It's About Time, part 2.5: Journey to Tartarus

[no_vampires_plz]

As the three humans, one Hyrulian, one unicorn, and one demon-dog press forward, the character of the woods around them changes. The undergrowth gets denser, the canopy above lets in less light, and the flora in general is much more... exotic than what one usually sees in the woods by the lake.

"Now, I know that the pathway to Tartarus starts somewhere in this general area," says Twilight. "But I don't know of its exact location. It's not something that ponies really want to advertise."

Comments

[gorgonfondness]

"Any weaknesses?" Mia asks, muttering to her bag for any available antidotes to get to the top just in case.

[no_vampires_plz]

"I..." Twilght bites her lip. "I don't know."

[sky_child]

Well, if she doesn't know, and if he's the only one here with a sword...

"Someone take this," he says, holding out the bag of food.

[basic_powers]

"84, drop me near Link and grab the jerky, please."

Technically, he has swords, but neither of them have a cutting edge. He can however, provide Link with some support if need be.

[fiss84]

84 does as she's asked while watching the monster. Those pincers are scarey.

[no_vampires_plz]

"Magic won't work on it," Twilight murmurs, backing away and trying to look as small as possible. "They eat magic."

Which means that that the two magic users and their bag of starlights are going to seem mighty tempting.

[gorgonfondness]

Mia instinctively puts a protective arm in front of Twilight, though she joins her in backing up and trying to look small. All the while, she does her best to fight her other instinct, the one telling her now would be a good time for some sort of spell.

"Don't worry," she mumbles, trying to be reassuring. "Our friends are strong."

And it's not like Mia hasn't been a distraction before if it came to that.

[no_vampires_plz]

The night-crawler has no eyes, at least none that are readily visible, but it's clearly focusing its attention on Mia and Twilight. Drool drips from its mandibles as it prepares to strike...

[sky_child]

Sword and shield in hand, Link dashes towards the night-crawler's side. He hadn't seen any obvious weak points near the monster's head, but it's legs...

It can't do much if it has no legs, can it?

In a fast, circular sweep, Link slashes several of the monster's legs at once.

[no_vampires_plz]

The night-crawler shrieks and writhes in pain, knocking its head against the roof of the cavern.

[basic_powers]

Does he even have to tell 84 to guard Twilight and Mia?

No? He's just going to follow Link's lead then and start tazering one of the legs, then, even if the Nightcrawler is bigger than the elephant the tazer was designed for.

[no_vampires_plz]

Unfortunately, electricity is close enough in nature to magic, at least in this universe, to have no ill effects on the night-crawler. On the contrary, the creature sucks the tazer's power greedily into its maw.

[fiss84]

Oh that's not good, 84 thinks fighting panic. Okay, can't freak out, too many people depending on me.

She can't leave Mia and Twilight as then there'd be no one to protect them. If she had something to throw...she darts to the cave wall nearest to them and slams a fist into it to tear off a chunk.

"In coming," she yells as she throws high and away from Link and Moon Shadow.

[no_vampires_plz]

The night-crawler doesn't even seem to notice the rock hitting its carapace. It lunges hungrily at Moon Shadow, trying to get more of the delicious power he fed it with.

[basic_powers]

It's the adrenal glands that trigger the run, not the brain, sadly, their response time wasn't much better.

"!!! MOTHER PU-"

He's...not going to get to finish that line of profanity, the helmet has fully sealed to his head and someone would have to be very close to hear the speakers on his costume through the mandibles currently holding onto him.

Something new to replace the horror of the dragon's mouth incident.

[sky_child]

Yeah, that's not good.

Link could slash away more of the legs, but there's a chance the monster could squeeze its mandibles shut from the resulting pain. And that would be even more not good.

Quickly, he assesses the monster's body, the area by the mandibles--then dashes quickly towards the head, swinging his sword towards the area where the beast's body met with the mandibles.

[no_vampires_plz]

He does not, as one might hope, cut the creature's mandibles off in one blow. However, his sword has found a weak spot in the night-crawler's armor. Moon Shadow falls to the floor, along with a torrent of blue-black blood gushing from the newly-made wound.

[basic_powers]

When he falls to the ground, Moon Shadow is barking, snarling and howling.

"YOU BASTARD SON OF A COW AND A CAT'S URINE!! I SHALL DEVOUR YOU FROM YOUR LEG TO YOUR THROAT SO THAT ALL MAY WATCH YOU BLEED AND WHIMPER LIKE THE OMEGA YOU ARE IN HOWL AND HEART, AND I SHALL CRY MY VENEGANCE UPON ALL THAT YOU HAVE SPAWNED!!!!"

And Cerberus might be the only creature there that can understand just what sort of blazing white streak of profanity is coming from his mouth right now.

[no_vampires_plz]

.

.

.

"That just nasty."

[fiss84]

Watching and not doing anything was really hard for 84 but duty to those who can't protect themselves is important. She's glad Moon Shadow is okay now though his...display causes a blush and an arched eyebrow.

"Is it down?" she asks since everyone else seems distracted. The last thing they need is a jack-in-the-box surprise monster centipede.

[no_vampires_plz]

Good question. Its legs are still twitching...

[gorgonfondness]

Mia raises up just a little to get a look at the giant, twitching insect.

She then looks back to Twilight and mouths, "You okay?"

[no_vampires_plz]

"I'm fine. But Moon Shadow..."

[sky_child]

Link won't consider the thing dead until it's stopped moving.

Or at least until its mandibles are gone. And since he's found that weakpoint, he'll keep hitting it until that happens.

Or until he has to change his plan of attack. But for now, he's still slashing away at that weak point.

[basic_powers]

"I...I am just very, very sick of things thinking that I am some sort of snack. I am not edible dangit." He's getting up and trying to wipe off the giant millipede drool and blood that he's covered in.

Link is...well dang if Link isn't handling that giant bug perfectly.

"...And the thing is I can't tell if that was better or worse than the time the dragon tried to eat me."