My entry for a Kaliversary Kalon designed by high noon
Please DNP on this thread - thank you!
All artwork, writing and coding by me.
Please do not use / post anywhere without permission.
Please do not use / post anywhere without permission.
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Rei ~ Tanusuph ♀
Rei ~ Tanusuph ♀
Rei Tanusuph was born in a small village resting in the forest, one which was known for guarding fae lore and secrets of herbalism. At a young age, Rei was taken from her family and put into a group which focused on training warriors and guardians to later become the protectors of different villages. Rei returned to the village Hauha not as a daughter, but as a proud warrior shaped to put the needs of the villagers before her own life.
Rei was welcomed back into the village, the others embracing her presence with appreciation and spoils. On many occasions, she was able to deter bandits and those seeking to steal from the villagers. She fought off encroaching forces using the many skills she obtained through her years of training. Those around her felt secure, and the village stood like a sanctuary for those who resided in it.
However, a mystic from the capitol made an appearance in the village, carrying with him a dire warning.
The mystic carried a scroll with a seal matching that held by the king - and the message was clear.
Rei, in an effort to save her village, allowed another guardian to take her place as she pursued a talisman which, when presented to the Faceless Wyvern of the nearby Kaus Mountain, would allow her the visions of a seer.
With the granted ability, Rei would be able to see into the near future.
- The searing metal drove its way into my eye.
The burning pain drove its way through my brain and down my spine.
I thought not of myself in this moment, lest I betray that which I hold dear.
I thought not of my pain, or the specters raging behind the walls of my mind.
I embraced the fear as my breathing quickened.
A blessing, I see.
A gift, I will receive.
Yet, a cost must be paid. My destiny is set in stone.
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The talisman rested in the depths of the Lost Tombs.
It silently awaited the grasp of a warrior brave enough to venture through the mysterious passageways, rumored to have brought many unwelcome visitors into a state of madness. Rei did not fear madness, because madness is a fault of the individual. She was a fragment of a collective....
...and so, without another thought, she followed the words of her leaders and stepped into the Lost Tombs. Her stubbornness to fall would be an asset in her journey.
- Echoes of the tombs filled my head.
Sounds I've known, voices trying to lead me into the past.
Voices I'd all but forgotten, trying to grip my sense of sanity and lure me back to a dark place.
My life has taken many turns, perhaps as many turns as I've discovered in these tombs.
However, I do not observe or acknowledge my past.
All that matters is loyalty.
Loyalty to my people. My drive to protect those who cannot protect themselves.
You will not control me - I already belong to them.
My life is held together by the golden threads of fate. I will not yield. I will not fall.
I will not give myself away. My vessel is not mine to decide on a different purpose.
I serve.
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Rei took note of her lacking inventory as she approached the mountain. She was running low on food and water, which she'd begun spreading out for slower consumption in order to sustain her health on her journey to Kaus Mountain. Her efforts were a success, and she'd managed to reach her destination.
Kaus Mountain, home of the faceless wyvern. Rei was a fearless warrior, and nothing would stop her from pursuing the sight of the seer if it meant she could protect the village she'd been assigned. It was her duty, after all...
...and so, she continued up a winding path which led to a cavern entrance. In the cavern, she saw a dim glow. A lit candle stood in the center of a large internal opening - the light illuminated a strange, silky layer of skin sitting over what should've been a face - the wyvern beast seemed to examine Rei, but it was difficult to know for sure what thoughts were passing through its mind.
"You hold the talisman?" Boomed a voice. It seemed to be coming from the mountain, rather than from the beast.
Rei stepped closer, and presented the talisman she'd collected from the Lost Tombs. A heavy current of wind swept it out of her paws, and into the darkness of the cavern. For a moment, there was only silence.
"You will be granted the sight. Know that the pain to come is of your own weakness."
- At last comes the power I've sought.
A blessing, I see.
A gift, I will receive.
...but what is this?
The pain which grips me, it is not of the flames in my eye.
No, it's not about my eye. It's what I see.
The flames are not coming from my body. They are coming from the village.
Fire? Death? Loss?
What... is this...
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I do not fully understand this pain, for it is not mine.
What is mine, is the knowledge I've been given.
Sometimes, even when the future is clear - there's nothing to be done to change it.
I've always been able to challenge fate.
This is unfair.
What is mine, is the knowledge I've been given.
Sometimes, even when the future is clear - there's nothing to be done to change it.
I've always been able to challenge fate.
This is unfair.
895/1000 words
