http://angshadow.deviantart.com/art/We-are-the-Demon-Army-398124922

Your return back through the portal sends you reeling forward. Almost careening head first into the stone wall opposite you, your hands extending at the last second to save you from a nasty bruise on the forehead. Dusting yourself off, you look around, and wait for your companions to come through the portal after you. The corridor much darker now, with shadows spreading to all corners of the hallway, seems alot chillier now than before. There is also a distinct smell of decay that somehow lingers in the air around you. As your wondering where the strange smell is coming from, Dywin shoots out of the pool of darkness to tumble into you from behind,nearly taking you both down. Steadying the old dwarf, you look up just in time to see, Gorrak and Lorna gracefully exiting the portal like it was a normal walk in town.

The inky black pool of darkness that blankets the entire doorway holds for a moment longer, before snapping shut and returning to it's former state. The symbols on the door glowing briefly.

Lorna clearly miffed that she hadn't found anything useful for herself in the volcano, scowls in your direction and brushes past you; making you sigh. It's not like you promised her that there would be magical items that she could use. All you did was suggest that there might be magical items inside. Items that might have magical qualities. Not that she would understand the difference, you think tiredly. Dywin hearing your sigh, gives you a rueful smile, and shrugs his shoulders, as if to say, "mages, huh?" before quickly striding off to retake the lead.

With your party eager to off, you glance back at the portal wondering what would happen if you re-activated the portal again, when you hear a familiar voice seize control of your mind. Filling you with images of dwarves being held in a torture chamber. Their badly cut bodies hanging upside down from the walls, dripping blood to color the grey stone blocks. As a slim shadowy figure moves about the chamber, gleefully ripping them apart with her sharp implements; their screams ringing loud and clear in your ear, as if you there with them. The you hear her voice caress your mind like a long awaited lover, "Ahhhh, your back.For a moment I thought you didn't want to see me," she proclaims sulkily, "But I see now that I was wrong. Luckily for you I found something to distract myself with, while I waited for you. But you had best hurry along warrior. My patience grows thin. You wouldn't want me to get angry would you?..."

Gripping your head in your hands, you shake yourself like a dog, trying to block out her voice, until at last her voice fades away. Leaving you badly weakened (Remove all natural resilience points. This does not include resilience from equipment). Sapped of all your strength, you slither down to the stone flooring. Breathing harshly like you've run several miles, taking in deep intakes of breath to settle your shattered nerves, and recover your lost energy.

You'd always known demons had great power, but this...this was unbelievable. The power you had felt, when the demon touched her mind to yours was incredible. A power you've only ever encountered once in your life time. You remember that day like it was yesterday. You had been serving as a mercenary scout in a Minotaur army of eighteen thousand strong led by Golden horns. A famous Minotaur lord, well known for being generous with his gold, when word arrived from the council that a Orc war party had been sighted in their lands.

Golden Horns hungry to win himself glory, marched out immediately with his army to hunt down the Orcish incursion, when out of the clear blue sky thousands of demonic creatures led by a powerful demoness plummeted down from the sky above to massacre the entire army. Leaving only the scouts alive, who had been out patrolling. Since that black day you've spent as much time as possible learning about these creatures, in case you should ever face them again. All the while half-hoping that you never would.

And from what you've learned of demons, you know of only one type of demon that is able to affect your mind and body like this from a distance. A Celestial Demon. A demon that has evolved overtime to attain powers similar to that of a Godling Demon. A creature, able to summon any army of lesser demons to defend it, and call forth the abyss itself to lay claim to souls. You know of only ten Celestial Demons that haunt the world of Coroleya, each of varying in powers and abilities. The most dangerous of their kind are the Necrosis.

With that grim thought swirling through your mind, you look up and see Gorrak, Lorna and Dywin are staring down at you worriedly.

Dywin as usual is the first to speak. "You right lad? We heard you scream and found you passed out on the ground." I passed out? When did that happen? Seeing your confusion Lorna leans down to touch you on the forehead, and yelps in pain; leaping back in surprise clutching her smoking fingers. Gorrak's eyes turn dangerous and Dywin backs away giving you a strange look.

(Do you tell them about the demon?If yes, click here.If not continue on.)

Spoiler: Spoiler

Worried by the way their gazing at you, you begin recounting to them the voices you've been hearing, and the demon that is awaiting you. Their mouths widen in astonishment, as you tell them of her abilities, and your bump into her followers in the City of Ironfield. By the time your finish, you feel a great weight lift off of your shoulders. (+3 Companion Reputation)

Smiling cheerfully at their uneasy expressions, you get up, and head down the corridor. Thinking it would best to keep moving, rather than allow your new companions time to dwell on what just happened. Legs and arms still feeling abit like jelly, you wobble along the corridor, and hear footsteps coming from behind you. Cheered by the thought that they haven't abandoned you yet. You cross over into a wide open spaced chamber, cluttered by sturdy wooden chairs and tables; covered in unwashed bowls and tankards. Dwarven weaponry hanging on the walls on all sides. Upon closer inspection, the weapons seem to be made of a soft metal, and are simply there for decoration. A pity, it would have been nice to have a crossblade or sharp shield to use against future enemies.(If you'd like to learn more about Dwarven Weaponry Click the link below).

There is also a noticeable odor that permeates the air. A smell that is familiar to you, but you can't quite put your finger on it. Gorrack his nose twitching from the smell aswell, mumbles the word "Sulfur", sending a tingle of fear down your spine. That's when you look up and see hundreds upon hundreds of crimson red skinned lizard like creatures hanging from the ceiling above with wings sprouting out of their backs.

1. Do you ask Lorna to use the scroll of invisibility, if you haven't already used it?

2. Do you attempt to cross the wide open space silently, in the hopes you'll avoid detection and reach the opposing doorway?

3. Do you ask Lorna to use the Fire Fists spell scroll against the demonic creatures, if you haven't already used it, before charging across the room to the doorway?

4. Do you make a dash for the doorway, sprinting to other side of the room?

5. Do you back away and return to the corridor you came through, and try to find a way another around?