Aiken – a.k.a. Baj'vess – raises his sword in a ready stance. Or at least, what he thinks is a ready stance. "You mean for YOU to die! Again! Or whatever!"

"Where's a really big iron shoe when you need one?" Midge laments.

The Rokugai mage draws himself back to remain behind the controlled guardians, his expression more or less indifferent. "You'll find me to be bitter indeed. Disciples of the Alabaster Tower… flay this spirit until it offers no more resistance, and I shall disperse it."

Thith'vess (Good ol' Jack'), actually manages a wide-mouthed serpentine yawn. "You know, I think there must be an evil monster school somewhere in the world because y'all say the same crap over and over. Gets really old, y'know? If you were more monster and less yakker, you might be a threat," he comments. Even clothed as a snake, he's still quite the otter.

"You do realize the more I devour, the stronger I become. And I do believe the only proper phrase here is … ladies and children first," the creature cackles, as two of its limbs strike outward, its first targets … Aiken and Midge.

"I'm no child… and I ain't no lady either!" Aiken the snake swings his blade at the monstrous vermite, choosing to meet it head on instead of shrinking back.

Qing seems to have had enough talk… at least, of the comprehensible sort. He puts his palms together and begins muttering quietly.

Baj'vess swings wildly at the monstrous fiend, but alas, his lack of any swordsmanship whatsoever trumps his spirit, and the squirrel-snake is soundly fended off by the vermite. After a brief attempt to keep up with the monster, he has to make a hasty leap back – or a slither, as it were. "ACORNS!!"

The otter-cum-spirit-snake waves her rapier threateningly. "Don't make me use this!" she says. "Because… ah… it's sharp!"

What happens next is probably as much a surprise to the vermite as it is to Midge. Against all odds, Midge with her slither and flail wildly approach actually manages to fluster the creature, putting it on the defensive. She even manages to chip away at it a bit, while all its wild swings at her miss by miles. As the last one sweeps by her, Thith'vess (Jack), slides in between them. "Now, I can't have you threatening a pretty girl. Wouldn't be right by the hero's code," he says, puffing out his scaly chest and resting the back of his curved blade on his shoulder. "Ya got to deal with me now!"

"I have no feet to stomp it with!" Midge wails. "How do Naga deal with bugs without feet?"

Sylvania Jack may sound impressive, but in that snaky body … he's about as effective as Aiken was. It starts off well as the overly confidant man darts in and gets in a lucky strike. But … it also puts him far too close for comfort and he finds himself having to snake-dance backwards and sway away the vermite's flailing limbs with the flat of his blade. "Ey, stoppit. Yer embarrassing me in front of the lady," he complains.

Qing pauses in his weaving to hiss, "Hold steady, brothers Aj'vess! Keep the foe at bay, and I will aid you."

Taking a deep breath, Aiken lunges at the vermite, aiming his double blade at the creature's mouth. He does indeed take the monster slightly off guard, but the beast quickly shakes the attack off and gives better than it got. Baj'vess is once again pushed back, and pushed back hard.

Ing'vess, the Gliding Blade, turns tail and tries to clamber over a table to get away from the nasty critter. "I hate bugs!" she complains.

"Right!" Thith'vess shouts as he once again intercepts the vermite as it pursues Midge. "The only one allowed to chase that tail is me."

Apparently, Thith'vess seems to have found his serpentine side. Or perhaps it was seeing Midge in danger. Either way, this time the otter-turned-snake stands his ground between Midge and the vermite. His blade sings, cutting and darting, chiseling away at the creature's defenses. A few blows make it past his guard … but Thith'vess definitely has the upper hand for the moment.

Meanwhile, with Qing safely behind the snaky line of defense, the mage finishes his muttering and threads the fingers of his top-most hands together. His four lower hands open, palm-out, and from them spring thin, ghostly chains that lash toward the monstrous vermite, seeing to wrap themselves around whatever parts they can reach.

The ghostly chains do their job and the strange monstrosity seems to slow … but only by a bit through impeding its limbs. Thankfully, it should make the lives of the front-line fighters a bit easier…

"What is that?" Midge-Ing'vess asks, pointing to the chains.

With the chains now restraining the beast, Aiken rapidly slithers at it, making wild, hard slashes. The restraints do even the odds up a bit, and Aiken manages to land a few blows. The vermite gives as good as it gets, and the two trade hits before the snake-squirrel and vermin disengage.

Midge, squeaking in terror, finally drops her sword and slithers off at high speed into the bedroom. Jack once again intercepts the beast in its pursuit and drives it back. He gets in a few good blows, but for the most part the two are at a stalemate.

Once again into the fray goes Aiken. He manages to get in a few blows before once again being driven off by the monster – and this time, the monster lands a solid hit. The snake gives a odd combination of a hiss and a rodent-like squeak of pain, but drives forward one last time nonetheless. It pays off, and Baj'vess lands a hit in return.

"Now, it ain't right to go and make a girl cry," Thith'vess hisses as he darts into the creature as it staggers back. Being in no state to defend itself, the keening blade sweeps and spins, neatly severing its anchoring legs from its body. The creature topples to the side and lands on its side with a shriek. Its remaining limbs flail wildly as it curses in several tongues. Its beady red eyes lock on Qing and it rasps, "Go ahead, destroy me. It matters not. My Master lives and his prison was opened. It is only a matter of time before he regains his strength and marches forth! Savor your victory today, for tomorrow you are naught but carrion!"

Qing slithers forward at an easy pace, looping the ghostly chain around one of his wrists as he gets closer. "Your master's perverse work could never hold to the might of Imperial magecraft. Who created you, then? Who will supposedly fell us?"

"I'm not crying!" Ing'vess insists from the bedroom.

Baj'vess relaxes a bit – but only slightly – as the creature finally goes down. "Your master can suck on my brush, you overgrown cheese thief!"

"The Vermite King. Half-born of Aeztepa. Exiled for his mother having bedded an ordinary khatta, instead of those with blessed spots," the creature growls, then spits a mix of bile and blood on Qing's robe. "And now heir to Aeztepa's secrets! He will crush you, gather his forces, and take his rightful place!"

The Rokuga moves little except to shift his mantle slightly, holding the now-splattered part out, the black of the spittle stark on the white of the snake's garment. "Aeztepa. I might have known. We shall meet him, then. Begone." With that, Qing takes the remaining wisp from the air and snuffs it out between his hands… then brings all three pairs together in a clap more thunderous than it has any right to be.

There's a blinding flash of light and for a time, no one can see. But as the air clears, Aiken finds himself sitting on his butt, looking rather ruffled, bandaged, but very much alive. Jack, looking like his usual ottery self, is also sitting on his butt, his telltale hat tilted to the side. The otter is grinning as he comments, "Well, that was fun! When can we do round two?"

"Oh thank goodness!" Midge says, coming out of the bedroom and patting herself all over… especially her legs.

On the floor in front of Qing is the remains of a shattered obsidian statue of a vermite. Its gold-like gilding scarred and several of its legs broken.

Aiken blinks, looking down at himself and feeling around to make certain he's, well… squirrelly again. Quickly spinnng around, the Kadie spies his tail, grabbing it and hugging it with a squeak of joy. "I thought I'd never see you again! Snake's all tail, but I like mine being where its supposed to be!" Still holding his tail, the squirrel tries to get toi his feet, but winces a bit. "Ooh… no more of that ghosty stuff, but I still feel mighty sore… "

Qing bends in the middle to peer at the black stone shards, flicking his tongue once. He slithers to his worktable to retrieve a dustpan and a small hand-broom. "It would seem something still lurks out beyond the town. Where did you find this, again?"

"Bah, yer just getting warmed up. We'll make a real adventurer out of you in no time," Jack claims. He lifts his battered hat off as he stands. Sauntering over to Aiken, he unceremoniously drops the hat on Aiken's head, noting, "You'll be the Swamplands Squirrel in no time. You won't be able to beat all the women off ya." Then flashing a grin and a wink to Midge, he adds, "And I beat ya off me. In fact, I'll just surrender to you right now… "

The hat engulfs Aiken's head, and the Kadie has to reach up and lift it in order to see. "I got all the women I need back home." With a grimace, he gets back to his feet, and turns to Qing. "Mister Jack had that when he arrived in Stonebarrow, but we found its master a ways out in the swamp. I can't remember exactly where."

"Don't worry Aiken," Midge whispers. "Curiel will beat the women off for you."

The snake nods gravely. "Its master, you say? Did you get a good look at it before you escaped? Did it say anything?"

"You mean the skeleton of a cat with huge bug arms out of its sides that rebuilt its body from the crushed guts of vermites into an ambulatory organ of goo?" Jack asks, trying to sound bored. "The usual sort of evil cackling that evil people do. Blah blah, I'm so great, blah blah."

"I don't remember much," Aiken says, rubbing his bandages. "We were too busy runnin' for our tails! But something about livin' again I think."

Qing snorts. "Tss. This is serious. Aeztepa is not to be trifled with, even in a diluted form, especially if it knows of this place now. It must be found and destroyed. You should bring your findings to Madame Natasha. I will join later."

"Y'know, never met a mage that smiled. Think part of the graduation is that they have a huge stick shoved up their butts," Jack whispers to Aiken as he helps him to his feet. Patting the squirrel on the back, he asks, "So, up for helping make a map of the place we went and helping find it again later?"

"Ass-tipper?" Midge asks. "Is he some sort of pervert necromancer?"

Standing once again with the help of Jack, Aiken starts to take a step, but then looks rather woozy, teetering forward a bit. "Urg… sure thing mister Jack… but I think I need a nap first."

The mage glares for a moment. He begins muttering in that unrecognizable language again. It doesn't sound Imperial.

"Sure. You can rest in my cabin. I'll have to sort through the crates and dig up what I have on ol' Vermy. I imagine they'll want to see the tablets, scrolls, books, and other stuff I've collected," Jack comments as he retrieves his hat. Flipping it, he puts it back on his head and taps the brim nearest to Qing. "Mighty obliged for your help. See ya later t'day."

"Does my tail look normal?" Midge asks, now that the horror is over with. She swings it about while looking over her shoulder. "I keep wanting to walk with it still… "

"You have that much stuff about the Vermite King? Why didn't you say anything about it?" Aiken says indignantly, as he limps out the door with the otter. He looks woozy again. "Nevermind, just tell me if you have his enchanted down comforter or something. Better yet, a normal one."