Summary:The Samurai gets some intel from a contact inside the barrier. More mayhem ensues Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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It's been weeks of going inside the barrier and trying find a way to resolve the problem. In that time, Ken and Barbara have rarely spoken - but Batgirl and Samurai have seen each most every day. Kens plan of rousing dissent in the land and demoralizing the 'locals' who have moved in is having an effect.
Those that are inclined in, like Master Gordon and his merry men, have been stepping up the ante, causing problems whenever and whereever they can.
Two days ago, Samurai got a message from Master Gordon - left in a drop spot they had agreed on. The innkeeper had found something of interest and given Ken the details - a rough map, scratched out in charcoal on vellum - to a set of caves somewhere to the west of the town.
Master Gordon had said he'd heard some Elves speaking - about having to replace some 'storage' in the area. The instructions on the map said head down about 2 leagues and they'd find what they were looking for.
Which is why Batgirl is standing at the mouth of a cave, looking in.
The Samurai had - for this - actually removed his armor when he got in which left him in something of black pajamas and trousers to move about in. It won't do really to be shining at the moment. He'll have to put it all back on later, which is why it is stored in his saddle bags. If he doesn't he'll be down a leather jacket when he gets out and that would annoy him. A lot.
"See anything?" The now not shiny but still masked man says. He'd kept the demon menpo because why not? The swords rather than being at his belt have been adjusted to be slung over his back.
"You look nice." Batgirl says quietly to the black pajama'd man beside her. It's amusing but she's been out of sorts in a way since the day she killed the guard.
"Not a lot, no. I don't have my usual kit in here, so I have to rely on my eyes - and it's dark in there. Good thing we bought torches along." And indeed, the battery powered torches they had bought in have turned into old style fire ones.
"Come on then. This is going to be … fun … I suppose. Into the dark unknown in search of … something. What do you think they have down here?"
The note from the innkeeper had said these elves worked for Eurayle and had travelled a day or so to get out here.
Into the cave Batgirl goes, her torch casting a pale flickering semi-circle ahead of her. As they walk and the air starts to grow musty and stale, they come to a junction with two tunnels - one branching at an angle to the left, the other at angle to the right.
"Thank you. Not sure. Could just be supplies, caves are good for that. But I suspect not. They can just take from the people."
Samurai says, drawing a blade and holding his torch aloft. When they hit the T intersection he gestures to the right. They should go that way. Should it turn out to be a dead end they can always double back. What he does not suggest is that they split up, because one might get lost, or stuck in a cave in, or ambushed, or one of the dozen other things that can go wrong underground and at least if two of them are there one can go for help if worse comes to worst.
He doesn't say much. Not down here. Doesn't want anyone who might be listening to hear him.
Batgirl wouldn't split up, not down here. She nods at the Samurai as he speaks and indicates the direction and falls silent.
Even with the flickering torch light, Ken can see the walls appear almost smooth - like they've been buffed down and polished, not work with age or through seismic activity.
It's a good while longer, walking deeper into the earth at steady rate before they see a soft glow up ahead … a light blue that looks a little familiar. It's coming from just around the corner.
Batgirl presses her back to the wall and gestures for Ken to go first - she'll cover him.
It's a small cavern that he'll see, with a crystal on a pedestal, surrounded by a dozen … snake like women. But that's not all … the walls of the cavern are covered with similiarly glowing lines that seem to go everywhere.
The Samurai comes around the corner with his sword up. "Surrender now and you will not die." He doesn't say what the alternative is but he really shouldn't have to. If they fight he won't hold back and Batgirl knows that.
Either way he is going to break that crystal. It's an inelegant solution yes. Very much just 'smash anything that looks magical', but he's one of the few people that can be relatively assured that he CAN break it. And, well, it's worked pretty well so far.
Batgirl sighs as the Samurai takes the direct route. She doesn't suppose he had much of a choice.
The response to that challenge is rather predictable. The snake women turn and just stare at the black clad man. One of them actually snickers "Oh look, he looks like just out of bed …" Then it's on. Eight of the twelve swarm at the swordsman, spitting venom that sizzles and burns everything it touches. And oh, those talons and teeth - Ken probably wants to avoid to getting scratched or bitten.
The remaining four spread out and take up bows themselves - peppering the area where the Samurai stands in arrows. Batgirl steps behind him and puts an arrow through one of the creatures shoulder causing her to drop her bow, then takes aim at the second and looses again.
Samruai is not going to be able to avoid it all. The armor would be handy now but if he had been wearing it they probably wouldn't have been able to get this far unnoticed. He takes a burn on the arm and a claw to the chest. But it's probably a pretty unpleasant thing when five of the eight he's fighting rather abruptly have their bottom halves separated from their top halves.
"I was quite serious." He says as he swings his now glittering blade in an arc and then turns to face the survivors, bringing up the scabbard of his blade which is also buzzing with lethal energy.
The women … scream … horribly as the Samurai's sword moves in a wide arc, severing their torso's from their lower parts. There's a look of surprise on their face that he's done it - the look frozen there as they die.
The remaining three women spread out in front of him, two of them baiting his attention with feints. They watch the glittering blade and scabbard carefully, spitting more caustic venom in his direction - aiming for his hands and face. On the fourth feint, the third woman lunges for the Samurai's back - her coils whipping out to tangle his ankles as sharp talons dig deep. It burns … oh it burns.
Batgirl has taken down two more of the archers and is now the focus of the last ones attack. An arrow thunks into the stone beside her head, as she looses another arrow at that woman.
It's a good thing that Batgirl is providing fire support but Ken can't look at it right now. In fact he can hardly look at anything. Fortunately for him the cutting field he generates isn't really a blade. It's a buzz saw. All he needs to do is touch SOME part of the field to what has him. So as he is clawed he brings his hand down, to touch the scabbard to the area around his ankles. This requires focus to not cut himself and he has to do it quickly or he's going to get even more busted up.
It's a mess really when the blade meets the snake-woman. The tachyon field disrupts molecular bonds … there's still blood and that blood burns. Still, he's able to get away from that and put some distance between himself and the remaining two - who aren't all that keen to get any closer.
Why would they be - he just took out six of them with that blade.
Batgirl puts two arrows in the last archer and turns her bow on the remaining two. "He said he was serious. One day, people will take him seriously the first time." There's not indication in her voice of how she feels about such violence. "I don't want to kill you, but I will maim you if you try to stop us here …"
She doesn't ask how Ken is - she can see he's not good. "Can you destroy it? And what are those lines?"
These snake people… they're likely to be gorgons and not Naga. Or something to that effect. More Greek than Indian. Maybe he can lean on that. He spins one of his blades and eyes the two survivors. "Surrender now, or you are already dead. Last chance. No one will mourn you. No one will leave gifts at your grave. No one will make sure you can pay the ferryman. You will die forgotten and so will your friends. Or… you can surrender now."
Can he break it? "We are going to find out Batgirl. In just one moment." Just as soon as they take care of these last two. He's not turning his back on them even for a moment. He's too hurt right now and if he gets much worse he might not make it out of here on his own power.
More Greek than Indian, for certain. The snake woman look at each other, then at Batgirl, then Samurai. "What will you do with us if we surrender?" He's scored a hit with that reasoning.
"We'll take you out beyond the barrier and hand you over to SHIELD." Batgirl answers, casting a glance at Ken. He'll have words for her about this, she's sure.
"It's that or you face his sword …" She says, not lowering her bow, not even for an instant.
They nod and Batgirl is left to watch them, securing their hands behind their backs with think strands of rope - that's what her zipties changed into. How secure the rope really is against the gorgons, she doesn't know. "I'll watch them, you take care of that …"
The crystal is like the others they've seen. Perhaps a little larger and it's certainly glowing more brightly. What's different is the lines that radiate from it, up the walls and across the ceiling of the cavern - to small bulb like receptacles that glow even more brightly. Two of those bulbs aren't glowing though.
Take care of that. That being the crystal and possibly the lines surrounding it. First thing first though. The Crystal. While Batgirl secures the monsters Kennuichio walks over to the crystal. He observes it for a moment. Watches how it glows and pulses. And then he brings his blade down on it.
It splits in two and then shatters. The energy it contains is released in a single rush, almost but not quite explosive, more akin to a popping balloon if the balloon was made of magical crystal and not rubber or latex.
They were warned about damaging the crystals. The release of magical power could be devastating.
The rush of power has enough force to knock them all back. The gorgons let out a wail of despair.
Batgirl shakes herself as she picks herself up, trying not to wince as her back pulls. She looks up and frowns. "Storage …" Is all she says. The lines are not glowing as brightly but they're being fed by the bulbs. "…. they've put contingencies in place …" she debates, raising her bow and aiming it at one of the bulbs. "If we take these out, the barrier may weaken. But they'll know we're here. If we don't, they may detect the failure and repair it … more quickly. Your call…"
"Remove them." Samurai begins to hack at the walls. Anything he can reach with his blade he slices over and over. Those bulbs. The lines. What he can't get Batgirl can shoot. If they can wreck it badly enough it will take too long to repair. Long enough that he and Batgirl and others can strike at other locations. Yes. Storage. Storage for power to keep this spell going.
They can't have that.
He hears the wail. But he ignores it. This world will end. This island that they have built will end. There can be no other acceptable outcome. Because if it does not… others will try it elsewhere.
As the Samurai hacks at the walls, Batgirl shoots the bulbs. They explode, sending waves of energy through the room - which makes her work go slower to avoid injury.
When its done, the glow fades quickly, leaving the area in darkness except for the torch that Batgirl stuck in a sconce. Gesturing with her bow to the remaining gorgons, she jerks her head "Move, now. Don't give us any trouble, or he'll use that sword on you…"
They've a distance to go and won't know the effect of what they've done. But this should be a blow to Eurayle. Right?
If anything will this has a good chance of doing so. It is enough though to have killed six of these creatures and ruined whatever they had here. That by itself will add to the chaos and confusion that they are sewing. If this act also damages what they are building here, so much the better.
"We should go through the woods rather than on the open road." If they're spotted with captives it will be trouble and they are outnumbered here.