As the group began to slog their way up the slopes again, it would be Khavur to find and lead the way. By virtue of its great size, it would be able to see over the tops of some of the thicker foliage, and pick the narrow, worn path from the jungle. This path led to the top of the ridge, and then upward along the ridge, right to the foot of the volcano's searing maw...

---

Relic would find herself facing, as she headed up, a little bit of cross-traffic. Just as she ascended the trail, a small herd of large, strange creatures--mysteriously almost silent in their approach--would cross the trail before her. But they were not hostile; one turned and peered, leaning down to snuffle with warm breath--horselike--with gentle curiosity. Then they'd moved on, their six-foot-tall bodies, mottled green and brown, vanishing quietly into the underbrush as though they'd never been. As they moved farther, one gave a long, fluting call, the sail atop its head flaring out: it was these that had been creating the most musical of sounds.



Relic has discovered a new Lesser Gembound: the Sailfin Singer!

---

Obieth would hear something not unlike a distant argument--but wordless, a series of grumbling cries. Upon investigating, she'd find a few enormous creatures standing in a clearing just off the beaten path. Cryptic in color, they'd be hard to spot at first--until she looked up: they were each twelve feet tall, some forty five feet long, weighing several tons. Each had six legs and thankfully, seemed herbivorous... but each also bore two heads. One of the creatures' two heads were bickering with one another, creating the sound that she had heard, as the others browsed the underbrush nearby.



Obieth has discovered a new Lesser Gembound: the Pugna!

---

Nidhogg, hauling himself half-paralyzed up the hill, would spot something up on the ridgeline just ahead. Luckily he was moving too slowly to stumble onto it, because it looked deadly: nine feet tall, a dull blue flashed with orange and yellow warning colors, and half-made of enormous blades. A shield extended from its skull, and sharp horns curved up from between its six red eyes. A coat of feathers trailed behind it as it moved, grazing along the ridge, but it stopped to study Nidhogg. After a moment it pawed the ground, bellowing a warning. It would be best for Nidhogg to avoid these.



Nidhogg has discovered a new Lesser Gembound: the Scythorn!

---

Madhukar would be alerted to a low grumble from above, then a huff. A huge creature lay sprawled along the thick branches of one of the island's enormous trees, perched just above the trail. Either it wasn't hunting just now, or the group was too large to tackle, for it simply lay there watching from its spot. Its lazy lounging was almost catlike, but it looked nothing like a cat; its shadow-striped hide was pebbled, its red-pigmented head sporting multiple horns, its long tail pointed as it flicked along the branches. The beast would be fully five feet tall when standing--dwarfing any big cat--and the huge claws on its forelimbs would undoubtedly be deadly. It yawned--a row of razor fangs catching the light--then settled in to watch the procession of Gembounds pass.



Madhukar has discovered a new Lesser Gembound: the Deinocornus!

As the Gembound--led by Khavur--made their way to the tip, the path would finally become clearer. Ahead, the ridge rose up and out of sight, against the backdrop of the smoking volcano mouth. The bellowing and roaring became louder; the ground shook with what felt like a titanic battle! Now and then the lightning flared... except it wasn't lightning? It was bright flashes of light, and a strange sound like a hissing roar accompanying each.

Those who chose to push onward to their destination would crest the hill to find a huge, open area--almost an arena, of sorts.

Most interesting was the battle royale itself: an enormous, pale-furred yeti leaping forward to swing heavy fists at its opponent. The yeti might be recognized to some as Svarog, and it was likely his trail they had been tracking: but the beast it was fighting was alien to all of them. Toweringly tall, covered in jagged scales that glowed with swelling light, its clawed forelimbs swept for Svarog while a long tail swept the forest clear behind it. Then its maw opened, glowing light swelling in its jaws...



The Gembounds have discovered: KIHAN

Gembound may choose to throw themselves into battle, or to take a moment to prepare.

It might also be wise to glance over the arena itself: made of worn stone, it featured an ancient mural etched into the tiles of its floor, cracked and overgrown. This mural seemed to depict the very monster that Svarog was battling... a little smaller, a little less spiky. But in the carvings, beams were holding it in place, beams fired by objects placed around the arena's edge. Was this place a prison, then?

Around the outside of the arena, overgrown mirrors were perched on axes of black wrought iron, rotated to point every which way--these could be rotated, despite being dusty and overgrown with vines.

@Opie @Catalyst (Andromeda) @Tsetse @Bayo @Aethril @Jinyi @Madhukar (Khavur, Kaimana) @Obieth (Nidhogg, Rex) @Relic

"Awww, Andy," Rex protested, his tone both encouraging and disappointed. "Don't be like that! They seem cool," he added, turning to stare right at Kaimana.

Apparently, Kaimana was the very definition of 'cool.'

Oh, and they'd asked a question-! "Uhhh--I just call it 'home!'" he answered, blinking, but his tone was cheerful. "There's lots of parts! Jungle and uh. Jungle." He paused. Then gave up, turning to head back into the brush after his best friend.

He found Andromeda looking distinctly anxious, and as was his wont, he set about reassuring her. "I could cover your ears?" he offered, trying briefly--but his arms were far too tiny. It was a joke, mostly--played for laughs, and he hoped it'd at least get a smile from Andy. He waggled his little fingers at her, grinning. "Anyway you should come say hi! They seem nice. And neat to look at," he went on, thinking back at the bizarre shapes and glowing lights on the new strangers.

"Plus--I think they're going to stop the other noises. Maybe we can help 'em?" he went on, and turned--hoping to lead Andromeda back toward the Gembounds' procession.

(addressing Kaimana & Andy!)

His hind legs were still... fucky, to say the least, but at the sight of the gigantic monster two disparate instincts widened Nidhogg's eyes to gleaming emerald.

Instinct one: this thing was terrifying. It would kill him. He had to flee, or be careful, or... something; not die, anyway.

Instinct two: CHAOS! KILL!

He wasn't the sort to plan things out, but after a moment's hesitation, to his credit, Nidhogg did find a middle ground: he spun, flicking oil from his hide, along his tail, upward toward Kihan's eyes.

Then he ran for it.

Obieth, meanwhile, slunk around the platform's edges, keeping to the shadows. Aethril had--at some point; she didn't know when--fallen drastically behind.

But at first glance, she couldn't tell what was going on, here. Was Svarog or Kihan their enemy--either one? She hesitated to call out, to draw attention to their group but maybe she could just... prod and pry, a little. Surely nobody would object to that--if they even noticed.

She focused on Kihan, driving her magic forward, even as she drew to the edges of the clearing and slunk into the shadows of the ferns.

BOSS ENCOUNTER:

KIHAN, SCOURGE OF LACERTA

kihan

son  of  skahan  ,   scourge  of  lacerta

500/500

The towering monster in its ring of mirrors held open those massive jaws. A brilliant glow emanated from within his throat, his nostrils, between each scale of his body: shimmering heat rose around him.

Kihan breathed in, a rush of wind filling massive lungs.

The horrific sound that came with his exhale was ear-rending: a combination of a gut-clenching roar, a shrill scream, and the deafening crackle of overpowering energy. Kihan strode toward Svarog, the claws of his hind feet leaving furrows in the stone platform, a bright beam of violet-white energy breath scorching the ground and heading toward Svarog in blinding light. Perhaps in part from the oil that abruptly splattered across his face, it did not seem a particularly accurate strike--but it was devastating nonetheless, leaving scorched and smoking patches on the very stone.

Each of Kihan's steps made the earth beneath the Gembounds' feet shake.

svarog

spireborne  brute

247/250

Svarog charged to meet the breath, his own immense form smaller but more agile: he jerked aside, the breath singing down his left flank as he came.

His fur--where it hit--blackened at once, a reeking stench that sent smoke coiling upward in thin threads. But he seemed unharmed, and came for Kihan's face with the upward swing of one immense fist. Thick tusks streamed with drool, his face curled into a deeply-focused snarl.

---

Gembounds have engaged KIHAN. Kihan is on a stone platform, battling Svarog, surrounded by mirrors on swivelling stands.

Neither Kihan nor Svarog have yet noticed the Gembounds.

This thread is now closed to new entrants. Anyone already taking part may still join or flee the battle.

RELIC 20/20	V-LABRADORITE-ONE 20/20	CATALYST 20/20
NIDHOGG 20/20	OBIETH 20/20	REX 20/20
KAIMANA 20/20	KHAVUR 20/20	MADHUKAR 20/20

[ ACTION LOG ]

> KIHAN attacks SVAROG with STELLAR FLARE, inflicting 3 damage
> SVAROG attacks KIHAN with an uppercut for 9 damage.


> none

@Opie @Catalyst (Andromeda) @Tsetse @Bayo @Aethril @Jinyi @Madhukar (Khavur, Kaimana) @Obieth (Nidhogg, Rex) @Relic

He didn't think about what he was about to do--but there was nothing unusual in that.

He just rushed for Kihan. A large enemy's back was turned, and his lust for chaos had its predictable effect: Nidhogg bolted in for an attack. He tried to get a grip on the massive scales, to scramble up the monster's back.

His claws sought purchase in those scales. If he could get up high--maybe to its neck--maybe he could bite? Bite, like, really hard? Maybe he could even chew its head off-!

That was the extent of Nidhogg's plan. Right now he was just trying to climb.

Her magic caught--nothing, and Obieth grimaced, a snarl curling her lips. Whiskers flared outward.

She was far too aware of her own senses--of the sound of footfalls around her, the thunder of the ground beneath her feet, the shrieking roar of the towering monster. She could hear the rustle of wind in leaves, and feel the brush of the breeze across her fur.

Any other time, she would have savored every bit of it--and maybe, when remembering this moment, she would--but right now it was distraction. Focusing on magic was nearly impossible and instead of casting her last spell, she'd heard a susurrus of whispering in her own head. It'd taken Obieth a moment to recognize it as false, as the hallucinations that came with such magic--a questionable "gift" whose words she couldn't make out, and which distracted her even further.

In any case, Nidhogg had gone for the big one--so she assumed he knew what he was doing, that here was an enemy that they had to deal with. She was wrong, but she didn't know that; she cast out another form of magic, instead, growling low in her chest as she crouched in the grass, willing her focus to hold.

Darkness gathered, coiling for Kihan's eyes, and Obieth willed it onward. Blind it, she thought, that growl in her mind. Blind it. Steal its light.

The cub met the gaze of the passing beasts steadily, impatient more than anything. The moment they had crossed the hyena surged forward, eager to face what awaited them all at the volcano's mouth. That eagerness would not persist long, as they came to the final ridge, the ground quaking and the lightning (Was it really lightning? Upon closer inspection, they had their doubts) flashing brightly, almost blinding the little beast.

She rushed over the curve of the ridge, before being struck with the familiar feeling of horror, watching the two behemoths carve eachother into pieces, with fist, claw and... laser?

This seemed personal, or at least this conflict didn't appear to immediately concern the party. Even with their addled mind, they were hesitant to intefere, instead looking around to find someone they could follow. Their attention was on the oil-cat swiftly, as she appeared to focus on the scaled titan first. The lizard had made his choice quickly, attempting to scramble up the beast.

Their target decided, they followed behind the other gembound, emboldened by his, let's call it boldness. The little cub, just a month old, sought to get a hold on Kihan's ankle and stay there, without much plan further than that.

BOSS ENCOUNTER:

KIHAN, SCOURGE OF LACERTA

kihan

son  of  skahan  ,   scourge  of  lacerta

456/500

A bellow, as the creature scurrying up his back tore claws against his flesh. Another, as he stumbled, blinded, his own claws crumpling beneath his weight.

There was no bellow as Svarog's fist caught his jaw: only a sharp clack of his teeth snapping together, a stumble as his blinded face was thrown back.

The gargantuan Kihan turned, shaking his head, trying to clear it, but the shadows lingered. His attack was blind, then: jaws parting once more, another crackling, blinding beam of energy spearing out and sizzling across the rock. It traced a path along the ancient stone, searing black lines as it went.

By sheer luck it clipped Svarog's leg, its energy flashing in a curl of white fire.