With Asheville Comic Expo in our sights, we're getting ready here for the first step in a timeline of activity leading us up to accomplishing certain key Animus goals before then...
The goals we have set for this week include launching the YouTube-based webseries on Friday! So, the much needed webseries preroll continues from where we left off with King A-Theros in the Hidden Valley taking the lone Raptor into his camp…
Pre-EpISODE (B): TODAY THE TREE OF TWO FIRES IS TURNED TO ASH
To read the previous pre-episode, check out A-Theros' Choice (Pre-Episode A).
Outside, the longtent of the Master Steward, made from the cetacean bones of hum-whales, King A-Theros has the Raptor bound to the Twin Tree with links of Fluctuant-steel. The Twin Tree, the Tree of Two Flames is blazing, a symbol of the Fluctuant vow in keeping with the Rethan Orders of ancient days who kept the Balance of Light and Dark—now that conflict has erupted, and the Steward has declared that good and evil are at war.
All night long, the Raptor will not speak, until Shaviren—known as Haggle to some—brings it an insectoid humbuzzer for a meal.
"Today the Tree of Two Fires is turned to ash," is all the Raptor will say.
"It is a threat," growl King A-Theros' advisors— "The Tyrant's will has always been to burn all the lands with his sullen, braided flame!"
Hearing nothing but fear of war from his closest men, he turns to another foreigner in his camp—Onna, of the Northern Ice—oldest of the Amfrassian Wizard-She's.
She speaks to the Raptor in its guttural lizard tongue. At first it refuses to give its name—saying only: "I have already given my name to another Fluctuant—dwelling above."
At last she coaxes it into giving its name.
All night long, the Raptor will not speak, until Shaviren—known as Haggle to some—brings it an insectoid humbuzzer for a meal.
"Today the Tree of Two Fires is turned to ash," is all the Raptor will say.
"It is a threat," growl King A-Theros' advisors— "The Tyrant's will has always been to burn all the lands with his sullen, braided flame!"
Hearing nothing but fear of war from his closest men, he turns to another foreigner in his camp—Onna, of the Northern Ice—oldest of the Amfrassian Wizard-She's.
She speaks to the Raptor in its guttural lizard tongue. At first it refuses to give its name—saying only: "I have already given my name to another Fluctuant—dwelling above."
At last she coaxes it into giving its name.
"I am Annuh-Ishzh, of the spirit Zor, of the housethread of Laac."
Now the King must decide. Whom will he choose to continue to speak to the Raptor—to glean what information they can in what little time remains?
Onna: One of the wisest of the Amfrassians (frogs)—one of the last alive who remembers the broken World Before—and whose kinship with the reptilian race creates a definite advantage…
Haggle: A well-educated son of a Vash-Vek (fox) ambassador, whose skill in negotiation, through meeting the needs of those he dialogues with, has earned respect even among the Fluctuants Within?
Neither: King A-Theros may well decide to let the Raptor rest, though there is no guarantee he will be able to keep it under guard until the morning. Its lidless eyes do not droop or grow faint… and it seems to have little need of rest…
How will the story evolve? You decide! Vote in the comments below.
One year ago, when the Animus webseries launch was delayed, we posted this graphic in hopes a later start date (rather than the announced Valentine's Day release) would give us what we needed to get things together. It took until this year to really pull it off—so here we are, trying to make use of this announcement again!*
*Notice how—providentially—I felt impelled to leave off the year on the graphic above.
How will you vote? Leave your answer below in the comments. Voting will be closed soon!
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