Omen had arrived first, perhaps unseen or perhaps not--a black fleck high above, circling. Through her single red eye, Giggle saw--fragmented, but she could see figures below: a chase, a confrontation, a stand-off.

She arrived so fast that she kicked up a plume of dust as she stopped, her flanks heaving for breath. Wide, dark eyes took in the scene: Aries and Eythan confronting a large, violet, snake-like creatures with very nasty teeth. Brow knitted.

"What's going on?" she inserted, into a suitable moment of silence. It seemed too important to interrupt--and too important not to. She didn't know Aries very well, but she knew Eythan, and worry flickered through her that unnecessary violence might erupt if not de-escalated quickly. And it wasn't just the stranger's size and teeth that worried her: it was death, unneeded death, on any side.

"Speak, please; without killing, without fighting," she added, trying to sound calm, fear driving her tone to that "mother's authority"--with only the slightest quaver to it to betray her howling adrenaline.

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ROLL THE BONES

Desert circled like a vulture, pointed eyes staring down at the lot of them. Heh. The Opal got itself trapped now, then? "Go for the tail!" He'd shouted as the chase was still on, before anyone had said anything. Its gem was at a weak spot. Cut off that tail and it was gone.

Disappointing, then, that it wanted to talk. But maybe it was following orders of a Master? Doubtful, given the slimy bastard's history in the past trial. His broad wings brought him circling down to the top of the wall the champion was trapped against, trying to grab at it before letting out an unprofessional yet soft squawk as it wobbled. Okay, no, just to the ground, then.

Dinner and a show? This was just getting better. He was tempted to say something, his eyes directly on Opal as he came into view, his tail thumping on the ground he laid down on a fair bit away.

Someone had interrupted, though- such a pity. C'mon, let there be a fight! Grumbling under his breath, Desert bit into the mouse and swallowed down muscle. Might as well keep out of this unless the Opal made another break for it.

Even then, he probably wouldn't do anything unless the Bonebound wanted him to.

(Still skip him unless someone directly calls on him)

Eythan flicked his tail, thinking for a moment before answering Aries, "he should be. He'd be turning to shit if he wasn't in that shell." There was a mild tone of trust me, I've got experience, a flash of stone careening his way and shattering his flesh behind his eyes. Underlying that, there was some degree of worry: would this be counted as failure?

The eel decided to start talking - a wise decision on his part - but only to bite with questions. Every single thing was concerned with Astraea nowadays, it seemed, and Eythan narrowed his eyes yet more and sniped back, "do you know?"

His head turned only minutely to acknowledge Giggle, a quick recap of events given: "Rezik was attacked and went into a chrysalis, and this is the wise guy that did it. Aries and I made sure he couldn't escape and make another attempt." Eythan inhaled, then added in a much softer tone - a forced calm washing over himself, taking cues even as he continued to be tensed and stanced up, "I haven't done too much damage. Only what I had to, promise."

Eythan distantly was aware of the spectator atop the wall, not at all familiar with him. His gaze remained steady on the eel, even as he asked, "what's your name?" He pressed firmly, repeating his prior questions, "why are you after Rezik?"

@Aries

His eyes cut to the hyena, who had just arrived. She seemed nervous when she spoke, but tried to hide it under a tone of authority, insisting that they talk instead of fight. Opal couldn't guarantee her that. Her jaws looked strong.

A shadow overhead caught his third eye and he flicked his eyestalk up to see Desert Rose 35, circling above and followed down him as he tried to land on the fortress spikes before opting for the ground. He had something small and furry in his claw. A mouse perhaps? he hoped he choked on it. For a brief moment, he glanced over to fellow Champion, now enemy perhaps, and shook his head. "That's just great." He mumbled to himself. This was a sensitive matter, and its seemed they were drawing all kinds of unwanted attention. He almost expected Overseer Vargas himself to climb over the wall and leer down at him.

It seemed like they weren't going to jump him anytime soon, and he allowed himself to catch his breath. He might need a second wind to escape this mess. The Opal sat his hindquarters down with the means of resting his "good" leg. He was starting to feel some discomfort in it. The ram must have hit him harder than he thought. He eyestalk rolled back, scanning the bone wall for any climbable paths. He leered at them all, eyes cutting from one gembound to the other, then, finally fixed back on Eythan. This asshole seemed like a smart alec. The Opal dug his metaphorical heels in the ground. "You answer my questions and I'll answer yours." It was simple as that.

Otherwise, they weren't getting squat.

Aries let out an hmph in response. Rezik was alive, but he shared the same concerns as Eythan. Was this a failure. Maybe if they brought the would-be assassin in, Astraea would have mercy.

It wasn't long before Giggle arrived. Aries snorted again, this time out of frustration at her words. He wanted to beat this bastard into a pulp, but he understood what Eythan needed to achieve, and had his back regardless.

However, the strange gembound's words caught his attention. He pricked his ears. How did he know-?

The wings of another gembound caught his attention. A sandy-looking dragon squawked as he tried to land on the top. Aries squinted at him. He looked.. familiar.

"Listen to me."
Thoughts...

TAG: // OOC:

Giggle narrowed her eyes a little as she concentrated, trying to understand what the hell was going on. Stay with him if he runs--but stay very high up and out of sight, she instructed her familiar, with strong mental images of chasing and watching and hiding. She didn't want a repeat of what had happened with Eythan, and whatever was happening, she didn't want them to lose control of it.

"I think I arrived too late to hear your questions. I am Giggle, we are Bonebound, we were told to keep Rezik safe. You attacked him. That might get some of us killed," she told him plainly. No reason to jump to aggression when facts, for now, would do. "Why?"

She cast her mind out even as she asked, magicka surging at her call. It was enough to open a link between herself and Opal; enough to try and hear his thoughts, should he hide them with his words--or lack thereof. She peered at whatever lay within--metaphorically, at least--and sought her answers directly from the source.

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ROLL THE BONES

@Opal Three-Seven-Six

There had been voices - the voices of his family, and a sharp call from his brother.

Aure arrived belatedly - in a surprisingly calm (maybe tired) hurry - but still assessed the situation as he would have if he'd been completely on time. His Bonebound had some strange manner of creature cornered by a wall. Eythan and Aries were posturing, but keeping a respectable distance. His mother had shown up on the scene and taken charge.

There was no need to pile on, so the Bone King peered up at Desert for only a moment, considering interjecting into his mind. No - the fox-dragon hadn't appreciated it the first time, and Aure respected boundaries. Bright eyes fell back upon the eel-creature, waiting for whatever answer he had for them.

What was that smell - and why was it so familiar?

The Opal's thoughts were quick, buzzing like bees, and sharp an eagle's talon. He noted small details about them, possible strengths, weakness, and filed them away, played out scenarios. He wanted to escape, bit it was difficult to tell excactlyhow he wanted to do it. It was like watching future shift, but calculated and short-termed. If Giggled focused more, she would notice that he was not alone. There was a backdrop of other thoughts not entirely his own, all seemingly interconnected.

Then, his attention focused on her. Her questioned provoked different thoughts, feelings. "Because he's a threat." Opal hissed. Disgust- at Rezik. Shock. Concern - for the Bonebound. A sliver of guilt, although he did not show it. Memories, as if borrowed from someone else, bloomed up. Rezik, arrogant, prideful, apathetic, leaving behind a dying gembound- he hadn't done, but he facilitated it. This angered the Opal. It was an anger that was very old, like a rotten, festering wound, and reached unfathomable depths. It was as if Rezik himself has caused every hardship in his life, but it was missed place. Rezik was only a stepping stone. "Rezik has blood on his hooves. Good, gembound blood-." Gembound. It was a word he but adopted for himself. It meant something important to him; to live free. "-and he'll spill even more, unless he's dead. You're ensuring your own destruction by protecting him."

Images of Hydra flashed in his mind, the Trials, many Giggle would not recognize, all brutal, but the vivid memory of Vinne struggling against and Eyehook would stand out. It was graphic, as he was still alive when it tore open his chest. Blood soaked the sand. The Opal had not cared then, but now he did.

@Giggle @Eythan (Skip over Aries)

Giggle winced, slightly. The rest of it aside, the imagery of Vinnie had been... graphic, yes. She hadn't expected that, of all things. But the rest, after a brief moment's mulling, confused her. There was a swathe of emotions, yes; Opal was torn, and deeply emotionally troubled--perhaps even anguished.

But for a moment-... For a moment, there had been others. There still were, she realized. Her brow drew down in confusion and concentration both, and she struggled to keep the link alive. She started to simply blurt 'why do you have voices in your head,' and realized that'd alert him to her ability. May as well play up the mystic shit, she thought. When she was younger, she'd often put a showy flair to her fortune-telling, with flamboyant body language and mildly ridiculous language. She was out of practice, but it seemed to suit the situation.

Though her caution and alarm both showed in her voice, she put on a showy overtone, overdramatic, as if she might swoon with some insane, otherworldly power any moment. Those who knew her well would probably wonder what the hell she'd plucked out of her garden and eaten that day.

"I see-!" she cried; "I see many, in the one." She realized how absolutely ridiculous she sounded, but she was studying Opal, hoping his thoughts might--in a panic, or the like--flash to what the hell had caused this. Or maybe the other voices would clamor up, and she could identify them; she'd never seen anything like this, before.

The ragged hyena staggered a pace forward, swaying theatrically. Her voice grew louder. "Why do you carry the voices of others-! You are troubled--yes--you feel for us..." Going a little fuckin' ham there, Giggs, tone it down-- "-But you are not alone?! Deaths lie on your conscience! In your memory! Blood and feathers lie around you--I see them--is it ghosts that haunt you?" The embellishment was, really, way overboard, and she knew it.

She threw a brief, sidelong (if still somewhat crazed-looking) glance at Aure, wondering if he'd catch on that something was up. Or rather--of course he would, she was stating it; but would he know that this was an act?

Would anything useful even come of it? It had better, she thought grimly, because I feel fucking stupid right now.

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ROLL THE BONES

@Aure (Eythan?)

The champion had certainly turned some heads when he approached, and he simply kept on chewing down his meal. Who was this Rezik? There was something to do with him- ah. The masters wills? An odd game was afoot.

His ears flicked back, and he nodded to Aure when he came in the corner of his eye. Looking between them all, he decided he might as well wave over the wyvern to clue him into what he'd missed. As the so-called king he should know what was going on in his cave.

While he had no stakes in this, Desert felt a certain unease about the Opal's air. There was something different about him, something the dragon noticed- his personality was different. Had these recent Gembounds really infected his mind that badly? He wanted to goad, he did- but he didn't want the Bonebound themselves turning on him.

So he sat as polite as he could, chewing into his mouse and flicking it to the side once he got his fill. Giggle certainly set a first impression, that was for sure. His head curled back as though she wasn't just accosting his ears but his sense of self, as well, but his face held nothing but measured interest at the odd being. Magic must be at play, here.

(i guess i'm jumping in here)