Siren's Summit
12-28-2017, 07:58 PM
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R I X E N Surrounded by trees, I scanned the area around me. The trees were not old. They were rather young and delicate, but most of them were pines that had grown to heights which reached above the level of my sight. They grew tightly together, so that it was difficult for me to see too far ahead in the direction that I was going. I felt the soft soil compressing beneath my hooves with every step. Occasionally, I would step on a smaller plant that grew low to the ground or a patch of moss. Other than that, the forest floor was bare. It was another of the Rift’s countless forests. In my travels across the Rift, I had encountered many forests, some vast and dense and dark, and others filled with colorful flowers and shrubbery and fluorescent trees. Something told me that I had not been here yet, to this particular forest, and that made me all the more interested in seeing what secrets it held. My breathing was deep and steady, and every now and then I would snort and swish my tail to ward off the lightning bugs that swarmed around me. With my vine-covered antlers perched atop my skull like small trees, and the dirt and dust that turned my coat a brownish color, I blended into my surroundings quite well. Movements muffled by the soft earth, my striped hide wove carefully between the trees like a tiger stalking its prey. I did not stalk ordinary prey, of course. I pursued knowledge; adventure, something hazardous and exciting, particularly the exploration of unknown territories such as this one. I did not know what I would discover in the forest’s depths, but given that this was the Rift, whatever there was to find would probably be worth my while. At my side, the glowing orb that Otem had given to me pulsed brightly. It had stuck by my shoulder all of this time but I had yet to find someone else to share it with. An opportunity would present itself soon soon enough. I still did not understand exactly how spreading the orbs would heal the land, but I had not inquired further of Otem. Perhaps I should have, but in the moment I had decided against it, not wanting to be a nuisance. It wasn’t the worst problem to have. I believed that eventually someone who crossed paths with me, a native or a creature who had been living here longer, would be able to provide me with a more detailed explanation. Now, above the tops of the trees I could see what appeared to be a great mountain in the distance, shrouded in mist. The pine forest began to dwindle. The spaces between the trees grew wider, and I was able to see what lay ahead of me more clearly. Peering through the trees, I saw a collection of large obsidian stones. These were not the product of nature alone. They were arranged in some sort of pattern which I did not understand. As I crept closer, I could see that they were inscribed with strange symbols. Before I could get a better look, a silver pegasus stepped out into the clearing. She was not Aurelia, for she lacked the golden markings and dapples. Instead, the mare was a stranger who I had never seen before. I held back for a moment, watching her study the stones. From what my emerald eyes could see, she looked to be reading the strange markings. "Can you read them?" I asked, stepping away from the protection of the trees and into the clearing. "Talk." they heard me singing and they told me to stop quit these pretentious things and just punch the clock |
