Nue Quest 9 - Ascension: A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

> How far away is the beast?

>It has covered some distance, and is presently tearing through another field.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Might as well give it a shot then, I guess. Let's go, but no one else needs to get closer than they feel comfortable getting."
> Speed back off toward the beast.

[Hello Purvis]

> "Might as well give it a shot then, I guess. Let's go, but no one else needs to get closer than they feel comfortable getting."
> Speed back off toward the beast.

>"Good luck," says Byakuren.
>You make your way back toward the behemoth, the others following behind. This includes Mamizou, who apparently came up close behind you while you were speaking, and said nothing.
>How will you approach it?

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Come up alongside its right.

[Hello Purvis]

> Come up alongside its right.

>You approach the Behemoth's right side. Unsurprisingly, this causes it to veer a bit further westward from it's previous path.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Alter our flight path to cut across over to its back, then fly up its back toward its head.

[Hello Purvis]

> Alter our flight path to cut across over to its back, then fly up its back toward its head.

>You bring yourself across it's back, then over it's head. It stops as you, letting you pass by it.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Stop moving forward, turn around and drop down a bit so we're facing it properly.

[Hello Purvis]

> Stop moving forward, turn around and drop down a bit so we're facing it properly.

>You turn to face the behemoth. It has stopped, and is watching you.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Hold the sword in front of us and take on a commanding tone.
> "Okay. You are going to get back in this sword. That is an order."

[Hello Purvis]

> Hold the sword in front of us and take on a commanding tone.
> "Okay. You are going to get back in this sword. That is an order."

>It regards you as you speak, then tosses it's head.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Tosses it's head? Like just-being-an-animal toss, shaking-head-no toss, or trying-to-gore-us-again toss?

[Hello Purvis]

> Tosses it's head? Like just-being-an-animal toss, shaking-head-no toss, or trying-to-gore-us-again toss?

>Largely the first one, but you are certain this could become the third if it wanted to.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> As long as it doesn't actually try to gore us again.
> Raise voice a little bit and point the sword at the beast.
> "Hey! I told you to get your ass in the sword. Now do it!"

[Hello Purvis]

> As long as it doesn't actually try to gore us again.
> Raise voice a little bit and point the sword at the beast.
> "Hey! I told you to get your ass in the sword. Now do it!"

>You raise your voice, and repeat your demands. The behemoth's response is to rear up, bringing it's hooves into the air, then descending down toward you!

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Retreat! Bolt backward a little bit.

[Hello Purvis]

> Retreat! Bolt backward a little bit.

>You draw back, and its hooves crash to the ground in front of you with a deafening crash.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Given their path, would they have hit us had we stayed still?

[Hello Purvis]

> Given their path, would they have hit us had we stayed still?

>You believe so.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Fly back in toward the beast and point the sword at it.
> "Knock it off! Get back in this sword!"
> Hey, this worked earlier. Try to send our force of will through the sword at the beast. This thing has caused us so much aggravation, messing with our head, trying to trick us into letting it out inside the Temple, trying to get us to kill a broken man, trying to gore us, trample us, and run us over, and then trying to gore Byakuren! And now it goes between ignoring us and trying to step on us some more? If it's going to act like a bully, it can be treated like a bully! It needs to sit the fuck down and listen to us! It needs to get back in the sword, so it can be dealt with as it deserves!

[Hello Purvis]

> Fly back in toward the beast and point the sword at it.
> "Knock it off! Get back in this sword!"
> Hey, this worked earlier. Try to send our force of will through the sword at the beast. This thing has caused us so much aggravation, messing with our head, trying to trick us into letting it out inside the Temple, trying to get us to kill a broken man, trying to gore us, trample us, and run us over, and then trying to gore Byakuren! And now it goes between ignoring us and trying to step on us some more? If it's going to act like a bully, it can be treated like a bully! It needs to sit the fuck down and listen to us! It needs to get back in the sword, so it can be dealt with as it deserves!

>You fly toward the behemoth, and repeat your demands, while trying to will your outrage into the sword.
>The behemoth takes a step back as you shout at it, then jerks its head, sending its let horn coming at you from above!

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Bank to the right while still maintaining our forward momentum. After a second and a half, bank back to the left.
> "I'm not going away until you get back in this sword!"

[Hello Purvis]

> Bank to the right while still maintaining our forward momentum. After a second and a half, bank back to the left.
> "I'm not going away until you get back in this sword!"

>You bank away, and the horn passes you with enough force to create a strong wind. You move to the left a moment later, avoiding the other horn. As you shout your intentions at it, it takes a step back.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Keep moving in. We are the dominant one here, not this cowardly product of someone's overactive imagination.
> "Get back in it!"
> If we get close enough to the beast's face, slash away at whatever part is closest.

[Hello Purvis]

> Keep moving in. We are the dominant one here, not this cowardly product of someone's overactive imagination.
> "Get back in it!"
> If we get close enough to the beast's face, slash away at whatever part is closest.

>You close in, and slash at the behemoth's snout!
>You know that your blow should have struck home, but you feel it pass through empty air, as the the enormous face that was looming in front of you seems to fade into an reddish hazing in the air.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Stab at the haze. IF the sword passes through it again, keep it in there.
> "You getting back in the sword now?!"

[Hello Purvis]

> Stab at the haze. IF the sword passes through it again, keep it in there.
> "You getting back in the sword now?!"

>You stab at the haze, and find that the sword passes through it. So you hold it there, while the haze begins to fade.
>You can feel a presence starting to manifest around you. From it, you get a sensation that makes you feel as though it has had its dignity affronted.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Then maybe this presence shouldn't try to plant nasty ideas in the minds of others, hmm?

[Hello Purvis]

> Then maybe this presence shouldn't try to plant nasty ideas in the minds of others, hmm?

>You consider this, but do not feel any change in the entity, save that it is growing more distinct and less faint, as the reddish haze vanishes.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Look around. How are the other folks holding up?