Ryan stepped to the center of the throne room, one hand pointing at the sphere, the other at G. At that moment, the Dark Elf Queen entered the room from a small chamber behind her throne, her regal presence commanding attention. Cisandra, the enigmatic Dark Elf Queen, sat upon her throne with an aura of authority and mystique. Her dark blue skin, a shade reminiscent of the midnight sky, was adorned with intricate, mystic scars that danced across her face and hands like whispers of ancient power. The markings told stories of her arcane prowess and hinted at secrets untold. Her piercing red eyes, framed by luminescent white hair, hinted at ancient wisdom and deep cunning. Her beauty was both striking and otherworldly, a mesmerizing blend of grace and ferocity that commanded respect and admiration from all who beheld her. G would have bowed to her right then if he had been able to move even with the pain lancing his body.
Clad in a dark black robe, the fabric seemed to drink in the shadows around her. The robe was alive with mystical, swirling patterns that echoed the markings upon her skin, each thread woven with arcane energy. The designs seemed to shimmer and shift as if they held a life of their own, hinting at the depths of power she possessed. As she sat upon her throne, Cisandra exuded a regal air, her posture poised and her gaze unwavering. She was a figure of awe and reverence, a testament to the strength and majesty of the Dark Elf people.
She looked at Phan across the room, her expression unreadable. "Sister of darkness, your contract on me has been terminated," she declared, tossing a rolled parchment to the throne room floor. "You may feel free to read that missive from your guild leader. The contract has been paid, and those who hired you are taken care of."
Phan looked at G, then Kargan, who had his hand on his sword and was staring at Ryan de Albuquerque. Phan walked forward, picking up the scroll, her eyes scanning the contents. She bowed to the Queen one time. "Then I will take my leave, your highness."
"Oh, not yet. There is more, Phanvupu Nightshade. I have purchased your services to assist me and my consort," Cisandra the Dark Elf Queen. "As we have already captured the one Ryan seeks, you will go with this half-blood, capture those thieving children, and kill the creatures that killed my guard in the gardens." She tossed another scroll that appeared in her hand to the floor in front of Phan. Gerkag stepped out from behind the throne with a wide grin, holding a bag G was certain contained coins. The wicked points of his teeth gleamed menacingly as they caught the eerie crimson glow of the sorcerous illumination.
G's heart sank when he saw that, Phan and now Gerkag? Was he so blind not to see that? Had the ring or his own stupidity caused him to have such a massive failure in judgment? He was leaning toward the latter. He would have facepalmed if he could move his hand. He heard Ryan laugh, and his eyes, the only thing he could move, saw the now cultist with glee on his face. He was enjoying the show. Ryan waved his hand, casting another spell as G and Phan's disguises disappeared in a blink.
Four dark elf guards stepped forward from the shadows behind Kargan and Riclos, pikes leveled. Kargan, seizing the opportune moment, deftly reached for a small object tucked away in his belt. With a swift flick of his wrist, he hurled it to the ground, unleashing an explosive cascade of brilliant white light that flooded the throne room, momentarily transforming the sinister atmosphere into a dazzling spectacle of pure white light. Instantly blinding anyone in the room with dark sight. There was a rattle and a scream that G couldn't see the creator of, and a few moments later, there were three elf guards swinging half-blind around themselves with their long polearms. Kargan and Riclos were gone, G grimaced inside as he realized Kargan, who had sworn to help him with his quest, had run and not helped him. Even the ring's turned-up level of optimism wasn't making him feel better. His plan has utterly fallen apart, and all of his friends had abandoned him in his time of need.
G noted that Phan had moved up to stand next to Gerkag and near the throne while she reread the second scroll from her guild master. She had a bewildered frown on her face. The Queen had a victorious smile on her face as she gazed at Phan.
Any ideas? G projected to his familiar.
"Don't die. I can hit him with a mana bolt, but that's all I have the mana for now. Whatever is affecting you doesn't appear to affect me, I can--" Tocai's comments were cut off by Ryan. Tocai pulsed G's robe as it changed into the armored trenchcoat G had worked on in the dwarven forge.
"Ahh, that is what that magic was. I couldn't understand how you had freed Aevum Malum, but now I think I understand." Ryan looked up at the dark elf queen on her throne and spoke in perfect dark elvish, "You see, dear, I told you Tychon would deliver as promised. Now, all we need to do is end this one, and the power to change the universe will be ours. He even brought us a working dwarven forge orb. It is a new beginning for your kingdom."
A wicked smile spread across his face as Ryan turned back to G. Suddenly, the air around his features shimmered, distorting like a heat mirage. G's heart pounded as the vision of Tychon's demonic visage enveloped Ryan's face, horns curling outward, eyes blazing with infernal fire. The demon's mouth moved in sync with Ryan's words, a grotesque mockery of humanity.
G's mind raced. Breamus was right. Ryan wasn't just possessed. He was ruled by Tychon. The realization struck G like a bolt of lightning, a cold dread seeping into his bones. We are in over our heads.
Ryan's smile grew even more sinister as he beckoned G with his outstretched hand, the gesture dripping with unspoken menace. It was a command, not a request, layered with the promise of pain. G felt an invisible force pull him across the floor, closer to the monstrosity before him. His eyes darted to a flat table near Ryan, adorned with black candles and a bowl below. As he drew nearer, G's stomach churned when he recognized the carvings of demons etched into its surface. This wasn't just a table, it was a sacrificial altar!
G's paralyzed form was yanked unceremoniously towards the altar, and with a mere twist of Ryan's hand, he found himself splayed out face-up, limbs taut and stretched against the cold surface of the table. Ryan's smile broadened into a sinister grin as he sauntered unhurriedly toward G, a wicked gleam in his eyes. He drew a malevolent-looking dagger from his belt, its long, curved blade glinting menacingly in the dim light. The bone handle, etched with dark runes, culminated in a grotesque, demonic skull that seemed to leer at its helpless victim.
"Tocai, can you do that vortex thing again?" G inquired, his projected voice tense.
"I could, but perhaps we should consider using flame or cold instead," Tocai replied, his tone deceptively calm compared to G's racing heart.
G considered using the cursed ring again. He concentrated, willing it to shield his mind from magic. Nothing happened...
Suddenly, an overwhelming surge of dread flooded the room. Aevum Malum had arrived!
Ryan hesitated, the wicked dagger poised above his head, prepared to plunge it into G's chest. From the darkness that had once housed the massive double doors to the throne room, a monstrous entity emerged, a vortex of malevolent energy that seemed to suck the very light from the room. Tendrils of darkness shot out from its amorphous form, striking the dark elf guards with terrifying speed. Each guard, upon contact, withered and aged in mere seconds, collapsing into lifeless husks. The sight was horrifying, a display of raw, corrupting power that sent a chill through everyone present.
The tendrils didn't stop there. They snaked through the air, heading straight for G and Ryan. The sheer dread exuding from Aevum Malum staggered them both, their bodies almost failing to respond to the imminent danger. The Queen, too, felt the creature's oppressive aura, her steps faltering as she worked to muster the strength to act.
Amidst the chaos, Ryan and the Queen regained their composure. With a determined look, the Queen activated the entrapment sphere with a spell G didn't recognize. It hummed to life, glowing with an ethereal light that countered the darkness. Slowly drinking the malevolent spirit into it core.
The ring on G's hand seared his flesh, and in a powerful pulse, G found himself freed from the paralyzing effect. Ryan must have sensed G's movement, for his free hand slammed onto G's chest like an iron vise, pinning him back against the altar. He drew back the knife, ready to end G's life.
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G analyzed the malevolent weapon.
Name: Tychon's Lifesbane
Type: Sacrificial Dagger
Rarity: Legendary
Description: Tychol's Lifesbane is an infamous sacrificial dagger forged in the depths of the Abyss under the watchful gaze of Tychol, the archdemon. The blade, made from a mysterious, nightmarish metal, has an uncanny ability to absorb all light, casting an unnerving darkness around it. Intricate carvings of suffering and despair adorn the blade, imbuing it with cursed power that can bring an end to all life it touches.
The bone handle, fashioned from the remains of fallen foes, is etched with foreboding runes that whisper of doom and destruction. The handle culminates in a malevolent, grinning skull with hollow eyes, an omen of the pain and torment that awaits those who face the blade.
Properties:
Life Drain: On a successful hit, the wielder of Tychol's Lifesbane drains the life force of its target, dealing an additional 2d6 necrotic damage. The wielder gains temporary hit points equal to the necrotic damage dealt if death is caused by this blade, it eliminates all life from the victim, and it can not be resurrected.
Aura of Fear: The dagger radiates a 15-foot aura of fear. Any creature that enters the aura or starts its turn within it must make a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself with a successful save. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends, the creature is immune to the dagger's Aura of Fear for the next 24 hours.
Unholy Bond: The wielder of Tychol's Lifesbane forms a pact with the archdemon Tychol. While attuned to the dagger, the wielder can cast the 'summon greater demon' spell once per day, without requiring any material components. The summoned demon is loyal to the wielder, but the pact comes at a price. The wielder must regularly offer blood sacrifices to Tychol to maintain the demon's loyalty.
G absorbed the description in an instant and realized the blade could obliterate his other lives. Panic surged, but paralysis thwarted any spell. Desperate, he pounded on Ryan's iron-hard arm, futile as a gnat against stone. Ryan's laughter mocked G's struggle. Steeling himself, G summoned his mace, twisted its handle to extend, and smashed it into Ryan's face. A jagged gash appeared on Ryan's forehead. The bloodthirsty sneer on Ryan's face faltered for an instant, replaced by a look of shock. Then, a deafening roar echoed throughout the throne room, drowning out all other sounds. Towering behind Ryan, Bitsy materialized in her full, fearsome form.
"Tocai, cast the bolt at the Sphere of Containment!" Before he even finished the last mental word, Tocai the Elemental Storm Orb glowed, and a Mana Bolt shot out of it straight into the giant sphere above that had half absorbed Aevum Malum and its dread aura. The sphere pulsed with a mesmerizing rhythm like a disco ball from hell as Bitsy's powerful pounce sent Ryan crashing face-first into the altar, his sinister sacrificial knife spiraling across the floor.
G gasped for air, his eyes drawn to the dark spirit Aevum Malum's fury, which manifested as writhing tendrils of darkness snaking into the room. The Sphere of Containment, caught in a violent struggle, threw off a tempest of magical sparks that danced through the air. The Dark Elf Queen, her royal countenance fierce, stood before her throne. She conjured a shimmering force shield, the magical barrier gleaming with radiant energy. She commanded Phan and Gerkag, her voice full of authority, "Kill them! I will hold the spirit!"
Phan, ever the obedient assassin, drew a wicked-looking blade from her belt, the sharp edge glinting malevolently. She flashed a sinister smile at G, who watched as Bitsy collided once more with Ryan, the impact eliciting a pained cry from him. G's heart sank as he saw Ryan's health bar had barely diminished. Bitsy had him pinned off his feet, but that wouldn't last. How much health does Ryan have now!
Sinister black tendrils shot toward G and the Queen. Tocai pulsed with protective energy, and the dark tendrils recoiled as if struck by an unseen force. Unperturbed, Phan's smile persisted as she spun, swinging her blade with lethal precision, slicing it straight through Gerkag's throat. The half-breed's eyes widened in shock, and Phan pulled him close in a macabre embrace like two star-crossed lovers sharing a final moment. In an instant, they vanished, leaving only a lingering trail of darkness that seemed to pull Phan away from the Queen and into the shadows behind the throne.
Shock then resolve crossed the Queen's face as she looked again at the containment sphere and unleashed a torrent of lightning and necrotic energy, which cascaded across the floor in an electrifying wave, forcing Aevum Malum's encroaching darkness to retreat. With a ragged gasp, G pushed off the altar, his voice cracking, "Bitsy, we need to go!" He briefly considered fighting Ryan but quickly dismissed the thought, realizing he wasn't ready, especially since Bitsy's strikes had barely fazed him.
Then, agony ripped through G's side and chest as Bitsy's razor-sharp teeth pierced his flesh, lifting him into the air. He willed his robe to shield him from further harm. Carrying him like wounded prey, Bitsy sprinted forward, vanishing into invisibility. G glanced at his health pool, dismayed to see it over half depleted. Ryan had already pushed him to the brink. Meanwhile, Bitsy continued her relentless charge, even as the Queen hurled a sinister bolt of necrotic energy that narrowly missed them, gouging a smoking hole in the floor and chipping the altar's stone edge.
The Queen screamed, "Get up and assist me with this dread spirit, it will destroy us all."
With a furious roar, Ryan surged to his feet, unleashed a torrent of lightning at Aevum Malum, and reached for the sphere, trying to reclaim its power. As Bitsy raced through the open door behind the throne, G's head collided with the doorway, the impact sending searing pain and a flash of stars across his vision. The scene in the throne room disappeared from view, replaced by a haze of pain and disorientation. His hit points fell again, 24 of 80.
Bitsy ran out around a small pool and up some stairs, going straight toward the wood ramp leading to the Astral ship thirty meters away. There were piles of repair supplies and what looked like a workshop near the ship's ramp. Bitsy ran up the ramp, dumping G on the deck. Shees, at least he wasn't bleeding. G cast Lesser Heal on himself, then looked around. Kargan was pushing the heavy wooden plank ramp off the ship's edge, where it dropped away and into the city hundreds of meters below. Riclos was directing two of the gnome children who were sawing at a rope that was too tight to untie.
There was blood on the deck in several spots, and off to the side was the corpse of Gerkag lying on the deck. G looked at his corpse as Phan came into view, deactivating whatever she was using to disappear into shadow. G smiled and nodded to her, "Thank you."
She nodded back, then turned to help untie the ship at the other end. G heard Tocai's voice, tinged with urgency, "We need to get to the controls. The Guardian isn't able to attach to the ship."
Furrowing his brow, G hastened up the narrow staircase, his footsteps echoing softly. As he reached the upper deck, he saw Thierry engaged in hushed conversation with the Guardian, which flickered and pulsed with a pale glow on the control console. Feeling the weight of the situation, G grasped his Arcane Focusing Lens staff firmly in his hand. The intricate patterns adorning its surface seemed to shimmer with potential energy as though eager to lend their power to the task at hand. Alongside Tocai, whose own magical essence surged with determination, G began channeling mana into the Guardian's Sphinx head.
The air around them crackled with energy as G, Tocai, and the crystal formed a potent conduit for the magical power that would activate the ship. As the intensity grew, it became clear that they were tantalizingly close but still falling short of the required threshold. G reached into his inventory with a grim nod and retrieved his magical scissors. The enchanted blades gleamed with latent power, their razor-sharp edges ready to sever the strongest material. Feeding the scissors to Tocai, G watched as the small orb devoured the enchanted artifact. The enchanted metal fell to dust as Tocai pulsed with newfound mana.
The infusion of energy proved to be the final catalyst. A torrent of arcane power surged through G, Tocai, and the Guardian crystal, enveloping the control console in a dazzling display of light and color. The ship shuddered and groaned as its dormant magic and mechanisms sprang to life, finally responding to the will of its new crew. G heard Ryan's furious scream from the ledge as the ship gradually drifted away from the dock, the ropes now severed. A seething bolt of lightning lashed the side of the ship, carving a deep, scorched groove into the wood and metal. The vicious energy arced over the deck rails, incinerating the thinner wood upon contact. The lightning surged several feet above the deck, and G could feel the searing heat and static electricity prickling his skin. Ryan redirected the magical onslaught back toward the ship.
Ryan screamed furiously, taking two steps back before charging forward. He leapt into the air, and suddenly, two giant leathery demon wings erupted from his back. G watched in horror; the transformation was terrifying and abrupt. With a single powerful flap, the huge wings lifted Ryan upward. He unleashed another torrent of lightning.
"Move the ship!" G shouted, leaving Tocai beside the console next to the Guardian crystal. He rose to his feet and cast a Mana Bolt at Ryan at the same time. Across at the palace, G caught sight of Cisandra, the dark elf Queen, slowly ascending the stairs while beginning to weave a spell.
Victory had been within Ryan's grasp! Then, in an instant, the world shifted, and the air distorted. Ryan's beam of lightning sliced through nothing but empty space, as did the necrotic bolt of energy that erupted from the Queen's outstretched hand. The ship had vanished, evading its doom by a hair's breadth. Ryan's wings flapped, and he hovered in the air where the ship had once been. He gave a wailing howl that could be heard across the city below.