post-snek recoveries

[neonleon]

[You know?

That weird temple wasn't good, but it wasn't the worst. Not by far now that he's back in this dimension. He floats a bit aimlessly, body broken, shell cracked and falling apart, some bones and insides shattered. His head aches in a way that he can't think.

All he can really do is hope Prime doesn't find him immediately right now. The light off his ring catches his eye and he looks at it, not fully registering that it's lit up.

A promise.]

Comments

[pyrighteous]

I-I'm going! I'm going!

[ He runs too, then, keeping pace with Leo. Behind them ... the monster slows to a halt as it hits the edge of the tunnel. There's something it doesn't like about leaving that boundary? ]

[neonleon]

[He nearly skids, landing on his side and scrambling to get back on his feet once they're back in the main chamber area. But he sees that...]

Are you okay? What is that?

[pyrighteous]

I - I’m fine! But I have no idea!

[ His face is starting to drip liquid - blood? Sap? - from where the monster goop landed.

Meanwhile, the horror continues to writhe just past the mouth of the tunnel. Every so often it tries to stretch closer to the two of them, only to snap back. Another snaking limb reaches out to one of the bones nearest the tunnel. ]

[neonleon]

[Leo sees that, looks back at the monster. Seeing what it's reaching for, Leo focuses, clears away anything it could grab to be out of reach with the snail boon.

But then goes to Hunter to get a closer look at that dripping. Fuck. All right, healing hands it is.]

Looks like it can't come out here.

[pyrighteous]

[ Thanks Leo. A quick heal is all it takes to seal his face back up again. Meanwhile, the monster growls, frustrated by being unable to reach any more grimwalker bits. ]

I … I think you’re right? Is it stuck?

[neonleon]

Either that or something caging him in. [Seeing that heal, he smiles, leaning in to kiss where the injury was.]

Hard to say. But it was listening to us and was repeating back.

[pyrighteous]

[ Good fiancé. Hunter smiles a bit at that. ]

We can’t just leave it here. I think …

[ He watches one of the bones disappear into its bulk. ]

I think it’s eating their remains.

[ And tried to eat Hunter just now. ]

[neonleon]

Super gross. Okay so ...If we let it loose right now, it'll just eat what's left that we're handling.

We can't just let it out either.

[pyrighteous]

Y. Yeah. We have to do something about it. Or get it to the surface where it can’t come back.

[ He eyes the tunnel. ]

I think I might have a map of this area.

[neonleon]

...Are we sure it won't just try to eat you?

[pyrighteous]

I’m extremely sure it’s going to try to eat me.

… but I’m equally sure it’ll eat all of my brothers if we don’t figure something out.

[neonleon]

Oh, it definitely will.

If you've got a map, then let's take a look. See if we can guide it away and out.

[Even if... that does also risk it like. Destroying everything else.]

[pyrighteous]

R. Right. Let's go back to my bag.

[ hunter edges back, still eying the corpse monster. ]

[neonleon]

[Leo keeps an eye on the thing even though it can't get into the cavern with them. Just backing away following Hunter.]

What idea've you got?

[pyrighteous]

Well ... you're not gonna like it.

[ he starts digging through his pack. ]

But it REALLY wants to eat me. And - if it's stuck, it might be attached to something back there that could be the source of its power. So. If I bait it, you can get in and cut it loose. Or kill it.

1/2

[neonleon]

You're right I hate this.

[neonleon]

Should we call Darius or that other guy with him to come help?

[pyrighteous]

N-no! We're not involving Darius unless we have to! Who knows what that thing is! F-for all I know it'll recognize Darius or something! That's something I could really go without seeing!

[neonleon]

Okay! [Calmer, like trying to calm an upset person because Hunter is a person who may have gotten upset by the suggestion they call for help.] Okay... So. No calling anyone else. We... do this ourselves.

[pyrighteous]

[ he might be a LITTLE stressed. ]

A-at least for now! We should try it. Yeah.

[neonleon]

If you're sure...

[He's watching though. Sees that stress and just rests his hand on Hunter's forearm.]

We'll figure this out. Once we see everything available. All right?

[pyrighteous]

[ Hunter nods at that. Takes in a deep breath. ]

Sorry. I thought this would be relaxing. Maybe a little creepy, but not bad.

[neonleon]

It's all right. Neither of us could've known a giant death eating monster was being kept here. We've got time to figure it out.

[pyrighteous]

Right ...

[ Hunter just huffs a bit and pulls out a scroll. ]

Okay, here's a map of the area. We're here...

[ He gestures to a large cave where they are. Stairs going up - blocked now - and the petrified grove where he's been making the burials. Back over to where the monster attacked and ... ]

Look. There's a hollow back there. And ... I think there's another path around the back.

[neonleon]

[He sits to look at it closer, noting everything.]

....So there is a way outta there...

Where's somewhere on the surface it could be let out in?