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[Zanbee]

 

It's time to put your imaginations to the test as we bring to you our first Ragnarok 2 "Imagination Rules the World" Short Story contest! 

 

Here are the rules:

 

1. The story has to be related to Ragnarok Online 2, or Norse Mythology. 

2. All entries must include an image or screenshot that represents the story. These images will be gathered and posted to an album on our Facebook along with the stories. Submitting multiple images to go along with your story is allowed, but please limit the number of pictures to 10 images. (If you do not wish your story to go on FB, please state so in your entry).

3. The story has to be original, unpublished, and never been submitted before to other contests.

4. The story has to be written entirely by the person who submits it.  

5. Entries have to be in English. In case the author is foreign, a translator may be used.

6. Entries need to have at least 300 words (English words, not letters) but no more than 3000 words.

7. All stories have to be age appropriate. Forum rules will apply to entries. No exceptions.

8. The event will not accept entries posted after 11:59pm March 31st. Please allow up to 2-3 weeks for judging and prizes.

9. Please use the following format when submitting:

    Character Name:

    Title of Short Story:

    Image and then Short Story Entry

    # of words:

10. Please submit your entries in our forum thread, or in our Steam Event Entry Thread. If your story is long, please use spoiler tags.

 

Criteria for Judging:

 

Warpportal Staff members and the Volunteer Event Planners will judge the entries out of five stars on the following:

 

Originality (Have we read stories like this before? How is it different from the other entries? Are we likely to remember this story after we finished reading?)

Story Flow (How well did the story come together? Did we take several breaks in between reading because we got lost, or did everything just make sense from beginning to end?) 

Interest Factor (Did it make us laugh, cry, or become afraid of the dark at night?)

Creativity (Is that the sun, or a massive fireball so powerful and gleaming that we all have to lower our eyes in its unearthly presence?)

*Points will be added together at the end of the judging period. In the case of ties, judges will rank the entries based on internal discussion.

 

Prizes:

 

The top 3 authors will win a permanent Fox and Wolf set. 

There may be Honorable Mention winners (winning a Fox and Wolf Random Box)

Additionally, all participants will receive an Event Random Box, an Event Dye, and a 30 day accessory (tbd).

 

*Prizes, rules and dates subject to change at anytime.

[Baddiez]

Does retelling how ro2 helped me get out of the friend zone count as being ro2 related? (serious question)

[Aikyou]

Character Name: Takehito

Title of the story: The house

# of words: 1741

 

  

 

Spoiler

 

Young Sigurd stared out at the burgeoning expanse, and with a heavy heart he sighed. He intuited tomorrow would be chaotic. Half-heartedly he uttered a silent prayer and set on-foot to Prontera.

***

By daybreak he arrived at the township where he would head to the foreign residence, the Chateau de Chii. Sigurd disliked Prontera immediately. He shivered as he passed the Phantom Pyramid playhouse, knowing full-well how ruinous it was and how the whores sucked the energy out of men almost supernaturally. Yes, he remembered; those places came from Geffenia. Almost instinctively lured in, yet repulsed, Sigurd moved on, leaving footprints behind in his wake.

He passed by the central market stores and glanced at the foreign wares as their store masters tried their best to enthral anyone that passed by. Tired of man’s cunning, Sigurd let out a sigh. "The luck'll run dry if you keep sighin’ like that kiddo", he remembered that person would always say.

"I can't help but sigh" Sigurd said to himself softly in exasperation.

"Everyone just sighs these days to no end. It's no good for business," bemoaned a ravishing young woman. Sigurd was taken aback with her. It was as if he had been hounded by a she-devil. "I can't even sell my scrolls in peace. Go away" she continued with a quiet resoluteness.

Never had Sigurd been so rudely accosted. He saw that this young lady, dressed in such a sultry outfit, resembled a lady of the night. Yet, her aura was different. He felt her annoyance, but could feel naught of any emotion in her eyes. Sigurd was intrigued.

Frozen in thought, the young lady rose up from the dinky wooden crate she sat on and stood face to face with Sigurd. Against a still Sigurd, the young lady stared as brazenly as she could – to no avail. She slapped him with a limp hand, and the sparkle in Sigurd’s eye returned.

“I beg your pardon?” said Sigurd as he quickly recovered.

“I’ll have to take me to the house for hurting my hand” retorted the young lady.

“I see no harm, I was headed to the Chateau de Chii. That is where you are headed to, correct?”

“The house is back over there. Follow me.”

“No, thank you. I will be on my way” retorted Sigurd. He’d had enough of the young lady’s musings.

“But I insist” said the young lady as she blinked so fast it looked like her eyes were flashing streaks of gold. “Now this way” she continued, and she walked off towards the house swaying her hips side to side like a pendulum. Sigurd suddenly felt compelled to follow her and he walked behind her, limply.

***

As Sigurd regained his senses, he found himself back in front of the phantom pyramid playhouse. It took a moment before he realised the young lady from before had linked her arm in his, while moving ever closer to the front door, where he saw what he recognised as the entrepreneur Munil.

“What am I doing here?” questioned Sigurd, sounding like he had just woken up.

“You’ve done well Ivia. You may leave” said a nonchalant Munil. His masculine voice served to further unnerve Sigurd; Munil after all did have the appearance of a young lady. Not being able to abandon the manners he was brought up with, a hesitant Sigurd stood his ground.

“Excuse me, fine, er… sir. I shall be taking my leave now. Fare thee well.”

“Why don’t you at least take a look around since you’re here? There’s no point in attending official business in such unconscionable hours.”

“How did you-“

“Your attire certainly speaks great lengths for you. You could almost be mistaken for his majesty’s son. If he had one that is.”

“A-anyway, I will secure my lodgings elsewhere.”

“But you’re already in front of my own chateau, and we possess entertainment no Comodo Island dancer could best. Come now, the streets are dangerous as of late” retorted the quick-mouthed entrepreneur. Sigurd could scarcely argue Munil’s points, despite how he may have arrived at the house, and despite the fact he had no knowledge of how daybreak had become dusk.

“Fine. Take me to your best lodgings. I will stay until dawn only” exasperated a defeated Sigurd.

“Certainly. Follow me, if you will” Munil said as he snapped his fingers. In mere moments two manservants appeared almost out of the shadows. They promptly took hold of Sigurd’s belongings and followed Munil into the house. “Come now, I told you the streets are dangerous at these hours.”

Needing no further encouragement, Sigurd hurried behind, ever the more suspicious of his unrequited lodgings arrangement.

***

“Here is your room. Please enjoy your stay and feel free to make use of the large playroom downstairs” said Munil as he closed the door to Sigurd’s room.

Sigurd was stressed. Yet there was nothing he could do about it. He had always been told as a child that entertainment areas were rife with sin. But the longer he lay on his peco-peco feather pillow, the more his thoughts began to wonder, and the more curious he became about the entertainment downstairs.

After spending the good part of an hour debating whether he should sacrifice his morals, Sigurd decided that he was too curious and would just take one look. A peek, he told himself. And so, Sigurd ventured down the red carpeted staircase where he saw an expanding scene of seductively dressed women, gambling tables and a bar filled with an unimaginable assortment of liquor.

Still unsure about what to do, Sigurd feigned to be his usual proud self and walked right up to the closest table. To observe, naturally, he told himself.

“So, you gonna play kiddo?” said the table master a few moments after Sigurd sat down.

“No thank you, I am only here to watch” retorted Sigurd.

“Rules o’ the house, you have to play”

“I would not know how to play, there really is no point in me trying.” Sigurd hadn’t yet lost his nerve, but ever so slightly he felt the temptation to give the game a try.

“Beginner ey. I’ll give you one phantom stone on the house.”

“Uh. You don’t have to.”

“I insist, go on, take it” said the table master rather forcefully.

Reluctantly, Sigurd reached out to take the stone and decided to give it a go. He waited on some instructions before moving.

“So you put the phantom stone here, and then press this button here. I look after them prizes. Give it a go.”

“Okay. So I put the stone here and press this button” Sigurd said while showing the tiniest bit of hesitation. “It stopped.”

“It’s landed on a regular Dye. You can stop now, or keep going”

Sigurd pressed the button promptly without replying. It landed on Dye again. Not thinking it any big deal, he pressed the button again and it landed on Warp Scroll.

“I don’t need this” Sigurd said as he pressed the button again.

This time, it landed on a Premium Dye. Even Sigurd recognised these particular items to be moderately rare and decided to take it at once.

“I will take the dye. That will be all.”

“Certainly sir” said the table master as he handed Sigurd a Premium Dye. “Would ya like to try your luck again?”

Thinking about how easy that win was, Sigurd reasoned to himself that spending even so much as what the dye is worth would be no loss. This time, without reluctance, Sigurd handed the table master some zeny in exchange for stones and started to play.

However, Sigurd did not fare so well with the second, third or fourth tries. He settled for some mediocre merchandise on his fifth attempt but still kept going. With each loss, Sigurd became even more determined to win. He had never lost at anything, and it was with that pride and vigour that he believed he would succeed. Yet he failed each and every time. Every so often he would hit a Premium Dye or a set of Super Punchers, but he would yield them in hopes of getting those wings. Before he realised it, Sigurd had used up all of his zeny. Still frustrated with how close he had gotten, Sigurd, took of his coat and waved it at the bar hand.

 

“This, how much will you give me for this. I need to play. Now!” exclaimed Sigurd rife with desperation.

“I’ll gives ya three stones for them coats, aye?”

“Okay, hurry now. While the luck is with me”

And so, Sigurd returned to his ‘lucky’ table, and again, he lost all his stones. At his greatest moment of despair, he glanced something through the corner of his eye. He realised that the table master had thrown him a bonus stone, a level five stone. All but given up hope, a deflated Sigurd halfheartedly continued the game, and surely but steadily, the stone progressed. Levels one through four were cleared with no hesitation. Then came five, and six. Sigurd’s heart skipped a beat. He dismissed it as false hope. But the stone did indeed land on the winners mark. Rubbing his eyes in disbelief, Sigurd came close to panting for air when he realised he won. That he finally won.

“Well what do we have here? A winner! Here’s your prize good sir” said the table attendant as he passed Sigurd a pair of Devil Wings.

Grasping the wings, Sigurd cherished his hard-won victory. But this was not enough. Sigurd felt the urge swell up. Again.

***
“Ivia, how ever did you find this pawn?”

“Those nobles, they always seem to announce their presence. Even with their footsteps, a few minutes old.”

“Ever the opportunist. Now let us watch. After all, no one can escape the thrall of the phantom pyramid,” cackled Munil as he watched from his private balcony.

And so, an addled Sigurd would spend the rest of his days playing until he would finally be on the verge of destitution. He had all but forgotten about his business at Prontera, let alone his status as a noble. So play he would, and after he had lost everything, no doubt, he would find salvation. Not the sort of salvation that comes from a reprieve of worldly desires, but the salvation in serving Munil to bring others into the thrall of the house.

Edited by Aikyou, 31 March 2014 - 06:33 AM.

[clambie]

we are doing this again? you still havnt decided on the winner for the last event

[NewMinako]

If you're referring to the event : Between a Ragnarok and a Hard place. The first tour of voting has already passed. However it seems that the results are still scattered and that voting Gms need more time to agree on winners.

In the mean time we're offering the community to participate freely on new events.

Hope you'll understand the situation. 

[Kiryu]

*reserving for future entry that pretty sure will end in a big novel*

[Axtar]

Character Name: Akelos
Title of Short Story: Gold, Reforged

Spoiler

Jamie Holgren wasn't happy.

It hadn’t started that way - the sky had been a lovely clear blue, with light breezes obligingly ruffling through the grass and Jamie's hair, just the way she liked it. The South Plains were as beautiful as always, and Jamie's mood was as cheerful as the landscape as she walked around the small hills and well worn paths. Well, not so much 'walked' as 'skipped', really - it was one of the most pleasant afternoons in Midgard's nicest spring season, as far as Jamie was concerned.

As she made her way past the river however, a thread of conversation trickled down to sharp Afanc ears, barely muffled by the tiny white hood that shaded them,

"...ready?"

"...Odin grant me luck...expensive..."

"Got everything...try once more?"

"Too many...way too hard!"

Curious, the tiny Afanc gathered her skirts up and quietly moved towards where the voices were coming from. Her father had warned her to be careful, but the snippets she heard were terribly intriguing, and who knows? They might be nice people who needed help, and Jamie might just be the Afanc they need! Plus, she had the Power of Attorney now. Over the course of the year, she and Madame had gone from being awkwardly polite to each other to being fairly close. She would be able to help, if Jamie herself couldn't.

The grasses and bushes eventually thinned down to a flat clearing, where a group of humans were gathered around imposingly large metal blocks. Jamie had seen such blocks in the Count's workshop before - his 'anvils', he called them. He never allowed Jamie or her father to go near them when he was in the workshop, but Jamie snuck in and touched one once when the Count had gone to town. It had been cold from the tiny, furtive poke she had given it, and not particularly impressive.

They seemed a lot more imposing now, lined in a row as the humans talked amongst themselves, all holding weapons of various kinds. Jamie thought she could pick out a staff, a bow, maybe a mace?...The human holding said mace hefted it, and Jamie instinctively ducked back into the foliage, heart hammering. She ignored the tiny inner voice that was trying to drag her feet far, far away from the place. After all, if these humans were dangerous, especially to other humans, it would be Jamie's responsibility to report it to the Homewatchers.

Then her eyes brightened, and a wave of relief washed over her. For one of the humans had turned around, and she recognized the nice warrior who had helped clear her father's and her name with Madame over the family treasure a few months ago. He hefted his weapon - a oversized sword - and held it away from him, calling to his robed friend as he did so,

"Thralle, fire her up!"

The sorcerer nodded tersely, extending his hand and shooting an impressive fireball the size of Jamie herself at the sword. The minute the fireball hit the weapon, the warrior lifted it onto a nearby anvil, pulling a hammer from the belt hanging from his hips and slamming it against the sword. Instead of an ear-splitting crash, a light, almost bell-like 'ding' echoed throughout the area. Jamie stared in open-mouthed surprise. She hadn't heard that sound since the Earl passed away and people stopped coming to the mansion with their gears and weaponry. It had been awhile since the workshop last rang with the melodious sounds of refining, created by the Count's famed golden hammer. Jamie may have never been allowed in the workshop when the Earl was working on one of his masterpieces, but the music of his work had accompanied much of her education as she studied in the mansion's library.

As such, she knew even before the warrior's groan that it had been unsuccessful – the sound had been slightly flat. Picking up the handle of his sword, his face was twisted into a pained grimace as he inspected the broken pink stone sitting beneath it. "Another wasted infinium."

"Arverus," a female ranger laid her hand on his shoulder. "We've tried too many times. I don't think any of us will be getting our weapons to the 10th refinement level today."

"But-"

"I understand, I really, really do. All of us do. I mean, Odin knows how much time we've devoted this week alone to refining our stuff. It's not your fault that He isn't being favourable in terms of luck."

"As usual."

"Shush your face, Ryurik." The ranger shoved at the priest half-heartedly.

"And we've spent too much zeny on it as is," an assassin piped up, gloomily prodding at his claw. "I'm going to have to farm some materials for sale again. We really can't afford to keep wasting zeny like this."

Arverus sighed and looked down at his hammer - a refinement type that looked much cruder than the Count's treasured hammer. "I know, guys, believe me. It's just...well. I wish that the legendary craftsman with the 100% success rate were still around, you know? I wouldn't even care about how much it'd cost..." Another sigh, and the warrior slung his hammer back onto his waist. "Ah, nevermind. Let's just go farm, yeah?"

Murmured sounds of assent came as the other humans began packing away the anvils and their own hammers. Jamie stayed hidden long after they had left the place, her own mood dampened by their glumness as they trekked away. She missed the Count with his cheerful company, his good-natured jokes and generous nature.

It appeared that Midgard was also missing the Count, albeit in a different way.

To be fair, the '100% success rate' hammer was a bit of an exaggeration - the Count's son did manage to fail his refining attempt while using it, even breaking the family's treasure in the process. (Jamie shuddered just remembering the problems it had caused her father and her for ages). But while the success rate was largely due to the Count's skill with refining and crafting, the Count himself had mentioned that his hammer was 'special', a gift crafted especially for refinement by an old friend of his.

Well, the hammer was still broken, kept carefully at the Holgren Mansion. But, what if....what if...

Jamie jumped to her feet and ran to the mansion.

~*+*~

"What?" Eva Holgren squinted at the tiny Afanc bouncing on her doorstep in disbelief. "Let me get this right: you want to repair the golden hammer?"

"Yes, Madame!"

"And then...lend it out to people who want to, what, refine their weapons?"

"Yes, Madame!"

I'm really getting too old for this. The elderly woman leant against the doorframe, repressing a long sigh as she studied Jamie. "What in Midgard put such a crazy idea into your head? Don't you remember it's the Holgren's family treasure? It may be broken, but it’s still worth at least half this house. And I doubt it's repairable, or I'd have tried to get it fixed myself ages ago."

Jamie lifted soulful eyes to Eva, her tiny paws clasped together. "But Madame, maybe there are humans who can fix it now! There are so many humans out there who have studied the same skills as the Count. And the Count was always so happy when he managed to make someone else happy with his skills...wouldn't he be happy to know that his hammer is helping other people now?"

Eva Holgren, on the verge of rejecting Jamie's proposal, wavered. The young Eva had been enamoured and won by the very same nature Jamie was describing; Count Holgren had been more than just a titled noble. The man she had married had been as kind as he was loving, and as generous as he was rich. There had been many a time when her husband had reduced his crafting fees or waived it altogether for passionate, if poorer, clients. Even after his devastation at losing one of his best tools, he had continued refining, honing and crafting for people who sought his services. While his love for his family had caused a tangled misunderstanding between herself and Olive, she knew full well that what Jamie said was true: Count Holgren would be delighted to know his beloved hammer was being put to good use by good people.

'Go on, Eva,' she could almost hear him say, smiling that big smile of his, arms folded across his chest. 'It'd be good fun, won't it? Think of all the potential hidden in those gears, brought out and refined beautifully. Just like old times.'

Old times? Old age more like. And maudlin to boot.

"...I'll consider your idea, Jamie, only because you have the Power of Attorney. But only under certain conditions. Very specific conditions, and you'll have to ensure they're met, or the treasure stays where it is: safe and sound. Do you understand?"

"Oh yes, yes, Madame!"

"So here are my requirements..."

~*+*~

"Hey, did you hear?" Ryurik elbowed Arverus in the ribs, grinning as the other 'oofed'. "Everyone's been talking about the legendary refining hammer thing. Y'know, the 100% success rate one?"

"For the love of Odin, I will ram my greatsword into you if you don't get your elbow off me. And no, 'I don't know' because you haven't told me, you buffoon."

"Oh Arv," Ryurik clasped his mace dramatically, "This is why you need to do that thing we call 'socializing' every once in a while. Because, you know, you learn about important news and stuff. And boy, are you going to love this one, if they're right-"

"Are you going to tell me this great news or what?"

"Well, word is it's been recovered from Odin-knows-where, and is being brought to Prontera as we speak. The theories surrounding its discovery location are seriously epic - my favourite's got to be the one where some intrepid explorers discovered it buried amongst the guts of Ratmaster Kremp in that Culvert of Abyss dungeon."

"What?"

"Buried amongst the guts of-"

"No, not that part - they say the hammer's been found?"

"Yep and it's being brought to-"

"It's here." Both men look up to see Thralle peering into their inn room. "The Holgren Golden Hammer's just reached the center of Prontera, just outside the Auction House. They're just waiting for Baltazar Hatsan to fly in from Morroc before they make the official announcements."

"Wait, the what? They? Official announcements? What?"

"I don't quite know myself, but," Thralle's eyes gleamed. "today may be a good day for refining after all, don't you think?"

~*+*~

Jamie looked around in wide-eyed awe, clutching the box that housed the precious hammer closer to her chest. She had heard of Prontera, but had never actually been in further than the south gate. It was huge! It was also very crowded and busy and it was scary to have so many eyes on her. Thank goodness Madame was here, looking every bit as regal as the three men standing before her.

"Your Highness. Your Lordships."

"Madame Holgren." King Reinhardt - an actual king! - inclined his head courteously. "Again, you have our gratitude for the service you are extending to the people of Midgard."

"Your gratitude, while accepted, is perhaps a bit misplaced. If not for Jamie Holgren, our family's hammer would still be hidden away in our family's vault." Madame's hand touched Jamie's shoulder lightly, before nudging her forwards. "And before you ask, no, Jamie is not a pet, but a fully acknowledged member of the Holgren family. I would ask that you treat her as such."

At any other time, Jamie would have been absolutely thrilled by Madame's declaration. At this time however, overwhelmed by the curious stares, Jamie could squeak out, "A-a pleasure, sirs! I-I mean, Your Highnesses!"

The one in short pants shot her a large grin as he squatted down to look at her in the eye. "Oho, with such good language too! I must congratulate you on your tenacity and verve, little Holgren. A job well done indeed."

"It will be good to see the famed Holgren Hammer being put to use again," the third man chimed in, his voice lightly accented. "A great boost to our nation's strength indeed."

"That's quite enough of dallying around," Madame said briskly. "I am an old woman, and would like to retire to quieter quarters soon. If someone would make the announcement please?"

"Our apologies, Madame. We shall proceed immediately." King Reinhardt turned to face the crowd, and Jamie furtively retreated behind Madame's shirts. "Citizens of Midgard! Today, you gather here to receive great news along with us: the Holgren family has graciously extended the use of their family's treasure, the Holgren Golden Hammer, to skilled craftsmen across Midgard. As many of you might be aware, this extraordinary hammer has been proven to reduce the rate of equipment refinement failure. I am also told that this hammer will increase the refine rate by two or three levels should the refinement be successful."

The King waited for the chorus of gasps and whispers to die down before speaking again. "We are certain that this will prove to be a most invaluable boon in our battle against the threat of the Freyjanity. In order to ensure that it is used for the right reasons, the Holgrens and ourselves have agreed on certain terms on the hammer's usage. Firstly, Prontera, Alberta and Morroc will collect and compile all reports regarding refinement activities weekly. The top refiner across these cities will be granted the use and care of the hammer for seven days. At the end of the week, the hammer will be returned to one of these cities, and transferred to the new top refiner as we see fit."

"Secondly, while the wielder of the hammer may sell his or her services with the hammer to other citizens, under no circumstances is the hammer to be transferred away from its current wielder barring misuse or unusual circumstances. Any violations of these conditions will result in severe penalties charged to the offender, and a permanent ban from using the hammer again."

"Now," the King turned to Jamie and smiled at her, "Jamie Holgren of the Holgren family will present the hammer to its first user. If you please, madame."

"Go on, Jamie." Madame was nudging her again. "Try to choose someone good, will you?"

So many people, so many faces. Where would she even begin? How would she even pick? Who would Madam consider 'good'? What if they break the hammer again because Jamie picked wrongly? Jamie could only quake, her paws clinging on to the hammer. It had taken weeks of hard work, from diligently harvesting herbs to sell in Carrot Town to bartering with travellers who passed by for gold ingots from far-off lands. Bellona had been helpful with repairing the hammer, but it had still taken her several tries, all of which needed more materials which Jamie had to collect. In the end, the hammer wasn't quite the same - even Madame had to concede that the refinement success rate was still rather reduced in comparison to the original - but it was better than the ones Jamie saw being used at the South Plains clearing.

So much time invested into getting this hammer fixed and working. If Jamie messed it up and gave it to the wrong person...

Ah! Jamie's eyes widened as they fell upon a familiar face, just a little behind the front row. The nice warrior who had helped her all that time ago with clearing up the misunderstanding with Madame, he was right here amongst everyone else! As if on auto-pilot, her feet moved, propelling her towards him. The crowd parted easily enough, but Jamie didn't notice, too busy being relieved and overjoyed at the opportunity being presented to her.

"Sir, it's nice to see you again!"

"O-oh, Jamie, you remember me?" The warrior scratched his head, looking embarrassed. "It's been awhile. Good on you with the hammer, by the way."

"Of course I remember! Thank you so much for your help back then. I hope this hammer will help you in return now."

"Whoa!" The warrior took a step back from the box Jamie extended to him, which was a bit rude really. "Truly? You...you want me to have it? I mean, use it?"

"Of course!"

"Accept it, Arverus." The King was standing beside her now, his soft robes brushing against her arm. "As the first wielder of the hammer, I trust you will use it fairly and skillfully."

"Yes, Your Majesty, Jamie." Arverus' face was one of reverent wonder as he received the box from Jamie. "Thank you for this honour. I'll do my best, both to become stronger and to protect the hammer for its next user. Thank you so much."

"You're welcome!"

"I believe the occasion calls for a public demonstration, does it not?" King Reinhardt gestured behind him. "I've taken the liberty of setting up a forge for you to commemorate the first official use of the hammer.”

As Arverus nodded and moved quickly towards the forge, Jamie hurried back to Madame. Madame smiled down at her. "Looks like you made a good choice there."

Jamie could only nod as Arverus laid his weapon out on the anvil. The Count would be pleased, she thought, as she looked towards the skies. If he could be here, he'd be right beside Arverus suggesting ways to make the refinement better.

It's a good day for refining, isn't it?

The pure note that resounded throughout the city square could not have agreed with him more.

2940 words

Edited by Axtar, 26 March 2014 - 11:41 AM.

[6986130527145536310]

Character Name: EmeraldTails
Title: For an ally -Warning, dungeon spoilers-
Image: Intro Picture

Spoiler

~Story~
Meet EmeraldTails,
Though mostly lesser known through out the world, between his group of friends he is known to be very relyable, when he isn't lazing about. He's a quiet guy, who is helpful when called for. Generally hard to get him upset, but today seems to be a different day.. Emerald has an weird thing about him, dispite appearances based on person to person, he tries to find the good in each person, rather then try to make baised opinions on their appearance.

 

For example, when he first meets Eremes Guile, Guile ends up saving him from certain death after trying to rescue the High Preistess. Though yelling at him, Emerald Knew deep down that he was concerned, though either for him, or for the priestest, he would never know..

He was once a priest, being on the side to heal people was nice but he knew he could be more. He didn't like that he was safe in the back while his friends took the front lines. So one day, he decided to train to become a monk, so he can take the blows for his allies.

Fast forward a few months after working with Eremes Guile, he grew fond of him. After unable to make contact with him for a while he decided to travel around alone. Dispite his rather... Odd outfit with a beach outfit and flippers to go with it, and a small crab on his head, he seemed to enjoy looking different then others.
One day during his travels in the desert he had word that Eremes was heading inside an assassin's temple.

 

-picture 2-
Among reaching there, he sees a lot of assassin's rouges and theifs standing around. Curious, he decides to ask one of the nearby ones that were willing to talk to him. During the talk, he ends up that hearing that Guiles is a traitor. Shocked by the answer, instead of why he was a traitor, Emerald decided to march into the assassin's lair alone, instead of getting his friends. But before doing so, the same person asked for his name. When he gave it out the person said that Eremis left him a message, apon sparing his life. Wanting to hear the message he asked for it, and it say "Don't follow me, Emerald. Unless you want to die..". Torn by it, he contuned inside, dispite this warning. Most of his friends though he was shady, as most people would think of an Assassin.

Instead of trying to sneak around in a Assassin's din, he stormed his way into it, causing a big ruckus. When he was angry, he wanted to make sure everyone in his path better stay out of his way, or forced out. He was ambushed by lots of assualts and traps done by the assassins inside, though with his determination and his strength, the blades and traps proved ineffective against him, even through a twelve against one scenerio, he proved victorious, though not scot free. Normally he uses the standard monk training to do battle. But this time, he was using his fist to burst through the rankings and lines. Punching faces, breaking golems and ripping apart the din like it was nothing.

After going through just about everything, even the elder assassin was left broken after he was done. His knuckles a bit bloody and worn from how much punishment he has given apon the hideout and his knuckles. After defeating him he went down stairs he saw the man he was looking for: Eremis Guile. The man came out from walking beside a pillar and with his signature stare down, he walks towards him in a calm fashion, before stopping a couple of feet away from him. "... Die." Is all he said, before he rushes at Emerald. The battle was vicious as both of them were being wear down each other. Emerald wanted answers and knew something was off, but he knew that he wouldn't get answers during the fight.

-Picture 3-
After the fight was going on for sometime, Emerald pulls back a punch that he charges up with an incredible force, so much that his face disoriants for a breif moment, before he gives a strong punch at Eremis which sends him back into the throne. This causes Eremis to slowly stand up. His eyes seem to be a bit more clear as he seems to be broken out of some sort of control as he reaches out towards Emerald. However that was short lived as an strange masked women came out from no where behind Eremis and backstabbed him, before he could say anything. Exausted and shock doesn't mixed well that he was about to find out what happened to him, when she appeared and killed Eremis. She laughed and said "Thank you for helping me weaken him enough for me to kill him.". At this point he stood there motionless, though inside rage was building up. He was so close to saving him, then it was taken away.. He had so much rage boiling inside him that only a warrior would have a small idea on how upset it was. He straightens up as he looks at her with pure malice, he charges up for something as he glows in a bright light, and once it was over, he seems to be in a more of a monk suit, his fighting suit was shown. He never did this before, as it shows a very serious and unrestraining side of him.

Without hesitation he rushes at her with great speed and rage filling him. The battle itself was very intense as he pushes all of his might against her, she was overwhelmed at the start and had a very difficult time dealing with Emerald's ferociousness. Multiple times she summons this tornado dark cloud while attacking, as this strength normally had enough to kill anyone who stayed inside it. But just out of pure emotion driving him, Emerald manages to not only endure it, but come off unscaved. He charged up his fist so many times by the time he was done, she was beaten to the ground, motionless. Emerald looked over her body with the same stare Eremis Guile had. -picture 4-

 

Afterwords, he walked over to Eremis' body and stares down at it for a moment before he closes his eyes, a tear rolling his cheek. He soon did a salute to honor him as he said he was sorry, that he couldn't protect him like Eremis did to Emerald.-picture 5- But he did reign vengence against his killer without her having a chance to escape. He got up after a moment and looked at him, he decides to take his scarf and wrap it around his neck, he then picks him up and starts to walk out with Eremis' body. Emerald Plans to bury him somewhere were he and Eremis' fellow assassins will know.

Word count: Roughly 1150

(Yay Random Entry)

Edited by 6986130527145536310, 10 March 2014 - 12:25 AM.

[lonelyx20]

    Character Name: Sality

    Title of Short Story: The Flames of Prontera

   

Spoiler

 

----------------------

 

Far distant in the future, a war engulfed between mortals and gods. It is when the Yggdrasil was cut down. Yggdrasil is the legendary gigantic tree that acts as a barrier between the mortals and the gods, which their power depends on the faith put by mortals. Because of that, the barrier was broken and the gods have weaken, and now depending on their own strength to remain in existent in the world. 

 

As one of the gods come to think, there's no more reason for the mortals to exist. He decided to annihilate the mortals... Then a legendary person, who came from humble beginnings, led the defense.

 

 

 

 

--------------------------

 

 

The skies grew red and the clouds are rumbling. The people of Prontera is covered with panic and fear. As a god later descends from Asgard and stroke the King like a lightning and killed him, the god is named Ifrit.

 

As Ifrit blew fire and made the concrete walls to flames, calls meteors from the sky and incinerate any living thing into ash. A certain person shouted beyond the screams of despair. 

 

 

 

"Dafuq!!!"

 

 

"Who dares to stop me?!!!" Ifrit's rumbling tone as the houses crumble.

 

 

 

As later the person step up front, showing herself among the crowds and stood still dragging her peco peco and wearing a pink mushroom hat.

 

 

"A noel? Ha! What can a little being do to stop me from destroying prontera?"

 

"My name is Shar, child of Sality. Anyway, I don't know who is the that GM summoned you but this Event needs to stop!"

 

"You dare me?!!!" 

 

 

As Ifrit calls out meteors and shower Shar on the ground, a thick cloud of dust was created. 

 

 

"*Cough* *Cough*... >.<"

 

"You're still alive? Well, I'll just do it again..." Ifrit said as he called more Meteors from the sky...

 

 

The poor noel died, her corpse is on the ground. Seeing it, Ifrit laughs...

"Now who else dare to face my wrath..."

 

Ifrit started again to cast more meteors from the sky. He smiled indefinitely while watching the people step back as they tremble in fear. But suddenly... Ifrit felt weakened...

 

 

"What the..." Ifrit spit great amount of blood. He later noticed a crest on his chest. 

 

 

 

Later Shar regained conciousness... 

"Ah... Good thing my mother always at the rank 101-1000 during her life, due to that she got great amount of Spinel :3"

"What! You're still alive?" Ifrit said as he agonizing in pain...

 

"Well then, let's finish this event." Shar said as later the ground shake, concrete cracks. Later she shouted...

 

"Awake! Darkness!"

 

 

Shar was covered with darkness, as her appearance erased every bit of innocence out of her...

 

 

"What the? a Crecentia?! I thought Crecentia is now forsaken due to the latest patch." Ifrit said

 

"Well, I just casted furnunculus to you right before I died. That's only the usefull skill Cres has, but even without touching the enemy, you will suffer great amount of damage as time passes. Now to finish the act..."

 

As Ifrit felt insane amount of power gathered in the hands of Shar. He decided and tried to escape...

 

 

"You can't escape me.... Death...." Shar said as she casted her most powerful skill 

 

"Nuuuuuuuu...."

"Grip!!!"

 

As darkness shape into hands, rooting from the ground, and smash Ifrit to the ground. Ifrit was destroyed leaving only the embers of his fiery body taken away by the wind.

 

"This is just the start, little one, there are more gods coming" Ifrit whispers as he evanescent

"Oh... I'm willing to join any event?" 

 

Then the sky get clearer, white pleasant clouds covers again the City of Prontera, Shar fled as people noticed that she went missing. The word of mouth spread rumors all over the Rune Midgard as she later became a legendary savior of Prontera.

 

Word Count: 630

Edited by lonelyx20, 14 March 2014 - 01:47 AM.

[ScarletFlames]

Character Name: ScarletFlames

Title Of Short Story: The Crimson Pirate

 

 

Spoiler

Our story begins, on a very pleasant morning at the port city Alberta where the ocean breeze is
always pleasing.



Here on this little cottage just by the docks, we meet Scarlet, a pirate, captain of one of the
grandest ship of Alberta, the Epsilon.



A typical day for the captain, she goes off to see progress in her ship as well as her crew.
Scarlet, as beautiful and elegant as she may seem, is not just a pretty face. Never let that smile
fool you. Known for her sadistic nature and twisted ideologies , humans and monsters alike,
tremble in fear... and have dubbed her the moniker Scarlet---the "Devil's Grin" Skewers.



As she boarded her ship, looking around, noticing the dusty deck, piles of unwashed utensils
on the empty galley, Scarlet was fumming mad, without a moment's notice blatantly rebuked a
group of her crew and slashed the throat of the first person she came in contact with.
Questioning the actions of the crew, as to why their daily routines were not done properly or
hardly done at all by the looks of the ship. The crew responded and said that most of the
members of the ship disapproved of her wicked and sadistic nature. And, that a huge part of the
crew has gone to seek out and join Scarlet's greatest enemy, the being that killed her father and
the very reason that forever changed the nature and ideology of this young lady.---- Drake.

After hearing the revelation of her crew members, she laughed maniacally, her crew shuddered
and fell on their knees begging for their lives as they all know too well what wrath may fall upon
them. Scarlet silenced them and said:"It's time, its time I show everyone who is the real master of
the seas, that old fart in his creaky godforsaken ship will die by my hands." Sensing that their
captain is hell bent on her mission, and their lives were luckily spared, however briefly. They all
gave their best to their captain and wished her success. As for Drake's ship is no ordinary ship,
it is cursed, and no normal living being can set foot on it even for a few seconds.



Flying across Alberta onboard Kafra Serena's broom. Scarlet finally reached Verta Delta. Here,
she seeks out Kayak Dunston, the only boatman who is willing to take anyone near the Cursed
Ghost Ship. At last, she has arrived at her destination, and can finally seek out justice for her
father's death as well as taking out her anger on the crew members who have betrayed her.




Stepping foot upon the Cursed Ghost Ship, she came across the renegade crew members of her
ship. Without hesitation, she unleashed an unrelenting assault of fireballs as well as hurdling
meteors from the sky towards her adversaries. Seeing the havoc and decimation she has caused
around her, Scarlet let out a fearful sadistic laugh, one worthy of her title as the "Devil's Grin".
Talking to herself, she said:"I'm not yet satisfied, not until I obliterate Drake, I can finally seek
out revenge for my father, hahahaha mwahahahaha."



Running and incinerating everything on her path, she finally came face to face with Drake.
A being of humongous size, Scarlet is just above knee length of her foe. But unfazed, she made
bold remarks of how she will end the life of the captain. Drake merely laughed and welcomed the
challenge. A duel was about to begin between the two captains. A battle that will write history,
for the victor will be the undisputed master of the seas.



Showcasing her mastery of arcane magic, Scarlet, with the natural affinity of the fire element,
quickly unleashed a flurry of firebolts and fireballs. Drake was overwhelmed by the sheer raw
power of his younger opponent. The fight was almost over, the outcome is apparent. Drake
never stood a chance, with a gasp of breath, he was pleading for mercy, beseeching forgiveness.
But it was in vain, as Scarlet was already intent on killing him from the very beginning and with a
final pyrokinetic attack, Drake fell on his knees and died on his very ship. Scarlet has finally
achieved revenge, she was happy and contented, it made her throw her arms, in the ayer, ay-
ayer, ayer, ay-ayer. Er I mean air, she was just that happy.



The story ends with Scarlet, being the undisputed captain and master of the seas. Since the fight
with Drake, she has changed a lot, no longer a sadistic tyrant with twisted ideologies but a
compassionate captain with benevolent smile. Her crew has since been more happier and has
grown to love and respect her as a captain rather than just fear her. She is no longer dubbed as
Scarlet, the "Devil's Grin" Skewers but is instead nicknamed Scarlet, the "Crimson Pirate".

The End. <3

 

Number Of Words: 835

Edited by ScarletFlames, 13 March 2014 - 01:42 PM.

[Thanekun]

Umm. Hi~ Reserving slot for entry... :3

--------------------

Hi again! Here's my entry for the contest. I used some references on noel's history. This is a plot twist. So umm.. Hope u like it! :3

 

Character name: ThaneX

Title: The Darkness will fall (He will liberate his town from evil!)

 

Spoiler

A man dressed in black cloak came out behind the withered trees and entered the Garden of Yggdrasil. Beggars were sitting on every spots. There were corpses scattered on the road. The echo of crying and despair filled up the atmosphere and there was a tormented-like ambiance. The people of the land stared at the man with curious eyes but they can't see his face.

Yggdrasil, the place on the top of the world tree where Garden of Yggdrasil is located. It is a place that was once called the Garden of life where the field was full of colorful and glittering plants and mysterious creatures. The streams and rivers once flow to the Garden itself giving it a radiant glow.



Yggdrasil Garden is the home of the Noels. Noels are child-like elves that once fought alongside with humans against Goddess Freyja. After the battle, they disappeared after absorbing the demonic spells during their fight. They started growing devil horns and tails because of the spells. Fortunately, a piece of Ymir save them from extinction. They started building their homes in the Garden of Yggdrasil and called it Elenas. But their peaceful life was destroyed when Freyjas started attacking again to get the piece of Ymir. They fought in brave battles but the garden fell into the hands of Freyjas. However, the piece of Ymir is still nowhere to be found.

The piece of Ymir is said to grant immortality to the person who acquires it. Old folk tales said that the piece can be found under the World tree, Yggdrasil.


Skjálf, dressed in black robe, was the current cruel leader of Freyjas that conquered the Garden of Yggdrasil. He proclaimed to be the king of noels. He turned noels into slaves and were forced to build barracks and dig under the world tree. He aimed to get the piece of Ymir to make him immortal.



Everyday he sits outside on his throne to watch the work of the noel slaves while drinking a cup of blood. The throne is made up of bones from dreadful monsters and Noel horns are disposed on each side the throne’s place. Creepy sculptures are on each corners of the room and their menacing appearance seems to discourage everyone that enters. Dark creatures are flying above the Garden, as they smell blood and putrefaction. Hope is a fading dream for the noels and despair is slowly becoming their reality.

The man in cloak walk through the line of slaves being whipped by Freyjans as he comes closer to the throne where Skjálf was sitting.

"Your reign will end here!", the man said as he took off his hood.

Skjálf finished his cup and stared at the man. He made an evil grin and spoke:

"So we meet again.", Skjálf said with a deep evil resonating voice. "This time, you'll never escape!!"

Skjálf laughed with a thunderous voice.

Skjálf knows who the man is in the black cloak. He knew him a year before during the battle for Garden of Yggdrasil. His name is Thane. Skjálf was also a Noel that once fought together with Thane against Freyjas. They killed the past leader of Freyjas but Skjálf's hunger for blood and vengeance awaken the darkness inside him and he got consumed by the powerful black magic running through his veins, the magic they absorbed during Midgard battle. Skjálf attacked Thane and knocked him out. Skjálf became the leader of Freyjas and made Thane a prisoner. He was tortured on Skjálf’s order. Riots in the prison occurred, and some noel prisoners escaped taking Thane with them and hid him for months in the forest far from Garden of Yggdrasil. His body was healed and became more powerful when he cleansed his body and soul under Ymir's blessing.

"I am the one who's going to kill you!", Thane shouted.

Skjálf laughed and suddenly did a very fast movement leaving black smokes. He moved behind Thane and swung his leg to attack. Thane blocked it using his right arm but he was thrown back. Skjálf dashed and threw a straight punch to Thane. Thane lowered his upper body to evade and stepped forward to strike Skjálf’s stomach with his elbow in a horizontal movement. Skjálf stopped the attack with his left hand and did a knee attack hitting Thane's stomach. Skjálf used his elbow for a follow-up and Thane fell on the floor, coughing. Thane managed to raise his body to perform a spinning kick targeting Skjálf feet. Skjálf jumped backward but Thane followed him with a fast dash and threw his fist hitting Skjálf's face. Skjálf flew backwards hitting the wall and crashed.

Skjálf laughed while he was getting himself on his foot. Skjálf stared at Thane with sharp eyes full of hatred. He tore his black robe revealing strange symbols carved throughout his body. The floor shook and black aura started gassing out from his body. Dark vapors are enveloping the area near him. Thane felt a great power. Skjálf raised his arms and a magic circle appeared on the floor. Suddenly, three noel pagans of fear slowly rose. Skjálf ordered them to attack Thane. Seeing this, Thane gathered his power on his right hand and the aura slowly formed a deadly scythe. As the scythe was formed, the ground breaks with a very strong crash. White vapor is emitting from it. The scythe is made of high grade pillarniums and possesses a mysterious power that destroys darkness.



Then the pagans of fear surrounded Thane. Thane made a cat-stance positioning his scythe backwards. The cat-stance will allow kicking with his front leg in combination with a scythe strike. Most of his weight is on his rear leg. One of the pagans stroke a heavy blow. Thane jumped upwards and did Diem wind hitting the pagan in the left shoulder. The other pagan casted an offensive spell but Thane destroyed the attack as he swung his scythe which created a white energy slash hitting the pagan. Thane casted a very powerful spell, Furnunculus, to the last pagan turning it to a black haze before it made a move.

On Thane's surprise, a dark spear carved with strange markings pierced through his back. Thane spitted blood from his mouth as he dropped down on his knees.

"Fool!!", Skjálf yelled as he laughed with thunderous voice. " Do you think you can beat me with that power?!"

Thane could not move an inch as he was feeling the intense pain.

Skjálf laughed in an evil manner. "Before you die, I want to give you a little present."

Skjálf teleported a girl at his side. The girl looked so dirty and full of bruises. Her name is Helena. She was Thane's lover and his and Skjálf's close comrade during the war. She served as the head healer of the soldiers that were wounded. She was also captured and tortured under Skjálf's command. Skjálf dragged Helena's hair for Thane to watch. Helena was not afraid, she did not even react.



"This is what you destined your life to end." Skjálf spoke with deep voice to Thane. "You're not going to escape this!"

Skjálf opened his right hand and black smoke started forming a sharp dagger. Helena stared at Thane. Her eyes were so calm and full of braveness. Skjálf slowly positioned the dagger near Helena's heart. A black curtain of vapor enveloped Skjálf and Helena. Helena slowly fell on the floor looking at Thane with a smile that seems to say that everything is going to be fine. Helena slowly closed her eyes. Blood suddenly spread to where she laid. There was no sign of breathing. Helena is dead.



"Nooooooo!!!", Thane cried loudly as he bowed down.

"It's going to end now.", Skjálf said with a low voice. "No one can withstand my power!"

There was a moment of silence. The ground shook all of a sudden. Thane trembled and started growling. Black aura started coming out from the floor. A sudden burst ripped of Thane's cloak. Dark symbols started crawling out throughout his body. His eyes turned red. The Ymir's blessing was revoked and Thane was starting to awaken darkness. The room was filled up with a power Skjálf has never encountered before.



Skjálf was so surprised his knees were trembling. Sweat started coming out from his forehead.

"Yeah! That's right! Awaken your darkness and join us!", Skjálf laughed but with an uneven and nervous tone.

"I wi.. will ne.. ver... be.. one of you!!!", Thane shouted as he stretched out his body that broke the ground where he was standing.

Black vapor was coming out from Thane's body. A mirage effect can be seen around him. Skjálf can feel the great power and he can barely move.

Skjálf clenched his teeth and threw a spear larger than the one he used before. Thane stopped it with a single hand and crushed it. Skjálf was so shocked and started to rage. Skjálf started throwing energy balls. Thane evaded each one them. Thane started drawing black vapors on his weapon that formed a dark scythe embedded with mysterious emblems.

Skjálf stepped backwards. Thane soared up as he spun in a circling manner and hit the ground using his scythe. The ground crawled like an Earthworm and impaled Skjálf. Skjálf was outbalanced and was tossed hitting his throne. Thane slowly gathered tremendous power on his left hand while his scythe was pointing at the back.

"This will be the end.", Thane spoke calmly.

Thane raised his left arm and swept it with force in downward manner. Thane casted Death grip on Skjálf. The black energy formed a hand-like figure with sharp nails and crushed Skjálf. An explosion of black smoke occurred and filled up the room.



Skjálf fell down on his knees. He was gasping for air. Skjálf looked at Thane and smiled peacefully. It was a smile of gratefulness.

"Thank y.. you.. for end.. ding... my tor... ment.", Skjálf whispered as he fell down and ceased breathing.

Skjálf was a good friend of Thane. He was supposed to be a kind and brave noel. He was the leader of Noel that fought on the past battle. Skjálf was also a victim of Freyjas' cruelty. All of the dreadful things he did was the work of the evil power that consumed him.

All of the Freyjas turned into black smokes. Skjálf body slowly turned into ashes and float away. Tears fell from Thane's eyes and made a gloomy look as he watched.

A moment later, the ground started shaking. Rocks started to fall from the room's ceiling. The pillars began to break off.

Thane carried Helena's body and rushed out from the room. The prisoners and slaves followed them. The people of the land watched as the place where they fought collapse. Giant rocks crumbled and covered the area. The faces of the slaves and people brightened up and started to rejoice. Thane knelt down and slowly lowered Helena's body. The crowd stopped and there was a moment of silence.

"I'm so sorry.", Thane whispered as tears fell down from his eyes. "Please don't leave me like this. Come back to me. Please... Come back!"

Thane cried so hard that even the people can feel his sorrow. Thane's tears were falling on Helena's face. Thane hugged Helena's body firmly. He stared at Helena's face and slowly move his lips to hers. As their lips touched each other, bright lights emanated from the ground. A bright glow surrounded Thane and Helena. A huge wave of light spread throughout the entire world tree. Withered trees came back to their beautiful appearances. Colorful plants started growing. The rivers and streams started flowing again. Helena slowly opened her eyes and smiled. She wiped off Thane's tears with her right hand.

"I knew everything is going to be okay." Helena said with a very proud and confident smile as she stared at Thane.

The crowd started celebrating again. It was the power of the piece of Ymir that brought back Helena into life. It was never been under the world tree. The piece of Ymir has always been on the hearts and bond of noels from the very beginning. It can't be taken away from them.

Few months later, Thane and Helena married. They were declared as heroes and was decided by everyone to rule the noels. Helena gave birth to a healthy twin babies and they made a happy family. Everything turned back to normal.



The sun shines again onto the great Garden of Yggdrasil, which is moving towards a new era of peace.

~The End~

 

Number of words: 2098

 

Edited by Thanekun, 13 March 2014 - 09:22 PM.

[CzarJeka]

Character Name: MissMimic

Title of Short Story: The Valkyrie Child

# of words: 2,790

 

Spoiler

The Valkyrie Child
By: CzarJeka

 

High Knight Zeras Hypherion stood at the base of the laboratory, shaking his head in utter disgust. He walked up to each lab table, stretcher, cage and shackles on the wall and almost felt his insides curdle and howl at the same time and only could softly say under this breath, “Who could do this to anyone? Much less a child.”

He had to pull himself away from the horrors and continue to walk through the laboratory to save the children who were brought to this gruesome place. As he proceeded a young knight ran to him, ordered to come and get him to bring him to something found, the young knight stopped in front of Hypherion and yelled out, “Sir, sir sir! We need you to come quick we found something!”

The young knight turned around and without a moment notice took off in the direction he came. Zeras took off chasing after the knight to see what the commotion was about. The two ran into a room filled with cages. All the cages were busted open covered with the combination of fresh blood and crusted old blood and white mucus. He had to look away and roared out, “I hope this is not what you brought me in here to see.”

The young knight shook his head and said, “No, in this corner.” The knight went to the back corner of the room where a pile of the broken cages, or pieces to the cages were all piled up to the ceiling were he pointed, “In the darkest of this pile, is a woman, and she is holding something.”

Zeras eyes widen as he moved towards the back of the room and questions, “Is the woman alive?”

The knight nodded, “Yes, but she does not seem to respond to us calling out, she looked at us once but only cowers further back into the corner.”

Zeras nodded and said, “Look around you, would you not cower further into a corner or have a testing time trusting anyone. They placed these appalling conditions, horrific tortures, and mind numbing nightmares upon these people, of course she will cower. We need to get her out now!”

Zeras ordered all the knights into the room and worked on moving the heavy cage pieces out of the way to get to the woman. Zeras trying to speak to her the whole time knowing that maybe some hope would make her no fret any longer, “We are here to help you. Do not be scared but we have to move the metal cages around you to get to you. You will have help soon.”

It took the knights several hours to pick up, drag, move and hack away at the heavy iron cages covered in old blood and slime. Finally a pathway was created, enough for Zeras to move in and grab the woman, but he wanted her to come out on her own. The young knight looked at Zeras and asks, “Are you not going to get her sir?”

Zeras shook his head in disagreement and said, “No, this woman has had enough of people taking her and forcing her to do what they wanted, let her come out on her own terms, whether that takes a second, a minute or an hour. Let her do it on her own. We need her to trust us or we cannot help her.” Zeras looks at the scared woman and softly says, “We cleared a path for you, and you can come out whenever you want, we are here to help you. We have water, some food outside, and people that can help you. I do not want to make you take our help; I want you to want it. When you’re ready, you can come out.”

He backed away from the mouth of the opening they created and just waited for the woman to come out. He ordered the rest of the knights to help in various rooms and that he would wait for the woman while they proceeded to work. He propped up against the wall facing the opening and waited seconds that turned to minutes only for minutes to turn into hours for this woman to come out on her own.

Finally after waiting two hours the woman came out on her own, holding a large bundle wrapped in several tattered dingy clothes. She moved towards Zeras slowly and said, “I do not need the help, I only need you to help this child. She is special.”

Zeras moved from the wall and slowly inched towards the woman, examining her and trying to decide what she was holding. The woman was old and frail; her grey and white hair was wild and frizzed out high into the air. She had a worn out dying look in her ashen cobalt eyes, her skin was practically melting from her face, she looked to be ancient. She inched her body towards Zeras and offered the child to him and said, “You need to take care of her.”

Zeras reached out and took the child, uncovering at least the face of the child from the bundle so he could see at least if the child was alive. The child was a little girl, with the softest and whitest porcelain skin, almost as if she had not endured any of the horrors here. He looked at the woman and said, “She looks like she was never here, almost new. May I ask how she got here?”

The woman started to back towards the wall she shoved herself in and just said, “I used to be a very powerful sorceress. My bloodline could use cloaking abilities to hide entities in nature that needed to be hidden. This was a preservation spell we used to protect old magical items, using these spells is no longer a practiced magic, it had a downside. The downside is this.” She extended her arms and wanted him to look at her body, “It ages you the longer the spell is opened. I am a young woman that you see as an old woman.”

Zeras looked at the woman as she told her story and looked back down at the little girl and could only ask more into her story, “How did the monstrosities here not notice you were aging so rapidly?”

The woman stepped back into the mouth of the hole she came from and said, “They thought it was the experiments aging me. The incubuses they placed upon my soul wore my powers thin, and I am glad you came. I could not hold onto the spell any longer. You must protect this child, if Freyja finds her; she will turn her into a monster.”

Zeras kneels down, holding the dainty child in his arms and said, “Freyja will destroy all and turn all children into monsters. I do not question that this child is any different, but why would this child be separated and turned into a monster before the rest? I mean no offense I am just curious is all.”

The woman nodded, and placed her old weathered hands at her face and answered his question even if it was a great pain for her to answer, “She is different. Her mother was different from others; we knew when she came to our doorstep covered in sweat and blood of many battles. We just did not know how different she was from the rest of other warriors.” The woman also kneels to match the height of Zeras and also because she was tired, “Her mother stumbled upon the village I was living near in Verta Delta close to Alberta. she looked like she had seen several battles and should of died several times, her armor was worn, but not frayed, almost like aged silver. The armor was nothing we had ever seen, she was going into labor when she stumbled upon us. She did not tell us much she just said the child had to be born first, and we did the best we could and helped her have the child.” The woman completely sat down on the ground and relaxed herself onto the wall, “After the child was born she said she would be dying soon, and that she needed us to raise and protect the child, and travel to Prontera to give you this child. This child could only be protected by you.” She slowly closes her eyes and trails off.

Zeras spoke up and tried to wake the woman, “Miss wake up!”

The woman shuddered in her sleep and opened her eyes, she was weak and withering near her end as she kept speaking, “The woman was a Valkyrie…”

Zeras eyes widen as he looked at the woman in shock and looked down at the small child he held and said, “So this child is a Valkyrie as well then?”

The woman nodded her head and said, “Yes, she is a hybrid of the Valkyries, she cannot be found by Freyja or the religious cult that follows her. This child is born with the advantage to help us win the war, and you must keep her safe so she can restore peace to this land. She knows powers, strength and battle before it is taught to her. These gifts are her bloodline, and you will harness that, and fashion her to be your champion to help you beat the evils ahead. She must never know where she came from; just that she was an orphan to the horrors in this laboratory. Can you keep this promise?”

Zeras holding the child nodded, “Yes. I will keep this child safe.” He said as he ran his fingers through her golden hair and looked up to see the woman he was speaking with was gone. He leaned to look in the corner he found her and she was gone. She just vanished. He looked back at the child and stood up slowly, carrying her out of the laboratory. When he got outside he offered the child to other knights so he could finish his job at the laboratory. Passing the child into another knights arms he said, “This child will return to Prontera with me.”

The knight looks up at Zeras and said, “Will not all the children return to Prontera with us?”

Zeras looks at the knight and nods, “Yes, but this child will go to the castle with me.”

The knight was slightly confused and starts to ask, “What makes this child diff…..”

Zeras cut the knight off before he could finish and sternly said, “Do not question my orders, this child will come into the castle walls with me. End of discussion.”

Zeras and the rest of the knights finished extracting the children from the nightmare of the laboratory and condemning the place for to be forever abandon. He rushed all the children back to Prontera and started the process for all the children to be either claimed by their original parents or put into new loving homes. He took the child that he claimed as his own and took her back to the castle.

 

Once at the castle he walked with the child towards the cathedral, rushing past Aione, he knew she had a similar story and just in passing said, “Lady Aione would you be so kind as to follow me to your chambers.”

Lady Aione followed Zeras with no question, seeing he was holding a child and figured the child needed healing of some sort. Zeras busted into her chambers and placed the child onto her bed and turned to her quickly, as Aione stepped into her room, Zeras closed the door. Aione walked up to the child and said, “What ills the child so I can heal her properly?”

Zeras shook his head and said, “Nothing, she is completely normal and to my knowledge no scratches or harm is been done to the child.”

Aione gave him a strange look before looking at the child and says, “Then why is she not with the other children?”

Zeras raises a hand to the temple of his forehead and rubs it and says, “This child is like you, found in strange circumstances, a sorceress had her hidden from the demons at the laboratory, wanting her to be protected more than the rest of the children.” He stopped Aione before she could ask why the child was different and went ahead and answered, “The woman said this child was born from a Valkyrie, and that she would help be the champion that saved us from Freyja.”

Aione’s mouth dropped slightly as she looked at the child and said, “Do you believe the sorceress?”

Zeras shrugged his shoulder and threw his hands to his child sitting on the bed with the child and said, “I do not know whether to believe her or not, but the sorceress believed she was, that should matter.”

Aione placed her hand on Zeras shoulder and said, “Where is the sorceress now?”

Zeras looked around the room and calmly said, “That is it, after she told me about the child she vanished, said to protect this child and never let her know who she is or at least where she came from. That gives me reason to believe the old sorceress. I want to keep her here and protect her and honor the promise. Lady Aione will you help me protect her?”

Aione just nods her head. She looks at the child and nudges Zeras, “She is waking.”

Zeras looks at the child and brushes her face softly, removing blond curls from her face. The child looks up at Zeras and Aione and remembers nothing, she looks at them and says, “Where….am I?”

Zeras smiles down at the child and says, “You are safe, you are in Prontera. This here is Lady Aione and I am Sir Zeras. What is you name little girl?”

The little girl shifts her eyes from Aione to Zeras and waits a moment before answering and finally says, “My name is Saints.”

“Saints? That is a beautiful name.”

The little girl shifted again and looked around the room and said, “How did I get here? Where did I come from?”

Zeras calmly answers her question, “We found you in a laboratory outside of the maple forest. You like many of the children there were testing and tortured and mean things were happening to you. We saved you and brought you here to Prontera for a better life, one you can choose for yourself.”

The little girl made a soured face and looked away, “Monsters.”

Zeras comforted the little girl and said, “I am sorry you have to hear this and yes those people were monsters, and we handled them, made sure they could never do this again….”

Saints turned and looked at him and nodded, “You are right, this will never happen again. I will see to it personally.”

Both Zeras and Aione laughed at the drive the child showed and said, “Well you certainly can help.”

Saints looks at Aione and then back at Zeras and says, “You can help me right? You’re a knight and my last memory before forgetting everything was me being taught the way of the swordsman. I think that is what my real parents wanted me to be, but I cannot remember them, every time I try I get a headache.” She frowned and said, “But while I lost my parents, somehow I was brought to you, a knight. That is a sign, that my destiny is to be a knight and to help others.” She smiled.

Zeras pat the little girl on the head and said, “Okay, I will help you become a knight one day, but right now, you need to rest and focus on getting your strength back.”

Zeras stood up and let the little girl rest; he nodded to her and stepped outside of the room with Aione. Aione folding her arms looks at Zeras and says, “So now what?”

Zeras looks at Aione and says, “We go about as we always have, she was to be a knight and she was given to us to help us against Freyja, so we do just that. She can became a swordsman and help us race against this war the Freyja is putting on us, whether she is a Valkyrie or not, we just need to go with in and protect the child as promised.”

Saints could hear what Zeras and Aione were mumbling through the wall, she smirked pleased at what they were promising for her future. She laid back with her hands behind her head and said, “I am a Valkyrie.”

 

Edited by CzarJeka, 13 March 2014 - 03:51 AM.

[CzarJeka]

By character name do we put the character we play as? 

or the character in the story? 

[NewMinako]

By character name do we put the character we play as? 

or the character in the story? 

 

Your IGN (the character your play) so we can deliver your the prizes

[magpi]

IGN: Kimichisu

Title: Coming Home

Word Count: 399

 

Comment: This is a prelude into a fanfic I am writing but it holds well enough on its own. There are also slight spoilers to the history of Alters for those who have not played one. 

 

Photo of a Frustrated Kimi

 

Spoiler

The heat from the sun was always beating down in Morroc. It was hard to find a cool place to rest. I was reaching the end of my journey here. The rush of Mukas did not give the satisfaction as it once did before. Exploration of the pyramids brought nothing but a temporary relief from the heat but there was nothing new to discover inside anymore.

I found a vacant vendors stall and moved under the canopy. The air was cooler, but the stone pavement was hotter than expected when I decided to take a seat. Jumping up, I let out a shout of frustration “Damn this place! I want to go home!”

 

Home? Was the heat getting to me? There is nothing at that place for me now. Nobody is waiting for me there. Ever since this piece of darkness was placed where my heart should be, I’ve wanted nothing more than to get away from that place.

I started to fill with sorrow. Why is this the fate of our people? Our parents give their lives for us to survive, for what? I wanted to get away from that place...to be with the the Normans and to never feel the pain of losing someone again… but I was wrong. I am just alone.

 

The pain that I felt in my bottom from the hot stone sparked a pain of frustration and for a moment, I thought I felt a heartbeat.

 

**Hello? Can you help me?** The unfamiliar voice of boy rang in my head .

“I think I need some water” I said to myself, “I am hearing things.”

**Please... I just woke up here and I don’t know where I am** The voice said to me nervously.

I closed my eyes and swallowed, there was a lump in my throat. I tried to focus my thoughts into words, **Okay? Where are you?**  Was this going to work?

**The garden of Yggdrasil…and now I am being forced into a coming of age ceremony**

**Is this for real?!** I thought skeptically to myself, forgetting this strange connection I was having with the stranger. It certainly felt more real than anything I've been feeling for a while.

 

**Please…** he pleaded, **I just woke here and I don’t remember anything...except you**

 

I froze, and thought to myself for a moment.

“I guess I am going back home after all…”

[kuyaK12]

"The Legend Of Cat Banana"

IGN: Vorgx

# of words : 774

 

Spoiler

The legend of Cat Banana

By: Vorgx

Once upon a time in the land of Mushroom, I found myself lying on top of a mushroom. I cannot remember anything. I know to myself that I am not from this land. And suddenly I found a letter saying “If you want to know about your identity. Find me. Kororong. PS: clue I’m a Cat” And this is where my journey began. My legend, “The legend of Cat Banana”. (Sound effects in the tune of 5th symphony): Banana..na....! Banana..na....! 

                *birds chirpin* I travel across the land searching for Kororong until I have reached Morroc. I went ahead to the bar and ordered a Banana Wine(?). I have found a guy that is drunk telling about cats, so I came in and talked to him.

“Excuse me sir, do you know someone named Kororong?”

“Ah! Ofcourse, Kororong.. hehe just look around Mor..roc and you.. see..” *faints*

“Thank you sir, have a good Banana dreams!”

                And then I searched around Morroc and found this weird cat and alas! It’s him! He told me the story of the cat bananas and how they have died and I am the only survivor. I cried and cried until I almost want to peel myself! But then he whispered me.

“Take revenge for your race. If you still want more about what happened to Cat Bananas. You shall go to Maple Forest and find the Book of Wisdom.”  I took my leave and went straight ahead to Maple forest the home of Banana-Eating Bears! I searched the whole area but didn’t find the book that I was looking for, until Leib Olma the Boss of Bears and his gangs have found me. I had no choice but to attack them even if I didn’t want to.

I found this treehouse being guarded by Leib Olma’s clan. It is a very nice view to see everything. I accidentally stepped on a plank with sayings in it saying “Thou shall see what you’re looking for.” I turned around and found the location of the Legendary Book of Wisdom.

 

I travelled and it was very hard because all the bears in the area is aggressive and wanted to eat me. Thanks to Battle Leap I came to my destination safe and sound..(Bananana!)

The book told me everything that I needed to know just right exactly what Kororong told me. *should’ve just listened* the book told me the location of the Willows that has destroyed my clan. But the book does not know where the Elder Willow, who is the mastermind of all this. So my journey went further to Sogratt Desert. It was weird when I came because I found them dead and I was hoping that another Cat-Banana race has killed them. I searched around the area and found all dead willows except for a small hole.

The hole is very weird so I put in my hand and it sucked me in! “wraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh” *faints*

Waking from unconsciousness, I found myself in a boat moving by itself. I was so afraid until I have reached the dead end to it.

I cannot enter because of *I haven’t finished the quest* it was sealed by the higher ups. I had a feeling that this is where Elder Willow is. But I have no choice, I do not want to anger the higher ups so I try to find the exit to this scary place. I travelled and travelled until I lose hope. But then I found this Banana colored church so I went in. And suddenly…..

The Cat-Banana God has spoken to me! “Search your heart and soul, and read again through the book of wisdom” After hearing all those words, I rushed in to Maple Forest and read again the Book of Wisdom. The book suddenly changed its color to yellow and tells me the real story. It was him! The real mastermind! Kororong! I knew it the moment I see his eye patch. He is a bad cat! He imprisoned all the Cat-Banana and turned them to Willows! Oh dear fellow Cat-bananas. I will take revenge for you guys!

I travelled to Morroc and confront Kororong. We entered a battle… A very intense battle. Kororong got me on the shoulder but I successfully slayed him! Hurray to Cat Banana Vorgx

I didn’t know what I should do next after my battle with Kororong. I sat beside him and a gourd has rolled beside me. I opened it and giant blue thing came out and send me all my memories back to me.

 I am Vorgx the Legendary Cat Banana Warrior.

(Bananana…)

The End.

Edited by kuyaK12, 13 March 2014 - 01:06 PM.

[NewMinako]

The number of picture is limited to 10. I see 11 here 

 

For next entries be sure to respect that rules 

[PoisonNova15]

How the heck can I post dem pics. ._. I cant understand sorry. xD

 

[Quetzalcoatlx]

How the heck can I post dem pics. ._. I cant understand sorry. xD

 

imgur.com

[PoisonNova15]

Can I make this private? I don't want people knowing. >.<

[Thanekun]

Ummm. How to make that spoiler thingy? I dont want to make others load too much because of my entry. >.<

[ScarletFlames]

Ummm. How to make that spoiler thingy? I dont want to make others load too much because of my entry. >.<

 

 

The third from the left icon when you compose your reply called "Special BBCode" Click it then select, you will find on the 3rd from the bottom the spoiler option. ^^ Hope that helped.

[Thanekun]

The third from the left icon when you compose your reply called "Special BBCode" Click it then select, you will find on the 3rd from the bottom the spoiler option. ^^ Hope that helped.

 

 

Ohhh! Thanks!! That really helped! :3

[XxShiroExX]

 

Character Name: SHlROE
(Note: The letter " i " in my IGN is a small letter " L ")
Title of Short Story: "The Beast"
Number of Words Used: Approximately 1000 Words

"A Story Inspired by the song The Beast by Vocaloid Hatsune Miku"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

A long time ago, there was a girl named Nureha who is a noel from yggdrasil garden. One day she becomes interested in the human world because of the book near the portal to the human world. But to be enable to pass through the portal, she must have a body of maturity which is impossible for all noels but there are two option to make her body mature. The first option is to destroy the ymir fragment which contain pure and infinite spells, preventing the Noels from transforming into demons and even though they would grow into adulthood, they spent their lives as children to reduce the need to consume more spells. If the ymir fragment be destroy all noels will gain their mature body but will turn them into a demon both mind and body. and the last option is to go find the powerful God, Njoror who is the father of the Goddess Freyja who is now sealed because of what she does on the "Day of Despair".

 

 

She go to a journey to find the location of Njoror, she fought monsters and face danger by herself until she finally reach the location of Njoror. But before she gets what she wants, she face Njoror's test to see if she deserves to receive the tear of her daughter Freyja which can turn her into a mature body and give here an eternal life. Nureha managed to complete her test and gladly accept the Tear of Freyja without thinking of the consequences having an eternal life. After that, she enter the portal to the human world and found herself in Mjolnir Village. All the people in the village got panic on her arrival, they judge her by her appearance, they hurt her, insult her, and throw her outside the village.



 

No one tried to help her, she cried all night alone in the forest. Deep inside the forest, she decided to make her own castle, with the help of some sort of magic that Njoror gave her, she build her home. She made a castle from her book, a castle with no other person than her. She became the king and queen of her own castle, she make herself clothes thats of a king. She follows what on the book says and survived all by herself in the middle of the forest. Years goes by, the she is now accompanied by some good monsters like Porings, Creamy, ChonChon, Lunatic and many more, she feed and love them as her pets.

 

 

One night, rain began to fall and it became heavier, thunder growls, a young man named Shiroe lost in the wood find some shelter to sleep for a night. he found a castle but he hesitated to enter because he cant imagine whats that castle doing in the middle of the forest. Lightning struck a large tree near the castle which destroyed the outer wall of the castle and makes the Shiroe fell into the ground. He enter the castle and search for someone to seek for help, but he failed. He cant find any single sign of life inside it, he is tired and starving from his journey that makes him collapse on the floor.

 

 

 

When Shiroe wakes up he found Nureha looking at him curiously. He startled and kneel in front of Nureha and began apologizing for his intruding last night with the sudden loud growl of Shiroe's stomach. Nureha began to laugh so hard and told him not to apologized to her because she was the only one in the castle and invited him to eat breakfast. While eating breakfast, Nureha ask him if he is afraid of her appearance, Shiroe answered her why should he be affraid of a beautiful and lovely girl like her. Nureha blushed and ask him another question if what he is doing in the middle of the night and storm inside the forest. He answered her that he is traveling place to place in search of new adventure. Nureha laughed and tell him if he want to stay in the castle for a while. Shiroe accepted her offer quickly because he is interested on who she is.




From time to time, Shiroe goes in the village to buy stuffs and books for Nureha. He tell Nureha stories from human world and teach her some knowledge about it. Time have passed Shiroe began to fall in love with Nureha, he told her what he really feel about her. Nureha was so happy when she hear that, thats the first human who accepted her for who she was. They continue to live their life inside the forest peacefully with full of happiness, but it wont last long when times fade away and Shiroe began to grow old while Nureha stays fresh and young.


 

Year after year, Shiroe's body became older and weaker. Nureha feels unease and blame herself that if she didnt find the book and becomes curious of the human world, she wont feel what she feel right now. Shiroe hugged her and told her its not her fault, if she didnt come in the human world they wont meet and love each other. they talk about their past for the whole night, stroll in the woods with their monster pets and love each other for the last time and
Shiroe ask her, "Do you still regret of meeting me here in the middle of our little paradise?"
She answered, "No I don't, I'm grateful to have you by my side, I don't know what could have happen to me if your not here. You are my strength and weakness."
Shiroe smiled and replied, "Thank goodness, I'm also glad to have you. I want you to smile always for me, can you promise that?"
Nureha answered, "Yes I will, I promise you so don't die on me please."
Shiroe replied, "I Love You, Goodbye..."
and he died beside the woman he loved under the beautiful scenery of the full moon with smile on his face.


 

 

 

 

 

 

*Sorry i have to edit it because of the image numbers limit, i totally forgot

Edited by XxShiroExX, 15 March 2014 - 05:46 AM.

[XxShiroExX]

Ummm. How to make that spoiler thingy? I dont want to make others load too much because of my entry. >.<

 

Or u could simply type:

[s p o i l e r] ("your text") [/ s p o i l e r]

Erase the space on spoiler...

Edited by XxShiroExX, 15 March 2014 - 05:28 AM.