Being pregnant wasn't what Rigel had ever thought it would be. Growing up in sheltered lands meant that he had seen many pregnancies, many foals being born, but it had never dawned on him that he would be one to give birth too. As it was, the foal wasn't ready for the world, and the Caretaker wasn't going to idle about in the Dawn Court when he knew something was going on in the lands of Ruris, at the Veneror Peak.
He didn't expect to come up to a wall of trees, however, and his head tilted back as he looked up, and up, and up, craning his neck and leaning his horned head as far back as he could to see the tops of the titanic plants. "...it's a good thing you're safe and warm, you know. You might think this was scary." He was, of course, talking to his stomach. Rather, to the life growing within him, still sheltered from the world.
Oh, he wasn't sure Orion would like him being here, but he was curious, he couldn't help it.
The kirin waddled a little, his short frame moving as his tail flicked behind him, dragging his tail behind him, feeling the various branches and leaves snagging in plush hairs, dragged with him. "Is this because of the deities...?" He spoke to himself now, flicking an ear forward curiously, even reaching with his nose to brush it over the rough texture of the tree's bark.
It seemed awfully... normal. Just... big. Gigantic. Massive. Bigger than anything he could ever really compare it to, if he was honest.
In the end curiosity in regards to the letter that the strange goose delivered had won out.
The twins had left Terrastella just as silently as they had appeared. They gave no word of their sudden departure, not even attempting to inform Marisol that they were leaving. They just did. They would either return or they would move on. Neither one of them had decided yet, but it wasn’t like anyone would miss them if they did leave.
Together Ard and his brother had taken to the skies. They knew of Veneror Peak; it was the tallest mountain in all of Novus. While not familiar with the geography of the land itself, nor knowing where anything really was, it was almost too easy to spot the imposing mountain that loomed north-east of the Dusk Court. That was where they had flown to, stopping periodically throughout the days of travel to rest, grab a bite to eat, and recover.
They arrived without fanfare or incident. Ard landed heavily upon the earth, hooves scraping upon grass and stone. He was vaguely aware of Erd landing at his side, and as one they brought their wings closer to their sides and took in the scenery around them. It was far different from what he had seen of Novus thus far. The mountain clearing that they found themselves in was nothing like the fields and meadows of Terrastella. Ard’s eyes, a piercing, judgmental turquoise, skirt along the clearing, taking in the tall ancient trees and the dense foliage that surrounded them. Strange. It was all strange, and being here on this mountain reminded him far more of Luminous than he was comfortable with.
There was a magic here, ancient and otherworldly. Was everyone attuned to it? Could anyone else feel it? The warlock, attuned to nature and his surroundings as he was, could feel the mysticism of this land in his bones. While he did not know what it was or why this place was important, he could feel the ancient might that seemed to brim within the old trees and the fertile soil. The silver youth gave a shiver, his gaze drifting over to focus on Erd.
His twin’s expression was curious, and Ard did not need to inquire with words if he, too, could feel the mysterious draw to this place. He could feel it in that special place behind his heart, where he and Erd shared emotions and feeling. As he looked around, however, it became obvious that they were not the only ones. A creature of the likes he had never seen before was waddling about at the massive, broad trunks of the tall trees, speaking to itself and seeming to inspect them upon closer detail.
The younger twin hardly even offered the equine creature a cursory glance. He didn’t care who the pastel soul was nor what they were doing.
By the time they reached Veneror Peak, Erd’s curiosity was getting the best of him. The older twin let his wings relax after he and Ard had landed, grateful from the respite after days of constant travel, and curious turquoise eyes inspected the sights revealed to them as the two bothers caught their breath. The clearing was grand and mysterious all the same, and he couldn’t help but wonder just what was so important that some sort of magical force had sent a mystical goose to Terrastella with such an imposing message.
There was far more going on than he knew. They were new to Novus and hardly knew anything deeper than the sunrises and the sunsets of Terrastella, yet Erd could feel the magic of this place brimming through his veins. It settled into his bones and cradled his heart, and the young warlock eagerly embraced the feeling of being completely swallowed by an earthly magic of the kind he was feeling here. A glance in Ard’s direction and he knew that his twin was feeling the exact same. Good. If Ard was curious about the magic, he probably wouldn’t have time to be anxious.
“C’mon. Let’s check this place out.” That was the plan, at least. Erd stepped forward, his silver form crossing the earth and skirting by trees or brush with nimble ease. Their small statures allowed for quick, easy movements, and traipsing upon this earth was no different. As he assumed, Ard followed just at his side.
Erd’s gaze was quick to find a solitary figure pacing about the trunks of the large trees, and the taupe youth tilted his head back to stare at the canopy that loomed so very high overhead. What kind of place was this? He knew nothing of this world’s customs or deities, other than Vespera, yet this magic… It was strange. Foreign. It was an old magic, he could tell, perhaps older than time itself.
“… Guess we weren’t the only ones who were too curious to pass this place up, huh?” Erd called out jovially enough to the pastel, scaled stranger, stepping closer to Ard as he did so and letting his shoulders brush against his twin’s left side. They stood remarkably close to one another with a familiar intimacy, Erd’s expression eager and his brother’s one of defensive annoyance. Clearly his twin was not pleased to have found a nosy stranger, always at the defensive and poised to flee. And if this stranger wasn’t as innocent as they appeared? Well, Erd was certain that they could defend themselves if need be.
Magic seemed to be thick in the air, curling in his veins and bristling like electricity in the air. It was a potent power, and the small kirin found himself sneezing a little, his soft muzzle wrinkling up and his head shaking with the force of it, before he took in a breath and let it out again. He knew that the regime of the court was invited here, and he wanted to know what lay beyond the massive trees before him. Perhaps he would hear from the sovereign what it was, after it was all said and done, and he would have a story for the little one growing within him about the gods of the lands. He liked that thought, really, and he smiled as his lips pressed to the bark of an ancient tree and pulled way at last.
He realized he wasn't alone when he heard the beat of wings, and his ears perked as his horned head turned, pale blue eyes curious and bright as he saw two horses appear from the air, landing rather heavy, but graceful. Rigel had to take a moment to realize he wasn't seeing double, because they were two different horses, even though they looked.. nearly identical. One, however, seemed a bit more grumpy than his compatriot, and the kirin noted how close they stood together. Twins? It had to be the case.
One spoke, while the grumpy one seemed just as grumpy, even more so when his brother spoke, but Rigel was happy to grab the chance at a conversation with new horses. His ears perked, and he turned his clearly pregnant self toward them, taking only a few steps on cloven hooves before he paused, his tail flicking behind him almost lazily. "No, you weren't. But you'd have to be blind not to see how the magic here affected everything. I'm surprised there aren't others here..."
Rigel's eyes flickered at that aloud thought, and he turned his head a moment, as if expecting others to come out of the air, or come creeping from the horizon with a curiosity that burned like the beacon his did. When no one showed up, his ears almost went down a little, but he turned back to the two before him, immediately smiling again. "I'm Rigel, it's nice to meet you!" When in doubt, be friendly.
Ard didn’t really care for the pastel creature’s pleasant, happy words. Oh, he seemed nice enough upon this brief first introduction, but a kind smile could be deceiving. A pretty face could simply cover the blackest of hearts. The warlock wouldn’t risk it.
Let this stranger think him rude. Ard had experienced far too much cruelty in his young life to give a damn.
Instead of answering or even regarding the scaled individual who had introduced himself as ‘Rigel’, the taupe and silver youth drew closer to the large, massive trees, his steps precise and calculated. He did so while keeping a wide berth from Rigel, once again, uncaring what he thought. They were ancient and mysterious, the trees, but other than that, he had no reason to be captivated. Clearly they were there for a reason. One day, they might find out. Maybe they wouldn’t. He and his twin hadn’t been in Novus long enough to really know what wasn’t normal. It wasn’t like they had ever been here before.
All he did know was that this place held an intimately familiar magic about it. It reminded him of the spells that he and Erd could craft back in Luminous; the magic they could weave with a simple thought, the unfathomable power to control the elements and the earth itself. Funny, how something he had once hated was now something that he terribly missed. Ironic? Maybe.
Turquoise eyes, sharp and daring, stared hard at the trees one final time before turning on his haunches almost lazily to return to his twin’s side. He gave Erd a stern look, the unspoken question lingering between the two identical warlocks; ’why are we wasting our time here? There’s nothing for us.’
Of course, he knew that wasn’t entirely true. After all, the mystic messenger had surely intended for something to be here if they had sent such an order to the Court. They were just early. A week had yet to be up, but when it did, they would be ready.
Rigel was the name of the scaled, horned creature, and Erd offered him a respectful nod. The elder twin’s dark lips were curled up in a kind enough smile, remembering to be polite even though Ard clearly did not seem too keen on the idea. Ah, well. Brothers. It was a little thrilling, knowing that he was the only one who knew what his brother’s voice sounded like. No one else. At least, not yet.
“Nice to meet you, Rigel,” he said casually in response, watching as Ard finally broke away from his side to inspect the trees at a closer distance. Erd, meanwhile, remained stationary, one hoof lifted almost lazily. “I’m Erd. That’s my brother, Ard. Don’t let his silence bother you; he doesn’t talk.” A little white lie, but one that wouldn’t hurt him for telling. Rigel did not need to know the finite reasons that Ard preferred his silence and abrasiveness.
Seeming satisfied with whatever he went to inspect, Ard returned to his side just as silently as he had departed from it. The two shared a deep, profound, knowing look, and Erd’s expression drooped slightly. The twins could not read each other’s minds, but they could feel each other. It was difficult to explain to one who had never felt such a bond.
“Yeah, I know. We’ll just wait it out though, huh? It’ll be fine. Maybe you can even be nice and make a friend.” With that, he reached out and bunted his muzzle against Ard’s shoulder, who glared in return. Erd laughed before turquoise eyes drifted back to focus on Rigel, and his smile remained. “So!” A stamp of a hoof accompanied the word, sharp and telling. “We’re new here, to Novus. Do things like this happen often? Is the land always laced with such a potent, ancient magic?”
But a better question was if they could learn to siphon it. The thought was an appealing one. Maybe they could ask Marisol back in Terrastella… Hopefully she wouldn’t be displeased once she had realized that they had scampered off.
How funny, that he hadn't noticed how young the two were until he was a little closer, still beaming at them. Well, beaming at one of them, considering one had wandered off. The grumpier seeming of the two was.. a little off putting, but everyone had their own comfort levels. Rigel just hoped that he wasn't treading on that one's, not wanting to start any sort of grief.
His ears perked, and the round little kirin offered a warm smile, his lips twitching as his head lifted a little, pleased to at least get names from one of them. "Oh. I guess that's why he's silent then," he mentioned. He'd never met anyone that didn't talk but he supposed there were different strokes for different folks. "Nice to meet you Erd, and Ard." Simple names, he liked that.
It was almost fascinating to see their connection, pale blue eyes going wide in wonder as he watched the two communicate both verbally and non-verbally. The little male did jump when the stamped hoof struck a chord against the ground, his hooves lifting just a little and legs giving the smallest bit of splay. Relaxing himself, he shook his head almost immediately, the waterfall of his mane rippling and even the plush hair down his spine waving as he did.
"Some places have magic but.. this is new. There's deity work here. This entire land just.. flattened out and the trees sprouted in a manner of minutes. This is all new to me, to most of us. Tempus has come to us, finally. The father of the gods." At least, that was what Orion had told him.
