"But the dream, the echo, slips from him as quickly as he had found it and as consciousness comes to him (a slap and not the gentle waves of oceanic tides), it dissolves entirely. His muscles relax as the cold claims him again, as the numbness sets in, and when his grey eyes open, there’s nothing but the faint after burn of a dream often trod and never remembered." --Brigade, written by Laura
The whole ordeal had been tiring, but I was no quitter and so we pressed on.
Phoebus departed, unfinished business of some sort. He said he would meet us in Tephra, should it ever rise. I begin to wonder but something in my bones knew that eventually it had to come back. Tephra couldn’t possibly be gone forever, could it?
I turned my tattered face to Red, my eyes still blank with direction, but I guessed she was somewhere to the right. “Alright Red, you don’t mind me calling you Red right?” I pause briefly for a response then continue, “You remember that mountain I pointed out earlier right. Well, that’s our destination. Since I can’t see, you’ll have to get us back there. Sound like a plan?!” Admittedly it wasn't much of a plan per say.
Fifi fidgets upon my back, peeking from my shoulder into the distance. A gentle mew comes from it, and I nod my head gently, “Yes, yes. We are going to get you home one way or another.” I reassure the glowing feline that sits upon my back. I'd fashion a portal to get it back to Tephra if I had to! Somehow.
Folding my wings neatly to my sides, I begin to step forward gingerly. This would be the slowest walk of my life; I could see it now.
The silence was deafening and so I inquired of my traveling companion, “So where did you come from exactly?” It was a forward question, but I was a very forward creature. Habits die hard and I wasn’t about to change now.
//Equus Ferrum-Wings-Glowing-Immortality\\ :||: Physical Appearance :||:
See reference. Occasional glowing lines that look like lightning in reference.
Will at times have iron armor or iron trinkets
She had fled the sandy hellscape she had once known as home. Ran blindly without direction and wound up in a land of fantasy befriending (somewhat) fantastical beasts. With hardly any rest from her extensive departure, she dove right (almost as blindly) into a seemingly impossible mission of returning a land of fire from its fae captors. Ludicrous, it all sounded absolutely insane no matter how many times she recollected her journey up to that point.
Yet, there she was.
Kreation’s permission to shorten her name brought the blood bay Arabian back to the present; standing beside the now blind metallic mare alongside a wide flowing river. Her dark obsidian pools shifted to her lavender companion who had guessed correctly at Opium’s position. Impressive, but unsurprising. Kreation was a miraculous creature with an admirable determination and dedication to her mission.
”Not at all,” she curtly consented.
Red’s gaze shifted back toward the ominous mountain that had been pointed out to her before, back in the Meadow. Back there she had looked upon it with awe and wonder, but now the sight of it made her chest feel heavy with dread. Nevertheless, she had volunteered to help and she’d keep her word. As Kreation meandered her way through the brush and foliage framing the River, Red stayed by her side.
The silence between the three had been welcomed by the Red mare. Her upbringing had made her one of few words, there had rarely been any time for conversation. So, when her travel companion asked the unanswered question from Phoebus, Opium’s stomach turned. Something else she’d have to adjust to - casual dialog.
Joy
”I come from a vast, arid desert territory,” she answered after a moment’s pause.
“A very tumultuous realm plagued with misery and suffering where those who surv— Shift right three steps, you’re headed directly towards a boulder.“ she interrupted herself side-stepping right to allow Kreation more room to avoid the coming obstacle before continuing. ”Those who proved their strength with survival were only utilized as pawns to be used in the constant warring of control. Constant violence, never-ending bloodshed.”
Blindly I wander forwards. My ears trained on the mare beside me, carefully analyzing the sound of her steps and my vicinity to them. This whole blind thing was more complex than my mind could handle.
I come from a vast, arid desert territory... A very tumultuous realm plagued with misery and suffering where those who surv— Shift right three steps, you’re headed directly towards a boulder.
Before my brain realizes what exactly the red mare is saying to me, I hear her shift right quickly and I follow instinctively. I manage to shuffle right just in time and only clip the edge of my hoof on the large stone. I want to curse out loud, but I refrain. The mare continues her description of her homeland and I begin to wonder if she found herself in a better place...
Those who proved their strength with survival were only utilized as pawns to be used in the constant warring of control. Constant violence, never-ending bloodshed.
It wasn't an unfamiliar story. Bloodshed, conniving, misery... More and more I wonder if every fabric of life is weaved from the threads of despair. I give a shrug of my winged shoulder followed with a simple snicker, "What doesn't kill us makes us stronger right?" Or I guess paranoid, depressed, untrusting, etc etc.
"Well Tephra is nothing like a desert that's for sure. It has had its fair share of bloodshed but nothing of the malevolent type," I enlighten my travel companion to possibly ease some discontent. "My family thought it was worth fighting for at least," my knowledge only coming from a vision I had not more than a day ago. I chuckle as I meander blindly, "Hell, even now, blind and losing my mind a little, I feel Tephra is worth the..." My sentence drags as I stop in my tracks. My whitewall world begins flickering, bits and pieces of my known world returning. Or so I think it was my world...
The forest lined riverbed stabilizes and in the distance, I can see something... purple? I step forwards, bringing myself closer. Unsure if it is real I try to warn Red of the stranger ahead, but my voice is nothing but a senseless murmur. Oh great...
Having my vision back I cautiously creep towards the stranger, intrigue fueling my pursuit. As I near where the purple stranger had disappeared to, I can hear splashing of water and sharp tones. Looking towards the river I can see two figures within the water; a purple winged stallion(Klaudius-my grandsire) and an unnamed deep avocado green tinted mare. Remaining hidden in the thicket of willows I watch the interactions curiously...
Sorry but you CANT leave. I told you I needed something and YOU will be giving me it you dirty slut. You started this game and I WILL be finishing it...
Back away from me you blubbering fool! Back away!
He doesn't back away and soon they are sinking deeper into the depths of the water. Vines of bramble begin to intertwine the pair, and I watch in horror at the acts I witness. If I had been of my world that moment I would have sprung to the lady's rescue, ripping my pale lavender lineage from his grasp on the green women. But I know I am nothing but an apparition here and anything I say or do would be for not. This was my curse; to know my family and the evil they have cast upon these lands.
The scene fades away in a blur of struggle and strife, the blank brightness returning once more. Red voice is muffled at first, filled with concern. I shake my head, awakening me from my trance. The kneading of paws on my back and a quiet mew brings me to realize I am now back within my current circumstance. "Gods damn these visions! I take it back! I take wanting to know my family back, you hear me!" I shout aloud as if the fairies were before me, mocking me.
Turning to the direction of Reds voice I speak to her with a new determination, "We need to get to the Mountain and fast!" My new realization that my family wasn't as great as I have always known -no hoped- was becoming clearer. "Run ahead and I'll follow behind. I can't take another one of those visions. My grandfather was a monster, and I can't believe I was created from that piece of shit!" Klaudius' memory was nothing worth keeping alive and for my parents to have created me from his very ashes started to make me feel ill inside.
//Equus Ferrum-Wings-Glowing-Immortality\\ :||: Physical Appearance :||:
See reference. Occasional glowing lines that look like lightning in reference.
Will at times have iron armor or iron trinkets
“What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger, right?” Opium’s pointed ears flicked as they caught Kreation’s remark. A smirk crossed her delicate features, truer words had never been spoken. She had lived those words and, hopefully, she’d continue to do so.
Their meager pace continued with Red swiftly understanding that Kreation was quite nimble upon her feet despite being sightless. There was only an occasional stumble, which spoke of how well she knew the land. Of course, it wasn’t lost on the Red mare that anyone else knew the land far better than herself. This terrain was strange; Lush with greenery and an abundance of trees (to her at least), forcing her to be very concentrated on where her hooves fell. She was alleviated that her metal-made companion couldn’t see her blunder far more often, though she was certain each one could be heard.
Even still, she listened as Kreation filled their travel with conversation. The purple mare spoke a little more of Tephra. Bloodshed, but not of malevolence? The concept was foreign to Opium, yet intriguing. This entire realm was compelling - the very reason she was there alongside the sightless winged mare.
Suddenly, Kreation ceased her speaking, drifting off mid-sentence. Curious as to why, Opium came to her own halt. Brow furrowed with concern, she turned and cast her dark gaze behind her. The metal mare stood frozen, her face expressionless. The vibrant Kreation was but a shell of herself. Red nickered to her, though there came no reply.
Another vision.
How cruel to take one’s sight only to replace it with glimpses of her lineage’s past. It didn’t seem fair. What, if anything, had Kreation done to deserve such treatment? Then again, the crimson Arabian was entirely new to Bequanna and all of it’s unique inhabitants, it’s rich and raw history. RedOpium knew nothing of anything, clueless and curious like the filly she had once been.
There hadn’t been any more time for her mind to wander. Just as sudden as Kreation had dazed out, she had abruptly returned. Kreation’s voice burst forth, raw, aching, and angry. It’s ferocity causing Opium to jolt upwards upon her hinds, and stagger back a few feet. No doubt, Kreation was shouting at the fairies for whatever horrors they were releavling to her.
Run. Run! RUN!
As lithe black limbs touched the ground, desert Arab took flight.
Without another word they are off. The red Arab mares hoof steps are light, but without my sight the other senses have heightened. I can hear the softest of steps, I can smell the faintest odors, taste the musky humid air of the riverbed they wind along.
It isn't long before the terrain changes from soft underfoot to harden stone that my vision opens up again. This time I am almost convinced it is real when the fire armored stallion comes into view. But then others appear, my mother a soft grey with lavender points, and a lavender cream spotted Pegasus Kwartz. I consider pushing past but my mother shouts something into the air in protest.
I stop and watch, listen, as another is hidden within the forest cover. Phoebus and Kwartz talk to her softly and then the scene ends. Did he not know when we met in the Meadow that he knew my mother?
Shaking the thoughts from my mind I again push forwards. The past no longer mattered, only the future. And I needed to fix the future!
With the fish cat on my back, we wind a few more bends around rocky mounds before finally coming to the Mountain base. The magic of the entity begins to whittle away the white wall room that had plagued me since leaving. Bringing now the form of the red mare that had brought me here. "Red?" I say in skepticism, untrusting that I was truly seeing what was before me. My head turns to view Fifi on my back, "Fish cat! I can see! Thank the Gods I can see again!"
Looking up at the path ahead my eyes narrow and without another word I step upon the well worth trail that curled up the mountainside...
Kreation
Say What You Wanna Say
@WhiteRat023 Figured this would be a good place to end this. Red can come with her or stay at the bottom/part ways. Up to you! I'll post next to the land quest thread, and we can maybe pick up a thread after all this is finished.
//Equus Ferrum-Wings-Glowing-Immortality\\ :||: Physical Appearance :||:
See reference. Occasional glowing lines that look like lightning in reference.
Will at times have iron armor or iron trinkets
