SA | Amaranthe

 The Familiars 

• Independant
  Pre-smothering
  Having been the first born of her family, Amaranthe naturally felt inclined to strike out on her own when she felt like it. This however does not mean that they are not opposed to working in large teams or within small groups, but she does feel she does her best when she is on her own. She gets a sense of structure and feels much more organized when working on her own, as she doesn’t feel weighed down by others when doing so. She also doesn’t have to wait for others to finish in order to get what she wants to finish finished -- something that working in a large group doesn’t necessarily give her the freedom to do. This trait came to a head when she began training as a Dragon Hoplite, as it became clear that she would need to push her body to the limit in order to ensure she could improve. She may have had a structured and rigorous training schedule, but she would have never adhered to it if she wasn’t capable of sticking to her own personal schedule. The only time that Amaranthe is seen breaking her independent tendencies was when she was with her dragon, as the connection between both creatures was far stronger than that of a normal bond, and forced to be co-dependent of one another.
  

• Blunt
  [Please don’t ever assume that Amaranthe will ever, ever be tactful or beat around the bush when speaking to others. She doesn’t believe there’s enough time in the world to waste on flowery, diplomatic bullshit. She’ll tell you how it is, and is unapologetic about any offense it may or may not inflict. Words are probably not their strong suit, which is funny to think about considering how their mother was a physician. It’s probably easy to imagine that if Amaranthe ever attended school she’d be the one to yell out “how is this going to help me in any way?” when a teacher asked any kind of question. This has only gotten worse since she has popped back into existence, as she is now a blunt confused kirin. Great combination!]
  

• Enduring
  [Amaranthe is not one to give up easily, from her opinions, to a fight, to a goal she has set for herself. Pardoning the expression, she’s stubborn as a mule. However, this is not the only way that she can be seen as enduring… she did just pop back into existence after the smothering, all things considered. Jokes aside though, her stubborn attitude has always been an important part of her life, as she probably wouldn’t have gotten as far as she did without it. If a trainer or elder mentioned she wasn’t capable of doing something, she was the first one to pick her head up and scream “fucking watch me.” before they could say anything more on the subject. The best motivator in life is being told you’re not good enough for some, and Amaranthe definitely falls into that category. Now that she has popped back into existence, she has been forced to deal with even more confusion, as her memories are foggy and she feels as if something is missing in her day to day existence. However, this does not mean that this kirin is ready to back down! If anything, she has hardened her resolve to ensure that she can continue living.]

• Reticent
  Pre-Smothering
  [Ask Amaranthe a question about herself and you will find that she will more than readily deflect it by either redirecting the conversation or by focusing in on others that are close to her. It is not in her nature to be forthcoming about herself, as years of solo training often forced her to be more closed off than others. Maybe it’s because she never felt very adept with small talk, but Amaranthe has never been known for being forthcoming with her feelings. Ask her about working with dragons and she could ramble on for days. Yet, if you ask her how she feels about her own dragon, she’ll suddenly become much more tight lipped. This deflecting tactic has helped her function around others within the hoplite community, as most of them are highly independent kirins like herself. However, it has come to help her out even more when speaking to those that are genuinely curious about her life and how she manages working with such majestic and amazing creatures. Besides, she has a hard enough time assessing her feelings on her own. The only members of her herd that she is comfortable talking to about her feelings are her family members.]
  
  Post-Smothering
  [Now that Amaranthe has appeared in a new herd, with minimal memories as to who she was in her past life, she is even less likely to speak to others about how she feels and why she feels any specific way. It’ll take a lot of coaxing to get her out of the small secluded life she has begun building for herself, and even more coaxing to get her to speak about what she remembers. Maybe somebody will come around that can help change all that, but until then, her feelings, memories, and problems will forever be her own. ]

• Compelling
  Pre-Smothering
  [Despite her blunt attitude, when Amaranthe speaks of her job and of what she wants to do for her herd, she speaks with a passion that only other hoplites may be able to compare to. She is more than just determined to ensure that Valore stays the shining pinnacle of perfection that it is, she believes that she is capable of doing so. Although thinking in absolutes is more than just a little dangerous, her entire being emanates this pride, forcing others to stop and listen when she begins to speak about what she does and how she got to the position that she now holds so dear to her. There is a passion in her work that so closely emulates her mother’s determination to heal dragons that few can challenge where she got this trait. This deep belief in herself and innate capability to inspire others became a rallying cry during the “war”, as she was able to inspire many a young kirin to join the Dragon Hoplites and show the world what Aodh was capable of doing in Ignacio’s name. 
  
  Post-Smothering
  [Ha. Compelling. Right. Let’s just say that after she pops back into existence… her belief in herself kind of disappeared. Let’s face it, if you ripped back into existence in what could be considered “nature’s ass hole” (AKA THE FUCKING DESERT), you’d be pretty fucking confused too. Just… give her a break, she doesn’t know what she’s doing with herself. Maybe once she finds out what the fuck is going on in her own head, she’ll be a bit more like her old self? Maybe? Right now, she can barely complete a sentence without feeling confused. Let’s just give her a break… okay?]

• Astute
  Pre-Smothering
  [Born from years of training, and even prior to the training, Amaranthe showed an acute ability to decipher anything she put her mind to. However, this does not mean that she is astute in most social situations, as let’s face it, she is a blunt kirin who doesn’t keep herself in check. Sure, she knows what to say, but she lives for chaos in those kinds of situations. In battle? Not so much. Careful as ever, she is a tactician, thinking through her next move as if she’s playing a very hectic game of chess with dragons and fire and hell raining down around her… No wonder she loves it so much. Yet, she also understands when the time to retreat is upon her… however, she normally promptly ignores these tell-tale signs. In the end, this is probably what lead to the most traumatizing experience of her previous life. Maybe by learning from her past mistakes, she’ll be a little more careful in the future. But that’s probably wishful thinking on everybody’s part. 
  
  Post-Smothering
  [No doubt this will probably take awhile to fine tune now that she’s in a new herd with new ideals, Amaranthe is quick on the uptake. This kirin is quick on her hooves, not only physically, but mentally as well. She may be a confused kirin, but that does not mean that they can’t still think on their hooves. Again, it may take time, but eventually she will find herself capable of thinking things through as thoroughly as she once did. Amaranthe likes to think themselves to have a strong ability to deduce the facts about others, sometimes to a fault.]

• Prideful
  Pre-Smothering
  [As was previously mentioned in the compelling section, Amaranthe has a very strong surety in herself, as she always pushed herself to accomplish the goals she set for herself. However, this trait was also what caused the kirins to fall, and although pride in oneself is always a good thing to have, pride is a dangerous and fickle beast known for clouding judgement. Just like with any clear minded horse, pride can stop one from examining scenarios with a clear mindset, and this cannot hold more truth it than when looking at Amaranthe during the time of the Gods’ War. She may have been compelling, but it most certainly was a double edged sword, leading her into danger more often than not. She always knew she was a good Dragon Hoplite, even during her training it was obvious that she could flourish under the training she was given, and as she flourished, so did her pride. When she gained a dragon, the pride only grew more, to the point where she was a bright beacon of pride ready to be sent into the world… like most of the kirins, it was only a matter of time before this pride grew too bright.]
  
  Post-Smothering
  [Although her pride has taken a hit, Amaranthe most definitely is still just a prideful as ever. She is proud in what she is and holds pride in what she remembers of herself. Even if she only has a small part of the picture, she is more than willing to believe in herself and is more than positive that she will eventually understand what happened. This new land can’t stop her from seeing that she is still capable, and that’s all that matters.]

[ The Beginning ]

As one would expect, Amaranthe’s story does not begin at her birth. As with every character, her story begins with her mother and father. Chiara was as proud as any kirin, though unlike some, her pride was well deserved, as she was a dedicated physician who put her heart and soul into healing sick and injured dragons. Prized within Aodh for her skills, she dedicated her entire being to her job, as it was not an easy one. After all, dealing with sick dragons can be a messy and very dangerous job. An unwell dragon is not likely to enjoy being poked and prodded, even if the one who is doing the poking and prodding means well. Yet, despite all of the dangers, Chiara loved what she did, for keeping the beautiful creations of Ignacio at their prime was a noble and important job. Ignacio’s blessings smiled upon her, as she possessed both illusionist and force fields as her blessings; using both together seamlessly to create calm and serene landscapes to help lull the dragons into a calmer frame of mind as she set to work on them. 

At some point in her work, Chiara felt the need to document her findings on the uses of her blessings on her dragon patients. It was at this time that she realized a Master proficient in illustration would be the best option, and so she found herself asking a friend if there were any kirins in the city capable of bringing her visions to life. It was through this friend that she heard of Ashkenaz, a quiet, but strong willed master who could do just as she needed. It was rumoured he could set his brush to paper in the most delicate, yet purposeful manner to create the most breathtaking of masterpieces. It came as no surprise that when Chiara saw his work, she immediately decided that this painter had to be the one to illustrate her findings. 

However, when she met him, she found something that outshone his work by miles. As far as she was concerned, his coat was practically a piece of art in itself. As you see, Ashkenaz had a beautifully vibrant silver seal bay appaloosa coloring; her infatuation with him was almost immediate, as he seemed to hold a beauty she could not compare to anything… or anyone. She was in love, even if she didn’t want to admit it right away. 

However, it seemed that fate wanted the two to be together, as while Ashkenaz worked on Chiara’s book, he couldn’t help but marvel over what he thought was pure genius. He couldn’t believe that so few had tried using their blessings as Chiara had, to help aid the dragons to ensure they could easily be tended to. It was nothing short of awe inspiring for the stallion. His appreciation for her work only grew as they spent more and more time together, and due to the amount of time each illustration took, the two were often in close proximity with each other. Chiara came to learn that Ashkenaz had been blessed with electricity manipulation and heat vision, both of which he used on his artistic ventures when the time called for them.

It came as no surprise that as the two grew closer, and eventually Chiara ound that she was with foal. It was the final push that the two needed, as when she confessed her pregnancy to Ashkenaz, they both immediately went to find a Herald to perform their wedding ceremony.

It was a sweet affair, as both parent invited their family members and a couple of close friends, and of course, Ignacio was there to preside over the ceremony, giving his blessing for the newly wed couple once the ceremony was done. Now, bonded for life, the pair set out to carve their own little chunk of heaven into the herd. They found a large, yet modest terracotta house with enough space for their family to grow. 

Now all they had to do was wait, and watch the mother’s belly grow.

[ The Childhood ]

Time raced on, and soon enough it was time for the young foal to be born. The nervous excitement of the new parents was more than palpable to any who were near them. As Ashkenaz paced the floor in a flighty manner and Chiara went through her pained contractions, the physicians commented on how the two were quite the sight to behold. Many tried to calm both of the new parents, but as it was expected, they were nervous for their first child to come into the world. 

After several grueling hours, it seemed that the foal was finally ready to make their debut. In a matter of moments, the pain of delivery was gone and a young filly’s calls filled the room that the parents had settled into. They agreed to call her Amaranthe, as both parents saw her as their beautiful, perfect flower.

For the first year, Amaranthe wanted for nothing, for as first time parents, Chiara and Ash hovered over their precious baby and gave her anything her tiny little heart desired. Yet, as they both realized how independent their little filly was becoming, they both backed off slightly to allow her room to grow on her own. There was a colt, Crowley, that was born a couple months prior to Amaranthe, who happened to live only a short walk from them. The pair became fast friends, getting into trouble as quick as only children could. 

When Amaranth was two, she was given the news that her parents were with foal again. The filly could barely contain herself. Soon enough she’d have a new sibling that she’d be able to impart all of her trouble making ways on! Amaranthe couldn’t wait to tell Crowley her news, and when she finally did tell him, he was just as ecstatic. His parents had decided to only have him, so for Crowley, her new sibling would be like his own.

A couple months later found Amaranthe excitedly bouncing around her father as Chiara once again went through the pains of labor. However, this time was different. Chiara panted tiredly as she pushed out a beautiful, if small, colt, and felt more contractions. Confused, Chiara pushed again, and cried out as another foal came into the world, a filly. Amaranthe couldn’t believe her luck. Not only did she have a baby brother, she had a baby sister as well! Crowley would get to share her siblings and they would have so much fun. The young kirin was an attentive big sister, mimicking how her parents treated her when she was younger, and was always quick to get a toy or snack.

As Amaranthe got bigger, so did her smaller siblings. It seemed that once they had more room, the twins had much growing to do, and took to it with heart. Amaranthe would swear up and down that they got taller just by breathing. Their newfound size though was rather fortuitous, for it meant that they could actually roughhouse and play without fear of getting hurt so easily. It became a common game for Amaranthe and Crowley to be dragon hoplites, and for Seirian and Faolan to be their “dragons”. The twins did a good job of trampling around and generally destroying everything in their path in a tangle of limbs, tails, and budding antlers while Amaranthe and Crowley cheered them on.

Chiara and Ash saw that their eldest child’s games of playing dragon hoplite were not waning, and that she seemed to truly enjoy playing the part, more so than just the game itself. One day they pulled Amaranthe inside while Crowley played with the twins, and asked Amaranthe what she wanted to be when she grew up. With a determined look, the young filly puffed up and proclaimed that they would be a Dragon Hoplite and that they would have a dragon just like the ones their mother worked on all the time. Chiara and Ash deliberated for a few moments, and told Amaranthe that if that was what she still wanted to become by her fifth birthday, they would send her to begin training. Of course, when she told Crowley what her parents had told her, he decided he would go with her and together they would be the best Dragon Hoplites Ignacio himself could dream of.

[ The Training ]

Soon enough, though not nearly fast enough in Amaranthe’s opinion, her fifth birthday rolled around. It was the day she had been waiting for since her parents promised she could go train to be a Dragon Hoplite. Upon finding out she really could be one, it was all she ever talked about, all she dreamed about, all that occupied her mind. As it normally happens for children, the twins quickly grew tired of playing the same game day after day, and moved on from their play acting as dragons, instead playing hide and seek, catch the stone, or even regaling others with stories of their “adventures” which were always greatly embellished .

The family held a special birthday party, inviting over friends and family to help celebrate Amaranthe’s big day. It was then that she announced, though everyone knew, that she was to be sent away to become a great Dragon Hoplite! It was a happy day, though many were sad they wouldn’t see Amaranthe for quite awhile. Seirian and Faolan especially were distraught that their big sister wouldn’t be there for them to play with every day, but were indeed happy for Amaranthe. Crowley, who had already turned five a couple months prior elected to wait until Amaranthe was ready, and they departed together to fulfill their dreams.

The pair quickly found out though, that training to become a Dragon Hoplite was not at all what they had expected. Training was gruelling and taxing, pushing them to their limits and then pushing them even further past that. Amaranthe, determined to see this through and fulfill her dream took the training in stride. There were some days when they would finish training and Amaranthe would wish for nothing more than to see her family and play around with the twins. Still, Amaranthe would not give up. The filly pushed herself as hard as she could, determined to be the best. Each day got a little easier, though it felt like such slow progress.

Nearly a year into their training saw the filly completely reformed. Where Amaranthe had once held a little bit of excess weight, she now was all lithe muscle and was growing into her body quite well. Training seemed to help Amaranthe bloom. Crowley however, did not seem to fare quite so well. His conviction to be the best Dragon Hoplite with Amaranthe seemed to dim. Crowley was able to keep up, if only by the skin of his teeth, but he did not flourish. Instead, Crowley found that something else might be his calling. In many of the books they read, Crowley took in the words, soaking them in and ruminating over them. Crowley decided that becoming a Soldier wasn’t his calling. Instead, he wished to be a writer. So it was with great sorrow that the pair separated for pretty much the first time since they met. Amaranthe promised to write as often as she could, and tell him all about her adventures if he would do the same.

While she still had all the other Soldiers’ in training to mingle with, this was the first time Amaranthe was truly by herself, and it seemed to change her. The young mare pushed herself even harder, soaking in everything she was taught. She became more surefooted, became a decent fighter, learned how to better control her telekinesis and refine it. Time became relative, all that drove Amaranthe was her training. Before she knew it, several years had passed, and in the place of the eager, rambunctious five year old who had started here, stood a young soldier on the precipice of her thirteenth birthday.

[ The Egg ]

The egg was like nothing Amaranthe had ever seen before, and it was probably the most beautiful thing she had seen in her short life. The egg came up to her knee, and was an inky black with golden veins threading all across the surface. Amaranthe was given her own private lodgings at this point, to ensure the dragon hatchling bonded with her alone. After so long of such rigorous, consistent training, the time she spent in the room was nice, at first.

Amaranthe lay beside her egg, feeling connected to it already as it pressed into her side. However, as the hours passed, and boredom set in, Amaranthe felt a twitching in her limbs longing, waiting to do something. Still, Amaranthe stayed beside her egg, her soon to be life long companion, and felt a deep sense of contentment wash over her. This was the culmination of all her hard work, all her dedication, her hopes and dreams. While the young mare knew an even harder few years of training lay ahead of her as she formed a special bond with the dracling and learned to work as a unit with it, she couldn't help but feel excited. As she normally did when she had her free time, she penned a couple letters, one to her family, and one to Crowley. Deciding she would send them come morning, Amaranthe settled in with her egg and lay her head over the crest of the hard black exterior, imagining when she'd be curled up with a small leathery dracling instead. 

A sharp crack snapped the young mare out of her dream, and she opened her eyes blearily. Wasn't it too early for drills? And then her eyes opened wide. The egg! Lighting a lamp, Amaranthe looked down and saw that several lines scored right through the egg, and she could spot movement through a couple cracks. Holding her breath, she reminded herself not to bust the rest of the egg open, for the dracling needed to work its way out on its’ own. Soon enough, a soft, velvety wing broke through, followed by the rest of its’ body. Moonlight shimmered off of the draclings’ body, it’s scales a silvery blue. Amber eyes locked onto the milky gray of the newborn, and like that, they were bonded. Amaranthe immediately loved the newborn and she made a silent vow that she would protect it, protect him, at all costs. Mishal would be his name.

Amaranthe spent the first couple weeks with Mishal, caring for him, bonding with him and exploring just what the bond meant for the both of them. The telepathic link was something Amaranthe had no experience with, but it felt right. The pair seemed perfectly fit for each other as well, where she was blunt, Mishal took his time to carefully construe his thoughts. Where she had a mischievous streak, he seemed to be more reserved though he did enjoy watching Amaranthe pull off her mischief.

Once the pair began training with each other, the training got exponentially tougher. While they had such an intimate bond, as to be expected, at first learning to work in tandem was difficult. Both of them were such alpha personalities and had their own ideas on how to go about doing their routines that they often had trouble working on sync. Yet after many a trial and error, the two were a wicked duo, cutting through the sky and through their practice foes with ease.

It was during this aspect of Amaranthe’s training that she met a fellow dragon hoplite trainee by the name of Marliann. The two became fast friends, if only because neither of them had managed to find anybody near their age to train with. It was a refreshing change for the group, as it helped in their training and their personal lives. 

Time flew, and before long, graduation was upon the small group of kirins.

[ The Graduation ]

Time came for the eighteen year olds to graduate from their training, and while it was the same ceremony that every graduating class before them had partaken in, to them, it was awe inspiring. To be fresh graduates, leaving their training days behind them, was something they had only ever dreamed of. By completing the ceremony, the dream was a reality, opening doors to the young horses that had been previously closed until that point. However, graduating meant that they could return home for a time, and as was expected, both Amaranthe and Marliann jumped at the chance to return to their respected homes, soulbound dragons in tow. 

The journey back home to Valore was quick and easy, as Amaranthe couldn’t wait to show Mishal off to her family. With her mother’s studies pertaining to the health and well-being of dragons, it was obvious that she would want to see the majestic male dragon and marvel over him, which Amaranthe was eager to see. She hadn’t seen her family in some time, and the idea of watching her mother squeal over a dragon made her impatient to return home. 

The reunion between the family was more than expected, as everybody had long awaited the time their flower could return home and celebrate her new position. Chiara, never one to shy away from introducing herself to dragons, immediately began to fawn over Mishal, inspecting the young dragon to ensure everything was in working order. Without a word, as soon as the two set down near their home, Amaranthe’s mother set to work, taking the time to ensure that all his teeth were properly aligned and sharpened. Once she felt that was done, she went on to inspect his wings, making sure that his wing muscles were properly developed. After much exasperation from Amaranthe, Chiara finally conceded that Mishal was indeed in good shape and healthy, leaving the poor confused dragon alone after much coaxing from her daughter. 

After catching up with her mother, Amaranthe immediately set to looking for her younger siblings, only to find that they had grown into her own. She knew that she shouldn’t have been surprised, but she often found that thoughts of her younger siblings still conjured images of their younger selves playing dragon hoplite with Crowley and her. The pair had decided to follow in their parent’s hooves, with Faolan in training to become a Dragon Physician himself, while Seirian had inherited their father’s proclivity for the fine arts.

Now that she was home, it was high time to reunite once again with Crowley. The rowdy kid she had once parted ways with had now grown into a well read stallion. Crowley, once he had left the Dragon Hoplite training, came home and set to writing. It was something he wouldn’t have considered when he was younger, but he quite enjoyed the brain exercise. It came naturally to him, just as adventure and fighting had come so naturally to Amaranthe. The quiet surety he held for himself had Amaranthe admiring her childhood friend in a way she hadn’t before. 

Eventually, some months after the excitement of Amaranthe’s return had faded, Marliann came to visit Amaranthe to see how she had taken to life outside of training. The pair were ecstatic to be reunited, even if they had only been apart for less than a year, it had been a long time for both, as they had been inseparable since they had started training together with their dragons. Deciding to make a celebration out of it, Amaranthe and Marliann decided to enjoy the high life within Valore, turning to spirits and other drinks to ensure they had a night they would never forget. It was then that Amaranthe decided that it’d be a great idea to invite Crowley over, hoping that both of her friends would get along. 

Several drinks later found the trio getting along far better than Amaranthe could have ever hoped for, and after the night’s activities, a pretty gnarly hangover, and some memories they would never forget, the trio decided to start a relationship. Even with Crowley and Marliann knowing each other for just the night, Amaranthe had spoken so much about each of them to the other that, in some ways, it felt as if they had known each other for much longer. 

Needless to say, when the time came to bring it up to Amaranthe’s parents, they were more than pleased to know that they wouldn’t have just one, but two kirin to make their daughter happy. Though they didn’t mention it, they were more than hopeful that the trio would eventually expand the family further, bringing in a new son and daughter for the two to love just as much as they did their own children.

Soon enough, Amaranthe, Crowley, and Marliann found their own home, big enough for the three of them and big enough for a budding family when they finally got around to it. Crowley kept the house in running order when the girls needed to returnE with their dragons to keep up on their training, and when they returned, Mishal and Asher would always go off flying together while their kirin counterparts reunited with their mate.

[ The War ]

It wasn’t long after the family had settled into their home that kirins began to expand, to feel as if their beauty and Ignacio’s glory could go further. As it has been mentioned before, fire is not content in being contained, and once unleashed it becomes a destroyer, consuming all within it’s path. 

While the kirins themselves may not see it as such, that is how many tell the tale of the Gods’ war in this new age. Amaranthe, having lived through it, can only say that she did not feel bad about all that happened. The kirins were proud, wanting nothing more than to ensure that Ignacio’s pride could continue to grow. He fed them and they fed him, as the story goes. It was only a matter of time before this way of thinking would turn to something worse than pure pride, and before long, the entire nation found itself looking towards other lands. 

Being a dragon hoplite during this time, Amaranthe wanted nothing more than to serve with Ignacio, to ensure that all would know how amazing their fire was. They would know the kirins for what they were, or they would burn in their majestic beauty; their glorious destruction. 

They turned their eyes to Breim, and without thinking, the kirins attacked, taking part in the single most bloody battle the world had ever seen. Amaranthe, Mishal, Marliann, and Asher took down their fair share of horses during that time, forcing the peaceful herd to its knees as hellfire rained down upon them. There was no time for the horses to respond, and as the destruction lay behind them, the kirins couldn’t help but feel as if they had accomplished something more, they were doing as Ignacio wanted, and because of that, they felt little to no remorse.

That is until the god of the horses, Argus, broke.

Amaranthe wasn’t near the god when he shifted, but the stories she heard, and later conveyed to the other kirins back home, turned him into a monster; a mess of blackness that did nothing but destroy the very land he had created for his people. Destruction didn’t seem to just be fire’s calling, it seemed. 

Many smaller battles made up a majority of Amaranthe’s life after that point. She and the other Kirins turned to Onea without hesitation, following their beautiful creator through thick and thin, night and day to ensure that their vision would be realized. In many ways, they were not singular kirins reacting to what their god wanted, but instead they were Ignacio, and he was them. It was impossible to separate the two. They may have been many beasts working towards one goal, but herd mentality held them hostage. If things had been different, Amaranthe may have realized what was happening, but as it was, she was just as caught up in the affairs of their god as everyone else had been. 

Her dragon occasionally seemed to express concerns for what was going on, but his words of warning often fell upon deaf ears. He was a creature of fire as well, eventually swept into the same thoughts as his partner, if only because it’s hard to separate oneself from a soulbond. 

She was so caught up with the affairs of her god that she didn’t even hesitate in the face of another God. Certainly, if she had been more sound of mind, she wouldn’t have made the fatal mistake during the final attack, before Ignacio was changed and the world stopped, she turned her gaze on Alya’s children. 

Mishal’s dying screech as the winged Goddess struck him with her strongest blessings wasn’t even the worst of it. Having been bonded to the dragon for over half of her life, the sudden disappearance of his very essence within her was too much to bear. It was a soul crushing weight, as the feeling of nothingness flooded through her entire being. The pain of being alone was nothing short of heartstopping. 

However, the absolute agony of this loss would be soon forgotten. Because not moments later, the unicorn and pegasus alike fled. Amaranthe would not, could not celebrate with her fellow kirin, for how could anything be celebrated after such a detrimental loss. It mattered not though, whether she celebrated or grieved, for only ten heartbeats later, the sky lit up in a fiery explosion before everything went black.

[ The New Beginning ]

There are no words to describe being ripped back into existence. And definitely not where one has never even been before, even if one does not remember. Scorching sand stung at their eyes as a very unforgiving wind slammed into their side, seeming almost determined to bury this blemish in the sand as if that alone would will away the reborn Kirin. Flashes of what seemed to be memories lit up in her mind before they just vanished, as if the memories themselves did not want to be seen. Pain coursed through the kirin, and Amaranthe was unsure if the pain was physical or mental, but it was real nonetheless. A silent wail wrung out as a flash of silvery blue burst from her memory, but she could not reason why the flash brought on such crippling agony. Pushing the broken memory away, the kirin tried to fish for more memories, though they eluded her at every attempt.

Pushing herself onto her hooves, Amaranthe gazed around her, wondering where on earth she was. It looked like she was in a sea of tan and copper, the only reprieve from the earthy color was the bright blue of the sky, and the unforgiving sun. Scattered around the landscape Amaranthe found themselves in, were impossibly tall spires of clay like stone, twisting to form overhangs, a thankful respite from the blistering sun. Turning to face the east, Amaranthe headed away from the blazing sun, hoping to find answers to where she was and honestly… Who she was. Enough snippets of her memories had burst forward for her to remember that her name was Amaranthe, and that she definitely did not make her home in a desert. Amaranthe would just have to find someone kind enough to point her in the right direction so she could find her family. Hopefully by then, she would know who her family was.

Pressing on through the sand, Amaranthe cleared their thoughts and tried to allow the dizzying jumble of memories come to the forefront, not that many of them seemed to make sense. Pictures of a stallion and mare were most prevalent, and from them, she gleaned that they were her mates. A bitter longing filled the mare’s heart, hoping she would be reunited with them at some point. More flashes, distorted as they were, coursed through Amaranthe’s mind, and soon enough she was able to recall her parents and siblings. Everything around them seemed so hazy, and broken, and soon she gave up.

Sure she would go mad if she kept on like this, she prayed she would not be lost in this hell pit of scorching desert. It seemed that luck was on her side, for not long, she saw a kirin in the distance. Relief flooded her veins and she set off at a brisk pace, hoping to finally figure out what on earth happened to her. However, as the kirin drew closer, confusion set in. There was no beautiful rack upon the kirin’s head. Perhaps they had lost their horns in an accident, surely. But as they drew closer still, having now noticed Amaranthe themselves, the kirin mare saw two large appendages on either side of the kirin that simply did not belong. A… A pegasus! The pegasus, realizing this was no ordinary equine gave a frightened shout, their wings unfurling, and flapping in surprise, mirroring Amaranthe’s own feelings in kind. The pair both froze, unsure of what to make of the other. A feeling of intense hatred swept through Amaranthe before she pushed it away. This stranger had not incurred her wrath, and while the wings were certainly… Unseemly, as long as Amaranthe could find her family, she could forgive this stranger of their unfortunate breed.

The pegasus pulled himself together and coughed, no doubt trying to figure out the bizarre sight before them. Asking where Amaranthe had come from gave the pegasus no answers, for Amaranthe didn’t know, herself. Suggesting Amaranthe follow him, the pegasus led the forlorn kirin towards civilization, least wise, close enough for the pegasus to call for someone higher in rank to figure this out. While she waited, Amaranthe was set upon by more very strange equines. A couple young yearlings ran around near where she was told to wait, and Amaranthe swore she spotted a singular horn upon one’s head, and the other appeared to have fins sprouting from his croup. Bewilderment was now deeply rooted within the kirin’s bones, and they hoped soon enough that everything would be explained.

Word count: 5007