ORIGIN - Guess Who's Back (Back Again)

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Black stood patiently. And then, once again, to their two visitors, he detailed Serek's words.

"He fell back through the rock-roof in the cave of the Spire. The Black Dog was there. He ate two children, and the cave is on fire.." Black paused, brow worrying into a knot as he tried to remember. "He is angry. He claims we were entrusted the stone of Arcane Master, Dawa. Perhaps the moth. I do not know. And that she has died. That we killed her. Or I did. But I have killed none, bar those who cannot speak," Black added, puzzled.

He looked to Dragon. "I warn you only so that you know. I do not think we can fight him again," he added, studying the alligator for a moment. He remembered their last battle. He remembered the Gembound massed with Masters to fight him. They had barely come out alive, and even that was with help. "I do not know where he has gone. He may come here."

"I will call upon Aether, but I must guard the stones of the fallen children," the hound added, mournfully. "I will go now, unless you have need of me. It is not far."

Dragon listened sombrely. Had Black been a stranger, he might have demanded that others confirm his words, but worry spiked through him at once. It was true, he knew. Black had fought beside him twice, and the hound was not... He did not have much imagination. He was strange, but honest.

Alarm, cold and dreadful, threaded through him. He turned at once to Phlegethon and to Serek.

"Find the other children," he ordered, at once, his voice filled with urgency. He tried to remember who they had, and cursed their lack of Eyes. Most of them were Claws, and their most reliable Eyes--Tal'at and Eve--were, he thought, currently asleep. He had not seen Imp in cycles, and Merrow was-... unreliable, at best.

He took a breath, unpleasant realization curling through him. His words came quick and commanding. "I will go and see where he is. I can fly, and I am at least a little familiar with Raheerah. Serek, you must lead the Children to safety in my place. Scatter them here, but keep within hearing distance of one another and always close to the Heart. Aquarian will not fight Raheerah. But if Raheerah comes here, perhaps he will fight back. Warn as many as you can," the alligator added. "Those who can swim would be safest as deep as they can get, but stay near enough that if I return and call for you, you can hear me. We may need to fight him again." He wouldn't commit to that readily, though.

He wondered who Dawa was. He wondered what stone this was about. But right now, he had to know where Raheerah was. Hopefully his orders would be enough, regardless--even were he remaining here, gathering the rest to hide near the Heart seemed wise. He knew he'd not be able to do anything to stop Raheerah coming here--but if he left, Dragon wanted to know where. And if he didn't... they had to keep tabs on him.

Draconic wings flared out, wispy with magic, from his flanks and back; twisted horns curled from his head. For a moment, he looked a small, silly mockery of Raheerah, swathed in colors of ink and blood. And when he lifted up, it was unsteadily, a mere caricature of a dragon, hanging heavy and vertical in the air.

It was weak, it was foolish-looking, but it would get him where he had to go.

"I will return as soon as I can," he rumbled, and turned to go.

exit Dragon?

@Phlegethon

Serek-Brother was shaking. Phlegethon's mouth slipped shut, briefly distracted with a strange need to provide comfort. Its head drifted closer to the hartbeest hybrid, neck extending to its full length. A hum, low and buzzing, echoed from its being, lightly nudging him and leaving a dark blot of slime on the shoulder. Maybe not as reassuring as it had hoped.

Maybe, it was comfort provided to itself.

It knew of Raheerah, of his fire and fury - the inescapable incineration his rage brought. This was through only stories, but Phlegethon knew what a single spark could do to it. Whatever covered its skin had the properties of gasoline, oilslick and iridescent. One gout by the dragon would see the slime-beast dead and gone, out of this world without a chance to return. The fire would burn hot enough to decimate what little stone it possessed.

Reeling its head back, the monstrosity confessed, "I will not remain if he comes. Fire consumes this rot-slime. I will be danger." Not in danger, but a danger to any being around it. Explosive. Destructive. Decimation. "I will hide in the deep swamp, Aquarian-father's." Phlegethon swung its head back towards Serek, "you remember the holes - sharp rocks. Tall. Wet ground under. Cover? Rot-Children can hide there. It is near the entrance, if you must run."

Hopefully, Raheerah wouldn't discriminate between the Greaters in the foxholes.

@Serek

Serek's ears flicked this way in that as he forced himself to stay still, his head ducked low. He wasn't aware of any ties the dragon would have to someone, to this Dawa- only that it meant destruction upon the caves if he were in them for more than five seconds.

The hybrid's toes curled in the mud as he stood his ground. Aether would be found. The gems Black had spoken of weighed on his mind. Was that all that would be left of him if the dragon directed his course here? A nervous swallow moved his jaw as he stepped in place. He couldn't stop moving- what if he was on his way here and now?

Dragon was taking charge. Serek hissed in through his teeth quietly; he hadn't realized how hard he was clenching them, but he couldn't stop now, not with this plan coming forth. "Yes, Dragon." His voice was dry after he stored away the commands in his mind. He didn't want to think about having to fight Raheerah. He'd meet his end there- They all would, they all surely would. He could do this simple thing well enough to keep himself from falling into a recurrent and destructive thought path.

He didn't know who was left, though. Surely they weren't all gone- perhaps they'd been replaced? Would Aquarian need to know of this? What about his family? The Bonebound? No. Serek needed to stay close- Cetus was where they would make their ground, if need be.

What about the Divine? A shot of panic drove through his heart. She was trapped in wood- if Raheerah came, she would burn, alongside the rest of the forest and swamp he'd grown to know.

Serek stopped in his tracks as a slimy snout pressed against him. He blinked once or twice- head empty, he realized it was the stranger who'd pressed against him. Black ooze was left behind- he glanced back at it, confusion playing across his face. What was this thing made out of? His head had to crane up to meet the other's as it spoke.

His ears flicked back. Whatever it was made of, it was just as vulnerable to fire as the Divine, then. It was a wonder how it didn't infest the waters with its runoff, but Serek had greater things to put his mind to in the moment. Such as the place it mentioned- "Yeah. I'll take them close to there." His head pointed somewhat vaguely to the direction of the Crags, already drawing up a vague mental map of where he could gather the others. It was wet, there- good for fending off fire, but Dragon may want them all in the Heart.

Hm. Choices, choices. Being closer to the exit sounded like a better bet, in any case. They'd make their stand there. He nodded towards Dragon as he made to leave, eyeing over the magic that curled about his form and lifted him into the air. "Good luck."

With Dragon leaving, Serek turned back to the two of them left. "Go- find safety, ahh- you." He nudged his nose towards Phelgethon. "And, Black Dog, please- you too. Stay safe with the fallen." The fallen? That was a bit of a dramatic take for him, but it was warranted right now. "I'm going to remain in this cave. I- Don't want to miss Dragon's call. Please- I urge you two to stay, as well." He glanced between them for a moment before stepping back. "There's someone I need to warn about this."

With a quick dip of his head, he made to leave, lanky limbs powering him towards the Divine.

@Black
;exit Serek

Black listened, sombrely, and then--with stately dignity--he spoke.

"The stones are south. The tunnel is not." It was a minor point, perhaps, but they were not in fact by the cave mouth, and it might be deadly to wind up at the opposite end from escape. "But it is a dead end. But I would not be far from water," he added, memory flashing over the torrents of flames guttering through Polaris.

The hound then gave the others a sombre look. "Survive," he responded, to Serek's urging to stay alive; and then he turned, and trotted into the mist.

exit Black

@Phlegethon

Phlegethon did not care for geography, and it seemed to show.

When one was water-locked, an apathy for learning what the land looks like is inevitable. It'd spent its juvenile cycles almost-exclusively in Cetus, chasing down anything that moved and usually swallowing them whole at risk of choking and coughing it back up. At which point it would burn it and into chunks. Brutal, but necessary. It didn't want to leave any waste. At that time, it was focused on outgrowing its siblings, to avoid being eaten.

Silly youth.

With a bass hum of finality as the others left, Phlegethon slunk into the shallows, pancaking and gliding quietly towards Reji and her people's hiding place.

;exit phleg

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