Xireidi lowered his head, propelling himself forward with every ounce of strength he had. It was almost there, it was almost too late. What would happen when it reached? Was there any hope left?

Though it was simple flailing against the winds of the inevitable the wolf hurled himself toward one of the spider's legs again, prepared to damage his own body if only to buy the others a few precious seconds. Their lives were precious, and surely they would be forfeit without the Spire.

He was too unsteady though and rather than flinging toward the column of crystal he went careening to the side, hitting the ground with a roll so all he could do was watch helplessly as the final moments came upon them.

---

"The words I speak"
The thoughts I hold
And the self I keep hidden away
tags:
notes: None

Their situation just isn't going well right now, this is like a seesaw motion of whose winning of many against one Spider, and it's just a pain in the ass how it is. It's so close to the Spire now, and Albeon doubts he can levitate the whole body entirely still for a long moment when he feels like utter hell and flimsy right now, even if his pain from that blast started to ebb away. Each flap of his wings made the pain in his body peak once again; he focuses on his target through the pain as Albeon continued to weave through the air to try and catch up. He needs a Spell that'll be practically instant, which means Telekinesis or Phantom Hold was out of the question as that'll mean he'll have to hold onto it for an extended period. Attacks like Pulsar aren't a good choice his conscience makes him refuse to kill it on impulse. A Spell that'll help stall it for a bit longer and hopefully learn if its motives are malicious or not and only needs to work for a brief moment...

He knows he has Spells like that, but the question is which one to use.

Mulling over this problem while still keeping to the air until an idea struck Albeon to use Translocate on it. Of course, the size may be a challenge, even if the substantial faces of rock on the ceiling have split into smaller chunks due to the fallen debris and thus a perfect choice to switch the Spider with it may still be hard to pull off. Not to add Gembounds are charging at it trying close combat on it and he doesn't want a body count, but what else can he do? Best he can do for other Gembounds is to warn them of his plan even if he can't vouch for the safety of the Gembounds who may be around the general area where he may end up switching the Spider if it works out. Seeing it getting it closer and closer to the Spire made Albeon swoop upwards, making his speed peak even if the pain is still pretty searing from each beat of his wings, his scarf fluttering behind him in a lively animated manner till he was close enough to get a good view of it. Tapping into his Magick as he imagined the Spider and one of the somewhat loose rocks on the ceiling that's an individual boulder now. He memorised this one stone pretty well in particular as besides the factor that its size would make it an excellent contender to switch with the Spider. He noticed a flurry of more Magick by some more newcomers around the entrance of Polaris which is where that boulder he had in mind is. The newcomers are trying to get into the fray, and the entryway will be perfect for it to be switched with as that'll mean it'll be further away from the Spire than ever before. Sure, the newcomers might be at risk to the possibility of the Spider being too close to them, but surely, they'll have the sense to escape when they realise what's happening.

His Gem started to glow a purple, and he noticed that it almost seemed like the Spider appeared to be disappearing into thin air like they were turning invisible. Albeon realises this could be it and before he completes the Spell entirely, he briefly pauses and yells out a booming voice that's discernible for the others close to the Spider but probably not to anyone else further away.

"Hey! You guys too close to that thing! Incoming! Get back! I am about to use a Spell that'll push it back quite a bit from the Spire, get away from it before I complete the Spell as I can't guarantee your safety if you're too close to my Spell! I can give some time to let you get away before I use it!" Wow, that was a lot of words for Albeon as his voice authoritatively boomed all of them amidst the ruckus. He hopes they heeded his warning as he casts the Spell now before it's too late for it to work and he saw the Spider swiftly disappear from the spot it was from previously and in place of a boulder. Albeon hopes this block is the same one right at the entrance so it'll be far away enough from the Spire as it's hard to tell if this boulder is an entirely different one from the one he had in mind.

Tags:
Side Notes: N/A

"Hey Yours Truly Albeon Speaking."

And that's a good thing...
It means there's hope and potential in one's Future.

we burn the brightest

in the dark

It was the hardest thing Aries had ever hit in his life. The impact did a number on his head, but thankfully, his skull absorbed most of the it, leaving the plate of bloodstone on his muzzle relatively unharmed, except for a minor scuff. Adrenaline numbed any pain or dizziness his head bash might have inflicted.

As the ram clambered to save his balance, he heard the rave screech a warning from above.

"Hey! You guys too close to that thing! Incoming! Get back! I am about to use a Spell that'll..."

Whatever the raven was trying to say was lost in the wind as they soared over head, but Aries did not need to hear all of it. He was already sprinting out from under the spider's belly. What ever the spell was, he did not want to stick around and be caught in the crossfire.

"Listen to me."
Thoughts...

TAG: // OOC:

Something unexpected happened—it was nearly there, its magical presence nearly one with its target, its body becoming lighter as it would eventually become one with the Spire—but no, as more of the gembounds continued to attack it, it's body suddenly lost gravity, weight. A piercing and shattering spike striking through its chest as it disappeared from its location, the Gem Summon and lightning caught with the Translocation as the golem-like creation was transported across Polaris.

A deafening crack filled the empty air of the cave as the magic intertwined—the raven's, the gryphon's, and the wolf's together with pure magic of the golem—lightning and crystals spawning instantaneously across the expanse of the room to the spider's new location. Simultaneously, the heavy and large boulder suddenly crashed after having seemingly been held in the air, creating a huge plume of dirt and dust in its wake.

It just barely missed crushing any of those that had been in close proximity to the Magicka Spider, but the impact still shook them to their bones: Kallista, Aries, Remedy, and Xireidi. Others were far enough away to have avoided any initial damage, but would have felt the quake. However, thanks to Albeon's quick thinking, the spider was a great distance from the Spire now.

Struggling against its crystalized shackle, it tore itself free, leaking pure magicka into the air as a strange, bright light and oozing glowing liquid that disintegrated in a hiss as it touched the ground. It had to reach the Spire before it lost all of its hard work.

Stumbling, it started again, determined to reach the Spire.

Magicka Spider has 223/500 HP.
Rounds Reset! Round 1 of 3

Magicka Spider is losing 50 HP each Round!

Kallista, Remedy, Xireidi, Aries take 9 damage from boulder impact!

Xerxes has 70/100 HP.
Remedy has 60/100 HP.
Amras has 80/100 HP.
Eythan has 80/100 HP.
Kallista has 61/100 HP.
Carni has 80/100 HP.
Tukluk has 56/100 HP.
Xireidi has 61/100 HP.
Albeon has 80/100 HP.
Felina has 80/100 HP.
Cure has 70/100 HP.
Aries has 71/100 HP.
Aeroth as 89/100 HP.
Astaroth has 100/100 HP.

Feel free to join in at any time!

Rated M for Language

Tuck’s spell failed again, but it didn’t end up mattering. So much was going on and then that stupid cat was clawing at him again, though he didn’t get a good hold on him. Screeching in frustration, Tuck hopped farther away, yelling behind him, “Leave me alone, you stupid fucker! There are more important things right now!” For added measure, he called on his Magic. Thorns began growing out of his body, sharp little barbed points sticking out of his fur everywhere. There. He hoped their presence might force Aeroth to leave him alone for now so he could concentrate on this spider. But then…

Tuck’s body shook and shuddered as a boulder fell down to earth. Tuck hadn’t noticed what was going on with the spider so he wasn’t sure what was happening. He held still and flattened himself to the ground until the shaking stopped, then sat up and looked around. The Spire was… well, there wasn’t a spider near it anymore. But where did the spider go? He turned his head to look in another direction. Oh! Wait… Why was the spider way over there? And why was it leaking glowing blue… liquid-y stuff? It got up and began wobbling back over to the Spire slowly. Tuck took a breath, readying himself for trying to stop it again.

@Aeroth

Amras The gryphon watched with bated breath as his spell flew toward the bringer of their demise, knowing full well that it was too little too late. A simple bolt would do nothing to stop the beast, and soon they would have to contend with the fallout of whatever was to happen to the spire. Out of the hopeless situation, however, a new chance arose. At the bidding of the raven, obviously a true master of magic, the great beast became engulfed in energy and was sent back to trade places with a giant boulder situated where it had originated from. Earth and Electricity and powers of the mind all intermingled into an impressive spell that left a runway of crystal leading away from the spire and planted the spider almost directly below the location Amras had been tossed back to. The creature was bleeding profusely, its magic as think in the air now as fog in Cetus. From this close it was almost difficult to breathe with as charged as the atmosphere had become. It was almost... intoxicating. A strange new feeling flooded through the gryphon's mind as he continued downwards to try to intercept the creature. It was like when he summoned spectral familiars as the Blacksmith had taught him, but purer, more intense. As he finally landed on the direct path that the saving spell had taken something finally clicked, a force that was begging to be uncovered and a skill that might have taken cycles to stumble upon where the air not so saturated with the results of their defense of the spire. The power of the mind, the pure essence of the Arcane element, it was there for him to grasp should he choose to pursue it. With it he might be able to further ensure that their home would never fall to predators such as this. Magic was drawn from the environment, from his gem, from anywhere around he could draw it from and channeled directly up his arm, though his neck, and into that center of thought which lay behind his eyes. The pure radiant white light of his gem's magic shifted to a deep purple as it changed its nature. With this power, more intense than he typically ever utilized, shaped into its proper form, he began to let it manifest with the intent of ripping the crystals around him from the ground and sending them hurling toward the creature of destruction. Oh, but magic is a fickle thing. Like a wild beast it commanded great strength but an unpredictable nature. One moment he was standing on the ground, both arms out and summoning the might of the Arcane and the next he was floating in an endless dark void, devoid of direction or time and filled with streaking lights and whispers. Within the trench he had been standing his body crumpled, helpless to avoid being crushed by the passing spider as his mind retreated within itself. The intensity of the spell had bridged the gap between conscious thought and the depths of the psyche, and the gryphon would be trapped there until he found his way out. Pouch 1: Black talc stones x7 (medium) Pouch 2: Charcoal dust 50 in3 Pouch 3: Quartz sphere x1 (large, soft glow) Pouch 4: Charcoal chunks x7 (medium) Take hold of the power within "And shape the fabric of reality around you" tags: notes: None

Kin-Kin watched in fierce joy as her crystal spike pierced the enormous creature's hide, a shock of magick dissipating around the wound, but the 'creature', if one could call it that, continued to move, hurtling forward until... with a great crack of magic, the creature was gone, and in its place an enormous boulder sent judders through the ground at her paws as it hit the ground. Kin-Kin swung her head around, finding that it had returned to almost the other side of the cave. Kin-Kin took a deep breath, and took off after it. At least the pause gave her a moment to gather her magic again, giving her the chance to try and skewer it again, since that, to her, seemed the best course of action.

The she-wolf bounded forward, her glow dulling into the tips of her paws as she felt for the ground beneath her paws. She tried to gather the power in her gem, magic within it thicker than mist, and just as tangible.

But the gathering magic combined with the physical exertion of Kin-Kin's bounding steps caused her grasp on the magic to momentarily slip. It wasn't much, but it was enough for the magic to detonate in a powerful flash of light and a shockwave which, luckily, cast the she-wolf aside before an explosion of crystal spires erupted from the ground where she'd been standing moments before. The wolf felt sharp points graze her stomach as she was flung bodily to the ground, a splatter of blood trickling down a formerly pristine spire of blue crystal. But other than a couple of grazes across her belly, Kin-Kin was mostly unharmed, left gathering her breath as she came to terms with the fact that she'd almost killed herself.

---

tagged:
ooc:
muse:

"Talking looks like this!"
Thinking looks like this...

we burn the brightest

in the dark

The impact of the boulder let loose a terrible, deafening quake and Aries had just escaped its crushing weight in the nick time. He felt the raw strength rattle entire body. The shockwave sent him flying forward in a cloud of debris. He tumbled across the ground, landing head first. Pain shot through his nose as his gem scraped against the rough stone.

For a moment, he was dazed, but soon Aries collected himself. As he shook the fog from his head, he felt some blood trickle down his lip and quickly, he wiped it away. The ram's gem had taken a beaten--deep, white scuff marks now ran across the plate, but thankfully it had not cracked, not yet.

Aries sniffed a few times, feeling the blood clot in his nose, and stood back up. He now saw what the bird had been screeching about. Where the golem once stood was a massive boulder. It stunned him to think what would have happened if he had not gotten out in time. However, it gain them valuable time as it moved the giant crystal beast back a ways. He wasted no time catching up to it.

Aries came up on Kin-Kin's left, racing beside her for a time before pulling ahead. Suddenly, a flash of light pierced his peripheral, followed by a weakened shockwave and a thud, his heart lurched. Assuming the worst, he spun around, hooves skidding to a stop. Kin-Kin's spell had failed, and horrifically, it nearly impaled her. However, he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that she was okay. Thankfully, its point had only grazed her.

He nodded to Kin-Kin, giving her a look of encouragement before leaping towards the spider.

Aries had no ranged attacks to offer, he knew he had to get up close and personal. Kin-Kin's spell did give him an idea, more reckless than the last. If he could burn through its shell, it would leak faster, or maybe he could burn through one of its legs.

He just had to mount it...

It wasn't long before Aries saw an opportunity, a jutting platform of boulders along the golem's path. His muscles budged under his hide as he raced towards it furiously. He couldn't lose this chance! The ram's hooves clacked on rock as he leapt up the uneven stones and thrusted himself unto the boulders. With the giant crystal spider drawing near, he had no time to catch his breath. Aries bounded across the boulders as he rushed towards it with all his might. Then he came to the edge and pushed off with all his might.

His legs had never failed him on uneven ground, and he had never misjudged a leap. However, this target was moving and anything could go wrong. Aries knew a fall from this height would be excruciating, but it was too late to turn back now. All he could to was trust in his instincts and pray his hooves would not falter.

"Listen to me."
Thoughts...

TAG: @Kin-Kin // OOC: It mentions you, thought you'd like to see

Felina saw the gigantic boulder fall. Just as she was about to follow the great Spider, the boulder landed with the loudest sound she ever heard! The following 'quake threw her off her feet!

She tumbled nose over tail too fast to use her inborn land-on-all-four-feet ability to right herself! As if she wasn't sore enough, the pain was bone-deep this time. She mewled pitifully. Not because of the pain. She felt she let King Carni down.

She had to do *something*, though. She had to heal first. Then, if the pain subsides enough, she'd try something else.

As if her Majicka knew that she needed a bit of time, a darkness covered her. She didn't understand this new spell, but hopefully the black stuff *might* hide her. Even if it would only be a few seconds, and...unless her fellow Gembounds could see in the dark, a quick cat nap (pun intended :-) might at least help her recover.

She hoped she could at least *try* to continue to either fight the titanic Spider, or follow it, so that she *might* be able to do whatever she could to render aid...

It had little resistance against it—instead, the gembounds were exhausted, perhaps, and failed most of their spells. It smashes through the large crystal spikes that formed when it was translocated, just barely missing the mindless gryphon's body that lay limp beneath its stomping feet. It stumbles again, losing a large amount of its collected magicka, and in its moment of temporary stillness, an entity jumps onto its back. The shrill sound of hooves scraping across crystal cut through the air as the golem shakes its body, trying to rid itself this pest, before pushing onward to its main goal.

Magicka Spider has 173/500 HP.
Round 2 of 3

Magicka Spider is losing 50 HP each Round!

Amras barely survives becoming a pancake.
Kin-Kin takes 5 damage from failed Gem Summon.

Xerxes has 70/100 HP.
Remedy has 60/100 HP.
Amras has 80/100 HP. Safe
Eythan has 80/100 HP.
Kallista has 61/100 HP.
Carni has 80/100 HP.
Tukluk has 56/100 HP.
Xireidi has 61/100 HP.
Albeon has 80/100 HP.
Felina has 80/100 HP.
Cure has 70/100 HP.
Aries has 71/100 HP.
Aeroth as 89/100 HP.
Astaroth has 100/100 HP.
Kin-Kin has 95/100 HP.

Feel free to join in at any time!