Shifting Worlds

After his conversation with the king of Fenmyre and the release of his pent up anger and aggression, Artorias had begun to seriously question things in his life. Every lesson he learned seemed to either perfectly compliment or starkly contrast one another. Be good, be yourself, do what's right, do what's just, do what you want, exercise strength, exercise restraint, obey the laws, make your own laws... The poor boy's brain had been unraveled and rewound so many times he didn't know who or what was the truth. Maybe there was no objective truth. Maybe the truth was whatever he wanted it to be, what worked best for him and who he was. It had given him so much to dwell on, to reflect on and look at his life and his future through a new lens.

There was one thing he could not deny though: Artorias was not satisfied.

Chimera had shown him what it meant to be truly content and satiated, to have his every desire, carnal and violent and possessive, satisfied. While Artorias didn't think his urges and desires were as dark as Chimera's were, there was no denying that he had them. He'd had them since he was still a pup: that compulsive need to protect and possess his wolves, to unleash a temper that often flared out of control like a wildfire. And then there were the new urges he'd discovered with women. Briar, his love, had introduced him to a world of physical pleasures, and now he couldn't resist the thoughts and temptations that came with them. Lia had offered herself to him multiple times. Bowen had sparked thoughts inside his head he'd never expected. And Chimera, the devil on his shoulder, encouraged the tasting of all the fine fruits he could get his paws on.

Still grappling and struggling with his own thoughts, Artorias pulled the wagon filled with extra supplies from the Hallows towards the Armada border. Paws crunched through the snow, Boreas going through a true winter as opposed to the summer-like weather Auster was enjoying. As he walked, his mind raced with thoughts. Now that he'd had a sample of the life Chimera led, could he go back to the way things were? He'd seen what total liberation looked and felt and tasted like. Would he be able to ignore those urges now that he'd indulged himself? The darkness clouding his fiery amber eyes was obvious, but he still had a job to do. The Armada needed these supplies, and he had to deliver them and get back to the Hallows.

Artorias arrived at the familiar border of the sea of grasses, now a blanket of white beneath the snow. Gentle flurries fell from a densely clouded sky, dancing in the air around him. He lifted his muzzle and gave a low call for someone to come receive the supplies he brought. While he waited he thought, trying to sift through the thoughts of his mind in conflict with the cravings of his body and his heart and soul.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Corbin" | "Argent"