| The End of The Torturer by Trench |
| As we finally came bearing down on Malekariel's fortress I could see the hole in the wall off to the left of the main entrance. D*mn them. "They are already inside!" yelled Mawhar. "I know. That just makes it easier for us to get in." I replied. The demons poured forth now, both from the hole in the wall and through the front gates. This would be simple. Malekariel's soldiers were nothing more than torture victims who were afraid of getting sent back to him so they fought for him. Mawhar's, on the other hand, were the elite. We also had a number of advantages. A psionic wave hit us all at once, but it was rather weak due to our numbers. He could not concentrate on all of us at once. The weaker elements of his own troops began to falter as they charged us. Fool is so scared he's not even controlling his own powers. "Now, Darken!" I yelled. From the moment we had been able to see the dungeon Darken had been charging a spell of flame. At my word he unleashed it and char broiled most of the oncoming attackers. The force was tremendous and didn't leave him as weak as it usually would for the magical properties of the H*ll Forge headband he wore increased his black magic powers. As we tramped through the blackening corpses of demons I dismounted my horse in favor of hand-to-hand combat. I lifted a burning demon from the ground and took his soul quickly. I then turned and rushed headlong into the battle. The others were out of my sight now, submerged in a sea of demons, sides only distinguishable by the tattered rags that Malekariel's men wore as opposed to the rusted black amor that most of Mawhar's men wore. As I cut and slashed my way through demons, I could hear Darken's blasts tearing through the opposition, and Mawhar's war cry. When I looked back, I saw Mawhar cut a demon in half without even looking at him. He was grinning sadistically. We had agreed that he would not hang back and wait till the melee was over before he got involved this time; we wanted this over nice and quickly. Our army pushed to the gates, and flooded beyond once the first wave was defeated. "That wasn't so tough." said Heavenly as she rode up beside me. "There will be more." I said, and, as if on cue there was a sudden roar and demons seemed to pour from everywhere. We were all once again engulfed in a wave of demons from all sides. I began to force my way through the crowd, kicking, slashing, punching, whatever it took to make way. "I'm going for that b*st*rd himself!" I yell back to the others though I'm not sure they can hear me. A bolt of Darkens lightening illuminates the area as 5 or 6 demons drop from the force. I can hear yelling coming from inside now. They must already be in. "You there!" I yell to a few of Mawhar's men. "Follow me!" They dismount and come up behind me. One has a spiked flail; another has a broad sword and a rusty shield. Another carries a spear, while another has a mace. The last one to answer my order carried a hand axe, much like Mawhar's Thorquin, only much smaller, and not of the H*ll Forge. We began forcing our way through the ranks, and towards the door that leads to Malekariel's inner sanctum. A demon attacked me with an overhead slash. I blocked and kicked him away, but another from the side managed a cut on my arm. First wound I'd taken all day. The H*ll Forge armor had deflected many blows, but this guy got one in. That insulted me, so after I slashed his stomach open, I looked into his eyes and ripped his soul free and devoured it. Mmmmmm....good. My small unit of men and I made our way to the door leaving a trail of dead demons the whole way along. As they kicked the door in for me, I saw the remains of another battle, and heard the sounds of its continuation just around the corner. We were near Malekariel's weapons room, the place he puts all the items he takes from his victims before their torture begins. As we engaged the demons around the corner, I saw Jag and Rein fighting inside that room, Jag now holding his crystal sword once again. I could hear Ibybeth in the background somewhere and I knew that Remwar was here as well. He must have escaped from the orcrist demon or something. Ahh well. When this fight is over they will all be dead or running home. I don't care what happens to them as long as I get to kill that son-of a-b*tch. I knew Korren was around, but I wasn't sure where. Fine, as long as he doesn't interfere he can do as he pleases, also. My men were holding their own quite nicely in the closer quarters down here, but they were beginning to look a bit banged and slashed up. The mace wielder fell at my feet, a dagger in his neck. I bent down and pulled it free, then threw it at the fleeing, weaponless demon. It caught him square in the back of his neck, lifting him off the floor, and sending him slamming into a nearby wall. "You men, try to keep an eye on these others. Make sure they don't get downstairs. Kill them if needed." I said to my remaining four men. I then made my way down the stairs to Malekariel's room. Only two demons confronted me on the stairs, one I stabbed in the gut and pushed, sending him rolling down the stairs. The other attempted to run, but I leapt upon him and stole his soul while he still lived. The rest of the way to Malekariel's room was empty of further opposition. As I turned the knob and entered, I was hit with another psionic attack. My legs buckled, but it was still to weak to drop me. "You're losing your touch, Torturer." I said as I stepped into his room. I looked around and couldn't find him at first. "NO!" Don't come any closer!" he yelled from a corner of his room. He was on the floor, his knees to his face, his arms wrapped around them, shaking with fear. "Coward. Is this the great enemy I've feared and hated for so long? Is this the Demon Lord Malekariel? The Grand Torturer of H*ll?! You are beyond pathetic!" I said as I stepped towards him. "I-I-I know! Please don't kill me! I don't wanna go to Purgatory! Please! I'm sorry for everything I've ever done to you!" "You tortured me for centuries and hunted me when I escaped, and when I finally met a friend, you hunted him as well. You have dogged my every step since the time of my fall from the graces of Satan. If not for you, I might still be sane. You will die, Malekariel, here, now, and at my hands." I said, sheer joy overwhelming me at the knowledge that it would soon be over, and his soul would be mine. But, then I had to take a step back. Malekariel was looking up at me now, smiling. "Somehow, 'old friend', I doubt you will be leaving here alive." he said, his psychotic grin masked by his bright shining face guard. In the blink of an eye he was on his feet, and my head was splitting. He had been conserving energy, not cowering. He was playing me for a fool the whole time and I should have seen it coming. He drew Nightmares, his katana. As I stumbled, the pain overwhelming me, my conjured blade, Demonscourge, began to flicker. I couldn't keep the concentration necessary to maintain its shape. He got close to me, and raised his sword. "Now it ends, Molluk. You now go to purgatory, where you belong." As he swung down to remove my head, I fell backwards, dodging the blow. I continued to motion, into a roll. Furiously he followed me, hacking and slashing at his own furniture as he tried to follow. I hit a table next, and could roll no more. He saw his opportunity. I reached up behind me, praying to find something I could use to defend myself. He leapt at me, I grabbed the object from behind my head and pulled it in front of me as fast as I could. There, looking me eye to eye, lay Malekariel, impaled on his own Mangler. I looked up at him, amazed. As he looked at me, flood began to overflow out of his face guard. He dropped his sword to his left. He grabbed at my hands, still holding the Mangler in his stomach. He looked down at it. Then back up to me. "D*mn you..." he gurgled. He pushed himself up off me, the Mangler staying wedged firmly in his gut. He staggered back a bit. I got up, walked over to him, held the weapon tightly, and turned it on. "AAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGLLLUUUGGGGUUUK." he screamed. I pulled it free, the maniacal laughter escaping me freely now. I looked him deep in his fading eyes. "Now, you worthless piece of intestinal waste, your soul is mine!" I said as I felt his essence wash over me. The sheer power of his soul was overwhelming. My legs buckled again. It was pure ecstasy. As his body fell limp, there was a sudden psionic backlash, a quick, sharp pain that reverberated across the entire psi plane. All must have felt it. The final sign that He was dead. At last, after so many centuries, the nightmare was finally over. I fell to my knees, crawled over to the wall, and just sat there, now unsure as what to do next. |
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