A smooth tunnel snaked its way through the maze of caverns, rocks and stones chipped and jutted like strange scales. At the end was a large draconic face. Crystalline eyes peered out, silently surveying the passageway. Below it was a scattering of broken pieces of armor, pottery, and array of unidentifiable pieces as though the stoned creature had come to life to do battle recently. Instead, the relief simply spied unmoving into the dim tunnel.

Seemingly from its mighty claws waddled a small creature. A small chick, downy feathers only recently being replaced by more mature features. It was still small, pinky, and young at only two cycles. But the pigeon carried itself with a strong sense of determination. Misguided determination, but determination all the same.

Lust left the refuge of Orion on a journey towards the place of their birth, Monoceros. When they had hatched high on a platform, a large wind funnel was brewing at the center of the cavern. Last cycle they had been much smaller and was easily tossed and turned by the mighty winds. It was by the grace of Reseda, a large Komodo dragon, that they had escaped its grasp.

But that was a full cycle ago. Lust was now older. Older and impatient to please. The mighty Reseda had agreed to teach them about the caverns. The powerful Envy had agreed to watch over them. And Lust? Lust was simply a small chick. A tiny pigeon with no real abilities. At least, none compared to those godly beings. Lust was not as powerful as Reseda. They were not as mighty as Envy. They were simply a small chick of a bird.

Which left Lust wanting to try and prove themselves to their heroes. And what better way than by learning to do something the other two (as far as they knew anyways) couldn’t do? Lust knew deep down that they could learn to fly. They also knew that they were still too young to learn, as it should be another cycle before attempting to even glide. But with the winds of Monoceros? It had to be possible!

And how proud would Reseda and Envy be at that achievement? The thought that the two of them might praise the pigeon filled their heart with such glee. It made their heart aflutter at the very thought. Yes, Lust simply had to try. How else could they possibly impress such imposing figures?

So Lust part waddled, part hopped past the entrance to Orion and onto the tunnel passageway while the stone monster watched from above like a terrible omen.


"Speech looks like this."
Thoughts look like this.

tags:
notes:

original coding by wulf for template purposes

Glory was still rustling through the armor and the gems littering the ground. He was no longer searching for pieces for dread's hoard, but rather for something else. He had had the idea when he had been searching before - plates of armor, although dented and old, were still sheets of metal. If he could somehow shape and form them, he could craft himself his own set of armor!

Oh, he would look glorious! Shining gold and silver plates! Flying into battle with the light glinting off the metal! Taking blow after blow without being damaged or injured at all! Yes, absolutely fantastic! Oh, he was so excited!

But, of course, he needed to learn how to smith in the first place. He had no idea how to temper metal or make it into armor and weapons! He still needed to learn things like that! But he would! He just needed to find the right stuff first.

As he shifted through the broken debris, he heard footsteps in the tunnel and paused, looking up curiously. It was a chick, smaller then him, but he could tell it wasn't too much younger. However, he was more grown into his form. He had shed his baby fluff and now sported a full body of brown and gold feathers. He hadn't quite achieved his adult size, but he definitely looked like a mostly-grown eagle. This bird, on the other hand, looked barely out of its first cycle.

"Young bird," he called, standing up straight. "Are you headed into Monoceros? It is dangerous! The winds are strong and treacherous! A small thing like you wouldn't last." He spoke bluntly, but honestly. The little thing would probably get picked up immediately and thrown against a wall, breaking their little neck. That would be unfortunate.

@Lust

The young chick walked along the corridor, wondering just how flight worked. They had no teacher but simply a feeling deep in their gizzard that gave vague suggestions. Assumedly it would all be clearer once they were actually in the air. However, their gizzard was also warning that this was a bad idea. It was a bit unnerving but Lust was desperate to ignore this. There was no backup plan. So they simply had to be brave and face their fears.

While lost in thought trying to act braver than they felt, a new voice echoed off the stone walls. The pigeon stopped, looking around until pink eyes fell on the eagle. Another bird, but one who was larger than themselves. He was also gorgeous with his coat of gold, brown, and creamy feathers covering him. Lust couldn’t help but sneak a look at their own feathers. They were still more pink than cream, much younger and less stunning than the bird before them.

Then his words hit them. Lust’s face scrunched up in annoyance that this beautiful bird’s words dared to reflect the same thoughts that his gizzard gave. Couldn’t they understand? This was something they needed to do!

“I-I-I know that! I know Monoceros is dangerous. I hatched there!” Lust sputtered in quick response of childish frustration.

Not only that, but to be reprimanded by such a beautiful creature! Lust felt a strange mixture of emotions and ducked their head under a wing. “But I gotta,” they said muffled by the small baby wing. “How else am I gonna learn to fly? How else can I show Reseda and Envy that I can be useful!” Bright pink eyes began to sting as frustrated tears began to well up in their eyes. No, that couldn’t happen! They couldn’t begin to cry in front of this beautiful creature! But that simply made the physical temptation all the stronger.


"Speech looks like this."
Thoughts look like this.

tags: @Glory
notes:

original coding by wulf for template purposes

Glory was a little surprised that the chick had hatched in the windy cave and not immediately been killed by its dangers. Once again, he glanced up their body and wondered how it had managed it without even knowing how to fly!

But, of course, that meant that they were really tough! Glory clacked his beak and turned completely, taking a few steps towards the chick with a gleam in his eyes. "Well, you must be a fighter, then! A real tough bird! How brave to hatch there and then return to fly! Fantastic!" His chest feathers ruffled as her looked proudly down at the bird.

"I am Glory! Do you have a name? If you'd like, I can give you a hand! Before you brave the winds of Monoceros, you should really know the basics. Without proper knowledge of flight, the winds will batter you bloody!" He said all of this with a triumphant voice, no warning whatsoever despite the serious words. He was too wrapped up in this opportunity to teach someone, pass on his skills. He truly was moving up in the world!

@Lust

Lust’s unease about reentering the windy cavern was slowly dissipating as Glory praised them on their courage. Yes, this was exactly what the chick was desiring! To be praised for their actions! To feel like they are in some minute manner worthy of the grand attention that both Reseda and Envy had bestowed onto them. They did not really know this bird but it was clear that they were a warrior as he stood amongst the remains of tattered armor. Lust beamed with bashful pride at the bird’s kind words to them.

“Yes! Or, well, no, not yet. I want to be strong though! Reseda saved me last time I was in Monoceros. She and Envy have been so wonderful to me! And they are both so very powerful and generous and-and-and I want to be worthy of that! I want to be able to help them as much as they help me!”

A tiny squawk ended their speech, realizing just how much they babbled on to the new bird. There was no reason to think that they might be remotely interested in whatever they were doing or why. It was clear that he was working on something judging by the scattering of metals and rocks surrounding him. Why would he care in the least why the chick was on such a crazy mission?

As though able to read their thoughts the bird introduced themselves and offered to assist them. Lust lifted their head once more and gave an excited flap of their feathers. “Oh yes please! If you could help me, that would be great! You have such large wings, I bet you’re a master at flying!” What started out as a half-assed plan for glory on a suicidal mission was now coming together. And what’s more, they now had a new teacher! Not that Reseda was lacking in any manner. But she simply did not have the wings to be able to teach the art of flying like Glory could.

Oh! Yes, he had asked for their name. “I’m Lust! And I’m really glad to have met you! What do we start with first? I know my wings are needed. And my tail, I think?” Lust looked over their body while naming out the different parts, shifting and testing them. Eagerly they turned back to the eagle to await their response.


"Speech looks like this."
Thoughts look like this.

tags: @Glory
notes:

original coding by wulf for template purposes

Golems didn't normally come out this far. Yet with the flush of magicka in the caves, some of them were... straying. A distant stomping could be heard at the farther end of the tunnel--vibrating the ground from Orion's entrance.

It seemed that the flying lesson was about to become urgent... Or if the fledgling could not move quickly enough on their own, perhaps Glory would be just heroic enough for a rescue.

Glory had no idea who this Reseda or Envy were, but he at least knew that this little bird had an honorable goal - to give back to those that had saved them and helped them. Yes, of course, Glory would help the young thing! He puffed out his feathers with pride at the praise and couldn't help but spread out his wings a little bit to show them off. "I am...a good enough flier," he replied, trying his best to be humble but completely and utterly failing as he couldn't keep the excitement out of his voice.

"It is good to meet you, Lust!" Having no idea what the name meant, he took it at face value and decided that it was simply another word that meant nothing but as a name. "Yes, the wings are the most important, but the tail is not far behind! You push off with your legs use your wings to lift and then your tail to keep you lifted and to steer!" He demonstrated this, stepping out from his piled of metals and gems and opening his wings. He jumped a little off the ground and began to flap his wings, rising into the air a little bit, his tail swinging a bit to keep himself in the air before he landed back down and folded back his wings. "Like that! You have...to..." his words died away as he heard a stomping coming from the end of the tunnel and widened his eyes at the side of the thing. A collection of stones, held together by magic. How? How was that possible?

Glory acted immediately. He opened his wings and jumped to the other side of Lust, where he landed and glared down at the stone monster. "Stay behind me unless you can fight," he spat as he glared at the impending golem. He wondered which of his spells would do the most damage. Was his fire hot enough to melt stone?

@Lust

Glory spread their wings out and Lust was simply stunned. Browns and creams and reds and golden feathers stretched out longer than their whole body. The chick was awestruck in how mighty of a creature he was. So, this is how a bird was really supposed to look! Longing filled Lust’s heart. How they wanted to be crowned in feathers like that! And to think of him flying! Watching Glory flutter in the air they couldn’t help but wonder how he would look soaring over the ruins of Orion, crystals gleaming below them, that crown of sunstone sparkling in the dimness….

Lust shook their head, trying to refocus. They were here to learn to fly, right? That was what was important right now. Not these other thoughts that were going … strangely. It was true that Lust admired deeply those they had met previously. But these thoughts were going in a stranger way than previously. Reseda was strong and had saved them. Envy was mighty and a leader. It made sense that a small creature like themselves would marvel at such powerful beings. Glory appeared to be powerful too. But there was something else at play. Yes, Lust wanted to be like him. But some part of them was happy to simply be in their presence. To watch the bird and his fiery feathers. He was a very pretty bird, after all….

Once more Lust attempted to drive the thoughts away. If they kept getting distracted, there was no way that they would be able to learn to fly! This was important business! They would have to learn what it was about Glory that was causing them to act strangely later. Perhaps Reseda would know what kinds of magic was possibly being put over them to cause them to act so oddly. Yes, that was probably it.

The pigeon chick leapt into the air to follow suit when a strange sound echoed down the tunnel. “What was that?” They squawked out in surprise, landing with feathers puffed out. Immediately Glory appeared before them, wings fully spread and ready to fight. Any other words Lust was to say was stolen by the heroic display. Lust was no fighter. They were still young. Their beak was tiny, even for a pigeon. They had claws, yes, but that was about it. Even in the way of magic, Lust was lacking. They trembled, but only partly in fear. Despite the imminent danger, their heart swooned at the heroic gesture.

That was, until the golem came fully into view. From around the bottom of Glory’s wings the pigeon would see the strange towering rock pile moving towards them. It was massive! The very earth seemed to shake as it moved towards them. The only bit of favor they had was that it didn’t appear to be particularly quick. But it was steadily moving towards them. They had to escape, they had to run away! Back, back to Orion! Reseda! Envy! Someone!

Lust was prepared to run away but Glory remained where he was. Was he really going to fight this thing? No, he couldn’t! Glory could get hurt! Lust couldn’t bear the thought of the older bird getting hurt by this monster. No, Lust couldn’t let this happen. But what could a small chick like them do?

As though by some innate acumen created by instinct, a strange feeling of energy formed in their gizzard. The gem of deep pink on their cheek almost burned on their face. The energy balled up, swelling stronger and stronger. Finally, being released.

Lust opened up their beak to cry out but no sound came out. Instead, down the tunnel, past the golem and around a bend, a shout was heard. “No!” It was one word, echoing and clinging in the air. But it was most definitely their voice. Somehow instead of coming from their beak, their voice came out of no where a good distance away. How did that happen? Lust blinked, trying to piece the pieces together while the gem on their cheek cooled down. Was that a form of magic?


"Speech looks like this."
Thoughts look like this.

tags: @Glory
notes:

original coding by wulf for template purposes

The golem did not appear to follow the sound, despite the clever ploy by the little bird. Instead, it appeared to turn, honing on the source of magicka, stomping straight for Lust... with Glory in its way.

_________

The Golem will reach Glory in one round. The Gembound may act to escape, attack, or whatever they wish in the meantime.

@Glory @Lust

Seeing that the golem wasn't reacting to the strange noise that came from behind it, Glory knew he would have to do something himself. He had no idea that Lust had, in fact, been the one to cast the spell. How could he know, he was so focused on casting his own spell! He sucked in a huge breath and began to coat his mouth with saliva but, when he started pumping magicka through his beak, it cut off and he was left with saliva that was barely warm.

"Damn," he muttered, trying to press Lust back. "It's okay, I can do this. I have magic that'll work against it, I just have to get it to work!" Yes, his wonderful, amazing spells. Blasting rocks to bits or melting them quicker then water put out fires. He flashed a glance back at Lust, his eyes glimmering with confidence. You'll be strong one day, for Reseda and Envy. But you need to make it there first. Stay back for now. I can take him."

He leaped into the air and fluttered above Lust's head before flying towards the golem, not enough that it could attack him immediately, but enough so that he was in the way of the little pigeon. He let out a screeching cry and turned his head so that his gem glittered in the light.

@Lust