From the day we arrive on this planetAnd blinking, step into the sun

And so their Pride, their Pack, their Herd - whatever a group of Gembounds as strange as theirs could be called, wandered into the ruins. The cheetah kept to the lead, ears twitching between Dread and the others behind him. As he walked, he made sure to check back over his shoulder, to make certain that everyone was still there. The ram with the gimp leg, the little red fox, the massive dragon, the serval.

When they arrived before the pool of shadows, the Cheetah strode forward to stand beside Aries. His proud posture came to him as naturally as breathing - shoulders back, head high. Sparks danced along his fur, providing the slightest bit of light to make him stand out against the shadows.

"Whoever you are, come out. If you need help, we are here to grant it. If you seek to harm anyone, we are here to stop you."

"Speech looks like this."
Thoughts look like this.

There's more to see than can ever be seenMore to do than can ever be done

IN NIGHTMARES

YOU'VE ENCOUNTERED: THE DREAMSTALKER

THE DREAMSTALKER

100 / 100 HP    100%

It seemed to grow sharply cold, the Gembound nearing the shadows able to see their breath on the air. The darkness remained still, for a beat--and it was clear whatever was within, was for some reason facing away. Whispers filled the ears of those present, incoherent but intense.

As Aries stepped forth the shadows seemed to turn, swarming, to face him, and then to pause. Perhaps the being had not expected those behind him, too. The coalescing darkness abruptly moved toward the ram, in a strange, swift glide--only to stop as fire streamed down. The dragon's flame--thin as it was--seemed to briefly disperse the shadows, enough for the creature within to be seen.

It was eight feet tall, almost like a centaur in shape--hooved and quadrupedal--and dark in color. A strange, simple mask adorned its face, with an eerie smile. Two arms, each tipped with three wicked black claws, raised in self-defense as the strange mask tilted at an impossible angle to face Dread above.

Those to the sides can now see the tentacles writhing behind the mask.

A single urgent whisper, in a different voice, cuts through the rest.


R̨̻ͧ̉̄͘ͅU̒̄̏̉͠͏̰̗͈̣N̲ͥ͒͐͋͞

Aries 100/100

Dread 100/100

Greed 100/100

Miru 100/100

Reign 100/100

Zevruu 100/100

@Aries @Dread @Greed @Miru @Reign @Zevruu

From the day we arrive on this planetAnd blinking, step into the sun

With every breath, Reign could see the air in front of him fill with ice-crystals. The shadows, it seemed, were sentient, as they whirled to face him and Aries as they approached.

But Dread's flames cleared away the shadows long enough that they could see what was inside. It was centaur-like, quadrupedal but with a head atop a rising torso. His mantle stood on end at the sight of its mask, and tentacles, and claws. This was not natural.

"Miru, Zevruu," he called to the two, without looking away from the monster, "Stay behind me." With that, his gem-crown glowed, and he spat a static-charged hairball at the monster.

@Aries @Miru @Zevruu @Dread

"Speech looks like this."
Thoughts look like this.

There's more to see than can ever be seenMore to do than can ever be done

Reseda followed the others into the ruins and found herself quite annoyed by the others' blatent ignorance of everything she had just said. She had specifically said "be careful" and "don't let it see us" but they had, of course, decided to walk right on in. And even try to light the road! Idiots, all of them.

But she wasn't going to turn around because she was surrounded by idiots. No, she followed them in and stayed behind them. If they were going to summon the wrath of the shadow monster-thing, she wasn't going to be the one to take the fall.

But she seemed to get separated from them. The darkness was heavy around her and even with her flickering tongue, she couldn't find her way. So she kept moving, at a brisk pace, wanting to get those over with quickly. It seemed that any careful planning was out the window now, thanks to all of the morons she had the misfortune to be exploring with.

But then they were all together again and the creature was before them, emerging form the shadows rent by the dragon. She sighed. Of course, there was no sneaking up. So instead, she did the next best thing. She reached forward with her mind and tried to connect to the monster. Tried to read it and understand what it was. She wanted to know what this was and why they were here and what they would do.

Aries pinned his ears at the rising chorus of garbled whispers cascading through his head and let out an impatient huff. His breath billowed like smoke in chilled air. The darkness writhed with an unnatural gracefullness, Aries felt his nerves quake, but with Reign's bold presence beside him, he steeled himself for a fight.

Suddenly, the darkness lunged straight for him. Finally! Aries dug his hooves in the ground and held his thick skull out like a shield to brace for impact. As the shadowy figure rushed towards him, he held his ground like a bastion, golden eyes glaring, craving for action. Then, a streak of blistering flames shot down above him and cut off the figure's attack, sparing him. Aries blinked as the shadowy tendrils rolled over him and glanced up at Dread with appreciation before returning his gaze to the enemy before him.

The thing had taken form, and it was unlike any gembound he had ever seen. He could not even began to imagine how such a horror could exist. Aries furrowed his brow at the 8ft creature towering over him. There is no going back now. He heard its voice cut through his head.

Run.

Aries stood tall. "No. Never again."

As soon as Reign hurled an eletroball at the dark creature, Aries lunged forward, shouting a war cry as he bravely charged, horns forward, ready to bash. Despite his leg, he hurled himself is at the Dreamstalker with every fiber of his being. He had been pent up way too long, wallowing in self pity. Now, it was time to shine.

"Listen to me."
Thoughts...

TAG: // OOC:

Though the large cat warned her to stay back Miru could not comply. Eyes of the thinker and crown of ancient life, no doubt overly cautious in nature. The small fox was weak compared to the others, yes, but both retreat and sloth would likely lead to death. Despite the danger swarming as one was the only path she could see. She just had to figure out what it was she might be able to do.

If only her magic were as powerful as that held by the others she might have been able to help fend off the foe. Was light all she could contribute? Once more Miru reached deep within, but this time the magic responded very oddly. Like a bulb with broken glass it refused to illuminate her coat as it had before, but the filament was still hot. Through the crisis that dampened magic flared up and began to manifest in new ways. Her paws, her ears, her tail, they all began to glow with a radiant heat. Painful, uncomfortable, but even with this new spell the fox instinctually knew the discomfort would be nothing compared to damage they could do when wielded properly.

"Never again!" she echoed Aries as the regal cat's spell flew. With small form and low stance Miru bolted right behind the electrical ball of light. With featherweight frame and powerful legs she kicked herself high into the air to try to pounce the figure with paws and tail extended like torches.

Headlong into the phantasm of darkness. she thought as she trailed right behind the launched spell right on track to impact in time with the great ram. An ear-splitting vulpine scream roared out from her throat as her target and possible demise inched closer with each fragment of a second. Even if it may mean my death, this is how I am meant to live.

---

Though my thoughts are my own
"This is my greatest tool to hone"
Tags:

Dread leapt from his ledge with a roar. A faint thread of fear sparked a surge of resultant rage, his aggressive nature prompting him to try and just extinguish the source of it.

Leathery wings beat powerfully as he lifted slightly higher, hopefully well out of reach. The strange, simple face stared back at him, and Dread lashed his tail, catlike, as he chose to rise just a few more yards.

Just in case.

Another inhale, another sense of guttering embers. Another wave of superheated flame rushing up his gullet, along with a sense of savage satisfaction. Down and out it broke, this time a magnificent plume, scorching down with the aim of utterly engulfing the fiend--and, hopefully, not Aries. Though at the moment, Dread was so focused on this Dreamstalker that he no longer truly noticed the others.

As the last of the flamethrower blast finally died away, the dragon arched his muscular neck and let out another roar--a primal shrieking bellow, a posturing, as his spines all erected like hackles on a dog. He wanted to chase this thing away--he wanted to destroy it. He didn't want it to hurt him.

@Zevruu

Zevruu narrowed his eyes as the creature, finally, was revealed. Tall, taller than anything he could recall seeing - how tall was the Blacksmith? he couldn't remember - it towered over them. He scowled at the sight, especially as those around him rushed into battle, often with spells.

What could he do? He didn't have any offensive spells. Light wouldn't do much, not with the smothering darkness that encased the creature, even if it had been dispersed enough to allow them to see it. But he couldn't just stand here, he had to do something!

He let out a growl and before he could give a second thought to his actions and whether or not they were really a good idea, he leaped forward, claws out and teeth bared.

"Speech" l 'Thoughts'

IN NIGHTMARES

Reseda's mind reached out. To her, all else would slow, cold, as if taking place in another world. The colors of this one would seem to fade, empty. It was as if nothing here mattered. It was transient. Dead. Those near her were but brief sparks, meaningless and with no place in the long and empty dark. Garbled speech flooded her consciousness, a nonstop, maddening rant that seemed as loud to her mind as thunder to the ears--and with it, sensations. Hunger, intense and savage enough to drive all else from the mind. Cunning sadism, as if the pain and fear of those around appeased that starvation. Twined into it all, wrapped in sinuous mind-tendrils of slick black, was a sensation of otherness--this creature was wholly unnatural. Or was it Reseda who was unnatural..? Perhaps this darkness, this depth of nothing, was what was true. These sensations are incredibly intense, even overwhelming.

"THE LUMBERING ANIMATA CORPORA HAD NO NAME AND HAD NOT BEEN DISCOVERED AS IT WAS NOT THAT OF A GOD CHISELLED BY THE FACT OF THEIR OWN FOOD FROM THE STARS SHONE WANLY HAD I HEARD HIM TELLING ME I CANNOT DO BETTER THAN QUOTE THE TEXT CUT MALUS PUTRID NIE DEAD WAS DARKLY MYSTERIOUS RATHER THAN GIVE IT IN THE DARK SHIP FROM COLD AND TWILIGHT SUSCITAT MORTUOS WHO ARE THE NAMELESS LARVAE OF THE GREAT ONES THEMSELVES ARE NOT UNREPRESENTED AND THE REVERSUS AB VIRA WERE NOT THERE IT WAS A GREAT BLACK STONE A DECIPHERING WHICH MIGHT POSSESS THE MOST DISTURBING OF ALL THIS WHILE THE DARK SHIP STEERED FOR TATTERED FOR SOLUM OCULI AND THE OTHER GODS AND THE COLD WASTE AND VULTUS COMEDAT CEREBELLA VIVENTIUM AND IT WAS NOT MUCH TO MY SECONDARY PURPOSE IN ADDRESSING YOU NAMELY TO URGE YOU TO SEEK THAT ANTEDILUVIAN DUSK-CITY WHICH IS YOURS NO POWER OR HABITATION ELSEWHERE--"

As her mind wallows in this--and perhaps breaks free, should she will it--it will be difficult to focus once more on reality, the colors only gradually seeming to return. Reseda may find that in the future, these feelings return to her, unbidden: hopelessness. Despair. Hunger. Yet somehow, her cold nature will provide safe harbor to the sensations of cold otherness, which may affect her personality or sanity over time, depending on how strongly she dwells upon it.

__________

ENGAGED: THE DREAMSTALKER

As the dragon inhaled his breath, Aries charged. His bulk hurtled horns-first into the strange figure, his thick skull crashing into the equine-looking body with a squelch, with a strange lack of resistance. It was as if the thing had no bones--and Aries felt something break within it, something wet and fragile that gave and popped at his impact.

Miru's paws struck next, and wherever they touched, the flesh seemed to give--the smoldering odor horrifically strong.

Zevruu would find that the flesh, too, was strangely wet and easy to tear--as if long-rotted, coming apart in his claws and in his teeth. The taste in his maw was unfathomably horrific--not unlike long-putrefied carrion left to rot in its own fluids.

It was then that the flame billowed down from above, engulfing the Dreamstalker almost wholly, bathing it in orange fire. The smoke billowed up black and thick, the rancid odor stronger now, burning hair and flesh and bone as the now-flaming thing flailed backward.

The Dreamstalker screeched at the combined assault, stumbling, the sound an ear-splitting echoing sound that assaulted the minds of all present--possibly Reseda doubly so, if her mind-link remained open at this point. Sensations of churning darkness, visions of unfathomable horror--beings consuming one another alive in a boiling black abyss--terror and hatred and fear. These filled the minds of its attackers, screaming and destructive. In self-defense, it swiped its talons at those before it--at the savage little fox that was charring its flesh with burning paws, at the ram with its massive horns, and at the brave, or foolish, spotted little cat that was tearing at it. The talons were long--sharp and thick and murderous. They were killing claws, and no mistake.

THE DREAMSTALKER

48 / 100 HP

Aries 100/100

Dread 100/100

Greed 90/100

Miru 100/100

Reign 100/100

Zevruu 100/100

Reseda takes 10 damage from her mental link with the Dreamstalker.

Dreamstalker takes 52 damage from the combined attacks of Aries, Zevruu, Miru, and Dread.

Dreamstalker is now on fire.

@Aries @Dread @Greed @Miru @Zevruu

The connection that Reseda forged between herself and the creature was a mistake and she knew it from the first threads of thought that passed from their mind to hers. The world melted away, the colors of everything faded and it was just her, her and the monster, or perhaps she was the monster. Perhaps everyone was a monster. Perhaps there was nothing. It was like floating in darkness with brief sparks and snaps coming to life around her and dying without meaning. And the darkness penetrated her and filled her with something new. Something with meaning. Feelings. Sensations. So alien and unnatural to her, who had never been capable of such things, that it was overwhelming her every sense. She felt the twisted pleasure of inflicting pain. She felt the need to cause more, the only familiar thing, the hollow hunger within for more. More. MORE.

Reseda's body, her cold eyes dark with starvation, snarled savagely. It was a sound she had never uttered before and may never utter again, if she manages to leave this state of mind. She was connected to them for such a brief time before the rational side of her began to break free. This was a mistake. This was wrong. She should not have done this, she should not have dared. The hunger, the hopelessness, the despair. The anger, the greed, the sadistic darkness, it was destroying her from the inside out. She could not escape, she could never escape.

But the rational part of her mind, the cold Reseda within, the stubborn lizard who could feel nothing, she pulled away. And in her desperation for a cut of the link, magic was released from her body with a long moan from her throat. A pulse of energy burst from her body in all directions, but most focused in the direction of the creature, the monster, to break the connection between them. And it worked, but perhaps it knocked anyone around her out of the way as well, on accident.

As the world returned, color faded back in, Reseda felt the feelings slip from her mind and she staggered, panting heavily as if she had just run a long way. She had never been through anything like that before. She had never felt anything like that before. She had never felt before, besides the inklings of fear, and, for the first time in her life, Reseda was uneasy.