Announcements

[Augoron]

As the sun began to drift lower across the sky, the mountains of the north high above Ettinsmoor began to darken, their once reddish sheen disappating away into a dirty brown, mixing with the deep purple of the night sky and the wavering moonlight that accented its jagged edges.
They were a long row of mountains, each one as unappealing as the next, tall and monotonous and formed of a thick brown clayish soil, blended in with the jet black of the clearly volcanic earth which lay beneath.

With every minute, with every dip in the light, one thing was picked out in the solitary shadow of the mountain range. A tiny flickering light, a beacon, about the size of a torch wavering in the wind at the peak of the highest mountain to the west of the row. It was there Augoron had left his message...

[Hellwind]

Hellwind slowed his full blown run to a light canter as he came through the realm of Ettinsmoor. His journey wasn't a long one at the pace he had been travelling, for his muscular build gave him stamina and the horse was able to run long distances at speeds that could possibly make even a Unicorn jealous. His ears twitched to and fro, taking in his surroundings. The air was thick with the smell of ash and brimstone, a common scent in these types of places. The new smells had no effect on the stallion, however. Dull red eyes glanced around casually, in search of something, though he wasn't sure what. This was the supposed place Augoron had told him to trek to.

Something contrasting with the dark landscape caught Hellwind's eye. He turned and lifted his head to stare at a mountain far in the distance. Atop it, there was a small light, but it was easy enough for him to see. With a horse's snort, he shook his head to flip his long mane to the right side of his neck, and with a rearing, he was off at his top speed in a beeline for the beacon.

[Augoron]

The air beagn to cool towards the top of the mountains, the stuff underfoot becoming dryer and more prone to falling away. The wind tore about the clifflike sides, clouds of thick dust rising up and blustering in thick swirls about the pathways.

Despite the weathering, the torchlight still glistened, encased in an aura of ghostly light. It wasn't really a torch at all, rather a small stone like object, centred with a glittering ruby that seemed to pour out the flames that encased its levitating shape. It stood, suspended in the air, on a lower plateau like ridge of the mountain...

[Hellwind]

Dust billowed about Hellwind's hooves as he galloped up the mountain. The wind blew in his face and caused his mane to fly back, revealing the red eyes that were narrowed to keep out the dust. The only sign of fatigue from the horse was the huffing that was common in running equines, though it was coming out of his nose instead of his jaws. The path he had chosen was extremely close to the rim of a cliff. He could hear the echo of pebbles and rocks plummeting into the abyss as he darted up the mountain, but it didn't hinder him.

Hellwind could see a small crevace in his path, it's mouth at least 7 feet across. Not slowing down, but picking up his pace even more, the stallion easily cleared the gaping hole with a mighty leap. His hooves thundered on the dry ground as he still ambled along, the light becoming larger and brighter as he quickly approached it.

After a few more minutes of running, Hellwind skidded to a halt as he found he had reached his destination. His hooves pawed the ground to slow him, he shaking his head as his mane took its normal place. He stared up at the levitating stone, blinking only a few times at its light before his forelocks were able to sheild its brightness. He looked around him casually, wondering what had to happen next.

[Augoron]

The stone flitted out a small ring like pulse of orange light, cascading outwards with ethereal beauty. It shimmered upon contact with the horses skin and its glow depleated, dropping with a small clatter to the floor before once again bursting into vibrant life, shooting, from its crystal membrane, a tall reflecte dimage of the Efreet himself which spoke...
The sound crackled, as if obscured by some kind of fiery energy.

"Take with you this stone further to the north, there, beyond the Caragulian Gaisers, you will come across the gateway into Bism. Do not expect grand iron doors. Look for the cracks, there you will find your destination... Once there, throw this in. It will further your quest."

The message jitted and disappeared back in a swirl of flames into the ruby.

[Hellwind]

Hellwind watched with raised brows and erect ears the display of the ruby. He took a step back from it as it suddenly fell to the ground. He lowered his head slightly to get a better look at it, but quickly lifted it again as the flaring light shot up and revealed the image of Augoron. He took in the Efreet's words and logged the key phrases in his memory: "Caragulian Geysers," "look for the cracks," and "throw the stone in."

The image of the Efreet disappeared back into the stone and Hellwind slowly advanced towards it as it still lie on the ground. Now able to get a better look at it, he saw that it was so radiant, he could see his red tinted reflection. His irises weren't even visible because of the similar shades between them and the stone. Using a tassled hoof, he nudged the ruby, checking if it was safe for him to even touch. Nothing seemed to happen. Not able to carry it any other way, Hellwind took up the stone in his cuspets, clamping down firmly, but still gently on his package. He lifted his head and began to head north in a trot, then a canter, and finally into another high speed run.

[Hellwind]

A few hours later, the black form of Hellwind emerged in a light trot from the hot steam that engulfed the area of the Caragulian Geysers. The ruby still held between his jaws, the stallion glanced around him. In the distance, he spotted just as Augoron had told him. The stone landscape was riddled with cracks and crevices. Hellwind would have to choose wisely which gash in the ground to throw the stone into.

He continued on in a slow walk, taking time to examine every indention in the earth. He weaved around and leaped over them all, the red eyes still searching. Eventually, he caught sight of a particular crevice. It was more jagged than the rest and it's gaping mouth was at least five feet wide. The "sixth" sense that most animals had told him that this was the place. He lowered his head to softly drop the ruby to the ground, smacking his lips a couple times from the strange taste. He scanned his surroundings again, then, with a light kick of a hoof, dropped it into the crack. He advanced more to the brim, watching and listening as the ruby plummeted down into the black abyss. Now, all he had to do was wait.