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Any artists fancy a challenge?

Started by Bat King, 14 February, 2014, 08:19:44 PM

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Neil McClements

There are others out there, Pt 3



Bat King

That might be more than 500 words...

Cripes.

As Lawgiver is Monday I think I better say 'By Midnight Friday 9th May' on this one. And as near to 500 as I can. I wonder what expression the Spectre of the Templar has as he looks on.
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Bat King

500 words - just over an hour late as editing the story down to the 500 word count took a while.

Quote from: Archie on 01 May, 2014, 12:14:17 PM


Sébastien stood on the steps of the Abbott's keep, beside him was the spectre of a Templar. The man it had once been had died earlier this night and had been re-animated by the sword carrying so that his task could be completed.

Now that task was complete.

The nature spirit lay dead on the stairs at Sébastien's feet. The creature's form was already starting to decompose. The soft tissues inside were dissolving and a green-brown ichor seeped down the steps, through the stones and permeating the earth below.

The spectre held out a hand and Sébastien handed the sword to him.

Kneeling by the corpse he glanced over to where the squirrel-man he had blinded earlier had fallen. That creature too seemed to have deflated.

"They are returning to the earth," Sébastien said more to himself than to the spectre.

He stood and walked to where the squirrel-man's corpse lay. A similar green-brown ichor had spilled from it and the earth around it was dark.

Sébastien touched the ground. He yelped in surprise, pulling his hand back. There had been no sign of steam rising, no outward sign of heat. Yet the creature's physical remains had seared his flesh.

Standing he returned to the larger creature's corpse and pushed it with his foot. The leather of his boot was unharmed, no heat passed through to his flesh inside. Kneeling he touched the corpse with the back of his hand, the same searing pain flashed through him.

Even in death the nature spirit was an anathema. Sébastien allowed himself a smile, to be more accurate he was the anathema himself; both to the nature spirits that dwelled here and to the good brothers sent here in the name of the Bishop of Rome.

The spectre would be enough to damn him if a true believer of the faith saw him in its company.

Men like the spectre had been, men like Sébastien, used the church for their own purpose. Men like Monsignor Tomas averted their gaze, choosing to ignore what Sébastien was and take advantage of what he could achieve.

The heat in his hand had not subsided, Sébastien realised that his flesh was blistering. The nature spirits' corpses were all but gone, the outer casing of the larger creature now nothing more than rotting vegetation.

Looking down at his feet Sébastien realised his mistake. The ground was moving, the ichor had given it power and slowly it was moving towards him.

Ignoring the spectre he ran into the keep. Rivers of earth flowed up the stairs seemingly alive. Tendrils of green-brown earth snatched at his legs.

He ran in to the keep drawing all of his power about himself and propelled himself upwards, away from the ground that wished to destroy him.

He burst through the roof of the Abbott's keep, surrounded by a ball of dark magic. Below him the spectre was bathed in an unnatural light and stared upwards, unthreatened by the power of the earth.
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http://judgetutorsemple.wordpress.com/

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Neil McClements


Bat King

500 words. I must confess this is not a complete story unlike the first... Its more a complete episode. I did try to get it to be free standing but failed on that count.
Here it is in any case.

Quote from: Archie on 10 May, 2014, 11:07:18 PM

Davith walked alone in the long night, darkness lifted by the full moon which spread silver light all around. Ahead of him lay the Tower of Knowledge and Wisdom, still standing despite the recent raids of Darkling warriors.

Ahead, hanging from a branch of a Cycle Tree was a growing cocoon. Another Elder had fallen in the realm of humanity. Davith weeped for the Land of The Young. Ties to the world of man were being severed more and more and the strength of the bond was growing weaker.

As he walked towards the Cycle Tree he could feel echoes from the land of man. A great evil was in the Old Forest, an evil that followed no ruler but hid in plain sight among the followers of the Nazarene.

While the new religion converted the followers from following the earlier Gods this evil destroys the creatures of old. The evil is more insalubrious. Followings of one God or another ebbed and flowed with time. The bonds between the worlds grew slowly and were being severed at a far greater rate.

The evil that was in the Old Forest was growing in power with each bond it severed. He couldn't name it from the shadow cast through the slaying of the Elder. He looked at the cocoon on the branch, the kill was fresh and the doorway still open.

Darklings were more common in this age and the deaths of elder creatures was increasing. The two were linked. The Land of The Young was under threat, the evil not only had plans to severe the ties between the realms but to inhabit, to conquer both.
Davith pushed on towards the Towers. He needed to know more if he were to pass through into the world of men.
The path under the bridge was lit by the moon, this was the route he must take. Many paths led to the Towers of Knowledge and Wisdom; the journey to them was as much part of the imparting of their powers as arriving at the destination itself.

For some the hard climb on the East or West cliff faces would take the supplicant to the answer he required. Davith's path here was the longest, the opposite of what one might expect when wishing to pass through a door that was already closing. To rush towards the closing door was to come through unprepared. He must first seek out the name of the great evil and only then could he pass through to the other realm to seek it out.

For what seemed to be hours Davith walked, passing under the bridge and round behind the towers. His path curved long around the mountain and up towards the Tower of Knowledge. He didn't rush, to rush might be to stumble. He kept steady pace as he made his way upwards until he was above the bridge itself; below him further was the Cycle Tree as he reached the door to the Tower of Knowledge.
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http://judgetutorsemple.wordpress.com/

Twitter
@chiropterarex

Neil McClements

Other things are out there Part 5


Bat King

Part 5 will be posted by midnight Saturday 1st June.

Are we only ones on this thread now..?
Blog
http://judgetutorsemple.wordpress.com/

Twitter
@chiropterarex

Neil McClements

Yeah, i guess unless it's 2000ad/JD related there's really no interest but thats no surprise considering where it is!