Timely Arrival: Page 1

Samara glared at me.

"Really Lucas, you couldn't have just kept your head down for a few days?"

I wanted to respond, but the devil-lady-with-the-black-lightning-magic interrupted me.

"Damn it, he's a summoner!"

She flicked her wrist, sending a tendril of that oily black electricity at me. It wrapped around my wrist, feeling as solid as rope despite its less physical nature.

She pulled me forwards, but I slashed at the lighting, severing the connection with a pop. At the same time, Usume charged Samara, swinging her spiked club savagely.

Samara leaned to side, unfazed.

"I mean really, Lucas, how hard is it to just stay out of trouble?"

She extended her hand towards me, and Vedra leapt from my grasp into her hand.

"Let me borrow her for a moment."

I ground my teeth, focusing on the caster. I throw up a shield, just in time to block to a bolt of black magic. I cast Eldritch Blast, sending 2 beams of red magic at her. She avoided the first but the second hit her side.

With her attack disrupted, I dropped my shield, putting my efforts into my Eldritch Blasts. I fired them off as fast as I could. On their own, each beam only hurt a little bit, but after a dozen or so, she was looking worse for wear. That's when I used my ace card. I swirled my fingers through the air, and whispered a few words.

The air between us rippled with a rainbow of beautiful colors, all blossoming from a single point. I quickly averted my eyes.

Hypnotic Pattern

I looked at the demon woman, seeing her entranced by the colors. With her occupied for a little bit, I turned over to see the other fight in progress.

Uzume's spiked club was laying on the ground, bent at a near 90 degree angle. Without a weapon. She was using her fists to attack at Samara, but she was just too fast. She avoided almost every attack. The ones she didn't dodge struck Vedra, who was shaped like a shield.

I kept my attention on maintaining the hypnotic Pattern, but I was ready to help Samara if she needed it. In an instant, Vedra became a large mace, and Samara swung her into Uzume's stomach, nearly knocking the larger woman down.

But luck, it seemed, was not on our side. Samara's next swing missed, and it left her open to a devastating counter attack. Uzume backhanded her, knocking Samara across the field.

I dropped Hypnotic Pattern, running to Samara's aid. With a flick of the wrist, Vedra appeared back in my hand. The red giant hadn't noticed me yet. I aimed the attack for the back of her knee, and Vedra slightly tweaked my arms to make my strike more effective.

That's when the other demon struck. That terrible black lightning wrapped around me, yanking me backwards.

Uzume turned to face me, and pulled back her massive fist. I didn't have time to move, to react, to do anything. It felt like slow motion, her fist barreling towards me. I closed my eyes. At least I didn't have to see it.

A moment passed. Then another.

I opened my eyes, seeing Uzume's fist rebounding off of a shimmering magical dome that surrounded me.

I looked over my shoulder, seeing a celestial woman standing with her hand extended towards me.

My jaw must have been on the floor. Seeing a demon, that was uncommon, but certainly not rare. But an encounter with a celestial? Damn near unheard of. Even the most powerful of clerics could only commune with them for brief moments. And here one was. And she was protecting me.

I didn't hear the rest through the magical barrier, but I got the impression the celestial was calming Uzume down. The woman walked away grumpily, and the magical dome disappeared. I stood up, my eyes never leaving the celestial.

A small, dark skinned woman, wearing a thick fur coat, jogged over to Samara, helping her up.

The celestial woman looked at me, somewhat curiously.

"Come with me, Lucas Valentine. There is much to discuss."