He wasn't interested in fighting anymore, he was just interested in escaping. Getting out from under the Juggernaut despite the agony overtaking its body. If he chrysalized here he was going to die. He couldn't...he wasn't going to do that! No when he was so close to getting out, seeing the surface, bringing chaos as he was meant to do!
He tried to call for that familiar power that was always lurking, that haunted his steps, that was retreating now when he needed it the most but it did nothing but lash back like a cornered animal, adding onto the already overwhelming pain his body was currently in. From the outside perspective, the Gravedigger was simply laying there, maybe unconscious or worse. But it was frozen as it clutched to consciousness desperately, begging the drone to maybe go attack Azrael so it could slip away.
buried under broken bones
ROUND 7/?
59%
ATTEMPT: do something DEFENSE: none INJURIES: broken plating, fractured ribs, stabbed eye, stung really really bad, stabbed in the gut and bleeding out
Vindicator's panicked string of thoughts were a shrill, piercing cry that ultimately faded behind the buzzing that was overwhelming Juggernaut's senses. The need to win, to stand and fight, no matter the cost. He was not an animal - no selfish drive, begging him to perpetuate his own existence. He was Her weapon, Her design. Her son.
A duller, weaker part of him wondered if this what it'd been like on the other side of the line, to be Alcina, Bone and Siren before they too fell to stone. That shred of something else was burnt away as the fire continued. What was left of the Juggernaut was ready to die-
One of its remaining stingers shot forward in an arc, aiming for the side of Azreal's face. If it didn't meet it's mark (Either the flesh of the cheek or ideally another eye), it would still prompt the demon to defend himself rather than continue his onslaught uninterrupted.
ROUND 7/?
12%
ATTEMPT: attack? hell naur we're DEFENDING DEFENSE: natural defenses INJURIES: 2/4 tentacles (one separated, one mangled beyond use) deep lacerations on 1 leg wing, MORE burnt, Bruised and sore
It could barely feel the Juggernaut anymore. Not like their link had been broken, nothing like that, but something had wholly consumed the creature. All the complexities were driven to the side by the FIGHT in him. The fight for Mother for his death for the Hive and it could understand.
If Juggernaut died here, couldn't it just be remade?
Wait...had he Iterated?! It tried to think back in that moment, searched its memories for the last time the Juggernaut had refreshed the Hive with his memories and...it couldn't remember. Not recently. Not for a while. So much would be forgotten. It wouldn't be him. And even if he had, would it still be him? Yes, yes, of course it would be. That was probably Mother's voice in the back of its mind.
It should believe that. It did. Didn't it?
The confusion, the hesitation, brought out the strength in Vindicator and as the Juggernaut made to get at Azrael, so, too, did the angel, finally bringing up spindly hands and willing him to freeze so that he couldn't defend himself against the sting.
ROUND 7/?
100%
ATTEMPT: stop him so he cant defend himself DEFENSE: none INJURIES: none
Through the flames, he saw the stinger coming and prepared to attack - he could rip it off before it touched him, he was sure. But then he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. The warrior's instincts changed. He needed to defend, just this once.
It was a very good thing he did, as he brought up a claw to deflect the stinger, something wet and cold began to encase his torso and arms, hardening quickly and hampering his movement. The stinger didn't meet flesh, thankfully, but half of his arms were now out of commission for the moment.
He snarled, glancing into the trees. He would have to deal with whatever that was when this was over.
ROUND 8/?
65%
ATTEMPT: none DEFENSE: knock the stinger out of the way INJURIES: none
It was still, at first, gathering its strength again so it could slip away, the Gravedigger eventually shifted, knowing that it couldn't wait too long. It was losing a lot of blood. It needed to get out. It didn't even look back at Azrael, too desperate to get out and, perhaps more importantly, get to the Altar, where it could rest peacefully.
It bunched its muscles and flipped itself back on its feet, feeling a sickening slip in its abdomen as some amount of acidic, glowing blood poured onto the ground. Thankfully, its guts were still mostly intact and weren't actively falling out of its body but it was a close thing.
It tried to be aware of its surroundings as it carefully moved out form under Juggernaut, hoping the distraction of Azrael was enough to pull its attention away. It would turn the heaviest armored part of its body to any incoming attack but otherwise...it was running.
*attempted exit
buried under broken bones
ROUND 8/?
59%
ATTEMPT: none DEFENSE: preparing to block anything that tries to hit it while it leaves INJURIES: broken plating, fractured ribs, stabbed eye, stung really really bad, stabbed in the gut and bleeding out
The Juggernaut was offered a brief moment of reprieve as the Vindicator's magick encased the demon's arms. Though its blow did not find it's target, it'd been spared from another one of Azrael's devastating attacks for a time.
Iteration. He was outside of himself, watching the events unfold. The weight of its many injuries a dull ache. It should feel disgust, knowing its nature, Her's. It should grieve for itself, should it die its true death here. It didn't - it couldn't.
Better luck next time.
But the body was still alive, still fighting. Perhaps that part of it would persist beyond its lesser splittings. The Juggernaut seized the moment, remaining stingers again seeking meat - while they were still attached to his body, that is.
When they failed... he would simply move to envelop him. The Juggernaut was ready to give everything just to drag Azrael down with it.
But it was failing. It was always failing. They were too close already, the stingers shooting past their target.
ROUND 8/?
12%
ATTEMPT: failed attempt to sting azrael DEFENSE: natural defenses INJURIES: 2/4 tentacles (one separated, one mangled beyond use) deep lacerations on 1 leg wing, MORE burnt, Bruised and sore
He was in a sacrificial spiral and the Vindicator could no more stop him from it as he just kept going kept going kept going. It was forced to resign itself to a sideline viewer, a failed support in this moment, and just keep trying its pathetic attempts to fight alongside its family.
It tried to flood him with more strength. It tried to lift him up so he could perservere in these last moments. Pull through. Find the strength. But it was too divided, too distracted by its distress. It faltered and so Juggernaut received no strength that it could not muster for itself.
The tank was faltering. It was too wounded and weakening from the onslaught of both Azrael and the Gravedigger (who he couldn't see anymore. He hoped it had escaped before it bled out). All it had to do was make one...more...mistake....
The stinger's missed as it moved forward and Azrael found his opening. He was close in, on the other side of the remaining stingers that would otherwise deter him off of attacking directly like this. He found his moment and hoped there was no other barrier that would appear to stop the final blow.
Two of his arms were still caught in the strange glassy substance, but he still had the use of the lower set, no less powerful then the upper ones. He lifted them high as he tense his muscles and gathered all his strength, bringing them both smashing down on what he assumed was the Juggernaut's skull with a roar.
ROUND 9/?
65%
ATTEMPT: smash Juggernaut's skull. one of them. DEFENSE: none INJURIES: none
Its sibling had bought them more time, a minute, maybe seconds - it would be enough. They would make it enough. But that time was running out, always running out. Two muscled arms hurtled down from above, their crown flashing in its last moments whole.
The Juggernaut would not go gently.
They braced, then rose to meet the blow, crest shattering underneath Azrael's arms. The Juggernaut pushed upward, hoping that its edges would cut, pierce and skewer the soft flesh they could reach. Like punching a window - he would be surrounded by broken glass.
The blow crashed near the drone's center, dangerously close to the Clearstone hidden within feathers and horns. Its scorched exoskeleton cracked like wax, sinking the shards of its outer layers into the soft tissue underneath. It was discovering new ways to hurt today.
It drifted further from itself.
Time was always running out.
ROUND 9/?
0%
ATTEMPT: using natural defenses (crystals on head) to RUIN his arms DEFENSE: i would say natural defenses but its kind of running out of those INJURIES: 2/4 tentacles (one separated, one mangled beyond use) deep lacerations on 1 leg wing, MORE burnt, Bruised and sore, concussed, severe lacerations and blunt force trauma on one side, dying lol
OOC: ICICLES DON'T SOFTEN WITH THEY DIEEE /ref
sorry for ghost ping I forgot. to hit the roll buttons. if this fails do whateva you want she's probably going to chrysalise next round. i might roll in discord for it or something ? i dunno I dont want to push it too far.