Driving out the Demon [TheHighwayman][Jadenshine]

[GoblinFae]

Days upon days of bribing, cajoling, and threatening had led to this moment. The tall assassin crouched low, long pale fingers tracing the outline of a footprint. It was fresh still, only a few hours instead of the few days old ones she had been tracking over the past several weeks. She was getting closer.

Thin lips smirked slightly at the knowledge. Tiraris allowed herself to relax into the knowledge, let it burn into her the thrill of success before extinguishing it to be fueled later. There was no use getting ahead of oneself, even she knew that. But, a few moments could be spared before she took off after her prey once more.

Her mind drifted as her crimson orbs examined the trail ahead of the prints, working to determine her next course of action. The man who had employed her back on the border of Darken Vei and Jadenshine had been terrified by this creature. All night long he had cast furtive glances about as if expecting the demon to suddenly materialize out of the shadows and swallow him up in darkness.

She might have even considered it comical if she had not been trying to glean useful bits of information from the man instead of the falsehoods he seemed intent on spewing. Tiraris had almost refused the job on principle if it had not been for one small detail. It was not the money nor the way the man had reeked of fear that had driven her to accept. Even the challenge was barely enough for her, there were always other challenges she could partake in. No, it had been something else entirely, something she had seen and yet could not quite put her finger on. It was something she was hoping to be able to explain once the demon had been caught and killed. Until then all she had was the hunt and she was determined that it would not end until the creature's blood had been spilled and her money was in hand.

Rising to her feet she took off once more, running lightly in the darkness. The time for gloating was over; the hunt was back on and she had a demon to kill.

[TheHighwayman]

Somehow, despite years of fruitless searching, there was still a certain thrill for Drin when he closed in on the rumors and had a demon nearly in his grasp. Even if it didn't end up being the one he was looking for, there was always the hunt and the challenge of a fight. Drin forced his heartbeat to slow for just another minute as he tried to divine which way his target had gone. There was a flash in his mind's eye, and he saw a blur of motion heading east, leaping over the fallen trunk which had given him a marking to follow. The image of the past faded along with the spell's power, not enough to tell the mage anything more than a direction. But that would be enough.

Standing to his full (and rather impressive) height, Drin felt his blood beginning to boil. His quarry wasn't far, and it certainly wouldn't be able to hide from him long- demons were tricky, but few could match his stride for any great distance. Flames licked at his gloves and at the base of his cloak. It was time to hunt. Drin threw his head back and a bestial bellow rent the air- right before a column of fire erupted fifty feet in the air. This would not be a quiet night, if he had anything to say about it.

As Drin charged off, moving surprisingly quickly for one of his size, the flames spread around him. Soon his arms were surrounded in the glow, then his legs, then his torso, and soon he was completely enveloped in an inferno. At the back of his mind he felt the familiar warnings for calm, to keep his wits about him, but as usual those thoughts were ignored. What need had he for patience? Just because he felt like it, he sent a fireball blazing into one of the trees he dashed by, grinning as it lit like dry kindling. Now he just needed a demon for some target practice.

[GoblinFae]

She suddenly skid to a stop in her paces before throwing herself to the side in a roll. A knife was in her hand and poised in a defensive strike before what she had heard even registered. Tiraris looked around her but found neither hide nor hair of the beast that had sounded what she had assumed to be a death charge.

Her part of the forest had gone still in the instinctual breath before the chase. The assassin had no way of knowing what laid ahead on the path before her but she was determined to finish this job. Her quarry while a challenge was not immortal. She did not fear him. But, Tiraris would be a fool not to be cautious from here on out. Many arrogant men died in the hunt because they believed themselves invincible. Yet, even she knew from a young age that a cornered animal fought its hardest before death.

Her knowledge of the demon she hunted was only as limited as the hearsay of those who had suffered his wrath or fed upon the rumors of his existence. She had no idea that another would prove competition in this quest. Tiraris assumed that what she had heard followed by the wall of fire shooting into the sky was all caused by her prey. The assassin was in for quite the surprise when she found otherwise. Believing the firescreen to be her newest course, Tiraris adjusted her path before taking off once more on nimble-feet, the thrill of the hunt singing within her breast.

[TheHighwayman]

Just a little bit closer... just a little more... there! Bah, another miss. Drin shouted a curse as the blast of fire struck the ground just besides the demon. More shots followed, all of which were inaccurate or easily dodged. Still, his long stride was carrying him closer and closer by the second, and soon he'd have to be blindfolded to miss. Another bellow ripped from his throat, which was accompanied by another jet of flame. Of course, that obscured his vision, and he lost track of the creature for a second. He growled, threw fire in all directions, and catching sight of his quarry once more started off.

Unbeknownst to him, the demon was fleeing in the direction of its other pursuer. Tiraris would be able to see the constant pillars of flame and flashes of light thrown up by Drin growing nearer and nearer. Once again Drin started to close the gap between himself and the demon, while the demon seemed to be growing more desperate for a way out. One of Drin's shots had managed to light up its flank, and he was getting more and more precise. As the two came into view of Tiraris at a full sprint, however, the situation changed.

Drin noted the figure drawing into view ahead of his prey, but it was of no consequence. No consequence, that is, until he decided to put as much power as he could muster to blow the beast out of existence. The fireball flew right towards the demon, but the beast dove to the side and left the flame to strike the ground halfway between Drin and the woman. The spell exploded with enough force to knock Drin himself back off his feet.

The inferno around him faded to a cloak of smoldering embers as he grimaced and forced himself back up. Drin looked about for the demon- the smoke hadn't cleared from his vision, so he couldn't see either his prey or the woman, but his instincts told him the former wasn't quite as dead as he'd planned. Letting out one more shout as the flames drew themselves about his arms once more- though they stopped there this time- he started forward in the hopes that the demon would have been more immobilized than he himself had been...

[GoblinFae]

The towering columns of fire that shot up into the sky was a beacon to the assassin, beckoning her closer and closer while helping her to adjust her path accordingly. When the last one lit the sky, she knew she was close and therefore was not surprised when the demon burst through the trees heading straight for her at a dead run with terror in its eyes.

What she did not expect as she hunkered down to take an impact was the racing figure that bolted out not long after the demon. Fire flew from the man's hands and Tiraris watched in horror as the demon dove out of the way leaving her in its path.

Acting on instinct alone, the assassin immediately ducked and rolled in the opposite direction of the demon, getting to her feet just as the fire exploded, knocking her back into a tree with a heavy crack. She chose not to consider whether the sound come from bone or wood, instead praying for the later as she propelled herself forward. It seemed Tiraris was not the only one on the hunt for demon blood.

Smoke blinded her, causing her eyes and nose to water with a painful urge to clear her throat. She quickly tore a bit of her clothing and wrapped it around her face to better enable breathing as her keen ears listened intently for sounds of movement.

The newcomer's shout and following flames told the assassin where to avoid as she raced towards the demon's last sighting. She could hear it and yet still not see as it shuffled across the undergrowth, trying to be as swift and quiet as it possibly could.

It thrashed about as the huntress leaped for it, missing in the last moment as it rolled away. Cornered and in pain the demon unknowingly fled back in the direction of its original pursuer, the assassin hot on his tail.

[TheHighwayman]

The smoke still in his eyes, barely able to make anything out, Drin continued his thrashing and erratic fire-throwing. The earlier blast had snapped him out of his berserk chase for a short time, but now the flames about his arms blazed brighter as his prior frenzy began to return in full. Another shout rent the air, and the hulking man charged towards the first shape he saw. Most of his yelling was incomprehensible, but one bit was distinct enough for either the demon or the assassin to hear should they care enough to make note of it. "-Back what's mine!"

Drin charged the first shape that came into his blurred vision- no fireballs this time, he'd retained enough clarity to come up with a plan. His shoulder drove right into the creature, and with a grunt he shoved upwards, his semi-natural strength lifting the demon into the air and carrying them both back towards the woman. Once Drin had cost the beast its footing, he let loose with the fire, enveloping in pair in a white-hot blaze that was still charging right towards Tir.

[GoblinFae]

She heard the shouts but chose to ignore them and focus on the sounds of her prey. The interferer could be taken care of later. The demon had to be brought down first and she was going to ensure that she would be the one to do it.

Catching the sound of scuffling she rush towards it only to be temporarily blinded an enormous inferno. As she gazed upon it, Tiraris was shocked to find that it was moving towards her at an alarming rate.

It was too close for her dodge and she did not have any way to stop it from coming. She howled in anger and frustration, readying her blade and knowing that she was most likely going to pay serious consequences for her foolhardy choice. "STOP THIS!"

[TheHighwayman]

The woman's yell almost didn't get through to the big man; he barely even heard it over the sound of the flames and his bellowing, and most of his mind was only focused on incinerating the demon in front of him. Fortunately for the woman, Drin had just enough presence of mind to realize that he was rushing towards somebody else in a huge ball of fire. With a grunt, he slowed his charge and planted his feet in the ground, slamming the demon down and pinning it there as he dismissed the inferno.

Slowly he looked back up at the woman, his senses gradually coming back to him- though his vision was still slightly obscured by the smoke. Breathing heavily, he coughed out a quick, "Who are you?"

[GoblinFae]

Standing tall, the assassin glared the other man down, eyes blazing and lips pursed. She was not impressed by his massive displays and found them to be reckless and foolish. That amount of power locked within one individual and allowed to cause such destruction and chaos was sure to get far out of hand. She just hoped she would not be there to have to witness it first-hand.

"I?" Tiraris questioned, swinging her blade around so that pointed downward in a defensive position that also placed it over the demon's head. "I am its executioner. You are interfering with my hunt. Be gone before I decide to include you on my list of prey."

[TheHighwayman]

Drin glared, his flames stirring and licking at his fingertips. "Why should I? -I- tracked it down. -I- caught it. And I've got a bone to pick with his kind." Looking down at the- still barely living- creature, the big man couldn't quite hide his disappointment; he'd not really expected it to be the one he'd been tracking, but the hope had been there.

"I'm not in a negotiating mood, but I don't want to kill you. I'll give you one chance- you go back to your employer, collect your pay, no harm done... and I'll learn what I can from this cretin." As he spoke, he shifted his weight so as to be better able to move if the need arose; the woman hadn't sounded like she was asking, and in his more lucid moments Drin fully understood what could happen when one underestimated anger.

[GoblinFae]

"One chance?" she scoffed, unimpressed. "Boy you have no idea what you are up against. Back down now, and there will be no unnecessary bloodshed. There is a price on this demon's head and I intend to claim it. You stole my catch from me and you are going to give it back."

Her grip tightened on the blade as she turned wrist to point upwards. Tiraris was smart enough to know that most men who interfered with her hunts because they were after the same target, did not relinquish them easily. The assassin was not about to let herself get caught off-guard and therefore prepared herself for the literal upper-hand.

[TheHighwayman]

"And I need answers." With a sickening crunch, Drin stomped on the demon's leg; it wouldn't do any good if he ran off while the two of them were fighting. "I told you, you can go back and get your pay. I don't care about that. Now get moving!" Dropping into a crouch, Drin's flames snaked about his arms and along his shoulders, and the light glinted on the spikes of his gloves. He didn't think the issue would be settled by talking, but he could feel himself losing control again, and he sure wouldn't get a chance to try once that happened. For a moment, his expression was almost pleading... and then his eyes began to blaze. "Last warning!" he growled.

[GoblinFae]

Tiraris hissed, baring her teeth in rage. "Are you stupid? You will get no answers when I take his head for my claim," she growled tersely, muscles bunching at the possible need to spring away quickly. Her own magic was begin roll under the surface, bashing at her weak containment shields in an effort to escape.

The flames did not frighten her and while the assassin did note the near pleading look in the other man's eyes it did nothing to sway her mind. His insolent warning served the opposite of his intended affect. Instead of sending her away it made sure she stayed.

"My patience has run out. You are not in a position to give me warnings boy!" With a flick of her wrist the sword in her hand began to make a descent through the air in a deadly path to cleave the demon's head from its shoulders. Tiraris had enough playing around for one day. She wanted this over with once and for all.

[TheHighwayman]

Drin counted two disadvantages, the lack of a sword and the fact that he had to keep the woman from killing the demon as well as himself. The first was partially made up for by his gloves and his size, but the latter... This would be interesting.

With an indecipherable yell, the fire mage stepped forward and threw his spiked fist at the blade, pushing it away from its lethal path. Of course, the spikes on his knuckles weren't exactly meant for parrying, and the blade ended up slicing into the flesh of his hand and arm. Meanwhile, his other hand reached out to grab her blade arm and a jet of fire flew from his mouth- at first aimed at Tir's face, but the man's eyes flashed and he redirected it towards the woman's feet.

((OOC: Sorry for the somewhat short posts.  Still trying to get used to Drin. Only so much you can do when a guy's actions are essentially "yell and shoot fire."  :) ))

[GoblinFae]

The assassin let her gaze drop to where she was being held before flickering back up to glare him down. His interference was one thing. His laying hands on her though was an entirely different one. The first was enough to get him a nasty lump on his head, the second, likely to separate his hand from the rest of him permanently.

She ducked the beginnings of his flames, bunching her muscles moments before she jumped into the air, leveraging herself upward by using his own body to swing herself up and over him. Not even stopping to completely regain her footing once she landed, Tiraris swung her swordarm out in an arc to try and catch him from behind.

"Now I will have your head too. Done playing games, boy!"

[TheHighwayman]

Drin hadn't been expecting that; the woman looked agile, sure, but he'd never seen anybody pull a trick like that off. Nor was he fast enough to step out of the way of the sword, and the man let out of a howl of pain as it sliced through his back. Wheeling around, his flames roared upwards again and he charged, throwing his spiked fists forward with hardly any apparent concern for his well being.

No concern, that is, unless Tir noticed the mage's fire searing across the flesh on his hand, cauterizing his wound instantly. It wouldn't take a genius to figure out what the flames at his back were doing...

The man's face, meanwhile, was contorted in fury. Gone was any trace of the man who'd tried to frighten her off with words, replaced by a bestial creature of flame and anger.

[GoblinFae]

She saw the flames dancing across his form but did not as of yet understand their purpose other than show. Her own rage boiled within her veins, threatening to break forth in a wave of uncontrollable power.

Her blade moved in complicated patterns as she took a step back, assessing the situation. If Tiraris could take him out quickly then there would be no need to worry about her own magical weaknesses, for the swordplay was her own brand of meditation and would serve to calm her anger.

With a shout she lunged forward, feinting to the right to strike with her blade and hoping he would be foolish enough to fall for it. Then with all the grace of a dancer, she spun on her heel, kicking her other leg up and out to try and catch him across the chest and send him falling backwards.

[TheHighwayman]

The fire mage had neither the skill nor the speed to deal with the woman's technique, so he continued to rely on simple force. Pressing forward, he fell right into Tiraris' feint, stepping to avoid the blade and right into the kick. Drin was sturdy, but even he couldn't just shrug off a solid kick like that, and he staggered backwards.

Before the woman would have a chance to follow up and finish him off, however, he bellowed once more and spit out a short, wide cone of his hottest fire. It wouldn't be difficult to evade the fire, but it certainly would have formed an effective momentary shield while he recovered himself.

Taking in a deep breath, he tightened his grip and summoned as much of his flame as he could muster to his hands. A murderous gleam in his eyes, he rushed into the wall of fire.

[GoblinFae]

Her swordhand swung up like a viper to finish him when she was forced to take evasive actions in the presence of the infernal flames. The assassin was not quite fast enough though as she raised her arm to protect her face, the edge of the cone of flames licked hungrily across her elbow, sending searing pain racing through her. A angry howl declared her displeasure while she blindly threw a dagger through the flames, hoping yet doubting that it would hit the mark. Tiraris did not realize that even as she took a step back to regain her ground, her opponent was barreling towards her.

[TheHighwayman]

The dagger did strike the big man, slicing into his shoulder. Drin didn't even feel the blade as it lodged in him, his rage and adrenaline blotting out any pain. He continued his charge forward, swinging his arm to bat aside the woman's sword and throwing himself shoulder-first at her. Perhaps the man still had enough sense left to try and force the woman away from the demon- or, more likely, that would simply be a fortunate side-effect of his mindless actions.

Drin's flames, meanwhile, began to die down somewhat. They were still dangerous, but even Drin had his limits, and he'd wasted a lot of his power on the way here. He'd been expecting an easy catch, not somebody like this woman. No longer did the fires crackle and reach for fuel; instead, they smoldered and slowly started to fade.