It was peculiar for the mare to walk this path once more. Peculiar, for it seemed only a handful of days ago that she had walked the path away from them, towards the shades that would ravage her body, enslave her brothers, consume her sister.. Though she was aware of the passing of time that had occurred (how could she ever forget the pain, the suffering, the misery that she had swam through all those months within the other-dimension her Goddess had crafted for her?), it was still eerie to be on the path to something that should be familiar to her - and yet, wasn't. Over a full year had passed since her hooves had connected with this ground, and a year was certainly enough time to inflict changes upon a land. Though some similarities to the realm she once knew remained, like the older, more stoic trees, the well-worn path beneath her hooves, the scent of the salty sea mingling with pine trees on her nose, there were some fundamental differences too. Of the scents of those who passed this way now, she recognised very few. That she recognised any at all were a small comfort. The mare's desire for knowledge pushed her on.

She just had to know how her old home was faring. Who ruled in her stead? What changes did the shades make upon the land?

Did they miss her? Remember her?

Of course they did, her bonded, the ever-present Akaith chided softly in her mind. They loved you, as you love them, the dragon persisted, and the mare's step stiffened against the thoughts. No, the mare sent back, harsher than she initially meant to, I feel nothing. It was an impossible remark, and yet she had to hold onto it. Only her love for her daughters fuelled her, those who shared her blood, she could afford no other affection into her life - not even for those whom she would admit she once-loved. What good had it given her? Your daughters, Akaith reminded her with some smug amusement, were born of love. A sigh left the mare's lips. Yes, and my love for them will never die; my love for Vikram has disintegrated. Stubborn, foolish perhaps, but she even as she spoke the words to her bonded, she knew their truth. The mare was vacant of her emotions now, reborn into this world in the way she was always meant to be - emotionless, stony, indifferent to the world. That was the only way she could live, survive. Too long had she forgotten the teachings of her mother, the lessons bestowed upon her to guard herself against the world. Emotions made you weak, and she would be weak no longer.

Golden pools happened upon the wrecked glassy border of her home, and dismay flickered through her heart for a beat before it was quelled abruptly. She would not feel for what had happened to this land, she couldn't - and yet, she knew within herself, somewhere, she felt a sadness, a shame for ever leaving it, for doing what she had thought was right at the time and venturing into the torrent of shades and terror that had been consuming the land. Her figure paused at the would-be entrance to the land, her eyes watching the mists as they floated to and fro between the trees ahead of her, the foggy tendrils that once embraced her in their folds.

Would they ever do so again?

A gentle song, an old queen's lament, hummed from her chest, rising as her lips opened and the harmony penetrated the lands before her. Akaith remained silent this time, resting upon her bonded's back, quietly watching the world go by, silent even in the bond that united them, hiding the hope and desire to return home within her golden breast. Moonlight illuminated them, for the Sun would never touch their hides again - the mare did not even know the true time of day or whether the night about them was entirely false. They waited, they hoped, though their hope was hidden behind the stony, stoic façade that made them appear as nothing more than a statue, a monument to a tale of times long past.




ooc :: I know Mirage is Outcast and technically cannot create private threads, but if this thread could be restricted to @[Resplendence], @[Kaj], @[Kahlua], @[Thor] for now, I would greatly appreciate it. If you desperately want to join, please PM me - I'll be making more Open threads in the near future anyway C:

It was over the lapping of the waves that I heard what I’d come to think of as a past grievance or perhaps a fantastical rouse meant to disarm me. At first, the dragon song sent a spell of perfect, voltaic waves down my spine that eventually coursed upward, making my face feel warm and electric. Below me, the sea persisted to rush and moan, predictable and unmindful to the faint notes of her former Queen. It took me a long time to find the courage to remove myself from the cliff and investigate what could possibly be the DragonHeart’s return; I’d grown too accustomed to disappointment. Instead, I continued to stare absently at the foam rolling up against the sheer bluffs, its monotony a constant reminder of the one thing still dear to my heart. The Edge had become many things to me, things that ranged from family to refuge… She embodied my past and guided my future with such patience and reserve that it was a wonder I’d ever left. Yet, it had become an empty place without Mirage. My return had been painful and lonesome, for everything had changed- including myself.

Whether or not my mind had once again decided to play tricks on my heart was still unclear, but it was in a moment of doubt that I turned one curious eye toward the east hoping to find something of note, of recognition. However, there was no flash of gold, no mirthful smile, and certainly no reason to believe that this was not another case of debauchery, made real by the past and my unwillingness to let it… die.

When the skies grew quiet and observant once more, I shifted away from the overhang in order to wander nervously toward the border. Sabine, though silent before, had managed to dig and pluck her way up toward my poll with what felt like juvenile grace. It was hard to conceal the pain she evoked when carelessly clawing at my neck in order to situate herself as she pleased, but I couldn’t blame her for wanting to be part of the action. She had sensed my tension and thrust her way into my conscious with something that appeared to be genuine reassurance and caring. Though we shared only raw emotion at her tender age, it was comforting nonetheless. Time promised to make us strong and until then I would make sure that the young Zephyr was content and happy, no matter her constant demands.

The mists began to grow thick as we moved into the dense wood that often concealed too many secrets and too many memories best forgotten. They curled and parted around my knees, unusually heavy for the mid-summer heat and entirely out of place so early in the day. Migratory birds clucked and sang overhead and at times Sabine would answer with a dissonant squawking that often drove her adversaries from their limbs and into yonder branches unseen. On most days I would chuckle at her attempts to call them down, but most days did not promise the return of the Dragonheart, my friend…

As the forest began to thin in some places, I was able to identify the shattered, glass wall- now a relic and abysmal reminder of battles still strung upon our tattered sleeves. But just beyond it…

..........just beyond the cracks and the glistening shards of the past-

............................-was the one I’d been waiting for.

She was just as changed as I, but the faintest of fires still burned behind her golden eyes. It was dim and smoky, but a fire all the same. A low rumbling started in my gut and eventually pulsed outward, a sound of sorrow and welcome, unease and relief. Resplendence had already managed to find the former WeyrLeader and I allowed her a moment to gush and swoon, delighted at the sight of faith restored. However, it took an incredible amount of strength for me to go forth and greet the little mare after all this time. She had once embodied power and grace like a second skin and I did wonder what kept me from her side when I’d longed for nothing more for so, so long... Perhaps it was my fear that she’d vanish just as soon as she’d come or maybe it was just that I was afraid her fragile demeanor would crack under so much jubilation and surprise. But was I truly surprised? Did I really find it unbelievable that she would return to the Edge, as I’d done only a few months prior? The land had nurtured our souls and mended our broken hearts numerous times… It was nothing of significance that she had come back, no, it was only surprising that it had taken her so long.


“Mirage,” I breathed on a heavy sigh. Sabine was quick to clamber about atop my poll, clucking almost soundlessly before heaving herself down toward my back. I couldn’t determine if it had been Akaith and her regal presence that had startled the Zephyr, but I was content to let her hide until things had calmed. I smiled once at Mirage, a soft turn of darkened lips, and moved forward at last to embrace the mare who had thought enough of me to call me her equal. “Welcome home.”

The word felt strange upon my tongue because, now that I was looking at the one who had made this place a land of honest repute, I wondered how it had ever truly been a home without her.

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The mare and her dragon waited.

And waited.

And waited.

It felt like a lifetime had stretched out since her arrival, though it had been nothing more than a few seconds. Such was the tension wrought about her body, the anxiety that sparked through her like lightning, striking unforgivingly at her core, and her bond. The dragon began to purr quietly, trying to soothe her beloved's tension, for Akaith held faith within her that Mirage did not, she knew how much her beloved was loved by others, how much she had meant to the lands and the people within them. That her bonded could not see it was something she had lived with since their bond ever blossomed; Mirage's own self-doubt was her greatest flaw, a weakness that she had battled all her life, one that she had overcome time and again, and would continue to for the rest of her years.

The seconds dripped by, excruciatingly slow, comparable to the torture she suffered from, the torture that left her with scars tracing along the underside of her barrel. Stop being so dramatic, Akaith hummed through her purrs, the thoughts ringing with tinkling laughter. It softened the posture of the mare, who had unknowingly clenched her muscles, though the guarded expression of indifference remained upon her visage. She breathed again, letting the familiar (and yet foreign) air traverse her lungs, her body, her system, willing her to remain rooted upon this spot until something happened, whether that be by someone coming or not coming, she could only wait to find out. She was a patient mare, one of her age had to be - how else would she had gotten so old?

She became aware of the noises then. So long had she been isolated, locked away in a dimension where she couldn't sense or feel, it took her a moment to discern what those familiar foreign sounds were, what they meant - who they meant. Ears pricked as her attention tilted towards the sounds of one travelling at speed, a strange glow was what she saw before anything else, and then, the pale, mist-painted belle, the strawberry bands up her legs, the single ear atop her poll, and now, the dragon flying above her… It took all the mare's strength to halt the tears of joy from spilling over her eyes, such was the emotion that swelled within her. But she swallowed them down, ignoring her companion's smugness at the back of her mind, blinking away the shine her golden eyes had suddenly taken on.

A low nicker grew from her throat, shaping the mare's name, "Resplendence," even as the other mare embraced her. Akaith leapt to the skies as the dun's tiara invaded her space, but it was not with offence, she merely wished to allow the greeting to take place unencumbered by her presence. A light, laugh-like sound arose from her throat, as the little queen then flew to approach and greet Valiance, the red who was clearly devoted to their old friend. He is strong, if young. Good bond for her, she surmised succinctly to Mirage, who merely kept the knowledge tucked away within as she returned the embrace. Was it love she felt now? Or merely affection, a deep liking for one she had led so long ago, one she felt insurmountable relief in knowing she was not only alive, but well too? Could she, who had sworn against all emotions, be so easily lulled into their tantalising embrace so easily again? The mare breathed out again, deciding that as long as she controlled them, and not they her, she could feel…

"I am well," her accented lyrics intone softly, as the other steps back and begins a long tirade of lots of words. The former queen saved her breath as she detected the presence of another, a dark titan, how could she ever forget? From the Threshold to sharing her throne with her, the GentleHeart had been a monument throughout her life, a stallion of nobility and solidarity when she needed him. The little mare took a step towards him to greet with a gentle caress, allowing a soft breath to blow from her nostrils in greeting of the new, small hatchling that scurried upon his back. There was the shadow of a smile upon her lips, it had rarely ever stretched into a full one before her departure, it would be no different now. It was her eyes that showed her true emotions, the happiness and relief she felt at seeing them, knowing they were alive and still here, at their home, the Edge.

"Thor," she replied softly, leaning into him with her slight, aged frame. The old queen had full intentions of divulging the circumstances of her return, but it was not the time, for yet another was to arrive. Wingbeats she recognised (as each second passed she recognised more and more of her old home, the sounds and smells of it, everything that was foreign became less so and she began to feel normal again) pounded on the air, and as she lifted her golden gaze she saw the burly outline of the stallion. The tension of the gathering seemed to rocket to new levels, and it was with some hurt that the little mare did not receive a touch of greeting from the steed, though she clung to the words he spoke. Remaining indifferent, are we? the golden one chirped in her mind, and Mirage used the reminder to harden herself against any further thoughts or expectations.. This was why she had to guard herself against the emotions, this was why she had to detach and be indifferent. She felt so strongly about everything.. She always had, and when she had ruled, her love for her herd had been her defining feature. But it had been her ultimate weakness, one that had set her into a pit of hell for months on end, truly, if the mare had any sense of self-preservation, she would not have returned.

"Kaj," she greeted, tilting her tiara into a rough nod, feeling rather than knowing that he held something secret within his breast - was he the keeper of the Edge now? He had been a Protector, she remembered, one who did his duty well, one who had the potential to rise to glory no matter the path he chose. Had he chosen the path of leadership? A curious question sounded behind her eyes as she regarded him carefully, not unkindly. If her hunch was true, she felt far more settled about the future of the Edge, despite the Moon Goddess' words to her of the herd's loss of direction.

"I owe you all an apology," she began again, her voice a low hum, her accents curling the words in that unique way only she could. "My siblings and I travelled to the Shadowlands, wanting to learn about what was infecting the lands.. What was causing those changes, the destruction.. We were foolish. We thought we could vanquish the dark, the evil that was spreading like a virus, incurable and savage. It took a hold of my brothers, I watched, helpless, as they tore each other to shreds." Her eyes looked to each individual as they stood, imploring them to understand. Akaith cooed softly from her perch in the skies, abandoning the playful greetings of new friends to return to her bonded's back and began massaging along the base of her base with her dextrous claws.

"I do not know the fate of my sister.. But as I felt the darkness crawl up my legs and across my flanks, as I felt Akaith's flames attempt to sear them away, I was suddenly pulled, plucked from this world and thrust into another." There was no other way she could describe it, the sensation of being torn away from everything you knew to be real and thrust into a new, foreign and terrifying reality. "I was not healed, but simply.. existing. Akaith was with me, and then there was pain, blindness, and I didn't know.. I didn't where I was. I almost forgot who I was. Akaith was all that anchored me to myself, my memories, my will to live on." As she spoke of her beloved companion, she turned her crown towards the golden one, accepting the touch of muzzle-to-muzzle contact as they both relived the memories that would haunt them for the rest of their days.

"The Moon Goddess was responsible for my 'preservation', she raised me from the depths of her dimension, but only after enough time had passed that the sickness of the Shadowlands had been purged completely from my body. I will carry their marks for the rest of my days." Here she stretched her body so that the glow from Resplendence's misty extrusions illuminated the crisscrossed, slightly indented scars that tracked along her flanks and belly. "I have wanted nothing more than to return here.. I humbly ask that I am allowed to walk its misty corridors once more, to serve its leaders in whatever way I can."

As she stated her request, she looked to each one again, drinking in the changes that time had ravaged upon them. The bonds they had created, the scars they had gained, the way time had aged the faces she remembered. How must they look upon her now? No longer a queen, no longer young nor in the prime of her life, but instead old, aged and weak?

Never weak, her bonded reassured her, in the way that only a companion can. The mare breathed, her voice needing rest after so many months spent not in use, and then suddenly being urged to tell a story so that they might understand - she never wanted to leave them, she wanted to save them.



ooc :: ALL THE WORDS.. don't feel like you have to match me lol. Mirage has a case of the rambles, as usual.. Abba, I know you're on absent, so don't feel like you -have- to reply any time soon <3. Sevin, you're welcome to jump in still whenever you like, and have Kahlua hear all Mirage's words. I'm happy to go with a flex posting order for this thread - post as you want :)

The gentle cadence of her voice was overwhelming. Even the heat of her skin and the flicker of gold in her eyes felt almost surreal, barely there… Yet, she was incredibly and irreplaceably real. However, my celebration was cruelly short-lived. I’d wanted more than the few slow moments of greeting to share with the DragonHeart, but it was not something that fate felt the need to be granted. Resplendence had done her part in allowing me the opportunity to rekindle my feeling of friendship for the ghostly figure that was Mirage, but Kaj did little more than taint it. His presence was not one I openly welcomed and when he landed some yards away, I was quick to turn my back to him, as childish and futile as it seemed. Things had not yet been righted between us… and the tension hardly went unnoticed.

Welcome home Mirage.

As I contemplated the mists that had come to greet their former Queen, I began to feel quite selfish for making this moment about anything other than the dragon mare herself. This was not how I’d anticipated her return… not at all. However, the deeply unsettled strings of my heart could not let the Storm Bringer reside unacknowledged. After all, he had chosen to stand back and away from the creatures he was due to call family. Did that mean nothing to him now or was the pressure simply crushing him, bending him to insanity’s will? Were I a more righteous man, I would have overlooked the stallion’s follies, but we had gotten off on the wrong foot and could not seem to balance out our differences. His insecurities were stifling and his pride had all but smothered him… but, at times like these I was almost compelled to sympathize with him. After all, I had once been in his shoes and suffered those same woes. Could I not find it within my heart to forgive and forget, let bygones be bygones?


Maybe I’d gone mad with the sudden changes throughout the Edge or maybe I’d just grown tired of the endless bickering, but in a solitary moment of weakness, I moved aside. It was a quiet gesture and one that was born merely from remembering what Mirage had taught me about leadership. I had not been acting like a leader by any means over the past few months, I’d only succumbed to the actions of a wounded coward. It had to stop. Kaj had come to remember just as I and he deserved this moment just like any other.

Before I could anymore deliberate my issues with the reigning King, I was attracted by the slanted lilt of a tune all too familiar to me now. Formality was now a thing of the past and Mirage moved quickly from apology toward explanation, her tales coming to fruition just as violently as I had imagined. Truthfully I’d known little of her brothers, but the way the world had taken them was much too cruel for even Mirage to have beheld… However, that was not the end of her nightmare, not even close. My shoulders seemed to sag as she continued with her experience, simply thriving within the ominous depths of the universe, and finding no remorse from the ones she’d once worshipped. I’d never heard anything like it and therefore could not understand… I couldn’t even convince myself to soothe her now, because there was truly nothing that I could have said that would have made any of it better. Mirage was here now though… wasn’t that enough? She had survived a grueling test of her faith and somehow lived to relay her strength to others.

Now that I studied her and the way her aging bones appeared to swell against the tautness of her skin… it was painful. She had once been the vision of beauty and grace and devotion to her family and she had returned looking for solace. I would never turn her away and never ignore her pleas for comfort and justice. But I was afraid… I was afraid that Kaj would receive her just as he had his former King. I feared that he would resent her return, no matter how open her heart appeared. I blinked against the melancholy that scorched my eyes and chose to look away from it all. I had to find myself again in the shady forests just beyond or at the cliff overlooking the sea, for this was the land that had raised me and nurtured me… In truth, I only feared that time had changed us all too much. We had grown apart and now was the time that we needed to come back together.

“Please stay,” I answered quietly while glancing at Kaj. I needed him just as much as he needed me, but we both knew that despite everything, we also needed Mirage.

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