The kraken came out of literally nowhere, barreling toward them at a breakneck speed. Whale wouldn't have been able to dodge it even if she'd wanted to, but she was definitely not moving out of the way if it meant she couldn't block the kraken from those swimming behind her.

She only had a split second to brace for impact, which she did with a wince of sympathy for Blight. Was anything broken? A rib, a femur? Whale counted herself lucky that she was built more solidly than the dragon, with fewer sinuous limbs full of barely-protected bones. Hopefully, this wouldn't kill her.

Whale rolled successfully last round to defend the group against any incoming attack.

There was silence- collected as no words were shared through the link- if only for a moment; it still felt heavy. Hestia watched as gembounds went on before her, she had stayed back- still listening to the new and interesting arrival- who spoke of a Kraken- and also something about brains? The link grew loud with chatter, words themselves sounding as if underwater she couldn't help but focus on the possibility of a Kraken... a fight...

It would be fine she was sure of it- if anything they had numbers on their side. But still she wondered- curiosity laced with fear deep beneath her skin- like goosebumps it coated her, but she kept calm. Slowly following the gembonds and watching as they went ever onward before her through the doors. More chatter crossed her mind and she remained silent till the Kraken no doubt came right to them. She could barely make it out- watching as it crashed into others up ahead. They were under attack. And suddenly that groggy fog of chatter grew clear and ever louder as if the lid had popped off.

She was bombarded with emotions from every end. Anger and curiosity laced with an edge of panic. She inhaled- deeply trying to gain a grip on the situation- but what was she to do!? She would not rush to the front- not yet; not while she held a companion upon her back who had no inkling on getting closer. Though...where-did it go? Wasn't it- just up ahead...perhaps she couldn't see it in such low light...

It didn't matter- but one thought rang out clear when someone yelled through the link- set a trap. Eyes flickering she located a snow leopards amongst a few others nearby- perhaps one of them?- Though a dragon seemed to be their priority- the poor thing in panic and distress- their own element turning on them in an inopportune time. Hestia thought maybe she could damped the water more- something to help provide cover?

Only she grew cold- confusion rose and a bit of panic too boot-was this the dragon's doing? Confusion on this matter grew- but soon optimistic excitement took it's place as it caused her no harm. Ice shimmered up her legs. No this couldn't be an accidental miscast- this was her own magic! Doing her best and the only thing she could do at this current moment was try to apply a trap near the door's entrance and edge. Spikes and rather large- perhaps this would help; such traps worked well on land so perhaps this would as well? Maybe even provide cover should anyone retreat from the main battle stage.

I-I don't know exactly what I'm doing but-this should suffice!? A trap for the Kraken-whenever it comes back!?

She rang out through the link, hoping if anyone desired to add upon or use it to their advantage that they just might.

I have some-of the gel from the nice Fox! If anyone can or may use it against that THING! Or themselves!

ATTEMPT: Create a glacial spike trap (Barely Successful)
DEFENSE: Outside the door (wasn't in the group that got smashed)
INJURIES: N/A
(20hp/20hp)


(oof typing this was rough due to now internet at house. Sorry for the rough and scattered reply gfnksgfg

Hestia is attempting to offer a trap of sorts against the Kraken with ice. As well as offer gel both of healing and offensive to use against the Kraken and those who may need it from being damaged.)

Discussion had been alive and thriving, some readily adding their concerns to the growing pool of ideas while others took the situation in stride and passed through to the other side of the doors. Though it couldn't be told by his expressionless face, the communication he'd spurred took him by surprise, and when the Gembound that'd provided him with light during the search once more swam close, their own ideas in tow, a sort of satisfaction settled inside his bones. It started a spark of warmth that was doused in barely the space of time an eye could blink.

For the entire talk, he hadn't caught any new disturbances. Perhaps the fault lay with him, attention split between the others and what might exist besides that creature they'd met in the chamber ahead. Regardless, water rushed, at first in the darkness and then against his skull. His throat clenched. Words rose to mind but did not broadcast, intent cut off by the incoming shockwaves. Middle of the pack, not yet gone beyond the door, the impact might not have been as terrible as for those already entered. Still, hit square in the chest by such force, Fahl could scarcely believe he continued to breathe.

Recovering, his first audible thought encapsulated the entire experience: 'Shit.'

Already claws reached to pry at his armband, pinching what should have been the dark pouch and dragging out it out from the metal that held it in place. As he opened the leaves to access its contents, his orders to the bridle-wearing partner flew fast and heavy. 'We can't do the most damage, but quick cuts should still hurt. Here.' One paw having scooped a portion of the gel balls within, the pouch was offered with the other, in case Garnet-Epsilon needed it. 'I'll try a quick swim by. See if I can pack wounds with this.' Whether taken of or not, the pouch was closed up and hastily shoved beneath the armband again. 'Either of us is hurt badly, fall back and regroup.'

Legs kicking back, Fahl thrust himself into the opening as well as the fray. All his claws were prepared to shred flesh except for one—a front set held a mixture of black and pink gel balls, designated for extra offense.

Fahl has offered @Garnet-Epsilon some offensive gel from his dark pouch. He is also attempting to quickly swim by the Kraken to cut and expose it to poison and hallucinogens.

Bedlam's lips pulled back from a mouthful of needle-sharp teeth. Great, everyone heard that. Blood rushed to its face, giving it a greenish blush: thank god words spoken through the mental link were anonymous. Blight didn't know who it was, and neither did the other dragons. Which, judging from their hissing aggression, was very lucky for it. It definitely couldn't outfight all of them, charmed two-headed bodyguard or no.

Although... maybe if the kraken managed to kill one of them, it could go in later and take a peek into one's skull with no risk to itself... NO, Squeaky! It was NOT thinking about dissecting brains again when anyone could be listening in!

It was unfortunate that Blight seemed to be even more enthusiastic about entering the kraken's lair after hearing its thoughts. In a way, it'd probably done the opposite of what it's intended. Face wrinkled into a frown, Bedlam lingered at the entrance. Let's let the self-sacrificing idiots big Gembound who can fight go in first. Their claws were longer and deadlier than its, anyway, and it definitely wasn't risking a kraken for anyone. It could always help from a distance.

Its reluctance to follow proved wise when a dark shape came barreling at the advance group of idiots questers, smashing into them with amazing force. This was even bigger than it had expected—it didn't even wonder whether a dragon skull had been cracked open yet, overcome with horror and worry for Blight. It was tempted for a moment simply to unleash the most powerful magic it could, but even its vision wasn't perfect down here (it had already lost track of the kraken—how had it just disappeared into nowhere?!), and it certainly didn't have very good control over its magic. Whatever if it hit the others, but Blight? Blight had been nice to it, and besides, it still felt a little bad about the stray thoughts.

It restrained itself for now, despite the urge to simply warp everything into the seventeenth dimension. None of its magic was particularly helpful in close quarters, but it couldn't just not do anything. Baring its teeth, it lobbed a sparkling banana into the cave. True, it didn't travel very far underwater... but it was shiny and yellow, and hoping that it could act as a good bait was better than nothing.

Bedlam lingers near the entrance and attempts to throw in a banana as kraken bait.

Hunter realized almost a moment too late that someone was trying to locate him-- "small furry thing" named Madhukar? There were a lot of creatures to determine which one that was-- but hey, maybe Maddy could find him?

Hunter's over here! Uh, wait-- Here, let me open and close my flashlight-- look for the blinking light! He called through their telepathic link, grasping at his flashlight and switching the vent so the light could and couldn't pour out interchangably.

Hopefully that made him more visible, but now, his father and family had drifted onward toward the massive door. The big leviathan dragon was intimidating, sure, but not as intimidating as the kraken that it spoke of.

The kraken that suddenly lurched through the darkness toward his family.

Chaos erupted, panic surging through the dozen of voices through the link, all barking commands or desperate cries. Hunter heard little of them, as adrenaline filled his veins. He heard something about healing, but everything else blurred together. Bravery, foolishness, or the simple spirit of a hunter finding what was the equivalent of his moby-dick for the first time, took over.

Hunter rushed forward toward his family, towards Attikias and Asteri and everyone else in the line of danger, and thrust his spear toward the massive kraken.

hunter is charging with his spear to attack the kraken and protect his fam

@Madhukar @Attikias (for visibility, sorry your daughters got fisher's brain rot recklessness)

Cirrus

The chaos has their wings flare open, and tail lash, whipping them out of the way of the bedlam and charging into the room, but keeping them near Fahl, who has shoved- something at them.

Right, the toxic things jelly balls!

They take the offered pawfulls with a sharp nod, not willing to add to the mental chaos and knowing that what the lizard has come up with is the best idea so far for Challengers of their size. Cirrus's bridle telegraphs their agreement very clearly, and so they bring their wings back and down to boost forward before whipping their tail up and down and following Fahl into the fray, aiming to do the same.

Epsilon isn't a warrior, but maybe Cirrus can be.

Or at the very least some determination can carry them through.

Garnet-Epsilon has accepted the toxic balls and plan from Fahl, and is following him in to attempt to do the same, and poison come small cuts!

Electrum

He nods in agreement with Haven, feeling torn and scared for the first time in a long time. With one squeeze, he lets go- and everything bursts into motion.

There's yelling, and before that his daughter had bolted into the dark room before them, behind the other sea-dragon, so he lunges forward over top any Gembound in the doorway. He's folding his wings tight and snapping his tail as hard as he can to lunge in after them, and opening his maw to let some lightning fly only once he's fully in the room.

With a low, shivering rumble like some ancient machine rumbling to life, or like the hum from the lights around the caves being amped up to a thousand, he opens his fins and physically challenges the Kraken once he has room. Bubbles stream from his mouth, and he flashes his teeth, his thoughts almost burning with the acid in his tone- HARM A SCALE ON MY DAUGHTER'S BODY AND I SHALL TEAR YOU LIMB FROM OOZING LIMB MYSELF!

Nevermind that this thing probably can't understand them.

Electrum is rolling to move in, distance himself a length or so from the group within the doors, and then try and fry the Kraken a bit.

ASCENT

Whether they wanted one or not, the fight was coming to them. Ascent's eyes widened as their mother's magic backfired, growing long spines of ice into her own flesh. "I'm helping!" they cried, scrambling to hook their claws against the armor and pull it off even as a dark shape smashed into their peripheral vision.

There was no avoiding this hit, not when they'd occupied themselves with freeing Mom instead of watching out for threats. All they had time for was a terrified glance toward the approaching kraken, just enough to register its presence without actually having time to react.

I'm going to die, they thought in a moment of abject fear. Though, it was condensed into the space of one second, and what actually flashed across the Pattylink wasn't so much the words but the panic and dread. Then came a wave of resigned bitterness, which might have translated to And what did I do to deserve it, other than try to help? had Ascent had the time to think actual words.

Ascent rolls to help free Carja from her armor.

Perhaps she'd underestimated, just a tad, how big a Kraken really was. The beast barreling towards her faster than she could think was big, WAAAY too big. More than twice as big as the biggest in the party. Confidence quickly evaporated when faced with such a thing, and now, all Telesto wanted was to not get hit by this train-sized piece of seafood.

Dimly aware of the chaos, she was painfully aware of how much danger her parents were in (well, how much they were all in) How much of a mistake blindly rushing in was. Desperately, she'd call through the link, IT'S TOO BIG! IT'S TOO BIG! GET OUT OF THE WAY! USE MAGIC! They had magic. They all had magic. Magic could kill this thing without any of them getting hurt... right?

Telesto is trying to get out of the way of this gigantic death squid. failure rip.

I'd of blown the scoundrel up
Watch his head and heart hiccup
Erupt in tinsel and blue cinders
turn August into winter

Whatever newly positive feelings it might've had for Bedlam were quickly drowned out by two different kinds of fear. Well, one kind of fear, really- the fear of the Kraken- but in two different directions. The first was the wild, primitive, numbing terror of being faced with a giant apex predator such as this beast. The other was the fear that said giant apex predator may devour your sibling peer.

It wouldn't follow the fleeing masses, as much as it probably should've. It'd collide with the Kraken, taking whatever damage the tentacles and sheer mass dealt- numbed by adrenaline and determination and the heat of the moment. Then it'd rip and tear at whatever at the closest tentacle it could reach. Hopefully digging deep enough to give it one less limb to attack with.

Labradorite is trying to attack the kraken, hopefully cripple one of it's tentacles. (Also, it rolled a 10/barely success to physically prepare itself last round, if that'd effect anything.)