SCRAPE"Ouch…
SCRAPE"ow"
SLICK"frign…
CREACK"not again…"
CLICK"Yes!"
Setting aside the final chunk of mantis syth while using Cleave to put my index finger back on I over look what I've made. It's ugly about 1 foot long and dull white brown covered in scratches . Red streaks and gouges show ware I've removed the vast majority of material from the natural weapon. The blade itself curves inward at the belly, with several sharp spike like protrusions along the edge and comes to an unnaturally square stop where I cut off the excess . The handle was just as sharp and jagged, with only some cheap cloth to make it safe'ish to hold. Only a desperate man would call what I've made a sword while reluctantly they might call it a machete. The System certainly thinks it's a machete. Blood chitin 'machete'-made with desperation, blood and the severed limb of a Blood Feeder Mantis. It probably won't break on the first swing as a stubborn Will has taken root within each scratch.
It's heavy, sharp, unbalanced, but ultimately usable and it's mine. I can almost feel it, but that's probably my imagination.
"Are you finally finished with your ugly blade this time." Ghost asks while angrily munching on a protein bar, most of it falls through her despite using her ability to harden her body much to her never ending frustration.
Not wanting to respond to her I simply began making my way to the 6th floor, intent on never returning to this room.
"Food, check. Carving Rock, check. Knife, check. Sword, check. Leftover chitin, check. Spare clothes, check." I nod resultly not turning around, while ignoring the growing aches within my body.
Slowly advancing down the stairs I stop as I see a small green vine growing its way upward. Hopefully I'm not running out of time. Other wise I reach the 6th floor uneventfully. As stealthy as I can I crack open the door and find my way. Completely clear? I rumage for some left over chitin in my bag and chuck some it out into the hallway trying to make as much noise as possible while remaining hidden behind the stair well door.
One minute, two minutes, five minutes pass, but eventually something wobbles into view. Flesh Hulk-Cat so that's what happened to mister whiskers, he became a 7 limbed, 200lb wobbling ball of fat and skin with only the head retaing a vague resemblances to a cat.
Once the creature reaches a foot away from the chitin chunk I through it sniffs noisily then quickly extends its neck out from the body with rapid speed slamming into then swallowing the material with a pained angry sounding growl.
"How do you plan to fight this one soldier? I've personally seen that thing chrush bugs arising from the 5th floor with ease. It basically uses its head like a canon ball smashing though and eating everything it can reach."
Ghost sounds so smug, I bet if I looked back I'd see a smirk on her face.
With Ghosts helping she could distract it then I could cut of the head with my new blade. Of course I don't want her unreliable help. Information is key to any good strategy, so I begin trailing behind the mutated cat. Intent on finding its limitations.
-
It never really stops walking, instead the mutant cat is constantly looking for food. Every time something might be alive or edible the mutant slams its body or head into it,?largly depending on the size of said object. It's eyes are also gone, you would think that the cat would have developed stronger hearing, but no. If anything it's hearing is worse. With the dang cat only responding to a little over half of the stuff I throw near it. Though its definitely not helpless, the cats corpulent fleshy hide is capable of taking tremendous abuse and rapidly healing. I'm almost envious of its ability to fully impale its self on a beetle horn and completely heal momments after eating its adversary.
Which brings me to a new threat, Shock Horn Beetles. Apparently there the creature preventing Ghost from happily strolling through the 5th floor. Every hour or so one crawls up the stairs and is eventually attacked by the cat. There only one foot long with a black carapace and a lance like horn, but said horn is constantly produceing electricity. Enough to at least stun a 200lb creature for a few seconds.
The simple conclusion is what remains of Misster whiskers simply isn't a threat so long as I'm careful and quiet. But can I use him and his incredible mutant bulk to my advantage?
"Have you gone to the 5th floor Ghost?" I ask as curiosity gets the better one as I enter the stair well leading down there.
Almost reluctantly she answers." I ran through there, as fast as I could but still got zapped a dozen times. The bettles are not very aware but they attacked anything that moves."
"How'd you make it through then?"
"There were other patients and creatures distracting them at the time, so only a few really saw me…to bad for them I'm somewhat used to electro shock therapy. So I wasn't really stopped long." Ghost looks almost proud of herself for surviving… maybe she's coping? Is that why she's left me to die? I still don't trust her to have my back so I take what she says with a grain of salt.
The 5th floor star well is also full of young vines eagerly filling every nook and crack. Sadly the doors to the 5th floor is stuck cracked open by these same vines, providing access to anything slim enough to fit. Wich explains why Mister whiskey hasn't descended himself.
The seen awaiting me is stunning. The 5th has become a miniature forest! With small bush like branches and grass like leaves growing from the vine covered flower! The young whitish green wood fills me with a sense of longing. Memories of reading below a silver white tree distract me as a Shock Horn Beetle immediately attacks for intruding on it's territory!