{ HORSEMEN END } The Purge is over/ THE TOUR (p.4!)

[xoxomenai]

It was like a dream come true. They had regained their right as horsemen and restored power to the clan. It was what he had wanted since the fall of the Four Clans. Any other day he would be cheering and reveling in it.

But the way Medea had gone about it unnerved him. He knew good and well that what had just taken place, technically shouldn't have. No, daresay couldn't have occurred. But Medea had done it. She had overthrown an Ancient single-handedly. Power like that ... It was hefty risk. Moreso, it was a necessary evil. If Destruction's power could do that much for the clan, what more could it do??

A large part of him didn't want to know. But Medea had helped him already. Destruction's power had helped him. Perhaps he was loyal to a fault, but he owed Medea that much, if nothing else. He owed his clan as a true horseman. Kiwi glanced up, into the faces of the grey fallen behind Medea. Faces, fellow soldiers, scholars, and aquaintances he had passed daily without a moment's thought. Seeing them again, he felt the call home stronger than ever. The call to be whole again.

He didn't hesitate.

"I will not forsake my clan, my home," he spoke up. "If this is what it has come to, then I will stand by Medea."  

[Miliardo Kason]

Nirva's wings wrapped tight around her once it was all done, her helmet was gone as where her weapons she was pacing among the other horsemen. The memories of that shadow, the loyalty to herself, the idea the Medea would somehow damn them lingering in her core somewhere. But Death was dead the memories where back of what the word meant, but to know he was gone? That Medea was indeed the ruler and had won?

It seemed un-real.

What did it mean for the rest of the world?

"Where do we go now though? What have we wrought?"  

[Midnightglow18]

Eye listened to what the other hunters had to say and she waited for Medea's response to the one challenge to her word being law. Though at this point with this many older horseman staying, Eye thought it was best she stayed as well, so perhaps she would be able to truly learn about her people and improve in her jewel crafting.  

[medigel]

it was easy to tell when Shik arrived: one simply had to turn their head towards the whooping, victorious cries War was known for.

So this was what accomplishment felt like. After two years of scrounging and feeding off of Halloween's pity, they could have something of their own at last. The executioner brimmed with energy in spite of the taxing journey, and his wings shifted as if ready to take flight at any moment. He did not need to voice his opinion as far as what side he was on: Medea already knew.

As he waited for Shaheen to appear, he bothered Aeron with a rough pat on the shoulder. "Brother-in-Death, you look better. I would have you know I avenged your unfortunate fall," Shik said with a grin. "Drinks after this are in order, no? I am certain Shaheen will be joining us." And probably Lan, if one came with the other. And for once, he wasn't annoyed about it; just slightly put off. Lan had proved herself (somewhat) capable in battle, after all, and she had chosen to fight alongside them. It was good enough for him.

Among those gathered he saw a slightly familiar face and remembered that it was Yuzhi's cousin, from long ago when the clans were still foraging for resources. He seemed lost in thought, which made it perfectly okay to interrupt. "Is something troubling you, hero?" Shik asked. "There is only one way forward; there should be no hesitation."

He turned to Nirva with a bright, almost manic look. "We do as we have always done: reclaim what was lost and destroy or dominate those who stand in our way. The only difference now is that we have shown them the power we are capable of. They will remember now what it means to fear us."

Seussi

when you're good to go~

Nyxtsuki Moon

suppppp

Miliardo Kason

more supppp

Blade Kuroda

and suppppp

 

[AyeAvast]

Feeling horrifically confused about what was going on given his great absence on this entire endeavor, Thrain shuffled as casually and inconspicuously as a very tall man could around the edge of the gathering group. There were people he knew and ought to speak to, but given how his thoughts were a jumble of letters that did not form full words, he figured it best just to... Quietly stand alone and look very interested in fixing one of the gauntlets on his wrist.
As for the matter of choices, the man had a pretty staunch idea of what he would say but decided that waiting it out just a bit longer seemed best. Mostly because he did not feel it in his best interest to draw attention to himself by shouting out his say. Even if it would make for a very good song.  

[Miliardo Kason]

The look on his face increased the frown on her own, it was a look she was used to seeing on a War horsemens face, that wild blood lust and victory. She shook her head a bit.

"It's fine that we've made a display, that fear and respect has been earned but we did just kill what might have been one of the last ancients and one that was personally the head of my clan. I'm worried that we might celebrate now, but what effects might this leave on our world?"

Ol-j-man

 

[Seiana_ZI]

Nkosazana was hardly interested in what Medea was saying.

She knew of the old gods, and she knew they were the descendents. She also knew, like a few others that stood there, that the horsemen--Medea, especially--had just decimated the leader of the Death Clan. War, Famine, and Conquest were already gone, but the Ancient of Death had remained, strong and powerful, until Medea.

Until this false Queen.

If there was anything Nkosazana resented, it was what she saw right now. She had not taken part, daring to raise her marmaluke against Medea herself, but she was a horsemen. This was how those of Halloween would know them, now. The one who destroyed even that that should not have been destroyed. There was a phrase she had seen in a human book, one time, while out on a task.

In strange aeons, even death my die.

Nkosazana chuckled bitterly.

Impatience had ruined them. Why the rush? They had lived for thousands of years, but they had to get their lands back so desperately that they had only been willing to wait a couple years before performing something that they couldn't possibly know the consequences of yet.

She would not even consider the fact that the Forsaken where present.

Not even consider the fact that they were not being allowed to rest.

For a few moments, she lingered, interested to see what others would do.  

[Miliardo Kason]

Nirva offered a small nod to Nergui as she joined in the small crowd growing around them. It was good to see she made it out, though the odds of lost clansmen on their side was going to be very low given the turn of events.

"We've reclaimed something to start with. I guess... Charon wasn't the right choice in any manner. Still. It's going to be more before we can claim this is done and over with."

Beejoux

 

[Seussi]

She awoke, and with her memories returned that quickly, she was instantly overcome with a sense of elation. They had done it. She and Shikoba had done their part in aiding Medea, and it was done. They had come to her, had completed the tasks that she had given them to complete, had made their choice between destruction and grief, and now she knew that their choices, their cause, had been correct.

There was only one person in all of the clans at that moment that she would have shared that moment with, just that one moment of satisfaction and pleasure, a cause for celebration indeed. Even then she could feel her excitement bubbling up inside of her, bursting to be let free in ecstatic whoops and cheers and a fist pumping up into the sky.

But she managed to retain her statuesque form of calm, though her golden eyes were alight and the smile upon her lips spoke volumes of her delight, and when the sounds of one familiar voice caught her attention, she turned from where she stood, eyes seeking out his, before she was turning, and running towards him, sprinting across the ground, the forms of others as she passed a blur of colors, her wings held slightly spread and aloft, more to keep them from knocking anybody against the side of the head then anything else.

There were others around him, yes, but she could ignore them for the moment. She only had eyes for one horseman, one man that she had started this journey with, and together, together, had witnessed it's end.

When she was close enough to throw herself at him, she did, powerful leg muscles pushing her off the ground so that even without using her wings she was soaring at him, barreling into him, her arms wrapping around his neck and her legs around his torso as she laced fingers into his hair and yanked his head back, before tilting her own face down and pressing a long kiss against his lips.

Spectators and his aversion to public displays of affection be damned. She had earned this.

pulling away, all she could manage to say in a hushed, whispered and overexcited tone was "We did it!"

ol-j-manxx

HI SHIK OUO

Beejouxx

excuse me

miliardox kasonx

parrrdon me

anybody else nearby

Shaheen needs a moment and refuses to wait

 

[Blade Kuroda]

Tseng blinked as another approached. Looking up, he saw that it was Shik. A faint smile crossed his lips and he rubbed the back of his neck with uncertainty.

"Is this really the true path of a hero?" he asked before looking a little sad, "Why does this seem so..."

He paused, trying to find the word.

"Bittersweet maybe?"

Yes. They had waited a long time to reclaim their lost glory. Yet, he couldn't help but feel like something was wrong with all of this. They had won. They had won extraordinarily. But for some reason he didn't feel very good about it.

Beejoux

Ol-J-Man

 

[ramenli]

The guardian stood, a solid form staring up at the tower. There was much to think about, the idea that things were changing, but it was thought about quickly.

Their time had come.

He reveled in the power he could feel emanating from the High Priestess, no, their ruler. Their Queen. His Queen. It showed only the strength of their united clans, the strength that those who were not afraid to truly harvest Fear could have. There was no question in his mind about which side he would take, and it was with relief that he knew Nergui would feel the same way. It was time to reclaim their place. He had no desire to be a god, but his priestess deserved to be a goddess. And any Fear he could reap for her and their clan would be well earned. And he would enjoy every second of the terror he caused.

So he moved a single step closer, not approaching, but making his decision physically known to those around him. He could feel the new power of their clan settling on him like a mantle, and if anyone looked closely they could see him flexing his physical muscles, simply savoring the victory that he had totally helped with. Really.  

[Smerdle]

Mmur listened groggily as Medea rubbed in her triumph and spoke of their legacy and new-found strength. This was all wrong. Given time, he might be able to gather enough courage to tell someone that. For now, subservience ruled, as it had since their true home had been destroyed. The soldier had no cloak to hide his face, and he couldn't move into the shadows without attracting more attention than he wanted, so he bowed his head instead. He couldn't leave, but he wouldn't share in the enthusiasm around him either. He told himself his lack of celebration mattered, but it really didn't.

He hoped Nkosazana had the courage to walk away. He hoped, one day, he might possess that courage too.  

[Seussi]

Wrath awoke to the harsh reality of what had just occurred and had no idea how to feel about it. Certainly he did not agree with the way Charon and presumably Death had wanted them to move forward, but to have killed the ancient himself, to utterly destroy the one true leader of Wrath's own clan?

He was going to need a moment, or several, to process what had just happened. Standing alone with his hands at his sides, he turned his head to either side, searching for any amount of familiarity. While Medea's words rung out over them, putting into perspective what had happened and why and how they now could move on, he kept his gaze sweeping over those present, until it landed on one standing, also alone, not too far off.

With long strides he reached the priestesses side, taking up place beside her as if by accident, remaining silent for a time before red eyes shifted down, and he rumbled.

"Are you troubled, Priestess?" He had caught the tail end of her bitter chuckle, and had to wonder just what her thoughts were on the events that had unfolded.

Seiana_ZI

 

[Seiana_ZI]

While the priestess was ordinarily very attentive, it was clear right now she was lost in her mind. It was not until she was directly addressed that she nearly jumped out of her skin, turning towards the taller Death clansman that was speaking to her.

"Oh, it's just you." That came with a soft sigh of relief, before her expression became much darker again. "Sorry, bit unnerved."

'Bit unnerved' was clearly putting it mildly, but perhaps Wrath did not know her enough to tell.

"If I am to be honest," and a priestess was nothing if not honest to those who searched for her advice and guidance, "I am extremely troubled by these events, Wrath. Medea is consumed with impatience, ego, and destruction, so much so that she destroyed our very leader." And then dared to call herself a Queen of the Clans. They had never just had one leader...

She had to wonder, what did Mmur think of all this? Briefly, her eyes darted around, looking for the shorter famine horseman with glowing eyes, before turning her eyes back up to Wrath.

"Are you so troubled, Wrath?"

Seussi

Smerdle

because mentioned <3