[SP-F2] Let there be Bats! Mats! Light! (Completed)

[Tyger 0]

"So lemme get this straight. You let your kid run around without you?"

 

Tyger wasn't about to argue parenting with an NPC, considering she had no kids, but still. Who let their kid run around on their own? There were boars the size of mastiffs here!

 

"And you need me to go in that cave-"

 

Tyger pointed over her shoulder at the gaping maw of the cave. It was dark in there, man. 

 

"And find your kid?"

 

The NPC woman nodded, and Tyger sighed, rubbing her temples. She needed to go and Forge things. Yeah, forge things. Cave wouldn't do. Couldn't do it. Stars weren't in alignment. Stars. Can't do it.

[Tyger 0]

"I can't believe i'm doing this."

 

Tyger growled to herself, trudging deeper into the cave. It was dark, so there wasn't much to look at, grab, hold on to, or even growl at as she walked. She was a sucker for tears, and the NPC woman had practically begged her. That, and Icarus was angry and wouldn't let Tyger go without helping the woman. Tyger didn't like children, but she'd get experience at least, as well as a few skill points if she managed to find the girl, so it would be worth it in the end. 

 

Icarus didn't seem to have any issues walking and seeing, so she tried to judge when and where to move based on his movement patterns. 

[Tyger 0]

"Icarus, don't have kids."

 

She murmured, although, on second thought, she took it back.

 

"Oh wait, nevermind. Baby dragons would be freaking adorable."

 

She chuckled, imagining a bunch of baby dragons jumping around on a tired Icarus. THAT'D be something to see. Speaking of see, she still couldn't.

 

"Uh, hello? Kid? You in here?"

 

Tyger cupped her hands around her mouth and hollared into the depths of the cave, but the only response she got was her own echo. Creepy...

[Tyger 0]

Nothing poked it's head out to play, so Tyger continued her little walk, squinting as best she could to see anything. With Icarus being black, it was a difficult feat to even keep up with him. At least the magma veins in his body gave out a little bit of light. 

 

"Yeah, that's probably my saving grace there." 

 

She murmured to Icarus, who grinned widely, showing all his teeth. Being useful was good, but being unintentionally useful was even better. However, something broke his happiness as they walked. He stilled immediately, and straightened, eyes focusing on something Tyger couldn't see. A little gust of wind passed by Tyger before she realized it was wings. Uh... what was there? Red, bright eyes peered back at her as the creature's eyes opened. 

"Uh oh..."

[Tyger 0]

Icarus snarled, his little legs scraping against the ground as he did so. His attempts to look intimidating were incredibly adorable, but were unfortunately not as intimidating as he'd hoped. Instead of attacking though, the creature seemed to unfurl their wings once more and fly into the depths of the cave. 

 

"Wait! Come back here!"

 

Tyger shouted, picking up Icarus and running after the creature. Maybe it had the kid? If it was that big, nothing would've gotten past it without alerting it. Even if it didn't have the kid now, perhaps it would know where the kid might be? Maybe it took the kid to a hiding spot for big, creepy weird flying creatures with bright, red eyes. When you didn't have much to be descriptive on, you did the best with that you had. Icarus continued to growl, like a little motor under her arm as she ran. As long as she could still hear the creature, she'd be fine.

[Tyger 0]

Apparently, the loud voice of Tyger yelling echoing in the cave caused the beast to pause and turn around. Icarus flared his body up a bit, just enough for Tyger to make out what it was. Was that... a bat? A Giant bat! It's eyes glared over at her as it flapped it's wings to keep it in the air. Taking up her sword and shield almost instantly, she charged forward in an attempt to take it out before it had any bright ideas about doing the same to her. However, due to the low light, her efforts were practically wasted. Instead of striking a bat, she struck mid air while the bat turned on her to attack. It's wing claws scraped against Tyger's face, startling her more than anything. However, she did manage to scrape it with her shield, so that was something, right?

 

"Icarus, stay close."

 

ID 10875

BD 2-1=1, CD 6, MD 8

 

Tyger - Misses, Thorns Activated

Giant Bat - Deals 2 Damage, 1 Mitigated

 

<Tyger> - 32/33

<Giant Bat> 28/30

[Tyger 0]

Icarus nodded, and climbed up onto Tyger's back for safekeeping. If he were a bit smaller, he probaby could've fit into the back of Tyger's armor. But, he wasn't that small of a lizard. 

 

"This darkness makes this difficult. Remind me to pick up that skill for seeing in the dark after this."

 

Tyger murmured to Icarus, who nodded as if he understood. The bat was ever so silent, practically looming over Tyger as she prepared her next hit. It probably counted on her missing, but that wouldn't be the case. Tyger struck a fair blow to the wing of the bat. The shadow creature scratched back at her, for she'd swap a critical for mitigated damage any day.

 

"Have you seen a little kid running around here?"

 

Tyger asked the bat, but then questioned herself. Even if the bat knew, it's not like it would tell me even if it could!

 

 

ID 10876

BD 10-1=9+2=10, CD 11, MD 8

*1 HP Battle Healing

 

Tyger - Deals 6+2=8 Damage, Thorns Activated, Bleed Activated

Giant Bat - Deals 2 Damage, 1 Mitigated 

 

<Tyger> - 32/33

<Giant Bat> 19/30 (Bleed, -1 0/2)

[Tyger 0]

The bat stared at her, giving no indication that it had understood a single word Tyger had uttered. Instead, it looked as though it were preparing to attack by the way it's muscles in it's arms bunched together, so Tyger attempted to beat it to the punch. She lurched forward once more, but the creature merely flew up to avoid the sword. However, and thankfully, the bat had been thrown off by Tyger's sudden movement, therefore it was incapable of getting close enough for an attack this turn.

 

"Could you at least point me in a direction?"

 

Tyger joked to herself mainly, before pointing inside the cave, even deeper.

 

"There? Yeah I thought so. You're no help."

 

She complained.

 

 

D 10880

BD 1, CD 12, MD 5

*1 HP Battle Healing

 

Tyger - Misses

Giant Bat - Misses

 

<Tyger> - 33/33

<Giant Bat> 18/30 (Bleed, -1 1/2)

[Tyger 0]

Icarus flared up his body as best he could, giving whatever light he was able. But, he'd tucker himself out that way, and Tyger couldn't afford to carry a limp dragon and fight off giant cave creatures. Instead, she gave him a scratch after reaching back behind her. 

 

"Tone it down, bud.  I'll be fine. No use in you getting tuckered out."

 

She murmured, closing her eyes to accumulate better in the dark. She breathed in and out, and then waited to hear where the bat was. A wingflap gave away it's presence, and Tyger dashed in that direction, striking the bat out of the air. It let out a surprised squeak, although it was very faint. 

 

"Yeah, I surprised myself too."

 

The creature tried to attack, but Tyger was already a jump away from it. She wasn't about to get caught off guard in this cave. Her senses were on high alert as it was, due to the darkness.

 

 

ID 10881

BD 10-1=9+2=10*, CD 6, MD 3

*No Battle Healing

 

Tyger - Deals 6+2=8 Damage, Bleed Reapplied

Giant Bat - Misses

 

<Tyger> - 33/33

<Giant Bat> 9/30 (Bleed, -1 0/2)

[Tyger 0]

The last method seemed to work the best, so Tyger closed her eyes once more to focus on where she heard the bat. The bat learned too, though, and did it's best to be as silent as possible. 

 

"Where are you..." 

 

She murmured to herself, before catching the sound of it's claw scraping against the wall beside her. Immediately, she lashed out. The bat knew this was it's last chance, and scratched at Tyger as well. Although the claws missed, Tyger's sword and shield hit. Their combined damage, as well as the bleed from the previous turns, was enough to dispatch the bat without so much as another squeak. The only way to be sure though...

 

Crash.

 

The mob disappeared without so much as another sound. The breaking glass reverberated through the cavern, and slowly disappeared as it traveled through the depths of the cave. Tyger whistled through her teeth.

 

"Damn. Big place."

 

 

ID 10882

BD 6-1=5+3=8, CD 1, MD 6, LD 1

*No Battle Healing

 

Tyger - Deals 6 Damage, Thorns Activated

Giant Bat - Misses

 

<Tyger> - 33/33

<Giant Bat> 0/30 (Bleed, -1 0/2) (Drops 1 mat)

[Tyger 0]

"Kid? Kid, you there?"

 

Tyger called out, not even sure what gender kid to be looking for. Icarus started doing this strange gurgling sound, as if attempting to call someone in his little language, which was cute, but ineffective. Still, she didn't mind as it gave her something to listen to other than her echoed footsteps. 

 

"Shoulda brought Baldur along. Maybe then we coulda at least talked or something. No offense."

 

Icarus didn't seem to take offense. After all, the little dragon couldn't speak. Would a parrot familiar speak? Or would it still be the broken, repeated sentences? Brushing that thought from her mind was hard, because she kept imagining a parrot familiar interrupting conversations like an annoying NPC.

 

"KID?"

 

Kid... Kid... kid.........kid....

[Tyger 0]

"Hnk!"

 

Something heavy hit her back, practically knocking Tyger forward onto the ground. Icarus was lucky he had been walking beside her, because otherwise... he might have been materializing at the moment. The only saving grace was Tyger's shield that was fitted on her back when she wasn't wearing it. It seemed to take the brunt of the damage, but what else was there?

 

"Icarus, up!"

 

She shouted, the echo drowning out her senses. Icarus scurried up onto her back while she circled around, trying to find the source of the damage. There! She charged at the wall where she thought the beast was.

 

"Hyah!"

 

Tyger's sword bit into another giant bat, which let out another soft squeak of anger and surprise.

 

"Damn cave's fulla these dumb things!"

 

ID 10883

BD 6-1=5+3=8, CD 7, MD 9

*No Battle Healing

 

Tyger - Deals 6+1=7 Damage

Giant Bat - Deals 3 Damage, 2 Mitigated

 

<Tyger> - 32/33

<Giant Bat> 23/30

[Tyger 0]

Concentrate, Tyger. 

 

Concentrate.

 

Tyger held her eyes shut, attempting to listen to where the bat was. However, when she heard the wing move, and she dashed forward, she was met with nothing more than a wall. The wind was knocked out of her, and her sword scraped against the wall with a horrid sound. The bat seemed to react to the screeching with a screech of it's own before biting into Tyger's arm as it flew in from behind. Tyger winced and growled in pain, doing her best to shake off the beast. When it finally let go, Tyger spun around to look at it, but it was nowhere in sight.

 

"Shoulda grabbed that skill... first thing i'm doing after this."

 

ID 10885

BD 1, CD 6, MD 10

*No Battle Healing

 

Tyger - Deals 6+1=7 Damage

Giant Bat - Deals 4 Damage, 3 Mitigated

 

<Tyger> - 31/33

<Giant Bat> 23/30

[Tyger 0]

If the bat could make a noise louder than the squeaking screech, Tyger figured it'd be laughing at her after such a silly blunder. Who ran into a wall in the middle of a dark cave fighting a flying creature that could dodge easily? Oh wait, most people if they didn't pick up the stupid skill Tyger thought was useless.

 

"Bah."

 

Tyger continued to kick herself about it, and decided to wait until the bat came to her. When it swooped down to attack, Tyger held her sword up verticaly, allowing the bat to just run into it. The line of pain streaked across the beast's fur, and Tyger grinned in satisfaction.

 

"Who ran into something painful now, hmm?"

 

Tyger teased. Icarus let out a chuff of laughter on her shoulder, smoke billowing form his nostrils.

 

ID 10888

BD 4-1+3=6, CD 8, MD 3

*No Battle Healing

 

Tyger - Deals 6 Damage

Giant Bat - Misses

 

<Tyger> - 31/33

<Giant Bat> 17/30

[Tyger 0]

This battle was slow going.

 

All Tyger could do was continue to kick herself for not picking up night vision as she glared helplessly around her. The ceiling of the cave was high enough for the bat to fly around or latch onto and Tyger still not see it, which made her even more anxious than she already was. Back in the real world, Tyger would always walk with Baldur down the hallway to their bedroom, joking about robbers or something kidnapping her if she went alone. She wasn't afraid of it, but now she was. Something real was happening, and something dangerous. 

 

Thankfully, her body was looking out for her. The bat dove once more, grappling for Tyger but missing. Instead, it received nothing but a sharp kick in the rear with Tyger's sword. The line streaked down the rear and back leg of the large bat, causing Tyger to smirk. 

 

"Running into things and getting your butt sliced? C'mon now..."

 

As long as she kept taunting the bat, it'd continue making the passes below...

 

ID 10889

BD 4-1+3=6, CD 6, MD 2

*No Battle Healing

 

Tyger - Deals 6 Damage

Giant Bat - Misses

 

<Tyger> - 31/33

<Giant Bat> 11/30

[Tyger 0]

A few turns had gone by, and she'd yet to get lucky enough for some battle healing. The little hits were nothing, and honestly, they didn't bother her, but how many more times would she have to deal with them? How many huge bats were in this cave, anyways? 

 

"Any idea where a small child went?"

 

Tyger asked the bat. Nothing. Silence. Only the sounds of it's claws scratching against the stone walls as it tried to line up a hit.

 

"Because i'm looking for on-"

 

The bat slammed into her and knocked her into the wall, causing her to hit her head on the stone. The pain radiated through her brain, but subsided quick enough for Tyger to reach out and grab the bat by the foot, pulling in into her sword quickly. It flapped it's wings vigorously to get away, but it wouldn't live long with the bleed Tyger had applied. 

 

"Just one more hit you little piece of crap..."

 

She growled, rubbing her head.

 

ID 10891

BD 7-1=6, CD 8, MD 9

*No Battle Healing

 

Tyger - Deals 6 Damage, Bleed Applied

Giant Bat - Deals 3 Damage, 2 Mitigated

 

<Tyger> - 30/33

<Giant Bat> 5/30 (Bleed, -1 0/2)

[Tyger 0]

The bat wasn't able to fly very well after Tyger's little stunt. Nor was it able to walk very well after Tyger grabbed onto it's foot like that. It was probably broken or dislocated at least, given the strength the girl had used to pull the beast back down into her sword. It stared angrily at her, and Tyger got to see it's eyes for the first time. They matched the first bat, all red and glowing in the darkness. 

 

"Yikes. You're as ugly as the other one."

 

Tyger taunted, grinning from ear to ear. The adrenaline from battle kept her energy up as she ran forward, sword trailing at her side before she pulled it up into an upward swing, slicing the bat's chest. The line traced up until Tyger's sword exited the bat, and it exploded into the bright, shining shards. The glass breaking echoed in the cavern, and after that had died down, Tyger heard a small sniffle.

 

"Kid, is that you?"

 

ID 10894

BD 5-1+3=7, CD 6, MD 5, LD: 5

*No Battle Healing

 

Tyger - Deals 6 Damage

Giant Bat - Misses

 

<Tyger> - 30/33

<Giant Bat> 0/30 (Drops 1 Mat)

[Tyger 0]

Tyger hurried forward, Icarus climbing off of her shoulder to run ahead of her. 

 

"Icarus wait!" 

 

The little dragon bounded off ahead of her a few paces, until it stopped in place. Tyger didn't understand what was happening until she got closer to her familiar. His magma veins illuminated the area around him, and she saw a little boy curled up against the wall, his face stained with tears. Tyger sat down beside him and Icarus climbed into the boy's lap. The NPC merely sniffled and wiped his face before petting Icarus.

 

"Hey kid. You're mom's really worried. Let's get you home."

 

Tyger wasn't all that good with kids, so she wasn't really sure what to do in this situation. Hell, Icarus was doing a better job than she was, all things considered. In the course of a minute or two, Icarus had the boy smiling and giggling, instead of crying.

[Tyger 0]

"Yeah, i'd like that..."

 

The boy murmured, covered from head to foot in Icarus's charcoal smears. When Tyger stood to escort the boy out, his hand reached out for hers and she instinctively drew away. The boy flinched and looked like he might cry again, so Tyger let her hand fall down so that the boy could hold it. Icarus walked alongside the boy, and even gave the boy his tail to hold while they walked. After all, it was best if Icarus sat in front. His little magma veins made it easier to see.

 

"How'd you end up in here?"

 

"I was playing with my friend, and we decided to play hide and seek. I hid in the cave, and got chased by a bat..."

 

Tyger squeezed his hand a bit. 

 

"Well, you're safe now."

[Tyger 0]

Walking out of the cave was easier than coming in. When she started the quest, she wasn't sure what she was looking for, how far she'd end up going, or even what lie ahead. Having slayed two giant bats by herself in the dark, and then having Icarus find the child, it wasn't as nerve wracking on the trip back. All she had to do was find the NPC and give her the kid, so she could get her loot and she'd never have to worry about another kid again.

 

"Thank you again for saving me! And thank you, little fella!"

 

The boy seemed captivated with Icarus, but Tyger didn't want the dragon to get any ideas. They weren't about to go out and adopt a kid just so Icarus had another plaything. She'd rather hunt boars all day so that the dragon could play with them. 

 

"No problem, kid. Didn't want your mom to get hurt doing it instead. Besides, I learned an important lesson."

 

Get the damn skill, Tyger. That damn Night Vision skill. For Christ's sake.