[j. bourne]

username;; m a r t y r .
level i
level ii
level iii
level iv
level v
level vi

[Thelastsilhouette]

username;; Thelastsilhouette
Level I - 5 points +7
Destined for Desolo:
The sky was colored a dark purple overhead, stars blinked between the thick clouds that lazily floated along. A gentle wind wound its way through the trees and the grass causing some trees to creak and groan eerily. It was creepier than Cecilia had anticipated but the thought of her destination kept her from turning around and heading home instead. The dark haired girl, shifted her hiking pack on her shoulders by wriggling the straps back into place while she took in a deep breath, bracing her frazzled nerves. If she couldn't handle just making it through the hike, how would she be able to handle the even spookier town of Desolo that was said to be haunted?
Scary stories excited her and frightened her at the same time, she had boasted how she would find this town and stay the night there among the old buildings. Heck, even her friends dared her to bring something back to prove that she could do this on her own, she had to go on or she wouldn't be able to face them without remembering that she had failed.
The hike gave Cecilia plenty of time to imagine the wonders that she would find, what the place would look like as she walked down the old streets.. Her imagination couldn't do any justice to what the town truly looked like as she managed to crest over the lip of a hill that kept the valley hidden. As she stood there just taking in the view of Desolo from afar, a fierce shiver passed through her body. Cecilia wanted to say she was elated at reaching the deserted mining town but something about seeing it, standing alone and knowing it was empty, left her with goosebumps and hesitation to continue her journey.
"Come on, Cecy. Time to prove that you aren't a chicken.." After a quiet moment to hype her up and bolster her false confidence once again, Cecilia walked up to the nearest buildings. It was quieter now that she was near the old and rotting buildings that were once houses and shops to the people that called this town home. So much history had happened here, years ago this place was lively and full of people hurrying along the streets going about their normal days, the girl could swear she almost heard the wheels of carriages creaking through the town while she imagined most of the men could be just off doing some mining right now.
As she walked through the town she could make out faint signs, weather had worn away whatever was written onto the wooden slabs as they swung and creaked loudly on the rusty chains that were holding onto them still.
Most of the windows were intact to the houses, a couple looked to be busted and completely gone by now while the rest were dusty and impossible to see through. The girl peered through the doorway to a home that had long since lost the door her mind decided to think about someone possibly leaving a long time ago with the door packed onto a carriage to leave with it. She couldn't keep a grin from growing on her face at the though, she knew it was ridiculous and probably not even true but she would never truly know so why couldn't it be true?
The sound of shuffling caused the girl to stare into the dark interior of the home more studiously as she searched for possibly a rat or possum that was on the search for a meal. The only light inside the house came from the doorway that she was blocking, as she shifted backwards to let in more light she let out a sudden gasp and backed away from the doorway at the sight of a dark colored canine just watching her from not even ten feet away, it was so dark inside she couldn't even see it before. Cecilia slowly backed away from the building before watching as the canine stalked out into the light before quickly trotting off through the town, not even giving the girl a glance. After her heart slowed down to it's normal rhythm she supposed that some creatures could find a way to survive just fine in the valley as long as they didn't stay too close to the caves. She paused to study the dirt pathways that were the streets, wondering what else possibly passed through the area nearby. All she could make out were wolf prints and.. Hooves, a lot of horses must have passed through this town to leave such well worn tracks. Cecilia dusted off her pants before patting the dirt from her hands and looking around the town again, wondering where that wolf had gone.
Word count: 793
Level II - 10 points + 3
Sweet Dream or a Beautiful Nightmare:
After being startled by the canine that didn't seem surprised or upset at the sudden appearance of the girl in the quiet town of Desolo, Cecilia explored the rest of the buildings with more caution. Even if there were a couple wild animals that weren't bothered by her presence there was still the chance that something else could be hiding out here that would be much more aggressive towards her. As if conjured by the thought of something possibly prowling the old streets that were empty, no debris or grass to block any pathway and nothing to quiet the sound of footsteps. Hers or someone elses.
Rhythmic hoofprints echoed surprisingly loudly among the slowly rotting buildings, at first she thought it was just a trick of her mind that was pretending to hear some old mining horses being led through the town with wagons full of beautiful stones. Until she caught the shadow of a Basilisk growing larger along the wall of what looked to be the general store for the town long ago. Cecilia did her best to slowly step backwards off the main street and use one of the buildings on the opposite side of the street from the approaching Chrys as a hiding place.
She watched the Basilisk step out into the open without pause or care of any possible eyes that could be watching them, the girl couldn't help but feel her sense of courage vanish in the instant that she caught sight of his face. The basilisk had markings that resembled a skeleton along his face that trailed down his body making him look much scarier than anything she could have expected to find here. Padding beside the Chrys was the canine that had startled the girl before..
Something about the obvious sign of friendship between the pair made her wonder about the Basilisk. What would that handsomely terrifying stallion be like if she attempted to bond with him? As soon as the thought crossed her mind she felt a sense of longing and faint hope growing in her heart as she took another step back to stay hidden. She knew how most bonded with Basilisks.. she felt that it wouldn't be enough to outlast the staring of this stallion if she didn't try to impress him.
As she watched the pair walking away towards the valley where grass and forest grew wildly outside of town, she thought about all the wonders that the mine was said to hold within. Maybe she should find a stone, one that reminded her of him. Now that she had seen him she knew wanted him and wouldn't be able to live with the thought of leaving here without trying to bond with this stallion.
Word count: 456
Level III - 15 points + 6
The love of Mines:
The first night in the town of Desolo and the stars glittered beautifully in the ink black sky overhead, Cecilia couldn't sleep as she thought about the history and stories she had heard about this town all her life. Now that she was here she wasn't sure if she wanted to rest when there was so much more to explore but first, the mines..
She stood at the entrance to one of the main mining caves, rails for mining carts to be brought right out from inside barely poked through the dirt that shifted around and almost completely buried them. Luckily, there were plenty of old lanterns left behind even though she brought a flashlight it would be nice to light a couple lanterns to give her some ambient light as she dug through some of the tunnels searching for gems that were passed over by other spelunkers.
At the main area she found an old, crusty map left on a desk that showed all the pathways, some were even marked out where treasures had been happened upon. There was an old elevator that probably went hundreds of feet below where she stood right now.. as tempting as it was to use it, she worried how strong the cables would be after being left in disuse for so long.
Instead she opted to just explore a couple of the tunnels on the ground level, it wouldn't be smart or safe to forget how dangerous this place was.
After wandering through a couple of tunnels until she was sure she could find her way back out she found an old pickaxe and something sparkling just over her head. She wasn't quite sure what it was but she hoped it would be something worth offering as a gift to the eerie stallion that called this place his home.
As she started to carefully shipped at the rock and dirt that held the stone in place over her head she let her mind wander back to the Basilisk that was constantly on her mind, he was very different compared to her own two that she had left at home for the trip. Chrys always seemed to have an unnatural sense of where she was when she was nearby, they were much better at knowing their surroundings and were hard to sneak up on. While she was usually the one to be startled by an unexpected visitor.
Cecy's mind went blank as a small stream of dirt and rock poured from the ceiling suddenly causing her to quickly step back away from it. Only now realizing how dangerous her digging was, she could collapse the tunnel if she wasn't more careful.
She sat there, heart pounding as she took a couple deep breaths to calm herself yet again. She was fine, she had the place to herself after all.. or did she? A shadow blocked the light from the rusty lantern that sat at the entrance to the tunnel fifteen feet away. Soft snorting sounds echoed down the tunnel, Cecilia couldn't make out much more by the outline expect that it was a basilisk and it was shifting around in front of the light.
She slowly set the pickaxe down by her feet, worried that if she held it up close to her that she would be seen as a formidable enemy to the Chrysaora that watched her. The basilisk shifted again, the light slowly filling the tunnel again when Cecilia realized that the creature was moving closer to her! "Er.. Uh, Hello, Sir?" Cecilia didn't understand why she started speaking to the Chrys. Something about being blocked in the mine by a creature that could possibly see her as a threat caused her to do some silly things.
She moved to take a couple steps back only to stumble before falling on her butt, she winced as she felt something like a rock digging into her leg, she dug at the piece of rock before finding a muzzle bearing skeletal markings inches away from her own face.
Wolf yellow eyes inspected her as she sat there, covered in dirt and sitting among the debris she had managed to clear from the ceiling.
Cecilia lifted up her left hand to present the rock she had found to the Chrys, it glittered awkwardly in the light. She wasn't sure it was much more than a piece of garbage when the stallion curiously sniffed at her hand. It felt like hours passed before the Basilisk let out a long sigh before eyeing the human again.
Word count: 759
Level IV - 20 points + 3
Unexpected Friends:
Sitting there, looking like a grubby child playing in the dirt. Cecilia's hair was knotted from her attempt to try to keep it up and out of her eyes, still with the stone held out to the Chrysaora Basilisk stallion that watched her with eyes that were impossible to read. She knew that her next step would be to bow but she was at a disadvantage as she sat in the dirt, if she attempted to bow her forehead would come close to the sharp horns that were only inches away from her face as it is. Still.. it was worth the risk, for this handsome stallion, Cecilia slowly shifted so she could bow her head. As she did so she felt the surprisingly soft touch of the stallions nostrils graze her eyebrows before he shifted backwards a step, as the girl sat there, unsure if she should move to accept the stallions gaze and await the Glare that she was almost sure would come now.
The stallion shifted, his mane was so long it almost reached her leg as he lowered his head before she felt the soft touch of the stallions horn on her shoulder. Cecilia let out a long shaky breath as she slowly looked back up into the stallion's yellow eyes. Just as unreadable as before she wondered just what was going on his mind, what he saw in her that made him willing to bond with her. Carefully she brushed his cheek with her hand, reveling in the coloring and the unusual markings up close.
It wasn't long that they stayed down there in the mine, it was as if all the time spent in the mine had finally exhausted the girl. As she made to stand back up she felt her muscles protesting at every step she took beside the Chrys that walked beside her, he was patient. Walking beside this Basilisk was a pleasant trip, with him to guide their way Cecy didn't feel the same fears about this place as if bonding with something that called this place home made her feel less of an outsider in Desolo.
As they reached the entrance to the mine, the pair were greeted by the canine companion that the basilisk had before she joined with him, the wolf eyed her suspiciously but chose to walk with them anyways. The sky was already starting to lighten but all Cecilia could think about now was setting down her sleeping bag and getting some rest, she let out a large yawn as she tucked herself into it under a crooked pine tree that held up two others, forming a useful shady canopy.
The Chrys and wolf both sat there, watching her. "Sorry guys.. I need to sleep. I'll be up later.."
Word count: 463
Level V - 25 points + 9
(unsure of what to title this one)
After getting some sleep, Cecilia felt herself slowly waking up. As she moved to stretch her arms over her head she felt the sleeping bag as much tighter and harder to shift around in now, curiously she opened her eyes to find that the wolf had chosen to join in on her nap and had curled up on the sleeping bag down by her feet. When the wolf noticed that she was watching him it just blinked and slowly looked away. "Well, good morning to you too.."
Cecilia pulled herself up into a sitting position, the wolf didn't move from the sleeping bag as she finally pulled herself free and got to her feet she looked around, wondering where the Basilisk had gone.
The sounds of chirping suddenly greeted her as she saw the stallion trotting up from the direction of the town. She wondered what exactly about the town held interest for him as he came closer he slowed to a walk before stopping before her. Slowly she lifted her hands up and ran a hand gently down from the base of the horns to the quivering nostrils.
"I wondered where you went.. Such a handsome fellow, what should I call you?"
As she studied the beautiful yellow eyes that watched her from beyond the skeleton mask thoughts of halloween and the more ritualistic pagan festivals. "Samhain.."
The stallion's ears pricked forward as she gently repeated the word again before letting out a long sigh.
After finding a name for her newest stallion Cecilia looked towards the wolf that watched her with disdain. "What about you? Should I give you a name?" The wolf just yawned again, long and exaggerated. "What a fearsome wolf you are.. Varg?" The wolf studied her with one eye while pretending to ignore her words.
"Alright. Samhain and Varg.." Cecilia wandered through the town of Desolo with her newest companions following after her, now that she wasn't wandering around this place all alone she felt less hesitant as she inspected some of the buildings that had less rotting floorboards. A couple of the buildings looked to be boarding houses where miners rented rooms so that they had somewhere to rest between trips down into the mines. In some of the rooms she found what looked to be old very dusty cots with musty blankets that had dozens of moth holes in them, some were so dusty the original color could not be seen underneath it all. A couple of rooms had cupboards for the men to tuck away personal belongings, there were old tins of grease for combing through your hair. Letters and pictures of people long since passed were also left behind here. One picture happened to be of a beautiful woman and a darling little baby sitting on her lap. It was hard to tell the date but the picture was in black and white and starting to crumble at the edges. An old saloon looked to have some of the worst damage, the swinging double doors were hanging by single hinges haphazardly on the doorjamb as Cecilia walked inside she noticed a chandelier sitting in the middle of the floor, a lot of the glass pieces were scattered across the floor. She bent down and picked one of the pieces up and wiped the dust off of it, besides the chandelier there was not much left apparently men would rather stock up on alcohol when leaving this place instead of the love letters they had received from family throughout their time here. Lastly the old general store, had what looked like old cans and some dirty bottles that had grime layered on from time left on the shelves.
She picked up a couple bottles every now and then to try and scratch off the dirt to see what contents the bottles held inside, it was hard to tell what most was before she set them back on the shelves. After making it to the counter that held a busted register sitting open and empty the sound of floorboards creaking near the entrance as she turned to look back she saw the Chrys cautiously standing with his head and shoulders just barely reaching past the doorway. The musty odors of the general store must have caught his interest but he didn't move any farther inside. Varg sat with his back facing her as he watched the outside of the store.
Cecy was about to head for the two waiting for her when she caught sight of very yellow piece of paper that was sitting beside the register.
As she tried to make out what had been written even though most of the words had faded to near invisibility she could just make out the word 'bank'. As she thought about it she wondered, would the people have left some of their own mining treasures behind in the bank not knowing to withdraw them as they fled from the town?
As soon as she thought of the bank she was wracked with guilt, if she took anything back for her friends would that mean she was a thief? Even though the people who had previously owned the gems were long gone and probably had no family to even think about coming for it, she felt bad at just the thought of it.
No, if she took anything back home with her, she would have to try and find it herself or she couldn't call herself a competent spelunker.

After making it out of the general store the trio headed back to the mine where Cecy and Samhain had bonded. As luck would have it, where she had been digging at the ceiling, there appeared to be more things just barely glinting in the bright beam of the flashlight that Cecilia shone above her head.
Carefully, with Samhain's assistance they carefully retrieved a couple of the stones. When the girl had headed up here she had planned to bring back plenty of gems to remember this place and to possibly tempt her to come back but after meeting Samhain and Varg she already felt richer than she could have dreamed of. After cleaning the stones off she found that the ones they had found were pretty enough to satisfy her friends own curiosity and if they had any more questions about what could be found in Desolo then she would have to introduce them to the Basilisk that she had managed to find here as well.
"Alright guys.. I think I have what I need. Let's head home."
Word count: 1, 094

Level VI Do I calculate this 10 points for 100 words? If so then this one would be worth 40
An Unsettling Halloween:
A cold night with a chilly rain that sprinkled down greeted Cecilia as she found herself making the trek back up to the valley that held the town of Desolo. The weather unsettled her, the only relief for her was that the stallion she found on her previous journey to the town walked at her side. After her last trip up here she had explained about everything there was to see as well as showing her newest Basilisk to her friends. It must have lit a fire of determination in her closest friend, Sarah, since she then claimed she would be spending the night of Halloween in the town on her own in hopes of seeing the ghosts of the old Desolo citizens. Something about her friend being up here in the dark all alone had brought renewed chills to her, Cecilia couldn't leave Sarah here even if she ruined her friends plans of being alone.
It caused Cecilia to pause as she caught sight of lanterns, many lanterns, all lit up and sitting in the windows of the buildings. Samhain turned his head to gently nudge the girl's cheek with his muzzle, it was unsettling to see the town looking so welcoming to them. Sarah must have decided to light the lanterns as a way to honor the people who used to live here and to make it much less spooky to spend the night. It did make it less daunting to walk past the buildings, together the pair walked through the town.
"Sarah.. Sarah?"
Cecilia looked around, wondering which building Sarah had decided to spend the night in. The girl paused and put a nervous hand on her Chrys' shoulder as she noticed a shadow pass by a lantern in the window of a second story building. As she debated the thought of going in to see Sarah she heard the sound of her name being called.
A flashlight was bobbing in the distance, a slow waving of the light in the dark towards the cave. Cecilia felt relief to hear her friend's familiar voice calling to her, as they made their way out of the town they found themselves coming to the cave entrance where Sarah stood, hiding out from the rain.
"What are you doing so far out here?" Cecilia asked curiously. "I was doing some mining and was surprised to find it started raining, I've been waiting here before going back to town for the night."
"But what about the lanterns?" Cecilia asked as she looked back towards Desolo to find she couldn't see a single one glowing in the distance. "Lanterns? I have a couple lit in the mine to make it easier to walkthrough."
"What about Desolo? When Samhain and I were making our way through there were lanterns lit in every window of the buildings.."
Sarah looked surprised. "I haven't lit anything in the town, I didn't want to risk accidentally catching anything on fire." Sarah's admittance of not lighting anything to be used as a possible fire risk caused Cecilia to shudder at the thought of who lit all of the lanterns. Even worse were her thoughts of who had managed to put them all out so they could no longer see them.
Meanwhile Sarah led Cecy and Samhain into the main mining area where she had decorated, or tried to, since she was stuck in the cave for Halloween. "It isn't much but figured might as well make it a little bit festive in here. " With limited supplies she had drawn a couple silly faces on some busted hardhats that were left scattered about. A couple lanterns gave the room a cozy kind of feeling if nothing else did. As they did their best to collect some more hats to draw on and join the collection that Sarah already had they found some old work boots and gloves too. The basilisk snorted after the girls had managed to set up a pathetic looking scarecrow with a sack for a body filled with dirt and rocks, it looked nothing like a person yet the stallion acted surprised and defensive of the newest 'person'. Cecilia and Sarah couldn't help but laugh as they did their best to show the Chrys that their badly made dirt filled scarecrow was nothing worth getting riled up for. Afterwards Cecilia laid down her sleeping bag and offered to let Sarah sleep for a little bit before swapping out. "Are you sure?" The blonde haired girl asked, the sudden urge to sleep overcoming her but not wanting to take Cecy's sleeping bag. "It's fine, I won't be able to sleep for a while anyways and you look like you could use the sleep."
That convinced the tired girl to climb into the sleeping bag while Cecilia and Samhain just settled down on the floor nearby. They could just barely hear the sounds of the rain faintly from where they were. With the Basilisks storm gray body to lean against Cecy soon felt herself being lulled to sleep. Samhain watched both girls sleeping but didn't do much besides patiently lay there just relaxing and keeping watch over them.
It was hours later when Cecilia heard a weird drawn out groaning noise, like that of metal slowly being pulled and tightened against something else. As she slowly blinked her eyes open she noticed that one of the lanterns had run out of oil leaving the room darker than before. Still the groaning noise continued, not getting louder but staying a constant sound it was almost quiet enough to just be background noise. As she curiously looked around to spot what could be making such a strange noise she noticed the old metal cage that held the elevator. Cecy's eyes widened as she realized the metal cage that kept people from falling into the elevator shaft in between it's course of rides was empty. She knew there was an elevator there when she first checked the place out but now.. It was gone. As the girl climbed to her feet now wondering who turned the elevator on Sarah shifted in the sleeping bag.
"Huh? What's going on, Cecy?"
"El-elevator.. "
As Sarah climbed sleepily out of the bag she looked confused as to what Cecilia meant. Samhain shifted beside Cecilia as he let out an aggressive sort of snort before following it with a challenging whinny that echoed sharply through the mine.
The elevator stopped, the top of the elevator could barely be seen now and as all three watched it, now scared of what they would find inside. The cable holding the elevator snapped causing it to plummet down the shaft.
Without waiting to hear it hit the bottom all three ran for the mine entrance, not wanting to be inside there anymore. The rain must have stopped some time when they were both sleeping since the clouds overhead were less stormy and more like fluffy wisps. As they slowly walked back to the town to collect Sarah's things she asked who had Cecilia been talking to while she was sleeping. "I couldn't make out what you were saying buy I heard talking and someone else replying. I figured it was you because there was no one else.. In there."
Cecilia shook her head vehemently, "I wasn't talking to anyone, I actually fell asleep too but I didn't hear anything until the elevator started to move back up the shaft."
Once they collected their things and had them all packed away the trio started to hike back down the trail in the dark, eager to get away from the town. Cecilia paused just before the town would be out of sight to see a single light glowing from De solo. "You know.. If the elevator was coming back up then how did it move down the shaft so quietly in the first place."
Word count: 1, 313

[BluebonnetBree]

I'm so sorry I can't control myself when I'm writing xD

username;; autumn dragon
Level I - (580 words)
I trudged along the winding path following my ever silent guide as he led me deeper down the pass towards the plain. He was irritated that I had slept longer than my allowed 4 hours of "night" and thus we were running late and already facing the near boiling heat as the 5 suns of Lucent began their long journey across the sky. My heavy coat meant for the freezing nights was now cooking me and sweat was ever present on my brow and neck. I dropped my pack, wincing as the sound of crunching rocks bounced back and forth between the walls of the pass, and began to remove the coat as I watched my guide continue walking without so much as glancing back. I dared not rest on the rocks surrounding me as I could already feel the heat beginning to pour off them and I knew that sitting on one would mean regretting it later. As I watched my guide move further and further down the trial I grumbled, "At this rate I'll walk myself to a heat stroke and most definitely an early grave." I swung my pack back onto my shoulders with a groan and hurried to follow before I was left behind and truly alone. As I caught up with him I noticed we had finally moved into the shadow of a nearby mountain and the temperature dropped noticeably sending chills along my sweat soaked skin. As the plain came into clearer view I was greatly surprised to see it was still covered in a thick layer of mist not yet burned away by the heat of the suns and the shapes of houses could barely be seen.

After making our way down the last bit of the trail to the outskirt of the town I was officially paranoid and even my silent guide seemed jumpy to say the least. I naturally took the lead from here and as I walked between a row of clay houses upon what looked to be a street I immediately felt something in my gut tighten and that little voice in my head was warning me that I shouldn't be here. I had heard the rumors and the stories of passing travelers and I knew the risks when I volunteered myself to venture into this so called "cursed" town. When I made it closer to the heart of the town the houses turned to stone and to my surprise small amounts of jewels could be found here and there on the houses usually around the doorways or windows and they all looked better made compared to the clay houses I had wandered by on my way in. "Even on Lucent there are social class differences." I whispered to myself knowing that the wealthier people or the people keeping charge of the town had lived in these jeweled houses. My soft whisper seemed like a scream in the quite of the town and I cursed myself for speaking aloud. I heard a soft intake of breath behind me and, after calming my heart from trying to leap out of my chest without permission, I turned to find my guide directly behind me as pale as the mist that surrounded us. I followed his panicked gaze across the street where a house had since crumbled after the townspeople left and could see the unmistakable figure of Lucents most sought after creature. Standing among the rubble and mist was a Chrysaora.


Level II - (948 words)
I could feel my body start to freeze up as fear got the better of me. My eyes never left the Chrysaora as it rummaged around in the rubble of the fallen house most likely searching for food. My guide was beginning to shake, he looked to me for my orders and I could already tell he was waiting for me to show my fear so he could insist we leave. I shook my head slightly at him and mouthed the words 'stay here' as I found my body starting to move toward the creature. I could barely see it within the heavy mist and my curiosity got the better of me because I so badly wanted to get a proper view. I just had to know if the rumors were true or if I had been led on a wild goose chase. When I was within 100 feet of the Chrysaora I knew it had finally noticed me as a faint breeze kicked up dust around my feet and for a moment the mist was cleared around us.

Standing before me was one unlike any I had ever seen before with a coat as pale as the mist that concealed us and white markings that spread across its rump and back with a look similar to snowcap. This Chry was almost ethereal and it completed the look with a mane and tail of the palest lilac fading lighter towards the ends. It's neck and shoulders were covered with strange swirling markings I hadn't seen before and I knew instantly that this wasn't any normal Chry. I stopped my advance when its head lifted and its ears perked toward my direction. There were also dark markings surround its eyes and it gave a hollowed out look which for some reason made me uneasy. Sensing this the unusual Chry stomped a hoof and fully turned to face me. I noticed at once that the body was smaller and leaner which meant I was dealing with a mare most likely. As she watched me I noticed her eyes were paler than any I had seen before and her head was facing slightly to my left. I frowned and lifted my right arm slowly. The mares ears flicked as the sound of my pack shifted upon my back but her head didn't move and I knew with my movement she should've been pinned to me. I realized that she was blind and this was the first blind Chrysaora I had encountered. There was a loud demanding snort from my left and my head shot around to see a much larger stallion watching me intently. He was darker than the mare but he too showed strange markings like someone had branded him with strange symbols along his back and down his hip. I lowered my arm and the stallion snorted again and pinned his ears. The mare that had transfixed me stumbled off the rubble and slowly disappeared into the mist behind him. I slowly took a step back away from the stud and looked down knowing I had to break eye contact immediately otherwise I risked angering him or even worse being caught in his Glare. After a few tense minutes of which I started to wonder if it would be the end for me I heard the sound of hoof beats walking away from me and another resounding snort. The stallion was done with me now that his mare had safely moved away.

I took a few deep breaths and hurried back to my guide who looked nauseous but I couldn't understand why. I had just witnessed these rumored Chrysaora with my own eyes and I knew them to be real now. I felt breathless and adrenaline pumped through my veins with alarming speed. I suddenly knew I couldn't leave without taking that mare with me, either I would take her back home or I would die trying because I saw something in her that mirrored myself. I grabbed my guides hand and pulled him into an empty house. "Start a fire but keep it low and keep it quite." I whispered to him as I carefully set down my pack. I dumped the contents onto the floor and grabbed the sleeping roll from the top laying it out on the floor before settling down on top of it. I had only planned to stay here for two days, which was risky, but I had packed enough food for three which meant I had a limited window to get the mare away from her guardian stallion, earn her trust and conjoin with her.

I had never preformed a Conjoining before and I was worried that if I made the wrong move I could scare her away forever or even worse would be to anger her. I knew nothing of what she was truly like so I had no idea how to begin the process. I knew I had to at least try so I made my plans to rest up and eat and then go back out to search for her. I could watch her for a bit and see how she acted before ultimately having to decide how to approach her. There was also the worry of running into the stallion that protected her before I could Conjoin with her. So many factors and so many possibilities for things to go wrong sent my head spinning. I sighed and grabbed one of the bags of food I had packed with me. It looked like lunch would be bread and dried meat. I dug into the food after handing my guide some and began to mull over my grand plan.


Level III - 1,181 words
After taking time to rest and eat I helped my guide secure the house we temporarily planned to stay in. He had made it clear he would not be coming with me any further and had said many times that I should come back and get him when I was ready to leave. I secretly wondered if he would be the one to leave me behind if I didn't hurry my plans. The nagging thoughts of needing to leave soon before the toxic air poisoned me and also needing to find the mysterious mare battled back and forth in my head but I knew I would never be able to leave her behind. For some unknown reason I had felt a connection with her and for the first time since I've owned Chrys I've wanted to conjoin with this one. Now that I knew this town really existed I was curious about the history, the hidden secrets, and of course the unreal Chrysaora that called Desolo home. I knew I shouldn't linger here any longer than necessary so I grabbed my pack, which felt considerably lighter without the unnecessary weight that my sleeping roll added, and set out in search for my mystery mare.

It took me nearly an hour to find her but by the time I did the mist had cleared and the sun was bearing down high above me. Navigating the town turned into a problem without my guide but I did my best to follow the hoof prints until I found signs where several Chry gathered. Slightly lower than the town there was another smaller plain where it was nothing but a few sturdy sheds and an open field. Once I had gotten closer I realized this area was akin to a pasture for the residents livestock when they had inhabited the town. I had now been sitting against one of the sheds for around half an hour when I heard the familiar rumblings of a herd approaching. As the herd came into view I could count 5 mares, a yearling and the big blood bay stallion that I knew guarded my mare. I was disheartened when at first I didn't see her but after a minute I saw her round the corner from where the herd had been. She was walking slower than the rest but with confidence and I knew she had probably been blind long enough to learn her way around the uneven terrain. They hadn't noticed me yet so I stayed still in the shade of the shed and watched them mill around.

As the rest of the hour drifted on the herd drifted apart and the mare slowly grazed closer and closer toward my hiding place. When she was close to 20 feet from me I could tell she had finally realized I was there but she didn't stop grazing. Her body was blocking me from viewing the rest of the herd and I had the feeling she did that on purpose so they wouldn't raise any alarm. With that in mind I slowly reached over and opened up my pack searching for something to give her. Her ears were focused on the slight rustling the bag made and when my hand closed around what I was searching for I smiled. When I pulled back out and pushed my pack closer to the shed I held in my hand a small wrapped up bandanna. I open up my little parcel and smiled when I saw they were still good. I had pack 2 tiny apricots with me for my return journey but I figured they would be good for the mare. I cut one up into slices as quietly as I could and tossed a slice out to her. She flinched when it hit the ground a littler closer to her than I had intended but her nose quivered when the sweet scent hit her. I knew she liked my offering when she practically inhaled the slice and began moving closer to me sniffing around for more. I tossed them out to her, each one bringing her a little closer to me until she was basically at my feet. She sniffed at my boots and then nudged them with her nose. I giggled and the sudden sound drew the eyes and ears of the other Chry in her herd. There were startled nickers and rumbles and they started to gather back together but the mare in front of me just seemed even more curious about me. She stepped closer and I had to shift my legs over to avoid her stepping into my lap but as she got closer she started to sniff my arm and then up to my hair and my face. She started to nibble at the topknot I had thrown my hair into and I automatically reached up to push her head away and without even thinking I was suddenly touching her. She didn't flinch away and I gently stroked her nose and cheek. I offered her another slice of the apricot and she readily took it from my palm. I felt giddy at my small victory but my happiness was short lived.

In my focus on the mare her stallion had wandered up behind her to see the cause of the giggle and when his loud bugle shocked me from my hypnotized state I swiftly drew my hands away from her face. I knew he meant business and I tried to be as small as possible hoping he would leave me alone and maybe not kill me for being around his mare again. He seemed to be ready to stomp me into a pancake* but the mare flattened her ears and swished her pretty lilac tail and he took a step back. I knew if she had her vision it would probably be the tell-tell "mare glare" she was giving him. She gave a little squeal and made to lunge at him and he quickly changed his attitude and trotted away from her. When he was a good distance away she turned back to me and began to nose around for more of the apricot. I smiled and offered her the last slice which she wasted no time in eating. I was getting pretty tired and I knew I needed to sleep just a little bit before actually trying to conjoin with her that way I was able to focus on her and give the event my all. I stood up slowly and pulled my pack onto my back but it didn't stop the mare from sniffing at me. I gave her one last scratch on the nose before walking away. I was sure my guide was probably worried about me and I wanted to check in to rest and re-hydrate myself before going back out to find her and finish my plan. I had made a lot of progress in such a short time and I was sure that my next encounter with the little mystery mare would be the deal breaker for Conjoining with her.

*imagine Khan stomping Mushu in Mulan


Level IV - 512 words
On my way back to the house we had claimed for our makeshift base I realized I was feeling slightly funny. My balance was way off and I stumbled along the path like a drunken fool heading home from a bar. I quickened my pace and I knew we couldn't stay here much longer. A sudden spell of dizziness sent me falling into a nearby crumbling wall and I had to slide down to my knees to keep myself from being sick or falling onto my face. I waited for the spell to pass but as the seconds dragged into minutes I wondered if the dizziness would ever go away. I heard the sound of steps getting closer and I looked up to see my little mystery mare slowly sniffing me out. I realized she had probably tried to follow me right after I left and I felt really guilty for leaving her alone. I whistled to her softly and she responded with a happy nicker. She ambled up to me and I touched her shoulder so she wouldn't walk on top of me. She sniffed around me searching for more food offerings and I smiled and rubbed her neck slowly. With her so close to me and the contact we shared it finally felt like the dizziness was easing up and I wasn't feeling like I was on a ship and fixing to share my lunch with the ocean. I switched positions and sat down with my back again the wall. The cool bite of the stone made it almost uncomfortable but I used the feeling to ground myself in the now and bring back my senses. I watched my little mare sniff around my pack before I hung my head between my knees trying to focus on my breathing. I could see her nose out of the corner of my vision as she nibbled at the laces on my boots and I giggled unexpectedly. The action made my head spin so I closed my eyes and prayed it would fade soon. I felt her sniffing my palm and then my arm and up towards my hair and it made me smile knowing it seemed like I had won her trust and curiosity. I looked up at her and stroked her nose. There was a sudden tension in the air and she was completely focused on me. I was majorly confused until I understood she was trying to initiate the conjoining. I knew she couldn't see me but I bowed my head, offering up my very soul to this little mare and silently waited. Everything was still and quiet for what seemed like an eternity but was surely just a few moments until I felt the hard shape of her horns touch my shoulder and a chill colder than the stone to my back at the place our souls connected. The dizziness had faded only to be replaced by pure happiness. Without trying I had conjoined with my little mystery mare and it felt like I was queen of the world.


Level V - 282 words
After the conjoining we slowly walked back to the house my guide and I had borrowed. Me walking slowly because I was still regaining my balance and also because I was content to just stroll along with my mare. My mind raced along as I told my guide the news of the successful conjoining and I made it clear we would be leaving immediately. I had wanted to explore more but when I told him of my dizzy spell he warned me that the effects of Desolos toxic air could possibly be working quicker on me and with that piece of mission critical information I decided it would be better to leave. As we made our way slowly back up the path out of the plain the air felt crisper and it became easier to breathe. I stopped to look back at the town and I felt so many mixed emotions. I felt terribly sad for the remaining Chrysaora who would still be stuck in the town, I felt guilty at leaving the bay stallion behind even knowing he disliked me I still admired him for taking care of my little mare, and mostly I felt relief at knowing I could finally take the mare I had become so attached to home. I still hadn't decided on a name, and even tho several possibilities played tag inside my head I couldn't find one that matched what I saw when I looked at her. So as we continued walking away from that town and back towards my real home I knew I was overjoyed to be starting a new chapter of my life on Lucent and my little mare waddling along beside me.

Point Goal for Dream Haunting Chry - 90 pts Top Secret!

[Glispa]

username;; Glispa
Points;; 102.5 points
Goal;; 120 points
Points remaining;; 17.5

Level I;; 415 words - 8 points


Features;; When meteors come crashing down "Matt" | Where stars come to fall "Star-fall"
I had heard this place be mentioned on and off in conversations amongst other but I had never thought of it as more than a simple tale to be told around the fire on dark night when boredom had stricken. But apparently it was more than just a simple tale, I still had no way to tell what of the story held any truth and what had come to be over years of repetition of the very same story as I had heard my fair few different version of it, some simply telling of the simply story of how the poisonous air came to be the demise of the town and others telling of sightings of strange Chrysaoras. No matter, I was quite intrigued and so seemed not only Star-fall with her usual daring antics but also Matt for his own reasons that I had yet to come to terms with. Seeing as both of them had come to me just as I was heading out with determinations shining over their beings and as such with me not having much of any ways to refuse them had simply just packed a few last minute snacks for the two as well before heading out. Not that I didn't appreciate their company as I highly doubted the journey there would have been as interesting without the two of them by my side. It was with that I found myself at the site of Desolo seemingly without much of any time having passed and I had to be honest, the town was everything and more than what had been told of in tales. It was definitely the definition of a ghost town but it also held a sort of glory to it and even though I could so clearly feel the chills of fear creeping up on me, making me happy that I let myself com with company I was also highly curious of what the town would hold. But before I would get to satisfy even a bit of my curiosity I sat myself down and started rooting around in my backpack. Bringing out the specific notebook I had brought just for this occasion and opening it up to a new page after having flipped through the pages I had filled with the stories this town held and started to sketch out the town before me. Star-fall finding some rest on the soft ground next to me whilst Matt trotted off to explore the perimeter I assumed.



Level II;; 414 words - 13 points


Features;; When meteors come crashing down "Matt" | Where stars come to fall "Star-fall"
It hadn't taken me long to finish up my initial profile on the place and such I soon found myself in the depths of the town with only Star-fall by my side as Matt had yet to return from his own little venture around the place. But seeing that he was more than old enough to care for himself and had his ways to find me no matter where I was anyway I doubted there was any need to wait for him seeing that he would probably like to explore this place on his own anyway. Star-fall seemed quite unnaturally tense for the situation where her usual persona was concerned which was probably the reason she was found practically glued to my side, taking a bit of a slower pace for once. I couldn't really blame her though as the situation definitely was unusual to say the least and as we made it deeper into the town there was just something that seemed amiss even to me. It didn't take long for the missing piece to come to be as we found ourselves reaching the site of the mine I just managed to catch the glimpse of something faintly glowing towards the edge of my vision which evidently was something of potential threat if one were to judge the reaction of the mare by my side. Quickly glancing towards the source I found myself with the quick glance of what could easily be mistaken for any regular chrysaora if it wasn't for the glowing spots littering their pelt, giving them almost a radioactive feel to them. However just as I found myself having a proper look of their being they were gone into the depths of the mine before me. I immediately found myself intrigued and even though Star-fall seemed to protest any involvement with the strange chrysaora I found myself wanting to get closer to them. I knew it wouldn't be easy with this place having history it had anything living here must be more or less wild, more so than any of the beings I had found myself conjoined with so far. It was going to be a challenge but that had never stopped me before. I would just have to take my time with this one, find what it was that would make them calm in my presence, simply take one step at a time and I should at least be allowed to come in contact with this very strange chrysaora.



Level III;; 851 words - 22.5 points


Features;; Where stars come to fall "Star-fall"
It had not taken me long to come to the realization that this very strange chrysaora that I had become somewhat occupied with where quite an evasive one. However even as I had found myself at a distance to them that definitely should have allowed them to notice my presence they seemed to either remain unaware or more likely just disinterested. This was a good start as them being more aggressive even at a distance would have definitely made this whole process even harder. It was with that final thought that I finally closed my new notebook and started to pack back up. I had decided to take Star-fall to the edge of the town where we both could rest up and collect ourselves after the couple of encounters at a distance we had managed with the strange chrysaora, star-fall definitely needed it and I had a feeling it would be for the best if I made first contact by myself as the situation would probably be tense enough without the added tenseness of the mare next to me. Throwing my backpack on and allowing Star-fall one last sweet and a light pet I set off into the town again, this time alone. It didn't take me long to get back to the place of the previous encounters as another thing that had been noted during my observations was that this Chrysaora seemed to be one of those to keep more to the covers of the many caves of this place which in this case ended up being the main mine of the town. Carefully approaching the site I made sure I had my phone easily accessible to have some sort of light ready in case the darkness grew to be to heavy to see through as I made my way through the opening into the mine in search of the slight glow that made up the being that I was looking for. It didn't take me long to find what I was looking for as the faint glowing spots of the chrysaora came into view and I found myself slowing my pace unconsciously. However I only stopped once the head of the equine turned towards me and I'm met with the backwards turned ears and the definite suspicion the other held. I made sure to keep towards the side of the tunnel in hopes that I wouldn't be seen as obstructing any potential escape and as I found myself remaining where I stood after such the chrysaora soon seemed to have lost interest in me. Turning back around with a sharp snort and got back to nosing around amongst the various lose rocks found around us even though I could see that they still kept an ear out on me. Releasing a breath I didn't realize I had been holding I settled back against the wall and as carefully as I could brought my backpack down and got my notebook up, deciding to make some notes as I let them get used to me.

As I found myself invested in my own notes I was almost caught off guard by a sudden flickering of light hitting me. Jumping slightly and turning towards the sound of the chrysaora I was met with the sight of them happily chirping as they rolled a gemstone infused rock around seemingly very happy about their find. Observing them for just a bit I came to an idea as I found myself remembering some of the stones that I had picked up during my way through the town, specifically this one gem that held an almost turquoise tint to it that I brought out. Crouching down slightly I gently tapped the stone against the ground, getting the attention of the chrysaora with a sharp turn of their head. I quickly made sure to bring up the stone as if to show it to them before I spoke up in a gentle tone, asking for any potential interest of the other. At first the chrysaora simply stared towards me but as I remained crouched down with the gem stretched I was soon met with the gentle sound of them slowly making their way towards me. I stayed patient as they with caution made their way towards me, steeping back from time to time and just observing as if waiting for me to spring at them but soon enough they were within reach. Their head stretched out towards my hand and only for a brief moment I got to feel the cold touch of their muzzle against my hand before they had snatched up the gem and brought it down to the floor by their feet, where they were happily found playing with their new gem, chirping in contentment. With a smile growing on my face I sat myself down and brought up my notebook once again to make a note of this particular interest of the strange chrysaora, all whilst said chry remained playing just next to me. Seemingly uncaring of my presence at this moment even if I highly doubted their suspicion has completely left them.




Level IV;; 822 words - 27 points


It almost felt as if I had spent ages in these mines as my eyes had grown accustomed to the darkness contained within to the point that I had just decided to pack away the only light I carried with me even as we ventured deeper into the mine. It was probably for the best that either way seeing that as the strange chrysaora that had kept me company this time in the depths didn't seem to very much appreciate the unnatural white light of the light that had seemed to unnerve them. So for the sake of keeping the somewhat glowing being at peace it was probably for the best that I just let myself naturally adjust to the dim lighting that found its way down into the depths. I had decided to keep myself at somewhat of a distance as they had started to venture deeper but still making sure that I kept within sight of the other. As they had come to keep to their own things I too had decided to keep to my own, picking up a few rocks as we went with it having quickly come too dark for me to be able to take any proper notes or even just make a simple doodle. So far I had managed to find a couple of interesting enough rocks, some of which had come to be given to the chrysaora currently quite occupied with playing with their most recent find, a quite simple white translucent gem of some sort. Once I found that I found a sufficient time had passed and that the chrysaora before me seemed to have finally loosened up to my presence more or less fully I decided that now was the time if ever. I couldn't say that I wasn't nervous and possible even a little scared to what the outcome of this would be as I knew how badly these situation could come to be if you weren't careful. However I took a deep breath and made sure to focus on the few things we held in common rather than my own nervousness as that would be amongst the first thing that could make this situation end badly. I made sure to surround myself in the thoughts of the common interest of colours and the shines of the different gems and stones to be found in these mines as well as the silent caution rather instead of a direct avoidance that I found myself recognizing in the other and just simply hoped that would be of help as I carefully made my way closer towards the strange chrysaora.

As soon as I found myself close enough to the other so to get their attention I stopped, their head having quickly turned towards me, ears pointed straight backwards in a silent threat. I made sure to not waste my time, offering up some of the prettier gems I had managed to pick up for myself, putting them on the ground before me before I slowly bowed down. Making sure to keep myself calm and simply focus on the connection between the two of us. At first only silence met me but I soon was greeted by the slight clattering of teeth coming from the other as they seemed to take a step towards me however I remained as I stood, knowing from experiences with other chrysaoras, especially those who held a certain uncertainty to them had a tendency to test ones reactions. So I made sure to simply breath and not take to their threat as I didn't feel like I was in any real danger yet at least. It didn't take long for them to seemingly give up with their threats as any noise coming from them died down and instead was replaced by the gentle steps of them coming closer. They came to a stop just a step or two in front of me, bending down just briefly to seemingly have a look at my offered gift after which their muzzle came to gently nudge into me. For just a moment I found myself holding my breath as their cold breath touched me but I still tried my best to hold my composure and remain as I stood. Luckily I didn't have to fight my own emotions for long as it seemed like the other had made their mind up and I felt the light touch of their horn against my shoulder completing the conjoining. I held myself from chuckling out of relief and simply righted myself up, slowly just to be certain of not causing anything to ruin this moment. Meeting the curiosity of the other I simply smiled gently at them before putting my hand outwards towards them, allowing them the last step. I didn't have to wait long to feel the cool touch of the head of the other against my hand and I couldn't be more happy.



Level V;; 827 words - 32 points


Where stars come to fall "Star-fall" | When meteors come crashing down "Matt"
I had quickly come to find myself relaxing around the strange chrysaora with the worst having come to pass. I still found myself without anything to call them by as no matter what they seem completely indifferent towards the whole deal but I didn't worry too much about it since I know I would come u with something eventually. Seeing their fascination with different precious stones I was fairly certain where my mind would end up in terms of a name for their being though. I let my mind wander on that idea as the two of us made our way back towards the open air, without much of any hurry as we would occasionally stop to bag a stone or two as the chrysaora found to be of interest. I had even taken to store these stones desperately from my own so that I could keep a check on which ones where to go into their stall at the stable back home or anywhere else they came to prefer them as I still wasn't entirely able to tell if they had come to accept my offer at a place to their own. But no matter I still kept those stones of theirs with me as that had been something they had seemed to want. Feeling a light push against my side I turn towards the faintly glowing equine. Having acquired my attention they quickly move towards a pile of stones just off the side, gently pushing at one of the more brightly coloured stones. Immediately letting me know their intention as this was not the first time they had gotten my attention like this. So I simply move over to bag this newest addition to their collection, making a light comment to how they surely liked the bright ones before continuing on, as I hear the steps of the other quickly coming to follow as we make our way out together.

Once we had finally made it out of the mines and into the still quite bright light of the day I made a show to stretch out somewhat before looking over at my new companion that even now seemed to hold an air of almost disinterest about them. But being the last one to judge any of my chrysaoras for their own beings I simply just shrugged it off whilst throwing a casual comment about how I should probably go back to Star-fall, leaving it open for the other to do as they pleased whether it be to come with me doing such or stay back. However seeing a brief look of curiosity flash over the other has me guessing they found the prospect of another chrysaora of mine interesting enough to tag along which was proven as when I started to head off towards the edge of the town where I had last left Star-fall to her own mind I quickly found them right by my side, keeping pace with me as I went.

It didn't take us long to get to our destination once outside seeing as there was less distractions to hold us back so it couldn't have been long until we both found ourselves further into the open having left the town behind us. At first I found myself unable to spot the grey mare but I soon spotted her a bit off seemingly staring at the faintly glowing being next to me. I honestly hadn't expected anything different based upon her earlier behaviour and if anything my new companion didn't seem to mind as with most things it seemed. So knowing that my best bet to convince the mare that there was no danger to be had I simply called out to her stating that fact however when no change seeming to come to her mind after some time had passed as I had thought I simply settled down into the grass and brought out some of the food I had packed with me. Giving a small treat to my new companion as they settled down next to me and then I just simply waited. It took quite a lot to convince Star-fall though it seemed as it was only when Matt decided to join back up with us and pretty much immediately went up to me begging for a treat and pretty much ignoring the newcomer that Star-fall decided that there wasn't any real danger to be had with this strange being and came to settle down with us. Even though she still stayed on the opposite side of me from the other and stayed as far away as she was able to whilst still remaining within reach. But I simply let her be since I could understand her distrust for this seemingly quite impossible strange being, I simply couldn't fault her for that even if I hoped that with time she would come to change her mind. For now though, I simply let things be as they were.



Level VI;; Notebook sketches - ??? points

[ShadyBro]

WIP

Username;; ShadyBro
Level I
Level II
Level III
Level IV
Level V
Level VI

[noreptiles_]

-go here-

[dilly.]

username;; dilly.
- - -
level i -(518 words)
A whispered tale, a myth. An overabundance of curiosity. An overgrown trail, and suddenly the story didn't seem like such a story after all. The trail was overgrown in some parts, and hacked away in others, and some areas Lucent had reclaimed entirely. I had set out after a rain, and the earth beneath my feet was soft and slippery. There was an unearthly fog setting in, and I gripped the handle of my machete warily, watching for eyes that might be lurking in the dense fog. I prayed to set my eyes on Desolo soon. I stumbled along the trail, feet feeling for the next stretch of path. I had chosen to follow one of the mountain passes, with only the natural flora lighting my way. My lantern was not lit in fear of alerting predators to my presence. The rocks glowed the natural Lucent orange, but further ahead I could see the glow shift into a variety of different colours, some that you could tell was unnatural at first sight. I must be getting close.

A small breeze trailed it's cold fingers across the back of my neck and seemed to whisper something inaudible in my ear. Uneasiness slid down my spine and I shuddered. By no means was I superstitious, which was the whole reason I had agreed to take on this fool quest, but when you come from a superstitious town and you're currently heading towards a 'ghost town', one tends to get spooked. Not for the first time, I wished I had a guide. The town I had stopped at while it was raining before making my way here had refused to help when they heard about my quest. Faces darkened and eyes hardened, they only let me stay until the rain ended before almost bodily forcing me out their proverbial doors, and I swear some of them spit on my retreating back. There were a few who offered to take me up to Desolo's boundary, but for a fee that would've robbed me blind. At this point, I might actually be willing to pay up, but I was too far for it to do any good now.

Then I laid eyes on the place I was looking for. Desolo. The town was built into a mountain, as it had been a mining town, but the buildings had spread and seemingly spilled into the plains that surrounded it, the only hint to it's previous glory. But now it's only legacy was a few creaking structures and an old wive's tale. Dust lay undisturbed on every surface but a quick inspection of the ground belied footprints that told of thieves, travelers that had passed by recently. Or perhaps, people like me, seeking to tame the fabled Desolo chrysaoras.

I felt peaceful, casting my gaze around once again, as if fate had brought me here. The wind brought more shudders through the buildings, but everything felt calm. I was here to help chrysaoras - not to help rid Desolo of them and restore the town as the flyer had said- and I had work to do.


————————-———————-——


level ii -(562 words)
Where were these so called forsaken? Where were the great beasts that haunted the shadows? All around, there were only hints of their presence, the click of hooves on the paved stone, a whinny echoed, a glimpse of a tail in the corner of my eye. I lowered my head and hunched my back to make myself seem unthreatening, eyes casting around for another glimpse of a chry that might lead me somewhere. As I progressed through the town, I spotted more and more flashes of a tail, a coat, or the glint of shine bouncing off a curved horn. Then as I passed through the outer ring and into the inner ring, I saw the Chrysaora.

There were more than one. I had not seen the elusive beasts since my foray into Desolo, and suddenly there were two— no, three right before my eyes. A quick cursory glance would peg them as normal chry, but a closer look betrayed markings never seen before outside of Desolo. One looked as if it’s coat was merely painted on, and was flaking off to reveal the black it had been born from. Another looked like it was born with it’s bones outside it’s body, and the skull patterning on it’s face created a ghastly look. I had not been told much about this volunteer quest, due to the lack of support behind claims and the sheer fact that many had not made it out alive. This was not what I had been expecting.

It was breathtaking.

But first, however, I needed to make a game plan. I treaded softly to retreat without being noticed by the chrysaora in the townsquare. People called me foolhardy, sure, and approaching the chrysaora right now with nothing to offer would definitely fall into that category, but I was looking to come out of this alive, skin intact and fully human. I doubted the wild chry were used to humans whose intentions were not to steal from their territory, and were no doubt more hostile than the ones I was used to. But I had a few conjoined chry of my own, and I could draw on that experience to help me here.

one. Draw yourself in, lay your hands flat at your side and keep them still while walking. Assume a non-threatening demeanor, relax.

two. Hold your head up high, but don’t make eye contact. The horn is a great place to stare at if needed. Approach from the side, slow and deliberate. Walk in a straight line. Don’t make any sudden movements.

three. If you have something to offer, hold it in front of you. Do not offer it to the chrysaora directly; lay it at their feet.

four. Greet in a polite manner. Speak in a soft tone. This is when you look them in the eye.

five. Hold eye contact. Chrysaora are the most dangerous in the moment it takes for you to blink, for the can trigger a Glare in that short period of time. If they do this, you are dead.

six. It may take several tries and several days of approaching them for them to warm up to you, and possibly even Conjoin with you. Persevere. If they don’t trample you immediately, that’s a good sign.

seven. Never forget that these beasts are deadly. Never forget that they owe you nothing.


————————-———————-——


level iii -(463 words)

How do you draw beings who barely lived on the same plane of existence to you? You give them what they want.

Chrysaora were drawn to evil, a cocktail of hatred and fear and disgust and prejudice. All things abundant within the human race, a reason why the two species got along well. Only one remained of the original three chry I had found, and it was the third that had been slightly obscured the first time around. A glow I had assumed to be from the local flora was emitting from it’s body, and it’s eyes shone with a luminescence that reminded me of the lantern caves back home. It had not noticed me yet, so I focused on the feeling of fear, willing the chrysaora to look over. I took another peek.

It was staring at me now.

Head high, arms tucked, I took slow steps towards it. I itched to meet it’s gaze, but not yet. Instead, I fixed my stare on the two horns growing from it’s head. An odd mix of colours, I couldn’t discern the material of the horns from a distance. My hands were empty, but that was alright.

Up close, the beast was small compared to the others I’ve seen, but still towered over me. “Hello.” My voice cracked due to the low tone I was attempting, and it pitched embarrassingly high, the sound echoing through the empty square. The only sound for miles. Even the wind was quiet now. Flustered, I dropped my gaze out of habit, then mentally kicked myself. A potentially fatal mistake which thankfully was not acted upon. I tried again, softer, a mere whisper. “Hello. I am hopeful to make your acquaintance.”

Eyes met and breath held, I counted the seconds as I struggled not to look away. One. Two. It was five more until I heard a whoosh of breath from the chrysaora, and my stomach unclenched. It was five more until the chry turned it’s head away, ear flicking as if losing interest. I could breathe again. A seeming dismissal that hid permission. I allowed myself to grin and turned away, not willing to push my luck for the day. Walking away, the soft click of hooves told me the chry was doing the same. I wondered if I would ever see it again.

*

I was fully prepared to have to hunt through the whole town in search of the chry I met yesterday, so it was a lovely surprise to find it standing in front of me while I gathered my things from making camp in the night. “Hey,” I breathed.

I smiled at the soft press of a nose against my palm, heat tickling my skin as the equine whuffed out a breath. “You came back.”


————————-———————-——


level iv -(1268 words)

I formed attachments quickly, and this was one of those times. The constant presence was soothing in the desolate town, and I no longer felt like ghosts were trailing me at every turn. I was happy to be lost in this wild world with a chrysaora at my side, nooks and crannies to explore. I turned my head slightly to look at my- the chrysaora. Not mine yet, but soon. Names came later, after conjoining, but after a bit of time spent watching the lithe form of the basilisk, I could tell that he was male. He was small, smaller than most chry, probably will be the smallest in my herd. Tilting my head back, I caught a glimpse of him as he shifted away from my view. He seemed to prefer staying out of sight, and the only time I could see him was out of the corner of my eye.

I flopped backwards, humming softly, but froze at the not-altogether human hum echoed back at me. A rumble was sounding from the chry’s chest, almost a purr. It rose and dipped, following the melody I had been humming. I grinned, and filed away the information for later. He liked to sing.

The rest of the day was spent like this, lazy and careless now that I had everything I wanted in the world. If only I could get him to come closer like he had in the morning, but he skittered away every time I started towards him. I did not push. I remembered my rules. I will hope the skittishness would decrease with more time, but doubted if it would ever go away completely; it seemed like it was a part of him, as much as the singing or his curved wicked horns or his restlessness. Always moving, always shifting, never settling down. At night, we hurtled through the plains, joyful and wild and free. While it seemed that the other Desolo chrysaora rarely moved further than the boundaries of the town, mine was bold and fearless and every gallop was highlighted by the glowing flora where his hooves had struck the earth. The air hissed as I ran, laughter bubbling out endlessly. It was like this- wild and careless and free. And I was wild and careless and too free when I forgot myself and dashed across to my chrysaora, hands outstretched to touch, a request, a demand to touch, to claim. And I forgot the most important rule of all, and was all the worse off for it.

Head lowered and horn displayed in a clear threat, I froze inches from it and dropped my hand, slowly. A warning rumbled through his body, the loudest sound I have heard him make. It was a snarl in its own right. His eyes on mine. Fear coiled in my stomach and tracked it’s way into my throat like a serpent, seeking to strangle me. A primal beast was looking me dead in the eyes, could kill me in a blink. And it owed me nothing. “I’m sorry.”

And it was like this- too bold and too free and too careless. My gut clenched in fear, a baser part of me wary and screaming of danger. And he walked away.

And it was like this- a too flimsy apology for breaking a too important rule. It would mean death to go after him, so I crawled back to my camp in meek silence and didn’t bother with a fire. Fear and cold and sadness and the creak of the porch I had found pressed in on me, and I berated myself for being so stupid. Eventually, I fell into an uneasy sleep, wondering what will happen tomorrow, wondering about the fast and strong attachment that I already felt towards my chrysaora, even after a mere two days. The rain hissed down, damp and dripping into my sleeping bag through a hole in the roof of the porch. I woke up shivering and cold.

The plains were quiet with no sign of life but a fidgety silhouette, and my heart leapt at the sight. He was back, but made no move to approach, and I, learning from mistakes made no move to do so too. We stayed like that, me drawing in the dirt with a stick, him leaving but always returning. And it was like this- five days of the same routine and distance closing and unspoken apology in the air. I brought along pieces of paper and a stick of charcoal as a makeshift sketchbook, trying to define the angle of his shoulders and the arch of his neck and the slope of his head. It never turned out the way I wanted, but I was happy to pass the time like that. And five days flew by, me breathing Desolo air and him inching closer until we were back to the slow dance we made around each other. And maybe it was all okay now, and maybe we were both fine, but he didn’t sing back to me again.

And it was like this- poisoned air and burning lungs and maybe too much time spent in the forsaken town. It was this- coughing and coughing and wondering what illness I had picked up until I remembered that vital piece of information on why most never made it back-poisoned air and staying too long. And then it was like this- the first day I didn’t see my basilisk at the plains. Curled in my sleeping bag, I wondered what would happen if I died of the noxious gas, and drifted into sleep.

There I stayed until the shifting of stones had me bolting upright and the click of hooves had me relaxing. I slipped back into my sleeping bag, tugging the cover over my shoulders. Seeking warmth to ease the cold I felt, though there was no breeze. “Hello, acquaintance. Friend.” I mumbled. There was no answer- did I expect one? I sighed. “I’m sorry.” The words seemed inadequate for all I wanted to say, for the unspoken apology hung in the air for the past few days, but it was enough, this time. The wordless almost friendship between us needed nothing but genuine feeling. “Also, I’m going to die due to toxic gas.”

The was a questioning pause before a snort sounded. Incredulous, I sat up. “Are you laughing at me?” The fire had died down sometime in my sleep, and the lack of light made it hard to see. He kicked sand over me. That was a yes. Scrambling out of bed, sand falling from my clothes and hair and everywhere else. Curse the annoying ability of sand to be able to get into everything. I gave a baleful glare and wrapped my arms around myself in an effort to stop my shivering. The chry took a step forward, and another, and my sickness was forgotten for a moment. This was the closest he has ever come from his own volition besides that first day, and gently, he pressed his nose to my forehead. “Wha-?” Automatically, my hands reaches up to touch where his nose had been, and found myself burning hot. “Well. Is this just a fever? Did I worry for nothing? Probably.” I groaned, muttering to myself. “But still, I should leave soon, staying so long here isn’t a good idea anyways..” I trailed off as I watched the equine in front of me cock his head in a not quite equine way.

In a smooth motion, my Chrysaora surged forward to touch his horn to my shoulder.


————————-———————-——


level v -(855 words)
Heat pulsed from the point his horn touched my shoulder. Startled, I fell back and sketched a bow, body moving on it’s own. He snorted again. It was a confusing mix of emotions and sensations that the Conjoining always brought. Tired as the forming of the bond sapped my energy; energy flowing through me as I felt the strength of the chrysaora. Heat and cold; light and dark; and the feeling of two souls bound together. Minds touched and I heard his voice, slow and quiet with a feeling like silk, but yet thrummed with hidden energy. My breath escaped me in a steady stream, a gust formed by the satisfied smile. I hovered my hand over his head; he inclined it in permission.

Pressing my hands and face to his warm coat, I felt my lips curve in a smile against his shoulder. “Hello. Pleased to make your acquaintance.”

His voice echoed in my head, clicking in place with all the other voices of my Chrysaora. “Enough with the... acquaintance thing. Conjoined. That’s what we are.” He gave a soft whinny to emphasize his words. His voice would need some getting used to, flat but with curves and dips if I listened closely enough. It was so quiet, like a comforting shadow that I wondered if I would be able to hear it over the noise the others make back home.

“Conjoined. You and me; we’re partners now. Hope you don’t regret it.” Softly laughing, I pressed fingers through his mane, coming away with a few loose strands, they were physical proof that we were joined now; the nettle mane did not sting my hand. “Your voice is more expressive when you sing.” He fell silent, nothing to say to that.

I shuddered, a wave of dizziness overcoming me. Right, the fever. Annoyed at myself for getting so stupidly sick, I rolled my eyes and wheezed at the fresh wave of dizziness the action brought. Alright, so, not a good idea. I sat down on my still sand-filled sleeping bag and pressed my lips together as I remembered something. An exchanging of names was the last part needed to complete our Conjoining.

“Names?” I heard the word echo back at me in the confines of my mind.

A wide, wide grin was on my face as I touched the knuckles of my left hand to my chest and brought it to his. It was an old tradition, but one that I liked. “I’m Seren, but you can choose what to call me. Some call me Seven, or Sven, or anything in between. You choose.” His eyes danced, the glow more prominent in the dark. “Well then... I’ll call you Seren for now. What do you wish to call me?”

I pondered for a second, then touched my knuckles from his chest to mine again. “Loki.”

The stallion mulled over the name, before finally nodding. Something in my chest eased as I felt the joining bond bind us tighter together. “Do you mind leaving Desolo?”

“Is that what they call this place? It has never been home to me.”

“Well then, Loki, let’s go home.”

*

The trek home was shaky at best and agonizing at worse. A headache threatened to take over every time I moved too much, shadows lurking at the corner of my eyes. Eventually, Loki grew impatient and finally snapped. “Get on my back, Seren.”

“What?” It was an act of sheer trust, and sometimes not even partners Conjoined for a long time was willing to do it. It spoke to the strength of the bond, how he was willing to carry me after a mere week. But I found that I trusted him, and it went two ways. I got onto his back, grasping onto his mane with one hand and holding on to my supplies with the other, and directed him to my home. Our home.

*

The bustling sounds of my hometown assaulted my ears. It was a great relief to see people, hear them, and smell the scents after a whole week of almost complete isolation. Loki would need to meet the rest of the herd, of course- did he know? As if reading my mind, and it probably was, his mellow voice said “Yes. The bond leaves imprints and I could feel the bonds of your other herd.”

“I hope you like them.”

“What will you do if I don’t?”

I laughed softly, having no answer to that, and absently hummed my favorite melody.

Loki hummed back.

We didn’t notice the stares of the town as we went by.

*

Of course, the herd didn’t take to Loki immediately, but I left them to sort out their hierarchy. None of mine were inclined to fight, and I believed they would settle their differences fast enough. How similar to humans the Chrysaora were, needing their hierarchy, and the two species shared many more similarities. And it was like this- lazy and careless now that I had everything I wanted in the world. And it was like this- a new day and a new life and being free, free, free.


————————-———————-——


level vi -(1077 words)
the oldest.
The oldest was Boreas, the cold north wind. He was the first of the herd, the first to know. And he was the first Loki met.

Boreas was also the wisest of them, but he kept to himself and gathered his words close. Loki could appreciate that. All of them could communicate through the normal means, but being Conjoined with the same partner let them have conversations a whole lot easier. Not that there was much to say.

The first day back was the night before All Hallow’s Eve, as it was called in the town. Seren hadn’t realized, probably, judging from his startled face and hurried preparations when he saw the bonfire already built in the town square. Loki retreated far, far back into the caves he now called his home to escape the bustle and noise of the humans. And the smoke, the awful stench that clung to his coat and could never seem to get rid of. The humans burned their herbs and murmured prayers and wishes and did odd things.

Loki just started to explore the maze of caves he was now in. Further and further he went, unworried about the possibility of getting lost, trusting his instincts and bond to bring him back.

And what was that up ahead? Lights, that bobbled and floated in the air like a dance, like a game. Loki had never seen anything like it, and when the small balls of light drifted away, he was keen to follow. They went down a passage that was narrow but he could squeeze by, his slight built allowed him to. Until teeth grasped him by his tail and pulled him back, his back hooves kicking up in a panic. Then there was a voice that his ears weren’t picking up but his mind was.

“Don’t follow those.”

Loki growled deep in his throat, the most chilling he could muster in the face of the taller stallion with a large build and impassive face. He had a distant feel to him, and his voice in Loki’s mind sounded like dark rolling thunder that threatened a storm. The strange stallion- no, there was a familiar scent on him, Seren’s scent. One of his herd then, and one of Loki’s herdmates. “What is your name?”

The stallion didn’t deign to answer, instead saying, “Those are soul lights. They only appear on Hallow’s Eve, follow them and you’ll never come back.“ He turned to walk away, and Loki hastily followed.

“What is your name?” He demanded again.

The other stallion looked back with old eyes. “Boreas.”

*

the leader.
The leader was Valhalla, the daughter of Boreas. She stood proud and regal, the second of the herd. And she was the second that Loki met.

Boreas brought Loki back to the main space where the herd resided, and there stood another chrysaora with Seren’s scent. This time, it was a mare. Her stance made her seem taller, head tossed high, but Loki could tell even without the stance she would be taller than him. He turned to look at Boreas, and found him looking back with old, old eyes. He turned to look at the mare in front of her and she was looking back with haughty eyes and a tall, tall build. Between the two of them, they made Loki feel small with his youth and his height. But he pressed on anyways.

“I am called Loki, and I will join your herd. My bond has been forged with Seren-“

Here the mare cut him off. “We know, all of us felt it. I am called Valhalla, and this is my herd.” Her voice sounded like glass, like marble, smooth like a lake that hid jagged rocks. There was a challenge in her tone, but Loki did not plan to take her up on it.

“Then I ask permission to join your herd.” The mare- Valhalla, his leader- looked startled, but Loki was not stupid enough to challenge the mare. Besides, a herd was not what he sought, and he merely wanted to belong. “You seem to be doing a fine job leading, I would be glad to be under your leadership.”

Warmth now filled the mare’s tone, happiness at the deferment to her. “Welcome, then.”

And maybe Loki could belong here.

*

the brightest.
The brightest shone Sol, the youngest of the herd. He paced with wild and raw energy, and had an aura of confidence. Eyes were always drawn to him, the third of the herd. And he was the third that Loki met.

The stallion was flashy, even as his only move was to saunter in from whichever cave he had been in. “Why wasn’t I invited to the party?” His voice sounded in Loki’s head, and it sounded like crushed stone or stones dragged across cave walls, hoarse and raw. The stallion spied Loki, hidden behind Valhalla, and the expression on his face went sour. “So this is the new one? You don’t look good enough for Sev.” The voice now went low, and it grated on Loki’s nerves.

Loki was aware of the glow his eyes were emitting, stronger due to his irritation. Then he heard Valhalla’s sigh and Boreas walking off somewhere and he realized that the stallion just behaved this way around anyone. He swallowed his annoyance and gave him a cool smile.

“I’m called Loki, but sorry, I don’t remember who you are.” Loki was aware of the challenge in his tone, but it was a gamble on the fact that maybe this stallion just behaved this way, instead of actually trying to pick a fight.

The orange stallion smirked back. “Name’s Sol, buddy, and it’ll do you good to remember that.” Sol brushed past Loki without making an effort to move out of the way when his horn caught on Loki’s shoulder and their bodies bumped together. And maybe it hurt just a little, and was sore afterwards, but Loki could belong here.

*

The burning of the bonfire started, and I wondered at the timing. It was a tradition to consider the day the Conjoined chrysaora were brought back their birthday, as Conjoining was seen as almost a rebirth. To bring Loki back on Hallow’s Eve, the only one like him in this town was a large coincidence. Valhalla was brought back on Midsummer’s Night, Sol on New Year’s Eve, and Boreas on Christmas Eve. I laughed at the timing of it all.

[Queen Vivane]

username;; Queen Chrysalis

Level I
The sound of floor length dual toned hair dragging along the ground alongside footsteps was enough to alert anything of the golden eyes woman's presence. She was hardly trying to hide, that would have defeated the whole point of heading toward the old mining town. The toxic gas had to be taken into account but that didn't truly bother the silent woman as she approached the outskirts of the silent place.

Taking a step into the town, she ran a hand along the wall of a long since abandoned building, it was so eerie to see something so quiet. That bothered Ranna a fair bit more than anything else usually did, her brows knitted together and she came a to halt in the center of town. A shudder raced down her spine and she cast her golden gaze from side to side but saw nothing, the feeling of being watched lingered.

Ranna's expression darkened as she shuddered again. This place was unnaturally silent as though there was nothing living other than herself.

Level II
Ranna stood in the shadow of the house she'd claimed as a campsite, the eerie feeling of being watched was not present but she swore she kept seeing something out of the corner of her eye. Only for it to disappear the moment she turned her head and that was starting to irritate her. An iritated groan left her lips and her head fell back against the wall of the house with an audible thunk.

"Whatever is doing this flitting in out of view nonsense, you should desist for I am tiring of your childish games" Ranna hissed as she pushed away from the wall. Something akin to a low laugh pierced the quiet air as the steady thud of steps echoed around the area. Whatever was approaching seemed amused and that only served to irritate the woman even more.

A Chrysaora Basilisk stepped into her line of sight everything about it looking completely normal other than the bizarre marking. She'd never seen anything like it on any of the her bonded Chrys or many others she had seen from time to time. It seemed to grin at her before turning and leaving, fading back into the mists where it had come from.

There was something there, in the back of her mind. A strange want that pulled in the direction the Chry had vanished in. Ranna direly wanted to bond with the oddly marked Chry, perhaps if she found it again she could be polite and flatter the creature. That would work, right? She wasn't sure.


Level III
It had appeared from nowhere and backed the woman into a corner staring her down with thinly veiled malice.

"This is my territory, human. Why are you here?" The voice was smooth and it bled into her mind like wet ink staining paper. Ranna stared right back at the Chry.

"I came to investigate stories of Strange Chrysaora Basilisks, I wished to see for myself whether or not the people who came here were delusional or not. It appears they were sound of mind not at all what I thought about them." Ranna replied smoothly.

The chry stood silently for a time before suddenly bringing its face nearer to Rannas, so close she could feel the creatures warm breath on her face.

"If you are lying, human, I will find you and be rid of you myself" came the whisper of ink in the woman's mind as the chry neatly span in place and sauntered away.


Level IV
"Human. I have decided something. You will bond with me. There is something about your spirit that appeals to me" Ranna raised one pale eyebrow at the chry who had spoken into her mind once more.

"Now that is an interesting development" the woman mused as she gazed at the beautiful equine standing before her. Keeping their eyes locked as best she could while dipping her body into a quick bow. She was slightly nervous and a little concerned about whether it was a good idea to let an especially haughty Chry bond with her. Ranna knew nothing could be done as soon as she felt a horn lightly graze the top of her shoulder.

"It is done then, we are bonded" Ranna murmured.

"Indeed, now we must leave this place. I will not have you dying on me because of that wretched poison" came the smooth ink like voice.

Level V (In which the new Chry has a spooky tag along that only Neria knows about)
The two new companions walked steadily alongside one another heading for the caves that would eventually lead them to them to the city of Rannas birth. The long haired woman was still slightly confused as to just why the Chry had thought fit to perform the conjoining with her. She didn't think it would be terribly polite to ask so simply let the question fade from her mind.

They had decided, well the chry had decided, hat it would be best for them both to leave. A dead or suffering companion would be pointless, so Ranna had been herded away from the town.

It took the two some time to arrive at their destination but eventually they arrived at Rannas city, where they were promptly swarmed by awed humans.

"Is that?" One asked. "It is!" Cried another. The began to crowd the companions and Ranna bristled angrily. Before she say anything a new voice shot into the mix.

"Oy! Clear off you lot, unless you want that there Chry to turn ya'll into a nice sea nettle" the tone was filled with great amusement. With annoyed grumbles and longing looks the crowd dispersed. Leaving a sole dark haired woman to whistle admirably at the Chry who merely snorted disdainfully.

"That's a real beaut you have there Ranna, you'll have to tell me all the exciting details once we get t yours" Amalia offered with a grin.

Level VI
The Mulberry gray mare glanced questioningly at her bonded who shrugged helplessly; as the chrysaora examined the new surroundings with a surprising amount of interest. The dark form of Falon'Din stepped up beside and a questioning noise escaped him. An annoyed sigh slipped from Neria and she started up an explanation for the tobiano stallion.

"She brought another Chry home with her, this one is strangely marked and I don't understand why. I heard that the where she found it was filled with poisonous gas and haunted by tormented spirits who didn't manage to survive the poison." Her voice was slightly shrill by the end and the black stallion merely hook himself with a yawn.

That evening, something woke Neria. For a few moments she blinked sleepily confused as to what had woken her, then she heard it. Soft singing coming from where the newest Chry slumbered peacefully, Neria pushed herself to her hooves and crept over. Knelt by the Chry was a the form of a girl only she wasn't solid and her voice had a slight echo to it. She couldn't understands the words coming from the girls mouth and a chill raced down her spine as the girls head turned. Casting her ghostly gaze on the frozen mare.

There was a soft giggle and she opened her mouth to speak.

"Please take care of my friend for me, I can't do it anymore. You will do it won't you? Promise me!" Her tone was insistent and Neria made a shrill terrified noise of agreement. "Yay! Thank you so much miss nice Chrysaora!" The girl cried gleefully and went to her indecipherable singing.

[JerseyDusk]

---

[Ariana Black]

username;; Ariana Black
Level I [262 Words] It had taken days and finally I reached the top of the mountain and looked out before me. I saw what looked to be a town below me in a valley. It looked like a peaceful place little did I know how wrong I was. It didn't take me long to get down the mountain and soon I was entering the valley. Something seemed off about the place though. The whole area looked like a curse had been placed on it. The whole place screamed doom and gloom and she hadn't even entered the town yet. Once I entered the town I looked about. The place was eerie dark and gloomy and though no one was there it almost seemed like the screams of the dead were in the wind. I shuddered knowing I needed to find a Chrysaora. Ever since I heard about the eerie creatures I have been having dreams about a rather frightening Chrysaora and I would wake up with tears on my face as I saw the pain it lived through and so here I was in this town where the very thing that had made the town thrive had killed so many. I could tell others have been here recently trying to mine the rest of the ore since itself wasn't giving off the poison. I started looking for a place to spend the night knowing it wasn't safe to be out in the open. Soon I found an abandoned house that still looked like it had some life to it. There I decided to camp out.

Level II [255 words] The next day I found that they had sent me a guide that looked like death himself. I really didn't want the man or any guide for that matter but I didn't argue with him either. We were going through the town when I had the feeling of being watched. That was when I heard the sound of soft hoof falls. I turned and gasped seeing the Chrysaora that I had been having nightmares about. It stood among other Chrysaora some were even young foals. I felt my heart ache and ignored my guide as it called out for me not to go near them just yet. I reached out to the one from my dreams but it screamed and fled leading the others. I saw strange eerie markings all over its body. I came up with a barn name then and there. "I will save you Hex even if it kills me." My guide stepped forward. "It may just do that. The water and the food here are scarce for them. The best way to get them to have one or both with you." I grinned knowing I had brought a lot of water and horse feed. I also knew they were was place in the town to buy more. Once more I ignored my guide and headed to the store I had seen when I first entered. I was soon grabbing up the water and food I could find. I was going to use the food and the water to lure them out.

Level III [240 words] The next day I headed out before my guide could come get me. There was something off about the man and I didn't trust him at all. Soon I came to the area where I had first seen Hex with the others. I found their tracks and started following them. I came to a wooded area and sat down on a fallen log. From my perch I could see a herd of Chrysaora but I didn't see Hex. I pulled out the grain and apple and carrot treats I had brought. I poured them out into a huge bowl and poured water out into another bowl. I started humming the eerie song from my dreams. I then started singing the lyrics to the song, Dark Waltz having just realized that was what I was humming. Suddenly I felt something nudge my shoulder. There stood Hex. The stallion was beautiful eerily beautiful. He had fangs and a dished out face almost like an Arabian. I smiled and offered him the food and water. He sniffed it over before he decided to drink first. It was then that I went to look over the others and give them them food and water as well. Some ran from me but the foals ate the food I offered and drank some of the water. I knew I would have to get more for them. I couldn't just leave all here to fend for themselves.

Level IV [319 words] It took some hours but soon the herd knew my voice and even came when I called. I even found some followed me as I walked about. Hex didn't seem to want me near him just now I took one of the mares and went and got them more food and water. I then headed back to the herd and planned on staying the whole night after finding a spot to sleep. Hex watched me out of the corner of his eye as I fed and watered the others before watering and feeding him. I knew my mistake from earlier. He was upset that I hadn't fed and watered the others before. I was a little bit afraid of this fanged Chrysaora but I had the strangest feeling Hex wouldn't harm me either. It was growing dark so I decided to go to sleep in the area I found. At some point in the middle of the night I woke up to find Hex standing over me keeping me safe. It was then our eyes locked and there was something eerie and frightening about the gaze I had been dreaming about. It was then I knew in some ways we had already bonded but now we were bonding in person. He then looked away and I nearly yelped when I heard a voice in my head. "Thank you for hearing my call. I was worried that I hadn't reached you. Thank you for feeding and watering them." I stood up and placed my hand on his neck. "You're welcome Hex. If I had known they were more than just dreams at first I would have came sooner. Your family is so beautiful in their own special ways. I personally love your fangs and dished out face." He whinnied happily as if laughing at me. He then nudged me telling me to go back to sleep and I did smiling.

Level V [262 words] The next day I woke up to Hex still standing over me protecting me. He looked angry about something. It was then I saw the guide. He looked crazed had a knife in his hand. Hex charged him and soon the two were fighting each other. In the end Hex won but was injured badly. There was no we could stay here. It was then that I noticed others were here to bond with the eerie Chrysaora and I made the decision to leave the others behind. Hex wasn't happy but I insisted knowing full well that if I didn't he could die. Soon we were making the trek up the mountain. Once we reached a specific area, I called my friends to come pick us up telling them Hex was injured. They were there within a half hour. It took them a while to stop staring. They had always thought I was crazy when I described Hex to them. Now they could see that Hex was indeed real. Quickly they snapped out of it and helped me load Hex into their horse trailer and soon we off heading to the vet's office. It was hours before Hex and I were able to go home. They had not only stitched him up but also ran some blood tests on him. They were a bit afraid of his fangs but he never bit any of them. Once home I placed him in a stall and fed and watered him before leaving him for the night. He needed his rest and so did I.

Level VI






565 words


Years ago before Desolo became a ghost town, It was a bustling happy place filled with laughter and song. It loved its holidays no matter what holiday it was. Although they did have a favorite holiday and that holiday was Halloween. They loved how spooky it was and they loved how scaring people made them laugh only on that holiday. They loved the candy and they loved dressing up. They also loved helping the Chrysaora dress up. They loved their herds back then and treasured them. The whole town would dress up no matter their age and they would would decorate the whole town and even the mining camps. They would even have people perform hauntings to terrify the children when they did the corn mazes and explored the caves. It was done in fun and the children enjoyed it. It was on one such Halloween when disaster struck. It was then that the poison from what they mined starting taking its first victims. They started dropping like flies almost. Adults and children alike thought they were doing another skit for them to enjoy but they saw that they weren't breathing. They realized then that they were dead.Others started feeling ill and started to fade before their eyes. That was when they saw the Chrysaora and instantly blamed the herds for the deaths of their beloved ones. They left as soon as they could after burying the dead. The herds watched them sadly and then vanished from sight. Only when the rare brave few people that came would ever see them until those that came to rescue the Chrysaora.

It is that time again in Lucent, a time where the inhabitants celebrated all things spooky. It was the day before Halloween and they were finishing up all of their last minute decorations and stitching of costumes. Then it was time for bed and everyone children and adults alike went to bed eagerly awaiting the next day. The next morning everyone woke up and got washed before dressing up in their costumes that they would wear all day though some prevented eating so those with fake heads kept them off while they ate but for anything else they stayed in costume. Just like Desolo, they would hauntings made up of children and adults, frightening skits, corn mazes, and exploring the caves. The children loved it all especially the games and the candy and toys that were prizes. The Chrysaora were even involved especially those that were conjoined with humans. They were dressed up with costumes, chalk, or dyes that would wash out. Some looked spooky and some looked like they came out a book of fairytales. Either they were dressed the Chrysaora were happy to be joining in the celebrations. there was even special treats made just for them. Then after the exploration of the caves and the corn mazes, they would have their twilight rides out on the Chrysaora where they saw even more frightening sights of ghost riders, ghouls, and even demons and angels. Altogether the day was absolutely perfect. They would still celebrate the next day as well telling stories that were both frightening and funny. The celebrations lasted a few days before at last all the decorations were down and all the candy and treats were eaten. They then all agreed to start planning for the next year after Christmas that is.