((As I mentioned, I think that, based on the current results, we can pretty much write this out from here-- if it doesn't work for you, let me know, but there's more story and such to be had, and we can move faster once we drop out of rounds))<br/><br/>In the cane field, Tak emits a hissing and shrill cry.   The terror bird pushes him back with its massive form, but the goblin's frenzy won't be denied.  He twists his body and lunges to the side.   The beast tracks him with its eyes, readies itself to pounce its bloodied form at him, but the goblin is too quick; a rattling shriek fills his mouth as he tumbles forward, leaps high and, in one motion, raises back his axe.  The whole of the goblin's body is arched back for an overhead strike, folded forward as he levels the beast with a cleaving blow.<br/><br/>There's a splash in the irrigation ditch behind him and the body totters.  The frenzied goblin takes its legs from beneath it with the hook of his axe in a counter-swipe, but when the body tumbles it can merely thrash senselessly about... the splash was its head.  Not content to only revel in this kill, his frenzy draws him to the sound of battle...<i>more blood!</i>... and he scrambles toward the house.<br/><br/>The battle inside fares worse-- Alphonse is lost in the overwhelming terrain, his blades unable to find purchase in this beast.  Larger than the prior, it seems to shrug off Fiera's magic missiles.  Quinta can't get her blade leveled at it.  They recombine their efforts, with Quinta shouldering her way up into the beast's body to prevent it getting a full-out shot at her.  Infuriated, the beast kicks at her, thrashes about and manages to trample Alphonse beneath it.<br/><br/>Despite her wound, Fiera flicks her fingers and whispers a series of arcane words and, thus, conjures up a directed ray of magical frost.  Distracted as the beast is, this time she is able to focus that beam directly into the beast's body-- icy cold spikes through its thick, coarse feathers and hide.  But it still stands...<br/><br/>Alphonse rises bruised and pummeled and wraps himself around its supporting leg... he sinks his daggers into the thick, ropy tendons and hauls himself up to its body.  The beast stamps and shakes its foot, but the blades prevent it from moving as it should to remove the halfling from his painful latching point.  But it doesn't fall...<br/><br/>With a thrashing blow, it presses the armored warrior woman against the wall, sending dust raining from the roof and producing slats of sunlight inside where the joints of the walls are stretched-- the press is painful, but she resists.  Quinta wedges her blade against the junction of the beast's neck and body, then pushes-- with a sickening tear, the blade works its way into its body.  The fighter's body is a rigid knot of resistance, and her legs leave the ground as she braces herself-- one foot on the wall, pushing off and driving the blade deeper as she grapples with the beast.<br/><br/>With a scream that is thick with hatred, the beast buckles, sinks, and goes.  A massive pool of blood spreads on the floor, dripping between the bamboo flats and wetting the soles of their boots.  Tak reaches the door in time to lend aid in the beast's dismembering, as it tries again and again to peck at them while the three of them continue to drain the beast of its remaining life until it goes still and unconscious.