Interruptions

A voice came from the trees
A figure appeared from the mire
A gentle duel he inquired.

Pardon me Great Sire,
Do you still have a spar in you?
I wish to learn a thing or two,
from a storytale giant such as you.

Jagmeet | God of Earth | King Over the Plains

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Jagmeets head lifted from the browning grass as it hisses softly in the cold breeze, ears perked and swiveling to lock on the source of the voice that spoke to him. With an incredulous stare, he looked up quickly at the strange creature that called to him from the bows of a nearby tree. It recognized him, so surely it was of some intelligence, though its resemblance to other Quirlicorns was severely lacking.

The stallion turned his body slightly to better gaze upon this beast in the trees, narrowing his gaze as he mulled his words over in his mind. Clearing his throat softly before speaking, as it had been a long time since he had last used his voice, the Lord of Earth addressed this challenger.

"Do you think that is wise, young one?" His burly voice rumbled like distant thunder as he adjusted his footing slightly, the tip of his tail flicking a bit with thought. "To ask for a duel with no introductions. Though surely you must know who I am to address me in such a manner, but I know not of you." 

The glow behind the crystals covering Jagmeets chest pulsed slowly and softly, sending sparkles of amethyst over the grass below him. Whatever this creature was, he was bold and appeared to be troublesome. A sparring match would surely set him on his way, and perhaps Jagmeet would even be able to rid himself of this nuisance when he was through. The last thing Jagmeet liked was being abruptly separated from his breakfast, and next to that was being rudely interrupted by a stranger. His emerald eyes locked onto the hollow sockets of his opponent as the aura around him started to hum with a soft buildup of earthly magic around him, causing the grass beneath his feet to spring green and bloom as his fertility magic began to work.

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WC: 316 Words | +1 Chimes

 

word count: 323 chimes:1

      “No-” The figure that had been partially hidden by the sparse bushels of leaves in the tree replied.

       Standing a short distance away, the pristine God had a voice that had aged like fine wine. His stance had a sense of wisdom and natural authority, even his aura was one of great power. Everything about Jagmeet was quite the opposite of the aloof stranger. The stranger's voice quickly became incoherent as the vocals broke through the shifting forms. Passing a brief moment of corruption and shadows, it took on a feline form. Sharp claws stuck into the bark as the dark shape half climbed, half slithered down the gnarled trunk of the ancient tree. It clacked its way down and sat at the base with a bleached skull staring up at the dwarfing God. Antlers sprouted from the back of ithe figure’s skull and as it eyed one of the Creators, it began to shift again.

      Grossly disjointed, the Stranger’s bones were struggling to remember what shape they were supposed to form. They had been stuck in a bipedal figure for too long and now battled between something stag, something equine. Quickly they compromised and settled for both. His head even ttilted to the side, curious, maybe done so out of respect.

“If I had anything to introduce I suppose it would not be wise. Surely if my name was worthy to be given, I would remember it.” He stood up, much shorter than the experienced beast of an equid that he challenged. “You however are worthy to be introduced. I know Of you, through stories long ago”

         That seemed to be the extent of the swamp-dwellers communication skills. Both manner and speech were severely lacking. So what has driven this equine to such a length of madness? Perhaps it was a road of redemption or remembrance. Or maybe one of punishment... Hopefully a good beating will jog his memory and his past will come flooding in.

Jagmeet | God of Earth | King Over the Plains

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The God of Earth watched the creature shift and contort as it made its way down to him, nostrils flaring slightly as he exhaled heavily. His warm breath smelled of a morning on a spring meadow, his eyes narrowing slightly as he observed the creature now below him. Shapeshifting was famous magic from the swamp region, and surely this was one of Keir's creatures sent here either consciously or unconsciously by him. Only Keir would send his children to Jagmeets steps so brashly, though perhaps Anevay may as well? Though that was a longer trek for her creatures, and they would surely not miss the opportunity to come forth loudly, flamboyantly, and irrationally.

Something seemed off about this cryptid as it addressed him, listening to its tone list like a broken rhyme, Jagmeet could almost smell the secrets it kept beneath its hide. Its aura was stronger than most, though it seemed to lack the same sense as others. Perhaps it was exceptionally skilled and wished to test itself against the greatest wielders it could find? Jagmeet hummed a deep rumble in his chest as he looked over the creature once more, making sure this wasn't something beyond a foolish task the creature had set its sights upon.

"And with this knowledge, do you still insist on sparring with me, creature?" Jagmeets voice rumbled out again, fixing his emerald eyes on the creature as he picked up his hoof and sharply cracked it back into the earth, causing a slight rumbled of the ground beneath and around the pair. It was a warning of what was to come.

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WC: 268 Words | +1 Chimes

word count: 279 chimes x1

There was a set of ancient eyes scrutinizing everything about this shadowy colored beast leaving holes boring through his soul as Jagmeet tore him apart and sized him up. From the smaller challenger, surely this one was nothing more than a nuisance to the plains Giant. However within the swampdweller came a low buzz of excitement that stirred the most interest he’s had towards life in a very long time. A potential battle, no matter how quickly it will end, had given him something to look forward to. Fighting had always been below the stag and he avoided conflict simply due to it being a waste of his time but now it was to serve a purpose. It would have been unfair for him to practice using his Gods given talents out on the townspeople or wanderers, they stood no chance, so who better to practice sparring than with the Gods themselves. 

The stag shook his scruffy mane and focused on the reason that he was here to keep himself under check. To learn, and nothing more. Keir and Haywire had unknowingly destroyed his previous home with their antics, but he was no match for them if they did ever cross paths again. Hopefully the lessons learned from Jagmeet today would teach him how to defend his home and himself in the future. With the dust shaken from his bones, there he stood before Jagmeet with an easy and almost curious tone to his voice.

“I do.” The permanent smile to the pale face tilted to the side, letting a twinkle pass from the glowing red orbs set in his skull. “And it seems that you do as well.”

Jagmeet | God of Earth | King Over the Plains

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Jagmeet felt his magic swell in his chest, the glow in his chest brightening as shards of purple light dances over the ground. He reminded himself not to strike the creature down, as this was to be a match, not a permanent lesson. His great horn sparked with shades of green energy, sparkling as he began to flex his old muscles into place before stomping a hoof against the ground again. Tearing grass from the earth beneath it, a pop like thunder cracked around the pair as the grass began to stir and shot up around the cryptids legs tightly like tentacles.

"Do not mistake preparedness for eagerness, child." His voice boomed before stepping forward to the trapped beast and slamming his head into its side and throwing it off its feet away from him. The Earth God stretched his body a bit, the dappling sunlight from the canopy illuminating his muscular form kept hidden under a usually relaxed hide. His mossy mane began to float slightly with the strong spike of magic in the air, flowers shooting from the earth around him and blooming around his ankles as he waited patiently for his opponent's first move. 

There were not many stories of this version of Jagmeet, as he had made sure it would be. In order to wield the most rigid of elements, one must be as strong and unmoving as the earth itself, but also as flexible as the grass that covered the large plains of his region. Anyone with any sense would assume he was the most immovable creature, let alone the most skilled in physical combat. He was not the leanest or quickest creature, but he was the sturdiest among the gods. 

"You may yield at any time you see fit, but know I will not stop until you say to." Jagmeets voice rumbled as he looked down at the creature, taking note of his antlers as the match began. He wanted to be sure to avoid them, even if they could not damage his hide for long, he still did not enjoy the prick of prongs.

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WC: 351 Words | +1 Chimes

       

word count: 417 words chimes: 1

      There was a brief jump scare as a restricting force shot out of the Earth and tightly rooted all of his legs in place. The stranger had reared out of instinct and been caught in a perfect position for Jagmeet to headbutt. Had the stranger used his head he may have been able to avoid the fall, or maybe he wanted things to happen naturally. This was, after all, his opportunity to learn from a God. 

      Not fighting back had it’s consequences, such as getting the wind knocked out of him as the looming white stallion topped the stranger over his own feet. He landed with a wheeze and listened to the rough voice of the opposing Deity speak. Jagmeet seemed pleased enough to stretch and bask momentarily in the morning rays of light that glittered through the tree. The leaves were casting an ornamental shadow on the pristine cost of Jagmeet’s, even the stranger took notice of how peaceful the morning was here. A gentle breeze gave him easy access to air, so the stranger remained on the ground as he was given a moment to recover. It was a small act of kindness which he gratefully accepted. 

      Most of the vines had broken during his fall, but a few still held tightly to his back leg which made regaining his footing a pain. When he stood again and freed himself from the Earth, the stranger gave himself a good shake and nodded in response.

“Understood.”

      In the instant that those words left his mouthless skull, the glow of a crimson eye turned upward to Jagmeet. A puff of shadow engulfed the Deity’s entire face. It was just a cloud that could easily be dispersed by the shake of a head. 

      Was this all this creature could manage? The Stranger tilted his head to the side and held his ears forwards. Not at all. As Jagmeet dealt with a temporary hinderance to his vision, shadows were moving beneath him. All four of the deity’s legs were black, and then the stranger gifted him a mirrored attack. Black chains materialized from the shadows around his legs, and as if pulled together from an unseen force, they constructed and clamped all of Jagmeet’s legs together. Down he fell as his own legs were pulled out from under him. The stranger didn’t approach, but leaned forward a bit to see Jagmeet on the ground, now hog-tied. 

“Huh.” The curious creature spoke as if he had doubted his own ability.

Jagmeet | God of Earth | King Over the Plains

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 The earth came up fast as Jagmeet's body hit the ground, his legs buckling from their bonds and his now unevenly distributed weight. A soft grunt left his lips before he forced his body to flex both physically and magically. He quickly kicked his legs out of their bonds with a loud crack as the shadows faded back into intangibility. A swamp dweller, no doubt a rather foolish-looking one at that. As he rolled his body to stand, a pillar of earth sprung quickly under the creature, punching into his whole ribcage and launching him into the air while the Earth King pushed himself back to his feet.
.
"Not bad." He chuckled out in a deep rumble. "But do not hesitate, or it will be your doom."
.
Stomping one of his hind hooves into the earth, the magic swelled around him again as golems started to form from the earth and climb free, standing around him like stone guardians with an unnatural green glow before taking off en masse towards their opponent. They were shaped like horses but moved like hyenas, as they charged their prey, Jagmeets horn glowed the same shade of green and the ground began to sparkle. Gold veins had started shooting from his feet, coating the ground in a thick layer of gold, leaving not even the grass green behind in its wake. The sun reflected hard against this golden mirror, creating a glare from below to match the one above.
.
He knew if he could overwhelm his opponent, he would have better odds of winning once he exhausted himself. If nothing else, his opponent would be forced to show his abilities before using them on him, giving Jagmeet a better advantage over him.

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WC: 288 Words | +1 Chimes

word count: 564  chimes: 2

Standing there like an innocent child not knowing which direction or option to turn to, the stag calmly watched Jagmeet break the chained spell and get back up to his feet. Shaakir was just a moment from surprising the older God with another attack when the ground vibrated. He felt it through his hooves but had no time to react properly to the stones that bluntly punched him in the gut. Shaakir was in shock when he was literally projectile into the air. Had he been fully conscious from being thrown with so much force he would have simply turned avian but this was a lesson for him to learn. It was one thing to fight purely on instinct and wrestle things into the mud, it was another to have carefully thought out actions. Jagmeet was a whole new playing field for him. 

Unknown to him, he had been struck so hard that he was forced out of his Equine-like state and instead reverted back to his bipedal form. He was falling to the ground when it finally struck him he was airborne, and like a cat, he twisted in the air. There was a loud crack when he landed. Anyone should be coming out of that severely injured but a miracle had happened with some pulled strings. Instead, Shaakir was laying on his stomach with the wind fully knocked out of him for a second time. 

The earth beneath his body turned cold and solid. A glance down and he watched it change to a slick metal. When he lifted his eyes to see what Jagmeet had been up to, he was met with a blinding glare of light that was only broken when giant clanging forms charged at him through the light. He remained there on his stomach, he was now completely defenseless and thereby just about useless without his ability to use shadows. It was no lie for him to say he didn’t expect to win this spar with Jagmeet, but it was not a lie to say that he had not expected the Elder to unleash every level of fury against him. Currently he was struggling to maintain control over himself. His body had this primal urge to shift into everything it could think of and lay waste to the creatures nearly atop him. Instead, he let out a sharp breath and reached out. One more inch and he could have touched the first golem. Instead, it was reduced to rubble and the dust flew past him. Shaakir slowly stood and removed the magic that held the stones together. He absorbed everything from them, including their very essence of life. He used both of his hands to dust off his shirt before looking up with a sort of smoke rolling from the gaping hole where his nose should’ve been.

“I did not expect you to take away the shadows.” He muttered, cupping his hands over each other to lightly form a ball. "But wherever there Light, there will also be Darkness."

The shadow he formed in his palms turned to tiny metallic-feeling shards which were then shot to Jagmeet. It was so simple, and such a childish move to have made, but he seemed hesitant to extend himself. Shaakir wanted to learn everything he could from the giant. His trip would have been wasted had he quit so early on.