Ada and Naya’s travel through the forest is rather peculiar for Mia. Her perception in this state, somewhere between life and death, beyond the coils of the physical, is different. She’s fairly sure that Ada might have noticed by now, but Naya has not. Her “body” or rather, her embodiment, only leaks partially through the gap between worlds. It’s still uncertain to her where exactly the main body of her consciousness resides at the moment. Ada having absorbed the anchor is the only reason she can still be with them. Breaching through the barrier in any other spot, like she did originally, would not be possible anymore. The first attempt was already taxing, exhausting almost all the energy that Anya imbued her with; something she only has become aware of after the fact.
Though even now, she can feel the drain on herself. She’s not exactly meant to be here, to have her consciousness projected such as it is. Though there are still some benefits to this experience, besides the gnawing terror of death, there is another sensation, one she has only been fleetingly felt before. A sensation that Ada would likely recognize, even if it is not the same. Her magic is there with her, much more present than ever before. She can feel it, sense its mind, as far as it has one, at least. It doesn’t seem to be conscious like a person, but rather an amalgam of instinct and knowledge. There are some semblances of sentience and sapience, but they are immature, nascent in nature.
To her, this would be a different kind of terror, if not for Ada and Anya. She has seen it happen with Ada already, sees it happening at this very moment as the little creature twist around a tree with inhuman movement. Just to look back with a slight moment of confusion that clears up almost immediately as her magic communicates back to her. They’re symbiotic, one aiding the other, on their way towards unity. Unity. A concept she knows but does not know, by virtue of the implanted knowledge Anya has given her.
So far, Mia herself has been on the way of suppression, using the magic towards her own purposes, keeping a distinct separation, even as parts of it influence her physical form. There is a place for this, but it is limiting her. If she had known about the magics' nature before, she might’ve embarked on this path on her own. The few moments where that barrier of separation broke, in the past, were some of the best for her. But, she did not know. So she thought them to be short moments of epiphany on how to use the magic. She failed to see what was before her eyes.
A bit of displeasure washes through her at that, and she fails to stop it from leaking across the barrier. Ada, expectedly, notices and flashes a pattern of concern. She does not speak, as something tells her that their current state allows for communication beyond words. Mia’s answer is simple, but encompassing. She pushes her feelings and thoughts through the barrier and towards Ada, keeping them close by her; away from Naya as to not disturb them. And Ada is receptive, taking in the whole of Mia before flashing her understanding. One that is quickly followed by curiosity about the empathic ability she just experienced.
The curiosity is rewarded with a short impression of adoration from Mia. An impression that almost causes Ada to stumble, and draws the attention of Naya. “You okay there?” They raise an eyebrow at Ada, she hasn’t been clumsy at all until now, after all, so her stumbling is something of note.
“Yes! Everything’s okay! Just a sensation I didn’t expect! I’ll not be surprised again!” Naya takes a few seconds before nodding their understanding and turning forwards again.
They’re silent for a few moments as they continue to walk, before speaking again. “Just don’t let it happen in a fight. Any moment of distraction can be fatal.” Their voice slips into a slightly scolding teaching voice on reflex, something honed from years of teaching new recruits to survive.
“Understood!” Ada’s still rather chipper regardless, and her attention turns back to Mia, a short pattern flashing across her skin, reinforcing her curiosity from earlier.
Mia does eventually decide to sate her curiosity, and directs her voice at just her, leaving Naya to continue leading them through the forest. “It’s something I can do thanks to the state I am in. I don’t know if I could replicate it otherwise, the exact mechanics behind it, quite frankly, elude me.” She contemplates for a few moments before continuing. “Part of it is almost certainly the connection we share right now, thanks to the anchor. It seems to connect us in some ways through the weakened barrier. Which does mean that it will be gone once I am healed. Unless, of course, we find a way to reestablish it.” She does have a hunch, or maybe more than a hunch, that part of the connection is caused by Ada without her knowledge. Her patterns work in a similar way, after all; capable of communicating emotions, although at a much more rudimentary level than this.
Ada’s patterns remain inquisitive, though she does not speak herself. Instead, after a few minutes of silence between them, Ada’s emotions and intent become even more clear to Mia. Curiosity about its mechanics, and desire for the connection to stay. Though what exactly causes that desire is a bit muddy still to Mia, the exact intent behind it not fully conveying, for one reason or another.
A small sense of endeared amusement fills Mia as she conveys her feelings to Ada again. She emphasizes that she is proud of Ada’s attempt to do the same and that she too would like them to keep the ability, or something similar. What she does not convey though; are her reasons behind her desire for that. How she feels about Ada, how the connection makes her feel more whole even as fresh as it is. That it anchors her. Neither does she convey her curiosity about Ada’s desire, nor her guess as to why it got conveyed in an unclear way. Those feelings are something for another time.
The sky is long lit by the stars by the time Naya finally slows us down. We’re near a hill that had been hidden behind the trees and underbrush, keeping it from my sight for the longest time. The canopy of the trees also obscured the shift in the treetops, causing the hill to be a bit of a surprise for me when it finally comes into view. “There’s a few caverns nearby. Some shouldn’t be occupied, so we’ll rest in one of them.” They lead us along the base of the hill, and we pass a few caverns that Naya dismisses after a rudimentary glance, each of them showing signs of recent occupancy
Eventually, Mia makes her presence known once more to both of us. This time, she speaks out loud, or out loud as far as her incorporeal self is concern. She does not use the way she and I had been communicating for the last while, projecting our thought… our emotions at each other. It’s a curious thing and something about it feels familiar to me, though in a way I can’t quite place, like there is a connection I am missing. “Up ahead, halfway up the hill. The space there is a slight bit weaker and the critters around here have been avoiding it, I think.” Naya pauses for a moment at her words before nodding and heading up the hill. “The impressions I am getting are a bit faint, but it feels desolate. Even if it is not a good resting spot, we should take a look. The fact the critters have been avoiding it worries me. And the fact I can even sense it. That’s only been the case with the Fae house so far, and Ada, of course.” There is concern in her voice, something that is reinforced through the connection we share. Her emotions brush up against me, a hint of distress I am not even sure she’s aware of.
I’m about to mention it to Mia when Naya reaches our target and draws our attention to them. “Seems like nothing went in here in a while.” They’re next to a small crevice leading into the hill, though one that is mostly hidden by moss that had plenty of undisturbed time to grow. If we weren’t looking for it, I am not sure if we’d have even seen it. I step closer to get a better look, and indeed, there are no signs that I can see of anything having entered recently, though I am not exactly a tracker either. The surroundings are all the same temperature, however, and the magic seems rather undisturbed, though even out here, there is that faint sense of difference. That same sensation as when we came across other weaknesses before, just that this time, I very much can not see it yet; it’s much more like the emanation from the Fae house, just not as dominant. It’s a much more subtle shift, and I doubt I’d notice without the anchor heightening my attunement.
“Are we going inside? There’s definitely a weakness in there, I just can’t tell how big it is.” Naya looks back at me and gives me a nod before pulling aside the moss for me. I’m the one with the better night vision, and the more attuned sense in this case, so them having me go first seems like the right decision. There’s a few faint traces of anxiety from Mia that leak through our connection, but she remains quiet for now, even as I step into the darkness of the crevice.
The darkness itself still isn’t an issue for me, my new physiology is perfectly capable of working with even trace amounts of light, or even no light. Being able to sense a much wider spectrum of light does have some nice advantages, after all. With that said though, inside this crevice, everything seems a slight bit muted, like I am watching the world through a thin curtain. Not enough to obstruct my sight, but enough to obscure. A pattern of distress washes over my body, and across the link towards Mia. I do not like this, but that fact also pushes me forwards. We won’t be able to rest here, that much I am certain of, but I also want to know more about what is going on here. Mia, on her part, sends reassurance back to me, trying to strengthen my resolve. The anxiety from before is much more muted now, replaced with a sense of concern.
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Concern that is mainly for me, and in a way that… I can’t say I am exactly familiar with, though it does remind me of Anya. A care that extends beyond the basic care for a stranger. Maybe even beyond the care for a friend, as far as others are concerned, at least. I want to give more thought to it, but I am interrupted by a front of cold, damp air rushing through the tunnel.
It reminds me of a late autumn night at the lake with Anya. Though something is off about it, the dampness is not the same, it’s not like humid air. I look backwards, seeking Naya, though they’re a few steps behind still, and seem to not have any reaction. I reach towards them with my tail, and almost startle them as I make contact. They look towards me with an inquisitive look. “Notice anything?”
“Did you not notice the air? I am no expert, but I don’t think it’s supposed to move much, unless there’s another entrance? Maybe a river? It was a bit damp.” They raise a brow at me, before shaking their head.
“No. I didn’t notice anything, no air movement. Be on your guard.” Their scythe appears in one of their hands as they look down the tunnel ahead of us, trying to make out anything at all in the darkness, even though there is nothing. Not as far as I can tell, at least. Regardless, I follow their example and split my tail, readying myself for any surprises.
I slowly lead our way down the tunnel, each step a careful consideration, each little deviancy in our surroundings inspected before we continue on. It doesn’t take long, even though it feels like an eternity, before things change. Naya slightly nudges at my tail, notifying me that they feel the dampness now too. It has been growing more intense, more present the entire time, so it is no real surprise. What is a surprise, however, is a few sounds that echo down the tunnels towards us; almost at the same time as the sensation becomes apparent to Naya.
I stop us and look back towards them, their eyes are straining against the dark, dampness forming on their fur, but they motion me onwards. I acknowledge their intent with a small nudge and move forward.
The noise continues to grow louder as we continue, changing from an occasional ring to a more constant sound. The sound of steel clashing against rock, of something heavy smashing it just after. The squelching sound of flesh torn apart by sword or claw; I can not tell who is winning, not by sound alone.
As the sound of battle continues to intensify, Naya eventually decides that subtlety is not needed anymore. A flame ignite along the edge of their scythe, illuminating our surroundings as they step up next to me. “Let’s see what’s going on. Maybe someone needs help.” They take the lead now, swiftly moving down the tunnel, thought still with a quiet grace, the only notice any potential enemy might have of our arrival is the light Naya carries now.
It doesn’t take long, just a few twists and turns as we follow the din of battle, until we come upon a large cavern steeped in an eerie purple glow, emanating from a whirl of energy in the air. The dampness is much stronger here, as is the barrier of our plane much weaker, though the focal point of that is the same as the source of the glow. Naya slows us, and we peek into the entrance; the shapes are hard to make out, the din of the cavern and our angle not allowing for a good line of sight. What I can make out, though, sends a shiver down my spine.
A giant snake like being, wielding an equally giant spear is fighting a creature that I have a hard time making out the shape of. All I can tell is that it has limbs beyond count, and uses them in a quick and lethal manner. It partially reminds me of my tails, though whatever this creature is, it is much more proficient with them than I am. Each attack is a barrage of stabs and slices, that its opponent just barely manages to deflect away from its vital parts. At least, I assume as much, considering the sound of flesh being torn apart, accompanied by its continue survival.
The snake, however, is far from defenseless. It lashes out with its spear in an equally quick and trained manner, each strike sending another limb flying, extracting its own blood toll. It’s a fight of attrition where the winner is far from determined yet.
Naya gives me a glance, and I can tell what their intent is. The many limbed creature feels wrong, like it is not supposed to be here. They intend to support the snake being in its fight against it, and questions its existence in our realm later. I give them a flicker of acknowledgement, and just as we are about to move out, Mia makes herself known again, though her voice is strained, pained almost. “You need to kill it. It shouldn’t be here. Ada, Naya… be safe. That thing is dangerous. I wish I could aid you, but I can’t.” There is another pain in those last words, one that speaks of loss. “Just, be safe. Please.”
I flicker another acknowledgement, one that I accompany with a wave of reassurance for Mia, reinforcing to her that I intend to live, to safe her still. Naya on their part doesn’t speak, just gives a nod before bracing their scythe and heading into the cavern. A last wave of emotions from Mia; of fear and concern, of encouragement and pride, flood me as I follow Naya into battle.
Our arrival into battle is met with two very different responses. The multi limbed creature almost immediately tries to skewer both of us, though Naya is quick to respond and cuts the offending appendages off, before they can reach us. The other greeting is a cheerful roar from the giant snake, which turns out to be a snake… woman? They have a humanoid upper body, though somewhat androgynous and the lower body of some kind of water serpent, covered in iridescent scales that even now shift between aquamarine and a royal purple. They deflect a strike from the other creature with a spear they hold in two of their four hands, before slithering back a little to create space.
They call out to us with a melodious voice, one that reminds me of ancient songs. “Strike the abominations heart! It’ll just regrow its limbs!” Naya who’s still on guard beside me looks in between them and the abomination, before giving a nod and dashing forwards. They reach the abomination just as it moves to strike at the serpent, who dodges it deftly as they retaliate with their own strike, one that doesn’t find much purchase, but is enough to let Naya strike true, tearing away several of the limbs the abomination uses to fight.
As the two of them distract it, I make my way around to its back, my tails fanning out behind me, poison slowly starting to congeal on the serrated edges at their tip. I do not know how much effect, if any, it’ll have on this creature, but it is better than nothing.
The other two stage another assault on the creature, allowing me to finally close the distance for a strike. Leaping off the ground towards it, I notice a few things. Some fleeting similarities to my own body, long limbs resembling my tails, shifting between a soft mass to a hardened edge at a moments’ notice. I do not have the time to consider that for long, as I get within striking range. Both my own and its; its limbs try to skewer me the moment I come within striking range. Something that is only barely avoided through the intervention of the serpent’s spear. They shout a warning at me, even as I arrest my momentum by fanning out my tails.
My attack was too obvious, so instead of retreating to try for it again, I stay within close quarters. The first moment, the time the abomination needs to recover still, is rather quiet, and allows me to skirt around its body, to try and find a weak spot.
There’s not much to find, as it seems more like a giant amalgam of limbs than anything else, though I do not get to fully finish my assessment either, as it quickly recovers and starts sending limbs at all three of us. I flex my legs to jump to the side, barely evading the first limb coming my way. A limb that easily cuts through the stone where I had stood just a moment earlier.
A shudder goes through me even as I try to capitalize on the exposed limb. One of my own tails lashes out and scores a deep cut across it. I do not sever it, as even now I can see the ones that were severed by Naya are regrowing at a rapid pace.
Naya though, and our new acquaintance, aren’t idle though, both of them slashing at the creature once more, extracting their own tithe of blood from it. “Where is its core?” Naya shouts, leaping back to avoid a strike at their head. A fight of attrition does not seem to be in our favor, especially as we do not know how long it has already been going on.
The serpent deflects another set of strikes before replying, their voice carrying the same melodious tone as before. “Behind the tentacles, in a thick carapace. We’ll have to cut through to it first, before we can take it out.” They follow up with a few quick slashes, each severing another tentacle. They are regrowing still, but I can’t tell whether the regrowth is keeping pace with the damage we are doing.
Leaping to the side once more I dodge another set of strikes, these coming even closer to hitting me than before. Though I do get away unharmed, at the cost of losing track of the poisoned limb. An issue that is quickly remedied by my tails lashing out once more, each striking into another tentacle, causing a new wound infected with my poison. I’ve not had many opportunities to try it yet, though even if it doesn’t do much, as long as it slows down the limbs' regeneration I will take it as a victory.
Moving back a little I avoid a swipe of one of the tentacles, though even before I come to a stand still, I realize that it wasn’t meant for me. Instead, it strikes into the side of the serpent, sending them sprawling to the floor and drawing a little blood from beneath their scales. Though a moment later they’re already slithering across the floor once more, coiling their body for another quick exchange of blows.
An exchange that doesn’t come as Naya crashes down into the abomination from above, scythe piercing into its body; sending it reeling as it tries to get away. Even as it shakes off Naya, its black blood begins to stain the ground; this wound doesn’t heal, and the cause becomes obvious rather quickly, as black veins are covering most of the now exposed core of the being.
The serpent gives another shout as they dash forwards; their spear moving at a blinding speed to deflect several incoming tentacles. I quickly follow in their wake, my own tail striking at any appendage within range, injecting more and more poison into the abominations body. Even as we close in, the slight trails of black in its veins travel closer to its core. Each of my strikes hampers its healing and keeps the weakspot open for longer.
Naya on their part has circled around to the side of the abomination, forcing it into a corner eventually, as all three of us get into striking range at almost the same time. Deflecting the remaining tentacles takes up all of my energy even as Naya and the serpent both lash out with their respective weapons, piercing the exposed spot; rending through into its core. The tentacles’ assault continues for a tense moment, even as the main body hits the floor, though it quickly becomes less intense as its direction is lost. Until finally even the last tentacle falls to the floor, lifeless.
