Post by Tywin on Apr 22, 2018 21:01:40 GMT -5
Valent threw himself into the ashen, pock-marked grass, the smell of sulfur rising in a dusky cloud around him as he coughed and sneezed once the volcanic particles wandered into his nasal cavity. It was euphoric, his beatific smile dimmed not by the overcast shadow of basalt and other cooling properties, clinging to the clouds above as if to impregnate them with their lead, mercury, and other refined, once molten materials. Thoroughly coated, Val sighed wishfully, digits splaying to scoop the parched soil closer to himself, like he would a lover or spouse. Truly a wonder in his eyes, a marvel he'd wished repeated again and again. He'd heard of the woeful cries, the fear and lament of the other woodland beings. It was sad, tinging his merry soot bath with a twinge of sorrow. He wished to scoop them all into his arms, show them that the eruption could only herald wonderful things. Not the violent omen they thought, the throes of an enraged and vicious deity. But the birth, the rise of something else, someone else, far more powerful than mere brute force. Not all could be enlightened, he supposed. It'd only been by chance --or had it??-- that he'd been at the right place, at the right time. But even if they had missed out on the heralding of a new age. Was he not but the messiah whom was burdened to spread the message? Perhaps... he closed his eyes, simply soaked and reveled in the moment. Perhaps he was.
Valorah: The tempest had waged war upon the civilized communities which bordered the great Umbra Munte, mother nature's champion unpredictable and fierce in it's explosion. To the feathered sentries with the gift of arial sight it had proven to be a historical moment, for the innards of the world had spewed forth with reckless abandon. The wind had only served as an accomplice to the silent but deadly destruction of a people, lifting the poisonous black plague through the skies and into the homes of man. A guardian for those who only follow one another, Valorah came upon the deceased bipedal city too late. As if becoming a sheep herself, the canine descended into a panic upon finding her guardian forever asleep; ash filled lungs and open eyes. Delirious, she ran for the woods. A death sentence known by all who had decided to follow man, but if it meant escaping the silent killer with no form then so it would be. The lithe and silky coated canine flew across the scarred lands, pearlescent image dirtied with soot as she came upon the first living thing in days. Skidding to a stop, ears flattened against her skull and tail slunk between legs. The other looked as though he'd been birthed from the disaster, monochromatic coat like nothing she'd ever witnessed. A small cloud of ash had risen up around her at the quick stop, the final rays of sunlight over the hill creating a heavenly backlit scene.
Valent looked up when the minute trembles of the earth was betoken of the coming of a beast, one of flesh and blood. He didn't move when the damsel came into view, simply perused her features in silent rumination, before he chose to ask, rather nonchalant, "Looking for something?" Tones were paternal and warm, inviting. He rose to his paws, shaking off the excess while he made to gesture apologetically toward the stranger. "I cry your pardon, young maiden. When I decided to take up the mantle of sooth sayer, I did not expect Father to bestow an acolyte on me so soon." Truly, Valent found it odd that so many were confused. Even this one here appeared nothing less than horribly shaken. It all felt so obvious. "Greetings, and be welcomed in passionate fire. What brings you here?" As if he didn't know. She probably didn't, probably had some silly terrestrial urging of some sort. But that was alright. Even if she didn't know, he'd enlighten. Oh, would he.
Valorah: It was like looking down into a pool of water and searching for the right answers, yet instead of seeing her own reflection it was the image of safety speaking sweet nothings. Bemused beauty faltered after a few steps, half erect ears soaking up his every word naively. The dog had only ever conversed with sheep but been told to be weary of wolves, for their tongues were like the snakes which offered forbidden fruit. Caution befell her stance as eyes stayed wide open, albeit his seemingly harmless rambling. If only he'd known the reason for her terror to be in the very result of the soot which he bathed, and not the act of mother natures display of dominance itself. "Pardon you shall receive, but I must ask the meaning of your spoken word. The loss of my purpose has chased me here, for I never intended to be searching for anything...." Suddenly sullen, her own words struck a pain inside that had never been felt before.
Valent was just missing a cane with which to lean upon, really. In it's stead, Val improvised with stationing himself into a casual slant, one foreleg bearing the brunt of his upper mass while he listened dutifully to everything said. Another strum of the heartstring, and it showed in his eyes, the genuine appeal of plaintive sympathy, diluted as it might have been beneath the artifice of well intentioned madness. "Yet search you do. For why come here, of all places, the source of so much claimed misery?" He'd lift his head, ears craning back as if straining to catch a whisper on the breeze. "Can't you hear it? The sobbing, the mourning, like a timed thunderclap." Eyes of deliquesced rock returned to the injured dove before him. "I see pain in you, no... I see loss. Won't you share, let me in? I promise to do the same." He wouldn't come any closer, nor would he comport himself as threatening. "Or you may leave, and never speak to me again. The choice is yours, as I will add my voice to the cacophony of keening that cloaks this land in it's suffocating embrace. That I might sing of what ails you, in hopes that you will find a brighter future. One with love, delight, and endless luxury." He went silent then, merely gazing at her. But his smile seemed to say, wouldn't that be nice?
Valorah: The lulling words sang out across the gap between them, Valent a maestro conducting each idea with such finesse, from the posture to those eyes which softly whispered 'wouldn't that be nice?' Valorah was the open book which one placed in the middle of the room, the pages soft to the touch and oh so easy to turn. Dark winds blew in the moment that he looked heavenward, her own sleek visage rising in sync before gently studying him once more. How is it that he'd seen right through her veiled wounds? Two eyes peering through a translucent guise, a reply caught in her throat as muzzle turned when she looked away. Bashful, the words finally sang out like freshly spun silk. "To what end do I deserve your colloquy, like a gentle touch of rain promising to wash away the pain? Heed my words, a life of any kind where I survive would quell my aching soul... so long as I do not perish in the same way he did." Peeking up from her hidden gaze the smile which played on his face took hold, heart suddenly sprouting strings as if preparing to later become the puppet. Unbeknownst to her mind, the strings grew taught and commanded her to step forward, closer. Sleek pelt speckled with the ashes of a new born god, eyes a diluted summer sky looking up to him now in question. "Perhaps fate brought me to this threshold, for I would never have left his side were a breath still living. Does the madness which accompanies this misery have an end?" There will come a time when the heart grows cold, nevermore shall it suffer and eternal it must remain.
Valent's tail rose high and stiff, not in a show of dominance, but of welcome. True to his vision, his first apostle had come. Little by little, he'd allow a sliver of his joy to shine through the darkness. Since, even HE knew. That being happy about millions of innocent lives coming to a sudden, brutal end. Wasn't conventional. Rather, he'd try to educate on why he was happy and, by extension, why she ought to be happy, as well. Not for the death, goodness no. But what such a massacre signaled, what was to be replenished in it's place? Priceless, unquestionably precious. "To survive such harrowing circumstances means you are special. See how even your pelt is sans the clay and muck. You've not been dirtied by this world." She sought meaning, and he would bequeath it unto her. No terms or conditions. He was a merciful god, ye, a god without the need for worship. He'd shape this world into his idealization alone, if he must. "Death is not finite. It is the mark of one end, and unto a new beginning. See this ash?" He'd raise a paw, allowing the black dust to sift through his spread toes, "What once brought death, will soon bring life. The land will, in time, soak up the nutrients. It will flourish. A place of death shall become an eden, from which all will prosper." He said, soothing, consolidating. "It is easy to be swept away by heartache, but heed me now; just as this land shall soon befall wondrous transformation, so too do you hold the seeds of potential to rise above your sadness." His words were gentle, placating. "Your life is worth living, that you may see an end, and breathe anew. For those loved and lost, and those yet to feel the tender warmth you have to offer." Valent wouldn't stop her from coming closer, he'd let her make the journey across the threshold. If she wished to turn back, to be subsumed by the instincts of the flesh. Then that was her choice, and he'd only keep her word. But if she was hungry for more, if she craved that higher meaning. He was there, chest broad and waiting to receive her. He'd offer a nod of encouragement, his ears pinning to his skull to show his receptivity.
Valorah: The fragile voice which calls out in the night shall receive, and this she did. Like a moth to the flame, or a child to it's mother's bosom she crept forward. Entranced by the sheer positive and uplifting hope weaved into this web, he was easily becoming the knife which one gravitated towards for protection. With a hand on her hilt, or the hood on a cloak...the heart knew no better. The world for Valorah had always been the farmer and his flock, yet through the ashes a harbinger was born. The soothing tone of greatness to come resonated inside her chest, dainty paws leaving their mark in the soot with each step forward. Downcast eyes slowly lifted in hopes of finding his own, yet shy to hold the gaze if it were met. There was no turning back, no other asylum which existed in her mind. Silken sands were easily lifted and shaped by the dedication, skill, and prowess of any good manipulator. Valent was precisely this, and as the last few inches remained between them...the ritual was complete. The feather soft touch of cheek against chest was akin to a key sliding into it's lock. Captivated, saved, and thoroughly enveloped in the promise of things yet to come. Pressed against his chest she'd slowly breath in the scent which was now named revival instead of defeat, voice cotton soft and so far from self assured. "Your words are effervescent dear wolf, if I am not to perish this day or the next..then let it be known that I am earnestly in your debt."
Valent met her gaze, sugared and chestnut before an open fire. Endless patience, is what burned in his veins. Patience for life, for death, for the everlasting touch of each sweet dawn, as he was made fresh and regrown from the roots of travesty. His expression that of a parent welcoming their child home after a prolonged absence, the barest touch to his breast releasing a pleased exhale from black lips. "No, no, sweet blossom." Neck lowered, an embrace wholesome and neat. Again, he'd thank his Father, thank the lord within the crust of the earth, even now giving life to each and every one of them. "It is I, who am in yours."
Valorah: The tempest had waged war upon the civilized communities which bordered the great Umbra Munte, mother nature's champion unpredictable and fierce in it's explosion. To the feathered sentries with the gift of arial sight it had proven to be a historical moment, for the innards of the world had spewed forth with reckless abandon. The wind had only served as an accomplice to the silent but deadly destruction of a people, lifting the poisonous black plague through the skies and into the homes of man. A guardian for those who only follow one another, Valorah came upon the deceased bipedal city too late. As if becoming a sheep herself, the canine descended into a panic upon finding her guardian forever asleep; ash filled lungs and open eyes. Delirious, she ran for the woods. A death sentence known by all who had decided to follow man, but if it meant escaping the silent killer with no form then so it would be. The lithe and silky coated canine flew across the scarred lands, pearlescent image dirtied with soot as she came upon the first living thing in days. Skidding to a stop, ears flattened against her skull and tail slunk between legs. The other looked as though he'd been birthed from the disaster, monochromatic coat like nothing she'd ever witnessed. A small cloud of ash had risen up around her at the quick stop, the final rays of sunlight over the hill creating a heavenly backlit scene.
Valent looked up when the minute trembles of the earth was betoken of the coming of a beast, one of flesh and blood. He didn't move when the damsel came into view, simply perused her features in silent rumination, before he chose to ask, rather nonchalant, "Looking for something?" Tones were paternal and warm, inviting. He rose to his paws, shaking off the excess while he made to gesture apologetically toward the stranger. "I cry your pardon, young maiden. When I decided to take up the mantle of sooth sayer, I did not expect Father to bestow an acolyte on me so soon." Truly, Valent found it odd that so many were confused. Even this one here appeared nothing less than horribly shaken. It all felt so obvious. "Greetings, and be welcomed in passionate fire. What brings you here?" As if he didn't know. She probably didn't, probably had some silly terrestrial urging of some sort. But that was alright. Even if she didn't know, he'd enlighten. Oh, would he.
Valorah: It was like looking down into a pool of water and searching for the right answers, yet instead of seeing her own reflection it was the image of safety speaking sweet nothings. Bemused beauty faltered after a few steps, half erect ears soaking up his every word naively. The dog had only ever conversed with sheep but been told to be weary of wolves, for their tongues were like the snakes which offered forbidden fruit. Caution befell her stance as eyes stayed wide open, albeit his seemingly harmless rambling. If only he'd known the reason for her terror to be in the very result of the soot which he bathed, and not the act of mother natures display of dominance itself. "Pardon you shall receive, but I must ask the meaning of your spoken word. The loss of my purpose has chased me here, for I never intended to be searching for anything...." Suddenly sullen, her own words struck a pain inside that had never been felt before.
Valent was just missing a cane with which to lean upon, really. In it's stead, Val improvised with stationing himself into a casual slant, one foreleg bearing the brunt of his upper mass while he listened dutifully to everything said. Another strum of the heartstring, and it showed in his eyes, the genuine appeal of plaintive sympathy, diluted as it might have been beneath the artifice of well intentioned madness. "Yet search you do. For why come here, of all places, the source of so much claimed misery?" He'd lift his head, ears craning back as if straining to catch a whisper on the breeze. "Can't you hear it? The sobbing, the mourning, like a timed thunderclap." Eyes of deliquesced rock returned to the injured dove before him. "I see pain in you, no... I see loss. Won't you share, let me in? I promise to do the same." He wouldn't come any closer, nor would he comport himself as threatening. "Or you may leave, and never speak to me again. The choice is yours, as I will add my voice to the cacophony of keening that cloaks this land in it's suffocating embrace. That I might sing of what ails you, in hopes that you will find a brighter future. One with love, delight, and endless luxury." He went silent then, merely gazing at her. But his smile seemed to say, wouldn't that be nice?
Valorah: The lulling words sang out across the gap between them, Valent a maestro conducting each idea with such finesse, from the posture to those eyes which softly whispered 'wouldn't that be nice?' Valorah was the open book which one placed in the middle of the room, the pages soft to the touch and oh so easy to turn. Dark winds blew in the moment that he looked heavenward, her own sleek visage rising in sync before gently studying him once more. How is it that he'd seen right through her veiled wounds? Two eyes peering through a translucent guise, a reply caught in her throat as muzzle turned when she looked away. Bashful, the words finally sang out like freshly spun silk. "To what end do I deserve your colloquy, like a gentle touch of rain promising to wash away the pain? Heed my words, a life of any kind where I survive would quell my aching soul... so long as I do not perish in the same way he did." Peeking up from her hidden gaze the smile which played on his face took hold, heart suddenly sprouting strings as if preparing to later become the puppet. Unbeknownst to her mind, the strings grew taught and commanded her to step forward, closer. Sleek pelt speckled with the ashes of a new born god, eyes a diluted summer sky looking up to him now in question. "Perhaps fate brought me to this threshold, for I would never have left his side were a breath still living. Does the madness which accompanies this misery have an end?" There will come a time when the heart grows cold, nevermore shall it suffer and eternal it must remain.
Valent's tail rose high and stiff, not in a show of dominance, but of welcome. True to his vision, his first apostle had come. Little by little, he'd allow a sliver of his joy to shine through the darkness. Since, even HE knew. That being happy about millions of innocent lives coming to a sudden, brutal end. Wasn't conventional. Rather, he'd try to educate on why he was happy and, by extension, why she ought to be happy, as well. Not for the death, goodness no. But what such a massacre signaled, what was to be replenished in it's place? Priceless, unquestionably precious. "To survive such harrowing circumstances means you are special. See how even your pelt is sans the clay and muck. You've not been dirtied by this world." She sought meaning, and he would bequeath it unto her. No terms or conditions. He was a merciful god, ye, a god without the need for worship. He'd shape this world into his idealization alone, if he must. "Death is not finite. It is the mark of one end, and unto a new beginning. See this ash?" He'd raise a paw, allowing the black dust to sift through his spread toes, "What once brought death, will soon bring life. The land will, in time, soak up the nutrients. It will flourish. A place of death shall become an eden, from which all will prosper." He said, soothing, consolidating. "It is easy to be swept away by heartache, but heed me now; just as this land shall soon befall wondrous transformation, so too do you hold the seeds of potential to rise above your sadness." His words were gentle, placating. "Your life is worth living, that you may see an end, and breathe anew. For those loved and lost, and those yet to feel the tender warmth you have to offer." Valent wouldn't stop her from coming closer, he'd let her make the journey across the threshold. If she wished to turn back, to be subsumed by the instincts of the flesh. Then that was her choice, and he'd only keep her word. But if she was hungry for more, if she craved that higher meaning. He was there, chest broad and waiting to receive her. He'd offer a nod of encouragement, his ears pinning to his skull to show his receptivity.
Valorah: The fragile voice which calls out in the night shall receive, and this she did. Like a moth to the flame, or a child to it's mother's bosom she crept forward. Entranced by the sheer positive and uplifting hope weaved into this web, he was easily becoming the knife which one gravitated towards for protection. With a hand on her hilt, or the hood on a cloak...the heart knew no better. The world for Valorah had always been the farmer and his flock, yet through the ashes a harbinger was born. The soothing tone of greatness to come resonated inside her chest, dainty paws leaving their mark in the soot with each step forward. Downcast eyes slowly lifted in hopes of finding his own, yet shy to hold the gaze if it were met. There was no turning back, no other asylum which existed in her mind. Silken sands were easily lifted and shaped by the dedication, skill, and prowess of any good manipulator. Valent was precisely this, and as the last few inches remained between them...the ritual was complete. The feather soft touch of cheek against chest was akin to a key sliding into it's lock. Captivated, saved, and thoroughly enveloped in the promise of things yet to come. Pressed against his chest she'd slowly breath in the scent which was now named revival instead of defeat, voice cotton soft and so far from self assured. "Your words are effervescent dear wolf, if I am not to perish this day or the next..then let it be known that I am earnestly in your debt."
Valent met her gaze, sugared and chestnut before an open fire. Endless patience, is what burned in his veins. Patience for life, for death, for the everlasting touch of each sweet dawn, as he was made fresh and regrown from the roots of travesty. His expression that of a parent welcoming their child home after a prolonged absence, the barest touch to his breast releasing a pleased exhale from black lips. "No, no, sweet blossom." Neck lowered, an embrace wholesome and neat. Again, he'd thank his Father, thank the lord within the crust of the earth, even now giving life to each and every one of them. "It is I, who am in yours."
End