Strange Illusions, Strange Meetings

[Anadwen]

Thranuilas first only stared at the wild show of bloodshed before him in surprise and wonder, and then broke into mad laughter. He covered his mouth with his slender hands, collapsing onto the ground, snickering crazily.

For an unknown reason, he found it incredibly comical to see the demonesses covering in fear, and couldn't force himself to stop laughing.

[Brisinger987]

Araxaz's menacing form turned to look at Thranuilas, and the demoness' and their master misunderstood. All the demons believed the laughter was mocking.

"Are you MOCKING ME?!" Araxaz's demoness' hissed, while the mace set ablaze, and the demon's red runes glowed bright red.

[Anadwen]

Thranuilas shook his head, pointing at the demonesses. "No... Mocking? Good gods, no!" he gasped, still laughing. "I suddenly found it incredibly amusing how you just smacked her!" he howled towards Araxaz.

Usually, he wouldn't find bloodshed comical, but in these circumstances, it was more amusing than the performances of street comedians.

[Brisinger987]

"You mock me, puny insect!" Araxaz's rage was sudden, and unsettling, and he swung the mace in a large arc over himself, aiming down at Thranuilas.

"NO-ONE MOCKS ME!"

[Anadwen]

Thranuilas rolled away from the mace before it hit him, sliding down the bank of the stream. He quickly climbed to his feet, dusting himself off, and frowned. "I'm not mocking anybody." he growled.

How did this cray demon even get the idea? He was merely laughing at the demonessess and their trembling... Well, if he wanted to fight, Thranuilas wasn't one to let himself shove around.

[Brisinger987]

The demoness' rose to their full height, and more demoness' clawed their way up from the ground, and the now demonic voice of Araxaz changed from it's original, seductive tones, to the harsh roar of an enraged demon.

"RIP THE FLESH FROM HIS BONES!"

[Anadwen]

Aldanith raised a shield of energy around himself to protect his fragile body from the rage of the demons, and further enforced it with fire, suddenly springing from the ground. He shook his head. "Leave now... And don't come back. I have no intention of fighting you... But I won't stand here defenseless!" he warned them.

He already prepared a spell that could work against those creatures, and only waited for the first attack to be launched.

[Brisinger987]

"Fine. You will DIE!" The demoness' charged, and as they did, more crawled from the ground, hungry for Thranuilas' flesh.

"FEAST ON HIS BLOOD!"

[Anadwen]

The shield around the elf's figure shook with their attacks, but didn't falter. The flames changed color to a bright, vibrant white, only partly keeping the orange by their base, and sprang by the feet of the demonesses, reaching after their bodies.

[Brisinger987]

The demoness' caught ablaze, and most recoiled. The rest began to secrete a purple gas, the wind spreading it everywhere.

"Not even your shield will protect you..." The gas was designed to cause Thranuilas to see the monsters as beautiful sirens, hidden behind a hallucination of beauty and seduction.

[Anadwen]

Thranuilas indeed did see strange, wonderful creatures behind the veil of the shield, but instead of dropping the shield just stepped back. Strong wind suddenly begun blowing through the forest, carrying the smoke away and the flames forth.

[Brisinger987]

While the purple smoke was gone, the illusion would remain, and Araxaz strengthened his field of influence. He tried to bend all of Thranuilas' desire to the demoness', who adopted more human poses, and began to try and seduce Thranuilas by acting like young women, imitating voice, posture and personality.

[Anadwen]

The figures of the women were tempting, but a part of Thranuilas' mind was still aware that they are, in fact, demonesses, and should be avoided. That this is only a trick... Though the temptation was great, he closed his eyes and covered his ears. If he couldn't see them or hear them, he would be safe of their influence.

[Brisinger987]

Araxaz snarled, and intensified his influence, turning it from a sphere to a concentrated beam, and he tried to suggest ideas.

It can't be that bad...
Go on...
Try it...
They won't bite...

[Anadwen]

Thranuilas opened his eyes to a tight gap, studying the demonesses. One of them was painfully similar to the bard he met a long, long time ago... He gasped and covered his face again. It was only an illusion! And so was she. She was long dead.

He wanted to run to her, find her in his embrace again, and take both of them far, far away from this place, but he knew that it was only a dream - at least a part of his mind was aware of that.

[Brisinger987]

The illusions Thranuilas was having were streaming to the demoness' and they began to prise information from his mind. The one with the illusion of the bard suddenly spoke.

"Thranuilas..." The voice was a replica of the one from Thranuilas' memories, a perfect recreation.

[Anadwen]

His eyes widened and he was forced to pull his hands from his eyes. It must have been her... It was her voice! If this all was a dream, then he couldn't get hurt.

He ran forth, straight towards the illusion of the bard, and his arms entwined around her body. It must have been a dream... And if it was a dream, he was free to do whatever he wanted.

[Brisinger987]

"We've missed you Thranuilas..." The other demoness' posing as girls, surrounded him, and for a brief second, the illusion flickered, as if it were a good dream, struggling to fight off an impending nightmare.

[Anadwen]

"I missed you, too." he whispered, and pressed his lips onto her, fiercely kissing her. She was just as when he saw her for the first time, just as his memories. She... There was nothing to hold back. She was a dream, his dream.

[Brisinger987]

As he kissed her, the illusion would shatter, and the nightmare began, as clawed hands and vicious hissing signalled the end of the dream.

The demon that Thranuilas kissed forced it's tendril like tongue into his mouth, chittering at the taste of fresh meat.

"You will taste like a delicacy..."