Chaos-Two picked up the gem and carried it back to the first, unable to stop their trembling. Their skin crawled and they felt only guilt as they passed right by the lessers, sweat beading on their brow.

"I'm so sorry," they whispered as they picked up the other stone, managing to kick their spear up so they could catch it in their teeth.

They dropped the stones and their spear, heading to the final pool. Maybe if they completed the trial, Emuh would help the poor lessers. Chaos-Two might just go vegan from this...

Another blast of light and Chaos-Two jumped in, splashing forward as they tried to both get away from the pained whines and bleats from the lessers behind them and to get the final stone, if it was here. The were hoping and praying that when they collected the stones, something would happen. Maybe there was some place to put them, on the pillar.

The third stone was there--visible: a blue one, easily lifted. All were the same size, and it would be a tad awkward carrying all three, but certainly doable.

All that remained was the distant pillar, then.

Around this final pond--and left behind, at the edge of the other pools--came the sounds of feet scraping rock, and the bleating and cries of the sickened Lessers.

3/3

@V-Chaos-Two

Chaos-Two returned and managed to get all three stones in their grasp, thankful for their large arms. They booked it for the pillar and leaned against it for just a moment, panting. This was it, right?

They peered around the pillar, looking for somewhere to place the stones, to see if that was all that needed to be done. It had to be, right?

Three slots--each faintly colored, white, red-pink, dark blue. Horizontal gaps in the pillar suggested it held some purpose--that it would spin, or turn, or rise up or down; it wasn't clear. What was clear was that these gaps were perfectly sized to the crystal at hand.

Behind Chaos-Two, a Wind Hopper dragged itself a few steps forward, and then collapsed, thrashing, before going still on the stone. Other than a lingering, agonized bleat somewhere back behind, there was silence--no snickering, now, just expectant quiet.

@V-Chaos-Two

Chaos-Two looked back, ears pinning. They stared, their breath quickening, looking from the pillar to the rabbit, and then... they dropped the stones.

They gathered up the small rabbit in their hands, struggling to not cry, guilt welling up as their empathy prevented them from completing their trial.

"O-oh caves," they stuttered, trying to feel for a heart beat, "Please... please oh please just let this work..."

Magic flowed and they let out a gasp of relief even as their energy slipped away. Please don't let them be too late.

"I'm so sorry," they gasped, holding onto the small, tiny little rabbit, shaking like a leaf as they stroked over soft fur, their heart clenching.

’Please...’, they thought, tears welling up, ’Please let them live... oh God...'

The exhausting nature of the spell would take its toll; a sense of draining, even as the Wind Hopper seemed to calm. It lay limp, eyes still glassy--it was still sickened--but its suffering eased, its body somewhat mended.

From somewhere overhead--from everywhere, it seemed--came a scoffing snort. "OH, PITY? REALLY?! AND HERE EMUH THOUGHT YOU WERE ONE OF THE GOOD ONES," came the shrill voice. "EMUH DOES NOT HAVE TIME TO WAIT HERE ALL DAY. HERE--DONE," he cawed, and the Wind Hopper blinked, and kicked, in Chaos-Two's arms. Then it tried to jump down, to run, like any healthy wild thing.

Across the rest of the cave, too, the downed Lessers seemed to stir--abruptly picking themselves up, looking around, blinking and licking slobber from their jaws. The cave mouth opened, and one by one they turned, making a run for it--out into the open, seemingly healthy, now. "THERE. DISTRACTION GONE. CAN YOU FOCUS NOW?!" the cawing voice demanded.

But the pillar, it seemed, wasn't necessary; Emuh himself appeared, flapping down with a distinctly irritated stare, feathered fluffed and wings folding against his back. Talons clicked as he strode toward the hybrid. "HOLD STILL," he demanded, ignoring the dropped stones on the ground. He made no effort to actually explain what was going on.

A wing brushed forward, almost a slap to Chaos-Two's forehead, and there was a further sensation of draining--as if the healing spell hadn't been enough. It was almost--almost--enough to topple them where they stood. Empty--emptied!--but with a strange sensation beneath it... as if new knowledge waited to be uncovered.

As if new potential lay beneath. But first-... perhaps a nap would do them well.

"NOW GET OUT," Emuh crowed, turning to again take flight--and moments later the cave began to reshape itself, back to small, dark, bland emptiness. Chaos-Two had time to leave, provided they did not linger.

V-Chaos-Two has Transcended. They are now a Transcendent Pupil, and may work their way back up to Transcendent Master. Upon attaining this rank, their player may post in Update Me to choose a Specialization (viewable in the Magic section of the Guidebook).

They have also learned the spell:

Lux Imperium:

Transcendent Intensity Manipulation. The user learns to exert control over the light bulbs scattered throughout Origin Cave. They may dim or brighten a cave, or even switch it entirely from bright daylight to night, or vice versa. Broken lights can easily be repowered or repaired with this magic.

@V-Chaos-Two

Chaos-Two felt the bunny struggle and there was relief. The tears came unbidden and they watched the small thing struggle, stunned. It was okay!!

"Shh, shh," they said softly to it, trying to calm it so it didn't get stressed out.

Chaos-Two looked up and stared at Emuh, absolutely stunned. They held the small critter in their arms, trying to shield it from the owl as they tried to process what he was doing.

"Did... did I just pass?", they asked, snorting as the owl smacked them on the head, draining even more energy from them.

They definitely passed.

Taking a few wobbly steps, they held the rabbit close as they fetched their spear. They stood for a moment, making sure they wouldn't collapse before they swiftly retreated, absolutely exhausted.

’I... I did it,' they thought in disbelief, staggering out of the room, ’Khavur! I did it!’
"Do you need me, Maximus? Shall I come?", came a thought from their sibling.

’... Y-yes please. I'm so tired all of a sudden, I think I might drop,’ they thought back, still shaky.

The rabbit stilled, but only for a moment; it did not like being restrained, let alone by something so enormous and predatory-looking as the multi-eyed, black-fanged thing above.

A moment later it renewed its struggles, perhaps not in terror now but in protest; it wanted down.

@V-Chaos-Two

Text here. "Speaking." Thinking.


'Do you need me, Maximus? Shall I come?'

"... Y-yes, please. I'm so... so tired all of a sudden."

Elation.

Khavur was in flight. You've never seen a celestial body travel so fast across an enclosed sky; changing colors rapidfire as it barreled through each cave, the Holder eventually reached Polaris and its glistening Spire. Nothing in this room was of Khavur's breed, but just behind a door, accompanied by a new... companion, perhaps? Was one cut from the same cloth. Or something close to it.

A message-- be careful, be quiet. Maximus was busy with the delicate matter of friendship.

The Reaver landed as soft as it could just outside.

For a moment, Khavur yielded its questions like a pack of rottweilers on a twisted tangle of leashes. Eventually, all chords snapped, and a comedic clamor ensued: 'How did it go-? How do you feel-? Are you alright-? Who is this creature you have met-? Shall I remain outside-?" Stop, stop! The conductor drew the line threw the air: silence. Pick it back up again... slowly. "S- Apologies. You are tired..." Don't make it a question don't make it a question don't make it a question-- "...yes?"

Khavur would sit. Just... plop down softly. Like some kind of Hound.

Chaos-Two got them outside of the room and ever so gently set the rabbit down, immediately getting to making food for the tiny thing.

’A moment, sibling. I am trying to make a friend...’, they thought.

Relief, then, as a banana manifested. They peeled it and offered the soft, sweet flesh to the rabbit, cooing softly to it.

"I won't hurt you, little one," they said softly, "Here you are, some food. You must be hungry after all of that."

’I think the trial went well,’ they thought to their sibling, ’I didn't fail it, but.. there were so many lessers and they were so ill. If I'd completed the trial as intended, all of them would have... would have died.’
They repressed a shudder and continued offering pieces of the banana, hoping this small creature saw past their sharp exterior and saw that they wanted to help. They wanted to be friends and they wanted to protect the little creature they'd managed to become attached to.

’I am so tired...', they said with a soft sigh, ’I might just fall asleep here... Are you alright to carry me back? I don't want to delay bringing the good news back to Master Vargas.’

@Khavur (gonna gm tag first)