" Well, Mr. Expert entrance guard, ideas?"
Philomel asked. Amon thought as he stared at the shifting sand between the rubble rocks that blocked the exit.
" Without the support beams looks like the entire roof collapsed. Unfortunately for us, I can't tell if moving anything would cause it to collapse again. Even if we managed to blast our way through, there's no telling how long we have until the ceiling comes down on us."
Amon frowned, scratching the back of his neck as he turned to Philomel, just to notice a small hand from the corner of his eyes, patting her head.
" So even the water scroll won't be of any help."
Philomel sighed as she kicks a small rock to the side.
Perception roll
Philomel_ 10 (-5 fatigue)
Amon_ 7 (- 5 fatigue)
" How come he's patting you and not me? Did you teach him something while I was asleep?"
Amon questioned in a slightly jealous tone, wondering why Little One would like Philomel more than him when she's always trying to get rid of Little One. Philomel hummed the words "I don't know" as she shrugged.
Luck roll
Philomel_ 5
Amon_ 18
" Maybe that's another way he likes playing with my hair?"
She theorizes as she picks up the end of her black shawl that was draped around her neck and wipes the sweat off her forehead. Amon turned slightly more to look at Little One, just to notice sparks of blue lighting were forming over their heads behind them.
Reaction timing
Amon _12 ( - 5 fatigue)
Little One effect -Parental instinct drive (roll again)
Amon_16 (-5 fatigue)
Saving throw
Philomel_ 19 (- 5 fatigue)
" GET DOWN!"
Amon screamed at the top of his lungs as one hand immediately pressed Little One's back against his head and makes a dash toward the branching tunnel behind him. Philomel immediately tucked and rolled, narrowly dodging the lightning bolt of the creature. Crouching low, she pullout her daggers and immediately goes in for an attack.
Philomel uses spinning slash
11_ (- 5 fatigue)
She kicked her feet up but didn't have enough energy to flick. Her attack ended up as a high leap and stab at the creature. Unfortunately for Philomel, her attack hit the creature's hard scales and slips right off. Causing zero damage to it and landing right next to its huge gaping mouth. Philomel could see its sharp teeth at eye level and whimpered at the creature's breath as it blew out her flaming torch.
Amon uses a lucky blind spear throw
Strength roll 12( - 5 fatigue)
Aim roll_ 4 ( - 5 darkness)
Luck _ 19
Amon completely and utterly blind from his eyes adjusting to the sudden complete darkness, lift his spear to his eye level. He knew it was a terrible idea doing this and there were high chances that he could hit Philomel but if he didn't risk it, one bite from those huge jaws could break her bones like a twig and that would be the end of her. They had zero healing magic and potions were meant for bruises and burns. Not mangled, half-eaten bodies.
He pulled as much tension as he can from his arm but he felt extremely dizzy from the lack of sleep, the overwhelming muscle pain from his numb legs, and his back was strained from bending over his knees to pant his heart out the entire way through the tunnel.
With Little One joining their party, it was too dangerous and risky to stay in one place for too long. Shadow territory time zone was constantly fluctuating and they could always keep the upper hand by looking into areas from different time zone and sneaking around enemies who can't sense them yet due to the warp time. Creatures did appear from faster time zones and attack them but since it was moving from fast to slower time zone. The creature needed time to adjust and that gave Amon and Philomel more than enough time to escape into a different time zone. Unfortunately, this only works as long as they're moving which meant no pit stops nor sleep.
As Amon adjusted his aim, the end of his spear banged against the narrow tunnel, forcing Amon to adjust himself until the perfect angle where he had enough space to wind his throw without the spear hitting the tunnel walls. Finding more pain than strength to put into his throw, Amon let a weak throw fly through the darkness. Silently praying Philomel wasn't in the way.
Sparks of blue lighting flickered, and through the flashes, Amon could see his spear hitting right in the back of the throat of the scaly 6-legged creature. In the second flash, he could see Philomel moving to grab ahold of his spear. The third showed Philomel pulling the spear out and the last flash, showed her using the spear and stabbing the creature's tongue. Its bellowing shrieking echoes throughout the tunnel.
Amon suddenly felt a hand grab his wrist and pull him along. He could also feel the handle edge of his spear, poking at his feet as Philomel swung the hand that was holding his spear while jogging. He found himself badly wanting to grab his spear from her but his free hand was holding Little One secure to his head as he ran. With no other choice, he forces the last of his energy to run next to Philomel, avoiding the jabs of his own spear.
In the slight distance, they could hear the creature coming and it was screaming its lungs out with much anger. Scarring away less dangerous creatures but at the same time alerting all creatures of their whereabouts and even calling more dangerous creatures.
" What the honey!! Is that?!"
Amon huffed out.
Knowledge roll
Philomel _ 10 (+ Village information)
Amon _ 6
" There's only one 12 legs creature I know and that's a Behir!"
" 12 legs?! I only saw 8!"
" I don't know any other creature with many legs that spit out, lighting! And according to my intel that was the only creature, die-die must avoid."
" Say what?! You telling me that is more dangerous than the Banshee and Death Knight?!"
" A full-grown one, yes! I heard that thing killed a baby dragon that used to live here. That's why this whole place is cursed. "
" If only the Dragon war didn't happen! Then this place wouldn't be cursed."
Amon grumbled as the creature gained on them. Philomel suddenly comes to a halt and Amon immediately crashed into her, squishing her against the wall.
" Among! Get off!"
Philomel growled as she elbow him off her.
" Don't suddenly stop like that! I can't see anything!"
" And what?! Do you think I can see in the dark?! Why do you think I ran right into a dead end?! At least your spear is good for one thing, banging dead ends before its dumb owner comes crashing into you. Take it."
Philomel grumbled under her breath as she shoved the spear into Amon's chest and pulled out her magic stone, just to realize that she had lost the torch. In the distance, she could see the sparks of blue lighting charging up in the creature's mouth. At that moment she noticed another tunnel that was right next to it.
" Among, I need to know! Can you chop wood to save your life?!"
Philomel questioned as she takes Little One off Amon's shoulder, holding him tightly in her arms.
" I never chop wood before!"
" Well, a life-or-death situation sounds like a perfect time to find out."
She chimed as she grabbed Amon's hand, Amon jolted at the cold magic stone she pressed against his hand.
Philomel uses narrow dodge
Timing _9 ( + 5 experience) (- 5 fatigue)
At the last moment as the Behir charged toward them, Philomel pulled Amon out of the way but unfortunately, she was slightly slow and its claw cuts her cheek and shoulder. Amon since he was holding the spear, the creature immediately moves its legs up avoiding Amon and his spear. Philomel drags Amon toward the tunnel she saw earlier, and she lets go of Amon's hand. Going in close to the wooden support beams and struck the magic stone against her stomach amour, causing the spark to leap onto the wooden beams.
Wood Dampness_ 3
The wood that's been there for decades and had forgotten what water even is, instantly caught on fire. It's suddenly bursting roaring flames shocked both Philomel and Amon. The flames immediately alerted the Behir which was recovering from banging its head against a dead end.
Luck
Philomel_ 5
Amon_ 2
" Butterfly!! Among! The safe zone then only break it!!"
Philomel cursed and ordered as she ran into the tunnel which revealed to be an instant death end from the flaming wooden beams.
Amon panicked when he saw the Behir turning the corner and charging toward them. Without listening to a word Philomel had said. He swung his spear with all he could at the flaming wooden beams.
Strength _ 14
Amon broke the wood and the flaming broken pieces flew out like bees from a hive, stinging Amon and Philomel with their sparks and embers. Philomel immediately turned away shielding Little One from it. Amon winched and swipe at it like getting rid of ants crawling over his body as he leap over to Philomel's side.
flimsy ceiling _7
The top wood beam fell and some parts of the ceiling came down but it wasn't enough to block that entrance and stop the Behir as Philomel had planned.
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