I figured I'd contribute a little to this forum, and wrote up a bit of a fan fic. It's a work in progress, mind you, and I'll be adding more and more to it as time goes on. Here's the first installment.. a bit of an introduction really.
Feel free to comment or critique : D
Edit: I have to go through and fix an issue with the commas. Apparently, they showed up as question marks D:
Installment #1
My eyes flew open. Almost immediately, they were forced shut by the powerful winds. Every grain of sand became a burning projectile in this raging gust. The horizon was shrouded from view by an imposing wall of dust that whipped about. I sighed. Traveling in a sandstorm was a double edged blade. Although it masks your movements from unfriendly eyes, you can easily find yourself lost. I quickly knelt down and felt my only comfort in this impossible environment, a stone path. Tightening the dark cloth around my face, I pushed onward, pleased that I hadn't lost my way in this swirling land. My destination could not be too far now. I quickly pulled the short sword from its sheath and, being blind due to the dust, inspected it by touch. Just days ago, my journey's goal, the fortress city of Kelm had been attacked by a host of foul beings. The lucky few who survived the slaughter staggered into town, delirious from exhaustion, rambling madly about terrifying monstrosities and the magicians who controlled them. The populace was quick to be consumed by fear, and many retreated to the relative safety of the town walls - but I didn't. I saw a profit to be made, and power to be ga-
A shrill, screaming noise interrupted my thoughts, the source of the sound coming closer and closer by the instant. My heart pounding, I leapt to the side of the road and nestled amongst the burning sand, constantly keeping my eyes on the road. A dark silhouette staggered into view, a man. He stumbled about, panting and groaning as he looked around desperately for something. He quickly turned around and let out a scream of surprise. A second shape had appeared out of the wall of dust behind him. The wooden, skeletal talisman around my neck suddenly fidgeted and jerked around. Could it be? "Get away from me!" the man cried out as he tried to limp away. The second shape walked up to the man with a swagger of confidence, its robe stretching in the dust storm. Rearing itself up, it delivered a powerful kick, sprawling the man out onto the stone road. Transfixed, I gritted my teeth, knowing what would come next.
"You thought you could escape the cleansing, did ya Jali? You planned on making a break for safety after knifing one of my brethren, I bet?" the shape spat out in a raspy voice. The man let out a low groan and rolled over so he could face his attacker.
"Eat dung, Marl, you filthy cultist." He said defiantly and kicked out, though to no avail.
Marl let out a shrill laugh and stomped his foot onto Jali's chest. "Last minute heroics won't get ya nowhere, Jal. You'll end up the same way as the rest of your guard, nothing but flesh and bone." He slowly pulled out a tiny object, a dagger, and waved it in front of the man's face. "And flesh and bone" he raised his shaking hand, "is just what our master needs."
I reacted instantly, pushing my body up off of the ground to face the back of the cultist. The talisman danced around at a feverish pace, excited by the prospect of being so close to Marl. He was bending down lower and lower towards Jali, who was squirming madly underfoot. His voice was rising higher and higher in anticipation. "Bet ya wish ye'd been a little nicer to us "poor" cultists now, don't ya?" he cackled. Knowing I had little time, I thrust my hand into my satchel and felt my fingers grasp glass - the vial. This was my only chance. Jali's eyes fixed on me, and he let out a desperate cry for help.
Marl quickly turned his head towards me, a twisted look of surprise stretched across his disgusting face, but it was far too late for the cultist. The vial, an orange concoction of liquids, careened into his back, exploding in a violent torrent of flame, glass and charred flesh. The deafening explosion threw him off of Jali and onto the sand, where he writhed about being slowly consumed by the fire - his screams drowned out by the roaring wind.
A sudden violent hunger came over me, and I raced towards the dying man. The talisman danced a feverous dance as I neared. Standing by the charred cultist, I examined the damage done with a grim satisfaction. A gaping hole was all that remained of Marl?s back, with his contents sliding slowly onto the desert sands. "Unlike your master, I have little use for flesh and bone." I said, "but you will serve me in another manner, magician." and shakily thrust the talisman towards the smouldering man's mouth. Both the skeleton effigy's jaw and the man's diseased mouth opened. A sudden explosion of silver light passed between the talisman and Marl, throwing me to the floor. The talisman clanged lifelessly to the ground, its thirst satiated.
Staggering to my feet, I made my way slowly towards the now-seated Jali and locked eyes with him. "Thank you, friend" he panted, "but if it isn't a cultist that kills me, it'll certainly be thirst."I reached and unhooked my water gourd. Dropping the gourd at his feet, I chose my words very carefully. "You will tell me everything you know about this lot."
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Feel free to comment or critique : D
Edit: I have to go through and fix an issue with the commas. Apparently, they showed up as question marks D:
Installment #1
My eyes flew open. Almost immediately, they were forced shut by the powerful winds. Every grain of sand became a burning projectile in this raging gust. The horizon was shrouded from view by an imposing wall of dust that whipped about. I sighed. Traveling in a sandstorm was a double edged blade. Although it masks your movements from unfriendly eyes, you can easily find yourself lost. I quickly knelt down and felt my only comfort in this impossible environment, a stone path. Tightening the dark cloth around my face, I pushed onward, pleased that I hadn't lost my way in this swirling land. My destination could not be too far now. I quickly pulled the short sword from its sheath and, being blind due to the dust, inspected it by touch. Just days ago, my journey's goal, the fortress city of Kelm had been attacked by a host of foul beings. The lucky few who survived the slaughter staggered into town, delirious from exhaustion, rambling madly about terrifying monstrosities and the magicians who controlled them. The populace was quick to be consumed by fear, and many retreated to the relative safety of the town walls - but I didn't. I saw a profit to be made, and power to be ga-
A shrill, screaming noise interrupted my thoughts, the source of the sound coming closer and closer by the instant. My heart pounding, I leapt to the side of the road and nestled amongst the burning sand, constantly keeping my eyes on the road. A dark silhouette staggered into view, a man. He stumbled about, panting and groaning as he looked around desperately for something. He quickly turned around and let out a scream of surprise. A second shape had appeared out of the wall of dust behind him. The wooden, skeletal talisman around my neck suddenly fidgeted and jerked around. Could it be? "Get away from me!" the man cried out as he tried to limp away. The second shape walked up to the man with a swagger of confidence, its robe stretching in the dust storm. Rearing itself up, it delivered a powerful kick, sprawling the man out onto the stone road. Transfixed, I gritted my teeth, knowing what would come next.
"You thought you could escape the cleansing, did ya Jali? You planned on making a break for safety after knifing one of my brethren, I bet?" the shape spat out in a raspy voice. The man let out a low groan and rolled over so he could face his attacker.
"Eat dung, Marl, you filthy cultist." He said defiantly and kicked out, though to no avail.
Marl let out a shrill laugh and stomped his foot onto Jali's chest. "Last minute heroics won't get ya nowhere, Jal. You'll end up the same way as the rest of your guard, nothing but flesh and bone." He slowly pulled out a tiny object, a dagger, and waved it in front of the man's face. "And flesh and bone" he raised his shaking hand, "is just what our master needs."
I reacted instantly, pushing my body up off of the ground to face the back of the cultist. The talisman danced around at a feverish pace, excited by the prospect of being so close to Marl. He was bending down lower and lower towards Jali, who was squirming madly underfoot. His voice was rising higher and higher in anticipation. "Bet ya wish ye'd been a little nicer to us "poor" cultists now, don't ya?" he cackled. Knowing I had little time, I thrust my hand into my satchel and felt my fingers grasp glass - the vial. This was my only chance. Jali's eyes fixed on me, and he let out a desperate cry for help.
Marl quickly turned his head towards me, a twisted look of surprise stretched across his disgusting face, but it was far too late for the cultist. The vial, an orange concoction of liquids, careened into his back, exploding in a violent torrent of flame, glass and charred flesh. The deafening explosion threw him off of Jali and onto the sand, where he writhed about being slowly consumed by the fire - his screams drowned out by the roaring wind.
A sudden violent hunger came over me, and I raced towards the dying man. The talisman danced a feverous dance as I neared. Standing by the charred cultist, I examined the damage done with a grim satisfaction. A gaping hole was all that remained of Marl?s back, with his contents sliding slowly onto the desert sands. "Unlike your master, I have little use for flesh and bone." I said, "but you will serve me in another manner, magician." and shakily thrust the talisman towards the smouldering man's mouth. Both the skeleton effigy's jaw and the man's diseased mouth opened. A sudden explosion of silver light passed between the talisman and Marl, throwing me to the floor. The talisman clanged lifelessly to the ground, its thirst satiated.
Staggering to my feet, I made my way slowly towards the now-seated Jali and locked eyes with him. "Thank you, friend" he panted, "but if it isn't a cultist that kills me, it'll certainly be thirst."I reached and unhooked my water gourd. Dropping the gourd at his feet, I chose my words very carefully. "You will tell me everything you know about this lot."