Sweat rolled into my eyes like a savaged game as a sliver of boulder shed away from the enormous rock, a clap of erosion as it pounded the grass. We were at the western edge of the Foothills, slaving our magic as it pounded in our heads. My breath drew in and sputtered though a hot inhale as my body possessed just enough physical energy to take a few steps. The day was creeping to it's peak and the sun skinned me with a golden ray. I glared with unspoken oblivion shadowing my eyes. I never realized such a task would prove to eat away the time and we'd realize only a few stones were cut away from the surrounding rocks. We harvested as many as we could, I kicked mine over, rolling them through the sweet grass to a pile where we could start laying them. I couldn't fathom the number of stone bricks it would take, but somehow I felt that we would never finish all the way through.
The mental stress was unbearable. Like scissors to ribbon, the slightest distraction cut away both energy and time, leaving me a numb body for the earth to weather away. The magical feel was an extra limb, invisible to others but not to me. As the stone shivered and sagged under my jagged cuts one would see dust rise from the cracking material, but I saw lines drawn in golden fury, sparks rising away from the crevices in my way. I saw imperfection in the stone, and it made me mad. I growled as my cut-line proved to be wavy and mangled. They'd need to be smoothed down before anyone could successfully lay the stones down with cement. My brain quickly jumped to Time, and I wondered if he'd be available upon request.
Raimo, at the moment was feasting away on a plump hare. It made me sick to think about when I hunted for him a few years before, but I often remember why he's here in the first place and think of Osiris and his wolves, wondering if the kind wolf-horse survived the shades. One day I'd return to them and find a way to avenge their thirst for everyone I loved. I thought about their mists falling to the power of my stone magic.
I couldn't concentrate for much longer because the fatigue finally won my brain. I could only stare at the shattered rocks, the piles of mountains of rock the smiled through the sun's haughty heat. They became daunting, those numbers, and I nearly fell to the ground as stalwart legs trembled atop the earth. Somewhere between the lines of mountains and rocky dust I saw the grace of the Grey's alabaster Ophelia cross the hills. Her lips grew into a taut smile and right there she summoned us. I shook my mane, sweat dripping away from the black strands and strode forward, slowly as if chains were wrapped around my ankles.
But a stallion emerged behind her, almost forced in by the pull of her bicolored eyes and she spoke out, determination the most evident in her vocal, to us. He was from the assassins, an intruder I guessed and this meant nothing to me but war. A sigh escaped my windpipe, and blew into the open air. I looked down, eyes focusing on the grass for a moment before I glanced up again. It started and ended so quickly, this unfortunate game of evil. It would mean better work on the wall, more time training, and less sleep for both Raimo and I. I'd have to do it again, run through a battlefield, kill innocents, remain unscathed.
"I'll do whatever the Grey needs me to." Raimo, with kill fresh in his teeth fluttered down from the sky to land delicately on my shoulders.
It left a bad taste in my mouth.
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Assassins Fall, One by One [Tonka|Foothills herd meeting]
