demian
It was dying. His sacrifice to build the protective force that surrounded his kingdom was slowly disappearing. And just the smallest of flame flickered through the v scaring under his left eye. The once king of the Valley had emerged from his hiding just in time to feel the change blast through the air and across the forested kingdom. For the last year and a half, the jaguar man had kept to himself among the caves near the oceanside, allowing his body to naturally fight and then heal from the infection caused by the cosmic fire burning away his eyes.
It had been a great sacrifice of his. To give up his eyes in order to protect the one place he loved most of all. And now it was tumbling, being replaced by an even more physical force. And even though he knew it wasn't up to him, the pain pushed at his heart like a needle slowly pressing into skin. Maybe none of it had been worth it. Yet the wall had kept their kingdom safe while he was gone. And he probably could have handled it just fine, without pain, had he not traveled to find the tree in the center of the valley gone. The magic could still be felt, but just barely, when he had stood on the mound of earth where the tree once stood.
It was then the pain had traveled through his heart. So many changes, so many sacrifices. They had all led to this. A new entity. A tearing down. And the jaguar knew that he couldn't stop it. That it wasn't his place to say anything. But it was still a slight disappointment. Even if it shouldn't be. He still didn't yet find his answers to the questions he was seeking. Why did they change it? What took it's place?
For hours he had waited until he realized the forests were silent and that was when he turned and began to slowly move towards the edges of the kingdom. Fire building and changing his body as he began to move faster until he was galloping and all but a horse shaped by fire entirely. And with that transformation, he crashed through the wall and into the outside world sliding to a halt and turning to look at the blue green and purple flames as his body solidified once more. All except his eyes. In the sockets danced two balls of interlacing flames of blue, green, purple and yellow and with a quick turn he trotted away and towards the gathering lands of neutral territory.
It seemed to take hours before he found himself surrounded by the trees of the forest surrounding the meadow and it was only then he slowed, a soft glow of orange surrounding his gray-white body as he stepped lightly in and around the trees. The crunch of leaves and small twigs crackled underneath his softly planted hooves until finally he came to a stop next to an old oak and tucked his wings snugly against his sides. And it was here that he allowed the flames to drain from his sockets and back to the deepest parts of him before anyone could see. In place were two sockets, scarred to the point it seemed as though his eyes had been clawed at repetitively until not just they were gone, but the lining behind them was shredded and torn apart. With great acts come great sacrifices. And his sacrifice had almost been his life, not just his eyes.
It was then he heard the rustling and with a snap, he turned his head towards the noise and huffed slightly before speaking in a deep and rumbling voice, "If you plan on sneaking up on me, just know that I am able to hear you." It was then a smirk dances slightly across his features before he rolled his shoulders slightly. "But if you're going to creep on me, you might as well creep on me while up close." And there it was. An invitation to whoever was lurking to come and join him for a chat.
It had been a great sacrifice of his. To give up his eyes in order to protect the one place he loved most of all. And now it was tumbling, being replaced by an even more physical force. And even though he knew it wasn't up to him, the pain pushed at his heart like a needle slowly pressing into skin. Maybe none of it had been worth it. Yet the wall had kept their kingdom safe while he was gone. And he probably could have handled it just fine, without pain, had he not traveled to find the tree in the center of the valley gone. The magic could still be felt, but just barely, when he had stood on the mound of earth where the tree once stood.
It was then the pain had traveled through his heart. So many changes, so many sacrifices. They had all led to this. A new entity. A tearing down. And the jaguar knew that he couldn't stop it. That it wasn't his place to say anything. But it was still a slight disappointment. Even if it shouldn't be. He still didn't yet find his answers to the questions he was seeking. Why did they change it? What took it's place?
For hours he had waited until he realized the forests were silent and that was when he turned and began to slowly move towards the edges of the kingdom. Fire building and changing his body as he began to move faster until he was galloping and all but a horse shaped by fire entirely. And with that transformation, he crashed through the wall and into the outside world sliding to a halt and turning to look at the blue green and purple flames as his body solidified once more. All except his eyes. In the sockets danced two balls of interlacing flames of blue, green, purple and yellow and with a quick turn he trotted away and towards the gathering lands of neutral territory.
It seemed to take hours before he found himself surrounded by the trees of the forest surrounding the meadow and it was only then he slowed, a soft glow of orange surrounding his gray-white body as he stepped lightly in and around the trees. The crunch of leaves and small twigs crackled underneath his softly planted hooves until finally he came to a stop next to an old oak and tucked his wings snugly against his sides. And it was here that he allowed the flames to drain from his sockets and back to the deepest parts of him before anyone could see. In place were two sockets, scarred to the point it seemed as though his eyes had been clawed at repetitively until not just they were gone, but the lining behind them was shredded and torn apart. With great acts come great sacrifices. And his sacrifice had almost been his life, not just his eyes.
It was then he heard the rustling and with a snap, he turned his head towards the noise and huffed slightly before speaking in a deep and rumbling voice, "If you plan on sneaking up on me, just know that I am able to hear you." It was then a smirk dances slightly across his features before he rolled his shoulders slightly. "But if you're going to creep on me, you might as well creep on me while up close." And there it was. An invitation to whoever was lurking to come and join him for a chat.
i'm going to burn this world down in her name.