Chapter 4.1 (10)

Gregor: Arghghrgh!!

Gregor thrust his glaive forwards, into the creature's face.

Gregor's glaive strike catches the creature directly in the mouth. Blood spurts from what was once is its nose, and teeth fall from its face.

Ashe: Uhg!

It mumbles something to itself, gripping at its horrible twisted flesh.

Creature: I.. ah, owah, ah!

It stands up, hefting its drum up on its back.

Creature: I, I came here to this island a pitiful adventurer I intend to leave it..I intend to leave it a prophet.

It swings its drum down at Gregor. The creature cleaves the air above Gregor's head, missing, crying and bleeding everywhere.

Ashe brandishing her blade, attempts to cleave one of its legs apart, in an attempt to render it slightly less mobile.

Ashe slices through the creature's leg like it was made out of paper mâché. She has no idea what this soft tissue is, but it certainly isn't flesh. It's far too.. gentle.]

Ashe: Uh!

The creature lets out a howl.

Markus remembering his recently fallen comrade, will pause in a brief moment of silence, and then snap his fingers.

[fingers snapping] [crackling]

A new imp rising from the chaotic depths below us.

Markus whispers something into its ear, drop it and punt it ever so slightly in the direction of the strange creature.

Marcus's foot connects with something hard and heavy. It's the head of the priest.

Ashe: [laughing]

Markus: I'm... oh no.

Chaotic energy ripples from Marcus's boot tips. Spiraling through the air the priest's head-

Ashe: Hh!

whizzes over Ashe and Gregor.

Ashe: Oh.. Markus!

Markus raises his arms.

Ashe: Why would you do that?!

Markus: Uh.. all according to plan, all according to plan!

Alex standing beside Marcus pats him on the shoulder before firing a crossbow bolt into the creature piercing the creatures arm

The head Marcus turned into a magical projectile rolls off into the distance.

[Ashe shudders]

Gregor: I trust you.

Alex: better luck next time

Ashe: I trust you slightly less.

Gregor: Since these attacks don't seem to be doing much, I'm gonna jump back and take a long hard look at this creature's life choices.

Gregor assumes the stance of clarity which lets me read its life history.

Gregor suddenly empathetically understand the sad tale of a man who wanted to be an adventurer, came to this island. The proudest moment of his life was when he struck down the pig bat king and won the drum of the destroyer. What's happened to him in the meantime Only his twisted god knows.

Gregor: This guy used to be human.

Ashe: I gathered as much.

Alex: I assumed he was

Markus: No way!

Gregor: Yeah, well..

Gregor charges forward, glaive in hand, thrusting with great vigor. He smashes into the creature and tries to push it over a nearby bench.

Gregor's stab pierces the creature's chest. It stumbles backwards.

Creature: I.. ah. Why?

It spills over, drum rolling across the ground.

Gregor perch atop the bench and point down.

Gregor: You're a Monster!

Creature: I.. uh.. [cough]

It turns over onto its back

Ashe eyes the creature warily.

Ashe: Is it... dead?

Gregor: Yep.

Ashe: That was really disappointing.

Markus: Are you sure? Is uh.. is this thing.. it's just dead? Is there blood?

Black blood oozes from the creature's wounds.

Markus: Mmm, stand back for a moment, Gregor.

AsMarkus is doing that, Ashe goes and retrieves the drum.

Markus: Ah, just to be safe.. why don't we uh, hit it while it's down, so to speak?

Markus raises both of his hands into the air, congealing a ball of black energy out of the ether, and brings it slamming down onto this creature.

[crackling] [splat]

it detonates in a violent shower of blood and bone.

Ashe: Uh! Uhhh..

Ashe feels a tidal wave of goop wash against her back as she's walking towards the drum. Ashe slowly turns around and locks eyes with Markus. She doesn't say a word.

Markus winks at Ashe

Ashe: Hhh..

Gregor: I told you it was dead.

Ashe, hefting up the drum, you notice some of the bits the creature collected oozing out of the end.

Ashe: Uh, ooh. Gosh..

Gregor: Ashe, stop playing around with the goop.

Ashe shakes the remaining bits out of the drum.

It all slops to the floor, pooling and congealing.

slurping and squishing noise begins to come from the goop Ashe poured out

Ashe: Oh, umm.. Markus?

Alexander: Ashe get back now!

Markus clears his throat.

Markus raises his hands flourishing his hands to the sky, conjuring up another chaotic ball of strange ethereal energy.

Ashe and Alex sprints for the podium where the giant skeleton once stood

Markus slam-dunks the ball of energy into the ground, but not before shielding his face with magic.

[squishing]

Marcus's magic digs into the flesh. What normally erases, simply pools..adding pattern to the bits of goop. Quickly the flesh expands outwards and upwards.

Ashe Looking out from behind the plinth, stares at the horrid, horrid amalgam of flesh, blood, fat and gristle.

Ashe: Uhhh! O-oh, no..

It continues to take shape, approaching that of a large humanoid.

Ashe: Um, maybe get at that? Get at that before it finishes pooling together!

A cry resounds from the new monster's throat.

Monster: Thaddius, you wake me too early! Your overeagerness has brought about this imperfect form. What am I composed of? Such cheap material!

It takes a look at its own skin.

Monster: Th-Thaddius? Where's Thaddius? ...Is that-?

The monster looks over at the pool of black blood on the ground.

Monster: That uh...That Thaddius over there?

Ashe: I believe that..

Markus: I can't say that I knew his name.

Monster: And there? And there?

Markus: And a little bit all over me, yes.

the creature hunches over.

Monster: My disciple, though I may have been cruel to you, I can at least avenge your death.

It raises its arms.

Markus: Now hold on, instead how would you like to-

The creature slams into Marcus with one of its large bladed arms.