[center][h1]Plot Point[/h1][/center] [hr] [color=00aeef]”Do it!”[/color] Chres yelled to Octavio as he dashed behind the ice wall. Octavio's illusions suddenly redirected their attention to the hearts. Together they made a mad dash for the Seed. Chres frowned. The Seed didn't seem to be reacting to the Illusions. Instead it thrashed about. Smashing one of its larger tendrils through the ice wall and then attacking with several smaller tendrils. Chres ducked for cover. Senses! Why wasn't the Illusions distracting the Seed? Suddenly it hit Chres. The Seed was using the Insight! That meant it probably couldn't see the Illusions! They could use this! Perhaps take out all the hearts at onc- The Seed roared in anger. Chres' realization had come too late. The cloud of debris had finally settled, revealing that the closest of Octavio's illusions had already made it past the Seeds defenses and ripped out another heart. The seed was now aware of the presence of illusions. Chres had seen it before with the Sightless. Once they became aware of the presence of illusions, they would target the illusions relentlessly. And in that moment so did the Seed. [hr] The Seed's tendrils recoiled backwards after losing its second heart. Frantically it search for the cause yet it found nothing. Nothing but blank spaces in the Insight. Illusions. All at once the tendrils came smashing down on all the Illusions rushing its main body and blinked them out of existence. More! There were more illusions! Three more illusions. Familiars.. [hr] The world around Octavio appeared to freeze. The only sound, an echoing slow clap. [color=8493ca]"Bravo! Bravo!"[/color] Said a voice belonging to The Being of Many Names. [color=8493ca]"Two down and a hell of a lot more to go!"[/color] The Being materialized before Octavio, sitting comfortably atop of Chres' back. The Being got to his feet and smiled coyly at Octavio. [color=8493ca]"Have to say I'm impressed. Working with others? So unlike you after Olivia...[/color] The Being looked to the frozen Lynx. [color=8493ca]"Though that one was the odd exception, wasn't it?"[/color] The Being looked back to Octavio with a knowing smile. [color=8493ca]"Be glad it still has eight lives left."[/color] With a snap, the Being vanished. Time rushed back in on itself. [hr] The largest of the Seed's tendrils, came down in a rush. Smashing a poor Lynx, caught unaware. [color=fdc68a]"K-K-KILL... K-K-KILL..."[/color] The seed roared. [color=a2d39c]"LYNX!"[/color] Sil screamed in horror. Without thinking, she sped towards the 'injured' Lynx Chres cursed. [color=00aeef]”Sil! Wait! Don't!”[/color] Getting off his hands and knees, Chres made a mad dash for Sil. The Seed was targeting the Illusions. That included Sil and the rest of the familiars! A stray tendril whipped out of nowhere and slapped Sil from the air. She collided into a wall next to Lynx. The large tendril lifted itself back up into the air, ready for another strike. A strike that would crush both Lynx and Sil. [color=00aeef]”Damn it!”[/color] Chres yelled. As he dove and throw up a construct at the last minute. The tendril came smashing down. The force cracking Chres' construct. A whimpering Sil slowly crawled towards Lynx. It looked as if she was in pain... but... wasn't Sil not able to feel 'pain'? [color=a2d39c]"L-lynx..."[/color] Sil whispered. [color=a2d39c]"P-please... don't be dead..."[/color] Were those 'tears' in Sil's eyes? Chres had no time to ponder the unusual behavior of his familiar. The large tendril was coming in for another attack. [color=00aeef]”Damn it all!”[/color] Chres yelled. He took down his cracked construct and Compressed the retrieved energy into an unstable orb of energy. As the tendril slammed downwards, Chres threw the ball of energy with all his might at the tendril. It connected in an explosion, ripping the tendril in two and saving them from its follow up attack. Chres was now dangerously low on stored body heat. They had to do something about these tendrils if they ever hoped to get another attack in. [i]Salt the stump.[/i] Chres' hand went to the pouch of salt at his side, as he recalled The Being's words. [i]I ended up fighting the same sightless we fought again.[/i] Jen had said in the tunnels. [i]Her healing ability got interrupted wherever the salt got into the wounds[/i]. An idea came to Chres. He dashed towards the seed, pouch of salt in hand. [color=a2d39c][i]C-chres...[/i][/color] Sil said in his mind. [color=a2d39c][i]W-what... What are you doing?[/i][/color] [color=00aeef][i]Heroism at best. Suicide at worst.[/i][/color] Chres replied. A tendril caught him by the waist and lifted him off the ground. [color=a2d39c][i]C-chres... don't...[/i][/color] The tendril pulled Chres towards the center, where its bloated stomach pulsated. [color=00aeef][i]Too late.[/i][/color] Chres thought, as he threw the pouch of salt into the stomach. Nothing happened at first, but then- The tendrils stopped moving and almost seemed to shutter. The Seed suddenly let out a guttural wail echoing throughout the chamber. Chres found himself falling to the ground and landing awkwardly on his knee. He heard a crack. Crying out in pain, it took all the will power Chres had to force himself to his feet. With a limp, Chres made his way to the enlarged skull that had once belonged to Lord O'Kal. Deep inside that skull, another of the Seed's hearts beat rhythmically. Chres placed his hands in the slightly a opened O'Kal jaw. With all his might he tried to force open the mouth of the skull to expose the Seed's heart within. It wouldn't open with his strength alone. The Seed's tendrils began to move slightly, shuttering here and there. It appeared to be recovering from the salt. They needed to act soon. [color=00aeef]”A little help!”[/color] Chres called to the pactmakers behind him.