--- Kat ---
Kat's nose twisted in disgust as they approached the start of the worm nest. It was a large hole that had been dug into the ground and worms were lining the edges. The worst part though? The smell. If she didn't know that they puppeteered around rotting corpses before she definitely did now. "Is there anything I can do about the smell?" asked Kat.
"A miniscule amount of demonic fire sitting just inside the nasal cavity can usually dull your sense of smell to a sufficient degree but I personally recommend you use this as a chance to get used to it. This is nowhere near the worst thing I have smelt and the details lost due to limiting my sense of smell is simply too much," stated Hunter.
Kat glanced over at the lamia and bit back the desire to ask who hurt her. Sure there was probably information go be gained from this smell... somehow, but it was truly awful and Kat wasn't willing to put up with it. Kat summoned up a bit of demonic fire for inside her nose... but it was a bit large. She could see it burning around her nose instead of just inside.
Kat tried to shrink it but the energy didn't seem to want to behave at the moment. Lily, be thankful you aren't here.
[Yeah I know. I can almost smell it just with your memories. That's more than enough for me. Good job on asking Hunter for a solution, not sure I'd have thought to do that.]
Kat nodded even though Lily couldn't see her. It truly was a big step up. A bit wasteful, but Kat knew she regenerated enough demonic energy to offset this small amount. While Kat was enjoying no longer being able to smell, Hunter was getting started. Black fire exploded from her hands and the worms nearby were quickly ash. Their brief screeching quickly silenced.
Once there was no more movement around the entrance Hunter slithered forward with the fire coating the edges of the tunnel ahead of her. Kat followed behind as she considered what to say. Her previous attempts to goad Hunter into opening up a bit about her problems had failed and dealing with these worms seemed simple enough now that they'd gotten started-
Kat's thoughts were cut short as a giant ball of limbs rolled around the corner and straight towards them. Kat was readying herself for a fight but Hunter just spat demonic fire at the thing and it was quickly turned to ash. Kat couldn't help but gulp at the sight. *Ok... so I think I now know at least a bit about why demonic fire is so scary... and probably why I don't use it often.
Admittedly, Hunter said it was more effective against these worms but even still... that took nothing. Well... no time at least. It did give Kat something to ask.*
"Will we need to take a break?" asked Kat.
Which was not exactly a great sign, but not one Kat could do anything with because it was 'normal' from Kat's experience with the lamia.
*I've got nothing Lily. If I didn't already have issues asking Hunter questions earlier then I'd think she was fine. She's not doing that 'dead eyes' thing you hear about, but she also doesn't seem like... super angry or anything like that. I don't know if her clan trains them in poker faces, but if they're optional lessons Hunter definitely did, and is probably top of her class.
I'm just getting nothing here.*
[Well that's worrying in and of itself, but you're right that's just what Hunter looks like most of the time so we can't really make any assumptions based on that here. Well, other then recognising that she's good at hiding her emotions when she wants to as long as you don't try to talk to her.]
While Kat and Lily were talking the worms had gotten more numerous and frantic... it did them no good. Hunter had knocked open a few more worm pits and cleansed those with fire. A swarm of bats piloted by the worms? Burnt to a crisp. The larger worm that broke out of the ground? Toast.
Hunter didn't seem surprised by any of this, as if she could somehow tell they were coming. She just adjusted her fire so that there was more of it in the places it needed to be. Honestly, it made the lamia look a bit like she was taking a casual stroll. If Kat didn't know better, she doubted she'd pick up on any issues at all.
Delve into stories on m-v-l-e-mpyr
*Dammit! I don't know how ready for combat I need to be! Hunter is just wiping the floor with these guys but I doubt I'd be able to tell if she was running out of energy... I guess I should focus up a bit more? Maybe try to ask again?* "Hunter, how well would you say we're doing?" asked Kat.
"Acceptably. Your demonic fire is not a useful combination with mine while we're at risk of collapsing the tunnels. The worms are being dealt with as they come but this is just one tunnel and we have yet to reach the large pit at the bottom of this cave, wherever that might be. It means that this complex is on the larger side.
We are likely to face at least some combat when we reach there, but as long as I have enough energy it will be no issue," stated Hunter.
"Yeah... that's my concern. As long as you HAVE the energy we'll be fine... but do you? Are you going to be ok?" asked Kat.
The silence that followed was not reassuring.