Inside the Belly of the Beast

Category:Stories
Category:Kirtash
Inside the Belly of the Beast, Part 3
:- by Kirtash
I sat still in front of my scrying pool, watching my master make his way into the Shadow Hold. Grimgrave was silently following him, his burning gaze focused straight ahead. My master was gripping his great scythe with both hands. His eyes were wide open and he looked feverish. I knew that look. It bordered on madness. 
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<BR>The two made their way carefully inside the hold, slowly going deeper and deeper into the seemingly never-ending corridor. Arcane torches were burning a sickly green on the walls. This place was infused with Fel energies; I could feel it in my very bones. 
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<BR>There came a low rumbling sound, like the ones great cats of Stranglethorn make just before pouncing on top of an unsuspecting prey. Kirtash stopped dead in his tracks. Grimgrave made his way in front of him, to shield his master. 
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<BR>Echoes of footsteps? could be heard and before long a beast appeared in front them. It looked like a great hound, its massive jaw dipping with greenish ooze, its red tinted scales shining in the eerie light. Two feelers were protruding from its back waving hypnotically in the air. 
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<BR>My master grunted. He knew this was a felhound--a mana eater--a mage's bane. That demon fed itself on arcane energies, and arcane users. Not a good thing for a warlock. 
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<BR>Grimgrave charged at the felhound, his shadowy fists connecting with the beat's scaly armour with minimum effect. My master let out a scream of pain as the Felbeast drained away his spell casting abilities with a single wave of its feelers. 
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<BR>On his knees and clutching his head with both hands, he was in no position to fight, yet. Grimgrave was getting ripped up by the felhound's sharp maw when my master got up, grabbed his scythe and charged the beast madly. He scored two solid hits and the beasts reeled back in pain. The blade of the scythe was glowing an angry orange as the enchantment cast upon it took effect. The Reaver, that was the weapon's name, was enchanted to kill demons. It loved demon flesh and rejoiced every time Kirtash would let it have its fill. The felhound whimpered as the glowing scythe kept doing its messy job, cutting flesh like it was wet paper. 
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<BR>Before long the beast was laying still in a pool of gore, as my master was breathing heavily. He was bleeding too. Grimgrave was gathering the shadows around him to heal himself as my master bandaged himself. When both were feeling well enough they kept moving forward without any other surprises. 
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<BR>They reached a room at the end of the corridor, circular and well-lit by multiple braziers. Off to the side you could see cages; many empty, some with what looked like bit and pieces of elves, trolls, dwarves, and many other non-descript body parts. You could also see that one of the prisoners was still alive. It was a very slender night elf female, hunched up in its cage. My master wasn't looking at the elf, tough--he was staring at the demon standing in the middle of the room. 
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<BR>It was big. It dwarfed even some of the biggest tauren I've ever seen. His skin was a deep blue and all his gigantic frames seemed bound in muscle. In his hands he held an enormous hammer as tall was my master. Luckily, he had his back turned to my master. Kirtash stayed in the shadows, staring at what he knew to be a Legionnaire. 
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<BR>That was the beast he needed to slay. He knew he had no choice. He knew he was in for a great battle, he knew it could cost him his life, his soul and maybe more. He smirked. 
<BR>He whispered something in Grimgrave's ear. The shadow spawn nodded and floated soundlessly toward the hulking demon. My master started channeling fel energies in his hands, trying to take the demon by surprise. 
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<BR>The demon was far more cunning than he seemed. His great hammer swinging ferociously. He spun around and hit Grimgrave with such a force that the mass of shadow simply flew away with great speed and crashed into a wall. My Master let loose a shadowy bolt at the demon. It connected, but the demon simply shrugged it off. It roared and ran straight at my master, its giant hammer held high. Kirtash leapt sideways to dodge its blow. The floor shook with the force of the impact. 
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<BR>My master got up as quick as he could and extended his index and major fingers at the demon while saying a single word. The demon grunted as he felt the dark energies sap his health away. It still managed to swing his great hammer, wildly scoring a glancing blow on Kirtash's shoulder. A loud popping noise could be heard as my master's shoulder dislocated. Kirtash let out a scream of pain and backed up steadily. The demon was still on its two legs and coming at him.... 
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<BR>To be continued. <BR>
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