Chapter 2.3 (8)

The party begins to hear a bizarre slurping sounds, followed by cracking noises. A creature sits its back to you, clearly doing... something hidden from sight

*snap crackle pop*

Gregor: Guys... I'm like...seventy-five percent sure that isn't a sheep.

Ashe: I'll add fifteen to that seventy-five

Gregor: Markus? What's your input?

Markus: That is not a sheep.

Alexander: I think it could pass as sheepish

Markus: Not even a little bit. I don't even know why we're having this conversation.

Gregor: You're right! This demands ACTION!

Gregor begins to try and maneuver around the creature to get a peek as to what creature this might be

Ashe unsheathes her blade, just kind of nods to Markus and Alex, letting them know that this is what's up.

Markus begins to waggles his fingers elusively

Markus Makes a sound effect that sounds like "shoom"

Ashe kind of like...raise an eyebrow at him.

Ashe: What are you doing?

Markus just winks at Ashe

Markus: It's all in the fingers.

Ashe ignores him and turns back to the monster.

Gregor from his vantage point notices the monster is hunched over what appears to be a... log. Or some long, cylindrical wooden object

The creature has gathered up what appears to be bits of gross people insides, and is lifting them up and shoving them in with the palm of his hand into the log. He shakes it, allowing the bits to fall to the bottom, the party can all hear a low hum resounding in the cave.

Ripping sound followed by a Gross squishy sound can be heard from the creature's direction

Ashe: *Hushed* What do you see?

Monster: *Humming*

The sound of bones snapping is beards as he hums and stuffs the drum full of people parts

Monster: *Humming*

More gross sounds resound in the cave

Monster: *humming*

Alex remembering the situation he is in pulls out a crossbow from nowhere at least to the others perspective he pulled it from nowhere

Monster: *humming*

Gregor: I think... he's making some sort of smoothie.

Monster: *humming*

Ashe: *hushed* He's WHAT?!

Monster: *humming*

Ashe: *Looks around at the dead bodies* He's WHAT!?

As we all begin to quietly examine each body we notice that each one is missing part of it's abdominal section it's has been clearly been pulled out by oversized hands, all that remains is bone of the body's abdominal section

Markus: Ew...

Ashe: Okay. Gregor: Yeah, see...all of these people are dead...

Markus: YOU DON'T SAY?!

Ashe: MARKUS.

The creature twirls around!

Laughter begins to resound from Marcus

Ashe: MARCUS YOU IDIOT!

Markus Shrugs and enters his battle stance

Gregor : ???

Gregor: W-we don't want any of your smoothie!

Markus: Have at you!

The creature tips it's head back and forth hefts the log unto it's shoulders and assumes a low stance

Ashe: Shhhit.

In a moment, the creature's form blurs, then appears before Gregor , grabbing Gregor right in the gut

???: Hmm, interesting! A good stomach! This would be perfect for my drum!

Markus: Wha?

Ashe: *Makes a panicked noise*

Gregor: You can't HAVE THAT!

He gives Gregor a squeeze

Ashe Sounds grossed out and panicked

Gregor: Wha, who is he squeezing right now?

Everyone: YOOU!!!

Gregor: Oh ho!!

Ashe: Who do you think?!

Everyone begin looking at each other horrified.

Gregor: You're making such noises...

Ashe grabs Gregor on the back and runs magic through him, trying to enforce the skin around his stomach.

Ashe: *Steps behind Gregor putting both hands on his back and says* Brace yourself!

A shock runs through Gregor's body as a greenish light snakes it's way around his torso.

Gregor: WAAGH!

The sound of electricity resounds from Gregor as Ashe begins to use her totally not magic magic reinforces Gregor

Gregor flexes his new hard as steel abs, which were pretty hard before, but now they're actually become hard as steel.

Ashe: So, you might wanna... you know. REMOVE YOURSELF FROM HIM!?

Gregor: I'll do better than that!

Ashe: IT? THAT?

Gregor: I'll remove it, from me!

Ashe: SAME THING!

Gregor smacks the creature with his glaive...and winds up...just, getting even closer to this monster. Gregor's skin is pressed up against it's clammy flesh.

Marcus clears his throat...cracks his knuckles...and a burst of dark flame erupts out of one of his sleeves, whirling chaotically around one of his hands.

Marcus: LET GO OF MY CLIENT.

Markus slings the dark flaming spell headlong at the creature's face.

The creature is forced to evade, diving backwards cloak trailing behind it, the blast travels past him, ricocheting off the wall and flying into one of the corpses, DETONATING it and sending blood and bits everywhere!

*Really gross meaty sound*

Alex is shielded by Marcus, Marcus is shielded by Ashe and Gregor, Ashe is shielded by Gregor, and Gregor wished he had a shield.

Ashe: Thanks for taking one for the team Gregor.

Gregor: Anytime!

The creature reassumes it's stance and resumes its goals

???: Ah, you seem rather attached to your guts! The-the-he these others they just popped right out! Why, can I -- if if I might ask, why? why are you so... protective? I just wanna fit them into my drum!

Gregor: I think that they were attached to their guts too...

Ashe: We need our guts to live.

???: I need your guts to play fantastic music!

Ashe: You need OUR guts specifically!?

???: Oh, uh, no! You two, you and the horned man, no, you won't do at all! your guts are far too POLLUTED!

Ashe glances at Marcus

Marcus looks down at his belly and frowns

???: What I'm looking for is... PURE bodies. Like his! And possibly his

It motions towards first Gregor then Alexander

Ashe: So...

Gregor Flexes again

Ashe: ...putting aside the fact you just called me UNPURE, Wha?! What!? WHAT?!

The creature swings it's drum off of it's arm and slams it into the ground.

???: Here I'll show you! I'll give you a little taste!

Markus and Alex plug their ears one knowing what will happen the other having enough knowledge understand that that 'instrument' is simply put bad news

the creature slaps its drum lightly with one hand as he strikes the drum sickly rumble resounds through the two that hadn't covered their ears and the two that did feel slightly off even though they had covered themselves in advance

Ashe : Gregor don't let him do that, GREGOR DON'T LET HIM DO THAT!

Gregor : You want my guts? You're going to get'um! But not in the way you expect! Cus' guts as in bravery!

Gregor charges forth.Racing forward, he aims for it's o-so-precious drum.

Gregor : I will take away from you, what you tried to take away from me, in a way. IT'S A METAPHOR!

Ashe Looks to Markus

Ashe : He's awfully fond of those metaphors...

Markus Shakes his head wildly and mouths some incoherent words.

Ashe nods.

Gregor strike the side of the drum, a shockwave spreads through the ground it's sickening, Gregor feels his skin crawl and his muscles slither away from the vibrations that the drum released into him, the other only feeling their skin crawl and sickly from its melody

Gregor : Gah-ohh...

Ashe : Ahaagh...

Gregor : Okay...

Gregor : I admit it, it was a bad idea to hit the drum with a really big stick...

The bodies behind you, begin to move from the ground as if compelled they rise, what remains of their their torn flesh twisting,ripped muscles slithering around the reforming body, and broken bones snapping back into place as best it can the reanimated bodies which are slowly knitting themselves into a roughly human shape turn towards the group

Markus's hands fall from his ears and he takes a step backward.

All but Gregor begin to move backwards

you feel the pulse travel though you, as more beating resounds it connects, somewhere in your body, and you feel a clash of sorts suddenly the taste of metal assails your mouth, the single note travels though you, though you feel no worse for wear.

Gregor however, his hands shake, he can no longer hold his glaive correctly, he feels a compulsion to pick up your blade and turn it on your friends.

The reanimated bodies behind the beast continue to dance, moving forwards

Gregor Scrambles with his weapon

Gregor : Uh uh oh it's like there's butter... everywhere. Oh go-- I can't -- I can't hold it up -- I can't. Guys. I... um...Can someone pick this up!?

Ashe Coughs, then grabs Gregor's weapon

Ashe: Get yourself together!

Ashe smacks him across the back of the head...as she smacks him in the head she runs a guidance through him. The sound of electricity resounds once more

Gregor : Ow. Where did the butter go?!

Ashe thrusts the glaive back at him again.

Ashe : Look. You're the ram, in this little group we got going on, you're the bulkhead. Whatever we're going against is going to be slamming against you first. Lot of responsibility, sure, this isn't the time to be talking about this, you get the jist of it. Stand in front of us.

Gregor : On it!

Everyone but Gregor take a step back

Gregor : Whe...Where-- where you guys going?! Gregor turns around and watches them.

Ashe : Stand. In front of us.You'll be fine!

Gregor : I mean, I don't doubt that... Buut...

Ashe : Markus you got any plans?

Markus : Gregor! Prepare yourself!

Markus casts enlarge person

Gregor : OH WHAT'S HAPPENIIIING!? *inflatable Gregor activates*

Gregor quickly inflates, slamming his head on the roof of the cave the creature quickly recoils

???: Magic? Oh, oh god, for-- oh I knew -- I knew your guts smelled... HORRIBLE but magic? TOO NASTY!

Gregor : *Deeper voice than usual* Did you use magic on me?

Markus : Yes.

Gregor : Whyyyyy?

Markus : Because I could.

Ashe : Listen. Guys. Not the time to discuss, uhh, violations of personal space. I think now is the time to discuss the fact that dead bodies are about to rip us apart...That, that sound alright with everybody?

Alex: I'm more curious if they can be considered dead or not anymore though

Markus : Oop, they are--

Ashe: How does that sound?

Markus: They are getting close to a startling range...

Ashe : How about... How about... Uhhhhhhhh.

The creature, the creature twists around

???: Argh, magic! Smells! SO BADLY!!

He slams his drum again, Marcus and Ashe are overwhelmed for a moment, Markus and Ashe you suspect he can a at least somewhat control the effect of the drums sounds

Markus and Ashe are brought down to their knees by the sickening feeling that spreads through their bodies, they feel nasty, like they're going to throw up

Markus: *Coughs*

Gregor drops to his knees, as if compelled, the creature sprints past the party, mumbling something about the smell

Alex fires a slimy crossbow bolt hitting it in the leg hopefully slowing it down

Markus: Ugh!

???: RAAAAH IMPURE!

It lets out a cry of pain and once more yells about the smell that Marcus's magic is causing

Gregor: Waaaait! Come baaaack!

Markus gets to his feet, belching a small gout of smoke.

Ashe clears her throat and spits onto the ground.

Gregor turns with the rest of the corpses, towards you.

Alexander, Markus, and Ashe agree to RUN.

Markus: Gregor.

Ashe: RUN!

Gregor: Hey.

Ashe: Run!

Gregor: Guys!

Markus: THERE'S NO TIME! Gregor: Waaaaait!

Ashe: How long does that last? Markus? I don't think he's going to fit through the entrance.

Markus: It really depends, I can...

Gregor: MY SKIN!

Markus: You'll be fine buddy.

Ashe: Can you turn it off?!

Markus: Uuuuuhhhhhhhhh. Maybe but it'd have to concentrate and running away right now.

Alex: it should wear off with time spells like this one are not the most long lasting

Ashe: That's fair.

As you run, you notice Gregor's glaive sweeping back and forth, uh, in your general direction

Markus: Uuaaahh! RUN FASTER!

Ashe: AAHHH!!

Gregor: You made me BIIG!

Gregor: I prefer to be small!

Ashe: Agh...

As they're running out, Ashe pays no heed to Gregor's constant whining...

Ashe turns to Markus, as they're running, and trying to keep her breath, say,

Ashe: So, you got any ideas as to what we're gonna do with-- We kind of released the monster onto the WORLD?! Wha--

Markus: Wait!

Gregor: I'm not a monster!!

Markus: Not you Gregor...

Gregor: I have feelings!!

Gregor: YOU MADE ME LIKE THIS!

Ashe: SHUT YOURSELF!

Gregor: THIS IS THE METAPHOR!

Ashe: Shut.

Markus: I really--

Ashe: Shut!

Markus: I really have no idea Ashe I think we should just-- think we should just chase after it and try and stop it from killing as mn-- many people as we can!!

TO BE CONTINUED