Scenes from Jah~lila's Past WARNING:CONTENT comments welcome

Thu Jan 01, 1970 2:00 am

Great writing, I want to read more for sure! Poor little foals though, especially the brother. Lol, I just feel so sorry for them...*wants to hug the little ones*

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at 
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Post by **XxJah LilaxX** » Thu Jan 01, 1970 2:00 am

((this post got jumbled in the great Move, so it's actually supposed to be further down, right after the foals were taken to the dungeons.))

Jah~lila stood, eyes wide and nostrils flaring in fear and panting in exertion, between Al~Jan and Argoth. Her wings were flared and her horn lowered as her heart thundered in her heaving chest and tears of pain leaked unbidden from her black eyes. Her left forehoof dangled uselessly, dripping blood onto the red stone floor of the dungeons. She had managed to get out of the manacle in time, but she'd had to break her ankle in the process. Because of that, her three-legged charge towards the demon had been slow enough for him to escape with only a shallow cut on his cheek. 
 
He reached up slowly with one clawed hand to touch it and looked for a moment at the blood he drew away before returning his gaze to the young mare who so consistently defied him. "That," his soft silken words were cold as he smiled a smile that did not reach his murderous eyes, "was a mistake. Perhaps it is my fault. I have been far too lenient with you. That is easily corrected. Tell me, pet, did you really think that your pretty collar is there for decoration only?" 
 
Before she had a chance to react to that Argoth narrowed his eyes and... pain did not adequately describe what the white mare felt as the gold of the collar blazed a glowing red and contracted around her throat. Agony might have come closer, but was still unsuited to express the white hot anguish the bejeweled nightmare caused. She thought she screamed, she wasn't sure. Just when the pain began to overwhelm her senses and turn the world to blackness, she was released to find herself on the floor, though she had no memory of falling, blood staining her dusty white coat an angry crimson all around her graceful neck. 
 
Jah~lila had managed not to fall on her brother, at least, and that was some small comfort to her, but Jan still wasn't moving. His flanks rose and fell in ragged, shallow breaths and his eyes were glazed as he stared at nothing. 
 
"It pains me to have to do this to you both," Yes, it pains you. And I am a fairy queen, to be sure, thought the gasping healer icily. "You force me to be harsh with you, but I am not cruel. I think I shall leave you with a modest proposal. If you agree, your brother will be free. If you choose not to, I shall have to unfortunate duty of having to kill him. Slowly, and with you in attendance. 
 
All I ask for your brother's life and freedom is your cooperation and your loyalty. What does it matter if a few filthy mortals get a bit hurt when balanced against this dear little tyke?" the demon smiled in a way that made Jah~lila's stomach turn. 
 
"That is all! Now, then... Guards!" The demon gestured abruptly and two of the Algol who had been watching the day's proceedings with unholy glee slithered up to their master, awaiting his command. It was not long in coming. "Cage these creatures. I want extra chains on this one. The enchanted ones, mind you." 
 
With that the demon cast one last nasty grin in the two Divine Unicorns' direction and strode out of the dungeon. 
 
Just as ordered, Jah~lila was chained to the sides of a surprisingly large cage by all four legs (including the injured one), the collar, and around her chest. Al~Jan was left unfettered, unresisting as they tossed him in beside his sister.

Post by **XxJah LilaxX** » Sat Apr 03, 2004 4:16 pm

OOC: This is the story of how Jah~lila became what she is today (featuring a cameo from one of my other favorite chars, Mystic). There is a lot of violence and nastiness in here, the life of a slave is horrible in any situation, but what she went through was incredible. I'll understand if I have to take this down and edit it, but I'd rather not. It's also pretty long, so be prepared. Oh, and the original lyrics to "Windrider Unchained" are copyrighted to Mercedes Lackey. These aren't the original lyrics, I rewrote a lot of it to fit the situation. 
 
IC: 
 
 
"Indeed? Well, gentlemen, I believe we need to have a little talk with the poor dears. They seem to have forgotten the way of things." the cold drawl echoed in the poorly lit chamber amid the hissing laughter of the Algol. Jah~lila's blood turned to ice at the inflections of Argoth's voice. She had learned quickly that when a slave was being "corrected", the more civilized his tone, the worse it would be for the slave in question. 
 
Behind her, Al~Jan shivered with uncontrollable fear. Jan had been drawing the carriage of one of the Master's guests when he, malnourished as he was, had stumbled, spilling Argoth's guest (one of the evil faeries) upon the ground. Jah~lila had been coming back from the mines when she saw the snake people advancing with raised whips upon her whimpering brother and had gone berserk. Her unexpected fury surprised the overseers enough that she managed to break away from the coffle of mine-slaves and gallop to her fallen brother. 
 
The memory replayed itself within her brain: 
 
Jah~lila's heart pounded as her hooves thundered against the dry, cracked earth, a cloud of choking yellow dust swirling up in her wake. "Al~Jan!" 
 
Her fierce cry startled the Algol into stopping to turn their serpentine heads to stare at her. With an equine scream of pure rage, she spun as she reached her brother. Jan's black eyes were wide with terror, the dimness of the sapphire set beneath his silver horn indicated just how weak he was. Jah~lila hadn't seen him up close for weeks, she'd had no idea just how badly he had been treated, lowering her head, she nuzzled the black foal, trying to give him comfort in a comfortless world. She was brought back to reality by a line of red hot pain across her flank. One of the snake-men had recovered from his shock and swung the cruel blade-tipped whip he carried at her. 
 
It was in that moment that Jah~lila snapped completely. Spinning on her back legs, she reared up, wickedly sharp fore-hooves lashing lethally out. The rest of the Algol had recovered as well and turned their attention, as she hoped they would, from Jan to her. 
 
Ignoring the pain as strips of skin were flayed from her hide, she launched herself upon her hated captors. Finding a target she rushed forward and felt flesh yield under her razor sharp golden horn. Without pausing she bashed her back hooves into another, hearing ribs cracking. Rearing again as the Algol behind her sank to the dust with a his of pain, Jah~lila stuck this time with a flailing fore-hoof, bringing a third assailant to the ground and leaping upon it, drumming him into the parched soil with all four hooves while laying about with her horn. She reared again, neighing defiance and bringing her down with the full force of her body behind it as she had been taught by her father. Father... The mere thought of him made her smoother a wave of grief before tears could cloud her vision. Keeping the snake-people from reaching Al~Jan was all that mattered now. 
 
It continued in this way for some time. Her enemies could not sneak up on her from behind without getting into range of a lethal kick and if they attacked from the front they got gored trying to avoid her fore-hooves or trampled trying to keep from being spitted. But one of them had kept its head enough to run and get one of the magicked nets Master Argoth kept for just this purpose. Jah~lila screamed again as she felt the heavy folds of the net enshroud her and Jan. 
 
That scream was a last act of defiance, however, because it was then that blood loss and exhaustion finally caught up with the filly and she collapsed, losing conciousness. 
 

Edited by: <A HREF=http://p082.ezboard.com/bunicornsvision ... laxx>XxJah LilaxX</A> <IMG HEIGHT=10 WIDTH=10 SRC="http://www.wcc.hawaii.edu/cat/stsrv/STA ... imated.gif" BORDER=0> at: 3/20/06 20:58

Post by **XxJah LilaxX** » Sat Apr 03, 2004 5:43 pm

Jah~lila had awoken in the personal chambers of the Master, a very very bad sign for her and little Al~Jan, who lay curled up into a little ball of misery behind the dubious protection of her bloodstained wings. They sheltered the small foal from the sight of their captor, but nothing could protect him from the sound of his voice. She glared her hatred up at the figure seated on the throne before her. 
 
The demon looked just as he had when she had first laid eyes upon him, just after the battle. He looked like a human except for the bat-like wings sprouting behind him, the red slit-pupiled eyes, the reddish brown talons on the tip of each unnaturally long finger and that no human could be so pale. He was dressed and groomed immaculately, as usual, in dark gray breeches and a shirt made from something that looked like leather (Jah~lila didn't what to think what skins had made that leather). 
 
A thrill of terror traced her spine as he looked away from the Algol who had made the report and into her eyes. It took great effort not to drop her gaze, but Jah~lila managed, trying to put all of the hate she had for him into her look. Argoth saw, both the fear and the anger, and a slow fanged smile spread across his face. Getting to his feet he strode over to the adolescent mare. Placing one claw under her chin he forced her head up and put his face very close to hers. 
 
"Oh, and I am so very disappointed in you, my pet. The mines were supposed to teach you manners. A pity, a pity," he glanced down at where Jah~lila's wing hid her little brother who had audibly started to cry, "Ah, and the little one. Poor little tyke." 
 
Jah~lila pulled her wing closer, shielding Al~Jan from Argoth's vision, very aware of the claw pricking her ever so slightly under a major vein. She swallowed noisily, trying to tell herself that she would not cry, she would not show weakness, she would not show fear. Argoth withdrew back to his throne. 
 
"I've made you something, pet. I do hope you like it." From behind the raised chair he pulled a collar. Jah~lila's heart seized and seemed to stop beating for a moment, her tenuous control on her emotions snapping as she sobbed hysterically. It was not the idea of a collar which set her off, but mounted in the golden device were precious stones... Stones she recognized all too well. She was just glad Jan couldn't see. In the center there was a ruby... a ruby she had last seen on her father Pri~li'den's brow, just beneath his crystalline horn as he told her to flee to the Cave of Lights and try to protect the younger children... She recognized the other's as well. Her mother's emerald, Grandmother's Amber, Radev~inal's Jade... And there were others. She wept bitterly, past caring whether the Master saw. Jah~lila's pride evaporated in the face of her grief and complete shock. How could anyone do such a thing? 
 
"Oh, you do like it! Just as I had hoped. Because, little pet, pretty pet, you'll be wearing it for the rest of your woefully short life," He sauntered back to the dumbstuck white filly and buckled the horrible thing on. "Take them away. They'll be dealt with tomorrow. Which of you was the on who got the net? You? Consider yourself promoted, as a reward, you and your squad may watch their punishment." 
 
The familiar sickening dry rustle of plated belly scales on stone and hissing chuckles resumed as they were led to Jah~lila's cell.

Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub123.ezboard.com/bunicornsvisi ... laxx>XxJah LilaxX</A> at: 4/3/04 7:47

Post by **XxJah LilaxX** » Tue Apr 06, 2004 6:51 am

<div style="text-align:center">*************</div> 
 
 
"He--he did what?!" Jah~lila looked into Valdir's wide, horrified eyes. The half elf's mouth gaped as he stared at the horrible--thing around the Devine unicorn's neck. Al~Jan was curled up at his sister's side, having cried himself to sleep. She hadn't been able to hide the collar from him once they were marched to Jah~lila's cell in the underground cave system near the mines. At least tonight, for the first time in two years they were together. Valdir, her cellmate, had been listening to the tale with terrified nausea after being shocked by her numerous wounds and demanding to know what had happened. Now that he knew, he clearly wished he didn't. 
 
Less than halfway through the story Valdir's hand had come to rest protectively on little Al~Jan's mane without his realizing it. He tore his eyes away from Jah~lila's gruesome neckware and looked into her black eyes. 
"Oh, child, I am so sorry. I know that doesn't help, but I truly am." 
 
The pity in his eyes was more than Jah~lila could take just then. She turned away. "You speak truly, it does not help. And yet, it is good to know that in this wasteland somebeast cares for others. Never let them rob you of your compassion, friend." 
 
"I'll try, Milady, but it is hard." 
Jah~lila sighed distractedly, caressing Al~Jan with one gore-spattered wing, "I do wish you and the others did not adress me as such. I have not earned the title of lady." 
 
Valdir just smiled at her, "If that's what you think, Windrider, you are blind to just how much you do for all of us. Besides, you're a holy and magical creature. We can't help but respect and love you. And if Argoth--if Argoth kills you, it would heart-wound every single slave in Vastnir." 
 
Jah~lila blinked in surprise. She hadn't known that the rest of the slaves felt that way. In all of the seven years she and Jan had been here, she had never known. That thought drew her eyes to her little brother. Poor, poor Al~Jan. He was so young, just fifteen summers old and not even fully fledged. Even if he hadn't been malnourished for so long, he would have been less than half of his big sister's size. As it was, he was fully three hands shorter than he should be, his black coat dull and his power stone dim. Indeed, his treatment in the past few weeks must have been terrible. Only Jah~lila's healing power (what little she could get around the Master's shields) kept fever from taking him. In his weakened state, fever would kill him swiftly. 
 
Valdir's put one thin arm around Jah~lila's neck in a paternal gesture. "You've got to rest, Lila, for his sake as well as your own." 
 
Jah~lila sighed again. It was true. And she had to be strong for Jan. She was all he had left, after all. Exhausted from the day's events, Jah~lila's eyes drifted closed and she knew nothing until morning. 
 
 
<div style="text-align:center">************</div> 
 
 
Jah~lila woke to see Al~Jan's eyes staring into her own. He looked down after a moment. "You're Healing me, aren't you?" 
She blinked, still not quite awake, "Well--yes. I love you, Jan. I am not about to let that bastard kill you." 
 
The black foal looked up, the dull red light touching his white mane, "Hush, you know it is foolish to speak such things of the Master here." Al~Jan's eyes were old in his young face as he said with quiet urgency, "Lila, you must face the possibility that the Master may choose to kill me. If that is his choice, neither you nor I will be able to stop him. I am not even sure I want to. Just--please, do not let my death become yours. I--I don't think I could stand that, knowing that my death destroyed you." 
 
Jah~lila's eyes widened, suddenly, jarringly awake. To hear someone as young as her brother talking about the fact that he might die, much less probably would die and almost wanted to die... And that was not even what alarmed her the most. From a young age, Al~Jan had been gifted with the Sight. If he had a "hunch" that he was going to cross into the Bright Plains, it could actually be foreknowledge. There was no fear in his earnest eyes, but Jah~lila was afraid. Terrified, in fact. 
 
"Jan! Don't even talk of such things! Argoth will not hurt you without first going through me." 
Jan sighed. "That, sister dearest, is what worries me. But--oh, nevermind. It may be that I am overreacting. Just--think about it, sister." Al~Jan moved his small wings up to touch the back of her head and she did the same, touching the side of his head and neck in a gesture of love and respect common amoungst their people. For a moment they shut out the rest of the world, happy to be together for once. Unfortunately, such rare happy moments couldn't last and their few seconds of peace were interrupted by the rustling of bellyscales and the door swinging open. 
 
"Up ssslugsss! Th' Massster wantss you!" This Algol looked identical to all of the others. Covered in knobbly brown/green scales from head to tailtip. Where a man's legs would have been the Algol had only the tail of a snake. Strongly muscled arms sprouted out of broad shoulders from which hung a thick leather jerkin. Tucked into his belt was one of the blade tipped whips the Algol used to control the slaves. Valdir was already having a chain attached to his collar manacles and wrist bands. 
 
Daring to raise his eyes, he gave Jah~lila an encouraging look, "Good luck, Windrider!" He was cuffed soundly for speaking in the precense of their serpentine overseers, a large bruise blooming across the middle aged half elf's face. Before anyone could do anything else, Jah~lila and Al~Jan were forced to their feet and made to leave the cell. The direction they turned in caused Jah~lila to break into a cold sweat. They were going, not to the Master's private quarters, but further into the caves. That meant they were headed for the dungeons of Vastnir; they were dungeons from which few returned and fewer still returned sane. The broad fanged grins of their captors confirmed this. 
 
Jan knew what it meant as well as she did, and pressed closer to Jah~lila's flank, searching for comfort. She dropped one wing to shelter him as she so often did. There was no such comfort for young Jah~lila as she tried hard not to tremble and alarm Jan any further. And then they were in front of the huge doors that led to the dungeons and there was no room for thought... 
 
 
<div style="text-align:center">**********</div>

Post by **XxJah LilaxX** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 7:21 am

********

Jan would not wake up, whatever his sister tried. Her fur was matted with a sick combination of blood and sweat, tears tracing white lines of mental anguish down her dusty cheeks. The most awful thing was that Jah~lila knew full well that she could heal Jan in a matter of moments, if only those damnable locks on her powers were gone. As it was, Jan was dwindling. She knew that Argoth had not intended his rough treatment of the foal to be fatal (yet) for his value as a blackmailing tool, but Argoth sometimes got carried away and made mistakes. All the slaves of Vastnir knew this to their--often personal-- sorrow. Jah~lila had more than enough reason to suspect that was what happened to little Er'hin~ah'ine those years ago. What happened to her had not been pretty.

"Please," she whispered aloud around the lump of fear and grief in her throat, "Lady Alma, I pray thee, help us!" Seven years of the worst Vastnir had to offer would be more than enough to make a lesser creature renounce their faith entirely, but Jah~lila stubbornly persisted in believing in her Goddess with every fiber of her young abused body. Strangely, however, she had not pled for help until this moment. It was her belief that the Goddess gave her chosen Children the tools to withstand whatever they came against, it was for them to find and use those tools. This time, however, Jah~lila had nothing. The power Alma had gifted her with would be more than sufficient, if only she could get to them!

Jah~lila nosed her brother's fever-damp fur, one step away from hysterical sobbing. She was young yet, herself, and she was very frightened. Almost as much as the thought of losing Jan terrified her, she was frightened of being left alone in this horrible place. With no one to be strong for, she would fall to pieces, sure as the sun rose.

Something in the darkness made her head snap up. Her pounding head instantly made her regret her abrupt movement, but Jah~lila refused to make any sign. She was vunerable enough without advertising the fact. "Who goes?" she asked sharply, proud of the fact that her voice sounded challenging and only quavered slightly. By Alma, better to be a dead lion than a live dog! The things in the darkness resolved themselves into two glowing violet eyes. Jah~lila held her breath, fearing more of Argoth's trickery.

"Peace, Unicorn," the voice was husky and low, but very definately female. That made it unlikely at best that it would be some beast of Argoth's. Outside of the Algol, his creations, Argoth found females to be unworthy of much attention. That Jah~lila, a mere female, continued to defy him was a constant source of irritation to the demon. The owner of the voice padded slowly to where Jah~lila could see it--her-- clearly. It looked uncannily like one bit of shadow pulling away from the others and suddenly taking the shape of a young rangy she-wolf with silken black fur.

"I was told to search you out by some elven fellow, name of Valdir," said the wolf, looking from Jan to Jah~lila. Their condition seemed to anger her greatly, and that was almost as much comfort as the wolfess' words. Valdir! That clinched it. Argoth would never think of something like this. He simply did not understand emotion as others knew them besides rage. He knew the most basic, the most base emotions (that Jah~lila would die for Al~Jan for example) but he simply could not wrap his mind around why. That, in and of itself, was an advantage to the philly, through her emotions she confounded the demon. She let out her breath in a huge sigh.

"Who are you?" she asked, no longer bothering to conceal her concern for the child at her side. She laughed humorlessly before the wolf could answer, "Almas mane, what are you?" The young wolf grinned wryly, exposing sharp white teeth that flashed startlingly against her fur. "I'm an elemental mage, a shadow wolf if you will, and what's more, I'm exactly what you need right now. Call me Mystic. You, I'm told, are Jah~lila?"

Not wanting to nod and upset her head any more, she said simply, "Yes. How did you find us?"

Mystic let loose a humorless laugh of her own, a short, sardonic bark. "Easy. I've never seen anyone so bundled in coersive shields in my entire life. Something about you has that pathetic demon nervous, m'lass." Mystic chuckled for a moment, but quickly sobered. "That's what I'm here to fix, before it's too late for your brother there." Jah~lila's ears perked up, a flash of hope entering her eyes. Surely this Mystic was the Goddess' answer to her prayers! But... how? "I can't take them off completely without alerting your so-called Master that the cage on his prize songbird's cage is open. What I can do is loosen the ones on your Healing power for a little while. It's a risk, but," she glanced at Jan, her eyes softening, "it has to be done."

"Do it," was all the adolescent mare said, swallowing disappointment that the wolf could not remove the shields. This was more than she could have hoped for, more than she had imagined possible yesterday. Mystic wasted no time, diving in with a will. Jah~lila, constrained as she was, could not follow what the elemental wolf was doing, but even so she could tell it was very complicated. For all that, Mystic seemed to consider it to be of little consequence. The power that implied made the mare blink, somewhat shocked. For the first time since her capture, she had hope for escaping this place completely. With an ally like Mystic on her side, it seemed possible, and that gave her strength.

The feel of the constricting coils of demonic magic loosening was like the use of a deadened limb suddenly returning after years of hobbling. The instant she could, Jah~lila reached inside herself into that wellspring of calm magic she always felt but had been unable to use. The power responded almost before she could direct it. It was this instinctual use of magic that most healers felt, that undeniable urge to make things right that caused so many to sacrifice themselves to save others. Being unable to help her fellow slaves had been as bad a torture as anything Argoth had devised yet.

Almost instantly, Al~Jan's breathing eased, and he slipped from fever sleep to healthy, natural sleep, his powerstone ceased flickering, and he sighed in his sleep, snuggling closer to his sister with a smile on his slumbering lips. Only when she was done did Jah~lila turn her eyesback on Mystic, brimming with gratitude and tears of joy, a smile upon her own face for the first time in ages. "I thank you, Lady Mystic. I can not say what this is to me, to us."

The wolfess cut off the sincere speech with a smile of her own and the laughing words, "Whatever else I am, I ain't a lady. Just Mystic will do fine." She swiftly became serious again, "They're going to be back soon. I wish I could get you two out of here now, but I can't. I'm going to have to leave in a few moments."

"You have done much for us already, and I can ask no more of you. I will not forget what you have done. For what it is worth, you've a friend in Jah~lilianah'nma of Night Water. Why have you come into this dangerous place to aid us?" asked the young mare in wonder. From the way Mystic spoke, she was bound and determined to see the foals free, but Jah~lila had only barely heard of her people, much less Mystic as an individual.

"I have a rather large duty to discharge. There is a foul creature by the name of Eevahn who has been doing terrible things since I was very young, and he's the man who happens to be paying your 'Master' and ensuring that this whole nasty operation keeps going. It his for his profit that you break your backs in the mines. One of his many depredations," her sober tone turned bitter towards the end. After a short pause she added, "Besides, I had a brother, once. Only it was him protecting poor little me."

"I do not understand," said Jah~lila, frowning, "why should you have to feel responsible for this 'Eevahn'?"

Mystic's eyes darkened and turned an icy blue. "Simple," she said, a growl in her voice, "Eevahn unfortunately happens to be my Uncle, and the murderer of my brother as it turns. I must see him dead and his empire in ruins before I rest. That's why I originally came here, to try to take this place down. Now that I see just how bad things are, I have that much more motivation. My people live long, and we don't forget."

Jah~lila was silent for a long moment, digesting that statement. Mystic busied herself in magically concealing that any breach in the shields had ever happened, eyes narrowed. That completed, she prepared to leave. "I'll be back the next time he leaves you alone to contemplate your doom or whatever weak melodramatic cliche he uses as an excuse to leave you to rot for hours at a time."

"How is it you can come and go without the Algol knowing? They are foolish, for troth, but their senses are keen."

Mystic merely snorted, "That puffed up poppinjay Argoth is awfully fond of shadows, as I'm sure you've noticed, but he can't command them. I can. Wherever they go, I can go." That gave Jah~lila a great deal to think about. If what the wolfess said was true, she could go... anywhere. Or very nearly. There was a legend of her people about the Night Mare, who was trapped in the heart of the sun. The Fire Stallion had to ride in to rescue her from her torment, for there could be no greater punishment for the Night Mare than to be locked in the burning light away from her cool shadows. Even on the mortal planes, she had heard folk calling bad dreams "Nightmares". It would be interesting to know how that Divine slang came into common use.

"Fare thee well then, Mystic. Wind to thy wings."

Mystic grinned and left in a way that gave new and amazing meaning to the phrase 'she melted into the shadows'. Jah~lila laid her head down, ignoring the agony of hoof and head. If Argoth saw her healed, he would know something wasn't right. The young mare fully intended to take advantage of what rest she could get before her tormentors returned. For the first time in this unforgiving realm, her sleep was restful and untroubled, for for the first time, hope was her sleeping companion.

****************

Oh, shit...

Mystic felt her lip skin up over her fangs, muzzle wrinkling in a silent snarl as she stared at the latest abominations of Vastnir. Creeping closer, the young wolfess felt her heart pound explosively in her chest. It was like walking towards a furnace. Eventually, the blistering heat of them forced her to halt. It was close enough. Every hair on her back rose in revolt of the sight of these horrible misborn things. They seemed to have been ripped straight from hell. There were eleven in all, standing in supernatural stillness. It was as if a child with only the barest idea of what unicorns looked like had attemtped to sculpt one out of brimstone and rotting meat. Some of them--obviously the earlier attempts-- had stunted malformations that appeared to be intended to be wings. Occasionally they twitched horribly where they lay pulsing upon their backs. Their horn and hoof-bases oozed something thick and black, reminding Mystic of the black oil she had seen humanoids use to lubricate machines. Squinting up against the wavering heat, she saw that it dripped slowly from their eyes and nostrils too.

The scent of blood was easily traced to the three troughs arranged on the edges of the circular stone room. A few stone basins filled with dead pigs and rabbits appeared to be thier food. If they opened their horrible mouths, Mystic had no doubt there would be very sharp teeth inside. Their eyes all pointed towards the front more than a true unicorn's, and the horn was somewhat lower, almost directly between those terrible eyes. Everything about this nauseating beasts screamed 'predator'.

A glance under the nearest one's fiery tail showed them to be anatomically complete. That could only mean one thing: Argoth intended them to breed. The bony wolfess crept around them where the torches failed to light their ghastly stable and peered at each in turn. The discovery she made then was the most awful of all; all of the constucted creatures... were male. That meant the demon intended to breed them to-- Fuck! I've got to get to Jah~lila, the thought was filled with nauseous rage. In Argoth she saw a crude and stupid version of her uncle. It was only brilliance and sophistication that kept him from being another Eevahn. The demon was sick, and Jah~lila must be warned.

Mystic, about to creep back the way she came, froze. The biggest of the creatures had moved and seemed to sense someone who didn't belong in the room. As its eyes swept around the circular stone walls there was a chilling glint of intelligence in its burning eyes. After a long time in which Mystic scarcly dared to breathe it settled dully back into its daze. As soon as she dared, the shadow wolf fled.

*************

Jah~lila leaned heavily against the thick bars of her cage, grateful for the support as she gazed down at little Jan through tear-filled eyes. It had been two weeks since Mystic had been able to come to them. It was hard to believe she even existed in this nightmare world sometimes, but everytime Jah~lila gave up hope and decided Mystic was an invention of her fevered imagination, she came. Without her, Jah~lila knew she would have gone mad long ago. Without her, Jan would be dead and she would be broken. Jan looked right back at her, but saw nothing. A combination of malnutrition and a few too many hard knocks had blinded him completely. Escape was looking less and less likely with each day. How could she and Jan escape in such awful condition? Jan was unfledged and weak, how could they run when Argoth set the snake-men on their trail? Where would they go?

And now Jan was blind. It was too much, too much to take. If she hadn't needed to take care of her brother, she would have laid down and died long ago... Shaking her head violently regardless of its throbbing the mare tried to snap herself out of the mood, ashamed she had even allowed herself to entertain it. They would escape, they must! She had to believe that! The fire that burned within her flared up, smouldering in her black eyes. They would not die here. Never.

At the sick slither of belly scales on the warm stone, she swung her head to stare at the two approaching Algol with reckless rage. They had been tormenting the two foals ceaselessly for the past week, Argoth's latest attempt to break her. For the last few days she hadn't been able to summon the will to resist them more than weakly and they had grown complacent. The Algol on the right, caught her eye and stopped dead in its tracks, feeling transfixed by the intensity held within them. It was like staring into a very deep well and seeing something terrifying waiting at the bottom for any so foolish as to fall in. For a moment, its heart stopped. The other was too intent on the entertainment to come and failed to notice the change in the slave. Hissing in anticipation it slithered closer.

Yes, snake, I dare you to claim just one more footlength between us... Just a bit--furthur... As the Algol finally came close enough with a triumphant chuckle, Jah~lila lashed out violently with her good forehoof. With a sick sound of metal on metal followed by a noise like a ripe mellon bursting, her hoof punched a neat hole through its abdomen. It sank to the earth, a stupid look of surprise permenantly cast over its serpentine features. Withdrawing her hoof from its carcass, Jah~lila found that the other had already fled.

A familiar chuckle floated from the dark corner of the dungeon. "And here I was thinking I'd have to protect you when we get out of this stink-hole. Silly me." For all the wolfess was as dry as usual, there was a note of newfound respect for her combat skills. Jah~lila smiled at her friend, turning to look at the wolfess. "Mystic!" shouted Jan happily, turning his blind face towards the sound of her voice. Mystic started as she looked at the way his eyes searched sightlessly for her, recognizing what it meant. She shared a significant glance with Jah~lila before answering him.

"Hey kid. I managed to swipe a sugar cube for ya this time." Jan smiled sweetly in her direction but made no reply. He hadn't spoken much for the past couple of months, and that usually not aloud. Mystic passed him the treat and watched him quietly for a moment before turning back towards his sister. "How long?" she asked quietly, pain on Al~jan's behalf stabbing her in the heart painfully. She had grown enormously fond of the child though she had bonded with Jah~lila far more deeply.

"Three days, mayhap, surely no more. It troubles him but little, so do not look so sad. He says things are easier to see without eyes." Jah~lila sighed slightly, looking distant, before bringing herself back to the moment. The Algol who had run would not stop running. Argoth did not look kindly upon cowardly servants, and knew full well how to extract the truth. No, that Algol would not be back, but the shifts would change and Mystic being discovered would be a disaster. "What brings you, my dark friend? I see you've news."

Mystic's lip rose involuntarily in disgust at the memory of her awful discovery. "You aren't going to like this..." and she told her. At the end, Jah~lila felt distinctly ill. She had thought herself beyond shock at this point; evidently she had been mistaken. "It's not quite as bad as it seems. Argoth still hasn't worked all the kinks out yet, so we should have a few more months to plan your escape, but beyond that..." Mystic trailed off and Jah~lila just shook her head. They just couldn't let 'beyond that' come to be. Escape now had a deadline. Jan shuddered but remained silent.

Post by **XxJah LilaxX** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 8:54 am

**************

Argoth was in a foul mood, and he was not inclined to take the loss of two of his Algol silently. The question was what could he do to punish his prisoner that he had not already attempted? He tapped his taloned fingers on the arm of his throne, eyes narrowed dangerously. His serpentine servants took care to avoid making even the slightest sound, lest they bring their master's wrath down upon them.

Strange things had been happening, lately. Slaves he had ordered to be starved were moved from their quarters and into Vastnir's larders right under their guards' noses. New, valuable weapons had begun to rot in the armory. His guests found maggots squirming in their bedding at night. And on the lips of his captives, whispered like an incantation of hope, was the name of Jah~lilianah'nma. They called the little winged rat Windrider, and they resisted in whatever ways they were capable. Somehow, even locked up tight and bound in reflective magics under constant guard, the mare was fomenting rebellion. No matter how he threatened or cajoled, she remained firm. It defied logic. There was no reason for it! Without one of her blood, he would never be able to harness the powers of Night Water Lake. If only he had known that before he had exterminated the rest of the winged vermin, he would not be in this frustrating position! But Al~Jan and Jah~lilianah'nma were the only ones left, and Al~Jan was far too young to know what to do. Lord Eevahn had not yet checked in on the demon, which was no small blessing; Vastnir was a remote holding, and mattered little enough to the Great Lord so long as the quotas were met. But one day, tomorrow, perhaps, or fifty years from now, he would come, and when he saw that Argoth had failed so abysmally... The situation was untennable.

A resolve hardened in the demon as he sat there, glaring at the stone wall opposite his throne with burning eyes. If he could not court the foal into his service, if he could not control her, then he would break her. Argoth toyed with the notion for a moment more, contemplating it. A slow grin spread across his handsome features. Yes, I will break her, he thought triumphantly, savoring the thought. He rose to his feet so suddenly that his guards flinched involuntarily with fear, staring at him through their slit-pupiled eyes. Argoth snapped his fingers, gesturing for them to follow him, and swept off to his dungeons, the cruel smile growing with every step.

**************

Jah~lila laid her golden horn against Al~Jan's silver one, her white cheek rubbing gently against his black one. She found it wet with tears, as she had known she would. She had managed to bring back his eyesight, though it had been the most difficult healing she had ever attempted and had left her so exhausted that she doubted she would be able to walk ten straight paces without falling flat on her nose. A mental caress confirmed that Jan was thinking of the family they had lost.

Her own heart seized with grief at the thought. She had tried so very, very hard to be strong for Jan and not show her own anguish, but at the end of the day, she was a child, still. A scared, miserably unhappy child who had lost her parents and her entire herd. How well she remembered Pri~li'den, her father, as he smiled bravely at her and told her he would be along to help her protect the younger children once the demon's troops had been pushed back. Had he known then that the herd was hopelessly outnumbered? Had he known that he would never see his children again? Probably.

Jah~lila forced herself to snap out of it, shoving her pain deep inside herself, bottling it up until she had the luxury to express it. Grieve later, she ordered herself mercilessly, plan now. It had been four months since Mystic had come to her with that terrible warning, and still, neither of them had an answer for how to escape. At least, Jah~lila hadn't; Mystic had vanished after delivering her warning, and the two foals hadn't heard a whisper of her since.

Be strong, and Alma will provide, she reminded herself, mentally telling Jan that somehow, some way, everything would be all right. He didn't believe her, of course, she barely believed it herself, but with the full force of Healer's calm behind it, the little one allowed himself to be soothed by his big sister. His tears slowed, and he leaned into Jah~lila's flank, trembling silently. ~I will not let anything happen to you, brother. Not now, not ever. I promise you this, my oath on Alma's name. You are my heart, Jan, you are my blood and my sunshine. I love you, little brother, and there is naught the demon may do to change this.~ Jan's trembling stopped, and he sent his sister a wordless impression of such love and trust that her breath caught in her chest.

And then, Argoth and his henchmen stormed into the dungeon.

"Bring me the black one," Argoth hissed, sounding like one of his own creations. Jah~lila lumbered to her feet painfully, grey exhaustion making her limbs feel as if they were made of lead. She bared her teeth and lowered her horn at the approaching Algol, refusing to surrender her brother to the creature that "owned" her. But then, Argoth made an abrupt gesture, and her world was nothing but pain as the hateful collar flared to life. She had learned to fight past the searing agony, but combined with her fatigue it made her slow enough that the snake-men could snatch Al~Jan and lock the cage door behind them.

The while filly had a feeling deep in her gut that something was terribly wrong, that something was different today. The feeling of dread grew as she met her master's eyes for a brief moment. There was rage there whose equal she had never seen, smouldering deep in their crimson depths. His smile was chilling, and it never seemed to reach those eyes. Only the ruthless training of her years of confinement kept a whimper from escaping her lips.

"All of you, in a circle," he directed his minions, Al~Jan voicing the whimpers Jah~lila refused to. "Now," he said, once his orders were obeyed with all the speed he could have wished for, staring into Jah~lila's wide, frightened eyes, "Scrum. But leave the child alive and sensible."

"NO!" she screamed, the word torn unwilling from her throat. Scrumming was what the Algol did when a slave got too old or too weak to continue carrying out its duties. They would lash out with their powerful, tree-trunk thick lower bodies, beating their victim slowly and painfully to death as they passed the poor creature between them like a child's ball. Usually there were just two or three of them at a time; this group had swelled to twenty as Argoth stormed through the halls of his fortress to the dungeons. The Algol hissed their merriment, pleasantly surprised by this turn of events. The snake creatures could judge their blows within a hair, and there was a great deal of damage they could inflict whilst leaving the foal alive and conscious.

Scenes from Jah~lila's Past WARNING:CONTENT comments welcome

Re: A Scene from Jah~lila's Past (warning:violence)

Re: A Scene from Jah~lila's Past (warning:violence)

Scenes from Jah~lila's Past WARNING:CONTENT comments welcome

Re: A Scene from Jah~lila's Past (warning:violence)

Re: A Scene from Jah~lila's Past (warning:violence)