To Scorn the Gods- Episode 11-2: To Live, To Break

(9:46:14 PM) Minas: ...Minas continues to lead the party through the darkness. The group stops periodically to avoid a few demons, or slay some minor ones... Maybe they can talk along the journey.
(9:46:29 PM) Aelitethe: Aelitethe sighs.
(9:47:00 PM) Aelitethe: "...What do you do as a hobby?" Aelitethe asks towards Minas.
(9:47:52 PM) Ulyssa: Maybe Ulyssa can finally get one--nope, Kineth trashed them again. Aeiou. Her guard is still as up as ever, though her excitement has dulled slightly.
(9:48:31 PM) Minas: "Eh? Well, I guess you could call me a tinker. I'm a smith, but I like working with smaller parts, and magic. Still haven't made anything to match this rifle."
(9:49:06 PM) Artemis-XE: "...How come?"
(9:49:22 PM) Aelitethe: Aelitethe nods. "That's nice." she simply responds, smiling. She still feels bitter about what happened earlier, but she doesn't want to make a scene. She eyes Ulyssa and idly moves over to pet her shoulder.
(9:50:10 PM) Minas: "How come what? M' da' made the rifle, not me. I'm not near so good as him yet."
(9:51:10 PM) Artemis-XE: "Ah... perhaps with enough time, you'll get there."
(9:52:03 PM) Ulyssa: Ulyssa's guard is up, but she can certainly take a glance at Aelitethe for a few moments, before returning to ever-watchful mode.
(9:52:30 PM) Aelitethe: Aelitethe's faint smile fades slightly as she sighs dejectedly, continuing to follow with the rest of the entourage. "..."
(9:55:46 PM) Kineth: Kineth... would go to pat Ulyssa's other shoulder, somewhat apologetically, then glances at Aeli for a moment, a slight tinge of worry on his face, before looking over to Minas. "I see. I'm sure you'll manage to get there eventually. Myself... I haven't really made anything particularly special yet. Maybe someday. Maybe."
(9:57:13 PM) Aelitethe: Those of more adept hearing will begin to notice barely audible murmurs of "So, is this what despair feels like?" coming from Aelitethe.
(9:58:48 PM) Artemis-XE: Artemis also moves to put a hand on Aeli's shoulder. He whispers. "I understand how you feel... well, no, not entirely. But i can try. Anyway, just.. know that we don't think you're useless in the slightest. We're here for you."
(9:59:16 PM) Aelitethe: Clasping her staff tightly, she sighs. "Tell that to mister berserker over there."
(9:59:21 PM) Minas: Minas looks toward Aelitethe. "Lass, you'll have to speak up if something's wrong."
(9:59:45 PM) Aelitethe: "He could not have done that stunt earlier without my assistance, which was quite obviously overlooked thanks to shock."
(10:00:39 PM) Ulyssa: Ulyssa takes a glance at Kineth...and returns to watching. She also heard the murmur, but there's no signs of it. She does manage a slightly big confirmation nod for Aelitethe, though!
(10:01:04 PM) Artemis-XE: "...And mine too, the first time. Really, we're in this as a team." Still whispering.
(10:01:42 PM) Aelitethe: Aelitethe shrugs. They didn't get it. "..."
(10:02:21 PM) Aelitethe: "...Just holler if you need me to play Nurse again."
(10:04:10 PM) Artemis-XE: Art suddenly feels like the air around him is starting to squeeze him a bit. Could he have said something wrong...?
(10:04:13 PM) Minas: "Oh, sorry lass... Forgot about it entirely. Thought less about it since I know the spell and that even with it what he did was too much. You did good!"
(10:04:50 PM) Minas: Belle nuzzles against Aelitethe's hand, whining
(10:05:45 PM) Aelitethe: Aelitethe nods and ruffles Belle tenderly. "...It's not like I can do anything else."
(10:05:50 PM) Aelitethe: "
(10:06:04 PM) Aelitethe: "Can't shoot a firearm, can't hit stuff to save my life... You learn to make do with what you have."
(10:08:34 PM) Minas: "Hey, magic's nothin' to sneeze at either. More you learn, better you get at it. If you ever wanna learn how to fire though, I can teach you. Not like your hands are deformed or anythin' "
(10:09:19 PM) Aelitethe: "..." Aelitethe nods silently.
(10:13:02 PM) Aelitethe: She idly starts to hum http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4rTqdW-dp8 as she walks.
(10:18:57 PM) Kineth: Kineth is... actually thinking to himself. He had heard the murmuring but wasn't going to exactly say anything until later. But now... he kinda feels like he has to say something, but... He's not really sure how to word it out. Though he decides to try and speak up, regardless. "...My apologies. It was rather rude of me to disregard your help like that." He says, his head drooping ever
(10:18:57 PM) Kineth: so slightly.
(10:20:08 PM) Aelitethe: "...It's okay."
(10:23:01 PM) Kineth: "...Still doesn't mean I'm not going to apologize, regardless."
(10:24:36 PM) Aelitethe: Aelitethe shrugs.
(10:25:04 PM) Aelitethe: "... Far."
(10:27:56 PM) Aelitethe: "... This is a long tunnel, isn't it?"
(10:28:16 PM) Kineth: "It really is, now that you mention it."
(10:31:12 PM) Minas: "It is. We've been able to avoid the demon commanders, at least
(10:31:15 PM) Minas: "
(10:31:51 PM) XephyrEnigma [~MobileXep@Rizon-76C5DD72.cpe.net.cable.rogers.com] entered the room.
(10:31:52 PM) Artemis-XE left the room (quit: Read error: Connection reset by peer).
(10:32:01 PM) Ulyssa: ...This better not be some demon trick. After all, even though it's pretty dark, she'd like to actually do things like realize they're going nowhere. It'd, you know, help. Minas gets no reaction from Ulyssa, who's imagining Kineth tearing down the commander AND his minions in one go.
(10:32:07 PM) XephyrEnigma is now known as Artemis-XE
(10:38:26 PM) Aelitethe: "...How long does it usually take for people to get through this place?"
(10:41:55 PM) Aelitethe: "Well... Hopefully we'll make it there without much incident, eh?"
(10:42:26 PM) Ulyssa: Ulyssa shivers slightly at some, unexplained idea.
(10:42:30 PM) Artemis-XE: "Hopefully."
(10:43:16 PM) Ulyssa: In fact, it's several things. Not like she can actually explain them until she's out of the woods, though!
(10:44:00 PM) Kineth: "That would be rather nice, yes."
(10:44:29 PM) Aelitethe: "Yeah..."
(10:47:23 PM) Minas: "Oh, it's going to take days to get to gnometown. Should only be another hour or two before we get out of the thick of demon territory. I've studied them a good bit, so I've planned the routes they don't guard much."
(10:48:02 PM) Artemis-XE: "Days, huh. Must be a hell of a tunnel network."
(10:48:27 PM) Ulyssa: An absent-minded nod from Ulyssa!
(10:49:13 PM) Kineth: Kineth also nods. "At least it'll be a relatively smooth journey after the next couple of hours."
(10:49:18 PM) Minas: "Oh, there are tunnels all across the continent. Even our records don't say when some of them were made. Some of 'em actually go to the northern continent too."
(10:50:35 PM) Aelitethe: "So, a network?"
(10:50:49 PM) Artemis-XE: "Sounds like it."
(10:53:13 PM) Aelitethe: "Interesting..."
(10:58:15 PM) Aelitethe: "...Hmm..."
(10:58:40 PM) Artemis-XE: "What are you thinking?"
(10:59:52 PM) Ulyssa: ...And at once, for some completely unspecified reason, it seems that Ulyssa isn't paying as much heeding to her surroundings as before. Hm.
(11:00:46 PM) Aelitethe: "...Just wondering about something"
(11:04:52 PM) Ulyssa: In fact, she's probably looking down more than she's looking ahead. Ho hum.
(11:07:01 PM) Aelitethe: "Something wrong, Ulyssa?"
(11:07:26 PM) Kineth: Kineth looks at Ulyssa, curious as to what's on her mind. "I was wondering that as well, actually. Something the matter?"
(11:08:19 PM) Artemis-XE: "If something's bothering you, it might help if you talk about it."
(11:09:23 PM) Aelitethe: "...Uh, Arty?"
(11:09:35 PM) Artemis-XE: "Yes?"
(11:09:38 PM) Ulyssa: ABOUT THAT, ARTY. YEAH. ABOUT THAT. YEAH.
(11:09:40 PM) Aelitethe: Aelitethe pets Ulyssa. "Remember who you're talking to here."
(11:10:18 PM) Artemis-XE: "(Retcon. Now.)
(11:12:54 PM) Ulyssa: Retcon or no retcon, Ulyssa nods in the negative for both Aelitethe and Kineth, and starts paying attention again. Only the nod was barely one at all and the attention seems more like an act than actually doing so. There is clearly a problem here!
(11:15:18 PM) Aelitethe: "...You're lying."
(11:16:14 PM) Artemis-XE: "The look on your face says it all. Something in there is bugging you."
(11:18:59 PM) Hebizuka left the room (quit: ).
(11:21:28 PM) Ulyssa: Damned right she is. The accusation naturally takes her by surprise, Artemis's followup only goes to show that she's really bad at hiding these things. As such, her look is replaced with a look of intense worry, with a small dose of 'might possibly be crazy'. Her pace quickens, but she has enough sense to not take the lead in a place she doesn't recognize.
(11:22:40 PM) Aelitethe: "You should inform us about it if you're ever so inclined to share. But I won't push it if you don't want to write it out."
(11:22:49 PM) Minas: "...We'll stop once we're in safer territory, and the lass can write down what she's thinking about. It's best not to stop for long here."
(11:23:05 PM) Kineth: Kineth lets out a slight sigh, gently patting Ulyssa on the shoulder. "It's alright if you don't want to tell us now. Besides... Minas does bring up a good point."
(11:23:07 PM) Artemis-XE: "What Aeli said."
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(11:28:45 PM) Ulyssa: A nod in agreement with Minas, and a nod to the other two as well. Her pace is still quickened however, and not much has changed! Perhaps it might change when they're in safer territory, but perhaps it won't. Who knows?
(11:29:15 PM) SU_Tempest [mzw@Rizon-1AD21269.w92-135.abo.wanadoo.fr] entered the room.
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(11:41:32 PM) Aelitethe: "..."
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(11:47:30 PM) Minas: Eventually, Minas stops the group, and whispers. "Big ones up ahead... No other routes. Think they're guarding the portal. Hadn't expected a hamatula..."
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(11:48:05 PM) Aelitethe: "Eh? What?"
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(11:48:57 PM) Kineth: Kineth blinks, curious.
(11:49:14 PM) Minas: "You'd all better get ready to fight, because this is a bigger one than I've heard being around for months."
(11:49:25 PM) Aelitethe: "A Hamatula..."
(11:49:59 PM) Artemis-XE: Artemis assumes a battle stance. "...Anything in particular we should know about these?"
(11:51:02 PM) Ulyssa: Ulyssa draws her blades after a pause. May she finally get some blows?
(11:51:18 PM) Kineth: Kineth readies his greatsword, nodding.
(11:51:46 PM) Minas: "You hit it, you probably hit yourself on its spikes. Think like a walking cactus but fifty times spikier. Don't let it grab you."
(11:52:21 PM) Minas: ...Cactus? You've only barely heard of those things. That's a plant in dry areas of the western wildlands, right?
(11:52:34 PM) Aelitethe: "A cactus."
(11:53:12 PM) Artemis-XE: "A walking cactus."
(11:53:21 PM) Kineth: "...Anything else?"
(11:53:58 PM) Minas: "...Try not to let it hit you because it'll probably make you run screaming."
(11:54:05 PM) Minas: "If it doesn't just impale you."
(11:54:18 PM) Ulyssa: ...Lovely. Whatever a cactus is, it's a lot spikier than one. Meaning she'll have trouble hitting it without  it hurting her. Now, is that perfect or bad? She doesn't seem spooked either way!
(11:54:37 PM) Artemis-XE: "Well, thats just wonderful. Isnt it?"
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(12:13:21 AM) Minas: "Oh, there's also some bony bastards that'll poison you. Try not to let them sting you. Makes your body feel heavy."
(12:13:30 AM) Aelitethe: "Osyluths?"
(12:13:37 AM) Minas: "Yeah, those."
(12:15:09 AM) Minas: In the meantime, Belle swigs one of her Magic Fang potions, and uses her wand on everyone. Everyone has a nice shimmer-y barrier around them!
(12:16:46 AM) Minas: Belle also drinks a potion of Bull's Strength
(12:17:21 AM) Kineth: Kineth follows Belle's cue, also drinking a potion of Bull's Strength
(12:17:28 AM) Minas: ...Saken drinks something of his own, and he looks a little weaker... Yet, a little more sure of himself too.
(12:17:36 AM) ***Aelitethe idly flips through her spellbook real quick.
(12:18:26 AM) Ulyssa: Ulyssa's body is ready already! As ready as she believes she needs it, apparently!
(12:21:53 AM) Kineth: Kineth then goes to ingest something of his own as well, a bit of a wild look showing in his eyes, though... he certainly feels much more hardy.
(12:22:07 AM) Minas: Then Saken drinks yet another potion... One of his extracts, it seems
(12:22:25 AM) Minas: You can't really tell what it did though
(12:22:38 AM) Minas: "You all ready?" Minas asks. "It's gonna get nasty."
(12:23:22 AM) Artemis-XE: "I'm as ready as i'll ever be."
(12:23:28 AM) Aelitethe: "..."
(12:24:05 AM) Ulyssa: Nod nod!
(12:24:42 AM) Kineth: Kineth simply nods.
(12:25:59 AM) Minas: "Let's go." Minas leads the party forward, and then tosses another one of his flare bottles into the darkness. It reveals a number of hideous, twisted looking creatures! Two of them resemble scorpions, at least in their barbed tail, but also look very skeletal... Another looks covered in wicked spikes. Minas wasn't kidding when he said it would impale you.
(12:26:04 AM) Minas: The rest are just bearded devils
(12:29:16 AM) Minas: ...They stand in front of a vaguely shimmering portal
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(12:33:29 AM) Ulyssa: ...? ...Well, all the better to kill them, then! INVESTIGATION! Or something!
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(12:35:44 AM) Minas: Saken chants, and tosses a ray of enfeeblement at the hamatula! It... Looks mildly displeased
(12:39:45 AM) Minas: Minas shoots it with a magic charged bullet, rendering it even more displeased!
(12:42:02 AM) Minas: Now Ulyssa thinks it's her turn! She doesn't think she can get past the barbazus yet though
(12:43:35 AM) Ulyssa: She sure hopes so! In any case, she takes out her recent stress by going all out on the one that seems to be the most in the way!
(12:44:08 AM) Ulyssa: Perhaps she might actually hit it once or twice!
(12:45:23 AM) Minas: (12:45:06 AM) DiceMaid-9001: cutlass: 19 [1d20=5]; shortsword: 33 [1d20=20]
(12:45:23 AM) Minas: (12:45:12 AM) SeianVerian: 1d20+13 CONFIRM
(12:45:23 AM) Minas: (12:45:13 AM) DiceMaid-9001: CONFIRM: 23 [1d20=10]
(12:45:28 AM) Minas: ...That cutlass hits, by the way
(12:45:46 AM) Kineth: So is that a hit and crit or two hits
(12:46:23 AM) Ulyssa: So's it dead? :V
(12:46:38 AM) Minas: Hit and crit
(12:46:38 AM) Ulyssa: Oh. Oh wait. This is IC.
(12:46:47 AM) Minas: (...FUCKIGNFHGUFIGF)
(12:47:11 AM) Kineth: (...ahahahahaha FUCK))
(12:47:59 AM) Minas: ...Twice. Very twice. Unless you count two swords cutting the enemy clean in half as only once, which might be  valid
(12:48:33 AM) Minas: Artemis! Think you can match that?
(12:49:15 AM) Ulyssa: Snip! But this...is not enough! She looks at the next one, her expression leaning psychotic.
(12:50:44 AM) Artemis-XE: Maybe he cant match it. But he can damn well try! He lunges at a Barbazu with his sword, attempting to skewer it.
(12:51:52 AM) Minas: He stabs at the creature's shoulder, though the wound doesn't go deep
(12:58:02 AM) Minas: ...Fortunately, Belle is right there to follow up! You aren't even sure HOW she does it, and you're not sure you want to know, but that Barbazu is in shreds within seconds.
(12:58:38 AM) Artemis-XE: "...Nice save."
(12:58:42 AM) Minas: Aelitethe must be happy to have such a wonderful murderpuppy for a bodyguard! But she doesn't want to just sit around, does she?
(1:00:26 AM) Aelitethe: Aelitethe whips up another spell of celerity and makes Ulyssa the target of her buffings.
(1:06:04 AM) Hebizuka [mzw@Rizon-1AD21269.w92-135.abo.wanadoo.fr] entered the room.
(1:06:20 AM) Minas: And now, Kineth has his chance!
(1:07:38 AM) Ulyssa: Ulyssa feels faster! Her attention is still fully set on the next targets, though. Did she notice? Who knows! She's incredibly into this, so one can't blame her either way. Wee~
(1:10:20 AM) Kineth: Kineth takes a deep breath, slowly getting into stance, taking a moment to take a small, slow breath... before he suddenly BOLTS into the fray, letting out an ear-splitting roar as he moves to viciously tear apart the three remaining Barabazus and rip into the two Osyluths!
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(1:28:45 AM) Minas: The barbazus are simply torn apart as Kineth charges through them with neither mercy nor pause. Without even pausing, he plunges his blade through the first Osyluth's abdomen, withdrawing it in an instant before spinning and unleashing a flurry of blows upon the other.
(1:28:59 AM) Minas: Both are hurting a lot now, especially the second
(1:34:20 AM) Kineth: Kineth grins as he tears through the Barbazus as if they never really existed, before tearing into the Osyluths, grunting as he tears into them with great force, that grin still on his face as he stares them down. Looks like these ones aren't so fragile...
(1:36:09 AM) Minas: Saken pauses for a moment, before he chants again, aiming a ray at the first Osyluth!
(1:36:23 AM) Minas: The Osyluth doesn't exactly seem happy about it
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(1:47:13 AM) Minas: The hamatula fixes its terrible gaze upon Kineth, rage in its eyes. It scratches at Kineth with its claws. A swish through the air as Kineth dodges the first claw, a moment of pain as the second bites into his flesh. The hamatula then pulls Kineth in, the spikes upon its body piercing Kineth terribly. Fear threatens to overwhelm his rage, but he fights it off...
(1:50:44 AM) Kineth: Kineth winces as the Hamatula scratches and grabs him, letting out a snarl in between gritted teeth as he waits for the right moment to try and break free of the fiend's grasp...
(1:51:59 AM) Minas: Minas chants, charging his gun with energy, and with a crack of thunder, it's as if lightning streaks through the tunnel, striking the hamatula right in the middle of the head. Black blood can be seen leaking from it, but it's still going strong...
(1:52:02 AM) Minas: *hamatula
(1:53:25 AM) Minas: Ulyssa! You might be able to get at the hamatula now! ...Though, it'd probably hurt. Maybe you should tear apart one of those Osyluths now?
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(2:00:54 AM) Ulyssa: There's 'should' and there's 'what she's actually going to do. That thing just grabbed Kineth, and there are some very questionable things going through her head right now (at least three). So despite the multiple impalings she's GOING to get (can you say 6d8+36 if they all connect?), hitting that beastie should be a lot easier when it's tied up with grappling him anyway! She goes at it
(2:00:54 AM) Ulyssa: in full force, an anger burning in her eyes!
(2:10:11 AM) Minas: Ulyssa unleashes a vicious flurry of blows upon the Hamatula, tearing into it with her blades... But in her enthusiasm, she takes a great amount of damage in return. It's a wonder that her arms are even WORKING anymore with the amount of blood leaking out of them, and it must be questioned how long they will REMAIN functional as well. The rest of the front of her body is not unscathed either
(2:10:20 AM) Minas: However, the hamatula now is quite clearly severely wounded, at least!
(2:11:27 AM) Minas: ...In the midst of it, Kineth struggles to escape, and disorients the creature enough that it makes Ulyssa's onslaught just that much more fearsome. He's able to escape its grasp as well
(2:11:52 AM) Minas: Artemis! Think you can do anything in this mess?
(2:13:13 AM) Kineth: Kineth breaks free of the Hamatula's grasp, quickly getting back onto his feet, standing tall next to Ulyssa as he looks amongst the three demons, ready to rain vengeance once the time comes.
(2:13:59 AM) Ulyssa: Yeah, it hurt. Anyone watching is pretty sure she knew that would happen. But, it certainly didn't stop her anyway! She's still seeming rather crazy, and that stunt cemented that pretty well.
(2:15:51 AM) Artemis-XE: Artemis overlooks Kineth and Ulyssa. Ulyssa's obviously worse off of the two, so he decides to help her. He channels a meager light into his hands and places them over Ulyssa's wounds. [Cast Lay on Hands]
(2:17:31 AM) Minas: Ulyssa... Looks very slightly better! You can see the bleeding slow at least
(2:18:04 AM) Artemis-XE: "...It's not much, but at least you're slightly better off..."
(2:33:33 AM) Minas: ...It turns out, it's REALLY not much! There isn't a lot that healing can do ahead of time when the rage of a very, VERY angry Osyluth is upon you. The creature tears into Ulyssa utterly as she struggles even to react, desperately trying to escape its cruel grasp. Artemis tries to fight against it, in vain, and even Aelitethe rushes forward to help...
(2:33:33 AM) Minas:  Aelitethe desperately chants to heal Ulyssa, even as the devil's stinger slips underneath Ulyssa's skin, deep inside...
(2:34:58 AM) Artemis-XE: Artemis does what he can, mimicking divine powerd to seal the wounds... but it doesnt seem like its enough.
(2:41:51 AM) Minas: Kineth fights off the other Osyluth, avoiding its onslaught... But then he sees what is happening to Ulyssa. In utter shock, barely able to even believe it, he scarcely registers as the creature he was fighting bites his shoulder. ...The pain does nothing but to pound what is happening into his mind, and utter rage flares into his mind.
(2:41:51 AM) Minas: Kineth doesn't even bother using his sword to take down the accursed monster who harmed Ulyssa. Faster than a blink, he lunges at it, pounding at it with his fists, crushing it with his raw strength, beating it to the ground. Only THEN does he take his sword, slashing at it again and again and again faster than the eye can see, sparks and cursed ichor both flying through the air as he slashes even into the ground itself in his rage.
(2:42:47 AM) Minas: sparks and cursed ichor both flying through the air as he slashes even into the ground itself in his rage.
(2:44:27 AM) Kineth: Kineth lets out deep, heavy breaths as he finishes utterly slaughtering the Osyluth, standing still for the moment, trembling... as everything just suddenly feels all too quiet. Far, far too quiet.....
(2:49:53 AM) Minas: ...Belle lets out a howl, and the entire world seems to shake as it echoes through the tunnels. Though Kineth has destroyed the other Osyluth, Belle moves as a blur, tearing into the other one again and again with seemingly her entire body, not even the slightest mercy. It becomes nothing more than a crushed, bloodied and shredded pulp.
(2:50:25 AM) Minas: ...Aelitethe. Ulyssa still is in bad shape
(2:51:02 AM) Aelitethe: Aelitethe shivers and goes to attend to Ulyssa, attempting to stabilize her condition with Cure Severe Wounds
(2:53:24 AM) Minas: ...Kineth. There's still a hamatula in the center of the room. Another demon, like the one that hurt Ulyssa...
(2:56:58 AM) Kineth: Kineth turns to stare at the Hamtula, nothing but sheer loathing in his eyes. He slowly approaches, taking deep breaths, possibly the only noise even heard at the moment, until he stops, lowering his greatsword to the side.... before letting out an even more monstrous roar than the one he made earlier, loud enough to possibly make some cover their ears as he rushes the fiend, screaming
(2:56:58 AM) Kineth: in pure, incomprehensible RAGE as he tears into it with several brutal swings! (Full Power Attack)
(2:59:48 AM) Artemis-XE: Artemis sees nothing, save for a fallen Ulyssa and the nonhuman son of a whore that caused it... Nothing but anger crosses his mind. His hands take the form of claws once again, and he lunges to follow up Kineth's assault, tearing into the Hamatula with every fiber of his being.
(3:03:59 AM) Kineth: Kineth tears into the Hamatula with his first swing, not even caring as the spikes sting him as he carves off a chunk of the fiend's flesh along with a few spikes, before tearing into it again, lopping off the bastard's right arm, letting out a roar as the demon's blood floods out before tearing into it several more times, more of the Hamatula's spikes and flesh getting torn off as Kineth
(3:03:59 AM) Kineth: simply shrugs off whatever pain he'd receive from the demon's spikes sticking into him.
(3:05:12 AM) Artemis-XE: He reaches dangerously close to the Hamatula, and just lays into it's midsection repeatedly! Spikes aside, he tears the torso of the Hamatula to ribbons, leaving a rather gruesome mess behind. Pain? He's too busy slashing to notice...
(3:10:18 AM) Minas: "No... No... No... No, no, no, no, no, nonononononono!"" Saken whispers slowly at first, then more frantically, faster, louder, despair and anger into it. He flings his arms toward the hamatula, unleashing a missile of force, then again, and again, and again like a storm, a barrage of missiles pounding the spiked devil over and over again.
(3:10:18 AM) Minas: "Lass... No..." Minas simply whispers to himself, aiming his rifle at the creature's head, blasting it once, and then again, and then again, breaking its skull to pieces.
(3:10:18 AM) Minas: Belle just rushes toward it with a growl, biting, slamming, ignoring the spikes that poke into her,  breaking them off with her body. She crushes, she bites, she claws and tears in between the others' own onslaughts.
(3:10:18 AM) Minas: Kineth and Artemis both are torn into by the spikes, but they don't care... Their onslaught will not be halted, any more than the others. Between all of them... Soon, nothing remains but scraps of ichor in viscera. Everyone is soaked in the blood of demons, and their own, exhausted and in pain...
(3:11:18 AM) Aelitethe: Aelitethe sighs as she steers clear away of the horrendous violence and bloodshed, instead focusing on keeping Ulyssa stable. It's likely she'll survive, but in no clear state to do... pretty much anything
(3:13:12 AM) Kineth: Kineth plants his greatsword into a chunk of the Hamatula's corpse as he pants heavily, not exactly exhausted from the rage, but more from the after-effects of flagrantly ignoring the demon's spikes.
(3:14:46 AM) Artemis-XE: Artemis just hits the floor like a rock. Still breathing, but he ain't movin' for a bit. The anger alone took a bit out of him, not to mention the massive bloodloss...
(3:14:47 AM) Minas: ...Kineth is worse off than the others, and his vision is growing faint as the rage wears off. The blood loss... Even as Saken is rushing over to Ulyssa, Kineth collapses, vision rapidly going black
(3:15:08 AM) Aelitethe: "...Sigh."
(3:15:39 AM) Minas: ...Belle looks like she SHOULD be in a similar state, her entire body bleeding, but she walks over to Ulyssa and gives the unconscious girl a few licks to the face.
(3:15:40 AM) Kineth: Ssh. No rage now. Only blood loss-induced fainting.
(3:16:15 AM) Kineth: ...After he tries to slowly make his way over to Ulyssa with whatever last few moments of conciousness he has left, anyways. Because fuck going out entirely quietly.
(3:16:18 AM) Aelitethe: Aelitethe sighs. "Ulyssa will be out for a while. She needs rest. The poison looks to have reacted more potently in her body than as expected."
(3:18:13 AM) Minas: "This was... A lot worse than I'd first expected." Minas walks over to Ulyssa, shaking his head, before he looks at Aelitethe. "...She's gonna be more than out for a while. I've studied a lot about the demons, since there's so many of 'em down here. The amount of poison she took, and where she took it... If you can't cure the poison, she'll die."
(3:18:46 AM) Aelitethe: Aelitethe winces. "...There has to be something we can do..."
(3:19:51 AM) Aelitethe: "...Saken and I can at least keep her stable, right...? While we try to find a cure..."
(3:20:10 AM) Minas: "W-what...?" Saken looks up at him. "No! No, she can't! I have to... We have to save her! There must be something, anything! I can't... No, I won't lose anyone else!"
(3:20:27 AM) Aelitethe: She tries to contemplate her options, but nothing immediately comes to mind. Once again this serves to exacerbate the situation of despair and hopelessness she has by now learned to become accustomed to.
(3:20:53 AM) Aelitethe: "...I'll... I'll try and find a way..."
(3:21:40 AM) Minas: Minas crosses his arms, looking away. "...We might be able to. But-" He looks back toward where the portal was, and sees... It's actually closing. "Well, we won't have to worry about reinforcements... And she's definitely gone if you move her much. There's some moss that grows not too far away, it's good at helping with poisons... There's a chance she'll live if you can make an infusion out of it."
(3:22:36 AM) Aelitethe: "Infusions. I can do it. I have made potions before."
(3:22:46 AM) Aelitethe: "...If I had..."
(3:22:53 AM) Minas: "An infusion...? Yes, I can do that!" Saken speaks up. "Where is it? Quickly, we have to..." He looks down at Ulyssa, shaking his head. "I couldn't stop this... I have to... If I can't save her..."
(3:23:14 AM) Aelitethe: "Saken, you and I have to stay here and monitor her condition. The others may be more suited for fetching the moss."
(3:23:35 AM) Aelitethe: "But... They're tired right now."
(3:23:40 AM) Aelitethe: Aelitethe sighs.
(3:26:52 AM) Minas: "If you don't move her, and keep working on it, it should be fine. I might be able to get the moss on my own... I know the tunnels well, and there shouldn't be much left besides barbazu and weaklings."
(3:27:35 AM) Aelitethe: "Are you sure?
(3:27:50 AM) Minas: "I, uh, really didn't expect any of this... I've been plannin' this trip for a while now, and I was sure nothin' like that'd be around... I mean, at least we still avoided the pit fiends, but... Crap. Sorry, I brought you into all of this."
(3:28:08 AM) Aelitethe: "...Don't apologize. We have nowhere else to go but forward..."
(3:28:29 AM) Aelitethe: Aelitethe clenches a fist. Useless. Just... useless.
(3:30:32 AM) Aelitethe: "..."
(3:31:34 AM) Minas: "No... We wouldn't have gotten anywhere without you..." Saken says. "I was the one... I couldn't do anything... I can't stop anything... No one... Father, Killis, Tilia... Ulyssa..."
(3:34:44 AM) Aelitethe: Aelitethe spits at the ground nearby in frustration. She says nothing.
(3:34:56 AM) Minas: "Oi... We're all blamin' ourselves for everything, aren't we? That's not gonna get us anywhere..." Minas shakes his head. "Think I'll go scout around now..."
(3:38:24 AM) Minas: Minas walks off into the darkness, leaving Saken and Aelitethe to keep anyone from dying
(3:38:46 AM) Minas: ...Not an easy task given the sheer amount of bleeding
(3:38:55 AM) Aelitethe: Aelitethe is uncharacteristically silent, visibly trembling as she goes to try and tend to everyone else.
(3:42:09 AM) Minas: Saken... Is actually crying. He's not even fully able to hold himself together, even though he spends a good deal of time brewing healing potions and tending to Ulyssa. He really seems like he's at his breaking point... And there's no sign in sight that anything is ever going to get better.