As the last demon fell, Maka reared back her head and unleashed a deafening roar with an accompanying gout of fire.
"Is there anyone else!? Is there no one else!?"
I like to imagine Maka's draconic sounds squeaky since she has human vocal cords.
After a few moments of heavy panting and glowing eyes searching for a new fight, Maka calmed down and began to fret over her friends. "Is everyone all right?
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Once the final demon drops, Quasit emerges from the corner and clumsily puts away her sword. Her face is no longer bleeding thanks to the magical healing, and the claws missed her eyes, but the wounds are still hideous nonetheless. A long deep gash scores her forehead, and the dirty nails of the demon have ripped open one of her nostrils and torn through the corner of her mouth halfway across her cheek, leaving her her with false, gory, ugly smile.
She looks down at one of the demons, and tentatively goes to touch one of the powerful claws, but quickly recoils from the contact.
She stands again and wordlessly clutches at her hair. Her eyes drift off to the right, staring at nothing.
"Oh no, Quasit's pretty face!" Maka moved to give her friend another back breaking hug but managed to catch herself in time, instead moving to hold Quasit to support her weight for her. "It will be okay. Tez fix it! Fix it, fix it, fix it!"
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After a few moments of heavy panting and glowing eyes searching for a new fight, Maka calmed down and began to fret over her friends. "Is everyone all right?
Fin shakes his head. "Battered and bruised...but I'll live. Nearly get eaten by a plant...and then nearly get planted by a couple of demons...and we're not even out of the Maiden yet! Beginning to wonder if I'm destined to survive Artrosa..."
Seeing Quasit's injuries, Fin walks over to her, smiling warmly and softly speaking, "Hold still just for a minute, Q," and very gently tends/cleans her wounds as best he can...
He looks up to her, still smiling, and shrugs. "That's the best my meager skills can do...I'd guess Tez has some magic that can do much better...regardless, you still look like the same ole Q to me..."
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"Oh no, Quasit's pretty face!" Maka moved to give her friend another back breaking hug but managed to catch herself in time, instead moving to hold Quasit to support her weight for her. "It will be okay. Tez fix it! Fix it, fix it, fix it!"
Quasit looks at Maka in alarm, and reflexively holds up a hand to cover the worst of the wounds on the left side of her face.
Seeing Quasit's injuries, Fin walks over to her, smiling warmly and softly speaking, "Hold still just for a minute, Q," and very gently tends/cleans her wounds as best he can...
Quasit holds still, and reluctantly lets Findurel tend her wounds. But she looks ashamed. "You're hurt worsh than me." she manages to slur out one side of her mouth.
He looks up to her, still smiling, and shrugs. "That's the best my meager skills can do...I'd guess Tez has some magic that can do much better...regardless, you still look like the same ole Q to me..."
Quasit's first reaction is a trace of alarm, but she quickly tries to hide it. She grasps Findurel's hand and smiles with the normal side of her mouth. "Thanksh. It feelsh better." she slurs.
Quasit looks at Tezuzu. "Help Fin firsht." she says clumsily. "He'sh more... hurt worsh."
She had been about to say something else. She looks around cautiously at everyone else, then looks back at Maka and tries to feign a smile. "I don't think I've ever sheen you roast anything that much before." Her hand moves back up to cover her face.
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Quasit holds still, and reluctantly lets Findurel tend her wounds. But she looks ashamed. "You're hurt worsh than me." she manages to slur out one side of her mouth.
"I'm fine, Q...but for a guy that avoids the frontline, the frontline seems to have a knack for finding me, at least in this dungeon..."
Quasit's first reaction is a trace of alarm, but she quickly tries to hide it. She grasps Findurel's hand and smiles with the normal side of her mouth. "Thanksh. It feelsh better." she slurs...Her hand moves back up to cover her face.
Fin squeezes her hand gently. "No worries...and you don't have to hide your face from us. How long have we been traveling together now? We've seen each other at our best and at our worst...and injured face or not, you're still a damn sight prettier than either Bull or myself can ever hope to be," he says with a playful wink...
Looking to the rest, he says, "I think this room may be the last the Maiden has to offer...what say we search here and then head back to the ritual room? I'd still like to wash off a bit, and perhaps rest, before we move on to the Mother...and that room may have the last clean water we're likely to see for quite a while..."
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"That's why lesson one was getting punched."
Fin grins ruefully as he recalls the many bruises the Mistress of Fire had given him during monk training. ”Aye, Maka, a lesson you taught me very well indeed. I doubt I could’ve withstood the pounding from these demons without your training...”
"You read my mind, I think we could all use a bath."
His grin turns into a very wide smile. ”And with your ‘special hands’, it’ll be a hot bath as well...nothing as relaxing as a good, hot bath after a long day of getting beat to a pulp...”
"I'm shocked you don't appreciate my rugged good looks Findurel. I've no doubt Quasit and yourself will be feeling better soon, Sakitu seems to be using the wand well. Adrenaline dulls the pain but if those aren't healed soon enough you'll be feeling the full force soon but hopefully it will be sorted before that."
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Sakitu pales as she looks at the horrific wounds on Quasit's face. "Oh. Let me help too!" She takes her healing wand, makes sure she's holding the correct end, then waves it at Quasit. Magical energy flows out.
Quasit's flesh magically knits together again, leaving the scores across her face less ragged looking.
"Thanks." she says quietly to her friend. "I was afraid when I tried to get drunk later all the booze would leak out my cheek."
Then she shakes her head and turns away. "I can't stand the smell of those things!" she exclaims sharply, then retreats up the nearest stairway, rubbing her hands together tensely.
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"I'm shocked you don't appreciate my rugged good looks Findurel..."
Fin laughs so loud, he snorts, slapping Bulvi heartily on his back. ”Aye, my friend, you’re prettier than I, I’ll grant you. Perhaps if I was reincarnated as a female, I’d appreciate your ‘rugged good looks’ more...but then I’d have to duel Maka over you, a fight I’m sure to lose, so maybe not...”
Assured that the group has now explored every part of this series of caverns and tunnels, a glance around the now smelly room reveals a wooden chest secured with a heavy chain and solid looking lock atop the western platform.
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Looking over the chest, Fin nods to Quasit. "A locked wooden chest over here that you might want to check out, Q...but beware, there's something smeared on top of it...a nasty surprise no doubt...we might want to try and remove it if possible...or avoid its touch at the least. Can you tell what that substance is, Tez?"
Fin will assist Quasit in picking the lock if she chooses to do so.
"I could be a poison of some kind but that seems somewhat dull for here. Perhaps it's an ooze of some kind stretched thin?"
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"It could be a poison of some kind but that seems somewhat dull for here. Perhaps it's an ooze of some kind stretched thin?"
Fin nods. "If it be a poison, especially a natural one, perhaps I should take a closer look at it...my Mom passed on to me some basic knowledge in plants and such..."
He'll look closer at the substance smeared on the chest...but will not touch nor inhale while doing so...
Findurel isn't quite sure...
"No there is definitely something on there. Probably some magical poison curse the stupid witches left behind." Flames engulfed Maka's hands before the fire monk thought better of it. "Wait should I burn it off or will that make us breath the poison?"
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Fin shrugs. "I think, since this is spread on the chest, it's set more as a touch poison...but I could be wrong. As it's a wooden chest, Maka, would you be able to regulate your fire to burn the poison off without setting the chest on fire? Maybe we could standby with waterskins to douse the flames if it catches fire though..."
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"Hang on, lemme try... most poisons are based off plant resins that come loose with alcohol..."
So saying, Quasit comes forward and pours some of the liquor from her flask onto a scrap of cloth, then begins carefully wiping away at the surfaces of the chest, especially near the lock and lid.
After this is done, she examines the lock for some other trap that might endanger her.
And if she sees none, she attempts to unlock the chest.
The plantlike substance comes off with a bit of effort, it's results being clear when the alcohol starts to soak into the wood rather than clean it. Quasit easily opens it after determining that there is nothing more to harm her.
Next to the chest is a giant-sized portable ram.
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Fin eyes Quasit as she deftly cleans off the poison and picks the lock. ”Nicely done, Q...”
He looks over the haul Quasit reveals upon opening the chest. ”Hmmm...maybe some magical stuff...hopefully, Tez, Selena, and Saki can identify ‘em...”
Fin looks to his friends. ”Are we ready to head back to the ritual room now? I think it might be prudent to rest a bit before we ‘enter the Mother,’ so to speak...and I hear that bath calling my name...”
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Quasit pokes through the contents of the chest.
"It mostly looks like climbing gear." she says. "I wonder if the centaurs left this stuff here, after using it to help them climb up to the entrance. That might explain why those demons were lurking in here, guarding their stuff."
"I'm fine with getting a real rest. Although I'm sure I'll have nothing but nightmares in here. Maybe Saki can wrap me up and cuddle me in her crazy hair. We're gonna have to knock down Tez's wall first though."
Tezuzu will cut the life link once the fight is over. After a few moments casually inspecting the bodies he shrug to himself "Now let us attend to these wounds." he says wearily inspecting Quasit specifically.
"You really need to be more careful, monkey. One of these days something is going to hit you with something that my magic will not be able fix..." his tone stern but his expression softens some as his glowing claw rustles Quasit's hair playfully the white energy flowing into her face eliminating the swelling from the demonic ape's attack.
He sizes up the room for a gauging the extent of the groups wounds "Well the link to my magic is still quite strong, but I will not turn down an opportunity to rest. I was saving this for a more dire situation, but if we are resting I suppose I do not mind expending the rest of the link to my..." he trails off for a looking a little self conscious for a moment before correcting himself "...the healing spirit I commune with."
He abruptly clenches his bone amulet and whispers a few words bright light filling the room.
Looking at Findurel's still worn out state he mentions casually "You really took quite a beating. Here." he waives his wand over the elf. .
He leans in a bit closer and whispers in elvish..
Looking at the others he takes stock of the gear that has been collected and responds "I shall take a look at the baubles and trinkets we have found once we make camp. There are some magics I can preform that make it a bit easier to discern, but require some necessary preparation."
"...We're gonna have to knock down Tez's wall first though."
Tezuzu scratches his beak "Ah...well...sorry about that. It was tactically sound, but my apologies for creating more work for the rest of you in the aftermath. Melding stone has saved my beak on more than one occasion when dealing with trolls it is a bit of a reflexive habit on my part." his tone sincere, but he makes no noticeable effort to aid in the laborious effort of breaking down the shaped stone himself.
"I could earn a steady income in knocking down walls with that hammer Fin... but then I'd have to give up the joys of getting stabbed at all day. Even then that does get tiresome so a respite sounds good."
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"You really need to be more careful, monkey. One of these days something is going to hit you with something that my magic will not be able fix..." his tone stern but his expression softens some as his glowing claw rustles Quasit's hair playfully the white energy flowing into her face eliminating the swelling from the demonic ape's attack.
"I know, I know..." says Quasit morosely, looking down at her toes. "I've never been all that good at 'careful', unfortunately. But you're completely right. I'm an idiot."
As the healing magic mends her facial wounds nearly completely, there is a noticeable change in her posture and attitude as well. Her mood improves and her energy seems to come back. She feels at her nose and cheek tentatively, then smiles brightly.
"I suppose when Reckless brings you to the party, you have to dance with him at least some of the time. But Careful is definitely giving me the bedroom eyes right now."
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Looking at Findurel's still worn out state he mentions casually "You really took quite a beating. Here." he waives his wand over the elf. 1d8+1.
He leans in a bit closer and whispers in elvish...
Fin smiles gratefully to Tez. "Aye, I did...I feel like turds what dropped out of a tall cow's @$$! Just when I thought I was done with the frontline, they drag me back in! Thank you, my friend..."
He then whispers back in Elvish...
"I could earn a steady income in knocking down walls with that hammer Fin... but then I'd have to give up the joys of getting stabbed at all day. Even then that does get tiresome so a respite sounds good."
Fin grins widely. "Aye, Bull, no one swings that hammer like you. Rugged good looks and smashing through walls...you've got it all, my friend. As for our respite, I've still got a bit of that Centaur mead left in my wineskin; in exchange for bringing down that wall, I'll split it with you when we make camp..."
The return to the entrance is harried by nothing more that the soreness of a fight well fought. Relief from the coldness of the lower part of the caverns is welcomed and provides a bit of relief, but also leaves the pain of wounds feeling a bit more tender.
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Making it back to the ritual room, Fin lets out a deep sigh. He checks the chalice and will refill it with water from the pool, if needed...
He stashes his gear against the northern wall by the pool and then begins to disrobe...
"Forgive my indiscretion, with fair warning to cover your eyes if you must, but this pool has been screaming my name since I first saw it. Maka, can I trouble you to heat this water up?"
Fin tosses his clothes by his gear as he undresses, grabs his wineskin, and eases his body, black and blue bruises spread throughout, into the pool, for a long, relaxing soak...he dips his head briefly into the water, bringing it up to rest as he settles in with a long sigh...
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When the last of the enemies falls, Sakitu's unnaturally long hair recedes back towards her.
Maybe Saki can wrap me up and cuddle me in her crazy hair.
Sakitu smiles and laughs. "No Quasit, I don't think you'd like that. I can tell the hair where to go but once it finds something, it just latches on and squeeze. You know, like a vine? But when we settle down to rest, let's cuddle up then. This was all way too scary. It will be good to have my friend next to me!"
The chest looks interesting and Sakitu spends a few minutes trying to identify the magical items.
Eventually the group heads back to the ritual room and Sakitu finds a corner to rest in. She blushes and tries to avert her eyes when Fin disrobes and gets into the pool. She glances at Quasit and Maka, hoping that they didn't notice her reddened cheeks beneath the fine fur covering her face.
Eventually the group heads back to the ritual room and Sakitu finds a corner to rest in. She blushes and tries to avert her eyes when Fin disrobes and gets into the pool. She glances at Quasit and Maka, hoping that they didn't notice her reddened cheeks beneath the fine fur covering her face.
As Saki glanced at Maka she got a good view of Maka's bare chest as the fire monk struggled to wiggle out of the confines of her clothing. Finally freeing herself, she ran and jumped into the pool of water. The heat from her body instantly began to vaporize the water, sending a small cloud of steam out of the splash.
Maka began to undo her long braid with a laugh. "And thank you for having a proper appreciation for baths. It's too bad my friends Admani and Suji aren't with us. Their elements are earth and water, so there is always a big bath with them around."
Finally finished with her braid, Maka began to comb her hair. Floating on the surface, the hair created the perfect hiding spot for Izzy. The crocodile cooing in satisfaction as he floated in the warm water.
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Feeling very relaxed, Fin gives a warm smile. "Elves have long had an affinity for hot springs, bathing under waterfalls...in fact, pretty much any natural water at all...but hot baths were always a luxury...
"Looks like Izzy is certainly enjoying himself...
"Maka, it sounds like you and your friends could make your own hot bath just about anywhere you journeyed..."
The steam from the bath softens the stone walls of the cavernous area a bit, offering at least the sense that there might be someplace better to be.
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The crocodile cooing in satisfaction as he floated in the warm water.
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Sakitu smiles and laughs. "No Quasit, I don't think you'd like that. I can tell the hair where to go but once it finds something, it just latches on and squeeze. You know, like a vine? But when we settle down to rest, let's cuddle up then. This was all way too scary. It will be good to have my friend next to me!"
This seems to relax Quasit tremendously, and it actually makes her breath catch and a little sob blurps out of her, and she nods and smiles gratefully.
"Just when I thought that being an Amazing Fox Lady couldn't get any cooler, I find out you have hair that can wrestle people into submission and be silky and shiny to boot. Some people have all the luck!" she jokes effervescently.
*****
Once back in the room with the pool outside the Mother passage, Quasit sets up along the wall across from the pool, rolls out her bedroll and blanket, and begins taking long pulls at her supply of centaur mead. She watches impassively as Fin and Maka frolic in the water, but for some reason she seems to get slightly depressed as time goes on. When Sakitu settles down near her, she nestles her head onto the kitsune's shoulder but doesn't really seem to feel like talking.
However, after a steady 20 minutes of drinking contemplatively, she lets an honest thought slip.
"I can't wait until we're finished with all this. I don't want to die. Life was so much easier when it was boring."
Feeling very relaxed, Fin gives a warm smile. "Elves have long had an affinity for hot springs, bathing under waterfalls...in fact, pretty much any natural water at all...but hot baths were always a luxury...
"Looks like Izzy is certainly enjoying himself...
"Maka, it sounds like you and your friends could make your own hot bath just about anywhere you journeyed..."
"We sure could! And not just baths, all kinds of things. Suji takes little shards of ice and uses them to cut up fruit into a paste and then freezes all of it on a stick. It's sooooo good! When we get the boat we have to visit my home too so I can introduce y'all."
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"We sure could! And not just baths, all kinds of things. Suji takes little shards of ice and uses them to cut up fruit into a paste and then freezes all of it on a stick. It's sooooo good! When we get the boat we have to visit my home too so I can introduce y'all."
Fin smiles wistfully. "Your friends sound awesome and I'd love to meet them...it's nice to have a home to go back to..."
Maka swam close to Fin, placing her arm around his shoulder and pulling the elf close. "Yeah homes are great, but the people are more important than the place, and you have those."
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Maka swam close to Fin, placing her arm around his shoulder and pulling the elf close. "Yeah homes are great, but the people are more important than the place, and you have those."
"You're right, of course...thank you, Maka, for the reminder. The Mistress of Fire is wise as well as formidable...
"Sorry for being a downer, Maka...seems we Elves like to feel forlorn every now and then...but no more. I'm among friends, I'm in a hot bath, and I have mead to drink and share...and, for now, we've scoured the Maiden and are still alive to tell of the tale! No more bad thoughts this night..."
Fin takes a hit from his wineskin. "Good stuff! Those Centaurs make their spirits strong! Here Maka, take a pull..." He passes it to her...and then remembering his promise to split his mead with Bulvi, calls out to him. "Bull! I know you're not bashful! Come over here and join us, my ruggedly good-lookin' friend! We have mead to drink!"
Then, guiltily looking over at the rest of his friends, Fin says, "Of course, you're all welcome to join us...but I know some of you have an...aversion...to mixed baths. Allow me just a little while longer and I'll be out...and perhaps we can let the girls have the pool to themselves, if they wish..."
Maka swam close to Fin, placing her arm around his shoulder and pulling the elf close. "Yeah homes are great, but the people are more important than the place, and you have those.""You're right, of course...thank you, Maka, for the reminder. The Mistress of Fire is wise as well as formidable...
"You bet I am!" Maka said with a proud flex of her arm before taking a deep pull of the centaur spirits. "And yeah come join us!"
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"I can't wait until we're finished with all this. I don't want to die. Life was so much easier when it was boring."
Sakitu's thoughts return to her home. It was only a few weeks ago, or was it months, when she left. Her life then wasn't so boring as much as uneventful and with the promise of even more uneventfulness for as far as she could see. A full life of nothing. Then, she was so confident that getting out and seeing the world was what she needed to do. But now, Quasit was right. Maybe it wasn't worth it. She squeezes Quasit a little tighter.
"I know what you mean. But I wonder. If I had stayed in my boring life, maybe I wouldn't know that I liked boring. Right? I mean, how would I know that that was better? My dad says 'There's always colder water in another pitcher.' He would say that when I started to complain about how dull it was and how I wanted to see the world. Would I have done anything different? Honestly, I don't think so. I don't like being so scared and always about to die. But if I had stayed home, I wouldn't have met you Quasit. That would make me sad."
Then, guiltily looking over at the rest of his friends, Fin says, "Of course, you're all welcome to join us...but I know some of you have an...aversion...to mixed baths. Allow me just a little while longer and I'll be out...and perhaps we can let the girls have the pool to themselves, if they wish..."
"And yeah come join us!"
Fortunately most of Fin's and Maka's bodies are submerged so Sakitu feels a tiny bit less embarrassed looking in their direction. "Uh. I think I'm fine. I'm not a big bath person usually."