the Rift


When Giants Collide (Tembovu v Alune)

Tembovu the Elephant Posts: 805
World's Edge Captain atk: 7 | def: 9.0 | dam: 7.5
Stallion :: Unicorn :: 18hh :: 10 HP: 77 | Buff: SWIFT
Mbwene :: African Elephant :: Ashen smitty
#1
A misty lion paced behind him, magnificent mane an ephemeral cloud as the beast embodied the agitation of the King. The giant had left the Edge’s boundaries (he had been doing so more often, as of late), walking east to the Meadow’s flat, grassy land. Perhaps he found some semblance of comfort in the plains-like pasture, perhaps he just walked to settle his mind. He was uneasy, too many strange things had happened that had left the mammoth disquieted. A man who shifted to another being in front of his very eyes? He and the beast he tried so hard to quell becoming one in the last spar. A physical elephant of magma materializing from his very skin.

What was this place? He had heard of so many things about Helovia— most good, which was why he had travelled so very far to reach this mythical place. But…

But now a King, with a lonely heart and unsettled soul, he was unsure if the die cast by the Helovian fates was where he wished to leave his life. Brows knitting, he shook his head as he abruptly halted, hooves biting into the dry grasses and cold soil. The lion, still as restless as his mind, continued to move, circling around the giant.

Thick, silvered buckskin hide rippled in the chill that was falling with the setting sun. The day had been cool, but the night would be cold. Eyes cast upwards, finding the dusk in the west and the already risen moon in the eastern sky. The patron of the Edge was eager to be seen these days, even in her half-full glory. He eyed her celestial body, mind reliving her presence at the meeting. He had seen her ruthlessness, brought about by disrespect of Torliek. He had seen her warmth with how she had treated Erthe. And he had seen her skepticism, with how she had looked at himself. Could he fault her? Not really. Was he not walking because of self-doubt? Vaguely, he wondered if those of religious alignment suffered from such doubts… How was his Seer, Alune, anyhow?

The lion suddenly halted staring with an unearthly, predatory gaze into the shadows at the edges of the meadow. Heavy skull swivelling, he turned to look, “Show yourself.” The Elephant’s command boomed in the swelling night.

A: 0/3
WC: 390
Notes: @Alune you may have first attack if you'd like! Sorry this took longer than I thought to get up!
Summary: There a mist-lion behind him, it's early evening with a half-full moon already risen, and it's set in the Thistle Meadow.
TEMBOVU
Beware the weight of a vengeful soul.
image | table

Please tag Tembovu.

Alune Posts: 65
World's Edge Seer atk: 5 | def: 8.5 | dam: 6
Stallion :: Unicorn :: 17.3 :: 6 HP: 64 | Buff: NOVICE
Nova
#2
Alune the Seer

Moonlight drowns out all but the brightest stars


Alune often visited the purple hued ocean that linked all the herdlands save for the arid desert island that lay to the south, wandered through the thistle laced patches and grazed upon the lush grass nestled between. Here thoughts could collect freely, and the Seer could pick through them at his leisure without the stresses and strains of others upon his velvet hide. Lately, his thoughts had travelled the road between his homeland and his new life in Helovia.

Helovia was untapped, unlike the Isle. It had no great crystal infused forests nor any towers that arched towards the sky to challenge the mountains lofty crown. So unlike his home, sometimes it was refreshing and sometimes it brought a deep sense of unease.

He had wandered close to the tree line as the day began to set, bowing as the Moon began her ascent to rule her night realm. It cloaked her Seer with her darkness, draped his velvet hide with her tones of deep twilight. The last lines of his large form were lost as the shadow finally dropped like a thick curtain upon the cluster he had sought sanctuary in.

Suddenly, the Lunar Sentinel did not appear as the jovial, free-spirited and chivalrous pillar he was by day. He stood like a predator that lurked in the deep mists, watching and waiting. The teeth which grinned in the shadows, the claws that crept out of the deep earth towards the unassuming prey.

Hidden silvers turned their gaze to the figure that approached, ears flicked briefly with his silent question until the unmistakable hide of his King became visible. Tembovu. What was he doing so far from his throne? Wearing his crown like a deadman's weight. He has read of Great Kings felled by steel and arrow, they thrashed upon the battlefield or their bed chambers as their life pooled beneath their feet. He momentarily wonders, is Tembovu's folly not going to be the sword of the enemy or the silent hand of a hired assassin — but his own heart piercing itself against emotional spears? Would he thrash upon the battlefield of his inner turmoil?

It seemed his mist creature was more alert that he, since it sensed him first and in kind his own mist creatures, in the shape of elegant stags let out silent snorts of protest and one by one they left the shadowed sanctuary and into the twilight meadow. Their great antlers lowered in a defensive display to the mighty king of the cats that gazed their way.

"You look weary, my King." He called from his shadowed perch, the faint sound of his tail echoed across the thistles as it slithered over the grass. Silence followed his blunt statement for a few drawn moments until it was shattered, heavy thuds signaled his emergence from his place between the tree's to stand at his full height in front of the Edge King. He did not stand before Tembovu as the pious pillar his rank dictated, but as something more.

A Paladin.

A champion of the Goddess, unflinching to unsheathe his weapon and rend in her name.

"May I suggest an outlet for whatever ails you?" He did not elaborate further, for his stance and the spears upon his brow spoke volumes instead. They gleamed a sinister light, the way Orithia had imagined he could wield them should he change his light-hearted and gentle heart. A subtle warning for the oncoming upheaval. They would move mountains and shatter the plates beneath their thunderous hooves, their bodies would level tree's and upturn their roots from their slumber.

Titan against Titan. A magnificent battle of might and power.


His tail swayed once.

Twice.


The third time it swept across the grass, he lunged, powerful limbs outstretched as his body threw itself into a charge. Lapis hooves trampled everything in his way as he approached, grass uprooted and tossed to the side as the thistle became flat and lifeless under the swirling maelstrom that was gathering above them.

"Steel yourself, my king." He hollered, the only warning the Elephantine King would get from his Seer. The tone cunning and deadly as he surged, he would not give the other stallion the pleasure of an easy fight. Alune's head lowered to brandish his quad horned skull, the two largest spires ready to connect with Tembovu's meaty hide. He approached, not once did he slow until he was upon Tembovu like a wave aiming to sunder the cliff face. Alune aimed for the plain stallion's left side, right shoulder dropping to try slam against it to try and throw him of his balance, and bring his horns down in an attempt to slash his crowns across Tembovu's neck.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A: 1/3
Wordcount: 788
Summary: Alune charges Tembovu, aiming for his left side and he drops his shoulder. He hopes to slam it into Temb's right to throw him off balance while he brings his horns to slash across Tembovu's neck.
Notes: Sorry it got so super wordy ;_;

"talk talk talk"

Image Credit
[Image: QsJIY4g.png]
"I have seen the movement of the sinews of the sky,
 And the blood coursing in the veins of the moon."

force & violence permitted on Alune at all times
with the exception of maiming and death


Tembovu the Elephant Posts: 805
World's Edge Captain atk: 7 | def: 9.0 | dam: 7.5
Stallion :: Unicorn :: 18hh :: 10 HP: 77 | Buff: SWIFT
Mbwene :: African Elephant :: Ashen smitty
#3
The lion’s jowls parted in a silent growl as the stags appeared, lowered racks glowing in the half-moon’s pearly light. And then the maned cat crouched, tongue of fog licking its upper lip once, before ephemeral teeth bared in an angry, hungry snarl. It was starving for this.

The King’s head snapped to watched the appearance of stags, an impressively ominous display of the moon’s mists. Cobalt eyes, growing darker with the rise of night, reflected the milky bodies. A part of his soul shifted, unknowingly intertwined with the beast of his past, as it had grown together in the spar with Orithia while he had fought for life-giving oxygen.

And so, this demonic shadow, which had wizened both from Tembovu’s constant battle to silence it and this new connection, slowly spread its shadowy fingers throughout the Elephant’s mind. It silently hissed a triumph as the cold, hard eyes of the King riveted to stare at the glinting, pupil-less pits swathed in gloom.

This was no noble lead of the Edge. This was the destroyer of Dorobo, the vanguard of vengeance. The lion’s jaws parted, soundless roar shaking the magnificently misty mane.

The plains-marked stallion gave no indication that he had heard the greeting of his Seer, aside from watching the him emerge from his obscurity. At the titan’s appearance, the King rose to his full height, muscles darkly etching rigid shadows in the white light. Alune was his jovial Seer no more— in his place stood an ominous warrior of night, told by his darkly gleaming blades. Had he not spoken of life’s balance and of the Lady’s deadly power when they first met? The King should learn to pay better attention.

Hard and cold, his deep voice barks a reply to the subtly dangerous question, “Please do, my Seer.” The midnight man complied, lunging towards him with unhindered power. The earth shook beneath his charge. At his shouted warning, the crouching lion sprung, spectral claws outstretched to slash throats before disintegrating into millions of furiously glittering droplets and scattering to the night.

The Elephant watched, unflinching for long moments, the threatening promise that bore down upon him. Subtle changes overtook him. His shoulders squared, his massive horn lowered, his black-slashed sides moved in deeper breaths. Unseen, his great heart pumped harder, supplying his vast muscles with red-cell enriched blood. And his eyes— they grew black, losing their light blue flecks as a beast shivered in victory. No matter the outcome of the spar, it had won a great battle tonight; one the Elephant hadn’t yet realized he had lost.

As the indigo stallion neared, Tembovu turned on his forehand and his haunches swung to face the priest’s onslaught. But, in the murky light of the half-moon, he had misjudged the placement of his heavy hind end. A pained grunt echoed from his barrel as the longest of Alune’s blades caught the thick hide over his rump. Easily, it sliced trough the taunt skin, leaving a bleeding slash across his right gluteus, before his entire rear rose. In an detonation of massive power, both rear ivory hooves exploded towards the slashing front end of his attacking herdmate. But they were herdmates no longer, in the King’s mind; darkness had fallen and shadows reigned.

A: 1/3
WC: 551
Setting: Early evening with a half-full moon in the Thistle Meadow.
Damage Tracker: bleeding skin wound on right rump;
Summary: He swings around to double-barrel Alune in the face/front-end. Before he can kick, Alune's horn cuts the top of his right haunch. @Alune
TEMBOVU
Beware the weight of a vengeful soul.
image | table

Please tag Tembovu.

Alune Posts: 65
World's Edge Seer atk: 5 | def: 8.5 | dam: 6
Stallion :: Unicorn :: 17.3 :: 6 HP: 64 | Buff: NOVICE
Nova
#4
Glimmer in the moonlight


The stags had let out silent bellows in protest to the sight of the hungry plains king, that crouched near the other impressive titan upon the evening battleground. Their impressive racks shook in a threatening display to gore the mist predator where he stood upon their sharp tines, while hooves stamped against the darkening grass.

When the giants clashed, the earth seemed to roll beneath their titanic bodies, similarly to the lion the row of stags had charged to meet the beast at the crossroad. Their magnificent horns barely touching the predator before they too, had burst into mist that twisted like smoke. Off to join the lion in an eternal struggle of power and might.

There was a sickening sense of satisfaction which washed over the Seer, as his hooves had dug firmly into the ground to drive his crown into the King, as the unmistakable sound of sinew being sliced reached his ears. Tembovu had tried, and failed, to avoid his wrath. His heart raced and the adrenaline was set free like a coiled spring, a viper waiting for the opportune moment to strike, free to trap and ensnare his mammoth body in its venomous rush.

Nor can his nostrils shake the tang of blood that coats the very tips of his blades, it's satisfying and ruinous upon all sense of reason that the lunar sentinel might have still desperately tried to cling to, in order to refrain himself from wanting to inflict serious damage upon, the noble made laid low in front of him. The inner beast struggled in protest against these bonds and snarled, thrashing its crowned head impatiently as one by one, the chains snapped and gave way. The stag is the beast that tasted the blood of the hunt, and is found wanting. He readied himself to cross slash once more down the great brute's sides. It the thrill of first blood and the rush to see his second move victorious, which leaves him ultimately exposed until the great ivory shields are thrust towards him.

Alune barely has time to dig his hooves into the ruined dirt and grass beneath his hooves to throw himself away in a thunderous stride, he swung his mighty head away and let his right shoulder and barrel take the forefront of the damage lest he lose his head and magnificent scythes. Muscles scream angrily at the lunar beast, their tissue welts and bruises beneath such force while blood pools from the lacerations that erupted upon his midnight hide. His breath is punched right out of him, lungs desperately pooling back precious oxygen as he hurled away at a canter, strides uneven and staggered as he gathered himself once more — swinging to his right and away to circle Tembovu instead. The impact feels like his bones are shattered, turned to dust by the ivory plates while his ribs fracture like pressure points on an impending earthquake, the foul tempest that rippled and roared is not helped by the warmth that leaked outside his hide in the form of tear shaped blood drops. He's forced to take a grunted breath, exhale the tension and pain into electric air, displeased with himself that he's giving Tembovu the pleasure of hearing him sunder.

Lapis hooves dig ruthlessly into the soil as daylight casts its final rays displayed their banners of twilight, an angry bellow thrust into the early evening air at the audacity the stud in front of him had to try and decrown him, thrust his back end at him like that. Alune bellowed, to let Tembovu know that he was an earthquake, the angry reclaiming tide that would ruin the proud mountain before him, see him crumble and fall into the abyssal trench beneath tumultuous waves.

The gauntlet had been thrown and finally the last chain snapped within the great moon behemoth, the ground wails a weak protest as he scars it once more with his stride as it becomes heavy and deliberate, side burning and protesting beneath marked skin, their pleading for gentler strides ignored in preference for the sweet serenity and drive lady adrenaline gave. Thick nostrils snorted their ire into the early evening air, visible in the temperature change that had befallen the Edge with the turning of the seasons.

He focused once more swinging in from Tembovu's right as he rounded upon it with a surge of speed, he was upon the plains marked brute like the high tide. He reared onto his hinds and struck out towards the stallion’s head with plate-sized shields, if he succeeded then his body was already tilted to try and drag the weapons down the stud's neck to further elicit pain and suffering as his colossal mass was pulled back down by gravity.

_______________________________________________________________________________

A: 2/3
Wordcount: 794
Summary: Swings his head out of the way to let his right shoulder/barrel take the hit from Tembovu's hooves. Causes extensive bruising and hoof shaped cuts that leak blood, also left him grunting breathlessly and staggering as he moves away to circle Tembovu and pick himself up again. Circles Tembovu until he's at Tembovu's right, using a small burst of speed, he closes the distance and rears up and aims to strike Tembovu in the head with his hooves. He's also ready to use the momentum if it strikes to drag his hooves down his neck.
Notes: Have moar words.



Only shadows go where we are
[Image: QsJIY4g.png]
"I have seen the movement of the sinews of the sky,
 And the blood coursing in the veins of the moon."

force & violence permitted on Alune at all times
with the exception of maiming and death


Tembovu the Elephant Posts: 805
World's Edge Captain atk: 7 | def: 9.0 | dam: 7.5
Stallion :: Unicorn :: 18hh :: 10 HP: 77 | Buff: SWIFT
Mbwene :: African Elephant :: Ashen smitty
#5
The shock of impact jolted through his thick hind legs, their great power unleashed as he felt living skin and flesh bend and buckle beneath his unforgiving, ivory hooves. Triumph flared darkly within him— but this was not enough for the night’s shadowed King. Ears swiveled, catching the roaring and labored breaths of the Moon’s knight as he labored to regain his breath; the pound of cantering hoofbeats broadcasted his location in the murky, newly fallen night.

A bellow, telling of the anger of a priest, rent the uneasy evening air. A snort and an amused flash of blackened eyes were all the answers the dark King gave. Bring me your earthquake, his coldly burning gaze roared, for I am the fire beneath your earth, and I will show the meaning of quake.

A shiver of power, controlled and hot, raced up his spine and settled in his deep chest. This was the heat of rage controlled by the shadows of a demon’s past life, a life lived in free reign within the Elephant. The darkness shaped the power, molding it into a weapon, rather than an unwieldy emotion.

He began to move, taking a half-step forward to face the unholy priest, to unleash this destructive force newly controlled within him. But the bellow had distracted him, leaving a moment of opportunity, a half-breath of weakness, in the King. And seize it, Alune did— rounding and striking at his right side, lapis hooves finding solid neck and ungiving shoulder after the buckskin’s movement.

The sickening thud of hoof and flesh hit the night as dual tracks of open flesh became exposed to the stinging air. Pain exploded beneath his cultivated fires, illuminating and destroying the shadows that kept it so firmly in check. Gone was the control, as loose and free as the the two ribbons of hide hanging from his neck and shoulder.

A sound, part trumpet and part roar, shredded shadows and laid waste to moonlit skies. His chest was warm— no, burning— with the tongues of a thousand red flames. They expanded and formed, he could feel their eager screams to be released.

And so, shoulder stiff and neck unmoving, he lunged backwards, ignoring the twinge from the scrape on his haunches. As he moved, left forelimb pushing while his right remained mostly motionless and drug a line through the dark earth, his chest flared once: a warning.

And then, with the heat of molten rock and melted earth, a beast of magma bursted from his chest. But this time, unlike the indecisive wavering on the Flats, the flaming elephant had direction. It knew its victim (he knew his victim) and it charged, flaming ears flagged and tusks sizzling through the air.

Black eyes watched, reflecting the orange glow of his beast. Had he moved far enough away from Alune? Would the explosion cover them both in searing lava? In the gloom, he did not know. All he knew was that he had wielded his power and, as the blood dripped down hanging flesh, that was his darkest victory.

A: 2/3
WC: 514
Damage Tracker: bleeding skin wound on right rump; 2 deep flesh wounds on right neck/shoulder
Summary: @Alune 's attack rips 2 deep wounds on neck/shoulder. He lunges backwards and uses his magic*

*:: [ Magic: EarthxFire | Can summon a mini-magma-elephant that charges opponent/nearest other and explodes on impact ]
:: [ Restrictions | Lasts for 20 seconds in battle and requires considerable effort and concentration ]
TEMBOVU
Beware the weight of a vengeful soul.
image | table

Please tag Tembovu.

Blu the Bootyful Posts: 443
Administrator atk: 99 | def: 99 | dam: 99
Mare :: Other :: 5'7" :: 25 HP: 99999 | Buff: TWERK
Blu
#6
Alune defaults to Tembovu. Tembovu earns 0.5 VP.
 HP: 1100

Helovia Hard Mode


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