05-02-2018, 08:25 AM
Hephaestus
Despair and anguish pulled at him from every corner of his consciousness. The pains of his past tore through him like knives raking across his skin. The reality of his upbringing greeted him coldly, hissing in his ears like an unfriendly snake. Since he’d left his father’s herd he’d known more kindness than he’d ever could have imagined to be possible. He’d come close to knowing friendship and – love, he dared to hope.
He froze, staring out across the river as it flowed serenely past. For a moment he imagined her standing upon the opposite bank. Her peacock’s wings tucked delicately at her side while her red colt played joyfully in the shallows of the river. Beside her, a version of himself stood protectively. Handsome and strong, his dark silhouette was only recognizable by his one single blind eye. Otherwise, he was completely unlike himself. Whole he stood, every feature upon his face formed perfectly. Pain greater than any he’d ever experienced before ripped through him.
Crying out a lone tear slid along the cracks and crevices of his abnormality, a cruel reminder to the curse of his reality. Still, the threesome lingered upon the bank just beyond his reach. Happy and serenely normal. The cracks in his heart deepened.
To others, dreams offered an escape. The lulling promise of a future that had yet to be lived. Full of potential he’d once fostered unrealistic hopes – only to have reality come crashing down upon him. It hadn’t been since a young age that he’d gladly submit himself to the tantalizing disillusions. Completely unable to rid himself of his cruel daydream he stood powerless against it’s power.
Around him, a fog drifted in from the forest behind him, wrapping itself around his ankles. Before him the river warped and the foliage shifted to reveal a painted figure just beyond his reach. He felt a connection with her, a tugging to discover her identity. Instinctively, he stepped forward his ears pricked in direction just in time to catch the lyrical tone of her voice.
Lowering his massive head, he strained his eye through the darkness that surrounded them as his feathery feet continued to carry him ever closer to her.
“My name is Hephaestus,” he answered her question, his voice fading into the void that stretched between them.
He froze, staring out across the river as it flowed serenely past. For a moment he imagined her standing upon the opposite bank. Her peacock’s wings tucked delicately at her side while her red colt played joyfully in the shallows of the river. Beside her, a version of himself stood protectively. Handsome and strong, his dark silhouette was only recognizable by his one single blind eye. Otherwise, he was completely unlike himself. Whole he stood, every feature upon his face formed perfectly. Pain greater than any he’d ever experienced before ripped through him.
Crying out a lone tear slid along the cracks and crevices of his abnormality, a cruel reminder to the curse of his reality. Still, the threesome lingered upon the bank just beyond his reach. Happy and serenely normal. The cracks in his heart deepened.
To others, dreams offered an escape. The lulling promise of a future that had yet to be lived. Full of potential he’d once fostered unrealistic hopes – only to have reality come crashing down upon him. It hadn’t been since a young age that he’d gladly submit himself to the tantalizing disillusions. Completely unable to rid himself of his cruel daydream he stood powerless against it’s power.
Around him, a fog drifted in from the forest behind him, wrapping itself around his ankles. Before him the river warped and the foliage shifted to reveal a painted figure just beyond his reach. He felt a connection with her, a tugging to discover her identity. Instinctively, he stepped forward his ears pricked in direction just in time to catch the lyrical tone of her voice.
Lowering his massive head, he strained his eye through the darkness that surrounded them as his feathery feet continued to carry him ever closer to her.
“My name is Hephaestus,” he answered her question, his voice fading into the void that stretched between them.
Break My Shackles To Set Me Free
@[Kagerus] Aw, thanks for the compliment! I'm so sorry that this took me so long, I had such a hard time and I'm still not 100% pleased with how this turns out. Anyway, I hope this is okay.