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Post by Veliky on Dec 27, 2022 20:47:59 GMT -5
Bone-dry air, smothering heat, choking smog and the off-grey tinge of jagged cliffs. Just these, for hours upon hours, are what a hiker upon the Devil's Ridge has to expect. The smoke from Mount Drakolt blots out the sun and most of the sky, and so little changes here but the footprints in the ash. It is a bleak, egregious and hazardous place. Unfortunately, it also harbours the swiftest routes from Darkveil to Dragon's Cradle and vice-versa, and so it's braved by many travelers in all seasons but unbearable Summer.
Today, the spiteful wind carries the strangest of noises: noises like the grinding of metal, the clangs of a hammer on an anvil, and the uncanny chirps of a birdwhistle. As they grower closer, they also become more apparently numerous. And, after only a brief moment longer, ominous forms can be seen in the haze, trekking up the mountainside. Beings of metal, in a variety of humanoid and bestial shapes: Blixtbots™.
Until recently, such a sight was a total anomaly upon Charon. And, indeed, they are a truly peculiar and unusual sight. But there are rumours circulating among the relational networks of upper and lower classes alike: it's said that they're owned by a mysterious organization called Platinum Corp; it's said that they have no emotions, no empathy, no remorse; it's said that their leader is an anomaly of herself, a woman whose meagre form belies a cold and unyielding heart.
Of course, a certain witch knows at least one of these rumours to be very true.
Not all among the travelling group are autonomous husks; they are accompanied by - or, more accurately, accompanying - a trio of women. Easily the most distracting presences among them, for rather different reasons, are a tall and alluring half-elven woman with fierce eyes, raven hair and all the beauty and bearing of a cunning demoness; and a being so minuscule that she might easily be mistaken for an infant, yet neatly-dressed and walking with an authority that even the air seems to obey. Their names, of course, are Kamille and Veliky: of whom few stranger a pair could be imagined. And yet they tread through the piled ash, together, with a mission.
"Quick briefing!" Veliky's voice is raised in a practicedly commanding manner, such to be heard by the whole of the squad. "Did some research on this place we're headed. It's called Quarry's Hollow. Apparently, so many criminals have hidden there in the past that most Darkveil bounty hunters know the route by heart, thus the name. In fact, we're looking for a bounty hunter that didn't come back and the crooks he was sent to catch. So check your aim, and avoid explosives."
She throws a pointed glance at Kamille as she wades through the ash (knee-height, for her). There's a smudge of dry blood below the little woman's nostril; the smoke isn't easy on the nose.
"Also did some research on cave fishers. They're ambush predators, use this sticky stuff to snag prey. Sort of like spiders, but they use the stuff to make fishing lines instead of webs. They've got nasty pincers, but it shouldn't be much of a problem for us. Honestly, it's a wonder that it managed to nab as many people as it ha- wah!"
Her explanation, and her stride, meets an abrupt end as she flops into the warm ash in front of her. It's difficult to see any potential tripping hazards under the ash: an issue that's been all-too prevalent on this journey. After a moment of shock, she begins to push herself up.
"Kiena... gyt za ae maadpite." This, and other foreign curses, she spits as she rises up and wipes the ash off her clothes. This isn't the first time she's had to do so, nor is this the first Veliky-shaped indent she's left on the ash on the mountainside.
She throws another look at Kamille - a bitter glare, as if the witch is somehow to blame. Or maybe she just doesn't like being looked at in her shame. Either way - and again - it isn't the first of this journey.
Taking Minions Bishop-11 (Warlord) Knight-02 (Warlord) Rook-13 (Warlord)
Taking Pets Lag Switch-06 (Ashlands Jackal) Vampire-04 (Vampire Bat)
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Post by Lady Kamille Verlithax on Jan 1, 2023 7:31:25 GMT -5
The Ashlands had provided her with adventure beyond her expectations; from cultists, to dragons, criminals and personal feuds, she had thrived on the land of ash and smoke. Not that the heat did anything to her, mind you. The outside temperature was something that she barely registered anymore, even if if the ashes stuck to her throat. And Poe might as well be a mute - as she had told her, curiously, sometimes she pretended to be a mute - for she didn't utter a word of complaint during their walk. Hers was probably more a matter of training, rather than ingrained, magic immunity.
The sun was always muted and blotted out by the large amounts of smoke the active volcano spit into the sky. Even if her eyes didn't hurt anymore from the fumes and smoke, she was constantly sipping on a canteen to keep her throat from getting dry.
And despite preaching about the order of things, it would seem it was chaos that she actually chose to champion - she couldn't see it any other way: every interaction with Veliky were riddled with the unexpected, from plans to change Charon to plans of making people dance together.
The quarterling was visibly having some trouble to navigate the ashlands, but Kamille knew best than to offer her help. She had learned there was some kind of pride in handling things on her own on that diminutive frame of hers that was not compatible to her.... huh.... nevermind. Saying that she got used to the quarterling's minions was a stretch, and from time to time she would catch herself staring at one of them. It was during one of those times that Veliky chose to make a recap of their mission. A soft "fwump" cut through the narrative, and Kamille jerked back to see Veliky faceplanting on the ashes. The motion to reach out for her came without a though, but she stepped back once the smaller woman shot up back to her feet. Her nasty glance only served to have Kamille chuckle softly.
"I've learned to expect the unexpected around you.... But... If this is as grave as they say it is... I would even go as far as saying that maybe the threat is something else entirely. Since its a known den of criminals, maybe there's someone trying to cover for something?"
Kamille fought the urge to help Veliky and brush the ashes from her clothes, rubbing a handkerchief to her face like a mother would do to a little child. Instead, she stood and watched as the quarterling recovered, the bit of ash clinging to her upturned eyebrow vexing her more than she allowed herself to admit.
"Also, I have found an incredibly odd chimera sometime ago. A giant, venomous toad with poison immunity and spider eyes. Wouldn’t be surprised if we find out something...... weird."
A distant flutter of wings caught her attention, and Kamille's eyes suddenly lighted up as she smiled. Despite their seemingly contentious relationship, the Witch clearly cherished Mischief, raising an arm for him to land on.
"CAWWWW! Found it! Cave!"
"Good job, Mischief. Now show us the way."
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Post by Veliky on Jan 4, 2023 1:12:07 GMT -5
As the disgruntled Veliky listens on, she takes off her hat and waves it about, strains it, even turns it completely inside-out in an attempt to vacate all the powdered ash within. It's a futile task, and one that she continues for some time after Mischief's report.
"A frog with spider eyes? Wish I could say that's the weirdest thing I've heard. Unfortunately, I wouldn't be surprised either."
She directs a discordant glance at Mischief. Her mistrust and contempt for Kamille's corvid companion aren't secrets; indeed, nor is her similar disposition toward all birds. Indeed, when it comes to things that flutter, she vastly prefers metal to feathers. Still, she nods in approval at the news, even if it's only after the raven's taken flight.
After a moment of waving and patting, she looks inside her battered cap. It's still very dirty... but, with a sigh, she places it back on her head. This probably won't be a clean job, anyway.
"Certainly could be something worse. In my experience, both are usually the case. But you're the most powerful mage I've ever met, and I've got better resources than Solarian; we can improvise."
As she speaks, something brushes just by her arm - something unnatural, that hovers listlessly through the air. It would be a disturbing sight had it not been accompanying them for the entire journey: one of Veliky's newer, stranger bots, the animated spine of an iron serpent[1]. It lacks a jaw and, therefor, a bite, but danger isn't what makes it so disquieting. Even Veliky isn't immune, though perhaps this is because of just how new this model is; she flinches notably at the graze, but readjusts herself as quickly as it continues hovering in wide circles around her.
"...Anyways," A blatant change in subject. "let's get moving."
Another hour: long enough to be both boring and tiring, but not to pose any greater hazard, like an added insult from fate. It doesn't avail that the remainder of the journey is almost entirely uphill. At one point, Veliky even implies an accusation that Mischief is leading them astray (which wouldn't be an unjust belief, given that he's done it before). But, at around fifty minutes, the rounded entrance to the cave can be spied at the far end of a dry gorge.
It's a wonder that it's so popular with criminals; the cave's location is egregious for banditry. Perhaps it's simply less egregious than the other options.
A somewhat treacherous descent down an ashy slope and a brief hike later, they stand at a cautious vantage near the entrance. Two of the bots crouch behind the cover of white boulders. Veliky need not crouch; in fact, she must stand on her tiptoes to peer over.
"...Looks clear!" she whisper-shouts. Despite her assurance, the little commandress' demeanour doesn't lighten; she steps back from the rock and begins to pace about, hands clasped behind her back with all the bearing of a general and leaving switchback lines of tiny footprints. "Listen up! We're dealing with an extermination/rescue op. We get in, kill the fisher or whatever's caused this, and rescue the hostages. There should only be one hostile, but we don't know how many civilians; just secure any you see and get them to safety. And, again, nothing explosive."
Another pointed look at Kamille.
"Now, according to my research, cave fishers keep their victims alive and bound in filament for about three days before consumption. So we should have..." Her eyes absently wander as calculations go through her head. "...three hours at most. Kien. Alright, no delaying, let's get in there."
1. (Dancing Chain) Ouroboros-01
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Post by Lady Kamille Verlithax on Jan 6, 2023 5:03:23 GMT -5
Kamille seemed to be concerned by Veliky's remark about seeing weirder things. Indeed, it wouldn't be worth of notice among all the nonsense that's been popping up around Charon lately.
"My concern is regarding it probably being a chimera. Meaning someone is making these things. Well, at least the toad was, I would assume. Couldn't study it afterwards."
Mainly because there was nothing left of it by the end. The memory of the encounter sent an involuntary shiver up her spine. At first, she looked a bit startled by Veliky's new Blixtbot, but she assumes it's just the uneasiness of its alien design and presentation. Not that... She ever expected the regular from Veliky. She's never seen arcane constructs anywhere similar from what Veliky has, even though she made it a point to try and not look too surprised, even if her curiosity would slip at times.
Kamille tried to fill the long hour walk with iddle chat, even if that meant talking alone, while they followed Mischief up ahead. Kamille would be the first to build into Mischief's reputation: the raven was whimsical, untrustworthy at best, randomly mischievous and vengeful at worst. Still, Mischief had a little part of its small bird brain that seemed to understand when the situation was dire and needed to be taken seriously. Yet, everytime she set him out to guide her, it always came as a surprise when he actually did take her to where she'd asked.
The ashes twirling in the air started to gather at her throat, they made for a more silent walk as their approached the cave. It was... just as she expected. A cave. She didn't like it. Kamille was expecting the unexpected, and the normalness and stillness of it made her uncomfortable. She approached the entrance and looked around, trying to find any recent signs of movement through that area, footprints, lost items, anything.
"...And, again, nothing explosive."
The Witch turned slowly to the quarterling with a look of someone who got a lump of coal for Winter Crown. That would diminish the alternatives rather drastically for her, but as always, she would make do. Kamille bent over to grab a piece of wood that could be lighted up with a snap of her fingers [1], so they could use it as a torch to light up the way.
"Assuming it will be a cave fisher... How do you want to go about this? They are said to be ambushing creatures, so they will wait until we're in their territory to attack from hiding. So, first things first."
The Witch opened her alchemy satchel, where a number of colored small glasses sat and clacked softly against one another as she perused them. Poe stepped closer, as if she knew what to expect - it was very easy to forget Poe was with them, because the woman possibly wouldn't open her mouth to speak if she was on fire. Kamille's bodyguard could easily be mistaken for a mute, which was one of the things she did regularly. For her bodyguard, Kamille gave two potions [2,3]. And for Veliky, she gave one [4].
"Healing potion. Just in case," Kamille tried to be reassuring, even though she had her doubt if Veliky would rather remain wounded than to drink someone else's concoction like that.
With Mischief perched on her shoulder, before Veliky could protest or take the lead, Kamille went ahead and entered the cave, holding the torch high above her head. Poe followed suit, right after tucking away the potions, but her image dissappeared right after she crossed the threshold of the cave, shimmering and vanishing [5,6]. Kamille herself wasn't worried about not making noise or not being heard, as it was clear she intended on serving as bait should the cave fisher attack them.
"I know you said "no explosions", but... Since you're with a Pyromancer and not a goat, I'm assuming you know that's an occupational hazzard," she chuckled softly, as she crossed the threshold of the cave and shed some light on the first filaments hanging from the ceiling and walls. Another shiver ran up her spine.
Great. Spiders. Again.
[1]Create Spark [2]Bull Strength potion [3]Quick Speed potion [4]Major healing potion [5]Invisibility [6]Silent step
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Post by Veliky on Jan 9, 2023 1:54:18 GMT -5
Veliky has to reach up considerably - tiptoes and all - to accept the potion, an act that she performs with dignity. With it in hand, she begins the almost-automatic process of transferring the potion into a little flask[1] that she takes from her belt. It's a familiar flask - one that's appeared in every encounter that she's had with Kamille (probably a coincidence). She listens idly throughout the process, nodding along, parsing Kamille's words.
"M-hm... M-hm... M-hm... Wait, what?"
In surprise, she spills some of the healing concoction onto the ash.
"Kamille?" she half-shouts after the witch. "Kamille, I'm serious! There are hostages in there!"
She practically chases Kamille's swaying dress into the cave. Her metal militia follows suit; before long, the whirr and grind of industrious marching fills the air.
Walls of uncompassionate stone; uneven, perilous ground of lifeless dirt; claustrophobic passes that seem to choke the mind as much the dust chokes the throat: it is a cave. Some of these features might be frightful, or at least worthy of concern, to less travelled folk; but this is an entourage consisting of those either too jaded to care, or simply not programmed to. In fact, among caves, this one is rather comfortable - certainly moreso than the hellscape outside. The atmosphere is no less arid, but the smog of lung-scraping ash doesn't pervade far inside. It's also refreshingly cool, which may be the starkest contrast to the world above; in fact, the anticipation of pitched combat against a skittering horror isn't the only thing to cause shivers.
The darkness, however, is an egrigious thing. Kamille's makeshift torch blazes the trail, but one alone does little for a group of ten. To combat this hazard, Veliky has one of her employees carry a wrought-iron lantern[2], a contraption that wouldn't be so unusual were it not for two reasons: the seemingly inane mechanisms covering its every surface, and the fact that the light it emits is an unnerving azure. Yet another bizarre item of Veliky's ever-perplexing arsenal.
It's a short walk, only some over two minutes. This is a blessing for the company's weary knees (including the bots', which creak louder and louder with strain), but almost disappointing for those that were busy appreciating the cave's chill. Where Veliky falls on this spectrum is inscrutable; her expression betrays only one focus, and that focus is the mission.
Up ahead, the cave opens into some large cavern. At the sight, Veliky's posture straightens. She has to jog in order to catch up to Kamille.
"Al-Alright, this should be it." The dry breathlessness that she tries to hide is as pitiful as it is amusing. "We're dealing with an ambush predator; it's got nasty claws, but it shouldn't be a problem against this many of us. We find it, we swarm it, we kill it... we rescue the hostages."
They come to edge of the cavern, where the ceiling rises beyond reach and the walls release their grasp on the psyche.
"Everyone keep your eyes open and we should... be..."
As they enter the cavern and their lights of orange and blue fill the room, the sight that graces the company when they enter the cavern in a silencing one, a jaw-dropping one - an unexpected one, to say the least. Stretching between every surface and every gap, imperilling every cubic metre of the room, are hundreds of lines of sticky, thick, web-like filament. But they aren't webs, just long lines that've been strewn about haphazardly. It's reminiscent of a temple on Fools' Day, or a house on Winter's Crown that was decorated by a lunatic. There's nary a step that one could take, nary a space one could swing an arm, without touching one of the countless filament-tripwires.
Veliky is nonplussed, and rightfully so. This whole scenario is like a cruel joke at which only the gods themselves would laugh. Perhaps they're laughing now. Unfortunately for the company, their part in the gag doesn't end with the punchline. She rubs her eyes - an error, as her gloves remain covered in ash, but she couldn't stop herself from silently lamenting.
She lets in a long, congested sniff, and breathes, "One couldn't have caused this..." Utter exasperation.
Her words hang in the air like a last breath. Her bots loyally stand behind her, not knowing any concept so complex and mortal as morale, awaiting whatever her orders may be...
"Alright." She raises her head. Unsurprisingly, her eyes are puffy and red. "Plan doesn't change. We're just dealing with more of them now, and... *this*."
She makes a vague gesture in front of her. Of course, she could gesture in virtually any direction and it'd still be toward one web or another, glimmering threateningly in the binary firelight.
"...Kamille?" She shifts her weight onto one hip, and crosses her arms, in a pose that appears commanding. But the look in her puffy eyes is almost pleading. "For all we know, the hostages could be tangled somewhere in here. So, seriously, no fire. Okay?"
1. Purifying Flask 2. (Ghastly Lantern) Moonlight-01
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Post by Lady Kamille Verlithax on Jan 14, 2023 9:54:12 GMT -5
Ashes and dust twirled at the entrance of the cave, soon replaced by the cool, still air of the predator's den. Had it been a regular cave, Kamille surely wouldn’t feel so unsettled by the stillness of the air or oppressing silence. Not a fly or small insect or rodent was seen or heard skittering around, fleeing the light or their steps, which by itself was already a bad sign. A chill ran down her spine as she realized why their steps didn’t eccho through the cave: as they walked deeper into the cavernous den, the webs that covered the walls and ground provided for a surface that absorbed the sound, instead of boucing it off of it. The only place she had seen similar to that was the spider's nest, back at the Lantern's Light Woods.
"Well..... Let's see how far goes that resolve........"
Granted such approach would be dangerous, but one way to uncover the hostages would be to set the webs ablaze. A couple burns or torched eyebrows were a wee price for their lives and freedom - given such plan would actually work and she was able to control the flames in time, that is. But it was a gamble she was not yet ready to make. At least not until the situation got much more dire.
Which.... could happen.
Both of their lights seemed to shy away from the thick darkness around, eventually stretching far enough only so they could get a glimpse of the eerie decor. Their quick walk lead them into a bigger chamber, and it looked like every bit of it was covered in webs. On the ground, it muffled their steps; on the walls, they prevented their voices to reach farther; and she wouldn’t even begin to think what was contained in some of the sections that hang from the ceiling. In the back of her mind, the notion that the predator knew exactly where they were at all times still nagged her. As they walked, there was a slight resistance against her steps, as the web on the floor was slightly sticky and grabbed their feet. Veliky's assumption that just one beast wouldn’t manage to do all of that felt on point. The Witch let out a disgruntled noise, hesitating for a moment to walk into this larger chamber, only then taking notice she had actually halted at all.
"Time is not on our side. We should start looking around."
They couldn’t wait for an ambusher to attack, they had to provoke them out of their hiding, or so she thought. Worked with Bellighul. More or less.
Kamille shook her head, trying to wave her shivers away. Veliky was right, even if there were more beasts than they initially thought, she was not alone. They could handle it.
What looked like a small bundle near the floor, covered in web like anything else. It was too small to be a whole person wrapped in a coccoon, kept for a snack later on. Kamille refused to believe what it was, so she approached. She knelt down, noticing how her knee got stuck in a fresher section of web. Leaving the torch on her side, using the sticky web itself to prop ir up against the wall, Kamille took a deep breath. Usually, she wasn’t one to shy away from all things grimmy and, literally, getting her hands dirty - but the aprehensiveness was slightly different there.
".....ew........ ew ew eeeeew......."
The Witch stuck her fingers between the soft webbing, instantly regretting her decision as every fiber stuck to her fingers. Even so, with a little more effort she was able to rip through it, and Veliky would be able to hear a sloshing sound on top of Kamille's several distressed noises and curses. Some kind of ooze squished to the floor in front of it, and as Kamille turned to glance over her shoulder to Veliky, it was clear she was doing her best to keep her cool. The corner of her mouth twitched slightly.
"..........Veliky, these are eggs. This things are breeding. This is a nest now."
Which would explain their insatiable appetite lately. Kamille looked so caught up in her own task, now with her hands completely covered in a goo of.... whatever this creatures' eggs had, she didn’t even get to notice the larger creature looming on top of her, from the ceiling, getting ready for the attack.
"We should probably stay close to each other, no matter what."
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Post by Veliky on Jan 20, 2023 12:24:17 GMT -5
Carefully stepping between globs of silk and looking on with distaste, Veliky watches as her arcane acquaintance roots through the cocoon of slimy soon-to-bes. As Kamille's cursing fills the chamber, the thought occurs to Veliky that such tasks are distinctly unbefitting of such a mostly refined woman. But, then, the witch had accepted the mission; things like this are merely the consequence.
"Agreed. The more directions we can watch at once, the better. Need as many eyes as possible."
She looks along the countless strands, and the nigh-impenetrable barrier they form. Their shimmer in the lanternlight belies a strange horror. If one were to merely trip such that they fall into the sticky wall, their life would be over. They would be a helpless little fly in a spider's web, cowering in the approach of many-legged death. And in the predator's myriad eyes; the writhing, screaming little fly's life - their past, everything they've ever loved and dreamed - is meaningless. They're food.
It's disturbing in more ways than Veliky cares to think about.
"Tell you what: once we've dealt with the fishers and rescued the hostages, you can burn this place to your heart's conte-"
As her eyes trail to the ceiling, they widen and leer. Immediately, she jerks into action, clenching a fist and bringing it to her mouth. "Desperation!" she shouts, voice echoing urgently, and then extends a hand as sigils of arcane blue form upon it.
Above Kamille, an abomination of albino chitin crept on spindly limbs, but a warbling implosion of mana expunges the air around it[1]! It recoils, filament spilling from its spinnerets like a hound's drool, before skittering into one of infinite alcoves, out of sight.
Veliky's irises, staring in the empty space that it left behind, are a soup of reflexive emotion: anger, exhilaration and military focus. If fear is among them, it doesn't show. "Anyone have eyes on it? Anyone see it?!"
Behind her, the Blixtbots™ are just as alarmed. Their weapons are raised and their crimson lenses are upturned. Their calmness is somehow even more unnerving. Veliky turns to them with a furious authority, affording each one less than a quarter of a second as she glances between them. But then, that vitriol in her eyes severens.
"Where the fuck is Lag Switch?"
All but forgetting about the white-shelled monstrosity that eluded them, they turn to themselves. Their neck-joints hiss as they sweep about, and they emit a slurry of clockwork language to communicate their findings, but it doesn't change the truth. One of them is gone. Its absence is a mind-warping void.
Veliky is nearly as baffled as she is aggravated.
"You've got to be kidding me! Dammit!"
With a brief shuffling of leather boots, she takes a stance just beside Kamille. She's actually quite close, though her size makes her an unobtrusive guard-dog.
A cold sweat creeps down the side of her face.
"Eyes everywhere! If you see anything with more than four legs, I want it dead!"
'Dead.' The word no sooner than clears her lips as a wicked pincer juts from the shadows, reaching for her! Its serrated digits could sever her tiny neck in an instant. But they don't. Because the hovering, iron serpent[2] that orbits her suddenly zooms, as fast as a loosed arrow, and intercepts the claw, which grasps its serpentine form CRUSHES it in half!
Veliky steps back, nearly bumping into Kamille's leg. But it doesn't slow her or give her pause, and she stares at the white monstrosity with as much hate as surprise. "Contact! Crack its damned shell!"
1. Desperation 2. (Dancing Chain) Ouroboros-01
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Post by Lady Kamille Verlithax on Jan 25, 2023 18:04:24 GMT -5
While her various noises of disgust indicated that to be covered in grime was certainly not a preference of hers, Kamille dug into it as someone who had done it before. Several times. Comes with being an alchemist, most of the times.
Veliky's shout made the Witch spring back into an upright position, arcane residue twisting in filaments of lavender energy around her hands - a more raw kind of arcane energy, the kind that bended space and made the threads of their reality twist and stretch. Despite her arguments earlier, Kamille looked ready to make use of other types of magic for the moment. She was ready to attack, but Veliky's spell looked powerful enough to have the creature cower and hide away once again.
As if ingulfed by a pocket dimension of shadows, any indication of the presence of the first cave fisher was gone, as sudden as its appearance. The tapestry of web swallowed and embraced the predators, at ease at their own nest.
Her own heartbeat pounded on her eardrums, making it hard for her to try and pay attention to other noises, as their sight was not making them any favors. And on top of that, Veliky discovered one of the Blixtbots went missing, which prompted Kamille to clench her jaw. For a moment she worried about Poe, but calling out to her would also ruin the element of surprise the other woman supposedly brought into the field, so the Witch bit her tongue for now. There was still a spell cracking between her fingers, ready to be released...
"Maybe we shou-... VELIKY!"
Kamille hesitantly broke the silence on her end, only to shout at the attempt on Veliky's life. The arcane energy that cracked at her fingertips was released upon the attacker in the shape of a ball of lightning[1], leaving a wave of static in its wake, pushed forward by that reality-altering kind of magic. The cave fisher was supposedly thrown back, though they couldn’t be sure of its state. Another spell was already being woven, energy cracking at her fingertips.
"Stay close, Veli-!"
From the side of the entrance, another giant cave fisher skittered towards them, its appearance as sudden as the first one went away. When Kamille failed to react in time, the Black Quill made her move: the cave fisher that lunged for them let out a loud screech as the back part of its body crashed to the floor. In one, precise swipe, Poe's katana sliced off the rear legs of the monster, making her veil of invisibility shimmer and fade.
Kamille looked about to unleash another volley of arcane might, but instead what came of her was an ear shattering scream followed by a muffled thud. From the darkness to their side, a sticky section of web shot out in their direction, grabbing her foot as she tried to maneuver around the quarterling. As the web pulled back, she fell on her face and was dragged away, but not without trying to grab something - anything - that she hoped would keep her from being pulled.
Turns out, she grabbed Veliky's foot.
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Post by Veliky on Jan 27, 2023 18:55:41 GMT -5
It's difficult for Veliky to tell precisely what happened. She was following along; Kamille blasted one, Poe slashed another. The first's status is unknown, but the second is veritably neutralized. All well and good. In fact, it's optimal within reasonable expectation.
But then there's a scream. She doesn't even recognize it as Kamille's scream; she's never heard the regal witch make such a startled sound, nor does she have the time to formulate a realization before she's violently yanked into proneness, very nearly cracking her skull on the loveless cavern floor.
With gritted teeth, she tries to regain her bearings as she's dragged across the stone! Firelights, filtering through and between the strands of silk, flit across the floor and across her face. Merely trying to see anything is a challenge in the chaos of illumination. But, for just a second, she manages to glimpse...
"Kamille?!" It's a baffling sight, the Witch of Moonglade clinging to Veliky's leg. She's quite strong; but, then, most everyone is strong in comparison to Veliky. Either way, it isn't until Veliky sees the silk-strands binding Kamille's own foot that Veliky realizes what exactly is happening. And it isn't until she catches a glimpse of the fisher perched on a jutting stone, reeling in the line, that she realizes just how dire the situation is. "Kahn!"
Kamille's in no position to do anything. Veliky isn't much better off, but she knows well enough that she needs to act. She can't properly see the fisher, so her magic won't work. Fortunately, Veliky is a resourceful woman.
As the stone ground continues to burn her back, she quickly reaches into a side pocket and removes a tiny, metal pellet[1]. It's a mostly nondescript thing, albeit with subtle grooves that make it efficient for one particular implementation: throwing. Knowing this advantage well, Veliky tosses the pellet directly into the crevice where she believes the fisher is hiding! Her aim is keen, or maybe just lucky, but eitherso enough that the pellet strikes mark directly on its albino chitin! And in the instant that the pellet strikes, it bursts into a flash of blinding light, so intense that it scorches the creature's carapace! Kamille and Veliky each come to a sliding halt as the creature releases its lure in shock and pain, retreating into the web-maze.
...Silence. Odd silence, eerie silence, but comforting silence. The threat, for a fleeting moment, has subsided, and Veliky and Kamille are left on the cavern floor, alone. It's a silence that's broken only as Veliky lets out an ache-stricken groan.
The injuries afflicted from being dragged at such high speed across such rough terrain are nothing to be scoffed at. Veliky and Kamille's attire are both mangled, and their skin is burned. But it's far preferable to whatever the fisher had planned.
Veliky rises, patting herself. She was smart enough to close her eyes before the explosion. In a situation that would leave many terrified, she only looks rather frustrated, annoyed. Another day, another 'simple job.'
"Simple job, my maad..."
The question of 'Where the hell am I?' comes somewhat late to her, but it does come. Scanning their new environment, she sees... largely what she'd already seen: a cave with nearly every wall draped in filament. There are more of those eggs, and more tunnels leading off into darkness. But it's what isn't present that's most disturbing: there are no bots, and no Poe.
And that, needless to say, is not a good thing.
Whenever she's separated from her entourage - which is far more often than she'd like - Veliky's protocol is generally the same. She reaches to her side, grabs a little device that's shaped like the head[2] of one of her artificial minions (crimson eyes included). She raises it to her mouth and she speaks with urgent authority.
"This is Veliky! All units, respond! What the hell's going on."
Nothing. At least, no response. But she does hear, through the device, the telltale sounds of battle, including the robotic commotion of tactical correspondence. They're alive and fighting, that much is certain. But they're nowhere near, if they're far enough for their sounds to be inaudible in this cavern. Just how far were Veliky and Kamille dragged?
Veliky curses under her breath. As if this mission weren't complicated enough. But at least she isn't completely alone.
She turns on a heel and marches over to Kamille, extending a hand in an offer of assistance. It's a formality, of course; Veliky weighs less than a fifth Kamille's weight, and couldn't hope to lend any actual aid.
"Come on, get up." Her voice is calm, but curt. "I don't know where we are, but we aren't safe."
1. (Exploding Pebbles) Miniature Nova Bombs 2. Talking Heads
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Post by Lady Kamille Verlithax on Feb 6, 2023 4:34:35 GMT -5
Stars popped before her eyes as she twisted and turned and tried to resist the dragging. Her behind and her back all burned from it, her cloak ripping in more than one place when it got stuck in stones - but she didn't even seem to notice it as the world still twisted around her as her head haven't stopped spinning.
Kamille didn't even acknowledge, for a hot minute, that what she had grabbed was actually Veliky. The realization brought a problem on its own, as she couldn't just burst in flames to be released from the sticky web without hurting Veliky. Not that she was in any shape of doing something useful as they were being dragged: she closed her eyes and saw stars, maybe for falling on her face before the cave fisher dragged her. And on top of that, her cloak turned upwards and covered her face the whole time, leaving her literally in the dark and without any means of aiming for anything. Luckly, Veliky seemed to be in a better condition, and somewhere out there, too close for comfort, she heard an explosion.
Good thing about that was that the creature stopped dragging them. Bad thing about that... they were now alone. Kamille takes some time to gather her wits, as her ears stop ringing and the ground stops shaking. With a painful grunt, she sits down and unwraps her cloak, finally breathing some air. Without a torch, they are completely in the dark - not that the torch brought any kind of advantage, but the light brought comfort. Now, there was only that unsettling darkness, ready to devour them as it spilled white giant spiders from it. Gods, she was trying not to hate spiders, but it's been hard...
The Witch finally realized there was a hand stretched in her direction and had the thought, just in time, to not actually pull her with her weigh, accepting her hand but mostly pulling herself up. Ain't that just great?
"Are you hurt? We should be moving on... Poe knows what to do, do your minions? Can you communicate with them? We could-"
Kamille stopped talking all of a sudden, her eyes darting around. The air was perfectly still, just slightly wet, the filaments that covered every inch of the place avoiding any sounds to echo through the extension of the cave...
Then she heard a sound. It was different from the measured, meticulous approach of the ambushing predator, with slow steps and murderous intent. This sound was different, and yet she couldn't quite understand it yet.
"Do you hear that?"
Sounded... muffled. It eventually dawned on her it could be one of the victims, still awake and still fighting their imprisionment. Kamille searched for something in her satchel, taking out both of her Rooks, getting ready for using them in when they were attacked again.
Not if. When.
"Let's follow it, but be ready. This is their home. They know where we are."
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Post by Veliky on Feb 9, 2023 20:03:53 GMT -5
She was about to answer. The response had already formed on her tongue. But then there's that sound: a light, but frantic swishing. It draws her attention immediately, once it rises loud enough. Of course, there's little purpose in looking anywhere with so little light to spare.
Lost, blind and alone. It feels repetitive, but Veliky can't help but mentally belabour the 'simple job' point.
"Yeah." Her voice is far quieter, now. She knows that they'll have to fight sooner or later, but 'later' becomes preferable when there's a potential hostage in the equation. "We take it slow. Watch our steps."
...Considering the situation, that last line seems almost comical. None are quicker to realize this than Veliky herself as she looks down to her feet and cannot locate them in the darkness.
"Hey, Bonfire, you got any other lights? Ones that don't explode, preferably?"
'What is this stuff, even?' The question crosses Veliky's mind at one point, as they step with utmost caution through the spun maze. There must be hundreds of pounds of... silk? Is it silk, like that of a spider's web? Maybe. Maybe not. It seems different, somehow. Both are sticky, of course, but the strands strewn over nearly every surface here are unpleasantly damp. Of course, actually touching any of them would be a grave mistake; texture's the least of her concerns. Were Veliky and Kamille anything but hardened adventurers, the sights and sounds would leave them far less sane.
Tunnels, winding and bending, twisting and turning; and with so much silk covering everything but the floor (and even that, in places), it's nigh-impossible to tell what's truly a wall or ceiling and what's just a stretched pane of web. At times, fissures in the fabric stretch far further than had seemed true or even possible, shattering the illusion of claustrophobia if only for an instant. Even in the simplest chambers, there are so many apertures, exits and openings for those things to crawl through. It could happen at any second. If they waited long enough and stared at one, it's a guarantee that a fisher would writhe from it eventually - if it did not come from behind them, first. And there's so little to distinguish one area from another, so little way to tell if they're getting closer to the source of that squirming.
But there is a way. It's difficult to tell in the dark, but it becomes more prominent the further they walk. The strands are swaying, less and less subtly. And the less subtle it becomes, the more clear its intent: struggle - terrified, futile struggle. There's little doubt remaining. Somebody's trapped.
Veliky's in front. At times, she has difficulty navigating over higher webbing-barriers. At others, her diminution makes her more maneuverable. Most importantly, she has little qualm with swiping stray cobwebs aside. But, as they draw ever closer to the source of the terror, she does stop for a moment to deliver a grim reminder.
"Kamille, there's something you should keep in mind when we free this guy: most of the people in this cave were fugitives. I don't know the details or what they were in for, but the only hostage here without a bounty on their head will be the bounty hunter themself. Hell, if we can break a deal with the hunter, we could probably turn them in ourselves for extra pay. Until then, we should keep trust to a minimum."
Kamille looks thoughtful for a moment.
"I believe we might be able to pull it off. I wouldn't be so quick to trust anyone though, not even the hunter. He might not be so willing to share his bounty."
As she speaks, Veliky returns her attention in front of her, to the tunnel that narrows into a slightly wider chamber, eyes narrowing at the justified skepticism.
"Yeah, I wouldn't bet on it either. Guess we'll have to see how pliable they are... Come on."
In this place where every step is a gamble with one's life, the last few steps into the chamber are as perilous as the rest. Perhaps even more, as the growing noise blots out many a hope of detecting encroaching threats. As dread creeps in, haste becomes an ever more tempting vice. The room itself is as revolting and nondescript as the others, save for the eye-catching detail that acts as the source of the noise: a bulge in the webbing, writhing and moaning.
Veliky looks around. She doesn't fright easily, nor can she recall the last time she was nervous, but the fact this silken prisoner's whining - and how it impedes perception - is quickly grating on her nerves, boiling the acid in her throat. 'Shut up, just shut ups!' she quietly urges. Of course, it doesn't listen, and they're hardly into the room. It'll be several more moments of creeping before they can free him...
"Hmmmff! Hmmmffff! HHMMMMMF!"
No. That does it. In her mathematical mind, Veliky finally decides that it's worth the risk.
"Fuck this."
Brazenly, she stands and marches forward, only somewhat caring to watch her steps as she breezes along! Many a time, her boot comes close to grazing one of those dreaded strands. But, if only by chance, she doesn't. She's standing before the cocooned man, who's ceased his moaning at the sound of her approach.
"Hmff... Hifh fmmwmm whwre?" Some question emanates from inside the mess of filament, as if there were even a hope of it being comprehended.
She doesn't hesitate another second, but what she does to free the man is a strange thing indeed. She holds up a finger - just one. And it begins to radiate[1], creating the slightest glow on her gloved index. And finally, with a hop that outsizes her to surprising degrees, she uses this finger to cut a fissure into the cocoon! With a nauseating crack, it bursts open. And spilling out is exactly what they had predicted: a man, clad in simple garb. The only strands upon his head are those of stray filament, and his face - as he raises it to look around with great urgency - is decorated with a beard-moustache amalgam that encircles his lips like a wall around a city.
But what's most distinct - and what only Veliky can see - is a tattoo on the back of his neck. She can't make out the finer details in the darkness, but it's there, in sight as she looks down with no hidden contempt. "This isn't our bounty hunter. He's one of the crooks."
At the sound of the CEO's no-nonsense drawl, he quickly turns to face her. The sight of the tiny woman doesn't appear to encourage him.
"No, no, no, you're joking! 'Ey were supposed to send armed guards, not, not..." He whispers with the distinct accent of the seas - that regional dialect that's managed to breed in port-towns and port-houses all across Charon. Of course, he also speaks with the distinct fear of... well, someone who's in exactly this situation.
Needless to say, Veliky isn't impressed. She crosses her arms.
"Not *what*?"
Ultimately, he doesn't answer that question. Veliky doesn't need to scoff; her eyes, glistening in the oily darkness, do it for her.
"N-N-Nevermind," he stammers, "I guess you've gotten this far, 'ight? We need to find the others! Quick!"
Scrambling to his feet, it's only now that he notices the dark-clad witch across from him. The sight nearly sends him sprawling down again, only for the return of Veliky's interrogative tone to snap his eyes back to her.
"How many others? Where are they?"
1. Angelic Light
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Post by Lady Kamille Verlithax on Feb 22, 2023 16:11:17 GMT -5
"...What's the fun of it if it doesn't explode in the end?"
Despite what she said, Kamille snapped her fingers, causing a spark to run between her fingers [1], that in the blink of an eye swirled around her hand and became a small ball of fire [2]. The ball of fire shed some warm light on their surroundings, but it almost felt as the darkness was solid, creeping in at the edges, not allowing the light to go any further. Whenever she tried to shed some light into what looked like another passageway or tunnel, they could only see the first couple of yards ahead.
Kamille seemed to be itching to examine those filaments from up and close. Sometimes she crouched, hand raised, ready to touch it - only to apparently change her mind and decide for the responsible route. The Witch was used to nasty, disgusting things, as it was noticed by the way she ripped the creature's cocoon containing their eggs, but seemed to think the route filled with excitement and danger was due to another oppontunity. What shone through was a side of her that Veliky only ever heard of: the researcher side, the mage and alchemist in her, the curious one that only landed her in trouble.
There wasn't much room left for fear and panic when she was thinking of the composition of the filaments and thinking of uses for it... Was it highly flamable, perhaps? She assumed maybe not, since it felt somewhat moist. Veliky's restrain in her using fire was so it wouldn't spread, she assumed, but she wondered now if it was at all what would happen. Her ladylike appearance betrayed her disposition to see things through, even if it involved getting her hands into disgusting webs. She didn't seem to be having much trouble going through, carefully setting hanging pieces of web aside from time to time, crouching over and following with soft steps - as soft as she could, though.
Her eyes shot to the side quickly as she stopped on her tracks. She couldn't tell if it was an illusion created by the shimering flame on her hand, but she was positive she saw one of the fillaments twitch for a moment......
Then she looked back to Veliky as she explained the situation in detail. She wasn't aware of that information, but it didn't seem to bother her much. It didn't come as a surprise, since the place was a known hiding spot for bandits. That Veliky wanted to make some extra coins on top of their regular gig also didn’t come as a surprise, as she already got a feeling of what the quarterling was all about in the short amount of time they've interacted.
Despite the clinical and analitical nature of the quarterling, Kamille found herself thinking of her in fond terms, smiling softly as she remembered the scene they caused together at the ball. Nothing to bring people together than to cause a small scandal, right? The Witch held back a chuckle, as another noise caught her attention.
Kamille was ready to jump forward and spring into action, but Veliky once again surprised her by acting first and handling the situation with her trademark efficiency. Since her partner was already on her way to free the man, Kamille took her time to arrive, looking around to try and....
...there it was again! A set of filaments were vibrating again. At first, Kamille had thought it might be another cave fisher trying to find them and scurrying around the cave, but then it dawned on her that the sudden bursts of spasmodic movements looked a bit more like.... A bit more like the man before them, trying to free himself from his coccoon of web.... Maybe it was another prisoner? Kamille rushed for the one Veliky was setting free, almost immediately squinting her eyes at his dismissive attitude towards them. At least until he spotted her, looking a bit taken aback. Did he recognize her? Or was just surprised?
The man's eyes darted around for a minute or so as Veliky questioned about others, clearly trying to puzzle things in his mind. Eventually he pointed a finger towards one of the tunnels. It wasn’t the direction from which Kamille saw the filaments moving, but it was right next to it.
"Can’t be sure, but I think I heard 'em going this direction. I was with three others."
Meaning there would be four more, including the bountyhunter. Kamille offered her hand to help him up, intending to use her Reveal Truth spell on him to try and understand what they should know about him if he decided not to cooperate.
".....Who's 'them'? Who were you expecting to come and rescue you?"
[1]Create Sparks [2]Control flames
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Post by Veliky on Feb 24, 2023 19:58:11 GMT -5
Despite his nervous disposition - or perhaps in thanks to it - the fugitive is quick to accept Kamille's help. And as his hand grazes hers, Kamille is jarringly yanked out of the darkness, out of the tunnels, out of the cave, out of the Ashlands and into the ports of Sol City. His name is Gerem; he's a bitter, craven man, and it is here that he spent his youth among the dirty and downtrod. He's known the sound of the crashing waves and the salty scent of the sea for almost as long as he's been alive - it is there in even his earliest memories - but he wouldn't know what it is to stand on a sailing ship until his late-teenage years. And he wouldn't have at all, if not for the sorrowful fate of his mother. She was a widow by the time Gerem was born, and would remain so for almost the first decade of his life, until she met a debonaire from across the sea. This stranger charmed her, betrothed her, and swiftly wed her. But this would be the end of any romance in their relationship, as the stranger called Daniel revealed himself to be a rotten soul; Daniel abused her, and then abandoned her, leaving all of his debt with her and her child Gerem. The next several years, for them, would be a time of hopeless poverty, and his mother froze to death several winters ago. By now, Gerem had already fallen in with thieves, scoundrels and corsairs; his path was already set for him. Still, despite his craven nature, he holds onto a vain hope that he might someday find Daniel again - so that he might exact revenge.
Perhaps this is why, seemingly in spite of his fearfulness, Gerem appears so desperate to find his comrades. One of them, a dwarven gunsmith named Laurel, claims to have also met Daniel, making him Gerem's sole lead.
Kamille feels the darkness enveloping her again, the memories fading. She's back in the cave, and reimmersed in terrible danger. And, with her help, Gerem wobbles to his feet. The man's been wrapped in that cocoon for days; his malaise is more than understandable.
But, at Kamille's question, he simply seems confused. He squints, as if to see her query clearer. "Well- Well I don't know! The city! Whoever usually organizes rescues! You just aren't what I was expecting.... is all..."
His whispered shouts soak into the web-strewn walls. By the end, he begins to realize how silly he's sounding. Still, he isn't lying; for all his confinement, he's been holding on to the faint hope that some soldiers would come marching in to rescue him and his friends (a wholly untrue assumption). He even wondered if some gallant knight would be among them, though he wouldn't admit this for free. Normally, he'd be terrified by the sight of any servant of the crown, but such grim circumstances have changed his perspective, albeit temporarily.
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Post by Lady Kamille Verlithax on Mar 9, 2023 7:42:15 GMT -5
An oddity, a flinch of the unusual in a situation that had very little of common sense was all that Veliky could feel. The quarterling was used to the woman's demeanor to notice it, but the man barely felt his own legs, let alone paid attention to the sudden and swift shift on the Witch's posture and the distant stare into the darkness. It took only a moment for them, even if for her it felt like a lifetime, but she was back once the man was on his feet again.
That.... was getting more interesting by the minute. If they managed to get all of them safely back, things might change. And everything had the added layer of complication because Kamille wasn’t alone: there was Veliky's input to consider. She would rather not do anything behind the quarterling's back if she could avoid... but she also wasn’t one to quickly abandon an idea or give up on a decision.
"Ex-f*cking-scuse me? Would you rather have a gruff and tough mercenary after you? I wouldn’t judge you, but... To be saved by the hottest bitches around sounds like good enough!"
The Witch was clearly searching for a reaction right there, but regardless of his answer, she pointed to the direction she's seen the filaments vibrating.
"I say we should go that direction. There is something th-"
Just as Kamille was speaking, they saw the line vibrating again, accompanied by a distant shriek - and then, the line was cut off. Silent, muffled sounds of fight eventually caught their ears if they paid enough attention to it. Kamille would later beat herself up for the amount of time it took her to understand: the beasts wouldn’t make such noises by themselves, and Veliky's minions were much louder than that, which meant it could only be...
"Poe!"
Kamille suddenly sprung into action, letting Veliky handle the man and try to usher his legs to work properly, promptly running towards danger. Something about "moths" and "flames" came to mind, but instead it was "Kamille" and "trouble". The Witch's flame followed her down a tunnel, but she didn’t go far, as the tunnel soon opened into another larger chamber just like the one before: some collections of eggs littered the ground, but what truly caught her attention was a large, barely moving bundle to one side. It was either a very large person, or two people wrapped together in one choking coccoon of fibers.
And, of course, the two other beings there entangled in a muffled, deadly encounter. Poe was much faster than usual, which could mean she took the potion Kamille gave her, dashing all around a larger figure in the center of the room. This cave fisher was much larger than the ones they found so far, their abdomen much more bloated, but its size did little in terms of slowing it down. Despite her agility, Poe still seemed to be having trouble getting through the giants legs and hitting her vital points, dancing around it to no end.
"Hey you! Why don’t you pick someone your own size!"
The flame in her hand turned a cool color, as the hot dancing fire was replaced by a twisting ball of frost. It grew in size in the blink of an eye, and Kamille promptly shot at the giant spidery creature...
....only to miss it.
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Post by Veliky on Apr 3, 2023 17:49:53 GMT -5
For lack of a better word, Veliky's perplexed. She had expected the fugitive's surprise; Veliky and Kamille aren't the traditional image of an adventuring party, after all. Similarly, she expected a rebuke of some kind from Kamille. And yet Veliky can't help but watch in wonderment as Kamille vacates the chamber. A question burns in her mind.
'She thinks I'm a hot bitch...?' Perhaps Veliky should be more focused on the task at hand, knee-deep in silk in an infested cavern, but this sudden declaration comes as a surprise to her. To her, it is an obvious and, in fact, undebatable certainty that Kamille is a hot bitch. But her? A claim to her status as a bitch would have some merit; but, in her entire life, she's never considered herself to be anything remotely describable as 'hot.' By account of her blood, she'd always assumed that she was undesirable. But she finds herself experiencing a sudden sort of incredulity -- doubt, but of a more positive air. She looks down at herself, and smiles. 'Yeah. I am a hot bitch.' If the Witch of Moonglade, denier of a hundred suitors, thinks so, then it must be true.
"Hey. Hey! What're you waiting for?! We have ta go!" The fugitive snaps his fingers, and Veliky from her trance. The sound reverberates in the webbing.
Veliky had been so mystified that she'd practically forgotten about the fugitive, and the recollection wipes the smile from her face. She looks up at fugitive, with disdain. He'd been nearly as baffled as Veliky herself, but his fear pushes him to action where Veliky could care more.
"Sweat it, lamster." she heartlessly rebuts. "Right now, you're cargo. And noisy cargo gets left behind[1]."
Of course, Veliky wouldn't actually leave him here -- that would betray the objective. But he doesn't need to know that. Wide-eyed, he quickly nods his head, crouching to obediently follow Veliky as she follows the path Kamille paved.
One after another, they creep down the hall, but it isn't long before they emerge into the new chamber and are witness to the skittering horror, and the dance of predation in which it's engaged with Poe. They each stand wide-eyed, though Veliky motions for fugitive to stay back. Despite towering over her, Gerem cowers behind her like a child.
"What are we looking at, fugitive?" she growls, emphasizing the urgency as her voice is barely heard above the monstrosity's alien screams. Colour is slowly draining from his face, speaking far more of the horror than his simple words could describe.
"Th-That's their mother! O-O-Or queen! She killed two of us when we-"
"I didn't ask for a biography!" she interrupts in a hushed urge. "Just stay back. And if something sneaks up on you, throw this at them." Reaching into her pocket, she grabs a small bag -- the same bag from which she drew the little pellet of blinding light which she used prior[2] -- and forces it into Gerem's arms before marching forward, already raising a hand in preparation for a spell.
But then Gerem steps forward and does perhaps the worst thing he could've: he shouts. "Don't cut it! Its blood burns like acid!" Helpful advice, all considered. But Veliky really would've preferred some more subtlety, as the mother swiftly scuttles in rotation, stamping its needle-like legs on the ground until its albinic eyes leer upon Veliky. It is a monster before Poe, but a behemoth before Veliky.
Veliky feels pins and needles across her skin. "Thanks, genius!" she hushes at the fugitive. Any element of surprise has been thoroughly compromised.
She raises her fist again, and begins to murmur that same phrase; "Despera-" But stops as she sees the mother's mandibles split apart to reveal disgusting, pink flesh beneath. From spinnerets, shoot long strings of adhesive silk -- the same that coats the walls in infinite abundance -- at Veliky! The sound is nauseating; like the reeling of a fishing line, but accompanied by a shrill gurgle. Surprised and caught off-guard, Veliky leaps aside in a desperate evasion, and escapes the sticky death-vine! But in doing so, she makes a grave error, as her landing far softer than she'd expected. She tries to stand, but silk clings to and binds her.
Her heart sinks. Like a fly in honey, she's been caught in a web.
Abandoning Poe and Kamille in favour of a far easier meal, the queen rushes forward with godless alacrity! It skitters up the wall, along pathways of delicate webbing that somehow don't so much as waver under her bulk.
Veliky would not admit such a sin, but she is afraid. The more she struggles, the deeper ensnared she becomes, wrapping herself like a gift. She tries to move her arm to cast a spell, but cannot. There are few fears so primal as true helplessness.
The world seems to slow before her. She can see the queen encroaching in gruesome detail, every needle-like step bringing demise closer. But a strange question occurs to her then: how can the queen walk on the webbing without becoming trapped, herself? Does her carapace somehow neutralize the adhesive? Or perhaps some portions of the webbing aren't adhesive at all? The latter could be more plausible; the structure of the web, if it were designed by man, would be a wonder of engineering. Its architecture is artful, yet practical, with not a single wasted thread. It's beautifully intricate, and yet as delicate as a pastry.
So delicate... Not a single wasted thread...
If she closes her eyes, she can still see the gleaming strings. She can feel the vibrations of vibrations of the queen's encroaching footfalls. If she just reaches out, she can feel one of the strings between her fingers... and snap it[3].
There's a sound like the plucking of a single string on a detuned lute. All at once, the web's intricate design falls apart with the mother astride it! Its crustaceous form CRASHes violently to the unforgiving floor, and it finds itself entangled in clumps of its own filament! It writhes and struggles, but only ensnares itself more!
Veliky opens her eyes, feeling exhilaration deep within her heart. The only thing greater than the fear of seeing such a terror, is the satisfaction of seeing the terror felled. Veliky brings her arms close, gathers that feeling of righteousness... and breaks free from the webs in a burst of holy light[4]! Burning smithereens fall around her as she rises.
"Take her out!" she shouts to Kamille and Poe, before turning and running to one side of the room -- toward the bulbous cocoon. "I'll free the captives!"
1. Smooth Talking 2. (Exploding Pebbles) Miniature Nova Bombs 3. Minor Trickery 4. Angelic Light
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