Snippet #1951785

Reap

Duchess made her move, after some ramble, and it would have gotten her killed- taunting the beast the way she did, as if it couldn't see through her bluff. Her failing was in thinking the monster gave a shit. Jabberwocky didn't care- about her, about it's own army or about any bluff the Pig woman made. It would have ended her then, and taken the rest as it's thralls just out of spite...had the barest flicker of movement not caught it's eye. For, as the stupid wench gave her command..others responded. The bird-into-ball trick would have failed; Jabberwocky would have simply altered the wall's power as needed- thickening and hardening the bones before impact. But it was distracted by several barrels rolling down out of the woods.

Sparks shot out of one side of each barrel, fuses.

There was no time to do anything but watch as the barrels tumbled into the middle of it's horde...and split the air with a clap of thunder. There must have been something mixed in with whatever served as explosive, something that flowed like liquid and burned with a wicked heat. Jabberwocky's mouth gaped inhumanly wide, and it released a sound that shook the very ground- cracking the dirt below it's feet and causing tendrils of it's darkness to writhe and spasm; it felt pain. As the fire swept through it's minor minions it left nothing but ash in it's wake..Cook was to large to burn that easy, and was tall enough that Doormouse sought safety by climbing onto it's shoulders. That was her final mistake.

A smaller sound, a pop really, and Doormouse's head exploded in a bloody mist.

As her body fell, missing it's head but slightly alive still, Cook's arms move to cradle the body before turning and fleeing; Jabberwocky's fear and pain driving all of it's minions away. They would disperse, making harder targets before regrouping farther away- Spiderpots providing sporadic covering fire for the mass. What should have been a retreat turned into a rout, as precise pops sound, dropping creatures as they fled- the Twin's birds taking their toll as well.

Rage, fear and pain filled the beast as it swept it's gaze across the treeline; it couldn't see the attackers though, no matter how hard it tried. There were things blurring there, strange movements, but nothing it could understand. Something was picking apart it's army..and it was doing it with ease. In it's anger it forgot about the Duchess and the others, sending it's blades scything through the trees...but hitting nothing but trees. Seeing bows falls and trees topple but no spurts of blood only drove the monster into further fits of anger.

With a howling bellow the creature dove into the woods, tearing it's way through trees and stone alike, seeking invisible foes. Unknown by the Jabberwocky but it was being led away by several of the harassing agents. To them it was a game. They took turns leading it this way and that, twisting and turning the path..but always taking it farther away. It would be a bit before the monster calmed down enough to realize the ploy...and may give the Duchess and others time to escape.

Tibbs was still there though.

Jabberwocky's fear and rage shot through the hound like a spike of power- driving it into a change. In that moment Tibbs awoke. Rising onto it's hind legs and tilting back it's head it releases a howl, it's mass shifting and changing. The Avatar of Fear had shown it's face. Tall, taller than the Cook by several feet at least, and built like an Abrams tank. Broad shoulders ripple with muscles, arms long and coiled with strength- ending in powerful talloned hands. No two people could look at Tibb's face and see the same thing- to look upon the creature was to look upon fear; what you held deep in your heart...you secret hidden animal terror...it saw and displayed. Roughly man-shaped in form, if you ignored it's tail and hooves, it was a terror built for battle.

And it was standing between the two groups of Wonderlanders.

The bone wall shattered, both from the impacts and from the Jabberwocky leaving the area, leaving nothing to stop the Chains and Contractors from entering the mushroom patch...save the towering beast of Fear. Turning swiftly it unleashed the full force of it's gaze upon the group, before releasing a savage growl and speaking, "My Master relays apologies for leaving without propper farewells, I am to address this."