Inner Demon (Closed)

[Dingus]

They had came at last, the Light Bringers. At first only two showed their faces in Scara Brae, but soon more came. All of them were distinguished by their withered robes, that were surprisingly an ebony shade. The robes they wore all had a the image of three golden clouds on the back. I had been informed that they would come, but I knew so little about them. Cyrik had hinted that they would bring a certain light with them, one that would banish the sun fearing demon within me. I figured that meant they wished to kill me, which boosted my already growing ego.

I sat alone one evening in a bar I quite often frequented, one named "The Lamb's Chop." I had became a regular there since my arrival in Scara Brae and due to my master, Cyrik, I was treated like a king. Nothing was out of the question in this gritty place, which housed many of Scara Brae's notorious goons. The table to my left sat four men who also worked for Cyrik, but their names were unknown to me. I did know however that they weren't to be tangled with so I kept my distance. The rest of the patrons I didn't pay much mind.

From behind the bar came Hirephan, the owner, with a goblet that I hoped contained the human blood I had ordered just moments prior. It was hard to actually come across human blood without committing some kind of crime, so I often would get it from here. I didn't care how they got it though, as long as it ended up in the circling abyss that was called my stomach. Due to my Syver ties I was strictly on a liquid diet and blood tickled my taste buds more than anything else.

"Those guys friends of yours Hifendorf?" Hirephan pointed to the door with his free hand upon approaching my table. At the door were three of the black robed Light Bringers, all of them were looking in my direction speaking in low tones. I couldn't quite make out what they were saying, but it was about me so I figured I would get to the bottom of it.

"Nah, they ain't friends. In fact I've never met them before in my life!" I raised my arm and waved the men over to my table, the setting sun behind them was barely visible through the window to their left. I used my other hand to shield my face from it's violent rays. Due to my heritage I also had a crippling weakness to bright lights.

"Just let me know if they got problems, I'll have Goyle take care of it." Goyle was a mountain of a man, who was Hirephan's personal body guard. This guy was way bigger than me, in fact he could probably floss his flawed smile with one of my arms.

"I don't think they're here for trouble Hirephan. But I do want to know what the hell it is they came in here for, out of all the taverns in Scara Brae for." I put down my arm as soon as the Light Bringers began to approach my table. Hirephan waited around for another few seconds to reassure himself that there wasn't a threat.

"Bartender, fetch us a few ales and leave us to talk with young master Hifendorf." One of the Light Bringer's hissed. Somehow the son of a bitch knew my name and I was going to find out how.

[Dingus]

Apparently a group of known enemies sitting at the table of a Cyrik and Sons agent didn't quite sit well with my colleges who were now eyeballing my table with disgust. This for sure would get back to Cyrik, but I didn't give a damn. I was going to find out how these guys knew my name, even if I had to beat it out of them.

The three of them were all men from what I could tell, but each harvested a frighteningly strong aura. I could feel it the moment they sat at my table. If Cyrik were right and they wished to destroy me, I knew they could do so fairly easily. At the same time I felt comfortable knowing that they wouldn't leave this bar alive. Everyone in the bar knew who Cyrik was and weren't too willing to anger him.

"So Light Bringer, how do you know my name?! What the hell is it you're doing in here, you know you aren't welcome in this place." I questioned the figures, who revealed only their mouths under the ebony hoods they wore.

"Just a mutual knowledge young demon. You know of us, but obviously from what you have heard you've been misinformed." The first figure spoke in a quaint tone, it hinted knowledge far beyond my grasp. Whatever he came for, he was in this bar by no mistake. "I am Dori, these are my companions Ergun and Meathor." Upon mention of their names the light bringers nodded, leaving me to speculate that Dori was their leader.

From behind the trio I could see Hirephan preparing their drinks, motioning to Goyle. He had obviously alerted him to keep a close watch on the three men who had joined me at the table. Ergun turned to him and than back to me saying, "your friend the bartender will have his henchman keep us under an overbearing eye. And your other colleges, the ones who also are under the employ of Cyrik will try their hardest to listen. That it why we must do this, please do not be alarmed."

Before I could even question what the guy was talking about the room around us was frozen. Everyone and everything was motionless, besides the three Light Bringers and myself. Even the suns beams that struck my back moments prior had frozen and I no longer felt the warmth burning at my neck. It was a form of magic I had never encountered in all of my years of life and suddenly I knew that I was dealing with something quite powerful.

"I demand to know what's going on at once!" I shouted as I scanned the bar to see if any life still remained in the motionless bodies that filled the bar.

[Dingus]

The bar around us began to shift its shape into a vast span of blackness. The only things left visible were now myself and the three Light Bringers. Dori took the time to lift his hood revealing a chiseled face and a piercing pair of azure eyes. He looked more like an angel than a man. He raised his arms and circled around, small orbs of light were emerging from his hands and flying to the furthest corners of his fictional realm. The smile that spread across his face was eerie and almost hinted that he was a complete different person from the Dori I had encountered just moments ago in the bar.

"This my friend, is where heroes fight their demons. It is where you will either destroy your demon or you will die. Make your choice Hifendorf, but choose wisely." Dori stopped his spinning and pierced me with his azure eyes.

"Well as appealing as all this sounds I still don't understand what the hell you're talking about." I responded to his seemingly mindless banter.

"Have you ever wondered why it is that you cannot stand to be in direct light? Or what about how you never seem to have a choice in what you do, as if the outcome of your actions was pre-determined. Not all Syver's are like you Hif, something was placed in your being at birth. Something that is far more evil than you could ever imagine."

"Like I said I don't know what you're talking about man."

"I guess we will have to show you..." Dori raised his arms placing his hands on my temples. "I will draw your demon out, but you must fight it!" If you don't kill it, it will take you over. It will kill you and use your body as a hollow shell. Trust me Hifendorf, you want to kill this demon."

Suddenly I began to convulse violently. A beaming light emerged from Dori's eyes and pierced my own. I couldn't move, besides the violent shakes that quaked my body to it's core. I had no control, but it was a feeling I had felt before. Lack of control. Dori wasn't lying when he said I often had the feeling that I lacked control over my decisions. It always felt like something deep within me was making my choices.

Just as I thought I was going to pass out, a dark figure was withdrawn from my mind. I felt like a great weight was lifted and Dori removed his hands from my face and struggled to keep the dark figure under control. Oddly enough the figure resembled me to no end. It wore the same brown robe and had the same violent crimson eyes. The only real difference was the visible dark essence that surrounded it. I knew Dori had done me a great favor, but I would have to thank him later. Right now I guess I would heed his advice and kill whatever this mirror version of me was.

Dori yelled to me, "you must strike now I cannot control it for long!" His companions now joined him casting glowing beams from their eyes onto the beast. It was in that moment that I had established that my life until this point was an illusion. I was merely a shell made to harvest a nasty creature whose soul purpose was to bring doom unto Althanas.

[Dingus]

I had never seen such a frightful vision before in all my years of life. This monster that my body up to this point had contained shook viciously under the control of the three Light Bringers. I could tell their powers wouldn't hold him much longer so I felt it was my turn to attack while I had a chance. I quickly conjured a small hovering ball of flame in the palm of each of my hands and threw them full force at the beast. The flames hastily flew at my target and both nailed him. One hit his chest and the other his shoulder. Rattled by the attack the replicate of me stopped and glanced in my direction, as if he were confused.

"Hif you dare attack me?! If it weren't for me you would have died along with your mother and father." The demon hissed before beginning to violently convulse again.

"Hif do not pay him any mind, this monster will try till it's end to confuse you. Keep up your assault or all four of us will surely die."

I listened to Dori and picked up my staff, that I had drop when Dori withdrew the demon from my inner being. The staff would be my instrument in this being's undoing. I conjured what magic I could into casting my most powerful spell, one that I called Azura. Within seconds the beast was engulfed in a blue aura. The tiny particles of the spell burnt his skin and exploded on contact. He twisted and convulsed with every slight touch of the floating powder. But still he stood, and now he looked more angry than before. I knew the three Light Bringer's couldn't hold him much longer so in an attempt to subdue the beast I would pull one more spell from my shallow bag of tricks.

"Keep going Hifendorf, kill it!"

I spread my legs to gain a better sense of balance. As I lifted my staff high above my head a small bolt of lightning pours from its tip. It struck the beast and surrounded him with an aura of lightning. With my shock spell he was subdued, but it wouldn't last long. He had been stunned momentarily and the Light Bringer's withdrew their glowing stares.

"That should work, but not for long. We've gotta figure something out." I said to Dori, as he turned back to look at me. His eyes only slightly glittered the beautiful shade of azure it had held previously. His power was dwindling and I was beginning to doubt our chances at victory.

"My thoughts exactly young Hifendorf." Dori responded as he pulled a long iron sword from the sheath that rested on his waist. His companions followed his lead and pulled their blades too. "My thoughts exactly."

[Dingus]

As the Light Bringer's withdrew their swords the demon began to stir again. The effects of my lightning spell only lasted so long, but it had given our condemned foursome a chance to prepare. As it arose, it grew long claws. Much sharper and longer than the blades of Dori and his men. It would take everything we had to beat the mock version of myself. I couldn't help feeling helpless against it, because I first hand witnessed its powers so many times before in my past. Throughout my travels I had sometimes submitted to it's rage. When I did let it surface in the past it caused more damage than I could ever imagine myself doing.

"What do we do Dori?!" I questioned, the tone of my voice hinted fear. I was scared of what was coming next, it was like the calm before a nasty storm.

"We fight Hifendorf and hopefully we win! But at the very least we will fight it and cast it from your body." Dori didn't sound scared one bit, I could tell his purpose in life was defending the world from beasts just like this one. His voice was a bit comforting, despite our current situation.

The three Light Bringer's charged the monster but it was insanely fast. It quickly parried the three oncoming attacks and followed with it's own strikes. The rhythm that the four fought with was so intense I couldn't help but be stunned. There was no way I could compete in a melee dual with the beast. He would cut me to ribbons within a matter of seconds, so I held back.

The swordplay of the three Light Bringer's on the other hand was legendary. Despite their shortcomings in speed and strength, they still held their own against the beast. I figured I might as well aid in what way I knew how so I conjured another fireball. I let the smooth fluent rotations of the ball hover in my palm, waiting for the perfect chance to unleash it. Dori swung his blade at the beast and quickly dodged left, avoiding an oncoming strike from it's ebony claws. It opened a window and I took the chance and cast the fireball. It drifted just over Dori's shoulder and slammed into the beast. For an unskilled fighter I had dealt the only bit of damage thus far in the battle. It made a small grin flicker across my face to see the beast was injured.

"Maybe there's hope after all!"

[Dingus]

Meathor dove behind the beast trying to surround it but was quickly swatted away by the claws of the beast. It cut him across the chest leaving a deep wound that seemed fatal. He didn't falter though, regaining his footing quickly and charging the beast his sword pointing directing at the backside of it's neck. The monster turned quickly in a spinning motion creating a small twister, causing Meathor to halt his assault. Suddenly things turned froggy when the beast stopped spinning and the twisting cloud that surrounded him charged directly in my direction hitting Dori and throwing him aside. Meathor and Ergun continued their seemingly useless strikes, as if to protect their master until he got back to his feet.

The twister surged towards me and I planted my feet ready for it's impact. Just in time I used my security spell which launched a protective aura around me that absorbed the oncoming strike. It wasn't quite enough though and I got caught with a small bit of wind force that followed the spell. It threw me back onto my head. For a mere second I blacked out, but I thought I had died honestly. There weren't many spell casters that I had met in my travels who could penetrate my security aura, but this bastard had done just that. Getting back to my feet I saw that Meathor was dead and dismembered on the ground just below the beasts feet. Things weren't looking good for us, I knew they weren't as Dori and Ergun retreated to my side.

"There's only one hope, you must cast that lightning spell again. With luck he will be stunned just long enough for us to finish him!" Dori said in the same cool casual voice he had contained since I had first encountered him.

It was worth a try to once again I lifted my staff and let my magic course through its mighty oak. Bolts of lightning started to serge from it and I let loose. The spell hit the beast with so much force it threw him to his back. He was stunned, giving my two companions a chance for their strike. Hopefully they made them count, because I didn't think I could keep up this constant magic casting.