To the Roots [Complete]

Re: To the Roots [Closed]

Orup nodded impatiently in response to Rua, hurrying over the cauldrons to try and discern what each one of them was for. He spoke in a surprisingly hushed tone, though, "I've got as good idea as any. Just keep your voice down, would you? It might lose track of us we're not just stomping around." The alchemist paused a moment to look back on the messy trail Rua had left on the way there. Well, it was no guarantee, but it was better than just provoking the thing. Turning back to the brews before him, though, he began to get to work.

Some of the mixtures he recognized right away, though it didn't make him feel much better. A couple of them were fiery mixtures that Orup was confident would destroy the organs of any humanoid who drank it; by the goddesses, what were these men trying to accomplish? After sorting through a number of peculiar ones, though, two more batches seemed like they might actually be viable for calming the monstrosity down. One was a light blue, smelling faintly of a flower he couldn't put his finger on, and another taking after a very peculiar herb that caused intense rigidity and often paralysis. Better to go with the safer one, he figured.

Dipping a filling cup into the blue mixture, he poured it quickly into one of the funnels attached to the roots. With bated breath, the alchemist watched the plant carefully, beginning to smile as the thrashing movements seemed to be slowing down, roughly in line with what Orup thought it might take for the liquid to be absorbed. A moment, later, though, the plant let out another wretched scream, and the alchemist watched in horror as the growth mixture he had just accidentally fed the plant took rapid effect.

Biting off a curse, the alchemist tore his eyes away from the swelling tentacles; within a moment they would be completely in range of the plant. Quickly reaching for the other viable mixture, Orup drained a large container of the fluid into another root, backing up against the wall and hoping it would have an effect that didn't quicken their demise...

The effect was unlike anything Orup had ever seen before. All of the appendages of the large plant froze almost instantly as the potion kicked, and a massive thud rang throughout the entire chamber as hundreds of heavy tentacles smashed into the ground, looking alive but quite suppressed for the time being. The alchemist released a breath, inhaling for what felt like the first time in an hour, "What... just happened? A sedative for plants?"

Taking a tentative step forward, though, Orup received another shock as the plant sprang into life at his step. However, instead of lunging for him, the tentacles and even some of the roots shot straight into the air, creating a large wall that he had no desire to try and work his way through or over. On closer inspection it looked like a ways to the left there was a gap in the wall. Could it be a way in?

Orup took a moment to swallow and lick his dry lips, speaking slowly, confusion clear in his voice, "I... have never seen, never heard, never imagined something like this. It may not last forever, though, and I don't think us standing here when it wears off is going to keep us alive, boy. I think I may know how to take care of this, though, and that answer lies on the other side of this cavern."

Re: To the Roots [Closed]

For all his cold exterior, Rua couldnt' help but feel frightened as the creature--what in the world? Is that thing growing!? Rua shied back, bringing up his weapon and tensing all his muscles in preparation to strike. He nearly stumbled on one of the thickening roots. The damn thing was big enough to hit them directly now!

Then suddenly the plant stilled, as if becoming frozen in time. Rua tensed up, expecting something to happen, but nothing occurred, and he relaxed, looking over his shoulder as his employer put down the container containing the potion. "Looks like it's working."

The alchemist stepped forward and the resulting action caused both men to jump as the plant sprung to life, hefting up dozens of tentacles and roots into the air. Rua readied to strike, but held off when the creature made no further moves.

Rua took a moment to regain his breath as Mepple spoke. He nodded at the man's words. "You're probably right. We should move quickly in case that thing decides it's still angry."

Re: To the Roots [Closed]

Orup nodded in agreement, "I'd bet it is." Edging his way toward the wall the plant had constructed, the alchemist followed the line that had just been created all the way to the gap in the wall. Tentatively as he could manage, the heavy-set man placed a foot beyond artificial line the wall represented, ready to pull his foot back at any moment. It found its place, though, on the loamy ground that covered the entire, peculiar cave. Why was the plant not protecting the entire border? Not without difficulty, Orup stooped down to find out.

"Looks like the people here before knew this was a possibility, though I've no idea how they ever came up with something like this. They've spread something along the ground, though apparently not in a very straight-forward fashion, that the plant seems to be avoiding. If we stay on that, we should be safe to pass through the chamber, provided the paralysis potion remains in effect. Just be sure not to step too quickly or you might be cut in half when this thing responds. Your reflexes are better than mine, boy; I'm going to need you to lead me through this thing. I need to get to the far side of the chamber to finish this." The alchemist did his best to point in the general direction they would be heading, hoping Rua didn't have anything against his plan.

Re: To the Roots [Closed]

Rua nodded in confirmation, taking a quick glance at where the alchemist was pointing. "Alright then. Stay close," he ordered, bringing his sword up as he stepped forward. When nothing happened, the mercenary grew more confident, breaking out into a cautious stride. He glanced warily at the wall of roots cutting off their path to the creature's stem.

"I could probably cut through this, but it might awaken the plant," he remarked as he led his employer to the small gap in the roots. "A shame this can't ever be easy."

Upon entering the gap, he saw that a path was forming within the roots, which were bursting up from the ground as they neared--the plant was definitely aware of them still, sedated or not. "This thing looks like it's making a maze," the mercenary said. "Maybe we can see the path ahead of time. Does the ground look different to you?"

Re: To the Roots [Closed]

The alchemist grimaced, squinting his eyes and trying to get a better look at the ground. After a moment, though, he sighed and shook his head, "Nothing reliable, unfortunately. It looks like most of the dust they used has already settled into the ground; I can't even say how long it will repel this thing. I'm pretty certain you're looking for a yellow powder, though, if you can find it; the more concentrated the safer the ground, but..." Orup shook his head again, gesturing to the ground below them with very little visible difference, "we'll just have to do our best about it."

Re: To the Roots [Closed]

Looking down, Rua could see no trace of any yellow-ish dust or residue that the alchemist mentioned. He scuffed at the dirt, kicking up a cloud of dust to see if there was any remnants lingering about. What he saw did little to reassure him.

"Should've known this wasn't going to be easy," he said, moving forward and turning down one possible direction. Roots burst up in front of him, causing him to stagger back almost into his employer before he caught himself. The roots writhed around one another for a brief moment before becoming still, yet another wall to block their passage. "Other direction it is."

Re: To the Roots [Closed]

And so their slow, cumbersome journey through the maze began, moving through each section one pace at a time. Orup was reminded not for the first or the last time how good of a choice it had been to bring someone, and Rua had not disappointed yet. Even with his direction, though, the way was tedious at best, and after several minutes they were only about halfway across the chamber. The path they were on, though, had been following straight for several feet longer than most stretches, and Orup was beginning to hope it was finally coming to an end as their goal came closer and closer. Looking around, though, it was clear they would need to reach it soon. On several occasions already the path they had safely traveled had proved unsafe a moment later, their exit being barred off as whatever substance held the plant at bay faded and vanished.

The path turned, taking them away from the bulb of the plant but not any closer to their true destination. A moment later, though, the ground erupted between Rua and Orup, flinging the alchemist to the ground as roots shot up between the two of them. Groaning, the older man did his best to make it to his feet, "Looks like I'm going to have to find another way, boy. I'll backtrack a bit to that right turn we didn't follow and see if I can keep going. Don't waste your time trying to get to me, though, just focus on the goal; if we can't stop this thing sooner rather than later then we're both dead."

Re: To the Roots [Closed]

Rua spun about as he heard the ground shift behind him, moving just in time to see the roots burst up from the soil, cutting him off from Mepple. He bit off a curse, unsure as to whether risk cutting the roots or try and find some way around.

His employer's order didn't make him feel any better about not attempting to cut through. "You sure? If this thing's aware enough to separate the two of us, it's probably going to attack one of us soon."

Re: To the Roots [Closed]

Orup nodded once, wiping his brow with an arm, "I'm sure. Even if you could cut through these things, I'm sure that wouldn't help with its anger issues. Just move as quick as you can safely." The alchemist turned away from him reluctantly, noting that one of the ways they had passed earlier seemed open still. Clenching his jaws, Orup took off; waiting any longer could only hurt them, now.

Doing his best to operate the maze, Orup stumbled many more times than he had trailing behind Rua, but progress was still made. Much to his relief, the passageway previously passed proved to be long indeed, and after a few more minutes the alchemist actually found himself cleared onto the other side, though it appeared Rua was still stuck in the maze. The alchemist called out to him loudly, "I've made it, Rua! If you still can't make it out, just stay alive long enough for me to calm this thing down!"

There were two more cauldrons on this side, both with tremendous jars near them that looked capable of holding a substantial amount of liquid. Unlike the previous cauldrons, though, the mixtures in each one was familiar. One burned bright red: a dangerous and explosive mixture Orup felt confident could destroy even this plant. The second burned a deep blue: a calming mixture, used to calm anything from a crying child to a berserk Darknut, if you could get it to drink it.

Both jars had stoppers in the top and loops on the sides, which Orup quickly guessed the purpose to. Running a section of rope through each one of the jars, he quickly dumped his own backpack and other expendable belongings, looking instead to his goal: the catwalks. A long ladder descended from them, looking rickety and making Orup's stomach flip at the thought of climbing it. With a reluctant glance back toward the maze, though, the man knew he would have no choice.

As he climbed, though, the plant seemed to realize what was happening, though Orup had no idea how. Some of the longer tentacles had become free and were now swinging wildly around the room again, aiming toward the alchemist. As one of the massive arms struck the catwalk, though, Orup watched a sizable section be cleaved completely off. He'd be able to jump it, but if that thing kept swinging...

"Rua! I need you to distract it or I'm never going to make it!" he bellowed toward his bodyguard. Hopefully it wouldn't be the death of him.

Re: To the Roots [Closed]

Rua could only frown, aggravated by the lack of options. With no other choice, he turned and proceeded down the only path left for him.

He was able to proceed faster with Mepple separated from him, at least. It was an advantage he had to make use of if he wanted to get back to his employer and resume protecting him. Now and then he found a subtle clue, leftover residue of the yellow powder Mepple had spoken of. A few minutes of fruitless maneuvering later, though, and he was still no closer to getting to Mepple than he was getting to any part of the plant he could effectively fight against.

Something made a whooshing noise overhead, forcing the mercenary to pause and crane his neck upward with something akin to dread. Sure enough, one of the massive tentacles the plant was using was stirring to life. Whatever Mepple had done to the plant was wearing off. When the alchemist suddenly called out to him, saying he was safe, Rua redoubled his efforts to get to him--at least now he had a viable direction to work towards. This damnable plant wasn't making things easy, though!

Another few whooshes met his ear--the tentacles were moving more rapidly. One of them smashed hard against a wall, cleaving off a chunk of rock with the force of it. Definitely awake then. Mepple was suddenly calling for help, but he couldn't see any possible way towards him. He bit off a curse and looked around for something to do.

A root was jutting from the ground, much thicker than the others. Some sort of main root then? "Ah, I should've known today was going to be hell," he muttered as he spun his blade point down. "You owe me for this one, Mepple!"

He slammed the blade down into the heart of the root.

Re: To the Roots [Closed]

Orup found Rua with his eyes, still stuck in the maze. Even from afar, though, it was clear what the man was going to do, and the alchemist held his breath as he watched. Immediately the plant erupted into chaos below, and Orup quickly lost sight of his companion. What was clear, though, was the distraction had worked. Placing one hand in front of the next, the large man hoisted his weight up the ladder, careful to not look down.

When he finally reached the top, Orup shakily pulled himself onto the catwalk, his knees hardly stable beneath him. He wasn't particularly fond of heights, having lived on the ground his entire life, and nothing but adrenaline kept the man taking steps forward up there. As he reached the gap the plant had cleaved, though, his face turned green at the prospect of having to try and clear it. Not a large gap, but not exactly something you could step over other. Clutching the railing, he took a few steps back, taking care to inhale and exhale in a timely matter.

Mustering all the courage he had in him, the alchemist broke into a run, the catwalk swaying beneath his feet. Jumping perhaps a bit too earlier, Orup landed a little beyond the edge of his target, forward momentum saving him from teetering back into the hole he had just cleared. The goal was almost in reach.

Trying to jog but trying not to lose his balance, the alchemist stumbled his way to the end of the catwalk, where the massive gout of acid earlier had destroyed a large section of the platform. Clutching the railing, Orup was almost directly over the maw of the creature, only now being able to see into the deep pit of glittering fluid. Taking a step back, he removed the blue bottle from his side; if this plant could be saved safely then the leaps and bounds in research could be incredible. He wouldn't give up on that prospect if he could help it.

Uncorking the huge bottle, the alchemist leaned away from the catwalk, holding onto it with one hand while using the other to hold the bottle. Hoping for the best, he upended the container, dumping a large quantity of the blue liquid into the plant directly. With no desire to remain off-footed for long, Orup hurriedly pulled himself back onto the catwalk, turning to look down at the massive maze that had erupted so quickly all over the cavern.

As the sizzling from the liquid faded away though, Orup's face paled. The plant may have slowed, but if it had it was not noticeable, and it was certainly not enough to keep Rua alive for any longer than before.

Re: To the Roots [Closed]

The result was quite instantaneous.

There was--Rua couldn't quite call it a scream; the plant had no viable mouth orifice--a wavering in the air as the plant burst into frantic chaos. Roots trembled through the ground, roiling beneath the soil, as the massive tentacles extending out from under the giant plant's bulb writhed with insane rage in the air. Rua was quick to tear his blade from the root he stabbed, looking up as the plant reacted.

"Oh, shi--"

The limb smashed down around him, splitting the ground and pulverizing the root wall nearby. The sudden attack made him stagger backwards in surprise, and lightning-fast the tentacle rose up and smashed the ground again, very nearly crushing him. Rua spun about and bolted for the new opening. He did not get far.

Pain exploded across his back as something smashed hard against him, knocking him to the ground. Roots sprung up around him to try and bind and consume him, but Rua quickly pushed himself up from the ground in a sprint, slipping out of the creature's grasp. He spun around, swinging with his sword as roots shot after him, severing them mid-attack, and brought his blade back around into a defensive stance.

A tentacle suddenly swept into his vision, striking against his weapon with enough force to shove him back. It came in again and he ducked under it, rising up on the other side and slashing into its soft flesh. The limb flailed back away from the attack, and as Rua made to strike again, another tentacle smashed him in the back, knocking him to the floor. Instinctively knowing what was coming, the mercenary rolled with the blow, launching himself from the ground away from the tentacles.

He suddenly stumbled in his backpedaling, seeing the wounded tentacle wrapped around his leg. It constricted to the point of pain, but Rua did not scream--he was barely given a moment before he was hauled into the air and thrown across the room.

"Gaaaaaaaaaah!"

He collided against a root wall, which crumbled under his weight and the force of the plant's throw. Blood began spreading across his clothes from the various abrasions that he torn through his skin, and Rua grit his teeth, sucking in air as he fought against the pain--bad enough that he has to do this, but on top of what that hulking bastard had done to him--this couldn't go on much longer.

Something cut through the air, forcing him to look up.

Rua dove for the floor as the tentacle slashed through the air where his head had been, cleaving out a large chunk of floor behind him. The sounds of crumbling dirt rattling in his ears, Rua looked up and spared a glance to try and find Mepple in this mess; hopefully the old man hadn't gotten himself--there! He was navigating up the catwalks towards the heart of the plant, some sort of bottled fluid clutched in his arms. The plant seemed to be ignoring the alchemist in favor of--

The tentacle swept around, curling around his body.

"Aw, shi--GAAAAAAAAAHH!!!"

Rua found himself hurtling high into the air as the creature threw him straight upwards. His momentum slowed and reversed, and he screamed some more as he began to plummet, only for the creature to catch him with another tentacle. Was this thing just toying with him?

A snap of the limb and Rua was flung hard into a large root, bouncing painfully off of it.

No, it's just beating the shit out of me, Rua thought, his head getting fuzzy from the pain.

Re: To the Roots [Closed]

If that hadn't been enough solution, then Orup would have to go all the way back across the catwalks and descend to get more liquid; it was the only way to keep the plant and the invaluable research alive. The possibilities! The things that could be learned from it! The alchemist nearly felt young again.

The screams, though. The screams caught his attention. Looking down, the alchemist's stomach dropped as he finally realized the cost the distraction had come from. Rua wasn't just taking the attention of the plant, he was nearly dead from it. Panning his view from the bodyguard to the plant, Orup grimaced. It was unfortunate, but bodyguards could always be hired. Not an easy choice by any means, but this plant was one of a kind, and the possibility of learning such secrets anywhere else was all but impossible.

But as the screams pierced his mind again, the alchemist turned toward the plant as well. Feeling young again wasn't all sweetness. His youth had stained his hands with the blood of people who trusted him... He couldn't live with another life on his head; he doubted any man could live with that kind of guilt.

Rua might make it out alive if he hurried... but there was no guarantee. Closing his eyes as if he couldn't believe he was actually doing this, Orup pulled the large red bottle from his back. The plant certainly didn't look any more peaceful, that was for sure. Taking a brief step back, he took a deep breath and hurtled the potion with all his might, bottle and all, into the mouth of the creature.

As the explosion rocked the cavern, the alchemist slumped onto the catwalk, completely exhausted and careless of the height now. Sighing, he looked to the floor to see the tentacles falling lifeless all around, some of the main roots burning alongside the center bulb. What a waste.

Re: To the Roots [Closed]

Rua jammed his sword into the dirt to prop himself up onto his feet, readying himself for the next assault by the plant. He could see that Mepple was now over the creature, pouring some sort of fluid into it. Good. The creature still had its attention on him even, waving its tentacles madly before hurling one down at him. He dove into a roll, expertly dodging the attack. He hoped that the concoction wouldn't take long to go through; it wouldn't--

Dazedly, Rua pushed himself up from the floor, spitting blood out from his cut mouth. He hadn't even seen that attack. "C'mon," he grunted, standing back up. He knew the creature probably didn't understand a word he said, it was a goddess-cursed plant, but he didn't care at this point. "Is that the best you go--"

The explosion was deafening. Fire coursed through the bulb before exploding outwards, releasing a shockwave that threw Rua off his feet, making him scream out in surprise. His ears were ringing as bits of charred plant matter fell about him, splattering his coat and cape. A broken tentacle landed with a loud thud nearby, and once again, he dazedly pushed himself up into a sitting position to see just what in the gods' names happened.

The majority of the plant's bulb was just... gone. The base with the tentacles and the roots was still there, but the plant was very much dead. Rua blinked. Maybe his head was a bit fuzzy from the explosion, but he didn't remember doing anything to make the creature explode. So... had that been Mepple who destroyed the creature?

Spitting a bit more blood out of his mouth, ignoring the sting of the cut on his lip and brow, Rua got to his feet and tried to make his way to the alchemist. He winced with the first step; he'd definitely screwed up his leg at some point. "Mepple?" he called out. "You still alive?"

Re: To the Roots [Closed]

Orup changed his gaze to Rua, his whole face somber and disappointed. He didn't have the energy or willpower to raise his voice, so he simply responded with exhaustion in every word, hoping his voice would carry, "I'm alive, all right. Looks like we made it through this after all." He turned to face the carcass of the plant. For the most part, anyway. Sighing, the alchemist leaned back on his hands for a moment, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. What he wanted more than anything now was a good meal and a few compliments from people passing by; those always made him feel better.

Struggling to his feet, he placed a hand on the railing of the catwalk, pausing to look down to the floor again. This time, though, something peculiar caught his eye, even amidst all the ruins of the plant. Could it be?

With a renewed bit of energy, he hurriedly made his way back across the catwalk, careful to jump over the gap properly this time. The ladder was less of a pain on the descent, and within a minute or two Orup was back on the floor again. Setting a quick pace that really only made his body more subject to gravity without gaining any speed, the man bounced his way over to Rua. "I think I may have figured out where that path of yours was leading, boy."

Seeing as he was in much better shape than Rua at this point, the alchemist hurried past the younger man to the spot he had been able to see from above: a section of the ground seemingly covered in that yellow powder. As he reached it, Orup quickly stooped down to brush the dust away, pulling back a loose root here and there before the ground was finally exposed. Except, it wasn't ground. Orup smiled.

Reaching down, the alchemist grabbed the ring of the trapdoor in front of him, yanking it up easily. A small, torch-lit caver was evident from what he could see, and it looked to be safe enough. No sense of any threats, anyway. Giving a quick glance to his bodyguard, Orup lowered himself with some difficulty into the trapdoor, his feet catching the ladder and allowing himself to descend the rest of the way.

The room was quite small, but it could fit about three or four men without anyone getting stuck. A couple of torches were burning on either side, nearly dead now. What was of the most interest, though, was the large wood and iron chest in the corner. Without hardly being able to hold himself back, Orup dashed over to the chest, pulling the lid back. The contents were peculiar, though not disappointing.

A small journal, a quick flip-through revealing it to be the other alchemist's notes, lay in one corner, and yet another small box near the center. Picking both up, Orup cracked the lid on the box: another four of those shards all the men had been carrying. What had the plant been doing for these men? With a self-contented smile, the alchemist patted the journal in his pocket now; he would know everything.

Walking over to the ladder once more, Orup climbed it quickly, speaking to Rua once his head was visible, "The alchemist's journal was down there. A safe-stash, perhaps? Oh, and this. You can keep it, if you want." He tossed the box toward his bodyguard once his hands were free. "A shame we couldn't save the plant, though."

Re: To the Roots [Closed]

Hearing Mepple's voice reassured the mercenary; he knew that he had once again succeeded in protecting his employer. Still no black marks against his name. Rua limped over to Mepple as he made his way down the ladder, and followed the man to the patch of yellowed ground--why hadn't he noticed that earlier? He wrote it off as being too concerned with how the plant was manhandling him at the time.

The trapdoor was a bit of a surprise when Mepple hauled it up from the dirt. He wasn't in much shape to protest Mepple going down alone with his injured leg, but his senses told him that there was no danger down below. He knelt down by the open door just to make sure as the alchemist rummaged around the storeroom.

Mepple looked to be in better spirits upon his return, at least. Rua accepted the box without comment and stowed it between his arm and side before taking Mepple's hand to haul him out of the pit. He wasn't terribly surprised at the man's disappointment over the plant's destruction--they had worked hard to get here intact, but Rua had warned him that the plant would be dangerous. Too dangerous, as it had turned out. Still...

"Couldn't you just take some seeds or something from it?" he remarked, looking back at the plant's carcass. "Things like that seed all the time. Wouldn't surprise me if this one did the same."

Re: To the Roots [Closed]

Orup gave Rua peculiar look, examining him for a short time. Perhaps the man was more perceptive to things other than combat. After a moment's thought, though, he nodded his head once. Perhaps it could be replanted? Maybe the notes would give knowledge to what was necessary... The world of ideas had exploded once more inside the old man's head again. Breathing in the stuffy air of the chamber, he smiled; was this what youth had felt like?

After spending a moment roaming through the grass on the floor, the alchemist had already gathered more than a dozen seeds he felt confident could reproduce the plant. Gathering the materials he had dumped in light of the ladder, the alchemist took one final roam around the cavern to make sure there was nothing else of interest, pausing to take samples of those potions he hadn't recognized. Stowed in another corner he found a pair of crude crutches, no doubt the belongings to a deceased man who had tried to survive one too many encounters with the plant.

"You might need these, else it will take an eternity to get back home, Rua." Orup paused to scan the cavern one last time before finally concluding, "If I never have to see this place again, I don't think I'll lose a minute of sleep. Let's see if we can get back before dinnertime."