Asimona glanced down at the fossa, giving him a small nod before advancing forward. The giant vulture was before them now. Asimona narrowed her eyes. She was the biggest of the champions, but still this giant beast rivaled her in size. This would be a tough fight.

She didn't care that some of them were just moving on, that they were ignoring the others, surviving for themselves only. That's not how Asimona operated. She'd fight for them, even if they did not fight for her. She'd do what she could to stop this monster from following them any further.

As she advanced forward, she heard a snide voice and she whipped around towards the sand-colored dragon and frowned. "If we ignore each other and go it alone, then we will all die. The smartest survival skill is to work with others, not push them away." They were already leaving, though, and she wondered if they heard her words, she stared after them for a moment before focusing back on the task at hand.

The matriarch was held down, Ru was seeing to that. Some of the other gembounds were attacking at random, tearing out pieces of the bird or just taking feathers and running. There was lightning everywhere as well, probably from the creature who's only word, apparently was "storm" so she decided not to take wing just yet. She could do plenty damage on the ground after all.

She sprinted forward, towards the giant vulture, and called on cold and ice to form around her front claws, strengthening them, elongating and sharpening them, until they were twice their already massive size. Just as she reached the matriarch, she leaped, opening her wings to glide forward, directly towards her target and swiped down on her neck with both claws as hard as she could.

"Can you hear their voice?"
"Find the one who'll guide you."
To the limits of your choice.

tags:
notes:

Ah, the Matriarch had revealed herself, with a shriek that sliced through the air like a bullet. The Garnet's ears flattened against its skull in a pathetic attempt to muffle it, though it quickly rushed forth before she could take back to the sky --- after all, they needed to acquire a trophy of sorts from her.

One of those feathers as large as itself seemed like a perfect option. With a brief pause to gather power in its haunches, it launched itself at the Matriarch's stomach, beak parted and preparing to snap shut about the base of a quill with all the might of a snapping turtle. Bright red found purchase, and immediately Garnet Five-Seven-Nine began to flap its wings wildly, whipping its head around until the quill came loose.

Upon feeling gravity's pull, it twisted with the aid of wings, stabilizing itself and retreating as far into its shell as it could, bracing itself for inevitable impact.

Garnet Five-Seven-Nine has stolen a feather.

Quartz Eight-Six-Zero was glad he didn't have to try and save anyone. Still, he kept an eye on the small lizard. She succeeded, but she was so small...He wasn't sure how well she'd fare against everything else.

Upon reaching the top of the ravine, his eyes narrowed. Almost immediately, it had turned to chaos. Lightning stroke above him, and then the vulture matriarch was being held down. If there was any time to strike, it would be now.

All he had to do was rush up, pluck a feather, and then be on his way. He only hoped things wouldn't go wrong.

And so, of course, things did go wrong.

He'd hardly taken a step before a vulture was coming straight toward him. He didn't get a chance to react before it attacked, talons tearing into him.

"Thank you," he muttered to the Merchant before his attention shifted back to the Overseer.

"Yes," Astraea acknowledged bluntly. "Many of us have been asleep; there was a great bout of hibernation after... those who chose betrayal... lost." He searched for the right words, but not necessarily the correct ones. His ears slicked back at the jab toward Nemean and he felt her tense on top of his head.

She was quiet for a moment, hostility brewing and boiling inside of her tiny frame, before she puffed a squeaky laugh. "PAHah," sounded Nemean, slapping a tiny hand on her knee. "That one would be the first to die! I dare them!" She clenched a tiny fist and shook it toward the Overseer. "And not an EASY death EITHER," she mocked, throwing her first toward the cliff and pointing accusingly toward the Gembounds. "Where's the TORTURE!?"

Just then, a deafening screech split the desert. A giant creature flew overhead, diving toward the Gembounds. Nemean screamed with laughter, clapping and patting Astraea's head.

"NEVERMIND," she said loudly, tugging at his fur. "THERE IT IS."

Had Astraea not also been thrilled by the events, he would have objected to her using him as a mount; but he was too busy watching the carnage before them unfold to care much about the little things.

Lapis Ninety-five

Oh, you fool, there are rules, I am coming for you
Darkness brings evil things, oh, the reckoning begins

Lazuli stalked at the edge of the group as she planned her attack. The others had descended into chaos, the matriarch, for now, distracted by those attacking. It would be easier for her to dart in, rip a feather free, but then she risked drawing its whole attention to her.

But at the same time, the others were capable of doing worse; launching far more aggressive attacks that would cause far more damage than simply stealing a feather... which could even be a painless affair if she played her cards correctly.

Besides, she was losing blood from wounds sustained in the fall; she could hardly afford to linger and get wrapped up in needless combat.

Making her decision, Lazuli tensed her legs and darted forward, baring knife-like claws as she aimed to painlessly slice a flight feather free at its base.

As the feather floated free, Lazuli caught it in her beak, and ran, leaving the battle behind.

---

"Speech."
"Thoughts."

Quartz seemed surprised, and frankly, the Agate couldn't begin to blame it. They remembered just as clearly: the betrayal, the back-stabbings, the cheating and scrabbling over for scraps, desperate to win the approval and fame of victory above everything else.

Agate couldn't remember if they had helped perpetrate it, in the previous Trials. If they had back-stabbed and slaughtered, killing without mercy. Maybe they didn't want to remember those that they had left to turn to dust.

It didn't matter now. All that mattered was that they had made their choice, and they would succeed. Moving together as a group with Quartz and the ice dragon-- Asimona, not a stone or number but a name, strange... The Quartz had said Ru, didn't it? Asimona and Ru. Would they find a name for themself, outside of the numbers and stone that labeled them? They were fond of their identification.

Desert Rose spat his disapproval through the wind, the roars and screeches of combat nearly drowning out the dragon's voice. In the face of his argument, the rooster croaked with laughter. "Why are you wasting your energy telling me off?" They argued, amused, as their crown of feathers rose and bristled, expanding their appearance to hopefully discourage any of the smaller vultures from trying to pick a fight with them.

Asimona spoke herself: The smartest work together. A rallying cry, spoken under the rising storm. And oh, how Agate would rally.

"You will see!" They cried over the chaos. "This time, betrayal will not consume us! What do we have to fear of those we know are weak? Do not fall into the trap of cowardice-- if you are strong enough to succeed time and time again, then how are you not strong enough to help your fellows? Cowardice!" They crooned.

"Keep an eye on your competition! We will be behind, carrying on with strength that you have turned your back upon! Mark my words, this will be a time of success!"

True... Agate did not know if Asimona, or the other injured, would even survive to the end, but did it matter? Agate could win with or without them, with aid or sabotage painted on their back, of this they were confident... what was more important was what would come after the Trials. They knew they would need all the allies they could gather, those who could and would trust when there was no rhyme or reason to trust.

Though-- for all their squawking, many had already grabbed feathers and began to run. A number had launched into an attack, and perhaps Agate should fight as well... But their screeching had a secondary purpose.

The Vulture Matriarch's attention was drawn to the noisy, vibrant gembound, their feathers glistening as rain began to crash around them from one of the other's magicks. Having the attention of the matriarch was enough to make anyone's blood run cold... if they weren't a champion. With a meaningless "COCKADOODLEDOO!" crowing, the cockatrice took to the sky and swept through the swarm of vultures untouched, drawing in as much focus as they could. Of course, nothing could touch them, and serving as a perfect distraction, they knew that the others could take down the Matriarch.

They had never felt more alive, and there was absolutely nothing they feared.

At the edge of the canyons, now, the Merchant trudged inexorably forward. He was silent as he quickened his pace, as though he expected that he would soon be needed up ahead.

On the plateau itself, chaos had erupted. The great Vulture was not faring well. Reseda had snagged a feather but had been attacked soon after by the Labradorite. Shango's lightning strikes were crashing into the mesa--hitting two vultures, and striking the Matriarch a glancing blow that left smoking char-lines down one flank. Yet she could not retaliate, held by Quartz Five-Two-Four's magic. The creature "Imp" had drove beneath, tearing at the Matriarch's belly--a slight spill of intestines splattering down, glistening in the desert glare. As the Quartz's hold began to fade, the Opal's magic took effect--and the Matriarch slowed, stumbling, the blood loss and forced dehydration combining to weaken her greatly. A final ripping wound at the back of her neck, inflicted by the white dragon Asimona (which seemed, he thought, to be recovering) sealed her fate: with blood pouring from her neck, and her abdomen gutted below, there was little chance of her survival.

Others had grabbed their feather-trophies and fled; the Desert Rose, the tiny lizard Amazon, and--ahh, the Lapis! Its speed was promising, the Merchant noted--it had snagged a feather with surprising agility and fled almost as quickly. Its prior stumble when arriving could, he thought, be forgiven. And Garnet--that one was always a survivor; perhaps not so useful as a soldier, he mused, but it was certainly difficult to kill.

There were those, too, who had fallen prey to the vultures. Yoosung was fleeing, bloodied--Styx had been knocked clear over the edge, though hopefully he would strike a ledge shortly below and not plummet fully down through the ravine, which would--the Merchant could see from here--be a fatal fall. And Mayngo was down, torn, crumpled--a vulture tearing at him even now. And Quartz Eight-Six-Zero, the brute, had lumbered right into another Eyehook's attacks. The other vultures, sensing injury and weakness, began to dive at these wounded--seeking to end them, to rip them apart, or to fling them from the plateau.

He could hear the Agate, now, but he could not tell what she was saying--her raucous cries rent the air, but the words were lost to distance, and wind. However, whatever she had done, had worked: the Vulture Matriarch, with one final burst of strength and her own screech of rage, lunged for Agate with gaping beak and thrusting wings.

_________

Those Gembound who were injured by failing their last rolls--Yoosung, Styx, Mayngo and Quartz Eight-Six-Zero--must roll to defend themselves against the onslaught of swarming vultures. Those in their placement may attempt to aid them. If both they and their would-be rescuers fail, they will perish.

Reseda may roll to defend herself in some way against Labradorite's attack. Failure to do so will result in a severe burn injury as the bile sinks into the muscle of her back, though she may choose another action and take the injury, if she (for example) wishes to attack in retaliation.

Agate Two-Three-Six has successfully distracted the Vulture Matriarch herself, and must roll to defend against her attack. Failure to do so will result in a severe injury.

The others are free to attempt to sabotage one another, or to--whilst Agate has it distracted--attempt to finish off the Vulture Matriarch, or to attempt to retrieve a trophy, or any other action that they see fit. Those who have already retrieved trophies may act as they see fit, including abandoning the others to now move ahead by one placement... though this may have future consequences...

A Critical Fail on any roll will result in a severe wound from one of the vultures, or from a fall.

Please post & roll only once.

Click to view current placement rankings.

1. Yoosung, Reseda, Garnet Five-Seven-Nine, Desert Rose Thirty-Five, Labradorite Five-Four-Six, Opal Three-Seven-Six
2. Shango, Amazon, Quartz Eight-Six-Zero, Lapis Ninety-Five
3. Quartz Five-Two-Four, Asimona, Imp, Agate Two-Three-Six, Styx
4. Mayngo

@Yoosung @Amazon @Shango @Opal Three-Seven-Six @Quartz Eight-Six-Zero @Labradorite Five-Four-Six @Agate Two-Three-Six @Desert Rose Thirty-Five @Lapis Ninety-Five

Ah.

Now, against the Matriarch at her full strength, even Agate would not be so terribly arrogant to say they would win. That would be akin to taking a sandworm by one's self, and they knew better. But! An injured, bloodied, near death Matriarch? That, Agate could hold their own against! And so they did, flying hard and fast up toward the eye of the storm, where the air twisted in a slow vortex filled with magicka.

The Vulture Matriarch rose after them, her wing beats shaking the very air they scrambled up. She gained on them, her maw opening and threatening to crunch their bones to dust, but at the very last second, Agate's tail kicked to one side and they twisted midair, her beak clamping down on nothing but a few tail feathers. They spun through the air, breathless, and it did not look even remotely graceful as they began to fall. They kicked out a talon to try and scrabble for a feather, or flesh, anything they could snatch off the Matriarch-- as they fell through a stream of her blood.

The ground was coming fast, and they threw their wings out to catch the wild, tussled air. The leather skin caught and though it was jarring, they swept out from under the Matriarch and glided away, having narrowly escaped what looked like certain death.

"WHEWWW!" They squawked as they fumbled into the plateau, taking only a moment to look around and see what had happened to everyone else.

This was not good.

Quartz Eight-Six-Zero didn't want to attempt to fight these vultures, as that would likely lead to further injury. He just needed to grab a feather - it shouldn't be too hard, they were quickly getting nearer) and then flee. He tensed, waiting for the right moment to strike.

Unfortunately, he waited a moment too late. As he took a step, he stumbled, and a vulture descended and started attacking. He tried to shield his face and neck as best he could, but things were not looking good for him.

Garnet Five-Seven-Nine moved quickly from the moment it contacted sand, head-first. Judging from the terrific wingbeats coming from behind, the whole nest had been disturbed. The smarter of the Gembound --- the Champions, most certainly --- would make like flies and flee from the dangerous hodpodge with their trophies. As for the others...

They may need to be forced out of their stupidity with a bit of sabotage.

The creature unfurled its limbs, reaching for its magic for the first time in centuries. Feeling the top of its shell begin to smolder, the acrid stench of billowing smoke enveloping it, the Garnet lowered itself to the ground, half-burying itself in the scorching-hot sands. Barely at the edge of it all, the creature was a smoke machine. Let the smart be weeded out of that mess.

Garnet Five-Seven-Nine is hunkering down with some sabotage.