"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
With a roll of my lavender eyes at the his comments, I simply scuff them off. I could lube myself up just fine, I think with a smirk.
My attention is drawn away from the fish-cat and to the fire lit stallion as he makes his introduction with a bow of his head. I wasn't one for ancient formalities. Plus, metal didn't curtsey well.
They were quite the pair, standing in the darkness of night, alit with an array of colors. It was understandable how strange that would look to someone not of their world. And when the red mare reveals her name and asks where she was and what they were, it was more apparent than ever the poor thing was terribly out of her element.
With a turn of my torn face, I look to Phoebus as if searching for the answers to her questions within his. Explaining things wasn't my strong suit but I'd give it a go.
I allow my view to shift to Opium before I speak, “Well Red, this here is The Meadow.” My muzzle uplifts as if pointing to the area around them, “which I guess would be easier to discern in the daylight, but there is grass all over it, thus why it is named, The Meadow…" my brow wrinkles, considering my next words, "And the whole wide world is called Beqanna…”
My eyes roll in thought at how to now explain them. “And we are… special…?” no that wasn't the word, “no, no...unique! Yes unique… With…” my mind searches for the right words -almost too hard- that an ache begins to ping at my brain… “Ah shit, just let me show yah,” my cyborg body turns to the western horizon and walks several paces forward. A tall Mountain is seated within the backdrop of dawn light that was beginning to chase away the dark skies. “You see that mountain right there. The tallest one with the top lost in the clouds?” My face turns to look at the mare, “there is magic on that mountain that spreads to all of Beqanna. Some of us are born with magic, created from it even… like me!” An exaggerated smile curls my lips as I look back to the distant scenery, proudly straightening before speaking out to the fire armor stallion, “and some of us are gifted magic… Right fire boy?” A snicker escapes my lips as I think of the fairies dressing him in a suit of fire.
Fifi begins to stir at my withers, twisting in a tight circle before laying down and tucking its head under its tail. Nocturnal by nature, the creature settles down for a peaceful slumber.
The still of twilight, the murk of dusk falls upon the trio quietly. There is no grand fanfare, the sun gently setting in the west with little more than a soft ochre sky to announce its departure. The moon peers from the horizon as the group converses. Phoebus hardly notices, his flaming armor casting a dull orange glow around the group.
He listens intently to the words Red speaks. Perhaps he had become jaded by the magic of the world - he forgot that equines simply stumbled here accidentally sometimes, not unlike his own father. He remembers trotting alongside his dad, trying to keep up with his long strides. He regaled stories of his homeland, his mother...his departure. Diable Rouge had told Phoebus that Beqanna was special, that Tephra was their home - that he ought to stay here.
Phoebus winces at the memory. He left without any words, shortly after he discovered that his father had died. Worse still, he failed to protect Tephra in any meaningful way. It was nothing more than rubble and ruins now...and the boy of fire felt partly to blame. Phoebus turns to look at Kreation, who now explains what Beqanna even is to Red. If what she said was true - that there were other horses out looking for pieces of their birth land, that the fairies would bring her back to her former glory - then there was a chance he could have a chance to protect Tephra again. He could feel the warmth of the volcanic rock beneath his hooves and run through the towering canyons. He could be really there and really present, just like his idol Warrick.
"...some are gifted magic...right fire boy?"
Phoebus hears Kreation's words and snaps back to reality. He watches as she giggles beneath her breath, though he is unsure exactly why. "Oh-uh...yeah," He stumbles, looking back towards Red. "What she said." He takes a deep breath and decides to give his own sense of what Beqanna even is.
"I don't know what territories lie here any longer," He admits with a sigh. "But I do know there are plenty to inhabit, if you so desire. I myself can only call one one home." He glances towards Kreation, wondering what she would add to his commentary.
Bequanna… she whispers under her breath all while obsidian vision watches Kreation.
It held a certain ring: neither bitter nor grey, but bright and delectable. Red mare found herself intrigued. She shifts her stare from the mechanical madame across the dawn-lit Meadow to the looming mountain. Magic? She’d heard tales of wondrous beasts in faraway lands, however, Opium had grown to understand them to be nothing more than a filly’s fable. Magic didn’t exist in her world, only suffering.
Ink-tipped ears prick as Kreation continues. They flick with the mention of ‘gifted.’ She tears her attention from the mountain to Phoebus. He wasn’t born of fire, it was a gift?
What…if?
The fire roan speaks, his voice weighted with what she interpreted as regret. He was such a contrast to Kreation. The violet mare was far more fiery than the steed. Kreation wore an aura of fervor and determination. Honestly, it was she who Opium held the most caution toward. There was something the metal mare strove to achieve and it is beyond evident that she will succeed. Yet the literal stallion of fire seemed to hold barely a spark.
“You speak as though you’ve been away,” Red tilts her delicate head, too weary from her travels to withhold her curiosity. “Why did you leave? What brings you ba--” She catches herself with a curt snort and rights her posture. Who was she to intrude? Exhaustion was no reason to forget one’s manners. “My apologies, I shouldn’t pry.” If she weren’t red already a flush of her cheeks might have been caught.
She turns back to Kreation, “You said gifted? Are there...were there..others? Similar to myself?” Not that it matters, or perhaps it does? The red mare wasn’t accustomed to being so plain and she certainly did not enjoy being so vulnerable. It left an awful taste in her mouth.
“Could I?” She pauses, flustered at what she will ask the magic Kreation. “How does one receive such gifts?”
06-07-2024, 06:15 AM (This post was last modified: 06-12-2024, 10:56 PM by Kreation.)
There is a shift in the demeanor of the fire stallion. Anger turning to what could be considered sadness. I too have spiraled down that track of emotions just recently, but with the promise of Tephra's return I had come around. So, I try my best at offering comforting words, "Don't worry friend, we'll get Tephra back soon. I for one will not stop until we do!" My brow of my metal wing reaches to bump Phoebus in a sign of comradery.
The sun rays begin to get stronger as they rise from behind us, covering the meadow in a golden sheen. Looking to the bay mare whose coat now shines brilliantly, listening to her speak to the stallion and now then her questions to me. I wasn't one to be shy in speaking about myself and all I know to be true. I snicker at her inquiry of the magics and think to the fae, "You don't meet many anymore with your ordinary appearance. Not that it is a bad thing to lead an uncomplicated life, but if one wished they could climb the Mountain there and ask the fairies for a gift." A smirk creases my lips as I look at the mare, "But be warned, they can be crafty little buggers. They will make you work for it, and it isn't always...pleasant." A chortle rises from deep within my chest at the thought of impish fae.
My gaze returns to the Mountain and again my emotions stir inside. I had been apart from my family for far too long. So long that their memories no longer come to me.
Impatience began to cause my insides to crawl like the ants along the ground. I wonder just how long it would be before the others returned with their own item. Surely it cannot be much longer, or maybe I was in the wrong meeting place after all…
With another moment of consideration a brightness illuminates my eyes. What if they were waiting at the base of the mountain?! Or the top for that matter? My facial features crease in concern as my wings shift with unease.
“Fuck it,” I say unexpectedly with a snort. My neck cranes, bringing my face to view the creature on my back. “I need to go see if they gathered on the Mountain. Fifi, you stay here with our new friends. It'll be faster if I go check it out alone,” taking my muzzle I nudge the slumbering fish cat awake and off my back. It begrudgingly leaps off with a tired yawn, coming to a sit near the bay mare and stares up at me with glowing eyes.
My gaze shifts to the others as I give a nod of my head. “It shouldn't take long for me to fly there and back. I'll be quick,” my voice is certain even if my mind is anything but. You never could be too sure what would happen if you set foot on the mythical shrine of Beqanna.
With wings extending from my sides, I lunge forward into a gallop before beginning my ascent into the brightening sky.
Kreation
Say What You Wanna Say
@Phoebus
@WhiteRat023
Sorry it took so long! Trying to draw the timeline out to hopefully meet up with the regrouping of the land quest
//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
Phoebus notices the tone of the conversation shift as he explains his own view of what Beqanna was now. He watches the red mare's face crinkle and her head tilt. Her next question, which she quickly cuts short, tears through him like a knife. He feels his brows furrow, his nostrils flare - what business was it of hers if he had left? Before he can snap back at her, she apologizes, and he shifts his gaze downwards, letting out a sigh. Perhaps he didn't want to admit how similar he was to his father. He had a temper, but deep down, he was very sad. Losing everything will do that to a man; but loss was part of life, and he needed to accept that.
Night falls on the group - darkness covering every inch of the meadow. Save for the pale glow of the moon, only his armor offers solace from the black. Kreation's gentle nudge and kind words make Phoebus's eyes glance upwards, and he offers a smile to her reassurance that Tephra would be back soon. He listens quietly, nodding in agreement at Kreation's warning about the fairies. "The fae definitely keep things...interesting." He says with a soft chuckle.
Almost as suddenly as he was there, Kreation says she is taking her leave to the Mountain. She shrugs Fifi off her back, assuring Red and Phoebus that she would be back quickly. "Wait, wha-" Before Phoebus can finish his questioning, she is gone, flying into the starry night sky. The boy of fire looks back to the fish-cat, who stares at the sky for a long while before looking to him. "Don't worry," He says. "She'll be back..." Phoebus looks back to the sky, tilting his head. "...well, I think."
Uncomplicated. That is what Opium sought, isn't it? She knows what she has escaped, but she hasn’t stopped to think about where it is she is going. It hadn’t mattered, she convinced herself that anywhere is better than where she had been. She assumed that things elsewhere would be uncomplicated. But here she was standing among a purple metal mare and a fire-clad stallion…with the company of a fish cat talking about fae and their magic.
Opium still isn’t convinced she’s alive.
She shifts her weight, but before she can speak any further, Kreation announces her departure and takes flight. Flight, she flies? She snorts softly, thinking to herself. Of course, why else have wings? Red mare can’t help but continue to stare into the sky long after Kreation flew out of sight. What is this wondrous land she has found herself within? Alive or dead, she received what she so desperately craved - escape from her past.
Dark gaze falls to look at Fifi, the fish cat, as her thoughts shift to the Fae. She wonders what gifts they could grant and whether or not it would be worth the risk, considering Kreation’s warnings. What else exists beyond the Meadow and the Mountain? If she were to call Bequanna her new home, would it be wise to remain so ordinary? Or would her uncomplicated self be more of a complication?
Consumed in thought, Red almost forgets that she isn’t alone. She glances at Phoebus, the sting of her lack of manners still sore. Embarrassment is a new experience and one she already hates. Ebony tail sways to ease her tension. A continuation of conversation can ease the awkward strain, but Red Opium wasn’t good at small talk. Her mind races to think of what to say when she remembers the camaraderie shared between him and Kreation. Tephra…his home? No, their home…?
“Tephra,” she says softly, breaking her silence as she looks at Phoebus. “Tephra is your home? And Kreation’s, it’s what she's trying to get back, yes? Would it be too bold of me to ask, can you tell me about Tephra?”
Phoebus and Opium stood there in painful silence for what felt like ages. Eyes locked on the sky, following Kreation. She had left almost as quickly as she showed up, and Phoebus was left with too many unanswered questions. His brow furrows as he shakes his armored head. Perhaps when she came back, she would bring news of their home? Maybe...he could finally have a home again, rather than wandering and searching for some sense of purpose.
The boy of fire glances to Red, who looked about as lost in thought as he was. The fish-cat lay between them, eyes still locked on the sky in search of his companion. Phoebus wonders what would become of Fifi once everyone had fulfilled their end of the bargain - would he be taken as a token to create the volcanic nation once more? Would the fae pity the creature and allow it to stay with Kreation? He wasn't quite sure, but for now, he lowers his head towards Fifi, allowing his warmth to shower the fish-cat. He lets out a soft purr, inching away from Opium to rest near Phoebus's heat. The stallion chuckles to himself.
It is only when Red asks about Tephra that Phoebus finally lifts his head. His eyes glance away longingly, nostalgia washing over him like high tide. He begins, closing his eyes and letting out a somber sigh. "Yes...it is...was our home. I was born there, a long time ago. I was raised to be its protector..." He trails off, regret filling his bones. He was ashamed that he left - he took Tephra for granted. He should've known in this land...nothing lasts forever. "It was a land quite unlike any other," He continues. "Dark red and black cliffs of volcanic ash. Lava flows that billowed down mountainsides. Canyons that stretched for miles. It was quite the sight to see. A privilege, even." The moon looms brightly over them. He remembered how it reflected off of the lava stone; how he and his father would point out constellations; how his mother would sing him lullabies as he drifted to sleep. Those memories somehow felt so long ago, but as if they just happened yesterday.
"From what I know, Kreation and a few other Tephrans are working to bring her back to her former glory," Phoebus confirms, nodding his head. "But, fairies are so often...finicky. What they promise they can take away in an instant. Who knows if they will grant what they promised..." He closes his eyes, remembering the quests so many had told him about. How there was always a caveat...always a sacrifice the fae required. "I can only hope they keep their word."
06-22-2024, 06:27 PM (This post was last modified: 06-25-2024, 06:16 AM by Kreation.)
The plan was to fly to the Mountain to see if the others had gathered there. The plan was NOT to have run into the fae, NOT to have prompted their interest in my internal musings of my family(which I believe to be in Tephra still). And surely it was NOT my plan to go blind! Obviously, I was piss poor at planning...
The bright flash of light around me faded abruptly, but it did not disappear from my vision. I stood there, blinking in rapid succession, trying to clear the disruption from my view. I shake my head, stomp my hooves, grit my teeth. "Fucking fairies," I murmur beneath my breath.
I do not dare take to the skies and so I plod along with heavy steps, my wings held taunt against my barrel. I go in the direction I believe I wished to return to, but really, I had no fucking clue where I was going.
My steps are slow as I maneuver the best I can in my rather now bright world. Perhaps it had been the flash of light that burned my retinas, but I wouldn't have thought not seeing would have been so blindingly bright!
"Ok, Kreation, think. How else can I navigate this?" I say to myself as I take another step, then a second. Frustration begins to build, and I snort in annoyance. "Ugh whatever!" I call upon my magics and gather the iron ore within the earth to bend and meld into armor.
Soon my face is covered with a shield and my breast collar is seated within armor plates along my chest and shoulders. There was more than one way to skin a cat and though my way is the least finesse, it'll get the job done.
With head lowered I stomp onwards. Tree saplings snap and brush cracks as I resume at a steady pace, batter raming my way through the area. Only when I meet an unmoving foe do I bend my path. No sense in fighting with tree trunks and boulders.
It isn't long and I finally feel the splash of knee-high water at my hooves. The river! Now we were getting somewhere.
My crossing of it is ungraceful as I trudge through the muck and drag myself up the embankment on the other side. I stumble over a river rock or two but eventually make my way onto land. My nares flare drawing in the all too familiar scent of the meadow. Curse this place! I wanted nothing more than to have my nostrils burn of sulfur and smoke.
Sulfur and smoke... Fire. Fire boy!
I lift my head higher than before, drawing in a deep breath and choking out the sweet fragrance of clover blossoms. If I could just catch his... Suddenly I am reeling backwards, winged appendages flailing about, as the view of the area comes to me abruptly. My heavy iron face turns and sees the lush green grasses, the scarce trees dotted about the landscape and a familiar face. Not one that I have seen before but one of kinness. The iron sheets of his body unmistakable to a creature such as myself. He is speaking to another, a brightly feathered mare. I straighten my stance, collecting my limbs beneath me as I make a motion to approach.
For a moment I believe I can see again and I am approaching two strangers in the meadow. My eyes are wide and curious as I look to them, but they do not acknowledge me, even after I greet them with a kind hello. My head tilts in confusion, were they really fucking ignoring me. "I said, HELLO!" I snort out in irritation. Apparently, everyone was trying my patience today.
Again, I am unanswered as they speak to one another. My amethyst ears twist as I overhear names and mention of my birthplace. "Krom!" I shout gleefully with the happiest of smiles as I near them and query, "Tephra? Where? It is back? But h..." My smile fades as I realize they have not acknowledged me at all.
I reach out to touch the iron clad stallion, but my nose passes through the intangible apparition. Stepping back, I watch as they continue their conversation. The mare suddenly sounds hostile as Krom, my father, speaks of challenging for Tephra. Soon the interaction concludes as the peafowl mare takes off.
When she fades into the brilliant orange sky the bright white abyss returns. "Aughhh!" I cry out in almost pain as I stumble backwards once again.
"What the fuck is going on?!" I say aloud to myself, but my baritone voice carries to the sensitive ears of Fifi.
The fish cat perks up at the feet of the two temporary guardians. With no more than a quiet meow the feline leaps forward, bounding off to the south and towards the river. Its body illuminates an array of purples and aqua blues, signaling its location to the others. If they were to follow.
Throwing this up there with some fairy blindness and visions of her father. If it makes no sense that's ok, the only part that really matters is the end paragraph where Fifi runs off
Phoebus notices Fifi shift at the sound of something. He looks down at the fish-cat, tilting his head curiously.
"What is it, Fifi?" He asks, looking towards the mountain, then back to the scaled creature. Of course, Phoebus doesn't get an answer - the fish-cat bounds away, body illuminating the evening darkness. Phoebus looks to Red, then back to the cat. "I think we should follow him." Phoebus says, ears pointed at Fifi as he moves further and further away. He motions to Red to follow, then takes his leave. He can't afford for this fish-cat to kill himself. Without it, there would be no Tephra and surely Kreation would have his neck if something happened to the creature.
He wonders what had happened to Kreation, and what was to come.
