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 Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2012 11:45 am
 Haides sighed as he reached the shade of a large oak tree, laying down underneath its branches. It was a hot day, and even he was having trouble traveling for a period of time without a break. He looked around, scanning the area for water or other lifeforms. He saw a pond not too far away and... something farther out. The stallion squinted. What was it?
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Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2012 4:35 pm
 The golden stallion had chosen this time to fly. For but a few hours, his sense of urgency had been dampened by the foul raging winds soaring from the Shadow Lands, threatening to rip the skin clean of his strong winds, but to wait for the wrath spilling out to the no man's land to subside wasn't something he could afford. Who knew when it would give pause? And for an Azrein as large as he was, trying to stow away on a flying ship was like fitting a cow in a dog house. So, with his long mane and tail being whipped by the gale, his large golden wings unfolded and a steel mind, Azante'zana had set off to brave the storm, pierce the clouds and reach the isle where dreams come true.
There are two reasons winged Azrein don't just fly up to the island. Where the sky is clear and safe, you are too far away to make it. Where the path is shorter, the violent galestorm can rip you clean off the air and make you plummet to your death. There was no shortage of moments where Aza felt like his wings were going to crack or when the sky and the earth swapped places, but the stallion's resilience and large, powerful muscles kept him on an unwavering track, fed by the thought that every wingbeat got him closer to that person.
When he finally broke through the cloudline and the blue sky expanded, the earth toned rocks of the island's face became spotted with greenery and the warmth of the sun bathed him, an extremely exhausted smile opened on the stallion's lips. As the magically imbued air of the island envelloped Aza though and brought the oppressive heat though, it quickly went away. He had thought the last stretch would be a breeze, but even favorable ground had a fang to bare.
It was with a sweat drenched coat, a ragged breath and every inch of his being wailing in pain and fatigue that Aza finally set hoof on the green meadows of the Floating Isle. Not even a breeze blew to welcome him, every blade of grass perfectly still. He had tried to fly inwards as much as possible, but the relief of finally arriving quickly drained whatever dust of energy remained in the large stallion's body, legs shaking as Aza touched the ground. Water. A desperate need for water invaded all his being, feeling himself dry like a prune under the scorching heat, and the promise of a drink wasn't too far away, it was one of the last things he had noticed before his wings finally caved in, straight ahead. The stallion's sight was beginning to blur and tunnel as he wobbled slowly towards the pond, leathery wings pending inanimate from his sides. All there was was the water and him... the water and him... until strength just left him, tripping on his own hooves and falling on his side. "Really? Is this... how it ends?" Aza laughed weakly. If he could, he'd have shaked his head. "How miserable."
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Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2012 5:47 pm
Haides watched as the dot on the horizon grow until it could be identified. He stood up when he saw the winged Azrien crash into the meadow, his hooves carrying him over to the golden stallion. It didn't take much inspection to tell that he was exhausted; he didn't look like he could move an inch. Sighing, Haides moved under one of his wings, getting a shoulder underneath the collapsed stallion's body and pushing upward as he tried to get him upright.
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Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2012 7:37 pm
Aza didn't notice immediatly what was happening. The lull of exhaustion was clouding his mind and dragging his thoughts into unconsciousness. Just a little sleep. That was all he needed. Then a more insistent push roused his almost closed eyes to open and focus on the source of the silent force. A smaller, younger stallion, black as black could be. A complete stranger smackdab in the middle of nowhere. Well, it seemed fate did want him to succeed, after all. "I'll save the nap for later then..." the winged one mumbled, thankful for this stallion's random act of charity.
His efforts, Aza decided, would not go to waste, summoning the last few droplets of energy he had deeply hidden inside to rise, using the smaller one's mass as leverage. It was slow, wobbly and filled with groans of utter pain as all of his muscles loudly protested, but the gold spotted male finally stood up once more. "I thought no one helped others in need anymore... good to see... good values again..."
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Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2012 8:42 pm
"... Just an instinct." An instinct that Haides was a bit surprised he still had. It been a long time since he'd last needed to use it... The extra weight didn't seem to bother the dark stallion too much. "Walk," he encouraged gently. The larger stallion needed water, and standing still wouldn't get it to him.
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Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2012 6:57 pm
Although grateful, Aza was unable to express what was going on between his ears as they made their way to the pond. Every inch of brain was focused in getting his hooves to move, one step at a time, maintaining a delicate balance between making a step and keeping his long long mane out of the way. It was a difficult task, and more than once the stallion felt a couple of long locks trapped under his weight, but it was worth it for the refreshing sensation of water going down his throat. In fact, the way Aza drank it would most likely seem as if he hadn't seen water for days. With all the effort and the heat piling up on top, it sure was a godsent.
Although pain still seared his body and standing proved to be a herculean task in itself, the relief of having his deep thirst quenched was enough to add a little more fuel to the energy tank, and a new shine sparkled on Aza's emerald eyes. "Thank you, kind stranger. Without your aid, my fate's outcome might have been a lot more dire."
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Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2012 9:44 pm
"Just an instinct," Haides repeated modestly. Still he took the gratitude with a nod and didn't deny the possibility of a 'more dire' outcome if he hadn't intervened. Questions started swirling around his brain as he helped support the still-weak stallion. Who was this winged Azrien, and what had caused him to fly so long that even getting a drink of water required assistance?
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Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 10:25 am
"Well I hope you preserve that instinct throughout your life, good deeds bring good fortune, or so they say." A smile now graced the stallion's relieved maw, feeling a semblance of control return to his tired body. Even if his wings felt like two leathery lumps of cramps and uselessness pending from his sides, maybe it was a good time to try and walk on his own. At least until they were in the shade, then he could just plop himself down without any constraints or even dignity. A gentleman must know how and when to pick their battles, and maintaining a strong facade was a one way ticket to making an absolute fool of himself. Still, there was a limit to how much one imposed on others too, and stepping away from the black stallion would a good first move to solve that issue. "Now, lets see if I can make it on my own here for a little while..."
First, the golden male shifted his weight over to his own hooves. His muscles shook and legs wobbled, but he still remained standing, vanquishing the first barrier. Next test, one step. Just as shaky and his knees threatened to give in, yet Aza held on by sheer will and a hefty dose of stubborn. With each following step, the insecurity and fatigue subsided, to the point Aza was completely detached from Haides. "Seems like I managed to get something going here, so lets get out of this heat. I've never been so eager to get out of the sun without being on a desert... is the Isle's weather always like this?" Slowly, Aza headed for the great oak, trying to keep himself in (precarious) movement. The moment he stopped, he wouldn't rise again so soon, that was for sure.
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Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 5:01 pm
Haides walked at the stranger's pace, not seeming nearly as bothered by the heat. "Only in the summer," Haides replied to the golden stallion's question. "North of here it's cooler." But he wasn't headed north. Not yet. It hadn't been that long since he'd left home. The black stallion still had quite a bit of traveling to do.
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Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 5:39 pm
"North is cooler... Well, that makes sense. It will surely make more sense to me after I get my bearings back again. I had the faint idea I was approaching the Isle from the west, but it's quite easy to lose track of direction in the middle of raging crossed winds..." Aza was mostly rambling to himself, the full stupidity of the situation only hitting him now. Man, talk about suicidal. Next time, he'd risk the damn airships.
As soon as they reached the oak, the stallion painstakingly lied down, trying his best not to simply just let go and fall on his side. He wasn't feeling so bad that he couldn't hold a conversation while holding his head up, and falling on your side when you have wings... Aza knew from experience how bad an idea that was. "Ah, the saving grace of the shadows..." He took a deep breath, letting his tired muscles finally relax and stretches. "So, I'm assuming you either live up north or have travelled around the island..." There was a hint of hope in the golden male's words. Maybe this young lad would be the first stepping stone in this floating rock.
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Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 5:52 pm
Haides listened to the other stallion ramble, but didn't reply until his last comment. "Yes. It was not my place of birth, but I have lived around the human city of Avandere for most of my life. Now I'm traveling." He was quiet for a moment before posing his own assumption. "I take it you're from the Lands Below?"
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Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 7:16 pm
Not only had this male lived near the humans, he had lived by the capital city itself! Was this a stroke of luck or what? In the least, he could point Aza in the right direction... "I guess you could say that. When you are too young to remember the place you were born, then you are from the next closest place, yes?" Aza nodded, although his voice didn't sound that sure of himself. What would his life had been if he had had a normal course, he sometimes wondered. He'd probably have met more than a handful of Azrein in his lifetime by now probably, that was for sure. "I was told I was born here, on the island, but I was taken to the Lands Below before I was old enough to even know my name. Speaking of which, I am Azante'zana. A bit of a mouthful, so just Aza is quite alright."
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Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 8:00 pm
Haides remembered all too well the place he'd been born. He assumed that would be one of the places he traveled to on this journey. Still, he nodded to the golden stallion's logic. "I'm Haides." And the only person who called him by a nickname was Beta.
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Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 8:27 pm
"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Haides. I don't think I can express my gratitude to you enough." Aza smiled, bowing his head to the younger male. "I am in debt to you for saving my life... I'm rather old fashioned when it comes to these things." His eyes lowered to the locket around his neck, his smile saddening, filled with nostalgia. "Even though I have another important promise to keep." Aza raised his gaze to the black unicorn again, just to take a better look at Haides reactions. He seemed extremely collected, very much a loner. "Have you ever made a promise you absolutely must fulfill, Haides?"
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Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 9:04 pm
Haides shook his head. "You owe me nothing." His eyes followed Aza's to the locket, then met them as the golden pegasus looked at him. At Aza's question, he answered automatically, not a shred of hesitation or uncertainty in his voice. "Yes."
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