It seemed everyone found something but her. She was annoyed and agitated. Why the fuck was she here trying to help when she was slearly so unneeded? She could feel her hind hooves begin to heat up rapidly, something that occured whenever she grew annoyed. The dark waters kept her hooves from actually combusting, but the water still heated up marginally upon brushing against her hooves.
She kept swimming pointlessly, an annoyed expression adorning her features. This all felt so pointlessly. She felt like a fucking sardine swimming around in the cold water like a brainless idiot.
Her thoughts continued to grow angrier and angrier which, as a result, made her hooves continue to heat up more and more. Eventually, it got to the point where water was literally boiling around her hooves, violently heating up as it brushed against her.
As her anger (and heat) peaked, she began to swim upwards slightly, the darkness and the coldness leaving with each angry swish of her hooves upwards. She wanted to breath and not fake breath because of the malspira but actual air, her hooves still fiery hot and her temper equally as volatile.
They suddenly appeared from the murk. Agile, quick, and angry The sirens aimed to attack the two equine she happened to be swimming near. One might think the mare would get the heck out of there. Saving herself and leaving the others to fend off the attacking creatures. But the warrior was not so self centered, and she had never shied away from battle. Though they were at a great disadvantage within the lake. Her movements were sluggish, hindered by the water. How were they expected to fight against sirens? They were created to move swiftly through the waves.
Knowing that she would not reach either horse in time to offer any aid, K'yarie summoned forth her own glowing stars. They melted from her body like shooting stars, shining in the dark murk of the lake. With a thought they launched from their master towards the faces of the sirens. Unlike K'yarie they seemed unhindered by the water. They pulsed as the flew, changing colors. Tw went for the face of the siren attacking Waker, while two more attacked the eyes of Otems assailant. The vanity magic wouldn't do any damage to them, but they could certain distract someone. Two bright lights suddenly appearing before you to shin directly in your eyes, after the dim of the lake, would certain distract her from an attack. Well, it seemed their task wouldn't be as easy as she had hoped. Snorting she tossed her head and moved towards Otem as quickly as the lake would allow. She being the youngest of the three the mare felt that her aid was needed here.
talk talk talk talk
Fear not this Night. You will not go Astray Though shadows fall, still the Stars find their way
ooc: K'yarie summons her glowing orbs and sends them hurling towards the faces of the sirens to distract them and give both Otem and Waker a chance to react. She tries to get closer to Otem to offer her assistance should she need it.
Paddling as best I could through the water, I followed closely behind Otem and two others whose names I did not yet know. The water grew darker and colder as we descended to the bottom of the lake. Breathe in. Breathe out. You're breathing underwater. I tried not to think about how far I was from the surface now or what would happen if the malspira somehow failed to work as it should. Don't think. Just keep swimming.
Just as I was beginning to calm my nerves and my legs had relaxed into a steady rhythm, a shadow darted across the corner of my vision ahead. Then another dark flash of movement, closer this time. It was difficult to make out distinct shapes and I was surrounded by shadowy rocks, so I could hardly tell whether the movement was just a plant waving in the water or something to be concerned about. However, I quickly determined the shadowy figures to be the latter. They were sirens.
In a blur, the two sirens darted out of the darkness, moving through the water toward us swiftly and with a hungry look in their eyes. I could see their bared jaws lined with rows of sharp fangs which gleamed a pearl white, and easily stood out against the surrounding blackness of the water's depths. My entire body froze in a moment of panic as I helplessly watched the gnashing jaws of the sirens rapidly approaching in my direction. My heart beat rapidly in my chest as everything I could see sped up, but my own panicked movements seemed to slow down. To my bewilderment, the sirens suddenly changed course and surged straight for Otem and the black and blue stallion in front of me. In an attempt to ward the sirens off, the dark colored mare who was closer to me began summoning small balls of light and hurling them toward the assailing sirens. But I had no magic to use.
"No!" I shrieked, attempting to swim toward the sirens, but the water inhibited my movements, preventing me from moving fast enough to stop their attack.
"Talk."
they heard me singing and they told me to stop
quit these pretentious things and just punch the clock
She appears suddenly, a strange creature floating in the water.
Her dark eyes hold suspicion tinted by a thinly veiled aggression that causes Taivas's head to cock backwards ever-so-slightly. The hiss travels through the water with small bubbles, along with questions pointed and heavy. The shaman's face turns to glance at Roscorro briefly, as if to ascertain his mammoth presence was still near enough for protection.
Of course, her face is calm and neutral, even as she turns back to view the shaded face illuminated by the soft glow of her pelt. "We have come to share the hope given to us by Kisamoa," she says, her voice garbled by the water filling her mouth as she speaks. The malspira given by the Matriarch was truly a magical thing, allowing breath and speech underwater. It did not make the sensation of cold water filling your mouth any less unpleasant, however.
The shaman's orb floats toward the siren slowly, glimmering in the deep and pulsating with a joyous energy. "We wish to save this world, but we cannot do it alone."
"Would you carry the beacon to your kin and aid us?"
So seize the day 'Cause you have come so far Watched a million frowns turn into smiles Lost all track of time Felt the energy of a million stars You'll feel love again after the rain
What the Harpy found was unlike anything she thought she’d find.
Absolutely nothing.
She hissed her disappointment into the water, little bubbles beginning to glow from her spine as her magic worked. Small flamed snakes erupted from her spine but was suffocated quickly by the water around her, leaving only small tendrils of bubbles emerging from her back. Yet, the young woman continued on, soon spotting similar bubbles in the distance. Quietly, yet determined, Kiada swam toward the pale pegasus she had met a few times before. Slowly approaching, with enough distance, her icy gaze slipped over to Aurelia with a small shrug, as if to say that she hadn’t found anything. And thus, Kiada continued to search, her icy eyes surveying all of her surroundings with the help of the orb of light.
He came to an abrupt halt when the siren appeared before them. Naturally the giant moved closer to the glowing mare, ready to defend her should the siren attack. He gave an encouraging nod when his friend looked back towards him. He himself was unable to answer the question, so when the Pegasus gave her reply his offered a respectful bow of his head. His eyes hopeful as he watched the master of the waters. They need this one's help if they were to bring light to the darkened depths of the lake.
They did not know this world beneath the waves like the siren did. What areas to avoid or to enter. Nor were they going to be as trusted as one of their own. Having the aid of a native lake dweller would help their cause all the more. If they wanted hope. Or anything to do with the god Kaos. Unsure of what the siren's answer would be he stood ready. Though what good would he do against this creature's speed?
You're already high-strung; nervous energy courses through you like a wildfire, flipping switches you barely even knew you had. Look at you, Waker, always the placid and gentle one, throwing your head through the inky waters, your white-rimmed eyes wide and staring for the glowing form of someone you care dearly for. But she's not there, and you're suddenly too aware of the water all around you.
Trapped.
Entombed.
In water—cold and dark and pressing against your every pore, sloshing into your throat with ever quivering breath you take, pressed intimately against every part of you, inside and out; it's a scream, building in your throat. You don't want to be here, on the bottom of the lake, you just want outoutout—
It isn't until someone's muffled scream—"No!"—rings from behind you that you notice anything but the bubbles of your own frantic breathing. Orbs of light shoot out like bullets, but you can't even see what they are striking at—just shadows, until one of them is suddenly in your face. Uselessly you pound your wings, feeling the heavy drag of water on wet feathers, and the scream that has been building inside of you is let out when sharp, sharp teeth lodge themselves in your neck. You feel your skin slice open, the disturbing sensation of water touching the split edges, and in the miasma of underwater scents you can still find your own blood.
It's not deep, but it hurts, and the slimy thing is still attached to you, so you twist and turn and buck, quite possibly throwing both yourself and the attacking creature into one of the bodies surrounding you.
Waker gets bitten in the neck and freaks out, possibly colliding with someone in his group because he's just "hopping" around.
The water bubbles and hisses with the steam from Aurelia's hooves as she rises, but will she make it all the way..? Another sleek, black shadow darts through the disturbed waters, flicking just past Kiada's face before barreling straight towards the pegasus—a mouth yawning wide, filled with sharp, sharp teeth. With a piercing shriek it strikes, hoping to latch onto Aurelia's haunch and tear into the warm, warm meat.
K'YARIE, RIXEN, WAKER & OTEM
The agile bodies of the sirens dart out of the way of the glowing orbs, but it doesn't deter them for long. They merely twitch out of the way of the projectiles, arrowing for their targets with little regard of those around—they're too slow and cumbersome in the water, easy prey. The one that had gone for Otem suddenly veers away from its attempts to bite the large girl, dodging around the flailing Waker and heading for Rixen. It goes for his face, for his eyes, not hunting, but wishing to destroy. Despite his antics, Waker fails to dislodge the siren stuck to his neck; it reaches out with webbed fingers, hugging him and holding him close while biting deeper.
TAIVAS & ROSCORRO
Suspicion marks the smooth, alien features of the siren's face. Its black and beady eyes keeps darting between the glowing Taivas and the huge, lurking Roscorro, but so far, it makes no attempt to attack. It hangs warily between the stone pillars. Neither the mention of Kisamoa nor of hope seems to affect it; if anything, the lines around its eyes deepen. Still, it considers Taivas's words, its tail giving little flicks. "No," it finally says, voice grave, and for a moment it frowns into the distance, as if straining to hear something else that is going on. "There is fighting," it states, simply. "You can leave, to help them; or stay and fulfill your task, but doom them. Which do you choose?"
* Each round is 48 hours (give or take), and has no posting order. If you miss a round, don't worry - just post when you have a chance to!
* You're always welcome to jump in
* If you find the pace too high, let us know, and we'll slow down!
* Posts are encouraged to be 400 words or less.
If anyone's curious about the whys and hows of what's going on, it was determined via dice roll. :D If you want to include "is close to X" in the next round that's fine but not mandatory. :)
Trouble is as a trouble does, when it's on a troubled mind
Reasons come and reasons will go when the blind are followin' the blind
Otem only bobs uselessly in the water as the siren meant for her suddenly changes its course and heads for Rixen. Having no experience with fighting (other than her short bought with the Metus), Otem's instincts are simply to clutch for her magic and hope for the best.
We are not here to harm you! Otem cries out with her mental voice. Her fear and adrenaline fuel her magic, as bits of seaweed, a handful of sunweed and one closed bloom of Fugaxia suddenly rush towards her. She isn't sure how this will be helpful, other than that it might distract the siren bent on destroying Rixen.
Suspicion does not fall from her eyes, even at the mention of Kisamoa. The siren continues to consider Taivas's proposal, though, so the shaman has no reason to begrudge the creature in the deep. The syllable which slips out of her mouth is not entirely unexpected, but it still fills her heart with the heavy weight of disappointment. The emotion barely translates to her face, escaping only from the darkset eyes glimmering in the poor light of the deep.
There is fighting.
Worried, Taivas begins to look rapidly around, as if trying to hear what the maiden of the water hears so easily. Her eyes fall on Roscorro, as if asking him to decide their course of action. However, the soft-hearted girl already knows her answer.
The task could be picked up another day, but her comrades in this land could not be as easily replaced.
Tipping a nose to the orb, it begins to stretch oddly before breaking into two evenly sized halves, magically growing to the same size as the original orb. Taivas looks at the siren with humility plainly written on her face. "I will leave this here for you," she simply states. "Do with it what you will."
Then, she turns, hardly graceful in the water, and swims as fast as she can back the way she came, dark eyes seeking the glow of orbs in the deep. Their light is stifled, smothered, but visible in the distance.
She is not a warrior. She has no place interrupting a battle. She is too naive to even know how to defend those she cares about. It is that same naivety that leads her to swim toward the conflict, completely ignoring her own safety.
Only hoping that she is not too late.
From a distance, she sees the figures darting toward Rixen, the stallion she met not far from here by the obsidian stones, and one clutched desperately to Waker.
"Stop!" her voice is propelled much further and faster than her own body can manage in the thick waters, still several seconds from arriving in the immediate vicinity. "Please, stop!"
Suddenly, the cold water doesn't just feel unnatural. It feels suffocating; not for lack of air or breathing, but the pressure of seeing your kin in danger.
Ah, so this is home now.
So seize the day 'Cause you have come so far Watched a million frowns turn into smiles Lost all track of time Felt the energy of a million stars You'll feel love again after the rain
Siren's Summit
