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| Details |
| Author: | inkie |
| Summary: | White Squad ventures into the body of an Ancient to cure her of some particularly pernicious parasites. (Naga. They're naga.) It is as cool and as gross as it sounds. They are finally reunited with some old friends. Niksi has a great time. Almeiria's had better. We should probably stop talking about flesh tunnels. |
| Rating: | M for Mature 17+ |
Arc: Season 14
Estel stares blankly past the fire.
Ben is seated cross-legged at the water's edge, gutting fish. More fish.
Florande wanders over, setting a little carved eagle on top of the small supply of firewood.
Almeiria eyes the small eagle. "Is that some sort of charm?"
Niksi winces. "You might not want to put that there, Florande. Lest it be burned."
Ben rises to his feet to bring a bucket of freshly-cleaned fish over toward the fire.
Florande smiles at Almeiria. "In a way, maybe? We will be fighting for the Ancient, against the naga. I ask Issliruk to give us strength." Then she turns to Niksi, and adds, "It's alright. I know we have not so much wood."
"Hey, Niksi," Estel says, yawning. "You got anything for me to do? I'm bored."
Ben takes a damp rag from a different bucket and wipes off his hands and the front of his armor. He glances up at the others. "We could… go fishin'?" he suggests reluctantly.
"Something to do?" Niksi rubs her chin. "Oh, fishing is always fun!"
Florande brightens. "What kind of fish is it for dinner tonight?" She peers at the bucket curiously.
"Groupers, mostly," Ben says to Florande. He shrugs a shoulder at Niksi.
Earthmender Duarn emerges from the sea and shakes water from his shaggy mane. There is a snail on his shoulder. He looks around, and then spots the Cobalt group and approaches. “My friends.”
Estel looks up. "Oh, brilliant."
Niksi gives a little wave to Duarn. "Salutations."
Ben straightens from blotting fish scales and goo from the edge of his tabard. He smiles at Duarn.
The Earthmender smiles a little sadly. “Friends, if you are still willing, I believe I have found our way into Nespirah’s shell. Whatever the naga are doing to her — or with her — we must communicate with the Ancient directly.”
"Did the snails tell you something more?" Florande asks, like they might've just been chatting or something.
"The snails have shown me the path into Nespirah’s shell,” Duarn tells her. “Whatever the naga are doing to her — or with her — I believe I must communicate with the Ancient directly. You do not have to accompany me, if you do not wish, but I don’t know what I will face in there and I am no fighter. Will you see this through with me?”
Estel bounces to her feet. "Yep. Yep. Ready to go. Let's go." She's already putting on her goggles.
Florande reaches over to pat her wooden eagle on the head.
"Absolutely!" Niksi hops off her bench and picks up her trident.
"Hell, yeah." Ben drops the damp rag and steps aside to find his sword among his heaped belongings.
"Oh, let's just get on with it already, I've prepared myself," Almeiria says.
The Earthmender nods, relieved. “The entrance to the shell is via a tendril-aperture there above the gorge, at her southwestern face. I will go and fetch my master, Stonespeaker Erunak, and meet you within.”
"Okay. See you there," Ben agrees. He beckons the others with a tilt of his head.
Florande looks curiously at Almeiria. "What did you do to prepare yourself?"
"Oh, curse my lot in life, scream at fate and cry myself to sleep." Almeiria shrugs.
Florande blinks at Almeiria. "If you need someone to hug, I am a very cuddly bear."
"I will let you know, dear."
Estel makes sure that her bag is well-sealed. The emergency water breathing potions are now on the outside, worn on her potion bandolier.
"Just make sure my Super-Snapper is working…" Niksi holds the camera up and takes a snapshot of Florande. "Perfect!"
Florande smiles, half a beat late. The actual photo probably has her looking startled.
They head into the water and board their seahorses to cross the Silver Tide Trench. On the ridge ahead of them looms the massive, many-chambered shell of Nespirah. At its southern end is — as has now become clear — its alien face: a many-eyed crest, a mouth of strange, segmented tendrils each as big around as a full-grown human.
The aperture that Earthmender Duarn spoke of is, evidently, a short tendril to one side of this face, approximately where a fish’s gill might be; when they get close to the tendril, it becomes apparent that it is open at the end, forming a tunnel-like structure.
Ben eyes the creature ahead a little apprehensively. "Uh. In we go?"
"Nespirah is an Ancient," Florande says reassuringly. "Trust she will keep us safe."
Estel looks uneasily at the tendril-aperture. Sure, okay. Let's walk into the flesh tunnel.
They leave their seahorses outside, and climb carefully into the cartilaginous passage.
"Astonishing!” says Niksi. “We may be the first mortals to ever step inside an Ancient!"
"Unless we find a bunch of naga here," Estel says dryly to Niksi.
Ben nods. "Don't worry, y'all. I got my lucky rock." He holds it up: [Very Unlucky Rock].
Duarn and Erunak climb up the strange passage behind them.
At the top of the passage, someone has speared two fluid-filled, luminescent globes on pikes into the fleshy ground they stand on, to serve as lamps.
"Oh, good, they have fishbowl lanterns," Almeiria observes.
Niksi gasps in awe at the sight of Nespirah's insides.
Florande's face goes slack with awe.
"Oh, shit." Ben gapes around, unnerved.
Earthmender Duarn says: Her body appears even larger from the inside. Fascinating!
They are standing inside a cavernously-vaulted structure, on a bony outer ledge that rings wide expanses of tissue and ridged cartilage “paths.” Columns of webbed, darker tissue rise toward the “roof” of the place. At the distant center, a massive dark structure suspended in a web of tendrils and connective tissue is visible.
Niksi snaps a shot of the… heart?
"This is like we are inside of —" Yes, Ben, you are inside of.
Estel points down. "Naga," she mutters. "We ain't the first. Sorry."
"Naga," Florande repeats, her eyes narrowing.
Niksi frowns. "Monkeywrenches! Of course the naga beat us in here."
Ben follows Estel's indication. "Well, fuck.”
Almeiria stares at the oozing, moving puddles. "I believe her fluids are moving," she says.
"… oh." Ben eyes a creeping blob of Nespirah Fluid.
Niksi nods.
"That is a good sign!" Florande sounds hopeful, even as she glares at the naga. "She is still living."
Earthmender Duarn says: What's this over here?
He and Erunak Stonespeaker hurry off to one side and vanish.
“Let's — shit. Let's follow where the shamans run off to an' see what the plan is?" Ben looks over his shoulder.
Estel points. "I think they went down that… hole."
"Hey, Niksi, look." Estel pauses by a lamppost.
Niksi peers up at the fish-light, and takes a snapshot. "Remarkable!"
"There's tiny little fish in the globe…" Estel laughs, but quickly turns her attention to what the others are up to.
Florande follows the shamans into the hole and her eyes widen as she sees what looks like a giant brain. "I feel like maybe we should not be in here."
"Oh… my… cog." Niksi boggles. "Do you know what this is?"
They do, in fact, appear to be standing before a giant brain. Currents of electricity chase across its membranous surface like lightning.
Erunak Stonespeaker is just turning away from Duarn, after a reassuring clasp of the tauren’s arm. “This job is well-suited for you, Duarn. I must attend to matters outside.”
He departs unceremoniously.
Ben blinks at Erunak.
"We're actually looking at an Ancient's cerebrum!" Niksi gawks in amazement.
Ben looks from the cerebrum to Niksi.
Florande peers at the brain worriedly.
Earthmender Duarn shifts uncomfortably. “Erunak trusts this task to me? Very well. Let us see what we can learn from the Ancient One.”
He does not look super confident.
“As I have said before, we cannot be sure whether the naga have swayed Nespirah to their cause, or whether they are invaders here who have weakened her past resistance. We must know. Here in this chamber, I should be able to communicate with her directly. Let us find out for ourselves. Are you prepared?”
Ben does not look prepared. He nods.
"Yes," Florande says immediately, though she also doesn't look prepared.
Almeiria looks a bit apprehensive.
Estel nods. "Sure, ready."
Earthmender Duarn does not look like he feels a hundred percent prepared himself, but he nods.
He steps up before the sparking cerebrum.
Earthmender Duarn yells: Spirit of Life, lend me your aid!
Earthmender Duarn yells: Grant me the clarity to speak with this creature!
Clarity not forthcoming.
Earthmender Duarn steps back, mingled frustration and embarrassment in his face. “That… did not go well. For some reason, the creature will not speak back to me. If only Erunak had not left us! He would know what to do.” He shakes his head. “It will take me some time to break through this communication barrier. I can sense, however, that Nespirah is not happy about the naga’s presence here. Whatever they are up to, it is not with her consent.”
The tauren looks around the eerie brain-chamber in silence, and lifts an ear toward the distant noises from deeper within the shell. “While I think on this problem, perhaps we can ease her by eliminating some of the naga numbers. Go and cull them, and while you are out there, see if you can find signs of what they are up to, or the fate of your lost friends.”
Estel snaps her fingers. "Okay, cool. Not corrupted by an Old God or whatever. Worst case already averted. They're just squatting in her, uh, body."
"We are prepared for that," Florande nods. "We will defeat the naga, as many as possible."
Niksi takes several snapshots. "Fascinating. I can't make out the great longitudinal fissure. It's as if both hemispheres are fused. Her thought patterns must be highly complex."
Earthmender Duarn nods heavily at Estel. He looks down at Niksi and blinks, then looks back at the cortex. "I… yes."
"We are not to know the thoughts of the Ancients," Florande says, staring at Niksi quizzically. "Only what they choose to share with us."
Ben clears his throat. "We will go kill some nagas."
"Do we have to drag the naga corpses outside, or can we just…leave them here?" Almeiria asks.
"Maybe she'll, like, digest them?" Estel shrugs.
"You can… leave them?" Duarn guesses. "Perhaps, yes. She can… digest them?"
Ben makes a face.
Florande nods. Sounds reasonable.
They head out into the less-brainy interior of Nespirah to hunt some naga.
Florande turns to Estel. "I do not think I know of any Ancient that was corrupted by an Old God. There was Ursoc, but that was a different kind of problem."
Estel shrugs. "First time for everything horrible."
They kill some patrolling naga warriors, and head down a smooth fleshy slope, proceeding toward the shell’s center, where some distant sparks and trails of magic are visible.
As they pass by one of the massive columns of webbed dark tissue, they can see that at its root it is surrounded by enormous, softly-hued pearls.
"There's them pearls, around her… whatever that is?" Ben cranes.
Florande prowls closer.
Florande yelps. "There is an orc down there!"
"What?" Ben jogs over.
Estel looks down into the pearl pit. "Hey, uh, you guys need a hand?"
A human miner dressed in rags throws down his pick. "Help! HELP!"
Florande hastily gets a rope out and starts helping slaves up, orcs and humans alike.
Enslaved Alliance Pearl Miner says: The naga are monsters!
Florande helps both orcs and humans.
Enslaved Horde Pearl Miner says: Throm ogg!
Niksi nods to the orc. "Absolutely!"
Enslaved Alliance Pearl Miner says: You've saved my life!
Estel begins passing out water breathing potions. "Here. Water breathing. Here."
"There is a exit," Ben says. "Go up that way, across the ledge. Go across, an’ there's a cave with some shamans."
The man nods thanks as he takes a vial from Estel.
"This is where the prisoners were going?" Florande says, looking at nearby similar pearl pits. "They were not killing them or eating them."
"No. Just makin' 'em… do whatever it is to an Ancient." Ben surveys the pearl clusters again. He eyes the fibrous columns arising from the clusters. "Is that, like… her nerves?"
Niksi hmms. "I would speculate those are fibers connecting her to her shell. But it's possible part of her nervous system runs through them."
"There are…mages? What are they casting at?" Almeiria asks.
Florande frowns at the blood elf casting bolts at Nespirah's… nervous system?
"Hey." Estel approaches a gnome who is channeling a spell towards the central core. "Hey, snap out of it."
Ben follows Estel cautiously.
"This gnome, that elf, the naga… they are all casting at these central stalks," Florande lowers her brow.
"Arteries, I would guess." Niksi observes the mages' actions. "They might be trying to stimulate blood flow. Perhaps it causes her to produce pearls faster."
"It doesn't look exactly healthy," Almeiria says.
Estel attempts to dispel magic on the gnome.
The gnome doesn't react. He continues as if in a trance to cast a strange, sickly-colored magic toward the central… heart? Nervous system? Thing?
Ben looks around. "I would say to, uh. Handle him, except I reckon he is as much a slave as those miner fellows was."
"Perhaps some sort of mind control," Almeiria says.
Estel shakes her head. "I can't reach him. It might be a persistent enchantment comin' from, like, a big boss naga with an object or something."
"So if we kill big boss naga and take the object, we can free them," Florande says, staring sadly at the gnome.
"Okay." Ben nods grimly. "Let's go an' let Duarn know?" He dodges a blob of mobile fluid.
Estel jogs after Ben.
Niksi continues to take snapshots of anything and everything.
Almeiria avoids the moving fluids with distaste.
In the cerebral chamber, Duarn turns away slowly from where he is gazing at the Ancient’s exposed brain. “Can you feel it? If you have an ounce of shaman’s blood in you, you must feel the sense of relief in the air. You have eased her burden. Perhaps Nespirah will finally speak with us.”
"I do not drink shaman blood, so there is little chance I would have any in me," Almeiria says.
Estel snort-laughs.
Ben gives Almeiria a quelling look.
"They are casting something at the… arteries? That reach her heart," Florande says. "The mages are."
The Earthmender turns back to contemplation of the creature again. “Ahh. This may be the difficulty. I suspect the naga are… doing something to her voice. Suppressing her, somehow. If there were a way to channel her voice by different means, a surrogate speaker — ah!”
Duarn turns back to the group, looking elated. “The Idra’kess themselves — they train deepseeker crabs as battle companions. These shelled ones are closer kin to Nespirah than you or I. Use this net to capture one and bring it back to me, and perhaps it will serve as a voice for its voiceless foremother.”
Niksi salutes. "Understood."
Ben steps forward to accept the net. He looks down at Niksi and offers it to her.
Niksi nods, taking the net and draping it over her shoulder for the moment.
"Okay," says Ben. "Let's go catch crabs."
"A naga-trained crab is going to work for us?" Almeiria asks.
Estel grins. "We'll find out!"
"This close to the cerebrum, perhaps its connection to Nespirah will be stronger," Niksi theorizes.
"Maybe we can find one who does not like its master," Florande suggests.
They kill a naga patroller who is accompanied by a spiny green crab.
Niksi tosses the net like a pro (because she is), entangling the crab much to its frustration. "Shhh. easy now. You're safe, little guy."
Ben nods approvingly at Niksi.
Niksi hauls the crab along with strength that belies her small size.
"We got a crab!" Estel calls.
Ben gestures Niksi and her new friend forward.
“Ahhh,” says Duarn, and lifts the spiky creature. It waves its legs sulkily. The Earthmender frowns. “It doesn’t look… very impressive, does it?”
"It's a crab. What did you expect?" Almeiria demands.
"It looks like a crab," Florande says defensively. It's our crab now, don't mock it.
"I beg your pardon,” huffs Niksi. “Clippy is a remarkable specimen."
Ben mouths Clippy to himself.
Duarn clears his throat and looks at the group again. “Indeed. Indeed. It may serve.”
The Earthmender turns back to survey the alien-looking cortex before him. “A trained shaman has the ability to communicate with the four elements of earth, fire, air, and water. This is known.
“What is not as widely known, however, is the presence of a fifth element.”
It’s Milla Jovovich.
“This element is… more difficult to comprehend than the others, but it has to do with the… shared commonality between all living creatures.”
It’s not Milla Jovovich.
“My theory is that this crab, as a child of the ancient seas, is close enough in nature to Nespirah that, with the elements’ coaxing, we can convince it to act as Nespirah’s mouthpiece.”
Florande listens to Duarn, wide-eyed.
"A mouthpiece. I'm sure it will be thrilled." Almeiria says.
Earthmender Duarn offers the crab up in both hands like the infant Lion King. A silver bolt of electricity arcs out from the cerebrum and seizes the hapless arthropod, drawing it up into the air and suspending it in a shimmering globe.
Voice of Nespirah yells: Kkkk… aaahhh…!
Voice of Nespirah says: What's happening? Can you hear me?
Voice of Nespirah says: I can't see you, but I can sense your presence. I'll explain what I can.
Voice of Nespirah says: The naga are suppressing my will. I can feel what they're doing, but I am powerless to act.
Voice of Nespirah says: They mine my pearls, they carve my body, and they distort my mind. I can feel my will breaking, strangers… they mean to use me for war!
Voice of Nespirah yells: I will NOT be a tool of the naga. I will resist as long as I can, but I can't last forever. Please, someone, stop them!
Tears fill Florande's eyes.
Estel folds her arms over her chest.
Niksi frowns sternly. "Turning an Ancient of the sea into a weapon of war? Not on my watch."
"I would rather not fight this creature," Almeiria says.
Earthmender Duarn looks shaken. “I had assumed the naga were here for those pearls. This, I am afraid… makes much more sense. If they had the power of an Ancient under their control, the havoc the naga could wreak on the seas would be… catastrophic! Something must be done.”
"We must help her! Whatever it takes!" Florande says passionately. She ducks her head and looks to Ben.
"I mean. Also they are hurtin' her pretty bad. We should stop that." Ben looks grim.
Duarn closes his eyes and stills for a moment. He takes a deep breath and nods, then opens his eyes on the group again. “Nespirah has shown me — we are not the only people fighting here. A small group of slaves has escaped on their own, and are attempting to hold off the naga on the other side of the shell, up on the ledge overlooking Nespirah’s heart. Go and find them, and see what help you can be to one another. If they can aid us, we may be able to rouse Nespirah from this artificial torpor the naga have laid upon her. I will remain here, in communication with the Ancient.”
Estel nods. "Great, let's go." She does, however, look at Ben and not just start off by herself.
Ben nods curtly and turns to head back into the wider shell cavern.
Ben flinches as a blob of Nespirah Fluid attacks them. "They are gettin' to her, do you think?" he asks.
Estel nods. "Sounded like it."
"I doubt her immune system can tell the difference between us and the naga." Niksi explains. “We're all foreign bodies."
"We must hurry," Florande nods.
"What's getting to me is how large she is. We may get lost." Almeiria says.
As they mount the ridge into the higher slope of the shell, they spot ahead a small group of people huddled within a flimsy, makeshift barricade of broken spears and nets, and surrounded by naga corpses.
A ragged-looking, emaciated blond man looks wide-eyed at the group, as though beholding ghosts. “Cobalt Company? Is that… you?”
"Oh, shit." Ben comes to an abrupt halt. "Captain Taylor, sir?"
"Aye, aye, Captain!" Niksi salutes.
Florande smiles widely. "Our people!"
Captain Taylor’s eyes fill. “Thank the Light, friends! What are you doing here? Are you… rescuing us?”
Estel grins. "Yeah, this is about fifty percent of a rescue."
Captain Taylor breathes an uneven sigh. "Thank the Light. Do you have any idea what's going on here? What's the plan, Cobalts?"
Ben sums up the situation, because it is a Lot to re-type.
Niksi interjects with a lot of unnecessary (and difficult to understand) exposition.
Captain Taylor has sobered during this account, his jaw hardening. He nods. “I see. The creature needs our help, then, to –”
He is interrupted by the haggard-looking, grizzled man who steps in beside him. “Help? We’re in no shape to help anyone right now. Look at us! The naga left most of us with nothing but rags and a mining pick, and some of us not even that much.”
"I don't think you'd fit in my spare robes," Estel mutters.
"Why do naga take their shirts and shoes? Naga don't even have feet, what are they planning to do with them?" Almeiria grumbles.
“Admiral Dvorek,” says Captain Taylor. “These are members of the team from Cobalt –”
“Do I look like I want introductions, Taylor?” Admiral Dvorek demands, and then turns back to the group. “If we’re supposed to help this thing, we’re going to need to be able to fight. I’ve seen weapon racks in the naga storage areas. I can’t say I’m accustomed to fighting with a trident, but it’ll be a damned sight better than fighting with my fists.”
Niksi brightens. "Oh no? I highly recommend it. Tridents are surprisingly versatile weapons."
Admiral Dvorek eyes Niksi. He looks unimpressed.
Estel gives him a thumbs-up. "Some of them have harpoons, would you prefer a harpoon?"
"I'd prefer a weapon,” Dvorek tells her acidly. “Any weapon."
"I am happy with tooth and claw, but we can help get you weapons," Florande nods. She has a sword strapped to her back. She doesn't offer it to them.
Admiral Dvorek turns to survey their slightly grotesque surroundings. “And if it’s waking the thing you want to do — do you see that?” The Admiral points to a raw-looking, oozing eruption. “Ever had a blister? An abscess? Try ‘tickling’ those and see if it doesn’t wake the thing from its nap double-time.”
He turns away. Briefing complete, orders given.
A draenei comes trotting breathlessly over. “You! Friends! I heard you speak of Erunak and Duarn, and of waking Nespirah! I am Wavespeaker Valoren, also of the Earthen Ring.”
"Please to meet you, Wavespeaker." Niksi smiles.
Valoren bows to Niksi.
"Hey," Estel says cheerfully. "I'm Estel, that's Ben, Niksi, Almeiria, Florande."
Valoren smiles at her, then turns her attention on the wider group.
“My time in the pearl pits, though shorter than many of these, has made me curious about the naga’s goals. Yes, as you say, to use the Ancient as an engine of war — but if that’s the case, then why enslave us to mine her pearls? These pearls must have a distinct use, as vessels of ancient magic or the like. Assuming we can make an escape from here, I would very much like to study them.”
"You and me both!" Niksi nods emphatically.
"They are Nespirah's pearls," Florande says sternly. "If she says it is okay, then okay."
Ben nods at Florande.
Admiral Dvorek scoffs. The draenei glances at him and then back to the group. "I would not ask you to steal the ones from her body," she assures Florande. " I have seen the naga themselves carrying smaller ones, or fragments of the great ones. Can you recover some for me?”
"Seems like a reasonable plan," Niksi says.
"The ones the naga have already violated," Florande agrees reluctantly.,
Ben waits for Florande's agreement, and then nods at the shaman. "Okay." To the squad he says, "Let's get movin'."
They get movin’.
At the edge of the ledge as they move toward a naga encampment, they find a bulging, inflamed-looking… flesh thing. Look, let’s not get into detail.
"One of those abscesses here." Niksi wrinkles her nose.
Ben surveys it uneasily. "We really gonna — poke at it?"
Niksi holds her trident out, "Stand back… in case it spews."
"Lancing might help her," Florande says, stepping back.
"… okay." Ben stands back. They are gonna poke at it apparently.
Estel shields everyone.
Niksi stabs it!
Niksi backpedals from the gushing [details omitted because ew].
Thanks, Niksi.
"Did that even do anything?" Almeiria asks.
Ben looks around them. "I dunno. If it did, I ain't tell."
"Maybe it will help her heal, but it did not wake her," Florande says.
"Well, that was just one." Estel shrugs.
"As the very least, I think it might bring her some relief," Niksi says. "That abscess didn't look healthy."
"Okay. Well let's keep on. Nagas ahead." Ben jogs up the ledge.
Ben prods another abscess. It also does gross and expected things. He looks around again; no change is immediately apparent.
Estel keeps everybody shielded so that at least nobody will have to clean any [redacted] off their clothes later.
They reach the naga camp. It is full of weapon racks and naga. They loot them for polearms and pearls, respectively.
Florande collects a few polearms, tucking them in by the sword.
Estel lets stronger people carry the weapons. She's busy doing priest things.
Wavespeaker Valoren is waiting alertly near the edge of the little barricaded camp.
"We've collected plenty of pearl fragments, Wavespeaker,” Niksi informs her.
"Ma'am," says Ben. He offers a fistful of pearl fragments.
“Ah! Brilliant work!” Valoren smiles.
Estel offers her some little pearls. She has probably kept a couple for herself too, because sparkly.
"Treat them with respect," Florande says seriously. She hands over a handful she has collected.
The Wavespeaker nods solemnly at Florande and tucks the pearls away beneath her armor. “Now I just need you and Captain Taylor to get us safely out of here. I can handle the studies from there.” She smiles brightly and conspicuously fails to mention Admiral Dvorek.
Speaking of Admiral Dvorek, he’s standing right there, glowering. “Well? I’m guessing you didn’t succeed in rousing the creature. I’m not sure how we’ll know when it wakes, but something tells me it’ll be pretty obvious.”
"Nope. But we got you some weapons." Estel gestures to Florande.
Florande carefully takes the polearms down and hands them over.
Dvorek reaches an arm out for the bundled weapons, and takes a polearm. He hefts it consideringly, and then grins. “In my youth, I was given some training on spearfighting. ‘Stick them with the pointy end,’ I believe it was.”
Ben looks unimpressed.
"That is usually a good strategy," Florande nods. "That is what they told me at Sentinel training, I am pretty sure."
Estel grins back. "An' you got reach, so use it."
Captain Taylor side-eyes the Admiral. He looks grim, and steps in to address the group. “Our men are flagging, Cobalt,” he confides. “We won’t hold out much longer against the naga. With the weapons, we can make a final stand, but it’s not going to help us much long-term if we can’t do something drastic.
“I’ve seen some of the naga overseers periodically head for a ramp to an upper chamber. If you follow the wall from here toward the southeast, you should spot it. Go and see what they’re keeping up there, and whether it’s something that can turn the tide for us.”
"Can we not make tide jokes? I've heard far too many since being stuck down here," Almeiria says.
Captain Taylor smiles weakly at Almeiria.
"Hm…these naga polearms are surprisingly fine quality!" Niksi hefts one, testing out its balance.
Ben considers Niksi. He considers the size of the polearm. He does not comment.
Niksi's next action might just address Ben's thoughts, as she takes out a small, powered handsaw and BZZZZZZZ!!! She saws about a foot from the length of the fine-quality weapon.
"Follow the wall to the… uh, which way is southeast?" Estel asks Niksi.
Florande looks around. Cardinal directions?
Captain Taylor points. Admiral Dvorek scoffs.
Ben nods to Captain Taylor. "Got it."
"Great, okay." Estel waves to them over her shoulder. "Stay safe, back soon!"
"Oh." Ben stops before the weirdly esophageal looking tunnel. "That's… it, I guess?"
"Another narrow flesh tunnel," Almeiria sighs.
Ben glances at Almeiria and does not comment on flesh tunnels.
"It's a pretty wide flesh tunnel, relatively speaking," Estel objects.
"Is 'flesh tunnel' a common saying in Common?" Florande asks curiously.
"It ain't," Ben assures Florande.
"When there is a tunnel of flesh, yes," Almeiria says.
"Most tunnels are, like, stone," Estel says.
"…okay," Florande says, possibly considering how often tunnels might be made of flesh.
They proceed up the flesh tunnel, which is either narrow or wide for a flesh tunnel, depending on what kind of flesh tunnel we’re talking about.
"Is it… a throat?" Florande frowns. "It is hard to tell from the inside."
"If it is a throat,” says Ben, “reckon we are goin' the wrong way up it. Hope she ain't mind."
"Hmm…too much cartilaginous structure to be a throat, I think,” Niksi decides.
At the top of the maybe-narrow, maybe-wide flesh tunnel, which is maybe a throat or maybe not, they find themselves in another broad chamber.
"Oh." Ben cranes his neck at the dark, pulsing structure suspended at the chamber’s center.
"Oh my." Niksi looks up. "Now that looks more like a heart."
"… it sure does, yeah." Ben nods a little uneasily. He looks around.
"Or a second?" Florande asks. "She may have two."
"Quite possible, Florande." Niksi nods.
I mean, the shamans did say she is bigger on the inside.
"I am learning far too much about anatomy today," Almeiria mutters.
"You reckon that is what they keep comin' up here for? I do not see any nagas here right now," says Ben, pacing a circle around the heart-like thing. A moment later, he freezes. "… oh, shit. I take it back."
Ben points at a massive, shell-armored naga with a proportionately massive beaked polearm.
"And more casters," Almeiria says.
Florande peers ahead. "They are casting the same kinds of magic as the ones below."
"We have to stop them," says Niksi.
Ben nods grimly. "All right. You all clear them sorceresses out and I will get the big fellow's attention."
Overseer Idra'kess yells: You are too late, you fools! The ancient one's will is broken! The processsssss is nearly complete!
Overseer Idra'kess yells: Now, you will watch as I complete the ritual and turn the beasssst against you!
This is not, in fact, what happens.
"We did it!" Niksi cheers. "Let's go see if Nespirah is more lucid."
Ben steps back breathlessly and rolls a shoulder, then stoops to wipe his brow off on an edge of his tabard. He nods at Niksi.
Estel heals everyone up. "Sheesh. Okay. Great job."
Florande licks her teeth clean.
They descend the flesh tunnel.
"Is it just me or is there more blobs now?" Ben looks around.
Estel looks around, counting blobs. "I think you might be right."
"It seems like it, yes," Florande says, looking around. "Immune system is healing?"
"She's not going to try digesting us, I hope," Almeiria says.
The small encampment where the Alliance fighters were gathered is empty. Ben stops to survey it. "… hope they moved on," he says uneasily.
"They must be back to the cave with the shaman by now," Florande says hopefully.
"I see only naga bodies," Niksi observes. "I'll consider that a good sign."
Earthmender Duarn is waiting, pacing inside the cerebral chamber. He looks up at Cobalt’s return. “Friends! No need to bring me up to speed. Nespirah has been narrating your adventures as they happened, and your comrade Captain Taylor filled me in on the rest.”
"Oh, they have made it out safely?" Florande's ears rise.
"Indeed," says Duarn. "They found me, as you had told them of my presence here, and I directed them to safety."
"Oh, brilliant." Estel looks down at Clippy.
"How did she take the prodding?" Almeiria asks.
Duarn closes his eyes. “Nespirah says that she is grateful, and that she has… a small surprise ready for the naga.” He opens his eyes again. “Thanks to you and your friends, Nespirah has full control of her body… but the naga don’t know that yet. Once we make our escape, she will activate her biological defenses and destroy the naga that remain within.”
"Surprise," Florande says, with a tense smile. "That is not so small of one."
"Ohh, marvelous!" Niksi smirks.
“Make yourselves ready,” the Earthmender tells them, “and I will tell Nespirah to begin the countdown.”
"Congratulations, Nespirah!" Niksi salutes.
Voice of Nespirah says: You may leave now, friends. The tauren's friend Erunak should be waiting outside with seahorses. In fact, it looks like he is here now.
Erunak Stonespeaker says: Duarn — excellent work. Do not dally long within Nespirah's shell. You know as well as I do the dangers posed by an angry demigod.
Voice of Nespirah says: Worry not, Erunak. The tauren will be safe.
Erunak Stonespeaker says: I have secured escape for you, Cobalts. Come with me!
Estel hurries on out of there.
Florande cheers as they leave.
As they follow Erunak along the outer ridge toward another aperture in the shell, they can see naga warriors being swarmed gruesomly by the bubbles of scarlet Nespirah Fluid.
Apparently she can digest them.
Outside the narrow shell-aperture, tethered seahorses await. Erunak Stonespeaker gestures at them.
Erunak Stonespeaker says: Board the seahorses, friends. You probably do not want to be near Nespirah when she turns on the naga.
Pretty sure we already caught some of that action, but okay. Let’s not be involved in the rest.
The seahorses dart away in a group. Rather than return to the Silver Tide cave, they carry the members of the squad down and to the east, across the Glimmerdeep Gorge. There is — surprise — another cave tucked there among the telltale yellow anemones.
Captain Taylor rises to his feet from where he was seated in the sand and strides forward. “It appears I owe you my life yet again, Cobalt Company. Thank the Light that you found us before you and your shaman activated those bio-defenses.” He looks around at their meager refuge. “Make yourselves… comfortable?"
"Hey, you made it." Estel grins.
Florande looks around in delight. A new cave!
"Glad to see you're safe, Captain." Niksi salutes.
"Likewise." Captain Taylor salutes her back. Cobalt Company deserves salutes.
"Oh, they found shirts," Almeiria observes.
Admiral Dvorek is standing nearby surveying the new campsite dourly. He does not greet Cobalt Company.
"Hey. Hey, Niksi," says Ben. "Look. That fellow is… an engineer?" He points to the goggled gnome in overalls.
"Oh? Excellent." Niksi wanders over to introduce herself.
"Are you assuming, because he's a gnome?" Almeiria asks.
Ben shoots Almeiria a lofty look. "No. I am assumin' because he is wearin' overalls."
Almeiria blinks at him.
"… an' goggles," Ben adds. "Sometimes farmers wear overalls."
Florande spots a kaldorei woman and gives a faintly relieved smile.
Frell Fastbolt perks up at Niksi's approach.
"Salutations." Niksi extends a hand. "Niksi Knockfathom, Oceanographer."
"Greetings, Dr. Knockfathom!" Frell beams. "Frell Fastbolt, Engineer. You can call me 'Fixit'!"
Ben blinks at Niksi. Is she also… a doctor?
Niksi might be! "Pleased to meet you, Fixit. Feel free to call me Nix, and let me know if there's anything I can assist with while I'm here."
"Most certainly! Obliged to you. And do let me know likewise! We owe your group a debt, it seems." Fixit beams at everyone.
Estel moves over to the people who were rescued from pearl-diving and starts looking them over for injuries.
Niksi carries on with Fixit into an increasingly technical and multisyllabic conversation.
Florande wanders over to the kaldorei woman and greets her in Darnassian.
By his makeshift table, Admiral Dvorek mutters to Captain Taylor, "We're wasting time. We should be taking the fight to those slimy snakes."
Captain Taylor smiles tiredly. "With respect, sir, our men need some time to recover. And we should be attempting to make contact with the surface."
Dvorek snorts. "I want to make a bit of 'contact' with these naga, first. We have some brothers to avenge."
"If you plan to avenge them by following them to the grave, be my guest, but do it alone," Almeiria says.
Dvorek turns his glower on Almeiria. "I don't recall consulting you, civilian."
Almeiria laughs, loudly. "That's because you're lacking the appropriate amount of intelligence."
Ben bristles. "She ain't a civilian, sir. She is Cobalt Company."
Estel ditches the injured to walk over and stand by Almeiria in solidarity.
Florande also comes back over to join the group in solidarity. She looks the leaders over. "We have family on the surface. And friends. We need to tell them we're safe. That is most important."
Niksi gets an indication from Fixit that her crew is doing a thing, and she quickly scurries over to support them.
Dvorek looks contemptuously on them all. "Mercenaries. I hired you people for this operation and look where it's gotten us. You're here to fight or you're here to stay out of the way." He turns his back.
Captain Taylor winces apologetically.
Almeiria shrugs. "I'm happy to stay out of the way long enough for him to meet his end," she mutters.
"I do not recall I arranged for no krakens," Ben observes to the others. "One of you hire the kraken?"
Niksi scoffs, "I wish I had such a talent!"
"Nope, I did not order krakens," Florande blinks at Dvorek, and then shrugs. "He reminds me of my father."
Ben looks from Florande to Dvorek and back again. "I am sorry to hear it," he tells her.
"It's gotten you out of Nespirah's body," Estel says. "It's gotten the Earthen Ring to make sure we don't all die of dehydration."
Dvorek is leaning over the table. He does not turn around again but his shoulders tighten in a way that says he has heard Estel and is pointedly ignoring her.
"It doesn't matter, Estel," Florande says quietly. "He wants people to use in a certain way, and he will not see us if we are not that."
"I agree with the little sproutling. No use wasting our breath any further," Almeiria says.
Estel pulls her goggles off and looks at Florande like she's really seeing her for the first time.
Ben nods grimly and steps back. To Almeiria, he says, "Sorry about that, Miz Fey." He looks around. "Reckon I will go back to Silver Tide and tell Mizmainy an' Bran an' them what is going on."
Estel nods to Ben. "Let 'em know there's folks here who could use tending to."
"I, for one, am glad to have the leadership we have." Niksi gives Ben a salute and grins, "Skipper."
Ben looks down at Niksi and his ears turn red. He nods to her awkwardly and smiles. "I 'preciate you, ma'am."
Florande smiles, and says, "Yes, I trust our leader."
Ben is very red now. He clears his throat. "So. Great job, everyone. Good work. I will go — tell the rest of 'em. See you back here soon."
"I am going to find and hide this man's spare underwear. Let him suffer rashes from sand," Almeiria says.
Ben's mouth twitches. He does not reprimand Almeiria.
Estel snorts and covers her mouth.
Niksi snickers quietly.
Florande smiles. Then she turns into a panther and slips into the shadows.
Niksi turns away as the others disperse. "Fixit! Where were we? Oh yes, I'm fairly certain if you gyrate the rotational oscillator in conjuction with a spiromatic hoist, we'll…." She once again dives into seemingly nonsensical conversation.