Thread: Dark Seed

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The sky darkened and darkened until it seemed as if there was no end to the dark abyss. Many of the Ivory denizens pulled umbrellas from their packs- small wooden devices made by the people of the City of Opal before they disappeared; the irony of that was enough to bite. Yet Margot fixed her eyes on the tumultuous sky and found the oxygen escaping her lungs in one forward expulsion as a realization shot across her mind: this was not a storm.

No sooner had the single thought shot across her conscious like lightening did the sky began to crack and from those breaks and folds came the most blinding of light. One could see the twisted maw of the creature hovering over them- ever single villainous pressed against the denizens of the City of Ivory. That mouth slowly opened up further to reveal an unending maw, and the ripping continued along the length of its’ neck onto its’ entire body as if it was coming undone like a blanket folding over a young child.
Screams began to pierce the now-dark air, and everyone began to flee. Yet where would they go when this colossal beast held the city and its’ surrounding land in its fertile grasp? There was nowhere to go- and Margot realized that in an instant.

Yet in the same instance the sky above her was no more and she found herself staring at smooth sandstone above her and a shining viridian pool before her. A figure hovered in the calm waters with her arm wrapped around an ivory statue of a cloaked woman bleeding from the hands. That was the traditional statue for Misene the Great Martyr, and it was only fitting that the pale beauty that was draped around her was the goddess herself.

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The chamber was a small concave in a far more rich and vast temple. There was only one door that barred both entrance and exit, and had been sealed with that seemed like blood and spells older than most mortals. It was the only place the Dark Seed could not reach, and yet one could see the dark and tangled hues of black licking in-between the cracks of such a massive monument.

The light that permeated form the ceiling seemed to come from the sky, but as they all knew there was no sun left in the City of Ivory’s horizon. Still it seemed to play like daylight did- dancing along the soft sandstones, and to the emerald pool where it licked along the arms and legs of a most divine creature. She was culmination of all the grandiose features of her kind: pale skin, large weeping eyes, a small nose, and virgin lips. Her long white hair tangled itself in the pool below, and swirled around her petite ankles. Misene wore nothing but a long white dress that was synched under her quaint bosom, and flowed around her body like air.
She turned to greet those she had summoned, and as she smiled a crack formed along her face as if she was nothing more than bricks that formed this place.

The ground rumbled and the goddess gasped. “We don’t have long,” she said- and it was the most beautiful sound on the planet.

This was no storm. Nimbus thought as she sat, still perched on the roof. She shook her head, as saw people below her taking out their umbrellas. It's true that the dark sky was like the rolling swell of rain clouds that you see when a storm does accumulate. But Nimbus wasn't easily tricked by the weather. Being a bird, weather was her business. If Nimbus didn't know about the moods of the sky, she would have been a disgrace to every claw and feathered denizen out there. This black abyss, curling itself around Ivory City, must be some dark spell, or,“ Oh no.” Nimbus breathed.

The realization of what was happening struck Nimbus to her core. She took to the sky. Nimbus was a flurry of wings, trying to get past the walls of Ivory. Her heart beat like the foot of a rabbit hitting the ground in fear. Glancing up, Nimbus caught the figure of the massive creature, opening it's mouth. Just as she saw this, denizens all over the City of Ivory began screaming and running to the gates. Nimbus was in flight. She would pass the walls and be free of it. There was still a sliver of open air to safety. But...

Then she caught site of a father. He was limping. A small crying child was in his arms. Nimbus tried to tear her eyes away from them, but the man called out. He must have had a Talent of telepathy. Because he spoke to Nimbus. Right to her. As if they had been next to each other.

“Please, hear me.” He called to her. “I know we are all going to die. But you, clever beautiful bird, you can escape. Great bird, you can take my girl away from here. I do not have anything to give. I won't live long enough to pay you. Just please, save my girl!”

Rue, Nimbus's mother, had not kept Slates death a secret. She had told her little ones how Slate died, to save Nimbus. A crack the size of a pencil line appeared on her cold angry heart. She dived down, determined to save the girl. Even as she watched the sliver of the opening fade. Grabbing the child, she ascended, her hope for survival gone. But the man would die in peace. And the girl would not live long to understand what had happened. Nimbus gave the destroyer above a look of death. Just as she headed into the blackness, an odd sensation came over her body.

One moment Nimbus stared into death, and with that one blink of an eye, she saw a lady. Nimbus fluttered to a halt, catching herself before she could collide with who seemed to be goddess Misene. Her presence calmed Nimbus. The soft light emanating around her, the flow of her grace and beauty, and the cut in her usually flawless face when she smiled took Nimbus's mind to a happier place. Yet Nimbus snapped herself to attention when she saw a hoofed lady beside her. A single gold spire grew from her forhead. Her silky white hair and tale gave Nimbus the impression of a bi-pedal unicorn. She was quite lovely, but Nimbus looked away. The girl was no longer with her. Hopping around looking for the child, Nimbus looked to Misene as she spoke to them.

“We don't have long,” She said. A voice that stirred Nimbus's soul.

But her promise to the man was still a promise, and even though time was short, Nimbus knew she had to ask where the child might be. This was out of respect to the girls father, and to the girl herself. No one is forgotten. Misene would understand this, out of anyone among them, she would understand.

“Please, forgive me my Lady, goddess Misene.” Nimbus bowed her head politely, gently sweeping her right wing in respect. “But, before I came here, there was a child I was holding. If you would be so kind as to tell me where she went?” In Nimbus's heart, she felt the answer she wanted to hear, might not be the one Misene would give.

The darkness that wrapped around the pale city gave Jian an uneasy feeling that he wasn't able to shake off. The citizens behaved as it it was just another storm rolling by, but something bugged the one-eyed armorer. Something wasn't right. All at once the stormy sky tore open, like ripping a piece of paper in two. Out of the giant opening, a waterfall of light poured over the land, temporarily blinding Jian. His eye watered at the intensity, but he was intent on seeing the otherworldly thing in the sky. As he looked up his heart pounded so intensely, he would later recall feeling like it would burst from his chest. The sight above the city was both mesmerizing and terrifying at the same time.

Jian had only closed his eye to blink, but was inexplicably teleported to another world it seemed. The surrounding area had an ethereal look to it. Glancing around, Jian spotted something. His breathing slowed and the panic ebbed as he took in the sight of the Goddess draped around a statue. Her grace and beauty had never before made its presence upon his eye, and he would not ever forget the sight of her.

All was perfect except for a small crack along her face, and seeing this, Jian knew not all was as it seemed. The Goddess' voice echoed in the small chamber as she calmly said, "We don’t have long,". Jian was entranced by Misene's voice but something broke that feeling...something unexpected. An unfamiliar voice made its way to the man's ears and as he turned to see where it was coming from, his breath hitched. There was a large bird, a hawk perhaps, seated on the floor nearby and of all things...it was speaking. 'What in the world is going on?' Jian thought to himself.

As his brain scurried about trying to make sense of all of this, something else caught his attention. There was one more body in the room...a very odd body. The creature appeared to be horse-like in body structure, but walked on two legs. Part of his mind grew cautious of this unknown humaniod, but the other part was captivated by its graceful beauty. He couldn't help but keep his gaze moving from the Goddess to the bird to the bipedal horse. It was all too much too quickly.

Misene’s eyes fell to the citizen of Copper the majestic bird with a golden heart “Nimbus”; and then to the citizen of Ebony with his proud sense of justice but a paternal warmth “Jian”. She had chosen them because of their value in her beliefs. Now the other child of Copper was more so a liability. While the Goddess of Ivory knew her time was short, and she was not long for this world- she didn’t want to upset Hastian and his somewhat disjointed ways. He had something planned for her, and even in her waning glow she didn’t want to upset the God of Copper- “and Margot.”

A soft smile parted on her lips, and she shook her head. “Those that I have saved are here now.” Those hands clasped before her as she answered Nimbus’s question. “Yet I am not without mercy. I believe she found salvation with another one of the winged kind- one that might have been led to her.”

It was then she walked rather graceful from the emerald pool and stood before the three. “But I’m afraid we haven’t much time for formalities.” That warming smile faded into a straight line as she glanced between the three faces that met her now. “As I said there isn’t much time.” Another crack split from the corner of her mouth and ripped across her cheek and connected with another one that was already forming around those glassy eyes.
“I have but one task,” She breathed outwards- and pressed her fingers to her own bosom. Upon contact they crumbled, cracked, and erupted into coarse dust. “Find my brother- find the LiarSmith Janus- and ask him why he released the Dark Seed upon us. When you receive this answer- maybe you shall receive the cure for the world as well. I would not ask this of you and expect you to do this had this world not begun to die. If you relinquish this task- kiss the sweet air you breathe goodbye without a fathom of a fight- this is our apocalypse my children.” Misene then found tears well up in her eyes; and yet the liquid did not have the honor of rolling down her cheeks as they were sucked into the fissures that were present there now. “And you will perish.”

The light flickered wildly in the chamber before filtering out; there was nothing more than a twilight haze in the room once it was finished. Misene was no more than specks of dust and glitter that danced and twirled in the air before inevitably fading. Yet from that cloud rested five seeds- pure white shards that seemed to radiate warmth.

Margot was confused- at best- and yet she still approached them with her hand outstretched. “These are seeds,” she stated plainly- as if those were the only words that would escape her lips. “And-“ upon them were inscribed names. The first three correlated with the people inside this room while the other two seemed hazy; almost as if there were words printed there but they had been worn away with time. When Margot touched them- nothing happened; and yet when her pale white hands reached over the one inscribed with her name it vanished. Well maybe vanish was not the appropriate term- maybe it was filtered into her body to join the place where her other seed rested. Margot offered a tight gasp as she fell back on her rear- squishing her tail quite forcefully- and rubbed her eyes. “She was right,” the child of Copper breathed. “She was right. The world will die- soon. And the only hope is Janus.”

Just as she spoke to Misene, another denizen appeared. He was tall, with horns and a whip like tail. The man looked from Nimbus to the other girl, and then to Misene. He didn't say anything but it was clear he was surprised by Nimubs. Feeling like he shouldn't be the one to look at her like she was some kind of odd ball, Nimbus was about to say 'What?' when Misene got their attention.

Misene spoke to them, addressing them all by name. Then when she told them those that she saved were present, Nimbus dropped her head, but she was relieved to hear from Misene that the girl may have been saved despite of it all. The continued cracking Misene's face alarmed Nimbus. And even more so was what she had to say.

“Find my brother- find the LiarSmith Janus- and ask him why he released the Dark Seed upon us. When you receive this answer- maybe you shall receive the cure for the world as well. I would not ask this of you and expect you to do this had this world not begun to die. If you relinquish this task- kiss the sweet air you breathe goodbye without a fathom of a fight- this is our apocalypse my children.”

Nimbus couldn't speak for the others, but watching the Lady goddess Misene leave this world, was heart-breaking. Although this was a moment never to forget, the seemingly daunting task set before them suddenly felt unfair. This dieing forsaken world, left to her? And two other strangers? Who in the world are these two? But then...There must be a reason Misene saved her. And she had the chance to help, even just for one last time.

Margot, the lovely fellow Copper child, pointed out the seeds left behind by Misene. She touched one of them, falling back on her rear. She was alright, but she turned to them, rubbing her eyes. “She was right. The world will die- soon. And the only hope is Janus.” Nimbus ruffled her feathers. Janus. Ugh. Nimbus's mother had a thing or two to say about him. Nothing to repeat there.

“How do you know?” Nimbus chimed in. “Misene wouldn't lie, but, you sound more than sure about it. And why do these things have our names on them?”

Nimbus hopped over to the one with her name. She observed it before lightly touching it with the tip of her beak. Then, a rush came over her. A force unknown to Nimus warmed her from the seed that had been with her since birth. Nimbus steadied herself, for she was pushed back just like Margot. It felt so strange, but wonderful. Seeing Jian's name on the only other shard that had legible writing, Nimbus looked to him. “Hey, this one has your name on it.” Nimbus sighed, glancing around the room. “I feel strangely good. Like, healthy and strong. Hey, my cut from that last job is gone.”

As the goddess explained the situation to the group, Jian couldn't help but feel pity for her. This woman made of pure and eternal beauty was literally crumbling before their very eyes. When she had finished, there were nothing but wisps of ivory drifting on the air. Jian clenched his fists in anger. Who or what could have done this to her and why? 'I should have done something...anything.' he thought, frustrated at himself for just standing there dumbfounded like an idiot. He closed his eye and gritted his teeth, mentally kicking himself. After a moment or two of contemplation, Jian tentatively cracked open his eyelid and saw something remarkable before him.

There were what seemed to be shards of some kind laid out before the group of three. He couldn't explain it, but something about them seemed inviting, and he cautiously stepped over to them. The pale female in the room got to them first and announced that those mysterious objects were seeds. 'The goddess' seeds?' Jian questioned in his head. A sudden announcement came from the brown hawk and it took him aback. Something about his name being on one of the glowing shards. He shook his head in disbelief...it couldn't be true. However, as he got closer, something appeared on one of the shards that made his eye go wide and his breath hitch: his name.

Unsure of himself, Jian outstretched his right hand towards his assigned shard. In a moment of hesitation, he drew it back to his muscular chest. Although it was one of the goddess' seeds and it didn't seem to affect the others in any obviously negative way, he was nervous. New things always always made him feel like that. Maybe that's why his sister and children often accused him of being "stuck in his ways". Jian gave the other two a final glance to see if they were indeed alright. He heaved a heavy but determined sigh and carefully removed the leather glove from his right hand. He wanted to feel the shard with his bare hand, maybe to better understand it for the moment before it would meld with himself.

The bare hand reached for the shard with Jian's name inscribed on it. A look of hesitation mixed with determination was on his face as he clenched his rough hand around the seed. A feeling similar to an adrenaline rush instantly flew through the man's body. He braced his muscles as a feeling similar to an aggressive wind surrounded him and almost toppled Jian to the ground like the others. For a brief moment amongst all this chaos, the back of his mind registered the feeling of the seed against the callused flesh of his hand. It was full of contradictions: hot yet cold, hard yet soft. That's all he could feel before the seed merged with his body.

Jian's chest heaved as he tried to catch his breath. His body ached and he felt like he had run for miles. Droplets of sweat formed at his brow as he fought to regulate his breathing. Jian stared at his bare hand for a moment or two before donning his glove once again. The hand hadn't seemed to be any different but inside he felt...something. Jian couldn't put his finger on it, but something new was there. It wasn't a particularly bad feeling, just a different one. Slowly turning his head to look at the others in the room, the expression on his face seemed to ask a silent question: what just happened?

Margot felt sincerely disoriented. The memory had bubbled into her mind like an image of long past, and then at the same time it had left. It was almost as if someone was painting over her conscious thought with their own. She scratched her head sullenly as she attempted to reminisce on what happened.

There was a circle of people- ten to be precise- and while their faces were uncovered and brightened Margot couldn’t remember a single feature of any of them. All she could make out were the words that passed by them like threads running across a loom. They were weaving their own lands, their own powers, and by all means their own godhood. Yet there was one that stood apart from the rest and just fiddled with a dark shard in his hand. It was the color of the deepest black, of death and despair, of utter nothingness; and yet while it was all of those things it was solidified into that crystalline seed. It was almost as if each of them were in their own little world, because the one holding that seed- the Dark Seed- whispered into and none of them made a sound regarding his words: ‘you will live inside of me and know my warmth and none of the world’s cold. You will be a son that is never born, but knows infinite life instead. You will have my eternal love and the rest of the world’s eternal hate.’

Then Margot was here again. That face that she couldn’t quite make out had to be Janus, and his words had to be the sealing spell he placed upon it before tucking it inside himself. Yet it didn’t make any sense- he sounded as if he would never release it, and yet here they were. Something had to have happened, and Misene knew exactly what that was.
“Believe me,” Margot remarked as she ran her knuckles across her temple. “It is like I peered into the past- maybe into Misene’s past?” That was an odd thought, but it made the most sense. At that time she watched the odd bird creature- ah Nimbus- hobble towards the seed and tap it with her beak. At that moment it fizzled out and she seemed just as oddly affected as Margot had been. This only validated her thought about these once having been a part of the goddess.

Margot stood slowly after Jian had a similar revelation. She clopped over to the other two seeds and picked them up; their names were still hazy amongst the abundance of light and so she tucked them away. She didn’t know why she did this at first except that it felt right, and her right hand seemed more than happy to appease its’ own nature. “So- are we?” She questioned to the other two. “Are we going to try to find Janus?” It was then she glanced around, “though first I figure we should get out of here.”

“Believe me, it is like I peered into the past- maybe into Misene’s past?”

Margot said as Nimbus absorbed her seed, and so did Jian after her. Nimbus watched as Margot placed the other seeds in her care. Why it mattered was not known to Nimbus. Margot herself seemed unsure, yet resolved to take them.

“So- are we?” She questioned Nimbus and Jain. “Are we going to try to find Janus?” Margot looked around the crumbling room. “though first I figure we should get out of here.”

“Are we indeed.” Nimbus glanced around the room as she did, a rumbling noise from outside made it clear that the Darkness above still worked it's mouth around the Ivory City.

“I'd say let's get out of here, too. But, how? Isn't the creature devouring the Ivory City as we speak?” Nimbus looked around for a window to peek out from.

It's all well and good that these seeds are here and that Misene saved them, but they were still in danger, right? This whole place was going to be non-existent. What good are they to the goddess if they never leave? Nimbus looked to Margot. If she had memories of Misene, like when she said she possibly saw Misene past, then maybe she might know a bit of the lay out of this place.

“Margot, how much of Misene past do you recall? If you could tell us anything about the in's and out's of this place, now would be a good time. Otherwise, looking for Janus won't be an issue anymore.”

But even so, even if they do escape. Does Nimbus go off looking for some evil god? With these strangers? Misene, as she thought before, wasn't a liar and she was certainly a great judge of character, but doubt was in the Golden Eagles flawed nature. Even more so since she was deeply hurt a while back. Margot seemed pleasant, but Jian hardly spoke a word. He was an impressive size, compared to Nimbus, and he looked tough. Who's to say he was trustworthy?

Ugh. Focus. Nimbus thought to herself. Remember, Misene isn't a common denizen. She was a lady goddess of mercy. She would not trick me!

Nimbus decided it was time to roll with the punches. In fact, if it came down to it, she would use her talent to fly these two out of here. Hopefully Margot would know how to get out so she wouldn't have to. It was a pain in the you-know-what to carry things that heavy.

Jian carefully eyed the pale female as she gracefully strode over to retrieve the last remaining shards. She seemed to know what she was doing...at least it appeared that way. Jian's silvery eye remained fixed on her as she addressed the others about Janus and finding a way out of here. Something about her appealed to him and he found that he couldn't look away. Though her body appeared frail and delicate, her voice seemed to come from a strong and determined personality. She was an interesting creature indeed.

The next one to speak, the bird, drew Jian's attention away. The man tilted his head and patiently listened to her speak. It was quite odd...in his homeland, it was a rarity to see a bird of prey as large as this, let alone one that speaks. It would take some time, but Jian was hoping he'd get used to it.

Deep, grumbling sounds from outside made their way to the man's ears as the winged one suggested that they find a way out. Honestly, he'd been in more or less a stupor since he got here. The Goddess, the seeds and everything else just grabbed his attention and now that they were gone, the real world came rushing back. With his mind now free and clear, Jian rushed over to the nearest wall and began searching for some sort of door or passageway. The bird was right: they needed to find a way out...and fast.

He moved along the walls, scanning every nook and cranny for a doorknob or something similar. The tip of his tail whipped back and forth as its owner was deep in thought. Panic began to spread through Jian's body and he started to grow a bit worried. 'Door...a door...there's got to be a door...there HAS to be one!' he shouted in his mind. He crossed his arms and closed his eye, attempting to think of a way out. It seemed hopeless, but he refused to give up that easily.

“I don’t remember that much,” Margot stated matter-of-factly. “I have to say that memory only came quickly before it left. I mean I can feel them there- in the back of my mind- if that makes any sense. But they are not bubbling to the surface whenever I want them too.” Those eyes narrowed a bit as if Nimbus had insulted her character and integrity and not at all this newfound ability that she felt press against her cranium like a painful headache. Still Margot attempted to force it to the front, but it inevitably faltered once again and collapsed in on itself. The poor woman was giving herself a migraine just trying to recollect a fact that wouldn’t come to her so easily. It was odd- having all this knowledge but not a single inkling on how to use it.

They seemed to look at her for guidance, and she had nothing to give them. Instead she used her own common sense to try to find a way out. The vaulted door was obviously sealed from the outside- as they had been transported in without a physical hand. Still that didn’t mean that Misene was without other means, or she wouldn’t have drawn them in only to let them suffocate in here.
It was then Margot’s eyes transfixed on the statue- wasn’t the goddess playing with it before they began speaking?

As much as the child of Copper didn’t much like getting wet- she hopped on the edge of the pool and slowly stepped into the water before her. It was surprisingly warm and lapped against her hooves in a soothing manner. Yet the waves hadn’t been caused by her disturbing the ripples, but instead by another force. Slowly the woman clomped forward and brought her hand to the Martyr’s outstretched one. “What if-“ was all Margot got out before the porcelain hand bent at a 90 degree angle from the wrist and there was a low rumbles as the bottom of the pool began to open. The liquid poured through the cracks, and as it dribbled away- one could see winding stairs down. “Ah-hah! I’m a genius my darlings. And I did that without Misene’s memories. You can thank me later.”
While Margot had no idea where it would lead down too- she was assured that there wouldn’t be anything dangerous down here. This was Misene’s shrine right? There couldn’t be anything treacherous or nasty down there- or at least that was her assumption.

No the stairs wrapped around and dropped down to a long hallway of white bricks and flooring- extremely pristine with a slight smell of flowers dancing throughout. At the end of the hallway was a flickering light, and maybe some idea as to where they were going.

Nimbus ruffled her feathers at the narrowing eyes of Margot. What had she said to make her look that way? Or, wait. Margot was staring in this manner for too long. It can't be because Nimbus questioned her about an exit. Nimbus saw Jian had given up on looking around for an way out. Just as Nimbus was going to comment on this, Margot stepped into the water.

"Hn? What are you- WOW." Nimbus let her wings twitch in excitement. As if the day wasn't strange and incredible enough, a spiral stair case made itself appear just from a touch.

"Ah-hah! I'm a genius my darlings! And I did that without Misene's memories. You can thank me later." With out another word, Margot walked down boldly. Nimbus presumed this confidence was due to this Temple belonging to Misene. They should not fear it.

"And where were you?" Nimbus passingly mumbled to Jian, referring to his failed attempts to get out. The Golden Eagle sauntered off. Nimbus didn't another looking for any reaction, if there was one. She just hopped forward after Margot.

As much as she was happy to be alive, Nimbus was getting tired of hopping. She needed to stretch her wings! To fly! The excitement of open air quickened her pace, nearly running past the pretty Copper Child who clopped daintily before her.

"The sky! The sky!" Nimbus hummed. "I can't wait!"

With his eye closed and his arms folded across his chest, Jian was deep in thought trying to figure a way out. He hated feeling helpless. The mumblings from Nimbus and Margot fell of deaf ears as he started to pace back and forth, slowly trying to piece together an escape root that wasn't there.

An unexpected and unnerving deep rumble stirred the native of the city of Ebony out of his thought process. His head spun around to catch a glimpse of the hidden stairs appearing beneath the statue of the Goddess. Again, he was mentally kicking himself. 'Why didn't I think of that...it's so obvious.' Jian rubbed his forehead as he thought to himself. His mercury-hued eye tracked the other two's movements as they descended into the pit of the unknown. He hesitated, but it wasn't like he had a choice. It was just sit here and become that dark creature's lunch or charge head-first into who knows what.

As Jian jogged over to the mysterious staircase he thought, 'I can't let them get too far ahead. I have a feeling they'll need me. Sure, they may not regard me as an important figure, but...'. His thought trailed off as he fell in line behind the pale woman and the bird. Slowly descending the stairs, he kept a hand on his falchion and his eye nervously darted around the area. For all he knew, danger was around every corner. He couldn't let the others get injured or worse. Misene was counting on him...he could feel it.

The long hallway led out a balcony that had at one time overlooked Misene’s personal district. They found themselves on the second story of her shrine- and yet if they looked above them they would see no higher levels. Where they had been was a magical oddity, and there was no divine presence to explain it. Still they were in the Ivory City now and the sun was shining brilliantly upon the once heavily populated city. Now what was before them were streets and buildings that were devoid of life. Bodies were scattered everywhere, but they were not formed from flesh and blood but instead looked like they were loosely composed of a crumbling stone. Each of their faces was configured into looks of horror, pain, or sadness.
The silence was near about painful and made the softest of footfalls sound like rumbling thunder on the horizon. Maybe that is why if they were paying attention the group would have heard a sweet sound of machines churning towards them on the horizon.

Tristan would find himself not too far from where the group erupted into the city- and he would feel a soft call of his feet pressing forward and towards them. It was a soft siren call, a warm hand upon his cheek, and a sweet coo into his lips. “Find them,” it said sweetly. “Follow the path that they have set out before them, and you will find what has happened to the one person you loved the most in this world.” Then it was gone. Yet the soft tethers tugging his feet forward were still nudging him forward.

“Finally,” Margot exhaled as they approached the breaching light at the end of the long tunnel. Yet what she was greeted with was not what she had expected. Those pupils constricted tightly and she flinched away from the hot saturation of the sun. The wind blew against her hair and skewed quite a few ivory strands atop her head, but yet it had the oddest smell to it. She tilted her head to the side, and inhaled slowly but couldn’t quite place the scent. When her eyes finally fluttered open- what she saw before her made her catch a gasp in her throat quite loudly before she brought her fingers to her mouth. Bodies of the once living were laid out before them- a mass that was hovering before the shrine was astounding. “So that is what happens when you have your seed removed?” Margot stated softly at such a taboo practice. Usually the flesh died before the seed, and on occasion it rotted in one’s body which caused them to catch ill and pass from it. Yet to see what happens to the flesh when the seed was removed- it made Margot nearly vomit in her throat.
Yet she realized there was nothing she could do here now- and the longer they stayed here the more she would need to console her psyche.

“We need to get out of the City of Ivory, and then we can come up with a plan then.” Margot responded with a heavy affirmation. “First though- how do we get off this balcony?” It was then her eyes pressed against Nimbus. “You think you can carry us?”

“Don't be a slow-poke Jian.” Nimbus chuckled behind her.

Slipping out in front of Margot to the rail of the balcony, Nimbus's heart fell with the sight before her. It was familiar to the Golden Eagle. The memory of it the same event of her past was as fresh in her thoughts as the scene now below them. It turned her stomach. A rage welled up in Nimbus. If she wasn't covered in feathers you would have seen her face flush red. The Dark Seed. How cruel are you?

“Dear Misene.” Nimbus whispered hoarsely. “I hoped never to see this again.”

Nimbus had a hope that the goddess could not see her City in ruins. May the sight of her children dead, reaped of their seeds, not reach her eyes. And may Janus feel a chill up his spine as Nimbus swore to find him. Her heart pounding, Nimbus's feathers raised in anger. An intimidating display of blazing gold spikes lifting the plates of her helmet like dragons horns down her neck. Nimbus scratched the hard stone beneath her with her battle claws.

“We need to get out of the City of Ivory, and then we can come up with a plan then.” Margot spoke. Nimbus was in silent agreement. It was taking her some will power not to screech in rage at what had happened to the innocent children of Ivory. The pale lady beside her was right. They must find Janus.

“First though- how do we get off this balcony?” Nimbus tunred to look at Margot, locking her blue eyes with pale ones of the pale lady. “You think you can carry us?” She asked.

“Jian, Margot.” Nimbus grinned, skillfully retracting her battle-claws. "You got any rope?"

Tristan stared down at one of the horrific corpses as he knelt down next to it. The body had belonged to a young girl and she had been frozen in horror as she pointed and stared up at something that had come from above. He had seen this before, he knew, but even after so much time it still saddened him to see it. ’How many people died today? How many people suffered…' Tristan extended one of his gloved hands and touched the child’s hand, and though his touch was gentle, the child crumbled into rubble and dust. Tristan flinched away from the dust as he drew back his hand. As he stared at the rubble how could he not think of him? ’Back then I was nothing…I wanted someone – anyone – beside me, so I wouldn’t feel alone anymore…' that cocky smile was staring back at him when Tristan closed his eyes. ’I helped you to...’ Tristan’s eyes snapped open, thoughts interrupted when he heard a strange voice.

“Find them,” it said sweetly. “Follow the path that they have set out before them, and you will find what has happened to the one person you loved the most in this world.”

He felt a phantom touch upon his skin, but all that he could think about were the words they had carried. “Jasper…?” Tristan allowed himself to speak the name aloud, caught up in the promise of knowledge. He pushed himself to his feet and started forward, somehow knowing the direction to go in.

The sudden brightness of the sun blinded Jian as the trio exited the room. Now that the otherworldly beast of shadows was gone, it was surprisingly radiant outside. A sigh of relief exited the man's throat but the sense of calm was shaken away as he caught sight of the eerily scene below. The deafening silence made the hairs on the back of Jian's head stand on end. Even though the creature was long gone, its presence was still felt through the soulless bodies it left behind. Oh the horror those poor people must have seen.

"Oh Goddess...what have they done?" Jian said to himself in a hushed tone, his voice deep and rumbling. His head hung low as he approached the railing and looked down at the ghost town. It was almost as mournful as the time he had found his best friend lying in the woods so many years ago. He was in such bad shape and...

Jian's sensitive ears easily picked up the hoarse whisper from the great bird, and something she mentioned put him on guard. 'Hoped never to see this again? What is she talking about?' he thought. She definitely knew something he didn't, and that greatly bothered him. What else was she keeping secret?

It seemed that the pale lady and the eagle we already planning on escaping this ruined city, but how? That question was rather fleeting though as Nimbus apparently knew what to do. Rope was all she needed. Jian padded himself down, trying to remember if he had the foresight to pack such an item. Nope, apparently not. But there was something on him that might function. "I've got a belt..." Jian mentioned in an offhanded manner. He hoped it would work, or else they'd have to count on the other lady and it didn't appear that she was carrying any rope either.

“I've got a belt..” Jian offered.

“Oh, even better.” Nimbus didn't want to grip their bare shoulders otherwise. She may have battle-claws to kill prey easier, but her natural weaponry was nothing to mess with. The Golden Eagles long claws were sharp and ready for cutting.

“Tighten it around your chest, snug beneath your arms.” Nimbus told him. “I'll grab the belt from behind you.”

Nimbus could have been mistaken for a fancy decorative bird-bag, strapped to Jians back. She was of course better than a lifeless pack. Nimbus could fly! It was like having a compact living hang-glider.

“Now stand on the rail of the balcony to make my take off easier.” Just as they were ready to go, Nimbus reminisced about the other times she had carried an object as big as Jian. Unaware of how her following words affected the two she was meant to carry, Nimbus voiced her thoughts allowed as she over looked the edge of the balcony form behind Jian.

“I haven't done something like this is a long while.” She sighed in contemplation. “At least not for someone I wanted alive when they hit ground. Alright, we're off!!”

With that she spread her wings. Their shadow stretched across the balcony. One thrust propelled the two off the edge. If Jian had made any noise, Nimbus ignored it with her own excitement of flight. Her long screech of Joy echoded through the quiet City of Ivory. Oh to fly! To glide in the wide cirle all the way down! Indeed her price was felt for her ability. An intense warmth and a soft burning in her legs. But thanks to Misene's seed, it didn't feel as bad as she thought it would.

“Whooooo, hoooooo!” She hollered. “Brace yourself!”

The landing was a little rough. Maybe a bit rougher than she thought it would be, but they were alive. Besides she had to be careful not to hit any of the unfortunate denizens. Taking a breather, as she had also let her gift of endurance help, she turned to Jian.

“Alright, goat-boy, give me the belt, Margot's waiting.”

A puzzled look wandered across Jian's face as he repositioned his belt across his borad chest. It seemed surreal to be flown by an eagle, but he had to trust Nimbus. How else would they get down? Jian followed the bird's instructions and easily hopped onto the ledge, peering down upon the lifeless streets below. He just hoped he wouldn't be joining the ranks of the dead citizens.

A sharp inhale of air fulled up Jian's lungs as the eagle took off, remarkably graceful for such a giant bird with such a heavy load. He was nervous, but would never tell anyone. He's the one that had to be strong in this group. All too soon, Nimbus was instructing him to brace himself as they made contact with the dusty ground. It wasn't too bad actually, his muscular legs easily withstood the impact.

Dusting off his pants and the hem of his robe, Jian rose from the ground and looked around for the eagle. He thought that she hurt herself for sure since he wasn't exactly a light package. To his amazement, Nimbus had to only catch her breath before demanding him to hand over his belt. She seemed to be just as peppy as usual. "Goat-boy? Really now?" he questioned as he removed the belt from around his chest, "I hope you don't honestly think I am one of those wretched things.". His voice was intimidating and his eye winced, silently daring the bird to make fun of him. A grumble radiated from the man's throat as he dismissively tossed the belt in Nimbus' direction.

The silence was deafening as Tristan wandered further into the dead city. He mulled over the voice he’d heard, the idea of knowledge it carried.

“Fine them”, it had said. ’Find who?’ Tristan chewed upon his bottom lip as he walked. It was then a loud screech had pierced through the silence. Tristan stopped and listened as it echoed through the dead city. “What was that?” He murmured to himself before he hurried in the direction the screech had come from. He traveled a few blocks until he came upon a tall horned man and a very large bird. He kept to the shadows and ducked into an alleyway. Tristan peeked around the corner and listened to their conversation.

“Alright, goat-boy, give me the belt, Margot's waiting.” The bird spoke as it turned back towards the horned man. Tristan had seen a lot of odd things, but he had never seen a bird speak, and it startled him a little.

“Goat-boy? Really now?”

Tristan watched as the horned man removed a belt that he had wrapped around his chest.

“I hope you don’t honestly think I am one of those wretched things.” He said, the irritation and disdain clear in his voice. He tossed the belt towards the bird.

’The bird named another….’ Tristan’s eyes scanned the area, but he didn’t see a third person in the streets. It was only when he looked above them that he caught sight of a figure on a high balcony. Tristan’s blue eyes returned to the two below and watched them cautiously. ’Could these three be responsible for what happened here?' Tristan wondered.

"Hey, hey." Nimbus ruffled her feathers. "I consider goats to be some of the nobler prey I hunt. Not that I would eat you, obviously."

Nimbus chuckled inwardly at Jian. He was fun. Even as he was irritated by her passing remark. Still, he had to admit he had two long horns and a tail. There are few animals like that that come to mind. It kind of slipped out.

"But," Nimbus sighed and rolled her eyes. "I guess if you don't like it I'll st-"

Jian may not have meant to throw the belt as hard as he did, but Nimbus tumbled over in a heap of clumsy brown and gold feathers. Recovering from this jolt, the belt had looped around her leg and flopped over her face. Shuffling it off, she narrowed her eyes at the tall Ebony man and spoke quickly before taking flight to Margot.

"I'll see you soon, goat-boy."

As she rose into the air, she caught glimpse of someone alive in the shadows.He was crouched low. If Nimbus wasn't a Golden Eagle, she would have missed it But her eyes were sharp.

"Hey, we got company." Nimbus gestured to the figure as she flew to Margot. Although she felt leaving Jian might be kind of rude, she thought that Margot had spent enough time waiting to come down. Besides, Jian was no child. And the figure did not seem threatening.

Margot was ferreting around for something of a rope-like manner as Jian produced a belt. Honestly she felt rather moronic at that moment- why hadn’t she thought of that? Nimbus seemed more than excited to take flight again, and so the Copper Child wasn’t going to offer her skepticism at the reliability of the piece of leather. Instead she just wanted it happen- and was thusly amazed.

“You two- stop flirting- I’m still up here, and let it be written: I hate heights.” Margot announced from atop her perch. It was then her eyes fluttered to another figure that was wandering into their gathering. Immediately she was awash with numerous feelings: had someone survived? Or was this person some agent of the Dark Seed? Inevitably she awaited Nimbus’s coming with a bit less humor and a heavy chagrin.
As Nimbus landed- Margot took to the leather holster with fleeting fingers. “Wow Jian is a big one,” she remarked crassly as she tightened it around her torso- attempting to get it wrapped around her breasts decently. It was one of the few times she cursed being busty. It was then her eyes pressed against Nimbus in the most tense of gazes. “Just- please- be- gentle.” Her tail quavered in nervousness. “And I’ll promise not to stab you with my horn. Seems somewhat in the way.” Margot patted her forehead in thought. “I highly doubt you need another hole and your body, and we need all our working parts in case that one is hostile.”

Little did Margot realize that the seed shard in her satchel was vibrating wildly as it felt the one destined for it come into closer proximity. The tug on Tristan’s heart would seem warmer instead of its’ previously firm pull- almost as if he was coming home to a loved one and not at all in a city of destruction and decay.

It seemed that the bird was unaffected by Jian's icy stare as she yapped on like usual. But then again, if this journey laid out before them by Misene was as long and arduous as he thought, maybe having a chatty eagle along wasn't so bad. She sure looked like she'd have no problem keeping morale up.

Before taking off, Nimbus casually mentioned that apparently they had company. On instinct alone, Jian quickly drew his sword and rapidly scanned the area. There was nothing to be seen. Maybe the intruder was hiding in one of those little back streets. 'No matter,' Jian thought to himself, 'I'll find them one way or another.'. He didn't know if it was a survivor or a henchman for whoever destroyed this city or something else entirely. His right hand gripped the falchion tightly as he marched down the street.

"Hey, whoever you are...come on out. It's for your own good." Jian shouted, attempting to find the mystery person without having to go too far away from the others. He'd hate to get separated from them this early in their journey. The citizen of the Ebony city marched onwards and passed an alleyway that made him stop dead in his tracks. Something was in the shadows, he could feel it. Jian readied his weapon in preparation for a fight and waited for the shadowy figure to make the first move.

"Hey, whoever you are...come on out. It's for your own good.”

Tristan silently cursed for being seen, but it couldn’t be helped now. He briefly wished he had his blindfold on – he had not thought of it before, careless, but he had not expected to find people here. As the horned man came closer to the shadows he was hiding in Tristan came out to meet him. He approached the horned man and stopped a few yards from him, his hand on the hilt of the sword at his waist so that he could ready his weapon quickly if he needed to.

Tristan was a young man in an armored black cloak. He’d kept the hood drawn up, but some of his brown hair peeked out from within. His bracers ended in gloves and his pants into boots. The only skin you could see was that of his face. Two of his weapons were visible. In that moment Tristan realized he was too well armed and geared to pass as a civilian of the city – though if these three were responsible for its destruction than passing as a civilian might not have been the best course of action anyway. ’I must look as suspicious as they do’ he realized as he stared the horned man down.

“Who are you?” Tristan asked, daring a glance back towards where the bird had flown off, wary to be found out numbered. “Did the three of you do this – Take their seeds?” He asked. He briefly cursed himself, realizing he should have asked that differently, and that it might only make him more suspicious if these people had not done the task themselves, if he knew what had turned the civilians to stone.

“You two- stop flirting- I’m still up here, and let it be written: I hate heights.” Margot announced from atop her perch. Nimbus was indignant to hear Margot refer to her conversation with Jian as flirting. If anything it was a little hissy-fit. When Nimbus landed she was going to argue this point, but Margots serious expression stopped her. This was no time for talk. A new face was there.

While Margot hurredly placed the belt around her, and made an amuseing comment on Jian, the Ebony citizen had coaxed the stranger from the shadows. Nimbus could tell Margot was as eager as she was to meet him. As soon as the fellow Copper child finished, she spoke to Nimbus just before take off, on the ledge of the rail.

“Just- please- be- gentle.” Margt said, a little nervousness in her voice. “And I’ll promise not to stab you with my horn. Seems somewhat in the way.” Margot patted her forehead in thought. Nimbus kept forgetting she had one. Being on the ground so much wasn't her usual view point. “I highly doubt you need another hole and your body, and we need all our working parts in case that one is hostile.”

“Don't worry.” Nimbus assured her. “I had practice with Jian. Besides your lighter.”

True to her word, Ninbus's desent was just as graceful as she hoped. And her price was not even present! Margot must be the weight of a deer, or maybe a wolf. Her Talents need not apply to her natural prey. If anyone was going to be flown around, Nimbus hoped Margot was going to be the passenger. But who knows their future?

“Ah.” Nimbus sighed contently. Her landing was like a smooth feather laying to the ground. Not one stumble. Facing the young man, Nimbus wished she looked taller. Maybe later on Jian would let her perch on his shoulder. Not now, of course, she had called him goat-boy just a minute ago.

“Did the three of you do this – Take their seeds?” He asked.

Nimbus's first reaction was to fluff herself with much outrage. Her? Do this? But of course, the new boy didn't know about her past, so she relaxed and stepped forward with her own question.

“Do you think we three have that kind of power?” Nimbus huffed. “It was the Dark Seed, young-one.”

From the shadowy alley, the figure Jian had been eying trudged towards him, hand on his weapon. 'It seems I'm not the only well-armed one here.' he thought to himself as he took mental note of the unusual amount of weapons this person had on himself. Well, Jian thought it was a 'he'...the cloak was kind of obscuring but the way the person walked seemed masculine.

Jian kept his sword held up in a defensive position as the figure approached him, demanding to know if they took those peoples' seeds. "How dare you..." was all Jian could get out before the eagle returned and laid out the situation for the hooded man. He let the more charismatic of the group speak as he lowered his weapon. Now that he had backup, Jian felt he could relax, if only a little bit.

From a short distance away, Jian's ears picked up the memorable clip-clopping of the pale woman. He silently thanked Nimbus for bringing her down in one piece. Not taking his eyes off the unknown being in front of them, he gestured to Margot, beckoning her over. Maybe she could shed some light on the situation. She seemed to know everything...well, to Jian at least.

"How dare you..." The horned man had begun, and Tristan’s hand automatically gripped the hilt of his sword a bit more firmly as he tensed, but then the bird intercepted the situation.

“Do you think we three have that kind of power?” the bird asked “It was the Dark Seed, young-one.”

Tristan’s blue eyes shifted onto the bird, studying her for a moment. “Just so, but isn't it possible that someone causes the Dark Seed to begin with?” He asked. He watched the three for a moment. ’No…These three probably couldn’t have done this…’ he realized. He shook his head. “Apologies…But...What are you doing here, then?” He asked. “You at least don’t look like a civilian.” He said as he nodded towards the horned man. “How did the three of you survive the encounter with the Dark Seed?” He asked.

Margot squeezed her eyes shut as they slowly glided down. The feeling of weightlessness was new- as was the notion that the ground was a perplexing deal away from her feet. No matter the fact that both her and Nimbus were from the same City- they were far from the same ilk of people. Margot’s kind took usually took to small towns away from the main City of Copper. They weren’t highly common due to some nasty business in the past where there enchanting looks had landed them being shipped off throughout the land to become pets for others. Margot knew- most legitimately- that Nimbus’s culture was far from that.

About that time her hooves hit solid ground and she slowly peeled her eyes open to take in that they were back on solid ground once again. She offered the sweet avian creature a slight kiss on the side of her sleek and feathered face before attempting to wrestle the odd belt contraption off of her.
As she managed to finally unhook it and return it back to its usual state- she approached Jian to hand it back. “Maybe some other time I’ll be handing this back to you for a different reason.” She jested sweetly before turning back to their uninvited guest. It wasn’t as if she feared him- but more so- it seemed that he was as lost as they were. It was quite apparent in his demeanor and questions. So Margot had attempted to clear the air with a bit of sweet jesting.

“Misene saved us,” she offered an explanation. It was then she hesitated in telling some rogue they just met their mission. That thought made her put her hand on the satchel at her waist, and she felt an odd sort of pulsating coming from its’ depths. Slowly her digits dipped into it and she procured one of the seeds that was hot to the touch. The name emblazoned upon the shard was ‘Tristan’ and it seemed to get only brighter as she took a step towards the wanderer. “Is your name Tristan?” Margot asked sweetly. “Because I think this may belong to you. It is one of Misene’s seeds- and she gave them to each of those that will complete her mission.” Those blue eyes flexed against Jian and then to Nimbus in curiosity. Should they go on with the explanation?

The Golden Eagles ears perked up at the mention of one of the names on the seeds being readable to Margot. The pale lady looked for support in her intention to tell this boy about the full gravity of their quest handed to them by Misene. Well, if he was to be one of them, according to the seed, then so be it. Nimbus shrugged in agreement of telling 'Tristan' their whole tale.

"Might as well." She said to Margot. "Jian?"

Nimbus wondered how he felt about it. Just how he felt. Not that she wouldn't tell Tristan if Jian didn't want to. It's clear the boy was destined to help them. Inwardly she hoped Jian would be less trusting to Tristan. Normally the Copper Child with the scar in her heart would have been in her crouch with a threatening display of wings, but this seed from Misene melted a layer of ice from it, and so did her two knew friends. Nimbus wasn't as skeptical of Tristan as she thought she would be. So someone had to be.