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The look said whatever Oliver wanted it to say. It was never fully Finn's intention to have the younger man stay behind, but if the life trainee made that decision on his own, then Finn would go with Daisy and look for the others, however begrudgingly. He, in fact, would have rather stayed behind himself. He believed that, between the two of them, he had more medical knowledge, had put in more time in the infirmary, had studied more, and that these patients required care and attention if they were to survive. But, then again, what kind of man would he be if he threw Oliver, a person he professed to care about once, who he had told he would keep safe, out of the frying pan and into the fire?

He was sure it was at least relatively safer out here then it was inside the lair. He wished they had time to transport everyone back to the camp first.

Finn gave a small, barely noticeable shake of his head, more to clear in then anything else, as he did what was requested, reaching into his bag for the folded up stretcher within, handing it over. It's assembly was pretty straight forward, and he was sure the younger man could easily figure it out.

And then he rummaged around in the bag further, pulling out runic bandages, pocketing them, as well as a bottle of water and a couple of other small items, which were pocketed as well. Then, the bag was dropped on the ground. "Keep working on them. Anything you might need should be in there."

And then Daisy spoke up. "If we're not back within an hour, take them back to camp, get them back to Deus, starting with her." She pointed to the one who's injuries were the least dire, the one that stood the most chance of survival at this point, as if the other were already a lost cause, not worth the time or resources.

Finn turned, and glanced back over his shoulder. "Don't do anything stupid." like me, was what he left unspoken, because surely what they were doing now fell under that category. Going back in to an insect infested cavern, searching for two men who may not even need their help. A thin smile was given, and then he was setting off, back towards the door to the lair, his weapon summoned should it be needed to swath a path through beetles (as if he actually thought that it would do him any good).

With nothing left to say, he plunged back in to the lair.

The thick carpet of insects was gone, the journey down the corridor and to the split paths quick and without obstacle. A flickering runic light is clear down one path, and there they find a mound of beetles. As they scurry and shift, the hint of a dirty white coat is revealed underneath. There is also Griz, weapon summoned and staring blindly, whipping his head toward them in vicious, inhuman jerk.

"You shouldn't have come back," and it was not his voice, nor any single voice, but a rasping, chittering chorus.




Outside the lair a figure emerges from the sand and stares curiously at Oliver and those under his care. Threadbare scarves drape its wasted figure, their bright patterns long since faded. At first it appears to be wearing flowers as well, their brilliant red standing out against the washed out creature and the landscape that surrounded them, but a longer look reveals that they grow from the creature, weaving through long matted hair, muscle, and bone.

"You took those. They do not belong to you and that is called stealing," the voice was feminine, lilting and sweet and entirely at odds with the creature's appearance. She sounds incredibly proud of her moral knowledge.

He was amazed, but quite relieved, to see that the beetles were gone when they reentered the tunnels. Together, he and Daisy were practically sprinting back along the corridor to where the path split, her strides much quicker than his, forcing him to work harder in an attempt to keep up. Soon, they were coming to a stop at the area where the tunnels split, and she was pointing with her pickaxe down one in particular, with a glowing light down one.

"There!" She said, breathlessly, before taking off again, Finn quick to follow, his weapon summoning to his hand only once they slid to a stop.

Griz. Beetles. A hint of a white jacket that made Finn wonder if it was Garrett that was hidden beneath, and bile rose in the back of his throat again as in his mind he saw the pale blonde with tunnels driven through his skin and insides, beetles crawling, burrowing, destroying all of the human tissue in their path.....

"Griz!" Daisy's voice snapped him out of his morbid thoughts, and he felt cold, clammy, shaky, as his gaze rose to the large man in the tunnel.

"You shouldn't have come back."

That voice wasn't Griz's. It was a multitude of sounds, a chitters, creaks, the rasp of insect legs. It was a sound Finn had heard before, once, his first time in the Sahara, when hunters bodies had been possessed by insects.

"Daisy." Finn hissed, stepping forward, his weapon drawn. "Take him down."

Daisy wasn't stupid, after a brief widening of eyes, her lips pursed, her jaw set, and she darted forward, swinging her pickaxe at Griz's middle while Finn stepped forward and attempted to keep the incredibly large mans broad sword from hacking off her head.


Griz HP: 55
Daisy HP: 56
Finn HP: 50? (assuming he only takes damage if he attacks, sorry if wrong ;; )
Charge: 1/3
Fear: 1/1 barrier, 1/1 chill

The corridor was full of the sounds of battle, Steel clanging against steel and stone. Cries of pain. Shouts. It was hard to tell if what they were doing was of any use at all. Griz continued to come after them, Daisy continued to do her best to take him down, and Finn did what he could to drive the other man back, to slow down his retaliation, to keep Daisy safe since, Finn felt, she might actually be his only hope of getting out of here alive.


Griz HP: 45
Daisy HP: 45
Finn HP: 50? (assuming he only takes damage if he attacks, sorry if wrong ;; )
Charge: 3/3
Fear: 1/1 barrier, 1/1 chill

With Daisy sporting Trynt's barrier, Finn thought that it might be a good opportunity to lay Griz with a couple of hits as well.

Unfortunately, the bear of a man came down on him hard with his sword, proving without a doubt that even insect possessed, Finn was no match for a full hunter.

Damn, that had hurt.

At least Daisy managed to get another hit in before her barrier failed, and a thrust from Griz's sword might have impaled her if it had not been for her own Fear shield.


T3 Barrier in effect!: 0/15

Griz HP: 35
Daisy HP: 40 - Barriered for 2 rounds
Finn HP: 40? (assuming he only takes damage if he attacks, sorry if wrong ;; )
Charge: 0/3
Fear: 0/1 barrier, 1/1 chill

With a sudden burst of energy, Finn was able to almost completely fend off Griz's next attack, giving Daisy the opening she needed for another slash. It was slow going, but maybe they would eventually be able to knock some sense into him.


Griz HP: 25
Daisy HP: 28
Finn HP: 40? (assuming he only takes damage if he attacks, sorry if wrong ;; )
Charge: 2/3
Fear: 0/1 barrier, 1/1 chill

Trynt was charged again. A relief, but only if what he hoped to do next actually worked. The runes along the lance began to glow bright, and when the opportunity arose, he touched it against Daisy's arm, and a magenta glow began to spread across her body, as Trynt imbued her shield with more power, replenishing some of what had been lost.

"Thanks." She managed to growl out this time, shifting on her feet, appearing stronger than she had moments before as she let out a short, raspy cry, leaping forward to smash her pickaxe against the side of Griz's head.


Griz HP: 15
Daisy HP: 12 + 20 = 32
Finn HP: 40? (assuming he only takes damage if he attacks, sorry if wrong ;; )
Charge: 0/3
Fear: 0/1 barrier, 0/1 chill

Griz swung again, but this time it seemed almost easy to guard against, feeble compared to previous attacks, though Finn's arms were growing tired and weak, which seemed to balance things out quite a bit. Driving forward, Daisy was able to slam her pickaxe up and underneath Griz's chin, and he fell back, seemingly dazed, as he slumped to the floor.

Finn was breathing hard, and he noticed that Daisy was too. Both were sweating profusely. "Griz?" She breathed out, waiting to see if he'd get back up, and if so, in what condition.

Finn felt nauseated both by the effort that had been used to take the man down, and by the entire situation in general. Turning away, taking several deep breaths, his eye landed on that dirty edge of coat peeking out from beneath a mound of insects. Using his lance, he swept across the pile, hoping to knock them away, not quite prepared to see what may lay beneath but feeling that, at this point, he might as well get the horrors over with.


Griz HP: -2
Daisy HP: 18
Finn HP: 30 (assuming he only takes damage if he attacks, sorry if wrong ;; )
Charge: 0/3
Fear: 0/1 barrier, 0/1 chill