FA+
Shop
781
Views
Views
30
Favorites
Favorites
Category
Artwork (Digital) / Fantasy
Species Horse
Size 989 x 1280
File Size 208 kB
Report this content
More from Lilian Blackthorne
It was a simple task: Eliminate the Phantom Horn. The plan was flawless, the practice runs executed to perfection, and each member of The Order ready for the worst. The entire organization had crumbled from the foundry hundreds of years ago. The small army seemed more like a renegade group that were organized and dangerous. Each member of the operation finished suiting up, checking each others gear and weapons. Despite being a millennia since the first uprising of this beast, advancements in technology hadn't improved as vastly as science fiction books made them out to be.
The group of several men finished their prep and paid attention to their strike team leader. This mission wasn't to capture and apprehend. It was to eliminate the target, once and for all. So many chances had come in the years, but they were all swept up faster than any of them could grasp. It would have to be different now. There was no way to mess up this chance. It was perfect, especially since the enemy was weaker than in past years.
On their leader's mark, they hit the panel for the door, a few giving a wince at the groaning metal sliding open. One by one, they marched in, checking each room as they advanced from one to the next. Much of the underground structure had been remade to accommodate this 'king's' lifestyle. Metal grating sounded out from each footstep as they entered the final corridor.
Various cords and cables hung from the ceiling and trailed about along the walls and floor. They all seemed to converge towards the room ahead, slipping into the wall around the door. Every heartbeat was almost pounding in their ears, their adrenaline coursing through their veins as they gave the nod and let the door the chamber open.
Beyond it was nothing but immediate regret.
Their target was not hiding. He had no intention to, nor would he have a reason for it. Instead, the stallion sat upon his aged stone throne, looking at them with hollowed eyes as each one entered. The throne itself showed how much time had passed with its decay and stains, much like his very own body and slightly grayed hair. Random scuffs and damage had been done as well, though it still stood as strong as the day the horse constructed it.
Those cables that ventured from rooms and all along the corridor had been used to bring forth the individual ingredients of the substance being pumped into the stallion who should be long dead. The glow from the cords that were in use only added to the ominous feeling the group was experiencing.
Gaiden had been kept alive through basic science and sheer will. Whether or not he was able to sport the iconic horn was not important. His eyes glowed with a fierce fire of spite. Malice had only known its presence there. His lungs were specially coated in a molecular combination to keep out and filter contaminants he might breathe in. The mask he wore out at times only added to this, to keep him upright longer.
The contents at which was surging through his body and being delivered via his own machines was a unique mixture. Long ago, it was discovered by The Order on how to control such powers themselves. Gaiden was not happy about this, nor the tests they ran on him the one time they got close enough to subdue him. Instead of destroying all evidence of the concoction, he took it for himself, brewing the liquid until he perfected it. It was the beginning of the end for The Order then. The liquid seemed to amplify his powers ten fold, being a true force of his own nature.
The breathing was as hollow as those glowing eyes. The effects of the juice created an addiction, and one he now had to keep to live. His eyes were a permanent glow of his power, never resting from their fiery burn. The coating in his lungs sounded as if it made his breathing louder, as if he were almost wearing a suit of armor and breathing in it.
Another look around when each of the members took their place, surrounding him, yielded another gruesome detail. The rust on the floor wasn't rust at all. There had been previous intruders in his chamber before them. Others have made it this far and met only death in the end. They hadn't infiltrated his lair at all. They had been invited.
As it dawned on them, the long-lived stallion leaned forward, letting the steam and cables follow along. With an echoed grunt, he pushed up and began to stand, the attached cables popping free with tiny spurts of various liquids dripping from them. The sockets in his body were meant for more than just the amplifying juice. Nutrients, blood, and much more to keep him going as long as possible.
Once the last cable detached, the corpse-like horse stood still and let the only motion be the swaying cords and uneasy shuffling of the team sent after him. It was far too quiet for any of their liking, yet they were on orders not to fire until the first in command gave the signal.
The voice that came from Gaiden was deep, hollow, and drew the hair and fur up along every soldier's back instantly. It was a clear sign of the coating on his lungs, yet it was far too eerie in the moment. What he said was the last thing they heard. Before their screams.
"Sing for me. I long for good company.."
He had never been more ready to kill.
This awesome and incredibly stellar piece was done by the super talented
loculi Don't know them? Now you do! Seriously, check them out!
Gaiden is my character.
The group of several men finished their prep and paid attention to their strike team leader. This mission wasn't to capture and apprehend. It was to eliminate the target, once and for all. So many chances had come in the years, but they were all swept up faster than any of them could grasp. It would have to be different now. There was no way to mess up this chance. It was perfect, especially since the enemy was weaker than in past years.
On their leader's mark, they hit the panel for the door, a few giving a wince at the groaning metal sliding open. One by one, they marched in, checking each room as they advanced from one to the next. Much of the underground structure had been remade to accommodate this 'king's' lifestyle. Metal grating sounded out from each footstep as they entered the final corridor.
Various cords and cables hung from the ceiling and trailed about along the walls and floor. They all seemed to converge towards the room ahead, slipping into the wall around the door. Every heartbeat was almost pounding in their ears, their adrenaline coursing through their veins as they gave the nod and let the door the chamber open.
Beyond it was nothing but immediate regret.
Their target was not hiding. He had no intention to, nor would he have a reason for it. Instead, the stallion sat upon his aged stone throne, looking at them with hollowed eyes as each one entered. The throne itself showed how much time had passed with its decay and stains, much like his very own body and slightly grayed hair. Random scuffs and damage had been done as well, though it still stood as strong as the day the horse constructed it.
Those cables that ventured from rooms and all along the corridor had been used to bring forth the individual ingredients of the substance being pumped into the stallion who should be long dead. The glow from the cords that were in use only added to the ominous feeling the group was experiencing.
Gaiden had been kept alive through basic science and sheer will. Whether or not he was able to sport the iconic horn was not important. His eyes glowed with a fierce fire of spite. Malice had only known its presence there. His lungs were specially coated in a molecular combination to keep out and filter contaminants he might breathe in. The mask he wore out at times only added to this, to keep him upright longer.
The contents at which was surging through his body and being delivered via his own machines was a unique mixture. Long ago, it was discovered by The Order on how to control such powers themselves. Gaiden was not happy about this, nor the tests they ran on him the one time they got close enough to subdue him. Instead of destroying all evidence of the concoction, he took it for himself, brewing the liquid until he perfected it. It was the beginning of the end for The Order then. The liquid seemed to amplify his powers ten fold, being a true force of his own nature.
The breathing was as hollow as those glowing eyes. The effects of the juice created an addiction, and one he now had to keep to live. His eyes were a permanent glow of his power, never resting from their fiery burn. The coating in his lungs sounded as if it made his breathing louder, as if he were almost wearing a suit of armor and breathing in it.
Another look around when each of the members took their place, surrounding him, yielded another gruesome detail. The rust on the floor wasn't rust at all. There had been previous intruders in his chamber before them. Others have made it this far and met only death in the end. They hadn't infiltrated his lair at all. They had been invited.
As it dawned on them, the long-lived stallion leaned forward, letting the steam and cables follow along. With an echoed grunt, he pushed up and began to stand, the attached cables popping free with tiny spurts of various liquids dripping from them. The sockets in his body were meant for more than just the amplifying juice. Nutrients, blood, and much more to keep him going as long as possible.
Once the last cable detached, the corpse-like horse stood still and let the only motion be the swaying cords and uneasy shuffling of the team sent after him. It was far too quiet for any of their liking, yet they were on orders not to fire until the first in command gave the signal.
The voice that came from Gaiden was deep, hollow, and drew the hair and fur up along every soldier's back instantly. It was a clear sign of the coating on his lungs, yet it was far too eerie in the moment. What he said was the last thing they heard. Before their screams.
"Sing for me. I long for good company.."
He had never been more ready to kill.
This awesome and incredibly stellar piece was done by the super talented
loculi Don't know them? Now you do! Seriously, check them out!Gaiden is my character.
Category Artwork (Digital) / Fantasy
Species Horse
Size 989 x 1280px
File Size 208 kB
Comments