Present Time..
The experiments had been a success. She could successfully transfer the essence of a demon to that of a weaker being. There were a few drawbacks of course..the essence could take over, controlling the body if the person was not strong enough of will. There was another problem if the spell was a success as well..one she dealt with now.
"Give my book back! You do not understand what you attempt Linoge!" She was trapped in a corner behind a block of ice the mage had created. He had managed to get ahold of her spellbook, and was flipping through the pages. He glanced up at her, a grin upon his face.
"It will make me more powerful, no? Then I must attempt it. I have too many enemies not to." He flipped another page. "Ah..here..a spell of Binding." Unfortunately for Koril, the lower tiered version of the spell only required but a few words spoken and sheer force of will; both of which the mage easily accomplished.
"Do the spell Koril." He said as he dismissed the ice block keeping her trapped in the corner of the small room. She eyed him angrily, infurated more with herself for falling for another trick.
"You do realize the spell can fail correct? The demon will have control of your body, and I know of no way to reverse it yet." The binding spell forced her to do as he said, but she could still point out the dangers in hopes that he'd change his mind. If the spell succeeded others would find out..and the experiments would be traced back to her.
"To rise to power you must take risks along the way, my dear." Her eyes narrowed at the word "dear" when he held her bound. It was true he cared for her, but he lusted for power more.
"Fine, I will need room." Stepping to the middle of the room, Koril closed her eyes and mentally prepared the spell matrix in her mind. It was still fresh, she had cast it on herself not but one day ago. The same spell that had left her open to the spells of Binding...
In her mind's eye, she pictured an imp, close enough to the mage's personality that it would be the best suited for him to try to control. Her hands moved in steady gestures as if gathering power while at the same moment, she chanted in demonic. Her voice grew louder as the creature called forth began to materialize. Before it was completely in the realm, she froze the spell and drew from the demon it's essence, leaving it's body a shell.
The essence thrummed with power, more powerful than the soulshards she normally pulled forth from creatures of this world. It was not a material thing, but to those attuned to sensing demonic energies, they could feel it to the point of almost seeing it. Quickly, feeling the spell starting to drain upon her, Koril pushed the essence into the mage.
He dropped to the floor, groaning. It was to be expected, a rush of power that size could kill a weaker being. The Binding spell lifted from her, freeing her of his commands. Kneeling, she looked over Linoge, her anger forced back by her curiousity as to whether the spell had worked a third time or not.
The mage suddenly grabbed her by the throat and conjured a fireball in his palm, throwing it at her left arm. She cried out in pain as she ripped his hand from her throat, staggering back to the wall clutching her burned arm.
"Oh no..the spell failed..the imp has taken control..." She was too drained to try to banish the demon to at least freeze him long enough to get away. She saw no other recourse but to destroy Linoge if he attempted to harm her once more.
But he once again fell to the floor, lying still for quite some time. She stayed against the wall, watching quietly.
"Unh..Koril? Koril what happened?" He pushed himself to his feet and turned. "You're injured!" He produced a vial of healing potion, stepping closer, and poured a bit onto the wound. Soon enough it began to heal.
"The imp took control, but it looks like it was temporary Linoge. Do you feel alright?" He nodded slowly.
"I feel..a bit strange. But you look different, my dear. More powerful.." He paused, as if searching for the words. "You look so beautiful.." He stepped even closer, wrapping his arms around her in a hug before kissing her. She was shocked and squirmed to get out of his grasp. He put his head on her shoulder, his breath on her neck, whispering. "You look so beautiful..for one so young.."
Koril completely froze in fear. She knew that voice, it stirred memories she had long tried to put away. "You.." She hissed.
The incubus whom she had once again mistakenly summoned smiled viciously from Linoge's face. "Yes, my dear..I have come to finish what I started so long ago..." And with that, he punched her in the gut, knocking the breath from her. "I will take you back to the Nether so you may see the true powers which you yearn to control..as they torment you for all eternity. Just as your mentor tried to do with me." He punched her in the temple with the hilt of the dagger the mage carried, knocking her out cold.
Not too much later...
Koril awoke in the very basement of The Slaughtered Lamb..right at one of the key points to the summoning diagram upon the floor...the same diagram that was used to open a portal to the Twisting Nether. The incubus was chanting, but stopped when he saw her awaken.
"Ah..wonderful..I did so wish you to have one last look at this world before I took you from it. Perhaps I shall give you as a present to my master...yes..I think he'd be most pleased with you." The incubus grinned wickedly as he noticed she could barely move, still quite stunned and weakened from the earlier spell. Words failed her..pleading with the demon would do her no good, and she could think of no spells to cast. Her own minions would be of little use against one this powerful.
The sound of metal on stone alerted them both to the newcomer. The incubus quickly returned to summoning the portal as the sound got louder. Footsteps, metal against metal, and metal against stone. Surely one in full armor. She looked to the stairs, where the newcomer stood, watching the event taking place. It was Dristun, the warrior whom was no more of a do-gooder than she. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry. It was unlikely Dristun would lift a hand to stop the incubus.
But he stepped forward, removing his coif and tossing it the floor. His face was covered in long scratches and bruises, some of them green around the edges. The wounds of the felhound's claws, which always spread infection quickly.
"Dristun.." Koril croaked, "It's not Linoge..it's an incubus..we must find a way..to banish it.." The incubus laughed, his spell nearly completed.
"I take her with me to the Nether..will you stop me warrior?"
"I will, and I will banish you fiend. You are trying to harm someone I care about..and for that..you will be destroyed." He removed what looked like an old tome from his pack on his shoulder. It glowed faintly green in Dristun's hands and radiated a powerful aura.
Koril watched on, confused as how Dristun was going to handle the demon. To her surprise, he began to intone in demonic. The incubus roared in outrage as faint chains formed around Linoge. The chains begain to move, through the mage's body and beyond. What it held was the nonmaterial essence of the incubus, safely removed from the host's body. Dristun spoke one sharp word of power, and the essence felt as if it split into a thousand pieces, scattering all about the chamber.
Linoge fell to the floor, but Koril could see him breathing from where she lay. He would survive this ordeal, whereas she still felt as weak as a newborn. She turned enough to look up as Dristun stepped close to her.
"It wants you Koril, it wants you to be it's mistress." She looked at Dristun confused at first, but then he knelt down and held out the book. As it neared, the aura around it became a red so dark it was almost black. As she took it, he explained that he had been a Cultist of the Damned at one point..and this artifact was one his brother had taken for the Forsaken. He believed it was written by his father, and as far as he could tell, was written completely in demonic. The book itself was powerful, but the spells and information inside were even more vauluable than sheer power. With this book, she could summon an infernal..a doomguard..any of the more powerful demons to do her bidding.
Koril held the tome close, it's power strengthening her enough to stand. Dristun took her hand, helping her up. "The mage will be alright, but you..need rest. And so do I, I am but a warrior, wielding the book takes a great deal out of me. Come, I will take you upstairs. Your mentors have one of the chambers prepared to sleep in and wish to speak to you about some..insane mage dashing through their power circle." He chuckled and looked back at Linoge, indicating that he was the mage that had done so. He started up the stairs to the chambers above, leaving Linoge to be found later on.
Koril stood for a moment, staring down at the tome. Quietly, in the back of her mind, whispers of thoughts chattered back and forth. "You could control the world with this tome..it is all powerful..it strengthens you even now.."
"Coming Koril?" Dristun called, banishing the thoughts that were not her own.
She nodded and headed for the stairs, clutching the tome ever tighter.
Posted by Koril at 01:05 PM 16 May 2005