Exile - An Obsidian Hornet Story (Slightly NSFW)

[Whittledown]

((For clarity, Obsidian Hornet's given name was Golden Shadow))

 

It was night in the high mountains of Abalathia's Spine. Snow covered the ground and Golden Shadow stood in it barefoot but not feeling the cold. Her blood was too hot. There was no chill that could cool her now. She was outlined from behind by the light streaming out the open door of her sisters home. She wore nothing except a thin tunic, it was all she had managed to pull on before being thrown out into the snow.

 

"Whore!" The word was roared by Silver Shadow as she stood in the doorway, tears running down her face.

 

"What's the matter, sis? Upset that your man likes what I have better?" Golden Shadow asked in a mocking tone. The evidence of her traitorous actions were still running down her inner thighs as she put her hands on her hips in a defiant pose.

 

"I'll kill you!" Shrieked Silver as she began to manifest her aether into a orb of flame.

 

Golden crouched, ready to dodge and charge. Golden's blood thundered in her ears and a savage eagerness seized her. She wanted this moment, she needed it. She'd prepared for it. Getting Silver's new husband just drunk enough, seducing him, and riding him in Silver's own bed at just the right time to get caught. It was perfect. A perfect victory.

 

Suddenly the area exploded in golden light and the terrifying voice of their mother, Frost Lotus, sounded. "What is this!?"

 

Both Silver and Golden were cowed and looked toward their mother, wreathed in a halo of golden light as she strode forward flanked by their older brother Iron Shadow. Her beauty and her majesty were a terrible thing to behold as she approached and swept her gaze over the situation. Silver's tears. Golden's state of undress and the scent of sex clinging to her. Frost Lotus pursed her lips tightly before barking a single word. "Sword!"

 

Iron Shadow bowed and muttered a quick yes mother before darting off. The three women stood in silence until he returned. The sword he offered to Frost was beautiful, of Ishgardian make, yet Frost held it with such disdain you would think it made of offal. She moved to stand between Golden and Silver and dropped the blade into the snow between them.

 

"I am sick of this." Frost Lotus snarled, looking between her daughters. "End it." She turns, and in doing gives the barest of nods to Silver Shadow. A nod that did not go unnoticed. It struck Golden right then that her mother wished her dead. It was all right there in that barest of nods.

 

Golden suddenly felt the cold of the snow as her dark skin turned ashen. She was going to die. She was sure of it. But she'd be damned if she'd make it easy. She met her sisters gaze for just an instant before rushing toward the blade that lay in the snow. Silver did not move, instead she began to chant, drawing on the power of the mountain to shield her skin.

 

Golden swept up the blade at a run and screaming slashed wildly. The blade met her sisters body just under her arm and stopped, the stoneskin spell preventing any harm. Silver clamped her arm down around the blade. and thrust her hand toward Golden's midsection. A burst of air exploded between them, hurling Golden back to land in a heap in the snow.

 

Scrambling to her feet Golden looked up just in time to see the blade flashing in the light of her mothers aura. She leapt to the side, barely avoiding the slashing blade before diving at her sister and tackling Silver to the ground. The sword was lost in the snow as the two women grappled. Snarling and spitting, clawing at one another they fought each toward the others throat. Half-formed spells fizzled in the air as Silver attempted to cast while trapped in the melee and in the light of one Golden caught sight of the pommel of the sword.

 

Golden lunged for it, wrapping her fingers around it just in time to feel a burst ice slam into her back. Crying out she fell forward, trying to shake off the chill as she turned to face Silver again. Golden charged as Silver loosed a ball of flame at her sister. Powered by rage and the instinct to survive Golding burst through the flame, loosing some of her tunic and most of her hair to the flame and ran shoulder first into Silver. Collapsing into the snow again Golden placed the blade to Silvers throat while a mad scream ripped from her throat. This was it. Her proof. Her victory.

 

And then it was gone. Golden felt a burst of energy explode against her chest and she was thrown backwards. The pain was unlike anything she'd ever felt and she could hear her mothers voice through the agony. "Get up Silver. See to your husband." When Golden was able to open her eyes again Silver was gone and her mother was standing over her.

 

"Disgusting creature. You were never my daughter." Frost Lotus spat the words before looking to the dutiful son who stood nearby. "Iron. Clothe this beast and send her on her way that she may never cloud our homestead again." With those final words, she turned and departed into the large main house of the homestead.

 

Iron was obediant. Clothing was thrust onto Golden and she was given a lame old chocobo and a days worth of food. Too exhausted to complain, Golden accepted her fate meekly. She was turned out to the elements just after midnight. Left to live or die in the bitter cold of the mountain.