[+ ebonite +]

cahethal

When he'd gone on the raid to Eacarrah, it had felt like a turning point in his life. Before, he'd never participated in such levels of violence, of blatant terrorism. It had been odd at first, but he'd quickly gotten into the rhythm of it all. He was clearly not the best fighter, but being in a real battle had given him insight into his skills, where he excelled and what he lacked. He'd only trained with Legion before this and now he knew what areas he needed to improve on. After the raid had finished though, things had not ended there. An impulsive plan of Yvette's had taken hold instead. She'd managed to capture the child of one of the Neutrals who had joined the battle and had lured the mare there, along with two of her other family members. Cahethal and Persephone both had been summoned to assist in their capture for Yvette's twisted experiments. Cahethal thought he would have had more qualms about such a thing - being a battle was one thing, but helping capture horses specifically for torture was another. However, he obeyed the order without question and helped capture the four of them. He'd made sure to keep his identity hidden during the ordeal and he was certain that he would not be recognized afterward.

After they had completed their mission, he and Persephone had gone back to Clypeus, exhausted but exhilarated and things had escalated from there. Cahethal had always harbored some feelings for the mare he'd grown up with, but had no idea that she returned them in any fashion. In fact, he'd been confused for a while over whether or not she even considered them friends. Now, he felt certain though that they were. It had been a risk to do such things of course given her cambion status, but she'd bitten him first so he could be cured easier - after all, little Antares was within the grasp of the herd and could cure Cahethal of the affliction quickly - and they might need to utilize that ability often. The months following had been a whirlwind of watching over Yvette's prisoners, training, and being with Persephone. Recently, the prisoners had escaped with the aid of some unknown parties, though Cahethal was certain now that Yvette had let them go on purpose. Otherwise she would have been far more upset with their escape. They could then go on to spread word of the horrors that they'd suffered. Better to do that and spread fear than outright kill them.

However, in that time, another major change had happened and that was Legion stepping down from the Helkaer and allowing a new member to take his place. Cahethal had been angered and saddened by this news, given Legion was the one who'd given him his drive to start participating in the first place. But he would just have to transfer this drive elsewhere - to the new Helkaer member. Cahethal had debated leaving the lands to join Legion in Toxin Raj, but those lands held so many other memories for him that he wasn't sure he could go back. He wanted the fresh start. And if he was truly devoted to the cause, he could be just as dedicated to Harlan as he had been to Legion. Which meant that it was time for them to officially speak. With the prisoners gone now, he had no further guard duties and could start participating in the newly named Sinheim in full. With that thought on his mind, he let out a call to summon the Helkaer mare, hoping that the conversation would go smoothly.


tag ¿illɘgal¡¿
timeline several months after the raid on eacarrah
notes here he is for you <3

[¿illɘgal¡¿]

H A R L A N

After finally meeting Xerxes, the wraith was even more motivated than before to prove herself and continue to lay the groundwork for her plans. She had been able to begin bringing equines into the Helkaer cause while solidifying the loyalty of those who were previously living under Undead Legion. She hadn't had the chance to meet her predecessor, but she did intend to reach out to see what knowledge he could share. She had been preoccupied with keeping her twins out of her business and building her network. Now that there was a clearer path ahead for the Helkaer to assist the Underworld in this war with the Afterlife, Harlan had temporarily turned her attention away from haunting the Dark kingdom and to the task at hand. Chaos.

While she was unsure of how exactly the Helkaer were supposed to give their opponents the choice to see that the Underworld was the better choice in this war, the private was feeling more focused than before. There would be no more torturing Belial until the fighting has ended and the temporary truce with the Dark Kingdom came to an end. For now, training and spying were becoming her personal priorities. She needed more able bodied equines to assist her, and that was what today was about.

The warm weather had quickly come to Sinheim and the wind held its familiar biting grit as it whipped through her white and silver tresses. The wraith, per usual, had chosen to leave the young colts deep in the tunnels below the land. They had begun practicing hunting techniques with their pups, and their antics were a constant nuisance. She simply was not in the mood for their obnoxious banter today. Instead, the buckskin mare chose the company of a large, nearly black wolf who stuck close to her side. She had already gone on one adventure without the canine, and realized it made more sense to keep the beast nearby than potentially be hunted by another large cat.

She had planned to set off back towards the Freelands again when a call on the breeze caught the pair's attention. Magenta orbs turned toward the source, and it didn't take long before her gaze settled on a two toned equine in the distance. Irritation was hidden beneath a heavy dose of curiosity as she observed the stallion for a few moments. After watching him move for a few paces, Harlan released an answering call and closed the distance. When the mare and wolf were within a few feet, they came to a stop and the wraith's expression was carefully blank as she took in the tall brute. Good morning, she said with even, curious tones. I am Harlan, welcome to Sinheim. She looked the paint over with a careful eye and kept the suspicion off her face. You were looking for me?


TAG + ebonite +
WORDS 400+
TIMELINE after Xerxes/Helkaer meeting
NOTES <3

[+ ebonite +]

cahethal

He had not stepped foot much in Sinheim since Harlan had taken it over, busy as he'd been with Yvette's pet project. It meant spending a fair amount of time in Toxin Raj with all of those memories. It was one of the reasons he'd decided against going back there. He needed the clean slate. If he could serve Harlan as well as he'd served Legion, then he knew that he belonged here, among the Outlands. It had been him so long to realize this and it made him angry how much time he'd wasted simply observing and not participating in anything. But he was making up for all of that lost time now. He would do whatever Harlan required of him and hopefully earn her trust as he had earned Legion's. He knew very little about the mare, but he could guess on some shared qualities among the rest of the Brotherhood - proud, headstrong, fierce, bloodthirsty. Sly would not have inducted her into the order without these. The rest, he didn't know. It was something he would have to learn.

He caught a glimpse of the mare approaching him from some distance away, a fact aided by his height. She gave an answering call as she approached and Cahethal took the time to observe her body language as she did so. Whatever emotions she was feeling were guarded, which made her expression unreadable. Pretty par for the course in this line of work. Cahethal's expression was neutral as well, something that he had had to practice at. He had not been used to covering his emotions, but being a spy for the better part of a year had given him a lot of experience at that now.

'Good morning,' her tones were even, curious perhaps. 'I am Harlan, welcome to Sinheim.' Cahethal nodded in acknowledgement, even though he knew who she was and where they were. He hadn't been here since she'd taken over so of course she didn't know him. 'You were looking for me?' she asked. "Yes. My name is Cahethal," he said, dipping his head respectfully. "I lived here when Undead Legion held these lands and now I'd like to become a part of your herd. We would have met before when you first got the position, but I was away in Toxin Raj attending to other Helkaer business with Yvette," he gave the explanation, not wanting to overwhelm her with too much information from the get-go. He was open to elaborating further on any of it. It would be natural of her to be suspicious of a newcomer asking to be a part of her herd, but he had plenty of sources to back up his story should she require them.


tag ¿illɘgal¡¿
timeline several months after the raid on eacarrah
notes <33

[¿illɘgal¡¿]

H A R L A N

It seemed natural that the few that lived among the Brotherhood or knew of them would be curious to learn about the new private, similar to how Evereve and Aaradhya had sought her out almost immediately. There could be challengers, curiosities, doubters, suspicions. All fair thoughts to have. Ultimately, Harlan wasn't concerned with dousing their fears, she only wanted to ensure that Sly and Nemesis - eventually - had no reservations about accepting her. It certainly didn't hurt to have a loyal following, but she was not above utilizing fear to gain security.

As she took in the painted stallion, she got the feeling that using fear and violence towards him wouldn't exactly be necessary. She didn't recognize his scent, but that didn't mean that he wasn't familiar with the lands. She took in his introduction without any recollection of his name, but that didn't mean that he wasn't important. Cahethal. Harlan tucked that information away for later. I lived here when Undead Legion held these lands and now I'd like to become a part of your herd. We would have met before when you first got the position, but I was away in Toxin Raj attending to other Helkaer business with Yvette. The mare's head tilted in mild suspicion despite immediately recognizing Yvette's name. Whenever the private finally made it out to meet Legion, she would definitely have to probe more about this beast, should his words be true. While it is likely that some Helkaer followers may keep their names hidden, that didn't mean that they all did and it could be possible that this beast had simply asked around.

Magenta eyes locked onto near gold ones and she didn't bother to hide the suspicion she felt. A part of my herd? she lightly mused loud. And why would I allow you to join me, Cahethal? Simply because you served Undead Legion? Her branded shoulder lifted in a noncommittal gesture. What sort of Helkaer business were you involved in? The black wolf began to slowly circle the stallion without any clear indication of aggression, just a reflection of curiosity and suspicion that the wraith held.The buckskin settled in with a tilt of her hoof as her companion continued her stroll. I require loyalty to not only the cause, but myself included. You are - apparently - already established and familiar with the Helkaer, which is useful. But there will be no information kept from me by my herd members unless required to be kept secret at the order of Sly or Nemesis. Therefore, I want to know the details of your work with Undead Legion and Yvette.


TAG + ebonite +
WORDS 400+
TIMELINE after Xerxes/Helkaer meeting
NOTES <3

[+ ebonite +]

cahethal

He took note of the way her head tilted at his explanation and immediately knew he would have to further explain himself. He didn't mind at all. In fact, he would be more concerned if she took all of his words at face value and welcomed him in. The Helkaer Brotherhood was strong, but it was small and elite. Any who wished to join it needed to be vetted properly. 'A part of my herd?' she said. 'And why would I allow you to join me, Cahethal? Simply because you served Undead Legion?' He figured that would give him proper experience, but she was allowed to be skeptical. Not too skeptical, though, he hoped. He'd rather stay here in lands he was familiar with rather than try his luck with Oinaze or Toxin Raj again. 'What sort of Helkaer business were you involved in?' she asked him. Her wolf companion began to circle him then, though Cahethal showed little reaction other than a curious glance at the canine. He was used to wolves, having lived in Helkaer territory for all of his life. The wolf was not hostile, so there was no need to be concerned.

'I require loyalty to not only the cause, but myself included. You are - apparently - already established and familiar with the Helkaer, which is useful. But there will be no information kept from me by my herd members unless required to be kept secret at the order of Sly or Nemesis. Therefore, I want to know the details of your work with Undead Legion and Yvette,' she said to him, ordering him as if he was a part of her herd already. The thought made him want to smirk, but he refrained. He suspected she would not take it well. He had only refrained from explaining everything from the get-go to avoid dumping too much information on her at once. Perhaps she was someone who liked that, however. He would tuck that information away for use in the future.

"I grew up here in the Outlands. My mother is Respira, the previous Commander of the Helkaer before Sly. My home was Toxin Raj until it burned in the fire that forced Respira to step down. After that, I came here to Undead Legion to serve under him. I confess that before the fire, I was not ambitious and was content to do nothing," he explained to her. He didn't feel the need to hide his history here. The more detail he had, the better. He would also not pretend that his history before serving Legion was anything other than what it was - embarrassing and prone to scorn. He would not be surprised if Harlan had a similar or worse reaction than Legion did upon hearing it. But he would confess it all the same. He had proven that he had the drive to serve the cause now - his spying mission had gone on for more than a year, his raid on Eacarrah had gone successfully, and he'd helped Yvette capture four prisoners in a fruitful experiment. He was ready and eager for more on his plate. "Everything changed when my home burned down. I wanted more from life than wasting away. Legion trained me and sent me on a spying mission on the Dark Kingdom where my cover is still maintained. I participated in the raid on the Neutral land of Eacarrah and afterward, helped Yvette capture four prisoners who had helped fight in the raid. She held them for half a year experimenting with the cambion disease on them. I guarded them during this time, making sure they had enough food and water to last, but not enough to escape. Yvette recently let them go, let them think that they escaped to spread fear. It was after this that I learned Legion had stepped down and you had taken his place."

He paused then, letting her digest all of the information he had just said. Then he added as a final addendum, "I have become familiar with these lands and consider them more my home than Toxin Raj, where I grew up. I am loyal to the cause and I can be useful to you as well, if you'll have me." If not, well then he would go somewhere else that would make use of his potential. He still had plenty to learn, but he was fresh clay to be molded if whatever way she saw fit.


tag ¿illɘgal¡¿
timeline several months after the raid on eacarrah
notes <33

[¿illɘgal¡¿]

H A R L A N

The wraith studied the larger stallion as she awaited his response, taking in his every inch and muscle. Memorizing every line. She was just as interested in his body language as she was in his words, and she noticed that the painted beast wasn't put off by the canine who circled him. Harlan didn't necessarily keep Nine around for intimidation; she tended to be more useful in chasing down game for the twins. But, his lack of negative reaction provided a drop of support towards his claim of living and serving the Helkaer. Not enough to quench the private's suspicion entirely, but it was noted.

She listened to the beginning of his tale, disappointment and astonishment rising to the surface. The son of the Respira preferring to do nothing? If either of her children elected to do nothing in the future, they would not be welcome home until they got their shit together. Her ears swiveled back at that thought, and could only imagine how the previous commander had felt. Everything changed when my home burned down. I wanted more from life than wasting away. Oh, really? A natural disaster had to occur for Cahethal to figure out how to not be useless? It was interesting that he chose to work under Undead Legion instead of remaining in Toxin Raj to rebuild his home.

Cahethal continued to list his credentials and a few things caught Harlan's attention. The fact that the bronze and ivory beast's cover was still intact was an incredibly useful tool. While she couldn't exploit that at the moment, it would absolutely come in handy later once the war settled down and the truce was lifted. His involvement in Yvette's experimentation was also interesting. That type of torture was brutal, and one that had Harlan was mildly impressed by the balls that Yvette had. The type of fear that that could cultivate was the exact type that the private also wanted to spread. She made a mental note to possibly seek the mare out in the future for further details.

As he finished, Harlan could see the possibilities laid out in front of her. The Helkaer currently have a temporary truce with the Dark Kingdom, though it would be smart for you to show face occasionally and continue to learn anything you can, she began thoughtfully. We should keep that cover intact. She met his eyes, genuine curiosity clearly written across her painted face. Tell me, did you like helping Yvette with her experiments? Would that affect her opinion of Cahethal? Probably not. But it was a way for her to get more of a feel for where he could best succeed in future missions. If he did, the stallion could possibly more successful in brutal and viscous tasks. If not, then more spy work would be more beneficial. Neither answer was better than the other, but she did want to know how he felt about it.

The wraith kept her steady gaze on him as she considered her options and awaited his response. His history was an interesting one, and while his younger years gave the private a bad taste in her mouth, he had done enough with his life since then to prove that he could be useful to her. But, she needed more concrete evidence. I have a task for you before I make a final decision. Since it isn't wise for you to hang around the Neutral kingdom after the raid, I want you to go the Light kingdom. I want to know what promises Utopia has made to them regarding this war - protection, nephilim, forgiveness for their sins, what have you. Harlan watched his facial expressions, a small part of her hoping that he would rise to the occasion. Once you find that out, you can join me in proving those promises to be mere words and show them that Rasa can't protect them from us.


TAG + ebonite +
WORDS 600+
TIMELINE after Xerxes/Helkaer meeting
NOTES xxxx

[+ ebonite +]

cahethal

Cahethal waited in silence for the Helkaer mare's judgment. Already his mind ticked away to figure out where he could go if she rejected him and told him to leave. If that was so, he could go back to Toxin Raj and see if Nemesis would find him of any use. She was the next likely candidate given his involvement with Yvette's experimentation. If not her, then he would go to Sly. If all of them rejected his help, then, well, he was not sure where he would go. Maybe he'd embrace his spy identity entirely in the Dark Kingdom and simply go by Kazar from then on. If not there, then there were places outside of Wild Equines he could explore, though he would be loathe to leave Persephone behind. Hopefully it would not come to that, but it didn't hurt to have contingency plans. He'd learned that much through his spywork. Having backup plans and fallbacks was the best way to not get caught and if it did happen, there were plans in place for that, too.

'The Helkaer currently have a temporary truce with the Dark Kingdom, though it would be smart for you to show face occasionally and continue to learn anything you can,' Harlan said. Cahethal felt hopeful. She was debating his secret identity at least, though she hadn't said outright that he could stay yet. He could definitely go out and keep an eye on the Dark Kingdom and their activities, get more opinions from the leaders now that so much time had passed since he'd last done so. 'We should keep that cover intact.' She commented. He gave a short nod. 'Tell me, did you like helping Yvette with her experiments?' she asked him. Truth be told, he had not done a whole lot to "help" other than guarding them, but he had enjoyed doing that job, yes. He'd made sure they didn't get away whenever they were let out to eat, drink, or take walks at the edges of the Free lands. And when Yvette had ordered that they "escape", he did that as well. He hadn't taken the same sadistic pleasure in their torture as Yvette had, but he was content that the experiments had furthered the Helkaer's cause and brought them closer to their goal. "The only help I gave was guarding them, but yes, I enjoyed it. The experiments helped further the cause and will hopefully spread more fear about the cambion disease and its affects, which can be nothing but good for us," he replied. The experiments had involved torture, yes, but if that was necessary for the cause, then it was necessary. It didn't matter if he enjoyed it or not. Maybe part of that was because they hadn't been his prisoners and he'd been under Yvette's supervision the whole time. He couldn't do much without her say so. But if he was given his own freedom to do what he wished? Well, he hadn't gotten that opportunity yet. Even his spy work was carefully controlled. He was still learning and getting experience. He wasn't afraid to admit that.

'I have a task for you before I make a final decision. Since it isn't wise for you to hang around the Neutral kingdom after the raid, I want you to go the Light kingdom. I want to know what promises Utopia has made to them regarding this war - protection, nephilim, forgiveness for their sins, what have you.' She began again. So he was right that she'd hadn't accepted him yet. But there was an opportunity here for it. The Light Kingdom, huh? He couldn't say he'd been there before, which was a good thing. He could once again don a spy mask and find out what he could. His natural awkwardness would probably endear him more to the Light alliance. 'Once you find that out, you can join me in proving those promises to be mere words and show them that Rasa can't protect them from us,' she finished. He nodded, his mind working, trying to figure out the best approach to this. He would start in the Free lands and see what rumors he could hear from the Light hangouts. Then he could try to get the opinions of the herd leaders, though he had to tread carefully in that regard, especially if he was asking about Utopia and any favors they'd promised. Free lands first and he'd work his way from there. He'd had experience with this already, which helped boost his confidence somewhat. "I will start with the Free lands and work my way toward the mainlands. I'll report back every week with my findings," he answered her by revealing his game plan. If she had any critiques or advice, he was open to it. He'd take any of it that he could get. If his reporting timeline was too long for her, now was the time to let him know. Spy work was not fast and it took time, but he could try to hasten it if she needed the information sooner.


tag ¿illɘgal¡¿
timeline several months after the raid on eacarrah
notes <33