‘Now what?’ says Carolyn when the champions come into another chamber. They have spent another hour after leaving the lava pit area, walking through yet another monster-infested labyrinth.
‘I don’t have any idea,’ says Andreas, observing around.
This chamber looks all-red with burning brimstones and lava flowing from the holes on the cave into the cracks on the floor. It’s spacious like a throne chamber in palaces, and this one is like the throne chamber of hell.
As the champions walk to the center, they see someone sitting on a stone throne. It’s Dejan Pavlovic!
‘Hiya guys, been havin’ fun?’ He greets. ‘Well I did. I met Mr. Ish’kandr after I crossed the lava pit, and he’s very nice.’
Carol protests, ‘Nice? You call that giant who shot lava balls at us “nice”? Something’s wrong in your head, that is.’
‘Whoa! Whoa, hold it there, missy. The reason why he acted nice was because I’m guardian of Vadis’ Arsenal, just like him. We chatted, and then he came up with this idea: “why don’t you help me test the champions, making things a bit more exciting?” I said, “hell yeah, why not?” So here I am, instead of telling you what’s ahead, I monitored your every move and report to Ish’kandr. And tell you what; you’ve been doing great so far.’
‘That’s not entirely true,’ Ish’kandr’s voice comes.
Suddenly, smoke bursts from the throne and Dejan hurriedly moves away. Then a figure materializes from the smoke into human-like form, only bigger, with amber-colored skin and flickers of fire dancing throughout his muscular body. Like other genies bound to servitude, his lower body is like a ghost’s – formless like a wavy mist. It’s the great efreet’s true form: more magical, more powerful and more deadly than the magma giant form. Unlike typical genies, this fire efreet looks more like a devil with fire-like beard and long, waving hair as through his head is on fire, plus three big horns on the left and right sides of his head and his forehead.
Ish’kandr stares sharply at Dejan and the champions, and then he grunts and continues the words he just said.
‘Firstly, I’m not nice. I abhor nice as it wastes my breath and my time. And secondly, Dejan helped me because he’s under my mercy, not because he’s my equal. Pah! Puny humans, elves, halflings and dwarfs are like insects to me. Well, as you all have came this far, I’ll give you a taste of ferociousness and death.’
The efreet accumulates fire energy and breathes fire at the champions. The five fighters evade it easily, but the foe disappears and reappears behind them, breathing another jet of fire. This time it catches Andreas’ back. The priest stumbles and falls. His protection field halves the fire damage, tearing a bit of his magical battle priest robe.
The others quickly learn this and surround Andreas, anticipating attacks from all directions. The efreet moves faster than eyes can see, and launches fireballs towards his foes. The fighters barely block them. The fireballs shoot on and on, more rapidly, preventing any attempt for counter attack.
Although overwhelmed, the fighters stay calm. Carolyn observes the flow of attack and then shouts, ‘Teacher! Cover me!’
She switches places with Andreas, gathers the abundant fire mana from this area, and points her magic trident to cast a spell, ‘Agnioparadh!’
The Firewall rises from the ground to block the fireballs. Carolyn then raises her trident high and rotates it clockwise so the wall surrounds the fighters, shielding them fully from fireballs.
Just then, the fireballs stop. The efreet flies up over the fighters’ heads and laughs. He stretches his two hands forward and a Great Fireball accumulates in front of him.
‘Just as I expected! All of you together in the center, with the Firewall blocking your escape. Prepare to be fried alive!’
The Fireball gets bigger and bigger. Carolyn grits her teeth. Her Firewall has trapped her in enemy’s trick, and now the entire team must pay the price too. However, this is not a time for despair, but action.
The Fireball is now tremendously great and a hit by it will burn the entire area inside Carol’s Firewall. Ish’kandr releases it!
Hernan has summoned
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Posted By Andry Chang to FireHeart - Exploring Worlds of Fantasy at 12/05/2008 09:44:00 PM
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