>>5630370<span class="mu-s">Delrio.</span>
After you shredded him back in Venezuela, you had hoped that it would be your final encounter. Guess he must be the demonic equivalent of a cockroach. He definitely didn’t escape unscathed though; the difference between his previously human form and the anatomical composition standing before you is night and day.
From the look of things, the bulk of his skin has been flayed from his body, revealing only taut sinew and muscle; not including the misshapen lump of decaying flesh where his dominant hand once resided. The cost of failure, perhaps?
You’re unable to suppress your visible disgust as Delrio proffers his unholy stump in a twisted mockery of a salute in your direction.
<span class="mu-r"> “What, you don’t like the new look?”</span>
His laugh, a groaning death-rattle that goes on for far too long, chills you to the core; a horror seared into your memory along with the rictus grin that his face has been contorted into.
His momentary bout of humor dissipates as quickly as it came, and he’s back to staring at you like a hyena eyeing a wounded gazelle.
<span class="mu-r"> “That hurts my feelings. Especially since you’re the reason for my little makeover; thanks to your lucky streak in Venezuela, I had to make a few sacrifices to get another shot at the big time.”</span>
While he monologues, you try to get a quick peek at him with Magesight and gauge his aura, but the visceral evil of it forces you to clamp it down hard.
Whatever humanity he had left is gone for good, he’s little more than a decaying corpse with an ego at this point.
<span class="mu-r">”But thanks for being a good sport and wandering right into one of the most cursed spots on the continent. When I drag your carcass to my boss, I’m gonna get everything I deserve and more. And trust me, I’m gonna enjoy every second of it.</span>
The Ace of Winchesters would make this a cakewalk, but it’s an ocean away, and you’re unable to call for backup. Guess you’ll have to handle this the hard and painful way.
You’re about half-full on magic; taking down that brute earlier required a fair chunk of your reserves, but you should have more than enough for general combat usage. If you start throwing out the more energy-intensive spells though, you may just drain the tank.
Regardless, the most important thing is to stay calm and maintain your composure, he’s just tying to get under your skin and rattle you. If you lose focus for even a second, he’s sure to make a move.
You need to…
> Keep him monologuing while you look for a weakness in his desiccated form. He’s practically a shambling zombie, there’s gotta be something to exploit.> Summon the Blade of Flame, and try to set him on fire with Fire Bolts. Gotta be careful not to consume all of the oxygen down here, so care is required.> Nail him with a flurry of Hex Bolts. Won’t do any physical damage, but it should set the stage for another gambit.> Bring out the Claw and rush him. It worked the first time, and it’ll do the trick now.> Other? 