Too... SLOW! its mind (ironically) raced as it tried to scramble up to its feet. The very prospect of it was foolish, absolutely no space given to just get up and take another stab at it. Vargas wasn't like all of the stupid little Gembound it'd beaten down with relative ease. He knew better than to just let it stand back up and keep biting, than to face it head-on.

As the first hit landed, the orthoclase twisted, recoiling harshly at the blow and instinctively snapping out. A sharp whine erupted unbidden on impact, and it snapped its jaws shut to stifle the next few. It continued to try and wrench one arm underneath itself, to shuffle onto its stomach and get away.

That wasn't as drastic, though, as Alpha's magic lashing out, scarcely controlled in its rather blind panic. It felt maybe an inkling of self-defense, but then there was nothing. Shuffling away and futilely snapping in the vague direction of Vargas was, basically, all it could do for the moment.

"Get up!" "Use your magic, if you have to!"

I'm trying, it hissed internally, shuffling until its back hit the wall. It shoved against it, wedging one meaty foot underneath itself while pushing up on the others.

"GET UP AND FIGHT. You will improve this clumsy nonsense, or I will destroy you myself!"

"I'm TRYING!" Alpha strained, the sound more of a throaty growl than substantial words. It huffed once as it managed to get footing underneath itself, quills flaring out as it saw Vargas, prowling about, eyes harsh. Backed into a corner, the orthoclase was getting hasty, impulsive - daresay, furious. "You," it barked, "you -" It recoiled, mane rattling louder than its words. No - no, it can't just talk back -

"Nothing in this helps me fight! Everything in these caves are little and stupid - and fights head-on! I don't know how to fight something big," it shrieked, entire body shaking. Glowing eyes narrowed, vision blurring with the closest approximation of desperate, vehement crying. Alpha pressed, stuttering forwards a few steps and wasting precious time, "I don't want to be destroyed. I'm not done yet! I'll show you."

Magic had failed it before, but it reached out to it again, for one last hurrah, something to prove. Suddenly, what was just a spar was life-or-death to the orthoclase, and it was desperate to survive. Even as plates on its right-facing exoskeleton groaned against the motion, broken pieces hanging in places where they shouldn't be, Alpha charged forwards, banking on the flow of wind to be on its side. Its jaw hung open slightly, fixing on grabbing some part of the Overseer and fastening hard with its teeth.

Teeth latched on, but Alpha was forced up and up until it was on its hindmost legs and couldn't bear the weight anymore. It clenched its jaw harder, rows of teeth catching on the Overseer's thick hide as he drove it onto its back.

Extending out its claws - and its entire frontmost limbs - it tried to grab that forearm, keep a grip on it and find more leverage to abruptly throw the entirety of its body weight back and loosen in some form of a piledriving motion. More plating cracked on its back from the impact regardless, but the orthoclase really hoped that had been a strategic and quick enough move to at least throw Vargas off-balance - maybe even completely away.

Vargas roared, the sound bass and deafening in its head. It was straddled, trapped by lanky limbs and gnashing teeth. What exoskeleton remained mostly intact was on its torso and stomach, the former presently being raked and compromised by hooked fangs. It twisted straight, relinquishing its hold on his elbow to try - and fail to - fend off the assault with its own teeth.

The Overseer lifted his head, bellowing, calling it helpless. Alpha, still childish in its exasperation, hissed, spitting, "NO!" Consider it provoked.

It dropped its elbows, drawing in its hindmost legs and bucking sharply. The orthoclase swung them downwards slightly, so that in the event of actual impact, they might rake downwards for added offense. Anything to get Vargas off and away.

Alpha's head snapped to the side painfully from the sheer force of the slap, acidic eyes screwing shut. The Overseer's shadow left, leaving it to flop onto its side and struggle back to its feet, yet again. Stupid, it chided itself, quills starting to droop from exertion. It panted where it stood, stalking forwards a few steps before coming at a frantic impasse.

It really didn't know anything but brute force and head-on assault. Vargas had it outmatched in speed and strategy.

The orthoclase did know that it wouldn't be able to get in close fast enough to not end up knocked onto its back or side, and the bruising down its left flank was reminder enough not to try that again. Aqua-green bled down its legs, spurting with every cycle of its admittedly odd circulatory system.

Glassy magic'd betrayed it once, but it reached for it nonetheless. The gem on its chest buzzed, thrumming against its neck in one last desperate grab. It was convinced that this was its last chance, the last shot it had at proving it had some bit of worth, and Alpha's anger was giving way to frenzied, rash decisions. This one was to cast something that might cause real and proper damage.

The magic sputtered, miniscule points of glass sprouting from the sand. It dredged them out, crystalline and sharp pieces floating in the air for a moment before being thrown forwards, directly at Vargas without care for where they landed. The whole kit and caboodle was accompanied by a furious "rrRAGH - !" and toss of the head on Alpha's part.