I really had no idea where to put this, so I stuck it here, where pretty much anything is allowed. The object here is to keep myself writing. I'd appreciate it if you'd give me some reviews on the stories. Questions, comments, and constructive criticism is welcomed, and encouraged. I'll try to have a new story up every week. Some of these are pre-written as well. Thanks in advance.
edit: And in the case that I get absolutely no reviews, I'll be double posting.
#1
- - - - The Escape - - - -
Light spilled over the landscape, and illuminated most of the otherwise dark parts of the area. The moon was full to the brim with light, and was generous to cast it upon the creatures that were searching for us. We were pumping our legs madly, stumbling over unseen objects now and then. The forest was dark, and it was our only chance of survival. Eric shouted something inaudible ahead of me. He was the fastest runner after all. The only word I could make out from what he said was the only word I needed to interpret his message. "Fence." I heard the sound of Eric hitting the fence, and he was already ascending it towards the top. I heard a yelp, and a tear as I hit the fence myself. That probably meant that an unfriendly surprise awaited me at the top of the fence. I was quick to climb the fence, especially after hearing the snapping of twigs and brush not far behind me. My heart raced faster than Eric, and I scrambled to climb the fence as fast as possible. Pain surged through my body when I reached the top. Sharp needles bore their way into my skin, but I didn't care. On any normal circumstance, I'd have let go immediately, but this was different. The pain that coursed through my body was well worth escaping.
"Hurry up, man!" Eric called from the other side of the fence. He was waiting for me, which I wasn't alright with at the moment. He needed to be running- I did not want our capture to be because of me being too slow. I pulled myself over the fence, and fell for what seemed like an eternity before I hit the ground under me. The darkness of the night never seemed too dark until tonight. I felt Eric's hand grab my arm, and pull me up. I was to my feet, and running behind him when we heard that chilling jittering and chattering behind us. They'd scaled the fence far faster than we had, perhaps with a single bound. We had no idea what they were, or where they came from- but we'd escaped the factory, and that's all that mattered to Eric and I right now. My legs felt like rubber underneath me, but I didn't dare break pace. The right side of my body was clipped by a tree, and more pain was sent through my body. I felt a warm feeling wash over my arm, and I could only figure that I was bleeding from the barbed wire. It hurt, and bad, but everything was just blocked out of my mind right now. All I could keep my mind on was escape. We had to get out of here, and fast.
We heard the monsters behind us screaming in their language, chattering and squealing as they pursued us. I felt like I was going to pass out. I was out of breath, and out of time. I felt one of the creatures claw at my back, and I tripped and fell to the ground, cutting myself all over the place. I felt their scaly hands wrap around my body, and a rope was tied around me. I heard Eric cry out in the distant darkness, and I couldn't help but scream myself. I was beginning to cry. If he'd have kept running, he'd have made it; but instead he waited for me. If I'd only been in better shape, maybe this outcome would have differed from the outcome that haunted us tonight. My worst fears were coming alive, and after a few moments of screams piercing the night air, all went black for me. Darker than before. Darker than the darkest of nights- everything swirled in pools of agony and misery. I dreamt that I was at home. I dreamt that I was laughing with my friends. I dreamt that I was home...
...and then I awoke. I sat up in bed, and looked around. Saturday morning, and I could already smell pancakes on the griddle downstairs. I sat up, swung my legs over the side of my bed, and rubbed my eyes. After cleaning up, and eating breakfast, I made for the door. My mom turned and stared at me with a quizzical look in her eye. "Where are you going so early?" I strapped on my shoes, and smiled at her. "I'm going for a run."
You know, before I did a quick skim, I didn't really want to look at this, but now that I did, I'm happy.
This got me hooked. And in a good way. I hope you'll add more chapters, as I really want to know what happens later on.
Now, for the bad stuff: There was only one misspelling that I noticed. Also, it would kinda help if we were told in a little broader detail what was going on in the first paragraph, because I was a little confused until later on in the story.
Quote from: Jean Havoc on March 13, 2010, 10:36:40 PM
You know, before I did a quick skim, I didn't really want to look at this, but now that I did, I'm happy.
This got me hooked. And in a good way. I hope you'll add more chapters, as I really want to know what happens later on.
You have no idea how much that meant to me :P
Anyhow, it's a "short story", which means it may not have a definite beginning or a definite end. It guides the reader to imagine what happened and how. Now for a few points regarding the story. If I feel compelled to write more chapters on it, I'll definitely post them here. I have very few stories that have more than one chapter, but I do have some, and I'll be posting them here eventually, some sooner than others. I have one particular story that is eight chapters so far, and I'm still writing it. It's called "Mercenaries", and I'll probably start posting those chapters last.
When I originally wrote this, it was for a short story assignment for English class. The ending didn't result in a dream. It was a much more graphic ending, with some seriously grimly overtones. But my dad advised me to tone it down, or the school would suggest therapy. ;)
If you wanted to hear the actual continuation of this story (which isn't finished), I could PM it to you. But I don't think people would find it in very good taste if I just outright posted it here. Thanks a bunch for the review, it'd been quite a while since I posted it, and I was totally losing hope. I'll try to make things clearer for the reader in future writings.
A few things will sound familiar in this story to all the HA2 goers who decide to give this one a read-through.
#2
- - - - Gladius - - - -
The roar of the crowd was enough to fuel the man's spirits. He stood in the center of the large arena, and he was gripping his weapon so tightly that his knuckles were turning white. Truth be told, he was scared out of his mind, but in an odd sense, he was confident in his abilities. It was his first fight in the coliseum, and he planned to make a name for himself. It was the beginning of the annual Tournament, and Gladius eagerly awaited his opponent. His clothing was damp from the sweat that rolled down his collar. He was prepared to do combat, but he knew that the greatest warriors from all around would be participating in this tournament. Suddenly, the crowd roared louder than they had been, and the gates on the other end of the arena lifted upward. Suddenly, a tremor struck the earth, and then another. "Oh, how cliché!" Gladius cried, as a warrior of inhuman proportions emerged from the gate. He didn't look human either, and this was somehow common around these parts. Gladius trembled as the gargantuan made his way forth. His lips were curled up at the sides in a bloodthirsty sneer that struck the man with fear. How am I gonna take this guy? Thousands of thought processes weaved through the narrow and complex passages of his mind as he watched the monstrous opponent draw nearer.
Gladius took a battle stance, and raised his shield as he watched the beast draw its weapons from its back. It was carrying two enormous spheres, each lined with blunt spikes. These spheres were attached to chains that wrapped around the being's chest. He was a dirty looking monster. His face looked as if it had been beaten in with a shovel, and his skin was a light brown color. His clothes were tattered, and a loin cloth hung from his waist. He must have been standing at ten or eleven feet tall, and his build was unbelievable. A sickening stench reached Gladius, but he didn't dare drop his guard. The monster dropped its wrecking balls, and they kicked up a good amount of dust when they collided with the dirt floor of the arena. When he smiled, his mouth revealed a fence of jagged yellow teeth that only furthered his barbaric appearance. He stood there, eagerly awaiting the Emperor's mark to let the match begin. Gladius felt like surrendering right then and there, but he kept it together. While he appeared to be a simple soldier in economy quality armor, he was a bit of a monster himself. He'd been trained by none other than the Great Nogare of the Northern Mountains. While many dismissed the legends of Nogare as nothing more than stories and lore, Gladius knew that they were real. The techniques that he was about to demonstrate to the eager crowd would prove it. Finally, the call came from the supreme ruler who sat high in his own glorious chair. "Let the first match of the tournament... COMMENSE!"
Gladius prepared to attack the behemoth being in front of him, but the opportunity was about to be taken right out of his hands. The monster charged forth, swinging the wrecking balls madly around in the air. Gladius remained calm, and this was easier said than done. When the monster brought his weapons around to slam into its prey, they slammed into the ground kicking up dust as they had before. The roaring crowd fell instantly silent, more than likely feeling sorry for the man by this point. They wanted a fight, not a slaughter. The wrecking balls were embedded deeply into the ground, making sure that every breath of life had been taken from the opponent. The beast smiled in satisfaction, and the emperor rose his hand to make the call- when the unbelievable happened.
Out of the cloud of hanging dust, Gladius emerged unharmed, and he was making his way quickly up the chains that the beast held onto. His sword held tightly, Gladius leapt into the air, and drove his sword into the beast's shoulder.
It cried out in pain, as it struggled to free its weapons from the dirt, and Gladius didn't let the opportunity go to waste. The warrior reached into his satchel, and removed a small flask. With the quickest of movements, he took the contents of the flask into his mouth, and dropped the container. From his satchel, he removed two oddly shaped stones, and slammed them against each other as he exhaled with all of his human might. A brilliant shower of flames shot upward, and engulfed the monstrous man's face, causing him to let go of the chains. It screamed so loudly that it drowned out the crowd. He brought his hands up towards his face to tend to the pain, and fell over backwards, creating yet another cloud of dust.
Once more, the crowd's superb view was disrupted by the creature's weight. When the smoke cleared away, Gladius was standing on its chest. A sword rested in the monster's head, and fluids ran from the wound. It was motionless, as was the crowd and emperor. As much as Gladius would have loved to look completely cool, the taste of the flammable fluid he'd taken was beyond repulsive. He spat around, trying desperately to rid the taste from his mouth, but was caught off guard when the people in the stands erupted into a cheering the likes of which were never heard. Gladius stood there dumbfounded at the racket they were creating, and a small smile was brought to his lips.
"I... I really did it!" He said out loud, waving an arm to the crowd. "I won! Yeah!!" He cried, hopping off of his fallen opponent. He ran around the arena, and soaked up the glory of his first victory. "What a little whelp..." The emperor's council said with a disgusted frown. "Well, this is his moment of triumph. He's earned it." The emperor stated with a smile. He himself stood from his chair, and clapped for the victor. Gladius returned to the fallen enemy, and removed his sword from its cranium. He shuddered at the thought of the fights that were to come. Surely they would only get harder. He turned to the skies, and thanked the Gods for his swift victory. Had his precision been off, or had his aim not been true, he surely would have lost the battle- and his life. He exited the arena, and disappeared from sight, leaving a memory of a day that would never be forgotten.
edit: Thanks Simon, fixd.
Quoteglory of his firs victory
Just something I noticed as I read.
I enjoyed this one.
#3
- - - - Phil, the Accountant - - - -
Hi.
My name is Phil.
I'm 43 years old this Wednesday.
I'm an accountant.
It's not such a bad job.
It puts bread on the table.
Not steak exactly, but bread.
My family loves me very much, and I love them.
They appreciate that I can at least put a roof over their head and feed them.
As I'm typing this, the sun is coming up.
I'm not tired though.
I hardly sleep anymore.
How can I?
You see, I made a choice quite some time ago.
I still think about it today, but only when I'm not eating.
Let me tell you the story of my marriage.
Would you care to listen?
Excellent, then I'll begin.
I wasn't exactly popular through elementary school.
Everyone called me weird, but there was nothing weird about me.
I didn't understand it, but I didn't much care for the other kids either.
Middle school was a little different.
I made a few friends that year.
Sure they weren't the best model for friends, but they talked to me, and that was
enough.
My initiation into their group was a lot of fun though.
Kids do all sorts of wacky things to join a group.
Run naked across a busy street.
Eat an entire jalapeño pepper, or lemon.
Kids are crazy, and so were we.
This is beside the point.
I was very blessed to keep my friends when I moved into high school.
They were always there for me, and never really lied to me.
All that anyone could ask for out of their group.
Then I met Denise.
Denise was a nice girl, who seemed to accept me.
We talked a lot, and eventually dated.
Something told me that my friends weren't exactly thrilled with her, but I was in love.
Love is one of the most amazing feelings in the whole world.
I guess my friends just didn't understand that.
Denise was also the first person to not call attention the burn marks on my face from
my initiation.
I was happy.
We got married, and moved into a small house out in the middle of a lush forest.
One day, I was chopping wood when my friends informed me that she was a space alien.
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
They told me the only way to save the world was to kill her.
But how could I kill the only treasure I had?
I needed to have a one on one talk with the group.
When Denise was at work, I went into our walk in closet of our bedroom, and closed
the door.
I put down the blackout curtains, and sat cross legged.
This is how I talk with my friends.
While I was talking with them, they provided me with startling news that they'd seen
her put on a mask.
They told me again to kill her, and I decided it was best for the Earth if I did.
It was my own selfish desire for her that kept the world in a state of danger.
I decided I would have to be the hero this time.
It's not an easy road.
When she got home from work, and greeted her as she entered our little home.
I faked a smile at her, and closed the door behind her, and locked it.
I got my wood chopping axe, and informed her that she was a space alien, and needed
to die.
She seemed to think I was only joking at first, but I assured her that it wasn't a joke.
I told her that the Earth wasn't a plaything for her race, and that she needed to die.
She faked some tears, and attempted human crying reflexes, but I saw through it.
She did everything she could to deceive me into believing that she wasn't an alien.
But I was smarter than that.
After I killed her, and buried her alien body, I met with my friends again.
They were pleased with my actions, and praised me for saving the Earth.
I am now 43 years old, and live in the same house with my new family.
The gray tabby is Feefee, the orange calico is Jordan, and the three maincoons are
Shelly, Robert, and Fluffy.
The Siamese one is Carry, and the Russian blue cat is Marine.
They don't point out the burns I got from lying in that star circle and lighting myself on
fire.
They will be attending my birthday this Wednesday.
We'll have cake and ice cream, and talk about the times we've shared.
Sometimes though, I think I made the wrong decision.
If I could do it all over again, I'd have become an alien and gone to her planet with her.
I miss her, but she was an alien, and I have to keep remembering that.
Next time, I should tell you about how I met my friends.
Care to listen?
No?
Tired already?
Well alrighty then, have a good one friend, and come back soon for more stories.
Okay, I know people are gonna look at me weird but I laughed at this one... But I did like it though
That was twisted and VERY entertaining.
Haven't had any inspiration to write. Putting this one up for now. I wrote this for an english paper.
#4
- - - - The Oujoukaze - - - -
Silent as a ghost, the "Oujoukaze" or so he was now called on a national scale, swept through the first line of guards as if they were nothing. Before they could cry out for help, they were on the ground in pieces. The man was an expert at what he did, and he was doing more often now than ever before. The recent activity of the Samurai is what was believed to have angered him this time. Whenever Japan was falling back into a tyranny under a corrupt empire, the Oujoukaze would grow active. He was known for freeing the citizens from the Samurai's prison camps, and despite any obstacle, he would overcome it. None had seen his face, and so none could pin his image to a wall and order his capture. For all they knew, he could be roaming among them as a commoner until he became the Oujoukaze. The term "Oujoukaze" is literally translated to "Deadly Wind", which is what he seemed to become when he was working. Soldiers, samurai, and guards would fall in heaps to the earth as if a razor sharp wind had swept through them. One terrifying shriek made it to the inner gate keeper's ears. "Oujoukaze!!" The gate keeper's eyes widened, and rather than perform his duty, he dropped his naginata, and fled his post, leaving the gate open for the taking.
Oujoukaze appeared at the front gate, and with a swift fluid like motion of his sword, cut the chains off of the gate, and proceeded into the compound. The front doors of the prison were large, and were made of pure redwood. When the figure approached the gates, they burst open, samurai spreading out, and holding their weapons to the man. He wore a simple robe, with plated armor over his chest, his shoulders, and thighs. He wore a wide brimmed straw hat that, and a frightening mask that also earned him the name "Bakimono". He stood there as the samurai spread out and surrounded him. As many samurai as there were, not one dares charge in first. "Where are our archers?!" The commander cried from atop the steps to the prison. He was garbed in red silk robes to signify his authority, and held a Damascus Katana made of pure steel. It had beautiful designs carved into it, and was worth a great deal of money. Suddenly, atop the prison walls, many men appeared carrying longbows, and they took aim at Oujoukaze. Another commander appeared in the middle of the group of men, and held up an arm. All was silent for a brief moment, before one word rang out into the night. "FIRE!!"
A storm of arrows rained down upon the Oujoukaze- or at least where the man once stood. The arrows hit the stone walkway, creating sparks that lit up part of the area. The sudden lighting proved that the Oujoukaze had indeed disappeared. "W-where is he?!" One of the samurai shrieked, and many of them breaking formation in panic. "Don't break formation! Remain calm! It's a trick!" Obeying the commander's orders, the soldiers formed up in an outward formation, watching carefully for even the slightest disturbance in the prison courtyard. All remained silent, and tension was growing within the small army. The commander scanned the area, looking for any signs of the Oujoukaze. "Where are you... Oujoukaze..." He spoke softly, his eyes shifting in the direction of the forest. Two words floated softly to the commander's ears. "I'm right here." The commander froze in position, his breathing still. Apprehension and fear slowly arose within the commander's heart, as he slowly turned his head to see clearly, the Oujoukaze standing directly behind him. The soldiers still hadn't noticed the man's reappearance, but the shrill scream of their commander alerted them to the Oujoukaze's presence. They whirled around to see the commander lying lifeless on the steps, and the Oujoukaze nowhere to be found.
Screams began erupting from the samurai as the deadly wind swept through them, cutting them down where they stood. The archers atop the building began firing at the rogue warrior, but they only succeeded in striking down their own men. The commander of the archers fled his men, and in this act, they had no command to guide them. They were aimlessly firing in hopes that they'd strike their target, and were failing miserably. Suddenly, all was silent again, and the remainder of the samurai fled the area, many left dead on the stone walkway of the courtyard. Few archers were remaining as well, and the remaining bow wielders would soon flee as well. Oujoukaze made his way up the steps, and into the prison, where very few guards confronted him. He slowly walked through the prison, until he came to the first cell, where seven or eight citizens were being held. "Oujoukaze," One of the cried out in disbelief. "You've come to save us!" The man cut down the lock that held the cell closed, and the prisoners thanked him, heading for the exit. The Oujoukaze continued this, until all the remaining prisoners were set free. Before he exited the building, a voice rang out inside the prison. "Where do you think you're going?" Oujoukaze stopped, obviously recognizing the voice. "It's been too long."
A man in golden armor stood on the other side of the narrow room. His hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and his katana was already drawn. "I've been looking all over for you... I knew you'd show up here; this is, after all, the largest prison in Southern Japan." Oujoukaze remained silent, and drew his katana. "Our last meeting was incomplete- but this time, I intend to finish it." With those words leaving his mouth, he shot across the room with inhuman speed, slamming hard into Oujoukaze. The masked warrior flew across the room, and leveled himself out in mid-air, landing with his feet against the wall. He kicked off of the wall, and before reaching the armored opponent, dissolved into the air. With a loud sound, the man was sent reeling across the room. His armor created sparks as he slid across the stone tiles of the prison. Before he could come to a halt, Oujoukaze was already over top of him, sword held to his neck. He silently chuckled, and stared into the hollow eyes of the mask that his the warrior's face. "So I'm still not strong enough... to take on... the infamous Oujoukaze..." He rested his head on the stone floor, and breathed a heavy sigh. "Can I ask you one question? How is it... that a single man can wield such God-like power?" Oujoukaze stood silent, his katana still on the man's throat. "At least tell me that before I die... Grant a dying man's last wish..." The masked warrior's free arm rose to his head, and removed his hat, tossing it to the floor. One more, the arm rose, and undid the clips that fastened the man's mask to his face.
Oujoukaze tossed the mask to the floor, and stared into the armored man's eyes. His eyes widened in disbelief, as he his mouth hung agape. "I-Impossible... a... a..." Oujoukaze's expression remained stone. "A woman." She finished for him, staring hard into his disbelieving eyes. "I... How could... Un-ubblieva-" He would never finish that sentence. She cut his throat, and sheathed her sword. With a swift motion, she was already putting her mask back on her face. She replaced her hat, and turned towards the exit. Within the moonlight that spilled through the window, she could be seen dissolving into the air around her. The prison remained empty, and hollow. The sound a dead leaf falling from a single tree hit the ground, and sent echoes through the hollow prison, which would remain eerily silent for centuries to come.
#5
- - - - The Boy Who Never Smiled - - - -
The room was caked in inky darkness. The depths of the blackness that surrounded the boy in the center, unpurged by even the slightest light, covered him in a blanket of security. However, the boy wanted more than this. He didn't want to spend eternity closed in by the blackness. He wanted somehow, to see what lay beyond the door he'd never dared to open. As time had gone by, he'd grown more and more curious about the door. All he'd ever known was his dark room. But the door... It sat at the far end of his room... and it beckoned him. Slowly, he rose from his position, and crept towards the door.
He'd been contemplating this for quite some time now- but he'd finally gotten the courage to put the plan into motion. As he neared the door, an inspirational symphony began to play in his head. He finally stood closer now to the door than he'd ever been before. His hands were shaking in anticipation, and he wrapped his fingers around the door knob. It was cold to his persperating hand. He carefully twisted the knob, and held his breath for a moment, before pushing it open. The door however, did not budge. The boy's mind began race furiously as he pushed again and again. The door still did not move a single inch. The boy began to breath heavy, and panic, when suddenly- it came to him.
He breathed a heavy sigh, and turned the knob once more, this time pulling it toward himself. Blinding light shot his eyes with pain, and filled his room. The darkness seemed to scream as the light penetrated it's barriers. The boy shielded his eyes, and whimpered lightly as the light blinded the entire room. Gusts of wind blew at him, blowing his jacket right off of him. He shielded himself from all of this by bringing his arms to his face, but he really wanted to see for himself what was happening. The air was cool and refreshing to his furnace of a cage. He opened his eyes and lowered his arms, only to lose the breath he'd been holding.
Clouds hovered by, accompanied by a flock of birds under warm sunlight. It forced a smile to the lips that had never known how to smile before. He didn't know why his lips were doing this, but they were. He took a look over the edge of his room, and looked down. The sky seemed to go on forever, both above and below him. A beautiful blue that extended beyond his line of sight; it was so much to take in at such an abrupt moment. He couldn't even be upset with himself for not opening that door for so many years- he was that happy; A happiness that had never been known to this darkened individual.
Suddenly, his attention was turned towards the top of his door, as a beautifully elegant shining feather slowly fluttered down near him. He couldn't resist the urge to reach out and touch it. He held his hand out beneath it, and let it fall gently into his hand. When it made contact with his hand, it shined brightly, and disappeared. He smiled at it, and looked up in hopes of finding another one; when suddenly, he felt a tingly sensation at his back. He turned around, and stared into the darkness. The darkness that he'd sat in for so many years. It beckoned him back, and he utterly refused. Suddenly, a fear that had haunted his mind was coming to a reality. He could feel himself being sucked back into the darkness. He began to panic. He didn't want to go back in there, but the room wasn't giving him an option. A shadowy hand extended across the floor of the room towards his feet.
He began to panic and breath heavily. He pulled back with all of his might, but it was no use. The hand was getting closer, and he started to cry- when suddenly... a bright light shined around him. It glowed brightly, and cast the shadows back from whence they came. He turned his head to see a golden light on his back. It was growing in brightness and size, and suddenly split down the back. Two magnificent wings sprouted from his back, and suddenly he wanted to fly. Before the shadows had another chance to grab at him, he turned around and jumped without hesitation. He smiled as he fell into the sky, tilted his wings, and soared upward into the warmth of the sky...
He was free.
(http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k287/ZeldaVeteran/BoyinDarkroom.jpg)
To anyone who's reading these, you're going to hear some words here that you might not have heard before. That's because I made them up. They're future words. Senite is a unit of time, Morter is basically cereal, etc.
#6
- - - - Future - - - -
I woke up to the sound of my alarm, the sunlight pouring into my room turning everything a tinted shade of blue. I never liked waking up in the mornings. It seemed that I never got enough sleep, and my bed was always so warm. I climbed out of bed and shut my alarm off, after a lengthy yawn and a quick stretch. Time for my morning rituals. "Breakfast." I announced, as I felt the particals of my being begin to shift and alter. In the next moment, I was sitting at the table with all the ingrediants to make a bowl of Morter. I placed the pill inside the bowl, and picked up the pipette. A single drop of water leaked from the pipette, and the bowl filled with the delicious green substance. I finished off the bowl, and announced my next command. "Hygiene." Again, my molecular structure broke down as I was quickly transported to the bathroom. My toothbrush was ready in my hand, toothpaste already on the bristles. I brushed and brushed until the speaker on my tooth brush announced: "Clean." I rinsed out and reached for the towel to dry my mouth off. "Hair," I commanded, as three small claws protruded from the removable tile on my bathroom wall. It hurt sometimes, as the claws weren't careful about pulling my hair, but it was styled within a few moments. "Clothes." My clothes materialized on my body as I headed out the door of the bathroom, down the stairs, and out the front door. The city was large, and buildings towered all over the place. The bright blue light from the sun reflected off metallic sidewalks, and nearly blinded me as I moved onto the sidewalk.
"Vaporization Transportation Port." The sidewalk jerked into a motion, as it carried me around a few corners, and to the VTP. The VTP was a mid-sized structure that looked like a giant sideways capsule with an open front. My classmates sat on the benches inside the VTP chattering amongst themselves. I sighed, and joined them inside the machine. I didn't like my classmates. Most of them were complete jerks anyways, and I didn't need friends. I had the new Microsoft X-Box Gigas, which was everything you could ask for out a virtual reality console. Most of my friends were from other planets, and we played online every night. The machine beeped loudly, and the front opening of the VTP slowly began closing, as the machine began to make a whirring noise. I felt my body vaporize as my molecules followed the set path. Next thing I knew, I was sitting at my desk in my first senite class. It was, as implied by the name, one senite long. There were four senites in a day, and they seemed to drag on forever. I hardly payed attention in class. My teacher babbled on about why we should be careful around even baby sheegoth's, and how our ancestors fled to this planet when "urth" was destroyed, blah blah blah. Planetary History was always a boring subject. Algebretics was worse though, and I had it last senite of the day.
After school finally ended, I followed everyone to the VTP which was located in center of the school, and returned to my neighborhood VTP. I let the sidewalk carry me home, and let myself inside. My parents were almost never home. My mom works for Galaxy express, and my dad is almost always away on business trips.
I reheated some food I ordered from McDonald's yesterday, and ate it for lunch. Some say it's fattening, but it sure does taste good. The only thing on my mind was my X-Box 360030402067.3 right now. Mars had the best internet connection on this side of the Galaxy, and so my game-play was always smooth. It takes ten minutes to start up, so I turned it on, and warped the bathroom for a shower. After I was clean, I was ready to play! I warped the game-room, which was a huge white room in the basement of our house. I put my gloves on, and shouted, "Call to Arms: Meteorite Saga. Room seven!" I felt my gear rumbling on my body, and I pulled my visor down. Time for action.
The world appeared in front of me. It looked like my friends had already started a game, and I was familiar with this map. It was "Neptune's Gaseous Ruins", a new map that I downloaded yesterday. I had been up playing all night, and that's why I was tired this morning. I was in the bunker for the Perpal side, which ment my enemy was the green side. "Kent! Glad you made it!" My friend's character stood in front of me, and pointed out a window with his gun. "They're formulating a massive attack! They've got tanks too!" I hurried to the window and saw a whole bunch of soldiers in green uniforms advancing up our hill. I was one of the only ones in the galaxy who saved up enough gamer points to buy the "Avalanche" ability, and I instantly understood why my friend was so happy to see me. Three more of my friends, along with a few strangers entered this section of the bunker, and each was pleased to see me. Avalanche was a special ability that could wipe out any soldier within its range, and do some good damage to tanks as well. But what was even more special about it was the fact that if you used it at the top of a hill, it could destroy tanks in one blow! It takes up almost half of my bio-energy, but it's well worth it in this position. The other players must either not know me, or not know I'm playing now, because they led the charge up the hill. I watched them advance, and started preparing the ability. It has a seven second charge time before it can be unleased.
A few soldiers noticed me in the window of our bunker, and turned back, but the vast majority charged up the hill. "Three..." I counted, as they advanced closer. "Two..." They were moving remarkably fast. Someone must have had a group agility ability, and used it. One second left, and they were nearly up to the bunker. "Avalanche!!" My voice echoed off of the ruins, as a storm of powerful snow plummeted down the hill. It destroyed nearly all of their forces, and what remained of my team stormed out of the hiding places and down the hill to the underground enemy bunker. I followed as quickly as I could, but the battle had already begun, and one of my friends was on his way back to our base with the enemy's flag. A large sign appeared in front of me and my team mates that read "Enemy destroyed! You are victorious!" After playing a few more rounds with the guys, I took a shower and got ready for bed. It was only Monday, and it looked like it was going to be another long week. Griffith, my cat, walked into my room, and jumped up on the bed next to me. She was purring up a storm, and close behind her came Sprinkles, my sister's pet Garrand. Honestly, I don't know why anyone that isn't from Yardrak would want one of these things. They smell, they're ugly, and they drool all over the place. Griffith wasn't too fond of it either, and she hissed at it. After it scurried away, I turned on my fan and lay my head against my pillow. Griffith curled up next to my hip, and I could feel the faint rumbling coming from her constant purring. "Sleep..." I said pulling the blankets up to my chin. A cylindrical canister emerged from the wall above my head, and sprayed my face with the sweet smelling substance that sent me reeling into my dreams.
I looked around at the beautiful surroundings. Hundreds of tiny green needles coated the ground as far as I could see. They didn't hurt, and they were rather bendable. Tall brown structures rose from the ground, and exploded into green appendages at the tops, which spread out across the sky. The sky was a light blue color, and the sun was bright yellow. White puffy balls of cotton hung in the sky and a gentle zephyr caressed my face. The only thing I could distinguish was a lake not too far away, which was teeming with golden creatures that swam about. Hills upon hills could be seen in the distance... It somehow felt... Nostalgic...
My alarm clock went off and awoke me from my sleep. What a beautiful place that was...
Grr... I was going to finish a new one up for this week, but I'm a bit behind. I'm putting up this old one for now. About a half year after I wrote this, my sister informed me that this happened in a movie she saw. I'm still all huffy about it, but here it is anyways. Expect Giant Spiders next week.
#7
- - - - The Dance - - - -
And so here she was again. The crowd cheered as she stepped out onto the beautiful stage. The boat was electric with excitement, and her heart was pounding with anticipation. She turned her gaze towards the golden balconies. People lined them all the way around, and tossed flowers and personal items. The crowd's roar was reawakened as the man in the tuxedo appeared onto the stage. A rose was tucked into his tux, and his blonde hair was hanging just above his eyes. Aye, he was an eccentric one; but with his skills, he was allowed to be as eccentric as he wanted. He was dressed pretty sharp, and the many white buttons that lined his outfit were fastened securely. He waved a gloved hand at the crowd, and blew a kiss to all who watched. She swallowed hard, and could feel herself trembling behind the many eyes of the boat. This was her moment to shine, and while every one of her performances topped the last, she was always nervous. The blonde haired man held up a hand, and crowd silenced. The lights dimmed, and the spotlight was on. It was so quiet that one could hear a mouse scurry across a remote floorboard.
Then suddenly: Music.
The piano sharply began with a strong but upbeat tune, and she quickly turned to stance. It was as if looking at a mirror, watching her partner. He had one hand in the air, and the other at his hip. She was positioned in the same manner, and in a synchronized motion, they started towards each other. Guitars chimed in, along with a few harps as they made contact with each other. Her hand slid into his like a glove, and the steps came soon after. The rhythm was in her head, and her feet simply followed her heart. It was as if she never had to practice the steps at all. Keeping up with him was difficult, but natural. The trumpets began playing, and she twirled around his body. He lifted her up and over, and she flipped over his back. The ballroom was a blur to her as she flipped and twirled. She touched solid ground, and flipped her hair out of her eyes. About twenty more seconds until the cue would come from Francis. The dance continued, step after step, the two blended beautifully together. ten more seconds until the cue. The crowd was breath taken at the intricacies of the dance. He led her towards the right side of the room for the cue. Three... She counted, as her steps followed his. Two... He placed his hands around her hips, and the music stopped briefly. All was silent for about a second or so.
...One! She cried out in her head, as she was lifted from the floor and tossed in the air. The music picked back up strongly with violins, trumpets, harps, guitars, flutes, and various other instruments. She flipped sideways, and with perfect timing, saw the rose flying through the air towards her. Francis had been right on time and so had she. In almost slow motion, she clenched her teeth down on the stem of the rose, and continued her spin. She landed perfectly in his arms, and the music hit it's finale. Her heart was beating out of her chest, and she could feel her partner's heart beating as well. The crowd went absolutely crazy. She smiled widely as the roar of the crowd faded. The beautiful ballroom rotted to a dingy color, and the stairs turned to broken planks. The chandelier disappeared, as did the numerous people. Silence. A few bubbles floated on past the once golden balconies, and a frightened school of fish scurried out from beneath the once breathtaking ballroom floor. The massive ship and it's beautiful tale lie dormant beneath miles and miles of waves. The chorus of a beautiful melody could be heard ringing out throughout the ocean floor, as the bubbles chimed in for a chorus of their own...
***
The movie was Titanic. Haven't seen it since I was young, but I'll have to ask my sister to point out this scene for me. Thanks for reading.
I got accepted to a good college here in my area! Now I'm thankful that my skills are sharp. Here is a a multi-chapter story I concocted in my senior year, but it was lost amongst the many documents I wrote. Some of you from HA2 may find this be a familiar story. This is the story of one of those 20 health/minimal skills/soldiers that fought the beast before any of our characters had gotten to it. Enjoy.
#8
Ch.1 - - - - Not of this World - - - -
There are times, I believe, where one's own curiosity could be quite hazardous to his well-being. When mixed with a knack for finding danger, and a thick yearning for adventure, you get a bad situation about eighty percent of the time. I was always a rebellious tike. Never wanted to follow the rules, never wanted restrictions, and I was always at the end of my leash when it came to challenges. I grew up hating the King, and it was only when he died that realized how good I had it. I held a deep distaste for the King all those years for immature reasons, and now I wished he'd just come back. Our new King was somewhat of a tyrant, and had no regard for life. The Goddesses' creatures were no more than pawns in his game, and it was beyond me why he hadn't kicked off of his throne yet. Nobody quite liked him, especially mothers like mine. Mothers whose only joy in life was the light in the eyes of their children. In these times, a husband was scarce, as almost every able man was at war. Hyrule hadn't seen a crisis like this in a very long time, and we weren't completely prepared for what happened.
When we lost contact with the south, a platoon of men was sent to find out what happened. None of them returned alive. One of the reasons I hated our old King, was because when we lost contact with all sources from the southern regions of Hyrule, he didn't want to "risk" more young lives by sending them down to see what was going on.
Without any word from the South for three long years, our new King decided to make these matters his, and he sent a platoon into the fire to find out once and for all what happened. Their bodied were returned to us, but not in one piece. They were horribly disfigured, and the new King, insensitively to the families of these unfortunate souls, displayed their bodies in Town Square for all to see.
It was his hope that it would anger people, and cause them to enlist in the armed forces. Like his advisors had warned, it had the opposite effect on the public. They grew frightened, and their loyalty to the new King greatly diminished. Because of this, he conscripted every able man, and marched into the south full force. There was quite a bit more than the King had bargained for down there. The opposing army, consisting of a collection of Hyrule's monsters, was much larger than his own army. Quickly thinking, Commander Colvert, famous for his tactics, pulled the troops back into the narrow pass, where they could fight on equal terms with the monsters. While they were outnumbered, Colvert was sure that his soldiers' skills outmatched that of the monsters'. That was all we'd heard of the fight down in the pass. More recently, there was striking news about the platoons that had been sent into the mountain pass. According to the gossip around town, the commander of the mission had returned alone. He'd explained that the entire army was wiped out by something "not of this world". Now here's where one's curiosity, yearn for adventure, and knack for finding himself in sticky situations can get him into a world of trouble...
To be continued...
#8
Ch.2 - - - - Deployment Day - - - -
I wish I had turned around and went home. I wish I could travel back in time with that magical ocarina spoken of in legends. Travel back and smack some sense into my past self. But no; I had to know more. I found myself in the Knights' Barracks asking around about the mission in the mountain pass. Among many other things, I had heard that the commander that had been in charge of the mission had been stripped of his rank, and booted out of the Knights for his cowardice. It turned out that the only reason that the king didn't have him put to death was because he brought back valuable information about the beast. I wanted to know more. I needed to know what was in that pass. I don't know what possessed me to enlist myself for this mission, but I found myself signing the paper. After a month of basic training, I was eager to get into that pass to see what happened. I was nervous beyond explanation, but also excited. The troop was a bit smaller than I expected, and while the King met some serious resistance on the issue of who would helm this mission, it all boiled down to his decision.
His name was Commander Alexander Van Zander, or, "Commander Zander", as he preferred. The reason the king assigned him to this mission is because he is believed to be the most strategically gifted genius in Hyrule's army. The reason the King's decision was debated was that Commander Zander was only 18 years old, one year older than me. He'd never been sent on a mission this crucial before, so many of the King's advisors considered it a suicide mission for the platoon. They thought it was unfit for a young man of his potential to be sent into a cave to fight a monster we knew nothing about. However, the King's bull-headedness in the end won the debate. The platoon was to be deployed to the cave in one month's time. Striking matters concerning the battle in the south pass, however, changed these orders. The troops were severely outnumbered, far more than Commander Colvert had anticipated. The battle was slowly being lost, and they were nearly out of options. Our platoon making it through the cave and flanking the other army was our last hope. Our deployment day was moved from one month's time to A.S.A.P.
And so here I sit in this crowded wagon, light provided only by Commander Zander's lantern. In the flicker of the flame I could see the unsure expressions on all of my comrades. I was nearly sure that I had the same sort of expression on. Everyone was gripping their weapons tightly, and we would all jump whenever the wagon rolled over a bump and jerked around. I personally had chosen a short-axe. It was a handy double sided weapon with the capability to be thrown good distances. I figured if the beast was tall, I'd aim for its legs, and if I couldn't get close, I could toss the axe towards its eyes. I turned and looked puzzled at one man who stood out from the rest. He was armored like us, but rather than a weapon, he held a book. Mages were scarce these days. When the new King claimed the throne, we became more a military nation than a scholarly nation. Education took a dive, while the army soared to new heights. Because nobody was forced to go to school, less and less men took an interest in the arcane magics, and instead took up arms. This was the peculiar thing though- this man didn't look like the warrior type... So why was he here?
"Everyone," spoke Commander Zander. "I'd like to introduce you all to Professor Jenk Heinz." I was surprised at this. It was as if Commander Zander had read my mind. "You're probably wondering why he's here. The commander of the last mission that failed here brought back some information on the beast..." He paused. " You see, Professor Jenk Heinz is an expert in his field... a field of spiders."