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Post by GingerBlues on Jun 19, 2019 3:18:27 GMT -6
Hello Starborn, and welcome to Breim Plot 802: Mayhem and Mystery 
Team Leader: Gemstone
Participants: Riviera, Camilla, Silver, Solomon, Kalyan, Tenebris, Kuebiko, Ozzer
Please keep the following in mind!
- Posts must be a minimum of 175 words. There is no maximum!
- Be sure to add your post count to each post for easy tallying of rewards!
-You must post a minimum of 3 times and complete your plot to get full rewards.
- Additional posts past the initial 3 will gain 1 AP per post!
- No strict order is enforced, but there must be at least two posts between your own character's.
- No god-moding or reading characters' minds (unless your pony is a literal telepath, anyway)
- Always get consent before harming another character!
- Your team is precious. Try to interact with everyone. <3
- Have fun! Even if your pony isn't. 8'D
Prompt: As the celebration hits full swing, you happen across a strangely glowing trail on the ground. You’ve heard of the spirits leaving strange trails like this - and whether due to curiosity or concern, you have decided to follow it, hoping to see where it leads. Your party is a strange one for sure, and though you've all chosen to follow the trail for different reasons - you all have in common is a desire for answers, especially when there have been so many questions left without them as of late...
Date: October 1st
Location: Just outside of Nariah, in the Labyrinth
Time of Day: Late Morning
You do not have to wait for your leader to post!
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Post by GingerBlues on Jul 2, 2019 10:43:49 GMT -6
 Signs of the celebration was all around her. Hung about Nariah, in addition to the usual strings of gleaming gemstones that studded Nariah's ceiling, were banners and paper lanterns. She could smell all sorts of baking, sweets and exotic fruits that younger foals were likely looking forward to. She could even hear music playing through the crowd, as there must be a wordless theater nearby. She couldn’t imagine a more important time for celebration, now that life in Nariah was finally returning back to normal thanks to those who had found what they were looking for. She had initially planned on staying with her still ailing grandmother in the hospital, but the old donkey had insisted Gemstone go and enjoy herself. It took quite a bit of persuasion, but eventually, Gemstone caved and soon found herself trotting through the old city. Maybe indulging a little wouldn't be so bad. As she passed by horse after horse, offering each and every one the typical Bremian greeting, she somehow found herself along the outskirts of the city. Turning so the tunnels into the labyrinth were behind her, she was able to view the hustle and bustle of the celebrating horses within, at least from this angle. She wondered what Yoru was up to, they would be meeting in a few weeks to go through with their plan. Curiosity for the better of her for a moment, and she peered over her shoulder to look towards the labyrinth beyond. It was as mysterious, if not scary, as always. Figuring she should get back to the rest of the herd and enjoy the celebration as she had planned, she turned to go back. But it was as she turned her head when something caught the corner of her eye. Twisting back around, the filly trotted further into the mouth of the tunnel with her eyes earthward. It seemed to flicker in and out of view, reminding her of the smoke that rose and curled from incense at Argus’ Temple. But where that smoke shimmered and disappeared, this strange smoke shimmered and glowed, flickering like koi beneath the water. Or tumbling like the smoke from Argus’ person...she smiled warmly at the memory. She slowly looked up and saw that the path glinted before her, leading deep into the labyrinth beyond. Logic told her to turn back, but curiosity bade her forwards. From her studies, she recalled what this strange trail likely could be, and with all the recent events, it seemed prudent to see if she was right. The herd would want to know, wouldn’t they? Besides, she had a way back, right? Surely the trail wouldn’t just disappear after she followed it. Without any more thought on the matter, the stripped child trotted off with her eyes on the trail before her. Maybe she would also see the giant tree they were supposed to be celebrating. 482 WordsPost #1 |
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Post by hydrus101 on Jul 5, 2019 19:24:10 GMT -6
 C A M I L L A• Breim | Apprentice •
“When you open the door to the other side, you might find a new world of possibilities that you never knew existed. Or like, ghosts or some other spooky shit.”
The sights, the smells, the tastes, oh Camilla would never grow tired of Breimian festivities. She was certain that she and her brothers had been together when they’d first set out, but it seemed that each had succumbed to the Rokali tendency to wander and Camilla found herself alone, but not lonely. Keskipay hung from her neck like a particularly weighty pendant and his energetic pulse matched the beat of her hoofsteps as she perused the assortments of goodies that surrounded her. She had to stop herself from ogling at each new shiny thing that entered her line of sight, though she did eventually cave and pick up a gleaming strand of teal beads. For no apparent reason at all, they reminded her of Reid.
She couldn’t pinpoint exactly why until she remembered the twin feathers he kept in his mane. She felt her heart soften as she ran her teke over their smooth surface, a small smile finding its way to her lips. Her sentiments were interrupted, however, by the relic ‘round her neck giving a sharp tug.
The jolt wrested the beads from her grasp and she barely managed to catch them before they shattered on the road below.
She let out an sharp “Hey!” and glared down at Keskipay, who thrummed indignantly.
Frowning, Camilla righted herself and began to continue on her way when the arrow tugged at her again. Her hooves skittered on the stones and some of the horses nearest to her began to look concerned.
“What is it?” She hissed at him, more concerned now than angry. “Others are staring.”
Keskipay simply grew quiet and lifted himself up, pointing in the direction of an alleyway.
Camilla, curious as they come, was reluctant to leave the party but the intrigue of whatever the arrow had noticed outweighed her apprehension.
Guided by the arrow like a needle on a compass, Camilla drew closer to the alley and noticed a hazy... something hanging in the air. It wasn’t incense. Incense didn’t glow, or so she thought.
Steely eyes locked on the trail, Camilla tracked the haze through the throng of her herd mates, weaving to and fro like a fish against the current. Normally, she would’ve stayed far away from any supernatural occurrences, the incident with the spirits a few months back was enough for a lifetime, but hey, this was a festival (and she might’ve had one or two drinks to take the edge off).
The trail led her to a passageway in the cavern wall. It was obviously an entrance into the Labyrinth and Camilla could’ve sworn she saw a tail disappear around the bend as she slowed to a stop outside.
“I hate when you do this.” She murmured to Keskipay. “You can’t just show me a spooky trail that leads into the Labyrinth and expect me not to follow it...”
She bit her lip and shifted on her hooves for a few moments, weighing her options on a broken scale, too preoccupied to notice anyone or anything coming up behind her.
WC: 508
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Post by Zookcan on Jul 5, 2019 20:34:27 GMT -6
SILVER
"Nothing changes, if nothing changes."
"Ha-ha! You know, Silver, it's lucky I bought that bird when I did!" He heard his father joke between sips from a generous helping of sake, "I paid a visit to the pet shop where I purchased him from, and the price on his kind had practically doubled from the last! Hoshi, he said, 'exports just haven't been coming in from that part of Hireath lately!'" After a boastful laugh, Ikuto continued to sip his drink. It's rare for Silver to see his father with such little restraint. Usually his parents were reserved and strictly avoided alcohol, but then again, the festivities did call for a little bit of celebration. The young unicorn forces out a small chuckle, but it's terribly awkward.
The colt had his feathered companion hidden in the hood of his cloak, hence it's mention. Pixie seemed painfully oblivious to the festivities, and seemed more eager to preen himself and nestle somewhere in his keeper's fluffy mane. So long as he was quiet for once, Silver did not mind the company. But he did mind the growing crowds and the increasing amount of noise echoing across the district. As a swift morning breeze gracefully brushed through the open chasm, Silver felt himself being pulled to somewhere quieter, where he could think. Somewhere during the celebrations, he drifted far away enough to lose sight of his parents. Frankly, the boy wasn't worried about hurrying back to them if they were going to socialize with other wealthy horses all day.
So, the boy began to make his way back to the quarters where they were staying for the festivities. Silver intended to whole himself up again, and bury himself in scrolls and texts. It was the same routine he had followed for weeks, in search of an answer that he still hadn't found after days upon days of sifting through tomes. Despite his calm composure, the dream that Silver encountered still lingered on his mind. By now however, a part of him began to believe that it carried no importance.
But on his way back...the lens of his spectacles catch a mysterious glare, not produced by any sunlight or crystals nearby. Pixie even chirped in alert, though the cockatiel remained perched in Silver's fluffy locks somewhere. The foal's brows raise as his turquoise eyes find a gleaming path further down one of the tunnels into the labyrinth. The unicorn's silky tail twitched, and then curled, a sign of his growing interest and intrigue. With childish curiosity, Silver unquestionably follows it, eager to investigate. A little ways down the path, and he realizes he isn't the only one who's noticed.
There's a mare there, with what appears to be a floating needle. Silver stops only a few feet behind her. "Uhhh..."
post #1
word count: 461
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Post by Zugunruhes on Jul 6, 2019 11:28:23 GMT -6
Kalyan
Breim | Doctor
His visits to Nariah had become few and far between. There was certainly no pull to visit his family unless he desired argument about tradition and honor with his father and he had grown distant from many of his childhood friends. A few years living in the Point among providers and under open skies had changed him. Yet this celebration was a time he could not miss, for even Breimans on the surface had suffered through the ebb and flow of the arcane energy. No disputes with family would get in the way of his celebrations. From the surface or not he was as Breiman as the rest of them and was proud to be a part of the thrumming, jubilant crowds.
Still, Kalyan was never one for lengthy boisterous celebration and only after a few hours he found himself tired and looking for a quiet place to slink off to. He bought himself a warm roll and skirted around the festivities to find a quiet place to eat. Everywhere was inhabited and if he was not careful he would get swept up in a new conversation. It soon became that he was near fighting to move through the crowd, away from the celebration center and towards the edges of the city, and in the clamor his meal fell and was trodden on. Grumbling, Kalyan circled back to try to find another food stand and found a route that took him through a quieter side street.
The horse exhaled dramatically, pleased for a moment of peace, before looking around to get his bearings. Right, just take the street to the left and- he stared brow furrowed, and realized that he was very much lost. He had forgotten much of the city since leaving and now it was painfully apparent. He backtracked, wound down more confusing side streets, and ended up even further from the festivities. "Just follow the noise, right?" He murmured, casting a glance down another street. At that moment he saw it. A strange light glinting at the street's end. Perplexed, for he was certain that path would take him closer to the labyrinth, he pursued the odd sight anyway.
It became apparent that it was not a trick of the light and when he stretched his neck to observe it closely he immediately recoiled. "Oh no, no. Not this again." He had already had a run in with spirits before and he was not certainly in the mood, nor would he ever be, to do so again. They were trying to lead him astray and he was not going to follow along. And then he heard voices and when he looked up saw the distant figures of a few horses around the labyrinth's tunnels.
He trotted up to them quickly, calling out, "Hey, you aren't thinking of following those trails are you?"
Word Count: 475
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Post by posy-punch on Jul 6, 2019 13:24:08 GMT -6
kuebiko an outsider "Hoshi, don't leave me." Her words slurred, the pain in her head was more great today and she could not devote the normal concentration it required to keep her speech normal despite her scarring. The outsider had, for whatever reason, agreed to follow the scientist into the throng of the celebrations, but she was not enjoying it. And Hoshi, her reviver, her second creator , slowed down so that Kuebiko might press closer in the throng of equines. Pelt molding with pelt, they walked. Until Kuebiko glanced over the trail. With not even a second thought, she peeled herself away from Hoshi—her lifeline in this new age Breim, which she had still failed to accustom herself to—and followed it. This trail... it is familiar to her in a way it may not be to the others. She knows this because it is a relic of her time. This is more comforting to her than anything else. And yet, it appears she is not the only one enthralled by it, for as she nears an entrance, far from the bustle of the celebrations, she notices several others, waiting, seemingly on the cusp of following the trail further. Kuebiko is not a fan of the ambient dark, of the claustrophobic hallways in which Breim lives, but the trail is like a beacon to her. It is almost as if Argus has stretched out a hand for her to take. Her head pulses with pain, but she focuses just enough to get a passing thought off of the horse in the front of the small group, Cami. Enough to see that someone had already disappeared down the tunnel. "Someone has already gone inside," she says in passing to Kalyan, who had remarked about following the trails. "And these trails, they are more than you could know."
She steps into the dark and breathes out a sigh. The trail emitted its soft glow ahead of her, just barely illuminating her hooves. "Come on, if you are afraid, is it not better to be in a group?"
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Post by leaftail on Jul 6, 2019 16:46:36 GMT -6
Tenebris | Tie
With the return of normality, a celebration was to be had! An opportunity for his business to grow, Tenebris had signed up for a vendor stall and was ready to make some money! He could help his parents rebuild the inn from the recent damage and at the same time gain a little notoriety for his business. As the day started, Tenebris headed to his assigned stall with confidence and his supplies, a perk in his step...that was until he saw where he had been placed. At the edge of a street, away from most of the main festivities. With a groan, Tenebris cursed his bad luck but set up anyways, draping a home-made banner over the stall and then started to brew his tea. The morning dragged on with little to no activity. He tried to coax in potential customers with free samples and small mochi snacks his mother had helped prepare, but still wasn’t seeing as much business as he thought he would’ve gotten. There must have been better stalls closer to the center of the celebration, keeping most of Nariah’s population away from the outer edges. With a sigh, Tenebris thought about packing up and calling it a day. He might as well head back to the inn to help his parents with the increase of customers staying there or go and enjoy himself like everyone else. Just as he lowered the flame under his main kettle, a silver body passed his stall. Looking out, Tenebris was about to call out to the young boy before he noticed the unicorn was following a glowing trail. Wait, what? A glowing trail? His mind didn’t go to the fact that it could just be glowing moss or a trail left from a spirit, but to the recent encounter with that large lizard-like creature that turned Shigure into a crystal. Had that monster come out of the tunnels and found the city!? Packing his things and locking them up under the stall, Tenebris raced towards the boy in hopes to stop him from venturing out and becoming the monster's next victim. “ W-wait!” he called, picking up his pace, unsure if the boy had heard him. Just as he was starting to catch up, the boy was joined by three others, and it seemed they were all following the same trail. He slowed down to catch his breath and came up just as Kuebiko said someone had already gone ahead and suggested that a group was better for venturing forth than going alone. “ Excuse me, did you say someone already has gone into the tunnel? Did you happen to see who it was?” he asked, still trying to catch his breath. “ We should go after them. They might run into trouble or get lost!”
Post: 1 | Word Count: 464 |
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Post by mariahwhy on Jul 7, 2019 9:19:16 GMT -6
Ozzer | Warden
At the first rumor of a celebration Ozzer had found and agreed to a job that would take him to the surface beforehand. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy celebrations, he just didn't particularly want to be around for this one. He knew he would not be able to enjoy it. While life had reached a normalcy that it had not seen in many, many months, a heaviness hung over the donkey. Every time he saw the new Crystal Tree, or even just in the day-to-day activities that reminded him of the constant Arcane energy that flowed around him, all he could picture was Shigure. Watching the stallion's body slow and change into the very same type of life-giving crystal that had some long time ago also taken hold of the tree they now adored. The terrible expression on Shigure's face was burned into his mind, and this celebration seemed odd to him. Most of those that would be participating had not seen the horrors of where the tree had come from, but he did not blame them. The return of their city's power and the sacrifices made to do so was something to be commemorated, but he wanted no part in it. But he did not want to spoil Daisuke's fun nor his image of what the celebration stood for, and so, despite much complaining from the boy, he had left his son under someone else's care, and had guided some delivery horse back up to The Point with the hopes to spend a few days up there before returning to the city after the celebrations had ended. Unfortunately for him, by the time they surfaced, wardens were in high demand. Even horses from the surface had wanted to join in the festivities, and he could not say no to such a lucrative job offer. The trip back had gone quicker than most with the travelers anxious to get to the city and it merriment, and so had seen them arriving just in time for all the vendors to begin setting up that morning. His attempts to avoid the celebration had failed, but he would still allow Daisuke to enjoy the day with his caretakers and the foal's of other wardens who were currently traveling. The donkey headed back into the tunnels, his idea just to wander for the day, allowing the dark, quiet tunnels to absorb his thoughts. Such was not to be however, as the path he had been strolling along intersected another path that was filled with a hazy, glowing light. He backed up a few paces, nostrils flaring. Last he had seen anything like this was with the monster in the cave - the monster that had turned everything to crystal. Eyes wide he simply stared at it for a few moments, steadying himself. Surely it could not be the beast. It could not fit through these smaller tunnels.... right? He focused on his tremor sense, trying to reassure himself that he did not feel the odd, smooth movement that the monster had used. No, nothin- he jumped, having suddenly picking up a feeling through his hooves. He quickly realized though that it was small hoof steps, and focused harder. It was coming from the direction he knew the city to lie in, someone coming up the glowing path. But it was a horse. A small one. He looked the other way up the trail, as if making sure nothing else was coming from the other direction, then turned to head towards the hoof steps. He walked quickly, hoping to intercept them before they followed the trail too far, and soon rounded a corner to come face-to-face with the other horse. To his surprise it turned out to be a foal, not much bigger than his own son. He bristled, paternal instincts kicking in. "Where are your guardians?" he asked with little introduction. He could now feel other hooves coming towards them down the trail - a whole group of them. Perhaps a warden was taking the group somewhere, and the foal had run ahead? Daisuke certainly did from time-to-time. "You should not be wandering alone." His eyes flickered towards the glowing floor, but he did not mention it to the foal. No need to worry him, as long as he could get him to turn around. "Don't you want to be participating in the celebrations?" he asked, his intentions simply to stall the child until the rest of the group could catch up (and hopefully take the child back to the city with them).
(Post 1: 758 words)
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Post by SaintPumpkinMuffin on Jul 7, 2019 11:27:56 GMT -6
Solomon | WardenSolomon allowed a small hum to buzz through their teeth as the crouched low of the glowing trail. Tentatively, their staff prodded at the line, stirred the mist. It pulled back into place like a magnet as Solomon retracted their touch. "Peculiar. Spirits, perhaps?" The warden rose on elegant legs, and the rattle of their armor echoed lightly down the tunnel, towards the sounds of Nariah's festival.
Solomon had tried to partake in the partying after delivering his travelers to Nariah, but had found that in the whirling crowds, he felt disjointed from his herdmates. That in turn frustrated Solomon, annoyed at his social discomfort. They had originally intended to find Sile... Tavius... anyone, but as the irritability descended Solomon was driven to the only place he felt centered: the tunnels. It wasn't until Solomon had retreated a safe distance into the darkness that he had realized the appearance of this magical wispy trail. Now, nubbed ears flicked around curiously as the warden considered his options. Perhaps he should report this to the station guards, or whoever was on duty at the warden barracks in Nariah... but everyone was probably off duty, enjoying the party--
"Where are your guardians?"
The sudden voice in the distance caused Solomon to pull their staff close and flatten their ears. Stepping quietly back towards Nariah, Solomon rounded the corner just in time to see Ozzer, another warden, and a group of approaching horses. Solomon stopped then, just in the shadows. Like most Breimians (maybe even moreso than typical), Solomon preferred to avoid attention. Like the pale, ghostly horse he was, Solomon instead lingered, waiting for his opportunity to be noticed, and introduce himself.
He apparently wasn't the only one noticing the spiritual mist.
WC: 292
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Post by Warped-Desire on Jul 7, 2019 21:25:42 GMT -6
The months leading up to celebration had been some of the best that Riviera could have remembered. Even after the earthquake, the loss of their home and the Crystal shattering she still found herself in relative peace. Argus had come down to her and her group of equines and solidified her eternal love for them. She had been greatful sonce that day and honestly made the greatest effort to spend as much time with her friends and family as she physically could have The day the festivities started she had done so much, she bathed her little Ayako, helped Ari with his studies and even assisted her lovely husband with making breakfast. When everyone was ready and all cloaked up the large family made their way out to the city. Riviera chuckled lightly to herself as along the way each member began to split off, Jaya's parents vanished first, then his brother, then Ari hurried off, by the time she had reached the end of the stalls it was just her. She took a deep breath for a moment, she knew her family would be safe- she paused and flicked her ears, watching as someone she knew raced after what looked like a child Mothering instincts kicked in and she trotted forward, following then around a corner to where a small group of horses had gathered near the labyrinth. She paused for a long moment before she strode forward, "Tenebris?" she questioned. She wasn't close with him per say but he had helped her when she was most in need, she was sure she could call him a friend, "What's going on?"
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Post by Zookcan on Jul 7, 2019 22:39:57 GMT -6
SILVER
"Nothing changes, if nothing changes."
Uh oh, cornered on all sides. Though he didn't fuss about it at first, it quickly became clear to Silver that he either wasn't alone in his growing curiosities, or he had attracted attention by being on his own. It was no surprise to him that a child wandering dangerously close to the Labyrinth all by themselves would get someone's attention, but he was astounded by just how many horses already seemed intrigued by the glowing trail that he and Pixie had been following. The colt was about to squint past the mare in front of him when a voice called out from behind. He gasps, and whirls around.
There are several adults. A handful of which he recognized from the pilgrimage he attended with his mother. There was Kuebiko, the wise yet enigmatic mare. And there was Riviera. Silver certainly hadn't forgotten the scolding he had gotten from her in the Temple of the Arcane. Instinctively, the colt's ears flattened. He lowered his head and let his tail fall against the earth in shame like he were being admonished. (And in some part, he was. It was very unwise to go off into the Labyrinth all by himself.) The boy was glad that Kuebiko was there to encourage their little adventure. If not alone, why not in a group?
His ears perk toward her for a moment, but they flatten again. Wow, there were certainly lot of adults here, and he has a reputation to uphold. "I'm sorry..." Silver bows politely, and just enough that they could probably see Pixie nearly slip out of his mane, evident from how a bird's tail stuck out from underneath the child's cloak while trying to maintain balance. The cockatiel wobbles back inside and chirps.
Kuebiko is right, though. There are more voices beyond that brown mare with the red scarf. Silver lifts his head back up and turns it towards the tunnels. "...Argus never gave us all the answers...maybe this will?" He suggests. The other pilgrims know what he's talking about.
post #2
word count: 339
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Post by Prismaticlysm on Jul 10, 2019 9:03:24 GMT -6
She had heard voices bouncing through the tunnel from behind her, but the smoky trail was just so...so enticing! It called to her, wanting to be found it seemed. Or maybe that was just her own selfish desire. She didn’t like to think she was selfish, but maybe...maybe a smidge of self-indulgence just this once and she would go back to being a good child for a few more weeks.So...so peculiar. There were no unusual scents she could make out from the glowing trail, aside from that which permeated the tunnel from the celebration behind her. Half of her hoped she was on her way to meet Argus a second time. After she found herself standing before them in their temple when she had gone to pray for answers, anything strange and seemingly out of the ordinary made her heart race with earnest.Half of her wished she hadn’t left her Devil Birds, Tama and Kei, back at the hospital. They would have been able to fly ahead and alert her that she was either going on a wild goose chase, or confirm some of her suspicions, perhaps especially the one she was most hopeful for. She wanted her grandmother to have some company, so that was why she was all alone in the forbidden labyrinth. But the labyrinth wasn’t exactly empty. Because she was sure others had seen the same she had behind her at the mouth she had entered from.Swirls of crimson and violet entered her vision as she recalled the night she met Argus. They were everything she had hoped for and more, and if she dared think of it, some old depictions she had seen had them all wrong. Except for all of the eyes. The way they changed shape and direction with Argus’ colors, the smoke, the incense, the bells and gongs. She would never forget that day.Despite everything leading up to it, even the fact the collapsing of Nariah had put her grandmother in the hospital, it was a treacherous path that eventually lead her into Argus’ hooves, and her faith in them was deeper than ever before.She smiled to herself, still stepping forward as she weaved in and out of the glowing path. She didn’t even notice another had appeared next to her side."Where are your guardians?"The striped zonkey halted immediately, the imaginary thought of Argus swept from her mind's eye. Shock clutched her limbs and locked them into place as emerald eyes turned towards...another donkey. The voice was enough of a hint it wasn’t her grandmother, but he was also darker in tone. Who he was, let alone where he came from, was a complete mystery.“Well...I.” Her mind raced. She wouldn’t lie of course, but it almost seemed too convenient to say that her parents had passed into the realm of the Gods some years ago, and her grandmother was recovering in one of Nariahs' hospitals. But before she could really get into her explanation, the male was speaking again."You should not be wandering alone."Gemstones ears folded back against her head at the reprimand. Yes...she knew well enough that what she was doing was probably extremely dangerous, but would he believe her if she told him she believed Argus would lead her safely? She was sure she saw his eyes flicker towards the floor, as if he saw what she had, but again, he was quicker to speak than her mind to form a sentence."Don't you want to be participating in the celebrations?"The girl’s mind suddenly seemed to catch up to her surprise.“Y-Yes, I do. But…” She looked forward in the direction she had been previously walking. “The path...I thought that maybe...maybe Argus was asking me to follow it.” And it wasn’t a lie either. She had suspected spirits, but part of her had really, really hoped it was Argus as well. She looked back to Ozzer, quickly speaking again. “I was so busy thinking about it, I ignored the others coming up behind me. I’m really sorry. But...I think they see the same thing...d-don’t you?” She wasn’t trying to be impudent. Gasping, as she realized she was, in fact, being rude, she quickly put her right hoof forward and leaned down into a bow. Surely this male was a Warden, due to where he had come from from within the labyrinth, a very impressive rank.“T-They have seen us meet. I’m Gemstone.” Her ears were still folded back as she bent down respectfully, but instead of in the ‘I was yelled at’ position, they were in the ‘I hear something behind me’ pose as she heard the group gathering nearer.781 WordsPost #2 |
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Post by leaftail on Jul 11, 2019 11:30:10 GMT -6
Tenebris | Tie
Before anyone answered him, a familiar voice made Tenebris look behind him as Riviera joined them. He blinked at her, noticing she was alone. Where was her son? Before assuming the worst, as the last time he had seen her little boy was when he and Kano pulled him from her destroyed home, he remembered there had been news she was with someone now. She must’ve left her son with her partner and they were probably off enjoying the festivities behind them. The unicorn really needed to stop jumping to conclusions. He gave the pegasus a soft smile. “ It seems just a misunderstanding on my part. I thought this little one here...erm, pardon my rudeness, little one, we have not met before...was lost and it turns out he and the others here were following this trail,” Tenerbis explained, looking towards the softly glowing trail. Tenebris looked to Silver as he bowed his head, giving the colt a warm smile, before looking to the others. “ A quick introduction, I’m Tenebris. A pleasure to meet you all, regardless of the circumstances.” He gave them all a quick bow before he looked towards the tunnel. “ Well, let’s stop standing around now. We should go see who is ahead of us.” He looked to the older Kuebiko and then to Camilla, with her...floating arrow, and Kaylan, the ones who had come together before he had arrived. Looking down at the trail, Tenebris started to follow it into the tunnel and silently prayed that the crystal monster wasn’t at the other end. It wasn’t long before a child’s voice echoed against the tunnel walls and the unicorn looked up to see two figures in front of him. One was small and the other started to become more recognizable as he approached. Ozzer! If there was one warden he liked to see, it was that donkey. Letting out a sigh of relief that the smaller figure, another child, was found by Ozzer, Teneris felt like he could relax. “ They have seen us meet! Ozzer, what a pleasant surprise!” he called, looking from the warden to the little donkey. So many children just wandering off on their own today, bless their parent’s hearts.
Post: 2 | Word Count: 369 |
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Post by hydrus101 on Jul 12, 2019 17:06:07 GMT -6
C A M I L L A• Breim | Apprentice •
“When you open the door to the other side, you might find a new world of possibilities that you never knew existed. Or like, ghosts or some other spooky shit.”
Another small tug from an exasperated Keskipay pulled Camilla’s attention from the cavern. If he could speak, his words would’ve been something along the lines of “By Alya’s tail feathers Cami, you wouldn’t notice a dragon about to bite you if you were staring down it’s throat.”
Sighing, Camilla shushed Keskipay and slowly let her gaze linger on the tunnel fore a few moments before she was finally able to tear herself away, only to jump as a voice cut the silence.
She whirled around quickly, her sudden movements causing Keskipay to swing wildly from the hook on the end of Camilla’s necklace. How had she not noticed the sound of hoofsteps drawing close? With another start, Camilla looked down and noticed the young silver unicorn that had seemingly appeared out of thin air behind her. She threw him a sheepish smile and nodded towards him in acknowledgment before looking back up as the other horse finally caught up to them. No more than a few seconds later, another arrived at the Labyrinth’s doorstep.
Eyes widened for a mere moment, Camilla noticed the grievous wounds that decorated the newcomer’s face, though she quickly averted her gaze out of respect for the older mare, concern and a bit of curiosity creeping into her heart.
Just as this newcomer stepped into the entrance, another member joined their steadily growing party.
Her heightened hearing caught the sound of a pair of voices echoing down from out of the tunnel, then another, more familiar voice at her back. Unable to see around the bend in the tunnel, Camilla’s curiosity bid her to look back, spotting Rivera, her therapist’s wife, trotting up to meet them. Camilla would’ve called out to greet her, but it seemed the mare was already in a conversation with another one of the party.
Acting on impulse, Camilla began to move toward the pair as they spoke, only to pause as the horse Rivera was speaking to, Tenebris, she now knew, began to speak and move towards the entrance.
The apprentice was happy to follow with the rest, but it seemed as though Keskipay wasn’t content with the slow and easy pace. With deft accuracy, the little arrow unclipped himself from his hook and shot off down the tunnel over the group’s heads, luckily passing by unnoticed. If any of them had looked up, however, they would’ve his faint glowing trail fading as fast as it appeared. Huh, the glowing mist at their feet was nearly the same color. Weird. Since she was unable to stop him, Camilla simply shrugged and pulled her cloak closer to stave off the chill.
Wanting no unexpected surprises, she made a few quiet clicks with her blessing, allowing the sounds the bounce back into her ears. Getting the hang of her sonic voice had been tricky, but it’s usefulness had always prevailed.
It took her a moment to make receive the echoes, but the picture came through as clear as day.
A little ways down the tunnel there was a smaller horse standing beside a larger one, a donkey if she’d heard right, and the two were talking, then they paused. Probably waiting for the others to catch up, she thought. Probing deeper, the mare caught a glimpse of another horse, standing further back from the others. She couldn’t get a good read on them, because of a rather noisy material they wore. Armor, maybe?
Keskipay must’ve heard her thoughts or held the same questions because no more than a few seconds after her echoes cameback, the gilded arrow rocketed down towards the passage the stranger was standing in and came to a dead stop a few feet in front of him, floating curiously above the warden’s head.
As the group rounded the bend and Tenebris began to speak with the donkey, Camilla was able to catch sight of her arrow seemingly holding the stranger at knifepoint (arrowpoint?). Alarm surging through her, Cami let out a quick whistle, an unspoken command for Keskipay to return to her, and quickly trotted past the group, mentally chastising herself for letting him get away.
“Sorry about that,” she murmured respectfully, clipping Keskipay back onto his hook and dipping into a bow as she grew closer. “he has a mind of his own sometimes.”
As she pulled back to her regular height, Camilla thought for a split second she recognized him. She stared at him blankly for a brief somewhat awkward moment before her words found her.
“Do I...”
She paused, rephrasing from a question to a certainty.
“I know you from somewhere...”
WC: 748
Post: 2
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Post by mariahwhy on Jul 12, 2019 22:26:40 GMT -6
Ozzer | Warden
Ozzer's posture and expression softened as the child began to speak. She was just a child after all. They made such mistakes all the time, and no harm had come to her as of yet. As she bowed before him his ears suddenly went up, and had he been watching himself he would have been glad the child did not catch his "Oh, I forgot" face. Daisuke usually had to remind him about such manners, for no matter how long he lived in Sirith he rarely remembered the Breimian greeting. Usually running into horses in the Labyrinth was unexpected enough to not warrant such formalities. He would honor the child's respect for tradition, however, and returned the bow, though for a shorter amount of time. "They have seen us meet, Gemstone. My name is Ozzer." "I do," he breathed in, "see it. The trail." He looked down now, watching the mist waft lazily by their feet as if being carried down the tunnel by a slow-moving current. In the same direction he now felt more footsteps approaching - these were alone, and rather heavy for their size - someone wearing heavy amounts of attire or packs - another Warden perhaps. "Argus seems to be asking a lot from everyone lately," he started, but was cut off by an arrow flying suddenly overhead towards the armored horse. "What-" he began, ears flicking back, but at that moment the group was also catching up with them, rounding the corner to show 5 adults and one other child. One of them called out to him, and he squinted down the path, recognizing them as Tenebris. The tie had been with him on that futile trip where Shigure had lost his life. Tenebris had proved brave then, and Ozzer was happy to see at least one soul he knew as reasonable within the group. One of his small hooves tapped twice against the stone, and with a smile he said, "They have seen us meet." But that was still no explanation for the arrow, and he turned as one of the mare's passed him - he would realize to retrieve the thing - to find it pointing at just what he had thought. An armor covered horse. It had to be no other than Solomon. He stepped a little closer as the mare recalled her arrow and spoke with the other warden, and now Ozzer could see more light reflecting off of a pale nose, hidden under a void of dark fabric and metal. Yes, it was the mysterious warden, one whom Ozzer had heard more rumors about than he had actually heard any words from. Whatever else he had heard about him, he had at least been said to be a good Warden. That was all that mattered in Ozzer's mind. He allowed the mare to catch up with the Warden, and turned back to the group at large. "Tenebris," he bowed his head in a brief sweeping motion to the others, feeling quite done with etiquette, "Are you all also following this trail? Does anyone know what it means?" He felt like he knew what both of those answers would be. What they always were.
(Post 2: 528 words)
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Post by Warped-Desire on Jul 12, 2019 23:03:48 GMT -6
Riviera gave Tebebris a soft but warm smile in return for his own, chuckling lightly as he explained the circumstances. "Its quite alright. It would have been me any other day I'm sure... so please there's no need to explain yourself to me". She dipped her head to him as he introduced himself to the rest of the group, following along as they moved deeper into the labyrinth. She was surprised further in as they met with yet more of their herd members... however she had to pause as yet more familiar faces came into view, one she new more then any of them from the days they saw one another in her husband's practice Riviera was ready to call out a greeting to Camilla and some of the others but held herself back. The strange armoured horse made her ears flatten and a worried concern lift across her face, was he one of them or one of the Kawaru?, Camilla didn't seem to worried and neither were the others. She flicked her tail and used her teke to pull her cloak up tighter around herself, watching the trail of mist swirl around her, "So long as we all stick together... I don't see any harm in following this till the end"
post: #2 WC: #214 |
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Post by Zookcan on Jul 12, 2019 23:52:47 GMT -6
SILVER
"Nothing changes, if nothing changes."
"Silver, of House Takara, sir. T-they have seen us meet." Respectfully, the colt offers another bow to Tenebris, this time in greeting to his elders. Briefly he pulls down the hood of his cloak, revealing his fluffy mane and Pixie, who was perched in the silvery locks and preening. The cockatiel looked surprised that his cover had been blown, and he waddles clumsily towards the edge of the cloak in effort to hide. Silver's ear turns towards the trail further down, continuing to hear voices, so he slips his hood back on ( Allowing Pixie to continue playing in his hiding spot, ) and continues down the path to the warden and a familiar face that accompanied him. "Gemstone!"
He recognized her; they had both attended the same school, and traveled together on their pilgrimage to the temple! Silver's lengthy tail swishes and twists with interest as he comes up to greet the stripey filly, and flashes a small smile. Hoofsteps gather from behind, so the observant uncut turns his head and realizes their small collection of horses has only turned into a much larger group. For once, the greater numbers eased his uncertainty over travelling into the Labyrinth, but, a childish, frightened part of him really began to wish that one of his parents were here beside him. Outside of Riviera, whom he was already wary about, and Gemstone and Kuebiko, these horses were strangers. The logical, more skeptical side of him was screaming at him that he was crazy for wanting to follow the glowing trail!
But ... Argus had revived that faith, that curiosity he had once had for the unknown, hadn't they? Thoughtful, he presses his turquoise hoof into the dirt, testing the trail to see if its glow would disappear or if it would stick to the bottom. When the light doesn't move, he snorts and digs at some of the soil gently. 'Bizarre...' the result left him astounded. This wasn't any kind of sediment or powder...it floated in midair, like will-o-the-wisps, completely unaffected by physical bodies. He lifts his now dirtied hoof in the air just to test, and waves it. It passes through unchanged. "It isn't corporeal!"
Considering this, Silver decides to extend his telepathy outward, curious if his ability might pick up something of interest, or possibly even give him an idea of what this trail might be linked to. It could be a useless effort, but it didn't hurt to try. 'Argus ... are you trying to show us something?'
"Whatever it is, it isn't physical. But, if we're going to follow it...sh-shouldn't we make sure we have something with us in case we get lost, or something happens? Are any of you guys a Warden...?" He grimaces. 'Maybe I should take Pixie home first...'
post #3
word count: 460
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Post by posy-punch on Jul 13, 2019 13:53:38 GMT -6
kuebiko an outsider Voices. Voices. Voices. They rattled around her head, her migraine surging in intensity. Sometimes, wasn't it best to be quiet, to silence your voice and instead listen in between the lines. She hears someone ask about the person she'd already seen enter the tunnel, but Kuebiko's answer does not come, instead she continues to move into the dark. And, as they all enter the tunnel and the first child to enter comes into view, Kuebiko finds it useless to confirm now. She's intimately aware of everyone around them, even the Warden in the dark, removed from the rest of the group. The pin-pricks of everyone's mind, of everyone's thoughts... they are readily available to her even though she does not pry, has no interest in doing so at the moment. She notices Silver, the little foal, reaching out towards the trail. Blessed with the same gift as she? You'll find nothing trying to think to it. She says calmly, her voice calm, but piercing, easily prying into his mind and communicating with him. It is but a sign that something has been here, not the soul itself. Then she turns and properly address the Warden's question. Does anyone know what it is? She does. This is familiar to her, intimately so. It is like she is. A fragment of a time once lost. "It is a trail worth following," she says smoothly, her tone candid, brooking no argument. She nods at Riviera, "Like Riviera says, there must be no harm in following it to the end anyways," She nods at the mare then turns her gaze elsewhere, to the tunnel and the faintly glowing trail beyond. Then, looking at Silver with a glittering excitement in her eyes, "Even if we and the wardens were to get lost, what lies at the end will be able to guide us back out. Don't fear." Her excitement, her affection for what lays beyond them is palpable, it emanates from her clearly.
2 . 332 words |
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Post by SaintPumpkinMuffin on Jul 14, 2019 18:17:04 GMT -6
Solomon | WardenThe tunnel suddenly got more crowded as the group descended upon Ozzer and Gemstone. Solomon could easily have been confused with a statue, had they not tilted their head at the sudden clutter. Camilla's magic arrow caused him to step backwards as it zipped to Solomon's face. "Peculiar," he said a second time, his wispy voice lost to all but the most close to him, which in that moment was the arrow and Camilla as she neared. He might have bowed to her, as was customary, but the arrow threatened to prick his nose if he did so.
Solomon's ears perked as Camilla's whistle returned the magic weapon to her side. Behind his helmet, Solomon blinked at the mare's question. "Camilla," Solomon said after a minute, "You're an apprentice alongside Sile. Solomon." The introduction was terse but not harsh. Solomon's voice hardly every was. With a nod of his head, he and Camila neared the group enough to rejoin the group, though Solomon still lingered at a distance. He was comfortable because his entirety was covered in his clothes, but still recognized his place as an outsider among these horses, whom seemed familiar with one another. The huge white stallion chose to linger near Camila and Ozzer as he noted that some of the other horses among them looked at him warily. He was unsurprised.
"Ozzer and I." The words broke suddenly from his mouth, directed at Silver, confirmed there were indeed competent Wardens among them. "We won't get lost," Solomon supported at Kuebiko's followup. "I had no plans for the festival anyway. Ozzer and I can take front and back of the group, if you'd like."
WC: 283
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Post by Zugunruhes on Jul 15, 2019 22:45:57 GMT -6
Kalyan
Breim | Doctor
More and more horses were being attracted by the strange trail and this realization immediately settled as an unpleasant twinge in Kalyan's gut. He was certain it had to be the work of spirits and he was not comfortable with meeting them once more. Yet at the same time another feeling was warning him not to leave the horses who pursued the odd lights alone or behind. Well, safety in numbers right? He started when Kuebiko spoke, his gaze focusing on her then quickly sliding off back to the others so that he was not caught staring. "More than I could know- more than I want to know more like." He muttered grimly, shifting from one hoof to another in an obvious gesture if displeasure. "If everyone is going after them I'm not going to be stuck out here-" Maybe that was a trickster spirit's plan?
Without another word he slipped after Kuebiko and the others, half-regretting it as the sounds of the festivities behind them faded. As another horse joined the group, voicing a similar though braver sentiment than Kalyan, the grullo horse murmured his agreement. Really the only thing driving him was not wanting to remain alone at the entrance of the trail, nor let any dangers befall the first that had gone in chasing after it. He had a natural and vibrant curiosity for many things- in the natural world- bones, fungi, unusual birds all caught his attention and he could spend hours chasing after those. But once the object of his interest became something supernatural his interest immediately went out and he was much happier curled up in his home.
When they finally encountered the leader of the expedition he felt a wash of relief that he had gone inside- it was definitely not safe for a child to be following this odd path. "Argus wants you to follow it, but why? It seems an awful lot suspicious to me." His tone was blunt, his manner shaped from his time on the surface away from more strict custom. "I am Kalyan, by the way-" most of the group was unfamiliar given his time away from Nariah, "Not a warden, but I am- ah- a doctor. I'll go with you all because I would rather not go back alone."
Word Count: 382
Post #2
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Post by Prismaticlysm on Jul 16, 2019 7:34:31 GMT -6
So his name was Ozzer. The fact he didn’t immediately bow, nor that he held it for as long as she, soared right over her head. She was glad he could see the trail too, and her heart fluttered when he mentioned Argus’ name. Yet the voices were closer now, voices in which a few sounded quite familiar to her. Voices who would join there in just a few scant moments.
Turning to face the others, she was greeted with a warming sight. First there was a seal bay unicorn whom Ozzer called Tenebris when the Tie came to greet him. She could see the familiar form of Camilla, a horse who Gemstone remembered during the collapse of Nariah who appeared to be chasing after a floating arrow; she made a mental note to ask the Apprentice about such a peculiar thing later. The stark white form of Riviera was another familiarity from when she had made her pilgrimage to the temple some time ago; she wondered how the mare was doing after that unfortunate break down. And a smaller, silver body who immediately said her name brought a smile to her face; it was Silver, an old school friend and another whom she had traveled to Argus’ temple with. She returns his smile with one of her own before she looked back to observe the other horses that had come. An older horse whom Gemstone recognized, also from the trip to the temple was Kuebiko, a strange horse whom she still didn’t know very well, but could never forget. There was also Kalyan, a horse she had met briefly long ago, but recalled their conversation regarding Argus. And finally, there was Solomon, a strangely dressed horse who seemed to want to obscure every part of his body, how mysterious, who had been pointed out by Camilla’s strange arrow.
Gemstone felt her hooves tingle with the thought of adventure. The collapse of Nariah and the discovery of the Guardians was bittersweet at best, but meeting Argus themself was likely the best thing that had ever happened to her in her short life. There were conversations all around her; Camilla and Solomon, Ozzer and Tenebris—She is unable to truly tell what is going on for a moment, but she turns to look to Riviera and Kuebiko, who had both voiced opinions she herself had. She followed Kuebiko’s gaze to Silvers, and she nodded as she agreed with what the old mare had said. Kalyan mentioned he wondered why Argus would want them to follow it, but who honestly knew. They worked in such mysterious ways. Not to mention again, to Gemstone, anything remotely supernatural was oh so interesting and if it had anything at all to do with Argus, she truly wanted to see them again.
“They have seen us meet! And I agree.” The striped filly suddenly said, loudly perhaps, as if to gain everyone's attention from both her greeting and agreement with what both Riviera and Kuebiko had stated. She knew well to allow the now named Wardens, Ozzer and Solomon, to lead the way, so she stepped aside to give them room to do their highly respectable jobs. “As long as we are together, Ozzer and Solomon will ensure we won’t get lost. And Argus is always watching.” She turned her head away from the group, her eyes back on the glowing trail. The trail that Silver had bravely found was floating above the very ground itself. She could almost feel a tug on each leg, urging her to follow. She wasn’t sure if it was her own desire, or if something, the something that made the trail, was physically beckoning her to follow.
“Shall we?” She asked, smiling as her emerald eyes sparkled, looking back over her shoulder and taking a step as she addressed the group as a whole.642 WordsPost #3 |
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Post by leaftail on Jul 16, 2019 11:17:09 GMT -6
Tenebris | Tie
Returning with a bow of his own, Tenebris was about to answer Ozzer when he noticed that the thing that had been hovering by Camilla had now posed itself dangerously close to another figure, farther back and in the shadows. Tenebris hadn’t seen the armored horse until then, and was surprised that Solomon was even there. The mare was soon able to gain control over her arrow once more, and the threat of any altercation, if there was one, was gone. The unicorn let out a soft sigh and looked back to Ozzer, once again ready to answer him, but the others had caught up and were now speaking up. Tenebris looked to Riviera as she suggested that as long as they were together, there wouldn’t be any trouble and it seemed the rest of the group was following suit with similar opinions. The silver colt, appropriately named Silver, asked if any of the group were Wardens. Tenebris looked to Ozzer, but the strange horse in the back spoke up. Apparently, he, too, knew Ozzer. Actually, now that Tenebris thought about it, the group was full of those who were familiar with each other. The youngsters seemed to perk up seeing another equine around their age, and were probably school mates. He wondered if Argus had done this on purpose. A reason, he hoped, they would soon find out. Kuebiko and Kalyan spoke up, Kuebiko sounding very excited to see what was at the end of this glowing trail. Tenebris could hear the hesitation in Kalyan’s voice and gave the doctor a soft smile. “ Argus works in mysterious ways, but he always has a message behind his actions, doesn’t he?” Tenebris asked, glancing down at Gemstone as she echoed Riviera’s words. “ I’m ready to see where this leads when you are, little one,” He said, his eyes traveling to the Wardens. “ I thank you in advance for your help with this little adventure we are about to take. Definitely not how I thought this day was going to go.”
Post: 3 | Word Count: 339 |
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Post by Zookcan on Jul 17, 2019 12:27:27 GMT -6
SILVER
"Nothing changes, if nothing changes."
Briefly their awareness was completely derailed, attention turned away from the rest of the small herd when another telepathic voice reached out to his. Silver sucked in a breath, feeling a chill run down his spine; for a moment, he dared to believe it was something ethereal speaking to him, but one second later, he realized it was not a spirit's voice, but Kuebiko's. No horse could have possibly sensed Silver had telepathy unless he stated it himself -- or unless: 'Kuebiko, you have telepathy, too?' He replies to her. They had spent a month in each other's company during their pilgrimage to the Temple of the Arcane. How is he just learning this now? 'What do you think it could be?'
No horse could have tapped into their conversation except themselves. Silver remained silent, but cast a glance towards the withered mare behind him every now again. To anyone else, it probably looked like he was simply listening to what she had to share with the others. Knowing that they were in the presence of two wardens, one who at least seemed interested in the strange glowing path, offered Silver comfort in his decision. He has traveled in the company of wardens before, between his and his family's trips between Oyuuta and Nariah.
He turns to Gemstone, seeing her confidence unwavering, and spearheading the group with sparkling eyes. Though still feeling hesitant, the colt nods in silent agreement, but chooses to stand closer to Kuebiko. She had just become a far more interesting horse to converse with, anyways.
post #4
word count: 258
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Post by mariahwhy on Jul 18, 2019 19:18:23 GMT -6
Ozzer | Warden
He had guessed they would not be able to actually answer his question, but everyone spoke up to their own degree. That was, he figured, a good sign for a group of horses that were going to be adventuring together. And it seemed, unfortunately, that they indeed were going to be adventuring - everyone had some sort of agreeing comment along the lines of "I don't know what it is, but we should follow it. Argus will protect us." He had thought, heard, and seen that same scenario several times now. Each time had ended in some sort of great discovery, true, but also ended in some sort of destruction.
He was about to mention as much, in regards to the general claim of seeing no harm in following the trail, when he caught sight of the two foals greeting each other. It brought a smile to his face, and Kuebiko's voice cut in, sounding oddly unphased. Her nonchalance at getting lost and trusting what lay "at the end" made him nervous. To be so blasé about the Labyrinth was dangerous. But still the conversation rolled on around him, and he could do little more than look from horse to horse as each spoke up, and he was volunteered for the job of guiding them, along with Solomon, along the trail.
He wanted to ask why, if they trusted this glowing trail so much, they needed guides, but he bit back the words. He could not in good conscience just leave this group on their own, despite the fact that they did have Solomon with them as well. They had essentially asked him, and he could not say no. Particularly once the little striped foal gave him her vote of confidence, and Tenebris preemptively thanked him. How could he possibly walk away from them now?
He couldn't.
"Definitely not how I thought this day was going to go."
"Me neither," he mumbled, wandering towards the back of the group.
"Solomon," he eyed the other warden, "You take the front. Your armor and such will be good in case we do... come across anything. I'll bring up the rear." From there he would use his blessing to check their surroundings every now and then. Just to make sure they were indeed the only beings along this trail. He glanced at the large grullo Doctor, and felt glad to have them along. He had appreciated Kalyan's ability to question the safety of the mission, and of course their skill in healing would come in handy if things did go wrong.
The donkey looked at Gemstone and Silver. Despite Solomon's technical position as leader and his own uncertainty he gave the foals a nod. If anything it was their adventure. "Lead the way."
(Post 3: 459 words)
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Post by Warped-Desire on Jul 18, 2019 21:37:37 GMT -6
Thinking back to the day Ayako was born made the pales mare's heart flutter and she couldn't help but sigh. Being here with two young children similar in age to Ari gave her all the concern a normal mother would have felt. These two weren't hers but she had that deep down desperate need to protect them... that almost made her want another baby of her own. She cleared her throat for all to hear, smiling almost nervously as her wings shifted beside her. With everyone's opinions out on the stable she decided to make the firm decision for them, "If Mr Solomon agrees... I guess we should head out?"She held her head high as she strode forward and right past them, moving up to stand protectively close to the young children. She remembered both from their trip to the Temple but then she had been different, missing her newborn had been hard on her and so had the loss of their home. Now though she was content as ever and not willing to let children come under harm even from her, she wasn't planning on scolding anyone on this trip... or so she deeply hoped that was
post: #3 WC: #200 |
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Post by SaintPumpkinMuffin on Jul 19, 2019 18:58:11 GMT -6
Solomon | WardenBehind his mask, Solomon's malformed eyes blinked in surprise by the gusto everyone seemed to show this whole situation. Tenebris' thank you made Solomon tilt his head in returned appreciation. A small reaction, considering all the eyes on him now was making Solomon's face heat up. Ozzer directed the much taller warden, who proceeded to turn as the pair of children, Silver and Gemstone, stepped up behind him, followed by Rivera. Tucking his staff into its place across his back, Solomon began the task of leading the way, the light glow of the trail illuminating his glass eyepieces.
"If you'd like me to slow my pace, or need a break, don't hesitate to say so," Solomon murmured softly-- he realized second handedly that the horses in the back might not have heard him. The statement was out of habit; before any trip into the tunnels, he would say the same thing to his traveling companions. The labyrinth was no joking matter. It was not only easy to get lost or injured, but even just fear and exhaustion could take a toll on the weak willed when confronted with endless echoing tunnels. Solomon has mastered (despite his rather intimidating appearance) being attuned to travelers needs.
After a moment to let all the horses gather and for Ozzer to get into position, Solomon began down the tunnel after the mist.
WC: 234
Post #3 |
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Post by Prismaticlysm on Jul 20, 2019 15:11:04 GMT -6
And so, the group as a whole began the strange journey following the whispy, glowing trail through the dangerous labyrinth.
Gemstone herself made sure to simply follow alongside the glowing trail rather than through it, uncertain that if she disturbed it or anything, it would simply vanish and their little adventure would cease right on the spot. And maybe the others weren’t wholly keen, but she certainly was. She wanted to see this trail to the end, regardless of what it could be. This was, in her honest to Argus opinion, way more interesting than a seemingly simple celebration. Way, way more interesting.
Some hours passed.
There was the occasional chatter, but Gemstone had settled on being rather quiet as she determinedly walked at the head of the group, yet still keeping her hind close to the Wardens...just in case. Could never be too careful, even if the situation didn’t particularly feel malicious. She never wanted to assume something weird or bad would happen. Both happened when the Guardians protected them. And meeting Argus was quite the contrary. It made her excited.
Until something started to making her less and less excited with each step.
Gemstone turned her head to her right; something flashed by her vision, like a streak of silver light avoiding her gaze. She wondered if this was the same effect with a candle, seeing something flicker and assuming something moved; must have been Solomon’s armor glinting off the glowing path. But then it happened again, above her head, and she tilted her head skyward and looked about above the glowing path. Surely it was a wisp of the path traveling over their heads.
But a little while later, she like like something, someone, was watching her from her other side, so she looked but again, saw nothing. She flared her nostrils in minor annoyance. Why was she starting to feel so jumpy? She rolled her eyes to her right and left to see if Solomon, Silver, or any of the others were looking down at her from behind, but it didn’t seem like any of them were boring their eyes into her like she had done something wrong. She flicked her tail irritatedly. Get a grip, Gemstone.
But probably the last straw was the sounds. They were sounds she never even heard before, sounds she couldn’t quite put a hoof on. And they seemed so close one second, then excruciatingly far away from her the very next. And they always seemed to start and stop the very moment she twitched an ear in the assumed direction to get a better grasp on what it could possibly be. She was feeling angry and nervous, and she didn’t know why. It was almost like how she felt when Nariah collapsed when the magic stone shattered. When everything went haywire.
Stopping, she turned to look around her shoulder to the group, wondering if anyone else was suddenly losing their heads like she was. Were they feeling eyes pressing in just out of reach? Were they feeling strangely emotional? Were they seeing things too?
“Uhm...how is everyone doing?” She suddenly asks, anxiety clear in her voice.
[PLOT NOTE: Your character will suddenly be experiencing very strange anomalies; like the feeling of being watched, flashes of light and color, emotional feelings, emphatic connections, and unknown sounds. Anything weird or unusual.]
527 WordsPost #4 |
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Post by hydrus101 on Jul 20, 2019 22:48:26 GMT -6
C A M I L L A• Breim | Apprentice •
“When you open the door to the other side, you might find a new world of possibilities that you never knew existed. Or like, ghosts or some other spooky shit.”
Ah, that explained it. She knew Sile, not well of course, but well enough to know of Solomon. Following his lead, Camilla moved back towards the group, pausing a moment as the warden lingered towards the outskirts. Mustn’t be one for crowds, she mused, looking over the gathering of her herd mates. As talk of following the trail mounted, the apprentice began to shift on her hooves again. She wanted to stay and enjoy the party, but the mystery was far too great and she fell in line towards the front of the group.
It was only a few hours later that Camilla began to rethink her decision. They were a long ways from home. The sounds of Nariah had long since faded behind them and other eerie noises had begun to kick up. The sound of tumbling rocks, the rattle of metal armor, the rhythm of hooves scraping against the stone floor. How much longer was this trail going to last? She kept her head low for the most part, the effort of keeping it high had grown too great a burden to bear. Her mind had long since wandered, drifting from thought to thought as she simply let her hooves carry her down the tunnel. As the group rounded a corner, however, Camilla felt something beneath her feet. It sounded like rushing water, a river perhaps? She paused a moment, clapped her hoof against the ground, and clicked her tongue, listening for an echo in the stone beneath her. Strange. It was solid. For some reason, having come up empty made her emotions flare. She was suddenly far more upset than she had been moments before, bordering on the brink irrationality. It was a rage that she couldn’t quite contain and the pure frustration she felt coiled up like a spring before it unwound and launched her into her astral state. Bewildered, the spectral mare floated above her own body for a few moments, blinking down curiously at it. Now in tune with her true emotions again, she was calm once more. What in the world was that all about? Cautiously, Camilla rejoined with her body and kept moving forwards, hoping no one had noticed the odd pause she’d made. No sooner than she’d regained her head, Gemstone spoke up shakily.
“Fine, I think. I think the long walk is just getting to-“ Camilla cut herself off, a sharp movement to her left drawing her attention. “Did anyone else see that?”
WC: 413
Post: 3
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Post by posy-punch on Jul 21, 2019 16:31:06 GMT -6
kuebiko an outsider She cocks her head, and despite the migraine that pulses behind her eyes, she doesn't push Silver's consciousness out of her head. She allows the little foal to talk to her and she listens intently before answering. I do, she confirms slowly, her voice measured in his head. I think it is something from my time, she answers cryptically. And then, the group is moving, and Kuebiko withdraws from Silver's mind and resumes her silence, following behind them all more than leading. They walk for hours, but for Kuebiko, the time is hardly droning. It passes quickly, without much excitement, and for her, that is perfectly all right. She feels at ease. Significantly so, even when the energy in the tunnels begin to change. Though this feeling isn't completely new to her, it has been such a long while that she has to familiarize herself with it once more. The sounds are haunting, ethereal, strange, but, as she listens she decides that without a doubt, she knows where the trail will lead. Perhaps it is her sudden bloom of excitement then that radiates. Almost immediately after, she feels a tinge of emotion: curiosity, and then her excitement amplifies ten-fold, though her face shows little more than a tinge of star-struck awe.
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Post by Zookcan on Jul 21, 2019 22:23:14 GMT -6
SILVER
"Nothing changes, if nothing changes."
'But why come now? Why now and never before?' They had wanted answers, and maybe to hear more of Kuebiko's opinion, but he could feel her thoughts leave his and Silver felt unsatisfied. He supposed whatever was ethereal made sense appearing to them now; perhaps it was a call from their god, or another sign that they were looking after them -- something that he had once doubted. In the protective company of the wardens, and Riviera, their dark and crystal hooves sauntered down the gleaming trail with some air of uncertainty.
Call it childish of him, but he still wanted his mother. Though he has the company of familiar faces, and Pixie ( who was more often a nuisance than not, ) Silver wonders if he will regret this. Hours pass and the echoes of Nariah are far behind them. Silver's head had eventually fallen low, and his stomach became heavy with homesickness. He had been through the tunnels many times, but never without one of his parents, hence he had never felt so vulnerable. The colt facaded his terror well with the lens of his spectacles.
'What if an earthquake strikes? What if the floor caves in? What if you get lost? Will you die here?' These are all pretty dark anxieties that weighed on his mind, and he tries to keep them away by reciting a rhyme in his head.
Three robes of silk, For the pretty mare, She's getting married, To the widow's heir,
Three robes of silk, For the mare and her sons, She taught them good manners, Their manes are in buns,
Three robes of silk, For the little old mare, Her son's getting married, To a lady most f--
A faint glimmer of light flashes on the lens of his glasses, and Silver can't help but look in its direction. He turns his head, but all he sees is the tunnel wall, and no crystals in sight to have cast off such a glare. The colt swears he is seeing things, and believes so until many minutes later. Then an orb of light distracts the eye, and the unicorn catches a glimpse of what looks like a familiar horse. Sorrow suddenly twists at his gut. 'Shouhei?'
But again, the boy ultimately sees nothing. The realization was oddly distressing, and the urge to whimper morosely was difficult to suppress. Silver grits his teeth and tries to ignore the heaviness of his heart. "No, I didn't see anything," He answers Gemstone absentmindedly.
post #5
word count: 430
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