It slowed further, the blood spraying out of it more likely to be its demise than the strange, black tentacle that slapped for it. Such a thing could gain no purchase on its size, but it didn't go unnoticed; the worm slowed and, more sluggish now, turned back towards it. The knife plunging into it caused it to shudder and hiss, but it was nothing to its sheer size; the piercing arrows had done far more.

The creature shifted, going still for a beat, and then went for the stronger vibration it could sense: plunging maw-agape for V-Ruby-One in an attempt to destroy at least one of its attackers. A failure to move might land Ruby-One inside the shear-toothed hole of its face.

@V-Ruby-One

It continued to race alongside the beast, snarl wide, adrenaline pumping like liquid fire through its veins. It readied its chaos again for another burst, to end the creature or give Onyx-Three an opening to do so, but then it stopped. Helion had to stop itself from slamming right into the spiny hide of the worm and it hesitated. Long enough for the worm to whip around and streak right for it, too late for it to dive out of the way.

The Chaos it had built up for fire swiftly switched to something else, a sudden panicked lance of psychic energy blasting straight for what mind might lurk beneath those plates and spines and spikes. Its own will would force its way in and command it to STOP MOVING, before its maw could envelop Ruby-One.

@V-Onyx-Three

They tried to pull themselves back on top of the sandworm, but this attempt was interrupted by a pause-- then it plunged towards V-Ruby-One. Any attempt at resolving their current position was forgotten as they tried to reach for their magic in aid of their ally. Yet the magic felt weak. The spell that emerged may have been more helpful if it were any other cave other than Hydra, devoid of water to freeze. But still, he tried to get the magic to work against what little humidity there may be, especially around the sandworm's mouth.

The Sandworm shuddered to a halt with jaws twitching just above Ruby-One's head. It would find itself staring straight down that round throat, thousands of inward-pointing, conical teeth jittering with the urge to rend and swallow, to safe its life and to consume this threat.

But for the moment? Ruby-One's willpower had wrested control of the beast's very body. Just for a moment, and the strain of it was a throbbing bruise in its mind, a fierce pain that threatened to overwhelm it.

To control something so large was impressive, yes. It came with its cost.

The faintest frost struck within the creature's maw, and while there was little moisture even down its throat, the blood itself that had been so freely flowing now crystallized in crimson shards. The beast half-choked, audibly, its entire body undergoing a sharp, tremulous shudder.

@V-Ruby-One

What a fucking situation it had gotten itself in, holding this massive beast right in front of it, all those thousands of teeth just itching to rip it to shreds while its own mind felt like it was being put through a a blender. But still, it had some crazy bravery to simply stand there with an arm outstretched, a mad, feral grin on its face, and tail thrashing behind it from the stimulus of the battle.

It could see Onyx-Three still working on it up there, but it doubted his little knife would be doing any substantial damage.

It could move out of the way. It could sidestep out of the way while its spell wore off. But no. This was it, right here. The weak spot on this gargantuan creature of plates and spikes and endless mass. The open maw, right in front of it, just waiting to be BURNED. DESTROYED. OBLITERATED. It might as well have handed its weakness right into its claws.

So it seized the opportunity, no matter the risks. Black fire erupted across its arm and a massive gout of flame shot straight towards and into the sandworm's gaping maw. To burn it to black cinders from the inside out.

@V-Onyx-Three

Onyx-Three gave up on hanging on to the beast, using the dagger to slow his descent as he slid to the ground. He tumbled across the sand, not pausing to pick up his blade before drawing his bow. Was V-Ruby-One dead? No, it couldn't be. Their eyes narrowed, and saw that the sandworm had stopped just short of swallowing it whole. What had it done to make it stop? But he wouldn't pause to consider this, focused on saving V-Ruby-One. This fight wasn't over yet. This was a startling reminder of that.

Black fire erupted into existence, and he knew if it didn't take down the worm, this might be the end. He loosed an arrow in the direction of its head, an attempt at a further killing blow in addition to the fire. Even after all that had happened, he couldn't let it die here. And it didn't seem like it was going to go down without an explosion either.

It was doubtful whether this creature had a 'head,' per se. Just a giant garbage disposal with teeth; there was no telling where its brain might really be. Be that as it may, the arrow vanished into the hide as before, more blood trickling out a moment later to add to the tide.

The black fire spat directly into the open maw had a more direct effect. It didn't do much to melt the frozen blood shards; this flame was cold. But it charred nonetheless, crackling in chaotic plumes down the open throat, blackening the flesh in vast swathes and leaving it split, withered, bleeding.

The beast reeled back, twisting across the sand, a keening wheeze not unlike a scream escaping that open hole.

Its reeling was slow, lethargic. Dying.

Then a tremble shook the entire mountain of flesh--the hundred or so feet long, the maw that could have swallowed them whole. The tremble turned into a shudder, then horrific spasms that threw the body this way and that, uncontrolled and agonized. The movements were weak: strong enough to knock someone down or bruise, but not the surge of power with which it had erupted from the sand only minutes prior.

The Sandworm was in its final death throes.

It would be best to avoid them, though even if struck, the Gembounds would likely have only injuries inflicted.

@V-Ruby-One

It lowered its arm and released that last bit of commanding magic, stepping back to watch the fireworks. Or watch the beast burn from the inside-out. It could see flickers of black and deep violet past those teeth as it weakly thrashed about. Sand kicked up, its tail got dangerously close at times and, a couple of times, actually barreled into V-Ruby-One as it made to put some distance between itself and the dying beast, but it only knocked it back, bruised. It could feel a small trickle of blood on its shoulder - one of the scales must have sliced into its flesh, but it was nothing compared to the damage it could have done if it weren't in the middle of dying.

It stood back up and kept walking back until it was out of range, crossing its arms to wait for V-Onyx-Three to get off and away.

"There," it huffed, a smug grin on its face as the beast within settled, content for now. "That wasn't too hard."

@V-Onyx-Three

Onyx-Three looked at the sandworm in a mixture of amazement and fear. They had done it. It was really dying. For something so large, it hadn't taken as long as they had expected to take it down. It would've been smart to run out of range, but they paused to collect their dagger. The sandworm smacked into them from behind. Onyx-Three bit the sand, and the breath was knocked out of them as they hit the ground. They struggled to catch their breath, but forced themselves back onto their feet and ran to safety.

V-Ruby-One was already there, and he dipped his head in a nod towards them before returning to gazing at the sandworm. "Not as hard as expected." They paused, then decided to add, "Your magic is strong." Despite its nature, Onyx-Three had to admit, they had gained a kind of newfound respect for it. To be so powerful and confident in such a situation was a skill. It was almost enough to convince them to think that maybe they should be practicing more magic as well, but in a kind of trade-off, V-Ruby-One had also been much, much closer to dying. Imagine if magic had decided to be unreliable in that moment and fail. This would've all turned out so, so much more different. "It is a good trophy."

Now they just had to wait for it to die or something before choosing parts of it to bring back.

The sandworm's jaws were clenching open and shut in mindless spasms, the body flicking this way and that in movements that grew weaker and weaker.

It likely wasn't even aware any longer. The body was in the final stages of dying.

It stiffened once, then thrashed wildly, then fell still: a slow slump into limp muscle.

It still towered over them, but now, it was gouged and painted with blood, and curls of smoke carried the stench of burnt flesh from within the ravaged, blackened maw.

This one had no gemstone; as such, the two champions could take their time in selecting, and collecting, a trophy.

Unless, of course, other sandworms had been drawn by all the vibration, in which case they might not wish to take too long.

@V-Ruby-One