the Rift


Heading for Heartache [Ophelia]

Mesec the Nightwind Posts: 476
World's Edge Glazier atk: 5.5 | def: 9 | dam: 5
Stallion :: Tribrid :: 16.3hh :: 7 years old HP: 76 | Buff: NOVICE
Lucius :: Royal Zephyr :: Roc & Lyra :: Common Kitsune :: Dreams Sarah
#1


CHILD OF THE NIGHT</style>
Blessed with wind and darkness</style>


Lonely.

That's what the colt was as he stood in the depths of the Frostbreath Steppe, so many miles away from the home he'd finally departed from. Emotions were running rampant inside his head, wondering if, really, this was what it had come down to. Had he made the right choice to leave? What would come of him if he's chosen to reside behind Basin walls for the next several years? At such a young age, Mesec had already been exposed to so much hatred. He was not wanted at home, or what used to be, simply because he was different.

It seemed a petty reasoning, perhaps this was just a phase that everyone went through; honestly, Mesec didn't know, but he couldn't take anymore of it either way. Standing nestled against a twisting rock formation to keep the brunt of the wind off of him, the colt kept his head low, his silver eyes burning as the threat of tears became stronger and stronger. Although his words had grown bolder over the past season, he had to wonder if he was right in saying them. Aviya had certainly lost any shred of love she felt for him just hours ago, and what of the others? Mesec had always held a deep respect for his father, but what would the Time Mender think of his mutated son now? There was family that Mesec had never even met yet... Perhaps it was a good thing.

A gust of wind buffeted against and through his left wing, then, pulling the colt from the clutches of his thoughts. Instead, it brought his attention upon the feathery appendage, to which he simply stared at for a long moment. If only he could make them fall off, like Aviya had wished so many times, then he could return home. They were the reason for his agony, they were the reason for his self-banishment. In a flash of rage, Mesec bent his neck and grabbed a few feathers between his teeth, giving them a harsh yank to pull them from the skin. It was a painful action, but one that could not match the emotional battle waging inside of him.

Parting his teeth, Mesec allowed the feathers to go free,and watched as they were carried away by the wind, twisting and turning in a crazed dance before hitting the snowy floor, only skittering further and further away with each new gust. Mesec gave a harsh snort before pulling his silver gaze away, simply looking out across the expanse of the Steppe. Where would he go now? He had no friends outside of the Basin, for he'd hardly made the attempt, and no family to guide him in his time of heartache. He knew nothing of the other herdlands, disgust of the World's Edge aside. Perhaps it would be best for him to disappear forever in the frozen tundra, to remain as nothing but a sliver of a memory.

Finally, unable to hold them back any longer, hot tears sprang to his eyes and his shoulders trembled, a childish cry leaving his throat as he began to weep.

please tag Mesec in replies
non-life threatening force is allowed at all times
Ascended Helovian

Ophelia the Amaranthine Posts: 701
Outcast atk: 6.5 | def: 10.5 | dam: 7
Mare :: Hybrid :: 16.0 hh :: 6 Years HP: 77 | Buff: BULK
Tinek :: Royal Silver Dragon :: Frost Breath & Shock Breath Tamme
#2



Finally the frantic din of bright sun, depression and too much chatter disappeared into the distance. Her cloven hooves carried her eagerly forward into the quiet, vast Steppe. Woes seemed to fall from her shoulders like shedding skin, and she inhaled a deep breath of crisp air. The noise in her head, the screaming of memories finally faded, only the whisper of the wind through the mountains meeting her tulip shaped ears. Exhaustion settled in, and in the shadow of a charcoal mountain, she let her body tumble to the ground, tired legs folding beneath her tightly. Dual colored eyes closed, white lashes falling to pale cheeks, one of which was still bloody. Peace. Finally, peace.

For a time, she rested until quite sobs met her ears. She furrowed her brows over closed eyes and quietly lifted her head, a frown on her gray lips. Ophelia was not irritated; the voice sounded like that of a child, and she swiftly rose to her hooves, shaking the snow that had made a home on her back. Carefully, she opened her eyes, pleased to find the the sun had gone to sleep behind the horizon and that the moon had risen instead. The shards of the lost stone still sparkled in her mane and tail, and she cautiously approached the origin of the sobbing, neck lower with curiosity.

She followed her ears to the sight of a child, young and all alone. In a way that no other managed to unlock her heart, she felt the gates open for him, and she frowned. In the crook of one wing a few feathers were missing, and the pieces of the puzzle were not easily put together. Why was this shadow child alone? Where did he come from? Why were his wings so damaged? "Why do you cry?" she asked softly, moving as close as he would allow, her dual colored eyes open with concern.

Tinek, suddenly aware of the fact that his bond mate had moved, flew over to join them, landing carefully in the snow and looking up at the new face with a smile on his silver lips. The young dragon with the crimson eyes trotted closer and tried to wrap his body around the black colt's leg affectionately. He could feel the sorrow from his bond mate, and so he sat close, looking up curiously and smelling the salty bitterness of tears on the air.

"And you are all alone in the cold? What is your name?" she asked softly. "My name is Ophelia, but you can call me Phi..." she offered, trying to be open.




CARRY YOUR CROSS
And I'll carry mine. Dig your own hole and you'll be fine.

roni




Undertow has come to take me. Guided by the blazing sun. Look at everything around us. Look at everything we've done.
Please. Anyone. I don't think I can save myself. I'm drowning.


Please tag me in every response!

Mesec the Nightwind Posts: 476
World's Edge Glazier atk: 5.5 | def: 9 | dam: 5
Stallion :: Tribrid :: 16.3hh :: 7 years old HP: 76 | Buff: NOVICE
Lucius :: Royal Zephyr :: Roc & Lyra :: Common Kitsune :: Dreams Sarah
#3


CHILD OF THE NIGHT</style>
Blessed with wind and darkness</style>



At the sound of a voice, Mesec jolted to attention, startled. He had doubted that anyone else would be out here in the tundra wasteland, where it was almost always bitterly cold, and there was a great lack of food. It was Tallsun, after all, so why would one venture all the way out here? Unless they were from the Basin.

At that thought and the sight of a crimson stained horn upon the brow of his guest, Mesec resisted the urge to gasp, but found himself taking a step back instead. Deep within his belly, he felt something twisting, intensifying his already ill feelings. If it were possible, he was certain that he would have gotten sick already.

Finally finding it in himself to look the unicorn over, he took note of the different colors of her eyes, which reminded him instantly of her father. However, instead of lips pursed into a thin line, looking the epitomy of bored or annoyed, the mare looked genuinely concerned for Mesec. It was an expression that was foreign to the young colt, as were her words of kindness. It was a delightful change, but honestly, the demi-god didn't know how to handle such simplistic questions, not in his current state.

"Nobody likes me back home," he answered with a sniff, dropping his silvery gaze back to the snow. Not a second later was he looking down upon the most curious of creatures, though; a dragon, matching the colors of his illuminated sides, wrapping itself around one of his front legs. Unable to help himself, a smile pulled gingerly at the corners of his lips, and dropping his head, he blew a breath of greeting to the young dragon before returning his gaze to the pale unicorn.

She wasn't like those back home, that much he could already tell. She spoke with kindness, real kindness, and her questions were genuine. She claimed herself as Ophelia, or Phi, and he assured to tuck the name away in the depths of his mind. Taking a deep, waivering breath to calm himself, he spoke up again. "M-My name is Mesec," he stammered, "I'm here because I don't want to be in the Basin anymore. Nobody likes me because I'm different."

Where had Ophelia even come from? She was not a familiar face to the colt, so there was hardly any way that she could hail from the Basin. There were more herds scattered throughout Helovia, he knew, but that was the extent of his knowledge. In his short life, he'd done very little traveling outside of his snowy home. Exhaling now, the colt returned his gaze to Ophelia, the brunt of what he was feeling all coming out in the last of his words. "But... I don't know where to go."

please tag Mesec in replies
non-life threatening force is allowed at all times
Ascended Helovian

Ophelia the Amaranthine Posts: 701
Outcast atk: 6.5 | def: 10.5 | dam: 7
Mare :: Hybrid :: 16.0 hh :: 6 Years HP: 77 | Buff: BULK
Tinek :: Royal Silver Dragon :: Frost Breath & Shock Breath Tamme
#4



Ophelia felt her heart ache when the child started, backing away from her with fear in his silver eyes. She did not desire to frighten the boy, so she remained still, where she was. Her cloven hooves sunk into the snow, and her neck hung low on high withers, eyes open and soft. Phi tried to appear as nonthreatening as possible, but with blood from the battle still on her pale hide and her strange eyes, she did not blame the child for being wary. Patiently she waited until he was ready to speak on his own, the only movement on her figure the wind shifting through her mane and tail.

When he did speak, she listened intently and frowned at his words. Nobody liked him? Where was home? Being this far north, she assumed the Basin. Being that it was filled with unicorns and he had beautiful plumed appendages, she could see how he would not fit in, but they were not cruel to the other species, were they? The implications sent her mind on a curious spiral, but she would wait to act until she got more of the story. She smiled as Tinek wrapped around one of his legs and looked up with a happy, toothy grin. He made some noise akin to a grunting, pathetic purr when the colt leaned down to breathe in greeting.

Then, the silver dragon made himself perfectly content laying down and wrapped around one of the colt's legs. "He likes you," she commented with a gentle smile. "His name is Tinek."

The child introduced himself then as Mesec and explained that he left the Basin because he felt ostracized for being different. Ophelia felt a protective ache swell through her chest as well as the desire to march to the Basin and snap at a few individuals, but she did not know how that would effect the Grey. "Well," she murmured. "I like you, Mesec, and you know what? I am different too. My mother was an equine and my father was a unicorn. I am half of both races, and I think that is better." She offered a gentle smile. "Had I only been a unicorn, Tinek and I would have never bonded, and my life would be incomplete."

"Being different is something to be proud of, Mesec. It sets you apart, makes you unique and makes you special." Ophelia then waited as he seemed to inhale before speaking. The child did not know where to go, but the alabaster mare was unsure if the Grey was an appropriate place. Such violence was not suited for children, she believed. Ktulu managed to shelter Hototo, but she was not Mesec's mother. She could not tell him to close his eyes during the scary parts of life.

"Well, Mesec. I come from a land called the Foothills. My sister and I have a band that lives there, and you are more than welcome to join us. My sister is special like us too; we are twins." Ophelia grinned at him and then winked, moving a little closer, hoping that he would not shy away again. She bent her neck down and attempted to affectionately tousle the soft and tender forelock between his ears. "You are young, and the entire world of Helovia is at your hooves. Do you want me to tell you about the other lands too?" She asked, thinking that she had many interesting stories now about Kri in the Throat and Mirage in the Edge.




CARRY YOUR CROSS
And I'll carry mine. Dig your own hole and you'll be fine.

roni




Undertow has come to take me. Guided by the blazing sun. Look at everything around us. Look at everything we've done.
Please. Anyone. I don't think I can save myself. I'm drowning.


Please tag me in every response!

Mesec the Nightwind Posts: 476
World's Edge Glazier atk: 5.5 | def: 9 | dam: 5
Stallion :: Tribrid :: 16.3hh :: 7 years old HP: 76 | Buff: NOVICE
Lucius :: Royal Zephyr :: Roc & Lyra :: Common Kitsune :: Dreams Sarah
#5


CHILD OF THE NIGHT</style>
Blessed with wind and darkness</style>



It wasn't possible for the alabaster mare to look any less threatening. While she did tower over him, at least for now, every inch of her posture suggested that she was not here to cause harm, verbally or physically. Exhaling a breath that he had not been aware of holding, the colt forced himself to shift where he stood, doing his best to relax.

The silvery dragon had made home around his leg, and Mesec could not help but to smile at the creature's display of affection. It was a welcome change to how one often reacted to him, though in a way, he supposed he and Tinek were not so different. "I like him," the colt replied with a gentle smile, lifting his gaze from the stygian and back to Ophelia.

When she began to speak again, Mesec's ears twisted forward with genuine interest, his tears finally beginning to dry and keep at bay. She spoke of her parents, one an equine and one a unicorn, of herself being half of each. Mesec's own mother was much like himself, possessing both wings and a horn, while his father held only the traits of the latter. He loved them both dearly, despite leaving d'Artagnan and the rest, and having spoken with the Goddess only once since she'd left him at the Mender's feet... Maybe Mesec was just too forgiving.

Although he had only met them a few short moments ago, the dark colt could tell that the bond between these two was powerful and everlasting. What would life be for Ophelia, for Tinek, if they had never grown so close together? Much different, he guessed, but that was a topic for another time. Right now, he had to focus on what to do, and what his future might hold for him.

There wasn't a doubt in Mesec's mind that he was special and unique; his mother was the Goddess of the Moon, after all, and there was only one other that he could recall that shared both wings and a horn. He didn't boast his differences, though, for unlike those in the Basin, he was more interested in the simple aspects of an individual, such as their personality. It had never been that easy, though.

Now, she spoke of her homeland, a place called the Foothills. He'd never heard of the land until now, but it had his interest nonetheless. To think that he could finally venture away from this unforgiving land was a godsend, and the colt could barely contain himself from blurting that, yes, he would love to go. Could Ophelia promise that he would not feel the same kind of heartache that he had in the Basin? That he would not be ostracized and stared at for his appearance?

Breathing a sigh, Mesec lifted his head up, taking on the stance of not a pathetic, whimpering boy, but a colt who was ready to move on in life and put everything behind him. "I would like to join you in the Foothills, Ophelia," the said at last, "Maybe you could tell me of the other lands on our way?"

please tag Mesec in replies
non-life threatening force is allowed at all times
Ascended Helovian

Ophelia the Amaranthine Posts: 701
Outcast atk: 6.5 | def: 10.5 | dam: 7
Mare :: Hybrid :: 16.0 hh :: 6 Years HP: 77 | Buff: BULK
Tinek :: Royal Silver Dragon :: Frost Breath & Shock Breath Tamme
#6



Ophelia smiled when the child accepted her invitation to the herd, though she doubted the environment was fitting to nurture all of the necessary and good qualities of life. Hototo seemed to be managing fine, but he had always been different, at peace in his heart. For one like Mesec who had struggled with bullying, would he take to the violence too much? Would he find his strength to turn vengeful? Still, at least the Foothills was safe, and he would not be persecuted for his differences.

"Certainly," she said, starting to move south, cloven hooves crunching lightly in the pale snow. Her crimson and alabaster tail swayed in her wake with the rhythm of her graceful steps. "To the south is the land I chose to live in when I was young. We call it the Dragon's Throat because it is hot and little blocks the sun. A large oasis sits in the center of sand with grass and lovely trees. A pegasus named Kri rules there with fairness, security and structure. I admire her very much."

Ophelia visualized her own home. Able to recall every knot in the tree bark and every boulder to the holes where small creatures would hide during the day. "To the west, as you travel along the beaches of the Endless Blue is the World's Edge. The inhabitants are hidden among trees and mists provided by the Goddess of the Moon. Mirage rules her band, the Qian, from within their borders; she is just and fair, but less battle hardened than Kri, in my opinion at least. Both lands are peaceful and welcoming."

"The Foothills is ruled by myself and my sister. My sister leads a band of warriors and mercenaries, and I lead spies and healers. Our job is to gather as much information as possible and when others need aide, our services can be purchased. We protect the balance between the light and the dark, resting in the center of the metaphorical scale. We call ourselves the Grey." Ophelia did not speak down to him like a child, but rather encouraged him to listen as an adult. He was a strong soul, and the world would demand that he age much faster than his body would allow. She had experienced much the same thing.

"You are allowed every freedom of opinion, Mesec. Should you, one day, desire a life different than the one I have provided, then you will go along your own path. The future can never be known, despite our best attempts to control it, bend it to our will." She smiled kindly. "But for now, rest, meet the herd, and enjoy the grasses. Enjoy life as no one else but yourself."


[OOC: just wrapping up! :D We can say they arrived at the Foothills already]






CARRY YOUR CROSS
And I'll carry mine. Dig your own hole and you'll be fine.

roni




Undertow has come to take me. Guided by the blazing sun. Look at everything around us. Look at everything we've done.
Please. Anyone. I don't think I can save myself. I'm drowning.


Please tag me in every response!


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