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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jon Potter" data-source="post: 4903590" data-attributes="member: 2323">[PLAIN][Realms #483] This Spider's Got a Bite[/PLAIN]Maleko looked abashed, surprised that he hadn't more quickly put together the retriever's presence and Morier's desire to keep a low profile. "Quickly, let's fall back into the debris and we can tangle it in my Web," the elf suggested, pointing at the cloud of rocks at their backs. "It may buy us time against its blades and other attacks.""Right," Cerrakean agreed, her voice full of uncertainty. "I'm more used to fighting people, not big bugs!" Ixin snorted at the hobgoblin's reticence and stood defiantly at Ayremac's side.“Morier, you at least should move back into the debris field. If this thing is as powerful as it looks you may need to make a run for it," the Officer of Umba told him, while never taking his eyes off the construct as it moved slowly toward them. "We will hold it here, and if you think we can take it down, then come out and join us… if not…” Ayremac fixed his eyes on Morier’s, pausing for only the briefest moment, but conveying in that span all the things that warriors could in such a moment.“You run…" the celestial said, gravely. "Your mission - your cargo - is too precious.” Morier sighed."I appreciate the sentiment, Ayremac," the albino said, pausing for a breath to cast a Quickened Bull's Strength on himself. "But if it gets passed you, then what? It'll leave me all alone with this thing on my trail. The best bet is to stand here and face it together. The more force we can bring to bear on it now the better chance we have of ending it.""Well spoken," Grandfather Plaque said, hovering near Morier's shoulder. "You can certainly count on what meager powers I have." Morier smiled and nodded then reached for his empty scabbard.He paused, nonplussed."Here you go," Maleko said, unsheathing his longsword. "I do not know how to use it well, anyway." He tossed the brilliantly-decorated sword to the albino who deftly caught in in one hand. It was a far lighter weapon than he was used to, but its craftsmanship was obvious at a glance."Bhaal's balls!" Cerrakean cursed, unsheathing her black scimitars with a dangerous hiss. "If everybody else is gonna line up to get killed, I reckon I can take my turn in the queue!""That's the spirit!" Del said adjusting the bolts in his repeating hand-crossbow. "Together we can win out!" Cerrakean sneered at the half elf and twirled her scimitars with deadly precision."Save your pep talk, brown eyes!" she grumbled. "You'll need that breath to give your condolences to the survivors... If there are any.""Maleko?" Ixin asked without taking her eyes off the retriever as it drew slowly closer. "Do you suppose that thing is in Magic Missile range?""I think it is," Maleko said, brandishing his wand."Let us find out!" Grandfather Plaque added with a wink.And so the battle was enjoined at range. Ixin, Maleko and Grandfather Plaque unleashed a salvo of Magic Missiles that peppered the Retriever mercilessly. It absorbed the eleven bolts of force and kept on coming. Ixin's spellcasting was Quickened by the very nature of the Astral Plane and she found herself able at once to cast Magic Missile again, so she hit the construct with another three for good measure.One of the Retriever's eyes flared red in response and a crimson ray lanced out at Ixin, striking the sorceress before she could move to avoid it. She managed to invoke a spell shield which abrogated some of the damage, but all it really did was prevent her from being immolated at once. She still suffered greatly, screaming out as flames danced over her shoulders charring the flesh on her face and neck and searing the hair from the side of her skull.Morier darted forward, slipping an arm through the crook of the woman's elbow in an effort to haul her away from the front line, but she shook him off."Le' me go!" she growled, her words barely intelligible since her lips were split and swelling. Her left eye was a blackened horror, but a fierce determination shone in the other. "I can do this!"Del raised his hand crossbow and squeezed off a couple of shots. The first struck amidst the cluster of eyes on the Retriever's head, but the second was wide and the bolt sailed off into the silver void, disappearing rapidly from sight.The construct absorbed the damage and kept on coming."Fall back into the rocks!" Ayremac commanded. "Now!"Morier, Del and Cerrakean started in that direction, but Ixin paused long enough to cast a Quickened Magic Missile, working the enhanced magic despite her devastating injuries. Three Missiles impacted the Retriever but it came on, undaunted. Grandfather Plaque spat four Missiles of his own at the thing.It absorbed the damage and kept on coming.Rather than add his wand to the attack, Maleko moved toward Ixin, spontaneously channeling the energy from a second spell valance into a Cure Moderate Wounds spell. "Ixin, wait," he ordered. As the woman turned Maleko placed his hands gently on her head, praying, "May Nethlar give you the strength to continue your quest for the knowledge to save our world from the plague that has befallen it."At his touch, the worst of the blackened char flaked off, revealing angry red skin beneath. Ixin looked at him gratefully, her green eyes swimming with relief. She felt the pain from her burned head subside and a warm wave went through her body as the healing took place."Thank you," Ixin said kindly. Then she quickly turned to reface the menace that approached with a sneer of hated."Maleko, if we're going to try trapping it with your Web spell, then we need to fall back!" Ayremac said again and the elf nodded his understanding as he hurried off into the field of stones. "That goes for you too, Ixin. I'd rather not usher any more friends so soon to Umba's judgement."As the sorcerer complied with his order, Ayremac spared a look back at the Retriever. It had closed half the distance, and as he watched, he saw another of the construct's eyes flare like a star. Before he could do more than register what he'd seen, a ray of brilliant white struck him in the breastplate, riming his armor with hoarfrost and chilling him savagely. Despite his innate Celestial resistance to both magic and cold, being struck by the ray felt like having a red hot poker driven into his chest. He activated his Sacred Healing ability and felt his injuries begin to ease as he moved off into the cloud of stones.</blockquote>

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