#cliffsedge

[backhandtrebond]

Monster

15 months after the Cage

       Cliffsedge was the final straw. For all of Mariah’s urging and the Celestials’ ever-increasing brutality, it took one act of a single nameless mortal to send Crow over the edge.

The day began with one simple aim: for Crow, Mariah, and Kelder to escort a group of runaway slaves through the Briarback Valley.

       “Why are we here?” Mariah whispered to Crow, breaking the silence. Waving her arm at their charges, she continued, her voice sour. “Look at them. How many of them will fight? Having three of us escort them is-”

       “We’re here because they need our help,” the man interjected, “Even if none of these people join the fight, getting them away from those that held their leashes is everything we stand for.”

Unable to resist a dig at the Warrior, the Thief chimed in from the shadows. “And as for why it takes three of us for a simple escort, well, we all know whose fault that is, don’t we?” The hooded figure appeared a few feet behind the pair. Though his eyes were hidden, the impish smirk across his face was anything but. “If Crow’s finished his sweep, can we get moving?” He gestured to the open plain to their side. “I’d like to make tracks before a patrol comes over the flatlands after us.”

Crow refocussed his attention to the two-dozen ragged forms huddled in the shade of the treeline. As he reached out, his mind was assaulted by fear, hope, and uncertainty. Returning his gaze to the other mages, Crow nodded. “Nothing in their surface thoughts that suggests a problem.” He glanced up at the sky. “We’ve got maybe three hours of daylight left, I suggest we make the most of them. Mariah, if you could take point?”

Still muttering under her breath, Mariah stomped off towards the treeline to fetch their charges. “I’d feel a lot better about this if you’d read them properly, you know,” she called over her shoulder.

Before Crow could respond, Kelder placed a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t let her get to you. It’s good that you don’t, it builds trust.” His smirk softened into a warm grin as he started walking over to the group. “Hurry now, or we’ll never make Cliffsedge by sundown.”

As they walked, Crow took a moment to admire their surroundings.  With the plains at their backs, the Areto mountains to the east, and the river a ways west, it was certainly a stunning part of the world. Sometimes it was useful to have something else to fight for, on those days when people disappointed you. Turning his gaze forward once more, his eyes narrowed. The forest that the river disappeared into hadn’t been anywhere near that thick the last time he was in this area. Reaching out with his mind, he caught Thief’s attention.

Kelder, do you see what I see?

With the message, he sent an image of the sparse woodland he remembered from a few weeks ago.

“Yeah, I picked up on it a little while ago myself,” came Kelder’s reply from the shadows. Stepping into the light to walk beside Crow, he shrugged. “I figured Rosa had been through here at some point. She had something out this way, right?”

“She hasn’t had a fight for over a month, she was complaining about it the day before we left.” Though he spoke to Kelder, Crow kept his eyes on the forest, sending out mental pulses in an effort to flush out potential ambushers.

“She doesn’t need to fight with them to affect plants like this. Not anymore, at least,” Kelder sighed, “We’re all getting more powerful, and you’re getting paranoid in your old age, my friend.”

“It’s not paranoia if it’s true,” Crow replied with a wry grin. Relaxing slightly, he glanced back at Kelder, meeting the other man’s eyes. “Whatever it is you want to talk about, you might as well spit it out.”

“Reading my mind is cheating, you know,” the Thief said, rolling his eyes. “But yeah, I did want to talk, preferably out of Mariah’s earshot.” He gave his companion a sobering look. “No point dancing around it, I suppose. I’m worried about you, Crow.” As the other mage opened his mouth to reply, he cut him off. “No, don’t wave it off as my imagination, or any of the other bullshit excuses you keep on hand. You’re getting worse, and you know it.”

Shifting his gaze to the ground, Crow took a moment before replying. “Depends how you look at it.”

The last traces of Kelder’s smile vanished. “I heard about Griam, I know about your visits to the prisoners there. Using illusions to screw with their heads? You’re better than that.”

“Only when I can afford to be.” Turning to face his friend, Crow searched for the right words. “The war’s getting worse. You know it, I know it. It’s getting ever-more important that we have the information we need as soon as possible, and Sonya can’t- or won’t- always deliver, Oracle or no.”

“That’s no excuse for-”

“It’s not an excuse, it’s a reason.” Quickly checking nobody was in earshot, Crow continued. “If we lose this thing, everybody’s dead. There won’t be a second Rebellion, they’ll build new slaves without the ‘free will problem’, and that’ll be that.  If preventing it means I must do things I’d rather not, then so be it.” For a moment, the image of a screaming Godsblood in Griam filled his mind, but he tossed it aside with some effort.

“You don’t think I know that?” Kelder lowered his voice to match Crow’s. “I know the stakes as well as you, but there’s a line. If we cross it, then we’re no better than them.” Sighing heavily, he wiped the sweat off his brow.  

“I hear you, Kelder, and maybe you have a point, but this isn’t the time or the place.” Crow gestured ahead of them. “We’re nearly to Cliffsedge, we can talk about it there.” With that, he lengthened his stride to catch up with the group.

It was mere minutes later when the silver-skinned Godsbloods came charging out of the forest. Forming a line between the ambush and their charges, the mages began felling their attackers in quick succession. Mariah gave a feral war-cry before charging into the fray, a gleaming blade materialising in one hand while she blasted energy from her other. The two men stayed further back, supporting Mariah at range while she carved a bloody path through the Celestials.

“Think she’ll remember to leave the trees standing this time?” Kelder asked, laughing as he stole a Godsblood’s weapon from twenty feet away.

Turning to reply with a grin, Crow froze at the sight that met him. Kelder’s face had gone pale, his breath coming in choked gasps. As the world seemed to slow around him, Crow’s eyes darted around, looking for answers. As he rushed over to his friend, they found the elven refugee who had thrown the blade jutting out of Kelder’s side, and a cold weight settled over him.

I scanned him. I scanned him and didn’t see this. WHY DIDN’T I SEE THIS?

With the flick of a wrist, the elf crumpled into a heap, eyes darting around desperately. Crow ran over to Kelder, pulling bandages from his pack. “Mariah! Kelder’s down!” As the Warrior bisected the last of the ambushers, Crow removed the knife and dressed the wound, the material glowing slightly as it touched the damaged flesh. Once he was done, he shifted his gaze to the prone elf, that same cold still clutching his chest. The Scholar strode over and picked him up by his hair.

I didn’t see this because I didn’t LOOK. Because looking is over some line we made up.

As he stared into the man’s unrepentant face, seeing nothing now but the devotion to his Celestial masters, something snapped inside Crow.

If staying this side of the line means good people dying, then it’s not worth it.

Closing his eyes for a moment, he gathered his power under their lids.

If a monster is what’s needed to stop this from happening again-

Crow’s eyes snapped open, now solid black orbs.

-then a monster I’ll be.

A creature of shadows and rage cracked open the elf’s mind and tore it apart to find the answers it sought. When it was done, the slim body fell to the ground, and the creature turned to the rest of their charges.

Who else?

Smoke began drifting out from under its hood, forming a solid mask.

Who else knew?

It tore into the minds of two more, leaving them prone and gasping, but alive.

WHO?

A blast of energy caught it across the face, causing its head to snap back, stunned.

“Get a grip, Crow.” Red hair. Mariah, that was her name. Barely-suppressed fury, held in check by familiar faces in her head. They had names, too. “Kelder needs someone who can do more than tie a bandage, or he will die, so calm down before I blast the tantrum out of you.”

The creature halted, gaze fixed first on her, then Kelder’s limp form. The smoke drifted clear and Crow blinked. He ran over to Kelder and, hands shaking, lifted him onto his shoulders. “Kaeda’s meeting us at Cliffsedge for the refugees. She can help him.” He went pale as he looked over to where the two prone refugees still lay. “And them. I hope.”

[dananickerson]

Sunrise at the ovens parks in Nova Scotia. I'll share more details and photos of this interesting place soon. . . . . #theovens #theovensnaturalpark #novascotia #maritimes #oceanview #sunrise🌅 #raw_waters #raw_canada #canadatravel #canonphotography #historicalplaces #photooftheday #igdaily #noisens #lunenburg #exploreatlanticcanada #cliffsedge (at The Ovens, Nova Scotia) https://www.instagram.com/p/CS8I_f8Lw73/?utm_medium=tumblr

[sweet-life-fucking]

D se habia levantado y estaba bailando...

Se veia hermosa, efervecente, alegre...

Tenia una sonrisa coqueta pero no era para mí, se estaba disfrutando a ella misma...

Creo que ahi fue cuando lo que era juego dejó de serlo...

[syniiart]

I just finished these stickers based on Hayley Kiyoko's music videos. Link to my shop is in bio if you're interested. 😘 . . . #stickers #stickersdesign #hayleykiyoko #girlslikegirls #graveltotempo #cliffsedge #onebadnight #curious #sleepover #whatineed #iwish #feelings #fanart #ipad2018 #ipaddrawing #procreate #digitalart #digitalpainting https://www.instagram.com/p/B4zqlTTHLBp/?igshid=fcza7cyr1nz

[soccerstar13]

Mother Earth sure is a sight for sore eyes 🌎☀️🌵#grandcanyon #arizona #empack #evolvedmotion #cliffsedge #hiking (at Grand Canyon National Park)

[xdhaybailsxd]

Dead😍

[beckatichu]

🌹 cliffs edge - hayley kiyoko 🌹 (something I did, bcs this song is pretty gay. like me.)

[wawawildthing]

If it's Ạdventure, If it's perfect Ẉanderlust, I'll give it to Ỵou ※ ※ ※ #takemeback #tylerknottgregson #dailyhaiku #arizona #travelphotography #cliffsedge #horseshoebend #coloradoriver #takeintheview #optoutside #getoutstayout #exploretheworld #adventureanywhere #adventurealways #girlswhowander #fbf #bucketlist (at Horseshoe Bend)

[littlefire2004]

#pacificocean #pacifica #cliffsedge #cliffs #ocean #mori #sharppark (at Mori Point) https://www.instagram.com/jenn_pnw/p/BvmuyktHezq/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=5ar0tk3laa0n

[plumstreet]

If I could just fully relax for a second I swear to god I could learn to enjoy things again and not view every moment of distraction and joy as a tick on the perpetual responsibility countdown clock in my brain

[22-jumpstreet]

i can’t draw by any means but I got bored and I was listening to one of my favourite songs by one of my favourite people and so I decided to write down one of my favourite lyrics lol

Hayley if u see this, hit ya girl up <3 

[nique-ai]

🌊 SEE THE LINE WHERE THE SKY MEETS THE SEA IT CAAAALLS MEEEEEE 🌊 📷: my dad #kiama #gerroa #gerringong #ocean #cliffsedge

[thisissofreakinglame-blog]

Every time a new Hayley Kiyoko's song is released, somewhere a girl becomes gay(er).

[tattoos-and-attitude]

"Come away, O human child! To the waters and the wild. 💚🇮🇪☘️ . . . . #williambutleryeats #wbyeats #cliffsofmoher #cliffs #cliffsedge #ireland #stpatricksday #stpaddysday #emeraldisle #quotes #poetry #irishwriter #irishpoetry #tbt #studyabroad #dublin #takemeback (at Cliffs of Moher)

[cilserolf]

"Kiss me with adventure, till I forget my name." I got the idea from a song by one of the most influential indie artists today, Miss Hayley Kiyoko woop woop! The lyrics of her song (Cliff's Edge) somehow depict a tumultous love that constantly twists and turns, when each person feels pushed to an emotional cliff's edge, and that's how I wanted the artwork to portray. I've used skeletons as subjects since love knows no gender. These skeletons could be a girl and a boy, a boy and a boy, or a girl and a girl. It doesn't matter actually because love is a feeling. I've somehow gotten the inspiration of using skeletons when I saw a clip from Upworthy about love and how it is shared by anybody, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, religion and race. This is one of my fave pieces. ❤️☺️

[feelings-in-black]

Soy tan gay como las canciones de Hayley Kiyoko.