Part 2: Xoglirath

“A crystal of amber or glass!” hissed Starla. The request was not to be ignored. Thriza immediately dug into her belt pouch and tossed the desired item to her nearby companion. A moment later Starla completed her spell, the glow of magical power flashing in her right hand. Kaine was on Thriza’s other side. He was surrounded by a light green sheen of mystic power.

The three spellcasters surveyed the darkness around them. Thriza’s staff, Sunshard, glowed slightly but let off little light. She was prepared to unleash it’s fury at a moment’s notice however. The demon was around. They had all seen it respond to their calling spell.

“Show yourself beast!” yelled Kaine into the darkness that had enmeshed them. They were in a warehouse on the north side of Albany. There were stacks of industrial paper rolls and piles of organized boxes around them.

“He’s here,” said Starla softly.

“Lucidus! Fulgens! Pernix!” yelled Thriza. Suddenly, light flashed throughout the area, casting long shadows from the stored wares and stacked materials that surrounded the trio. Starla caught movement near a stack of paper rolls, a large shadowy shape. She unleashed a blast of pure sorcerous power, tearing the rolls apart and scattering smoldering piles of paper around.

“Dammit!” she said.

“Xoglirath hides in the shadows like a cut-purse! He is unable to face us!” yelled Kaine.

His answer was a low grumbling noise from the darkness.

Starla renewed her attack spell. Thriza felt power course through Sunshard and a golden glow surrounded her.

“Cabalists!” said the deep guttural voice in the darkness. “You are weak. You cannot defeat me. I will remain until my appetite is no more.” The voice was chilling and it seemed to come from everywhere at once.

“Face us beast!” yelled Kaine. “We will send you back to the Abyss!”

“Incorrect cabalist!” hissed Xoglirath.

Starla responded as the demon attacked from the left side. Xoglirath was big, over seven feet tall with gray-white skin, but was surprisingly agile. Her first blast overshot the monster, smashing into a rack of corrugated boxes and setting them ablaze. The second blast the sorceress send out struck true, smashing the rushing form of Xoglirath to the concrete floor of the warehouse.

Thriza followed up quickly, an arc of yellowish light, crackling with the power of Phoubel, the Decan of Light and Dark, rocketed through the cold air and lashed the demonic form. Xoglirath wailed in pain as it’s flesh burned. Thriza stepped left as Kaine joined the battle, sending a blast of greenish fire at the demon.

He was too slow. Xoglirath had recovered his senses. The demon coiled it’s powerful leg muscles and launched itself upward. Kaine’s mage-fire rocketed past the demon and engulfed more paper products. Collateral damage suddenly took on new meaning as flames hungrily raced up the side of the paper stacks, almost reaching the high roof of the warehouse.