Darkness, the soothing presence of shadows. This was the only way she felt that darkness, the same darkness that had once stained her soul. A deep breath, a soft sigh. Emerald eyes took in the forest around her, the rocky cliffs before her. Even her eyes were tainted with the darkness. Her twin had brighter eyes, something that made her envious. Yet Grisha had the brighter pelt, only lightly touched with the darkness.
Lifting her head, she stepped into the moonlight. The cool light danced over her pelt, making her stripes nearly glow in the darkness. Perhaps this was a chance to be something different, to be that light in the darkness. The idea made her smile softly, gave her hope for a better future. They had escaped the tyranny of their father, they could be anyone that they wished. Reaching the cliff, she stared over the sea and let the clear air rush through her.
"This is my fight song, take back my life song, prove I’m alright song. My power’s turned on, starting right now I’ll be strong. I’ll play my fight song, and I don’t really care if nobody else believes. ‘Cause I’ve still got a lot of fight left in me." The words echoed from her lips, though she kept her voice down enough to not bother anyone. The tones were clear and strong as she let her hope ring out over the cliffs. Yes, she was free from the shadows. Hopefully it would stay that way in this new land.
The streets were different, the faces unknown. Even with that knowledge, the night markets were similar enough to places he had been to relax the massive stallion. Shaking his head, the shire paced through the beings and let his seafoam eyes take in the world around him. A building caught his attention and the stallion’s white ears perked.
Stepping inside, the once shadow wielder stepped toward the bar and the beings that were drinking and randomly speaking. He ignored the murmured conversations, ordering a drink and settling at the end of the bar where he could watch the other patrons. It was a pleasant way to learn more about the people that he was around and it gave him some insight of the horses.
"Busy place…" He remarked to the barkeeper, dipping his head as his drink was delivered. With a soft sigh, he took a drink. There were others that he was missing, though the fact that Grisha was here with him made it better. Eventually, he would find them a solid home… but for now, they were living rather as vagabonds.
The pair explored the realm, currently choosing to be members of the Dusk court. If they would stay was yet to be determined, but it was at least a place to start. Flicking his dark tail, he took another drink and gazed around him again.
The claws of winter were well and truly dug in deep, tearing through whatever warmth fur provided and gripping at the very bones of those beholden to its bite. Vidaar had slipped begrudgingly from the relative warmth of Sol’s lands, leaving in his wake a trail of sand and red dust. He was not disappointed the leave behind the realm of sand; he could feel it in the hair of his tail, clinging to the auburn of his fur and catching between his teeth. He might never have thought sand had a particular scent until he lost his sight but now he found it had this peculiar smell when collected in seas of red.
Vidaar daren’t stray too far from the edges of Solterra’s sun-baked deserts, as much as he despised admitting to himself that he might not be capable of finding his way back if he did. This new land however did not smell that much different from the desert, the aroma of sunburnt grass overpowering whatever perfume the other foliage might emit.
He felt grass tickle his ankles, short and dried as though it had withered beneath summer’s touch yet pressing resolutely up through the frost that crunched beneath his hooves. Here and there he felt bushes reach for his legs, scratching at the muscles as he pranced through the oblivion of his sightless eyes. He would not be surprised to find the skin broken in places as his frustration bled into his forceful movements, restless as the world sat in his darkness. Even as the sun shone far above, doing little to warm the winter air, he saw no light in the shadows of his vision.
It was perhaps mid-morning, though Vidaar had no way of truly telling, but the faint sounds of birdsong permeated the quiet and somewhere in the distance the stallion could have sworn his heard the bubbling of a river. His ears twitched, picking up the lazy buzz of a fly as he meandered through what he hoped was a large field.
Text “speech”
Kiss your perfect day goodbye because the world is on fire
Shadows and darkness. They were Shaye’s friends as the rogue did his dirty work. They were the blankets that warmed his cold heart in the night and made smiles dance along his facade. Shaking his head, he paced through the night. Dawn was still a few hours away, but there seemed to be a draw to the world around him. Like he was being called.
The stallion had not been staying in any one place during the time since he arrived, simply using time to scout and see if he could find his master’s little birds. Murmurs of the twins had caressed his ears, though he had yet to lay his eyes upon them. A crack of a branch in the darkness stilled the stallion, his head quickly ducking to check that his beloved dagger was at his side where it belonged.
Silence, utter and complete nothing. No scents colored the air, no warmth attracted his attention. A soft sigh escaped his mouth and he continued on his way. There was no definite plan of where to go, of what was calling to him. The shift from deep forests to the sands of the beach startled him for a moment, making the stallion stop and take stock of where he was standing.
The sea crashed along the shore, spraying the slowly lightening world with salty spray. He was at Terminus… though the travel seemed to have been in an opposite direction. Frowning, he stepped out onto the sands. The stallion hugged any shadows he could find, eyes and ears on constant alert for whatever might come upon him. For hoof beats of the strangers that he was surrounded in.
and now you'll pay when these walls come tumbling down
At the death of summer, as all things fell, the sun seemed to have lost much of its ferocity. Though of course the masked steed had nothing to compare it to for he had arrived upon the cusp of autumn when Solis’ gaze was turned to the growing Night and the promise of shorter days (even in the desert). Even so, those who called the sun-city home breathed a sigh of relief as the temperature began its steady descent to something more bearable.
Nevertheless, Vidaar found himself basking beneath the sun’s eye, relishing the heat upon a face clad in gold metal until beads of sweat wormed their way between his skin and the mask. Sometimes he could swear the light permeated the darkness of his eyes, that he could see more than endless shadows and the images conjured in his mind. His pride would not allow him to ask Legiana what their new surroundings were like and thus he contented himself with imagining them, the dusty streets beneath his hooves, the markets dressing the air with a pungent aroma of spices, herbs, fruit and wines. But it was a crude substitute for the pleasure of vision or the true sight the Lyx blood had allowed him. Nearly a month had passed since the pair found themselves thrown from the decaying world of Edana to the fiery pits of this desert land but each one dragged like claws across stone for his life had plunged into darkness and he found himself floundering in oblivion.
It was fear that struck at the heart of him each morning, when he opened his eyes and found nothingness staring back at him. But, as it always did and always would, the fear festered into something else, something far darker. Bitterness clung to every part of him, a ghost haunting the impatience of each step, a spectre caressing the words from his tongue. It hung upon him from dawn till dusk and beyond.
Though despair drowned Vidaar each and every waking moment, it would be a lie to consider him invalid. He had worn this mask in all the years he could remember and though it was now more than a century ago he had spent years training without the vision that graced others. Indeed, he was capable of a great many things, no matter how much he mourned that which he had recently lost. In fact, the gold-dusted steed found himself upon the edge of the sun-blaze city where one could find a rare silence. There was a try somewhere to his left, he could hear the soft autumn breeze play through the twisted branches. He felt cool where the shadow of the outlying wall shielded him from the sun, but heat where Solis’ eye broke through the barricade. Bird song permeated that gentle silence, a hardy avian bearing it’s soul to the summer that did not see it perish. In that instance, Vidaar realised he could not remember the last time he’d simply listened to the creatures in and on the earth around him. He’d never had such luxury.
do you believe in reinarnation?
'cause i thought i saw your soul
I wasn't used to the taste of freedom.
Or perhaps, I merely wasn't used to it in this life.
I've felt it before.
A long, long time ago.
The feel of the wind brushing fingers through my mane. The taste of success coating my mouth. I remember it all so freeingly. With no hesitation, no letdowns. Just me against the world, and it was exhilarating.
I'm starting to regain some of that sense as well. It's in the ability to wake up and leave my room freely. To be able to explore the world without having to sneak out of my parents' home. Freedom to see the world, taste the spirits (quite literally, thank you very much), and once more let that wild energy in my blood sing. But I also know, at least for the time being, as much as I want to let it all go, feel that sense of adventure once more, there is still a part of me that hesitates.
It's that same part of me that keeps me at this cliff. The waters crashing below me, trying to carve out the rock wall to get at me, to pull me into their embrace. I remember it so freely, in a time long, long ago. To run wild on those very waves. The salty air zapped the breath out of me on chilly nights. The lulling of a ship on peaceful waters. But I also remembered the storms, the thrill of death coming for you as you raced from one end of the ship to the next, securing sails, trying to keep things on board, trying to ride out those storms that could come out of nowhere, and throw your entire travel for a loop.
I remember the fighting, the zing of blades through the air, the crossing of swords, and the demented grins we wore as our flags were raised. With the taste of freedom I'm slowly being given, these memories come soaring back, and I miss it. The thrill of adventure, the dashing, daring attempts to make a name for yourself, a fortune. Somewhere, so long ago; that Asta had buried such treasures on an uncharted island, and I wonder briefly if it was still there if I could regain the crown I once held in the southern seas, traveling those dangerous routes, fighting against fellow pirates for my cut, my fraction of delicious coin, and jewels.
I remember trapezing across rooftops, I remember running from those 'saintly' naval officers who didn't believe in my attempts to make a living. Stealing from the rich to feed me. I remember those lifetimes with such fondness, that it's almost an ache in my chest as I keep my distance from the shore, from the water so far below me. Instead, I lay down, my tail dangling off the edge, as I watch the waters, the waves. The tantalizing call of the sea, to taste that special freedom again. I wonder if being out at sea, living a pirate's life, would give Liam more gray hairs - or less. A sneaky grin crosses my muzzle, but I know I'm nowhere near being able to journey the oceans again.
I'd need a ship.
Perhaps I should start keeping an eye out for the next one to come ashore.
What's a pirate, if they don't 'borrow' things every once in a while?
And I was once a very good pirate.
FROM THE MOUTH INSIDE THE MIND
Open to Anyone Notes:: <3 Figured I'd start this out with a little Asta action :)
flashing and dancing on the horizon
shades of jade and emerald
Posted by: Mir - 11-16-2021, 01:03 AM - Forum: Archives
- No Replies
mir
It had started to become a routine, one that was beginning to dragon on the stallion's soul. Sure, he loved exploring and being in new places but always showing up alone was never a part of the plan. This pattern of finding somewhere new, getting somewhat settled, running into familiar faces, and then somehow getting split from them and on his own again wasn't the sort of life that he wanted. With the little bit of "family" he had left Mir was trying to hold on to every bit he had left.
So far he hadn't been entirely successful as he was alone yet again. It almost felt like a curse sometimes but if he started to believe that then he would have to believe that he himself was cursed. In a terrible way it would make a lot of sense and explain some things, such as why no one stuck around for long, but that thought was too depressing. There was already too much in the stallion's life to consider his current predicament a curse.
With a shake of his head the stallion forced those thoughts from his mind. The mirror-like surface of the lake before him returned a near perfect image of his figure. It was a bit of a shock to see himself so clearly, with the sun shining off of the plate on his face and the rest of his jewelry sparkling. Mir hadn't given the pieces too much thought with the exception of the gem tied around his neck but he did have to admit they gave him the appearance of someone else. They were more ornamental than functional but a part of him thought of them as physical shields, hiding the feelings he didn't want anyone else to see. With the majority of his face covered it probably did a pretty good job too.
A huff left his lips at the thought and Mir quickly splashed a hoof in the water to disturb the image, turning it into something more similar to how he felt inside. He turned away before the lake could settle again and the perfect reflection could gaze back. The fauna around the shoreline would have served as an easy distraction if he were really actually interested in specific plants. Instead he could only note that they complemented the area before his mind drifted away. With a lack of anything to actually do Mir turned back to the water and stared out at the open expanse before him, refusing to glance down at himself.
Notes : Open to anyone, he's normally not this sad I promise.
"Talk."
i'm insane
well, i can feel it in my bones
coursing through my veins,
when did i become so cold?
Valan's gaze was lost to the world, her expression gentled as she stared out at the expanse of water. The star scape above was reflected off of the waves, as the came crashing down, and the maiden lost from time slowly walked into the wake. Salted waves caressed her limbs, as if afraid to act up against the predator it felt entering the wake. She turns her gaze down, the moonlight skin lighting up her form from below, and she stares impassively at the reflection in the water, the too dark-rimmed eyes that showed she'd been likely slept too long. The long stained treks down her cheeks that no amount of cleaning could removed. The crack like marks that shattered across her hide, some actual cracks in the deepest, heaviest sections, as if her entire being was trying to tear herself apart.
It wasn't, she knew that. She'd been alive for a long time, the marks were merely leftover reminders of how he had tried to kill her. How he had tried. Of course, she'd been the one, in the end, to tear out his throat, putting her new fangs to use as she quelled the fire in her throat, and found her own sense of identity as a newly waken 'dead'. Because, should she really be considered alive if she didn't need to breathe? Didn't need to eat. Didn't need to sleep, or to bleed, or for her heart to beat. Her reflection's muzzle split into a dark smirk, a look she'd seen other vampires take, but the look still looked so foreign, the lines too harsh. She softened the look, the dark smirk first warming, almost playful before the smirk lessened to a smile that grew warmer, almost motherly, caring, and she felt herself recognizing the reflection once more.
She was glad her sire didn't seem upset that she had retained the delicate kindness she had held when she was alive, that she hadn't turned dark and bloodthirsty as the years trailed on. That despite all this time, that first kill was still her only kill. Valan knew the truth, knew why. Even as the moonlight reflected off the fangs, she knew it was because deep down, in her heart, she couldn't care about others, their wellbeing, their happiness, their lives. They weren't the prey to her predator, they were friends she hadn't met yet, with lives and families and stories all their own. Valan lifted her face from her reflection, wild wine curls dancing on the ocean breeze that carried over waves. She might not be your typical vampire, but that worked out just fine for her.
She turned back from the water, stepping back to the shore with short, easy steps, the grace of a predator, despite her less than predatory stance on life. But she wasn't ready to go home, she had only just woken up from a couple hundred years of hibernation, and she was eager to meet others, to explore, to see this world, to get to know this land, what Novus had turned into in the many, many, many years it had been since she had walked the lands. Eager to relearn the landmarks that had changed, and most importantly to her:
Valan was eager to make new friends.
for goodness sake
where is my self control?
if home is where my heart is
then my heart has lost all hope
A flurry of emotions was making the fae mare flee the crush of her court. She loved having a place to belong, but she was still struggling over the pain from the news that had been shared with her. The failures that she had clearly let happen. Shaking her head, she braided her mane to make sure it was properly put up and then tucked the colors into a whirl of black. A black cloak hid her acidic gossamer wings and helped to ward off the child that plagued her when upset.
The fae stalked through the court, her movements almost predatory and hinting at the darker court that she had once called home. Her court was ruthless, sly, hunters in the darkness. And that darkness seemed to be haunting her. Her arrival at the lake shocked her, the mare’s vivid eyes widening at the shimmer of the sunlight on the calm waters.
Dipping her head, she took a long drink and then let some of her tension fade from her form. It was like her body was primed for a new wave of bad news and it was enough to make her not even want to look at anything. Sighing, she began to casually nibble on the grass and enjoy the quiet.
Time had passed since the meeting with the striking stallion. Enough so that she had conversed with Lu and spilled the secret. Shaking her head, Pol headed back toward Delumine and the library it held. If anyone could help her to understand this magic, she was hoping it was a certain scholar.
Arriving at the library, Pol gazed at it with a wave of anxiety. Would he even remember her? Would he had pushed her memory away as easily as dust from the page of a book? Pol sighed and stepped inside. She had no idea where to begin, or even if the stallion would be there. Hadn’t he been pushed out of the library to see real life again last time?
Spotting a librarian, Pol approached with a soft step. "Excuse me… Where can I find books relating to magic?" She asked, her voice a bare whisper. The other being pointed toward a shelf and Pol found herself scanning the tomes as she tried to find anything that would help her to understand.
"Healing magic… healing magic… sparkly blood?" She muttered to herself as she scanned the spines. She was so focused that anyone could probably scare the daylights out of her without trying. As she approached a darker corner, her natural glow started to shine with soft lavender to help her see better.
