The Furry Forums
Creative Arts and Media => Roleplay => Serious RP => Topic started by: Aldrea945 on June 29, 2014, 01:30:04 AM
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Many months ago, all too far and so tantalizingly short, the world of Adjara was beautiful and plentiful in life. People lived in peace below their beloved protectors, worshiping them with all the love of children to their parents as their protectors did the same. Life was peaceful below the heavens, but the same could not be said of the protectors themselves.
High above the highest peaks, tensions had long arose and festered over the lack of ‘excitement’ in the world below. The highest of the deities, Goddesses and Gods of the most powerful planes, showered praise on their children, casting more food and love and good fortune than could be needed in a million life times. Many younger deities, those of smaller sets of worship, followed their lead by giving few dangers to threaten the people.
Many, though, saw this peace as making the people complacent. What would let courage and love of life grow if not the excitement of battle, the hardships of everyday life? They sought the understanding of their elder deities, hoping to sway them to their plight. It didn't work.
Within mere days of the downturn of their plans, the six had grouped together, plotting for the revitalization of the people. They talked of releasing a plague, of a great famine, even a year of darkness, but nothing became of the plans until one, the minor ice goddess Emilikeia, suggested the release of a powerful dark goddess, Scarlett of disease, for a simple show of power. Something to make them talk. The group agreed.
Scarlett, locked within the Palace of Time, had long been a prisoner for her dark deeds in enacting one of the most hated and feared horrors of Adjara’s history, the Scarlett Rains. Now, they released her, with the oath that she would help them stir up some fun but would cause no prolonged misery.
It took but a day to start the war.
It took but an hour for the deities to lose and Scarlett to be freed.
Scarlett wrought revenge on those that had imprisoned her, letting her diseases run rampant through their children and causing suffering wherever she went. She didn’t stop there however. Instead, after a month of destruction on the surface, the queen of agony, as she had been dubbed, swept back to the Palace of Time ahead of the pursuing deities. The time was here.
She unleashed first the god of Blood, known only as the Bloodied.
She unleashed second the goddess of War, Lucinda.
She unleashed last the goddess of Magic, Koriuna.
Together, the three attempted to destroy Koriuna and harness her power, to render the other deities powerless and continue their reign for all eternity. They did not expect the goddess to escape, nor her actions after.
Koriuna, fearing the misuse of her strength, fled to the world of mortals and locked her power within her, and as she faded, locked her spirit within the soul of a pure being. Even to the calls of her family, high above her, she didn’t show herself. Instead, she became quiet, and even the person she held power within did not know she was there.
The god and goddesses of darkness, upon finding they could no longer enact their plans on Koriuna, moved to another plan. They descended to the mortal plane, as though as saviors to the people. Many fled to them, worshiped them and begged forgiveness for whatever wrong doing they committed.
The dark protectors took pleasure in the resulting slaughter.
With magic removed in all great amount, the deities above could do nothing to stop the further destruction of their beloved children, even as they were slaughtered, enslaved, and even eaten by those who once were their kin.
It took little time during this frightful reign to find the six responsible. Stricken by the grief and shame of what they had caused, the once protectors quickly found themselves at the mercy of their kin, to be tried for the acts of the dark ones…
Reddened clouds stretched below the trial, grown and shaped by the protectors long before into an open amphitheater. Seats rose on all sides, angry and weeping protectors of all sizes and shapes watching the scene before them like hawks. In the middle of the great sight stood eight of the oldest beings in existence, those of the moon, sun, life, death, time, nature, justice, and spirit, in an open semicircle.
The trial had already been long and heated, fed more by the accusers than the defendants. What had there been to say? The damage could be seen clearly through the clouds by all, a blackened, dead land offering little for the children to thrive with.
The defendants had offered little back, knowing what they had done could only be met with execution or worse. Instead, they knelt with heads bowed, some weeping for those they had hurt, others angry for those they’d been betrayed by. After many hours, though, the trial and quiet deliberation came to a close.
The goddess of justice, Cenillia, stepped forward. Her long robes spread behind her in stark white to her dark skin and her head was held high as she unsheathed her sword. All grew silent. “You are caused misery, death, destruction, and mayhem because of your arrogance. There is no justice strong enough, long enough, to redeem your sins,” she said. The six in front of her waited for the coming blows. When they didn’t come, many looked up at the mothers and fathers before them in confusion.
The goddess of life, Ginial, moved up beside her sister. She was as dark as the woman beside her, and as striking to see as a sword among a field of flowers. “However. Death has fallen far too heavily around us to add yet more blood to the ground,” she said quietly, towering above the six. “You shall instead be exiled, to recant your sins and sooth the horrors of the world below. But be warned, children of the skies. Should you misstep even once,” she said, eyes narrowing and voice growing darker, more thunderous. “You will be struck down and sent to wander hell for all eternity.”
The six, dumbstruck, were silent before her, even as the other deities joined Ginial. “Now. Be gone, and recant, or spend the rest of your days in exile,” Cenillia said. The heavens opened, and air rushed past the six. Then nothing.
The sun rarely shone now in the barren valley, red skies bathing the charred earth in bloody light. A rare few buildings stood here and there, with most nearly leveled to a single story or less, charred to husks. Bodies piled over the streets, left by panicked and overwhelmed residents. Little was left to identify to the once beautiful town, save for the only untouched building in the area. Perhaps it was cruel fate, perhaps it was meant to be hope, and perhaps it was chance, but the old temple to the protectors stood in beauty against the hell around it.
Tarsinta sat at a rise, unable to sleep. Was this really her world anymore? To look and see nothing but death and horror and know that the dark ones could always do worse? She sighed and looked up at the clouded sky, threatening acid rain as always. She closed her eyes, imagining stars above her head. “Please, even if not for me, please don’t let this be all there is,” she whispered, fighting back tears. She opened her eyes, tears falling across her gaunt cheeks.
Her eyes went wide as saucers as six tiny streaks flew across the sky, separating above the town. They disappeared before hitting the ground, but the sight was enough. Sin watched helplessly for a few moments, her heart fluttering like a butterfly in a cage.
‘Was… was that an answer?’
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Emilikeias stomach dropped as she was cast down to the realm of mortals. Normally the feeling of falling through the sky was a joyous one. this time, however, it filled her with sense of dread. No matter how hard she struggled she couldn't open her wings to slow her descent. Her landing was going to cause her a lot of pain, she knew that. She watched helplessly as the ground came rushing up to meet her. She had no idea where she was, where the others were, or even if she would survive the initial impact. Emilikeia shut her eyes tightly and wrapped her wings around her. Shortly after she slammed into the ground and all the breath in her lungs was dispelled and she lay gasping for what seemed ages before she was able to get a wisp of air back into her lungs.
As soon as she was able to she sat up and gasped in short shallow breaths. She gently prodded at her ribs and winced. She didn't feel anything broken, she moved her limbs and wings and was relieved that they were only sore and bruised, but unbroken. She looked around and saw five other streaks along the horizon.
'I guess that must be the others...' She thought to herself as she gazed upon the other streaks.
It was dusk and Emilikeia knew there was no chance of finding the others in the dark. She crawled out of the small crater she created, when she hit, and collapsed several feet away. The energy she must have subconsciously surrounded herself with, to protect herself, left her week and exhausted. She drifted off into the blissful sea of unconscious hoping nothing would find her in her most vulnerable state.
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One of the six flaming streaks of light came down with a crash among the blasted ruins of several buildings, charred and blackened trees leaning and clawing at the sky in what may once have been a beautiful park or garden. The motionless figure of Lirael lay in the dirt, dust slowly settling around her from the impact. There was a bright flash as if of moonlight, setting everything starkly white against inky shadows, and the runes lining her hooded tunic and iron shackles glowed intensely. A voice slithered into being, calling out in a victorious hiss that sent small animals far and wide scurrying into burrows and an icy chill fell upon the air all around. "Free at lassst..."
Lirael woke slowly, pain flaring in just about every place imaginable. Gasping for air she rolled onto her side and retched, coughing and chest heaving in the dusty air. Her tail swished and swatted the ground as she clawed weakly at the dirt. With a moan of pain she slowly managed to push herself up on one arm and stare around at the bleak surroundings. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes as she climbed to her feet, standing and clutching her side. There was that voice again and it chuckled like bones clattering. "You're awake... Perfect."
She whirled to try and face it, but the voice kept shifting and changing all around her, another sharp stab of pain in her side making her double up and gasp. With tears in her eyes she staggered to her feet again, reaching for the sword that hung at her side as she shouted. "Show yourself!"
To one side a crumbling brick wall still stood, remnants of some building long since blasted into ruin. Slowly, tantalisingly slowly, Lirael's shadow cast by the dusky twilight of the setting sun seemed to writhe. Like some nightmarish snake her own shadow crawled and slithered up the wall, swallowing up the bricks and plaster in darkness until it stood a full head taller than Lirael herself. A deformed shapeless writhing mass of shadow looked down at the faun through narrow flaring eyes. Slowly a mouth appeared, nothing more than a gaping tear that split the thing from cheek to cheek, and it laughed again with all the malice and horror of a beast as old as time itself. "It's good to see you again, my sister..."
-
*Shadis remained motionless on the ground for what seemed like an eternity. His body was wracked with pain. It was a struggle to recollect his breath, but once he did, he made no effort to rise. His anguish was not only physical. It felt like his soul was struggling for breath as well, if that made sense. When he was a full fledged lesser god, the shadows were home to him. He felt comforted and loved in their embrace. But now, he felt cold, hurt, broken, and alone. He laid in the darkness, but felt nothing from them. It was as if he had lost his sense of sight or smell. A whole world of sensations lost to him. After sulking for quite some time, he grimaced and rose to a sitting position. His body was in as much pain as his soul, so at least there was a little unity. He finally stood up and looked at his form. Dark, almost black, fur with an assortment of meaningless dark purple rules, natural to his fur. He wore black, loose jeans and a loose, black duster, open in front, exposing his chest. Physically, he looked the same, and still wore his usual apparel. Attached to his belt was a black bladed long sword with a slight curved blade. He gripped the black and purple handle and drew it. His blade looked the same, but was now completely magic-less. He frowned, and sheathed it.*
"So... This is what being mortal is like. I feel so... small... And stabbable. I hate it."
*He said to himself. Speaking to himself had been common place to him since his existence first began. He then sniffed the air, and smelled others like himself nearby. He was glad his nose still worked, and set off to find his newly fallen brethren, occasionally grumbling that the pain hadn't stopped yet.*
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In one of the areas of impact, flames licked the surrounding area and ignited what was left of a pitiful looking tree. In the center, lay a lone figure
After what seemed painfully long, the figure shifted. Ever slowly, Aura, former Goddess of fire, got up. The feeling of pain and the vulnerability in her surroundings made her uncomfortable, and for the first time ever in her long existence, she felt powerless. Trying to fight the onslaught of new senses of her current form, she tried to check her surroundings.
Looking up into the sky she could see no sign of the others. Was she the last one to fall to the earth? It was dark, the only light and warmth provided by the surrounding fire. Checking her side sheaths she saw that her beloved short swords survived the impact. She had no idea where to go, it was too dark to see and her body, let alone her wings were too weak to cooperate, so that meant she could not go and search by air. Shivering and putting up the hood of her tunic she sat by the flames perching herself on higher elevation to get a good veiw. She was going to either wait for daylight, or until someone else arrives. It was all that she could think of to do. She hoped the others were okay. Sitting she watched for the others, regret filling her mind of the past events.
“what Have I done?”
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Tarsinta sat in shock for many minutes, her mind silenced by the streaks she'd just seen. A gentle, hot breeze whistled past over the dirt, snapping her out of her reverie. She hopped to her feet and grabbed her tiny pack of supplies, too joyous to think. They were here to save them!
Her feet slowed at that thought. ‘Right?’ she thought. What more could they destroy? She’d been at the massacre when it’d started, and narrowly escaped by her size and speed alone. Not unscathed, but alive. Sin couldn’t imagine doing that again, couldn’t imagine the danger of being near alone with them again. Her wings shook at the thought, and not for the first time she silently wished for her parents or friends. Just one, to ease the fear of being entirely alone.
Another flash of lights, above the towering, blood stained mountains, made up her mind. She wasn’t going to stay and find herself running from their minions again, trying to avoid their pikes and whips. If there was help anywhere, it was the first grouping, away from the destroyers.
Sin started slowly down the rise, shaking now not just from fear, but near starvation. She had a long night ahead.
Ginial watched the deadened ‘scape below, long past horror at the sight of her mortal children, her babies, dying so horribly. To the others, she had said many times that the people of Earth would never want in their next life, she made sure, but she wept to see so many have only that life left.
As the five fell from their previous home, she said nothing. They would learn. She would make certain of it, and if they strayed, she would see every bit.
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Ghastly laughter twisted and slithered through the charred ruins of the park. The air chilled and Lirael's breath froze as she fell to her knees, gasping. "You do not seem pleased to see me... " The shadow creature convulsed as it spoke, questing this way and that, long tendrils of darkness testing the edges of the ruined wall. Its jagged mouth tore open again as it chuckled, watching Lirael struggle, clawed arms reaching out as though parting curtains. "But sister, do you not wish to look upon the glorious world you helped create?" The creature paused deliberately and whispered. "Perhaps enough... It is time I take my leave and shuck this weak mortal form..." With a sickening hiss the creature gripped the edges of the darkness and pooled like oil, its jaws opened wide as it clambered slowly into the light, a crevasse of sheer darkness that clawed and slithered its way into the world.
There was a flash. Blinding moonlight and blue flames licked the ruins, searching and grasping at the creature of shadow. It screamed as the light touched it. Writhing and twisting, the creature shrieked, tearing at itself and clawing at the dirt, dragged inexorably down and back into the shadows.
As fast as it had happened... It stopped. Lirael lay on her hands and knees in the middle of a cold ring of frost, panting heavily. She looked up at her shadow on the wall and smiled with a grimace, lifting one hand up to show the runes that lined her manacles glowing a bright moonlit white. "You seem to forget, brother... I am not such the fool you think me, you are not leaving this body as long as I live. What has happened here is my fault... My fault for ever believing you might change."
What followed was a silence. A complete nothingness drawn out for so long that it seemed no sound could ever exist again. It would have been better if the creature had laughed, but instead it waited. The fur down Lirael's back shivered on end and she felt a sickening coldness through her body. It spoke again with dread finality. "Ahhhh... How interesting. The others are nearby sister, you had better find them soon. Unless you intend to make this too easy for me."
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*Shadis hobbled for a bit, the pain slowly declining. He followed his ever trusty nose to find another fallen god like himself. It didn't take him too long to stumble upon a once forbidden sight: Aura the fire goddess. He had always admired her from afar, but never getting close. Being the goddess of fire, she was always surrounded by flame, which creates light, which banishes darkness. Now that neither of them were gods, however, he could actually approach her! He then caught a whiff of something menacing not far off. Remembering his new found mortality, he clambered down the rocky slope that divided them.*
"Aura" *He finally said once he got down to here* "Thank goodness you are alright! Are you hurt badly? Do you know where any of the others are?"
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Suddenly startled by the sound of clambering rocks, Aura turned to see who was addressing her. Squinting through the darkness she could finally see him, the figure finally came into the light of her flames. Is.....is that Shadis?!
Climbing down to meet him she stopped a few mere feet before him. though she was once a goddess, the feeling was almost unreal. Here, right in front of her, was the god of darkness and shadows. She never in her whole existence was this close to him. Of course she has seen him a few times in the heavens but never close enough for conversation. She was curious about the phenomenon of shadow, but she was naturally forbidden in that area for quite obvious reasons. She stared at the dark wolf in his new form in awestruck silence.
Oh right, he was talking to her!
"Sh-Shadis?!" she silently cursed to herself for the awkward introduction, but continued "I-I am fine thank you,.... though I must admit the fall was rather burdensome, i'm afraid my wings will not get me off of the ground for the time being, but I think it will pass, i'm sure I will be fine. However I have not seen the others, I have not been able to get even a hint of them" she paused, then added "It is nice to finally meet you, god of shadows"
-
Emilikeia awoke some time later, still in quit a bit of pain. She moved groaning as she sat up. "It's about time to go looking for the others." Emilikeia stood swaying as she headed off in the direction she saw the closest streak of light. After what seemed to be ages, Emilikeia stopped and slid down the trunk of an old dead tree. She only intended to rest for a bit, but she ended up slipping into a fitful sleep.
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Dust clogged her lungs and pain wracked her body from hunger, but Sin resolved to travel through the night toward the streaks. She had to. It was the only clear direction she'd had in months toward an end, and she was taking it.
Red stained earth, charred by fire and barren of the crops that once grew in family gardens, passed slowly. Sin dared not check inside many of the remaining buildings. Those that had withstood the onslaught were often taken by people driven so far as murder or cannibalism, and one did well to pass quickly. Those that hadn't been taken had been looted of everything. She sighed and coughed. She had once looked for her parents' house in the aftermath and... She shuddered. 'No. Not now. Not again. I want to sleep, not wake up screaming and even worse off,' she thought. 'Not ever again...'
Fire ahead broke her from her memories, surrounding... something. Someone? Many people? She couldn't tell with so many shadows to fool her addled mind. She could hear voices, she knew, but what were they saying? Her shaking worsened and she hid behind a rock pile, far from the entity. The most powerful question to haunt her was if they were friendly, and she feared to find out.
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"Likewise, goddess of fire. Of course, these titles are meaningless now. We're not divine anymore. I-" *Shadis' speech is suddenly cut short when a surprisingly close sound echoed nearby. It was like a roar mixed with a snarl, but raspy. And it was coming closer.* "We need to find the others immediately, Aura. This place is not safe." *He says as he begins quickly walking away, gesturing Aura to follow. Not one minute later, they stumble upon the remains of a dead tree, with a familiar figure sleeping fitfully at the base of it*
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Lirael crouched low over the brow of a rubble pile, her tail flicking anxiously. Down below the two fallen gods seemed to be speaking together as they approached another at the foot of a large dead tree.
"Fallen angels... Birds without wings, I could really go on forever with these proverbs-"
With a hiss Lirael swatted at the thin air just beside her head. She muttered a sharp reprisal to the cloying voice in her mind. "Shut it, you despicable creature." A sudden flurry of stones rattled and fell from her hiding place. Quickly she crouched lower, holding her breath after the sudden outburst.
"How is that any way to speak to your brother?" The voice hissed and slithered around Lirael again and chuckled darkly. "Such weaklings down here on the earth... I would slaughter all of you in but a moment and thrive on the fear in this pitiful world"
Lirael growled, partly in pain, whispering her reply as one hand went instinctively to the sword at her side, drawing the weapon slowly. "Perhaps, but remember you're stuck with me. So just stay quiet."
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*Right as they approached the area Aura immediately recognized the figure, a Dragon like herself. But she knew this dragon was different*
"Emilikeia!"
*With a short flap of her wings, she approached her. Carefully though, so she would not try to startle her. she shook her shoulder.*
"Emilikeia? Emilikea! wake up! its us!"
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(Alright. I finally got time to work on this. I will start a new cycle, then there will be one week to reply. Then I print and send it to Kaya. Any posts after that and before the next cycle can't reply to her.)
Sin watched closely, trembling like a leaf as others moved into the fire's light. So many... Few moved with even one person now unless they had a pact to find more people to... to take. She knew what they did with those people, knew how they never came out. If these were so like them, she debated whether she'd be safer staying without a sound or moving through the night. That one though... No. She'd stay and wait. Moving would mean dying like a rabbit to wolves.
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Lirael sighed as she crouched low, watching the three fallen who were around the large dead tree. Two of them seemed to be trying to wake the third who lay on the ground. Her tail swished agitatedly and she frowned before finally deciding to walk down to meet them.
"Wait!" The voice shouted suddenly in her mind. Loud and urgent, it was almost like a physical blow to Lirael, knocking the air from her lungs. She dropped back down below the rocks and drew her sword in one sharp motion. Her bright eyes flicked back and forth between shadows fervently, the curved moonlight steel of the sword humming softly at her side. There appeared to be nothing around beside herself and the three fallen down below.
"What is it?" She hissed in return through gritted teeth.
"There is something else here... Not of our kind but mortal blood." The creature's voice slithered slowly, pausing and rattling. Tantalizingly the creature stretched out from Lirael's body, tendrils of shadow oozing over the rocks and debris. It paused as though sniffing the air and ended with a dark chuckle. "I can smell it's fear, so rank and delicious..."
With growing speed now the shadow creature quested this way and that, slithering over rocks and pebbles. It seemed to be heading around the edge of the slope that encircled the dead tree clearing. "Wait... Stop!" Lirael whispered and crawled after it. The shadow creature was tethered to her but she could feel a hard pulling inside, an overpowering fear that drew her onwards. It stretched and slithered, further and further, long fingers of darkness inky black against the flickering light of the fire from down below. The creature slowly encircled Sin's hiding place. Turning it's shapeless head from one side to the other, questing blindly, mere inches from the child.
"Stop!" Lirael shouted the single word as she drew her sword up and plunged it down into the creature's torso. The blade pierced the soft ground and the creature writhed, suddenly pinned in place around the white steel. It screamed in her mind as it slowly shrank and slithered back until her shadow finally retained it's normal shape. The last echoes of Lirael's voice rang around the clearing as she knelt on one knee, breathing heavily.
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*Shadis frowned at his failed attempts to rouse Emilikeia, and turned to Aura* "She's out cold. Alive, but out cold. We should take her with us as we search for the others. I-"
*He stops mid-sentence as he sees an inky, shadowy creature slink among the rocks not far from him, and another figure strike it down with a sword. He draws his blade*
"Who goes there? Be you friend, or foe?" *He shouts towards the unknown female figure wielding the sword*
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*Aura turned to whoever Shadis was addressing, and drew her blades in defense. She hovered near the unconscious dragoness in a protective stance. As Shadis was occupied with the current newcomer, she noticed something else, a figure hiding near the female that attacked the shadowy creature.*
"That goes for you as well!" she said as she addressed her. "who are you two, and what are your intentions?"
*she almost regretted her harshness when she saw that one of them seemed scared and was trembling when she came forward, apparently the victim of the shadowy creature. She stayed on her guard anyway, just in case it was a clever ruse.*
-
Sin turned quickly at the noise, too scared to even scream as she scrambled back, knocking against the rocks. 'No! NO, not here, please not here!' she thought, adrenaline making her previous trembling so violent she couldn't even begin to move away. Tears made streaks in her dirty fur, if only for a tiny moment, and her wings pressed close around her. She couldn't die yet, please she couldn't.
As she heard the other Fallen move closer, she found few words but to beg them not to hurt her, not to rip her apart. They were desperate and slurred and useless, and saying them only made it so real. They moved too much for her to see them clearly with her addled mind, blurring. "Please, p-please, I-I'll do whatever you w-want, please d-don't hurt me," she whimpered.
Emilikei's head hurt horribly, her vision blurred, and her mind felt so slow it might as well be molasses. And yet she tried to look out at the chaos around her, hear even when it sounded like it was through salt water. What was happening out there? Didn't they know she just wanted to sleep?
-
Abbygale slowly sat up from the rather impressive crater she had left, by a sheer stroke of luck her trajectory though the air had positioned her perfectly to slam right into the open maw of a cave. Perhaps a bit of luck was on her side as it had left her hidden for a little longer than the others. She would slowly stand up before brushing her hand though her snow white hair the black and red streaks contrasting it heavily "That was less than pleasant..." Placing her hand against the cold stone of the cave floor she felt how it resonated around her feeling the pain inflected upon the very soil from the mistake they all had made. She would set it right she though to herself as she stepped out of the cave, securing her weapons to her back before glancing around the barren landscape...
-
For a moment the clearing around the dead tree was filled with a bright flash of light as the shadow creature faded. Lirael stumbled and crashed back into the ground with enough force to knock the breath from her lungs. She lay there for a moment, coughing and her chest heaving as her vision slowly returned, listening to the voices of several people calling out to her as well as whoever the Midnight Wolf had attacked.
"I mean no harm!" Lirael finally managed to gasp out, pushing herself slowly to her feet. She winced and clutched her side as she met the gaze of two wolves, both dark furred and covered in crimson and deep purple markings respectively. With slow movement Lirael picked up the sword, which had been thrown several feet away into the dirt, and slid it into its sheath. She held her empty palms up, faun tail swishing nervously as she approached them.
-
*The grey and purple wolf lowered his saber upon seeing the faun-ish female, then sheathed it* "L-Lirael? Goddess of the Moon? Is that you?"
-
Aura's Heart sank as she immediately put her blades back in their sheaths, letting Shadis address Lirael She might have pushed a bit far that time, this girl is obviously mortal and way too scared to pose any kind of threat.
She crouched down to the shivering creature. "Hey.....shhhhh.....It's alright" She took her hands and held them to try her best to comfort her "Don't worry we are not here to hurt you, you can trust us. What happened? Is there anything we can do to help?"
-
Sin's wings trembled like paper in crisp wind, wrapped around her body as far as they'd go. She had no more tears left, though her sobs still racked her tiny frame. The deities in front of her were so big, and those teeth... New tremors wracked her body as she imagined those canines ripping into her body when they got hungry. She tried to speak, to beg again, but could do little more than whimper. He mouth was too dry, her stomach too empty to throw up, her head too light to run. 'Not here, please, Stars, please!'
-
Lirael stopped, staring in bewilderment. Whoever they were recognised her, clearly other deities, indeed who else would look as they did. She nodded her head but didn't step any closer. "Yes..." It was all she could think to say in reply to the first wolf's question. Lirael frowned and continued, both hands still held up openly. "Who should ask this of me?"
"Shadis, a lesser god... Of shadows and darkness I believe." The voice had returned, slithering through Lirael's mind and ending in a drawn out chuckle like wet bones clattering. "Only a fool would believe he can hold power over the darkness of twilight...
Still frowning Lirael shook her head, hissing between her teeth under her breath. Shut it foul creature... I banished you! She glanced back up at Shadis, trying not to betray the fear that ran through her eyes. The twilight creature laughed again in the back of her mind.
"Oh, you did?" The voice hissed into silence, leaving Lirael standing before the group of fallen gods, a sharp pain in her side and inky darkness outside the small circle of firelight.
-
Abbygale would glance around the landscape clearly trying to find anybody to ask for directions or even give her a proper indication of where she was. It all looked so different now, sure she had visited the planet many times in the past mostly to make sure the soil and ground would stay fertile, but now even her power couldn't bring life back to it anymore. She could curse under her breath at her own weakness before seeing a flash of light in the distance. Without a word she burst into a full sprint towards it, maybe it was an explosion and somebody was hurt, maybe it was the darkness hurting somebody...or maybe it was a fellow god, it didnt matter to Abby she only wanted redemption and for life to return to the world...feeling the ground underneath her was painful.
-
Emilikeia growled low and forced her eyes open. everything was blurred and she knew the others were talking but couldn't make out what they were saying. She stirred, as she did her left wing screamed in protest. 'oh that's just great... I finally get out of that darned place, shoved down here and end up feeling like crap and end up with a broken wing.'. she thought to herself agitated. Emilikeia knew full well it could have been a lot worse.. they all could have been killed and she was happy that she wasn't.
she blinked and rubbed her eyes as her mind started clearing along wither vision. she saw Aura, Luriel, and Shadis all near a scared ball of what looked like a small bat. She felt a small pang of pity for the poor creature, no doubt it was scared out of its poor mind..
"leave the poor thing alone" she managed to rasp out quietly, she had to repeat herself a few times before her voice was loud enough for the others to hear her. "leave the poor thing alone i'm all the way back here and can see the poor thing is scared out of her wits..."
-
Even as the deities spoke, Sin shivered against the rocks. And yet, even as the wind whipped faster, harsher around them, all of the group could hear a quiet, rasping moan not far enough away to make anyone comfortable. Sin's eyes, previously closed, flew open and she went as still as stone. 'No, NO, not them!' she thought. Then, as the scent of rot whiffed by them, she started screaming. "NO, NO!! Not again, please not them!"
Another whiff cemented knowledge they'd had even before falling. Corvicas. Horrible, near soulless things the Dark ones created like flies that rotted and decayed, even as they still walked the world. They searched for other souls, to fill the void of what had been taken. They ripped them out of every man, woman, and child after paralyzing the victims with their screams. And when they wasn't enough, they often ate what was on the bodies before they left. Awful, horrid monsters rose from what remained, bent on the same goal. Every one of them had the same thought as figures drifted on the horizon. They had to move.
-
*Shadis frowned and drew his sword once more* "We will protect you, Mortal. But first, we must get to a safe place. Seeing as you know the area best, which way is the safest out of here?"
-
Continued her sprint towards the light her small frame allowing her to move quite rapidly as she dodged past any obstacles in her way. As she got closer she could make out that there were a few people already gathered only for her to shudder at the rasping moans coming from close by, it was not natural and she didn't know what could produce a sound like that. She noticed Shadis draw his blade only to call out while still in a full sprint "Shadis? You got any idea whats making that sound?" She called out before slowing down and reaching towards her own weapons her hands gripping the metal rods tightly as she herself prepared for a fight instinctively.
-
Aura stood up from her position and drew her blades at the sight of the newcomer. She relaxed when she found out that she was the the Earth Goddess. "Abbygale!" Her ears perked up and she tensed. She heard something and she sensed it was not good......
-
(I'm so sorry I'm so inactive. I'm really, truly trying guys...)
The sun blazed from a break in the clouds, red as blood and larger than ever above them. Sin watched the small group through her fingers, her shaking and fear… not subsided, but lessening. They hadn’t killed her yet, or even eaten her alive, but they looked better fed than any she’d seen in the months since it all happened.
The moans of the coming hoard brought back her shaking with a vengeance. She’d seen those things, time and again, doing what they did to the few people that remained. Not again, she couldn’t watch. Couldn’t even think of what they’d do again. She swallowed. The only way to make sure, though, was to move. And if they didn’t eat her… She wasn’t going to watch them get eaten.
She spoke softly, barely more than a whisper, but the fallen deities, with sensitive ears, heard the words. Only barely, but they heard them. “P-please, we… we need to move,” Sin said. Her voice was so hoarse anymore, from screaming then not using it. How could that be hers?
Above, hidden among the thick clouds and behind the sun blazing on their backs, Cenillia watched in silence. Her robes fluttered in a soft breeze, her hair brushing her forehead. A million thoughts swarmed in her mind, a million more fighting at the edges for attention. The loudest of all, though, twisted her stomach in knots.
Did they make the right choice?
Much as the Fallen had a wrong to right, she couldn’t help but look at the many warriors around and think they would have more understanding of the task. She sighed aloud. Perhaps that was their own doing. How can you know what to do with no task set forth?
Ginial, clad in nothing, walked up behind the younger goddess and touched her shoulder. She spoke softly, but with no less strength than willow’s wood. “Do not place anywhere but on the shoulders of those who brought this, sister. They must find the path and recant without intervention,” she said.
Cenillia looked back at Ginial. “I know, eldest. But could we not lead them? Not once? If this fails… There are so many people gone, so many suffering already.” Her shoulders fell. Justice was supposed to be blind. It was supposed to be impartial. But was it so right to hold justice at the cost to so many of their children?
Ginial was silent for a moment, watching the white eyes of her sister. She too sighed after a moment. “Perhaps. I shall talk to the others. Perhaps we can give one the push in a vision or dream, something harmless.” She looked down once more at the looking pool. To see that tiny bat cowering and know so many still dealt with such fear wrenched at her heart. “It is not as if they can do much more harm than they already have.”
With that last word, the goddess of life let her hand drop to her side and strode toward the high temple. This would be a long day.