The Portal
07-26-2017, 09:45 AM
even after the darkest of nights, dawn comes again
It all happened so fast.
When her senses had returned to as close to 'normal' as before the Moon Goddess' words had rung out across the Edge's misty woods, the dragonmare realised with startling clarity just how much the world had declined into chaos around them. While her depression, her shock had blinded her, numbed her to the goings-on, she hadn't realised fully the extent to which this Kaos' reached extended, the effect it had on the lands she knew.
Every one of them had known her hooves upon their surface at one time or another, she thought, anyway. As the end neared, she could not help but reflect on all that she knew, and the vast greater that she wished she knew.
We are going to die, Dramyrth.
I think not, was his response, cool and confident, sure and allowing no room for his bondmate to deny him this belief.
How do you know?
We have too much to live for.
The dragonmare sighed, not sure what it was she was feeling at this moment, as her wings stretched out and cupped the winds that held her aloft over the ruined lands of Helovia. She was not immune to the push, the urgings to travel south, to the Marshes, the very lands that consumed her mother all those years ago. She couldn't deny that she was afraid, and once she identified that, she clung to the feeling, for at least it was something she could feel, something she could identify, though she was careful not to let it envelop here completely.
Dramyrth helped, as he always did. He buffeted her fear with courage, his sure heart carrying them through this time, reminding her of all it was they had to live for. Each other, naturally, and that would have been enough on its own, but he flashed images, memories tainted with powerful emotions through her mind's eye, of her newborn nieces, of hercousin-sister, of those she held great affection for, of those she loved and cherished and wanted to see live on even if Helovia fell.
They arrived at the Marshes alongside everyone else. They watched the battle unfurl - though it was hardly a battle, more like a massacre, a suicide mission to any who stood against the being Kaos.
That old numbness entered her again as she watched familiar faces go into the fight, as she swallowed the tears, the cries, the anguish of wanting to intervene, to save and rescue and protect and preserve - but it was impossible, as she stood by her family, her familiars, her bondmate and cousin and Mesec and their daughters. She stood amongst them, and then moved forward with them as the portal opened, as its yawning, gaping mouth ushered them onwards.
Dramyrth… was the last thought that went through her head while she still stood upon Helovian soil.
Everything went black - or, well, everything seemed to cease, and black was the only word suitable to describe the sensation. Even the bond went silent, and the dragonmare knew that she existed only by the fact that her consciousness still clung to something telling her she was alive, that she was still Amaris even if she felt nothing else but this strange feeling of bland consciousness.
Then her hooves were upon soil again, and her weight settled upon them, her legs snapping into place, Dramyrth's claws once again pinched her back, his mind still present (but distant, like before, when she had left Helovia and he had grown sick, but he was alive still, not unwell, just.. distant).
And then her eyes were open again, though she didn't remember closing them, she didn't remember telling them to close, or even to open once more.
The world was different.
She was alone, except for Dramyrth.
Her lungs tried the air, taking deep gulps of it - she had not realised that she had been holding it.
With her stance wide and her wings spread, she stood, gasping, calculating, trying to stop the storm of emotions from hitting her and wiping her out.
They were alive.
Alive.
She couldn't hear Dramyrth's reply if he gave one, couldn't feel his sure, steady emotional core, but she could physically feel him, his talons upon her back, his weight upon her withers. He purred deeply, hoping to soothe her, and it worked, to an extent.
Where are we? she couldn't help but ask, reach out for him, the habit too well formed in her to cease so soon.
"Tandavi…?" she asked out loud this time, testing her voice, hearing it whisper between the trees as it left her lips. Amaris breathed again, steadying herself, though still barely grasping onto this new reality, this new world which would never see the faces of those who had sacrificed themselves for her and whoever else wandered to the realm to survive, to live.
Someday, she would make the conscious decision to honour their sacrifice, to live. But today, she hurt too much. Today, the wounds were still too raw, too fresh.
She was caught between her emotions, too numb to move, too shocked to scream, too scared to do anything but stand there, and wait for whatever was to come to come.
When her senses had returned to as close to 'normal' as before the Moon Goddess' words had rung out across the Edge's misty woods, the dragonmare realised with startling clarity just how much the world had declined into chaos around them. While her depression, her shock had blinded her, numbed her to the goings-on, she hadn't realised fully the extent to which this Kaos' reached extended, the effect it had on the lands she knew.
Every one of them had known her hooves upon their surface at one time or another, she thought, anyway. As the end neared, she could not help but reflect on all that she knew, and the vast greater that she wished she knew.
We are going to die, Dramyrth.
I think not, was his response, cool and confident, sure and allowing no room for his bondmate to deny him this belief.
How do you know?
We have too much to live for.
The dragonmare sighed, not sure what it was she was feeling at this moment, as her wings stretched out and cupped the winds that held her aloft over the ruined lands of Helovia. She was not immune to the push, the urgings to travel south, to the Marshes, the very lands that consumed her mother all those years ago. She couldn't deny that she was afraid, and once she identified that, she clung to the feeling, for at least it was something she could feel, something she could identify, though she was careful not to let it envelop here completely.
Dramyrth helped, as he always did. He buffeted her fear with courage, his sure heart carrying them through this time, reminding her of all it was they had to live for. Each other, naturally, and that would have been enough on its own, but he flashed images, memories tainted with powerful emotions through her mind's eye, of her newborn nieces, of her
They arrived at the Marshes alongside everyone else. They watched the battle unfurl - though it was hardly a battle, more like a massacre, a suicide mission to any who stood against the being Kaos.
That old numbness entered her again as she watched familiar faces go into the fight, as she swallowed the tears, the cries, the anguish of wanting to intervene, to save and rescue and protect and preserve - but it was impossible, as she stood by her family, her familiars, her bondmate and cousin and Mesec and their daughters. She stood amongst them, and then moved forward with them as the portal opened, as its yawning, gaping mouth ushered them onwards.
Dramyrth… was the last thought that went through her head while she still stood upon Helovian soil.
Everything went black - or, well, everything seemed to cease, and black was the only word suitable to describe the sensation. Even the bond went silent, and the dragonmare knew that she existed only by the fact that her consciousness still clung to something telling her she was alive, that she was still Amaris even if she felt nothing else but this strange feeling of bland consciousness.
Then her hooves were upon soil again, and her weight settled upon them, her legs snapping into place, Dramyrth's claws once again pinched her back, his mind still present (but distant, like before, when she had left Helovia and he had grown sick, but he was alive still, not unwell, just.. distant).
And then her eyes were open again, though she didn't remember closing them, she didn't remember telling them to close, or even to open once more.
The world was different.
She was alone, except for Dramyrth.
Her lungs tried the air, taking deep gulps of it - she had not realised that she had been holding it.
With her stance wide and her wings spread, she stood, gasping, calculating, trying to stop the storm of emotions from hitting her and wiping her out.
They were alive.
Alive.
She couldn't hear Dramyrth's reply if he gave one, couldn't feel his sure, steady emotional core, but she could physically feel him, his talons upon her back, his weight upon her withers. He purred deeply, hoping to soothe her, and it worked, to an extent.
Where are we? she couldn't help but ask, reach out for him, the habit too well formed in her to cease so soon.
"Tandavi…?" she asked out loud this time, testing her voice, hearing it whisper between the trees as it left her lips. Amaris breathed again, steadying herself, though still barely grasping onto this new reality, this new world which would never see the faces of those who had sacrificed themselves for her and whoever else wandered to the realm to survive, to live.
Someday, she would make the conscious decision to honour their sacrifice, to live. But today, she hurt too much. Today, the wounds were still too raw, too fresh.
She was caught between her emotions, too numb to move, too shocked to scream, too scared to do anything but stand there, and wait for whatever was to come to come.
A m a r i s
littlewillow-art | whimzi
on deviantart
Magic
:: [ Magic: FirexLight (U) | Can summon 5 small (plain), or 2 large (royal) dragon apparitions who can breathe fire ]
:: [ Restrictions | Difficult to maintain; each dragon can use one fire breathing ability per summoning ]
^SAFE
:: [ Magic: LightxSpark (U) | Via illusionary bolts of lightning 'mindshock' is induced in another, triggering a severe static-y migraine or temporary crippling paralysis. ]
:: [ Restrictions | Requires permission outside battle. Effects last 30 seconds in battle. ]
Items
:: [ Item: Genetic Mutation | Able to bond to 2 companions. ]
:: [ Item: Electrum Whip | A sturdy whip forged in arcs of lightning and fire, when in use, it crackles and leaves burns in its wake; has a leather core and is coated in electrum, giving it a silver-gold finish. ]
:: [ Restrictions | Can be somewhat unwieldy to use. ]
^SAFE
:: [ Item: Medium Mutation | Genetic Mutation. Blood is liquid silver. ]
Companions
:: [ Companion: Gold Dragon | Fire Breath & Frost Breath | 1 yr 4 mos ]
^SAFE
Amulets
:: [ Moon Amulet ] (contains her mother's illusion magic) :: [ Kaos Amulet ] :: [ Kaos Amulet ] :: [ Sun Amulet ] :: [ Moon Amulet ] (given to Mirage by Moon Goddess forever ago, contains magic to be able to turn into a shadow and travel across the lands)
Requests
No major or permanent appearance changes please!
:: [ Magic: FirexLight (U) | Can summon 5 small (plain), or 2 large (royal) dragon apparitions who can breathe fire ]
:: [ Restrictions | Difficult to maintain; each dragon can use one fire breathing ability per summoning ]
^SAFE
:: [ Magic: LightxSpark (U) | Via illusionary bolts of lightning 'mindshock' is induced in another, triggering a severe static-y migraine or temporary crippling paralysis. ]
:: [ Restrictions | Requires permission outside battle. Effects last 30 seconds in battle. ]
Items
:: [ Item: Genetic Mutation | Able to bond to 2 companions. ]
:: [ Item: Electrum Whip | A sturdy whip forged in arcs of lightning and fire, when in use, it crackles and leaves burns in its wake; has a leather core and is coated in electrum, giving it a silver-gold finish. ]
:: [ Restrictions | Can be somewhat unwieldy to use. ]
^SAFE
:: [ Item: Medium Mutation | Genetic Mutation. Blood is liquid silver. ]
Companions
:: [ Companion: Gold Dragon | Fire Breath & Frost Breath | 1 yr 4 mos ]
^SAFE
Amulets
:: [ Moon Amulet ] (contains her mother's illusion magic) :: [ Kaos Amulet ] :: [ Kaos Amulet ] :: [ Sun Amulet ] :: [ Moon Amulet ] (given to Mirage by Moon Goddess forever ago, contains magic to be able to turn into a shadow and travel across the lands)
Requests
No major or permanent appearance changes please!
@Rift Presence @Tandavi @Mesec @Vesper ???
