ORIGIN - It Once Was Perfect

Idle paws, idle paws. Tourmaline had told herself she wasn't going to wait around any more. No, she'd get back to work, cleansing caves of that white rot.

She's gone to Gemini today, instead of Canis. It was far worse off - clearly less Gembound had done their work here. Well, there's one way to fix that.

"Let's get this cleaned up-" she'd mutter under her breath, focusing her magic. It's faint, but enough of a start, and white mold clinging to the gemstone floor begins to steam and wither.

Post tagged as AW - if no one joins will turn this thread into a solo.

With the wind as you fly away
Give a smile from your lips and say
"I am free. Yes, I'm free. Now, I'm on my way"

September actually had the same idea as Tourmaline, bored from waiting around while there were still infested caves to go. And he was proving to be a rather efficient fungus-destroyer himself so, obviously, to sate the boredom, he headed to Gemini. You know, where there wasn't the threat of a Master killing them all hanging over their heads.

As he trotted into the cave, he could smell the faint scent of burning - someone was already working here, huh? He found the cat a few moments later, and stepped up next to her with a smirk. "Haha, had the same idea, huh?" He glanced down at the fungus she'd just burned and nodded, before turning to the cave, sucking in a deep breath, and belching out a torrent of fire over a patch of infection.

Much more impressive.

september

@Tourmaline

Her ears would flick at the sound of footsteps, and she'd tense up. She'd only just gotten to work, how had Order reacted so quickly- oh. Just another Gembound.

Still, that clearly means she needs to be more careful. Briefly, she channels her magic, to see if there are any others nearby. There is that weird feeling of almost life, the one associated with the insectoid knights of Order - but they are distant. Safe for now.

"Oh, yes," she says after finally calming her nerves. "Someone has to do it." But her tone would change from unsteady to impressed with September's display. "That's quite the spell! Perhaps we should work together? I could use my knock down some of the crystals higher up the walls, so you can reach them easier."

@September

With the wind as you fly away
Give a smile from your lips and say
"I am free. Yes, I'm free. Now, I'm on my way"

September stepped up near the fire that had started from his spell, already dying down as its substrate was swiftly rendered to ash. Couldn't have that.

He called on the wind next to push the fire onwards, give it some more breath to catch onto the surrounding fungus. And it did jump and spread, but not as far as he intended.

He glanced back at the cat. "Sure, saves me the trouble of jumping up there myself!"

september

@Tourmaline

Something Tourmaline is quickly realizing is this guy is a lot... faster... than her approach. Maybe she should keep her distance so she doesn't get tangled up in that... Canis comes back to her mind watching the flames lick in the sudden wind.

"Alright, eyes open," she'd warn, before looking up at the wall twisting up beside them. Still covered in the stuff...

A pointed glare and a surge of magic makes several crystal shards cleave off, landing in the path of September's firestorm, should he keep pressing on.

@September

With the wind as you fly away
Give a smile from your lips and say
"I am free. Yes, I'm free. Now, I'm on my way"

September watched the cat and followed her gaze up to the crystals before them. He stepped away, to ensure he didn't get any shards crashing down on him, and then bolstered his own magic, twisting the winds, directing them, and them pushing them forward over the new layer of fungus in his path.

The fire surged. It was a lot of material to catch, and the wind strengthened its burning, carrying it forward and feeding it precious oxygen as it caught onto the delightfully flammable fungus. The blaze roared in front of September, the firelight burning in his eyes and his breath catching in his chest from the power of the flames. "Woah," he gasped, taking a step back out of instinct, but grinning wide.

september

@Tourmaline

The wind went from brisk to howling in an instant. Tourmaline braced herself against it, thankfully not getting tumbled along with it. "Your magic is quite strong!" she shouts, since speaking wouldn't be heard over the rising windstorm.

Despite making the mental note to stay behind September, she figures the strategy is clearly incredibly effective. So she focuses her magic again, aiming for outcroppings before the rising blaze. But nothing seems to happen there...

Instead, the magic lashes a different direction, and the ceiling above Tourmaline clefts away with a horrible crack. A horrified expression spreads across her face, and it's all she has time to do.

@September

Content Warning
This post contains potentially sensitive material:

death

With the wind as you fly away
Give a smile from your lips and say
"I am free. Yes, I'm free. Now, I'm on my way"

September was stepping away now as the bonfire settled into raging flames, stepping through the ashes he was leaving behind, pawing at the ground and getting ready to dance. He turned back to the cat, a wild grin on his face, excitement gleaming in his eyes. "Oh, I know!" he called back, locking eyes with her just as a crack split the air.

Something felt off. He didn't realize what was happening at first, but the joy had suddenly been sucked out of the moment. Something was wrong. He didn't question his instincts - they hadn't let him astray yet, and so he turned himself back towards Tourmaline, just as the rock above her split.

Determination overrode the sudden surge of panic. He didn't think, he just went, the wind turning back around and flitting around his hooves, pushing him onwards towards the cat. He didn't see a situation that was potentially dangerous for him, he didn't see himself getting hurt, he only saw part of the ceiling hurtling towards a little cat and saw her death.

Nah. Not if he was here!

Flames licking at his ankles, wind racing at his side, he shot towards her and, just in time, barelled straight at her, diving forward and down so that he didn't simply trample her with his hooves, turning his head away so she wasn't impaled on the horn.

He felt his body connect. He felt himself move her, push her, and then the broken piece of the cieling came crashing down.

His vision whited out. There was a sickening crunch as his spine was broken under the weight of the stones. Something else broke too, ribs, maybe, or legs, as he was crushed under the collapsed rock and crystal. Thankfully, September was only conscious for a moment longer, the sudden devastating damage to his body quickly calling his gemstone to shift and spread, pushing under the debris to cradle him in slumber, but he only knew relief as darkness fell.

Saved her. Nice.

*exit

september

@Tourmaline

She's frozen for the instant, and then she's launched clear. She'd land on the ground in a heap with a horrible thud - but it's nothing compared to the crashing debris. It all happens so fast.

Panting, she lies there as the dust settles, crystal shards coating her inside and out. Tourmaline is forced to hack it all out, and her throat is raw and she's all sore and - "Where is he."

In the panic she'd forgotten entirely. But now, the pallas cat is snapped out of her daze. Scrambling to her feet, she darts towards the pile of shattered crystal, claws prying uselessly. It's too heavy for her to move, she can't risk her magic with him under there, what is she to do!? No, no no no NO NO

"Please! Stay with me! I-I have to be able to do something! Don't - I'm sorry!" she shrieks in horrified panic. She feels for him with her magic, begging, pleading, for anything - ANYTHING! The fire swirling shortly away, the Order, the endless mirrors - it's all melted away. It's just Tourmaline, weeping over the rubble.

But then she feels it - the faint tug of his heart, quiet, strained, but there. He's not doing well, but he's alive. By the Spire, he's alive.

She's still panting, tears running down her face, but it's not the end. Still... she blames herself. Her magic refused to obey. She should've been under the rubble, not him. Even as she watches red-orange opal fill the cracks, pushing aside crystals to form its own shell instead, she feels horrible. He'd given himself to save her, and she's grateful, but...

I don't even know your name.

She lingers a moment longer, breathing deep, feeling the world spin under the weight of it all. And she ducks her head, and runs away in shame. She'll have a debt to repay... if Tourmaline ever sees him again.

Exit Tourmaline.

@September (for visibility)