Disease (1/3)

* The Great Elgolar Dungeon *

A sling missile hit the jaw of an advancing zombie, dislocating it and causing the creature to fall prone unmoving. Another of the creatures got entangled in a strand of white Fisher silk and got hauled up to the ceiling by a surviving Deep Fisher. As Sumiré loaded another shot she noticed the handful of Undead rushing the entrance. The young woman took aim and brought down one more of the creatures with a well placed shot to the head. Her proficiency with the weapon had grown significantly over the weeks, much faster than her mother's had. Especially after being informed by the "Voice of the World" that she gained an ability called "Sling Apprentice", she just couldn't seem to miss easy targets like these.

A couple of Võrska zombies tripped over a trap thread of silk that the Fisher had placed, causing a two more to fall over their fallen kin. The Arachnid dove on top of the piled zombies and stabbed away mercilessly with its sharp pincers, ending their pained existence. Sumiré picked off an undead that had lunged towards the Deep Fisher, trying to mount its exposed back. The large arachnid made eye contact with the young woman before clacking its pincers in acknowledgement. Sumiré shivered, still not used to her unsightly ally but couldn't help noticing that the longer the strange critters were around before perishing, the more of a personality they tended to develop. They both snapped back into a action as another wave of enemies made their way to the entrance cave. With most of the Fisher's webbing gone, this group of enemies entered the cave with almost no resistance.

A small cluster of zombies attempted to swarm Sumiré when a creature hiding close to the cave opening pounced on them. A recently evolved Dire Coyote bit into the shoulder of one Võrska before slamming it into it's closest ally. The canine barked at the surviving Undead, giving the female sling-bearer some breathing room to fire off a few more shots. The Deep Fisher retreated to the safety of the ceiling and spotted the a few more enemies entering the cave. It jerked its lower body forward suddenly and a net of silk was shot out of its silk spinner. The webbing entangled three zombies in a awkward embrace as they tumbled to the floor, flailing helplessly. "Since when can you do that?!" the woman asked the summon and it simply stared back with a blank expression as if saying "I don't know..". Sumiré ran towards the entangled zombies while drawing her dagger. She stabbed down at their necks until none of them moved around any longer.

The young Acamarian experienced the exhilaration of combat once more, the feeling no longer alien or frightening to her. She felt uncomfortable enjoying herself while she and her family were in danger. Was she normal? Was any of this? Every time she picked up a weapon, lay low an enemy or survive a life-threatening encounter she come out of it feeling alive and stronger for it! She felt as if there was a small void inside her, filling up with each victory and experience earned. The young woman didn't know what all of this meant but one thing was for certain. She wouldn't allow these vermin to defile her new home until the Lady Minõa returned!

Another wave of zombies howled, announcing its arrival. "Fall back to the Snake fang tunnel! We can't hold the entrance any more!" She shouted through her deep panting. Her fingers ached from all the sling shots and her muscles burned form the exertion. The summons turned to her and then followed her command. They didn't need to.. Unlike Minõa, Sumiré had no power over the Dungeon's minions, however, for whatever reason, the creatures felt a natural inclination to heed her words, especially now with the absence of their master. To Sumiré this didn't seem strange and the girl never even gave a thought to the fact that the creatures could understand her despite not being able to speak themselves.

The unlikely group of defenders ran down the tunnel filled with poison coated fangs. Thankfully the trap still had enough Mana to reset itself after the last raid. Sumiré was aware this particular trap was not deadly to the Undead intruders but it just might give them enough of an edge to take down two more waves of intruders. Loading a Smoke Pellet into her sling, she took aim as her breathing steadied. A mass of zombies appeared at the bend of the tunnel and the woman unleashed her shot. With a PUFF the tunnel filled with black smoke, obscuring the defenders view but also taking away the enemy's ability to avoid any of the pointy traps! The zombies stumbled on the poisoned tips as predicted and fumbled their way through the tunnel and into the waiting defenders. One by one, eight more zombies fell to the clawing of sharp pincers, canine fangs and shots of iron pellets. A second group of Undead rushed through the tunnel, now clear of most of the smoke. Some of them got stung but most of the poison wad already used up at that point, allowing the Võrska to rush the defenders with greater focus.

A screech of concentrated sound caught the intruders off guard and stunned the first two zombies just as they were rushing Sumiré. An Elgolar Pale Imp descended on the Undead, clawing at their eyes and biting chunks of rotting meat off their face, killing them before they could recover. The monkey sized bat flapped its way over to Sumiré, adjusting itself on her back like a backpack. "Good job everyone! Now back to the entrance! We need to establish our defences again before they r.." the young woman said before she was suddenly interrupted.

"Sumiré!" Fatná said as she approached her daughter. "This isn't an opportunity to raise defences again.. This is an opportunity to leave.. We can escape!"

"Mother, how could you even say that? This is our home now! Lady Minõa trusted us!"

"We have been living here a month at most! We can find a home elsewhere! You think Minõa would want us to die defending this place?! If she were here she'd tell you to run too!"

"And them.. what about them? They literally gave their lives protecting us and this place the past few days! Should we just leave them to die as well?" Sumiré asked while nodding at the summons.

"That's what they were made for.. Even the ones that have Cores we can't take with us.. They'll never be accepted anywhere! We have to survive my love.. like we always have.."

"What if that's not what I want anymore?! Just surviving isn't enough mother! Don't you want to live as well? Even a dangerous life is better than just slaving away for an uncaring master or husband.. Please.. Fight by my side.. I have felt more alive this past month than my entire life living in that estate.."

Fatná sighed in frustration and defeat. She wanted her daughter to live.. that's the only thing she ever wanted since she first lay eyes on her. And now.. it finally occured to her that Sumiré was old enough to decide what "living" meant for her. "Promise me.. That if everything fails, you will take what beasts you can and run..". "If there is nothing left to protect.. we will run together mother.." answered the young woman, refusing to accept that her mother might die so she could live. They were either all getting out or she would die trying to save them. Something inside Sumiré surged with determination and faith in what had inspired her to call this cave home. She felt full of strength, the kind necessary to face any odds with no fear. Her mother nodded, turning her once grim expression into a forced smile. "I have Fiona and two Fishers inside the spider cave.. We also have Blu in the main cave to pick off some enemies as they pass around her domain. I say we box them in! We don't have the numbers or stamina to dwindle down their forces. Let's lure them in a trap and hit them from every side! If we cut off the head of the snake then we win..".

Sumiré nodded. "Set up inside the spider cave and then hide. We'll drag them in, make ourselves look weak so hopefully the coward will show his ugly face!". Fatná kissed her daughter on the forehead and ran inside, wiping a tear from her eye as discretely as she could. The young woman hadn't noticed, having already rushed up to the entrance, her Deep Fisher already spinning a few silk threads as traps. The Dire Coyote stood guard by the entrance, nose in the air and ears constantly surveying the vicinity for their foul enemies. The Pale Imp flew to the ceiling affixing itself to a sizeable stalactite that oversaw the entrance. Suddenly the wolf let out a single short bark and Sumiré waved to all the summons. "We each take out one and then we run to the main cave!" she commanded and once again, to their astonishment, the summons understood what her words ment. Even though Minõa always commanded them in the tongue of man, the Dungeon's minions understood her intentions because of their connection. They understood not how or why they could comprehend the Acamarian girl, let alone why they even bothered listening to her. But it just felt right to them.

Sumiré patted the Coyote's fur and the canine looked at her in confusion. "You will be.. Sŭnfur.. because you are yellow and bright like the sun.." the girl said and the wolf summon accepted this. It had a name now.. Just like his pack leader.. Was he even allowed to have one? "You are Spinner.. No other spider spins webs as fast as you.." Sumiré continued, addressing the Deep Fisher. The pitbull sized Arachnid raised its pincers as if it had just gained a victory. "And you.. I'm going to call you.. Shu-Bongo.. Winged monkey!". Sumiré laughed while the Pale Imp let out a series of squeaks and screeches that sounded a lot like complaints. The girl finally reached in her ammo pouch for an iron pellet and winced at the feeling of the dwindling supply. She loaded her shot nonetheless, steeling herself for what was to come.