Children moved about him and he could hear another rustling in the trees, but his attention remained on the cloaked wolf. As she described it, his eyes narrowed; and his own ears twitched uncomfortably. It did indeed, then, sound like Dawa's key.

"I see," finally came his voice. She mentioned earlier she was asking about something important but perhaps she really knew nothing about it at all. "I believe I know which orb you are speaking of," he answered, watching her carefully. "Where did you find it?" They had all been guarded by someone, and since Dawa had died, he could not find her key. He assumed it had been stolen but could not trace it, nor could he trace Raheerah's.

@Kin-Kin @Rift

Where did she find it?

Kin-Kin's ears twitched. "The... Light Sprite had it," she said simply, but vaguely. Thinking back to Black's words, she was certain it would be unwise to give all of the details. She flicked her tail before curling it around a haunch. "We've hidden it away. Where isn't important, but it's being guarded if that's what you're worried about. I'd imagine something like that to be... important, somehow."

The fact that Astraea knew it... only solidified Kin-Kin's suspicion. What was it? What was it for? "So... is it?" She shifted her weight, changing the position of her forepaws. Her ears twitched slightly to the sounds of the world around them- sensing that their conversation was drawing eyes. But perhaps, the extra pressure on Astraea was a good thing.

"What do you know about the Orb?"

" speech "

@Rift

The 'Light Sprite' had it. It made Astraea feel sick to think Nemean might have discovered the keys, but in any case, Kin-Kin ensured that it was in a safe place now and being guarded. He did not know the circumstances but it sounded like Nemean had not been aware of what she had.

They both seemed to be speaking to each other through guarded teeth. It made his lips twitch into a grin; it seemed not all of his Gembounds were the same. Good, then.

"I know everything about it," he answered vaguely; except its location, he thought to himself. "I am glad to know you have retrieved it from Nemean; for that, I thank you. Yes, it is important."

He decided to offer a bit of information to see if he might gain some himself. "There are three others, somewhat like it," he said quietly. "They each belong to someone. The guardian of the purple one is dead, and so, it fell into myth; likewise, there is an orange one whose master is—is, missing." He could not reveal Raheerah's location. "There is also a blue one," Astraea continued, pausing as a fungal carpet bloomed beneath him; before him, exposed in a bed of mixed, dense mushrooms: "and a red one." His eyes remained on Kin-Kin the entire time.

It had a subtle glow but was guarded by the fungal growth under Astraea's command, illuminating weakly from the grasps of his magic.

"It would be wise of you to return the other," he warned. "In its masters absence, I will look after it." He wondered then what the caped wolf might do. Did she actually know what they were for, and was she looking to collect all of them? Or would she return an unknown object back to him, relieving it into his care?

Discovered: Astraea's Key
Notice! The orb Astraea has is heavily poisonous!! Any attempts to touch it may severely poison your characters. If you attempt to touch the orb you must roll Other to see how badly your character may have been poisoned; the effects of the poison are up to you, but always include very bad hallucinations.

* The orb is about 2-3ft in circumference.

@Kin-Kin

So, the orbs were important. But the Stag didn't say why they were important, so the she-wolf was scarcely satisfied. She swished her tail, but bowed her head in polite acknowledgement. "That's all good, but... What are they?" She held her ground as fungi bloomed from the ground at the stag's feet and between them. Her hackles rose further; although they were still hidden beneath her cloak, allowing her to maintain the perfect facade of calm. The growing fungi came close- too close- some tiny heads emerging from the ground almost beneath her paws. Still she stood, coolly meeting Astraea's gaze.

She listened, ears perked, as his answers only brewed more questions. Even as the red orb was presented, the wolf didn't look down, glancing away only for a split moment, then back up towards the ancient stag. "No offense, but... I barely know you. If it's important, I'd rather leave it with someone I trust." She breathed out, and allowed herself to smile wryly. "For now, I'm keeping it."

She winked, a subtle effort to lighten the mood. "But... perhaps if I knew more, you'd be able to change my mind."

" speech "

It boiled his blood the way she refused him, as if she should actually be the keeper of something so important. Change her mind? He could take it from her if he truly wanted to. His long ears flicked in agitation and he snorted through his nostrils.

"That is fine if you do not know me," he began. "I am Astraea, father of the creatures within the cave; I am not alone in my creation. Tell me," his said, his tone growing colder, "do you know much of Nemean? Do you think she would truly give you such a gift, if it were a gift?" He tossed his head back. "She knows only tricks and traps. To think you are still alive, what a wonder," the stag groaned, but knew Nemean wouldn't want something that caused harm to her. If she didn't know what it was, then it was typical she would get rid of it under the notion it might be something special.

"It is not something I can tell you about," Astraea said firmly. "But I can tell you that it is a key to an important location, locked for a reason." His eyes fell to rest on his own key, emerged from the hidden depths of his magic and body. "I fear if someone were to collect them, they may be fooled into opening a terrible mistake," breathed the stag, his voice lowering. The fungi receded back to him, closing itself over the red key and pulling it back into the ground. "You could not protect it from someone bigger, stronger than you," he warned dangerously, his red eyes lifting slowly to meet hers. It was a threat, but he still did not know the location of the key this Gembound had.

@Kin-Kin

Kin-Kin's ears perked; she couldn't resist a small smile as she almost felt the stag's agitation growing. But so long as he didn't know where the orb was kept, Kin-Kin had the upper hand. She wasn't about to give that up. "It wasn't a gift," she said simply, strategically choosing to ignore his words of being a father to the creatures in the cave. "She was taken from it unwillingly by Batcat, so we hid it in her absence."

Her ears pricked further as the stag continued. A key? Kin-Kin felt her interest growing. "Wouldn't the best way to prevent someone making that terrible mistake be to tell them what exactly that mistake is?" she reasoned coolly. "For example... If the first kid to die from eating poisonous berries had known they were poisonous, maybe they wouldn't have died."

Kin-Kin watched as the fungi recovered the orb and pulled it back into the earth. At the deer's thinly-veiled threat, a smile spread across her muzzle. Without looking at Astraea, she chuckled drily, and then raised her head and met his gaze. "Try me," she said, with a glitter in her eye. "I've been dying for a challenge."


" speech "

in amongst the trees you wait

[ boss encounter: astraea ]

ASTRAEA

the virgo master, reawakened

astraea

the virgo master, reawakened; "deer dad"

1000 / 1000 HP    100%

He grunted and smirked. "No," he disagreed. "It might make those curious to danger more likely to test it," Astraea argued. "And eating poisonous berries sounds like a very good lesson in not to eat poisonous berries." His hoof pressed into the ground. "We can only hope they remember it upon waking."

But her challenge was foolish. He raised his head to cast his glance down at her. "You have many great accomplishments in these caves, Moonstone. For one who speaks of warnings of death, then you should be warned: if you have been dying for a challenge, then die for one you will."

And he waited, firmly standing his ground, daring her to throw the first punch.

GEMBOUNDS

character stats and info

kin-kin 100/100

[ ACTION LOG ]

> ASTRAEA accepts KIN-KIN's challenge.

Kin-Kin snorted softly, although it was a sound of amusement. "Some kids, I suppose. But if ya think everyone will, ya've got some hella low expectations," she noted, with a slight cock of her head, eyes glittering. As the stag continued, she simply listened, and watched, and waited.

She grinned wolfishly as the stag spoke of her many accomplishments in the cave, her glow brightening slightly, as pride radiated from her in waves. "Oh, you've heard of those, have you?" she drawled, raising herself up just a little higher. "...That's a shame. I'd hoped to surprise you." She offered another wink.

"...And the name's Kin-Kin. Try not to wear it out. "

She took note of the stag's firm stance, the way he looked down at her, expecting her to make the first move. Her ears twitched then, as she thought back to the other two canines guarding the orb back in Polaris, waiting for her return; and she had information to give them. Not all of the information, but information nontheless. But still... she had said the word. She couldn't back out now. She felt the hairs along her back rising, adrenaline running hot through her blood.

Perhaps... perhaps she could test him. Lay down a couple of moves, and then disappear into the dark. She was, after all, a master of her craft.

Kin-Kin gave no indication of her thoughts, standing still with all four paws squared, barely bowing her head, and not lifting her tail. There was no sign of aggression, no sign of being about to attack. Her glow barely flickered brighter for a moment, the only sign that she'd given of her magic working, and then failing.

She hesitated, gaze meeting Astraea's intense gaze with an even stare. "Your move," she murmured, as though she'd never given magic a thought.

" speech "

in amongst the trees you wait

[ boss encounter: astraea ]

ASTRAEA

the virgo master, reawakened

astraea

the virgo master, reawakened; "deer dad"

1000 / 1000 HP    100%

Oh, he knew her name, just as he did indeed know of her exploits as a magic caster. Self-proclaimed Demigod, Champion of Magic, ugh. He rolled his eyes at the thought that she might have something left up her sleeve to surprise him with. He waited. Astraea was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt and let her show off, but his ear flicked as he waited. There was a brief shimmer across her stone and then nothing, but he had felt it. He was sensitive to the magic within the cave, and he could not hide the smile that tugged at the corner of his lip.

"Oh, is it?" he teased. "I'll let you try again, Champion. If you think you can..." Short tail twitched with aggravation that they would waste time like this. She did not seem keen on divulging information to him and he was not keen on rambling back and forth to each other.

GEMBOUNDS

character stats and info

kin-kin 100/100

[ ACTION LOG ]

> ASTRAEA taunts KIN-KIN.
> KIN-KIN attempts Blinding Beam, but it fails.

> ASTRAEA accepts KIN-KIN's challenge.

"Speech."

Kin-Kin's ears scarcely twitched, but they swivelled back, her eyes scarcely narrowing, her tail slightly raising. Hidden beneath her cloak, her hackles further rose. So he had noticed. "That's right," she said coolly, albeit through slightly gritted teeth. She didn't reply to the jab, simply set her focus and breathed evenly.

This time.

This time for certain.

Her pride was on the line in a way that it never had been before. Well... Except, perhaps, the magic competition. But that opportunity had long past. The focus worked. She felt power surging through her fur, her gem lighting up with a white light and the fur across her body lighting up gold. The trees around them became gilded in the sudden brightnes radiating from her, and every shadow was suddenly intensified, becoming as black as night.

For suddenly she lit up as the sun beyond the cave walls, blindingly, piercingly bright.

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OOC/Side Notes: N/A