ORIGIN

Alnilam's golden eyes glowed with kindness as so many promised themselves to guardianship, to protection. All of them--the kindly elf-creature Talys, so young and innocent, good by his very nature; and Chaos-Two, clearly a creation of the elders of this cave, and yet good at its core; James, a twinned desire to protect and yet to prove himself (and this earned a glowing stare from red-eyed Alnitak, too); Attikias, so determined to pick good and bad apart, so dedicated to trying to do the right thing--and oh, wasn't that always difficult..? Alnilam pitied those who had to judge such situations! Pride and Warrior, Khloros and Hargrave, desiring only to guard the weak, to protect those who could not protect themselves.

"So many of you who wish to guard, and protect. It is wonderful to see. You would give of yourselves to spare others; and is that not the rarest and most wondrous gift any of us can give-? That in even the darkest, coldest worlds, there are those who will find it in themselves to do kindness? -To you, all of you who have chosen selflessness, I grant my gift. Please, use it as you would; it pleases me to know that I can help you, as you would aid others." His voice was a soft, pleasant trill, and as he fell silent, those who had sided with the Quarry would feel the strange sensation of a new magic envelop them, and grant itself to them: something of warmth and shining gold, of bright light and goodness.

Alnitak snorted, but it was Mintaka who spoke next, blue eyes shining--though already growing more and more eclipsed by Alnilam's golden hue. "Many of you chose to learn from this, knowing that there is always something we may not understand. You chose not to act, not having full information; or you chose not to intervene, understanding that there is more than one truth. Or you chose to let a balance play out, for you felt it outside yourself, and something in which you oughtn't intervene." His blue gaze travelled over those who had stood apart: over Tahi-shei, the knowledge-seeker; Comet, she who directly sought Balance itself; Aran, for whom nature must take its course; and Glaive, who was simply... confused, and in her wisdom, understood her ignorance. "To you, who would think before you act; to you, who understand the whole is more than the sum of its parts, I grant to you my power." Mintaka's head seemed to slip, like shimmering violet aurora, from the rest of the body and bow: and a soft blue light, sparking as though with fireflies, stretched out to grace those who had observed the Hunt, but not intervened.

At last, Alnitak broke into harsh laughter. He was delighted with Draconua, and her savagery--even now she lunged at Abaddon. With Kitty, who knew that life was fun and chaos, joy where one could find it--and that joy was so often in power; in proving your full potential. A shame, then, that James had other ambitions, too, because that was a good one on its own! Madhukar, who grasped that power, strength, were the way one defined--proved!--their own existence. The meek passed from the world forgotten; the powerful made their marks. Draconua and Abaddon, chaotic, reckless. Yes! YES! "KINDESS! Balance! Bah. That is meaningless. There is no world of the weak. The weak don't last. Be STRONG! Prove you're worth surviving! NEVER stop fighting!" Star-speckled wings spread, as if gesturing, or in invitation. "We are what we prove ourselves to be! No life exists without consuming. Take my power, and flaunt it!"

Alnitak was laughing harshly as red light streamed from him, to touch on those who had aided the Huntsmen and their Hounds. Yet even as it did so, the golden light of Alnilam was engulfing the entirety of the Kings: and when it settled, the Three Kings' eyes were a single pair of bright and shining golden light.

Ahh, but there had been questions, had there not? "Go now, as you see fit. You have all done well. As for the Hunt--we warned you it would come, as best we could. We did not create the Hunt: it comes and goes, and passes through worlds, leaving whispers in its wake. The Quarry has survived, this day; but the Hunt is eternal. Sometimes, the Prey escapes. Sometimes, it is consumed, but the Hunt always begins again. It is... the very essence of life, of the cycle of predator and prey; the spirit of it, made manifest in magic. To take part in it is a great honor. And as it grants us power, so we have granted that to you."

This concludes the Quest, The Wild Hunt. Characters may exit at their leisure. An Achievement will be made and sent in the coming days, and the following spells granted to characters who have responded to the Kings. Those who have not responded may still do so for their reward, up until January 11th.

Granted to those who sided with the Quarry:

Eternal Wisdom: Medium Intensity Transformation. Gain ethereal golden feathered wings that shimmer with the gleam of wisdom. Alnilam of the Three Kings of Orion has enhanced and morphed this spell, and it now grants limited flight. Your loyalty shines with ethereal gold-plated armor, a testament to your faith; the stronger you are, the more armor you will have to show for it.

Granted to those who sided with neither, but observed or otherwise took part:

Spectral Balance: Medium Intensity Transformation. Gain ethereal blue-white wispy wings that glow with the ambiance of balance. Mintaka of the Three Kings of Orion has enhanced and morphed this spell, and it now grants limited flight. Your will of what is natural shimmers around you, the fireflies a natural tribute to your aura; the stronger you are, the brighter aura you will have to show for it.

Granted to those who sided with the Huntsmen and Hounds:

Haunted Chaos: Medium Intensity Transformation. Gain ethereal red bat-like wings that swirl with the black aura of chaos. Alnitak of the Three Kings of Orion has enhanced and morphed this spell, and it now grants limited flight. Your pension for disorder engulfs you in the black aura, horns of your inner conscious sprouting from your head; the stronger you are, the larger and more horns you will have to show for it.