[aliyaah]

TW: Foul language.

Nothing against this "Harlan" chick, but Sly fucking hated that she was having to do this. She despised every time she had to come here. It represented change within the brotherhood, and more often than not, it meant that she had suffered a disappointment. She was less-than pleased that Undead Legion was no longer her second-in-command, that he had made the decision to take a step back from his position. It was poorly timed, what with everything going on. She had the former King Solovey within her grasp, she had committed the brotherhood to an alliance with the Underworld, and now they were participating in a war against the Utopians. She needed the Helkaer to be a strong, cohesive force right now - something which was not the case if they lacked a full roster. Thankfully, his absence had swiftly been managed. There had been several interested in becoming a part of the legacy which was the brotherhood, and Sly felt as though the candidate they chose would be an appropriate one. If Harlan was able to fill the void that Legion had left, then the commander had little reason to fret. She knew Nemesis would fill in as her second-in-command without issue, so she had no concerns there. There admittedly was always doubt, however, when bringing on a new member - more often than not they failed to prove themselves, failed to be anyone of worth to Sly's company and their goals. Hopefully, Harlan would not prove to be such a useless waste of time.

Instructions had been given to meet at the pool of Discord, the otherwordly power that served as the source of their flame. It always made the commander uncomfortable being here - she hated the idea that this basin of liquid possessed a force which was inexplicable, intangible. Yet somehow it was all powerful, and was able to provide them access to their fire. It required their participation, whether Sly liked it or not. Her usual routine was to get the ceremony over it, and to spend as little time here as was possible. It was why she had so hastily ordered the Helkaer to attend, so that they could get this ritual done with, and leave the chaotic waters behind them once more. So, it was early in the morn in which the crimson witch had set out from Oinaze, and made her way towards the rivers which coursed from the Afterlife. She followed the familiar, rugged path - one created of sharp stone that lined the turbulent stream. She expertly navigated down a steep slope of craggy earth, until she landed herself next to the ethereal pool. There, she waited, and she did not have to wait long. Once both Harlan and Nemesis had arrived, Sly did not waste time before briskly instructing their newest comrade, "Enter the pool."

Tagged - illɘgal and ➳ T e c h n o ➳
Notes - Harlan's Initiation.

[illɘgal]

The dappled vixen felt no nerves or anxiety, just the buzz of anticipation. Though she typically liked to work alone, she was surprised how much she already felt at home among the Helkaer. Well, as close to a feeling of home as she knew it. Perhaps this time was different purely because the other two women seemed to have the same mindset and ambitions as Harlan did - power. She refused to remain in the Dark Kingdom as a woman that was cast aside. Instead, she would become a thing of nightmares. The paint had earned that right. The time of playing with courtesans and causing trouble on a small scale was over. It was time to reach for something higher. Harlan was willing to swear loyalty - and actually stand by it for once - to be a part of something much, much larger than herself.

The fem had waited for further instructions, not surprised that the Commander did not waste much time. They were simple and clear - report to the pool of Discord. The trek from the desert seemed fairly straight forward, though it was not as simple as the mare had hoped it would be. The limbs she could feel pushing against her flesh - far more than there should be, that bastard - did not hinder her movements, simply irritated her to no end. The last thing she wanted or needed was to look weak, especially as Harlan caught Sly's scent and began to follow it along the raging river. It was violently beautiful, but the vixen wasn't one for sightseeing. Instead, she picked her way down the slope to where her magenta eyes saw the red Helkaer waiting. As she came to a stop near the strange pool, her auds tracked the sound of the bay mare approaching. Harlan offered no other greeting than a slight tilt of her head, waiting patiently to see what else was required other than her presence.

Enter the pool. Her depths looked to the shallow water with some curiosity. Joining the brotherhood meant there now needed to be trust, something the vixen did not give freely. Something she would only promise to Sly and Nemesis. Anyone else who wanted it would have to earn it. Without a look back to either mare, Harlan moved the last few feet to the pool and stepped into it. Curiously, it was significantly warmer than she expected. She remained there for a moment before turning around to face her new allies, standing by for whatever was next.

aliyaah ➳ T e c h n o ➳

[➳ T e c h n o ➳]

Legion had stepped down as a Helkaer not that long ago. It had been somewhat of a shock to Nemesis that he'd choose to do that. That meant that she had moved up in rank from Private to General. The bay mare wasn't exactly thrilled she'd gotten to this rank because her counterpart had stepped down, but it was at least as tep in the right direction. Sly had called for equines to join the brotherhood, and a few came. Harlan was the name of the mare that prevailed and she took her place amongst the two other entities of chaos. Her violet orbs scanned the terrain as she departed from Toxin Raj to head onward to the Elysian Rivers. The trek wasn't as long or arduous as others might be. Her ravine disappeared behind her, and she carried on at steady trot through the other lands of the free. It hadn't been that long ago that she too had entered the pool and earned the brand on her right cheek. The smell of the fresh river hit her nares long before she ever saw it. The dull hum of the water as it carved itself through the land sounded with each step she took towards her destination.

There was still much to learn about the newest sister. Nemesis wondered how Sly felt about it all. Surely she was sore to lose Legion, but at the same time they needed all the numbers they could get now that War had been declared. Nemesis slowed her pace as she spotted Sly and Harlan. She came to a halt beside her mentor as she uttered the command to the pale cololured mare named Harlan. Her hide was coated in a layer of dapples, and her ivory hair hung from her nape effortlessly. Harlan obliged Sly's command, and Nemesis looked on. Despite her being the more recent recruit before Harlan, she could not recall all the details of the ritual.

It would be no trouble for her to follow Sly's lead. Harlan stood in the water and seemed to peer expectantly at the Helkaer duo she was to join in just moments. In no time at all, she'd have brand of her own. A personal connection to the Afterlife that allowed them all to summon fire at their whim. Nemesis tried not to let the memory of her lackluster raid fire get to her. She'd wanted to burn Eacrarrah to a crisp, but it hadn't turned out that way. She'd been thwarted by some irritating Versai mare. The bay grit her teeth and awaited the next set of instructions from Sly to help induct Harlan into their brotherhood.


 "Speech here"


Sorry for the wait on this, and the terrible post x__x aliyaah illɘgal

_{Nemesis by ray-gunz}

[aliyaah]

TW: Foul language.

Harlan and Nemesis were hard and fast on Sly's tail, and so they arrived at the pool mere moments after the commander. There was no chit-chat to be had, and certainly, no argument when Sly commanded their newest member to enter the waters. Simply, it seemed as though there was a silent agreement that they were all there to do what needed to be done. If Harlan needed to participate in this silly ritual so as to unlock her access to their otherworldly powers of fire, then so be it. Sly and Nemesis had had to when it had been their turn, and now the the time had come for Harlan. The Helkaer Commander recalled when she had endured this procedure herself - admittedly, it had been much different all those years ago. Her bath in the warm, yet turbulent waters had been amidst the first. Prior to their discovery of the supernatural liquid, they had been forced to pay a tax to the Underworld should they ever wish to call upon the flame. Sly had done this on several occasions prior, having ended up trading both her soul, as well as the soul of her daughter, Siavash, for its usage. To not have the burden of being tied to the Underworld in such a way, to not have to owe them or be held accountable to their calling, was a blessing. Even if it meant enduring this damned, outlandish and extraordinary custom every time they welcomed a new member. But that was just the way things were, and so the crimson witch just bit her tongue and dealt with it. Even though the brotherhood now had a much better relationship with the Lord and Lady of Hell - it was still better to not have to depend upon them in such a way.

Once instructed, the golden and ivory minx lowered herself into the swirling. bubbling waters. Instinctively, Sly felt her bodice tense from preparation - she had endured this enough times with others to know that she was about to lose control of herself, a feeling which she greatly despised. She only just caught the sight of Harlan gazing back towards herself and the Helkaer Private, before Sly fell into the familiar, yet all the while bizarre trance. Words were uttered from her maw that she did not understand, flowing without effort. She could not have stopped herself if she had wanted - this was the power of the Afterlife, something which she could not fight against. Surely, Nemesis was enduring the same fate beside her - but Sly could not pull her chasms away from the arcane basin to verify. She was locked in place, something so forceful and undeniable controlling her. Thankfully, this only lasted a few moments - and just as swiftly as the sensation had initiated within her, so too did it depart. She was finally then able to raise her near-black voids upwards and towards Harlan, flashing her an interested look, wondering how she was going to react to having been forced to succumb to such ethereal forces.


Tagged - illɘgal and ➳ T e c h n o ➳
Notes - You can decide where you want Harlan's brand to go with this thread! I'm also so sorry for the wait, I must not have had this in my bookmarks and didn't realize it was my turn. <3

[illɘgal]

the hive never spared anyone

The painted wraith didn't have to wait long before an otherworldly chant echoed around her. As it bounced within the boundaries of her skull, the warmth from the water at her legs grew uncomfortably hot. She tried to look down, but her gaze was locked onto the pair in front of her, a strange force keeping her in place despite how badly she desired to move. The hot liquid seeped into her bones, heating her veins as the blood itself was boiling. While the feeling should have been disconcerting, it felt as if she was being forged from within. This new purpose, new alliance, the Brotherhood. It was being seared into every fiber of her being. Harlan could feel only the heat, was consumed by it. The power that flowed from the pool felt like a living creature, its tendrils wrapping tightly around her very soul.

Despite the strange experience, it equally felt right. This is exactly where the vixen was supposed to be. The fire worked its way underneath her flesh, carving its way through the left side of her withers. Harlan was unable to turn and looked, but could only assume that it matched the brands that were visible on the commander and general. After a heartbeat, every inch of her body felt as if it was burning. Her heart pounded as her blood heated to unnatural temperatures, enjoying feeling the past dissolve into ash. Everything Harlan was before no longer mattered. This was who she was now, armed with a blessing that she intended to prove that she deserved.

Magenta depths remained trained on her leader as the chanted faded to an eerie silence. Control once again returned to her, and she was finally able to look at the shape of the flames she felt within etched onto her skin. It felt right. This is what she was destined for, not the bullshit politics or being the scorned lover. Harlan was meant for so much more, and she had finally found it. The Brotherhood was where she belonged, and she wanted to prove to the other Helkaer that she was an asset to the team as soon as possible. There was no other option.

As her heartbeat returned to normal, Harlan looked back to Sly and Nemesis with a newfound appreciation and hunger for chaos. Where do we begin?

aliyaah ➳ T e c h n o ➳
I'm also sorry for the wait!

it might sting, but just surrender

[➳ T e c h n o ➳]

Nemesis peered at Harlan as she stood in the pool and awaited the ritual to begin. For the bay, now General, this was foreign. So far she'd only participated in her own ritual. The hum and sensation of losing your autonomy was not one she'd ever forget. Standing upon the shores of the river of discord felt different. Soon enough the ritual began, and Nemesis felt that familiar slip of her control as her lips began to speak in foreign tongues in time with Sly. It felt like a buzz of electricity coursing through her as her eyes remained transfixed on Harlan. This was the moment she would earn her brand and solidify her membership among the brotherhood. The buzzing did not stop until the ritual was complete. Nemesis wondered if this was the way things had always been done. Despite her life being dedicated to them, there was very little personal history she had with them when it came to official matters.

Since her own ritual, she'd often wondered where the source of the river was. Some days the curiosity was so great that she had half a mind to try and track it down. Nemesis flicked her tail as Harlan's voice pulled her fully from the buzzing sensation that coursed through her bodice. She asked what was next. That was always the question. There were so many targets, and what felt like not enough time. The General turned her gaze toward Sly, as if she were waiting for the commander to answer. Nemesis didn't need to wait for Sly's answer though, it was merely a courtesy. Nemesis had always looked to her fiery witch mentor first. Then her gaze slowly slid back to Harlan who was still partially submerged by the coursing river.

"Debauchery and chaos. What a grand time for you to join us, Harlan." The bay alluded to the freshly declared war on the precipice of all of Wild Equines. The tones were almost devoid of emotion, but there was just a trace of how feral the General was deep down. As foreign as it was to address Harlan as a Helkaer instead of Legion, she still felt the mare fit them well. Nemesis wouldn't cast judgment about the mare until she had seen what sorts of havoc she could reap.  "The only real question is who is the next target." She almost purred, growing more animated a the thought of the chaos and bloodshed of war. Surely, Sly would feel the same. Despite it being a war with Utopia, it felt like a good time to get even and enact her own revenge upon them.


 "Speech here"


Sorry for the wait again <3 aliyaah illɘgal

_{Nemesis by ray-gunz}

[aliyaah]

TW: Foul language.

The otherworldly control left fleetingly from the Helkaer Commander's skeleton, and she immediately directed her glare to the newest member of the brotherhood. Their brand had been carved into a spot just below Harlan's wither, now dictating her allegiance. The crimson witch smiled viciously, eager to have another willing and capable participant join their cause - despite her lingering disappointment in the loss of Undead Legion within their ranks. The elder bitch's gaze was met by Harlan's, who then inquired, "Where do we begin?" The scarred, sanguine-hued woman chuckled darkly at this query, and she responded with a dark hunger of her own. "Rather, where do we stop?" That was it though, wasn't it? The Helkaer were always attempting to further their progress, to expand their power amidst the domains that made up Wild Equines. It did not matter where they began, but rather, that they were not interrupted. Eventually, they would achieve that which Sly desired most.

"Debauchery and chaos. What a grand time for you to join us, Harlan." The second-in-command commented - and though her visage was emotionless, her chords void of all sentiment, Sly still felt hyper-aware of the fervor within the cambion. There was much turbulence within the territories these days, which offered the brotherhood a great deal of opportunity to cause complete pandemonium. With a conflict on such a grand scale as a war brewing, this meant that it was entirely likely that individuals might spread themselves too thin, if they wished both to participate in the battling as well as defend themselves against the Helkaer. The Helkaer was going to just have to determine what was the best way of going about dispersing the efforts, and what sorts of efforts would be in their best interest. "The only real question is who is the next target." Nemesis then commented, and Sly gave a blunt shake of her skull in denial. They knew who the next target was, there was no questioning that. "No." She rebuked tersely, her deep russet gaze traversing between Nemesis and Harlan. "I did not agree to an alliance with the Underworld for no reason. I did so, so that the self-proclaimed high and mighty Utopians could be targeted, and we would not be left vulnerable to their supernatural attacks." A faction she had avoided targeting previously, as she knew that despite what power the brotherhood possessed, they would not be able to stand up to the celestial capabilities of Lady Rasa and her cult. "The fact that they are at war only weakens them further, makes them a better target. That's our aim."


Tagged - illɘgal and ➳ T e c h n o ➳
Notes -

[illɘgal]

the hive never spared anyone

The buckskin paint remained in the water, a small part of her wanting to feel the flames ripping through her body again. It was by no means painless, but she liked that feeling of her old self burning away to leave this creature of chaos in the ash. It was exhilarating. She felt that connection to the supernatural gift, to the Brotherhood. She had found her place, and she sure as shit wasn't going to be leaving any time soon.

She faced the witches with her head high and eager to prove her worth. There was great strength in stability and trust, and with the war and alliance with the Underworld, that even more important. Harlan's maroon gaze followed the bay mare's to their commander with intense curiosity. Before coming here, she had been told bits and pieces of the Helkaer's recent conquests, but obviously not the current or future targets. Rather, where do we stop? Sly's response brought a wolfish smile across the private's lips. The thought of having free reign to shake things up around Wild Equines, especially during this time of conflict, was something Harlan greatly looked forward to. Loose rules, few morals, domination. Trusting no one but the two vixens in front of her. It was a deadly game that she planned on winning.

Debauchery and chaos. What a grand time for you to join us, Harlan. Magenta depths shifted to meet Nemesis's violet gaze at the flat tones that came from her. Harlan didn't allow the tone to offend her, merely nodded before the general seemed to perk up at the idea of violence and chaos. The only real question is who is the next target. Harlan knew of the raid on Eacarrah and wondered if there was another one being planned for another herdland that needed to be corrected. As Sly began to shake her head, the new Helkaer began to slowly make her way out of the water, nearly feeling it calling to her as she stepped out and stood closer to the pair. The scarred chestnut laid out the reasoning for the alliance with Xerxes, and the wraith could see her point. Yes the Helkaer were strong, but the Afterlife had much different powers than them as mortals could reasonably fight against. It was a smart idea to wait until their attention as diverted elsewhere before the trio set their eyes on weakening Utopia any way they could. Take down their supporters while they are distracted, she reasoned aloud. Who does Rasa have a soft spot for that we can hunt down? Or are we murdering any Utopian we find?

aliyaah ➳ T e c h n o ➳