Ribbontail: Enter Emalia
Chapter 9: Close Encounter with Eclipsian Kind

Author's Note: Please read my artist's comments before continuing. :3
-------------------------------------


Her assumptions were entirely correct. The rift travel was anticlimactic. Instead of a whirling, buzzing, spinning, roaring, exciting flight through dimensions Ribbontail was merely spat out on the opposite side of the rift.

It was as uncomplicated as stepping over a line drawn in the dirt.

Dust lighting into the air at her entrance, Ribbontail was dropped from midair onto a bare patch of dirt, skidding on her belly a few feet before finally coming to rest. But just as Ribbontail turned and peered back, the skeletal PuppetRibbontail came tumbling from above, buffeting onto Ribbontail.

Pinned to the ground by the little monstrosity, Ribbontail struggled, huffed and snarled. “Get off!”, she commanded through her paws, which she had instantly clamped over her nose. PuppetRibbontail still reeked of decaying flesh, and it was evident even in the crisp, cool air here.

Ribbontail coughed as PuppetRibbontail obediently dragged herself off of her new master.

“Uh…g-good…” stammered Ribbontail, stumbling to her paws and shaking her fur clean, as she had seen dogs do before. PuppetRibbontail simply stood there. She was as emotionless as ever, with the hollow stare and menacing, stitched-back grin she bore.

Hesitantly, Ribbontail took a step away from the nightmarish, imp-like beast. “Did you have to follow me here?” she implored to PuppetRibbontail.

There was no response. Ribbontail snorted at the stagnant PuppetRibbontail, turned and peered about, finding to her delight and awe that they were in fact in a land very remotely-similar to Earth. Around them rose the trees of a lush, green pine forest. The green giants rose up into the gray skies, their downy branches shivering in the cold wind. The serene, crisp scent of fallen rain encompassed Ribbontail’s senses, cool mountain air played at her fur. Ribbontail took a deep, cleansing breath before finally closing her eyes.  

“Ah a cool mountain. Beautiful,” she said to herself, staring up at a single day-star that peeked from above. It pointed south, she felt, and that was where she was to go. “I’m gonna go now, k’?”

Again there was no response from PuppetRibbontail, even as Ribbontail turned to leave.  

DOOM!

A sudden rumbling quake sent the ground trembling, and they turned abruptly to see WereRibbontail sprawled spread-eagle on the ground, directly where Ribbontail had landed.

“Augh!”, groaned the large werewolf creature, shifting her mammoth frame into a sitting position, “Ribbontail, you were supposed to be my cushion! Why’d you move, spoiled little brat?”

Ribbontail stared in half awe as WereRibbontail stood and approached, as bored-looking as ever. She and PuppetRibbontail had indeed followed her here, into the mortal realm, but neither seemed too excited about this concept. Ribbontail flicked her ears and peered up at the great and bulky WereRibbontail. An air of sarcasm emanated from the great blue beast as she glowered down at Ribbontail. The beast opened her mouth as if to speak, but before she could say anything Fidei’s voice called out from behind.

“Finally! I thought you’d never figure out the portal!”

Turning, Ribbontail watched as Fidei appeared from behind the nearby treeline. He bore his usual sly grin, with a swagger that sent his long, tufted tail swaying. He approached, stared reticently at Ribbontail, then flicked his ears.

“So Ribbontail,” Fidei snickered, his eyes darting at PuppetRibbontail and WereRibbontail, “Looks like you’ve got a couple of friends here. Pity you’ve got to deal with them. I get to travel alone.”

Fidei half-turned and brushed his tail before Ribbontail, his sneer crafty and proud.

“So? The Gods said that I need their protection…” Ribbontail pressed her ears back rather nervously, before adding, “Are you going to come, Fidei? I don’t know what this place is like. I don’t even know where we are.”

“Oh no,” Fidei responded, “I think I’ll go alone. I DON’T want to hang around here with you slow-moving… RIBBONTAILS.”

Snickering, Fidei turned and bounded away. Ribbontail almost retorted, jumping in his direction as he disappeared among the trees, but she stopped in midstep and paused. “But I thought…” she whispered. Her voice trailed into nothing as her soft paws clenched the grass at her feet.

Behind her WereRibbontail huffed. “Well! The kid’s got the right idea,” she snorted, “who would want to travel with you?”

Ribbontail spun around, stunned. “What? But the Gods said that you had to protect me! Isn’t this place supposed to be dangerous?”

“Mm, no not really,” shrugging, WereRibbontail dropped onto all four legs and stretched her hind legs. “If you know where to go it’s not so bad. It’s actually kind of nice here.”

With a deep yawn WereRibbontail turned and pranced across the clearing, past Ribbontail and to the treeline where Fidei had departed.

Before the werewolf could break away and vanish, Ribbontail yelped, “But hey! The gods said-“

“The gods don’t know what the hell the mortal world is like. Cheers!”

There was no time to react, and before anything else could be said the hulky WereRibbontail leapt crashing through the forest. Ribbontail was left alone with PuppetRibbontail, her heart suddenly full of loneliness and despair. She had not been fond of WereRibbontail, but the massive beast was powerful and regal. She would be Ribbontail’s protection when nobody else was there.

Ribbontail bit her lip and sighed. She stared down, at the strap of leather that she wore around her chest. To it the scroll had been tied, and it reminded the wolf girl of her mission.

"Right…", Ribbontail mumbled to herself, "Got to deliver it. Journey of a thousand miles begins with one step..."

Tentatively Ribbontail tipped her head up, scanning the heavens for the single star that she had been given to guide her on her way. Even in the daytime, amidst billowing stormclouds above, the tiny star twinkled down on them. Ribbontail observed it for a moment, then started in its direction.

---------------------
Ribbontail padded her way silently through the forest, keeping her path straight as to follow the direction the star had been in. It had begun raining lightly now, drops of rain lighting against her soft blue fur every so often. She had kept to a path under the trees, as to protect herself from the chilling rain.

Strangely enough, Ribbontail found herself staring at the odd glittering air that clung to the top branches of the canopy. Every raindrop which fingered its way through the pines above twinkled with light, giving the forest a cascaded affect. There was nothing else to do, so she averted her gaze to the surroundings, noting the thick ferns and grasses, and the absence of weeds. It was truly a perfect place to relax.

Ribbontail sauntered easily through the forest, a merry sway to her walk as she continued on. This isn't so hard, she said to herself, just deliver this scroll and do a few other simple things and I'm a god. Sounds like a plan!

The sun, hidden behind the thick curtain of gloomy rainclouds, had begun its afternoon descent. By now Ribbontail had reached a serene lake, which she sat by to observe her reflection. Rain fell upon her reflection as she gazed down at her new wolf face, gold eyes glittering back at her and large, tufted ears at attention. She was certainly a lovely creature to behold- a lean and graceful sky-blue wolf with rippling ribbon tails.

"Ribbontail," she whispered to herself, sighing and smiling, "This is who I am…I think I can get used to this."

A snap behind her broke the solace, its sudden crunch echoing through the trees. Ribbontail spun around, ears at attention, only to find herself nosetip-to-nosetip with PuppetRibbontail.   

Ribbontail reeled back and smashed a paw to her nose as soon as the stench of decay returned. "PuppetRibbontail!", she coughed, "What are you doing here? Go away!"

As was expected, the frail and skeletal creature gave no response. She stared with hollow, blackened eye sockets at Ribbontail, that wicked grin pulled back across her face. A chill ran down Ribbontail's spine as she observed the small wolf.

"No," Ribbontail scolded, suddenly remembering that this creature had been given to her as a slave, "Go away. I don't want you following me. Go!"

Again, PuppetRibbontail just sat there, the soft rain smearing the blood that had previously been caked onto her gleaming bones.

A soft, hushed moan of thunder rumbled far into the distance as Ribbontail sat and pondered the situation. PuppetRibbontail would not go away at her command; she would continue to follow her master by default, no matter what, with her frightening visage always staring and the faint stench of rot lingering.

"Fine!" concluded Ribbontail, getting to her paws, "PuppetRibbontail, stay here by this lakeside until I return. I want you to stay HERE and go NOWHERE until I get back."

PuppetRibbontail just stared, sitting down slowly. Her longing, expressionless face seemed to ask Ribbontail, "When will you be back?"

"I'll… be back sometime in the future." Ribbontail added this as she turned and padded away, glancing only once to make sure that the abysmal PuppetRibbontail had indeed obeyed her command. Head hung low, the slave-demon sat there with the rain now showering down onto her. She had not moved, and would stay there as she was told to.

"IF I come back," Ribbontail snorted to herself, scratching an itch behind her ear before she continued on.
---------------------

Pausing only every so often to rest, Ribbontail traveled long into the day. She trudged through the thick forest for the longest while, becoming bored with the aimless hiking. Alone entirely now, Ribbontail was pleased to have gotten rid of PuppetRibbontail. She sauntered along the path merrily, humming tunes to keep herself occupied and even pouncing on birds and other wildlife. It was fun here, she admitted to herself- she would rather be hiking through a lovely pineforest than being rejected by humankind back on Earth.

Many hours passed before evening rolled around. By this time rain had begun falling more steadily now, showering progressively from above. Ribbontail clung now to the trunks of the trees.

It was then that she stumbled upon something she never thought to have been possible: a total stranger, sitting in a clearing alone and miserable in the rain.

It was much, much larger than her, a little larger than a horse, with a muddied coat of white fur and powerful, rippling muscles. His only remnant of a tail, as she could see from the side, was a deer-like tuft, and he had a frail ribcage. What struck Ribbontail as the most shocking, though, was his face. It was devoid of fur, with no ears and a gleaming, currently-undetectable symbol etched between its large eyes. Two braided whiskers flowed from the sides of his nose, and his mouth was curled into a lonely frown.

Tentatively Ribbontail lowered herself into a crouch, approaching him with a friendly smile across her face. "Hello!" she called up to him him, advancing from the treeline. He did not react, but sighed woefully.

Ribbontail approached, her head humbly held low. "So mister…" she stammered, her nervous eyes fixed on the creature, "…Are you an Emalian?"

With a fowl sigh the beast turned its bald head to stare down at Ribbontail. Its sorrow-filled, spiteful eyes gazing at her blankly. "Perhaps" rang in Ribbontail's head, like a thought she had not brought on herself.

"Did you just say…'Perhaps'? Like in my head?", Ribbontail whined, her voice now filled with less jollity and more nervousness.

"Yes. I speak with my mind. I do not have your ability to speak with spoken language…I can merely howl and roar, and nothing else."

A sigh of relief escaped from Ribbontail's mouth. This large creature, despite his startling size and horrid features, seemed to be friendly and charming of heart. Ribbontail crawled forward an inch or two and sat before him, smiling up at his bald canine face. "So what's your name? I'm Ribbontail," she asked merrily.

The response was abrupt and flat. "I am OmenBeast."

"Oh OmenBeast huh? Are you from around here? You know, I come from a planet called Earth, but I got killed there and for some reason it turns out that I really live…here… as a God and all. Pretty cool huh?"

Shining down on his face, the evening sun illuminated OmenBeast's blank expression. He was gazing down upon her with intent, globular eyes. "I live here. This is my home and it has always been. You say you are a God, Ribbontail? How is that so?"

Ribbontail puffed her proud chest, a smug grin exhibiting her conceit. "Yeah see, I'm Riddle's daughter. You know, the God of death, or something like that? That means that I'm gonna be the God of death someday too, so I've gotta train hard to get there."

"…so YOU are to be an Emalian goddess?"

"Yep! Cool, huh?"

"Interesting…

There was a hush after the creature said this, and at first Ribbontail was only vaguely aware of his look of deep concentration. Then a wicked smile crept across OmenBeast's bald face, crumbling teeth shining down.

Springing up, Ribbontail stared in horror as the monstrosity rippled to its feet.

"Emalian!" bellowed OmenBeast's voice in her mind.

OmenBeast lurched forward, powerful muscles swelling, before tilting back his bald face and baying into the evening sky. Then the beast lashed out, sheer ebony claws ripping through the air.

Immediately Ribbontail turned and fled, yelping. With a mighty pang of fear in her heart she raced through the trees, dodging large trees and bushes. The wind and rain roared in her ears as she fled from the powerful monster that thundered behind her. Her new animal body was faster, leaner, stronger than her human body ever could have been, but still she was drawn to panting and slipping quickly.

The ground quaked and shook. Beneath her paws the forest floor shuddered, and the howling and panting of the great OmenBeast she heard a mere second behind her.

Ribbontail dared not look back, her eyes streaming with tears of fear and despair. Through the forest her blue form sped, tailed shortly by the white behemoth that was OmenBeast.

By a mere hair's breadth the savage, clicking jaws missed Ribbontail's flanks. Finally the girl glanced back, and found herself staring down the maw of the beastly abomination. She turned from the seeping teeth and lashing tongue and yelped, running faster then she ever thought possible.

"Get away from me!" Ribbontail shrieked, halting instantly and ducking down beneath those jaws. OmenBeast charged over her without stopping, finally sliding to a halt as it registered the fact that Ribbontail no longer ran before it.

He spun about, snarling.

Ribbontail had already turned and fled up a hill, paws sliding and blundering as she made her frantic ascent. By now the girl was exhausted, tongue lolling and eyes wild.

Why? she thought to herself as she turned and watched OmenBeast come charging slowly up the hill, Why'd I have to go alone?

Dragging her aching paws, Ribbontail scrambled to the top of the hill. Through the trees below the hellish beast thundered and ate away the remaining space between them. It was moving slower now, wind and rain beating at its bald face as it pursued Ribbontail.  

But still OmenBeast neared, and Ribbontail struggled to the top of the hill. Coughing and gasping the wolf girl finally reached the zenith. Slowing to a stop, Ribbontail's heart sank.

The top of the hill was not as it had seemed. At the edge it broke away, a near-vertical cliff that fell directly into a raging, winding river below. White waters beckoned portentously to Ribbontail from below, as imposing as OmenBeast himself.

Ribbontail clambered away from the edge of the cliff and half-turned to glance back, almost crying out at what she saw.

Above her reared the powerful, hulking form of OmenBeast, massive arms lashing at the air. Rending claws ripped at the falling curtain of rain as it leered down with gleaming eyes.

"Emalian Ribbontail!" its voice roared in her head, "You shall die!"

"No, please!" Ribbontail howled, backing to the cliff's edge as she shied away from the monstrous beast. Its intentions were clear: it wanted her dead.

Like lightning a black talon sheared down through the air, and Ribbontail dodged back awkwardly. As the beast's hooked talons bit into the soft dirt the wolf girl reeled back, leaning back on her hindpaws and flailing out with her forepaws. She was tipping backwards gradually, kicking and struggling for balance.

Her canine body was clearly not built for the upright position, and as Ribbontail flailed to try and right herself correctly OmenBeast screeched one last time in her head.

"You cannot run, Ribbontail!"

OmenBeast's curved claws ripped from the ground, but no sooner were they free did Ribbontail finally stumble back, barreling down the sheer cliff. She fell terribly fast, falling first backwards, then rolling on her side, before finally she was thrown headfirst into the raging waters.

The impact with the river pounded Ribbontail. Riverwater surged about her, roaring into her ears, eyes, and mouth, pulling her under and strangling her in its godlike strength.

Ribbontail rose, wretched, and gained a single breath before being borne underwater again. She floundered in the swift current, her body not yet full-coordinated. It was not long before she resorted to a slow dog-paddle, but just as she did the river's current wrenched her back under the surface.

From underwater the muffled, vanishing roars of OmenBeast split the air, distorted by the howling river. He seemed to have been squalling at her from the above cliff, but no longer could she hear his cries. He was out of earshot now.

The first deathly beast had been escaped, but now another killer had its murderous grip on Ribbontail. Gagging, sputtering, and gasping for air, Ribbontail flailed against the current, helpless in the maddened waters.

It was too much for her. Ribbontail twisted helplessly against the mighty river as she was pulled under one last time, her eyes wide with crazed lunacy. Then, everything went black.