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~Konakele~
Kona sighed and nodded back to her, then watched her enjoy the food. She was just about to turn away and continue their walk when she heard a voice, strange yet also familiar. At first the looked around, through the trees and fog that was setting in. Then when her eyes met Stilte's, she suddenly knew who had spoken to her. She tilted her head and watched the white mare closely, then thought hard. 'I do not know if you can hear me, but you are welcome.' Kona hoped the thought at reached her, as she could not feel anything other than the presence of Stilte's magic. She tried to reach inside her own mind to figure out how it was done, but stopped when she realized she might have to lose her own hearing to understand that.
~Tohar~
Tohar watched Iilhi take off into the sky then begin to fly above them. He then tipped his antlers to Koruma, "Of course." He replied, a small smile resting on his face for only a moment. His eyes swept through the woods often, even with Iilhi's eyes above them he wanted to be sure they were not attacked. His hooves stirred up dust, and every now and then a scrawny squirrel would zip by in front of them.
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Iilhi gave a slight smile and nodded. "I will watch from above and make sure nothing surprising is in our path," he said, and wasted no time.
Many horses wouldn't try taking off from under the trees, but this area was rather dilapidated and there was plenty of space between the scraggly branches for Iilhi.
He half unfurled his wings and took two bounding leaps before shooting upwards, two quick flaps of his wingspan shooting him up. A careful twist and his wings closing gave him the space to shoot up between the branches. His wings snapped back open and he gave a few more flaps when cleared to touch the sky.
The air up here still had hints of smoke, but was somehow fresher than the air beneath the trees. Perhaps it was because the forest was already dead, and within their twisted branches the musk of decay still lingered along with the scent of burn limbs and ash.
His eyes, so attuned to looking along the ground, were periodically scanning for anything amiss. But he could not help the glance that looked back over his shoulder, toward where Stilte had gone.
He really didn't understand it. Some part of Iilhi shuddered at the thought of all the fighting. Could this world take more? He looked down at the scraps of green within the world, few and far between. If they really battled again, and if Stilte's side won... He understood why his mother had moved on before any of this happened. For a moment irrational anger overcame him, his mother had left but she could have saved many, getting them away from this cursed world.
But perhaps... Perhaps she had him for that purpose because she herself could not save the world.
Perhaps it was up to him... to them.
His twisting thoughts brought him back to the thought of his companions. Would they succeed? Would he live to see them fall? Would Stilte fall?
He shook his head. He had been raised for a purpose, but he couldn't help but feel that fighting wasn't it. The thought of fighting sickened him, especially the thought that he might have to fight his first friend. Perhaps it was because he had been closer to her than even his mother in that short time. While he hadn't known her long, their minds had melded, and that was closer than any physical acquaintance.
He had flown high above, and a thought came to him. Perhaps he could still reach Stilte? His mind felt empty without her within a pocket of it. He worried, he couldn't help it. Being of one mind had alerted him to all of her inner thoughts, how she viewed herself as defective.
His mind was stretching out without him realizing, looking for Stilte. It was easy to find her, she was like a pocket of darkness and quiet in the world. She was peace to him.
His mind wrapped around hers, and after a startled moment her mind opened to his.
"What are you doing, Iilhi?" Her sudden thought came to him, and Iilhi couldn't help a slight smile as he heard her say his name within their minds.
"Checking up on you, silly," Iilhi replied.
A mental snort greeted his words. "I don't need checked up on," her words came back.
"Well you did let me in," Iilhi replied, and realized he was teasing the dark mare.
"Go back to your new companions, Iilhi," her words came to him with a sigh and a note of resignation. "This is how things must be."
Iilhi sent a mental snort back. "Says who?"
He felt the faint notes of exasperation. "Our ancestors, the universe, all of that," Stilte replied.
"They can't stop me. This whole thing is ridiculous. There is no such thing as fate. We make our own rules, we rule our own lives. Thats besides the point. How are you doing?"
Iilhi didn't realize that the moment he had connected to Stilte's mind, his body started glowing with a soft silver light as he flew. He still kept an eye out for danger, but he also caught glimpses from Stilte of the others. It was strange, this double vision, but he quickly adjusted.
So like a shooting star, Iilhi continued on above his companions.
Stilte watched as the other mare left, but a nagging at the edge of her mind had distracted her from her two companions. For a few moments, a dark aura swirled around her and it became impossibly quiet. It quickly dissipated as she had realized who was bugging her... again.
"I'm fine," Stilte replied evasively, shaking her head slightly and bringing her focus back to her surroundings.
It was as if Iilhi's presence through their short time of connection had carved out a slot for him in her mind. It wasn't as hard as she expected to settle herself back down, and he rested in a corner while she brought her attention back to the world around her.
"You are worried," Iilhi's voice was soft within her mind.
Stilte noticed Anord gesturing, and blinked at him before she looked down at her cloak. A slightly exasperated look came over her features for a few seconds as she fixed it. The dang thing had gotten a bit loose, but she wasn't certain of using her powers to fix it around these others. So she simply grabbed it and shifted it back over her skin. Thankfully the sun wasn't out.
"How am I supposed to train for this? I can't hear anything, I can't communicate with the others, I am at a disadvantage."
She was shocked by her honesty with Iilhi as she adjusted her cloak, but didn't let anything cross her features. But he still felt it, of course, in that dark pocket of her mind.
"They are your companions through this, aren't they? Let them hear you like I hear you."
Iilhi's words had her sending back another mental snort. "It is not the nature of us to trust. While your side works together, it has been the nature of Darkness to fight to be the best. That could be used against me."
Iilhi's snort came back as Kona reappeared. "At this point, we are all dark, and we are all light, Stilte. It has been generations before the first pure Titans walked the earth. We are all a bit of both. Its up to us to decide how this all goes."
Stilte thought about it for a moment as Kora laid the fresh meat before her. She could see what he meant, she doubted the first Titans would have done anything like this for a comrade.
She didn't know if she was strong enough for it though. She nodded gratefully, and began to eat as she pondered it.
"You are stronger than you know." Iilhi's words softly intruded on her meal.
When she had finished, she looked up and noticed Anord was eating... bugs? But she turned her gaze to Kona.
Reaching out to another was harder than she had expected. Things flowed so easily with Iilhi that she hadn't entirely considered the mental strain of connecting to another mind. Perhaps it was because she was still linked to Iilhi, but that thought never crossed her mind. He fit into her dark corners so easily it wasn't hard to forget he rested there.
A rush of strength entered her and she knew from who it came, and couldn't help but feel a bit grateful. She brushed up against a different mind, but distinctly female and dark. Kona.
"Thank you," she projected, not realizing her mental thoughts were not just colored with her black strands, but some of Iilhi's purple silver as well. "Thank you for the meal."
The longer she held her mind open, the easier it became, like working a muscle. Perhaps this was what she was supposed to do, to use her mind when her body failed. It seemed right some how. But instead of melding and connecting like she had with Iilhi, she just used her thoughts to reach out, just a brush of her voice instead of the full connection she had with Iilhi. She didn't need any other pesky second minds within hers, but she did want to communicate. She only hoped it was properly conveyed.
"Stilte speaks mentally"
"Iilhi speaks mentally"
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Koruma shifted her weight nervously at the idea of one of her new... well she wasn't sure what to call them yet. Friends seemed too personal for such a short acquaintance. Companion might be more appropriate but still didn't seem right. Either way, she realized she was afraid of loosing someone who she felt bonded too. Her mother taught her however that fear was a sign of weakness, and weakness was something that others took advantage of.
Her ears perked up at talk of a waterfall, and at first she was apprehensive at idea of having strangers come to her home.
"A waterfall? Yes, I know where it is actually, if you would like I can lead us there. It is not too far." She said flicking her tail and catching up to Tohar, matching his trot.
She wasn't sure if she wanted to reveal that this waterfall and pool had been her home. However knowing she would be surrounded by the familiar sounds and whispers of the nature made her feel more confident that this was the right move. The whispers were familiar to her there and if danger should approach she would be quicker to interpret their warnings. They would be her guide.
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Anord snorted as Konakele left, and sniffed the ground. The charred, burning smell was starting to fade away as they left the area he had destroyed. He was still mad at himself for not being able to control his powers. Perhaps these two can help me he thought, watching until he could not see Konakele through the trees anymore. His gaze shifted towards the other mare, and caught her shifting the cloak on her shoulder. He gave another snort to get the mares attention but noticed that yet again she didn't seem to hear. He moved in front of Stilte and shook his head, gesturing to the cloak. As he awaited her response Kona came back, this time with a fresh caught fawn.
He looked away from it. He preferred fish, bugs, and plants, perhaps because thats all he could find in the cave he called home. He trotted away and peeled back the bark of a tree, revealing the insects beneath it, and dived in, occasionally looking back at the other two. A bird took off from the branch above and he watched it disappear into the dark clouds above. He wondered what time it was. He thought it may be close to noon but without the sun could not tell.
A sound from behind caught his attention and he thought the others might have followed him. He turned to look but all he saw was a squirrel scurrying from a bush to a tree, and all was silent again.
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~Konakele~
Kona sighed a bit after Stilte turned down her offer. She was unsure how to make friends with the mare. She finished the rabbit, not wanting to waste it, then thought maybe the white mare would prefer raw meat. She snorted and got her self into a trot, keeping her eyes peeled for something to hunt. She tried to calm her storm that followed her, but it stayed dark, not letting the sun through.
She kept her head low as they moved. They had gotten past the large area Anord had burned and into an area she might be able to find some fresh food. As she caught a scent she could follow she lifted her head and looked back to the other two. "Ill be right back." She said trying to make sure Stilte could see he as she spoke, then seemingly vanished.
After a short while Kona made her way back to Anord and Stilte. Her red eyes would have announced her arrival first. She carried a fawn in her jaws, and laid it before the white mare. "I hope this is better." She said, making sure not to talk too fast. She look to Anord, not sure what he would think, but then back to Stilte, hoping she had done something right.
~Tohar~
Tohar nodded to Iilhi. "That would be great!" He told him. "The water smells clean. There may be an active waterfall there." He said, half to himself. He again shook some dust and ash off of him and then started into a slow trot. "Let us know if you see something unexpected" He said looking to Iilhi again.
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Stilte nodded to Anord's greeting, or what she assumed was a greeting. She had only caught the flicker of movement from his mouth and caught the shape of her name from his maw. Nodding seemed appropriate, and hoping it wasn't a question.
As they started off, the mare almost self consciously tugged her cloak back over her shoulder. There was no threat of sun at the present moment, but she had learned early on that forgetting to cover could have painful consequences in the harsh sun that invaded their environment. That first summer had been hot, blisteringly so, and her creamy pale skin had blistered and burned in the light. After that, she had taken to only moving at nights, and crafting herself her cloak. It was something she barely noticed anymore, that small tether of her power that kept the strange fabric around her. It was spun with silence and silk, and to the touch, was quite cold, which was great for the blistering summers. Not so great for the frozen winters.
Or at least, that's what they had told her. She herself didn't really feel the seasons anymore.
Having been lost in her thoughts, she paused when Konaleke offered her part of the rabbit. The charred scent of it however had a strange effect on her stomach, so she shook her head slightly.
Meat was preferable when it wasn't cooked.
Admittedly, it was a bit difficult walking with these two. While her parents had long learned to get her attention and speak where she could see, they had also ignored her, through no fault of their own. It was easy to get distracted and forget that the companion with them would be absent through many conversations and tales. But with these two, Stilte was on high alert, eyes flickering from one to the next, back and forth to make sure she wouldn't miss any words.
She hated herself for it. Iilhi had given her hope. She had grown so calmed, so content with his presence, even in that short time. He had been so pure, so open, that some part of her stirred, something that longed for open conversation and communication. That strange way of talking had been like a dam breaking, and the words wanted to flow from her.
Despite her strange feeling of kinship with these two, she suddenly found herself wishing that they had never followed that pull and separated.
Perhaps... if they both lived through this...
She shook off the thoughts, knowing to hope was futile. She was deficient. If she couldn't even hear an enemy coming behind her, how would she ever fight? And Iilhi... She feared with all his goodness, he would not prevail.
Only that hope, that hint of darkness that loomed within him, gave her hope. Perhaps he could become stronger, perhaps he could learn to be ruthless and fight for his life.
Having lost herself in her thoughts, Stilte had stopped her quick glances between the two companions she found herself with, and had lagged slightly, gaze distant and turned inward.
Iilhi only gave a blink in response to Konu's excitement and energy. Her shifting emotions threw him in a moment of turmoil; he was not used to such excitable creatures. The years with his mother were calm and full of wisdom, and the time with Stilte had been filled with emotion, but sharp and probing bits of anger and surprise.
This swiftly changing female was strange indeed, he decided.
"A pleasure, yes," Iilhi murmured politely, then nodded at Tohar's words. "A lake would be nice. Hopefully it isn't one of the rotten ones."
Iilhi had seen fresh water few and between in his time, the majority of water had been stagnant and stale, with long dead fish floating aimlessly within.
To put it simply, he was not a fan of water, unless it was the endless sea. While the sea could burn if one stood in it too long, it was constantly moving, and didn't end up smelling as bad or looking as gross as stagnant water could.
He shuffled his wings slightly, suddenly aching to be away from this place, although he didn't know if it was the charred trees or if it was the fact that Stilte and the others had left.
He wanted to throw his wings wide and fly, but Tohar didn't have wings and it seemed impolite to fly away.
A different thought came to him then, and he glanced back and forth between the two.
"I can scout ahead?" Iilhi offered.
(Ahhh finally got a moment to sit and write!)
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- oops I will also join back in hopefully today, things got crazy for me -
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(YAY! Ima keep bumping it to help remind people :P)
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(Argh ok this is on my to-do list to reply tomorrow x.x If I forget again someone just hit me over the head with a stick, I've been sick and just 10/10 out of it xD)
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~Tohar~
Tohar nodded briskly as the storm seemed to follow the other titans as they left. Now he knew that stormed belonged to them. He swiveled his ears around to listen and smelled the air. "We should head this way." He said, throwing his head to the north and hoping it did not come across too demanding. "I can smell a lake nearby."
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Korus ears perked up as the stallion approached and stepped towards him “My name is Koruma, but my mother called me Koru for short!” She said cheerfully. The excitement at meeting two new people who she felt a profound connection with excited her. For a moment she didn’t notice the swirling black clouds and magic happening above her.
That cheerfulness and excitement quickly was replaced by fear and anxiety at the other horses who were now leaving the clearing. She watched after them for a moment and slowly felt that darkness that made the air around her feel heavy slowly get lighter and lighter. Gasping for a moment and sucking in the breath she didn’t know she was holding.
“Yes. We need some place safer to talk. I believe we have much to discuss.” she replied looking to Tohar. She pawed at the ground beneath her relishing in the feeling of the cool earth beneath her hooves that was before hidden under the char and ash.
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~Konakele~
Kona swung her head around looking at everything, her muscles tense. She could have sworn she heard someone speak her name. But all she could hear now was a soft whistle of the wind. She calmed her storm, trying to relax. Nodding, she agreed with the others, they needed to move on. She turned and started into a trot towards the forest. While the three were all powerful, they would need to perfect their skills. Now they needed to find a good place to do that. She tried to keep pace with the other two, only stopping one time when she came across a charred rabbit that she decided would be lunch. She ate half of if, but looked to Stilte with questioning eyes to see if she wanted the other half first. She could smell the meat on her, just another thing that made her oddly familiar.
~Tohar~
Tohar snorted as he watched the other leave. They were intriguing for sure, but more powerful than the stories his father told has said. He stomped a hoof and turned to the other two. "Hello Iilhi, I am Tohar." He said, Tipping his head respectfully. "I am realy to leave this place if you both are." He told them, ready to get the only his new family.
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(sorry you guys- coming back in xD)
At the Silence took him over as the newcomers entered the charred area. The purple stallion made him the most uneasy, and as he continued to look at the winged stallion his mind began to buzz. While his mind buzzed, he found that words couldn't escape his mouth. The white cloaked mare approached them, seeming to glide over the burnt grass, her long black cloak flowing behind her. He wasn't quite sure what to think, but as his eyes met her and she nodded a terse greeting, he couldn't help but just stare. She seemed... different, distant almost.
All of a sudden the sky above him broke out in streaks of lightning, raging, but silent. He took a step back and watched the glorious display above him, speaking to him, calling to something deep inside. A shudder ran up his spine as the two mares continued to play in the sky above. Two sparks caught his eye, orange in color, as two embers shot up from his antlers and streaked towards the sky, fizzling out before even getting halfway there. "That's out of my reach" he thought as the storm spread out around them all. He willed his power to reach that height, but felt a heat radiating around his hooves. He began to understand his place in the world, and looked again at the black covered sky, feeling the storm weighing on the soul.
He was snapped back to reality when Stilte's cloak moved to reveal her pasty white coloring. He looked in the way she had motioned and darted his eyes at Konakele for assurance. He wanted to be as far away as he could from those making him uncomfortable. He then remembered he had been standing in silence for the past few minutes. He shook his head, chastising himself. "You are called Stilte? They call me Anord. Please, lead the way".
He planted a hoof at the ground as he said this, remembering the destruction he had caused. How different this world was from the cave he wandered in for months, maybe even a few years. He wanted to learn more.
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Stilte let the silence and darkness that came with it spread, its deep soothing nature like a blanket tucking in the sky.
A mental chuckle that was not her own had her ears flicking toward Iilhi, and a glance showed the stallion had glanced back at her, then up to the sky.
"I think you two are making this other stallion a bit nervous," Iilhi's voice echoed in her mind.
Stilte felt a little shiver tickle down her spine at his voice in her head again. He had been so silent she had thought he had left the confines of her mind. It scared her a bit, that she had become so comfortable sharing a mind with him that she had mistaken his silence, the element she lived in, as him having left her mind. The distance between them as he had gone to the other light souls had cut off their connection that allowed Stilte to share his hearing, and with that familiar silence she had assumed he was gone. But now that she looked, she could almost see the light silver and violet strands of his magic within her mind, playing with her own inky black.
How strange, their magics worked together.
A flicker of a surprised smile came over Stilte's expression for a mere few seconds, before she looked back to the black and white mare, Konaleke she thought her name was.
Stilte shifted slightly, judging that Iilhi was out of range of the two other dark Titans for now, especially among two of his own.
She gestured with her head in the opposite direction of the light Titans, the silent question of them leaving as well in the way she tilted her head and flicked her ears, weight shifting slightly.
As she shifted, some of her cloak fell to the side, shifting around her body and revealing some of her pale shoulder. But with the darkness of the sky, she had nothing to fear from the sun.
Iilhi marveled in Stilte's magic gracing the sky. He had a faint smile on his face as he gazed up, watching the way the darkness played with the storm, settling like fog along the strange clouds. Iilhi's wings flared out slightly as he ruffled them, before tucking them back in. The thought of flying among those clouds, among their magic, exhilarated him even as the primal part of him that sang with the winds and the storms knew it was as likely to hurt him as bolster his wings.
The wind sang to him now, fleeting impressions of adventure and fate. While he was loathe to leave Stilte behind, the wind called him to go with these others... for now.
"I am Iilhi," Iilhi said as he stepped closer, almost positioning himself similar to how Stilte had stood between himself and the dark Titans when he had walked away. But instead it was a subconscious movement, standing between the two others and where Stilte stood with the dark Titans.
"And you are?" He asked, looking between the stallion and the mare.
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~Konakele~
Wonder took over Kona as she tried to control her storm. She felt the magic mix with her own, playing with it, and it was the first time she had ever felt such a connection to anything. Silence took over, but lightning raged with it. The world trembled as the two played with their power, Kona let the storm go instead of trying to hold it in. She watched Stilte, studying her, even tough she seemed slightly distanced from her.
~Tohar~
Tohar nickered a welcome to the new stallion, he was unable to hear what was said to the evil Titans, but he knew it was a tense moment for them all. His shoulder flinched as the storm intensified, but he waited patiently.
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Stilte heard her words but couldn't help the way her gaze dropped to the mares mouth, reading her lips, and only then realized her mind and Iilhi's were still connected. For some reason she didn't yet want to withdraw, especially during this first meeting.
Despite Iilhi's words, she knew the truth. She was deficient.
She couldn't help that her gaze flickered to him and followed him as he walked away, his steps calm and confident even in the face of the others. His wings were folded neatly, his long limbs graceful, that silky mane and tail flowing in the breezes from the storm.
Speaking of the storm, a flicker of light drew her eyes upwards to the sky. It seemed to have grown in intensity, and Stilte wondered if it was truly the work of this mare in front of her.
She turned her gaze, one eye red, one eye milky gold, back to the mare. She nodded slightly in greeting and agreement, since it was the most she could do. She wasn't quite sure if she was 'glad' persay to have met the mare. After spending so long connected to Iilhi's mind, it seemed some of his dubious attitude toward the whole affair had seeped into Stilte's thoughts. Was it truly being glad, or was it just some preordained fate?
Stilte turned, nodding in greeting to the fire-stallion as well, her eyes flickering to catch any words that came of them. As she watched them silently, she reached upward toward the storm, her own magic playing with it, dancing among the clouds. It grew darker, as silence spread through the sky above.
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~Konakele~
Kona felt the pull she had been feeling this whole time, but this time it was much stronger. This was the horse she felt a sisterly bond to, even though it confused her, as she watched the white mare in a cloak come forward. Muscles tensed as the purple stallion spoke, but a small smirk graced her face. She listened to his words, then to her words. "Fear not light one, if any harm is to become her, it would not be by one of us." She told him just before he turned away. Red eyes burned into them both, watching everything. She then looked the mare in the eyes and spoke again. "Welcome Stilite, I am glad to have finally met you." As she spoke the storm began to set lightning free and spread wider. Kona stomped a fore hoof and snorted glancing to the sky, trying to get the storm to calm, afraid of running her new family off.
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Flowing freely between the two of them, thoughts and impressions flowed. Iilhi knew from the way that Stilte felt that two of them must have been more similar to her nature, the strange darkness Stilte carried in her heart.
Glancing at Stilte, Iilhi knew what was coming. Time for them... to part. A sort of morose feeling passed between their mental bond, not really coming from one in particular.
Iilhi felt uneasy about leaving Stilte, and going with these others. Sure, his blood recognized them, the strange feeling of lightness and good that flowed around them. But his blood also recognized the others, the darker two, the same that he had recognized Stilte in a way.
Iilhi came to a startling realization then. The strange tug he felt, it was from his blood in his veins. He had that same darkness in his blood, the same evil.
His vision blurred, and within his minds eye names and faces flowed freely.
A red mare, Kriegarr. Another red horse, a stallion this time, Feucer. A golden stallion that seemed to radiate goodness, Pauden.
As if triggered by his own visions, or perhaps the well of power than surrounded the powerful figures in that strange burnt clearing, these images appeared to him. His heritage, he realized. He felt Stilte's surprise as well, he had more "evil" than "good" in him.
Perhaps that was why he felt the strange connection to them all. Perhaps that is why his blood sang the same next to Stilte as it did in the proximity of the others.
If they were lights, Iilhi stood there as a solid shade of gray.
"Go with them," Stilte said in a quiet mental whisper, gently nudging his shoulder. "You may have our blood, but your soul shines bright."
Iilhi was shocked by the touch, and looked from Stilte to the others. Indecision flickered over his face. He didn't want to abandon Stilte, that wasn't what friends did.
"Will you be okay?" Iilhi finally asked, his gaze falling back to Stilte.
Stilte tossed her head in a haughty motion. "I am a Titan, Iilhi. I may be defective, but I am not weak."
Iilhi gave her a flicker of a smile. "You are not defective, Stilte. You are great, and powerful. Your silence is your greatest strength."
Stilte gave a mental snort, but Iilhi had turned away from her.
Approaching the two in the center of this mess, the one who had started the fire and the strange black and white mare, Iilhi stared them down without fear.
"This is Stilte, and she is one of yours. Any harm comes for her, and I will come for you," Iilhi said, his voice lyrical and deep. There was a softness to his tone, a flicker of violence and darkness flickering through his clear silver eyes. It was as if those two evil Titans within his blood had reared their heads, the darkness in his blood making itself known.
Stilte, still connected to Iilhi's mind, heard the darkness in his voice and felt a spike of pride and joy at it, before Iilhi snorted and turned from the dark Titans. Stilte approached, and nudged him away. She was both annoyed that he had spoken for her, but also in a way grateful. A prodding thought had Iilhi turning back to the dark Titans.
Iilhi glanced at Stilte and nodded. His body went rigid, his eyes unseeing. The voice that poured from his mouth was not his own.
"As the light one said, I am Stilte. If you speak to me, face me so I may read your words."
Iilhi shuddered slightly as the blank look left his gaze. He turned to Stilte, gave her a bow, and turned around, heading for the others.
Stilte moved slightly, standing between the two dark Titans and Iilhi's turned back.
Iilhi reached the other two, who seemed to have been waiting for him. He nodded to them slightly, fighting the urge to turn back to Stilte as he stood with them. He didn't withdraw his mind, and Stilte didn't seem to notice that they were still connected. It almost made him smile.
"Shall we then?" Iilhi asked, having caught the end of their conversation.
-----
"Stilte Speaks Mentally"
"Iilhi Speaks Mentally"
"Stilte Speaks Through Iilhi"
(Oh Iilhi stirring up the pot xD Such a sweet cinnabon just trying to be helpful to Stilte xD)
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~Tohar~
He tossed his head a bit when thunder rumbled from the storms center. "You are right, I think the storm belongs to her." He replied, and tipped his antlers towards the black and white mare in the middle of the clearing. Tohar pawed the ground and shook out his silvery mane. He turned his head to look at the purple colored stallion as well, to see if he would be coming to join them before they left this clearing behind them.
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Koru felt relief wash over her. All her life she had never felt this connected to another horse and suddenly someone who was just like her stood in front of her. As soon as the relief overcame her it vanished as soon as she followed the stallions gaze to the storm that was suddenly above them. She was so fixated on the new arrivals she hadn't even noticed it. Normally the earth would warn her before a large storm was coming but this... was nothing like she had ever known. It scared her.
The stallion next to her seemed strong. He radiated with confidence, it was obvious in his height, his posture, and in his voice. This gave her some comfort and reassurance that even though she was suddenly surrounded by a dark force, they were not defenseless.
"I think we should go." She said quietly looking towards the purple hued stallion. She silently urged him to come closer to them. Koruma felt the same connection to him as she did with the golden stallion and she was wise enough to understand the power in numbers.
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~Tohar~
The big stallions swung his head around to see other mare had walked away from the burned area and towards himself. He held his head high and listened to her as she approached. The white mare was pretty, and he knew her powers lie on the same side as his own. "I am." Tohar said to her in a strong voice. He kept an eye on the storm overhead, confused because this storm was seemingly motionless. It had no direction, as if it was stuck.
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( THANK YOU GUYS FOR BEING PATIENT WITH ME :D Holidays were much more chaotic and busy then expected!)
Anxiety crept up at the pit of Koru's stomach as more horses suddenly appeared in the clearing. Each one just as impressive as the last. Each, however, carrying with them a different energy. Some she felt more distinctly then others because they seemed to mirror her own power that she felt within herself. The ones that felt more foreign however made her feel sick, as if she had been poisoned.
As the stallion walked closer to the black and white mare she felt her legs move her instinctively toward the golden stallion who had nickered at them. He seemed to carry the same energy she felt in herself. She also felt drawn towards the purple coated stallion however the close proximity he held towards the white mare with the cloak made her second guess moving closer to him.
She began carefully walking around the outer rim of the destruction that the fire had caused, as if stepping on the charred ash would cause her white coat to be instantly corrupted. She briefly wondered if that is what happened to the black and white mare. The markings on her legs almost seemed like flames that burnt themselves into her coat. She returned her attention quickly to the golden mare.
"Hello?" she whispered once she was closer to the mare, "Are you...." she puzzled for a word to explain what she was and for the power she felt inside, "Like me?"
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(You are perfectly fine Sakura, jump in anytime! :D)
~Konakele~
Kona raised her head as he answered her and smiled lightly. "Welcome Anord, the world has long awaited us." She said to him in a soft melodious voice. Her voice vastly contrasted her frightening looks. "I am Konakele, the Corrupted Titan, but you can just call me Kona." She told him slowly, her red eyes watching him take in her surroundings.
While she knew the world could never long for the return of the Titans that destroyed it, there was a balance to keep in check. The world needed the good Titans to bring back life, but powerful good could not enter the world without an euqally powerful evil to enter by its side and combat it. This is why the titans were born the way they were. Good may have won out this first generation, but the evil titans do not like to lose. That is how the second generation was born.
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(Hey guys! Sorry I’ve been MIA, holidays have me swamped! I’ll try to respond really soon. I haven’t abbandoned this! I’m sorry again!)
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As the mare came closer Anord noticed her distinct black and white coat. It was almost as if the black was creeping up on the white, bending it to it's will. He heard her speak, something he'd never heard before. The rats in the cave did not speak to him, only through the fire had he ever heard words spoken aloud save himself.
At her words the stallion felt a chill run up his spine. A good chill. A familiar chill. It reminded him of thunder. His eyes panned in wonder at the fangs peeking out from her mouth, and the three spiral horns adorning her head.
"I suppose I did" he replied after some time. "I have been called Anord, so that is my name" he continued, still staring at her as he spoke, his speech slightly broken. If that is my name, what do they call you?
Anord stole another glance at the other mare as the white and black one approached him slowly, before swinging his head to look at the sky, noticing it was not dark now because of the smoke, but because of a storm overhead. He looked at it curiously. He could usually anticipate an oncoming storm, but this one came suddenly, without warning. It didn't seem... natural. He pawed at the earth and swiveled his ears, catching the sound of a nicker and a slight rustle of the trees a little ways away, but didn't let it distract him as he folded the wings to his side again, still pondering the sudden storm.
Anord the poor awkward bean xD
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~Tohar~
The stallion noticed that two new horses had from the same direction he had, a short ways away. He turned a bit to see them better. There was a white mare with a black wisp of a cloak, and a stallion with a lovely purple hue. Tohar let out a welcoming nicker to them, and began a careful walk in their direction.
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(Gack I'm sorry these are still so long xD This pair is surprisingly easy to write together lol!)
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Seeing Stilte was in her own thoughts, and oddly enough, feeling the way her mind was flickering from image to thought to memory to the fire he had shared, Iilhi took a slight step forward.
"Should we.... should we go toward it?" he finally questions, cautiously. Some part of him warred at the idea, wanting to turn and go in the opposite direction with Stilte. But that other feeling, the part of him bound to this ridiculous war by fate, raged within him and pushed him toward where the flames had been burning.
Stilte glanced over at him, and for a brief moment he saw the same uncertainty in her eyes. But her different colored eyes cleared, and she nodded.
But still the two stood, gazing upon each other. It was Iilhi, surprising both himself and Stilte, who took the first step.
He could not fathom any of it, and as they walked, side by side, he could not help but rage at the injustice. At the turmoil wrought on the lands because of them. The world would be better off, he surmised, without them reigning their powers over it. Perhaps it wasn't a question of "good" verses "evil". Perhaps it was just a long ago feud and ancestors who couldn't keep their noses out of the future. Perhaps the world would be a better place if they all just disappeared, and the world was left to fend for itself. To decide for itself whether it wanted to heal or to fall into further chaos. He had seen bits and pieces of it, things that only now clicked. And further things, like the war that had been caused in Stilte's grandsire's wake. The Dark Titan had loved his children fiercely, but even then somehow their bloodlines won out. Perhaps their corrupted nature was the root of this problem, their blood was the issue.
But who could really tell how many horses these days had dormant Titan blood in their veins? It would be impossible to find them all, to relocate them all to safer areas. Or... somewhere beyond this world.
Stilte knew Iilhi was somewhere deep within his own thoughts. She didn't mind. They were on a precipice, and oddly enough despite knowing he would be taken from her soon, pulled in by the lure of his own kind, and turned into... into a weapon, she still felt sad that they were to part. Knowing him as she did, even after their short acquaintance, Stilte wondered if that was the true reason that the wars of the past had ended in evil and bloodshed. Those who fought for the good of the world simply did not have it in them to fight. She could not imagine Iilhi being a warrior, not like the stories she knew. His heart was gentle and kind, and he was so... pure. Perhaps that's why she felt herself attracted like a moth to his flame. He was just shining with light and goodness. He was something she found unattainable.
As they grew closer, the giveaways being Iilhi's restlessness and the way his ears flicked to and fro, searching for sounds, she felt a twinge of sadness that only furthered her resolve.
She was what she was born to be, deficiencies and all.
A twinge of surprise ran through her as Iilhi stepped closer, his wing brushing her side as he stretched it slightly. Almost in comfort. It brought anger to her mind. She needed no comfort.
Or perhaps he was nervous too.
It seemed the fire had put itself out by the time the pair arrived. Iilhi remained close to Stilte as the figures became more clear. Stilte couldn't help the flinch that ran through her pelt under her cloak as she felt Iilhi's mind sweep towards hers, and encompass it. She shuddered at the closeness, but as her vision blurred slightly she realized it wasn't an attack and relax. Sudden sound flooded her mind, and while it still felt far away she realized Iilhi was helping her, in his own way, allowing her to hear what was said.
He couldn't know that she had never been around such a large group before, nor that the strain of trying to follow so many conversations would eventually take a toll on her, and she would miss some things. But Stilte accepted his help, finding herself regretfully grateful.
The figures came into more depth, an antlered and winged stallion in what seemed like the epicenter of the blaze. Embers and smoke seemed to drift around him, and as the pair took him in they seemed to come to the same conclusion, it was hard to tell with how tightly their minds were currently woven. It gave Stilte a sense she had never had, and while off balanced, it was still precious moments for her.
The mare behind him, black and white as she was with curling horns, drew Stilte's attention next. Another one like her and the fire-stallion, she knew. Something dark rested within them both. How auspicious, that there were three each at this time.
Her gaze, along with Iilhi's, flickered to the others. A golden stallion with great antlers upon his head stood almost parallel to them, the fire-stallion between them and the black and white mare. Iilhi surmised it was her voice they had heard on approach for she seemed to be waiting for a reply.
Iilhi could see another mare, by her scent, with antlers and wings on the other side of the charred clearing from them, but with the remnants of smoke he couldn't quite make out her appearance.
It surprised both the young Titans, the way the thoughts flowed between them right now. No true words were necessary with Iilhi's mind so wrapped around Stilte's, offering his senses to her. There was nothing hidden between them, so there was no need to truly speak.
Iilhi balked at talking to them, but a gentle thought prod from Stilte had them both taking another step forward.
"It seems we have walked in on something," Iilhi finally said, looking around at the others much as Stilte did. He felt her flicker of surprise at the timber of his voice, melodic and soft, but still quite deep. Her ears, normally not moving except to show displeasure, flicked in surprise.
Stilte simply nodded, in agreement. There wasn't much she could do, considering the fact that Iilhi was her sense of hearing and she had never spoken a word in her life aloud.
But she hoped it wouldn't make a difference here. Flawed as she was, she could still do this. The gentle current of reassurance from Iilhi only bolstered that.
-----
"Iilhi Speaks Mentally"
"Stilte Speaks Mentally"
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~Tohar~
Tohar slid to a halt as he came to the center of the clearing. The fire was out now, and near the middle of the burned area that must have set the forest ablaze was a brown stallion. Two mares stood on the other side of him, but one looked far to peaceful to have anything to do with the fire that had been here. The other mare scared him, so he tried not to make eye contact with the black and white mare.
Much as he wanted to speak, he found him wordless infront of these others like him.
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~Konakele~
Kona held her head high as she watched the brown colored stallion. There was another mare near by, but Kona felt the connection with the stallion. Just as she took a step forward she saw him spread huge wings and suddenly the fires were gone. As she looked at her surrounding is seemed like and evil grin rested on her face. The white and black mare walked closer, glancing at the other mare as she passed. "So you caused this wonderful blaze." She said to him, she did not need to question him. She pawwed the charred earth with a black leg. "Your power becomes you, do you have a name?" She asked as she looked again as the chaos the fire as caused. When she spoke her sharp wolf like teeth were slightly visable.
As she awaited his reply she shook some soot from her shoulder she had gained from walking to close to a tree. Her storm still thundered but she kept her emotions at bay for the moment. She slowly lowered her head and used a horn to poke at the charred ground. This was truly impresive.
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