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| - The smoke twisted randomly, as if caught in breeze that was impossible in the small summoning chamber. Kael knelt in a ring with the other students watching the mage in the center demonstrate the experiment in conjuration. A figured formed in the smoke, an imp a little over 2 feet tall. His chest was soot black, and he grew lighter gray and hazy along his legs and arms, until his feet and hands were nothing but thin trails of smoke. The embers from the fire danced up into his body and whipped randomly around him, settling in his eyes, which floated lazily, and seperatly, around his forehead.
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| - The smoke twisted randomly, as if caught in breeze that was impossible in the small summoning chamber. Kael knelt in a ring with the other students watching the mage in the center demonstrate the experiment in conjuration. A figured formed in the smoke, an imp a little over 2 feet tall. His chest was soot black, and he grew lighter gray and hazy along his legs and arms, until his feet and hands were nothing but thin trails of smoke. The embers from the fire danced up into his body and whipped randomly around him, settling in his eyes, which floated lazily, and seperatly, around his forehead. He glared at the students until Bradeline, the red robed mage, shouted "Zazim!" The imp's ears folded back against his head at the sound of his name. "Why do you bring me here?" The imp's voice popped like greasy meat in a hot pan. "They will try to control the conversation, lead you where they want to go. Innocent at first, but it is a trap. Speak only of what you want from the creature, you did not summon it for idle conversation." One of the imp's eyes remained fixed on Bradeline, while the other floated around his head going from student to student, looking for weakness. Kael was easily 10 years older than the rest of the students, and couldn't tell if the imp noticed this or not. Most of the other students paled and looked away at the imp's glare. A few returned the stare, their own fear overcome by their lust for power. Kael didn't react at all, and the imp's gaze passed quickly on to the next student. After its examination of the room the imp dropped, placing his wraithlike hands on the stone floor. The fire brightened and the smoke flared out, momentarily obscuring the imp's form. From within the circle its scratchy voice could be heard speaking unholy words. "The daft creature is attempting to summon more of its kin." Bradeline looked almost disappointed. "Most would attempt to flee, but both attempts will be blocked by the summoning circle you constructed. Its call can not penetrate the shell of sorcery, symbols and the enchanted powder." Bradeline took a chain from his belt and held it toward the imp. He let go of the end, letting a copper medallion inscribed with a six pointed star swing down as he shouted the imp's name again. Bradeline was as much a performer as he was a conjurer. This time Zazim ignored him. The powder was enchanted exactly as it should be, but it was not all silver as the spell required. The imp's call was heard, and in a gust of wind the ill-prepared powder was blown all over the surrounding shocked students. Bradeline didn't have much time for surprise, the newly formed greater demon that stood over the imp reached out and grabbed his throat. The demon stood almost to the room's concave ceiling. He had the hooves of a goat, thick twisted legs, and the chest and arms of a massive gorilla. He had two human heads, one with its mouth sewn shut, constantly screaming behind its pursed lips, and the other looked to have had its eyes recently gouged out. Blood and ichor ran down this face and dripped onto the right side of the demon's chest. On one forearm the demon had almost a dozen battered gold rings. "Command me now, blood trader!" The demon grinned. Bradeline had summoned him many times, and forced him to perform acts degrading even to demons. The mage raised the medallion ineffectually in front of the demon's face, the one with eyes, but the demon only laughed. He would have toyed with Bradeline longer, but the students began to scream and he realized he had more fun in store than just this one killing. With a squeeze, Bradeline's neck was broken and the demon threw the mage's body against the stone wall of the chamber. Then he turned on the students. A boy, more full of ego than sense, began to recite a spell prohibited to students this young. He shot his hands out toward the demon as he finished the incantation. But he was not ready for a spell that complex, and the fire intended for the demon raced up the boy's arms instead. He fell screaming as the flames consumed his shoulders and head. Another student, one that had looked away when Zazim glared at him, had his screams cut short as the imp leapt to his chest and climbed into his mouth. Kael watched the students face flush at the realization that he wouldn't live long enough to be killed by the two headed demon that was tearing into the other students. The student fell, choking and grabbed hold of Kael's drab brown acolyte robes. Kael ignored him, the only unmoving piece of the hellish room. The room's single door was enchanted, only Bradeline or one of the academy's other instructors could open it. This was to prevent any creature that was summoned here from getting loose and threatening the school. It had seemed a reasonable precaution to the students when they had learned of it, but now as they beat on the chamber door they realized the limitations of the door's protection. --The Tale of Saverous, Act II: Chapter 1
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