Onwards Monty!

The storm clouds had cleared but left behind was an ominous and overcast horizon that left little promise. Upon breaking free from his frozen prison, the mammoth of a male looked ahead with paused discontent. It wasn't often Tyr felt this little motivation upon seeing the tundra, but it was a laziness he was quick to swallow. His muzzle filled with a held breath before a sigh was released and like that, Tyr had pushed on with a shake of his head. That had been at sunrise, a time specifically chosen to suit the male's needs in order to adjust his course based on which direction the beacon rose. 

Now, the sun had risen to it's quarter and his direction had stayed true to the south. He'd crossed sea ice, swam in the icy depths and hazarded his trials with risks he likely should not have taken - ones that could have landed him buried in the ocean floor. But, this male was of a different breed. Faith and risk came along in his journey hand in hand. Death was not eternal, it was nothing to fear and now his deity had awoken. Freya would light his tunnel even in the dark.

A fog had rolled in no sooner than his paws had touched the last stretch of sea ice, a world of it's own - an ocean that flowed down mountains and over hills, even across water like silk, scarcely touching the surface. It wouldn't be a worry for him but for most, seeing the ice begin to end under his feet and water begin... Well, without the visibility? You could just begin swimming in circles like a duck with a broken leg. 

Numb toes landed upon a beach of obsidian, clawing their way forward as the monster clambered from the depths. Fur lay slack, soaked to the bone as the green eyed sea creature pulled himself further inland like a serpentine head of Lernaean Hydra. It wasn't until he stood tall, and shook the frosty water from his locks that you could distinguish his wolfish appearance. Left to right he peered, studying the world around him. Sand it seemed, sifted between his toes, grip hard to find and yet stable enough to know the ground was harder than most golden dunes he'd seen before. Volcanic? He knew not other than it's similarities. In front of him stood a wall of rock, it's height masked by the dense fog thus deeming it a curiosity to the freckled male. A few steps forward brought him his land legs once more and from there, he started thinking of a game plan. 

How exactly does a full grown wolf scale a wall when he did not possess the anatomy of a goat?

the staff team luvs u

Alduin resides in the ominous wonder that is Banesteppe. For it is part of him now, whether he likes it or not. He cannot leave, he’s anchored here. A curse, a powerful entity has its taloned grip on him. Alduin can hardly make it two days away before he’s throwing up, bleeding from his nose, or having a headache from hell. And all the while, the entity — Banesteppe — mocks him, teases him, touches him. He’s slowly causing him to go mad.

Banesteppe is not only a location — a place — but he was the malicious ruler of this land before the many who resided here died. They’re stuck here too. The ghosts — the spirits. They’re also tied by Banesteppe’s curse, the only difference between them and Alduin is that he’s still alive. Despite it not feeling like it from his lack of sleep (also due to the entity) his mind gets more scrambled the longer he stays.

Last night was one of those nights where he doesn’t get a lick of sleep. Where those phantom fingers rake down his spine and curl through thick, dark fur to keep him awake.

Do not sleep, Cursed One. You know what happens when you sleep. The deep, rumbling voice of Banesteppe says in his head. He can feel breath blowing past his ear as if he’s right there.

So Alduin doesn’t sleep. It’s as if he cannot help but obey the voice — he’s been enthralled, trapped. It’s the same touch that tugs on the curl of his tail and tells him to get up.

So he does.

Today, he’s drawn to the cliff side of his manner. He always likes to lie back and watch the waves with his paws hanging precariously off of it. So he moves through the castle and into the grand graveyard that sits idle adjacent to the walls of Banesteppe. The tombstones are topped with snow and the ground is covered in a thick layer of it — possibly around two to four inches of it. From there, his eyes gaze over to the town where Banesteppe’s followers resided. It’s an old timey town with the same style of the buildings as the castle. He doesn’t gravitate towards it though, merely walks to the back of the castle to sit on his favorite cliff edge.

There he stands, paws just on the precarious edge. He stands stall, hauntingly ethereal in the foggy, pale, and gloomy morning light. It’s then he’s met with the sight of the black beach. It’s aura mysterious and foreboding, as if a leviathan would rise from its depths at any moment. Today though he does not see any leviathan, for he sees something he hasn’t seen in a while.

Another wolf.

His solitude here is constant. All except for the spirits that play with him, talk to him, mock him, and touch him.

Oh~, look at that. Banesteppe purrs into his ear as that same cold touch ruffles through his nape. Banesteppe has attracted a visitor. Go play with them cursed one, since it seems you are oh so lonely. The entity teases maliciously.

Alduin grimaces at the mockery that befalls his auds, blood red eyes glancing to the entity at his side, only to swiftly return to the other before him. It’s after a few seconds does Alduin finally speak.

“The only way up is through a cave to the north.” He calls out, loud enough to be heard but not enough to yell.

Well, that is the only way up unless one wants to walk hours south to get up the cliff. This wolf isn’t far from the cave, but the cave leads into the catacombs that reside deep within the castle. And even then the passageways are meant as an escape not an entrance. Alduin would probably have to open the many doors and disarm the traps (the traps he figured out were there the hard way).
the staff team luvs u

A voice beckoned the beast, his stare scaling the cliffs before him in search of whatever had echoed their eerie song. A cave, it spoke of with it's ghostly rasp, body standing deathly close to the edge of the rocky traverse. It was a shadow amongst the fog and one that Tyr watched with curiosity for a few moments before deciding on his response. He knew to never trust so soon but curiosity was something often passed up with age.

To the north the spectre had claimed, so to the north the male tread. Slowly at first as he followed the cliff line until green eyes fell upon a dark outcrop. An archway of stone, darkness dripping onto natural rocky steps that only lead into what he could conjure was the cave. Was this a gateway to the underworld? Perhaps this was a labour that lead to the mighty minotaur amongst it's fearsome labyrinth. The behemoth was neither scared of death nor what killed the cat and excitement fizzled in his bones. Laughter filled the male's head. If only one formed from both beast and man still existed, no thanks to Hercules, but that didn't cancel out the gateway to the underworld and the fact that hades himself was calling to him with the caves low moans and groans from within. 

What was an adventure when one was looking for his goal? A quick trip to the world below wouldn't take that long surely. 

His chin lifted and eyes returned back to the stranger of the mist. "I thank you for your knowledge, although, might I ask what lies beyond?" proper english fell smoothly from his Olympian accent, the greek tongue gliding melodically over each word. He was a foreigner to this land, but he was glad to at least be beautiful. Both voice and body made him look like quite the macho-romantic type. Alas his let downs were his broody expressions and his unfortunate taste for blood. Preferably he wouldn't have spoken at all but in this time of little knowledge and the extensive space between them, Tyr had no other choice than to use his godly charm - or lack there of - and try to navigate the new world with help from others.

Eugh... At least the knowledge would come in use for when he found his deity.

the staff team luvs u

The man hears Alduin’s helpful call, he knows this for his head tips up in his direction. Alduin peers down to him, expression delightfully blank. A few seconds later their voice is meeting his ears through the distance of fog and cliff.

I thank you for your knowledge, although, might I ask what lies beyond?

It’s a valid question. Who would trust a stranger in a place like this? Alduin wouldn’t, but others are mor naive. This man doesn’t seem to be one of them. So Alduin hums low in his throat — a humorless but amused laugh that the other probably won’t even hear.

He wants to know what lies beyond? It could be many things — death, traps, spirits, demons. More obvious though, Banesteppe is what lies beyond. Banesteppe and it’s glorious hallways and gloomy crypts. Death lingers in this place and the aura that comes with it isn’t much better. The feelings of eyes on one’s back is constant, but Alduin thinks that this stranger should figure all that out on his own. What’s the fun in telling him all of it.

He will tell him one thing though,

“A crypt.”He calls back blandly. ”The tunnels lead into the bowels of Banesteppe.” His head nods to the immense castle that’s perched on top of the steep cliff.

He allows a pause to fill the silence. “There are traps though. Would you prefer I meet you halfway?” He asks with amusement coloring his deep tone.
the staff team luvs u