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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Henry" data-source="post: 2246409" data-attributes="member: 158">Black Eyes of the Demon Scorpion, Pt. 3It was then that the carpet of scorpions took their meals.The floor undulated as it swallowed up the two scouts. Thousands of scorpions, making their home near the door, crawled, scurried, skittered, and stung their way over Brandis and Myrwyn.Myrwyn screamed first -- or later, Brandis CLAIMED it was Myrwyn.Varus and the company trotted quickly to the corridor, and stopped dead when they encountered the scene. Dozens of hardened legionnaires, victors of so many combats, were helpless before the irresistible horde. They watched as Brandis and Myrwyn tried to escape by running AWAY from the group and towards the bound door. Cursing and crushing, slapping and screaming, the pair hit the door with nowhere else to run. Brandis, in total panic, climbed UP the door, bare fingernails digging into wood like a rabid monkey. Myrwyn continued to flail and fight, as the disgusting carpet of creatures grabbed, stung, stung, stung, and stung again.Maxian called to his comrades and used his only effective weapon -- fire. He tossed his hand-lantern straight at part of the swarm, hoping that the fire would do something. In his haste, he flung wide however, dashing a perfectly good lantern and flaming oil across the south wall of the passage.Where men could do naught, Wizards took command. Antonius shouldered past gawking soldiers and launched a blast of explosive cold into the swarm; scorpion bodies froze, cracked, and died, but there were so many. His fellow Imperial War wizards followed suit, but magic is taxing; all were feeling slightly drained after that; little damage was inflicted on the horde.Boldric strode forth, the immense fighter with his glaive. “Let me try.”  Incredibly, he tried scooping some of the creatures away with his weapon…“eeeyah!” …but abandoned the idea when they threatened to engulf him via his weapon-handle!  Slamming the glaive flat against the wall, he dumped the bugs and stepped back a bit to give others room.Flames erupted as more oil was flung; Myrwyn, successfully slapping away most of the scorpions, began to shake violently as the poison from the legion of stingers took hold. Brandis saw his chance; he leapt from the door, plowing through the swarm, running almost magically fast and right through the creatures, diving behind Boldric. Miraculously, of the times he was bitten, his Halfling fortitude protected him from the venom. Finally, Antonius Bellicus and the other wizards, coordinated with lantern flingers, finished off the creatures. Enough cold and flames, and they dispersed. Antonius checked for more enemies, then slumped to the ground.Myrwyn promptly kneeled, vomited, stood up, then vomited again. Vercinius was immediately at Myrwyn’s side, preparing a tonic. Staggering like every muscle ached to move, she leaned on the healer of the god Osirian. “I feel… Sloppy,” she burbled. Vercinius suppressed a smile as he had her drink the vile brew and salved the worst of her wounds.  Antonius, propped against a wall as he regained his footing, and addressed no one in particular. “Though we are dead set on success this day, I will need to rest soon.” The wizards grunted agreement.Varus grumbled to the contrary. “We must move forward! The legions lose ground and men as we speak. If we fail or delay, they are the ones who suffer.”Maxian spoke. “Much as I’d like to see a rested wizard as an ally, Centurion Varus is correct. I say we dare to push forward.” Boldric, not having suffered so much as a scratch, simply nodded. He was eager to shed Sythian blood in these tunnels, and had not NEARLY had his fill.The others wizards were torn between duty and caution, but Antonius took the choice from their shoulders. “If all understand the consequence, then we will continue forward.”Varus grunted in approval. “Besides, what more can these vermin throw at us?”</blockquote>

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