Receding Threats: Unexpected Encounters

[Yshvold]

Yshvold held the back as the two filed in and found himself coming face to face with Aurin's aether aura. There was little choice in what he could do but wished to get moving as fast as possible to avoid the natural dangers of these caverns.

After watching him reach it out on command he could tell it it was purposeful and the man didn't mean to put him on edge with it, on the other it was still up. Grimacing at the thought of being touched by it, Yshvold squeezed past him, letting the threads touch him, as they entered a chamber that was a fair bit more spacious. It was clear that this part used to be some sort of nest but sprayed blood, gored meat, and droppings told a tale of a one sided slaughter.

"Rats lived here, and up ahead..." Yshvold voiced his thoughts out loud for the others to hear and looked down the corridor Aurin had been investigating. He could see nothing yet but using the knowledge he had for the upper parts gave him an idea of what dangers to look for in plain sight.

First Yshvold crouched down, almost belly to floor, to look around for any tracks or signs of other animals. Then slowly he brushed his hands against the walls on both sides and moved forward at a snails pace. Just as he thought the danger might be gone, or fake, a small piece of wall crumbled and he jumped away.

Sure enough there were small, drilled out, holes in a wall nearby and if Aurin was saying there was something strange up ahead then he knew they were occupied. If he had live bait then a distraction would be more assured, but for now he would have to make due with the bloodied meat left behind by the messy predator.

"I did not know they go this deep." Yshvold moved past the group and picked up the bits and pieces around the room. A bloody mess covered his cloak with the red of blood and stench of freshly flayed meat.

As the boy worked the beast had returned, possibly for the scraps it left behind, and stormed through the tunnel towards them. It seemed to be unstoppable until it came to where Yshvold had stopped and grabbed its fleshy hands into the ground and walls to force a stop.

This close showed the grotesque visage of this abomination. Claws at the end of of meaty fingers scratched both sides of the walls as it gargled a territorial war cry against the three intruders, its sickly green skin, covered in gills around its neck and fleshy colored flaps twitched with agitation as something seemed to force it to stay at bay. It met Aurin eye to eye and continued its otherworldly screams at it as it inched forward and back and striking the walls.

"Can you kill it? I need to do this if we are to pass the other thing." Yshvold didn't seemed to concerned after seeing it stop so suddenly and returned to cutting up the pieces, as if to gloat at the beast screaming at them for simply being there.

[Aurin]

As the kid brushed past him, he got a bit of a sense of him. Little of it was familiar enough to grok right away, but he got the sense that the kid could sense—if not the way his trick worked, then similarly. That was something to be wary of; Aurin didn't like to be seen. Oh, he didn't mind people laying eyes on him; he just didn't like them knowing what they were looking at, not the depths of him. But now wasn't the time to worry about that. In any case, he was masked and had a bit of a glamour on to hide his identity. The mask also helped slightly with the stench, which now included fresh blood and decaying meat.

He watched the kid look for tracks or whatever, and then about his grisly work. Aurin's eyes snapped to the holes drilled in the walls, and everywhere, picking up what he could in broad strokes and then looking for finer detail. They were stopping here and figuring things out, but the boy had something in mind already.

Elwes hissed as the aptly named butthole beast appeared, though something seemed to be keeping it from attacking outright. There was a lot going on, but killing was something Aurin had some experience with.

"We're about to find out," he said, and pulled out a kunai with his spare hand. He was going to need as many stabbing implements as possible.

Elwes was already ahead of him, flicking her wrist and sending something glittering toward the thing. Knowing her, it was laced with something poisonous. Then they moved forward, splitting to circle around the thing, mindful of the walls with its certainly dangerous holes. Their strategy seemed to agitate it even more. It was outnumbered without a hunting party, and there were other things lurking these passageways. Perhaps it was desperate. Perhaps that was why, instead of focusing on the real and present threats of the man and the Rathari, it split the difference, split the middle, and dove toward the boy.

"Kid!" he warned, but even as he did so, he and his hunting partner lunged for the beast. He planted his kunai in its flank and held on, hacking without much finesse with his kukri. He didn't have the best angle on it, but Elwes' attack from the other side kept it from turning on him and focusing. She continued to stab with something, quick as a striking snake—well, obviously. It seemed to have forgotten the kid for the moment, though it wasn't sure which of the adults to attack, so it flailed wildly while screaming the awful song of its people.

[Yshvold]

It wasn't surprising that the monster would target him for foraging in its territory, but Yshvold was startled by its speed and even more so at the swiftness of the two strangers interception. A refreshing feeling of being able to work with someone capable was not something he was used too and calmed his rattled nerves at the closeness he came to being attacked by an threat he has not encountered before.

The flash of metal being thrown and two experienced combatants gave him enough of a distraction for him to do his work. Slicing up the pieces of rat into rations for him to use as bait, and perhaps lure the monster into a trap of his own.

One constant truth of traversing these paths is to remain vigilant of your surroundings for even rats can be dangerous in great numbers, and going the wrong way can throw you into a variable army of the lesser predators. Being careless in the heat of battle down here is doubly dangerous and he would make use of the beasts rage.

Yshvold knew not how the two would react to his appearance, but necessity took priority. The best option he could think up was to use his cloak to wrap up the sliced meat and bring it over his shoulder and jogging to where the holes would be.

His face was the only thing left uncovered. Pure white hair, crowned by dark grey horns bounced as he ran at a even pace. It was odd for someone who would live down here, he looked clean but unbrushed and the leather armor he wore did not have the stains of shit and muck that would naturally build up from living down here for a extended duration.

He came upon his destination and threw a single slice towards the holes in the wall luring half a dozen tendrils rushed out to rip it apart and consume before receading, giving him a chance to put himself between the natural deathtrap and raging combat.

"Clear the way. Let it over here." Yshvold shouted as he held up more pieces of meat, dangling it in plain sight for the beast to see. Should it charge at him he will throw the rat meat forward and let the tendrils do their job, or at least make the monster struggle enough for them to finish it off.

[Aurin]

If the kid was making a run for it, Aurin couldn't blame him. When he had been younger and desperate, he had done similar things to survive.

When the thing turned toward Elwes, he ripped the kunai out of its flank, doing as much damage on the way out as he could manage. It raged, screaming its pain, and turned on him so fast he couldn't get another stab in but was kept busy weaving a defensive screen of steel with his two blades, though he managed to get a kick to its gut with the hidden blade extended. Elwes was doing more damage, probably. She did have the killer instinct. But her poison and the wounds weren't slowing it down fast enough. It was wild with pain and rage, which made it chaotic and unpredictable, so the two of them were put on the defensive.

At the boy's call, they parted blades flashing warning as they gave it space. Unable to engage either of them without leaving its back open to the other, it seemed to focus on the lad once more as well as the food he carried. He was smaller, and probably seemed like easier prey, though Aurin thought he was rather clever to have survived on his own down here for however many years old he was. The beast charged in the desired direction, and he watched it head toward what he hoped was a decidedly deadly trap. His blood was pumping fast as anything, his mind on battle alert.

There was more of their companion revealed now, and he took that in as well.

"C'mon," he said to Elwes, and then they gave chase because if whatever the lad had in store didn't finish the beast off, it might have him for a course of its meal. He only wished they had done enough damage to drive it away, but it was still, apparently, driven by hunger.

[Yshvold]

Calm and confident in what he was doing. While Yshvold did not know the beast itself, he knew how to lure out the worms. They would eat anything, given the right encouragement, and thus made excellent traps for those who were aware of where they were.

The monster lunged forward in great leaps and bounds and Yshvold quickly took note of its speed and when to toss his bait. The tendrils are fast and he didn't need to take in account for when they would come out, regardless the worms are always hungry.

Yshvold could see his companions nervous movements but he had confidence in this plan. He had done it time and time again against creatures and people who saw him as just an easy target as this monster did. Just as they had come for him before this thing pounced and Yshvold sprung his trap.

A slab of rat meat met the monster in air and several tendrils from both ends latched onto it, the roars of pain as its skin was being pulled apart echoed far into the cavern but the beast did not succumb so easily. It struggled as each tendril took turns twisting flesh off and revealing muscle beneath the skin. If it would survive after being freed, or even in fighting shape, was hard to tell but right now is the opportune time to kill it. One obstacle remained to that goal, the tendrils wild whipping made it hard to get in too close.

Yshvold stood there, the mask hiding his unblinking gaze, as the events unfolded. He knew better to not interfere with a feeding frenzy but wanted to see what the two strangers would do, if they had enough sense to let the deed be done.

[Aurin]

They slowed as they saw what the boy had wrought. It was gruesome to be sure, but better the butthole beast than any of them, he thought. All the same, the lad seemed safe for the nonce. He didn't want to chance the creature surviving and becoming well and truly dangerous for all the hurts it had suffered.

Elwes followed his lead and they maintained what seemed like a safe distance from the wall worms, flashing steel at their enemy whenever it tried to get away from the wall. Now they had a third combatant, and the amphibious critter was screwed. The worms were pulling pieces off of it while Aurin and Elwes slashed or stabbed what came within easy reach. They didn't take undue risks now, just trying to keep the thing occupied while time won the battle for them. Whatever poison Elwes had used might even have begun to slow it down.

Eventually, its screaming weakened into something pitiable and the pair of them backed off to witness its demise.

When the worms slowed, he couldn't tell if they were gorged into a stupor or just carefully looking for more. Glancing at their young friend, he noted the hair and the horns. He didn't bear any particular hatred for the Lysanrin. From what he understood of history, everyone had fucked over everyone else at one point or another, and he certainly didn't want to be held responsible for the sins of his ancestors so he couldn't rightly hold anyone responsible for the sins of their ancestors.

Through his mask, his smile was evident in his wry tone as he said, "Well, I'm glad you're on our side."

For now might have been an appropriate addendum, but he chose to be optimistic in the moment. He glanced at himself where Elwes was carefully prodding. He had some cuts and scrapes, and he would certainly have bruises before bed if he lived to sleep in it, but he assured her there was nothing that couldn't wait until they got out of here alive. He would definitely see a physician, however. Wounds from places and creatures like these could be terribly fraught.

He looked around, getting his bearings again. He didn't want to get lost. Finally, he pointed in a specific direction. He didn't explain how he knew, but he said, "The weird is coming from that direction." Then he looked to their masked mascot to see if he had any helpful intelligence to spare on the matter; he was the local, after all, and Aurin wasn't so proud that he wouldn't take good intelligence from someone shorter than him.

[Yshvold]

There was no telling if the man was right or not, simply watching his aether threads "feel out" a distance and let him come to his own conclusions may be the best solution here.

"This area is not known to me, I am as lost as you. If you say so then it must be so..." Yshvold walked ahead and felt nothing at the moment. "I'm sure that thing wasn't supposed to be here, otherwise that nest would have been better hidden."

After letting the man see him for what he was and giving him time to come to a conclusion on what to do with Yshvold, the boy was satisfied that he wouldn't outright attack him right here. He also thought that his display may have deterred any outright attacks on his person for fear that they may fall into a trap like the one before. Who could say?

"What will you do? That fight was too close and we were lucky, another one may kill." The boy said this calmly as he unwrapped the meat from his cloak and let the bloodstained cloth cover him again. If it not for the sewer he would be the worst smelling thing in the room, also the least injured. His confidence is unwavering and gave the impression that he thought he was invincible own here, or at least the next best thing to an alpha predator.

True or not he was still doubting whether or not the three of them could make it far enough to find the actual source of his troubles. If it was driving out predators such as this, then maybe he hadn't prepared enough. However they were this far down now, might as well go a little further down and have a look.

Whatever it was that was down there, it seemed to be quite far.

[Aurin]

Aurin frowned behind his mask, considering. Whatever it was he sensed, it was still far away and complex in a way he didn't understand. He wasn't really a mage; he just had these half-understood tricks. Perhaps a more powerful or skilled person would be able to reach from here and know what they sensed, but he relied more upon his mundane senses. He sighed.

"You're smart and we're capable, but that was awfully close." He paused, still thinking. "I don't like risking my neck and not coming away with anything for it, but caution may be the better part of valor here. This needs soldiers and adventurers, but I think we'd all like to survive, am I right?"

Elwes didn't reply to his rhetoric; she was doing her own internal calculations and they were likely the same as his.

"Why don't we keep up this strength in numbers alliance long enough to get back where it's relatively safe and then we can spread the word that something weird is driving predators up from the depths. If we convince enough of the right people, someone ought to go down and take care of things. But this is above our paygrade."

He looked to his companion again. She said nothing, which amounted to agreement from her. Nodding, he turned to look at the kid.

"I figure you can tell whoever you think might give a damn down here and we can alert some interested parties in the Low-City. What are your thoughts?"

The kid had proven invaluable, so his input was actually desired here. They were beyond the reach of anyone present's understanding of the subterranean geography, and getting lost down here would be a death sentence for certes. That wouldn't help anyone but hungry monsters.

[Yshvold]

"You'll have to tell them on your own. Most people who would care do not listen to sewer garbage." Yshvold admits with a sense of spite.

"Likewise the garbage down here do not think much of me as well. I don't live here anymore, if they are worth anything then they would have noticed this before I came back to kill time." This time he speaks with less spite but more contempt for the people in question. "I will be no help there."

"You have experienced it, and you talk too much. I guess that means people listen to you. Also..." As Yshvold explains he reaches up to touch his mask as he remember his last encounter with the sky guard.

"The soldiers above do not like me, I don't think mentioning me would help you, but if you would have me help you again then I wouldn't mind it." Now he relaxes a bit, letting the tension in his fist release and lets himself come back to his surroundings.

If that things bellowing had not brought in any more of its kind, or some other carnivore, then they might be secure for the time being. Strangely though he would prefer having some kind of threat to be aware of down here, being this far in and relaxed was nothing short of a paradox. These two capable strangers did not kill him on sight, nor target him for malicious intent later on, so maybe there was hope that he could find some different meaning to his free time besides attacking thugs and muggers in the streets at night.

Reservations were needed however as the woman barely spoke, and he could feel her gaze on him almost the entire time they have been down here. He knew what it was like to be near someone you knew nothing about and needing to be on guard, which is why he is wary of her.

"As for down here, I don't like having to go back up but I won't live alone. So I will come with you." There was nothing to do but resign his expedition to failure on his own objective. The fact is it being a miracle that he got this far without so much as a scratch to show for his efforts.

[Aurin]

They listened to the lad speak without comment at first. Aurin recognized a chip on the shoulder; he had had one himself at that age. Well, he assumed the boy's age. He didn't know if Lysanrin aged funny. It seemed he had a little growing to do before he threatened the natural order of the cosmos like his forebears.

Finally, "I think I talk just the right amount for any given circumstances."

"You talk too much," Elwes confirmed. He glared at her, but he wasn't really angry.

"I will talk just the right amount to just the right people to hopefully get some attention down here. I know the bird boys don't care much for the Midden, but even they will have to listen if there's a groundswell among the populace of the Low-City. The Warrens aren't the only source of danger that might upset the tea and crumpets of the high and mighty." He considered.

"Right, let's just get the fuck out of here already. If you need to get in touch with us in the future, just ask around for Elwes in Hahseu. She knows how to find me." He didn't know if the kid would ever reach out, but it was no skin off his teeth to offer. He turned to take point on the way back through the passageway, assuming the kid would still be more comfortable taking bringing up the rear.

Elwes looked at the boy, offered a sinuous shrug and, "Aurin talks too much. But Elwes Anizhe is a name known in Hahseu. This threat is of interest to me."

Then she turned to follow Aurin back toward relative safety. They were an odd lot, but such was to be expected down here.