I AM THE AFTERMATH // pyramid destruction

[VALE]

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graphic gore ★ genderfluid ★ greyscale hyena

Red paint squicked down the massive hyena’s grey and black fur. Streams of the stuff ran down Vale’s face, around vis glowing red eyes, as the shapeshifter gnashed a grin at vis work. Ve sat back on vis haunches in front of the black pyramid, clapping vis paws together. “COME ONE, COME ALL, TO MY LAST OPEN LETTER TO GAELIC BREATH!”

With a wide smile, ve gestured with a paw to the motley array of colorful piñatas. A fox hanging by its neck. A decapitated fox. Another fox strung up by its front paws. And so on. While each looked technically sound, none had a cohesive color scheme, and they all dripped red paint through their bellies.

Vale’d already bashed open one. Its carcass lay in tattered pieces in front of ver, legs torn off and head smashed in. Fresh red paint splattered over the black pyramid, adding a fresh layer of chaos to Vale’s graffiti masterpiece. Vale pawed lazily at the fox piñata’s innards, half-heartedly looking for the organs ve’d placed inside each piñata. Oh well. It wasn’t like they would still be edible, anyway.

“Please enjoy yourselves! By the way, the main entertainment’ll be here… in… well, I don’t believe me and the special affects gang settled on an exact time… but keep your eye out for fireworks!” Vale squinted up at the sky, one eye almost pinched closed compared to the other, as ve added, “Ah, well, maybe that conversation was a dream?”

// the pyramid will come down in vale's next post

YOU NEVER TRUSTED ME ★
BUT I’M OVER IT NOW
[sub][W]isker[/sub]

[ninazu]

BURN
BRIGHT

Ninazu busted her way out of the tunnel system into the black pyramid itself. Dirt and coal clung to her sandy pelt, but, regardless, her green flames harmoniously flicked around her neck and shoulders. She grimaced to herself; when she’d been ardent, she’d stuck to tradition and lived in splendor. It was a shame to see the black pyramid looked as though it hadn’t been lived in for months. Insects had begun nesting amongst the furniture. Vines and greenery crawled through the stones, beginning the long campaign of reclaiming the pyramid in the name of mother nature.

“Marilyn, keep the tunnel open for our exit,” Ninazu said, nodding to the npc caracal. She grinned as she looked to the rest of the crew. “Everyone else, let’s bring this place down. And if you’re going to loot anything, do it quick.”

Ninazu took the opportunity to fling a couple of gold, platinum, and other sorts of jewelry into her sachet. Even if Gael rarely used the pyramid, it still contained treasures from past ardents, and Ninazu grabbed a golden skull eerily reminiscent of one of her favorite ‘trinkets’ from her own throne room. Well, it was hers now, whether the original or not. But she stopped there, keeping her satchel

Her claws sunk into the ground. Stones cracked, boulders ripping free from the floor, and plumes of smoke rose up. The plants and vines rapidly grew, their roots smashing through the weaknesses in the pyramid’s stone, shaking the pyramid and the surrounding area. Pieces of inner walls fell away, their lack of support intensifying the trembling, and clouds of sand kicked up both outside and inside of the structure.

Expression fixed in a grimace, Ninazu concentrated and bit her lip. Blood oozed out of her nose and ears as her fearsome mane died down to little flickers. Concentrating on the earth and plants took more willpower than she’d anticipated, and she didn’t have the energy to maintain her firey appearance. She huffed, centered herself with her breathing, and grinned when she felt the tremors intensify beneath her paws.

© MADI

[SirDio]

Chernabog

The beast had been silent around everyone for quite a while, and no one knew why. Some proposed she was scheming, some proposed she had simply lost interest in everything... and everyone.. within the Pitt. That didn't mean she wanted to leave. At least, not yet. When Vale called over the Pitt before the black pyramid, she was confused. The piñatas meant nothing to the dragon, even if she did like the taste of a heart or any organ.

She waited patiently, but slowly she grew annoyed. Finally, she felt the slightest of tremors under her talons and noticed the scent of smoke within the air. She sent a small look, a small smile, to the hyena.

Finally, a show!

[trojan g.]

Home.

Sweeney didn't think that any time soon she would be home, not after what had happened in Tanglewood. The thoughts echoed in the back of her mind as she flew above the desert, looking down below on everything, watching, waiting. She didn't agree with what Vale said, most of the time didn't agree with the other, but today her mind wasn't right. She couldn't place it, she knew what had happened but couldn't quite put a word on it. Every time she felt like she got close she felt as though something pulled her back.

So for now, she watched and waited for someone to arrive, so she could dive and make sure they didn't get close to those she was manipulated into protecting.

THERE ARE RULES AND THERE ARE STRICTURES

[Kian.]

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Kian Ó Faoláin

The Irishman had been about to gather a hunting patrol.  He knew Gael patrolled the borders on the daily, but he wanted to be useful, provide those helpful paws he promised to -- especially now, when he felt he had the worst timing in the world.  He had been about to gather a small crew and set off, when an interruption occurred.

Kian flicked his ear.  "You know," the pirate began in a particularly bored tone, "if you put half as much effort into this little displays, into some actual contribution to the group, you might make a half-decent marauder."

The wildcat often had more patience but felt particularly low on tolerance today -- he had only heard of Vale, in his time among the Pitt, had wanted to form his opinion and felt irritated.  Kian hardly minded distractions, but at the end of the day, it was important to put work towards the community; otherwise, what was the point of banding together in the first place?  All he had heard of Vale was zer these displays for attention. 

"Too bad you don't inspire much in the way of loyalty."

His eyes narrowed.  He kept his distance, remaining in range to call out, but uninterested in getting too close to those he had little reason to trust.  When the ground trembled, the faerie tilted his chin. 

"Aine!" The white temple was hardly far -- if she were there, hopefully, she would hear.  "If there are trespassers in the tunnels, collapse them.  Bury them alive."

The cold words felt out of place to the pirate, but he had no tolerance for this today.  He stood for a Pitt that stood together.  Not one that sounded suspiciously like they were bringing enemies into their own camp -- that was simply treason.

We'll all be returning, if we sail together

[Stryker]

After Ninazu, the Kingpin himself crawled out of the tunnel system and made his courageous entrance. His slitted hues traced the pyramid, narrowing in on the untouched areas. What had happened? When Stryker and Ninazu led The Pitt, they always lived in glory. Hell, at least Jervis kept the place tidy. With a soft grumble, the lion followed his lover further into the pyramid with his eyes on the lookout for any onlookers. So far, they were clear.

As the guru went towards the jewelry, the former Pittian ardent sauntered towards the back of the room and let his eyes wander around the area in search of anything interesting. The lion wasn't particularly materialistic. A subtle grunt left him as he reached forward, stuffing his own satchel with small trinkets and knives to dish out when they got home. Some of the things he grabbed his children would enjoy too. Satisfied with his finds, he shifted his focus back on the mission and readjusted himself to focus on Ninazu.

Stryker's paws sunk into the floor below. A green colored gaze disappeared behind his eyelids and the ground began to tremble underneath. His heart raced and his mind pushed along furiously, focusing all his concentration on the earth below. Muscles tensed. Claws drove their way into the floor. All his might rushed throughout his body and released cathartically with a roar that echoed throughout the pyramid. Stone around the lion shot up out of the floor and slammed ruthlessly at the walls. Ninazu's vines also led their own damage. Their combined efforts causing the earth around them to shatter and kick up into the air. The walls around them began to crumble. Jagged monoliths the remains started to bolt downward. With their repeated efforts, the valiant lions' destruction came to be.

As Stryker's breath faded away and his echoing roar deafened, the world around them began to fall apart. Thus it was time for The Pitt's downfall.

[ninazu]

BURN
BRIGHT

The crumbling pyramid cut Ninazu’s attempted thievery short. If the lioness had her way, she’d’ve dragged out all the gold, platinum, and bone crafted items in the pyramid. They belonged to her, after all; a fact cemented, in her mind, by the fact the current ardent left the place to gather dust. And no matter why Vale’d asked for their help, Ninazu would follow her own goals of stealing her bloody jewelry back.

She jumped back when a rock dropped down and crunched a decorative skeleton. With a grimace, she flicked her tail and added one less jolt of power to the vines ripping the place to shreds; they writhed, wiggled, and the rain of pebbles increased threefold.

“Time to leave, my love.” After rubbing her cheek against Stryker’s, the lioness slipped out of the crumbling pyramid and darted for the tunnel’s opening. Fortunately, the Pitt hadn’t seemed to care one lick about their pyramid coming down, since the way remained clear. And once she was in, she was in; the combined earth elemental power of her and her husband would keep them alive, despite any aftershocks or instability their destruction wrecked on the underground tunnel system.

/ out

© MADI

[VALE]

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graphic gore ★ genderfluid ★ gore hyena

Vale rounded on Kian, gnashing vis teeth and giggling hysterically, and the hyena attempted to hurl a pawful of sand in the pirate’s mouth. Saliva and blood splattered from the decaying animal’s maw. As the ground trembled, Vale’s laughter rose in volume and pitch, until the beast practically screeched vis giggles.

Vis red eyes snapped back to Kian. “Oh, shut the fuck up! Did you show up to my bonfire? Did you greet the joiners I greeted? Did you see how epic my rap battle was?” Vale’s head bobbed from right to left as the hyena pranced in place. Ve snarled and grabbed a paint-filled pinata and attempted to fling it at Kian. “I am done with being told what to fucking do by useless fools. Like Gaelic Breath. Like whoever the fuck you are, you fat-mouthed shit-eater.”

“I did not come out of the wildlands to obey fat cats who don’t get off their asses. And if the rest of you are too braindead to see my point, just following orders like everyone else, then I can see I’m wasting my time trying to bring some life into this deadzone.”

Vale’s lips curled back. Ve exhaled smoke in a black puff, then turned to Chernabog. “Though I appreciate you, my friend, the only one who listened. Aside from Atticus. But, really, Atticus knew better than to stay here and tolerate this shit—should’ve left with him. Hahahahaha!” Vale’s laughter sounded pained, horrifically pained, and the hyena chomped another pinata and threw it into the collapsing pyramid. “Shoulda. Coulda. Woulda.”

The pinata exploded against the crumbling black stones, splattering the fractured building in red, and sprinkles of paint fell to the small crowd below. The eyes and words Vale’d previously painted over the structure fractured and came down in chunks. Everything was black stone and red—wet or dry—like a bloodstained black wolf. A dead wolf.

“Fuck this. I’m out!”

The last of the pyramid came down with a thump, spraying clouds of dirt and sand in every direction. Black wings gooped out of Vale’s back, ripping out of the bleeding and painted fur, and the hyena took to the sky.

“SMELL YOU LATER, FUCKERS!”

/ out

YOU NEVER TRUSTED ME ★
BUT I’M OVER IT NOW
[sub][W]isker[/sub]

[SirDio]

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THE BEAST

You never said 'I love you'~dark blue western dragon~Your eyes always lied~undiscerned age, presumably in the 65 million year range~honey the devil wears high heels~Sentient and Violent~Even if her lover dies~Attack in [color=#ffd700]Gold + Bold~Especially if his death is by her own hand~Speech in [color=#66cd00]Bold

[/td][/tr][/table]

Yellow eyes looked to the collapsing temple as Vale spoke, a smile tugging on her grotesque face. Kian's words fell on her own deaf ears and she reared back as the temple fell, a loud roar echoing from her. [color=#66cd00]"We should have left alongside the child -- You're right, Vale!" She cackled, wings unfurling and lifting her up with a powerful force. She heard a yell from an NPC, accusing her of treason, and to that she laughed. [color=#66cd00]"To think I would be loyal to mercenaries, when my power lies behind killing and taking what does not belong to me, is mere primitive!"

Watching Vale leave, she turned to face the crowd again, plumes of smoke drifting from her nostrils. [color=#66cd00]"FAREWELL, FOOLS." With that scream, she spun and followed Vale. Vey were far more aligned with her mindset than any of these fools.

Out, biaches!/

[color=#66cd00]"Speech" [color=#336600]'Thoughts'

[aine.]

[table][tr][td]

AINE NÍ BROIN
FLESHWEAVER
FAE DRUID
INFORMATION

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[div style="width: 360px; font-family: palatino; color: #2e8b57; text-align: left; padding-top: 15px; padding-left: 10px"]I'LL C[color=#36829c]OME BACK WHEN YOU CALL ME

To hear her cousin call, the petite deer-fox froze in her tracks immediately.  Satchel full of recently gathered herbs at her side.  Dull hazel hues lighting up in fury as she heeded the call.  Aine didn't ask why, didn't bother.

She was tired.  She was angry.  She was bitter.  The Pitt was her home and someone was attacking it.

She dug her hooves into the ground, reaching for the tunnels beneath and leveled them wherever she could to bury or injure anyone below, a growl in her throat.  "Traitor."

"Shut the fuck up, chienne," she snarled, raising the ground up before Kian in a defensive manner.  Vale was a hypocrite now, as far as the fleshweaver felt.  All zer calling for vengeance on outsiders who destroyed their land only to bring more in to do the very same.  All the better for their leaving.  The Pitt may be built on rough foundations, but they were supposed to be loyal.  "Zey ev-ever come back, I'll kill zem myself."

Four... Seven... Eight...  Breathe.  "Is-is anyone hurt?"  There was a great deal of dust in the air.  And rubble.

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© MADI