Mission Cianalas - Recovery and Preservation on Lao-mon (Vonnuvi Jedi + Friends)

[Amani Serys]

Lao-mon, Outreach base camp, sunrise
Inanna Harth - Open​

The planet of Lao-mon is home to sprawling jungles, treacherous fauna, and the enigmatic shapeshifters known as the Shi'ido. Though this world has long remained distant from galactic affairs, years ago it found itself under attack by the Brotherhood of the Maw. The Shi'ido people suffered immense casualties under the Maw's genocidal persecution; Much of the remaining population fled, while the world itself was ransacked and occupied.

Now, the Maw is gone. But the process of rebuilding this remote society has and will continue to take much longer. Hence, the intervention of the Vonnuvi. This herdship and its cooperating Jedi Enclave pride themselves on their outreach efforts, and thanks in part to the representation by ambassador Inanna Harth, Lao-mon has become the latest planet to receive such a visit.

A lone herdship could hardly oversee the development of a planet singlehandedly, but they could make great leaps forward through offered aid. While relief workers and conservationists were setting up to survey Lao-mon, the Enclave and its allies were on a more specific mission: The recovery of stolen artifacts. Shi'ido culture was just as ravaged by Maw occupation as much as the Shi'ido themselves. One of the local religious orders had found plausible evidence for the whereabouts of some such treasures, and showed a willingness to cooperate with the Enclave in retrieving it. Returning these culturally significant relics could go a long way in showing progress on Lao-mon's recovery.

"It's important to keep in mind we don't know what's waiting for us. Intel is limited. So hope for the best, prepare for the worst. There's reports of Maw holdouts still clinging to these jungles." Enclave leader Amani Serys-Organa reported to her gathered allies. They had set up a base camp in the jungle, while the Vonnuvi herdship itself could just barely be seen hovering above the thick canopy. "Inanna, is there anything particular you can tell us about these artifacts? What we're looking for? What to expect?" She turned to the Shi'ido, stepping aside to give her a moment to speak.

Spoiler: OOC

Members of the Vonnuvi are tracking down some lost cultural monuments for the Shi'ido. Expect some jungle exploration and possible resistance from wildlife or even leftover Maw cells. Friends and like-minded individuals are welcome to join: Explorers, archaeologists, relief workers, naturalists, and of course fellow Jedi.

 

[Gatz Derrevar]

Ship: The Red Night
Weapons:
Tag: Amani Serys Inanna Harth | Open

Inanna had told him a little about Lao-mon, but Gatz had never had the pleasure of visiting the world.

New Cov had taught Gatz that he wasn't particularly fond of jungles full of dangerous predators, so honestly? Lao-mon—or Sh'shuun in the Shi'ido tongue, as Inanna had informed him—wasn't exactly his first pick to engage in a little tourism. But The Vonnuvi was here, Gatz spent most of his time at its Enclave, he liked Inanna, he wanted to learn from Master Serys-Organa, and he wanted to do a little good.

Those were five solid reasons to be here, assisting in the hunt for these stolen artifacts. Gatz knew little about Shi'ido religion, or what made these trinkets so special, but he knew an awful lot about stolen goods and how to hide them. Maybe, for once in his life, his ill-gotten knowledge could be useful to someone.

So here he was.

Gatz listened attentively as Master Serys-Organa addressed the Enclave members that had gathered to assist her. He felt out of place among them—a Jedi imposter passing himself off as a Padawan. But he brushed those insecurities away in order to focus on their objective. Jedi or not, working lightsaber or not, Gatz had sworn himself to helping those in need.

He didn't need to feel as though he belonged to do that.

 

[Inanna Harth]

"Inanna, is there anything particular you can tell us about these artifacts? What we're looking for? What to expect?"

Inanna wasn’t an expert, but she did have a good memory for details—most of the time. “The Maw stole a series of artifacts, all of them related to major religious figures in To’polism. We’ve recovered a few of them, but three remain missing: the Granthar Arimanes, the Tears of Syreeta, and the Blood of Ashur. The Granthar is a sort of magic wand-slash-divining rod owned by the magician Arimanes. Syreeta’s Tears are valuable gemstones. And the Blood… uh, it’s apparently very powerful, so much so that it’s kept in a special box and no one has ever actually seen it. If you open the box and look at it, you’ll be struck dead. The Maw confiscated it for fear it would be used against them.”

She paused to glance around. Her peers were a mix of Jedi and Shi’ido, some familiar faces and others strangers. It was amazing to see so many gathered together to help her homeworld recover.

“You’ve traveled far to reach this place. For that I’m forever grateful. But this mission will be difficult. We believe all three artifacts are being held inside a Mawite stronghold in Ba’tae, one of the most dangerous regions on the planet. You’ll probably face more peril from the wildlife than the Maw.”

Amani Serys Gatz Derrevar​

 

[Amani Serys]

Inanna didn't mince words when it came to the situation they faced. Not insurmountable, but they needed to be careful. Jedi or not, Lao-mon was still a dangerous, primeval world. That didn't mean it was any less worth preserving. "Right. You've heard it here. Watch each other's backs. And uh, maybe keep that Blood of Ashur unopened if you find it," She nodded to Inanna, then the others, "Let's not waste time." Afterwards, she then turned to her medical droid, EmTee, and handed him a communicator, "Keep an eye out on things here. Report back if any trouble shows up."

"Of course, Chief Healer."

A few Jedi, including Inanna's spouse Cato, were staying behind at base camp in case anything threatened the workers here. The artisan gave them a salute as they parted, whilst he was halfway up a malfunctioning communication tower, hydrospanner in hand. The rest stepped off the beaten path, and into the thick jungle foliage. "The stronghold is north of here." Amani produced a holographic compass, pointing them in the right direction, "Inanna, any geographic landmarks we should keep an eye out for?"

Inanna Harth - Gatz Derrevar​

 

[Valery Noble]

Lao-Mon

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Lightsabers
Tag: Amani Serys Inanna Harth Gatz Derrevar

"Apologies that I'm late," Valery chimed in before dipping her head to the others. She had heard Inanna Harth 's briefing and taken note of her warnings, at the very least. This mission was a dangerous one, both because of the planet itself and the artifacts they were after. Mix in Mawite remnants, and it was a recipe for a rather intense assignment.

All the more reason to help out.

It had been a little while since she had taken down that Sith compound with Amani Serys , but it felt good to be working with her again. After many years of friendship, the two had a bond that made working together natural.

"I did grow up in a jungle, so maybe I can help us navigate a little. Though I'm sure natives can, too." She offered Inanna a polite smile and then tuned in to listen to her answer to Amani's question.

 

[Gatz Derrevar]

Ship: The Red Night
Weapons:
Tag: Amani Serys Inanna Harth Valery Noble

These artifacts seemed relatively normal and benign until Inanna described the Blood of Ashur. Gatz sighed. Murder boxes weren't cool. And knowing his luck, he'd be the one to find the damn thing, and somehow he'd trip and open it—or something like that. Good things didn't happen to him, especially when he was out in the field. The staggering number of scars he'd picked up in the last year were proof of that.

Oh well. No point in dwelling on it.

Valery turned up right as Master Serys-Organa began to guide them into the jungle. Something akin to relief flooded through him. Between The Sword and The Chief Healer, there was a solid chance he might actually make it through the day without getting hurt for once.

"I did grow up in a jungle, so maybe I can help us navigate a little. Though I'm sure natives can, too."

"You know, last time I went trekking through a jungle with you, I had my guts ripped out by an alien tiger..."

It was meant to be a joke, but the memory made Gatz shudder. He strangled the fear as it threatened to escape him, and shoved it back down. But, on the topic of getting mauled...

"Master?" Gatz leaned in toward Amani, "how good are you at shoving someone's intestines back into their body? You know, just in case?"

 

[Vulpesen]

Veradune's forces, both in the Armis Militia, and the mercenary VSF were often seen as soldiers before all else. They fought bad guys and liberated systems wherever their feet touched the dirt. It was what they were best known for. But it was not their only goal. War left scars. What was the point of fighting wars if you couldn't help put things together after the fact? There was no point in fighting for justice if you left nothing but misery and destruction in your wake.

Vulpesen approached the small briefing, flanked by a squad of his best men. The rest of trident company would be back home, protecting his family and home. "This place can't be much worse than Veradune's wilds. I can at least act as a buffer to tame any creatures that might get into our way." It was hard to fear any natural environment when you grew up in a place with man eating trees. Furthermore, he had first trained himself in the force by seeing what creatures he could tame on his outings in the Amaran woods.

As the group headed off into the jungle paths, Vulpesen motioned for his men to follow, joining the expedition with his tail swaying happily behind him. The chance of finding artifacts that might enlighten him to more mysteries of the force combined with the prospect of running into the danger of a mawite holdout was enough fill him with endless excitement. He'd missed the hyperspace war where the maw had made its name. Perhaps now, he could finally see what all the fuss was about.

Gatz Derrevar Valery Noble Amani Serys Inanna Harth

 

[Inanna Harth]

With the briefing done, the group set out for Ba’tae. A few nearby trees, rocks, and critters started moving along with them, though it wasn’t immediately noticeable unless you were watching them out of the corner of your eye. These disguised Shi’ido were part of the mission, but they were a lot more shy and cautious around strangers, preferring to remain hidden.

Inanna felt a familiar presence tickle along her periphery. She looked up to see her husband saluting down at her from atop the base’s communication tower. The malfunctioning comms were concerning, but she grinned and waved to him all the same.

"The stronghold is north of here. Inanna, any geographic landmarks we should keep an eye out for?"

Before she could respond, one of the other Jedi offered to help navigate the jungle, only to retract her offer in the same breath. Inanna knew the woman was supposed to be a big shot from Coruscant, but she couldn’t remember her name for the life of her. “I’m not familiar with this area at all. You’d have to ask our guide,” she answered Amani, gesturing toward a figure at the head of the group.

The Shi’ido had a humanoid shape, but was pale and spindly, his sharp fingers clearly meant to be used as weapons. His full name was difficult for Basic-speakers to pronounce, so they had taken to simply calling him Bob. Bob was a Shaman. At his side walked a pair of slobbering beelzeborks, with whom he shared a telepathic bond.

“Marshes and ruins,” Bob said. “Lots and lots of ruins. The Maw drilled holes into ancient tombs, and perished by way of traps laid long ago. Or the beasts got them.”

After a few more minutes of trudging over increasingly muddy terrain, Bob held up a hand. The party came to a halt, a palpable tension hanging in the air as they all wondered why they had stopped.

The beelzeborks began to growl. Bob suddenly hefted his spear. “Chrysalide!” he hissed in warning.

A massive creature came crashing through the forest, its forelimbs shredding the underbrush. Mutated by the Dark Side and in constant agony, its pain only fueled its aggression as it spewed acid at the travelers. Inanna barely leaped out of the way in time, the ground where she had once stood bubbling and boiling.

Amani Serys Gatz Derrevar Valery Noble Vulpesen​

 

[Amani Serys]

Inanna Harth - Gatz Derrevar - Valery Noble - Vulpesen​

With Valery and a few others arriving, the full scouting party was ready to move. They put the camp behind them, and headed into the unknown. Hopefully those issues with the communication tower would be dealt with before they needed it.

“Marshes and ruins. Lots and lots of ruins. The Maw drilled holes into ancient tombs, and perished by way of traps laid long ago. Or the beasts got them.”

"Marshes will be a pain to move through. Hopefully it doesn't slow us down too much." The benefits of traveling light. Their force was relatively small, and hopefully wouldn't struggle too much through uncooperative terrain. The last thing they needed was to be caught while vulnerable, or stuck trying to pass through the fens come nightfall. All the more reason for them to leave early.

"Master? How good are you at shoving someone's intestines back into their body? You know, just in case?"

"Hopefully we won't have to find out." Was all Amani said, holding up her hand at the same time Bob did. The sheer volume of life in the jungle made it difficult to discern details, but one presence stood out among the rest. Something darker, that grew exponentially in size and proximity. Suddenly, a gargantuan insectoid Sithspawn attacked the party. Amani initially stood her ground, but recognized last-second the incoming projectile as something she wanted to avoid, rather than block. She rolled into the brush, a spray of acid causing the mud where she once stood to bubble and dissipate.

"Take it down! Quick!" This wasn't a beast they could tame or scare off. It was corrupted by evil, and would only find peace in death. Amani ignited her saber pike, prodding at the creature's spiny carapace, trying to get its attention so they others might regroup and attack.

 

[Valery Noble]

Lao-Mon

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Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Lightsabers
Tag: Amani Serys Inanna Harth Gatz Derrevar Vulpesen

Valery dipped her head in response to Inanna Harth and turned to Amani for guidance through the terrain. Perhaps her own knowledge of jungles could come in handy, but she trusted her friend to lead the way as well. The help of Bob would be helpful, too, though his companions looked... somewhat disturbing.

Best not to judge solely on appearances.

"You'll be fine," Valery told Gatz after a moment with a roll of her eyes. "Just stay focused." Even without the potential trouble of running into Maw leftovers, jungles and marshes were dangerous. From predators to lethal terrain, each one of them would have to keep an eye out for themselves and for the person next to them.

The group departed soon after and, sadly, it didn't take long before they were stopped. Tension began to rise in the Force, and Valery's Keshian eyes shifted into the wild. Small traces of something on the move peaked through the dense vegetation, until a monstrous form finally revealed itself.

"Spread out!" Valery exclaimed as she jumped away herself. It was only one, for now, so splitting its attention would allow the group to surround it and take it down. Amani had the exact same idea, and prodded at the beast with her pike to draw its attention whilst maintaining distance.

Valery wasted no time and moved down its left flank, both lightsabers ignited, and circled to lash out at it from behind to cripple its legs and hopefully weaken it enough for the others to finish it.

 

[Gatz Derrevar]

Ship: The Red Night
Weapons:
Tag: Amani Serys Inanna Harth Valery Noble Vulpesen

Naturally, as soon as Gatz made an inquiry about patching him up, that was when danger decided to rear its ugly head. His typical shit luck was at work again, it would seem. He'd faced Sithspawn before, but this was something else: far larger, and far more grotesque than any creature he'd ever had the misfortune to deal with. It spewed acid from its mouth as easily as he spewed profanities. The others threw themselves aside, narrowly avoiding death by acid burns. Gatz followed suit.

But unlike them, he wasn't fast enough to escape unscathed.

Acid splashed onto the outside of his leg, burning through the fabric of his pants and searing his thigh and calf. Gatz tumbled into the underbrush with an unmistakable cry of agony. The whole world seemed to fade away, and for a moment all he could focus on was the pain of his very flesh dissolving. Adrenaline kicked in, and that alone gave him the focus he needed to stave off the edge of suffering.

As much as his leg hurt, he was going to hurt a whole lot more if they didn't do something about this Sithspawn. But his options were severely limited. He had no lightsaber—lacking both the knowledge to construct one, and a crystal. He had no blaster—he couldn't even afford food, much less a weapon. His Jedi was training was limited, with little to no real substance in regards to what he could do.

Strong in the Force, but lacking all skill and finesse. A phrase muttered by his teachers during his childhood, and one that had long haunted him.

He couldn't phase through walls, or outright disappear. He couldn't summon fire or lightning from his fingertips. Mind tricks and illusions were beyond him, just as Force Healing was most of the time. He couldn't sap this creature's strength, or hold it in stasis with the sheer power of his will. The true mysteries of the Force were simply beyond a Jedi of his meager caliber.

He was, however, reasonably good at throwing rocks.

With a grunt of effort, the ground in front of him split and broke, dirt spewing into the air as he ripped a boulder from the clutches of the earth. A nearby tree capitulated, its roots shattered and unable to hold it firm, now that Gatz had wrenched away the huge stone they had been wrapped around.

"Fore!" Was all he called out, humor ever-present even while his leg burned, and he threw the mighty boulder at the Sithspawn with all his telekinetic might.

 

[Inanna Harth]

Chaos ensued. Bob sprouted wings and took to the sky, while Inanna shapeshifted to hide herself in the undergrowth, using the Force to move the wounded away from the fighting. That included Gatz—soon to be her apprentice, if what she had been told by the Masters was true. “Fire and sonics!” she shouted, not sure if anyone would hear.

Amani’s prodding pike would eventually find purchase, a chink in the carapace that had been burned down to the muscle by the acid constantly leaking from its maw. It appeared this Chrysalide was already close to dying, its chitin badly corroded. Agony had driven it into a mindless frenzy, attacking any living creature it encountered in a vain attempt to stop the pain.

The Sithspawn stabbed at Amani with its jagged forelimbs, its aim poor. The sharp tips left gouges in the dirt wherever it missed its mark. Valery meanwhile crippled its flank, lightsaber slashing through the joints of its hind legs. The Sithspawn gave a roar of rage, cut short by the telekinetically-flung boulder that slammed into it. It gurgled, acidic bile tinged with black blood spewing from its mouth, but continued to fight even more aggressively, charging at the Jedi.

Amani Serys Gatz Derrevar Valery Noble Vulpesen​

 

[Amani Serys]

Their combined attack had done a number on the sithspawn, but it only amplified its blind rage. Defeating it would be an all or nothing endeavor, as it wouldn't stop until it was dead. Amani rolled away as a mantid pincer struck down near her previous position, mulch flying into the air behind her. She scaled that same limb with Jedi dexterity, raised her pike, and swung it downwards, hoping to cleave the monster's neck and finish this once and for all.

Inanna Harth - Valery Noble - Gatz Derrevar - Vulpesen​

 

[Valery Noble]

Lao-Mon

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Lightsabers
Tag: Amani Serys Inanna Harth Gatz Derrevar Vulpesen

The beast was wounded, but not dead yet, and it wouldn't stop fighting until it was. A trait of most Sithspawn, so it hardly surprised the seasoned Jedi Master. She kept her distance, forcing it to turn one way or another to pick its targets, and waited patiently. Amani was the first to engage it again, and moved up along its body in an attempt to deal a finishing blow with her saberpike.

Valery could help with that.

With an outstretched arm, she reached out telekinetically and took a firm hold on the beast. If she kept its body from moving, it couldn't thrash around or try to get rid of the Mirialan. It would be over swiftly.

"Now, Amani!"

 

[Gatz Derrevar]

Ship: The Red Night
Weapons:
Tag: Amani Serys Inanna Harth Valery Noble Vulpesen

At some point, the pain became too much, and Gatz collapsed fully. Through the haze of his agony, he was dimly aware of someone dragging him into the undergrowth—probably to spare him from death. His boulder had done a number to the Sithspawn, but he could hear it roaring, and that meant that the fight was still ongoing. He wanted to get up and help, but his left leg simply wasn't working any longer.

The acid was still chewing its way through his flesh. He wondered if he'd even have a leg by the time this was done.

"You'll be fine," Valery told Gatz after a moment with a roll of her eyes. "Just stay focused."

"'You'll be fine,' she said," Gatz muttered to himself, "'just stay focused,' she said."

Some part of him—what ever shred of the defiant smuggler that remained—wouldn't accept just laying down and letting Valery and Master Serys-Organa finish the job. Call it pride, or ego, but Gatz refused to just sit around and wait for everyone else to solve the problem. So he looked up, only to realize that everything was a blur.

Fine. He didn't need his eyes.

Gatz could feel the fight going on. Inanna was dragging people to safety. Valery had locked the creature in stasis, and Master Serys-Organa was running up its body for a finishing blow. But Gatz firmly believed in the idea of 'double-tapping,' just to be sure. One more effort. He had that much in him still.

He ripped another rock from the ground, but this one was half the size, and pointed: like a giant arrow. If Master Serys-Organa was going for a killing blow at the neck, then he'd aim for center mass—safely out of the way of the Chief Healer's movement.

With a grunt, he let the the stone rip loose, aiming to blow a god damn hole through its chest, and put it down for good.

 

[Vulpesen]

The Jungle trek was far from difficult for Vulpesen who was used to traversing such an area, or worse given his home planet. Of course, there were other benefits of living on a planet that could arguably be said to be trying to kill all of its inhabitants... there was a sense of the jungle he had recieved before most of the others could sense what was wrong. A silence in the trees and a stillness that spoke of an oncoming predator, something that nature had learned to fear. He'd been about to say something when Bob's had halted them to give his own warning.

The next few seconds passed in pure chaos, with the Vlade taking to the trees with a single leap, watching as the sith spawn came barreling through to tear through their group. He watched as it flailed and struck at each of his companions, the jedi holding their own as they fought back. All the while, he searched for a weakness, something he could use against it. Thankfully, it seemed that such work was done for him by Inanna Harth who had done enough of her homework to give him a proper strategy.

Taking a deep breath, he extended a hand and focused the force through his limbs and his throat. Sitting in the branches, he so far seemed unnoticed by the monster. That suited him just fine as he willed the power running through him into form. Opening his mouth, he unleashed the two things that the shi'ido had called for. A massive "HOOOOOWWWLLL!" ripped from his throat and a gout of fire raced from his palms, announcing the wilder's presence to the sith spawn as the twin assaults rained down from the lower canopy on towards its back.

Gatz Derrevar Valery Noble Amani Serys

 

[Inanna Harth]

Gatz flung another boulder at the beast at the same time Valery held it in place and Amani climbed on top of its back to stab into its neck. Meanwhile, Vulpesen unleashed sound and fury in the Force. Inanna had been the one to announce those weaknesses, but actually seeing it in action felt like overkill.

A shower of gore and superheated acid was the result as the Chrysalide exploded on impact, utterly obliterated by the combined power of the valiant attackers. Inanna shielded herself and the wounded, and could only hope none of her other companions were harmed.

Overhead she glimpsed Bob swooping down, his expression pained by the sight of the Chrysalide’s mangled corpse. She was no Shaman, but she knew the feeling well. This creature had come from the Ts’Kiza, a species native to Lao-mon. Sith alchemists took specimens from the wild and performed experiments on them, creating this abomination. Its entire unnatural life had been nothing but suffering, doomed from the moment of its birth in a Mawite laboratory. Killing it was necessary, but to be confronted with its very existence was a harrowing experience.

But it was not all tragedy and horror, for as the smoke of Vulpesen’s fires cleared a stone structure became visible through the marshes. Lit by torches, the fires seemed unnatural in the damp swamps. Inanna needed only to glimpse it for a moment to know that this was the place they had been searching for.

She turned her attention to the wounded. “All right, we’re close. Who can walk and who can’t?”

Amani Serys Gatz Derrevar Valery Noble Vulpesen​

 

[Amani Serys]

The flurry of attacks from all sides had created a rather vile reaction. The sithspawn literally exploded, spraying viscera and leaving the area clouded by an unpleasant odor. Amani stumbled to the ground, discolored stains now splotching her frame. There was a sting along her arm, the acid chewing its way through her sleeve and bubbling against her skin. Quickly, she ripped off the fabric and attempted to alkalize the wound. With a bit of healing magic, the surface of her upper arm was partially burned, but it was no longer melting off. She would have to save proper treatment for later.

"Everyone alright?" She asked, swallowed her disgust as she wiped a wad of gore from her hair. Amani turned to where Inanna was looking, and saw the structure they were no doubt looking for, "I'm fine. This is it?"

Inanna Harth - Valery Noble - Gatz Derrevar - Vulpesen​

 

[Valery Noble]

Lao-Mon

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Lightsabers
Tag: Amani Serys Inanna Harth Gatz Derrevar Vulpesen

"I'm fine," Valery said after the beast had violently exploded under their combined assault. Amani had been closest to it and she seemed to be alright too, so Valery was hopeful that everybody had gotten through the clash unharmed. Still, she looked around to make sure, and only when she was certain that they were good to go, did she focus on her surroundings again. With lit torches inside a swamp, the path for a new structure became apparent.

It had a strange feeling about it in the Force.

"Looks like it," Valery said after catching up with Amani. "Let's stick together and approach cautiously. This place gives me the creeps." Not that she was afraid, but when the Force sent shivers down your spine, you knew to be careful.

 

[Gatz Derrevar]

Ship: The Red Night
Weapons:
Tag: Amani Serys Inanna Harth Valery Noble Vulpesen

The four Jedi might have done an overkill. The Sithspawn exploded, literally, under a hail of fire, lightsabers, and stupid boulders. Gatz was pretty sure that he saw—through his hazy vision—Master Serys-Organa take a little splash damage. In a very odd way, that made him feel better about being the only Jedi to get caught in the damn beast's acid.

Which had finally stopped chewing through his leg. It was still a bloody, burnt, flesh dissolved mess... but at least it hadn't chewed through to the bone. His leg might actually be saved.

The adrenaline left him all at once, and suddenly, Gatz went from being able to sit up and form a coherent thought, to collapsing back into the mud mired in pain. A suffering cry left him again. He was dimly aware of everyone checking on everyone else, and a snarky part of him wanted to snap hey, what about me? The guy who actually got hit with acid? Still laying here in the mud. But his mouth couldn't do more than suck sharp breaths in, and let out pained groans.

His vision began to fade even more. His grip on consciousness soon followed.