SHENGXIAO
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It was amazing that Shengxiao was almost a fully grown adult yet had never step foot in Polaris. The magic here was so potent, even for someone that was not so magically versed just yet. As soon as they stepped into the cave the pressure slammed onto them like a pile of rocks. However, they weren't at all fazed by this - instead it excited and invigorated him. With a small whoop of glee he took off, galloping through the tunnel, his powerful legs propelling him with a very strange looking motion. Was he running like a horse or a wolf or a tiger? Who knew? Certainly not him!

It took him a while to reach the center of all of the magic and he had to stop some distance away because of the pressure. The great crystal magic thing. He thought he had heard someone say something about it but he couldn't remember. It didn't matter what it was called, though, it was there and it was huge!

He took a few steps forward but the amount of magical energy coming off of it was so crazily intense that he couldn't keep going. He kept trying, though, taking a step forward then stepping back, as if something was pushing him. He grunted with effort but eventually gave up, kicking a pebble with frusteration. "Hey, why can't I get close?" He spoke to no one in particular and expected no reply. Shaking out his oddly-shaped body, he turned and began trotting around the exterior, seeing if there was any way he could get closer. But he really didn't see much.

Black was padding through Polaris when the strange amalgamation galloped past. He jerked back, blinking, one forepaw in the air and his pendulous ears pricked, watching it race toward--and stop a distance from--the Spire.

His curiousity was piqued; he turned and paced after it. He was normally guarding stones in a nearby den, but it was not currently his turn on watch and he found himself wandering. He had been hoping to run into someone he knew, here, but the stranger struck him as someone on an important mission. Who else would be racing so quickly toward the Spire?

The mastiff's impulsively helpful nature drove him to plod up alongside and behind Shengxiao, and he spoke his his placid, rumbling voice.

"What is it that you seek, here?" he asked. There was no demand in his tone, merely matter-of-fact, amiable curiosity.

________________

@Shengxiao

SHENGXIAO
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When the dog spoke from behind him, Shengxiao skidded to a halt and hopped around with surprise. He had been so invested in the Spire that he hadn't even noticed him! "Oh, hello!" His voice was merry and cheerful and careless - this creature could have been an evil genius for all he cared. The question struck him as odd, though. Did he need to have something to seek? Couldn't he just wander and discover?

He tilted his head, the long ears standing up tall with curiosity. "I seek? I don't know. I'm just here! And I saw this thing. It's big and it makes me feel weird. Do you know what it is?" He turned back towards the giant magic thing and tried to take another step forward but the pressure was too much and he retreated again. "Can you get close to it? Because I certainly can't!" But, as most thoughts failed to do, this didn't deter his spirit at all. In fact, the mere thought of being unable to get close to something excited him even more and he could barely contain his shivers of excitement. "Wow, it's so mysterious and strange. I just want to know what it is!"

@Black

Black listened with furrowed brow, feeling faint amusement at this creature's enthusiasm. It reminded him, in some ways, of his son--kindly and good-natured--but at the same time, far more energetic.

He looked to the Spire, solemnly considering Shengxiao's questions. "Why can you not go near?" he asked, in some confusion. Had the Spire grown more powerful, since last he was here? Memories of Fisher clambering over it, of others racing along its gemstones, ran through his mind. They had never reached the top, no, but he had seen Raheerah nesting on that same pinnacle, and he certainly hadn't seemed bothered. "I have seen others touch it, and climb it. But it is called, the Spire. It holds great magical power, and I know that if you strike it with magic it reacts. I have heard of others struck down by it." Not dead, no--but knocked flat, certainly; spun down to the ground far below.

"It holds the strongest magic in the caves. Though I do not know its purpose. Do you merely wander, creature-of-many-colors?" Black asked. He turned his gaze to Shengxaio, eyeing him over more closely. Glittering scales, slashing black stripes, slender fins, a boar's unmistakeable bristles. And yet, he had never seen anything like him as a whole. "Are you a mix of many things? Do you know how you came to be?" Black's tone again held mild curiosity. Perhaps it knew its parents; perhaps it did not.

That said, he was already mulling over what the parents would have had to have been. A-... boar-tiger-... dog? And a monkey-rabbit-snake, or some such?

That still didn't explain the horns, though... Or the fins. Or that thing atop its head...
________________

@Shengxiao

SHENGXIAO
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Shengxiao looked at the dog with confusion. Really? Others could go near? They weren't stricken by how outrageously powerful this 'Spire' thing was? Even here, a good distance away, the hybrid could feel the amount of energy contained within the crystal-thing as if he were standing next to it. It was like a pressure on his body, specifically his gem and kind of his head as well. He could feel his gem, heavy on his chest and one of his hands came up to touch it, half-expecting it to feel hot. Why did the Spire make him feel this way?

At the mention of others having used magic on it, Sheng couldn't help but feel curious. He could barely believe that it was even possible to get close, much less perform any kind of magic. He had been able to cast a few spells before and was tempted to try again now.

But the dog's other questions distracted him and, for the first time, someone acknowledged his very strange appearance. He looked down at himself, his bright orange arms and black colored hands. His body was maroon colored, he knew, and his tail green but he had never had a look at his face. Did he really look that strange? "Uh, yeah, I guess. I don't really know what else to do. There's a lot to see in these caves after all! Cool things! And wherever I go I meet new friends so its worth it just to wander!" But as for what he was, he had never thought about it before. Scorch, being as young as him at the time, hadn't thought him strange only because he had not seen many other gembounds himself. "I'm not sure, I never thought about it! I hatched in a pretty room with stars but I can't remember anything before that. Should I?"

The curiosity in them got so distracting, however, they couldn't focus on what they were saying. They turned towards the Spire and took a deep breath. They would get close. They would! Steeling himself, he took a step forward and the magical pressure intensified. Trying to ignore it, he took more steps closer, closer and closer, trying to ignore the weight on his chest. Finally, after pushing himself as hard as he could, he found himself right next to it. "Wow," he breathed, reaching out with one hand. He touched the surface of the crystal and tried to focus on his magic. He wanted to see what would happen when he used his own magic on it. While he didn't have any big, grand spells, he had a small one that might be helpful. He attuned himself to the Spire and concentrated on trying to feel as it felt.

Empathy... was not a word such a chaotic force knew.

When the initial creatures were made, they were not made with empathy.

It did not feel, it did not have life of its own, per se; it was the reservoir of many lives, lives that had lived, lives to come—the chaotic life that birthed them all and took their lives away. It was only this. Only chaos.

And so would be Shengxiao.

post-roll
A sudden force of burning hot white-blue magicka erupted from the ground like thin, hungry fingers attaching themselves to the creature's legs and pulling it down to the ground. Harshly. No remorse. Kneel.

Madness surged forth into its mind.

Empathy?

There was only chaos.

Shengxiao has gone illogically insane for 10 cycles! He may start to become confused and fight this about halfway through.

SHENGXIAO
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Whatever Shengxiao had been expecting, it certainly wasn't the sudden burst of magicka to erupt at his feet. He had been expecting some sort of distant feeling, since he was, after all, trying to connect with a rock. But the magic that latched onto his legs stabbed burning hot pain and a sensation beyond anything he could have imagined into his nerves and his brain. His eyes widened, almost popping out of his head as he let out a terrible shriek. The magic forced him to the ground and his strength was suddenly gone, he didn't fight it at all. He simply stared dead ahead as his legs were burned and chaos invaded his mind.

Suddenly his mind was a torrent of nothing, yet everything. Every thought he ever had, every thought to come became tangled and twisted, like an explosion of pollen or water breaking free from a dam. There was no control, no stopper on anything. The chaos of the Spire, of all magic, all life, invaded his very being and he seemed to wipe clean. He was nothing, he was everything. For one instant, one terrible instant, he understood. He was connected, he was magicka itself. But then that moment ended and he was thrust back into his body as if nothing had happened.

With another wild scream, Shengxiao pulled himself back and tugged against the magic. But it was so strong and he was so weak and the world was spinning and tugging and exploding and WOW it was so bright but no it was so dark. Everything was dark! Darkness! Magic!

He slammed into the ground, his head ringing with pain as he hit the rocks in front of the Spire. A patch of blood appeared on his head where he had connected and he groaned from the pain. Fear was running through him more powerfully then anything he had ever experienced before. He started struggling again, but weaker as his body began to get tired from the fighting. "HELP HELP HELP HELP," he started to scream wildly as all of his struggling went in vain. He knew that there was someone (was it a dog?) behind him but he couldn't quite remember. Everything was a little hazy now.

@Black

The Black Dog stood silent, listening attentively, as Shengxiao spoke. He was in no rush to leave. He was in no rush for things to proceed. He simply stood, patient and calm, as if it was his purpose in life to listen to everything the hybrid had to say.

The Many Creature seemed, the Dog noticed, to have issues approaching the Spire. Perhaps it is true? Perhaps it has grown more powerful? He eyed it thoughtfully, but before he could either answer Shenxiao's questions or approach the great crystal himself, there was a flash of magic and the goat hybrid was thrashing on the ground and crying out for help.

Black was immediately alarmed, his ears pricking and his face wrinkling up as he bolted toward him as fast as he could. He barked out, as he ran--"Many! Are you all right?" for in his mind this was the Creature of Many, the Many Creature, and so Many seemed a perfectly reasonable name for it. The fact that it already had a name aside.

He tried to nudge it, to sniff it over, to nuzzle it as if to provide some reassurance--but he could smell nothing wrong, nothing past the sharp and acrid tang of fear, past the metallic reek of blood. He tried to grab Shengxiao by the back of its neck, to drag it quickly back and away, and as he did so his magic was hurtling upward. But what could he cast..? Bringing darkness would not help them. Looking into the past--maybe it would help to understand, but it wouldn't help Shengxiao now! Struggling to haul him backward, Black felt his magic forming into that strange pocket it had done once or twice before.

The magic that did nothing. It would not help him, and it would not help Many. So he simply tried to haul him backward, and hoped--desperately, frantically--for the best.

________________

@Shengxiao

SHENGXIAO
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Shengxiao felt his legs starting to burn and his head started thrashing and rolling about. He felt something attach to his scruff. He glanced back and saw that it was a dog, a massive dog, pitch black in color. He blinked and another streak of terror shot through his system. It was death! Death was here to take him! "No, I don't want to die!" He pulled against the dog's tugging until his skin pulled out of its mouth and he was back to square one - trapped to the ground by the tendrils of magic, dizzy from the chaos that exploded within his mind.

He blinked, trying to reorient himself, starting to feel very very funny. He looked back at the black dog and closed his eyes slowly. He let out a strange humming noise for a second before opening them. His eyes were glazed over and hazy from the magic that was still attached to his legs and he bared his teeth in a grin-like expression. "Oh, you don't look so bad." His voice was slurred and fluxuated strangely. "I didn't know I'd get to meet Death! You don't seem so bad." He slumped forward a bit, barely conscious but his eyes were still fixed on the dog with the strange expression on his face.

@Black

Continued from here.

The ancient mother was panting heavily by the time she reached Polaris, her sides heaving, and she was acutely aware of the bellyache ache born from the crystal bowl bouncing in her pouch as she ran. But it didn't take her long to find what she was looking for; the moment she set foot in Polaris, she could already hear the screams for help.

And help was coming.

Mouth open as she gasped for breath, the old one bustled over to the writhing, screaming child where he lay, gently brushing past the large, black dog standing over in evident confusion. "Sorry, sorry--- excuse me--!" she panted. She bent over the fantastic beast's stricken form, so young, so unfortunate- trapped, pinned, calming steadily but still not wholly there. Wearily, fearfully, she muttered to herself. "Oh dear, oh dear..." She was drooping, shivering slightly from running after so many centuries of stillness, but she wasted no time in scooping the bowl out of her pouch and snatching a rounded pebble from the ground nearby.

He was speaking now, at least. Yes, that was good. He didn't seem angry, either, or afraid.

Her paws worked frantically as she ground the faded yellow petals into the finest powder she could, then scooped in a palmful of brownish, spicy-scented powder which was going to take far too long to clean out of her fur. The mixture was supposed to be an incense, and the mother didn't think that it would be so potent just as is- but it was all she had, for now. Finally, she raised the bowl to her lips, sucked in her breath and blew the whole lot over the young one who'd so foolishly tried to harmonize with pure chaos.

With the bowl powdery, but empty, Bolormaa stepped back, her frantic energy dissipating into a nervous fear as she dropped the bowl into her pouch and clasped her paws across her chest. She watched Shengxiao with bated breath and wide eyes.

Shengxiao will feel a moment of control and the faintest touch of lucidity, just barely enough to free himself from the strange tendrils with little help. The concoction will also help to induce a sense of peace. However, his mind will not be the same. A moment of calm is meaningless in the face of pure chaos.

He will also sneeze, a lot.

@Black @Shengxiao