Rhugris' Gamble: Out Of The Frying Pan...
Rhugris' Gamble: Out Of The Frying Pan...
The blazing Ire of Xelphus was not far from setting, casting its deep sanguine gaze upon the unforgiving sands of the Acrix Solara. Soon the glare of Vescrutia's ternate moons would once more highlight the presence of the third Astral year. Adorned in tattered cerulean cloths and ornaments of gold Inari had made it out of the maze of spiders. It was truly a perilous excursion. One that he barely made it out of. Ambushed by bandits bitten by a deadly spider almost succumbing to its venom the trials had proved themselves to be far more dangerous than he gave them credit for. Despite each and every trial, however, he came out on top stronger than he was before he entered the maze. However, the most notable trial was that of the Wizard King...one that revealed Inari's true nature. Toppling the bandits was nothing compared to facing his most egregious adversary...
Himself.
"..."
The once small fox spirit was now the size of a large wolf. Standing beside him. The truths he battled through...the new vow he had made. It had gifted him an entirely new outlook on this entire affair. When he originally arrived his only concern was hoping to attract other Myotis. But now, after all this, his desire and...evolved.
"We can talk about it ya know...it was a pretty heavy ordeal"
Inari said nothing. His eyes did not carry the same glimmers of callousness they held when he first visited these sands in the company of Nagase and the Astral King's trusted retainers. In that place...that hallowed sanctuary where the Wizard King dwelled Inari received an understanding of his true nature...the many eons he has encircled the cycle of life here. The origins of the voices that once plagued him. The atrocities he has committed every time.
"...."
His connection to the very ground he walked upon. The blood that coursed through him, the origin of his father...and the horrors his mother had to endure. The horrific advent that sent the Myotis into a frenzy...the reason they now hide. He understood it all and with that clarity came a new admonishment. His goal of proving himself to the be strongest was a byproduct now. What he needed to do, the purpose he needed to fulfill.
Was the unification and evolution of the Myotis
Saving the whole of Vescrutia from a terrible foe that had already been wreaking havoc... entries known as the Horseman.
"I was...so unconcerned with it all. The tribulations of this world meant so little to me. I only cared for what I desired, what I wished to know to be made apparent to me. Never did I imagine such things would be laid bare."
He was not the only one...the Advent of the Scarlet moon. Though to his dismay, the devouring of Bora was still a sin all his own. As were the many others he had consumed upon "Awakening" this curse. He needed to break it but the other pieces to his freedom...he hadn't a clue on how to find them. To know that the Myotis once waged war on their brethren. Now it all made sense. They were not only hiding to protect themselves.
They hid to protect the world they belonged to,
The family they harmed,
encapsulated in a bubble of regret, trapped in a sea of trauma and pain.
Of the many emotions Inari found himself battling, he understood these the most.
" You've made your choice then? You will do it?"
The Cardinal gleam of the desert seemed now such a fitting notion for what was occurring. The gap in his knowledge...the rift in his understanding...the tear of his spirit. The thread had been found, the needle forged and the weaving of a new tapestry of fate was now in tow.
"I cleaved through countless would-be brethren to stand here. These claws have felt the loss of life more times than I can count."
His hands were still stained by the carnage he had to ensue.
"I have tasted the ambition of descendants of all the nine families, the roar of their blood calls to me still."
Contrary to his carnivorous nature Inari did not take pleasure in the lives he was forced to claim. Since embarking on the path of Hearts and receiving the memories of his mother, life, and the soul within the body, they were far more tangible to him.
"But what I must become, What I must attain in order to liberate my...family from their torment."
Family... a word seldom used and one that from his various claims to the keys needed to pass was but a fleeting concept to some. To others, the sole reason for them agreeing to this mad contest. Though never once did he think he'd be using with such...endearment. This was the path his mother hoped he might walk. She never mentioned it to him, her blood didn't convey which direction he was to walk in. It needed to be his desire, his whim to-
"Yes Amrit, the path has been decided, the power of their blood flows within me and with it, I shall shatter their shackles. How long? How many more cycles of the moon must we wait? Suffer, searching for penitence for the choices made hundreds of cycles ago? No...more..."
The sand no longer troubles him, and the heat no longer concerned him. It was as if he had finally accepted the ancestral presence of his connection to these sands. He had been so concerned with unearthing the past, and now that he was privy to it, within him now burned the aching desire to set the present aflame so that they might produce a fertile future from the ashes. That was the beauty he discovered, truly understanding the cycle of life. Death begets life, life begets death. For him, there was nothing more to ponder.
" I will devour their guilt, consume their regrets, and from it will rise a force that will once again be able to claim proudly the name... Myotis. Fear is to be harnessed. The heart is not a vice, it is a source to be conquered and willed...obtaining the last of these keys shall be the truth of it."
"Well... I did not think it was possible. I'm actually starting to like you now."
Inari would smirk as he now took to finding a small area of shattered stones. He would perch himself atop the largest fragment. and heaved a hefty sigh.
"Too much credit you should not gift to me, spirit. There is still yet, much blood to be spilled."
The next phase of this contest was the acquisition of 20 keys. Artifacts that would provide passage to the final phase. He was in possession of 5 himself. Some of the folks he was forced to slaughter did not possess keys of their own, trying to take his bounty for themselves. It was not his desire to needlessly take life any longer. If it came down between that life and his purpose, however...then that opposition would be culled.
Himself.
"..."
The once small fox spirit was now the size of a large wolf. Standing beside him. The truths he battled through...the new vow he had made. It had gifted him an entirely new outlook on this entire affair. When he originally arrived his only concern was hoping to attract other Myotis. But now, after all this, his desire and...evolved.
"We can talk about it ya know...it was a pretty heavy ordeal"
Inari said nothing. His eyes did not carry the same glimmers of callousness they held when he first visited these sands in the company of Nagase and the Astral King's trusted retainers. In that place...that hallowed sanctuary where the Wizard King dwelled Inari received an understanding of his true nature...the many eons he has encircled the cycle of life here. The origins of the voices that once plagued him. The atrocities he has committed every time.
"...."
His connection to the very ground he walked upon. The blood that coursed through him, the origin of his father...and the horrors his mother had to endure. The horrific advent that sent the Myotis into a frenzy...the reason they now hide. He understood it all and with that clarity came a new admonishment. His goal of proving himself to the be strongest was a byproduct now. What he needed to do, the purpose he needed to fulfill.
Was the unification and evolution of the Myotis
Saving the whole of Vescrutia from a terrible foe that had already been wreaking havoc... entries known as the Horseman.
"I was...so unconcerned with it all. The tribulations of this world meant so little to me. I only cared for what I desired, what I wished to know to be made apparent to me. Never did I imagine such things would be laid bare."
He was not the only one...the Advent of the Scarlet moon. Though to his dismay, the devouring of Bora was still a sin all his own. As were the many others he had consumed upon "Awakening" this curse. He needed to break it but the other pieces to his freedom...he hadn't a clue on how to find them. To know that the Myotis once waged war on their brethren. Now it all made sense. They were not only hiding to protect themselves.
They hid to protect the world they belonged to,
The family they harmed,
encapsulated in a bubble of regret, trapped in a sea of trauma and pain.
Of the many emotions Inari found himself battling, he understood these the most.
" You've made your choice then? You will do it?"
The Cardinal gleam of the desert seemed now such a fitting notion for what was occurring. The gap in his knowledge...the rift in his understanding...the tear of his spirit. The thread had been found, the needle forged and the weaving of a new tapestry of fate was now in tow.
"I cleaved through countless would-be brethren to stand here. These claws have felt the loss of life more times than I can count."
His hands were still stained by the carnage he had to ensue.
"I have tasted the ambition of descendants of all the nine families, the roar of their blood calls to me still."
Contrary to his carnivorous nature Inari did not take pleasure in the lives he was forced to claim. Since embarking on the path of Hearts and receiving the memories of his mother, life, and the soul within the body, they were far more tangible to him.
"But what I must become, What I must attain in order to liberate my...family from their torment."
Family... a word seldom used and one that from his various claims to the keys needed to pass was but a fleeting concept to some. To others, the sole reason for them agreeing to this mad contest. Though never once did he think he'd be using with such...endearment. This was the path his mother hoped he might walk. She never mentioned it to him, her blood didn't convey which direction he was to walk in. It needed to be his desire, his whim to-
"Yes Amrit, the path has been decided, the power of their blood flows within me and with it, I shall shatter their shackles. How long? How many more cycles of the moon must we wait? Suffer, searching for penitence for the choices made hundreds of cycles ago? No...more..."
The sand no longer troubles him, and the heat no longer concerned him. It was as if he had finally accepted the ancestral presence of his connection to these sands. He had been so concerned with unearthing the past, and now that he was privy to it, within him now burned the aching desire to set the present aflame so that they might produce a fertile future from the ashes. That was the beauty he discovered, truly understanding the cycle of life. Death begets life, life begets death. For him, there was nothing more to ponder.
" I will devour their guilt, consume their regrets, and from it will rise a force that will once again be able to claim proudly the name... Myotis. Fear is to be harnessed. The heart is not a vice, it is a source to be conquered and willed...obtaining the last of these keys shall be the truth of it."
"Well... I did not think it was possible. I'm actually starting to like you now."
Inari would smirk as he now took to finding a small area of shattered stones. He would perch himself atop the largest fragment. and heaved a hefty sigh.
"Too much credit you should not gift to me, spirit. There is still yet, much blood to be spilled."
The next phase of this contest was the acquisition of 20 keys. Artifacts that would provide passage to the final phase. He was in possession of 5 himself. Some of the folks he was forced to slaughter did not possess keys of their own, trying to take his bounty for themselves. It was not his desire to needlessly take life any longer. If it came down between that life and his purpose, however...then that opposition would be culled.
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/AhQudMz.png)
- Aerys Hellgate
- Drifter
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Sun Sep 18, 2022 11:18 am
Re: Out Of The Frying Pan...
Before Inari could get too comfortable atop his throne of bone and sand, the ivory sea could be heard boiling at his feet. His perch began to snap and crack along its brittle base. The smooth surface beneath his bottom started to smolder like a frying pan, as would the very air. It became thick and stagnant; a dry mist. The heat was inescable.
"Hey!"
The source of this heatstroke hailed from the cloudless, sanguine blistered sky. He hung up there lke a wall less painting. Or object that wasn't supposed to be there. Just floating. A closer look would discern his bare, modelesque physique was covered in a tangible ribbin of fire. Tiny embers of amethyst flickered from his skin and dissipated into the already scathing winds of the desert. He looked like fire. A living inferno playing its hand at humanity. But more than that.. Aerys looked bored.
That is until he noticed Inari beneath him. The sight of another survivor of that convoluted labrinyth noticeably brightened his demeanor. Aerys had only escaped its caverns barely fifteen minutes before finding the red haired Hellgate, but he wasn't expecting anyone to emerge after he did. He was terrible at puzzles and often strayed clear of tactical obstacles. Aerys figured he was the last one to be lost inside and didn't hesitate to take to the skies as quickly as he could.
Once he escaped, he nearly forgot the motive of the challeng. He only recently acquired the keys hanging from his neck vis chain. He managed to gather five in total, each of them taken from some nameless face who didn't believe Aerys' claim. He warned them he was unbreakable and they laughed in his face. The Tyre were accustomed to this. Not Aerys though. He made sure they knew just how powerful their future King truly was.
Inari was next it seemed.
"I remember you.. How many of them keys ya got there, mate?"
Aerys said as he floated slowly down to the sands, trying to damndest to maintain his composure, but he was pretty fucking tired. Despite barely needing to exert himself throughout the labrinyth, the caverns of the Thassigar possessed Naten draining ailments. It made him feel as if his lungs bore holes in them, but his cocky smirky buried his weaknesses in confidence. Inari was unlucky. But perhaps he didn't have to be painfully brutalized, and unlucky. If he could, Aerys wanted to avoid killing someone that could potentially become his ally. He'd been able to do that up to this point. His strength made it easy to incapacitate his opponent and simply take their keys. But he was more than prepared to proceed If he needed to. Still.. With his energy waining, he wanted to avoid any unnecessary battles.
"Hey!"
The source of this heatstroke hailed from the cloudless, sanguine blistered sky. He hung up there lke a wall less painting. Or object that wasn't supposed to be there. Just floating. A closer look would discern his bare, modelesque physique was covered in a tangible ribbin of fire. Tiny embers of amethyst flickered from his skin and dissipated into the already scathing winds of the desert. He looked like fire. A living inferno playing its hand at humanity. But more than that.. Aerys looked bored.
That is until he noticed Inari beneath him. The sight of another survivor of that convoluted labrinyth noticeably brightened his demeanor. Aerys had only escaped its caverns barely fifteen minutes before finding the red haired Hellgate, but he wasn't expecting anyone to emerge after he did. He was terrible at puzzles and often strayed clear of tactical obstacles. Aerys figured he was the last one to be lost inside and didn't hesitate to take to the skies as quickly as he could.
Once he escaped, he nearly forgot the motive of the challeng. He only recently acquired the keys hanging from his neck vis chain. He managed to gather five in total, each of them taken from some nameless face who didn't believe Aerys' claim. He warned them he was unbreakable and they laughed in his face. The Tyre were accustomed to this. Not Aerys though. He made sure they knew just how powerful their future King truly was.
Inari was next it seemed.
"I remember you.. How many of them keys ya got there, mate?"
Aerys said as he floated slowly down to the sands, trying to damndest to maintain his composure, but he was pretty fucking tired. Despite barely needing to exert himself throughout the labrinyth, the caverns of the Thassigar possessed Naten draining ailments. It made him feel as if his lungs bore holes in them, but his cocky smirky buried his weaknesses in confidence. Inari was unlucky. But perhaps he didn't have to be painfully brutalized, and unlucky. If he could, Aerys wanted to avoid killing someone that could potentially become his ally. He'd been able to do that up to this point. His strength made it easy to incapacitate his opponent and simply take their keys. But he was more than prepared to proceed If he needed to. Still.. With his energy waining, he wanted to avoid any unnecessary battles.
Last edited by Aerys Hellgate on Fri Feb 17, 2023 3:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- Ovan Hellgate
- Drifter
- Posts: 36
- Joined: Sat Sep 17, 2022 1:21 pm
Re: Out Of The Frying Pan...
"Definitely my least favorite trial. At least it has some charm to it."
Ovan spun one of the keys around his index finger while a quartet hung around his wrist. He gathered five on his own ingenuity and attention to detail. Ovan, being an astronomer, astrologer, a renaissance man of the seas and skies, prided himself on being able to avoid the trickery of the final trial of the Crown Jewel Ceremony. He found his way in reading the flow of Naten through the Unseen, the immutable energy that tied the physical world to the one beyond the basic human senses. The gift that the Horus Hellgate brought to the table, crafting items and trinkets that allow a layman to do what they could with their own two eyes, kept him out of the way of any of his competitors. Horus carried little animosity, they were more concerned with the tools of their craft and seeing beyond what was before them, their natural state was relaxed contemplation. Ovan took that idea further and mulled over his life's travels every step of the way between ateliers and observatories he spent the past three centuries working with. Though an experienced nomad and outdoorsman in his own right, he loathed fighting.
Absolutely hated it.
Moments like this made him appreciate being holed up in a room with good grafts and good friends.
"I've been lucky so far. Let's go for six."
This part of Acrix Solara, sacred grounds of the Crown Jewel Ceremony, was rife with history. He scoured most of the sites of previous battles of the Crown, assuming that they could point him in the direction of some left behind. After finding the first key at the hand of a fallen Hellgate, corpse bleached white and picked clean of any sinew, but kneeling as if it still defied its untimely end. The honor of the Vesta still emanated from the remains. Their birthrune could still be seen on their cape, billowing in the sand behind him. The conversation Ovan had with him relinquished a key and the location of a few others hiding from the carnage. He made a new friend and quick work of another five, per the ghost's instructions. A long, storied line of folklore informed Ovan of a trait of the keys only perceivable by those sensitive to them. All the Hellgates had a certain attraction to them, a way to ward them unique to their Anthem, and the storied stretched back for millennia. With such luck, Ovan was humbled by the legacy of the Kings who came before him and guided him to fortune. Now if only he could finish the set without running into a living creature.
He strayed actively away from any congregation of Hellgates, as they were accompanied by explosions and free flowing flame, pillars of light, lasers, and all manner of weaponry flying in every direction, just a lot to take in for a martial arts hobbyist, he'd avoid it if he could. And things died down over the hour he spent in the desert. The Wizard King's Trial that preceded this scavenger hunt left him feeling clear headed, without the normal specter of negativity that followed him. Without the elephant in the room, he might actually come out on top of this workout. One key remained.
"Wait, is that the guy who was asleep?"
Ovan stopped at a boulder, hiding out of the sight of the combatant floating some distance in front of him. First sleeping and now doing air surveillance, he seemed like one not to be trifled with. Maybe he could just go around him and keep exploring. This boulder probably had a ton of stories to tell, it looked like it was created from an older, larger one.
Ovan spun one of the keys around his index finger while a quartet hung around his wrist. He gathered five on his own ingenuity and attention to detail. Ovan, being an astronomer, astrologer, a renaissance man of the seas and skies, prided himself on being able to avoid the trickery of the final trial of the Crown Jewel Ceremony. He found his way in reading the flow of Naten through the Unseen, the immutable energy that tied the physical world to the one beyond the basic human senses. The gift that the Horus Hellgate brought to the table, crafting items and trinkets that allow a layman to do what they could with their own two eyes, kept him out of the way of any of his competitors. Horus carried little animosity, they were more concerned with the tools of their craft and seeing beyond what was before them, their natural state was relaxed contemplation. Ovan took that idea further and mulled over his life's travels every step of the way between ateliers and observatories he spent the past three centuries working with. Though an experienced nomad and outdoorsman in his own right, he loathed fighting.
Absolutely hated it.
Moments like this made him appreciate being holed up in a room with good grafts and good friends.
"I've been lucky so far. Let's go for six."
This part of Acrix Solara, sacred grounds of the Crown Jewel Ceremony, was rife with history. He scoured most of the sites of previous battles of the Crown, assuming that they could point him in the direction of some left behind. After finding the first key at the hand of a fallen Hellgate, corpse bleached white and picked clean of any sinew, but kneeling as if it still defied its untimely end. The honor of the Vesta still emanated from the remains. Their birthrune could still be seen on their cape, billowing in the sand behind him. The conversation Ovan had with him relinquished a key and the location of a few others hiding from the carnage. He made a new friend and quick work of another five, per the ghost's instructions. A long, storied line of folklore informed Ovan of a trait of the keys only perceivable by those sensitive to them. All the Hellgates had a certain attraction to them, a way to ward them unique to their Anthem, and the storied stretched back for millennia. With such luck, Ovan was humbled by the legacy of the Kings who came before him and guided him to fortune. Now if only he could finish the set without running into a living creature.
He strayed actively away from any congregation of Hellgates, as they were accompanied by explosions and free flowing flame, pillars of light, lasers, and all manner of weaponry flying in every direction, just a lot to take in for a martial arts hobbyist, he'd avoid it if he could. And things died down over the hour he spent in the desert. The Wizard King's Trial that preceded this scavenger hunt left him feeling clear headed, without the normal specter of negativity that followed him. Without the elephant in the room, he might actually come out on top of this workout. One key remained.
"Wait, is that the guy who was asleep?"
Ovan stopped at a boulder, hiding out of the sight of the combatant floating some distance in front of him. First sleeping and now doing air surveillance, he seemed like one not to be trifled with. Maybe he could just go around him and keep exploring. This boulder probably had a ton of stories to tell, it looked like it was created from an older, larger one.
"You collapsed under the weight of idealism, nothing to be ashamed of. Happens to all of us, not just the best of us. " - Sorith, Horus Crown
Ovan's Attire
"Ovan's Theme"
Ovan's Attire
"Ovan's Theme"
Re: Out Of The Frying Pan...
Inari someone ones here! The ground!
Barely a second later did the stone he rested on become scalding to the touch. In a fluid motion, he would backflip his aura manifesting behind him forming a pair of scarlet red bat-like wings that stretched 6ft wide. His fox spirit would be seen morphing into a ball of deep lavender light hovering near him.
That he would become his prey.
Inari said as Aerys descended. The heat was thick but nothing so far that Inari could not withstand. He had faced scalding winds and the tenacity of the Acrix Solaris before. Though winded from the Journey through the naten sucking maze just as sure as the lotus blooms twice.
So does the heart of a Myotis.
"Five, you intend to take them? Be advised."
The lavender ball of light that was his Familiar would merge with his being encasing him in a veil of dark lavender aura. Within the palm of his right hand, a deep crimson amorphous energy would manifest. Its consistency is like that of blood as he faced his palm toward the boiling sands. From the orifice on his hand that energy would pour out solidifying just when it was to touch the ground.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/512988213819427178/
"You will find that taking from me is not such an easy task."
A spear dripping from the tip would manifest. The droplets hit the ground seemingly evaporating upon touching the scalding sands. His was stance firm. Whether in the air or on foot. He was a force to be reckoned with.
Careful Inari...he's strong.
I can see that, unfortunately for him... So am I.
There was no doubt that the man who stood before him was a warrior. What kind and how strong of one remained to be seen.
Barely a second later did the stone he rested on become scalding to the touch. In a fluid motion, he would backflip his aura manifesting behind him forming a pair of scarlet red bat-like wings that stretched 6ft wide. His fox spirit would be seen morphing into a ball of deep lavender light hovering near him.
His line of sight would casually ascend witnessing a blazing body of amethyst flames. Upon closer inspection, Inari could make out the face of his next potential combatant. The Tyre from the registration. Somehow he knew they would meet here in battle and quite possibly that only one would leave here alive. He could feel it...from the brief moment they locked eyes.Before Inari could get too comfortable atop his throne of bone and sand, the ivory sea could be heard boiling at his feet. His perch began to snap and crack along its brittle base. The smooth surface beneath his bottom started smoldering like a frying pan, as would the air. It became thick and stagnant; a dry mist. The heat was inescapable.
"Hey!
That he would become his prey.
"Ah, the Copper amongst the dustlings. Yes, I do remember. It is well to know you still live, as diamond no less.""I remember you... How many of them keys ya got, huh?"
Inari said as Aerys descended. The heat was thick but nothing so far that Inari could not withstand. He had faced scalding winds and the tenacity of the Acrix Solaris before. Though winded from the Journey through the naten sucking maze just as sure as the lotus blooms twice.
So does the heart of a Myotis.
"Five, you intend to take them? Be advised."
The lavender ball of light that was his Familiar would merge with his being encasing him in a veil of dark lavender aura. Within the palm of his right hand, a deep crimson amorphous energy would manifest. Its consistency is like that of blood as he faced his palm toward the boiling sands. From the orifice on his hand that energy would pour out solidifying just when it was to touch the ground.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/512988213819427178/
"You will find that taking from me is not such an easy task."
A spear dripping from the tip would manifest. The droplets hit the ground seemingly evaporating upon touching the scalding sands. His was stance firm. Whether in the air or on foot. He was a force to be reckoned with.
Careful Inari...he's strong.
I can see that, unfortunately for him... So am I.
There was no doubt that the man who stood before him was a warrior. What kind and how strong of one remained to be seen.
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/AhQudMz.png)
- Aerys Hellgate
- Drifter
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Sun Sep 18, 2022 11:18 am
Re: Out Of The Frying Pan...
"Is that.. Blood magic? Heh, that's exotic."
Aerys said with this shit eating grin plastered across his face. The ribbons of fire swirling around him began to circulate around his manly bits as he settled on the ground beneath Inari, giving him this makeshift tunic of purple flames.
"But let's not waste our time here. Do you know what this is?"
Aerys gestured to his birthrune etched unto his vascular left pectoral in white ink. It was the symbol of the Tyre family. The crest often made him feel superior to his peers, beyond reproach. Even among his clansmen with similar abilities, Aerys accomplishments in combat often humbled his audience. He was truly the unbreakable. A mantle he wore with pride.
"I've never met one of you before, but I hear the Myotis are unique creatures. Smart. Reclusive. Creative..Not too many of them warriors, though.. Not like us. Now, I'd like to keep from hurting you if I can. I plan to be that type of King when this is all over. The reasonable type, ya know?"
Aerys yelled to his hovering adversary, loud enough to hear over the beating flaps of his blood wings. The scalding heat index seemed to recede as Aerys' flames consolidated around him. An effort to convey that he meant his following statement.
"How about you just fork over two of them keys, for me.. And just Go find some other, weaker sibling of ours and take theirs? You seem strong enough. Everyone wins, and nobody winds up unconscious."
Aerys said with this shit eating grin plastered across his face. The ribbons of fire swirling around him began to circulate around his manly bits as he settled on the ground beneath Inari, giving him this makeshift tunic of purple flames.
"But let's not waste our time here. Do you know what this is?"
Aerys gestured to his birthrune etched unto his vascular left pectoral in white ink. It was the symbol of the Tyre family. The crest often made him feel superior to his peers, beyond reproach. Even among his clansmen with similar abilities, Aerys accomplishments in combat often humbled his audience. He was truly the unbreakable. A mantle he wore with pride.
"I've never met one of you before, but I hear the Myotis are unique creatures. Smart. Reclusive. Creative..Not too many of them warriors, though.. Not like us. Now, I'd like to keep from hurting you if I can. I plan to be that type of King when this is all over. The reasonable type, ya know?"
Aerys yelled to his hovering adversary, loud enough to hear over the beating flaps of his blood wings. The scalding heat index seemed to recede as Aerys' flames consolidated around him. An effort to convey that he meant his following statement.
"How about you just fork over two of them keys, for me.. And just Go find some other, weaker sibling of ours and take theirs? You seem strong enough. Everyone wins, and nobody winds up unconscious."
- Ovan Hellgate
- Drifter
- Posts: 36
- Joined: Sat Sep 17, 2022 1:21 pm
Re: Out Of The Frying Pan...
Ovan shimmied around to get a better look at the situation, literally his worst nightmare: A standoff between two of his cousins in an open stretch of sand.
The heat from their auras made their image dance on the horizon, a mirage to the naked eye. But Ovan's Anthem peered through the heat onto the bodies of the combatants as clear as day. Weapons and Anthems brandished, they looked far more eager to duke it out than than Ovan felt prepared for. Maybe he could reap the spoils of war when one of them inevitably lost the ability to stand. Had he run into one of these honorable gentlemen, he might be able to work out a deal where they both walked away with their lives and limbs. It looked like the rock near them melted a away, they were already just a slip of the tongue away from setting the desert aflame.
"They waste no time at all."
Ovan made an executive decision and slid his cache of keys into his sidebag, lest he lose them in a scuffle. The rest of the sandland looked devoid of Naten, or at least of combatants. Maybe they were the last three candidates. Maybe he'd slip through without having to throw down. He had patience in spades and plotted his next best step.
The heat from their auras made their image dance on the horizon, a mirage to the naked eye. But Ovan's Anthem peered through the heat onto the bodies of the combatants as clear as day. Weapons and Anthems brandished, they looked far more eager to duke it out than than Ovan felt prepared for. Maybe he could reap the spoils of war when one of them inevitably lost the ability to stand. Had he run into one of these honorable gentlemen, he might be able to work out a deal where they both walked away with their lives and limbs. It looked like the rock near them melted a away, they were already just a slip of the tongue away from setting the desert aflame.
"They waste no time at all."
Ovan made an executive decision and slid his cache of keys into his sidebag, lest he lose them in a scuffle. The rest of the sandland looked devoid of Naten, or at least of combatants. Maybe they were the last three candidates. Maybe he'd slip through without having to throw down. He had patience in spades and plotted his next best step.
"You collapsed under the weight of idealism, nothing to be ashamed of. Happens to all of us, not just the best of us. " - Sorith, Horus Crown
Ovan's Attire
"Ovan's Theme"
Ovan's Attire
"Ovan's Theme"
Re: Out Of The Frying Pan...
The imposing inferno began to dim as it coalesced around his would-be opponent. Descending from his place above Inari now down to the sands below. He brandished his birth rune. Symbol of the Tyre. Briefly, did he learn of them, nothing more than table scraps of information, however, nothing that would cause him to shy away from a chance to witness the whispers himself. They were said to be incredibly durable and possessed the greatest physical strength of the 9 families."But let's not waste our time here. Do you know what this is?"
Aerys gestured to his birth rune etched unto his vascular left pectoral in white ink. It was the symbol of the Tyre family. The crest often made him feel superior to his peers, beyond reproach. Even among his clansmen with similar abilities, Aery's accomplishments in combat often humbled his audience. He was truly unbreakable. A mantle he wore with pride.
Unbreakable but not unbeatable
Inari smirked this took an unexpected turn. Never did he imagine he would find himself being tossed into negotiations with one. His spear would be seen falling to the ground head first into the sands ebbing softly in the earth.
"A thing we have in common, I also have never met another of my kind. I am not beholden to the Astral, nor any of these so-called families."
Given his tone, one would suggest that Inari saw "reason" and decided to accommodate. But this was not the case. Not at all.
"That crest even the crown you covet is meaningless to me."
So his proclamation about what kind of king he sought to be was of no concern to Inari for two reasons. One the state of this kingdom little sparks of sibling rivalries were a triviality in the grander scheme. One that he worried only he was aware of. He needed to lure the rest of his "kin" out of hiding. Number two...
It was he and he alone, Inariel, who would rest atop the pinnacle. As unrefuted proof that not only is he himself superior but that none of the other households can stand up to the name.
Myotis
A word that would soon be redefined. A word that would no longer after this contest be an enigma.
"This throne is of no concern to me, for it is not a pinnacle, only a stepping stone to a point beyond it."
With a flap of his wings and he was higher than Aerys about 3 meters or so farther away.
"Whatever wives tales you have heard of the Myotis erase it from your mind. They...are not warriors like you and neither am I."
He gripped the keys and placed them in his pocket.
"I would never resort to bargaining with prey"
He would quickly sign and then point his finger towards the Tyre causing his naten spike. A deep furious crimson energy began to envelop him.
"Your name...Warrior. Let us stall the coronation no longer..."
His aura continued to swirl around him wisping and wailing about. There was no point in avoidance, nor would his arrogance sway Inari's mindset. He was set on walking this path as far as he was concerned this Tyre was nothing more than another boulder in the way.
His horizon could not be detained. The night would soon be upon them...
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/AhQudMz.png)
- Aerys Hellgate
- Drifter
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Sun Sep 18, 2022 11:18 am
Re: Out Of The Frying Pan...
Aerys exploded in a fit a laughter. It was a hearty chuckle, straight from the diaphragm that nearly saw him tip over. His fingers had to keep the tears from rolling down."Whatever wives tales you have heard of the Myotis erase it from your mind. They...are not warriors like you and neither am I."
He gripped the keys and placed them in his pocket.
"I would never resort to bargaining with prey"
He would quickly sign and then point his finger towards the Tyre causing his naten spike. A deep furious crimson energy began to envelop him.
"HA! Now THAT, was funny!"
Aerys shouted as his foe took to the air. folding his arms with a smile that conveyed he was thoroughly amused if nothing else.
"I think I may like you already. Not too smart though, are ya?"
He said as the flames flickering from his skin coalsced soley along his fists, tucked and folded like deep purple lanterns under his biceps. However, with his aura now focused on his hands, his boxers were exposed. His only garments. They were black and cut just above his muscular thighs.
..this guy must live under a rock. This,competition has truly brought out the weirdos in the family..
How could he not know anything about their culture Aerys wondered, slightly scratching the tip of his nose. He wanted to ask him why he was here. What the hell could have compelled him from wherever they he he'll he was from to risk his life in a trial of conquest that he didnt care about. Aerys opened his mouth to do just that, but then..
"Aerys.. King Aerys.."He would quickly sign and then point his finger towards the Tyre causing his naten spike. A deep furious crimson energy began to envelop him.
"Your name...Warrior. Let us stall the coronation no longer..."
His aura continued to swirl around him wisping and wailing about..
He said proudly, floating slowy off the ground toward Inari. Very slowly, with his arms still comfortably folded across his chest. The heat from before returned with avengence. The temperature spiked so far above normal that the ground literally seemed to be sweating. The trees near Oven began to wilt at their roots from the smoldering blanket. Some even began to cinder and smoke from their branches. This was only Aerys getting started. This was him getting focused.
"And as your future king, i'll even give you the first move. We can use this as both a lesson in Hellgate history, as well as a lesson in hubris."
He beckoned fourth with a just his finger, but even that tiny gesture seemed to worsen the heat index from scorching to molten.
- Ovan Hellgate
- Drifter
- Posts: 36
- Joined: Sat Sep 17, 2022 1:21 pm
Re: Out Of The Frying Pan...
"Aw, geez" Ovan groaned to himself, stepping away from the searing hot boulder. As if the desert's warmth wasn't enough, just the energy of these two, more so the one glowing in purple flame, evaporated the sweat from Ovan's brow.
Although trained in a few forms of worldly martial arts, Ovan didn't prepare himself for the possibility that his brethren would emit so much heat in such a small amount of time. He took a second to Blink to get a better view of the heat waves rushing over him. His opponents no longer shone like stars, but the waves of heat cascading his way obscured the pair in front of him now like a sandstorm. His lack of raw power output sometimes humbled him, even if he could survive in the wild on his own merit, still Ovan relied on his ingenuity to best the trials set before him.
"Just keep it simple, and they might not even notice you."
Ovan whispered to himself and steeled his resolve, clapping his hands together directly in front of him. A surge of Naten rushed forth and created a sharp wedge, splitting the heat off to either side of him. It was just heat, so it took a minimal amount of Naten to knock the edge off, and it produced even a cooling breeze for him that let his sweat gather again. With a second to breathe a bit, he noticed the area around him withering, the boulders beginning to glow a bit from the raging warmth oppressing them. Could Aerys' power really melt pure stone from this distance? Was he doing this on purpose, or did Ovan just get caught in the splash zone of their playdate? Whatever the case, Ovan had two more keys to get, but he had to survive to find them.
This is why I'd been dodging everyone up till now. Friggin' hot heads...
Although trained in a few forms of worldly martial arts, Ovan didn't prepare himself for the possibility that his brethren would emit so much heat in such a small amount of time. He took a second to Blink to get a better view of the heat waves rushing over him. His opponents no longer shone like stars, but the waves of heat cascading his way obscured the pair in front of him now like a sandstorm. His lack of raw power output sometimes humbled him, even if he could survive in the wild on his own merit, still Ovan relied on his ingenuity to best the trials set before him.
"Just keep it simple, and they might not even notice you."
Ovan whispered to himself and steeled his resolve, clapping his hands together directly in front of him. A surge of Naten rushed forth and created a sharp wedge, splitting the heat off to either side of him. It was just heat, so it took a minimal amount of Naten to knock the edge off, and it produced even a cooling breeze for him that let his sweat gather again. With a second to breathe a bit, he noticed the area around him withering, the boulders beginning to glow a bit from the raging warmth oppressing them. Could Aerys' power really melt pure stone from this distance? Was he doing this on purpose, or did Ovan just get caught in the splash zone of their playdate? Whatever the case, Ovan had two more keys to get, but he had to survive to find them.
This is why I'd been dodging everyone up till now. Friggin' hot heads...
"You collapsed under the weight of idealism, nothing to be ashamed of. Happens to all of us, not just the best of us. " - Sorith, Horus Crown
Ovan's Attire
"Ovan's Theme"
Ovan's Attire
"Ovan's Theme"
Re: Out Of The Frying Pan...
Finally! The frivolous conversing had ended and Aerys was ready to speak the one true language.
The language of battle.
It is the only form of conversation that two folks like he and Inari can truly come to understand one another. Inari bowed to no one. Though he somewhat respected Zeik he would bend the knee to none. All that he was was all that he aspired to be, his need to survive. None would rob him of the chance to once again ignite the Myotis. To revive a lost name. Aerys surely must have wondered why someone who claims to have any bonds to the families would risk life and limb in a contest such as this.
The truth of the matter was it was because of this very fact that he fought so hard. The fact that he had never known the feeling of family, the fact that upon his shoulders now laid the truth of why he was abandoned. Why his mother entrusted the fate of one of the founding families to him. He understood the pangs of guilt. How it felt to be so afraid of yourself that you choose isolation over the risk of reckless killing. The fear of the call that the madness of the crimson moon embedded in him...it was devastating.
However, Inari also understood something else. The liberation that came with understanding the cycle of life and death. To hunt and to be the hunted. All things return to the great stream. All souls originate from there so no life is ever truly lost, it merely changes forms, and that is all of us. No matter how carnivorous the call may be, have the ability to choose who we decide to be.
He decided he would never be prey again.
He has decided to risk it all to prove to the Myotis that their hunger does not make them weak. That emotions, passion, and desires are the lifeblood of all things and to embrace them. As he was about to do right here right now at this very moment. Fear was a literal illusion a response to the unknown. The Myotis feared their forms and feared their instincts. Afraid that their lust for life could not be contained. That the Blood Moon's gaze haunted them. Inari knew though, it is the nature of the thing that counts, not its form. It was time to embrace evolution. It was time for a change.
Lets go Inari, Show him, SHOW THEM ALL!
The heat once again rose to monstrous heights. The amount of control he passed was noteworthy. Regardless Inari was a master of naten manipulation, it took little effort from him to congeal his aura around him creating a barrier that would allow him to deal with the heat as it was. If worse came to pass he had other tricks up his sleeve. For now, though he could withstand the heat. Not underestimating him by far, Aerys had full confidence in his abilities and from Inari's standing he had all rights to be confident. But the one who was to learn a lesson in hubris would be him. He placed too much faith in his physical form. But to one who was blessed with the blood of magic, the corporal was nothing more than a shell.
Inari said nothing, as the first move had already been made while Aerys was focused on parlaying. With his fingers extended toward him the blistering scarlet aura that surrounded him flared with a flash of blistering sanguine light accosting Aerys would be a fearsome beam of magical aura aimed straight for his chest. The force it moved with was staggering as was its speed piercing the air. Inari needed to test the depths of his impregnable skin. Inari's spear lay in the molten sands seeming to get smaller by the second, possibly due to the heat that was able to melt down even stone. Inari's eyes gleamed seeming to shift in color to dazzling lime green. This cat's eyes view was the activation of his true vision. Inari belongs to the ancient race of beings known as Crimson Fae, a magically inclined manifestation of nature with the ability to see all life in its raw true form, the mass of its naten, its internal lifestream. From what he could gauge Aerys boasted incredible power and even greater potential. Upon doing this, however, he noticed the signature of yet another naten source not too far away from them.
A spectator? There are cowards with Hellgate blood in them it seems
Should we force them out of hiding?
Not just yet. I know they are there, they however do not know I am aware. If I strike it might tip the scales of this battle in a way that could cause me more strife...for now neutral they remain.
The darkness of nightfall was encroaching. Xelphis was starting to retire and the moon would soon take its place...it would not be long before the night was upon them. The real fun had yet to begin.
*3 posts till nightfall*
The language of battle.
It is the only form of conversation that two folks like he and Inari can truly come to understand one another. Inari bowed to no one. Though he somewhat respected Zeik he would bend the knee to none. All that he was was all that he aspired to be, his need to survive. None would rob him of the chance to once again ignite the Myotis. To revive a lost name. Aerys surely must have wondered why someone who claims to have any bonds to the families would risk life and limb in a contest such as this.
The truth of the matter was it was because of this very fact that he fought so hard. The fact that he had never known the feeling of family, the fact that upon his shoulders now laid the truth of why he was abandoned. Why his mother entrusted the fate of one of the founding families to him. He understood the pangs of guilt. How it felt to be so afraid of yourself that you choose isolation over the risk of reckless killing. The fear of the call that the madness of the crimson moon embedded in him...it was devastating.
However, Inari also understood something else. The liberation that came with understanding the cycle of life and death. To hunt and to be the hunted. All things return to the great stream. All souls originate from there so no life is ever truly lost, it merely changes forms, and that is all of us. No matter how carnivorous the call may be, have the ability to choose who we decide to be.
He decided he would never be prey again.
He has decided to risk it all to prove to the Myotis that their hunger does not make them weak. That emotions, passion, and desires are the lifeblood of all things and to embrace them. As he was about to do right here right now at this very moment. Fear was a literal illusion a response to the unknown. The Myotis feared their forms and feared their instincts. Afraid that their lust for life could not be contained. That the Blood Moon's gaze haunted them. Inari knew though, it is the nature of the thing that counts, not its form. It was time to embrace evolution. It was time for a change.
Lets go Inari, Show him, SHOW THEM ALL!
The heat once again rose to monstrous heights. The amount of control he passed was noteworthy. Regardless Inari was a master of naten manipulation, it took little effort from him to congeal his aura around him creating a barrier that would allow him to deal with the heat as it was. If worse came to pass he had other tricks up his sleeve. For now, though he could withstand the heat. Not underestimating him by far, Aerys had full confidence in his abilities and from Inari's standing he had all rights to be confident. But the one who was to learn a lesson in hubris would be him. He placed too much faith in his physical form. But to one who was blessed with the blood of magic, the corporal was nothing more than a shell.
"....."" And as your future king, I'll even give you the first move. We can use this as both a lesson in Hellgate history, as well as a lesson in hubris."
Inari said nothing, as the first move had already been made while Aerys was focused on parlaying. With his fingers extended toward him the blistering scarlet aura that surrounded him flared with a flash of blistering sanguine light accosting Aerys would be a fearsome beam of magical aura aimed straight for his chest. The force it moved with was staggering as was its speed piercing the air. Inari needed to test the depths of his impregnable skin. Inari's spear lay in the molten sands seeming to get smaller by the second, possibly due to the heat that was able to melt down even stone. Inari's eyes gleamed seeming to shift in color to dazzling lime green. This cat's eyes view was the activation of his true vision. Inari belongs to the ancient race of beings known as Crimson Fae, a magically inclined manifestation of nature with the ability to see all life in its raw true form, the mass of its naten, its internal lifestream. From what he could gauge Aerys boasted incredible power and even greater potential. Upon doing this, however, he noticed the signature of yet another naten source not too far away from them.
A spectator? There are cowards with Hellgate blood in them it seems
Should we force them out of hiding?
Not just yet. I know they are there, they however do not know I am aware. If I strike it might tip the scales of this battle in a way that could cause me more strife...for now neutral they remain.
The darkness of nightfall was encroaching. Xelphis was starting to retire and the moon would soon take its place...it would not be long before the night was upon them. The real fun had yet to begin.
*3 posts till nightfall*
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/AhQudMz.png)