The white sands were cool to the touch under the soft glow of Vescrutia Moonlit evening, hiding beneath the scattered debris of Fallen Nakrin Elves lie an entrance to a abandoned cave system.
The cave was once home to large, prehistoric Sloths whole tunneled deep into crust seeking shelter from the sweltering heat, standing just outside the entrance was the spectral figure that had been guiding the young myotis.
The Tarnished Crown
Re: The Tarnished Crown
“To know I was this close …”
He whispered into the wind with disbelief wings eclipsing the moon behind him. The last time he was here it was for a brief respite under Xelphis. Perched lazily on the branch that turns out to be the ancestral ground of a fierce predator.
“And yet”
The battle that ensured the snows to destroy this graveyard. He was reminded of the vehement way he went about snatching from the land around him robbing the very nature he felt connected to. Remembering when his ears were closed to the voices of the world around him. The ignored please of the land itself. Could it be he to was tied to this land? Naturally to an extent via his bloodline but something told him that was not quite it. After all the Myotis were bats not mammoths.
His hesitancy came not from worry, he was past that. He savored the coolness of the breeze. The calm of the silence. Resolving in himself to learn to head the world around him a little more. The only lesson learned from his being here before. Again he caught site of the specter that lead him here.
“Right then…”
He said as he descended from the moonlit skies once again to the sand. This time, unabated by his distaste for it. Today even it served a purpose.
A stepping stone into the unknown. Whether or not he would return this place as vindicator or slayer was still up in the air. What did it mean to be a Myotis Crown?
“Hmp”
He grunted as he landed before the ghostly being. He assumed words would be wasted on the being. It was just a carnation of Naten sent here by the one who truly brought him here. To what end?
He whispered into the wind with disbelief wings eclipsing the moon behind him. The last time he was here it was for a brief respite under Xelphis. Perched lazily on the branch that turns out to be the ancestral ground of a fierce predator.
“And yet”
The battle that ensured the snows to destroy this graveyard. He was reminded of the vehement way he went about snatching from the land around him robbing the very nature he felt connected to. Remembering when his ears were closed to the voices of the world around him. The ignored please of the land itself. Could it be he to was tied to this land? Naturally to an extent via his bloodline but something told him that was not quite it. After all the Myotis were bats not mammoths.
His hesitancy came not from worry, he was past that. He savored the coolness of the breeze. The calm of the silence. Resolving in himself to learn to head the world around him a little more. The only lesson learned from his being here before. Again he caught site of the specter that lead him here.
“Right then…”
He said as he descended from the moonlit skies once again to the sand. This time, unabated by his distaste for it. Today even it served a purpose.
A stepping stone into the unknown. Whether or not he would return this place as vindicator or slayer was still up in the air. What did it mean to be a Myotis Crown?
“Hmp”
He grunted as he landed before the ghostly being. He assumed words would be wasted on the being. It was just a carnation of Naten sent here by the one who truly brought him here. To what end?
Re: The Tarnished Crown
As the lost wanderer stumbled through the eerie darkness of the tunnel, he was occasionally revisited by the spectral figure that had led him here, materializing before him to confirm he was still taking the correct path. Though the bulk of the work was done by an extinct race, many of the corridor had been expanded into bed rooms or schools. The sandy wisp that had the adventure here form seemed to change with it's environment. Tossing aside its sandy countenance for one made of the grey stones that lined the tunnel.
The whispy apparition, beckoned him forward with a silent gestures, appearing more frequently the deeper they dove into the ancient passageway. Carved by a long-extinct race of sloths, the tunnel hinted at secrets of ages past, its walls bearing the weight of forgotten history. Paintings lined the walls of the tunnel , depicting stories of empires or gestures of affection-such as couples names encircled by a heart. The contrast between the art suggested that the tunnels had been home to many creatures over the years.
Unusually strong winds howled through the cavernous depths, threatening to extinguish any flame that one could ignite, with the gust becoming stronger the deeper one ventured through the forgotten corridors. Each gust sent shivers down his spine of the adventurer. Yet, as his light dimmed and flickered, a new wonder unfolded. Bioluminescent fungi adorned the floor, casting an ethereal glow that danced and shimmered like stars in the night sky, illuminating the way with their gentle glow.
Amidst the darkness and the eerie glow of the fungi, the wanderer caught hints of a familiar scent carried on the wind. The aroma of fresh water mingled with the earthy fragrance of vegetation. Behind the scent of fresh water came the faint, but unmistakable, sound of children's laughter-which sent the wisp into a strange fit that caused it too flicker like a dying light, before busting into a pile of fur. Leaving Inariel to navigate the cave alone guided by the sound of water and children at play.
It wouldn't be long before he found himself at a fork in the road. The sound the children's laughter had guided him this far, but oddly enough the voices sounded as if he came from both directions and with the same volume. A harmless decision to make considering outside of the children's voices, not a single other creature had been seen along the way, not even an abandoned spiders web.
The gust of wind that pushed Inariel along gradually increased in strength as he dove deeper into the cave, sometimes warranting one brace themselves for the wind to roll pass or be knocked to the ground. The tunnel went on for miles before this fork, taking hours to traverse at a casual pace and before the childrens laughter became Inariel guide, the silence of the cave was only broken by the howl of the approaching wind.
Perhaps due to the strange cylinder shape of the tunnel and the near perfectly polished gray stone, the howl of the wind carried with it a ringing sound, which got higher as the winds got faster. Up until this fork in the road the winds howl and chime sounded harmless, annoying-but, harmless.
Yet seconds after Inariel arrived at the fork in the road, the early sounds of the approaching wind and it's accompanied chime began it's whistle. A familiar and non threatening ring soothed his ears for but a moment. For seconds after the chime first rang , the whistle became a hellish shrill akin to the sound of the freed legion's of the Nether. The speeds the pressures of the coming gust could be felt miles away, forwarning Inariel of the sheer destructive force of the wind. He'd have to choose which path to take and exit the tunnel before the winds impacts him.
(Roll 1 D20 to see if you choose the correct tunnel. You'll need a 5 to succeed.
Roll 1 D20 to see if you outpace the wind. See Fate die for results
If you roll two D20 at once the first roll will apply to choosing the correct tunnel and the second die will apply to the winds impact.)
The whispy apparition, beckoned him forward with a silent gestures, appearing more frequently the deeper they dove into the ancient passageway. Carved by a long-extinct race of sloths, the tunnel hinted at secrets of ages past, its walls bearing the weight of forgotten history. Paintings lined the walls of the tunnel , depicting stories of empires or gestures of affection-such as couples names encircled by a heart. The contrast between the art suggested that the tunnels had been home to many creatures over the years.
Unusually strong winds howled through the cavernous depths, threatening to extinguish any flame that one could ignite, with the gust becoming stronger the deeper one ventured through the forgotten corridors. Each gust sent shivers down his spine of the adventurer. Yet, as his light dimmed and flickered, a new wonder unfolded. Bioluminescent fungi adorned the floor, casting an ethereal glow that danced and shimmered like stars in the night sky, illuminating the way with their gentle glow.
Amidst the darkness and the eerie glow of the fungi, the wanderer caught hints of a familiar scent carried on the wind. The aroma of fresh water mingled with the earthy fragrance of vegetation. Behind the scent of fresh water came the faint, but unmistakable, sound of children's laughter-which sent the wisp into a strange fit that caused it too flicker like a dying light, before busting into a pile of fur. Leaving Inariel to navigate the cave alone guided by the sound of water and children at play.
It wouldn't be long before he found himself at a fork in the road. The sound the children's laughter had guided him this far, but oddly enough the voices sounded as if he came from both directions and with the same volume. A harmless decision to make considering outside of the children's voices, not a single other creature had been seen along the way, not even an abandoned spiders web.
The gust of wind that pushed Inariel along gradually increased in strength as he dove deeper into the cave, sometimes warranting one brace themselves for the wind to roll pass or be knocked to the ground. The tunnel went on for miles before this fork, taking hours to traverse at a casual pace and before the childrens laughter became Inariel guide, the silence of the cave was only broken by the howl of the approaching wind.
Perhaps due to the strange cylinder shape of the tunnel and the near perfectly polished gray stone, the howl of the wind carried with it a ringing sound, which got higher as the winds got faster. Up until this fork in the road the winds howl and chime sounded harmless, annoying-but, harmless.
Yet seconds after Inariel arrived at the fork in the road, the early sounds of the approaching wind and it's accompanied chime began it's whistle. A familiar and non threatening ring soothed his ears for but a moment. For seconds after the chime first rang , the whistle became a hellish shrill akin to the sound of the freed legion's of the Nether. The speeds the pressures of the coming gust could be felt miles away, forwarning Inariel of the sheer destructive force of the wind. He'd have to choose which path to take and exit the tunnel before the winds impacts him.
(Roll 1 D20 to see if you choose the correct tunnel. You'll need a 5 to succeed.
Roll 1 D20 to see if you outpace the wind. See Fate die for results
If you roll two D20 at once the first roll will apply to choosing the correct tunnel and the second die will apply to the winds impact.)
Re: The Tarnished Crown
Inariel's wings retracted as he entered the maw of the cavern. Which, much to his surprise, was quite expansive in size. It could swallow him many times over, a testament to the grandeur of its creation and the creatures who hollowed out the earth in its making. As he traversed the nebula of tunnels, he had no choice but to notice the carvings and etchings on the walls. Rooms upon room of all sorts so intricately strung together made him question his ability in wielding naten. These creations were more intentional, even artisanal. Blood, sweat, and tears, not only of pain but also of joy, left their imprint on the stone. He could feel them even as he was now, the faint echoes of ages long past. He wondered what their bonds were like, each one rising and each falling. The things that connected them made me whole, and then there was their fracture. The splinters that drove wedges between their unions. Did the separation continue to their run, or was it the union itself that led to their destruction?
The traveler further noticed the winds increasingly intensifying. He walked unabated for the first mile, but as he continued deeper and deeper, their ferocity grew to the point that he had to use a sprinkle of naten to divide the gust so that his stride would continue unrestrained. Eventually, Inariel was gifted with a sight that actually left an impression on him. Seeing the way the fungi thrived in this hollow was actually…refreshing. He stopped next to it, crouching down to its level. He raised his hand over it and found that the lifeform swayed along with his movements. What was it? That connected him to life so. When he was amongst plant life, no matter its voraciousness, he was at his most docile—bearing his torture in silence. His most affirmed and in control of his mind. Inari has scarcely addressed nor spoken about the afflictions of his curse, which he battles daily, and how his dreams are haunted by the innumerable regrets of his past lives. All their pain gui, guilt, and rage were his sole legacy. Even amongst his own, he knew himself to be an anomaly. He was recounting the shock of the Crown Royale's secretary when he spoke his name. Most of them had never even seen. He wondered what the root of his curse was, the rage that calls to him so. What was his original sin? Was it so great that it warranted dominion over his eternity? What use was the notion of immortality if it would be spent in a perpetual loop of insanity
"1,000, hundreds of lives, and yet I still don't know the first thing about love...destined to chase after its phantom too long for its ghost."
They were all doomed from the moment they were born. No matter how they moved through the world, even those who sought to better the world eventually all succeeded in their avarice for love, snatching it from someone else their own void and, ultimately, losing the things they never genuinely attained to being with. It was a madness so cyclic at times that he truly felt it would be like this forever. Then, he remembers his mother's words that he has the power to define his fate, which brings to mind the Wizard King's last words to him at the end of his trial.
"All things, no matter how ancient, all came from a seed once planted. Suppose yours is an affliction of rage. First, find your roots and dig deeper into those beyond you. Pain does divide but..."
He said as he would rise. In the corner of his eye, he noticed a fungi that was not doing as well as the others. Because of its position, it received a different amount of nourishment than the others. His mind reflected back on the battle with Orca, cousin of Nagase; the Vesta spawn with a knack for vexing him with her sharp tongue how he decimated the tree that was the last of his kind. He was like a parasite sucking the land of Vescrutia dry for his gain and never going back to heal the lands he took from. No matter what he told himself about its necessity, something about it sat right with him. So, Inari would prick his finger, dripping his blood onto the fungi till it created a small pool beneath it. Within time, it would become strong enough to survive with the rest of its kind.
"Also connects"
Amrit would remain silent, listening to his other half spout on his prolific dribble. However, even his familiar could not deny his fox nature of intrigue, which would propel Inariel to the next frontier of his existence. Would it be the power of family, or would it be discarded? The beast knew it would grow either way, but it truly wished to know what kind of being Inari was about to become. Eventually, Inari came across a fork in the tunnel that inspired a feeling of angst. He had walked long enough to get attuned to the airwaves traveling through the tunnels and the intensity that was building.
The hairs on his neck stood up as he as the sheiks filled the cavern walls with their insufferable screeching. The ears of a Myotis are susceptible, and such high-pitched bone chills and shrills nearly sent his fist through the walls. He hadn't the time; refusing to buckle, he knew he needed to move or suffer the full force of this impending threat. He decided to go through the left tunnel, hoping it would lead him to safety, bracing himself for impact.
The traveler further noticed the winds increasingly intensifying. He walked unabated for the first mile, but as he continued deeper and deeper, their ferocity grew to the point that he had to use a sprinkle of naten to divide the gust so that his stride would continue unrestrained. Eventually, Inariel was gifted with a sight that actually left an impression on him. Seeing the way the fungi thrived in this hollow was actually…refreshing. He stopped next to it, crouching down to its level. He raised his hand over it and found that the lifeform swayed along with his movements. What was it? That connected him to life so. When he was amongst plant life, no matter its voraciousness, he was at his most docile—bearing his torture in silence. His most affirmed and in control of his mind. Inari has scarcely addressed nor spoken about the afflictions of his curse, which he battles daily, and how his dreams are haunted by the innumerable regrets of his past lives. All their pain gui, guilt, and rage were his sole legacy. Even amongst his own, he knew himself to be an anomaly. He was recounting the shock of the Crown Royale's secretary when he spoke his name. Most of them had never even seen. He wondered what the root of his curse was, the rage that calls to him so. What was his original sin? Was it so great that it warranted dominion over his eternity? What use was the notion of immortality if it would be spent in a perpetual loop of insanity
"1,000, hundreds of lives, and yet I still don't know the first thing about love...destined to chase after its phantom too long for its ghost."
They were all doomed from the moment they were born. No matter how they moved through the world, even those who sought to better the world eventually all succeeded in their avarice for love, snatching it from someone else their own void and, ultimately, losing the things they never genuinely attained to being with. It was a madness so cyclic at times that he truly felt it would be like this forever. Then, he remembers his mother's words that he has the power to define his fate, which brings to mind the Wizard King's last words to him at the end of his trial.
"All things, no matter how ancient, all came from a seed once planted. Suppose yours is an affliction of rage. First, find your roots and dig deeper into those beyond you. Pain does divide but..."
He said as he would rise. In the corner of his eye, he noticed a fungi that was not doing as well as the others. Because of its position, it received a different amount of nourishment than the others. His mind reflected back on the battle with Orca, cousin of Nagase; the Vesta spawn with a knack for vexing him with her sharp tongue how he decimated the tree that was the last of his kind. He was like a parasite sucking the land of Vescrutia dry for his gain and never going back to heal the lands he took from. No matter what he told himself about its necessity, something about it sat right with him. So, Inari would prick his finger, dripping his blood onto the fungi till it created a small pool beneath it. Within time, it would become strong enough to survive with the rest of its kind.
"Also connects"
Amrit would remain silent, listening to his other half spout on his prolific dribble. However, even his familiar could not deny his fox nature of intrigue, which would propel Inariel to the next frontier of his existence. Would it be the power of family, or would it be discarded? The beast knew it would grow either way, but it truly wished to know what kind of being Inari was about to become. Eventually, Inari came across a fork in the tunnel that inspired a feeling of angst. He had walked long enough to get attuned to the airwaves traveling through the tunnels and the intensity that was building.
"..?!"Yet seconds after Inariel arrived at the fork in the road, the early sounds of the approaching wind and it's accompanied chime began it's whistle. A familiar and non-threatening ring soothed his ears for but a moment. For seconds after the chime first rang, the whistle became a hellish shrill akin to the sound of the freed legion's of the Nether. The speeds the pressures of the coming gust could be felt miles away, forwarning Inariel of the sheer destructive force of the wind. He'd have to choose which path to take and exit the tunnel before the winds impacts him.
The hairs on his neck stood up as he as the sheiks filled the cavern walls with their insufferable screeching. The ears of a Myotis are susceptible, and such high-pitched bone chills and shrills nearly sent his fist through the walls. He hadn't the time; refusing to buckle, he knew he needed to move or suffer the full force of this impending threat. He decided to go through the left tunnel, hoping it would lead him to safety, bracing himself for impact.
Re: The Tarnished Crown
The relentless winds, like furious giants, slam against the tunnel walls with an unyielding force, causing the structure to groan and tremble. The traveling adventure trapped within would feel every gust as though it were a malevolent spirit clawing at their very soul. Dust and debris swirl through the air like a chaotic dance, stinging their skin and clouding their vision with a gritty haze.
As the winds intensify, the tunnel becomes a merciless chamber of torment, amplifying every shriek and howl until it feels like the very air is tearing at their sanity. Each breath becomes a struggle, as the pressure differential between the tunnel's entrance and exit creates a vacuum-like effect, threatening to suffocate them with every inhale.
The adventurer rushed down the left tunnel, but found himself at a dead in with the storm like winds hot of his trail. With nowhere to escape too , the person's body was pinned to the cavern wall. The turbulent winds peeled at his flesh and put enough pressures on his body to not only make breathing nigh impossible but pulverize his bones by the re tolentless onslaught. Their limbs were pinned to the wall, making the use of Mudra impossible. Though the hellish gust only lasted a few seconds, being helplessly pinned against the walls of the cavern felt like an eternity.
The deafening roar of the wind drowned out their cries for help, but strangely enough the mix of children's chatter and noticable sound of disappointment could be heard just behind the cavern wall that Inariel was pinned too-preventing them from suffering in agonizing isolation as the tempest raged on, indifferent to their plight.
Fortunately for the adventurer their harden skin and a breech in the cavern wall had given way to an exit, pushing his bruised and battered body through the 6ft of hardened stone wall. His eyes would find the faces of confused myotis younglings, a race of elves that had been living in hiding for centuries.
Children:Awww.
The groaned in unison.
Children: The winds didn't kill him...we won't be able to eat.
The smell of fresh water became stronger and the voices of an older beings could be heard approaching.
Male voice:Step back children....The smell of blood and war permeates the air around him. *He said as he Slowly made its approach towards Inariel. He could tell his consciousness was slipping away like sand through their fingers, the world around them fading into a haze of blurred shapes and muffled sounds.
Male voice:We need to take him to Aurelius.
Through the fog, the last thing they saw was a towering figure, a bat-like creature with wings spread wide, looming over them with an ominous presence. Its wings stretched out like shadows, casting a dark shroud over their fading vision, while its long, pointed nose protruded sharply from its face, resembling a dagger poised to strike.
The creature's eyes, deep and pitch-black, seemed to pierce through the haze with an intensity that sent a shiver down their spine. As their vision dimmed and the darkness enveloped them, a sense of powerlessness washed over them, like a weight pressing down on their chest, suffocating and relentless. With each fleeting moment, the world grew distant and cold, slipping away into the void as they surrendered to the embrace of unconsciousness, leaving only the haunting image of the bat creature etched into their mind's eye. the battered body of Inariel.
As the winds intensify, the tunnel becomes a merciless chamber of torment, amplifying every shriek and howl until it feels like the very air is tearing at their sanity. Each breath becomes a struggle, as the pressure differential between the tunnel's entrance and exit creates a vacuum-like effect, threatening to suffocate them with every inhale.
The adventurer rushed down the left tunnel, but found himself at a dead in with the storm like winds hot of his trail. With nowhere to escape too , the person's body was pinned to the cavern wall. The turbulent winds peeled at his flesh and put enough pressures on his body to not only make breathing nigh impossible but pulverize his bones by the re tolentless onslaught. Their limbs were pinned to the wall, making the use of Mudra impossible. Though the hellish gust only lasted a few seconds, being helplessly pinned against the walls of the cavern felt like an eternity.
The deafening roar of the wind drowned out their cries for help, but strangely enough the mix of children's chatter and noticable sound of disappointment could be heard just behind the cavern wall that Inariel was pinned too-preventing them from suffering in agonizing isolation as the tempest raged on, indifferent to their plight.
Fortunately for the adventurer their harden skin and a breech in the cavern wall had given way to an exit, pushing his bruised and battered body through the 6ft of hardened stone wall. His eyes would find the faces of confused myotis younglings, a race of elves that had been living in hiding for centuries.
Children:Awww.
The groaned in unison.
Children: The winds didn't kill him...we won't be able to eat.
The smell of fresh water became stronger and the voices of an older beings could be heard approaching.
Male voice:Step back children....The smell of blood and war permeates the air around him. *He said as he Slowly made its approach towards Inariel. He could tell his consciousness was slipping away like sand through their fingers, the world around them fading into a haze of blurred shapes and muffled sounds.
Male voice:We need to take him to Aurelius.
Through the fog, the last thing they saw was a towering figure, a bat-like creature with wings spread wide, looming over them with an ominous presence. Its wings stretched out like shadows, casting a dark shroud over their fading vision, while its long, pointed nose protruded sharply from its face, resembling a dagger poised to strike.
The creature's eyes, deep and pitch-black, seemed to pierce through the haze with an intensity that sent a shiver down their spine. As their vision dimmed and the darkness enveloped them, a sense of powerlessness washed over them, like a weight pressing down on their chest, suffocating and relentless. With each fleeting moment, the world grew distant and cold, slipping away into the void as they surrendered to the embrace of unconsciousness, leaving only the haunting image of the bat creature etched into their mind's eye. the battered body of Inariel.
Re: The Tarnished Crown
The tyrannical screeching of the winds intensified as the seconds passed. The sensation of looming peril he felt was not just a sporadic tingle but a lingering stabbing of the mind, signifying what was to come. He was fortunate to avoid the first wave of turbulence, but his path led to a dead end.
His consciousness faded only to the disappointed children's tone and name.
"Aurelius?"
He spoke softly as it all faded to nothing...
Hours later
In the depths of his psyche, Inari stood in pure red. Spires of hardened, blackened blood clotted, creating twisted art forms, many reflecting the grief and shame of his former self. His soul realm was "Akai Kizu"-the Red Wound. Upon the cardinal horizon, a valley of sanguine emotions stretched beyond into eternity. Drifting amongst a cloud was Amrit, his familiar, without a single care in the world even after Inari's flesh was stripped from him.
"Quite the welcome. The children were preparing to devour you luckily you lived"
Inari sucked his teeth in angst, staring into the crimson beyond. The moon here never set; it just stayed hoisted in the sky, changing nothing and moving nothing as if in mockery. He had never experienced a force like that before and was utterly unprepared. Had he taken another route, they might've consumed him entirely.
"This...Aurelius. They are taking me to him."
"You would still speak with them, knowing the children would've fed on your corpse should you have perished?
Inari rolled his eyes toward the sky, where his other half was perched.
"What use is flesh that no longer responds to my call? Besides... if they consumed my flesh...I would've lived once more through one of them regardless"
His curse would see him reborn, a pitty if a child had consumed him, his blood facilitating their form as a vessel for his return. Being reborn is a horrific experience, even more so for whatever the vessel would be if he were consumed. Amrit would snicker.
"Besides, something powerful is near me... let us see who or what this creature is"
The vision of his inner self dispersed his eyes, cracking open the light, and he felt no aches in his body. As he awoke, he would find himself in some...medical ward? The air was much different here; mystical energy practically saturated it.
"Aurelius. Aurelius!"
He shouted in a guttural daze. The feeling of losing coolness was not one he had experienced often. It was vulnerable and, therefore, uncomfortable for him. He rose in angst, apprehension, and confusion, his primary emotions. Curiosity buried underneath them both.
His body slammed against the wall of the caves with bone-shattering force. Inari might have been a fearsome caster, but his physical form often provided the guise that he was physically stronger than he was. Despite being 6'7, 250 plus pounds of defined muscular, his physical strength was slightly above that of the average being for his size, not nearly enough to withstand the fearsome gales. As he was sent smacking into the walls, he tried to muster his naten, but the severe winds were such that his thoughts were muddled. His fitted in agony, and his flesh as peeled bones snapping by the overwhelming stampede of might. Aside from the crack in the foundation, his otherworldly regenerative ability was his only saving grace. Still, with the damage this severe and happening all at once, it would take his body more time than content to heal.The adventurer rushed down the left tunnel, but found himself at a dead in with the storm like winds hot of his trail. With nowhere to escape too , the person's body was pinned to the cavern wall. The turbulent winds peeled at his flesh and put enough pressures on his body to not only make breathing nigh impossible but pulverize his bones by the re tolentless onslaught. Their limbs were pinned to the wall, making the use of Mudra impossible. Though the hellish gust only lasted a few seconds, being helplessly pinned against the walls of the cavern felt like an eternity.
The deafening roar of the wind drowned out their cries for help, but strangely enough the mix of children's chatter and noticable sound of disappointment could be heard just behind the cavern wall that Inariel was pinned too-preventing them from suffering in agonizing isolation as the tempest raged on, indifferent to their plight.
Fortunately for the adventurer their harden skin and a breech in the cavern wall had given way to an exit, pushing his bruised and battered body through the 6ft of hardened stone wall. His eyes would find the faces of confused myotis younglings, a race of elves that had been living in hiding for centuries.
His consciousness faded only to the disappointed children's tone and name.
"Aurelius?"
He spoke softly as it all faded to nothing...
Hours later
In the depths of his psyche, Inari stood in pure red. Spires of hardened, blackened blood clotted, creating twisted art forms, many reflecting the grief and shame of his former self. His soul realm was "Akai Kizu"-the Red Wound. Upon the cardinal horizon, a valley of sanguine emotions stretched beyond into eternity. Drifting amongst a cloud was Amrit, his familiar, without a single care in the world even after Inari's flesh was stripped from him.
"Quite the welcome. The children were preparing to devour you luckily you lived"
Inari sucked his teeth in angst, staring into the crimson beyond. The moon here never set; it just stayed hoisted in the sky, changing nothing and moving nothing as if in mockery. He had never experienced a force like that before and was utterly unprepared. Had he taken another route, they might've consumed him entirely.
"This...Aurelius. They are taking me to him."
"You would still speak with them, knowing the children would've fed on your corpse should you have perished?
Inari rolled his eyes toward the sky, where his other half was perched.
"What use is flesh that no longer responds to my call? Besides... if they consumed my flesh...I would've lived once more through one of them regardless"
His curse would see him reborn, a pitty if a child had consumed him, his blood facilitating their form as a vessel for his return. Being reborn is a horrific experience, even more so for whatever the vessel would be if he were consumed. Amrit would snicker.
"Besides, something powerful is near me... let us see who or what this creature is"
The vision of his inner self dispersed his eyes, cracking open the light, and he felt no aches in his body. As he awoke, he would find himself in some...medical ward? The air was much different here; mystical energy practically saturated it.
"Aurelius. Aurelius!"
He shouted in a guttural daze. The feeling of losing coolness was not one he had experienced often. It was vulnerable and, therefore, uncomfortable for him. He rose in angst, apprehension, and confusion, his primary emotions. Curiosity buried underneath them both.
Re: The Tarnished Crown
As the man stirred from his deep slumber, his senses gradually returning to him, he was met by a pair of intimidating eyes that pierced through the candle lot room. Standing just outside his door was a towering figure, humanoid in nature but adorned with lustrous golden fur and wings. Their fur seemed to emit its own gentle glow, casting warm hues across the dimly lit room. Despite his initial shock, the man found himself strangely at ease in the presence of this majestic being, whose towering stature belied a demeanor of serene calmness.
The bat elf regarded him with eyes that shined as bright as their fur, their gaze carrying a weight of ancient knowledge and boundless kindness. With each graceful movement, their fur shimmered like strands of spun gold, illuminating the darkness with a soft, ethereal light. Though their presence exuded a distinct aura of power, there was no hint of threat or menace in their demeanor. Instead, they radiated a palpable sense of peace and tranquility, as if they were guardians of a realm untouched by the cares and worries of the mortal world.
Inariel awoke to a soft bed and his wounds wrapped with medical bandages, but the majestic presence of his new guest was sullied by the loud snoring of the patient he shared a room with. Their snore seemed to favor the screech of the turbulent winds that had brought Inariel here, which was neither pleasurable to his sense or his memories.
The large Elv that entered the room, who, unlike the other myotis were adored with golden fur, a sharp contrast to the brown and black fur the other elves possessed, entered alone, shooing away what appeared to be their guards.
Brown Fur Elv: Were just outside, my liege. If anything happens.
Golden Fur: Settle down. Though their hands are marred by blood, I'm certain they aren't here for war.
They said softly before shutting the wooden door behind them and casually strolling towards Inariel bedside.
Golden:My name is Aurelius and you are?
The words were as soft as their footstep, making it very difficult to hear them over the loud snoring of the other elve that shared his room.
Aurelius:I'm not sure how you found this cave, but...I have the most nagging suspicion that you have found your way home. Which...seems odd to say, since you and I couldn't be more different. They said while bringing their arm next to their guest arm, showcasing the distinct difference between them.
The bat elf regarded him with eyes that shined as bright as their fur, their gaze carrying a weight of ancient knowledge and boundless kindness. With each graceful movement, their fur shimmered like strands of spun gold, illuminating the darkness with a soft, ethereal light. Though their presence exuded a distinct aura of power, there was no hint of threat or menace in their demeanor. Instead, they radiated a palpable sense of peace and tranquility, as if they were guardians of a realm untouched by the cares and worries of the mortal world.
Inariel awoke to a soft bed and his wounds wrapped with medical bandages, but the majestic presence of his new guest was sullied by the loud snoring of the patient he shared a room with. Their snore seemed to favor the screech of the turbulent winds that had brought Inariel here, which was neither pleasurable to his sense or his memories.
The large Elv that entered the room, who, unlike the other myotis were adored with golden fur, a sharp contrast to the brown and black fur the other elves possessed, entered alone, shooing away what appeared to be their guards.
Brown Fur Elv: Were just outside, my liege. If anything happens.
Golden Fur: Settle down. Though their hands are marred by blood, I'm certain they aren't here for war.
They said softly before shutting the wooden door behind them and casually strolling towards Inariel bedside.
Golden:My name is Aurelius and you are?
The words were as soft as their footstep, making it very difficult to hear them over the loud snoring of the other elve that shared his room.
Aurelius:I'm not sure how you found this cave, but...I have the most nagging suspicion that you have found your way home. Which...seems odd to say, since you and I couldn't be more different. They said while bringing their arm next to their guest arm, showcasing the distinct difference between them.
Re: The Tarnished Crown
As the daze from his sudden awakening wore off, Inariel found his faculties returning. The moment he entered the room, his senses erupted into yet another flurry; this one was not disruptive—it was captivating, magnetizing even. This was what a Myotis looked like; this was the blood that flowed through him. His brown twitched in annoyance at the loud, screeching snarl of the sleeping patient. Inariel's crimson mane fell solemnly over his face. As the brown fur left, he moved it, revealing his piercing lime-green eyes.
Inariel said as he rose from lying down. His wounds are now completely healed. In conjunction with whatever tactics the Myotis used on him, Inari, on his own, possessed an almost incredulous regenerative factor. Being able to manipulate blood to the level he was ably afforded him such.... luxuries. He could not deny how those terrible winds nearly put him out of commission. He supposed that was an estimate of the strength of one who navigated them daily.
"What do you mean? Was your specter, a trick of the wind as it was, that guided me here?"
He was undoubtedly perplexed now. He had been guided here by some magic conjuration that he assumed belonged to someone here. How else could he have come across this place? Aurelius's golden fur laid beside Inari radiated a certain... courage. His tone, despite the snarling creature asleep, spoke of a sort of regalness. Just who was this creature before him?
"You dismissed their worries so readily. How can you be certain that I have not come for your blood or the blood of every being here?"Golden Fur: Settle down. Though their hands are marred by blood, I'm certain they aren't here for war.
They said softly before shutting the wooden door behind them and casually strolling towards Inariel bedside.
Golden:My name is Aurelius and you are?
Inariel said as he rose from lying down. His wounds are now completely healed. In conjunction with whatever tactics the Myotis used on him, Inari, on his own, possessed an almost incredulous regenerative factor. Being able to manipulate blood to the level he was ably afforded him such.... luxuries. He could not deny how those terrible winds nearly put him out of commission. He supposed that was an estimate of the strength of one who navigated them daily.
"What do you mean? Was your specter, a trick of the wind as it was, that guided me here?"
He was undoubtedly perplexed now. He had been guided here by some magic conjuration that he assumed belonged to someone here. How else could he have come across this place? Aurelius's golden fur laid beside Inari radiated a certain... courage. His tone, despite the snarling creature asleep, spoke of a sort of regalness. Just who was this creature before him?
Re: The Tarnished Crown
They chuckled in response and sat in a chair that was arguably too small for any adult in their tribe. Following their soft laughter they replied in the language native to the myotis Elv, one that featured the high pitch shrill associated with large bats and the clicks most often used by dolphins during echo location.
"A sense of humor? How cute. I doubt you've come all this way for blood and if you did...then you'd be forced into conflict with the myotis crown-me, leaving my family plenty of time to escape."
"Well, that answers my second question of 'Why are you here? But i can't put my mind on who would have led you here. Can you describe this Spector at all?"
Aurelius eyes drifted off a feature that couldn't really be experienced to his observer, as his eyes were pulls of darkness, including his iris.
Re: The Tarnished Crown
Inari's ears twitched as the golden fur spoke using his native tongue. It amazed the scarlet-haired demon that he readily understood its tone and inflections, reminiscent of his language in the battle with the Tyre. There was indeed no denying it: Inari and this...Aurelius, despite the obvious differences between them...were indeed kin. This realization clad Inari in a veil of uneasiness. More to the point, he was the current crown of the Myotis and Inariel's predecessor. He observed his counterpart even further; with his sight, Inari could see the life forces of those around him, and boy...was Aruelous bustling with it, though he noticed glimmers of something faint, splotches of black...it often signified one close to death.They chuckled in response and sat in a chair that was arguably too small for any adult in their tribe. Following their soft laughter they replied in the language native to the myotis Elv, one that featured the high pitch shrill associated with large bats and the clicks most often used by dolphins during echo location.
"A sense of humor? How cute. I doubt you've come all this way for blood and if you did...then you'd be forced into conflict with the myotis crown-me, leaving my family plenty of time to escape."
"I am glad you have found humor where there was none..."
But he was correct; though he did not come here to conflict with them, the jury was still out on whether this interaction would lead to one. Inariel was very guarded despite his lax tone and demeanor. There were so many unknowns and variables, and the gold fur's abstract cluelessness only increased his growing angst.
"I was lead here after my...victory in the Crown Jewel contest hosted in the Acrix."
If it could even be called that, its utterance stung his tongue, almost as if he felt like he was lying. In truth, the battle was cut abruptly. They announced that all those who remained were the victors of their respective houses...yet Inariel was the inheritor of nothing—not until the specter called out to him.
"It was as if the very winds were given life, a twisted with eyes that pierced like...well ours. With wings that spanned into eternity. It said only one word before leading me here..."
Snaaaarrrrrlll
With an agitated snap of his fingers, a bubble of naten manifests around the sleeping injured, encasing his terrible noise within. The being remained unharmed, but he soon fell silent. It was starting to piss the young crown off...he was not over the trauma of the winds before. They should put up a sign that warns about that shit.
"Home..."
His eyes drifted gingerly from the snarling conspire to Aurelius...a moment of softness at mentioning the word...and then they returned to their hardened, piercing glare.