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]

The mandrake makes the mistake of grabbing Mia. It doesn't know this is a mistake but it will.

As swift as she can, she grasps the root-tendril holding her in both of her hands. Fire flares up from her fingers, the flames lacing her body without consuming her. The mandrake isn't as lucky.

"Put me down," she says firmly, almost as if she were addressing the plant she keeps outside her window who does much the same thing to trespassers.

[no_vampires_plz]

The look on the mandrake's face can only be described as "!".

It complies with Mia's request.

[basic_powers]

...oh Dangit, 84, you had to go and be heroic and slightly reasonable. He has to howl down towards the hole now and gyarrgh that tendril came closer than Krampus!

Cerebus! Can you survive fire untouched?

[no_vampires_plz]

No! Cerberus howls back with one head while the other two snap at the mandrake's tendrils.

[fiss84]

84 doesn't speak canine but that howl just cuts through her. She flies down hoping her new costume is as flame proof as billed and starts tearing tendrils away from Cerberus, fighting to free him.

[no_vampires_plz]

The mandrake lets out another shriek and launches itself toward Julie, its Venus-lytrap-like jaws open to swallow her whole.

It's interrupted in mid-motion, however, by a jet of flame from Twilight's horn toasting its head.

[gorgonfondness]

Having been put down, Mia takes a moment to help keep everyone safe. A quick, glassy gleam of an ice shield comes up in front of each member of the group before vanishing as suddenly as it appeared. The protection, however, remains.

"This should keep all of you safe from the fire," she says before getting back on the offensive.

[sky_child]

Link was a bit startled by the sudden sheen of ice--but surprise seems to be the name of the game, here. He shrugs it off, his attention drawn to a series of vines nearby.

Julie might be able to fly, but there's no way she's gonna get everybody out of that hole quick enough to avoid getting attacked by another mandrake.

He darts to them, not feeling the need to alert the others of where he's going. They don't seem like they're paying any attention to him, anyway.

[no_vampires_plz]

The mandrake seems to be weakening, the fire making its movements slower and less controlled--enough so that Cerberus is able to bite down on the mass of tendrils gripping him and sever them completely. He lets out a bark of triumph as he leaps free of the plant's grip.

[fiss84]

While Cerberus is making his leap for freedom, 84 gives the Venus flytrap-like pod a good undercut that'd go through a bank vault to make sure it's good and distracted. She dodges a thrashing and flaming tendril to fly free once she's sure Ceberus is in the clear.

[no_vampires_plz]

And with one final, deafening shriek, the mandrake goes down for good, collapsing in a heap on the bare earth. A stench like baked potatoes soaked in pure vileness fills the space.

Twilight lets out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "Everybody okay?"

[gorgonfondness]

"I'm fine," Mia answers.

She opens her bag and gets out some of her healing items if anyone needs patching up: big orange nuts, about the size of pecans in their shells, and bottles of all-purpose salves.

"What's our course now? Get back to the surface?"

[sky_child]

A rope ladder made of vines drops down into the hole, and from above, Link asks: "Is it gone?"

[fiss84]

"I'm good," 84 calls out. "What was that ice thing?"

[basic_powers]

"I think that was a shield against fire from Mia." Moon Shadow's going to look from the vine ladder and then to Cerberus.

Are you going to need help getting out of this hole?

[no_vampires_plz]

Cerberus doesn't answer. He staggers drunkenly sideways and nearly topples over, leaning heavily against one wall of the hole instead. His eyes are glazed and all three of his mouths are drooling.

Twilight grimaces. "He took a bite out of the mandrake, didn't he." It's not a question.

[gorgonfondness]

Mia nods in confirmation of Moon Shadow's statement.

And then there's Cerberus.

"Is there anything we can do for him?"

She doubts whatever healing items she has probably aren't potent enough for the giant dog. And while she's got offensive and defensive spells down, healing magic isn't in her repertoire.

[sky_child]

He frowns. "Do you want me to get anything from up here? Or I can come down there, if you need me..."

He's not sure what he can do, but there has to be something.

[basic_powers]

"What does mandrake do?"

[fiss84]

"Thank you, Miss Mia," 84 says to be polite. She didn't really need it but that's beside the point.

Looking at the poor puppy she continues, "I'll fly him out...carefully," before flying down. Assuming no one stops her, she'll carefully pick Cerberus up, all the while making comforting noises to him.

[no_vampires_plz]

"Mandrake flesh is a narcotic. If he only had one bite, he'll probably be okay in a few hours--wait."

Twilight holds up a hoof in a 'wait a second' gesture, then casts a simple light spell to illuminate the hole--which, as it turns out, isn't merely a hole, but a tunnel running in a roughly east-west direction.

"This is the path to Tartarus. The mandrake was nesting right on top of it!"

[gorgonfondness]

The thanks is accepted with a nod and a smile.

"Then it seems we're ready to press on."

Mia supplements Twilight's spell with her own Lumos.

"I wonder if the creatures that live down here are anything like those in the Cave of Trial?" she wonders aloud. "If anyone would like something to deter the effects of poison or being turned to stone, I have some protective rings and armlets."

[sky_child]

Link squints down into the hole, then studies the vine, the area around him. The vine shifts up a bit from the hole--Link is tying it to something solid and heavy.

Then, without word, he climbs down the rope into the hole.

[basic_powers]

...Moon Shadow's just going to watch Link climb down into the hole with the rest of them before looking at Cerberus thoughtfully.

"...hey Twilight, how're we going to get Cerberus moving again if he's going to be out for a few hours?"

[fiss84]

84 lays what she hopes is a comforting hand on Cerebus' shoulder instead of flying him up. "Are you okay boy? Will you be able to walk with us?"