A demon only earns their freedom and levels, who daily seizes them by force. Nor force allows to come to bear which would crush the demon like … well, a crisp beneath the heel of high, hard boots. Lord Azanth did not like sharing the bothy with these humans: the female a cleric; the male a fighter. Both Level 25. Just too high for him to hear their thoughts with Telepathy.
After an awkward evening by lamplight, where only trivial matters were discussed, both parties retired early, having agreed to take one room each. Availing of his ability to communicate in secret, Lord Azanth had arranged a rota so that one of his human companions would always be awake and on guard while the other two slept. Even a prawn cocktail crisp must sleep, but although he had left himself off the rota, he could not avail of the opportunity for a full night’s rest, so uneasy was he about the two Adventurers beyond the wooden door. He dreamed he was playing chess against a strong opponent. Only he had forgotten all the moves and, shamefully, his opponent kept having to explain them.
Dawn. A beautiful azure blue sky, where even a demon might for a moment wish to exchange the fires of Hell for the sea breeze, birdsong, and infinite sky. The two strangers were already awake and had made coffee, offering to share it. Only Kate availed of the offer, with no apparent ill effects.
‘I don’t understand how you can farm those crocodiles,’ said the male fighter as Kate sipped from her mug. ‘You’re too low level.’
From the other room, where he was lacing his boots, Aengus called over. ‘I’m a monk with Still Heart. We can split pull them so as to get one at a time.’
It did not seem to Lord Azanth that the fighter was persuaded by this information. All the same, neither party wished to talk much about their respective abilities or plans for the day and soon, to Lord Azanth’s relief, the higher-level pair departed, skirting the crocodiles and moving through groups of lizard warriors without incurring any aggro, such was the level disparity.
Then it was a case of waiting for the humans to perform their necessary ablutions, before his journey towards revenge could resume. Once more they approached the crocodiles, which lay like rectangular stones in the morning light, half in, half out of the shallow river. Their efficient monk set to work, triggering the nearest crocodile and getting rid of the two additional monsters who responded to his presence.
The number of times that Lord Azanth had looked at his EXP bar as it came closer and closer to being full was beyond reckoning. Impatient as he was to level up to 14 and then the all-important 15, he could not fault his human companions who settled into a murderous routine and began to isolate and defeat the crocodiles without incident. After ten of the giant reptiles had been slain, Lord Azanth could no longer discern any gap between the green of his progress and the end of the EXP bar. Nevertheless, it was two more kills before he experienced the deeply satisfying glow of a level up.
One more level and I shall acquire a new skill.
‘Lord Azanth has hit fourteen,’ announced Liam.
‘Well done,’ said Kate.
‘Congratulations!’ Aengus and came over and gave Lord Azanth’s container a small tap, which he considered unbecoming, albeit that the sentiment was acceptable.
Once the crocodiles were cleared out, the group moved on to the lizard warriors. An hour of fighting these and the sun was overhead. Even dirt glitters when the sun shines upon it. The position of the master alchemist, whose presence Lord Azanth did not need to see in order to feel it upon his potato body, was always known to him.
‘It’s an old orchard, look, lemons on this side; cherries on the right.’ The youngest human was walking along a path between trees bearing fruit. Soon all three of them were running back and forth, calling out, ‘apples’, or ‘oranges’ and trying the fruits. It was only a minor pause in their accumulation of EXP, and doubtless the food was useful refreshment for their frail bodies. All the same, if Lord Azanth had been in his body as a demon, he would have clenched his fangs in frustration until at last their levelling resumed.
Three groups of lizard warriors defeated, the female mage reached Level 12 and two more after that, the young monk became Level 11. Despite the heat, despite the interruptions for drink and fruit, the day was a productive one. It did not concern Lord Azanth that they were only slowly making their way towards the larger ruins. What mattered here was the rapid accumulation of EXP, far from scrying eyes. The treasure of the island, if it even existed, would be guarded by monsters far beyond the capabilities of his group.
The cawing of a multitude of birds rent the heavens and a cloud of panicked creatures of the air spread above the treeline to the north.
‘What’s that?’ asked Liam.
I know not… but I sense powerful creatures approaching from that direction.
Well did Lord Azanth know the tread of an army and he was suddenly reminded of the sound of tramping feet and the associated shaking of the ground.
Hide!
The humans hurried uphill from the orchard, to where they could crouch beside broken rocks, shaded and hidden from whatever was approaching.
‘It’s Patricia and Daniel! They have a train,’ exclaimed Kate.
And soon after, Lord Azanth sensed the cleric and the fighter, sprinting for their lives ahead of a huge line of monsters, some fifty strong.
‘There’s an earth elemental, no two,’ whispered Aengus.
Liam looked across at his brother. ‘What are those black things with the massive swords?’
‘No idea.’
As the line of monsters rushed along the path beneath them, Lord Azanth felt the strength of their spirits. Among them were two giants whose dark auras were familiar and alarming.
Constructs. Ebony golems. These soulless machines cannot be swayed from violence once unleashed. They will not rest. They will not receive harm, except from a magic weapon. The blow of their sword inflicts the Blindness skill. The fear in the hearts of the fleeing humans will keep them ahead of the golems for an hour, or two. Then comes fatigue and death, holding a black sword.
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‘We’ve got to help them,’ said Kate and Lord Azanth described to her, too, the nature of the ebony golem.
Do not give in to empathetic feelings. An overly sensitive heart is an unhappy possession on this wicked plane. That the strangers must die, does not your own demise imply.
‘Come on,’ said their monk. ‘Maybe we can help them by tagging a few mobs from the back of the train.’
What folly was this? All three humans were running down the hill.
Stop! What are these strangers to us? Theirs is the mistake and theirs the consequence.
The humans did not stop.
Carried into danger against his will, Lord Azanth was as the sun in a raging, burning, destructive mode. His companions, towards whom he had begun to develop a feeling of respect, were insubordinate, reckless fools.
Panting, Liam said, ‘within Magic Missile range. I’m going to tag that lizard champion.’
This is not our fight.
At the back of the line of monsters who were thundering down the orchard path in the wake of the doomed strangers was a lizard warrior with a steel helmet and a crest of yellow and black. He staggered as a Magic Missile struck him; instantly, a group of twelve monsters turned towards them in response to that irresponsible action. To moan at Liam would be justified, but fatal. Instead, Lord Azanth cast Intoxicating Scent and locked down four lizard warriors. The human female mage used Freeze and because she had levelled up the skill to three, could target two opponents, as did Liam; three animated statues and a lizard champion were thus held in place, leaving just four opponents to continue running over the hillocks and through the trees towards them: a ghostly pirate; a lizard monk; an evil dryad; and a blue-armoured minor demon.
Do not let the dryad use her Entangle skill. When she halts because she is in range, cast your Magic Missile to interrupt her incantation.
‘Hold here! All on the dryad when she stops to use her skill,’ Liam repeated. Already planning ahead, the speed of their enemies was a vital consideration and Lord Azanth judged the proximity of their enemies against the refresh rate of his Intoxicating Scent. It would do. Make the most of time, it flies away so fast; yet timing will teach you to win.
Abruptly, the dryad raised her sinuous arms to the blue sky, her hair of vines also streaming upwards. Before her spell was complete, the Magic Missile of the female mage and the more powerful one of Liam struck her, staggering her. A moment later their young monk’s Ki Shock Wave flew into all four advancing opponents. His Intoxicating Scent having reset, Lord Azanth triggered it.
Now we must fall back, obliging the dryad to move again when she is no longer stunned.
‘Back up…’ Liam relayed to the other two and the three young humans hurried up the hill. Below, back at the path, Lord Azanth sensed that the original group of lizard warriors he had stunned were now moving again. Decades of warfare in every kind of tactical engagement provided him with a clear understanding of the steps that had to be taken if they were to survive. The dryad must die without using her Entangle skill; then the lizard monk, who would also have dangerous skills. The minor demon probably had Weakness, which was debilitating but not lethal. And the ghostly pirate was unknown to Lord Azanth but did not seem to have a ranged attack.
They must keep the lead pursuers immobile and constantly use Freeze and Intoxicating Scent as fast as these skills reset. Then, the question of victory or death would be resolved according to the rate at which their mana pool emptied. Depletion of that bar of blue would mean that death had arrived and all his efforts to achieve revenge would melt away as crumbs of fried potato on the damp ground.
Without him having to urge them, the mages used Freeze on the four lizard warriors. As three animated statues and a lizard champion came to the fore, Lord Azanth triggered Intoxicating Scent to stun them. Then the dryad group was leapfrogging past the others to the forefront of the chase.
With an efficiency that was appreciated by Lord Azanth, the humans used their ranged skills as soon as the dryad halted. Liam’s powerful Magic Missile wasn’t quite enough to finish her off but the Ki Shock Wave that followed soon after caused her to spin around and fall on her face. The dryad’s sinuous fingers tore up the earth as she expired. O glorious moment. She was the enemy Lord Azanth most feared, for mobility was everything in this battle and her magic had the potential to have robbed them of it.
Not that he could indulge in a sense of triumph for long. The ghost pirate and lizard monk were closing fast. They were just twenty steps away when Intoxicating Scent reset and he transfixed them. The two hands of the lizard monk thrust forward; a ripple in the air rushed upward and a powerful blow staggered Liam. Lord Azanth felt it too.
You have been struck by Ki Shock Wave for 10 damage
With 33 hit points remaining, Lord Azanth did not allow any sense of alarm to cause him to reappraise his tactics.
What range is your Magic Missile?
Twenty-two metres, replied Liam.
Addressing their own monk, he asked. What range is your Ki Shock Wave?
Twenty metres.
Pull back until your skill is greyed out and no further.
Then to Liam and Kate in turn, Lord Azanth urged retreat as far as Aengus and reminded them that the next target had to be the enemy monk. They were capable companions and smart – when ridiculous feelings of gallantry did not arise in their minds – but all the same, they might be misled by the confusion of enemies moving up the hill through those that were still transfixed. Victory required they Magic Missile the enemy monk, not the nearest opponent, a lizard warrior.
While the mages managed two cycles of Magic Missile they had not killed the lizard monk when the moment arrived for Lord Azanth to trigger Intoxicating Scent on the nearby warriors and for everyone to hurry further up the hill. Now the nearest pursuers were the three animated statues and a lizard champion.
‘Let me use Ki Shock Wave before you Freeze them!’ shouted Aengus. This was the right order, otherwise the damage of the shock wave would break the Freeze.
Mana check? Lord Azanth sent to each of the humans. They were just about able to control this battle, so long as their mana was sufficient. His own was on 98, exactly half used. The others were also at about the half way point.
Expend your spare attribute points on Intelligence.
He did the same with the five attributes that he’d been saving. That was an extra ten mana.
A group of opponents consisting of the demon, the ghost pirate, the lizard monk and four lizard warriors were closing in and happily, the lizard monk died to Kate’s Magic Missile, while the demon succumbed to the combination of Liam’s Magic Missile and of being once more in the path of a Ki Shock Wave. Excellent. This made his own choice straightforward, stunning three warriors and the ghost pirate. Liam’s Freeze landed on the fourth lizard warrior.
Surprisingly, all was still for a second. Nine enemies seething with rage but unable to advance. In the distance, a dust cloud marked the path of the large train of monsters with the ebony golems. The doomed humans were running towards the bothy.
Then Lord Azanth had to concentrate once more on more immediate judgements of distance and timings, for the statues and the lizard champion were free to move once more. Even as a demon lord, it had been a long time since Lord Azanth had been required to concentrate this hard to bring about a victory in battle and he found that while a residue of anger persisted in him (that such a precarious encounter should have arisen in the first place), it was deeply satisfying to control and then destroy such a challenging group of enemies. A demon was never happy till their strivings had revealed the full extent of their power to annihilate.