1
Crimson Flag Comic / Re: Comic 375
« on: July 06, 2016, 12:51:55 PM »
Is Alastair wearing... a bandana? That is a bit of a casual look for someone of his station. Then again, surrounded by minions he controls, what do look matter.
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2
Random Topics / Re: Virmir (Mis)-Pronunciation Statistics
« on: July 06, 2016, 12:49:11 PM »
Ah, I see. A motto of theirs is "Equipped To Do More." Are you equipped to do more, Virmir? *chuckles*
3
Random Topics / Re: Virmir (Mis)-Pronunciation Statistics
« on: June 28, 2016, 10:33:15 AM »
I always pronounced Virmir as "Vur-Mire". Like how the planet Virmire in Mass Effect is pronounced.
Where did you come up with the name, anyway? Does it have a specific meaning to you, Virmir?
Where did you come up with the name, anyway? Does it have a specific meaning to you, Virmir?
4
Random Topics / Re: Weird Dreams
« on: February 05, 2016, 09:20:41 AM »
I had a weird dream several days ago about Virmir.
I was taking a holiday at some seaside resort and I was staying in my uncles villa. I decided after unpacking to do some tourist-y stuff so I went out to the resort and happened upon a hotel. The hotel was strange, it bore into the rock of a great cliff, and it had its entrance at its base. There, I saw a group of strange people entering the hotel, and so I decided to follow them. After a time, I discovered that they were actual real mages with real magical powers, and I thought this to be my one and only golden opportunity to learn real magic; so I approached them and attempted to befriend them.
However, the mages were currently dealing with a problem. Someone was hunting them down, taking them out one by one, and they were understandably suspicious of me, but I persevered in getting close to them. The mages tried to get rid of their hunter, however. They, at one point, managed to capture the essence of their hunter, and they, with it, created a spectre of their hunter; which would be used to hunt down their hunter in turn. It didn't work, of course. Eventually, only one of the mages were left, the others had either decided to face this hunter once and for all or were already gone, but the last mage believed that they too would soon be next. He decided that I was to return to their base and deliver word regarding what was going on at the hotel. He thought that I would be able to return because I was not one of the original mages of this group, and that I would be able to get back to their base while their hunter was busy eliminating the last of them. The mage gave me a teleportation device, and he told me that this was the only way to find their base.
Unfortunately, the hunter burst into the room at that moment, and the hunter turned out to be Virmir. Virmir matched right up to the mage, grabbed hold of him, and used some sort of magic to change one of his own eyes green and the other red. As Virmir stared down at him, the mage simply froze and started having spasms while his voice crackled like he was choking; it was horrible. When Virmir entered the room, he threw to me something resembling a teapot, and, moving along its surface, was a small grey dot. As I stared at it, the dot grew into an eye, and I knew that Virmir had somewhat captured his spectre in this teapot. I quickly looked away and threw it from me before its magic could be used on me. While Virmir was busy with the mage, I seized upon that moment to snatch the device from Virmir, and I made a hasty exit through the window. Luckily, we where on the ground floor, and the window opened out onto a beach.
I ran as fast as I could to get away from Virmir, panic-stricken as I tried desperately to activate the device as I could hear Virmir chasing me, and, just at that moment when it started to work, Virmir leapt and grabbed hold of me, and he was pulled through the teleportation portal with me onto the other side. We found ourselves on another beach, and Virmir let go of me at that point. I kept running, catching site of the base, which was a huge facility that stood tall out of the sea close to a vegetation-covered cliff overlooking the beach, and it looked like a modified oil rig. I knew instantly that this facility was the mages base, and I knew I had to get to it before Virmir could. On the beach, somewhat near the cliff, were a group of three mages. I ran to them and shouted, "Virmir it here! Quickly, kill him while you have the chance!"
Of course, Virmir was not far behind me, and be dispatched the mages quickly and efficiently. They were no match for him, and he was damn fast when he needed to be.
That is all I can remember, and I think I woke up after that. I don't know whether Virmir killed me or did something to be like he did the mage in the hotel room, but I don't think his attacks, or indeed the mages attacks, 'kill' anyone at all but rather... banish them, perhaps? I guess it doesn't matter.
Ultimately, I failed in my mission and I never got to learn magic. I don't know for sure if I knew it was Virmir that was hunting us, I may have seen the spectre that the mages made before they released it to hunt down Virmir, and I may have recognised him then. I cannot say. But, yeah, weird dream, and I was honestly disappointed that it ended so abruptly.
ADDED: Oh! I just remembered something. After Virmir dealt with the three mages right at the end of the dream, I turned to him and shouted, "Why are you doing this to me! You have ruined everything!" And then I woke up. By that, I assume I mean that I never did come to learn magic since that is something that I really wanted, and he ruined that opportunity for me. Damn you, Virmir!
I was taking a holiday at some seaside resort and I was staying in my uncles villa. I decided after unpacking to do some tourist-y stuff so I went out to the resort and happened upon a hotel. The hotel was strange, it bore into the rock of a great cliff, and it had its entrance at its base. There, I saw a group of strange people entering the hotel, and so I decided to follow them. After a time, I discovered that they were actual real mages with real magical powers, and I thought this to be my one and only golden opportunity to learn real magic; so I approached them and attempted to befriend them.
However, the mages were currently dealing with a problem. Someone was hunting them down, taking them out one by one, and they were understandably suspicious of me, but I persevered in getting close to them. The mages tried to get rid of their hunter, however. They, at one point, managed to capture the essence of their hunter, and they, with it, created a spectre of their hunter; which would be used to hunt down their hunter in turn. It didn't work, of course. Eventually, only one of the mages were left, the others had either decided to face this hunter once and for all or were already gone, but the last mage believed that they too would soon be next. He decided that I was to return to their base and deliver word regarding what was going on at the hotel. He thought that I would be able to return because I was not one of the original mages of this group, and that I would be able to get back to their base while their hunter was busy eliminating the last of them. The mage gave me a teleportation device, and he told me that this was the only way to find their base.
Unfortunately, the hunter burst into the room at that moment, and the hunter turned out to be Virmir. Virmir matched right up to the mage, grabbed hold of him, and used some sort of magic to change one of his own eyes green and the other red. As Virmir stared down at him, the mage simply froze and started having spasms while his voice crackled like he was choking; it was horrible. When Virmir entered the room, he threw to me something resembling a teapot, and, moving along its surface, was a small grey dot. As I stared at it, the dot grew into an eye, and I knew that Virmir had somewhat captured his spectre in this teapot. I quickly looked away and threw it from me before its magic could be used on me. While Virmir was busy with the mage, I seized upon that moment to snatch the device from Virmir, and I made a hasty exit through the window. Luckily, we where on the ground floor, and the window opened out onto a beach.
I ran as fast as I could to get away from Virmir, panic-stricken as I tried desperately to activate the device as I could hear Virmir chasing me, and, just at that moment when it started to work, Virmir leapt and grabbed hold of me, and he was pulled through the teleportation portal with me onto the other side. We found ourselves on another beach, and Virmir let go of me at that point. I kept running, catching site of the base, which was a huge facility that stood tall out of the sea close to a vegetation-covered cliff overlooking the beach, and it looked like a modified oil rig. I knew instantly that this facility was the mages base, and I knew I had to get to it before Virmir could. On the beach, somewhat near the cliff, were a group of three mages. I ran to them and shouted, "Virmir it here! Quickly, kill him while you have the chance!"
Of course, Virmir was not far behind me, and be dispatched the mages quickly and efficiently. They were no match for him, and he was damn fast when he needed to be.
That is all I can remember, and I think I woke up after that. I don't know whether Virmir killed me or did something to be like he did the mage in the hotel room, but I don't think his attacks, or indeed the mages attacks, 'kill' anyone at all but rather... banish them, perhaps? I guess it doesn't matter.
Ultimately, I failed in my mission and I never got to learn magic. I don't know for sure if I knew it was Virmir that was hunting us, I may have seen the spectre that the mages made before they released it to hunt down Virmir, and I may have recognised him then. I cannot say. But, yeah, weird dream, and I was honestly disappointed that it ended so abruptly.
ADDED: Oh! I just remembered something. After Virmir dealt with the three mages right at the end of the dream, I turned to him and shouted, "Why are you doing this to me! You have ruined everything!" And then I woke up. By that, I assume I mean that I never did come to learn magic since that is something that I really wanted, and he ruined that opportunity for me. Damn you, Virmir!
5
Crimson Flag Comic / Re: Comic 352
« on: January 23, 2016, 02:25:28 PM »
Shake hands with Lucian at your own risk.
6
Writer's Guild / Re: Other Worlds
« on: January 08, 2016, 03:21:21 PM »
Hey, wrote two chapters in one day. I am on a roll! Hope you enjoy. 
Chapter One - A Unnerving Awakening
“KADEN” A haunting and mysterious voice cried out in the echoing darkness, one that sounded like that of a woman, but this was not my Sandra. “KADEN, WAKE UP.”
Suddenly, I felt strange all over. My body seemed... paralysed, like I was no longer in control, and the darkness that surrounded me seemed to stretch into an endless expanse.
“KADEN.” The voiced called back again, “YOU HAVE TO WAKE UP, KADEN.”
I tried to open my eyes, but I couldn’t. I tried to call out in response, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t seem to do anything at all. However, something within me held the resolve to fight this, whatever it was, and that resolve boiled up within me every time I heard that voice.
“KADEN, WAKE UP ALREADY!” She shouted again, but this time the echoing voice filled the emptiness with a dominance like I never felt before, and the darkness rippled like water against this voices echoing.
I suddenly began to feel warm, my senses started to return, and I could feel my limbs coming back under my control again. I continued to fight against this... Apathy, for lack of a better word, I fought and I pushed, and finally, like taking breath after being held underwater for a time, I sprung through the darkness and shattered its hold over me in a release of sheer relief and life.
And then I awoke.
Opening my eyes, I came to find a strange fur-covered creature hanging over me, one that had pointed ears and a muzzled face like that of a dog or fox, yet, despite this... thing being entirely alien to me, she seemed oddly... familiar for some reason. My body still felt numb, however; I could not move or speak a word and my hearing was little more than low muffled humming broken only by this woman’s voice; but I seemed to have communicated something since her initiate expression of relief was quickly clouded with a sense of horror.
“Kaden, you are finally awake.” She said to me, “Remain calm and we will have you out of here shortly.”
As my hearing slowly came back to me, the low ruffled humming of the background noise cleared to reveal that something was happening somewhere in this room beyond my view, sounds of grunting and scuffles telling me that there was something of a battle happening in here.
“Kaden, try not to move just yet.” The woman tells me, “You will soon regain sensation with the rest of your body, and you should be able to move. Try to ignore your surroundings and just focus on me.”
Focus on her?! Is she crazy?! People are fighting in here while I lie helpless on the floor, and she tells me to focus on her and her alone. Looking at her, though, she is unlike anything I have ever seen before, covered in blue fur while dressed in clothing presenting as robes of some sort, almost like what I used to dream up at the game company.
And, as that thought entered my mind, I drew suddenly cold. Sandra, Kyle, Carly, and everything else in my life. Where is it?! Where are they?! And how did I end up here?! What is happening to me?!
“Kaden, calm down.” The woman shouted at me, “Don’t panic. Everything will be fine. Just stay calm.”
How can I stay calm?! I am with a person who should logically be impossible to be in the presence of and everything I knew has seemingly vanished. I want to go back! I want to be to Sandra! I want to go back to my kids! I want to go back to the real world! I want to go back NOW!
“Oh, no you don’t.” the women thought aloud, “After all the hell we went through to find you and wake you up, I am not letting you slip away again, no matter what.”
Then I saw a greater impossibility than the being hanging over me. She stood up, revealing to me that she also had animal like limbs, hands, and feet, and she held her hand out, if you can really call it a hand, and strange blue energy appeared from nowhere and bloated in her palm hovering over me.
“I am not letting you sleep again, Kaden.” She told me, “Not ever again.” Then the creature waved her hand and the energy shot down, enveloping me, before I was jolted up with an unbelievable sense of vitality. I had suddenly regained command of my body, and everything in the world came into focus all at once. As I gingerly picked myself up, I came to find where the battle was taking place, and who was fighting it.
Over off some twenty feet away from me, two other creatures like this woman were fighting some grotesque monster akin to some of the villainous demons in the games I made, and I could even hear them speak as clearly as I did hear my attendant.
“Katelyn.” One called over, “Get Kaden out of here. Now.”
“NO!” A monstrous howl rang through the cuddling remains of this ancient-looking room, “I WILL NOT SURRENDER MY MEAL; NO MATTER WHO TRIES TO STEAL IT!”
The monster swung out one of its scaly, clawed arms out to swipe one of the two creatures, but the other threw itself in front of the monster with a metal shield, and the claw sank straight into the metal forcing the holder to abandon it.
“Go. Now.” The former shield-bearer ordered, “Everyone. Out. Now.”
Suddenly, I was grabbed by the woman and forced to start running with her, all the while maintaining a vice-like grip on my arm, and the other two followed us while being chased by that monster. It was not long, however, that I was led to the outdoors and we cleared the building only to be met with the stunning, if terrifying, scenery unlike anything I had ever seen before just beyond a very long drop off a cliff.
All I could do was stop myself was plummeting off the cliff while the two male-characterised creatures took hold of me suddenly, and pulled me down to the ground with a hard landing. The woman, however, was behind me; as was our foe.
As I turned to look at what was happening, I saw the woman standing in front of the entrance and raising her hand up to the stone of the ceiling and, just before the monster could reach her, the ceiling instantaneously slammed down on top of it, killing the villain within a fraction of a second.
Calm suddenly descended, no one moved or said anything for a moment, simply staring at the wall of stone and the one loose hand that managed to escape that lay on the floor, twitching slightly. Then, the woman swooped down and took the hand, still twitching, and then turned to stare down on me.
She came marching pasted the other two and stood right in front of me before she yelled with passion, “What the hell do you think you were doing in there?!”
“Do you have any idea how unbelievably reckless and stupid it is to face a being as powerful as that alone?!” She roared, “This is way over the line, Kaden! You have disappointed me and our Guild on a scale unprecedented in our Guild’s history, and, once we return, you will be paying the ultimate price for your disgraceful foolishness.”
I did not say a word. I was speechless, in more ways than one, but this woman’s words bit deep down into me, for some reason, and I knew not to say a word almost with instinct. As I lowered my head, looking to the grassy ground beneath her, the woman turned from me and said to the other two, “Grab him. Be sure he does not slip away. And there is no need to be gentle.”
These two other creatures walked up to me, and this time I could get a good look at them. One was a knight wearing brilliantly silver full-body armour, and the other was a roguish type with leather armour and a black hood that hung over his head. Both of them were male, and both had the same strange animal-like characteristics; fur, pointed ears, nose with muzzle, and hands and feet like that of an animal. The knight had red fur and the rogue had black fur.
They both took hold of one arm each, roughly pulled me up to my feet, and they locked my hands behind my back before binding them tightly together. This woman told them not to be gentle, and they certainly weren’t. They then took my arms again, one each so they both flanked me on both sides, and we started to march onward with the woman, Katelyn I think her name is, leading.
At this moment, I looked out to my left and took in the truly breathtaking view before me. It was quite unlike anything I had ever seen, in the distance stood mountains that stretched higher into the atmosphere than where we were, and, just before them, was a deep and startling drop that fell into a great chasm that held a huge valley filled with rolling meadows and forests and even signs of civilisation. If you look closely, you can see rivers and streams that fall from the mountains and down into bodies of water, much like lakes, that then snake off into rivers and streams that break up the landscape below. Truly stunning, but also truly alien.
Then I glance at my captors, for now I am surely their prisoner, and I wonder what these creatures are and, far more importantly to me, what they could possibly want with me. Despite this being a shocking experience, I was still somewhat convinced that this was something of a dream, a truly real and vivid dream, but this must surely be a dream, right?
When I look down to my own body, I am shocked to find that I seem to have been given my own furry, animal-like body as well. Though, it did not feel any different from what I remember, I still felt myself despite this revelation, and it seems that I too wear robes similar to that of the woman.
I look towards the woman leading us down from this plateau, from what I can gather, and I call out toward her, “E-excuse me, miss?”
“Daniel, Jacob.” She storms, “Keep our ‘friend’ quiet, will you?”
“Shut up, Kaden.” The one on the right barked at me, “We don’t want to hurt you, but we will if we have to.”
“I just wanted to know-” I began, but, before I could finish, I felt a sharp pain at the back of my head before everything suddenly went black.
*Feel free to comment*
Chapter One - A Unnerving Awakening
“KADEN” A haunting and mysterious voice cried out in the echoing darkness, one that sounded like that of a woman, but this was not my Sandra. “KADEN, WAKE UP.”
Suddenly, I felt strange all over. My body seemed... paralysed, like I was no longer in control, and the darkness that surrounded me seemed to stretch into an endless expanse.
“KADEN.” The voiced called back again, “YOU HAVE TO WAKE UP, KADEN.”
I tried to open my eyes, but I couldn’t. I tried to call out in response, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t seem to do anything at all. However, something within me held the resolve to fight this, whatever it was, and that resolve boiled up within me every time I heard that voice.
“KADEN, WAKE UP ALREADY!” She shouted again, but this time the echoing voice filled the emptiness with a dominance like I never felt before, and the darkness rippled like water against this voices echoing.
I suddenly began to feel warm, my senses started to return, and I could feel my limbs coming back under my control again. I continued to fight against this... Apathy, for lack of a better word, I fought and I pushed, and finally, like taking breath after being held underwater for a time, I sprung through the darkness and shattered its hold over me in a release of sheer relief and life.
And then I awoke.
Opening my eyes, I came to find a strange fur-covered creature hanging over me, one that had pointed ears and a muzzled face like that of a dog or fox, yet, despite this... thing being entirely alien to me, she seemed oddly... familiar for some reason. My body still felt numb, however; I could not move or speak a word and my hearing was little more than low muffled humming broken only by this woman’s voice; but I seemed to have communicated something since her initiate expression of relief was quickly clouded with a sense of horror.
“Kaden, you are finally awake.” She said to me, “Remain calm and we will have you out of here shortly.”
As my hearing slowly came back to me, the low ruffled humming of the background noise cleared to reveal that something was happening somewhere in this room beyond my view, sounds of grunting and scuffles telling me that there was something of a battle happening in here.
“Kaden, try not to move just yet.” The woman tells me, “You will soon regain sensation with the rest of your body, and you should be able to move. Try to ignore your surroundings and just focus on me.”
Focus on her?! Is she crazy?! People are fighting in here while I lie helpless on the floor, and she tells me to focus on her and her alone. Looking at her, though, she is unlike anything I have ever seen before, covered in blue fur while dressed in clothing presenting as robes of some sort, almost like what I used to dream up at the game company.
And, as that thought entered my mind, I drew suddenly cold. Sandra, Kyle, Carly, and everything else in my life. Where is it?! Where are they?! And how did I end up here?! What is happening to me?!
“Kaden, calm down.” The woman shouted at me, “Don’t panic. Everything will be fine. Just stay calm.”
How can I stay calm?! I am with a person who should logically be impossible to be in the presence of and everything I knew has seemingly vanished. I want to go back! I want to be to Sandra! I want to go back to my kids! I want to go back to the real world! I want to go back NOW!
“Oh, no you don’t.” the women thought aloud, “After all the hell we went through to find you and wake you up, I am not letting you slip away again, no matter what.”
Then I saw a greater impossibility than the being hanging over me. She stood up, revealing to me that she also had animal like limbs, hands, and feet, and she held her hand out, if you can really call it a hand, and strange blue energy appeared from nowhere and bloated in her palm hovering over me.
“I am not letting you sleep again, Kaden.” She told me, “Not ever again.” Then the creature waved her hand and the energy shot down, enveloping me, before I was jolted up with an unbelievable sense of vitality. I had suddenly regained command of my body, and everything in the world came into focus all at once. As I gingerly picked myself up, I came to find where the battle was taking place, and who was fighting it.
Over off some twenty feet away from me, two other creatures like this woman were fighting some grotesque monster akin to some of the villainous demons in the games I made, and I could even hear them speak as clearly as I did hear my attendant.
“Katelyn.” One called over, “Get Kaden out of here. Now.”
“NO!” A monstrous howl rang through the cuddling remains of this ancient-looking room, “I WILL NOT SURRENDER MY MEAL; NO MATTER WHO TRIES TO STEAL IT!”
The monster swung out one of its scaly, clawed arms out to swipe one of the two creatures, but the other threw itself in front of the monster with a metal shield, and the claw sank straight into the metal forcing the holder to abandon it.
“Go. Now.” The former shield-bearer ordered, “Everyone. Out. Now.”
Suddenly, I was grabbed by the woman and forced to start running with her, all the while maintaining a vice-like grip on my arm, and the other two followed us while being chased by that monster. It was not long, however, that I was led to the outdoors and we cleared the building only to be met with the stunning, if terrifying, scenery unlike anything I had ever seen before just beyond a very long drop off a cliff.
All I could do was stop myself was plummeting off the cliff while the two male-characterised creatures took hold of me suddenly, and pulled me down to the ground with a hard landing. The woman, however, was behind me; as was our foe.
As I turned to look at what was happening, I saw the woman standing in front of the entrance and raising her hand up to the stone of the ceiling and, just before the monster could reach her, the ceiling instantaneously slammed down on top of it, killing the villain within a fraction of a second.
Calm suddenly descended, no one moved or said anything for a moment, simply staring at the wall of stone and the one loose hand that managed to escape that lay on the floor, twitching slightly. Then, the woman swooped down and took the hand, still twitching, and then turned to stare down on me.
She came marching pasted the other two and stood right in front of me before she yelled with passion, “What the hell do you think you were doing in there?!”
“Do you have any idea how unbelievably reckless and stupid it is to face a being as powerful as that alone?!” She roared, “This is way over the line, Kaden! You have disappointed me and our Guild on a scale unprecedented in our Guild’s history, and, once we return, you will be paying the ultimate price for your disgraceful foolishness.”
I did not say a word. I was speechless, in more ways than one, but this woman’s words bit deep down into me, for some reason, and I knew not to say a word almost with instinct. As I lowered my head, looking to the grassy ground beneath her, the woman turned from me and said to the other two, “Grab him. Be sure he does not slip away. And there is no need to be gentle.”
These two other creatures walked up to me, and this time I could get a good look at them. One was a knight wearing brilliantly silver full-body armour, and the other was a roguish type with leather armour and a black hood that hung over his head. Both of them were male, and both had the same strange animal-like characteristics; fur, pointed ears, nose with muzzle, and hands and feet like that of an animal. The knight had red fur and the rogue had black fur.
They both took hold of one arm each, roughly pulled me up to my feet, and they locked my hands behind my back before binding them tightly together. This woman told them not to be gentle, and they certainly weren’t. They then took my arms again, one each so they both flanked me on both sides, and we started to march onward with the woman, Katelyn I think her name is, leading.
At this moment, I looked out to my left and took in the truly breathtaking view before me. It was quite unlike anything I had ever seen, in the distance stood mountains that stretched higher into the atmosphere than where we were, and, just before them, was a deep and startling drop that fell into a great chasm that held a huge valley filled with rolling meadows and forests and even signs of civilisation. If you look closely, you can see rivers and streams that fall from the mountains and down into bodies of water, much like lakes, that then snake off into rivers and streams that break up the landscape below. Truly stunning, but also truly alien.
Then I glance at my captors, for now I am surely their prisoner, and I wonder what these creatures are and, far more importantly to me, what they could possibly want with me. Despite this being a shocking experience, I was still somewhat convinced that this was something of a dream, a truly real and vivid dream, but this must surely be a dream, right?
When I look down to my own body, I am shocked to find that I seem to have been given my own furry, animal-like body as well. Though, it did not feel any different from what I remember, I still felt myself despite this revelation, and it seems that I too wear robes similar to that of the woman.
I look towards the woman leading us down from this plateau, from what I can gather, and I call out toward her, “E-excuse me, miss?”
“Daniel, Jacob.” She storms, “Keep our ‘friend’ quiet, will you?”
“Shut up, Kaden.” The one on the right barked at me, “We don’t want to hurt you, but we will if we have to.”
“I just wanted to know-” I began, but, before I could finish, I felt a sharp pain at the back of my head before everything suddenly went black.
*Feel free to comment*
7
Writer's Guild / Other Worlds
« on: January 08, 2016, 01:01:18 PM »
It has been a good long time since I last wrote anything, but the mood struck today and I managed to write out this chapter for a new story. This is something I have had a mind to write for a while, but had trouble finding a place to start. Hopefully I can keep this project up, unlike my other stories on here, and perhaps even complete this one. Hope you enjoy.
Prologue - Perfect Life
Returning home after a hard days work in the office, driving away from the heat and stress of the polluted city and into the calming and idyllic tree-laden neighbourhoods of the suburbs, and finally pulling up into my driveway that still remains strewn with leaves from the recently passed autumn; there was only one thing on my mind.
Life IS good. I had a good job, a nice home, a loving wife, and two bright children. My home was modest, but both Sandra and I worked hard to turn this once dilapidated house into a warm and comforting home, and, as I sit here in the car and swim in my memories of our life together, I feel the pride and fulfillment that only comes with years of effort and sacrifice.
I lock the breaks into place, I switch off the engine, and I pull myself from the car before I catch a glimpse of Sandra watching out for me coming home. I could see her giving me her gleaming smile through the curtains of the living room before she turned to announce my arrival home to the kids.
Before I even managed to take two steps away from the car, the front door to the house bursts open and my son and daughter rush out, and they run up to me in the excitement that they always engender when I return home.
“DADDY!” a little voice cried out, “Your home!”
As always, Carly is always the first to reach me, my darling and sweet baby girl, still just a small toddler at the age of three. Just as she reaches me, I bend down, steal her into my arms, pick her up while spinning her loosely around me in my arms, and I gently settle her down in front of me before giving her a big hug. She always enjoys this little routine.
“I missed you, daddy.” She tells me.
“I missed you too, sweetheart.” I reply.
Next, Kyle steps up, though he is a bit older and likes to think himself as a man now. He has grown up so fast, now at ten years old he has taken up jobs in the neighbourhood doing simple gardening work and helping old Mrs Hayle a few blocks away, and he has even set his sights on driving my car. Even though he is older now, he is still a good kid, and he still enjoys my company even if it is only for laser tag and video games more than catch or football like when he was younger. Not that I can complain, though.
“Hi, Dad.” Kyle greets me, “How was work?”
“A minefield, as always.” I smile down on him, “But, I had a word with my boss, as I promised, and he told me that I could let you test out our latest game, and you can even write a review for it if you like.”
“Really!?” His eyes lit up in sheer amazement, “You really mean it?!”
“Yeah, I told him how you kept the last game you played with me last winter a secret, and he is willing to trust me to trust you.” I explain while lowering the tone to be stern with him, “Don’t abuse that trust, son.”
“I won’t, dad.” He vowed, “I promise.”
Kyle and I enjoy our games together. It took me years to get into the video games business, especially since my parents couldn’t afford to have me sent off to university while some of the other kids, and I simply had to work my way up one small step at a time to get to where I am now. I am a games developer, the best and most enjoyable job I have ever had, and I can even bring some games home with me to test out. Kyle likes nothing more than to always pick my brains about my job, and the projects I work on, if only to get his hands on the new games when they release. I am really proud of how far I have come in the last 12 years.
Sandra has always been supportive of me when it came to what I wanted to do with my life. She and I met online, strange enough as it sounds, and we simply hit it off. Though we have different jobs and hold different interests, we have always managed to reconcile our differences and enjoyed our time together, so much so that when she first told me that she was pregnant that I knew what we had was and remains to be the real thing.
And, speaking of my beloved, she walked out into the front yard, standing by the door, and looks over to us saying, “Dinner is on the table, darlings, so come and get it while its hot.”
“Right, mom.” They both rang in unison and scarpered off into the house. As I approached the door and my wife, she spread her arms out and I slid inbetween them, greeting her with a hug and a miss. Even after all these years, she still brews a passion within me, and one that will never die out.
“Am I glad you are home, honey.” Sandra tells me as she slides her arms up around my neck, “Since it will be our anniversary in a few days, I have arranged for my mother to take the kids during the weekend so we can spend some... quality time together.”
“I like the sound of that.” I smile while I wrap my arms around her waist, pulling her into a deeper embrace, “And, with the kids away, maybe we can relive some of those days back when we first met.”
“Oh, yes.” She pondered, “I liked our first date. Remember, when you took me out to Kenworth Heights and pointed out the constellations, and I accidentally fell asleep in your arms while we lay on the bonnet of your old car.”
“Yeah.” I reminisced, “I wrapped my jacket round you and kept you close so you wouldn’t get cold, and I lay there with you for hours waiting for you to wake up.”
“I also remember you bought me a burger and fries at a greasy fast food restaurant, and barely had the petrol to get us to Kenworth Heights and back.” Sandra reminded me, “But I didn’t care so much, you spent what little money you had on me back then, and you did so when you could hardily afford it.”
Yeah, that’s right. I had a bad job with terrible wages back then, and money was always a struggle. I put off our first date for a month to scrape together enough for that date, and, though I was rather ashamed that I could only afford to give her that kind of date, she still enjoyed herself despite it, and she did accept my invitation for another date. Sandra was rather well-kept during her upbringing, living a luxurious life with fancy schools and wealthy friends, and yet someone like her married a penniless street kid like me. Who would have thought it.
Her parents didn’t like me at first, they thought I was a waste of space taking advantage of their daughter, but they got to like me after a while, particularly when I finally got my break in life at the game company, and they liked me all the more once my salary tripled six years ago. It was hard for them to admit they were wrong about me, but they did in the end and they quite like me now.
“Come on, Kaden.” Sandra pulled away from me and took hold of my hand, “Time for dinner, and perhaps afterwards we could enjoy a quiet Friday night in front of the TV.”
Once again, Sandra gave me her smile, one so warm and so loving, and the one that I fell for when I first met her.
We decided to meet each other before we went on our first date together, and we met at the town centre in the middle of a busy Saturday. I was 22 years old back then, still a greasy and weedy teenager to onlookers, and I was nervous as hell to meet Sandra for the first time.
You never know what you might get when you meet someone online. All sorts of things go through your mind, from horror shows to romantic parables, which does not help with the first-meet jitters. Though, when I turned round to be met with the vision of Sandra standing just behind me, almost slamming straight into her as she found me and approached me from behind, and that was when I first saw her smile. Though, it was of a nervous and uncertain disposition back then, but I still knew how pure it would become.
She was just as nervous as me, especially given she had not done this sort of thing before, but she held it together better than I did. After we exchanged our real names and made the usual greetings, we simply walked around the town and told each other things about ourselves, and all the while she kept giving me her smile. I could never forget that day, and nor would I ever.
Her upbringing was a little intimidating back then, a subject that was she brought up in conversation that day, but I remembered that she knew all about me and my background, and yet she still wanted to meet me. At times, I did wonder why she went for me when she could have had anyone she wanted, but I later came to know why she did take to me the way she did when we first met.
As Sandra pulled me into the house and through into the dining room, I took my seat next to my wife and faced our kids, and we ate our dinner together.
Very idyllic, honestly. We always ate together, every morning and every evening, like the perfect little nuclear family. Even though such things are so small and so simple, they do give us the most gratification; from the small gestures of affection from my lover, the enthusiastic foretelling of my kids school day, to my family listening to me and heeding my worldly advice; they all give a man purpose, meaning, and true happiness.
After dinner, Sandra cleared the table with Kyle’s help, and Carly and I prepared the living room for a lazy night in before Sandra and Kyle came to join us. Although, Kyle merely took the game I promised him before he shot off to spend the rest of the night in his bedroom, but at least he was enjoying himself. Carly sat in front of the TV, watching it intently, and Sandra and I snuggled together on the sofa.
In front of the TV, with a gentle fire simulated in the hearth, and my life partner falling helplessly asleep just under my jaw; I gaze at the flickering imagery while thinking so fondly of the blissful existence that I have been blessed with. Life simply could not be better for me, and nor could I see how I could live without all that I have right here with my Sandra and my kids.
As the world around me grew warm and peaceful, sinking into the comfort of the sofa, the imagery of the television fizzled into a gentle haze of colour before I too slowly dropped from this world and fell into my dreams with my head resting on top of Sandra’s. From all of this, I have known happiness and fulfillment at its purest when I honestly once thought it might never be mine, and I count myself one of the lucky ones who made it in life.
Or so I thought...
*Feel free to comment*
Prologue - Perfect Life
Returning home after a hard days work in the office, driving away from the heat and stress of the polluted city and into the calming and idyllic tree-laden neighbourhoods of the suburbs, and finally pulling up into my driveway that still remains strewn with leaves from the recently passed autumn; there was only one thing on my mind.
Life IS good. I had a good job, a nice home, a loving wife, and two bright children. My home was modest, but both Sandra and I worked hard to turn this once dilapidated house into a warm and comforting home, and, as I sit here in the car and swim in my memories of our life together, I feel the pride and fulfillment that only comes with years of effort and sacrifice.
I lock the breaks into place, I switch off the engine, and I pull myself from the car before I catch a glimpse of Sandra watching out for me coming home. I could see her giving me her gleaming smile through the curtains of the living room before she turned to announce my arrival home to the kids.
Before I even managed to take two steps away from the car, the front door to the house bursts open and my son and daughter rush out, and they run up to me in the excitement that they always engender when I return home.
“DADDY!” a little voice cried out, “Your home!”
As always, Carly is always the first to reach me, my darling and sweet baby girl, still just a small toddler at the age of three. Just as she reaches me, I bend down, steal her into my arms, pick her up while spinning her loosely around me in my arms, and I gently settle her down in front of me before giving her a big hug. She always enjoys this little routine.
“I missed you, daddy.” She tells me.
“I missed you too, sweetheart.” I reply.
Next, Kyle steps up, though he is a bit older and likes to think himself as a man now. He has grown up so fast, now at ten years old he has taken up jobs in the neighbourhood doing simple gardening work and helping old Mrs Hayle a few blocks away, and he has even set his sights on driving my car. Even though he is older now, he is still a good kid, and he still enjoys my company even if it is only for laser tag and video games more than catch or football like when he was younger. Not that I can complain, though.
“Hi, Dad.” Kyle greets me, “How was work?”
“A minefield, as always.” I smile down on him, “But, I had a word with my boss, as I promised, and he told me that I could let you test out our latest game, and you can even write a review for it if you like.”
“Really!?” His eyes lit up in sheer amazement, “You really mean it?!”
“Yeah, I told him how you kept the last game you played with me last winter a secret, and he is willing to trust me to trust you.” I explain while lowering the tone to be stern with him, “Don’t abuse that trust, son.”
“I won’t, dad.” He vowed, “I promise.”
Kyle and I enjoy our games together. It took me years to get into the video games business, especially since my parents couldn’t afford to have me sent off to university while some of the other kids, and I simply had to work my way up one small step at a time to get to where I am now. I am a games developer, the best and most enjoyable job I have ever had, and I can even bring some games home with me to test out. Kyle likes nothing more than to always pick my brains about my job, and the projects I work on, if only to get his hands on the new games when they release. I am really proud of how far I have come in the last 12 years.
Sandra has always been supportive of me when it came to what I wanted to do with my life. She and I met online, strange enough as it sounds, and we simply hit it off. Though we have different jobs and hold different interests, we have always managed to reconcile our differences and enjoyed our time together, so much so that when she first told me that she was pregnant that I knew what we had was and remains to be the real thing.
And, speaking of my beloved, she walked out into the front yard, standing by the door, and looks over to us saying, “Dinner is on the table, darlings, so come and get it while its hot.”
“Right, mom.” They both rang in unison and scarpered off into the house. As I approached the door and my wife, she spread her arms out and I slid inbetween them, greeting her with a hug and a miss. Even after all these years, she still brews a passion within me, and one that will never die out.
“Am I glad you are home, honey.” Sandra tells me as she slides her arms up around my neck, “Since it will be our anniversary in a few days, I have arranged for my mother to take the kids during the weekend so we can spend some... quality time together.”
“I like the sound of that.” I smile while I wrap my arms around her waist, pulling her into a deeper embrace, “And, with the kids away, maybe we can relive some of those days back when we first met.”
“Oh, yes.” She pondered, “I liked our first date. Remember, when you took me out to Kenworth Heights and pointed out the constellations, and I accidentally fell asleep in your arms while we lay on the bonnet of your old car.”
“Yeah.” I reminisced, “I wrapped my jacket round you and kept you close so you wouldn’t get cold, and I lay there with you for hours waiting for you to wake up.”
“I also remember you bought me a burger and fries at a greasy fast food restaurant, and barely had the petrol to get us to Kenworth Heights and back.” Sandra reminded me, “But I didn’t care so much, you spent what little money you had on me back then, and you did so when you could hardily afford it.”
Yeah, that’s right. I had a bad job with terrible wages back then, and money was always a struggle. I put off our first date for a month to scrape together enough for that date, and, though I was rather ashamed that I could only afford to give her that kind of date, she still enjoyed herself despite it, and she did accept my invitation for another date. Sandra was rather well-kept during her upbringing, living a luxurious life with fancy schools and wealthy friends, and yet someone like her married a penniless street kid like me. Who would have thought it.
Her parents didn’t like me at first, they thought I was a waste of space taking advantage of their daughter, but they got to like me after a while, particularly when I finally got my break in life at the game company, and they liked me all the more once my salary tripled six years ago. It was hard for them to admit they were wrong about me, but they did in the end and they quite like me now.
“Come on, Kaden.” Sandra pulled away from me and took hold of my hand, “Time for dinner, and perhaps afterwards we could enjoy a quiet Friday night in front of the TV.”
Once again, Sandra gave me her smile, one so warm and so loving, and the one that I fell for when I first met her.
We decided to meet each other before we went on our first date together, and we met at the town centre in the middle of a busy Saturday. I was 22 years old back then, still a greasy and weedy teenager to onlookers, and I was nervous as hell to meet Sandra for the first time.
You never know what you might get when you meet someone online. All sorts of things go through your mind, from horror shows to romantic parables, which does not help with the first-meet jitters. Though, when I turned round to be met with the vision of Sandra standing just behind me, almost slamming straight into her as she found me and approached me from behind, and that was when I first saw her smile. Though, it was of a nervous and uncertain disposition back then, but I still knew how pure it would become.
She was just as nervous as me, especially given she had not done this sort of thing before, but she held it together better than I did. After we exchanged our real names and made the usual greetings, we simply walked around the town and told each other things about ourselves, and all the while she kept giving me her smile. I could never forget that day, and nor would I ever.
Her upbringing was a little intimidating back then, a subject that was she brought up in conversation that day, but I remembered that she knew all about me and my background, and yet she still wanted to meet me. At times, I did wonder why she went for me when she could have had anyone she wanted, but I later came to know why she did take to me the way she did when we first met.
As Sandra pulled me into the house and through into the dining room, I took my seat next to my wife and faced our kids, and we ate our dinner together.
Very idyllic, honestly. We always ate together, every morning and every evening, like the perfect little nuclear family. Even though such things are so small and so simple, they do give us the most gratification; from the small gestures of affection from my lover, the enthusiastic foretelling of my kids school day, to my family listening to me and heeding my worldly advice; they all give a man purpose, meaning, and true happiness.
After dinner, Sandra cleared the table with Kyle’s help, and Carly and I prepared the living room for a lazy night in before Sandra and Kyle came to join us. Although, Kyle merely took the game I promised him before he shot off to spend the rest of the night in his bedroom, but at least he was enjoying himself. Carly sat in front of the TV, watching it intently, and Sandra and I snuggled together on the sofa.
In front of the TV, with a gentle fire simulated in the hearth, and my life partner falling helplessly asleep just under my jaw; I gaze at the flickering imagery while thinking so fondly of the blissful existence that I have been blessed with. Life simply could not be better for me, and nor could I see how I could live without all that I have right here with my Sandra and my kids.
As the world around me grew warm and peaceful, sinking into the comfort of the sofa, the imagery of the television fizzled into a gentle haze of colour before I too slowly dropped from this world and fell into my dreams with my head resting on top of Sandra’s. From all of this, I have known happiness and fulfillment at its purest when I honestly once thought it might never be mine, and I count myself one of the lucky ones who made it in life.
Or so I thought...
*Feel free to comment*
8
Crimson Flag Comic / Re: Comic 349
« on: January 05, 2016, 05:58:41 PM »
That is why you should never grab a fox's tail.
9
Art Gallery / Re: Sunday Stream Request Raffle - 8/16 (Open!)
« on: August 14, 2015, 04:44:06 PM »
34
10
Writer's Guild / The Rulers of Seasons
« on: January 17, 2015, 07:17:14 PM »
Hello, furry friends. Here is another short story. This is something I came up with when playing a game regarding Monarchs. I also came up with a new title that suits me rather well, I think, and I came up with another title for a little vulpine fire mage that suits him. I will let you guess who that might be. Enjoy!
<~~~Start~~~>
I always knew he would come for me. He was driven to find his revenge for what I had done so long ago. I did not know exactly when he would find me but I knew it to be one day, and, it seems, that day has finally come.
As I stood on my tall podium surrounded by my orchestra of ice instruments within my concert hall, in the heart of my domain and deep behind the walls of my Ice Palace, I conducted my orchestra through the beauty and serenity of my elegant magic. As the Queen of Winter, all of the power of ice and cold is mine to command, and I created this sanctuary for me to live away from all that I had left behind. The music I created here was as peaceful and enchanting as those of the great musician masters from ages now long past.
But no music could bring peace to HIS heart.
His heart burned with anger.
His heart burned with vengeance.
His heart burned with pain.
Even as he entered my hall, bring his malice into this land of harmony, he still burned.
It could only come from one person…
…one whom I knew all too well…
…the King of Summer.
I turned, interrupted by his power, to find him adorned in the eminence of his regal armour whilst standing before me on the floor of my hall.
“I always knew you would come one day, My King.” I told him.
“This ends here, Your Majesty!” he shouted back to me.
“After all these years, after all we have been through, still you lust for revenge.” I said
“After what you did to our children!” He called back, “Indeed I would!”
“Autumn and Spring were both sick, my love.” I told him, “They were so terribly ill, they would have suffered an eternity of pain and misery, and I shared them of that.”
“You lie!” he raged, “We could have helped them! We could have healed them! We could have found a way, and, instead, you MURDERED THEM!”
“It was not murder.” I justified, “It was mercy.”
“Enough of your deceit!” he yelled, drawing his sword from its sheath.
“I have tried, my love.” I delayed, “I tried to stay away. I tried to find a place where I can live away from you in peace. But you came; you continued to strive for vengeance. If you are so determined to face me, then so be it.”
I gathered my magic and enveloped it around me in a bubble of glistening ice while I took command of my orchestra. My enchanted instruments soon took the form of weapons and I proceeded to launch an attack with both the power of ice and music, powers I knew he despised.
However, he is not one to be so easily bested. He threw the instruments that had descended upon him back with a burst of fire and heat before he propelled himself toward my podium and made a deep diagonal cut through it with his sword.
My podium buckled and toppled over, dragging me down to the concert floor with it, and, as I lost concentration, command over my instrument army slipped away from me and they all merely faded back into the nothingness from whence they were created.
As I got back to my feet, my concert hall now stood empty with only the King of Summer and myself to occupy it. As the ice of the downed podium faded, the King of Summer approached me with his sword in hand.
“Such uncivilised weapons.” I said as I outstretched my paw and sunk ice into the metal of the sword, forcing the King to drop it, “Let us face each other using the power that so defines us.”
I summoned my magic again, this time using my divine power to forge myself a suit of ice armour with a light blue cape complimented with an ice sword of my very own.
“Such a shame the power of fire and heat cannot craft you your own magical armour and weapons, isn’t it?” I mocked him.
I began to swipe at him with my sword but I could not land a hit for he was agile. Though I had the upper hand, he still possessed his own magic, and so, when he slipped on the ice floor and fell to the ground, he fired a beam of heat toward me.
I countered it with my own beam of ice and, since I was the more seasoned magic wielder, I drove back his power until the ice overwhelmed him to threw him back to the other end of the hall. Believing myself to be on the verge of victory, I approached the King of Summer with confidence, until he stood up again.
He, this time, summoned his own magic and broke himself out into a surge of fire and heat that tore through the ice of my palace. The heat was so intense that not even I could get close enough to stop him, and as he looked up to the heavens and raised his paw to them, he unleashed his full power upon my domain by summoning the sun that drew so close that we could see the rivers of heat and radiation spike from it.
I knew he could not maintain this spell for long but I was now powerless. The power of the sun is simply too great for my power to be of any use anymore, and the King of Summer knew it.
As all the ice round us started to melt, from the palace itself to my own armour and sword, the King rushed to take advantage of this moment while it lasted. He quickly took back his sword, which had been cleansed of the ice by the sun, and bolted toward me.
I hurried to try to escape but the King managed to summon a wall of fire at the entrance to the concert hall, trapping me. As I turned to face him, he swung the sword at me, which I dodged… barely. I tried to keep my distance to wait out the spell but he was so determined, so driven, that I could not outmanoeuvre him.
I fell to the floor, exhausted and spent, and looked back at the King of Summer.
“The cold always does surrender to the heat.” The King of Summer jibed.
“Actually, the heat is drawn to the cold.” I rebutted, “After all, you were drawn to me.”
“Shut up!” he commanded, brandishing his sword.
“So, this is how it ends. This is what becomes of our marriage… of our love.” I said.
“What love?” he roared, “You destroyed what love there was between us, and now you will pay for it with your life!”
“My King, are you truly so prepared to kill me?” I asked him, “We loved each other once. We committed our lives to each other. Do you really wish this to be how this story concludes?”
“There can be no other conclusion.” I bawled, “Autumn and Spring are dead because of you. They were everything to me, just as you once were, but… no more.”
“There was nothing anyone could do.” I tried to reason with him, “You and I are two of the most powerful beings in all the world, and even we could not help them. I spared them a lifetime of agony and misery; spared them of something no one should have to live through.”
“Enough.” He ordered, “Nothing in the entire world could divert me from my course now. This is how things must end. Either you or me…”
In a quick fluid motion, he thrust the sword straight into my torso, and, as the shock that overtook me fell away, I could feel the warmth of my blood flow over my body.
“Perhaps… now…” I struggled, “…I can see… our children… again… and this time… they will be… at peace.”
I grew numb and cold, forcing me down to the floor as I slowly lost my strength.
“I guess… this is the end… for us…” I muttered, taking my last breath, “...I suppose… in the end… you would always have been the victor…”
“Goodbye… Kendo…” I choked before I finally let go.
The King merely stood over my body as the light and life within my eyes faded away. The hall drew dark as the spell that had secured my defeat dissipated along with the heat.
“Goodbye, Selena.” He said.
After a moment of sorrow and regret, the King of Summer turned from my corpse and walked away, leaving me and my domain to be reclaimed by the grace of nature once again.
<~~~End~~~>
I wonder if he would kill me after posting this story. I'm kidding! Feel free to comment.
Enjoy!<~~~Start~~~>
I always knew he would come for me. He was driven to find his revenge for what I had done so long ago. I did not know exactly when he would find me but I knew it to be one day, and, it seems, that day has finally come.
As I stood on my tall podium surrounded by my orchestra of ice instruments within my concert hall, in the heart of my domain and deep behind the walls of my Ice Palace, I conducted my orchestra through the beauty and serenity of my elegant magic. As the Queen of Winter, all of the power of ice and cold is mine to command, and I created this sanctuary for me to live away from all that I had left behind. The music I created here was as peaceful and enchanting as those of the great musician masters from ages now long past.
But no music could bring peace to HIS heart.
His heart burned with anger.
His heart burned with vengeance.
His heart burned with pain.
Even as he entered my hall, bring his malice into this land of harmony, he still burned.
It could only come from one person…
…one whom I knew all too well…
…the King of Summer.
I turned, interrupted by his power, to find him adorned in the eminence of his regal armour whilst standing before me on the floor of my hall.
“I always knew you would come one day, My King.” I told him.
“This ends here, Your Majesty!” he shouted back to me.
“After all these years, after all we have been through, still you lust for revenge.” I said
“After what you did to our children!” He called back, “Indeed I would!”
“Autumn and Spring were both sick, my love.” I told him, “They were so terribly ill, they would have suffered an eternity of pain and misery, and I shared them of that.”
“You lie!” he raged, “We could have helped them! We could have healed them! We could have found a way, and, instead, you MURDERED THEM!”
“It was not murder.” I justified, “It was mercy.”
“Enough of your deceit!” he yelled, drawing his sword from its sheath.
“I have tried, my love.” I delayed, “I tried to stay away. I tried to find a place where I can live away from you in peace. But you came; you continued to strive for vengeance. If you are so determined to face me, then so be it.”
I gathered my magic and enveloped it around me in a bubble of glistening ice while I took command of my orchestra. My enchanted instruments soon took the form of weapons and I proceeded to launch an attack with both the power of ice and music, powers I knew he despised.
However, he is not one to be so easily bested. He threw the instruments that had descended upon him back with a burst of fire and heat before he propelled himself toward my podium and made a deep diagonal cut through it with his sword.
My podium buckled and toppled over, dragging me down to the concert floor with it, and, as I lost concentration, command over my instrument army slipped away from me and they all merely faded back into the nothingness from whence they were created.
As I got back to my feet, my concert hall now stood empty with only the King of Summer and myself to occupy it. As the ice of the downed podium faded, the King of Summer approached me with his sword in hand.
“Such uncivilised weapons.” I said as I outstretched my paw and sunk ice into the metal of the sword, forcing the King to drop it, “Let us face each other using the power that so defines us.”
I summoned my magic again, this time using my divine power to forge myself a suit of ice armour with a light blue cape complimented with an ice sword of my very own.
“Such a shame the power of fire and heat cannot craft you your own magical armour and weapons, isn’t it?” I mocked him.
I began to swipe at him with my sword but I could not land a hit for he was agile. Though I had the upper hand, he still possessed his own magic, and so, when he slipped on the ice floor and fell to the ground, he fired a beam of heat toward me.
I countered it with my own beam of ice and, since I was the more seasoned magic wielder, I drove back his power until the ice overwhelmed him to threw him back to the other end of the hall. Believing myself to be on the verge of victory, I approached the King of Summer with confidence, until he stood up again.
He, this time, summoned his own magic and broke himself out into a surge of fire and heat that tore through the ice of my palace. The heat was so intense that not even I could get close enough to stop him, and as he looked up to the heavens and raised his paw to them, he unleashed his full power upon my domain by summoning the sun that drew so close that we could see the rivers of heat and radiation spike from it.
I knew he could not maintain this spell for long but I was now powerless. The power of the sun is simply too great for my power to be of any use anymore, and the King of Summer knew it.
As all the ice round us started to melt, from the palace itself to my own armour and sword, the King rushed to take advantage of this moment while it lasted. He quickly took back his sword, which had been cleansed of the ice by the sun, and bolted toward me.
I hurried to try to escape but the King managed to summon a wall of fire at the entrance to the concert hall, trapping me. As I turned to face him, he swung the sword at me, which I dodged… barely. I tried to keep my distance to wait out the spell but he was so determined, so driven, that I could not outmanoeuvre him.
I fell to the floor, exhausted and spent, and looked back at the King of Summer.
“The cold always does surrender to the heat.” The King of Summer jibed.
“Actually, the heat is drawn to the cold.” I rebutted, “After all, you were drawn to me.”
“Shut up!” he commanded, brandishing his sword.
“So, this is how it ends. This is what becomes of our marriage… of our love.” I said.
“What love?” he roared, “You destroyed what love there was between us, and now you will pay for it with your life!”
“My King, are you truly so prepared to kill me?” I asked him, “We loved each other once. We committed our lives to each other. Do you really wish this to be how this story concludes?”
“There can be no other conclusion.” I bawled, “Autumn and Spring are dead because of you. They were everything to me, just as you once were, but… no more.”
“There was nothing anyone could do.” I tried to reason with him, “You and I are two of the most powerful beings in all the world, and even we could not help them. I spared them a lifetime of agony and misery; spared them of something no one should have to live through.”
“Enough.” He ordered, “Nothing in the entire world could divert me from my course now. This is how things must end. Either you or me…”
In a quick fluid motion, he thrust the sword straight into my torso, and, as the shock that overtook me fell away, I could feel the warmth of my blood flow over my body.
“Perhaps… now…” I struggled, “…I can see… our children… again… and this time… they will be… at peace.”
I grew numb and cold, forcing me down to the floor as I slowly lost my strength.
“I guess… this is the end… for us…” I muttered, taking my last breath, “...I suppose… in the end… you would always have been the victor…”
“Goodbye… Kendo…” I choked before I finally let go.
The King merely stood over my body as the light and life within my eyes faded away. The hall drew dark as the spell that had secured my defeat dissipated along with the heat.
“Goodbye, Selena.” He said.
After a moment of sorrow and regret, the King of Summer turned from my corpse and walked away, leaving me and my domain to be reclaimed by the grace of nature once again.
<~~~End~~~>
I wonder if he would kill me after posting this story.
I'm kidding! Feel free to comment.
11
Crimson Flag Comic / Re: Crimson Flag will be taking a break soon
« on: January 16, 2015, 06:02:28 PM »
I'm sorry to hear you are still having problems with your arms, Kendo. I hope you do get better soon.
12
Writer's Guild / Darklord Dracon - Pilot Chapter
« on: December 21, 2014, 06:26:05 PM »
As some of you may be aware of, I have been searching for an archetype of a story protagonist that I, as you may have guessed, wish to write about, but I have not found anything that accurately describes the protagonist I had in mind. Therefore, I have decided to invent this archetype myself.
I had settled on “Evil Hero” initially, but it turns out that this name is taken for something else, so it will have to be “Villainous Hero” instead (the name is not as strong as “Evil Hero” but it will do, I suppose).
- Villainous Hero
A protagonist in a story that is evil and aspires to commit evil acts but, due to circumstance or incompetence (either on the protagonist’s part or on their minion’s part, or both), the protagonists actions lead to a beneficial outcome for those he/she tried to harm, which could lead the protagonist to be hailed a hero instead of a villain.
The inspiration for this new archetype came from a children’s story, if you can believe that, which has led the protagonist of that story to be wrongly described as a Dark Hero. At first, the protagonist was as devious and malicious as any typical villain, even if the protagonist’s schemes did not always go according to plan. To my dismay, the creators of that story copped out, making the Villainous Hero into a typical Dark Hero almost instantly. It soon became rather boring after that, devolving into a typical children’s story like any other. The one truly unique thing that story had was the protagonist’s original character, which is the source of my inspiration.
Out of interest, which character / children’s story do you think this is? I am curious if anyone else here knows of it.
Anyway, the story below is a “pilot” chapter / short story on a possible Villainous Hero. Do let me know what you think.
Hope you enjoy!
<~~~Start~~~>
I believe introductions are in order:
I am Darklord Dracon, a lone nobleman from a far-flung land on a quest to claim the title of Dreadlord whilst spreading my infamy across the world. It is no easy task but someone has to do it, and who better than I, the great Darklord Dracon, the most brilliant and handsome man in all the world!
My exploits have… not been as successful as I had hoped, but I do not give up easily. Now, approaching the Kingdom of Ressel, I shall once again unleash my full villainy upon the unsuspecting, and I shall show them why they should fear the name Darklord Dracon. He he he he heee.
Dracon, marching along the road toward Ressel, finally comes to see the Kingdom’s capital city as he meets a cliff overlooking the valley. On the other end of the valley stands a great mountain with the royal castle perched at its peak, and the city hugs the mountain whilst sprawling over the surrounding plains.
“Ah, now this is the perfect place to demonstrate my abilities.” Dracon thought aloud, “Its ripe for the picking, I just need to get there…”
Dracon walked up to the edge of the cliff, and looked down. The height was immeasurable, and the sight of it turned Dracon’s stomach. He suddenly heard a rumbling and, before he knew it, the ground he was standing on gave way and he was soon plummeting toward the earth.
Screaming in his initial panic, Dracon knew only one thing could save him now. He clicked his paw; magic smoke enveloped his body to reveal his true self, the Darklord, adorned in his signature full body leather armour, which only left his head and tail exposed. Dracon summoned his magic and cast a levitation spell just before hitting the ground, saving his life. He released the spell, dropping himself to the ground more safely but not much gentler.
“That was close.” The Darklord said to himself, recovering from his decent. He got back to his feet, brushed off the dust from his armour, and he picked his paw once again to return himself back to normal.
Dracon has the ability to use magic. He uses magic to disguise his true self, that of a vulpine Darklord, by summoning the unassuming appearance of an ordinary vulpine. In his disguise, Dracon wears a red top with white bottoms and a backpack that is strapped round his body first by coming over his left shoulder and over his torso down to his right hip before returning up his back to the backpack. In his Darklord appearance, he wears all black leather armour with a black cape, a glimmering silver sword with a black shealth, and a black fabric mask that only wraps round his head covering only his eyes.
Dracon enjoys it when people recognise him as a Darklord but this can lead to complications at times. For this reason, Dracon mostly travels in his disguise and mostly remains unassuming until he is ready to strike.
The vulpine suddenly noticed that he was still on the same road leading to the capital but now much closer to the valley floor. “Ha, sometimes I amaze even myself.” He smugly thought aloud before he resumed his march toward the city.
~~~
Dracon walks along the streets of the capital, taking in the sights and smells of the city. As much as Dracon likes to unleash chaos, he still needs to eat and sleep, and after a long journey, he needs to rest now more than ever. Touring the city, he spots a little commotion in a back alley. A closer inspection revealed that a rabbit had a ferret pinned up against a wall back there, and, in curiosity, the vulpine decided to watch the scene while keeping himself out of sight.
“I know you stole it! Don’t lie to me again! Now, where is it!” the rabbit barked to the ferret, holding him up by the ferrets clothes.
“I… I sold it. It’s in that shop over there.” The ferret confessed, pointing to a shop across the street.
“You sold it?! That was all I have left of my family!” the rabbit bawled, pushing the ferret harder against the wall.
“Please, spare me. I… I’m begging you.” The ferret wept in sheer terror.
“I’ll make you pay for what you have done to me!” the rabbit announced, lifting his paw up into a fist, ready to strike.
The rabbit launched his fist forward but someone grabbed his arm, stopping him, and as he looked round, his victim pushed back and broke from his grip, and made a hasty retreat. The rabbit tried to give chase but the ferret vanished into the crowds on the streets.
“YOU!” the rabbit turned to Dracon, “Why did you interfere in something that doesn’t concern you!”
The rabbit raged toward Dracon, pulling out his sword on the Darklord but, in a flash, Dracon had the rabbit up against the wall using his own silver sword to pin him down whilst assuming his Darklord appearance.
“Because, my little friend, there is little you could gain by beating the man senseless, even if you feel he deserves it. After all, you don’t want to become a heinous criminal yourself, do you?” Dracon told him, releasing him, “Besides, you have his money now.”
The rabbit looked confused by that statement before Dracon threw a coin purse to him. “Go get your heirloom back.” he told the rabbit with a devious smile whilst sheathing his sword.
“Th… thank you, sir.” The rabbit said, passing a tender smile to his benefactor before running to the shop rather urgently.
The rabbit return to the Darklord moments later holding a pendent. “This is what that thief stole from me.” The rabbit said, “It’s a pendent that was left to me and my sister after our mother died.”
“If you do not mind me saying, you look remarkably like…” the rabbit began but Dracon interrupted by finishing for him, “…Darklord Dracon.”
The rabbit, in amazement, dropped to his knees before the Darklord, “It really is you, My Lord. Please forgive my prior actions.”
“You do not need my forgiveness, but there is something else I do need from you…” Dracon mentioned.
“Anything, My Lord!” He jumped to his feet in excitement, “I will do anything you command, My Lord.”
Dracon giggled mischievously, “Well, then, come closer and we will come to an arrangement.”
~~~
Shortly after, in the throne room of Castle Ressel…
“You cannot be serious, Mercel!” The King roared at his daughter. “This man is common, he is below our station, and he is unworthy of the throne!”
“Please, father.” Princess Mercel pleaded, with her fiancée standing awkwardly beside her, “If you only got to know him then you would not think so poorly of him.”
“There are many people in our Kingdom who are just as he is.” She continued, “Would you condemn them all just because of their lack of aristocratic heritage.”
“They are not the ones trying to marry my daughter!” the king scowded, “We have our prestige to maintain and the heir to the throne marrying anything less than a nobleman would bring shame to my court and to our Kingdom. We would be ruined!”
“But this is…” the princess tried, interrupted by a deep thudding that grew louder and louder, shaking the very foundations of the castle.
Suddenly, through the wall behind the throne, a gigantic dragon burst into the throne room and screeched, paralysing those within the room in fear.
Guards poured in from the entrance at the other end of the room and they rushed to stand against the dragon and protect the royal family.
“Run, Your Majesties!” the guards barked but the royals were frozen solid.
The dragon breathed fire down onto the guards before swatting them like flies and throwing them against the other walls in the room. The guards were soon dealt with, and the dragon looked down upon the royal family venomously before it’s attention focused on the princess. The dragon swooped down and grabbed the princess in one of its clawed hands.
“RUPERT!” the princess screamed. “FATHER!”
Though they wanted to help, there was little either of them could do.
The dragon turned round, bolted toward the open wall and jumped into the skies, flying away toward the plateau with the princess.
“Mercel.” The King muttered under his breath before he turned his rage against his daughter’s fiancée. “Rupert! You call yourself my daughter’s fiancée and you just stand there, doing nothing, whilst a beast takes her away!”
“I… it all happened so fast, Your Majesty.” He said.
“You’re useless!” the King condemned him.
“In my power as King of Ressel,” he declares, “the man who defeats that dragon and returns my daughter to me shall become the next Prince of Ressel.
“And that is all I needed to hear.” A voice called out into the throne room.
Suddenly, Dracon jumps down adorned in aristocratic clothing, landing in a crouched position, and kneels respectfully to the King.
“Who are you?” the King asked.
“I am but a humble nobleman from a faraway land who wishes to be of service to Your Majesty in saving your daughter.” Dracon told the King, bowing his head.
“You… are a nobleman.” The King asked with excitement.
“Indeed I am, Your Majesty.” Dracon confirms, looking up at the King, “After seeing what has transpired here, I could not leave without first ensuring that the dear princess is returned from the clutches of that vile beast safely.”
“You are going to leave my Kingdom?” the King asked with concern.
“Only if there were nothing to stay for, Your Majesty.” Dracon illuminated with a mischievous smile, “But if I were to marry the princess then that will be sufficient reason to stay here.”
“Then it is settled.” The King announced, “Defeat the dragon, save my daughter, bring her back safely to the castle, and you shall be crowned the new Prince of Ressel.”
“I promise I shall not disappoint.” Dracon said maliciously.
~~~
Dracon made his way into the mountainous plateau behind the capital city where the dragon was spotted heading towards after it fled the castle.
As the Darklord was about to continue onward to find the dragon, a panting voice called out to him from behind, “Milord, please… wait for me.”
It was, of course, Rupert, adorned in a ramshackle suit of armour accompanied with a sword.
“Rupert.” Dracon greeted him, trying to mask his displeasure of his company, “What are you doing here?”
“I… I want to help save the princess.” Rupert told him, rather worn out after the climb up to the plateau.
“I see, and where did you get that equipment.” The vulpine asked.
“It was my fathers, he was a soldier in the Kings Army.” He told Dracon, “You do not appear to have brought much, Milord.”
“I have all I need.” Dracon said, “But you, on the other hand, need better equipment than that. You will be torn apart in a matter of moments against a dragon.”
“I… I would?” Rupert asked in bewildered fear.
“Indeed, luckily for you, however, I know of a place where you can get what you need.” Dracon revealed, “It’s not far from here. Follow me.”
~~~
Dracon led Rupert to a small shop in the middle of the plateau. It was a little run down up it was still standing.
“What is this place?” Rupert asked.
“It’s a shop that specialises in rare pieces of equipment that are essential when hunting monsters.” Dracon told him, “There are beasts all over this area, and I know how to evade them, but such abilities are not much good when we have to actually fight a dragon.
“Since you will not last five seconds against a dragon,” Dracon added, “you need better equipment.”
“I… I don’t have any money.” Rupert said shamefully.
“Well, you are a real catch for royalty, aren’t you?” Dracon jibed, “I’ll pay for you then.”
“Really?” Rupert said, tears brimming in gratitude.
“Yeah, it’s fine.” Dracon returned, “Let’s go in.”
The two walked into the shop, the walls filled with all kinds of weapons, armour and all manner of other things. At the counter, a female rabbit stood expectantly.
“Good day!” she said in a bright and chipper tone, “How can I help you today!”
“My friend here needs the best armour and weapons you have, for we are hunting a dragon today.” Dracon told the shop clerk.
“Oh my.” The rabbit gasped, “Well, I will pull what we have here together for you.”
The clerk rushed, pulling bits and pieces from the walls and fixing them to Rupert to fashion new equipment. By the time she was done, everything of Rupert’s had been replaced with new equipment.
“Alright, you have the latest non-conducting Silverite Armour, a new and light weight Loresck Longsword, and a Vermite Shield with extra fire resistance.” The shop clerk told him.
“Thank you.” Rupert said cheerfully, “What about my old equipment?”
“We will dispose of it for you.” The rabbit kindly offered.
“Thanks again. Should we go, Milord.” Rupert asked, turning to find he had gone. “Milord?”
“Did you not notice that your friend disappeared some time ago now?” The rabbit queried.
“What!?” Rupert said in dismay, “But I need to find the dragon that kidnapped the princess so I can save her! I won’t find it without his help.”
“Ah, your hunting THAT dragon.” The shop clerk said, “I know where it had gone. It’s nested in a small cave not far from here.”
The rabbit turned and walked round the counter before pulling out a scroll of paper. “Here is a map leading to the cave I mentioned. If you follow the directions on here then you should be able to find it rather quickly.”
“Really? Thank you again.” Rupert said in gratitude before he shot out of the shop and raced toward the cave as quickly as his legs would carry him.
~~~
Rupert found the cave and cautiously crept inside while being as quiet as a mouse. As he journeyed further in, he found the dragon sleeping with the princess locked in its claws.
The princess spotted Rupert but kept quiet, though she smiled unreservedly to see him come to her rescue. He crept up close to the dragon and positioned himself at the dragon’s head. Its snore was a roar of wind at this close proximity but Rupert stood firm against it. He lifted up his sword over his head, braced himself, and he swung the sword down as hard as he could against the dragon’s head but, to his surprise, the sword bowed and snapped on impact.
This woke the dragon, and a dragon that is awoken by an intruder in the middle of the evening is going to be a very unhappy dragon. The beast roared at Rupert, the power of it knocked him back, and the beast got up and spat fire down on him.
The armour caught fire and burned quickly, to Rupert’s shock, and, as he rushed to throw the armour off himself, he found that the armour was made of wood with a thin layer of aluminium covering it.
The dragon approached Rupert, bearing down on him, and it swiped a clawed hand at him. He, in response, used his shield to protect himself but the shield broke into pieces the moment the claws touched it, and the impact threw Rupert against the wall on the far side of the cave.
“RUPERT!” the princess called out for him in horror.
“Tsk tsk tsk.” Dracon appeared, mocking Rupert, “You are having a bad day, aren’t you, Rupert.”
“Y… you!” Rupert struggled but fell to the floor in agony.
“Do not worry, my fair princess, I shall defeat this beast and return you safely to your dear father.” Dracon announced.
The vulpine raised his paw and used his magic against the dragon. The beast became enveloped in purple energy before it was pulled down to the floor and paralysed, held into position by Dracon’s magic. The princess was released from the dragon’s clawed hand.
Dracon approached the princess and stretched out his hand to her, “Are you alright, Your Majesty?”
“Yes, I am fine.” The princess replied before she turned to look at the dragon, “This is simply amazing! How did you do that?”
“You will find I can do many things, Your Majesty.” Dracon approached her, drawing close to her, “I can show you wonders you would never have imagined, Your Majesty.”
“Y… you can?” the princess murmured, slowly falling under Dracon’s spell. “Yes, Your Majesty, and all it takes is one kiss.”
Dracon lent in, wrapped his paws around the princess and drew her in to his embrace before being rudely interrupted and thrown down to the floor by an almighty punch to the face.
“She is still my fiancée, you gistard!” Rupert bawled, standing over the Darklord.
“Rupert?” the princess said, falling into his arms as though she were about to faint. “What… what just happened?”
“What do you mean?” Rupert queried, “You were about to kiss HIM.”
“I… I was?” the princess said, “I don’t remember anything.”
Then, finally, the penny dropped for Rupert. “Wait, you entranced her, didn’t you?” he said to Dracon.
The Darklord laughed, pulling himself back to his feet and turning toward Rupert and the princess.
“Indeed I did, you are not as stupid as you look.” Dracon commented.
“Why?” Rupert yelled, “Why do this to us?”
“Just who are you?!” the princess queried faintly.
Dracon scoffed, “You want to know, do you?”
The Darklord snapped his paw and revealed his true self. “I am Darklord Dracon, and now you will be mine, princess.”
“What is your interest in me?” she asked.
Dracon laughed, “My interest is all that you could afford me, princess. Wealth, Land, Subjects, Armies; a Darklord needs all these things, and I need them especially for I will become the next Dreadlord!”
“The chaos and terror I would spread across this land will wash over your neighbours until it consumes all the world!” Dracon proclaimed, “As long as my infamy grows, nothing will keep me from meeting my destiny.”
“But as for you, Rupert, you shall be destroyed!” Dracon asserted.
Dracon used his magic and released the dragon. “Now, my pet, capture the princess and kill Rupert!” the vulpine ordered it.
The dragon approached Rupert and the princess with vicious intent, but the princess stepped forward. “You are not the only one here with magic, Darklord!” the princess pronounced before she cast a spell on the dragon, which caused it to fly into a rage.
Dracon tried to used his magic to regain control but it was useless. The Darklord dodged out of the way as the dragon took a swipe at him. He turned back to the dragon, used his magic to paralyse the beast again, and he used his sword to severe the beast's head from its neck in one great slash.
“Such a waste.” Dracon muttered before he noticed Rupert and Mercel almost made it out of the cave. The vulpine cast a spell to grab the princess and pull her back into his arms.
“Let go of me!” the princess commanded.
“You are not going anywhere, princess.” Dracon informed her before he used a spell to put her to sleep and lowered her gently to the floor with magic.
“If you want your princess back, Rupert…” Dracon stepped forward, holding his sword up against Rupert, “...you will have to go through me first.”
Rupert, dismayed but not deterred, marched forward and met Dracon for battle.
“You’re going to fight an unarmed opponent?” Rupert questioned him.
“I find it much easier this way.” Dracon said before he began to thrash at Rupert.
He dodged and ducked from the strikes the best he could but Dracon was fast and agile; Rupert slipped, fell back hard against a rock before he stared up at Dracon as the Darklord stood before him.
“Prepare yourself!” Dracon declared before he thrust his sword at Rupert with all his might, but Rupert threw the last of his energy into a final dodge and Dracon’s sword become cemented into the rock Rupert fell against.
The Darklord tried to pull the sword out of the rock but it simply would not budge. As he turned to face Rupert, the vulpine was met with a skull shattering punch that knocked the Darklord out cold on the floor.
Rupert collapsed to the ground, panting heavily, before he realised that Dracon’s magic over the princess had dissipated and she regained consciousness. Rupert picked himself up, darted over to the princess, and helped her back to her feet.
“It’s over, Mercel.” Rupert pointed to the vulpine, “Darklord Dracon is defeated.”
“And you are the one who defeated him!” the princess cheered, embracing him in her arms. “Once we tell father what happened here, he would have no excuse to withhold his blessing.”
“Yeah.” Rupert smiled before looking at the Darklord, “And I think I know how to make sure Dracon does not think to come back here.”
Rupert and Princess Mercel escaped the cave and returned to the castle. After a while, Dracon awoke from his unconscious state. He looked about him, realising that he had lost and the princess had escaped with Rupert, before merely slumping to the ground and uttered to himself, “Not again.”
By the time Dracon made it back to the Castle, Rupert and Mercel were married with the King’s blessing and, as Dracon found Rupert and Mercel perched at the doors to the castle making a speech to their people, Rupert spotted Dracon and announced, “Everyone, meet your new Hero of Ressel, Lord Dracon!”
To the Darklord’s horror, he was cheered by the people as a Hero, a bringer of peace and justice in the world. He was picked up by the crowds and carried off by a sea of adoring fans. The Darklord struggled to get free but none would let him go. By the time he was finally put down, he was so distraught that he bolted and ran as fast and as far as he could for as long as he could.
~~~
“Lost… again…” Dracon said to himself, sulking like a teenager over his defeat, “And, worse yet, my reputation as a Darklord is again in tatters!”
“Why do I even bother?” He asked himself, “Why didn’t I listen to mother and open that toy factory like she insisted? At least that venture would have been profitable.”
The Darklord stopped beside a rock next to the road and decided to sit there for a moment.
“Maybe I should just give up this “Darklord” business…” Dracon thought aloud as he sat their with his head in his paws, but a voice from beside him said, “Don’t do that!”
Dracon was startled to find the two rabbits, Ebony and Rhodium, standing beside him.
“Do not sneek up on me like that!” Dracon commanded.
“Apologies, My Lord.” said Rhodium, the male rabbit who Dracon helped to regain his pendent.
“We came to see you the moment we heard the horrible news of your defeat.” Ebony said, the rabbit that had manned the fake shop on the plateau.
“But do not give up, My Lord.” Rhodium pleaded.
“We believe in you, Darklord, we believe that you can and will succeed, one day, and we now know what we both wish to do.” Ebony implied
“We wish to follow you, My Lord.” Rhodium revealed, “We wish to be your most trusted servants and help you reach the title of Dreadlord.”
“You… really think I can succeed?” Dracon said with a lifted spirit.
“We do, My Lord!” Ebony insisted.
“Then it is decided.” The vulpine said, jumping back to his feet.
The Darklord turned to Ressel and declared, “I may have lost this round but the battle continues. I only need one victory in order to begin by ascent, and, when that day comes, I will return to Ressel, and all those other lands I failed to win, and conquer them all with my legions.”
“If you wish to follow…” the Darklord said to the rabbits, “…then follow.”
Dracon continued in his journey, tailed closely by his two new followers.
<~~~End~~~>
I am still unsure whether this is exactly what I was going for but I have spent far too much time on it to scrap it now. I shall read it through with a clear mind and see how he compares to the original sometime.
I had settled on “Evil Hero” initially, but it turns out that this name is taken for something else, so it will have to be “Villainous Hero” instead (the name is not as strong as “Evil Hero” but it will do, I suppose).
- Villainous Hero
A protagonist in a story that is evil and aspires to commit evil acts but, due to circumstance or incompetence (either on the protagonist’s part or on their minion’s part, or both), the protagonists actions lead to a beneficial outcome for those he/she tried to harm, which could lead the protagonist to be hailed a hero instead of a villain.
The inspiration for this new archetype came from a children’s story, if you can believe that, which has led the protagonist of that story to be wrongly described as a Dark Hero. At first, the protagonist was as devious and malicious as any typical villain, even if the protagonist’s schemes did not always go according to plan. To my dismay, the creators of that story copped out, making the Villainous Hero into a typical Dark Hero almost instantly. It soon became rather boring after that, devolving into a typical children’s story like any other. The one truly unique thing that story had was the protagonist’s original character, which is the source of my inspiration.
Out of interest, which character / children’s story do you think this is? I am curious if anyone else here knows of it.
Anyway, the story below is a “pilot” chapter / short story on a possible Villainous Hero. Do let me know what you think.
Hope you enjoy!
<~~~Start~~~>
I believe introductions are in order:
I am Darklord Dracon, a lone nobleman from a far-flung land on a quest to claim the title of Dreadlord whilst spreading my infamy across the world. It is no easy task but someone has to do it, and who better than I, the great Darklord Dracon, the most brilliant and handsome man in all the world!
My exploits have… not been as successful as I had hoped, but I do not give up easily. Now, approaching the Kingdom of Ressel, I shall once again unleash my full villainy upon the unsuspecting, and I shall show them why they should fear the name Darklord Dracon. He he he he heee.
Dracon, marching along the road toward Ressel, finally comes to see the Kingdom’s capital city as he meets a cliff overlooking the valley. On the other end of the valley stands a great mountain with the royal castle perched at its peak, and the city hugs the mountain whilst sprawling over the surrounding plains.
“Ah, now this is the perfect place to demonstrate my abilities.” Dracon thought aloud, “Its ripe for the picking, I just need to get there…”
Dracon walked up to the edge of the cliff, and looked down. The height was immeasurable, and the sight of it turned Dracon’s stomach. He suddenly heard a rumbling and, before he knew it, the ground he was standing on gave way and he was soon plummeting toward the earth.
Screaming in his initial panic, Dracon knew only one thing could save him now. He clicked his paw; magic smoke enveloped his body to reveal his true self, the Darklord, adorned in his signature full body leather armour, which only left his head and tail exposed. Dracon summoned his magic and cast a levitation spell just before hitting the ground, saving his life. He released the spell, dropping himself to the ground more safely but not much gentler.
“That was close.” The Darklord said to himself, recovering from his decent. He got back to his feet, brushed off the dust from his armour, and he picked his paw once again to return himself back to normal.
Dracon has the ability to use magic. He uses magic to disguise his true self, that of a vulpine Darklord, by summoning the unassuming appearance of an ordinary vulpine. In his disguise, Dracon wears a red top with white bottoms and a backpack that is strapped round his body first by coming over his left shoulder and over his torso down to his right hip before returning up his back to the backpack. In his Darklord appearance, he wears all black leather armour with a black cape, a glimmering silver sword with a black shealth, and a black fabric mask that only wraps round his head covering only his eyes.
Dracon enjoys it when people recognise him as a Darklord but this can lead to complications at times. For this reason, Dracon mostly travels in his disguise and mostly remains unassuming until he is ready to strike.
The vulpine suddenly noticed that he was still on the same road leading to the capital but now much closer to the valley floor. “Ha, sometimes I amaze even myself.” He smugly thought aloud before he resumed his march toward the city.
~~~
Dracon walks along the streets of the capital, taking in the sights and smells of the city. As much as Dracon likes to unleash chaos, he still needs to eat and sleep, and after a long journey, he needs to rest now more than ever. Touring the city, he spots a little commotion in a back alley. A closer inspection revealed that a rabbit had a ferret pinned up against a wall back there, and, in curiosity, the vulpine decided to watch the scene while keeping himself out of sight.
“I know you stole it! Don’t lie to me again! Now, where is it!” the rabbit barked to the ferret, holding him up by the ferrets clothes.
“I… I sold it. It’s in that shop over there.” The ferret confessed, pointing to a shop across the street.
“You sold it?! That was all I have left of my family!” the rabbit bawled, pushing the ferret harder against the wall.
“Please, spare me. I… I’m begging you.” The ferret wept in sheer terror.
“I’ll make you pay for what you have done to me!” the rabbit announced, lifting his paw up into a fist, ready to strike.
The rabbit launched his fist forward but someone grabbed his arm, stopping him, and as he looked round, his victim pushed back and broke from his grip, and made a hasty retreat. The rabbit tried to give chase but the ferret vanished into the crowds on the streets.
“YOU!” the rabbit turned to Dracon, “Why did you interfere in something that doesn’t concern you!”
The rabbit raged toward Dracon, pulling out his sword on the Darklord but, in a flash, Dracon had the rabbit up against the wall using his own silver sword to pin him down whilst assuming his Darklord appearance.
“Because, my little friend, there is little you could gain by beating the man senseless, even if you feel he deserves it. After all, you don’t want to become a heinous criminal yourself, do you?” Dracon told him, releasing him, “Besides, you have his money now.”
The rabbit looked confused by that statement before Dracon threw a coin purse to him. “Go get your heirloom back.” he told the rabbit with a devious smile whilst sheathing his sword.
“Th… thank you, sir.” The rabbit said, passing a tender smile to his benefactor before running to the shop rather urgently.
The rabbit return to the Darklord moments later holding a pendent. “This is what that thief stole from me.” The rabbit said, “It’s a pendent that was left to me and my sister after our mother died.”
“If you do not mind me saying, you look remarkably like…” the rabbit began but Dracon interrupted by finishing for him, “…Darklord Dracon.”
The rabbit, in amazement, dropped to his knees before the Darklord, “It really is you, My Lord. Please forgive my prior actions.”
“You do not need my forgiveness, but there is something else I do need from you…” Dracon mentioned.
“Anything, My Lord!” He jumped to his feet in excitement, “I will do anything you command, My Lord.”
Dracon giggled mischievously, “Well, then, come closer and we will come to an arrangement.”
~~~
Shortly after, in the throne room of Castle Ressel…
“You cannot be serious, Mercel!” The King roared at his daughter. “This man is common, he is below our station, and he is unworthy of the throne!”
“Please, father.” Princess Mercel pleaded, with her fiancée standing awkwardly beside her, “If you only got to know him then you would not think so poorly of him.”
“There are many people in our Kingdom who are just as he is.” She continued, “Would you condemn them all just because of their lack of aristocratic heritage.”
“They are not the ones trying to marry my daughter!” the king scowded, “We have our prestige to maintain and the heir to the throne marrying anything less than a nobleman would bring shame to my court and to our Kingdom. We would be ruined!”
“But this is…” the princess tried, interrupted by a deep thudding that grew louder and louder, shaking the very foundations of the castle.
Suddenly, through the wall behind the throne, a gigantic dragon burst into the throne room and screeched, paralysing those within the room in fear.
Guards poured in from the entrance at the other end of the room and they rushed to stand against the dragon and protect the royal family.
“Run, Your Majesties!” the guards barked but the royals were frozen solid.
The dragon breathed fire down onto the guards before swatting them like flies and throwing them against the other walls in the room. The guards were soon dealt with, and the dragon looked down upon the royal family venomously before it’s attention focused on the princess. The dragon swooped down and grabbed the princess in one of its clawed hands.
“RUPERT!” the princess screamed. “FATHER!”
Though they wanted to help, there was little either of them could do.
The dragon turned round, bolted toward the open wall and jumped into the skies, flying away toward the plateau with the princess.
“Mercel.” The King muttered under his breath before he turned his rage against his daughter’s fiancée. “Rupert! You call yourself my daughter’s fiancée and you just stand there, doing nothing, whilst a beast takes her away!”
“I… it all happened so fast, Your Majesty.” He said.
“You’re useless!” the King condemned him.
“In my power as King of Ressel,” he declares, “the man who defeats that dragon and returns my daughter to me shall become the next Prince of Ressel.
“And that is all I needed to hear.” A voice called out into the throne room.
Suddenly, Dracon jumps down adorned in aristocratic clothing, landing in a crouched position, and kneels respectfully to the King.
“Who are you?” the King asked.
“I am but a humble nobleman from a faraway land who wishes to be of service to Your Majesty in saving your daughter.” Dracon told the King, bowing his head.
“You… are a nobleman.” The King asked with excitement.
“Indeed I am, Your Majesty.” Dracon confirms, looking up at the King, “After seeing what has transpired here, I could not leave without first ensuring that the dear princess is returned from the clutches of that vile beast safely.”
“You are going to leave my Kingdom?” the King asked with concern.
“Only if there were nothing to stay for, Your Majesty.” Dracon illuminated with a mischievous smile, “But if I were to marry the princess then that will be sufficient reason to stay here.”
“Then it is settled.” The King announced, “Defeat the dragon, save my daughter, bring her back safely to the castle, and you shall be crowned the new Prince of Ressel.”
“I promise I shall not disappoint.” Dracon said maliciously.
~~~
Dracon made his way into the mountainous plateau behind the capital city where the dragon was spotted heading towards after it fled the castle.
As the Darklord was about to continue onward to find the dragon, a panting voice called out to him from behind, “Milord, please… wait for me.”
It was, of course, Rupert, adorned in a ramshackle suit of armour accompanied with a sword.
“Rupert.” Dracon greeted him, trying to mask his displeasure of his company, “What are you doing here?”
“I… I want to help save the princess.” Rupert told him, rather worn out after the climb up to the plateau.
“I see, and where did you get that equipment.” The vulpine asked.
“It was my fathers, he was a soldier in the Kings Army.” He told Dracon, “You do not appear to have brought much, Milord.”
“I have all I need.” Dracon said, “But you, on the other hand, need better equipment than that. You will be torn apart in a matter of moments against a dragon.”
“I… I would?” Rupert asked in bewildered fear.
“Indeed, luckily for you, however, I know of a place where you can get what you need.” Dracon revealed, “It’s not far from here. Follow me.”
~~~
Dracon led Rupert to a small shop in the middle of the plateau. It was a little run down up it was still standing.
“What is this place?” Rupert asked.
“It’s a shop that specialises in rare pieces of equipment that are essential when hunting monsters.” Dracon told him, “There are beasts all over this area, and I know how to evade them, but such abilities are not much good when we have to actually fight a dragon.
“Since you will not last five seconds against a dragon,” Dracon added, “you need better equipment.”
“I… I don’t have any money.” Rupert said shamefully.
“Well, you are a real catch for royalty, aren’t you?” Dracon jibed, “I’ll pay for you then.”
“Really?” Rupert said, tears brimming in gratitude.
“Yeah, it’s fine.” Dracon returned, “Let’s go in.”
The two walked into the shop, the walls filled with all kinds of weapons, armour and all manner of other things. At the counter, a female rabbit stood expectantly.
“Good day!” she said in a bright and chipper tone, “How can I help you today!”
“My friend here needs the best armour and weapons you have, for we are hunting a dragon today.” Dracon told the shop clerk.
“Oh my.” The rabbit gasped, “Well, I will pull what we have here together for you.”
The clerk rushed, pulling bits and pieces from the walls and fixing them to Rupert to fashion new equipment. By the time she was done, everything of Rupert’s had been replaced with new equipment.
“Alright, you have the latest non-conducting Silverite Armour, a new and light weight Loresck Longsword, and a Vermite Shield with extra fire resistance.” The shop clerk told him.
“Thank you.” Rupert said cheerfully, “What about my old equipment?”
“We will dispose of it for you.” The rabbit kindly offered.
“Thanks again. Should we go, Milord.” Rupert asked, turning to find he had gone. “Milord?”
“Did you not notice that your friend disappeared some time ago now?” The rabbit queried.
“What!?” Rupert said in dismay, “But I need to find the dragon that kidnapped the princess so I can save her! I won’t find it without his help.”
“Ah, your hunting THAT dragon.” The shop clerk said, “I know where it had gone. It’s nested in a small cave not far from here.”
The rabbit turned and walked round the counter before pulling out a scroll of paper. “Here is a map leading to the cave I mentioned. If you follow the directions on here then you should be able to find it rather quickly.”
“Really? Thank you again.” Rupert said in gratitude before he shot out of the shop and raced toward the cave as quickly as his legs would carry him.
~~~
Rupert found the cave and cautiously crept inside while being as quiet as a mouse. As he journeyed further in, he found the dragon sleeping with the princess locked in its claws.
The princess spotted Rupert but kept quiet, though she smiled unreservedly to see him come to her rescue. He crept up close to the dragon and positioned himself at the dragon’s head. Its snore was a roar of wind at this close proximity but Rupert stood firm against it. He lifted up his sword over his head, braced himself, and he swung the sword down as hard as he could against the dragon’s head but, to his surprise, the sword bowed and snapped on impact.
This woke the dragon, and a dragon that is awoken by an intruder in the middle of the evening is going to be a very unhappy dragon. The beast roared at Rupert, the power of it knocked him back, and the beast got up and spat fire down on him.
The armour caught fire and burned quickly, to Rupert’s shock, and, as he rushed to throw the armour off himself, he found that the armour was made of wood with a thin layer of aluminium covering it.
The dragon approached Rupert, bearing down on him, and it swiped a clawed hand at him. He, in response, used his shield to protect himself but the shield broke into pieces the moment the claws touched it, and the impact threw Rupert against the wall on the far side of the cave.
“RUPERT!” the princess called out for him in horror.
“Tsk tsk tsk.” Dracon appeared, mocking Rupert, “You are having a bad day, aren’t you, Rupert.”
“Y… you!” Rupert struggled but fell to the floor in agony.
“Do not worry, my fair princess, I shall defeat this beast and return you safely to your dear father.” Dracon announced.
The vulpine raised his paw and used his magic against the dragon. The beast became enveloped in purple energy before it was pulled down to the floor and paralysed, held into position by Dracon’s magic. The princess was released from the dragon’s clawed hand.
Dracon approached the princess and stretched out his hand to her, “Are you alright, Your Majesty?”
“Yes, I am fine.” The princess replied before she turned to look at the dragon, “This is simply amazing! How did you do that?”
“You will find I can do many things, Your Majesty.” Dracon approached her, drawing close to her, “I can show you wonders you would never have imagined, Your Majesty.”
“Y… you can?” the princess murmured, slowly falling under Dracon’s spell. “Yes, Your Majesty, and all it takes is one kiss.”
Dracon lent in, wrapped his paws around the princess and drew her in to his embrace before being rudely interrupted and thrown down to the floor by an almighty punch to the face.
“She is still my fiancée, you gistard!” Rupert bawled, standing over the Darklord.
“Rupert?” the princess said, falling into his arms as though she were about to faint. “What… what just happened?”
“What do you mean?” Rupert queried, “You were about to kiss HIM.”
“I… I was?” the princess said, “I don’t remember anything.”
Then, finally, the penny dropped for Rupert. “Wait, you entranced her, didn’t you?” he said to Dracon.
The Darklord laughed, pulling himself back to his feet and turning toward Rupert and the princess.
“Indeed I did, you are not as stupid as you look.” Dracon commented.
“Why?” Rupert yelled, “Why do this to us?”
“Just who are you?!” the princess queried faintly.
Dracon scoffed, “You want to know, do you?”
The Darklord snapped his paw and revealed his true self. “I am Darklord Dracon, and now you will be mine, princess.”
“What is your interest in me?” she asked.
Dracon laughed, “My interest is all that you could afford me, princess. Wealth, Land, Subjects, Armies; a Darklord needs all these things, and I need them especially for I will become the next Dreadlord!”
“The chaos and terror I would spread across this land will wash over your neighbours until it consumes all the world!” Dracon proclaimed, “As long as my infamy grows, nothing will keep me from meeting my destiny.”
“But as for you, Rupert, you shall be destroyed!” Dracon asserted.
Dracon used his magic and released the dragon. “Now, my pet, capture the princess and kill Rupert!” the vulpine ordered it.
The dragon approached Rupert and the princess with vicious intent, but the princess stepped forward. “You are not the only one here with magic, Darklord!” the princess pronounced before she cast a spell on the dragon, which caused it to fly into a rage.
Dracon tried to used his magic to regain control but it was useless. The Darklord dodged out of the way as the dragon took a swipe at him. He turned back to the dragon, used his magic to paralyse the beast again, and he used his sword to severe the beast's head from its neck in one great slash.
“Such a waste.” Dracon muttered before he noticed Rupert and Mercel almost made it out of the cave. The vulpine cast a spell to grab the princess and pull her back into his arms.
“Let go of me!” the princess commanded.
“You are not going anywhere, princess.” Dracon informed her before he used a spell to put her to sleep and lowered her gently to the floor with magic.
“If you want your princess back, Rupert…” Dracon stepped forward, holding his sword up against Rupert, “...you will have to go through me first.”
Rupert, dismayed but not deterred, marched forward and met Dracon for battle.
“You’re going to fight an unarmed opponent?” Rupert questioned him.
“I find it much easier this way.” Dracon said before he began to thrash at Rupert.
He dodged and ducked from the strikes the best he could but Dracon was fast and agile; Rupert slipped, fell back hard against a rock before he stared up at Dracon as the Darklord stood before him.
“Prepare yourself!” Dracon declared before he thrust his sword at Rupert with all his might, but Rupert threw the last of his energy into a final dodge and Dracon’s sword become cemented into the rock Rupert fell against.
The Darklord tried to pull the sword out of the rock but it simply would not budge. As he turned to face Rupert, the vulpine was met with a skull shattering punch that knocked the Darklord out cold on the floor.
Rupert collapsed to the ground, panting heavily, before he realised that Dracon’s magic over the princess had dissipated and she regained consciousness. Rupert picked himself up, darted over to the princess, and helped her back to her feet.
“It’s over, Mercel.” Rupert pointed to the vulpine, “Darklord Dracon is defeated.”
“And you are the one who defeated him!” the princess cheered, embracing him in her arms. “Once we tell father what happened here, he would have no excuse to withhold his blessing.”
“Yeah.” Rupert smiled before looking at the Darklord, “And I think I know how to make sure Dracon does not think to come back here.”
Rupert and Princess Mercel escaped the cave and returned to the castle. After a while, Dracon awoke from his unconscious state. He looked about him, realising that he had lost and the princess had escaped with Rupert, before merely slumping to the ground and uttered to himself, “Not again.”
By the time Dracon made it back to the Castle, Rupert and Mercel were married with the King’s blessing and, as Dracon found Rupert and Mercel perched at the doors to the castle making a speech to their people, Rupert spotted Dracon and announced, “Everyone, meet your new Hero of Ressel, Lord Dracon!”
To the Darklord’s horror, he was cheered by the people as a Hero, a bringer of peace and justice in the world. He was picked up by the crowds and carried off by a sea of adoring fans. The Darklord struggled to get free but none would let him go. By the time he was finally put down, he was so distraught that he bolted and ran as fast and as far as he could for as long as he could.
~~~
“Lost… again…” Dracon said to himself, sulking like a teenager over his defeat, “And, worse yet, my reputation as a Darklord is again in tatters!”
“Why do I even bother?” He asked himself, “Why didn’t I listen to mother and open that toy factory like she insisted? At least that venture would have been profitable.”
The Darklord stopped beside a rock next to the road and decided to sit there for a moment.
“Maybe I should just give up this “Darklord” business…” Dracon thought aloud as he sat their with his head in his paws, but a voice from beside him said, “Don’t do that!”
Dracon was startled to find the two rabbits, Ebony and Rhodium, standing beside him.
“Do not sneek up on me like that!” Dracon commanded.
“Apologies, My Lord.” said Rhodium, the male rabbit who Dracon helped to regain his pendent.
“We came to see you the moment we heard the horrible news of your defeat.” Ebony said, the rabbit that had manned the fake shop on the plateau.
“But do not give up, My Lord.” Rhodium pleaded.
“We believe in you, Darklord, we believe that you can and will succeed, one day, and we now know what we both wish to do.” Ebony implied
“We wish to follow you, My Lord.” Rhodium revealed, “We wish to be your most trusted servants and help you reach the title of Dreadlord.”
“You… really think I can succeed?” Dracon said with a lifted spirit.
“We do, My Lord!” Ebony insisted.
“Then it is decided.” The vulpine said, jumping back to his feet.
The Darklord turned to Ressel and declared, “I may have lost this round but the battle continues. I only need one victory in order to begin by ascent, and, when that day comes, I will return to Ressel, and all those other lands I failed to win, and conquer them all with my legions.”
“If you wish to follow…” the Darklord said to the rabbits, “…then follow.”
Dracon continued in his journey, tailed closely by his two new followers.
<~~~End~~~>
I am still unsure whether this is exactly what I was going for but I have spent far too much time on it to scrap it now. I shall read it through with a clear mind and see how he compares to the original sometime.
13
Writer's Guild / The Health Check
« on: December 15, 2014, 04:40:20 PM »
<--Start-->
A warm, soft hand ruffles through my fur on my cheek, drawing my eyes up to hers before she says, “Hey there, Furry Face.”
“Hello, Dr Hallore.” I replied, responding in kind to her gentle beaming smile. She was rather pretty in her lab coat and green blouse with her dark red hair that protruded down her back and across her forehead, both curling at the ends, whilst she carried a white datapad.
She removed her hand, walked away to give me some space, and she instructed me, “Now then, could you see if you can stand for me.”
As directed, I lifted myself up with my front paws, seeing my furry body and vulpine-shaped hind legs as I looked down, and I pushed myself onto my hind paws; standing cautiously to keep myself from falling.
“Good, now see if you can follow the blue line on the floor to the end of the room.” She told me.
I did as instructed, I lifted my right hind paw and pushed it in front of me with a resonating thud from my paw-pad and clink from my claws as I stepped forward, and I continued until I reached the wall at the end of the room. I remained careful and steady to ensure I did not trip or slip.
“Excellent.” Dr Hallore praised, “Now, turn 180 degrees, walk back to the table, turn another 180 degrees, and sit back down.”
I turned round and faced the room after my tail snapped against the wall like a whip. The room was all white with a few pieces of medical equipment clicking and buzzing quietly next to the white patients table where I was once sat. I walked back to the table, starting to get the hang of these tasks, and sat back down once I met the table again.
The pretty doctor walked to my side a few feet away from me, still beaming her smile at me, and she waved her hand in front of me with her palm to the floor, which seemed to summon another table, hidden in the floor, that stood in front of me a little higher than the table below me.
This other table had a few things at the top end of it, and the doctor leant over and pulled a piece of paper and a pencil in front of me.
“Now, see if you can write for me.” Dr Hallore asked me.
I picked up the pencil, noticing that my hands were furry on the back and leathery on my palm, and I wrote “Hello, Dr Hallore.” in my usual flowing handwriting.
“Very nice.” She commented before replacing the paper and pencil with shapes and a block of wood with shaped holes in it. “Now, see if you can put the shapes in the block.
I picked up a shape, this one in the shape of a star, and I put it into the star shaped hole. It was somewhat strange, the sensation of texture from the wood was not what I remember, but I had no problem completing the task.
“Good, one last test.” She beamed.
The doctor waved over the table in front of me, the same way as she did before, and the table returned to where it came up from beneath me. She walked in front of me, drawing my eyes up to hers again, and she asked me:
“Do you remember who you are?”
I sat and thought for a moment, at first unsure, but, eventually, it all came back to me.
“Yes.” I told her.
She smiled at me again, this time she looked sad. “Then you remember what we promised.”
“I do.” I replied, “But I also remember an older promise, one I would never break.”
Her eyes widened, “Really, and what might that be?”
“Our vows.” I told her. “We loved each other, we were soul mates, and I still believe we are.”
“The real question is; are we willing to throw away our happiness just because of our differences in appearance?” I told her, “I know I’m not. Are you?”
<--End-->
A warm, soft hand ruffles through my fur on my cheek, drawing my eyes up to hers before she says, “Hey there, Furry Face.”
“Hello, Dr Hallore.” I replied, responding in kind to her gentle beaming smile. She was rather pretty in her lab coat and green blouse with her dark red hair that protruded down her back and across her forehead, both curling at the ends, whilst she carried a white datapad.
She removed her hand, walked away to give me some space, and she instructed me, “Now then, could you see if you can stand for me.”
As directed, I lifted myself up with my front paws, seeing my furry body and vulpine-shaped hind legs as I looked down, and I pushed myself onto my hind paws; standing cautiously to keep myself from falling.
“Good, now see if you can follow the blue line on the floor to the end of the room.” She told me.
I did as instructed, I lifted my right hind paw and pushed it in front of me with a resonating thud from my paw-pad and clink from my claws as I stepped forward, and I continued until I reached the wall at the end of the room. I remained careful and steady to ensure I did not trip or slip.
“Excellent.” Dr Hallore praised, “Now, turn 180 degrees, walk back to the table, turn another 180 degrees, and sit back down.”
I turned round and faced the room after my tail snapped against the wall like a whip. The room was all white with a few pieces of medical equipment clicking and buzzing quietly next to the white patients table where I was once sat. I walked back to the table, starting to get the hang of these tasks, and sat back down once I met the table again.
The pretty doctor walked to my side a few feet away from me, still beaming her smile at me, and she waved her hand in front of me with her palm to the floor, which seemed to summon another table, hidden in the floor, that stood in front of me a little higher than the table below me.
This other table had a few things at the top end of it, and the doctor leant over and pulled a piece of paper and a pencil in front of me.
“Now, see if you can write for me.” Dr Hallore asked me.
I picked up the pencil, noticing that my hands were furry on the back and leathery on my palm, and I wrote “Hello, Dr Hallore.” in my usual flowing handwriting.
“Very nice.” She commented before replacing the paper and pencil with shapes and a block of wood with shaped holes in it. “Now, see if you can put the shapes in the block.
I picked up a shape, this one in the shape of a star, and I put it into the star shaped hole. It was somewhat strange, the sensation of texture from the wood was not what I remember, but I had no problem completing the task.
“Good, one last test.” She beamed.
The doctor waved over the table in front of me, the same way as she did before, and the table returned to where it came up from beneath me. She walked in front of me, drawing my eyes up to hers again, and she asked me:
“Do you remember who you are?”
I sat and thought for a moment, at first unsure, but, eventually, it all came back to me.
“Yes.” I told her.
She smiled at me again, this time she looked sad. “Then you remember what we promised.”
“I do.” I replied, “But I also remember an older promise, one I would never break.”
Her eyes widened, “Really, and what might that be?”
“Our vows.” I told her. “We loved each other, we were soul mates, and I still believe we are.”
“The real question is; are we willing to throw away our happiness just because of our differences in appearance?” I told her, “I know I’m not. Are you?”
<--End-->
14
Writer's Guild / Selena's Short Stories
« on: December 15, 2014, 04:39:04 PM »
Hello All,
From time to time, I will come up with stories that are not interesting enough to write long stories about but are still interesting to post. I will post them as short stories for you to enjoy when I come up with them.
Hope you enjoy!
From time to time, I will come up with stories that are not interesting enough to write long stories about but are still interesting to post. I will post them as short stories for you to enjoy when I come up with them.
Hope you enjoy!
15
Art Gallery / Re: Cartoony Drawings
« on: December 15, 2014, 02:04:59 PM »
You forgot the glowing red nose, Kendo.