Relic wasn't interested in saving the Bauxite from itself. It already had the advantage of size - it'll be fine. Probably. Maybe.

The tiny octopus had managed to awkwardly scuttle away from the front lines, which gave Relic a chance to try to tear into the boss again before another, tiny spell-caster was inevitably threatened with immediate obliteration.

She was ideally shooting to worsen the wound she'd previously left in his leg, but that proved too ambitious of a task when he was moving so damn much. Relic was not interested in getting stomped into the dirt a second time - she instead grabbed hold of a different limb, shaking and shredding.

THE CHAMPION,
UNBOUND

saran'zol

the unbound champion

130/300

▼INFESTED ▼Bleeding

The blade cutting towards Phelix missed, as the octopus wriggled out of the way. It sliced instead through the icy shell it had left behind. The other, however, carved a deep wound into the Bauxite, precise and efficient. No mere flesh wound it had left, but a large, angry gash that would quickly begin bleeding profoundly. Three gembound, despite the shimmering energy field around the valkhound, still swooped into attack. The first one to hit, Shrike, unfortunately was the one to slam straight into the repelling magic and would find no purchase on his legs, but would rather feel her talons punch into what felt like water, which quickly shot back at her and hurled her away, the force rippling back through her body.

The other two, however, got through - the air around Saran'zol's face began to condense and he gasped, trying to rip himself free of the spell. Glowing blood begins to trickle from his nose and ears. At the same time, Relic grabbed onto a different leg, shredding into the thick hide, sending droplets of glowing red blood mixed with oily black scattering over the ground. Sparks snapped in her face as the bolts of red showered from the wound.

The Unbound Champion snarled and tensed. His claws tightened around the bladed staff, which had begun cooling in his grip. One end slammed into the ground, as if he could barely stand if not for its sturdy The black fungal infection continue to fester at his wound, revealing no vessels or organs beneath, but a vent of red that glowed brighter and brighter.

No...no his entire body was glowing brighter. The light pouring out from beneath his scales was becoming blinding as every inch of his wounded body began to rebel against the damage done to him. He roared in anger and agony as it reached a climax and energy suddenly burst from all angles of his body. No gembound was safe from the blast. They had only seconds to react.

RELIC 20/20	AZRAEL 12/20	SHRIKE 13/20
FAHL ▲Defending 20/20	GAHERIS ▲Defending 20/20	PHELIX 20/20
BAUXITE T-ONE 5/20	NIDHOGG 20/20	AUDLAND 12/20

[ ACTION LOG ]

> Saran'zol casts Stellar Flare! All gembound in the battle will take 12 points of damage if they fail to dodge. Fahl and Gaheris will take 6 damage if they fail to dodge from their defensive spells.


> Saran'zol takes 4 damage from infestation, 1 point of damage from bleed, and 6 damage from Bauxite's venom! He is no longer burning and no longer poisoned.
> Phelix dodges Saran'zol's blade strike!
> Bauxite fails to dodge the blade strke and takes 15 points of damage!
> Relic attacks Saran'zol for 10 points of damage and bleeding him!
> Audland casts Black Winds and deals 9 points of damage!
> Shrike rebounds against Saranzol's magic and takes 7 points of damage!
> Fahl casts Barkskin - he will have defense against magic and physical attacks for the next 2 rounds!
> Gaheris casts Repel - the next physical attack will rebound for full damage, or magic attack for half damage

@Relic (Gaheris, Bauxite T-One) @Nidhogg (Shrike) @Fahl @Azrael @Phelix @Audland

The shepherd continued to bleat in pain and fear, scuttling blindly through the forum and leaving a thick trail of blood wherever it managed to stumble. It had not faced this kind of injury before. He was not taking it well.

In his panic, he didn't see the spell charging, the vents glowing dangerously bright, before it was too late. The Bauxite was the very first to face the brunt of the explosion, flesh and hair sizzling as he was engulfed completely by the wave of red energy.

There was a final, horrid SCREE as he was enveloped, and an unpleasant smell emanating from where he was last. When the light dimmed, there was a chrysalis where he'd once stood. Tectus' chud son had been the first to fall, to the surprise of... Well, probably one or two people.

bauxite is DOWN

It has to be true

It feels like the only choice he has is to keep running. He can't find a safe place to hunker down and cast magic- not with all the dust, red sparks, and chaos. This really, truly, was horrific, and he just wanted it to end, one way or another. It seemed like Saran'zol's strength was beginning to wane, at least.

No sooner had he thought that Saran'zol's entire body was enveloped in red light, brighter and brighter like a star going supernova. He- He just had to keep running, keep moving. Except there was nowhere to escape the blast of energy, especially for something so small and clumsy on land. Suddenly there was only searing pain, and he could only scream.

I'm counting on you
To be my wings and my eyes

A repugnant smirk crept across Audland's face as he watched his handiwork draw blood and fatigue from Saran'zol. The vindication was short-lived, however, as Audland began to realize the milliseconds of bright, bright inverse-glow emanating from Saran'zol's exposed flesh, seeping through the cracks in its scales. Audland's eyes went wide, which was perhaps not the best response.

Quickly it became clear; whatever was about to happen, there was no simple running away from it. Something in Audland's ribs might be broken, but his tail wasn't. It was time to spring.

Audland acrobats through the beams

The blast was devastating them - Relic could only watch as the wall of searing red enveloped two others, and her stomach twisted in knots when she realised the tiny octopus was among them. She couldn't help anyone this round, not willing to tank the heat.

Instead she ran as far as the forum allowed, cosmic fire licking at her heels. Where had she felt this before?

The flare of energy broke Gaheris' meditative focus some, forgetting her magic briefly in order to recognise that oh. That's going to hit me.

Not fully confident in her ability to repel the attack fully, and not eager to take any amount of damage, she attempted to flee upward. She leapt, flapping furiously and kicking up dust clouds below.

It was only just enough to carry her high enough to avoid the brunt, though she'd forgotten briefly to protect her tail, scales and skin bubbling in proximity to the extreme heat.

He was preparing another strike, perhaps a physical one this time as the gembound lashed out, defended, and did whatever else they were doing, but he caught sight of the buildup of power in time. Before he could take a step forward, he stopped himself and opened his wings, launching up and out of the way of a beam of light, missing him by mere inches.

Head still throbbing from the less than ideal landing he'd been subjected to as well as the additional effort of him establishing his latest spell, it'd be a lie to claim that Fahl's awareness remained honed to the same sharpness with which he'd started this fight. Although murky eyes followed the blows rained upon Saran'zol, he perceived them through a mental fog, the registered motions delayed by a half second or more. Therefore, the growing intensity of light spilling out from the mighty warrior's scales didn't alarm the iguana nearly as quickly as it ought to have despite the obvious danger. His jaw might've fallen open upon witnessing the inevitable eruption, yet his feet moved slower than his mind demanded.

Air hissed out as Fahl lurched sideways, no time allowed for whatever cuss so desired to leave his mouth. Teeth gritted together, only worsening the deep ache sustained by his skull. He was far from nimble in his evasion, staggering instead of scampering under and over each beam. Every maneuver he made felt like his limbs were submerged and swimming against a relentless tide.

"AHHHHHH!"

Nidhogg did not know what the bright, glowing red meant. Maybe it meant that Saran'zol was about to die. Just. Explode, in a blast of goopy blood. But even if that were the case, there was NO REASON to be ANYWHERE near that, in his mind. If it were a spell, he could've tried to smack the Champion, disrupt his concentration, but--he didn't know if that were the case.

He ran.

He just didn't run very far.

A foot in the dust, a claw snagged just right, and he went tumbling in black oily noodle only a few yards away.