ORIGIN

The Labradorite reared back again, and though every neuron was firing blinding hot white, shocking Hunter's nerves, he scrambled. Claws scrapped at the earth, feet slipping and sliding on blood and oil.

Stop moving. A plea that fell on deaf ears, panicked ears, ears that were shut off as the mind switched entirely to flight mode. There was no time to think, to contemplate or rationalize what was happening, and so instinct was the only functioning remainder in Hunter's bloodstream.

The muck of the arena floor drove the splinters deeper into his palms as he stumbled to his feet. Behind him, a violent thud shuttered through the earth, but Hunter had gotten momentum. Flinging himself forward with wild abandon, the wind and glitter and the roar of the crowd slicing across his face as he threw himself across the arena at a full pelt. Shock neutered the pain. There was no time for pain. No time for thoughts.

Hunter had to get away.

Hunter had to--

Their time was up.

@V-Labradorite-One

Hunter ran. The crowd roared. Nemean's shrill voice screeched above, and it was enough to send him skidding to a halt, eyes snapping up to see where Draconua would descend, to watch for the flames that would come roaring down.

The earth trembled. Wide eyes caught movement behind, the massive looming shadow of Labradorite crashing toward him. His hands shot out in the way, eyes jamming shut as panic took hold. He expected them both to be burnt to a crisp then--

Thump. Hunter's foe collapsed in a lump beside him. His eyes opened with surprise, but he had not another second to even swallow the information before the screeching hiss and crackling pops of oil set aflame screamed through his ears.

@V-Labradorite-One

Hellfire descended, pouring down in molten clumps over the arena. It bathed every surface, washing away the sounds of Nemean, of the crowd, drowning out the smell of corn dogs and blood for the choking smog of oil and hair aflame.

Hunter jerked into motion as a stray burst caught him in the shoulder, shocking sense into him. He threw himself toward Labradorite, who's oil made for a delicious fuel for the ravenous hellfire. Common sense was promptly abandonned, as foolishly, pointlessly, he slammed his beaten and bruised arms into the flames even as they scorched his skin and ravenously turned fur into cinders.

It was, ultimately, a truly fruitless effort. The sheen of stone was beginning to grow over Labradorite even as he began to smother the flames. Some part of his mind had sense enough to scream that his foe would survive, that it wouldn't die, but it didn't reach the overclocked, freaked out rest of him to stop. He couldn't stop. The flames were eating away at his flesh, but he soldiered on-- and the unbelievable part of it all was that Hunter was actually putting out some of the cursed flames through this effort.

At some point he had collapsed to his knees. Right around the time that Nemean was calling to remove the chrysalis before it rooted. He had stopped the flames around himself-- somehow still was alive and breathing himself despite the serious burns up both arms. His nerves were shot. Didn't even register, really, when his opponent was pulled away.

Shock had him staring down the smoldering remains of the arena. They'd have to drag him away too, but damn if he wasn't still alive.

@V-Labradorite-One