Standing over the fallen Mentalist with one of his broadswords lodged in Cole's stomach, The Treabor grabbed the pommel of his sword and slowly twisted the blade within the young man as the Mentalist cried out in a bloodcurdling scream of pain. "Does it hurt Zarpathos-scion? Does it sting? How does it feel to be my new host? While I may not have the Thief, I can always settle for one more powerful than her," surmised the Treabor smiling at his handiwork.
Between blood-stained lips; Cole cried out again for Terri to wake up, until The Treabor planted his foot down on the Mentalist's throat. As Cole tried to draw air, the Treabor continued, "Silence, worm! She can't hear you now! The girl is mine; as you soon will be! Prepare for oblivion!"
"NOOOOOO!" came a scream from atop the dias. Cole and The Treabor looked up to see Terri now standing on the steps with a look of both horror and anger in her eyes. "Leave him alone!", commanded The Dreamer.
"Who are you to give me an order, little girl?" sneered The Treabor. "You would do better to know your place!" With that, The Treabor wrapped his arm around the chain that was bound to Terri's neck once more in an effort to summon forth more of her life essence, to make her succomb again. But this time, the Dream Demon felt some of his own energy seep from him, through the chain, and into Terri as she boldly resisted him.
"This--this--is not possible!" stammered the Dream Demon in complete amazement as it began to back away from Cole as Terri advanced down the stairs towards them. With every step, she became bolder, stronger, and angrier as the Dream Demon's energy began to flow within her. Before the drain overwhelmed him, he took his remaining sword, unsheathed it, and sliced through the chain that connected him with the Dreamer. However, even as Terri felt the flow of the creature's energy end abruptly, she still advanced on the Demon unhindered.
"This is my dream, Treabor!" began Terri with determination in her voice. "My dream, my rules! That's the most important thing I learned about lucid dreaming. You made me forget that, but I guarantee you, I'm going to make sure that you remember it!" And with that, Terri's lady-in-waiting gown slowly transformed itself into a suit of golden plate armor with a shield and a broadsword to match, behind her flew a white banner covered with numerous Fleur-de-lis.
"Just call me, Joan!" smiled Terri for the first time as The Treabor drew back in horror. "As an old friend of mine once told the power mad jerk that hired you: You want me, come get me!" And with that she drew her broadsword and prepared to battle the Demon.
The Treabor in turn gave out a long unearthly roar like that of a wounded lion and charged the Dreamer. And the battle was joined...
