Somehow... hearing that worm shriek was enough to keep her eyes peeled open.
Sweet retribution! was most of it.
Virgil spun in place, stumbling forwards a few steps and bowing her head again. Her tail swished to and fro, though it was mostly raised and kinked at the base. The bellow she let out was weak, but it was empowering to herself, a driving force for her hooves beneath her.
Even while the beast thrashed and spat ice all around, Virgil plowed on, horns bared for another goring slice, to find some blue decoration for her left side now.
Instead... ice dove harshly into her flank, smacking against it with the familiar feeling of the blizzard. It spread immediately, locking her leg into place with sheer, crystalline strength. Virgil skidded around the frozen limb, twisting it at that unfortunate angle until it started to pop out of socket. It...
It hurt.
His breath came a little bit faster, and the sounds came ever closer. "C'mon, let's... Go in a little more," he muttered under his breath to Mirage, nudging her in to the protection of the back of the hole. He had to keep her safe, and his eyes closed as he rubbed his head against her feathers, trying to keep that physical combat to be aware of where she was.
They could just stay in here while everyone leaves- they wouldn't be thrust into even more danger that way, after all.
Kalama clucked in fear as Imp paused, the ground approaching way too fast for her liking. "Imp, pull up!" She screeched. He did, but what came after wasn't welcome. She strained to hear his voice over the roaring.
Kalama had never been so insulted. So outraged. Some of what Imp had said was lost into the wind, but she could hear enough to get her angry. More than enough. The rage was the kind that left her speechless. A short calm before the storm."What!?" She yelled, spittle flying into the air. "Yeah i'm a dumbass! I'm a better dumbass than you--you stupid, stupid. Fuck dumb,stupid, weak." She continued to string words like this, unable to form coherent sentences in her rage. "I could walk with my two strong legs if I wanted to! I'd down us both if I didn't want to win! And I'm not heavy, it--it's muscle! You would know that if you were half as buff as me!"
"Put me dumb WIMP," she said, feeling proud of her speck of wit. "I dont need a coward," she hissed that last word, "carrying me around! I can do much better on my own. "
And then, Imp actually did put her down. She cawed in anger. She'd have her revenge. Kalama activated her magicka, feeling heat spread from her flint. She redirected the heat, towards a patch of feathers near her ruff. She'd give Imp a blast of smoke, right in his big, dumb face. The thought filled her with crooked glee.
"Imp, get back here! You stupid, backstabbing, dumb...stupid" She fumed, literally, trying to remember more insults. But before she could continue yelling, Imp was on the ground. Going to fight the ice worm by hisself. Imp was trying to steal the glory from her! "That's my ice worm! My glory! You wimpy, dumb, hairy bird!"
She screeched in rage, swiping the snow around her with her tail. Having a full out tantrum. Kalama scanned the ledge Imp placed her on, spotting another trialgoer. It clicked a bit of her memory into place. He was one of the first trial goers, the champions in chrysalises! They would understand her bravery. "You! Put me down there! I need to kill that worm!"
