There is a popular belief that no life exists where there is no green. No light in darkness. That pain and death walk hand in hand. But those who knew how to look and truly see would know that such a belief was nonsense. Out here in the middle of a desert night, the moon cast its pearly glow across the rocks and scrub. Howls, skitters, and the occasional cry of a night bird brought life to the night.
Silence descended as a shadow floated ethereally across the rocks. There was no sound made by footstep. The only trace left to tell of its passing was a slight aura of fear that was torn by a lazy breeze. This was how Tamreta preferred to proceed when she went out to feed. Any stray villager would feel an acute sense of uneasiness that would send them back to their homes, especially grave robbers. There was no need for a human to interrupt and start rumors of a demon eating the flesh of their ancestors. It caused too much trouble. That being said, it was also wise for her to target the older graveyards that were farther out away from the town.
She was doing that now, as she paused briefly before the gate of a small abandoned graveyard. There was probably not much flesh left here to eat, but bone could provide just as much sustenance if one wasn’t choosy about the dusty taste. After she had made sure there was no human around she walked inside and knelt beside the nearest grave. It was the work of a few minutes for her to unearth the occupant of the shallow grave. Much became easier when one was a reaper, just as there were many difficulties.
Removing the scarf covering her face, Tamreta the femur to her mouth. Her teeth closed around the bone, but she did not bite down. There was a sucking noise as her body absorbed the energy that lingered at the bone’s center. When she was finished she placed the bone down carefully as she clacked her jaw together. “Not as dusty as I had thought,” she mused, her voice a sudden sweetness in the silent dark.
Post by Locutus Ferox on Jun 24, 2011 19:18:55 GMT -5
Sat on a nearby gentle ridge in the graveyard, a wolf sat, with it's head on it's paws. Due to the low light, distance, and stance the wolf might look more like it's distant Coyote relatives that were common to the area. The only telling sign that the wolf was not your standard wildlife was the glowing red eyes that peered out across the graveyard at the reaper.
It sat there watching it unearth the grave and consume the remaining energy of the occupant without making a single sound. For a moment Locutus's eyes narrowed ever-so-slightly as the wolf watched the act. He was aware that all things died, and he of course accepted that. But he felt the act he witnessed was downright unnatural. Still, the wolf stayed where it was, watching with a morbid curiosity.
It had been a while since he had interacted with a reaper.... His brow furrowed as his thoughts wondered back to that moment. It had been an unfortunate encounter that always had been a touchy subject with him. That had played into his eventual avoidance of the creatures at a whole.
But here he found himself, watching another one of these creatures. Thoughts wandered through his head as he scanned the area. Nothing but dust and wind. It was that eerie silence, not unlike the field of some battle after all all the dust had settled. One could imagine that people nearby would be shutting their doors and shutters. This brought an inward chuckle from the deity. Reapers always had a way of clearing out the population. Had to be their reputation.
He took in a deep breath and let it out softly as the breeze momentarily picked up, letting the breeze cover up the sudden huff from the wolf. And thus, he waited, watching to see what the reaper would do next.
It came to her on a breath of wind. There was a chill feeling in the air that surrounded her, one that silently observed. She ignored the feeling. Even if someone were nearby she still had to feed. But it would also be foolishness to leave a potential threat unchecked. After all, she had not worked so hard to remain hidden only to have some brave human stumble upon her now and spread panic.
She let the shadows sink in to her, hiding her comfortably in their embrace. Then she raised the power of her aura quite high as a precaution. The setting was actually suited to her needs. Humans all had this sense of uneasiness around the graves of their dead so it would not garner further inquiry if one of them was suddenly frightened in a graveyard.
Still, the feeling in her bones did not disappear. There was something else out there. Something not human. "Who are you," she called out, "who watches a reaper feed?"
Post by Locutus Ferox on Jun 27, 2011 22:02:14 GMT -5
Those glowing red orbs glow with mirth as the wolf watches the reaper. He chuckles inwardly as the being suspects his presence. At length the wolf finally stands up and pads over to the reaper and sits down on its haunches. A faint growl escapes from him momentarily as he watches the creature. Beyond that he makes no move yet, simply analyzing Tamreta.
Meanwhile his mind wandered. His ears didn't move but they picked up more than they needed to. His senses also picked it up, even for the harsh climate there was little in the way of wildlife.... humans... What had they done here? There were still some calls in the far off, but even most animals, those other than scavengers, avoided this place. Graveyards were an ominous place even for wildlife. Perhaps it was the unnatural amount of bodies found within them. Much like Bone yards too were often seldom traveled. But even now, too few he sensed. Where were all the creatures of this land... Where had they gone?
Despite that nagging question, he rooted himself back into the here and now, keeping his attention on the reaper before him. He of course hadn't let it show that his attention had momentarily expanded outward to the outlying area.
Edit: Boss man was nagging bout it being too short D: Even though he sometimes cuts it close too >.> *grumble grumble*
Last Edit: Jun 28, 2011 16:56:30 GMT -5 by Locutus Ferox
No words were spoken as Tamreta studied the creature before her. The wolf was a handsome specimen, but he was much larger than any of the indigenous species. That added with the creatures apparent lack of fear only increased her surety that this wolf was not natural.
Now the number of possible fields was narrowed. Seeing as how shapeshifters, especially those of the higher levels, were more cautious when around other mystical beings then there was only one possible identity left.
The smile of a reaper is disconcerting at best. Without flesh, their jaws themselves would morph to fit the profile. Probably the creepy grins seen on Halloween skeletons were first modeled by someone who had seen the process. So it was when Tamreta smiled down at the wolf.
"Well, I had not expected to meet such a godly person tonight," she said. "Tell me, what interest does the God of Nature have out here?"
Post by Locutus Ferox on Jun 28, 2011 1:35:32 GMT -5
The wolf's eyes blazed momentarily as an actual chuckle escaped the large creature. He tilts his head and gives it a slight shake. He had to admit he didn't expect himself to be so easily picked out. Though a reaper was far from human, he would be foolish to assume they were as blind as them. Still he was a bit amused at the creature's awareness.
"There's no fooling you is there? Even for a reaper I have to admit you are an impressive specimen. I suppose I could ask you the same thing Tamreta..." He gave a slight pause letting that sink in. He had his own cards to play, though for a being like him, knowing her name was no hard feat, it was doing it without digging into her mind that was the feat.
"Why wouldn't I be out here... in the wilds....surrounded by....nature? A nice stroll in the wilderness shouldn't be odd for a person like me. What I do find odd is.... what is something like you doing out here of all places? Surely -you- are aware there are fields riper than this for the picking....."
Having said that the wolf would go back to it's silent watching. He was somewhat disappointed inwardly, he knew the eerie silence would have little to no effect on a being such as a reaper. But none the less he did enjoy the silence which was only penetrated by that hollow wind which picked up Sand and dust and swept it along the land.... as well as the cliche Tumbleweed. That generated another inward emotion. He'd roll his eyes if the Reaper wasn't there...."Seriously? A tumbleweed?", he would ask himself.
So he did know her name. It actually was not all that strange to her. To tell the truth, she would have been disappointed if the god had not been able to discover that small bit of information. His knowledge also spared her the little pleasantries that came when exchanging names.
"If you are referring to the battlefields, then yes, I am aware the feasting there would be much greater," she replied. "But the circumstances that have drawn me here are likely the same as those that have you here instead of one of the more lively parts of your realm...there is something here that interests you."
Tamreta laughed quietly as she saw a tumbleweed roll by. The slight tensing about the wolf's eyes let her know that he, too, had seen the object. "After all, why else would you be in a place where a tumbleweed will often roll by in the silence?" asked the reaper slyly.
Post by Locutus Ferox on Jun 28, 2011 17:16:54 GMT -5
The creature before him continued to amuse him. So she was going to hit on that point too. The reapers words were followed by the call of a still awake crow. "How quaint.", he thought. First the tumbleweed and then the crow. He wondered what was next. A black cat perhaps? He supposed not. Not out here at any rate.
He put those thoughts aside and merely tilted his head and gave a little motion that could be considered a shrug before speaking."A little patrolling of the fringes of ones domain is never a bad idea no? Making sure that even out here that everything is.... Normal."Truth be told he didn't actually have to come out here to do that. As a deity it wasn't an unusual feat to be able to detect disturbances of his domain. Then again in this age, he was detecting that all over. Whether she knew that or not... well he could still play couldn't he?
"But that isn't the case is it Tamreta?"He subtly hinted at her as if maybe she was a problem. He didn't actually outright say or think she was, but he was curious as to how she would take the comment. Reapers may be more intelligent than your average human, but even they were not without their own emotions and nuances.
That generated yet another inward chuckle from him. Irony be that humans often considered gods perfect. But he knew better, even they had their faults, their shortcomings. Oh well.
"But no. I was not quite referring to the unattended dead amongst the remnants of the struggles of man or perhaps those more ancient struggles."He of course was alluding to the lasting wars between many of the supernatural beings."But there are older....larger more distant fields of rest. Europe.... even north of here... Places where they don't....."He trails off, looking to the remnants of the occupant within the grave she had dug up as if gesturing it as an example.
Tamreta could not contain the amused laugh that came from her. So the Elders had been right, gods really were not as all-knowing as they led made others to believe. This one before her was a prime example. He was openly trying to bait her. She did have to give him credit for making it slightly more veiled than other creatures she had met. And, without his knowledge, he had given her some insight into his own mind.
"Is anything truly normal?" she asked him suddenly. "A reaper in this part of the world may be considered unusual, but is not a machine in the middle of an ancient forest the same? It was not there to begin with, and yet you pay it no mind. Me...I have been a natural part of this world for much longer. So why is it that I garner so much more interest?"
Her blank eyes stared down at him, and, perhaps by some trick of the moonlight, there was a glimmer in the otherwise empty sockets. "The reason I choose to feed here and not in those bone yards is that those particular regions do not have anything there that interests me at the moment. Here...well, here I have some business."
Post by Locutus Ferox on Jun 29, 2011 4:49:41 GMT -5
The wolf's eyes glimmered in response, glowing that red hue. "Knight to E6," came an amusing thought. "Is that what this will become?" The wolf's lips part from his maw, letting his own unnatural grin show up. He shook his head and gave a deep set chuckle."My my.... "
The wolf stood up and started to pad around the reaper, slowly making his way towards the grave where the remains of the being she had been feasting on were. His eyes turn their gaze down to it before those piercing orbs turned back to her. "Business huh? .... I see."
He was surprised. It hadn't taken much. No he could tell it was spot on. Another inward chuckle shot through his thoughts. "She could give you a run for your money ol' Forgery." The wolf would then shrug towards Tamreta.
"There is such a thing as normalcy. Things that have come to be expected. Humans were created. Humans grew and developed. Humans started creating devices. These devices made their way into my domain. The chain of events is nothing unusual. Few places within this world are untouched by humans. But you knew that already, you didn't need me to say it."
"A human eventually comes to terms with life. Usually by means of death. A certain, lucky few escape that fate....."He narrows his eyes for a moment as he thinks of those beings."Naturally when they perish, those of their kind want to bury them. Something about seeing their dead scares them. Perhaps it is the reminder of their own mortality sinking in? Regardless they of course will bury their dead. Preferably far far away from them, to keep the reminder as far from their thoughts as possible. So it is not entirely unexpected that there came a creature that would come to feed off of this....dead energy...."
The wolf's eyes would slowly close as he turns towards Tamreta again. Then another grin would spread across his wolfish features as they slowly open again.
"But then again, did I say that you weren't normal Tamreta?"His voice was openly chiding, not making any attempt to hide the slight rebuke. He makes to say something else then pauses as if having a thought. His head tilts once more and he looks up at Tamreta."Unless of course.... you can't sense it?"
He would stand up yet again. He makes his way over to a nearby ridge, the one he had been at before and sits back down, facing the moon. For a moment he is silent, letting the surroundings once more cast it's oppressive silence over them. It was that thick eerie silence, the one that dampened your voice not unlike a fog, though the arid climate didn't quite allow for a fog to form often. At length the eye on Tamreta's side would turn to face her, without his head moving and he'd mutter softly, mostly to himself."I suppose it's possible..."
Ah, she should have made it her business to seek out one of the gods a long time ago. Or perhaps it was only this one who could give her such a stimulating debate using her own words as weapons. It was a welcome relief from stagnant conversation she had had most days since leaving the colony.
"But even as death is a normal part of their lives, why is it that most beings cannot come to terms with death? Why do they fear returning to that from which they are born? The people that inhabit this area of the world are considered strange by the others when they have a festival that celebrates their dead with food and drink in their honor."
"For me who has lived longer than humans, change comes much more slowly, yet I can accept that which I do not understand. So why can humans not accept a creature who has existed longer than they? Fear is a reason that can only stretch so far before it becomes ignorance and hate," she pointed out mildly.
She tilted her head slightly to one side as she stared over at the wolf. The ridge he was on now gave him enough height that she no longer had to look down to see him. It gave her a sense of them being on more equal footing. Him thinking, and wondering. Curious how silence could sometimes carry meaning and feeling better than words.
"You do not care for reapers, do you?" Tamreta questioned. "A memorable experience with one makes you wary, but I interest you. Why is that? Is it that feeling that you can sense, the wrongness emanating from this area? Fewer animals dare to roam here." Time for a risk. Calculations ran rampant through her mind as she weighed the possibilities. Well, giving him one piece didn't mean she gave up the game. "What if I could tell you why?"
Post by Locutus Ferox on Jul 1, 2011 4:13:48 GMT -5
He closed his eyes yet again, taking in a slow deep breath before letting it out ever so slowly. Indeed here the scent of humanity was faint. All that was left was natural smells. Even of those corpses decaying. It was beautiful... well aside from the stench of decay. He liked it better than the smell of factories but... even he wasn't exactly fond of it. But then again he was a predator at heart. He preferred his prey living and breathing.
He sat on that ridge listening to Tamreta, keeping his eyes closed and simply absorbing the area with his other senses. The sound of her voice, the surrounding cries of arid climate life. The yip of a Coyote in the distance. At length he would open his eyes again.
"People view death differently. In one place death is revered as being an inevitable part of the cycle of life. In other places the act of dying itself is considered honorable. To die in battle would be the greatest feat they'd ever accomplish in life. Still in other places death is often seen as an inconvenience. Something people try to escape. In nature? There is a bit of all of it. Animals often try to escape predators for fear of their life. It's a natural reaction. It's called self preservation. But inevitably things die and move on. That is the cycle of life. Reapers play their own part in that."
"Still... you hit the topic right on."He tilts his head to the side as if finding something, likely the topic, curious."People fear what they do not understand. And they do not understand death. So to say fear only goes so far? No.... it's a mix of those emotions. Some people do not understand death in it's entirety. They know it means physically your body stops, but they have no explanation for as what happens to your very being. Humans are rooted in science my dear. They need to physically understand something. It is a burning desire for them. Even the most devout of their kind still have doubts on some level."
"But in death, their devout should be an example to you. They do not fear death as much as many others do. They sometimes will openly accept death when it comes, even if deep inside they wonder. Often times those wonders are set in regards to their friends and family but none the less. They are that way because they believe. They are confident, right or wrong, that the beings above them will carry them into safety. That they will be welcomed into this shiny paradise called heaven. They have something to convince them that death isn't the end of all things. That, is what people fear. The end. They do not want things to stop. They do not want to be swallowed up by the void that is nothingness. They do not want to fade into the night. They want to keep existing."
The wolf looks to the grave for a long, silent moment before looking to Tamreta once more. His eyes are piercing, as if perhaps gazing through her instead of at her."But that is what separates you from them. Knowledge, experience, and wisdom. Your long age leaves you at an advantage to them. They only have so many years to learn. That is why they collect and share knowledge. In hopes that the next generation will learn more than the last."
The question about reapers caused a tilt of his own head, and a faint smirk. His eyes flashed with a short burst of proverbial fire before he looked back to the grave next to her. His eyes became more distant another case of perhaps it truly wasn't the grave he was looking at. At length he gave a soft chuckle before speaking once more.
"Lets just say I've seen what happens when those of your kind go on a rampage....."He let that hang in the air. Whether that was the full reason, or even the true reason at all wasn't clear, and perhaps it could be suspected as much, but that was the only reason he was going to give for the moment. His eyes then lit up again as they turned back to Tamreta at her last question. "What if I could tell you why?" He grinned wolfishly at that and chuckles softly.
"What if you could?"He sends the question back before adding,"Please..... enlighten me."
"Ah, the eternal quest to understand the universe and the shred of faith all beings possess. Both compel us to discover that which exists after we end. We wish to survive one day longer so we may discover how far we can go, what we can accomplish, in order to be remembered by those that come after. You see, to say it is the end that humans- nay, all living beings- fear would not be true. It is the fear that they will be forgotten, that they will accomplish nothing, that puts a cold weight in the heart."
She smiled then, but for some strange reason the ghoulish grin seemed saddened by thoughts Tamreta kept secret. "I do not believe I will continue to exist after I die," she admitted. "Those of us reapers that die turn to dust so that nothing is left after we pass. The only opportunity we have is to pass on new discoveries, new knowledge, that we have searched for during life. In that way, I am not so different from the humans."
It was foolish to wallow in future grief. That thought brought her back from an unpleasant topic and back into the present. Her grin became normal once more as she gazed back at the wolf. The time had come to fully change the game. "But, as a famous man once said, all good things must come to an end. So must our pleasant chatter on the topics of death and theology also end."
Tamreta could sense that the wolf was not telling her everything about his experience with reapers. There was a strange note in his tone gave her the feeling that he was almost taunting her. Still, she was not one to pry unless certain she would receive an answer. That could wait for another time, so she dropped it with a simple, "Yes, lets."
Now it was her turn to move. It would be tricky to face this god, an interesting challenge indeed. A sparkle lit up her empty eyes in anticipation of the game. "In my travels I have stumbled upon ancient myths. Upon further study, I have determined a common thread that runs through history, slowly weaving from place to place. Continent to continent. Putting together the pieces I traced it here to Mexico. A power that makes even the animals uneasy."
Post by Locutus Ferox on Jul 3, 2011 3:03:14 GMT -5
The wolf chuckles heartily to Tamreta's reply on existing. There were so many things he could say to that. So many ways he could go about it. But she shifted the topic. The pawns had been played. The stage open, the pieces in place. He had taken a skirmish. Tested her defenses. Now she knew the game was on and she pressed an attack. She was looking for an opening. But now he was on the defensive. He had seen her defensive ability and now it was time to see her offensive ability. She was looking for an opening, but he was not about to provide one. No, instead he shifted tactics and closed up the flanks. She would have to lose ground to gain it.
"Yes. As unfortunate as it is, all things must end. After all you would grow incredibly old here if you waited on me, no?"The wolf chuckled softly again. Now his eyes focused solely on Tamreta. He wasn't the only one testing the waters. He could tell she was being both cautious and excited by the game. Her attacks were guarded, but quick. So he would have to pressure her while maintaining his defense.
The wolf tilted his head as she spoke, a faint nod here and there and a distant look as if he was recalling something and nodding in affirmation of what Tamreta was saying."It is not a surprise that ancient artifacts have survived the test of time. There are powerful things left upon this world that one should logically hope would remain lost to time. Some things should be left to lie. They contain powers often deemed dangerous even on the supernatural level. There was a time of great war, when the direness of the situation called for the creation of these powerful objects. A decision most of us later reflected upon. So it isn't a surprise that such things are remembered by nature.... the oldest of things."
As she listened to him talk - almost prattle on - Tamreta found herself becoming ever more amused with this god. He was deliberately jibing her. Even though he was on the defensive, he was still taking the chance to attack. She could almost see him carefully maneuvering his pieces to test her, and to cover himself. He was a wily old wolf, but he would have to do better if he intended to win.
She feigned boredom as he finished his little speech. Despite the gestures, the wolf had only been preaching air. "Any text, or even one of those modern novels, can provide me with that information," quipped the reaper. "The gods had their little spat and so made items of war that they later regretted, and tried to cover up their mistakes. Unfortunately, not even they are perfect beings. Certain objects remain, albeit most are dormant, and others are tasked with destroying them. So it is in this case."
A decisive strike as her first attack. A jibe of hers to combat his own. There would now be no mistake; she was as able as any in this game. She felt a bit like laughing, but kept it inside. The battle had not yet ended. Now it was time for her to give the wolf just a little ground. "The real question is: can your 'nature' provide you with some insight to this particular item's center? And if it does, would you be willing tell me what kind of element I face?"
