Awesome Competitions! Write a Story; Win Some Pets!!

[DeMaizu]

I had to look twice, too XD

Haaa . . . . Okay. Someone yell at me and slap me virtually so I can hopefully get going.

[Piefan]

... oh my god i just wrote half the story before noticing the person. now i have to rewrite most of the plot.

[windmillKey]

I had to look twice, too XD

Haaa . . . . Okay. Someone yell at me and slap me virtually so I can hopefully get going.

-prods-

Just doooo et!


... I'm somewhat tempted but trying to focus on getting ready for NaNo. x_X
Same as Headphone Actor though, took me a bit to notice there's actually a dude there haha.

Looking forward to reading some stories, either way~

[Books•Are•Life]

Toot toot toot, I blow my horn
Toot toot toot, keep the dragon at bay
When my horn goes Toot toot toot,
That's when the dragon doesn't end my day

Toot toot toot, your blood red wings loom
Toot toot toot, I hope this doesn't mean my doom
Great black scales, Toot toot toot
Great white teeth, Toot toot toot

Toot toot toot, I play my horn
Toot toot toot, Its sounds surround you and me
I blow my horn, Toot toot toot
So that you will see
That all that we are, Toot toot toot
Is music, Toot toot toot

[BucketORandomness]

The Meeting

Ages gone and ages past cannot escape the books.
Ages now and ages coming can’t erase the deeds.
The past is over, but still relived in memories
Of ages past, when titans lived--real as you and me

They flew and walked and shook the earth, these colossal and
Terrible foes. They attacked with many thund’rous cries
The towns and peoples of old--and sometimes each other.
Their clashes were legendary. Now just one survives.

Among the roots of a mountain younger than himself,
With hardened scales and faded scars aplenty, resides
A beast of legend and of wisdom and of regret,
His wings forever flightless. In the darkness he hides.

But no longer alone is the one hidden in dark stone.
An envoy of the descendants he once terrified
Has traversed the caverns with hopes of finding the one
The elders spoke of with rev’rence and awe, paralyzed.

Fragile and tiny, the emissary stands before
The ancient and terrible foe under the high peak.
The meeting between past and future has now begun.
Now is the time to see what kind of havoc they’ll wreak.



((It's supposed to be a poem, but my story's coming up in the hopefully near future.))

[TheSongOfTheStars]

viewtopic.php?f=57&t=2676396&p=85832435#p85832435
Boop. My story!

[Ranger of the North]

So many entries already!!
Five, sorry for not replying; I'm not allowed online on Saturdays, so I couldn't come

You guys didn't notice him/her? I guess he/she is pretty small XD XD
Whoops~! That must be a pain *pats*

[Woogwoo Wren]

Here's my entry!

[BucketORandomness]

The Journey

xxxxxxDarkness clung to the walls like some possessive creature, reaching out to pull the Civati back into its protective safety. The darkness seemed to know of the terror lying above the ground, the danger hiding within the light. Of course, the Civati did not listen. She knew that her purpose here was more important than staying safe with her people. She wound through the tunnel as it twisted and turned, confident in the darkness. At the last corner, the darkness grudgingly gave up its hold on the being, though it stretched as far as it could until it dissolved into a hazy grey.
xxxxxxThe being that stepped into the hazy light was dressed in a simple light grey tunic. In her hand was a walking cane of purest black, harvested from the grove of trees where her people lived. Across her shoulder rested a horn of purest silver, and it was with this horn that she marked her errand. The Civati raised a paper white hand, blemished only by a midnight blue insignia, and shielded her large, pale blue eyes from the alien and ghostly light. Her long hair hung straight down her back, its color reminiscent of the darkness she had lived in since birth. After a moment, she pulled a veil of the same cloth as her tunic over her eyes and carefully climbed up the rocks to the high spire that jutted out into the cavern.
xxxxxx“Zemni-vat, envoy of the Civati people, hath come as requested by Majus, beast of the heavens. Upon what dost thou desire to converse?” the being announced into the cavern in a sonorous contralto. Zemni’s voice echoed in the aching emptiness, and for a moment it felt to her as if nothing existed but her voice and the stone beneath her bare feet. The echo faded away before a raspy rustling could be heard far below.
xxxxxx“You came,” a rumbling voice replied, shaking the very stones with its vibrations. “I almost thought you would leave me. Zemni, I wish to discuss a pact of sorts.” Majus paused, nervously resettling his torn wings. Zemni stood, silently prodding him to continue. “I search for shelter, hopefully indefinitely,” he said, a hint of desperation entering his voice.
xxxxxx“Majus, beast of the heavens, thou knowest to seek indefinite asylum with the Civati is akin to shunning the heavens themselves,” Zemni reproached gently. “No beast of heaven can truly be contented among us.” Why would one of the Overworld request sanctuary within the caverns and crevasses of The Mount? It was unheard of thus far in history.
xxxxxx“Beast of the heavens,” Majus spat, a shower of sparks falling from his jaws, “The heavens shunned me first. My kind have started a war, and I am tired of fighting in it. The Civati are the only place left untouched. I ask again, please give me shelter.” An old wound flared in the fighter’s shoulder, and he acutely felt the tears within the membrane of his wings that would never let him fly again. “Please,” he whispered, “This is my last chance.”
xxxxxxZemni stepped closer to the edge of the precipice and leaned out, shielding her eyes to get a better look at the dragon. Through her veil, she saw light fall through Majus’ wings, and a dark scar seemed to pulsate at his shoulder. Dark tales came with those scars. “Majus, thou hast acknowledged the Civati neutrality in matters pertaining to the Overworld. Wouldst thou be capable of refraining from bias as well? Wouldst thou be a valuable constituent of the Civati people?”
xxxxxxMajus ground his teeth together. He had not anticipated such questions. “Zemni, I cannot lie. I still hold bias against certain others in my world, but I can also help. I can protect the Civati from outsiders, and I can heat your homes and melt metals. I can be a barrier once my scales harden finally at my eleventy-first hatching day. I can move mighty loads and help to build,” he said after a pause for thought.
xxxxxxZemni looked silently at Majus standing before her with his head bowed in supplication. He had told the truth, which is all she had wanted from him. With a smooth motion, she brought the horn from her side to her lips and blew into it. The sound that came out was as pure as the silver it came from. Long, straight, and simple, the single note reverberated around the cavern, shaking stalactites into a vibrating chorus of tones. Among the glorious music came the distinct sound of stone sliding against stone. One side of the cavern had split apart to reveal a large tunnel sloping steeply down and into the safety of darkness.
xxxxxxThe horn left her lips, and when the sound faded, she announced in a strong voice that carried to the heart of the earth, “Welcome, Majus-vat, member of the Civati!” Majus raised his head, stunned, and watched as the small Zemni agily made her way to the floor of the cavern. She motioned for him to follow, a grin peeking out from under her veil. Carefully, Majus followed the little Zemni, shortening his steps to keep her within sight. This became exponentially more difficult as the wall closed behind them, cutting off the outside light.
xxxxxxZemni paused to remove her veil, glad to be back within the protective darkness. “This way,” she said before starting forward on quiet feet. Her brow furrowed in thought as she contemplated how to explain this to the others. Peku-vat most certainly would object.

↜↭↝

xxxxxxThe tunnel emptied out into a large cave barely illuminated by softly glowing mosses and worms, the gentle tinkling of water providing a calming backdrop. At the center of the cave stood a small group of figures dressed in a style similar to Zemni. One of them stepped forward, his bushy red brows low over angry eyes.
xxxxxx“Zemni-vat, what hast thou done? Is thine own mind with thee today? Thou knowest of the war and our neutrality, yet thou hast returned with one who participated in the fighting!” the man exclaimed, waving his arms emphatically. He then turned to the others still huddled behind him and declared, “I ascertained thusly before Zemni-vat’s election, did I not? She is not fit to be Guide!”
xxxxxx“Peku-vat, neither jealousy nor pride become thee. I have Guided the Civati thus far, and shall continue as best I am able,” Zemni said, gently putting a hand on the peeved man’s shoulder. Turning to the rest of the gathered, she said, “Welcome Majus-vat. He hath offered to Guard.”
xxxxxxThe gathered, including Peku, gasped, and whispers broke out to join the water’s cheerful bubbling. Majus carefully lowered his head and rumbled quietly, “Is something wrong?” Zemni patted the dragon’s snout and made a hushing gesture before turning to the others gathered before them.
xxxxxx“Allow us passage, and the Civati will be Guarded once more,” she said. The group before her quickly parted, albeit Peku reluctantly.

↜↭↝

xxxxxx“The Civati began as a people of the Overworld who dwelt with the moon instead of the sun,” Zemni explained as they walked down a corridor almost too small for Majus. “Born of the dreams of others, they reveled in the newness of night, where possibilities are endless.” The corridor definitely felt endless to Majus, but he held his tongue.
xxxxxx“Others shunned and despised the Civati because of their strangeness, and eventually we came to dwell here, within the protection of The Mount,” Zemni continued, waiting for Majus ahead in the tunnel. “They soon discovered our origins and exploited our weakness, as our dreams are our physical lifelines, closely akin to a beating heart,” she said, pulling out an orb that pulsed slowly with an ethereal midnight blue light. Zemni turned and placed her dream against the wall, and the outline of a large door began to glow with the same ethereal light.
xxxxxxWhen the doors opened, a rainbow of soft light cascaded from a large and long corridor. The walls were carved with shelves, and all of them were filled with pulsating orbs like the one Zemni held. “The Civati of old ordained a Guard to protect all their dreams, though none hath come forth to reclaim the position since the last one bequeathed their dream to another. This is what thou wilst protect for the endurance of thine stay, Majus-vat” she said, squinting up at him.

↜↭↝

xxxxxxOf course, Majus did not start by guarding the Dream Vault. He started by guarding the main entrance and learning the customs of the people. The Civati enjoyed both Silence and Song, and times were set up specifically for both. After some stern instruction from the rigid Peku, Majus learned to walk lightly during Silence, and he even joined his reverberating bass to the harmonies of the Civati during Song.
xxxxxxHis diet consisted of mostly fungus and plants now, with the occasional fish thrown in for flavor. Majus quickly realized that asking for anything more resulted in flinty glares and whispered remarks of “mongrel dragons.” He desperately missed the taste of venison, and occasionally he thought of sneaking back to the Overworld to just get a taste. Reason luckily kept him under the mountain.

↜↭↝

xxxxxxMajus walked through a few of the hastily enlarged tunnels on his way to the most recent building project. Many Civati had been spawned since his coming, and the cave system needed to be expanded to accommodate the growing population. His constant hard work had earned him the favor of most of the Civati, and he tried to repay their kindness of sanctuary as best he could.
xxxxxx“Didst thou hear of the elven cousins?” one Civati whispered, perking Majus’s ears in curiosity. “A tragedy,” another whispered. It felt as if the conversation would continue, but the silver horn sounded the start of Silence, and the conversation stopped quickly. The tone reminded Majus of the first time he had heard the sound of that silver horn. Zemni still visited him on occasion, though recently they had been drifting further apart.
xxxxxxMajus finished his labor and traversed back to his now regular post by the Dream Vault. The passage had been widened by the friction of his scales against the rock until it was smooth.
xxxxxxHe learned that the personality of a Civati could be traced back to the kind of dream they came from. Peku’s was a fairly violent dream, and some of the happier dreams spawned optimistic Civati. Zemni’s, though, was special. Majus had examined every orb within the Vault and had yet to see one the color of midnight blue.
xxxxxxEchoes came from down the corridor, and words eventually became apparent in the general din that was the earth moving. That particular sound was magnified during Silence, and it put his teeth on edge to hear the rocks over his head resettle or the layers under his feet shift.
xxxxxx“All gone,” said the echoes, “The fault is their own! . . . Be not offensive, honored one.” One of the voices sounded like Peku, one of the Civati who still begrudged Majus his trust. The dragon wondered what he could be talking about briefly before his staple meal arrived with one of the happier Civati, though her smile seemed slightly forced.
xxxxxxMany years passed, though the passing of time was lost on Majus. Sometime in the duration of his stay, his eleventy-first hatch day had passed, marked only by a noticeable stiffening in his scales. The Mount groaned more often, and the Dream Vault was expanded. Majus was counting the softly glowing orbs as he had begun to do on a regular basis when a polite cough came from the front of the Vault.
xxxxxxThere stood a tall Civati with a simple light grey tunic. In her hand was a walking cane of purest black, harvested from the grove of trees that grew nearby. Across her shoulder rested a horn of purest silver. The Civati raised a wrinkled white hand, blemished only by a midnight blue insignia, and shielded her large, pale blue eyes from the light of so many dreams. Her long hair hung straight down her back, its color so white it almost glowed.
xxxxxx“Majus-vat,” she said, her voice no longer clear, but still as strong as the day she had called him. Zemni-vat? When had she gotten to be so aged? “Majus-vat, there is a thing I need to discuss with thee,” she said.
xxxxxxMajus sat and lowered his head to her level in respect. “What is it you wish to converse about, Zemni?” he asked softly. It must be important for her to break Silence like this.
xxxxxxZemni paused before continuing. “Majus-vat, thou hast served us Civati well. My dream hath begun to grow cold, and I fear I will no longer be able to Guide the Civati.” Zemni paused for breath and pulled out her midnight blue dream. It’s pulsing glow was now fluttering and barely lit up Zemni’s hand.
xxxxxx“The Civati hath grown beyond that which The Mount can sustain,” she said. “The Mount groans, and soon will fall in on all the Civati if we do not relocate.” Zemni looked at Majus carefully, pain in her eyes. “The Civati must leave The Mount to inhabit somewhere new, but I will not survive to see it happen,” she said, caressing the guttering orb.
xxxxxx“Mine own dream is unique,” Zemni said. Majus was confused by the change in subject, but he let it be. “It is an ominous dream, one that giveth premonitions of the future.” After a moment, she slowly moved to Majus’s side. She reached a tired hand and held the dream on Majus’s forehead, then moved the silver horn to her lips.
xxxxxxInstead of the pure tone from their first encounter, the sound that came from the horn was three wailing blasts that reverberated around the Vault. In a flash of light, Zemni’s dream melded itself to Majus’ forehead, and in the following echo, a small voice said from far, far away, “Majus, I bequeath mine own dream to thee. Guard faithfully and Guide wisely.”
xxxxxxFutures lay before Majus, and he scampered to his feet, trying to understand them all. He quickly collected the Civati and gave them their dreams to carry. It took some time, but he convinced them to leave. They all packed what they thought they would need for the journey in the Overworld and headed to the surface, veils drawn protectively over their eyes. Majus was the last to leave, a small horn of purest silver clutched in his claws and some few precious seeds taken from the grove of black trees. With a glance over his shoulder, he trumpeted a call of nine in hurried succession, and the Civati traversed the night of the Overworld for the first time in millennia. The Mount crumbled behind them days later, compromised by all the tunnels and caverns created during Majus’ duties as Guard.
xxxxxxMajus-vat led the Civati for many generations, and the positions of Guide and Guard merged into one. Majus held the first position with the help of Zemni’s dream until he could no longer protect the Civati in their new home from the war that still raged in the Overworld. Now, all male holders are named Majus-vat, and those females who take up the position are named Zemni-vat in memory of the two who began the journey to find a new home for the Civati. All are spawned of a midnight blue dream and carry a horn of purest silver, whose sound echoes through the ages to that first encounter long, long ago.

[ewe]

Mark~