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 Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 6:51 pm
(((I'll start.)))
Their past is of battle and death, a nomadic clan's struggle for survival. In an ancient world, long ago, the noble Wolf Clan remembers its history proudly. Their legend is ensanguined with the blood of their ancestors, who fought and died aplently in battle so that their bloodline may survive.
Out of all the heroes who fought, none contributed more than the creator. Oral history says he is a brave warrior but words do not do him justice.
In the steppes of this ancient world, humans were scattered hopelessly. Some managed to band together and form small tribes which were constantly at war with each other. Wars crippled any hope of humans surviving on the steppes, which were unforgiving towards this foolishness.
One day though, a great leader rose to power in the Wolf Clan. His influence spread far, and through great words, not to mention wars, all tribes on the steppes were united under the Wolf Banner.
It finally appeared that peace had come, but a great evil in the belly of the steppes awoke. Calling itself The Great Maju, it breathed life into the flames of war, leaving a trail of chaos in its wake. This demon eventually reached the Wolf Clan, challenging it once again to survive. A great battle was fought where many died, until the leader of the Clan and The Great Maju were left. They battled each other with fierce determination, but a stalemate was the result.
Having no other choice, the leader sealed The Great Maju in a mirror. Unfortunatly, the leader would die from his wounds after the battle. In his last moments, the surviving members of the tribe neglected to tell him something, for a man on his death bed should not be burdened with worry.
Before it was sealed in the mirror, Maju took with it the leader's son, Daio. The surviving Wolf Clan members pondered whether or not to release Daio, but they knew The Great Maju would be released with him. This was not an option, so Daoi was left sealed in the mirror forever, along with the demon Maju.
Generations later, the mirror has been passed down through the Wolf Clan. They've retained their nomadic roots on the steppes and to this day thrive. Out of respect to their culture, they keep the mirror in tact and in protection. Some are skeptical whether or not the legends are true, and who can blame them when they look into the mirror and all they see is their face.
Life reflects on the mirror's surface, but who would believe what really exists on the other side?
***
Grey clouds floated on a black sky, which was relfected in the steppes below. Everything here was the same as back home, just turned outside out. The grass on these steppes was black and short, not to mention growing beneath an icy surface which was impenetrable.
The sun itself was a big ball of nothing, bleeding black into the sky. It provided no heat. This place didn't make sense, or at least it wouldn't to a normal person. To not get used to this by now would mean you were insane. When you wore your furs you were cold, when you took them off you were hot. You were never hungry or thirsty, like back home. This wasn't bad at first, he realized, but eventually you felt deprived of the pleasure that is taste.
Time passed by here. Was there time? Before there was night and day, now there was a black, bleeding sun. Well, now it was black. It would change on a whim, his whim, but for now he felt it was alright.
There was no time now. Before, he had seen old-timers die of old age, here he never died. You never felt yourself dying because he was sure that if he had died he would know. He was in here with a demon, that was all he knew. There was nothing to do either. He barely saw the demon, which he had feared greatly, but later he saw it as dull and plain in contrast to this surrounding world. Now he had nothing to do. All he did was colour the sky and pleasure himself.
He willed it, and a light breeze began to blow. He could conjur many things here but the one thing he couldn't was a companion. Not just a human, even something like a small rat was entirely impossible to him.
Sometimes he tried to leave. He willed this the hardest out of anything, but there was no way. He didn't think it was his choice if he should leave. Maju had stolen him away with it when it was sealed and he resented it greatly for it. Before he feared death but now he welcomed it and all its uncertainties, but that was the first thing he had realized wouldn't come.
Daio was the God of this bizzare world and also its prisoner. But in a way, aren't all Gods slaves to their own creations?
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Posted: Sun Oct 25, 2009 7:01 pm
Blood is a most amazing substance. For ages it had been a symbol of power and strength over others. It had stood as the mark of a provider for ones family or a warrior ready to lay his life on the line to protect his clan. Indeed, the thick red liquid was something to marvel it. It coursed through every single being, brought them together. It dragged the mighty down and brought the lowly up. Slice your palm and hold it to another’s and it bound you for life.
Blood was also sickening and caused great problems. Clydria was currently stuck in the beginnings of one such problem. Her tanned hands were sunk deep into the bloody carcass of a slaughtered bull, squishing through its still pumping blood in search of the faintly beating heart. She had to remove the heart before the time was up to finish her passage and receive her right. Such a simple task it seemed at first, but when you smelt the stench of blood and felt it soaking into her skin, it was all one could do not to run.
Tiny fingers clutched at the organ and yanked. She grimaced, feeling the organ rip and shred to come forward with her weight, swinging an arch of rich redness over her face, a slashed mark of accomplishment. She had done it. Flicking her storm cloud eyes downward, she watched the last few futile thumps of the heart in her hands and felt her own heart jerk in remorse. Such a waste for a stupid tradition. But the cheers of her fellows soon drug her mind away from those thoughts. The aged girl was finally to meet her life’s goal.
She watched eagerly as the village leader cracked open the wooden box that held the mirror, everyone gasping as the intricate piece was held up for all to admire. The sunlight glinted off the polished gold and silver of the creation, blinding them all with its beauty. Vaguely she felt the heart removed from her hands as the leader approached, a stern frown on his face as it brought the precious item forth. A new Chosen One to watch after the treasure of her tribe. To be sure the beast remained locked away.
Briefly the legend was recalled, the one whispered at every child’s bedside, the nightmare they begged to drift them off to sleep. Now it was her time to hold that terror. To care for it and protect it. Shaking hands coated in red reached forth, flinching at the stunning chill of the metal. She sighed heavily, a slow smile tipping her lips as she brought it up above her head, turning and turning and turning, showing them all that she was indeed worthy. How could they ever have doubted her? What on earth had made them-
Blood is a dark substance. It causes the worst of mischief. Such as soaking into the dry earth and creating slick mud. Mud that innocent feet can slip in, and cause a precious jewel to go shattering to the ground.
“No!” she cried as she tumbled down, watching helplessly as the glass shattered. She had failed. Evil blood.
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Posted: Sun Oct 25, 2009 8:17 pm
Daio had been pleasently at sleep when he heard a noise. It was so long that he might have heard this familiar sound but it triggered a bunch of memories. Ignoring everything, all senses came to life and he stood up quickly.
Nothing out of the ordinary happened in here. If he willed it, it would, but he had not wished to hear such a sound. It happened on its own. He felt strangely excited and for the first time in a long while there was a smile on his face.
Daio turned his head, looking everywhere. All he was flat steppes, nothing of interest. Squinting suddenly, he realized colour coming to the grassland. He had not willed it! Pure, natural light began to colour his surroundings. The grass was green, the sky was blue, clouds white, the mountains in the far distance brown. Just like back h-
He dared not think it. It was unwise to get his hopes up, but before he could think it through he saw something in the far distance of the steppes. It could only be one thing, Maju, and as it dashed inhumanly it left a trail of destruction in its path. The ground behind him folded and crumbled away, leaving a huge gaping hole that grew and grew.
As the figure moved towards him, many thoughts crossed his mind but the most important one was that Maju was not responsible for this mayhem.
A worm-like creature, one with a naked, male human torso that was basically a bundle of muscles. It's distinctive feature was its head, which had no eyes, nose, ears, nothing except a long mouth that looked like an ant-eater's. A truly disgusting sight which he had gotten used to.
With amazing speed it ran across the plains and it came to a halt before him very suddenly. The ground behind it continued to crumble but the mayhem was still far off.
"What's going on?" Daio asked.
"I'm free," The thing gasped. Even though it had no eyes it was facing Daio, and he was under the impression that it was staring at him, absurd as that sounded.
"Free?" Daoi said in a weird voice, unable to believe this.
"I am," Maju moved towards him and Daio sensed danger. It was unable to kill him before because its powers were negated in this world but now that freedom was an option, things might have changed. Daio turned to run but Maju grabbed him by the back of the neck and flung him backwards. The crumbling world approached faster.
"The seal has been broken, and I can finally go back and finish what I stared. You, unfortunatly, will have to stay a bit more," It cackled and took off. Laying on his back, he saw a distant sun. A small halo surrouned it, and then he knew that was the exit. That was the real sun, something he had not seen in hundreds of years.
Maju took powerful steps and with a mighty leap it jumped through the halo. It must have been thousands of feet high but it had done so easily. The demon was free.
Daio stared after it, into the golden sun. Adrenaline began to pump through his veins, he wanted to leave to. It was right there, his chance to leave, and he was sitting there staring at it like a moron. He looked behind him, the destruction now considerably closer.
"YES! LET'S GO!" Daio found himself excited for the first time in a long while. He began to run from the mayhem, picking up speed. Unlike Maju, he could not jump thousands of feet. Instead, the ground beneath him turned into a gentle slope, rising higher and higher. It was his will.
The destruction behind him was happening fast, and though he dared not stop and look, through his peripheral vision he could see far to his side that it was gaining on him. His thighs were feeling it. He was warm. He was starting to sweat. His breathing became hard. His throat was dry.
And he loved it all. These were things he didn't feel in a long time, and instead of tiring him these senses had the opposite effect, they only motivated him. Shouting, he charged forward, the halo coming closer and closer.
The destruction behind him was closer than ever. It snapped at his feet, and for the first time he could feel the world crumbling away. He didn't miss it at all, he was happy it was gone. He was determined not to go with it though.
It bit at his ankles, the ground behind him dissapearing. He formed new ground ahead of him which rised higher and higher. Tying the speed of the destruction with pure determination, he pushed, even though the terrifying fear of dissapearing with this world was huge in his mind.
Finally, the slope peaked, the destruction right behind him. It was one of the other, he would be evaporated, or he would live a normal life. Was it entirely up to him?
Daio took the last step on the cliff. Even though his legs were so heavy right now, he used up every last piece of strength he had left. The air behind him vaporized. The slope he had created was entirely gone. Staring at the sun, he thought to the Wolf Totem:
"Tengri*, you've left me here and never rescued me, causing me to doubt if you exist. I've been a fool for you, and I'm sure you think it's funny to see me so miserable. I don't even know why. I think I've paid my dues though. Please, I ask you so sincerely, with my whole heart, if you have even the slightest bit of mercy: LET ME ******** GET OUT ALIVE!"
***
Something shot out of the mirror like a star. It was so fast that nobody there could define its form with their eyes. Their instincts told them though, that the stories they were raised with weren't made-up. They could very possibly be true.
"Did you see that?!"
"What the hell is it?!"
The thing continued to shoot into the sky, slowing down eventually and dropping back to earth. It landed light on its feet, standing not far from the group of nomads. They trembled in fear and backed up, raising their weapons feebly. Maju only laughed but it did not go after them.
"One of you is enough for today," It weezed. Nobody knew what it meant, yet they didn't dare speak and held their weapons silently. "Besides, my powers need time to completely come back. Rest assured though, I will be back. Good day," It said, laughing still as it took off.
The group of hunters breathed a collective sigh of relief, knowing that they were spared for now.
"Good, it left."
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU SAYING? DIDN'T YOU HEAR IT? IT'LL BE BACK!"
"Hey, calm down, it gave us time to run!"
"Hey... what was it anyways?" Everybody had a suspicion though they couldn't really confirm it.
"Was it The Great Maju?" One of the men asked.
"Don't be an idiot!" One of them laughed. "The Great Maju is a children's story!" He laughed some more but no one joined in.
"Then how do you explain that thing? Did you see its face?!"
"Yeah, it wasn't human."
"Maybe Tengri is punishing us?"
"Why would Tengri be mad?"
"Well, the girl did just break that mirror."
"Hey guys..." One of the hunters interupted, pointing to the mirror once again. The tips of five fingers from inside the mirror were clinging on the frame outside. Nobody dared to come near, for all they knew it could have been another of those evil creatures. The thing pulled itself through somehow, even though all logic said that it shouldn't fit through this frame. It was contorting its way back into the real world and they eventually realized it was a human.
"What the hell?"
It continued, the top half of its body had emerged. It was a male, and he was wearing furs just like them. It was more of a vest, his stomach and chest revealed. He looked at them, pausing for a second before pulling his legs through. As soon as he was out, he rolled onto the grass. The frame of the mirror broke into pieces.
"Hey, who are you?!" But he ignored their questions.
Sweet, sweet air! The grass too, for once he could feel it. He squeezed the earth, dirt underneath his fingernails and grass between his fingers. The sun, he could feel it on the back of his neck, it felt amazing. He took deep breathes, trying to take it all in. He was deprived for so long, and now it had all come back to him at once. Nobody could enjoy this more than him.
(((I'm gonna stop there lol. By the way, Tengri is their God, he's the top of the Wolf Totem.)))
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Posted: Sun Nov 01, 2009 4:08 pm
Clydria watched in silent horror as the events occurred; a shaking hand covered her gaping mouth. What had she done? How could she be so stupid, releasing the evil back into the world? Failure! Imbecile! And now her people were endangered. There was no way they could ever hope to be safe from the creature she had unleashed so witlessly upon the world.
Watching from the edges of the crowd, she tried to maintain control over her pounding heart. She was fit to start hyperventilating, all color drained from her body. Tengri would surely punish her for this folly. So busy was the failed Keeper that she didn’t even hear her fellow villagers commenting on the second thing climbing from the mirror until it was free and lay plopped down on the ground.
Gray eyes wide with hope, she shoved through the crowd and sank to her knees next to the boy. Grabbing his shoulders, she shook him violently. Unlike her fellows, she was not going to just let him lay there until she got some answers. “You, you were in the mirror with Maju! You know how to protect my people?” she gasped.
Yes, she knew the truth of what had come out. She had not forgotten with age. The legend was, for them all, now real. Thanks to her stupidity.
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