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Post by othus on Feb 5, 2021 1:47:32 GMT
Hyun made a run for it as soon as Arthur managed to stop the breath attack of the creature, that was close!
"Good idea, I'm on it! you can keep attacking!"-Hyun told Arthur as she took flight, the ice disks Arthur tossed managed to cut the underbelly, but the wyrm was regenerating from the damage almost instantly. still it hurt the creature enough that Hyun was able to take advantage of said distraction and reach for the creature's mouth. with one touch Hyun managed to freeze it in the spot. making the black wyrm trash desperately
"Keep aiming for the soft spots, I have an idea!"-She said as she jumped from the head of the creature to its back, she set one hand on the creature and another up in the air. she began to drain all the heat from the Wyrm's body and expel it on the outside, if successful, she would manage to freeze it whole.
The wyrm in the meantime did not feel Hyun on its back due to the thickness of the scales, but it had Arthur quite on sight. it went after the mage with a combination of claw swipes large enough to rip a schoolbus to shreds, it tried using a flame attack, but Hyun had its mouth completely shut. Fire escaped off its nostrils, threatening to destroy the ice layer at any second.
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Post by TimePuppy on Feb 5, 2021 22:22:05 GMT
"Nicely done!" With its mouth shut, they sorted a big issue. "Though with a tough shell and incredible regeneration, I really hope this thing is an outlier." At least Hyun seemed to have a plan how to deal with it.
"Alright, I'll try to keep its attention while you deal with it." There were no issues with grabbing its attention. Surviving with its attention was harder said than done though. even without its flames, the claws were giant and sharp. Arthur did his best not to put too much distance between them so Hyun could stay on it without it thrashing. But that made his job harder. When a swipe he couldn't dodge with a small hop came, he had to make a spear and point it at the paw. He wasn't sure if the underside had a soft padding or if it too was hard and scaly, but whatever was the case, the might of the swipe ended up knocking him away into a wall. He landed on his knees in pain, but he still had to do something.
Wanting to keep it away, and to prevent it's fiery breath from escaping through its nostrils, he threw two ice balls, one at its foot to keep it stationary and another at its nose to delay it even for a few extra seconds.
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Post by othus on Feb 7, 2021 2:13:19 GMT
"I...hope so too!"-Hyun told Arthur while still doing her best to hold onto the creature.
The wyrm's paw was stabbed by Arthur's spear but he was still sent packing, as the mage recovered, Hyun was being successful in her task. The creature was definitely getting slower.
"It's definitely working! keep showering it with those!"-Hyun said as she noticed the Wyrm was not breaking free of the Ice balls thrown by Arthur. The Wyrm staggered and its trashing was slowly going down, Arthur's and Hyun's frost attacks were a lot more effective than just brute force.
In a last effort by the drake, it swiped its tail right over itself, tagging Hyun and sending her right against the walls of the cave, a ton of rubble coming down on her upon impact. the creature finally toppled unconcious, Hyun's fate yet to be known.
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Post by TimePuppy on Feb 7, 2021 18:52:15 GMT
Arthur did as Hyun instructed, tossing frost balls at it until it was almost completely solidified. Its final desperate move was a wave of the tail, smashing into Hyun and throwing her into a weakened wall. Arthur watched in horror as rubble crumbled on top of her.
"Hyun!" He yelled out in a panicked voice. Fuck fuck fuckfuckfuck. He was supposed to protect her this time! He ran over, not even realizing the wyrm stopped thrashing. It didn't matter. If she died from this... If he failed... No, stop it. She's okay. She has to be. He frantically tossed stones, but he felt like he wasn't making any progress. He made ice constructs, shovels, pickaxes, anything he could think of, to work in tandem with him. He had to get to her!
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Post by othus on Feb 7, 2021 22:20:21 GMT
after a few minutes of Arthur digging Hyun could finally be seen, she was still concious, although her head was bleeding quite badly.
"Hey teddybear..."-Hyun told Arthur with a faint smile
"I...think I'm ok. Just a little dizzy... my shoulder feels...very hot tho"
If Arthur managed to completely remove the rubble, he would see Hyun was pierced from the back to the front by one of the gemstones, straight through the shoulder.
"Oh...that can't be good"-Hyun noticed, the pain suddenly coming to her, as she began to frown in pain, a noise from the entrance of the cave was heard.
The red wyrm group that previously left slowly made its way back into the cave, five on them total. The first two at the front saw Arthur and Hyun and immediately rushed to them, throwing fire as they looked to burn them to a crisp.
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Post by TimePuppy on Feb 8, 2021 21:42:41 GMT
The relief on Arthur's face when he saw Hyun was alive and conscious was palpable. He sighed, relaxed his shoulders and slumped to the floor.
"Jeez, you had me terrified there, you silly." He lightly karete chopped her head. "I suppose we should get you patched up then." He smiled sweetly. Just in time to hear more wyrms coming in. "Aw, fuck." He threw up an ice wall to buy them a few seconds against the rushing dragons. "I can't heal you perfectly until we get that chunk out, but no time for that." He used a healing spell to heal her head at least. "You can still use your TK to fight back, right? I'll try to keep them off you, shout if they get through!"
Arthur's pupils constricted slightly as he turned around. The wyrm's approach got louder. Their smell more pronounced. And the world became more washed out. He didn't need to see all the colors in this dark cave. He needed sound and smell and enhanced reactions. Wolf's soul activated just as a hole appeared in his wall. He quickly shattered the remains and sprayed the shards at the wyrms, aiming to blind them. He dashed toward the two that came forward, doing a flipkick to smash the first one into the ground, jaw first, then he made a pillar rise below the second one to crash it into the ceiling.
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Post by othus on Feb 9, 2021 4:42:17 GMT
"Hmmm? And...what has you so scared? owww...ok, I'll stop playing games for now, this does really hurt y'know..."-Hyun tried to play along but she really felt the pain, it was even worse than getting shot.
"Don't mind me, I can take care of myself, just...don't get eaten"
As Arthur commenced his attack, he tagged the first wyrm, stunning the creature with his kick, the second one tried to jump backwards by instinct but was held in place by Hyun. Arthur's pillar smashed the creature, dropping some rubble on it on its way down. upon seeing this, two more Wyrms moved to the front, one looking to tackle Arthur against the wall and another ready to blast it with fire.
The remaining wyrm instead began throwing flames at the black wyrm, looking to get it out of its Ice prison.
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Post by TimePuppy on Feb 9, 2021 22:42:14 GMT
Arthur shook his head with a smile. Hyun was still capable of joking around. Good. It eased his mind, let him focus on the fight ahead. With the first two dealt with, at least temporarily, Arthur was faced with two more. With his enhanced reflexes, he knew he had nothing to worry about. "You apparently don't realize you're just pushovers!" He waited for the tackling wyrm to get close before jumping toward him and using his snout as a jumping pad. He twirled in the air and landed on the other dragon, brandishing two swords of lightly bluish ice. He plunged one toward the dragon's neck and tossed the other at the dragon that had just tried to tackle him. But his now-sensitive ears picked up a familiar and disturbing sound nearby. Fire from the fifth wyrm. But he was too far for Arthur to deal with while still occupied with these ones. "Hyun, can you stall that last one?! We can't let the big one thaw out!"
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Post by othus on Feb 11, 2021 3:01:08 GMT
*stall? I got this...*-Hyun thought to herself, she didn't want to be a load on Arthur after all.
Hyun reached out to the last wyrm using TK, closing its mouth shut but also smashing it against the ground multiple times. knocking it unconcious.
Despite the odds, they had scored another victory, Hyun leaned back against the wall still frowning in pain.
"So um...can we do something about my shoulder now?"-She told Arthur, it was good she had not moved during the battle, with the gemstone still inside her shoulder, she did not bled to death.
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Post by TimePuppy on Feb 11, 2021 23:25:24 GMT
"Hehey, who knew telekineses could be so useful. Nice job." Arthur gave Hyun a thumbs up. "Oh yeah, it's time to patch you up. But first, I need you to look at me." He put one hand under Hyun's chin and raised it took at her. "Yes, just as I thought. I'm not sure how to tell you this, but... You have beautiful eyes!" He locked her gaze, to keep her attention and then... Whoosh, he popped the gemstone out with one strong push. He hoped he managed to distract her enough to make the extraction less painful. He quickly encased the wound in ice to stop the bleeding before casting a healing spell.
"Aaaand, done." He grinned. "And since we all know good boys and girls get a treat when they go to a doctor, here!" He pulled a popsicle out of nowhere and handed it to her. "Think we need to rest up a bit before we move on?"
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Post by othus on Feb 12, 2021 1:33:44 GMT
Arthur was definitely acting strange, was he trying to be flirty? now of all times?!
"Huh? what are you sAAAYING!!"-Hyun jumped when Arthur pulled her, that icy bastard! thankfully, he was quick to patch her up, it still had hurt like hell though. Hyun took the popsicle but still threw a kick aimed at his butt
"That huuuurt y'know?! hmph, I suppose we can rest a little bit...maybe look at the map in meantime?"-She told Arthur while pretending to be mad, some tears still on her eyes, Hyun opened up her candy and put it in her mouth as she sat down. it was something oddly soothing after all.
The map Ainu had drawn pointed to a split following the tunnel they had just entered, one that while being long, directed them straight to the center, the other path indicated more wyrm nests, progressively getting bigger and bigger, both ends had exits that could double as entrances, it was clear Ainu had trapped them at the worst entry point.
"So um, what do you think we should do?
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Post by TimePuppy on Feb 13, 2021 18:45:16 GMT
"Heh, sorry, sorry, I'll make sure I bring anesthetic next time. At least you'll never be scared to get an injection after that." Arthur joked but he was just glad she was okay. He took the moment to stab all the unconscious wyrms to make sure they didn't get up at a bad time, before sitting down next to Hyun to look at the map.
"Well, we don't need to just clear out the nests, we also need to... Crack them open? To let magma in for the big lad. But..." He looked at the frozen dragon they failed to kill. "I think we should leave that for last. I especially don't wanna be in a gave that's slowly being filled with lava."
He looked at the map again. "Okay, I'll let you choose which way we go, but let's keep in mind we can't kill the black dragons. If we see them again, we should rush to freeze them instead of trying to kill them next time. Which could be problematic if there are more than two at a time. And if we see other big variations, we should try the same thing just in case. How's that sound?"
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Post by othus on Feb 13, 2021 23:08:01 GMT
"No no, I still haaaaate needles y'know?! can't even look at them."-Hyun told Arthur to his remark, she winced a little once she saw Arthur just stab the wyrms like that. she looked away and convinced herself there was no other way around it.
Listening to Arthur talk about the plan so calmly made her relax, he really looked in control of the situation after all.
"Well I'll pick the long way, no use getting into all the wyrm nests if we don't first check there's something actually in the big area. You are awfully calm for this situation y'know? is there anything that actually scares you?"-She told Arthur as she got up and gave him a hand.
The long path towards the center was well lit by the gems, the cold outside was slowly being replaced by a bit of warmth, it would take a while before they arrived at their destination.
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Post by TimePuppy on Feb 14, 2021 22:33:52 GMT
"Oh, there's plenty that scares me," Arthur took Hyun's hand. "For example, I was terrified back there when the rubble came down on you. And I'd be terrified if my kids were in serious danger. And boy am I scared of being in a tiny hallway slowly filling up with fire. That's why I want to leave letting in the lava for last. Now, there are other things that scare me... But a boy's gotta have his secrets." Arthur winked at Hyun. In truth, he was scared of anyone close to him dying. Of being alone in the end. He was scared of that since his dad's funeral. Ever since then, he tried to take point or to cover the back. He was confident in his abilities, so taking the dangerous spots should help everyone get out alright.
"Besides, these little ones don't seem like much of an issue, they're not scary in the slightest. That said, if you want to stick to my arm in fright and make me feel like a big damn hero, I'm not gonna stop you!" He grinned and poked Hyun with his elbow.
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Post by othus on Feb 15, 2021 16:05:34 GMT
Hyun listened attentively to Arthur's words, she knew what losing loved ones felt, so it was no surprise anyone was scared of that. She moved in front of Arthur to stop him from walking and hugged him softly
"I promise to be more careful next time, after all, I plan on sticking around you for a long, long time, so...no need to worry, alright?"-She reassured him as she reached for his lips to kiss him. Hyun then reached for his arm and clung to it tightly, one of the things she really liked about him was how much he cared for his family, everytime he talked about his kids something seemed to light up in him. she giggled at his hero remark and shoved him lightly with her shoulder.
"You ARE my hero you dum dum. That being said, I can't just let you do it all for me! we are a couple after all, so good or bad, we are in this together"
Hyun and Arthur kept moving in the tunnel, a sharp turn indicated they were already halfway, the path was growing slightly hotter with every step forward. there was a bit of silence made between Hyun and Arthur as they walked, so she figured she might as well ask now.
"well um...I'm probably gonna make you uncomfortable right now, and I know it's probably not the best time but...can I ask you what happened on your last relationship? you said you broke up just some months ago"
In Hyun's mind, this was perhaps uncomfortable to Arthur, but she had her reasons to ask.
"It's totally fine if you don't want to tell me. I was...y'know, just curious"
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Post by TimePuppy on Feb 15, 2021 22:10:40 GMT
"Daaaaw." Arthur couldn't stop himself from saying it when Hyun rushed ahead to hug him. "Thank you." It was all he could say to her words. All he needed to say. It was a heartwarming gesture and her kiss made his heart aflutter again.
"Oooh, we're a couple, hmmm? So does that mean I have an amazing girlfriend after all?" He teased her with the conversation from yesterday. He took her arm and squeezed it in gratitude. "An amazing couple like us can't fail then."
They continued into the warmth of the tunnels, when Hyun brought up a serious topic again. Arthur took a moment to think about it. "The reason we broke up isn't anything special, I suppose. No big trigger. We had some things in common and I liked being with her. But... It didn't really make my heart flutter, I guess. I ended up liking her more as a friend than a romantic partner." He realized saying it like that made him seem selfish. Fickle, even. He was worried what Hyun might think after that. Was he an asshole?
But that did remind him of something else they'd talked about yesterday. "I also have a question. Same deal, you don't have to answer if you don't want to. But your last boyfriend... What did... What exactly happened there?"
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Post by othus on Feb 15, 2021 22:56:17 GMT
"Oh shut up! you knew i was gonna say yes. Plus, I wouldn't have let you spend the night with me if that wasn't the case, silly."-She told him with a big smile on her face. The reason Arthur broke up with her previous girlfriend was pretty normal, she only hoped she didn't make him feel more of the same. Hearing he was still friends with his ex made her laugh a bit, to some that wouldn't be a good sign, but to Hyun it definitely was.
When Arthur finally asked her about her last relationship, she took a deep breath, clearly doing her best to appear relaxed, then replied.
"About that, well...It's been years since that so I guess I can tell you. We kinda argued a lot from the start, and um, this might be a surprise to you but, I've never slept with someone, y'know...in THAT way. I just, didn't feel there ever was a right time for that. so um, a couple months into the relationship he was starting to get very frustrated about that and we got into even worse fights and well...yeah he punched me. pretty hard." - There was quite an uncomfortable silence made after that, Hyun grabbed Arthur's hand tightly and looked at him
"Not that I can't defend myself, it's just that...well, I didn't know how to react. I just, packed my stuff and left instead. plus even if I had fought back, it would have solved nothing. I'm actually glad you are still friends with your ex, y'know? sounds like your relationship was healthy enough that you both wanted to stick around. Anyway, I hope that doesn't particularly make you think less of me or make you feel some sort of pity, I'm doing better than fine now, I have many things and people I love and that make me smile, including you. If I hadn't lived through all that, maybe I wouldn't be here"
Hyun looked around and blushed a little
"Admitedly, that last line would have sounded better back at the Inn, but you know what I mean!"
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Post by TimePuppy on Feb 16, 2021 22:37:11 GMT
Hyun told Arthur the story of her asshole boyfriend. He couldn't deny, that behavior made him pissed. What an entitled dick! He was glad Jen was a lot more understanding. Hyun... Didn't deserve an asshole like that. She was kind and brave and bubbly, and probably more sensitive than she let on. Arthur squeezed her hand.
"Of course I'm not gonna think less of you for that. I've... Also been tricked once. Drawn in by someone who seemed sweet at first." He remembered Yancy, her outward care and inner resentment. "But eventually her obsessiveness made her turn on me. On my family. She ended up trying to kill Loveline... All I can tell you is, that guy being an asshole is on him, and I'm glad you're rid of him. Especially since it means we got to meet. I'll prove your trust isn't misplaced." He kissed her cheek.
"And, um, if you're wondering, I've never slept with anyone either. So... No worries there, either. We'll wait until we're both ready." It took him a bit to notice he was starting to sweat. Was he really that nervous? No... "Huh, it's pretty hot now. Think we're getting close?"
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Post by othus on Feb 16, 2021 23:21:10 GMT
"Wow...that's pretty terrible, seems we both had our fair share of nasty people...that being said, I have no doubts I made the right choice this time"-Hyun said as she got kissed on the cheek. Arthur not having slept with anyone was actually a big surprise, although definitely for the better!
"Nobody? really really? even though you are so handsome?"-Hyun said as she reached for Arthur's cheeks to pinch them. she laughed a little and let go of him
"Yes, I like that idea. If you ever feel the time has come just make sure to be very, very romantic about it alright?! you have been warned, else i'm gonna have to punch you, y'know!"
As they got closer to the end of the map, Hyun noticed Arthur was starting to feel the heat, soon it would be impossible for regular people to even stay there. The tunnel ended and opened into a massive cavern. around 30 meters below, there was a flowing river of magma, with only a few large boulders that marked the way at the bottom. if Hyun and Arthur looked at the distance, there was a Japanese temple made out of stone right towards the end.
"See that? what is that building even doing inside the volcano?! wow you are actually sweating like crazy, are you ok?! Is the heat too strong? I can help with that, here, hold my hand tight"-Hyun said as he reached for her boyfriend.
"I'll draw out the heat of your body and make sure you stay cool, just don't let go of me and we'll be fine. ready to descend?"
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Post by TimePuppy on Feb 17, 2021 22:16:55 GMT
"Aye aye, ma'am! I'll keep it in mind!" Arthur jokingly saluted at Hyun's threats. It seemed they were very much on the same page.
As they made further progress, the heat was definitely affecting Arthur. The sweat and heat made it hard to focus. And Hyun noticed. She took his hand and he suddenly felt a lot cooler.
"Hey, that's a very cool trick, pun not intended." She made it a lot easier for him to pay attention to his surroundings. Far into the cavern, past the hot shimmering air, he noticed the structure Hyun pointed at. "Huh, it looks almost like a temple. Was that made to contain whatever we're supposed to deal with here? Or is it what brought it here in the first place? Ooor, is it completely unrelated?" He had to check if it was marked on the map and how close it was to the thing they had to stop, but he was ready to descend after that.
"Alright, let's go down now. And let's try not to get separated." He wasn't going to willingly let go of her hand, no matter what. And not just because she was going to be the main reason he gets out alive the closer they get to the magma.
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