"Without sacrifice," it said, "you'll have nothing..."

VALKYRIE She stood in the storm From Solanis, as the weeks passed and the curse weighed down her motivation less and less, Valkyrie, who was yet to realise the error in her ways, endeavoured north beneath energising, reforming resolve. A new plan had risen to fuse the bipartition of her erratic, black and white thoughts - even if only for the present moment (which was all she cared to consider anyway). Time spent wallowing in the sticky mud of self-absorption, melancholy complimented perfectly by the spew of freezing rain, had all stirred up a slew of buried memory, convenient concepts, ideas inspired by others she’d met so far, along this infuriating journey. She needed more power, aside from the brawn which had consumed her quaint femininity, a slave, be it beast (like Kiada’s) or a stupid fool like that boy Vynter. She needed alliances, a failsafe network of admirers (preferably), who she could call upon and sway the opinion of. Still, the biggest priority now, was magic. Valkyrie craved it with perhaps an unhealthy element of desperation. The shadowy shackles which bound and stunted her stride were not the only challenge that had befallen her since Hope (the name still struck a sour chord in her heart). Her sense of taste had been altered in exchange for telekinesis, that which had been ripped from her on entry into this world, and her longing for its return - just beyond the horizon - fed her forward, stubbornly, defiantly. Screechers… The young Shieldmaiden had witnessed their plague-like proportion previously when she’d travelled from Halyven (curse that place), so for the most part she knew what to look for. The horribly cold voice which had answered her prayer required her flesh for their bounty - an offering of sorts, a sacrifice she fancied to believe - though intended not to die. The spear of her kin was clenched between fastened teeth and her hot breath panted around it, rising in misty plumes above the strive of her frame. How tedious it was, lugging such an absurd amount of weight… It was as though the burden of Hope’s curse had manifested into the irritating, tangible presence about her legs. Nevertheless, she progressed determinedly, until at last the summit where she’d met K’yarie for the first time, loomed before her. The pinnacle was nestled in a deep sea of cloud, and Valkyrie wondered coldly if perhaps the lake at the centre of its crater had risen to the brim. Of course, it didn’t matter, nothing else did, and the cold-hearted creature turned to scout the vicinity for her prey. and when the wind did not blow her way, she adjusted her sails.

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Note: For clarity, Valkyrie is currently cursed - physically she appears as a stallion, cannot remember why she hates men, and views others as the opposite gender. Also, she is now flaunting Vambraces that erase her hoofprints.

Trial: Valkyrie must allow a Screecher to feed from her.
@Roscorro and/or any others :)