Trouble in the Caves

Griff stumbled through the cave system, barely able to carry Nero's large form on her shoulders, however, Shaman Ghila moved forward with such an ease that Griff could barely keep up.

"Would you slow down! I don't want to get lost back here!" Griff demanded, nearly tripping over a few rocks as Ghilla glided along on her sure feet.

"Clumsy Devils, polluting sacred land with their stench, Ghila-Shaman smells miles off, What does it want? Warwolf? hah!" Griff jolted as Old Ghila spun around, making Fiore's arm flail as she pointed crazily at Griff "Ghila thinks you brought that frigate here..." She puzzled for a moment "Hmmm no... from the west it came, from the Heart mountain where they fell to the Mantacari and the Lone Warrior. yes... Lone warrior wounds them, thins them, or Litch-folk and Red devil traitors be dead."

Griffin frowned at the old hag's incessant rambling "You're crazy."

It was then that Ghila bared her teeth in an unnerving smile "Ghila-Shaman was Cheif for 300 rises of the Moon-eggs, of course, she is being crazy. Litch-folk upset the Sovereign with boom-sticks and glowing rocks, and then Ulsa-Cheif has Devil-Marks on her and casts Mad-Ghila out to care for Sacred Yrden and Great Tree."

"The Great Tree!? that's where I need to take Nero, Fiore said that it could help stop his seizures?" Griff asked.

Ghila smirked "Red-wolf has Shinurs? shizuurs? Ghila learn Devil tongue to learn invaders whispers, but this word means nothing to Ghila. Red-Wolf is Cursed, sap from the Great Tree will make him Pure."

Sighing, Griffin of Blades scowled "He is not cursed, He's sick. but if you're going to take us to the tree... then... fine."

Ghila nodded "Great Tree is through Yrden ruins, past Great Eye of the Sovereign, we will go, and the Red-Wolf will be pure."

The Twitchy old Hag led Griff through the caves, Griff holding Nero tight as she whispered "We'll get you through this, Nero, no matter what it takes." She whispered.

Traversing in every direction, Griff felt like she was twisting in a spiral, moving east then west than South up the rocky pathway, her torch clutched tightly in her hands as they carefully stepped down into a large chamber held up with cracked stone pillars, and much to Griff's relief, a slight breeze that smelt of decrepit iron "I can smell the Rusts! we are nearly out!"

But Ghila did not seem happy, in fact, she stiffened, carefully setting Fiore down as clutching her spear tightly, as she swivelled around and staring twitchily around the large, dark space, only just illuminated by Griff's torch.

"What? what's wrong--"

"SHH!" Ghila hissed, her cloudy eyes staring keenly and thoroughly. Griff paused, she heard... scuttling.

"The Sphinka?" Griff whispered.

Ghila shook her head, making the splayed branches of her mane rumble "Fire, kill Fire." She whispered urgently.

"What? no, I can't see without--"

"Darkness is friend, when Arachnis crawl, Kill fire." She insisted.

Aracnis? but those were just a myth, degenerated arachnid monsters, the size of a buggy when young and a carriage when fully aged... but then again, Manticore were supposed to be a myth. Griff heard scuttling just behind her and froze...

Ghila's eyes widened as she peered over Griff's shoulder. "Do. not. be. moving." She whispered.

Griff grimaced... she wasn't afraid of most things, but she had her weaknesses, she'd manage to overpower her fear of heights, such a thing was the norm as a Mysteria... but bugs... Griff couldn't stand bugs.

Crawling steps echoed around them, made by many many legs, covered in sharp furs. palps shimmered, making a sound like churning cream mixed with shaking chains, and Griff remained still as a rooted plant, unable to shift even a bone as hundreds of beady black eyes stalked slowly towards them in the shadows, drawn by the light held tightly in Griff's hand.

"Drop flames, they be drawn to the heat... drop it!" Ghila called, hidden forms moving insidiously around them, making their hideous clicking sounds as they moved forward. "I-I can't..." Griff whispered, "I-I-I can't move..." She really really hated bugs.

Something rigid with fine hairs brushed her leg and Griff cringe so deeply that she nearly bit her tongue in her effort not to shriek.

"DROP, THE FLAME, DEVIL-WOMAN." Ghila hissed through her teeth, the huge black, many-legged forms shifting around them, hissing, clicking.

But it all came to a peak, when One huge beast reared its ugly head. Piercing into view, came a dark head, the size of a ball, lined with 40 or maybe even fifty, black eyes, its leathery skin shining in the light, as it's pointed white hairs shimmered in response to her movement, its body so huge and gangly that it could barely be seen within view, though the impression of eight, powerful legs shook in anticipation of the flame.

"Okay... I'm going to scream now"

Griff's mouth flew open as wide as her eyes as she let out a bloodcurdling scream, recoiling girlishly as Ghila grimaced.

Embers flew widely as Griff manically smashed the flaming head of the torch into the Arachnis' eyeballs, making it hiss and shriek just as loud as herself, the Vermilico Mysterian warrior running away as fast as her adrenaline-filled legs could carry her, the many black forms taking chase as Ghila cried.

"IDIOT, MORON DEVIL-WOMAN, WHY YOU NO LISTEN TO GHILA!!!?"

"I. HATE. BUGSSSS!!!!!" Griff screamed like a 12-year-old as she and the Old Shaman bolted towards the light.