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Post by Renathan on Apr 21, 2018 5:39:17 GMT -6
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Post by Renathan on Apr 21, 2018 5:51:05 GMT -6
It was really a bad month to be going to the mansion, and Renathan knew this. The idea was to take a break from training for a little while to get to know now his stallion a little more now that he was trained a bit and probably would defend him in this hellish place. Well, hopefully anyway. Renathan hadn't had anything bad happen to him in the strange Mansion before, but it really made him nervous when it was acting crazy; and this month it was certainly acting 'crazy'. He is standing on a small hillock on the grounds; looking over at the mansion in it's twisted, fleshy form, wondering what to think of it. He's got his hand on the equillion's side right now, petting him for comfort. The scenery keeps changing; and that is worrisome in and of itself. The equillion does not seem phased at this; his slick mane shook once or twice to dislodge some unseen annoyance... Nothing more.
[1]
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Post by Renathan on Apr 21, 2018 6:00:01 GMT -6
Renathan stands there a little longer, trying to make sense of the area. He's not sure what to make of it in all honesty; it's simply too bizarre to be true. He hadn't heard of anyone going out to the Mansion in several months, so he hopes that the Mansion is lonely enough to play with him gently; and not harshly. He wasn't planning on staying long today, if he could escape, but he knew that the Mansion often trapped people in it to play with them further, or torture them further... Well, whatever it's strange intentions were. He didn't really think it was prudent to take an equillion mining, honestly though. So he decided to take him to the Mansion for some bonding time, which would hopefully work out well for him. He wanted to work on their battle training more, but they both needed a rest. The equillion was getting tired.
[2]
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Post by Renathan on Apr 21, 2018 6:09:39 GMT -6
His creature was very loyal to him, he'd seen it during the training that involved being around strong and threatening creatures, so he felt like it wouldn't be too much of an issue to him him here. Renathan threads his fingers in the stallion's mane, and then breathes out. "Well, it's not quite a castle in the sky, Shy." He says softly, almost under his breath. The stallion's strength of emotion was infectious, he was brave and ignorant. He was not afraid of the rather strange twisting landscape. He snorts harshly, and stamps a foot. He's impatient, he wants Renathan to get on with it. He hadn't trained the creature to be unafraid of scary things, and some of these things were quite odd. Renathan began to lead him down the hillock slowly, but the stallion was obviously more surefooted than he was despite the incline. They eventually make it down to the bottom of the hillock in the mansion's grounds.
[3]
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Post by Renathan on Apr 21, 2018 6:22:51 GMT -6
This may not be a Castle in the Sky, but Shy Guy was not quite a Unicorn either. This was apparent whenever they met their first challenge of the mansion as soon as they saw the bottom of the hillock; a twisting brooklet of water. The huge equillion looks down at the water and stomps a little; he can tell something is wrong with it; like water was in his bones or something; Renathan can feel the strangeness through the empathic link; a type of anxiety and knowing he wasn't sure what to think about. He stands there, and then bends down to look into the water. The water certainly did appear very pretty... Too pretty. It sparkled, and reflected light that just wasn't there. It reflected light as if it was midday; and it was early morning right now. Renathan squints, looks down at it, and then looks up at the sky. The equillion does the same, following his movements quite well.
[4]
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Post by Renathan on Apr 21, 2018 6:43:45 GMT -6
The water is definitely not reflecting any kind of real light from the sky, or anything from the pair of companions; not that the equillion would understand that like Renathan does. Renathan can deduce that; but the equillion seems to feel like something is not quite right with the water. Renathan can tell by looking that there is no real way to get across this other than, well, wading across it. However, he is understandably very cautious and doesn't want to walk randomly into some possibly enchanted or otherwise fae water. Renathan waffles for a moment, shifting his weight from one foot to the other while he tries to decide what to do about this. The equillion decides for him, after a moment, and butts Renathan with his head gently, before bowing down. Renathan is touched by the offer of a ride, and climbs right on. The stallion steps one foot into the water, and then the other.
[5]
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Post by Renathan on Apr 21, 2018 6:54:30 GMT -6
Nothing seems to happen to the stallion when he steps into the water, so he continues on trekking. He was possibly the most bull-headed animal Renathan had ever seen, and that was good for this time of the year at the Mansion. Renathan holds on to the stallion's slick mane and holds his legs up high as the water rises up to the stallion's belly as he rushes further into the tiny brook. The water begins acting very strangely; a pink foam was starting to bubble up, like some of those salts that can be placed into a bathtub to make bubbles. The stallion snorts, and holds his head up a little higher. He was at home in the water; but the bubbles were annoying, and scented like... Cherry Blossoms? Renathan holds his legs up as high as possible. This wasn't so bad at the moment, but it was still annoying; and possibly dangerous.
[6]
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Post by Renathan on Apr 21, 2018 7:03:09 GMT -6
Renathan was a bit afraid that the little brook's pink foamy water would be a dangerous thing or would do something strange to their bodies whenever they tried to get out. Finally, it feels like the stallion's hooves hit the slick mud below the water. It felt like it took them a lot longer to get across than they should have had; like those strange dreams where the hallway or stairs just keep going and going and going... The stallion quickly stands up out of the water and drags himself onto the land, having difficulty; like something was holding him back; he kicks at whatever it was with a hind leg and hauls both him and the rider onto the land. Renathan dismounts quickly, and looks back out across the water. The brook looked normal; but the stallion's body still had remnants of the bright pink foam speckled across it. Renathan is worried, he quickly pets the stallion, and looks at his hand.
[7]
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Post by Renathan on Apr 21, 2018 7:07:55 GMT -6
The stallion seemed to be fine, and Renathan seemed to be fine, his hand wasn't melting or anything strange. He still looks the stallion over quickly and pets his mane. "Thank you Shy." He softly says to the stallion. "You probably saved me back there." The stallion had been acting very water-oriented ever since he had grown; Renathan didn't know why, but he was suddenly incredibly glad for it. He allows the stallion to rest; he was definitely having a little labored breathing from all of the work. The morning was a little cool, and Renathan felt it on the stallion. Luckily, it was warming up fast; the sun was poking up over the horizon now. The brook suddenly moves rapidly; twisting and swirling. Suddenly, Renathan knew they needed to get away, as far away as possible in a short amount of time. He calls for the stallion to follow him, and takes off running across the yard.
[8]
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Post by Renathan on Apr 21, 2018 7:12:24 GMT -6
The stallion faithfully follows Renathan across the yard, even though he is very tired from the rough swim, and they finally make it to another little hillock; which they quickly scale. The stallion breathes heavily, standing atop the little hillock and looking down. Renathan could see the brook down there; twisting wildly on the landscape, as if it were looking for them or something along those lines. He couldn't really figure it out. It was dazzlingly pretty; almost tantalizing, but he knew better. He glances over at the stallion, who was staring at it with obvious hatred. Little did Renathan know; but the whole time the stallion had been swimming, some kind of... Thing, had been trying to grab the stallion's hocks as he swam. He'd kicked it off a few times, but he had been exhausted by the end of it. He had come out of the water just barely, with some kind of cold hand grasping his hind hock.
[9]
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Post by Renathan on Apr 21, 2018 7:15:52 GMT -6
It was probably a good thing Renathan didn't know about all of that; but the stallion did. He knew it was bad. He was very at home in the water; an apex predator in small streams in his heart and head- whatever that was wasn't natural. Renathan places a hand on his side to calm him, and it does a good job at calming him alright. They both stare down at the traveling danger-brook as it twists. Eventually; it appears to give up. The river settles down and appears to stop flowing; instead morphing into a beautiful pond; crystal-clear it seemed and sparkling. After another moment; it appeared to be very hot, like a natural spring. Renathan could hardly believe his eyes; but the stallion knows differently. The stallion stamps at the ground and turns away from the rivulet; but Renathan keeps on staring. He really wanted to check it out.
[10]
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Post by Renathan on Apr 21, 2018 7:20:07 GMT -6
Renathan slowly begins edging towards the end of the hillock, intended to go down it and check out that beautiful natural spring. In his mind, he just had to know whether or not it had different properties or not; than the foamy brook. Of course, he had no idea that it was as dangerous as it had been! He really should know to stay away from such fae things, but the trick the Mansion seems to have laid has pulled him in. Renathan suddenly feels a bite at his shoulder! The stallion has grasped his hair using his teeth; and pulled him back. Renathan quickly pulls out of the grasp of the stallion, who had managed not to get his fangs in Renathan's hair thankfully. Renathan looked angry at first, but then realized WHERE they were and just what he was about to do. The anger suddenly abates; and Renathan gives the stallion a hug.
[11]
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Post by Renathan on Apr 21, 2018 7:24:17 GMT -6
The stallion then walked to the other side of Renathan and nudged him gently with his head on the back, off towards the Mansion. The actual Mansion's house on the grounds seemed farther away! But how was it farther away? The pair had been walking toward it the entire time... Just what was going on here? Renathan stops to think for a moment, his ears laid back a little. Perhaps this was a bad idea? Going back the way they came would not be a good idea, least they be caught by the strange possessed rivulet. Renathan stood there for a moment, trying to make up his mind. The stallion was not having any of this though, he nudged Renathan again, once more, in the opposite direction of the rivulet and seemingly towards the mansion. Perhaps he had began to equate houses with safety for humanoids? Renathan pets the stallion on the mane, and keeps his hand in the mane.
[12]
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Post by Renathan on Apr 21, 2018 7:30:10 GMT -6
The stallion guides Renathan to the far side of this new hillock, away from the strange body of water, and then pushes forward, leading Renathan possessively. He didn't want the man wandering off and doing something stupid that may get him eaten by a predator or something. Renathan follows the stallion now, since he seems to have a better idea of what was dangerous here. As they got down to the yard at the bottom of the hillock Renathan is glad to notice that the strange otherworldly pull of the rivulet is now gone with the lack of being able to see it. That was good at least. He removes his hand from the equillion's mane and they stand there for a moment, collecting their bearings together. The stallion takes less time to do this, but he cares for Renathan enough to let him breathe for a moment at the bottom of the second hillock.
[13]
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Post by Renathan on Apr 21, 2018 7:35:57 GMT -6
The second hillock was high; but it wasn't quite THAT high just a moment ago! As soon as they got to the bottom something felt different. When they both looked up; the hillock might as well have been a tower! Renathan knew that they were not just in a tower; so it was just baffling. The tower looked like it disappeared up into the clouds above. Renathan was just itching to check it out. He turns around and touches the wall; before the stallion could keep him from doing it. It was instantaneous; ivy that grew on the wall like lightning flashed up and grasped him using it's tendrils on his wrist! Renathan jerked his arm back, but the tendril held tight; and other tendrils were coming very fast. Renathan let out a shocked grunt; and the stallion once again snakes forward with his mouth and cuts the ivy tendril with his teeth, freeing Renathan from it's odd grasp.
[14]
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