Well, slow moving is pretty good. Better than fast.

Has it spotted them? Is it acting aggressively?

Doesn't seem to have spotted them yet.

Do we want to see if we can sneak past it?

Maybe, though we might then have to fight it too, later.

True. I just want to get to the centre quickly if we can.

'Yeah, and usually that's best, but since we're planning on sticking around - we don't want to be defending the center against waves, necessarily.'

Good point. And the element of surprise is always good. Do you feel up to taking it on?

'Definitely. Ready when you are.'

She runs towards at, trying to build up momentum, ready to swing at once they're close enough.

It reacts, slow and cumbersome, but it looks like it hits hard - 

Still, Lianne is sharp, and they're able to cut deep into its arm. It bleeds like molasses, like molten glass.

Well, good thing they're faster than it, than.

She pulls Lianne out, and swings for its centre of mass.

It shrieks, and tries to clobber them.

Ducking out of the way then! Hopefully that works!

Barely! But it does miss.

Lianne gives suggestions on where to swing, notes on how the monster is moving, footwork ideas...

And Louie is definitely following those suggestions!

Then they'll be victorious!

Success! Very stressful success!

Let's hope the others aren't quite as hard hitting.

Usually the ones near the center can be a bit tougher - though anything bigger's going to have trouble even finding us, which might be an advantage.

There's definitely something to be said for being hard to find.

And if we're lucky, maybe there's some sort of-- conservation of power thing, where if there are more powerful critters there's less critters overall.

Hopefully, yeah.

Onwards?

Onwards! But cautiously.

There's a few more slow goliaths, getting larger as the maze goes on, but nothing they can't handle.

There's a single central one, massive, each odd finger the size of an adult human. They can't see the portal stone past it, but Lianne's sure this is the center.

'Might be good to switch, now,' Lianne says.

Yeah, that's--- that's alarmingly large.

Agreed.

And holding Lianne out to make the switch easier.

They appear, silently.

And turning into a sword!