tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91295098208927290142023-10-04T03:24:55.126-07:00Ohana is HonuaAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530641432853603523noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9129509820892729014.post-24322799274087125132017-10-20T10:03:00.001-07:002017-10-20T10:03:17.141-07:00Decisions from 2017's "Let's Build a Story Together" PanelAnother year, another interesting panel. It is always interesting to see what people feel are good and/or interesting story elements. No two are the same.<br />
<br />
While we discussed what makes a good story, we also made some decisions on the story that this panel was working to create. They were as follows:<br />
<br />
*It is a sci-fi story set on a cyber/steampunk style space station.<br />
<br />
*It is going to be written in the 1st person perspective.<br />
<br />
*The main thrust of the story is an alien invasion.<br />
<br />
*The aliens want vengeance against humanity for a "bad first contact".<br />
<br />
*That means that the aliens primary target is humans.<br />
<br />
*The main character will be an androgynous android named "Toasty".<br />
<br />
*Toasty will develop a better understanding of humanity, becoming more human in the process.<br />
<br />
*There will be at least one giant monster "kaiju" fight.<br />
<br />
*And here is the title. It is quite good, I think: "Juggernaut Star".<br />
<br />
<br />
I will be writing a story based on these decisions. I will also post it here on this blog (as well as last year's LBaST panel story).<br />
<br />
If you were a part of this panel, or last year's as well, feel free to write your own story based on the decisions listed. Here are the only provisos:<br />
<br />
First, you have to use all the decisions made by the panel. Without modification.<br />
<br />
Since we couldn't decide every aspect of the story, feel free to add to these elements. But they can't change any of the previous decisions from the panel.<br />
<br />
Other than that, have a ball! When you are finished, I will even post your story here on this blog for everyone to see (only if you want, of course)!<br />
<br />
<br />
This should be interesting...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530641432853603523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9129509820892729014.post-7665663925099185042017-10-07T07:52:00.002-07:002017-10-07T07:52:09.405-07:00Notes for the "Let's Build a Story Together" 2017 PanelThese were the elements for our story that were all decided upon:<br />
<br />
First, it will be written in third person. I told you that EVERY element would be decided on.<br />
<br />
It will be an action-filled sci-fi story with fantasy elements (and some dark humor, if I can do it right). The depiction will be of a roughly PG-13 level, so no graphic details of the damage caused by, shall we say, visceral violence or, um, hentai level lovin'.<br />
<br />
The main character's name is Richard. He is an intern who is an introvert and, physically, about as average one could be. Through the events of the story, Richard will become more assertive and principled.<br />
<br />
Physically, he has brown hair and eyes and an average build. In fact, the only distinctive feature Richard has is a birthmark on the back of his left hand.<br />
<br />
Richard is on a quest to restore himself back to his original state. You see, he was the victim of an unfortunate side effect from a scientific experiment on magic that changed him from a male to a woman. This quest will, perhaps, lead to the discovery of why magic exists in their world.<br />
<br />
He won't be alone in his quest to "restore his pee pee". Richard will have a team of five scientists with him. In fact, one of them will be in love with him. Unfortunately, we didn't have a chance to decide on her name.<br />
<br />
The setting for this tale is a modern city with some ancient, magical ruins outside of the town. The city is a colony on a planet long removed from Earth.<br />
<br />
I haven't finished it because I thought that I would have the group from this year decide how to finish. The more I thought about it, though, I considered it unfair to those who started the process. So I will finish it based on the decisions we made.<br />
<br />
I will finish the story for this year's participants of the "Let's Build a Story Together" panel in a more timely manner.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530641432853603523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9129509820892729014.post-48011481156090195872016-10-14T18:51:00.001-07:002016-10-15T09:44:51.070-07:00Let's Build a Story Together!Hello again!<br />
<br />
I had the fun experience of running a panel at SNAFU Con about creating a story with the attendees. My previous post detailed the decision we all made about the contents of the story I have started writing.<br />
<br />
I also gave the ones who participated in the panel a chance to email me any other ideas they might have had. To that end, the fact that we didn't get a chance to discuss the antagonists was brought to my attention. (There are so many decisions to be made as a writer!)<br />
<br />
I had a message detailing one participants thoughts on those very bad guys. As promised, I am taking the input to heart. He didn't provide names for the group that will be giving Richard and company so much trouble, but he did provide a concept:<br />
<br />The idea for how they are introduced is that after Richard and his/her group leave on their quest to find a cure for the condition, mysterious attackers invade the research facility, apparently after whatever the magi-scientists had been working on, before the accident. Whatever it is they are looking for, seems to be tied in with hero/heroine's condition, but as the attackers cannot figure out where exactly Richard has gone.<br /><br /> There would be five antagonists total; four of which are based off of the suits of playing cards (I do not have names for them yet, because this is just an idea.).<br /><br /> SPADE: The apparent leader of the four. A dark knight-type warrior, who uses his sword to cast spells. He is strong, and enigmatic, but has a deep sense of personal honor, and is protective of the other three in his group. <br /><br /> CLUB: A muscle-bound martial artist warrior, who envelops his fists & feet with elemental magic, and always seeks out strong opponents. He seeks out strong opponents though, because he does not want to hurt weak people. <br /><br /> DIAMOND: A sneaky nerdish guy, who summons monsters, but is too weak to fight anything on his own. He is aware of his own weaknesses, and has self-esteem issues because of this. <br /><br /> HEART: The token female of the antagonists, and the one most encountered personally. She uses powerful spells that are based on her current mood (i.e. Anger = Fire, Sadness = Water, Fear = Lightning, etc.), making her dangerous, but somewhat unfocused. The FIFTH antagonist is a shadow-boss based off of the motif of the ?Wild Card?, and commands the other four antagonists from the shadows. <br /><br /> WILD CARD: He is in fact a spirit trapped inside a magic crystal, and formerly one of the magic users from the ancient magic-using civilization that now lays in ruins. In discovering the origin of magical energy at the time, he attempted to achieve immortality through it, but ended up destroying the entire civilization himself. Although he is ?alive? and unageing inside of his crystal prison, he has no physical body, and requires the special magic energies inside of the hero/heroine in order to gain a physical form once again. <br /><br />The Wild Card convinced the other four antagonists that they are decedents of the lost ancient magic civilization, but in actuality they are merely his pawns, and they also possess magic that the Wild Card will need in order to regain his body.<span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">***</span></div>
<br />
Now, as anyone who was in the Lets Build a Story Together panel can attest, this story grew to become much bigger than anyone originally intended. I do not think it will reach novel length, but this is going to be a pretty epic tale.<br />
<br />
So, what I will be posting here is the rough draft of the opening scene. Since it is an action story, I decided to drop the reader right in the middle of everything. There is still a lot to reveal (pretty much everything about Richard hasn't even been mentioned yet) but I hope you enjoy what you see so far. More will be coming...<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
-------------------------</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
THE QUEST FOR THE RETURN OF THE PEE PEE</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(Working Title, not final)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
By Spencer Stoner</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(based on input from the Lets Build a Story Together panel at SNAFU Con 2016)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
The figure dressed
head to toe in white stepped around the rubble. His pale pant legs
peeked out from his long colorless coat with each step, only to
disappear again as he maneuvered deeper into the room.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Stray sparks of
electricity popped to life from the ends of newly exposed wiring that
used to be encased in the now nonexistent wall. The building was
trying to keep the power on but the damage inside was too severe. It
was like trying to save a man by transfusing his life’s blood from
one artery to another again and again only to find the adjacent vein
severed every time.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
The mask over the
individual’s nose and mouth pressed tightly against his face as he
inhaled, the smell of ozone strong in the destroyed lab. The fabric
stretched, as much as it could, when he exhaled with a heavy sigh.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Sam, do not tell
me that Hearthstone killed everyone,” he idly kicked at the limp
hand of the deceased scientist at his feet, “again.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
A woman stepped out
from the adjacent room at the sound of her name. Each piece of
clothing she wore was some shade of red, although the palest hue
(belonging to the silk scarf around her neck) was flirting with pink.
Unlike the loose, almost floating scarf, the rest of Sam's wardrobe
bordered on skintight.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Except for her
boots, they had large, clunky soles. They didn't even fit her red
color scheme. They were black, although that could have been from the
burning debris the man was being so careful to avoid. Thankfully,
the potential fashion faux pas was alleviated by Sam's equally dark
hair that just brushed over her shoulders.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
If the man had been
mortal, he would have likely described the woman as “beautiful”.
Mathematically, Sam's facial features were infinitesimally close to
the being perfectly symmetrical. But she wasn't standing around to
let him inspect her closely, in fact the woman immediately turned in
his direction as she entered the room.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
While Sam was
walking toward the man in white, the woman in red was not looking at
him. Her attention was focused on the mere human wrapped under her
arm.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Not from lack of
trying, Queensknee.” Sam responded. “But it seems he missed one
this time.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“My soul is
absolutely aflutter with the joyous news.” Queensknee adjusted the
brim of the pale fedora on his head to be almost as flat as the tone
of his voice.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Sam tightened the
grip of her thin arm around the almost as thin neck of her prisoner
to force her prisoner to look in the man in white’s direction. The
human was asymmetrical, although she could have been described as
attractive in a nonlinear fashion, he supposed.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Her glasses, with
one lens cracked in a pattern that resembled that of a crumbling
planetoid, magnified her blue eyes. Queensknee figured that
enlargement was the source of whatever attraction this woman was able
to project.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Because, otherwise,
she had nothing that any artisan would want to immortalize in marble
or watercolor. He could only hope that her mind held her true appeal.
That being the information that he wanted now, of course.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Queensknee bent
slightly at the knee and waist to lower his masked face to the level
of the woman in the headlock. “I trust that you realize that
resisting us is a truly poor idea?”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Y-yes.” She
squeaked her answer.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
The man smiled
behind his mask, not that she could tell. Good. The woman had a basic
survival instinct, at least. Now to see if she had good sense.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Then you will
tell us the location of the Kwisatz Haderach.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Despite the obvious
pain in the prisoner’s neck, she stared back at Queensknee blankly.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
He let out a
displeased sigh. “The glass box that glowed on one side?”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Oh.” The woman
frowned back. “Richard has it.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“And who, pray
tell,” Queensknee pressed a gloved finger under the prisoner’s
chin, pulling her face towards his to ensure that he had her full
attention. “is Richard?”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;">
-------------------------</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
That is the opening gambit for our tale. Everyone in the panel can tell that we have a LONG way to go!</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
You know what? Another participant said that she wanted to write her own version of this story based on the decisions we all made. I hope she sees this and decides to share with the rest of us!</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
You want to create your own? All the notes are in the previous post. I would love to see what you come up with!</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
And keep an eye out! You can find out what happens next in my version this coming Friday (October 21)!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530641432853603523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9129509820892729014.post-76339487762482200942016-10-11T09:37:00.001-07:002016-10-11T09:37:45.688-07:00A Taste of Things to ComeI have just returned from a great time at SNAFU Con. I ran a panel there called "Lets Build a Story Together".<br />
<br />
Now, the plan was that the participants would decide every, and I do mean every, element of a story that I would write for them. A first draft for, at least, the elements that we were able to get to will be here on Friday. (I gave the participants a chance to e-mail any last minute ideas they wanted to add.)<br />
<br />
Here are the elements for our story that were all decided upon:<br />
<br />
First, it will be written in third person. I told you that EVERY element would be decided on.<br />
<br />
It will be an action-filled sci-fi story with fantasy elements (and some dark humor, if I can do it right). The depiction will be of a roughly PG-13 level, so no graphic details of the damage caused by, shall we say, visceral violence or, um, hentai level lovin'.<br />
<br />
The main character's name is Richard. He is an intern who is an introvert and, physically, about as average one could be. Through the events of the story, Richard will become more assertive and principled.<br />
<br />
Physically, he has brown hair and eyes and an average build. In fact, the only distinctive feature Richard has is a birthmark on the back of his left hand.<br />
<br />
Richard is on a quest to restore himself back to his original state. You see, he was the victim of an unfortunate side effect from a scientific experiment on magic that changed him from a male to a woman. This quest will, perhaps, lead to the discovery of why magic exists in their world.<br />
<br />
He won't be alone in his quest to "restore his pee pee". Richard will have a team of five scientists with him. In fact, one of them will be in love with him. Unfortunately, we didn't have a chance to decide on her name.<br />
<br />
The setting for this tale is a modern city with some ancient, magical ruins outside of the town. The city is a colony on a planet long removed from Earth.<br />
<br />
As I mentioned before, the participants had a chance to e-mail any additional elements they wanted. Those won't be listed here but I will note them on the post of the rough draft.<br />
<br />
This is going to be interesting...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530641432853603523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9129509820892729014.post-26687803884481942912016-08-08T17:13:00.000-07:002016-08-08T17:13:14.152-07:00How Often Should One Post On Their Blog?I've been making a point of being more active on the interwebs once I became a "professional" writer. I make sure to post a special "Wisdom of Ophelia" once a week on Twitter (and then Facebook and Tumblr) and share post that I like with my audience and audience in potentia.<br />
<br />
While doing all this, I realized that I haven't actually posted anything here on my blog in a couple of months!<br />
<br />
I didn't mean to ignore the blog. I guess I just haven't had anything to say that wasn't around the size of a tweet or a picture that I have drawn. I know that you can post pictures here but it doesn't seem, well, appropriate to just have pictures here.<br />
<br />
I always thought of a blog as a place that you share ideas in a more detailed way. Now, I'm before I get into this next portion of my tirade, let me preface it by saying that I'm not saying that other blogs do what I am about to describe en masse. I'm not one for whining or reading a long rant about problems that aren't really problems but are because they make the writer annoyed and/or upset. Nor am I one who thinks that I have all the answers in regards to the problems in and of this world.<br />
<br />
With all that being said. I wonder what a blog should talk about. I think the most opinionated post I have here is my defense of the video game Metroid: Other M. While I enjoy playing video games, I don't think most anyone would really care about my current game of the month. <br />
<br />
Or maybe you do. Perhaps you take the opinion of other gamers over that of critics who seem to be bought a paid for by those they are supposed to be reviewing in an unbiased manner. But then, video games aren't something I devote 100% of my time to, either. I mean, I do have to take time to eat and write my books, short stories and draw some pictures, right?<br />
<br />
So this blog can go all over the place when it comes to subject matter. That still begs the question of how often should one post before a blog becomes derelict?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530641432853603523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9129509820892729014.post-1183331706394664702016-05-16T21:28:00.002-07:002016-05-16T21:28:25.955-07:00Story Excerpt (Star Wars Edition)<div class="post_content clearfix" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 19.6px; margin: 0px; outline: none 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; zoom: 1;">
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Are you a Star Wars fan? So am I! </div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px; outline: none 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
I am such a big fan, in fact, that I write a serial for another Facebook page called The Star Wars Bash. (Feel free to check it out here:<a href="http://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fstarwarsbash%2F&t=NjYxNWFmMzk1NzA4M2QwYjE5MjVkZGMwYTJkNGY0OGM2YzA4NjFmZixvRmt1UVdQeA%3D%3D" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.298039); background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(68, 68, 68, 0) 50%, rgba(68, 68, 68, 0.247059) 0px); background-position: 0px 1.15em; background-repeat: repeat-x; background-size: 1em 2px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.15em; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">https://www.facebook.com/starwarsbash/</a>)</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px; outline: none 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
In a belated celebration of George Lucas’ birthday, I wanted to share part of the first story that I’m proud of in that galaxy far, far away that he created. </div>
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So here is an excerpt from the first episode of the first serial.</div>
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Anyway… Enjoy!</div>
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-<br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none 0px;" />Excerpt from Ryotan is Only the Beginning, Episode One:</div>
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“Why do you keep such a neurotic droid around?” The woman asked out of genuine curiosity rather than any malevolence toward T-23. “He doesn’t seem to match your personality at all.”</div>
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The pilot laughed outright at that. “You know how many short circuits or malfunctions my ship has had since I got him? None. T-23 cares about the Icarus and doesn’t stop checking up on her.”</div>
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“Almost like he has a little crush?” Terra grinned.</div>
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“Oh, no.” Aryl leaned back in his seat again. “I think it’s outright infatuation.”</div>
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Neither spoke for a short while, each enjoying the silence together before Terra finally sighed. “I can’t wait to get back to Coruscant.”</div>
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The pilot arched an eyebrow over at the Jedi Knight. “T-23 is annoying you that much?”</div>
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“No.” The twi’lek straightened in her seat. “When I get back, I’m getting my first Padawan apprentice. He’s the same species as Master Yoda.”</div>
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“Understandable.” Aryl turned for a moment to press a few buttons. “I’m anxious to get back myself.”</div>
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“Why’s that?”</div>
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“Queen Amidala is getting sworn in as a Senator soon. What Noobian would want to miss that?” Aryl smiled.</div>
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Terra smiled back, relaxing into her chair. While the pilot had been living on Coruscant for years, at least according to his records, he still had a sense of pride in his place of birth, the planet Naboo.</div>
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Terra herself was born on Coruscant but, once she became a Padawan as a child, only returned rarely to the planet. Even then she spent most of her time in the Jedi Temple until it was time for her Master and herself to leave for their next assignment. She didn’t feel that same pride Aryl did, and wondered about that feeling of… connection.</div>
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The twi’lek watched the stars stream by in silence, stealing occasional looks over at Aryl, who busied himself with piloting the ship. Neither spoke, they didn’t feel the need.</div>
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Once, when she looked over at Aryl yet again, she caught him stealing a glance at her, just as she had been doing. She blushed, her cheeks turning a dark green, when the sheepish look on his face reminded the woman of what Aryl said to Gingi the engineer about twi’leks when she first hired their ship…</div>
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“Hey, Aryl! Can you hear me up there?” Gingi’s baritone voice popped over the comm.</div>
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With a flick of the switch, Aryl responded. “Yeah, I hear you Calamari-boy. What’s up?”</div>
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“Could one of you come back here and collect T-23?” Both Aryl and Terra had to stifle chuckles. “He’s messing with my engines again.”</div>
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Suddenly the ship lurched as if it had hit a wall! The human clamped his hands around the edge of the console to keep from being thrown into the cockpit’s viewing port. The Force kept the Jedi from reeling out of her seat, but only just. The momentum threw her head tails forward and back, giving her a slap on the cheek on their return.</div>
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“What happened back there, Gingi?” Aryl’s brow furrowed as looked over the instrument panel.</div>
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“I don’t know!” The Mon Calamari’s voice betrayed how uneasy he felt.</div>
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Terra glanced out at the stars as she rose from her seat… and they weren’t there. Outside the ship was only blackness, no points of light or any hint that they had even been there.</div>
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“I’m going back to see what I can do.” Terra hopped to her feet.<br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none 0px;" />-</div>
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Want to find out what happens next? And, perhaps check out all three story arcs, you can find them here :<br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none 0px;" /><a href="http://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fstarwarsbash.wordpress.com%2Fpage%2F3%2F&t=NjFiMDAxZTk3OTVlZTg1MzNhNDZhNzIyNWFkNzc0NTE2N2QxNGYzYixvRmt1UVdQeA%3D%3D" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.298039); background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(68, 68, 68, 0) 50%, rgba(68, 68, 68, 0.247059) 0px); background-position: 0px 1.15em; background-repeat: repeat-x; background-size: 1em 2px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.15em; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">https://starwarsbash.wordpress.com/page/3/</a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530641432853603523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9129509820892729014.post-67379958786960541472016-03-06T12:46:00.002-08:002016-03-17T17:57:38.115-07:00Postcards from Honua #3 (short excerpt from Ophelia and Lyan are Dead Meat)<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
Continuing my feature that shares bits and bobbins from my stories, I decided to showcase another part from my first novel (and currently only but the second is on its way!), <i>Ophelia and Lyan are Dead Meat</i>:</div>
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Skeletons weren't exactly known to have supernatural strength. Hopefully having nothing but sinew holding them together would make them more brittle and they could get through before the air power and behemoths could reach. Ophelia slashed for the neck of the nearest skeleton holding a torch and a longsword.</div>
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The undead creature's head flew from its shoulders and she started for the next. The first didn't fall, though, and chopped for the woman's neck much like she had to it.</div>
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Ophelia ducked under the strike. When she looked back up at the skeleton warrior, she saw the undead being place the flame from the torch in its hand at the base of its neck, as if it was going to light it like another torch.</div>
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It worked. The monster tossed the now extinguished length of wood to the ground and its skull was now replaced by what looked like a demon's head sculpted in fire! It reared back and shrieked its displeasure at Ophelia.</div>
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“Okay... panicking is looking like a better idea now.” She said before bringing Havarti down on the creature again.</div>
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---</div>
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Want to see what happens next? (Or what happened to lead up to that?) You can pick up Ophelia and Lyan are Dead Meat in paperback or ebook formats here:</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530641432853603523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9129509820892729014.post-44938745610291589022016-02-22T16:11:00.003-08:002016-02-22T16:11:57.511-08:00Postcards from Honua #2: Girl TalkI thought it would be fun to post another excerpt from one of my stories. This one again stars Ophelia and Lyan Yo Bunpy (who are also the main characters of my novel <i>Ophelia and Lyan are Dead Meat</i> which is available <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ophelia-Lyan-are-Dead-Meat/dp/069251290X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1439740728&sr=8-2&keywords=spencer+stoner">here</a>.) but is a completely different story.<br />
<br />
If you came here via the link from my website, <a href="http://www.authorspencerstoner.com/">www.authorspencerstoner.com</a>, you may have already read this short story, entitled <i>Girl Talk </i>(riiight?). But for those of you who haven't (shame on you! It's just a simple click on the previous sentence. You can do it!), here's a little taste of the story that is exclusive to my site. Please enjoy!<br />
<br />
-<br />
<br /> Lyan looked as if she'd been asked some kind of riddle. Her brown eyes locked onto Ophelia as if she was trying to find some clue.<br /><br /> Then the Bunny Barbarian sighed and, sure that the answer she was about to give was wrong, she said, “You are an attractive woman.”<br /><br /> Ophelia nodded. “Thanks, the guys whose eyes make it to my face seem to think so, too. What about the ones who don't look at my face?”<br /><br /> “Don't look at your face?” Lyan muttered then came to a realization. “They keep looking at your chest. There is rarely much covering it.”<br /><br /> The barbarian pointed just where she mentioned. She looked proud of herself that she had figured out the answer to which the mercenary was trying to guide her.<br /><br /> Ophelia pointed right back at Lyan's chest. “Your top is covering even less and those are even bigger than mine.”<br /><br /> The Bunny Barbarian's face slowly turned insulted. Not at Ophelia, at least not directly, but at the memory of all the men who failed to make eye contact with her. She had taken it as a compliment previously, assuming they were simply in awe of a warrior of her reputation (word of the battle prowess of her tribe had spread wide, thanks in no small measure to her efforts over the years). Now, realizing that they only saw her as a piece of meat...<br /><br />-<br /><br /><div>
Not long but what postcard is? You can find the rest on my <a href="http://www.authorspencerstoner.com/" rel="nofollow">new website</a> and find other fun freebies there, too!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Why are you still here? The post's over.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Go (check out some other posts while your here. :) )...</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530641432853603523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9129509820892729014.post-56514826062757616532016-02-03T09:46:00.001-08:002016-02-04T12:07:28.299-08:00An Interview to Celebrate the Launch of my New Site!<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Hi there! My name is Spencer Stoner.
I'm the author of <i>Ophelia and Lyan are Dead Meat</i>. In
celebration of the launch of my website, <a href="http://www.authorspencerstoner.com/">www.authorspencerstoner.com</a>,
I thought I would try something a little different. You know how, in
interviews, the one asking the questions asks the writer things like
“where do you find your inspiration?” or “do you have a system
for picking names for characters?” (I do. Two, in fact, but that
is another article).
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Instead of that, I am going to
interview the main characters of <i>Dead Meat</i>. That's right! We
are going to get answers straight from the mouths of the actual
participants of the story! Let's begin, shall we?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
To set the stage, I'm in a simple room
with the two ladies. The walls are mortared stone, there are several
plants in each corner to make it a little more, well, cheery, I
guess. Outside the window, the sky is gray but it doesn't look like
its about to rain or anything.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
As for Ophelia, she's sitting (or more
like slouching) in her seat, resting her chin in her hand as she
waits for me to speak. Lyan is sitting with nigh-impeccable posture,
although she looks less eager to be there than her compatriot.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Spencer: “First, I really appreciate
you taking the time to speak to me today, Ophelia and Lyan.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Ophelia: “Of course. I just wish
that you had provided some beer or something.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Spencer: “Yeah, sorry about that but
I don't drink. It didn't even occur to me to bring anything like
that.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Ophelia: Sighs.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Lyan: “Do not be disgruntled,
Ophelia. We will not linger here too long. We do have more
important matters that require our attention.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
S: “Why are you in such a rush? I
thought you had, you know, taken care of the problem already.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
O: “You really think that we only
have one major <i>problem</i> at a
time? That's a pretty simplistic way of thinking. What kind of
writer are you?”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
S:
“Err... I guess you're right. Sorry again.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Lyan:
“So many apologies are a sign of weakness.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
S:
“Sor- I'll try to remember that. Are we ready to start the
interview proper?”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
O:
“Sure.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
L:
“Very well.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
S:
“The first question is for both of you. It's a pretty simple one.
Who are you?”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
O:
“My name is Ophelia.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
L: “I
am Lyan Yo Bunpy of the Yo Bunpy Tribe of Bunny Barbarians fairing
from the Land of the Long Toothed Rabbit.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
(Note:
Lyan's name is pronounced Lee-an, not like lion, as the spelling
would imply. I know, it's weird but proper names seem to not have to
follow the standard rules of pronunciation and spelling in the
English language. Of course, we can always blame the one who
translated it from the Honuan languages but that would be... rude.)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
S:
“No, that's not what I mean. I already know your names. What I
want to know is who you are.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
O: “I
thought you said this was a simple question.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
S:
“It isn't?”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
O:
“Would you find it easy to answer a question like that?”<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
L:
“Perhaps you do not realize that simple is not synonymous with
easy.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
S:
Sighs. “You're right. I'm so- sure you can give us a little, I
don't know, a little overview of how you see yourself?”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
O:
“Yeah, sure. I'm a mercenary, a sword-for-hire. A pretty good
one, too.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
S:
“And you like fighting for the highest bidder rather than something
you believe in?”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
O: “I
didn't say that. I don't just fight for the <i>highest
bidder</i>. That's more of a
prostitution frame of mind and I know you're not calling me a
prostitute, are you?”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
S:
“No, no. Of course not.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
L:
“Ophelia is a noble warrior who often fights alongside myself and
my people. When it is just she and I, it is often not for money.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
S:
“So what about you, Lyan? You've told us your lineage but not
about you.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
L:
“What more do you want to know?”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
S:
“More about you, not your people.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
L:
“Very well.” Long pause. “I am one of very few female warriors
among my tribe.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
O:
“More like the <i>only</i>
female warrior in your tribe.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
L:
“You forget that my mother is a warrior.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
O:
“She had to leave the tribe to do that.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
L:
“But she is returned now.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
O: “I
wouldn't call overnight visits with Corthek every fortnight <i>returned</i>,
Lyan.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
L:
“...Right.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
S:
“Um... Corthek is your father, right?”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
L:
“Yes. But I thought that you wanted to know about me.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
S:
“True. I just wanted to clarify for people reading this later.
Let's move on and see if we can get back to answering a few
questions. Ophelia, you're a mercenary who fights for who you want
rather than who has the most money. But what is your ultimate goal
in life?”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
O:
“Boy, you do ask all the <i>easy </i>questions,
don't you?”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
S:
“To be honest, I'm using a guide to questions I should ask from
another article I read.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
O:
“Oookaaay... I can't say that I have an ultimate goal. I mostly
just want to have a soft bed, a healthy dose of booze and maybe a
warm body to go in the bed with at night.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
S:
“Pretty simple if... morally ambivalent goals, I guess.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
O:
“What do you mean by that?”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
S: “I
guess I'm kind of old fashioned. I'm kind of a type that's more into
having a committed relationship. I'm not big on having a different
partner every night.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
L:
“Do you not feel that is rather judgmental?”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
S:
“I'm not saying it's bad. I'm just saying that it's not my
philosophy when it comes to relationships.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
O:
“It's not mine, either.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Both
Lyan and I look at Ophelia with surprised looks on our faces.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
O: “I
didn't say that I wanted a relationship with whatever warm body was
in the bed with me. I'm not saying that I'm not open to having a
relationship. I just haven't had one outside of the one I have with
Lyan and a handful of other people.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
S:
“You mean that you and Lyan have...”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
O: “I
didn't say that. I said that I have a relationship with her. Get
your mind out of the gutter!”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
L:
“By that standard, I have not had a relationship in some while,
myself.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
S:
“Listen, I didn't mean to make this conversation devolve into a
discussion of your sex lives. I'm just trying to give the readers a
feel for who you both are as people.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
O:
“Well, sex is part of being a person but I get your point.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
L:
“As do I. As for my goals, my people believe that I am destined to
destroy the Great Evil. Unfortunately, we have yet to uncover where
it is hiding.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
O:
“Scouting around for information is one of the contracts I take
with regularity.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
S:
“You take money from your friend's family to wander around and get
information about something as ambiguous as a <i>Great Evil</i>?”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
O: “A
girl's gotta eat.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
L:
“And we are willing to aid her as she had aided us in the past.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
S:
“Point taken. Maybe now would be a good time to change the
subject. If people were to read your life stories or, for instance,
the story of the events of your recent encounter with the Lytyl Tribe
and Perrett, what would you want them to know?”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
L:
“That was a fine battle. It had powerful ramifications throughout
the countryside. It even created a new political force that will
undoubtedly change the face of the continent in years to come. A
warrior can usually only dream that their struggles could lead to
such events occurring in their lifetime.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
O: “I
don't mean to disagree with Lyan here but she does like to gloss over
the things we lost thanks to that (I apologize to those who prefer to
have every word written out but, Ophelia's description of Perrett was
a little more, um, colorful than I was comfortable printing here.)
...and I hope it falls off.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
S:
“So it's fair to say that you have strong feelings about what
happened.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
O:
“You could say that. While we're on the topic, I <i>feel</i>
that the Lytyl can (Sorry again. I'll just give you this brief
synopsis of her... passionate opinion of the svartalfar*: Ophelia
feels that those she dealt with within the Lytyl Tribe were
duplicitous, underhanded and generally dishonest in their dealings
with her and Lyan.) ...after they spank the horse.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
(Note:
*The svartalfar are elves that, long ago, moved into tunnels and
caverns deep underground. As the centuries passed, their skin
has absorbed a lot of the carbon in the fertile soil around them to
make their skin colors range from gray to obsidian black.)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
S:
“Thank you, Ophelia for that... honest assessment of your feelings.
I think I've held you two ladies up long enough. Be safe in your
future adventures and I hope that we can do this again sometime.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
O:
“You want to get yourself alone with two attractive women again?
And I'm the morally ambiguous one?”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
S: “I
didn't mean it in the warm bodies in a bed way!”<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
O:
“Of course not. But I do expect to have one in my bed tonight and
I have a feeling that you are the one that can make that happen.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
S:
“I'll... see what I can do. No guarantees, mind you.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
L:
“Does that mean that you may provide me with a better sharpening
stone?”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
S:
“That would be... easier.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I hope
you enjoyed reading my conversation with Ophelia and Lyan. I have to
admit that it so didn't go the way I thought it would. Anyway, my
novel, <i>Ophelia and Lyan are Dead Meat</i>
is available in paperback and e-book formats here: <span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span><a href="http://t.co/a7Q6iRXyYC"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">bit.ly/1HYjNSH</span></span></span></a>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530641432853603523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9129509820892729014.post-57219740097581534982016-01-29T17:46:00.002-08:002016-01-29T17:50:55.817-08:00Fun Facts About Honua:<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
<div style="line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
<span style="line-height: 19.32px;">The world on which Ophelia and Lyan live, called Honua, isn't earth in the ancient past or extreme future. It is an entirely separate world.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
Case in point, Honua doesn't have a "leap year". The closest equivalent that they do have is called the "Longest Day". Every four or five years, there is one day where, just as the sun starts to set, another starts to rise. So the entire world has a full day and a half of sun before darkness actually falls agai<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">n.</span></div>
<div class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; line-height: 19.32px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px;">
It's difficult to predict just when it will happen precisely, but it does consistently occur in that four to five year window. Both those factors make it a popular but elusive astrological phenomena to try and tie to rituals or energy manipulation required for the most powerful spells.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px;">
This is, of course, only one of many of the differences of Honua and this world. While it does have a lot of elements that fans of fantasy will recognize but there are so many more that are completely new. I'll be mentioning or showcasing various elements here and, of course, in my novels and other works. Please keep an eye out!</div>
</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530641432853603523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9129509820892729014.post-25393004321163754852015-11-24T10:23:00.000-08:002015-11-24T10:23:26.408-08:00Postcards from Honua #1<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: none 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
I thought it might be fun to create a segment to put up little quotes and excerpts from some of my stories that I think are funny or otherwise notable. I'm calling this feature "Postcards from Honua" (as I'm sure this post's title hinted you toward) and here comes the first! The following is a short excerpt from my novel, Ophelia and Lyan are Dead Meat:</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: none 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
-</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: none 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
“This is him?” Lyan asked, not acknowledging Ophelia’s greeting.</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px; outline: none 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
“This is the coward who attacked you without raising any declaration of battle?”</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px; outline: none 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Ophelia nodded, a clicking noise coming from the corner of her mouth. “That’s him in all his glory.” She chuckled.</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px; outline: none 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
As Lyan’s eyes scanned down the man, her face went from stern to a mask of confusion. “Why is he naked?”</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px; outline: none 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Caleb looked down at himself for the first time. Loop after loop of rope was wrapped around his rib cage and arms. Oddly, his chest was completely exposed, the bottom half of the glyph tattooed onto the middle of his torso, that looked like a life sized crimson hand reaching out from his abdomen, peeked out from under the rope.</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px; outline: none 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
He could feel his wrists tied together behind the back of the chair he was sitting on and his shins, from ankle to calf, tied tightly to the legs of the wooden chair. He expected to be out of his armor but this?</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px; outline: none 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
“We didn’t want him to escape did we?” Ophelia smirked up at the taller woman. “Besides, he’s hot. Why not get a look at the goods?”</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px; outline: none 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
She laughed even as the barbarian woman looked somewhere between confused and disturbed. </div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 21px; margin-top: 15px; outline: none 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
-</div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 21px; margin-top: 15px; outline: none 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
My novel, Ophelia and Lyan are Dead Meat is available here: <a href="http://t.co/a7Q6iRXyYC" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.298039); background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(68, 68, 68, 0) 50%, rgba(68, 68, 68, 0.247059) 50%); background-position: 0px 1.15em; background-repeat: repeat-x; background-size: 1em 2px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: none 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.15em; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="http://bit.ly/1HYjNSH">bit.ly/1HYjNSH</a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530641432853603523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9129509820892729014.post-44592234091205400882015-10-30T21:54:00.001-07:002015-10-30T21:54:35.839-07:00Six Word StoriesErnest Hemingway is credited with writing a six word short story that could bring people to tears. It went something like this:<br />
<br />
"For sale: Baby shoes. Never worn."<br />
<br />
I, of course, don't claim to be a Hemingway myself but I thought I would try my hand at a few tonight. My reasons are two-fold: First, I just read "Twenty Six Word Sentences That Are Absolutely Heart Breaking" and, second, I feel that my brevity in speaking hasn't been matched by my havering in writing. So, maybe this will be good practice? I hope you enjoy, please tell me which ones you liked and/or hated!<br />
<br />
<br />
We drank. I laughed and laug--!<br />
<br />
When is sunrise? After your funeral.<br />
<br />
Weapons save lives. Mine's a joke.<br />
<br />
She offered a proposition. I refused.<br />
<br />
Ophelia was confused. "What's a parent?" (I couldn't resist doing at least one with one of my characters overtly involved.)<br />
<br />
"Look out!"<br />
"What?" I started asking.<br />
<br />
"I've looked better." You lie badly.<br />
<br />
<br />
Well, that was harder and actually more fun than I thought it would be. I will have to give this another try sometime. Ray Bradbury said that if you write one short story every week, it would be impossible to have fifty-two bad ones in a row. I wonder what the ratios are for this format?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530641432853603523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9129509820892729014.post-81197782869263342292015-08-24T11:09:00.003-07:002015-08-24T11:13:22.786-07:00Peridot and the Revenant<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
Since watching the movie Inception, has anyone else taken to referring to ideas and events with various layers as "fill-in-the-blank-ception"? This is, of course, in reference to the concept in the movie of having a dream within a dream within a dream.</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
I experienced something along those lines while writing this short story. I actually had to write it so that another character in a different story could talk about it in detail but then it is also based on a historical event in the world the story (or stories?) takes place in but is a sanitized, disney-esque version of the real story that is merely a background for the first story I was working on in the first place.</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
Makes perfect sense, right?</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
Now that we have that not at all cleared up, I went about writing this story in the style of a fairy tale. I read several different versions of a selection of the "classics" like Beauty and the Beast to try and get an accurate voice for it. I think it turned out quite well but it really is more to you, the fair reader, to decide if I succeeded.</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
So here is my crack at a new fairy tale in the old style...</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>PERIDOT
AND THE REVENANT</b></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<u><b>By
Spencer Stoner </b></u>
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Long ago in a land filled with rolling hills and verdant grasses
that filled the very air with the fragrance of exuberance lived a
large family of noble means. They were a household of fifteen in
all. The citizenry felt the Queen Mother and King Father watched
over them as close and lovingly as as the royals watched and cared
for their own children.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
They were wise rulers, having married the three eldest daughters as
well as four eldest sons to neighboring clans. Thus they saw that
peace surrounded them always and all sought only to improve the lives
and destinies of all in the land.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Even so, all but the second daughter brought their husbands and
wives back to their fine castle to live with the rest of their
family. Otherwise, missing the feeling of love and compassion that
radiated from the Queen and King would have surely dimmed their
humours.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One fateful night a carriage came to the castle, out of which a man
of a foreboding nature emerged. He demanded an audience with the
entirety of the noble family even though the hour was greatly late.
In spite this, and being of gracious natures themselves, the Queen
and King agreed to meet with this most unusual of guests.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The man was well traveled, wearing clothing of a nature not to be
found anywhere in the the vastness of the noble family's lands.
Despite his newness to the region, he had come before the ruling
family with a most disquieting demand! He insisted that the Queen
Mother and King Father relinquish their eldest virgin daughter to him
or he would ravage the very fields and displace the entirety of the
people who lived in the lands that the nobles so loved.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Seeing
as the three oldest daughters had been long since wedded, the burden
fell to their fourth daughter, the young Maiden Peridot. As she had
only barely reached an age that was acceptable to marry and did not
care for matters of politics, Maiden Peridot had busied herself with
reading any book that came within her reach and learning the skills
of painting and riding horses.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
None of these things increased her advantage but they had given the
young noblewoman an intelligence that differed from those of her
siblings. Among those things that the books she so loved had taught
her was the very identity of the type of creature that stood before
her family in the guise of a man. As his very countenance matched
the descriptions she so clearly remembered, Maiden Peridot revealed
to the Queen Mother and King Father that the stranger was truly a
creature called a revenant!</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Maiden Peridot understood that the revenant was a man of unnatural
strength that could fulfill his threat if she did not comply with his
commands. So for the good of her family and the people for which
they all cared so deeply young Maiden Peridot accompanied the
revenant from the castle that had been her home the entirety of her
life and into his carriage.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The stallions that pulled the carriage were mighty indeed and
carried Maiden Peridot and the revenant a great distance in only a
short time. They were still on her family's lands but had traveled
into the moors that not many mortal men traversed into due to the
unstable earth that could swallow them whole if they stepped wrong.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
But the carriage continued on without fear until they finally
reached a cave that entered a broad round hillside. Once they
stopped, the revenant stepped out and offered his hand to aid Maiden
Peridot in dismounting from the carriage herself.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
His hand ended in long, sharp claws. Such a sight caused the young
noble to gasp but she quickly recovered herself. She accepted the
surprising gentlemanly gesture from the revenant and stepped onto the
soggy earth.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“I know it does not appear hospitable.” The revenant said. “But
I do hope to make you happy here.”</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
His words confused Maiden Peridot. The gentle nature he was showing
her did not match the descriptions of the monsters his kind were said
to be in the books she held so dear.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Maiden
Peridot had no skill in spelunking and she felt uneasy as she neared
the opening of the cave. What awaited her when she peered inside
again surprised the young noblewoman. It appeared as if the halls of
a luxurious castle not unlike those of her own home had been build
inside the hill!</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The revenant guided her deeper into the cave that seemed more a
hallway. They passed doors lined either wall, hinting at rooms that
led further into the hill until the revenant stopped before a
particular door.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“This is your room.” He said. “You are free to explore the
cave all you wish but I do have two rules upon which I am most
insistent. First, you must stay within the cave. If you try to
leave, I cannot be held responsible for what will happen next. Also,
while you can explore the cave all you wish, you will be required to
adjourn into your room and stay there upon dusk on the night of the
full moon until dawn of the next morning. Is that understood?”</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The boundaries set by the rules were most simple to Maiden Peridot.
However she was of a precocious mind and did not understand the
reasoning. Particularly, why must she seclude herself once every
fortnight?</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When she asked the question of the revenant, he simply opened the
door to what was to be Maiden Peridot's room and ushered her inside.
It was as luxurious as the rest of the cave, more so even than her
room back in the castle.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There was even a large selection of shelves weighed down with
numerous leather bound tomes. As well as an easel with a blank
canvas and a small table with paints and a pallet resting atop. It
was as if he had known it would be her coming to live within the
confines of this cave.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Running her hands along the spines of the numerous books, she did
not see a familiar title among them. That caused her equal parts
excitement equaled only by dread. While the revenant wanted her to
be comfortable, he also wanted her to not have anything familiar.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As
it had already been late when she was taken to the cave, fatigue
quickly found young Maiden Peridot and she adjourned to the bed that
had been so meticulously prepared for her. She was astonished when
she awoke to find that she had slept fitfully. Never once did she
have a dream that she was to be eaten by the revenant in one of the
many ways described in the selections of books she had read on the
subject.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The young noblewoman found a new dress made of finer silks than she
had ever seen before resting on the foot of the bed. Maiden Peridot
considered staying in the simple riding clothes she had entered the
cave wearing. She found a tub full of steaming water waiting in the
corner and decided to weigh her options as she bathed.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
She wondered what should be expected of her in a situation such as
this. She had been forcibly taken from her home only to arrive in a
place even more luxurious. To her the revenant had been nothing but
a gentleman but he had also threatened to attack the people her
family so vehemently watched over.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Maiden Peridot's mind swirled trying to make sense of the
contradictions until the water started to turn cold. She rose from
the tub to find her riding clothes missing. The only option besides
walking around in naught but her skin was the dress that waited at
the foot of her bed.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Dressed in the finest silks she had ever felt Maiden Peridot decided
to take the revenant up on his permission to explore. As she entered
the hall, the young noblewoman could see late morning light spilling
into the cave but there was no sign of the revenant.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
She walked from room to room never finding a locked door. Whatever
room she expected to see when she turned the knob, a more opulent
version awaited her whether it be a sitting room, sewing room or even
a study filled with even more unfamiliar books.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Throughout the day she never saw the revenant. She had found a
kitchen and made herself a simple repast around midday but she did
not see her captor until after sundown.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
That was when she found him sitting at a long table with a fine meal
resting upon it. There was only one plate set across from him as a
silent invitation for her to sit.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As she entered, the revenant rose to his feet and gave her a
courteous bow in greeting. “Will you give me leave to see you sup?”
He asked.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“As I am to be here at your pleasure, I do not see how I can
refuse.” She replied.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Her answer seemed to pain the man. “You are the mistress here,
milady. As you so wish within these walls it will be. Even if it is
for me to begone.”</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
She stood silently pondering his words for a long time. Finally,
she sat down before the bare plate.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Though the circumstances are unusual you have done me no
disservice so I see no reason to send you from me.” Maiden Peridot
said.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
That pleased the revenant. As she ate they had a most pleasant
conversation. They seemed to share similar passions. Maiden Peridot
was clever enough to ask very specific questions that one who had
only a precursory study would not be able to answer to alleviate any
concern of his knowledge being only to comfort her and not truly
enthrall him as well.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
By the time Maiden Peridot decided it was time to retire for the
evening, she was surprised to see how much time had passed. She bid
the revenant a fond farewell and returned to her room.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Inside, she found the loveliest nightgown draped over her freshly
made bed. In the hours they had been conversing, there was no way
the revenant had time to have tidied her room and delivered new
clothing. The noblewoman resolved to learn how it was done but not
until after she had rested.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Weeks passed and each day went much like the ones before. Maiden
Peridot came into the habit of painting for several hours after
waking up in the mornings, then exploring deeper into the cave,
finding new rooms well into the afternoon.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
She never lost track of where the dining room was, always finding
the revenant waiting inside. “Will you give me leave to see you
sup?” He always asked.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Maiden Peridot would not contrive a false reason to refuse him and
since he personally treated her with nothing but kindness she always
granted his request. They spoke well into the night, more than once
finding the sun starting to arise from the horizon beyond the cave's
entrance when she finally took off to bed. It continued this way
until the night of the full moon.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The revenant entered the reading room where Maiden Peridot had
discovered a new volume about painting techniques and was studying
its pages. He begged her forgiveness for his intrusion and presented
her with a covered silver platter.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Finding a meager meal compared to the fare she had been served up to
this point the young noblewoman did not hide her confusion at such an
unexpected change. He asked her to return to her room with the
platter and stay until morning came.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Remembering his rules Maiden Peridot did not argue and withdrew for
the evening. When she returned to her room, she found it as she had
left it that morning. The bed was unmade the same nightgown she wore
the night before rested upon the rumpled covers.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This did not worry the young noblewoman as much as make her wonder
how the fullness of the moon related to such a sudden change. Maiden
Peridot pondered on this the rest of the day until she finally
readied herself for sleep in the nightgown from the previous night.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It was then that fearful feral noises came from outside her room.
She had promised the revenant that she would stay inside her room the
entirety of the night. But being of a wondering nature Maiden
Peridot proclaimed herself unable to go on without knowledge of what
could be the source of such terrible noises.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Maiden Peridot opened the doorway just enough to peek out into the
cave beyond. She took in the sight of the revenant tearing into the
flesh of a long haired animal in a manner that could only be
described as ravenous.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
She covered her mouth to stifle her gasp of shock at the sight but
the revenant still somehow heard her. He turned his face toward the
door of the young noblewoman's room and Maiden Peridot received her
second shock. The face that looked back at her no longer contained
any humanity as blood dripped from its long fangs and down the chin
of the creature.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Unleashing
a howl that seemed unable to come from any form of mortal animal, the
revenant streaked for Maiden Peridot. The young woman hurriedly
closed her door and found it to be without a lock. Until this moment
she had not thought to need one.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Maiden Peridot could still hear the revenant pace back and forth in
front of her room, releasing occasional growls and other beastly
sounds. But the beast did not enter.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Though he somehow appeared more of a monster than a man he surely
retained the physical ability to open doors or at the very least
break one down with his unnatural strength. While she was worried
for her life, Maiden Peridot wondered why the revenant would not
enter.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Eventually the young noblewoman found her fatigue victorious over
her worry and she slept. Awakening the next morning she found a hot
bath drawn for her as usual but beside it was a letter on a small
table.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“I regret any discomfort you had to endure over the evening.”
The note read. “I do hope you will forgive the lapse in your
mediation and will still join me in the dining room this evening as
has been a practice I have found most pleasant this past fortnight.”</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Despite herself Maiden Peridot found herself flattered at the words
the revenant had written. It also ignited a curiosity about the
nature of this revenant that made him so unlike the words from the
experts in such things that she had read.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This was a mystery she intended to solve starting that very day. As
she traversed deeper into the cave than she ever had the previous
fortnight she desired to find the place the revenant took sanctuary
in these daylight hours.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The walls of the cave started to more resemble their namesake rather
than the well built castle-like facade she had lived within. Still,
there were doors and she entered the first in this more natural area.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Inside was a study much like the one Maiden Peridot used to learn
her new art techniques. There were fewer books inside and none of
them had any titles on the spines to hint at their subjects.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
She pulled one of the volumes from the shelf and opened the cover.
She found it to be a journal belonging to the revenant!</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The young noblewoman felt it was improper to look further into the
book and replaced it on the shelf. Then she realized that more time
had passed than she realized and if she did not make haste she would
be late for dinner with the revenant. She had found herself enjoying
these repasts and did not want to miss out.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Will you give me leave to see you sup?” The revenant asked as
he did at the beginning of each dinner.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Again she did not refuse him. As they had every evening previous
the noble and the creature conversed about a great many subjects but
Maiden Peridot felt as if the air in the dining room was more leaden
than it had been in evenings past. She soon learned why.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Did you leave your room last evening?” The revenant finally
asked.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Though she had opened the door Maiden Peridot was able to answer
honestly that she did not. This answer did seem to satisfy the man
and the subject again turned more pleasant.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The young noblewoman did feel a certain guilt though it was not
entirely about her answer to the question from the revenant. She
decided to confess that she stumbled upon his study and the
collection of journals that rested inside.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Did you read any of them?” The revenant asked.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“That would have been an invasion of trust I could not justify.”
She answered.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“All that is here is yours.” The revenant said. “You cannot
invade that which is yours.”</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Then shall I read your journals?” She wondered.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“If it is your wish.” He nodded.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Maiden Peridot could not bring herself to return to that study for
several days afterward. Finally, though, her desire to know more of
the revenant overtook her and led her back deep into the cave.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Pulling
free what appeared to be the oldest of the volumes, Maiden Peridot
read the words written in the hands of a man from before he had
become a revenant. The tale told was of a noble that fell into the
all too common trap of pride in his station.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
After reading this story from cover to cover Maiden Peridot
adjourned to the dining room. She did not tell the revenant what she
had done and their conversation was as pleasant as it had ever been.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Maiden Peridot found herself returning to the study every day. She
learned of the curse that came upon the man and made him into a
revenant. She was reviled as the joy the revenant took in writing of
the details of his early attacks on the mortals around him.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
But it was the later volumes that truly astounded the young woman.
As much pleasure as the creature took in his attacks he was even more
so disgusted when he wrote in his journals the following day.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
He wondered why God would allow such a cruel fate to befall a noble
of his stature. He begged any deity that would listen to take this
burden from him and saw no relief.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Peridot found the revenant to be a walking contradiction. As much
as his wickedness brought him joy it brought misery down upon him
tenfold. Still, whatever demon that resided in him would not allow
him to stop his evil.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Until the previous fortnight. He entered the land of Peridot's
family and demanded a sacrifice. He had intended to commit great
evil on her but found himself unable to do so.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The revenant spoke of their conversations over dinners which only
Peridot ate with as great of affection as Peridot herself felt. He
wondered why the blood of animals was able to sate him now when he
could not even stomach it before entering these lands.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The night of the next full moon, Peridot read the last of the
revenant's journals. On the last page the creature had written a
message specifically to the young woman.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“I
have found your company to be the greatest gift that could be given
to a monster like me.” He wrote. “But I cannot allow myself to
hoard a treasure such as you any longer. Tomorrow, please take
whatever you would like as a reminder of your time here and return to
your home. My carriage will take you in the morning and, afterword,
be yours. Please do not return as I wish you only joy from this day
on.”</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Peridot wanted to run to the revenant but she found the clocks
striking the time of dusk. She had to rush to her room to keep her
word to the man and shut herself in for the night.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Growling and gnashing of teeth again echoed through her door but she
bared it no mind. If she was to leave tomorrow, she determined to
give the revenant a gift that would only be able to repay perhaps a
fraction of the kindness he had shown her.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
She resolved not to leave the cave until she had spoken to the
revenant one last time. She declared this desire in a note that she
left beside her bathtub, hoping that he would somehow be able to read
it when whatever drew her bath came to do so in the morn as it had
every day.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When she awoke the next morning, she found a note beside her bath
responding to her message just as she had hoped. What it said,
though, drew tears from the young woman.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“I cannot.” Was all that was written.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Peridot took her gift to the revenant and started deeper into the
cave than she had ever braved. Doors disappeared to become dank
offshoots of the murky cave that coated mud all over the young
woman's feet.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Peridot traveled so far into the cave that she was no longer sure
she could find her way back. That was when she heard the sounds of
metal scraping against metal. She followed the odd noises until she
found the revenant awkwardly fastening a cuff around his arm.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Every other one of his arm and legs had been restrained in a similar
manner. The cuffs were each attached to chains that were in turn
attached to the wall. When he saw Peridot he froze in horror.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“I cannot leave until I have given you a simple token to remember
me.” The young woman cried.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
She pulled the cloth that had been covering a painting of the
revenant. Peridot held it up so that he could see every detail.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“This is how I see you.” She confessed.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There was more humanity in the painting of the revenant than he had
seen even in himself in the longest of times. There was no hint of
the monster that lurked within.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Tears welled from the man's face in a way that he thought he had
been no longer able since he had been cursed. He wept tears of joy.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
He confessed to the young woman that he had intended to entomb
himself deep in the earth and starve himself out of his cursed
existence so that he would never harm anyone again. Until he had met
Peridot the revenant thought that undoing his curse was impossible
but now he wanted to find a way so that he could return to the land
of daylight with her.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The next fortnight Peridot painted every morning. She painted
landscapes of the sun drenched marshes just outside the cave to
remind the revenant of the beauty of the land to which he wished to
return. In the evenings they poured over every tome both could find
in search of a way to cure his unnatural condition.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As the night of the next full moon neared, though, the revenant
found sadness overtaking him. Peridot tried to reassure him that
they would find a way to help him but he only shook his head.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“It is not for me that I weep.” He said. “I look at your
beautiful paintings of the world of light but each is surrounded by
the darkness of this cave. I darkness to which I have exiled you.”</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Peridot tried to comfort him but, again, he shook his head. He
guided her to the entrance of the cave where the carriage awaited,
loaded down with as many trunks as it could carry.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“I have not lost hope.” He said. “But my heart aches at the
pain I have caused not only you but your family by what I have done.
Please, go back to your home and show them that you are safe. I will
restrain myself with my chains. If you return, I will become a man
again. If you decide to stay away, I will afflict this land no
more.”</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The revenant did indeed understand her heart. As much as she
enjoyed his company and wanted to help him her heart did ache when
her thoughts turned to her family.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“I
will do as you ask. But I will return to you before the next full
moon and we will leave this cave as man and woman.” She promised.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Peridot returned to the luxurious castle that had been her home just
as the revenant wished. As she entered the courtyard she was
surprised to find many men sharpening blades and hammering armor in
preparation for war.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When she was reunited with the Queen Mother and the King Father they
were overjoyed to see their daughter delivered from danger. When
they asked how she escaped, Peridot told them of how the revenant
released her.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Then you can guide us back to his lair so that we may destroy
this threat to our lands!” They declared.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Peridot tried to protest. She tried to explain to them how the
revenant had changed but they would not hear. Instead they had
Peridot's eldest brother as the commander of the armies loose one of
the stallions from the revenant's carriage and release it onto the
road so that they could follow it back to the cave where the revenant
waited.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The Queen Mother and King Father restrained Peridot in her room so
that she could not interfere. Then they decided to accompany the
army so that they could see the revenant die for his transgressions
against their family.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In the time they had been apart, the noble family had forgotten
about the cleverness of their daughter Peridot. She was able to
escape from her room and find the fastest of the revenant's stallions
held in the stables.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Peridot did not waste the time it would take to saddle the stallion.
She instead rode the horse back to the cave faster than the army
could as they had to follow a stallion not running as fast as it was
able.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The young woman rushed into the cave and told the revenant of her
family's plot. Though he was now freed from his chains he did not
seek to flee or fight.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Thanks
to you I am now a man.” He said. “We will meet the Queen Mother
and the King Father at the cave's opening. If they accept me as I am
now they will share in the joy you have given me. If they still seek
my life, I will give it to them in penance for my misdeeds as a
monster.”</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Though the idea that the man who was a revenant no longer dying
saddened Peridot, she was heartened by his sense of honor. She
resolved to stand with him, hopeful it would be forever by his side
in life or in treasuring the memory of the fine man he had again
become in death.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
They waited at the mouth of the cave as the army drew near. The
Queen Mother and the King Father screamed with rage, not seeing the
man the revenant had become but the monster he had been.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
So great was their rage that they charged past their own armies to
strike the killing blow themselves. They did not know of the dangers
the loose soil of the moors held and were swallowed up by the bogs
until only their crowns remained above the water.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The former revenant and Peridot tried to come to the aid of the
young woman's parents but failed. Despite this, the eldest son saw
the pure intention of the one who had taken his sister when he was a
monster. Now he saw the man and decided to spare him, allowing the
monster to be forgotten.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The nobles and all the people in the land mourned the passing of the
Queen Mother and the King Father but later rejoiced when the Lady
Peridot was wed to a fine man of the regal Desiderata Clan to the
north.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The sorceress that had taken his lands and cursed him into a monster
died the moment he returned to being a man and he was able to reclaim
his birthright. His and Peridot's lands joined together and a new
era of peace and joy fell across the continent.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div align="CENTER" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
THE END</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530641432853603523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9129509820892729014.post-22740337140347410062015-08-20T09:10:00.003-07:002015-08-20T09:18:21.849-07:00Vala: One Story from Two Perspectives<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="1" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333330154419px; width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="left" class="norm"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><b>Author's Notes:</b> This is one of the first stories I wrote that actually made me feel really emotional. Vala, her adult version, was one of the first characters I ever created in my 12 year old head, along with her best friends Sil (who has a slight amount of seniority) and Cyrus.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Vala, though, has a unique background compared to Sil and Cyrus. That's not to say that the background stories of the other two aren't interesting, it's just that... well, I know their backgrounds but I haven't written stories about them yet. So I guess you'll just have to take my word for it that they are interesting. At least for now.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">But back onto the subject of this story. This would be what those in the comic book industry would call an "origin story". I decided to write it from not only Vala's perspective but of the woman who finds her. I thought it would be interesting to see how two people of such different backgrounds and ages would see the same events rolling out. <br /><br />With the first draft, people found the concept confusing because I didn't explain it. I thought it would make itself clear fairly quickly but it isn't typical (much like Vala herself) of the genre and people thought that it was a time travel story at first. So I decided to add the subtitle to make the concept as clear and concise as possible. <br /><br />Anyway, I hope you enjoy Vala: One Story from Two Perspectives. It starts in 3... 2... 1...</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Keta Lowwil was all packed and ready to go. She waved to the small group that had gathered to see her off from the small forest town of Doren. Her backpack was even heavier with books than it was when she arrived. It was their way of thanking her for helping to make their homes safe again.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> As a member of the Elemental Guilds of Arbitration it was her job. The Guilds held no affiliation with any country or organization and were often called in to mediate disputes as an impartial entity. They also investigate crimes or even retrieve particularly dangerous fugitives. Their ability to sense and manipulate the elemental energies of the world make them quite adept at such things.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> She was also trained to recognize the aura of those with Guilds potential. But Keta didn’t expect to sense that on the third day of her trek through the King's Forest, far from any town or village.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Adjusting her heavy backpack, full of books and supplies (but mostly books), Keta stepped off the trail in the direction of the aura she sensed, keeping an eye out for anything from a farmhouse to a mud hovel. Deeper and deeper into the woods she went and the Guild member saw no structure resembling any kind of building.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> After awhile, Keta stubbed her toe, the soft leather of her knee high boot not much of a shield, on a rock she failed to notice. Before that, a tree branch decided to whip around and smack the woman in the nose. When she wiped her chin length auburn hair out of her face, she was surprised to not see blood caked in the strands. That was only after she tripped into a large puddle of mud, soaking her nice, clean emerald green uniform.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> As the thought of quitting and starting back home came to mind, some laughing came from the other side of some shoulder high bushes ahead of Keta. Light streamed through the leaves, making it seem as if there were no trees on the other side. There must be a clearing. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Hearing movement, Keta's brow furrowed and she concentrated on moving silently, not wanting to startle anyone. She peeked over the bushes to see who was there.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<i style="font-size: 10pt;"> There wasn't much in the clearing but the family always enjoyed stopping here. It gave them a chance to rest from having to make their way around all the trees in the forest while still enjoying the shade they provided to keep the heat of the sun away. It also gave the moms a chance to play with their children, which the whole family reveled in.<br /> Vala’s Mom playfully tickled her daughter’s pointed ears. The eight springs old girl blushed but couldn’t keep herself from laughing. Vala was the only one of her family to have pointed ears and Mom just loved playing with them.<br /> So Mom continued to tickle and Vala continued to laugh. Even after Vala saw a strange face poke up from the other side of the bushes, she couldn’t stop laughing. But then Mom noticed.<br /> She snatched Vala into her arms and ran as hard as her legs could carry her into the trees furthest away from the stranger. She dashed under branches and over rocks easily, already knowing where most of them were. This was their home and they knew it well. None of the moms were going to let bad things happen to any of their children. So they ran off in every different direction.<br /> But they wouldn't stay apart for long. After a few turns, Vala's blue eyes caught the familiar sight of the cave that the family used to find each other. Two other moms and their daughters had made it there before them and were already waiting.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Keta quietly watched a small group of nymphs in a clearing. Nymphs were another species of human, much like the alfar. While alfar, like Keta herself, were nearly indistinguishable from humans at a distance, up close their pointed ears and angled eyebrows gave away their heritage.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Nymphs lived in the wilds, like forests, and were rarely seen by other human species. Even those sightings were fleeting as nymphs dashed off at the first hint of being noticed. As far as anyone could tell, they didn't have any kind of spoken language and didn't seem to have the capacity to learn one. They lived off the land, using their instincts like other animals.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Nymphs didn't wear clothing or show any kind of ability to make it. But their hair was tight and curled much like wool from a sheep. Some even grew wool-like hair on their arms and legs that served the purpose of keeping them warm sufficiently without cloth.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Those differences came to the Guilder's mind as she looked over the little group of nymphs. There were several little girls but the one laughing didn't have any wool on her arms or legs. She did, though, have pointed ears. The child was an alfar! Keta couldn’t stifle a gasp.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Hearing her, the nymph tickling the alfar snatched up the little girl and dashed away. The plants, sensing Keta's reaction instantly grew high enough to hide her face from the group but it was already too late. The other nymphs followed suit with the first, each running in a different direction. Keta didn’t want this. Still, she had to be sure about the child. Why would a little alfar girl be living among nymphs? </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Keta followed the tracks of the one that carried the alfar. She didn’t run, the grass was even kind enough to spread away from her prints to make them easier to see. The Guilder didn’t want to give the nymph the impression that she was hostile.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> The terrain here was treacherous. It was a good place for the animal-like thinking nymphs to live and avoid predators. The rocks kept any creature unfamiliar with the area from getting too much momentum and the trees grew wildly, their branches seeming to reach down and grab at any pursuer, that is, until Keta asked them to keep away. After she passed, they went right back to their normal behavior.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Finally, however, Keta caught up with them. They were hiding in a shallow cave in the face of a small hill along with the rest of the group of nymphs. They had somehow, somewhere regrouped after they split up. The alfar woman stepped up to the entrance of the cave and stopped.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> She spoke in the gentlest tone she had. “My name is Keta Lowwil. I’m a Member of the Guilds of Arbitration from Haku'o.” She lifted her hands from her sides, the right one covered in tattoos that looked like bark and leaves that symbolized her membership in the Elemental Guild of Wood, which gave her the ability to manipulate plants. “I’m not here to hurt you. I only want to talk.”</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<i style="font-size: 10pt;"> Vala’s Mom hugged the little girl so tight her shoulders were starting to hurt. When she saw the stranger step up to the entrance of the cave, Mom squeezed Vala even harder.<br /> Noises started coming out of the stranger’s mouth. Everyone looked at each other and nobody understood it, but she didn’t sound threatening. The stranger lifted her hands. She didn’t look like she had claws or anything that would hurt them. In fact, one of her hands looked like it was wrapped in leaves.<br /> Vala, feeling curious, wiggled out of her mom’s grip. Carefully, she started toward the stranger, keeping a sharp eye to make sure the stranger didn't suddenly become scary. Mom must have been shocked because it took her a few seconds to leap up and stop her. She grabbed Vala’s ankle to keep her from going but, in doing so, tripped her daughter.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> The little alfar pulled herself free from the nymph’s grip and started toward Keta. The Guild member smiled sweetly, trying to show that she wasn’t someone to be feared.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Suddenly, the older nymph snatched the little alfar’s feet from under her and pulled her to the ground face first. Keta’s face betrayed her surprise and disgust. The nymph would actually hurt her child to protect herself?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Keta heard the little girl start to cry. When she looked up from the ground, the child had a bloody scrape on her nose.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Keta started toward the child but the nymph woman pulled the girl back into the cave. Keta continued forward slowly.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> “Let me help her.” Keta said. “I can heal her.” She pointed at the tip of her nose, trying to show what she meant to the speechless nymphs.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<i style="font-size: 10pt;"> Vala felt tears well out of her eyes as her nose throbbed. She cried for her Mom and her arms were around Vala immediately. She carried the child back into the cave, to safety.<br /> Vala couldn’t see what was happening because of her tears but she heard noises coming from the stranger again. It wasn’t as nice sounding as it was before but she still didn’t sound mean. Mom stopped walking back into the cave.<br /> Vala heard the stranger again. It sounded like she was directing the noise at her Mom, whose grip around the little girl slowly loosened. She felt something rub the tip of her nose. It stung but it felt better at the same time.<br /> After a few moments, Vala’s tears stopped. She saw the stranger kneeling next to Mom. Both were looking at her intently. She gave a reassuring, if uncomfortable, smile to Mom.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> After the nymph let the child go, Keta knelt over the little alfar and removed her heavy backpack. She opened the top flap and reached inside.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> The nymph looked ready to snatch the girl away again. “Please, I’m just getting my curing pouch.” The Guilder was starting to get annoyed but tried to hide it. “It will help her, I promise.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> She pulled out a small jar of healing balm and put some on the little girl’s nose. It already started to look better, the deep red almost instantly turning soft pink. The child stopped crying, looked up and smiled. Finally, Keta felt she might be making some progress.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> The nymph pulled the little alfar up into her arms again. She looked at Keta thankfully.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> “I’ll have to put some more on in a few hours.” She pointed to the jar and then her nose. “And tomorrow, too.” She pointed to the jar and her nose again.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<i style="font-size: 10pt;"> Mom didn’t seem afraid of the stranger anymore. She even smiled at her. The stranger pointed at the jar and then at her nose a couple of times. Vala guessed that meant that she’d have to put that stuff on again.<br /> Vala hugged her Mom tightly; thankful she didn’t hurt anymore. Mom started out of the cave and motioned for the rest of the family to follow.<br /> The stranger just stood there, looking unsure. Mom, while still holding Vala in one arm, tugged on the stranger’s arm to get her to come along. It was getting late, almost time for bed.<br /> Mom led the stranger back to the sleeping place. The rest of the family looked at the stranger unsurely but let Mom have her way. The sleeping place was only a short walk anyway.<br /> Once there, Vala once again wiggled out of her Mom’s grip. This time, she headed straight for her favorite leaf stack before any of the other children could claim it. Mom laughed as she saw Vala race away.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Keta didn’t know where the nymphs were leading her. She followed, working hard to keep her bearings. Thankfully, the walk through the trees was short.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> When they entered another clearing, lush and green compared to the one she initially found they nymphs in, the Guild member saw piles and piles of leaves. She was surprised when she saw the little alfar free herself from her mother’s grip and dash for one of the biggest piles. She was even more surprised when she saw the mother laugh at the girl’s actions.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> The mother motioned for Keta to follow. They both walked up to the pile of leaves the little girl decided to lay in. The mother tugged on the Guild member’s green sleeve, pointing at her nose and then at the girl.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> It took Keta a moment to figure out what the nymph meant. “Oh, you want me to put more balm on her nose.” She shrugged. “It’s a little early but I don’t see why not.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Keta slowly sat on the leaves next to the little girl and motioned for her to sit up. She almost bounced up next to the Guilder and pointed her nose at the older alfar, smiling.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> The mother stepped over to one of the other piles to help another nymph and her child get settled in. Keta decided to try and talk to the little girl.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> “I am Keta.” She pointed to herself. “Who are you?” She pointed to the little girl.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> She looked back at Keta quizzically. She pointed unsurely at her nose again.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> “I am Keta.” She pointed at herself again.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> After a few seconds the girl smiled wide, seeming to finally understand. “I am Keta.” She poked the woman in the stomach.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> The Guild member shook her head but smiled at the progress. “Keta.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> This time, she did understand. She pointed at the older alfar woman again and said, “Keta.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Keta pointed at the little girl. “What’s your name?”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> The girl looked thoughtful for a moment then she pointed to herself. “I am Vala.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Keta smiled even wider, then heard a rustling beside her. Turning, she saw that the mother had a leaf bed for her or, more accurately, commandeered the one closest from that other nymph. Keta nodded to the mother then opened the jar of healing balm and applied it to Vala’s nose.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<i style="font-size: 10pt;"> Vala slept peacefully in the arms of her Mom that night. She didn’t know why but she felt a great sense of pride that she was the first one to learn the stranger’s name. Keta... it sounded nice. Vala liked her and hoped Keta didn’t have to leave too soon.<br /> In the morning, after everyone had woken up, all the Moms went into the woods to get breakfast. It had been dry lately so there weren't as many berries as usual but Mom always made sure that Vala was never worried about her stomach. In fact, she always made sure that Vala ate first out of their share of the berries.</i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Keta stayed behind with the children. After putting more balm on her nose the alfar woman tried talking with Vala again. It was a slow start, Vala was able to tell Keta what the adults were doing.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Keta pulled a thick, leather bound book out of her backpack entitled "The Field Guilde to Peoples and Creatures of Honua". She opened it to pictures of the different races of the continent. First she opened it to a picture of a nymph.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> The nymph in the picture had fine, wool like hair on her head, forearms and legs. “Nymphs.” Keta pointed to the other children, who looked a lot like the picture.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Vala smiled and pointed at herself pridefully. “Nymph.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Keta shook her head and turned to a different page in the book. “Alfar.” She pointed to the page, to herself and then to Vala.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Vala’s eyebrows pressed together. “Nymph.” She insisted, poking herself in the chest.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Keta shook her head again. She pointed to Vala’s pointed ears and then to the pointed ears of the slender alfar woman in the book.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Vala frowned, thinking hard. She lunged at the book and started pushing the pages back to the picture of the nymph.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> She pointed at the curly, woolen hair of the nymph in the picture. Lifting her hand from the page, she tugged at her own golden, wavy locks.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> “Nymph.” She scowled at Keta.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Keta looked at Vala. The Guilder hadn’t thought of it, but it was rare for alfar to have curly hair, not unheard of but rare. She looked down at the picture of the nymph.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> She thumbed back to the picture of the alfar and it long, straight black hair. Keta’s hair was short and auburn but also straight. There had to be a reason for Vala to resemble… both… races.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Of course! Vala must be a half-breed. Keta didn’t really like the term but couldn’t think of a better one. Nymphs have been said to be desirable to most any species. Vala’s father must have been an alfar!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Before she could try and explain this to Vala, a very somber looking group of adult nymphs walked into the clearing, each carrying small handfuls of berries.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<i style="font-size: 10pt;"> It was really bad this morning. None of the family could find much of the berries and fruit they knew and liked. So they were forced to experiment with some new kinds.<br /> They both had tried this yesterday. Mom was lucky to find a new berry that was purple and bumpy and tasted okay. Mom had picked some more of what looked like that kind of berry for Vala. And she couldn’t find much of even that.<br /> Mom motioned for Vala to hold her hands out. Scooting away from Keta, she lifted her hands to her Mom.<br /> Mom dropped all of the berries from her hand into Vala’s. Vala looked down at the berries then up to Mom’s empty hands. She motioned to Mom to share.<br /> Mom shook her head. She sat down next to Vala, kissed her forehead and told her to eat.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> When Vala moved away, Keta knew she had made a mistake to try and explain why she was different so soon. The girl's worried looking mother then dropped barely a handful of berries into her daughter’s smaller hands.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Vala didn’t want the berries and tried to give them back to her mother. The nymph refused and insisted that Vala eat with a series of grunts.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Vala looked at the berries unsurely. Finally she picked one up and started to bring it to her lips…</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Keta jumped and knocked them out of Vala’s hands. She hurriedly checked Vala’s hands and face to see if even any juice had touched her skin. Keta breathed a quick sigh of relief when she saw no sign. Then she turned to Vala’s mother.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> “Are you crazy? Trying to feed your daughter Sivle Berries!” Keta pointed an accusing finger at Vala’s mother, who cowered back, looking confused. “Is this how you test new foods? Just getting the juice on her hands would kill her!”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Behind her, Keta suddenly heard one of the other children start to gag. The color drained from the woman’s face.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> “Oh, sweet spirit of mercy.” The Guilder dove into her backpack for the curing pouch.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Opening the small bag, she dug for a potion that could counter most poisons. Finding it, she ran to the other child and force-fed her a mouthful of the blue liquid. Her breathing improved almost immediately. Keta almost relaxed then but then she realized that the many of the other nymphs, mothers and children alike, would likely have gotten the juice on their hands as well.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> The illness crept through the adults quickly. Keta treated them as fast as she could but they would be sick for a while. Thankfully, only four of the nymphs had come in contact with the poisonous berry. Unfortunately, Vala’s mother was one of them.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<i style="font-size: 10pt;"> When Keta started walking toward Vala’s Mom with that bottle of blue stuff, Vala jumped up to stop her. She wasn’t going to let Keta hurt her Mom. It wasn’t until Mom started making weird noises and coughing that the little girl realized what was happening.<br /> Vala turned and saw her Mom’s hands, covered with purple spots from the berry juice, reach up and cover her mouth, trying to stop her coughing. Keta rushed to Mom’s side and poured some of that liquid between the nymph's fingers into her mouth. Mom stopped gagging but she still moaned weakly.<br /> Worried, Vala sat next to her Mom on the leaf stack, never taking her eyes off of her. It took Keta a while but after she had given some of that juice to the other nymphs, the alfar woman lowered herself beside Vala and put an arm around the little girl shoulders. Vala didn't move an inch the entire time.<br /> Keta had pulled another, smaller book out of her backpack and showed Vala a picture of the blue liquid. She said something that sounded comforting but couldn't understand the words.<br /> Vala didn’t know what “poison” was. She pushed the book away, shrugged off Keta’s arm and laid down beside her Mom, trying to comfort the nymph.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Keta slipped the Guild Potions and Medicine Guide back into her pack. She pulled the large Field Book back onto her lap and looked up the Sivle Berry.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> She showed the picture and the poison symbol to Vala. “This is the poison that potion will cure. Your mother will be fine.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Keta unrolled the blanket from her pack and placed it over Vala and her mother. She gave the child a reassuring smile.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> "Don’t worry, Vala.” Keta pulled a loaf of bread and cheese out of her backpack and gave Vala a slice of each.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> The little girl reluctantly reached out from under the blanket and took the offering. Keta grinned at the little half nymph as she practically inhaled the food after the first taste. Her stomach was obviously working just fine.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> “I’ll take care of you. All of you.” She looked back at the other ill nymphs.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<i style="font-size: 10pt;"> The following weeks passed both slow and fast for Vala. Slow whenever she thought of her Mom, who was too sick to even walk. Vala worried about her so much. Fast when Keta was showing her things in that big book the young nymph was growing to adore.<br /> She learned a lot of things that helped make her Mom more comfortable. Vala learned how to build a fire, to keep Mom warm at night, what berries and fruits were safe to eat and how to make a bowl to bring water up from the stream so that Mom didn’t get thirsty.<br /> As she learned all these wonderful things, including the language of the alfar, she told her Mom about them. Her Mom was happy but Vala could tell she didn’t understand. Still, Vala told her everything.</i><br />
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<br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> The day after Vala’s mother had fallen ill, Keta wrote a Phoenix Epistle, a parchment soaked in a special chemical that, when set aflame, the message written upon it would launch off to the Guild Council. Even though it would be delivered almost instantly, she knew it would be some time before she got a reply.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> “I write this epistle to you in request your guidance.” She wrote. “I found a girl with Guild potential in King’s Forest. She is around eight years old, a mixed race of alfar and nymph named Vala.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> “I have observed behavior that bordered on abusive when they at first considered me a threat. I had to keep half of their group from eating the poisonous Sivle Berry and treat some who had already eaten it.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> “I am not certain if this is a suitable or safe environment for a young alfar. I need instruction on how to proceed. Shall I return with the girl to Haku'o, or leave her in the normal, albeit dangerous, care of her natural mother?”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> She also wrote down some of her specific experiences since she'd come to stay with the nymphs and included them in the message. While Keta waited for a reply, she taught Vala everything she could out of the tomes she carried in her pack. Vala eagerly learned everything from language to basic survival skills to mathematics and science.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Keta's heart was conflicted at what to do next. She was lost until the Council’s epistle came to give her instruction.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<i style="font-size: 10pt;"> Mom sat up for the first time in weeks. She slouched, obviously still weak but at least she was up! Vala almost tackled Mom back into the leaves that had somehow stayed greener than every other pile with a relieved hug. Smiling, Mom wrapped her arms around her daughter.<br /> “Keta! Keta!” Vala called into the trees. “Mom’s feeling better!”<br /> After a few moments Keta came out of the woods, looking up at the sky. “That’s good news, Vala.”<br /> Keta knelt and started to examine Mom. She pulled some things out of her curing pouch, which she had started wearing around her waist. She poked a little stick into Mom’s mouth and checked Mom’s heartbeat by pressing her fingers against Mom's neck. How that worked had taken quite a bit of explaining to the little girl.<br /> Vala looked at Keta expectantly. “Well?”<br /> Keta looked thoughtful for a moment… then smiled. “She’ll be fine. One or two more days and she’ll be as good as new.”<br /> Vala jumped at the happy news and hugged Keta as hard as she could. She held her for a few moments then dropped back to Mom to hug her again. Tears started to roll out of her young eyes.</i><br />
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<br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Keta sighed as she sank onto her leaf pile for the night. Hers and Vala's had stayed greener than the rest over the passing weeks due to the energies that like to stay near the Wood Guild members. She was glad Vala’s mother was feeling better and the look of relief in Vala’s eyes… the feeling that gave Keta still filled her heart with warmth.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> The Guilder looked up to for her favorite constellations for the last time that night when she noticed an unusual light dancing through the sky. She recognized it almost immediately: A Phoenix Epistle.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Keta jumped up from her leaf pile as quickly and quietly as she could and dashed into the nearby trees. It would be difficult to explain why she was catching fire falling from the sky to the nymphs. She forced herself not to pace but that didn't keep the woman's feet from stomping into the soft earth impatiently for the message to traverse the distance.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Finally the message in the shape of a bird made of flame landed in her hands and transformed into a normal envelope with the seal of the Guilds Council on it. She ripped it open straight away and read:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> “Guilder Lowwil, we sympathize with your dilemma and are thankful you turned to us for guidance.” The letter continued. “Based on your report to us, including injuring of the child to keep the adults from harm and possible use of the children to test the safety of new food sources, it may be prudent to take the young child, Vala, from the dangerous surroundings to those that will ensure her safety.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> However, while nymphs may be creatures of instinct, it is rare for beings to use their offspring in the ways you have described. Please be sure you are correct in your assessments before you make final judgment.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> When Keta finished the letter, it didn’t fill her with relief like she thought it would. On the contrary, it left her heart as heavy as ever as the decision was still up to her.</span><br />
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<i style="font-size: 10pt;"> “Keta's been acting funny since Mom started feeling better.” Vala wrote very slowly and carefully in the blank journal Keta had given her, making sure to use all the right letters for each word. “Is she going to be leaving soon? I hope not. I hope she can stay with us forever.”<br /> The young girl sat near her still green leaf pile on a log that she and Keta had dragged into the clearing to use as a study area. All the other nymphs had gone off to get fresh leaves to replace their browning piles to slept in and, more often, play as usual. Even Mom had started joining them, not wanting to interrupt Vala's new education. She didn't understand what they were doing, all Mom knew was that it was making Vala happy.<br /> Keta had left to do something called “meditation” after she gave Vala the journal and told her to practice writing in the book. Keta did say, though, that what Vala wrote in this was personal, for herself alone, and that the Guilder wouldn't read it so it could say anything she wanted. So Vala wanted to make sure she did it right.<br /> The little girl quickly lifted the book to her chest to cover the writing when she heard someone coming. She relaxed and laid the book back flat on her lap when she saw it was her Mom. She was always the first back into the clearing. She made sure that Keta had time to teach but Mom wanted to keep her time away from Vala as short as she could.<br /> She kissed her daughter’s cheek as she sat next to her. Looking down at the writing, Mom lightly ran her finger over the drying ink, smudging it but the writing was still easily readable. She smiled as she looked up at Vala.<br /> “Pretty.” It was the only word in the alfar language Vala was able to teach her mother.<br /> Vala wasn’t sure if she was referring to the writing or her and didn’t care to ask. She leaned her head on Mom’s shoulder and closed her eyes. She wasn’t sure if she could get much happier than this.<br /> Vala and her Mom sat there in the clearing together for a long while. They didn’t speak. They didn’t have to.<br /> Vala didn’t open her eyes until she heard twigs snapping under the feet of a new arrival. When she saw it was Keta, she made sure the journal was closed and smiled at her first alfar friend.</i><br />
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<br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Keta paced back and forth in the solitude of the trees all morning. She couldn’t wait any longer. She had to make a decision.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> And that was to find Vala’s mother to try and explain herself to a woman with no language. It didn’t take long to find her. The full blooded nymph was never far from her daughter, though she stayed out of sight during lessons. Since Keta hadn't been with her, Vala's mother returned to the clearing and was sitting next to her child.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Vala closed the journal Keta had given her and smiled up at Keta. The Guilder gave a hesitant half smile back. This was going to be harder than the alfar thought.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Vala’s mother looked upset when Vala closed the book and smacked her daughter's shoulder. “Pretty.” She pointed at the book then at Keta.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Vala girl shook her head at her mother. The nymph snatched the book from the girl's hands and started to rise from the log. Vala grabbed for the journal and started wrestling with her mother. Still, the child just wasn't as strong as the full grown woman and Vala’s mother pulled the book from the child's grasp, causing Vala to sprawl onto the ground.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> That made Keta's decision much easier. Vala had to come back to Haku'o with her. The Guild member's determination steeled in the face of what was happening.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Vala’s mother stepped toward Keta with that same naïve smile the nymph had on her face since she recovered. She started thumbing through the journal, holding it upside down as she walked.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Keta marched up and snatched the book from the unsure fingers of Vala's mother. She stepped around the nymph and started toward Vala herself. Keta forced herself to not look back at the other dumbfounded woman.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> She handed the little girl's journal back to her. “Come along, Vala.” She held out her hand to help the little girl up. “It’s time we left.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Clutching her journal in one hand and Keta’s hand in the other, Vala rose to her feet. They started for the leaf bed where Keta kept her backpack. Vala’s mother stumbled behind them, making grunts and other sounds that made her confusion obvious.</span><br />
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<br />
<i style="font-size: 10pt;"> What had gotten into Mom? Vala looked up from the ground, not physically hurt but definitely confused as Mom was looked through her journal and walked over to Keta.<br /> Suddenly, Vala understood. Her mother wanted to show what Vala had written to Keta. She didn’t know that it was supposed to be personal. Vala had never explained that to her.<br /> Keta took Vala’s book from Mom’s hands and marched over. The alfar woman held out her tattooed hand to Vala as she returned the journal with the other.<br /> “Come along, Vala. It’s time we left.”<br /> Vala walked hand in hand with Keta to the leaf bed. The grown up woman looked upset.<br /> Keta picked up her backpack and slung it over her shoulders. Over the last few days, it had been hard for Keta to find some items when she was teaching Vala. Since she started keeping the bag packed all the time now.<br /> “Where are we going, Keta? To the river bed?” Vala asked, her gold eyebrows pressing together.<br /> Keta shook her head. “No, we’re going to Haku'o.”<br /> Vala stopped walking. “Where’s Haku'o?”<br /> Keta turned and looked at the little girl. Vala’s eyes opened wide as she figured out what was happening. Keta was taking her away. Taking her away from her home, her family… her Mom.<br /> “No!” Vala started backpedaling away from the alfar. “I want to stay here!”<br /> A pleading look crossed Keta’s face. “I know, Vala, but it’s not good for you here.”<br /> The little girl felt tears welling in her eyes. “Yes it is!”<br /> Keta shook her head, looking on the verge of crying herself. “No, baby, it’s not.”<br /> “Mom loves me!” Vala started shaking all over.<br /> “I know she does.” She knelt in front of the child. “But she can’t take care of you.”<br /> Keta reached out with her hand and took Vala’s free arm. Vala pulled away from her.<br /> “Then I can take care of her!”<br /> The girl threw the journal down at her feet and started to run. But Keta was quicker and grabbed her by the arm again.<br /> “I can only hope that someday you’ll know I did this for your own good.” With her free hand, Keta picked up Vala’s journal and started dragging the little girl into the forest.<br /> With a howl of grief and anger, the grown nymph charged into Keta, tackling her to the ground. Pinning her to the dirt, Mom looked up at Vala.<br /> “Pretty!” She motioned for Vala to run away.<br /> Vala couldn’t run. Not because she didn't want to but her legs just wouldn't move. How could everything be so perfect then come crashing down around her so fast?</i><br />
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<br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Keta felt her muscles rip as she was shoved to the ground. Her backpack was so thick it stretched her spine into an unnatural position just short of breaking. Blood started rushing to her ears as the pain rushed through her body, making her unable to hear a thing past her throbbing eardrums.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> She pushed Vala’s mother off of her. The nymph rolled into the dusty ground but quickly picked herself back up. Keta lifted herself to her feet in agony. The backpack stayed on the ground. The alfar woman looked around and saw Vala standing in stunned silence.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> With a heavy, heaving breath Keta raised her hands, readying to defend herself from the nymph. Vala’s mother charged straight at her, screaming as loudly as the air could come out. This time Keta had the grass snag around the feet of Vala’s mother, making her lose balance. Not wanting to seriously injure the nymph Keta then simply lifted her boot, tripping the nymph back down to the dirt before she could even touch the Guild member. Keta just wanted to stop the woman from fighting back anymore.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> From the ground, dust clinging to her cheek, Vala’s mother looked pleadingly at her daughter. “Pretty...”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Keta stepped over the nymph and towards the little girl. Vala’s mother lunged and wrapped her arms around the alfar's legs to stop her.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> “Pretty?” Tears welled down her mother's cheeks, washing the dirt from her face.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<i style="font-size: 10pt;"> Vala couldn’t understand. Why was this happening? Her feet wouldn’t move. She couldn’t run. Why?<br /> Keta tripped Mom trip made her fall into the Guild member's big backpack, knocking it over and spilling its contents over the ground. She'd seen the Wood Guilder make plants grow faster before but never to hurt anyone. Keta started toward Vala again.<br /> Something snapped inside of the little half-nymph. She charged at Keta with all she had.<br /> Keta let out a yelp of pain and surprise as she struck the dirt beside the full grown nymph, her already ripped muscles feeling as if they were on fire. Vala sat on Keta's chest, not letting her breathe as she slammed the journal into the alfar’s head.<br /><b>THWACK</b><br /> “You hurt my Mom!” The tears fell from Vala’s eyes to Keta’s face.<br /><b>THWACK</b><br /> “You tried to take me from her!”<br /><b>THWACK</b><br /> “I thought you liked me!”<br /><b>THWACK<br />THWACK</b><br /> Vala lifted her arms for another strike but the book wouldn't come back down. Looking up, she saw Mom gripping the journal tight.<br /> Mom had such a look of anguish in her eyes that Vala immediately dropped the book and jumped up to hug and try and comfort her. Vala felt herself cry even harder when she felt the softness of Mom’s arms fold around her more gently than ever.</i><br />
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<br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Keta slowly tried to lift herself from the ground and found that she couldn’t. She looked over at Vala with her mother, embracing each other tightly. On the ground beside her laid Vala’s journal lying open on its first entry:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> “Keta's been acting funny since Mom started feeling better. Is she going to be leaving soon? I hope not. I hope she can stay with us forever.” The handwriting, while simple, was so... pretty, so pure that it was like there was no filter between the sentiment and the words.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> She lost consciousness after that. When Keta awoke, the alfar found herself lying on a familiar leaf bed, staring at the familiar, albeit not as open face of little Vala.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> “How long have I been unconscious?” Keta croaked.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Vala lifted her small clay bowl of water to Keta’s lips. “Two days.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> She sounded like someone speaking to a total stranger, saying only what was necessary to convey only essential information. The Guild member took small sips of the cool water. As she did she saw Vala’s bruised mother rubbing ointment on her wounds, no doubt at her daughter’s request.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Keta’s lips trembled. “I’m sorry, Vala.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Vala looked at her as Keta might have looked at a wagon she was repairing. She put the bowl down and readjusted the blanket around Keta.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> "You’ll be able to go back to… Haku'o,” Vala barely choked out the name of the city. “Tomorrow. Until then, Mom and I are taking care of you.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> “You AND your Mom?” Keta couldn’t hide the disbelief in her voice.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Vala nodded proudly. “Yeah, she’s been finding all the things that fell out of your backpack after you knocked her into it.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Keta cringed at the reminder of what happened. A new wave of guilt washed over her.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> “I guess you don’t want me to stay forever anymore?” She couldn’t keep the sadness from creeping into her voice.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Vala tried to hide her surprise. She didn't realize that Keta had seen the entry after all. She tried to busy herself by folding some rags.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> “I’m sorry, Vala.” Keta started again. “What I did was wrong. I know that now.” The alfar looked enviously at Vala’s mother, who was putting ointment on where it wasn’t needed. “She was just trying to show me that entry so you could know how proud she was of you.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Now the little girl’s lower lip trembled. She nodded and blinked hard, fighting tears from coming.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> “She needs you here.” Keta motioned to her mother. “Otherwise she’d be covered from head to toe in healing balm.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Vala turned and looked at her mother. She rushed over and stopped the nymph from putting on any more medicine. She took the jar from her mother and placed it neatly back into the curing pouch and returned to Keta’s side.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> “Did I ever tell you why I came here in the first place?” Keta asked.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Vala slowly shook her head. “No.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> “I sensed an aura with Guild potential. You do remember what I told you about the Guilds?”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> The child nodded. “They help and protect people no matter what species or belief.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Keta nodded back. “We make mistakes.” She cringed to herself. “But that’s why we always look for new friends to join us.”</span><br />
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<i style="font-size: 10pt;"> Vala frowned. “Is that what you were going to make me do? Join you?”<br /> Keta shook her head. “I just wanted you to be safe. Whether or not you joined the Guilds was always going to be completely up to you.<br /> “We always look for people who can help us help others.” A tear slipped down Keta's cheek. “Please don’t judge the rest of the Guilds by my mistake. We actually do a lot of good.”<br /> Vala grunted. “You only came here to draft a new recruit.”<br /> Keta raised an eyebrow. “Where did you learn that word?”<br /> Vala lifted the thick Field Guide. “I’ve been reading it for the last two days.”<br /> The alfar chuckled to herself. As she did, the tears Keta was fighting flowed out of her eyes unrestrained.<br /> “What’s so funny?” Vala folded her arms sternly.<br /> “I didn’t come here to draft you, Vala.” The Guild member choked back a lump in her throat. “I came here to show you your potential.” She laughed louder. “And you just showed me that you had more than even I thought.”<br /> Vala's breath caught in her throat. “Really?”<br /> “Yes. Really.” Keta yawned.<br /> And she fell back into a peaceful slumber. When Mom knelt down next to her, looking confused by what just happened, Vala showed her the herb she had put in Keta’s water to make the Guilder sleep.</i><br />
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<br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Keta was all packed and ready to go. Only Vala, with the Field Guide and her journal in her arms, and her mother were left in the clearing to see her off. She started to lift her backpack but put it back on the ground.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> She walked over to Vala’s mother. “I am truly sorry for what I did.” She knew she couldn’t understand the words but she continued anyway. “You have a very pretty daughter.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Vala’s mother smiled. “Pretty.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Keta nodded and hugged Vala’s mother tightly. Catching her by surprise, she just stood there for a moment but, at last, returned the hug. The alfar finally released her and gave the nymph one last, gentle smile before kneeling down in front of Vala.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> She held up two envelopes, one sealed and one open. “These are called Phoenix Epistles. We use these to communicate with other members of the Guilds.” She shook the sealed one. “I’m sending this to my leaders to tell them what I did here.” A pained look flashed over Keta's face then she shook the unsealed one and handed it to Vala. “This one is for you. If you decide to join the Guilds, just write on the paper inside this envelope and light it on fire to tell me. No matter where I am, I’ll get it.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Vala held the paper uncertainly. “What if I don’t want to join?”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> “Then tell me if you want to come for a visit. Or simply keep it as a reminder of the good times we had together.” Keta rose and lifted her backpack onto her shoulders. “I hope to hear from you in three or four years.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> She waved to the little girl and started out of the clearing. Vala hurried after the Guild member.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> “Wait!” She clutched the books tightly to keep from dropping them as she ran. “Aren’t you going to give me a hug?”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Keta looked down at her for a long moment. “Well your arms are awfully full and I’m in this clunky backpack…”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Vala looked for a clean place to set her books. She looked almost ready to just drop them into the dirt.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> The alfar knew what she was thinking and stopped her. “Tell you what.” She knelt down in front of Vala again. “If you come to Haku'o, Guild member or not, I’ll give you the biggest hug you’ll have ever gotten. Is that a deal?”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> The little girl rubbed her nose with the back of her hand. “…I guess so.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Keta started out of the clearing again. When she reached the trees, she looked back for one last lingering look at Vala. Taking a deep breath and she started back into the forest for Haku'o, the Guild City.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Three years, eleven months and nine days later:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Keta jumped when the unexpected Phoenix Epistle landed on her desk, covering the paperwork she had been working on. She looked at it curiously, saw who it was from, and tore into the letter eagerly:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> “Dearest Keta,” It began in the prettiest penmanship the newly ordained Guild Councilwoman had ever read. “I am writing to tell you of both sad and happy news. First, I will tell you the sad.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> “My mother recently passed away due to old age. She lived to a hearty thirty-six springs, not bad for a nymph according to my research. Before she passed she made me promise to be the smartest, best person I could be. She made sure I read from the Field Guide and wrote in my journal everyday (and believe me when I tell you the writing has gotten very small toward the end). That brings me to the happy news…”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Keta continued reading the letter not looking up at anything else. “To fulfill my promise to my mother I have decided to join the Guilds. I am en route to Haku'o as we speak. In fact, I am writing this from just outside the city walls.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"> “I hope to see you shortly and get that hug. Truly your pretty, Vala.”</span><br />
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<i style="font-size: 10pt;"> Vala, adjusting the straps of her makeshift backpack, stepped through the stone archway of the western wall, looking upon the inside of the city in awe. She saw a multitude of alfar, humans, dwarves and other races go about their business on the grounds.<br /> She nodded a greeting to an alfar man up in a tree, trimming the branches with only his hands. After she passed Vala heard a thud but didn’t realize that the he had fallen to the ground in shock.<br /> The half nymph walked down the trail to the largest building in the city, a great structure with seven walls that were each made of one solid piece of stone with giant trees making up its five corners. Vala noticed people were staring as she passed but she didn’t care. The young woman was too overcome by what she was seeing in this city, the first she had ever been in.<br /> As she neared the entrance on the southern wall of the giant stone building she noticed two alfar about the same age as her standing beside it. The short one with black hair stared at her, flabbergasted.<br /> The other, taller one with brown hair didn’t look up from his book until the first smacked him in the shoulder. "Sil!"<br /> Looking up at Vala, the same look came across his face… then his black haired friend fell down and he had to help him up. "Cyrus? You okay?"<br /> Keta ran out of the entrance, nearly smacking the two young alfar with the swinging door. Keta dashed straight to Vala and gave her the biggest, tightest hug anyone since her Mom had given her.<br /> They stayed that way for some time until Keta noticed something. “Vala, dear?”<br /> “Yes?”<br /> Keta pulled her emerald green tunic off and draped it around the half nymph's shoulders. “We alfar aren’t used to lovely, maturing young ladies walking around the grounds naked.”<br /> Vala looked down at herself and pulled the tunic in tight around her. “Oops, must have forgotten that part.”<br /> “It’s alright.” The woman ushered Vala into the building. “Come in, come in. I’ll get you some clothes of your own then I’ll introduce you to our leader, Warlock Bishop Asellus. He really is an unbelievable man.” Keta closed the double doors behind her, blocking off all the staring Guild members. “Then I’ll get you a copy of the newest edition of the Field Guide.”<br /> “Newest edition?” Vala smiled at the chance to learn something new.<br /> “Oh, yes, it has been almost four years, you know…”</i><br />
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<b>END</b></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530641432853603523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9129509820892729014.post-17434669938582710282015-08-13T07:57:00.002-07:002015-08-13T07:57:49.969-07:00Unicorns are Jerks!<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
For the last writing contest I entered, I wrote this story than parsed it down to 400 words (397 to be exact). Now that the contest is over, I thought I'd post the original version.</div>
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You may notice that the title has changed. That's because I've had an idea for a sequel that will use the former title more appropriately, methinks. Anyway, on to the story...</div>
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<div align="CENTER" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>UNICORNS
ARE JERKS!</b></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<u><b>By
Spencer Stoner</b></u></div>
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<br /></div>
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Silver Lake rested in a small out shoot of mountains on the northern
end of the continent. Not exactly in the area of the normal haunts
for Ophelia, Collen and Hero.</div>
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<br /></div>
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That was, of course, the point. Ophelia wanted to go someplace no
one would know her so that she could just relax and not worry about
being ambushed by old enemies from her mercenary contracts or worse,
former lovers. Collen heard her plan to travel up to the lake and
took the opportunity to tag along.
</div>
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<br /></div>
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The woman figured that the one-handed knight had planned something
big for his girlfriend, Hero, and wanted to make an event out of it.
And he did, just not in the way he thought and now Ophelia was paying
the consequences.</div>
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<br /></div>
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She and Hero were sitting next to each other on a couple of wooden
reclining chairs right on the shore of the lake. Ophelia was dressed
in two pieces of cloth that just fit the definition of a bathing suit
here at the resort. The bard wore a crimson one piece swimsuit over
her lithe frame.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Ophelia struggled to relax, resting her arm in front of her pale
blue eyes to try and block out distractions (like the smaller woman)
as she soaked in the last rays of the sun before it sank past the
treeline on the far side of the lake.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Hero wasn't making it easy. She kept letting out long, soft sighs
as she strummed on her lute.</div>
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Ophelia gave up on trying to ignore the girl but didn't uncover her
eyes. “If you play your melancholy version of Pop Goes the Weasel
again, I'll shoot you myself.” She threatened.</div>
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<br /></div>
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“I can't help it. I thought Collen was going to ask... you know.
But he then ran off.” The bard whimpered. “And the birds tweeting
over there keep putting it in my head.”</div>
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<br /></div>
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Ophelia dropped her arm and turned to look at the flock of birds
that had taken up residence on the rope stretched across the resort's
welcoming gate. The one that “popped” in their avian version of
Hero's song sounded more like a foghorn to the mercenary. The rest
seemed to have picked up the more cheerful rhythm to the music and
kept trilling it in several different keys.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Ophelia let out a sigh of her own. “Fine. I was going to avoid
this myself this but I think I know the very thing that will cheer
you up. The Unicorn Greet.”</div>
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Hero arched an eyebrow. “What's that?”</div>
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<br /></div>
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“It's the big summer tourist trap here.” Ophelia superficially
explained. “You'll love it.”</div>
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<br /></div>
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“I don't think...” Hero sulked.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Ophelia responded by grabbing Hero's hand and dragging her across
the resort's various walkways over to a stage where a dozen girls
were already gathered. The men who escorted them stood off to the
side in the sand, only a couple of them wearing shirts with their
shorts of various lengths, while an audience was gathering to watch
the proceedings.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Ophelia bent down, the violet tattoos on her back glowing slightly,
to register her and Hero's names to the mousy woman who was writing
down the list of participants in the Unicorn Greet. Then she and the
bard took up their places at the end of the line on the stage.</div>
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<br /></div>
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The owner of the resort, a regal looking woman with flowing silver
hair, stepped onto the stage in front of the young women and greeted
the audience. Pointing up at the rapidly fading light in the sky,
she explained how the event worked.</div>
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<br /></div>
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“When the moon starts its ascent on summer nights like tonight, a
unicorn of most majestic bearing comes into the camp and approaches
the girls here on stage.” She motioned to the line behind her with
a broad wave of her arm. “Those who are pure will be met with the
kindest greeting as the unicorn eats the carrot each holds and, as
has grown to be a tradition here in Silver Lake, they may just get a
marriage proposal immediately after.”</div>
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<br /></div>
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Ophelia frowned. “Pure” was just a euphemism for virginity and
she noticed the men didn't have to go through a similar test. Plus,
she knew that she lost that prerequisite for meeting this magic horse
long ago but if the unicorn reacted to Ophelia the way she expected
it would, she hoped Hero would be amused long enough to at least
forget to whine for a short while afterward.</div>
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<br /></div>
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When the silver haired lady mentioned the carrots, a valet rushed up
to each woman and provided them with said vegetable. Ophelia noticed
that the carrot she was handed was quite a bit larger than the one
Hero nervously gripped in her two hands and gave the valet a playful
wink.</div>
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<br /></div>
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A hush fell over the audience as the spotter beyond the gates
signaled that the unicorn was approaching. Each woman, admittedly
Ophelia with them, started doing last minute actions to try and make
themselves as comely as possible.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Some ran their fingers through their hair to corral any stray
strands or try to give it a little volume. Others straightened up
their swimsuits, which just happened to be one piece styles like the
one Hero was wearing, trying to cover as much of themselves up to
appear as innocent as possible without looking like they were trying
to do exactly that.
</div>
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<br /></div>
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Ophelia herself brushed the two braids that draped down either side
of her face behind her ears and, unlike the others, worked to make
the two pieces of her swim wear even more revealing. Hero couldn't
help fidgeting, one of her hands unconsciously sliding up to run her
fingertips over the pink scar that ran across her neck.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Any residual whispering in the audience immediately fell silent as
the equine came through the gates. Its white coat seemed to sparkle
in the moon light like an undisturbed field of snow while the
unicorn's mane and tail seemed to hold every color of the rainbow.
It was a mare, which wasn't surprising but the size of the creature
was. It was easily larger than even the thoroughbred stallions the
resort held in their stables.</div>
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<br /></div>
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With mystical grace that belied its size, the unicorn weaved through
the onlookers and made its way to the stage. Once its cloven hooves
touched the wood planks, it trotted to the girl on the far end of the
line.</div>
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<br /></div>
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It playfully nibbled on the carrot in the girl's hand, even nuzzling
the young woman. She giggled happily and practically pranced off the
stage, embracing her smiling boyfriend. The next two were greeted by
the animal in the same manner. They also ran to their equally elated
beaus.</div>
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<br /></div>
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The unicorn, though, turned away from the third girl. She tried to
entice it with the carrot but the beast clomped away, heading for the
next young woman. As the rejected woman slumped off stage, the man
who came with her stomped off.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Five more virgins and four more women who were only saying they were
left the stage one by one. Each of the “pure” girls ran into the
arms of waiting lovers-to-be. Of the four spurned by the unicorn,
three suddenly found themselves single again while one laughed about
the encounter with her lover.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Then it was Ophelia's turn. The beast trotted up to the mercenary
and several in the audience were already expressing their doubts
about her “purity” in a very vocal way. As for Ophelia herself,
she was surprised the unicorn got as close as it did.</div>
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<br /></div>
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The equine sniffed at the carrot then let out a loud snort, as if it
had encountered something that aggravated its allergies. The
reaction elicited a series of chuckles from the assembled crowd.</div>
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Surprisingly, it tried again. This time the unicorn acted as if it
was dizzy, as if just being near the mercenary was going to make it
faint. As the audience laughed, Ophelia was surprised an animal
could be so dramatic.</div>
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<br /></div>
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When she glanced over at Hero, though, the hopeful smirk that had
been pulling at the mercenary's lips faded away. Not only was the
bard not amused but she seemed insulted on Ophelia's behalf.</div>
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Ophelia shrugged back, trying to silently tell Hero that it was
expected and not meant to be taken seriously. She wasn't sure if the
smaller woman got the message but Hero's nervousness came back when
the unicorn finished its performance and started toward her.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Unsure of what to do, Hero held out the vegetable to the animal. It
sniffed at the offered carrot, then the woman's hand. The creature
reacted in a way that could only be described as disgusted. It
wasn't the comical carrying on like with Ophelia. The unicorn
dropped any pretense of its archetypical grace and leaped off the
stage.</div>
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<br /></div>
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The audience clamored around in confusion, trying to avoid the
animal. It was a reaction that even the owner had never seen before.
Hero looked up at the much taller Ophelia, tears welling up in her
big brown eyes.</div>
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<br /></div>
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“You and Collen haven't ever...?” Ophelia tried her best to be
subtle by using a hand gesture to imply “intimate relations” to
try and keep from making Hero even more upset.</div>
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<br /></div>
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“What? No, we haven't...” The bard sniffled. “I mean, I was
thinking about it tonight if he had asked to... you know.”</div>
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<br /></div>
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The unicorn struggled to make its way through the crowd. The mere
humans surrounding the mystical creature just couldn't get out of its
way even as it avoided stomping on clumsy mortals.</div>
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<br /></div>
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“Do you think it's because of...?” Hero motioned to the scar
across her neck, alluding to the unpleasantness that created it.</div>
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<br /></div>
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“That wasn't in the rule book.” Ophelia growled, her pale blue
eyes glaring back at the unicorn. “By its own standards it should
have been happy to lick your boots clean.”</div>
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<br /></div>
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“I guess it didn't read the same book.” Hero said.</div>
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<br /></div>
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“There's a difference between judging purity and being a pure,”
Ophelia had to pause a moment before continuing, “ninnyhammer.”</div>
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<br /></div>
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Hero blinked, forgetting to be worried for a moment. “Ninnyhammer?”</div>
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<br /></div>
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Ophelia harumphed much like, “Havarti said I shouldn't curse in
front of you. If it will make you feel better, I was going to call
it a pure cun--”</div>
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<br /></div>
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“That's okay, I don't need to know!” Hero held up her hands to
stop the other woman.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Ophelia sighed, resting her hands on her hips. “There's a
difference between being impure and having impure things happen to
you, Hero. You taught me that. Remember? When we met I wanted you
dead for just being attacked by that monster. I thought that made
you one, too.”</div>
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<br /></div>
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The magic horse finally freed itself form the crowd and charged for
the gate. As it neared the birds suddenly loosed a barrage of
droppings. The unicorn, now covered with spots of brown, green and
dull white whinnied in horror as it fled into the wood. Hero
couldn't help laughing, with Ophelia joining in moments later.</div>
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<br /></div>
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“Yeah, that's right!” The mercenary called after the beast. “No
one gets out of this life unscathed you, er, milquetoast!”</div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The audience dispersed much faster than was usual. Some gave Hero
and Ophelia confused looks while others looked at the women like they
were made of reeking garbage. Both the mercenary and the bard didn't
even notice.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
But Hero stopped laughing as she turned back to Ophelia. “You
weren't wrong. About me being a monster, I mean. After I was
attacked I did become-” She let out quiet growl while pantomiming
claws with her hands.</div>
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<br /></div>
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“That's what happened to you, Hero. Not what you are. You're
probably the sweetest, kindest person I know.” Ophelia folded her
arms across her chest. “And if you tell anyone I said that I'll not
only deny it but I'll have to kill you on principle.”</div>
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<br /></div>
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“O... kay.” Hero had no idea where to go or what to do from
here.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Besides, if you're so bad, what's he doing back here?” The
taller woman pointed to the edge of the stage.</div>
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<br /></div>
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The blonde figure of Collen stepped up onto the deserted platform.
He was winded, as if he'd been running for awhile, and his shorts
were covered with sap and mud but he smiled wide when he finally
stood next to the bard.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“I had a dickens of a time finding you.” Collen chuckled. “I'm
sorry I ran off like that, I had to chase down a thieving magpie.”</div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The knight held up his closed hand to show he was successful in his
hunt. Hero's eyebrows bunched up as she wondered what he could be
holding.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Ophelia had a good idea of what was going to happen but now she had
no idea where to go or what to do with herself. So she stood off to
the side and kept her mouth shut.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“I had something I wanted to ask you.” The knight said.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Hero was easily shorter than Collen but she was suddenly towering
above the blonde man. Then she realized that she hadn't grown nor
was she floating. He had just dropped down onto one knee...</div>
<br />
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>THE END OF UNICORNS ARE JERKS!</b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530641432853603523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9129509820892729014.post-3140457436817616102015-07-18T17:08:00.001-07:002015-07-19T15:23:29.991-07:00Commentary on a video game (proceed only if fanboy/fangirl due to length)<div style="text-align: left;">
I have been on a Metroid kick the last few days. I've loved the video game series since the very first one came out when I was a kid. So, with that in mind, let's talk about...</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>METROID: OTHER M </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
This game has been unfairly maligned since its release. The main complaint about this game is that it is "sexist" because the main character Samus Aran has to take orders from a male character named Adam Malkovich.<br />
<br />
Before I comment further, here's a little background for those of you unfamiliar with the story of the video game series, Metroid:
<br />
<br />
The first game, conveniently entitled <i>Metroid</i>, was released in 1986 on the original NES video game system. The main objective of this sci-fi adventure game was for a bounty hunter to infiltrate the base of a group of space pirates and stop their plan from using a dangerous alien life form (the aforementioned metroids) in a bid to conquer the galaxy.<br />
<br />
The main character of the entire series is a woman named Samus Aran, one of the first female protagonists in video game history. That fact has made her a feminist icon, at least for those aware of video games.<br />
<br />
Throughout the entirety of playing the first game of the series, the player was completely unaware that Samus was female. She was covered from head to toe in a body armor/space suit hybrid so, to be fair, it would have been possible for Samus to have been a robot and not human at all. It came as a shock to players when she was revealed to be of the fairer sex.<br />
<br />
In the latest game of the Metroid series, Other M, Samus answers a distress call from a vessel, called the Bottle Ship (a massive science vessel that contained labs and holding facilities for creatures used in experiments). On board the ship, Samus meets Adam Malkovich and his team of commandos who were on the ship for the same reason.<br />
<br />
Adam Malkovich is an officer of the Galactic Federation (that universe's version of the military) that Samus used to serve under before she became a freelance bounty hunter. After an emergency where Adam wouldn't allow Samus to try and rescue a squad member, and instead ordering a protective barrier be closed to save the rest of the ship they were travelling on, Samus decided to leave Adam's team and the Galactic Federation.<br />
<br />
Perhaps here would be a good point for another aside. One of the staples of the Metroid series, from a game play standpoint, is that all the power ups Samus received from previous games are either taken away or ignored so that the player has to rebuild Samus' abilities to progress.<br />
<br />
Instead of ignoring the fact that Samus has had to rebuild her arsenal in no less than seven (not including remakes) games or having her be damaged and thus having her arsenal taken away by a "malfunction", the creators decided to try something new. In this case, they decided that Adam, the highest ranking member of the group (that also had jurisdiction over the Bottle Ship since it was a Galactic Federation facility), gave Samus an ultimatum:<br />
<br />
If she wanted to stay and assist in the operation, she would not be allowed to use any of her abilities unless they were specifically authorized by Adam himself. Otherwise, she was free to go and leave the investigation and rescue to the team of commandos.<br />
<br />
Since Samus isn't one to quit leaving a job half done (and it would also make a short and boring game if she left), she decided to follow Adam's orders. This served, in a story telling aspect, to show that Samus still respected Adam but also served the game play by returning Samus back to her basic level without having to resort to some <i>deus ex machina</i> explosion to cause her suit to malfunction... again.<br />
<br />
Here is where I should explain something and make one tremendous caveat. First, this is one of the most story driven Metroid games (most of them have only a couple of paragraphs in an instruction booklet, a few windows of text or information that could be optionally "scanned" from computers Samus encountered during the events of the games). The methodology the creators chose for this entry made a game series that was famously nonlinear become more straightforward with Other M.<br />
<br />
Here is the caveat: The writing in Other M is not the strongest. It's problems include shoddy localization (this game was produced originally in Japan) as well as poor characterization and a lack of background information for players new to the story line of the Metroid universe.<br />
<br />
That being said, the only real "sexist" aspect of the game is the visual representation of Samus in her Zero Suit. The Zero Suit is a relatively new addition to the Metroid mythology. It is what Samus wears under her armor and the game developer, Team Ninja, decided to take take any and every opportunity to show the skintight suit off. (Admittedly, Team Ninja has a reputation for doing exactly that with all the female characters in the games they produce so it shouldn't have been a surprise.)<br />
<br />
Samus agreeing to take orders from a man wasn't because of his gender but because she had worked with Adam before and still respected him. Otherwise, Samus would have likely left the Bottle Ship (which is likely why Adam was chosen as the character to lead the team of commandos to begin with).<br />
<br />
My main evidence to this point is that in the events of the story, Adam goes missing. The moment she doesn't have to answer to him, she decides to start using abilities when the situation calls for it.<br />
<br />
One the flip side, this authorization system was developed strictly for the game play rather than story because Samus has a setting for suit of armor called the Varia that makes it resistant to heat. Logically, if Samus felt the need to use it (if she'd have decided to turn it off at all since the logic of this system was in regards to her destructive abilities rather than her defensive ones), she would have asked the moment she entered the holding area that contained hot lava.<br />
<br />
Instead, she didn't get authorization to use the Varia suit until the boss fight for that area. That is the most glaring example of a game play system interfering with the story. The only explanation I have for that is laziness on the writing side of the game development.<br />
<br />
One aspect I liked of the story telling was that the events of this game took place immediately after the events of the previous. Samus was experiencing symptoms that resembled PTSD and, while I found that interesting, to newcomers to the Metroid series it came off as whiny and annoying. But I liked that they were showing Samus as a person rather than an emotionless, unstoppable killing machine.<br />
<br />
(Another aside in regard to localization: As I understand Japanese culture, they are not big on showing emotions so they actually talk about them in detail instead. Samus does that in this game. It comes off as sharing too much information to the American/western culture in which I've lived my entire life.)<br />
<br />
The other unfortunate part of the game in the storytelling was that a lot of things that Samus could have done were often done off camera by another character (like finding and killing an assassin that had been hunting her and the commandos). Again, I attribute that to substandard writing.<br />
<br />
But the writing has never been the drawing point of the Metroid series. It has been the game play. I give credit to Nintendo for trying a completely different control scheme from past Metroid games with Other M. It had great parts but also clunky, not as polished aspects.<br />
<br />
Some of the new features they decided to add made this one of the easiest games in the series. That was likely another strike against it with fans of the franchise. It was one of the games series that set the standard for "Nintendo Hard" (meaning sometimes feeling almost impossible and the immense satisfaction when you finally actually succeeded) games back in the 80's/90's.<br />
<br />
I generally liked the characterization of Samus (when I made the allowance in regards to explaining emotions rather than showing them) and the game was fun to play. Those are mainly what I ask for in my Metroid gaming experience. So I like it!<br />
<br />
Sue me.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530641432853603523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9129509820892729014.post-49934190950288334752015-07-13T22:18:00.001-07:002015-07-21T11:52:36.902-07:00Unicorns are Evil! (A contest entry)<div align="CENTER" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>UNICORNS
ARE EVIL!</b></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>By Spencer Stoner</b></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“On summer nights like tonight, a majestic unicorn comes to the
girls here.” The orator addressed the audience. “Those who are
pure will be fondly greeted and may just get a marriage proposal
afterward.”<br />
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Ophelia frowned. “Pure” was a euphemism for virgin and she
noticed men didn't have a similar test.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
But Hero was in mourning and Ophelia brought her friend here for a
distraction. With Hero being “pure” and Ophelia decidedly not,
she thought the animal's reactions might amuse her friend.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
She dragged Hero to the stage where a dozen girls were already
gathered. They stood at the end of the line.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
A hush fell as the unicorn approached. Its coat sparkled in the
moonlight, as it made its way to the girl at the beginning of the
line.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
It playfully nibbled the girl's hand. She giggled and pranced off
stage, embracing her smiling boyfriend. The next two were greeted in
the same manner. They also ran to their elated beaus.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The unicorn, though, turned from the third. As the rejected woman
slumped off stage, the man who came with her stomped off.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
Five more virgins and four more who said they were left the stage.
Each “pure” girl ran into the arms of waiting lovers-to-be.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
Ophelia's turn. The unicorn sniffed her and let out a loud sneeze,
eliciting chuckles from the crowd. But not Hero as Ophelia hoped.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
It sniffed Hero's hand and the creature leaped off the stage in
horror. Hero looked to Ophelia, tears welling up in her eyes.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
“You think it's because of...?” Hero motioned to the scar across
her neck, alluding to its unpleasant history.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
“There's a difference between being impure and impure things
happening to you.” Ophelia answered. <span style="line-height: 200%;">“By its own standards it
should be happy to lick your boots.”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
“I guess it didn't agree.” Hero said.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
“It's not judging purity. It's being a pure,” Ophelia edited
herself, “ninnyhammer.”</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
“Ninnyhammer?”</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
“I'm trying not to curse in front of you. I was going to call it
a pure cun--”</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
“Never mind!” Hero interrupted.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
The unicorn charged for the gate. The birds resting atop loosed a
barrage of droppings as it passed. <br />
<br />
The unicorn, covered with spots
of brown, whinnied in disgust as it fled. Hero couldn't help
laughing.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
“That's right!” Ophelia called after the beast. “Nobody gets
out of this life unscathed you... milquetoast!”</div>
<br />
<div align="CENTER" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>END</b></div>
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<!-- end InLinkz script -->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530641432853603523noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9129509820892729014.post-43019734860819818112015-07-12T14:13:00.000-07:002015-07-12T14:13:03.867-07:00Does every post have to have a clever title?I have never written a blog before. I've never been big into journal writing or confessing my day to day thoughts to a diary. Most of the writing I do is of the fictional variety and most of that is set in the fantasy world of Honua.<br />
<br />
I am getting ready to release my first novel, <i style="font-weight: bold;">Ophelia and Lyan are Dead Meat</i>, soon and I thought a blog might be a good place to release some behind the scenes or background type items. Not to mention any short stories that I may or may not already have written and may or may not have anything to do with the Honua universe I created and possibly live in psychologically.<br />
<br />
So I guess this should be where I get the standard introduction out of the way:<br />
<br />
My name is Spencer Stoner. I'm a Leo. I like long walks on the beach...<br />
<br />
No, while that is true, that is a stupid, cliched way to make fun of a post like this. Take two:<br />
<br />
I, Spencer Stoner, am a writer. I spend most of my time mulling over ideas for stories in my head and considering the possibilities of events I witness becoming parts of those stories.<br />
<br />
I am also a second degree black belt in American Kenpo Karate. I draw as a hobby (again, focusing on the myriad of characters in my stories. It is important to keep their looks consistent, right?) and I am currently and Assistant Scoutmaster for a troop of eleven year old Boy Scouts.<br />
<br />
I have three sisters. All of them have Hawaiian names. Only one of them is married, not that it's a good or bad thing, just a status update. I have a brother who is related to me in every meaningful way except for genetics.<br />
<br />
My Mother has always been supportive of my writing habit and, truly, I would not be pursuing this without her encouragement. If she ends up reading this, please let me take this moment for a brief aside to say "Hi, Mom! I love you!"<br />
<br />
Anyway, that's "me" in a nut shell. We'll have to see where this goes. Together.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02530641432853603523noreply@blogger.com0