Her eyes widened as Saran'zol stepped out from the rubble - or what had become of the valkhound she'd once known. It most certainly had not looked like that before. She was shocked into silence for a moment, eyes scouring its figure as she tried to figure out what had happened and what was happening now. The red sparks and the glowing was...extremely concerning. What had been done to them had gone wrong. Very wrong.

She opened her mouth to speak, but then...the drone stepped forward. Her eyes turned to the Juggernaut and rage speared fiercely through her. How dare it even show its face here, where it didn't belong, wasn't welcome, when they were at war? How dare it speak to Saran'zol - its enemy - like it would be allowed to accept the challenge they had laid before them?

She glanced at the Vesuvianite and the Bloodstone and the Opal. And then at Overseer Cain, who she hadn't realized was the Overseer until they had mentioned their name. She looked from Saran'zol, power barely contained, and she saw children in the gathering, an enemy, and those ill-prepared to fight a force like this.

She stepped forward, so that most, if not all, the gathered could see her. "No. Not yet. Saran'zol...I will find you worthy fighters. I have no doubt some of you will be worthy enough," her eyes landed on some of the more ferocious looking of the gathered - Cain, Maw, and Galleon in particular looked quite strong, "but this is...special." There was an idea churning in her head. She didn't want Saran'zol to go to waste, either. There was the idea of turning them against the Hive, perhaps, but a millennia of instability would make an already unpredictable experiment even more so. The results could be disastrous. "A fight against them without preparation will have a cost. Saran'zol, how long can you wait? Can you keep it contained....?"

She looked from the Valkhound to the gathered, and nodded. This was a good idea. This could be turned into an advantage for her and for Master Vargas. "All of you - spread the word. We will find the worthy." But then something furious entered her eyes as she turned towards the Juggernaut. "But you will do no such thing," came her snarl. "You are your kind aren't welcome here. Only because of the circumstance will I allow you to leave with your life. I suggest you do so."

@Juggernaut

[Origin Cave]

The more gembound that stepped up and accepted the challenge it offered, the more fire that seemed to burn in its eyes. Its breathing sped up. The sparks began to race up its body and the light seemed to glow just a little bit brighter. And it looked scared. Claws gripped tighter at the bladed staff. It looked at them, its eyes lingering on the young. Sorrow passed through its gaze. "Y̶o̴u̴ ̶a̶r̷e̶ ̸g̵o̶i̵n̴g̸ ̶t̵o̷ ̴d̴i̴e̵," it whispered, but readied itself regardless.

And then...it paused. The Overseer spoke, and there was another Overseer here too. Its eyes snapped to Cain, momentarily tense, as if it could not believe what it was looking at. But the one it knew made no comment, so it did not question. It looked to Tectus for guidance. It did not know these creatures or their designs and every moment felt like more of a strain then the last. Would it at last be released?

As the Overseer spoke, its muscles seemed to relax. There was still a desperation in it, like it needed the release of combat now now now, but a deep, heavy breath and it was steadying. It would wait. It could wait.

"Okay," it replied, quietly, and for a moment, as it looked to Tectus, something seemed to pass between them. Something hopeful and sad. "I...yes....I do not want....anyone to die for this." It clutched at the oilstone, feeling the vibrations beneath its hand. "T̷h̷e̸r̷e̶ ̴w̴i̷l̷l̷ ̸b̸e̶ ̶a̸ ̷c̵o̷s̷t̶.̶" Six eyes closed briefly as it focused, breathing steadily, and then opened. "A few cycles. Not many. I will steady myself. I will wait."

It listened to little else, backing up back into its cave, and kneeling down, legs bending and curling under its plated body, the staff turned so that it sat in its lap, no too different from the way it had sat in Moros's vision, but with compensation for the different shape and the many spikes.

It breathed in deep as it settled into its spot. "I will await the worthy. I will not go to waste."

The event has concluded - characters may leave or stick around and speak further with Saran'zol or Tectus. Gembound are being asked to spread the word about gathering "the worthy". Details about the follow-up will be coming momentarily!

@Juggernaut @Titivilus (Maw) @Moros @September @Vesuvianite T-One @Cain @Genghis @V-Corundum-One

The Juggernaut's feathers ruffled, alarm trill rocketing down the link as the Overseer addressed it directly. Its time here was up, and it knew, somewhere internal, that it would not win the fight with this creature... Tectus. She had others at her side, but they were not of the Forge - not visibly, anyway.

Information was invaluable, yes, and Juggernaut knew it'd provided some for Mother (if she hadn't already been made aware.) But he had wanted a fight - an honourable one, a respectable one.

It glared at Tectus, annoyed at this arbitrary restriction, but obliged. Mother knew best, et cetera. It flared its glowing wings in a display before leaving. "I am worthy." It muttered bitterly, before scuttling off to do something else.

Childish, sure. But the forces of Chaos didn't deserve his respect.

exit Juggernaut lol

There was a lot to take in, a lot of creatures around him, and a lot of information to absorb. This creature wanted to fight, and though he wanted to, he knew he would die. There were so many others, a whole auxiliary to fight against this creature, and he knew he wouldn't be apart of it, sadly.

He sighed softly and nodded with a dip of his head before turning to leave, figuring he would leave it up to the professionals.

-exits-

With the wind as you fly away
Give a smile from your lips and say
"I am free! Yes, I'm free!"

There was a definite disappointment as soon as Tectus stepped forward to stop whatever fight was brewing. A little affronted, September snorted and lifted his head. "Uh, you KNOW I'm worthy, Overseer! You've seen me in action!!" But the valkhound only sent him a sharp stare, which earned her a roll of the eyes. Ugh, whatever. He would show her how "worthy" he was or whatever.

Without any imminent fight or threat, he was quickly bored. He'd probably ask the Overseer about it later or something, but some of them were beginning to peel off, so he'd do the same - and spread the word of this whatever competition she was holding. If he was going to win (and he was SO confident that he would) then having others around would certainly make his victory all the sweeter!

*exit

september

Even momentarily disoriented by failing magic, Moros recovers quickly enough to hear Tectus's command. Spread the word. Search for the strong and the willing. Saran'zol could not wait long, evident from the way every movement sparked with pain.

She pulls together magic, shooting a quiet message to Tectus and Tectus alone. "I will search. I will find. I will do as you wish." And then she's fluttering back into the air, heading off into the caves. She might be small and quiet, but surely she could find something worthy.

@Tectus (for visibility)
Exit Moros

The vesuvianite felt mild disappointment when it didn't get to prove itself in glorious, bloody combat. Which was probably a good thing, considering it had not fought anything larger than a cave rat in it's short cycle or so of life. It would give Tectus a big puppydog-eye'd look, like a child begging to play on a swingset. Still, it wouldn't push it's luck- it had a vague sense of self-preservation, enough to know that this wasn't a fight it could win.

It peered out from Tectus's shadow as she addressed Juggernaut more specifically. The gigantic crustacean monstrosity was certainly a little frightening, and it was a little awed that Tectus didn't seem intimidated in the slightest. It would squeak out a tiny "Yeah, leave!" as Juggernaut was already leaving, metaphorically nipping at its ankles like an annoying purse dog.

And then it would look up at Tectus, "I'll go tell Bauxite and Epidosite!" It chirped, those being two of the only gembound it actually knew. It would then trundle off to do exactly that.

@Tectus @Juggernaut [Mention] [Also exiting thread]

"Gonna die?" Corundum repeated back, her nose scrunching up.

Well-... that didn't sound good.

She shrugged, after a moment, and grinned--glancing to Tectus. "Guess I'll be there. And I guess Overseer Cain will pass on word to the Forge? -I will, otherwise, if you want."

She waited for a response, and departed a few moments later, musing over who this creature was--and what this might mean.

exit