A Close Call

The Never Ending Quest - Episode 10583


Attempting to get behind the head, Lord Fred jumps on to one of the legs of the large spider-like creature, trying to avoid its deadly venom or its gaze. The creature exudes a musty odor, and Fred has difficulty holding on as the hair on the creatures leg is giving him an uncomfortable itch. Despite the burden of Fred's weight, the wallhugger is not pinned down, and carries Fred easily. His companion catches the attention of the wallhugger, and flies erratically in front, carefully avoiding eye contact.

The creature lashes out one of its hairy legs at the airbourne distraction, missing badly but still keeping its balance. At first holding on tightly so as not to be thrown to the ground, Fred works his way up to the joint between the leg and body, despite the irritation of the monster's hair. As Fred draws his sword, he sees his companion struggling to glide to the ground, as if she has been hit with a rock; the wallhugger is now galloping to the spot to pick up its prey. Holding on to the leg with one arm, Fred tries to thrust the sword into the back of the creatures head, drawing blood but not able to crack the creature's skull. The wallhugger wheels back, enraged, but unable to attack Fred directly. Instead it tries to throw itself backward in hopes of dislodging the intruder. The sword flies out of Fred's hand, but his reflexes allow him to cling tightly to the monster.

The monster now stands up on all its legs, and is now attempting to pry Fred off its back. Unarmed, Fred holds on for his life. The wallhugger's forelegs are trashing about its back, trying to dislodge his attacker, but are unable to get any leverage. The wallhugger then gets back up, and starts running to one of the walls of the grotto. The wallhugger is going to fling the leg that Fred was clinging on right into the wall! Fred closes his eyes, releases himself, and rolls on the ground. He feels a dull pain in his ankle as he tries to run. Fred then looks desparately for his sword, as the wallhugger removes its leg from the wall and starts to search for its quarry. A rush of adrenaline allows Fred to get out of immediate danger, but the pain from the ankle is getting sharper, and he can not find that sword!

He staggers toward the darkness, thinking only of how to get away for another few seconds. He now hears a clattering coming in his direction, and knew he could not outrun the creature. Grimly, he lays prone on the ground, hoping to avoid the creature's gaze and locate the sword. From this time, he can only remember incoherent, but vivid sensations. He feels a chill worse than any winter day he has suffered as he sees the head of the creature in the periphery of his vision. He quickly closes his eyes, and hobbles away from the monster. A hot, sharp pain flashes across his leg as one of the wallhugger's legs grabs his ankle. He gasps as if all the air is being forced out of his lungs as he was being lifted from the ground. He then remembers another duller pain flashing across his shoulder as the wallhugger drops him on the ground. And then a soft voice, broken with gasps and somewhat tense from suffering its own pain, asks "Where ... are you ... hurt?"

"Everywhere", Lord Fred replies. "Ankle is ... really bad. Is ... it gone?"

"I made sure that I got ....". She pauses for breath. "Got it. I think I have something that will kill the pain." She was adroitly opens and searches a small pouch with her left hand, although it was obvious that she is naturally right handed. Her hand is very human, soft and delicate, but her arm is unnaturally thin, and extending from them are her retracted wings. "Here it is." She holds out a green pellet.

  1. Accept the pellet
  2. Decline the pellet

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10/25/2002 4:07:18 AM

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