A Bitter First Breath

For all the pain I go through, there is none like death.

There's the death itself. It was different this time. There was no particular sensation, no burning heat or sword's pierce. Just raw, bone-deep pain, over and over, hundreds of times, and black.

Then, the pain again, but this time a more familiar pain: the body and mind rejoin. It is a bitter reunion.

I was glad to find my companions safe, but my heart was crushed. I had failed, I had failed Bemmut. There was nothing I could do, nothing, nothing.

As before, as always, the depression fades before me, it's dull blue now a dark shade of red. It is not yet too late. The clues before me suggest that the elves are divided, and the freak we faced may well not be one of those who kidnapped Bemmut. A chance, a chance given to me by my companions, who have seen in me enough strength to believe a resurrection worthwhile.

I can only hope our foe is in a tight spot, with several of her allies slain. Given just a day, we can return, and this time with a better strategy:

We begin by teleporting to the stables, and trying to reunite with Ig. From there, we teleport into the tower and quickly buff, including a haste and a silence on a spare dagger. We move quickly into the abomination's room, hoping to take it by surprise.

Kasaki can surely take the slime. With a protection from energy, he ought to avoid much of its damage, and his quick strikes ought to pound it to the ground. Damien or Alfous can assist with some timely damage.

Hopefully, I can reach the mage. With silence, I pray I will not fall ill to her power again, and I will try to hold her down. If possible, Damien can use web or tentacles to keep her from escaping the zone of silence.

We will have to be ready to adapt: I have no doubt the situation will change rapidly. And so tonight I pray we can adapt: I have failed twice now: once due to my emotions, once due to my luck. God rest my soul if I should fail a third.