(( Self RP -- Mear'ksh's Name Quest with Iartuupe assisting ))
Finally... it was time, time to tell those who needed to know what her true name was. Mear'ksh had known the demon within her for almost as long as she could remember. It (she) had talked to the young lioness early on, telling her the best ways to cause pain, the most fun to be had with other creatures. To make them bleed, make them hurt and squirm and scream.
Ahh, those screams... like sweet music to Mear'ksh and her Agiel - her demon. Or was it the other way around? Did it really matter... no, it did not. They belonged to each other.
And one day... Agiel would be set free to roam this world.
Mear'ksh smirked. Soon, soon now... she would enter the maze of the sacred volcano and find her way to the center. And there, she would tell whoever was waiting what her true name was.
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She had been wandering the maze for several days now, running into dead ends here, and places she'd already been there. Mear'ksh hadn't expected it to be like this. To take so long. Neither had Agiel. Both of them were tired and frustrated... hungry for more than just food.
Hungry for pain. For torment and screams. It had seldom been even this long since they had found some creature or other to torment.
But they would endure....
Ah! An idea. "We could hurt ourselves..." the lioness whispered, her voice raspy with disuse and thirst. "Drink our own blood and bathe in it~" she went on, cackling in a mad sort of fashion.
And sitting down in the path, she raised a paw and dragged claws over his own chest, then licked the blood off with a satisfied purr at the thrill of pain and the taste of salty-sweet blood. Good good, so good and wet and warm, the blood, yeees.
For several more minutes, she continued to claw at herself and lap blood off her paws, until finally, she shook her head and stood. "Not too much... still a long way to go..."
Not that she had any idea how much longer it might be. But telling her name to whoever waited was important. There would be more blood and better after it was over. There had to be. Right?
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Two more days it took her to reach the center of the maze. She drank her own blood and pain three times more as well. But finally... she saw the red glow up ahead, at the end of a tunnel ... and the demon within her made her heart beat faster, paws step quicker. Hell! She was almost there, to the great pit, the gate, the mouth... of hell.
And there, they would be waiting...
Indeed, they were waiting. Iartuupe was there, and one of the pride's priest's - having watched with the priest's vision as the demoness made her way through the maze.
Iar was pleased with what the priest had told him... knowing already that this one would not fail. And when her dark form appeared at the opening of the tunnel, he smirked - and nodded slightly. He knew that she would see them, silhouetted against the glow of the lava far below.
Mear'ksh saw them...yes, she did. And she smirked in unconcious reply - steps quickening yet more until she was nearly running. She didn't hesitate one moment at the narrow bridges leading to the platform where the others waited. Agiel would not let her fall. This was destiny, this was right.
Once she had reached the central platform, Iar stepped forward. "Halt!" he called out. "And answer these questions if you wish to continue and become a true demon of this pride."
Mear'ksh stopped instantly and stood looking at her king, trembling faintly. "I am ready!" she replied, confidence in her tone and stance.
Another smirk at that. "From where do you hail?" Iartuupe asked, the first of the ritual questions.
Mear'ksh looked at him for a moment and then moved closer to the edge of the platform. "From there..." she replied, looking down, leaning over. "From the fires and the pits of hell have I come... trapped now in this mortal body - as are you, my king."
Iar purred at that - a good answer. "To whom do you owe allegiance?" he asked next, holding his position in the middle of the platform.
Mear'ksh left the edge and came closer to him, stretching front paws out toward the demon king in a low bow. "To you, and to all of the demons trapped her in this world. And to those below... waiting to be set free." And she let her head fall, nose pressed to the dirt.
Another purr... good... very good. Reaching down, Iar closed jaws on the back of her neck and lifted her head slightly - a signal that she could rise. Then he let go and asked the final question. "What is your true name?"
Mear'ksh raised her head and stood tall now, looking the king straight in the eyes - seeing his demon looking out at her even as hers looked at him. "I am Agiel," she replied - a low snarl building in her throat. "Agiel!" she shouted then, claws flexing into the dirt.
Iar roared at her answer, a sound of approval. "Good!" he shouted back. "I am Valafar..." he answered then, giving his own demon name in return - a mark of favor indeed. "Go now..." he said, nodding to where a kill awaited to one side, beside the tunnel that led into the remainder of the maze. "Eat, drink... and then find your way out of this place to join the ranks of the true demons."
Mear'ksh/Agiel nodded at that and turned to go - quickly devouring meat and water - lapping up every drop of blood ... soon now. Soon everyone would know she was an adult. Finally...
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It only took the new adult a day and a half to find her way out after that, guided by her demon who she now felt even closer to. And when she emerged... she smirked to see trees towering about her. The jungle... another good omen. She would be strong, for Agiel and for the pride...
