z

Young Writers Society


The Broken Seal



User avatar
378 Reviews

Supporter


Gender: Other
Points: 3775
Reviews: 378
Thu May 15, 2014 2:47 am
View Likes
Omni says...



Bryan

The sun was rising, its rays flashing streaks on the clouds stretching in between the two twin peaks. Their snow-topped peaks were the tallest mountains in the land, which made it great for studying the stars and the sky.

As Leigh and I reached the staircase for the observatory on the right reap, I sat my staff down and pulled the note out again. Its words were completely worn by now, but I memorized it already. "I can't believe we're flying to the capital on- on a freaking airship! Not any airship either, the land's finest! It's going to be great!"

Leigh picked the note out of my hand, stuffing it in my bag. "This is the third time you said this on our way up here. At this rate, we're going to be late."

I laughed, pulling ver along, "You know how I am, Lee. I can't help but be excited, I mean, it's a freaking airship! Oh, and not only that, but they outfitted it just for us! It's got an observatory and everything!" I chuckled as we started up the steps for the right Peak.

"An observatory for us to watch the stars during the day, how thoughtful." Ve smiled at the thought.

"Oh, I didn't think about that. Well, it's the thought that counts, right?" I pushed vim teasingly.

"Of course," ve looked at me intensely, "I'm guessing you are still on your adrenaline rush."

"Have been for thirty hours now. I don't sleep well." I looked up as we walked. "The stars just seem to... call to me. Can't sleep at night, certainly can't see during the day."

It was a long walk to the observatory, and it was hard for me to keep my silence as we walked, because there were so many things to talk about, but Leigh sometimes demanded silence. There was this aura around ver that just calmed even the most active people and caused them to question whether or not ve was human.

As we reached to end of the stairs, ve suddenly stopped. "I just realized. None of the professors were down in the square. That could only mean-"

"Bryan! Leigh! Welcome, I was wondering when you would arrive." Professor Sanders grasped us in a large hug, leading us down the small entrance way to the skydeck. "I'm just... shocked that the queen would pick you two for a council." His smile lessened as we walked down the walkway. "You guys must understand that you are representing the Academy in this. So, I expect you to do it well." He glanced at Leigh, "Both of you."

"Do not worry, Professor. I am sure the expectations of the Academy will be represented to the fullest on this expedition." Ve managed a small smile.

I jumped slightly, and my fingers twitched around my staff. "Okay, where's the ship?"

~~~~

After several rounds of farewells to the professors, we got on the ship and were shown our rooms. I immediately ran to the observatory, but the sun was out completely at that time. Leigh walked with me back to our rooms.

"Well, Bryan. Get your rest now, because I feel this will be the only time we could get it." Ve smiled at me warmly, and left me alone in the hallway.

"G'night, Leigh. Or, morning. Or, something." I shook my head at my mind and walked into my room.

It was a small room, but lavishly furnished. It was definitely much more different that anything I had seen, with its thick curtains and bright colors. It felt distracting more than anything.

Laying down, I sighed and tried to calm my mind. This whole week was exciting, from graduating the first tier of the Academy to this? It has been something to remember. But, Leigh was right. I needed my rest, no matter how much my body complained about it.

I closed my eyes and let my subconscious succumb to the tendrils of sleep.

Spoiler! :
Sorry about the horrible post. Baaaad case of writer's block, so I just wrote what I could. Next post should be better!
This account proudly supports lgbtq* rights.

sass levels loading




[he/him]





User avatar
39 Reviews



Gender: Other
Points: 4759
Reviews: 39
Fri May 16, 2014 12:33 am
View Likes
Bloo says...



Brutus

“This might be the time to run,” Bart mumbled as the three of them moved backwards. The Titan seemed to be waiting to attack, its heads scanning the trio as it swayed back and forth.

David shook his head, jaw quivering as he held Fiona by the shoulder. “How far do you think we’ll get?”

Bart tried to respond, but was interrupted as The Titan roared, the two heads causing a sound loud enough to blow Bart’s hair back. The Titan looked at them again, staring right at each and every face for a decent time, before bursting out into a wicked giggle fit.It wasn’t just here to kill them, it wasnted to play with them first.

Bart took a large gulp, gripping his dagger tight. “We wouldn’t get far at all.” With a flash of light he tore his daggers out of their sheaths. “Get ready.” Bart spun, chucking one dagger at The Titan’s chest, grasping his second in long sword fashion as he charged in. The Titan screamed, swatting at Bart with blind rage. “I don’t think he’s used to getting hit.”

Bart ducked under the first swat, thrusting his dagger into the air, cutting a decent chunk of Titan Flesh before rolling to avoid the next. “This thing is a chump!” Bart called, sidestepping yet another blind swat, plunging his dagger into the Titan’s exposed tigh. behind him David cheered, taking the chance to launch a volley of rocks at The Titan’s head, blinding him with dust.

The Titan screeched in pain, the pitch so high it caused the group to hunch down in pain as The Titan flailed in pain. When they looked up the Titan was on it’s back, squirming back and forth as it desperately tried to hit Bart, but with it’s eyes(s) and leg crippled it was useless. After a few moments it stopped, it’s limbs laying dead on the ground, the party without a single, new, scratch on them.

“How easy,” David, him and Fiona casually walking over as Bart ripped his daggers out.

“I, Brutus, proud Pyrogen and Hunter of The Morning Veil, hereby claim-”

In an instant it went black, the pain overwhelming all other senses as Bart’s body sailed into the air, rolling through the roots of the ground. For a few moments Bart laid there, his body aching in all the wrong places, his hears ringing too much to make out anything happening around him. His bones felt like an eggshell, cracked and split apart, but he was lacking the delicious breakfast treat. Bart rose after what must have been a minute, his first sight that of David diving under The Titan’s legs, a tree slamming into the ground he was standing on a second ago. A few paces back Fiona was waving her staff, frantically chanting something Bart couldn’t make out through the ringing.

David gestured violently at Bart, shouting something to Fiona, who started to run over to the shambling remains of Bart. In the now blurry distance David held his own against the Titan, sending another volley of rocks straight to the four eyes, uppercutting it in the groin before rolling away in fear and disgust. Another volley of rocks slammed into it’s left arm, slashing it right below the shoulder, the tree-club slipping as it winced in pain. Though it was hard for Bart to tell, what with the blurry vision and lack of hearing, but David was barely holding on. Every hit caused him to wince, his hunger and pain taking more and more out of him with every hit.

Suddenly Bart shivered, his hearing coming back in an overwhelming burst, the screeching noises of The Titan almost making him wish he had stayed deaf. Fiona chanted above him, the feeling in his side coming back letting him know that she had a stream of water running over his body. “You idiot,” she groaned as she worked. “Why did you charge in alone, you could have gotten yours us all killed!”

Bart cried as his chest came back to life, every breath even more antagonizing than before.He took a moment to think, he had a lot to say,but he was not ready to say most of it. I was trying to save youus, he thought. But that was only a small part of his reason. “Yeah, that hit knocked some sense into me, and some other things out of me. Isn’t that enough punishment.”

Fiona rolled her eyes. “Only slightly.”

“Good enough for me, and not to rush, but I think David could use some help right now.”

Fiona tried her best not to look, focusing all her energy onto the body at hand. The water began to glow, every droplet crawling their way through Bart pores and deep into his broken body. The bones began to shift, Bart barely able to stop himself from screaming as every bone snapped back into place, held loosely by the magical water band aid. Fiona extended a hand. “It won’t hold for long.”

Bart swiped his daggers off the ground around him. “You can finish it when we’re done.”

"The faster the better!" David screamed from his side, barely dodging The Titan's latest hit.
That User Who Changed Their Name A Dozen Times And So No One Ever Knew Who They Were Half the Time and When They Did Only Used Bolt.

The tragic tale of losing all #Brand for nothing in return.

The Take Away Is You Probably Know Me As Bolt





User avatar
745 Reviews

Supporter


Gender: Male
Points: 1626
Reviews: 745
Sun May 18, 2014 12:51 am
Lumi says...



David

David soared through the air as the titan's glancing attack burst apart the earth beneath his feet. After a few rolls through the forest floor, he groaned and brought himself to his feet, wiping a glob of blood from his mouth. Even though Bart was back in action, darting about the beast with strikes so quick that it almost seemed like he was blinking to and fro around the titan's body, the titan only had eyes for David. The titan approached, and David raised his dukes, took in a deep breath, and grinned. "Is that all ya got, boyo?"

The titan roared with both heads, sending spit and blood over David's clothes. David responded by roaring himself, causing the titan to charge him, club raised.

David smashed together his fists, focused his alchemical energy, and stood his ground as the titan's club came down on his fists. He could feel his bones buckling and cracking beneath the enormous pressure, but his alchemy was taking most of the damage for him, he was certain. The titan finally relinquished, pulled his club back; and that's when David struck with all the force gathered in his fists from the titan's blow.

Almost with the sound of thunder, the titan fell to the forest floor, his left head rolling through the clearing to Bart's feet. Disgusted, Bart kicked the head away. David, exhausted, dropped to the ground, nearly unconscious. "See, Fi? We're...we're completely safe."

Fiona brought the cooling mists around David to restore his energy, but was uneasy. "I have a bad feeling about this, Davey."

David grinned, eyes closing. "When you knock a creature's head off, he's down for good, Fi."

Bart suddenly watched the titan's body intensely. "I...wouldn't put money on that." Fiona and Bart backed away as the titan's body began moving, slowly rising to its feet.

"You sound too serious for a betting man, Bart." David coughed up a bit of blood and slowly opened his eyes as the titan plucked him from the ground by his cloak, raising David to its remaining head with a deafening roar. "Hey there...big guy."

David coughed up more blood as the titan pulled his body near its mouth, jaws wide open.
I am a forest fire and an ocean, and I will burn you just as much
as I will drown everything you have inside.
-Shinji Moon


I am the property of Rydia, please return me to her ship.





User avatar
280 Reviews

Supporter


Gender: Female
Points: 794
Reviews: 280
Mon May 19, 2014 6:04 am
View Likes
Nutty says...



Fiona stared in mute horror as her brother was picked clear off the ground. The beast opened his jaws wide, holding David like a candy bar.

Fiona was transfixed by the glimmer of light stretched between giant's great molars- drool strung like spiderwebs. David was weakly struggling, moving slowly and inevitably towards becoming troll food.

Tears filled Fiona's eyes, and she couldn't watch anymore.

The earth moved underfoot, and Fiona was running- tumbling- forward, staff held high. She swung hard against the giant's shin like she was chopping down a tree, screeching like a banshee.

"PUT- HIM- DOWN- YOU- BRUTE- OR- I'LL- WEAR- YOUR- SKIN- AS- A- HAT!"

Fiona couldn't tell if the giant was paying any attention to her. She barely noticed Brutus skirting around, ducking her erratic staff swings. She didn't dare look up; she could barely see the end of her staff through the mist in her eyes anyway. Her staff shuddered with each swing, and she was intensely aware of how much the titan didn't care.

There was a loud crunch.

Fiona felt something wet on her hands and looked down.

Droplets of blood covered Fiona's arms, her staff. She took a deep breath in and tasted it on her lips, and she felt more as she covered a scream with her hand. Her staff flew out of her other hand and she collapsed into a bloody heap.

Images flickered through her mind, of David's limbs severed and his last breath inside of the titan's stinking maw.

She felt something touch her shoulder, and span to her feet, arms up to defend herself. "NOT ME, YOU BULBOUS ARS-"

Brutus gave Fiona a tired smile. "Do you mind?"

Fiona's throat choked up, and she simply shook her head, taking Brutus's burden from him. Brutus crossed back to the Titan, who'd somehow fallen down while Fiona was busy panicking, and pulled his dagger from the Titan's eye socket. David looked up from her arms and smiled. "Geez, sis, don't look me like that, it makes me self conscious."

Fiona, who could barely hold David at her best, sank back to the ground. David winced as she lay him down, unsure which sore body part to nurse.

Brutus crossed back towards them, wordlessly handing Fiona her staff. She took it, looking him hard in the eyes. "Thank you."

Brutus shrugged in what he seemed to think was a casual matter, and plonked himself to her left to watch her work. "Don't worry about it. Although, I'm kind of disappointed you didn't see it."

Fiona looked up from the mists she was collecting, and giggled in spite of herself. "Oh?"

"I saw it. He climbed up the titan's back as quick as running. He was like a superhero. Or maybe just a really angry squirrel." David grinned, relief already showing in his eyes as the magic worked.

Brutus pouted. "Well, he was about to eat my favorite nut."

Fiona wasn't sure if it was the adrenaline or just the relief, but she laughed anyway.
It's not easy having a good time. Even smiling makes my face ache.





User avatar
745 Reviews

Supporter


Gender: Male
Points: 1626
Reviews: 745
Mon May 19, 2014 6:14 pm
Lumi says...



David | The Vast Streets of Celtincrown

David raised a hand to his face as the mighty winds circulating through Celtincrown's vein-like streets whipped at his face. After leaving the forest, it hadn't taken them three hours to reach the gates. All three were astounded at the way each and every stone glistened, how all of the porcelain tiles were perfectly in line. Hovering far above the houses was a second tier of city that David imagined was held in the sky by Astronomers far more powerful than he'd ever met...or dreamed of.

The trio stopped in a tall, cool building with springs spouting from the front, a sign above the entryway labeled "Juniper House". Fiona had noted that was the mark of a healing temple, even in such a crowded and stacked city. Inside, women separated the three travelers, placed Bart and David in a sort of alcove, and placed Fiona in her own alcove. The women took their clothes, and, despite embarrassed protests from Bart, sealed the alcoves and covered them with a healing rain ten times stronger than anything Fi had thrown out. David groaned as fractures mended, as joints snapped back into place. As soon as it had started, the waters vanished from their bodies, leaving them completely dry. The wards returned their clothes, and when David offered some gold for their work, they refused.

Further up the streets towards the palace, David pointed at a hovering dock where a pair of robed adventurers disembarked an airship--clearly Astronomers from the winds whipping around them. "This place is great!" David was grinning ear-to-ear. "Streets fulla vendors an' healers who don't charge! This is the kinda stuff we're missin' out on, Fi!" He threw his hands behind his head and turned to grin at her, eyes squinted and nearly dimpled. "Once I'm a Knight, we'll live here for sure! In the lap of luxury!"

"Aw, but what about my garden, Davey? You can't possibly want to eat merchant produce. And with the way you two boys devour potatoes 'n carrots, there's no way I could grow enough to feed us out of one of these stacked...not-houses!" Fiona threw her hands up. "I dunno what ta even call 'em!"

"The Queen calls them Apartments." The trio turned about-face to find the tiny voice--from a tiny girl--holding a (leash?) wrapped around the neck of a not-so-tiny man. The girl grinned cheerfully. "There was a renovation project about six years ago! Too many people, not enough houses! So the alchemists created new house styles and the Astronomers raised an entire level of city to the sky!"

Fiona nodded. "That's...that's very smart. Of them."

Bart looked at the floating block quizzically. "How do folks get down from there?"

"Oh! That's fascinating, too! See, the Pyrologens--"

"Enough history," barked the bullish man, "they'll see the steam lifts on their way to the palace."

The girl looked at her partner/pet questioningly. "How do you know they're going to see Queen Mary?"

He snorted. "The Alchemist has the royal seal hanging out of his cloak's pocket." The man spat on the street. "If you don't watch it, someone with a mind as sharp as mine may rob you of said royal seal and use it to enter the palace and commit--" he chuckled, "--heinous crimes."

The girl slowly nodded. "I'm afraid Helios is right. There are a number of people in the city who would like to see our queen...suffer." As if she really struggled with the word. "But that's beside the point. You three should follow us!" She smoothed her robes. "My name is Judith, and I'm an apprentice in a Juniper House in the lower city."

David, Bart, and Fiona looked between one another and collectively shrugged.
I am a forest fire and an ocean, and I will burn you just as much
as I will drown everything you have inside.
-Shinji Moon


I am the property of Rydia, please return me to her ship.





User avatar
136 Reviews



Gender: Female
Points: 2952
Reviews: 136
Thu May 22, 2014 12:29 am
Leahweird says...



Paige
Paige wandered through the streets of Celtincrown, bored out of her skull. Research only killed so much time, and there hadn’t been much call for travel recently. She didn’t want there to be war, like some of the rumours said there might be, but something more interesting than patrolling the streets or settling into a purely civilian life had to be available.

For lack of anything better to do, she resorted to people. There was usually plenty to see. Children wrapped up in their own little games. Old men loudly exchanges stories. Couples bickering…Wait that was Helios Moray.

She’d never met him in person, but that was defiantly the skilled pyrologen that was the talk of the town recently. And for whatever reason, he had a nervous red head hovering around him and looking putout. She watched them long enough to decide she wasn’t his girlfriend, and to see him toss a piece of paper before marching away.

Cautiously, she waited for them to be out of sight, and glances around to see if anyone else had witnessed the exchange. If it had been noticed, no one was paying attention now. She strolled over and unfolding and scanning the wrinkled contents.

“Oh my,” she murmured. Seems things were more interesting than she thought.

Spoiler! :
ooc: Headaches gone! So post for you! Half of one anyway. I'm writing one for Judy with more forwarding action as we speak.





User avatar
136 Reviews



Gender: Female
Points: 2952
Reviews: 136
Thu May 22, 2014 1:43 am
Leahweird says...



Judy

Judy was really hoping she looked less livid then she felt. At least Helios was too busy making inappropriate comment sand being nasty to complete strangers to protest the leash too much. She tried to concentrate on being friendly instead of his snarking.

“So what are you going to see the queen for?” she asked the new group.

“We aren’t sure,” said one of the young men. “We were just summoned.”

Judy nodded. “Same for me. Although I think I’m mostly here to keep an eye on this one.”

The men exchanged glances, but made no comment. It was the girl that summed up the courage to ask.

“I hope you don’t mind, but why…?”

Judy wasn’t sure if she was trying to get at why her charge needed watching, or why he was wearing a leash. Helios apparently had an answer for both.

“Because I’m a loony,” he announced, grinning coldly.

“Helios!” Judy scolded.

“What?” He said, smirking. “It’s true.”

Exasperated, she yanked the leash and marched faster towards the looming doors of the palace proper, focusing on the marvel of the architecture rather than Helios’s curses. A trio just by the doors caught her eye, a dark haired woman gesturing to two cloaked figures.

“Do we just go in?” said one of the other people summoned drawing her attention back.

“She called us,” Helios said, making to push his way into the castle, pulling Judy along with him and assuming the others would follow.





User avatar
30 Reviews



Gender: Male
Points: 336
Reviews: 30
Fri May 23, 2014 1:45 am
VampireSenshi says...



Kazran | Leaving the Institute

The next day at dawn. Kazran gathered up the last of his equipment before leaving out the main doors of the institute into the bustling streets of Celtincrown. The Institute sat at the far end of a massive plaza, close to the main street leading farther into the center of the city where the castle was located.

He had opened the letter, a summons from Queen Mary to the throne room of the castle. It didn't give much more detail other than that there were others being summoned as well, and that the guards would let them through if they showed them the letters. So he set out with the tall man who'd come to collect him from the Institute.

"Not much of a talker, are you?" Kazran asked after they'd been walking for quite a while.

"My job is only to bring you to the throne room of the Queen and that's all. Just keep your eyes peeled." he muttered as they walked.

"Well what would I keep my eyes peeled for? You can't be implying there is danger in our journey, can you?" the man said nothing, keeping his eyes forward.

"What even have I been summoned for? And why have I been summoned specifically?" he prodded inquisitively.

The tall man let out a long sigh, "I'm not at liberty to say. Just walk, we're less than a half-days journey to the main gate so if we hurry we should be there by mid day."

Kazran tugged at the hilt of his sword on his belt, then spoke.

"Half a days walk if we take the main roads maybe. But I have a way that can get us there in half that time, if we make use of some backstreets and alleyways." the tall man looked at Kazran with wide, angry eyes.

"You're looking to get yourself killed is what I just heard." he remarked.

"No not at all it's completely safe my friends and I used to travel their all the time for day trips. Come on our route is just this way." the man groaned loudly, he cocked his sword back on his hip and followed along. They traveled for quite a time without saying anything or coming into any trouble.

"I would really like if we made our way back to the main streets this area is getting really shady and I don't want you getting into any trouble" he whispered.

"Don't worry yourself, Tall man. We won't be getting into any trouble." Kazran almost laughed before he was cut off by a voice in front of them.

"I wouldn't speak so soon if I were you." said a woman in a hood with a dagger, it was tinted a dark green in the shadow of the alleyway. Poisoned, most likely.

"Now, if you'd both like to hand over all of your gold please then you can be on your way. I promise that you don't want to fight me hand to hand because you'll surely die. Your size doesn't matter in this narrow alley way." Kazran chuckled.

"Don't worry I got this." he muttered to the tall man. He brought his thumb to his mouth and bit it, just enough for there to be a drop of blood. He spread the blood over his palm. Then he threw his arm to the stone wall of the adjacent building, slapping his bloodied palm to the hearth. There was a slight hum of magical alchemical energy as a pillar came out of the wall next to the woman, slamming her into the other wall. Her body fell limp to the ground, unconscious but not dead. He strolled over to her, and picked her dagger off of the ground next to her hand.

"See, no trouble at all." He grinned impishly.

"I admit that was impressive. But now it's an order. We're sticking to the main road. I can see why her majesty might want you specifically, so it's imperative you remain safe." Kazran only nodded and they walked out into the open air again. He stowed the dagger in his rucksack after covering it in cloth.

It was only an hours more worth of walking before they reached the gates of the castle. The guards recognized the tall man,

"A pleasure to see you back so soon, Captain!" said one of them. So he was the Royal Guard Captain? Hmm. He only nodded and then ushered Kazran through the gates and into the large cobblestone plaza of the courtyard. The interior of the castle grounds was more magnificent than Kazran could have possibly imagined even from seeing peaks through the gates during the coronation and changing of the guard. The buildings and spires were made of almost glimmering black stone that shown almost like obsidian. In the very center of the courtyard stood a magnificent fountain with a crystal dragon statue that shimmered with glass scales.

"By Sylvasan." Kazran gasped, clutching a hand over his heart. It was an enormous honour to be present inside the castle gates. And this was just the courtyard. He could only imagine what the throne room was like. The Captain dragged him from the fountain and took him to a small stone building resembling a tavern, inside was a bar and tables like a tavern. But off to the side from the bar was a hallway, from the door Kazran could count more than ten rooms. So it was an inn.

"This is where you'll be housed until the others reach the castle. I would suggest setting down your things but keeping to the bar. Your wait shouldn't be long, they should be here by the end of the day." he exited.

Kazran sat down at one of the tables and ordered a drink. Ten gold pieces, steep price but it was a damn good brew if he'd ever tasted one.

My god what an adventure this could turn out to be
<YWS>
<NE1>

NIGHT is always watching...





User avatar
933 Reviews

Supporter


Gender: Female
Points: 4261
Reviews: 933
Mon May 26, 2014 6:11 am
View Likes
Iggy says...



Kat | Transitioning from one scene to the next
The Queen will see you now


"You have to apply yourself, Katerina!" The man roughly grabbed his daughter's hand and jerked them down, aiming the palms at the well. "You need to connect with the water. Feel its power and presence flow through your veins and into your heart. You have to become one with the water."

"I'm trying, Father," Kat said through gritted teeth, a trickle of sweat working its way down her forehead as she pulled. She could literally feel the water gushing in the well, the power behind it and the roar of its strength. She tried to call out to it, to coax it into her control, to pull it from the well and onto the ground or, better yet, into her father's face.

Her gut clenched and a squirt of water was flung from the well and splashed at their feet. Her lips widened with a happy grin and she turned to look at her father.

He glared at the water before her and then directed the glare to her. "If you had tried harder, you would've broken the well. That was your goal."

"But Father, I'm still learning. To accomplish something that quickly in such a small amount of time is impossible-"

"It is not! Your sister was able to do it."

"Well, I'm not my sister," the preteen said with a twinge of rage edging into her voice.

"Unfortunately," he sneered, turning away from her. "Your practice will begin at the same time tomorrow. Until then, leave."

Her hands balled into fists. She shot him a hateful glance and started to walk away. When he thought she was gone, her father went to where she was standing earlier and peeked his head over the entrance of the well.

"Level didn't drop one bit," he said in anger. "Worthless child."

Kat froze. His words made her anger spike and she turned around, facing his direction. She didn't even have to raise her hands. The water in the grass below his feet propelled him in the air and he fell head-first into the well, screaming as he went.

"I'll show you dropped levels," she said quietly as all the water evaporated. Turning on her heel, she walked away. The well started to fill up, carrying her father's broken body back up to the top for the housemaid to find in the morning.

~

The invitation came last minute, approximately four hours before the meeting was scheduled to start. Luckily, Kat lived in Celtincrown.

When the guard handed her a letter with the royal seal on it, Kat immediately ripped it open. She threw it on the dining table and hopped into the tub that was waiting for her the moment she decided to attend this meeting. She quickly cleaned up and extracted all of the water from her hair, leaving it dry and curly.

She quickly dressed, ate a bit of food, gathered her belongings and made her way down to the castle. She skipped and slid and edged around crowds, horses, carriages and such until she reached the golden gates. They let her inside once she flashed her fancy letter and a guard led her straight into a waiting room.

"Looks like you're the only one here," the guard commented, giving Kat a kind smile. He offered her a drink but she declined and he took his leave.

Sitting in one of the many chairs, Kat placed her hands in her lap and drummed her fingers against each other. She was always known for being rash and this showed her just how rash she was. Did it not occur to her what the Queen would want her for?

Her hand unconsciously gripped the royal seal hanging from the neckline of her dress. Just last summer, she became the newest Hydrologist, which is why she had to move to Celtincrown, to be close by in case the Queen needed her.

The door opened and eight more people trickled in, all of them wearing royal seals. She counted two Pyrologens, two Astronomers, two Alchemists and two Hydrologists. Her eyes kept coming back to the two girls that could also control the very powers she could.

A few of the newcomers seemed well-acquainted. As she always does, Kat stayed where she was and kept quiet, eyes returning to stare at the double doors, those of which opened after the last person arrived.

A royal guard stood there, his eyes flying across the room as he counted the people inside it. Once satisfied, he nodded to himself and bowed before them. "Welcome. Follow me. The Queen has been awaiting your arrival."
“I can't go back to yesterday because I was a different person then."
- Lewis Carroll





User avatar
378 Reviews

Supporter


Gender: Other
Points: 3775
Reviews: 378
Sat May 31, 2014 8:21 am
View Likes
Omni says...



Bryan


Leigh was right, unfortunately. Sleeping is like a pendulum. The longer you stay awake, the stronger sleep grasps you. Ve was always right on those things, being the voice of wisdom to my chaos.

A little over twenty hours after we got on the airship, I awoke with a fever and a soar throat. Leigh was standing next to my bed, looking out of the window.

"Oh, Aulani," I groaned and sat up.

"I'm glad you are well rested, Bryan. We are close to Celtincrown."

"I feel better than I did when we got on the airship," I glared at Leigh, "did you do something to me, Lee?"

"No, although I did debate on it. I didn't know wether or not you would have been able to sleep."

Getting up, I realized that someone had changed my clothes into some skimpy undergarments that revealed way too much of me. Pulling up the covers, I coughed and looked in Leigh's direction. "Could you leave my room, Leigh? I want to get ready for our meeting with the Queen."

"Nudity does not affect me, Bryan. Male or female."

"But it does kind of affect me. Please, Lee?"

After a moment of hesitation, ve nodded once and left my room.

Sighing, I got up out of bed and stretched. Sleep comes to us all, at probably some of the worst times. I missed seeing all that this airship has to offer, and instead, I dreamt restless dreams for almost a day, and now it was too late.

There was a small package on my dresser, with a note on the top.

Master Bryan, your fellow Priests and I thought it would be best to pack you something formal to wear to represent the Academy, in case you forgot to pack some yourself.


The package itself contained red leggings, a brown undershirt, and a red vest, all of which fit snugly. Before I walked out of my room, I remembered something.

Pulling out a small pad and an inkpen, I scratched at my mind to remember the dreams.

My teacher, Priestess Lenora, sat down next to me, crossing her legs in the similar fashion I had them. She pulled out a small lotus flower from her pocket, and sat it down next to me.

"You seem distressed more than usual today, Bryan. What is wrong, my dear child?"

I grabbed the flower, caressing it in my thin, lanky fingers. "I can't remember my dream, Lenora." I looked up at her, and all of a sudden, I felt much older than my seven year old body constrained me to.

She didn't look at my eyes, but at my hands. "This Lotus Flower came to me for a reason, you know. It glided on the winds across the land, just to send me a message." She grasped my hands with her soft ones. "Do you know what that message was?"

"No. Lenora, what about my dre-"

"It told me that everything has a fate, and the few capable of knowing that fate should relish the fact they have that power," she locked eyes with me, "good or bad." She smiled warmly at me, and her eyes watered.

"Lenora, someone close to me is about to die, aren't they?"

She locked me in a large embrace suddenly. The light outside was all but bare, but enough shone from the moon that I could tell she was shaking. "Yes, that is true. But, don't trouble yourself with trying to change what Fate has for us." She held the embrace a little longer, and then released me, ushering me back to sleep.

As I woke the next morning, it was found out that Lenora had died in her sleep.


Gasping for breath, I slammed my fist into the wall, half letting go of those emotions and half steadying myself.

I was seven whenever I found out that some Astronomers can predict close ones' deaths. Ever since then, I tried to record every single dream I've had since then, and singe myself from the others at the Academy, for fear of them dying.

Panic wrenched my gut and bile rose in my throat as my several attempts to remember any dream in the last twenty hours failed. All that was there was emptiness.

How could I have let myself get close to anyone? My priests and priestesses retained a purely formal relationship, and I barely even talk to the other students of the Academy.

"Leigh!" I whispered, and wrenched open the door to my room, just as the floors under me tilted and knocked me to the floor. A loud screech filled my eardrums, and the familiar noise drained all of the little blood that was left in my face.

Harpies

~~~~~~~~

Rushing to the top deck, I ran into one of the crew members of the ship, looking dazed and injured. "Pardon me!" He mumbled and slid down to the floor.

"Leigh," I shouted, but heard no reply over the harpies' shrieks. About seven in total were hoarding around in the deck, fighting four crew members and the very person I was looking for.

Ve was calm in vis actions as ve snapped ver whip around the air in carefully calculated movements. Lightning arced from the tip of it to one harpy, and the foul beast fell to the sea below.

Two more harpies cascaded down on me from their ramming of the side of the airship. Their gangly claws snapped at me as I waved my staff back and forth. I could no longer see Leigh as more harpies climbed onto and dived around the ship.

"Leigh!" I growled as the harpies closed in. Slamming my staff into the floor and forming an arc with my left hand, I pushed one of the harpies back as stars rained down upon it.

The other harpy, seizing the opportunity, rammed me into the captain's quarters. Gasping for breath, I knocked its claws away with the hilt of my staff, and muttered a small incantation under my breath. "Jupiter, aid me in my venture," I whispered as a vortex of wind formed around the harpy's legs. Rising to my feet, I slammed the hilt of my staff into the its ribs, sending it flying across the deck into three other harpies, the wind carrying farther across the airship. Summoning my last reserves of energy, I casted down several lightning strikes within the cyclone of harpies, and they fell limp on the deck.

At that moment, several things happened. The first thing, I saw Leith, in vis simplicity, spreading electricity everywhere among the harpies ve was facing. Just as my sight of her was reestablished, the airship rocked to one side, as one of the sails collapsed under the strength of the harpies. Losing my balance, I slid to the railing and thudded on the sturdy wood. The airship was losing its height fast as more and more harpies piled onto the now almost caspsized vessel.

A few feet away from me, Leigh hit the railing much less gracefully than I did, and vis body went limp, losing grasp of ver whip, the small weapon losing itself in the clouds.

"Leigh," I groaned as the railing underneath me buckled slightly. "Leigh, come on, you need to get up," the ship was past the clouds now, and I could see that we were close to Celtincrown. Leigh still didn't move. "Leigh, please. I need you." Crawling on the railing to ver, I reached out for vim. "Leigh. Don't do this to me." I could hear the harpies retreating, and knew the powerful aura that Celtincrown gave pushed them away. None of that mattered now. "Leigh. You've been my only friend for a long time. Don't do this to me. Leigh. Leigh!" I reached out for ver, and for a moment, Leigh's eyes fluttered open, and our visions met. Out of all the emotions I felt at that moment, the only one I recieved from ver was reassurance.

And then the railing broke, sending both ver and I spiralling to the sea.

I knew, in my mind, that I would not be the one to land in the sea, to be forgotten by all but one. I knew, the moment the whip wrapped around my body, that my Fate had been sealed, as ver Fate had been. One quick decision, and our positions could've been switched, Leigh. But, Fate wouldn't allow that, would it?

Of course not.


Spoiler! :
So, I tried to get Bryan as close as I could to Celtincrown. I basically had Paige use her whip to snatch me out of the air. I can't really write anymore, becase it's hard to see because my eyes are watering too much.

So, I'll leave it to you guys to get Bryan at least in Celtincrown, and then I'll write again.
This account proudly supports lgbtq* rights.

sass levels loading




[he/him]





User avatar
745 Reviews

Supporter


Gender: Male
Points: 1626
Reviews: 745
Sat May 31, 2014 9:37 pm
Lumi says...



David stowed his two edged fist weapons in his bag and followed the guardsman into the grand throne room. Grand was the perfect choice of words, too. The throne was flanked by two altars on each side, dedicated to the four deities of Anglanar. Flanking those altars were elemental shrines, each surrounded by swirling masses of the element's matter.

On the far left was the earth shrine, where a cluster of polished geodes orbited in uncertain patterns around a core of kinetic energy. Beside it was the shrine of the flame, covered in what looked to David like a serpent of flame consuming its own tail. To the far right of the throne was the shrine of air, pulsating with ether clouds and electrical energy. And beside that was the water shrine, frozen at the core and rolling in and out a sphere of gravity-free water.

On the throne, of course, was Queen Mary Halloran, Monarch of Anglanar. She stood and took two steps down from the throne's elevated steps and held her arms at embrace's width, though she didn't embrace anyone. "Forgive me, but this is no time for pleasantries. If you don't mind, it will be best if we get right to the reason I summoned you here."

____________________________________________________


Cassius | The Titan Forest

"Titans at six and four!" Cassius swung from his zip line around the clearing, tossing grenades into the paths of the six titans his band had awoken just minutes ago. He let go of the zip line and landed on a titan, crouched between its two heads, and pushed two grenades into its throats. Cassius leaped from the Titan as its two heads exploded, splattering his boots with black blood.

"Two incoming from your twelve!" Marla, Cassius' long-time mercenary and sparring partner, leaped back as a titan swung at her. She ran up the length of the titan's club and swung her staff against the front temple of one head, then cracked it against the same place on the twin head. The titan fell to the ground, unmoving.

"Lighting up in three! Two! One!" Cassius pressed a detonator, blowing five titans to the ground, holes blasted clearly through their chests.

Cassius landed on the bloody grass and stowed his bombs, wiping his forehead of sweat and creature blood. "Perfect Esorian combat form--I saw that cleave from the other side of the clearing." Marla waved off the compliment and rested her hands on her hips.

"How long did Lord say he'd be?"

"I forgot," Cassius admitted. "I think he went to raid the titans' lair for some stronger constraints for the brat. He nodded over his shoulder at a young woman, bound at her hands, gagged, with a rope tying her feet to her throat to prevent running. "Apparently our captor style is too loose for an elemental bitch. I bet she cracked Lord a good one with a shock of lightning."

"That would explain why he resorted to wearing padded gloves in this heat." Marla turned her head to look at the girl on the ground near the trees. "How long until Stockholm Syndrome sets in?"

Cassius shrugged and yawned, but quickly pulled a pistol from a holster and cocked it towards their ten.

"Go ahead," said a familiar voice, "shoot me and see who signs your paycheck." Lord entered the clearing with a heavy length of chains in his hands, coat slightly dirtied from titan blood.

"Damn," Cassius sneered, "I coulda sworn we flushed that hole out."

"Oh, you did." Lord grinned. "But the daddy titan was guarding this." He laid the chains on the ground and produced a green stone the size of his hand. It had an eerie magic feel coming off of it, as well as a decent amount of smoke.

"Is that what you brought us all this way for? A smoking rock?"

"Yes," Lord admitted, "it is." He stowed the stone in his pouch and knelt beside Princess Cathrynne. "This one stone will be enough to bring this nation's elements to their deaths." He yanked Cathrynne up by her neck and smiled. "Don't you just love a good plan?"

____________________________________________________


David

"With all that said," Queen Mary concluded, "I ask that you pursue Cathrynne's kidnappers. My seers have predicted that they're taking her to Terranore--certainly a sick political bargaining chip. The only entryway between Terranore and Anglanar that is not currently patrolled is Norcaster. You'll likely find a trail left by the kidnappers...or my daughter. She's been educated in abduction subterfuge--though I doubt she paid attention." Queen Mary turned away from the group. "You will leave now. Find Cathrynne and save her at all costs. This country is counting on you."
I am a forest fire and an ocean, and I will burn you just as much
as I will drown everything you have inside.
-Shinji Moon


I am the property of Rydia, please return me to her ship.





User avatar
30 Reviews



Gender: Male
Points: 336
Reviews: 30
Sat May 31, 2014 11:00 pm
VampireSenshi says...



Kazran and Company | Well on their way to Norcaster

The air of the Titan Forrest was thick and humid as they all hiked on our way to Norcaster. Since their meeting with the Queen in Celtincrown there hadn't been much in the way of conversation. Which suited Kazran just fine to be honest, he wasn't sure exactly how this all came to be in the first place. They'd set off the morning after the meeting, the tall brown haired man not much older than Kazran insisted that everyone get aqcuainted. So at least he knew their names now. David, the alchemist from Morning Vale. The two pyrologens Bart and Helios, Bart also from The Vale and Helios the estranged royal guard. Then there were Judith, Fiona and Kat, from The Vale and Celtincrown respectively; all three Hydrologists. And finally the Astronomers Bryan and Paige. They said there had been another girl, Leigh, but apparently she died in a harpy attack. Kazran didn't think it was a wise decision to question any further, they seemed sore about it and he wasn't going to rack up the already present tension in the group. They'd been given a very important mission from the Queen, and so they made their way to Norcaster. It hadn't been more than a two days trek and they were more than half way to the town.

Apropos of nothing, Helios barked "Am I the only one that's catching the rank smell in the air?"

Kazran was startled by the sudden noise and jumped, there was a slight giggle from someone. He looked and saw Fiona covering her mouth. He grinned and pushed his glasses up.

God how embarassing

David was the first to speak up,

"Aye now that y'mention it. Smells like somethin' died out here. Probably an animal or somefin."

"I don't know, this smells a bit different than game." Bart muttered, then veered off the path suddenly.

"Does it really matter though? I don't know if we should be getting off-track, getting to Norcaster as soon as possible should be our only concern." Helios said roughly.

"Oh my god, guys ye should come look at this..." Bart said sickly.

Just as the group crested the top of the hill they'd been climbing a quite literal pile of bodies was heaped just off to the right of the trail.

"Dear Juniper," Kat breathed. "Are those Titans?"

Upon further inspection the travellers found the mangled bodies to indeed be Titans. Some of them missing heads and appendages, some seeming to have been blown apart violently.

"Do you think this is the story of trail the Queen mentioned that the kidnappers might leave?" asked Brian.

Kazran and Judith both knelled down over the bodies, inspecting them.

"They haven't been dead for long. Maybe two or three days at the most." she said.

"Some of them appear to have... bullet wounds." said Kazran.

"Looks like foot prints over here!" David announced, looking around the scene.

"Leadin' away from the trail. I'd be willin to bet it's them."

They all gathered together after looking around more. Bullets were found around in the surrounding foliage and there was a clear, poorly covered up trail to be followed.

"This is gonna be taking us North-East. But if it's them then it'll be worth the side track, if it's not them then it'll be fine and we'll just veer back toward Norcaster when we clear the forest." David offered. They all unanimously agreed. Or rather, no one disagreed - Hell didn't really say anything aside from huffing. So they followed the trail.
<YWS>
<NE1>

NIGHT is always watching...





User avatar
745 Reviews

Supporter


Gender: Male
Points: 1626
Reviews: 745
Tue Jun 10, 2014 5:47 am
Lumi says...



David | Norcaster Market

“Are ye certain they’re healin’ herbs? How’m I supposed t’know they won’t choke me t’death?”

The whole gang of heroes--so big that Bart had at one point called them a Platoon--had bustled about the Norcaster market for the better part of two hours before they all caught an earshot of David arguing with a merchant near a sign that read Rejuvenating Herbs! Best In Anglanar!. The two men had been at it for so long that both had given up their intimidating height for the comfort of sitting indian-style on the floor of the shop. The merchant rambled on about medicinal properties, and how bitter herbs really just helped heal that much more, but David wasn’t having any of it.

“If it’s too hard for my tongue, it’s no use to my body!”

“Who taught you medicine?!”

“A lifetime of wiping me ass with poison oak!”

After a long enough while, Judith tapped David on the shoulder and shook her head cautiously--either she didn’t yet feel safe around David, or she really didn’t want to hear another poison oak story--and sat beside him. She pulled a bushel of herbs to the side that were darker and closer to browning than the others, and then put on a very soft, practiced smile. “These are called Aline’s Breath, and they’re medicinal.” She leaned in to David’s ear and whispered, ”The others are basically cooking herbs.”

David grinned and tied together the bundle of grasses and tossed them into his bag, and gave the merchant a handful of gold coins in exchange.

Back out in the open-air market, the others explored the goods of merchants that claimed to be from as far away as Elora to the far west--even one who boasted exploring the jungle-ridden shores of Kal’ritta across the south sea. David and Fiona stopped by a weapons merchant where Kazran and Bryan were examining hooked blades the merchant called Scimitars--even Bart had found a set of small staves that seemed to bend and swerve like serpents. David ran his fingers across a pair of cestus made mostly of studded leather, but with iron rings covering each finger, spiked at the knuckle with sharpened, jagged edges. He couldn’t fight the intrigue.

“How much for the pair?” He’d already pulled off his fist weapons from home and had the new pair nearly on his right hand before the merchant greeted him with an exotic chortle.

“Dose ah triba’ glad’um glove from de far East, broda. I’ll givvum up fah two t’ousand an five hundrad gol.”

David flexed his hands in the new gloves--a perfect fit--and balled his fists, swinging each arm. “Deal.” He dropped a dozen 200-coin pieces and a cent onto the merchant’s table along with his old gloves. “Any buyback value for these? Hand-crafted in The Morning Vale, so I’m sure they’re worth a pretty--”

“One hundrad for ‘em two.” The merchant slid the cent piece back to David. He blinked.

“Only a hundred?! I made these myself! Perfectly shaped for wrangling and pun--”

“Take da cent or leave it, broda.”

David snatched the coin--notably incredulous--and stowed it in his coin sack. As he and Fiona left the stand, he huffed. “These had better be worth every coin.”

Fiona giggled and swung around to stop him in his tracks. She licked her thumb and rubbed it against David’s jaw where a smudge of curry had left its mark after dinner. “You should’ve just bought some raw metals and sweet-talked Heelie into making you something sweet.” She took her sisterly privilege and inspected the new cestus, admiring the leatherwork. “Think these could’ve held up against that Titan in the forest?” She whistled as she ran a finger over the blades. “You’ll probably get’em stuck in a cougar skull before long.”

“You love that cougar story, don’tcha, Fee?”

She snickered. “I’ll tell everyone who ever meets you!” She moved her fingers in weird formations, drawing a small lick of water from her satchel. It turned into a quick, tiny spiral and began lapping at David’s chin where the curry had been. David jerked his head away and wiped his chin dry.

“You need t’find a new hobby, Sis. Ye can’t use me as yer dress-up doll while we’re on a quest.”

Fiona pouted sardonically and rolled her eyes. “I’d like to meet the person who’ll get me to stop!”

__________


Transactions:
♦Gladium's Cestus (x2): 2500 Gold
♦Aline's Breath (x20): 100 Gold
Last edited by Lumi on Wed Jun 11, 2014 1:52 am, edited 1 time in total.
I am a forest fire and an ocean, and I will burn you just as much
as I will drown everything you have inside.
-Shinji Moon


I am the property of Rydia, please return me to her ship.





User avatar
136 Reviews



Gender: Female
Points: 2952
Reviews: 136
Wed Jun 11, 2014 1:29 am
Leahweird says...



Judy

When they reached civilization again, everyone scattered a bit looking to stack up on things the journey had proved needed. At first Judy followed the others, even catching David nearly getting horribly swindled, before circling around. Hel was predictably loitering and looking standoffish while simultaneously keeping and eye out for the members of their little warband.

"Hey," she said, dropping back beside him "Can I ask a favour?" Helios turned brow raised and nodded slowly,

"Sure, what is it Doll Face?"

Normally she would at least give him a chastening look, but since she wanted his help for once she let the pet name go without sensor.

"I think I ought to have some real armour, and I was hoping you could help me find some." a look of honest surprise flitted over his face,

"You want my help? Seriously?" She nodded, "Okay, sure. Come on." He turned and began to walk off, out of the general market area,

In truth she was a little surprised he acquiesced so easily. Without even a comment about leather. She'd been bracing herself to have to ask one of the others, which seemed strangely more daunting. Helios already seemed to see her as largely ornamental, so she wasn't risking much looking like an idiot trying to by thing she needed but didn't know anything about.

"Are you looking for plate, chain? Leather?" He broke into her thoughts suddenly- not even looking back.

"Um...Whatever's not too heavy or expensive. I only have...Not much." In fact her whole life savings, pittance that it was. Helios turned then and eyed her for a long very awkward moment, seemingly expecting more. She blushed, "What would you recommend?"

"Well," He said looking her up and down, "You've never worn any before right?"

Judy nodded. She had a little knife, and the focus from her father, but ohter than that she felt woefully unprepared. She wasn't even sure she could use the dagger for anything other than spellcasting.

"Okay then, no plate, that would just be stupid for someone like you." He turned back to walking to the far end of the market- clearly looking for something or someone, "I'd say you want leather, maybe with some chainmail- you're not a frontline fighter, you're support, a healer. You don't need offensive armor- you strictly need defensive- stop a sword to your guts or an arrow."

Judy nodded, paling a little at the thought that people might actually be shooting at her. Or trying to stab her. At least Hel seemed to legitimately know his stuff. "Chainmail sounds good...."

Once he reached the end of the market Helios ducked down a little allyway motioning for Judith to follow him and walked a couple hundred yards down it until he reached a door in the wall and hammered on it.

"Gareth! Get your ass out of bed!"

"Screw you! Go away we're closed!" Helios laughed a rather unhinged sounding laugh and winked at Judy,

"you better be wearing pants!"

"Go away!"

"Nope." With that Helios raised a long leg and kicked the door in, "Good morning Gareth! Who's your friend?"

Jusy really hoped Gareth was a friend. Helios certainly seemed to be welcoming himself . She shrank behind him, peeking out only to try and catch a glimpse of the person whose home they had invaded.

"God dammit Gary it smells like a Eastern Opium den in here! what have you been up to?" Helios turned to the nervous looking Ginger man who- with his companion- was watching them from a crude bed in the corner,

"I don't have anything! I swear!"

"Really?" Helios looked disappointed, " pity- but I'm not here for that, I need armor." Gareth's eyes widened,

"YOU want my armor?" Helios laughed,

"God no! It's not for my- it's for my friend here- so get out of bed and do your job. Or I will find your stash and we'll have ourselves a little party." Helios' eyes fairly glittered like a demons.

"I'm fine! Maybe we shoud just go." She was getting a little concered Helios is a happy mood was a lot scarier than when he was brooding

"Hell no! He needs to get up anyway. Come on Gary!"

"fine- god almighty.... wait- you're one of the Queens Guard- you can't do dru- things..."Gareth trailed off looking like a cat who ate the family canary.

"Not on the Guard anymore. I went insane and killed a bunch of people- ask Judy."

Judy threw up her hands, " I can only vouch that you're a lunatic. I don't know what happened. Maybe Gareth thought the same thing before."

"Come on Gary- I need a leather jerkin for the lady. and none of your cheap ass goat leather. if she gets tapped with a sword and dies because you were half assing it. I'm coming after you- got it?" Gareth nodded, going pale as a sheet and hurried across the room to a workbench.

"Just don't burn anything okay...."

"why your stash in here? you never know it might relax me." Helios cackled wickedly and sat on the windowsill grinning from ear to ear.

"Don't burn anything, please. I can't pay for the damage you do. " Helios just laughed at her.

Hesitantly. she stepped forward to let Gareth size her up. At least she hoped that was what he was doing. Helios was looking on, but mostly grinning like a fiend and not commenting. At least her had merely been confusing and not grabby.

On that note she slapped Gary's hand away as he reached to touch her waist. "Let me see what sort of armour you have." He laughed it off and disappeared into the back for a moment.

Eventually he returned and kitted her out with a nice leather jerkin and some of the chainmal Helios suggested. The price seemed dear to her, but she thought he seemed fair. Helios didn't move to intervene, which she hoped meant everything was okay still and not that he was off in a world of his own.

"So how do you know Hel?" he asked.

"I don't really. We're just....Collogues. At the moment."

"Wait I thought he wasn't on the Guard anymore?"

"I'm not" Helios cut in, "But that doesn't mean the bitch is letting me go either."

"Helios!" Judy frowned at him. She wasn't really comfortable with his complete lack of respect even now. She was amazed he hadn't said anything to get himself kicked out of the party back in Celtincrown. She sighed. "No, he's not officially a guard."

"Eh...Figures her got kicked out." Judy almost smiles. "Oh, but what about...?"


"Come on Judith- we need to go find the others before they get into trouble."

Surprised at his sudden desire to depart almost as fast as they had descended, Judy just nodded. She hurried to collect her new things as he went striding out. She was about to ask why they'd left the confused Gareth behind so abruptly, but a certain set of his jaw warned her that pushing him right then would be a bad idea.

Fairly soon they had regrouped with the others, and it was do late to push him at all. They had another quest to complete before she added anything else to her plate.





User avatar
745 Reviews

Supporter


Gender: Male
Points: 1626
Reviews: 745
Wed Jun 11, 2014 1:53 am
Lumi says...



David | Norcaster

Their passage through Norcaster hit a dead end. Later in the evening, after all preparations had been made, the band of heroes heard the roar of the drawbridge being pulled away from the river, sealing off their only safe path into Terranore. Kazran insisted they find the mayor, and then Kat insisted even more ferociously that they find the mayor--and to make a long story short, they tracked down the mayor.

At nightfall, they all sat in a circle with the leader of Norcaster: a large, haughty man named Norman. He had long gray hair, and though his appearance would suggest a much older man, he confessed to being only in his forties.

“My men received word from the Queen this evening that Terranoran extremists were expected to pass through my city and into Terranore,” he told them. “We’re prepared to arrest them upon first sighting.”

The pyrologen who had once served as a royal guard, Helios, insisted that the extremists had probably passed through Norcaster hours before their arrival.

“That’s a risk,” demanded Norman, “I’m willing to take.”

Over an hour passed of their rousing debate, but it came to an abrupt stop when a messenger entered Norman’s home. He looked just like the messenger sent from the Queen to summon David, Bart, and Fee. David quietly wondered if he was the same man.

“We’ve received an urgent request for assistance from the Northeast,” cried the messenger. “The Elder Tree has been poisoned!”

Norman mulled over the report and regarded his nine guests. “I’ll make you a deal. You check out the problems in the northeast, and I’ll let you pass into Terranore.”

Norman showed them a steam-powered gondola that ran across the countryside all the way from Norcaster to a docking station in the forest of the Elder Tree. As per his instructions, Brutus and Helios controlled the gondola with their fire control, and after a mere two hours, the band of heroes arrived on the outskirts of the forest where a dense, dark fog had set in.

Bart cupped his hands and blew a long breath of flame into his palms, illuminating their surroundings. Something felt off to David. Something unnatural had taken root in the forest...and it seemed to creep into his skin.

“The plan is simple,” he affirmed. “We find the source of this...poison...and return to Norcaster.” He subconsciously pulled his cloak tighter around his shoulders. “Agreed?”

Everyone in the band nodded. The black fog shifted around them. David cautiously watched the shadows.
I am a forest fire and an ocean, and I will burn you just as much
as I will drown everything you have inside.
-Shinji Moon


I am the property of Rydia, please return me to her ship.








You own everything that happened to you. Tell your stories. If people wanted you to write warmly about them, they should have behaved better.
— Anne Lamott