A Demon of Wynd

“A Primal?” Amais asks blinking in confusion. He’d never been one to study demonology in the ancient halls of the temple’s library but he knew something of demons at least. “Those are the animal-like demons aren’t they?”

Boaz nods.

“The higher up the tower one goes the more intelligent and complex the demons one encounters. Fortunately, some are able to regain parts of their human form. This can either be a boon or curse.” Boaz explains.

“The demon I lost my arm to had already lost both soul and senses to the tower, it was nothing but a mindless beast by the time we had our encounter.”

Boaz wakes in a new room of the tower that starts as a forest, looking up he finds himself under the broad leaves of a great tree. He gets up clutching his sword to his chest as he raises. In the distance, he sees the orb that would lead to his escape. To see it so close means the danger is near, so near in fact he could not waste a moment sitting.

Leaping to his feet he runs towards the orb, feet stomping on the soft grass as he tries to make his escape, from the corner of his eye he sees it.

The beast is large, half the size of the great tree he had rested under. A black armored wolf easily the size of ten men steps out of the shadows and stands between Boaz and the orb. Boaz stops, skidding to a halt as he draws his sword ready to confront the primal demon.

He takes his time to gaze at it, the dark fur as black as night, eyes bulging with a scar across the wolf’s giant face.

From its armor Boaz could see dozens of arrows stuck in the hide of the large demon, meaning all those who had made it to this room before he, didn't all manage to escape with their lives.

He gulps.

The wolf sniffs the air, finally noticing the puny lesser demon standing before it, it howls, laughing at the man before him.

“You dare draw a sword against me.” The wolf growls, sounding halfway between a man and a rabid dog. It snarls leaking drool and foam from its muzzle. It lifts its forepaws, standing on its hind legs then lands hard in front of Boaz causing the ground to quake.

“Do you think you can face me?” The primal demon asks, tongue hanging out of its mouth. Its eyes shine with madness as it stares Boaz down, he is not moved.

“I don’t wish to but I must.” Boaz says, gripping his blade tightly. The demon lowers its head barring its teeth, neither of them moves for a bit before Boaz, quick as lightning thrusts his sword upward right through the demon’s jaw.

The wolf howls, batting at Boaz with its massive paws, he dodges the swipe making a strike of his own. He narrowly misses, and the large wolf pulls back leaping into the air and landing hard on the ground causing it to rattle with force.

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Boaz nearly loses his footing, running towards the orb once more, the wolf snarls running after him and easily catching the demon paladin within its teeth. Boaz yells shoving the sword through the nostril of the great beast.

The wolf yelps in pain, letting go of the arm within its teeth. Boaz checks the arm to see it bleeding, pierced by the wolf demon's teeth. He makes a leap of his own, positioning the sword downwards as he lands on the creature's back, stabbing through the old, rusty armor.

"Where are you?!" The wolf barks. "Stay still and let me kill you."

The wolf howls again as Boaz drives the sword once more into its back, it jumps, trying to shake Boaz off its back. It shrieks, whilst Boaz continues to deliver blow after blow to the demon intending to kill it and add one number to his kill count.

The wolf manages to buck so suddenly, Boaz loses his position. Falling forward and landing on the wolf's head. He plunges his sword into the wolf's skull, bringing it down with one final strike. The wolf crumples, falling with a colossal thud to the forest floor.

Boaz rolls off it, panting heavily, of all the demons he had fought this was one of the hardest.

He gets up, dragging his tired body toward the orb. He doesn't notice the still twitching wolf demon until it's too late.

Rows of teeth latch painfully onto his arm, pulling with great force until the arm is ripped in a burst of blood from the arm socket.

Boaz screams, deep and guttural. With one final plunge, he forces his sword Into the wolf's eyeball, impaling its brain.

The demon falls dead.

Boaz falls to the ground in agony, yelling at the top of his lungs from the searing pain that envelopes his senses.

Tears burn at his eyes as he realizes his whole arm is now a bloody stump.

He sits up, breathing with great effort through clenched teeth. Ripping some cloth from his shirt he binds the arm as best as he can and stands. He would not die here, of that he was certain.

It doesn't take long for the magic of the tower to begin working. From his stump sprouts new flesh, conjoining and twisting until a new arm made of sturdy flesh-like wood has formed.

Boaz stares in amazement at his new appendage. He didn't ask for this but he was grateful he wouldn't die of blood loss.

This made him even more of a demon now, no, it made him a part of the tower.

There was nothing demonic about this arm. He had been granted a boon.

He checks his other arm watching the counter rise.

469

He was almost there now. Boaz walks towards the orb hoping the next room would be easier but he knows the tower would not grant his wish.

"What happened to the arm?" Amias asks now back in the present with Boaz who recounts the tale to him.

"It was lost when I left the tower." Boaz says. "I chose to return the boon."

Amais nods in understanding.

"You kept your life at least."

"Only because I was lucky Amais." Boaz replies. "I'm not a healer like you are, I was a Paladin, a warrior in the holy one's service. A cleric all the same but we are different."

"I understand what you're saying, but you won't change my mind." Amais says. "Rest now, we've talked for most of the day." The cleric healer stands, tucking Boaz into the infirmary cot much to the older man's embarrassment.

"I need to prepare for my leave, I'll see you tomorrow."

Boaz heaves a heavy sigh.

"Very well, you have chosen. I cannot say it is a wise decision."

"The heart knows what the head doesn't." Amias replies. "I'll see you tomorrow."