pawnstorm | DUNGEON ♛ SALAMANCA TEMPLE

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DUNGEON ♛ SALAMANCA TEMPLE

SALAMANCA TEMPLE
20 MARCH (NARCISSA) 2016

Once a grand place of worship for the ancestors of the Alfersa, the thousand-year-old ruins of Salamanca Temple returned to their full glory overnight. However, it also seems to be teeming with ancient reptiles long thought to be extinct. As the Heroes enter, it’s clear that the multilevel temple is a prime example of the artistic achievements of its time. The rooms are lush with plantlife that creeps in between the cracks of marble tiles and statues of Gladia with serpents at her heel, and the walls are covered in paintings and bas-reliefs depicting a famous epic about the Alfersa’s victory over all reptilian creatures.

The majesty of Salamanca Temple almost makes one fact easy to forget: it was most infamous as a site of magic… and human sacrifices.

Our Heroes know that there’s only one way to get out of here: find and defeat the boss!

	Lisbrand I’m sure you’re all aware, to some extent, that in addition to the war with Noir, Blanc must deal with threats within its own borders. These are what we call dungeons, and we only have a basic working understanding of them. Think of them as natural phenomena. Your task is reconnaissance and retrieval of the mana cores believed to be hidden in the deepest part of the structure, but you will likely encounter resistance. [a gesture to her side] Secretary Verdoni has more details about the nature of the structure. Secretary, if you would.
	Verdoni This is Salamanca Temple, a sacred and important site of cultural heritage to the Alfersa. Grand temples such as this were supposed to fill the devout with hope, but the Gladia of old was not always a benevolent goddess. Gladia’s Alfersan cult was infamous for its taboo sacrificial rituals. As a result, this temple is shrouded in frightening rumors and legends. Over the course of its bloody history, many atrocities were committed over the most trifling matters... The most famous is the tale of Moura Serpente. Perhaps you Heroes will have the chance to personally witness the truth behind these hallowed walls.
	Lisbrand Our scouts are incapable of exploring the structure the way this task force can. Therefore, you will be the front line in this mission. Your issued magical weapon will grant you immediate access to the temple once you approach the entrance. [and just to be safe, she gestures again. some of the Blanc soldiers who have tagged along for support functions march their way towards the appropriate door] Base camp will be established just outside the temple, in the event that you need to leave the area.
	Verdoni Which means that the Airy will be here for a while. Once you finish the dungeon, you are free to retire to your quarters. If you don't feel like riding the ship again, then walk. The journey to Caissa on foot will take a week at most. I suggest heading north to spend the evening at the city of Polgar. I suppose walking is a good thing for you Heroes; we will not always have the luxury of air travel.
	Lisbrand We will be breaking camp in the evening to rendezvous with Airy, so if you are not out of the dungeon by that time, you will be walking back to Caissa. [a pause] But I expect a number of you will do so anyway. This country is on full alert, and traveling by foot should be relatively safe inside our borders, but I hope I don’t need to tell you to be vigilant. I will expect all members of the task force back in Caissa by Lathrya 8th. Heroes, move out!

Basic info on the dungeon can be found here. Dungeon mechanics can be found here. All OOC questions about the event may be directed to the thread below.

ONE ♙

When you enter the temple, the flooring is surprisingly weak — wait, no. That’s a trap. And those are your screams.

You land in what seems to be the vast and sprawling corridors of the temple’s basement: dark, dank, and full of rats. But it’s more than just that — the smell of blood is thick in the air, and every so often, you might hear cries of agony. Magic circles, dried blood on ornate daggers, and tables with unspeakable tools for keeping mouths shut and human limbs in place… something tells you this is exactly what Verdoni warned you about.

MONSTER ♟ Lizardman
Weak against None	Strong against None	Immune to None
Men cursed to roam Enprise in a LIZARD-LIKE FORM by the goddess Gladia. Some conspiracy theorists say they aren’t cursed. In fact, their kind was the first to inhabit Enprise before the Alfersa arrived on a giant spaceship! But locals will squint and silently judge if you honestly believe this. These ANGRY, ARMORED lizardmen are equipped with BLADED WEAPONS and their surprisingly exceptional prowess in COMBAT. Their TOUGH SKIN and SHARP SENSES set them apart from your average human soldier. If you grab one by the tail, he’ll simply chop it off and grow one right back! But you might want to go ahead and take the risk — in alchemy, LIZARD TAILS are known for their regenerative properties. Their WEAPONS, SMELLY ARMOR, TAILS and LOINCLOTHS may be acquired as loot.

Once you make it back to the first level where the laity worship, you’ll be met with... more lizardmen. But not all hope is lost! Find the switch on one of the many life-size Gladia statues to open the hidden door behind the altar and proceed. The switch’s location may vary for each party.

TWO ♙

Only the clergy may enter the higher levels of the temple. Before they do, they must wash themselves in the pools of holy water that flank the entrance. These pools are so rich in mana, bathing in them will even replenish your own. As you splash around, you realize you’re not alone. Red and black lizard-like creatures emerge from the depths of the pools with eyes alight with fire and smoke blowing out of their nostrils. Looks like they woke up on the wrong side of the bed!

MONSTER ♟ Salamander
Weak against Water	Strong against Ice	Immune to Fire (except salamander fire)
In Enprise, salamanders are not amphibians, but FIRE-BREATHING reptiles the length of crocodiles. They have sticky pads on their feet that enable them to CRAWL UP WALLS and LEAP on unsuspecting victims. We hope your spars with the feathered inhabitants of Airy prepared you for this. When COOKED, a salamander’s MEAT can BURN ANYTHING that consumes it. However, it can only be cooked with SALAMANDER FIRE. It’d be wise to keep one alive to cook the rest. We suggest using the FLAME on the tip of its tail — less teeth and much safer. The SALAMANDER PARTS and MEAT may be acquired as loot.

At the other end of the room, there is a door with… teeth? That breathing sound isn’t your imagination; the door is very much alive and will chomp at anything that gets too close. Time to get creative. Behind the door is a staircase to the next level.

THREE ♙

Among the rooms on this level filled with treasures of wines, weapons, gemstones and gold is a large shrine with an imposing 20-foot tall statue of Gladia, a thick needle, pieces of cord and a scroll rolled out on a raised pedestal. Written in old Chernovian are instructions in poetry that varies for each party: Heroes must make a necklace out of the eyes of snakes and offer it to the statue. Those who did their research will be familiar with this practice: by doing this, you are giving her all your bad luck and having her bless your journey ahead.

You’ll need all the luck you can get because the moment you finish reading the scroll with your eyes, hundreds of snakes begin to slither out Gladia’s eyes, nose and mouth.

MONSTER ♟ Alfersan Snake
Weak against None	Strong against None	Immune to Poison
“Hissss...!” Men who were transformed into snakes by the goddess Gladia. Alfersan snakes are HOSTILE and VENOMOUS, but their powerful venom is also known to create the most potent of antidotes. Some adventurers might hate snakes more than others, but you Heroes can do this much, right? The SNAKE PARTS and VENOM can be acquired as loot.

Once the necklace is complete and offered to the statue, the statue will turn, revealing another staircase to the next level.

FOUR ♙

Men weren’t the only ones punished by Gladia. One thousand years ago, the priestess Moura grew envious of a higher member of the clergy, whom everyone preferred over the selfish, narcissistic Moura. What did that woman have that she didn’t? Consumed by these negative thoughts, Moura transformed the woman into a snake and chopped her into pieces for Gladia, praying that the goddess would hear her plea.

In an instant, Gladia answered: “All your life you have lived a lesser being, so a lesser being you shall become!” With these words, the goddess cursed Moura with a head of full of venomous snakes. Ashamed of her appearance, she locked herself up in the temple to fully devote herself to Gladia. They say that Moura lives up to this day, waiting for Gladia to grant her salvation...

As our Heroes enter a large, circular room at the top floor, they will see a desolate young woman muttering the prayers beautifully inscribed in gold leaf on the walls. Olive skin, pointed ears and amber eyes — there’s no doubt that she is Alfersa. As she raises her head and meets their eyes, she greets them with an eerie, twisted smile.

And so do the snakes in her hair.

BOSS ♟ Moura Serpente
Weak against Fire	Strong against None	Immune to Poison
“You are not from this world. … Ehehe… Ahahaha! Oh! Oh, praise Gladia!” Believing the Heroes to be her divine retribution, Moura wastes no time. At the snap of her fingers, a GIANT SERPENT crashes into the room and slithers to its master’s side. The serpent is strong and quick, and when Moura hops on its back, she is nearly untouchable. Strike its soft UNDERSIDE to get some damage in! “To deliver judgement and receive judgement — that is why I exist. I live for no one but my goddess...” The SNAKES ON HER HEAD are a deadly force on their own: they can extend, retract, and even change color according to Moura’s mood. Moura can also use them to get around. When the snakes sink their teeth into your flesh, their bite can either POISON or PETRIFY. The venom will grant its victim DIZZINESS and NAUSEA. We hope you stocked up on antidotes. The remedy for petrification, however, is A KISS ON THE LIPS. One from your true love won’t have any special effect, but that’s rather sweet of them, don’t you think? PRAYING to Gladia — even if by just talking or asking her for anything — will grant you a temporary RESISTANCE TO POISON. “Why? Why do you listen to their prayers and not mine? … Heh… Gladia did always favor the pretty ones!” If you are PRETTY, Moura with direct her rage at you and chase you down. And if everyone is pretty? She’ll take down the prettiest first. To make matters worse, swarms of ALFERSAN SNAKES begin to crawl over the Heroes to distract you and restrict your movements. Don't fret; the TORCHES in the room will help ward both snakes and Moura away. “My goddess, is this enough...?” When you deal your final strike, Moura appears unharmed. But she falls a second later, sprawled on the marble floor and looking up at the ceiling. Slowly, her eyes close and her chest stills. Is she at peace? A glowing object rises and floats above her chest — your first DUNGEON CORE. MOURA’S ARMOR and TOMES ON STATUS MAGIC may be acquired as loot.

You may exit the temple by going back the way you came or jumping out the hole Moura’s serpent made. Falling to your death won’t be a problem — the giant serpents of the temple see you as their new masters. They will catch you and let you hop off their backs once they reach the ground.

FIVE ♙

Salamanca Temple is in a secluded area, so the Airy is parked at an open meadow. Walking back involves cutting your way south across the jungle and crossing the river. We hope you brought a map and a compass! Both are available for purchase on the Airy. The Airy will leave for Caissa on the evening of the 20th. It will arrive in Caissa on the 22nd.

For those who want to explore, the jungle gets thicker as you head north until you find winding stone paths that lead to the city of Polgar.

LOCATION ♟ Polgar
Although Polgar is a city relatively untouched by Blanc’s technological advances, it remains one of the country's largest urban centers due to its TOURISM. The city is home to the ALFERSA, a matriarchal society similar to that of the Amazons, in which men are often relegated to housework and manual labor. Most Alfersa believe that machines are no replacement for good hard work and prefer to live alongside NATURE, though small clockworks and machinery do exist in certain parts of the city. TROPICAL FLORA blankets Polgar and its architecture. There are many TEMPLES and SHRINES here dedicated to Gladia, Lathyra and Oubliette, all well-kept as the Alfersa are proud of their heritage. For the gods, their faith does not waver. Some of their festivals last entire months, with the celebration moving from shrine to shrine in resplendent procession. Polgar is also a popular tropical GETAWAY; its spas, resorts, restaurants, hot springs and brothels are all well-known and high-class, staffed by beautiful men and women and catering to all preferences.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ For the most part, Lord Light stays still. His eyes are fixed upon Moura, various strategies and strings of ideas running through his head while he sieves for a best solution. The snakes which come near him are nearly fried alive with bolts of lightning, aimed carefully to hit their head area as to make a quick kill.

But all that changes once Moura's vengeful eyes are fixed on him. Her mount rises above him, leering as if to bite down immediately - and he has to move, the action cutting short his train of thought as the beast's teeth gnash together in the space where he had been a few seconds ago.

This is not good. ]

Lapis, can you use my sword?

[ He scavenged a sword from the lizardmen at the dungeon entrance. Hearing from Shinoa that the biggest serpent had a strong hide, it would be useless as a weapon if it continues pursuing him. If Lapis could take it, she could protect herself from the smaller snakes.

He's still running, balling mana into his right hand, trying not to trip. ]

[The vast number of snakes is more aggravating than anything - at least none of them have tried to bite them - though seeing the trouble Shinoa's having prompts her to summon a tornado close-by. That'll help suck up the snakes that are trying to swarm in on her.

Except now Moura is going after Lord Light and Lapis can't summon more than one tornado at a time. Wincing at how he barely just dodges getting made into snake food, only to blink in surprise at his words.]

- Yeah, I can try!

[She only knows sword dancing, but that's better than nothing. The thought of actually wielding a weapon makes her feel ill, but these are just snakes - they aren't people, so it should be fine. That doesn't stop her hands from shaking, but she needs to ignore that.

For now she needs to keep moving so that the snakes don't swarm over her, her feet directing her over to Lord Light so she can take the sword, glancing over at the tornado at Shinoa to make sure it stays under control.]

Thanks! Help Lord Light!

[For someone who looks like he writes poetry for a living, at least he's holding his own quite well in dodging and running. But he's not going to last forever alone.

Shinoa chases the giant snake- who's completely ignoring her for Lord Light, so it's not as hard as it could've been- and jumps into the air when she's slightly behind its rearing head. She still can't reach Moura, but it puts her in range to cast a spell around the snake's head- two birds fade into view and dive for Moura, making her pause to bat them away. In a few seconds the snakes on Moura's head leap out to crush them, dissolving the image- but it buys a few seconds of time.]

[ In a pinch, Lord Light can move surprisingly fast - but he is at his nature someone who functions at a much slower pace than the rest of humanity, his perception usually measured in years instead of days. Getting a physical vessel has at least allowed him to adjust, but it's still a little too fast for him.

Shinoa's distraction allows him to afford a glance backwards, unbuckling the sword at his waist and tossing it in Lapis' direction. ]

Catch!

[ With a flick of his wrist he directs a bolt of lightning upwards and into one of Moura's serpent's eyes. The snake rears, stopping its movement for a few more moments. This allows him to get further away from it.

They need magic - high-powered magic, too, something enough to get past the serpent's defenses. But with him being the only caster right now, he can't even afford to stay still and do any incantations. It's troubling. ]

Get the torches. They can help.

[Lapis catches the sword easily, grabbing it by the hilt and twisting it in her hand to hold it properly - a practiced movement, even if she still doesn't look too confident about holding it. But once it's in her hands, she sweeps it along the floor, quickly killing the snakes that were nipping at her feet, wincing slightly at the action.

But this is fine, these are just snakes, so it's fine. Right now she needs to focus on the much bigger problem, which has luckily paused in attacking Lord Light for a moment. There has to be something they can do, and his mentions of the torches gets her to perk up. That's right, they could use the fire to drive them back...

So there's no hesitation as she rushes to grab one of the torches with her free hand, humming to herself when the snakes seem to recoil from the flames as she swings it towards them - glancing back over at the tornado once more so that it changes it's focus to trying to protect Lord Light.]

... Looks like the snakes don't like fire!

[Shinoa looks up to see the snakes recoiling from Lapis; a welcome sight indeed. She sprints to the nearest wall-torch and struggles to heft it off the wall, the need to hang on to her unwieldy scythe making her fumble.

It takes too long. Suddenly there's a sharp pain in her calf, reaching through her socks, and with a cry she jerks back- the torch clatters to the ground, rolling slightly across the floor and setting a few snakes on fire. The faster ones high-tail it out of there, survival instincts overtaking their desire to kill.

With a hiss of pain Shinoa bends to examine the bite. Snakebite..... potions, she needed an antidote, she's clawing through the small satchel of dungeon supplies she had on her, which one, wh i ch on e w a s-

At the same time, the lights and sounds have finally attracted Shinoa's vulture Carrier, now bored of the wall-inscriptions. Moura's snake-heads look particularly interesting- so, unintentionally, the vulture takes its master's place in the Help Lord Light Out cause, diving out of the air for Moura's face.

When the feathers have cleared it can be seen that the bird hadn't hurt Moura at all- it breaks out of its fall with a squawk, retreating hastily at the realization that the snakes on her head are animate.]

[ This is not good.

Shinoa is incapacitated for now - he notes her scrambling for her antidotes, a wise choice; and not for the first time he allows himself to be grateful for her maturity despite her age. However, he doesn't have much time to dedicate to that emotion - his spell and Shinoa's Carrier only buys them a little bit of time, and two against one is much worse odds than three against one.

He skirts a small snake intent on tripping him, sending another bolt of lightning upwards. This time, it sears a line across the serpent's snout, inciting it to lunge downward. He dodges, but just barely.

They need a better plan. One is beginning to take shape in his mind - it's not pleasant, but at least it allows him to put his own strengths to good use. Better he be the sacrifice than the other two girls, who are definitely not immortal. ]

I see a path. I may be able to destroy the serpent from the inside.

[ The more he thinks about it, the more probable it seems to him that it will succeed. ]

Do not worry for me, I cannot die. Keep yourselves safe - once it is out of commission, Moura will be yours to handle.

[ ... he's going to let himself be eaten, basically. ]

- Shinoa!

[Lapis can't stop the worried cry from escaping her, glancing to the other girl before cursing to herself, at least it sounds like a curse considering she switched to Italian for a moment.

This really isn't good, and she's quick to send the tornado to protect Shinoa while she looks at the antidote - her worry and aggravation becoming clear from how the winds practically hurl away any snakes that try to get close. But this is not a good situation - that snake lady and her pet keep targeting Lord Light, and Lapis has no way to help him fight back. There has to be something -

- And then she blinks over at Lord Light when he speaks, taking a moment to process what he just said. Because what.]

... You what? [Another quick swing of the sword keeps the snakes away once more, and she hisses through her teeth as she debates his idea. On one hand, he could be right and he'll be totally fine. On the other, his immortality may not actually be in effect and he'll just get eaten by some stupid, giant snake.]

Are you serious, that's incredibly dangerous! What if it doesn't work?

[Shinoa slides to the ground as the dizziness begins to take hold, still fumbling with the potion-bottles. Her heart is pounding in her ears. This one- this one seems to be it- she hauls the stopper out clumsily and downs it; it tastes sharp, like an exotic relative of citrus. Between the fallen torch, still burning, and Lapis' tornado all the snakes are kept away from her, allowing her to wait for the antidote to take effect.

Oooohh she feels terrible.

Her Carrier is distracted bouncing on some of the Alfersan snakes. When they hiss and rear back, the bird retreats to circle the room again.]

It should.

[ He sends a few more bolts of lightning towards the snake, trying to judge its response time and movement. Its jaws certainly look deep enough to swallow him whole - if he managed to dive inside it, he could in theory slice it apart with pure lightning alone. After all, he had burned straight through several beasts at the expo.

It should work. He has no time to visualize the motions, only calculate how he has to change his body to fit. Perhaps. He needs more data, but perhaps this will be enough. ]

I will not die until every last atom of my being has been erased from existence. It is a feat capable only from gods and not men.

[ Moura is a priestess, and he doubts that Gladia will hate him enough to give her enough power to do so. It is a gamble, he admits freely - but one that he feels confident enough to take. ]

Do whatever you need to kill her.

[ He slows, now walking backwards while trying to run away from Moura's serpent. His gaze is fixed upon the snake's head, trying his best to judge the angle at which it will lunge. After a few moments, it does - Lord Light's eyes flash gold for the briefest moments, and then he disappears into the serpent's maw.

It appears to have tried to bite him, but the former deity laid in wait and picked the last possible moment to jump. The snake gags, and Moura lets out a displeased cry. She still manages to keep her position on its head as it shakes to try and dislodge him, but it isn't really working. ]

[Even though he's still so calm and confident, Lapis can't help but worry since there's no guarantee that it will work. Not that there's much time to think about it either, so she'll just have to trust what Lord Light says.

But she doesn't look at all happy about it. Gritting her teeth as she uses the sword to keep the snakes back, still torn about if she should keep arguing with Lord Light about this. Surely there has to be a better way to do this than let him get himself eaten?

Not that she has a chance to say anything, as she can only just... stare in shock at how he just vanishes.]

- Lord Light! [Her eyes quickly focus on the snake, her heart sinking when she realizes that he... actually did it. He let himself get eaten. She isn't sure if she should be horrified or angry or both, but for now she has to do something to kill Moura so that this can be over with. An idea comes to mind though when she notices the flames of a torch near her tornado being sucked into it. Maybe that's something she could do...]

[Finally her vision clears and Shinoa gets to her feet shakily, brandishing a trembling torch in one hand. Torch- check. Weapon- check. Situation- they'd been fighting against Moura, and as little faith as Shinoa had in gods, she made a haphazard attempt at prayer on the spot for having survived that spell of poison without anything murdering her. Back home, with the kind of enemies they faced, this would have been incomprehensible.

Now- tightening her grip on her weapon, she surveys the scene. The snake is gagging on something, its master shouting concerned words that all could here. Lapis is there. Where is Lord Light-

The snake rears back and flexes its jaws to get its unintentional meal down, and Shinoa catches a glimpse of legs going down the snake's throat.

She screams.]

He got eaten?!? C-cut him out!

[Maybe that prayer had been sent too soon. Shinoa sprints to rejoin her remaining ally, her heart hammering again.]

[ For the most part, his world turns dark. It's a tight fit inside the snake's throat, and not for the first time he's glad that he doesn't have a human biology - its thrashing would have brought an immense amount of vertigo, and the extreme constriction of his situation would have made almost everyone claustrophobic. But not him, because he knows what he's doing, and also because he's always been a little detached from reality.

Lord Light's hands are out in front of him, his weapon discharging a spark of electricity straight into the snake's sensitive stomach. It spasms, almost enough to fling Moura off, and he takes it as a sign that he should continue. Angling his wand downwards, he starts focusing a beam of lightning into what he can only assume is the serpent's underside, channeling his mana with the intention of cutting it open from the inside. ]

[THIS SITUATION KEEPS GETTING WORSE.

Lapis is about to agree with Shinoa because this is a stupid idea and dammit Lord Light, why did you think getting eaten would be a good plan?! But she pauses as she watches how the snake spasms, glancing over at where Moura was thrown off. Okay, it... looks like he's okay.

And there is some relief when she notices how the snake is being... cut from the inside. Relief and disgust, because that's kind of gross to watch. So she turns her attention to the other girl, motioning her head towards Moura.]

Ugh... That idiot is probably gonna cut himself out at this rate. Let's get rid of Moura so we can get out of here.

[Now her previous idea can be tried out - her tornado sucking up the flames of the nearby torch to basically set itself on fire. Now quickly descending upon Moura to cover her in flames, wincing slightly as she screams and howls in pain as she's burned. She can deal with this, it's fine, they need to do this...]

That idiot!!

[Shinoa doesn't want to take that chance. It's hard to get a hit down with how the serpent is thrashing, but she swings until her scythe manages to cut into its underbelly as well, trying to speed up the process. Once there are reasonable gashes that give the snake a reasonable surety of dying- and the constant spasming from the lump that's Lord Light is a good sign- she turns her attention to Lapis.]

Do you need me to finish it?

[ Unfortunately, Lord Light doesn't hear them. Being inside the serpent dampens even his sharp senses, and his attention right now is focused on his work of cutting the beast open from the inside. Shinoa's scythe stabs help to let in some light, but the blood that pools within the snake as a result dampens that effect somewhat.

It takes time, but the combination of exsanguination and internal shocks finally force the snake's last breath. It falls to the ground, still writhing in its death throes, while its master burns alive some distance away. The combination of human and beast rattling their last is enough to shake his concentration, but not by much - and finally the snake stills with one last thud.

Moura takes a little longer to expire, but he's able to move better now. It'll still take him a bit of time to get out of the snake, though. ]

[Lapis quietly hums in agreement with Shinoa, watching as she cuts into the snakes underbelly as she keeps the tornado around Moura, hoping that they fire will at least weaken her significantly.

Though it's a relief when the snake finally falls, sighing softly when it seems like Lord Light is okay. Even though he's still a complete idiot. Who will be getting some Words once they're out of here.

Shinoa's question catches her attention, and she nods, the erractic wind and fire around Moura lessening so that she could strike at the crazy and now burning woman safely.]

... Go ahead, I'm not sure if the fire is strong enough to finish her completely.

Are you alive in there??

[The snake's neck continues to wiggle. Okay, she's taking that as a yes. Her scythe is.....not exactly a scalpel, which is perhaps a massive understatement. Delicate work isn't this baby's thing.

Shinoa pulls a face at the lump in the dead snake's throat. You will be having a Lecture once you've recovered, Lord Light.]

Help get Lord Light out of there, I'll take over.

[She turns on a heel, takes aim, and makes quick work of Moura.

“My goddess, is this enough...?”]

......

....think we're done!

[ It's slightly easier to cut himself out now that the snake isn't moving, but the slow speed of his electric weapon isn't fast to begin with. There was also the possibility of him accidentally shocking one of the girls - given how powerful the beam was, it wouldn't end well at all.

So he's scrabbling while Shinoa almost beheads Moura, trying to tear a large enough hole in the snake's hide so that he could speak. There's something not quite right about his body now - maybe it's the overexertion, but even then it's a very distinct feeling of something failing systemically.

He could survive, but what if they had to fight again? ]

Excuse me. Could you two assist me for this?

[Finally, this is all done with. At least she hopes so, judging by how the dungeon core appears out of Moura's collapsed body. Now there was just one more issue.

So Lapis sighs heavily as she makes her way to the now dead snake, the sword scrapping along the stone floor as she drags it behind her. Stopping in front of the incision she can hear Lord Light's voice coming from - or at least she assumes so.]

... Shinoa, grab the core while I try to get him out.

[So she sticks the sword into the cut and pulls the sword along with a quiet grunt, wrinkling her nose as more blood pools on the floor. But the cut does slowly start to become wider, and she'll keep trying to cut the snake open even more until Lord Light can get himself out.]

Got it!

[She plucks the core out of the air, wraps it in a piece of cloth from her bag, and places the loot back into said bag. Now that Moura is defeated, the snakes are scattering in fear. Shinoa kicks at the bodies of some snakes fallen in the chaos, before pausing thoughtfully. Hm-]

Is it working? Do you need light to see by? I don't think my scythe is a good idea to use there, so....

[She shifts closer, holding her torch out to shed more light on the dead beast.]

Do you think the alchemists will appreciate Alfersan snakes? We might get extra rewards if we turn some of these bodies in.

[Time to loot the temple you just rampaged through, team.]

[ He starts dragging himself out when Lapis hacks through the snake's dead body - first comes a hand, then the other - it takes a while, but eventually he manages to sit upright and maneuver himself out completely. His wand is still in his hand, but he doesn't feel ready to stand up just yet. There's blood on his clothes, his hair, but he doesn't seem disturbed by it. What does disturb him, however, is some sort of shift he feels in his vessel.

Having heard part of Shinoa's words, he decides it's worth offering an answer. ]

The venom would be useful if you seek to sell it to scholars. But we already have the most important part.

[ The core, that is. ]

I would advise taking too much of the tithes, however.

... It's... slowly working. And thank you, some light would help.

[The light of Shinoa's torch helps Lapis to see where to place the sword to keep opening up the dead snake, sighing in relief once Lord Light is able to get out. It's both weird and kind of gross to see Lord Light dragging himself out of the dead body, but at least he seems fine. For now, her worry overcomes her annoyance at him and his stupid plan, but that won't last for long.]

He's right, the venom would probably be something that's sought after.

[Her eyes soon narrow at how Lord Light is still sitting, and she crouches down next to him, not hesitating as she reaches up to wipe away some of the blood from his face as she frowns at him.]

Are you alright?

[Shinoa pauses in stuffing some dead snakes into her bag, noticing Lord Light's reappearance. With a yelp she drops into a crouch beside him and hastily pulls out some mana and health potions from her bag, sending some snakes toppling out in the process.

She'll get that later. For the moment she shoves a recovery potion at Lord Light's face, the bottle already uncorked.]

Drink!!!

[In the background, her vulture has started pecking appraisingly at the giant serpentine carcass. Already looting the corpse, it is.]

[ For a moment, he sort of squints - but he has enough reflexes left to catch the bottle. He doesn't drink immediately, however, looking into the vial and examining its contents.

(Really, he's kind of just buying time.) ]

Thank you.

[ This is said to both the ladies, accompanied by a nod. Then he drinks, but in a odd manner - tipping the bottle so that the liquid can run down his throat without swallowing. He only takes half, though. ]

I need to assess myself. A moment, please.

[ He stands slowly, slightly pinched expression still on his face, holding out his hands in front of him. There are golden patterns on his skin now, similar to circuit diagrams - while they don't glow, they are the same colour as his eyes when he casts. 'Magic overload' is written all over them, metaphorically speaking; but he had been aware of a method to solve that.

After about half a minute, he speaks again. ]

I may need to reset my vessel temporarily; it seems I have casted too much.

[ Basically, he burned so much mana so fast through the dungeon that he's been casting from, well, his body. It's similar to 'cast from HP', except it uses up his internal matter. Which means there's a sort of hole inside him right now. ]

Both of you, I ask that you leave the temple as soon as your business is done. I will meet you... outside. Hopefully in a short period of time.

DUNGEON ♛ SALAMANCA TEMPLE

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