Information

Mantiss has a minion!

Cresil the Hellhound

Mantiss
Legacy Name: Mantiss

The

Bloodred Telenine
Owner:

Wolfe

Age: 11 years, 1 month, 1 week

Born: April 4th, 2013

Adopted: 11 years, 1 month, 1 week ago

Adopted: April 4th, 2013

Statistics

Level: 23
Strength: 59
Defense: 58
Speed: 55
Health: 57
HP: 39/57
Intelligence: 257
Books Read: 257
Food Eaten: 0
Job: Drycleaning Fetcher

It had been such a long time since he had seen this place. Nothing had changed. It was too familiar. Too unsettling. With a heavy sigh, he took one last look around, closing his shinning blue eyes to blink away the brightness of the blazing sun that played behind wisps of fluffy clouds. The sound of laughter rang within his ears as he thought back to a more happier time in his life. Keeping his eyes closed, the wispy clouds and bright sun were even more vivid in his memory.

Two pups played happily, jumping and frolicking within the fluff of the clouds. Both pups were brownish-tan, each one sharing the same bright blue eyes, each having a pair of feathery white wings, and each having the same symbol on their shoulders. The symbol almost looked like the number three and glowing a bright yellow. After a few moments of the two jumping over one another, one of the pups tackled the other. Both pups went straight through a nearby cloud, which made a poofing sound as they disappeared into the puffy thing.
"Got'cha!"
"Hey... watch it, will ya?"
"Heh heh, come on it's part of the game, Mantiss."
"It's not fair when you always win though. Can't I win sometimes too, Milenium?" Mantiss asked, poking his head out of the cloud he had just been flung into. He glared up at a piece of fluff that hung off of one of his ears before shaking his head and watching it drift away.
"That wouldn't be very fun. I think it's more fun when I win." Milenium stated in a matter-of-fact tone. He jumped out of the cloud, wings pumping up and down, keeping him air-born. He did a few flips before hovering in front of his brother.
Mantiss scowled, his ears flicked back in frustration. Milenium never played fair, especially around father. Finally pushing himself out of the clouds, Mantiss floated on an air current, not really wanting to play anymore. Milenium didn't seem to want to play tag anymore either and was content with showing off his aerial moves.
"Hey, it's almost supper time! Come on, last one home has to sniff their own butt!" Milenium laughed, before shooting off like a rocket.
Mantiss sighed taking his time to get home. He floated in and out, up and around towering masses of clouds. Some looking like twisted towers, others looked like vast mountain ranges. This was Heaven, anything was possible here, clouds could form into many different things right before your eyes if someone dreamed it up. However, it had lost it's luster. Heaven was really nothing special, not to Mantiss anyways. He had seen his mother and father. They were devoted to someone who they had never even seen. Their faith so passionate, making them driven to take orders from their superiors with orders from the 'Father'. He never understood why they were this way? How could you have so much faith in something... someone you couldn't even see with your own eyes?
Lost in his own thoughts, Mantiss barely even noticed where he was going until a sudden cold chill ran up his spine. He stopped so suddenly, it dislodged a few feathers from his wings. They drifted aimlessly until catching an air current and floated away. The cold he had felt was unnatural and it seemed to be coming from that large cage just ahead. It was an iron barred cage so large it could've probably held a couple of elephants comfortably. However, even though you could see through the bars of the cage, no light could pass through it. The innards of the iron barred prison was nothing but a black mass, that ebbed and flowed, pushing at the bars of it's confinement. Large chains bound the cage, keeping it from moving. Holding these chains were huge stakes. They were shoved all throughout the clouds and where they penetrated, light flooded threw the cracks, making the shadow cringe and shudder if it got too close. Before Mantiss could get too near, he was pulled away.
"That is something not to be trifled with, son."
"What is it father?" Mantiss asked, looking innocently up at the large white winged canine before him.
"There is nothing within that cage that concerns you." his father said, blue eyes squinting at the black mass trapped behind thick iron bars, "Now, let's get home before your mother sends her wrath upon us."
Mantiss nodded, following after his father. With one last look over his shoulder, he thought he could make out the form of a giant creature within the writhing mass of dark shadows. He wasn't sure if it was his mind playing tricks on him, because when he blinked, it had vanished and was nothing more than a mass of darkness.

~x~

It had been seventeen years since that incident. It was supposed to be forgotten, but he couldn't help but think that there was something in there that was powerful. He was now almost grown, his father had trained him and Milenium to be warriors as custom. Milenium got all the attention. All the praise and all the glory. What was so different between them? They looked the same, down to the last little detail. Milenium had become more uppity in the past years and Mantiss had kept his short tempered demeanor, but that shouldn't make such a big difference, should it? Even their parents treated them both differently. It was enough to make his blood boil. Frustrated and heartbroken, Mantiss lived constantly behind a mask. The more he thought about it, the hatred within him lead him further from his family. Further from the guiding light of Heaven...
"I will never be what you want me to be!" Mantiss bellowed, snapping at his father out of anger.
"You will not leave!" his father retorted, "You have classes in the morning! Why can't you be a good son, like your brother?"
Mantiss snarled, turning on his father, "Is that all you care about? If Milenium is all that matters, why don't you only have one son?! You pull me under, just to save yourself! You will never see what's inside of me! You'll come to regret it, father!" And with that, Mantiss zoomed away.
The sun never set here, and it was much to white. He hated it here... He allowed his wings to take him, lead him to anywhere but near where his family was. He eventually landed on a drifting cloud. Tucking his wings close to his sides, he hung his head low. "Is there anybody out there? Is there anyone who cares? Is there anybody listening? Will anybody hear my final prayers?" he questioned to no one in particular. A cruel laugh trickled around him, sending chills up his spine. Mantiss sprang to his feet, but there was no one there. He had half expected to see his father or even Milenium there, laughing at him. "Who's there?" he asked, ears perking.
"Who are you praying to, young one?" a cold voice asked, wrapping around Mantiss like a cloak."Are you praying to God? Do you really think he cares?"
Mantiss turned, his eyes widening as he watching the black mass within the cage, he had seen a long time ago, waver before him. "Father says he cares..." Mantiss began, but the cold voice quickly cut him off with that same cruel laugh.
"Poor little one. I never understood how you angels could become so infatuated with someone who you never see." the voice said, "If he really cared about you, don't you think he would be here? Don't you think he would help you with your problems?"
"I... uh... well..." Mantiss stammered, trying to think through all the clutter within his mind.
"See, you don't even have an answer." the voice chuckled, "Now, why don't you tell me what the problem is? You can see me. You know I am real."
"I guess you're right." Mantiss agreed, shifting his wings so they were tucked in a more comfortable manner against his sides. "It's just family stuff. My brother gets all the attention, all the praise, and I always get his run off... I get nothing. I try twice as hard as him, at everything, and I never get told I do a good job. My parents act like I don't even exist... Ah, I'm sorry to rant to you. I'm sure you don't want to hear my problems."
"Why would I ask if I did not care?" the voice asked. There was a moment's pause between the two, where the black mass of darkness tried to push its way out of the bars, but it was no use. "What if I told you, I could give you everything you wanted. The glory, the praise, the respect from your parents that you so deserve? All you would have to do is get me out of this cage."
Mantiss grimaced, he remembered his father telling him, a long time ago, that whatever was in this cage was evil. But, how could something be so evil if it were trying to help him? Besides, he did deserve all that stuff the voice had said. Maybe if he were more powerful, he could show his father the warrior he really was. It would put Milenium in the dust and everyone would forget him.
Mantiss got to his paws, looking around to make sure no one was watching. But, as he moved closer to the cage, he stopped, feeling that bone chilling cold. "Uh, you're not just tricking me, are you?" he asked, cocking his head at the cage and the shadowy darkness within.
"Now, why would I do that?" the voice echoed around Mantiss. The voice was soothing, calming the angel almost instantly.
"I was just told... Never mind." Mantiss said, walking over to one of the huge stakes. He grabbed the top with his teeth and tugged at it before it was yanked free from the clouds. A hissing sound emitted as the shadow began to drift out of the bars, blocking out the sunlight. Mantiss did this, over and over again, until all but one of the stakes remained in the clouds. Just one more and this... whatever it was could be free and make him something that would be worth while.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING! SON, STOP!"

That was the last time Mantiss could remember hearing his father's voice, ringing loud and clear... Until everything he had known had melted away. Melded into one huge whirlwind of confusion. Darkness.... That was all his eyes could see. He found himself being afraid, but something warm brushed against his back, wrapping around his wings and finally embracing his entire body until he felt that he could not move. The deep laughter cackled within his ears, pounding painfully against his eardrums.
"Silly little boy." the voice laughed, continuing to wrap its presence tighter and tighter around the angel's fragile body. "You should've listened to your daddy. However, a deal is a deal. I will grant you your power. Good-bye."
"Wait!" Mantiss choked, feeling his throat tightening as he felt as if his insides had begun to travel without him.
He was suddenly blinded by a flash of white light as the shadow that had cloaked him had vanished. The black haze taking on the shape of a gigantic canine with piercing, dead white eyes. It laughed before swatting a few angels away, effortlessly with one of its massive paws. However, Mantiss could not find his footing, his body would not work. His wings were tucked against his sides and he was falling.... Falling through the clouds of Heaven. His body caught flame, a blazing white hue enveloping him as he fell from grace. He could barely open his eyes, tears blinding him at the immense pain he was undergoing. The white feathers ripped from his wings, the skin boiling and turning into thick leather. His once creamy brown pelt catching fire, turning a crimson red. The fire licked his face and he found himself trying to protect his eyes from the flames. He could feel the fires licking at the right side of his face, bubbling the pelt that had been smoldered away and leaving the skin bare and blistered.
Suddenly it didn't hurt anymore. A white orb had begun to separate itself from his chest. Through squinted yellow eyes, he watched as his grace began to pull away from his body. It went one way, while Mantiss went another... never to be together again.

And then....

His eyes opened sharply. He remembered crashing to the earth. Being too weak, he had found he could make himself into a wispy smoke-like essence, in which he had tricked a young pup to allow him to play his host. It wasn't long until Milenium was sent after him and, he too, found a home within the same vessel. The pup had grown with these two battling entities of good and evil until Mantiss had grown tired of playing parasite and found he was strong enough to form his own body. It had been nice... and then, there was her. He couldn't remember much of her... Just her face. She had been just as sadistically evil as him, the two finding solace within one another's company. What was her name? Why couldn't he remember her name? Snapping his jaws with irritation, he sat on the edge of a cloudy bluff, staring down at the world below.
"Why are you here, brother?" Milenium asked, as he hovered over Mantiss' shoulder.
Mantiss sighed, shaking his head. He could not really remember why he was back here, only that he needed to get back.... Back to her... "I do not remember." Mantiss finally replied, glancing over his shoulder at Milenium. His brother's beauty had never faltered, not for the thousands of years they had been up here together. He found himself not wanting to hold a grudge against Milenium anymore, for he had found what had made him whole and had lost it... Now, he couldn't remember what it was he had lost.
Milenium chuckled, dashing forth and doing a couple of circles above Mantiss' head before settling down beside his brother."You sacrificed yourself for someone you cared very much for. You broke what ever curse Sliftix held on you and were welcomed back to Heaven with open arms." Milenium's smile did not last long. "You don't know how long I have waited for you to earn your place back here. To be my... brother again. Though, I can tell, you are not happy here."
"I am happy, brother." Mantiss quickly replied.
"You do not need to lie to me. I can read you better than anyone. You want to be back down there. You want to be back with her."
"I... do not remember her, brother. I have been here too long. The memories I had on earth are slowly disappearing from my mind. If I do not go back... I will lose her forever. Whoever she is..."
"Then... it is time you leave here." Milenium said, looking seriously at his brother.
"How?" Mantiss asked, not daring to look his brother in the eye.
"I can not help you, for if I did, I would fall from grace. This is all I have ever known. I do not want to leave." Mileinum responded as he stood. He flitted off of the cloud bluff, now hovering in front of Mantiss and kissing his forehead. "I am sorry I can not help you anymore than that." And with those last words, Milenium zipped off, tears filling his blue eyes.

Mantiss could not believe what his brother had just done. He had given him way more help than he should have. Finally, Mantiss got to his paws, spread his huge white, feathered wings and dove off the bluff. He pulled up as he dodged and dove between thick cloud monoliths until he found what Milenium had wanted him to find. It was a huge golden building, almost like a Greek temple in a sea of silvery pink clouds. Flying around one of the huge pillars, he landed, paws brushing gently against the silky floor of the huge temple.
Sitting there, in the center on a pedestal, sat a golden talisman. It glinted brightly, even though it had no source of direct light. Stepping closer to the little trinket he glanced nervously around before picking it up within his jaws. It had been as if a siren had been blown and a mighty army of angels had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, looming down on Mantiss as he held the trinket within his jaws. He found Milenium, who looked both happy and sad for him. Mantiss bit down, braking the little talisman into hundreds of pieces, the angels wailed and screamed at him as they soared in his direction, meaning to attack.
A blinding light engulfed Mantiss and soon, he had the familiar sensation that he was falling. This time though, as he fell once more from Heaven, it wasn't so bad... The feathers tore from his wings, replacing them with hardened skin tendrils and leathery surfaces as he regained what he had once been....

He landed in the middle of a huge open field. A large creator left where he had fell and as he climbed the steep sides and his paws hit fresh dirt, he took in a deep breath. There were no shimmering clouds of gold and silver, no bright lights, and no angels. This.... Earth, was his home. Lifting his great wings, he smiled to himself, but his smile soon faltered as he remembered why he had wanted to be back here. He had to find her... Her face was clear within his mind, but that was it. Her name, her scent, the sound of her voice... That had all been lost to him. Mantiss felt saddened by this fact, but as he took to the sky, his bright yellow eyes searching, he hoped that when they reunited, he would remember everything about her.