Disaster Strikes

The sun was out, and wounds were healed and taken care of. As soon as the trio broke out of the desert and into a small village, it seemed like the day had two nights. However, this time the moon was up.

"Condemned Salvation?" said Elfin as he read out the sign on the local inn. "That's an irony isn't it?" He turned to Jason, but the slayer wasn't listening.

"Jason?"

"Huh?" Jason looked up, and Elfin could see that he had clearly been shaken up badly.

A silence then ensued which was broken by Neptune. "How about we go in? I've never slept on a bed before..."

"You'll love it," Elfin said sarcastically. To his relief, Jason laughed. They entered the Condemned Salvation, and saw a dark figure sitting at the counter, hidden by shadows.

The lounge was devoid of windows, and a small fire lit the room. The couches were dusty and decorated with cobwebs here and there. But the most creepy part was that the inn had no guests.

"How may I help you?" a nasal voice asked. As it did so, the figure at the counter moved.

The light was dim, but Elfin could see a pair of huge eyes, yellow at the sclera. He was about to ask if the inn had room, when Jason suddenly collasped.

"Jason!" cried he and Neptune in unison. They knelt down to examine the man.

"I have a spare room, maybe your friend would like to lie down awhile..."

Elfin looked up, wanting to thank the owner, but saw that that he had come out of the shadows. And what the mage saw was not a human being.

The mutant gremlin gave a wicked smile before enlarging its wings. It screeched defeaningly. Both Elfin and Neptune tried to shield their ears.

The screeching stopped, and before they knew it the gremlin had pounced. Elfin tried to launch a fireball, but failed. Neptune had gotten up, but with a flap of those enormous wings the Piscian found himself on the floor again, head spinning.

Hot breath touched Elfin's face, which was inches away from a set of deadly fangs. Those yellow eyes never closed, and the mage could not help but look away.

His staff was just an inch from him, and he was on his back. His hands were pressed against wet skin, trying with all his might to prevent the gremlin from biting him.

A blue glow flashed just behind the demon. Soon, a powerful tail swiped the fiendish creature away, and Elfin could see Neptune in his half-dragon form.

"Thanks," said Elfin as he stuck out his hand. The fallen staff flew into his outstretched fingers. "You take care of Jason, I'll deal with the gremlin."

Neptune picked Jason up with his strong arms, saying, "Sounds like a plan. Just don't get thrown down on the floor again." He bent to pick up the Inventi before leaping out the door.

Once outside, Neptune stopped. A mob of people surrounded him, their eyes devoid of life, their faces gaunt and ghastly. They each had a marking on their foreheads: a green hand.

*** *** ***

Back in the Condemned Salvation, Elfin was twirling his staff defensively, waiting for the gremlin to make the first move. The latter, however, was not moving.

Searching frantically for a spell, Elfin suddenly thought of an old illusional tactic that his master had shown him years ago. He had forgotten about the move, because he never had to use it.

He slowed down the twirling, waiting. The gremlin's eyes never left him.

Then, Elfin struck the butt of his staff onto the ground, chanting an Elvish incantation. As soon as the staff made contact with the wooden floor, there were five Elfins standing before the gremlin.

"Magic? My master was the ultimate magician!" spat the gremlin. He leapt forward, which was exactly what Elfin wanted.

All five elves struck out their staves, creating a circular motion. The gremlin halted in mid-air, held aloft by magical energies. Then, one by one, and in perfect synchrony, each Elfin swung their individual staves, whacking the fiend one after another.

The volley of whacks continued till the front door was kicked down. Stunned, Elfin stopped his attack, and the gremlin tumbled to the ground.

Through the door came Neptune, Jason still on his back, unconcious. A ghoulish group of locals came marching inside, their heads bearing the green omen.

"Neptune!" Elfin tried to get to his friend, but was knocked into a chair roughly. He looked up and saw the gremlin standing over him.

Wasting no time, the mage struck his staff right between the demon's legs, sending it sprawling into the ground.

"So it does hurt for demons too," mused Elfin. He then turned to see that the mob had swallowed Neptune. "Away!"

The rounded tip of his wooden staff shone a deep blue, then the light zipped towards the crowd, throwing off several of the possessed people.

Spell after spell he launched, until the mob nearly swallowed him as well. Elfin watched, helpless, as they took his staff and snapped it in two. He watched as the recovered gremlin toyed with his Inventi, pouring out the contents. Finally, his vision was obscured, then he could see nothing.

The last thing Elfin noticed before this was the green omen, flashing prominently before him.