Into Divinty (Lell only)

[Lell]

Zularin jumped almost a foot in the air, a rather girlish scream escaping him. The group turned to stare at him, and he grinned sheepishly, looking away with hot cheeks. “Hi, cousins.” He grumbled, pawing at the ground with an eerie grating sound. “You just missed a bitchy Suki, consider yourself lucky.” He said bluntly. Averel tilted his head, ebon mane falling over his gold flecked brown eyes. “Therion and Shadda. I’ll have to remember that. I would be Averel, at your service.” He bowed low once before retreating to the back of the cave.

No one had noticed Element was missing.

Except for him.

Shooting his head up, nostrils flaring, Zularin looked around the shadows of the cave with narrowed eyes.

“Element…” He growled. “What?” Averel called from the back of the cave, not sounding very worried at all.

“Where is she?”

[Captain]

At the mention, Kalen was sent looking around frantically. She was nowhere to be found.
"She's... gone," he sighed. he was exhausted almost to Shadda's extent.
He plopped down near Lidione and her tiny family. Aero was fast asleep and Lidione was curled around her. Storm was keeping watch at the cavern's mouth.

"I didn't see her leave. Kalen I'm so sorry, I should have been watching..."
The palomino shook his head. "Don't, please. I'm tired and I just don't want to talk about her anymore. I don't know why she's left, but it was her choice. She's changed drastically..."

Xanthe sighed and looked to her mother, who offered no explanation.
"Well, great." huffed Demitha, who was clearly unamused.
"So what now? We've got the Five here and-"
"Oh no you don't," Shadda hissed. "As soon as he gets up, we're leaving."
Demitha shot a look at Kalen, who shrugged and rolled his eyes.

"lovely."

[Lell]

Something clicked in the back of Zularin’s head. A memory. A small fragment, nothing more. Something Taylust once told them, and if Shadda and Therion planned to leave, it might help a little, if at all. “There is one other. Though I am not sure she will be friendly with us, let alone help us. And she is not of our kind, so I doubt she would be able to fight.” Zularin piped up, looking up with his sky blue eyes that were darkened with fatigue.

“Aysel.”

Her name was barely whispered, something almost unholy, never mentioned, lest it burn their ears. The first child, the first of them all. Averel looked up at this, this calling unfamiliar to him, he didn’t know. Silence filled the cave. “Aysel?” Averel echoed, finally breaking the silence. Zularin barely looked back at him, biting his tongue. “Yes, his daughter. Their sister…” He faded off, looking up. “Half sister.” Averel raised his brows, twitching one ear. “If she’s not like us, how is she supposed to help us?” He asked. “I don’t know, it was just an idea!” Zularin snapped.
-------------------------------
“You have to go back you know.” Paladin growled, tossing his head lazily, chocolate forelock falling over his face messily. Element didn’t look up, intently examining a blade of grass. “You won’t just let them be swallowed up whole by this Myrrh, will you?” Paladin asked, looking up at her with one sky blue eye. Element pawed slightly at the earth. “No…” “Then go back! You never quite belonged here anyway.” “And you did?”

The stallion grew quiet at this, eyes flashing back and looking over the large fenced enclosure that he spent his days in. “You didn’t give me a choice now did you. Even if you did…perhaps I would chose this.” He said slowly. A hiss escaped Element. Paladin rolled his eyes, grinning slightly. “A life of captivity? You want this?” “You wanted this. You let them ride you, lead you, you taught me this.” Element bit her lip, glaring at him. “Come with me.” She pleaded, lowering her head slightly.

“This is your war, not mine.”

[Captain]

"It wouldn't be of any use either way. She's not of Jessera's blood, and Jessera is a key component in the Five. Since these two are leaving, we're still screwed." Symbol said darkly. She was obviously tired and agitated. Making a Diviner would do that to you.

Shadda looked up, careful not to disturb her brother's sleep. "I'll stay," she whispered.
Kalen whirled around in shock. "But... why? You said it yourself, all we've done is abandon you two..."
"You're still family. Family never gets left behind." she said resolutely. "He will go. I will stay. Mother and father would have wanted it like this."
After a beat of silence, Kalen nodded.

Symbol cleared her throat. "Now for this to work, Kalen needs to go back to Myrrh and work as her puppet again. I can't guarantee he'll make it out of this alive-"
"Shut up."
Symbol looked at him with utter confusion. "What was that Kalen?"
"I said shut up! You're talking about my life like it doesn't matter! Like I don't exist! Maybe I'm sick of being the damn sacrifice every time!" he roared, voice echoing in the cave.
"I have a mate that I love and a son who I've never met! I can have a life after this and YOU of all people can't decide what I get to do! Centuries ago my sole purpose was to save the immortal world, but not anymore! No one is going to make a sacrifice out of me ever again! I'm DONE!"

And with that, he sprouted his wings and shot off into the night sky.

[Lell]

Averel’s jaw dropped when Kalen took off into the night, he could still hear the rain pounding against his fleeing body. Zularin’s cerulean eyes narrowed as he watched him escape, a slight hiss escaping his weakening body. “There goes the next drama queen, Averel, you’re next, I presume?” He growled. A loud THWACK echoed across the cave, followed by a very loud “OW.”
--------
Across the rolling hills, a Wraith, a black, horrifying thing, made his way into the thick forest. He trotted warily forward, hissing when another Wraith crossed his path, then entered a clearing. “Zirika, my lady.” He snarled to the hunched form on the other side, red, pupil less eyes flashing. “Kalen has left them, now is the perfect time to attack. We could kidnap one and hold it for ransom.” He growled, stomping one decaying hoof.

The form shifted, turning and stepping into the pale light.

A familiar, warm chestnut coat gleamed, gold eyes flashing darkly and she bit her lip.

“Perhaps.”
-------
Paladin’s eyes were glowing slightly, and he watched as his mother nibbled on the grass which she clearly needed. “By Ayris, you need more than that.” He said, tilting his head. She dug her muzzle into the earth, tearing out the tender blades in thick gulps. Smiling, Paladin rested his chin on the fencepost. Element paused suddenly, head snapping up as she looked to the sky with wide eyes. “Zirika…” She muttered so low that her son could barely hear her. “What?” He asked, looking up with fear clear in his eyes. She looked at her feet.

“Nothing.”

[Captain]

"Dammit!" Symbol snarled as the palomino fluttered off.
"There goes our last hope, " Siobhan sighed. She plopped down and started murmuring an incantation. When she was done, she turned to her apprentices.
"Get up, we're going back to the Shimmering Flats. I've had enough of this war."
"But, Siobhan..." Calandrath tried to protest.
"I said get up!" roared the mare.

*

Tears stung his eyes and he went through the storm. They would try to track him down, especially Symbol. he had to go where they wouldn't find him.
Dersienta was a bust. Symbol would probably look there first. There wasn't any place for him to go now.
Except...
He landed and tore open a portal. On the other side was nothing but the howl of an icy wind. He sighed as he closed the portal and made his way to Neith's Rest.

The Saralan Spire was as good a sanctuary as any.

[Lell]

“I’m leaving too. This is becoming too much of a hell hole for my liking. I’m going back to the Valley or something. Or Talismaria. Some place where I can stay once this world is destroyed.” Zularin hissed, pawing at the stony floor, making a sickening grating sound against the rock. Averel’s eyes snapped open, and his jaw fell. “You…are…all…leaving?” His words were barely uttered, but the rage and hatred was quite clear in them.

“You do not GET TO LEAVE.” He roared, like the Mozrior battle cry, a lion’s roar. His long fangs shined dangerously in the half light as he lunged forward, blocking the exit. “Not until you FUCKING APOLOGIZE. I know this isn’t your precious Four Isles or Valley or Talismaria, but this is MY HOME that you destroyed. MINE. Your savior wasn’t the precious savior of my home, he DESTROYED it. SLAUGHTERED my family. I watched them die, my sister, my parents, my son. My. FAMILY. My HERD. I watched them all get torn to bits and I said nothing because I followed you all now. You’re a bunch of cowards. Too sick and tired to fight anymore, because it’s not your home. It’s mine. It’s mine and you invaded it so GET OUT.” He leapt at them, stopping dangerously close to Zularin’s face. “You don’t care what happens to the lives you destroy, the worlds you mess up. Well guess what, this time it matters, because this land was once beautiful. That cursed forest where the Wraiths are, was once the Grove where I used to go dance with my family every spring night. Those dying grasses were once knee high and the rolling hills were once scattered with wild flowers. And we used to dance. We knew you were trouble from the start, and I didn’t care. I thought it would be nice, you know? To have some new blood around. I was wrong. This affects you too, you know.” He swung toward Audette and Jete’, leering at them with hated eyes. “Your sister is over these mountains, with her son. Your nephew. You have two of them. Think for once of every one else. So APOLOGIZE.” He snarled, tears pooling in those once beautiful eyes. “Y-y-you know what? Forget it. Don’t apologize. Just go. Just leave me to mourn my home in peace. Get away from me…just get away…” He cried, backing up and slowly walking to the overhang, watching his bleeding homeland.

“I will not let my country burn.”

[Captain]

Audette snapped at the seams at his outburst and the mention of family. Jete' could just feel it and she moved away as her mother drew breath to backfire.
"Oh boohoo. My sister? She hated me when we were younger. It's because of her vanity that our mother died of heartbreak. I was the only one who was there for her, who ever needed her, and she was taken from me. Don't you try to tell me about loss," she snarled, pressed against the wall to look like a menacing shadow.

Lidione snorted. "And since when do we have to apologize for the actions of our brilliant Fearless Leader? I don't blame him for running out. He's seen whole WORLDS destroyed in under a matter of minutes, and he's lost some one almost everywhere he's been. Sure, he's full of himself and he's supposed to be the perfect one, but he's NOT. He was a god once, but even then he wasn't perfect. No one is. He fell from grace and he's paid for it with numerous painful lifetimes. So don't you get pissy with him about what happened to your goddamn family Averel. Myrrh did that to them. Not my brother."

Siobhan watched from the sidelines, ready to leave at the drop of a hat. This was bringing back too many memories for her. She couldn't bear it much longer.

[Lell]

Averel’s jaw fell open from the shock of their words, stinging him like a venomous snake’s fangs. Zularin looked up slowly, his eyes poisonous and angry. “Averel, we realize that we’ve invaded your world and destroyed your Herd and family. But remember that Myrrh did the slaughtering; we’re just doing our jobs which is to protect you. Ever think of that?” He hissed, watching the ground intently. Averel looked to Siobhan, lost for words, but she wasn’t even looking at him. He backed up, cloven hooves making loud clattering noises on the rock. “Element and Kalen were right to leave. You guys think of no one but yourselves. You say you do this for everyone, but what about sitting back and watching the worlds do their own things like Neith and Hairo do? Stop trying to interfere.” He snapped, turning tail and galloping down the hillside.

Zularin watched him go for a moment. “I’m going too.” He growled quietly, not meeting the other’s eyes. He etched something into the rock, a rune of sorts. Stepping back as the rock began to break open, revealing a transparent bubble of sorts, he looked back at them. “Goodbye, I guess. I’ll probably see you again, as this is how it always ends, isn’t it?” He said, walking slowly into the portal. He turned around as the rock began to close, eyes sad almost, regretful. But the rock blocked his view, so looking up at the Everspring sky, he smiled. He had not been here since he was a child. Cherry blossom patches scattered the hills, and beautiful cliffs jutted out of the earth. A long, winding river lazily bubbled on, and a Unicorn grazed near it. Zularin jumped, quite startled.

“Emerico?”
----------------------------------
“So it’s begun…” Element whispered, looking at the sky again. “What’s begun?” Paladin asked cautiously. Element didn’t even look at him.

“The unraveling of another world.”

[Captain]

Kalen barely nodded to Neith when he passed the pedestal upon which she was laying. She gave him a smile that warmed him inside and out, even if he didn't look at her directly. He knew where he needed to go.
The Whispering Gardens were unchanged. The flowers were still huge and many in number and their fragrances remained heavenly. A stone with words only known to the greater gods etched into it sat to one end of it, and that's where he headed. He stood before and let a shiver of exhaustion and pain slide through him before collapsing in a heap before it.

"L-Lie, I don't know what to do anymore. Everything's falling apart. Dersienta was taken from me and this place was taken from Neith. Now a world will be taken from Hairo. It just isn't fair! And I can't do anything to stop it! No one's listening anymore! No one cares!"
Tears slipped from his eyes as he shouted out, praying to be answered by the fallen mare of the Five. But no such luck was granted to him. He was met with cold silence.
"Talk to ghosts, huh? A lot like your sister if you ask me," came a familiar voice accompanied by the singing of billions of thin, golden chains.
Axella nudged him with her alabaster muzzle and smiled. "The best way to fight a war is on your feet, not off them," she said quietly.
The demigoddess lifted her proud head and sighed. "At least that's what Diogi believes. If you ask me it's all pointless. Just relief of a few hundred chains for me. But that's my personal viewpoint.

Kalen just lay there, staring down at the lush grass. Axella offered him comfort in a way. She was as unending as her mother, and that kind of solidarity put him at ease, if only for a moment. He sighed quietly and stayed where he was.
The demigoddess touched her muzzle to his back and to his head. Ebon wings and a horn to match sprouted in the places she had touched. He felt cold all over for a minute and then felt nothing. A burning on his back signaled to him that the demon markings were back in place.
"Nothing better than the original if you ask me. Being tied to that Diviner would have only brought you to your ultimate fate," she said in a stone voice.
"Now you can go to war as what you were always meant to be, Prince. As a savior in the eyes of all who need you. As Kalen Daggerwing, the one and only. And I can ensure that you won't die this time."

*

Siobhan let him go before touching her muzzle to thin air and opening a gateway to a field of gold beyond. The three apprentices filed in without argument. They turned and awaited their teacher to follow.
"You girls be safe and mind the Elder. I'll return when I'm done here," Siobhan said.
Noises of protest and pleading came from them but came too late. She slammed the gateway shut and thundered off after Averel.
This was her war now.
Not theirs.

[Lell]

The unmarked black unicorn beckoned with his head, tossing his horned skull toward a gently rolling knoll. Launching himself forward, the stallion disappeared over it. “The Ruins?” Zularin wondered aloud. Picking up his feet, he galloped toward the hill, splashing through the wide river, and up the bank. He slowed into a lively trot as he picked his way up the slope, and paused when he reached the top. The ground opened up below him, a wide valley with knee high grass blowing lightly in the wind. In the center on a slightly raised knoll were five, withered, old stone statues, in a circle, facing the outside. The Five. “The Ruins…” Zularin muttered to himself again. Emerico beckoned him again, disappearing behind one of the statues. Leaping into a gallop, Zularin reached the top of the hill in seconds.

Emerico smiled, his color melting into a warm brown, horn melting into a wisp of air, and wings forming at his side. “Ayden?!” Zularin gasped, backing up. The stallion smiled sadly. “Yes. I guess you could say I’ve been here all these years. But why, that’s not important. Zularin, you and I both know you have to go back.” Zularin’s expression changed from confusion to anger at once. “I’m not going back there.” “Zularin, you have to fight. You can’t just let Zirika and Myrrh win. That world…that’s supposed to be your world now, not Earth, not the Four Isles, and defiantly not Talismaria. Don’t be like Jaiden. Go back, don’t abandon them. Xanthe...what about her?” Zularin looked up, eyes full of pain. “You don’t get to talk about her.” He hissed, eyes blazing. “Then go back and prove me wrong.” Ayden pressed, stomping one hoof, black and flaxen mane billowing out behind him. “Ayden, it’s not that I don’t want too…it’s that I…” “Can’t? We all have things we can’t do. We can’t do it because it hurts too much to remember, or is too hard for us to get through, like a wall of venomous fire. But we’ll make it, we always do.” Ayden lifted one powerful wing, and then, crystalline eyes sparkling, brought it down to reveal a transparent, plastic like wall. A portal. “Now go.”
----------------------
Averel didn’t stop until he reached the clearing. The stench of rotting flesh hung heavy in the air, and he gulped slightly. As the fog thinned, he could see the ashes of the burned corpses in the center of the scorched clearing. He paused at the pile of black soot, tears streaming slightly down his face.

“You were taken away from me. And I miss you. So…much…”

[Captain]

Siobhan loped easily through the trees, following the awful scent that clung to the grass and the bark to avoid being washed away by the rain. At last she felt him near, and when she turned another corner there he stood, weeping.
She couldn't bring herself to say anything. She just stood there, waiting for him to be over with it. She's ignored him and scorned him. She couldn't expect him to want her now.

*

Aero let out a shrill, happy whinny and Lidione and Storm jumped in reaction.
"What is it little one?" Jete' prodded, eyes huge with curiosity.
"I'm not going to be alone! I'm not going to be alone!" she chirped, bouncing up and down on her thin legs.
"What do you mean Aer-"
Before she could finish, something thudded outside and bounced past the group into the depths of the cave. It bounced, over and over, like a bouncy ball, until it finally skidded slowly to a halt. Whatever it was stood with a spurt of laughter that echoed in the shadows beyond before making its way up out of the darkness and to them.
"I hope I didn't miss eet. It vould be such a shame too, seeing as his Princelinezz is coming and back and vhatnot."

Behind them, a huge form landed, shaking the mouth of the cave and loosing a few stones. Dagg's eyes shone happily, despite the bloody gash above one of his brows.
"HAI BABEH!" he chirruped to Aero, who giggled in response.
Arson lit upon the ground daintily, not looking happy; but then, he never really was.
"That Sentinel fellow is about his way here, and he looks like hell," he informed them before plopping down on the cool stone floor.
A mare followed them in, a skewbald coated little beauty with wings tipped in jade and a mane that faded from blue to violet. She preened the twin's manes and then stood back, smiling at her work.
"You want intimidation? Good looks are way to intimidate. Nevah forget dat." she said in a voice that belonged in the mountains.
"Our mother," Arson said bluntly. "Erianet."

Lidione lit a cigarette because she was so relieved.
"I missed you guys so much," she sighed.

[Captain]

((I would just like to say that today marks the one year anniversary of when we began Awake together back on the Herd board, the first escapade in this never ending story ))

[Lell]

Zularin took a few hesitant steps toward the shimmering door, and then looked up suddenly, looking back at Ayden. “Aren’t you coming too?” He asked, uncertain to leave him behind. “No.” Zularin was startled for a moment, blinking back his shot. “But…” “I’m tied to this world now. I cannot leave.” The unicorn looked around at the beautiful landscape. It was stunning, yes, but there wasn’t another equine in sight. A few snow white deer grazed in the distance, and Zularin saw the occasional squirrel and bird, but no equine. “It gets lonely, I guess. But its better this way…now go.” Ayden snapped the last part, giving him a shove. Zularin paused once more. “What about Audette and Kiyre?” He asked slowly. Ayden took in a sharp intake of breath, silent for a moment. “Tell them nothing.” “Nothing at all?” Ayden said nothing in response, smiling sadly before turning and walking down the other side of the hill. Zularin turned back to the portal, and walked through, into a mass of those once familiar.
---------------------
“No.” “You have to come, you have to meet him!” “I said no, Mother!” Paladin snarled, flattening his ears angrily. Element let out a little hiss of annoyance. “No. No you will come, because I never gave you the choice. I never let you embrace your Diviner blood, you always let yourself be tamed, carry around the humans. No, you get the choice now, and when we win, I will come back, and you…you will be free, because you would never come back here willingly. Open your wings and fly.” Element snarled, stepping towards him and placing her nose on his. It felt like he was struck with lightning, short, but painful, and when he opened his eyes, two white wings were folded neatly at his side, a row of black feathers on the end. “We go.”
--------------------
Averel stopped sniffing after a few minutes of weeping. It had to be done. He had to let them go. He had to fight those who were trying to destroy his world, his home. His ears flicked back, and a familiar scent filled his nostrils. He let out a deep sigh.

“I know you’re there, Siobhan.”

(eeeeekkkkk no muse it’s awful)

[Captain]

Siobhan's ears tilted in embarrassment. "I can go if you'd like. I just wanted to ensure that you were alright..." she barely breathed the words on the cold mist.

*

Kalen stood with resolve, looking the demigoddess square in the eyes. Diogi materialized at her side along with Sheehani. They all had expectant looks about them. The Prince snorted and flicked his tail, loving the feel of being himself for the first time in years.
"I go. Wars don't get won by just sitting around talking to people who aren't here anymore."
The demigoddesses all smiled in unison.
"Go Prince. Don't let us down."
He spread his wings out and slammed them to his sides, being shot up into the air.

No more running away.

*

"Arson, you cannot take her apart!"
Lidione and storm were doing all they could to keep Arson off of baby Aero, who wanted desperately to go to him. She couldn't see the manic look about the fire-attuned stallion. She couldn't see anything.
"Oh just a few samples. I want to see how she ticks you see..."
"No!" Storm bellowed, raising his front hooves and kicking Arson away with them.
He backed off and huffed. "No fun."
Blitzwing was looking out over the forest, eyes turned to yellow orange but his usually outraged bursts had been silenced. He was in the zone, plotting out an attack.
He sighed.
"Zuicide vould know vhat to do. He had such a brilliant und battle-tuned mind..."
Erianet nuzzled him on the shoulder. "I'm sure his grand foal can help."
He turned to Twisted, who was curled in a corner.
"Perhaps."