August 2021 - Stuck in the Nets

[staymods]

Stuck in the Nets

The strange whispers at night have persisted throughout the month of August, only growing stronger with time. Whatever is out there, it's searching for something. Or perhaps someone?

But that is a secondary worry today. The biggest problem on hand is that something large appears to have gotten caught in one of the sea nets. It's hard to tell what it is at a distance, but it's trashing about and getting tangled up in the lines. Something needs to be done about this before the creature destroys too much of the netting.

But also, Otherworlders should move cautiously. As they go to investigate, they'll find that the air is still and lacks the ambient sounds usually found in nature. There are no bird calls, no buzzing insects, nothing. Just the sounds of splashing.

Comments

[maidofmistakes]

[Okay, the adults are definitely going to freak out on her... but she's going to approach from the bottom, still staying a few metres away.]

cw: blood (in the linked image)

[staymods]

[Behold! Your new friend!

It's not dead btw, it's just tired from struggling in the nets and taking a short rest.]

[maidofmistakes]

[She gasps -- and immediately chokes on water and has to swim to shore, coughing and sputtering. Super breath only works if you hold it, after all.]

What the heck is that?

[staymods]

[It's thrashing in the water again!

...and Supergirl might want backup to deal with this. Given her, uh. Immunity status.]

[maidofmistakes]

[Invulnerability is one thing, but she knows very well she's not going to be able to take a troll if that's what it is. So it's time to run back to shore.

Yes, on foot. She's fast, okay.]

Uh, guys? We're going to have to deal with that thing!

Hauling the gang

[ghoulserrand]

[When he went to gather everyone once again, the most concerning was that he did, in fact, have to find everyone. Super was supposed to search too. So he thought. But what does he find when he gets to shore again? One speeding blur of a girl.]

You went back...?!

[The exclamation is one of disbelief. It also sends him into a hard coughing fit.]

I told you... not to go alone...! [Oh, he cannot keep up this volume. His voice is cracking all over.] You could've been... bit...

[He glances back to the others, all the people he greeted, soaking wet but still in goggles and face gaiter, with a raspy request to hurry over to the shore because they had a big problem on their hands.]

It's here... I'm going out to... take a shot at it...you all... need to be ready...

[relictus]

[Faust is saving most of his lecturing for later, or at least trying to. Neither of them appear to be hurt, just soggy. Now to just keep it that way.]

[Though for a moment, it might seem like he's going to berate Teo for his suggestion. But instead he takes a deep breath and sighs.]

You can't hit it from here, if an arrow can even do anything to it. You'll need a boat, or something else solid to stand on.

[argentlarvae]

Then let's get a boat. [Oh, here's Cyan.] We can't leave it out there to destroy the net.

[maidofmistakes]

I stayed back! I was careful, like I said! [But.] I've already used a bunch of my power, by this place's standards, so I don't know how much I can do, but... can you guys stand on ice?

[ghoulserrand]

That's... [Not worth arguing with her right now.]

Do we have... a boat nearby...? [He's not sure how long the net will hold, honestly.] Alternately... Super... can you keep... your ice steady?

Also... some should... stay on shore... In case something... goes wrong... And we'll need... fire in any case.

[Sorry, Faust.]

[argentlarvae]

I can't swim, can any of you?

[maidofmistakes]

I've used up a bunch of power already, but I think I can still help you out. You can all stand on ice, right?

[relictus]

If you can't swim, then you should stay on shore. Supergirl, what did you have in mind?

[maidofmistakes]

I can freeze part of the water to make a platform if you can get onto it. I'm not sure I have enough energy to make it extend from the shore, though. Sorry.

[ghoulserrand]

I was going... to swim out... to the platform... fire from there... I don't know if... it'll be enough... but I figured... it was worth trying... I wanted the rest... of you all here... in case... and to... dispose of it after...

[relictus]

...If you can freeze the water from a distance, then I can fly him out there. The faster we can take care of this, the better.

[To Teo,] You can't assume that it won't go straight for you if it makes it through the nets. You'd be stranded on your own.

[maidofmistakes]

Got it. Leave it to me!

[She takes a deep breath, flies up, and breathes ice onto the middle of the water, a ways away from the thrashing creature. Once the platform's big enough for a few people, Supergirl slowly lowers down and flops onto the ice.]

This place takes so much energy out of you...

[ghoulserrand]

[He gives Supergirl a nod, and then to the others,]

Be ready...

[As for Faust, he speaks quieter.]

I know that... Make sure... you get her safe... first.

[He gathers up the abandoned quiver of arrows and the bow he left on the beach before. Take him away, flyboy.]

[relictus]

[He glances his way but doesn't respond, just summoning his broom and, once they're both settled, zip off to join her on the ice. He offers Supergirl a hand up.]

If you've hit your limit, you should hang back for now.

[and to Teo,]

I can use magic to assist, but if I act carelessly I'll end up exhausted as well. You're the only one off shore with a weapon.

[No pressure.]

[ghoulserrand]

[It's weird to fly again, but he's too wound up to have the same sense of awe as last time. Even to land on a random chunk of ice in the middle of summer, he can't pay much mind. This is a hunt. Nothing else matters, except the kill and preventing others from being killed in the process.

He nods at Faust's words. He hopes they won't need magic. But he doesn't know how this will go.

He pulls out an arrow and draws it up with his bow. His breath slow, there to calm him more than anything else. He pulls the bow taught, aiming at that thrashing shape in the water. It would be easier if he knew for sure he could aim for the head, but like this, it's impossible to tell. It may take more than one shot. It may not do a thing. Here went nothing.

He fires.]

[maidofmistakes]

[She takes a moment to catch her breath and takes Faust's hand, gripping what's probably weakly for her even if she's holding on tight to pull herself up.]

Sorry. Whatever it is limiting powers here, it hits me pretty hard. You've got this, you guys.

[staymods]

[Teo's arrow strikes the dolphin! It's hard to get a clear shot of its head with how it's tangled in the nets and thrashing, but Teo's shot strikes it somewhere important because the frantic struggling picks up more. Somehow it manages to tangle itself further in the net, restricting its movements more.

Everyone present will hear screams echo inside of their heads. It definitely feels the same as the whispers from the woods, but it's just screaming instead of talking.

One more shot should be enough to kill it right away, or they can wait for the beast to bleed out. Either way, the beast will be dying soon.]

[ghoulserrand]

[He flinches at the scream. It's not the first he's heard something like it, but it's not any easier. He pulls out another arrow and draws the bow once more. It'll cost him arrows, but, this is the merciful thing. He can at least give that.]

I'm sorry...

[He fires one more time.]

[staymods]

[The second shot is enough to do the job. The struggling dies off quickly after that, and both the beast and the net go still as the screams go quiet.

The creature has been dealt with! Though it's body is still there, providing a potential infection vector for all non-immune who get too close. Best to do something about that.]

[ghoulserrand]

[He lowers the bow. The immediate threat is gone and there's relief in that, but, indeed, now comes the clean-up. He turns to Faust and Supergirl.]

We need to... decide how to bring it... to shore... Cutting the net... is safest... but it... leaves us in danger...

Supergirl... can you... help Rin and Cyan... with making a fire? Faust... do you have... full gloves...? I want to... get a rope around it... and draw it to shore... once I untangle it...