Chiron slid to a halt next to the mage, sword drawn, face pale but jaw set. "<i>Malakas</i>! Pick on one your own size, eh!?" He took Atilla in both hands and stepped half in front of Amal, prepared to fight as the hulking creature shuddered and another four scales fell to the ground. "Be ready, Amal! This monster, it is our greatest challenge now, yes?" He was about to charge when a trio of lightning bolts cascaded down onto the insect-like scale fiends, causing them to shudder and collapse in a cloud of light. The foreigner blinked. "Amal...?"<br/><br/>"Stand back," a calm voice answered instead, and a tall, pale woman stepped up next to the two of them. Her shoulders and collar lay mostly exposed, contrasted sharply by her black hair and black dress with fur trim and a series of belts strapped across the front. A cactuar was cradled in one arm, and she lifted the other to cast another series of bolts into the larger Sinspawn. It roared and hunched down, covering its eyes and mouth as the magic sparked across the closed scales all over its body. The mage tsked and glanced at Amal, sizing her up at a glance. "We work together," she decided, her voice silk covering steel, and lifted her hand, charging a fresh spell.<br/><br/>Ethan stayed where he was as his two companions drew the attention of the beast, frozen momentarily by indecision. He could see the bald patch where the first of the scales had dropped away, covered by rugged-looking grey flesh, but even as he watched another trio of scales shook out and grew in place. The magic Amal and whoever the other mage used barely seemed to scratch it, and for all he boasted of the might of his sword he doubted Chiron could penetrate those defenses readily. By Yevon, his<i>own</i>blows had been ineffective. How could they destroy this monster? How...?<br/><br/>His eyes fell on the temple, not thirty feet from where he stood.<i>No.</i>What other choice did they have, though? What lay within... were they not meant to fight Sin and its minions? And hadn't he studied the method, the means, the rituals? He knew what that path meant. He knew that if he set foot on it, he would not live to see the end of it. He knew. And still he turned and ran full tilt toward the temple, slinging his spear back into its place across his shoulder.<br/><br/>Chiron saw him running and stared in disbelief. "E'tan flees!" He couldn't give chase, though, engaged with a pair of the smaller scale beasts. Atilla gushed flames as he parried their sharp limbs and struck back, burning through each one with sure blows. The larger Sinspawn lumbered toward him, though, one gigantic limb lifting high, and he barely managed to roll out of the way before it crashed down to the ground, shattering a half-collapsed wall nearby. Chiron came back to his feet and swung as hard as he could, sword flaming, and cut through another pair of scales on the thick arm. He yelled in triumph as Atilla bit into the flesh below, but it was cut short when the creature bit his shoulder and yanked him up off his feet, shaking him side to side before it threw him aside.<br/><br/>The warrior landed in a senseless heap, his sword still lodged in the creature's leg and his shoulder bleeding thickly. The other mage glanced at him and swore under her breath, then pointed at the sword. "Focus your spells there!" she commanded, and let another torrent of thunder loose, using the metal to focus her attack. The Sinspawn screeched in pain as the magic coursed into it, staggering backward a few steps, but it soon became apparent that all they had managed to do was enrage it. With another lurch it stood upright, rearing back onto its shorter hind legs, scales rattling as it surged to its full height. The monster plucked the sword from its flesh and threw it aside, then roared down at the two mages, taking a slow, ponderous step forward, black eyes focused entirely on the pair of them.<br/><br/>"Well, damn," hissed the pale woman. "I'm open to suggestions, now."