(Skyseas of Gensokyo) Nazrin Quest (Part 4)

[DracoOmega]

>Switch the sword back to our dominant hand, and resume swimming. Listen for anything else unusual and try to minimize our sword hand's exposure.

>You swap your sword back to your right hand and keep moving forward. The wider, gentler section continues for another short while before you hear things start to narrow. In fact, you believe you can hear two distinct flows of water moving from this place: one roughly ahead and slightly to your left, and another some distance to your right.

[Hello Purvis]

>Let's angle toward the left one.

[DracoOmega]

>Let's angle toward the left one.

>You angle a little to the side and head towards the left branch. The acoustics of the environment change as you proceed down it; you can feel the walls closing nearer to you. From the echoes of the current resonating above you, they seem to extend quite high, though this section is probably little more than 6 feet wide. Somewhat further down, you hear the sound of other streams feeding this one, first one from high along the wall to the left, and then one from lower and to the right. The current of the stream speeds up with the added water, churning more fiercely.
>Listening to the sound of the water, you think you can hear the space to your right growing more open, though the river itself remains narrow. Some distance ahead, you can hear the river widening again.

[Hello Purvis]

>Let's keep to the left, then, and swim on through while keeping our sword arm guarded as before.

[DracoOmega]

>Let's keep to the left, then, and swim on through while keeping our sword arm guarded as before.

>You keep to the left side of the stream and continue forward, emerging into a wider chamber of some sorts. The ceiling here sounds lower than earlier, though the walls are at least 15 feet apart. You can hear the river continuing onward, curving somewhat to the left. It also seems to be taking on a more pronounced downward slope as it moves forward.

[Oldmansour]

Sour's back, baby.

>Can we discern any sort of bank along this part that might be wide enough to accomdate us?

[DracoOmega]

>Can we discern any sort of bank along this part that might be wide enough to accomdate us?

>Not distinctly so. The section previous to this was more suggestive of one, though you would need to feel around for a bank in either case. Your ability to discern terrain features by the sound of rushing water resonating against them is approximate at best.

[Hello Purvis]

Oh hey, you didn't die. Awesome!

>Keep up a brisk pace. We've been married to this ever since we fell down here, it'll either be daylight or starvation.

[Oldmansour]

Gracias. It's good to be back.

>Angle ourselves to the right, see if we can find a decent place to beach ourselves for a few.

I want a chance to examine that sword, and a bit of light to do it with.

[Hello Purvis]

Caves aren't light friendly environments. I recommend we wait until we get outside. Once we calm down and the adrenaline wears off, it'd be that much harder to get out of here. As well, we are being hunted.

[Oldmansour]

Yes, we are being hunted. By someone we've put some distance between. And what do you plan to do if this river goes on for a thousand kilometers or so? And I'm quite certain she can already see us down here, whereas we can see bupkiss.

[Hello Purvis]

If the river goes on for a thousand kilos, we're screwed either way. And of course she can see us, she lives in this and she has yet to miss us ever; the closest we've gotten is just having enough water to screw her up.

As well, seeing the sword isn't really important; we know where the sharp end is. We've used it well enough. But given she's broken off, she's clearly intending to cut off off at the pass, and the more time we waste the more likely she is to have a huge web ready for us. Staying on the move is key right now.

[DracoOmega]

>Keep up a brisk pace. We've been married to this ever since we fell down here, it'll either be daylight or starvation.

>Angle ourselves to the right, see if we can find a decent place to beach ourselves for a few.

>You keep swimming forward, angling yourself to the right as the current curves left. Soon you brush along the wall, but find little purchase along its rocky surface. You continue forward with the river, determined to keep to this course. The walls seem to narrow slightly again and the current speeds up in response. Everything seems quiet but for the river.
>After another distance, you feel your left hand catch on a spiderweb mid-stroke.

[Hello Purvis]

>Quickly cut it free and dive!

[DracoOmega]

>Quickly cut it free and dive!

>You bring your blade to slash at the webbing. Before you've barely started the motion, you feel a light impact against your sword arm followed by a very sharp pull backwards, stretching the arm almost painfully behind you.

[Hello Purvis]

>Yank back, not as though we're stuck onto something that's going to give.

[DracoOmega]

>Yank back, not as though we're stuck onto something that's going to give.

>You yank back on your arm, but barely move it forward. The force pulling against you is stronger than you are, and your arm is caught in an awkward angle that doesn't allow you much leverage.
>You hear a rustle from somewhere above and behind you, followed by a pair of snapping sounds almost directly overhead. And then, from that same direction, a clatter of rock against rock...

[Hello Purvis]

>When were spiders stronger than mice, anyways? We used to beat these jerks up for getting on our fruit!
>Flex our wrist, slip the blade under the strand, and try to lift and server it.

[DracoOmega]

>When were spiders stronger than mice, anyways? We used to beat these jerks up for getting on our fruit!
>Flex our wrist, slip the blade under the strand, and try to lift and server it.

>Maybe things are different when you're both the same size?
>You flex your wrist and try to twist the blade around to strike at the tether. Above, you hear the sound of things falling rapidly towards you. Many things...
>You feel the blade catch briefly against something and the force holding your arm goes slack. Then something large and heavy strikes you solidly in your back, nearly knocking the breath out of you.

[Hello Purvis]

>Whip the blade around, try to cut through the web binding us, and kick away! Go a bit wide on the slice, better to have some web trailing us than lose fingers.

[DracoOmega]

>Whip the blade around, try to cut through the web binding us, and kick away! Go a bit wide on the slice, better to have some web trailing us than lose fingers.

>You quickly whip the blade around, slashing at the web in front of you.
>You cut through the space above where your left hand is stuck and feel the force suspending it upward fall away, but your hand remains firmly attached.
>Another smaller rock strikes your left arm, and then one hits your shoulder. You can hear splashes in the water all around you.
>You slash down the space to one side of your bound hand. A heavy rock clatters against your blade as you do so, twisting your wrist with the impact. You feel the hilt slip in your fingers, but manage to keep from losing your grip altogether. Then you slash beneath it.
>You feel a sharp and heavy impact against your head, and your skull explodes with pain. Points of light dance across your vision. Light at last! Why... does the light hurt so much?

[Hello Purvis]

>Try to see through the light, and keep from sinking too much.

[DracoOmega]

>Try to see through the light, and keep from sinking too much.

>See through it? What's to see through? It's just there, and there, and all over the place. Where's it coming from, anyway? And why does someone keep thumping your back? It's cold and you really wish they'd stop it; you're trying to sleep. And that damned headache isn't helping...

[Hello Purvis]

>Try to flip over. Maybe it'll be nice and quite on the other side...

[Oldmansour]

>Oh, no. We didn't fall over a bridge just to end like this. Keep slashing at that web.
>Try to keep the useless arm above us as much as possible. No loss if that breaks now.
>"Is that all you got?! Throwing rocks at me? Why don't you come down here and settle this face to face?!"

[DracoOmega]

>Try to flip over. Maybe it'll be nice and quite on the other side...

>You try to flip over. Something is wrong with the bed. It's all wobbly and cold and your arm isn't moving right, either. Were you sleeping on it the wrong way? Wait... you're not even asleep yet... right? And that stupid, stupid headache. Really shouldn't have let Merlin get you drunk again. You're going to have to have some words with her when you get back and oh god you can't breathe!

>Oh, no. We didn't fall over a bridge just to end like this. Keep slashing at that web.
>Try to keep the useless arm above us as much as possible. No loss if that breaks now.
>"Is that all you got?! Throwing rocks at me? Why don't you come down here and settle this face to face?!"

>Your awareness floods back to you with a jolt. Oh hell, you're drowning! Where the hell did you just think you were?!
>Your left arm seems already above you, as you're now a couple feet below the water's surface.
>You find yourself unable to speak with your lungs full of water.

[Hello Purvis]

>Heft ourself up by that bound up arm.
>Do we still have the sword?

We definitely cannot leave without that sword.

[Oldmansour]

Most definately.

>And attempt taunt upon face breaching surface.

[Hello Purvis]

>Let's not taunt until we're out of a bad situation.
>Is the water still churned up in a manner suggesting there are falling rocks still?

[DracoOmega]

>Heft ourself up by that bound up arm.
>Do we still have the sword?

>You try to pull yourself upwards by your left arm. The webbing feels like it's only bound on one side now, but you still manage to exert some force. A few rocks settled upon your chest slide off as you raise your body.
>Oh dammit! You must have let it slip out of your hands while you were reeling!

>And attempt taunt upon face breaching surface.

>Let's not taunt until we're out of a bad situation.
>Is the water still churned up in a manner suggesting there are falling rocks still?

>Air seems much more important than just about anything else at the moment! As you crest the surface, you start to cough violently, spraying inhaled water out your mouth.
>You don't think so.
>You hear a soft whistling through the air behind you.