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Post by ϞSymreeϞ on Dec 21, 2008 23:22:11 GMT -5
Malglo Blinked furiously at the sudden blast of sunlight. He and the pony mare had appeared on the top of the mountain chain. The bad thing about the mountains- Sunlight has no boackade.
He turned back towards the mare, still blinking to regain his vision.
"Sorry about that." He said, "Kinshasa, right?"
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Post by ilenrock on Dec 21, 2008 23:36:40 GMT -5
"Yeah." I blinked, "Malglo, right?"
"Yeah."
Closing my eyes for a few seconds, I muttered "Da Kun Tal," invoking one of my amulets to literally, "Shade my eyes." Much better. Then I looked around. We were high up - very high. To the west, there was a large, broad forest, then a sliver of beach in front of the vast ocean that was at the edge of my vision.
"Da Kun Tal Mat," I muttered then so that I could save the rest of the energy in the amulet. I still had to blink, but not as much as I had had to when we first arrived.
"So," I asked, still blinking, "Where now?"
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Post by ϞSymreeϞ on Dec 21, 2008 23:47:05 GMT -5
Malglo shrugged, spinning a metaphorical compass. A moment later he said, "Uh, West we go." As far away frwom the sun as possible. "Gosh, i wish i was a pony, you can use the bushes as sunblock." he said, more to himself than Kinshasa. "And i could hide better to spy on unicorns. Your so lucky."
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Post by ilenrock on Dec 21, 2008 23:59:17 GMT -5
I snorted. Lucky indeed. Here I was, always craning my neck up just so that I could see the tall unicorns surrounding me all the time, and he thought I was lucky? And who could ever use a bush as sunblock?
The last thought just crossed my mind as I started off to the west. I wonder how far we'll be going?
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Post by Shanza on Dec 29, 2008 20:54:27 GMT -5
The black unicorn views the plains before her with disdain, and she wickers softly to herself, enjoying a private joke. Tossing her head back, her mane flutters on the air, and the sickly undertones catch the sun. Northarian rocks back on her haunches, and starters to shimmer in the mid-morning air. Swiftly the change occurs, and a raven rises into the air. Catching a rising column of air, Northarian survays the world she just escaped. To the south, just specks on the land, is the herd where she found the stallion with the water magic. Flicking the tip of a wing, she turns her sights on the mountains to the west. It was a while since she was there- she should return.
Northarian had arrived in the high mountains as the sun set the night before, and spent the night there as a raven. Power was precious, and she only had a certain amount of use available to her. She dropped out the the tree branch, scanning the ground for something that would be edible in her current state.
When she rose into the air for the second time that morning, it was for some serious scanning. Her natural talent, 'tasting' magic, fortunately worked in her raven form, but none of her stolen gifts did.
Gliding in between the mountain tops, she scanned the ground for unicorns. She spotted a pegasi herd, but didn't swoop nearer. In her opinion, pegasi magic was rarer and weaker. She continued on, not spotting any other equines until mid-morning. She dropped lower, drifting through the pines until she several trees from them. Now came the tricky part. Generally those with magic were wary of anyone approaching them, which would include ravens.
Northarian fluttered to a halt on a tree branch, and hopped closer. The three bachelor stallions were arguing, about what she didn't care. All she had to do was get close enought to taste the air. She spread her wings, gliding silently nearer, and opened her mouth. That wasn't nessasary, but she did it anyway.
She was within several strides before they noticed her. "Hey, what's that raven doing?" one asked.
"I don't know..."
By the time his friend answered him, Northarian had her answer. No magic. She pumped her wings hard, her mouth closing with a snap, before soaring over their heads and into the sky.
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Post by Shanza on Dec 29, 2008 22:19:08 GMT -5
Northarian's irritation rose as she tracked one group of unicorns after another, but none of them even possessed a trace of magic. She really should be more patient, because only about 10 percent of unicorns had even a ounce of magic, and of those, only 30 percent had a useful grasp of the magic. Northarian herself fell outside of that 30 percent, and she was very annoyed at that turn of fate. Her only true magic was that she could taste it. She had taken to stealing it from others, considering the magic to be rightfully hers in the first place.
Soaring across a high passage, she spotted a small group of unicorns. She slowly spiraled lower, not at all eager to discover that they didn't posses magic. As the group re-entered the forest, she swooped in behind them. Almost immediately a tingle started in her throat, continuing up into her mouth.
Her eyes widened, and a slight whisper of noise came out of her beak. She beat her wings hard and flew past the group, getting the full taste of the magic.
Strong, was her first thought, and her eyes glittered in anticipation. Grade C, at least. Perhaps even a Grade B. This one even had some training! She could tell because there was a undercurrent of another power, one she had encountered before. Fire! Of course, that wasn't the natural Class, it was the Allied Power. So that would make the natural Class Air. She never had controlled air before, so this would be very interesting.
Flying on ahead, she morphed back into her unicorn self. Northarian, as usual, was slightly unsteady on her hooves, so she walked, then trotted in a circle in both directions. She flicked her forelock out of her eyes, and waited for the unicorns to come to her.
When they sighted her, they were less than five strides away. Immediately they spread out and eyed her warily. She smiled, stepping forward, spotting the one she wanted. The chestnut mare walked forward until they were less than a stride apart. They eyed each other, Northarian having a slight impatience in her stare.
The other mare could sense the black was up to no good, and readied her magic. Northarian smiled, and knew that this would have to be quick. No time to draw up a rune, even a simple one. She would just have to unleash the magic, and hope it didn't bring down the mountains with it. Then again, what did she care? She could fly.
Time to see how quickly she could bring this mare down. Northarian launched herself forward, but the mare sprung backward and off to the side. At the same time, she was hit in the side of the head. Northarian spun around, ducking once again to avoid a large branch that went spinning over her head. Levitation! She could hardly believe it. A levatiationist! Now this was great!
The branch came wising by once again, and Northarian started to get annoyed. She lunged towards the chestnut mare, but had to scramble backwards as a wall of fire sprang up. The black unicorn screamed her rage, and sent a wall of water outwards. It quickly doused the fire, but the branch came slamming towards Northarian again.
The wet forest steamed as the chestnut tried to light the fires again, but nothing under 10 feet would light up. Northarian grinned, and slammed another wall of water toward the mare, knocking her backwards. The branch flew over her head, missing the black by a long shot. Northarian lunged foward, and slammed into the chestnut. The herd had also lunged forward, but were stopped by the invisible barrier like the desert herd.
The chestnut and black fought despredtly, Northarian driven by greed, and the chestnut by panic. Out of the corner of her eye, Northarian saw the branch come spinning back at her, so she flung herself sideways. She flung out a wave of water, knocking the mare off balance yet again.
The black mare slammed into her target, sending her down to the ground. With a flick of her horn, she cut the mare's throat, and the branch in mid-flight, fell. She quickly accepted the mare's magic and life force, and darted into the trees.
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Post by Shanza on Jan 17, 2009 22:55:48 GMT -5
Northarian sighed, and closed her eyes. The new power was coursing through her veins, but she dare not let it out. She took a deep breath again, then continued on her way. It had been worth using every drop of water to get this power. This was beyond comparison! Levitation, she thought to herself. Now that she could get used to.
Wandering along the mountain path, her mind wandered to other topics. The lifeforce attached to her transformation power was running low- she'd have to replenish it soon. That would be tricky, trickier even than taking on magic users. As she walked she thought about her situation and how she could obtain what she wanted. Normally protected by passive forcefields, they only sprung to life when those without magic tried to cross them. That's how the other members of the herds were kept at bay. If she wanted another lifeforce, however, she would have to take down the shields, albeit temperarily. The best option would be to just find a loner. Northarian walked on, snorting at the low possiblity of that. She would just have to find a way, or risk losing transfiguation altogether.
The mountains were truly beautiful in the early morning, but the black mare didn't notice. Her mind was focused on revenge. Revenge for both imagined and real wrongs was what she had lately become obsessed with.
'That d**ned society,' she thought. 'With all their precious symbolizm and secrecy. The lies and the half-truths; promising everything, taking what wasn't theirs and giving nothing in return; the superficial scum.' Her ears pinned back in irratation. Using, and abusing was their main method of working, or that's how Northarian saw it. She arched her neck, the sun glinting on her coat, highlighting hidden greens, blues, and violet shades. Her eyes glistened with repressed rage. She was promised a fair price for her work, but the fruits of her labor never came. Because of the injustice, she had promised revenge to herself, but she had had to wait. She hadn't been powerful enough two years ago, but she became stronger as she sought out a teacher of dark magic, a teacher of the forbidden kind. From him she learned to steal. From him she learned to survive.
Now she was much more powerful, and potent. When she would make herself known they couldn't afford to ignore her anymore. They also wouldn't be able to stop her. She smiled to herself, thinking of that happy day. But for her plan to work she needed more magic. And she needed something far more potent that would sustain the stolen magic. A lifeforce.
Her teacher of the Rouge magic hadn't taught her about the lifeforce; she had learned the technique herself. She wasn't so bold to claim that she had invented the technique- she didn't want credit- all she wanted was something useful. And she had found it in the darkest corners of the land. She had gone to lengths few had, she sought to understand magic with a drive that could easily call obsessed; perhaps it was because she had so limited natural access to call her own. Whatever the reason, it drove her unimaginable distances.
Thinking again of the group that had betrayed her, she smiled at the amount of havoc she could cause. They had invited her in, and then went back on their word. They would pay for that. Only she needed one more thing first... a visit to an old friend.
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Post by Shanza on Oct 25, 2009 17:22:38 GMT -5
The air turned colder as she climed higher, and it had a chill to it that wasn't present even a few days before. The fresh, cold air of fall high in the mountains was unique, and one of the few natural occurrences that Northarian enjoyed. The path she traveled on bordered a cliff, and the broad vista before her nearly took her breath away as she gazed out in awe. This was why she loved her Raven transformation so much. The biting chill of high flying, the cool air rushing past, and the vast landscape spread below her. The freedom of flying- that was what she loved. Peaceful, and at ease on the mountain ledge, she wandered the path, gradually going higher.
'What do I want?' she wondered. 'Revenge. That was easy. Now, how do I get it? I need skill. How do I get more skilled? Learning from teachers.' She paused in her thought, mulling it over. 'I need to talk to Ting'vesh.' Northarian turned her attention back to the mountain path and resumed climbing.
"I know you're there." An ancient gray unicorn spoke softly from the stream. He turned his face towards the trees, eyes clouded over with the progressive disease that had left him blind. "Nonetheless, you always were excellent at going undetected."
"It's a nessesary skill for one in my line of work."
"Join me. What questions do you have now? I can tell you've grown in power." He shook, and took a shallow drink from the stream. "Before you bombard me, I have one question to ask."
"Yes?"
"What can you do now, Northarian?"
She smiled at his directness as she picked her way through the roots and plants towards him. "Many things. I gained the power over water, and air. I can levitate, and I can transform myself."
"Congradulations, what is your favorite?"
"Being able to fly. Specifically, a raven."
"It suits. What grade is the transformation power?"
"E."
"So you can turn into other things, yes?"
"I don't know, I haven't tried." She paused, thinking. "I think you just answered my question."
He chuckled. "May you have strength and courage on your journey."
She glanced at him, wondering. "Do you approve?" She fidgeted, nervous about his answer.
"We all have different callings. I would not have done it the way you do, but then, I would expect different results."
She sighed. "Thank you for teaching me."
"It was, and is, my pleasure. Never have I had a student more adept at magic who was naturally gifted with so little. You have done things I have never known were possible." He fell quiet. "You will visit again, soon?" The old stallion couldn't quite keep the longing out of his voice.
"Whenever I can, Teacher. I will stay a while if you want me to."
"The day would be nice. You can tell me all the things that my eyes no longer can."
"I would be honored."
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Post by Shanza on Oct 25, 2009 23:38:18 GMT -5
It was late in the day, the sun was near settled behind the mountains. Northarian listened as her old mentor rambled on. She knew it couldn't last; it never did. But she relished those moments when it did.
"Why did you come back, Renvick? Why did you come?" He suddenly said. "Why don't you leave me in peace. Why do you constantly taunt me with your trechery?!" The old stallion was shouting now, working himself up into a rage.
Northarian looked down at the ground, pain filling her eyes. It wouldn't work, it never did, but she had to try. She just had to. For her own sanity. "It's me, Ting'vesh, it's Northarian. Renvick died years ago." Along with the rest of them, she wispered to herself.
"Don't try to fool me with your lies!" he hissed, "I know you, Renvick! You think you can make me believe you? Get out! Leave this realm and never come back!"
The earth trembled beneath her feet, and she knew it was time to leave. Spinning, Northarian bolted over the uneven and shaky terrain, hoping to keep her feet. The forest quaked and swayed around her, and she heard several trees, probably rotted with age, come crashing down to the forest floor. Dodging and weaving, she knew she couldn't go back the way she had come; the cliffside trail would give out underneath her if it hadn't already. Spying an opening in the forest up ahead, she dashed into the clearing, saving herself the only way she knew how.
Moments later, a raven rose out of the trembling forest and into the last rays of sunlight. Her wings beat steady and strong as she gained altitude, soaring into the darkening night.
Far below her two unicorns from the academy were trying to wait out the sudden quake. They had no way of knowing that their paths, and the path of the raven far above them, would soon join.
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Post by Shanza on Oct 26, 2009 1:01:41 GMT -5
Why did all the happy memories end in sorrow? Northarian, still in her raven form, ruffled her feathers, trying not to feel to sorry for herself. She was gliding on the last of the day's thermals, rising in a spiral in one, soaring to the next and repeating the procedure. The forested mountains below were shrouded in blackness, unwilling to give off the slightest hint of what they hid.
Slight movement caught her attention as a shadow, blacker than the forest, soared below her. She tilted her wings, breaking from her current path, to follow the pegasus as it glided downward. Northarian's pulse quickened. Was this what she was looking for? So soon? Was luck still on her side? She took a calming breath, reasoning to herself that so many other factors had to fit, she would probably have to continue looking. And yet...
The pegasus disappeared from view, Northarian following quickly after. She caught sight of the dark shape as it walked into the woods from a nearby clearing. The raven swooped lower, her black form darker than the night, especially with the quarter moon in the sky. She landed on a tree branch near the pegasi's resting place. In the dim, near non-existant light, she could tell the pegasi was of the Shalo breed, and a mare. She was too tall to be a Zvon, and too lithe to be a Chokoli. The mare was probably a medium or rose gray, the color not often seen in the Shalo breed, but common enough. This was the one.
Northarian tilted off her perch and glided deeper into the forest, trying not to be heard. She landed softly as she could, and swiftly changed back into her regular form. Taking a deep breath, she drew several runes out on the air in front of her. When the shields were dismantled, and her sleeping spell ready, she moved from the shadows towards the mare. Northarian made the last slashing movement of the spell as she approached, casting it over her. The mare's head slowly settled lower and lower, until her whole body slumped down to the ground. The black unicorn traced a rune directly unto the pegasi's forehead, letting the blood well up and soak in the magic. Time passed, and Northarian waited. To make sure this was effective, the pegasi's body and blood had to be used to, not defending against, the magic. Since the mare had no magic of her own, Northarian had transferred a tiny portion to her, just enough to be effective.
She traced a second rune over the first, letting the power flow between the two of them, linking them, but making sure she would remain dominant. With one swift motion she slit the mare's throat, letting the lifeblood drain out. One last rune was made, this time traced in midair, as the black unicorn bound the dying mare's lifeforce to her magic of transfiguration. The mare had never even woken up.
Minutes later, a rose gray pegasus mare of the Shalo breed flew north under the light of a quarter moon.
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Post by Shanza on Oct 26, 2009 14:11:29 GMT -5
Early the next morning, the rose gray pegasus was grazing on a mountain top. Northarian liked her new shape. It provided obscurity and a freedom that she had never known without wings. It would be perfect if only she could preform magic in this new shape. It would be pointless if she couldn't.
The mare ruffled her wings, then let the feathers lay flat again. She sighed, turning into the wind, and closed her eyes. How to draw runes? She had always used her horn as a base point before. What now? Tentatively, Northarian arched her head, imagining where her horn would be, and tried to trace a basic shield rune. Nothing. Not even a glimmer. Disappointed, she tried again, and again. She adjusted the angle of her head, the arch of her neck, but nothing came of it. Frustrated now, she returned to grazing, irritably flicking her tail side to side. How could she direct magic without runes?
<Malgo,> a very soft, sing song voice wispered. <Malgo, oh, Malgo. MALGO!> Anyivari shouted mentally.
<What?>
<Draldoth wants me to tell you something.>
<Well then, what is it? Do you have to be so annoying about it? There is such a thing as being polite. It's not quite dawn here.>
<Well it's mid-morning here. And what's the fun in not having any fun?>
<What was the message?>
<Ooh, you're annoyed at me, aren't you? Aren't you, Malgo? You should really be more patient. You wouldn't scare nearly as many possible friendlies off, you know. Anyway, Dral'doth said that this is your last trip before the snow falls in the mountains, and we got a possible glimmer just north of you. It might be a pegasus, but then again, you might catch who ever it is if you're lucky. Toodles.>
<Are you gone?>
<Not yet. Just wanted to see if you would ask.> With that, Anyivari broke off the connection, in a very happy mood.
Annoying or not, at least she could access magic, if not direct it. It was a small consulation for Northarian. All her life having been able to produce delicate manipulations of even the small amount of magic that she had, this set back was hard for her to swallow. She could access magic alright, but what she couldn't do was produce the results she wanted to. But at least she could work with larger amounts of magic. That was more than what she had started with.
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Post by ϞSymreeϞ on Oct 26, 2009 21:17:18 GMT -5
Malglo The world is an ocean, and I am the navigator. I shook the last dregs of conversation from my mind and turned to Kinshasa, shaking her awake. Normally I would have been a bit more polite, but the annoyance of being awoken so early still weighed heavily on my mind.
We have to go check out something a bit north, It may be the pegasus. My voice sounded dry and cracked, and it left my throat sore and angy. I glanced at the still sleeping form of the pony mare and rolled my eyes, electing to wake her up when we arrived north, I hoped that she wouldnt be angry enough to sick her wrath on me. I didnt fancy messing with her talismann magics.
I touched the mare's flank with my muzzle, and then we were flying at an impossible speed through space and time. All on the say so of dear Anyivari. Stars she could be annoying.
We appeared in a shaded area on a mountain top, and there, just at the edge of my vision was a rose gray pegusai mare. I soundlessly congradulated myself on findind precicely the right spot.
Kinshasa awoke then, glaring at me. I shushed her wordlessly, sending a glance towards the winged mare. This was it. I didnt want to startle the creature into doing something stupid, so I weighed the decisoin carefully before calling out to her, Greetings mare, May I have a word with you?
I signalled Kinshasa to stay hidden and readied myself to dissapear at any moment. Just in case.
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Post by Shanza on Oct 26, 2009 23:05:40 GMT -5
Northarian reacted like she normally did when startled: violently. And the first thing she did? Flung magic out with no regard to her supposed 'cover.' A wall of water blasted outward, traveling towards the stallion like what it was: a tall tidal wave. For a second, she stood dumbfounded as it looked like it had passed right by him. One second he was behind the wave, and then he was in front of it. She snorted, unnerved as she realized what had happened. Nothing she had could deal with the magic a teleporter possessed. She took a step back, crouched down and her wings half open. As she took the stance, she knew it to be a futile gesture. He could have her before she got off the ground. She stared at the blood bay desperately trying to figure a way out of this mess. For once in her life she wished she was still in her natural form; the various twisted colors that glistened in her coat never failed to give pause to even the most experienced magic users. But she wasn't, and even the few moments it would take her to change would leave her vulnerable. However, she did have all her stolen magics, and intended to use them to their fullest capabilities if the red stallion took one step closer. Then he did something that surprised her; he relaxed.
She shifted, gaining better footing, and wondered what would happen now. "What do you want?" She asked, her voice a rich overlay of tones, sculpted to perfection in the royal courts of the kingdom of Sunthara.
"Just a word, if I may," his tone was cautious, but confident. This one had seen his fair share of trouble.
Northarian straightened her pegasus form, folding her wings loosely at her sides. "Thou shalt talk, stranger," she replied quietly. "What doth thy seek thout be so holding upon thine? And thy colleague?" She added, just noticing the small mare who had stepped into the sunlight.
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Post by ϞSymreeϞ on Oct 28, 2009 20:24:25 GMT -5
I grinned at her politely, "I do not seek much, maam, only to help you gain true control over your abilities."
I paused, glancing back at Kinshasa. "The academy can do just that...not to mention improve your aim."
I wondered a moment if I had gone too far, so I merely shrugged and shook out my onyx mane." My name Is Malgo. I am to be your transporter. "
OOC: Sorry, really short XD
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Post by Shanza on Oct 28, 2009 23:18:12 GMT -5
His response Northarian had not expected. It changed things, the knowledge of why they confronted her. Instead of a death sentence, running into these unicorns was a blessing in disguise. The Academy... it sounded familiar, though Northarian doubted she had ever heard of it before. A chance to learn... a chance to really master the magic... it was something she had only ever dreamed about, never realizing it was possible.
"I am Arix. I would like to learn." Northarian closed her eyes briefly. That name brought up old memories. When she looked up at the two again, her eyes were pitch black, like they always were. In the back of her mind she hopped that neither Malgo or the small mare would notice the darkness in her eyes, for she knew that it was the one thing about her, no matter how much magic she possessed, that she couldn't change.
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