#|°astral°| arana

[guardians-of-the-light]

In Dreams

Destiny fic - 625 words

Here I walk this path of cobbled stardust. A winding road twisting between realities where past and present are no longer clearly defined. Light and Dark are no longer separate beings, but elements connected with thread so very thin that it now becomes hard to distinguish between the two. I hold my own Light close, it guides me, warns me of what to fear. A breeze caresses my cheek and I look to the prismatic skies. I pause my step for the slightest of seconds as echoes of the past drift by. Distant familiarity haunts my every step yet the whispers of unease follow close behind.

The azure stones beneath my boots were hand-placed centuries ago by those with the same gift as my own, yet I feel as equal an outsider as an Exo.

The land of my forebearers is one of strife and treachery. Dark bargains in tandem with benevolent tradition, we…they…struggle to grasp simple consistency in true alignment. Yet how could they? Or anyone with such a troublesome origin as we. Children born of the fundamental war within nature.

A touch from the Deep, a kiss from the Sky. Gifts of mind, beauty divine. Each of us carries these same traits; must wrest with these same truths. Elements presented by mere existence that only few have been made aware of until now.

Paths diverge at every opportunity, choices beg to be made; these halls beckon me to search their depths. And on the whim of the moment, I follow, letting the City swallow me whole. What I find beneath is a realm caught in flux. Torn between Mother's grace and Deep’s razor. Rifts of dark reach through the carved stone walls without regard for the history that resides here. Reality grows thin, I go deeper still.

Until I lay eyes upon Her. Resting amid a circular shrine bathed in the blue-rose light from lantern and Sky. Around her, violet banners drape low and I feel to be forced to my knees at the statue’s base. A gesture seemingly out of my control but not by the will of any other. In her presence I cannot stop the tears that come forth, but my eyes stay fixed to her gentle face. Suddenly my standing amongst the City means nothing, the weight of my robes melt away and the titles I hold wither to dust. I am no fighter, I am no teacher. I am not a savior nor a chronicler. I am but a child, lost in the seas of Void and Light. A child without home. A daughter without—

“Mother”

The word slips between sobs, hardly a whisper but deafening in my ears. Void Light rises from my fingers as I reach to her. Cold stone turns soft and warm. I feel her embrace my touch, my Light, my soul. My eyes close and she takes me in. She shows me the stars suspended in luminous gardens and gilded ships winding through spectral clouds. She takes me through the Deep, through chasms of teeth and seas of obsidian pyramids. Streaks of violet spiral past as she pulls me from the Dark. But at the edge of night, I find a crystalline shore of twilight mist where shadows dance and starlight hangs just out of reach. I stand in awe before I feel Mother's smile and she lets me go.

I open my eyes, standing at the mouth of the marble archway. My hand tingles with pricks of cold and a small crystal statue rests in my grasp wreathed in a faint blue glow. An orb sits in each of her hands and after a moment it's lumen fades away. I look back towards her only to find no changes before I wipe my eyes and face the flickering hall. I draw in the cold air and take my first steps.

I understand now.

[nefarious-of-nightmare]

A role play between myself and Remnant-of-nightmare

[вrandιng and тeтнerιng: ѕтorylιne oғ reмnanт and aѕтralιe]

*[Astralie's Post]*

|The moon was full and bright, shining over the large vast field, where the moonlight shone over every rock and crevasse as how Mother Earth created her painting, the wind was steadily beating at the creation, causing minor storms in different portions on the canvas. Father Time himself was enjoying his slumber as Mother Earth was steadily mixing and adding new shades of autumn towards the dancing trees and twirling leaves. In the darkness of the night, the monstrosity stepped out from the treeline of the forest and she Began removing her clothing for her night swim in the moonlit lake. With each step the young female began casting out her energy as she began drawing from the moon, Mother Hecate was the very essence that Astral was drawing from, knowing the lake would've been the place of serenity and tranquility. Finally reaching the surrounding areas of the lake, the young girl body lingered within the shadows once more and she slowly climbed down the steep hill side where surrounded the fountain of youth.

Along the way down, grasping a hold of loosen tree branches, this was her first time at this lake, the alluring music was drawing her closer and closer, Astral's eyes were filled with the transcendent light as if her body was being carried by the reaper of death himself, Grimm. The wind now swirling around her corpse, cold and frightening, her pores rising, shivering, goosebumps covering her flesh along with small breaths being pushed from her poised lips, Ästral was being summoned to be claimed and taken...as a host.|

*[reм'ѕ poѕт]*

>_ The surging of energy brought out the very foundation of nightmare. The weapon of Eros and Morbid. Twirling round and round the mist did slowly cascade down that dark night. Crimson liquid rained from the heavens suddenly.

A curse born not of this world but multiple. The reality is that death marched and hell was with him. Each pulse of energy distorted the world and broke the vessel free. An empty jar sealed did break. Now that energy the woman had surged from the moon became chaotic and primordial. The body of the disfigured burst from the lake. A god with a shattered mind.

The Remnant spoke in ancient tongue. Her word to bringing him forth. Now a sinful man who held morals for nothing moved into the lake and that searing iron upon her inner left wrist. Merged with her spiritual energy did she see the misdeeds and death of the nightmare she now was tethering to this world.

Death is only his playground. Let him paint you his picture..

"Aranashyna."

This was her brand name. To awake him she needed to use The word the sinful man spoke while groping her underneath the water."To tether him here.. Vischma.."

|As Ästral's body was stuck within this transformation of her accession, she couldn't comprehend if she was being raped by a deity or blessed, her body was frozen as beneath the pool of water was deep and dark, freezing as if an iceberg began melting early morning. Her eyes began moving at a rapid pace as she felt a small sting yet in a bittersweet way, Ästral slowly tilted her head downwards towards the fresh water as if she seen a figure entity groping and fondling her naked epidermis, she couldn't pinpoint where the touch was located at but she did Hear the two usual and strange words being burned into her very soul. Without realizing what she was about to say, her lips grew dry and brittle, her limbs grew weak and wiry, the young female almost cost her own death without realization.|

"Aranas....Visc..."

|Something deep in side of her very essence made her stop completely, Astral's life was slowly being drained from her vessel leaned over the water in a floating sense, as if she was in the astral plane the entire time, she saw a giant shimmering light along with a giant loud voice also with the Earth itself trembling in fear and chaos...was this her destiny, to host something with massive amounts of power... Or was this her final sentence upon her accession into her death.|

"S'mote it be."

|Her final words in acceptance of the Brand and tethering without her recommendation and recognition, the young monstrosity accepted the honor of being the first key into her destiny to lead her coven into the afterlife.|

*[Removal of Brand and tethering]*

|Upon the request, Astralie wasn't the correct one for Remnant's brand or tethering, so instead of being sent towards the afterlife before her time, she pulled out her blade from her waist and unsheathed the weapon of her choice and took in a deep breath, and before the locals of her horde, Astralie placed the blade against the area of her inner arm and began to dig out the brand, along with tears flowing down her face, Astralie cried out as if she was dying, no one didn't exactly explain how a brand or tether to be removed, so this was the next best thing.|

|As she continued to dig her blade deeper into her flesh, Flash backs of the memories began to disappear from her mind, along with the sweet romance that they were beginning to form. Being a hybrid the pain was almost unbearable for anyone to bare or much less handle...she collapsed upon her knees and the blade of her trusty companion slipped into her lower abdomen without having the sense of that she just stabbed herself.|

*"Aranashyna"*

|Was the name of the tethering between Remnant and Astralie, she spoke the words quietly as she slowly pulled off the bleeding piece of flesh where the brand was marked upon. As she spoke off the releasing she called out the last part, if she was calling towards Remnant, She was now saying goodbye.|

"To remove the tether from her to him, Demoralize this brand and destroy it..... Vischma.."

|Loosing so much blood, Astralie's eyes grew heavy and her breathing shortened, she almost did exactly as the only requirement would have been objected towards her death, forgetting that the brand was along the inner side of her wrist, Astralie had committed the first crime, her own life.|

*"Well here's to us."*

[guardians-of-the-light]

// AUDIO LOG 21MEM.FILE 03 //

// USER - KALEK ROMAEV //

// BEGIN TRANSMISSION //

You know, sometimes I wonder if I can keep up with her. It seems like I look away for just a second and she's already learned something new. Already moved on to the next puzzle, one that she has three pieces already placed and fluid intelligence for the remainder. Sometimes it's not just problems brought up in the wilds or at the Vanguard table. Sometimes it's just common day clashes and understanding what needs to be done or what needs to be improved.

When Mi Kyong first joined the fireteam last year, they hardly got along. It's understandable, their personalities are practically polar opposites and Mi’s filling the space of Romulus who we lost when the City fell. And although I may not have been terribly close with him, myself, she definitely shared something with him. They both had this… fascination for how the world works and what made different people tick. He was interesting, knowing so little about himself but still so confident.

Now I'm starting to sound like her.

Anyways, despite their rough start, her and Mi have gotten quite close now through some sort of черный магия.

//Detect language - Russian - Translation: black magic //

Different senses of humor, music preferences, fighting styles, personality, you name it. But they're closer than ever. Even teaching each other tricks of their subclasses. Finding synergy in attacks, pairing their Light for unique incantations. Arana had already been experimenting with more abstract uses of her Light for years now, and with Mi Kyong's sheer power… I'd rather not be on the receiving end of anything they come up with.

She has an amazing drive too, possibly one of her most impressive traits, and sometimes her most concerning. After we came back from the Vault of Glass, I couldn't keep her from her studies of the Vex. Nearly two years of her trying to fight the mental battle with them. Learning everything she could about them to thwart their plans single-handedly because the Vanguard refused to acknowledge the threat they posed. It pained me to watch her grow so distant but her work was of great value to the Vanguard and by consequence all of us.

Then there was the Red Legion's invasion. Losing my Light was devastating, but for her… it was almost personal. I wasn't of any help to anyone, crippled for more than a week without Adonis to heal my wounds, but she never stopped for a day. She kept telling me about this vision she had when we rested at the Iron Temple. Of a white bird soaring deep into a forgotten land to the west of the continent. I knew I couldn't stop her from trying to find answers but she was only met with more questions.

// Audible Sigh //

I’ll never forget the way she looked when she returned still Lightless. I could tell it took everything in her not to break down into tears, although some had already slipped through. But there was more than sorrow in her eyes. In those marvellous blue eyes I saw determination and a dangerously cold fury that I'd never seen in all my years with her. To this day she still doesn't have a concrete reason for the Traveler’s choices. Why she was called forth but not heeded, why it choose to awaken when it did, but through it all I had nothing but pride in her. She never ceases to amaze me at every turn.

And I love her with every fiber of my being.

// END TRANSMISSION //

[guardians-of-the-light]

— It took me years to overcome this. This very dread that weighs upon me as I stare into the dark. The same dread I felt when first communing with the Void. The same dread as when I stood at the edge of reality in the depths of Venus. The dread I feel when I hear the whispers from the Deep between stars.

Yes, indeed I have seen this moment many times before. This desolate sea of metal and hate that lap eagerly along the shifting shores of time. Each ebb and flow inching the Vex ever closer to their ultimate goal. I have seen it when the Oracles sang their wretched song. In the intoxicating dreams that engulfed me in the Black Garden, and in the far recesses of the mind cores of every Vex frame.

My studies of them changed me. While I haven’t aged a day since my resurrection, I was still too young when I began. My mind vulnerable after crawling from the Waking Ruins, bent on cobbling together an understanding of their potential. I followed in the footsteps of Pujari, scoured the jounals of those experiments in the Ishtar Acedemy, gathering all I could for decades. While I learned much and the knowledge was of great value to the City, resisting their pull on the mind is a draining feat and the mental toll was great.

Yet after years of recovery and decades of experience, I am called back. Traveler's Light returns, paths converge on the construct of Mercury, and when I stepped through those fractal gates I find myself here. At the end of everything. At what I saw so long ago and desperately worked to avert. However, the efforts of Ikora and Osiris have achieved much, halting the soonest of the Vex’s victories and ensuring, at best, a momentary peace.

Even still, several paths may lead to the same answer, and I intend to find them all. The Forest holds infinite possibilities, infinite timelines and all the time in the world. There will be the opposers and naysayers, but I look at them with only pity. The unknown of the future is not to be feared or avoided, but to be understood and embraced. We cannot simply rule out the potential use of what we do not understand. This fact I live by, and if I die by it as well, then so be it. —

[guardians-of-the-light]

Blighted

@lightvoices liked for a starter!

Without the constant squabbles between the Fallen and Cabal, the rusted buildings to the west of the Trostlands were a quite tranquil place. Gentle trickles of water pooled at the bottom of a cracked road. A Warlock passed through the area, her stride taking her through the pools of water. Calf-deep in the swirling liquid, but the water lay undisturbed as she kept on. Refractory angles gave off a glow from her boots, the remainder of her robes a deep blue.

Eyes of blue peered at her from the shadows of the outlying forest, but they were of no concern to her. She was lightly armed, only a pulse rifle infused with the stars along her back, that was not to say she was unprepared for combat. She was there for something else, a dark force that plagued the Earth near the Traveler Shard. Something had begun to rile up Taken across the system over the course of the past few days. She hoped to find answers here.

"Anything?"

She called over the comms, her Ghost chirped back soon after, "Not much yet," Though the news was disconcerting, her voice was still bright. "the particulate matter seems to have been excited but nothing else of consequence so far."

She gave a hum as she pushed off the ground, the Light carrying her to the broken ledge above her. She walked towards the entrance of one of the crumbling buildings but another Guardian signature pulled her attention for the moment. It was not uncommon for others to pass through the Sludge, but she couldn't help but wonder if it was truly a coincidence.

[guardians-of-the-light]

WHAT  TAROT  CARD  ARE  YOU ?

Kalek:

You got: The Hermit

You’re an introspective person who’s content with their own company. But even though you’re introverted, you’re not a loner. People often seek you out for advice or even good conversation because you’re thoughtful and analytical, and you’re happy to help them out -- in small doses. 

Arana:

You got: The Moon

You’re deeply creative and intuitive, and many people find you mysterious. You can be manipulative and have a dark side that you’re good at hiding, and maybe a few skeletons in your closet. That said, there’s a distinct dreamlike quality about you -- some might even say psychic.

Mi Kyong:

You got: The Sun

You have a natural vibrance that draws people in. How could you not? You’re positive and optimistic, enthusiastic, warm, energetic and fun. You can be a bit arrogant and have a hard time dealing with more serious situations, but there’s no denying you can make people happy. 

Korena:

You got: The Devil

You’re a hedonist through and through. You’re not great with moderation. Instead you prefer to chase your own pleasure, follow your instincts, and take risks. People might find you intimidating at times but no matter what, there’s no denying you have a certain allure.

Thane:

You got: Death

You can be a bit intense and find yourself drawn to dark and mysterious things. You’ve seen been through a lot and have probably seen a fair share of endings, but probably cope with it through humor. On top of that, you are surprisingly easygoing -- you’re open to change ,try not to let past baggage weigh you down, and seek out new experiences.

Thalia:

You got: The Fool

You’re a young soul -- and while that means you can be a little foolhardy and naive at times, it also means you’re unconventional and playful, and love to make people laugh. Carefree and spontaneous, you follow your lust for life on adventure after adventure -- and you make other people feel like they can do anything, too. 

tagged by: @lightvoices

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