Nothing was working. The panic began to wash away, and a sense of acceptance replaced it. He was able to open it from the other side...maybe he could shut it there, too.
He stepped through, chest heaving with his breath as he braced his stance and stood his ground, giving the demon a mix of a glare and terrified, petrified stare.
Degree in Post-Mortem Communication, an Offical Hemomancy Conditional Practice Certificate, License to Employ Pyrokenetics, Advanced Necromantic Exception Certification, Doctorate in Soul Magics and Related Sciences, Approved Demonic Event Technician from the Board of Infernal Affairs, Practicing Curse Removal Specialist.
And your qualifications?
Orp Boon [M:83:616:][D3v:http://www.rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=406&page=1#374]"Is that family heirloom for sale?"[0:Gone fishing.][1:The store is open!]
The demon stops momentarily and cocks its massive head a little. It's finally close enough for Loreburn to take a guess at how big it is. The head looks to be larger than a wooly mammoth and its wrists remind Loreburn of the millennia old trees of the Greenwood Forest.
The infernal twists its shoulders a bit and extends its right arm down the bridge. It rests its hand about 20 feet in front of Loreburn. The demon cocks its head further.
A small figure appears from behind the demon's head. It jumps onto the shoulder, steadies itself and then scurries down the arm. The small man backs off the hand like a child, swinging his legs first until he lowers a foot onto the ground then dropping off the finger of the infernal.
Loreburn was frozen, his breath in his chest as he stared at the diminutive thing. After a long time he seemed to deflate, his entire frame falling as he let out the breath, arms hanging limp as his sides. Even in his panicked state, adrenaline draining from his body, he remembered a teacher once saying, "If some Infernal asks you if you're someone important, say YES." His voice was harsh, throaty, small.
Yes. Yes I am the Gatekeeper. Took you long enough.
Degree in Post-Mortem Communication, an Offical Hemomancy Conditional Practice Certificate, License to Employ Pyrokenetics, Advanced Necromantic Exception Certification, Doctorate in Soul Magics and Related Sciences, Approved Demonic Event Technician from the Board of Infernal Affairs, Practicing Curse Removal Specialist.
And your qualifications?
Orp Boon [M:83:616:][D3v:http://www.rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=406&page=1#374]"Is that family heirloom for sale?"[0:Gone fishing.][1:The store is open!]
He squeaks softly and panics, struggling against the stone for a moment before giving a sigh and then crossing his arms.
Well how do you know I'm not a good fight? Big things come in small packages. You, of all people, should--
He stopped himself, far too late.
Degree in Post-Mortem Communication, an Offical Hemomancy Conditional Practice Certificate, License to Employ Pyrokenetics, Advanced Necromantic Exception Certification, Doctorate in Soul Magics and Related Sciences, Approved Demonic Event Technician from the Board of Infernal Affairs, Practicing Curse Removal Specialist.
And your qualifications?
Orp Boon [M:83:616:][D3v:http://www.rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=406&page=1#374]"Is that family heirloom for sale?"[0:Gone fishing.][1:The store is open!]
He fumbled and caught the staff, staring at it a moment before jumping in front of the small warlock.
Hey, wait a second. What do you mean? He had a terrible sneaking suspicion that this was one of those "replace one gatekeeper with another" type deals. Now that the terror was gone, there was only a miffed irritation.
The hell is this? What am I supposed to do with this?
Degree in Post-Mortem Communication, an Offical Hemomancy Conditional Practice Certificate, License to Employ Pyrokenetics, Advanced Necromantic Exception Certification, Doctorate in Soul Magics and Related Sciences, Approved Demonic Event Technician from the Board of Infernal Affairs, Practicing Curse Removal Specialist.
And your qualifications?
Orp Boon [M:83:616:][D3v:http://www.rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=406&page=1#374]"Is that family heirloom for sale?"[0:Gone fishing.][1:The store is open!]
Loreburn can tell that the staff is a very powerful artifact from a era long past. Loreburn feels the power of the staff seeping from the very material of the staff. Little streams of blood dance up and down the veins of the wood.
"Can't even secure a 70th level infernal? What are they sending, school children to open portals now a days?"
The little magician enters the portal with a flash of light and a Foomp.
He looked at the staff, then up to the infernal, and debated whether it was more important to try and stop the mage or make sure the demon couldn't leave. He pointed the staff at the demon and yelled in a loud, commanding voice.
Degree in Post-Mortem Communication, an Offical Hemomancy Conditional Practice Certificate, License to Employ Pyrokenetics, Advanced Necromantic Exception Certification, Doctorate in Soul Magics and Related Sciences, Approved Demonic Event Technician from the Board of Infernal Affairs, Practicing Curse Removal Specialist.
And your qualifications?
Orp Boon [M:83:616:][D3v:http://www.rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=406&page=1#374]"Is that family heirloom for sale?"[0:Gone fishing.][1:The store is open!]
The infernal puts both hands on the bridge and shines it's blazing eyes and Loreburn. Its muscles tense and it pushes itself into the air with a quick wing flap.
It slams its butt on the bridge. As the ensuing dust cloud settles, Loreburn can see that it crosses its arms on its chest and is looking away from Loreburn. The bridge sways back and forth and crumbles a bit but looks like it'll hold the weight of the infernal.
He stared a moment, fingering the staff nervously, waiting for the infernal to move again. When it didn't, he let out a nervous breath and took a few paces back, then made a break for the portal to see if he could stop the mage.
Degree in Post-Mortem Communication, an Offical Hemomancy Conditional Practice Certificate, License to Employ Pyrokenetics, Advanced Necromantic Exception Certification, Doctorate in Soul Magics and Related Sciences, Approved Demonic Event Technician from the Board of Infernal Affairs, Practicing Curse Removal Specialist.
And your qualifications?
Orp Boon [M:83:616:][D3v:http://www.rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=406&page=1#374]"Is that family heirloom for sale?"[0:Gone fishing.][1:The store is open!]
Loreburn enters the portal with a flash of light and a Foomp. On the other side, the little mage is sauntering up the stairs towards the door Loreburn first came in through.