the Rift


[OPEN] Shattered Glass [Nasreen]

Kahlua the Sunshower Posts: 662
Outcast atk: 5.5 | def: 9.5 | dam: 4.5
Mare :: Equine :: 15.3hh :: 9 [Orangemoon] HP: 65 | Buff: NOVICE
Khan :: Common Blue Dragon :: Frost Breath Sevin
#1
Each day was just another reminder of what pain she had caused Aurelia, what pain she had caused herself... The herd meeting had gone well enough, some matters decided and others pondered, and nobody had seemed to hate her too much. She had talked to Res and Aly, to Eva and some others, and none had insisted that she leave immediately. Still, the queen could not help but feel something like an outcast in her own home. For the sake of Kaj, and Kaj alone, she had not yet run off to find her freedom in the outcast lands like she did from time to time. She had placed too much strain on him by shirking her duties in the past, she needed to be here to deal with everything that was happening, and yet...

She stood on the border of the land, eyes searching ever outwards as she tried to make sense of the destruction that she had caused. An accidental hoof to the snake's body, Shilva flying through the air wildly and landing on the ground with a thud... The queen wanted to blame Aurelia for not stopping then, for not screaming for a healer and demanding that they fix what wounds had been dealt to the young snake, but it was not Aurelia's fault that this had happened. It was hers, and hers alone, she was convinced. But that did not mean she did not know how to deal with it.

Sighing dramatically, the queen shook her head and began to wander. Her walk took her down the shattered wall that marked the Edge's border. She had been tired then, exhausted even, as she had built the thing from nothing into existence, but the exhaustion she had felt then as nothing when compared to what she felt now. Her entire soul just felt empty, weighed down by a thousand pounds of nothing by blackness and evil. She did not know how to lift this weight from her shoulders, how to go on living when all she wanted to do was curl up and make everything go away. Kahlua was not meant for depression, and yet here she was shrouded it in.

Though she had been named victor of the battle, the queen did not at all feel like she had won.

@[Nasreen]


Permission granted to use magic or physical force with Kahlua at any time
for any reason to any degree, with the exception of killing her.

Please do not tag Kahlua unless it is in an opening post

Nasreen Posts: 160
Up For Adoption
Mare :: Pegasus :: 15.1 hh :: 6 (Orangemoon)
Adoptable
#2
You are wandering the wall again, pulling weeds with the sharp determination of one on a mission. Though it may be a temporary home, Kahlua welcomed you here with open arms when you had nowhere else to go, and you will not let the Edge burn. The memory of the fire still spooks you, and on this sunny day, you work faster then ever in a frantic cycle of grab-and-toss that you know will not be enough. The extent of the wall is colossal; you know that much from flying over the herdland. But, you remind yourself, Th’orqui wasn’t built in a day. Though you may be just one, you will do whatever you can to make this place a little safer.

As you walk, your mind lingers on Kahlua. You haven’t seen your friend in a while; she is always slipping off whenever you do happen to catch a glimpse of her. You know that she is busy with the herd—after all, she is queen now (the thought makes you chest puff a little with pride in your friend), but you do need to tell her about the wall. She’ll know what to do, you are sure of it. Besides, you miss her. It seems as if it was so long ago when she first brought you here, swapping stories of your pasts and laughing together. Your friendship is young, but she is one of the only horses you have felt a real connection to in your short time here, and your young heart longs to see her again. You were not a creature built for solitude.

A slight hill rises from the ground in front of you, and you feel yourself beginning to huff and puff as you climb. At every reach down to grab a weed, your body protests--why walk, when you can FLY? your aching legs seem to scream at you. But you are committed to the task at hand, so you grit your teeth and focus, concentrating on one plant at a time, step after step. You are so lost in your determination that you almost don’t notice your friend until you are practically on top of her.

“Kahlua!” you shriek happily, offering a muzzle in greeting. “I’ve missed you!”


Please do not tag Nasreen except for in opening posts and in spars!

Random Event Posts: 1,286
Helovian Ancient
Stallion :: Equine :: ::
#3



Sorrow is a perceptible thing. It holds a certain weight which noticeably drifts and drags, like the moors of boats in their harbor. It's said that misery loves company, and so this sadness that drifts in the harbor of the edge, attracts a creature rarely seen.

Its form begins to take shape in the scattered, ever-present fog - distant and dark, hazy and uncertain. It continues forward though, pausing from time to time, watching. It has never done this before, one can easily tell from its hesitation. It is not shy though, because it proceeds, guided by some unidentifiable resolution and source of courage. Duty perhaps, as it too guides the Sunshower and Nasreen.

It hovers on the brink of exposure as nothing more than a dark and looming shape. It's tall and thin, standing above either of them on four nimble limbs. It wears a crown of some kind, one that stretches like the trees in various directions and curves, strong, yet fragile, like the glass born of this land and its crafters. You've most likely noticed it by now, if not earlier, but you needn't worry, it does not move with threat.

It lingers only a moment longer behind its veil of mystique before finally breaking the barrier of their two worlds.
"Ehyyyyy'lo" it murmurs softly. The tone is gentle, but the sound is coarse and choppy. It shakes its slender head, something rattling in its crown of thorns. Something is amiss. It drifts closer, one long leg at a time.

A large stag comes to stand before you both, its body larger than those you may be familiar with, and surprisingly transparent. The beast seems to be made of the mist itself, more dense in some ways, but not solid and seemingly of a constantly changing viscosity. Its antlers are solid attachments of glass and ice, though moss and limp fragments of aged vegetation hang from them. Its eyes are a brilliant and rich blue, eerily whole among a face that is scattered and transient.

It stares for a moment, seemingly as transfixed by you as you likely are of it. It moves after a lifetime of stillness, its crown rattling as its head lifts, a stream of fog tumbling from its nose. The moisture trembles, a cloud of sound trapped within - his words. Ssoooooary, ehm 'ooooorse ussteeeee." He shakes his head once more, a derisive snort tumbling from his nose like soft snow. A cry soon follows suit, long and low it spreads across the air with a note of frustration.

"leeeeeeeese, he begs, dipping his head down low, no easy feat for him.

[Please tag the RE when you've both replied!]


Kahlua the Sunshower Posts: 662
Outcast atk: 5.5 | def: 9.5 | dam: 4.5
Mare :: Equine :: 15.3hh :: 9 [Orangemoon] HP: 65 | Buff: NOVICE
Khan :: Common Blue Dragon :: Frost Breath Sevin
#4
“Nasreen!” the queen cried out as she heard her name and found the owner of the voice. For a moment, her sorrows and self-pities were forgotten. She threw her head the heavens and quickly closed to the distance between herself and the petite pegasus. Reaching out in response, she nuzzled against her friend, happy to be so close to someone she had so instantly become good friends with. “I've missed you too!”

However, as quickly as the moment had come, it passed, and the queen remembered that she was a monster again. She withdrew suddenly, happy eyes turning sad as she looked at Nasreen and shuddered. Nasreen had watched Kahlua transform from mare to monster, from friend to foe, and now she had to stand here again while Kahlua told her that she had again committed and evil-doing so terrible that the queen did not know how to deal with the burdon. She sighed sadly, looking her friend over. Still, before she ruined what could have been a good time on any other day, Kahlua let the focus fall on Nasreen. “Have you found any more about Th'orqui?” she inquired, genuinely interested but her voice flat and quite unlike itself. “I'm afraid I've been miserable help,” she admitted. Honestly, between becoming a monster, the caves, being made queen, and everything else, she had quite forgotten that she was supposed to be helping.

But she could not put off the inevitable forever and it was not fair to make darling Nasreen stand in her presence without knowing what she was- a murderess. However, before she could gather herself to speak again, she was interrupted. Turning her head sharply to the side, the queen watched as a creature materialized from the mist. Clearly it had been materializing longer than she had been noticing it, but as she looked now at the hazy outline, she could see that this was no ordinary creature.

Starting as the shadowy apparition spoke, Kahlua eyed it, but she was not nervous. For whatever reason, this did not feel dangerous and Kahlua had grown accustomed to strange creatures appearing in Helovia from time to time. One learned to trust their instinct about whether or not these creatures were good or evil. Glancing towards Nasreen, to see if she had noticed the thing, Kahlua could not help but edge towards her. Though she was exhausted, the coming of the stag had awakened some sort of reserve energy within her. She felt that, even if this creature was not a threat, she needed to be aware and awake in its presence.

“Hello,” she murmured back. She wanted to be excited, wanted to find her joy and be able to smile, but it was difficult to smile through everything that continued to plague her. She had found a moment of joy for Nasreen, but that was all she could conjure. In all, the creature was still mesmerizing, it's swirling mist-made body and horns of glass were beautiful on a scale that Kahlua could not comprehend. But she also had trouble deciphering his words... As he bowed, she bowed with him, trying to follow suit, unsure what else to do. “How can we help you?” she offered finally, her voice flat but genuine. Glancing back to Nasreen, Kahlua wondered if the pretty pegasus would know what else to do.

@[Nasreen]- I'll let you tag the RE once you've posted :D


Permission granted to use magic or physical force with Kahlua at any time
for any reason to any degree, with the exception of killing her.

Please do not tag Kahlua unless it is in an opening post

Nasreen Posts: 160
Up For Adoption
Mare :: Pegasus :: 15.1 hh :: 6 (Orangemoon)
Adoptable
#5
Your friend rushes toward you, and as your muzzles collide in a joyful hello, you think that your heart will positively burst with happiness. It is not often these days that you see a familiar face, and to see Kahlua’s in particular…a delighted squeal escapes your lips that would have made an older horse roll her eyes. If you lived in our world, dear Nasreen, you’d understand that aside from the fact that you are a winged horse in a strange and magical land, you are the complete and total picture of a teenage girl in the mall who’s just spotted the best friend she hasn’t seen in like, an entire day! or perhaps a particularly amazing pair of red shoes. But you’re in the middle of Helovia, and all you know is that you’re ecstatic to see the first friend you made here. Just when you were looking for her too!

But just as suddenly as she ran toward you, Kahlua retreats, eyes clouded with an inexplicable sadness. Your ears wilt in confusion…was it something you did? What’s wrong? You’re about to ask just that when she beats you with a question of her own, inquiring about Th’orqui. Momentarily forgetting your friend’s sorrows, you are lost in your own. “I found Quilly—my brother,” you inform her, still uncomfortable at the way that the very mention of his name ties knots in your chest and leaves a burning in your belly. “He said…he says that it is gone.” You hesitate, unsure if you should confess your doubts. However, a sudden flurry of rebellion rises in your throat, and the words slip out. “I don’t believe him,” you whisper, still a little shocked at your own defiance. Questioning your brother in private is one thing, but telling others about the family quarrels…you frown slightly, pushing him from your mind. It’s not like he cares what you do anyway, and besides, Kahlua is your friend. You’re not leaking royal secrets, for heavens sake; you’re merely answering her question.

Kahlua’s vacant expression brings you back to the present. It’s unnerving you—you don’t like to see her this way. “Enough about me, though!” you exclaim, trying to hide your worry. “Is everything…all right?” Clearly it isn’t, but you have no idea what could be bothering the queen. Is it what everyone was talking about earlier, at the meeting? The alliances? The trial for…oh, what’s-her-name? Ruling never struck you as particularly difficult—your childish eyes idolized your own parents as natural and perfect leaders—but then again, you were neither destined, nor taught, to lead. All your life in the palace ever got you was some pretty manners and incurable homesickness.

Before she has a chance to answer though, you are interrupted by a looming presence. While you were so focused on first your list of woes and then contemplating Kahlua’s, a mist has gathered around you. From the gloom emerges a…creature of some sort. You crane your neck, looking up at it—whatever it is, it’s huge. Nervously, you glance at Kahlua. Copper wings flare, ready to make a quick escape, but you will not leave her behind. Not again. So, legs trembling, you stick close, ready to nudge her into a bone-rattling gallop should it come to that.

Slowly, the mist begins to gather, swirling this way and that until a more defined form takes shape. An ethereal stag now faces you, its startlingly blue eyes seeming to peer straight into your soul. You feel your heartbeat quicken. And then it speaks. Its language is strange and choppy, and between your fear and its guttural tongue, you can’t make out what it is saying to you. You tilt your head in confusion—is Kahlua getting this? You turn to her, wondering if it is time for both of you to make your exit. But to your surprise, she is simply standing there, taking it all in. If she is afraid, she shows no sign of it; her face is as calm and blank as it has been for the duration of your conversation. Is that a good sign or not?

Then, for the first time since the creature has appeared, Kahlua’s voice cuts through the fog, asking if you can help. Is she crazy? That thing is lowering its head—how does she know that it’s not going to run you both through? But she does know more of this place than you, so for the moment, perhaps it is best to play along. “Yes,” you echo, voice shaky, “is there any way we can be of service…?” Your voice trails off awkwardly, as you are unsure of how to address this spirit. Sir? Ma’am? Your Highness? Kind and Benevolent Spirit Who—just please don’t eat us!? It’s beyond you. You only hope that it will take your attempts at friendliness well, because your courage can’t hold out much longer.

@[Random Event]


Please do not tag Nasreen except for in opening posts and in spars!

Random Event Posts: 1,286
Helovian Ancient
Stallion :: Equine :: ::
#6


Bravery is said to be the act of recognizing fear, but choosing to step past it. Those who claim to never be afraid, are known simply as fools.

He is afraid.
They are brave.

He is thankful for it, though it may not appear so easily in the depths of his frozen eyes which dance worriedly between the mares. He breathes out more snow and mist, gathering himself in some manner of a great feat. They don't understand the enormity of this interaction, but how could they? They do not know him or his kind for a very good reason.

They speak, and he is focused, his head turning to absorb each sound and syllable that drops from their maws. It helps to hear them, though he can easily understand, their language reminds him of what holes he's leaving in his own words. It has been so long since he studied the horse tongue, and even longer since he practiced it.

" 'Esss, 'eeeeeeelpa." The natural tone of his language runs thick with the vowels and certain consonants of the horse. He shakes his head once more, glass tinkling against one another. He can't tell them, but maybe he can show them.

He begins to recede, slow and strong, his posture tall and regal in its own natural way. He glances back, the blue of his gaze cutting through the fog with ease. He waits, hesitation filling the space between them.

" 'Oooommmme," he rumbles gently, though seriously.

The mist moves in various eddies around him, through him, inside of him. It was ready to shut them out, unless they would choose to move forward.

" 'Uuuuuureeeeee" he urges, anxious.


Kahlua the Sunshower Posts: 662
Outcast atk: 5.5 | def: 9.5 | dam: 4.5
Mare :: Equine :: 15.3hh :: 9 [Orangemoon] HP: 65 | Buff: NOVICE
Khan :: Common Blue Dragon :: Frost Breath Sevin
#7
Kahlua loved Nasreen because the girl was as much a childish airhead as Kahlua herself was- hence, a perfect pair! At least on most days. Today, the queen's sorrow brought the pegasus down, and it broke the queen's heart that she had forced some of her pain onto Nasreen, made the girl carry some of the weight that Kahlua had been meant to carry on her own. At least Nasreen could lose herself in answering the question that Kahlua had asked her. Quilyan, her brother? Perhaps it had been serendipitous, but the devout queen was almost sure then that the gods had played a role in bringing Nasreen to Helovia.

At Reeni's rebellion, Kahlua extended a muzzle to her friend's shoulder, knowing well the feeling of not believing. Though everything she knew told her that her twin should be dead, perished in the flames that had devoured her homeland, she was certain he was still alive. He had to be. He was too smart not to be. Thank goodness for the distraction of the stag in the mist, though, as she was able to avoid answering any of her friend's inquiries about Aurelia and the challenge. Tales of murder would break Nasreen's heart, Kahlua was certain.

Of course, miserable as she was at reading horse faces, Kahlua saw none of the stag's nervous demeanor. She did sense Nasreen's nervousness, of course, as the girl flared her wings, but Kahlua again extended a muzzle to her, trying to offer her some sort of peace, to assure her that this stag was a delegate sent from the Moon Goddess herself. Of course, Kahlua knew none of that, but that was the tale she had concocted in her head.

It was curious, the way his head cocked too and fro as they spoke, but Kahlua was enthralled. Was it a sign from her lady moon that everything would be fine? She had been pondering traveling to the Moon's shrine... perhaps the goddess had seen her intent and sent this creature in her stead... In fact, so sure she was that he was a sign from the goddess that her heart nearly broke as he stepped away from them, as though he was going to disappear. But he called to them- at least it seemed that way. The queen was still having a miserable time judging what this fantastical, misty beast was saying.

Looking to Nasreen, the queen called upon and released her rank magic, hoping to calm her friend, before stepping forwards towards the stag. She doubted the creature, if indeed a gift from her goddess, would be affected by her magic; or, if it was possible that he could be, that he was far enough away that he would not be. She did not want to offend him by altering his mood. So, the enraptured queen stepped forward into the mists, following obediently after the glass and mist stag, her voice calling out to Nasreen. “Come on, my friend.” Perhaps her magic had been good for herself as well- a hint of her normal, dancing tone had returned to her voice.

@[Nasreen]- Clear Mind: Able to calm the tensions around a situation in any given thread, except in battle. 


Permission granted to use magic or physical force with Kahlua at any time
for any reason to any degree, with the exception of killing her.

Please do not tag Kahlua unless it is in an opening post

Nasreen Posts: 160
Up For Adoption
Mare :: Pegasus :: 15.1 hh :: 6 (Orangemoon)
Adoptable
#8
Did you say something wrong?! The creature seems to be expanding, swelling into a bigger and bigger cloud of mist, towering over you. The stag is truly a giant, reaching up into the sky. You are reminded of a stormcloud come to life; in fact, all this mist gives you the strangest sensation of being somewhere high in the sky, though your hooves are planted firmly on the ground. What is it? Again, it exhales a flurry of fog, and this time, you feel a snowflake land on your nose. Briefly, your eyes cross in disbelief, confirming that the tiny crystal really is ice. Snow in the middle of summer? The beast is surely a storm incarnate. Grey eyes widen, and instinctively, you take a step back, ready to flee.

But all of a sudden, the mist begins to thin. Is…is it retreating? It’s speaking again, but just as before, the words are all just a jumble of sounds. Ess? Eeelpa? Whatever it’s trying to tell you is unfortunately lost in translation. The fog swirls in ever quickening flurries across the forest floor, like a wave returning to the sea. Perhaps in this case, you muse, it’s returning to some great ocean of mist somewhere far away. Any second now you expect it to rise up and join the clouds above. You wish it well, but you make no move to see it off. You aren’t naturally inclined to follow anything with such unclear intentions, especially when-- ’Oooommmme. Your breath catches in your throat. Though you may not have understood anything else this mysterious beast has been trying to tell you, the last syllable lingers in the air between you, clear as day: home.

For you, home only means one thing: a familiar palace, brightly colored godswoods, the hustle and bustle of provincial towns on festival days, and the majesty of the capital. It means family and faded memories, ancient songs and your favorite stories, everything the way it used to be. Home means Th’orqui. Can this spirit take you there? You turn excitedly to Kahlua, but she is already stepping forward. As she passes, a wave of newfound confidence and hope washes over you, and as if by magic, you feel your spirits lift and your heart stir. “Come on, my friend,” she calls, but you are already moving to her side, trotting into the mist. “I’m here Kahlua,” you reply, unable to keep the excitement out of your voice. “Let’s go home.”

@[Random Event]

Please do not tag Nasreen except for in opening posts and in spars!

Random Event Posts: 1,286
Helovian Ancient
Stallion :: Equine :: ::
#9


[apologies for the delay!]

He glances back as they begin to speak, once again enraptured by their language, hoping against hope that he can absorb it and reiterate it with better clarity. They are certainly willing to decipher though, both of them surprisingly willing after some initial hesitation. He couldn't be so sure he would offer them the same kindness in the reverse situation, but he was truly too desperate to dwell on it. Each moment he stayed her with them, exposed in this manner, was another opportunity for this to fall to ruins. He should never have come in the first place, staying only dammed him further.

His only retribution would be if they accompanied him.

In that moment his rising anxiety, one which had been climbing, began to subside. Although he arrived in his natural state of amorphous mist, his changing emotions were like a tide, creating a denser state of water, one which was laden with the salty sorrow of the sea. He was calmed however by the painted lady, a most curious thing to him. The wonders of the horses never ceased to amaze him - he marveled at their power in as much as he did their strangeness.

Already feeling an elation which made him more buoyant, that the other mare seemed to finally understand one of his words sent an exhilarating thrill whipping through him. Unable to contain it he let out a song of joy. It carried long and light, drifting and bouncing through the fog that swallowed them up. Hurried and happy he moved quickly, his long legs easily consuming the ground that lie between them and their destination.



The walk would appear shorter than it was in actuality, and no points of reference were to be obtained, even to the most familiar of Edgers. They were drifting, with his guidance, into a place horses did not come to, could not come to, on their own.

Before weariness or second thoughts had time to settle in, the mist began to clear, opening up to a kingdom that seemed to be comprised wholly of clouds and waterfalls. If ground existed it was obscured by an ever present haze, which unlike its normal effect, did not appear ominous or dark. The mystery remained, but there was also an inherent beauty, particularly under the sunshine which cast semi-luscent rainbows and sparkling dapples.

"hOOOOmmme," he announced with a touch of pride as he drew to a halt, glancing back at his two companions, ice tinkling in his crown. Looking at them reminded him that there was much more than new found alliances at stake here. With a quiet abruptness Kahlua's effect snapped away, the nervousness instantly gnawing at the stag once again.

"hUUUUUUUreeeeeee" he urged them, his great neck bowing down so that his eyes could search theirs, the ice within them dazzling. Before he'd even turned himself back around his spindly legs were back on the move, delicately picking through the cloudwork. The front gates of the kingdom stood ahead of them, beneath several layers, but he did not take them there.

They moved far to the side, sticking to the shade cast by other towers of moisture and sky.

Something was not right.


Kahlua the Sunshower Posts: 662
Outcast atk: 5.5 | def: 9.5 | dam: 4.5
Mare :: Equine :: 15.3hh :: 9 [Orangemoon] HP: 65 | Buff: NOVICE
Khan :: Common Blue Dragon :: Frost Breath Sevin
#10
Nasreen at her side gave the queen more confidence, more energy, and she moved forward eagerly. She was glad she had Nasreen here to translate, for she certainly understood little of what the handsome, misty stag was saying. But home... She turned with a curious expression to Nasreen. Let's go home. Well... the queen certainly hoped it wasn't taking the to Th'orqui. Nothing aginst there, Kahlua was sure it was beautiful, but she had a herd to watch over and tend here, relationships to maintain, Kaj to help. She couldn't just leave.

But her hesitation was only momentary, for the misty stag was solidifying into water, a most curious way to be, and he cried out a beautiful song that stole the painted girl's heart. Whatever memories of snakes and death, of challenges and fire, had plagued her, they were lost with the wind. Her smile widened, her blue eyes sparkled. The stag was cautious and nervous, but Kahlua did not sense any of this. She was enraptured by him and she longed to run up to him, to press against his barely solid form, to force her friendship upon him.

Still, it seemed that she could never quite catch up. Besides, it would be best not to chase him off yet. The queen was utterly lost, even in her own home, and as she became ever more lost in the thickening mist, guided only by the stag and his horns, the queen wondered if they would ever make it out of this blinding path alive. But in time, as all things do, her worries passed- she and Nasreen were welcomed into a kingdom of clouds and waterfalls. Looking down, the queen even found her feet shrouded in a fluffy haze that left her feeling somewhat dizzy. Was she floating?

“You're an angel,” she murmured to him, as he announced that they were home. But he was off again before she could ask anything else of him. With a girlish giggle and a glance back to Nasreen, she set off again. At first she thought they were headed to the beautiful gates surrounding the kingdom, but as the stag angled his path it became ever more apparent that they were not. She frowned, though followed him into the shadows. Why walk in the darkness when there was the beauty of the light to revel in? “Is this your home?” she asked quietly of Nasreen as they moved on. The pegasus had seemed so certain, after all...

Still, so surrounded in wonder as she was, the queen had little time for thinking about why she and Nasreen had been taken here.

@[Nasreen]


Permission granted to use magic or physical force with Kahlua at any time
for any reason to any degree, with the exception of killing her.

Please do not tag Kahlua unless it is in an opening post

Nasreen Posts: 160
Up For Adoption
Mare :: Pegasus :: 15.1 hh :: 6 (Orangemoon)
Adoptable
#11
After you walk into the mist after the creature, time travels quickly. This thick fog makes it all a little disorienting, and you soon abandon any attempts to keep track of time or landmarks, as they are useless here. Perhaps a more cautious creature would be leery of such blind faith in a creature you hardly know, but with Kahlua at your side, you find it easy to follow the stag. Besides, you have an incentive to keep up: you want to go home.

That is why when you finally emerge from the mist into a land that seems to be made entirely of clouds, the disappointment is heart-wrenching. Hope, which has been expanding in your chest like a cheerful yellow balloon, is promptly popped at the sight of the billowing towers and gleaming gates. This place is magnificent, but it is not Th’orqui. Quite embarrassingly, you find yourself blinking rapidly, fighting back the tears that have sprung unbidden to your eyes.

Struggling to keep it together in front of your companions, you force yourself to focus intently on your guide. Though he provides a welcome distraction, suddenly a million questions are flooding your mind. If he was not sent to fetch you back to Th’orqui, then why are you here? And what is this place? The second question, he soon answers, beaming, “hOOOOmmme.” As he gestures to and fro proudly, indicating that this kingdom in the mist is what he is referring to, you smile sadly, glad that at least one creature has found what he is seeking. You cannot deny him that happiness, so for his sake, you do your best to muster up a cheery spirit. Besides, you console yourself, there is still the promise of an adventure, isn’t there? Curiously, you look towards the giant gates ahead, wondering what the kingdom inside will look like.

However, it seems that your guide has other things in mind. Tone growing urgent once more, he herds you and Kahlua towards the wall, but instead of entering at the front, he drifts along the side, keeping to the shade. You are growing more uncertain by the minute, but it seems that your options are rather limited—after all, you doubt that you can find your way back alone. Looking for reassurance, you turn to Kahlua, but she seems to know of as little of the stranger’s plans as you do. “Is this your home?” she asks, and at first, you can only shake your head mutely. It takes a minute for you to swallow the fresh dose of disappointment once more, but eventually, you whisper back, “No…I’ve never been here before. It’s nothing like I’ve ever seen.” Worriedly, you trot after the mysterious stag, hoping that all will be revealed sooner, rather than later.

@[Random Event]

Please do not tag Nasreen except for in opening posts and in spars!

Random Event Posts: 1,286
Helovian Ancient
Stallion :: Equine :: ::
#12



They are more quiet now, perhaps understanding his urgency and the necessity of the shadows (though how can they?), or maybe just fearing for their own lives. Whatever the reason, he was grateful of their discrepancy and their continued faith in his leadership.

He stole a glance over his shoulder to look at them, his saviors. Ice pricked in the edges of his eyes as emotion grasped them, so hastily he turned his attention back to the path that lie ahead.

Once they had rounded to the west side of the castle he abruptly cut in towards the walls. His gait shifted from a hurried walk to a long, rocking, lope. His hooves barely grazed the tops of the clouds, all limbs meeting underneath him as he sailed on the air for several seconds before reaching back out ahead of him. The space between him and his destination was swallowed by his speed and his grace.


With flanks slightly heaving, or what seemed to be his flanks among the swirling moisture of his body, the creature came to a halt. Great sheets of ice rose above them, but he did not seem deterred. Glancing around at his companions, the stag touched his frozen tines to the structure. They passed through with a quiet tinkle. He stood there, his antlers partially buried in the wall as though holding open a door for them to pass into. The humming sound of laughing ice remained the whole while he touched it.

"eIIIIIIIIIInnnnuh," he breathed to them, motioning towards the wall with his head.



Should you choose to step inside, you would find a tall, sloped ceiling of clouds drifting above you, while frozen, patterned floors glitter beneath you. Moisture and chill is prominent, likely causing your breath to be visible, yet there is a warmth that emanates; the kind that comes from a friendly welcome or a joyful gathering.

Yet the stag, so nervous and so secretive, is out of place in such an atmosphere, and so is the hallway to your left. It seems absent of joy, and the clouds are darker, heavier, colder. Something lies down there which is not well, of that you can be certain.

Even more worrisome however, is the set of antlers that you can hear tinging in the shadows of the hall. Another mist-deer stands there, and he turns if you enter, a pair of ice-blue eyes peering from beneath his frosted rack. They are not unkind, but neither are they inviting. The creature seems curious, but on alert.

You are not supposed to be here.


Kahlua the Sunshower Posts: 662
Outcast atk: 5.5 | def: 9.5 | dam: 4.5
Mare :: Equine :: 15.3hh :: 9 [Orangemoon] HP: 65 | Buff: NOVICE
Khan :: Common Blue Dragon :: Frost Breath Sevin
#13
The queen's heart broke for Nasreen when she found out that this was not the long awaited Th'orqui at all, but rather something else entirely. Kindly, she put out her nose to touch Nasreen on the shoulder, to share the mare's pains and to make her feel better in some way, if she could. For though Kahlua was rather poor at conjuring up emotions she was not familiar with, she was acutely aware of the feeling that Nasreen must have been experiencing. Dragomir's voice was so very near to her twin brother's that upon hearing him for the first time she had been overwhelmed with excitement and, upon turning to see him, had nearly died of grand sorrow. Yes, promises of home that were not kept seemed to Kahlua to be the cruelest kind of joke.

Still, the queen carried on, and though she was somewhat nervous that they were sneaking around the outer wall of this place and not proudly parading through the front door (not to mention the somewhat disconcerting sensation of what appeared to be walking on clouds), she was content enough to follow the misty stag. His ever-changing body was a mystery all its own to behold and she found herself growing fonder of the strange stag, smiling kindly as he turned back to regard them. A stupid queen she was to follow him so blindly, but she had faith in her gods and the magics of the land.

Quickening her pace to keep up with the stag, the Kahlua found her own sides rushing in and out as she pulled for air. Though her ancestors were made for running, Kahlua was not and she was happy enough to stop with the stag, looking up to see the towering spires of the castle above her. She did not know this place, and yet it felt strangely familiar. When she looked back down again, attention captured by the tinkling of ice in the air, Kahlua found the stag's head half-buried in the outer wall. It did not strike her strange that the wall (seemingly placed there to contain whatever was inside) was so easily breached. She was still lost in memories that stirred in her brain. And though she did not understand 'eIIIIInnnnuh' as any word she had ever heard before, she understood the motion of his head well enough. In. She obliged.

Opening her eyes as she came out the other side, having admittedly been a little frightened to attempt the strange mode of travel, the queen gasped aloud, cooing softly to her friend. “Nasreen...” And in that moment she was a child again, standing in the cathedral that her mother and father called home. This was different, for the walls and ceilings of her childhood were not made of ice and cloud, but the structures were familiar enough to raise a feeling of nostalgia. “It's like my home,” she whispered, wondering if Nasreen would remember the tale of fire that Kahlua had told her when they'd met.

So where she should have been frightened by the icy eyes of the new stag that stood before them, or the shadowy hall to the left, Kahlua was experiencing only a bitter-sweet feeling of comfort. To have her hooves standing upon a strange solid ground, surrounded on all sides by walls and a vaulting ceiling. Even the chill was familiar, as the cathedral of her youth had been high atop the edges of a sloping mountain. She almost expected, as she turned to the ominous hallway, to see the ghosts of her father and mother stride from the wicked-looking area. Her eyes couldn't help but mist slightly at the idea. She had been born a dark princess, after all, so even the distant feeling of unease was not unusual in this place that reminded her so much of her history.

Slowly she strode forwards towards the new stag, her face showing nothing but awe as she continued to look all about her. Had the walls been solid, she was almost certain it would have been the spitting image of her birth home.

@[Nasreen]


Permission granted to use magic or physical force with Kahlua at any time
for any reason to any degree, with the exception of killing her.

Please do not tag Kahlua unless it is in an opening post

Nasreen Posts: 160
Up For Adoption
Mare :: Pegasus :: 15.1 hh :: 6 (Orangemoon)
Adoptable
#14
As you round the corner in silence, another wall confronts you. Now what? you wonder, bemused and more than a little apprehensive. Why are you all tiptoeing around the perimeter of the castle? However, when the stag inserts his antlers into the icy barrier and a door appears, for a moment your doubts fall by the wayside. You’re brimming with curiosity. A secret entrance? You remember the fun you had as a foal exploring the secret nooks and crannies of the castle in Th’orqui. Perhaps this is why you hadn’t used the front gate!

The creature motions you inwards, and you follow Kahlua through the arch, eager to see what lies inside. A gasp rings out ahead of you, and you shy slightly, bumping your hips in the passage. “What is it, Kahlua?” you call out nervously, unsure what your friend has seen. Thankfully, it seems that all is well, for the whisper she returns is more emotional than frightened. “It’s like my home,” your friend murmurs as you stumble out of the passageway. You look around, taking in the ornate floors and the magical ceiling. “You lived somewhere like…like this?” you ask in hushed wonder.

Slowly, you spin, nose pointed to the clouds that hover above you as you further explore your surroundings. Though the palace seems to be made of ice and your breath rises in puffs of condensation, something about the place is inviting. “Your home is beautiful,” you call back to the stag, hoping for a proper tour now that you’re inside. Maybe there will even be a secret passage or two!

Apparently, Kahlua has the same idea in mind. Your head turns at the tinkling sound of her departure; it seems as if she has discovered a small hallway off to your left. “Wait for us!” you cry, your own hooves ringing on the ice as you slip and slide after her. “I want to explore t—“ The words die in your throat as you see the second stag. Uneasily, you look around, suddenly noticing that this part of the castle seems decidedly colder and more ominous than the passage behind you. “Excuse us, sir,” you whisper meekly, getting the same feeling you used to as a child when encountering a particularly stern guard, “we don’t mean any trouble!”

Reaching your muzzle forward to tug at Kahlua’s mane, you begin to back up. “C’mon Kah,” you mumur under your breath, “we can find a different hallway!” Nervously, you look around for your guide, hoping that he can settle the matter.

@[Random Event]



Please do not tag Nasreen except for in opening posts and in spars!

Random Event Posts: 1,286
Helovian Ancient
Stallion :: Equine :: ::
#15



"OOOOOOOOOOOO!" The second stag's voice booms outward, deeper and harder than that of the one which has been guiding you.

The new beast lunges forward to bring his hooves crashing down on the ground, his antlers thrust out like a barrier.

Ice sings behind you as the first stag rounds the corner. His misty body streaks by as he leaps between horse and deer, the movement effortless for him. He lets loose his own cry, though it is decidedly more mournful, almost fearful. The two stags barely pause before their antlers lock together, ice straining and cracking with a hideous sound. They scuffle, hooves sliding over the frozen floor, their bodies thickening with furious moisture, like the sea spraying her waves against the wind of a storm.

All the while they are speaking, though not in anything even close to comprehensible. It is all very guttural and pitched, sounding more like a song than a language, but one which invites heartache and despair.

Just as abruptly as they started, they stop. Their sides are heaving and dew is rolling off them like glass beads. The original stag steps forward, and when he is uncontested, he continues, glancing back at the two of you. He is quiet now, but gestures with his head as he steps on, asking you to follow. You have come so far, will you continue to trust him, even now?

The other stag lingers at the side of the corridor, his blue eyes leering through the dark, just as hard and as cold as when they first saw you. He does not approve.



Your guide halts at an opening in the wall; the second archway that appears as you traverse down the hall. Within the world seems to have changed. Though clouds and ice remain, to some degree, there is also an abundance of plant life. Grass rolls in emerald waves underfoot, speckled with colorful flowers all throughout, and on its edges massive trees stand like a border, spiraling so high they nearly block out the ceiling of sky. Below their intertwined branches, a stormy doe stands watch over a small and frail body - her fawn.

Her body moves in a swirling mixture of dark clouds, testament to the current of emotions raging within her. She turns to look at you, her eyes full of a desaturated blue; defeated. "Ulwe?" she speaks easily, her voice calm eerily calm, even as lightning flickers inside her chest. As her head turned the babe she oversees is better revealed.

On a bed of flowers and leaves the fawn lays. Even from a distance it is obvious that he is ill. His breaths are slow and shallow, his eyes pinched shut as if with pain, but most odd of all, his body is half whole. Like the fawns most horses know, his rump and backside are flush with auburn hair and white speckles. From time to time his little tail twitches. Look further though, and his forehand and face resemble the misty creatures which brought you here.

The first stag steps forward, responding to his name. He moves with a purposeful slowness towards the doe, his body gradually shifting to the grey of a gathering rain. Slowly he curls around her, the long slope of his neck gliding down as he noses the child delicately. "Heeee haaas br-oooougt yoooooou, hooooorses," the doe begins, her tongue the best of them all so far, though she still stresses her vowels. "Toooo saaaaave." She pauses, her gaze falling to the babe lying before her.

"Leeeeeeassssse," Ulwe pleads of you, the words leaving in a rush of cold breath and sorrow.

"Heeeeelp usssss," the doe echoes, beginning to talk towards you, ice welling in the edges of her eyes while rain began to fall inside her. "Cryyyyy, ffooooor hiiiiiim."

Though you may not realize it, horses are just as mythical and powerful to these creatures as they must be to you. Though it is considered a dark sort of magic, it is said the tears of a horse can heal any wound of theirs, though it is a terrible thing to make such a fantastical beast as a horse to cry. These parents have no other options however. Sickness, though rare for their kind, was often lethal.

In their world, they existed as something like spirits or gods over their kind. Their immortality and abilities could be lost through death however, causing their soul to return to the mortal existence. As such they would be destined to live out various lives of plain deer, being reborn each time, until finally reaching enlightenment again and returning to this castle in the sky. If they lost their fawn, they may not see him for years, or decades.

So they broke one of the few laws governing them, a treason which the second stag was not to forget. Already he was making his way down the long, frozen hall, his body a whirlwind of sleet and snow.


Kahlua the Sunshower Posts: 662
Outcast atk: 5.5 | def: 9.5 | dam: 4.5
Mare :: Equine :: 15.3hh :: 9 [Orangemoon] HP: 65 | Buff: NOVICE
Khan :: Common Blue Dragon :: Frost Breath Sevin
#16
Poor Nasreen, following her idiot queen into the unknown. To say that she lived somewhere like this was sort of a lie. Everything grand here would have been dark and mysterious in her cathedral home. Still, time has a way of making the heart grow fonder. So, even though the queen had hated her home when she had lived there, there was something dreamy and nostalgic in her head that left her wishing for home in a way she had not done for years and years. Not even the day she had met Dragomir, who sounded so much like her twin brother, could compare.

But the evil that Kahlua had failed to feel was certainly felt by Nasreen, who's nervous apprehension was evident in her voice. But before the queen could respond to Nasreen's words, she found herself gasping and crying out in fright, her hooves flying backwards as she jumped backwards from the lunging stag. “Oh!” she cried out, fear making her once awed voice become shaky. But thank goodness for the one who had brought her and Nasreen here diving in the way. Still visibly shaken, the queen was quick to scuttle back towards Nasreen, trying to press against her and gain some sort of comfort.

And as the stags clashed together, Kahlua's depression that had been whisked away returned to her. She had been able to forget, for a moment, the sorrow that had broken her heart and soul. But their fight was so reminiscent of her own fight that she was thrown back into the fray, Aurelia charging her, Shilva flying through the air. Scales, blood, bruises, pain... death. She shuddered and tried to press her memories away. But try though she might, the sound of tinkling, crashing antlers would not let her forget. So much for some peace. Still, how could she deny the stag his request. So even though her mind was no longer in this little game of chase, the queen followed the stag, looking back for Nasreen to follow.

And so she solemnly made her way to the new room down the hall, darkness brewing and her fragile emotions cracking with every step. Even the new greenery did not chase the sorrows away. Her smiling face had faded to a frown and there was no sparkle left in her eyes. And as she listened to the doe speak, hearing the words and her final plea- cry for him- Kahlua burst into a brilliant display of emotion. “Oh Nasreen!” she sobbed brilliantly. “I don't deserve to be here! I don't deserve all this beauty!” And her tears fell freely, though not necessarily for the poor fawn who lay on the ground beneath his mother's feet.

“Aurelia's challenge, and her snake. Oh Nasreen, the little snake, I didn't mean it at all. But- but- but-” and as she choked through her words she tried to bury her face in Nasreen's mane, if the mare would have it. “But I killed it!” And she cried and cried, because she was just waiting for the moment. Kaj had not left her, Res had not left her, Aly had not left her when they had heard the news. But surely Nasreen, sweet little Nasreen, would turn away in horror at the revelation that the queen was a murderess. And so the poor queen cried, body heaving, the beauty of the surroundings long forgotten.

@[Nasreen]


Permission granted to use magic or physical force with Kahlua at any time
for any reason to any degree, with the exception of killing her.

Please do not tag Kahlua unless it is in an opening post

Nasreen Posts: 160
Up For Adoption
Mare :: Pegasus :: 15.1 hh :: 6 (Orangemoon)
Adoptable
#17
Your apology does not impress the guard; that much is apparent when he charges at you and Kahlua with a roar that can best be described as terrifying. A high-pitched squeal echoes in the icy passage as you slip and scramble on the ice in your panic-stricken attempt to flee the scene. However, it is a venture in which you ultimately fail, not only because the space is narrow and you are clumsy, but because your guard comes charging into the hall. Understandably, this causes a bit of a traffic jam—a passage meant for two at most is now accommodating two Helovians and two ice stags, and the latter pair seems to be locked in a battle royale. To add to the confusion, Kahlua does not want to be here any more than you do, and the skirmish sends her backwards, presumably towards the exit…and right into you.

With Kahlua crowding you, you find yourself wedged awkwardly against the ice, positioned in a way that both bars escape and gives you the perfect view of the very fight you were trying to avoid. Irony is cruel, isn’t it? At first, you try closing your eyes; for though you have never seen a real fight before, you fear for your guide’s safety. Something about the tone of their exchange and this foreboding passage tells you that this is no courtyard spar of nobles. From the way they were going at it, you’d think it was a matter of life and death! Yet you can’t keep your eyes shut for long. Perhaps it is the worry that pries them apart, or perhaps it is mere morbid fascination, but there is also something hauntingly beautiful about the way their two misty figures collide and the way clash of ice against ice sounds as their antlers interlock.

You can’t say how long the duel lasts or even why it stops, so foreign to you are the ways of the fight, but when the guard grants your stag passage, you scuttle after him with Kahlua. After that, you’re not eager to linger here, and you rather hope that wherever he is leading you isn’t as scary as the place you have just left. And it seems that on one count, your wish is granted: as soon as you follow your guide through the next arch, beautiful rolling hills meet the eye, verdant and fertile. If you hadn’t just learned the hard way that it is best not to stray from the mist-creature’s side, you would be running and racing over the grass by now. As it is, you are tempted, but you stick close to Kahlua. Even in a place as magical as this, there is no telling what lurks around the next corner.

However, what actually rests on the soft grass just ahead of you seems to be the antithesis of dangerous: a tiny fawn and a stormy-eyed mist-doe await you, and you peek out from behind your guide with renewed curiosity. “Ulwe?” the doe asks, and your ears loll to the sides in uncertainty, unable to make out what she is saying. When the stag steps forward, you are surprised—is that his name, then? Or does it mean something else entirely? Not wishing to be rude, even by accident, you step forward too.

That is when you catch a better glimpse of the fawn. It is a puzzling little thing, for its body is half beast and half mist. But first and foremost, it appears sickly. Its breathing is labored, and every once in a while, its white flag of a tail flickers listlessly, as if the creature is struggling with fever. Face drawn with concern, you raise your eyes to the doe. What is to be done for the child? Can anything be done? The thought makes your chest constrict rapidly; suddenly you realize that you have seen sickness like this before. The raspy breathing, the closed eyes…this is how Amaya looked before she—

“Heeee haaas broooought yoooooou, hooooorses toooo saaaaave,” the female offers, meeting your gaze. She gestures to the fawn on the ground, but you’re looking around. She can’t mean you, can she? And then the horrible realization dawns on you—oh gods, they must have made some mistake. Kahlua, perhaps, was meant to be here (after all, she is the queen!), but you are fairly certain that it is not you they wanted. They wanted what’s-her-name, Resplendence, Quilly’s latest fling, the healer, not you. You cannot save this child! …you couldn’t even save Amaya, a small voice reminds you. You couldn’t save her, and now she’s dead.

“Leeeeeeasssse,” Ulwe begs, only making it worse. “Heeeelp usssss,” the doe implores, with an expression of desperation and hope that tears your heart in two. “Cryyyy—” But you never hear the rest, because in that moment, everything seems to happen at once. “I can’t!” you interrupt brokenly, unable to meet their eyes, “You’ve made a mistake; I’m not a healer! I don’t know how to fix—” And then Kahlua is interrupting you with an outburst of her own. “Oh Nasreen!” she sobs, and you turn to her helplessly, eyes pleading with her to help you explain. But her tears are for nothing of the sort, it seems. “I don’t deserve to be here! I don’t deserve all this beauty!” she wails, and you feel the desperation beginning to claw its way up your throat. What does this have to do with anything? “Kahlua! Tell them that I’m not the one that they need!” you try to plead above her clamor, panic pitching your voice high and tight. She’s not listening. “Aurelia’s challenge, and her snake. Oh Nasreen, the little snake…!” You can feel yourself growing increasingly afraid and frustrated as she rambles on, nearly in hysterics. Why won’t she help you?! “…I didn’t mean it at all,” she’s bawling, and the bubbling mess of fear, guilt, and confusion finally boils over just as she stutters her confession: “But I killed it!”

I don’t CARE! you cry as the dam in your chest releases, and your eyes stream with tears of their own. “Oh, gods help us, Kahlua, it doesn’t matter right now, can’t you see? They want us to fix him, but I don’t know how! They need Resplendence—tell them they need Resplendence, or as sure as we’re standing here, he’s going to die!” Overwhelmed, bitter sobs set your chest heaving and your voice shaking. Why did they bring you here? You cannot watch Amaya die all over again—why, oh why did they have to pick you? Irony is cruel indeed.

@[Random Event]

Apologies to all for such a long, long wait!

Please do not tag Nasreen except for in opening posts and in spars!

Random Event Posts: 1,286
Helovian Ancient
Stallion :: Equine :: ::
#18



There is something inherently magical about tears. They are one of the few tangible ways in which the body tries to express itself, exposing both weakness and strength. Few are the animals which have the ability to cry, even fewer are the individuals which choose to do so. They are rare and precious and uniquely made by each soul which spills them out.

It is those qualities, that grant them the ability to heal the fawn.

As the outpouring of emotion comes raining down from both Kahlua and Nasreen, the glittering jewels of sorrow collect on the ground and as if drawn by a magnetic force, roll towards the dying child. One by one they seep into the fawn's changing coat, each one humming softly and revealing a gentle glow. The babe stirs visibly, but his features also soften and his breathing grows more peaceful. Steadily, but surely, he will now have the strength to overcome his ailment and remain here in the misty palace of his kind.

Ulwe, your original guide, and his mate are overjoyed. The storms visible inside their bodies disperse suddenly, the previously known swirling body of mist returned as happiness overtakes them. They hug each other furiously, frozen tears of their own sliding down their cheeks. "Heeee is saaaaaaved!" the doe calls out happily, Ulwe responding with a keening note of celebration.

Their happiness exudes into the room, brushing and pushing against the grief which overtook the two horses - a necessary evil to inflict upon them, or rather draw from them. The two stags approach them, as graceful as ever, and each bows to the mares in turn. "Thhaaaaank yyyoooooouuuuuu," the doe whispers while Ulwe nods, then they both reach out with their antlers to offer the briefest of touches to the mares. The ice should tingle where it meets skin, cold, but not unkindly so.

The moment cannot last forever here, because though there is great beauty, both in scenery and heart for this family, there is also the looming darkness of the crime they have committed. What may seem innocent enough to the horses, is a travesty for their kind, once which the brother of the doe did not take lightly. In the time since they pushed past him, he had gone to collect the true guards of this palace.

With bodies full of thunder and lightning, the massive grey-cloud stags burst onto the scene just as the Ulwe and his mate were pulling away from Nasreen and Kahlua. They hooves struck the stone with a tumultuous clatter while their antlers rattled with outrage. One sung a terrible song, to which Ulwe responded, his voice rising higher and higher. The doe ducked behind him, fearful, but not frozen. She whispered to the horses, fast as she could manage, before curling around her child.

"Goo! Ruuuun! Foooollooooow iiice!" she stomped a hoof and a trail of ice wound from ti down into the depths of the room, towards an opening on their forest and beyond. If Kahlua and Nasreen wanted to escape the politics of this place, they needed to flee before being captured.

Behind, Ulwe and the stags clashed. Ice began to fly, singing an angry tune.



If you choose to run as the stags urge you to do, then you will be able to follow the ice trail all the way out safely, though the brother will be chasing you the whole time.


Kahlua for taking the time to explore this story and believing in the good of other beings, even when outward signs may suggest otherwise, you have been gifted with some magical abilities for the rest of Orangemoon4 and through Frostfall 5 (Now - November 30th)

[Magic: WaterxWind (P) | able to walk on water, including visible moisture in the air.]
[Restrictions: cannot be used in battle.]

[Magic: LightxWater | capable of creating ice from the atmosphere to craft with. It solidifies into an ice that looks and acts like glass, though it can be melted with fire magic.]
[Restrictions: it is easier to create if the atmosphere is already cold, and harder to create in battle due to the required focus and energy. All created items will melt by Birdsong 5.]


Nasreen for taking the time to explore this story and trusting in your leader, even when exploring alien places, you have been gifted with a magical ability for the rest of Orangemoon4 and through Frostfall 5 (Now - November 30th) and a permanent item.

[Magic: WindxWater | Can summon small clouds to shape and animate]
[Restrictions: Can only manipulate up to three clouds at a time, each no larger than 1 meter in diameter.]

[Item: Jewelry | Delicate permanent-ice chains that run the length of her wings; can be clipped to feathers]
When the stag touched you, permanent ice formed, like glass, in this way. To make it golden, you should see Midas.


Kahlua the Sunshower Posts: 662
Outcast atk: 5.5 | def: 9.5 | dam: 4.5
Mare :: Equine :: 15.3hh :: 9 [Orangemoon] HP: 65 | Buff: NOVICE
Khan :: Common Blue Dragon :: Frost Breath Sevin
#19
I don't CARE! are the first words the queen really realized were being voiced around her. The clink and flurry of misty deer combined with her own loud sorrows and confessions had distracted the mare. To be honest, she found her heart rather hurt by the curt response from Nasreen. But then, she had a fickle and forgetful heart. She would as quick forget this slight against her, chalking it up to the stress from this whole event, as she would remember it. Surely she would not stay mad at dear Nasreen for more than this moment or two.

And indeed, the moment or two passed as Kahlua realized that Nasreen did not mean she didn't care about her, but rather didn't mind that she was a terrible queen because there were more important things going on in front of them. As Nasreen fell to tears and Kahlua's own still trickled from her eyes, she noticed there had been a change in the foal who had been otherwise a sickly and frail looking creature. The mother and father celebrate, crying out, and Kahlua felt a shiver travel down her spine as her sorrows faded and she felt joy with the family, for them. She had taken a life, but perhaps... perhaps now she could remember that she had also saved one.

“Nasreen. Nasreen, look!” she insisted, bobbing her head against her friend whose sorrows she could not help in this moment. She could not Resplendence appear... but perhaps the recovery of the sick child would stir Nasreen to some sort of happiness. Thank you, the parents called, and the cold of their tines sent a new shiver down her back.

Regardless of the celebration, it seemed that their time here would be cut short. The angry stag returned and Kahlua skittered to the side in fright. What happened next seemed to be a blur, but Kahlua was a coward and when she was given a way to escape the fight that seemed sure to happen, she took it. The ice path broke out before her and she gave one last longing look to the deer. “Good luck,” she nearly whispered, nudging Nasreen forward, before setting off at a canter down the ice. Home, to escape this place, would be good. An adventure was fun, but the warm foliage of the trees back home awaited her.

When she was back, she would certainly sleep for a long while. She had found herself all but exhausted after this strange, strange encounter.

@[Nasreen]- Kahlua out :D


Permission granted to use magic or physical force with Kahlua at any time
for any reason to any degree, with the exception of killing her.

Please do not tag Kahlua unless it is in an opening post

Nasreen Posts: 160
Up For Adoption
Mare :: Pegasus :: 15.1 hh :: 6 (Orangemoon)
Adoptable
#20
“Heeee is saaaaaved!” At first, you are still sobbing so hard that you do not understand that the danger has passed; it is not until the icy prongs of the mist deer gently touch your skin that you look down and see the fawn, now sleeping soundly. You blink away the tears and shake your head in confusion…how could this be? But Kahlua is chattering away again, and the parents are thanking you, and you decide that it is simply easier not to question a miracle. You do not know what threads of deep magic hold this place together, and even if you did, you may have not understood the part you unintentionally played in this fawn’s story. Now that the imminent threat of death is gone, your concerns are closer to home. “I’m sorry,” you murmur quietly to Kahlua, amidst the happy sounds of celebration. You regret your outburst—of course her feelings are important, not to mention that she is your queen! Shame tints your cheeks pink at your horrible lack of manners.

But before you can express your embarrassment, storm clouds seem to darken the horizon. The clatter of icy hooves and dull booming of thunder herald their rapid approach, and with wide eyes, you realize that these aren’t ordinary storm clouds—these are the guards! “Goo! Ruuuun! Fooooollooooow iiice!” the doe cries, and instantly a glassy trail snakes through the grass at your hooves. You need no encouragement. Tender as your heart is, it is asking to much of you to linger in this strange place, and you are more than ready to go home. With a frightened whinny, you bolt into the trees, mane and tail streaming…and three little clouds trailing along behind you.

OOC: Yay, finally finished!

Please do not tag Nasreen except for in opening posts and in spars!


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