contain Searil. The demon voice issued forth.
“Stay back,” he growled, turning to face them and killing one by one. Bella jumped at him, but the demon forced her back with dark magic. Graygon cursed from under his robe, and opened up his cloak. Searil looked towards him, and dodged the flying knives Graygon had thrown.
Behind Searil, Bella had rushed at him again, staff upraised, screaming a battle cry. Searil grabbed one of the knives and tossed it at her. She fell to the floor, a knife in her chest.
Bjarn threw himself to the floor, cursing. He knew Bella was dead, and if she could not stop the demon, no one in Drullen Bell could. He wished he had his trusty weapons at his side, but he had left them when he had accepted the duty of Leader of the Forestdwellers.
He cursed himself for being a fool. A warrior never leaves behind his weapons, even in peace!
The Demon-Searil had seized a pike and was systematically skewering Forestmen and Dark Foresters alike. People on the verge of war were now fighting a common foe. Bjarn crawled behind a statue and grabbed the ornamental sword held by the stone figure. The sword was real and not stone, but it clearly had never been made for real fighting. It was bulky, heavy and so encrusted with jewels it took all of Bjarn might just to swing it through the air. In fact, it reminded him of the swords the rainbow knights used when he had run ashore their lands four months ago.
Bjarn charged, and flanked by Graygon and Gladwheel, they attacked the Demon-Searil. The Demon-Searil was unnaturally fast and agile, but even it could not withstand an attack by three fierce, battle-worn men without injury. Bjarn hacked and chopped while Graygon sliced with what appeared to be a copy of Willem Blackcloak’s military knives and Gladwheel stabbed with a wooden spear.
The fight was reminding Graygon of the large battle that Bjarn and himself had battled in many times before, just now it was one enemy, and that enemy hadvoyeur girls info more power in it than anything he had ever seen or battled before. The thoughts racing through Graygon's head. Graygon drove a knife deep in the demon's leg, the beast just turned and laughed at Graygon. The same moment Bjarn brought the large sword across the back of the demon, that did catch the beast off guard a bit.
As the attention of the demon was on Bjarn, Graygon pulled his bow and fired arrow after arrow, impaling the creature many times, but with little effect. Graygon then watched Bjarn swipe the legs of the beast out from under it, in turn Graygon dropped his bow and reached for his sword, hoping to end this bloody battle.
Suddenly the forms of Reno, Aros, Alex and Luxus burst through the doors.
“Bjarn!! Step back!!” Reno ordered.
Reno threw a potion, in its glass vial, at the demon. The glass smashed and rained to the floor and the contents spilled on the demon.
The demon screamed in agony, and ran towards Luxus with extreme speed. Reno jumped in front at the lat second, and there was a terrible thud, the demon smashed into Reno. Reno was lifted off the floor and knocked into the wall, and Aros ran to Reno to help his brother. The demon screamed again, the potion was doing its job at breaking down the Demons protective lair.
Bjarn, Gladwheel and Graygon lunged forward and struck at the Demon. The demon laughed as they came, but it howled as the three battle hardened men slashed with all there power at the Demon.
With a blinding flash of ultraviolet light, all the men where thrown across the room. Searil Chordate emerged, and he had no wounds.
“I’m invincible, you fools,” he cackled, and rushed through the door, dissipating to somewhere unknown, leaving the band to piece together what was left. The druids, robes stained with blood, lay sprawled across the chamber, bits of entrails and limbs littered the floor. Bella lay dying, slumped near the tree stump. Bjarn and the others slowly got up.
“Is everyone all right?” Bjarn shouted.
Groans and wails of pain answered.
“I’ve got a few broken bones, but otherwise, I’m fine.” Gladwheel quipped.
Reno was lying limp near the statue. Aros was vainly attempting to find out what ailed him.
“By Chodan...what was that thing?” exclaimed Graygon.
Radjar got up, still weak from the exorcism, his mouth smeared with blood.
“Errr....urrrmmm.…” he gurgled, then toppled over.
“How many dead?” Bjarn asked Gladwheel.
Gladwheel scanned the room.
“Too many,” he replied bleakly.
Bjarn shook his head.
Tyco!
The body count came to thirteen; Bella Turnleaf, six other Druids, two Forestmen guards and four Dark Foresters.
Bjarn wiped blood from his face and suddenly caught sight of Reno, Aros, Luxus and Alex.
Son of a megabloks... This was the last thing Bjarn needed. Graygon also looked surprised and winded. Bjarn pulled the Wolfpack member aside and whispered, “Get Reno and the others into my chambers, down the stairs, ninth door to the right. Make sure he doesn’t escape…”
Graygon nodded and hustled Reno and co out of the chamber.
“What the-- Bjarn, Graygon, why...?” Reno looked confused.
“We’ll talk later!” growled Bjarn.
Bjarn turned back to the carnage and helped Radjar sit up.
“All charges have been dropped, my friend...Forestmen and Dark Forest all allies once again.”
Bjarn turned to the few unharmed Foresters and ordered, “Take the wounded down to the infirmary and bury the dead. Then send messengers out to all our allies and alert them of this new threat.”
“Yes, Milord…”
“Sir, who is this Reno Regga, sir?” asked Gladwheel.
“An old friend,” informed Bjarn, “Turned murderer.”
“Should I order him executed?”
“No, I have matters to discuss with him. You should re-piece the Guard, Gladwheel, and find out where that demon is headed.”
With that, Bjarn left and Gladwheel ran off down the hallway and to the war room. Gonderin and the other officials were already there.
“Well, have you found out where he is, then?” Gladwheel shouted, trying to catch his breath.
“No, but I have rangers who are on his trail right now. It might be wise to have patience and see what comes up…”
“No! Send a larger detachment...he... he killed my Keira.”
The war room plunged into an awkward silence. The emissaries looked at Gladwheel.
“He killed Bella, too.”
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