ORIGIN - Slow Down And Hark

Damn. Albeon felt so cramped; his limbs felt numb with all this pressure applied to them making blood unable to flow well when he woke; it's so dark, where in the hell is he? Is he underwater or something; Some fluid has filled his nostrils, although too thick to be water, can't be blood either doesn't have a metallic scent or anything blood usually has. Oil maybe? No idea as to why the hell he's sleeping somewhere with oil.

How long had he been sleeping? When did he sleep? He doesn't recall going to asleep.

Attempting to reminiscence internally to maybe have an idea Albeon finds he doesn't recall much on what happened recently, more questions now to himself.

What is a recent memory he does recall as clear as day?

...Going to Polaris to maybe learn a bit more on crystal spider incident, wasn't it? Yeah, it was, he hoped to use a Spell such as Hindsight on The Spire maybe to get some answers maybe, but everything else was a blur. Did a side effect happen from using such a Spell on an architecture like The Spire?

Damn, should he try again? Maybe do some ritual such as scribbling some words near The Spire to help refresh his memory? Unless...

He did do something like so? Hard to tell when it is so dark! How the hell did get here anyway? Why is it like he's chained in the dark? Not to add how hard it is to breathe with this oil is filling his lungs by now!

Albeon thrashed his body around only to find how cramped it is for him; it was like inside a fish tank which he doesn't fit at all. And damn it’s boiling too! Thrashing around more to try and escape and it helps gets some feeling back into his numb limbs; which feels weird there's something new about his body as he shifts himself.

An idea came to mind as the feeling came back in his limbs, he tightens his muscles, particularly his wings which also seem weird somehow; still, he prepares.

Abruptly he releases all built-up tension in his limbs as he extends and stretches them all outwards with a mighty force like freed springs.

His prison broke away instantly, a curtain of darkness torn to shreds and in Albeon's eyes, this appeared to be literally as his obsidian chrysalis exploded into tiny shards. Struggling to breathe he gave out harsh coughs, his beak regurgitates some unusual liquid, resembling black ink or ooze till all was gone and Albeon greedily sucked and gulped air once again with laboured breaths.

Was he in a chrysalis there? Quickly glancing around he finds he is most definitely in Polaris but not even close to The Spire. But where The Spire was, isn't his concern right now as he checked himself for injuries also his scarf and found his golden scarf hanging lifelessly, liquid soaking it weighing it down and giving it a glossy appearance but same as always which was relieving. On further inspection everything even his hind legs with hooves are in-tact; unwounded thankfully.

Wait... His WHAT?

When did this happen? The hell was this what seemed weird earlier?

What is going on? Albeon is glancing about frantically for even any sign which could give him a hint what happened.

Tags: @Kin-Kin
Side Notes: N/A

"Hey Yours Truly Albeon Speaking."

After the golem incident, Kin-Kin was careful to avoid the spire, and kept her distance from the crystal river. She'd returned only briefly to her Polaris den, to rest, and when she awoke, the time had again come to take leave back to Orion. She was padding back towards Tunnel N before the familiar sound of a chrysalis shattering caught her attention. Kin-Kin froze, turning towards the sound. Her ears twitched in a moment of thought.

The kid, whoever they were, would be totally unprepared for a cave filled with golems, and she was unsure how those things would react to the emergence of a new gem into the caves. It would be the prime opportunity to be someone's knight in shining armour, but she had to wonder why these things always seemed to happen to her. She sighed softly. Ah, well. A reputation like mine don't come effort-free.

Still, she set off towards the sound at an easy gait, her tail swishing and glinting in her own limelight.

When she found the source, Kin-Kin stopped in her tracks, tilting her head. It wasn't a child at all, but an adult Gembound. And in fact, the face seemed slightly familiar. She couldn't help but wonder if they'd met before. But their shattered chrysalis lay nearby, and the gembound himself was soaked with amniotic fluid. Something had happened here, Kin-Kin was sure. Something odd. She cleared her throat to draw attention to herself, and strutted forward with a fluid gait.

"Yo," she greeted coolly, looking them over with a curious gaze. "How's it hangin'? You don't look like a newborn... well... you kinda do, but that's beside the point."

@Albeon

OK one second ago he's a raven, and now he is something else, something else, and he has no clue was. Is he still hallucinating maybe from whatever effects from what did happen to him? Sure seems real though, hard to tell for all he is aware he is using Hindsight on The Spire and is witnessing its past, he has had previous experience on how well Hindsight works with a particularly traumatising one, although thankfully memories on said vision are hazy now; it was a while, maybe even longer depending how long he has been out. No clue what is happening now has to do with The Spire though.

His glancing came to a stop when a canine staring at him catches his eyes, who is suspiciously familiar to him and his expression shows this as he tilts his head too brow furrowing. Critically studying their physical appearance to have something ring a bell beside this deja-vu maybe; it'll probably come back to him in due time, his mind is still a little bit clouded. How they are staring at him appears like they seem to find something off about him whether it be a possibility how they may recognise him too but he is more compelled to believe they have their eyes on him like so because his physical appearance is, well off.

His expression became neutral again as they came over and called his attention, voice sound familiar too

"Heya... Don't I, know you?" straight to his point as he questioned them with his deep voice, it's bugging him too much and can't wait for another second to ask them vaguely if they possibly have met him before, won't help much if he appears different though.

"I... Don't even know, one second I was a normal bird and now... I don't even know what the hell I am. The hell do I even look like?" he tries to sound casual here although his confusion is obvious, they probably have less an idea what's happening than he does, inwardly he's impatiently asking himself so many questions.

"Nah... Not even close to a newborn, least I can remember this much," he made a quip at himself in a way, he is a little annoyed with himself on how useless he's being as to what's going on here.

Tags: @Kin-Kin
Side Notes: N/A

"Hey Yours Truly Albeon Speaking."

Kin-Kin nodded. "Pretty sure you do," she said, thinking back through all her cycles. She vaguely remembered showing off to a fabric-adorned raven with horns like these and a bit of an attitude, but she didn't remember much about them apart from that. She was a little disappointed that they seemed to remember about the same as she did. "I have to say, I'm a lil' insulted. I know I'd remember meeting someone like me," she noted with a sly chuckle, shooting them a wolfish grin.

She padded in a slow circle around the... well... the ex-raven, sniffing occasionally before finally ending up back where she'd started. She settled back on her haunches in a relaxed manner, curling her tail about her haunch. Her ears pricked. She looked at them again, before shrugging. "Beats me... A horse or somethin'? Well... backside is, anyway," she answered, as equally baffled as the bird himself. Though, she did recall seeing another old friend, who'd changed in a similar manner- an ordinary wolf once, suddenly endowed with scales and wings and horns and spines. How it had happened, Kin-Kin had no idea. "If it makes ya feel any better, I've seen this kinda thing before."

She chuckled again, and winked. "Well, that's good to know. Shame, though. I was hoping to play the hero of the hour."

@Albeon

"Huh... My bad, memory is so hazy, ehhhhh might come back to me eventually..." well least he has encountered someone who he has met previously. He would've had some sass, albeit a non-malicious wit as despite things he isn't in a bad mood, but Albeon is in such a hangover-like a state only instead of headaches though is lightheadedness and dizziness. In fact, Albeon is still struggling to stay conscious, occasionally having to shake his head and shut his eyes for a few seconds when his dizziness got a little too bad for him.

He paid no heed to how they circled him; he gave himself some checks as well. Albeon does take note he still has attributes which are still raven-like even without a reflection, it was easy to tell there was still a beak and his Gem is still there, his bird legs and wings are still there too only much more prominent. How he is a quadruped now is what is most baffling to him, he believes he'd wake to such a change taking place after all his skeletal structure would've had to rearrange itself in such a way. For one, his spine would have to forcibly bend and reposition itself which would be such a painful thing, and Albeon would believe such shocking pain would wake him. Although it is probably helpful, how he didn't stir during it, as something tells him it would not be pleasant to witness especially while in a chrysalis, may explain why things seem off with lightheadedness and dizziness such a shock to his nerves must still be in effect.

"A horse? Damn, that's weird... Well, at least I can buck things now I suppose," when he gets used to these new limbs anyway, being a bipedal creature previously it will take some time to get used to moving on four legs. He should be freaking out about this, yet despite how not having a clue how it happened it doesn't seem to be anything terrible which is helping him act more genuinely casual.

"...Really? Well, guess I shouldn't freak out too much if I'm not the first," he trailed off a little in his voice, but a metallic scent caught his nostrils. Drawing his attention to his right and discovered a few black feathers not too far off from them, saturated with an uneven amount of crimson specks, red also matted on Polaris' stone ground, which is where said metallic scent was coming from which brought a shudder to Albeon on what it is and how similar those feathers are to his. Other scents were in the air in-fact as he gave a few more whiffs, such as a weak smell of ozone or maybe petrichor hard to tell it is so faint now.

"Oh hell... OK... There's a bunch of torn black feathers which looks like mine and dare I say blood on them... Yeahhhhh I don't think I want to know what happened to me before I went into that chrysalis," he tiredly mentions this to the canine after taking his eyes off those feathers, holding onto bad memories has never been Albeon's thing, when he does he obsesses over them to an unhealthy degree.

"Hero of the hour? From... What? Is something happening?" OK now he is confused, is it another spider or something in Polaris? Or is Nemean being a liability again?

Tags: @Kin-Kin
Side Notes: N/A

"Hey Yours Truly Albeon Speaking."

Kin-Kin chuckled. "I suppose I'll have to let you off the hook for now, then," she teased, peering closely at them. Kin-Kin sniffed at the air. Beneath the scent of afterbirth and new cave life, there was undertones of something far more sinister; something she was certain she should have picked up before. But the hatching-scent was strong and heady, and Kin-Kin knew she'd need to wander afield in order to get a better grip on what had happened. She didn't know if she ought to make note of it, though... the raven seemed content enough, and she didn't think that distressing them would be a particularly good thing, especially as she noticed the other's swaying.

"Yeah, hooves seem like they'd make for some pretty good offense." Kin-Kin's gaze returned to the raven... thing. "Yeah, I mean... I guess you know it's not too weird." She followed the raven's gaze once more, wet black nose twitching. They'd noticed the source of the scent she'd detected, and as they spoke, Kin-Kin approached the source, and sniffed. That was a lot of feathers and blood, and bloodied feathers. But the blood was dried out, the scents incredibly stale. The carnage here had been left undisturbed for quite some time. Kin-Kin looked at the raven once more. "Whatever happened, it was a while ago. A cycle, maybe, or just less." With no weather to wash away the traces, it might take even longer for these traces to rot away.

She paced back towards the bird, sword gently clinking in its sheathe. They questioned now on what was going on, and Kin-Kin raised her head in surprise. "Can't you feel it?" Kin-Kin asked. "The air is thick with magic. Weird crystals have sprouted in odd places. The golems are going crazy! It's more dangerous here than anywhere else in the cave."

"Please do," he teased back a little there, his memory will be back soon after all; here's to hoping it will anyway. He is glad how this other scent remnant from his broken chrysalis is drowning out this metallic scent, same for this faint ozone scent. He doesn't mind an ozone scent so much, Albeon more minds on such possible implications as to why Polaris has an ozone scent, such a smell is usually only in places like Eridanus or any other place lush with green, and Polaris is most definitely not a region plagued with greenery. Still, it most certainly is best not to distress him when he in this state, he is a little unpredictable at times.

"Yeah, thought to use my Gem to ram into things while using a Spell for offence, but there are so many risks such as breaking my Gem from ramming it, so these hooves will be great to use instead," Albeon was compelled to agree to them about these hooves there. One drawback to these hooves is Albeon may have to delay a little to turn around six O' clock possibly and buck but still a lot safer than ramming his Gem, may not be sharp in a sense like his Gem but they'll do nicely regardless.

"Could be worse, I seem to be still recognisable and move fine, when I get used to four legs anyway. I could have... gotten quills all over me, or new claws in parts of my body where they don't belong," oddly specific example there, where did such an idea come from in his mind? Why does something like it sound familiar or have dread creep up like a poisonous haze in his thoughts? Dread stronger than he expected, such concepts on turning to something unrecognisable and monstrous are disturbing to bring to one's mind for sure, but this dread was stronger than only being concerned by such ideas. No, Don't pay heed to it; it'll cause problems as time goes on.

Trepidation didn't die out as he observed them sniff at those bloodied feathers, but it finally simmered down when they told him it must've been a while and it showed as he let out a sigh; his relief at this was too obvious.

"Well that's good, whatever it was which took me down must be long gone by now," and if he were to encounter anything he has hazy memories of his new appearance will make him hard to recognise so he probably does not have to worry about a random stranger attacking him. Quite ironic from what did happen to Albeon as getting attacked by strangers was what happened, of course, his memories are too fragmented for recalling such a thing.

"Feel what?" no clue what they meant their but soon his sixth sense caught something, air around them so thick like they were underwater maybe, it made him energised a little more but instinct was giving him a sense of dread.

"Oh wait... Yeah there's something. Argh, wonder if I should get freezing water splashed into my face so I can snap outta this..." could dunk his head into The Crystal River but something tells him wandering off in here is a bad idea.

"Oh. Shit," explanation on how The Golems are more hostile than ever made him answer blankly but displayed enough he is now aware how troublesome and dangerous it is now.

"Ah Polaris, one danger after another it seems, keeps tourists away. Keeps things a lil exciting though," his snark is returning to him, taking things a little bit lightly but he got more alert now, he kinda hopes it was a golem which took him down instead of a Greater Gembound or something.

Tags: @Kin-Kin
Side Notes: Sorry for the wait.

"Hey Yours Truly Albeon Speaking."

Kin-Kin's ears pricked as they noted that they'd considered using their gem as a weapon, but found it too risky. And even though the conversation had been about hooves, Kin-Kin couldn't help but feel like she could have had a solution for them. "Heheh... Is that right?... Well then, do I have the thing for you," Kin-Kin answered with a slight air of a boast to her voice. She shook her bejewelled foreleg, the sword she held rattling In its sheathe for a moment. Though, she couldn't help her gaze lingering on the raven's beak and wondering why that couldn't be a weapon on its own. I mean. A beak and my sword ain't too different in concept. Just one has a mouth.

"Well... yeah. I suppose you could have," Kin-Kin answered the raven's later musings with a touch of amusement. She squinted, trying to picture exactly what he meant, but it was a little vague. Spikes couldn't be too bad an idea. Rina had ended up with a spike or two where they shouldn't be, and she seemed to have come out fine. Right?

She grunted in agreement to their relief, gaze lingering on the tattered feathers for a while longer before she looked back at him.

"The magic. It's so thick in here you can almost taste it. 'S not just me, ya know!" she started, before nodding as he appeared to pick it up. Her tail flicked, her glow shimmering. Might be best. You'll probably hafta buck up- pun intended -if you wanna see yourself outta this cavern in one piece. I was just leaving." She motioned with her muzzle towards where the entrance to tunnel N lay, a route she'd travelled many times between her Polaris and Orion dens. I suppose it does. Just as things was starting to settle down, too."

@Albeon

Albeon had used his Gem as a weapon once he believes when he was a young Gemling, from what memories his mind has a clear recollection was even during those times his Gem had enough power to smash and knock a non-sentient crystal from Orion's ceiling. Albeon has possessed a preference for utilising it as a weapon for combat ever since, if only there weren't so many risks involved in doing so. So, this wolf sure managed to get Albeon out his dizzy drunken or hangover like state when they have a solution to this problem with his Gem.

"Ohhhhh realllyy do you now?" he had to jest there as he rotated his head a little, a brow raised with a smirk. With how so sure they sounded about this like it was an answer to all his problems so for Albeon it was practically an obligation for him to be witty; maybe even display a little how he is snapping out his hangover state and his old-self coming back. When they shake their sword, Albeon inspects it from afar, and his eyes widen with recognition a little as he managed to recall a little regarding this crystal sword and about his encounter with this wolf a little more.

"Ohhhhh yeahh that... Well, what you know memories about when I saw you are coming back. Still what Spell was that again for the sword and crystals...?" he recalls enough about on how it was a Spell he believes on how they managed to bring forth a crystal sword and... a life-sized crystal statue which was akin to their canine form wasn't it? Still, will Albeon even be able to use this Spell? He does not believe he has ever had a Spell in creating crystals and all his Spells came to him from instinct or randomness, Albeon has never deliberately attempted a new Spell the former-raven has never used previously so even if this wolf can tell him will he also be able to do it?

Albeon did not detect how they were inspecting his beak, but it indeed is odd how he does not utilise it as a weapon much. Maybe he keeps on preferring to do things in an unorthodox manner it makes him lacks common sense such as using his beak for combat from trying too hard to be unusual? Maybe it's because using his beak in such a way will bring a searing pain to his nostrils and be a distraction? Or does he consider his beak more a fragile, weak point than his Gem?

"Yeah, quills would be a bad one, with how they are I wonder if I'd even be able to fly again if all my feathers were quills instead. How weird I picture a bird like myself with quills instead of feathers quite well; maybe some kind of deja vu?" Albeon a few seconds after asking this more to himself shakes his head, concluding it'll be best to ignore and forget about such a thing he can still feel his wings in a way as flexible limbs so in regards to being capable of flying he's okay.

"Don't know about taste but yeah atmosphere is thick was a little worried I was still having trouble breathing at first," like he was underwater or trapped in a chrysalis still, and this here was a dream, but it seems all too real especially if this atmosphere is caused by Magick.

"Pfft amusing... Probably take note of that. Guess using Hindsight on The Spire will have to wait not gonna hang around with crazed Golems when I am apparently alive again," better take note on their pun too as Albeon may or may not say 'buck off' to other Gembound who may irritate him slightly but not enough to make him genuinely cuss, then again Albeon cusses even when in a good mood or bored.

"Makes me wonder when things will truly start settling down really if it ever will," saying in a melancholic manner so much his voice sounds more profound than usual. Things seemed to never settle down for Albeon when they do it is brief, and his memories regarding bad experiences eventually vanish from his mind only for another lousy incident to come and plague his mind.

Tags: @Kin-Kin
Side Notes: N/A

"Hey Yours Truly Albeon Speaking."

Kin-Kin nodded. She rose up onto her paws and stretched each limb in turn, finally ending with her crystal-wrapped foreleg, which extended out ahead of her. She felt a flood of pride fizzling through her fur, glow burning bright as she pressed her muzzle into its place in her blade. She pulled it out and rose up onto her forehead, swinging her head by way of demonstration, before finally plunging the sharp end into a nearby clump of moss, where it stuck upright. She let go and backed away as though to admire her handiwork, glancing back at Albeon expectantly.

"There. How about that? Hard as stone, and no cost to you. Made precisely for my needs by- you guessed it! -yours truly!" she grinned proudly. Kin-Kin tipped her head slightly as he asked after the spell, seeming momentarily disappointed that he seemed to be after the magic itself rather than her fine handiwork. She settled back on her haunches. "Some earth magic. It's pretty hard to pull off, though."

Kin-Kin shrugged as he went on to muse about quills, appearing mystified. She cast her gaze towards the distant spire as it was mentioned, her ears raised slightly. "Yeah, sounds like the best idea," she said absently, before looking back towards him. She shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe, maybe not. Magic is a bitch sometimes."

@Albeon