a griffin's scrutinizing gaze
There are whispers in the cavern walls. They are ancient noises of ancient tools carving into stone.
There are whispers in the cavern walls. They are voices lost to mortal ears and yet sand and stone still speak of them, when one is quiet, when one is listening.
There are whispers in the cavern walls. They say that you should not be here, Orestes, boy of the sea.
There are whispers in the cavern walls. They warn of a sun god’s monsters forged in the heat of his wrath.
There are whispers in the cavern walls. Rah and Tet ignore them all.
The skies are weeping for the lost son of the sea. It carries sea-salt tears in a gathering storm. The oceans groan upon the shore but it is all too late, too late. Its tears never strike the ground where the sun reflects with wicked heat. What is water to the sun?
The painted beasts watch the trio come before the altar. They study the one the sky weeps for. Piercing, rough as stone, they stare and stare at the offerings the kirin brought.
Orestes prays.
Is this it? a monster asks through sand and stone when the man is finished.
At once a carved griffin begin to move. She pulls her wings out from their rough hewn tomb and steps down from the wall, not red with stone, but gold as sunlight. Talons and claws click, click upon the altar stone. Her great wings spread wide as her leonine tail switches to and fro, to and fro. The beast leans down to where the trio stand and through her avian eye, scorching like the sun, she scrutinises them.
“Is the sun where you truly belong, Orestes?” Already she sees he is scarred. Already he is broken by the magic of other gods. “Are you a good vessel for the magic of Solis?” Her sharp beak parts and the sun blazes out from within her. It rages, scolds, it will turn all to ash who dare to look upon it.
Slowly her beak closes and she leans down toward where he is. Oh he is small in her sights! Small like all mortals before their gods. Am I bigger than your old god? The question hangs, unspoken in the air. It is in the wicked curve of her great beak. This, the monster, the mother of teryrs and lions, laughs with a cry, with a growl.
“He has sent me to see if you are worthy of becoming Solterran. If you are worthy of meeting with Justice. Solterra is rallying, her mad king is dying.” Slowly the griffin moves to the side and the stone of the altar cracks beneath her sharp grip. She laughs and her wings turn to fire. Below them, where she had been stood, perched atop a chalice sits. It shines from within, a luxurious gold.
“Come and drink. Reject your sea who so weeps for you. Come and be purged, let it burn from you every droplet of water. Come and imbibe the sun.” She does not blink as she watches him, as she turns more and more to fire and sun. Her laughter is the hiss of flames, it is the roar of an infernal sun.
“Its magic will be yours, if you are worthy.”
And inside the cup is nothing but the sun: a searing, scolding, golden light.
There are whispers in the cavern walls. They are voices lost to mortal ears and yet sand and stone still speak of them, when one is quiet, when one is listening.
There are whispers in the cavern walls. They say that you should not be here, Orestes, boy of the sea.
There are whispers in the cavern walls. They warn of a sun god’s monsters forged in the heat of his wrath.
There are whispers in the cavern walls. Rah and Tet ignore them all.
The skies are weeping for the lost son of the sea. It carries sea-salt tears in a gathering storm. The oceans groan upon the shore but it is all too late, too late. Its tears never strike the ground where the sun reflects with wicked heat. What is water to the sun?
The painted beasts watch the trio come before the altar. They study the one the sky weeps for. Piercing, rough as stone, they stare and stare at the offerings the kirin brought.
Orestes prays.
Is this it? a monster asks through sand and stone when the man is finished.
At once a carved griffin begin to move. She pulls her wings out from their rough hewn tomb and steps down from the wall, not red with stone, but gold as sunlight. Talons and claws click, click upon the altar stone. Her great wings spread wide as her leonine tail switches to and fro, to and fro. The beast leans down to where the trio stand and through her avian eye, scorching like the sun, she scrutinises them.
“Is the sun where you truly belong, Orestes?” Already she sees he is scarred. Already he is broken by the magic of other gods. “Are you a good vessel for the magic of Solis?” Her sharp beak parts and the sun blazes out from within her. It rages, scolds, it will turn all to ash who dare to look upon it.
Slowly her beak closes and she leans down toward where he is. Oh he is small in her sights! Small like all mortals before their gods. Am I bigger than your old god? The question hangs, unspoken in the air. It is in the wicked curve of her great beak. This, the monster, the mother of teryrs and lions, laughs with a cry, with a growl.
“He has sent me to see if you are worthy of becoming Solterran. If you are worthy of meeting with Justice. Solterra is rallying, her mad king is dying.” Slowly the griffin moves to the side and the stone of the altar cracks beneath her sharp grip. She laughs and her wings turn to fire. Below them, where she had been stood, perched atop a chalice sits. It shines from within, a luxurious gold.
“Come and drink. Reject your sea who so weeps for you. Come and be purged, let it burn from you every droplet of water. Come and imbibe the sun.” She does not blink as she watches him, as she turns more and more to fire and sun. Her laughter is the hiss of flames, it is the roar of an infernal sun.
“Its magic will be yours, if you are worthy.”
And inside the cup is nothing but the sun: a searing, scolding, golden light.
@Orestes is being asked to prove his worth to Solterra- will he accept the challenge?
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This quest was written by the lovely @Obsidian
Enjoy!
How to tag this account: @*'Random Events' without the asterisk!
Once you respond, you may post to claim the quest EXP
This quest was written by the lovely @Obsidian
Enjoy!
Please be advised, tagging the Random Event account does not guarantee a response!
