A single soul guided the belle this day, blue like the sky above her, and like the flames that rolled in streams, down the great mountain of the Veins. The scent of sulphur crinkled her scaled nostrils, her eyes blinked at the burning heat that singed at her eyelashes, and the girl questioned her guide for today his choice in leading her this way today. Never seen the blood of the Gods before, the blue commented to her, his spiritual light dancing along the surface of the similarly blue lava. Her wings stretched wide either side of her, and she spied the small path that wound its way up the mountain below her. Why not simply fly to the platform at the top, to where the shrines were, to where she might observe all that laid around her in one sweep of her crown. I can already do that from here, she thought, and instead opted to plant her hooves upon the thin path that would take her in only two directions; up, or down.

The girl didn't know what had caused her to overlook the company that soon approached up the mountain. As her own bodice turned to make its way up the mountain, the belle's ears flicked back and forth, at first unconvinced that there were footsteps other than her own walking this path. It wasn't until she had climbed quite a way that her draconic companion alerted her to the presence of the unicorn a ways behind her, and another at the peak of the mountain ahead of her. Arriving at the cusp of the shrines, the girl stepped to the side slightly, golden eyes surveying the land, catching a glimpse of movement following her, and the bulk of a shadowy form ahead.

Who were they? One was young, a dark roan steed whose eyes were reminiscent of the glowing embers that flowed around them. The other was darker still, and much larger, streaked with pale slashes and adorned with a skull that hid beneath it a mystery. What had possessed him to fit it to his own skull, to hide all beneath - was he disfigured, or grossly malformed beneath? Or did he use it as a more literal mask, one that could not show any flaws, unlike the carefully guarded façade the golden belle wore. Her mask wasn't as good as her mother's, it slipped into one of uncertainty too often for her comfort - but she practised it now with the same determination she always began a social interaction with. Her eyes showed a faint hint of innocent curiosity, her ears pricked forward as her wings shuffled down by her sides. Upon her back alighted the blue glowing spirit, casting his warm light around the area, cooing his gentle song in greeting.

"Hello," the girl spoke quietly, eyes moving from one form to the other, her voice quiet enough to be ignored should they wish it, but polite enough so that she fulfilled the social requirements of the situation.

Amaris