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Description
Author's notes:
56 hours, 47 layers, hellova neckache. Don't steal it. Both the picture, and the story below are copyrighted. If you want an unwatermarked version, or a print, let me know and I'll concider uploading an untainted version! Sorry for the large file size.

Picture has been updated. More details are now visible and clearer. Before.. he was just too dark. Enjoy!

Thanks to the stock artists!
*Horse referrence by ~Ulvar-Stock
*Winter Wonderland Stock 25 by ~SimplyBackgrounds
*Snow Pack 1 by #resurgere
*Alaska - Icebergs III by ~stock-of-ace
*and thanks to ~Meeliah-Stock for helping keep me motivated to finish...

Inspiration from "Light's Eye in Dark Places," by myself
_____________________________________________

The sky stretched a filthy orange, bruised and bleeding above over a craggy and broken landscape. Sulfur vents vomited foul and poisonous air through impossible cracks in the harsh ice, and Manus coughed as he arrived, spitting to clear the foul taste. Human that he was now, he could not remain long outside the Iron cities where the worms cleansed the air.

Once again so far away from the cities of Light and Refuge, he dared called upon his dark magics, guttural words he thought he'd have little reason left to use: a summoning. Soon as the portal split, he wove to the right, and narrowly avoided being plowed beneath four hateful hooves. The nightmarish creature rose on his hind legs, piercing a terrible scream before he again turned to charge.

This time, the fallen paladin was ready. At the risk of losing a hand, he ducked aside slightly and snagged one of the great arching horns upon his dark charger's armor, twisting it cruelly to the right with the full of his strength.

The monster screamed as its head was jerked and neck twisted low to the ground. To avoid breaking its neck, it kicked up a cloud of sooty ice and rolled, finding itself looking up at the man who had once been its master. Fiery green eyes glared, and again it flailed its razor-sharp hooves.

Manus again twisted the great demons head further with the strain of muscle, forcing it flat against the ground till the great stallion lay still, heaving its hatred in hard rugged breaths. Winded himself from the poor atmosphere, Manus leaned closer to one of those flattened ears, "I still know your name, regardless whom I serve or what has happened, Asmonx."

The beast struggled one last time before it relaxed, submitting itself once more to its Master, and though it glowered at him with a low head when he first let it rise, it offered him no further difficulty.

Once he had readjusted his sword's sheathe, he climbed into the saddle. Manus cleared his sinuses once more before he directed the dark charger at a full run toward the only break in the skyline some ways off.

A great city sprawled over the next rise, its two story wall of black iron grid-work hid all but the two hundred foot tower that threatened the gnarled sky. Everburning torches hung like crows cages along the gristly wall. Bodies of the restless dead squirmed between the iron panels, used as everlasting mortar, ever wailing, ever waiting...

Description
Author's notes:
56 hours, 47 layers, hellova neckache. Don't steal it. Both the picture, and the story below are copyrighted. If you want an unwatermarked version, or a print, let me know and I'll concider uploading an untainted version! Sorry for the large file size.

Picture has been updated. More details are now visible and clearer. Before.. he was just too dark. Enjoy!

Thanks to the stock artists!
*Horse referrence by ~Ulvar-Stock
*Winter Wonderland Stock 25 by ~SimplyBackgrounds
*Snow Pack 1 by #resurgere
*Alaska - Icebergs III by ~stock-of-ace
*and thanks to ~Meeliah-Stock for helping keep me motivated to finish...

Inspiration from "Light's Eye in Dark Places," by myself
_____________________________________________

The sky stretched a filthy orange, bruised and bleeding above over a craggy and broken landscape. Sulfur vents vomited foul and poisonous air through impossible cracks in the harsh ice, and Manus coughed as he arrived, spitting to clear the foul taste. Human that he was now, he could not remain long outside the Iron cities where the worms cleansed the air.

Once again so far away from the cities of Light and Refuge, he dared called upon his dark magics, guttural words he thought he'd have little reason left to use: a summoning. Soon as the portal split, he wove to the right, and narrowly avoided being plowed beneath four hateful hooves. The nightmarish creature rose on his hind legs, piercing a terrible scream before he again turned to charge.

This time, the fallen paladin was ready. At the risk of losing a hand, he ducked aside slightly and snagged one of the great arching horns upon his dark charger's armor, twisting it cruelly to the right with the full of his strength.

The monster screamed as its head was jerked and neck twisted low to the ground. To avoid breaking its neck, it kicked up a cloud of sooty ice and rolled, finding itself looking up at the man who had once been its master. Fiery green eyes glared, and again it flailed its razor-sharp hooves.

Manus again twisted the great demons head further with the strain of muscle, forcing it flat against the ground till the great stallion lay still, heaving its hatred in hard rugged breaths. Winded himself from the poor atmosphere, Manus leaned closer to one of those flattened ears, "I still know your name, regardless whom I serve or what has happened, Asmonx."

The beast struggled one last time before it relaxed, submitting itself once more to its Master, and though it glowered at him with a low head when he first let it rise, it offered him no further difficulty.

Once he had readjusted his sword's sheathe, he climbed into the saddle. Manus cleared his sinuses once more before he directed the dark charger at a full run toward the only break in the skyline some ways off.

A great city sprawled over the next rise, its two story wall of black iron grid-work hid all but the two hundred foot tower that threatened the gnarled sky. Everburning torches hung like crows cages along the gristly wall. Bodies of the restless dead squirmed between the iron panels, used as everlasting mortar, ever wailing, ever waiting...