As the last of the Gembound made their way away, the Merchant stepped into Hydra. The beast at his side followed, and behind them, the barrier shimmered back into place. By the time the Masked Merchant arrived at the place where the sand was soaked in blood, littered with feathers, they would likely all be gone... at least, if they valued their survival.

The vulture fled at his approach.

The Merchant went first to where Naja had been dragged down. He stared down, for a moment, and then knelt; a robed hand shot into the sand, and there he stayed, seemingly motionless, for long minutes. When he stood, the sand shifting from his sleeve, he held something clasped within his hand. He opened his clawed fingers, palm-up, and there--resting beside the eye--lay a dull red-brown Carnelian.

Fingers closed around the stone. The Masked Merchant raised his fist, tilting it, holding it... and after a moment, a fine thread of red-brown dust poured from his fingers, taken by the wind, scattered into nothing.

The robed figure moved then to the dead gull, lying with one lifeless eye, its beak parted, its body a ruined mess of blood, feathers and bone.

Clawed fingers plucked the labradorite, shimmering with the blues and greens of an unknown sea, and lay this in his other palm. Again the hand closed around it; this time, a slender hourglass spray of deep blue sand drifted away with the hot wind.

The Merchant then stood, Vargas at his side--and began to slowly walk after the group. Not a single Sandworm drew near them.

_________

Ahead, the surviving Gembound would find the sand dunes ending. A tall labyrinth of red, rocky canyons, mesas, and ridges lay ahead, with thin trickles of creek hidden here and there along the mostly-dry riverbeds, for the thirsty. Parts of the ravines, too, are shrouded in shadow--a welcome respite from the baking daylight of earlier. The Gembounds' next task is to make their way to the tops of these outcrops, towering high above--their walls sheer and rough--in search of a Vulture Matriarch.

_________

Round Two

Gembound must roll to climb/fly safely to the tops of a mesa, ridge, plateau etc in the Crucible (the ravines). No Vulture Matriarch will immediately be visible; the climb itself is treacherous. You may use magic, strategy, or physical combat however you see fit.

Those who fail their rolls might face a terrible fall down the sheer cliff faces to the unforgiving rock below, or an attack by the highly-territorial, eagle-eyed Eyehook Vultures, a hypnotic or aggressive attack by a Spire Spider or Sand Spider, respectively, or even a venomous Scorpion's sting.

As before, Gembound who succeed must choose whether to press ahead or to remain behind to aid/sabotage those who might fail. This choice must be clarified in your post, and cannot be changed once made. Note that Asimona has fallen behind the entirety of the group due to a critical injury sustained. Others may choose to remain far behind with her, but must clarify this in their post.

A Critical Fail on this roll will result in a severe wound from an attack or fall, and will drop the Gembound one place behind the others in the running should they survive.

Please post & roll only once.

Astraea slipped into Hydra just as the barrier resealed. To say he was excited would be an understatement; he was thrilled, adrenaline blooming within his chest as if everything—all he had worked toward and all he would still—was finally coming back together. His pace quickened to catch up to the Overseer and the Merchant. Just as he departed the entrance, a buzzing fluttered around his ears before a sprite planted herself between his antlers.

"YEESSS," screamed Nemean. "WRECK THEM, HYDRA." Her arms were outstretched, holding onto his antlers as she nestled between the mushrooms on top of his head. Her tiny feet kicked excitedly between his eyes. "GO!! GO, MAN, I CAN'T SEE!" Nemean's tiny frame bounced on top of his head, like a child going to the candy store.

"Yes," Astraea agreed, unable to hide the cruel and wicked smile brightening his features. He had to put in more effort than he remembered to move across the sands, and he grunted while climbing the dune to reach the other two.

His eyes had locked onto the oily shape first.

"Overseer Vargas," he greeted in a monotone, formal way. "It pleases me to see you back to work." Red eyes shifted to the Merchant. "Likewise with you, Hag'rteho." Astraea found his breathing labored as he struggled to keep up in the sand.

Nemean patted his head. "Your ugly little feet can do it, keep going—LOOK, there they are!" her voice cut off as she pointed enthusiastically at the Gembounds. She chittered and cooed at the bloody remains, clapping her hands and laughing.