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 Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 11:55 am
 Maion felt.... tired. He wasn't sure what was happening but for some reason he kept wandering. His eyes constantly looking up to the skies... seeking... searching.... but for what? Maion screwed up his eyes. His head was throbbing, his muscles seemed weaker than he remembered..... was this.... the end? Maion felt a soft flush of panic, he wasn't ready to leave his family... his herd.... his life.... sure, he was getting on, had six grandchildren to show for it all, but that didn't mean that his heart and spirit felt old? He had after all kept himself in shape, training so that he could tackle any threat that would dare follow the skinwalkers and kalona's. Trouble seemed to be lingering in the air. What if something happened and he wasn't here? With a heavy heart he let out a sigh so deep it seemed to echo from his very soul. None in the herd seemed ready to take over as Guardian, and what would happen to his beautiful Alpha without him? Just thinking of the sadness that would spread across her beautiful features was enough to bring him to his knees. Unable to continue, and unable to go back Maion found himself slumping to the ground. Tiredness rang through his every cell, calling him to some unknown place that seemed to be promising that everything would be ok... that he just needed to trust it. But it was hard to let go, hard to shift his thoughts. For months this had been going on, the slow self-exclusion from the daily life of the herd... sometimes he actually felt like he was forcing himself to stay, that his heart was calling him else where. But to where? To here perhaps? His eye lids shut. Maion struggled to reopen them, managing only a fraction before a wave of tiredness so strong consumed him that he had no other option but to be washed away by it. To the ground he fell..... but if no one was around to hear it, did he crash when he landed?
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Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 12:13 pm
When Maion opened his eyes he found himself somewhere else.... a field of pure darkness.... no, wait. He blinked... there were stars.... thousands and thousands of stars. He reached towards them... only then realising that he had hands.... human hands. A dream? He could not remember ever presenting in such a form before, though he had heard that an Angeni had the power to shine such an image forth.
He examined his hands, his arms.... dared to look down to his feet. Not a hoof in sight. Strange. His hair was the same, long and curling, falling like a shimmering waterfall all around him to the ground. This world seemed to be filled with black and white. Was this the calm and quite caress of death? Had he.... died?
Moisture trickled down his face, and it took Maion a moment to realise that with his hands he could wipe away them away.
"Why do you cry Maion? You should be most happy."
The voice echoed all around Maion, seeming to bounce on invisable walls before returning again and again. Maion frowned... should he be happy? How could he be happy to have died? To have never said a proper good bye to his family? To never see Sengdroma's face again?
His voice wobbled as he spoke. "Who are you? Where... am I?" The last question was forced from his lips, for he feared the truth would be as he feared.
Maion heard a grumble. Then a light so bright appeared before him causing him to squint and look away. When it slow died down he dared to turn back... before him was... well, the only way to describe it would be... the most beautiful man Maion had ever seen. Dark skin and hair that seemed to glow from within, eyes so blue they shone out like stars upon a dark canvas.... and now that he was looking Maion couldn't seem to turn himself away.
"Since you did not know I shall not punish you this time, but do not ask questions of me Maion." Maion noted that there seemed to be a quite amusment mixed with the obvious anger, and the air suddenly tasted like a storm was brew... which was wierd since the sky above didn't seem to change or move at all. "But since I like you Maion," Maion believed that the voice seemed far more calmer now. "I shall answer this once. My name is Alignak, and I have been watching you. This is my dream Realm. "
Alignak? That name seemed fami---- recognition consumed Maion and he instantly fell to his knees. This was a God! And not just any God.... the very God charged with the same duty as Maion, protecting the Ocean. Of course, unlike Maion this God's powers were vast.... enough to make even the mountains themselves bow to their knees. But why.... was a God wasting their time on him?
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Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 12:31 pm
Maion didn't dare look up... and eventhough a thousand questions danced around his head he didn't ask them, after all only a fool disobeyed a request from a God. What did he do now? As if in answer to his unspoken question he felt a hand upon his head, and although he didn't look up he could see two feet that seemed to glow from within before him... Alignak had approached him?
To say Maion was confused was an understatement.... he simply didn't know how to process any of this.
"Fear me not Maion. We are old friends you and I, even if this is our first introduction." Maion didn't know why but he was almost positive that the god was... smiling! "I am not here to harm you... no." He felt his hair being tugged softly and was forced to look up... up and up until his eyes looked into the diamond blue eyes of a God. "I am here to grant you a great honour. To make you my Elder. I have watched you protect my beloved Ocean, guard your family with such a fierce determination I believe even a Kalona would be envious, and even love with all of that Angeni spirit of yours." There was a pause, one that Maion did not dare to fill, his mind was rolling each word around in his head trying to figure out what on Earth.... or Heaven... was happening. Elder? And Elder for Alignak? He had never heard of Alignak ever favouring another before, the God was believed to be so self absorbed that his attention was rarely caught... what had Maion done to bring such attention down upon himself?
"I see worry in your eyes." The God said before stealing Maion's chin in his hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. In a movement too quick for Maion to track the God was beside his ear. "I am about to make your biggest dream come true.... you will be faster, stronger, fly faster and higher than ever before, even your healing will improve slightly. You will have the strength to match that never wilting determination of yours. The power to truely protect those you cherish." Alignak drew back, once again looking at Maion. "You shall wear my mark."
As if the words summoned the symbol into being Maion winced as a pain vibrated on his rump for a moment, and despite not being able to see it through his cascading locks he suspected it was in the shape of a crescent moon. But as quickly as the pain appeared it was gone. Maion wanted to ask -why? Why was he suddenly worthy of such a gift? It was what he had always secretly wished for, though he had never dreamt it would come true.
Lost for words all Maion could muster was.... "Thank you... Alignak."
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Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 12:44 pm
There was a long pause, where Maion got the distinct impression that he was being observed like a insect hiding within the grass.... how apt, since he supposed he was like an insect in comparison to a God.
He blinked. The warmth on his chin was gone, and as he opened his eyes he saw that Alignak was now standing back in the spot he had appeared.... was it possible Maion had simply imagined everything?
Not sure what to say or do Maion simply remained silent, his brow furrowed with concentration. "There is one more thing before I send you back." That caught Maions full attention, as his baby blue eyes snapped to the luminous deity before him. "With my mark you shall be granted a new power...." Another pause, Maion could hear his heart thundering within his chest... a new power? "You will now be able to summon a storm to aid you..... nothing too destructive, since I understand your need to care for all life, but strong enough to drive unwanted.... guests away." Once again Alignak smiled, but this time Maion saw it... and was nearly blown away. How could such beauty exsist? But as quickly as the happiness seemed to flood Alignak's features they were replaced with... anger.... worry? Some emotion that Maion couldn't quite work out upon human features. "I fear you will need them...." A long exhale came from both of them. And the normality of it all was enough to shock Maion. More fighting... more trouble. "To summon them.... just think of me."
Alignak's image faded, but the next words he spoke rang as true as if he had remained standing before Maion. "Focus.... you have much ahead of you yet."
Again Maion felt tired. His strange human body falling to the ground, his hair dancing and lying around him in a heap. So heavy.... so tired.... so..... he yawned, and nearly missed the whispered words of the God he would now forever cherish. "Go back to your Moon, and I to mine."
Darkness once again consumed Maion. The world of both reality and dream remained still around him.
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Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 12:52 pm
Maion woke with a start.... sun was streaming towards him through a gap in the canopy, so bright that he had to squint. He wasn't sure what had happened.... why was he here? He looked around, recognising the location... it was within his herds teritory, a spot he had ventured to often, especially over the past few months.
His muscles felt stiff... his wings somehow heavier... what was going on? Was old age finally catching up to him. With a grunt of effort he forced himself to his all fours again. A yawn escaped him as he stretched. It was far to early to be up... the sun seemed to have many more hours of power before the Moon called him and his herd forth again. His herd.... he smiled... his Moon.
He froze... his Moon? That sounded... familar. But for some reason he couldn't place it... a conversation? A feeling perhaps? He had no idea, and his mind seemed too tired to contemplate it for too long, so instead he started back towards his entire life. His mate, his friends, his children and grandchildren. The Miakoda herd seemed to be growing larger and larger with each passing day, and oh did that just bring a smile to Maion's face.
It didn't take him long to reach Sengdroma, she was bedded down in their normal spot, close to where they had held their fast dance beside the wonderous lake they now called home. He would join her... after he had a drink.
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Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 1:01 pm
 As soon as Maion's features came into view in the lakes sleek surface he froze..... something was.... off. His horn seemed... and his chin.... and his hair was..... he blinked. Nothing changed. Once more for good luck, again nothing had changed. Then the dream came rushing back to him. Elderhood.... Alignak.... powers..... strength.... love.... Moon. Had that been... real? Sure, from the look of what was staring back at him it seemed as if that was the only logical explaination. But how often did a God bless a soquili? How often did they notice the every day goings on of the world below them? Yet.... here he stood. For a long moment he simply stared at his reflection. So different yet so the same... what would Sengdroma say? Or Chandra... Io.... Mal.....? His grandchildren? Herdmates? Did it matter? The grin that covered his features could be denied. HE HAD DONE IT! He now had the strength to protect those he cared for... to be the stallion he had always wanted to be! And to think, all he needed was the help of a God. Excitment bubbled up within him, and had it been night time he would not have hesitated to wake up everyone within hearing distance, but he wouldn't do that... no... for now he would snuggle up beside his mate and dream of the future. Just as Maion began to turn to join Sengdroma he noticed something off.... it took him a moment to realise what it was. You shall wear my mark. And sure enough, upon his rump was a mark in the shape of a crescent moon. The grin upon his features only widened, and before he took another step he raised his head to the sky and said the only words he could summon past his emotions. "Thank you." This change would change his life forever..... and Maion only hoped that he lived up to the great honour that had been bestowed upon him.
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