sheep_game | Counting Stars

[ He hesitates, then points to a darker spot on the horizon. ]

That forest there. Her realm is past that.

Okay.

[ Starts to straighten up cautiously, throwing a worried glance back the way they came ]

We can get there together. We just gotta keep our eyes on it.

[ Yeah that chimera is still behind them. Somewhere.

He takes in a deep breath. ]

Don't let go of my hand. If we get separated...

[ Nods and gives his hand a tight squeeze ]

Won't happen. I promise not to let go.

[ he clings back, both for his own sake and for Ananke's here. ]

Then - this way.

[ he starts trudging across that awful, springy ground. it's not pleasant going - the shrieks of monsters interrupt any quiet they might get - and the ground continues to try to cling and burn every step they take. but the worst part is the sense of time passing. it's going to feel like weeks before they finally get to the relative coolness of the forest that Kevin pointed out. ]

[ Sounds like weeks to pack bond with Kevin

Whether or not literal weeks of time are passing, it does begin to wear on Ananke. He's a determined guy, but without Scarab he's so much more mortal. He doesn't let go of Kevin's hand, but there are more tears along the way, and Kevin might catch him muttering "It's part of the job" to himself at times ]

[ the worst pack bonding is still bonding, okay. and kevin's slink is already high enough to give him enough determination to WANT to keep Ananke alive through this so. that's enough. it has to be enough. he clings extra hard whenever the tears come, and keeps pulling him along when he slows down.

as they finally reach the border of the forest, he lifts his head a little. here, at least, the heat is less oppressive, even if there IS a river of fire casting weird flickering shadows among the trees. ]

It's not your job. This - this is my job. You're just trapped in it too now.

[ He was just starting to relax, but his head snaps up and he tightens his hand around Kevin's again ]

Your job is being here?

[ Kevin sure isn't letting go himself. He winds up leading them along the banks of the river; it quickly becomes the only way for them to orient themselves in here as the forest swallows them up. ]

Not being here. I came here to find the Doors of Death. And close them from this side of Tartarus.

...How will you get out?

...

[ this silence sure says everything doesn't it! wow! good thing they've got the crackling of the flames over it. ]

Do you really expect me to leave you alone here?

You have to. That's how this works.

[ he's still clinging hard to Ananke's hand. ]

The doors have to be shut on both sides, or Gaea's monsters will keep spilling out into the world. So - you get the mortal side of things, and I get this side.

What—

[ shakes his hand aggressively, just once or twice ]

No. You were alone before you found me. If you needed a mortal you would've brought one!

I ...

[ it's true. Ananke is NOT wrong here, but maybe not for the reason he thinks. ]

Getting the doors closed on this end is the hard part. I figured if I could manage that, someone else would figure out the rest.

Then someone else can figure it out! I don't want to leave you trapped here alone.

[ he falls silent for another long moment; the trees ripple faintly, and faint pinpricks of light watch them as they walk. ]

We're almost there. It's not that much further.

[ indeed, the darkness of the forest is giving way to ... an even deeper darkness, and what looks like an ... elevator shaft? maybe? a great big one made of black iron. ]

[ The darkness has him pressing closer to Kevin, more unsettled by that than the chimera and endless heat from before. He frowns uneasily at the shaft, glancing back at Kevin ]

In there?

[ Kevin stops to look up at the enormous iron shaft driven through the hellscape. The iron gates themselves are being held open by an equally enormous set of chains.

Kevin nods, but ... a goddess boils up out of the darkness around them, interposing herself between the pair of them and the way out. ]

"Foolish demigod. You know this isn't right. You came here alone."

[ More scraps of darkness huddle at her feet, baring teeth and fangs at the two of them. ]

[ Automatically jerks back, tugging Kevin with him ]

It's not his fault! I got lost in here and needed help.

[ Kevin jolts as he's tugged along. ]

That's not -

[ The goddess waves a starry hand. ]

"It doesn't matter who you bring here. Or how many times you try to fix this. The reality is this: you will come back here, and you will never leave again."

[ That's about the time that the fuzzy demons leap at the two of them. Ananke especially has one with horns and great big snake fangs aiming to bite down on his arm. ]

[ The other thing Ananke never let go of is the sword he picked up ages ago. He brings it up now, trying to block that bite with the blade of the sword itself ]

[ the critter hisses as it gnaws on the sword, trying and failing to get at Ananke. But maybe the one going after his leg will have more luck?

Kevin is here swearing and swiping at two more coming at him from the other side. ]

Stupid - cacodemons -

[ man he really misses Scarab's armor right now

wrenches the sword and demon both to the side, trying to throw it to the ground to free the sword up to stab the one chomping his leg ]

Cacodemons?!

[ The first one sails off with a wail, and the second one gets stabbed pretty firmly. Neither seem capable of dying, but they are ABSOLUTELY capable of feeling pain, and very much not here for it. Kevin is having similar success slashing at them. The group winds up retreating just past the range of their weapons. ]

Children of Nyx. Generally unpleasant.

[ He eyes the doors just past the boiling mass of demon and goddess. ]

Can you get past them if I help distract?

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