While Robor learns that yes, he is capable of controlling the demonic worm in the same manner that he had controlled the plant spirit, he quickly finds that doing so, while simultaneously wresting away the mad witch's own control is much much harder.
After a brief battle of wills with the unseen Mama Kark, Robor loses the contest, though he can tell that it was just barely.
Mama Kark retaliates, but not against Robor.
Having the Ballistic Targeting rote going, she is already aware of the Saint and uses her Breaking the Horse rote with a practiced expertise. As before, the biting gnats and mosquitoes pester the witch, distracting her from her words of power, but she soldiers through it with a wicked and gleeful determination.
Out-stretching her arms at the plant spirit Sklorch, Mama Kark ensorcells it with dark coruscating energies - causing it to discorporate in a sticky pop of gangrenous chlorophyll. She then swings her arms around toward the Saint, the energies following, as if a wrecking ball attached to the end of a long chain originating from the palms of her hands.
Before the Saint can do anything, the energies slam into him.
Expecting to be knocked over (or at the very least buffeted by the blow), the Saint is surprised to find he didn't even feel the ghostly contact at all.
He realizes why, a moment later, when the Skloch - now inside him - tries to exert control!
Shocked, the Saint focuses his will to not only resist the possession attempt, but to also expel the intruding spirit from his very being.
Gritting his teeth and invoking the name of divinity, the Saint finds the plant spirit incredibly tenacious in its resistance to leave, but manages to stand his ground and finds the Sklorch abruptly pushed out from within him to... somewhere else.
Robor meanwhile, still senses the presence of the plant spirit, only now, it has lost its physical manifestation and is back in Twilight.
"Marther Farking Cajiggers!" Mama Kark curses - seeing the Saint foiling her nasty plan for the moment. "Oh don't worry deary; It's not out of the fray yet, hahaha!"
As this goes on, the Cthonian worm continues its charge - straight for Beats. Arriving, it puckers its revolting face and squirts out a black oily substance akin to silly string. The filthy goop spatters over Beats' Cestus-covered hands and begins eating away at the Imbued Items!
Sensing that this is a spell effect (Destroy Object), Emend (who had been circling around to where he had seen the Saint go) uses his Rend the Weave rote to fray the magic that is empowering the goop to dissolve Beats' heaven-blessed weapons. The cesti are saved - only being slightly tarnished by the attack (and in need of a long scrubbing to get rid of the foul stench).
As this happens, Beats retreats back from the worm and hammers it again with Far Strike - pounding his fist deep into the worm's face orifice and causing shockwaves to ripple across the stunned creature's swollen bulk!
The giant maggot thrashes its head back in pain and opens the shattered remains of its mouth to roar in fiery rage!
Beats hears the harrowing sound, and for a split second, feels his heart skip a beat in primal terror. Something within him resists however, and he regains his composure - not being paralyzed with fear, as the worm had hoped.
Clearly, the bloated demon won't be able to take much more of this punishment and is getting desperate.
In the clearing meanwhile (which Emend can now see), the Saint takes a deep breath, steels his will, and charges through the thickets at the witch with his imbued sword.
"Let's see what you got sonny boy!' Mama Kark taunts, carefully watching the weapon and preparing to dodge.
Covering the distance, Saint swings a wide overhand arc - and misses, as the witch simply sidesteps the stroke. Not deterred, the Saint lets the swing continue downward, adjusts the arc slightly, and watches in satisfaction - as the point of the weapon stabs the mad witch in her bare foot.
"Hey!" Mama Kark yells at the onset of the now bleeding appendage, "Watch where you swing that thing! I don't want any of my blood splattered over there," she indicates the area behind her, "just yet anyway!"
She then grins at the Saint and asks, "And what the brikabrack are you supposed to be? The Spanish inquisition or something?!?"
