I have the terrain advantage, now that I think about it.
There is a barrier between us. Which I can traverse at will, but the scorpion can’t.
The scorpion is still banging against the walls. It doesn’t seem that it noticed at all.
So I chant the lightning bolt aria silently, targeting the monster.
:::
After so ti, I wake up again.
My entire body is hurting. Where am I? What happened?
Oh, I’m lying on a staircase... Right, the scorpion. The barrier. I’m right outside the barrier.
The scorpion is at the other side of it, looking straight at . Now I rember, I tried to launch a lightning bolt at it, but it was deflected back at .
I was hit by my own spell. That was a bit pathetic.
I activate the Appraise Object skill again and look at the barrier.
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Juno’s Inner Sanctum Barrier
A barrier that seals a monster-type creature.
Extra Information:
A barrier into which anyone can enter, but nobody can exit.
The barrier was created 1,328 years, 10 months, and 3 days ago.
----------
Nothing changed. Which ans that even though I have access to the extra information because of my title, the information that would be normally available is still subject to the sa rolls as anything else.
So the only way to get more information from analyzing it is to co in again tomorrow.
The scorpion is still looking at . It scuttles back and forth, restless, but never turns its gaze away from .
Maybe the only way to fight it is going inside. But starting the fight already hurt is not a good idea.
I might still use the barrier to my advantage by getting in, launching a spell, and stepping out before it gets .
But I need so healing and rest before I do that. So it’s better to get back up.
The rest of the party is only one floor above, after all.
:::
When I cross the barrier, everyone imdiately looks in my direction.
Yaci jumps on , hugging .
"Aureaaa!! I’m so glad you’re back!"
"Ouch, ouch... Calm down, Yaci. It hurts."
"I’m sorry. What happened? Why are you hurt like that? Did you find her?"
"That can wait for later. Pyatan, tend to her."
"Yes, ma’am."
:::
After I’m fully healed with magic, I tell everyone all that happened in the ’sanctum,’ and then I go to bed to get so good rest.
It was a tireso day, with all the coming and going through that museum-like place. So much information to process.
Tomorrow will bring a better outco.
:::
"I don’t want you to go alone. That monster is too dangerous."
"But no one else can enter. Only ."
"So you shouldn’t go. Let’s break camp and go back."
"I can’t just leave her there after coming all the way here."
This convo has been happening for so ti now between and Yaci. She is not letting go back in there.
I have the artifact that lets soone bypass the barriers, but I didn’t tell them about it. That’s because I don’t want anyone else to be at risk.
Also, if I’m alone in the fight, I can use the amulet to simply jump out of the monster’s reach.
If I put up so sort of guerilla fight, where I get in just long enough to launch the lightning bolt and then jump back, then I have a chance of defeating it with little risk involved.
But with only one amulet, that’s one ga that two people can’t play together. We would also stand in each other’s way.
The idea of having one of us outside the barrier with the amulet while the other is inside being ripped apart is not sothing attractive to .
"Yaci. That’s enough. She has decided to go, and I’ve heard the Loa trusts that she’ll be able to do it."
Kwarah butted in. Thank you.
"Yes, Yaci. I’m fully able to defeat it by myself. Please, trust in this."
"But you’re just a child!! And that’s a very powerful monster!"
"A very powerful, weakened monster, restricted by a barrier that I am able to pass at will but you won’t."
"How? Tell , how can you be sure you can pass it at will?"
"It’s like this one. I can simply bypass any barrier created by the goddess."
Yes, I lied to her face. I had to do it to hide the existence of the amulet from her.
Otherwise she would insist on going and then try to sacrifice herself to save or so other stupid shit.
And I won’t have any of that.
"My plan is to get in just enough to cast the aria, attack it, and then jump back. And repeat it until the monster is beat."
"That sounds like a great plan."
Thanks again, Kwarah, for agreeing with my way of thinking at this mont.
"It won’t even have a chance to land a hit on .
"You promise you won’t stay inside there more than needed?"
"I promise."
Yaci hugs again, crying, then lets go.
I walk back inside the ’sanctum,’ already thinking about the experience that scorpion is going to give .
:::
It was already waiting for .
While I walked down the corridors and the stairs, I didn’t hear any of yesterday’s screeches.
When I get in front of the room, there it is. When it notices , it imdiately starts scuttling around excitedly.
I can still sense the madness from yesterday inside it, and at the sa ti... an insatiable hunger.
How can I even feel it from here? It’s almost like there is so kind of connection between us.
I’ve never felt anything like this before. It’s like I can almost hear its emotions.
Its emotions...
They are like a raging sandstorm raging inside her. There is jealousy, anger, betrayal, and a very deep sorrow. But, covering it all, a maddening hunger.
A hunger deep like the aeons themselves.
How long have you been in there?
I appraise the barrier again. There is a new line in the general information.
The barrier aimlessly deflects any spell that cos in contact with it.
Hm, the trigger is contact, huh? Goodbye to the idea of only putting the hands inside to cast the magic. I’ll need to have the whole body inside.
So I need to ti this very precisely.
Chant the aria until it’s ready to launch. Jump in, launch, jump out.
Just a fraction of a second, so I’m not caught by those pincers that look like they could snap in half.
I put my backpack down, close my eyes, take a deep breath, and cast the body-strengthening aria.
Okay, let’s do this.
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