Reflex was the only thing that stopped the webbing from hitting her face. Whatever the bracer’s ability to deal with missiles apparently not responding to the attack's nature. A snapped upper block intercepted the mass before it struck. The sticky material smacked her forearm and bulged around it. Having spread outwards, it sealed itself around the limb; from just below her wrist, it enveloped well past the elbow. The glow that came from the Portal messing with her vision so much; it was lucky she’d managed that. Their plan indeed hadn’t survived contact with this enemy. Their attack wasn’t going completely the ambushers' way either, as Julia heard noises of fighting in the darkness.

As quickly as it struck, the line reeled inwards, the sudden pressure whipping her body through the air. With clarity from the Ki, her senses moved momentarily into a heightened state. That state cataloguing everything from the instant her feet left the ground, the shifting of shadows, dank air, bitter venom, the clash of metal against stone, the wind across her face. It was a clarity that let her try to Blink to the nearest visible safety. In its fragile newness, the clarity crumbled from the unexpected.

That surprise almost ended things as Blink failed, the power of it draining away down the line that held onto her. It left her trying to comprehend the shadowy nightmare clinging high on the wall. Airborne without warning, the habits from that long climb activated Flight, but momentum still carried her from the illumination of the Portal. The shock of the situation almost had her yanking backwards, yet instinct and Danger Sense screamed otherwise.

{{Kill them!}}

((Move with, do not fight the tide.))

[Danger Sense (14->15)]

Flight’s push turned her direct course into steep angle instead; enabling Julia to mostly avoid the long claws seeking to snatch her from the air. If she’d stayed along the path, the attack might have struck deep. But the change wasn’t enough and her trailing leg emitted sounds of breaking bone. The line reeling in her now hooked by that missed attack; it pulled her downward.

Momentum twisted Julia towards the obsidian ridges along the half-seen limb. Protean left her leathers fluttering like a bizarre harness at the end of a bungee cord. The webbing had anchored on the sleeve instead of flesh. The sound of metal striking a hardened stone rang out, and lightning arced through the chamber. The afterimage would have shown Julia the forms of those ranged against her. Within her shape, the vibration against stone ‘skin’ was the only thing perceived.

Arcs of lighting continued to lash outwards from where Lêdhins stood on the back of a jagged form, even his mass outweighed by its bulk. Grasping a line from the thing's spinneret, lightning arced and seared deep into armoured flesh. As that power ripped out the other side forking towards others, the webbing burned to ash.

Compressed from her form of a Succubus, she’d become a thin stalactite where her right hand had been. Empowered by Flight, the spike plunged downwards towards where eyes had gleamed in the portal's light. Its armoured head and Demonic flesh would still have deflected ordinary stone. It couldn’t however, handle the Ki fashioned into the point, letting the attack drive deep in an eye that had shone like a faceted gem.

The impact struck its head, but this foe wasn’t falling so quickly. A ruptured orb was the only damage when the skull bone behind turned her strike. A pained twitch sent the stalactite flying from wounded flesh before she did more. She felt the impact of ‘flesh’ against this plane’s stone. No injury resulted from being skipped across the tunnel, and her health bar even showed it was recovering from the breaks.

Spread on stone as cold as her form, Julia took an action she hoped not to regret and opened Telepathy. Waves of hunger, rage, pain and fury raced into awareness. Their anger and wrath were nothing compared to what she’d experienced, and Mental Hardening didn’t even strain. The range of her telepathy gave her a feeling of too many foes for comfort. From them, she got a sense of their hunger, rage and frustration. A hunt unfulfilled, simple prey gone missing, other game now vanished, and pain burning the air. Their focus shifting towards the one causing that burning, Julia changed again. Her new form still had skin like stone, and Julia regarded the scene with blackened eyes.

[Telepathy [B] (8->9)]

With the illumination no longer directly behind her, she could spot the closest attacker, and as they scuttled to turn on the spot, she used Blink. Landing behind the curve of its spinneret, the mouth of the stone lamprey bit down between ridges in its thorax. While it gave little purchase together with Flight, she found enough. Flesh pierced by the teeth of her circular maw extended deeper still. Meanwhile Energy Drain pulsed, and her will claimed more life. The healing fractures in her form sealing with stolen life. The massively distorted arachnid had plenty to share.

[Energy Drain (14-> 15)]

The foe felt pain its bestial mind couldn’t understand, and it tried to scrape the source of it free. Its flesh blocked every attempt to dislodge the pain; body’s shape and inflexibility denied its need. Her foe ended up desperately writhing and thrashing in place. Its shrill clicks and scraping were going unheeded by its kin, who were more interested in hunting defiant prey. Carried about on the thrashing ride she grew spikes to hold herself fast, and life force filled past full. More energy than needed for healing came from her foe and radiated uncontained. Energised by the stolen health, she chewed through its flesh. As she continued, the next pulse conveyed a further understanding of this power, previously only used in her frenzy.

[Energy Drain (15-> 16)]

With its erratic movements, Julia only managed fragmented sight of the conflict. Power roared repeatedly as lightning danced and black metal flashed. She saw the board blade of the mattock drop downwards and a raging mind nearby stilled. Teeth forced further into its body, she transformed again, and nestled within, pulping its flesh. It took time to die, but the demonic energy gained didn’t match a Lurker. With its poison and spinneret glands stored, she slithered from the remains to regard the dead and dying among Lêdhins’s foes. The blood from the creature dripping off her skin and hair, painting flesh in shades of night. Her tongue flicked unnoticed along her bottom lip as she watched the battle draw to a close.

[Protean [Ap] (22->23)]

Fuck. Okay, so yeah, he sure can kill stuff. Lots of stuff. He either heals fast, or they didn’t even hit him.

{{Yummy!}}

The taste of blood unheeded in her mouth, Blink took her to one twitching well away from the rest of the combat. Putting her hand to exposed flesh, she pulled on the energy within.

[Energy Drain (16-> 17)]

Kill stealing Bitch am I!

[Combat Summary:

Contribution:-

Corrupted Nox Hunter x3

Killing Blow: 2

Majority Damage: 1

Minor Damage: 2

Exp Gained: 2100

Demonic Shards Gained: 0.2

Experience distributed between classes:

Blood Monk : +100

Wizard: +0

Succubus: + 2,000]

As the notification pinged her awareness, she heard metal clink against stone and Lêdhins‘ hiss carried to her ears.

“You can come out now I killed them all,” Lêdhins said, sounding like he had minimal care regardless of what had happened to Julia.

“No, sorry you missed one, I dealt with it. Well, technically two, this one was dying and one I killed myself.” Julia said, noting his slight surprise as he found her near the body.

[Perception [Ap](19->20)]

“You sure don’t seem worried about lack of clothing. For someone so fussy about those leathers.”

“I choose what I wear or not no one else. That stunt with the leathers and haggling the passage. You’ve got a bit of a nerve.”

“You choose to rip them off to roll in blood?” Lêdhins asked, sounding quite hopeful.

“No, I was getting towed by a web on them, so I got free. They might still be around.” Julia said, mentally shrugging into shorts and a halter top with the appearance of leather. Given the way his eyes had trailed over her skin, she wanted to give him a Wajet special.

I doubt I’d even shift his bloody bulk. I sure didn’t learn enough techniques to throw someone so much bigger.

“With no meat in them, the Nox wouldn’t care. Though what are you wearing now. That won’t keep you from getting ripped up. How many outfits do you have?”

“Something to block your view of my cunt. I thought it was obvious. And I have what I have.”

“Spoilsport. I’d bet you’re dripping wet,” said Lêdhins, his tone and frown consistent in their disappointment.

I bet he has acting. Wonder if it's standard for Demons? Yet I used my acting skill to get an aura.

“Except for dripping blood, you just lost the bet so you can return my coins now,” said Julia.

“Funny sort of Lust demon you are. Don’t want to fuck. Didn’t want to play dominator. Don’t like a male leering at you. Plus, not wet from killing.” Lêdhins sighed, shaking his head at her as if disappointed. “Some Succubus I’ve known would cut someone up for ignoring them when they wanted to preen.”

“You don’t get to know what I truly desire, let alone Lust after,” Julia said, her tone firm.

Fuck you, arsehole. Well, at least I didn’t get seduction unlocked again.

“Ahh, such a shame we might like the same positions.”

“My coins.”

He can kill all those things. Wonder if I should go easy annoying him. Careful no witnesses now.

Doubt it would have mattered earlier though

“Don’t have them anymore. Lost those gambling.”

“Let me guess. You still have plenty of your own.”

“Of course. That’s my money I’m not careless with it.”

{{My yummy clothing.}}

Shaking her head, Julia stalked off in the direction where hopefully they landed. By the time they turned up scuffed but intact, the Caravan was looming near the Portal. The shimmering surface was letting them see its details. Yet outside, it had been impossible to see within.

“No wings?” Lêdhins asked.

“Why would I need them fighting?” Julia asked, trying not to glare at him again.

“In case you need to fly?”

He expects me to need them. Or he’s pranking the girl who he thinks is fresh? Or I’m weird, and my Flight is weirder?

“The Caravan is nearly here, shall we get moving ?”

“There’s an example of places to watch out for near here. We’ll work our way there. No, go dying too fast. I want to get as much coin from Usd’ghi as possible.”

To earn you coin is never going to be my primary focus.

Protean contributed the most, and it’s developed from Succubus’ Shapeshift.

I should look to throw some spells, to ensure I level Wizard. Need materials for inscribing and potions. Level monk fastest just unarmed combat and Ki Strike.

Wonder if I can unlock any other Ki Powers.

“How big is this place?” Julia asked.

“No idea, not sure anyone knows. There are certainly untapped areas. You hear stories of miners breaking into new tunnels. By the way, don’t get dragged off by one of the Nox. With everything else you’re not into, I’d doubt you’d enjoy playing host.” Lêdhins said, gesturing his war mattock to the closest one before making it disappear.

So she’s set me a permanent job. Wonder if she was ever planning to recall me?

Julia looked over the thing, eyes taking in the almost Ute sized front body, and the bloated thorax with it arced spinneret. The saving grace was that it seemed fixed relatively forward. The crags and gulleys of its hide forming ridges over its flesh that she’d used to her advantage. It would hurt worse than using a cheese grater as a facial scrub if it shoved against her. The memory of how easily it broke her leg was unsettling. While she’d dealt with one, the twelve Lêdhins had killed by himself might well have been a different matter.

I want to throw up!!! Does brood mother refer to that? Or something worse still?

“How?” Julia asked, trying to keep her voice calm.

“Oh, so that’s what you’re into?”

“No!” Julia stated firmly, her revulsion clear in her tone.

“Yeah! Yeah! Next Nox we meet. I’ll hold it still so you can have a ride. I’m sure we can work out a means of payment.”

I hate Lêdhins

He just smirked at the flat look she gave him, and he headed off into the tunnel they’d planned to use initially. With little other choices, she followed him. Staring at Lêdhins’s back, Julia realised two things; Telepathy was still active, and there wasn’t even a hint of emotion from him.

Wonder how much he out levels me. How does he shield his mind?