Young Writers Society

Nex:

He skid to a halt before the man. Though he knew that it shouldn't be funny that the man tripped, Nex couldn't help snickering. When Aska glanced at him, Nex pretended to cough. "My throat is just a bit irritated from the dust in here."
"But I just cleaned here yesterday." The armor pointed out. "I'm sure that I got all the dust-"
"Must have been my spit then." Nex nonchalantly said as he walked over to where the thin sword was lying. He slid it into his belt, knowing that the man would have a harder time getting it.
Nex walked back across the room. He crouched down in front of the man. The eyes that stared up at Nex were full of fear. Why wouldn't they? He didn't look human, and the man was cornered.
Nex's tail swished back and forth. "I'm not sure how much time we have until the Grim Reaper gets here. I think we lost him and that group. So I'm going to try to talk to you really quickly, alright?"
The man stared at him blankly, with fear still in his eyes. "I'm not going to eat you or anything like that." Nex watched the disbelief appear on the man's face, disbelief that such a terrifying beast wouldn't harm a human. Monsters were supposed to hurt humans - that's what fairy tales always said. But Nex had learned that those stories were just what they seemed to be - Stories.
The man glanced at Aska, who was currently staring down the stairs.
"Aska isn't going to hurt you either."
The man's gaze returned to Nex. Nex decided to explain why the man could trust him in the simplest way possible.
"I'm a human."

Shiruba:

At hearing the final words of who...whatever...whatever he was, Shiruba, in spite of his situation, couldn't help but do something incredibly daring and incredibly stupid. Perhaps it was the stress of his present situation, the worry that, in spite of what the figure had said, he would be eaten, attacked, or otherwise harmed by the monster. Regardless, he started to laugh, and began to laugh maliciously.

"Oh, that's such a great relief," he said mockingly, wiping the fake tears from his eyes as he viewed the surprised expressions of the suit of armor and the creature in front of him. He tried to prop himself up, but the tail of the mysterious beast pinned him down and prevented himself from rising. Disappointed and frustrated, he desisted from rising, resorting to, from his low vantage point, gaining a greater understanding of his surroundings. Before continuing and explaining himself, he spotted his katana on the belt of the creature, and cursed to himself. He understood now that, if he wanted to escape from this dangerous duo with his life intact, and, as the said duo had indicated, before the second group could arrive, he had to provide an effective enough distraction to regain his katana, so as to be able to fight them off and make his getaway. A plan formulated in the man's head, and he enacted it almost at once.

"Why do you think I would be so elated that you're a human?" he said while continuing to laugh. He'd unnerved the both of them, which satisfied him. Now he had the element of surprise, and was free to manipulate them in a more effective fashion. "What, do you believe that I'm human? Do you?"

"What...what do you mean?" said the mysterious beast, who took two steps back in surprise.

"This is what I mean," boomed Shiruba.

To the shock and amazement of the duo, the tail of a fox sprouted from Shiruba, wrapped itself around the tail of the mysterious creature, and yanked. Shiruba thrust himself up on to his feet as the beast was pulled up close to him. Then, in a burst of superhuman speed, Shiruba wrenched the katana from the figure's belt and kicked him in the gut, sending him spiraling to the other side of the room and striking hard against the wall. The suit of armor screeched something and then ran to the assistance of the creature, who was now lying injured against the said wall.

Shiruba waved his katana at the both of them. Truly, the tables had turned; now they were the ones to feel fear. "Now then," he said wickedly, pointing his katana at the injured creature, "I believe you wanted to talk?"

Benji

The smell of cold winter wind danced around my cabin, threading a unpleasant pathway in my stomach. The motor outside was running with the headlights shining through my window. Voices were lurking outside, yelling and laughing absurd words. It burned my ears. Vile poison was sticking to the fur, disintegrating into the skin, and settling its body on fire. It stung, like a bite from a snake, traveling over your heart and tugging at your strings. I would know. The voices started because of me. They come into the night, staying in the shadows until the moonlight leaked through the walls and onto the floor. Even though, every night, I light a dull fire and it spreads a small warm feeling on me when I'm sleeping, I still feel the eyes staring at me.
The headlights are gone now, along with the voices. The moon was still shining through the window and onto the bare wood floor. I was busy leaning against the counter, staring off in the distance with my arms crossed. Pictures were stuck to the fridge, hung by the cheap green magnets. There was a boy and his father smiling at the camera, a red ball placed in the boy's hands. Above that picture, was a couple dancing with small white flowers being thrown at them. Smell of fading books seem to drift into the room, along with the feeling of disapproval.
I haven't like grieving, including over people you cared about. It just leaves you a mess, which no one wants to clean up, including if you are alone in a cabin in the woods. It only plays with your heart strings, playing it like a violin. It was five months ago that I lost my parents, hiking in these woods. Demons, I had thought, taken both of them away. Somewhere far, somewhere dark. I stumbled until I fell face forward in front of the cabin. Sounds of leaves and twigs told me to go inside, chanting a soft rhyme and seemed to come closer the long I stared at the cabin. Five months ago, I was alive. Breathing and blinking. I don't remember, ideally, why I died. Out of fright? Most likely.

I walked out of the kitchen and into the living room, illuminated by the fire. A growing pit seemed to grew in my stomach, clawing at my insides. The wind blew hard outside, smacking the screen door. I wasn't scared. When you're a ghost, alone and known of the outside, you are scared of nothing. I shivered, picking at a piece of string on my coat arm. I twisted it around my finger before it pull off. Somehow, I was satisfied. The thread fell to the floor, along with the other dust bunnies there. Before my mother died, I remember getting knitted sweaters and gloves and hat from her on Christmas. I would tug at the hat, fitting over my ears and smile. I would do the same thing to my gloves, feeling the wool against my fingers. We would then go play in the snow later during the day. I remember her smile, her face. I miss her deeply, but I know, she wouldn't like to see her son as a ghost. Or maybe she would. I don't know what moms like.

I decided a nap was good, as I had nothing else planned for the night. Before I could rest my hands behind my head, I heard a scream. Sounded like a girl's scream, but died down instantly. At first I hadn't cared for it, for all I knew it could've been a dying deer or those screaming frogs. However, a gut feeling was against crawling around my stomach and that changed my mind into thinking it was a girl. Yes, as being alone in the forest, you get alone and do not have anyone to talk to.
When I got outside, the full moon was shining through the trees and nothing was in the sky. The tall dying trees scraped against the bleak blackness, the moon being my only light, I ran. Or floated. Or whatever ghost do. The cool wind messed up my hair, sending it in all directions and the assortment of twigs and logs caused me to trip.
Night birds, as I called them, were crying out in the distance. It seemed to be getting colder, but what did I know. I couldn't feel the air, but I could see my frozen breath. The moon was following me, being a milky flashlight along the way. I had no idea where I was going, only the throbbing pain in my head. I stopped, placing a heavy hand and sighed. Looking up and standing, I could see a girl laying on her side in the woods. A white cat, that was sitting upon a dead tree stump, was licking its paws. The pain in my head seemed to slightly vanished as I ran to the girl. The cat looked up at me, before scurrying away into the bleakness of the forest.

A small girl with long blonde hair, knotted from the twigs and mud was laying. Her coat was faded and torn, probably from the cat thinking she was dead, her arms were placed in front as if to support her fall, while her legs were spread out. I walked slowly forward, afraid of waking her and felt laughter moving its way into my throat. It was soft at first, unsure as to why I was even laughing then within the passing hours, I was crackling like a witch. After I had stopped, my senses kicked in and started shaking. A human was laying in front of me. A soft memory, molded by the devil himself, slowly made my brain cringe and repress. I could see my parents fading in the distance, screaming my name and reaching out to me with small arms. I would try to reach out, only to see the memory fade away.
When the pain was last gone, I knew I was crying and looked down at the girl.

She was like me. Alone and scared in this world, apart of looking dead. Maybe helping her will be a favor for my parents...

Nex:

"Nen!" Aska cried out. If Aska still had a human body, Nex knew that Aska would be sobbing at the thought of being left alone once again.
Nex glared at the man - he couldn't bring himself to call the man a monster, because then that would be accepting that the less human-looking Nex was a monster himself - with a steely gaze. Eleven years ago Nex was a coward, but now he was a very different man. Nex pushed away the sword with his tail and got to his feet. He and the man faced off.
"Every hundred years or so the dragons kidnap a human man. They call him the Ambassador. I'm this century's Ambassador. A dragon named Tieth cast a spell on me that made me like this. Aska was cursed by Tieth hundreds of years ago. Tieth says that he heard rumors that there was a princess trapped in the Castle of Blood, and when Tieth captured him she cursed him to forever be a 'knight in shining armor'." He paused. "And trust me when I say that you don't want me as your enemy. Though you may have heard that group call me Nex, my real name is Nendros. Prince Nendros of the kingdom Laetae."

Shiruba:

The man's expression hardened as he heard his opponent's words. Once again, he had failed to properly estimate the strength and abilities of his foe, though he had successes in increasing his knowledge of the battlefield as his odds of winning, which satisfied him. Namely, he discerned that, given that his opponent had gained his powers from a dragon, Shiruba would most likely not win the oncoming fight. For the millionth time in his life, he had to talk his way out of the situation and hope to be able slip away craftily if he wanted to survive. He was frustrated - he wanted, for a change, a fair fight, rather than one in which he, as powerful and as destructive as he was, was either/both hopelessly outnumbered or outgunned. However, Shiruba acknowledged the fact that he could not simply fight his opponent, and so it wouldn't be worth it to try. No, he never considered himself a coward; he felt simply that he chose the option of most rational sense, even if it seemed to others as cowardice.

"Hmm..." he began, staring between the creature (unlike his opponent, Shiruba had no qualms with calling what was in front of him a monster) and the sword that was currently being restrained by the creature's tail, which, after having brushed it's edge away from the figure, had wrapped around it. "I've never heard of that country before." He bore a distracted tone of voice as he tried to gingerly remove the sword from the figure's tail. However, whatever element of surprise he'd had earlier was now lost, and the creature was quickly able to discern what he was trying to do. The creature's grip tightened, and Shiruba, in spite of his superhuman abilities, couldn't pull the sword away. Sweat began to pour down his face and he began to stammer as he continued to speak, the effect of his words shattered by his lost nerves and lost confidence. "Well, as much as I would love to continue this chat, I must simply be going. I hope you understand."

"I don't think you're going anywhere," began and mused the creature in a tone that had a threatening edge to it. However, by then, Shiruba had given up trying to pull the sword. His instincts kicked in, whisked away and otherwise destroyed his last hopes, and he sprinted down the staircase from the top of the tower. He could hear the shouts both below and above, but he honestly didn't care anymore. All of his hope and confidence had been replaced with fear, and his fear was a reckless, ignorant one.

He dodged as his own sword flashed above his head. Shiruba yelped when he realized that the figure was pursuing him and attempting to strike him with Shiruba's sword. However, before he could react to his new development, he turned around a corner...and barreled head first into a menagerie of people. He had only enough time to remember them as the people who had tried to pursue him, but had obviously been slower than the creature and the suit of armor, before he slammed into them, and chaos ensued.

Schadel:

After being lost in the hallways for a good ten minutes, the group had managed to find the tower. Schadel finds the man facing off with Nex when he reaches the top of the stairs. Apparently the man isn't human because a fox tail is sticking out his butt. Schadel rubs his eyes when he first notices it. There's no type of creature that's supposed to look human but have animal features!...Then again, there's not supposed to be a girl with an insane murderer for a father, and creature that looks like a cross between a human and a dragon, and an empty suit of armor that isn't haunted by a ghost. So maybe it isn't the most startling thing of the day.
About a second after Schadel sees the two facing off, the man with the fox tail came barreling towards them. Schadel knows that the drop to the bottom of the tower is a long one, and will result in death or a fatal injury for Margaret and Jackie. And the cat. He grabs both of the girls by the collars of their shirt, while the cat skillfully dodges the man. Blanx, however, blocks the way down the staircase. The man tries to push past, but the Grim Reaper holds his ground.
Nex appears in the doorway, waving the katana that the man had. "Hey Aska!" It shouts into the room. "I think that we're in a little trouble!"
The armor peeks around the monster at the people gathered on the stairs.
The cat darts into the room, giving Schadel a good idea. Still grabbing them by the collars of their shirts, Schadel pushes past Nex and the armor. He leaves the startled girls in the room, and gestures for Blanx to do the same with the man. Once Blanx does so, Schadel slams the door to the room shut. "Alright, Nex, hand over that man's sword."
"I wasn't going to kill him or cut him-"
"It's a sword." Margaret interrupts. "What else could you do with it?"
Nex turns to the girl. "I would have hit him with the back of it. It would have just knocked him unconscious." It explains. "I don't like harming or killing. If you see the books that I get from the library here, they're all books on medicine." The monster fingers something in its pocket after a troubled expression crossing its face. "...I can't stand when people kill...I just don't know how they can so easily forget how valuable someone's life is."
Schadel is surprised. That's exactly his view on killing! Is this recent conversation more proof that Nex isn't a threat, and could actually be a friend? Friend... The Grim Reaper thinks. I like that idea a lot.
Claret floats next to him as he guards the door. "Okay." Schadel starts. "I say that we do some explaining. All of us. I don't know who you three are," he gestures at Nex, the armor, and the man with the fox tail, "but something just tells me that we're all on the same side."
Nex nods, along with its companion. The monster hands the sword over to him. The man finally gives a reluctant nod. Schadel snaps his fingers, and in the place of the being of darkness is the same boy from earlier - the bandaged one wearing black that watches the world with a pair of silver eyes. "I'll start." He offers. "My name is Schadel. I'm the creator and leader of Schadel's Necromancy Agency. Though most of you can't see her, my assistant Claret is floating next to me. She's a ghost. I ended up here when chasing a cat into the woods near Drey. Oh yeah. I'm a Grim Reaper who solves mysteries and helps with all things ghost-related for a living. You're next." He points at the man with the fox tail.

Shiruba:

"Me?" asked Shiruba after being questioned by the boy, who had just moments ago been the large being of darkness that had made goosebumps form on his skin. The man glared at the person who had dragged him back into the tower room as he tried to smooth his ruffled outfit before responding to the question. While doing this, which he had done on purpose, due to the fact that it gave him the opportunity to collect his thoughts before speaking, he plotted his next course of action. He was happy to have regained his katana, and even happier that the creature had expressed no clear intention to try to kill him, but he saw rather quickly that the weapon would be of no use. The boy - whom Shiruba realized had introduced himself as Schadel, a Grim Reaper - now blocked the door, and Shiruba was full well aware that if he tried to make a getaway, Schadel would turn into the being of darkness (which Shiruba suspected was his Grim Reaper form. He'd never heard the name or the concept before, but it sounded dark, and the being of darkness earlier certainly matched that description) again , and there would be no possible way for him to escape. Shiruba would most likely be repulsed. While he disagreed with the idea that he was on the same side as anybody else, too, he certainly didn't want to invoke the wrath of anybody around him, particularly given how easily he'd been apprehended.

Should I lie? he then thought to himself, after having come to terms that he would be unable to escape, regardless of whether or not he had his weapon. However, he quickly shot down this possibility, as he was not a good liar at all - Enide was much better at the art. Sighing, he realized that he had to explain himself to these strangers; he obviously had no other choice than to comply to their demands.

Composing himself, he spoke.

"My name is Shiruba Hyusei. I am the husband of Enide Hyusei, son of the now deceased Emerald Hyusei, and grandson of Yasuko Hyusei, Lord and King of the kingdom known to the people of the world of Fayne as the Pillar of the East. I am a member of the royal family of, as it is called by the commoners, the House of Foxes. I haven't the slightest clue how I ended up in this forest and this castle; I only remember a peaceful day interrupted by a bright light, at which point I was knocked out. Finally, I am not a human in the slightest; I can take a human form, and will often do so, but my true form is...something else entirely."

"And what about you?" he inquired, pointing with his blade at every other person in the room whom he was already not acquainted with. "Who are you?"

"What are your stories?"

Nendros:

Nendros was about to answer Shiruba's question, but the purple-haired man beat him to it. "My name is Blanx. I'm the owner of Blanx's Magic Shop. Like Schadel, I'm a Grim Reaper. I've known Schadel since he was only ten - and he is more than a thousand years olds. Because of that, many Grim Reapers call him my little brother."
Schadel looked away. Nendros guessed that the younger of the Grim Reapers was embarrassed from being called that.
"I didn't realize that you were also royalty." Nendros started, staring at Shiruba. "Don't answer it now, since we have all these introductions to get over with, but would you rule for yourself or your people?"
He turned to the rest of the group and gave a forced grin. "My name is Nendros. I'm the prince of the kingdom of Laetae, and a little less than a year ago I was kidnapped by a dragon named Tieth. She brought me here. A magical spell cast by her made me look like this. The reason Tieth did so was because I've been chosen (with no say in the matter) to become the Dragon-Human Ambassador. I believe that killing is wrong, and I treasure the life of others. I've been studying medicine from books since I was fourteen. I recently turned twenty-five. You're up, Aska. Oh, almost forgot. You can call me Nendros. No need for all the prince nonsense. Or you could even call me Nen like Aska does."
His friend shook in surprise. When he finally spoke, Aska spoke quietly. "My name is Aska. I don't know who I am besides that. Tieth turned me into a suit of armor more than four hundred years ago. She says that I broke in her and tried to rescue the princess that I had heard resided in here. So now I'm forever the 'knight in shining armor'...Nendros is the first Ambassador to treat me like an actual person...He's the first prince to actually be kind..."
"You are a person, Aska. No matter what anyone says, you're as human as I am." After he comforted his best friend, he pointed at the girl with no scars on her face. "Your turn."

@LadyEvvy

Sakura

I tore through the woods, this all felt strangely familiar, like I'd seen it before I was whole. The air was fresh, and it didn't smell of goblins, which were indesputibly the foulest creatures I had ever seen. I didn't smell anything good either, but something smelled quite interesting, and now I was tracking it. I'd never smelled it before, and I was especially curious. Whatever it was, it left temperature distortions in it's tracks, places that were slightly colder than the rest of the forest. When I found a bunch of skeletons, I was simultaneously intrigued and frightened. I withdrew my wand from my pocket, holding it in front of me like a shield.

The wind whispered in my ear. It seemed excited about something, I sighed.

"Do you even know the way out of here?"

"That's too far for you to walk silly! But there's an interesting castle further in, I detect large masses magical energy there!"

I was now vastly interested. "Enough to produce a Sorcerer?"

"Maybe!"

I was as excited as the wind was now. "When is the next time that a Magical Being would be possible?"

It was a while before the reply. "A week maybe? But we'd have to know if the castle was old enough to channel that magic."

I smiled. "I could be a mentor! I never had a mentor myself but I could help collect the wand!"

The wind had calmed down a bit now, and now I was the excited one. "Don't get your hopes up yet, we don't know if that magical energy is already being channeled."

"Well, at least there's hope for another Sorceress, I did always wish that I wasn't the last of them!" I now ran forward.

"The castle's the other way nitwit." The wind told me, I instantly changed direction and headed for the castle.

Once inside, I heard other people. I smelt several scents I had never smelled before, including the scent I had tracked to the skeletons. I heard a skirmish going on in another room, and disguised myself. I had a feeling that most of them at least may have enough morals not to attack a little girl. Wait... Were they introducing themselves now? I was very confused, but I listened, waited until they were all introduced.

Jackie ?

I slowly back out of the castle, as soon as I was out of their sight, I ran as fast as I could.

I tripped over a tripwire. And heard a familiar voice.

"Hello Jackie. You know, I never got that date that you promised."

I looked up . . . It was Sorros Nolen. . .

He saved me from insanity, yet he was so overly obsessed with me after I kissed him. I promised him a date, but never fulfilled that promise.

"YOU STUCK A FRIKIN TRACKER IN MY ANKLE!"

"No need to yell. Just follow me, or good night for um . . . 3 hours exactly."

I screamed, he quickly clasped his hand on my mouth. And stuck something in me . . .

Sakura

I heard someone yell outside, I groaned as I ran towards the sound. Most people with half a brain would run away from a scream, but eh, I was a sorceress. I wasn't most people. I was still in my little girl disguise when I reached the point, and someone was sticking something in this girl's back.

"W-What are y-you d-d-doing?" I asked, attempting to act as innocent as I could. I held my wand close to my chest, whatever happened next, I must not deplete any of the magical reserves this place held.

If this guy did something out of line I'd have to take him out the old-fashioned way, by hand. And that was more probably lethal than a magic fight, so I sincerely hoped that he didn't step out of line.

Luki

That night we had stew and fresh, baked bread. The boy seemed to be staring off into space, poking sadly at the bowl while I gobbled it down. We've had stew for the past days, with a different side dish every time. Back at the shoppe, it was always something different like soft meat patties with a leafy salad or array of cheese on platters and some cookies. I chewed thoughtfully as the boy rose abruptly. He seemed to be flushed, gripping the bowl and staring down at his feet. I was going to question if he was alright, but the feeling passed. I continued eating not minding the boy, and stared into the fire. The heat from the fire died down, along with my hunger. I set my bowl on the table while the boy had walked off into the kitchen. I heard grunts and whines coming from that area. Pulling my knees to my face, I could drown out the sounds.
It was tense between the boy and I. Barely even knew his name, along with where he came from. I wondered that maybe as the winter was over and I could possibly go back home, the more I could understand how he was. No, I wasn't in love. No, I wasn't going to like the boy- I just wanted to be his friend.

He returned shortly later, his face red and sweat beading around his forehead.

"You have to go to bed."

I looked up at him, abruptly. "Where am I supposed to sleep?"

The boy pointed to the couch I was sitting on. It wasn't the most comfortable place to sleep at- I slept on it for the past five days, and didn't complain. I wanted to be treated nicely- I wanted to sleep in a real bed.

"Its not nice."

"A bed's a bed. Don't complain."

"Where are you sleeping at, then?"

"That is none of your business," the boy stated firmly. He walked through a door behind me, before returning with pillows and blankets. "Here." I took them, gratified but disgusted.

"For once, I want to sleep on a king sized bed."

"Imagine this couch as a king sized bed, and go to sleep. Please." I groaned, adjusting the pillows and blankets so I could sleep without waking up with a hurting neck. The last thing I remember before falling asleep, was the boy heading out the back door outside.

Jackie ?

My eyes were slowly closing when I heard a innocent voice, I wanted to move to punch him, But according to him, that would happen in 3 hours. I drift off . . .

Sakura

I stepped towards the girl cautiously. From the smell of her she was human, and I was fairly sure the other one was human as well. Well, whatever he did he didn't kill her, she was still breathing.

"W-What w-was ththat thing?" I asked.

Schadel:

Upon realizing that Jackie had left the tower during their conversation, he rushes to the exit. "Jackie-"
"The teenage girl with the scars on the edges of her mouth that create a smile," Blanx helpfully interjects.
"Jackie's gone." To Shiruba, Nendros, and Aska, Schadel knows that means nothing. But to the rest of the group, they understand the problems with her disappearance. Without their protection, what is she supposed to do if her father tries to take her away again?
"Her father is an insane murderer," Margaret explains. "He tried kidnapping her by force earlier."
Nendros runs to the door. "Then why are we all just waiting in here?" he questions. "I know that I don't want to be feeling guilty about another life that I could have saved."
"Are you coming?" Schadel questions Shiruba. Part of him would like to think that Shiruba would follow them out of the kindness of his heart. He doubts it. He'll probably leave the first chance that he gets. But there's always the chance that people won't act the way that you expect them to. A seemingly cold person could secretly possess a heart of gold.