Post by Raferties on Jul 28, 2018 12:23:16 GMT
Keldos... was not doing well.
The Firstborn Archangel of Solaris wasn't ill. No, for the most part unless the disease or affliction was specifically designed (often by fiends in his experience) to cause his kind harm he was immune to sickness. Nor was he injured. He healed quickly from all but the most devastating of injuries, and with a period of peace having followed the quenching of the fires that threatened the Grathkins he had only faced any kind of threat from sparring with his brother and being collaterial damage from Suylaith's more gregarious antics.
No, the weight that burdened the Firstborn Firstborn today was purely mental, and he was struggling under it.
The fires that they had fought off had caused a passageway that Keldos himself had sealed to open, and given the Grathkin knew he had spoken of dangerous things below they had asked him to venture back inside to make sure nothing untoward or threatening to their recovering community had happened. He had willingly agreed to, confident in his ability to handle anything that was amiss and certain he would notice if it was.
But what he didn't account for was when he entered the main chamber, where still the broken mirror broken by his own blade reflected his fractured image covered one wall, the memories would surface with a vengeance...
***************
Did you think you could get away from me, Keldos? the Fallen double mocked. Did you honestly believe that forgiveness was that easy? Keldos finally shook off his revulsion and horror and shoved back, breaking their blade-lock and taking a chance at a horizontal slice that was blocked soundly.
You cannot be real! Keldos challenged. Solaris has purified me of my sins, and caused me to Rise! I am not a Fallen!
Oh is that true? Then tell me why you have such snaps of temper, why sometimes you hesitate to act, why it is that occasionally you find yourself willing to let evil continue for some twisted sense of good? For a few blows they were silent save for the grunts of impact, as warped Truesteel threw sparks against Solarian Truesteel. Admit it! I am still a part of you, and once I destroy you, I will become you!
Just give in, the doppleganger crooned, his voice set to be soothing and convincing. You know the power I offer, the freedom! I have truly never left you. You have always felt me in the back of your mind, urging you to strike when you would withhold your blade, calling you to take up righteous arms against the unholy in this tangle of a world. What could be your purpose here if not to exact Solaris' will upon it?
*******************
Always a part of you.... always....
Now flying high above the mountains after reporting back to the Grathkin, Keldos groaned in frustration and buried his hands in his hair, hovering mid-flight.
"I Rose, I am not Fallen!"
Always a part of you!
With a furious cry he pushed his wings to beat as hard as they could, tore through the air to altitudes that even dragons and pegasus and rocs rarely dared to go and where the temperature was like an icebox. He drove himself to his limits, trying in part to flee the barrage of memories and doubts, and in part (though he wouldn't admit it) punishing himself for having the doubts to begin with. And while it made him momentarily feel better, when he returned to lower climbs all he felt was a soul-deep exhaustion, and depression to replace the anger.
Seeing where he was Keldos turned his flight to the Veiled Shrine, landing at the sacred place with barely a sound, armor retracting to their metal armbands out of respect. His heart felt a twinge as he saw that this time it was completely open-air, a roof supported by circular columns adorned with carved flowers rather than an enclosed building where he could safely hide away from the world and from his own thoughts for a bit. Ascending to look into the central pool, he sighed at himself.
What kind of Firstborn am I that I cannot accept my god's gesture without coming back to my misdeeds time and time again? I speak well enough of righteousness and redemption and honor and purity, but - He spread his secondary wings, looking at the red 'stains' that coated every third barb, a reminder of his past. in truth... am I any of those? He folded his wings back with a small snap, then moved to take a seat against one of the pillars, wrapping his wings around himself and feeling very exposed and small. But perhaps that's what he needed, he thought. Let Solaris and Aeon and whatever forces of the aether that frequented this place see him, and judge him as they would.
They could never judge him as harshly as he judged himself.
((Okay, decided to finally go with Keldos for this one! The inspiration song is this:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1P_AnYwZMxw The Hero in Your Heart. I have between Vouchers and Grab Bag and all TEN stars to use, as well as a Bone Talisman and Arcane Script up for use if desires. I have no particular species or rank I want for this, aside from No Dragons or Unicorns (I kinda want to limit how many of each he gets). But if you can make it fit the song, go for it!
Also, 823 words; Wedding Day Flowers, Chillin Icebox))
The Firstborn Archangel of Solaris wasn't ill. No, for the most part unless the disease or affliction was specifically designed (often by fiends in his experience) to cause his kind harm he was immune to sickness. Nor was he injured. He healed quickly from all but the most devastating of injuries, and with a period of peace having followed the quenching of the fires that threatened the Grathkins he had only faced any kind of threat from sparring with his brother and being collaterial damage from Suylaith's more gregarious antics.
No, the weight that burdened the Firstborn Firstborn today was purely mental, and he was struggling under it.
The fires that they had fought off had caused a passageway that Keldos himself had sealed to open, and given the Grathkin knew he had spoken of dangerous things below they had asked him to venture back inside to make sure nothing untoward or threatening to their recovering community had happened. He had willingly agreed to, confident in his ability to handle anything that was amiss and certain he would notice if it was.
But what he didn't account for was when he entered the main chamber, where still the broken mirror broken by his own blade reflected his fractured image covered one wall, the memories would surface with a vengeance...
***************
Did you think you could get away from me, Keldos? the Fallen double mocked. Did you honestly believe that forgiveness was that easy? Keldos finally shook off his revulsion and horror and shoved back, breaking their blade-lock and taking a chance at a horizontal slice that was blocked soundly.
You cannot be real! Keldos challenged. Solaris has purified me of my sins, and caused me to Rise! I am not a Fallen!
Oh is that true? Then tell me why you have such snaps of temper, why sometimes you hesitate to act, why it is that occasionally you find yourself willing to let evil continue for some twisted sense of good? For a few blows they were silent save for the grunts of impact, as warped Truesteel threw sparks against Solarian Truesteel. Admit it! I am still a part of you, and once I destroy you, I will become you!
Just give in, the doppleganger crooned, his voice set to be soothing and convincing. You know the power I offer, the freedom! I have truly never left you. You have always felt me in the back of your mind, urging you to strike when you would withhold your blade, calling you to take up righteous arms against the unholy in this tangle of a world. What could be your purpose here if not to exact Solaris' will upon it?
*******************
Always a part of you.... always....
Now flying high above the mountains after reporting back to the Grathkin, Keldos groaned in frustration and buried his hands in his hair, hovering mid-flight.
"I Rose, I am not Fallen!"
Always a part of you!
With a furious cry he pushed his wings to beat as hard as they could, tore through the air to altitudes that even dragons and pegasus and rocs rarely dared to go and where the temperature was like an icebox. He drove himself to his limits, trying in part to flee the barrage of memories and doubts, and in part (though he wouldn't admit it) punishing himself for having the doubts to begin with. And while it made him momentarily feel better, when he returned to lower climbs all he felt was a soul-deep exhaustion, and depression to replace the anger.
Seeing where he was Keldos turned his flight to the Veiled Shrine, landing at the sacred place with barely a sound, armor retracting to their metal armbands out of respect. His heart felt a twinge as he saw that this time it was completely open-air, a roof supported by circular columns adorned with carved flowers rather than an enclosed building where he could safely hide away from the world and from his own thoughts for a bit. Ascending to look into the central pool, he sighed at himself.
What kind of Firstborn am I that I cannot accept my god's gesture without coming back to my misdeeds time and time again? I speak well enough of righteousness and redemption and honor and purity, but - He spread his secondary wings, looking at the red 'stains' that coated every third barb, a reminder of his past. in truth... am I any of those? He folded his wings back with a small snap, then moved to take a seat against one of the pillars, wrapping his wings around himself and feeling very exposed and small. But perhaps that's what he needed, he thought. Let Solaris and Aeon and whatever forces of the aether that frequented this place see him, and judge him as they would.
They could never judge him as harshly as he judged himself.
((Okay, decided to finally go with Keldos for this one! The inspiration song is this:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1P_AnYwZMxw The Hero in Your Heart. I have between Vouchers and Grab Bag and all TEN stars to use, as well as a Bone Talisman and Arcane Script up for use if desires. I have no particular species or rank I want for this, aside from No Dragons or Unicorns (I kinda want to limit how many of each he gets). But if you can make it fit the song, go for it!
Also, 823 words; Wedding Day Flowers, Chillin Icebox))
