the Rift


Lessons [God of the Moon]

Rishima Posts: 137
World's Edge Moon Advocate
Mare :: Equine :: 16.2 :: 15 Buff: NOVICE
Kali :: Common Griffin :: Draining Clutch Charks
#1
Two days after my fateful meeting, I climbed the mountain to the heavens, in hopes that they would open up and reveal to me their secrets.

The trek began at twilight, a slow meandering venture up the side of the mountain, past hazy clouds and dried thistle, over rock and around boulder. The excitement that encompassed my entire being was electric, nearly overwhelming, and so I forced myself to move slowly and maintain my calm, filling my thoughts with memories of the past rather than anticipation of my future. I thought back to my birth, those dim recollections of the dam I never knew whispering my name before rising back into the heavens, her pale form becoming one with the silver moon. The love I felt for the dam I did know, for my parents who may not have birthed me, but loved me as their own. Growing up alongside my brothers; the birth of my sister; and ever, the call of the Moon. I smiled nostalgically. I would be learning from her soon, the Moon, my Lady and mother. A deep shudder of eager longing.

Focus, Rishima.

The cusp of the field was reached, and I stepped over it gracefully, careful not to trip in the dark veil of night. Above me, the moon rose, radiant and full, larger and closer than I had ever seen it. Her light washed across the meadow, bouncing off gently flowing brook and lighting upon now-closed flowers, reflecting in my onyx eyes and playing with my pale hair. I ventured further across the butte, gaze downcast and heart thundering. Finally, in too much time and none at all, I found my way to the spring that bubbled in the land's center. It was time.

"Milady, I have come, as you instructed." Voice rang out confidently in the silence, dark and rich as my own moon-slashed hide. Tiara turned upward, peering longingly towards my new mentor, willing her to appear once more.

God of the Moon Posts: 236
Helovian Ancient
Mare :: Hybrid :: 15.2hh :: Ageless
Admin
#2

God of the Moon
Cloaked in darkness and wind.




A glint of purple surrounds Rishima in the night. A silver glow bounces from the strange looking mist, until the substances begins to swirl. From the pools of lavender and silver forms the body of the Goddess, who greets her pupil with little more than a firm nod of recognition. "Well met, Rishima," she says, her voice having a strange echo to it as her form begins to multiply. Several figures of the lady now gleam in the night by the light of the moon above.

"The first thing you should know about dark magic is that most of it is nothing more than an illusion," one of the figures says. "Darkness shades the senses of the viewer, contorting their perception into what you desire." Suddenly, the figures disappear, leaving one extremely large vision of the Moon God growing before her pupil.

"Most who hold dark magic do not understand how it works - just that it does. To be a true artist of the shadow, you must know how to manipulate it." The giantess moves forward, her long purple legs hardly making noise in the grass below. At the last moment, the God jumps over the head of Rishima, shrinking back to her normal size. "It is not simply deception of the eyes, Rishima, but anything you want."





Rishima Posts: 137
World's Edge Moon Advocate
Mare :: Equine :: 16.2 :: 15 Buff: NOVICE
Kali :: Common Griffin :: Draining Clutch Charks
#3
The darkness suddenly materialized into a thin mist the color of iris, beams of silver moonlight dancing within it and nearly capturing me in the mesmerizing gleam. The chill of the mist kissed my hide like so many needles, too gentle to sting but clearly there. Hair rose upon my spine, an electric current running through my body, but I forced myself to remain still, despite the anticipation that tore through my soul like a great bolt of lightning. All of my searching, my endless pursuit of knowledge, seemed to be coming to a head. Tonight I would begin my journey down the road of darkness, and I would be led by a beautiful, silver light.

The mist swirled before me, growing almost physical, and she appeared, my Lady. She nodded, and greeted me, but before my mind could form a response, something became visible at the corner of my eye. I swung my head around, midnight gaze growing wide at the site of my Lady, again, and again. She had multiplied, yet all were identical, and I took it all in with fascinated curiosity, breath catching in my throat. Words pierced my right ear, and I swung my head around to focus on the Lady who now spoke. Keen ears absorbed her words, mind processing them, eyes focused. This time, when she vanished, I was far better prepared. As the Moon grew, I watched in awe at the way she could completely change her form. Based on her words, I knew that what I was seeing was illusion; yet I could not but wonder if she had in fact changed her physical structure, becoming something she was not, so great was the lie that darkness painted.

She strode forward, pulling me out of my trance. Despite her size, her voice was soft as the whisper of the wind. As she strode forward, giant hooves threatening to crush me, I stood my ground. Do not mistake me - the desire to flee was present within my mind, but it was easily overwhelmed by my trust in the goddess. Still, as she landed behind me, I could feel the tension dropping out of my shoulders, loosening my muscles.

I turned to face her, now back to a natural size. A million questions burned within my chest - how much of what I had seen was real? What happened to the physical body, during the illusion? If I touched her, would she be naught but mist? How could I learn? - but I bit them back, waiting for her to finish speaking. At last, I could hold my curiosity in no longer; I tilted my head, bright wonder in my eyes. "How does one fool the senses, lady? Sight is unreliable, but what of smell, of hearing? What of touch?"

"Milady, I have come, as you instructed."

God of the Moon Posts: 236
Helovian Ancient
Mare :: Hybrid :: 15.2hh :: Ageless
Admin
#4

God of the Moon
Cloaked in darkness and wind.




"A fair question," the lady of the Moon says, even as she walks forward toward the end of the field. Her silver eyes look up toward the moon, whose gleaming light is dimmed by a passing cloud. She smiles at the opportunity to connect the natural world to the world of light and dark. "The senses are all connected to your mind, Rishima. It is how we interact with our surroundings. Dark magic is like this cloud - it blankets our mind and distorts our perceptions."

"With the simple art of surrounding your foe with darkness, you can blind them in many ways." The Moon Goddess smiled coldly, even leaning slightly toward a malicious smirk. "This magic is only enhanced by the uneasiness that dulled senses can give them. Fear is a powerful ally to the dark; it is why you must never fear your own creations." Irrational thought, brought on by fear, was a true problem for those playing with dark magic. If they lost control, so could their tweaks with reality.

"A clear mind of the weilder is essential."





Rishima Posts: 137
World's Edge Moon Advocate
Mare :: Equine :: 16.2 :: 15 Buff: NOVICE
Kali :: Common Griffin :: Draining Clutch Charks
#5
She floated gracefully back to Earth, and I spun to follow her movements, flutes straining to take in every word she said, mind analyzing and storing and learning. Dark figure spins as she walks away, pursuing, reaching, halting beside her own violet shape. I followed her gaze up to the sky, pupils expanding as the light flooding through the field dimmed. She spoke of the senses, answering my questions, explaining dark magic with cold civility.

I turn my gaze away from her, pondering her words of fear and power. "I do not fear the darkness." It was neither boast nor challenge, simply a statement of purpose, a remark of something true. Born under the moon, I did not see the sun for nearly two years of my life. Darkness, in all its forms, was as familiar to me as one of my siblings. Moonbeams thrive in the dark of night, and I was nothing if not a flicker of moonlight against the backdrop of a cold earth. Tail slices the stagnant air, dark eyes drift back into range of her face, her wings, her horn. There is one question left in my mind, perhaps the most important.

"How do I learn?"

God of the Moon Posts: 236
Helovian Ancient
Mare :: Hybrid :: 15.2hh :: Ageless
Admin
#6

God of the Moon
Cloaked in darkness and wind.




A slim smile haunts the feminine features of the Moon Goddess, adding to her mysterious face a hint of tangible character. The eyes which never seemed still enough to judge even took a warm glow to them. Rishima was a good choice for her first pupil, the Goddess decided then. The thoughts of the dark mare were calm and focused, and there was no hesitation either in her face nor her mind as she absorbed the words the lavender lady spoke. "Good."

The Moon Goddess knew not of a land of eternal darkness, only the balanced world she lived in now. However, this history allowed for Rishima to better capture the words she spoke of her favored element, and for that, the Goddess was quite grateful. Those inept to the true nature of darkness might have a hard time believing it held no malice on its own. Teaching the art was no small feat, but having an apt pupil aided its process immensely.

"You must learn how to coax the darkness," her voice whispers into the air. "Bend it to your will. You have to learn to manipulate it into what you desire." She takes a pause then, and adds one little statement with a smirk. "But first you must find it."





Rishima Posts: 137
World's Edge Moon Advocate
Mare :: Equine :: 16.2 :: 15 Buff: NOVICE
Kali :: Common Griffin :: Draining Clutch Charks
#7
"Find it?" I will confess to confusion. Mind mulls over her words, pondering their meaning. Find the darkness? Darkness is everywhere, yet nowhere. Darkness exists outside of light... did I need to find where there was no light? No. I needed to find some place where light could not be brought, where darkness could not be eradicated.

"I will find it. What must I do?"


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