the Rift


What Makes A Hero?

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




This world was surely a mysterious place. One minute one thing would happen and then the next something else completely and entirely different could happen. And surely, that what was happening now. Glass vials and beakers hung from branches of a lone willow tree. With every breeze that passed through the vibrant clangs of glass could be heard for yards. It was almost melodic. Each vial and beaker had its own sound, its own tune, as they were all filled with various colored liquids.

Then some movement catches the eye.

Moving quickly and accurately, like a viper striking its prey, a chimp's hands grabbed, poured, swirled, and mixed various vials of mysterious fluids. What they were nobody really knew except for the chimp himself. He seemed like he was on a mission of some sort. After mixing a few of the fluids together he would then pour the concoction into a syringe and injected various small woodland animals that passed by with it.

The first one was a rabbit. After a few seconds it merely keeled over and died. The second a rat, which lost all of its fur. And the third was a bat, who's wings seemed to grow translucent until they just disappeared leaving the bat flightless.

“No. No. No,” the chimp murmured to himself with each apparent failed attempt at some sort of special mixture. For a minute he paused and picked a few bugs off of himself and ate them, but then he went straight back to work as if a new revelation came to mind. Maybe he was working on something important? Maybe he was just having fun? Who would know besides him?

Talk

@[Archibald] Only.




darknightoftroy

Archibald the Dauntless Posts: 386
Absent Abyss atk: 6.0 | def: 9.5 | dam: 8
Stallion :: Equine :: 18.3 hh :: 10 years HP: 80 | Buff: SHIELD
Loretta :: Alaskan Malamute :: Time Slip Time
#2
  archibald
   the dauntless

Archibald and Loretta moved with impressive stealth. The Czar and his bitch were careful to be unseen as they slipped through the paths in their territory. During this time, they had a desire to be alone. The herd was still shifting in the wake of the invasion. In distant territories, the wager and competitions for lead positions of the abandoned World's Edge staggered on, led by Ophelia and Kahlua. Archibald was confident in the decisions that the two mares could make, and his focus now was on this herdland--making it all it could be, and placing those in his counsel that would only help his family to thrive. However, to do that well, Archibald (and his ever faithful companion) needed to recharge themselves in solitude. With finished patrols, they moved as one unit towards the Thistle Meadow.

This place is where Archibald had helped Circe raise their sons. Reginald and Abraham were the epitome of strength, the blood of the Shadowmere and the Dauntless combined into two figures of perfection. Even with his sons' inclination towards the darker avenues of this world, Archibald still beamed on his sons. They were his legacy, even if they chose not to admit it. He knew Reginald would not. Abraham, on the other hand, seemed to hold a higher admiration for his father. Archibald understood Reginald's thoughts towards him, for Archibald was everything Reginald would never be, could not attain, and that made the youngling seeth.

Unlike his sons, Macaria was the beauty and grace of Circe touched only lightly by the strength of Archibald. The filly was perfect in every way, just as her brothers were, and she would shine forever in this world. Like her older brothers, Macaria was a beacon of Archibald's legacy. Through her, he would be seen. Even if it was small, his name was written in her eyes and his blood pumped through her veins. Soon, when the herd was stable underhoof Kaj and Archibald, the Dauntless would bring his princess home. He would teach her all of what Circe would desire her to know and more.

As Archibald wandered in his thoughts, Loretta suddenly brought him back to the surface. Look ahead. She prodded, amber eyes narrowed darkly. Golden eyes lifted to see the creature moving within the trees. A skeptical frown laced over stoney features for only a moment before disappearing into the stoicism of his general facade once more. The Dauntless watched as the chimp injected a needle full of something into a squirrel. Soon after, it withered and died. Panic arose in Loretta's breast and quickly Archibald closed the distance between himself and the tree the chimp perched himself in. "What are you doing?" Archibald asked, his deep voice commanding respect.

i-mi


@[Random Event]


Through the ages of time
I've been known for my hate,
but I'm a dealer of simple choices;
for me it's never too late.


please tag me

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




It was like a playground this tree. And the chimp was akin to a child in a candy store or so it seemed. With each mixture he tried it on some poor random woodland creature. Many of them died. Many of them had other...severe side effects. But everything was happening for a reason.

For the chimp did have an end goal in mind.

Focused eyes darted away from squirrel that was the latest victim from his newest concoction when Archibald asked him his question. What was he doing? What was he doing!? The chimp's hand closed around the squirrel, his failure, as he calmly but angrily replied, “I make better.”

Yes, he was trying to make the animals better somehow. Stronger, braver, live longer whichever it was nobody had any knowledge as to his intentions. Were they good? Or were they bad?

“But it not right,” the chimp confessed, “It wrong all time.”

Surprisingly in contrast to the chimp's behavior, his language was rather rudimentary. His thoughts however where exactly the opposite. His thoughts were vast and beyond the confines of an average being. He was smart and he would figure out his problem and solve it.

Why did every one of his test subjects die? What was wrong with the mixtures? What could he change that would change the possible outcome. Slowly the chimp looked over his previous test subjects and then happened to take a glance at Loretta and Archibald. Instantly his eyes grew wide and gleamed with the spark of a new idea. The squirrel fell to the ground as he busied his hands making up yet another mixture and then poured it into a syringe.

“I make better,” the chimp said again as he approached Loretta. Size...size was a variable he could have changed but really hadn't. All the woodland creatures were of the same relative size. Both Loretta and Archibald were much larger in comparison. Perhaps they would prove to be successful candidates for his serum.

Talk

@[Archibald]




darknightoftroy

Archibald the Dauntless Posts: 386
Absent Abyss atk: 6.0 | def: 9.5 | dam: 8
Stallion :: Equine :: 18.3 hh :: 10 years HP: 80 | Buff: SHIELD
Loretta :: Alaskan Malamute :: Time Slip Time
#4
  archibald
   the dauntless

The chimp babbled on above Archibald's head. It spoke in response to Archibald's prompting question, but did not provide an answer that the Dauntless found acceptable. Brows knit together on both the black face of the equine and the red and white face of his canine partner. Loretta watched the chimp carefully, hair starting to rise along her spine. This is not right, Archibald. She spoke directly over their bond, voice quivering some with the fear she felt beginning to gnaw on her heart. Her paws shifted and she moved some to the side of her bonded, almost halfway beneath him. His massive front legs covered most of her body. Something about this creature was not right and it made Loretta yearn for the safety only Archibald could give her.

"What do you mean "make them better"? What is the purpose?" Archibald asked. He watched the chimp's every move, while sending calming waves towards Loretta. Do not be afraid. He cooed over their bond, as if the reddened bitch was a pup at his heels once more. The chimp dropped to the ground with a thirsty look in his eye, and Archibald's ears pinned down into his thick mane. "What are you doing!?" He spoke once more, voice louder and firmer as it cracked the air like thunder. The creature moved its odd hands quickly and filled another syringe with a strange liquid. Archibald did not move. He did not falter, nor did he move away. The Dauntless stallion stood his ground, neck arching some and muscles tightening.

Only when the chimp, still hungrily moving forward with glistening eyes, made a move towards Loretta did Archibald move. Rage, white hot and seething, burst over once stoic features. Loretta, full of fear and anger, snarled from beneath her bondmate. Her ears pinned backwards and her eyes widened. Lips curled back to reveal her teeth in a threat, but it meant nothing. Nothing the cur could do compared to the anger Archibald felt and acted on in this moment.

A flash of a memory sparked between their bond. It was of them, so many years ago, in this very meadow. Loretta pinned her sister to the ground, hair on edge. Knox, Archibald's younger brother, came barreling for her. Archibald charged after his brother, the intent to kill him painted clearly across his features.

In this moment, as Archibald lunged forward with bared teeth and flailing front hooves towards the chimp, he resembled that memory ten times over. "Do NOT touch her!" The Dauntless screamed, a front hoof slamming against the ground and releasing a series of intense tremors out towards the approaching creature.

i-mi


@[Random Event]


Through the ages of time
I've been known for my hate,
but I'm a dealer of simple choices;
for me it's never too late.


please tag me

Random Event Posts: 1,286
Helovian Ancient
Stallion :: Equine :: ::
#5




“Purpose?” The chimp hesitated in his approach as Archibald said the word. Purpose? What was his purpose? Why did he do such things to all the little animals. He looked to the syringe that he grasped in his hand. Its yellowish liquid gleamed in the light of the day. What was its purpose? For a minute, the anthropoid thought about this question and it seemed like he was trying to formulate an answer for Archibald. But before the answer could fully form the chimp gripped the syringe tightly and snarled, “Purpose is make better!”

With that the chimp scientist continued his charge at Loretta. Though soon Archibald seemed to grow...angry. What was that all about? The chimp had said that he only wanted to make better didn't he? Either way, Archibald blindly charged at the chimp and instead of striking out just slammed his hooves against the ground causing the earth to rumble and shake. The tremors threw the chimp off balance and so he danced like a drunken land lubber for a little while until the tremors subsided. Once he gathered himself together though the chimp uttered an angry growl.

“Fool!” he howled, “Make better say I. You not listen. Have rock for brain.”

It was then that the chimp made his final descent upon Loretta, who hid behind Archibald's legs and beneath his belly. Though, at the last minute, the chimp decided to change his mind and jumped onto Archibald's back and held on tightly. Once he was secure enough to his liking, the chimp then plunged the syringe into Archibald's neck and injected the mysterious serum into him whilst screaming the phrase 'I make better'. Then he jumped off, eyes wide with excitement. He wanted to witness all of the side effects that this experiment would entail. Surely though this test subject wouldn't die. At least...the chimp was ninety-five percent sure Archibald wouldn't die. Hopefully he would just have some side effects and then become better...somehow.

Talk

@[Archibald]




darknightoftroy

Archibald the Dauntless Posts: 386
Absent Abyss atk: 6.0 | def: 9.5 | dam: 8
Stallion :: Equine :: 18.3 hh :: 10 years HP: 80 | Buff: SHIELD
Loretta :: Alaskan Malamute :: Time Slip Time
#6
  archibald
   the dauntless

Fury, rage, the desire to protect and kill this chimp all ran through Archibald's veins. His body pulsated with his anger, nostrils flaring as he snorted loudly. His tremors threw the chimp of balance but did not keep him from going after Loretta. The bitch snarled again, legs reaching out quickly in an attempt to flee from the maddened ape. ARCHIBALD! KILL HIM! She screamed across their bond, panic rising in her throat like bile. A scream, bursting with all of the emotion Archibald felt, thundered from his mouth. In just a split second, however, the syringe-holding chimp changed his trajectory.

Golden eyes widened with surprise as the chimp jumped up onto Archibald's back. Wildly, the behemoth of a stallion thrust his head down and tossed his weight around. Without hesitation, Archibald furiously bucked and spun. He attempted to remove the chimp from his back, but nothing he did worked. Archibald sucked in a tight, sharp breath when a pinching sensation--a small dot of pain--came over his neck. "NO!" Archibald growled, tossing his body to the left as the chimp jumped off of him. The Dauntless stallion's were coming in fast, angry puffs. Crimson red clouded his vision, but all he could hear was the chimp chanting in the background.

I make better, I make better, I make better...

It was like a mocking song, and it was driving the Czar mad. Black dots filled Archibald's vision and he staggered. Spreading out his hooves, the titan locked his knees and focused his magic on himself. Quickly, Archibald solidified his bones to stone. Do...not...fall. The monochrome beast closed his eyes tightly, black veils over pools of brilliant gold. Archibald grunted, his breath still labored, as dizziness took over his body and he became light-headed. Somewhere, in the back of his mind, he could hear Loretta's panicked snarls.

i-mi


@[Random Event]


Through the ages of time
I've been known for my hate,
but I'm a dealer of simple choices;
for me it's never too late.


please tag me

Random Event Posts: 1,286
Helovian Ancient
Stallion :: Equine :: ::
#7




At first, the chimp's smile vanished as Archibald began to show side effects. No. No no no no. This couldn't be right! Size was supposed to change everything! Wasn't it? Despite how much the chimp wanted to jump into the tree and work once more on a new serum, he didn't. He wanted to see what all happened with his new test subject.

To his surprise, Archibald seemed to battling what was happening to him. It was like he was fighting for something, but it certainly wasn't his life. Mentally, the chimp noted how fast Archibald breathed until it began to slow back down.

Was he going to survive?

Did the chimp's concoction make him better somehow?

The chimp looked to the snarling dog next to Archibald and sneered, “You worry too much. He fine,” his voice carried a nonchalant tone to it. In fact, if anything his voice sounded quite excited or pleased. His experiment was working. He was successfully making someone better. But how?

“He better now,” the chimp continued to speak towards the dog he wasn't even sure could understand him, “He better. You see. I make you better too maybe.”

For a minute the chimp amused himself with the thought of trying his serum on a slightly smaller subject but decided against it. Archibald was enough for now. Perhaps he would retire from this business, from making things better. Maybe he wouldn't. Either way his intentions here were carried out and over with.

“Must go now,” he called out as he climbed back into his tree, “Job here done.”

And like that the chimp was gone. Out of sight. Never to be seen by anybody around these parts ever again.

CONGRATS! YOU HAVE RECEIVED THE GENETIC DEFORM :: [GENETIC MUTATION: 3RD MAGIC SLOT].

Talk

@[Archibald]




darknightoftroy

Knox Posts: 262
Outcast atk: 4 | def: 7.5 | dam: 6.5
Stallion :: Equine :: 17hh :: 7 Years [Tallsun] HP: 67.5 | Buff: NOVICE
Jen
#8


What does make a hero indeed?

Knox watches the scene unfold before him with a bitter taste in his mouth--perhaps the taste of hunger or the taste of hate. He too remembers the day of his fight with his brother over Loretta's folly.

Now he is older. Manhattan looks upon the day's memory with no grudge clouding her vision. She struggles, even, to remember the terror of those days before she could control her magic, and remembers most the slow, blind walk home where she clung to her master's side and the sound of his hum.

But Knox's hatred has only grown. His mother, the one thing that had stopped him from biting at Archibald's throat that day, is dead. And his father, the Sentinel, he knows now was truly and brutally murdered at his own brother's hoof. Knox may have drunk the Sentinel's blood, but he had been forced to. Archibald, Vincent, all of his brothers had shown some semblance of self-awareness the day they had followed him to kill Mandrake. But on the day of Knox's birth, they had all bowed their heads and done as they had been told.

Where had resistance been then? Knox watched from his cloak and burned with a shame that he felt not for himself but for his elder brother's actions. The chimp was shocking, and perhaps should have stirred Knox's own senses, but he paid it little mind, only pausing to instinctively protect his own bonded when the creature approached Loretta. The hunter's blue eyes fixed on Archibald, watching him sway and start to tumble after the odd being's assault of a sort. Would he fall that day? Finally, would his elder brother fall?

Knox circled the scene slowly to stand not at Archibald's back, but front. As the chimp hopped away and Archibald struggled to stand on his bones of stones, Knox thought of the moment of Roanne's death. He could see it clearly: think it and conjure up that last moment in his mind. Roanne had seen nothing, in his final breath. His blindness made complete by his own blood soaking his features, his power lost, and his last act a feeble attempt to reach out to the sounds of his own progeny, were all but lost to time. Knox was thankful for what the Sentinel had shown him and what he now knew: Archibald was a monster.

Was it hypocritical to condemn his brother's crime when he had murdered so many himself, or simply biased? Knox didn't care. The hunter felt nothing but a white hot rage, and Manhattan could do nothing to soothe him this time. He paid no mind to his companion as she shook nervously at his back. She feared her sister would sense her and discover them, even through the magic of the cloak, but feared too that Knox had gone too far. It was true she had wanted him to see his enemies for who they were, but Archibald... was the dauntless one of them?

Knox drew closer to his elder brother, lifting his head to bridge the gap in their height fearlessly. Manhattan sent a flash of warning to him, for fear that they would be discovered, but Knox knew he was safe in his shadow, safe enough anyhow, and paid her no mind.

He wondered faintly if Archibald thought, after all this time, that he was dead. And he wondered too if Archibald would blame himself for that. In a dark corner of his soul, cleared from all minds but his own, he hoped to his goddess that the dauntless would. The hunter exhaled once, the taste of his breath stale and weathered. Would Archibald notice the tickle on his face, catch the scent of kin and fall into mourning, or think it just a breeze?

Even if he did, it would be for nothing. Knox turned then, finally giving into Manhattan's unease, and started towards the edge of the meadow. There was nothing more to see here but this creature his brother had always been, this wretched beast he now knew well to despise. Helovia had branded Archibald a hero, but Knox still tasted Roanne's blood--on his lips, in the back of his throat, burning his nostrils, and staining his face--and he would never forget it.

As he drew further from Archibald, Knox let out a low, familiar hum. Perhaps some of its traces would slip through the cloak, but he had little care. Manhattan recognized the sound instantly, the same tone he had made in the meadow years ago when the fight had threatened to occur, and snapped to his side to follow him swiftly.

Maybe Archibald would hear the sound as the hunter and his companion retreated and be haunted by the ghost of that day. Knox had faith that someday, the ghosts would catch up with the dauntless. Someday his brother would be haunted. And on that fateful, forthcoming day, Archibald would know at last that he was no hero.

And if it didn't happen at the hand of the gods, Knox would make it so.



[[Permission to join cloaked granted by Archibald.]]


Knox
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