Young Writers Society

Name: Quin Forte
Age: 22
Race: Demons
Appearance: Male.Black hair, black eyes, and a white complexion. He is visible to every person but can make himself dissapear.He always seems to wear a suit all the time. His real form is black, has 5 claws, dark wings, very big, horned head and other than those, he looks the same.
Personality: He is a procrastinator by nature. He is almost never serious when hunting down his targets because of all the set rules he put.His greatest love:Tea. He is very smart and has stock knowledge on almost everything in the world. He is usually cheery
Power: Air, He can dissappear and travel through small crevices.Solidify the air to create weapons
Combat skill or weapon: He can solidify the air to any thing but he usually likes to throw them but IF he is going to kill his target...He will be ruthless and brutal but he only hunts if rule number 1 is broken
History: His parents left him at an early age so he never acually saw his parents but he learned to fend for himself. After his first target was killed he realized he needed a restaint so he made 5322 rules for him to follow but after the second kill he realized he had fun and liked killing but he wanted to restrain himself from overkilling the targets. Then he found tea and he enjoyed it so very much he forgot his job.
Dwelling: He lives somewhere in London but he always travels via his powers but always goes back to stock up on tea in his canteen.
Main Tagets: Ariadne Damashreid and Sarah Arceus

Lester Shiva
Age 5, 14th century Asia

I was playing with Serenity when I heard a cry. Holding the doll close to my chest, I went to the throne room where I saw Father sitting there with his back arched and his head in his hands. He was sobbing like someone broke his heart and left the pieces there. I couldn't understand what was Father's problem. I touched his back and asked, "What's the matter, Father?"
Father looked at me in the eye and answered sadly, "It's your mother, Lester. She...she...she's dead."
I shook my head in disbelief. Mother couldn't just die. She's expecting another baby, in hopes of making me an older sibling and giving me a playmate to have at home. I was looking forward to a baby sibling, just willing to welcome a new Shiva into the clan.
Father's red wings spread out as he sat down. He said somberly, "I know you think it's not true, but I'm afraid it is true. Your mother was killed, along with what could've been your baby sister." He held out his arms.
I started to cry and ran into Father's arms. I cried on his shoulder as his wings embraced us both. With Mother gone, all I have left is Father. I hugged his neck, still crying.
Father patted my back. "You still have me, Lester. I'm not going to die on you. Right now, you have to be strong for your mother. You are a Shiva, and a true Shiva must be strong for the lost ones. Great Mother Shiva encourages the strong ones to move along with life. You and I can be strong together."
I sniffed and tried not keep crying, but nature prevailed. I lost my mother and it wasn't fair to lose her like this.

Zenkile Celebi
Present day, one mile from Phoenix

I eyed Shiva and wiped his tears. Although asleep, I found it hard to believe that he could still cry. The four of us were in a motel, hiding in a room together. I said, "I'm telling you, ladies. If Shiva keeps crying by the time we get to Sarah, chances are she's gonna think we hurt his feelings. He better start waking up before she sees him like this."
Fira said, "For a vampire that looks like a full grown man, he sure can cry like a baby. I'm surprised he sheds tears the same way a human does. I always thought vampires shed tears of blood. Guess this guy proved me wrong."
I stole a peek into the small sack. Still in there was the small human-like doll. What bothered me was that it almost had the likeliness of Sarah. Why does the doll look like Sarah, I might not ever know for sure.

Raegan | A motel one mile from Phoenix, Arizona.

The sunlight peeked though the curtains, and even as Raegan kept trying to cover up the windows, it always peeked through. She irritably sniffed and threw herself onto the bed, taking full advantage of the comfy bounciness. She could feel the eyes of the others trained on her, and she only rolled her eyes.

"So when is he going to stop sniffling? I do have a job to complete, and I don't think Sarah would appreciate it if I kept her waiting." She turned on her side and looked at the others; Zenkile shrugged and looked at Fira, who grinned sheepishly back at the two of them.

"What ya all looking at me for?"

"You're his friend, you should know him better than us." Raegan mumbled out lazily. "When is he going to stop crying?"

"Well, to be frank." She scratched the back of her head. "I have no idea. I've never seen him like this before."

"Right." She glanced over at Zenkile. "What's with that doll, do you think?"

Zenkile shrugged.

Ariadne

If there was any life I might have chosen for myself in some perfect world where one could fix their destiny by selecting a beginning that suited themselves, it would have been the Elvish way. Perhaps the allure of their kind was that I had not met many. But, it was also controlled by the peace and the closeness of their ways. Clearly it lacked something though for an Elf to prefer this life.

"Well. We're agreed then," I said simply. My tone was blunt but with an edge of awkwardness to it as I felt myself uncertain of what to say. Then a thought came to me. "I suppose you were looking for adventure, huh?"

"And you know where it might be found?" His eyes locked on to mine and for a moment I felt afraid, afraid that he could tell if I spoke true or false. It was understandable, really though. I'd been very shaken just earlier that day when the Shiva read my thoughts and nothing seemed quite so impossible anymore. There were tales of elves who could do many things from communicating mind to mind to controlling the thoughts of others and it sent a shiver down my spine.

"Yes," I said slowly. "As a matter of fact, you stumbled across the beginnings of an adventure earlier."

"Did I indeed?"

And for some reason I decided to tell him all that I knew of Lester Shiva in the hopes that he would follow on my journey. But why did I want him along? It wasn't for the purposes of skill since, though I was sure he was apt, he had demonstrated none of that to me. Companionship then? It seemed the only reason left but did I really want to be surrounded by that smell of trees and earth for the next few weeks? Simply for the sake of some interesting conversation? Then again, I reasoned. It was better than the stench of graveyard dirt which mingled with Shiva's shapeshifter scent.

"Are you ready to risk your life in order to truly live then?" I asked when the tale was told.

Lester Shiva
Age 16, 14th century Asia
Palace of Shiva

I put Serenity in a small sack, to prevent her from being taken from me. Although I was at the age where toys are no longer needed, I wanted Serenity to stay with me since she's all I have left of Mother. I went outside and stretched my body. I didn't have the nerve to ask Artemis if he wanted to come see Father with me. My cousin, now twenty-two years of age, still scared me every time I see him, hence hiding Serenity and carrying her with me.
Father was at the wall with his wings spread out when I found him. He looked at me, then eyed the sack that carried Serenity. He smiled and said, "Still playing with your doll, I see."
I flinched. He caught me redhanded.
"Don't worry, son. Your little secret dies with me. Before we begin more of that discussion, it's time for your First Flight."
I smiled happily. The First Flight was a Shiva's rite of passage, a family tradition passed down from generation to generation. My First Flight has finally come, the moment I would offically become a man. I asked, "This is my chance to complete my way to the throne, isn't it, Father?"
Father kept his smile. "You always were the smart child, my son. The Red Dragon already has his place on the throne, so let's see if the Black Dragon can follow in his father's foosteps." He tossed me over the wall before I had a chance- or even the time- to spread my wings.
Although I was falling, I spread my wings quickly and was pushed backwards by the wind. After I had enough air, I flapped my wings and was flying like a master. My First Flight was successful. I have become a man. I stuck a perfect landing and noticed something wrong. Father was missing when he should've stayed to congradulate me. Frightened and concerned, I went back to the palace throne room and saw Father with a dagger in his chest. I cried, "Father!" I ran to him as quick as I could, but it was too late to save him.
A Felina guard told the other clans I commited an unpardonable crime, then all the clans rallied up and began to scare me away. I swore loudly, "I will come back to redeem my name! I will kill the one who killed my father and regain my birthright! All of you will rue the day you exile the true King of the Shiva clan!" After this vow, I ran off.

Kirun:

There was only one thing I could think of saying to that. "When do we start?"

Again her emotions flitted across her expression, but not enough for me to decipher what it could have meant. Just a quick jostle of feeling that might have been of any kind. I hoped it was for the better. "Presently."

I nodded, plucking my coat from where it lay. My bow was lying under the mattress in my room where I had kept it secretly. Even in this world did one feel the need to protect themselves. I would not leave that instrument behind if this adventure entailed danger.

"I don't need much," I replied simply. "Just let me equip myself."

She nodded, crossing her arms over her chest. "Be quick. We have much ground to cover."

I made my way to that little room of mine in a quick succession, putting my coat back on all the while. Naturally, I had found the idea of travelling to be exciting. Now, as I rumaged through the small room for my quiver, I felt the bubbling nerves return. Why on earth would she want me around? I was no vampire so it wasn't as if I had to feel worried about her motives being something a little more bloody, but that quick emotion seemed odd and unprovoked.

All of this seemed far too much for me to fully grasp.

"We'll travel through night and rest at dawn."

I jumped up, my cheeks flaring. Again, unusual for me to be so unperceptive. And I usually prided myself on observation... "Sounds good."

"Did I suprise you?" she asked, that amused smirk returning. Oddly, it felt reassuring.

Zenkile Celebi
A mile from Phoenix

I tried to shake Shiva awake, but couldn't no matter how hard I tried. His crying was starting to get very noticable to people around us, which was becoming the least of my worries. Fira held Shiva's arms and I hoisted his legs while our companion- who introduced herself as Raegan- led us into Phoenix. The smell of the Arceus Bakery was unmistakable. However, it wasn't Mr. Arceus that I needed to see. It was Sarah.
Fira sniffed the air and said, "Sarah's in a small cottage just outside of town."
I knew how. Sarah had a lot of resources and was often out being a gypsy soul. Whenever she was in a new place, she explores the whole place before setting down. I said, "Then we better catch up before she reaches the bakery. If Sarah can tell us what the hell Shiva's saying in his sleep and what he's crying about, maybe I can get the guy to live with my father and I can go find myself a place to live."

Sarah Arceus
Phoenix, Arizona
Sarah's private cottage

I heard a scratching noise and almost flinched. Clutching to my pendant, I shifted into a panther and got into position. I waited for the worst, but was relieved to see Raegan and Zenkile. What surprised me was Fira being with them. As I shifted back to human form, I eyed the doll in Zenkile's hands. I asked, "Where'd you get that doll?"
Zen pointed at someone that Fira was carrying on her back. He answered, "The person Fira's carrying is the doll's owner. He's murmuring in his sleep and Fira's not giving us any answers. You're the expert. What do you think he's saying?"
I told the others to put the sleep on my chair. After they put the sleeper in position, I stood in front of him and listened carefully. As he spoke in his sleep and weeping at the same time, I translated, "I never killed Father. I was framed by my cruel cousin. I know it was Artemis. First he crushed my beautiful doll's head, then he murdered my mother and unborn sister, and finally he killed my father to steal my birthright as king. That traitor, he will rue the day he framed me. I'll murder him myself." I looked at the others. I said calmly, "This is the lost Shiva. Zen, gimme that doll!"
Zen surrendered the doll to me.
I whispered in the Shiva's ear, "Wake up. This is no time for a catnap." I shook him by the shoulders.
He stirred a little, then opened his eyes. Staring at me with those onyx black eyes, he said to me, "Is that you, Mother?"

The elf seemed somewhat jumpy around me and I wondered if he'd had much time to interact with those outside his kind. I didn't know elves well and perhaps I wanted him along to study and learn something of their behaviour, though my belief that he wasn't anything like the average elf disagreed with this theory. It was a puzzle then and one I decided to set aside for later.

"Did I suprise you?" I asked, smirking at the door to his room. He didn't make any response but swung the quiver he was holding up over one shoulder and grabbed the pack that lay on his bed. It didn't bulge much. He had about as little to carry as I did.

"Lead the way," he said with a small smile.

"First, you get to decide if we're walking or riding." I didn't bother to hide the amusement in my tone or my smile as I gave him these options. Let him figure out what the joke was, or not as the case may be.

"Well if there's far to go, as you say, then riding might be for the best, but I don't have a horse and it's late - the humans will be sleeping."

"Riding it is then." I turned away from him and led the way back to the front of the tavern, where he settled his bill, and out into the darkening streets. Then I stopped abruptly and turned back to face him.

"Do you intend to steal them?" he asked bluntly.

"Oh I have something much faster than horses in mind. And something much more reliable." I laughed and got down on all fours in the street, my bottom sticking out comically since humans have longer legs than their arms and clearly weren't made to travel this way. But I was. I started to change, feeling the rush of black hair prickle against my skin and the sharp pointed teeth of the panther expand in my mouth until all human speech was cut off. But I didn't need human speech. We shapeshifters have a strange way of communicating, one which no other race can quite understand so it is easier to say that it is like sending our thoughts out to others, but it's nothing at all like the telepathy that the elves deal with. Like I said, it's hard to explain so unless you're of my kind, you'll just have to take my word for it.

"Get on," I said, tempted to turn around and see his expression. But panthers need more room to turn around than humans do and it wasn't necessary; I could smell his emotions on him.

Kirun:

Well this was a shock, to say the least.

Initially I had been rather weary of riding as it was uncommon if not at all that an elf ever lowered themselves to using animals for anything. We were vegetarians as our diets needed less iron and protein than that of a humans. Our bodies were made rather aerodynamic so speed was not necessarily a problem. But I wasn't here to be an elf, nor follow elf rules. I was here to be something different.

When she had changed into a panther, though... well, it was a bit frightening.

I always knew that she was a shapeshifter. It wasn't necessarily pushed out of my thoughts by any means, but I had been so previously distracted that being here now was enough to shake my resolve. I should have been all knowing. I should have understood exactly what I saw and not have been afraid. Everything that should have happened didn't, and that was absolutely unfuriating.

"Don't look so frightening." The voice that came out of the giant beast was pleasant as it had been when she was human. That little bit of reassurance held some guidance for me. "I don't bite... well, much."

"I'm not frightened," I replied rather shakily. As I approached, my hands became clammy and my brow sheened with perspiration. It was just a panther. Get it together, Kirun... "Just surprised."

"I didn't think it was possible to surprise an elf," she murmured. That sly mockery was visible in her voice, but nothing close to the first time I met her. Another reassurance.

"If you hadn't noticed, I'm not much of an elf," I said. Before she could respond, I took my seat atop of her, strange as it was. Her fur was soft against my fingertips. Not brittle as I had originally persumed. "In externals, maybe. Internally, I'm the farthest thing from."

"Whats your name?" she asked. I could not see her face, which was discerning to say the least. "I never asked."

"Kirun," I said. "And you?"

Lester Shiva
Phoenix, Arizona

I heard a familiar voice whisper in my ear, "Wake up. This is no time for a catnap." I got shook up and my eyes began to open. Standing before me was a young woman. She had Serenity in her hands, but holding her like she was made of glass. The young woman looked like Serenity, which could mean...
Staring at her blankly, I asked, "Is that you, Mother?"
The woman turned around, looked at Zenkile, and snapped, "You better get outta my house and into the bakery while I'm still below the boiling point, Zen. I hope Daddy puts ya in the meat grinder for all I care."
Confused, I pried her mind. To my disappointment, the girl was too young to be Mother. Her name was Sarah Arceus. I smiled secretly. Arceus, it suited Sarah like a charm. An old shapeshifter word for "dragon's child." Sarah had the smell of a dogwood tree about her, along with feline grace, and -which is strange- has a temper as vile as a dragon. I murmured under my breath, "A partial breed of shapeshifter and elf. Now that's something I don't get to see every day. Sarah, you are a very special kind of person. It's been seven centuries since I last met a fellow Shiva."

Sarah Arceus
Phoenix, Arizona

Although I was greatly pissed off at Zenkile and Raegan, I was still listening to the Shiva. I heard him call me a partial breed, a very special person, a fellow Shiva. Sternly, I told the others to leave me alone. When it was just me and the Shiva boy, I turned around and said in his mother tongue, "You're not from this neck of the woods. I can tell. Your language says it all."
The Shiva's onyx eyes glittered as he said, "You look like my mother, young one. If I offended you, then I deserve to be punished. Whatever punishment you have in mind, I'll take it."
I said, "I oughta kill you and eat you for dinner." I studied him. His skin was very pale, almost like a vampire.
At this thought, the Shiva grinned at me, showing his pearly white fangs.
Mentally I cursed my carelessness. I was up against a vampire and completely forgot to lock up my mind. I asked, "What makes you think I'm one of your kind?"
The Shiva answered rather thoughtfully, "I read your mind. All Shivas have a vile temper." He rolled his eyes. "Believe me. I know how that is." He put his hands on his knees, his eyes still glittering as he looked at me. "Since we'll be on a first-name basis from here on, I might as well be a gentleman. I am Lester the Black Dragon, son of John the Red Dragon."
I knew my history more than Fira ever gave me. Standing before me was the legendary Lester Shiva, the true King of the Shiva clan. I knelt down and said calmly, "I am Sarah the Silver Panther, daughter of Silvia the Red Panther and James the Breadmaster."

Lester Shiva

Sarah was very fluent in Old Shifter, my mothertongue. She never hesitated as she spoke, almost like she knew Old Shifter her whole life. I was fascinated by the way she uses her throat and tongue during our little conversation. She taught herself well. I liked her right then and there. She said calmly to me, "I am Sarah the Silver Panther, daughter of Silvia the Red Panther and James the Breadmaster."
I knew a trace of the Red Panther. It was said that the Red Panther was a prostitute from the Felina bloodline, a partial breed woman who's a little Shiva on her father's side and a quarter Felina on her mother's side. I almost choked. Here standing before me was the daughter of the Red Panther, a lost princess of my clan. I switched from Old Shifter to English, force of habit. I asked, "Can I stay here with you?"
Sarah answered in Old Shifter, "To stay in my residence, you must serve Father and me in our business."
I knew what she meant. If I want to stay in her house, I'll have to become a tenant of her house. I said calmly, "Then to earn my place as tenant of your household, I offer my service and vow to give you and your father the greatest respect you both deserve."

Quin Forte
London


I walked down the stairs of the condominium, happy and well stocked on tea. The guard saw me and said,
"Why you seem happy as always Quin. I have a letter for you you."
"Really? From whom?"
"I am not sure. It was sent anonymously and it is business class."
"I better read this in my room. I do not want to cause any destruction here if I get angry."
The guard laughed, "Yes, I don't want to bail you from jail again"
I went upstairs to my room and I read opened the letter. I read through the letter and got angrier and angrier the further I read. "The person who sent this letter is the same one who asked me to do my last hunts. But I am not going to fall for this again" I held the letter with both hands and tried to rip it but I cannot for some reason. I took a second look at the letter and saw that all the capital letters spell, in a language that only demons can understand, Obey. If a demon ever sees that word then they must obey the next order and in my case. this hunt.

I threw the letter on the floor and I saw two pictures and profiles I picked them up and they seem to be enchanted because the text keeps on writing and changing. I chose the profile on the left and it shows the profile of Sarah Arceus. It said that she is Phoenix, Arizona. I read further. It said that he is with Lester Shiva. “That Kinda sounds familiar...but I can not put my finger on it. I turned the page and it surprisingly has information on Lester. It said that he can smell people up to 10 miles.” so then direct combat is not eligible if I want to live. I will just throw a few knives at them at 20 miles and hopefully it hits them. I turned to air and flew to at least 20 miles away from Phoenix.
I made a telescope out of air and saw them. I made 10 knives 5 for each hand. I carefully aimed at the target. I throw them and then I checked. All of them missed. “Rats!” I drank some of my specially blended tea then I shook it “Rats! It’s empty” I flew back to my house to make my special tea.