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 Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 7:15 am
This is the closing part of Azumoth's plot and consists of the following individuals:-
Azumoth
Kiyoshi Yukio
Grencia
Ambroise
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Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 7:26 am
.[Azumoth].
There were many things that the black stallion could have said as he galloped across the plains. Many of those things would have been curses, swear words directed at his own foolishness. Not that his union was something he regretted but the time he had wasted was unforgivable. He could only begin to imagine the conflict that occured out of sight and out of mind of those who lurked beneath the slopes. Of course, his comrades would be hidden in the mists, the unsung heroes.
It was unfortunate.
Nevertheless as he distanced himself from the shoreline and unfurled his wings, it wasn't long before he thrust himself into the air. A few unsteady beats and he lifted off the ground. He had always cursed his weight, yes his wing span was impressive but until the currents cradled them lovingly he found it difficult to maintain any altitude. It wasn't as bad when upon the slopes where the currents were more accessible, but it was significantly harder on the plains where the only thing that existed was a bloody whisper of a breeze.
Alas, slowly but surely he gained altitude and eventually felt the currents take hold of him. From this point on he found it much easier to move and his pace began to quicken in his determination to reach his comrades on time. The Spirits only knew how long they had been in pursuit of his father, or (if worst had come to worse) how long they had been in conflict with him. There was a small part of him that began to pray that if they had entered combat...it hadn't been for terribly long.
Nevertheless, with the orb around his neck pulsing softly he could already feel that his theory was at least accurate to a degree. The orbs were not inherently dominant, it was the strength of the individual that in turn fed the orbs power. That subserviance that Azumoth had endured before, at the hands of the orb now around his neck was all but a memory - now it bowed to him. While his father lacked an orb, he could only assume that it would at least provide the catalyst required for him to be dealt with accordingly.
...Surely it would make his wings vulnerable, then he could be torn from the sky.
Urgh, Azumoth loathed the concept that his father had thrust upon him. He refused to belief that his father was the 'god' he proclaimed himself to be. Yes certain parts of him remained invulnerable but even he messed up, even he could bleed and his son was more than just a little determined to prove this. Kiyoshi would fall from the skies, even if his son went with him.
This thought in mind, he pushed onwards towards the mists and disregarded the slopes below him. Given the time that had passed and the wings that existed on all parties there was no point in searching the regions below. He would have to trust his instincts and be guided through the mists...
"Sparkles, if there is such a thing as spirits now would be the time to prove it to me," he growled softly, recalling his conversation with the unicorn long ago.
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Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 7:34 am
.[Grencia].
"Ambroise, slow down!" the wind stallion weaved in and out of the tree trunks hidden within the thick missed. Squinting after the flash of iridescent pinions which remained the only thing that enabled him to pursue his son. There were times when his eldest could be reckless, excitable and just a little overzealous - now was one of those times and he dearly wished he had chosen another opportunity to act in such a way.
Unfortunately, while his eldest refused to admit it he was very much like his mother. There would be no telling him anything different and Grencia was forced to do nothing more than pursue him. Grencia wasn't entirely certain what his son was pursuing either, he couldn't hear or see what guided him - perhaps it was as Cyn had said...instincts were invaluable in times of desperation. Apparently Ambroise's instincts and sense of duty were coming up trumps.
That was one part of the trial Grencia could claim he had passed with ease.
"Or at least -" he ducked beneath a branch that appeared abruptly in his line of sight and quickened his pace. If this wasn't a test of his old skills, there never would be one and even he began to wish he had trained harder. "Tell me where you are going," he added, skipping over another branch and kicking it a side as he continued forward.
Alas, he received no reply from his quiet son and with a disgruntled sigh the colourful stallion simply accepted his task. He would follow his son and provide assistance when necessary, it was Ambroise's task after all...not his.
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Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 7:58 am
.[Ambroise].
He had heard his father, had heard his requests to slow down and yet he couldn't. Already he could feel the worry rising in his chest, an indication of things to come. Anxiety would be quick to overcome him if he slowed down now, he had no other choice than to move as swiftly as possible. He wasn't entirely sure of what his foe looked like but he was fairly certain he would recognise him. More to the point, he was almost positive that said foe had already reached the victim he sought and if Ambroise slowed down now, well...
The results were not worth thinking about.
Thus, while he wasn't rude by nature he would choose to be rude now if it would ensure the survival of the victim in question. He could live with the fact they had been injured if he was at least there in time to stop them from being killed. Just a little more, all he needed to do was keep going... Even if his legs did ache and his wings were raising all sorts of arguments at his sides - ah but of course, as a half breed his wings weren't built for quite as much strain as his fathers but he would endure.
Actually, endurance or lack of it was not an option as he thrust his way through the hidden undergrowth towards the very peaks. He hadn't been permitted to fly in the mists, it was deemed to dangerous by his father and his mentor. In a way he found that the additional time was problematic but common sense did prevail and he abided by it - he just hoped that he would breach the mists soon.
"Come on," he grunted impatiently, ruffling his wings in an agitated fashion as he moved on. However, a breeze did cause something ahead of him to shift briefly, the strength of the wind much stronger than before which indicated that he was indeed close.
...He could only move more quickly at this revelation.
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Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2008 5:57 am
.[Kiyoshi Yukio].
"You are brave, I will give you that..." The mutated stallion raised a brow at the feline, a small smile lining his lips. His steps were slow and calculated, one every now and again to draw him closer to the creature. He had pursued her through the mists and had all but pinned her between a rock and an equally immovable object - him. She would have been right to cower and yet instead, she simply kept her paw upon the orb and bore her teeth. A show of strength and courage though both were lost on the stallion...he had seen this all before.
Thus, he could do nothing more than chuckle at her attempts. He would grace the feline with at least a tiny bit of respect, a small amount of mercy for attempting to outsmart him. She had nearly been successful too, her attack had been well timed but alas, she had encountered something smarter. Perhaps she had not expected to be pursued with such speed and percision, Kiyoshi chose not to mull on such trivial matters and instead looked to the situation at hand.
So he had at last caught his target, now she was forced to make her choice. Regardless of which she made, the outcome would still remain the same for her. He wouldn't tell her, but his promise would be easily broken as she surrendered the orb to him. He was not adverse to knocking the cat off the cliff, she would be granted a quick death as opposed to his customary torture...that would be the respect she would receive. Personally, he would not have disputed or pleaded against such a thing either - she would be greatful.
"But show a little intelligent and return what is not your own," he continued, taking another step forward with a soft clink of armour and arrow heads. His lengthy locks brushed against the otherwise barren ground beneath his hooves, gathering dust, the tips seemed to glow softly and reflected the ethereal light that emanated from the tendrils at his sides. "Just give me the orb and I will let you go."
"I am no fool," the cat snarled in reply, the hair on the back of her neck rising in response. His demands were obvious but his promises were not something she was inclined to believe - she had seen him tear his son apart, he would not be against doing it to her too. "You will not have what you seek."
"No?"
"No."
"I assure you feline I am being very diplomatic at this moment in time, do not encourage me to change my stance more than you already have..."
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Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 4:45 am
.[Ambroise].
At last!
Ambroise would have shrieked with delight if he had still been the babe under the instruction of his tutors. Breaching the mists, he felt the sudden rush of the ice cold wind against his face and reveled in it. His legs ached, every limb in his body remained furious at his lack of regard for their well being but he had made it. Admittedly he was tired and his legs felt wobbly but having finally been granted the vision he so desperately wanted, he felt a surge of renewed energy and determination.
Stumbling forward slightly, the stallion heaved a sigh of relief and lessened his pace ever so slightly. He would grant himself at least a little reprieve as he walked up the steep incline. He would cause himself an injury if he ran up such a steep slope anyway. Some might argue that this completely defeated the purpose of granting 'reprieve' but in his mind it worked. He was no longer rushing and therefore it was a rest even if it continued to test his stamina. If he were to be entirely honest he had to prove himself - while his father had never asked it of him...he would make his father proud.
He would be as strong as him!
Nevertheless he progressed up the slope bit by bit, flexing and ruffling his wings for warmth. To say the peaks were barren would be an understatement, only the birds could be seen soaring high above them...and even they refrained from landing. Perhaps they were aware of what to come but Ambroise had no time to dwell on such things as he caught the faint whisper of voices nearby. His ears perked in mild surprise before his brow furrowed - he couldn't hear the words being spoken but the tones weren't exactly pleasant...
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Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 4:55 am
.[Grencia].
The voice was unmistakable, it wasn't identical to his old friend's but it was similar. Like Azumoth it held a rich and authoritive quality that caused an individual to listen. However, in comparison to Azumoth's this individual had honed his voice to the extent that it on occasions...appeared to sound like a hypnotic lull. No doubt this was designed to woo weaker victims or to sound 'diplomatic' to those who displayed any amount of intelligence. Having experienced both types, Grencia was quick to be wary of the stallion whose identity had already been revealed to him...even if his son remained completely in the dark.
Ah yes, whoever Kiyoshi know spoke to was putting up some form of resistance. Their courage was admirable; and the Wind Stallion could do nothing more than hope that the individual in question had the necessary strength to defend themselves for a period of time. Given that Grencia was unaware of the victims identity, a tiny part of him doubted that their strength would hold out against a beast that was even bigger than Azumoth. A long time ago Grencia had once doubted anything could get bigger than Azumoth but as of late he had been proven wrong. Cyn Generis positively towered over his adoptive son...Grencia could only begin to guess the height that Kiyoshi would reach.
Nevertheless he didn't permit himself or his son to pause - nudging at his son's neck he continued to stalk forward. Ensuring his hoof beats were muffled as best as he could, the stallion crept towards the voices and flicked his emerald eyes over the hillock. At first he struggled to find anything that could possibly link to the voices, but after a small while the stallion caught sight of the firey coat and narrowed his eyes. Pressed up against the cliff face was non-other than a feline - hair on her neck raised and prepared to fight.
it was there that he made his decision and with a soft sigh pulled himself onto level ground. A flap of his wings was enough to generate enough noise to alert both to their presence, but interruptions always seemed to be the best method of saving another's life. "Too what do we owe the pleasure of your company in Islagiatt lands..." he paused for a few moments before flashing a dark smile.
"Kiyoshi Yukio."
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Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 5:26 am
.[Azumoth].
The very world he walked in was surreal. There was no other way to describe how he felt as he 'transgressed' from one plane to another. Granted it wasn't exactly a plane, but breaching the mists almost seemed comparable to exploring an entirely different world. He now understood why so many claimed the spirits lived in these mists... The way in which it absorbed the light and emitted an ethereal white glow was dazzling. Serene in its own right, but almost disconcerting to those who couldn't see two foot in front of them. Had he time to explore or to revel in this miracle further, he would have come to fully understand why his adoptive father had chosen to live so close to such a place.
It was filled with magic, with such serenity and tranquility that even Azumoth would not object to getting lost in it. Perhaps this was why so many went missing and never returned, they were whisked away by the spirits to an alternative and more beautiful world. One could only hope that some day he might join them - though now wasn't really the right time. Perhaps when he was older and had become a burden then this weathered warrior would surrender his sword and rest.
Nevertheless he was granted very little opportunity to mull over such things as a strong gust of wind caught his wings and thrust him higher into the air. Apparently his challenge to Sparkles had been answered and no sooner had he entered the mists than he had been thrown out of them. However, he wasn't below them anymore...instead as he turned his gaze down to inspect the ground beneath him he found nothing but seething mist. Rippling and swirling in a similar fashion to water, it really was a fascinating substance.
Well aware of the lack of time he had and the ever present risk of his loathesome father, he was quick to turn his attention towards the peaks ahead of him. He was amazed they even existed this high up, but he was even more surprised that it was flat at the top. From all the other mountains he had seen they had been peaked!
"Fancy that," he mused softly, his glowing eyes flicking across the slope for any sign of the firey stallion. As of yet he could detect no orange coat or vibrant feathers...
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Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 5:53 am
.[Kiyoshi Yukio].
Hm?
His name was enough to break his concetration and with narrowed eyes he turned his gaze towards the iridescent stallion. To say he found the number of orange pelts in the area to be amusing was an understatement. He sincerely doubted that all three knew one another but the very fact they had all appeared. Apparently creatures of similar colours could detect the strain of a fellow kindred spirit - or such would have been his thought process if he had been a complete idiot.
Unfortunately for the pair of stallions now standing in his line of sight he was most definitely not an idiot. While he would have been proud of his name reaching such far of places, he was aware of how difficult that was in these lands. Even for one so mighty as he, it took substantially more work to acquire a notorious name. Thus he had immediately come to the conclusion that those who dwelled on the mountain knew of his name for one reason, and one reason only...
They knew his son.
Upon this realisation the stallion arched a brow and adjusted his stance so that neither could launch an attack on him undetected. If they chose to attack then he would see them at the very least, before they came close enough to strike. That being said he could not permit himself to lose sight of his quarry either and so, he continued to block her exit with the other side of his large form. To an onlooker it might have appeared that he was the one in difficulty, but he knew better.
"Islagiatt lands?" The mutant chuckled and shook his head at the declaration. "You flatter yourselves in assuming these lands belong to you..." he pointed out cooly before flicking his gaze towards the feline, a pest that continued to glower at him. No doubt she was attempting to find an opening for escape.
"Leave, you have no business here."
He could be reasonable, while his patience was wearing thin he would give them the opportunity to escape. If they didn't then he would simply deal with them accordingly...
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Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 7:07 am
.[Ambroise].
Was this creature serious? Did it have no regard, no recognition or respect for another being? According to the response and the body language that Kiyoshi chose to adopt, it was clear that the mutant had little interest in such things. Ambroise could only begin to suspect that the individual in question considered it beneath him. It was a rather obvious stereotype and one that Ambroise was surprised that any potential villain would adopt - or perhaps that was something they just couldn't prevent. He wasn't entirely aware of which assumption was correct but he wouldn't permit the individual in question to act in such a manner. To say Ambroise didn't have any business here was -
Wait, had his father called him Kiyoshi?
It would have been a lie and dishonourable of him to delcare that his eyes haddened widened and his stomach hadn't churned at that moment. His tummy had twisted into painful knots and as he looked at the mutant more closely. Upon closer inspection it became clear why his father and why his mentor had placed considerable pressure on him to train every day. While his mother might have argued it was a little extreme, he had been conditioned for this simply because his adversary was absolutely huge!
Oh gods...
Ambroise had never experienced true fear before. He had been surrounded with individuals of such strength and courage that he hadn't needed to experience it. He had thought the day would never come but Cyn had been right, eventually everyone experienced fear. When they looked into the eyes of being and saw death, then they realised the situation they now found themselves in. It was this moment and the choice that Ambroise had been given to make that would decide whether or not he was truly ready to take up the position as the Alpha of Islagiatt.
"I'm afraid we cannot do that," Ambroise finally mustered up the courage to speak and stepped forward. Adrenaline now pumped through his veins and permitted him to seem a lot more confident than he truly felt. Even with his father by his side and the injustice before his eyes, there was something disturbing about facing a creature this large...especially given the amount of weaponry it had.
"Having been informed of your disruption to the peace of these lands, we cannot permit you to explore any further. Nor do we appreciate such acts on on these soils."
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Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 11:08 am
.[Kiyoshi Yukio].
The Wind...or was it hybrid wind amused him... For one with such brave words, the self doubt was apparent in his eyes. They had lost their lustre, the realisation that the foe they faced was more than just a game. This was real and speaking in such a manner would most likely provoke it. Or at least that was how it worked in theory - Kiyoshi had long since learnt to cast aside the stereotypical and obvious tactics of so called 'villains'. His tactics were more unique, he favoured mental manipulation over complete violence...but that didn't mean he was adverse to killing a creature. He would gladly sacrifice a lesser in order to assert his power, authority and his word.
His words were not flowery, they weren't an attempt to intimidate with no intention of following through - he kept his word. If he swore to kill a creature he would, if he said he would cut out their tongue...then he would. It was a simple (if horrifying) concept for anyone to fathom in terms of partaking in it, but it made a very definite point. The mutant was not to be toyed with, on the contrary...those who came before him were his toys to play with.
They were his little dolls, his soldiers or his punch bag. It really depended entirely on the mood he was in at the time.
Thus a small chuckle turned into a cold laugh, his glowing eyes flashing almost suggestively towards the younger stallion. So the child deemed his actions intolerable and proclaimed that he must stop? Well he could most certainly put a 'stop' to something. It would be punishment for the lack of respect he had been shown of course - but that wind would know very quickly that he needed to be more careful with his words.
"You cannot permit it, hm?" Sauntering closer to the feline as she lashed out with her claws, she was quickly disarmed by a flick of his hoof. "Then allow me to be of service - " Glancing pointedly towards the stallion he flashed a fang smile and unceremoniously slammed his leg into the feline. It released a loud crack, contacting with her chest as she was thrown from the cliff face and towards her death.
"I shall put it to an end for you..." He purred softly, the feline at a loss and shrieking as she plummeted to the ground that lay below. "Suitable?"
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Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 11:20 am
.[Grencia].
Damnit!
What events transpired almost appeared to be in slow motion, the sound of the shattering ribs even louder than it truly was. He had mere seconds to react and without even the slightest hesitation plunged from the cliff face to face his own 'demise'. Wings clasped firmly at his sides, he could do little more than pray that he would descend rapidly and match the speed the feline. Luckily his prayers were answered given that his wings sliced through the air, propelling him at such a speed that he very nearly missed the opportunity to recover.
Gritting his teeth the phoenix stallion thrust himself beneath the feline and tensed his muscles. It was through sheer luck that she managed to 'crach' onto his back, the air currents sweeping him into the air mere seconds afterwards. He was grateful for this intervention though, the additional weight of the feline just a little disconcerting and a test of his strength. Admittedly, he suspected she might be lighter if she hadn't fallen unconcious upon impact but without her natural balance it was he who was forced to prove his worth.
It left him between a rock and a hard place.
Glancing over his shoulder towards his son, his stomach began to churn with worry at the fact he had been left alone. Grencia had long been aware that the test would require Ambroise to be tested in all aspects, but to leave a young warrior to face a well trained beast without help was a little much. It wasn't that Grencia doubted his son's abilities, what he worried for was Ambroise's lack of real experience - there were things you had to learn in battle but it shouldn't have been in a fight that could ultimately be your last.
"Argh!" Thrusting his wings to keep himself afloat he had little other choice than to locate a human or a unicorn who could tend to the wounds of his charge. She was in need of attention, the kick had been purposefully forceful - he had seen such scare tactics before and was largely unaffected but he had to commend the mutant on his skill. It was almost as though the stallion had known that at least one of them would have had to try something before it was too late.
It was terribly unfair but he had no choice - he could only hope that his son had the strength, fortitude and courage to hold his own...even if it was only until Azumoth arrived to even out the odds...
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Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 11:53 am
.[Ambroise].
It was his first introduction to a creature who possessed such malicious intent. He had been spoken to and educated on the subject since he was a babe and yet, as Cyn had said...he would only know of the true nature of such a creature when he met it. There had been no second thought in those eyes, no care or concern for the vulnerable feline. Instead, there had been a calculative glint that had deepened at the sight of hesitation. Even now the glowing eyes watched and remained vigilante. If Ambroise were to show signs of weakness now then the stallion before him would be more than capable of spotting it. However he was young and there was only so much he could do, he was disciplined yes but... He had never had the opportunity to put this in to practice.
The stallion was at a loss and it showed. He hesitated, his eyes widened and even his breaths quickened (just a little) to alert the mutant to his changing mind set. Now he knew this was real, there was no turning back and there was no ignoring the injustice that he had witnessed. Cold blooded attempted murder had occured before his pale eyes and what made it worse was that the stallion had done it to make him react. It was infuriating for the young wind to realise that it had worked and that with each passing moment he faltered and left himself vulnerable.
Perhaps it was the realisation of his own mortality that shocked him. He had been raised in such a way that in a manner of speaking he had grown over confident. He had believed in his training and all he had been taunt, to the point that he had mistakenly assumed he could win. What he hadn't considered was the nature of his foe and how much it would impact on his psychy.
...He was terrified.
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Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 12:01 pm
.[Kiyoshi Yukio].
There it was, that hesitation. The flicker of fear in the eyes of one who believed themselves to be more than they really were. The mutant savoured this very special moment and congratulated himself on yet another successful encounter. His unwavering confidence against this child's faltering stance was ridiculous. It was almost as if the hybrid appeared to be shrinking before his oppressive gaze, cowering from the realisation that there would be no escape and further more...his words were utterly pointless. Kicking up a fuss against Kiyoshi's behaviour was foolish and destined to failure.
However now that the seeds of doubt had been lovingly sown across the ploughed fields within the child's mind, Kiyoshi couldn't resist the urge to push just a little further. You see, Kiyoshi was an 'amiable' creature and believed himself to be decent. He could permit second chances and the child was young. Reckless and 'brain washed' by the false lessons of his parents, there was an opportunity for redemption if he surrendered and submitted to the whims of the mutant now.
"Frightened yet?" Kiyoshi murmured gently, rolling his shoulders as he bridged the gap between the pair and came to a halt a little closer. His brow rose, gaze drifting up and down the athletic form of the male. There was no doubt in his mind that he had definitely been well trained - he could make use of that. "Allow me to present to you an alternative, after all I am a creature of reason and believe firmly in second chances..." he permitted such thoughts to dwell in the wind's mind for a little longer. "If you should choose to find sense, I will permit you to follow me. I will give you everything you want and more..."
"We all make mistakes, don't we?"
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Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 12:18 pm
.[Azumoth].
"A mistake is one thing. Numerous mistakes that span across decades without a semblance of guilt is an entirely different issue," Azumoth corrected. As he breached the mists and descended from their milky and shrouded depths, his glowing amber eyes appeared to radiate with a little more than distaste. His landing was swift, abrupt and as such there was no grace in such an entrance but this was irrelevant. What did matter was that Azumoth had arrived at the right moment. Stepping forward, his first job was to set himself up as a barrier against the faltering child and his own father.
Temptation was a terrible thing.
"Do not drag another down your path, Father..." He advised cooly, his gaze shifting briefly to Ambroise before returning to the black stallion. Without the orb around his neck the mutant seemed almost bare. With only the eerie tendrils and glow from his eyes to light his path, the darkness had truly swallowed him. However, without that orb he had no connection to his son - Azumoth couldn't detect that probing, that constant reminder that his father found him predictable. Then again, the link between the two had already been severed by the feline who now lay in the care of Grencia. It was unfortunate that Azumoth was unaware of her demise though.
"Your time here is spent and your debt must be repaid. It is not by chance that you came here, you have been expected."
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