Arachnophobia

Last time:

Tara: There’s something even worse to think of as well: Is it just the remnants of whoever’s power was left that’s drawing the youkai, or is whatever was sealed here still around purposefully drawing things here?

???: And if it is still here, where is it hiding now?

*There is a cry from one of the agents and the torch clatters to the floor, plunging the cave into darkness, to everyone’s startled cries*

Unknown Voice: Where indeed?

 

And the Mission Continues...

--- Izumo Region, Japan, The Cavern of the Shattered Seal ---

*The team whip around to find that they are no longer along, but an unknown figure now stands with them, blocking the way out, it’s (her?) form appears cloaked, its face is unseen due to the almost complete darkness*

Tara: Agent! Are you alright!

Agent: I’ll be….fine. Mostly startled.

Tara: Damn….*Turns to figure* Who are you? You shouldn’t be here! Leave!

Mysterious Figure: I don’t believe I’m inclined to do so. I have….business here. As do you, it would seem. Though, if you value your lives, I would suggest that you should leave, unless you wish for your agent friends to suffer further. You especially. Are you not human?

Tara: From the way you’re talking, I’m assuming you’re not human yourself. But what’s me being human got to do with anything?

Mysterious Figure: *low laughter* How little you understand….Surely you know…..just how prone your kind is to corruption? *spreads arms* This place, can you feel it? It is a place where, even with its lord unsealed, the taint will remain. Though…..it does make me wonder, how strong is your own will? How long can you remain here, untainted?

???: If it’s that case that she should leave, maybe you should stop speaking in riddles and get to the point. You didn’t come here to spout off ‘good advice’. Why exactly are you here? Are you here for whatever power might have been left behind too?

Mysterious Figure: Perhaps. Or perhaps I wish to test you. Perhaps I wish to see how well you’ll fare. Or perhaps I’m here to eliminate you? *Steps forwards threateningly, eyes glowing under the dark hood* Either way, any way you look at it, it will come to the same thing. Show me your power. Otherwise, you will die.

Agent: Not on our-

Mysterious Figure: You have no say in this. *The figure makes a yanking motion in the air, causing threads that had not been too visible before to shimer.*

???: *Eyes widening* Move!

*Everyone scatters as the threads pull down rock and debris, Tara throws herself out of the way, covering her head with her arms as rock crashes down, kicking up dust that obscures what little could be seen, the air filled with deafening crashes of falling rock. As the dust settles…*

Tara: *Coughs* I….is everyone ok….?

*There is silence for a moment other than some scrambling noises from the other side of the cave in.*

Agent: We’re fine! But watch out! That things not on our side!

Tara: Not- *She is cut off as something in the darkness slams down close by and in horror, Tara looks around to find the shape of what looks like a mutated spider creature leaning over her, the thing having crashed close by is one of its great legs* J-Jorogumo!

Jorogumo: Ah….So you know of my kind. You are a Pandora agent, I suppose, but still, as you’re not a native of Japan, I had wondered. Normally I have no interest in females. However....At this moment in time, there is something that I want…But to do that, let’s see just what you can do, Agent of Pandora. If you fail to impress me, no matter. I’m sure that you will taste wonderful once I sink my fangs into y-

Tara: *Interrupts the spider monster mid sentence by shooting up at the creature, causing it to rear up with a scream and Tara rolls away into a crouch, firing another shot.* You monologue too damned much!

Jorogumo: Why you li-

Tara: *Fires again*

Jorogumo: Stop that-

Tara: *Fires again*

Jorogumo: I will kill yo-

Tara: *Goes to fire again but the creature manages to fire some kind of web at the gun nozzle, blocking it. Tara gulps* Crap…

Jorogumo: Your little pea-shooter will not kill me. But if you intended to make me angry, you have succeeded!

*The spider creature darts forwards to bite with vicious fangs, but Tara manages to roll underneath, causing the spider to bite the rocks instead. Trying to not be caught by the spider further, Tara tries to pull the webbing off the gun, but it doesn’t come off before Tara has to dart out of the way of getting hit with webs. As the spider turns around to attack again, Tara throws the now useless gun into its eyes, causing it to jerk back in pain while Tara darts away down the passageway in hopes to find a smaller area the giant spider can’t get into. While running, she also manages to pull out her communicator in order to at least use it as a light to see what she is going*

Tara: Why is nothing ever like the simulators!

*The spider like youkai begins to chase after her through the tunnels. Trying not to panic, Tara rummages through what she has with her for any ideas of what to do against the Jorogumo. Her hand lands on something in her pocket and she smirks a moment, before flinching at a crashing sound as Jorogumo is closing the distance. Tara speeds up, going down a tunnel that leads into a somewhat larger area, supported by pillars.*

 

*A web is shot towards her and Tara dives out of the way, leaving something behind at the base of one of these pillars as she scrambles on further. The spider creature does not see it or ignores it as she chases Tara around further. Tara runs around the pillars, using them as cover from the webs as she places something on each of them, running to another as the spider gets too close. Eventually, Tara has been to all the pillars and is running towards a smaller tunnel, however, the spider gets lucky and manages to web  her leg, yanking her to the ground with a yelp*

Jorogumo: You gave enough of a run around, little fly. However, you are beaten, helpless and alone, your spirit to remain in this accursed darkness as I feed on your tender flesh. As He once said, humans will so easily fall, no matter how hard they fight, they all are frail, fragile, and ultimately, unworthy. What will you do? Will you grovel for your life? Will you throw away your pride for a little longer at life? It makes little difference to me. How will you fight against your fate, only to let the shadows consume you?

Tara: *Twisting around to show a smirk and a detonator.* Like this! *she presses the detonator*

Jorogumo: Wha-?

*The objects that had been placed on the pillars suddenly explodes at the same time, and the roof collapses in on top of the both of them, plunging them into darkness.*

[END]