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Description

Vallis felt the heat of the fire in the air, even at the distance she was at. Her hooves thudded with an eerily silent sound in the ashy grass, the silence surrounding her like a fog. In the distance, low groaning roars and the crackle of fire met her ears, louder with every step. She passed bodies, bodies of her brethren and the enemy, but kept her eyes forward. She must know, she must find out for herself. A rumor had spread amung the armies that Ares had descended, though many dismissed the rumor as a mistake. Surely the smoke was playing tricks on the battle-wearied eyes below.

Topping the ash-brushed hill, Vallis was met with a sight she would not soon forget -- the fire whipped madly in the winds which were picking up speed with every breath. Smoke billowed up from the plains, the once lush, decadent grasses now turned to potent, quick-burning fuel. She skidded to a halt, fine ash drifting in the air from the force of her stop, and her eyes soaked in the sight of a thousand nightmares dying before them.

Behind the columns of thick, purple-black smoke stood Hannibal, mouth open in a thunderous roar at the sky above him. He was massive, his movements appearing as one moving in slow motion due to his size. Ares, a ball of rage and fire, rocketing down from the tan, smoke-choked sky, her own movements appearing unslowed. A grin of utter victory plastered her wild face, and Vallis felt a sense of fear at the sight of the two massive lords - where was Aether? Was he -

Before Vallis' thought could finish itself, a violent wind flew past her and met the flames. Whirling and dancing, the fire rose into a terrifying column of fire, swirling and dancing a deadly dance. Hannibal was in the midst of it, his eyes alight with anger, hate, and the burn of his own inner flame. As Ares approached, his Internum grew brighter as his rage grew, and as Ares drew closer he opened his mouth and took a bounding leap into the air to meet Ares with his teeth. In response, Ares' front left leg flew forward, landing a square blow on Hannibal's open jaw. A delayed, bone-chilling crack echoed over the plains, causing even Vallis to wince at the sound, and with a pained roar Hannibal met Ares with a snap of his jaws on her neck, and both lords disappeared behind the wall of thick smoke. A series of distorted sounds drifted back to Vallis over the burning plains, sounds of words that she could not make out.

Vallis stood still. The column of fire, with a hiss, dissipated and slunk back to earth, like a scorned serpent. The vibrations through the earth from the two highlord's battle had ceased. From behind the wall of smoke, a blazing light exploded, burning her eyes. Turning her face away from the heat and brightness of the light, Vallis gritted her teeth against the sudden ringing in her ears. As quickly as it appeared, the light was gone, and Vallis opened her eyes, blinking away ash that had formed on her lashes. Emerging from the smoke was Ares, now a normal size, her massive antler-like crown trailing fire. Beside her, her two lioness companions tread over the embers; Hannibal did not emerge. A sense of complete overwhelm filled Vallis, and she crumpled to the ground, puffs of ash and bits of charred plant floating up in her wake.

As suddenly as she had found herself in the war, it was over. Time floated by slowly as the revelation filled her; she was free now, at least for the time being. Where was Hot Rod? Did he yet realize the magnificence of the last few moments? That Hannibal had fallen and did not rise?

But she knew the Lowlord was not dead, oh no. He had merely slunk back to the hellhole from which he created for himself, filled with ghouls and secrets too dark for the living to bear. Vallis closed her eyes, her heart hammering in her chest. What horrible, unspeakable things would have happened if Ares had not risen, and Hannibal were the one walking from the smoke? Or if Ares had been swayed to her son's side, leaving Aether at the mercy of his wife and son? Visions filled her mind which she winced at the very thought of, tears of mixed emotion trailing down her white cheeks.

Hannibal, she knew, would have killed her and Hot Rod had he succeeded. She knew his secret, the one which he thought would win him the war. She had discovered it the second she looked into Havanna's ghoulish eyes. He was using the beloved dead as ammunition against the Warriors -- what holy being would fight the afflicted soul of a loved one? For these ghouls were not wretched in spirit as one might think, simply resurrected, mangled versions of their former selves. Only desiring relief and loving glances from the Warriors they chased. Oh, the thought of it was too much to bear.

Hannibal would have enslaved the race of Ballators -- killed those deemed unloyal. Banish Aether to the lowrealm, and seat himself in the Highrealm with Ares as his war machine. What a wretched time to be alive; Vallis was not sure she would even want to be.

A presence was felt by her side; Vallis opened her eyes and a shot of fear flooded through her. Above her was the Highlordess, her eyes filled with fire, but also something that resembled exhaustion. She stood calmly, her wild, long mane whipping in the burning wind, studying Vallis with a sense of superiority that Vallis easily identified. Bowing her head, Vallis felt her mouth go dry, and she licked her lips quickly, murmuring, "Hail Ares." Ares smirked, a quiet aloofness radiating off her before she returned to her trek to the other side of the battlefield, where no doubt Aether was awaiting her presence.

Shuffling up to her feet, Vallis watched the Highlordess walk away, her form one of beauty, strength, and unbound power. Danger followed her every hoofbeat, but now Vallis saw her with new eyes -- fierce and uncontrollable, yes, but also a protector. Turning and picking up a canter towards the forest to the West, Vallis felt her body fill with new strength, a weightless power filled her limbs and a cry rose in her chest. A trumpeting whinny tore from her throat as she galloped to freedom, to love, and to a new life, free of Hannibal and his horrors. Behind her she heard the small, quick thumps of Havanna, her daughter, though now in a different form. Havanna let out her own, wet, gargling cry of joy, her small body caked with muddy ash.

Vallis slowed her run to allow Havanna to catch up; her deformed body only allowed for so much speed. Ragged, wheezing breath came with every stride for the small ghoul, but as the two entered the treeline, free of smoke and choking ash, the breaths became clearer. The two bathed in a small stream, cleaning their coats of grit before setting out to find Hot Rod and the new life that lay before them, for now, at last, they were truly free.

1220 Words

Ballator(s) Pictured/Written: 044 | IHS Vallis Noctis (and Havanna her companion)
Past Entries: x
Prompts Used:
Were you on the winning or losing side? How did your Ballator react? // How do you think things would have been different if Hannibal had won the war?
Prize Claimed: Blueberry Extract

Accidentally made the canvas way too big which made it hard to finish this, but it was quite relaxing drawing Hannibal getting sucker-punched in the face.

Stats:
Drawing:
Fullbody +3 Extra Headshot +1 Shading +1 Background +3
Writing:
Words +6, Extra Characters + 4
Ghoul Companion:
+1 Attack Strength and +2 stats

Total:
20 stats, 1 AS (22 total)

Stock
165 WB Cantering away listenin /// Scampering
Background inspo: pbs.twimg.com/media/BR8B5i-CIA…

Description

Vallis felt the heat of the fire in the air, even at the distance she was at. Her hooves thudded with an eerily silent sound in the ashy grass, the silence surrounding her like a fog. In the distance, low groaning roars and the crackle of fire met her ears, louder with every step. She passed bodies, bodies of her brethren and the enemy, but kept her eyes forward. She must know, she must find out for herself. A rumor had spread amung the armies that Ares had descended, though many dismissed the rumor as a mistake. Surely the smoke was playing tricks on the battle-wearied eyes below.

Topping the ash-brushed hill, Vallis was met with a sight she would not soon forget -- the fire whipped madly in the winds which were picking up speed with every breath. Smoke billowed up from the plains, the once lush, decadent grasses now turned to potent, quick-burning fuel. She skidded to a halt, fine ash drifting in the air from the force of her stop, and her eyes soaked in the sight of a thousand nightmares dying before them.

Behind the columns of thick, purple-black smoke stood Hannibal, mouth open in a thunderous roar at the sky above him. He was massive, his movements appearing as one moving in slow motion due to his size. Ares, a ball of rage and fire, rocketing down from the tan, smoke-choked sky, her own movements appearing unslowed. A grin of utter victory plastered her wild face, and Vallis felt a sense of fear at the sight of the two massive lords - where was Aether? Was he -

Before Vallis' thought could finish itself, a violent wind flew past her and met the flames. Whirling and dancing, the fire rose into a terrifying column of fire, swirling and dancing a deadly dance. Hannibal was in the midst of it, his eyes alight with anger, hate, and the burn of his own inner flame. As Ares approached, his Internum grew brighter as his rage grew, and as Ares drew closer he opened his mouth and took a bounding leap into the air to meet Ares with his teeth. In response, Ares' front left leg flew forward, landing a square blow on Hannibal's open jaw. A delayed, bone-chilling crack echoed over the plains, causing even Vallis to wince at the sound, and with a pained roar Hannibal met Ares with a snap of his jaws on her neck, and both lords disappeared behind the wall of thick smoke. A series of distorted sounds drifted back to Vallis over the burning plains, sounds of words that she could not make out.

Vallis stood still. The column of fire, with a hiss, dissipated and slunk back to earth, like a scorned serpent. The vibrations through the earth from the two highlord's battle had ceased. From behind the wall of smoke, a blazing light exploded, burning her eyes. Turning her face away from the heat and brightness of the light, Vallis gritted her teeth against the sudden ringing in her ears. As quickly as it appeared, the light was gone, and Vallis opened her eyes, blinking away ash that had formed on her lashes. Emerging from the smoke was Ares, now a normal size, her massive antler-like crown trailing fire. Beside her, her two lioness companions tread over the embers; Hannibal did not emerge. A sense of complete overwhelm filled Vallis, and she crumpled to the ground, puffs of ash and bits of charred plant floating up in her wake.

As suddenly as she had found herself in the war, it was over. Time floated by slowly as the revelation filled her; she was free now, at least for the time being. Where was Hot Rod? Did he yet realize the magnificence of the last few moments? That Hannibal had fallen and did not rise?

But she knew the Lowlord was not dead, oh no. He had merely slunk back to the hellhole from which he created for himself, filled with ghouls and secrets too dark for the living to bear. Vallis closed her eyes, her heart hammering in her chest. What horrible, unspeakable things would have happened if Ares had not risen, and Hannibal were the one walking from the smoke? Or if Ares had been swayed to her son's side, leaving Aether at the mercy of his wife and son? Visions filled her mind which she winced at the very thought of, tears of mixed emotion trailing down her white cheeks.

Hannibal, she knew, would have killed her and Hot Rod had he succeeded. She knew his secret, the one which he thought would win him the war. She had discovered it the second she looked into Havanna's ghoulish eyes. He was using the beloved dead as ammunition against the Warriors -- what holy being would fight the afflicted soul of a loved one? For these ghouls were not wretched in spirit as one might think, simply resurrected, mangled versions of their former selves. Only desiring relief and loving glances from the Warriors they chased. Oh, the thought of it was too much to bear.

Hannibal would have enslaved the race of Ballators -- killed those deemed unloyal. Banish Aether to the lowrealm, and seat himself in the Highrealm with Ares as his war machine. What a wretched time to be alive; Vallis was not sure she would even want to be.

A presence was felt by her side; Vallis opened her eyes and a shot of fear flooded through her. Above her was the Highlordess, her eyes filled with fire, but also something that resembled exhaustion. She stood calmly, her wild, long mane whipping in the burning wind, studying Vallis with a sense of superiority that Vallis easily identified. Bowing her head, Vallis felt her mouth go dry, and she licked her lips quickly, murmuring, "Hail Ares." Ares smirked, a quiet aloofness radiating off her before she returned to her trek to the other side of the battlefield, where no doubt Aether was awaiting her presence.

Shuffling up to her feet, Vallis watched the Highlordess walk away, her form one of beauty, strength, and unbound power. Danger followed her every hoofbeat, but now Vallis saw her with new eyes -- fierce and uncontrollable, yes, but also a protector. Turning and picking up a canter towards the forest to the West, Vallis felt her body fill with new strength, a weightless power filled her limbs and a cry rose in her chest. A trumpeting whinny tore from her throat as she galloped to freedom, to love, and to a new life, free of Hannibal and his horrors. Behind her she heard the small, quick thumps of Havanna, her daughter, though now in a different form. Havanna let out her own, wet, gargling cry of joy, her small body caked with muddy ash.

Vallis slowed her run to allow Havanna to catch up; her deformed body only allowed for so much speed. Ragged, wheezing breath came with every stride for the small ghoul, but as the two entered the treeline, free of smoke and choking ash, the breaths became clearer. The two bathed in a small stream, cleaning their coats of grit before setting out to find Hot Rod and the new life that lay before them, for now, at last, they were truly free.

1220 Words

Ballator(s) Pictured/Written: 044 | IHS Vallis Noctis (and Havanna her companion)
Past Entries: x
Prompts Used:
Were you on the winning or losing side? How did your Ballator react? // How do you think things would have been different if Hannibal had won the war?
Prize Claimed: Blueberry Extract

Accidentally made the canvas way too big which made it hard to finish this, but it was quite relaxing drawing Hannibal getting sucker-punched in the face.

Stats:
Drawing:
Fullbody +3 Extra Headshot +1 Shading +1 Background +3
Writing:
Words +6, Extra Characters + 4
Ghoul Companion:
+1 Attack Strength and +2 stats

Total:
20 stats, 1 AS (22 total)

Stock
165 WB Cantering away listenin /// Scampering
Background inspo: pbs.twimg.com/media/BR8B5i-CIA…