Hotaru's success with the first worm boded well for the second, but this time she abandoned her electricity for a more hands-on approach. Jigano's eyes widened at the bloody, brutal site, but only in surprise rather than disgust. Given what he went through last year in his fox form, he can hardly throw stones in this particular glass house! He could at least get out of her way, stepping far enough aside to not be caught by the worm's writhing length as it was hacked apart. He had to keep his full attention on the earthen wall by then as the biggest worm rammed it with more stubbornness than brains.
As Hotaru slayed the second warm with blade and aggressive static cling to the brain, the bard gritted his teeth and focused his magic, building the rough barrier stronger until a thought struck him.
Hotaru was almost through with the second worm, and maybe he could help her along with the third? He waited for the shudder of an impact, then gripped and twisted with his hands, pulling the earthen barrier apart in the middle, just far enough to accommodate the Big Bertha of wormhood on the other side. Without eyes it didn't realize what had happened, and it gathered itself to fling its body forward again.
Which was when Jigano flexed his hands and clapped the two halves of the barrier back together. A quarter of the worm had made it through, but now it was pinned in place, wriggling and keening that strange high pitched sound they made when distressed as excess air was pushed out their mouth region. Several feet across, it was no lightweight, but it's movement was also limited as Jigano concentrated fiercely on constricting the hole further and preventing it from pushing through.
"A gift for you, m'lady," he called to Hotaru as her worm fell to twitching pieces. "Feel free to open it up and see what's inside!" Not that she didn't already have a good idea of what to expect after the last two, but who knew? Maybe she'd get lucky!
As Hotaru slayed the second warm with blade and aggressive static cling to the brain, the bard gritted his teeth and focused his magic, building the rough barrier stronger until a thought struck him.
Hotaru was almost through with the second worm, and maybe he could help her along with the third? He waited for the shudder of an impact, then gripped and twisted with his hands, pulling the earthen barrier apart in the middle, just far enough to accommodate the Big Bertha of wormhood on the other side. Without eyes it didn't realize what had happened, and it gathered itself to fling its body forward again.
Which was when Jigano flexed his hands and clapped the two halves of the barrier back together. A quarter of the worm had made it through, but now it was pinned in place, wriggling and keening that strange high pitched sound they made when distressed as excess air was pushed out their mouth region. Several feet across, it was no lightweight, but it's movement was also limited as Jigano concentrated fiercely on constricting the hole further and preventing it from pushing through.
"A gift for you, m'lady," he called to Hotaru as her worm fell to twitching pieces. "Feel free to open it up and see what's inside!" Not that she didn't already have a good idea of what to expect after the last two, but who knew? Maybe she'd get lucky!
