Viva La DWRP

Tending to get up close with his targets has so many disadvantages, and fast as Tau can be, it's hard to move in the opposite direction when you've thrown yourself completely forwards. He abandons the rock, not fast enough to pull his arm back as he feels the Python's maw close on his forearm. At least the broken fangs don't penetrate the leather bracer beneath his sleeve, but the poison's still there, in teeth and blood and spit.

And he feels it, vision wavering briefly. He yanks his arm back once the Python's mouth loosens for another strike, letting himself fall back to tumble away from it and Natalia's hammers if they're still in play.

He huffs as he rolls to the side, with only a slight stumble as he pushes onto his feet.

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It is at this point that Kaitlyn finally shows up, making her own move... In the simplest, and more importantly most distant form she could manage while attacking the Python.

Simply starting to pepper it with bladed icicles from one side, cutting it where the others aren't - so as not to spatter them with more of the poisonous blood. And also keep it distracted from additional angles.

A few more like this, and maybe...!

[Sorry for my severely late arrival. It's been... A few days.]

Edited Date: 2025-06-27 05:28 am (UTC)

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When the Python's jaw closes on Tau's forearm a dissonant chord plays. Emery bites back a curse and quickly plucks the correct string, resuming the song and hoping the missed beat isn't going to throw anyone else off. Damn-! He can't see how bad Tau's injury is, but the way Tau falls has Emery worried.

A pungent metallic scent hangs in the air. Enough of the Python's blood and other bodily fluids has mixed with the dusty soil and melting ice to turn the ground beneath it to mud. Python slips and scrabbles in the mud with its three usable feet, casting its gaze and tongue about looking for where Tau's rolled off to.

And then sharp, cold icicles pierce its side. More blood spurts out onto the soil, and Python twists towards the direction of the attacks. When it spots Kaitlyn it starts moving again, dragging itself across the ground towards her.

But its injuries mean it's moving at a much less impressive pace than before, dogged but not hard to outrun. Emery will let Kaitlyn and the others worry about avoiding it as he hurries in Tau's direction.

"Tau!" he calls over his own lyre playing. "Are you- How bad is it?" If Python bit down hard enough to get its poison into Tau's blood then- then that would be really bad.

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Through all of this, Link's been holding on, still driving the Sword into the beast's neck. But those splatters of toxic blood across his cheek have started to take effect. He can feel his limbs growing weaker, his strength waning.

He's been holding on, but he won't be able to for much longer. So he wrenches the Sword out, tries not to stumble, and swings with both hands at Python's neck.

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There's nothing for it. If that got into Tau's blood, the only way she can think of to keep him alive would be to freeze his arm-- but as it stands he's already dead; blood moves too fast like this.

The other option is to keep his body temperature at a balmy 16-10 Centigrade or so, and keep his heart beating. It kept her alive long enough to get medical attention, it could probably save him if it came down to it.

But all that meant nothing if she didn't, immediately, defeat Python. So she rears up, sweeps the shards of ice that remain, and slams them all at once into Python's hip. Even if they fail, it's not likely to ever move again after that.

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"I'm fine!" Tau barks back at Emery, straightening. He glares at the mess of his sleeve, tearing it off before fumbling at the straps of the bracer. No broken skin, the poison damage only topical like a faint burn, but he'll deal with it later. They've almost got this thing down.

He will be Very Upset if Natalia tries freezing him.

At least he looks a little steadier on his feet as he turns his attention back towards the Python and Link. He can see it, the swordsman's straining, and as Link swings his blade once more and Natalia moves to take out the Python at the hip, the kodama springs back into the fray, but this time it's to grab Link before he falls over, whether or not he manages to behead the beast.

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Kaitlyn, seeing the Python approaching her but slowing - then Link's swing at the neck - Natalia trying to pin it with her own shards of ice - Tau's covering Link -

A sword-like blade of ice forms in her hand. She doesn't have time to see if the creature's been beheaded before it will reach her. If it is... That's going to be a lot of poison blood on her. But with it so weakened, she can go for a direct stab into its eye, followed by shoving herself back out of its reach... Hopefully.

Edited Date: 2025-06-28 07:01 am (UTC)

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Emery peers at Tau's arm as best he can in the chaotic situation, but he can't spot any obvious breakages so he lets Tau run off to help link.

The Python is still making a dogged beeline for Kaitlyn, and when Link wrenches his sword out there's another spurt of blood from the wound. And then, multiple things happen in rapid succession.

The blade of Link's sword slices through the side of Python's neck; inertia drags it the rest of the way through; sharp pieces of flying ice stab into its hindquarters; and then it slams into another blade of ice that goes directly through one of its eyes and into the back of its head.

As Link and Kaitlyn scatter in various directions Python's head falls to the ground, a bloody wet mess still barely attached to the main body by stringy bits of muscle and skin. The rest of its body collapses, limbs twitching in violent death throes for a minute or two before it finally goes still.

Python is dead.

Its corpse is still virulently poisonous, but unless anyone decides to start rolling in it the group isn't in much immediate danger.

Emery lowers his lyre and approaches the rest of the group.

"Okay," he says. "Everyone who touched it, line up. I'll deal with you before I get started on Python."

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Natalia finally retracts the hammers, catching them in her gloved palms.

Her.

Fingerless, gloved palms.

God damn it.

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Tau lands a good several meters away from the collapsing Python, and thankfully he's gentle about setting Link down. His nose wrinkles distastefully as he watches the earth darken around the creature's tainted body. But it's dead, and that's that. He lets out a sigh.

"Should be fine," he mutters, flexing his fingers as he looks at his arm again. He seems steadier on his feet anyway, but if Link needs the hand up, he'll help him over to where Emery is.

He stops by Natalia, giving her a Look. And she'd been doing so well until then. "Come on, let's get this over with."

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When Link struck his final blow against Python, he hadn't exactly expected to be picked up and gently set against the ground. He'd expected to land the usual way - either on his feet, or by rolling to the ground like a ragdoll.

So Tau will hear a faint, surprised noise from Link. But once he is on his feet, he'll give Tau a nod of thanks - and then a long, considering look.

Now that the battle's over, he can think about that flinch he saw from Tau. Remember his angry protests, about refusing to touch a bow. And Link can connect a few dots, even if he doesn't have a full picture.

So Link takes hold of the bow on his back, and disappears it into the mysterious depths of his korok-enchanted pack. And then without any further acknowledgement, wanders over to dutifully stand before Emery.

All Link got was a couple of blood splatters to the face; he doesn't expect to be looked after first.

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Indeed, Link isn't Emery's first priority. That honor goes to Tau- Emery approaches him and gently takes Tau's arm with one hand, and sets the other on Tau's cheek.

Warmth will spread from Emery's skin into Tau's body, heated to a near-feverish pitch. It feels a bit like standing in the sunlight on a hot summer's day. As gently as possible, Emery uses his magic to burn away any traces of Python's toxins that have passed through the layers of Tau's skin. Emery doesn't bother trying to mask the potency of his ether flowing into the purification magic, and even those not normally sensitive to ether may feel an odd pressure.

It's over in a minute and Emery steps back from Tau, glancing from Link to Natalia to Kaitlyn. Which one of them got splattered worse? ...And is it really safe for Emery to treat Kaitlyn considering the whole summer allergy situation?

"Tau," Emery says after a brief hesitation. "You said you were a healer, right? Give Kaitlyn a look while I take care of the others."

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"I... Lucked out," Kaitlyn says. "I think."

She has taken some blood to herself, but she was not nearly as badly hit as some. Turning toward Tau, she can't help but smile. "... But yeah, it's probably better you specifically check over me. I think that Emery's healing would work, it'd just kinda... Be harder to tell."

Stupid summer allergy-for-lack-of-a-better-word.

She's definitely looking over Natalia from a distance, though. Worrying, though she's trying to keep it off her face.

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She pulls off her gloves and resists the urge to rub her own eyes. It wasn't the first time she'd stumbled at the final furlong. Still, it was a bit embarrassing. "Link first. If the poison gets really bad for me, I'll likely preserve myself via induced hibernation before it can kill me."

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What's with that look? Tau almost seems to take it as some sort of challenge, his expression just shy of a glare as he stares back at the Hylian.

Well, that's not something he expects, the fact that the weapon vanishes impossibly into that pack, even more so. But Link gets a nod back from Tau.

And then Emery comes to tend him. He'd feel Tau tense under his touch, barely managing to restrain himself from some sort of response, but tossing your party member is probably something that would be frowned upon in this instance. The sudden heat is almost dizzying, and for a moment it feels like something pushes against it in active defense before realizing what the magic is attempting to do.

He runs a hand across his face once he's released, looking mildly annoyed, but his temperature seems to be normalizing. "Could've warned me first," he mutters.

The kodama looks over at Kaitlyn, nodding at Emery. "Can't hurt to have a look at least," he tells her as he steps towards her, holding out a hand.

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Emery's tempted to tease Tau for his disgruntlement, mild though it may be, but he's honestly grateful enough to have help with healing that he suppresses it but for a brief flicker of a smirk in Tau's direction.

Then it's onto Link, as Natalia suggests, though Natalia's hibernation shouldn't be needed. "I'd have to be working really slowly for it to get that bad," Emery assures Natalia. "C'mere, Link."

Since the Python's blood just got on Link's face, Link will be treated to Emery cupping his face in both hands. Emery peers down at Link intently, and again summons forth the purification magic. Link is treated to the same powerful ether flow and summery heat that Tau was, but the feeling is concentrated much more in Link's head.

As before it's brief, only about a minute or two before Emery lets go.

"Natalia, give me your hands."

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Link will stare back, just as intently, as Emery heals his face. It's a strangely familiar sensation; once that reminds him of eating sundelion-infused meals.

With the healing now complete - and everyone else either healed, or being attended to - Link will give Emery a nod of thanks, before scurrying over to Python's carcas.

Link squats down next to it, peering closely at the beast's teeth. Link likes the look of those. He bets he could make some really good elixirs with them. Pulling out a knife, the considering expression on his face clearly suggests that he's thinking about how best to pry said teeth out.

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She lets Emery take her hands. Thankfully, it barely hurts-- her heart, after all, is unaffected by this as yet.

"... Do you know the origins of this particular beast, Emery? I admit to being curious since before we arrived."

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Purifying isn't too hard, particularly with Natalia's relatively minimal exposure and with Emery getting into the swing of it. So he hums and answers the question while his hands are wrapped around hers.

"It was created in an Imperial research lab attached to the University of Maikrecht. They do various kinds of ether experiments on animals, and occasionally people. When I-" Emery hesitates for a moment. "-looked into it, I discovered that they'd been experimenting on a clutch of eggs, trying to affect the poisons they'd have when they hatched. Most of them didn't hatch at all, and the rest that did all died. I'm not really sure what they were hoping to accomplish but I think with Python they got more than they could handle."

He'd gotten his information from a mixture of his divination abilities and occasional sneaking around the campus. It wasn't the most thorough of investigations, Emery had been more concerned with stopping Python before it could do too much damage. The Imperial scientists had thought a place as lowly and barren as Hesaeth couldn't be damaged much anyway, but what flora and fauna does live in the desert would undoubtedly disagree.

Speaking of which, Emery should get started on purifying the Python's carcass. He lets go of Natalia's hands and turns in the direction of the carcass.

And spots Link crouched next to it.

"Wh- Hey!"

Emery is now hurrying over to Link with the air of someone who just spotted their cat trying to eat plastic.

"That's still dangerous!"

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Tau's method of healing isn't by heating. He slips a wallet from his beltpouch, pulling out a leaf, and after looking over Kaitlyn, places it over where the blood had made contact.

"Might feel a little warm, but not nearly like you're being cooked," he says, throwing something of a flat look in Emery's direction before he focuses. It's a pretty straight-forward process, if somewhat bypassing standard expectations, but Tau knows plants, and he coaxes this one to absorb the toxins from Kaitlyn's skin. Thankfully it doesn't seem to have spread very far. When he's done he removes the leaf, now darkened, and when he closes his hand around it, it crumbles into dust.

"...."

The commotion from Emery makes him look over again. What the hell is Link doing? Not that Tau looks particularly concerned so much as thinking 'you idiot.'

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But what if the cat really, really wants to eat the plastic? Is that such a crime?

And just like a cat, Link shamelessly stares back at Emery, knife still in hand. But he doesn't make any further moves towards the corpse.

"...I want its teeth."

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If Emery were paying closer attention, he might have thrown a pout in Tau's direction. But as it is, he has other cats to herd.

Link's response earns a blink.

"Why?"

The word slips out, a little exasperated and mostly flummoxed. Emery hadn't considered that anyone would have much interest in the Python's body- you know, what with the whole deadly poison issue- but taking a moment to think about it, it occurs to him that Link might be after a souvenir or to use the teeth for... something. Crafting or something.

"Fine, just. Let me start detoxifying the body first, okay?"

Emery moves over to Python's carcass and kneels on the dark, blood-soaked soil. He puts one hand on Python's back and the other on its head and slowly, Emery begins to glow with holy ether.

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Kaitlyn would quickly pull a glove off as Tau approached, to let him see her bare hand... And place the leaf against it.

"... Wow," she muttered, as the warmth flowed through her... And the pain faded, the leaf turning black.

She was clearly kind of trying to ignore Link looting the monster. Professional courtesy... Not like she could draw anything of use from it, after all.

"... Thank you. I'll be fine. I... I think that's all of us?"

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"I believe so. Save Emery himself, of course. You did get pretty close, are you all right?"

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