Unexpected friendship

[Talwyn]

((OOC: Ask me and Kasai before joining via PM, thank you))

"Oh bugger..." The warlock muttered as he turned around and started running for his life. Three thoughts raced through his mind. First, why in the blue blazes hadn't he brought Brandus along? Second, where in the world was a warrior when you needed him and finally, why did all of his research subjects try so hard to kill him? ... Actually the last one wasn't that hard at all. Demons weren't exactly known for their ability to cooperate after all...

Three days ago Oswin, self proclaimed grand Warlock, the Lord of Darkness, master of the arcane, researcher of the demonic plane, swindler and all around nice chap had found a cave suitable for his needs. For three days he had worked. Drawing the magical circle, placing protective wards, readying spells so they could be activated with just a single word. And afterwards he had used his power to create a portal to the demonic plane to summon a single demon.

Well, he got his demon, and like all demons it started bashing at the protective ward that kept it in place almost immediately. None of those that answered his summons minded to do so. And none of them liked being trapped in place as well. He had known that. However... this demon was not the one he had intended to summon. In fact, it was a demon of a kind he had never seen before.

Stroking his goatee he looked at it with interest as he circled around it to get a better look while in his mind he was trying to determine what had gone wrong. "The inter planar warp nexus? How about the portal anchoring focus? No that's not it either... Wait... what?" His head snapped up as he noticed something. His barrier, there was a crack in it.

Sighing he started with his invocations. Around the first barrier, a new field of magic was erected, but he did not stop there. He strengthened it even further and golden, luminescent beams shaped like chains started surrounding the barrier. "There." He nodded with a certain satisfaction. "Nothing can break this barrier."

Sitting down cross-legged he stared at the demon, studying it. A few minutes later, the second barrier started to break and Oswin's eyes went wide open. Not only was this the strongest barrier he had ever thought possible, but this demon didn't rely on brute strength. It was tearing the barrier down with magic! Unbelievable! Slowly getting up, he was torn between his desire to study this sample more, and the rational thought of banishing it again. As the barrier showed yet another crack, he decided on the latter and with a sigh spoke the command word to activate the strongest banishing spell he had prepared.

Yet, the demon hadn't been banished by it. And thus, he had muttered a curse as he turned around and started running for his life. Huffing and puffing as he reaching the point of physical exhaustion he hoped against all odds that he would somehow run into a powerful warrior. If the warrior could damage the thing enough, he could probably banish it, as the demon would become less and less resistant to his magic from the damage.

But... what are the odds of running into a swordsman powerful enough to aid him down here, in the middle of nowhere?

[Kasai]

"What in the world?"

Were Al his first thoughts as he saw a man wearing a red robe run, he only saw the man so he had no idea why he was running. Al watched him from a distance, the man didn't see him, but then he realized the man wasn't just running. It appears he was fleeing, little did Al know from what. While hesitating what to do suddenly he found out what the man was running from. Al couldn't believe his eye's, what he saw appeared to be some sort of hound, only way bigger than what one would expect from a hound. Then he saw it's odd red color, and weird looking spikes coming from it's back.

"What kind of creature is this?"

Al said to himself looking surprised. Not knowing what to do, he just stood there looking a bit frightened. All sorts of thought ran trough his mind, then he figured he should help the man, especially with that weird hound gaining on him. But what could a man do who can't remember anything do a bout this vile beast who looked like it came straight from hell. All of a sudden Al remembered his big sword and the bandits he took care of just a few day's ago, though he had no idea how to deal with the beast, but he grasped for the large sword and figured he could at least try and do something. The second he got hold of the sword it was like he turned into a different person and someone else took over. Al dashed with great speed at the creature, as he passed the man in the red robe, he had grabbed the sword with 2 hands and took an offensive stance. Apparently the creature noticed him as it stopped chasing the man and focused on Al, it fired a huge fireball from his mouth. Without thinking Al took an inhuman high jump over the fireball and in mid air made few graceful slices on the beast it's head. He didn't quite see if he hurt it, but from the growling it did he could tell he had hurt it quite a bit. As soon as Al landed it was like he got control over himself again, apparently the beast was stunned which gave Al the opportunity to get away. He let go of the sword with his left hand and held it straight up with his right hand as he dashed back to the man wearing a red robe.

"Quickly sir, we need to get out of here."

Al quickly said at the man after he stopped in front of him.

[Talwyn]

He couldn't believe it! A swordsman! Here! In the middle of no where! And he even grabbed his sword to defend Oswin. Either the man was a very good swordsman, or a very foolish one. Naturally, he started casting immediately and five red, glowing orbs appeared before him. With a wave of his hand, the magic missiles were launched at the monstrous beast which let out yet another frightening yelp.

"Quickly sir, we need to get out of here." The man told him. But Oswin dawdled. The beast had resisted his earlier banishment spell... yet the missiles had hurt it badly. The wounds inflicted by the swordsman had taken so much energy from the beast that it could no longer defend it self against his spells. And thus he started chanting once again. Better to try and banish it again he figured. If he let this thing roam around freely who knows what would happen....

Apparently the beast had shook off its earlier stun, as it started charging towards them again. Fortunately, Oswin was finished already with his spell, and with a puff of smoke, the beast vanished, causing Oswin to let out a sigh of relief.

He walked back down the tunnel he had been running from, and motioned the swordsman along. "Come come, hurry! We have to check it out!" Was all he said as he hurried down the passage.

As they arrived at the spot Oswin had used for the summoning he let out yet another sigh of relief. "Good, good. The portal was closed down correctly.... That's one less issue to worry about then." Ignoring the swordsman he grabbed a pouch from his robe, and threw some sort of dust into the air as made another chant.

A blueish, ghost-like version of Oswin appeared at the magical circle and the real Oswin paced about the chamber looking at the apparition while muttering to himself. "No the nexus was stable.... so was the inter planer fold.... and the gate... How odd.... Everything was stable and correctly executed." Waving his hand, the image faded and he started stroking his goatee.

Turning to his saviour for the first time, he finally spoke to the man. "Want to earn some gold?" He never waited for the reply however and started fixing the magical circle again. "Hand me the bag of candles over there would you? Oh and eh, my name is Oswin by the way. You must have heard of me, Grand Warlock, Master of the Arcane, Enslaver of Demons, Lord of Darkness! Oh and mayor of a little village down the coast. Really scenic during spring, you should visit some time." It was obvious he was rambling and making things up as a he went along, though his tone remained serious.