Post by Deleted on May 22, 2018 11:55:45 GMT -7
Liquid Timed - Apophis Age 2
"Father? How much further do we need to journey?" Apophis asked softly, terrified of angering the more enormous stallion. He was nearly as tall as his sire, only an inch or two shorter, but Hakkon was built more muscular and heavy.
"Just a bit further..." Hakkon snapped as they slid through tall trees and ominous shadows. The sun had set a bit before, making the terrain harder to judge and causing the youngster to stumble a few times as the moved. "You need to devote more meticulous attention! What son of mine cannot walk in the shadows?!" Hakkon seethed as he spun on his heels following yet another stumble.
"So- sorry... I am trying father." Apophis stammered as he slid to a stop and cowered a bit before the mightier beast. Hakkon towered over the frightened youth, clearly furious at Apophis's fear and feeling more and more that the colt proved a failure to his prestigious bloodlines. Every step that the colt made was noisy and filled with uncertainty. The humans had made Hakkon hard and spoiled, and, even after his time there, he was still fierce and judgemental. Apophis thought of his sire as insane when he was not faced with his furious face.
"Trying... Right... And this is why you represent the failure of my blood." Hakkon seethed before spinning back around and launching himself into the shadows and trees. Apophis flinched at the harsh words from his sire and leapt after him, trying to keep up while his sire managed paths that he knew from memory. Sliding into a small clearing, Apophis stopped and straightened himself while gazing around for the perlino behemoth.
"Father?" Apophis asked softly into the empty air. It was not like him to completely disappear unless he was planning to ambush him. The still slender colt flicked his pale ears warily as he searched for any sign of his sire in the quickly darkening meadow. Even all scent of him had disappeared from the stagnant air. Stepping carefully, he lowered his gaze to the ground and began to search for tracks or any other sign of the more enormous stallion.
Before he realized what had happened, Apophis slid to a stop before a cliff. The darkness had erased the bottom, leaving him unsure of what was down there or even if it ended. A crack echoed behind him, causing the young stallion to start. Spinning on his hocks, Apophis turned to confront whatever could be coming. An obscure figure moved in the tree line, causing him to take a step backward... A step that lead to the ground beneath him disappearing. Pale flesh connected multiple times with course rocks as he tumbled down deeper and deeper into the abyss.
Apophis was uncertain of how much time had passed when he opened his eyes. The world was impenetrable darkness and his body ached from connecting with the rocks on the way down. Groaning softly, the pale stallion rolled to his feet as slowly as he could. He took stock of what could be injured and found that he was just bruised for the most part. A cracked rib or two on his right side made it more challenging to breathe. Stretching the areas that he could without insane amounts of pain, he tried to get some idea of where in the world he was.
As his awareness of his pain faded to a dull background noise, Apophis allowed his senses divulge to him what they would. He was near an ocean. There was the scent of salt and water on the air. He also smelled disturbed earth, most likely from his fall down the cliff. Glancing up, he realized that the fall had not been as far as he feared. Taller than he could manage to jump or anything, but not some unending depth. Turning toward the scent of water, Apophis limped out of the darkness. As he moved toward the scent, the land seemed to lighten. Stepping out onto soft sand, Apophis stopped and gazed out at the ocean.
The sand met waves of bioluminescent plankton and ocean water. The blue glow was unusual, and Apophis was uncertain of what to make of it. In his 3 years, the pale youth had not once discovered this area, or even known that an ocean was nearby. Hobbling slowly along the line of waves, he almost stepped into the water to test the temperature. But not matter the desire to do so, he did not want to desturb the glowing creatures that were inhabiting the surf. Moving around a bend on the shore, he slid to a stop.
Groaning again, he looked at the dark hole before him. A cave was there, seeming to be empty though the scent of warmth seemed to be drifting toward him. Looking behind him, he decided that he was safe enough to explore. The floor of the cave was flat and clear of debris. A narrow stream meandered through the rocks, with glowing creatures playing in the refreshing water. Along the path through the rock, he noticed that he turned back toward the water.
After what seemed to be an unending walk, he came to a secluded beach. The plankton were still glowing in the waves and it was absolutely breathtaking. Stepping out, he allowed the waves hit his hooves and watched the creatures moving around him. Moving slowly due to the pain in his ribs and bruises across his entire body, Apophis continued into the tepid water. He finally halted when the water reached his back and allowed it lap over him with caressing warmth. He gazed at his reflection, wondering if he was truly the disgrace that his sire believed. He was so like the deluded stallion, slightly warmer toned in color but built nearly exactly like him. Apophis's charcoal eyes moved over his reflection with mixed emotions. A sound behind him made him turn and face the beach once again. A pale glowing figure was standing on the sand, regarding him with emotion filled eyes.
"Who are you?" He asked as he started toward the horse on the beach. The figure revealed nothing, beholding him with waves of emotion rolling off of her. Apophis was not sure how he knew that she was a mare, but something about her seemed to be familiar. Stepping through the waves, with plankton sticking to his coat as he pull out of the water, he approached the graceful little mare.
"Mother? But you died... How are you here?" Apophis examined her face for any sign that she was genuine. Her form was nearly white, though there was a transparency that told him that she was not precisely with him. A solitary gleaming tear slid down her face as she reached to make contact with him only to have her muzzle slide through him with a chill.
"I am sorry, my dear. I am watching you always." She whispered, her voice echoing softly on the quiet air. There was an ethereal air to her words and Apophis watched the figure fade away into nothing.
"I love you mother..." He murmured to the breeze that had suddenly started. Turning, he moved back into the cave, smiling as it seemed brighter thanks to the plankton attached to his coat. They were dying, as was their light. By the time he had approached the other end of the cave, he was in darkness once again. Stepping out, Apophis stopped and stared. He was back in the clearing where he had lost his sire. Swiveling his head, he saw that the cave was gone. His coat was clean, though his ribs still ached from the cracks. Unsure of what had happened, Apophis followed a now visible path back to his herd and the cruel sire that was waiting for him.
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