at once short of life, and long of sorrow.

[strangerpeople]

[You are dead.




Well, obviously. You remember how you died. It was...not fun, to say the least. But hey, at least you're off that ship, right?

Except...you don't know exactly where you are now. It seems like a house, but if it is, it's...a work in progress. Most of the rooms are empty, and your steps echo up through the marble columns and down faint mosaics on the tiled floor. The few windows you find have a green light gleaming through them; you can't really see anything beyond the eerie light.

It feels like you're in a temple of some kind. The columns and mosaics seem to indicate it is something like that-it's certainly reminiscent of something out of an ancient culture, perhaps even one you're familiar with. For some reason, though, it's clear someone-or something-lives here. One of the rooms to the south is stuffed with pizza boxes. Another, larger room has a makeshift futon in one of the corners. There are imprints of multiple footsteps all through the dusty floors as you look around, many of them leading to a small alcove to the west. And-

and there's a giant van. Just. hanging out there. Completely out of place with the seemingly ancient decor. And inside, there is the sound of light snoring.



Ok then. You're apparently not alone in death, after all.]

((OoC: Map for reference.))

Comments

THE ASSAULT

[strangerpeople]

Phase 1

[strangerpeople]

[With your plans in place, you approach the root clusters as a group only to find they seem to have planned accordingly for you as well.

You see several large, insect-like creatures moving around the area on spiny legs, each with a pair of vestigial wings on its back and hollow eyes that remind you far too much of a humanoid skull. Instead of a carapace, the creatures are donned in wrinkly, pale flesh. Indeed, they even have human noses separating their long, clicking mandibles.

This won’t be as easy as hitting a stationary target as you might have thought.]

[lovedthemost]

[Brain is no stranger to fighting. He prefers to more...planned, subtle methods, of course, and really, he's rather miffed that he doesn't have access to his other form with his whips and his poisons and his augmented strength but, well...needs must.

However, this does look like it might get messy. Brain huffs, taking his glasses off his face and tucking them into the front pocket of his jacket to keep them safe, before holding out his hand to the side and summoning that saxophone in a way that, he is sure, looks incredibly cool.

It does not, in fact, look cool.

He'll then put the saxophone to his lips as he conjures images of Banno--of his laughter as first Medic and then Brain screamed in pain at the feedback, of his mocking tone that Brain's efforts had all been for naught--and he feels that hatred flow through him, overriding that fear, as he starts to play a furious, fast melody, doing his best to channel that emotion into the notes and send them flying at those bug creatures]

[strangerpeople]

[One, the one with red spikes on its head, chitters loudly and makes a beeline for Brain. The notes hit, and the monster is affected - it screeches and starts running faster. It will swipe at him with sharp claws if it gets in range.

The other six let that one go first, but will follow swiftly. Swarms are fine, right?]

[unpossibilities]

[Alright. So. This is an actual battle. With creatures from Hell. Kaito has never been more out of his depth in his entire goddamn life. He's holding an oar (Charon's charity at least extends to this). He's not scared of what might come - what are they gonna do, kill him again? - but he is scared, somewhere. Maybe it's a primal human nature reaction. He's not sure.

Still, he's gonna fight. The minute some of these beasts approach him, he reaches out his hand and focuses his fury, readying his oar.]

HOLD IT!

[he's...he's so not sure if this'll work]

[strangerpeople]

[He's got one headed for him - this one is extra jittery and shrieking. It's quick, too, and moves erratically.

Kaito knows what his power can do, of course. But maybe it hits different to see it freeze a demon bug mid-leap?]

[valkavian]

Awww, does the widdle baby want a snack-wacky? A widdle appy juice?

[ She admittedly hadn't done much experimenting with her powers, up until Brain betrayed her, but she's going to conjure up several glitterballs and lob them forth when the bugs are distracted by the others.

She's aiming for the eyes. The goal is not necessarily to hurt them, not really, but to make it so these bozos can't aim properly.

Hopefully it works. ]

[strangerpeople]

[Oh, glitter blinding is useful. Especially on that angry purple one headed this way.

This one is now furious and also blind. Which is still dangerous, because now it's swinging its claws wildly while it runs amok.]

Phase 2

[strangerpeople]

[Victory over the bug things is close at hand, and large, vulnerable-looking blood blisters glow on the thick root growths of the Qliphoth. Those look promising.

But there is another obstacle between you and them, it seems - any remaining bugs get snapped up and eaten by toothed maws on the ends of three roots from a particularly bulbous growth. The display is bloody.

Something glows orange and vaguely humanoid within the growth.]

Awww, look, little bloodbags trying to get outta hell? Too bad it's hell all the way up!

[devilmehcry]

...Of course this useless parasite would tag along on the Qilphoth.

[He begins to summon some swords.]

[lovedthemost]

[Brain, probably a bit scratched up and a bit bloody by now, is pushing his glasses up on his nose, glancing sidelong at Virgil]

Who or what is this parasite, and how do we get rid of it?

[hatesdeerstalkers]

Someone you - haah - know, then?

[Moriarty has to take a bit of a breath for a second, given how much he was keeping the bugs off of everyone. Thanks for the coverage!]

Re: Phase 2

[valkavian]

Who're you calling bloodbag, bloodbag? Do I need to pull a Saulot on your ass or just SHOVE A FUCKING MANRAMMER UP IT?

[strangerpeople]

You're all bloodbags to the tree, so you're all bloodbags to me!

[One of those roots is coming right at Val for a CHOMP-]

[hatesdeerstalkers]

[Now that he's done with learning about what they're facing, Moriarty aims his attention at one of the tentacles closest to him, stepping forward as if to mock it.]

Hell all the way up, you say? How hilarious! Even if that is true, we will be kept from our companions no longer, not by you nor any other force! Step aside, or be destroyed!

[strangerpeople]

I'll show you stepping aside!

[That tentacle is sweeping wide for a waist-high whack on anyone in its path.]

[lovedthemost]

[Now armed with barbed wire and a fishing rod, saxophone unsummoned, Brain is just going to start walking towards those tentacles, expecting them to strike at any time, as he casually starts unraveling the barbed wire, letting it trail on the ground.

He's prepared to move if they come after him, but not away. No, he has a different plan altogether.]

[strangerpeople]

[One of them is quickly darting right at him, maw open for a nasty bite.]

Phase 2.5

[strangerpeople]

[ With two of its roots taken out during the fight so far, the Nidhogg uses its one remaining 'good' tentacle to sweep across the battlefield, not unlike a petulant child flinging all the food off the table in a fit of temper. ]

You fools! You utter idiots! Don't you see how futile this all is? Even if you get out, there's no coming back! Your bodies are gone! We ate them all up!

[ The orange glow of the humanoid figure within begins to throb, orange veins flaring up down towards the mangled roots, which start to pulse. Uh oh. Apparently it's going to regenerate after all. ]

NOW JUST LET ME HAVE YOUR SOULS--

[countingme]

[ But then, as unassuming as a dandelion on the wind, a small figure floats down and lands atop the Nidhogg. It's the sheep. All four of its little hooves meeting atop its head.

Cheerfully, dreamily, it muses: ]

You know, I never understood why more angry people didn’t try naps! They’re amazing!

Phase 3

[strangerpeople]

[Get past Nidhogg? Then there's no more obstacles.

It's just you and those bleeding, blistered roots.

Those are now the only thing blocking the path forward.

You know what to do, right?]

[hatesdeerstalkers]

[Even with a broken arm, Moriarty knows what to do. He's tired and in pain, and the mental and physical strain is beginning to get to him - but there's only one more push left.]

NOW, EVERYONE! FOCUS YOUR ATTACKS ON THE ROOTS AT ONCE!

[And true to his word, he makes as large of a hole as he can, flinging it towards the top of the roots - he'll move it around a bit to swallow up any regeneration attempts from other attacks and reinstate it if it gets too full, but THIS is his main time to shine for pure dps against it.]

[lovedthemost]

[pure dps, huh? Brain summons that saxophone again, hefting it in his hand, pausing for a moment.

There's anger here, yes. But that's not his strongest emotion, and he knows it. Jealosy. Envy. That's where his strength lies.

Brain sucks in a breath, and narrows his eyes at those roots. They're the ones in his way--the ones that get to be closer to his humans than him. He can feel that familiar jealousy creeping up on him, wrapping around him like a familiar, poisonous blanket. He sinks into it as he lifts that saxophone to his lips and just

plays.]

[strangerpeople]

[Charon shifts Pandora's form again, into a...this thing, and adds his own attacks into the fray.]

[valkavian]

[ Alright.

Time to shift from the glitterballs to something a bit more drastic, namely, the little freezer burn bombs she'd used in her fight against Brain that one time.

Yeah, that is indeed an entire fistful of iceballs she's lobbing that tree's way. ]