This thread takes place after: WE ARE MADE OF WORMS

raid: winter in polaris

[ from your cold grasp ]

FROM YOUR COLD GRASP

The blizzard had seemed to wear itself out, and if any of the Gembounds had been working through it, they'd see the winds clear in small bursts to reveal two figures: one, a giant collection of many moving rocks in the shape of a bear; and two, an equally giant winged creature, holding the golem back with its eight strong arms that reach from its head.



Both of the beings seemed locked in combat, and each looked worn and battered. The rock golem seemed to be missing chunks and pieces, and magicka flowed free from its inner core. Wisps of glowing light trailed like mist from its cracks and crevices. The winged creature was leaking oily blood from several large wounds, and many smaller scratches were scarred with gold tinge.

It seemed as if the golem might almost be defeated—but Azigh was growing tired, having already spent most of his magic setting up the warding crystals. Still, he fought on, exhaustion evident in his weaker strikes and slouched posture. His wings beat against the air to hold himself upright against the bear, kicking snow around them in an infinite whirlwind.

When the winds covered the sight of them with gusts of snow, the sounds of cracking rock and bellowing, echoing growls ripped through the storm.

If he had... just a little bit of help...

His wingbeats faltered, and his back legs gave out so that his body fell into an awkward sitting position. Through the wind howled his voice, as if it were carried within the snowstorm itself:

"TO ME, GEMBOUNDS."

There was snow, and he was freezing.

Eridanus was not one of his regular haunts, but he had been practicing his magic there. It was strong in the air, and he felt safer using his flames in such a place than in the forest, so Polaris it was.

But then the air had raged with snow, with ice, and crystals had torn to the air. And he was a Knight, a protector, the Knight of Eridanus, and what if the snow was to spread to his forest?

"TO ME, GEMBOUNDS," and he didn't wait, surged through the snow as quickly as his paws could carry him, peeled his lips back from his fangs and loosed a puma's hair-raising scream as he reached for his magic.

Obviously Tahi-shei had been lingering in Polaris, because what else was he going to do? The snow was just too fascinating! The only time he'd left was to pop over to Canis to meet with Giggle, because keeping his promise was very important to him. His conversation with Master Astraea had honestly only made him more curious -- if someone else was dealing with it...?

He'd failed miserably to poke at the buffeting winds a little earlier, but the crystals were very interesting. Then, he'd heard the call. Tahi-shei had approached quickly; the voice had an authority to it that did not strike him as someone easily argued with. But when he saw the shifting movements and the great stone bear -- Ursa? -- and the many-armed monstrosity and he took a deep breath.

Tahi-shei stayed back, not charging like the puma, but instead casting a spell for his own protection. If he was going to do this... he wanted to not be killed immediately.

When Carja had returned to Monoceros with news of snow in Polaris, it had drawn Wyvern's attention. While she didn't slip off very often, the idea of more snow made her excited in a way she could not quite describe. Carja had wanted to go back, too, so Wyvern had decided to go with her. There was danger in cold for a dragon without feathers, even if Carja was more acclimated to the cold than someone like, say, Dread.

Flashes of movement caught her keen eyes in the snow, and she had gone to investigate, trying to catch an updraft and having minimal struggle. She was a strong flier. The call for help caught her attention, and she began to circle overhead of the fight. Wyvern assessed the situation -- her magic was all but useless here, what little she knew, but she could try to contribute with her talons. She'd bide her time, for now, circling overhead to try and find a weak point.

Some strange, magnetic force had guided her pilgrimage to Polaris. An uncharacteristic curiosity to see what lie in the other tunnel out of Orion, to test the waters. Cold had hit her in response, but light rather than dark, and Sora had been struck in her impending panic of how... pretty it all was.

A walk around was enough to teach her that this cold wasn't as violent as the darkness's, but a rough call of To me, Gembounds! was enough to catch her attention and send her slinking into the snow. Anyone who addressed her as a Gembound as if they weren't one was someone she did not trust on principle, but seeing the gathered menagerie of others who'd come to this creature's aid... and, well, the giant stone bear?

Sora let out a roar. This was a monster she could see, a monster she could fight. She could help save these Gembound from the jaws of certain death--! She'd do it, then. She'd go and fight and be helpful... wouldn't she?

It didn't matter. She charged at the bear just like the cat had.

Comet

Arctic Wolf

Comet had been wandering around Polaris for a couple days now, there was just so many fun things to do in the snow! She had already explored most of the cave, but now, she was going around the edge to see if there were any other tunnels that lead out of Polaris other than the one that connected Orion and Eridanus.
She pricked her ear as she heard a sound. Someone was calling her. Her paws automatically carried her towards the sound, into a tunnel she had never seen before. Comet watched the two beasts fighting. The winged creature was obviously the one who had called, and needed her help. Looking around, it seemed many other animals had also come to help. Magic, that was her strong suit. Unfortunately she wasn't really good at the offensive type, but she tried detecting water nearby if her spells were needed.

Carja had followed just behind Wyvern, purring up a storm. She was so excited to go back to the snow and to run and jump and play-

"TO ME, GEMBOUNDS."

Huh?

Banking sharply, she turned to face the fight, eyes widening. She growled and faced the golem, eyes narrowed and brows furrowed. She tried to harden her scales, to allow her to divebomb the golem and hopefully knock it free from the other, giving the others time to attack it.

Though her scales remained soft, she tucked in her wings and went for it anyway, claws extended.

'TO ME, GEMBOUNDS.'

What?

At first, the cat had been indolent. But quick as lightning that misty haze would lift, and Madhukar would be on her way.

She wasn't the only one who heard the call, it seemed. Obviously. But she did seem like the only one so far who hadn't understood it the moment it was made. There were already so many creatures rushing to battle. Against a huge stone creature?! The snow had thinned a lot, two titans amidst the freeze, duking it out...

Wait.

Madhukar blood began to pump as she realized what this could mean. 'Oh, oh YES!' FINALLY! THE CHALLENGE HER MAGIC AND MIND HAD BEEN SCREAMING FOR!!!

Except her magic didn't want to cooperate. SHOOT, SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO SAY CALM WITH ALL THE ADRENALINE? CRAP! AAAAAAA--- okay Madhukar, alright. Remember. The lightning can hurt you too.

Madhukar would stay away until she could get her emotions under control.

(Okay maybe the fact that she'd tired out so much of her magic on her way here hadn't helped, but she was too excited to linger on that detail.)

The bird had been hiding for a long time. They debated hiding some more, the trial had been terrifying, they were wandering with no sight. Their eyes had never healed, even when they were able to exit their chrysalis however long ago that was. They didn't even know their feathers were all black now, or that their eyes glowed with a wisplike vision that surely would make those tremble (if they could be scared of a bird).

They had found out about the echolocation and the ears, the claws and whiskers when they hatched. They'd felt different before when they did.

As they debated leaving and trying to figure out where Eridanus was, a call swept the air and they followed the increasing noises that many other gembound were making. Rainstorm hoped to not get trampled as they tried to cast a spell to stay hidden. They didn't want to die.

Cryogen

Cryogen had managed to explore a good part of the caves, alone... and though they missed Warrior, they did not miss the heat of their first month or so of life, and so they went searching for something distinctly Other.

It'd be kind to say that they'd had a hard time. Not wanting to strike up conversations left the diamond horned Gembound a tad out of the loop, but they didn't mind... after all, they had no idea what they'd been missing until one cave that had been crossed before now burned of cold, which was held back by massive floating crystals.



Behind the floating barrier he could see moving shapes, twisting and crashing and roaring like the storm itself, and all it took was the call-

"TO ME, GEMBOUNDS!"

To tempt him into the snow, the tunnel, and into the fray.

The white horse lengthens his stride, sliding from a brisk trot into a wide open gallop as he attempts to find an opening to do... something. Point it out to one of the others? To the massive arms-for-a-face with scars of gold?

-edit for role results-