//''Witchfinder.''//
No, no. This couldn't be allowed to interrupt. It had spent so much to craft this //nostos//, it wasn't going to let outside interference ruin the journey. (click: "journey.")[
(t8n: "dissolve")[(''The last one hadn't been ruined by outside forces, and it certainly wasn't going to let its product be //inferior.//'')]]
No. This ''Witchfinder'' had to go. Couldn't let him ruin //everything//, all this //hard work//.
It took stock of the //[[nostos]]// so far.''~~Nobody~~'' was a good choice, it thought, regarding its ''PROTAGONIST'' warmly. His skills were (css: "font-size: 50%;")[minimal] (click: "minimal")[(t8n: "dissolve")[(//Exactly as expected!// Yet another ''success'' to add to the tally!)]], but he had still managed all of his objectives properly.
1. Panic was at an ''acceptable'' degree so far.
2. Contact //properly established// with the appropriate Outside Forces. (click: "Forces")[(t8n: "dissolve")[(Did the ''//Witchfinder//'' negate the success of this aspect? No, //inappropriate outside forces// did not ruin the //appropriate outside forces.// Yet another ''success'' for the tally!)]]
3. Survive meetings with ''ANTAGONISTS''.
The //nostos// was properly afoot. ''Preparations'' had succeeded, but the presence of the //''Witchfinder''// was going to require (text-style: "outline")[adaptation.]
It addressed its (css: "font-size: 125%;")[[BRUTE.]]Jehan went still.
(click: "Jehan went still.")[(t8n: "Dissolve")[(''Witchfinder'' //WITCHFINDER// (text-style: "rumble")[witchfinder!] It couldn't //PEER// into him like any of the other ''weaker humans'' -- he'd applied some manner of (text-style: "outline")[defense] to himself.
''Infuriating''.)]]
The forest was silent, as always, a heavy, oppressive veil settled over Jehan's shoulders -- but he'd been walking these forests for some time, now. He knew how to read the forest, how to travel quietly and keep an ear out for threats.
He knew how to hear something trying to sneak up on him. He turned towards the rustling in the forest and readied his staff.
Jehan wasn't surprised when the creature burst out of the trees. It was like Christopher described -- large, taller and broader than Jehan himself, its fur snow white, and with two massive tusks that framed its mouth. It barrelled through the trees like they were made of paper, smashing wood with ease.
Jehan took a deep breath and [[squared off]] with the creature."I don't suppose you'd be willing to let me walk off?" Jehan offered.
The creature grunted and rushed him. Jehan frowned, unsurprised, and smashed his staff against the creature. It bounced right off its hide without any real effect. Jehan grimaced and backpedaled.
The creature tried again. It was big and strong, but not all that fast, and not very smart -- it charged at him blindly, swinging its arms in a wide arc in an attempt to snag him up. Jehan waited until the last moment and ducked under its grasp, smacking it again with his staff.
The creature didn't even notice. It came to a slow, staggering stop and turned back towards him.
Jehan dropped his staff off to the side and pulled free the sword at his belt.
They engaged again, but this time Jehan kept close to the creature. He circled away from its reach towards its back, and set about slashing and stabbing.
Similar result -- not much damage. The blade cut through the fur, but when he struck the creature's hide itself he only managed shallow cuts.
The creature spun wildly, flinging its arms around, and Jehan stepped back. He sheathed his sword and pulled out his pistol, firing two shots.
As expected, the bullets did little. Maybe if he hit the creature right in its eyes, Jehan thought, but...
Well, he was glad he'd brought some of his [[heavier ordnance]].The creature came for him again. Jehan let it come close, holstering his gun.
When it swept towards him, he jumped towards it instead, snagging one of his heaviest weapons from his belt. Pulling the pin from the grenade, Jehan grabbed hold of the creature's fur and hoisted himself up.
The creature slowed its attack, as if surprised, and swatted at Jehan. Jehan stuck the grenade onto the creature's fur, near its head, and leapt away.
The creature lumbered towards Jehan. Jehan sprang back, widening the distance between the two.
The grenade [[exploded]].Its (css: "font-size: 125%;")[BRUTE] returned.
A complete and utter ''failure'' to eliminate this //''Witchfinder''//. It leaves its //useless// creature to itself, while it whines about some //injury// it received in the course of its faulire.
''Adaptation'' was going to be required, still.
The (text-style: "outline")[Serpent's Spawn] were going to have to feature more heavily than it had wanted. ''Unpredictable elements'', it seethed, but they should be able to perform their roles //satisfactorily.//
This wasn't how it had //ORIGINALLY OUTLINED// the //nostos//. But this was ''fine''. Everything was still going ''well''. The //nostos// would still function, ''~~Nobody~~'' would continue his journey, and--
''//Witchfinder//'' still walked through the forest.
''//Witchfinder//'' would continue to disrupt its plans still, wouldn't he?
(css: "font-size: 140%;")[''[[Infuriating.]]'']<center><p style="color:#fc0320;">(css: "font-size: 115%;")[''(The Puppetmaster just rages for a while.)'']</p></center>Throughout the fight, the creature had let out some heavy breaths as it swept at Jehan, but mostly it had remained quiet.
Now, it reared back and howled. Its thick hands flew up to its face and then smashed down into the ground, like it was raging. One of its tusks had bore the brunt of the blast, and remnants of it fell, leaving only a jagged, cracked stump. Blood poured from the creature's neck and mouth both, the first real wounds Jehan has made in the fight.
Overall, it's...
...it's actually a pretty underwhelming injury, Jehan thinks, considering he'd used a //grenade// right in the creature's face.
But the creature itself doesn't seem to agree. With another howl, it turns away from Jehan and lopes off into the forest, batting trees out of the ground entirely without any effort.
Jehan watches it go, thoughtful. He picks up his staff from where he'd cast it aside earlier.
[[He continues on into the forest.|forest.]]