Chaos rang out in its wake — the sounds of sandworms lurching from the earth and gnashing their teeth together in a desperate grapple all too close — but the Garnet pressed ever-onward. Unless the Eyehooks snatched it up and carried it asunder, or it fell from the cliff face, the Champion would not stop running. Its ears had grown deaf to the screams of terror long ago, and its eyes had grown blind to the crimson that often stained these grounds.
All of life was war.
Keeping the Reaper's instructions in mind (and the other Gembound careening toward the labyrinthine Crucible) Garnet Five-Seven-Nine launched itself stone-to-stone, persistently keeping its sights on the skies above — one could never be certain when the glint of talons would come, when the eager call of an Eyehook would be the only thing you could sense among ceaseless pain.
It did not look back, did not hear.
Garnet Five-Seven-Nine will be advancing.
Asimona limped forward, one of her legs slowly oozing blood, but that wasn't what she was concerned about. She continued to glance back at her wing, where the sandworm had torn a hole into the delicate membrane. She had a sense of almost helplessness. If she couldn't fly...she was nothing. She wasn't a dragon anymore. Just some creature. A beast without wings.
Her eyes closed, but life was returning to her. Her defeat, so easy, disturbed her greatly. She had given up in the end. She had been ready to die, all the fight gone. She couldn't do that, she couldn't afford to do that anymore. She had kids at home waiting for her. Or, at least, she hoped they would. As her resolve strengthened, a sheet of thin, but cold and sturdy ice began to form over the hole that the sandworm had made. She had to fold her wing in a bit uncomfortably to keep it from breaking, but it would work. Hopefully.
She bounded forward to catch up with the champion and huffed with faint amusement, although there was nothing funny about the situation. "I'll keep that in mind." And in fact she did, taking more careful steps and even lifting her wings a bit to steady herself as she stepped quieter. "I'm Asimona. What about you? Do you have a name or just a number?"
Asimona tried to speed up her pace a bit, as the champion said. Despite seeing it hatch in front of her, Asimona had a feeling that this gembound was old. Very old, as were the others. They knew things about these trials. She gritted her teeth. "I fear worse things are lying ahead. This was just the beginning."
The question caught her off guard and she almost stopped moving. "My horns?" She moved her eyes until she could see the very edge of one of the curled growths. "Uh, no, I would never. They're more useful then you'd think, after all. Plus, they're a part of me. I couldn't."
They'd finally reached the bottom of the ravine and Asimona looked up. Most of the others were far ahead. "Alright. I'll fly this time. I'll stay close, though, in case something happens." At last, she unfurled her gigantic wings and leaped into the air, immediately thrusting down, creating a great gust of wind. She glanced at the ice holding the shredded membrane together and it seemed to be working for now. So she continued on, careful not to stray far from her new friend.
"Can you hear their voice?"
"Find the one who'll guide you."
To the limits of your choice.
tags:
notes:
Asimona is pushing ahead to catch up with Ru.
DESERT ROSE THIRTY-FIVE
here's to my yesterday
Determined, Thirty-Five didn’t even respond to the cries of death ringing through the desert. This was life, and, well, life wasn’t particularly kind. Among the cries, though, it wasn’t any that Thirty-Five recognized. An ear flicked back as the only acknowledgement of the call that two had died.
A fool to give out his position. As Thirty-Five neared the crucible, the large dragon took a moment on the top of a dune to turn and try to pinpoint who had spoke.
Ah. Some ugly thing in the sky. Of course it wouldn’t be one of the champions. Good riddance to the two who passed, really; they couldn’t mess up Thirty-Five if they wanted to now. They were now dust in the expansive wastes of Hydra.
No matter. The dragon shook his head and resumed leaping from dune to dune, fast approaching the Crucible. Waves of unrecognizable memories streaked through Thirty-Five’s muscles as he began bounding from rock to rock. His wings outstretched to help him scale the sheer cliffs, his thorny talons hooking onto the surface as dulled claws grasped what little purchase they could find. It was his goal to keep his wing muscles relatively fresh and prepared for the pure sprint back.
Thirty-Five was quick to maneuver his way up, his mane and tail dancing in the roaring winds enhanced from the canyons. Bright blue eyes scanned the area around him as he gave one final leap over the edge. Now to find a matriarch.
Thirty-Five will be moving forward.
Labradorite Five-Four-Six turned his head as he heard the screams, and he caught the brief glimpse of a spray of blood spattering onto the sand. He grimaced, but he did not turn back to help. They were long gone.
A part of him envied them. They wouldn't have to run through Hydra anymore.
He did, however, find it funny that the Opal's advice had more or less gone to waste. The young ones here were only fresher pickings for the vultures and the sandworms, it seemed-- even the hulking dragon had fallen behind, grievously injured.
Five-Four-Six's mouth was open when he came to the ravine, tongue lolling out and breathing heavily. The shade supplied brief but welcomed rest from the heat of the dunes, but he didn't stop for long.
A brief jolt of magicka-- his mouth glittering as the slender creature shook himself out --and he felt adrenaline returning to his weary bones. As Thirty-Five passed along above him, he turned and began climbing his way through the ravine, his steps as quick and as silent as ever.
Labradorite Five-Four-Six is moving forward.
Quartz Eight-Six-Zero looked briefly back at those who had failed, a sad expression on his face. He was beginning to regret not staying behind to help, but it was too late now. He decided that, if he succeeded the ravines, he'd stay and help any that needed it. He wasn't sure he could stand someone getting hurt and not having even stopped to help them.
He started his way up. A hold here, one there...It was slow work, and he almost fell on multiple occasions. But as he continued, he looked back behind him and noticed that some had failed. Remembering his promise to himself, he decided that if one wasn't able to save themselves, he'd help. He just hoped he wouldn't have to choose between multiple.
Quartz Eight-Six-Zero is staying behind