"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 common land and his homeland shared a boundary that he often patrolled. The undead thing had been making his evening rounds when a magical being crossed his path. Having chased it off and received something, something which he did not know yet, he continued on down the path he has worn into the dirt. His patrol took most the evening, as he stopped to inspect things. Or steal things from those who have drifted into the ethereal worlds. Being a creature of darkness, this was his preferred time to be active anyway. So, each night he travels the same course and each night he keeps a sharp eye out for anything out of place.
Tonight, he tastes a scent on the winds. His steps pause as he outstretches his neck, his upper lip curling upwards to decipher the scent. It is one he knows too well, and it is fresh. The prowling creature begins his march into the common lands, the moonlight leading the way. His ember eyes dim to an undetectable brightness. He did not want to alarm whatever it was that was injured.
The coppery taste thickens as he nears. He can make out the shadows of bodies, both standing and on the ground. He stops to observe, calling upon the black magic within him to venture forth and investigate. His powers stretch, wrapping their demonic fingers around those gathered here. He finds the lone standing figure unremarkable but healthy. Too healthy to be the one beckoning the undead thing. His magic then shifts to a smaller form curled up in the tall grasses, a youthful fiery thing. He can see the flickering flames coming from the tiny creature, but it is not she who bleeds tonight.
Dawn is beginning to color the sky and he can see a familiarity in the mare that lays motionless on the ground. The lone brown horse begins to move about, calling to her by name and coaxing her to come to. A devious grin parts his black lips as he pieces the puzzle together. He has found her once again, the mare from the beach. It seems her misfortunes have not gotten any better as he now approaches the scene. His ember eyes begin to glow again as his steady steps bring him within speaking distance. He tisks aloud, tsk tsk tsk, his head shaking slowly, a faux somber look on his expressionless face. His gaze judges the situation, the nearly lifeless foal and the equally lifeless mare. "Such a shame..." he begins, his gaze falling on the mare and the colt.
His advancing steps do not stop but instead change his paths course to wrap around the group at a few paces distance. Curling around the feathered mares backside and to the opposing side where the filly lay flickering in the grasses, he contemplates what to do. He could save the mare and colt, but could he live with himself? Should he seize the opportunity to shuffle off his daughter, leaving the others to their fates? No, he could not properly care for a child. Not alone. He stops, his head tilting in thought. What would Carnage do, he thinks...
For the first time his view shifts to the brown stallion who he is sure is becoming anxious of the undead thing's sudden appearance. Afterall, he didn't have the look of a savior. Looks aside, the being from hell did have magic and he may be convinced to use it, for the right price. "Who are you?" He asks plainly. Tendrils of smoke begin to billow with the words that leave his parted lips. The mare and colt, lay still motionless on the ground...
Jack gently nudges Aurora, hoping to rouse her from her slumber. The glow of the filly's flames illuminates their surroundings, casting dancing shadows in the darkness. A sense of unease washes over the stallion as he detects a hint of danger, his ears twitching and nostrils flaring in alarm.
Regret gnaws at him for not realizing Aurora's pregnancy earlier and failing to comprehend its significance. If only he had been aware, perhaps he could have provided her with the support she needed. In the dim light, the whites of Jack's eyes gleam as the flickering flames of the filly cast an ethereal glow. He nudges the mare and colt again, his senses on high alert as he hears an unfamiliar voice nearby.
Positioning himself protectively in front of them, he conceals his own fear, projecting an air of unwavering strength. The stranger's intense gaze is fixed upon the mare and colt, and when it lands on Jack, an icy shiver runs down his spine. "Who wants to know?" he snarls, his ears pressed flat against his head, his body taut and rigid, and his tail swishing deliberately against his hindquarters. If he possessed the ability, it feels as though smoke would be billowing from his nostrils. "Keep your distance," he growls, a warning edge to his voice.
He expects the threatening posturing of the stallion. His brain mulls over all the reasons and settles on he fancies the feathered mare. He could understand this, she was a pretty thing. This could play out perfectly in his favor, he thinks with a twisted grin.
The undead thing looks back to the motionless bodies, his grin fading as he feels something different now. "I am the one who can save them," he starts, "I can bring them back from the brink before they slip away into a forever darkness." His ember eyes look to the filly who struggles to stand. "It'll come at a cost though," smoke pours from his jaws, "you must give yourself for them." His eyes fall back on the stallion who hovers protectively around the fallen ones, "decide quickly as I feel them slipping further away." He waits eagerly to see just what a deal the stallion will make with the devil...
Zain
ReBeL jUsT fOr KiCkS
*Be Warned*
Possesses health transference
and may steal your health.
The stallion looks over to the weak lifeless mare and her foals. He looks back at the stallion, saddened hearing his ultimatum, but he knows what he needs to do for his family. He’s never found a place he's loved or felt loved before. Memories flood his mind of Kyra and his life being tamed and back to his wild life. He looks back at the stallion that stands before him, “May I have a moment with them?” he asks, knowing this is the end.
He turns his back to the stallion and lays between all three. He lays his head on Aurora and tears fall from his face landing on her feathers. “I love you Aurora,” he whispers into her ears as the mare lays lifeless under him. “Thank you for making me feel something. I have never felt love like this before. You make me feel alive. Something I've never felt before,” the moment he met Aurora races through mind. He turns to the filly attempting to stand, and he nudges her up helping her. He nickers softly to her and muzzles her. He turns to the lifeless colt and nickers softly to him, rubbing his nose against him. “You're going to be ok,” he whispers in the colts ear.
He stands back up, facing the mare and her babies looking at them one last time, and turns to the stallion. “I’d give my life for them,”
03-21-2024, 06:14 AM (This post was last modified: 03-21-2024, 12:06 PM by Zain.)
I'd give my life for them
The words echo in his ears, casting a grin on his hideous face. "Excellent," he hisses. He pulls the dark magic that was twisted around the mare and colt, gauging them from returning just yet. The sinister shadowed fingers wrap around the stallion's throat, plucking the strings of life from his body. It drains slowly so he may catch glimpses of movement in the mare. Showing the brown stallion what he wished to see, the life returning to the ones he loved. Love was such a trivial emotion. It blinded us and stole all reasoning within our minds. Little did he realize what was really transpiring here, but minor details. He had tasted the powers within the mare and his son. Knew they fought desperately to return. The undead thing chuckles sinisterly as the warmth he steals from the stallion fills his body. Repairing years of damage done. "Thank you my friend," he whispers as the stallion begins to crumble to the ground, "I will take good care of them, don't you worry."
As the stallion's body goes limp, he releases his hold on them all. The feathered mare stirs, blinking those navy-blue eyes. "Good morning beautiful," he says in a honey smooth voice. He steps over the pile of flesh and bone that was once her lover. Nearing the mare who now lays upright, dazed from the whole ordeal, he hears her mutter words as she looks around. He moves over to the filly now standing sprawl legged. He smiles a genuine smile, bringing his muzzle to touch hers.
More words come from the mare as he moves over to the colt. He is cold and wet, barely viable but something is happening. The burn marks he bares slowly lessen. New fresh pink skin emerges and begins patching the colts hide. Very interesting, he thinks with a grin. He reaches down to graze his muzzle along the new flesh, it is warm to the touch now. He is in the midst of bonding with his offspring when hooves collide with his side. His ears pin as his head is uplifted abruptly in response to the blow. His head snakes out to rake teeth against his attackers hide. Get away from them! The mare shouts. He side steps, ears still pinned, and teeth barred. Jack! No Jack! What did you do to him?! She calls desperately trying to awaken him. "He made his choice," his words, laced with venom, spit at the hostile mare. "He wished to die for you," he adds, "I was simply obliging to his request. The vessel if you will." The smirk returns to the undead thing, "Now that that is out of the way... Can we talk civility about our children?" He glances to the filly stumbling about, "I saved your life and all I want is to be a part of theirs. I don't think that is too much to ask." Despite his outward appearance he was not a complete monster. Did he really have to kill her companion to save them, no. Minor details...
He turns to the other stallion and pleads, "Please take care of them," before his strength begins to wane. His body grows weaker, and his knees give out, causing him to land hard on the Earth. As he struggles to hold on to consciousness, memories of warm summer mornings and the promise of new life in Spring floods his mind. He thinks of the love that had blossomed between him and Aurora, and how it had sustained him.
Lying helpless on the ground, the light slowly fades around him. His breaths grow shallow, and he closes his eyes, still seeing the image of Aurora and her babies lying on the ground. "Aurora... I failed... I'm sorry," he whispers with his last breath. And then, it was over. He was gone. Despite his valiant efforts to protect her, it had not been enough. He had made the ultimate sacrifice for his family.
The exhaustion of labor has taken all her strength so she simply rests awhile. Jack nose presses into her as he calls for her to get up, but she can't, not yet.
As she lay there, her magic works weakly to try to repair her body. It is slow but steady and will just take time. Time, they do not have. A heaviness comes over her as she hears anger now coming from Jack nearby. She tries to open her, to see what was happening and if her children were safe, but a force much greater than her own in her weakened state forbids it. She then feels Jacks warmth again at her side, a sadness lingering in his words...
Suddenly the pressure releases and she works quickly to come back to them. Her ivory legs are the first to move as they try to grip the earth she lay on. Her head rises and eyes open as they tuck under her. Her vision is blurred but she can make out Jack on the ground in a heap and another coming near. There is an eerie red glow within the shadows of her view, the memory of her dream surface abruptly. Panic sets in while attempting to stand. She musters what strength she has found to rise and circles to find her foals not too far from her. She sees him clearly now, the undead thing from the beach. Rage boils within her and she turns to land a perfectly centered kick to his side. "Get away from them!" she yells angrily standing now protectively over them. She can see Jack from the corner of her eye and begins to call to him, "Jack. No Jack!," eyes still on the cryptic thing she throws out accusations, "What did you do to him?!" With ears pinned and teeth barred her mind hardly processes what the undead thing says now. Die for me? The words soften her expression as she realizes her companion has given up his life for her own. She stammers in confusion, "W-Why...?" Her thoughts racing to all that has happened here. How scared Jack must have been. Tears begin to well in her eyes as she now looks over to where he lays, lifeless.
It is the wiggling of life beneath her that draws her back. The colt had been between her front legs when he comes to. Her head lowers to press her muzzle along the pink colored skin that was dotting his body. She begins to lick him, when she notices the filly beginning to walk towards her sire. She whickers softly but the filly's course does not change. Her ears flicker at the sound of his speaking. Her head rises, a scowl returning to her face. She was not happy about this whole situation but nevertheless she listens. She considers being alone with twins and their safety. She considers him saving their lives and what could be the repercussions. She also considers the fact that Jack lays dead not far from her and what else the stallion would do, could do, to them if she says no. The responses play out in her mind and only one comes from her lips, "One chance... I will give you one chance to be a good father but that is it." Her words are firm, her eyes narrow. That was all she would allow.
Still not convinced they were safe in the stallions presence, she nuzzles the colt at her hooves. Coaxing him to stand and follow her. She whiskers to the filly again who is pressing her muzzle to her sires mangy hide. Pinning her ears, she moves towards the pair, warning Zain to back away. Corraling twins was proving to be quite the task. She is surprised as Zain pushes the filly gently in her direction. Reaching her muzzle out, she bumps the fiery bundle closer to where her brother begins to wobble about. He falls a time or two before he is able to take a step. He never gives up though.
The spring sky is bright blue today with the sun hanging high overhead. Scattered white clouds dot the skies scarcely. Had the circumstances been different they would be celebrating, but today is somber. She moves towards the body of Jack, babies in tow. Her ears are perked forwards as she whinnies to him as if he will wake. But as she nears she extends her nose to press into him, and he is cold. Tears again well in her eyes as her lips brush his forelock from his face. "I'm sorry Jack," she whispers, "thank you for saving us."
The twins gather alongside their mother. Each mimics Aurora by nuzzling the large bay. The tiny flames that scatter about Escence body rise and fizzle out at random. She wanders farther from her mother's side, moving towards Jacks belly. Her fiery tail wags as her head lowers to sniff his hoof. Aurora nickers at her and she wheels around quickly, bucking her hind legs into the air as she runs back. Eviction nuzzles the stallion too but then turns his attention to his mother. "Come on, let's leave him rest in peace," she says softly to them before taking them a short distance away, but not too far. She wasn't ready to leave her fallen companion yet...
Good. The word leaves a sore taste on his tongue. Has he ever been good? Even as a child, rebellious and wild, he can't say it'd ever been a word used to describe him. He was too busy withering plants and setting them aflame to earn the title. He acknowledges the mare's conditions with a simple nod of his tattered head. He could give it a try, but he makes no guarantees...
As his daughter nears, he can feel the warmth from the flames that spark along her blood and bone colored body. It was a trait his own father expressed, and he smiles proudly that he has produced such a fine specimen. She could be useful someday, the undead thing muses to himself. His head lowers to her level, her mother now approaching with threatening posture, yet he does not pull away from the child's touch. He simply nudges her onward, the flames tingling his nose.
The creature watches with ember lit eyes as his newfound family moves away from him and towards the lifeless body of Jack, he has come to know by name. He remains still, allowing them to grieve. He did not understand the emotion, but he wouldn't deny them that. His ears twist in the matted mess that is his forelock. Very alert to anything or anyone that may be loitering too long. He told the brown stallion he'd take care of them, and he would uphold that promise.
The sun stretches into the west now. He's spent the entirety of the day guarding them, with moments of napping lightly. He can see his offspring becoming stronger. They begin to buck and play, stumbling every now and then. Their mother fusses over them and he rolls his flame lit eyes. Soon they'd be settling down for the night and he was intent on standing watch versus patrolling Pangea's border tonight...
Zain
ReBeL jUsT fOr KiCkS
*Be Warned*
Possesses health transference
and may steal your health.
As the evening progresses the three find themselves under the tree Jack and her had sought shelter under not more than a day before. There are remnants of their time here, reminders of the day they spent carefree amongst the clover, a brilliant rainbow overhead. Now as the sun sets from the sky streaks of fire red, orange and yellow paint the skies. The same colors reflected on each of the foals she has brought into this world. The filly grows brighter with each minute. Tuffs of flames begin to ignite along the ankles of the colt. She watches their transformation, amazed at how far they have come in their first day. Her thoughts then look to the future and what it may hold for them all. Her navy eyes lift to the silhouette of their father, still lingering in the near distance. Her gaze shifts back to them as they lower themselves to the grasses below. They crowd each other, wrapping their heads to rest on each other's backs. She smiles, but it soon fades as she looks now to Jack. It was strange seeing him lifeless. A part of her wishes it is all a bad dream that she will soon wake up from.
Sleep has evaded her for nearly 24 hours, tonight may be no different. She decides to lay with her foals nestled against her belly, facing Jack so if the wolves should come for his body, she could run them off. Her ears flicker at the chirp of crickets as she tries to resist sleep. Her eyelids grow heavy, her head sinking lower until it rests alongside the twins. Their flames have dimmed as they drifted off to sleep and so the world around them goes dark...
The moon's light is absent tonight, and the stars remain still. Darkness engulfs the world as Jack's lifeless body lies motionless since the early morning. Aurora and the foals find solace in their slumber while Zain remains vigilant over his property. The filly's fiery aura remains dormant beside her. As the night progresses, the ground surrounding the dark brown stallion emits smoke, seamlessly blending with the darkness. The smoke takes shape, swirling and enveloping the stallion's lifeless form. Slowly, it advances towards Aurora and the young ones. Shadows cloak the stallion, concealing his lifeless state from prying eyes. Suddenly, vibrant yellow, orange, red, and blue flames ignite around him, devouring his body and illuminating the forest in a dazzling display of colors, overwhelming anyone who dares to gaze upon them.
The fiery spectacle engulfs his body, gradually subsiding to unveil the resilient, barely surviving brown stallion. His once dull coat now radiates with vitality, and his scars miraculously fade away. Thanks to the intervention of the fairies, a remarkable transformation has taken place. But what made him deserving of this miraculous renewal? It was his selfless act of sacrificing his own life for the sake of his beloved family. That is the reason why.
At first glance, it would appear that he remains lifeless. However, upon closer observation, one can detect a gentle flicker in his tail and a slight wrinkle in his nose as he inhales the scent of the clover. His eyes remain shut, and his breaths are deliberate.
Zain
AuroraElis
