"You can't be serious!" "I am serious!" "We can't do that!" "We have to do it!" The man lowered his voice. "When you call it, we are all doomed. You cannot control it!" The woman stood up. Her hands still dirty with a mixture of paint, crystal dust and blood. "We have no choice, Alvenar! If we want to save our families, we need to do something!" Her fiery eyes caught Alvenar and chained him. She was right, but this could not be the solution. "Ively, I beg you. Think about it! You are not a master of the sealing weavers. You are a mere beginner!" "I AM AN ADJUTANT GENERAL, ALVENAR! If you accept it or not! And now move out of my way!" Her red hair, shimmering in the light of a few torches, looked like the fire Alvenar could see in her eyes. She was ready to pull this through. No matter the cost. "By the gods, you really got the temper of your mother, I should have listened to your father!" He backed off and grabbed the huge book Ively had brought to her nightly self-made-crusade. The young woman placed herself in the middle of the rune circle she had created in the dust. A fire had devoured every sign of life in this place a while ago. But Ively knew that a fire was never the end. It always was a beginning. She placed her feet in a spread position, and performed a seal with her hands. Her eyes wandered to Alvenar, who placed himself right in front of her. "I cant let you do this alone." "One of us is enough, if I will fail-" "- you would die. And I can't let this happen." She became silent. It was one thing to accept that the chance that she could die in a few minutes - but he had not been part of this plan. Of this risk. But her time was running, she needed to start, before the paint and the blood would dry. "You know they will drive us extinct. As well as everyone we love, if we fail today." "Then we better not fail today." There was the man she had married a few years ago. Ively nodded. She corrected the position of her feet one last time and straightened her back, before her eyes closed. "Forged in fire. Molten core. Mane like flames. Hooves of ash. Body of burnt trees. I seek your service, come to me, Ahi'wanau - the firestarter." Alvenar couldn't close his eyes. He stared at his wife, heard her mumbling words, verse to verse. He should break up her summoning. He should push her out of the circle and run away with her. Somewhere far away from the north of Saigon. To Camulada, or Peara, or to the south coasts...somewhere far from here. Back when they were children, he had promised it. He would take her to a better place, so she would not need to join the war. But here they were... The young man had not finished his thought, as a fracture in the midst of the air appeared, with a piercing sound, cracking up more and more. He nearly slipped away, but found his balance in the last moment, connecting his energy to Ivelys'. She pulled on chains, glowing from the heat, her face a torn mask of pain. The smell of burnt flesh and boiling blood filled the air, before charcoal, ash, and rustling fire took over. A huge body of a horse got pulled into their dimension. Into their reality. Flaming mane, a body made of burnt down wood. Its light would be seen from all patrols within the next 25 kilometres at least. He only could hope the mountains and forest parts around their place, would spend them a bit of a cover. And it was just the last second, when Alvenar spotted another creature lurking through the cracks in the dimension-wall, ready to break free. The man performed a fast seal, closing the cracks a bit faster and more imperious. A scream cut through the silence of the night, vanishing somewhere behind the closing barrier. The two looked at the horse, which still seemed to be asleep, while its body was floating above the ground. Caught in curiosity and fear, Ively stepped closer. Shortly before she could place her hand on its face, the horse opened its eyes, stretching the hot body and placing the heavy hooves on the ground, silently. Only the sound of its flame born mane was interrupting the atmosphare of this cold night. "You called for me, Tangata." (Human) "Y-yes. I request your flames. I request your destruction. And I request your mercilessness." "I see. But it comes with a price." "I know. I am willed to pay anything." The atma squinted its eyes, and Ively felt her heart sinking. "T-tell me your price. Tell me! I am willed to pay it, if you will save my people!" The horse walked around the young woman without releasing his glare. The moment the firestarter stood behind her, Ively felt an immense heat. It was unbearable. But she could not walk away. She had to stay where she was. Alvenar walked to the side, he wanted to grab the necklace he had stored in his bag and give it to his wife. But the moment he reached for the crystal, the moment he let loose of the summoning bond, - that was the moment an angry, yet evil neighing resounded. He burst forward again, trying to grab the energy made chain more tightky, but it was too late. Ahi'wanau, the firestarter, dashed right through the young woman, leaving her in pure agony and pain. The chains that had held him to the rune circle burst with a loud sound. But there was a new one. A new chain, made of glowing steel, was directly connected to Ivelys heart. The young woman screamed, her eyes wide open, her hands trying to get a hold of the chain that was nowembedded in her chest. The firestarter took a few steps, before he turned his head. "We will see, how eager you really are...to pay...THE PRICE." it snorted. With another loud neighing, the atma rushed forward - throwing Alvenar to the ground- , leaving the scene. The chain made a rattling sound, Ively crying in pain. But she gritted her teeth and finally her hands found the chain. Her eyes were made of pure flaming coals now. "Alvenar. Alvenar, where are you?" He picked himself up and ran towards her. "I am here, Ively, I am here." His hands felt as if he had picked up a glowing peace of iron, when he tried to touch her. "Alvenar, I....I can see where he is. Where he runs at. I....I can lead his way. " Her husband remained silent, baffled by the situation, not knowing what to answer. "I am here..." he whispered. The firestarter rushed through the night, his light shining bright. Everything that came close to his body burst into flames, leaving a gigantic black track behind. It was the moment when the atma arrived at the hilltop in front of a military base. // What now? Are you hesitating??// //N...no...I mean....// Ivelys face displayed a deep sadness. Through the eyes of the atma, she could see all the tents. Could see all the beating hearts, like small flames in the distance. So many lives. So many lives she had to take, to save her family... A tear rolled over her cheek, which had cracked up. Burnt skin, with glowing fire below it. //Do it - NOW.// It yelled, walking on the spot, impatient. She sobbed, the moment this creature, made out of fire and destruction, dashed down the hill and into the military base. The warriors couldn't react in time, when its body already lit up everything in range. Tents, cloths, people. An ocean of screams sledged through her head. Every big flame it caused, created another horse, made out of pure flame, which followed its lead. Alvenar shouted her name, his hands desperately trying to grab her. Her body became black, as if something was burning her from the inside. Yet her posture became weaker and weaker, her knees moments before collapsing. And her hair. Her wonderful red hair. The colour faded. Faded into an ash-grey memory of the past. Every minute, every meter the firestarter passed, he took more of her energy. More of her life. Her husband, in hopeless panic, tried to connect his energy to her. But he failed. It was as if a strong energetic barrier had formed around her body. Blocking everything that tried to reach out for her. Ively sunk together. Her hands fell down into the dirt, her head fell forward. Yet her eyes remained open. "Alvenar....Alvenar...." "I am here, Ively, I am here!" Tears ran down his cheeks. "I can see general Varon....He is standing in front of me.....General Varon....he is...cornered." The firestarter stood in the middle of the chaos it had brought, his glare laying on a huge man. A huge man who looked so small, in contemplation of his death. "I- I can end him, Alvenar. I can end his purge...." The firestarter made a step forward. "N-no, Ively, you...stop it! You will die! IVELY!" His despair filled the night. "Alvenar.....do you remember our old home? With all the fields, the animals and grandma Trush?" "Yes, Yes, Ively, I do! Please, stop it now!" Alvenar once again tried to reach for her and put his hands on her body. "After Varon came with...monsters...we promised, we would end this war." The huge atma made another step, Varons eyes wide open, his swordhand shaking. "But, Ively, not for the price of your life!" "You wanted to go to the war, so I would not have to. Your life...has the same value as mine, Alvenar. It always had." The young man couldn't find words, his eyes staring at the golden, glowing heart the chain was pulling out, step by step. "No, no, no, no! Ively, PLEASE!" "I need to end it, Alvenar. I need to." She lifted her head, her face having the same texture as firestarters body. "Bring those tasty little dumplings...when you visit me, yes? As in...the good old times." Alvenar couldn't breathe, his heart felt as if someone would crush it. "Y-yes, I promise it, Ively. I promise it." He sobbed. "B-bring him the end he has d-deserved, Ively." "I promise, Alvenar. I promise." She reached a hand to him, but there still was a barrier to keep them apart. "Baju'katan, Alvenar." "Bajukatan, Ively. Baju'katan.Ively turned her head to the front, took a last deep breath, before she closed her eyes. On the horizon, a massive rune circle appeared in the sky, releasing a fireblast, that turned the night to day. The chain rattled a last time, dragging out the golden glowing heart of Ively. As fast as it happened, it already was over again. The night turned black, only the remaining fire of Ahi'wanau would remain a bit longer, while silence sunk down over the land.

Original Art comment: About the Arucara species: The design you can buy here is an individual of my Arucara species. Its already really old, and during my A.K rework time, I found it hidden in the depth of my folder. Probably from 2012-2013? The species sadly never got the spotlight I had hoped for, but well - here we are! The floating water is one way of elemental manipulation the Arucara horses can do. But let me tell you, they are not the next avatar in horse shape! (mostly because they are stubborn as heck and won't listen to you / don't learn any commands.) They can't use aqua gun on the next enemy they encounter. At least, most cannot. In rare cases, people could see them using their elements for defence, but it was more instinctive. For a bigger show they would need to have the element they can use close to them, as well as a very mighty Ao-Energy field around them. For most of the time, they attach particles of their birth-element around them like a magnet. So far nobody has an answer to why and how, but I bet there might be a hidden book in the library of the BlackBestia.-HuntingGuild Headquarter!

"There once was a ship, the silver queen, she was put to sea, with her ship's deck crowded tight. Fury souls close together, row on row, under the flag of the skeletal horses undying might. Screaming souls, greedy, bound by the creed. Leaching for honour and fame, cast in nuggets of gold. Oh, there she was, the silver queen, dripping wet crimson, the crews hearts rotten by mold. The captains' duty to watch, climbing along the queens wooden ribs. He may never leave, cause his ghost is bond tight, as his old comrades died, drowned forcible by Master 'o Tips. The putative best friend, once a noble man, brought the cruel end, now named the kings right hand. Captain hauled horses, Tips threw them over board, the posse strapped on the railing, still in reach of their homeland. Starving to death with gulls flying by, the crew sent out a last prayer to the depths of the sea. In the last night of it's yet so young life, an obscure presence entered the ship to hear their plea. An offer made, horrific to those still alive, but irresistible for those, so close before their last breath. "I grant you eternity, infused with might, and you will outlive the last passenger, called by the name of death. But your vengeance will come by a price to pay, so you and your crew will have to stay, bound by the Pale." And there she was, the silver queen. a crew restless and sheering for life, lurking over a wooden rail.

Taracan is a design I had emerging from an older sketch, that I really liked. Yer the design got its own drill and with this, it became more than "just" a remake of what it whas supposed to be. Taruya still are not part of my gallery, but therefore you can see my Taracan, the 6-leged draconian horse. I wonder if it has fangs...