Sword Quest XII - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Hello Purvis]

> Position ourselves so we are a bit off-center above the behemoth's spine, enough that the fins won't slice into us as its moves along its current path.
> Get a two-handed downward-stabbing grip on our sword, with the sharp edge of the blade facing out along the behemoth's body toward the tail, and give the behemoth's back a good stab. If our blade actually sinks in, use our hold on it to try to keep it sunk in.

>You move off center and stab downward. Your blade slips between the scales and cuts through them as the behemoth moves, the sensation of cutting cords remains. You open another gash, some feet long before the behemoth jerks away. It is also beginning to roll around.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Shift to a circular flight path and follow the behemoth's roll in an attempt to stay with its spine.

[Hello Purvis]

> Shift to a circular flight path and follow the behemoth's roll in an attempt to stay with its spine.

>You follow it as it rolls, but it is definitely moving faster than you can circle. You also notice that its upper body is curving inward a bit.
>As well, you can see the flashes of danmaku out of the corner of your eye, further down its body, though you can't really see what is going on at the moment without looking in that direction.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> What might that curving mean, in terms of how it is attempting to move?
> Are the flashes coming from the direction of its head or its tail?

[Hello Purvis]

> What might that curving mean, in terms of how it is attempting to move?
> Are the flashes coming from the direction of its head or its tail?

>It is probably bringing its head around.
>More toward its tail.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> How far away is its head from our current position?

[Hello Purvis]

> How far away is its head from our current position?

>You look over, and both not very far at all, and coming right for you!

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Fire another stream of knives straight at its mouth.

[Hello Purvis]

> Fire another stream of knives straight at its mouth.

>You send more knives at its mouth, and it moves its head and neck to the side to avoid them.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Shift ourselves and our flight path to the opposite side to avoid the incoming head.

[Hello Purvis]

> Shift ourselves and our flight path to the opposite side to avoid the incoming head.

>You move away to avoid it's head, and suddenly find something come at you from below! Its claws!

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Are they bigger than our sword?

[Hello Purvis]

> Are they bigger than our sword?

>You aren't in a position to check in detail, but they are certainly close to it in size, and certainly outnumber it.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Up, up, up!

[Hello Purvis]

> Up, up, up!

>You head up, and find that it's hands are trying to close around you, weather it means to grab you or impale you with its claws is unclear.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Are the palms of its hands also scaley?

[Hello Purvis]

> Are the palms of its hands also scaley?

>They seem to be, at a glance.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Fire off shorter streams of knives to each side of us while continuing upward. Ideally, these streams will smack the thing right in the palms and make it hesitate for a fraction of a second.

[Hello Purvis]

> Fire off shorter streams of knives to each side of us while continuing upward. Ideally, these streams will smack the thing right in the palms and make it hesitate for a fraction of a second.

>You fire off two streams of knives, and catch its palms, which seems to have the desires effect.  However, it does not stop the behemoth from lunging at you jaws first again!

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Is it coming at us from directly in front of us, or some other angle?

[Hello Purvis]

> Is it coming at us from directly in front of us, or some other angle?

>It is coming from the same angle as before, so still from the front, assuming you turned toward it beforehand.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Keep moving upward.

[Hello Purvis]

> Keep moving upward.

>You keep moving upward, managing to evade the reach of its arms for the moment. Its head follows you, but you buy yourself another moment with this evasion.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> How long do we have before its head reaches us, then?

[Hello Purvis]

> How long do we have before its head reaches us, then?

>Maybe a second and a half, which is a slight improvement over before.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Fire off a line of exploding bullets toward the behemoth's head as we continue to ascend.

[Hello Purvis]

> Fire off a line of exploding bullets toward the behemoth's head as we continue to ascend.

>You send a line of exploding shots toward its head. The behemoth ducks beneath them, and then comes at you from a somewhat sharper angle from below. As the bullets explode, the resulting shrapnel peppers its upper back.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Alter our flight path so that we move upward and forward, perpendicular to the behemoth's current flight path. The idea is that we will be above its head and moving away from it from its perspective, and it would have to curve itself upward to continue to chase us, which is has had a demonstarbly difficult time of in the past.

[Hello Purvis]

> Alter our flight path so that we move upward and forward, perpendicular to the behemoth's current flight path. The idea is that we will be above its head and moving away from it from its perspective, and it would have to curve itself upward to continue to chase us, which is has had a demonstarbly difficult time of in the past.

>You move to fly past the behemoth's head and try to get behind it. It slows as you pass by it, and twists in mid-air.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Is it within stabbing range?
> Are any of the stab or slash wounds we have inflicted visible?