[IMG]http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u79/SharpshooterJack/markerGerald_zps253683a8.png[/IMG]
[h3]Duchy of Pelgaid, secluded pond[/h3]
[I]Exempt from?[/I] Gerald thought with grim amusement, still avoiding looking in the direction of any of the others and instead fixing his gaze on a point somewhere around the middle of the pond, studying the gentle stirring of the surface of the water with great intensity. [I]Considering that he’s an elder dragon he’s the most likely target. I don’t know how his magical power compares to that of Crone, nor am I too sure that Hazzergash would even care... He has plenty of magical power himself; Renold’s brute physical strength and durability will probably be perfect for him.[/I]
“I’m not,” Renold confirmed, prompting the occurrence of a sarcastic smile on the necromancer’s lips. The dragon seemed to avert his gaze as though uncomfortable at the thought, letting out a quiet croon deep in his throat before continuing. “Actually Crone and I hope that he will pick me if he really does possess one of us.”
“Binding circles only prevent the entity they bind from leaving the circle, don’t they?” Gerald asked grimly, unconsciously rubbing the spot on his arm where the illusory tattoo symbolizing the sealed Withering was hiding under the sleeve of his robe. “With all of us inside it, Jillian is right: he would be able to kill us easily with you as his host, even with his own power bound.”
“I suppose that is true with normal binding circles, but this is a special one Crone and I spent decades designing and tracking down components and information for,” the Green assured them. “It’s a specialized circle with Hazzergash’s name woven into it; it should prevent Hazzergash from moving completely and paralyze his host. Even if he does possess me, activating the binding circle should stop me from moving.”
Gerald’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “It’s not so simple. It can’t be. Trapping a deity like that should logically be far beyond us.”
“Well, yes,” the other admitted awkwardly. “It’s going to require a tremendous amount of magical energy. Had Hazzergash had his full power he could doubtlessly have broken through it in seconds with just two or three of us sustaining the circle, but in his current weakened state...” He looked around at the assembled people, trying to appraise everyone’s strength. “We should be able to bind him for a minute or two. Will that be enough?”
[I]As long as he doesn’t have any crusaders with him that might break the circle, sure,[/I] Gerald thought, rolling his eyes impatiently. “Once I’ve started pulling his energy into me he shouldn’t be able to do anything, circle or no circle. A minute should be plenty of time.”