Melinda’s Will Save (Aura of Menace): 1d20+78 = 95 (Success)

Melinda’s CL Check: 1d20+30 = 33 (Success)

Melinda’s Attack Roll (Zadkiel): 1d20+57 = 65 (Hit)

Damage: 1d10+28 = 33 (Slashing) (DR 15/Adamantine)

Archonbane Crystal: 1d6 = 2 (slashing)

Ruinous: 1 CHA damage

Anarchic Power: 3d6 = 13 (chaotic)

Anarchic Power: 1 Negative Level (Immune)

Hellrime Channeling: 21d6 = 76 (Cold)

Zadkiel’s Fort Save (Massive Damage): 1d20+31 = 41 (Success)

Zadkiel’s Fort Save: 1d20+31 = 37 (Fail, -4 penalty to DEX for 10 min)

Zadkiel’s Steely Resolve delays 30 damage.

Melinda’s Attack Roll (Zadkiel): 1d20+52 = 66 (Hit)

Damage: 1d10+28 = 35 (Slashing) (DR 15/Adamantine)

Archonbane Crystal: 1d6 = 4 (slashing)

Ruinous: 1 CHA damage

Anarchic Power: 3d6 = 14 (chaotic)

Anarchic Power: 1 Negative Level (Immune)

Melinda’s Attack Roll (Zadkiel): 1d20+47 = 53 (Hit)

Damage: 1d10+28 = 31 (Slashing) (DR 15/Adamantine)

Archonbane Crystal: 1d6 = 1 (slashing)

Ruinous: 1 CHA damage

Anarchic Power: 3d6 = 14 (chaotic)

Anarchic Power: 1 Negative Level (Immune)

Melinda’s Attack Roll (Zadkiel): 1d20+42 = 56 (Hit)

Damage: 1d10+28 = 31 (Slashing) (DR 15/Adamantine)

Archonbane Crystal: 1d6 = 3 (slashing)

Ruinous: 1 CHA damage

Anarchic Power: 3d6 = 12 (chaotic)

Anarchic Power: 1 Negative Level (Immune)

Four times my blade struck out against the smug archon. Four times it struck true. I saw the wounds appear on the bastard’s chest. He wasn’t even wearing armor, unless you counted the fur-lined loincloth covered with chainmail to be armor (and you would be a fool to)! And yet, he did not seem overly put out by the wounds, which was galling to me. That series of attacks would have been enough to rob me of half my health!

Zadkiel’s attack roll (Melinda): 1d20+64 = 83 (Crit Threat)

Confirm Critical: 1d20+64 = 66 (Normal Hit)

Miss Chance: 1d100 = 21 (Hit)

Damage: 3d6+41 = 53 (Slashing) (DR 15/Cold Iron)

Axiomatic Power: 3d6 = 16 (Lawful)

Axiomatic Power: 1 negative level

Wounding: 1 CON damage

Fiery Power: 3d6 = 11 (Fire) (Fire Vulnerability x1.5) (Fire Resistance 10)

Melinda’s Fort Save (Massive Damage): 1d20+75 = 83 (Success)

Zadkiel’s attack roll (Melinda): 1d20+64 = 67 (Miss)

Zadkiel’s attack roll (Melinda): 1d20+59 = 70 (Miss)

Zadkiel’s attack roll (Melinda): 1d20+54 = 57 (Miss)

Zadkiel’s attack roll (Melinda): 1d20+49 = 62 (Miss)

Zadkiel’s Steely Resolve deals 30 damage to Zadkiel.

“My turn,” Zadkiel said, and then he moved. The first strike caught me off guard with its speed, catching me in the side. That was when I noticed that his blade, besides being full of all kinds of energy that did not like me, was longer than he was tall, yet he wielded it like it was an extension of his own arm, showing no sign of it being poorly sized for him.

As I managed to dance out of the way of the remaining strikes, I grit my teeth. Between the damage and the debilitating nature of the blade, I’d lost roughly a fifth of my health in that single blow! If the rest had hit me, there was a chance he could have ended it then and there. The archon smirked at me, and said, “Oh, you have improved since I killed that mutt. I think I will have to actually get serious, here.”

Melinda’s CL Check: 1d20+30 = 45 (Success)

Melinda’s Attack Roll (Zadkiel): 1d20+47 = 60 (Touch) (Hit)

Zadkiel’s Will Save (Curse of Despair): 1d20+28 = 32 (Fail, Blinded)

I couldn’t give him any room to breathe. Not with that sword of his. I gave a moment’s thought to trying to smash it, but instantly dropped it. Zadkiel was known as a swordsman, after all, and I would have to strike the blade with my body to damage it, since Soul’s Violation ignored all nonliving matter. And I did not think that exchange would go my way.

Instead, I decided to start debilitating him. Feinting with my blade, I ducked inside the archon’s guard, just long enough to touch his chest. A black curse mark appeared where my hand hit, showing me that the invocation had taken effect.

Zadkiel’s attack roll (Melinda): 1d20+64 = 65 (Crit Miss)

“You upjumped barbarian whore! You dare use your filthy curses on me? You will pay for that!” His blade glowed with a bit of extra holy light, some ability of his, perhaps, but it was to no avail, as the loss of his sight caused Zadkiel to misjudge his attack, and his footing. A misstep caused him to stumble as he attempted to strike me, despite his blindness, and his sweeping blade struck the ground with enough force to wrench it from his hands.

Melinda’s CL Check: 1d20+30 = 46 (Success)

Melinda’s Attack Roll (Zadkiel): 1d20+47 = 63 (Touch) (Hit)

Zadkiel’s Will Save (Curse of Despair): 1d20+28 = 32 (Fail, -6 CON)

My hand struck one of the arms he had raised to defend himself. That was enough to pass on the next curse, robbing him of his vitality. “Did you think I was going to engage in a duel of blades against you, Zadkiel? I’m just an ‘upjumped barbarian whore’, after all. You had to know I wouldn’t play by your rules.” After I spoke, I quietly stepped to the side, to try and throw off his idea of where he was. Even a wounded beast can kill, after all.

Zadkiel’s Attack Roll (Melinda): 1d20+56 = 65 (Touch) (Hit)

Blindness miss chance: 1d100 = 82 (Hit)

Zadkiel’s CL Check: 1d20+20 = 33 (Fail)

Zadkiel growled in barely suppressed fury. “Fine, then I guess I won’t restrain myself, either.” He turned towards me, even though I had moved. But he wasn’t looking directly at me. Doubtless the swordsman had trained to fight against invisible foes. He swung his hand, and I was distracted for a moment by the black aura that surrounded it, no, surrounded his gauntlet, allowing him to touch me. However, the spell, whatever it was, failed to breach my defenses.

Melinda’s CL Check: 1d20+30 = 31 (Success)

Melinda’s Attack Roll (Zadkiel): 1d20+56 = 71 (Hit)

Damage: 1d10+28 = 37 (Slashing) (DR 15/Adamantine)

Archonbane Crystal: 1d6 = 3 (slashing)

Ruinous: 1 CHA damage

Anarchic Power: 3d6 = 14 (chaotic)

Anarchic Power: 1 Negative Level (Immune)

Hellrime Channeling: 21d6 = 71 (Cold)

Zadkiel’s Fort Save (Massive Damage): 1d20+31 = 48 (Success)

Zadkiel’s Steely Resolve delays 30 damage.

Melinda’s Attack Roll (Zadkiel): 1d20+51 = 61 (Hit)

Damage: 1d10+28 = 37 (Slashing) (DR 15/Adamantine)

Archonbane Crystal: 1d6 = 4 (slashing)

Ruinous: 1 CHA damage

Anarchic Power: 3d6 = 15 (chaotic)

Anarchic Power: 1 Negative Level (Immune)

Melinda’s Attack Roll (Zadkiel): 1d20+46 = 61 (Hit)

Damage: 1d10+28 = 36 (Slashing) (DR 15/Adamantine)

Archonbane Crystal: 1d6 = 5 (slashing)

Ruinous: 1 CHA damage

Anarchic Power: 3d6 = 8 (chaotic)

Anarchic Power: 1 Negative Level (Immune)

Melinda’s Attack Roll (Zadkiel): 1d20+41 = 59 (Hit)

Damage: 1d10+28 = 35 (Slashing) (DR 15/Adamantine)

Archonbane Crystal: 1d6 = 4 (slashing)

Ruinous: 1 CHA damage

Anarchic Power: 3d6 = 14 (chaotic)

Anarchic Power: 1 Negative Level (Immune)

Without his blade in hand, his defenses suffered. Only slightly, but it was noticeable. My blade cut him four more times as I pressed my advantage. Zadkiel was crafty, as the bit with the gauntlet proved, and I couldn’t give him a chance to turn the situation around. With each blow, the aura of confidence about him withered just a bit more.

Zadkiel’s Attack Roll (Melinda): 1d20+61 = 80 (Hit)

Blindness Miss Chance: 1d100 = 69 (Hit)

Damage: 2d6+30 = 33 (Bludgeoning) (DR 15/Adamantine)

Mountain Tombstone Strike: 2d6 = 8 CON damage

Zadkiel’s Steely Resolve deals 30 damage to Zadkiel.

But, in an instant, Zadkiel proved to me why I was right to be wary. His fist struck me in the side, and I could feel my ribs break. As blood spat out of my mouth, the archon smiled. “You think just because I am blind, that I can’t hurt you? Or maybe you’re going to fly away, and try to pelt me with those blasts of yours from safety?”

Melinda’s Fiendish Resilience: Fast Healing 5

Heart of Darkness: 1 CON damage healed.

Melinda’s CL Check: 1d20+30 = 48 (Success)

Melinda’s Attack Roll (Zadkiel): 1d20+56 = 58 (Hit)

Damage: 1d10+28 = 32 (Slashing) (DR 15/Adamantine)

Archonbane Crystal: 1d6 = 4 (slashing)

Ruinous: 1 CHA damage

Anarchic Power: 3d6 = 10 (chaotic)

Anarchic Power: 1 Negative Level (Immune)

Hellrime Channeling: 21d6 = 74 (Cold)

Zadkiel’s Fort Save (Massive Damage): 1d20+31 = 32 (Success)

Zadkiel’s Steely Resolve delays 30 damage.

Melinda’s Attack Roll (Zadkiel): 1d20+51 = 65 (Hit)

Damage: 1d10+28 = 35 (Slashing) (DR 15/Adamantine)

Archonbane Crystal: 1d6 = 5 (slashing)

Ruinous: 1 CHA damage

Anarchic Power: 3d6 = 12 (chaotic)

Anarchic Power: 1 Negative Level (Immune)

Melinda’s Attack Roll (Zadkiel): 1d20+46 = 57 (Hit)

Damage: 1d10+28 = 29 (Slashing) (DR 15/Adamantine)

Archonbane Crystal: 1d6 = 5 (slashing)

Ruinous: 1 CHA damage

Anarchic Power: 3d6 = 15 (chaotic)

Anarchic Power: 1 Negative Level (Immune)

Melinda’s Attack Roll (Zadkiel): 1d20+41 = 49 (Hit)

Damage: 1d10+28 = 36 (Slashing) (DR 15/Adamantine)

Archonbane Crystal: 1d6 = 2 (slashing)

Ruinous: 1 CHA damage

Anarchic Power: 3d6 = 9 (chaotic)

Anarchic Power: 1 Negative Level (Immune)

I was angry, and I was hurt. But I’d been angry and hurt before. I was not so far gone that I didn’t recognize someone trying to goad me into a course of action. If he was trying to convince me to go beyond the reach of his fists, then clearly he had some defense in place that would either nullify my attack, or turn it against me. But the other option was to stay within reach of his blows, and I’d just seen that, even without his sword, he was more than capable of overwhelming me, if I let him.

No, no time to think. With a thought, I activated the healing ability my warlock class offered me. It was only good once a day, but my Heart of Darkness invocation would help me to recover the vitality Zadkiel had taken from me. With that done, I launched another round of attacks at the archon, each strike hitting home. “Why won’t you just die already, you cheap imitation angel?”

Zadkiel’s Smite Attack Roll (Melinda): 1d20+64 = 76 (Hit)

Blindness Miss Chance: 1d100 = 41 (Miss)

Blind-fight Reroll: 1d100 = 21 (Miss)

“IMITATION ANGEL! I AM AN ARCHON! PARAGON OF LAW AND ORDER! NOW FEEL MY WRATH, HERETIC SCUM!” Clearly, that hit a nerve. Zadkiel poured all his rage into his fist, and it was surrounded with an aura of golden light. Unfortunately for him, the blindness finally proved too much, and he missed me by an inch. As the light faded from his fist, I was forced to breathe a sigh of relief. Whatever that was, it looked like it would have hurt. A lot.

Melinda’s Fiendish Resilience: Fast Healing 5

Heart of Darkness: 1 CON damage healed.

Melinda’s CL Check: 1d20+30 = 48 (Success)

Melinda’s Attack Roll (Zadkiel): 1d20+56 = 70 (Hit)

Damage: 1d10+28 = 34 (Slashing) (DR 15/Adamantine)

Archonbane Crystal: 1d6 = 3 (slashing)

Ruinous: 1 CHA damage

Anarchic Power: 3d6 = 11 (chaotic)

Anarchic Power: 1 Negative Level (Immune)

Hellrime Channeling: 21d6 = 74 (Cold)

Zadkiel’s Fort Save (Massive Damage): 1d20+31 = 40 (Success)

Zadkiel’s Steely Resolve delays 30 damage.

Melinda’s Attack Roll (Zadkiel): 1d20+51 = 53 (Hit)

Damage: 1d10+28 = 35 (Slashing) (DR 15/Adamantine)

Archonbane Crystal: 1d6 = 2 (slashing)

Ruinous: 1 CHA damage

Anarchic Power: 3d6 = 11 (chaotic)

Anarchic Power: 1 Negative Level (Immune)

Melinda’s Attack Roll (Zadkiel): 1d20+46 = 65 (Crit Threat)

Confirm Critical: 1d20+46 = 57 (Crit)

Damage: 2d10+56 = 71 (Slashing) (DR 15/Adamantine)

Archonbane Crystal: 1d6 = 3 (slashing)

Ruinous: 1 CHA damage

Anarchic Power: 6d6 = 20 (chaotic)

Anarchic Power: 1 Negative Level (Immune)

Zadkiel’s Fort Save (Massive Damage): 1d20+31 = 40 (Success)

Melinda’s Attack Roll (Zadkiel): 1d20+41 = 49 (Hit)

Damage: 1d10+28 = 33 (Slashing) (DR 15/Adamantine)

Archonbane Crystal: 1d6 = 3 (slashing)

Ruinous: 1 CHA damage

Anarchic Power: 3d6 = 13 (chaotic)

Anarchic Power: 1 Negative Level (Immune)

All the more reason to end this quickly. Darting forward, I struck once again. This time, however, one of my blows cut deeper than the rest, as I caught the archon in the neck, cutting deep. “Your wrath dies quickly, as will you. And no one will even remember your name when you’re gone.”

Zadkiel cursed in the celestial tongue as he coughed up blood. “It seems I underestimated a wench in wrath over her hellspawn. So the prey kills the predator. Fine, then. If this is how it ends then I will offer one last act of defiance. With my last breath, I cast wide the gates! LET MY GOD COME FORTH!”

A nimbus of light surrounded him, pushing me back, against the altar. When had we shifted positions so much? No, that didn’t matter, because I saw something, someone else upon the altar. Rogdun. He was breathing, but unconscious.

The glow from Zadkiel grew brighter, and the light traced lines upon the ritual site, creating a summoning circle. No time to worry about that. I didn’t know if I could stop whatever he had done I still needed time to heal, as much as I could, and I needed to get Rogdun to safety. Picking up my boy, I spread my wings, and FLEW!