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gore

This... wasn't right. There wasn't any kind of foul magic he might expect from something like this, just familiar natural order. A strange golem, maybe? But this definitely was- or used to be- a gembound of some kind. He.. would need to investigate this further, after he dealt with this current threat.

The dog's head twisted towards him, jaw unhinging to reveal a tendril of the same crystals that shifted under it's rotting skin. He snapped at it, aiming to tear the foul thing clean out of the dog(?)'s skull, but the tendril had too much force behind its strike. It plunged straight into his lower jaw, shattering bone and dislodging a couple teeth. Shards of epidote sunk hungrily into the brutal wound.

ROUND 2

ATTEMPT: Rip off crystal tendril
DEFENSE: Wolf
INJURIES: Broken jaw

@Parthenium

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The unpleasant vibrations of squelching flesh and crunching bone traveled up the epidote tendril to the crystalline dog's main body. It was too far gone to feel disgust, but instead a wave of desperation crashed over it. Look how the flesh made him suffer. Look how he was in pain It HAD to help him remove it!

Still pinned beneath the wolfdog, yet still making no attempt to move, Parthenium pawed at the bleeding wounds it created in Wulfsige's flesh! It did not seem particularly concerned about whether its paws themselves connected or not, but it was focusing instead on an invisible force. If it was strong! enough—enough that it would not fail! again—it could use its strength! to keep others from falling!!! as well.

To its DELIGHT!!! the magic answered its call, a cloud of bacteria rapidly converging between the two canines. They were its little helpers. They were here to help :) They were slow now, perhaps unnoticeable, but Parthenium could keep helping them out in turn, if its strength! persisted.

F E V E R F E W
Will you stay with me?

@Wulfsige

ROUND 2

ATTEMPT: give Wulfsige flesh eating bacteria
DEFENSE: fleshless
INJURIES: none yet

Shards of epidote lingered in the wound left behind on Wulfsige's jaw. Already, they began to push further in, little by little, reaching for his bloodstream to get deeper into his system. It would take time for the infection to find his gemstone, which is when he would begin to feel the same strange urges that Wilder would, feelings that were not his own...

@Wulfsige

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This post contains potentially sensitive material:

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He could feel something shifting in his newly broken jaw, too deep and uncanny to simply be shards of broken bone being jostled by desperate panting. Something twisted unpleasantly in his gut- this creature hadn't given off any radiation other than natural order, and he had no idea what it could do to him. But the idea of something foreign worming its way through his body- perhaps puppeting him, as this strange husk was being puppeted by it's overgrowth of crystal- was incredibly distressing. He would not- could not- allowed that to happen. But first, he had to end this.

He didn't notice the flesh-eating bacteria settling in his wounds, couldn't feel any subtle difference above the excruciating pain of his lower jaw. It was particularly inconvenient- one of his main weapons out of commission- but he was much larger than Parthenium and could leverage that against it. The problem was finding the best place to strike- the usual weak points only really worked against an opponent with flesh.

He slammed down the entire force of his body against Parathenium's ribcage, and only ended up with bruised paws as they met unforgiving crystal. This.. wasn't going to work. He'd have to find some other weak point, quickly. He wasn't going to flee, not from his duty, his purpose. He would not fail, not more than he already had.

ROUND 3

ATTEMPT: Break Bones??
DEFENSE: Wolf
INJURIES: Broken jaw

@Parthenium

The wolfdog's weight slamming into its chest sent vibrations reverberating throughout its crystal body, but that was about all it did. Look upon it, and see how it had removed the source of all pain and suffering! Not to worry, it would share this boon with this poor flesh and blood canine as well.

Its stiff legs dropped away from Wulfsige's face and it twisted its head, snapping for the legs that had conveniently slammed into it just moments ago. If it could get one in its mouth and just start gnawing... it could work on giving the wolfdog the same kind of invulnerability that it had achieved. They could be strong. Together :)

F E V E R F E W
Will you stay with me?

@Wulfsige

ROUND 3/?

ATTEMPT: start gnawing on a leg
DEFENSE: fleshless
INJURIES: not really (it's removed the weakness!!!)

Teeth dug into one foreleg and started gnawing. He'd try to yank it away but not before it got a few good, strong bites in. But the pain was a mere footnote compared to his face.

The only thing he could think of was to break it apart completely into dozens of inert shards- if it was truly some kind of strange, malignant golem- and while he could stay here, ineffectually biting and punching against unforgiving crystal, he had another idea. A... risky idea. An ability he didn't often utilize.

The spire of gemstone sprouting from his back briefly sparked, and then, like so often, his magic failed him.

ROUND 4

ATTEMPT: Fly up and drop it
DEFENSE: Wolf
INJURIES: Broken jaw, lightly gnawed leg

In the wake of the wolfdog's brief spark of magic, another ancient urge reared its head. It needed magic. It NEEDED this! It needed to CONSUME IT SO IT COULD BECOME STRONGER! Its jaws stilled as it reached for its own. It longed for those sparks of energy from that blue stone, like the Spire itself. It longed for his magic, his STRENGTH.

There was a long and awkward stillness from the crystal dog's part as nothing happened. It seemed that it, too, was having trouble.

F E V E R F E W
Will you stay with me?

@Wulfsige

ROUND 4/?

ATTEMPT: mmm. magic
DEFENSE: fleshless
INJURIES: not really (it's removed the weakness!!!)

He took a deep, shaky breath that whistled through his crooked jaws. His opponent was oddly still, which gave him ample opportunity for another try. Clear his head, focus on the familiar wellspring of his magicka, humming in tandem with the spire.

But his mind was far from clear, so maybe that's where it all went wrong. His gem sparked bright this time, streaks of luminescent blue lighting from his shoulder blades before streaking away into the distance. His shoulders and back spasmed with phantom wingbeats- he grunted, his hold on Parathenium losening slightly.

ROUND 5

ATTEMPT: Fly up and drop it ATTEMPT 2
DEFENSE: Wolf
INJURIES: Broken jaw, lightly gnawed leg

@Parthenium

The epidote crystals practically quivered with eagerness. It could practically taste the magic that sparked and radiated from Wulfsige as he struggled to form wings. It wanted it, so badly. A hoarse whimper rose from its throat as it struggled underneath the larger canine, straining to reach for his gem. As it was on his back, it could not really touch it, but it stretched its magic all the same. A thin thread of energy began to flow into its own crystalline body, and Parthenium relaxed with a soft sigh. The taste of magic was like the barest sip of water in a desert, relief but not enough, never enough. It needed more. It hungered endlessly. It began to whine insistently.

F E V E R F E W
Will you stay with me?

@Wulfsige

ROUND 5/?

ATTEMPT: mmm. magic pt 2
DEFENSE: fleshless
INJURIES: not really (it's removed the weakness!!!)