RE: HELLFIRE - V-Ruby-One - Jul 20 2026
Yes...YES it did want to tell them. More then that, it wanted to show them. But a newfound sense of restraint held them back from simply forcing the visions unbidden onto Esther, now when they knew that it may set another fight off, and another fight between them would certainly spell a hit from Vargas. A permanent hit.
So it snarled to itself as it dragged the memories up itself and forced itself to put words to something that could not simply be described in spoken language. "The Creator destroyed me and put my back together. He showed me his WARS. Our PURPOSE. The sky was breaking and in my slumber I live the life of WAR." Simply reliving the memories, recounting it, was as if it were back there, experiencing it over and over and over again, breaking and shattering while blood ran down its throat freely, while fire burned its flesh and the world crumbled beneath its feet.
"We must destroy END. That is our purpose. That is where he is. He fights beyond and we are STUCK HERE." A claw suddenly swiped violently at a tree, ripping through the bark and leaving behind a deep clawmark on its face. "But Vargas does not care for true Chaos. He just wishes to control us. Chains on our urges, we step out of line and he threatens DEATH. We try to share with him the gift of Rrevalk has implanted in us and he PUNISHES." It spits on the ground. "I could show you, if you'd like. The purpose instilled in me. Perhaps you will find purpose too."
RE: HELLFIRE - Esther - Jul 20 2026
When Helion tells them of what The Creator (who is that?) did, and of END (what is that?) it shakes them to their very core. War makes sense - Vargas had sent them on what could be considered wars before (they recall the Ursa Assult)... And there was that fight with Order.
All of this makes no sense to them. Being held back... Stopped from following their instinct does feel like ash on their tongue. How far would the members of the Chaos Forge be, if they were free to do what they'd liked?
Esther can admit Vargas has pointed them in the right direction, told the members to go places where many would have already gone. But... Do they need the restrictions to fight for the goal? How many members would remain if they knew this information? How many know?
Is this a secret? Esther feels like they cannot tell anyone.
"Show me." They say.
This will go different from before. Esther needs to know.
@V-Ruby-One
RE: HELLFIRE - V-Ruby-One - Jul 21 2026
Content Warning
This post contains potentially sensitive material:
It could feel Esther's interest. It could see it. If not obvious in their expression, then in their acceptance. Surely, it know what Helion knew by "showing them" so it was accepting what it was offering. It did not have to fear retaliation from an uncorrupted, as they shared the same black heart.
The voice quieted down its slavering insults and urges of violence as the situation changed. Now it leaned forward with interest, like it was gripping its claws into Helion's shoulders and leaning over to glare at Esther with barely disguised eagerness. SHOW THEM. SHOW THEM!!! LET THEM KNOW THE TRUTH AS WELL!!
They stepped forward eagerly and reached for Esther. They didn't have to grab at them, nor did they make to, but it felt right - a hand out to offer where the magic surged and burrowed into their brain. Like lightning, the memories seared into them - Rrevalk's face within the black spire, holding Helion's decapitated head aloft where its blood surged from its brain as he ROARED, and then into the dreams that had ripped through its body, its mind, its very ideals.
War, brutal bloody war. Valkhounds slavering, tearing, destroying, a rainbow sky that shattered over and over and over again. But not only did Helion gift to Esther the images and the smells and the sound of these wars but also the feeling. The insanity. The complete loss of control and the BLISS it brought. And most importantly, PURPOSE. WE ARE PURPOSE. Yes, yes, that's right! The valkhounds, the corrupted, ARE PURPOSE. PURPOSE GIVEN FLESH. Rrevalk is their master, their Creator, the blood in their veins, the purpose in their valkhearts. And their purpose is to DESTROY END!!
Somewhere, in the midst of this chaos, is Vargas's voice - "It is a place where some, chosen by Fate, go upon their death. A place that should not be owned and controlled..." but then Helion's voice rips through and cuts him off with a shriek. "He works for the CREATOR, He of CHAOS ITSELF. AND HE HAS REJECTED CORRUPTION!! HE CLAIMS TO BE OUR MASTER BUT HE HAS REJECTED US!!" Its voice is a roar that thrums through the earth, the fire, the shattering glass that is the sky, the skies of End...
It continued to dump the memory of the nightmares into Esther's mind and perhaps the wolf would feel Helion's joy to share it. Its genuine, sick joy that it could share this with someone that might understand. That might feel, too, that this is TRULY their purpose.
RE: HELLFIRE - Esther - Aug 07 2026
Content Warning
This post contains potentially sensitive material:
Esther watches as Helion moves forward, they offer one clawed hand in return. Esther gives enough room for Helion to back away, back off if touching was not the intention. The magic connects almost instantly, something inside Esther's head clicks into place as the spell settles itself between them.
Instantly their head is filled with blood. The spell does not stop with the blank eyes of the bleeding head, instead shifting to destruction.
YOU ARE MEANT TO DESTROY END!
There is no control. There is no choice. The call of war beckons them forward like a string pulled taut. The sky shatters, over and over and over andoverandoverandover. When the string snaps, and the last of control is lost the only thing left behind is death and destruction. The smell ashens their lungs, the violence stings their body as though they were actually there. FIGHTING FOR RREVALK. FIGHTING TO DESTROY END.
The part of them more in-tune with corruption HOWLS in response to the answers they seek. THIS IS PURPOSE. THIS IS WHAT THEY ARE MADE FOR.
VARGAS HAS REJECTED THEM.
The information is too much. Too much. TOO MUCH!
A record scratch pulls them out of chaos. They are back, staring at Helion - and lost. Is this what Esther subjected Helion to by forcing it to enter chrysalis away from a source of corruption? Esther thinks Vargas mentioned having someone collect it but... This is so strange. It makes sense their strange element would have a purpose - that Vargas' creations would have a purpose.
"I... I don't even know what to say." Shouldn't all of this be something told to those who bear their element? Esther could reason why they themselves wouldn't know. Esther was not born this way - but what of the others?
Does Order have something like this? What are they fighting for? What are we fighting them for?
"Is the Forge just training for this... END?" Esther can't wrap their head around what all of this means.
@V-Ruby-One
RE: HELLFIRE - V-Ruby-One - Aug 17 2026
It watched Esther's reaction with glee, crouching in the Eridanus foliage and white-spattered earth to be more on their level - what an odd thing for it to do. But it barely noticed it lowering itself, too engrossed in their conversation, their sharing of thoughts. It did not grin, but its eyes were wide, searching. For approval? For confirmation? For agreement?
It waited silently for Esther to process as it hungrily waited for their reply. It didn't respond, at first, waiting for more, and then it snarled suddenly. "I don't know," it spat, literally turning to spit a glob of black oily saliva onto the ground next to it. "But i doubt it. WHO knows of End, besides me and Vargas himself?! And now you. Apparently we work to make these caves whole again, to make it productive, to send soldiers off to WAR but what do we do?! Sit and tussle with BUGS and MUSHROOMS while Vargas fiddles along with his little toys! WE are trained! WE should fight! WE should be the ones to take END." TO DESTROY IT!! It roared in its mind, shuddering through its body. It was all they craved now, all they desired. To be next to their creator, their god, tearing End piece by piece, as what they had been created for.
Its teeth bared as it seethed in place. "Do you see?! DO YOU SEE!! What we are made for isn't THIS. Yet Vargas PUNISHES US. I tried to show him, tried to show THIS to him, and he ATTACKED ME. Scolded me! Threatened to KILL me!!" Claws scourged across the ground as magic welled up unbidden. A force rolled over them, as if trying to hurl something that wasn't there. The foliage next to them flinched as if it had been struck by something, but no damage was actually done.
"What do you think of it?" it said at the end, looking up to study Esther's reaction.
@Esther
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