The wind tossed the czar's silvery banners that drapped across his neck into the cool air. Snorting slightly the thin pillared brute trotted across the soft bed of lush grass, moving deeper into the geo. His auds flicked for sounds of others and for a moment he heard none. Kicking out his hooves he ascending into a canter, moving swiftly towards an old willow tree, that stood, drapping her fingers over the crystal river. The equine lowered his fine head and quenched his thirst before turning, trotting slightly up the banks and letting out a deep, clear cry for the one that called this home, offering himself as a loyal warrior to his cause.

[.x.] It was the middle of the day, and the sun shone down with an almost uncomfortable ferocity, bathing everyone and everything under it in a burning golden glow. Most equines had taken to the shelter of the caves, as had Autumn, the King of Sacreds. It was simply too warm today to be gallivanting out there, he thought as his tail carelessly brushed away a fly irritating his haunches. The heat seemed to have drawn the annoying little beasts out in droves, though, thankfully, they seemed to be paying more attention to the fruit trees than the horses. All seemed well, although there was a hint of a storm on the horizon. Clouds had begun to bubble up here and there across the previously clear blue skies, and the air was heavy and sticky, holding the promise of at least a little rain. The alabaster stallion tossed his head, as he attempted to do something, anything that would take his mind off this incessant boredom. But it was simply too hot to even think, let alone move more than a few feet. His barrel rose and fell in an uninterested sigh, dark amber eyes searching for something to occupy himself with until this storm finally broke and took all the humidity out of the air. He was not really expecting to find anything more interesting than a patch of fungus as his eyes traced the walls of the cave, yet the occupation he was seeking came to him almost instantly. A loud cry resounded throughout the lands, laced with a note of what Autumn knew instantly as a summons. Damn. He knew not of the identity of the equid, as remembering the different sounds of horses cries was definitely not his strong point. The brujo ambled out of the cave slowly, the rather grumpy look on his face growing stronger and stronger with every step he took away from his delightfully cool shelter.

He was only a few steps away from the cave when the first spots of rain began to fall, splashing down onto the dried ground and dislodging some of the dust that had been trampled into the ground by the many hooves that had stepped this way. He looked up in surprise to see the previously clear sky had now been replaced with towering storm clouds that writhed and pulsated across the firmament, blocking out any trace of the sun as the surroundings became gradually darker. Boom. The first rumble of thunder rolled gently over the ground, followed a few moment later by a flash of lightning which illuminated his path as he walked. With every step he took, the heavens seemed to become more and more vicious, screaming their furious song to the world. He was no expert on predicting the weather, but, a sigh escaping his librims, he could tell that this deluge would last for half a week, maybe more. Autumn blinked as a huge raindrop splashed upon his poll, falling from the trees above his head. Anxious to get out of what he knew was becoming a rather dangerous storm, he ascended into three beats, moving with all the grace and prescision expected of a King. He knew it was not safe to be near the forest when lightning was around, yet still he continued on his path, cantering hurridely over the ground to meet this newcomer.

The stallion came into view a few moment before Autumn exited the forest. He stepped out from behind the now quite sparse trees and whickered loudly to announce his prescence. Suspicion crept into his eyes as he advanced on the brujo, wondering what purpose he had here. No newcomers had been seen in these lands for quite a while, so his arrival was treated with caution, in account of the ever-growing threat from the Dark alliance. His youthful features turned in the direction of the mystery stallion, hoping desperately that he wouldn't take him to be some completely random stranger answering his call. He hated watching horses ask his identity and then seeing them get embarassed for asking.

"Forever Autumn - King of the Sacreds." he said politely in a brief introduction of himself. "What is your buisness here?" [.x.]

The creamy stag jumped at the boom of thunder. He glanced up and snorted at the dark rolling clouds that were now filling the sky. Shaking his bodice in indignation, Manton didn't like storms. HIs silver banner caught in the gusty wind as the vocals of another equine met his auds. The stag turned to see the brujo coming towards him. He could sense this equine was of some importance from his stance alone, but it was not until the stallion offered his introduction that Manton discovered that this was the very equine he was seeking.
The palomino dipped his creamy head, his silvery forelock falling over his deep ebony eyes.
O'King. I am here to offer you my allegiance in this time of war. I have lived too long on the outskirts ignoring the growing darkness, until now. he brujo stopped. His voice could not continue it was too painful, too recent to recount the events that had eventually driven him from his valley paradise into this world of treachery.

[.x.] Autumn watched the stag before him carefully as he jumped at the loud rumbles of thunder. Newcomers to the lands were sometimes scared by the ferocity of the storms here, although Autumn, having been raised here, found them perfectly normal. True, these lands were beautiful, but the fact that they were able to keep their fresh, emerald appearance was due to the torrential rainstorms that often occured throughout the territories. He offered comforting glance to Manton as a magnificent streak of lightning tore through the sky, seeming to split it in half as it struck the ground. The rain fell heavier now, from odd droplets here and there, to a fine sprinkling, and now to a deluge which started to soak them both to the skin. Autumn shot an irritated glance to the storm clouds above, annoyed at getting wet on a humid day like this. It would be an extremely unpleasant experience to dry in these conditions. One look to Manton told the King that they needed to find shelter, and not just because they were getting wet. The conditions outside were becoming even more dangerous, a fact which was instantly confirmed as another bolt of lightning raged down from the heavens to strike only meters away from the two. Bloody hell. Autumn jumped slightly as a fire spluttered into life upon the leaves of a bush, and then let out a sigh of relief as the flames were almost immediately doused by the rain, leaving only a few charred twigs and a small column of smoke in its absence.

Yet not only was this storm dangerous, it was immensely beautiful. The lightning which cracked with such ferocity seemed to wind its way down almost delicately, twining over the clouds with a certain grace. The immense rolls of thunder didn't only make the ground shake with the force of a galloping army, they complimented the lightning perfectly, seeming to tune itself to what the storm was doing at that moment. Autumn stood in silence, admiring the beauty and yet utter brute force of the tempest. He didn't realise that the stallion had said something until quite a while after he had said it. It was obvious that they couldn't speak here, as thunder was simple too loud to talk over, but there was a large cave a distance away which would provide the perfect speaking place. The King waited for a moment and then gestured with a graceful toss of his head toward the cave. It was clear that his intention was for Manton to follow him, so he picked his way delicately over the stones and foliage towards the cave. His footsteps clattered loudly over the rocky floor as he walked further and further into the shelter, reverberating around the walls softly, a shadow of the equine who had just walked it. It was not long before the first pair of footsteps were joined by another, and the stallion turned, expecting to find Manton behind him. His guess proved right, the stallion swung his haunches around in a half turn to face the brujo.

"I must know one thing before I accept your allegiance. Why is it that you believe your alliance should fall with the Lights?"

Autumn spoke his words calmly, making it perfectly plain that he expected a worthy answer. He wasn't going to allow some equine into his land at a time like this, just to have them turn traitor and ruin everything he had done over the past months. The question was difficult one, that he knew, which was why Autumn had asked it. You could often tell what a horse's personality was by their answer. There was the bold ones who answered that they wanted to fight the Darks head on. They would be the ones who were strong, but often rather stupid. They would never learn. He hoped that this stag had more to him that a pair of front hooves and teeth. And that brought Autumn to wondering;what would his own answer be? That was simple - he wanted a better future for them all to live in. There would always be evil, but Legesain was a completely different threat. Most enemies went on a killing spree and settled down to enjoy the rest of their lives, but not that brute. He wouldn't stop until he had taken every land for himself. And Autumn was quite willing to die to stop him. [.x.]

Manton's auds flicked at the question, an whilst the brujo took time to answer deep down he had no decision to make. The stag stepped slightly away from the King, casting his orbs towards the growing storm.
Hope. Manton answered almost softly, his lyrics almost drowned by the rain. It would be foolish to even dream of a time when all equines could live in peace, for that time will never come. I have seen destruction and terror in my life that is almost too much for one equine to bear. It is my belief that there are equines out there who can return this world to its former beauty and irradicate some of the terror in it. But then the question arises as to which equines.
Manton turned sharply to look at the King. His orbs were sharp and firm, perhaps almost too much so for one standing before such royalty.
I believe that this future lies with the Sacreds. he stepped away again, the rain sticking his banner to his neck.
All I want is see hope in the eyes of my fellows again. You are the giver of that hope Forever Autumn. Thats why I have journeyed here. To protect the giver of hope.