Sensing that something is wrong, the airborne monster wheels in mid-air, a vicious snarl rasping from its throat. In rage, it swings at the unlikely attacker it's iron-hard claws closing tight around Darvesch's torso even as it digs its claws into his back.
Yet therein lay the beast's error. Had it not held tight to the dwarf, the inexperienced flier might have been knocked from the air. However, he was instead now held within striking distance, exactly as he wanted!
There is an almost blinding light when Darvesch brings his axe down. With a tremendous roar of his own, the dwarf lays a crushing blow on the devil that bites deep into the creature's chest, hewing completely thru its shoulder and severing its left arm!
A primordial howl of pain splits the night sky even as Darvesch begins to fall away, the devil's arm still clenched around his waist. However if there was any strength left in the devil that that was it. The terror of Reaver's Shiv falls from the sky, splashing hard into the glowing green waters of the crab-claw lagoon.
Like a stone, it sinks out of sight, only a slick of oily, black blood marking where it was felled.
While the elf girl gets her spell off successfully, the instant she tries to move out of range, the Red Mountain Devil lashes out with everything it has. Luck it seems is a fickle mistress. Although her protections and agility would be enough to throw off all but the best swordsmen, thru either luck or sheer determination, the beast delivers a vicious slash that opens her back.
Her incredible agility keeps the monster from grabbing hold of her, but it seems intent upon its prey and emboldened by the sweet scent of elven blood. With a powerful thrust of wings and legs, it springs into the air, leaping over Mal and Darvesch's heads as it reaches down and tries to scoop up its bloodied prize. Alis only just barely manages to evade its clutches, and it's claws snap shut like a steel trap on empty air.
Yet even as her heart pounds in her chest, Alis feels a hot sticky liquid splatter across her face and bust as the monster tries to gain altitude. Looking up, you see a stream of vile, dark blood pouring from a gash rent in its side by Darvesch's powerful axe when it hurdled the proud warrior!
In desperation, Alis attempts to slash at it with her rapier as it passes, but the thin blade merely scrapes along its scaly hide with no effect.
High above, a large black shape, sinewy and reptilian in form, glides from atop the cliff. It seems to hang in the air for a moment, outstretched wings silhouetted against the baleful red moon above, it's eyes twin pin-points of gleaming hatred. A deafening bray causes the hair on your neck to stand on end and with a powerful rush it dives straight at Alis, intent upon murder!
Its very impacts shakes the cliffs, the rush of its wings ejecting a hail of debris from the gorge with its heavy landing. There is a sharp intake of breath and the the sound of mithril on iron-hard claws as Alis just barely manages to deflect its attacks.
As the dust clears, you see a lizard-like creature towering over the small woman on two powerful, double-jointed legs. It paces before the princess soundlessly, stepping with predatory care. Finely scaled skin stretches tight over its lithe, muscular body, giving the reptilian fiend a lean, starved appearance. Its arms, while thin, ripple with dense musculature reaching before it, long, clawed fingers gripping in anticipation. Between jaws filled with vicious, knife-sized teeth darts a thick, serpentine tongue, and dozens of thick black quills run from the back of its head to the base of its lashing tail. The whole of its dark grey form radiates with wispy crimson flames as if its very blood is a-boil. Behind its back, the devil's vast wings form a veritable curtain of darkness blotting out the path behind it.
Rolls:
Initiative Rolls A 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 6 + 2 = 11 good hope D 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 9 + 2 = 13 good hope L 1d20 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 + 2 = 20 good hope M 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 4 + 2 = 19 good hope P 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 4 + 2 = 17 good hope
As the words 'no quarter' resound off the rocky walls of the gorge, the sinister chuckling you have been hearing in your minds fades away. Instead, from somewhere atop the cliffs overhead, you hear a primordial snarl and the sound of exertion. A rain of stone and debris falls around Alis, skittering off of the sacred aura surrounding her before a boulder as big as a pony comes hurtling down!
Rolls:
Reflex DC 18 A 1d20 + 10 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 10 + 2 + 2 = 18 resistance, evasion, good hope D 1d20 + 3 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 3 + 1 + 2 = 19 resistance, good hope
Even as Alis draws her rapier and waves everyone forward, you can hear a deep husky throat breathing behind you. Gritting your teeth, you turn around only to find nothing there. A deafening roar nearly makes you jump, yet when you cover your ears against it, you realize it is coming from within your own mind!
The roar is cut short by cold, ruthless chuckling. A sense of crushing despair threatens to overwhelm your rear guard. Darvesch seems to shrink in his armor even as Sasha cringes, trying to press herself flat against the side of the gorge as if to disappear into it.
Thinking that they see something, Priyya and Mal both fire, but their arrows only strike a boulder jutting from atop the cliff.
