Ceri's mind swirled. There was nothing but assault, of chaos around her, and fear shot through the leopard. It was the rallying cry that barely held her together still, and yet she still panicked, eyes wide and heart clenching.

Would they win this?

Cerilaine's ears pinned back as she remained ducked into the crevices of ice, preparing magic to shoot into the Kraken again. Except, as she did, a dark tentacle swiped over her head, and her mind blanked.

Maybe not right this second. She tensed and ducked her head, redirecting that magic above her, trying to forma blockade within her hiding spot to protect her- and possibly make whatever tentacle come after her stick itself with the already existing spikes.

BATTLE REPORT

60%

ATTEMPT: Solidify the water above her to avoid an attack
DEFENSE: Hiding in the spikes
INJURIES: Diseased

One second they almost seemed to be winning, and the next the kraken was going wild with rage, attacking with incredible speed. I think I'm going to die, Whale realized in a moment of startling clarity. Though she no longer felt as sick as before, and maybe there was magic at work there, there was no way she'd make it out of here with her injuries.

The others, though. They might have a chance, however slim. Either to survive themselves, or even to somehow bring down the kraken and save Artio. She could help give them that chance. The kraken was too fast, and the magic-users far away; but the ones who had gotten close to tear at the monster: those, she could attempt to save.

Spike-tipped tentacles lashed for the bright, two-headed creature, but Whale surged forward to meet it, to block the flailing blows with her own bulk. Survive, she thought, pushing the word along the link even as the spike-tipped tentacles lashed at her, sending her stone rising up around her. You can do this!

Attempt: protect khavur
Defense: i don't think it'd help much lmao but none
Injuries: very battered, exiting to chrysalis

The kraken made its move just as Bedlam was finally making it out of its self-inflicted trap. Gasping (thank goodness for those three water-breathing enchantments keeping it from choking, huh?) as the kraken surged toward it, the catwhale picked up a burst of speed, wriggling its body and lashing its muscular tail.

Others had hidden in the ice spikes, but it had had neither the time, need, nor desire to make it there. Having missed it, the kraken was already rushing for another group of targets. Besides, it was feeling rather disoriented from all the exertion and high-speed avoidance. Did it want to risk not being careful, and impaling itself on those spears that almost seemed to curve toward it, looming ominously? Not particularly.

It simply backed away and watched as the kraken continued its attempts to tear the others to pieces. The pus and inky blood streaming from its wounds seemed to have an odd effect on the monster's surroundings. Sickly dye bloomed in the water like extradimensional chrysanthemums, their tendrils twisting into awful screams before they were torn apart, folding into nothingness.

It could feel itself bloating again. Wanting to be free: vapor, gas zooming with the wind, the scent of durian that pervaded Leo's jungles. The pressure down here was like a prison. When could it be free? An odd taste filled its mouth, savory and creamy and richly sweet, and it was beginning to find its flesh feeling like custard. Now was not the time to be warped itself--now would be a really great time for the kraken to be warped, actually--and it watched for another opportunity to use its magic, even as the world seemed to balloon around it.

Attempt: get out of the way
Defense: getting out of the way
Injuries: diseased, turning into a durian pending the confirmation or denial of their existence

The Kraken was everywhere- or so it seemed to be. Hestia knew she could not beat the giant beast in speed- especially not when it had everyone practically surrounded. The speed and mannerisms of the beast made it practically impossible for her to be on the offensive; it was faster than her after all. So she would try to move out of the way, hoping her body's natural shell and thick living armor would be enough to take any hits it would give her.

She glanced around- noticing others still fighting- especially Whale. Some attempting to hide in hopes to avoid the Kraken's lashings and barrage of attacks. Others seemingly stuck in the same position she was- at the mercy of the Kraken itself. And a few still lashing out, carrying the battle onward in hopes to best the beast before it bested everyone else.

She just hoped everyone would find their way back home by the end of this.

	HESTIA ▼ DISEASED 12/20

Battle Report
Attempt: Trying to dodge!
Defense: Trying to maintain distance
Injuries: Slightly battered, diseased

Hunter's spear connected again with the monstrous kraken, and with fire in his eyes he thought they might actually take this thing down. And then the thrashing began, and his world twisted wildly around him. Disoriented, his limbs flung out randomly, and he struggled to determine what was up and down-- if such things even mattered this far under the water.

In a split second, he saw glimpses of the others trying to get out of the way, and he saw a massive tendril coming for him in the kraken's wild thrashing. Panic tried to take hold in his heart, but he held strong, and began to swim quickly out of the way. His limbs ached with the effort as he fled toward the ocean floor, away from the black smog that had seeped into his fur.

Tendrils thrashed behind him, but he didn't look back, even as the current tugged him one way and then the next: he focused on the rock ahead of him and went for it.

hunter is attempting to dodge!

BATTLE REPORT

60%

ATTEMPT: DODGE
DEFENSE: N/A
INJURIES: N/A

The Orarian was already a fair distance back, not that this would necessarily save it from the lashing kraken. It did, however, make the leviathan neglect to notice the danger, particularly when it felt its body squirm with an unseen assailant. Illness, thick and heavy, coated its usually slick surface, and made it recoil further into itself.

Dizziness came first, and then, visions. Visions of the sea as a hot bed of blood and foam, boiling. It was all the creature of the sea could do it grasp for its magic. Rather than fighting the kraken as the others did, rather than retreating from the violent lash of limbs long enough to cut the very ocean asunder, it battled the sickness that tried to take root in its body.

Maybe it would be lucky enough to survive, despite being so focused on its own body rather than its surroundings. Maybe not.

the orarian is attempting to cure its disease

BATTLE REPORT

60%

ATTEMPT: hey uh, disease? go away.
DEFENSE: staying FAR back, this squishy terror of the deep wants to keep its limbs
INJURIES: N/A

ASCENT

Despite the chaotic action around them, what should have been a frantic reaction from the feathered dragon seemed almost sluggish. There was just too much to take in, and they were having trouble processing it all. Eyes flicked this way and that: widespread panic, smaller Gembound withdrawing to the safety of their mother's ice spikes, the very water that seemed to hiss and laugh at their failures, and the kraken's utter and unrestrained fury.

The utter and unrestrained fury that was now barreling toward Ascent.

In a panic, they threw their arms and wings over their head, protecting their skull. They pulled at their magic, too, congealing the water around them into ice that would shield them from attack. Ascent might have added spikes, too, like their mother's spears, but it was too hurried and haphazard a spell to risk something that could backfire on them. Simple armor was all they had time for, and they could only hope it'd be enough.

Attempt: create ice armor
Defense: ^
Injuries: slightly battered, diseased

I have returned \o/

FRIEND
I WILL ALWAYS BE LOOKING FOR YOU

Battle!

Friend watched the fight begin in childish shock, his wide eyes jumping from one scene to another as he tried to process everything happening. This was a very... fighty fight. He wasn't sure how much he liked it. But no matter! Friend must help!

The little fish swam into the scene-- just in time to see the kraken lash furiously at everyone around, bubbles streaming wildly through the sea. "Eep!" Friend eeped. He paddled his little fins to get as far away from the monster as possible. No Friend was getting turned into seafood today, no-sir-ee!

Attempt: Swim away
Defence: ^
Injuries: None

Swimming around wildly in the hopes that he'd managed to remain unscathed was both tiring and terrified. At least it was working for now. However, when he spotted jagged icicles along the ocean floor he bee-lined towards them and the shelter they (hopefully) would provide. Through the increasingly unintelligible ramblings of the link, he'd call out.

There's a bunch of icicles growing from the floor! Hide in those if you can! Would they hear? Or get to safety in time? He hoped Dragon would, at least- and at the thought of this, he risked a look behind him in an attempt to spot where his dad had gone.

BATTLE REPORT

100%

ATTEMPT: run and hide among the ice spikes
DEFENSE: Fast (hopefully)
INJURIES: Untouched (as he should be)

She had managed to hit it! That'd make it just a tad bit harder for it to hit them, right? Or at the very least, hurt a ton. The great beast didn't seem to be happy about being down an eye at all. Turns out fighting without her magic was a lot easier than she thought! Maybe she should do that more often. She turned, preparing to strike the Kraken again the next time it came close enough.

Through the crowd, she spotted glimpses of her parents.

Haven, battered and bleeding and way too still, drifting by the cluster of icicles.

Electrum, paralyzed by his own magic, practically begging to be torn to shreds by way too many tentacles.

nonononONONONONO Panic, along with a heathy dose of feverish delirium, overtook her. MOM! DAD!

She'd sharply change directions to charge straight towards Electrum- or rather, any thrashing tentacles that threatened to hit him. She'd rip and tear and knock away those tentacles- even as they rip and tore and battered at her. The water around her felt hot- too hot, boiling even- and she swore the glimpses of light she saw in the corners of her eyes glowed like red-hot embers. Was this the fire-beast? Had it been lurking here the whole time? All the more reason to tear it to shreds, in any case.

Blood began to cloud the water, more than it had before. Was it black, gold, or crimson? It was hard to tell.

BATTLE REPORT

80%

ATTEMPT: Tackle a tentacle before it can hit electrum
DEFENSE: Does being incredibly shiny count?
INJURIES: Diseased, delirious, battered by the kraken