Cthulhu_Wakes
Black Sun in a White World
I was wondering what some of you may think of this bit of Exalted fiction I've whipped up, a portrayal of the First Age Solar, Desus, Swan's former incarnation. What do you all think? It is not finished, haven't written out the battle scene, I was just wondering what some of you may think about it.
Disclaimer: I don't own Exalted and this isn't for profit. Merely fan fiction
Plains of Rain
"Perhaps the rider is simply late." The raven haired boy looked across the fields before him, where the grass met the waving ocean of granite and mercury, and the basalt path that ran straight down the middle and into the mountains beyond. Chill morning air washed over him, his cheeks pinked at the caress of the cold wind. His clothes kept his body completely warm, the woven orichalcum and starmetal lining keeping it as warm and comfortable as his estate back on the Realm. The boy's gaze looked over the low hill they sat on looking over the wabe that melded with the path deep into the Three Hills.
They had come to extract tribute, or to force this Raksha's hand. He had established a Freehold well within the borders of the River Province of the Solar Delibrative. This would not stand, therefore by decree of the Delibrative and local magistrates, a Circle of Solar's along with adequate military escort had ushered forth from Meru, to the hinterlands of the River Province.
Desus, shivered once more as he looked out into the lands that touched the Wyld tainted Three Hills. He was an Exalt of the Eclipse Caste, a new initiate into the brotherhood of the Quicksilver Falcons. A mere year into his exaltation, a late bloomer at age 18, he was with his master and mentor Balian, along with his Circle and a massive contingent of the 20th Legion.
Quite the first field experience for a young man such as himself, divine power or not.
Though...it wasn't a good sign, Desus was put in charge of negotiations in what was to be a simple and tidy exercise to get the Fae peacefully out of the area. Though, through his own bungling and inexperience, he may have just picked a fight. The go between he had chosen had brought a severe reproach from his Circlemates, and even the Terrestrial captains of the legion, though Balian calmly reminded them all, the young Exalt was in charge until he said so.
Nothing was said, not for those next painful heartbeats, nor the two hours the entire party sat out there on the hill, waiting for sign of the rider.
Desus' keen sight then swept back to his party, the group looking extremely dour and suspect, casting wary or doubtful looks at him and the Bordermarches.
His hopes and a bit more of his pride fizzled at the unsure and dubious looks on his Circlemate's faces. The youthful Solar lowered his head a notch. He felt the eyes of Balian on him. There was a lesson about to be taught here.
"Perhaps you give those soulless beasts too much credit for diplomacy, now the Delibrative is short one messenger." Balian saddled forth to rest his steed next to his apprentice. His frame was a stalwart six feet, thickly muscled under the fine clothing and paddings he wore underneath his breast plate, shining with orichalcum and encrusted jewels. Blonde locks of hair spilled out from under his cowl of his flowing glass cloak, he was considered beautiful, unearthly beautiful when looked upon even by his peers. It belied his Wyld touched heritage from the northern borders of the Realm's control. Part of the reason he was known as The Charmer in Heaven; with his honeyed tongue and disarming charisma.
One would not think him a proper teacher, but he had guided Desus from his first ametuer gropings of his inner power to become a shining student of the Solar Delibrative, though, there appeared to be room for another lesson.
The elder Solar looked on to the youth, a mere boy of nineteen to his seven centuries. For once, he didn't want to reproach him for his failed plan, he simply patted his shoulder.
"Give heart my boy," he looked him in the eye, "your idea was sound, but remember, you must never be afraid. Look." He raised the tip of his daiklaive to the skies above and the sphere of molten gold that shined there. "His light shines upon us no matter where we tread, sending riders who may be hidden from the light, that is not wise, you are an Eclipse, thousands of years of oaths and treaties long since past and bound protect you. The light of the Unconquered Sun shines upon all," He narrowed his amber eyes out toward the Bordermarches, "and his enemies tremble before it."
"Yes, wise one." The boy knew his master was most displeased with him, there was a sterner reprimand waiting for him when they returned to Meru. Geld felt his cheeks flush at the light hearted chuckle of Dacia, the brown skinned Dawn caste riding past him. He gulped and glanced at her like a school boy with a schoolyard fancy. His eyes watching her body sway with the movements of the iron horse she rode. Though sadly, his was no secret. In fact, it was the Circle's favorite past time, teasing him about it.
The heat on his skin died very quickly, hearing her chuckles cease instantly. He couldn't see past Balian and Dacia, looking out to the shifting skins of the Three Hills Freehold. Marx and Red Feather meandered up next to him, Marx whispering a small prayer to the Sun as they heard Dacia's voice roll along the small breeze to them.
"At least they left the body this time."
The pulse under his skin was throbbing, the pounding of hooves could be heard beyond the pair, coming around the bend on the basalt. The thrum of a drum being struck sent a ripple through the mercurial grass before them. The steed came running forth, Geld remembered the fear in the rider's eyes when he went in, but foolish needs to be right and in good terms with his new Circle overcame that.
The pounding of the hooves mixed with the low shrieks coming off the road as it trampled on, mouths and other orficies opening and closing in alien yells as the iron horse shoes beat teh Wyld tainted reality. Now the Eclipse got to see what 'left the body' meant when dealing with the Fae and their barbarians.
Geld beheld the unravelled and twisted body of the scout, a boy no older than he, Geld now remembered. Long dead, though his eyes and mouth were on opposite sides of the saddle, moaning and calling in tongues to the Heavens. Marx shuddered and looked away, even though the young Night caste had been on several missions to the bordermarches all over Creation, there were some things that a man could never get used to.
I sent him to die. All in damned pride...Sun forgive me. Balian cast a weary eye at the twisted body that mounted the warped horse. Though the beast of burden had faired as badly as her master had. The backhalf of it's body had been turned to gossamer legs of a panther's; the hooves left where paws should have been. Gleaming silver of its new bones shined through the soft sheen. Desus tried to reign in his churning stomach.
The horse whinnied in pain as it came to a stop before Balian and Dacia, it's main now set alight, though this was no magic of the Fae, the barbarians under it's command had done it.
"They mock us." Balian frowned and made his mount go forth, long since laden with essence fueled courage by its master. He patted his own mounts flanks before coming along side the creature that had been one of his men. Shaking his head, he extended his palm and touched the loose and sagging mound of skin.
An ear piercing shriek filled the air as Balian's anima coalesced around his arm, the faint scintillating image of an tree branch swaying in the wind appeared around his arms. A sharp light casting from his hands, a ball of pure essence shooting from his fingertips, boiling the creature and it's lost rider to a pile of white ash, casting off into the wind.
Another drum beat, the ocean rippled, now a plane of watery mercury, swelling like a tidal wave, lapping at reality, seemingly clawing ever closer towards the Circle. Balian cast back his hood and looked over his Circle and his apprentice. Desus gulped and unsheathed his daiklaive, the slender blade light as a feather in the dead grip of his hand.
It was now, from his blunder and moment of cowardice to do what he had been Chosen to do, it was now that they would fight to resolve this enitre mess. Something that could have been taken care of in minutes by his master.
Why me? I'm sorry...A firm hand gripped his shoulder, a grim smile on Red Feather's face, the tattoos glittering over the Lunar's face. "You tried, and failed, learn from it, and move on. Do not dwell on what has past and gone." Her gruff words settled in his addled mind, giving him a moments pause and a bite of courage. The gleaming crimson feathers in her hair shinned as the Sun seemingly shone a single ray of light on their party. Feather looked to the skies and smiled, her hand sliding down his arm and resting on top of his own.
"You'll make it through this...I promise." Desus' head whipped up like a crack of lightning, bemusement settling on his face at her smile. Her skin rippled and started to shift as she dismounted her horse, the young Solar looked on, as her body grew lithe and supple, into the war form Luna had granted her. The body and fierce countenance of the rare crimson eagle.
"Desus! Pay attention!" The boy flushed and looked over to the serious face of his mentor. Balian was watching out over the hills as the bodies of the barbarians started to pour over them, hundreds, bleeding into the thousands. Rank after rank of the twisted and gnarled men. Their faces held only two eyes, their mouths hidden, giving them smooth, unshaped faces.
Wielding weapons of glass and gossamer, clad in fine hide armor of some unknown beast. In their ranks rode several Fae, the Common, as the texts in Meru called them. They rode atop griffins and chariots of fire and diamond, commanding the gangly men and women into rank and file of formations of diamonds and waving lines too bizarre to comprehend their use.
It would awe even the most battle hardened of the group, but not even the army of 'barbarians' before them was as terrifying as what lie in the middle of their host. Even Balian was given pause.
A great creature, half shadow, half dragon, crawled along the ground in the middle of the mass of peoples, giving it a great wake in which to walk. It's body trailing along for hundreds of feet, massive clawed toes digging into the soil. The Wyld lands around it seemed to cheer and cry in joy at it's arrival. On it's back was a great howdah, bearing more of the Common, and their leader, one of the Noble, the most feared of the shaped Fae.
The creature stood proudly, looking toward the group of Celestials, clad in its own woven diamond armor, a great sword of snake and sapphire on It's belt. It's skin, from this distance, was olive green, It's hair aflame with pyre and star light. The Terrestrials next to Desus were growing weary, the influence of the Fae's withering look already reaching them.
Balian turned toward them all, "We take them, this is challenge we cannot overlook." The Circle nodded grimly, Desus looked at his leader was mad, then to Feather, wondering what she was thinking with that enigmatic little smile on her face.
He knew the Lunars enjoyed good battle, but somehow he knew it wasn't about the coming quarrel, her eyes darted to him. The Eclipse was almost a little scared, he never knew what would go through her head in the eight months he knew her. Balian rode past him, over the hill to the waiting aerial chariots and the two Manta's loaded with troops and the standing infantry of the 20th Expeditionary Legion.
His horse spurred on like a shock of lightning through their ranks.
"To arms! TO ARMS! ARISE MEN OF CREATION!" All stood and awaited battle with no question, a roar rising through the ranks as they cheered their commander, their general, Terrestrial, mortal and automaton alike. The men filed into rank as fast as they could, the Dragon Blooded assembling into their personal armors and warstriders. The great towering suits of armor rose from the ground, thirty in all. They shone like precious stones in the mine, wielding their great weapons, moving through the ranks to the fore.
Some grouped into wedges, wielding long lances made of jade and orichalcum, tipped in red and blue jade, singing to life with the powers of air and fire. The armors stood in a ready line, facing the coming tide of barbarians, their only target the great beast that lie with them. Men and Exalted alike were ready for what may come.
Balian raised his sword, two thousand bows answered his silent call, pulled taught, knocked with ironhead arrows. Thirty lances boiled with essence, lightning and fire dancing in halos around the pikes. Desus and the Circle stood fast next to him, their mounts whining their fear. Balian's hand fell, and thousands of arrows darkened the sky, great arcs of lightning, and masses of molten fire fell on the front ranks of the army, decimating those that were caught.
Unholy screams met their ears, the malformed creatures dying, some of their masters caught in the killing zone. Others simply vanished from the ranks of the enemy host, Balian nodded. "Illusions, they have not learned new ways to fight in all these years." Piercing shrieks filled the air as the air calvary screamed overhead, the warbirds and chairiots divebombing into the enemy lines.
The battle was on.
"Warstriders! Infantry! Form the line! We take them head on! Sound the charge!" A horn went up in the rear. "CHARGE!" Balian's horse reared high as he bellowed the charge, his anima kicking up, a great tree, wrapped in the banners and symbols of peace, now dead, burning with his own righteous hatred.
