|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2009 9:06 am
 Was it possible that his grief led him to believe this was the only path his life had yet to travel? That question really didn't have any meaning now that the deed had been done, but the large brute of a nequus plodded forth with heavy swings of his thick hooves nonetheless, as if stuck in thought. He could feel a pull from deep within himself in this direction, for what purpose he had yet to discover with his own eyes, but already knew the answer to. Yet it was one of those things you couldn't quite think about clearly, for doubt still lingered in the shallowest pits of his mind and declared it couldn't be true. Despite that constant and insistant tugging, pulling him slowly in a direction he didn't bother to recognise.
Slow, heavy hooffalls took their turn moving him closer to Shrilal, a land he had tried to forget for seasons now. That's when the trouble began yousee, when his assumptions led to a nasty situation for all parties involved. And now he was headed back in that direction, toward the madness that had filled his head with vengence, hate, and rage. That was behind him now, he had decided to heed his aunt's warnings and pleas and knew what he must have thought then was a lie. Something he had been using to cope with the loss of his family, or so she said anyway. He supposed he should believe that.
And that brings his thoughts back around to full circle. He had done this in hopes of repenting for the terrible things he did. Trying to take lives out of the world, even a foal's while it was still in its fruit, maybe bringing some lives in on his own would help to redeme himself. It was a vague hope that the green swirled aeri stallion held, but as dim of a light it was, it still shone brightly in his eyes. Something to hold onto with the grief that had washed over him. Onward his legs plodded, the heavy brute of a nequus drawing ever closer to the tug that held so much expectation.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 8:19 am
The way into Shrilal wasn't very difficult, but the thick scattering of trees made the journey slow for the large aeri stallion. Often he had to choose paths away from closely knit bunches of trees he would have been likely to snag a wing on, and that took considerable time. No matter his slow pace, the constant tug kept him moving forward, unyeilding in its call to him.
It was on this journey that the stallion wondered if the little mare that had taken him on as a brief partner would make an appearance. That thought was fleeting, for both had agreed that this journey was to be made by only Zaknafein, and she would have no part in raising the foals. Suits him just fine. For it was the foals the stallion was after, not the relationship that came with it. Of course he'd never had to grow a tree before, so the stallion had no idea just how much time and energy it would take to grow it all on his own, and the hunger that would possess him for the long waiting period.
That didn't quite matter to the young stallion you see, in his brutish ways he was stubborn and deteremined, but in his grief he saw hope. And he sought to protect that hope no matter the concequences. His heavy plodding grew more earnest as the tug became stronger. He must have been getting close.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 9:45 am
The stronger the tug got, the closer Zaknafein realized he was to the source. Now he wasn't quite sure what to expect when he got there, if it would already be a tree or a mere sprout in the ground. Either way he just hoped it was something, and that he wasn't imagining the feeling at all. How sad would that be? Admitedly worse things could happen, such as finding said mare there first. If he did? Well that would be problem. You see Zaknafein wasn't one for company, and he really didn't want to get stuck in a relationship raising the foals together. He supposed he'd have to chase her off if she wound up meeting him at the tree. Yes, that seemed like the appropriate response considering they had both agreed that only Zaknafein would ever take part in raising the foals and the tree.
Onward he plod, with the morbid thoughts of chasing the tree's mother away if she decided to show herself, and the stronger the feeling got. To the point were it urged the large brute Aeri into a lumbering trot. Until finally instinct told him to stop, he was here. And stop he did, abrubtly putting on the brakes before he could plow into what looked like two saplings begining to wind into a single tree. Huh... so this is what it looked like. "Kinda puny, aren'tcha?" the brute rumbled in a low voice, taking a closer inspection of the tree. It definatly had a long ways to grow before the foals were ready. The foals that would redeem his soul for all the foul and vile things he did in his life.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 10:16 am
Very vaguely the stallion wondered just how long it would take the tree to grow, and how many fruits it would bear. Large, round hooves carried him in a slow circle around the sapling's base, inspecting it from every angle. How long would he need to stay here, and how many strangers would he need to chase away if they got the bright idea to come visit with him? Ugh, that would be the worst part of this whole trip, dealing with other nequus with trees in the area that felt the need to come converse with him. Oh well, he'd deal, somehow.
With an idle flick of his short tail, Zaknafein settled down onto the ground, careful not to crush the small tree with his body as he did so. Now he just had to wait, and hope for the best. Ugh. Now that didn't sound like him at all. Since when did he hope for the best for anything? Oh well, as long as the foals survived than he'd get his freedom from all this guilt. That's what really mattered anyway. Not their mother, not them, just the ridding himself of these awful feelings he'd been burdened with since Vierna managed to convense him that he was wrong.
That didn't honestly matter right now though, the past was behind him, he was sure, and he just needed to carry on with life. Forgetting? He wished, than he wouldn't have to feel remorse for the things he did. Settling down into his thoughts, the large brute of an aeri prepared for the long wait for the fruits and the tree to be ready.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2009 6:53 pm
Time passes slowly in Shrilal, the green brute observed over time. The tree still seemed to be growing, but his body felt weak. Weakness made him hungry, and in turn that hunger dared him to dive into madness. Until only the hunger remained. Zak had done his best to graze when ever he found it possible, however he was quickly running out of reachable blades. It seemed that the further he went from the life sucking tree, the more heavily the drain weighed against him. Thus, the brute was forced to stay close to the parasite, as he came to think of it. And unfortunatly for him, most of the grass in the immediate area had already been gotten too.
Hunger begged to be taken care of, and morbid curiousity lifted the Aeri stallion's crimson eyes to the branches of the parasite tree. There they were, two growing fruits, stealing his energy, his life from his very body. His salvation somehow becoming the harbinger of death. Morbid curiousity switched to temptation. Just one little bite wouldn't hurt, the foal would still be okay so long as he didn't bite too deeply into it. These thoughts and many more flew through his mind, beckoned him to entertain the idea for just a little bit longer..."Nice day isn't it? Boy, I bet you just can't wait to get this over with, huh?" a voice called from behind. Bright, cheery. Especailly cheery. The large aeri stallion took his crimson eyes away from the fruits to gaze at the happy intruder, and there before him stood a small, very giddy bae stallion with a basket of fruit at his hooves. Obviously he had stopped to make conversation, seeing another stallion taking care of a tree.
Lucky for the twin fruits that grew upon the branches of Zaknafein's tree, not so lucky for the mook who stopped to make conversation with its sire.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2009 7:41 pm
Zak hesitated at first, as if pausing to determine the threat level of such a small nequus. The fellow's shoulder hardly came up to his chest, and even that was stretching it a little bit. The thought of considering such a tiny creature a threat to a monster like Zaknafein, was quite frankly ridiculous. Luckily the bae didn't seem to think so, and so he tolerated the moment's silence with the mindset 'a father is always protective of its foals'. Wrong mindset to be in. The first move Zak made toward the other stallion very easily illustrated his intent: the basket of fruit would be his, and this stallion stood no chance of fighting back.
"What are you...- NO! Stop- GRaaaaaAWh!"
"UNNHH I-I didn't, I won't- AAAH!-ahhrn..."
"nNNRRrhh J-J-just... take it. Ah- AAAAAAHH! P-please-hhrnh."
"Harw-harwww-haaAHHHW! For the love of Urin...!- HAAAHHhh! Take it! Take it! TAKE IT-UNNAAAAAH! ... hrnnnnnnn hrnnnnnn hawwh-AHH-..."
In the end Zak had his fruit, and the friendly, happy go-lucky bae stallion that had approached the swirled green aeri... wound up dragging his bloody body back to a hungry mare and tree. To the crimson eyed Zaknafein, nothing could have been sweeter than that first bite of fruit he dug into. The rest was pure gorging until he got the bottom of the basket. Saited for now, the stallion returned to lay down next to the trunk of the growing tree, uncarring for the blood that coated his hooves, or the puddle of red that stained the patches of grass near his spot. Nor even for the life of the bae that may or may not live past the night. To the green swirled aeri there was only content... until the next fool wandered to closely to his tree with a basket of fruit.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2009 1:04 pm
 Shrilal. She didn't think she'd be seeing this place any time soon for whatever reason, but the sight was still enough to awe her. Trees everywhere, some with parents around the base and fruits on the branches, others with bare limbs and no occupants anywhere in sight. Wow, the last time she had been here must have been back when Zaknafein had come into the world, for Vierna specifically remembered staying by her sister's side and helping to support her through the duration of the fruit growth. That had been such a long time ago, and she was certain she hadn't visited this place since. Oh, fond memories-
A huge, green mountain of a nequus caught her attention as soon as she passed through a thick shroud of trees. And sure enough, such a nequus held lighter colored swirls to its coat, and crimson eyes just like her nephew. But, what was he doing in Shrilal? Oh goodness, hopefully nothing dreadful, she did seem to catch him in such states fairly often. Tentively the mare walked forward, eyeing her nephew every step of the way until he swung his large head around and happened to meet her eyes. Those crimson eyes for but a moment held nothing akin to the Zaknafein so dear to her heart, but a stranger rabid with madness. Almost instantly Vierna froze mid-step, uncertain of either she should move onward or not.
"... Zak," the mare coaxed gently, just barely able to loose her voice loud enough for him to hear. Surely, surely this creature was not her beloved nephew? Unfortunately for her, Vierna saw the softening in those blood-red orbs, and knew very well that- yes, this was indeed the stallion she had thought it was. Which made that crazed look from before all the more dreadful. Oh dear.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2009 11:28 pm
Weeks had gone by and the stallion had continued to attack those who came too close to this parasite tree, snatching what he could of the fruits that they had on them, or just plain snapping at those he saw fit to do so. Blood, violence, seething bitterness about his current situation did not help his already unstable mental state, as the foundation for sanity had been shaky at best. Days had past were the stallion couldn't remember much of the goings on, were hours felt like mere seconds, and other times minutes an eternity. The only thing consistant in the green swirled aeri's memory as of late just happened to be the outbursts of violence to passer-bys; which, had very faithfully earned him several wounds to his person. Most of which he couldn't recall how they'd got there.
Another intruder approached his parasite tree, another calm before the storm as they drew closer- and stopped. A voice, and something snapped within the stallion. Something familar. First his mind was hit with confusion, but recognition easily enough crept into his mind. Ah. "Good evening, Aunt Viern." Simple as that, and clearity made its way to his mind, softening his expression. It had been a long time since he'd seen her, after all. And he did very much adore his aunt. "What brings you all the way out here, to Shrilal?" It wasn't too far away from D'ob, but certainly not one of her usual haunts if he recalled correctly. Not even a word about his tree, for the parasite was easily shrugged off as a bad blemish to the crimson-eyed aeri stallion.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2009 11:49 pm
That was all? With the way she had seen him not a moment before she had expected some wild animal, not her nephew, to be speaking to her. Perhaps she had merely imagined such a look? It was a fleeting thought, for the mare knew better than to ignore something like that. Indeed, her nephew must be suffering from sickness unlike any other she had ever encountered. Something terrible that ate at his mind and his soul, something akin to insanity. Had the past year really been that hard for him? A part of her didn't doubt it.
Still, the hopeful mare stepped forward, albeit cautiously until she came to stand by the side of the stallion as he lay on the ground next to the tree's trunk. "Nothing much deary, its just been awhile since I've visited my tree is all. Its good to make those trips every once in awhile", she reached down to n** at his short mane like she had done when he was a foal, "Its good for the soul." Especially hers. To Vierna, her tree was a reminder of her family, a memory she did not want to lose over the years despite them being gone from this world.
Now, as for why Zak was here? That question was easily answered by two things. One: two growing fruits hung from the limbs of this tree. And two: Zak was looking rather haggered and unkempt, which signified he wasn't getting as much to eat as he should have. No matter what she might have felt about her nephew after all the things he'd done, Vierna's heart went out to him. Oh Zak, her poor, poor Zak. Another tussle of his mane and the shorter aeri clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. "How would you like some fruit, darling? I'm fairly certain I spotted an Elpa tree not too far off. It'll only take me a few moments to return." Without an answer she was off, to gather whatever assortment of greens she could find. Elpas, apples, edibble bunches of flowers and tall grasses; just about anything she could place onto her back and between the membrane of her wings for safe keeping.
She'd see to it that her nephew would be taken care of during this time. To think, Zak... with foals. But was that really such a good thing? In the state he seemed to be in now, Vierna had her doubts. All the more reason to stick to his side as much as possible, before something irreversable and regretable happened to take place. She could only hope that her presence was enough to prevent anything like that going on. But that didn't stop the ball of worry that formed in her gut, and wormed its icy way into her veins. The mare gave a shutter; this certainly wasn't going to be easy.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 1:52 pm
Weeks had gone by yet again, with Vierna taking care of him every step of the way. Where some would see that as a good thing, Zak did not. He had nothing to do but lay under the paraiste tree that sucked out his very life, eat, sleep, and repeat the process. Very shortly after this routine had begun, Zak found himself drifting more and more inward, his time only occupied by this thoughts. And when one such as him got time to think, truths turned inside out and lies became religion.
Until one day when the stallion lay under his tree, silent as always while Vierna went off to find him something more to eat, something unexpected happened. A hard thump hit him against his side, josteling the aeri out of thought and startling him into a near freak out. Tensed and shaking, eyes rolling with white and nostrils flaring in near panic, the stallion spotted the object that had landed on him. A fruit. One of those darn, parasitic fruits had fallen from its branch and thunked him on the side. The stallion's ears pinned against his skull in heavy aggitation, crimson eyes narrowing at the wiggling, colorful thing. It was then that he made the decision to get to his hooves, for what reason he was unsure, but he was rather cross with the thing that dared strike him.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 2:00 pm
Had she noticed the change in her nephew over the past while? Yes, she had. Vierna was not so blind as to think him normal or calm after what she had seen, and yet she could not bring herself to blame him totally for what had happened. There was one thing she could hold over his head though, and that was decision to have foals. Why he'd want to bring any into the world in such a state as his, she had no clue, but it worried the red-tinted mare quite a bit. She had no idea what he was thinking as of late, had no idea how to get into his head or expect what may come next, and thus she worried for the safety of his children.
What could she do though? It was cruel to take them away, crueler still to let them remain with their shell of a father. When the time came and they hatched, what would Zaknafein do with them? The thought had occured to her that she may need to stick by his side until they were grown, but could she honestly have the energy to do that? Would Zak begrudge her for not trusting him? It didn't matter, leaving them with their father unattended was not a wise decision.
In silence the mare continued to pick fruits, flowers, and grasses for the day's meal, knowing sure enough the time for the foals to hatch would come soon. And then the decision would have to be made: could Zak care and raise for these foals on his own, or did she need to interfere with the affair further?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 2:09 pm
As he stared at the tiny jumping thing that wiggled on the ground, his thoughts turned dark corners. The parasite was about to be born, the creature that had fed off of his own life for weeks and months was about to join the world of the living. The unholy, demonic parasite, surely it would wreak havoc on the world around. Suck Urin dry it would, until nothing else remained of the beautiful grass lands of D'ob, or the salty seas of Quirne. Foals. He'd tried to kill one of those parasites before, hadn't he? Yes, he remembered. Aitumn's son, the disgusting crossbreed. Zak's expression soured at the thought of those memories. Bitterness turned to rage, and rage into vengence. How dare they make a mockery of him, waving the parasite in his face, letting it destroy the world. And then filling his mind with lies-
Suddenly something dropped past his vision and thudded onto the ground next to his heavy hooves, startling the large stallion into a wild spook several feet away. Eyes rolling once more as he tossed his head and stared at the second wiggling fruit, his mind hit back into panic mode. Fruits. Foals. Parasites. Lies. ... Aitumn. It had all started with Aitumn. Some way, some how, this was all the pompus jala's fault.
Something snapped in his mind and the fruits became unimportant, almost non-existant. Aitumn was responsible for all of this. His pain, suffering, everything. Nostrils still flaring heavily and muscles tensed with panic, Zak threw one more wild-eyed look toward the two wriggling fruits and bolted away from the tree in a stumbling dash. He didn't know where he was going, or even most of who he was any more, but one thing remained in his mind above all else. Aitumn must die.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 4:59 pm
When she had gathered up all the eddible things she could find at the moment, not wanting to leave Zak alone for much longer, the small aeri mare started the short walk back to the tree. So many thoughts had entered her mind these past weeks, most of which pertaining to the foals that were going to be born. Now Zak hadn't told her much about their mother, but when she asked he always responded with, 'They'll cleanse my sould.' Now she wasn't entirely sure what that meant, but it left a bad taste in the back of her mouth.
As soon as she got within glancing distance of the tree something immediatly looked wrong. Upon closer inspection she discovered Zak was no longer in the area. What did that mean? A fear bubbled up in her and the mare quickened her strides, glancing all about her until she reached the tree- and the two wiggling fruits on the ground. Had... had they fallen already? Or had Zak pulled them down himself? Oooh, this is what she had been worried about! Hopefully it wasn't the latter.
Dropping her wingful of fruits, grass, and flowers, Vierna nudged at both of the little spongy fruits and was relieved to find they had sustained no damage. So that meant Zak hadn't touched them. But where was he now? Prancing a few steps as she swung her head around nervously on the look out for her nephew, she thought of just what might have happened. Perhaps the fruit falling spooked him? Or maybe he realized he wasn't going to give them a good home? Maybe he just didn't want to be a father any more. Whatever the reason, Vierna doubted he'd be coming back with the way he had been acting as of late. Very detached, unresponsive, and the looks he'd get in his eyes from time to time... it was enough to give her the chills.
Vierna glanced down to the two wiggling fruits once more, warmth and relief settling into her heart. She was certain Zak wasn't coming back, and as sad as that point was, she knew it was better this way. He couldn't harm them. So what did that mean for the two foals struggling to make it into the world for the first time? It meant that they'd have Vierna to protect and love them. Patiently she awaited for the arrival of the two colts, Zaknafein's sons, who would never know the monster that was their sire.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 5:02 pm
Sons of the aeri stallion, Zaknafein and an unknown aeri mare.
To be raised by the aeri mare, Vierna.  
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
