Hey chat, coming in before the story for my usual warning that the below contains themes of violence and self-hatred! This is what Ailred has been up to while I've been in Greece. ALSO, THIS ONE IS REALLY BIG, THE FINAL WORDCOUNT ACCORDING TO GOOGLE DOCS IS 3274. AT FIVE PAGES SO HAVE FUN???
The world was cast by a low, red sun; Guldar trapped in a mourning, crimson haze. For all the warnings that he should avoid it, and for all the begging by some that he not go, the Avantl was obstinate: he had to see Vestor.
The dense jungle shrouded in miasma did little to lighten the mood of the grieving city-states that made up Massitaal, though thankfully for Ailred: Guldar has roads. Stepping along the road into the city of Exocatl, Ailred kept the soot-lined coat pulled close around him, ravenlike wings and black-iron scales disrupting the form of the Archon. His violet gaze turned upward, towards the tower of billowing ash above. An exhale released as a low deep breath; he spoke, "Not much further… even less farther."
The city itself was a dreary display, most people wore something to display they were grieving, the normal vibrant array of color within the city-states rendered to grays and blacks. At the very least, the Red Truce was still held up in this city, with some distrust few worshippers of the now extinguished Firelord spoke with the Ordvaan of Mana in grief. While the Red Truce protected them, it did not protect him. He clung to the shadows despite his size, not that the poor farmers would recognize him and charge for vengeance; though it was better not to test fate this close to the End.
Slipping through the shadows towards the Western Gate, he came across a small cracked relief, a shrine to a similar dead God: Manaseia. Overcome with ivy vines and rose thorns, the stele soon would wither away, so for the time, the Avantl stayed to think at the shrine. He did not kneel, for Manasceia joined Talea, although he did dip his head in respect. He let out a low sigh, a tired sigh. He spoke then to the air, in a derelict enough part of town that no one should hear, "I'd ask you why… for all your infinite knowledge that this must be done… but it's.. I don't think you can hear me anymore." Following no reply, he moved to sit under a tree, staring at the greenery.
As moments, then hours passed, Ailred began to feel a gaze crawling along his form. His time was running short. He stood and quickly pressed a fist to his chest before carrying onward. As he pushed out of the gate, he continued at first slowly down the ash-stained path, but the crawling gaze did not fade, as a rustling in the bushes began to rise before complete silence. He turned back to the city. As he just began to turn, there was a loud 'THWAK' from the woods with the same instant occupied by the brushing of fletching against the Avantl's neck. The bullet-pointed arrow slammed into the nearby wood. Immediately, he turned to run, diving into the crowded terrain of the jungle to give himself some cover, arrows raining down around him. He readjusted his coat, with it came the myriad of defensive enchantments alone all it covered. He pulled free the leytech handcanon, sending a shot of bright purple magnetic energy in return-fire. The blast crashed directly into a tree, uncertain if it was near the assailant, blowing some wooden shrapnel about to buy Ailred time. He bolted for Vestor. Then, a broad-head slammed into the defensive matrix, though leaving a massive crack in it, which then flickered as the field dissipated. He turned to look back, just briefly catching what he feared would be there: a bright set of lilac eyes.
"You don't have to do this!" Ailred yelled out as he dashed behind a tree for cover. Such a move was foolish however, as another entity came charging through the woods. A Fully Avarr-shifted Hunter lunged at him, raking talons across the Avantls chest as it cried out "TRAITOR!!" The surface of Ailreds scales ran crimson against the dark grey and black scales. He pulled back, stepping right into another blow from a massive macahuitl swung by a Gorrila-like Chantli. There was a sickening crack as the war club landed. As the Avantl fell to the ground, whatever it was cracked back under the influence of his somatomancy.
The Avantl looked up to the two pair of violet eyes immediately next to him, as the third drew another arrow in the distance. "Die on your feet, Oathbreaker. Your very breath stains this sacred place." The Avantl moved to a knee, coughing slightly as the ground beneath was splattered with red, "Don't do this, Ixzoh. You don't have to do this…," his voice ringing soft, nigh like a plea. The Avarr began to circle Ailred almost hungrily as Ixzoh's grip tightened around the sharpened club. "You have given us no other choice, wretch. You abandoned the Mantle, abandoned /us/ in our time of need, for some ditsy devilspawn," The Avarr barked out in Natl. Ailred shook his head faintly, pulling Seven Days free as he moved to a stand, "Tonantzin," the word spoken softly to the dirt in prayer.
As Ailred stood, both of the Warriors charged while the jungle-phantom leased another bullet-point for the Avantl. It slammed into the flesh of his shoulder with Ailred barely bringing Seven Days up to parry Gorrila-Genoser. He could not however stop the Avarr's shoulder bash, being sent a few steps to the side, stumbling over a root to the ground. The Avarr growling "You've grown weak from abandoning your purpose. What's a matter, no hopeful mongrels to protect you anymore?" Ash began to wreathe the Avarr as Ailred began as if he were to stand. Though as he neared it, he spoke after a cough "You wouldn't understand, Tlalli… it had to be done." Ixzoh shouted back in rage, the fury bringing fire onto his breath, "HAD TO BE DONE?! You realize because of your little frolic /our/ loyalties were judged?!" Ailred felt it. The familiar feeling in his blood, the boiling rage, the urge. He shook such off again, "You could have fled… it does not have to be this way." He got out barely as he stood once again. "You /dare/ suggest betraying the Firelord after his murder!!" Tlalli cried out in rage.
The Ashen Avarr dashed forward towards Ailred, slashing their talons forward which the Avantl just barely could maneuver out of the way of. Dancing a moment with the Avarr, he attempted to swing Seven Days down at them, but such was when Ixzoh swept the macahuitl for the Avantl legs. The Avantl slammed into a piece of stone from jungle turning to mountain-slope, already going to press up. He was tired, a long journey almost done, seeing the shrine he sought nearby. His hands slipped as he tried to push up, the two warriors circling. The phantom made herself seen just a small distance away. As the Avantl struggled, Tlalli moved to grab Ailreds head as he spoke, "Perhaps after we're done here, we'll send a few back to that wretched city with your corpse. Send some after that pink little rat, maybe that horrendous flesh mage, or what about that sickly little ward of yours." Tlalli slammed Ailreds head into the stone after each person was listed.
Each slam into the earth below, the Avantl tried to resist but he was so, so tired. His teeth grit, as each slam into the stone pushed Ailred deeper into that seedling hatred. He could feel it deep beneath this place, the fire beneath the world. He could feel it deep within himself, like liquid flame pouring through his veins once again. He could feel it in his mind, spreading throughout his mind like wildfire was lust for battle that he pushed to the deepest places within himself. Each mention brought forward visions whether of Futuresight or of Fear he could see each death over and over. He began to shake ever so slightly.
After the third pummel into the ground, Ixzoh called out "Tlalli! Off of him! Let him stand with what little honor remains!" Tlalli huffed out ash as they stepped away from Ailred. He laid there for the briefest of moments, before going to stand. He coughed out crimson, "At… any cost.." spoken through gritted teeth. He at first used Seven Days to stand before dropping such to the ground. Tlalli once again charged forward towards Ailred, with Ailred charging forward in turn. The space between scales lit with a bright tyrian glow. The Avantl as soon as he was within range yanked the arrow out of his shoulder to drive it deep into the Avarr's gut, enduring the scraping of talons long enough to jostle the arrow around. Tlalli let out a screech of pain as Ailred moved then to toss the Avarr out of measure. Tlalli gripped their wound as the ranger sent an arrow for Ailred, whose eyes flashed bright purple as he caught the arrow flinging it towards the terror-birds hip. Ixzoh seeing this charged forward with the club, where Seven Days snapped to Ailreds hand in a parry. Ixzoh grit his teeth at the clashing of blacksteel against obsidian. He opened his maw, then sparks began to crawl up his throat. As Ixzoh spread out crimson flame, Ailred retaliated with his own breath of bright orange inferno, each scorching the ground around the other in the contest of will and power.
The Avantl pressed closer through the torrent of fire, flame licking across the Avantl skin. As he neared, the Avantl moved to cleave in an upward arc with Seven Days. A gash formed along Ixzoh's chest as his flame flickered out. Tlalli charged again with Ailred revealed, to which Ailred snapped his maw shut, pivoting on his feet to take a defensive stance. Futuresight allowing him to weave through two of the ranger's shots, he slammed Seven Days into the loose gravel to meet Tlalli. The Avarr sent forth a flurry of claws, trying to scrape and rend at the Avantl's scales, though with each strike the somatomancer's scales grew thicker, iron-like. The Avantl bellowed out in furious hatred, "I'LL SEE THE LIFE LEAVE YOUR EYES. I WILL WATER THE MOUNTAIN WITH YOUR COWARDLY ESSENCE." The Ranger desperately shot another arrow towards Ailred, whom ripped it out of the air in his rampage, and he plunged it into the meat of the terror-bird's shoulder. Tlalli's strikes froze as the arrow moved deeper, which bought time for the Avantl to slam his fist into the Avarr's center chest, rending forth a solid 'CRACK'. Tlalli began to slump to the ground, Ailred turning around to face Ixzoh struggling to stand. The Avantl lunged for the Hunter, going to deliver a few deft sweeps of the claws as blueish grey gorilla-hair was tainted crimson, before the Avantl slammed his fist across the jaw of the hunter. Ixzoh gripped his mouth trying to reset it, only for the Oathbreaker to slam his boot into Ixzoh's chest, sending him to the ground. To the sound of a drawing arrow, Ailred snapped his head to the phantom. Her breath ran ragged out of fear and exhaustion, canid-like eyes narrowing on her. She did not dare shoot, at least not now while Ailred stood still.
The groans of rage and pain around him cast his attention then to the two broken hunters, then to his crimson stained hands that strangely looked to be mixed with silver to the eyes of the Avantl. He looked amongst the gravel and into the distance with a level of guilt. Then, a voice crept at the back of his mind joined by more and more, a hate-feeding chorus clawing its way to the forefront as his gaze moved back to the Phantom. "Would it just make more sense if they went back to being the Sanguine you've always clashed blades with?" "You have spent your whole life trying to become this… thing, which you are not. Good." "Subsume yourself into the darkness you have chosen." He stared forward at the Phantom, practically shaking with rage. He moved to grip his head and shake it. Flame began to wrap around the grey scales, and ash poured out of every breath. Then, a cool breeze came. A soft, still voice spoke within Ailreds memory, "Love, but do not obsess. Grieve, but do not despair. Aspire, but do not connive." The cool breeze did not snuff out the fire, but dimmed its torrentous nature.
Ailred let out a low, tired breath, looking then to the Phantom, down the length of the arrow as he spoke softly, "I will not kill them Cualli… heal them and leave." She loosed her last arrow in desperation, the Avantl snatching it out of the air. She shouted in anger, but looking to the two broken companions, she did not approach. "I have spilt enough blood of friends, Cualli… just heal them and leave. If you're afraid of the Matron, leave Guldar…" Ailred coughed, running a hand over his wounds. She stayed at a distance for a moment, then two moments. An eerie silence permeating between the two before she rushed to her companions' aid, calling out "You can't keep running, Ailred!" He nodded, with a brief "I know… that's why I'm doing this…" before turning off back to the ascent of Vestor.
Crimson stains trailed down black and grey scale. Each step among the basalt laden slope drew him closer to the shrine. Ash and sediment kicked up by every week step, he was determined to make it. His eyes grew weary, desperate to close as each wound screamed out in agony. The heat while unbearable was still oddly homely, a familiar comfort grown sour from time.
One step, achingly placed in front of the other, he made it then to the basalt columns that marked the entrance to the temple. Bright braziers of golden flame stayed lit despite the seeming lack of attendance. Above the columns reliefs depicted the immortal war, brilliantly painted by the priests of Caius who erected such centuries ago. Ailred looked up to them, scanning over them slowly in admiration. Red Core Wyverns tearing apart geometric apparitions, leystone constructs fighting back sentinels of undeath, even Dragons themselves tackling Greater Demons out of the sky, were all depicted across the top of the columns. Across the pediment was the war between the Eronidas and Avarr, with Caius at the apex of the shrine, watching with a neutral expression. Ailred dipped his head, "They couldn't be saved…" He passed the columns towards the entrance into the mountain. Carved above the door was a frieze, depicting the inception of Guldar. The Red Dragons and Grey Dragons carving away at the surface of Daiana, as the Indigo and Violet Dragons brought forth all sorts of creatures and flora to craft the jungle. He dipped his head in reverence as he passed into the Temple itself.
The inside was dark, lit only by the magma that was vented through pipes in the walls to fill the inside with wells of light. Four Shrines crafted out of felsite and obsidian stood within the main chamber. The first three close to the entrance were held in a line: The Red Clade. Each contained a small statue of the Dragon, whose maws dripped with magma to fill a small well in each shrine for sacrifice. Cephas stood triumphantly obsidian claw on the chest of a bird-like demon with feathers of every shade and color. Cassian was depicted rising out of the magma well in the center with a horned beast in its maw, scales painted the deepest color of crimson. Carmine was tall and proud, flanked by twin wyverns that feasted on the corpse of some malevolent mutated creature. Ailred as he passed, he left something at each shrine's well. He placed a shackle and a chain-link into each well before pressing forward as they melted.
Approaching the last shrine, Ailred stumbled, groaning as he heaved himself back up. The last shrine was no one other than Caius himself, for eyes were set brilliant rubies backlit by the magma within. Between scales even the magma deep inside the statue could be seen, alighting the Firelord in an ominous display. The magma poured from the center of the chest and the depths of the maw down into a channel that filled a large central well. It was deep, deep enough for someone to stand in, and the edge came up to Ailreds hip as he leaned on it. It was engraved with the many scenes of Caius around the side, to which Ailred brushed his knees against as he looked into the magma, before back up to the face of Caius.
"It has been a long time, my Lord… but you are free now." Ailred spoke quietly, running his arm across his brow to pull away sweat. "I… seek to return.. once again to your Throne, Lord of Wills. Though I am unsure if I have the strength to do so." The statue stood silent, dull fiery glow peering into Ailred's soul. "I… am an Oathbreaker, such cannot be removed but… I just ask that you have me back. I will be the greatest soldier of the Successors if need be, I will enforce your will across Aloria." The statue stood still, displeased if a statue could ever be such. "I… I…" Ailred paused, looking down into the well, feeling the warmth of the magma within. The silence was deafening, despite no reply the Avantl spoke weakly in conjecture. "No… I cannot… I know your demand Cinerius, but I… I do not have the strength to do it." Weak speech grew into a shout "You cannot just /remove/ what happened to me! It's not going to be all better just because I choose to feel these things! It won't undo my choices! This is my burden to bear!" He sucked in a breath weakly, little shouting and already out of breath as blood dripped into the well below. The silence did not stop. The Avantl looked down at the well, then back up to the shrine. "I… no. I've made it… this far." He peered down into the magma, taking a deep breath before speaking softly. "Gnothi seaton as the Eronidas say." He placed his hands above the magma, taking a deep breath before plunging them deep into the fire.
The magma however, blessed by Cinerius, didn't burn. It crawled up his form slowly, a warmth spreading through the Avantl. Wounds slowly closed shut. The stoicism of the Avantl tried to not break, as the warmth encircled him like a long needed embrace. The well opened to fill out an image in its depths. An unspoken desire pulled free by the well.
Looking below was as if looking across the Ularen plains once again. It was a calm, starry night as a soft wind blew the silvery moonlit grains around the village. The commune below was lit around a massive tree by candlelight and motes of gold and silver radiance. Cheers of joy rang out in the distance, the Avantl willed the vision forward until it stopped. It canted downwards to show the ground, an Allorn commander's helm half-burried as grain grew through it. It turned back up to see the village, as the sun began to crest over the horizon. Spears of golden sunlight illuminating the grains. The warmth of the star growing across Ailreds face. The Avantl tensed, believing something was to come, yet… nothing. Peace.
The Avantl's stoic shell couldn't hold. A soft, worn smile conquered his lips. Tears began to roll down the Avantl's face.
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